The imperial cause at the end of the Han Dynasty was not one of partial peace.

Chapter 83 The Mighty General Huang Zhong Pacifies the Bandits

The distant horizon was illuminated red by the fire, as if the entire Xiangjiang River was ablaze.

Qu Xing stared at the firelight, feeling a chill run through him, and his hand gripping the halberd trembled involuntarily.

That was all the hard work he had put into it for months since he raised his army!

It is also his crucial escape route!

As a result, it all turned into a sea of ​​fire.

However, before he could take a few more glances at the raging fire, a crimson giant rose up on Qingqiu in the twilight, its flames blazing.

Immediately afterwards, countless Han soldiers in crimson robes and black armor rose up in formation, with crimson flags fluttering and spears like a forest, their blades gleaming coldly in the afterglow of the setting sun, illuminating the other side of the sky!

Then shouts of killing seemed to rise from all directions.

Wen Chou led two hundred Jingsai Iron Cavalry, charging out from behind the hills on both sides of the official road. Their hooves thundered and their black armor gleamed in the sun!

"The Jingse Army—Charge into battle!"

Wen Chou, his tiger-like eyes wide open, wielding a long spear, charged into the enemy ranks at the forefront.

Two hundred elite cavalrymen followed closely behind, unstoppable like long swords cutting through bamboo! Wherever the cavalry passed, men and horses fell, and chaos reigned.

Tian Yu then led 500 county soldiers to attack from the flank. Although the county soldiers were no match for the iron cavalry in open field combat, the enemy army was in disarray at this moment, and they only needed to follow behind the iron cavalry to harvest the fleeing soldiers.

Qu Xing's pupils constricted sharply, and he shouted in exasperation, "There really was an ambush!"

However, it was too late.

The two thousand bandits under his command had been forcibly mobilized by him with a large reward. Just now, under the city walls, these people had witnessed Liu Bei and Zhao Yun's divine might as they charged through dozens of riders and killed more than ten people. They were already terrified.

Now, flames are raging behind them, the naval camp has been reduced to ashes, and ambushes are rising up in front, with iron cavalry surging like a tide, attacking from both sides, leaving them with no way to advance or retreat.

"Retreat! Retreat back to the city!" Someone shouted first, and the last bit of fighting spirit of the rebel army collapsed instantly.

The fleeing soldiers in the front row turned and ran away. Those in the back row who were still watching saw the front row collapse and also scattered, trampling each other, their cries shaking the heavens and the earth.

But to turn and run away in the face of the iron cavalry would be tantamount to throwing one's life away.

Wen Chou led the Jing Sai cavalry in a relentless pursuit, their iron hooves trampling and spears piercing, leaving the routed soldiers lying dead in heaps.

The pursuit lasted no more than five miles before the two thousand bandits completely collapsed, with no ability to resist, and could only flee across the mountains and fields.

Qu Xing himself was lucky; with the desperate protection of dozens of his personal guards, he managed to escape back to Yiyang City in a sorry state.

When he reached the city wall, he witnessed a scene that nearly made him faint. The distant naval camp was engulfed in flames, and the routed army was fleeing across the mountains and plains towards the city.

Nearby, the Han army's infantry and cavalry had already pursued the fleeing soldiers to the city walls, patrolling the area around the city and relentlessly chasing them down.

Seeing that their retreat was cut off, more than a thousand of the two defeated armies knelt and surrendered. The remaining stragglers simply abandoned their armor and fled to the countryside, returning to their hometowns.

This was also what Qu Xing had always feared the most! His soldiers were all elders of Changsha. If the war went poorly or if they could not see any hope of victory, they would simply leave and return to their hometowns.

It's better to live a miserable life than to die a glorious death. Even a harsh and cruel government is worse than certain death on the battlefield.

In contrast to Qu Xing's fear and terrification, the Han army outside the city was much more jubilant.

After Zhang Fei led six hundred Xuanjia Iron Cavalry to break through the naval camp and burn more than a hundred ships, he led his iron cavalry from the direction of the Xiangjiang ferry.

