Han Ji

Three thousand cavalrymen surged in from both sides. Some were knocked away by horses, some were stabbed off their horses by spears, and some jumped off their horses and climbed up the slope, only to be shot in the back by arrows halfway up and tumbled back down.

Wen Chou, in the middle of the official road, turned his horse around and charged forward. His spear had an iron shaft and a wide blade. He swung the spear and swept it across, felling two cavalrymen. Then he charged towards Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun also saw him.

The two met amidst the chaos of battle.

Wen Chou swept his spear horizontally, and Zhao Yun ducked to dodge. The spear blade grazed Zhao Yun's helmet, sending sparks flying. Zhao Yun thrust his spear forward, but Wen Chou parried it with the shaft of his spear. The two horses passed each other, each galloping forward for a dozen paces before reining in and turning around.

The two clashed again.

Wen Chou thrust his spear toward Zhao Yun's chest. Zhao Yun dodged to the side, the spear tip grazing his breastplate, missing its mark. Zhao Yun then swung his spear upwards, aiming for Wen Chou's throat.

Wen Chou tilted his head back to dodge, and the spear tip pierced his chin, drawing blood. As the spear was pulled back, it grazed Wen Chou's breastplate with a piercing sound, leaving a line.

The two horses missed each other again. Then they turned back.

The third clash. Wen Chou's spear slammed down, striking the iron armor plate in front of Zhao Yun's saddle. With a clang, the plate dented. Zhao Yun's spear thrust out, piercing Wen Chou's right rib.

The spear tip pierced through the armor, flesh, and bone. With a snap, the spear tip broke off, remaining embedded in Wen Chou's body.

Wen Chou didn't shout. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. His eyes stared at Zhao Yun, the whites of his eyes appearing even larger. His spear slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.

He swayed and fell from his horse, kicking up a cloud of dust as he crashed to the ground. Blood gushed from his right side, soaking his armor and the ground.

Zhao Yun dismounted. He drew his short sword from his waist and walked to Wen Chou's corpse. He knelt down, grabbed Wen Chou's chin, and plunged the sword into his neck, sawing back and forth a few times until he severed the cervical vertebrae. He then stood up, lifting Wen Chou's head above his head.

"Wen Chou is dead!"

His voice echoed along the official road, spreading outwards in circles. When the sound reached them, the routed Yuan Shao cavalry heard it, looked up and saw Wen Chou's head, their faces changing color. Some dropped their swords and fled, some turned their horses and ran back, some knelt and surrendered. The entire cavalry collapsed.

Zhao Yun's men pursued them for ten miles. Reaching the Yellow River, Yuan Shao's cavalry jumped into the river; some drowned, some froze to death, and some climbed to the opposite bank, collapsing on the riverbank. The riverbank was covered in footprints and hoofprints, a chaotic mess as if it had been turned upside down.

Post-battle inventory. The deputy general recorded the numbers: 2,300 heads taken, 800 prisoners captured, and 1,200 warhorses seized. Liu Bei's army suffered fewer than 300 casualties.

Zhao Yun put Wen Chou's head into a leather bag and tied it to his saddle. He led three thousand cavalrymen south along the official road, heading towards Guandu.

On the night of the tenth day of the second month, at Yuan Shao's camp.

The news of Wen Chou's death was brought back by a defeated soldier who had escaped. The soldier was covered in mud, his face smeared with dried blood, his boots lost, and his bare feet were turning purple from the cold. He knelt at the tent entrance and recounted how Wen Chou had been killed in battle by Zhao Yun.

"Of the six thousand cavalry, less than two hundred returned," the defeated soldiers said. "Zhao Yun's ambush was hidden on the hillside, and they charged down only after we were thrown into disarray. General Wen was stabbed off his horse by Zhao Yun, and his head was taken away."

Yuan Shao stood at the tent entrance. After listening, his face, no longer red, turned ashen. He gripped the tent flap tightly, pulling it taut. He didn't speak, just stood there. The candlelight inside flickered, casting a long shadow on his face.

