Chapter 403: Broken...
The idea that Yuan Shao would be able to accomplish something because he cared about the Han Dynasty was nonsense.
But at this time, sending troops is undoubtedly more in line with Yuan Shao's interests than postponing it.
Although the current situation did not meet his expectations, the principle that time was not on his side had become an almost ingrained understanding in him after he had lost land and people one after another due to Qiao Yan's interference.
If we delay any further, no one can guarantee that no other soldiers will be sent to Yanzhou from Yingchuan or Hulao Pass. It is better to make a decision first.
After all, the attitude of the Yanzhou families has been clearly revealed in their conversations with Yuan Shao in the past few days.
Xu You also made observations and verifications from the side for Yuan Shao, confirming that they really regarded Yuan Shao as their life-saving straw in the central leadership.
Now Zhong Yao came to deliver the letter on behalf of Chen Gong, and was even surprised to see Yuan Shao showing an unusually friendly attitude afterwards...
This allowed Yuan Shao to further see the attitude of the Ruying family towards him.
Neither Qiao Yan nor Cao Cao had the same position as Yuan Shao to satisfy the interests of the aristocratic families, which became a crucial link in his turning the situation around at this time.
Then sending troops this time is certainly feasible!
"Do you think this situation is similar to the Suanzao Alliance back then?" Guo Jia asked while sitting in the tent.
Just when Cao Cao was about to ask Guo Jia why he had such an association, he suddenly realized that there was indeed some similarity.
The Suanzao League that year was held to fight against Dong Zhuo who was in Luoyang City. Logically, Lu Zhi was the leader of the league, but Yuan Shao's background as a fourth-generation noble helped him to win over a group of people around him. Even the ridiculous move of borrowing grain from Qiao Yan was proposed by him.
And now, he once again connected all the teams gathered in Yanzhou. He painted a future with considerable benefits and appeared in front of people in a way that did not have much actual combat power.
Guo Jia smiled and said, "What's even more interesting is that during the Suanzao Alliance, the former governor of Dongjun would rather obey Yuan Benchu's orders than invite his clansmen to join forces. The same situation exists now."
The former governor of Dongjun was none other than Qiao Mao, a relative of Qiao Yan and a nephew of Qiao Xuan. He followed Yuan Shao to fight at that time, but was killed by Hu Zhen and Hua Xiong at Hulao Pass.
And today, in Yuan Shao's team that was about to go to Yongqiu for a battle, the Qiao family of Liang State was among them.
Cao Cao didn't know about this at first, but Guo Jia already had all the members of the "Yuan Shao Alliance" in his hands, so he naturally told him about it.
Now hearing this analogy, he couldn't help but feel a little angry.
What on earth were the Qiaos thinking?
Although Qiao Yan had separated his clan from them shortly after he took office as Grand Marshal, as long as Yanzhou was under the jurisdiction of the Chang'an court, even if Qiao Yan ignored them, when the children of the Qiao family stood in the court with their own talents, would anyone make things difficult for them?
Not to mention, the daughter of Qiao Rui and Qiao Mao changed from the original Liang State Sui Yang Qiao family to the Leping Qiao family. Isn't this already sending a signal?
When it comes to matters of clan affiliation, it all comes down to Qiao Yan's attitude.
Back then, they were not allowed to have a family relationship with Qiao Yan because of their arrogance, but now they can completely fight for this position back with their own abilities.
But today they thought that Yuan Shao could become the savior who could help them regain their status and position, which was no different from completely severing this relationship.
When Cao Cao thought about it this way, he felt that he had to worry much less about his relationships with relatives.
In this situation where he was almost held hostage, he saw Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren obey Man Chong's well-reasoned arrangements, while Cao Ang and Cao Hong tried their best to defend the camp. Compared with the stupidity of the Liang State's Qiao family, they were many times wiser.
However, there is no need to brag at this time. After all, the huge size of the clan may not be a good thing for the surrendered ministers. I am afraid that once everything in Yanzhou is settled, they will be divided into nine states, no, it should be said that they will be divided into various places in the eleven states. This is in line with Qiao Yan's requirements to control the situation.
Cao Cao just asked in between the conversations: "By the way, what do you think of your majesty's arrangements for them?"
Guo Jia replied: "Your Majesty has already said that those who resist will die."
This conclusive statement did not include any additional preferential treatment for the Qiao family of Liang.
But this really cannot be blamed on Qiao Yan for being ruthless.