Before he arrived, his voice preceded his arrival; his signature loud voice made the leaves on the roadside trees rustle.

"Brother! Brother!" Zhang Fei dismounted and rushed to Liu Bei, his leopard eyes filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Brother! I have lived up to your expectations and utterly defeated the enemy's naval camp. The enemy even had reinforcements! Just as we were in the midst of the fierce battle, two thousand bandits appeared behind us, trying to cut off our retreat."

"Haha! I thought it was just in time, saving me the trouble of searching for them. So I led my troops into battle and wiped them all out in one fell swoop. More than 5,000 men were slaughtered by my 600 iron cavalry, crying out for their fathers and mothers. Countless of them jumped into the river and died, and the rest fled all over the mountains and plains."

Liu Bei patted his strong arm with a smile and praised loudly, "With six hundred Xuanjia Iron Cavalry, you decisively defeated five thousand bandits. Third Brother, your merit in this battle surpasses that of the entire army. Those hundred-odd ships were Qu Xing's lifeline. Once they were burned to ashes, the enemy's retreat was cut off, and their morale was bound to collapse. I hereby award you the greatest merit!"

Zhang Fei burst into excited laughter. In the past, the credit for being the first to charge into battle and seize the flag always went to his second brother.

Now that my second brother is leading the army from the rear, the credit should go to him.

He might defeat these Xingzhai thieves before his second brother even arrives!

At this moment, Huan Jie also rode up. This famous scholar from Changsha, known for his ingenious strategies, dismounted and bowed deeply to Liu Bei.

Looking at the bandits kneeling and begging for surrender all over the mountains, his tone was full of admiration and emotion: "My lord, when Jie offered his troops, he only wanted to ask you to challenge them with light troops to make them arrogant and lure them out of the city. Once General Yide burns their ships and cuts off their return route, and reinforcements arrive, we can defeat them in one fell swoop."

"However, Jie never expected that the Prefect would actually use a mere two hundred iron cavalry and several hundred county soldiers to directly crush Qu Xing's two thousand elite troops. This is not only a testament to his divine military skill, but also to his unparalleled courage!"

Huan Jie straightened up, his gaze intense, and said with conviction, "The Zuo Zhuan says: 'A straight army is vigorous, a crooked army is old.' Your Excellency, acting on the Emperor's clear edict, is punishing the disloyal traitor with uprightness and righteousness, displaying courage and strength—this is a straight army; Qu Xing, on the other hand, has gathered a crowd to incite rebellion, plundering the countryside, and has lost the people's support—this is a crooked army."

"Now, with the thunderous force, the Prefect has crushed their elite troops in one battle and burned their ships in another. In less than ten days, he has already achieved a complete victory."

Although the rebels still numbered in the thousands, their navy had been burned, their retreat was cut off, their elite troops were lost, and their morale had collapsed.

"As Sun Tzu said in *The Art of War*, 'The morale of an army can be captured, and the heart of a general can be captured.'—Qu Xing's army has lost its morale and its fighting spirit is utterly broken. Though it may wish to prolong its existence, its momentum cannot last long. Within ten days, Yiyang will surely fall, and Qu Xing will surely be captured."

Liu Bei was also invigorated, for the rebellion in Changsha was different from that of the Black Mountain bandits. Although the Black Mountain bandits numbered in the millions, they did not have a nominal leader, so government power was divided among various departments, requiring them to be dispatched to different prefectures to quell the rebellion.

The source of the chaos in Changsha was Qu Xing! Moreover, he called himself a general, which was no ordinary title.

In the Han Dynasty, the title of general is not lightly bestowed upon others.

Once appointed as a general, he is granted the power to lead expeditions, wield the imperial insignia to supervise all armies, command the troops of a region, and oversee all military campaigns.

This is not merely an honorary title for posterity, but also one that carries immense real power and authority.

It can execute generals who disobey orders, mobilize troops from prefectures and counties, and act expediently without waiting for imperial orders.

Wei Qing and Huo Qubing of the Former Han Dynasty, and Dou Xian and Geng Bing of the present dynasty, all held the position of general, wielding the banner and the battle-axe, and monopolizing military campaigns. When they went out, they commanded troops for thousands of miles, and when they returned, they participated in the decisions of the imperial court.

