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

Chapter 319 Annihilation of Qi!

Pei State, outside Xiaopei City.

Dust filled the sky, obscuring the sun; the sound of horses' hooves was like thunder; the Xuanjia Army marched in formation, with the character "Han" written on the yellow banner fluttering in the wind.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, armor gleamed in the sun, and the vast expanse of mountains and rivers stretched as far as the eye could see, their overwhelming military might silencing the entire land.

This was the main force of the "830,000" army that the King of Han personally led, which was now famous throughout the world with the imperial edict for the Northern Expedition, and which terrified the entire land.

Upon reaching the camp outside Xiaopei City, Ji Ling, clad in gleaming golden armor, stepped forward with his hand on his sword. Behind him, the generals, their helmets and armor gleaming, stood solemnly in formation.

As the Han King's central army entourage drew near, he exchanged a glance with Lu Su beside him, and the two called out to Huang Zhong. They then mounted their horses and led dozens of riders to meet them.

When he arrived at the six-horse carriage, Yuan Shu saw him coming and waved with a smile.

"My unparalleled General Ji has arrived?"
With Ji Qing by my side, this northern expedition should be no problem.

Ji Ling rolled over and landed, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Your Majesty has not seen me for a long time and has missed me dearly."

Yuan Shu glanced at him meaningfully.

"I am acting as regent for the new dynasty to continue the Han dynasty's rule, and I dare not address myself as Your Majesty."

Ji Ling hurriedly apologized, "I was too excited to see Your Majesty in person and overstepped my bounds. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

"You, you"
"We haven't seen each other for so many years; he's just too honest."

"Before Your Majesty, I dare not cheat or evade, but speak the truth with utmost sincerity and loyalty."

"All right."

Yuan Shu stopped speaking, glanced at Xiaopei City not far away, and asked:
"What is the situation? When will the city fall?"

"Now that His Majesty has personally arrived, how dare the generals disobey and die for him? The city will be captured in just a few days!"

As Ji Ling spoke, she looked at Lu Su beside her. Lu Su understood her meaning and followed suit, bowing respectfully.

"Kings."

"Zijing, it's been a long time."

"I still remember your spirited and triumphant appearance when you ranked first in the imperial examination, the top scholar."

“Those of meager talent barely survive in this chaotic world, with nowhere to settle down.”

"Thanks to Your Majesty's patronage, I have achieved what I have today. How could I not be moved to tears and repay you with my life?"

As Lu Su spoke, he recounted the military situation in the area.

"Xiaopei is the gateway to Xuzhou. Before Lü Bu went north, he made special preparations for defense in this place."

He poured almost all of the remaining troops from Xuzhou into this area, totaling 20,000 defenders.

Moreover, Xiaopei had long been a place where Liu Bei stationed his troops, and was regarded as a vital strategic location. The city was well-defended and easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Lü Bu then dispatched his general Zhang Liao and trusted confidant Wei Xu to garrison the area.

With these two men complementing each other, and the city well-stocked with provisions and weapons, General Ji Ling and I have been attacking for several days without making any progress.

"Your Majesty's desire to breach the city will likely prove difficult."

Yuan Shu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, but then couldn't help but laugh.

Wei Xu? Isn't this the general who stole Red Hare at White Gate Tower and kidnapped Lü Bu?

So he asked again.

"Zijing, who is the commander guarding this city, as you just mentioned?"

Although Lu Su did not understand his meaning, he still replied:

"Your Majesty may not know this, but Lü Bu has sent Zhang Liao and Wei Xu to guard this gateway to Xuzhou."

Zhang Liao was a talented general, well-versed in military strategy, and loyal and righteous. Lü Bu placed high hopes on him.

Wei Xu was a close confidant and trusted brother, and was highly valued by Lü Bu, who entrusted him with important matters.

These two men were Zhang Liao, who commanded troops to defend against foreign enemies, and Wei Xu, who determined the importance of distinguishing between close and distant relatives to assess loyalty.

"With one commanding troops and another overseeing affairs, it's clear that Lü Bu was capable of dominating the world and achieving his current status; he was certainly not a man without strategy."

Upon hearing his words, Yuan Shu smiled and sighed.

"Heaven is on my side!"

"All generals, follow me into the camp to rest and recuperate. We will conquer the city tonight."