If there was another family with such a leader who had ascended the throne when the Han Dynasty was in decline, I am afraid they would not be able to draw a line between themselves and her in this way.
Since the current situation in Yanzhou has forced us to resort to warfare to quell the chaos, why should we specifically single it out and show mercy to it?
Cao Cao understood and replied, "Then let's handle it impartially."
On the day after Zhong Yao was sent out, Cao Ren in Dingtao had already noticed Yuan Shao's advance by sending scouts to the east.
Yuan Shao's rare display of initiative may have been demonstrated here.
After confirming that they would march towards Yongqiu, Yuan Shao immediately led these children from aristocratic families, crossed Daye Lake from Shouzhang, passed through Juye, and arrived at Changyi in Shanyang.
Changyi is not far from Dingtao.
This place is connected to Dingtao through the Ji River. If Yuan Shao wanted to facilitate his march, he would definitely pass through Dingtao, and then march to Chenliu and go straight to Yongqiu.
But Cao Ren did not take any action.
In the pitch-black night that night, he looked at Yuan Shao's marching troops from afar, with a calm yet solemn expression on his face.
Now is not the time for him to take action.
At this time, the Yanzhou noble families under Yuan Shao's command were indeed basically in place, but with the number of soldiers stationed here, even if they could really catch Yuan Shao off guard, it was still far from being able to wipe him out in one fell swoop.
He must be lured further into the trap, completely trapped in the cage that surrounds him on all sides.
In the imperial edict sent by Guo Jia to this place, a somewhat special arrangement was given to Cao Ren:
He did not have to pretend to be a garrison general who had been bribed by the Yanzhou nobles and entertain Yuan Shao's mixed group. The only thing he had to do was to continue guarding the city gates and stay indoors.
He didn't even need to tell Yuan Shao who the defenders of the city were, nor did he have to raise any banners to pretend his identity.
"It's amazing." Cao Ren looked at the troops that gradually disappeared from his sight and murmured, "Yuan Shao actually didn't come to attack the city to ensure that the towns along the way were within his control.
But it is not surprising that Yuan Shao would do such a thing.
If Guo Jia were to explain it to him, he would probably tell Cao Ren that the smartest way to lure the enemy into a trap is not to give him a green light all the way, allowing him to advance straight ahead even though he is in the enemy's territory.
Given Yuan Shao's suspicious character, it was inevitable that he would doubt him.
Therefore, to make him pause halfway was actually a way of using clever force.
Previously, in the areas of Juye and Changyi that Yuan Shao passed through, due to the assistance of the Yanzhou nobles, although they did not yet reach the point of welcoming him with food and drink, the officials guarding the city had already been informed in advance and turned a blind eye to their actions of taking rations from the treasury. It was almost as if they had the words "welcome the new master" written on their heads.
Dingtao seemed like a completely different surprise.
Dingtao had its gates tightly closed. If it weren't for the defenders walking back and forth on the city walls, it would almost be suspected to be a dead city.
Seeing that Yuan Shao showed a bit of displeasure when he received the news, someone in the team immediately said: "Most of the children of Yanzhou's noble families do not live in Jiyin. In Jiyin, Shangcheng, Juyang, Dingtao and other places are prosperous, and the nobles are unwilling to associate with them. We really don't know what the situation is in Dingtao County."
"If the general is dissatisfied with this and thinks that we should attack one city at a time, why don't we attack this place overnight? Dingtao is located in the hinterland of Yanzhou and Yuzhou, so there can't be many garrisons there. It shouldn't be difficult to capture the city gate."
But what surprised the person who spoke was that he received a negative response from Yuan Shao.
Even when he looked at Yuan Shao's face again, he could no longer see any displeasure on that face.
Yuan Shao said: "No need, we will cross this place overnight."
Yuan Shao originally felt that the army composed of these private soldiers of the aristocratic families was incapable, and this was even more so when compared with the relatives of the Chenliu Gao family. If some trouble arose during the attack on Dingtao, it would cause the already hesitant Chen Gong to choose Cao Cao, which would cause big trouble.
From Yuan Shao's perspective, the defenders of Dingtao only closed the city gates and did not take any action to stop them, nor did they allow their people to enter the city to report their identities. This was actually not a bad thing.
In the tug-of-war among forces in Yanzhou, it was impossible for everyone to bow down to him as he wished as soon as they heard his identity. It was even more impossible for everyone to think that the Yanzhou noble families sent troops at this time to relieve Cao Cao's worries, rather than an act of provoking the authority of the Yanzhou governor.
