The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 126 Liu Bei's Invincible Maneuver, Guan Yu Slays Tadun Amidst Ten Thousand Army Soldiers (2nd Update)
Upon hearing that Zhao Yun had returned victorious from the raid without losing a single man or horse, Liu Bei burst into laughter.

Such outstanding achievements greatly impressed Tian Chou and others.

Although they had long heard of Zhao Yun's solo killing of Nanlou and his four sons, they had never witnessed it in person. Now, Zhao Yun's hundred cavalrymen went out and returned with a hundred cavalrymen, which not only broadened the horizons of Tian Chou and others, but also greatly reduced their fear of the more than 30,000 Wuhuan cavalrymen.

Liu Bei then bestowed upon Zhao Yun the title of "Tiger General," and spread the news of his heroic feat of raiding the camp with a hundred cavalrymen throughout the army to boost morale. He also rewarded the entire army with a banquet that lasted until night.

At dawn the next day.

Urgent report from scouts: The Wuhuan army is advancing on Wuzhong City in three columns.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei merely chuckled and said, "You reckless wretch, you've come at just the right time! Today I'll make sure that Tadun never leaves alive!"

The raid by a hundred cavalrymen was not only intended to blunt the enemy's advance, but also to serve as bait.

Liu Bei had few troops, and if he wanted to achieve victory with fewer troops, he needed to distract the main force of the Wuhuan cavalry, preventing their more than 30,000 cavalry from launching a coordinated attack.

As the art of war says, "If I can make myself formless while others are focused, then I can concentrate my strength while the enemy is divided. If I concentrate my strength into one, while the enemy is divided into ten, then I can attack one of them with ten."

Subsequently.

Zhuge Liang, holding his sword and seal, ordered the troops to leave the city and form ranks, setting up camp outside the city with their backs to the river, as planned.

When Neng Chen arrived first, he saw the Han army setting up camp with their backs to the river and couldn't help but sneer: "Liu Bei doesn't even know how to set up camp, yet he can win battle after battle. Yan Rou and the others are truly useless."

Although Nengchen Dizhi had never read any military books, he knew that setting up camp with one's back to the river was a major taboo in warfare: once the vanguard suffered a defeat and the retreat route was cut off, the soldiers would have no way to survive except to flee and surrender.

For hundreds of years since Han Xin's "Battle with his back to the river," no one else has been known to be able to replicate such a risky move. Even the capable minister could not believe that Liu Bei had such a method.

Neng Chen did not immediately attack the camp.

It wasn't that Nengchen was afraid of Liu Bei, but rather that he didn't want to suffer too many losses during the attack on the camp and let Tadun, Supuyan, and Wuyan benefit from it.

Now that Liu Bei had already set up camp with his back to the river, he naturally had to wait for Tadun and the other two to arrive.

When Tadun and his two men arrived, Nengchen told them about Liu Bei's plan to set up camp with his back to the river, which puzzled Su Puyan: "Is Liu Bei trying to emulate Han Xin of ancient times?"

The capable minister scoffed, "Liu Bei is not Han Xin, and we are not Chen Yu."

Tadun also looked disdainful: "Send someone to deliver a challenge to Liu Bei. I want to make this shoe-selling brat admit defeat wholeheartedly!"

Upon learning that Liu Bei had set up camp with his back to the river, Yan Rou came to advise Tadun again: "Liu Bei's army is small and he is not defending a strong city. Instead, he has set up camp with his back to the river. There must be a trick in this! Your Majesty must not underestimate the enemy!"

Tadun was unconcerned: "How could I not see through such a trick? Let me show you my skills!"

Seeing that Tadun remained arrogant as ever, Yan Rou's worries deepened. She couldn't help but recall the old story of Ji City: Liu Bei openly set up camp outside Ji City, but secretly dealt with the reinforcements from the three directions of Dai County, Shanggu County, and Yuyang County first, turning Ji City into an isolated city before starting the attack.

Thinking of this, Yan Rou felt another wave of panic.

Tadun's challenge quickly received a response, and both sides set up their battle formations in the open space in the middle.

Upon seeing the sparse cavalry of less than two thousand in Liu Bei's army across the way, Tadun, Wuyan, and Nengchen burst into wild laughter:
"With less than two thousand cavalry, they dare to go into battle? Do they know they are no match and are coming to their deaths?"

"Just because you managed to raid the camp under cover of darkness, you think you can take on ten men at once?"

"That must be Liu Bei under the banner! His head is mine, don't even think about taking it!"

