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

Soon, the valley was filled with the sounds of battle.

Torchlight flickered through the woods, and the clash of swords and spears echoed continuously. The narrow valley was packed with the two armies, and corpses soon piled up on the mountain path.

Xu Huang advanced step by step.

Each swing of the long axe brought a spray of blood. The Runan soldiers formed a shield formation behind him, their spears thrusting out from the gaps, forcing back the charging Yellow Turban rebels one by one.

Gong Du, his eyes bloodshot with rage, cleaved a government soldier in two with a single blow and roared, "Press them!"

The Yellow Turban rebels were numerous, and for a time they were locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle with the government troops.

Xu Huang and Gong Du had exchanged blows at the valley entrance, but were separated by the chaotic army and ended up fighting each other in their own battle formations.

However, the valley was too narrow, and the Yellow Turban rebels at the back could not form a battle formation at all, and could only push forward in waves. As the soldiers in front fell, those behind were pushed up.

Soon, a layer of corpses had piled up near the valley entrance.

The lieutenant, panting, ran to Gong Du's side: "General, it's too cramped here!"

Gong Du had already sensed that something was wrong.

Although the government troops were few in number, their control of the valley entrance and the slopes on both sides made it easier for them to form a battle line. No matter how many Yellow Turban rebels there were, they could only advance little by little.

He suddenly turned around and glanced behind him.

The mountain path was still packed with people.

Continuing to fight like this will only lead to a deeper and deeper entanglement.

Gong Du gritted his teeth and shouted, "Charge forward!"

He roared and charged at Xu Huang again with his sword.

Xu Huang saw him rushing towards him, but he did not retreat at all.

A long axe swept across.

Their weapons clashed violently once again.

"when!"

The loud noise startled all the soldiers around.

Gong Du felt a numbness in his hand, and his long sword almost slipped from his grasp. Only then did he truly realize that the government army general before him was no ordinary person.

Xu Huang, however, did not give him a chance to catch his breath.

The long axe rose again with the momentum.

Gong Du quickly turned to the side, and the axe slashed down almost past his shoulder, instantly knocking a bandit soldier standing behind him to the ground.

The lieutenant cried out in alarm, "General, be careful!"

Gong Du's face was grim.

He suddenly realized something—

This was no ordinary ambush.

The government troops were not only lying in ambush in the valley, but their formation was also surprisingly stable.

It was as if they had predicted they would pass through here.

Gong Du's heart sank suddenly.

"withdraw!"

He suddenly shouted.

The lieutenant was taken aback: "General?"

Gong Du gritted his teeth and said, "Go back!"

If we continue to linger in the valley, we will only be worn down and killed little by little.

After the order was given, the Yellow Turban rebels in the front row began to retreat.

However, the narrow mountain path quickly became a mess.

People in front wanted to back up, but those behind kept pushing forward, causing chaos in the queue.

Xu Huang, however, had already discerned their movements.

He said coldly, "Press it down!"

The Runan soldiers immediately shouted in unison and advanced their shield formation.

Spears were like a forest.

It keeps getting closer.

The Yellow Turban rebels were already in disarray, and now they were in even greater chaos.

Some people have already started to run away.

"withdraw!"

"Let's go back!"

Chaos erupted in the valley.

Gong Du finally managed to fight his way out and led several hundred men southward.

The torches flickered in the night.

The valley entrance is getting closer and closer.

Gong Du breathed a slight sigh of relief.

If we retreat to the mountain path and reorganize our troops, we will still have a chance to fight again.

However, the moment he rushed out of the valley, he suddenly stopped.

Suddenly, flames lit up the mountain road ahead.

Rows of shields were already lined up in neat rows.

The spear gleamed coldly in the firelight.

Hundreds of Runan soldiers had already blocked the mountain road.

At the very front stood a burly man, carrying a thick-backed broadsword.

Xu Chu.

Gong Du's expression changed instantly.

"Government troops!"

The Yellow Turban bandits behind them also stopped in their tracks.

Having just retreated from the valley in disarray, they were now facing a well-organized shield formation, causing widespread panic.

Xu Chu looked at them and grinned.

"What's wrong?"

"You're out so quickly?"

Gong Du roared, "Charge!"

He knew very well that the only way out was to break through this line of defense.

The Yellow Turban rebels were forced into a corner and had no choice but to follow him and charge forward.

Xu Chu, however, did not retreat an inch.

He raised his broadsword.

"withstand."

The shield array closed instantly.

"Bang!"

The first wave of bandits charged straight into the shield wall.

The spear thrust out from behind the shield.

Several people collapsed to the ground on the spot.

Gong Du roared and charged forward with his sword.

The broadsword slashed down suddenly.

Xu Chu blocked the attack with a single strike.

The two men's weapons clashed, producing a muffled thud.

Gong felt his arm go numb.

Xu Chu simply chuckled.

"He's quite strong."

After saying that, he suddenly took a step forward.

A broadsword swept across.

Gong Du hurriedly raised his knife to parry.

The immense force sent him staggering back two steps, his legs feeling weak.

Just then—

The shouts of battle from the valley drew closer once more.

Xu Huang has already led his troops in pursuit.

The Yellow Turban rebels then realized—

They were caught in the middle.

A shield formation stood in front.

Pursuers were behind them.

A wave of panic swept through the crowd.

"It's over!"

"We're surrounded!"

Gong Du's face turned ashen.

He knew that if things continued like this, the entire army would fall into chaos.

He suddenly drew his sword and charged at Xu Chu.

"Let's give it our all!"

The broadsword came crashing down on his head.

Xu Chu, however, did not retreat but advanced.

The two knives collided violently.

Sparks flew everywhere.

The next moment, Xu Chu suddenly sidestepped and bumped into him.

Gong was knocked so hard that he staggered.

Before he could regain his footing, Xu Chu's blade was already pressing down.

Gong struggled desperately.

However, the Runan soldiers behind them had already charged up.

Several soldiers rushed forward and pinned Gong Du to the ground.

Gong Du roared and struggled, but he was already pinned down and unable to move.

The weapon fell to the ground.

The battle ended quickly.

Having lost their commander, the Yellow Turban rebels completely collapsed, and many soldiers threw down their weapons and knelt down to surrender.

The valley gradually quieted down.

The torches swayed in the night wind.

Xu Huang and Xu Chu met at the valley entrance.

The two exchanged a glance.

Xu Chu laughed and said, "We've got him."

Xu Huang nodded.

"Take it back."

Gong was bound hand and foot and held aside, his face ashen.

The outcome of the battle at Beishan has now been decided.

However, the lights on the northern mountain remained lit.

Liu Pi had been standing on the makeshift wooden platform for quite some time.

A night wind blew from the mountains, and faint, intermittent shouts of battle echoed from the distant valleys. The sounds, sometimes near, sometimes far, reverberated among the mountains, making it impossible to discern what was happening.

One of the bandit leaders couldn't help but say, "Commander, should we send another group down the mountain to investigate?"

Liu Pi did not answer.

He just stared at the mountain path to the south, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

At the height of the battle cries, he had almost ordered his troops to advance. But then, he hesitated.

Since the government troops dared to cut off the supply route, there must have been an ambush in the valley beforehand.

Sending more people down the mountain might just be playing into their hands.

Time passed little by little.

The shouts of battle in the valley gradually subsided.

Someone whispered, "It seems... the fight is over."

Liu Pi's face slowly darkened.