Sending troops without the permission of the governor is actually an act of usurpation!
So some people are still loyal to Cao Cao, some choose to follow the coordination of the Yanzhou family, and some would rather stand in the position of a bystander at this time, turning a blind eye to this strange march, and just want to wait until the situation is settled and obey the orders of the "Yanzhou Mu". Is this an incomprehensible behavior?
Of course not!
Anyway, when the dust settles, even if they have any intention of fulfilling their duties, they will not be able to take any actions that go against the trend.
Among all the counties he passed through, the only one with such special performance was Dingtao, which showed that Cao Cao had already lost control over most of the areas in Yanzhou. Perhaps the only one that could truly obey his command was Dongjun, which was not bad news at all.
Chenliu in front has been under the control of Zhang Miao for many years and it is impossible for it to belong to Cao Cao. What else does he have to worry about?
As Yuan Shao was thinking about this, the rejection he received in Dingtao not only did not make him retreat, but instead made him more determined to go to Chenliu for a battle!
After passing Dingtao County, this team of soldiers traveling in the night finally looked less independent and autonomous than the private soldiers of the gentry, and had more of an army style. After making a brief rest in a small town west of Dingtao, they headed towards Yongqiu, which Chen Gong had mentioned as their target.
However, the previous overnight journey does not mean that this will be a quick advance.
Yuan Shao even stopped for a while around Jiyang on his way west along the Ji River.
"Shouldn't we attack Yongqiu quickly?" Yuan Shao's slow-paced strategy did not escape Zhong Yao's eyes, and he immediately questioned, "General, please don't forget that the power transition in Yanzhou must not give the Chang'an court an opportunity to take advantage of it. Otherwise, if Yanzhou is lost, what is the point of our actions?"
Seeing Yuan Shao winking at him, Xu You quickly stepped forward and stood in front of Zhong Yao, "Mr. Yuan Chang, please don't be angry. Let me ask you two questions first."
"From Mr. Yuan Chang's perspective, how long would it take for us to break through the city gate of Yongqiu? I mean... based on the abilities of these soldiers."
Zhong Yao frowned, and as he looked at the soldiers around him, his expression became more depressed.
He was obviously well aware that these hastily assembled personnel were at most used to fill manpower gaps, and could not really play any significant role in the battle to capture cities and territories.
Perhaps at this moment the Yingchuan soldiers in Yongqiu have already headed north and are in battle with Cao Cao, and there are not many people stationed in Yongqiu. But if there is still strength to fight here, will this army that has passed through half of Yanzhou and arrived at Chenliu become a trophy to boost the enemy's morale because of this head-on confrontation?
"One more thing. I think Mr. Yuan Chang should have heard the principle of pacifying the country before fighting against foreign enemies. If Chen Gongtai's guess is correct, Cao Mengde really teamed up with the pseudo-dynasty army to harm Zhang Mengzhuo. If we want to keep Yanzhou, we must first get rid of the traitor."
"As long as we slow down the march a little bit, so that the news of the reinforcements can reach Cao Mengde's ears, it will be enough for Chen Gongtai to make a judgment, right?"
Zhong Yao hesitated for a moment and then replied: "Then let's act according to this plan first."
What made Yuan Shao and Xu You a little depressed was that they even stationed their troops in Waihuang for half a day on their way from Jiyang to Yongqiu, and did not wait for Chen Gong's next arrangement.
Seeing that Yuan Shao's face was also showing a bit of impatience, Zhong Yao could not help but say: "Perhaps it is because Luoyang has sent reinforcements to Hulao Pass, so they have no time to pay attention to the actions here. Why don't I go there immediately and find out the truth?"
Yuan Shao thought for a moment and agreed to Zhong Yao's suggestion.
His slow march did not mean that he wanted to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring Cao Cao down.
If he cannot determine the situation here as soon as possible, he may seem to have taken the initiative to attack Cao Cao, but in fact he is still in a passive situation.
"Then I'll have to trouble Mr. Yuan Chang. However, the forces here are mixed right now, and there are troops under Qiao Yan operating in this area. For Mr. Yuan Chang's safety, it's better to bring more people with you."
Also traveling with Zhong Yao this time were the children of Shouzhang Wang.
Rather than saying that he wanted to escort Zhong Yao to where Cao Cao and Chen Gong were, it would be more accurate to say that Yuan Shao still had some doubts about Zhong Yao and hoped that someone could observe the situation on his behalf.
