Chapter 82: Beheading Sun Jian to Overlook the Capital, Liu and Cao Step into Jizhou

Jinyang.

The current situation in Bingzhou has been completely settled.

Although Gu Chen failed to capture Lu Bu this time, he did manage to keep Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, and the others.

What Gu Chen regretted most was that Gao Shun would rather die than surrender.

Gu Chen had wanted to spare his life.

After all, the Camp Breaker battalion under Gao Shun’s command consisted of men who dared to die on the battlefield; it would be too great a pity if such men died because of Lu Bu.

But Gao Shun chose to meet his end voluntarily.

Leading his Camp Breaker battalion, they all died on the battlefield.

There are always some who insist on the bottom line they uphold, and for this, they would not hesitate to pay with their lives.

—And Gao Shun was clearly one of them.

The impact of this battle far exceeded expectations.

When the news spread, Huangfu Song no longer faced any obstacles; wherever his great army arrived, people opened the city gates to surrender.

Now, apart from Shangdang Commandery, the entire Bingzhou had fallen completely into Gu Chen’s hands.

The name of the "Gu Clan."

Once again spread throughout the world, and there was no telling how many commoners in every province wept bitterly.

For Gu Chen, he naturally had to take advantage of this great victory to seize Shangdang and completely stabilize the entire Bingzhou region.

Next, he could plot for Sizhou or Jizhou.

—But not everything could go according to his wishes.

Huangfu Song had fallen ill.

Like all the warriors of this era, he was ultimately unable to withstand the erosion of time; having just led his army into Jinyang, he collapsed completely.

In fact, this was inevitable.

After all, he was no longer young.

Having spent years in the military and carrying such heavy burdens, how could he possibly keep going forever?

Outside the Prefect’s Mansion.

Gu Chen, Gu Wei, and the others immediately stopped the physician who had just walked out and asked with deep concern: "How is the General?"

"Sigh."

The physician did not say much, only sighed and shook his head, which said everything.

Seeing this, the expressions of everyone present changed.

Without a word, they hurried into the room.

"General."

Compared to the others, the bond between Gu Wei and Huangfu Song was the deepest.

Seeing that Huangfu Song on the bed no longer possessed his former heroic spirit, his face was filled with sorrow.

"Young Master, there is no need for sorrow."

Huangfu Song smiled, staring intently at everyone present, and said with extreme weakness: "I only lament that time is heartless; I cannot continue the legacy of the Grand Tutor."

Speaking of Gu Xi, Gu Chen and Gu Wei, both sons of the Gu Clan, could not help but feel even more sorrowful.

By now, the few people entrusted by Gu Xi in the past had also passed away one after another.

The entire Great Han had completely fallen into a state of existing in name only.

The change of people and things was so great that even Gu Chen and Gu Wei felt like strangers, let alone someone of Huangfu Song's age.

"Young Master."

Huangfu Song spoke again, looking at Gu Chen, then waved his hand.

A servant nearby immediately handed over the military tally that represented his status as "General of the West."

Seeing this, Gu Chen was stunned: "General, what is this..."

"Young Master!" Before Gu Chen could finish, Huangfu Song interrupted him directly: "Though I come from a military family, I have been unable to help the country quell rebellions, nor have I been able to protect the borders and bring peace to the people."

"Now that my time is short, the trust of the Grand Tutor must be passed on."

As he spoke, Huangfu Song exerted himself to reach out and grabbed Gu Chen directly: "Young Master, you have both courage and strategy, and you are a son of the Gu Clan."

"I believe only you can inherit the legacy of the Grand Tutor."

"No matter what... Young Master must quell the rebels and bring peace to the people."

His voice was weak, but extremely firm.

There was not a hint of fear of death in his eyes, only deep unwillingness.

Everyone stared at this scene in a daze, the sorrow on their faces deepening.

Regarding this decision of Huangfu Song's.

Everyone was convinced.

Gu Chen’s performance during this period had proven everything.

Whether in terms of strategy or bravery, Gu Chen was absolutely capable of inheriting the command of the three armies.

"General..."

A complex look flashed in Gu Chen’s eyes; he did not feign modesty but took the military tally directly, then gripped Huangfu Song’s hand in return: "Rest assured, General."

"Though I am untalented, I swear to eliminate the rebels and quell the chaos to bring peace to the world."

His tone became increasingly sonorous.

