[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-411":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1223170,1620,"Chapter 411: The Tip of a Hair's Breadth Holds a Thousand Judgments — This Is Spring and Autumn","overthrowing-han-chapter-411",411,"\u003Cp>On the eleventh day of the ninth month, deep in the night, within Liangqi City, Yuan Shao, who shared a bed with his wife Lady Liu and his youngest son Yuan Shang, was carefully roused from his couch by a servant — a guard reported through a maidservant that Xu You had arrived in the city and, at all costs, demanded an immediate audience with General Yuan the Chariot-and-Cavalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Yuan Shao, who had already grown out quite a bit of hair, could only sigh, yet he still rose at once to receive him, clearly having long anticipated Xu You's arrival… This was understandable. Consider how, several days earlier, Zhang Yide, as casually as raking grass and catching a rabbit along the way, had seized Quliang City, which belonged to Wei Commandery. How could Yuan Shao, encamped only a few dozen li away in Liangqi City, not know? And with Quliang lost, Xu Ziyuan’s near-success in Julu turning into failure was entirely expected, and his hurried return now to beg forgiveness was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that no one imagined the man would come so fast, so urgently!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, deep in the night, the ever-considerate Yuan Benchu forced himself alert, merely threw on an outer robe, and hurried to the rear hall. When he saw Xu Ziyuan with deeply sunken eyes, covered in the dust of travel, his expression harried and his bearing utterly flustered, not a trace of his usual poise remaining, the resentment in Yuan Shao’s heart immediately dissipated by seven or eight parts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, just as Yuan Shao’s heart softened, and before he could even sit down to offer a word of comfort, Xu Ziyuan, upon seeing him, instead stepped forward directly and seized the sleeve of his lord, General Yuan the Chariot-and-Cavalry, and spoke words that startled all who heard:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, dispatch troops to Handan at once! Otherwise, the twenty-thousand-strong army under Ju Gongyu and General Han will be lost! Moreover, Gongsun Wenqi has already reached Hebei and is now mustering his forces. Chen Gongtai’s strategy of suppressing bandits in the Taihang Mountains and blocking his rear from across the peaks is already useless. Seize this final window of opportunity and send the entire army to besiege Handan once more — that is the only correct course!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao sat in the hall, stunned for a moment, before finally directing a cold sneer at the trusted confidant still clutching his sleeve: \"Ziyuan, regarding Julu, I had no intention of blaming you. You needn’t spout nonsense to absolve yourself… I still receive some intelligence. It is nothing more than Zhang Yide suddenly arriving. The man’s valor is worthy of a foe of ten thousand, so naturally he could easily sweep aside your local clan bandits with commandery troops. A chaotic brawl among rabble within a commandery — how could that possibly threaten the situation where Ju Gongyu is stationed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Benchu think I am here spouting empty threats to escape blame?\" Xu Ziyuan flew into a towering rage, and in the middle of the night, still clutching the other man’s sleeve, he rebuked him fiercely. \"What blame do I bear?! Back then, I went to Julu with nothing but a stack of blank appointment documents, without expending a single soldier or grain of provisions. Now, even if utterly defeated, it is no more than losing that stack of documents! If we are to assign blame, those men of Yingchuan, Yanzhou, and Hebei under your command, who gathered seventy to eighty thousand troops, expended so much coin and grain, and squandered so much manpower, yet could not gain a foothold beneath Handan’s walls… should they not all be executed?! As for you, General of Chariots and Cavalry, you cannot even distinguish merit from fault in your heart. And as Regional Commander, seeing your subordinates fail to achieve merit, you actually take schadenfreude. What qualification do you have to contend for the realm against Gongsun Wenqi?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao’s face shifted between ashen and flushed. For a moment, blood surged up, stoking a headache so severe it was unbearable… In that instant, he was so furious he nearly ordered the guards to behead the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, for one thing, Yuan Benchu had harbored similar thoughts himself. He knew Xu You had never cost him a single coin, grain, or soldier, and he already felt the man had committed no grave error. For another, being cursed out by the other party suddenly made him realize: he had spent two consecutive months here in Liangqi and Ye City reorganizing, resting, and suppressing bandits, and with the stalemate on all fronts, he had unwittingly grown slack and evasive of battle, forgetting the peril of the greater situation…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu You’s scolding was far too excessive. Even though Yuan Benchu was now inclined to forgive him, the knot of anger in his chest was hard to swallow. And Xu You himself was already utterly beside himself, his heart filled with indignation. Thus, the two men found themselves locked in an impasse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew how long it was before Yuan Shao, with a reluctant sigh in his heart, pressed his forehead and let out a muffled groan: \"It is my head ailment flaring up again, a moment of confusion. Ziyuan need not dwell on it overly…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu You had followed him for many years; how could he not know that he had just been courting death, that he had essentially walked a circle on a knife’s edge? But now that things had come to this, and the other man had backed down, further argument was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the man released his grip, raised his head, and sighed: \"Benchu, you and I may have lost our composure, but with the greater situation before us, and having known each other half our lives, to twist and turn over a bit of face here in a private chamber is truly laughable… Now, as far as the great matter is concerned, for you, there are only two things: trust me, or don’t trust me. What else is there to say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao pressed his forehead, pondered briefly, then abruptly summoned a trusted guard and asked: \"Is General Li Jin still encamped ten li south of the city, and has not yet moved out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard bowed and confirmed it was so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell him not to go to Henei to trouble Yu Du. Have him lead his own troops at top speed to Handan to reinforce Ju Shou!