My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

February of the fifth year of Zhongping (188 AD), in Guanzicheng, Liaoxi.

The biting wind, sharp as a knife, whipped at the desolate city, which had been besieged for nearly a hundred days and whose walls were in ruins, carrying with it remnants of snow and sand.

The city was almost starving.

Hungry soldiers began boiling their leather armor, shields, and even the strings of their bows and crossbows in hot water, just to obtain a little bit of glue to survive.

The bodies of those who died of cold and starvation were left unburied, huddled in sheltered corners, and soon covered by fresh snow. There were even instances of people eating the corpses of their comrades.

The horrific scene within Guanzi City explains why Gongsun Zan harbored such deep hatred for Liu Yu after escaping back to Youzhou…

Inside the central command tent, only embers remained in the brazier, casting a pale, ashen reflection on Gongsun Zan's face.

The former handsome and proud "White Horse General" has been worn down by the long siege, leaving only a pair of sunken but still stubborn eyes.

His generals, such as Yan Gang, also looked pale and their armor was loose.

"Bogui, will the reinforcements really come?" A captain asked hoarsely, almost without hope.

Gongsun Zan did not answer, but instead gripped the already chipped spear tightly in his hand.

He recalled the Battle of Shimen a few months ago, when he followed Meng Yi to defeat Zhang Chun and pursued the fleeing enemy all the way. How spirited he was!

Unexpectedly, the cunning chieftain Qiuliju set a trap in Guanzicheng in Liaoxi, using overwhelming force to trap his victorious army.

The imperial court?

The newly appointed governor of Youzhou, Liu Yu, did send an envoy, but instead of reinforcements, he brought a document and promises to persuade the troops to surrender.

If Qiu Liju withdraws his troops and returns Zhang Chun's head, the past can be forgiven.

This is utterly humiliating!

Gongsun Bogui would rather die in battle than bow down to the barbarians!

"That old bastard Liu Yu... he may have already regarded us as his discarded pawns." Gongsun Zan squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, his resentment towards Liu Yu's appeasement policy reaching its peak at this moment.

His gaze swept over the few remaining brothers in the tent, and he hissed, "If reinforcements don't come, we'll fight our way out! Tonight at midnight, gather all those who still have the strength and follow me to storm the south gate! Even if we die, we'll drag a few of those barbarian dogs down with us!"

At almost the same moment, in the governor's mansion of Ji County, Liu Yu was sighing deeply as he looked at the map of the northern frontier.

"My lord, the scouts report again that Ji Wenlie's three divisions, led by Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Li Cunxiao, with three thousand cavalry, have passed Guangyang and are heading straight for Guanzi City!" Tian Chou came to report.

"Isn't this too risky? Qiuliju and Supuyan's troops are both battle-hardened barbarian cavalry, far superior to the Yellow Turban rabble, and their strength is several times greater. This move by Marquis Ji is not a rescue, but rather driving sheep into the tiger's den!"

Liu Yu rubbed his temples, his face showing exhaustion and disapproval: "I am well aware that there are many brave warriors under the command of Marquis Ji. Their previous victory over the Xianbei leader Ke Zui in the north certainly demonstrated their prowess."

"However, the key to military strategy lies in assessing the situation. Now, Youzhou is exhausted and the refugees are waiting for food. It is better to remain still than to move. I have used the imperial court's favor and trust to pacify the Wuhuan. Qiuliju has already shown interest in making a move. Given time, we may be able to subdue the enemy without a fight."

"The Marquis of Ji is young and impetuous, always wanting to show off his strength and fight. Sending a mere three thousand cavalrymen, if we win, it will be a fluke; if we lose, it will only result in the loss of our elite troops, further inflaming the ferocity of the barbarians and ruining our grand plan of pacification... Alas, young people are ultimately unable to remain calm."

He concluded that Ji Xuanyuan's actions were impulsive, driven by a sense of camaraderie with Gongsun Zan from their shared battle against the Yellow Turbans, while completely disregarding the bigger picture.

In his mind, the moment those three thousand cavalrymen embarked on their journey, it was practically the same as sending them to their deaths.

However, Liu Yu could never have imagined just how terrifying Li Cunxiao's "nuclear bomb" would be...

Western Liaoning.

Three thousand riders, all of them sturdy warhorses from You and Bing.

"Third Brother, Fifth Brother," Li Cunxiao suddenly spoke.

"My elder brother instructed me before he left that the priority in this battle should be to rescue Gongsun Bogui’s troops, and that we should not be greedy for merit and linger in battle. I think it would be better for me to lead a team of elite cavalry to make a breakthrough first and disrupt their siege deployment. Then my two elder brothers can lead the main force to press forward and leave after a single strike."

"Hey! Jingsi, trying to steal the credit again?" Zhang Fei yelled.

Guan Yu opened his phoenix eyes: "Yide, please calm down. Jingsi's words make sense. The enemy's forces are strong, and their siege must be thick. We need a sharp blade to tear open a gap first, so that the main force can take advantage of the chaos to cut in. Jingsi is exceptionally brave and strong, and is perfect for this task."

He paused, then looked at Li Cunxiao, "Jingsi, how many cavalry do you wish to lead?"

"A hundred riders are enough." Li Cunxiao's lips curled into an almost arrogant smile.

"Too many people will only create a burden."

Guan Yu pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Alright! I will give you a hundred of the most elite cavalry, all on two horses and equipped with plenty of crossbow bolts. Remember, your mission is to break through the enemy lines, find Gongsun Zan, and guide him to break out, not to engage in a fierce battle with the enemy. Yide and I will follow your signal and lead the entire army to attack their chaotic area."

"Don't worry, Third Brother." Li Cunxiao spurred his horse, and the warhorse accelerated.

