Shuhan

Guangcheng Pass, this ancient and majestic pass, appears even more solemn and majestic under the morning light.

The walls of the pass are tall, the arrow towers are majestic, and the flags flutter in the wind, as if telling of the past glory and the baptism of war.

At this time, the atmosphere in the hall was solemn and silent. The generals from Guanzhong knelt on the ground, wearing iron armor and swords hanging from their waists, but there was no sound. Only the whistling sound of the wind passing through the city wall outside could be heard.

A hurried sound of footsteps came from afar, and a eunuch dressed in gorgeous palace clothes walked into the hall. He was holding a bright yellow imperial edict and had a professional smile on his face. In that smile, there was awe for the imperial power, but also a bit of imperceptible arrogance.

The eunuch stopped and cleared his throat. His shrill voice echoed in the hall: "The imperial edict has arrived—"

Upon hearing this, the generals lowered their bodies even lower, not daring to breathe.

The eunuch slowly unfolded the imperial edict. The bright yellow silk shone brightly in the sun. He read in a rhythmic voice: "In compliance with the will of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: I have heard that General Guo Huai of Guangcheng Pass is both loyal and brave and has made many outstanding achievements. I hereby grant him a thousand taels of gold as a reward. In addition, I have already defeated the Han army in Luoyang and their morale is high. I order Guo Huai to prepare today and lead his troops to attack from Guangcheng Pass to recapture Yingchuan and boost the prestige of the country. I decree this."

After the imperial edict was read, the eunuch gently closed it, glanced at the generals, and finally stopped at Guo Huai.

After hearing the contents of the imperial edict, Guo Huai felt mixed emotions, but he was a veteran after all, so he remained calm.

He stood up slowly, his movements were steady and powerful, and the armor made slight sounds as he moved.

He took the imperial edict from the eunuch, his hands trembling slightly, not because of fear, but because of the heavy responsibility.

Guo Huai looked up at the eunuch, a hint of inquiry flashed in his eyes, and he asked in a deep voice: "Does your majesty have any other instructions?"

Although the voice was not loud, it revealed an unquestionable firmness.

Upon hearing this, the eunuch smiled, a smile that showed both approval for Guo Huai and anticipation for the reward that was about to come.

He looked at the heavy bag that Guo Huai handed over. The bag was bulging, obviously filled with gold, silver and treasures. The eunuch weighed the weight, and the smile on his face became even wider, with his eyes almost narrowed into slits.

"The general is a very straightforward man." The eunuch said with a smile, his voice full of satisfaction.

"Your Majesty was in a very good mood after defeating the Han army in Luoyang, and he has high hopes for you. You don't need to worry too much, you just need to concentrate on serving your country. Your Majesty said that Guangcheng Pass is a powerful pass in the world, and with you here, the Han army will never dare to cross the line. As for retaking Yingchuan, you are even more confident. Your Majesty's confidence in you is more solid than gold."

Upon hearing this, Guo Huai curled up the corners of his mouth into a bitter smile, which showed both his helplessness towards the eunuch's flattery and his emotion about his own situation.

He knew very well what His Majesty expected of him, and he also wanted to serve the country, but...it was already difficult for him to defend Guangcheng Pass, so how could he send troops to recapture Yingchuan?

In Yingchuan, Guan Ping had already become one of the local nobles, and the people supported him, so the morale was high.

On our side, we have limited manpower and insufficient food and fodder, and we have to divide our troops to guard the passes, which is really beyond our ability.

The eunuch seemed to see Guo Huai's worry. He patted Guo Huai on the shoulder and said with a smile, "General, don't worry too much. Since His Majesty has issued this imperial decree, there must be a foolproof plan. General, you only need to act according to His Majesty's will, and you will succeed immediately. Time is in a hurry, so I will not keep you any longer. Goodbye."

After saying this, the eunuch turned around and was about to leave. His figure looked particularly agile in the hall.

Guo Huai looked at the back of the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict, and his heart was in turmoil.

He held the imperial edict tightly in his hand; the bright yellow silk seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

A trace of confusion flashed across his eyes, and was then replaced by determination.

He knew very well that as a general, it was his duty to obey the emperor's orders and he had to move forward bravely no matter how difficult the road ahead was.

But who can understand the pain in my heart?
Guo Huai slowly turned around and looked at the generals in the hall.

At this time, all the generals had also stood up. Some of them bowed their heads in thought, while others looked at each other. It was obvious that they were surprised and confused by this imperial edict.

Guo Huai took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound steady and powerful. "Generals, listen up. His Majesty has ordered our army to prepare to march out from Guangcheng Pass to recapture Yingchuan. This is the emperor's order and there must be no mistakes. I know that this task is arduous, but as soldiers of the Great Wei, we have no choice but to do it. I will fight alongside you and face the national crisis together."

