The Three Kingdoms: Home Travel

August 17th, the second year of the Qianping era. Zhao Yun finally led the remaining hundred White Horse Cavalry back to the Divine Army camp. The rest all died on the way, their wounds reopening... "That damned Cao Mengde!" Gongsun Bo slammed his fist on the table, his face contorted with rage, and roared, "Just when Yuan Shao was about to be defeated, this Cao Mengde actually... actually..."

"Bang!" An innocent teacup bore the brunt of Gongbie Shou's fury.

"My lord, do not worry!" said Tian Kai, a general under Gongsun Qing, with a smile. "My lord, Yuan Shao and Cao Mengde are probably cursing you loudly right now!"

"Cursing me?" Gongbie frowned, puzzled. "Why would you curse me?"

"My lord wishes!" Tian Kai cupped his hands and said with a smile. "My lord has dispatched nearly ten thousand cavalrymen deep into Ji Province to harass the region, including three thousand elite personal guards, hehe..."

"Hahaha!" Gongsun Gua raised his fist and laughed loudly, "What a fine way to curse me! That's satisfying! That's satisfying!"

"Report!" A messenger rushed in.

"Hmm?" Gong Boqi's face showed a strange expression, and he asked urgently, "Is it Yuan Shao leading his army to attack?"

"No!" The messenger shook his head, hesitatingly saying, "General Zhao has returned."

Gong Bieqi lowered his head and thought for a long time, but couldn't recall any generals he had sent out today with the surname Zhao. He asked in confusion, "General Zhao? Which General Zhao?"

The judge did not know. All that was known was that General Zhao was an elite member of the lord's personal guard…

A sudden, strong sense of foreboding welled up in Gongsun Bi's heart.

Tian Kai frowned and glanced at Gongsun Bi. He then whispered to the messenger, "Please invite General Zhao in!"

"promise!"

"Zizhou..." Gongsun Gua glanced at Tian Kai, his face extremely pale. "Could it be... these past few nights I've had a constant sense of foreboding while sleeping in the camp. I've been waking up in terror every time there's a flash of swords, and I've even dreamt of raging fires... and me standing in them. This..."

Tian Tai, seeing the worry on Gongsun Ran's face, quickly comforted him, "It must be due to your exhaustion these past few days, my lord."

"Could it be a dream sent by a ghost or spirit?"

"No!"

Gongsun Lou let out a heavy sigh. He said with a sigh, "I have killed countless people in my life, and I was ruthless and brave in my prime, but now..." He looked at his throbbing hand and sighed again.

Just as Tian Kai was about to offer some advice, a general strode in, knelt on one knee, and said, "This humble general, Zhao Yun, greets my lord!"

Gongsun Gua stared in astonishment at Zhao Yun's blood-stained armor. Then, noticing the white silk covering it, his expression changed. He said heavily, "You...you're one of my personal guards?"

"Yes, my lord!"

"A curse...but he's my personal guard..." Gongsun Gua murmured a few words, then suddenly shouted, "What has happened? Report to me!"

"Yes! Your subordinate obeys!" Zhao Yun then recounted the events in detail: the beacon towers, the smoke signals, and the breakout at the boundary bridge. "Impossible!" Gongsun Gua staggered back several steps, pointing at Zhao Yun incredulously, "Three thousand elite cavalry, even against the Wuhuan, wouldn't have suffered such a loss. You're telling me they were all wiped out? Only three hundred remain?"

"Yes!" Zhao Yun replied with his head down.

"Heh...heh heh!" Gongsun Du laughed loudly, looking up at the sky. "My lord..." Tian Heng was also shocked upon hearing Zhao Yun's words. He never expected that the elite cavalry, who could fight two against one against the Wuhuan, would all be wiped out here... "Tell me!" Gongsun Ran suddenly drew his sword from his waist, pressed it against Zhao Yun's neck, and said angrily, "Why are you the only one left with the title of barbarian?"

"My lord!" Tian Kai hurriedly snatched the sword from Gongsun Ran's hand. He repeatedly advised, "My lord, you are wise. Judging from this man's armor, you know he fought his way through the enemy lines. Why treat him like this!"

"Three thousand..." Gongsun Xi's expression was inscrutable, a mixture of laughter and tears. He slumped onto a stool, muttering, "I have built this army nearly ten years ago. Not a single defeat has occurred. Even the Wuhuan, upon hearing the name of this army, can only flee in panic, as if entering..."

"Sigh!" Tian Kai shook his head, glanced at Zhao Yun, and said with a smile, "General, please rise. This is not your fault. General, you have traveled a long way and must be tired. Please go and rest."

