Chapter 67: With Me Here, This Great Han Shall Not Fall

The noble emperor within the Imperial Palace would never have imagined it.

While he was still thinking about how to suppress General Huangfu, this general of the Great Han had already died in battle for the country.

This is the Great Han as it is today.

Eunuchs control the court, and the emperor is greedy for life and afraid of death.

Is there still any salvation for such a Great Han?

On the battlefield, Zhang Jiao looked at the corpses of Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, and Lu Zhi, and said, "Come, give them a proper burial."

Although Zhang Jiao had summoned lightning from the nine heavens to strike down Huangfu Song and the other two.

He felt great respect for them in his heart, so he controlled the power of the thunder to ensure their bodies remained intact.

This was also one of the reasons why the three of them were able to leave behind a few final words after taking a strike from Zhang Jiao.

As opponents, they had to die.

The only thing Zhang Jiao could leave them with was a final, dignified exit.

"Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi, and Zhu Jun are dead; those who surrender will not be killed!"

Zhang Jiao's voice spread across the entire battlefield.

The morale that the Great Han army had just managed to muster collapsed once again.

With all three generals of the Great Han dead, how could they possibly block the Yellow Turban Army led by Zhang Jiao?

At this moment, Zhang Jiao once again unleashed his Taiping Daoist Arts.

"Taiping Daoist Arts, raise the might of our army."

As Zhang Jiao performed the Taiping Daoist Arts, the combat power of the Yellow Turban Army was directly bolstered by the Daoist Arts.

The Yellow Turban Army, which had already been charging forward, was now even more unstoppable.

Finally, the rout happened in an instant.

"Run! The Great General is dead, run!"

"I surrender, I am willing to surrender!"

The Great Han army began a massive rout; they either fled for their lives or surrendered.

How much pay had the imperial court even issued?

Even General Huangfu was dead; it was not worth risking their lives for the imperial court.

Even though the Great Han had ruled the land for four hundred years, the imperial court had not paid these soldiers much.

In fact, due to the corruption of the current government, a significant amount of pay was still owed.

Now that the trend of defeat was clear, why should they risk their lives for the imperial court?

Zhang Jiao led the Yellow Turban Army to crush the remnants of the Great Han army.

In the fifth year of Zhongping, the Taiping Sect Leader and Great Worthy Teacher defeated the 300,000-strong Great Han Imperial Palace army at Cangting in Sili.

Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi, and Zhu Jun died in battle.

Zhang Jiao led the Yellow Turban Army in a direct charge, striking straight at the heart, rushing toward the Imperial Capital, Luoyang.

Within three days, they surrounded the Imperial Capital, Luoyang.

Inside Luoyang City.

The news of Huangfu Song's crushing defeat finally reached the imperial palace, and the court was terrified.

That group of mud-legged peasants, a group of commoners, had actually defeated the Great Han army and reached the gates of Luoyang City.

Liu Hong threw the battle report in his hand onto the ground and said angrily, "Huangfu Song deserves to die! Huangfu Song has ruined the country! I entrusted him with 300,000 elite imperial troops, and this is how he repays me? I will kill him, I will punish him for his crimes."

In the Great Han court, there was a sudden, deathly silence.

The high-ranking officials in the court all remained silent; only the sound of Liu Hong's angry roaring echoed through the palace.

The high-ranking officials were well aware of Huangfu Song's capabilities.

Even they could not understand why Huangfu Song had been defeated, and defeated so quickly.

That was 300,000 elite troops of the Great Han.

The 300,000-strong Great Han army had been completely wiped out in one battle; what could the imperial court possibly use to block the surging Yellow Turban Army now?

Even the high-ranking officials of the court had not expected that in the blink of an eye, the Great Han would reach the brink of national collapse.

The Yellow Turban army led by Zhang Jiao had already surrounded Luoyang City; once Luoyang City fell, could the Han Empire continue to exist?

Although the edict for royal reinforcement had been issued, the reinforcement armies from various regions had only just set out.

No one had expected Zhang Jiao's movements to be so swift.

The 300,000-strong imperial army had been defeated by Zhang Jiao in the blink of an eye.

Most of the high-ranking officials present were scions of noble families.

Of course, many among them were loyal to the Great Han, but now the Great Han was on the verge of collapse.

Should they not also consider their own interests?

Surrender to Zhang Jiao? Surrender to the Yellow Turban Army?

No, what did a group of mud-legged peasants have that was worth their loyalty?

Even if Zhang Jiao really did break through Luoyang City and end the Han Empire, it would not matter.

Does a group of mud-legged peasants know how to govern the world?

Even if Zhang Jiao destroyed the Great Han, he would ultimately be making wedding clothes for them.

The noble scions in the court were thinking that it was time to take this opportunity to expand their own power.

If the Great Han fell, Zhang Jiao would eventually fall too.

Who knows whose hands this future world will end up in?

"Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, and Lu Zhi—these three are all great traitors to the country and sinners against the Great Han."

Liu Hong continued to rebuke them in anger, "Punish them! I must punish them for their crimes."

It was unknown who spoke up.

"Your Majesty, Huangfu Song, Lu Zhi, and Zhu Jun have already died in battle."

Yes, died in battle.

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong's face flushed red from holding back his rage.

"Died in battle? Heh! Then I shall punish their nine generations."

In the end, there were still loyal ministers with the Great Han at heart who could not help but speak, "Your Majesty, the urgent matter at hand is how to resist the siege of the Yellow Turban rioters."

"Indeed. Your Majesty, these Yellow Turban rioters have already surrounded Luoyang City; what we must do now is discuss how to hold Luoyang."

"Your Majesty, although the Yellow Turban Army is powerful, Your Majesty has already summoned the armies of the world to defend the throne, and all regions of the world have long since responded, they simply have not arrived yet."

"Your Majesty, as long as we block this group of rioters for a period of time, when the world's royalist armies arrive, the Yellow Turban rebels will certainly be no match for us."

In the end, there were still quite a few loyal ministers of the Great Han, so they all began to offer their strategies.

The great ship of the Great Han was about to sink, but at this final moment, everyone still wanted to try and save it.

If it could be saved, that would be for the best.

If it could not be saved, then they would discuss other matters later.

Liu Hong looked at the high-ranking officials in the imperial court and said with an ambiguous tone, "Then tell me, what is the plan for now?"

"Your Majesty, the plan for now is only to quickly organize all the manpower and resources within the Imperial Capital to organize a defense."

"Your Majesty, as long as we wait for the world's royalist armies to arrive, we will be victorious."

"Very well, then I shall adopt your suggestion."

Liu Hong held the Son of Heaven Sword and said firmly, "I shall personally go to the city walls to oversee the battle. With me here, this Great Han shall not perish."

"Your Majesty, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall."

Liu Hong, however, turned and left directly.

"No need for further words. I am the Son of Heaven of the Great Han; with me here, this Great Han will not perish."

Liu Hong turned and left directly, yet his heart was filled with infinite sorrow.

He could feel his life force constantly slipping away.

All he sought now was to smoothly pass on the imperial throne.

Yet now, even this single wish was difficult to satisfy.

Could it be that he, Liu Hong, was to become the last monarch of the Great Han?

No, that is absolutely impossible.

Hearing the ministers' words, Liu Hong only felt like laughing.

Among the high-ranking officials in the imperial court today, how many wanted to surrender, and how many wanted to be opportunists?

He did not know.

At this moment, there was no one left worth trusting.

He could only rely on himself.

(End of this chapter)