Just then, Zhao Yun rode out of the formation, loudly challenging them to battle: "I am Zhao Zilong of Changshan! Who dares to fight me to the death!"

As Tadun hesitated whether to fight Zhao Yun, Nengchen Dizhi rushed forward first: "Han general, let me capture you!"

After exchanging blows several times, Zhao Zilong suddenly ducked his head, and Neng Chen parried with a spear, severing the tassel from his helmet. Zhao Zilong immediately turned his horse and fled back to his own lines.
Seeing Zhao Yun fleeing in defeat, Neng Chen couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Zhao Zilong is nothing special!"

Seeing Zhao Yun's helmet being shattered and him fleeing in disarray, even the usually cautious Su Puyan relaxed and laughed, "I was worried that Liu Bei was luring the enemy! It seems that after he pacified the four commanderies, he has truly become arrogant. He thinks that our Wuhuan are weak!"

Under the gate, Liu Bei's figure flickered and disappeared into the formation.

Tadun was overjoyed at the sight and cracked his whip, shouting, "Whoever captures or kills Liu Bei will be made king of a prefecture!"

The bugle calls soared into the sky, and the Wuhuan army roared in unison, surging towards the Han army camp like a tidal wave.

Overwhelmed by the overwhelming force, the Han soldiers hastily retreated into their camp. In the ensuing chaos, they overwhelmed the rear guard and ended up abandoning the camp and fleeing.

Horses, weapons, gold, silver, silk, armor, and supplies were scattered all over the road.

The Wuhuan cavalry pounced like hungry tigers, scrambling to seize the prize, fearing they would fall behind and let someone else take it.

This scene terrified Yan Rou, who spurred his horse to catch up with Tadun, shouting, "The Han soldiers have set up camp with their backs to the river, which is suspicious; they have abandoned many horses and weapons, which is also suspicious. The troops are only concerned with looting, and their formation is in chaos. If Liu Bei turns around and counterattacks, how can we resist?"

Tadun suddenly realized the danger and hurriedly ordered the retreat.

However, these Wuhuan tribesmen were not a disciplined and orderly army that obeyed orders. Now that they were fighting for their lives, how could they be willing to retreat?
No matter how much the orders urged them on, the clamor for looting continued unabated.

In the midst of the chaos!
Suddenly, Liu Bei led his troops back! Huang Zhong was on the left, Zhao Yun on the right, and Chen Dao, Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan, Tian Chou and other generals followed closely behind. The generals bravely took the lead, closely following Liu Bei's banner. They moved forward when the banner was in front, backward when it was behind, left when it was on the left, and right when it was on the right. More than a thousand cavalrymen quickly weaved through the chaotic Wuhuan cavalry, as if they were in an empty field!

Tadun was terrified and frantically tried to rally his troops to resist, but the scattered and undisciplined Wuhuan tribes not only failed to unite, but also became chaotic in their shouts to each other. The troops of Supuyan, Wuyan, and Nengchen also clashed and trampled each other!

"The situation is dire! Your Majesty, retreat immediately! As long as Your Majesty is here, we can make a comeback!" Yan Rou urged anxiously again, seeing the situation spiraling out of control.

Tadun's eyes were bloodshot. He pulled hard on the reins, turned his horse around, and rode away.

Although unwilling, Tadun could no longer control the battlefield situation and could only temporarily withdraw and then regroup for another battle.

However, just as Tadun's banner moved, a general suddenly appeared from the side and charged straight at Tadun. Wherever his crescent-shaped broadsword swept, no enemy could withstand him, and the Wuhuan cavalry were instantly cleaved apart like waves.

It was Guan Yu, who had been lying in ambush on the flanks, ready to strike!

Upon seeing Tadun's banner retreating, Guan Yu made a decisive move. He ordered his troops to charge into the enemy lines, while he himself charged alone to break through their formation.

When Tadun, one of the generals under Guan Yu's command, saw Guan Yu charging towards him, he was rushed to Guan Yu's side before he could even cry out. Guan Yu beheaded him with a single stroke of his sword.

Guan Yu then tied Tadun's head to the horse's neck, and with a backhand slash, cut off Tadun's banner. He then charged out of the battle as if entering an empty field, and none of the Wuhuan generals dared to stand against him!

Yan Rou, who was following closely behind Tadun, was already stunned by Guan Yu's earth-shattering slash. She stood frozen on her horse, completely unaware that the long spear had slipped from her hand.

All that remained from his lips was a trembling, dreamlike murmur: "Is... this still something that can be done by human power?"

　At the beginning of the month, I asked for your votes. I'm here to keep my promise: five updates a day!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)