Therefore, the "Records of Officials" states: "Generals are not appointed regularly. They are in charge of conquering rebels."

The Han dynasty was extremely cautious in appointing generals.

That's why Qu Xing proclaimed himself a general, which angered the imperial court, prompting them to send Liu Bei to quell the rebellion.

This also means that once Qu Xing is killed, all other troubles in Changsha can be quelled with a single proclamation.

Huan Jie predicted that Liu Bei's morale was high, so he advanced to besiege Yiyang and issued an order to the counties of Changsha: "Qu Xing instigated the rebellion, and he is the ringleader. Those who were coerced into joining him will not be questioned. All those who have laid down their weapons and returned to farming will not be punished by the prefecture and government, and they can live in peace. This year, the people of Changsha have suffered from the burden of military support, so they are exempted from half a year's poll tax and their land rent is reduced by half to relieve their suffering."

Upon receiving this order, cheers erupted throughout the counties.

Those people who had been coerced by Qu Xing had no intention of joining the bandits. When they saw that the new governor not only did not pursue their crimes but also reduced their taxes, they all abandoned their weapons and returned to their hometowns.

Within ten days, thousands of rebels collapsed without a fight.

Liu Bei then ordered the counties to recruit surrendered soldiers, selecting the strong and capable to serve in the county army, and sending the old and weak back to farming.

At the same time, recruitment flags were raised, and soldiers were recruited on a large scale in various counties!

This time in Changsha, Liu Bei was not as restrained as he was at Mount Tai.

Not only because Changsha had a large population, nearly five times that of Mount Tai, but also because chaos was imminent. By the time he pacified Jingnan, it would already be the fifth year of the Zhongping era! Only one year remained before the emperor's death.

When the world descends into chaos, he will need to advance his troops swiftly. Leaving aside everything else, he will need to quickly pacify the four southern prefectures of Jingzhou!

He wanted to give Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun three thousand elite infantry and cavalry each.

These three generals each led an army and were responsible for the control of the counties and prefectures. Liu Bei believed that the four counties in Jingnan could be controlled under his command.

He also planned to lead his troops north to punish Dong Zhuo and recover the three commanderies of Jingbei, especially Nanyang, which he was determined to conquer. He would set out from Nanyang to fulfill Emperor Guangwu's unfinished ambition and sweep away all obstacles in the land.

Therefore, Liu Bei began to make preparations early, taking the opportunity of quelling the rebellion to recruit a large number of soldiers.

Changsha is a powerful county in southern Jingzhou, with fertile land stretching for thousands of miles and a population of one million. Moreover, its people have been known for their fierce and valiant spirit since ancient times.

The legacy of "Even if Chu has only three households left, it will surely be Chu that destroys Qin" still remains. The local youths are skilled in boating, fishing, and hunting from a young age, and possess extraordinary strength. If ten thousand men were recruited and trained into an army, they would be a formidable force.

After Liu Bei raised his banner, volunteers flocked to various counties, including many brave and fierce men.

Within a month, they had gathered more than two thousand followers.

There was a monk named Linxiang Zhuyou, whose courtesy name was Junshi. He was brave and decisive, and was also very familiar with the terrain of Jingzhou and Jiaozhou. He led more than 300 guests and followers to join him and presented a map of Jiaozhou.

His ancestor, Zhu Liang, once single-handedly conquered a vast territory and quelled a rebellion in Jiuzhen County, Jiaozhou. His words perfectly describe the current situation in Changsha: "Those who are good at using the world always have surplus to prepare for the world, so that the state has surplus power, the people have surplus sentiment, the government has surplus wealth, the army has surplus strength, the rebels have surplus fear, and the compliant have surplus security."

Therefore, Liu Bei was overjoyed and praised his ancestor's wisdom. He was also pleased to receive maps of Jingzhou and Jiaozhou, and appointed Zhu You as the military clerk.

