Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 712 Shocking the World
The sky above Chang'an was covered with dark clouds, so heavy that they seemed to be able to crush this ancient capital. The people in the city closed their doors and windows, and fear spread like a tide in the streets. In this oppressive atmosphere, Jia Changsheng led an army of 100,000, like an unstoppable black torrent, breaking through Dong Zhuo's last line of defense.

Dong Zhuo, the once tyrannical and tyrannical official in Chang'an, stared at Jia Changsheng with wide eyes. The once loyal guards beside him had already fled, leaving him alone and helpless. "You...you can't kill me!" Dong Zhuo's voice trembled, trying to intimidate Jia Changsheng with his last dignity. Jia Changsheng's eyes flashed with a cold light, and the long sword in his hand flashed with a cold light. With a shrill scream, Dong Zhuo fell to the ground, ending his sinful life.

When the news came out, there was jubilation in Chang'an. People poured into the streets, cheering and celebrating the end of this nightmare. However, this news was like a heavy bomb, causing a storm among the princes of the world.

In Yanzhou, inside Cao Cao's tent, the atmosphere was so solemn that it was suffocating. Cao Cao was dressed in a black robe, his brows furrowed, and he held tightly in his hand the secret report on Dong Zhuo's demise. He paced slowly, and every step seemed to carry a heavy burden. "My lord, Jia Changsheng's move has completely broken the current balance of power. We must make plans early." Xun Yu said worriedly, his eyes revealing deep concerns about the future situation.

Cao Cao nodded slightly, his eyes full of vigilance: "Wen Ruo is right. This Jia Changsheng is ruthless and ambitious. Now that he has occupied Chang'an, his strength has greatly increased. He has become a serious threat to us."

Guo Jia gently waved his feather fan, raised the corners of his mouth, and revealed a mysterious smile: "My lord, I think this is an opportunity. Yuan Shao occupies the three states of You, Ji, and Qing, and has been confronting us. The rise of Jia Changsheng is just the right opportunity for us to join forces."

Cao Cao's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood Guo Jia's intention: "Feng Xiao means to unite with Yuan Shao to fight against Jia Changsheng?"

Guo Jia nodded, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "That's right. Although Yuan Shao has conflicts with us, he will weigh the pros and cons in the face of the common threat of Jia Changsheng. If we join forces, we can not only increase our strength and resist Jia Changsheng's expansion, but also take the opportunity to divide Yuan Shao's forces and pave the way for future development."

Cao Cao pondered for a moment and felt that what Guo Jia said made sense. In this chaotic world, interests are the eternal principle. He decisively ordered: "Pass my order, send someone to Yuan Shao immediately to discuss cooperation. The words must be sincere, so that Yuan Shao understands that our cooperation is to fight against Jia Changsheng, not against him."

In Jizhou, after Yuan Shao learned the news of Dong Zhuo's destruction, he first widened his eyes in shock, and then revealed a trace of disdainful sneer: "This Jia Changsheng is just lucky. Humph, it is simply a foolish dream to want to dominate the world with this little strength."

Tian Feng frowned, looking worried: "My lord, you must not underestimate Jia Changsheng. He was able to wipe out Dong Zhuo in a short period of time. His strategy and strength should not be underestimated. Now that he occupies Chang'an, he is also a huge threat to us."

Yuan Shao snorted coldly: "How capable can he be? I, Yuan Shao, have been a Duke for four generations. I have many soldiers and generals under my command. How can I be afraid of him! However, his appearance has provided me with an opportunity."

Xu You rolled his eyes and asked, "My Lord, are you talking about cooperating with Cao Cao?"

Yuan Shao nodded slightly: "That's right. Cao Cao has always been eyeing me covetously. But now that Jia Changsheng has risen, if we don't join forces, I'm afraid we will all be defeated by him one by one. I want to see if Cao Cao has the courage to cooperate with me."

Therefore, Yuan Shao also sent an envoy to Cao Cao. Although Yuan Shao was full of disdain for Cao Cao, for his own interests, he had to put aside his status and seek temporary cooperation.

In Jiangdong, Sun Quan discussed countermeasures with Zhou Yu, Lu Su and other advisers in the camp. When Sun Quan learned the news of Dong Zhuo's destruction, he was surprised: "This Jia Changsheng is a powerful character. In a short time, he wiped out Dong Zhuo and occupied Chang'an."

Zhou Yu looked determined and said, "My lord, Jia Changsheng's rise is both a challenge and an opportunity for us in Jiangdong. We can wait and see the fight between Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and Jia Changsheng. When both are hurt, we can send out troops and reap the benefits."

