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

Chapter 93 Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Huang Zhong all went into battle, and even Liu Bei couldn't bear to watch (2nd update)
Smoke and dust billowed.

Five thousand infantry and cavalry arrived like a surging tide, and then surged into Zhuge Liang's ambush.

Hua Yan, the commander-in-chief, was completely unaware of the danger and charged forward headlong, determined to catch Liu Bei off guard.

Left Mountain.

Looking at Yuan Bing, who was almost completely unprepared, Guan Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of humiliation.

In Guan Yu's view, anyone skilled in warfare would suspect whether there were hidden troops in this place, but Yuan's soldiers seemed to be blind and were unwilling to send out even a single scout.

"No wonder the strategist said that if even one person escapes, everyone must be held accountable."

"Even Guan was underestimated!"

Guan Yu opened his phoenix eyes wide, as if a murderous aura was surging out in the direction he was looking.

And in fact.

Guan Yu actually misunderstood Hua Yan.

In the early stages of the Warring States period, most of the generals were just weaklings fighting each other, since there were very few formally trained military officers. Most of them were people from all walks of life who had changed careers to become generals.

Many of them came from humble backgrounds, such as pig butchers, bean sellers, blacksmiths, cattle herders, horse traders, scripture readers, and teachers. Some had survived on the battlefield and accumulated experience, while others had read a few military books and thought themselves invincible.

Only Guan Yu was blessed with divine favor, able to systematically learn military administration and tactics from Zhuge Liang after the fact.

When one's skill level increases, one may feel that it is illogical for the opponent to be so weak, but one forgets the most important principle of warfare: knowing oneself and knowing one's enemy.

A minor official who is good at talking big and gained Yuan Tan's trust by spreading rumors is not qualified to be described as "good at military strategy".

Zhang Fei, who was hiding in the forest, shared the same feeling as Guan Yu.

Watching the completely unsuspecting Yuan soldiers pass right under his nose, Zhang Fei idly squatted on the ground, using his spear to draw a map of mountains and rivers.

After drawing a map of the mountains and rivers from Gaotang to Zhuoxian, Zhang Fei fell in love with the feeling of drawing maps.

Recalling his youth when he painted portraits of ladies, Zhang Fei felt that he had wasted his time. Why did he have time to paint portraits of ladies? He should have drawn maps of mountains and rivers and given them to Liu Bei.

Thinking of the map of mountains and rivers, Zhang Fei recalled Liu Bei's shocked look and solemn praise in Gaotang, which made Zhang Fei so excited that he couldn't sleep well for three days.

"A general who is ignorant of astronomy, geography, the art of war, yin and yang, battle formations, and military strategy is a mediocre talent."

"Hua Yan is ignorant of geography; he's truly a mediocre talent!"

Zhang Fei stood up and looked at the map of the Longcou Mountains and Rivers drawn on the ground with his spear. He felt a sense of accomplishment and was secretly proud: Knowing geography is as easy as having hands!

While Zhang Fei was drawing the map of Longcou's mountains and rivers, Hua Yan's vanguard encountered Zhao Yun, who was luring the enemy.

Seeing that Zhao Yun dared to block the road with only thirty-odd cavalry, the vanguard dared not be careless and hurriedly relayed the news to Hua Yan in the central army.

"We've been discovered?"

Upon hearing that cavalry were blocking the road, Hua Yan's first reaction was that Liu Bei had discovered their surprise attack; upon hearing that Zhao Yun only had thirty-odd riders, Hua Yan just wanted to curse the vanguard for having their brains eaten by dogs.

The thirty-odd riders were at most Liu Bei's scout squad; they could have been easily wiped out. Why did they waste time coming to the central army to ask for orders?

After secretly grumbling about the useless vanguard, Hua Yan went directly to the front line.

Upon spotting Hua Yan's banner, Zhao Yun immediately launched into a sarcastic remark: "So you're the second uncle that Hua Hu brat mentioned, the one who serves as a clerk? What are you planning to do here with your troops?"

