Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3841 Soul Break
Jiangdong, Jingkou.

The night was deep, and only a single lamp was lit in the study.

Liu Bei dismissed his attendants, leaving only Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Sun Qian, who had just returned weary from his journey.

Sun Qian recounted in detail how he met Xu Huang, how he unexpectedly encountered Kuai Liang, how Kuai Liang offered his advice, how he produced Cai Mao's token, how he revealed that Cai Mao had contacted Liao Hua, and the situation of the war in the Central Plains as described by Xu Huang, without any omissions.

There was silence in the study.

Zhang Fei's eyes widened, seemingly still processing the complex information; Guan Yu stroked his long beard, his phoenix eyes narrowed, flashing with a sharp light, as if he were deducing the possible consequences...

Liu Bei sat in the main seat, his face showing neither sorrow nor joy.

So many years have passed, filled with ambitions to dominate the world, humiliation of living under someone else's roof, responsibilities as a member of the Han imperial family, and the future of brothers and ministers...

Countless thoughts collided in Liu Bei's mind.

After a long silence, Liu Bei slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Guan Yu and Zhang Fei before finally settling on Sun Qian. His voice was somewhat hoarse as he asked a question that seemed unrelated to the current decision…

"Gongyou... besides the tricolor cavalry flag, are there any other flags raised in Xu Gongming's army... flags with the character 'Han'? Red background with black characters... the flag of the Great Han?"

What is the problem?
banner?

Sun Qian paused for a moment, thought carefully, and then nodded firmly, saying, "My lord, yes! I saw it clearly. Outside the main military tent, besides the three-colored cavalry flags, there were indeed large Han flags with red backgrounds and black characters... similar to the regulations of the imperial court."

Upon hearing this answer, Liu Bei fell silent. He slowly closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, or as if he had made an extremely difficult decision.

The study fell silent once again, with only the faint sound of the rushing river outside the window.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Bei finally opened his eyes, his gaze reflecting decades of experience and hardship.

Liu Bei let out a long, long sigh...

In that sigh, there was helplessness, relief, and perhaps some other emotions.

"Pass down the order," Liu Bei's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, "Prepare the troops and gather provisions. Also... in my name, write a letter to Xu Gongming..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone present understood his choice.

The river wind howled, as if foreshadowing a devastating storm that was about to sweep across the Central Plains.

As Liu Bei had said before, as long as the banner of the Han Dynasty remains...

……

……

Night fell, and cold rain poured down.

The rain in autumn and winter gets colder with each passing season.

In the late autumn and early winter of the Heluo region, an unexpected cold rain enveloped the land. The rain was not torrential, but it was dense and icy, carrying a biting chill, silently falling from the leaden gray sky, soaking the mountains, rivers, and camps into a wet, hazy gray.

The early winter rains during the Little Ice Age were like putting the whole world into an ice cellar.

The river water thus became even more turbid and turbulent, with waves crashing against both banks, emitting a dull and continuous roar.

On the north bank, the vanguard camp of the Flying Cavalry.

Jiang Jiong, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, stood on a high ground at the edge of the camp, letting the cold rain drip down the edge of his raincoat. His gaze pierced through the rain, fixed on the blurry outline of Cao Cao's army camp on the south bank, and further away, the silent silhouette of Beiman Mountain appeared and disappeared.

The message that Zhu Ling risked her life to send has arrived.

Key outposts on Beiman Mountain have been secured, and a gap has appeared in Cao Cao's early warning system.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but the unexpected winter rain became the biggest variable.

"General, although the rain isn't heavy, the river is quite rough. Crossing now would be too risky!" The lieutenant wiped the rain from his face, his voice filled with worry. "Why not wait until the rain stops before crossing? The current will be calmer then, making it easier for our troops to deploy."

Jiang Jiong remained silent.

He was well aware of the danger of crossing the river at that moment.

The ship was rocking, the bowstrings were damp, the soldiers were cold, and their vision was obstructed...

Any one of these factors could turn a surprise attack into a disaster.

But waiting for good weather?
Every moment Zhu Ling and his elite cavalrymen remained on Mount Beiman increased the risk of exposure. If Cao Cao's army detected the disturbance on Mount Beiman and regained control of the beacon towers, the entire surprise attack plan would be rendered futile, and Zhu Ling and his men would almost certainly be doomed.

Jiang Jiong could almost see Zhu Ling's anxious gaze as she waited in the cold rain of Beiman Mountain.

