Chapter 256: Bearing a Long Sword, Clasping a Qin Bow (Debts Cleared)

Gongsun Xun, in the manner of a Regional Commander, displayed his great banner and insignia and personally forced a crossing of the Hutuo River. In almost an instant, the Han army surged forward along the entire line, and in almost the same instant, the Yellow Turban army wavered along its entire line.

The Yellow Turbans on both flanks hesitated one after another; many minor commanders even withdrew their troops without orders, leading their forces to rescue the central army. Meanwhile, the Han troops on the opposite bank, who had been utterly exhausted, universally regained their morale and, as if by unspoken agreement, launched sudden assaults toward the Yellow Turban central army.

At the same time, on the north bank of the river, Lou Gui and others, having failed to dissuade him despite their earnest efforts, could only hurriedly send flag signals to pass the word, ordering the cavalry downstream to move at once and join the battle immediately.

"The White Horses of Liaoxi live up to their name under Heaven; the General of the Household of All Purposes is indeed no empty reputation!"

Seeing the soldiers around him swarm eastward toward the enemy central army without needing his urging, Guo Dian gave a long sigh. Disregarding that he had already fought half the day and was advanced in years, he once again rose leaning on his ring-pommel blade, now full of notches, and loudly exhorted the entire army forward.

The situation on the eastern side was entirely similar: the Yellow Turbans wavered at once, and the Han army counterattacked almost instantly.

Unlike Guo Dian, however, the highest-ranking officer there, Zhang Chun, stared blankly at the White Horse banner on the river course, momentarily lost in thought. To be fair, Gongsun Xun's action truly exceeded Zhang Chun's imagination. In the view of this Administrator of Zhongshan, it was one thing for someone like himself, driven to a desperate corner, to have to fight with his life; but for someone like his opponent, who held the overall situation firmly in hand, to still be so domineering and overbearing—that was truly chilling.

"My lord!"

Just as Zhang Chun was staring distantly at the White Horse banner moving straight across the river, someone beside him suddenly yanked him roughly down from the collapsed earthen rampart—it was none other than Xu Zhan. "My lord, this is no time to be dazed! Captain Cheng's most elite thousand-man unit has already come up; we must move quickly with the Yuyang troops!"

Zhang Chun came to his senses and looked in the direction the other man pointed northward, immediately understanding. Cheng Pu was Gongsun Xun's personal man, and this Gao Shun, leading a thousand extremely elite Bingzhou veterans, was said to be a trusted confidant whom the General of the Household of All Purposes had raised up from a mere attendant slave. If they were caught within their battle formation in the chaos of combat, they would likely be hacked straight into mincemeat, ending up with no body to be found whether dead or alive.

At this thought, Zhang Chun dared not delay. He directly hefted his blade and rose, and with Xu Zhan beside him, charged forward valiantly along with the Yuyang commandery troops who had already launched their assault.

At the Yellow Turban central army, atop the earthen mound, the General of the Earth, Zhang Bao, watched helplessly as Gongsun Xun led his own troops aboard boats and crossed the river, and even when the other man had calmly come ashore, his hands and feet remained ice-cold and his mind blank.

"Wh-what should we do?" Zhang Bao forced himself to sit back down and, feigning composure, asked those around him.

"Our army has the greater numbers; my lord need not panic," someone hastily reassured him—this was one of Zhang Bao's trusted retainers.

"Great Healer, in my view, the Han commander's action is not a cause for panic but rather a chance for battle!" someone said, red-faced and gnashing his teeth. This was the Yellow Turban circuit commander for Hejian. "They have slaughtered our comrades of the Taiping Dao by no less than a hundred thousand. Now that he dares to come, we should send out the entire central army and keep him here!"

Zhang Bao was momentarily stunned, as if he too realized this was an obvious course of action.

However, someone immediately spoke up in rebuttal. This was a deputy commander who had been a veteran on the frontier commanderies: "General, we must not move recklessly now. Since this White Horse General has come in person, he must have something to rely on. Have you forgotten our earlier speculations about the government cavalry? There is no need to speculate now—the government cavalry will certainly arrive at any moment!"

"Then what should we do?" The old soldier had considerable military prestige, so the panic around them only grew worse.

"There is no need to do anything, nor can we do anything!" the elderly deputy commander said, stamping his foot. "With a large force of cavalry about to arrive, the most critical thing is to preserve our formation and not fall into disorder! I beg the General of the Earth to issue orders at once to calm the flanking forces, and then only dispatch small units from around our own headquarters to hold off the enemy directly before us!"

Zhang Bao had, after all, gained considerable experience. Though his heart was half fear and half eagerness to try, he ultimately understood that in matters of battle, this old soldier's words were the most reliable.

But just as he was steeling himself to do so, suddenly, a crossbow bolt, clearly gone astray, drifted over from the front at the base of the earthen mound and lodged obliquely not far below the southern side of the mound's platform. "Not far" was relative—it was still several dozen paces from the great Yellow Heaven banner where they stood.

Yet at this sight, the Yellow Turban high command atop the mound was violently startled. Zhang Bao immediately swallowed the words in his mouth, and even the old soldier dared not speak further. It turned out that while the Yellow Turban central command was momentarily in disarray, the Hejian troops who had earlier come ashore had seized the chance to surge forward, heedless of life or death!

