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

Chapter 361 Zhongkang, you've been enhanced, hurry up!
"With Ji Ling here, what harm is there in fighting?"

After Ji Ling finished speaking, he led three thousand heavy cavalry and charged towards Guan Yu!

Guan Yu: "???"

If you're so capable, let's have a one-on-one duel. What kind of skill is it for three thousand men to charge at me alone?
Fortunately, he knew Ji Ling was shameless and was not unprepared. He immediately ordered his 10,000 troops, armed with spears and lances, to attack from both sides and slow down Ji Ling's heavy cavalry.

If the ambushing army that thrust out to the left and right with this move were to face the double-armored heavy cavalry designed by Xu You under Yuan Shao, they would surely suffer heavy losses. Even if they survived, they would lose the ability to fight again.

It's a pity that Guan Yu encountered Ji Ling!
Yuan Shu's heavy armor was well-made, entirely forged from fine iron, with no flaws in the leather on the sides. The spears and iron lances of the ambushing soldiers pierced the heavy armor, drawing sparks, but failed to harm anyone in the slightest.

Even though some people were struck by the force of the spears, only a few stumbled and fell from their horses.

Instead, the large ambush force that surged out was directly hit by this torrent of steel and was instantly scattered and broken. Countless soldiers were injured and trampled to death by horses.

Even Guan Yu, wielding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and standing guard in front of the enemy lines, was met head-on by the hundreds of meteor hammers thrown by Ji Ling's personal guards at a single command. The meteor hammers rained down on him from all directions.

Guan Yu was terrified and dared not block them. He hurriedly made way and avoided them, which allowed Ji Ling and his men to rush past him!

Is this justified?

Despite being attacked by a barrage of arrows, Ji Ling remained unfazed.

Ji Ling threw over a hundred meteor hammers; their side was either dead or seriously injured, so they had no choice but to dodge.

As for letting one's own troops also throw meteor hammers?
Guan Yu: "."

Guan is upright and honest, and would never be a despicable person who would launch sneak attacks. So why would he allow his subordinates to carry hidden weapons like meteor hammers?

Had I known that Ji Ling was so despicable, leading his heavily armored cavalry to charge directly at me, I should have had my men prepare some armor-piercing hammers and hidden weapon nets, just in case.

When Ji Ling's cavalry charge, wouldn't throwing these hidden weapons be more effective than shooting arrows?
Unfortunately, the situation on the battlefield was beyond saving at that moment.

As Ji Ling led his heavy cavalry in a charge, Guan Yu's army, which had been lying in ambush, was scattered.

Ji Ling immediately led his men to turn their horses around and stab back several times. Guan Yu's army was thrown into chaos in an instant, trampling each other and running for their lives.

Upon seeing this, Guan Yu knew that the battle was in dire straits and that they could no longer fight, so he hurriedly led his routed troops to retreat.

"Shameless Ji Ling, I was unprepared today. When we fight again, I will surely take your head."

Upon hearing this, Ji Ling led his men in hot pursuit, calling out:

"Guan Yu, don't run away! Your Grandpa Ji is here, and today I will surely take your head."

As Ji Ling spoke, he hurriedly ordered his deputy Xu Chu to pursue and kill Guan Yu, aiming to take Guan Yu's head.

“Zhongkang, you have been by the king’s side for a long time, but have not had the opportunity to make any contributions.”

If we capture and kill Guan Yu now, we will surely achieve an immense feat.

Ji's achievements are outstanding in the Han camp. Although his martial arts are unparalleled and he regards Guan Yu as a mere target, he is not lacking in merit. Therefore, I will give you this opportunity.

"Zhongkang, hurry forward! Capture and kill Guan Yu to eliminate future troubles! The moment is now!"

Xu Chu was shocked upon hearing this!
He hurriedly bowed to Ji Ling and said, "Thank you, General. I will remember this kindness and gratitude."

After saying this, he led his troops on horseback straight to Guan Yu, his expression invigorated, his eyes burning as if staring at a walking human head.

"Guan Yu, don't run away!"

Guan Yu turned around and saw Xu Chu charging towards him, and sneered.

“Ji Ling deceived me, insulted me, and laughed at me. For the sake of my elder brother’s great cause, I, Guan, endured this moment of anger.”

