My Three Kingdoms is not right

The thunderous sound of hooves shattered the silence of dawn.

Lü Bu personally led four thousand troops out of the south gate of Xiapi, like a black torrent rolling southward. Red Hare led the way, Lü Bu wearing a hundred-flower battle robe, holding a halberd, the morning breeze blowing the wisps of hair on his forehead, revealing a pair of phoenix eyes burning with battle intent.

"Faster! Faster!" she urged, her whip cracking in the air.

Behind them, the Bingzhou cavalry, acting as the vanguard, surged forward like a tidal wave. Every soldier knew the key to this mission—they had to establish an camp at Tangshan before Cao Cao could react.

As dawn breaks, the outline of Tangshan can already be seen in the distance.

A smile appeared on Lü Bu's lips.

Just as Chen Gongtai had predicted, Cao Cao's army did not have time to build a defensive line around Xiapi.

When they rushed out of the city, Cao Cao's troops near the south gate not only dared not intercept them, but also hurriedly fled to a distance.

They were smart, because with that small force, standing in front of them would be suicide.

To stop this army of four thousand, Cao Cao's army would have to deploy its main force. However, mobilizing such a large army is not something that can be accomplished in a short time.

If she can establish a camp in Tangshan in advance, the offensive and defensive situation in Xiapi will be reversed!

However, when the army had traveled several more miles and gradually could see the scenery on Tangshan Mountain, Lü Bu's smile froze.

On the mountain, shadowy figures could be seen moving about.

No, it's not just shadows.

Those are tents! Those are deer antlers! Those are neatly arranged banners!

On Tangshan Mountain, a military camp has clearly been established!

Lu Bu suddenly pulled on the reins, and Red Hare neighed loudly, its front hooves rearing up high.

"What's going on?"

The generals beside him also reined in their horses. Gao Shun squinted and looked over, then said in a deep voice, "Judging by the banners, they're not Cao Cao's army. They're the Imperial Guards."

"The Imperial Guards?" Lü Bu frowned.

Upon closer inspection, she could vaguely see the character "Liu" on the flag of the camp.

Princess Liu Xun of Ten Thousand Years!

Suddenly, the image of that handsome young man in Xiapi City flashed into Lü Bu's mind. That stunningly beautiful young man who had captivated her heart at first sight.

How did he end up in Tangshan?

"Damn it!" Lu Bu gripped his halberd tightly. "So, he beat me to it?"

"General," Gao Shun rode forward, "Should we change our objective and choose another place to camp?"

Lu Bu bit his lower lip, his gaze fixed on the camp on the mountain.

"It cannot be changed."

It was not Lü Bu who spoke, but Zhang Liao.

The usually composed cavalry general raised his hand and pointed to the horizon: "General, please look."

Lu Bu looked in the direction she was pointing. On the distant horizon, dust was faintly rising.

"Cao Cao already knows we've left the city," Zhang Liao said calmly, his voice devoid of emotion. "Her army is undoubtedly being mobilized at this moment. We have at most an hour left."

"If we look for another place, it will be difficult to find a campsite with suitable terrain and water source in a short period of time."

The generals remained silent.

Zhang Liao continued, "Besides, this camp is already built. If we can capture it, wouldn't that save us the time of building our own?"

"General, judging from the size of the banners in that camp, the Imperial Guards number no more than a thousand men. How could they possibly be a match for my several thousand iron cavalry from Bingzhou?"

Lü Bu nodded: "Wen Yuan is right!"

"I lead the iron cavalry of Bingzhou, and I am invincible! Do you think a mere thousand or so imperial guards can block my way?"

She raised her halberd, its tip pointing directly at Tangshan: "Order the entire army to capture this stronghold! Take the princess prisoner!"

The generals responded with a resounding roar.

-----------------

In the military camp of the Tangshan Imperial Guard.

Standing atop the watchtower, Liu Xun gazed at the billowing dust gradually approaching from the north, feeling a sense of absurdity.

"Has Lü Bu gone mad?"