The shield-bearers automatically dispersed, bending low beneath the long spears, while the long spears and great halberds, dense as a forest, pressed forward and upward. As for the several hundred crossbowmen behind them, they not only kept up a continuous volley of arcing shots, but some had even seized waist-drawn crossbows abandoned by the Yellow Turbans from the battlefield. Those waist-drawn crossbows required a draw strength of seven dan at minimum and needed the full coordinated effort of hands, feet, and waist to fire while lying on the ground. That crossbow bolt just now had likely come from one of those.

"Dispatch troops at once!" Seeing that both Zhang Bao and the old soldier remained silent, those around them immediately grew heedless. "Bring great shields here to protect our lord!"

"Send the central army into battle and capture the Han commander! If we succeed, this battle will be a great victory for our army! The Yellow Heaven can still be established!"

"Have the troops on both flanks converge toward the center!"

The deputy commander of veteran origin glanced at Zhang Bao, who sat there with his mouth shut, and hesitated to speak, but ultimately gave up on remonstrating.

After all, the General of the Earth's posture meant either that his mind was utterly disordered and he did not know what to do—in which case speaking would be useless—or that he was worried about the enemy before him and thus tacitly approved of these arrangements from those around him. In that case too, speaking would be useless.

In truth, even this deputy commander, with his rich military experience, was himself alarmed by the momentum of the Han army before him. Because in the brief time it took to relay orders, the Han troops directly ahead, continuing to press against the densely packed Yellow Turban soldiers, had actually advanced several dozen more paces!

Moreover, the tide of battle shifted with every breath. Just as the orders were being shouted incessantly behind the earthen mound, and tens of thousands of central army troops, still ignorant of the overall situation, were bewildered and preparing to move, at the front of the mound by the banks of the Hutuo River, the White Horse cavalry, having successfully landed, had no sooner set foot on shore than—instead of protecting that awe-inspiring general who had remounted and now stood beneath the canopy—they immediately, under the leadership of a lithe and vigorous warrior, surged forward to aid the thousand-plus vanguard troops ahead!

Looking down from the earthen mound, one could see several hundred White Horse cavalry split into dozens of small squads, pouring out almost instantly from both flanks of the long-spearmen. Using the mobility and height advantage of their horses, they ceaselessly struck and threatened the gaps between the various Yellow Turban units on the flanks, forcing the Yellow Turbans to be unable to exert flanking pressure on the Han long spears and great halberds pressing forward in the center.

The old soldier, who had once campaigned as far as Liangzhou, was after all rich in military experience, so he understood the thinking of this White Horse unit across the way almost instantly: it was not that they did not wish to protect their White Horse General, but rather that if they could push the battle line forward, it would instead make that general beneath the canopy even safer.

At this thought, the veteran deputy commander could not help but glance at the General of the Earth beside him. He saw the latter's lips were blue, forcing himself to sit still. Comparing him with the man beneath the canopy opposite, who with just over a thousand troops faced thirty thousand yet advanced of his own accord—truly it made one sigh with emotion!

At the same time, over a hundred paces below the earthen mound, Zhang He also understood the intent of this White Horse Volunteer unit almost immediately. However, he had no mind to compare the two commanders. On the battlefield, Zhang Junyi would only cherish the reinforcement this unit provided to his originally most vulnerable flanks, and then seize the chance to advance, advance, and advance again!

A long spear was hurled from afar, drifting and powerless by the time it reached him. Zhang He sidestepped to dodge, and in the same motion released his ring-pommel blade, which was stuck in an enemy soldier's ribs, and instead snatched up the long spear and charged straight forward, impaling another man dead on the spot. Perhaps because he had struck the heart or a blood vessel, when he pulled the spear out, hot blood gushed from the corpse, spurting five feet and completely plastering Zhang Junyi's originally refined and scholarly face. Yet he merely wiped his face, gritted his teeth, and ignored it, continuing to urge the halberd formation beside him forward.

Such fierce valor immediately frightened several Yellow Turban soldiers before him into scattering in panic.

It must be said: long spears and great halberds advancing in formation, with cavalry screening left and right, was undoubtedly an outstanding local tactic on a narrow battlefield, and the effect was truly remarkable. But when the Yellow Turbans originally facing the crossing point were pushed all the way to the base of the earthen mound, they met with harsh rebukes from above. There were even execution squads shooting down from the height with bows, forcing the frontline soldiers to turn back and face the Han army.

Thus, the Yellow Turbans, who had already been on the verge of rout, formed a disordered yet solid human defense line at the foot of the earthen mound, and the Han army's forward assault was momentarily checked.

Seeing this from the riverbank, Gongsun Xun also furrowed his brows slightly, for from his position, his field of view was broader, and he had already noticed the great clouds of dust rising behind that man-made earthen mound—clearly, Zhang Bao had made up his mind to send out his entire central army to swallow him up.

This was a good thing!

It must be understood that Gongsun Xun's choice to send troops at this moment was not a rash act. Rather, after observing the battle for most of the day, a sudden flash of inspiration had come to him, and he had seized a brilliant opportunity that even he felt somewhat proud of.

Because the cavalry was about to arrive!

With Gongsun Yue's steadiness; Guan Yu's and Shen Pei's outstanding grasp of the battlefield situation; the luxurious assault lineup formed by Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, Cheng Lian, Qian Zhao, Chu Yan, Yang Kai, and others; plus the fine horses from the Western Garden stables, the equipment from the Luoyang armory, and the riders from Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Henei—it could be said without exaggeration that this cavalry force of over ten thousand, which had yet to appear on the battlefield, was the most formidable mobile unit in the entire land north of the Yellow River at that moment!

