The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 329 You were tasked with guarding this strategic pass for a year, and you lost it in just one day?

Inside the main tent, Li Yi officially began to make specific deployments for the various troops.

Li Yi pointed at the map with a whip in hand, his voice strong and clear:
"All generals, listen to my command! In this battle, we must break through Hulao Pass with thunderous force and thwart the Wei army's plan to relocate the civilians."

"All units must strictly abide by the Prime Minister's military orders. Anyone who violates them will be punished according to military law."

After saying this, he first addressed Guan Yu:

"Yun Chang can serve as the vanguard, attacking from the middle and advancing directly towards Hulao Pass from Sishui."

"Remember, for the first two days, we only need to feign an attack. Once we see the fire start inside the pass at noon on the third day, we must immediately launch a full-scale attack!"

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly and cupped his hands in greeting: "Yes."

He then turned to Chen Deng and instructed him:

“Yuanlong can lead the Huainan navy to cross the river at Aocang.”

After crossing the river, the troops split into two groups—

"One force burned down the Wei army's riverside granaries, while the other force marched straight to Chenggao, cutting off Hulao Pass's rear route."

Chen Deng cupped his hands in greeting:

"Don't worry, Prime Minister. Deng has already prepared thirty fire ships."

"Once the river is crossed, it can be set on fire with the wind at its back."

"Yide, lead your elite cavalry and lie in ambush in the dense forest thirty miles west of Hulao Pass."

"Once chaos breaks out within the pass, immediately intercept and kill the fleeing Wei troops, and make sure to annihilate Guo Huai's forces!"

Zhang Fei rubbed his hands together excitedly and said, "I'll make sure that brat Guo Huai never leaves alive!"

After all three army groups had been deployed, Li Yi took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to a servant.

He instructed him:
"Send this letter to Bingzhou and quickly order Ma Mengqi to lead the Liangzhou cavalry to block the Xiaoguan Pass."

"We must not allow Han Sui to enter Guanzhong with even a single soldier."

The waiter gladly accepted the order, bowed, and left.

Unexpectedly, the strategic plans for this top military conference were already in place by Li Yi in a swift and decisive manner.

During this time, Yuan Yin stood quietly outside the corner of the tent, watching Li Yi's confident and assertive figure, and couldn't help but be lost in thought.

"So... this is what true court decision-making is all about..."

Yuan Yin clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve, his nails digging deep into his palm.

He suddenly recalled the scene when Yuan Shu and his generals were discussing matters in Shouchun when he was a young man.

At that time, the room was filled with lively discussions, but no decision was ever reached.

Strategists attacked each other, and military generals vied for credit while shifting blame.

Now, in this Qi army tent, once the Prime Minister uttered his words, all the generals obeyed with awe and without the slightest hesitation.

This was the first time in Yuan Yin's life that he had witnessed how the highest military conference of the State of Qi was conducted.

Just then, Li Yi turned around and met Yuan Yin's gaze.

That gaze was as calm as an ancient well, yet it reminded Yuan Yin of the tail of the Yangtze River during the floods of the Jian'an era.

Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the water lies a devastating power.

"My father once dominated the Jiangnan region, and even my uncle in Hebei had to avoid his advance..."

Yuan Yin's Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed the rest of his sentence.

He finally understood why the elite troops of Huainan had been defeated by Cao Cao and Liu Bei's newly recruited troops.

The crisp, decisive military command uttered in the tent at this moment speaks volumes more than any eloquent argument.

Li Yi's lips curled slightly as he casually inserted the command arrow into the sand table:

"Disperse the tents, prepare food at dawn, and send out troops at dawn."

Before the words were even finished, all the generals clasped their hands in unison and said, "Yes, sir!"

The generals all departed and went about their tasks in an orderly manner.

Liu Bei walked to Li Yi's side with his hands behind his back. "The arrangements that the Prime Minister just made all require us to take Hulao Pass in the shortest possible time."

"good."

Li Yi nodded solemnly, "Taking Guanzhong is only a matter of time, but our purpose in advancing is not as simple as just taking Guanzhong."

