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

Chapter 330 Restoring the Han Dynasty and Returning to the Old Capital

The morning bell of Luoyang City had barely rung three times when chaos erupted inside the General Who Conquers the East's residence.

Xiahou Dun, his single eye bloodshot, slammed the battle report heavily onto the table:

"Hulao Pass... Hulao Pass fell in a single day?!"

Everyone inside the mansion remained expressionless.

Completely unable to believe their ears, everyone stared at the battle report that had been sent back.

The newspaper listed the name of the highest-ranking commander in this campaign.

"It's Li Yi again!"

Cao Ren's fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "To break through Hulao Pass, the most dangerous pass in the world, in one night, could this person truly have divine assistance?"

"nonsense!"

Xiahou Dun suddenly roared, refusing to accept this reality no matter what.

His single eye was bloodshot. "Where did these heavenly soldiers come from? It must be Guo Huai's poor defense!"

Before he could finish speaking, the scout stumbled in from outside the door:
"Report—The vanguard of the Qi army has crossed the Si River!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room fell into dead silence.

Zhong Yao suddenly coughed violently, and said in a trembling voice:
"Luoyang... is in grave danger."

Clearly, the sudden fall of Hulao Pass completely disrupted Cao Wei's plan to relocate its people.

At present, only some people from the nearby Jingzhao and Hongnong areas have been relocated to Hanzhong.

The people in the Yin area of ​​Henan have hardly moved.

The council chamber was completely silent at noon.

Xiahou Dun removed his helmet, revealing his graying temples, and said in a deep voice:

"Relay Duke Wei's order—"

The generals rose in alarm.

"Effective immediately, all counties east of Luoyang shall be abandoned."

The voice beneath the armored vehicle was somewhat hoarse: "Du Xi and Zhao Yan shall immediately change their route to Hangu Pass and continue the relocation of the people."

Du Xi said urgently:

"Those hundreds of thousands of people in Luoyang..."

These people were not all from Luoyang; some were people from Henan who were brought over during the original westward migration plan.

According to the original plan, these people were all able to be successfully brought to Hanzhong.

But things haven't gone as planned, so we have to change our plans.

"Move as many as you can!"

Xiahou Dun smashed the table with his fist, "Le Jiu, lead the remaining troops to garrison Luoyang and make sure to hold off the Qi army for ten days!"

"This subordinate... obeys!"

Le accepted the order with trepidation.

Le Jiu was a general under Yuan Shu, during the time when Cao Cao and Liu Bei attacked Huainan.

Cao Cao subdued them during his campaign.

Luoyang was the former capital of the Han Dynasty. Such a politically valuable city was entrusted to a surrendered general.

This also reflects that Cao Wei was facing a shortage of talented people.

The successive battles resulted in the deaths of too many of Cao Wei's elites.

Soon, Xiahou Dun led a group of Cao Wei ministers to relocate more than 100,000 people from the vicinity of Luoyang.

This is already the limit of what they can carry; any more would greatly slow down their march.

If the Qi people catch up with us, it will be a loss that outweighs the gains.

Of course, there were also ruthless individuals who proposed the idea of ​​massacring civilians.

The reason is that if they can't take it with them, they can't leave it for the Qi people either.

However, Xiahou Dun rejected this proposal.

Because many of the people who moved away had relatives in Luoyang.

Killing them would inevitably force the relocated people to rebel.

Cao Wei did not intend to use these relocated people as cannon fodder, but rather hoped that they would become law-abiding citizens in Shu.

Therefore, after weighing the options, they had no choice but to reluctantly give up the remaining Luoyang people to the Qi people.

Le stood on the city tower with a heavy heart. Having been assigned the task of guarding Luoyang, he was now a pawn to be discarded by Cao Wei.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of dark figures outside the city and hurriedly ordered his men:
"Quickly observe that place!"

In the darkness, a colossal object slowly advanced, about three zhang tall, covered in sheet metal, with wheels and axles turning underneath, making a loud clanging sound.

The garrison commander was utterly astonished: "What is this thing?"

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp arrow pierced the air and struck him squarely in the throat.

The soldiers fell backward from the city tower, their blood splattering across the city wall.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The alarm blared, and chaos erupted on the city wall.

Yue was greatly alarmed, thinking to himself, "The Qi people arrived really quickly!"

I had long heard that Li Yi always preferred speed in his military campaigns, but the speed of this advance still exceeded my expectations.

