Chapter 418: Undressing Reveals the Blood (4-in-1 Mega Chapter to Repay Debt)

Reeds and rushes grow lush and green, white dew turns to frost; the one I long for so, is somewhere along the water's edge.

The reeds and rushes are the marsh reeds; the time of white frost is precisely autumn. In the autumn season, the reed flowers bloom in full splendor, yet scatter when the wind blows; the reed stalks sway and bend, yet bend without breaking. Under the setting sun, the white tufts and yellow leaves create a scene that intoxicates the heart.

However, beautiful scenes are fleeting. As the last light of the autumn sunset fades away and night descends, the reed marshes so common across the Hebei plains become a source of loathing... The reed stalks look soft and pliant, but once broken, the fibers inside are sharp and tough, terribly prone to cutting the skin. And beneath the fluffy reed flowers lies nothing but mudflats; only after stepping down with a cut foot do you discover whether beneath lies a rotten mire or a deep water pit!

But then again, on the North China Plain, for the defeated soldiers of Yuan Shao's army who have just suffered a rout, is there any better hiding place than the reed marshes? And for the cavalry under the General of the Guards, who could never finish capturing all the prisoners on the plain, why would they grope through the dark into the dangerous reed marshes for the sake of one or two captives?

It simply isn't worth it!

"General Lü, there is no one left on the river embankment!"

In the twilight, at a small river bend some ten-odd li west of Liangqi City, as a relieved voice sounded from the embankment, the reed marsh below the bank instantly erupted with rustling sounds.

Shortly after, a military officer, his armor gone but still gripping a ring-pommel saber, led a full seventy or eighty utterly bedraggled Yuan army fugitives. Covered in bloodstains and muck, they climbed up the embankment from a branch outlet of the Baigong Canal, which had been built by the famous Zhao chancellor Lord Bai in former times. He cautiously surveyed all directions, ordered the defeated soldiers to form a rough formation, and only then turned back with some warriors who still carried weapons, straining to help the last few important figures scramble up onto the river embankment.

Under the starlight, if anyone were to come close and look, they would surely recognize that the four most central figures among these people were none other than Yuan Shao, Ju Shou, Xu You, and Guo Tu.

"My lord!" Lü Xiang pressed close. Seeing Yuan Shao covered in muck, his outer robe, helmet, and armor all gone, and his short hair half-stained with filth, he could not help but feel deeply ashamed. "Your subordinate is incompetent and has failed the trust placed in me by Chief Clerk Chen. A mere few li, yet we could not break through, and instead were routed by the enemy cavalry..."

"It is not your fault!" Although Yuan Shao's expression was panicked, upon hearing these words he seemed to regain his senses. "The entire army has collapsed, every man fleeing for his life—how could we easily break through? Even later, it was first my unwillingness to abandon the carriage, and then encountering my own nephew, that instead dragged you all down... I truly never imagined there would come a day when I would be chased in public by that whelp Yang Xiu, to the point of discarding my helmet, abandoning my carriage, and hiding in the muck!"

"My lord need not blame yourself, nor need you harshly blame Young Master Yang." Guo Tu, supporting Yuan Shao from the side, spoke with earnest sincerity. "My lord was unwilling to abandon the carriage earlier because General Wen's body was inside. And had my lord not initially refused to abandon the carriage, how could we each have escaped danger and gathered back at my lord's side? Encountering Young Master Yang later was also unavoidable, because at that time it was not only Young Master Yang who recognized my lord—the other white-robed noble scions from Chang'an beside him also mostly recognized you... Given the overwhelming circumstances, they had no choice but to give chase and put on a show for appearances' sake!"

"I actually understand that." Yuan Shao could not help but smile bitterly. "This matter is not his fault. After discarding my helmet and armor, this short hair of mine was instead conspicuous, so much so that later, when that guard pretended to be me and drove the carriage away, he even had to cut off his own hair. Why should the blame fall on him? I was merely feeling a little emotional... This time, I was fortunate to escape. Otherwise, if Gongsun Xun had driven the Yang nephew to capture the Yuan uncle, would that not have been far too ridiculous?"

"General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan, is this really the time to speak of such things?" Xu You, equally bedraggled, had taken off his boots to pour out the muck and filthy water inside. Unable to hold back, he sat on the ground and rebuked him indignantly. "Enough has happened today already! While there are no pursuers nearby, we should hurry back to Liangqi City!"

Yuan Shao sighed and could only nod in agreement.

"Ziyuan, why so flustered? As things stand now, going a step earlier does not guarantee escape, and going a step later does not mean we cannot enter the city." Unexpectedly, Ju Shou, who had a scrape wound on his left rib—possibly with broken ribs as well—and could only speak with difficulty while clutching his side, appeared to disagree. "And having witnessed so many forms of death on the battlefield today, when considering what comes after, what harm is there in tidying up a little? One must understand, a gentleman may die, but he must not remove his cap."

The group fell silent for a moment... Although Ju Shou's words were somewhat unpleasant to hear and a bit inauspicious, they were also the utmost truth. The danger at this moment had not truly been lifted; once they left this reed marsh and were out on the open plain, if they encountered the enemy again, no one could say what the outcome would be.

In fact, even Xu You, in his despondency, did not offer a rebuttal... He had merely been impatient with Yuan Shao and Guo Tu earlier and was deliberately venting his frustration.

And so, the group silently tidied their clothing and headwear. After some more time had passed, seeing that there was not much torchlight on the eastern road, these core figures of the Yuan army finally hesitated no longer. They gathered the remaining scattered soldiers, supported one another as they rose, and hurried off eastward.

But they had traveled no more than a few li when, amidst the rustling autumn wind, the ground suddenly trembled faintly. Then, in the twilight, the urgent sound of horse hooves rang out—clearly a squad of enemy cavalry, deliberately carrying no torches, had been lying in wait on the plain specifically for prey... Having now detected movement, they were coming straight for them!

