Shuhan

The news of the loss of Hangu Pass swept across the vast Central Plains like a gust of wind, carrying endless dust and the haze of war, and quickly spread to every corner.

This was not just the loss of a pass, but also a major upheaval in the overall strategic situation.

The tens of thousands of troops led by Zhang Bao were originally unstoppable like a dragon entering the sea, but now they are trapped in the Luoyang Plain, like a trapped beast, surrounded by the enemy's iron wall.

This news was extremely urgent, so they rode at full speed, changing horses but not riders along the way. They were like a flash of lightning, cutting through the sky and reaching Yecheng.

Yecheng, the former capital of Yuan Shao, has now become the temporary power center of the Han Dynasty. Although the palace is not as magnificent as that of Chengdu, it also has a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Although the people in the city lived in a year of war, their lives were relatively peaceful due to the Han Dynasty's good governance. However, the sudden news of the war added a sense of unease to this tranquility.

At this moment, inside the temporary palace, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the map of the Han Dynasty hanging on the wall. The mountains and rivers on the map seemed to come alive, telling the story of the smoke and flames of the battlefield.

Liu Chan was sitting behind the imperial desk, his face serious, his brows furrowed, and his eyes flashing with complex light.

Although his face was not as heroic as Liu Bei's, he also had an extraordinary aura, and his brows revealed a bit of determination and calmness.

Liu Chan's fingers tapped lightly on the imperial desk, making a rhythmic sound. That was his habit when he was thinking.

In fact, he was not as panicked as he appeared to be.

Although Hangu Pass was lost, the overall strength of the Han army was not damaged. A few small defeats were completely affordable for the huge Han State.

He knew even more clearly that the panic at this moment would only make the enemy more triumphant and cause the morale of his own troops to drop.

Suddenly, a smile appeared on Liu Chan's lips. The smile was just a slight rise at first, then gradually spread and turned into a chuckle.

This laughter seemed particularly abrupt in this tense atmosphere, but it made all the civil and military officials present breathe a sigh of relief.

They knew that Liu Chan's smile meant that he had confidence, determination, and ways to deal with the current difficulties.

"Your Majesty, Hangu Pass has been lost and General Zhang Bao is trapped. This matter concerns the overall situation and must be taken seriously." An old minister bowed and gave advice, his tone full of worry.

Liu Chan waved his hand, signaling his old minister to stay calm. He slowly stood up, walked to the map, carefully examined the terrain of the Luoyang Plain, and had a plan in mind.

He turned around, looked at the ministers with a firm gaze, and said: "My dear ministers, although Hangu Pass has been lost, the morale of our Han army has not been crushed, and the strength is still there. General Zhang Bao is a brave general of our Han Dynasty. He is trapped in the Luoyang Plain and will definitely be able to hold on and wait for help. I have made up my mind and will immediately send an envoy to Wude County to inform the crown prince and the prime minister, and let them do it without any worries."

After saying this, Liu Chan waved his hand to summon a guard and ordered him to quickly find a reliable messenger.

After a while, an envoy wearing armor and with a determined look stood in the hall.

Liu Chan stepped down from the imperial platform and personally handed a secret letter to the messenger, saying earnestly: "This letter concerns the life and death of our army. You must personally hand it to the crown prince and the prime minister. There must be no mistake."

The messenger took the secret letter with both hands, knelt on one knee, and answered firmly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will fulfill my mission and swear to deliver the secret letter safely!"

Liu Chan nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

This war is not just a battle on the battlefield, but also a competition of will and determination.

The Crown Prince and the Prime Minister will surely understand his intentions and will surely lead the Han army out of the predicament and completely capture Luoyang.

The messenger turned and left with firm steps, and his figure quickly disappeared into the night.

At this time, the atmosphere in the palace was no longer as tense as before.

Seeing Liu Chan's calmness and confidence, the civil and military officials felt more confident.

They knew that as long as Liu Chan was there, the Han army would have a backbone and hope.

Liu Chan sat back at the imperial desk, picked up the pen, and began to write the next decree.

As the night deepened, the candles in the palace remained bright.

Liu Chan was writing furiously at his desk, while the civil and military officials were either standing or sitting, each thinking about how to respond.

The night sky outside was shining with stars, as if they were cheering for the man.

On this extraordinary night, everyone is contributing their own strength to the future of the Han Dynasty.

In Wude County, the autumn wind has brought a bit of winter chill. The withered yellow leaves sway gently in the breeze, as if telling of the coming severe cold.

Crown Prince Liu Si and Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, two pillars of the Han Dynasty, had been conspiring in this county government office a few days ago over a major plan that would determine the fate of the Han army.