Lu Su: "???"

Your Majesty, didn't you hear what I said?

The opposing force is commanded by Zhang Liao, and supervised by Wei Xu. One is capable, and the other is loyal. Although they only have 20,000 troops, their city is strong and their walls are thick, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Even if my army crushes the city and the fall of the city is inevitable, others are determined to defend it and it will take some time to fight. How come you, who just arrived, think the city will fall tonight?

Seeing Lu Su's blank expression, and considering the presence of many people, Yuan Shu decided not to explain to him. Instead, he turned to Huang Zhong behind Lu Su, smiled, and stepped forward to shake his hand.

"General Huang has been in our Han camp for some time now. How do you feel about it?"
Do you regret surrendering that day?

Huang Zhong quickly bowed and respectfully replied.

"I regret not surrendering to the King of Han sooner!"

It's impossible for Huang Zhong not to harbor some resentment after being tricked by Yuan Shu and forced to surrender.

But as news continued to arrive, people learned how Xing Daorong had repeatedly shifted his allegiance and ultimately defeated the 70,000-strong army of Jingzhou.

I also heard that Sun Quan, who once charged into battle under his command and was invincible, was also a scheme of Yuan Shu. In reality, he pretended to come to surrender, but ended up losing 100,000 troops from Jingzhou.

Huang Zhong instantly felt relieved.

What is scheming?

That's real scheming!
Compared to Xing Daorong's constant shifting of positions, Sun Quan's inability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and the methods used by the King of Han to deal with him, they were nothing.
The entire army of 170,000 was wiped out in an instant, and none of them could even hold off a single battle.

In the end, the army that fought the Han army to a standstill in the entire Jingzhou region, persisting the longest and achieving the most victories, was actually Zhang Yun's navy.

So, no matter how hard everyone tries, Jingzhou is going to fall anyway. Therefore, whether I surrendered or not, the success or failure of my mere 20,000 men is like an ant trying to shake a tree under the overwhelming force of the King of Han's annexation of Jingzhou and Xiangyang. It's all in vain.

The statement that "the person most feared in Jingzhou is none other than Huang Hansheng" is all a lie.

As a member of the Yuan family, with the power of an emperor like the Han emperor, in the vast Jingzhou region, is there anyone you need to fear?

Especially after the imperial court released the "Yuan Shu conspiracy theory" and it became popular, Huang Zhong, an honest man who had fought for most of his life, was truly horrified and felt his scalp tingle.

[The culprit behind the collapse of the Han Dynasty, the cause of widespread suffering!]

So the King of Han actually held back against me back then!

It seems he genuinely wants me to surrender, otherwise, all these conspiracy theories would be unfounded.

If the King of Han, the greatest schemer of our time, were to seriously plot against me, how could I possibly survive?
I fear that on the day I die, my loyal general Liu Jingzhou will take my head, and I will not even know why.

At this moment, when this nobleman of the Yuan clan, whose power was comparable to that of the Han emperor, came close again, he grasped both of his hands tightly.

Although the handshake was not strong enough for Huang Zhong to easily break free, he felt as if he were bound by countless shackles of conspiracy. His armor was already soaked with sweat, so he dared not move an inch.
He lowered his head even further and said:
"I regret not surrendering to the King of Han sooner!"

The King of Han has shown me great kindness and loyalty, but I regret that I have served in the Han camp for many years without achieving any merit, and I am ashamed to face the King.

Since Your Majesty has declared that the city will be breached tonight, I, Zhong, am willing to personally lead the armored troops in a night raid to capture the city. I will not return until it is taken!

Yuan Shu patted him on the shoulder and chuckled in relief.

"The Han court has just been established, and the northward march is imminent."

Soon there will be plenty of opportunities to kill the enemy and make meritorious contributions. As for the great achievement of breaking through the city tonight, it cannot be accomplished by anyone but Hansheng. He said this with apparent sincerity.

"I have heard that after Brother Jingsheng entered the court to atone for his crimes, he has repented and reformed, and is secretly plotting the matter of the imperial edict in the belt, in order to rid His Majesty of the traitor."

Unfortunately, he was discovered by the traitor Cao Cao, and his blood was spilled on the imperial steps.

