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

Chapter 168 Who Surrounded Whom? Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei Cooperated from Inside and Outside (3rd Update)
Outside the north gate of Zhen Ding City.

Looking at the large banner bearing the character "Liu" erected at the north gate, Gongsun Xu subconsciously thought of the past incident where Liu Bei refused to see him, and resentment welled up in his heart. He then turned to Huchuquan and said, "Since Liu Bei has already erected the banner, we can first provoke him into talking, and then use words to break the morale of the guards."

Hu Chuquan nodded and sent a scout ahead to shout at the city wall, "Please answer the question from the commander!"

And on the city wall.

Although the banner bearing the character "Liu" is raised, the figure standing under it is not Liu Bei but Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang, clad in a turban and holding a feather fan, dressed in plain clothes and with a black sash, appeared gracefully and ordered his junior officer to shout: "Zhuge Liang, the military advisor under the Left General of Han, is here to speak with Gongsun Xu."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Xu was taken aback: "Isn't Liu Bei at the north gate?"

Seeing that Gongsun Xu did not come out, Huchuquan's face showed displeasure: "Gongsun Xu, I asked you to come out and answer, why are you hesitating and undermining the morale of my army?"

It was Gongsun Xu who was supposed to be provoking a dialogue from the city walls. Now that the city walls have called on Gongsun Xu to answer, he is hesitating. If he doesn't come out to answer, wouldn't the soldiers and officers mistakenly think that he is frightened?

Gongsun Xu harbored resentment, spurred his horse forward, and shouted at the city wall: "Gongsun Xu is here! Quickly make Liu Bei come out and answer me!"

Zhuge Liang laughed loudly from the city wall: "I thought that the son of Gongsun Zan, the White Horse General who was famous in Youyan in the past, must be an extraordinary hero. I did not expect that he would be such an uncouth barbarian today."

Gongsun Xu was furious upon hearing this: "Zhuge Liang, how dare you insult me?"

Zhuge Liang looked down at him from his high position and shouted, "You are a disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust person. I have insulted you. What are you going to do about it?"

When Zhuge Liang berated him in front of tens of thousands of people, Gongsun Xu was instantly blinded by rage and shouted back, "How am I an unfaithful, unfilial, unkind, and unjust person?"

Laughter erupted again, but Zhuge Liang pointed with his feather fan, his voice clear yet sharp as a blade: "General Baima, loyal and brave to the Han Dynasty, you repelled the barbarian cavalry on the border, yet you bowed your head to serve the bandit chieftain, tearing apart the borders to appease the barbarians—this is disloyalty! General Baima, you hate the barbarians like an enemy, yet as their son, you led them south, disobeying your father's spirit and ruining his achievements—this is unfilial piety! The barbarian chieftain, with his wolfish ambitions, slaughtered Han people like cutting grass, yet you did not think of protecting the borders and the people, but instead allowed the jackals to commit atrocities—this is inhumanity! General Zuo and your father were classmates and bound by brotherhood, yet you used the barbarian army to attack your uncle, severing the bond between family members—this is injustice!"

"Alas! The Gongsun family has been dukes and marquises for generations, receiving the favor of the Han Dynasty, yet they have produced such a disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust wretch as you! You are worse than a dog or a pig! I advise you to withdraw your troops immediately, lest you bring shame upon your ancestors and leave behind a name that will be cursed for ten thousand generations!"

Gongsun Xu, his face flushed with anger, retorted, "The mandate of heaven changes, and the divine regalia is passed on to the virtuous; this is the natural order. Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, Guo Si, Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Liu Biao, and Lü Bu all vied for the divine regalia; why can't my Gongsun family? You are but a mere scholar; how could you understand the principles of nature? The Book of Han records that the Chanyu Hulugu once wrote to the Han emperor, saying, 'In the south there is the great Han, and in the north there are the powerful Hu. The Hu are the chosen ones of heaven!' Emperor Gaozu also bestowed a marriage upon Modu Chanyu; the Han and Hu have been united through intermarriage for generations. Why should we distinguish between them again? Furthermore, the crown prince of the Xiutu King, Jin Midi, was once a minister entrusted with the care of Emperor Wu! Now, Chanyu Huchuquan is helping me out of righteousness; what's wrong with that? You are shallow and unworthy to argue with me! Quickly bring Liu Bei out to answer!"