A moment later, carried on the night wind, came the excited words of the enemy commander: "I just knew that lying in wait here tonight would yield a windfall! And you lot didn't believe me earlier?"

From Yuan Shao down, everyone's faces turned pale. But at this moment, with no armor at all and only a few ring-pommel sabers among them, they were utterly helpless.

"I never imagined that I, Yuan Shao, would perish in a single defeat!" Gazing at the cavalry figures rumbling closer, unhurriedly yet methodically encircling them from all sides, Yuan Benchu was already in despair.

"Shut your mouth! Lower your head!" Amid the clamor of hooves, Xu Ziyuan suddenly grabbed Yuan Shao and said in a lowered voice. "Do not make a sound... The one coming is a coincidence; this matter might still work out! Lü Xiang, hide him well!"

Yuan Shao was bewildered, but was still forcibly pressed down by Lü Xiang beside him, following the order.

At the same time, Xu You actually stepped out of the formation directly and called out loudly as he walked forward: "Ahead, is that my old friend from Luoyang, General Wei Yue, Xu You?"

The other side was clearly taken aback for a moment, then could not help but laugh, and directly dismounted: "So it is Master Xu? This is indeed a great merit!"

"Great merit, my foot!" Xu You continued forward and rebuked him roughly. "What merit is there in capturing me? It would be nothing more than gaining someone who, day and night beside Gongsun Wenqi, would whisper that you are greedy, lecherous, crude, unlettered, and unfit for any important role..."

Wei Yue could not help but laugh heartily: "Master Xu, why go to such extremes? Besides, if I were to capture you and bring you back, the Lord Marquis surely would not believe your words anyway..."

"This is not a matter of whether he believes me or not, but rather whether you truly are not greedy and lecherous, and whether your lord actually knows that you are greedy and lecherous." By the time he finished speaking, Xu You had already reached the other man's side. He stepped forward and directly grasped his hand, then lowered his voice. "Zidu, let us step aside for a word..."

Wei Yue thought nothing of it and directly ordered his troops to keep careful watch and not to move without permission. He then walked several dozen paces away with the other man to speak in private: "Master Ziyuan, please speak."

"Wei Zidu, I fear I must trouble you to return empty-handed today... For I am a spy placed beside Yuan Shao by the Lord Marquis himself. The Yuan clan is far from being eradicated, and I cannot yet return! You need only ask upon your return to know this is true!"

Wei Yue was momentarily stunned: "Master Ziyuan, are you deceiving me?"

"What if I am deceiving you?" Xu You sneered in retort. "And what if I am not?"

Wei Yue grew even more astonished, and was utterly at a loss.

"Let me ask you this: given my friendship with Gongsun Wenqi, even if I were not his spy, if I went back with you tonight, I would at the very least be given a position as a close advisor or a two-thousand-dan official, would I not?" Xu You, unhurried and unflustered, composed himself slightly and pressed the question.

"Given your intellect, sir, and your friendship with my lord, that is indeed the case." Wei Yue thought briefly and admitted frankly. "Otherwise, why would I be so courteous to you, sir?"

"Then let me ask you another question: since going with you this time would also lead to a good outcome, why would I instead ask you to let me go and allow me to return to Liangqi?" Xu You continued to inquire calmly.

"That, I do not know." Wei Yue gave an awkward laugh. "I am but a military man; the only thing I am good for is earning merit on horseback. How could I understand your thoughts, sir?"

"You will surely understand, because you and I suffer from the same affliction." Xu You glanced back at the group behind him, then sneered and stroked his beard as he spoke. "To lay this matter bare, it is actually quite simple. Think about it: I offended Dong Gongren and others earlier, and moreover, I have been in Yuan Shao's camp for so long. So whether I am a spy or not, if I go over now, I would have only friendship and no merit to my name. And if that is the case, how could I establish myself at Gongsun Wenqi's side? When the time comes, I fear I would be pushed aside by others..."

Wei Yue suddenly saw the light: "What you say, sir, is quite reasonable."

"Naturally it is reasonable, because you, Wei Zidu, are in the same situation... When I said just now that you are greedy and lecherous, was that false? Back when we drank together in the Yuan residence in Luoyang, did you not say so yourself? That you were not looked upon favorably by Lü Ziheng? And that your lord also always looks upon you with particular displeasure? That being the case, if you wish to establish yourself at Gongsun Wenqi's side in the future, you will likewise need to earn more military merit..."

Wei Yue sighed softly, and found himself unable to refute this.

"Very well!" Seeing this, Xu You spoke with earnest sincerity. "Today I shall not hide it from you, Wei Zidu. Between the General of the Guards and myself, there is only a certain tacit understanding, and no true agreement of espionage... It is precisely because of this that I wish to return to Yuan Shao's side, to seek to perform an extraordinary deed! And if you can lend me a hand today, you will not be short of benefits in the future..."

"The future..." Wei Yue could not help but lower his head and scoff.

"No one can say for certain what the future holds, but you have already earned tremendous military merit today. What extra reward would there be for capturing me on top of that?" Xu You countered. "In the end, I have no worries about my future prospects. But if you insist on tying me up today, you would merely be making an enemy of me for nothing... On the contrary, when I return to Liangqi after this and, taking advantage of this great defeat, gain even more of Yuan Shao's trust, then on the battlefield in the future, I can deliberately send extra military merit your way—that would be the proper path!"

Wei Yue's heart stirred slightly.

"Zidu, you and I are both outsiders. When Gongsun Wenqi accomplishes his great enterprise in the future, if we wish to establish ourselves at his side, we ought to look after one another." Having said this, Xu You lowered his voice once more. "Actually, I am one thing... Once the realm is pacified, a civil official like me will always have opportunities to continue earning merit. But you, Zidu—a mere military man, and riddled with flaws at that—if you do not take advantage of the chaos in the realm to earn more merit and seize more rewards, then when the realm is pacified in the future, what will you have to rely on to maintain your current status?"

