Shuhan

The Han army surged into Xuzhou city like a tide.

The scene was like a strong wind sweeping across the dry yellow grassland, unstoppable.

The sound of iron hooves shook the earth, and the fluttering battle flags covered the sky.

Cao Zhen stood on the top of the city wall with a sharp gaze. He knew very well that this moment was a matter of life and death.

Cao Zhen was wearing heavy armor, and the iron plates on the armor flashed coldly in the sun.

His face was firm, his lips were tightly pursed, as if he could bite through steel. He tightly grasped the long sword in his hand, the tip of the sword pointed to the sky, and shouted loudly: "Wei army soldiers, our homeland is behind us. If we take a step back, we will be doomed! Fight to the death and never let the Han army take even a single step into Xuzhou!"

His voice was hoarse and powerful, echoing over the city walls like thunder.

Upon hearing this, the morale of the Wei army soldiers was boosted. They straightened their chests, gripped their weapons tightly, and there was a gleam of determination in their eyes.

However, this determination is also mixed with a hint of helplessness and despair.

Since the beginning of the months of defending the city, the Wei army has been engaged in a tough battle.

The lack of food and fodder was like a stranglehold on their throats. At first, they could barely hold on, but as time went on, the situation became worse and worse.

The food in the warehouse had long been emptied, and even the grass roots and tree barks had been turned over.

Later, cannibalism even occurred. The soldiers were pale and thin, with dull eyes, like the walking dead.

With the help of the noble families, they broke out from Xuzhou and defeated the Han army.

At one time, he controlled most of Xuzhou.

However.
Restoring the Wei Kingdom seems like a fantasy.

The Wei army was now holding on to Xuzhou, but within a few days their morale had been greatly reduced.

The city of Xuzhou was about to collapse.

Cao Zhen watched all this and felt heartbroken.

He knew very well that if this continued, the Wei army would collapse on its own without the Han army attacking.

He sent people to ask for help from the aristocratic families many times, but his requests fell on deaf ears every time.

Those aristocratic families only care about their own interests, so why would they care about the lives of the soldiers?

However, just when the Wei army was in desperate situation, the Han army suddenly launched a fierce offensive.

They came in overwhelming numbers like locusts. Cao Zhen led the Wei army to fight desperately, but the Han army was outnumbered and their morale was high.

Although the Wei army fought bravely, they were ultimately unable to withstand the Han army's fierce offensive.

The Wei army was short of food and fodder, and people were resorting to cannibalism. However, once they broke through and occupied most of Xuzhou, the evil in human nature was completely unleashed. Under such indulgence, they lost their will to fight. It would have been fine if they had won the battle.

Once we lose the battle, the painful memories will come flooding back like a tide.

The soldiers' morale suddenly collapsed and they fled in disarray.

They dropped their weapons and fled in all directions.

Some soldiers even knelt on the ground, holding their heads in their hands and crying bitterly.

They knew very well that they had become lambs to be slaughtered and were powerless to resist.

The newly recruited Wei soldiers were even more frightened.

They were originally just ordinary people who were forcibly conscripted into the army.

They had never experienced such a brutal battle, let alone seen such a bloody scene.

When they saw the city fall, they were filled with fear and despair, and their eyes were filled with panic and helplessness, like lambs who had lost their way.

One of the soldiers, named Li Ergou, was thin and had a sallow complexion. He held the spear tightly in his hand, and his hands were shaking constantly.

His eyes were filled with fear, as if he would be eaten alive by the Han army in the next moment. He whispered quietly: "It's over, it's over, we are all going to die."

The veteran Wang Hu next to him glared at him fiercely and shouted in a low voice: "What are you afraid of! We're going to die anyway, so why not fight to the death!"

However, there was a hint of powerlessness in his words. He himself was filled with despair, but he was trying hard not to show it.

In addition, the aristocratic families were destroyed by the Han Kingdom, and the Wei soldiers lost their support and backbone.

They were like a ship that had lost its direction, drifting in the rough waves.

They knew very well that they had no way out and could only fight to the death.

However, this last bit of fighting spirit gradually dissipated under the fierce offensive of the Han army.

The city, which could have held out for several months, was in danger within just a few days due to the fierce attack of the Han army.

There were fewer and fewer Wei soldiers on the city walls, and their figures seemed so small and powerless in the torrent of Han troops.

Cao Zhen watched all this, his heart filled with grief and helplessness.

I have tried my best.

He waved the sword in his hand and shouted loudly: "Soldiers of the Wei army, fight side by side with me until death!"

However, his voice was drowned out by the shouts of the Han army.

The remaining Wei soldiers held their ground in the inner city.

They huddled in a corner, their eyes filled with fear and despair, their clothes ragged, their faces pale and their bodies thin, like a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

They held their weapons tightly, yet the weapons seemed so heavy and weak.

One of the soldiers, named Zhang San, leaned against the city wall, breathing heavily. His face was covered with sweat and dirt, and his eyes flashed with panic and helplessness.

He muttered softly, "Are we really going to die here?" His voice was trembling, as if he would collapse at the next moment.