In fact, not just Gongsun Xun, but every person of insight throughout the entire army had no doubt that this cavalry force, which would arrive at any moment, would directly alter the outcome of the battle!

Therefore, Gongsun Xun's personal river crossing this time, though seemingly risky, was actually very well-founded. Had it not been so, men like Lu Fan, Dong Zhao, Lou Gui, and Xi Zhong would rather have clung to his thighs than let him cross the river.

And now, since the Yellow Turban central army had already been successfully drawn into motion, when the Han cavalry came roaring in and could promptly thrust behind the enemy's central army, Zhang Bao's entire force would likely lose a layer of skin even if it survived.

Thus, the reason Gongsun Xun still furrowed his brows was truly not out of worry for the battle situation; he was merely lamenting the situation before his eyes—because Zhang He had fought too brilliantly.

This Zhang Junyi was indeed worthy of being one of the Five Elite Generals; in such a pitched battle, he had actually fought his way single-mindedly to the very foot of the earthen mound. If only he could advance a few dozen more paces and seize the mound in one vigorous charge, forcing Zhang Bao to flee in panic, then once the cavalry arrived, they could slaughter at will!

At that point, whether even twenty or thirty thousand out of a hundred thousand troops could flee back to the city would depend entirely on Heaven's will!

But returning to the present, the situation was that the main force of the Yellow Turban central army behind the mound was about to encircle them, while Wang Meng, Zhang He, and their Hejian long spears and great halberds were, as it happened, already losing momentum!

Gongsun Xun shook his head. He had intended to end this assault at that point, but suddenly, as he turned his head, his gaze fell upon the ground, which was covered with the corpses and severed limbs of both Han and Yellow Turban soldiers, the riverbank stained with blood until it was nearly crimson, with wounded from both sides wailing unceasingly and crying out again and again!

This was not the first time he had seen such a scene, but Gongsun Xun turned back to look at the river water behind him, ceaselessly dyed by blood, and a strange thought suddenly came to him: that in the affairs of this world, someone always had to do what needed to be done!

At this thought, as if moved by some supernatural force, Gongsun Xun, who had originally been about to give up, unhurriedly and without haste, suddenly urged his horse forward!

The strongmen and guards beside him holding the canopy, the staff of authority, and the banners were thrown into panic and could only hurriedly follow.

"Shout it out for me!" Gongsun Xun drew his blade and, without turning his head, commanded: "The General of the Household of All Purposes advances fifty paces!"

The mere dozen or so soldiers around him dared not delay and immediately shouted at the top of their lungs: "The General of the Household of All Purposes advances fifty paces!"

Thereupon, the scattered crossbowmen behind the spear and halberd formation heard the shout and turned to look. Seeing this, they were both greatly alarmed and involuntarily surged forward one after another, and then they too began to shout: "The General of the Household of All Purposes advances fifty paces!"

At this, the White Horse Volunteers on both flanks, including Han Dang, all turned at the sound in great alarm, and the Hejian troops ahead also involuntarily tensed up once more at the shouts. Both sides gritted their teeth again, bore the casualties, and strove forward.

"The General of the Household of All Purposes advances a hundred paces!" Gongsun Xun urged his horse onward and suddenly changed his words.

The guards around him and the Hejian crossbowmen who had already clustered at Gongsun Xun's side continued to follow closely while loudly passing on the words. The battlefield was utterly chaotic, yet the White Horse Volunteers on the flanks and the spear and halberd formation ahead, hearing these words, seemed almost by instinct to regain their strength and fought fiercely forward, striving to continue pushing the battle line.

Zhang Bao, looking down from his elevated position, could already clearly make out Gongsun Xun’s gradually sharpening figure and face from afar, yet he only opened his mouth repeatedly, at a loss for words.

At the base of the earthen hill, both sides had already been pushed to the brink of collapse, but almost in an instant, because the Han army’s commander had personally advanced, the Han front line rallied its morale once more and renewed its offensive. Correspondingly, the Yellow Turban forces at the hill’s base, facing a spear-and-halberd formation already thrown into disarray by corpses and chaotic fighting, could hold on no longer and actually scattered outright to the left and right and fled!

At the foot of the hill, Zhang He was overjoyed at the sight and immediately urged the Han troops to ascend the earthen hill.

On the hilltop, Zhang Bao’s legs trembled uncontrollably; he was on the verge of fleeing.

Yet, just at that moment, the deputy commander of old-soldier origin suddenly took half a step forward, one hand pressing firmly on Zhang Bao’s shoulder to hold him in place, while the other waved repeatedly, urging Zhang Bao’s personal guards on the left and right to step forward, take the high ground, and loose their bows in volleys at the men below the hill!

Several dozen Hejian spear-and-halberd soldiers, their eyes reddened by the prospect of battle merits, swarmed forward under the leadership of Acting Company Commander Wang Meng, only to be met head-on by a volley that cut them down!

It must be understood that Zhang He was a local strongman who had joined the army after the Yellow Turban uprising began, and it could be said that Wang Meng was his benefactor. Seeing this situation, Zhang He, heedless of all else, actually seized a large iron-faced shield and charged upward with fierce resolve, forcibly dragging Wang Meng, who had taken an arrow in the leg, back down.

