Han Ji

Yuan Shao stood outside the tent, looking at the chaotic camp. Tents were trampled, weapons were scattered everywhere, grain sacks were broken, and grain was strewn all over the place. Some people were looting, some were fighting, and some were crying and shouting. He stood there watching all this, his expression changing from fury to numbness.

"Let's go," he said softly, as if speaking to himself.

Eight hundred cavalrymen assembled. This was the last remaining force that Yuan Shao could control. Yuan Shao mounted his horse, with Yuan Tan riding beside him. The eight hundred men left the rear gate and fled north.

They ran across the official road, across the fields, and arrived at a ferry crossing on the Yellow River. Several boats were at the crossing, and people were already scrambling to board. Yuan Tan, with his personal guards, cleared a path, and Yuan Shao boarded a boat. The boat left the shore and rowed into the Yellow River.

The current was swift, and the boat rocked violently. Yuan Shao sat in the cabin, his hands on his knees. His fingernails were covered in mud, and his brocade robe had been torn by the fence when he squeezed through the camp gate, revealing the lining underneath.

He looked back at the south bank. The plumes of smoke were still rising. That was his provisions, his 100,000-strong army, everything he had prepared for two years. Now it was all just smoke.

Eight hundred cavalrymen crossed the river one after another. Upon reaching the north bank, they remounted and galloped towards Ye City. Along the way, some fell from their horses, but no one stopped to help them up. The horses ran for a whole day, and by the time they reached Ye City, less than five hundred of the original eight hundred cavalrymen remained.

The following afternoon, news of Yuan Shao's remaining troops fleeing reached the south bank. Shen Pei led the central army's supply train and a portion of the engineers northward, constantly being scattered and then regrouped by the fleeing soldiers along the way.

The routed soldiers had been starving for two days on the road, and by the time they found the grain carts, some of them were too weak to stand. The official road leading north was littered with abandoned weapons and armor.

When Liu Bei returned to Guandu from Wuchao, it was already completely dark. He rode for almost two hours, crossed the Yellow River, and entered the camp. Torches were lit everywhere in the camp, illuminating the earthen walls and tents.

Jian Yong ran over, holding an account book in his hand. His hair was ruffled by the wind, and sweat washed away the dirt from his face, leaving a streak.

Liu Bei dismounted, took the account book, glanced through it, and then closed it.

Where is Zhang He?

Jian Yong pointed to the camp next door. Zhang He and Gao Lan stood outside the fence of the empty camp, surrounded by surrendered soldiers who had been disarmed. Zhang He's armor was still on, and his face was covered in dust. He saw Liu Bei approaching and knelt on one knee.

Liu Bei looked down at him. "General Zhang, how many men did you bring?"

Zhang He said, "Two thousand. Gao Lan brought one thousand. That makes three thousand in total."

Liu Bei said, "Alright. These three thousand men are yours to command for now. Confiscate their weapons and return them after reorganization. Your men are still yours."

Zhang He looked up at Liu Bei. His eyes were red-rimmed. His lips moved, but no words came out.

Liu Bei then said, "I heard about you when I was in Wuchao. Yuan Shao doesn't listen to you, you should have come to me long ago. From today onwards, you will serve me."

Zhang He kowtowed heavily.

That night, Guan Yu and Zhao Yun split up to pursue the enemy.

Guan Yu pursued Yuan Shao's routed troops eastward. The soldiers fled, leaving behind a trail of weapons and armor. Some lay dead by the roadside, mouths agape, eyes sunken. By the time Guan Yu reached the Liyang ferry crossing, Yuan Shao had already crossed the Yellow River. The ferry boats were burned, and charred planks floated on the river.

Zhao Yun pursued Yuan Shao northward. By the time he reached the outskirts of Ji Province, Yuan Shao had already entered the city. The city gates were tightly shut, and soldiers stood guard on the city walls, with archers nocked their arrows. Zhao Yun circled the city once, seeing the guards nervously turning their crossbows, confirming that the city's defenses were still intact, and then turned back.

Liu Bei ordered Jian Yong to inventory all the spoils. People, supplies, weapons, and food were recorded separately. Jian Yong squatted under a torch, writing for half the night, his fingers red from the cold, the ledger filled with numbers. When registering the surrendered soldiers, many were found to be emaciated, and many said the food in Yuan Shao's camp was worse than what they had seen outside. Some of these men were sent by their deputy general to repair trenches that very day.

Liu Bei sat in his tent all night without sleeping. An oil lamp was lit on the table, and he went through the battle losses and spoils reported by each camp one by one. When the oil lamp dimmed slightly near dawn, he used a stick to adjust the wick.

After daybreak, he wrote a memorial to Emperor Xian of Han. The memorial began with "Your subject Bei respectfully submits this memorial," and then recounted the course of the Battle of Guandu:

Since February, when they confronted Yuan Shao, a stalemate lasting six months ensued. Ultimately, thanks to the valiant efforts of their soldiers, they first burned the grain supplies at Wuchao, then routed Yuan Shao's entire army. Yuan Shao fled north with only a few hundred cavalry. Tens of thousands were beheaded, over twenty thousand surrendered, and a considerable amount of supplies were seized. Finally, a petition was submitted to the court to issue rewards and provide compensation to the fallen soldiers. The petitioner stamped the document at the end.

After sending out the memorial, he stepped out of the main tent and stood on the earthen slope, glancing at the north bank of the Yellow River. Yuan Shao's camp was deserted, with only empty tents and charred fences remaining.

Mid-October. Guandu Camp.

Liu Bei held a banquet to reward his troops. The banquet was set up on the flat ground outside the camp, with long tables arranged in rows and wine jars piled up on the side. The wine was brought from Luoyang by Jian Yong, and each soldier received only one bowl.

The meat consisted of meat from dozens of sheep that had been driven from Guanzhong, with each person receiving a palm-sized piece. Inside the main tent, the captured banner of Yuan Shao was hung up, with the damaged side facing outwards, the bloodstains still on it.

Liu Bei stood up, holding his wine bowl. He wore a clean blue robe, no crown, and his hair was tied back. His gaze swept across the large tent. The wine in everyone's bowl was reflected in his eyes.

"This battle lasted for more than half a year, from February to October. You held on. In the Battle of Wuchao, Yide was at the forefront. In the defense of Guandu, Yunchang and Zilong blocked Yuan Shao's attacks time and time again."

How much of Yuan Shao's grain and provisions did Qian Zhao's special forces burn behind enemy lines? Guan Yu slew Yan Liang, Zhao Yun slew Wen Chou. And there was Zhao Guang who died behind enemy lines, the veterans who died in the trenches, the auxiliary soldiers and laborers who died of illness. This bowl of wine is first offered to them.

He tilted the bowl, spilling the wine on the ground. Everyone in the tent stood up and spilled their wine on the ground as well.

Then Liu Bei poured another bowl.

"The second bowl is for the living. The victory at Guandu is a victory for everyone." He tilted his head back and drank it down.

Zhang Fei drank in large gulps, the wine dripping from the corner of his mouth and into his stubble. Guan Yu held the bowl with his knuckles clearly defined, downing it in one gulp before placing it back on the table. Jia Xu only took a small sip, Jian Yong drank while flipping through account books in the corner, and Qian Zhao placed his bowl on his lap, not drinking much.