Although Crown Prince Liu Si is young, his brows reveal extraordinary heroism.

He was dressed in fine clothes, but it couldn't hide the determination that emanated from his bones.

Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, wearing a feather fan and a green turban, looked calm, and his deep eyes seemed to contain endless wisdom and calculations.

Over the past few days, they discussed day and night and finally came up with a brilliant plan.

The warships that had been built over the years were anchored on the bank of the Yellow River like giant dragons. Their sturdy hulls and tall masts were enough to support the Han army in crossing the turbulent Yellow River.

These warships are the result of the Han army's years of hard work and are also the key to their operation this time.

Although if they continued to hold out with the Wei army, they would surely be defeated because a lot of their food and grass had been burned. After all, they would not be able to survive the winter. However, the Han army could not sit idly by and watch Zhang Bao's troops within the eight passes of Luoyang fall into despair.

"Prime Minister, General Zhang Bao's troops are trapped. We can't just sit there and watch." Crown Prince Liu Si frowned, his tone revealing a hint of anxiety.

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan and smiled: "Don't worry, Prince. I have a plan. Why don't we cross the Yellow River at night and take Pingyin directly to attract the main force of the Wei army in Luoyang? This will not only ease the siege of General Zhang Bao, but also create favorable conditions for our army's subsequent operations."

When Crown Prince Liu Si heard this, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes. He stood up suddenly and clapped his hands: "This is a great plan! The Prime Minister is truly a god!"

So the prince immediately selected a group of elite soldiers and prepared to cross the Yellow River under the cover of night.

Each member of this team has unique skills and high morale. They know that this operation is related to the honor and life and death of the Han army.

As night falls, the banks of the Yellow River are silent, with only the occasional chirping of insects breaking the tranquility of the night.

The Han army soldiers gathered quietly beside the warships. They were dressed in black, with black ash on their faces, revealing only their determined eyes.

The leader was E Huan. He led the troops and stood at the bow, holding a long sword. His eyes were as sharp as torches, as if they could penetrate the dark night.

"Soldiers, this operation concerns the life and death of our Han army, and also the safety of General Zhang Bao. We must take the lead bravely and succeed in one fell swoop!" E Huan's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to knock on the hearts of the soldiers.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers raised their arms and shouted: "We are willing to serve the general! We are willing to serve the Han army!" Their voices resounded through the night sky, full of firmness and determination.

Zhuge Liang stood on the shore, looking at the warship about to set sail, with a complicated look in his eyes.

Although the operation was well-planned, it was extremely risky.

However, for the future of the Han army and the safety of General Zhang Bao, he had to give it a try.

"General, be careful." Zhuge Liang said softly, with a barely perceptible concern in his voice.

E Huan nodded, he was well aware of the Prime Minister's concerns and expectations.

He turned around and shouted to his soldiers: "Move out!"

Then, the warship started slowly and headed towards the other side of the Yellow River.

In the darkness of night, the warships shuttled across the Yellow River like ghosts. With the cover of night, they quietly approached Pingyin.

When the warships approached the shore, the Han army soldiers quickly disembarked and rushed towards the Wei army camp like a tiger descending from a mountain. There was silence in the Wei army camp, with only the occasional snoring breaking the quiet night.

However, when they found that the Han soldiers were coming like a tide, they were immediately panicked and thrown into chaos.

The Han army soldiers fought bravely. Holding long swords and wearing armor, they were unstoppable like gods of war.

E Huan led the charge, holding a long sword, charging left and right, invincible.

His eyes were full of firmness and determination, as if they could penetrate all obstacles.

Under his leadership, the Han army soldiers fought bravely and soon broke through the Wei army's defense line.

When the main force of the Wei army learned that Pingyin had been attacked, they were immediately panicked.

They originally thought that the Han army would be trapped within the eight passes of Luoyang and unable to escape, but they did not expect that the Han army would be so brave and dare to cross the Yellow River to attack them.

They hurriedly mobilized troops and went to Pingyin for support.

However, when they arrived in Pingyin, they found that the Han army had already withdrawn.

It turned out that Crown Prince Liu Si's purpose was not to occupy Pingyin, but to attract the main force of the Wei army to come and relieve the pressure on General Zhang Bao's troops.

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, he immediately ordered his troops to withdraw and head towards Mengjin Ferry, in order to draw the Wei army away and lead them to a place far away from Zhang Bao's troops.

The Luoyang Plain, a vast battlefield, is now filled with thick smoke and flames of war.