Li Yi's words were loaded with meaning; his implication was that Guanzhong was no longer within Cao Wei's strategic considerations.

Their current urgency stems from their strategic objective of thwarting Cao Wei's plan to forcibly relocate people from Guanzhong and Henan.

As I said before, population was the most important resource in ancient times.

Whoever has the largest population is the most powerful; this is the simplest and most brutal truth.

Especially considering the population of Guanzhong, once Liu Bei truly conquers this region, there is a very high probability that he will move the capital there.

It wasn't just because Chang'an and Luoyang had extremely high political significance, but more importantly, Xiapi, located in the east, was not geographically suitable as a capital.

At least relative to the entire territory of the Han Dynasty, the geographical location of Xiapi was unsuitable.

Liu Bei is now clearly aware that he is somewhat controlled by Xiapi.

For example, when Liu Bei was in the Central Plains, he might have considered trying to conquer Western Sichuan.

Therefore, it is very important to preserve the population of the Guanzhong region, which will be the future capital development zone of Qi and Han.

Although it's impossible to save everyone, saving even one is a blessing.

"Hulao Pass is the most formidable pass in the world. Even the warlords of Guandong could not break through it back then."

"Is Ziyu so confident that he can break through this pass in the shortest amount of time?"

"How will you know if you don't try?" Li Yi said casually.

Liu Bei was taken aback for a moment, then smiled broadly, "Hehe, that sounds like something you would say."

"I have handed over command to you, so you can confidently take on this challenge."

"Here."

……

As dusk settles, the majestic Hulao Pass stands tall and imposing.

Li Yi stood alone before the mountain, gazing at it for a long time, then suddenly clapped his hands and sighed:

"With Mount Song to the south and the Yellow River to the north, it is truly a natural fortress!"

Yuan Yin stayed by his brother-in-law's side the whole time, and by coming with the army, he could also earn some military merits.

However, with all the top elites of the Qi state gathered here, he couldn't get a word in edgewise.

They have no choice but to obediently follow orders and do things their way.

But this alone was enough to satisfy Li Yi.

He didn't expect his family to produce any outstanding individuals; he only asked that they be obedient and not cause him any trouble.

If they can do this, Li Yi will certainly not treat them unfairly.

After all, we're family.

Seeing Li Yi's worried expression, Yuan Yin was about to offer some words of comfort when he noticed Li Yi's sharp gaze fixed on the cliff face to the left:

"This peak rises higher than the formidable pass; it is worth exploring."

After saying this, the ape leaped up.

Yuan Yin was terrified and hurriedly led his men in pursuit, but the mountain was too steep and precipitous.

The group staggered and struggled to move forward, but Li Yi moved with the agility of a dragon, reaching the mountainside in no time.

Li Yi's rapid ascent shocked a group of Hebei generals, including Zhang Liao and Zhang He.

They never expected that Prime Minister Li, who usually studied politics and literature, would be in such good physical condition.

Moreover, their mountain climbing speed was even faster than that of the soldiers.

Xu Huang couldn't help but sigh:

"How incredibly fast your legs are, Prime Minister!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yi turned around and smiled:
"Having spent half his life in the military, is Li truly only a bookworm?"

The group exchanged glances, thinking to themselves, "Your Excellency has spent half your life on the battlefield, and haven't we all spent half our lives on the battlefield as well?"
Besides, we trained every day, but in the end, we couldn't even climb the mountain as fast as the Prime Minister who was busy all day.

How could the generals save face?
Li Yi understood what everyone meant and couldn't help but chuckle.

He thought to himself, "Guess how I came into this world?"
Why did I bring my binoculars?
He still keeps his hiking backpack to this day.

Therefore, Li Yi summoned all the generals to his side:
"Now, I will teach you a method of mountain climbing, which is a summary of my life experience."

"After you have learned it, you may teach it to your subordinate soldiers."

"I'll need it later."

Everyone responded in unison, and each pricked up their ears to listen.

"Those who climb mountains should know three essentials: conserve energy, maintain a steady footing, and move quickly."

"Now I will explain the method to you in detail."

