Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 144 Now that the victor has been determined, let's settle this once and for all.

"Taishi Ci of Donglai is here, by order of the General Who Guards the North, to take the head of Yue Jin!"

The shouts of battle at the west gate of the camp were deafening and earth-shaking, startling Yue Jin, who was in the camp directing the retreat. He hurriedly gathered the troops in the camp to block the attack.

Unexpectedly, Yue Jin's troops, whose attention had just been drawn by the great show of force put up by Taishi Ci, were all transferred to the west gate.

Inside Cao Cao's camp, the shouts of Yuan Shao's army rang out again.

"Yuan Gong's adopted son, Chen Shuzhi from Runan, is here!"
"You brat, Yue Jin, you've fallen for my trap, General Zhenbei! Today you are doomed!"

It was Chen Dao's 7,000-strong force that attacked through the secret passage.

"What? How is this possible?"

How could there be Yuan's troops in my camp?

After receiving these unexpected shocks one after another, Yue Jin turned pale and felt terrified.

"It's only been a few months, yet Xiahou Yuanrang's military tactics have become so unfathomable?"

Enemy troops suddenly rose up inside the camp, while enemy troops launched a fierce attack outside the camp, causing chaos in Cao Cao's camp.

Le Jin quickly calmed himself down. On one hand, he commanded his troops to guard the western camp and prevent Taishi Ci from breaking through the camp gate. On the other hand, he sent troops to intercept Chen Dao's forces. Meanwhile, he hurriedly sent someone to inform Dian Wei to lead his troops back to reinforce the camp.

These measures can be considered wise moves at the moment, but unfortunately Yuan Jun seized the opportunity and launched a sudden attack. He was caught off guard and made arrangements, so how could he have made them in time?

Taishi Ci launched a frontal assault on the camp, and with him personally overseeing the operation, the camp held firm without any major issues.

However, Dian Wei had already withdrawn the vanguard and central army from the camp, and at this moment he only had seven or eight thousand troops left in the camp.

Just now, Taishi Ci suddenly attacked, and in the panic, he transferred the west gate to defend. At this moment, Chen Dao broke out from his camp, causing chaos in Cao Cao's camp. In the midst of the chaos, he managed to gather troops to intercept Chen Dao, but how could he have time to do so?
"Le Jin has been defeated!"
Chen Shuzhi, acting on the orders of General Xiahou Dun, the General Who Guards the North, is to take control of the East Gate. Those who surrender will be spared death; those who disobey will be executed!

Chen Dao was ordered to storm Cao Cao's camp and immediately led his troops to attack the east gate.

Cao Jun, who was guarding the East Gate, never expected that enemy troops would attack from the rear. When he saw that the enemy force numbered as many as seven thousand, he was terrified.

It should be noted that with Dian Wei leading the vanguard and central army to withdraw, the Cao army in the entire camp numbered only seven or eight thousand. Furthermore, they were drawn away by Taishi Ci's strong attack at the west gate, leaving less than a thousand Cao soldiers to guard the east gate.

Seeing that Yuan's army of seven thousand men had attacked from the rear, and hearing Yue Jin's words of defeat, how could he doubt anything else?
They had just heard the news that Yuan's army was attacking the West Gate. If General Yue hadn't been defeated, how could a full seven thousand of Yuan's troops have fought their way from the West Gate to the East Gate?
Furthermore, the person in front of them claimed to be acting on the orders of General Xiahou Dun, the General Who Guards the North, to order them to surrender.

Many of these soldiers in Cao Cao's army were originally guards of Yangzhai with Xiahou Dun and Xi Zhicai. Later, Xiahou Dun was defeated and defected to the enemy, and Yue Jin took over the command.

Now that General Yue has also been defeated, surrendering with our old superior seems like a good idea, doesn't it? I've heard that since joining Yuan Shao's camp, our old superior, Xiahou Dun, has been highly valued by Yuan Shao and has been promoted rapidly.

Instead of risking my life here today, why not follow in my old boss's footsteps? Perhaps I can find another path to wealth and prosperity.
Although not many people thought this way, it was enough to shake the morale of the army, and even if the remaining Cao army still wanted to resist.

Under Chen Dao's overwhelming numerical superiority, Cao Cao's thousand-strong army, caught completely off guard and attacked from the rear, was no match for the attack. They believed that Yue Jin had already been defeated.
quick! allow! ruthless!
Yuan's army poured its main force of 7,000 men into a surprise attack from the rear while Cao's army was caught off guard during their retreat.

