Han Ji

The siege works continued day and night.

Centered on Guangzong City, three layers of moats gradually took shape. The outermost moat was three zhang wide and two zhang deep, with the Ming River flowing into it, forming a moat. The middle moat was two zhang wide, with bamboo spikes and iron caltrops buried at the bottom. The inner moat was fifteen zhang wide and ran close to the earthen wall.

The earthen wall was over two zhang high, constructed by ramming soil dug from the moat. A wooden palisade was erected on top of the wall, with arrow emplacements. Every fifty paces, an arrow tower was set up, each tower about ten zhang higher than the wall, allowing archers to fire down into the city.

Lu Zhi set up his main camp at Sanlipo, three miles south of the city. Liu Bei's troops guarded the western water camp and land camp, while the other generals guarded the east and north.

The trench was completed in seven days.

Ten days later, the earthen walls were completed.

On the fifteenth day, arrow towers rose up like a forest.

Outside Guangzong City, another city has seemingly risen up.

There was no movement within the city. Occasionally, scouts would climb the city walls to look out, and then quickly disappear.

"Yun Chang, what do you think Zhang Jiao is thinking about in the city?" Zhang Fei squatted on the earthen wall, munching on a dry biscuit.

Guan Yu wiped his Green Dragon Crescent Blade: "I don't know, they're probably waiting for reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" Zhang Fei scoffed. "Zhang Liang is being beaten down by Huangfu Song in Quyang, and Zhang Bao is trapped in Yangcheng. Where are the reinforcements coming from to save him? I think he's just waiting to die."

"Brother, why don't I go and curse them out again! I'm sure I can make that old Zhang Jiao cry!"

"Calm down." Liu Bei walked over, looking at the gloomy sky. "It's Zhang Jiao's turn now; he can't afford to wait."

As soon as he finished speaking, large raindrops began to fall.

It rained for three days straight. The trenches were flooded, the earthen walls were muddy, and the camp leaked everywhere. The soldiers were suffering terribly.

On the third night, when the rain was heaviest, the west gate of Guangzong suddenly opened.

The Yellow Turban army surged forth like a black tide, without torches or shouts, silently rushing towards the western camp.

"Enemy attack!"

As soon as the watchtower's alarm gong sounded, the Yellow Turban vanguard had already rushed across the first trench, which had been filled with rainwater and turned into a shallow river.

Liu Bei rushed out of the tent, and only shadowy figures could be seen in the rain.

"Archers on the wall! Spearmen guard the breach!"

The camp quickly responded. However, the heavy rain weakened their bows, rendering their arrows ineffective. Taking advantage of the situation, the Yellow Turbans erected ladders and scaled the walls.

Zhang Fei stood guard with his spear on a newly built earthen wall, stabbing several men in succession. However, the mud on the wall was slippery, and he lost his footing. A fierce Yellow Turban soldier pounced on him, grabbed him around the waist, and the two tumbled down into the mud below the wall.

"Yide!" Liu Bei drew his sword to save him.

Guan Yu had already jumped down first, his Green Dragon Crescent Blade sweeping across, cutting down several people, and pulling Zhang Fei up.

More Yellow Turbans poured into the breach.

"Form ranks! Hold the line!" Liu Bei roared.

The soldiers in the camp formed a circle and held their ground, engaging in a bloody battle with the Yellow Turban rebels who had suddenly broken in. Rain, mud, and blood mingled together, making every step slippery.

A chaotic battle raged in the rainy night, blurring the lines between friend and foe. After a night of fierce fighting, reinforcements from the northern and eastern camps arrived. With a three-pronged attack, the Yellow Turbans gradually retreated.

At dawn, the rain stops.

The battlefield revealed its true face: corpses littered the land, blood and mud stained the surface. Thousands of Yellow Turban corpses remained, while government troops suffered over a thousand casualties.

Lu Zhi surveyed the battlefield with a grave expression: "Zhang Jiao's military tactics are becoming increasingly ruthless. This time, he is launching a fierce attack regardless of casualties, both to probe our strength and to boost the morale of the city's soldiers."

"Teacher, after this defeat, he should know that a direct assault is hopeless," Liu Bei said.

"Not necessarily." Lu Zhi shook his head. "Even a cornered beast will fight. Order all camps to reinforce their fortifications, bury deer antlers deep, and prepare plenty of oil-soaked logs. If Zhang Jiao comes out again, he will surely be smashed to pieces."

In the following two weeks, Zhang Jiao organized three more night raids, each smaller in scale, and all were repelled.