Wei Yue was stunned into silence.

"Then it is settled!" Xu You grasped the other man's gloved hands with both of his own. "Let me go today... When you return, tell the General of the Guards that I wish to be his spy. He will certainly not blame you for this; on the contrary, he might even count it as a merit of yours!"

Wei Yue raised his head and sighed, then lowered it and removed the fingerless gloves, common in Liaodong, from his own hands, pressing his palm directly against the other man's: "Master Ziyuan, let us make this pact—in the future, you must look after me... Do not go east. There are still others like me hunting enemy soldiers on the plain to the east, and many are under Xu Bojin's command. You may not be able to talk your way past them... Go south, toward Yecheng, or circle around from the south to reach Liangqi."

Xu You thanked him profusely, over and over.

A short while later, Wei Yue returned to the encirclement line and directly ordered the hundred-odd cavalry following him this time to open a path: "Master Ziyuan is a most intimate old friend of the Lord Marquis—some of you should know this as well... When we return, I will report today's matter to the Lord Marquis myself. Do not ask questions; simply act as if you never saw them, and follow me back to camp!"

"Zidu, your honor is great!" Xu You had also returned to Yuan Shao's side among the routed soldiers. He cupped his hands and called out loudly in response, then sternly gave an order, though it was unclear to whom: "You lot, do not ask questions either! Head south at once!"

From Yuan Shao on down, who would dare to ask? They could only lower their heads one after another.

Wei Yue's cavalrymen looked at one another in bewilderment, but on the battlefield, since their superior had given an order, they could only step aside. Besides, as the saying goes, a horse can't grow fat without night forage—they had come out specifically to take advantage of the great victory and scoop up extra spoils... Since a path was opened, the Yuan army fugitives dared not hesitate and hurriedly fled southward in panic.

But just as Guo Tu, supporting Yuan Shao, hid among the routed soldiers and quickly passed by heading south with heads lowered, among the Gongsun Xun cavalry preparing to return to camp nearby, someone lit a torch. By the firelight, while others went unnoticed, Wei Yue's attention was caught by the headpiece on Guo Tu's head. With a casual glance, he showed a trace of slight astonishment.

"Zidu!" Seeing this, Xu Ziyuan, heedless of all else, directly shouted loudly at him, drawing the other man to turn his head. "One parting word... The General of the Guards' momentum to sweep across the realm is already formed. But if one day in the future there is no more war, as a military man, how will you earn merit? In these next few years, you must toil harder on horseback—only then can you endure!"

Perhaps because he had indeed only noticed Guo Tu, Wei Yue paid it no further mind. Coupled with Xu You's renewed reminder, he merely fell silent for a moment and made no further reaction. Instead, after the other party's group had disappeared into the twilight, he simply ordered his unit to raise their torches and slowly returned north to the main camp at Handan.

On the other side, Yuan Shao's group, having narrowly escaped death, fled southward in panic, planning to take a detour to Liangqi... It was not that they could not go to Yecheng, but rather that if Yuan Shao did not go to Liangqi, then when Gongsun Xun arrived beneath the walls of Liangqi the next day, the Yuan army, in its panic, might very well abandon the city outright. And if that happened, leaving aside the loss of the outer defensive line, merely the loss of the military provisions, supplies stockpiled in the city, and the majority of the routed soldiers who had fled back there would be a fatal blow to Yuan Shao.

When the time came, even if Yuan Benchu held the territory of nineteen commanderies and princedoms, with his entire line collapsing he would have no choice but to flee in disarray. And clearly, Yuan Shao had no intention of admitting total defeat in a single battle.

Yet Heaven's will is plain to see... About half a shichen after they turned south, suddenly — whether Wei Yue had second thoughts, or someone else detected this group's movements — from the north came the glint of many torches and the thunder of iron hooves, unmistakably another small cavalry force racing toward them.

Of course, this time Yuan Shao and his party were far more composed, for having turned south they had deliberately followed a tributary of the Fushui River downstream, carefully scouting out hiding places along the way. Now, seeing pursuers from the north, they knew the terrain well and immediately changed direction, plunging into a reed marsh below the river embankment... In this landscape, there truly was nowhere else to hide.

Several dozen riders bearing torches came racing up, clearly not Wei Yue's unit. They passed the spot where Yuan Shao's party was hiding, then doubled back, then turned again, scattering across the open field. Plainly, they had sensed something from a distance, or had outright discovered some traces confirming the presence of a group, but had not pinpointed the exact hiding place — hence their constant back-and-forth searching.

Before long, these riders, who were clearly no fools, converged on the river embankment and began surveying the reed marsh stretching a full two or three li before them.

"Why don't they come down to search?" In a reed thicket several hundred paces away, Lu Xiang, pressed close beside Yuan Shao, had already gripped his sword hilt, unable to grasp the situation.

"Because there's no need," came the reply from Yuan Shao's other side. Guo Tu glanced at the surrounding scene and sighed quietly. "They can set a fire... and force us out ourselves!"

"Then why is Registrar Guo still so composed?" Lu Xiang, amid his panic, found the demeanor of the scholars around him and Yuan Shao utterly baffling.

"Why shouldn't I be composed?" Guo Tu said dismissively. "Regardless of whether these men belong to that 'General Wei Yue' from before, isn't 'Master Ziyuan' here with us? We simply stay hidden here."

Lu Xiang remained bewildered, but Yuan Shao, seated between the two, could not help lowering his head in momentary shame.

"Hear this, you Yuan rebels hiding in the reed marsh! Our Major is Xu Xing of Liaodong, long in the service of the Guard General and now Army Major in charge of military law under the General of the Long Drive, a man whose word is his bond... The bloodstains on the embankment are plain to see; we know some among you must be wounded. Therefore, if you come out onto the embankment yourselves, whether to fight or surrender, the wounded will not be implicated. But if you ignore this warning, after three calls we will have no choice but to burn the marsh! This is the first call!" As he spoke, a rider bearing a torch indeed rode back and forth along the embankment, proclaiming this repeatedly.