Upon hearing this, the veteran Li Si next to him glared at him fiercely and shouted in a low voice: "Don't talk nonsense! We are not dead yet!"

However, there was a hint of powerlessness in his words.

He himself was filled with despair, but he tried hard not to show it.

The Han army outside the city surged in like a tide, shouting and waving their weapons.

Their eyes were filled with bloodthirstiness and fanaticism, as if they wanted to devour the Wei army alive.

The Wei soldiers watched all this, their hearts filled with fear and despair.

They knew very well that they had no way out and could only fight to the death.

However, this last bit of fighting spirit gradually dissipated under the fierce offensive of the Han army.

The Wei soldiers dropped their weapons and fled in all directions. Some were killed by the Han army, some were captured, and some fled into the deep mountains and forests.

The originally strong city became so fragile and vulnerable at this moment.

General Wei watched all this, his heart filled with grief and helplessness.

He waved his sword and shouted loudly: "Wei army soldiers, don't run away! Fight side by side with me until death!"

However, his voice was drowned out by the shouts of the Han army.

He held the sword tightly in his hand, with a determined look in his eyes.

He shouted loudly: "Han army thieves, stop being so arrogant! Even if I die, I will take you with me!"

As he spoke, he stepped forward and rushed into the torrent of Han troops.

His figure seemed so small and powerless in the torrent of the Han army, but his courage infected the remaining Wei soldiers.

They stepped forward one after another and rushed into the torrent of Han army.

Although they knew they were doomed to die, they were unwilling to die in such humiliation.

However, their resistance was in vain. The Han army was large in number and highly motivated.

They killed the Wei soldiers one after another like a swarm of locusts.

The battle flag on the top of the city was captured by the Han army, and the symbol of the Wei army completely disappeared at this moment.

The remaining Wei soldiers were besieged in the inner city by the Han army.

They huddled in a corner, their eyes filled with fear and despair.

They knew that they had no way out and could only wait for death. Some of them prayed silently, hoping for a miracle to happen; others closed their eyes, waiting for death to come.

Blood dyed the earth red, and corpses piled up like mountains. At this moment, Xuzhou City turned into a hell on earth, full of blood and the smell of death.

In the inner city of Xuzhou, dusk was falling, as if even the last rays of sunset in the sky were reluctant to give warmth to this battlefield.

On the city wall, the flags of the Wei army hung listlessly, swaying gently in the wind, but no longer had the grandeur and majesty of the past. Inside the city, morale was as low as the last lingering flame in winter, which could be extinguished at any time.

There were wounded soldiers everywhere, some lying down, some sitting down, their wounds bandaged with simple cloth strips, oozing blood.

The eyes of those soldiers who were lucky enough not to be seriously injured were also dead and lifeless, as if their souls had been taken away by this endless war, leaving only empty shells breathing mechanically.

The entire inner city of Xuzhou was filled with an extremely depressing atmosphere, and morale was at its lowest point.

Cao Zhen stood on the city wall, his eyes deep but revealing endless fatigue.

His armor was no longer shiny, but covered with traces of battle. The spots of rust seemed to tell the story of his past glory and present desolation.

An unprecedented feeling of despair rose in his heart.

Once upon a time, he thought that after breaking out of Xuzhou, it would be a rebirth for the State of Wei, an opportunity to get out of the predicament and regain its strength.

But now it seems that the Han army has not yet launched an all-out attack and has not yet come to clean up the mess.

Once the Han army launched a large-scale attack, the Wei troops under his command would be like chickens and dogs, and would be vulnerable to a single blow.

Cao Zhen clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force. He tried to dig out a bit of indomitable fighting spirit from deep within his heart, but all he got in response was endless emptiness and exhaustion.

In this war, the State of Wei had already lost, completely.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence on the city wall.

Emperor Cao Ju of Wei, the prince who was pushed to the throne by Cao Zhen, walked over with a look of despair on his face.

His clothes were disheveled, his hair was messy, and his eyes were filled with fear and anxiety.

"General, surrender, there is no chance!" Cao Ju's voice trembled slightly, and he was almost begging Cao Zhen.

His eyes revealed the desire for survival and the fear of death.

He didn't want to die like this, he wanted to live, even as a prisoner.

Cao Zhen turned his head and looked at Cao Ju coldly. There was no trace of sympathy in his eyes, only firmness and determination.

He sneered, and the sound echoed on the city wall, sounding particularly harsh.

"Your Majesty, you are the emperor of the Great Wei. How can you survive by surrendering? Do you know that once we surrender, you and I will become prisoners of the Han army and suffer humiliation. Emperor Wu was brave throughout his life and founded the foundation of the Great Wei. How can you disgrace his bloodline?" Cao Zhen's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to hit Cao Ju's heart.

Cao Ju was speechless. He lowered his head, clenched his hands into fists, and dug his nails deeply into his palms, but he didn't feel any pain.

His heart was full of contradictions and struggles. On the one hand, he was afraid of death, and on the other hand, he was committed to the dignity and glory of Emperor Wu's bloodline.

He knew that Cao Zhen was right. As the emperor of Wei, he could not surrender and disgrace the bloodline of Emperor Wu.

