Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

The night had not yet faded over Beishan.

The mountain village was still brightly lit, and the torches on the village walls swayed in the night wind, making the whole valley appear to be lit and dark.

In the open space inside the village, many Yellow Turban rebels were resting around a campfire. Some were sharpening their knives, some were distributing food, and others were lying down on the ground.

Unbeknownst to these people, an ambush had already ended just over ten miles away in the mountain path.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the mountain gate.

"Open the door! Open the door now!"

The bandit guards frowned, raised their torches and shone them outside. They saw several Yellow Turban bandits stumbling and running down the mountain path. The men were covered in blood, panting heavily, and had even forgotten where their weapons were.

The gatekeeper shouted, "Who goes there?"

One of them had already fallen to the ground, scrambling and shouting, "The grain supply line... something's happened to the grain supply line!"

This shout immediately alerted the gatekeeper.

A moment later, the group was escorted into the village.

At this moment, on the wooden platform in the stronghold where they were discussing matters, Liu Pi was talking with several bandit generals. The firelight reflected on his face, making his rugged features appear even more somber.

The few bandits who had escaped were pushed to the front of the stage, barely able to stand.

Liu Pi glanced at them, his brows furrowing slightly.

"What happened?"

The deserter knelt on the ground, his voice trembling: "Commander... the supply line... the supply line has been cut off by the government troops!"

A commotion broke out in the audience.

One of the bandit generals immediately shouted, "Nonsense! How could the supply line have been intercepted?"

The deserter kowtowed repeatedly: "I wouldn't dare to lie! We had just crossed the mountain pass with the grain when government troops suddenly attacked from the woods, arrows raining down like rain—"

His voice trembled as he said this.

"The brothers...almost all of them are dead."

The expressions of the bandits on the stage immediately changed.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "How many government troops?"

The deserter hurriedly said, "I can't see clearly... there are at least several hundred people!"

Another person added, "They looted all the grain carts and blocked the mountain roads!"

Liu Pi's face slowly darkened.

"Is it congested?"

The deserter nodded vigorously: "They cut down trees and pushed carts, blocking the entire mountain pass!"

The stage fell silent for a moment.

Liu Pi slowly stood up.

The firelight danced on his face, and the previous disdain was gone from his eyes.

He asked in a low voice, "Who is leading the troops?"

The deserter shook his head: "I don't know... I only saw a fierce general with a long sword who killed our leader in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, the bandits below the stage exchanged glances.

One of them whispered, "A long sword... Could it be Li Tong from Runan?"

The other person snorted coldly: "So Lü Ding really came."

Liu Pi remained silent.

He slowly walked to the edge of the wooden platform and looked towards the mountains to the south.

A mountain breeze blew from the valley, causing the yellow turban on his head to sway slightly.

After a moment, he suddenly spoke.

How many grain carts are there?

The deserter said, "More than thirty vehicles..."

The moment those words were spoken, someone in the audience gasped.

The food supply for the thousands of people in Beishan relied entirely on these grain carts for transport. Now that this batch of grain has been intercepted, the granaries in the mountain stronghold can only last for a few days at most.

Liu Pi remained silent for a while.

Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh.

"I see."

Several bandits below the stage looked at him.

Liu Pi slowly said, "They won't attack the camp directly."

As he said this, his gaze swept across everyone's faces, and his tone suddenly turned cold.

"They've come to cut off our food supplies."

"The northern mountains are easy to defend and difficult to attack. If the government troops launch a strong attack, they will suffer heavy casualties. But if the supply lines are cut off, we will have to come down the mountain ourselves."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood.

One of the thieves couldn't help but curse, "What ruthless methods!"

The other man frowned and said, "Commander, if the supply lines are blocked, the grain in the stronghold will only last for four or five days at most."

"Then take it back."

Liu Pi spoke calmly.

He turned to look at the crowd, his voice gradually lowering.

"Since they dared to block the grain supply route, they must still be in that vicinity."

Someone in the audience asked, "What does Commander Qu mean?"

Liu Pi sneered.

"They are waiting for us to come down the mountain."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood.

That was a trap.

But the problem is—

They had no choice but to go.

If the supply lines are blocked, the thousands of people in Beishan will starve to death sooner or later.

There was a moment of silence on stage.

Suddenly, a burly bandit general stepped forward.

This man was eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back, and had a noticeable scar on his face, making him look quite fierce.

He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Commander, let me go."

Liu Pi looked at him.

"Since the government troops want to lure us down the mountain, then let me, Gong Du, go and see just how capable they really are."

Immediately, some people in the audience echoed this sentiment.

"General Gong is right!"

"I'm going too!"

Liu Pi did not immediately agree.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Since they dared to set up an ambush, they must have been prepared."

Gong Du sneered, "They're just some county soldiers."

"Even if they have an ambush, they only number a few hundred."

His voice suddenly turned somber as he said this.

"I will lead three thousand men down the mountain."

"Take back the supply lines first."

A commotion broke out in the audience.

Three thousand men—that's half the strength of Beishan Village.

Liu Pi looked at him.

After a while, he suddenly nodded.

"it is good."

He turned to look at the crowd.

"Gong Du led three thousand men down the mountain to seize grain."

"The rest of you guard the stronghold."

Gong Du loudly replied, "Yes, sir!"

Liu Pi added another sentence.

"remember."

"If you see government troops lying in ambush—"

"Don't linger in the fight."

Gong Du laughed.

"Don't worry, Commander."

He turned and stepped off the wooden platform, shouting as he went, "Assemble!"

Before long, the sound of horns rang out from the mountain stronghold.

Under the cover of night, a large number of Yellow Turban rebels began to gather in front of the stronghold. Rows of torches were lit, and the swords and spears reflected a dark red light.

Three thousand people quickly lined up in formation.

As Gong Du rode his horse, looking at the dark mountain road outside the mountain gate, a slow smile spread across his face.

"The soldiers of Runan..."

"I'd like to see just how capable you are."

The mountain gate slowly opened.

Three thousand Yellow Turban rebels marched north along the mountain path, their torches forming a winding fiery dragon through the forest. The cool night wind of the northern mountains howled through the valleys, causing the banners to flutter in the breeze.

Gong Du rode at the head of the procession. He glanced back at the dense crowd behind him, a confident look on his face.

Many of the men in Beishan were desperate outlaws who had gathered with him from the mountains and forests of Chen State. Although they did not have the same fighting force as the government troops, they had the advantage of numbers and courage.

He pointed ahead at the dark mountain path and said, "Hurry up!"

A lieutenant beside him asked in a low voice, "General, if the government troops really have set up an ambush along the supply route..."

Gong Du gave a cold laugh.

"So what if we set up an ambush?"

He reined in his horse and glanced back at the ranks behind him.

"Even if there were an ambush, there would only be a few hundred men among the three thousand men who came down the mountain."

"I'll run them over and kill them."

Upon hearing this, the lieutenant couldn't help but chuckle.

The group continued forward. The mountain path was lined with dense forests, and the torchlight flickered between the tree trunks, making it seem as if countless dark figures were lurking in the night.

However, just over ten miles ahead of them, the valley was deathly silent.

The soldiers lying in ambush in the woods remained motionless, as if they had even suppressed their breathing.

Xu Huang, gripping his long axe, stood silently in the darkness.

He had already received a report from the scouts.

Beishan Bandits—

We are going down the mountain.