Hearing this, the look in Huangfu Song’s eyes finally softened a little, but he still could not fully set his mind at ease; staring tightly at Gu Chen, he said once more:

"Young Master, remember, you and I are both ministers of the Great Han."

This was his greatest concern.

As for the warlords of the world, who could not guess how Empress Dowager He had actually died?

He did not say this to doubt whether the Gu Clan would claim kingship, but to wonder if Gu Chen would support the Han Dynasty.

Not everyone could share the mindset of the Gu Clan members.

Even if they had always been on the same front.

On fundamental issues, there was ultimately a gap.

What Huangfu Song actually wanted was for Gu Chen to support another of Liu Hong’s sons.

—Liu Xie.

Hearing this, Gu Chen’s eyes flickered slightly, and he wanted to say something directly.

He naturally understood what Huangfu Song meant.

But what affection could he have for Liu Hong’s lineage?

For Gu Chen, Liu Hong’s lineage was the culprit behind the current situation.

Whether it was Liu Hong’s failure to use the Gu Clan;

Or Empress Dowager He and He Jin allowing Dong Zhuo to enter the pass.

If not for all this, how could the Great Han have reached this point today?

But looking at Huangfu Song’s burning gaze, he ultimately suppressed these words and nodded earnestly: "Rest assured, General, I will keep your words in mind."

This time, Huangfu Song finally let go of Gu Chen’s hand.

"If so, then I can be at peace."

He murmured.

Then he turned his head with all his might, looking at the wooden ceiling with a complex gaze, as if he had pierced through it to see the sky.

"Late Emperor... Grand Tutor..."

"This subordinate has done his best..."

His voice grew smaller and smaller, so much so that even Gu Chen, who was beside him, could not hear the specific content.

And the next moment, he slowly closed his eyes.

The sixth year of Han Xing, month of Jimao, day of Jiazi;

—General of the West of the Great Han, Huangfu Song, passed away in Jinyang.

The person is gone, and the living must go on.

Gu Chen buried Huangfu Song in Jinyang, then began to reorganize his troops and horses, intending to attack Shangdang again.

—He could never stop his steps.

The future of the Gu Clan ultimately needed them, the family descendants, to forge ahead.

Even if the Gu Clan did not currently face the threat of extermination, if he wanted the entire family to remain glorious, he had to sweep across the entire world.

But how could those vested interests in the imperial court watch the Gu Clan return?

These people were already mortal enemies of the Gu Clan and could never tolerate Gu Chen continuing like this.

But looking at the current situation.

Where would Yuan Shao find the strength to divide his forces to guard against Gu Chen?

The alliance between Liu Bei and Cao Cao had already made him smell the crisis of defeat.

He could only send word to Yuan Shu, urging him to mobilize his troops.

The alliance between these two brothers had become extremely fragile by now.

Cao Ren was still just a little-known minor general.

With Yuan Shao having already dragged out the elite forces of Liu Bei and Cao Cao, Sun Jian’s failure to gain anything would naturally make Yuan Shao suspect that Yuan Shu had not exerted his full strength.

How could this matter not involve Yuan Shu putting in some effort?

Never mind him; in truth, Yuan Shu also harbored such thoughts.

He suspected that Sun Jian had not exerted his full strength.

Yuan Shu’s personality had always been this way.

Once this seed of suspicion sprouted, it became increasingly impossible to contain.

It was under these circumstances.

Yuan Shu transferred Sun Jian out of Yanzhou, ordering him to pass through the capital region from Yuzhou and rush to Shangdang to guard against Gu Chen.

As for the war in Yanzhou, he dispatched his own subordinate general, Ji Ling.

Things having reached this point, he had no choice but to contribute more effort.

Even if he held no matter how much dissatisfaction toward Yuan Shao, he had to endure it at a time like this.

To put it plainly, the two brothers were tied together on the same rope.

And after resolving this mental burden, Yuan Shao began to vie for more troops in the two provinces of Jizhou and Youzhou.

Yuan Shao was a strange man; the more severe the situation became, the clearer his thoughts would grow.

He rejected the suggestions of all the strategists under his command and instead chose to first send men to contact Zhang Yan of the Black Mountain Army.

He promised Zhang Yan heavy profits in exchange for the support of the Black Mountain Army.

The current strength of the Black Mountain Army was by no means weak.

The population of the Great Han had already increased compared to the original history; under such circumstances, the number of soldiers under his command naturally far exceeded that of the original history.

