“Brother, do not panic—Cao Chun is here!”
Just as the Qihuo Army was about to complete its encirclement, Cao Chun arrived with three thousand troops.
“Brother, please take my horse.”
After fighting his way into the surrounded force, Cao Chun immediately offered his own mount to Cao Cao.
With a solemn expression, he said:
“There are no enemy troops at the western gate. I’ve already made the necessary arrangements.”
“You go first, brother. I’ll follow behind.”
“Zihe…”
“Brother, there is no need for further words.”
Looking at his cousin, who seemed to have aged ten years in a single day, Cao Chun shook his head firmly.
“The Cao family can survive without me, Cao Chun.”
“But it absolutely cannot survive without you.”
“Zihe…”
Cao Cao silently mounted the horse.
His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Cao Chun.
“Take care of yourself above all else.”
“Rest assured, brother. I understand.”
Seeing Cao Cao safely mounted, Cao Chun finally relaxed slightly.
Turning around, his expression hardened.
Raising his saber, he shouted:
“Soldiers, hear my command!”
“Follow me and clear a path for our lord!”
“Kill!”
With a fierce battle cry, Cao Chun led his troops forward without hesitation.
“Kill!”
The arrival of Cao Chun’s fresh reinforcements reignited the fighting spirit of the weary Han soldiers.
Meanwhile, the eastern gate of Wuyan swung open.
“Zhongde!”
Leading his army into the city, Zhang Jing ordered:
“The army’s supplies and the civilians within the city are entrusted to you.”
“I obey, my lord.” Cheng Yu bowed respectfully.
“Brothers!” Zhang Jing drew his saber and shouted:
“Follow me!”
“We will hunt down the Han army!”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
The central army, which had been waiting impatiently for battle, erupted in thunderous cheers and raised their weapons high.
“Kill!”
Zhang Jing pointed his saber forward, and his troops surged ahead.
At almost the same moment, the northern and southern gates were thrown open as well.
Having waited for this opportunity, Sima Ju and Pei Yuanshao led their armies into the city.
“Not good!”
As he retreated, Cao Cao suddenly thought of something, his face darkening.
“Gongtai!”
“Can we still send men to the granaries and burn all the grain?”
To sustain the standoff against the Yellow Turbans, he had stockpiled three hundred thousand shi of grain inside the city.
Now that defeat was inevitable, if the supplies could not be taken away, they certainly could not be left for the enemy.
“My lord.” Chen Gong shook his head bitterly.
“I fear that is no longer possible.”
“The Yellow Turbans vastly outnumber us.”
“If we can even break out with five thousand soldiers, it would already be a blessing from Heaven.”
“…”
Cao Cao fell silent, gripping the hilt of his saber.
……………..
On the city’s main avenue, Cao Chun wiped blood from his face.
Seeing the western gate less than five hundred paces away, he shouted:
“Brothers!”
“The gate is in sight!”
“Follow me and break through the enemy!”
“Kill!”
The Han soldiers fought desperately for their lives.
Rumble! Rumble!
“Quickly!”
“Brother, go!”
As the western gate came within only a few dozen paces, tremors suddenly shook the ground beneath the Han soldiers’ feet.
Cao Chun’s expression changed dramatically.
“I shall stay behind with my men and cover your retreat!”
“Zihe!”
“Brother, go!”
“Do not let Cao Cao escape!”
“Sima Ju is here!”
Just as panic spread through the Han ranks, Sima Ju arrived first.
Looking at the Han force, now reduced to fewer than three thousand men, he shouted:
“Leave Cao Cao behind!”
“Drop your weapons!”
“Those who surrender shall not be killed!”
“Leave Cao Cao behind!”
“Drop your weapons!”
“Those who surrender shall not be killed!”
His soldiers repeated the call in unison.
Their eyes burned with excitement as they looked toward Cao Cao.
“Rebel, seek death!”
Seeing the situation worsening, Cao Hong roared:
“In the Cao family, it is not only Cao Zihe who is willing to clear a path for our lord!”
“Zihe!”
“Lead the brothers and follow me!”
“We shall slay the enemy and open a road for our lord!”
With that, Cao Hong led his own troops forward to block Sima Ju’s advance.
“Hahaha!”
Seeing this, Cao Chun burst into laughter.
“Zilian, wait for me!”
“Cao Zihe is coming!”
“Zilian, Zi—”
“Hyah!”
Seeing that Cao Cao was about to say more, Chen Gong suddenly lashed Cao Cao’s horse with his whip.
“My lord, go!” His voice was filled with urgency.
