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

On this day, south of Miancheng.

Gao Pei led over ten thousand Han troops, like a surging torrent, rushing towards Miancheng.

Immediately afterwards, a messenger carrying Gao Pei's challenge rushed to Miancheng.

Inside Miancheng, Shu troops had already garrisoned the city, and all gates were on high alert, ready to repel the Han army.

The soldiers on the city wall, weapons in hand, watched warily as every move outside the city unfolded.

Inside the government office, Zhang Ren, along with his deputies Chen Shi and Zhang Yi, sat around a map, carefully studying strategies for confronting the Han army.

"Reporting to General Zhang, the Han vanguard Gao Pei has delivered a challenge!"

The guards rushed forward, shouting loudly.

Upon hearing Gao Pei's name, everyone was shocked.

Gao Pei, that former colleague, actually became the vanguard of the Han Dynasty?

The group exchanged glances, their faces filled with suspicion.

They were all wondering what Gao Pei's intention was in suddenly sending a challenge.
Zhang Ren took the letter and began to read it. After only a few glances, his expression changed drastically.

His face turned bright red, and his eyes were wide open, as if they were about to spit fire.

He angrily threw the challenge letter on the ground and roared:

"Traitor! You abandoned my Great Shu, fine! But you even dared to act as Liu Bei's pawn and challenge me! What a shameless scoundrel! Today I will make you know the consequences of betraying Great Shu!"

Zhang Yi and Chen Shi looked at each other, both feeling confused and doubtful. They simultaneously bent down and carefully picked up the letter that had fallen from the sky.

After everyone had quickly glanced at the contents of the letter, the air in the tent seemed to freeze instantly, and all the generals had expressions of sudden realization on their faces.

It turned out that this was a challenge letter issued by Gao Pei, a declaration of war that revealed utter arrogance and provocation between the lines.

In his letter of challenge, Gao Pei made no attempt to conceal his intention to declare that he was ordered by Wei Yan to crush Miancheng and demonstrate his military might.

However, remembering his past friendship with Zhang Ren, he generously gave Zhang Ren a valuable opportunity to surrender to the Han Dynasty.

Gao Pei promised that if Zhang Ren surrendered the city, he would do everything in his power to save Zhang Ren's life.

But if Zhang Ren insists on not surrendering, then please come out of the city for a battle and fight him to the death to determine the victor!
"How could Gao Pei be so arrogant and unrestrained?"

"Yes, how dare he show such disrespect to General Zhang! It's outrageous!"

"Who does he think he is, daring to challenge General Zhang?"

Zhang Yi and Chen Shi were equally enraged by the challenge letter. Their eyes widened in fury, and without hesitation, they tore the letter to shreds, cursing repeatedly to vent their anger.

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound echoed inside the tent. It was Zhang Ren who slammed his fist on the table in anger, roaring with a furious expression:

"That scoundrel Gao Pei is incredibly arrogant! How dare he provoke me like this!"

"While Wei Yan's main force has not yet arrived, I will personally lead the army out of the city and annihilate Gao Pei's army in one fell swoop, letting him know the might of Zhang Ren!"

"I will personally cut off Gao Pei's head as a warning to others!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi and Chen Shi immediately raised their arms and roared, vowing to tear Gao Pei to pieces to vent their hatred.

...

Three days later, at dawn, the atmosphere on the battlefield north of Miancheng was extremely tense.

The Han army was already in full battle array, facing south with overwhelming momentum.

Ahead, battle flags rolled and surged forward like a tidal wave.

Tens of thousands of Shu soldiers were already approaching the Han army's lines.

Gao Pei recognized Zhang Ren at a glance.

At this moment, he stood with his sword drawn, in front of the Shu army, his face burning with disdain. His aura clearly showed that he did not take Zhang Ren seriously, as if Zhang Ren was nothing more than an ant under his feet.

The two armies were a hundred paces apart. Gao Pei took a deep breath, then suddenly raised his spear and shouted:
"All troops, listen to my command! Charge forward and wipe out the Shu army completely!"

Before he finished speaking, Gao Pei spurred his horse and charged ahead towards the Han army's front line.

As the bugle sounded, the Han army surged forward like a tidal wave, pushing and pounding towards the Shu army as if to completely overwhelm them.

The Han army launched the first attack, a scene that Zhang Ren witnessed clearly.

"Is Gao Pei really this arrogant?"

A look of surprise flashed in Zhang Ren's eyes.

Logically speaking, Gao Pei's army numbered only ten thousand, yet he commanded twenty thousand elite soldiers and generals. Moreover, Gao Pei was well aware of his own superior martial arts skills.

Under these circumstances, Gao Pei dared to launch an attack, showing such arrogance and disregard for Zhang Ren.

"Today I will kill you, you arrogant fool!"

Zhang Ren brandished his longsword, and a thunderous whistle resounded:
"Soldiers of Shu, follow me to slay the traitors! Let these arrogant fools know our might!"