Of course, below the embankment, Xu You could only sigh helplessly and prepare to rise and respond — even mentally readying himself to accompany them to Gongsun Xun's main camp.

Only then did Lu Xiang realize: since they were hiding here, Xu You could go forward alone to deal with them. Once the enemy saw Xu You, they would be so satisfied that they would never imagine so many important figures were hidden below. Even if discovered, Xu Ziyuan could casually say, "The soldiers under me are mostly innocent men of Yanzhou; I ask that they be released." At that point, as long as the accompanying soldiers did not step forward to denounce them, Yuan Shao and the others could still escape detection.

And considering that these soldiers were all Tiger Guards from Yuan Shao's personal retinue, who had stayed loyal to this point without deserting, it was unlikely they would commit such an act of betrayal now.

But just as Xu Ziyuan was wading through the water, preparing to go out, a hand suddenly reached out from beside him and seized him. Xu You turned to look — it was Ju Shou — and for a moment he was puzzled.

"Wait a moment," Ju Shou said, forcing his voice low as he clutched his ribs, half his body submerged in the water. "When we broke away from the main force this afternoon and entered the reed marsh, there were no wounded. And there were no problems during the march just now..."

Xu You's mind stirred; he nodded and crouched back down beside Ju Shou, waiting quietly.

Moments later, on the embankment, Xu Xing's men called out a second time. But before Xu You could deliberate further, a furious roar suddenly burst from the reed marsh in the darkness: "You Liaodong barbarians push us too far! We hide here only because we feared there were wounded among our countrymen, making battle inconvenient. Do you truly think we fear you?"

Immediately, from the other end of the reed marsh, near where the riders were, several dozen warriors who had not abandoned their weapons surged out. After a brief regrouping, they simply charged straight up the embankment toward the several dozen riders!

Leaving aside the shock and delight of Yuan Shao and his party below the embankment, up on the embankment, Xu Rong's clansman Xu Xing — an Army Major of White Horse Volunteers origin — was more pleased than angered.

In truth, Xu Xing's mission was connected to Wei Yue but had nothing to do with Yuan Shao's party. Earlier, he had set an ambush several li west of Liangqi City, further east of Wei Yue's position. Later, seeing Wei Yue and his men returning to camp with torches to the west, he knew the alert would have been raised and there would likely be no more gains east of Liangqi City. Unwilling to return empty-handed, he had simply ridden south to intercept. First he vaguely sensed people ahead, then noticed the reed marsh, and finally spotted the bloodstains on the embankment.

In short, encountering the enemy now, he felt the trip had been worthwhile and naturally gave the order to engage with excitement.

On one side, routed soldiers who had fled the battlefield after a crushing defeat and hidden in a reed marsh; on the other, pursuers riding out after a great victory to sweep the area and claim merit. On one side, infantry who had discarded their armor and helmets, left with only their weapons; on the other, fully armored cavalry in complete formation. On one side, ordinary troops; on the other, military law officers and their attendants... By all logic, the outcome should have been clear — otherwise, why would these riders have treated this pursuit as a hunt?

And so it seemed in fact. The moment the two sides clashed, the cavalry, relying on the power of their horses, instantly gained the upper hand. Many of the infantry on the opposite side tumbled awkwardly down the embankment to evade the horses, and even more were simply stabbed or killed by spears.

Yet among these infantry, one giant of a man with a large shield strapped to his back was especially conspicuous. He had been standing in the middle of the embankment, unhurried. After unstrapping his shield to meet the attack, he charged straight at the several dozen riders — shield in one hand, an iron halberd taller than a man in the other. In the chaos of battle, he used the shield braced sideways to block and slow the warhorses' momentum, while sweeping the halberd horizontally to strike the riders from their mounts.

Perhaps these riders were too arrogant. After one charge, while the other infantry were utterly routed, this giant had actually slain several riders with just a shield and halberd, standing alone on the battlefield.

Xu Xing, watching from the rear as his close attendants capsized in the reed marsh, so to speak, was seized with fury. Moreover, with the day's great victory, a surge of arrogance rose in him, and he personally spurred his horse forward.

The surrounding riders dared not be negligent. The several dozen who had already charged past immediately used their height advantage on horseback to drive off the remaining enemy infantry, clearing a battlefield and raising torches for light. Two armored guards who had always stayed close to Xu Xing followed tightly behind him as support.

But the giant still showed no fear. Planting himself on the embankment, shield braced in one hand, halberd held back in the other, he prepared to face three riders alone once more!

This only made Xu Xing and his two companions sneer with greater fury, and they spurred their horses on even faster.

As they closed in, the two flanking riders suddenly accelerated, arriving first. They thrust their spears simultaneously from left and right with practiced coordination — one high, one low. The high thrust came down over the shield, attempting to use the horse's momentum to stab the man with full force; the low thrust came from the side, trying to catch the moment of passing the shield and strike him from below.

Two killing blows converging — dodging one was easy, but dodging both was difficult, not to mention that behind these two riders was Xu Xing himself, a man of outstanding martial skill.

Yet the giant remained unruffled. He crouched slightly, lowering his center of gravity, while at the same time suddenly raising his shield high, meeting both spears head-on with the great shield!

Shield met spear. With the warhorses charging at full speed, immense force was behind them. The two riders felt a tremendous power transmitted through their spears; their thrusting wrists were nearly simultaneously overwhelmed, clearly dislocated, and by instinct they immediately released their grips... This was, in fact, a common injury when cavalry charged — countless riders were lost to such wounds in every battle.

But however it happened, while the riders might break their wrists from this, the infantryman taking the impact head-on in that instant fared no better — let alone one who actively raised his shield to meet it.