In this life I was a member of the imperial clan, and in death I will be a ghost of the Han people. The prodigal son has returned home, and I am moved by this.

"General, you must exert all your strength to march north, eliminate the traitors, and avenge Liu Jing Sheng!"

Huang Zhong: "."

Zhong has followed Liu Jingzhou for so many years, do you think I don't know what kind of person he is?
Given Liu Bei's timid and self-protective nature, how could he possibly plot to eliminate Cao Cao and shed his blood on the imperial steps?
The prodigal son's return is truly remarkable. But you haven't mentioned a single word about how he returned to court to atone for his crimes!

However, since Yuan Shu had already said so much, Huang Zhong naturally feigned righteous indignation and loudly denounced Cao Cao.

"The traitor Cao Cao held the emperor hostage and harmed my former master."

"I, Zhongshu, will exert my utmost, even unto death, without regret, only begging the King of Han to avenge me!"

The king said, "Excellent."

Upon arriving at the camp, Yuan Shu dismissed his attendants and instructed Pang Tong:

"I request that Shi Yuan write a letter for me, asking Zhang Liao to surrender the city to the Han. If we promise him great benefits, the city may surrender tonight without a fight."

Pang Tong was surprised to hear this and asked in confusion.

"The teacher intends to use our army of 830,000 to sweep across the world and intimidate and force this city to surrender."

However, according to what Zijing just said, Zhang Liao is a loyal and righteous man, and he is also being monitored by Wei Xu, a confidant of Lü Bu.

It is clear that Lü Bu was well-prepared and his arrangements were orderly; it would be difficult for him to persuade Lü Bu to surrender and breach the city's defenses.

Yuan Shu glanced at him, his eyes seemingly unfathomable, their light flickering and unreadable.

"Who said this letter of persuasion to surrender was written to Zhang Liao?"

Pang Tong: "???"

Yuan Shu spoke calmly, offering an explanation for him.

"Zhang Liao may be a loyal and righteous man, but his confidants may not necessarily be loyal and righteous."

Although Wei Xu was a close confidant of Lü Bu and was highly valued, judging from the previous military report of Xingba's hundred cavalry breaking through the camp, it is clear that Wei Xu was fierce in appearance but cowardly in reality, a person who was afraid of death.

Seeing my army pressing in on their borders, how could they not be filled with dread and live in constant fear? All we need to do now is offer them great rewards, and their names will surely be recorded on the Golden Terrace.

The reason I previously stated that this letter was sent to Zhang Liao was to prevent Zhang Liao from becoming suspicious.

If we send a letter to Wei Xu now, even if he immediately tears up the letter to show his loyalty, others will inevitably become suspicious.

However, sending a letter to Zhang Liao was different. Wei Xu, acting as an inspector, could use this as a pretext to control Zhang Liao and increase their chances of victory tonight.

Upon hearing Yuan Shu's words, Pang Tong immediately understood their profound meaning and repeatedly praised them as brilliant.

"Teacher's brilliant plan has made it clear how this letter should be written."

Since Wei Xu is such a cowardly person who fears death, we don't need to explicitly ask him to surrender.

All you need to do is win over Zhang Liao in your letters, exaggerating the great achievements and wealth he will gain after surrendering the city, thus enticing him with substantial rewards.

At that time, Zhang Liao, being loyal and righteous, will certainly not comply. However, Wei Xu, in charge of surveillance, will surely be able to obtain information about the correspondence between Zhang Liao and us.

How could one not be tempted by the prospect of wealth and privilege?

Tonight, without us needing to explicitly say anything, they will take the initiative, and Zhang Liao will be caught off guard!

Because we did not conspire with Wei Xu at all; the letter was entirely about persuading Zhang Liao to surrender.

Perhaps Zhang Liao disdained this letter, and even on the night of his death, he still doesn't know the cause of his demise; who knows!

The king said, "Excellent."

At the same time, Xiaopei
The wind whipped the banners atop the city tower. Zhang Liao stood there, his hand on his sword, gazing at the massive army outside the city that blotted out the sky. His fingertips unconsciously tightened around the hilt of his sword.

The King of Han shouted: "Marching north to attack Cao!"

Its sound was deafening and resounding, known throughout the world and known to all.