\" Yuan Benchu immediately ordered, completely following Xu Ziyuan’s suggestion. \"Also, find Xin Zhongzhi and tell him that the final batch of reorganized and trained troops here in Wei Commandery need not continue their program. Hand them all over to him to command, and have him move out immediately, following behind Li Jin toward Handan. Finally, send dispatches to Chen Gongtai in Ye City and Guo Gongze here. Tell them to prepare at once, mobilize all units currently resting and reorganizing, assemble the entire army, and prepare for a massive counterattack on Handan!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after issuing this string of commands did he, seated, press his forehead and look toward the now-calmed Xu You: \"Ziyuan, I have already done exactly as you said to rescue Handan, and have summoned the entire army to prepare to attack Handan again immediately. Now it is your turn to explain to me in detail exactly what is going on!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with such trust, Xu You naturally had no more indignation left. He could only recount everything that had happened in the south of Julu Commandery in full detail, and carefully explain his own deductive logic to the other man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean to say,\" Yuan Shao, after hearing the explanation, grew hesitant instead, \"that based solely on Zhang Yide burning the pontoon bridge, you deduced so many things? Are you not being overly suspicious?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether one is overly suspicious has nothing to do with how much or how little one sees; it depends solely on whether the deductions are reasonable.\" Beneath the lamplight of the rear hall, though his appearance was still wretched, Xu You, with his back to Yuan Shao, had already recovered a measure of his bearing in his speech. At the very least, he could now sneer and stroke his beard with an air of composure. \"Benchu, I only ask you this: Zhang Yide swept through ten cities in just over ten days, gathered six or seven thousand troops, and even routed me utterly — so why, then, did he burn the pontoon bridge? Was it not precisely because he intended to gather his entire army and head for Handan, and feared that his rear would be exposed and taken by the Anping troops? Otherwise, he should have seized the chance to try to invade Anping and force a defeated man like me to burn the bridge!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could it not be that Zhang Yide knew his troops were all newly surrendered clan bandits, a motley rabble that could only fight sustained by the blood-courage of successive victories, and therefore took the initiative to burn the bridge to secure his position?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clan bandits, true. A motley rabble, also true. But in Julu right now, there are three matters that must be mentioned…\" Xu You still spoke with his back turned. \"First, Zhang Yide is a foe of ten thousand, attacking like a wolf or tiger — how could he stop so easily? Second, Dong Gongren is forbearing and full of schemes. Having endured for months, now that he has launched his move, how could he have no follow-up plan? Third, although these two are Gongsun Wenqi’s men, their temperaments differ from Gongsun Wenqi’s. Especially Dong Zhao — the man watched as the clan bandits in the south of the commandery rose up one after another, then pacified them in a single stroke. This shows his intellect and cunning are not inferior to mine. His sitting by and watching the clans of the south rise up back then was fundamentally an intention to use my hand to purge the locals… In short, only he himself knows how much he truly cares about the lives of those few thousand surrendered clan bandits!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao fell into silent contemplation for a while before finally speaking slowly: \"You mean to say, it is precisely because this group of surrendered clan bandits can only fight on borrowed momentum that Dong Zhao and Zhang Fei will strike swiftly at Handan? Victory would be good, but defeat would not pain Dong Zhao. Failing that, these few thousand surrendered troops can only be used as auxiliaries or camp laborers?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly that.\" Xu Ziyuan answered through gritted teeth. \"This is why I disregarded everything, used no mounted scouts, and personally rode through the night to get here… Yet even so, I had to take a long detour from Anping Principality to cross the Qi River. And now, just after the autumn harvest, military provisions are ample everywhere and logistics are secure. Zhang Fei commands troops like a wolf or tiger. Whether we can make it in time beneath the walls of Handan is still only a fifty-fifty proposition.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao nodded slowly, already convinced in his heart of the other man’s judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after these words, for some unknown reason, the rear hall, occupied only by the two of them, fell once more into an eerie silence. For a long time, no one spoke; only the lamplight flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an indeterminate length of time, it was still Xu You who sighed faintly: \"Why does Benchu not ask me further — how did I conclude that Gongsun Wenqi has already reached Hebei, and that the strategy of blocking his rear across the Taihang Mountains is already useless? In truth, this matter is my own presumptuous conjecture, based solely on the intuition of many years of acquaintance with the man.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On this matter, I have a similar intuition. And being here, I have long since detected some vague signs from within the mountains.