Chapter 266: Top Ten Military Powers of the Three Kingdoms, Ninth Place: Yan Liang

The celestial canopy of golden light swirled, and the next name suddenly appeared.

【Top Ten Military Powers of the Three Kingdoms, Ninth Place: Yan Liang】

【Period: Eastern Han late period (before the Battle of Guandu)】

【Font size: Gongji】

【Lifespan:? —200 AD】

【Native place: Tongyang, Jizhou (some say Langya, Xuzhou)】

【Status: Yuan Shao's top vanguard warrior, the chief of the "Four Pillars of Hebei"】

【Title: Hebei's foremost valiant general, the Three Kingdoms' strongest background figure, the talkative unjustly slain general】

On the left side of the plaque, light and shadow coalesced into the image of a towering giant, eight chi tall, with a tiger's back and bear's waist, a face like a heavy jujube, a curled beard and a halberd, wielding a massive broad cleaver as thick as a door panel.

He straddles a magnificent Hebei warhorse, armor vivid, eyes blazing like torches, his gaze self‑assured, exuding an unparalleled ferocious, invincible domineering aura.

The background is the vast Hebei plain and towering battle formations.

The seal script is bold and robust, bearing a soaring bravery and an ineffable regret:

"Hebei upholds the pillar, the Yuan clan the arm bone.

The blade steadies Cao's camp, the general intimidates the myriad heroes.

White Horse shines in martial glory, twenty units fall in defeat.

Suddenly encountering the Azure Dragon, the cover grants a beheading.

No battle, no bravery; it is timing and destiny."

The voice of Heaven's Dao rises again, the scene unfolds, depicting the rise of warlords and the Hebei war smoke in the late Eastern Han.

【Yan Liang, a native of Jizhou. Born into a martial family, he possessed extraordinary strength from childhood, loved martial arts, especially skilled in swordsmanship; it is said he received instruction from a reclusive Hebei swordmaster, honing hard techniques that charge into battle and cause ten thousand armies to retreat.】

In the scene, the young Yan Liang practices swordplay in the wilderness; the blade wind howls, cutting through a sapling as thick as a bowl's rim, his force massive and weighty.

【In the late Eastern Han, the world was in chaos.】

Yuan Shao, a fourth‑generation descendant of three dukes, enjoyed great prestige, took control of Jizhou, and recruited heroes.

Yan Liang, attracted by his reputation, joined Yuan Shao; with his astonishing bravery, he quickly earned Yuan Shao's favor, becoming the most trusted vanguard general under his command.

In the scene, Yuan Shao sits high on the command seat, watching Yan Liang demonstrate his martial skill, cleaving a stone lock with a single slash; he strokes his beard, smiles, and nods repeatedly.

【In Yuan Shao's successive key battles to unify Hebei, Yan Liang always led the charge, earning great merit.】

The celestial canopy's images switch rapidly:

【In Jizhou's power struggle, former Inspector Han Fu's subordinate Geng Wu, resentful of Yuan Shao, launched a sudden attack at a banquet, intending to assassinate Yuan Shao.】

Yan Liang reacted instantly, drew his sword and shouted angrily, cutting Geng Wu down on the steps; blood splattered five steps, protecting Yuan Shao completely.

The scene is thrilling:

At the banquet, Geng Wu sprang up, his blade thrust straight at Yuan Shao.

Yan Liang's tiger eyes widened, striking first; with a single slash he sent Geng Wu, both man and sword, flying, leaving Yuan Shao still shaken.

【Eradicating the Black Mountain army, Yan Liang led iron cavalry to sweep across, unstoppable wherever they went.】

In the scene, Yan Liang charges ahead on a horse, plunging into the enemy formation, his great sword flailing left and right, the bandits falling like cut wheat.

【Battle of Yijing, confronting Gongsun Zan's elite "White Horse Volunteers".】

Facing the world‑renowned elite cavalry, Yan Liang showed no fear, personally leading his unit's finest riders to clash head‑on with the White Horse Volunteers!

In a brutal clash, Yan Liang led from the front; none survived his blade, and he utterly crushed the arrogant White Horse Volunteers, enabling Yuan Shao to completely eliminate Gongsun Zan, dominate Hebei, and claim a major achievement.

The scene at that time is displayed on the celestial canopy.

A snow‑white plain, the silver‑armored White Horse Volunteers surged like a tide.

Yan Liang leads black‑armored cavalry, like a steel torrent, colliding head‑on!

At the moment the two torrents clash, Yan Liang swings his great sword, flashing a bright arc; several White Horse knights fall from their horses in response.

He is like a war god, tearing a blood‑red breach in the white surge, unstoppable wherever he goes!

In the end, the White Horse banner collapses, and Gongsun Zan is defeated and perishes.