But before he could catch half a breath, first a volley of crossbow bolts arced from the rear onto the earthen hilltop, and then Zhang He heard renewed shouting from behind him: “The General of the Gentlemen of the Household of All Purposes has advanced another two hundred paces!”

The voice was right behind his head, the rebel commander was right before him, and his fellow villagers and comrades were at his side. Zhang He felt the blood surge to his head; he clenched his jaw, snatched a ring-pommel saber from beside him and thrust it into his belt, then picked up a broken spear from the ground. With shield raised in one hand and spear in the other, he charged once more toward the earthen hilltop!

Under the cover of the crossbow bolts from the rear, he advanced more than ten paces, but immediately heard the Hejian men behind him shouting. Knowing the enemy’s arrows had arrived, he hurriedly halted and planted his shield.

Arrows fell like rain, clanging incessantly against the shield. Zhang He immediately felt a slight numbness somewhere on the arm bracing the large shield… Having been in the army for months and fought several battles, Zhang He understood in his heart that an arrowhead had pierced the shield and wounded the arm holding it.

However, Zhang He had no time to think further. Under the shield, he turned his head back and shouted loudly to his comrades: “The earthen hill is twenty zhang high! If I can advance another fifty paces, then call for me to stop!”

The soldiers at the foot of the hill were either crouching under shields, or straining to shake their long spear shafts to block the arrows; some had been directly struck by arrows, fallen to the ground, and were wailing. No one knew if anyone could clearly hear Zhang He’s words.

Further back, at the edge of the arrows’ range, Gongsun Xun, expressionless, was merely urging the surrounding Han crossbowmen to reload quickly. Moments later, the Han crossbow bolts were loosed in unison. Zhang He, knowing the opportunity had come, immediately raised his shield and scaled the hill once more!

In such circumstances, how could he know how high he had climbed? But suddenly, he heard the unified shout from behind him. Clenching his jaw, he turned his large shield around, and ignoring the Yellow Turbans ahead who were frantically raising their bows, he hurled the short spear in his hand with all his might toward a figure now clearly visible in his line of sight beneath the great Yellow Heaven banner.

Having completed this action, Zhang He did not even look at the result of his effort, but bent over and planted his shield, hiding behind it.

As a chaotic and loose volley of arrows scattered from the Yellow Turbans, several dozen paces away, Zhang Bao beneath the Yellow Heaven banner stared dumbfounded, watching that short spear pass through the abdomen of his elderly deputy commander, who had just moments ago been directing with composure, utterly at a loss as to what to do.

“Withdraw the troops!” The deputy commander of old-soldier origin was pinned to the ground, his hands gripping the spear shaft in his abdomen, his face contorted, clearly in extreme agony. Seeing Zhang Bao rise, he could only clench his teeth and utter a few fragmented, broken phrases. “Do not mind me, kill me… Yellow Heaven… go quickly, the cavalry still hasn’t… General, the whole army… take the banner…”

The words were halting and disjointed, barely able to convey some meaning. Yet before Zhang Bao could react, this former Han veteran, now deputy commander of the Yellow Turbans, had already completely lost the ability to speak.

Seeing the man in such pain, Zhang Bao, tears streaming down his face, immediately signaled to those beside him. Naturally, someone among them gritted their teeth and brought a blade down, severing the old soldier’s head to grant him release.

Zhang Bao had the intention of taking the man’s head with him, but his courage had already failed. Remembering the man’s words and seeing the Han soldiers once more surging up from below, he abandoned all thought of it, directly ordering his men to roll up his own Earthly General’s great banner and flee behind him!

Zhang He, his strength completely spent, had no idea what was happening above. But seeing the remaining Han soldiers at the foot of the hill suddenly cheering, and then the entire army clustering around the General of the Gentlemen of the Household’s canopy as it advanced once more, he too could not help but be overjoyed.

The Han army swarmed upward and seized the earthen hill. The Yellow Heaven great banner that Zhang Bao had no time to take with him was, in the course of events, pushed over!

The moment the great banner fell, the two wings of the Yellow Turban army, unaware of the true situation in the distance, collapsed almost instantly. Meanwhile, the main central force of the Yellow Turbans in the open ground south of the earthen hill and north of Xiaquyang City was, at this moment, completely bewildered!

Events had happened too quickly. From the time the Hejian troops successfully crossed the river, it had only been a little over a quarter of an hour. They could clearly see that Zhang Bao was unharmed, and could also see that Zhang Bao’s Earthly General’s banner was still there… but just moments ago they had received orders to bypass the earthen hill and advance, and now they saw Zhang Bao and the army’s senior officers all fleeing in disarray rearward, and then suddenly there were orders for them to enter the city?

In an instant, although these thirty thousand elite main-force Yellow Turbans, who had not been committed to battle at all, showed no signs of collapse and suffered no casualties, they inevitably fell into command confusion. Their battle formation became momentarily scattered and disordered, utterly unable to respond in an orderly and effective manner.

However, at this critical moment, the ground rumbled. Gongsun Xun, who had personally dismounted and was helping Zhang He up onto the earthen hill, glanced eastward in passing and indeed saw a rolling cloud of dust, like a dragon or a horse, that had instantly charged to the edge of the eastern battlefield.

The Han cavalry had arrived! They had come as promised!

