A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

Zhang Jiao took out a pill and put it in his mouth.

An unnatural flush appeared on his face, and he looked radiant.

This is a potent medicine, capable of draining Zhang Jiao's last remaining life force, giving him the most abundant energy for the next three days.

"Guan Hai, assemble the army and prepare for battle!"

At the same time, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out in various parts of the country, tying down the imperial court's military forces.

Suddenly, large numbers of Yellow Turbans emerged in cities across the country, taking advantage of the fact that the private armies of aristocratic families had been drawn to the battlefield to break into homes and confiscate property.

Families who had exploited and oppressed the people were purged one by one, and the troops at the front were pinned down and unable to return.

Even in Chang'an, which had been purged multiple times, many Yellow Turban rebels emerged, launching attacks and purges against certain families.

A fierce battle also broke out between Julu and Guangping.

However, Cao Cao noticed with his keen eyes that the number of Yellow Turban rebels seemed to have decreased considerably.

Long before the war began, the Yellow Turbans had already broken up into smaller groups and, using secret passages within the city, defeated ordinary refugees and secretly gathered at the eight passes of Chang'an.

Hangu Pass, Wuguan Pass, Longguan Pass, Xiaoguan Pass, Yaoguan Pass, Dasanguan Pass, Ziwu Valley, Chencang Road.

These eight passes were the gateways to Chang'an City, and the imperial court had held them tightly ever since the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out.

Their goal is to overcome these eight passes and reach the walls of Chang'an.

Only by bringing troops to the city gates and making the emperor personally feel the threat can a deep impression be left on them.

The Yellow Turbans began fighting fiercely across the land, paving their way with blood and lives, and once again drove the Han army, whose situation had just begun to improve, into a series of defeats.

Battle reports from all over the country arrived in Chang'an like snowflakes, infuriating Emperor Ling of Han, who roared loudly in the court.

"Urgent report from Hangu Pass: 100,000 Yellow Turban soldiers have besieged Hangu Pass!"

"Urgent report from Xiaoguan! One hundred thousand Yellow Turban soldiers are attacking Xiaoguan!"

"Listen, listen! The Yellow Turbans are almost at Chang'an!"

"Tell me, what use are you to me?"

"What's the use!"

Emperor Ling of Han was so enraged that he lost all sense of imperial dignity.

"Lord Yan, what plan do you have?"

"Your Majesty need not worry. Chang'an still has 15 imperial guards, and with the city's defenses, even a million Yellow Turbans could not breach it."

"Hangu Pass is a formidable pass in the world, with 2 garrison troops, enough to withstand 10 Yellow Turban rebels."

"Xiaoguan is also a formidable pass, but it is ultimately inferior to Hangu Pass. We need to send 10,000 troops to support it."

Wei Cheng stepped forward and offered a rational analysis.

Chang'an, as the capital of the Han Dynasty for 400 years, was incredibly fortified and could not possibly be breached by the Yellow Turbans.

"However, if the eight passes are breached and the Yellow Turban army comes to the city gates, it will be a disgrace that the Han Dynasty has not experienced in 400 years."

"Why not send more troops?"

Emperor Ling of Han frowned.

"Luring the tiger away from the mountain, feinting to the east while attacking in the west."

Wei Cheng's words were concise and to the point, and Emperor Ling of Han, being so intelligent, immediately understood.

If the Yellow Turbans' presence at these two passes was intended to draw the court's attention, then their other troops would converge at one point and launch a strong attack on that pass.

If the city is breached, and all the garrison troops of Chang'an have been dispatched, Chang'an will be in grave danger!

To put it bluntly, the Han Dynasty lacked sufficient military strength. A large number of troops were deployed to the border regions, various vassal states, and newly conquered territories, resulting in a somewhat weak domestic force.

In the end, reputation is not as important as life; so be it if I lose face.

A day later, a large force of Yellow Turban rebels suddenly appeared outside Dasan Pass.