Lu Su nodded in agreement: "Gongjin is right. Our Jiangdong is strategically located and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Now we just need to consolidate our strength, strengthen the training of our navy, and wait for the opportunity. At the same time, we need to keep in touch with other princes, divide their relationship with Jia Changsheng, and create conditions for future development."

Sun Quan pondered for a moment and said calmly, "Okay, let's do as you say. Pass the order down to strengthen the defense of Jiangdong and keep a close eye on the movements of Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and Jia Changsheng."

In Jingzhou, after Liu Bei learned the news of Dong Zhuo's destruction, he could not help but sigh: "This Jia Changsheng, his methods are so tough, it seems that the struggle in this chaotic world will become more intense."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard with a serious look on his face: "Brother, although Jia Changsheng's move does not pose a direct threat to us, the situation in the world is so chaotic that we cannot take it lightly."

Zhang Fei was furious: "Why should we be afraid of him? I want to see how capable Jia Changsheng is! Brother, why don't we expand our forces and compete with him!"

Liu Bei waved his hand, his expression calm: "Third brother, don't be impulsive. Our foundation is not stable yet, so we can't act rashly. We should first consolidate the rule of Jingzhou, develop people's livelihood, and wait for the opportunity. Zhuge Liang, military advisor, what do you think?"

Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan, looking calm: "My lord, what you said is very true. Now Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are preparing to cooperate to fight against Jia Changsheng, so we can just sit back and watch the fight. At the same time, we must also strengthen our own strength, recruit talents, and prepare for future development."

Liu Bei nodded slightly: "The military advisor has made thorough considerations. Pass down the order to strengthen the defense of Jingzhou, appease the people, and pay close attention to the situation in the world."

In this chaotic world, all forces have re-arranged their positions due to the fall of Dong Zhuo. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao decided to temporarily join forces to fight against the common threat; Sun Quan, Liu Bei and others chose to sit on the mountain and watch the fight, waiting for the opportunity. And how will Jia Changsheng, the emerging overlord, deal with the alliance and wait-and-see of the various princes after successfully destroying Dong Zhuo? Where will his future go? All of this is full of unknowns and variables, and the situation in the world has become more complicated and confusing in this game of princes.

In Yuan Shao's tent in Jizhou, the candlelight flickered, reflecting Yuan Shao's ambitious face. Outside the tent, the cold wind howled, as if playing a prelude to the coming storm. Yuan Shao played with a jade pendant in his hand, and his eyes revealed a hint of ruthlessness: "That kid Cao Cao is really happy this time and agreed to join forces with me to deal with Jia Shisan. Humph, after destroying Jia Shisan, this world will be mine sooner or later!"

Tian Feng stood aside, frowning, and said worriedly: "My lord, Jia Shisan is by no means an ordinary person. He was able to wipe out Dong Zhuo and occupy Chang'an in a short period of time. His strength should not be underestimated. Although we have joined forces with Cao Cao this time for a common enemy, Cao Cao is by no means a good person, and we have to be on guard." Yuan Shao waved his hand impatiently: "You are just too cautious. Now the combined strength of our forces and Cao Cao's is far greater than Jia Shisan, so why are we afraid of him? As long as we work together, we will be able to take him down in one fell swoop."

As he was speaking, a soldier came in and reported, "My lord, Lord Cao Cao is here." Yuan Shao hurriedly stood up, straightened his clothes, put on a hypocritical smile on his face, and went out to greet him.

Cao Cao, dressed in a black robe and with a long sword on his waist, walked into the tent with steady steps. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yuan Shao, he went straight to the point: "Mr. Yuan, this time we are teaming up to deal with Jia Shisan, and we must make a quick decision. Jia Shisan has occupied Chang'an and his foundation is gradually becoming stable. If we give him time to develop, he may become a big problem in the future."

Yuan Shao nodded in agreement: "Brother Cao is right. I have already assembled an army of 200,000 and can go out at any time. I wonder how many troops Brother Cao can mobilize?"

Cao Cao smiled slightly and said, "I have also prepared 150,000 elite troops. Together with Lord Yuan's 200,000, a total of 350,000 troops will be enough to flatten Jia Shisan's lair."

As the two were discussing, Guo Jia, who was beside Cao Cao, coughed lightly and said, "My lords, Jia Shisan has many talented people under his command, and Chang'an is in a strategic location, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack. We cannot attack rashly, and we need to formulate a detailed strategy."

Yuan Shao glanced at Guo Jia. Although he felt somewhat disdainful of this strategist of Cao Cao, he had to admit that he had a point. "Then what do you think, Mr. Guo?"

Guo Jia said slowly, "In my opinion, we can divide our troops into three groups. One group will attack head-on to attract Jia Shisan's main force; one group will bypass the rear of Chang'an to cut off his food supply; and another group will ambush along the way to intercept any reinforcements that Jia Shisan may send. In this way, Jia Shisan will be attacked from both sides and will surely be defeated."

