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

Chapter 231 Zhong Yao Achieves a Victory at the Start; Liu Bei Is Nothing More Than This (3rd Update)
Just as Pang Tong predicted.

Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng were generals and officers carefully selected from the Bingzhou army. Most of them harbored resentment towards Liu Bei for seizing power, while the remaining few were dissatisfied with the strict military discipline.

Normally, they were weak and alone, with no one to stand up for them, so they had to swallow their resentment. But now that Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng had gathered them together, their long-accumulated complaints poured out like a flood bursting its banks.

"We have received great favors from Governor Gao, yet now we must bow down and obey the orders of that General Zuo. It is truly aggrieved!"

"Hmph! Instead of attacking the Pi family, you're making us brothers learn to farm in Jiangyi. Is General Zuo planning to switch to farming?"

"Guo Congshi had Jiangyi within his grasp, but Zhang Fei had to come and ruin it! He thinks he can get me to risk my life for him with a few small favors? Bah! My cousin, who was my personal guard, was beheaded for stealing a few bushels of grain from a lowly commoner. He's utterly despicable!"

"Exactly! In the past, when a city was captured, whoever got the spoils kept them! But now, we're expected to share the hardships with the people of Hedong? Soldiers are here for the thrill of revenge and the pursuit of wealth and glory, not for sharing their suffering!"

"What's even more infuriating is that those personal guards, wearing brand-new armor and eating hot meals, throw us moldy, substandard rations to eat, and still have the nerve to call themselves a benevolent and righteous army!"

"How can we tolerate such humiliation?"

"."

The camp was in an uproar. Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng exchanged glances, and a barely perceptible fierce glint flashed in each other's eyes.

The army's morale is good!

"Brothers, please calm down!" Xia Zhao raised his hand to silence the crowd and said in a deep voice, "General Deng and I have chosen you all here today not just to vent our grievances. The reason we are so frustrated right now is because we have not accomplished anything. If we can take down the Pi family in one fell swoop, capture and kill Zhong Yao and Wang Yi, and establish great military achievements, then why would we need to act according to General Zuo's wishes?"

Deng Sheng picked up the conversation, his sharp eyes sweeping over the officers in the tent: "Normally, you all protect your own good sons, and we two have never pursued the matter. But things are different now. We are in the same boat! We share the same fate! Will you continue to suffer under someone else's roof, or will you earn your future through military merit and hold your heads high? You are all sensible men, and I'm sure you have already made up your minds about what to do!"

Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng were originally core generals under Gao Gan, holding prestigious positions, but now they have been reduced to lowly errand runners like messengers in Liu Bei's army:

One was sent to inform the Xiongnu Chanyu Huchuquan to withdraw his troops, and the other was sent to convey the order to Zhang Yan of Heishan to act as he saw fit.

After a long and arduous journey, they had to rush back to camp to report.

Such humiliation and disparity, like poisonous vines, entwine my heart, and I cannot bear to let it go.

This time, Pang Tong's choice of vanguard and his disregard for Zhong Yao and Wang Yi, refusing to send any major generals, gave Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng an excellent opportunity to regain control of the military.

For Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng, the days without military power felt like an eternity.

Now that we have military power in our hands, how can we allow it to be lost again?
As for rebellion?

The two weren't that foolish.

What good would it do to go against them?

If one establishes their own power base, they must be constantly on guard against their own arrogant and powerful generals seizing power; if they join Cao Cao, their military power will inevitably be taken away by him.

The only way to truly consolidate military power and turn the tide is to break through the Pi clan and capture Zhong Yao and Wang Yi! After achieving great merit, one can then use the military prestige to legitimately invite Gao Gan, the former benefactor, back to take charge.

He could escape the predicament of living a stifling life under Liu Bei and regain the trust and reliance of high-ranking officials. Why not?
After the secret meeting, Generals Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng organized their troops and set off under cover of night, their forces heading straight for Pishi City.

