Chapter 318: Gongsun's End
"The Three Kings of Wuhuan?" Gongsun Zan was shocked when he heard the news, and then some absurd and ridiculous thoughts came to his mind.
The three Wuhuan kings were under the Wuhuan Chanyu Tadun, and one of them had already been annexed by Tadun. How could they directly bypass Tadun and provide support to Zhang Liao and others?
If this were true, Tadun would probably no longer exist.
Thinking of this, he said to his subordinates with a mocking tone: "I see that Zhang Liao did not make any preparations during the three years at Juyongguan. He was even kept in the dark about the annexation of the Liaodong vassal state. He actually thought he could fool me by relying on the banners of the three Wuhuan kings."
His subordinates who were sent to escort the messenger had already returned from Binhai Road. On the way back, they passed through Pinggu County, which was located between Hunu County and Binhai Road. This place was still under the control of their people.
But as soon as he said this, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought -
Is Zhang Liao someone who would make such a hasty arrangement?
At that time, he, Tadun and Kebi Neng's three reinforcements were trapped in the trap guarding the camp led by Zhang Liao, and they almost failed to break through the siege. Kebi Neng even died in the trap, which made him lose the possibility of winning over the Xianbei branch for his own use.
In the subsequent Battle of Binhai Road, Zhang Liao once again came over from Xuwu Mountain and rescued Liu Yu, allowing him to successfully return to Qiao Yan's hands and ascend the throne as emperor in Chang'an.
During the years that Zhang Liao was stationed at Juyongguan, he always maintained a steady and cautious approach to development. On the one hand, he gathered people from Guangyang and Yuyang who were unwilling to work under Gongsun Zan, and on the other hand, he continued the policy of pacifying the people that Liu Yu had implemented in Shanggu County. It was not until before the autumn harvest this year that he launched a westward expedition at a time that no one had expected.
The timing of launching the war and his performance of advancing all the way left no doubt about his confidence in this war!
Why would he need to pretend to be the Three Kings of Wuhuan?
As soon as his subordinate walked away from him, Gongsun Zan's face darkened.
Whether it is a tactic of confusing the enemy or not depends on who is the general doing it.
At this moment, it was difficult for Gongsun Zan not to make a judgment. Except for the Nanlou tribe that was annexed by Tadun, the other two tribes might have joined forces with Zhang Liao in an attempt to get rid of Tadun's oppression. Even the Nanlou tribe had elected a representative to show the grand occasion of the three kings coexisting under the Chanyu in the past.
They might not have killed Tadun in Liaodong first, but they had definitely become a team that posed a threat to Gongsun Zan!
If we also take into account Budugen who might appear outside the northern border, this is clearly a hunt that must be won!
Gongsun Zan looked at the night outside the house, feeling confused.
In order to deal with the alliance between Liu Yu and Bingzhou, he was able to be so decisive and wise to bring in two allies. Now he would not be directly defeated by the unexpected situation.
But the current situation is indeed difficult for him.
Yuyang seems to be an isolated city!
Even if Yuan Shao in Jizhou wanted to launch support for him, he had to cross the barrier between Anle County and Hunu County first, and the situation of Tadun in the Liaodong vassal state might not be as good as he imagined.
How can he get out of this situation?
After thinking for a while, Gongsun Zan called his subordinates together and said, "Zhang Liao in Hunu County has raised the banner of the three kings of Wuhuan to set up a false formation. There must not be many defenders in the city. I intend to promote a capable general to lead the troops to attack Hunu County, expose the enemy's trick, and boost our morale. I wonder who is willing to fight for me?"
Gongsun Zan did not tell his subordinates about his subsequent speculation.
Given his accumulated prestige as the governor of Youzhou over the past few years and his earlier military achievements, no one would have thought that what he said to his subordinates at this moment was clearly not his own judgment.
Someone immediately volunteered to take charge of the fox slave at night.