Cao Cao nodded and praised: "Feng Xiao, this is a great plan. What do you think, Lord Yuan?"

Yuan Shao pondered for a moment and said, "This plan is feasible. However, the task of frontal attack is the most difficult. I am willing to personally lead an army of 100,000 to take on this important task. Brother Cao, what do you think?"

Cao Cao was secretly delighted, but he remained calm on the surface: "Mr. Yuan is so brave, I really admire him. Then I will lead 50,000 troops to bypass the rear of Chang'an and cut off Jia Shisan's food supply. As for the task of ambush and interception of the reinforcements, leave it to Mr. Yuan's generals."

Yuan Shao nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's do it. I will order Yan Liang and Wen Chou to lead 50,000 troops to set up an ambush on the way and make sure to annihilate all of Jia Shisan's reinforcements."

After the discussion was finalized, Cao Cao stood up and said goodbye: "Mr. Yuan, then we will each go back and prepare, and send out the troops on time in three days."

Yuan Shao also stood up and said, "Okay, three days later, we will meet outside Chang'an City and kill Jia Shisan!"

After Cao Cao left, Yuan Shao sat in his tent, lost in thought. His adviser Xu You came forward and whispered, "My lord, I'm afraid Cao Cao has no good intentions. He may have joined forces with us this time in order to weaken our strength."

Yuan Shao snorted coldly, "How could I not know? However, Jia Shisan is our biggest threat right now. It won't be too late to settle accounts with Cao Cao after we kill Jia Shisan. Pass the order down, have the soldiers speed up their preparations and make sure they are ready for the expedition within three days."

Three days later, Yuan Shao led an army of 200,000 and marched towards Chang'an. Along the way, dust flew up and the sound of horse hooves shook the earth. Yuan Shao rode on a tall horse, wearing a black cloak, and his eyes revealed a determination to win.

At the same time, Cao Cao also led an army of 150,000 and marched to the rear of Chang'an. He secretly thought that although the purpose of joining forces with Yuan Shao this time was to deal with Jia Shisan, he could not let Yuan Shao's power expand too much. After destroying Jia Shisan, he must find an opportunity to weaken Yuan Shao's strength and remove obstacles for his future unification of the world.

Meanwhile, in Chang'an, Jia Shisan also received news that Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were attacking together. He stood on the city wall, looking into the distance, his eyes revealing a trace of disdain: "Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, do you think they can defeat me by joining forces? Humph, let them try! Pass the order down, let the soldiers prepare for battle, I want to see how capable they are!"

Below Hulao Pass, yellow sand filled the sky and the howling wind seemed to engulf this ancient battlefield. The 350,000-strong coalition army of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao lined up at the pass, with flags waving and soldiers shouting, demonstrating their ambition and momentum. On the opposite side, on the wall of Hulao Pass, Jia Changsheng was wearing black armor, his cape fluttering in the wind. He looked down at the coalition army with a stern look, and Zhang Liao, Xu Huang and other generals beside him were ready to fight, exuding a murderous aura.

"My lord, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are coming at us aggressively. How should we respond?" Zhang Liao frowned and asked Jia Changsheng as he looked at the dense enemy troops under the city.

Jia Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Do they think they can capture Hulao Pass by relying on their numbers? Pass the order down, defend the pass, strengthen the vigilance, if the enemy attacks, shoot thousands of arrows, roll boulders and logs, and make sure they have no chance of returning."

At the same time, Yuan Shao was riding on a tall horse in front of the coalition forces, holding a spear, and shouted loudly: "Soldiers! We gather here today to flatten Hulao Pass and wipe out Jia Changsheng! It's time to make achievements and kill!" After that, he waved his hand, and drums sounded in the coalition forces, and the soldiers rushed to Hulao Pass like a tide.

At Hulao Pass, Jia Changsheng saw the enemy attacking and remained calm. He ordered, "Shoot!" In an instant, thousands of arrows were fired at the coalition forces like raindrops. The coalition soldiers were shot and fell to the ground one after another, but under the urging of their generals, they still charged forward fearlessly. The siege vehicles kept hitting the city gates, making dull noises, and the ladders were leaning against the city walls. The coalition soldiers climbed up along the ladders.

On the city wall, Zhang Liao brandished his spear and led his soldiers to engage in a fierce fight with the coalition forces climbing up. His spear danced like a dragon and snake, and every thrust was accompanied by the enemy's screams. Xu Huang stood at the city gate with a huge axe in his hand. Whenever the enemy broke through the defense line, he would chop it down with his axe. For a while, the shouts of killing in front of Hulao Pass shook the sky, and the blood dyed the land red.

(End of this chapter)