This time, Zhang Yan brought over one hundred thousand men.

This undoubtedly greatly increased the confidence of the noble clans in Jizhou and Youzhou.

Subsequently, Yuan Shao conscripted over one hundred thousand more troops from the two provinces and, joining forces with Zhang Yan, gathered an army of nearly three hundred thousand with the intent to fight for Yanzhou again.

Even Lu Bu, who had just retreated to Jizhou, was kept behind by him.

He simply wanted to use Lu Bu to level the gap between the generals of both sides.

In this battle, the generals under Cao Cao and Liu Bei had left a deep impression on him.

As far as Yuan Shao was concerned.

The most important thing for him right now was to win a great victory to steady everyone’s hearts.

Regarding this, Lu Bu did not refuse.

He was even a little happy.

Even if he was unwilling to accept it in his heart, he had to admit that he had already developed a trace of fear toward Gu Chen.

He was unwilling to return to Bingzhou to face Gu Chen!

At the same time, Liu Bei and Cao Cao naturally would not give up on summoning the lords of the world to jointly attack the two Yuans.

This great victory gave them a very good opportunity.

Interests have always been able to move people’s hearts; it is the same for everyone.

While they were marching their troops toward Jizhou, they had long since sent men to see Tao Qian, Liu Biao, and others, intending to use this matter to persuade the two to attack Yuan Shu.

But the result was no different at all.

Tao Qian was advanced in age and had no desire to contend for hegemony; he only wished to hold onto the land of Xuzhou.

As for Liu Biao, his situation at this time was not much different; he could not overcome the obstacle of the Jingzhou noble clans.

To the Jingzhou noble clans, starting a war held no benefit for them whatsoever.

Even if they could truly break into Yangzhou, what then?

Even if Yuan Shu died.

The noble clans of Yangzhou would still be the same; how could they be willing to be carved up by others?

Clearly, as his age gradually increased, Liu Biao’s control over Jingzhou was constantly waning.

And regarding this result, Cao Cao seemed to have anticipated it long ago.

“Xuande, I have already said that the heroes of the world are only you, me, and the descendants of the Gu family; why must you go to such unnecessary trouble?”

He looked at Liu Bei, a smile that was not a smile on his face, his eyes full of disdain.

“To think that Liu Jingsheng is also a descendant of the Han Emperor, a member of the imperial clan just like me.”

Liu Bei sighed leisurely and said, “To not think of eliminating thieves and quelling chaos, or propping up the collapsing Han house, is truly shameful.”

Hearing this, Cao Cao only gave a disdainful laugh and said nothing more.

What did it matter if one was a member of the Han imperial clan?

Never mind being a member of the Han imperial clan; even the Ling Emperor, who was the Son of Heaven, what did it matter?

—The affairs of the world depend on people, not on birth!

He understood this principle more and more now.

Shangdang Commandery.

As a commandery capable of connecting the two provinces of Bing and Yan, and even the capital region, its geographical location was extremely critical; it could be called a place that every strategist must fight for.

It was not just Yuan Shu who took action.

The noble families who benefited from this incident also invested huge amounts of material and human resources into this.

They first used the voice of the Emperor, Liu Dai, to rebuke Gu Chen and announced to the world that Gu Chen was rebelling.

Some even secretly spread the cause of Empress Dowager He’s death.

They wanted to use this momentum to force Gu Chen to bow his head.

But with the world in chaos until now, who would care about these things?

Never mind Empress Dowager He; even the Emperor Liu Hong, what did he matter to the common people of the world?

To put it plainly, compared to the current Great Han imperial court, the common people were more willing to believe in the Gu family.

And the most critical point was that Gu Chen’s reputation was too high now.

News of the Battle of Liangzhou and the Battle of Bingzhou had gradually spread.

By now, there were already countless common people who compared Gu Chen to the reincarnation of Gu Xiao.

They claimed that the Marquis of Loyalty and Martial Arts had sensed the chaos in the world and had specifically descended to earth to restore the world once again.

This title was spread far and wide across the world.

Prophetic superstition was a factor that could not be erased in this era.

The news of Gu Chen’s surprise attack on Longyou gave this rumor even more authenticity in an invisible way.

It was spread far and wide throughout the world, and could not be suppressed at all.

Gu Chen naturally did not care about these rumors.

