Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Meanwhile, the situation was completely different at Liu Ce's military camp.

Liu Ce, along with Li Jing, Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, and others, were sitting with their legs crossed, eating melon seeds and drinking tea in their tent, watching the surrounding vassal camp like they were watching a grand opera.

Liu Ce took a bite of fruit and said to Li Jing with a smile:

"Pharmacist, our strategy is to wear down these guys without losing a single soldier, just by depleting their supplies. It's much more cost-effective than a direct confrontation."

Li Jing smiled and nodded, saying:

"My lord is wise. These feudal lords are all harboring their own agendas, and they each manage their own supplies. If we cut off their supply lines, they'll start fighting amongst themselves within half a month."

Guo Jia leaned back lazily in his chair, toying with an empty wine jug in his hand: "I bet they'll start fighting in ten days."

Xi Zhicai said, "I bet eight days. That Yuan Shu is a petty wretch; he won't last long."

Liu Ce laughed heartily and said, "Alright, what's the stake?"

Guo Jia's eyes darted around, and he said, "Let's bet a pot of wine. If my lord wins, I'll treat you; if my lord loses, you treat me."

Xi Zhicai rolled his eyes and said, "Fengxiao, all you know is drinking."

The tent was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.

......

Behind them, Guo Jia waved his fan, a wicked smile on his face, and said:

"When they're starving, we'll start cooking meat. The aroma will waft over, and they'll surrender on their own without us even having to fight them."

Xi Zhicai said:

"This strategy prioritizes winning hearts and minds, with conquering cities being secondary...brilliant."

...

Li Jing's prediction proved correct.

The Suanzao camp was already in complete chaos.

Almost half a month has passed since the supply lines were cut off, and the food supplies in each camp have run out.

At first, they could kill horses to fill their stomachs, but later, when all the horses were gone, the soldiers started digging up grass roots and gnawing on tree bark. They were so hungry that they saw stars and could barely walk.

Those cowards, Kong Rong and Kong Zhou, went to Yuan Shao's tent every day, crying and begging for mercy.

"Leader! We're out of food! If we don't find a way soon, the brothers will starve to death!"

"How about... we surrender? Liu Ce said we'll get food if we surrender!"

Yuan Shao slammed his fist on the table in anger and cursed:

"Surrender? My Yuan family, which has held high office for four generations, will never bow down to a brat like Liu Ce!"

But when he turned his head, he saw the bowl of porridge on his table that was so thin you could see your reflection in it, and his heart started pounding. How many more days could he last?

Yuan Shu, standing to the side, said sarcastically:

"You're all tough, but your soldiers are starving! You'd better think of a solution!"

Yuan Shao glared at him and said, "You still have the nerve to say that? Where are your provisions? Aren't you the governor-general of all the army's provisions? Where are they?"

Yuan Shu jumped up and said, "Blame me? I hid the grain supplies before we were surrounded! It was that brat Li Jing who raided my grain depot! Why don't you go and scold Li Jing?"

"Insult Li Jing? I'd like to, but would he even hear me?"

"So you're going to insult me? Do I owe you something?"

Yuan Shao pointed at Yuan Shu and cursed, "It's all your fault..."

Yuan Shu jumped up and down, shouting, "Bullshit! You, as the alliance leader, are incompetent, and you blame me? If you're so capable, why don't you lead your troops and charge out!"

Yuan Shao: "Why aren't you charging!"

Yuan Shu: "You're the leader of the alliance! Charge!"

Yuan Shao: "I'll let you charge!"

Yuan Shu: "Charge!"

The two started arguing on the spot and almost came to blows.

The tent was in complete chaos, like a marketplace, with people pushing and shoving each other and shouting insults.

Cao Cao sat in the corner, looking at these warlords who were only good for themselves, and sighed deeply, resigning himself to his fate.

He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and thought to himself:

"I knew all along that these guys wouldn't amount to anything. Now they're surrounded by Liu Ce and have no way out but to surrender."

He glanced at Sun Jian beside him.