Yet as the two riders lost control, dropped their long weapons, and each nursed a sprained wrist, they were stunned to find that the giant, facing two at once, showed not the slightest sign of being overwhelmed! Not only that — after deflecting both spears, in the lightning-flash instant when both riders had lost their combat effectiveness, he swung his shield to smash at the right while whipping the iron halberd behind him in a backhand sweep to the left... In other words, despite his enormous frame, he was extraordinarily agile. Having absorbed the warhorses' immense force, he had effortlessly leaped into the air mid-motion, counterattacking on both sides at once!

On the embankment, the rider on the right was struck from behind by the great shield and tumbled down the slope, man, horse, and shield together, his fate unknown. The rider on the left met a more direct end — the iron halberd swept across, and when he was knocked from his horse, he was simply impaled on the halberd's side blade, unmistakably dead beyond death.

Xu Xing erupted in fury. His horse's momentum undiminished, he charged straight ahead and thrust with all his might. The giant had already lost his shield, but heedless of the body still hanging from his halberd, he reversed his grip and parried with the shaft! Yet Xu Xing's horsemanship was superb. As he closed in and his spear was violently deflected by the halberd shaft, he applied force with both legs and forcibly reined in his warhorse.

The white steed from beyond the frontier, suddenly checked, could only rear up its forehooves and then crash them down with its full weight.

The giant had no time to raise his halberd and could only release it and dodge in disarray.

This was exactly what Xu Xing wanted. Even as his horse was still in the air, hooves flailing, he had already drawn his ring-pommel saber from his waist. But the giant clearly understood the stakes. Now empty-handed and beside his opponent with nowhere to dodge, he simply clenched his fist and smashed it with all his strength into the warhorse's eye socket!

As the distant riders holding torches stared dumbfounded, and as Yuan Shao and his party, who had watched the broad strokes of this fight from afar, also stared dumbfounded, that northern steed was actually felled by the giant's single punch — and without even a whinny, clearly dead on the spot!

Afterward, the giant dragged Xu Xing, one leg already broken, out from under the horse but did not strike. Instead, facing the several dozen riders on the other side of the embankment alone, he bellowed with all his might: "I won't deceive you — I do have many wounded countrymen hiding in the reed marsh, and you've just killed and wounded many more of my countrymen. After fighting to this point, revenge would be justified. But your Major here and that man below the embankment are likely gravely wounded too. What point is there in fighting further? I say enough men have died today. You don't set the fire, and I won't kill this man. We trade wounded for wounded and each withdraw. How about it?!"

Xu Xing, hauled by his armor with one leg broken, could only endure the pain and force out: "Our army's discipline is strict. I am the Army Major. You must speak to me — what use is talking to them?"

Only then did the giant realize. He carefully laid the man in his grip atop the white horse's corpse before continuing: "You can decide — will you agree?!"

"I cannot!" Xu Xing replied bluntly, leaning against the horse's corpse and panting. "The army has clear regulations... If a commanding officer is taken hostage, no response is permitted. One must only attack with full force, regardless of life or death!"

"What kind of reasoning is that!" the giant roared in fury. "You have horses and bows — I'm not afraid you'll break faith, yet you still refuse?!"

"I am an Army Major — how could I break the law?!" Xu Xing retorted with a sneer. "And my courtesy name is Zixin... how could I betray trust and deceive you on the spot just to save my own skin? Though my valor falls short of yours, do you think I fear death?"

Having said this, Xu Xing mustered his strength and gave orders to his stunned subordinates in the distance: "This man is fierce — do not engage him in close combat... Use the cavalry's advantage and shoot us both with bows and crossbows... But the wounded in the reeds may be spared... If they surrender, you may even give them a few horses..."

Before he could finish, the now-enlightened Dian Wei slapped him across the face. Xu Xing could hold on no longer and slumped sideways onto the horse's corpse — the blow combined with the excruciating pain of his broken leg had finally knocked him unconscious.

The giant felt even more helpless. He picked up his iron halberd, intending to finish the man, but then recalled that this man had explicitly ordered the wounded countrymen in the reeds to be spared — and that killing him would certainly lead to no good outcome. For a moment, he could not bring himself to strike.

Yet he was not the only one unable to act. The other riders, having already routed the infantry, had been exchanging uncertain glances. Now, seeing him deliver that slap and then raise his iron halberd, an officer reined in his horse, leveled his spear, and came forward: "Stay your hand. We will do as you say. Return our Major to us, and we will spare your countrymen. While our Major is still unconscious, let each of us withdraw swiftly."

Only then did the giant's fury turn to joy.

"But you must give your name," the officer added with a solemn expression. "So that when we meet again in the future, we may settle today's grievance. And so I may give an account to my Major."

"Why should I fear you?" The giant straightened with dignity. "I am Dian Wei of Jiwu in Chenliu!"

"So it is you!" The officer, hearing the name, was instead relieved. "We have heard your name. At the battle of Handan, you fought your way into the barbican to recover your Major's corpse. Your name spread through the army — they all say you are the finest in Yanzhou... Truly, the reputation is well deserved!"

The giant shook his head despondently. "What use is being the finest in Yanzhou? If it were only a contest of one man's strength, I would not fear anyone under Heaven. But when a hundred thousand clash, between victory and defeat, the dead and wounded lie everywhere. I have strength to spare, yet I cannot save so many. It was so with Major Zhao before, and so with so many comrades today. Even just now, I have lost who knows how many familiar countrymen... You have horses — take your Major back to camp quickly and tend his wounds! I too must take my wounded countrymen back to Chenliu. The road is long, and I do not know how many will still be alive when we return."

The officer said no more. He sent men down the embankment to search for the one who had been swatted into the river, while ordering the battlefield cleared of their fallen comrades. Then, steeling himself against his fear, he dismounted and personally led his horse forward to retrieve his Major.

Dian Wei did not make things difficult for him. Instead, he helped the man easily lift Xu Xing onto the warhorse, then took up his halberd and went to rejoin his fellow countrymen and troops.