When he uttered those words, even he could hear the deep helplessness in his tone.

Instead of defending the fortified city of Xiapi and dealing with Cao Cao's main army, Lü Bu led his troops to attack his own territory.

I'm just here to make up the numbers and gain some experience.

Because they were unwilling to suffer losses to the Imperial Guards, they specifically set up camp far away from Cao Cao's army and far away from Xiapi City.

Why can't I avoid it?

Could it be that I offended her by praising Lü Bu last time?

"Your Highness," Zhao Yun said, quickly climbing the watchtower, his expression unusually grave, "we have already sent someone to Cao Cao's central army to request reinforcements."

Liu Xun nodded, but he knew perfectly well what was going on in his mind.

This place is ten miles away from Cao Cao's camp.

Even if Cao Cao received the plea for help, he would not have enough time to send a large army to reinforce him.

If only a small number of light cavalry are sent out, they may be wiped out by Lü Bu's army on the way.

"Your Highness," Xu Huang's voice rang out from below the watchtower.

She walked up quickly, her sharply defined face showing little expression.

"Last night we hastily set up camp, the walls were low and thin, and the moats were not deep. We could not withstand the fierce attack of Lü Bu's thousands of troops."

Xu Huang's voice was calm, but a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. "Your Highness, please lead the Imperial Guards cavalry to retreat quickly and rejoin Cao Cao's main force. I will lead the Tiger Warriors infantry to hold this position here, which should buy Your Highness some time."

Liu Xun was taken aback, then shook his head decisively: "No."

"Your Highness!"

"I said no." Liu Xun turned to look at her, his gaze resolute.

He knew what Xu Huang meant by "buying time." The thousand or so elite infantrymen left behind in Tangshan were almost certainly doomed to die facing Lü Bu's thousands of cavalry.

If the entire army retreats together, they will inevitably be overtaken by Lü Bu's army, which consists mostly of cavalry. Without the cover of camps and terrain, they will die even faster.

"You are my most trusted general, and the Tiger Warriors are the imperial guards I personally trained. If I were to flee without a fight, abandoning you all, what kind of commander would I be?"

"But what use is my life if Your Highness is harmed?" Xu Huang's voice was tinged with emotion for the first time.

Seeing her anxious expression, Liu Xun felt a warmth in his heart.

He certainly knew that safety was important.

He certainly knew that running away was the safer option.

But he also knew that if he abandoned his more than a thousand soldiers and fled alone today, the soul of this imperial guard would be gone. The Tiger Warriors and Feathered Forest Guards would become a defeated army that could never raise its head again.

More importantly,

He couldn't bear to watch Xu Huang die.

"That's enough." Liu Xun pressed down on Xu Huang's shoulder, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I've made my decision."

"Gongming, don't waste your breath, quickly arrange the defenses!"

Xu Huang opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything more.

As they spent more time together, she learned that while the prince was usually very easy to talk to, once he made up his mind, he would not give up easily.

Liu Xun turned and descended the watchtower: "Order the entire army to prepare for battle!"

The camp immediately became busy.

The infantrymen quickly took their positions, spearmen lined up behind the stockade walls, swordsmen and shieldmen filled the gaps, and crossbowmen climbed the makeshift arrow towers. Deer antlers and chevaux-de-frise completely blocked the passage in front of the stockade, and the moat was re-inspected and reinforced.

Liu Xun strode quickly through the soldiers, his clear voice echoing throughout every corner of the camp: "Though the enemy outnumbers us, I, Liu Xun, will stand with you all, sharing life and death!!"

The soldiers, looking at his tall figure and listening to his voice, fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a deafening roar:

"To live and die together! To live and die together!"

Sun Shangxiang patted Sun Yi on the shoulder: "My elder sister said, don't bring shame to the Sun family."

"Yes!" Sun Yi nodded vigorously.

Zhao Yun gazed at Liu Xun's retreating figure, his silhouette resembling a god in the morning light. He gripped his silver spear tightly, his mind filled with only one thought—if he could truly die alongside him, he would have no regrets in this life.