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

Along the mountain path, rows of torches flickered as three thousand Yellow Turban rebels marched north along the rugged trail. The night was deep, and only the sounds of footsteps, horses' hooves, and the occasional clash of weapons could be heard in the forest.

Gong Du rode his horse at the very front of the procession.

His gaze frequently swept across the mountains on either side. He had traversed these mountain paths of the North Mountain countless times, yet the forest still felt unusually quiet tonight. Two more mountain passes lay ahead, leading to the grain transport route.

The lieutenant whispered, "General, the supply route is just ahead."

Gong Du nodded, but didn't speak immediately. He looked up at the distant mountains. In the darkness, the mountain shadows were layered, like rows of silent behemoths lying there.

He suddenly asked, "Have the scouts been sent out yet?"

The lieutenant replied, "Two teams have already been deployed."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than footsteps came from the mountain path ahead, and a scout came running quickly from the darkness.

"Report!"

Gong Du reined in his horse.

"explain."

The scout, panting, said, "There are cart tracks at the mountain pass ahead..."

Gong frowned.

"Government troops?"

The scout shook his head: "No one in sight."

Gong Du pondered for a moment.

It's almost certain that the supply lines are blocked. Since the government troops dared to set up an ambush, they most likely won't withdraw easily.

He said in a low voice, "Keep going."

The lieutenant hesitated for a moment: "General, should we send someone to scout the valley first?"

Gong Du gave a cold laugh.

"If there were really an ambush, they would have moved long ago if they were hiding in the woods."

He then raised his hand and waved: "Advance, vanguard!"

The order was quickly relayed.

The Yellow Turban army continued to advance, the torchlight flickering among the mountains and forests, making the entire mountain path resemble a flowing river of fire.

Meanwhile, in the valley ahead, government troops had been lying in ambush for quite some time.

The valley was narrow, with steep mountains on both sides. Dark shadows loomed among the trees, where hundreds of Runan soldiers lay in ambush behind trees and rocks, their spears and crossbows ready.

Xu Huang stood behind a boulder, his long axe resting diagonally on his shoulder, his gaze calm.

A captain whispered, "General, the fire has arrived."

Xu Huang looked up and saw that the torchlight was already clearly visible on the mountain path in the distance.

A dense mass of figures moved about in the night, their numbers clearly far exceeding a few hundred.

The captain said in a low voice, "It looks like... there are over a thousand men."

Xu Huang simply nodded.

"normal."

He had long suspected that Beishan wouldn't just send out a few dozen men to scout ahead. Given the food shortage, even if the enemy didn't mobilize their entire force, they would at least send half their troops.

Another soldier couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "General, should we wait until they enter the valley before making a move?"

Xu Huang said, "Wait."

His tone was calm.

Silence returned to the valley.

The government troops remained motionless.

Deep in the mountains and forests, only the sound of the night wind rustling through the treetops could be heard. Several soldiers lying in the front row gripped their spears tightly, their palms already soaked with sweat, but they didn't even dare to wipe them.

The torchlight in the distance drew closer little by little, starting as a few scattered points and gradually merging into a continuous expanse. The footsteps on the mountain path grew clearer and clearer, chaotic and heavy, like a black torrent slowly pressing towards the valley entrance.

Xu Huang remained motionless, simply gazing silently at the approaching flames, like a stone submerged in the night.

Time passed little by little.

Soon, the vanguard of the Yellow Turban Army approached the valley entrance. Dozens of bandits, carrying torches, led the way, glancing around as they went, but finding nothing amiss.

One of them whispered, "Strange... there's not a sound at all."

Another person said, "Most of the government troops have fled."

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone at the rear of the column shouted, "The supply route is just ahead!"

The torchlight illuminated the mountain pass ahead.

Sure enough, at the narrowest point of the mountain road, several thick logs lay across the road, and several wooden carts were overturned there, completely blocking the way.

"Grain carts!"

The Yellow Turban rebels immediately stirred up a commotion.

Someone shouted, "The grain is still here!"

Gong Du rode his horse forward, glanced at the overturned wooden carts, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

"It really is here."

The lieutenant said, "General, it seems the government troops have already withdrawn."

Gong Du did not answer immediately.

He looked at the mountains on both sides; the forest was dark, there was no firelight, and there was no sound.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Push the wooden cart away."

Dozens of Yellow Turban rebels immediately stepped forward and began to move the wooden carts that were blocking the road.

Just then.

Suddenly, a soft twang of a bowstring came from the mountains and forests.

next moment--

"Whoosh!"

An arrow shot out from the darkness.

Before the first bandit could react, an arrow pierced his throat, and he fell backward.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of bowstrings rang out one after another, and a rain of arrows suddenly fell from the forests on both sides.

"ambush!"

"There's an ambush!"

The Yellow Turban rebels were thrown into chaos.

Before they could regroup, a deep shout suddenly rang out from the mountains and forests.

"kill!"

Xu Huang was the first to rush out of the forest. He gripped his axe with both hands, took a step forward, and charged straight towards the valley entrance like a tiger descending a mountain.

The Runan soldiers behind them charged out at the same time.

Shields in front, spears thrust out in unison.

The narrow valley was instantly filled with battle.

Gong Du suddenly drew his sword and shouted, "Hold on!"

He cleaved a charging government soldier in two with a single stroke, then turned and shouted, "Form ranks!"

Although the Yellow Turban rebels were in a state of panic, their numbers were still considerable. Soon, several hundred of them regrouped at the valley entrance, raising their shields to defend themselves.

The two collided instantly.

The sound of clashing swords and spears echoed deafeningly in the valley.

Xu Huang has already charged into the enemy formation.

With a sweeping swing of the long axe, a bandit soldier was sent flying backward, shield and all, with a loud "bang."

He stepped forward, and with each step, the axe flashed with blood.

Gong Du also noticed him.

"Who is that person?"

The lieutenant exclaimed in surprise, "He looks like Xu Huang from Runan!"

Gong Du snorted coldly: "Just one person!"

After he finished speaking, he spurred his horse forward, his long sword pointing directly at Xu Huang.

"Come!"

The two soon met at the mouth of the valley.

Gong Du brought his long sword down on Gong Du's head.

Xu Huang neither dodged nor avoided, but instead held his long axe horizontally.

"when--!"

The sound of metal clashing echoed through the valley.

Gong Du felt a jolt in his arms, and the long sword in his hand almost slipped from his grasp.

His expression changed drastically.

Xu Huang, however, had already raised his axe again.

The axe flashed a cold light as it sliced ​​through the firelight.

"Again!"

Their weapons clashed again, sparks flying everywhere.

Just as the sounds of battle shook the valley, hundreds of Runan soldiers had quietly formed ranks on the mountain path on the south side of the valley.

Shields lined up in a row, spears like a forest.

Xu Chu stood at the front of the formation, gripping his broadsword with both hands, silently gazing at the firelight at the valley entrance in the distance.

A captain whispered, "General, fighting has broken out in the valley."

Xu Chu nodded.

He didn't rush to make a move.

He just slowly said:

"Wait a little longer."

The captain was taken aback: "Wait for what?"

Xu Chu grinned.

"When they want to run away."

The night wind swept across the mountain path.

The shouts of battle from the valley grew closer and closer.