Of course, there were advantages to forcing a crossing in the rain; at the very least, the Cao army on the opposite bank would inevitably be less vigilant in their defenses in such terrible weather.

"This is a golden opportunity!" Jiang Jiong's voice sounded unusually firm amidst the rain. "Send the order! All units at the front, inspect the boats and rafts, ensure the entire army has a full meal, and in one hour, force a crossing of the river!"

Once the order was given, the deputy general said no more and immediately went to relay the message and make preparations.

……

……

On the south bank of the Dahe River, Cao Cao's army camp at Mengjin.

The rain made everything slippery and muddy.

Water droplets clung to the camp's fence, and the Cao army soldiers on the watchtowers huddled together, trying their best to avoid the wind and rain, cursing the damned weather.

No one noticed that the pile of dry firewood in the center of the camp, which was usually carefully maintained and used to light the smoke signals, was now covered with tarpaulin, but the edges were still soaked by rain, making it look somewhat dull and damp.

Cao Zheng, the military officer stationed here, was from a branch of the Cao family in Qiao County. As a member of the Cao family known for his bravery and stubbornness, he also gained Cao Cao's trust, which is why this place was entrusted to Cao Zheng for defense.

As is customary, he patrols the camp four times a day, rain or shine.

At this moment, he had just finished training the troops and returned to his central command tent, his face even more gloomy than the dim sky.

It is an undeniable fact that Cao Cao's army is in low spirits.

He had previously received orders from Cao Cao to strengthen his defenses, but the weather gave him a sense of relief.

Unless the cavalry were insane, they would never choose to cross the river at this time.

"Notify the rear camp tonight to add some hot soup!"

As Cao Zheng took off his helmet, which was soaked with rain and mud, he gave the instructions.

Hopefully, the hot soup will at least boost the morale of Cao Cao's soldiers and alleviate their complaints...

However, the logic of war is often unexpected...

"Captain! Captain! North bank! There's trouble on the north bank!"

A sentry scrambled to the central command tent, his voice trembling with fear.

Cao Zheng's heart skipped a beat. Without even having time to fasten his helmet again, he simply grabbed it and put it on his head. He then rushed up to the nearest watchtower in the central command tent and looked towards the north of the river.

Despite the rain blurring his vision, he could still see that countless black dots had suddenly appeared on the previously quiet riverbank on the opposite side!

Further away, it appears that even more troops are gathering and moving!
The Flying Cavalry!
At that moment, Cao Zheng felt as if his breathing had stopped, and he didn't know how many breaths it took before he recovered.

He gasped for breath, "Light the signal fire! Light the signal fire!"

Cao Zheng roared, "Immediately light the beacon fires! Send a warning towards Beiman Mountain, to our lord!!"

The guards scrambled and stumbled toward the beacon tower in the center of the camp.

It was a high platform built of mud and bricks, on which were piled firewood for beacon fires, as well as dry grass and tinder for starting fires.

However, an unexpected event occurred.

When the soldiers on duty hurriedly lifted the tarpaulin covering the tinder and tried to ignite it with flint, they found that the originally dry and easily flammable tinder had been soaked by rainwater, whether because the tarpaulin was not properly covering it or because of a previous oversight, and could not be ignited at all!

Cao's soldiers were immediately thrown into chaos!
The more panicked you are, the more chaotic things become; the more chaotic things become, the more panicked you become!
A soldier from Cao's army hurriedly went to get spare tinder, but when he returned, whether it was because the ground was slippery, his legs wouldn't obey him, or for some other reason, he slipped and fell flat on his face while climbing the beacon tower...

The spare tinder was naturally also dampened.

"waste!"

Cao Zheng, who had been waiting for a long time without seeing the smoke signal rise, rushed up to the beacon tower and saw this scene, his eyes wide with rage.

He shoved aside the soldier who was pale with fright and futilely striking the flint, and personally inspected the situation.

Sure enough, not only the tinder, but even the surface hay was damp...

"Captain... this... it won't light..." the Cao army soldier on duty said with a sob in his voice.

"What have you all been doing?! I told you to stand guard!" Cao Zheng roared. "Drag them away! Execute them!"

Several unfortunate Cao soldiers on duty at the beacon tower were dragged to the foot of the tower and immediately beheaded. Blood mingled with rainwater, spreading beneath the tower, seemingly foreshadowing something.

