Next to the table, Zhang Liao sat, a smile on his face as he raised his wine cup and bowed, saying, “General, I offer you a toast to celebrate our great victory today!”
Guan Yu raised his wine cup, clinked it against Zhang Liao’s, and drained it.
Stroking his beard, he looked at Zhang Liao beside him and laughed heartily, “In today’s battle, Wen Yuan performed exceptionally, achieving outstanding merit. I will certainly report the detailed results of this battle to the Prefect.”
“Promotion is just around the corner.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao’s smile grew even wider. A promotion was naturally a good thing.
As the saying goes, a soldier who doesn’t want to be a General is not a good soldier.
He had always dreamt of becoming a great General, commanding thousands of soldiers and horses, sweeping across the nomadic tribes of the grasslands—that was what a man should aspire to.
So, the two began to clink cups and chat, their relationship growing closer.
After three rounds of wine and five courses of food, Zhang Liao let out a burp, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, “General, I have another good idea.”
Guan Yu heard this, let out a soft “Oh,” and immediately waved his hand, smiling as he said, “Wen Yuan, just speak your mind.”
Zhang Liao didn’t waste words but spoke directly, “General, since the Xianbei outside Yanmen Pass have been defeated by us, there is no longer any threat.”
“Given this, we can take this opportunity to leave the pass from here, bypass directly to the rear of Dingxiang Commandery, and encircle Fan Jin’s Xianbei army.”
“Then, cooperating with the Prefect’s various forces, we can collectively annihilate them. The Xianbei army will undoubtedly be defeated, completely resolving the war.”
“We can even bypass to the rear of the Xianbei main camp and, while they are unsuspecting, launch a surprise attack. This will definitely achieve unexpected results.”
“After all, the Xianbei leader has already stationed a contingent of troops outside Yanmen Pass, so he naturally knows the rear is sufficiently safe and will certainly have no defenses.”
“What do you think of this suggestion, General?”
Guan Yu heard this, gently put down his wine cup, stroked his beard, and fell into deep thought.
Zhang Liao’s thoughts were exactly the same as his own. He had long considered in his mind that as soon as the Xianbei troops outside the pass were defeated, he would certainly send troops to Dingxiang Commandery to assist his elder brother.
But Zhang Liao’s plan was very detailed. By bypassing from the rear, the Xianbei soldiers would definitely have no defenses, which could achieve a great effect.
A moment later, Guan Yu nodded, a shrewd look in his eyes, and said loudly, “This plan is feasible.”
“However, we must march quickly and not linger here, lest the escaped Xianbei soldiers relay this news back to the Xianbei main camp.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao nodded and continued, “Without further ado, let us distribute those thousand-plus warhorses. With one horse per person, we can quickly reach Dingxiang Commandery, giving the Xianbei no time to react.”
After the two had settled on their plan, they immediately began to consolidate their forces.
Only five hundred men were left to guard Yanmen Pass, while the remaining thousand-plus men, led by Guan Yu and Zhang Liao, departed from the area.
They galloped towards Dingxiang Commandery without stopping, fearing they might miss the opportune moment and allow the Xianbei army to react.
In Zhongping Second Year, mid-June!
You Fufeng, Huaili City!
On the city wall, Dong Zhuo, clad in a long robe and with a sharp blade at his waist, stood surrounded by his Generals.
He stood there, a solemn expression in his eyes, gazing into the distance.
Before him, the enemy camp stretched for dozens of li, its banners fluttering, an imposing sight.
It felt as if dark clouds were pressing down from the sky, surging towards this place.
After observing for a moment, Dong Zhuo sighed softly and slowly said, “These Xi Liang Rebels are so powerful. Facing the encirclement of our imperial army, they not only resist with ease but even hold the upper hand.”
“Especially after a major defeat some time ago, they actually forced us into the Three Auxiliary Regions, where we can only defend the city and wear them down.”
At this point, Dong Zhuo’s face grew even more solemn, even showing a hint of regret.
If he had known these Xi Liang Rebels were so strong, he should not have stepped forward to assume the position of Commander with Imperial Authority. Not only had he gained no merit, but he had also suffered continuous defeats.
This had led to immense pressure during this period. He was terrified of being defeated by these rebels. Even if he escaped alive, he would likely be purged by the imperial court.
Especially since news had just arrived from the imperial court that two more Xianbei armies were invading from the Bing Province direction.
The news shocked the court and the common people. All civil and military officials felt apprehensive, especially His Majesty, who was extremely anxious. The Xi Liang Rebels had not yet been pacified, and the Xianbei were stirring up trouble again, making him fear for the stability of the Han Dynasty.
He had already issued a death order, instructing himself and Huangfu Song to quickly force these rebels back to Western Liang, absolutely forbidding them from remaining in the Three Supports and threatening Guanzhong and Luoyang.
If no good results were achieved within a short time, both of them would likely be dismissed from their official positions, and the merits established during the pacification of the Yellow Turban would be completely lost.
Li Ru, standing beside him, seeing his father-in-law’s worried expression, quickly tried to reassure him, “General, do not worry. Although the Xi Liang Rebels outside the city are powerful, we have the city as our stronghold, and three tens of thousands of elite troops. They cannot breach it.”
“Furthermore, Huangfu Song’s tens of thousands of troops are stationed on the flank, forming a pincer movement with our army, putting us in an impregnable position.”
Dong Zhuo heard this, frowned, and his hoarse voice came out, “Wen You, we can certainly hold the city, and the Xi Liang Rebels will have no recourse. But the current situation is urgent. With the Xianbei invading from the Bing Province direction, the imperial court has given me a death order.”
“We cannot keep defending. We must find a way to counterattack and repel the Xi Liang Rebels before us. At the very least, we must ensure the stability of the Three Auxiliary Regions.”
“If even this matter cannot be handled well, do you think I can continue to hold this position of Commander with Imperial Authority?”
Li Ru heard this, his expression still calm. After some thought, he continued, “General, according to my observations during this period, there seems to have been some unrest within this Xi Liang Rebel army.”
“Our turning point should be here.”
Dong Zhuo heard this, and his somber face instantly showed a hint of joy. He eagerly asked, “Wen You, how do you know?”
Li Ru didn’t waste words. He pointed his finger towards the military camps outside the city, and his voice slowly came out, “These days, the rebel camps are very separated, estimated to be several li apart. They are no longer closely spaced, forming a solid defense, as they were before.”
“Now, they are loose and disorganized, so I conclude that there has been unrest among the Xi Liang Rebels, seemingly a struggle for power, causing many leaders to become wary, to prevent being swallowed up by others. That is why the camps are separated.”
Dong Zhuo heard these words and immediately looked towards the front.
Although the rebel camps stretched for dozens of li, they were fighting independently and were very far apart, not connected.
Thinking of this, his heart rejoiced. This situation was indeed as Li Ru had said: it was very likely that internal conflicts had arisen, leading to a defensive mentality. Otherwise, it would not be like this.