Along the way, Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng used the promise of "looting at will after the city is captured" as bait to boost morale.

For most soldiers in chaotic times, greed and violence are the most common traits, and only a few generals can restrain military discipline.

This has been true throughout history and to this day.

When they reached a point ten miles outside Pishi City, they saw Wang Yi, the Prefect of Hedong, leading his troops to intercept them. Upon seeing Xia Zhao, Deng Sheng, and the others, Wang Yi brandished his spear and roared, "Who are you, villains, daring to invade my territory? I will make sure you all die without a burial place!"

Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng were not surprised to see that Wang Yi dared to come out of the city to fight; on the contrary, they were overjoyed.

The defending troops abandoned their advantageous terrain and went out of the city to fight in the open field; this was practically a golden opportunity delivered to their doorstep!

"No wonder General Pang was unwilling to send a general, and Guo Congshi despised Zhong Yao so much. Zhong Yao is such a clueless kid!" Xia Zhao laughed loudly.

They exchanged a glance with Deng Sheng and both saw the barely suppressed ecstasy in each other's eyes.

Make your mark today!
"kill!"

Xia Zhao raised his spear and shouted, ignoring Wang Yi completely, and personally led his elite cavalry to charge at the forefront.

Deng Sheng also shouted and commanded his troops to advance, aiming to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

Faced with the bravery of Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng, Wang Yi could only hold out for a short while before fleeing in disarray. Before leaving, he shouted at Xia Zhao, "You dog, you have no martial ethics!" which made Xia Zhao laugh even more.

On the battlefield, what's the point of talking about martial ethics? It's not like a martial arts competition!
They relentlessly pursued Wang Yi, refusing to let him escape, completely unaware that the rear guard was gradually falling behind.

Not all four thousand soldiers had the same physique, and the Bingzhou army consisted mostly of new recruits. Those who lacked stamina quickly became separated from the main force.

Before Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng could realize something was wrong, they suddenly heard loud gongs and drums coming from the valleys and woods on the left and right. Zhang Ji on the left and Fu Gan on the right each led a troop of soldiers out to attack.

They directly divided Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng's troops into three segments, making it impossible to take care of both the beginning and the end.

Wang Yi, who had suffered a crushing defeat at the front, returned once more, laughing loudly at the panicked Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng: "You foolish thieves, you've fallen for Zhong Sili's trap! Why don't you quickly dismount and surrender?"

Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng were terrified.

The more arrogant they were just now, the more pathetic they are now.

"withdraw!"

"Get out!"

No one wanted to surrender unless absolutely necessary. Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng hurriedly led their elite troops to charge left and right, but the Bingzhou army on the battlefield had already been thrown into chaos by the ambush and attack of Zhang Ji and Fu Gan, and they fought each other independently, unable to form an effective counterattack.

In the midst of the battle, Xia Zhao was intercepted by Zhang Ji, who charged from the side, and was beheaded by Zhang Ji in a few rounds; Deng Sheng, in his panic, was captured alive by Fu Gan, who happened to pass by.

With one commander dead and another captured, the remaining troops were thrown into panic and scattered like a landslide.

have to say.

Pang Tong was quite cunning. Fearing that Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng's defeat was not genuine, he deliberately said, "You can choose any generals and officers you need." However, Yuan Shao's troops basically had one characteristic: many soldiers but unclear division of responsibilities, arrogant generals and inconsistent orders. In particular, Xia Zhao and Deng Sheng had gathered together the most unruly generals and officers.

Zhuge Liang preferred to train his troops well, which is why Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan followed him and achieved easy success. Pang Tong, on the other hand, preferred to eliminate those who disobeyed him, which is why Xia Zhao, Deng Sheng, and other unruly individuals were directly killed by Pang Tong.

Clean and efficient!
Pi's City Wall.

Looking at the routed Bingzhou army, Zhong Yao's face also showed a sneer: "Liu Bei is nothing special!"

　Update 3 is here!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)