What Zhang Liao never expected was that the main force of the 830,000-strong army that the King of Han had been claiming to support the Han Dynasty and was heading north to attack Cao Cao was heading straight east!

The ghost came rushing at me!
No, my surname isn't Cao! Don't you know the difference between East and North? You've gone the wrong way!
However he may have thought, outside the city, smoke and dust obscured the sun, and Han troops covered the mountains and fields, their armor gleaming.

When the news reached Xiaopei City, the hall was in complete chaos in less than half an incense stick's time.

Everyone said:

"The Han army is overwhelming. Our defending force numbers only 20,000, while the enemy has hundreds of thousands. How can we possibly win this battle?"

Ji Ling is here!
The invincible Ji Wufang has arrived.

With the King of Qi gone, who in the world could withstand a single blow from him?

"The King of Han has been a high-ranking official for four generations, with many fierce generals and strategists under his command. If we defend to the death, we will probably all perish within half a month when the city falls."

Zhang Liao stood at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping over the people in the hall. He saw some bowing their heads and wiping away tears, sighing that "the general trend is hard to defy"; some fearfully saying, "If we open the city gates and surrender, we may be able to save the people of the city"; and some beaming with joy, exclaiming, "Heaven's mandate has returned to Han."

Zhang Liao, with a stern face, placed his hand on his sword and drew it with a clang. The sword's sharp edge and cold light silenced the crowd.

He looked at Wei Xu and asked, "Is this also the meaning of the military supervisor?"

Seeing Zhang Liao's sword so close at hand, Wei Xu's face flushed red and his expression changed drastically.

"Wen Yuan! What do you mean?"
The King of Qi has treated me with immense kindness, regarding me as a dear friend, a brother, and a confidant!

He continued, "I would gladly die to repay your kindness and righteousness; how could I possibly surrender the city and commit such an unjust act?"

As Wei Xu spoke, he also drew his sword, saying, "Today, as long as the city exists, I will exist; if the city falls, I will fall!"

Even though the Han army numbers 830,000, I will go!

He met with Wei Xu, the second most powerful man in the city, and reached a consensus that was enough to subdue the crowd.

Zhang Liao nodded in satisfaction and said to the crowd:
"Although the Han army is large, it is mostly a motley crew, and its claim of 830,000 troops may not be true."

Moreover, in order to march north to attack Cao Cao, Zhang Xiu led the Jingzhou troops to attack Wuguan, and Xiahou Dun, Yue Jin and others led the Liang, Lu, Ying and Ru armies to attack Huanyuan Pass.

"The army that is currently attacking us, though the main force of the Han army, is divided among several groups, and its numbers are roughly one or two hundred thousand. Given our advantage in defending the city and our year's worth of provisions, we may not be unable to defeat them."

Everyone: "."

General, do you speak human language?
The enemy force is only one or two hundred thousand?
Our army has 20,000 men!
You told us that we might not be defeated?
Just as Zhang Liao was speaking eloquently, he talked at length about how he planned to defend against the Han army at all costs, keeping them out of Xiaopei and preventing them from entering Xuzhou, and how he would arrange his troops, delay the enemy, and so on.

He was speaking enthusiastically on stage, while the audience was completely silent. Just then, a scout came to report.

"The King of Han has sent a letter requesting that you, General, open it personally."

Zhang Liao was surprised. He took the letter and read it, and sure enough, it read:

[Wen Yuan's personal message:]
I love you very much. I have always said that if I had a son like Wen Yuan, what more could I ask for!

Now the Han Dynasty is in decline, and the state is in ruins. Cao Cao, under the guise of assisting the Han, is actually usurping the throne. He kills loyal officials and coerces court ministers. Wherever he goes, people suffer and the people are devastated under his tyranny.

He went north to save the Han people, intending to uphold righteousness throughout the world!
Unexpectedly, King Qi was tyrannical, and the state, though nominally a lower state, paid tribute and became a vassal, as well as a friendly neighbor and kinsman.

Yet they betrayed me, turned against me, aided and abetted the wicked, and murdered my adopted son. Their crimes are too numerous to count and will not be tolerated by Heaven!

Therefore, they led their troops eastward!
Destroy Qi!

Zhang Liao: “???”

General Lü went to assassinate the adopted son of the King of Han?

The general is foolish!
(End of this chapter)