But facing life and death, how could he not be afraid?
On the street below the city wall, the shouts of the Han army could be faintly heard.

The well-organized Han army was like a raging torrent, rushing towards the inner city of Xuzhou in an unstoppable manner.

Their flags fluttered in the wind, the sound of war drums shook the earth, and their morale was at its highest.

This was in stark contrast to the low morale of the Wei army.

Cao Zhen took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

He knew that as a general, he had to shoulder this responsibility and do his best for the State of Wei.

He turned around and shouted to the Wei soldiers on the tower: "Brothers, the Han army has already attacked, we have no way to retreat! We are the warriors of the Great Wei, the descendants of Emperor Wu, we cannot surrender and humiliate the glory of the Great Wei!"

His voice was hoarse, but full of strength and determination.

When the Wei soldiers on the city wall heard his shout, they all raised their heads, with a hint of determination in their eyes.

The general is right. They are the warriors of Wei and cannot surrender to the Han army like this.

However, they cannot ignore the cruelty of reality.

The groans of the wounded soldiers, the shouts of the Han army, and the roar of war drums intertwined together to form a symphony of death.

Although they had an indomitable fighting spirit in their hearts, their bodies were exhausted to the extreme.

They don’t know how long they can hold on, or whether they can see the sun tomorrow.

The Han army's offensive became increasingly fierce, and the defense under the city wall was already in jeopardy.

The Wei soldiers fought desperately, but their strength was getting weaker and weaker.

Every time the Han army charged, they paid a heavy price. Blood stained the city walls, corpses piled up like mountains, and the entire inner city of Xuzhou seemed to have turned into a hell on earth.

Cao Zhen gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, looking firmly at the city.

There was no more fear or despair in his heart, only desire for victory and loyalty to the Wei Dynasty.

He knew that he might not be able to see the victory of this war, but he was willing to exchange his life for a glimmer of hope for the Wei Dynasty.

At this moment, a stray arrow suddenly flew over and hit Cao Zhen's left arm squarely.

He groaned and his body swayed slightly, but he quickly steadied himself.

He pulled out the arrow and looked at the blood gushing out of the wound, but there was no trace of fear on his face.

He tore off a piece of cloth, bandaged the wound simply, and continued to command the battle.

The Han army's offensive became more and more fierce, and there were only a few Wei soldiers left on the city wall.

Cao Zhen knew that the situation was hopeless and they could no longer resist the attack of the Han army.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and said to Cao Chu: "Your Majesty, you go, I will stay behind to cover you. You are the emperor of the Great Wei, you cannot die here."

Cao Ju shook his head and said firmly: "General, I will not leave! Now, there is no way to survive!"

His eyes revealed firm determination and courage, as if he was ready to die.

Cao Zhen looked at Cao Ju and felt a warm feeling in his heart.

"Your Majesty, I appreciate your kindness. But you are the hope of Wei, you cannot die here. You go, I will stay and cover you."

As he spoke, he picked up the sword in his hand and shouted loudly: "Brothers, follow me! We are the warriors of the Great Wei, and we cannot let the Han army set foot in Xuzhou!"

His figure rushed down the city wall like a flash of lightning and rushed towards the Han army.

When the Wei soldiers on the city wall saw Cao Zhen's figure, they all became excited.

They picked up their weapons and rushed down with Cao Zhen. Although their hearts were filled with fear and despair, their actions were extremely firm and courageous.

This is their last battle, and they will use their lives to protect the glory and dignity of the Wei Dynasty.

When the Han army saw the Wei army's tenacious resistance, they felt admiration in their hearts.

But they knew that war was cruel and they had to destroy the Wei army in order to achieve victory.

So they attacked more fiercely and fought a desperate battle with the Wei army.

On the battlefield, blood was splattered and corpses were lying everywhere.

The Wei and Han soldiers fought desperately, as if they wanted to vent all their resentment and hatred in this battle.

Their shouts and groans intertwined together to form a tragic war song.

Cao Zhen fought bravely on the battlefield, and his figure shuttled among the Han army like a ghost.

His sword was invincible, and every swing of his sword could take the life of a Han soldier.

However, his strength was limited after all, and as time went on, his physical strength was gradually exhausted.

Finally, during a charge, Cao Zhen was surrounded by several Han soldiers.

They waved their weapons and rushed towards Cao Zhen.

Cao Zhen fought hard, but was ultimately outnumbered.

He had many wounds on his body and his armor was stained red with blood.

He knew he couldn't fight anymore, but he still stood firm and didn't fall down.

Just then, Cao Ju rushed over with several personal guards.

When they saw Cao Zhen being besieged, they rushed forward bravely and engaged in a fierce battle with the Han soldiers.

Cao Ju waved his sword and tried his best to protect Cao Zhen. His eyes were full of determination and courage, as if he was ready to die with Cao Zhen.

However, the Han army's offensive was too fierce. They surged like a tide and drowned the Wei army soldiers.

Although Cao Zhen and Cao Ju fought bravely, they were ultimately unable to withstand the attack of the Han army.

Their figures were gradually submerged by the Han army and disappeared on the battlefield. (End of this chapter)