According to his original plan, it would take at least three more days for the Qi people to fully assemble their army under the walls of Luoyang.

"Don't panic!"

"Loose the arrows! Prepare the logs!"

There's no other way; we have to deal with whatever comes our way. We still have to defend.

Outside the city, Li Yi personally supervised the battle from the military formation.

That mobile city wall was a specially made siege ladder, with elite troops hidden inside.

It is also a research achievement of the science and technology institute established by Li Yi.

This was the first time I had been deployed to the battlefield against a large city like Luoyang.

Chen Deng stroked his beard and laughed:

"The Prime Minister is truly skilled; he managed to acquire such a colossal object!"

Because Chen Deng traveled by water, he was the first to join up with Li Yi's vanguard.

Zhang Fei could no longer contain himself:

"Sir, let me, Old Zhang, go first and make a name for myself."

Li Yi pressed down on his shoulder, "Yide, wait a moment."

He then shouted, "Archers, provide cover!"

In an instant, arrows flew like locusts, forcing the defenders on the city walls to keep their heads down.

At the third quarter of the hour of Chen (7:45 AM), the war drums shook the heavens.

With a wave of his command flag, Li Yi sent a hundred warriors pushing the flying ladder forward slowly.

Arrows rained down from the city walls, but they all struck the iron sheet.

"Put down the logs!" Le roared furiously.

The giant log crashed down, only to be bounced off by the sloping board at the top of the ladder.

Zhang Fei laughed loudly from inside the ladder, "The Wei traitors have run out of tricks!"

Before the words were even finished, the siege ladder had already been hoisted onto the battlements with a "bang".

Yue led his personal guards to fight, and they encountered Zhang Fei.

The eighteen-foot spear, like a dragon emerging from the sea, pierced through more than ten Wei soldiers in succession.

Le barely managed to withstand three blows before his armor was pierced, and blood gushed out.

"General, hurry up!"

The lieutenant fought desperately to protect him, and only then was Le able to escape.

Looking back at the city walls, the Qi army had already occupied half of the walls, and new troops were still pouring out from the flying ladders.

Fortunately, Luoyang is a large city, and it is not so easy to take it down in a day by relying solely on hand-to-hand combat.

After a day and a night of fierce fighting, the Wei army barely managed to repel the Qi army's offensive.

However, after defeating the Qi army, the Wei soldiers did not show any joy of victory on their faces.

The weariness and disappointment on everyone's faces were unmistakable.

"They will come back again."

This was the thought in the mind of every Wei soldier.

Today, the advanced siege techniques and military theories of the State of Qi have broadened the horizons of the people of Wei.

The military sciences of the states of Qi and Wei have already diverged by at least two levels.

……

As dusk settled, the Qi army camp was brightly lit.

Li Yi was discussing the strategy for attacking the city with his generals when he suddenly saw Chen Deng lightly tapping on the table.

"Your Excellency, today I observed that many of the Wei soldiers on the city wall looked weary."

"Le Jiu was not a direct descendant of the Cao family, but merely a surrendered general. Why not send an envoy to persuade him to surrender?"

"Have you not heard Sun Tzu say that subduing the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill?"

"Today, our army has gained the upper hand with the help of the flying ladders, but there will still be considerable losses in the siege."

"If we can persuade them to surrender with joy, that would be a good strategy."

The tent fell silent for a moment.

Zhang Fei slammed his fist on the table and said, "Why bother with all this! I'll wait until tomorrow..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yuan Yin suddenly stood up and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Prime Minister, Yue Jiu was once a general under my Yuan family, and we have a history together."

"If you do not mind, I am willing to go and persuade them."

Strictly speaking, Yue could also be considered a protégé and former subordinate of Yuan.

According to the customs of the Han Dynasty, even when two armies were at war, Yue could not speak disrespectfully to the Yuan family.

That's why Yuan Yin dared to propose taking the initiative to persuade them to surrender.

After all, he had followed Li Yi all the way and had already accumulated quite a few military merits.

We should at least do something practical.

Otherwise, even if Liu Bei had given himself a high-ranking official position, it wouldn't have stopped the gossip.

Li Yi's gaze sharpened, lingering on Yuan Yin's face for a moment before he suddenly smiled and said:

“Very well! I’ll trouble you to make the trip, brother-in-law.”

"If you can truly make someone surrender at will, you will deserve the greatest credit."

Yuan Yin thanked him and rode alone to the city of Luoyang at dawn the next day.

