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

Chapter 635 Xiao He is truly a divine being; how could he see through such a scheme?

A golden opportunity, one that comes along only once in a lifetime, is about to be seized—to kill Liu Bei's sworn brother.

Such a golden opportunity to rewrite the situation and secure victory, are we really going to just let it slip away?

Xu Huang's heart was like a surging tide, filled with all sorts of entanglements and resentment.

Give up, I'm really unwilling to accept it.

But if he didn't give up, the current situation made him hesitate.

Just as Xu Huang was mired in a dilemma and unable to extricate himself, the Han army's iron cavalry swept in like a storm.

The surging torrent of iron, with its overwhelming momentum, instantly shattered the balance of the battlefield.

"Grand Marshal Shen Renren, Cao Pi is indeed treacherous!"

Ma Chao stood at the front of the formation, looking at the situation before him, and couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration.

Xiao He's strategy was indeed incredibly insightful; he saw through Cao Pi's scheme ahead of time.

Immediately afterwards, Ma Chao pointed at the chaotic battlefield and shouted sharply:
"Great Han cavalry, follow me to slay the enemy!"

That roar instantly ignited the passion in the hearts of the Han army's iron cavalry.

Twenty thousand Han cavalry charged into the battle like arrows released from a bow.

They were unstoppable, and wherever they went, the Wei soldiers were slaughtered, howling and fleeing in all directions.

The scene was like a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves, and the Wei soldiers' defenses were instantly shattered.

The Han army was already somewhat exhausted and at a disadvantage under the siege of the Wei troops.

But at this moment, seeing the reinforcements arrive like divine soldiers descending from the sky, their fighting spirit surged instantly, as if they were injected with boundless power.

Their morale soared, and they launched a fierce counterattack, turning the tide against the Wei soldiers with even greater ferocity.

The battle situation, which was originally unfavorable to the Han army, was reversed dramatically in an instant.

"General, let's retreat immediately!"

Yan Xing stared at the nightmarish scene before him, his face deathly pale, his voice tinged with pleading:
"Otherwise, the entire army will be wiped out!"

Xu Huang was filled with resentment, but the harsh reality forced him to confront the collapse of the situation.

"Retreat! The entire army retreats!"

Xu Huang gritted his teeth, launched a powerful attack, and then turned and ran.

Upon seeing this, Yan Xing also hurriedly turned his horse and rode away.

"It's not that easy to run away!"

Zhang Fei glared with eyes as big as copper bells, let out a deafening roar, and chased after Xu Huang.

While Zhang Fei was focused on chasing Xu Huang, Yan Xing seized the opportunity, blended into the chaotic army, and then fled north with all his might.

He had only one thought in his mind:
We must escape; we cannot die here.

"Yan Xing!"

Just then, a sharp whistle, like a thunderclap, rang out, particularly jarring in the chaotic battlefield.

Yan Xing was startled and glanced sideways, only to see a figure rushing towards him like a ghost.

"Ma Chao?"

Yan Xing's eyes widened, his voice trembled, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to his head.

He never expected that he would run into Ma Chao again at this critical moment.

What a small world!

Before the fear had subsided, Ma Chao had already arrived like lightning.

The large spear in his hand, carrying immense power, roared towards Yan Xing like an enraged dragon.

The speed was so fast that it was dazzling and there was no time to react.

Yan Xing had no choice but to bite the bullet and block back.

The guns clashed, producing a loud "bang".

Yan Xing's full-force spear thrust was easily deflected by Ma Chao.

His eyes widened, his mind filled with shock.

Just as he was reeling from the shock, Ma Chao's spearhead struck like lightning.

Yan Xing reacted quickly, tilting his head to the side and barely avoiding the fatal blow.

Ma Chao's attacks came one after another like a storm.

Yan Xingqiang suppressed his surging blood and qi, and raised his gun to defend himself with all his might.

"Clang clang clang!"

Guns clashed violently, sparks flying everywhere.

Amidst the chaos of battle, the two fought like two ferocious wild beasts.

Every move and every stance carries a deadly threat; every collision seems to determine life or death.

After several moves, Yan Xing gradually lost ground.

He then realized that if he continued fighting, he would undoubtedly be defeated, and would likely lose his life.

Meanwhile, the Wei soldiers around them had already been scattered and broken up by the Han cavalry, and their cries of agony rose and fell.

If he doesn't leave now, he really won't have another chance.

"Damn it, I can't die here!"

Yan Xing weighed the pros and cons in his mind, and fired a shot with all his might, trying to buy himself a chance to escape and turn around and run away.

"Yan Xing, stop running! Today is your death day!"

Ma Chao spurred his horse, spear in hand, and pursued Yan Xing relentlessly, determined to utterly kill him.

Yan Xing had only taken a few steps when he realized that Ma Chao had caught up with him in the blink of an eye.

Before he could think any further, Ma Chao had already caught up with Yan Xing and thrust out his spear like lightning.

Yan Xing tried to return fire, but it was too late.
He could only instinctively dodge to the side.