Zhong Yao didn't seem to care about this "surveillance" and immediately led his men to the northwest.
But after just one day, the young man from Shouzhang Wang's family fled back to Yuan Shao in an extremely distracted state.
“Something…something happened!”
The look of shock on his face did not need any words to describe. Facing the gazes of Yuan Shao and others, the young man swallowed again and said, "I'm afraid Cao Mengde is really going to surrender to Chang'an. Mr. Yuan Chang and I went north to Pingqiu and saw that the city was already under siege."
"siege?"
"Yes, Cao Mengde is outside the city, Zhang Menggao and Zang Ziyuan are inside the city. Cao Mengde can't quickly attack the city, and General Zhang can't leave the city either. The situation is at a stalemate. Because these two generals appeared on the top of the city wall on Pingqiu, I could see it clearly."
Yuan Shao quickly asked, "Then where is Chen Gongtai?"
When the young man heard Yuan Shao ask this question, he became more and more panicked. "I don't know, but Mr. Yuan Chang told me not to enter the military camp first. Let him go in and find out the situation. If he can come out, it means Chen Gongtai is fine. He will tell me how to arrange it. But if he can't come out, he is probably detained. Please let me know as soon as possible. "
"Then, I saw that he had not appeared for a long time, so I hurried back."
"Just that?" Yuan Shao asked coldly.
Zhong Yao's disappearance at this time may not be a good thing.
"No... not only that, when we were halfway there, we saw a coffin heading for Junyi County. It was dressed like the soldiers of Yanzhou. Thinking that we were more numerous, we intercepted it."
"After we intercepted him, we found out that the person lying in the coffin was the famous scholar from Chenliu, Bian Rang and Bian Wenli!"
The corners of the young man's lips were trembling with fear. He never expected that the situation, which they thought was a sure win, would develop to this point silently.
Bian Rang's identity meant that he was destined to be a protected figure in the army. Unless he really encountered an extremely special situation, how could he be allowed to go to the battlefield and die?
The only one who could kill him could be Cao Cao!
"Mr. Wenli likes wine and banquets. I have met him several times before and I would never mistake him. I ordered a few people to send him back to Junyi and then hurried back."
He didn't dare to think about it anymore.
Now that Bian Rang is dead, what about Chen Gong? Where is Zhong Yao who just returned to the military camp?
How long can Zhang Chao and Zang Hong, who are now trapped in Pingqiu City, hold out?
This sudden situation also caught Yuan Shao off guard.
If he was in Yecheng at this time and heard such news, what he should have done was to lead the Jizhou troops south and hold Cao Cao accountable in the name of the Yecheng court. However, he was in Chenliu at this time and had a team of private soldiers from aristocratic families under his command.
How could he deal with this incident in the usual way?
Perhaps he could choose to retreat directly while Cao Cao was besieging Pingqiu. At least, if Cao Cao had not noticed their arrival, their departure would not cause any commotion.
But Yuan Shao also knew that if he really made such a decision, those Yanzhou noble families who still supported him would not only be disappointed in him, but his cowardly behavior would also become known to all the states tomorrow.
Judging from Qiao Yan's behavior of always reporting things in the Leping Monthly Report, Yuan Shao had no need to doubt the speed at which the matter would spread.
And this is just the smallest of the impacts.
Can he really bear the result of both Yanzhou and Yuzhou falling into Qiao Yan's hands?
No, absolutely not!
What he couldn't accept in particular was that he got such a result even though he had already arrived in Yanzhou.
Yuan Shao's pride, which had been destroyed many times, was almost completely aroused in the current predicament.
After temporarily settling the Shouzhang Wang family member down and strictly forbidding him to contact other people, he said to Xu You: "I plan to launch a surprise attack on Pingqiu City."
He stated his own decision and did not question Xu You as he had done before.
Yuan Shao continued, "You and I both know that if Zhang Menggao and Zang Ziyuan are trapped in the city now, when Cao Mengde mobilizes troops from Dongjun to the south, they will be even less likely to fight back. They can only be trapped there to death, or die when the city is broken. The only chance is that the manpower difference between the two sides is not too big at the moment, and someone can attack the city at this time, open a gap, and give the people in the city a chance to break out!"
If Zhang Chao and Zang Hong were such incompetent people, Yuan Shao might not have made this decision.
But they were not like that. With Zhang Miao already dead and Cao Cao launching a siege against them, would they really turn a blind eye to the opportunity provided by Yuan Shao's rescue?
If Yuan Shao could understand this principle, Xu You could certainly understand it as well.
