Shuhan

Taking advantage of the internal rebellion in Hangu Pass, the Wei army defender Qin Lang was suddenly caught in a dilemma of being attacked from both sides.

His already tense nerves were now like a bowstring stretched to its limit, ready to break at any moment.

Hangu Pass, a place that has always been fought for by military strategists, now looks particularly bleak and desolate due to the internal and external difficulties.

The sky was gloomy and the dark clouds hung low, as if they were going to suffocate people.

The wind, with a bit of biting chill, blew through the passes, making the flags rustle.

Under the dim light, the walls of Hangu Pass looked particularly heavy and gloomy, as if they were also telling of the coming storm.

Zhang Bao, the main general of the Han army, was standing in front of the army at this moment, with sharp eyes and a firm expression.

He was wearing armor that gleamed coldly under the dim light, and every piece of armor seemed to record the glory of his conquests.

His face has strong lines and exudes an indomitable heroism.

Those eyes were deep and bright, as if they could see through all illusions and look directly into the heart of the enemy.

"Soldiers!" Zhang Bao's voice, like a loud bell, echoed in the Han army.

"Today, we are shouldering the heavy responsibility of restoring the Han Dynasty. Hangu Pass is the first obstacle on our way forward! Our brothers are fighting bloody battles inside. How can we sit back and watch? Now is the time for us to show the might of the Han army!"

His words were like a shot of adrenaline, instantly igniting the blood of the Han army soldiers.

They were all rubbing their hands together, with a determined gleam in their eyes, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

Zhang Bao waved the sword in his hand, the tip of the sword pointed directly at the wall of Hangu Pass, "Prepare the siege equipment, archers in position, infantry formation, prepare to attack the city!"

Following his order, the Han army moved quickly. Various siege equipment such as siege ladders, battering rams, and catapults were quickly pushed to the front line, and the crossbowmen drew their bows and arrows and aimed at the Wei army defenders on the city wall.

The infantrymen held their weapons tightly, formed neat formations, and waited for the order to charge.

Qin Lang was on the city wall, looking at the Han army's surging attack, and an unprecedented panic surged in his heart.

He originally thought that with the natural barrier of Hangu Pass and the elite troops and generals in his hands, he would be able to resist the attack of the Han army.

However, he never expected that there would be an insider inside Hangu Pass, which caught him off guard.

"General, the Han army's offensive is fierce. What should we do?" asked a deputy general anxiously.

Qin Lang gritted his teeth and tried to remain calm. "Don't be afraid. The walls of Hangu Pass are strong and they can't break in. Pass the order down. All the defenders, defend the walls and don't retreat even a single step!"

However, although his orders were firm, he could hardly conceal the panic in his heart.

He knew very well that the Han army was coming with great force this time, and that the morale of the Wei army had fallen to its lowest point due to internal and external difficulties.

Many soldiers had fear and despair in their eyes, as if they had seen their own end.

At this time, the Han army began to siege the city.

The catapult roared, and huge stones streaked across the sky like meteors and slammed heavily into the city wall.

The city wall was shaking under the impact of the huge rocks, as if it might collapse at any time.

Siege ladders were quickly erected, and the Han soldiers climbed up the ladders to the city wall like tigers descending from a mountain.

"Shoot!" Qin Lang roared and ordered the archers to shoot arrows.

However, the Han army's archers were not to be outdone. Their rain of arrows was like an impenetrable net, shooting towards the Wei army on the city wall.

For a moment, arrows rained down from the city walls and shouts of killing shook the sky.

Zhang Bao personally led an elite force and rushed to the front.

He held a long sword and led the troops. Every time he swung the sword, he could cut off the head of a Wei soldier.

His figure was like a flash of lightning on the battlefield, and wherever he passed, the Wei army fell one after another.

"The Han army is mighty! Recover the Han Dynasty!" The shouts of the Han army soldiers resounded through the sky. Their morale was high, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

Faced with internal and external difficulties, the morale of the Wei army completely collapsed.

Under the fierce attack of the Han army, many soldiers threw down their weapons and surrendered.

Some even fled in all directions, fearing that they would be caught up by the Han army.

Qin Lang looked at this scene, and an endless despair surged in his heart.

He knew that Hangu Pass could no longer be defended.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" Qin Lang finally gave the order to retreat.

However, it was too late.

The Han army had broken through the city wall and poured into Hangu Pass like a tide.

Although the Han army broke through Hangu Pass, the defending general Qin Lang did not surrender. He led a team of personal guards and fought and retreated at the same time, like a tiger falling into a pack of wolves. Although he was in a desperate situation, he was still majestic.