"Report! 30 Yellow Turban rebels have appeared outside Dasan Pass! The garrison commander of Dasan Pass urgently requests Your Majesty's assistance!"

Emperor Ling of Han felt a wave of fear. Fortunately, he had not sent a large number of troops to Hangu Pass and Xiao Pass yesterday.

There are still 200,000 troops in Chang'an. Emperor Ling of Han immediately dispatched 100,000 troops to Dasanguan Pass for strict defense.

"These lowly people!"

"How dare they rebel against me!"

"They're still attacking Chang'an!"

"I will kill them all!"

"Leave not a single one alive!!!"

The Weiyang Palace was filled with the roars of Emperor Ling of Han.

A great sense of shame filled his heart. Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, there had been many wars, including the southward invasion of the Xiongnu, the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms caused by the imperial clan, and the Green Forest and Red Eyebrow rebellions that led to the rise of Emperor Guangwu.

No army has ever been able to approach Chang'an and reach the eight passes.

He was the first emperor since the founding of the dynasty to be forced to retreat to the Eight Passes by a popular uprising.

It's impossible for history books to give him a good posthumous title.

He only exploited you, didn't he? Why didn't you just obediently accept the exploitation? Why did you rebel?

And what about Zhang Jiao? Couldn't Zhang Jiao just obediently accept his reward and go to the capital to take up his post?

Why do you have to associate with these peasants? You're not even from the same world!

Two days later, the Yellow Turbans were firmly stopped outside the Eight Passes.

On this day, thousands of people wearing yellow turbans suddenly appeared outside the palace.

This group of people, armed with all sorts of weapons—broadswords, Han swords, spears, pitchforks—stormed the palace together.

Among them, the one wielding a pitchfork was the most valiant, with black, unexploded bombs attached to it. Every Han soldier who fought against him was initially intimidated and became timid and hesitant during the battle.

Seeing this, the group of warriors wielding pitchforks spontaneously gathered together and became the trailblazers.

However, their numbers were ultimately too small, and their leader, Ma Yuanyi, had long since died, leaving them unable to even gather enough leather armor.

The imperial guards stationed at the palace were the elite of the elite, fully equipped with armor and weapons. Despite the influence of the pitchfork legion, they quickly quelled the rebellion.

But this ultimately made Emperor Ling of Han truly feel the terror of a common man's anger.

Fortunately, his most elite Imperial Guards were recruited from respectable families in the areas surrounding Luoyang. Most of them were well-off and received many rewards from the court, making them difficult to be swayed by the Yellow Turbans.

If he were even more greedy and seized the Imperial Guard's military funds, many Imperial Guards might secretly join the Yellow Turbans. With this inside-outside collaboration, a major crisis would be imminent for him.

On the same day, Zhang Jiao died of illness on the battlefield of Guangzong.

Guan Hai, following Zhang Jiao's dying wish, led the Yellow Turbans and, despite his weakened state, dealt a heavy blow to the Han army. Then, in accordance with Zhang Jiao's dying wish, he withdrew to Qingzhou.

After Zhang Jiao's death, the Yellow Turban rebels in various regions were at a loss, but their fighting strength initially increased due to their immense grief.

However, after the climax, decline soon followed.

Even their normal combat strength is far inferior.

The imperial court also launched a full-scale counter-offensive, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion was quelled in one place after another.

Many Yellow Turban rebels were also forced to flee into the deep mountains to avoid capture and pursuit by the Han Dynasty.

The cities of Guangzong, Julu, and Guangping were also pacified, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion was doomed.

"Kill them all! They must all be killed!"

Emperor Ling of Han roared madly.

The Yellow Turbans stormed to the gates of his palace and appeared not far from him.

This posed a great challenge to his safety, and he still has nightmares about the Yellow Turbans storming into the palace.

Only when Wei Ku stood guard at his door could he finally get a good night's sleep.