As he spoke, Li Yi turned around and pointed to the mountain range ahead.

"When climbing a mountain, first observe its terrain and then choose the ridge to follow."

"The spine is the mountain's backbone; though steep, it is actually stable."

"Do not follow the concave areas, as they may seem flat but are actually full of gravel and slippery soil."

As he spoke, Li Yi chose a good mountain path to follow.

The moment he lifted his foot, he said again:

"When you lift your feet, make sure that three points touch the ground, or two feet and one hand, or two hands and one foot."

"With the front foot firmly planted, the back foot can then move."

"His knees were slightly bent like a monkey, and his body was slightly forward like a tiger crouching."

Everyone then imitated Li Yi's actions, waving their hands the moment they lifted their feet.

"Then you should adjust your breathing, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, in accordance with your steps."

"Inhale every three steps, exhale every three steps."

"When encountering steep sections, take two steps and then rest, making sure your breath is long and steady."

The soldiers practiced it and indeed advanced quickly.

Having served in the military, they had a solid foundation and quickly mastered the techniques taught by Li Yi and his team.

Yuan Yin couldn't help but sigh:
"I once heard of General Li Guang shooting tigers, and now I see Prime Minister Li teaching monkeys. He is truly a celestial being!"

Li Yi laughed and said, "This is just a mountain path, not worth mentioning as a path."

Then he instructed his subordinates:

"Pass down the order to have the soldiers who are carrying weapons strap the weights to their backs."

"Those who wield weapons keep their sharp blades at their waists."

"Take a short rest after walking for half an hour, drink a few sips of warm water, and do not sit or lie down suddenly!"

Got the order!

Guided by Li Yi, the group followed the mountain climber and quickly reached the mountainside.

Before everyone could catch their breath, Li Yi had already climbed to the top of the mountain and was overlooking the pass.

However, the garrison here was lax and completely unprepared.

Because this place was not the first strategic point, they were not worried at all about encountering enemies or danger.

After the generals had rested, they all walked behind Li Yi and looked down at the scenery.

"Hmph! With mountains to rely on, it's no wonder the Wei army is so fearless."

"If our army launches a strong attack, I'm afraid we will suffer considerable losses."

Just as everyone was discussing this, Li Yi suddenly spoke up:
"How about a surprise attack from here?"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and said in astonishment:
"Is Your Excellency joking?"

"The journey to the pass is a thousand fathoms; do you intend to make our soldiers sprout wings and fly away?"

Li Yi nodded solemnly, "That's exactly what we need to do—fly across the insurmountable barrier!"

After saying that, he turned and went down the mountain.

The others had no choice but to follow and descend the mountain together back to their military tent.

Upon arriving at the camp, Li Yi summoned all the senior officers, including Guan Yu, and explained his strategic plan to cross the natural barrier and launch a surprise attack on Hulao Pass.

The generals held their breath, for this was a bold plan.

If successful, it would be like divine intervention!
But what if it fails...

Just as everyone was hesitating, Zhang He glanced at Li Yi's expression before speaking:
"We can send elite soldiers down the mountain via ropes to launch a surprise attack."

"Wonderful!"

Li Yi clapped his hands and laughed; he had been waiting for these words.

Zhang He, as expected of a native of Hebei, really knows how to handle things.

He understood Li Yi's thoughts perfectly.

"Junyi's words are exactly what I was thinking!"

"You should quickly prepare ropes and leather bags, and then select your suicide soldiers."

"Slaughter cattle and sheep to feast the soldiers."

"Have a good drink and then take a day off."

"We'll change the ownership of Hulao Pass tomorrow night!"

Having given the order, Li Yi felt that relying solely on ropes to fly across Hulao Pass was still too risky.

Then he summoned the craftsmen from the army to his side and asked:

"Can you make a wooden kite?"

The wooden kite, also known as a wind kite, was first invented by Mozi for military purposes.

It is generally used for information transmission, reconnaissance, ranging, traversing danger zones, and manned transport.

During the Chu-Han Contention, when Han general Han Xin attacked Weiyang Palace, he used kites to measure the distance of the underground tunnels beneath the palace.

