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Zhang Jiao's army, numbering one hundred fifty thousand, swarmed like ants around Guangzong, facing off against Lu Zhi's fifty thousand Imperial Army. For several days, the two sides engaged in relentless skirmishes, yet neither had gained the upper hand. Lu Zhi stood before a sand table, pointing at the location of Yingchuan on the map, his brow furrowed and his gaze revealing a hint of urgency.
"Xuan De, although Zhang Jiao is pinned down here, his brothers Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao are rampaging through Yingchuan, clashing with Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun. If Yingchuan falls, the entire situation may become unstable." Lu Zhi looked up at Liu Bei, his eyes resolute. "I wish to send you with our troops, along with an additional one thousand Imperial Army soldiers, to hasten to Yingchuan under the cover of night. Assess the situation there and coordinate with Huangfu Song to eliminate the rebels. If an opportunity arises, we will strike together."
Liu Bei clasped his fists in agreement. "I am willing to go; I will not fail my mission!"
Lu Zhi nodded and immediately summoned one thousand elite soldiers, entrusting Liu Bei with both troops and supplies. Guan Yu stood nearby, calmly organizing his weapons. His tone was steady yet sharp. "Since Brother Xuan De has this responsibility, Yun Chung shall accompany you to assist in eliminating the rebels."
Zhang Fei chuckled heartily and slapped his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear. "How can killing rebels be without me, Zhang Fei? I haven't had enough fun at Guangzong; another battle at Yingchuan suits me just fine!"
Liu Bei smiled slightly, his gaze firm. "With both of you as my brothers sharing the same resolve, we shall surely win this battle!"
As night fell like ink and stars twinkled sparsely in the sky, Liu Bei's group hurried through the silence. Their banners fluttered in the cold wind, and the sound of hooves echoed through the empty valley. Days later, they arrived at Yingchuan and saw smoke rising from afar; the sounds of battle filled the air as Huangfu Song's and Zhu Jun's armies clashed with Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao.
Before Liu Bei's group could get close, a messenger intercepted them and bowed respectfully. "General Huangfu and General Zhu are currently engaging the Yellow Turban Rebels. Please enter the tent quickly to discuss strategies for defeating them."
Liu Bei and his party hurried to Huangfu Song's central tent. Inside, a map was spread out as Huangfu Song pondered strategies with Zhu Jun. Upon seeing Liu Bei enter, Huangfu Song's eyes brightened. "Are you Liu Bei, Xuan De sent by Mr. Lu?"
"Indeed," Liu Bei replied with a bow. "I come on my master's orders to assist in battle. May I ask if you have any instructions?"
Huangfu Song rose and pointed at the map. "The rebel forces led by Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao are entrenched at Chang She, having constructed Grass Hut Camps for defense. These camps are sturdy but flammable; I am discussing with General Zhu about using fire to break through!"
Guan Yu nodded slightly and spoke solemnly. "This plan is feasible but must be executed at the right moment; we cannot miss both timing and terrain."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei laughed heartily while slapping his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear again. "Is there really a need for calculations? We can just charge straight in!"
Huangfu Song shook his head and smiled, saying, " General Zhang is unmatched in bravery, but Grass Hut Camp holds firm. A direct assault will only waste manpower. We have prepared dry grass; when the strong winds rise at night, we will set it ablaze. The enemy will have no defenses and will surely fall into chaos. At that time, all our troops can attack together and achieve victory!"
Upon hearing this, Xuan De's eyes lit up, and he clasped his fists, saying, "If that is the case, I am willing to lead the vanguard and take on the role of the assault!"
Huangfu Song nodded and declared loudly, "Excellent! Then I will trouble General Liu to fight alongside me. When the fire ignites, assist me in breaking the enemy!"
That night, the fierce wind bent the trees low, dark clouds churned in the sky, and the moonlight was completely obscured, shrouding the land in darkness. Xuan De led five hundred troops to ambush on the left flank of Grass Hut Camp, hearing only the howling wind around him. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, holding their breath as they awaited the crucial signal.
At the second watch of the night, Huangfu Song's army quietly approached Grass Hut Camp, each soldier carrying a bundle of dry grass hidden in various places. Suddenly, a flame shot up from the north side of Grass Hut Camp; the fire spread with the wind and quickly ignited a large area of grass. The roaring flames surged into the night sky, illuminating half of it.
"The fire has started!" Xuan De raised his long sword and shouted fiercely, "Charge with me!"
Guan Yu drew his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and was the first to gallop forward; the blade glinted coldly in the firelight. He plunged into the enemy ranks, swinging his great sword and cleaving through enemy soldiers along with their armor, blood splattering across the ground. Zhang Fei followed closely behind, wielding his Eighteen-Feet Serpent Spear and roaring like thunder. With a single thrust of his spear, he sent two enemy generals flying, causing the Yellow Turban Army to scatter in panic.
Amidst the flames, chaos erupted within the Yellow Turban Army's camp as soldiers fled in terror through the sea of fire without any command. From within Grass Hut Camp came Zhang Liang's furious shout: "Steady! Steady your formations!" However, the flames raged too fiercely; thick smoke filled the air, and soldiers were already overcome with fear and fled in all directions.
Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun's main forces pressed forward from the front, their battle cries deafening as swords clashed like thunder. Seeing that the fire was raging strong, Xuan De pointed his sword toward the enemy camp and led his troops into battle from the left flank to join Zhang Fei's forces. He shouted loudly, "Brothers, let us take Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao's heads!"
Guan Yu seized the opportunity to lead his ambush troops in a right-side attack; his Green Dragon Crescent Blade gleamed with cold light amidst the flames—no one could withstand its edge. Realizing something was amiss, Zhang Liang hurriedly ordered his remaining troops to break through but found themselves facing a raging sea of fire ahead and a cacophony of battle behind—there was no way to turn back.
The fierce flames consumed all of Grass Hut Camp; firelight illuminated the night sky while acrid smoke filled their nostrils. The Yellow Turban Army under Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao fell into disarray as soldiers fled in all directions amidst cries for help and neighing horses—it felt as if doomsday had arrived. Xuan De swung his sword high and shouted, "Charge! Do not let any of these bandits escape!" Guan Yu and Zhang Fei silently followed closely by his side; their dual blades and spear flashed coldly as they cut down fleeing Yellow Turban Soldiers beneath their horses like tigers among sheep.
Zhang Liang gritted his teeth as he turned to look at the surrounding inferno; his face was filled with anger and unwillingness. He grabbed Zhang Bao fiercely and shouted angrily, "This place is not suitable for us to stay! We must break through!" Zhang Bao looked disheveled, covered in dust and blood; gritting his teeth he replied, "But brother, our troops are scattered; how can we break out?"
Zhang Liang glared with bloodshot eyes; suddenly drawing his sword he swung it down upon a soldier blocking their path while shouting furiously: "Fight with me to the death! If we do not escape today, we shall all become souls under the Imperial Army's blades!" He led what remained of his soldiers as they struggled toward a breakthrough in the northwest direction.
Under the glow of the flames, Xuan De suddenly reined in his warhorse, spotting Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao leading a small contingent attempting to break through. He turned to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and said, "Do not let the bandit leader escape! Follow me in pursuit!" Zhang Fei let out a loud roar and spurred his horse forward. With a swift thrust of his spear, he pierced through the air, sending a Yellow Turban Soldier screaming as he was impaled, blood spraying into the air. Guan Yu urged his horse to chase after them, the gleam of the Green Dragon Crescent Blade flashing as he swung it, causing several more enemies to fall.
Behind Zhang Liang, cries of despair echoed as soldiers screamed in panic. He suddenly turned around and saw a black flag with white characters fluttering in the wind, emblazoned with the character "Liu." His eyes widened in fury, teeth grinding together as he shouted, " Xuan De! Do not push your luck!"
Just as Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao fought desperately to break free, a sudden sound of thundering hooves approached from ahead, shaking the ground beneath them. Through the thick smoke emerged a cavalry unit clad in red armor, blocking their path. At the forefront was a tall general, standing seven feet tall with sharp eyes and a long beard, wielding a gleaming blade with a cold gaze like steel. He shouted, "Rebel Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao! You will find no escape today!"
Zhang Liang's expression changed drastically as he turned to Zhang Bao and urged urgently, "It's Cao Cao! Quickly, follow me to break through!" Zhang Bao gripped his sword tightly, his voice trembling as he replied, "Brother, what… what should we do?"
Cao Cao wasted no time giving them a chance to breathe; he raised his great sword high and commanded angrily, "All troops, attack!"
With the order given, red flags waved as thousands of elite cavalry surged forward like an iron tide against the remnants of the Yellow Turban Army. The sound of hooves thundered like rolling thunder; blades flashed like waves. Leading the charge was Cao Cao himself, who brought down his blade with deadly precision on a Yellow Turban Colonel, blood gushing forth. He then coldly swung his sword again, toppling several more foes without pause.
Zhang Liang gritted his teeth and swung his sword desperately to fend off the attacks but was steadily pushed back by Cao Cao's relentless assault. In the firelight, Cao Cao's gaze was merciless; each strike was clean and decisive, claiming one life after another. He rode closer to Zhang Liang and sternly commanded, "Zhang Liang, kneel and surrender; perhaps you may be spared!"
Zhang Liang roared in defiance and countered with his blade; sparks flew as their weapons clashed. He staggered slightly under Cao Cao's strength. Seeing this, Zhang Bao shouted and rushed in to assist him but was met by Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade sweeping across him, forcing him back repeatedly.
"Do not panic, Brother Zhang Bao!" Zhang Liang gasped for breath as he gritted his teeth to hold firm against Cao Cao's third strike. However, at that moment, Zhang Fei's spear thrust from the side aimed directly at Zhang Liang's throat. His pupils constricted as he desperately sidestepped to avoid the fatal blow but still felt the spear tip slice across his arm, blood pouring out.
Realizing that they were cornered by enemy forces, Zhang Liang finally understood that their situation was dire. Gritting his teeth to steady himself, he grabbed Zhang Bao's hand and shouted, "Run! We will retreat for now and fight another day!" The two turned their horses around and fled in haste while their remaining troops followed closely behind to protect their escape route.
Cao Cao snorted coldly as he sheathed his sword and ordered with a wave of his hand, "All troops pursue! Do not let a single one escape!" He watched as Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao fled into the distance; a cold glint flashed in his eyes before he turned his horse back to regroup with Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun to discuss their next steps in eliminating the bandits.
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