His will was like iron; he would never be swayed by anything.

If he truly cared about these things, he would not have chosen to kill Empress Dowager He directly back then, nor would he have remained completely indifferent to Liu Hong’s two children.

To him, the most important thing was to sweep across the world and finish what Gu Xi had left undone.

Beyond this, nothing could make him waver.

—The sixth year of Han Prosperity, February.

Gu Chen officially began his assault on the entire Shangdang Commandery.

Within a month, he had already captured several cities in succession.

Whether it was the garrison of Shangdang or the private soldiers sent by the noble clans.

Facing the elite troops under Gu Chen now, they simply could not stop him.

Gu Chen’s spearhead pointed directly at the key town of Changzi in Shangdang, threatening Henei.

In an instant, the capital region was shaken!

Gu Chen’s swift offensive made everyone feel panic.

Especially the Emperor, Liu Dai.

He could imagine what his fate as a so-called emperor would be if one day the Gu family returned to the imperial court.

But what could he do?

—No soldiers, no power, no authority.

This was his current situation.

Endless regret kept assailing him, and living in panic every day, his health eventually grew worse and worse.

And as this news kept coming in.

The common people in the capital region seemed to have finally realized something.

Many who were loyal to the Gu family began to stir up trouble in various places, wanting to help Gu Chen and let him kill his way over quickly.

But this was destined to be a futile effort.

Although the noble clans appeared somewhat powerless when facing Gu Chen, they were still very capable of suppressing some rioting commoners.

It was not until Sun Jian led his army to arrive that this panic in people’s hearts gradually stopped.

The noble clans of the capital region gave Sun Jian great support, and even the Emperor, Liu Dai, came to see him in person.

This made even Sun Jian feel surprised.

He had originally been somewhat worried about the problem of provisions.

Yuan Shu had clearly developed a rift with him, and the provisions given to him now were becoming fewer and fewer, yet he had not expected these noble clans to give him such great support.

This caused all of Sun Jian’s dissatisfaction to vanish instantly.

“Your Majesty, rest assured; this subject will certainly stop the thieves at Shangdang and will never let the thieves step half a foot into the capital region!”

He made his promise with solemn vows.

Afterward, he led his troops directly to Shangdang.

Unlike Lu Bu.

Although Sun Jian was, like Lu Bu, a warlike and valiant man, he would not be so arrogant as to remain completely undefended.

After arriving at Shangdang.

He immediately deployed heavy troops along the Taiyue Mountain Range, arranging both the private soldiers of the great clans and the original garrison of Shangdang Commandery there.

He hoped to use the terrain to bridge the gap in combat power between these men and those under Gu Chen’s command.

As for himself, he personally led the elite to garrison Zhangzi, not intending to engage Gu Chen in a direct confrontation.

He knew exactly how fast Gu Chen’s rate of progress was.

He understood the current situation even better.

As long as he could drag Gu Chen out here, once the war in Yanzhou ended and Yuan Shao was free to act, Gu Chen would naturally have no place to be buried.

Winds and clouds rose across the land, and great battles were constant.

—The sixth year of Han Prosperity, May;

Gu Chen’s troops arrived at Taiyue Mountain.

With Ma Chao as the Vanguard Commander, they broke through several of Sun Jian’s mountain passes in succession.

Sun Jian sent generals such as Cheng Pu and Huang Gai to reinforce, and only by utilizing the terrain were they able to barely stabilize the situation at Taiyue Mountain.

Subsequently, Sun Jian sent Han Dang to lead an army from Yudu, intending to bypass Taiyue Mountain and cut off Gu Chen’s supply lines.

This was seen through and blocked by Gu Chen.

Both sides launched a major battle across the entire Taiyue Mountain Range.

June;

The Cao and Liu forces fought Yuan Shao at Fanyang in Wei Commandery.

Lu Bu personally led his troops to charge, and Zhang Yan of the Black Mountain Army also took action.

Yuan Shao heavily defeated the Cao and Liu forces at Fanyang.

He completely stabilized the situation in Jizhou and drove the Cao and Liu forces back into Yanzhou.

Both sides stood in confrontation at Puyang and Fanyang, falling into a stalemate.

July;

Cao Ren feigned defeat and abandoned the city at Chenliu; Ji Ling, a great general under Yuan Shu, fell for the ruse and entered the city.

Suffering nearly ten thousand casualties, the morale of the army was thrown into complete chaos.