Gu County, this originally quiet little town, has now become the focus of the fierce confrontation between the Han and Wei armies.

The tens of thousands of troops led by Zhang Bao were surrounded by the Wei army. They were like trapped beasts fighting a desperate situation.

Around Gu County, the Wei army’s tents were densely packed, like a black ocean, tightly surrounding the small town.

The flags of the Wei army fluttered in the wind, as if announcing to the Han army that their victory was imminent.

Zhang Bao stood on the city wall, looking at the surging Wei army, his brows furrowed, a determined light flashing in his eyes.

His armor gleamed brightly in the sun, and the scars from the multiple battle wounds on his body demonstrated his bravery and fearlessness as a brave general.

After several attempts to break out, the Han army failed to successfully break through the Wei army's defense line.

Every charge was accompanied by the blood and lives of countless soldiers.

Zhang Bao personally led the charge. He held a spear in his hand and led the troops from the front. Every time he swung his spear, he took the life of a Wei soldier.

However, the Wei army's offensive was too fierce. They seemed tireless and kept coming in wave after wave, fearless of death.

"General, we can't break out anymore!" A general covered in blood ran to Zhang Bao, his voice filled with despair.

Zhang Bao turned around and looked at the general, with a gleam of determination in his eyes: "What are you afraid of! We Han soldiers are never afraid of death! As long as we have a breath left, we will fight the Wei army to the end!"

His voice was loud and powerful, as if it could penetrate the smoke-filled battlefield and reach the hearts of every Han army soldier.

However, the reality is cruel.

As the Wei army's offensive became more and more fierce, the Han army's casualties also increased.

The logistics in the city had long been overwhelmed, and the wounded were lying on simple beds, groaning one after another.

The logistical supplies were also cut off because Hangu Pass was captured by the Wei army. The Han army soldiers could only rely on the remaining food and perseverance to hold on.

In an alley in Gu County, several Han soldiers were sitting around a bonfire, their faces full of fatigue and scars.

One of the soldiers looked down at his wound and sighed softly, "We don't know how to continue this battle. We have run out of food and grass. How long can we hold out?"

Another soldier patted him on the shoulder and consoled him: "Don't be afraid. With General Zhang here, we have hope. He will definitely lead us out of this encirclement!"

At this time, a messenger came running and shouted loudly: "The general has ordered all soldiers to hold their positions and not retreat! Our reinforcements will arrive soon!"

When the soldiers heard this, a glimmer of hope flashed in their eyes.

They knew that General Zhang Bao would never lie. If he said reinforcements would come, they would definitely come.

So they cheered up, picked up their weapons and prepared to continue fighting.

On the city wall, Zhang Bao still held his ground.

His eyes were firm and deep, as if they could penetrate the smoke-filled battlefield and see the hope for the future.

"General, the Wei army is attacking again!" a soldier ran over to report.

Zhang Bao nodded, took a deep breath, and shouted: "All soldiers, prepare to fight! We must let the Wei army know that the Han army has never been so easy to defeat!"

Upon hearing this, the Han army soldiers cheered up, picked up their weapons, and prepared to meet the next wave of offensive from the Wei army.

They knew that this was a battle of life and death, and only by trying their best could they have a chance of survival.

On the battlefield, the shouts of killing shook the earth.

The Han army soldiers fought bravely, not fearing life or death, just to protect the beliefs and glory in their hearts.

Zhang Bao led the charge, holding a spear in his hand, charging left and right, and was invincible.

His bravery and fearlessness inspired every Han army soldier, making them more determined to guard the land of Gu County.

However, the Wei army's offensive was still as fierce as the tide.

They seemed to know no fatigue, coming in wave after wave.

The physical strength of the Han army soldiers was gradually exhausted, and their casualties became more and more serious.

Despite this, they still held their ground and no one retreated.

As night fell, the battlefield was still filled with smoke.

Zhang Bao stood on the city wall, looking at the surging Wei army, his heart filled with worry.

He knew that if this continued, the Han army might not be able to hold on.

However, he still firmly believed that reinforcements would arrive and that the Han army would win.

"General, how long can we hold on?" A general walked up to Zhang Bao, his voice filled with fatigue and anxiety.

Zhang Bao turned his head and looked at the general, with a gleam of determination in his eyes: "As long as we still have a breath left, we must hold on to the end! Reinforcements will surely come, and we will definitely win!"

At this moment, Zhang Bao keenly discovered that the Wei army surrounding him seemed to be less numerous than before.

His heart was lifted and his eyes lit up!

Part of the Wei army was lured away!

The opportunity may be right before our eyes! (End of this chapter)