The soldiers guarding the city walls drew their bows and arrows, and shouted sternly:
"Who is coming?"

“My old friend Yuan Yin has come to pay his respects to General Yue.”

Upon hearing the news, Yue climbed the city wall and saw that it was indeed his former master. After pondering for a long time, he finally waved his hand.

"Lower the suspension bridge."

Upon entering the city, they found the streets and alleys desolate and the soldiers listless.

Yue then led Yuan Yin into the mansion, and as soon as he sat down, he sighed.

"Could it be that Lord Yuan has come here as an intermediary for Li Yi?"

Yuan Yin did not answer, but instead asked:

"General, what did you think of yesterday's 'Flying Cloud Ladder'?"

Le's expression froze, and the teacup in his hand trembled slightly. "Indeed...it is a miraculous skill."

"Under the Prime Minister's command, there are countless such powerful weapons."

Yuan Yin lowered his voice, "I wonder how many troops and provisions you have left, enough to hold off the elite forces of Qi?"

Le remained silent and could not answer.

Seeing his hesitation, Yuan Yin suddenly slammed his hand on the table and laughed:

"...General, how pedantic you are!"

"The Cao family left you to guard this isolated city, clearly using you as bait."

"Since they are unrighteous, why should you risk your life for them?"

"Luoyang is the former capital of the Han Dynasty and has special significance for the Liu family."

"If the general can surrender the entire city, the reward of being ennobled will be a given."

Le's expression shifted between light and shadow, his fingers constantly stroking the hilt of his sword.
“I have already betrayed Yuan and surrendered to Cao. If I were to abandon Cao and surrender to Liu, I would be betraying both my masters.”

"It's not that I'm unwilling to do this, but I'm afraid it will damage my reputation."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yin burst into laughter.

"General, you are mistaken!"

"The Han dynasty will surely rise again in three years, and the King of Qi will surely ascend to the throne."

As he spoke, Yuan Yin glanced around and then lowered his voice, saying:
"Moreover, the mother of A Dou, the heir apparent of the Qi Kingdom, is a daughter of my Yuan family."

"The Han dynasty's rule was half under the control of the Yuan family."

"If you return to Han now, you are essentially returning to Yuan. What betrayal is there in that?"

These words were truly a wake-up call.

Yuan Yin's words couldn't be more blunt.

The current heir apparent has half of my Yuan family blood, so the Han dynasty also belongs to half of my Yuan family.

If you side with Liu, you're essentially side with Yuan. Isn't that a mistake?

It just so happens that the Yuan family has always believed that their family originated from the reign of Emperor Shun, and that the Yuan family originated from "Chen".

The emperor then left Chen and entered Liu Qi.

Right, everything is right!
Yuan Yin was so impressed with his own theory that he was almost impressed with himself.

Yue was finally persuaded by Yuan Yin and ordered his personal guards to open the city gates that very night.

Li Yi personally led his elite troops into the city, only to find that the nine gates of Luoyang were wide open, and the Wei soldiers all abandoned their armor and lay prostrate on the ground.

"Order the three armies not to disturb the people."

Li Yi reined in his horse and stood on Zhuque Avenue, facing Chen Dengdao.

"Immediately issue a proclamation to Anmin, stating that all those who surrender will be pardoned for their past transgressions."

The following morning, Li Yi summoned Yue Jiu to the former residence of the Duke of Wei.

Le entered cautiously and prostrated himself to beg for forgiveness.

Li Yi personally helped him up and said gently, "General, you have abandoned darkness for light, and your contribution is great to the country."

He was immediately granted fifty yi of gold and one hundred bolts of brocade.

"Once the King of Qi arrives, there will be further rewards," Li Yi added with a smile.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, he kowtowed repeatedly.
"I am deeply grateful to the Prime Minister for sparing my life, and I am willing to serve him with utmost loyalty!"

Yuan Yin stroked his beard and smiled.

Li Yi turned his head and praised, "This time we captured this fortified city without lifting a finger, all thanks to my brother-in-law's efforts."

After saying this, Li Yi couldn't help but sigh to himself.

It was the right decision to advise Liu Bei to marry one of the Yuan family women each, as the Yuan family's disciples and former officials are indeed found all over the world.

If it weren't for Yuan Yin, countless more Qi soldiers would have died under the walls of Luoyang.

It seems that, in many cases, personal connections are not as useful as ability.

China has been a society based on personal relationships since ancient times.