Sun Jian crossed his arms and watched all this with cold eyes, without saying a word.

He was still angry.

...

After capturing Hangu Pass, Li Ji led his army to rest for a few days.

After eating and drinking to his heart's content, he handed over the defense of Hangu Pass to Huang Zhong, leaving 10,000 soldiers to guard the pass.

Then he immediately mustered 30,000 elite troops and headed straight for Chang'an.

He knew it perfectly well:

Chang'an is now just an empty shell! Dong Zhuo has taken all his main forces to Hulao Pass, leaving only Li Jue, Fan Chou, and others to guard it.

These people are nothing but burning, killing, and looting.

Taking Chang'an will be a piece of cake.

As soon as the army left Hangu Pass, Li Ji sent cavalry to clear out the counties surrounding Chang'an.

The defending generals either surrendered at the mere sight of the enemy or were beheaded; they encountered virtually no resistance.

At the same time, Li Ji also had the message spread throughout Chang'an:

"The Youzhou army will only kill Dong Zhuo's remaining followers, and will not harm the common people! Anyone who surrenders will be pardoned!"

"Those who resisted alongside Li Jue and his men will have their entire clans executed after the city falls!"

Once the news spread, the people of Chang'an had long been fed up with the ravages of the Xiliang soldiers, who burned, killed, looted, and committed all sorts of atrocities, even worse than bandits.

They had been hoping for someone to come and rescue them every day, and now that the Youzhou army had arrived, how could they not be excited?

The soldiers of Xiliang were also in a state of panic, and many of them secretly packed their belongings, preparing to run away.

When Li Jue heard that Li Ji and others were attacking, he quickly gathered nearly 100,000 Xiliang soldiers and went out of the city to meet the enemy.

Fan Chou went along as well.

These two thought that because they outnumbered Li Ji, they could keep him out of the city.

Li Ji had anticipated this.

He had laid an ambush on the banks of the Wei River outside Chang'an City beforehand.

First, Luo Cheng was sent with several thousand soldiers to challenge them.

Luo Cheng brandished his Five-Hook Divine Flying Silver Spear, exuding an imposing aura, and shouted at the Xiliang army:

"Li Jue, you little brat! Come out and face your death!"

Li Jue was furious and led his army out.

After fighting Li Jue for a short while, Luo Cheng pretended to be defeated and ran into the ambush.

Li Jue fell for the trap and led his army in pursuit, shouting:

"Don't let that kid get away! Chase after him!"

The Xiliang army roared and chased after him, wishing they could chop Luo Cheng into mincemeat.

Just rushed into the ambush...

"boom!"

Drums thundered on both sides of the hillside!

Arrows rained down like raindrops! So dense, they blotted out the sky! Western Liang soldiers fell in droves, their screams deafening!

Immediately afterwards, the iron cavalry charged out from both sides, cutting the Xiliang army into several pieces!

Qin Qiong took the lead, his double maces flying up and down, smashing the Xiliang soldiers until they cried out in pain!

Cheng Yaojin's three-strike axe can bring down anyone he strikes!

Luo Cheng launched a surprise attack, brandishing his Five Hooks Divine Flight Silver Spear...

The Xiliang soldiers were already demoralized, and when they were ambushed, their camp immediately broke down!

They ran back crying and screaming, trampling each other, and more people died than were killed by the Youzhou army!

Li Jue led his remaining troops in a desperate retreat towards Chang'an. Of his 100,000-strong army, more than 70,000 were lost.

That idiot almost lost his life.

Fan Chou fared even worse, being smashed off his horse by Yuwen Chengdu's halberd. Had it not been for his personal guards risking their lives to save him, he would have died on the spot.

Li Jue fled back to Chang'an, but was so frightened that he closed the city gates and dared not come out again.

But he didn't expect...

The people in the city had long had enough of them.

That night, with the help of the Imperial Guards, the people of Chang'an secretly opened the city gate at the south gate!

The Xiliang soldiers guarding the city were dozing off when they vaguely heard the door bolt rattle. Before they could react, their throats were slit.