There was also Kou Huai, courtesy name Yuanlang, from an old family in Changsha. His family had been in the iron smelting business for generations and were well-known throughout the county. He was a calm and composed man with great capacity for judgment, capable of making important decisions and unmoved by empty talk.

The Kou family had been in the iron smelting business for generations, taking in refugees and supporting their loyal followers. More than a thousand families of guests were employed by the Kou family, and their operations, including mining, casting, transportation, and security, all depended on their command.

His family was so wealthy that all officials, from those in charge of carriages and horses to those who came to power, including local officials and county magistrates, had to first visit his door.

When Ju Shou was stationed in the prefecture for Liu Bei, he personally paid a visit to him. Kou Huai was impressed and provided Liu Bei with money, provisions, and troops to help him quell the rebellion. On one occasion, he donated more than 300 guests and young men, as well as more than 2,000 pieces of weapons and armor.

Liu Bei's forces thus greatly increased, and he ordered the felling of trees and quarrying of stones to build siege weapons such as siege ladders, battering rams, and stones. He then built an earthen mound under the city of Yiyang and launched a fierce attack on the enemy's isolated city.

The Han army fought day and night, raining down arrows and stones. The enemy soldiers on the city walls were killed or wounded in droves. Qu Xing personally went up to the city walls to supervise the battle, and only then was the city barely able to hold on.

Thanks to Huan Jie's plan, the Yiyang navy was burned down and its wreckage blocked the river. The enemy troops believed that Yiyang had fallen and dared not come to attack.

Qu Xing's only hope now lies in reinforcements from afar. Every day, he climbs the city walls to look out, hoping to see the banners of reinforcements appear on the horizon.

In September, reinforcements did arrive, and they were quite large, numbering over five thousand.

The boats stretched for miles, their sails like clouds, and the army, clad in black armor, shone like the sun, their banners obscuring the sky!

But Qu Xing felt no joy whatsoever; he only felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Because what came was not the bandit reinforcements, but Liu Bei's elite main force!

Guan Yu, Tian Feng, and the troops of Jingbei Commandery advanced by land and water, arriving at the walls of Yiyang.

With the two armies combined and the new recruits Liu Bei had gathered, their strength was nearly ten thousand men!

Beneath the walls of Yiyang, the camp stretched for over ten miles, banners covering the fields, drums and horns echoing everywhere. The sheer scale of the operation was enough to terrify any bandits within the city.

What pleased Liu Bei even more was that at the welcoming banquet, when introducing the various commanders of the state army, the commander of the Nanyang army was a great general—Huang Zhong, Huang Hansheng!

Although Huang Zhong is portrayed as a general from Changsha in the novel, he was actually from Nanyang, not Changsha.

His early life was not as obscure as depicted in historical novels; on the contrary, he was a man of outstanding military achievements.

Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion began, Huang Zhong, who was a county official, joined the army. At that time, Zhang Mancheng, a Yellow Turban leader in Nanyang, gathered more than 100,000 people and attacked and killed the county governor. Nanyang was shaken. Huang Zhong followed the county troops to fight the rebels. In every battle, he was always the first to charge into battle and was braver than the rest of the army.

Last year, in the third year of Zhongping, Zhao Ci of Jiangxia Commandery launched a rebellion, killing the governor Qin Jie and capturing six counties in succession, shaking Jingzhou.

The imperial court then appointed Yang Xu as the governor of Nanyang and ordered him to lead an army to suppress the rebellion. Huang Zhong accompanied Yang Xu on the expedition, joining forces with Wang Min, the governor of Jingzhou, to fight a decisive battle against Zhao Ci in Jiangxia.

In that battle, Huang Zhong led the Nanyang troops to be the first to charge into battle, personally beheaded the rebel general, and inflicted a great defeat on the rebel army, beheading more than 5,000 people. Zhao Ci was given the head, and Nanyang was thus pacified.

This time, Wang Rui mobilized troops from Jingbei Commandery to quell the rebellion in Changsha. Yang Xu then sent Huang Zhong to assist in the battle, which could be considered as repaying Liu Bei's kindness in recommending his son as a candidate for the civil service examination.