However, Guo Huai's worries did not dissipate.

He walked out of the lobby and looked at the wall and arrow tower in the distance, his eyes full of contemplation.

Go out of the pass and attack the Han army?
Stop being funny!

Only by persisting and holding on can there be a solution!
However, the emperor's order cannot be disobeyed, so just pretend!

To the east of Luoyang, on the skyline, a vast expanse of white snow covered the earth, as if the whole world was wrapped in silver.

The wind was cold and the snow was falling heavily. Snowflakes danced in the air like elves, and finally fell gently on the armor of the Wei army soldiers, covering them with a layer of white battle robes.

The Wei army formed a battle formation and marched forward, with tens of thousands of troops stretching for ten miles. The lineup was huge and the momentum was magnificent.

Under this heavy snow, the Wei army's ranks were like a winding dragon, slowly crawling, which was particularly shocking.

The leading general, Wang Shuang, was wearing heavy armor, holding a spear, riding on a majestic warhorse, with a firm and courageous look in his eyes.

His face was resolute, with clear lines, revealing an indomitable heroism.

Wang Shuang knew very well that he was shouldering the important task of opening up the grain route to the east in this expedition. It was a heavy responsibility and he could not afford to make any mistakes.

He rode his horse forward and his eyes fell on the military advisor Liu Ye who was wearing the Confucian robe of later times beside him.

Liu Ye wore a silk scarf on his head, a crane cloak on his body, and held a feather fan in his hand, just like a wise man walking out of an ancient book.

His face was gaunt and his eyes sparkled with wisdom, as if he could see through all the mysteries of the world.

On this battlefield with wind and snow, Liu Ye seemed calm and composed, as if everything was under his control.

Wang Shuang approached Liu Ye and asked with a hint of worry in his tone: "Military Advisor, the army is too long. What should we do if the Han army comes to harass us?"

His voice was exceptionally clear in the wind and snow, revealing his keen insight into the situation on the battlefield.

Liu Ye chuckled, and the laughter sounded particularly pleasant in the cold wind, as if it could dispel the chill in people's hearts.

He gently waved his feather fan, a cunning look flashed in his eyes: "General, don't worry. Our purpose of this expedition is to lure the Han army in Xingyang City out for a field battle, not to attack the city. Our army's formation is like a snake in Changshan. If you hit its head, its tail will come, if you hit its tail, its head will come, and if you hit its center, both its head and tail will come. If the Han army dares to harass us, we will respond with flexible and changeable tactics and leave them no place to attack."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuang frowned slightly, obviously somewhat confused by Liu Ye's plan.

The metaphor of the Changshan Snake represents the army's flexibility and ability to coordinate operations, but on this snowy battlefield, how to maintain the flexibility and coordination of the formation is a considerable challenge.

Liu Ye seemed to see through Wang Shuang's thoughts. He smiled and explained, "General, rest assured. I have ordered the soldiers of each camp to strengthen communication and ensure that the formation can be adjusted at any time. At the same time, I have also arranged an elite cavalry as a mobile force, ready to respond to the Han army's surprise attack at any time. As long as we remain vigilant and respond flexibly, the Han army will not be able to pose a threat to us."

After listening to Liu Ye's explanation, Wang Shuang's worries were slightly relieved.

He is deeply trusted by His Majesty for this expedition. Although the soldiers he leads are not elite, they have to open up a food route to the east and provide logistical support for the army.

This mission was arduous and glorious, and he had to go all out. Looking at the Wei army formation that stretched for ten miles in front of him, Wang Shuang felt a surge of lofty ambitions in his heart.

At this time, the wind and snow became more violent. The heavy snow fell like goose feathers, gradually covering the figures of the Wei army soldiers.

But Wang Shuang and Liu Ye didn't care at all; their eyes were full of determination and firmness.

No matter how strong the wind and snow were, they could not stop them from moving forward.

As time passed, the rising and setting of the sun and the moon in the sky seemed to become the unchanging background of the war. The figures of the front-line scouts shuttled between the dawn and the dusk. Like ghosts, they silently shuttled between the enemy and us, collecting every bit of intelligence that might affect the situation of the war.

Some of these scouts have resolute faces and sharp eyes, as if they can see through everything; others are agile and quick in movement, like cheetahs in the forest.

The intelligence they brought back, like bits of starlight, gradually illuminated the truth behind the fog of war.

The actions of the Wei army were like a giant beast in the fog, appearing and disappearing, making it difficult to predict.

But now, as the scouts brought back more and more intelligence, the fog seemed to be slowly dispelled by an invisible hand, and the layout of the Wei army gradually became clear.

It turned out that the Wei army was using troops in the southeast at the same time. The depth of their intentions and the breadth of their layout were astonishing.