With a roar, Zhang Ren shot out like lightning, leading the charge and rushing towards the front line of the Shu army.

The bugle calls of the Shu army soared into the sky, sweeping towards the Han army like a flood bursting its banks.

The two armies surged towards each other like two raging torrents, seemingly intent on engulfing the entire battlefield.

A moment later, the two torrents finally collided.

Blood gushed into the sky, soldiers fell to the ground, and screams and cries rose into the air, swallowing up all other sounds.

The battle began, and the soldiers of both armies fought desperately, brandishing their weapons and slashing fiercely at each other.

Zhang Ren's gaze remained fixed on Gao Pei like that of a hawk from beginning to end.

He had only one unwavering thought in his mind:

Today's battle must annihilate the Han army, and I will personally behead Gao Pei, this treacherous traitor, to uphold the prestige of the Shu army!
Thus, Zhang Ren, amidst the chaos of the army, was like an enraged tiger, charging left and right, sweeping across the battlefield, leaving no corner unchecked, anxiously searching for the figure he hated to the core.

Suddenly, a figure that was all too familiar came into his view without warning.

"Gao Pei! You traitor, prepare to die!"

Zhang Ren's eyes widened instantly, as if they were about to burst. He roared and spurred his horse, charging towards Gao Pei like the wind.

Wherever he went, any soldiers who tried to stop him, whether they were cowards or timid warriors from the Han or Shu armies, were mercilessly cut down by his incomparably sharp blade.

In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ren stood before Gao Pei like an imposing and unshakeable ancient pagoda.

The long sword in his hand, brimming with boundless resentment and killing intent, swept towards Gao Pei with a whooshing sound.

"Zhang Ren!"

At the critical moment, Gao Pei recognized Zhang Ren, and a hint of undisguised fear flashed across his face.

He knew how skilled Zhang Ren was in martial arts. Although he was usually confident in his own bravery, he dared not be careless in the face of Zhang Ren.

Fear does not equate to dread.

At this critical moment, Gao Pei took a deep breath, steadied himself, and thrust his spear forward with a whooshing sound, aiming straight for Zhang Ren's throat.

"Bang!"

A deafening roar echoed across the battlefield as swords and spears clashed, sending sparks flying.

Amidst the clash of spears and swords, two warhorses passed each other, like two bolts of lightning streaking across the battlefield.

Gao Pei felt a tremendous force travel up the gun barrel, causing his blood to surge, his chest to feel tight, and his tiger paws to go numb.

Looking down again, he saw a deep gash on his shoulder, blood gushing out, the result of Zhang Ren's sharp blade.

After just one exchange, the difference in skill was immediately apparent. Zhang Ren's martial arts were indeed superior to his.

Gao Pei was secretly amazed, and at the same time, he also figured out the true extent of Zhang Ren's martial arts skills.

"Traitor Gao Pei! How dare you betray the King of Shu and defect to the Han army! You deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

Zhang Ren roared and cursed:
"Today, I will surely take your head!"

With that, Zhang Ren turned his horse around and attacked Gao Pei again. The long sword in his hand gleamed coldly in the sunlight, instantly transforming into a curtain of blades that pressed down on Gao Pei like a storm.

Gao Pei's lips curled up slightly, and a mysterious glint flashed in his eyes.

It turns out that his purpose in this battle was not to fight Zhang Ren to the death, but to lure the enemy deep into his territory.

Judging from Zhang Ren's furious and irrational appearance, he was clearly blinded by hatred and only wanted to take his life.

This was exactly what he wanted.

"Zhang Ren, your martial arts are superb. We'll fight again next time! I'll spare your life for now!"

Gao Pei deliberately feigned defeat, turned his horse around and rode away, pretending to be defeated.

At the same time, a series of urgent retreat calls rang out from within the Han army ranks.

Upon hearing the order, the 10,000 Han soldiers immediately abandoned the fighting and turned to flee in the direction they had come from, like a pack of frightened wild beasts.

"Traitor, where do you think you're going! You won't escape my grasp today!"

Zhang Ren spurred his horse and brandished his spear, chasing after Gao Pei like an arrow released from a bow.

He had only one thought in his mind:
That means we must catch up with Gao Pei and tear him to pieces.

Seeing their commander so brave, the Shu soldiers were also inspired and pursued the Han army all the way, their battle cries shaking the heavens and the earth.

Since the Han army entered Shu, the Shu army had been at a disadvantage and had never won a real battle.

The Shu army's morale soared to its peak today, as they had rarely encountered such an opportunity.

They roared and howled, relentlessly pursuing and killing their prey.

Meanwhile, on the southern hill, Wei Yan immediately looked down towards the valley entrance and saw every detail of the battlefield.

Xiao He sat in a recliner, leisurely sipping warm wine, as if all of this was within his expectations.

Scouts kept rushing in, bringing the latest intelligence.

While listening to the scouts' reports, Wei Yan and Xiao He observed the changing situation on the battlefield.

Everything was under Xiao He's control; he had already laid a trap, just waiting for Zhang Ren to take the bait.