"puff!"

The gun blade sliced ​​through his arm, and blood spurted out instantly.

Yan Xing let out a muffled groan, feeling a sharp pain as the spear in his hand almost slipped from his grasp.

Ma Chao caught up with Yan Xing, his spear strikes raining down like a storm.

Yan Xing was once again enveloped by the sharp shadows of the guns, as if he were in a sea of ​​guns with nowhere to escape.

"Damn it!"

Yan Xing gritted his teeth and fought back with all his might, each move extremely difficult. He gradually lost his strength and his defenses became increasingly vulnerable.

After twenty moves, Ma Chao's arms grew rapidly, and the power of his spear technique suddenly surged.

The spear seemed to come alive, brimming with boundless fury and power, as it thrust towards Yan.

"Ahhh-"

A scream rang out as Yan Xing was stabbed multiple times. He spun like a top, his body tracing a gruesome arc through the air.

"boom!"

Yan Xing fell heavily to the ground.

Ma Chao spurred his horse forward, pointed his spear at Yan Xing, and shouted:

"Yan Xing, I told you today is your death day!"

Yan Xing was now in dire straits.

He looked up, his eyes filled with terror and despair, and what came into view was the gleaming spearhead aimed straight at his throat.

Ma Chao only needed one strike to easily take Yan Xing's head and end his life.

"Am I destined to die here? Alas—"

Yan Xing let out a long, desperate sigh.

Dignity and anger seem so insignificant in the face of death. At this moment, all that remains in his heart is the strong will to survive.

"Ma Mengqi, your martial arts are unparalleled. I am defeated by you, and I am completely convinced."

Yan Xing backed down.

Faced with a peerless warrior like Ma Chao, he had no power to resist and could only have a chance to survive by abandoning his dignity.

“I have finally realized that the Emperor of the Han Dynasty is the true ruler of the world. Today, I have been captured by you and I am willing to submit to the Emperor of the Han Dynasty. I beg General Ma to grant my request.”

Yan Xing spoke earnestly, hoping to gain Ma Chao's forgiveness.

Looking at the disheveled Yan Xing before him, Ma Chao's killing intent gradually subsided.

Killing someone who has already surrendered is not his style.

"Since you have come to your senses, I will spare your life..."

Just as Ma Chao opened his mouth, preparing to announce the punishment for Yan Xing...

A thunderous shout suddenly rang out, interrupting Ma Chao's words:
"Yan Xing, you scoundrel!" The voice, seemingly filled with boundless rage, echoed across the battlefield.

Ma Chao looked back and saw Zhang Fei rushing towards him like a whirlwind.

He had been pursuing Xu Huang relentlessly, but was unfortunately hindered by the chaotic army and failed to catch up with him. Zhang Fei was already furious.

At this moment, he rode back to meet Ma Chao. He saw from afar that Ma Chao had knocked Yan Xing off his horse, and his anger instantly erupted.

He naturally blamed Yan Xing for Xu Huang's escape.

In his view, Yan Xing must pay the price.

Zhang Fei charged forward, his spear like an angry venomous snake, fiercely thrusting towards Yan Xing.

As fast as lightning.

Yan Xing was shocked. His eyes widened, and he cried out urgently:
"General Zhang, I am willing to surrender to the Han Dynasty—"

He tried to buy a chance at survival with a final plea for mercy.

Before he could even utter a word, the spear struck like lightning.

"puff!"

With a dull thud, a head flew into the air, blood splattering out like a fountain, drawing a tragic arc in the sky.

Yan Xing's body fell straight down like a kite with a broken string.

"General Yide, Yan Xing—"

Ma Chao was about to say that Yan Xing had surrendered, but he suddenly stopped himself from speaking.

Since they've already been killed, there's no point in saying anything more!

"Meng Qi, how did you all suddenly appear here?"

Zhang Fei put away his spear and looked at Ma Chao with curiosity and doubt in his eyes.

He couldn't understand why Ma Chao would appear here at this crucial moment.

"Actually, it's the Grand Marshal's speculation..."

Ma Chao put away his silver spear and recounted how Xiao Fang had deduced the Wei army's plot and how he had been ordered to come and reinforce them.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei suddenly realized the truth and exclaimed:
"Grand Marshal, you are indeed a brilliant strategist! Brother, you have no idea how dangerous it was just now. I almost lost my life to this fellow!"

Recalling the perilous moment when he was surrounded by the chaotic army, Zhang Fei still felt lingering fear.

If Ma Chao hadn't arrived in time, he probably would have lost his life.

After hearing Zhang Fei's explanation, Ma Chao was also glad that he had arrived in time.

"Cao Pi's plan is truly bizarre. How did he manage to sneak into Luan Bird City and set it on fire?"

Fortunately, Ma Chao discovered the suspicious points.

Cao Pi's scheme was so bizarre that he couldn't figure it out.

The city of Luan Bird was heavily defended. How did Cao Pi manage to break through the numerous defenses, sneak into the city, and set it on fire?