Qin Lang was wearing tattered armor, and the bloodstains on the armor bore witness to his bravery and determination at the moment.

His face was resolute and his eyes revealed an unyielding light. Even at this moment of life and death, he never retreated.

He held a long sword in his hand, and wherever the tip of the sword pointed, the Wei army's guards were like sharp arrows, piercing straight into the heart of the Han army's formation.

However, the Han army was large in number and came like a surging tide, wave after wave, as if there was no end.

Although Qin Lang was extremely brave, two fists could not defeat four hands.

Every time he swung the sword, he could cut off the head of a Han soldier, but what followed was more Han soldiers rushing forward.

Qin Lang's personal guards also bravely took the lead. They followed Qin Lang closely and vowed to defend this brave general to the death.

However, the cruelty and ruthlessness of the battlefield caused them to fall one by one. Some were pierced through the chest by the Han army's swords, while others were shot by arrows and fell in a pool of blood.

An endless sadness welled up in Qin Lang's heart. He knew very well that he would not be able to escape death today.

But he did not regret it. He fought for Wei and for the glory and dignity of Wei.

He died a worthy and glorious death.

At this critical moment of life and death, scenes from the past flashed through Qin Lang's mind.

He remembered his youthfulness and ignorance when he first entered the military camp, the days and nights he fought side by side with his comrades, and the beautiful rivers and mountains of the Wei State and the countless common people.

He knew that his mission was to defend this land and these people, even at the cost of his life.

At this moment, a Han army general saw the opportunity and took advantage of Qin Lang's distraction to rush forward with his sword.

Qin Lang reacted quickly and swung his sword to block the fatal blow.

However, at this moment, another Han soldier attacked from the flank and stabbed Qin Lang in the side with his sword.

Qin Lang only felt a sharp pain and blood flowed down the blade.

He gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and swung his sword at the Han soldier who was attacking him.

However, his strength had gradually weakened, and his sword power was no longer as sharp as before.

Upon seeing this, the Han army soldiers surrounded Qin Lang and launched a group attack.

Although Qin Lang was brave, he was ultimately no match for the numerous Han soldiers.

His body was covered with wounds, and blood stained his armor and the ground beneath his feet red.

At the last moment of his life, Qin Lang let go.

He looked into the distance, and an inexplicable peace surged in his heart. He died for the State of Wei, for the glory and dignity of the State of Wei.

He died a worthy death and had no regrets.

His vision gradually became blurred, and finally he slowly closed his eyes.

At the same time, Zhang Bao had already captured Hangu Pass.

He stood on the city wall, looking at the end of the battlefield, with mixed emotions in his heart. He was happy for the victory of the Han army, but also felt sorry for Qin Lang's bravery and tragic heroism.

Zhang Bao knew very well that although he had breached Hangu Pass, the battle was far from over.

The Wei army in Luoyang may counterattack at any time, so he must be fully prepared.

Immediately, Zhang Bao ordered the collection of the surrendered Wei troops.

He stood in front of the city gate and personally supervised the process.

The surrendered soldiers were all dejected, with fear and anxiety in their eyes.

However, Zhang Bao did not criticize them too much. He simply asked their names and places of origin, and then incorporated them into the Han army's vassal corps to be used as cannon fodder and coolies.

After dealing with the surrendered troops, Zhang Bao began to repair the city defenses.

He knew very well that Hangu Pass was an important pass leading to Luoyang, and the strength of its city defense was directly related to the safety of the Han army.

Therefore, he personally urged the craftsmen to strengthen the city walls and repair the city gates to ensure that everything was foolproof.

At the same time, Zhang Bao also took into account the fatigue of the Han army soldiers.

They had been through a fierce battle and their bodies and minds had been stretched to their limits.

Therefore, he ordered the Han army soldiers to take a short rest and restore their energy.

Upon hearing this, the Han army soldiers all showed expressions of gratitude.

They all found a place to sit or lie down, closed their eyes and enjoyed this rare quiet time.

Zhang Bao stood on the city wall, looking into the distance.

His heart is full of expectations and longings for the future.

Although Hangu Pass has been breached, there is still a long way to go.

He had to lead the Han army to continue moving forward until they captured Luoyang and restored the Han Dynasty.

At this moment in Luoyang, the sky is gray, as if shrouded by a thick haze. The wars in recent days have made this ancient capital even more heaviness and depressing.

The atmosphere inside the Wei Imperial Palace was extremely tense.

