My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

The boundary is closed.

"Crack!"

With a loud bang, a section of the city wall on the eastern edge collapsed.

Hundreds of Wei soldiers, like kites with broken strings, were thrown out and crashed to the ground, turning into a bloody pulp.

A city wall more than two zhang wide suddenly appeared.

The deafening roar of the Divine Thunder Cannon abruptly ceased, and the bombardment stopped.

The Han soldiers lined up in formation erupted in thunderous cheers.

After bombarding the city for more than ten days, the Divine Thunder Cannon finally blasted down the Jiexiu Pass, and the breakthrough was imminent.

Liu Bei's spirits lifted, and he raised his whip:
"Heroes of the Han Dynasty, heed my command! Flatten Jiexiu Pass and capture Xiahou Dun alive!"

The war drums sounded, and the chilling bugle calls rang out.

The 100,000 soldiers roared like mountains and seas, their voices shaking the heavens and the earth.

The generals spurred their horses out, and the Han soldiers, like tigers released from their cages, surged and swept towards the breach.

Above the fortress.

Xiahou Dun straightened up from his swaying stagger, wiped the ash from his face, looked east, and couldn't help but gasp.

The city walls have been breached!

After holding out for a month, Jiexiu Pass finally succumbed to the bombardment of the Han army and was ultimately defeated.

"General, the city wall has been breached. Jiexiu Pass can no longer be defended. We must abandon the pass and retreat to Linxian Ferry immediately."

Guo Huai wiped the dirt off his face and advised.

After a moment's hesitation, Xiahou Dun drew his sword and shouted:
"Pass on my order: quickly move the wooden palisade up to seal the breach and continue to defend the fortress to the death!"

Guo Huai was taken aback.

The city walls have been breached, and you, Xiahou Dun, still insist on holding out to the death?

Don’t want to live anymore?
"If we hold out for just a little longer, we can buy more time for our soldiers to retreat westward, and save several thousand more troops for the Emperor!"

Xiahou Dun, sword in hand, shouted sternly:
"Anyone who dares to speak of abandoning the pass and fleeing will be subject to military law!"

Guo Huai's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed back the words of persuasion that were on the tip of his tongue.

He understood Xiahou Dun's helplessness.

Of the current 80,000 troops, at least half have not yet reached Linxian Ferry. If we abandon the pass now, Liu Bei's 100,000 troops could pursue us day and night and possibly catch up with us at Linxian Ferry before the main force of 80,000 has crossed the river.

At that time, some troops will inevitably be unable to cross the Yellow River and escape to Xihe County.

Xiahou Dun's current insistence is solely for the purpose of preserving as many troops as possible for Cao Cao.

"If only I had known then what I know now, I wouldn't have done it in the first place. Sigh..."

Guo Huai sighed inwardly and had no choice but to keep quiet and pass on Xiahou Dun's order.

The Wei soldiers, who had been hiding in the nooks and crannies, hurriedly appeared and pushed all the wooden fences they had made beforehand toward the breach that had been blasted open.

In a short while, a wooden wall appeared across the ruins.

The Wei soldiers trembled, swallowing hard, watching anxiously as the Han army surged towards them from outside the city.

In an instant, the Han army arrived.

Countless blades slashed wildly at the wooden wall.

Countless spears and lances pierced the Wei soldiers inside the wall.

One after another, massive shields crashed into the wooden wall…

A fierce battle of attack and defense unfolded between the wooden walls, which were more than three zhang wide.

With the city walls breached and the morale of the Wei army already low, how could they possibly withstand the ferocious onslaught of the Han army with just a single wooden wall?
Within moments of the exchange, the wooden wall was already teetering on the brink of collapse, on the verge of giving way.

"General, we should retreat quickly, the wooden wall is about to collapse."

“Once the wooden wall collapses, the Han army will swarm in, and our 20,000 troops will be completely wiped out here.”

"What's the use of the time gained in this way?"