During the Battle of Gaixia, Han Xin even sent people to make kites out of cowhide, with bamboo flutes attached, so that they would make a sound in the wind.

Then, the Han army, accompanied by flute music, sang Chu songs, which demoralized the Chu army.

This is also the origin of the phrase "besieged on all sides".

It is not difficult to see from these examples that ancient kites were mostly used for military purposes.

However, it is rarely used for carrying people.

As for the reason, it goes without saying.

The craftsmen looked at each other in bewilderment, and more than twenty of them bowed in response.

Li Yi's expression softened slightly, and he spoke slowly:
"Do not be afraid, and do not worry."

"Although this matter is of great importance, as long as it is accomplished, the Prime Minister's residence will surely offer a generous reward."

The reason Li Yi said it was a generous reward from the Prime Minister's residence was because these people all came from the Prime Minister's residence.

Li Yi had assembled his own research team, and these craftsmen naturally understood his intentions very quickly.

"Prime Minister, are you perhaps planning to fly people across Hulao Pass?"

"Exactly."

After saying this, he took a charcoal pencil and drew a shape on the ground to demonstrate the principle of gliding.

"During the day, Li had already gone to the mountaintop to survey the terrain."

"The distance between the two places is not too high or too far, so I think we can use this method of flying across."

"How about it, can you, sir, control it?"

The craftsmen nodded, then hesitated and said:
"It can be made, but this thing is ultimately meant to carry people."

"Whether the safety of the soldiers can be guaranteed is not something we dare to decide on our own."

Li Yi remained silent for a long while, then slowly said:

"Just do as I tell you, and don't worry about anything else."

"After it's done, go to the quartermaster to collect your reward."

Everyone was relieved and withdrew as ordered.

……

As dusk settled, a commotion suddenly arose in the military camp.

Torches, like dragons, stretched from the central command tent to each camp.

The cooks carried out whole cows and sheep, along with large jars of fine wine, and placed them on the drill ground.

"By order of the Prime Minister, the entire army shall drink tonight!"

The messengers ran around shouting orders.

Upon hearing the good news, the soldiers cheered thunderously.

In a short while, the campfire roared and the aroma of meat filled the air.

Old soldier Wang Wu tore off a leg of lamb, his mouth dripping with oil, and laughed:

"Since I started following the Prime Minister, I haven't had a major victory yet, and this is the first time I've felt so exhilarated!"

However, after several rounds of drinks, a musician suddenly threw his cup to the ground.

The bearded man glanced around at his comrades and lowered his voice, saying:
"Gentlemen, the Prime Minister is always cautious and diligent."

"When will we be able to drink so freely before such a great victory?"

Upon hearing this, everyone paused, holding their wine bowls.

It was simply because they had all followed Li Yi for many years and understood Prime Minister Li's temperament.

The sun is rising in the west; something's definitely up here!
The sheep bone in the hands of recruit Li Ergou fell to the ground with a thud, and he said in a trembling voice:
"Could it be..."

Before he could finish speaking, the squad leader kicked him.
"Eat your flesh!"

Inside the central command tent, Li Yi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the firelight in the camp.

Zhang Liao strode in, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Reporting to the Prime Minister, all the soldiers have finished eating."

"Has anyone doubted this?" Zhang Liao replied seriously, "Those lads are shrewd; they don't get to enjoy such good wine and meat every day."

"Moreover, on the battlefield, one must be willing to risk one's life."

After a slight pause, Zhang Liao added:

"Prime Minister, the soldiers have all eaten their fill tonight, but you haven't eaten anything all night."

"Let's go get something to eat too."

"The cook has specially reserved a roast goose leg for you; it's the left leg."

"Just leave it there, I'll eat it when I get hungry later."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion was heard outside the tent, and Zhang Fei burst in carrying a wine jar.

"Sir, you're being too unpleasant! If you're going to reward the troops, why don't you invite me, Old Zhang, to join you for a drink?"

"Yide drinks less."

Guan Yu followed closely behind, lifted the curtain and entered, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.

"You have a great responsibility to bear tomorrow; how can you let drinking ruin your work?"