【Through these battles, Yan Liang and another fierce general Wen Chou were jointly called the "Hebei Twin Heroes", becoming the undisputed spearheads of Yuan Shao's army, hailed as the chief of the "Four Pillars of Hebei", whose might shook the lands north of the Great River, known to all.】

In the scene, Yan Liang stands shoulder to shoulder with Wen Chou, behind them Yuan Shao's massive army, their momentum overwhelming.

【In the fifth year of Jian'an, the Battle of Guandu, which decided the fate of the northern hegemon, erupts.】

Yan Liang, as Yuan Shao's vanguard commander, leads his troops to assault the strategic point of Bai Ma along the Yellow River, launching the preliminary battle.

The scene switches to beneath Bai Ma City; Yuan's forces stretch ten li, banners blotting out the sun.

Yan Liang's great banner (dao) flies high.

【Outside Bai Ma City, the two armies face each other.】

Cao Cao leads his troops to aid, both sides form battle lines.

Yan Liang brandishes his sword horizontally while mounted at the front of the formation, his voice like a great bell, calling for combat by name.

In the scene, Yan Liang leaps from his horse into battle, his great sword pointing toward Cao's army, his aura devouring ten thousand li like a tiger.

【Cao Cao first dispatches the veteran of Lu Bu's former troops, Song Xian, to fight.】

Yan Liang says nothing, spurring his horse and brandishing his sword to meet him.

The battle lasts less than three rounds; Yan Liang roars, his blade flashing like a streak of silk, cutting Song Xian down from his horse with a single slash!

Cao's army is shocked.

The scene is crisp and decisive,

Song Xian thrusts his spear forward; Yan Liang blocks with his great sword, shattering the long spear, then swings his blade back, sending Song Xian's head flying.

【Song Xian's friend Wei Xu, seeing his brother slain, eyes blazing, mounts his spear, vowing revenge for Song Xian.】

Yan Liang sneers coldly, galloping his horse to meet him.

In just one exchange, the blade flashed, and Wei Xu was also cut down from his horse!

Within the Cao army formation, a roar erupted, and the generals exchanged dismayed looks.】

The scene again displays Yan Liang's domineering martial power; Wei Xu couldn't even see the blade's motion before he fell dead.

【Having slain two generals in succession, Yan Liang's might grew even greater.

Cao Cao, seeing two generals defeated, felt troubled in his heart.

At this moment, the great general Xu Huang under his command volunteered to fight.

Xu Huang was Cao Cao's trusted favorite general, highly skilled in martial arts, once battled Xu Chu for fifty exchanges without a clear victor, and was a top‑tier fierce general of the Cao camp.】

In the scene, Xu Huang raised his great axe to charge, his expression solemn.

【Yan Liang, seeing Xu Huang ride out, shook himself awake, brandished his sword and engaged.

The two generals' swords and axes clashed, warhorses whirled, and the killing sent dust flying.

However, after twenty rounds of combat, Xu Huang could no longer block, his sword technique became chaotic, and he was defeated back to his own formation!】

The scene intricately shows the course of the battle:

Yan Liang's sword was heavy and fierce; each strike made Xu Huang's arm tingle.

After twenty exchanges, sweat appeared on Xu Huang's forehead, his axe technique was already disordered; he feigned a swing and then drew his horse to retreat.

Yan Liang did not pursue; he brandished his sword while mounted, cracked his whip and laughed loudly: "No one left in the Cao camp?!"

【The Cao camp generals, seeing Xu Huang defeated after twenty exchanges, all showed terrified faces, and no one dared to fight again.

Cao Cao's complexion turned iron‑blue, his frustration unending; he had to sound the golden retreat and hoist a no‑combat banner.】

In the scene, before the Cao army formation, there was a dead silence.

The generals bowed their heads, daring not to look at Cao Cao.

Cao Cao stared at the flamboyantly displaying Yan Liang before the formation, his brows tightly knit.

【Through this battle before the White Horse Formation, Yan Liang in three exchanges slew Song Xian, in one exchange slew Wei Xu, and after twenty exchanges defeated Xu Huang, striking terror into the Cao camp generals and his fame reached its peak.

His fierce and brave combat power was laid bare. Contemporary observers praised, "Yan Liang and Wen Chou, their bravery crowns the three armies," which was no empty boast.】

Beside the scene, phantom silhouettes of Kong Rong, Ju Shou and others appeared, offering their evaluations.

【However, the pinnacle also marked the beginning of the fall.

Cao Cao adopted strategist Xun You's "sound east, strike west" plan, feigned an attack on Yan Jin to draw Yuan Shao's main force, while he personally led light cavalry, taking a parallel route to launch a surprise raid on White Horse.

In the scene, the Cao army's light cavalry approached White Horse silently.