"Torch!" Cao Zheng pointed at the guards. "Fetch the torches from inside the tent! Take some oilcloth with you and cover them so they don't get extinguished by the rain!"

The guards dared not neglect their duties and immediately complied.

The torch was carefully taken over and then lit with the newly selected dry grass. A few weak flames finally struggled to rise on the damp pile of firewood. The smoke, which looked a bit bluish from the dampness, began to writhe and struggle, stretching down into the low-hanging rain clouds.

Having just resolved the issue of beacon fires, Cao Zheng had barely stepped down from the beacon tower when he bumped into the army's chief clerk.

The clerk said urgently, "Captain! Captain! Now that the signal fires have been lit, we have completed our warning mission... The enemy forces on the north bank are powerful and strong, which is why they are attempting to cross the river in the rain. Their advance will be difficult to withstand! Our army is outnumbered and poorly equipped... Perhaps... perhaps we should temporarily avoid their attack and retreat to the rear to await..."

Before the chief clerk could finish speaking, Cao Zheng glared at him with a ferocious expression, "Shut up! You're showing cowardice before the battle even begins, disrupting our morale! Get out of the way! I'm going to ambush them while they're crossing the river and drown these ignorant traitors!"

"Captain! Think twice! At this moment, our troops are arrayed at the ferry crossing..." The clerk wanted to persuade him again.

With a 'thud!' Cao Zheng drew his knife and swung it back, knocking the registrar to the ground.

"Who else wants to escape?!"

Cao Zheng held his knife and looked around. The surviving soldiers and guards were silent with fear, and no one dared to meet his gaze.

Cao Zheng pointed his sword towards the ferry crossing, shouting, "Everyone! Follow me to the ferry! Form ranks! Let's slaughter these cavalry bastards who've gone into the river!"

As Cao Zheng led his men down from the beacon tower and towards the ferry crossing, he subconsciously and hopefully glanced back at the Beiman Mountains to the south...

According to the pre-arranged warning signal, if smoke signals are raised in Mengjin, all beacon towers on Beiman Mountain should be lit in succession to send out warnings and quickly transmit the alarm to Luoyang.

But no...

Beiman Mountain still stands silently in the rain. Those mountain peaks that should be adorned with conspicuous smoke signals are deathly still, with only thick rain clouds and mountain mists swirling around them.

Cao Zheng's heart sank.

A chill, more biting than the autumn rain, instantly pierced through his armor and seeped into his limbs and bones.

"Men! Send a small team immediately to Beiman Mountain! Signal for danger! Have them light signal fires immediately!!"

Perhaps they just didn't see it...

Visibility is poor on rainy days.

Cao Zheng could only console himself with this thought.

……

……

North of the Great River, the crossing of death has begun.

Boats and rafts, carrying the vanguard soldiers of the cavalry, struggled to cut through the turbid and surging river waters and headed towards the south bank.

The raindrops pounded heavily on the deck, the water, and the armor, making a variety of sounds. These sounds mingled with the paddling of oars, the roar of the river, the commands of the military officers, and the increasingly clear shouts of Cao Cao's troops on the south bank. The sounds were sharp, deep, high-frequency, and low-frequency, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

The river water mixed with rainwater, which quickly soaked the cavalrymen to the bone.

Although the archers carefully covered the bows and quivers with oilcloth, the bowstrings inevitably became damp, which would predictably lead to a significant reduction in power.

The ship was violently rocked and swayed in the wind and waves. Many of the cavalrymen, who were not good swimmers, were pale-faced and clung tightly to the gunwale, trying to suppress their urge to vomit.

"Stay calm! Maintain the course!"

The river surged forward, propelling the boats downstream.

"Paddle hard! We're almost at shore!"

The longer it takes to cross the river, the more energy you consume, and in the end you might just miss the shore and be swept away by the current.

"Archers, prepare! Suppress the enemy!"

The officers' shouts echoed intermittently in the wind and rain, and the arrows and crossbow bolts, despite the rain that made the bowstrings weak and unusable after only a few shots, were fired to help set up the beach landing formation.

The first batch of small boats struggled to reach the muddy riverbank.

"Disembark! Form ranks! Quickly!"

The cavalrymen, clad in heavy, wet armor, roared as they leaped into the knee-deep, icy river, staggering onto the soft muddy bank.

They quickly formed small units of ten or five, using the wreckage of the ships and the terrain as cover, raising shields and setting up long spears, attempting to create space for their comrades to land.