The Wei Emperor, Cao Rui, was sitting on the dragon throne in a state of anxiety at this moment, with his brows furrowed and his eyes bloodshot, obviously he had not slept well in days.

His face was haggard, with a hint of barely perceptible anxiety hanging around the corners of his mouth. His usually dignified expression was now replaced by endless worry.

In recent days, the Han army's offensive has been like a violent storm, and the Wei people are in a panic because they are surrounded by enemies.

Hangu Pass, Guangcheng Pass and Chenggao Pass, the three natural passes that the Wei State relied on to defend against foreign enemies, were now all besieged by the Han army.

The Han army's battle flags fluttered outside the pass, and shouts of killing rose and fell, shaking the bricks and stones on the city wall.

Hangu Pass was the western gateway of the State of Wei. It had a dangerous terrain and one man could guard the pass against ten thousand.

However, it is now on the verge of collapse due to the attacks of the Han army.

The same was true at Guangcheng Pass and Chenggao Pass. The Han army's offensive was like a tide, making the Wei army soldiers guarding the pass exhausted.

What made Cao Rui even more upset was that the Han army often crossed the Yellow River from Henei County, harassing the people and burning crops.

The blazing flames not only burned down Wei's granary, but also hurt Cao Rui's heart.

In order to deal with the harassment of the Han army, Cao Rui had to deploy a large number of troops on the south bank of the Yellow River.

These soldiers patrolled the banks of the Yellow River day and night, vigilant against every sneak attack by the Han army.

Their figures appeared particularly lonely and determined under the night sky, but this also put Cao Rui in a dilemma.

Because deploying a large number of troops on the south bank of the Yellow River meant that he could no longer send troops to support the three besieged passes.

Cao Rui sat on the dragon throne with his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His eyes wandered back and forth in the empty hall, but he could not find any reason to comfort himself.

Once the three passes are lost, the Han army will march straight in and the Wei Kingdom will be in danger.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the hall.

A messenger ran in, sweating and panting.

He knelt on the ground, clasped his hands together, and reported in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, Hangu Pass...Hangu Pass was breached by the Han army! General Qin died in battle and died for his country."

When Cao Rui heard this, he was shocked!
His eyes suddenly widened, as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. His face turned pale in an instant, and his lips trembled slightly.

He stood up suddenly, his body shaking slightly due to excessive shock. His hands tightly grasped the armrests of the dragon throne, as if that was his only support at the moment.

"What? Hangu Pass was breached?" Cao Rui's voice was hoarse and trembling, he could hardly believe his ears.

Hangu Pass is the last line of defense of Wei State in the west!

Once it is lost, the Han army will be able to march straight to Luoyang as if they were in an empty land.

The messenger lowered his head, not daring to look Cao Rui in the eye.

He repeated in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Hangu Pass was indeed breached by the Han army. The soldiers guarding the pass have tried their best, but the Han army's attack is too fierce, they... they really can't resist."

When Cao Rui heard this, he felt a surge of blood in his heart.

He punched the armrest of the dragon chair so hard that he gasped in pain.

However, he seemed to feel no pain. He just stood there blankly, staring into the distance with empty eyes.

Inside the hall, there was silence.

All the ministers lowered their heads and dared not make a sound.

They knew very well that Cao Rui was in extreme shock and anger at the moment, and any sound could touch his sensitive nerves.

After a long time, Cao Rui slowly came back to his senses.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

He knew that he could not fall down at this moment because the State of Wei still needed him to support it.

He slowly sat back on the dragon throne, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"Pass the order down." Although Cao Rui's voice was hoarse, it revealed an unquestionable firmness.

"Immediately mobilize troops to reinforce Guangcheng Pass and Chenggao Pass. At the same time, strengthen the defense of the south bank of the Yellow River and never let the Han army take advantage of the situation."

Upon hearing this, the ministers took orders and left.

They knew that although Cao Rui's heart was filled with anxiety and uneasiness at this moment, he still maintained the firmness and courage as a king.

However, Cao Rui's heart was in turmoil.

He knew very well that the fall of Hangu Pass was just the beginning and the road ahead would be even more difficult.

But he also understood that he couldn't retreat or give up.

Because he was the emperor of Wei.

As night fell, Luoyang city was silent.

However, in the Wei imperial palace, Cao Rui still kept the lights on.

He sat at his desk, studying the map carefully and thinking about strategies to deal with the Han army's offensive.

His eyes were firm and deep, as if they could penetrate the darkness and see the hope for the future.

Perhaps, he will lead the army himself!

Otherwise, if this continues, the State of Wei will surely perish! (End of this chapter)