\" Yuan Shao’s headache had eased slightly, but he could still only speak slowly. \"For instance, the first envoy sent to the Northern Taihang — aside from an initial reply saying Zhang Yan had accepted my recruitment, there was later no word at all. Only after a long while did another letter come from Mount Zi, saying the envoy had followed along on campaigns in Changshan, where blades and arrows show no mercy, and had died from a stray shot. But when new envoys were sent, they too vanished like clay oxen entering the sea, with no response whatsoever. Reckoning the days, it has already been over a month… Thus, I had already surmised that Gongsun Wenqi must have left the Sanfu army behind before the autumn harvest and arrived here ahead of time, and that Zhang Yan had long since been eliminated by him. The only reason he has not yet launched an attack is that the troops from Sanfu have yet to arrive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu You was momentarily speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ziyuan.\" This time it was Yuan Shao who raised his head and sighed. \"Your disrespect today was excessive. And the reason I could tolerate it is not only because of our many years of mutual understanding, but also because, though you were utterly indignant, you did not make your case based on the loss of all the wealth and goods you amassed in Julu. Instead, you focused on the greater situation, and what you urged me to do were all military arguments… You asked me how I could defeat Gongsun Wenqi. In fact, I believe the answer lies right here. Though we each have our flaws, if we can unite as one, with me doing my utmost to support the greater situation and you all doing your utmost to display your wisdom and schemes, then on what grounds can we not contend with Gongsun Wenqi for supremacy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ziyuan seemed about to speak, then stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough!\" Yuan Shao rose again and said, \"You have had a hard journey. Settle down here with me for now. As for me, I have a slight headache, and my youngest son shares my bed; I am somewhat uneasy and must return to look after him and rest… Tomorrow we must still prepare to attack Handan again. Let us both retire early!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the man pressed his forehead and turned back into the rear bedchamber by himself. Xu You, however, sighed faintly and did not move for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night passed without further words. The next day, Li Jin set out first for Handan and arrived that very evening, only to run headlong into Zhang Yide and Guan Yunchang jointly attacking Ju Shou and Han Meng beneath Handan’s walls… In this moment of crisis, Li Jin, following Xu You’s prior warning, ignored the encampments, ignored Ju Shou, and drove his entire army around to the east side of the main camp, charging straight at the flank of Zhang Fei’s division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, Li Jin’s troops were an elite force of clan sons, gradually tempered since the Yellow Turban uprising, where fathers died and sons succeeded them, elder brothers fell and younger brothers took their place. Thus, although his division had suffered losses over the years in various battles, it was battered but not scattered, defeated but not routed. Now, returning after a period of rest and reorganization, it was fully equipped with armor and weapons, and its morale was ready for use. Zhang Fei’s troops, on the other hand, were, as Xu You had said, nothing more than surrendered clan bandits hastily gathered, relying entirely on a surge of blood-courage. In a favorable fight, they were like wolves and tigers, but once they met a setback, they naturally collapsed… In fact, for this operation, to guard against mishap, the few reliable commandery regulars had all been left behind by Dong Zhao in Quliang City, precisely out of fear of being dragged down. And not daring to launch a night raid, instead choosing to attack the enemy camp in the evening, was likewise a move born of necessity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the fighting was fierce at the start. Li Jin’s troops, having rushed over, were somewhat fatigued to begin with, and slightly outnumbered, so they were actually at a disadvantage. But as the battle wore on into the night, the deep exhaustion of Zhang Fei’s division after more than ten consecutive days of fighting, and their nature as a motley rabble, were fully exposed. Li Jin personally took up a spear, shouting as he charged forward, and the six or seven thousand clan bandits from south Julu Commandery completely collapsed, the entire army fleeing in rout!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the sky dark and the situation beyond salvaging, even if Guan Yu and Zhang Fei wanted to use decapitation tactics, they could not find a target. Each could only gather their troops and retreat. Zhang Yide especially — his division had no discipline whatsoever. To rally them, he had no choice but to fall back several dozen li to Jize, or even to Quliang City, before there was any hope. This could truly be called a thorough and complete defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the days that followed, Yuan’s army streamed in continuously, densely packed, returning once more. And this time, not only were the troops elite and the provisions ample, with morale even higher, but there were also tens of thousands of newly surrendered Southern Taihang bandits following along, swelling their numbers even further… In fact, when Yuan Benchu sent out grain transport and mobilization orders to officials across the three provinces and nineteen commanderies and principalities under his rule, and when he demanded that Cao Cao move north to Chenliu and, together with Zhang Yang, annihilate Yu Du, who had fled to the edge of the Yellow River, he openly and bluntly claimed to have an army of five hundred thousand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This number was naturally inflated, but according to Shen Pei’s observations from the city walls, the troops below the walls were indeed more numerous than the previous time, likely no fewer than a hundred thousand. And if one counted the grain-transporting laborers mobilized from various places, a number of three hundred thousand was probably not far off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Handan’s most dangerous moment has arrived.