Yan Province, Dong Commandery
Hour of Si (around 9:00–11:00 a.m.)
On the official road opposite Cangting Ferry, the surrendered Bing Province soldiers and the Taiping Prefecture army formed a long procession.
At the front, Guan Hai led his troops, directing the surrendered Bing Province soldiers to board the ferries in an orderly manner.
Clip-clop… Clip-clop…
Taishi Ci rode up swiftly to Guo Jia and said with a relaxed expression, “Master Fengxiao, our scouts report that Yuan Shao’s vanguard will reach Dongwuyang in less than an hour.”
They had launched the ambush on Lü Bu at the Hour of Zi (around midnight), and the battle had been decided by the Hour of Chou (around 1:00–3:00 a.m.).
The entire operation had taken no more than two hours.
That still left them four full hours to withdraw.
Although Lü Bu’s army carried a considerable amount of baggage and supplies, they had more than enough time to empty it all.
By the time Yuan Shao arrived, all he would be able to do was eat their dust.
“General Ziyi.”
Guo Jia seemed to think of something and smiled.
“Order all the scouts to return and assist the main force in crossing the river.”
“I imagine there won’t be another battle in Hebei anytime soon.”
“Understood.”
Taishi Ci saw no reason to object and immediately departed to carry out the order.
………….
Around the Fifth Quarter of the Hour of Si
Yuan Shao’s vanguard cavalry rested briefly at Yangcheng, then once again galloped toward Dongwuyang.
“Report!”
A squad of scouts rode into the center of the column.
Their young commander, visibly tense, cupped his fists and reported, “My lord, according to our reconnaissance, Lü Bu appears to have been defeated and captured at Dongwuyang.”
“The Yellow Turban army has already withdrawn.”
“Only an empty city remains.”
“What?!”
Yuan Shao’s face changed dramatically.
“Impossible!”
“Absolutely impossible!”
“Lü Bu is unmatched in valor.”
“He rides the peerless Red Hare, commands four thousand elite troops, and even armies numbering in the tens of thousands would hesitate to confront him head-on.”
“How could he have been defeated so quickly?”
He had known that Lü Bu had fallen into an ambush.
But he simply could not believe that the Yellow Turbans had subdued him so easily.
Yuan Shao had always respected both the fighting power of the Bing Province troops and Lü Bu’s martial prowess.
Otherwise, Lü Bu could never have fought his way out of Chang’an, nor earned such a formidable reputation in Bing Province.
Yuan Shao had never believed Lü Bu was invincible.
He had certainly considered the possibility of defeat.
But this outcome was far beyond anything he had expected.
If only Lü Bu had managed to hold out for another two hours, Yuan Shao was confident he could have annihilated every Yellow Turban soldier who had crossed the Yellow River.
The young scout remained silent.
To discover what had happened at Dongwuyang, his own scouting force had paid a heavy price.
“Scout again!”
Yuan Shao’s heart sank, but he forced himself to accept reality.
His expression darkened as he ordered, “No matter what, find the locations of both the Yellow Turbans and Lü Bu.”
“I want to see them— alive or dead.”
“Yes, my lord!”
The scout saluted loudly and immediately rode off.
“Yuanhao.”
“Gongze.”
Looking toward the west, Yuan Shao asked grimly, “With only an empty city left at Dongwuyang, what should our army do now?”
“My lord.”
Tian Feng answered first, his face solemn.
“In my opinion, Lü Bu has certainly been defeated. Otherwise, Dongwuyang would never have become an empty city.”
“The Yellow Turbans must have planned this operation for a long time.”
“Our highest priority now is to march immediately to Cangting Ferry.”
“If we’re fortunate, we may still be able to intercept part of the enemy force.”
Even as he spoke, Tian Feng remained deeply shaken.
The speed and efficiency with which the Taiping forces had executed the operation completely erased any lingering tendency he had to underestimate them.
“I agree.”
Guo Tu also spoke with a serious expression.
“Lü Bu may have had few troops, but he was no ordinary commander.”
“There must be someone among the Yellow Turbans who is highly skilled in military strategy.”
“As for just how capable this person is, I suppose we’ll only know once we reach Cangting Ferry.”
After listening to both men, Yuan Shao took a deep breath.
“Pass the order.”
