My name is Huang Tian, ​​what the hell is this "Heaven is dead" nonsense?

Chapter 29 Our army moves unimpeded! Unimpeded!
This expedition against Luoyang involved 50,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of auxiliary troops, totaling about 100,000 men. In the past, they could have claimed to have 300,000 troops.

Huang Tian also accompanied the army on this expedition, but he did not actually command the troops. He left professional matters to professionals. The Yellow Turban Army's commander-in-chief was Zhang Jiao, and his subordinates included generals such as Zhang Liang, He Yi, Huang Shao, Zong Yuan, and Guo Dian.

Zhang Bao and Tian Feng, working together, were stationed in their hometown of Ji Province. They still had nearly 50,000 elite troops under their command, so they were not worried about enemy invasion. It was already a good thing that they did not take the initiative to attack other prefectures and counties. Zhang Bao and Tian Feng's main task was to be in charge of logistics and ensure that the supply of food, fodder and equipment for the expeditionary army was not a problem.

If one word were to describe the Yellow Turban Army's military campaign against Luoyang, it would be:
Unimpeded traffic!
The army set off from Guangzong, passed through Yecheng, and headed straight for Hanoi County. Only a few thousand people in Hanoi County resisted, which did not affect the speed of the Yellow Turban Army's advance at all.

After capturing Hanoi, the army rested briefly in Huai County before continuing its march toward Mengjin Pass and forcing its way across the Yellow River.

Zhang Jiao had expected a fierce battle at Mengjin Pass, given its strategic location and the Yellow River, which would surely result in significant losses for the Yellow Turban army if they crossed the river to fight.

Unexpectedly, Mengjin Pass was captured in just three days, thus opening up a smooth road ahead to Luoyang without any further obstacles.

The army quickly marched south, its momentum overwhelming.

The Luoyang court was in a state of panic, and Emperor Liu Hong quickly packed up his belongings and prepared to move away.

There was just too much gold and silver; it took fifty large carts just to load it all up!

Before the fifty large carts even left Luoyang City, they were spotted and stopped by many high-ranking officials. The commotion was so great that anyone with eyes could see the endless stream of carts loaded with wealth on the main road.

"My lords, are you preventing me from leaving because you want me to be captured by the Moth Rebels in Luoyang?" Liu Hong was furious as he looked at the ministers who were blocking his way.

In fact, as soon as the news of the Yellow Turban Army's expedition to Luoyang came, he wanted to flee to Hongnong and Jingzhao, and then, depending on the situation, go south to Yizhou to avoid the Yellow Turban Army.

Yang Ci, Zhang Wen, Deng Sheng and others kept advising him to stay in Luoyang and observe the situation. They told him that Mengjin was a strategic pass and difficult for the E'zhe to conquer. However, Mengjin, which had the natural barrier of the Yellow River, was captured in just a few days. Now, the E'zhe army was marching menacingly towards Luoyang. These people still wouldn't let him leave. It was simply outrageous!
Hearing Liu Hong's scathing words, the officials had no choice but to kneel down and apologize.

Liu Hong looked displeased. "Since you know you're wrong, why aren't you moving aside?!"

Grand Commandant Deng Sheng raised his head and said sorrowfully, "Your Majesty, there are still 70,000 troops in the city. How can we flee? If the Emperor flees west and Luoyang falls, the court's prestige will be shattered, and the world will surely be shaken. At that time, those with strong armies and powerful horses will be unable to suppress their ambitions and will each establish their own independent regimes, claiming to be the rulers of the country. Then the dynasty will truly perish!"

Liu Hong sneered, "Minister Deng, tell me, why did Mengjin Pass fall in just a few days?"

This was naturally because the defending troops had completely lost their courage.

The Han army guarding Mengjin lost its courage, but what about the 70,000 Han troops in Luoyang?

"Do you think I didn't see those 70,000 troops? Although there are many brave warriors, and Gongsun Zan and Sun Jian are indeed talented, the various troops are mixed together and their orders are inconsistent. They are like a hundred-headed snake. How can they deal with the moth bandits who are united in purpose?"

Deng Shengcheng earnestly said, "Although the troops are under different commands, they all have a sincere heart to serve the country and are all determined to protect His Majesty to the death!"