Now, one of the most renowned and fierce generals under Liu Bei in history stands before Liu Bei as the Military Commander of Nanyang Commandery!

Liu Bei also greatly admired him; this was Huang Zhong, in the prime of his life, and whose bravery surpassed that of the entire army.

At the welcoming banquet, Liu Bei personally rose, took Huang Zhong's hand, and led him to the seat beside him. This was the most honored seat for entertaining distinguished guests, the head of all the provincial military officers and commanders. This seat was given to Huang Zhong to show respect.

During the banquet, Liu Bei inquired in detail about Huang Zhong's resume. Upon learning that Huang Zhong had joined the army since the Yellow Turban Rebellion and always led the charge in every battle, and that he had personally killed Zhao Ci's flag general in the Battle of Jiangxia last year, Liu Bei clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Hansheng's bravery surpasses that of the three armies; he is truly a fierce warrior."

After the banquet, Liu Bei personally presented Huang Zhong with a suit of bright armor and a fine horse from Bingzhou.

That Mingguang Armor was the finest armor meticulously crafted by the Zhen family's artisans. The iron plate on the chest was so shiny it could reflect a person's image, and it was decorated with exquisite patterns and gold and silver. Only a general could wear it!

That fine steed was a thoroughbred, over six feet tall at the shoulder, pure white with ink-black hooves, and fierce as fire. It was one of Liu Bei's four prized horses.

Huang Zhong declined the offer, but Liu Bei took his hand and said, "Hansheng's bravery deserves this armor and horse. When he achieves merit on the battlefield in the future, I will reward him handsomely."

Huang Zhong was grateful for their recognition and gladly accepted the offer.

In the days that followed, whenever Liu Bei discussed military matters, he would always summon Huang Zhong to be present.

During each inspection of the camp, he would always visit the Nanyang County military camp to personally inquire about the soldiers' clothing, food, and comfort.

He also issued an order to the army that the soldiers of Nanyang Commandery should eat and drink the same food as the soldiers of the main force, and receive the same rewards.

Huang Zhong's soldiers were all inspired and vowed to die for Lord Liu.

Although Huang Zhong himself did not say it explicitly, whenever he talked about Liu Bei with his attendants, he would always say that Liu Bei was "a truly wise and virtuous ruler".

After the army besieged the city, Liu Bei invited Huang Zhong to climb the earthen hill outside Yiyang City together.

The Han army has now built four such earthen mounds around Yiyang City, each several meters high, from which one can overlook the entire city of Yiyang.

The Xiang River shimmered in the twilight, the rebel flag on the city wall hung askew, and faint cries could be heard from within the city.

"Hansheng," Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the city wall, "Although Qu Xing is besieging this isolated city, Yiyang is a fortified city. Our army has been attacking it for months, yet we have not been able to capture it. Now that our main force has arrived, we can press on with our momentum. Hansheng, what do you think is the best way to attack this city?"

Huang Zhong clasped his hands and said, "Your Excellency is kind enough to inform me. I have been in the army for several days and have been observing the battle for several days. The enemy's morale has been shattered. The only reason they are still able to hold on is because they are intimidated by Qu Xing's power and fear being killed after the city falls. Therefore, they are only barely holding on."

"The reason why our army has been unable to capture the city for so long is not because the city is impossible to take—but because all the troops know that the enemy's momentum is lost, the city's food supplies are exhausted, and it will fall in a few days. Therefore, they are unwilling to fight for even a small victory with their own flesh and blood, and all want to wait for the enemy to collapse on their own so that they can reap the full benefits."

He turned to look at the exhausted soldiers on the city wall, clasped his hands in a fist and said with great emotion, "Therefore, I believe that the best course of action now is to reward the soldiers handsomely. With such a great reward, there will surely be brave warriors; and if the brave warriors are the first to charge, the entire army will follow suit."