Zhao Yun clasped his hands in a fist salute, hesitated for a moment before glancing at Gongsun Qi, and then retreated dejectedly. He had come a long way only to be treated this way. Zhao Yun felt deeply disheartened.

"Zizhou," Gongduo Zeng slowly stood up. He said coldly, "Send someone to contact Zhang Yan of Black Mountain. Now that Yuan Shao and Cao Cao have no worries about their rear, they will likely immediately lead their troops to attack our camp. Their momentum is immense. We alone cannot withstand them; we must seek help from Zhang Yan!"

"My lord, please rest assured, I will send someone immediately!"

"Heh!" Gongsun Qi nodded, saying somberly, "Success or failure hinges on this battle!"

Hearing the desolation in Gongsun Gua's words, Tian Kai sighed inwardly.

He understood the high regard Gongsun You held for the "White Horse Cavalry." The army, numbering over three thousand, consisted entirely of northern heroes, skilled in archery and horsemanship, forged over ten years. Yet, they were all wiped out here, with only a hundred or so cavalry remaining… On the 20th day of the eighth month of the second year of Zhongping, Gongsun You and Zhang Yan each led 50,000 troops, totaling 100,000, to confront the armies of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao on the south bank of the Jie Bridge. The two armies were arrayed five or six li apart. Gongsun You, clad in gleaming armor and riding a white horse, charged out and vehemently denounced Yuan Shao for his betrayal, injustice, and greed, accusing him of abandoning righteousness for personal gain. His tirade enraged Yuan Shao, turning his face red with fury.

Jiang Zhe saw it clearly and secretly chuckled at Yuan Shao's expression.

Cao Cao coughed and subtly tugged at Jiang Zhe's sleeve.

"You old scoundrel!" Yuan Shao roared in fury, "Who will kill that bastard for me!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a general leaped out from Yuan Shao's ranks, shouting, "My lord, do not be angry! Let me bring that scoundrel's head!" Yuan Shao looked closely and recognized him as his subordinate general, Li Fei. He laughed and said, "Xiaoru, your martial arts are superb! Cut that scoundrel down for me!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Li Fei brandished his spear and spurred his horse forward, shouting, "Gongsun Qi, come and face your death!"

"Hmph!" Gongbieqi glanced coldly at him, pointed at the general, and sneered, "A mere nobody." Before he finished speaking, a rider suddenly leaped out. In the blink of an eye, Gongbieqi was already in front of Yuan Shao's general.

"Isn't this...?" Tian Kai stared in astonishment at the general who had leaped out, thinking to himself, "Isn't this the same bailiff who came back to report earlier?"

"Who goes there?" Li Fei shouted as he charged forward, brandishing his spear.

As their spears clashed, Zhao Yun seized the opportunity. He forcefully deflected Li Fei's spear, opened his attack, and thrust it into Li Fei, knocking him from his horse. He then calmly declared, "Zhao Zilong of Changshan!"

After saying that, he ended Li Fei's life with a single shot.

"Son!" Yuan Shao's face darkened instantly. Turning to his generals behind him, he pointed at Zhao Yun in the ranks and said, "Who will capture this man for me!"

"Come here!" A general received the order, brandishing a large sword, and spurred his horse straight towards Zhao Yun.

"I am Zhou Zhengze, watch me take your life!"

"Hmph!" Zhao Yun snorted coldly, not even glancing at the general, but instead searching for the person he wanted to see... He found him! Zhao Yun suddenly caught sight of a scholar in blue robes standing next to General Rong Hongwei in front of Cao's army. The scholar was smiling and looking at him in the same way.

"You are extremely arrogant!" Zhou Zhengze was furious when he saw Zhao Yun looking down on him like this. He spurred his horse to Zhao Yun and raised his sword to strike.

"Hmph!" To Zhou Zheng's astonishment, Zhao Yun had actually shattered his shackles with the tip of his spear alone…

Who exactly was this person? Zhou Zheng, filled with terror, rushed past Zhao Yun, then suddenly a thought struck him. He turned his head, his eyes wide with shock… “Damn!” Cao Cao gasped. Gongsun Zhi, the general opposite them, had, in the brief moment the two horses passed each other, first shattered the broadsword of Yuan Shao's general with the tip of his spear, then, without even looking, thrust his spear backward. He had actually killed Yuan Shao's general with the very tip of the spear… If he weren't so confident in his martial arts, how could he dare to be so arrogant?

Cao Cao pondered for a moment. He said to Jiang Zhe, "It seems this man is no match for anyone other than Yuan Rang or Miao Cai!"