He praised his ability to remain calm in the face of danger and sent him out of Yuyang County. However, as he watched the team go away, a complicated look flashed across his face.
This complexity was not revealed in any way to his subordinates. The generals and soldiers who left Yuyang to send troops had no idea that they were sent by Gongsun Zan to act as pathfinders. They only felt that they were going to recapture Hu Nu County for the lord and break the fierce record of Zhang Liao and others who had captured several cities in a row.
However, when he arrived at the foot of Fox Slave City, a rapid burst of gongs and drums sounded in the silent night. The defenders on the city wall seemed to have anticipated his arrival and shot hundreds of arrows from the top of the city.
After the first round of shooting, the soldiers who were still able to survive turned around and saw two rows of cavalry rushing out of the woods behind them, charging towards them with the blazing flames on the top of the city wall.
Bingzhou Cavalry!
Still an elite division!
Even the soldiers who mostly followed the commander's orders would not make a mistake amid the shouting and killing of the approaching cavalry.
This is clearly a trap that has been fully prepared. How can it be an illusion of strength on the outside but weakness on the inside?
My Lord, you really made a wrong judgment.
But perhaps, Gongsun Zan did not make a wrong judgment about Hu Nu County, where the flags of the three kings of Wuhuan were raised.
The encirclement and escape in the night splashed layers of blood in the sparse moonlight.
Those Bingzhou cavalrymen who had gathered their strength were just like wild beasts that would never let go of their prey once they had locked onto it.
Afterwards, a group of infantrymen with torches in their hands rushed out from the Fox Slave City and started searching and chasing after Gongsun Zan's fleeing troops in all directions.
Even so, there were always some people who managed to escape from the pursuit and return to Yuyang County.
But when they finally returned to Yuyang on horseback after dawn, they discovered something extremely terrifying.
What did Gongsun Zan say about Hu Nu County being just under the banner of the Three Kings of Wuhuan, but actually being an empty city with not many defenders? On the contrary, Yuyang County at that time was an empty city with no defenders!
Just last night, he evacuated from here.
The soldiers who attacked Hunu County for him had no idea what excuses Gongsun Zan used to make the soldiers follow him and leave Yuyang after they left.
What they saw was that the vast majority of people in Yuyang County had no idea that the generals defending the city had evacuated overnight, and there was not even any state of unrest.
But regardless of whether these people are causing chaos or not, the more important thing right now is that Gongsun Zan asked them to attack the Fox Slaves not because he wanted them to win a battle, but because he wanted them to fall into a trap to give him a chance to escape.
How could there be such an irresponsible lord in the world!
Gongsun Zan didn't think there was anything wrong with his actions.
This is Youzhou, a place that fully demonstrates the survival of the fittest.
As long as he could break out of the current disadvantage of being besieged and return to the territories of Liaoxi and Liaodong, Zhang Liao and others, as they were not native to Youzhou, would sooner or later be expelled by him like Liu Yu.
His temporary retreat is only to make a better comeback later!
As for those soldiers who were left behind as sacrifices, he would naturally give them an explanation after he won. 1
Therefore, after the soldiers who attacked Hunu County left, he quietly gathered the other subordinates in the city, and left the city under the pretext of dividing the troops to attack Anle County, but in fact he went straight to Pinggu.
He knew very well that it might not be difficult to notice the large-scale withdrawal of troops from Yuyang in the dark, but since a troop had already been sent out to attack Fox Slave, it would be very difficult for Zhang Liao's team to respond promptly and effectively.
This is a good opportunity for him to retreat!
However, the soldiers who discovered Gongsun Zan's escape might not have thought that Gongsun Zan's act of abandoning his subordinates and fleeing did not bring him any good results.
When he led his army through Pinggu City and did not stop there but continued to move eastward, a team suddenly emerged from the gap in the northern Great Wall.
A team has been waiting here for a long time!
The Bingzhou cavalry, which directly split his cavalry into two parts, did not show any fatigue from lying dormant all night. Instead, they displayed a ferociousness that was frightening to the people as they charged towards both ends.