Guo Huai finally couldn't bear it any longer, knelt on one knee, and pleaded with Xiahou Dun in a tearful voice. Xiahou Dun slowly lowered his arm that had been holding up his long sword, his excitement turning into helplessness, and he deflated like a punctured balloon.

At this moment, he had to accept this cruel reality:
The city walls have fallen, and the tide has turned!
"General, Guo Boji is right. We are fighting to the death here to buy time for our soldiers to cross the river and to preserve as many troops as possible for the Emperor."

"But if we lose 20,000 elite troops here just to buy time, wouldn't that be a losing proposition?"

Wang Ling also tried to persuade him.

Xiahou Dun felt a chill run down his spine and suddenly realized what was happening.

His 20,000 soldiers were the most elite of the 80,000-strong Wei army.

Sacrificing 20,000 elite troops to save only a few thousand more soldiers—isn't that foolish?

After a long sigh, Xiahou Dun, now completely calm, sheathed his sword and said helplessly:

"Order the entire army to abandon the city and retreat north."

All the generals are granted a general amnesty.

Guo Huai immediately ordered that the prepared kerosene be poured onto the wooden wall and set on fire.

More than ten barrels of kerosene were poured out, and the wooden wall instantly turned into a raging wall of fire, temporarily forcing back the Han army's attack.

Taking advantage of the temporary obstruction provided by the fire wall, the Wei soldiers rushed away towards the north city like a receding tide.

"Big-eared thief, this Jiexiu Pass is yours, and Bingzhou is also yours."

"Although you have gained Bingzhou, you have allowed my 80,000 troops to escape. In the end, you have lost."

"Hmph~~"

Xiahou Dun gazed out of the city, made a self-deceiving sarcastic remark, then mounted his horse and rode off the city wall.

The Wei army, numbering less than 20,000, fled in disarray, like frightened birds.

Half an hour later, the battle flag of the Great Han was finally flying high above Jiexiu Pass.

Accompanied by Xiao He and other ministers, Liu Bei listened to the thunderous cheers of his soldiers and finally climbed to the top of the city wall.

Looking into the distance, one can see the flat Taiyuan Basin stretching as far as the eye can see.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on the capture of this city! The journey to Jinyang is now unimpeded!"

Xiao smiled and pointed ahead.

Liu Bei laughed loudly.

The sound of hooves rang out, and a messenger galloped up, heading straight for the emperor.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the General of Chariots and Cavalry!"

"Two days ago, the General of Chariots and Cavalry launched a surprise attack on Lin County, annihilating five thousand Wei soldiers and beheading the enemy general Song Xian!"

"The General of Chariots and Cavalry has captured Linxian Ferry and blocked the Yellow River. Your Majesty, please send reinforcements immediately to help defend it!"

Another piece of good news arrived just in time.

Liu Bei was overjoyed and took the report of victory from the messenger, examining it closely.

"Excellent, excellent, Zilong has done a great service!"

Liu Bei clapped his hands in praise, showed the news of the victory to Xiao He, and laughed loudly:
"Bowen, oh Bowen, Zilong, your move was truly perfectly timed!"

"Everything is as you expected. Lin County has been captured, and Xiahou Dun and his Bingzhou army have no way to escape!"

Xiao He smiled faintly and said self-deprecatingly:
"Your Majesty flatters me. It was just an unintentional act. Zilong's troops were originally going to deal with the remnants of the Xiongnu, but they unexpectedly found a different purpose."

A sarcastic smile flickered across Liu Bei's face as he sneered:

"This proves that Heaven intends to destroy Xiahou Dun and the traitor Cao Cao!"

All the generals laughed.

Xiao He raised his hand and pointed north, sneering:
"If Xiahou Dun learns that Lin County has fallen, he will surely retreat his entire army to Jinyang to defend it to the death, making a last stand like a cornered beast."

"Your Majesty, issue an edict ordering all armies to gather in Jinyang and annihilate Xiahou Dun."

Liu Bei, his spirits soaring, waved his hand and shouted:
"By my decree, 300,000 troops will march to attack Jinyang!" (End of Chapter)