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

"Xu Huang, you actually want to seek death? Then I, Zhang Bao, will grant your wish!"

Zhang Bao's fighting spirit was reignited. Like an enraged lion, he spurred his horse, sword in hand, and charged towards Xu Huang.

The two warhorses galloped towards each other like lightning, instantly reaching each other in a flash.

The two swords slashed at each other simultaneously, carrying an overwhelming force.

"throat!"

A deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were collapsing, resounded.

The powerful shockwave instantly knocked the surrounding soldiers to the ground.

The two swords faced each other in mid-air, as if two worlds were colliding fiercely.

The two men were slightly startled, and their horses swayed for a moment, but they quickly regained their balance.

In this exchange, it was difficult to determine a winner, and neither side gained the upper hand.

"So you're Zhang Fei's son!"

Upon learning Zhang Bao's name, a flicker of excitement crossed Xu Huang's eyes.

He exerted all his strength to deflect Zhang Bao's long sword, and then with another burst of force, he swung his long axe toward Zhang Bao.

Zhang Bao was fearless. His long sword flashed out swiftly, striking forward like a bolt of lightning.

Their weapons clashed once again.

The two instantly engaged in a fierce battle, their figures moving rapidly through the blood mist, dazzling the eye.

In the blink of an eye, ten moves had passed, and the two were still evenly matched.

Both men knew that they would not be able to determine a winner until they had fought for more than a hundred rounds.
Although their martial arts skills were evenly matched, the situation between the two armies had changed significantly.

With its powerful cavalry, the Wei army, like a sharp dagger, broke through the Han army's formation.

They divided the Han army into several groups and then forced them back to the riverbank.

If the fighting continues like this, the Han army will either be driven into the water and drown in the raging flood, or their will will collapse and they will completely lose their fighting capacity.

The moment of life and death has arrived.

As Zhang Bao fought Xu Huang to the death, each strike carrying a do-or-die determination, he shouted:
"Soldiers of the Great Han, my father and the Grand Marshal will surely come to our rescue!"

"Hold on! Fight to the death!"

Xu Huang sneered:
"Young man surnamed Zhang, no one can save you today. Accept your fate."

"Today I will take your head!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Huang's veins bulged, his face contorted with ferocity, and his axe movements became even more ferocious.

Zhang Bao remained fearless, and the force of his sword grew stronger.

"General, I've come to help you kill this villain!"

Just then, a roar rang out.

Suddenly, from the side, a Wei general charged into the two-man battle, wielding a long sword as he swept in.

It's Hu Zun!
Like Cheng Gongying, Hu Zun was known for his wisdom and strategy, but he also possessed considerable martial arts skills.

He saw Xu Huang and Zhang Bao fighting amidst the chaos of battle, and charged over without hesitation.

One man and one horse, like a surging black whirlwind, rushed towards the two with the force of thunder and lightning.

Zhang Bao suddenly unleashed his full strength, gripping the long axe tightly with both arms like iron hoops. With a powerful swing, he forcefully deflected Xu Huang's heavy axe and then blocked it with his backhand.

The movements were fluid and seamless.

"clang!"

A deafening metallic clang suddenly rang out.

Hu Zun's sword was knocked away by the immense force, his breath hitched, and a look of astonishment flashed in his eyes.

In terms of martial arts skills, Zhang Bao was undoubtedly a master far superior to Hu Zun.

Just as Zhang Bao was about to take Hu Zun's life in one fell swoop, Xu Huang's long axe attacked from the flank like a ghost, slashing back at the waist.

Zhang Bao reacted swiftly, instantly sheathing his longsword and parrying diagonally. Sparks flew amidst the flashing blades.

Seeing this, a cunning glint flashed in Hu Zun's eyes. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, he brandished his sword once more, attempting to turn the tide of the battle.

Thus, the two joined forces and launched a fierce pincer attack on Zhang Bao.

With Hu Zun joining the fray, the balance of power began to tip subtly.

Under the combined attack of the two, Zhang Bao gradually felt powerless, and his moves began to become scattered, no longer as sharp as before.

After twenty moves, Xu Huang and Hu Zun exchanged a glance, and they reached a tacit understanding. Their sword techniques suddenly surged, attacking Zhang Bao like a storm.

The two intended to kill Zhang Bao within a few moves to eliminate any future trouble.

"Damn it, am I really going to die here today?"

Zhang Bao gritted his teeth, a strong sense of resentment welling up inside him.

"Woooooooo..."

Suddenly, a rousing bugle call rang out from the south, piercing the sky.

The three people in the midst of the fierce battle couldn't help but look westward.

On the Zhangbei River, a cloud of dust swept in like a tornado, getting closer and closer.

Amidst the dust and mist, countless cavalry figures appeared and disappeared, like ghosts.

One after another, the "Han" flags fluttered in the wind, catching the eye of the three men.

That was the symbol of the Han army.

Han army cavalry!

The Han cavalry have arrived!

Xu Huang and Hu Zun were shocked to see this.

"Weren't the Han army blocked south of the Zhangbei River? How come they suddenly attacked from upstream?"