Hua Yan initially underestimated Zhao Yun, thinking that thirty-odd riders were nothing more than thirty grains of sand before five thousand infantry. However, Zhao Yun's opening remarks mentioned his deceased nephew, Hua Hu, and even referred to him as "little boy," which immediately enraged Hua Yan. "Who are you?" Hua Yan's tone was unfriendly, staring intently at Zhao Yun as if he wanted to pierce through him.

Zhao Yun's sarcasm remained unabated: "Didn't that brat Hua Hu tell you how he died? Oh, I forgot, the dead don't speak!"

Beside Hua Yan, a junior officer who had been released that day recognized Zhao Yun: "Reporting to the Chief Clerk, Commandant Hua was killed by General Zuo when he was besieging this man! I remember that this man claimed to be named Zhao Yun."

Hua Yan's eyes instantly turned red: "Men, seize this thief for me!"

Zhao Yun scoffed, brandished his spear, and charged straight at Hua Yan's army with more than thirty riders.

This scene both shocked and angered Hua Yan.

What surprised them was that Zhao Yun dared to attack an army that outnumbered them by more than a hundred, and what angered them was that Zhao Yun had underestimated them.

However, for Zhao Yun, let alone thirty-odd riders, he would dare to attack thousands of troops even if he were alone if necessary.

Of all the spearmen in the land, Zhao Yun alone possessed one shi (a unit of dry measure), while the rest were short two dou.

Whether it was thirty-odd riders against five thousand, or one rider against ten thousand, Zhao Yun could always shout: "The advantage is with me, what is there to fear!"
Watching Zhao Yun's thirty-odd riders come and go as if they were in an empty field, while his own side was being overwhelmed and their men and horses were falling over, yet none of Zhao Yun's thirty-odd riders were injured, Hua Yan's face turned green with anger!
"You have insulted me greatly!"

"All soldiers, listen to my command! Whoever captures or kills the traitor Zhao Yun will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold!"

A generous reward can inspire brave men. Hua Yan's words, "A reward of one thousand," restored the morale of the soldiers, who roared and chased after Zhao Yun.

However, before the soldiers could even get excited, Huang Zhong's five hundred cavalrymen appeared.

"Listen up, everyone! Don't get carried away with the fighting. The strategist wants spoils, not a pile of broken metal. The priority in this battle is to break through the enemy lines and capture their leader!" Huang Zhong gave the order while squinting at the Yuan army's banner and taking down the precious carved bow with his right hand.

Upon seeing the cavalry suddenly appear, Yuan's soldiers at the forefront were instantly stunned.

They said there would only be thirty or so riders, so how come there are suddenly several hundred more?

That's too much of a scheme, I want to go back to my village, damn it!

With Huang Zhong's command, five hundred cavalrymen charged mercilessly at Yuan's troops, quickly breaking and tearing apart their formation, while Huang Zhong's precious carved bow emitted a crisp twang of its string.

With each sound, a Yuan army general's flag fell.

Only then did Hua Yan belatedly realize that he had fallen into a trap.

"withdraw!"

Although Hua Yan was not good at military tactics, he was quick-witted.

The moment Hua Yan realized he had fallen into a trap, he understood that if he were captured alive by Liu Bei today, his fate would be just like that of his nephew Hua Hu!
Yuan Tan, who had vested interests with Liu Bei, would never completely turn against Liu Bei for the sake of a dead Hua Yan. In other words, Hua Yan's death was in vain!

however.

Zhuge Liang had already dispatched four of Liu Bei's most formidable warriors, capable of defeating ten thousand men each; how could he possibly allow Hua Yan to escape so easily?

In particular, the sentence in the military order given to Guan Yu, "If even one person escapes, they will all be punished," made Guan Yu extremely vigilant.

With Guan Yu in high spirits, Hua Yan is in trouble.

When Hua Yan saw Guan Yu and Zhang Fei appearing from the mountains and forests on the left and right, blocking his way back, his legs went weak and he fell off his horse.

"Damn it!"

　Asking for monthly ticket
　　
　
(End of this chapter)