Chapter 49: Chapter Forty‑Nine: Wen Chou vs. Guan Yu

Guan Yu and Mi Fang led their 30,000 Jing'an troops to reinforce Jinan Commandery; when the forced march entered a mountainous area outside Jinan, a scout under the Second Master, bearing the banner, rushed from the front of the column to report.

"Second General, ahead is Niutou Mountain; the surroundings are completely silent, and no abnormalities have been found."

Mi Fang, chewing on a large flatbread beside him, said indistinctly.

"Second Master, we should speed up the forced march; Yuan Shao's main force may already have surrounded Pingling."

The Second Master half‑opened his crimson phoenix eyes, stared at the distant forest in thought, then stroked his beard and said.

"Since arriving here I've felt uneasy, Zifang; you see the birds circling in the woods without descending—there must be something amiss. Our elder brother has entrusted us with a heavy task; we cannot afford any mistake."

Mi Fang widened his eyes, carefully pondering the Second Master's words.

"What should we do then? Should we take a detour?!"

The Second Master smiled mysteriously, stroked his beard, and gestured.

"Come over here; just like this…"

Mi Fang, after hearing that, felt a cold bead of sweat on his forehead, but, seeing the Second Master's stern expression, dared not object; adjusting his helmet, he led a thousand cavalry, noisy, through the valley of Niutou Mountain.

Hearing the clamor below, a Jizhou army foot soldier had already summoned the commander Wen Chou; Wen Chou wore a solemn expression, still unaware that his elder brother Yan Liang had already been defeated by Zhang Liao, and his eyes narrowed fiercely as he said.

"Finally they arrive; Deputy General, rally ten thousand troops, the rest prepare to ambush these Xuzhou soldiers in the mountains on both sides; the remaining will follow me to kill them all, leaving no armor behind!"

"Damn it, I've been bitten by insects for almost half the night; these people truly deserve death!"

Wen Chou led his iron cavalry to the mouth of the valley; arrogant, he believed he could rout Liu Bei's relief force without any ambush.

But upon reaching the valley mouth he found the incoming force numbered only about a thousand; the Xuzhou cavalry's horses dragged tree branches, raising much dust, making it impossible to discern numbers from afar.

Wen Chou lifted his iron spear and scolded.

"Hey, that little chubby one, why are you making such a big commotion with so few men?! Do you wish to die faster yourself?!"

Mi Fang, looking at the ugly man before him, felt his anger rise and raised his long sword, shouting.

"You ugly ghost, your master Mi Second Master can come however he wishes; are you teaching your master Mi Second Master how to act?"

Wen Chou, hearing that, roared in anger, "Who has dared to call me an ugly ghost since childhood without meeting the King of Hell?!"

That little chubby one is literally playing with fire on a grave!

"Seeking death! Little chubby, take this spear!"

Wen Chou raised his spear, spurred his horse, and charged at Mi Fang; feeling his martial skill had improved under the Second Master, Mi Fang lifted his great sword to meet him.

Mi Fang shouted as he charged.

"Does your master Mi Second Master still fear…"

But at the moment of blade meeting spear, Mi Fang felt something off—holy crap, this force?!

Mi Fang was at that moment on the verge of wanting to cry but unable.

The ugly man's force was almost on par with Brother Guan's.

Wen Chou's forged‑iron great spear hammered toward Mi Fang; after parrying two blows Mi Fang felt dizzy, feigned a slash and intended to spur his horse away.

"Retreat quickly, this ugly man is truly formidable!"

Mi Fang led his cavalry in a flash to retreat, but the murderous Wen Chou now could not let him off that easily.

Wen Chou sneered, tightened his grip on his horse's belly, and charged at the fleeing Mi Fang; over ten thousand Jizhou troops followed him in the charge.

Seeing he was about to catch up to Mi Fang, Mi Fang lamented inwardly, "Second General, why haven't you come to save me yet?"

Just after Mi Fang spurred his horse over a small rise, a horse‑tripping rope was suddenly hoisted on both sides of the path; Wen Chou was startled, but with his outstanding skill he thrust his spear to cut the rope, and his momentum eased.

Wen Chou looked around, embarrassed and angry, realizing he was about to thrust this hateful little chubby to death with a spear.

"Who? Who is scheming against your Wen Chou, grandpa?"

The cavalry behind Wen Chou formed ranks, ready to charge with him; at that moment torches around lit up, and the sound of drawn bows echoed nearby.

Wen Chou and his soldiers were terrified; the Second Master, stroking his long beard, drew his sword from the flames and rode out.

Mi Fang, looking relieved, leaned on his horse and kept breathing.

"Who are you?! Under my spear I do not kill nameless ones!"

The Second Master, with phoenix‑eye gaze, slowly dragged his long sword and uttered two words.

"Wen Chou, you are nothing but a rat!"

An invisible aura surged around the Second Master; ever since Lü Bu became his junior, watching a supreme master meekly call him 'second uncle', the Second Master has completely let himself go mentally!

He gradually grew to enjoy the feeling of striking others in the face—how wonderful!

Wen Chou, enraged, spurred his horse toward Guan Yu; the Second Master raised the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, using the momentum of his Sweat‑Blood Treasure Horse to deliver a heavy slash at Wen Chou, who hurriedly drew his forged‑iron great spear from behind and managed to block the thunderous blade.

Clang!

A massive force radiated from the forged‑iron spear; Wen Chou's arm went numb, and he was further astonished—this red‑faced giant possessed such strength?!

The Second Master, seeing Wen Chou able to withstand his full‑force strike, grew pale with suspicion that this man must be a senior general under Yuan Shao, and resolved to keep him here tonight.

Guan Yu exerted himself again; his expression and the sudden opening of his phoenix eyes showed he was far from relaxed. Sparks flew from blade and spear, and Wen Chou was nearly cut down by the slash, his warhorse rearing back repeatedly.

"You do have some skill; now take another slash!"

The Second Master, one hand holding the horse's reins, slashed diagonally again; Wen Chou hurriedly raised his spear to block, yet his shoulder was still cut by the Second Master's blade.

Had Wen Chou not raised his spear in time, that slash might have killed him outright!