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

Chapter 544 Heaven is helping me! Zhang Lu is still alive, the greatest achievement in pacifying Hanzhong, the outcome is still uncertain!
That night, piercing screams began to spread wildly from the dead of night, wave after wave, seemingly without end.

As dawn broke in the east, the intermittent wails continued to echo through the valley.

After a long time, as the first rays of dawn gently shone on the valley, the wailing in the sloping valley slowly subsided.

The sound of horses' hooves broke the silence of the valley.

Zhang Yan rode his horse swiftly and ascended a high hill.

He dismounted, knelt before Liu Shan, and reported:

"Your Highness, after a night of bloody fighting, all ten thousand rebel soldiers have been annihilated!"

Liu Shan sat upright on his horse, tilted his head slightly, a satisfied smile on his face, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then, his gaze sharpened as he looked at Zhang Yan and asked:
"Where is Yang Ang? Where is his head?"

"This man is the leader of these ten thousand surrendered soldiers from Hanzhong; we must not let him go easily!"

Upon hearing Liu Shan's question, Zhang Yan's confident expression instantly turned somewhat awkward.

He looked troubled, hesitated slightly, and then cautiously answered:

"Your Highness, when I was surveying the battlefield, I searched carefully, but I couldn't find Yang Ang's head. I don't know whether he is dead or alive."

Liu Shan's expression changed slightly in an instant.

Yang Ang was the leader of these 10,000 surrendered soldiers from Hanzhong.

What's more, that guy knew he had the idea of ​​massacring these 10,000 surrendered soldiers.

This is undoubtedly a huge hidden danger.

A sense of worry welled up in Liu Shan's heart, his brows furrowed tightly, and he thought to himself:
Could it be that he was lucky enough to escape from all the encirclement?

If Yang Ang escapes alive and spreads the news, the consequences will be unimaginable!
Wouldn't I become a cruel person in the eyes of the world then?
Or what if Yang Ang escapes alive to Hanzhong and seeks refuge with Xiao He and his gang of Jingxiang nobles, revealing the truth to them?

If Xiao He were to use Yang Ang to complain to his father, Emperor Liu Bei, how would his father view him?
How would the court officials talk about him?

Thinking of all this, Liu Shan broke out in a cold sweat, and his heart began to race.

Just as Liu Shan was lost in worry, Xun Yun keenly noticed the change in his emotions.

So he smiled slightly and comforted her with a cheerful laugh:

"Your Highness need not worry so much. The corpses in this valley are piled up like mountains. Perhaps Yang Ang has already been executed, but he just hasn't been counted yet."

"Even if he managed to escape by sheer luck, given his status as a surrendered general from Hanzhong, who would believe him even if he were spouting nonsense?"

"After all, without any evidence, who would offend Your Highness for his sake? Therefore, Your Highness need not worry too much."

After hearing Xun Yun's words, Liu Shan felt a little relieved and let out a long sigh of relief, nodding slightly.

Now that he had vented his anger and slaughtered the surrendered soldiers, the anger and impulse that had been supporting him gradually dissipated, and he suddenly relaxed, feeling enveloped by a strong sense of emptiness.

Looking at the devastated battlefield before him, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of loss.

After a moment, Liu Shan looked at Xun Yun and the others with a guilty expression and slowly said:
“I originally intended to lead you to achieve this great feat, so that you could hold your heads high in the court and be promoted.”

"But unexpectedly, the great achievement of recapturing Hanzhong was ultimately snatched away by the people of Jingxiang."

The implication is that he did not want to claim credit for himself, but rather to support Xun Yun and other surrendered officials of Cao Wei and help them gain fame and fortune.

Unfortunately, this golden opportunity was ruined by Xiao and his gang of Jingzhou nobles.

He secretly hoped that Xun Yun and the others would understand his good intentions, be grateful for his support, and at the same time, harbor resentment towards Xiao He and the others, and stand more firmly on his side to weather the storm together with him.

Upon hearing these provocative words, Zhang Yan and the others around him sighed and whispered among themselves. They looked at each other, their faces showing dissatisfaction, clearly harboring resentment towards Xiao He and the other people from Jingxiang.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar, breaking the somewhat somber atmosphere.

Zhong Yu climbed up the hill and dismounted.
"Your Highness, the latest urgent report from Hanzhong states that although the Grand Marshal has captured Nanzheng, Zhang Lu has managed to escape and led his remaining troops to Yangping Pass."

"Sima Yi and other traitors who refused to surrender to our Han Dynasty fled from Xiegu to Nanzheng, attempting to join forces with Zhang Lu."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan was greatly surprised.

This news truly surprised him.

He originally thought that Zhang Lu had fallen into Xiao He's hands with the fall of Nanzheng City.

They are either already dead or on their way to Yejing.

He never expected that Zhang Lu would be so lucky to escape Nanzheng alive.

"This Zhang Lu is really lucky to be alive."

Liu Shan couldn't help but sigh, unaware that an opportunity had quietly arrived.

Xun Yun, standing to the side, suddenly brightened up and said:

"Your Highness, things have taken a dramatic turn for the better; even the heavens are on your side."

"If Zhang Lu is still alive, the credit for the recapture of Hanzhong cannot be entirely claimed by the Grand Marshal and his men."

"If we can travel light and quickly enter Hanzhong from Xiegu, break through Yangping Pass first, and capture Zhang Lu alive, the greatest credit for pacifying Hanzhong will still belong to Your Highness!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan's previously empty eyes suddenly ignited with boundless brilliance, as if he had suddenly seen a ray of dawn in the darkness.

"That's right, capturing Zhang Lu alive is the greatest achievement in pacifying Hanzhong!"

"Xiao He failed to capture Zhang Lu alive, which means that Heaven is helping me and intends to leave this credit to me."

"Am I, Liu Shan, not destined by Heaven?"

Liu Shan became increasingly pleased and excited as he thought about it, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Heaven is helping me! Heaven is helping me!"

A triumphant roar echoed through the valley.

Hearing Liu Shan's wild laughter, the northern officials, including Zhang Yan and Qian Zhao, all became excited as well.

They were somewhat disappointed that they hadn't achieved the merit of capturing Nanzheng.

Now that they have learned that Zhang Lu is still alive, they see another opportunity to make a contribution.

How could these surrendered officials of Cao Wei not be invigorated?

The maniacal laughter abruptly ceased. Liu Shan's gaze, sharp as a sword, shot towards Yangping Pass. He brandished his riding whip and shouted:
"What are we waiting for? Pass down the order: the entire army must not rest, and immediately march south from Xiegu, heading straight for Yangping Pass!"

"This time, I will never let the great achievement of recapturing Hanzhong slip from my hands again!"

"Anyone who dares to delay will be court-martialed!"

The order was given, and it was like a thunderclap that exploded among the 100,000 Han soldiers.

The morale of the 100,000 Han soldiers soared. They quickly packed their bags, crossed Xingshi Mountain, and headed south along Xiegu Valley, traveling day and night towards the heart of Hanzhong.

(End of this chapter)