Gongsun Zan turned around hastily and saw a particularly eye-catching person in the team.
The horse he rode was indeed the best horse in the world, and the Fang Tian Huaji in his hand was reflecting golden light in the sunlight that was barely visible through the clouds.
If it’s not Lu Bu, then who else could it be!
Why is he here?
Gongsun Zan's expression was so ugly that it could not be described.
How could he have imagined that Zhang Liao did not regard "luring Gongsun Zan to the city of Hu Nu and launching an active attack" as a point of entry to break the situation, but relied on the strength of the attack and the signals given by Hu Nu to force Gongsun Zan to give up defending Yuyang.
The three years of observing Gongsun Zan were enough for him to see through Gongsun Zan's selfish character and the escape he might make when the battle situation was unfavorable.
Therefore, this ambush east of Pinggu, close to the dividing line between Yuyang and Youbeiping, was the real trap he set for Gongsun Zan!
Anyone could have just sat back and waited in such an ambush, except Lu Bu.
This is because once he entered the territory of Youbeiping, he would have to retreat, otherwise he would be disobeying Qiao Yan's orders.
This is the only time to take Gongsun Zan's life!
But perhaps even Lu Bu was a little helpless about Gongsun Zan's performance.
The strong performance of his world-famous White Horse Volunteers when they suppressed the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun in Yuyang was not revealed at all at this time. Instead, it only made them move faster in covering the rear and escaping than before.
In such a desperate situation, the speed of the Youzhou cavalry was not much slower than that of Lu Bu's cavalry composed of Dayuan BMW mounts. In addition, Gongsun Zan and his subordinates knew the environment of Yuyang much better than Lu Bu. Although this roundabout pursuit did not allow Gongsun Zan to successfully get rid of Lu Bu, it also did not allow him to catch up directly.
"This kid wants to compete with me in endurance?" Lu Bu wanted to curse as he held his Fang Tian Hua Ji in his hand.
It wasn't so troublesome when he chased the Xianbei Chanyu back then. Gongsun Zan was quite good at running.
He repeatedly wanted to put down the weapon in his hand, switch to his longbow, and shoot Gongsun Zan directly, but his combat instincts acquired over the years made Gongsun Zan either dodge the arrows shot by Lu Bu or increase the distance again and put him out of range.
But if it comes to endurance, how could Gongsun Zan's mount be a match for Red Hare?
When the escape lasted nearly half a day, Gongsun Zan could clearly feel that the speed of his mount had slowed down.
Not only the mount, but also under the rising sunlight at noon, Gongsun Zan felt that his energy was almost reaching its limit. Even in front of him there seemed to be an afterimage caused by drowsiness.
But suddenly, a series of hurried horse hoof sounds appeared in front of him, which forced him to perk up a little.
He raised his eyes and looked forward, and unexpectedly saw Tadun's face.
At this moment, Gongsun Zan had forgotten all his previous fatigue, and was left with only gratitude for the arrival of reinforcements.
Although according to the normal travel expenses, the messenger he sent to the vassal state of Liaodong should not have appeared in front of Tadun at this time, or even to the point of being able to bring Tadun to him.
Or maybe the appearance of Tadun did not mean the arrival of allies, but another team coming to encircle the enemy.
But he no longer wanted to engage in this hopeless escape in which he would be shot down if he relaxed even a little.
Even if they died at the hands of Tadun, they could still say that it was an internal fight among the people of Youzhou, rather than being forced into such a situation by the invading Lu Bu and Zhang Liao!
He stared intently at the face that seemed familiar in the distance, and felt that the scorching summer sun and the long chase had caused hallucinations in his mind. He actually saw the horse's head appear above Tadun, and there was another unfamiliar face behind it.
What a bizarre sight, it’s simply... a joke?
In an instant, Gongsun Zan suddenly pulled the reins and felt cold all over.
He woke up to the sound of horses' hooves approaching from both sides.