"I never imagined my reputation would be so tarnished that even a mere Deputy General like you dares to pursue me!"

Guan Yu was furious, but he also thought that the best way to escape was to deal with the pursuers sent by Ji Ling.

We should use the tactic of dragging the sword to kill this general immediately, so as to intimidate Yuan's army and then lead our troops to escape.

Guan Yu had already made up his mind, so he gradually slowed down his horse, held the Green Dragon Crescent Blade upside down, and waited for the right opportunity.

Meanwhile, Xu Chu hurriedly spurred his horse to give chase. Seeing that Guan Yu's horse was about to give out, he was overjoyed and quickly drew his sword to fight!

"Guan Yu, don't run!"
Xu Zhongkang has arrived!

Guan Yu turned around upon hearing the sound and saw Xu Chu charging close by. Knowing that the time had come, he decisively dragged his blade and slashed. In an instant, the Azure Dragon Blade shone like a full moon, its power capable of shattering mountains and splitting Mount Hua!

The sharp, cold blade seemed poised to cleave a person in two!

"what?"

Xu Chu was shocked to see this stunning sword strike coming, and hurriedly raised his broadsword to block it!

"when!"

That was truly a powerful strike that could split mountains and shatter rocks; what a mighty warrior who could lift a tripod!

The fierce clang of metal against metal was so loud it made one's ears go numb.

Looking up, one could see Guan Yu's face flushed red, his teeth clenched, veins bulging all over his body, as he pressed down hard on the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, the blade only a hair's breadth away from Xu Chu's neck.

Fortunately, Xu Chu was strong, and the broadsword he usually used was made entirely of wrought iron, which made it easy for him to handle. Otherwise, if the handle of the sword used to block the Azure Dragon's edge had not been made of iron, it would probably have been cut in two by Guan Yu and he would have died on the spot.

Now, the steel handle has withstood the pressure of Guan Yu's great force, bending the Green Dragon Blade. Xu Chu gritted his teeth and held on with both hands, preventing the blade from getting any closer.

The unparalleled explosive power Guan Yu unleashed in that brief moment when he dragged his blade was desperately resisted by Xu Chu, and Guan Yu's subsequent exertion of force when pressing down on the Green Dragon Crescent Blade could no longer be sustained.

In contrast, Xu Chu, after barely managing to withstand the burst of force from the dragging blade in a hasty moment, slowly began to exert his strength, gradually lifting the Green Dragon Blade that had been pressing down.

Guan Yu knew he had missed a golden opportunity, but he never expected that the fatal blow that Ji Ling would have faced would be blocked by Xu Zhongkang.

Xu Chu, also known as Xu Zhongkang, was someone Guan Yu had heard of. It is said that Yuan Shu personally invited him and called him "my Fan Kuai".

Because he had been guarding Yuan Shu for a long time and had never achieved any remarkable feats, his reputation remained obscure.

Who would have thought that this person would have such strength?

Thinking of this, Guan Yu became even more worried about the abundance of talented people in Yuan Shao's camp.

Meanwhile, Guan Yu, to avoid being bogged down by Xu Chu and surrounded by Yuan's army, and seeing that he could not escape by dragging his sword, wanted to turn back and leave.

But Xu Chu was unwilling to give in.

"When the battle was going so well, why did that brat Guan Yu want to leave?"

Because Yuan Shu knew Xu Chu's talent and temperament, the armor Xu Chu wore was specially designed so that he could easily unleash his talents in battle.

At this moment, Xu Chu said, "Come and fight!" Then, as if excited by Guan Yu's strike, he immediately took off his armor and went to fight Guan Yu naked.

"Guan Yu, please wait!"

And he fought your Grandpa Xu for three hundred rounds.

Guan Yu: "."

Guan Yu was shocked!

If you're going to fight, then fight. Why are you taking off your clothes for no reason?
However, to Guan Yu's disbelief, it seemed that the armor had affected Xu Chu's speed and power. Xu Chu's combat strength was even stronger than before after he took off his clothes. It was no longer possible to kill Xu Chu in battle to intimidate Yuan's army.