“The entire army will march immediately for Cangting Ferry.”
Even now, he still clung to one final hope.
After all, he had invested considerable effort in Lü Bu.
How could he possibly accept such an outcome so easily?
……………
Near the Hour of Wei (around 1:00–3:00 p.m.)
After hurrying without pause, Yuan Shao finally arrived with his army at the opposite bank of Cangting Ferry.
“My lord.”
Wen Chou rode up beside him, his expression grim.
“The enemy army has completely withdrawn.”
“The only thing remaining on the river is a single ferry boat about two hundred paces away.”
“Hmph.”
Yuan Shao snorted.
“Such a petty trick.”
“Do they really think I’ll play along?”
“Gongze.”
“Go and see what’s going on.”
The enemy had deliberately left that ferry behind.
In Yuan Shao’s eyes, they merely intended to humiliate him.
He had no intention of handing them the satisfaction.
“Understood.”
Guo Tu bowed respectfully and made his way toward the riverbank.
After waiting for some time, Guo Jia saw that Yuan Shao himself had not appeared.
Instead, it was Guo Tu who approached.
Guo Jia stepped out of the ferry cabin, smiled,
and offered a courteous salute. “Brother Gongze.”
“It has indeed been quite some time.”
“Guo Fengxiao… it’s you?!”
Guo Tu looked into the ferry boat.
The moment he saw who was inside, his brows furrowed, and his face darkened considerably.
He naturally recognized Guo Jia.
After all, both of them came from the Guo clan of Yingchuan.
The difference was that Guo Tu belonged to the main branch, while Guo Jia came from a cadet branch.
Moreover, Guo Jia had once served under Yuan Shao.
Though they weren’t particularly close, they were certainly acquainted.
“It is indeed I.”
Guo Jia replied loudly.
“I’ll have to trouble you, Elder Brother, to pass along a message to Yuan Shao.”
“Lü Bu has already joined Taiping Prefecture.”
“Tell him to conduct his campaigns more carefully in the future.”
“Fengxiao!”
“How dare you serve the rebels?!”
Guo Tu shouted angrily.
“Our Guo clan has received the Emperor’s favor for generations!”
“You—”
“Until we meet again.”
Before Guo Tu could finish, Guo Jia merely cupped his hands in farewell and calmly returned to the cabin.
He knew perfectly well what Guo Tu intended to say, and had no interest in arguing with him.
“You disgraceful wretch!”
“How can you face our ancestors?!”
Seeing Guo Jia leave just like that, Guo Tu stamped his feet in fury.
He had never imagined that his younger kinsman would leave home only to join what he considered a rebel force.
At that moment, Yuan Shao also walked over.
“Gongze.”
Looking at the departing ferry, he asked, “Was that man a member of the Guo clan?”
Yuan Shao had not actually seen Guo Jia.
He had only heard Guo Tu shouting curses.
Even if he had seen him, there was no guarantee he would have recognized him.
As the descendant of the prestigious Four Generations of Three Excellencies, countless scholars sought positions under him.
There were simply too many for him to remember every insignificant face.
“My lord, I would not dare deceive you.”
Guo Tu hurriedly bowed.
His face still burned with indignation.
“That man comes from a cadet branch of the Guo clan.”
“He once studied at the Yingchuan Academy.”
“His conduct has always been unruly and utterly unconventional.”
“He also once entered official service in Ji Province.”
“But because he refused to accept discipline, he resigned and returned home.”
“I never imagined that upon meeting him again, he would have sunk so low as to serve a band of rebels.”
“He has truly brought shame upon the Guo clan.”
“When I return, I will immediately write to the clan elders and have him struck from the family genealogy.”
The more Guo Tu spoke, the angrier he became.
In his eyes, Guo Jia entering the service of Taiping Prefecture was no different from the Guo clan producing a traitor.
As someone who prided himself on being an upright gentleman, loyal to both the state and the imperial court, Guo Tu found it utterly intolerable.
“So be it.”
Yuan Shao’s expression also darkened.
Looking across the river at Cangting Ferry, where banners fluttered in dense ranks, he took a deep breath and said, “Pass the order.”
“The army is to withdraw.”
“We’ll rest briefly and then return to Ji Province at a measured pace.”
— The end of the Chapter–
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