You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 66 The Northwest Uprising
On the city wall, the middle-aged general looked indignant and resentful.

Originally, 30,000 Divine Martial Guards, led by Grand Tutor Wen Zhong, entered the other three prefectures to quell the rebellion and reclaim the territories of the other three prefectures.

But no one expected that the so-called popular uprisings in the other three prefectures were not just ordinary rioters, but an organized rebellion.

They concealed their strength, set up ambushes, and laid a trap for the Divine Martial Guards.

After Shenwu Weiyi entered the Three Prefectures, it was as if he had entered a cage, and he was subjected to a frenzied attack from rebels from all directions.

These traitors had all undergone some basic training, were well-organized, and were all fearless in the face of death.

Calling them rebels wouldn't be an exaggeration.

There are many hidden masters among them, including several grandmasters.

This caught the Divine Martial Guard completely off guard.

Furthermore, these rebels had also ambushed hundreds of thousands of troops on the outskirts, cutting off all of Shenwuwei's retreat routes, intending to annihilate Shenwuwei completely.

If it weren't for the fact that the Divine Martial Guards were elite enough to fight their way out despite Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's desperate efforts, these 30,000 Divine Martial Guards would probably have been completely wiped out.

Even so, the Divine Martial Guard suffered heavy losses. Of its 30,000 troops, less than 10,000 remained, most of whom were wounded.

The middle-aged general would never believe this wasn't a premeditated conspiracy.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's expression remained unchanged after hearing the middle-aged general's words.

Even a middle-aged general could see the problem, let alone a Grand Tutor who had served three emperors.

After glancing at the densely packed rebel army outside the city, Grand Tutor Wen Zhong looked at the middle-aged general with a solemn expression; "Chen Sheng, you are someone I promoted myself, and now I have a favor to ask of you."

"When the rebels attack the city later, I will do my best to hold them off. You select some people to break through and return to the capital."

“Report this matter to the Emperor and tell him that I, Wen Zhong, have failed His Majesty’s grace.”

Upon hearing Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's words, Chen Sheng's middle-aged general immediately shook his head; "Grand Tutor, if anyone should break out, it should be the Grand Tutor who breaks out."

"The Grand Tutor is the pillar of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and if anything were to happen to him..."

"Then half of the sky of the Great Zhou Dynasty has collapsed."

"I urge Grand Tutor to prioritize the overall situation and prepare for a breakout."

Chen Sheng, a middle-aged general, said sincerely.

Other generals and soldiers following closely behind Chen Sheng also spoke up, saying in unison, "We urge Grand Tutor to prioritize the overall situation and prepare for a breakout."

Seeing the generals and soldiers urging him to break through the encirclement, Grand Tutor Wen Zhong felt both moved and desolate.

As a commander, it was Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's good fortune to have such a liking for his subordinates.

But from another perspective, it is also a tragedy that Wen Zhong, as a commander, had to ask his subordinates to beg for a breakout one day!
He brought these 30,000 Divine Martial Guards out of Luoyang, but he was unable to bring them back.

This is the tragedy of a commander.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong looked at everyone and shook his head, saying, "Any of you can break through, but I alone cannot."

"As a Grand Tutor who has served three emperors and is also a key minister assisting the state, if I were to be defeated by some rebels, I would be forced to flee in all directions."

"How will the world view my Great Zhou Dynasty?"

"And what do you think of me, Wen Zhong?"

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong scanned the crowd and spoke.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong knew that others could break through the encirclement, but he could not.

Because he was the Grand Tutor of the reigning dynasty, a key minister assisting the state, and a veteran of three reigns who wielded the Golden Whip of the King, representing the face of the Great Zhou.

If even he, the Grand Tutor, is driven to flee by the rebels, then he will lose not only his personal honor and disgrace, but also the face of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

If that happens, everyone in the world will say that the Grand Tutor of the Great Zhou Dynasty couldn't even deal with a bunch of rebels and was forced to flee in all directions.

Everyone thought that the Great Zhou Dynasty had truly reached its twilight and was falling apart.

At that time, the imperial court's prestige in the hearts of the people will vanish.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong could not bear such consequences.

Therefore, even if it meant dying in battle, Grand Tutor Wen Zhong could not back down. "But..."

Chen Sheng's middle-aged general wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Grand Tutor Wen Zhong.

"There are no buts. This is my order. Even if you break through and return to the capital, no one will say anything."

“I know what you mean, but you should also understand what I mean.”

"Besides, do you really think the rebels outside the city would allow me, the Grand Tutor, to break through and return to the capital?"

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong glanced at the rebel camp outside the city with his deep gaze.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong was a veteran who had served three emperors, and his shrewdness and cunning were no less than any other minister in the court.

Judging from the changes in the situation in the four northwestern prefectures, Grand Tutor Wen Zhong knew that someone did not want him, the Grand Tutor, to return to the capital.

"Grand Tutor, since that's the case, then we will also follow you and fight to the death."

"Thirty thousand brave warriors have perished in these four northwestern prefectures. As their commander, if I were to return to the capital like this, how could I face their eagerly awaiting families, and how could I face my colleagues in the Twelve Guards of the Divine Martial Army?"

"I'm afraid everyone will think that I, Chen Sheng, am a coward who abandoned my 30,000 men and fled back to the capital."

"This is not what I want to face."

"If the Grand Tutor insists on ordering me to break through and return to the capital, then I, Chen Sheng, beg the Grand Tutor to grant me a golden whip!"

Chen Sheng's middle-aged general knelt down.

Sometimes, living is more painful than dying.

Chen Sheng was unwilling to face such pain.

He was a military general, and the commander of 30,000 troops.

He could not abandon his 30,000 men and return to the capital alone. His fate was the same as that of his 30,000 men: to die on the battlefield.

I would have no regrets even if I died.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong looked at Chen Sheng, who was kneeling down with a resolute expression, shook his head and sighed, "Fine, then go and select a few clever soldiers and let them take the opportunity to break through and return to the capital later!"

"As for you, stay here and join me, Grand Tutor, to offer one last drop of blood for the Great Zhou!"

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong did not press the matter further.

Today, Xi'an Prefecture City has become an isolated city, surrounded by enemy forces. Everyone knows what will happen if it remains.

That would absolutely mean certain death.

Now that Chen Sheng has made his choice, there's no reason for him to stop him.

"Yes, Grand Tutor."

"This subordinate will go and select men to prepare for the breakout."

Seeing that Grand Tutor Wen Zhong had changed his mind, Chen Sheng's middle-aged general immediately got up and went to select people to break through the encirclement.

Grand Tutor Wen Zhong looked in the direction of Luoyang, the capital, and gave a wry smile.

Having lived through three dynasties and weathered countless storms, I never imagined that my final destiny would be in these four northwestern prefectures.

It's true that success and failure both stem from the vicissitudes of life.

This time, I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to return to Luoyang.

woohoo hoo...

At this moment, a series of bugle calls sounded, and the rebel army outside the city was seen approaching the city gate in dense numbers.

"The sky is dead, and the sky is dead."

"In the year of Yi Chou, great fortune will come to the world."

The frenzied and passionate shouts echoed throughout the surrounding countryside.

(End of this chapter)