……

……

Cao Zheng, leading his soldiers from the camp, had already formed a somewhat loose and chaotic square formation on the open beach in front of the ferry, braving the rain.

Rainwater streamed down the edges of the Cao army soldiers' armor, blurring their vision.

The cold armor clung to their bodies, drawing away their warmth. Perhaps it was the realization of what they were about to face that caused many of these Cao soldiers to tremble involuntarily. Even the swords and spears in their hands were difficult to hold due to the slippery material.

"Fire the arrows!" Cao Zheng roared.

A watchtower with fixed cover is obviously better than an open-air cavalry.

Arrows flew out from Cao Cao's army formation, but affected by the rain, the fletching quickly became wet and weak, sticking to the shields of the cavalry or diagonally embedding themselves in the mud.

To some extent, the damp weather put Cao Cao's army at a disadvantage.

Because in the early stages of the beach landing, the Flying Cavalry was obviously outnumbered, while Cao Cao's army, which should have been "well-prepared," could have used long-range firepower to inflict heavy casualties on the Flying Cavalry.

But now...

"Kill! My men! Follow me and kill!"

Seeing that the arrows were ineffective, Cao Zheng did not wait any longer. He personally drew his sword and led the charge against the vanguard of the cavalry, who had just landed and whose formation had not yet been fully deployed.

Cao Zheng knew that he had to drive these vanguard troops back into the river before more of the Flying Cavalry could land!

"Prepare for battle!"

The rank and file leaders of the cavalry roared in anger.

In an instant, the sounds of metal clashing, bones cracking, dying screams, and angry roars replaced the sounds of wind and rain, becoming the dominant melody on this mudflat.

The cruelty and bloodshed of close-quarters combat in the era of cold weapons were vividly displayed at this moment.

There are no fancy techniques, only the most primitive and savage clash of forces, and the mutual drain of life.

A young cavalryman had just parried a spear thrusting at him with his shield, and before he could even adjust his posture, a veteran Cao army soldier's ring-pommel sword slashed hard at the joint of his shoulder armor from the side!
The blade failed to pierce the armor directly, but the enormous impact instantly shattered the collarbones of the cavalry soldiers, and the crisp sound of bones breaking could even be heard!

The excruciating pain caused the cavalryman's vision to go black. He screamed and his defensive stance collapsed. He was quickly seized by another Cao soldier, who thrust his spear into his ribs!
Warm blood gushed out like a fountain, mixing with the rainwater and staining the mud beneath him a glaring dark red.

In the early stages of the chaotic battle, the cavalry was outnumbered and was forced to retreat towards the Yellow River by Cao Cao's army.

However, the skills trained by the cavalry allowed them to gradually gain a foothold despite their disadvantages...

A cavalry squad leader, wielding a long spear, delivered a swift thrust, the spearhead precisely piercing the gap beneath the shield of a Cao army swordsman, penetrating his leather armor, and embedding itself deeply in his abdomen.

The Cao army soldiers let out a shrill scream that was not human, their shields and swords fell from their hands, and they futilely grabbed the shaft of their spears, seemingly trying to pull them out.

The cavalry sergeant twisted the meat with both arms and then pulled it out sharply, bringing out a large, indistinct mass of flesh and intestines.

The Cao army soldier collapsed to the ground, his body curled up like a shrimp. He convulsed violently a few times in the pool of blood and mud, and then remained completely still.

Various gaps began to appear in Cao Jun's shield wall.

The muddy ground became a death trap.

During the battle, people kept slipping and falling. Whether it was the cavalry or Cao Cao's army, once they fell, their heavy armor made it difficult for them to get up quickly. They would be trampled by countless feet or be finished off by the enemy.

Blood, rainwater, and mud mixed together, making the ground incredibly slippery and sticky, each step feeling like wading through glue.

The originally dense square formations and the covered ranks could not be maintained in the mud.

The soldiers on both sides struggled to maintain their balance on this muddy, blood-soaked shoal. Countless gaps appeared in their formations, and the commands of both commanders were gradually swallowed by the mud, making them impossible to effectively communicate and execute.

The bowstring was soaked through, rendering the archer essentially useless.

Spearmen are prone to slipping and losing accuracy and power when thrusting.

Soon, the battle degenerated into a life-or-death close-quarters melee, with swords, short blades, halberds, and battle axes gradually becoming the main weapons on the battlefield.

Only after this change was the advantage of the Flying Cavalry truly established...