The Han cavalry’s appetite was larger than imagined. Only when they reached the front did everyone clearly see their formation: the ten-thousand-plus cavalry had actually split into three. One route was Shen Pei leading five thousand riders, with Zhang Fei as the spearhead and himself in the rear, driving along the river; another route had Guan Yu actually leading four thousand riders, himself as the vanguard and Cheng Lian as the rear guard, driving along the city wall; Gongsun Yue led the remaining two thousand cavalry arrayed behind to form the bottom of the net — about which there was nothing more to say…

This formation, disregarding Gongsun Yue’s net at the rear, was in truth like two long swords thrusting out simultaneously from left and right, enveloping the entire Yellow Turban battle line within the formation… To be frank, given the Yellow Turbans’ numbers, it was a case of biting off more than one could chew.

But given the situation before them, they could fight however they pleased!

Before Zhang Bao could withdraw to the city front, seeing the rolling dust coming along the city wall, how could he not understand that the Han cavalry had circled the city and arrived? He struggled to shout, wanting to deploy his central main force — which had suffered no losses at all — to meet the enemy, but found that the central army had long since been thrown into chaos by his own retreat and was utterly unable to obey orders.

Left with no choice, he, whose courage had already been shattered, could only be escorted by his personal guards as he fled westward first, seeking to enter the city from the west side. And in the chaos, his Earthly General’s great banner was also lost on the battlefield.

At this, the Yellow Turban army collapsed completely. As the Han cavalry drove from east to west, the hundred-thousand-strong army was routed like a mountain toppling!

On the northern bank of the river, Feng Xin, the Chancellor of Changshan, was already gesticulating wildly with joy, his words becoming absurd… Think about it and you can understand — he was a scholar, famed for reciting poetry, composing rhapsodies, carving stelae, and writing biographies; how could he have ever witnessed such a scene?

Fortunately, he was not the one making decisions here. Earlier, Lou Gui’s side, after transmitting the flag signals and receiving a reply, had immediately reported to Lu Fan. And Lu Ziheng had made an immediate decision: all troops wearing iron armor were to remove it entirely, and all long weapons and large shields were to be discarded. They were to carry only their armor, bows and crossbows, and ring-pommel sabers.

By the time the cavalry’s dust cloud rose, Lu Fan did not hesitate at all. He ordered the boats to be lined up horizontally in a single row from front to back, and while hastily constructing a pontoon bridge, he also ordered all men in the army who could swim to immediately support themselves on the boats and ford the river right then and there!

At this moment, any number of troops that could reinforce the opposite bank was the number to send!

And just after Lu Fan finished giving his orders, as he stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves on the riverbank, gazing distantly at the earthen hill on the opposite side, a short, stout man suddenly came to his side:

“Brother Ziheng, the heroic spirit of our lord simply cannot be suppressed!”

“What does Gongren mean by that?” With the shouts of battle shaking the heavens on the opposite bank and the hurried fording beside him, Lu Fan took the opportunity to ask with his hands still tucked in his sleeves.

“No other meaning.” Dong Zhao sighed. “I just suddenly understand why the King of Xiang could not obtain worthy men or employ stratagems, yet could still rampage across the realm and overthrow the brutal Qin… This kind of heroic spirit — who, upon seeing it, would not be convinced? How much more so for bookish scholars like you and me?”

“Those are not good words.” Lu Fan sneered. “Is Colonel Dong resentful that our lord is rash and ventures into danger on his own? Or does he dislike that our lord does not heed your words and steals the limelight?”

“It is not resentment. I am truly awed by our lord’s imposing manner, and my heart is shaken. Yet, as you say, Brother Ziheng, although our lord is so heroically formidable, he ultimately did not listen to my words, and I do feel some regret in my heart.” Dong Zhao said helplessly. “Crossing the river was not a problem; the cavalry came as promised, so there was a solid foundation. But why did he have to attack the earthen hill? In such a situation, even if Zhang Bao did not die, Xiaquyang would exist in name only… In the affairs of the world, he who dares to be first must bear the weight of the world. Our lord had clearly agreed with me before to conceal his achievements and virtues; how did he change his mind at the last moment?”

“I can probably guess some of… Wenqi’s thoughts.” Lu Fan lowered his head and said with a solemn expression. “Wenqi is arrogant toward superiors but compassionate toward inferiors. I fear that since the uprising began, seeing the tragic state of the war and the people’s suffering, he has long harbored an unbearable feeling in his heart. And this battle, by chance and coincidence, was fought so satisfyingly that he simply clenched his jaw and did it. Gongren understands people’s hearts and is versed in the situation; I am curious — do you think… is this Wenqi’s case the womanly kindness of the King of Xiang, or is it the place where the Gaozu won the hearts of the people in Guanzhong?”

Dong Zhao pressed his lips together and said nothing for a moment.

“In my opinion.” Just at that moment, Lou Gui suddenly arrived from behind with Xi Zhong. “If it results in Gaozu’s success, then it is the virtue of winning the people’s hearts; if it results in the King of Xiang’s defeat, then it is womanly kindness… Just like my earlier ‘five victories and five defeats’ — if this battle had been lost, it would have been a colossal joke. But now that a great victory has been won, it becomes an unassailable truth, destined to be passed down through the ages!”

Dong Zhao and Lu Fan turned their heads together to look at Lou Zibo.

