Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1173: Repairing the Plank Road in the Open Air and Sweeping the Chencang Pass in Secret

Seeing no movement from the city walls, Lü Bu, below the pass, reined in his Red Hare, his halberd flashing coldly in the sunlight: "Looks like you've really become cowards! Very well, I'll wait here and see how long you can hide!" Red Hare seemed to understand human nature, raising its head and neighing loudly, its voice shaking the surrounding fields. The Bingzhou wolf riders echoed in unison, their momentum soaring to the sky.

Zhang Liao stared at that arrogant figure, his nails digging deep into his palms. He knew Gao Shun was right, but as a military general, to be so humiliated and forced to endure it was like a thorn in his side. The wind on the city wall, carrying Lü Bu's shouts, swept across their armor again and again, as if mocking their retreat.

The drumbeats below the city suddenly intensified, like thunder rolling across the plain, causing the city walls to tremble slightly. Cheng Lian took the lead, brandishing his broadsword and leading his infantry to charge towards the pass. Siege ladders were erected like a forest, and the shouts of battle instantly shattered the tranquility of the morning.

Zhang Liao and Gao Shun exchanged a glance and simultaneously drew their swords: "Defend the pass!" Rolling stones and logs rained down from the city wall, and arrows wove a dense net in the air. The armored soldiers of the Trapped Camp formed a shield formation, desperately blocking the enemy troops climbing the siege ladders.

Below the pass, Lü Bu reined in his horse and stood before the enemy lines, his halberd resting diagonally on his shoulder. He appeared focused on the attacking troops, but his eyes kept glancing towards the mountains to the west. There, Chen Gong had already dispatched Song Xian and Hou Cheng with an elite force to bypass the mountain path. Their target was the supply line behind Hulao Pass, which was the true purpose of his recent show of force: to draw the attention of the city walls with a fierce attack and create an opportunity for a surprise attack.

While Lü Bu appeared to be urging the attack on the city, he was actually planning something else.

He hated Zhang Liao and Gao Shun for their "defection," but this hatred was mixed with a bit of unspeakable remorse. Gao Shun was as stoic as a rock, yet he had trained the elite Trapped Camp to be able to fight ten men each, making them an impregnable fortress when defending a city. If he hadn't always found Gao Shun too rigid, why would he have let him defect to Ma Chao? And Zhang Liao, his reputation in Xiliang was now ten times greater than when he was under his command. He had heard that even Ma Chao praised him as "both brave and resourceful." Such a fine general had been let go by his own hands, and the thought of it made his heart ache.

"If we can take Hulao Pass..." Lu Bu licked his chapped lips, twirling his halberd in his hand, "and capture these two lads, if they're truly willing to come back..." A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by arrogance, "With my reputation, am I afraid I can't control them? Then, I'll let them lead another cavalry force, guaranteeing they'll be even more prestigious than in Xiliang!"

Lu Bu was still pondering to himself, somewhat distracted, when Cheng Lian scrambled to Lu Bu's horse, his armor askew, his hair disheveled, and a bloodstain on his face. He stammered, "My lord... this Hulao Pass is high and fortified, and the Xiliang soldiers are too elite... especially Gao Shun's Trapped Camp, they're like lumps of iron, your subordinate... your subordinate really can't take it!"

Lu Bu glanced down at him, his brows furrowed. In his moment of distraction, he hadn't noticed how routed the attacking force had become, and Cheng Lian's disheveled state infuriated him. But he didn't lash out, only letting out a cold snort: "I know. General Cheng, you've worked hard. Fine, sound the retreat."

"Sound the retreat—" As the command flag was waved, the urgent sound of the gong pierced through the sounds of battle and reached the pass.

Upon hearing the gong, Gao Shun and Zhang Liao, atop the city wall, simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. Their tense shoulders relaxed, and cold sweat trickled down their faces. They watched as Lü Bu turned his horse around and rode back to camp at his own pace. His figure remained flamboyant, yet it exuded a composure different from before.