"Hehe, General Guan, please let Yide drink it."

Li Yi waved his hand, "Everyone has had a great time tonight, so let's not spoil Yide's fun."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei immediately grinned.

"Hehe, you really know my temperament, sir."

"Second brother, don't spoil the fun. Come on, let's drink together."

Let's drink to our hearts' content tonight!

Just as the Qi army was raising their cups and drinking fine wine in the camp.

Guo Huai, far away at Hulao Pass, frowned deeply.

"what?"

"The first thing to do upon reaching the pass is to slaughter cattle and sheep and drink fine wine?"

Guo Huai stood with his hands behind his back, his face full of doubt. "What are they going to do?"

Guo Huai truly couldn't understand Li Yi's move.

It is not wrong to feast the soldiers before the battle.

But going this far is a bit too much; anyone who didn't know better would think you'd already taken Hulao Pass.

People say this man is a genius at warfare, what tricks is Li Yi up to now?
"Pass down the order to strengthen security."

"We must be vigilant against the Qi people launching a night attack on the pass."

"As ordered!"

The messenger quickly relayed Guo Huai's orders.

Many of the soldiers on night watch grumbled:

"Hmph, the people of Qi are eating and drinking down below, while you, sir, are left to starve on the city wall."

"This is really unreasonable!"

Since Guanzhong was to be abandoned anyway, Hulao Pass naturally didn't receive much in terms of supplies.

The nutritional value of meat and eggs is naturally limited.

"Hey! If you piss me off, I'll leave the pass and go join Qi."

"Shh! Keep your voice down, are you out of your mind! If someone hears this, you could get your head chopped off!"

"So what if I get beheaded? At least I'll have some oil on my lips before I die, so I won't starve to death."

The garrison above the pass was full of complaints, while the soldiers below were laughing heartily, creating a stark contrast.

However, if the garrison above the pass knew what these people below were planning to do tomorrow, they certainly wouldn't be laughing.

As the drumbeats sounded three times, Li Yi stepped out of the main tent.

The Milky Way shone brightly, and the night breeze carried the sound of intermittent snoring.

He tilted his head back and drank the remaining wine in his glass, muttering to himself:

"At this time tomorrow, I wonder how many people will be able to see this starlight again..."

The next day, early morning.

The soldier who had the best meal yesterday was woken up early this morning.

Everyone originally thought that they would definitely serve as the vanguard in the attack on Hulao Pass.

Therefore, everyone made mental preparations in advance.

Surprisingly, the officers did not allow them to don their armor and go into battle.

Instead, they were gathered together, and it was said that Prime Minister Li had something to instruct them on.

With hearts full of trepidation, everyone gathered at the training ground.

As dawn broke, the eight hundred warriors stood solemnly like pine trees.

Li Yi stepped onto the stage with his sword in hand, the armor plates clanging loudly.

His gaze was like lightning, slowly sweeping over each face.

"Was the wine and meat sufficient last night?" Li Yi's voice was as cold as iron.

The soldiers roared in unison:

"Thank you for the banquet, Prime Minister!"

Li Yi suddenly raised his arms and shouted:
Do you know why I am feasting only on you?

Without waiting for a response, its sword is aimed at the rising sun in the east:
"Because you are all elite warriors of our Great Qi! It is none other than you who will defeat Cao Cao at Hulao Pass!"

Li Yi possesses exceptional oratory skills, capable of making even the most ordinary statement sound passionate and inspiring.

"In the past, Emperor Guangwu pacified Hebei with only twenty-eight horsemen. Today, we, with eight hundred valiant warriors, surely we can conquer Hulao Pass?"

Zhang Liao, Gao Lan, and other generals suddenly and very "cooperatingly" pounded their chests and roared:

"I am willing to die for the Prime Minister!"

The crowd was immediately agitated, and all eight hundred men struck their shields with their swords in unison, creating a thunderous roar.

Li Yi suddenly raised his hand to stop the commotion, and his personal guards immediately brought out a huge object—a wooden kite.

Its wingspan was over ten feet, and the cowhide covering its face gleamed golden in the morning light.