Since they couldn't kill Xu Chu, and Ji Ling and Yuan Jun's heavy cavalry had already routed their own troops and were rushing towards them.

Who knows, he might throw out hundreds of meteor hammers and smash himself into mincemeat. How could Guan Yu dare to let him live?

"What talk of three hundred rounds, Xu Chu? If you're so capable, tell them to stop chasing, and I'll fight you myself!"

Seeing Guan Yu turn his horse and leave, Xu Chu hurriedly gave chase. "Guan Yunchang, if you don't run, they naturally won't pursue you."

I, Xu Chu, respect you as a true man. Since we have engaged in a one-on-one duel, they will not interfere.

Guan Yu laughed upon hearing this. A one-on-one duel? Everyone in the world knows how your Yuan army "duel" with others.

Besides, even if it were a one-on-one fight, with all these people surrounding us and watching, even if I, Guan, win, I'd still be doomed.
Without a second thought, Guan Yu urged Jueying to leave immediately, without even stopping.

Xu Chu hurriedly tried to chase after him, but Guan Yu was determined to leave and was riding the Shadowless Horse, so how could he possibly catch up?

Guan Yu then led his army to flee while simultaneously gathering his defeated troops. Ji Ling and Xu Chu pursued Guan Yu while continuing to eliminate Cao Cao's remaining forces.

The two sides continued their pursuit in fits and starts, fleeing and fighting, until they soon overwhelmed Cao Cao, who was on the run.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao led an army of 40,000 ahead, carrying enough troops and supplies stored in Huanyuan Pass to hold out for half a year. He also brought more than 100,000 laborers, thousands of carts of various sizes, and countless people carrying loads and bags.

Although they traveled under the cover of night and left half a night early, their pace was slow. They were reluctant to abandon the grain and supplies that had been sent to Huanyuan Pass with the full strength of the nation.

Therefore, Guan Yu was left to cover the rear and lay an ambush. As long as Yuan Shu's vanguard pursuers were repelled, the distance could be widened completely.

Moreover, he had made preparations, leaving behind flammable supplies and a large number of laborers at the rear of the army.

Even if Yuan Shu were to actually pursue them, these laborers could be used to delay them for a while, enough for the elite Cao troops to escape.

If all else fails, we can set the baggage train ablaze, turning the pursuit route into a sea of ​​fire.

At that time, they might be able to use fire to severely damage Yuan's army, or they might be able to use the fire to separate the two sides and create another chance to escape.

At this moment, the soldiers pushed a four-wheeled cart, and Cao Cao, looking haggard, lay on the cart, pretending to sleep.

Every moment, messengers came in an endless stream, reporting the movements of the front, middle and rear armies to the four-wheeled vehicle.

With Xun You, the only person who could share his worries, being taken into custody for surveillance, Cao Cao's burden of affairs became even heavier. At this moment, he seemed to be feigning sleep, but in reality, he was making all the decisions, big and small, and could not rest for a moment.

As the army passed through the Luoyang area, they could see the city gates wide open, the city in ruins, and the mottled walls covered with the ash left after the fires had been extinguished.

Not to mention the scene inside the city, even the road leading west outside the city was littered with corpses and starving people, a truly shocking sight.

Witnessing this scene alone, the bloody scene of Xun Yu forcibly taking away the emperor and his officials is vividly clear. It is likely that, apart from not taking away a large number of ordinary people to avoid slowing down the journey, the tragedy was even worse than that of Dong Zhuo.

Cao Cao looked towards Luoyang and bowed, then looked up at the sky and laughed, saying:
"Han Chen!"
Chancellor Cao Cao has failed the nation's interests by causing the emperor to move west to Shu. He bears the blame but has no regrets.

May the spirits of the twenty-four emperors of the Han Dynasty descend to save the people of the nine provinces, quell the riots, and restore order to the world.

To restore the Han dynasty and return to the old capital.

Your subject, Cao Cao, though he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the cause, will never waver in his resolve!

His words were so sorrowful that all the officials wept.

Hurricane Horseman reported:
"When General Guan was lying in ambush, he encountered Ji Ling, who led three thousand men in pursuit. General Guan fought bravely but was no match for him and suffered a great defeat."