A stalemate has been reached at the foot of Guangzong City.

The siege has entered its third phase.

Guangzong is now a dead end. The four gates are tightly shut, and the occasional figure seen on the city wall is as fleeting as a ghost.

The government troops' trench walls became increasingly fortified, and the number of arrow towers increased to thirty. Lu Zhi ordered that iron caltrops and tripwires be buried a hundred paces outside the walls to prevent cavalry attacks.

As the autumn harvest gradually ripens, the surrounding countryside, which had been left unplanted since spring, is now desolate, as the people have long since fled. The government troops' provisions are transported from Hanoi and Weijun, a long but steady journey.

On this day, Jian Yong returned from Lu Zhi's camp, carrying a stack of documents.

"Brother, here's the battle report." He unfolded the silk scroll. "Huangfu Song and Zhang Liang are locked in a stalemate at Quyang, with each side attacking and defending. Cao Cao, who is serving as a cavalry commander in the army, recently led a surprise attack and burned down one of Zhang Liang's granaries, earning the greatest credit."

"Brother Mengde..." Liu Bei thought of Cao Cao, his heart stirred slightly. He wondered how much Mengde would change after experiencing war.

"Zhu Jun has besieged Zhang Bao in Yangcheng. Yangcheng is small and has little food reserves, so it is about to fall," Jian Yong continued. "In addition, the remnants of the Yellow Turbans in Nanyang and Yingchuan are still roaming around, but they are not yet a significant threat."

Liu Bei looked at the map. Guangzong, Quyang, and Yangcheng—these three points supported the overall situation of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

"Zhang Jiao is waiting for his two younger brothers to break the deadlock," he said slowly. "But Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun are both renowned generals, and Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao will find it difficult to defeat them. Time is on our side."

"Lord Lu has the same idea," Jian Yong said. "I have already sent letters to Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, instructing them to proceed cautiously and steadily, without being hasty or impatient. As long as Guangzong is not breached, Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao will surely rush to its aid, at which point we can besiege the stronghold and attack the reinforcements."

"Will Zhang Jiao just sit and wait to die?" Guan Yu suddenly asked.

Everyone looked at him.

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly: "I've observed that the smoke from the city's cooking fires is thinning day by day. Their food supplies are running low. When their supplies are exhausted, they will either surrender or fight to the death. Zhang Jiao calls himself the General of Heaven; how could he possibly surrender?"

"That's a fight to the death," Zhang Fei grinned. "I'm waiting!"

Liu Bei remained silent.

He knew Guan Yu was right. A man like Zhang Jiao would rather burn down a city and commit suicide than live on his knees.

"Pass down the order," he stood up, "From this day forward, double the number of night sentries. Each camp should stockpile sand and water in case of fire. Also select 500 elite soldiers to be on standby at any time. If the city falls, they should immediately take control of the granaries and armories to prevent them from being burned down."

"Yes, sir!"

Stepping out of the tent, the autumn sun was blazing.

Liu Bei climbed the arrow tower on the west wall and looked out over Guangzong City.

The city walls were majestic, but lifeless. The great banner of the Heavenly General on the city wall hung limply in the wind.

A few months ago, this flag swept across eight states, and the whole country responded, causing a stir in China.

Three months later, it was trapped in a lonely city, its banners tattered.

"Brother," Zhang Fei climbed up, "what are you looking at?"

"Let's see how a city dies," Liu Bei said softly.

Zhang Fei scratched his head: "I don't understand any of this. All I know is that once the war is over and all these Yellow Turban rebels are killed, the world will be at peace."

"It'll be soon." Liu Bei patted him on the shoulder. "Once this city falls, half the world will be at peace."

"And what about the other half?"

"The other half..." Liu Bei looked further south, "in Quyang, in Yangcheng, even in Luoyang, throughout the land, on those battlefields without gunpowder."

Zhang Fei seemed to understand, but nodded emphatically: "Anyway, I'll follow my elder brother."

Liu Bei smiled.

Yes, and there were other people following them.

There was Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Jian Yong who recruited Zhang Wu, Li Shun and his fellow villagers from Zhuojun, and thousands of brothers in the camp who were willing to fight to the death for him.

This is enough.

He placed his hand on his sword and looked toward Guangzong City.

The autumn wind blows, carrying a desolate air and the stench of blood.

It also brought with it an atmosphere of despair before the city ran out of food.

The water in the moat outside the earthen wall had turned yellow, and it was filled with fallen leaves and rotting reeds. The soldiers on the wall were wrapped in thin clothes, and their breath dissipated quickly in the morning breeze.