He also clearly saw that it was not an optical illusion caused by the strong light, but Tadun's head had been chopped off and hung in front of the horse. It was taken as a trophy to show off, and it was galloping towards him along with the warhorse.
It was not just Tadun who was treated like this!
The heads of the Wuhuan people, which bore their iconic features, were hung in front of each of the cavalry's horses.
This extremely unique approach made it impossible for Gongsun Zan to feel that he had any chance to take advantage of the situation even though they were led by a young girl. He just felt cold all over.
Now that Tadun is dead, does he really have a chance to escape?
Gongsun Zan didn't know the answer.
He only knew that at this moment, his body's instinct had overwhelmed his mind, and he turned his horse's head without hesitation and galloped south.
But before he walked far, he heard a sound of bells in front of him, which seemed to be calling for his life.
What kind of feeling is that...
The ringing of bells, horse hooves, shouts of killing and the long wind from Youzhou mixed together, forming a quagmire that tightly wrapped him up.
Gongsun Zan couldn't even tell whether his mechanical movements when he tried to raise his gun to fight back actually hit any of his opponents.
But soon he felt a sharp pain in his forehead, throat and chest.
Due to the shock of the penetrating wound, he fell off the horse before he could even grab the reins.
It was impossible for him to know what happened next.
Because he had been trampled on the chest by the warhorse, which was like stepping on a spark, suppressing his last breath.
He is dead.
The battle soon came to an end.
When the team that was also advancing from the east forcefully rushed into the group of deserters, it was almost like a butcher chasing chickens and ducks that had no power to fight back.
Gan Ning, who was supposed to be patrolling at sea in the south, hurried ashore after the scouts on the shore reported Gongsun Zan's movements. He just happened to catch such a encirclement and suppression, and completed the capture of the fish that had escaped the net.
Lu Bu's troops also rushed up from the rear and intercepted the pursuit of Gongsun Zan in the territory of Yuyang County, without violating the execution of the restrictions he had given to Qiao Yan.
Gradually, the suburbs of Yuyang County were left with only the subtle sounds of war horses shaking their tails and raising their feet, and the county returned to silence.
Seeing this, the three teams, from the leaders to the subordinates, breathed a sigh of relief because they had successfully completed the mission.
However, it was too early to relax.
When Gongsun Zan's body was brought to everyone after cleaning up the battlefield, a very serious question arose.
Almost all the people who were there to surround and kill Gongsun Zan were skilled in archery, and in the action to wipe out the remaining forces just now, everyone shot an arrow to grab the credit for killing Gongsun Zan.
Who made them afraid of the pursuit and blockade from three sides, so their teammates and competitors got to Gongsun Zan first.
Their superior archery skills allowed them to draw their bows and arrows almost intuitively and hit the center of their chosen targets. As a result, several arrows hit Gongsun Zan's body, and judging from the locations where they hit, they could all be considered fatal.
For example, the feather arrow that Lu Lingju made in imitation of Qiao Yan pierced Gongsun Zan's forehead.
The small arrow that Gan Ning was used to shooting had a very tricky angle and appeared right at Gongsun Zan's throat, hitting the broken gap in his armor.
The three-stone bow used by Lu Bu and the two-stone bow used by Taishi Ci had extremely strong penetrating power. One arrow penetrated Gongsun Zan's back, and another arrow penetrated his side, piercing his lungs.
From this perspective, it seems that everyone is responsible for Gongsun Zan's death.
So, who should be credited with the killing of Gongsun Zan?
One of the generals, a father and daughter, had no intention of giving the credit to the other. Instead, they both felt that they had achieved the greatest success, which made the scene before them even more dramatic.
When Zhang Liao and Gongsun Du arrived here late, one from the west and the other from the east, they saw the scene of people staring at each other in bewilderment at Gongsun Zan's corpse.
Gongsun Du spoke, trying to break the awkward silence: "How about... you decide by drawing lots?"
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