We have managed to gather 5,000 defeated soldiers and retreat while fighting, which has delayed us until now. We have done our best.

General Guan said, "Ji Ling is pursuing us very closely; I urge the Prime Minister to flee immediately."

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao frowned slightly, puzzled.

"Is Ji Ling of Nanyang truly invincible?"

With Yun Chang leading ten thousand men in a well-prepared ambush, taking advantage of Ji Ling's mere three thousand men, how could they possibly be defeated?

The scout replied:

"Three thousand heavy cavalrymen were unstoppable. General Guan fought with all his might but could not defeat them."

Prime Minister!

General Guan said, "Yuan Shu's army is right behind Ji Ling and could catch up at any moment. I urge the Prime Minister to leave immediately without hesitation!"

Cao Cao: "."

Three thousand heavy cavalry? That's fine then.

The last Duan Wei suffered a defeat and even lied, claiming that he had encountered 10,000 heavy cavalry.

Fortunately, Cao Cao had already planned for this, and summoned Wei Yan to give him instructions:
"Wen Chang, you go to the rear army and make sure to bring back Yun Chang and his soldiers."

As for the attacking Yuan army?

As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned cold, and he said:
“Abandoning ten thousand laborers and supplies should be enough to stop them.”

Wei Yan immediately accepted the greeting and left.

Guan Yu fled to Cao Cao's territory, exhausted and his horses were worn out. Behind him, five thousand defeated soldiers were all disheveled, their faces filled with panic, their spears hanging low, and even their breathing was shallow and weak from surviving a disaster.

Before my eyes, countless laborers were bent over, carrying supplies, their bodies and carts piled high with grain and fodder.

Several Cao soldiers could be vaguely seen carrying long whips, moving through the crowd, urging each other on with stern voices, and frequently whipping and scolding. As long as they moved quickly, the surrounding people were terrified and shrank back.

Suddenly, Wei Yan appeared, sword in hand, riding towards them, shouting, "Yun Chang, hurry up! I will deal with the pursuers myself!"

Guan Yu knew that his horse was exhausted and his soldiers were weary, and that this was not the time for much talk, so he quickly called out to them.

"Ji Ling's heavily armored cavalry is extremely elite; Wen Chang, be careful."

Wei Yan laughed loudly, "Yun Chang, go see the Prime Minister yourself. I'll stay here!"

Shortly after, Ji Ling led his heavy cavalry to the scene and saw a group of Cao Cao's troops charging out. He assumed that Cao Cao had sent troops to rescue Guan Yu, so he prepared for battle.

Then the enemy general called out to him:
"Ji Ling?"
"I've long admired your unparalleled reputation; do you now recognize me, Wei Wenchang?"

Ji Ling was about to reply when Wei Yan preemptively ordered, "Fire! Fire! Fire!!!"

Ji Ling didn't take it seriously. How could mere arrows penetrate my full armor?
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao's army fired only fire arrows, and every single one of them was aimed at their own supply train.

Ji Ling: "???"

At that moment, a raging fire broke out, setting the entire supply train ablaze, turning it into a sea of ​​fire that separated the Cao and Yuan armies.

Countless grain supplies were burned to ashes in the flames, and a large number of laborers struggled to survive in the inferno.

"The Prime Minister has spoken!"

The King of Han boasted that Heaven was above and regarded all people as his adopted sons.

"Now the people are suffering terribly, how can the King of Han bear not to save them?"

After shouting, Wei Yan led Cao Cao's army away triumphantly.

Only Ji Ling, Xu Chu, and the others remained, staring at the sea of ​​fire before them, both falling into silence.

Loot supplies? Rescue laborers? Or pursue Cao Cao's army?
How should we choose?

Finally, Ji Ling sighed, "In the past, Xi Zhicai burned the city walls to delay the retreat of his troops."

The King of Han personally went to rescue them, promising double the merit of beheading anyone who saved even one person.

Now that Cao Cao is repeating Xi Zhicai's scheme, you and I can certainly do the right thing by saving the people.

Xu Chu had long served Yuan Shu and knew his intentions, so he naturally agreed.

So the two men fought the fire, rescued the people, and seized some supplies. They also rushed to report their situation to the King of Han.

(End of this chapter)