Moments later, perhaps fearing that their Major would become stubborn again upon waking, the group of riders hastily departed with their wounded and dead. Dian Wei, however, had too many immobile, gravely wounded and too many corpses. Just sorting and counting them took a long time... And they had too few hands left — only a dozen or so could still move, and nearly all were wounded. They could not possibly carry away the dead as the riders had, and they were barely able to manage many of the wounded. Yet all of them were familiar countrymen, and every one of them understood that without Dian Wei, they were doomed to be food for the wild dogs by the roadside. So they wept and pleaded, begging Dian Wei not to abandon them.

Dian Wei struggled for half a day; despite his world-shaking valor, he simply could not arrange things properly, and in the end could only sit dejectedly on the river embankment, growing ever more despondent and at a loss… Presently, the man thought again that if he had surrendered at the very start, perhaps so many casualties need not have been added, and he grew even more remorseful.

Below the river embankment, Yuan Shao once made to rise, but was stopped by the gestures of Guo Tu beside him and Xu You not far away.

Sure enough, a moment later, several riders who had departed returned — it was that officer from before leading men back… saying that Xu Xin had awakened, understood the situation, and recalling his earlier words, took it upon himself to decide to gift the horses to them for carrying back the wounded… With that said, half the riders dismounted, and then in pairs they shared mounts before turning back.

And when these riders departed for the second time, Xu Ziyuan then helped Ju Shou, who was already in so much pain he could not speak, to his feet, and then several dozen people together ascended the river embankment, which naturally drew the attention of Dian Wei and the others.

Yuan Shao, unable to wait, immediately wanted to step forward, but was blocked by Guo Tu and Lu Xiang together; instead, Xu You alone stepped past the crowd to parley: "General Dian!"

"I am merely a company commander elected by my fellow villagers — unworthy of the title General!" Dian Wei watched the newcomer warily. "And who are you?"

"I am the defeated general who commanded the entire army's left wing today. If you are from Chenliu, you ought to know my name, for at that time you were under my command… I am Xu You of Nanyang!"

"The foremost man in three provinces for greed — your family has seized countless goods and properties in Yanzhou, known to everyone in the army high and low, and today you were swiftly defeated. How would I not know?"

"I will make a long story short…" Xu You was silent for a rare moment before continuing. "Just now I was hiding in the reed thicket and saw with my own eyes you kill a horse with a single fist — your divine valor is extraordinary… With such divine valor, would you be willing to escort me into Liangqi City? Once in the city, there will certainly be rich reward."

"At this point, I only wish to send my fellow villagers home; otherwise I would have withdrawn into the city long ago… What use have I for wealth and silk?"

"I know you are unwilling…" Xu You said, pointing behind him. "Let us deal fairly — you escort me into the city, and with our ample hands, we will take these wounded villagers of yours into the city together for treatment. What say you?"

"Not only that — after they are healed, you must permit us to return home." Dian Wei thought it over briefly, consulted with several fellow villagers, and then added another condition. "You and that General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan are far too incompetent in battle; if we follow you any longer, no matter how many villagers I have, they will not withstand the dying…"

Xu You fell silent for a time, and behind him, even Guo Tu, who had been ready to step forward, was somewhat at a loss for words.

"Agree to it!" After a long while, it was Yuan Shao who suddenly spoke. "Such a brave warrior in the army, and I only learn of him today… Lacking the discernment to recognize talent to this degree — what face have I to ask him to serve me further?"

Dian Wei stared in astonishment at the short hair on the other man's head, uncertain and suspicious, but as Xu You nodded his assent, and with the ceaseless wailing of the wounded soldiers behind them, the two groups of defeated soldiers who had hidden in the same reed thicket ultimately merged into one and hurried off toward Liangqi City.

By this time, the night had long grown deep. Perhaps it was because the northern riders from the earlier "hunt" had all departed, or perhaps because after Dian Wei's arrival everyone felt a sense of security in their hearts, so that even burdened with many wounded they could march in a straight line without any misgivings… In any case, by the latter half of the night, Yuan Shao had finally, with great hardship, returned to the city.

The garrison forces left in the city, along with the officers and aides who had narrowly escaped the battle, led by Xin Ping, all wept as they came to greet him.

And yet Yuan Shao, ordinarily so fastidious about his appearance, now covered in blood and filth and caked mud, sat upright in the great hall, facing the hall full of wailing, and his expression did not change… And very soon, these people cautiously ceased their grieving.

"How many have fled back?" Yuan Shao ignored entirely the minced meat and hot broth brought by the attendants, only inquiring with a solemn expression.

"Forty to fifty thousand, I would say." Xin Ping checked his sorrow and quickly answered. "Moreover, I hear that General Ju Yi led his troops eastward; presumably, like him, there are some who were checked by the cavalry and had no choice but to scatter from the wings. Perhaps within two or three days, Yecheng to the rear and Wushi City on the flank will also gather some troops. I have discussed with the various generals, and I fear that in the end we may reassemble sixty to seventy thousand troops… After all, this battle lasted less than half a day, and the distance was too close; even if the enemy exerted full effort to kill and force surrender, they could not have inflicted too many casualties. Of course, many among those who fled back are wounded, and even those who are not cannot immediately fight again; we will need several days to reorganize. We can only say it is fortunate we have the city defenses and strong fortifications…"

"I understand." Yuan Shao remained so calm it was unsettling. "The city defenses and the outer camp defenses — no mishaps there?"

"None!"

"And the grain, fodder, medicine, and military supplies in the city? Have the defeated troops and wounded been properly settled?"

"Rest assured, my lord."

"With this battle lost, the surrounding cities will inevitably be thrown into turmoil… Yecheng, Wushi, Pingyang — we must dispatch some battle-capable troops swiftly to reinforce and pacify them, lest Liangqi become an isolated city."

"Yes!"