\" Atop the western wall of Quliang City, gazing at the autumn-swollen Jize Marsh, where water and sky merged into one, Dong Gongren’s expression was rarely so utterly grim, made all the more sinister by his dark face. \"Handan City has been pinned down by Ju Shou, locked in a stalemate for months. Though the troops and civilians inside face no immediate danger of the walls being breached, they also cannot easily venture out, and must instead remain constantly on guard. By now, they are utterly exhausted. And Yuan Shao, returning with renewed force, with the autumn grain stored away, his foundation deep and his momentum at its peak, and having spent months in Liangqi City, must have made some preparations for storming the city… It is entirely possible he will launch a direct assault! And though Guan Yunchang is valiant, how can he easily reverse the tide?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fei, recalling how his own troops had been easily routed by Li Jin, had no argument to make: \"Troops worn down by exhaustion — there is truly no help for it… Still, I missed my chance earlier. If I had not burned that pontoon bridge that day, how would it have come to this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This matter has nothing to do with burning the bridge.\" Dong Zhao’s dark face remained cold. \"Rather, it is that all things in the world have their own rhythms, just as the sea tide ebbs and flows, and just as the waters of rivers and marshes swell in autumn and dry up in winter… Right now is precisely the moment when the enemy is at its absolute strongest, and Handan at its weakest. As for waiting half a month, or even less, when the Lord Marquis leads the great army here, that will be the moment when our side is at its strongest, and their side gradually weakens. These things were always within our calculations. As for us individuals, situated within the greater current, what we can truly do is nothing more than this: when our waning momentum meets their waxing momentum, do our utmost to hold on; and when our waxing momentum meets their waning momentum, sweep away dead wood and score a few extra victories, thereby bringing the storm to an early calm and the world to stability — that is all. Of course, I imagine that with the wisdom of Guan Yunchang and Shen Zhengnan, they too have long anticipated this and have long been prepared to fulfill their respective duties.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fei sighed slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Over the past few months, in Liangqi City to the rear, countless scaling ladders and battering rams have already been hewn from timber and are being transported here specifically for this purpose.\" Beneath the walls of Handan, Yuan Shao, having departed and returned, stood atop the command platform. Though his army appeared even more formidable, he himself showed no sign of arrogance. Instead, because Gongsun Xun’s arrival was imminent, he had become exceptionally stern and cautious. \"Thanks to the hard work of Ju Gongyu in maintaining the situation here, not only has the main camp been preserved, but the defenders of Handan are also utterly exhausted. The time is right to take the city in one decisive stroke… General Ju!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Yi immediately stepped forward upon hearing his name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Guan Yunchang, with three thousand troops, still maintains a mutually supporting horn formation outside the city. On the road here, you sought me out, and I told you to speak again today… So, what do you propose we do?\" Yuan Shao asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This subordinate believes we should not begrudge using our own bows and crossbows from the walls for suppression. Disregard casualties, and instead use bows and crossbows to suppress him!\" Ju Yi raised his head, perfectly composed. His Liangzhou accent momentarily drew sidelong glances from the countless officers and advisors on the command platform. \"Our previous defeat came because our army, thinking itself countless in number, sought perfection in all things, employing all manner of flashy but useless stratagems, and was thus checked by Guan Yunchang… The truth is, Guan Yunchang is indeed a rare general of bear and tiger, with both surpassing valor and intellect. But if we are willing to disregard casualties and trade life for life, the man is not necessarily uncheckable, and Handan City might well have been taken long ago. How could we still be here, impotent beneath its walls?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Chen Gong, Xin Ping, and Ju Shou — the greatest contributor to the army’s current position — all changed color simultaneously. Even Xu Ziyuan cast a cold glance at this military brute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Yi paid them no heed whatsoever. He simply looked directly at Yuan Shao and requested battle: \"If my lord is willing to grant this subordinate two thousand armored soldiers and four thousand archers and crossbowmen, and will not judge by casualties, then this subordinate is willing to stake his head that Guan Yunchang will absolutely be unable to disrupt the siege!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good!\" Yuan Shao, likewise ignoring the offended advisors, responded in a similarly raised voice. \"There is a matter I must discuss with you generals… The White Horse Bandit is a thief who has stolen the state, causing the authority of the Han imperial house to fall into other hands. Since I am General of Chariots and Cavalry, publicly elected by three provinces and nineteen commanderies to punish the bandit, I must exercise some temporary expedient authority… Know this: military merit shall be rewarded with noble titles!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Ju Yi was first dumbfounded like everyone around him, then overjoyed. He directly knelt and said: \"My lord, forgive me… My lord! This subordinate’s clan was originally a great family of Pingyuan. Decades ago, due to crimes… due to circumstances, we were relocated to Liangzhou. Only after the realm fell into chaos did we return to Hebei to join the army… If I could become a village marquis of Pingyuan, then even in death, I could face my ancestors. This life would have no regrets!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will give you four thousand armored soldiers and six thousand archers and crossbowmen.\" Yuan Shao neither agreed nor made a promise, but continued in the same cold tone. \"If Guan Yunchang can still leave his camp to disrupt my siege strategy, you need not speak of village marquises or capital village marquises of Pingyuan. In consideration of our bond as lord and subject, I will simply bury you back in Pingyuan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Yi, far from being alarmed, was instead delighted, and kowtowed repeatedly without cease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"General Ju, go first and deploy to block Guan Yunchang. The rest of the army, except for Ju Shou and Han Meng, who will shift camp to the east of the city to serve as the rear guard, will all rest for one day. Tomorrow morning, after a full meal, we will scale the walls from all four sides!