"He's changed," Gao Shun said in a low voice, his gaze complex. Back when he served under Lü Bu, this lord, though the bravest in the army, was also the most impatient, easily enraged by the slightest setback. How could he be like this today, calmly withdrawing his troops after a failed siege?

Zhang Liao nodded, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword: "Not only his temperament, but his troops have also become much more elite." He recalled the night raid when he first clashed with Lü Bu. He had intended to burn Lü Bu's supplies while Lü Bu was still establishing himself, but he was caught off guard by the Lü Bu's well-prepared ambush and lost hundreds of cavalry. He still felt lingering fear when he thought about it.

“It’s difficult to execute a clever plan.” Gao Shun sighed, looking at the endless camps outside the pass. “He must have a master advisor by his side, otherwise he wouldn’t be so cautious.” Although the Trapped Camp can hold the city gate, it cannot break through the enemy’s encirclement. If this continues, their food supplies will run out sooner or later.

Zhang Liao remained silent, turning to look towards the pass. The people of the city had already begun helping to move the rolling stones and repair the city's defenses. He suddenly gripped the hilt of his sword tightly: "No matter how he changes, we must hold this pass."

Gao Shun looked at him, a resolute glint in his eyes: "That's right. Even if it means fighting to the last man, we can't let him step in."

After returning to his camp, Lü Bu immediately summoned Chen Gong. Cheng Lian lay paralyzed outside the tent, barely daring to breathe.

"Gongtai," Lü Bu paced impatiently, "Gao Shun and Zhang Liao are holding the city gates to the death; a direct assault is not the way to go. I wonder how Song Xian and Hou Cheng are doing?"

Chen Gong stroked his beard, his gaze falling on Hulao Pass on the map: "My lord, do not be anxious. Their supplies are running low, and they cannot hold out for long. Song Xian and Hou Cheng have probably already circled around to the rear of Hulao Pass and are harassing their supply lines."

Lu Bu smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "With Gongtai by my side, I'm like a fish in water!"

Lu Bu couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He thought back to how impoverished he had been in previous years, and now, he was protecting the emperor, occupying Xuchang, and bearing the name of righteousness. He had also gained Runan Commandery, expanding his territory and ensuring the supply of his troops, armor, and provisions. Furthermore, he had secured the loyalty of Chen Gong, who was not only skilled in internal affairs but also extremely shrewd in strategy, far superior to his former service to the late emperor in Chang'an.

As the Xiliang cavalry galloped forward, the sounds of battle suddenly came from afar, faintly mixed with the clash of weapons and shouts. Ma Chao reined in his horse, raising an eyebrow: "Zhang Xiu, take a group of men to investigate."

Zhang Xiu accepted the order and led over a hundred cavalrymen off. A moment later, he turned back, clasped his hands in a fist, and said urgently, "My lord! It is Song Xian and Hou Cheng, under Lü Bu's command, who are intercepting the Black Mountain Army's grain supplies being sent to Hulao Pass!"

"There are still Lü Bu's men here?" A sharp glint flashed in Ma Chao's eyes. Without further hesitation, he shouted, "Brothers, follow me and charge in to protect the supplies!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already spurred his horse and charged out. His silver armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and the Xiliang cavalry behind him surged forward like a black tide, the sound of their hooves shaking the earth.

On the other side, Song Xian and Hou Cheng were directing their men to slaughter the Black Mountain Army guarding the grain. The grain escort team was already weak, and now it was in complete disarray. Just as the grain carts were about to be seized, Hou Cheng laughed triumphantly. Suddenly, he felt the ground beneath his feet shaking, and a rumbling sound came from afar, like muffled thunder rolling by.

"Song Xian! What's going on?" Hou Cheng's expression changed drastically. "Where did these cavalry come from? Could it be that reinforcements from Xiliang have arrived?"

Song Xian reacted swiftly, abruptly turning his horse around: "Not good! Quickly get the brothers into formation! Fight and retreat in an orderly fashion!"