Liu Hong was speechless. "Minister Deng, do you insist that I spell it out? Do I fear the fifty thousand Moth Bandits? If it were merely a few tens of thousands of bandits, I would sit calmly within the city and watch you all effortlessly defeat them. But... the Moth Bandits are protected by gods! What can we use to defend the city? How can we possibly hold it?"

Deng Sheng was speechless.

The successive defeats of Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song convinced the Han court officials that the Yellow Turban Army was protected by gods and immortals, and that they had no way to deal with the mysterious and powerful Yellow Heaven God.

Liu Hong continued, "If the Grand Commandant has a way to deal with the false god, I will never leave Luoyang!"

What could Deng Sheng do? He nodded his head to the ground and said in a hoarse voice, "If the false god breaches the city, this old minister will surely die before Your Majesty!"

What he really wanted to say was that one could only escape for a while, not forever. Rather than being chased and killed by the Yellow Turban Army, it was better to stay in Luoyang and fight back, since there were still tens of thousands of troops in the city.

If they escaped to other prefectures or counties, they would only be able to eke out a living.

Liu Hong was speechless. He didn't want to die; he just wanted to live, one more day at a time.

"Now that I have said this, I urge you all to quickly make way!" Liu Hong waved his hand impatiently.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!!" Deng Sheng remained kneeling in the middle of the road, blocking the passage.

"You! You!" Liu Hong was furious, pointing at Deng Sheng and jumping up and down.

As the emperor and his ministers were locked in a stalemate, General He Jin rushed over, his face pale, and slid to his knees, trembling as he said, "Your Majesty, the scouts of the Moth Rebels have been spotted outside the city!"

The news struck like a bolt from the blue; Liu Hong staggered, a sense of despair washing over him.

It's over, we can't leave!
They were already moving slowly with dozens of carts, and now that the Yellow Turban army's vanguard cavalry had reached the vicinity of Luoyang City, they could go even slower.

Unless they abandon their gold and silver and escape with only a few elite cavalry under the cover of night, they have no chance of successfully escaping Luoyang.

But it's hard to part with wealth. Liu Hong really couldn't bear to abandon the money he had painstakingly "saved" over the years and escape alone. Besides, with the bandits outside, the risk of escaping on his own was too great. If he were discovered and chased by the bandits, and killed in the chaos of battle, that would be too ridiculous.

He stomped his foot heavily, pointing at Deng Sheng, Yang Ci, and the others kneeling on the ground, "Now that's settled, nobody's leaving. Are you satisfied?"

The crowd trembled and kowtowed.

Liu Hong raised his hand to cover his face, "Fine, I'm not leaving!"

I'm too scared to go any further!

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Regardless of Liu Hong's reasons for not fleeing Luoyang, as long as he is still there, everyone has a pillar of support, and the 70,000 troops in the city can still hold their ground.

The hearts and minds of the people are the key to defending a city.

Liu Hong sighed and stepped forward to help Deng Sheng and the others up, saying sincerely, "I am no good at fighting, much less at defending a city. I entrust the safety of Luoyang to you all!"

"We, your humble servants, will repay your kindness with our lives!"

Liu Hong waved his hand, turned around and ordered the eunuchs to collect the treasures on the carriage, and then returned to the palace with a heavy heart.

Meanwhile, the officials were busy with their own tasks, arranging for the reinforcement of Luoyang's defenses.

Just two days later.

The sky was overcast and the wind was strong.

A vast army, seemingly endless, slowly advanced to the outskirts of Luoyang. At the forefront were scout cavalry, lightly armed and riding swift horses, spreading out like a flock of birds to scout the area around Luoyang.

Next came a large number of infantrymen in several columns, their heads adorned with yellow turbans, dressed in earth-yellow military uniforms, and wearing tight leather armor. The spears and halberds in their hands rose and fell like waves with their steps.

Amidst countless infantrymen stood a red-wheeled chariot with a canopy, behind which hung a large banner bearing the four characters "Peaceful Heaven".

The banner fluttered wildly in the strong wind, announcing the arrival of the Yellow Turban Army!

(End of this chapter)