“Zibo speaks well.” Xi Zhicai could not help but raise his head and gaze at the southern bank as he spoke. “When I was holed up in Yingchuan before, I often thought: if I could find a lord who had Gaozu’s achievements and generosity, and also the King of Xiang’s prestige and benevolence, then my life would not have been in vain! What Colonel Dong and Ziheng were just saying about the King of Xiang and Gaozu… in my view, the comparison is neither fish nor fowl! Did the King of Xiang have our lord’s ability to win people over? If the King of Xiang could have won people over, how could Gaozu have achieved his success? And did Gaozu have our lord’s prestige? If Gaozu had been so skilled in battle, how could the King of Xiang have divided the realm? Therefore, I say, our lord is simply our lord, and the future situation will certainly differ from ancient times. For you and me, as long as our lord treats us with sincerity, with grace, and with virtue, then we should devote ourselves wholeheartedly and drive ourselves for him! Why stand here pondering back and forth, using the past to confuse the present?”

Dong Zhao was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then respectfully bowed to Xi Zhong: “What Brother Zhicai says is absolutely right. Zhao is instructed.”

Xi Zhicai glanced at him, could not help but stroke his beard and smile, and said no more.

Thereupon, the four men each collected their thoughts, and together with Feng Xin, who was gesticulating wildly in the distance, they continued to watch the battle from afar without cease.

The setting sun was like blood. The Han army swept back and forth unceasingly. Before Xiaquyang, there had been a full hundred thousand Yellow Turbans… Fortunately, Zhang Bao had previously left ten thousand in the city as a reserve, and with the addition of over ten thousand who fled back in haste, the city barely stabilized the situation with over twenty thousand remnant troops, preventing the Han army from biting at their tails and entering. But as the sun sank in the west, everyone knew that with the Han army possessing a large cavalry force, it was no longer possible for the Yellow Turbans to continue rallying their troops.

In other words, in this battle, the Yellow Turban army suffered a crushing defeat and was nearly annihilated.

The moment Zhang Bao, who had been hauled up from the west side of the city by rope, landed on the ground, he collapsed to his knees atop the towering city wall of Xiaquyang. Then, looking down from his elevated position, he stared blankly and distractedly at the tragic scene outside the city.

He watched as, in the distance, vast numbers of Yellow Turbans were either slaughtered or driven to the river to drown, and then others raised their hands in surrender; he also saw, near the gate before him, men scrambling to get inside, trampling each other incessantly until they blocked the city gate, and the Han troops who had crossed the river later angrily clearing the battlefield, tending to Han wounded on one hand while dragging Yellow Turban wounded to the foot of the city wall and leaving them to wail unceasingly… For a time, this Earthly General felt sorrow welling up from within, yet no tears would flow!

Now that it had come to this, how could Zhang Bao not understand that he had been completely defeated by the opponent’s single move of a black tiger tearing out the heart? How could he not understand that whether the seventy to eighty thousand Yellow Turbans outside the city were dead or wounded, surrendered or fled, it would all be attributed to his own incompetence?

It was not that the great army could not fight, but between himself and that White Horse General on the opposing side, the difference was far more than a single level!

One incompetent general brings ruin upon three armies!

If the Yellow Heaven is defeated, he too would have his share of the ‘merit’!

However, with the situation collapsing to this point, the casualties so immense, and the scene so harrowing, Zhang Bao could only face it with numbness. In truth, though many had died beside him today, it was only the twisted face of that older deputy commander in his final moments that flickered before his eyes from time to time… This was the man he had most wronged — knowing full well he was reliable, knowing full well he had ability, yet unable to use him!

"My lord!" A trusted retainer who had narrowly escaped with his life held out a waterskin containing a little wine, hands trembling. "Moisten your throat… Our army still has two… still over thirty thousand troops, and Xiaquyang's walls are strong — we can fully rely on the city and await reinforcements! Wait, wait for the General of Heaven…"

Halfway through this stammering speech, Zhang Bao suddenly hurled the empty waterskin, which he had drained in two gulps, to the ground. Then his eyes reddened and tears streamed down without cease.

Just as those around him were about to kneel and beg forgiveness, he abruptly rose again and walked shivering toward the rear: "My heart is in turmoil. Guard the situation on the walls in my stead."

None dared say more, and the trusted retainer hurried forward to support him, carefully heading toward the high platform within the city where Zhang Bao resided.

Several li away by the river, at a place thick with defeated Yellow Turban soldiers, Zhang Fei, eyes wide with fury, came galloping with his troops, spear in hand — only to find, unexpectedly, that the leader immediately had his men cast aside their weapons, kneel, and beg for mercy!

Zhang Fei, far from pleased, grew angrier still, yet could do nothing about it. He could only let out a great roar, then tear open the armor on his body, revealing a fair chest ringed with black hair, before leading his cavalry off elsewhere once more.

Not far away, Zhang Chun, the Grand Administrator of Zhongshan, shook his head at the sight: "Since Zhang Bao has fled into the city, the highest merit will inevitably go to that fake Company Commander from Hejian. No wonder these arrogant soldiers and fierce generals are so impatient… Still, it is an army of a hundred thousand after all — even if the cavalry is sharp, how could they claim all the credit?"

"It will soon be dark!" Xu Zhan suddenly narrowed his eyes and said. "From here on, our army can only keep watch on the enemy's city gates, with little else to achieve. I imagine Grand Administrator Guo, Chancellor Feng, the two Captains, and everyone of any standing in the army will all be heading to that earthen hill now."