A moment later, a long horn sounded outside the city.

A guard rushed in to report: "The Qi King's imperial carriage has arrived ten miles outside the city!"

Li Yi straightened his clothes and hat, and addressed the crowd:
"Quickly follow me to greet them."

He caught a glimpse of Yue out of the corner of his eye and added, "General Yue may also come along."

As dawn broke, Li Yi led his civil and military officials to line up outside Luoyang City.

Amidst the fluttering banners, dust suddenly billowed as the Qi King's imperial carriage drew near.

Liu Bei alighted from the carriage, took Li Yi's hand, and exclaimed, "Ziyu's military strategy is divine! He captured Luoyang in less than ten days. He is truly a genius!"

"It's all thanks to the might of the Great King."

After saying this, Li Yi stepped forward and led Yue Jiu forward, saying, "This is General Yue Jiu, a meritorious official who surrendered the city. It is all thanks to Yuan Yin's persuasion."

Yue stepped forward, bowed, and prostrated himself to apologize.

Liu Bei personally helped him up:

"The general has abandoned darkness and embraced light; his merit is immeasurable."

He immediately presented her with the jade belt from his waist and bestowed upon her the title of Marquis of Guannei, with a fief of a thousand households.

He then summoned Yuan Yin to come closer, took his hand, and said, "The Yuan family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, and now you have made such a great contribution."

"I cannot fail to reward him, so as to demonstrate the clarity of the laws of Qi."

Yuan Yin was then transferred to the position of Marquis of Guantao, and his fief was increased by two thousand households.

When the rewards were bestowed upon Li Yi, Zhang Fei, Chen Deng, and others, Liu Bei laughed and said:
"The merits of all of you shall be recorded for now."

"After the Central Plains are pacified, a large fiefdom will be granted."

Immediately after speaking, the three men were bestowed with one hundred yi of gold, one thousand bolts of brocade, and ten jars of imperial wine each. These were all practical material rewards.

It wasn't that Liu Bei was reluctant to bestow such a large reward.

The issue is that it's still unclear how exactly to implement the lockdown.

After all, the military achievements of his subordinates were almost overflowing.

According to Liu Bei's initial plan, the only option was to create a Grand Marshal and General, just like Emperor Wu of Han did.

The position of Grand Marshal and General is the highest-ranking officer in charge of the nation's army.

It was also the exclusive official title of Marquis Changping, Wei Qing.

The main reason is that Wei Qing's achievements were too great, and after being appointed as a general, there was no more to be appointed.

This forced Emperor Wu of Han to add the title of Grand Marshal before Grand General, in order to highlight Wei Qing's special honor.

Therefore, Emperor Wu spared no effort in investing resources in Huo Qubing and worked hard to cultivate him.

Hopefully, he can help him take credit for his uncle's military achievements.

Of course, restoring the position of Grand Marshal and General was only Liu Bei's initial idea.

He did not tell anyone the specific steps involved, including Li Yi.

Because Liu Bei is currently unsure whether or not to do this.

This is simply the downside of not having a royal family.

Historically, the Cao Wei state was founded on the support of the imperial clan. Cao Cao was able to appease the Cao and Xiahou clans and then use their power to suppress those of other clans.

Liu Bei had no relatives of the imperial clan to rely on, only Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Li Zicheng could be considered as half of the imperial clan.

The remaining group of ministers from other clans and regional officials were all issues that Liu Bei needed to carefully consider how to properly handle.

After bestowing the rewards, the group prepared to enter the city.

Upon reaching the gates of Luoyang, Liu Bei couldn't help but stop and gaze upwards.

The mottled city wall still bears traces of the Chinese character "Han," and I couldn't help but shed tears.

“In the past, Ziyu promised me to ‘revive the Han Dynasty and return to the old capital,’ and now it has come true.”

Li Yi cupped his hands and replied with a smile, "How could I forget? This promise is as heavy as a thousand pounds, and I keep it on my mind day and night."

Upon entering the city gate, they suddenly saw people kneeling to welcome them on both sides of the long street, bringing food and drink, and lining the road to greet them.

The cheers of "Long live!" were deafening.

Liu Bei was taken aback, and Li Yi then spoke up:
"As Your Majesty travels through Henan, wherever you go, the people welcome you with all their heart. You truly have the advantage of favorable timing."

"Is this not the will of Heaven?"

It turns out that yesterday, Li Yi had secretly ordered that each household be given three dou of millet and be sent to welcome the emperor.