At this, Yuan Shao finally let out a long breath, but then fell silent for a moment. After a brief pause, he asked in a voice that trembled faintly:

"Has Chen Gongtai returned?"

"Someone in the army saw with his own eyes — he removed his cap, let down his hair to cover his face, and personally drove a chariot northward! Then another saw with his own eyes that he was stopped by several enemy riders, shot first with arrows, then stabbed to death with a long spear." It was still Xin Ping who answered carefully, and after glancing at Ju Shou, who sat to the side catching his breath, he added another line. "General Ju's son, Ju Hu, was also seen with certainty — slain by a white-horse general, who even took the trouble to sever his head."

The hall fell so silent one could hear a pin drop, and it was still Yuan Shao who maintained his eerie calm: "This great defeat — the chief fault lies in my own incompetence… None of you need speak of it, nor are you permitted to speak of it… Secondly, Chen Gongtai, as chief of the general staff, made slight miscalculations in planning this battle, but he has now atoned with his death… So now is not the time to dispute responsibility; rather, I wish to ask you all to tell me — what should be done next?"

"This subordinate believes that next there is no other course," Ju Shou said, his eyes bloodshot, yet pressing a hand against his ribs and forcing himself to reply with solemn composure. "It is simply to advance step by step and secure each foothold, linking city with fortification, relying on the advantage of the dense network of cities in Wei Commandery behind us, and hold on…"

From Yuan Shao on down, nearly everyone nodded in agreement.

And Xin Ping continued, picking up the thread: "Not only that — I believe that after this battle, attempting to fight Gongsun Wenqi in the open field again would be unwise… In the coming years, before we have caught our breath, we can only use the wealth, grain, and population of Yanzhou and Qingzhou as rear support, establishing many forts and strongholds throughout Hebei, advancing step by step and securing each foothold! In truth, I proposed this strategy before; if it truly becomes a war of attrition like this, Gongsun Xun's military momentum may be formidable, but his logistics are strained — he may not necessarily outlast us!"

These words likewise met with no rebuttal.

And Yuan Shao, after a moment's thought, remained just as calm: "Zhongzhi's words are sound reasoning. In any case, for the remaining half of autumn and this winter, we will always be on the defensive… Since Gongtai has passed, and you were originally in charge of the rear, you shall take overall charge of this matter and coordinate the defense!"

Xin Ping was just about to respond when, unexpectedly, at that moment, Lu Xiang, the Yanzhou officer who had toiled to escort Yuan Shao back, suddenly stepped forward: "My lord, Xin Ping must not be entrusted with such heavy responsibility!"

Xin Zhongzhi stood stunned on the spot.

Yet Yuan Shao remained neither pleased nor angered: "Today you turned back to fetch Chen Gongtai — presumably Chen Gongtai left final words, else why would you go this far?"

"Yes!" Lu Xiang said through gritted teeth, exerting himself. "Before he died, Chief Clerk Chen spoke clearly… Great affairs may be entrusted to Ju Gongyu, Xu Ziyuan, and the like; as for Xin Ping, Guo Tu, Xun Chen, and other men of Yingchuan, they must absolutely not be entrusted with great responsibility!"

Xun Chen's whereabouts were unknown at this moment — no one knew if he was dead or alive. Xin Ping and Guo Tu both flushed red to their faces, yet knowing full well the weight of Chen Gong's dying words, they dared not speak out in rebuttal.

It was Xin Ping's younger brother, the relatively junior Xin Pi, who could not restrain himself and spoke out to question Lu Xiang: "Is it that if we men of Yingchuan are not allowed to oversee the General of Chariots and Cavalry's staff, you men of Yanzhou will rebel?"

"Chief Clerk Chen's dying words were thus — if you force the matter, we will simply not accept it. What talk is this of rebellion?" The one who answered in Lu Xiang's stead was Xue Fang, a Major of a Separate Division from a prominent Yanzhou family. His status was ordinarily rather low, but at this moment, no one dared belittle his words.

Sure enough, Xin Pi was about to speak again when his own elder brother kicked him directly in the bend of the leg, sending him kneeling with a thud in the hall. Xin Ping himself then prostrated and knocked his head, speaking with righteous indignation: "My lord, this subordinate has absolutely no intention of seizing power at this opportunity… Even if I did, with the greater situation at stake, I would never reach for it! Only, the defenses of Liangqi were all arranged by my sole efforts, and with the great enemy before us, I beg to be allowed to hold off the General of the Guards for a brief time on my lord's behalf, and then gradually hand over to Xu Ziyuan and Ju Gongyu, those two pillars of talent!"

"Rest assured — everyone in the army knows I am greedy; this post of chief of staff I absolutely cannot take!" Xu You looked on coldly.

And Yuan Shao, after a moment's thought, turned his cold gaze upon Lu Xiang, who stood beside him maintaining a salute: "General Lu, did Gongtai say anything about not allowing Feng Yuantu to hold power?"

"That he did not mention — but is Lord Feng not in Anping?" Lu Xiang was momentarily flustered.

"Once we survive this winter, have him return. For now, let him hold this post remotely." Yuan Shao remained so calm it was unsettling. "Zhongzhi, rise as well… You know the great enemy is before us — must I help you up?"

Xin Ping hastily knocked his head in apology, then hurriedly dragged his younger brother up with him.

The scene once again fell into silence, and Guo Tu, amid his inner vexation, recalled another matter and quickly stepped forward: "My lord, there is one more thing to be done… This battle was lost far too quickly; even a man of divine martial prowess like Dian Wei could only flee in disarray — how much more so the others? As I see it, on the battlefield there must be many who were simply exhausted and taken captive, and among the scattered deserters and routed troops around us, there are many who cannot return to their units… I beg my lord to issue a public pardon for the deserters, and at the same time send an envoy to see Gongsun Xun. After all, though he will certainly not return the common soldiers, for the few officers and aides we should do our utmost to seek their rescue, and likewise for the bodies of our fallen soldiers…"

"Well said — I entrust this matter to you." Yuan Shao nodded as if waking from a daze, then looked around and asked, "That being so, before Gongsun Xun arrives beneath the city walls tomorrow, are there any other urgent matters?"

