Chapter 86

Why save such a reckless fool?

But... if Ma Chao were captured,

it would have a huge impact on the morale of the garrison in the city.

Especially the few thousand troops under Ma Teng.

If they learned that Xu Rong stood by and watched him die,

what would they think?

Furthermore,

don't look at Ma Teng calling him "my son" all the time.

In reality, Ma Teng was more eager than anyone to save Ma Chao back.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have visited Xu Rong here late at night.

The moment of choice had arrived.

Zhao Yun and Zhang He cast their gazes toward Xu Rong.

How to decide was naturally up to Xu Rong, the commander.

Xu Rong’s signature poker face showed no joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness.

He was quickly analyzing the situation he was facing.

Save him, where to save him? Is it still in time?

Don't save him, what if Ma Chao is captured? What would Ma Teng and the few thousand troops think?

However,

before Xu Rong could make a decision,

several sentries guarding the city tower suddenly arrived here.

They reported in a hurried tone:

"General, things are bad!"

"Han Sui and the armies of the Qiang and Di tribes have come back again."

"They have also captured General Ma Chao!"

"They say they want to execute General Ma Chao in front of you and General Ma Teng!"

"Boom!"

Hearing this,

Ma Teng lost his footing and almost fell to the ground.

Xu Rong’s face also sank instantly.

The most terrible situation had appeared.

If Han Sui executed Ma Chao in front of the garrison in the city,

then... one could imagine that the morale of the garrison would drop to a low point!

This was no longer a question of whether or not to go out and save Ma Chao.

It was...

there was simply no way to save him!

The ruthlessness of Cheng Gongying’s strategy did not lie in luring Xu Rong to lead troops out of the city to save Ma Chao.

The point was that he knew through spies planted in the city that Ma Chao was responsible for guarding the west city gate today.

Subsequently, he used Ma Chao’s hatred for Yan Xing to lure him out of the city with lightning speed.

His goal was not to kill Ma Chao, but to capture him alive!

Ma Chao as a hostage was far more valuable than a dead Ma Chao!

At that time,

no matter how Xu Rong chose,

the morale of the garrison in the city would be affected to a great extent!

Coupled with the fact that the city was on the verge of running out of grain,

under the double blow,

even if Xu Rong were powerful, it was an unsolvable situation at this moment!

However,

what Cheng Gongying didn't know was that he had miscalculated one very important thing...

"Traitor! Vicious thief!"

"If you have the ability, kill me!"

"Using me as a threat, what kind of ability is that?"

Below Fufeng City,

Ma Chao, tied up like a dumpling, roared through gritted teeth.

The moment he saw Yan Xing, Ma Chao couldn't suppress the anger in his heart.

That humiliating duel from three years ago constantly floated before his eyes.

He had thought that this time he could defeat Yan Xing and wash away his shame.

However... Yan Xing didn't give him the chance for a duel.

Instead, he chose to ignore martial ethics.

Coordinating with a portion of elite troops already lying in ambush, he surrounded Ma Chao on the spot.

No matter how brave Ma Chao was, two fists could not fight four hands.

Coupled with Yan Xing, a first-class fierce general, restraining him from the side, Ma Chao ultimately couldn't escape the fate of being captured alive.

To avoid further humiliation, Ma Chao requested death.

But how could Han Sui and Cheng Gongying give him that chance?

A dead Ma Chao was far less valuable than a living Ma Chao.

Thus, the current scene came to be.

Ma Chao became a tool for Han Sui to threaten Xu Rong and Ma Teng.

"I say, nephew Mengqi, you might as well save your strength."

"Uncle, I actually don't want to capture you alive and let you be humiliated like this in front of the three armies again."

"But there’s no way around it."

"That fellow Xu Rong’s ability to command troops and fight is truly stronger than I expected."

"Uncle, I have limited time."

"I can't continue to besiege this Fufeng City."

"So I have no choice but to use your head."

"Tell me, if you die in public under the city tower,"

"what would your father Ma Teng and the garrison in the city think?"

Han Sui stroked the goatee on his chin, looking at Ma Chao with great interest.

Hearing this, Ma Chao was so angry his eyes were splitting.

But he was tightly bound at this moment.

No matter how much he struggled, it was to no avail.

Although it was already night,

the torches on the city tower had illuminated the surrounding darkness.

Ma Chao’s face was reflected in the eyes of the garrison on the city tower.

"Everyone, look, isn't that General Mengqi?"

"How was he captured alive?"

The uninformed garrison on the city tower kept pointing and whispering.

These words, heard in Ma Chao’s ears,

were like knives and sharp blades!

In a short while,

Xu Rong, Zhao Yun, Zhang He, Ma Teng, Ma Tie, Ma Xiu, and others had all arrived on the city tower.

Facing Ma Teng’s gaze, Ma Chao lowered his head deeply.

However, Han Sui did not intend to let him off just like that.

Han Sui looked up at the city tower and smiled slightly:

"Brother Shoucheng, you and I have known each other for many years."

"I won't talk nonsense."

"Today, if you want your son Ma Chao to live, honestly hand over this Fufeng City."

"If not, I will kill this Ma Chao in front of you!"