Xu Huang was astonished and muttered to himself.

Hu Zunze suddenly woke up with a start and shouted:
"Oh no! Xiao He must have sent cavalry to cross the river upstream. We've fallen into a trap!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Huang suddenly realized the truth: once the sandbar was dug, the water level upstream would drop, and the cavalry would be able to take the opportunity to cross the river.

"Xiao He, it's utterly infuriating that you could come up with a solution in such a short time!"

Xu Huang muttered to himself in resentment.

Seeing the reinforcements arrive, Zhang Bao's fighting spirit soared instantly, and he burst into laughter:

"Xu Huang, you're too smug. Do you think you can kill me? In Grand Marshal Xiao's eyes, you're nothing but a clown! You're not getting away today!"

The situation reversed at this moment. Zhang Bao's sword strikes became increasingly powerful, launching a fierce attack on Xu Huang and Hu Zun, and quickly suppressing the two.

Xu Huang was caught in a deep dilemma. He wanted to kill Zhang Bao and annihilate the Han army to boost morale.

However, they were also worried that the Han cavalry might suddenly attack, causing chaos in the Wei army.

Let alone a great victory, I'm afraid our Wei army will be decimated by the Han cavalry.

Xu Huang was unwilling to accept defeat.

"General, the situation is hopeless, we must retreat now! It will be too late if we don't leave now!"

Hu Zun shouted.

At this point, Hu Zun's will had completely collapsed. He gave up the idea of ​​struggling to survive and decided to follow Cao Pi to the northern frontier in order to protect himself.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Huang's wishful thinking crumbled, and he realized that continuing the fight was pointless.

"All troops, listen to my command: withdraw to Zhangbei!"

Xu Huang forced Zhang Bao to retreat, then jumped out of the battle and fled.

Seeing this, Hu Zun seized the opportunity to turn his horse and try to escape.

"Cao family henchmen, don't you dare leave!"

Zhang Bao would not allow the two of them to slip away so easily.

He shouted and gave chase, sword in hand.

Upon seeing this, the 10,000 Wei soldiers turned and fled.

The situation was completely reversed, and seven thousand Han soldiers chased after the Wei army.

Guan Suo's light cavalry arrived like a whirlwind, their iron cavalry sweeping through the fleeing Wei army, invincible in their path.

In an instant, the Wei army was routed, and cries of agony and howling rose and fell.

On the city wall of Zhangbei, Cheng Gongying, seeing this scene, looked up to the sky and sighed in sorrow:
"The tide has turned, Heaven has not blessed Great Wei, alas—"

While Cheng Gongying was deeply immersed in that endless sorrow, the defeated soldiers had already fled back to the city gate like frightened birds.

At this moment, Cao Pi was extremely anxious. Standing outside the city gate, he shouted:
"Lord Cheng, open the city gates immediately and let me in!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Gongying felt a pang of anxiety, realizing that the situation was extremely critical and could not be delayed in the slightest.

Without hesitation, he ordered his soldiers to slowly open the heavy city gate. As soon as the gate opened, Cao Pi rushed in first.

Seeing this, the remaining defeated soldiers also surged in like a tide.

"Your Majesty, what exactly happened? Why was the defeat so devastating?"

As soon as Cao Pi entered the city, Cheng Gongying rushed forward to greet him, his face full of worry as he asked.

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi sighed deeply and said:

"Just as Xu Qing was about to cut down Zhang Bao, the Han cavalry suddenly appeared like divine soldiers, catching us completely off guard!"

"How hateful—Xiao He had planned this all along!"

Cao Pi was furious and beat his chest in frustration.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Gongying immediately realized what was happening and sighed bitterly:

"It must have been Xiao He who reacted quickly. He learned that the water level upstream had dropped, making it possible for cavalry to cross the river. He took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack, catching us off guard. Hu Zun was too naive and did not expect the Han army to have such a move."

Suddenly, the sound of iron cavalry roared outside the city gate, deafening like thunder.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that it was the Han army's cavalry that had caught up with them.

Upon seeing this, the Wei soldiers who had not yet entered the city were even more terrified, pushing and shoving as they desperately surged into the city.

Cao Pi frowned and shouted:

"Close the city gates and raise the drawbridge! We must not let the Han cavalry break in!"

Cheng Gongying's heart tightened, and she quickly reminded him:

"Your Majesty, we have already lost many soldiers in this battle. If we close the city gates now, we will lose even more lives! I urge Your Majesty to think carefully before acting."

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi's eyes widened in anger, and he shouted at Cheng Gongying:

"What if we don't close the city gates and the Han cavalry rush in? We'll all die then! Do you want us all to perish here?"

Cheng Gong was speechless, unable to speak English.

How could he not understand the deeper meaning behind Cao Pi's words?

Once the Han cavalry breaks through, Zhangbei City will surely fall, and they will die under the Han cavalry before they can retreat north.

Closing the city gates, while potentially resulting in the loss of some soldiers, would at least preserve the city and offer a chance for a turnaround.

He could naturally see the stakes involved.