\" At this point, Yuan Benchu tore the silk cap from his head and hurled it onto the command platform, then drew his blade and rose. \"Opportunity knocks but once; time lost cannot be regained. Should there be any mishap, from Chen Gongtai on down, all may be executed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Gong and the others naturally understood Yuan Benchu’s meaning… Though the entire army was at its peak, with troops even more formidable than before, because Gongsun Xun could arrive at any unknown moment, the situation was actually more perilous than before… Therefore, under the greater circumstances, no one made any superfluous moves. Instead, led by Chen Gong, they all stepped forward and voiced their assent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao returned with renewed force, a hundred thousand troops besieging the city. Guan Yunchang would naturally not sit idle, and Shen Zhengnan would absolutely never surrender. Their characters determined their choices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when Guan Yunchang first sallied forth to try to hinder the siege, he encountered Ju Yi’s tactic of trading life for life. Although Guan Yu’s troops still chose to fight relying on the city walls, and although the defending troops atop the walls had the triple advantage of range, accuracy, and power from their elevated position, their numbers were far inferior to Ju Yi’s division, which fought as if possessed. Armored soldiers pressed forward desperately, while behind them, countless archers and crossbowmen, enduring massive casualties, loosed volley after volley, inflicting enormous losses on Guan Yu’s division, which had held out for months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was even more critical was that Guan Yunchang himself was struck in the arm by an arrow and was forced to retreat into his camp to tend his wound and hold his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Yuan Shao launched attacks from the south, east, and north of the city simultaneously. Tens of thousands of troops swarmed the walls like ants along the entire line, while several city gates were rammed simultaneously. And, you might not believe it, but in the afternoon, the north gate was actually smashed open cleanly and efficiently. It was only then that Yuan’s army discovered that Shen Zhengnan had not been idly sitting on the walls these past months. Inside the gate, a massive barbican had already been constructed. Zhao Chong of Chenliu led his troops surging in, only to be shot into a pincushion at Shen Pei’s single command. In the end, it was a powerfully built company commander under his command who, disregarding life and death, charged in holding a large shield and retrieved his corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first day of battle ended hastily with this ambush at the barbican gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet on the city wall, Shen Pei’s face remained dark and grim, for he could clearly see that while Yuan’s army was forcing these men — obviously surrendered bandits from the Taihang Mountains — to scale the walls, and sending elite infantry conscripted from local powerful families to assault the gates, they were simultaneously making their auxiliary troops and laborers pile up earthen mounds… And this time, not only was there no prospect of heavy rain for Guan Yunchang, the man himself had taken an arrow to the arm… In short, compared to his first visit, Yuan Shao had clearly made thorough preparations this time and was now leveraging his greatest advantage — overwhelming numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quantitative change leads to qualitative change. Shen Zhengnan had never heard this phrase, but he absolutely understood its meaning. When an army of a hundred thousand wasted not a single surplus hand, when Ju Shou had used a strategy of mutual attrition, exploiting the continuous autumn rains to pin down the Handan garrison for months — at this moment, Handan had truly and utterly entered a crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could not place their hopes on reinforcements, nor even on Guan Yu outside the city performing another miracle… At a time like this, there must be no room for wishful thinking!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pass the order — tear down the royal palace, take the ready-made timber, and build new towers on the wall sections facing those two earthen mounds!\" Shen Pei turned and commanded, his face dark. \"Then fire down on their worksites from the height!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clerks and officers behind him exchanged glances but dared not object. After a brief pause, they still carried out the order… In truth, ever since the King of Chen died in battle, the various feudal kings across the realm had largely been deposed or neglected, and few cared anymore. As for palaces, there was even less to say — Luoyang itself lay abandoned. When Dong Zhuo relocated the capital, he had not forgotten to plunder the tombs of past emperors for treasure, let alone the residence of a mere feudal king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, inside the main tent of the central army in Yuan’s great camp, although no formal council was in session and Yuan Shao himself was out inspecting the camp, the place was still a scene of bustling activity. Chen Gongtai, who oversaw the entire headquarters, sat upright just below the commander’s seat, while dozens of staff officers from the General of Chariots and Cavalry’s office — including men like Guo Tu, who held no field command — sat in rows on either side, handling official documents… After all, there were not only a hundred thousand troops here at Handan, but also the civilian laborers, grain and fodder transport from the various commanderies and counties of three provinces, and the so-called daily provincial affairs — all of it converged here. How could Yuan Shao possibly handle everything personally?