Upon hearing the news, Yuan Shu was furious.

He wanted to execute Ji Ling, but was dissuaded by Yan Xiang and others, and could only continue to mobilize troops and generals to Yanzhou.

August;

Yuan Shao broke the stalemate and again led an army of two hundred thousand to attack Puyang.

Cao Cao persuaded Liu Bei to adopt a strategy of feinting to the east while attacking in the west.

Utilizing Yuan Shao’s eagerness for quick success, they made a show of bypassing Fanyang to strike directly at Jizhou.

They split their forces and marched separately from Liu Bei.

Yuan Shao indeed fell for the ruse, suffering nearly ten thousand casualties, and had no choice but to retreat back to Fanyang.

September;

After several months had passed, Gu Chen finally broke through the passes built by Sun Jian in the Taiyue Mountain Range.

And by taking advantage of the momentum, he directly captured the two cities of Qinxian and Wuxiang.

He completely locked the entire battlefield onto the plains, resolved the greatest obstacle affecting the combat power of his cavalry, and formally began an offensive and defensive war with Sun Jian.

The changes in the world’s situation far exceeded everyone’s expectations.

The current Great Han.

Was a chaotic battlefield; a change on one side would implicate the other.

Even Gu Yi had not expected that this time of chaos would be so intense.

The four sides were in a stalemate with all sorts of maneuvering.

The degree of which far exceeded the original history.

Gu Yi also did not know how this time of chaos would end.

However, looking at the current situation.

What he could be certain of was that the outcome of this time of chaos would likely be completely different from the original history.

Gu Chen would absolutely be a massive variable!

Even if the moral bottom line of the Gu Shizi was flexible, the actions of the Sima family in the original history alone destined them to be incompatible with the Gu clan.

This was destined to cause history to undergo a massive change!

Qinxian.

After a short rest, a warlike person like Ma Chao naturally proposed an attack.

Regarding this matter, the others were also quite in agreement.

Even Gu Wei was the same.

Because if they could not take Bingzhou, once the Cao and Liu forces in Jizhou finished their battle and both Yuan factions moved, how could they possibly stop them?

But Gu Chen suppressed this matter directly and did not intend to attack.

"Gentlemen, there is no need to be impatient."

Sitting in the main seat, Gu Chen scanned the crowd and said with a serious face: "In my view, the one who should be anxious right now is not us, but Sun Jian."

"There are countless people in the world who fear our Gu clan."

"Now, our army’s might has already intimidated the capital region."

"The hearts of the people in the capital region are restless, and the commoners hope for our Gu clan’s return."

"Those people can suppress it for a while, but if it continues for long, how could it not fall into chaos?"

As he spoke, Gu Chen gave a disdainful smile: "Zhangzi is a vital town of Shangdang; Sun Jian leads his elite to garrison here, intimidating all directions."

"If our army were to attack by force."

"Even if we could truly take Zhangzi, the casualties would certainly be immense."

"Gentlemen, do not forget that the elite of our army are all cavalry."

Gu Chen’s tone was very calm.

Hearing this, everyone present fell into deep thought.

Only Jia Xu remained as calm as ever, as if he had long since guessed Gu Chen’s thoughts.

It was not until a moment later that everyone reacted one after another and expressed their agreement.

"Elder Brother."

Gu Chen looked at Gu Wei again and said solemnly: "I want you to return to Jinyang and garrison it, so as to avoid any mistakes."

"Very well."

Gu Wei did not hesitate and immediately nodded.

He was now quite convinced by this younger brother of his.

Even if he were arrogant.

He still had to admit that everything Gu Chen had achieved today was far beyond his own reach.

The army thus stationed itself in Qinxian.

However, Gu Chen would not do nothing.

He also had accomplishments in the realm of human hearts; not only did he spread news that he was going to take the capital region directly, but he would also occasionally lead his army out to challenge for battle, constantly plucking at everyone’s heartstrings.

Zhangzi.

Listening to the news brought by the scouts, Sun Jian did not care in the slightest.

"Does this Gu Ziyan take me, Sun Jian, for a reckless brute like Lu Bu?"

He gave a disdainful smile and said calmly: "Such a strategy might work on Lu Bu, but how could it work on me?"

The generals also laughed heartily.

But just at this moment, Zu Mao stood up, bowed to Sun Jian, and said: "My lord, this subordinate requests to fight."