Zhang Chun, hearing something odd in the other's tone, felt a sudden dawning in his heart: "Sir Xu, you mean…"

"They can go, but we cannot," Xu Zhan said through gritted teeth. "Think about it, Prefect — once darkness falls, the roads will be full of the General of the Household's trusted men. We are utterly exhausted after a bitter day of fighting. If by chance we run into someone like that figure just now on the road, get skewered by a single spear thrust, and are conveniently tossed into a pile of corpses, what could be done about it…"

"I understand," Zhang Chun immediately voiced his agreement. "Now that the battle is settled, the open spears have been dodged — we must guard against hidden arrows. In truth, with the awe Gongsun Xun commands after this battle, I fear there is no one in the army who does not submit to him. So it is not just on the road there — even if we meet at the earthen hill, if he were to make a move against us in the dark of night while we rest, I fear no one would speak up for me!"

"Prefect, you speak truly — therefore, we cannot remain south of the river!" Xu Zhan quickly continued. "At the very least, not tonight… We will not take the makeshift pontoon bridge. We will find any ferry, then hurry under cover of dusk to cross the river northward at some sparsely populated spot, and lodge tonight at the great camp north of the river… What do you think?"

"Good!" Zhang Chun, after a moment's thought, agreed crisply. "And we shall not remove our armor until we reach the northern camp, to guard against hidden arrows… We must also use the Yuyang troops who fought alongside us today as escorts along the way. They are men of my home region — at this moment, the only troops in the army we can trust are those fellows."

The two having settled their plan, they immediately supported each other, then sought out a Yuyang officer they had deliberately cultivated over the past few days, having him lead a few men as escort. Only then did they deliberately turn back eastward to secretly search for a ferry.

Leaving aside Zhang Chun and Xu Zhan, who deliberately sought to avoid the peerlessly awe-inspiring Gongsun Xun of this day, let us turn elsewhere. As the sun gradually sank in the west, the various commanders in the army gathered one after another at the earthen hill where Zhang Bao had originally been, to pay their respects to the General of the Household.

And the first of the two-thousand-bushel officials to arrive was, unexpectedly, Guo Dian, the Grand Administrator of Julu, who had originally been forcing a crossing on the western side.

Although Sir Guo was quite convinced by Gongsun Xun's performance, he remained, as ever, somewhat out of step with the occasion. After brief pleasantries, he openly inquired about Gongsun Xun's next move.

"What strategy could there be at this point?" Gongsun Xun shook his head and said. "Lay siege as sieges are laid, build ramparts as ramparts are built. Construct earthen mounds, manufacture siege equipment — perhaps we can also dig tunnels and entice the defenders to surrender… In short, sweep the surroundings clean, surround on three sides leaving one open, and when the enemy's morale within the city plummets, take it in a single surge!"

Guo Dian had nothing to say to that, so he asked further: "After this great defeat, morale within the city is low and fearful, and our army has cavalry — surrounding on three sides leaving one open is the correct course. But how should the various commanders in the army be assigned? I ask the General of the Household to make it clear."

"That is also simple," Gongsun Xun promptly assigned. "Sir Guo was on the western side to begin with — lead ten thousand troops to set up ramparts and blockade the west. Then Captain Zong will lead ten thousand troops to set up ramparts on the eastern side. I myself will lead the main army to establish the great camp north of the city!"

Guo Dian frowned slightly at these words and was about to ask something more, but seeing that most of those around him were overjoyed, he knew that pressing the matter would only make him disliked. Moreover, this great victory was rare after all, so he let it drop, relaxed, removed his armor, and rested.

But someone would not let him rest at all. Just as Grand Administrator Guo loosened his armor and tried to drink and eat atop the earthen hill, by the overly crude pontoon bridge on the Hutuo River to the north, a boat suddenly appeared, carrying Chancellor Feng along with Lu Fan and Dong Zhao, heading this way… And as soon as that Feng Xin, Chancellor Feng, reached the shore, paying no heed to the countless corpses on the ground, and caring even less about the toiling soldiers all around, he came shouting and clamoring up the earthen hill.

The man was a two-thousand-bushel official after all. Earlier, Guo Dian had resented him for not sending troops, but now he had sent them and had not held them back. Most importantly, this battle was a great victory, so he could hardly rebuff the man's face. He rose to receive him together with Captain Zong Yuan, the Colonel Protecting the Wuhuan, who was already present.

"General of the Household, White Horse General!" Feng Xin called out as he climbed the earthen hill. "Just now, watching the battle from north of the river, I composed a poem for you… It can be called the masterpiece of my life. You must… ahem… you must hear it!"

At this, Gongsun Xun, who had been fairly normal until now, felt rather disgusted… How many 'immortal masterpieces' had he heard? Why would he care about a poem by this Feng Xin? A masterpiece, even?

Moreover, in this era, what truly graced the halls of elegance were four-character and five-character poems — and five-character ones were still rare. Such poetry was naturally at odds with Gongsun Xun's jaded aesthetic tastes. How could he possibly look forward to it?

However, Guo Dian beside him grew quite interested. And Gongsun Yue, Shen Pei, Zhang Fei, Qian Zhao, Liu Bei, Cheng Lian, Wei Yue, and even Zhang He, his arm wrapped in bandages — whether genuine or feigned, all showed interest as well.

Only Guan Yunchang, having failed to capture Zhang Bao and seeing the unknown junior Zhang He take the highest merit, was already somewhat impatient. It was only because the poem was in praise of Gongsun Xun that he did not let his displeasure show outright.