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\" Chen Gong had just finished reviewing the casualty report Guo Tu had compiled and submitted, written down the names, stamped it with his seal, and put the document away. But when he looked up and found Guo Gongze still standing before him, he immediately asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reporting to the Chief Clerk.\" Guo Tu knew the man detested him, so he simply sneered and spoke bluntly. \"There is a matter I must report to the Chief Clerk… Xu Ziyuan has sent men to dig up graves! And as early as our time in Qingzhou, before the Chief Clerk had joined the headquarters, our lord issued an explicit public order strictly forbidding our troops from violating tombs and mausoleums…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am aware of it…\" Chen Gong replied coldly, lowering his head to organize the documents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is best that the Chief Clerk knows of this decree…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What I mean is, I already know that Xu Ziyuan has gone to dig up the nearby graves.\" Chen Gong countered sternly. \"And I do not believe it violates the law… Handan is an ancient capital. The mausoleums in the surrounding area are all those of the wealthy and noble, and the construction materials inside are mostly fine timber. Shen Zhengnan, even before the first siege, had already felled all the large trees nearby and hauled them back into the city for use. Our army’s timber and siege equipment mostly have to be transported from Liangqi behind us, which is time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, when Xu Ziyuan previously suggested building stone-throwing catapults simultaneously to assault the city, since we had surplus manpower but insufficient timber, I authorized him to source materials locally. Is that not permissible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does it not somewhat violate morality and justice?\" Guo Tu retorted with a sneer after a long pause of astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If the White Horse Bandits were to win, your Guo clan would be exterminated, and you, Guo Gongze, would be beheaded and your head displayed. Then you would have no need to worry about morality and justice… As for Xu Ziyuan, he has been old friends with the White Horse Bandits for many years. He might even be seated up high, offering commentary on our severed heads!\" As he spoke, Chen Gong picked up another official document and examined it carefully, yet his mouth never stopped. \"Guo Gongze, with a great enemy before us, I only hope that you will immediately go attend to your own duties and serve the public good with a tranquil mind… Otherwise, I will certainly petition our lord to execute you first — you petty man who, even now, still seeks to disrupt our army’s morale! You should know, there are many in our lord’s headquarters who possess talent but lack virtue, but you alone are the truly short-sighted and laughable fool who disregards the greater picture!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Tu flicked his sleeves and stormed off in fury, but Chen Gong paid him no heed whatsoever and simply lowered his head to continue his work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night passed without incident. The next day, the fierce battle between the two sides continued. On the walls of Handan, they began piling up brick, stone, and timber towers, which considerably hampered Yuan’s army as they built their earthen mounds. However, Shen Pei also spotted the distant worksite below the city where catapults were being constructed, and his expression grew even darker… Earthen mounds could not be built in a day, nor could stone catapults. But the wounding of a mighty warrior like Guan Yu, Ju Yi’s desperate resistance regardless of casualties, and both sides casting aside conventional norms and customs to employ every means at their disposal — all of it unmistakably signaled that the battle had entered a new phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the third day, Yuan’s army gained the top of the wall for the first time. Although they were immediately driven off, it greatly boosted Yuan’s army’s morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fourth day, the tunneling operation overseen by Xin Ping was forced to halt midway. Because the autumn water table in Hebei was high, they easily dug into underground springs, and the tunnels collapsed and flooded, resulting in dozens of casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fifth day, the earthen mounds were the first to surpass the height of the city wall, allowing them to exchange fire with the defenders. But the temporary towers built from the dismantled royal palace maintained a height advantage over the mounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sixth day, Xu You successfully tested the catapults…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was also on the evening of this very day that Zhang Yide suddenly came sweeping back, just as Yuan Shao had done. Leading five hundred cavalrymen — from where, no one knew — he repeated his old trick, disguising his men as Yuan troops. Taking advantage of the raging battle, he actually passed through the western camp of Yuan’s army before charging and raiding the men scaling the city walls!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander leading the assault on the western wall was Lu Kuang. Caught completely off guard, he was slain on the spot by Zhang Yide in the midst of battle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, Shen Zhengnan had originally been Zhang Fei’s superior in Qinghe, and the two had worked together closely for several years. Now, seeing his old comrade from atop the wall, Shen Pei was even more excited than when he had first spotted Guan Yu. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately gave the order to risk opening the west gate, allowing Zhang Yide to enter the city unhurriedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrival of reinforcements — and a warrior universally acknowledged as fierce as a tiger or wolf — instantly lifted the morale within Handan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let him enter the city.\" Upon receiving the news, Yuan Shao, standing atop the command platform, gazed from afar at the imposing figure that had appeared on the city wall, but he was not particularly concerned. \"The stone catapults are ready. Let him die as a martyr alongside Shen Zhengnan, and thus fulfill his reputation for loyalty and valor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Better to forget about the catapults.