However, it was truly difficult for him to utter the words about sacrificing his own soldiers.

So he chose to remain silent.

So, several hundred imperial guards rushed to the city wall and closed the city gate.

"Don't close the gate! Let us into the city! We haven't entered the city yet!"

"Your Majesty, have mercy! We don't want to die!"

Upon seeing this, the Wei soldiers who had not yet entered the city pleaded with each other.

Cao Pi ignored this and ordered his soldiers to keep the gate closed.

Seeing this, the Wei soldiers pushed the door even harder, trying to squeeze in.

Cao Pi frowned, feeling secretly anxious.

If this stalemate continues, once the Han cavalry charges in, everything will be over.

So, he immediately and shouted:
"Fire arrows! Fire arrows and kill them! We cannot allow the Han cavalry to have a chance to break in!"

The soldiers on both sides were greatly surprised.

They looked at each other, as if they couldn't believe their ears.

Cheng Gongying was also stunned; he hadn't expected Cao Pi to make such a resolute decision.

Closing the city gates and sacrificing one's own soldiers is already a last resort.

But Cao Pi actually wanted to shoot and kill his own soldiers!

This is absolutely outrageous and infuriating!

"If the city gates aren't closed, we'll all die! Fire arrows! Show no mercy!"

Cao Pi snatched the bow, drew the string taut, and shot an arrow.

The arrow streaked across the sky like a meteor, landing directly on the frontmost Wei soldier.

"Whoosh!"

A scream rang out, and the Wei soldier fell to the ground.

The Wei archers around them were spurred on by the scene and began to fire arrows at their own comrades.

"Whoosh whoosh!"

Arrows rained down, densely striking the Wei soldiers in front of the city gate.

The Wei soldiers were nailed to the ground, their blood spraying everywhere.

Finally, the Wei soldiers who had not yet entered the gate were terrified by the cruel scene, and none of them dared to charge forward again, retreating one after another.

Cao Pi breathed a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing for a moment.

He seemed to use all his strength to throw the bow and arrow in his hand hard to the ground.

The archers on both sides looked ashamed.

Some people couldn't help but shed tears, which dripped onto their dusty and bloodstained armor.

Cao Pi, however, had no time to comfort the soldiers who were filled with remorse.

"Cao Pi, you treacherous dog, you'll die a horrible death!"

"We risked our lives for you, and this is how you treat us? Have you lost all your conscience?"

"Let us into the city! We don't want to die out there!"

The Wei soldiers below the city walls let out a mournful cry, a mixture of angry curses and desperate pleas.

Some of them were once Cao Pi's most loyal subordinates, but now they were ruthlessly abandoned outside the city by their own emperor.

Cao Pi stood atop the city wall, listening to the tidal wave of angry curses and pleas from below, yet remained unmoved.

His eyes were filled with coldness and determination as he gripped his weapon, preparing to scale the city walls and engage in battle.

Just then, a deafening sound of horses' hooves came from afar.

The Han army's iron cavalry surged in like a rolling torrent.

Wherever they went, the Wei soldiers were crushed to the ground, blood splattered everywhere, and rivers of blood flowed.

Amidst the chaos of battle, Zhang Bao charged forward like an enraged lion.

He brandished his longsword, each strike filled with boundless rage and killing intent, reaping the lives of Wei soldiers with madness, as if he wanted to vent all his anger on the enemy before him.

"Your Majesty, I haven't entered the city yet—"

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from ahead.

Cao Pi and the Wei soldiers on the city wall looked closely and saw that it was Hu Zun pleading.

Just now, he was dragged away by the Han cavalry in the chaos and ruthlessly locked outside the city. Now he has become a lamb to the slaughter.

"You treacherous dog from Xiliang, prepare to die!"

Zhang Bao drew his sword and spurred his horse, charging towards Hu Zun like a bolt of lightning.

The blood-red blade in his hand gleamed coldly in the sunlight, like a reaper's blade from hell.

He had only one thought in his mind:
If I can't kill Cao Pi, I'll take my anger out on you!

Hu Zun was startled and turned around to see Zhang Bao's long sword slashing down like lightning.

However, he did not give up the fight and swung his sword with all his might to defend himself.

"Crack!"

Before the blade was drawn, its cold light had already arrived.

Zhang Bao's longsword was like a merciless blade, instantly severing Hu Zun's defenses.

Hu Zun's shoulder was slashed off by Zhang Bao, and blood gushed out like a spring.

With a scream, Hu Zun's long sword flew from his hand, and he was about to fall off his horse.

Before he could fall, Zhang Bao slashed horizontally with his sword again.

The blade flashed like lightning, instantly slicing across Hu Zun's neck.

Hu Zun's head was severed and fell heavily to the ground.

Zhang Bao plunged Hu Zun's head into his sword, raised it high, and shouted loudly at the Wei army on the city wall:

"Xiliang soldiers, do you see this? This is what happens when you fight for Cao Pi! You fools, are you still risking your lives for him?"

"If you do not wish to die, capture Cao Pi and surrender the city!"

"This is your only way out!" (End of Chapter)