"Mengde, don't be hasty!" Jiang Zhe hesitated for a moment, then said softly. "Let's observe the situation!"

Cao Cao's expression froze. He glanced at Yuan Shao and thought to himself, "If only Yuan Shao were standing by my side, then Shouyi would have to call me 'Lord'..." "Haha!"

Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai, standing beside Jiang Zhe, exchanged a glance, their faces still bearing smiles.

"Yes, regardless of the current good relationship between Yuan Shao and our lord, if our lord wishes to pacify the world, then Yuan Shao will ultimately be our adversary. Perhaps we should weaken Yuan Shao's strength..." Guo Jia smiled silently.

Jiang Zhe didn't think that much about it. He just couldn't make the decision. Zhao Yun was his idol. What if something happened to him... Ugh!

With a single thrust of his silver spear, "The Gallant Dragon," Zhao Yun spurred his horse around a few times, then shouted, "Who else dares to challenge me?"

"It's a pity my generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou aren't here!" Yuan Shao gritted his teeth as he looked at Zhao Yun. He wished he could kill him on the spot, but after hesitating for a moment, he cast a pleading look at Cao Cao.

"Shouyi..." Cao Cao naturally noticed Yuan Shao's plea for help and subtly nudged Jiang Zhe, "Your two generals are never here!" Jiang Zhe muttered to himself, then whispered to Cao Cao, "Mengde, this man is named Zhao Yun, Zhao Zilong. His martial arts are unmatched in the world, and he is loyal and righteous. If we could win him over..."

"Oh!" Cao Cao suddenly realized and called over Cao Ren and Cao Chun, saying, "Zixiao, Zihe, go and meet him!"

"Yes, my lord!" In formal settings, only Jiang Zhe had the authority to address Cao Cao Mengde; others, such as Cao Ren and Xiahou Shen, did not.

Cao Ren, following Cao Cao's orders, spurred his horse and charged out with his sword. Having met Zhao Yun once before, he clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, saying, "General Zhao, how have you been?"

Looking at Cao Ren and Zhao Yun filled him with rage; they were accomplices in the deaths of his three thousand comrades!

Seeing the other party's politeness, Zhao Yun didn't want to be impolite, so he clasped his hands and said, "I am Zhao Zilong, please enlighten me, brother!"

Cao Ren smiled slightly, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Cao Ren, Cao Zixiao. Your guidance is invaluable... Please!"

"please!"

Lock! Lock! Lock! The two generals fought fiercely for several rounds. The sound of clashing weapons reached the ears of every soldier and chariot.

Cao Cao, observing from his vantage point, watched as Cao Ren began to falter within ten moves. He exclaimed in surprise, "Judging from this man... he possesses the bravery of Lü Bu!"

"Let the generals give it a try!" Jiang Zhe said with a smile.

Cao Cao nodded. He recalled Cao Ren and sent Cao Chun into battle. Cao Chun's martial arts were superior to Cao Ren's, but by the eighth or ninth round, his defeat was becoming apparent. "...Tuohou Cheng, Xiahou Huang, Li Dian, and Yue Jin all entered the fray and fought Zhao Yun for ten rounds. Zhao Yun, however, remained unfazed."

"Good!" Gong Yu's morale soared. However, Gong Yu's gaze towards Zhao Yun was filled with astonishment and doubt. The generals Cao Cao had sent were all skilled warriors. How could they be defeated by even one of his own lieutenants? How laughable!

Could it be…? "Truly a brave general!" Cao Cao grew increasingly pleased with his appearance. Turning around, he ordered, "In the ensuing chaos, do not allow any hidden arrows to wound him! Capture him alive with me!"

"Capture Zhao Yun alive?" Jiang Zhe looked at Cao Cao strangely, thinking to himself, "It's already a good thing Zhao Yun didn't use the Seven Exits Technique on you. Capture him alive?"

Ignoring Cao Cao, Jiang Zhe addressed his generals, "Forget everything else, charge straight for Gongsun Kan and kill him! Then everything will be accomplished!"

"Yes! Your humble servant obeys!" The generals clasped their hands in acceptance.

"Woo woo woo..." The horn sounded first in Yuan Shao's camp. He was covered in soot and had no choice but to lead his troops to defeat Gongsun Shou in order to relieve the hatred in his heart!

"Let's go too!" Cao Cao's face darkened. He drew his sword and shouted again, "Charge! Whoever kills Gongsun Qi will be promoted three ranks and rewarded with one hundred taels of gold!"

"drink!"

Two raging torrents, like a flood, collided at one point, splashing up boundless blood... "This is the chaos of the world," a certain otaku sighed in unbearable sorrow.

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