\" Xu You, standing to the side, had also spotted Zhang Fei rallying morale on the city wall, but his expression was dark, and his words were startling. \"In my view, Benchu should immediately abandon the camp and turn back to guard our rear, lest we be caught in a pincer attack or have our retreat cut off…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Shao was momentarily stunned, then suddenly jolted awake: \"Ziyuan, are you saying that Gongsun Wenqi has already arrived?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If my estimation is correct, his vanguard should already be at Jize. Otherwise, where would Zhang Yide have gotten cavalry?\" Xu You gave a cold laugh. \"Handan is besieged so tightly that not a drop of water can leak through, and he has no way of knowing our catapults will be operational tomorrow. Jize is the junction of Zhao State, Wei Commandery, and Julu — naturally suited for choosing a direction to dispatch troops. Moreover, with the autumn waters rising, the lake there has spread, perfectly screening the assembly of a large army…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Xu Ziyuan, how certain are you?\" Chen Gong’s eyes were bloodshot as he gripped his sword and demanded. \"Was this second siege of Handan not your idea in the first place? And the catapults — you personally oversaw their construction! With dozens of catapults firing in unison, we might break the city tomorrow! Even if not tomorrow, perhaps the day after! Then we could occupy Handan ourselves. Even if the General of the Guards arrives, what of it? But now, with a hundred thousand troops, after days of battle, countless expenditures, and thousands of casualties, you want us to retreat just before the city falls…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have not the slightest certainty!\" Xu You raised his voice, cutting him off directly. \"But what I do know is this: if, by chance, we fail to take Handan within the next few days, and Gongsun Wenqi’s Youzhou shock cavalry all appear behind us, cutting off our route to Liangqi City, then a hundred thousand troops will be annihilated in a single day! Benchu, Chief Clerk Chen — I only wish to say two things. First, if Gongsun Wenqi arrives, that will be the decisive battle. Compared to that, a single city or piece of land is meaningless. Second, this ground beneath Handan is not a good place for us to fight a decisive battle! As for the second siege of Handan being my idea — would you not have come even without me? I merely guessed that Gongsun Wenqi was coming too quickly and urged you to come here earlier… It is rather some people who, on one hand, aspire to be the supreme ruler of all under heaven, yet on the other, cannot distinguish between the primary and the secondary, the before and the after; who become arrogant and unrestrained with a moment’s success, yet deceive themselves when faced with a setback; who proclaim they will fight to the finish, yet hesitate and waver when battle is imminent! At a time like this, what exactly are you thinking?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the command platform, a sudden silence fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who will cover the retreat?\" After a moment, Yuan Shao finally spoke to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one needs to cover the retreat!\" Xu You answered, staring dazedly into the setting sun. \"After the campaign against Dong Zhuo, the horse trade in the north gradually ceased, but before that, Hebei and the Central Plains had ample horses… I have calculated it. If we gather our warhorses together, we have a full seven or eight thousand — still a very strong cavalry force. We can assemble them and place them under General Wen Chou’s unified command… With these eight thousand cavalry covering the retreat, neither Shen Zhengnan and Zhang Yide inside the city, nor Guan Yunchang outside it, will be able to do anything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let it be so!\" Beneath the setting sun, Yuan Benchu felt only a splitting headache, yet he forced himself to speak with resolve. \"The entire army is to withdraw in good order to Liangqi City, hold the city, and await our old friend’s visit… At this moment, there is nothing else worth mentioning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assembly remained silent for a long while before finally accepting the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the matter was decided, the next morning, Yuan’s army abandoned the perilously close Handan, dismantled the catapults, and voluntarily retreated. The great army withdrew in orderly, layered stages toward Liangqi City to their rear… Throughout the entire process, no enemy troops were seen blocking their path. And that very evening, Ju Shou, leading the first contingent of twenty thousand troops, arrived at Liangqi City, only thirty li away, without encountering the rumored Youzhou army along the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the third day after the ceasefire, Yuan Shao led the main force of forty thousand, which had finished packing up, in the second wave of withdrawal. They too arrived unhurriedly at Liangqi City, situated at the midpoint between Ye City and Handan. They continued to use it as their temporary headquarters and constructed defenses, yet still encountered no Youzhou troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, there were already men in the army angrily demanding Xu You’s execution. Some even claimed that he was an old acquaintance of Gongsun Xun and was acting as a spy — though Yuan Shao merely rebuked and dismissed such talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the morning of the fourth day after the withdrawal began, the final contingent of the main force — thirty thousand infantry — set out to return. They still saw no sign of the rumored Youzhou main force. However, as they began their march away from Handan, they were ambushed in their camp by Guan Yunchang and Zhang Yide working together… This was, of course, to be expected… However, thanks to prior arrangements, Wen Chou drove his eight thousand cavalry out of the camp to intercept them, and for a time managed to force back the two generals, who had very few cavalry of their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, around noon that same day, when Chen Gong, leading Ju Yi, Li Jin, and others with the final thirty thousand main-force troops, had marched to within ten li of Liangqi City, countless Youzhou cavalry suddenly appeared in dense formation to the northeast… It was obvious they had circled around from behind Jize! While