But for some reason, when he thought of the news he brought back from Pingqiu, he always felt an indescribable worry in his heart.
This inevitably made him show some resistance to Yuan Shao's plan to advance.
But seeing Yuan Shao giving him a warning look, obviously not wanting him to continue to behave like this, Xu You retracted his expression and said, "If you really don't plan to change this plan, it's fine, but in the attack on the camp, you are not... Please don't rush to the front."
Yuan Shao's face darkened for a moment.
How could he not hear what Xu You omitted in that suspicious pause at this moment.
What Xu You said was that he was not Qiao Yan after all.
However, thinking that Xu You had taken a considerable risk by accompanying him to Yanzhou, Yuan Shao took back the accusation he was about to make.
Forget it, if he can’t win on this point, then we’ll see after he defeats Cao Mengde!
It would be much easier for Yuan Shao to convince the other parties present than to convince Xu You.
Yuan Shao still has a way out, but these people do not.
The news of Bian Rang's death, Zhang Miao's death, and the siege of Zhang Chao and Zang Hong all seemed to be a template for their future. Unless they have the ability to move mountains and fill the sea, or create immortals from the ground, and move their entire families directly to Jizhou in a short period of time, they must face this reality.
Before they could take any action, Cao Cao had already initiated a reckoning against the Yanzhou aristocratic families!
If they could really attack the military camp outside Pingqiu City and force the defenders in the city to rush out together, they could defeat Cao Cao with the help of both inside and outside forces. Even if it meant sacrificing a lot of manpower, it would still be better than everyone dying together.
General Yuan Shao did not leave at this time, but decided to fight north with them in order to have a chance of a Jedi counterattack, which gave them more confidence.
Near dusk, they arrived near Pingqiu City and hid in a valley nearby.
The news brought back by the team that went ahead to investigate was almost the same as that brought back by the descendants of the Shouzhang Wang family.
Cao Cao's troops arrived at the city of Pingqiu, and the defenders in Pingqiu found it difficult to break through the surrounding defenses and escape.
Fortunately, Cao Cao did not have many people at the moment, and some of them were even unqualified people brought in from nowhere, which formed this seemingly huge team.
"Cao Mengde was able to stop the two generals from breaking out because of the numerical advantage of these soldiers. However, the two generals on the top of the city wall could not see the difference, but we who were watching from the bottom of the city wall could still see something."
Xu You wrote and drew on the map in front of him, indicating a route from their current position to the Pingqiu city gate. "Before dawn, when the military camp's defense is the weakest, that's when we will take action. We'll start from here!"
Cao Cao seemed to have focused all his attention on the Pingqiu defenders and did not even initiate any investigation in the surroundings. Perhaps he felt that in the Chenliu area, with Zhang Miao dead and Zhang Chao and Zang Hong trapped, no one could stop him.
But in Yuan Shao's view, this arrogance would immediately bring him a profound lesson and let him know what it means to have victory right in front of you but lose it all in one day!
When the first light of day came, Yuan Shao sat on his horse, pointed in the direction Xu You had chosen as the breakthrough point, and shouted, "Let's go!"
If he still remembered the lesson Gongsun Zan had once suffered, he should have known that this so-called sure-win attack on the camp might not be as smooth as he thought.
But in his impression, the only people left in Youzhou were Lu Bu and his gang who had robbed Gao Lan. How could he remember the battle that Gongsun Zan and Tadun had faced with Zhang Liao?
All his attention was focused on what was before him.
That was a location not too far from Cao Cao's military camp.
When the noise of the raid alarmed the military camp in the early morning, the vanguard cavalry of Yuan Shao's side had already rushed to the outskirts of the camp.
He finally selected a few good men from the army who were good at riding and had decent fighting skills, and had them perform powerfully at the forefront of the charge.
The superior weapons of the private soldiers of the aristocratic families did not disappoint Yuan Shao's expectations of them.
They relied on this advantage to break through the outer barrier and entered the camp in one fell swoop.
Those soldiers who Xu You judged were just filling in the numbers were extremely panicked in the face of this sudden attack on the camp. Even when the cavalry who rushed into the camp set a fire in the camp in an attempt to let the defenders on the city wall see the unusual movement, they just ran away in a panic, dragging their weapons.
When the cavalrymen in the rear were about to fall on them with long swords in their hands, they fell into the surrounding tents and sought shelter for themselves in the daylight before dawn.