"This is a secret technique of the Mohist school."

Li Yi stroked the wooden kite's frame, "Tonight at midnight, you shall ride this divine creature and fly from Dongshan across the formidable pass!"

Before the words were even finished, the army formation immediately began to stir.

"Scared?"

Li Yi's cold laugh suddenly turned into a sharp shout:

"Raise your heads! Look at the sword marks on your armor! Every single one of them is a testament to your bloody journey back from the underworld!"

"It's a pity that General Zilong is not here. I really like a phrase that General Zilong often said."

"A true man who dies on the battlefield is fortunate indeed."

"What do you have to fear?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yi's sword suddenly turned, pointing directly at Hulao Pass:

"Those who leap across will each be rewarded with one hundred gold pieces! The first to reach the top will be promoted three ranks!"

As the saying goes, a generous reward will surely attract brave men.

Driven by enormous profits, the eight hundred heroes still let out a thunderous roar.

"Here!"

Although everyone expressed their determination, they still had doubts about how to fly across Hulao Pass.

After all, using wooden kites for flying is a relatively rare military application.

Seeing that the soldiers were still hesitant, Li Yiyi took out a kite frame and plucked a leaf to show them.

"Why does this leaf flutter? It is because the wind carries it."

“This kite is over ten feet wide and covered with thick leather. When viewed from above, it must be like this leaf riding the wind.”

The soldiers then realized what was happening and all bowed in submission, saying:

"The Prime Minister's wisdom is beyond our reach!"

……

That night, the night was as dark as ink, when suddenly a deafening drumbeat arose in front of Hulao Pass.

Guan Yu personally led his army, raising torches like a galaxy pouring down, and rushed straight to the pass.

"Report—The Qi army is attacking the pass!"

The scout stumbled and rushed into the gate tower.

Guo Huai sneered:

"Just as I expected!"

"The other day I ordered the soldiers to drink heavily, just to demoralize my troops."

"Fortunately, I was prepared."

After saying this, he immediately donned his armor and climbed the city wall. He saw flames stretching for miles below the pass, and the large banner with the character "Qi" fluttering in the wind.

He turned to his lieutenant and said:

"Li Yi is nothing special."

"Order the entire army to defend the pass to the death!"

"We have the natural defenses of Hulao Pass, so even if the bandits number in the millions, we have nothing to fear."

Arrows rained down from the fortress, and logs and rocks roared incessantly.

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes, deflected the stray arrow with his sword, and said in a deep voice:

"Cloud echelon, advance!"

Just as the fierce fighting was raging on the main battlefield of Hulao Pass.

At the summit of Dongshan, Li Yi held a telescope, gazing at the flames of war before the pass, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The eight hundred warriors had each taken up their wooden kites, the cowhide-covered wings fluttering in the mountain wind.

"Master Prime Minister."

Zhang He strode forward, his iron armor clanging.

“The young men are too afraid to approach the abyss. Do you think you should go there yourself again?”

It seems that when faced with the final step of the challenge, everyone still felt apprehensive.

Despite the favorable wind direction, no one dared to jump.

That's why Zhang He rushed over in a hurry, asking Li Yi to go to the scene again in person to boost morale.

"No need."

Li Yi put away his binoculars, his cloak billowing in the wind like wings.

Just tell them—

"The country has supported you for so many years, whether you jump or not is up to you!"

After saying that, he raised the binoculars again and ignored Zhang He.

Zhang He's pupils constricted sharply, and he clasped his hands in a fist and roared:
"Here!"

As he turned around, the ring-pommel sword at his waist was already half-drawn.

The army formation at the cliff stirred. Zhang He rushed over, sword in hand, and shouted sternly:
"The Prime Minister has sent a message!"

"The state has nurtured scholars for a thousand days; whether they jump or not is their own decision!"

The previously agitated crowd immediately fell silent.

Finally, someone mustered up their courage, shouldered the wooden kite, and jumped off.

"boom--"

The cowhide wings caught the mountain wind, and the tower-like figure truly glided towards the pass like a hawk.

Immediately afterward, another soldier shouted angrily:

"Damn it, let's fight!"