As Cao Cao, Chen Gong, and the others finally escaped through the city gate, over a thousand exhausted Han soldiers who could no longer run threw down their weapons and knelt on the ground, begging for surrender.
“Hmph. Stubborn fools.”
Witnessing this scene, Sima Ju’s expression darkened.
He ordered coldly:
“Archers!”
“Loose arrows!”
He had no interest in single combat.
Whether he could defeat them or not was irrelevant.
This was a battlefield where men fought to the death—not some heroic tale from a storybook.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Arrows filled the air.
“Damn you rebels!”
Several hundred soldiers who charged forward suffered heavy losses almost instantly.
The two Cao clan generals, who were being specifically targeted, were struck by numerous arrows.
“Cut off their heads and present them to the Lord!”
Sima Ju ordered in a deep voice, “Execute the Han soldiers who advanced earlier as well!”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers under his command rushed forward to carry out the order.
“Leave one unit behind to accept surrenders.”
Seeing more and more troops arriving, Sima Ju continued, “The rest will follow me in pursuit of Cao Cao!”
“Zhang Yuheng!”
After escaping the city, Cao Cao met up with the two thousand reinforcements arranged by Cao Chun to receive him.
Looking back toward the western gate, his face was filled with grief and fury as he ground his teeth and declared:
“I, Cao Mengde, swear that as long as I live, I cannot coexist under the same heaven as you!”
“My lord, rest assured, there will be opportunities in the future.”
Chen Gong comforted him:
“What you must do now is preserve your life so that one day you may avenge yourself upon that villain Zhang Yuheng.”
“Gongtai speaks wisely.”
After composing himself, Cao Cao looked ahead and said:
“Fortunately, the Yellow Turbans lack military expertise. Otherwise, if they possessed proper siege equipment, none of us would have survived today.”
“Indeed, my lord.” Chen Gong nodded in agreement.
“However, we still need to make some arrangements.”
Understanding that they were not yet out of danger, Cao Cao ordered Li Dian:
“Li Qian, later you will lead three hundred soldiers into an ambush beside the official road. When the Yellow Turbans pursue us, create a show of force and launch a brief attack.”
“If the Yellow Turbans withdraw, continue along the road and catch up with us.”
“If they pursue you instead, withdraw as you see fit and rendezvous with us later in Puyang.”
Having suffered a crushing defeat, Cao Cao knew his situation well.
Further west lay Jiyin, but Jiyin’s governor Wu Zi did not recognize him as Governor of Yan Province.
Therefore, he could only retreat to his base in Dong Commandery.
“This subordinate accepts the order!”
Li Qian respectfully cupped his fists.
At this point, he no longer felt heartache for his troops.
Most had either become separated or died in battle.
Fewer than a hundred men still remained at his side.
“My lord is most wise.”
Chen Gong also felt Cao Cao’s plan was excellent.
At the very least, it would buy them valuable time.
“Wenqian.” Taking a deep breath, Cao Cao said:
“Immediately send orders to Yuanrang and the others. Tell them to withdraw to Dong Commandery. There is no need to conceal the disaster that has befallen our army.”
“This general obeys!”
The heavily wounded Yue Jin, his face pale, respectfully accepted the order.
…………..
Inside Wuyan City.
Zhang Jing had already reunited with Pei Yuanshao and was heading toward the Governor’s Mansion.
“My lord!”
A soldier carrying two severed heads hurried over and respectfully reported:
“General Sima, at the western gate, slew the Han generals Cao Chun and Cao Hong. He ordered this subordinate to present their heads to you.”
“Haha!” Zhang Jing laughed heartily.
He stepped forward, grabbed the two heads by the hair, examined them briefly, and nodded with satisfaction.
“General Sima has done well. He shall be richly rewarded.”
“Yuanshao!”
“Now that the overall situation within the city is settled, immediately send news of our victory back home. Have the brothers prepare food and supplies, then transport fifty thousand shi of grain to Feicheng.”
“I expect that we will encounter Han forces near Feicheng.”
“Be sure to dispatch plenty of scouts. As for battle opportunities, decide according to the circumstances.”
“Also, take these two heads back and present them to Xun Yu in the prison.”
“This general obeys!”
Pei Yuanshao’s eyes lit up with excitement.
He had been worrying that he had earned no military merit in this battle and had been envious of Sima Ju’s achievement in slaying enemy generals, so he never expected there to be another Han army in the Feicheng area.
— The end of the Chapter–
TL note : Join Patreon to support the translation and to read up ahead of the release :
https://www.patreon.com/DeCakraWnloverz