Those who cheer, young and old alike, will be rewarded with an additional ten coins.

Shops along the street were exempted from taxes for three months.

He also told the people of Luoyang that these rewards were bestowed upon them by the King of Qi.

You must remember the kindness of the King of Qi.

This is something that can never be repaid.

Such a grand occasion was achieved thanks to Li Yi's meticulous planning.

Upon entering the main hall, Liu Bei perused the household registers presented by Li Yi at the table.

According to rough estimates, Luoyang currently has approximately 43,600 registered residents.

There were 200,000 qing of farmland, but due to the deliberate burning by Cao Cao's army, less than 500 qing of fertile land remained.

There are approximately 120 wards and markets within Luoyang City.

This was all thanks to Le Jiu's timely surrender; otherwise, if the resistance had continued, the destruction of Luoyang would have been even more severe.

The current result is already much better than expected.

Liu Bei suddenly noticed that the ink on the album was still fresh, indicating that it had been made overnight.

Liu Bei couldn't help but stroke the book and sigh:

"Ziyu has just conquered the fortified city, and this book has already been produced this morning. He is truly a pillar of the state."

"I am merely following the example of Xiao He."

Li Yi cupped his hands in greeting, "The Antu register is also ready."

Then he presented another scroll.

Liu Bei unrolled the scroll and found it to be a detailed description of the defenses of Chang'an, with even the water gates and secret passages clearly marked.

He asked in surprise, "Where did this come from?"

“Many of Yuan’s former subordinates were officials in Chang’an, which is why he obtained it.”

"good!"

Liu Bei slowly closed the album, his eyes narrowing, and said in a loud voice:

"Now that we have captured Luoyang, the eastern capital, we should also reclaim Chang'an, the western capital."

Upon hearing this, the generals all volunteered to fight, expressing their willingness to take the last piece of territory in Guanzhong for the Great Qi.

Only Li Yi suggested that Liu Bei stay in Luoyang for the time being.

"Your Majesty, I request that you take command of Luoyang."

Li Yi solemnly cupped his hands, saying, "Firstly, to appease the people of the Central Plains, and secondly, because the Qi army has been fighting one fierce battle after another, the soldiers are exhausted and should rest."

Liu Bei stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said:
As the saying goes, "One should strike while the iron is hot, but one's strength will wane on the second attempt and be exhausted on the third."

"Now that Cao Wei's army has been defeated, they are fleeing to Guanzhong and entering Hanzhong, and they are heading straight down the mountain."

"Why are you being so lazy?"

Li Yi replied, "No."

"Luoyang is the former capital of the Han Dynasty. Now, Your Majesty, as a member of the imperial family, has conquered this place. This is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people."

"It is fitting to stay here and gain popularity."

"As for Chang'an, it can be left to Ma Chao of Bingzhou to attack."

“Ma Mengqi is a descendant of General Fubo, and the Qiang people respect him as ‘Divine Might Heavenly General’. If he were to march south from the north…”

"We will surely be able to defeat Han Sui and the remnants of Cao Wei's army."

Liu Bei was overjoyed and immediately ordered Ma Chao to lead troops to Chang'an to recapture the last piece of land in Chang'an.

However, after much deliberation, Liu Bei did not issue a formal edict in his edict to Ma Chao.

Instead, they switched to writing letters by hand, reminiscing and appealing to emotions.

After all, Ma Chao was rarely influenced by the king.

The letter was quickly sent back to Bingzhou. Ma Chao read Liu Bei's letter, which briefly stated—

"A letter to General Mengqi:"

“Whenever I read historical records, I cannot help but close the book and sigh, thinking of the heroic spirit of General Fubo.”

"Upon hearing that the general's might shook the Qiang and Hu tribes, and that his divine martial prowess was bestowed by heaven, he is truly a phoenix among the Ma family."

"Back when I was in Hebei, I longed to meet the general and chat, but I never had the chance to meet him, which I still regret to this day."

"Now I am sending Shiyuan, Zishan and others to assist the general. They are all outstanding talents of the nation."

"I recently heard that the General is stationed in Bingzhou, and the Qiang and Hu peoples are won over. He is skilled in both farming and warfare. I am very pleased!"

"A true man should strive to achieve unparalleled feats in the world."

"Now that the ancient capital of Chang'an is within reach and the Cao family's power is waning, this is a golden opportunity."