Zhang Fei shook his head in confusion and said:
"I don't understand either. Did the Wei army really grow wings?"

Ma Chao pondered without success and said helplessly:

"Let's consult with the Grand Marshal after we've met up."

Zhang Fei hadn't killed enough, and he shouted excitedly:
"Go report the victory, brother hasn't had his fill of killing yet!"

After saying this, Zhang Fei picked up his blood-stained spear and charged at the Wei soldiers again, as if he wanted to vent all his anger on them.

Ma Chao turned around and sent a messenger to report the victory.

...

Phoenix City.

An unremarkable hill.

At this moment, on the hilltop, Cheng Gongying and Hu Zun stood at a high vantage point, their gazes like two sharp arrows, both shooting towards Luan Bird City several miles away.

Behind them, the Wei soldiers who remained behind also craned their necks to look south, their eyes filled with excitement.

Several miles away, raging flames shot into the sky, like an enraged beast, wantonly devouring everything in their path.

The glaring red color clearly came into everyone's view.

The flames undoubtedly showed that Cao Pi had successfully turned Luan Bird City into a sea of ​​fire.

At the same time, deafening battle cries, like rolling thunder, rang out, indicating that a fierce battle was underway.

In the minds of the Wei soldiers, this battle cry must be a signal that Xu Huang was leading his elite troops to inflict heavy losses on the Han army.

They could almost see the Han army falling to the ground, their blood flowing like a river, under the fierce attack of the Wei army.

"It seems that His Majesty's burning of the phoenix and ambush of the Han army have been successful."

Hu Zunzhi was smug, with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth and a confident look in his eyes.

"Now we just wait for His Majesty's good news."

Clearly, in his view, his plan had been executed perfectly, and success was only a matter of time.

"Your plan is indeed unpredictable."

Cheng Gongying looked at Hu Zun approvingly, her eyes full of approval.

"Now it seems that without Xiao He, Zhang Fei would indeed have been unable to see through this plan."

Cheng Gongying further analyzed.

In his view, Xiao He's absence was one of the key factors that enabled the plan to be successfully implemented.

If Xiao He were present, with his intelligence, he might have been able to see through this scheme.

Hu Zun's lips curled up, revealing a slightly self-deprecating smile:

"You flatter me, Lord Cheng. I was merely retaliating in kind."

He did not become complacent because of Cheng Gongying's praise; on the contrary, he was very humble.

Cheng Gongying looked south, and a series of images flashed through her mind:

He could almost see the Han soldiers struggling and wailing in the raging fire, being mercilessly burned to death.

You can also see those Han soldiers who managed to escape from Luan Bird City being relentlessly pursued and killed by the Wei army until they all perished.

He even seemed to see Zhang Fei, who also fell to the ground with a thud under Xu Huang's blade.

Thinking of all this, Cheng Gongying unconsciously clenched her fists, and a feeling of exhilaration welled up in her heart.

"Xiao He has reaped what he sowed today."

Cheng Gongying gave a cold snort.

"It was truly no easy feat for our Great Wei to win this time!"

Cheng Gongying then added with emotion.

However, just as the two were immersed in their fantasies of victory, something unusual suddenly appeared ahead.

It seemed that a group of people was rushing towards them.

"It is our army's flag!"

Hu Zun pointed to the cloud of dust, a look of surprise and delight on his face, and exclaimed excitedly:

"It's most likely that His Majesty has returned victorious!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Gongying was also invigorated.

Under everyone's expectant gaze, the group of people gradually came into clear view.

It was indeed Cao Pi's large army, but the scene before them took them by surprise.

The army's flags were askew, as if about to fall in a gale, and the soldiers were all dejected, their steps sluggish, and they had lost all their former imposing manner.

This is hardly a victorious team returning home.
It was clearly a crushing defeat!
Cheng Gongying and Hu Zun's smiles gradually froze, like a frozen ice surface.

The two exchanged a glance, their faces instantly turning pale, a sense of foreboding rising within them.

Without hesitation, the two spurred their horses down the hill and headed towards Cao Pi.

Facing them, Cao Pi arrived dejected, looking utterly terrified, as if he had just experienced a nightmare.

"Your Majesty, what...what's going on?"

Large beads of sweat rolled down Hu Zun's forehead as he stammered and asked.

He simply couldn't believe what he was seeing; how could his plan have ended up like this?
"Hu Zun, your plan... has failed!"

Cao Pi complained, his voice filled with anger:
"Xiao He deployed 20,000 iron cavalry outside Luan Bird City in advance, stabbing me in the back!"

"Xu Huang and his men not only failed to annihilate the Han army, but were also defeated by the Han army."

"Not only did we lose 10,000 soldiers, but Yan Xing also died under the sword of the Han general!"

"Hu Zun, your plan has only made things worse for me!"

Cao Pi's complaints struck Hu Zun's heart like a heavy hammer.

Faced with Cao Pi's resentment, Hu Zun had no words to respond.

(End of this chapter)