The assembled men looked at one another, and once again fell largely silent.

Seeing this, Yuan Shao likewise lowered his head once more. After an unknown length of time, he finally picked up the bowl of hot broth before him on the table, gulped down several mouthfuls, then let out a sigh and suddenly, under the gaze of the hall full of bedraggled civil and military officials, began to laugh.

Once Yuan Benchu laughed aloud, his laughter grew louder and louder. The surrounding civil and military officials either remained silent, or looked on coldly, or stood stunned on the spot, or studied him carefully… but none spoke.

After a long while, it was Guo Tu who suddenly had a flash of understanding and took the initiative to speak: "My lord's spirit is extraordinary… And indeed it is so — though our army is defeated, it is not to the point of broken sinews and bones. And my lord, having passed through peril today, escaping danger time and again, must surely be blessed by Heaven's mandate…"

"Bullshit!" Xu You could finally endure no longer and, his face dark, cursed aloud before the assembly.

"None of you quarrel!" Yuan Shao said with a rueful laugh, leaning on the table. "Ziyuan, do not be angry. Defeated so badly, how could I be so shameless as that? And Gongze has also toiled hard — I know you meant to boost morale, and it was well-intentioned… As for my laughter just now, I was merely laughing at myself! Laughing at my own lack of self-knowledge, laughing at my own preposterous arrogance… And yet, this is not the first time I have lost troops and officers for this very reason! That time in Henei, I underestimated Jia Xu and Lu Bu — and what was the result? General Yan Liang died, General Chunyu Qiong was defeated and perished, General Han Juzi was crippled… Gentlemen, tell me — if I had been free of these faults from the very start, if all you generals were here today, how could we have been defeated to this extent?"

Even though the assembled men had each harbored their own thoughts before, upon hearing these words they could not help but show sorrow on their faces.

"Enough. You have all either fought a bloody battle all day or still bear wounds — Lord Ju, for instance, even suffers the pain of losing a son… In short, Zhongzhi, make arrangements for everyone to return to their quarters, bathe, take some hot broth, and retire early. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!" Yuan Shao laughed for a while longer, then, perhaps feeling he had reached a point so laughable there was no need to laugh further, abruptly ceased and simply dismissed the assembly.

And so, the men took their leave one after another, and Yuan Shao, supported by attendants, went to the rear chamber. There, Lady Liu had long since prepared, with several maidservants, a wooden tub, hot water, and fresh clothes, ready to personally bathe and change him.

It must be said, seeing her husband, ordinarily so imposing, in such a state, Lady Liu wept unceasingly even as she helped him remove his garments.

"Merely bedraggled, not injured." Yuan Shao laughed again. "My dear wife, why go to such lengths? If the servants see you like this and word spreads, it will shake the army's morale in the city."

Lady Liu was a second wife, far younger than Yuan Shao, and relying on her youth and beauty, having borne him sons, and being the principal wife, she usually carried herself with much pride. Only now, hearing these words, did she unexpectedly dare not weep further, merely forcing herself to help him undress.

However, after removing the outer robe covered in mud and bloodstains, taking off the waist armor he had forgotten to remove when first entering the reed marsh, and then stripping away the inner garment half-soaked in mud and blood, she looked at her husband's close-fitting undershirt and found it still bore grime and bloodstains — especially a conspicuous bloodstain on the right arm, spreading from the cuff all the way to the forearm. She could not help but cry out in renewed fright, covering her face and about to weep!

"Madam, set your mind at ease. Your foolish husband is truly uninjured. This must be another man's blood that has stained it." Yuan Shao continued to console her with a light laugh.

Only then did Lady Liu collect herself again, and she hurriedly moved to personally remove this undershirt.

Yet, for some unknown reason, when she untied the sash and reached to pull it away, it would not come off at once! Looking again, she discovered that her own husband had stretched out one hand and pressed it firmly against the shoulder of this close-fitting silk undershirt, stained and bloodied, unwilling to let go.

Lady Liu was bewildered and uncomprehending.

At this, Yuan Shao finally stopped smiling. Slowly, he spoke to his wife: "Madam, I have just now remembered — this is General Wen's blood. He was the first man to die for me today, and yet because I had to flee for my life, even his corpse was abandoned by me on the battlefield, its whereabouts unknown. This last trace of his blood — how could I easily wipe it away?!"

Having spoken, he could finally no longer restrain himself. For a moment, he choked with indescribable emotion, and all through the night, his tears fell like rain.

————I am the dividing line that cries endlessly while owing no debts————

"When Chou returned and learned that the surrendered men had gone back, he could not employ them. At that time, the two armies were encamped between Handan and Liangqi, about to give decisive battle. He therefore did not return to the ranks but volunteered to challenge the enemy. The Grand Ancestor dispatched Cavalry Commander Zhao Yun to answer him. Yun, whose valor surpassed the entire army, fought for several tens of bouts and unhorsed him. About to strike the killing blow, Chou, both legs crippled, used his single arm to cut his own throat before the battle lines. The three armies looked on with solemn respect. Yun, moved by the man's unyielding spirit, did not take his head but returned to offer apology before the lines. Shao likewise had his body moved onto a cart. At that time, the blood gushed without ceasing, soaking through into the clothing. When the matter was settled and Shao, utterly defeated, returned to the city, his attendants changed his garments. When they reached the undershirt, they still saw the bloodstains. Shao suddenly understood: 'This is General Wen's blood — do not remove it.' Having spoken, his tears fell like rain, and his weeping could not be stopped." — *The New Book of Yan*, Hereditary Houses, First Volume.

PS: First, a continued offering — a new Three Kingdoms novel, *Han Tu*, which everyone may go and try.

Finally, wishing everyone a happy 520!

(End of Chapter)