"Hahahaha—" Zhuge Liang laughed, waving his fan: "General Zuo is ordered by the Emperor to uphold the Han Dynasty; I am ordered by General Zuo to lead an army to punish the traitors. This is the great righteousness of assisting the emperor and the country. You are a sycophant, only fit to hide your head and seek food and clothing; how dare you speak of destiny before the ranks of soldiers? You yellow-mouthed brat! You are a fly with a fanged face! You will soon return to the netherworld. What face will you have to meet your ancestors of the Gongsun family?"

The tone shifted abruptly, becoming sharp and incisive: "You traitorous scoundrel! You've lived twenty-one years in vain, achieving nothing but empty words and abandoning your country and family! You spineless dog, yet you dare to bark and howl before my army! I have never seen such a shameless person! You little thief, retreat at once! Let that barbarian Huchuquan come and fight me to the death!"

Gongsun Xu intended to use destiny to place himself on the moral high ground, and cited classical texts to prove that although Huchuquan was a Hu person, he was closely related to the Han Dynasty. However, Zhuge Liang had no intention of engaging in a debate with Gongsun Xu based on classical texts, and instead resorted to his usual "verbal attacks".

On the battlefield, who's going to bother quoting scriptures and spouting道理 (reasoning/logic) when they have nothing better to do?

How could a crude and uneducated soldier understand the theories of destiny and the records in the Book of Han?
In contrast, Zhuge Liang either scolded Gongsun Xu for being disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust, or called him a dog or a pig. In the end, he directly told Gongsun Xu to stop barking, using the most elegant way to say the most vulgar words.

The soldiers guarding the city walls couldn't help but laugh. As soon as the laughter started, the fear that had arisen from the tens of thousands of Tu Ge and Wu Huan troops outside the city gradually dissipated.

Seeing that he had failed to demoralize the defenders with words, and that Zhuge Liang had instead used the opportunity to boost morale and dispel their fear, Gongsun Xu felt his blood surging and his anger rising. He couldn't help but cry out and vomit blood, and his spirits were greatly diminished.

"waste!"

Hu Chuquan couldn't help but curse loudly.

Being verbally abused to the point of vomiting blood when answering a question on the battlefield is extremely damaging to morale.

Enraged, Hu Chuquan charged out of the city and shouted at the city wall, "Zhuge Liang, stop with your empty words! Today I lead an army of 100,000 south. Who can stop me? If you know what's good for you, open the gates and surrender, and I might spare your life; if you resist, I will break down the city and leave no one alive!"

"Hahaha—" Zhuge Liang laughed loudly again: "I didn't expect that the barbarian Chanyu is so illiterate! Considering that you have lived in this harsh and cold borderland for a long time, I will spare your life by leaving behind 100,000 cattle, sheep and mules! If you resist stubbornly, Tadun and Nanlou will serve as a warning!"

"I'm furious!" Hu Chuquan roared, "Pass on my order: if you capture the city, your swords will not be sheathed for three days!"

Upon hearing the military order, the Tu Ge and Wu Huan soldiers behind him all cheered.

The laughter from the city wall abruptly ceased. Tao Sheng looked solemnly at the Hu soldiers slowly advancing outside the city, his men sweating with tension.

However, Zhuge Liang remained calm and composed, neither arrogant nor impatient.

Just as Hu Bing was about to approach the city wall, he saw a large flag with the character "Liu" hanging high behind Hu's formation.

"coming!"

Zhuge Liang smiled and ordered the junior officers in charge of the guards: "Beat the drums and sound the horns! Quickly send word to the four gates! Welcoming the Left General!"

"Left, General Left?" Tao Sheng exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Zhuge Liang's command.

As soon as he finished speaking, Tao Sheng heard the rapid sound of drums and horns, and then drums and horns sounded loudly at the east, west, and north gates.

Guan Yu, Yan Liang, and Wen Chou, who had been holding back for a long time, led their troops out of the three gates and rushed straight towards the Tu Ge and Wu Huan army formations outside the city.

Outside the West Gate.

Seeing Guan Yu tearing through the Tu Ge and Wu Huan army formations like a sharp knife, Fu Yun was so shocked he almost jumped up. He hurriedly called to Zhang Yan, "General, change the flag! Change the flag quickly!"

　Update 3 is here!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)