After saying that, he grabbed the wooden kite and rushed out.

In an instant, eight hundred wooden kites took to the air one after another.

Under the night sky, it was as if stars had fallen or the Milky Way had been poured down.

Li Yi traced the cloud pattern on the telescope with his fingertips when he suddenly heard his personal guards behind him gasp in shock.

The remaining thirty-odd men were being forced towards the cliff by Zhang He's personal guards wielding crossbows.

"Prime Minister..." The guard hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Li Yi turned to look at the beacon fires at the pass, a cold smile curving his lips:
"Tell Yun Chang that we can launch a general offensive."

A few screams drifted on the mountain wind; they were the sounds of a runaway wooden kite plummeting off a cliff.

But more shadowy figures had already swept past the moon and were rushing toward that ancient and majestic pass.

At Hulao Pass, the battle was raging.

Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade flashed a chilling arc in the firelight as he roared:
"Cloud echelon, charge again! Charge again!"

The third group of suicide soldiers carried bamboo ladders and rushed towards the city wall. Boiling oil cascaded down the wall like a waterfall, and screams of agony were heart-wrenching.

Guo Huai sneered from inside the arrow tower:

"Send word to deploy the crossbowmen from the west city wall!"

"Tell the soldiers to rest assured, this red-faced thief can't break through my pass."

Just as the lieutenant was about to leave, he suddenly heard shouts of alarm rising from outside.

"General! In the sky...in the sky..."

The guards stumbled in, their faces ashen.

Guo Huai strode out of the building, and the moment he looked up, he was struck dumb.

Dozens of dark figures swooped down from the night sky like vultures, and the closest one was clearly visible with cowhide wings "growing" from its back.

"This this……"

Guo Huai's sword clattered to the ground. "Could it be that Li Yi is truly a god, capable of summoning heavenly soldiers?!"

Soon, the defenders on the city wall caught sight of the Qi army flying in from the night sky.

Because it was dark, no one could see the details clearly.

They assumed it was a celestial army descending to earth, and rumors spread like wildfire across the pass.

"It's divine punishment! It's divine punishment!"

"The people of Qi can summon heavenly soldiers and generals!"

"Run for your life!"

The Wei army had never seen such a scene before.

Although the number of flying creatures was small, it was enough to terrify the already demoralized soldiers defending the city.

At the west gate, the first wooden kite crashed to the ground.

The warrior leaped from the broken skeleton, brandishing his long sword and instantly felling a guard.

"Kill the thief! Kill the thief!"

More and more wooden kites landed safely, and then a surprise attack was launched at the critical moment.

The soldiers guarding the city wall were terrified, and some even knelt down and begged for mercy.

Guo Huai killed three deserters in succession and roared:

"No retreat! It's just..."

Before he finished speaking, a stream of arrow hit the shoulder armor.

Guan Yu's phoenix eyes suddenly lit up, and he exclaimed with delight:

"Sir, your plan has succeeded!"

So he quickly turned to his men and shouted:

"The city gates are in chaos, charge forward with the ramming carts!"

A hundred strong men pushed the massive iron-clad logs and began to storm the city gate.

At the eastern wall, the city wall that Li Yi personally directed the attack on had already been breached.

He coldly watched the fleeing defenders, only instructing his men not to pursue them too far.

Zhang He rushed over, covered in blood:
"Your Excellency, Ximen is under control!"

"ignition."

Li Yi said calmly, and three rockets soared into the sky.

Guo Huai stared at the flames that lit up one after another, his face finally turning ashen.

The lieutenant grabbed him and shouted, "General, let's go!"

"Walk?"

Guo Huai glanced at the inky sky with a bitter smile, "Where can we go?"

"If I lose the city in a single day, do you think I will still have a place to stay in Wei, even if I return?"

Guo Huai's face was ashen, and he said with utter despair.

The highest directive given to him by the Chengdu authorities was to hold out for at least a year.

As a result, Guo Huai only stayed for one day.

After achieving this result, he was too ashamed to face anyone again.

The other side is terrifying. I really hope this isn't real!

(End of this chapter)