"If the general leads the Qiang and Han people south to eliminate the remnants and filth, his achievements will surpass those of the sages of the past, and his name will be recorded in history."

"When the Han Dynasty is restored, the general will surely be regarded as a meritorious official."

"When we achieve success one day, will we let Fubo monopolize the glory?"

Ma Chao was overjoyed to receive Liu Bei's letter and slammed his fist on the table, laughing loudly.
"Liu Bei is truly my lord!"

He then summoned Pang Tong and Bu Zhi to his tent for a discussion.

Both agreed to advance immediately.

Ma Chao had no more worries and immediately dispatched Pang De with 5,000 light cavalry as the vanguard.

Ma Dai led 8,000 infantrymen as the Central Protectorate Army, and personally commanded 7,000 infantry and cavalry to officially set off.

Bu Zhi added:

"The road east of the river is flat; we should proceed quickly."

At dawn the following day, the troops were mustered at the drill ground.

Ma Chao, wielding a silver spear and riding a white horse, stood on the general's platform and shouted loudly:

"My lords! Today we march on Chang'an, the day of victory—"

The spear tip pierced the dawn, "A hundred taels of gold for everyone!"

The cheers of the three armies shook the heavens.

Pang De led his vanguard like an arrow released from a bow, while Ma Dai's troops surged like an iron torrent.

Ma Chao led the central army, with Pang Tong accompanying him in an oil-painted carriage. Along the way, the Qiang tribes came to join them upon hearing the news, adding another three thousand soldiers.

Upon reaching Puban Ferry, a scout suddenly reported:
"Han Sui has already dispatched his general Yan Xing to block Tongguan!"

Ma Chao sneered, "How dare you, you brat?"

With his silver spear pointed forward, he commanded, "Send word: Cross the river tonight!"

Upon hearing the name Yan Xing, Ma Chao immediately perked up.

This person can be considered his nemesis.

Both men rose to fame at a young age and were known for their bravery.

When Han Sui and Ma Teng fought each other, they each relied on Yan Xing and Ma Chao to attack each other.

During their duel, Yan Xing nearly killed Ma Chao by stabbing him in the neck with a broken spear.

Now that time has passed, it's time to settle old scores from our youth!
The moon is hidden and the stars are few; the Yellow River flows with a mournful sound.

Ma Chao ordered his troops to gag themselves, wrap their horses' hooves in cloth, and cross the river at night.

Pang De then led five hundred elite soldiers to the east bank first.

He suddenly realized that Yan Xingjun's camp and palisades had not yet been erected.

The fire in the stove was still warm, and the guard leaned on his spear, fast asleep.

It was clear that Yan Xing had just arrived and set up camp.

He didn't seem to think Ma Chao could arrive so quickly, so the atmosphere in the military camp was generally rather lazy.

Pang De sneered, "Yan Xingte was too careless. It seems that I should be the one to get the credit for getting ashore."

He then took the painted bow and attached the whistling arrow.

"Whoosh-"

A piercing whistle tore through the night sky, and Ma Chao on the west bank immediately brandished his spear, shouting, "Cross the river!"

In an instant, hundreds of boats and rafts were launched from upstream and floated downstream.

A thousand cavalrymen swam across the river simultaneously, while infantrymen built pontoon bridges and advanced rapidly.

Yan Xing awoke with a start from his dream and rushed out of the tent barefoot.

Only then did they realize that countless cavalrymen had stormed into the tent, trampling all the deer antlers.

"Formation! Formation!"

Yan Xing roared as he donned his armor, only to see a troop of white-armored cavalry charging towards him like an avalanche.

The leading general wore a lion-shaped helmet and a beast-patterned belt, his silver spear gleaming like a dragon, and his mount neighed like thunder.

It was Ma Chao!

"Ma Chao!"

Yan Xing was terrified and quickly drew his long sword to fight.

The two horses clashed, and after only a few exchanges, the horse was killed by Ma Chao with a single spear thrust.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ma Dai and Pang De led their troops to kill them.

By daybreak, the east bank of the Yellow River was already blocked by floating corpses.

The captured supplies were piled up like mountains.

Just then, Ma Chao, carrying Yan Xing's head on his silver spear, charged to the front of the battle.

"My lads, Tongguan has been breached, let's march straight for Chang'an!"

The soldiers cheered and jumped for joy. After a short rest, they...

Ma Chao then led his victorious army on a march towards Chang'an.