"Da Rong, do not be impatient."

Sun Jian waved his hand quickly and said: "There will surely be an opportunity for you to battle him another day."

"For now, we only need to hold this city of Zhangzi."

Zu Mao had requested to fight more than once.

He had always been brooding over the fact that he had fought to a draw with a junior like Gu Chen in the past, and he had always wanted to fight Gu Chen again.

Although he already knew that Gu Chen had defeated Lu Bu.

But for generals like them, fame was ultimately just fame.

Lu Bu might lose, but that did not mean he would necessarily lose!

But seeing that Sun Jian would not agree, Zu Mao had no choice but to nod helplessly and step back.

Time passed in a hurry.

Sun Jian remained unhurried, and in the face of various rumors, he did not panic in the slightest.

These men under his command were all soldiers who had followed him for a long time.

How could he be affected by these rumors?

But things did not exceed Gu Chen’s expectations.

Sun Jian could hold steady.

Yet among those in the capital region, there would eventually be some who could not.

Only a little over half a month had passed.

The imperial court’s envoys arrived at Changzi City one after another, conveying the "Emperor's" decree.

They demanded to know why Sun Jian would not attack.

Why had he not yet repelled the enemy?

Regarding this, Sun Jian could only explain the current situation with earnest, patient words, managing to suppress the envoy and send him back.

But as the turmoil in the capital region grew more frequent.

Just half a month later, the imperial court’s envoy arrived once again.

This time, the attitude was much more severe.

It was to order him to engage in battle!

Even if he could not mobilize troops on a large scale, he must defeat Gu Chen at least once.

If not, they would cut off his food supplies.

This move could be said to have forced Sun Jian into a desperate situation.

Compared to Lu Bu, Sun Jian was indeed more skilled at commanding troops, but dealing with these devious people in the imperial court was not his forte.

With no other choice, Sun Jian finally made his move!

Just as Gu Chen sent men to challenge him to battle, he ordered Zu Mao and Huang Gai to lead their men out to fight.

He wanted to catch Gu Chen off guard.

Even if they only killed a few dozen people, it would still count as a gain.

The great battle began once more.

On the battlefield, Zu Mao rushed straight toward Gu Chen almost immediately.

"You brat, do you still remember me?"

He roared like thunder, his long saber attacking Gu Chen’s face directly.

But Gu Chen was not the least bit flustered.

The silver spear in his hand danced, blocking this strike directly.

He looked at Zu Mao indifferently, recognized who the other party was, and then smiled faintly: "Do you still remember what I said back then, about the day I would behead you?"

"That I would surely carve the eight characters 'Bones in a tomb, vainly shaking Mount Taishan' before your grave?"

"It seems today, I shall fulfill that vow."

These calm words instantly sent Zu Mao into a rage.

How could he not remember?

He had never forgotten this sentence from Gu Chen over all these years.

If not for that, he would never have wanted to fight Gu Chen again.

"You brat, you are courting death!"

He shouted sharply and attacked again, his saber technique still as sharp as it was in the past.

In the past, this had indeed nearly cost Gu Chen his life.

But today, how could Gu Chen be afraid?

Although Zu Mao’s saber technique was brave, how did it compare to Lu Bu’s halberd?

He did not hesitate in the slightest and charged straight up.

The cavalry of both sides clashed repeatedly.

Across the entire battlefield, the smoke of war rose everywhere.

—Before thirty bouts had passed.

As Gu Chen swept his silver spear, Zu Mao had no time to block, and with one strike, Gu Chen swept him right off his warhorse.

Zu Mao struggled to get up, but the next moment, the tip of Gu Chen’s spear was already pressed against his neck.

This scene exceeded everyone’s expectations.

"Dayong!"

Huang Gai, who was fighting Ma Chao, suddenly changed expression and was almost pierced through the chest by Ma Chao.

The situation changed instantly!

Cavalry warfare is all about momentum.

Seeing their own great general knocked off his horse, how could the formation of these men not fall into chaos?

Under such circumstances, once the formation was in disarray, trying to reorganize was nothing but a pipe dream!

Gu Chen did not kill Zu Mao immediately.

Instead, he thrust his spear twice into his legs.

He wanted to force Sun Jian to engage!

To turn this battle from a defensive one into a head-on clash.

The elite cavalry under his command had a natural advantage in this kind of warfare.