Gongsun Xun gave a dry laugh. In the end, unwilling to ruin the atmosphere, he took the other by the arm and helped Feng Xin all the way up to the high platform on the earthen hill. Then, with a slight bow and cupped hands, he professed his anticipation.

Feng Xin laughed heartily with pride and, without declining, turned, stroked his beard, and took several paces facing the setting sun. Only then did he recite his poem in a singsong voice… Indeed, it was precisely a five-character elegant poem.

The poem went:

"The General launched from White Horse, his banners crossing the Yellow River.

Gongs and drums shook the rivers and peaks, the vast sea surged with billowing waves.

At Wu'an, tiles were rattled; on the Yi River, no cold lament was sung.

Iron cavalry like snowy mountains, drinking the Hutuo dry at its stream.

Raising troops to hunt in Dongjun, turning strategy at Changshe.

Leaning on his sword, he ascended the earthen hill; the setting sun arrayed the jagged peaks.

Desolate, the marshes of Julu; abundant, the tilled fields of Changshan.

In one sweep, Hebei is cleared; the tiger is sheathed, the golden blades rest."

When this poem was delivered, despite all of Gongsun Xun's preconceptions, his basic faculty of appreciation still told him it was a fine poem — and moreover, it recounted his own battle achievements since the Yellow Turban uprising, fitting perfectly!

Of course, Guo Dian, Lu Fan, Shen Pei, Dong Zhao, Gongsun Yue, and the others also praised it profusely!

"A stele must be erected here! A stele must be erected here!" Feng Xin, having finished reciting the poem with his head raised, turned back and began gesticulating with even greater excitement. "On the front, carve this poem; on the back, record this battle — recounting the merits of all present, telling the story of this poem's origin… A stele must be erected here!"

This time, no one opposed him. Guo Dian immediately expressed his approval — as soon as the aftermath of this battle was settled, a stele would be erected to record the deeds and the poem!

And Gongsun Xun also slowly nodded: "Countless dead and wounded, a time of utter devastation. Not only must we erect a stele, we must also take this opportunity to hold sacrifices, summon the souls and comfort the spirits, to pray for peace and health in the coming year."

The crowd grew even more in agreement and delegated this matter to Chancellor Feng to carry out. Feng Xin, in his smug satisfaction, naturally agreed at once.

After this burst of excitement, the setting sun continued to sink westward, clearly about to vanish completely. Those among the crowd with true culture, moved by the scene, could not help but repeatedly recite this poem aloud, to soothe the hardship of battle and the horror of the battlefield.

Even Guan Yunchang, at this moment, actually stroked his beard and softly recited this poem, then gazed at the gradually setting sun!

However, as the sky darkened and the crowd set up a simple small banquet atop the earthen hill, discussing the day's bitter fighting while marveling at the power of Feng Xin's poem — suddenly, Lou Zibo appeared from who knows where, his face full of panic. And as soon as he reached the brightly lit earthen hill, he informed everyone of an unexpected piece of 'bad news.'

"Grand Administrator Zhang fell into the water by accident while crossing the river?" Gongsun Xun was greatly alarmed. "Was the man rescued?"

"In reply, my lord," Lou Gui said with a sigh, under the astonished gazes of the crowd on the earthen hill, "I heard that when Grand Administrator Zhang boarded the boat, he was wearing two layers of armor, and it was in the dark of night. Falling into the water this time… I fear his body will be hard to find!"

Hearing these words, Gongsun Xun raised his head to the sky and gave a long sigh.

———————I am the dividing line of unsettled hearts—————————

"When Xun personally crossed the Hutuo to attack Zhang Bao, he was momentarily blocked below the earthen hill and could not ascend. He thus called for several dozen volunteers to be the first to climb, all in heavy armor bearing large shields, with Zhang He as their second. The vanguard advanced to meet the foe; the rebels' bows and crossbows fired wildly, arrows coming down like rain. From Wang Meng of Hejian at the head downward, all fell — only Zhang He survived. He then dragged Wang Meng back to the battle line, and alone once more, bearing shield and spear, he went up. Without looking back, he called to those below the hill: 'The hill is twenty zhang high; when I have climbed fifty paces, then call it out to me.' When he reached it, those below the hill shouted in unison: 'Fifty paces!' Zhang He then cast aside his shield and hurled his spear with all his might toward the banner. There was a deputy commander, loyal to Zhang Bao, who took the blow with his own body. The spear pierced through his chest; the deputy commander writhed in unbearable agony. Zhang Bao, greatly terrified, wept as he cut off the deputy commander's head, then clutched it to his bosom and fled. Zhang Bao's troops thereupon fell into chaos. Afterward, Xun personally helped Zhang He ascend the hill and asked: 'How did you manage to climb up alone?' Zhang He prostrated himself and bowed deeply: 'The General crossed the river in person, shunning neither life nor death — how could I dare not win complete merit for the General?' Xun sighed greatly and rewarded him greatly." — Records of Heroes at the End of Han, by Wang Can

PS: Eleven thousand characters, roughly four chapters in one, including tonight's — debt repaid… This was written through the night after insomnia, with some hurried corrections for typos at the worksite. I am truly exhausted now, so there won't be anything tonight even if I wanted there to be. I'll probably need to catch up on sleep as soon as I get back.

Also, reader group: 684558115 — feel free to join if interested.

(End of Chapter)