On the plains of the Wei River, the west wind whips up a sky full of yellow sand.

Zhong Yao stood atop the city wall of Chang'an, gazing at the dust rising on the distant horizon, his white beard trembling violently in the wind.

"Are all the Qi people so quick in their military campaigns?"

Zhong Yao sighed helplessly.

Immediately after Hulao Pass was breached, Li Yi led his army to attack Luoyang.

Just as Tongguan Pass was breached, Ma Chao immediately led his army to attack Chang'an.

They are all born under the Bai Qi family.

"Report——"

The scout staggered up the city wall. "Ma Dai of Xiliang is leading an 8,000-strong vanguard, and is less than 30 li from the city."

"Investigate again! Immediately send a fast horse to Hanzhong for reinforcements!"

At dawn the next day, Ma Dai's cavalry had already arrived at the city walls.

Zhong Yao personally led three thousand elite soldiers out of the city and formed ranks.

At the point where the two armies faced each other, Ma Dai, wielding a golden sword and riding a white horse, shouted sharply:

"You fool! Chang'an is the former capital of the Han Dynasty, why not cede it to my lord?"

Zhong Yao sneered, "Your uncle is still in Shu, why don't you surrender sooner?"

Before he finished speaking, Ma Dai had already spurred his horse and arrived.

Zhong Yao hurriedly raised his gun to meet the attack.

With a loud clang, Zhong Yao felt his arms go numb and his spear almost slipped from his grasp.

Before he could change his move, Ma Dai's second strike swept across the room.

The spear broke in response, and Zhong Yao hurriedly fled on his saddle, his helmet being swept off by the wind of the blade.

"Chase!"

Just as Ma Dai was about to seize the opportunity to launch a counterattack, arrows rained down from the city walls, forcing him to retreat temporarily.

Half a day later, Ma Chao personally led a large army to surround Chang'an.

Pang Tong rode in an oil-painted carriage around the city once, and sighed:

"The city wall is 53 feet high, and the moat is formed by diverting water from the Wei River. A direct assault would be unlikely to be effective."

Chang'an was the capital of the Western Han Dynasty, and its city walls were fortified.

The trenches are deep and treacherous, making them extremely difficult to attack in a short time.

Ma Chao pointed his silver spear at the city wall, "Are we just going to give up like this?"

Pang Tong offered a plan:
"The soil in Chang'an is hard and alkaline, making it unsuitable for eating, and there is no firewood to be found."

"Since Cao Wei has transferred a large amount of supplies to Xichuan, it would be better to temporarily withdraw the army."

"If we do this and that, Chang'an will be within our grasp."

Ma Chao exclaimed with delight, "This plan is brilliant!"

Immediately, the order was sent to all units via a flag bearing the character "令" (order), instructing them to retreat, with Ma Chao personally covering the rear.

The troops gradually withdrew.

When Zhong Yao climbed the city wall the next day, he found that the army had all retreated, and he feared that there was a plan.

He sent scouts to investigate, and only when they confirmed the animals had indeed gone far away did he feel relieved.

However, due to the scarcity of resources within the city, there was a shortage of food, fodder, and water.

After confirming that Ma Chao's army had retreated, he immediately ordered the soldiers and civilians to go out of the city to gather firewood and fetch water.

The city gates were opened wide, allowing people to come and go.

On the fifth day at dusk, the Wei River suddenly began to ripple with unusual waves.

Zhong Yao was having his meal when he suddenly heard shouts of battle erupting from all sides.
Dust billowed at the east gate, flames soared into the sky at the west gate, and arrows flew like locusts at the north gate.

The most critical situation was at Ximen, which was attacked by a large force led by Pang De.

Zhong Yao's younger brother, Zhong Jin, led his personal guards to put out the fire. Suddenly, a bare-chested general emerged from the flames.

"Pang Lingming is here!"

With a flash of light, Zhong Jin's head flew into the air.

At the same time, three hundred Xiliang assassins sneaked in through the drainage tunnel and attacked from both inside and outside to open the city gate.

Ma Chao, spear in silver and riding a white horse, charged in first, shouting, "Those who surrender will be spared!"

Upon hearing the news, Zhong Yao collapsed to the ground.

He quickly composed himself and, under the protection of his guards, left through the east gate.

By daybreak, Ma Chao had wiped out the remaining enemies.

Chang'an City was subsequently captured.

With this, both Xijing Chang'an and Dongdu Luoyang were recovered.

(End of this chapter)