"Although I am not talented, I am willing to lead my men to be the first to charge into battle and destroy this fortified city for you, my lord. If you follow with your main army and advance with great fanfare, the enemy troops in the city will surely collapse and Yiyang can be captured in one battle."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei clapped his hands in praise: "Excellent! Hansheng's argument is spot on in winning hearts and minds. I will allocate three million coins to Hansheng, who will personally select the most capable warriors; I will not question them. The first to scale the walls will be rewarded with a thousand acres of land. The one who captures and kills Qu Xing will be rewarded with a million coins and ten thousand acres of land!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong trembled with excitement.

Three million coins, that's no small sum!

That's enough to support a thousand-strong troop for a whole year.

The prefect would make the decision without question, entrusting everything to him.

This level of trust was something Huang Zhong had never encountered in his more than thirty years of life!

He immediately took a step back, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands above his forehead, and said with great emotion, "In the past, Emperor Gaozu bestowed gold upon Chen Ping without questioning its use, thus enabling him to devise a miraculous plan to defeat Chu. Today, Your Excellency entrusts me with three million coins, also without questioning its use. Such trust and loyalty are beyond my ability to repay, even if I were to die for you. Tomorrow, I will surely capture this city for Your Excellency."

On that day, Huang Zhong personally selected three hundred elite soldiers from the Nanyang County troops and Liu Bei's own forces.

All three hundred men were clad in heavy armor, wielding short blades and large axes, their morale high, and all considered it an honor to be selected.

Huang Zhong selected thirty of the bravest men to be the "Vanguard Warriors," and each Vanguard Warrior was given a thousand bolts of silk and five thousand coins.

At dawn the next day, before the sky was even dark, the Han army camp was already filled with shouts and the neighing of horses.

While the soldiers guarding the walls of Yiyang were still asleep, they heard the thunderous sound of drums outside the city, which shook the heavens and the earth.

Dozens of large cowhide drums sounded simultaneously, and horns blared, causing the city walls to tremble slightly.

The bandits were startled and rushed to the ramparts, only to be terrified by the sight before them.

The Han army pushed dozens of siege ladder carts forward slowly. The siege ladder carts were several feet high, with their bases covered with raw cowhide. Inside the carts were hidden elite soldiers, and the wheels rolled like muffled thunder as they crushed the earth.

Dozens of vehicles lined up in a row, slowly approaching the city wall. Behind them were several battering rams—each battering ram had a huge wooden frame with iron plates at the front and a large wooden battering ram suspended from it. Dozens of strongmen pulled on ropes to drive it, and the battering ram swayed like a giant beast shaking its head. With each impact, the city gate was shaken and splinters of wood flew everywhere.

Tiles fell from the city gate tower with a rustling sound, and the doors groaned in a way that made your teeth ache.

Qu Xing personally ascended the city tower to supervise the battle. The enemy soldiers retaliated with bows and crossbows, boiling oil, and stones, and the Han army also suffered casualties.

However, the Han army's archers had already formed ranks on the earthen mound, and their powerful crossbows fired like thunder, arrows raining down, and the enemy soldiers on the city wall were shot down as soon as they showed their heads.

Huang Zhong stood beneath the siege ladder, his tiger-like eyes flashing like lightning. Seeing the enemy soldiers on the city wall pinned down by arrows and stones, unable to raise their heads, he suddenly raised his long sword: "First to scale the walls—go up!"

Thirty suicide soldiers responded and climbed the ladder.

Huang Zhong personally led thirty men to the forefront. The siege ladders were close to the city wall, and the first wave of brave warriors leaped up the steps to the top of the crenellations. As soon as the first warrior stepped onto the top of the wall, several enemy soldiers thrust their spears at him.

The warrior roared, parried the thrusting spear with his great axe, and with a backhand swing, felled a bandit soldier. Then, he leaped into the enemy ranks, his great axe flashing, instantly killing two more.

The brave warriors who followed filed up the city wall and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand battle with the enemy soldiers.

When Huang Zhong climbed the city wall, more than half of the thirty vanguard soldiers had already died in battle.

But Huang Zhong still charged forward without flinching or dodging, leading his men into the midst of the bandits.

The bandits on the city wall swarmed forward, their spears and halberds raining down. Huang Zhong, his tiger eyes wide open, brandished his long sword and roared, killing several bandits who blocked his way. He slashed left and right, forcing the bandits to retreat.