But no sooner had they finished speaking than a troop of iron cavalry charged out from the dust and smoke ahead. The silver-armored general at the head moved with incredible speed, his spear moving like a dragon emerging from the sea, and in the blink of an eye, he had plunged into the enemy ranks. The impact of the Xiliang cavalry was like a flood bursting its banks, instantly tearing a gap in Lü Bu's army's formation.

Hou Cheng and Song Xian were already wary of the fierce Xiliang cavalry, and upon hearing the sound of hooves, they were already considering retreating. Now, seeing the enemy's overwhelming force, they were terrified. Hou Cheng shouted as he ran, "Retreat! Retreat! Run to the eastern mountain pass, there are many forks in the road there!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Song Xian caught sight of the exceptionally magnificent steed in the formation. It was pure white and seemed to leave a trail of light as it ran; it was none other than the world-renowned "Aurora." Looking at the figure of the silver-armored warrior, even through the chaotic crowd, he exuded a familiar sharpness.

"It's Ma Chao! The King of Liang is here!" Song Xian exclaimed in shock, almost dropping his sword. He spurred his horse and followed Hou Cheng into the ravine.

As the saying goes, soldiers are the courage of their generals, and generals are the soul of their soldiers. With the two generals leading the retreat without a fight, the infantry behind them, like kites with broken strings, completely lost their formation. The formation that had been barely maintained collapsed instantly. The soldiers looked in the direction their commanders had fled in panic, and then caught sight of the Xiliang cavalry surging in like a black tide. The spears in their hands trembled involuntarily, their feet seemed rooted to the spot, yet they were pushed and shoved from behind, staggering about.

"Run!" someone shouted, and like a fuse being lit, the fleeing soldiers erupted into chaos. Some dropped their shields, others abandoned their spears, focusing only on plunging into the dense forest, unaware that the stones beneath their feet and the thorns before them had become deadly traps. One soldier tripped and fell, and before he could even get up, he was trampled underfoot by the surging crowd behind him, his muffled groan quickly drowned out by the chaotic footsteps.

Zhang Xiu's gaze was fixed on Song Xian and Hou Cheng. The Xiliang cavalry's scimitars gleamed coldly in the sunlight, each swing accompanied by screams of agony. The soldiers around Song Xian fell like harvested wheat, wounded, their armor stained with blood, and even their breath reeking of blood.

"Hou Cheng! Left fork in the road! Quickly!" Song Xian roared, his long sword slicing through the oncoming arrows, his arm numb from the bowstring. He glanced behind him and saw three more soldiers trampled by horses, their screams piercing his ears.

Hou Cheng was no longer the arrogance he once was. His face was covered in dust, and his battle robe was torn in a long gash, seeping blood. He spurred his horse with all his might, turning onto the mountain path on the left. The gravel made the horse stumble, and the thorns on both sides of the path scraped against the soldiers' armor, making a piercing hissing sound. Song Xian and Hou Cheng dared not look back, focusing only on weaving through the winding mountain path.

The dense forest made the mountain paths difficult to traverse. The more Zhang Xiu pursued, the more complex the terrain became, making it unsuitable for the Xiliang cavalry to advance. Zhang Xiu could only watch as the two men led a small number of remnants, perhaps only four or five hundred, into the depths of the dense forest.

As Ma Chao rode up, Zhang Xiu was preparing to order his cavalry to dismount and pursue them into the dense forest. Ma Chao, looking towards the mountain pass, halted his troops, patted Jiguang's neck, and said to Zhang Xiu, "Ah Xiu, they may run away, but they can't hide. Since they were sent by Lü Bu to intercept our supplies, we'll inevitably run into them again at Hulao Pass." He turned to the grain carts and said to the leader of the Black Mountain Army, "Thank you for your hard work. Follow me to Hulao Pass to rendezvous with General Zhang Liao."

The leader of the grain escort team quickly thanked them, then directed his men to clean up the mess before following the Xiliang cavalry towards Hulao Pass. Sunlight shone on the grain carts and on the bloodstains on Ma Chao's silver armor. His swift figure, like a thunderbolt, cleaved the stalemate before Hulao Pass—Liang King Ma Chao had arrived.