With some killed, some surrendered, and some fled, Chen Dao swiftly captured the crucial east gate of the camp for tonight. With that gate closed, Cao Cao's army was cut off from both inside and outside!

"Third brother, you lead three thousand men to launch a surprise attack on Le Jin from the rear, and together with General Ziyi, seize the West Gate and lock that brat Le Jin up to beat him like a dog."

I will lead four thousand men to defend the east gate to the death, and not allow Dian Wei to advance another step.

Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng's heart tightened, and he only said, "That Dian Wei's martial arts are truly formidable. Second Brother, please be careful. I will come to your aid immediately after I help General Ziyi capture the West Gate."

"Don't worry, Third Brother. I have captured the Left Wise King of the Xiongnu in Liang and made many great achievements. How can I let him stand out from the crowd?"

We brothers have received such great kindness from our adoptive father, and now is the time to repay him with our lives!

Xu Sheng nodded solemnly and led three thousand men back to attack the west gate where Yue Jin was located from the rear. Under the attack from both sides, he also raised a large flag and shouted loudly.

"Yuan Gong's adopted son! The one who defeated Dian Wei in thirty rounds, Xu Sheng, is here!"

"Now that the East Gate has fallen, your reinforcements' retreat is also cut off. Do you not surrender now, or do you intend to die with Le Jin?"

Upon hearing this, and seeing the fire at the East Gate and the enemy attacking from the rear, Cao Cao's army was caught in a pincer movement and panicked. In contrast, Taishi Ci's troops, who were launching a fierce attack outside the West Gate, were greatly encouraged by the news and their offensive became urgent and unstoppable!
Le Jin never expected that Yuan Jun would not only dare to take the initiative to attack, but also send his troops out of his camp like divine soldiers descending from the sky. When he learned that the East Gate had been lost, his heart sank.

He forced himself to remain calm and reassured the troops, saying:
"Don't panic!"
Whether the East Gate is truly missing is still unknown.

Moreover, even if it were truly lost, General Dian still had 20,000 troops outside, who would come to the rescue immediately upon hearing the news.

Yuan Jun's army totals no more than 10,000 men. If they divide their forces to fight us for the west gate, how many men can they possibly have to stop Dian Wei at the east gate?

"The three armies must not panic! Heed my command and hold your ground! When General Dian arrives to reinforce us, we will have the opportunity to turn defeat into victory and annihilate Yuan's army in one fell swoop!"

With the chaos of battle raging in the rear, Dian Wei led his troops to withdraw from the camp. Upon hearing the news, he was naturally shocked and furious.

"Well done, Xiahou Yuanrang. I underestimated you."

By day, you deliberately acted shamelessly in order to show weakness, making us believe that you were willing to suffer great humiliation and would not fight.

Who would have thought that such a brilliant strategy could be used at night? It's strange, when you were under Cao Cao's command, how come you never used such tactics in warfare?
Your childhood friendship with Cao Cao is not enough to make you use your true abilities. Are you deliberately hiding your talents in Cao Cao's camp?
What a treacherous villain! He probably already had the intention to find another master. With such abilities, was he deliberately ambushed and defeated at Yangdi?
"Traitorous officials and villains, truly hateful!"

As Dian Wei grumbled and cursed, a messenger risked his life to deliver Yue Jin's order.

"General Dian, General Yue wants you to retake the East Gate immediately. The moment you lead your troops into the camp to provide reinforcements will be the opportunity to break through their defenses!"
"The moment to turn the tide and annihilate Yuan's main force, capturing Xuchang and its twenty camps, is now!"

"Dare to defy your life!"

Dian Wei immediately received the order and led 20,000 troops back to reinforce the city, launching a desperate attack on the east gate at all costs.

Since this camp was one that Yuan's army had recently withdrawn from, Chen Dao's troops were well aware of the advantages of defending the city at various points around the East Gate. They rushed to the scene and seized the bunkers, trenches, and other strategic locations to hold their ground before Dian Wei could arrive to provide reinforcements.

At present, Dian Wei has the advantage of troop strength, while Chen Dao has the advantage of defending the city. When the two meet on a narrow road, they are both determined to fight to the death and decide who is stronger!
(End of this chapter)