Gao Pei successfully lured Zhang Ren into battle, and the two armies engaged in a fierce battle north of Miancheng.

However, Gao Pei crumbled at the first touch, as if he were utterly vulnerable, and retreated in defeat.

Zhang Ren led 30,000 Shu troops in relentless pursuit, keeping a close watch on Gao Pei.

"Everything is under the Grand Marshal's control."

Wei Yan pointed north and said with a sneer:

"Zhang Ren did indeed catch up with us. It seems our plan is already halfway to success."

Down the mountain.

An atmosphere of solemnity and impending doom filled the air.

The Shu army was closely following Gao Pei's so-called "defeated troops," marching in a grand procession into the deep valley.

At this moment, the advisors and generals around Xiao He all showed respect to him, a respect filled with admiration and respect.

Xiao He took advantage of Gao Pei's special status as a "traitorous general" to successfully provoke Zhang Ren and lure him out of the city to fight.

During the confrontation, Gao Pei feigned defeat according to the established plan, deliberately putting on a disheveled and defeated appearance to lure Zhang Renyi into pursuing them until they were led into the pre-arranged valley.

Wei Yan had already laid an ambush on both sides of the valley, just waiting for Zhang Ren, his "prey," to obediently fall into the trap.

Now it seems that Zhang Ren did indeed fall into this trap.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Wei Yan raised his sharp longsword without hesitation and gave the order loudly.

In an instant, the Han soldiers on both sides of the valley were already rubbing their hands together, ready to charge out.

Inside the valley, Zhang Ren continued his frantic run.

He was only thinking about catching up with Gao Pei and killing him to vent his hatred.

After chasing for so long, his anger gradually dissipated, and he began to unconsciously pay attention to the terrain on both sides.

Suddenly, Zhang Ren realized that he had chased them into this narrow valley.

The valley is extremely narrow, with the terrain gradually rising on both sides, covered with dense forests, their branches and leaves so thick they block out the sun.

Zhang Ren's heart tightened, and a terrifying thought instantly flashed through his mind:
"Could it be..."

He stared wide-eyed, carefully observing everything around him, and finally realized that something was wrong.

From Gao Pei's arrival to challenge him, to Gao Pei's defeat and retreat, and then to my pursuit into this valley, everything seemed too smooth, as if an invisible hand was controlling everything from behind.

Suddenly, Zhang Ren felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and he couldn't help but shiver. He abruptly pulled on the reins and shouted:

"Sound the retreat! All troops, withdraw to Mianzhu!"

His shout startled the Shu soldiers.

The soldiers looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion.

What do you mean?
Just moments before, everyone was desperately chasing after the Han army, each shouting that they wanted to kill Gao Pei to gain merit in battle.

Why the sudden evacuation?
This change is too fast; it's really hard to accept.

So the soldiers stopped and began to discuss it in bewilderment, their voices echoing noisily through the valley.

Due to the large number of people and the fact that everyone was crowded together, the Shu army formed a congestion in the valley and was unable to retreat smoothly for a while.

"Retreat! Retreat immediately!"

Seeing this, Zhang Ren became even more anxious. He brandished his long sword and shouted at the top of his lungs.

Just then, Zhang Yi, riding behind, spurred his horse through the crowded throng and arrived in front of Zhang Ren, asking with a puzzled expression:
"General Zhang, why did you suddenly withdraw your troops?"

Chen Shi frowned in confusion, and the soldiers around him also looked bewildered, their eyes all fixed on Zhang Ren, waiting for his explanation.

"It's impossible to explain!"

Zhang Ren stamped his feet in frustration and shouted excitedly:

"I suspect there are ambushes on both sides of this valley. We must retreat immediately! It will be too late if we delay any longer!"

Zhang Yi was completely bewildered, muttering to himself:
With Gao Pei's army at the front, how could he possibly set up an ambush in the valley?

This is completely illogical.

So he asked, bewildered:

"General Zhang, I don't understand. Please explain."

Zhang Ren grew anxious and shouted angrily:
"I am the commander-in-chief. Just follow orders! Why ask so many questions!"

In a fit of anger, Zhang Ren displayed the authority of a commander and forcefully suppressed Zhang Yi's doubts.

Zhang Yi was quite displeased. He swallowed hard, feeling resentful, but still decided to order a retreat.

At this critical moment, suddenly, a cannon shot rang out.

The once quiet valley passage was suddenly filled with earth-shattering battle cries.

Zhang Ren and the Shu soldiers jumped up suddenly, hurriedly looking around. Everyone gasped and their faces turned astonished.

Suddenly, countless Han soldiers appeared at the edge of the previously deserted woods.

They appeared to emerge from the ground, densely packed together, exuding an imposing aura.

"Ambush! Han army ambush!"

With this terrified cry, fear quickly spread through the Shu army.

The Shu soldiers were instantly gripped by extreme terror, their eyes wide with shock and panic. (End of Chapter)