Especially on the east side, the combination of Wang Shuang and Liu Ye seemed like a match made in heaven. They actually set up a breathtaking "Changshan Snake" formation.

This formation has many changes and is connected from beginning to end, like a living giant snake, winding its way across the battlefield.

"Snake of Changshan", as soon as the name of this formation came out, it made the Han army generals feel fearful.

They knew that this was not just the name of a formation, but also the strategic intention of the Wei army to lure the enemy deep into their territory and fight a decisive battle in the wild.

Wang Shuang and Liu Ye wanted to lure the Han army out of the city for a field battle, and then use the flexibility of the formation to defeat the Han army one by one.

In Luoyang City, Liu Chan sat on the dragon throne with a solemn expression. His eyes revealed a thoughtful look, as if he was weighing every possible decision.

"Your Majesty, the Wei army is deploying troops in the southeast and east, and in the east they have deployed the 'Changshan Snake' formation, intending to lure our army out of the city for a field battle."

After hearing this, Liu Chan nodded slightly, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

"Pass the order down, the Han troops on all sides of Luoyang must hold their ground and not leave the city to fight without permission."

The generals took the order and left. Their figures quickly shuttled through the palace like lightning, conveying Liu Chan's orders to the ears of every Han army soldier.

. . .

now.

In Luoyang city, the night is as dark as ink, and the thin moonlight falls on the ancient city walls, casting a mottled shadow.

Deep in the palace, candlelight flickered. Cao Rui sat quietly in front of the imperial desk with deep eyes, as if he could penetrate the darkness of the night and look directly at the distant and unknown battlefield.

His face was calm, but there was a hint of barely perceptible worry between his brows, a deep concern about the unpredictable situation.

Inside the palace, the servants moved around very quietly, not daring to make any noise for fear of disturbing the young emperor's meditation.

Cao Rui's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound, which was the externalization of his inner thoughts. Every tap seemed to carry his weighing and consideration of the future situation.

His attention was not focused on the news from Guangcheng Pass or Chenggao Pass as expected by the outside world.

Although the victory or defeat of the two Wei armies was crucial, in Cao Rui's view, it was not the decisive factor.

Victory will certainly boost morale and consolidate the defense line; defeat will only be a temporary setback in the battle and will not be enough to overturn the overall situation.

What he really cared about was the movements of the Han army and the young emperor Liu Chan who sat on the throne of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Chan, this name is like an indelible shadow in Cao Rui's heart.

Every decision made by Liu Chan may affect the direction of the entire war.

Therefore, Cao Rui always kept a close eye on the Han army's every move, trying to capture Liu Chan's intentions and movements from them.

"Your Majesty, urgent news from Guangcheng Pass!" A messenger rushed in, breaking the silence in the hall. He was covered in dust and looked tired, but his eyes were shining with determination.

Cao Rui raised his hand and motioned for him to continue.

"The commander of Guangcheng Pass reports that our army attacked and was then pursued by the Han army. The Han army's offensive was fierce. Although our army fought hard, the enemy troops were large in number and their offensive was like a tide. The situation was critical!" The messenger's voice trembled slightly, but his tone was extremely firm.

After hearing this, Cao Rui frowned slightly, but then relaxed again.

He waved his hand gently, signaling the messenger to retreat.

He had already anticipated such news.

Guangcheng Pass and Chenggao Pass, these two passes were the focus of the Han army's attack. Although the Wei army had strict defenses, it was inevitable that it would feel powerless facing the crazy offensive of the Han army.

However, Cao Rui's real concern was not about the gains and losses of these two passes.

Even if the two Wei armies were defeated, it would not change the overall trend of the war. What he really cared about was how to find the flaws of the Han army and how to turn the tide of the war in one fell swoop.

"Decapitation tactics..." Cao Rui murmured in a low voice, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

This war has reached a decisive moment.

Only by directly beheading the commander of the Han army can the deployment of the Han army be completely disrupted and a glimmer of hope for the Wei army.

Thinking of this, Cao Rui stood up, walked to the window, and stared at the night outside. His figure looked particularly tall and lonely in the candlelight, like a lonely king, looking for a way out of the darkness.

"Liu Chan... where are you?" Cao Rui muttered to himself, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

Liu Chan's whereabouts are directly related to the strategic deployment of the Han army. Only by finding Liu Chan can the flaws of the Han army be found and the deadly decapitation tactics be implemented.

"Liu Chan...you can't escape!" Cao Rui swore secretly in his heart, with a determined light flashing in his eyes.

"Liu Chan... where are you?" Cao Rui murmured again in a low voice, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

No matter where Liu Chan is, he will find him at all costs, defeat him, and win the war for Wei! (End of this chapter)