In the chaotic battle, Yuan Shao could not judge how many enemies his soldiers had killed. He just gave an attack order to the rest of the soldiers in the rear at the moment when the vanguard troops succeeded in setting fire.
These private soldiers who had little experience in fighting others were filled with heroic spirit when they saw the vanguard's success in the atmosphere of facing the battlefield directly. They were unwilling to fall behind and rushed into the camp one by one.
Zang Hong and Zhang Chao took turns to keep watch in case of a sudden attack on the city. Standing on the top of the city wall at this moment, they would definitely not ignore this movement.
Looking from the top of Pingqiu City, the trail of fire seemed to have torn a sharp crack in the dark camp below, and it was spreading to both sides at an extremely fast speed.
Seeing this scene, he clenched the sword in his hand tightly.
The sound of weapons clashing below completely dispelled the little sleepiness he already felt.
This was definitely not a trick Cao Cao used to force them out of the city.
The situation of him and Zhang Chao defending the city was far worse than what Yuan Shao and his men had witnessed.
Cao Cao did not have Chen Gong as his military advisor, but he had Guo Jia, who was supposed to be at Hulao Pass, to plan the war with him.
In a situation where victory is already imminent, why should they let their subordinates suffer such unnecessary losses?
That should be the noble family from Yanzhou that Chen Gong had contacted earlier. They discovered the situation in Chenliu at this time and came here to provide support.
This support...
It’s really timely!
If they could seize this opportunity to leave the city, even if they could not counter Cao Cao, at least they would have the possibility of breaking free from their restraints.
He hurried down the city wall and made orders to the defenders in the city. Then he saw Zhang Chao rushing over after hearing the orders.
After hearing Zang Hong's quick judgment, Zhang Chao nodded and said, "I believe you. Let's fight our way out of the city together!"
If they fail to break out successfully, they will be captured by Cao Cao sooner or later and will have no way out.
If the unexpected events outside were actually a trick played by Cao Cao, they would be dead if they rashly left the city.
Since you're going to die anyway, why not choose a way that gives you a glimmer of hope?
Following the orders of these two decision makers, one of the gates of Pingqiu City was immediately opened. The defenders in the city responded to the direction of Yuan Shao's reinforcements and attacked Cao Cao's camp.
This should be when people are still drowsy.
However, due to the entry of another force, the battle at the foot of Pingqiu City has become increasingly fierce.
The fire became more and more intense as Yuan Shao's troops entered, and what was undoubtedly even more intense was the desire to survive in the hearts of the troops led by Zang Hong.
They rushed towards the fire at a speed much faster than usual, intending to break free from the tiny gap.
The swaying figures around them and the unclear vision at the junction of light and darkness did not hinder their steps.
They have to be faster than the enemy.
On the side that was their opponent, a figure had already moved and blocked their way.
This may not be the best time to fight, but it is the time they have to move!
If someone could look down from above where the battle was taking place, they would see a scene of boiling water and oil.
In this scene where it seems like everyone is taking action for their own goals, there is only one person left without taking any action.
But he is not simply still.
He had been staying in the nest car in the military camp for a night.
This statue-like state makes people think that there is no one on it.
When soldiers like a tide poured out of Pingqiu City and poured into the military camp, he finally slowly drew the bow in the dim light, drew the arrow in his hand, and pointed it in one direction in the distance.
Six years ago in Jingzhou, he shot an arrow that killed Sun Jian who was trying to go north.
And today, his hands, which had not been used in combat for a long time, were still surprisingly steady because of his daily training.
The taut bowstring seemed to be in a completely frozen state for a moment.
But the next moment, everything came alive again in Huang Zhong's hands.
The man is alive, the bow is alive, and the arrow released from his hand is even more alive!
Amid the hail of arrows flying in the chaotic battle, he clearly saw the trajectory of his arrow and knew that it would never miss.
The arrow pierced Zang Hong's throat with the speed and force of thunder.
The Yanzhou general covered his neck but was unable to stop the fatal arrow.
He fell off his horse and died before he even joined forces with the troops of Yuan Shao and others.
At the moment he fell to the ground, bursts of rapid drum beats suddenly rang out around him.
Yuan Shao looked around in astonishment and saw that the sea of fire they had set was separated from other places by two clear boundaries.
Around the tents that were still in dim light, torches lit up like countless pairs of eyes.
Each pair seemed to be looking in his direction.
At this moment, he no longer had the mood to care about Zang Hong's life or death.
A terrible thought has completely occupied his mind -
Oh no, I’ve fallen into a trap!
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