He had long heard of Sun Jian’s personality.

Gu Chen had long concluded that upon hearing the news, Sun Jian would never abandon Zu Mao, Huang Gai, and these troops.

—This was also a disguised form of besieging a point to strike at reinforcements!

Things did not exceed Gu Chen’s expectations.

Sun Jian’s personality destined him to come out and reinforce.

The originally small-scale skirmish turned into a head-on fight to the death without any warning.

In fact, Sun Jian’s forces still held the advantage.

Aside from the elite troops under his command, there were also many private soldiers from the great clans supporting Shangdang.

But on this kind of battlefield, these people were ultimately just cannon fodder.

They were completely insufficient to change the situation!

Gu Chen showed no mercy, leading his army to charge across the battlefield, heading straight for Sun Jian.

Zhang Liao, Ma Chao, and others were also each engaging the great generals under Sun Jian.

This kind of head-on clash was destined to be incredibly bloody, pitting the courage and will of both sides' soldiers against each other.

It was not just Gu Chen.

The soldiers under Gu Chen’s command also had a will like iron.

Having followed Gu Chen all this way and survived so many bloody battles to reach this day, how could these soldiers be so simple?

From the moment Gu Chen led his army to scatter Sun Jian’s formation and killed his way to Sun Jian himself.

This great battle had already completely ended.

"The rebel has been executed; those who surrender will be spared!"

Gu Chen was covered in blood, holding Sun Jian’s head in one hand as he let out a roar.

The next moment, the soldiers beside him shouted in unison.

"The rebel has been executed; those who surrender will be spared!!!"

"The rebel has been executed; those who surrender will be spared!!!"

"The rebel has been executed; those who surrender will be spared!!!"

"..."

The thunderous roars spread across the entire battlefield.

Aside from Sun Jian’s confidants, countless others immediately threw down the weapons in their hands.

"Father!!!"

On one side of the battlefield, Sun Ce also heard this roar.

He let out a roar of unwillingness and immediately wanted to charge over to avenge Sun Jian.

But the surrounding generals ultimately held him back.

"Young Master, you absolutely must not!"

"Young Master, do not be impulsive!"

Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and the others were also filled with grief, but no matter how unwilling they were, their loyalty to Sun Jian forced them to calm down.

They forcibly pulled Sun Ce away with the remnants of the army.

Gu Chen did not pursue.

After the battle had completely ended, he led his army straight into Changzi City.

One battle to secure Shangdang!

The news from Bingzhou swept across the land like a gale, completely affecting the balance of the Yanzhou battlefield.

—Jizhou was in chaos!

No matter how much effort Yuan Shao had put into Jizhou.

How could it compare to the Gu clan?

Why did the people of Jizhou support Yuan Shao so much?

This was precisely because Yuan Shao went to offer sacrifices to Gu Shizi the moment he arrived in Jizhou.

The common people of the world all believed that Gu Shizi supported Yuan Shao!

But now, things were different!

Even the Black Mountain Army under Zhang Yan had been affected.

Of course, this was not solely due to the influence of Gu Shizi's reputation.

It was also due to the invincible momentum displayed by Gu Chen.

A surprise attack on Longxi.

Defeating Lu Bu, whose name was known throughout the world, and slaying Sun Jian, whose prestige spread across the four seas.

Each and every one of these feats had thoroughly established Gu Chen's invincible momentum.

He was like a rising star, shining with brilliance in the dark sky of this chaotic era!

The capital region was in complete chaos.

To prevent Gu Chen from attacking Jizhou, Yuan Shao had to appease the hearts of the people while sending troops to defend, and simultaneously dispatching messengers to notify Yuan Shu to mobilize his army!

Yet, how could Liu Bei and Cao Cao fail to seize such an opportunity?

——The seventh year of Han Prosperity, February.

Rebel forces appeared in the lands of Qinghe.

Fearing that the rebels would join forces with the Qingzhou army, Yuan Shao had no choice but to send men to suppress them.

Liu Bei and Cao Cao seized the opportunity to step into Jizhou once again.

Gu Tao even raised the banner of Gu Shizi.

The Yuan Army was in great disarray, and Zhang Yan even chose to retreat in the heat of battle.

Yuan Shao was heavily defeated at Fanyang.

The allied forces of Cao and Liu officially charged into Wei Commandery of Jizhou.

The situation of the world had changed drastically!

PS: Begging for monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)