After saying this, Han Sui ordered Yan Xing to take out a sharp blade and place it beside Ma Chao’s neck.

On the city tower, seeing this scene, Ma Teng couldn't help but say urgently:

"Han Wenyue! You despicable villain!"

"Using my son as a threat, what kind of ability is that?"

"If you have the ability, attack the city head-on!"

Based on Ma Teng’s understanding of this fellow Han Sui,

even if he handed over Fufeng City, Ma Chao could not be released.

Since that was the case, it was better to urge Han Sui to attack the city, at least it could temporarily save Ma Chao’s life.

However,

Ma Teng understood Han Sui,

but didn't Han Sui also understand Ma Teng?

He chuckled "pfft" and then said:

"Brother Shoucheng, why bother?"

"If you hadn't accepted Dong Zhongying’s title and honestly stayed on this little patch of Liangzhou being your local snake,"

"how would you have ended up in your current situation?"

"Of course, actually, this is also good."

"After all, our strengths were not much different originally."

"You accepting Dong Zhongying’s title actually gave me an excellent opportunity to integrate Liangzhou and rise here!"

Thinking of this,

Han Sui couldn't help but look up to the sky and laugh.

Although those idiot Liangzhou warlords had all retreated,

even so, after such a war, Han Sui’s strength had been greatly improved.

As long as Fufeng was broken and Ma Teng and Xu Rong were dead,

who else in all of Liangzhou could stop Han Sui’s rise?

On the city tower,

Xu Rong and the others watching this scene gripped their weapons tightly.

The cold wind whistled, and the temperature of the blood couldn't help but drop along with it.

However,

just as Han Sui was about to take action,

a rapid and violent sound of horse hooves suddenly came from the rear!

"Plop!"

"Plop!"

Countless flying halberds descended from the sky!

In an instant,

the number of soldiers dying beside Han Sui was countless.

The sudden change was something no one had expected.

Han Sui hurriedly looked back.

He saw that the place where his camp was located in the distance had already turned into a sea of fire.

Reflected in the night, the firelight looked particularly terrifying, like a fire dragon swallowing the sky!

"Fly... Flying Bear Army!"

The old soldiers who had followed Han Sui for a long time were already scared out of their wits looking at the army raiding from not far away.

They recognized the identity of the newcomers!

The Flying Bear Army, the most elite army under Dong Zhuo, bar none!

Although it only had three thousand men at full strength,

relying on these three thousand Flying Bear Army soldiers, Dong Zhuo was invincible and step by step sat in the position of a regional official.

Later, Dong Zhuo handed this army to Li Jue and Guo Si to command on his behalf.

But it was very awkward that

when Niu Fu was in command before, almost everyone thought that pacifying Liangzhou was a guaranteed victory.

Therefore,

Li Jue and Guo Si, adhering to the principle of not using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken, did not bring the Flying Bear Army to the battlefield.

But who knew

that this pit-fellow Niu Fu not only failed to easily pacify Liangzhou but also suffered heavy losses.

Li Jue and Guo Si were forced to retreat to Chencang.

It wasn't until Gu Yi replaced Niu Fu as commander that this Flying Bear Army left behind in Chencang was brought out again.

Dividing into five routes to raid the rear lairs of the Liangzhou warlords,

this strategy was very vicious, but it could not immediately resolve the crisis of Xu Rong and the others.

If Han Sui were determined to kill Xu Rong and Ma Teng with the remaining forty percent of his troops, this strategy would lose its intended effect.

Therefore,

after the raid,

Gu Yi immediately took three thousand Flying Bear Army soldiers, along with Huang Zhong, Zhang Xiu, Ma Yunlu, and others, and rushed to Fufeng day and night.

The remaining troops were handed over to Li Jue, Guo Si, Hua Xiong, Zhang Ji, and others to command temporarily.

The Flying Bear Army was cavalry, and the kind with two horses per rider!

Their marching speed was naturally far beyond what ordinary armies could compare to.

After arriving at Fufeng,

Gu Yi judged through observing the movements in Han Sui’s camp

that Han Sui definitely had other schemes.

Sure enough,

Han Sui adopted the strategy of his strategist Cheng Gongying, captured Ma Chao, and intended to execute him in front of Xu Rong and Ma Teng.

Gu Yi only had three thousand Flying Bear Army soldiers in his hand.

Han Sui’s own troops, plus the Qiang and Di tribes, still had no fewer than fifty thousand soldiers.

Although the Flying Bear Army were all elites chosen from a hundred,

the disparity in numbers

meant Gu Yi had to seize the timing of entering the battlefield

to maximize the effect!

Just now, Han Sui’s attention was completely focused on Xu Rong and Ma Teng on the city tower.

He had no idea that three thousand Flying Bear Army soldiers were quietly approaching his rear.

When the sound of horse hooves came and the Flying Bear Army suddenly accelerated, everything was already too late!

The Flying Bear Army’s attack method, besides ordinary charges and mounted archery, also included throwing flying halberds.

Each Flying Bear Army soldier carried three flying halberds on their back.

Although the range of the flying halberds was not as good as bows and arrows, the lethality caused was far superior to bows and arrows.

More importantly,

under the effect of the flying halberds,