"I'm off!"

Outside Guanzicheng, the camps of the Wuhuan allied forces stretched for miles, with bonfires like a sea of ​​stars.

Inside the central command tent, the aroma of wine and meat filled the air.

Zhang Chun's face was gloomy. He had been defeated by Gongsun Zan at Shimen, and although he had trapped his opponent, he was still filled with resentment.

Qiuliju remained relatively calm. This Wuhuan leader was shrewd and pragmatic. He did not want the siege to wear him down. Liu Yu's terms of surrender were quite tempting to him, but he could not immediately lift the siege due to his alliance with Zhang Chun.

"Report—" A scout rushed into the tent in a panic.

"Your Majesty! General! Han cavalry, approximately three thousand riders, have been spotted to the southwest, bearing banners bearing the names of Ji, Guan, Zhang, and Li. They are less than thirty li from here!"

"Ji? The Jingnan Army?" Qiu Liju paused in his wine cup, his brows furrowing.

"A mere three thousand people?" Zhang Chun was first taken aback, then scoffed.

"Has Ji Xuanyuan gone mad? Does he really think he's some kind of heavenly army? Pass down the order: don't panic. All camps continue the siege. Send 10,000 cavalry from Su Puyan's Right Wing to intercept them. We must annihilate this arrogant Han army! Let Ji Xuanyuan know what true battlefield cavalry is!"

After the order was given, the Wuhuan camp was in turmoil for a while, but quickly returned to order.

Most Wuhuan generals believed that with 10,000 against 3,000, the advantage lay with them.

Moreover, they were waiting in comfort to catch the enemy.

However, they underestimated the speed of the Jingnan Army, and even more so, they underestimated the determination of those hundred cavalrymen.

Before Su Puyan's 10,000 intercepting cavalry could fully deploy their formation, a black arrow, accompanied by the thunderous sound of hooves, shot straight towards them at incredible speed from the horizon!

The hundred riders, led by Li Cunxiao, ran with the momentum of a thousand troops!

"What... is that?" The centurion of the Wuhuan outpost stared wide-eyed as the small group ignored the large army pressing in from the flank and charged straight toward Guanzi City, which was the thickest part of the Wuhuan camp!

"Fire arrows! Stop them!"

A sparse rain of arrows fell, but they were easily outmaneuvered by the hundred riders' uncanny speed and agile horsemanship.

In the blink of an eye, Li Cunxiao had taken the lead and broken into the edge of the Wuhuan army!

"Those who block my way shall die!"

A roar erupted like a thunderclap from a clear sky!

Li Cunxiao swung the Yuwang Spear for the first time, a simple sweeping motion that carried a violent power capable of destroying everything!

Dozens of Wuhuan cavalrymen who were trying to form a defensive formation in front of them were sent flying backwards with their horses, like rotten wood being smashed by a giant wave. Their tendons and bones were broken, instantly clearing a bloody vacuum!

A hundred riders followed closely behind.

They didn't get too entangled with the enemy troops surging around them, but simply followed closely the invincible figure in front of them.

Li Cunxiao's goal was crystal clear.

Guanzicheng!

With his Yuwang Spear, he thrust left and smashed right, each strike killing several people.

He single-handedly carved a straight path of flesh and blood through the camp of 50,000 troops!

At the top of Guanzicheng, the remaining soldiers of Gongsun Zan's army, who had already gathered and were ready to fight to the death, were the first to discover the commotion in the camp.

"General! Look! The enemy camp is in chaos! To the southwest!"

Gongsun Zan suddenly rushed to the crenellation and saw that in the distance, in the Wuhuan camp, a clear and chaotic trajectory was extending towards the city at an alarming speed, with fires rising and shouts and neighing of horses wherever it passed.

A large banner with the character "Li" could be faintly seen advancing proudly amidst the chaos!

"It's reinforcements! It really is reinforcements! They've broken in!"

Overwhelmed by the joy of escaping death, Gongsun Zan raised his arms and shouted, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Soldiers! Our reinforcements have arrived! Follow me and charge out! With a coordinated attack from within and without, we must break through the encirclement in this one fell swoop!"

With the city gates wide open, Gongsun Zan led the way, followed by the remaining two thousand or so emaciated soldiers with fierce eyes, surging towards the chaotic enemy camp outside the city like a flood bursting its banks.

Li Cunxiao charged forward with a hundred cavalry, while Gongsun Zan, like a cornered beast, launched a counterattack; the two forces moved toward each other.

However, the Wuhuan army was still large in number. After the initial chaos, the leaders of the various tribes, under the strict orders of Qiuliju and Zhang Chun, began to try to reorganize. Several cavalry groups came from the flanks, intending to cut off and swallow up Gongsun Zan's breakout force again.

Gongsun Zan brandished his spear and charged forward with all his might, but his army, exhausted from long-term siege, was overwhelmed by the well-rested Hu cavalry. Their breakout speed slowed down significantly, and they were once again plunged into a bitter battle.

Just then, Li Cunxiao finally broke through all the obstacles and appeared not far in front of Gongsun Zan!

Li Cunxiao immediately spotted the Han army that was heavily besieged but still fighting to the death, and the "Gongsun" banner among them.

With a swing of his spear, Yu Wang swept away the last few Wuhuan cavalrymen blocking his path, then shouted to the hundred riders behind him, "Follow me to support General Gongsun!"

The hundred riders responded in unison, their voices shaking the battlefield, like tigers descending a mountain, rushing straight towards the flank of the Wuhuan army that was besieging Gongsun Zan!

The real bloodbath has only just begun.

In the distance, the main force of the Jingnan Army, led by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, had also arrived at the edge of the battlefield, like a prehistoric beast about to pounce, coldly watching this boiling killing field.