His elite soldiers followed closely behind, quickly securing the breach and planting the Han army's red flag on the battlements.

The sight of the red flag fluttering greatly boosted the morale of the Han army! All the soldiers fought bravely, rushing forward with all their might, eager to seize the reward for being the first to scale the walls!

At this moment, Qu Xing was furious. He personally brandished his halberd, killing several fleeing soldiers, and ordered the bandits to counterattack.

Huang Zhong spotted the bandit general directing the battle from the city wall at a glance, and personally led several elite soldiers to attack the city wall.

He fought with increasing ferocity, his long sword flashing as he slew three more men, his robes splattered with blood, his tiger-like might growing ever stronger.

However, the number of enemy soldiers continued to grow. In particular, a chieftain, seeing that Huang Zhong intended to kill the general and seize the flag, shouted loudly and led dozens of his personal guards to fight desperately from the flank. With swords and spears, they forced back the assassins behind Huang Zhong and surrounded him on the narrow steps in front of the city tower.

At this moment, the perilous nature of the siege was fully displayed. There were no warhorses to charge forward, and the city walls were narrow. Huang Zhong was surrounded by dozens of bandits and had no way to advance or retreat!

Liu Bei, who was watching the battle from outside the city, stood up nervously, his heart pounding, staring intently at the scene unfolding on the city wall.

But the enemy soldiers swarmed like ants, layer upon layer, their blades flashing wildly, and Huang Zhong's figure was nowhere to be seen.

All the generals watching the battle paled, believing Huang Zhong to be dead, and the soldiers below the city fell silent.

However, shortly afterward, the city walls were utterly destroyed, and with a roar like a tiger released from its cage, Huang Zhong charged back with his sword!

Huang Zhong emerged covered in blood, his armor and clothes stained crimson. The bandits who faced him suffered heavy casualties, and the remaining troops were terrified and fled, none daring to advance again.

Liu Bei was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent Huang Hansheng! He truly lives up to his reputation as the bravest warrior in the army and a man of unparalleled courage!"

Tian Feng was also deeply moved and exclaimed, "Among those who go to the enemy, the skilled warriors retain their fighting spirit. When the blades are close at hand and life hangs by a thread, the cowardly lose their spirit, the brave are filled with it, and the spirit of loyalty cannot be taken away by even a million men."

While the crowd below the city wall praised this scene, the bandits on the city wall were utterly terrified!

Before the city gate, Qu Xing witnessed this scene of overwhelming force. The bandits were already layered upon each other, their blades flashing wildly, engulfing the Han general.

The Han general was able to kill many more and break through the encirclement.

He truly didn't know how to defend himself. Seeing that Huang Zhong had already scattered his personal guards and was coming towards him with his sword drawn, his tiger-like eyes fixed on him, he was so frightened that he turned and fled.

Huang Zhong let out a long roar: "You traitors, don't run away!"

Qu Xing was terrified and ran even faster. At this moment, Huang Zhong had already charged into the city gate tower. Seeing that Qu Xing was about to escape through the corridor, he boldly planted his long sword in front of him and took the three-stone strong bow that Liu Bei had given him from behind his back.

The bow is as full as a slew of moon, the arrow as swift as a shooting star.

Just as Qu Xing was about to turn the corner, an arrow shot out, piercing through the back of his neck and exiting through his throat.

Qu Xing's eyes widened as he struggled to escape, but he fell heavily in front of the secret passage door and died instantly.

When the remaining rebel soldiers on the city wall saw Qu Xing fall to the ground after being shot by an arrow, their last fighting spirit collapsed instantly, and they all abandoned their weapons and knelt down to surrender.

Huang Zhong sheathed his powerful bow, strode forward, drew his ring-pommel sword from his waist, and with one stroke beheaded Qu Xing, raising it high above his head.

Upon seeing this, the Han army erupted in cheers.

On the city wall of Yiyang, the tattered bandit flag was cut down with a single stroke, and the Han army's vermilion flag fluttered in the morning breeze.

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