Wen Chou guarded against Guan and Zhang, who were trailing behind, he frantically dispatched countless scouts. What they saw clearly was that the so-called \"Youzhou Shock Cavalry\" were organized into units of a thousand riders each, with distinct banners — no fewer than twenty such units in total. And among them, there were even banners from Guanzhong, Hedong, Bingzhou, and even Xiliang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, there is no need to mention how Chen Gong, responsible for these final thirty thousand troops, immediately halted the retreat according to the original plan and formed a wagon fortress for defense. Nor how Yuan Shao, upon hearing the news, immediately mobilized the entire army from Liangqi City to advance and rescue Chen Gong. Nor even how Wen Chou hastily led his eight thousand cavalry forward, attempting to intercept and delay them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only one thing needs to be told: when a scout, an arrow through his knee, clung to his horse’s neck and rode desperately to report that from the direction of Jize, tens of thousands more infantry had emerged, and that he had seen with his own eyes — at the center of those infantry, several thousand White Horse cavalry were arrayed in escort, complete with canopies, ceremonial guards, White Horse banners and flags, all heading straight for this place — at that moment, no one doubted Xu Ziyuan’s judgment any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was obvious. The General of the Guards, Gongsun Xun, had truly arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>————— I am the dividing line that has truly arrived —————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At the end of Han, Guan and Zhang were both praised as men worthy to face ten thousand. When Yuan Shao first besieged Handan… Shen Pei defended the city, while Guan Yu divided his force of three thousand and established a camp outside the walls. Army Advisor Guo Jia accompanied him and said: 'Though the enemy is numerous, attack them before they are settled, and they can be broken.' Guan Yu greatly approved. The next day, he launched three attacks on the enemy camp of the Tian Yin division, slaying its commander and routing the camp, terrifying the enemy host, and Shao was somewhat checked. The following day, Shao built earthen mounds, hoping to lure Guan Yu and capture him. Guo Jia advised: 'This is a stratagem of ambush on all sides; General, you may delay.' Guan Yu replied: 'That is not what he said; let us observe the outcome.' He then led a thousand men out of camp, riding slowly around the city. When they reached the front of the earthen mounds, they saw a great thunderstorm break. Seizing the rain, they attacked and won a great victory, also slaying Yuan's Grand General Gao Lan, then returned in triumph. Shao, his sharp edge blunted and met with heavy rain, knew he could not succeed. With a hundred thousand men, unable to prevail, he withdrew… Months later, Handan was weary and depleted. Shao, with his forces fully assembled after the autumn harvest, once more brought a hundred thousand troops to encircle Handan and nearly took it. It happened that the Grand Ancestor was personally coming to its aid, and so Shao withdrew. At that time, Zhang Fei was in the city and spoke to Guan Yu: 'The General of the Guards has arrived. A great battle is imminent. We are the claws and teeth of the General of the Guards; if we do not first blunt their momentum, the great battle cannot proceed.' Guan Yu praised this highly. The two generals combined their cavalry, obtaining seven hundred riders, and pursued to attack. Shao, troubled, sent General of the Household Wen Chou with eight thousand elite cavalry to flank and block them. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, with seven hundred riders, plunged into the midst of eight thousand cavalry, killing and wounding over a hundred men before emerging. This they did six or seven times. The blocking cavalry scattered in disarray, unable to be controlled, and in the end could not break free.\" — Old Book of Yan, Volume 69, Biography 19\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A poem says: The White Horse General accomplished his campaign against Dong; righteous men returned home, their lands all brocade and jade scepters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Palace ladies like flowers filled the spring halls; now only partridges fly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hundred battles on the sandy field, all are weary and worn; suddenly heard south of the city, the siege lines have closed in layers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Armor glints like golden scales opening to the sun; black clouds press the city, the city about to collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To repay the lord’s favor from the Golden Terrace, I raise the jade dragon and die for my prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking the camp, slaying the general of Hebei; one man alone leads a thousand riders, returning with blade borne!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>End of this Volume\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Ten thousand thanks to the new patron, classmate JDjason — before I knew it, we’re almost at 108 heroes… Also, congratulations to Mr. Xiong on having both a son and a daughter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One more note: This time, part of it was a brutal 996 workday, which really hurt, but aside from that, the main reason is I rewrote this chapter. Initially, this chapter was written from the perspectives of Zhang Fei and Dong Zhao, but I was extremely dissatisfied, so I deleted it and started over — though I’m still not satisfied… Honestly, this entire volume has problems. The main one is the issue of non-protagonist perspectives. So after writing it, I wanted to just power through and finish this volume, which has been in the worst state and the most struggle… Of course, I know I’ve been flaking too much, and saying more won’t help, but I must reiterate: this book will absolutely not be abandoned, and I will do my utmost to maintain a monthly word count. I hope everyone can follow the book in a Zen-like manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",8153,"2026-06-04T19:42:52.587Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","2c05c5977cb2954c4c09969adb420364f95c6c15e01a834ccbe2f32e94752a88","overthrowing-han-chapter-412","overthrowing-han-chapter-410",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]