Ju Shou stepped forward. "My lord, Yan Liang and Wen Chou have both died within two days. Morale has plummeted. We cannot afford to advance rashly."

Yuan Shao remained silent. He turned and walked slowly into the tent. He reached the table, sat down, and placed his hands on his knees. The candlelight illuminated his face, which remained expressionless.

"Wen Chou is dead too," he said. His voice was low, as if he were talking to himself.

Tian Feng said, "My lord, we still have over 100,000 troops. Our supplies are plentiful. We've lost two battles, but our morale isn't severely damaged. We must remain calm and secure our position before making any further plans."

Yuan Shao said, "Stability? I've been stabilizing for a year, training for a year, and stockpiling grain for a year. The result? Two defeats in two battles, and the loss of two of my generals. Is that what you call stability?"

Tian Feng said, "My lord, in the past, no war has ever been smooth sailing. Losing twice does not mean that we cannot win."

Yuan Shao tapped his fingers twice on his knee. Then he raised his head and looked at his generals.

"Pass down the order: all units must gather their remaining troops and reorganize their camps. Deploy defenses along the river from Yanjin Ferry to Liyang Ferry, and send men to guard every ferry crossing. If Liu Bei wants to cross the river, we will attack him on the riverbank. If he does not cross, we will advance from Guandu."

Ju Shou said, "My lord, the journey from Liyang to Guandu is not far. However, we have to pass through Yanjin and Baima in between. Now Baima City has been evacuated, and Yanjin has been ravaged by Zhao Yun. If you want to push across from the south bank, you can only occupy Baima first, secure your rear, and then push forward."

Yuan Shao said, "Who will go to seize Baima?"

Zhang He stepped forward. "This humble general is willing to go."

Yuan Shao looked at him. Zhang He was a tall man with a thin face, deep-set eyes, and high cheekbones. He wasn't a fierce general like Yan Liang or Wen Chou, but he was steady in battle.

"Zhang He, take ten thousand men and cross the river tomorrow to capture Baima," Yuan Shao said.

Zhang He clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Yes."

On February 12th, Zhang He led 10,000 infantrymen across the river at Liyang. He did not head directly to Baima Chong, but first set up camp on the south bank. He built deep moats and high walls, with thick logs driven into the ground to form palisades, and sharpened wooden stakes inserted into the trenches. Only after the camp was established did he send scouts to Baima.

The scouts returned with news: Baima City was now undefended; Guan Yu had withdrawn several days earlier. Zhang He led his troops into the city. The city gates were wide open, the streets were deserted, and the granaries were empty. He planted Yuan Shao's flag on the city walls, left two thousand men to guard the city, and then led the main force south.

Zhang He's advance was slow. He only traveled thirty li a day, setting up camp, digging ditches, and erecting fences upon arrival. Then he would travel another thirty li. It took him ten days to reach the Guandu territory.

Guandu.

Liu Bei's headquarters was set up on a high ground on the north bank of the Guandu River. The high ground was surrounded by steep slopes on three sides and a gentle slope on the other, with three trenches dug along the gentle slope. The camp was a continuous stretch, extending from the high ground to the Yellow River. The tents were arranged neatly, with a large tent in the center and various smaller tents surrounding it.

Scouts reported that Yuan Shao's army had arrived, and Liu Bei ordered the entire army to break camp and prepare for battle. The soldiers inspected the crossbows, moved stones, and reinforced the palisades. The crossbowmen squatted behind the trenches, cocked their crossbows, and loaded arrows into their slots. Each crossbow was equipped with twenty arrows, which were piled on a wooden rack beside it.

In mid-February, Yuan Shao's main force arrived at Guandu. Two hundred thousand men set up camp, stretching for ten miles. Tents stood side by side, extending from Guandu far to the north. Smoke from the cooking fires formed a layer of grayish-white smoke above the camp.

The two army camps were separated by a flat area, about ten miles apart.