With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

"What? You mean Zhang Liao?" Gongsun Kang was startled and stood up abruptly.

Although Gongsun Kang had only been in office for a short time, he was very familiar with the Battle of White Wolf Mountain last year.

At that time, the emperor of the Han Dynasty personally came to Youzhou to supervise the battle. Although the emperor did not go to the front line, Zhang He annihilated Tadun's 30,000 troops in one fell swoop at Bailang Mountain.

This battle fully demonstrated the might of the Han Dynasty and instilled deep fear in the foreign tribes beyond the Great Wall.

Gongsun Kang remembered clearly that when his father received the news, he lost his appetite and was constantly afraid that the imperial army would take advantage of the victory and march on Liaodong.

Although Zhang He commanded the battle at White Wolf Mountain, Zhang Liao also performed brilliantly, staging a remarkable counterattack and even killing the Wuhuan leader Tadun.

"Is the news true?" Gongsun Kang was somewhat skeptical and wanted to confirm it again.

The messenger nodded vigorously, his face filled with panic. "My lord, even if I had the audacity of the heavens, I would never dare to lie about such a thing."

"Zhang Liao? Thirty thousand troops?" Gongsun Kang was instantly wide awake and frowned.

"Come on, summon Liang Mao, Han Zhong and the others for a meeting."

Others make a splash when they first take office, but Gongsun Kang hadn't even warmed his seat before his backside got burned.

Early in the morning, Liang Mao, Han Zhong, and others were woken up. Filled with doubt, they hurriedly came to discuss matters.

Upon seeing Gongsun Kang, everyone noticed that he looked unwell, his face full of worry and dark. He was already dark-skinned, and this made him look even more frightening.

Once everyone had arrived, Gongsun Kang took a deep breath, looked at everyone, and briefly explained the situation.

Upon hearing that Zhang Liao had arrived with his troops, everyone was startled. Liang Mao, Han Zhong, Yang Yi, Gongsun Mo, Zhang Chang, and others looked at each other, finding it hard to accept the news.

"The army is approaching, what should we do?"

Gongsun Kang was very anxious. He had to come up with a solution now; he couldn't wait until Zhang Liao attacked Xiangping before thinking of a way.

Liang Mao thought for a moment and replied, "My lord, we'll deal with whatever comes our way. There's nothing to be afraid of. Now that we've received the news, let's make preparations and have a showdown with Zhang Liao."

Ryomochi was a military commander, and he was not good at anything other than fighting.

Han Zhong thought for a moment and said, "If we can avoid fighting, we should do so. Instead, we should send an envoy to Zhang Liao to test his intentions. Even if he really intends to attack us, if we can persuade him to withdraw his troops, it would be a brilliant plan."

Liang Mao sneered disdainfully, "Han Zhong, you make it sound so easy. Zhang Liao isn't made of paper. Do you think you can make him retreat with just a few mild words?"

Han Zhong stroked his beard, glanced at everyone, and said, "Has Zhang Liao ever been to Liaodong? How much does he know about Liaodong?"

Gongsun Kang asked, "General Han, what do you mean?"

Han Zhong seemed quite confident. "My lord, since Zhang Liao doesn't know our strength, why don't we exaggerate our power and make him back down? We can say we have 100,000 troops in Liaodong, or even a million. The Central Plains are not stable. Zhang Lu and Sun Quan are still ruling their own territories. Zhang Liao may not have the courage to start a war with us."

Gongsun Kang's face immediately lit up with joy. "Good! If we can scare Zhang Liao away, the credit will naturally go to General Han."

Gongsun Kang was pleased, but he frowned as he scanned the faces of Liang Mao and the others, asking, "But I wonder who is willing to go and persuade Zhang Liao?"

It's not enough to just offer suggestions; we have to get this done.

Liang Mao, Yang Yi, Gongsun Mo, Zhang Chang and the others seemed to have planned this in advance, and they all lowered their heads, thinking to themselves: Han Zhong came up with the idea, making it sound so easy. Is Zhang Liao so easy to fool?

Zhang Liao is about to attack our doorstep, so the envoy must be someone of some importance; we can't just send anyone.

Seeing that no one was willing to take the order, Gongsun Kang turned his gaze to Han Zhong again, half-discussing and half-commanding, and said, "General Han, since the idea came from you, I think you should go through the trouble. If you can get Zhang Liao to retreat, I will personally hold a banquet to celebrate your victory when you return!"

Han Zhong glanced at Liang Mao and the others, feeling somewhat annoyed. "You guys are really something, not a single one of you is willing to go."

Han Zhong regretted it a little. Now, he had come up with the idea, but he still had to make the trip himself.

Having no other choice, Han Zhong nodded, "This subordinate obeys!"

Han Zhong, feeling somewhat fortunate given his status as an envoy, believed that even if things didn't go smoothly, Zhang Liao wouldn't make things difficult for him.

So he swaggered toward Liucheng with a few followers. However, Zhang Liao's army marched very fast. When Han Zhong saw Zhang Liao's troops, he was surprised to find that Zhang Liao's army was already very close to the border of Liaodong.

On the vast plains, Zhang Liao led his 30,000-strong army towards Liaodong like an iron torrent. As far as the eye could see, the military flags fluttered in the wind, resembling a surging crimson ocean. The 30,000 soldiers stood in neat ranks, their steps firm and powerful, the earth-shaking sound of their march like rolling thunder, displaying an unstoppable momentum.

The armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and swords, spears, and halberds stood in a forest, their sharp edges sending chills down the spines of the riders. The cavalrymen sat astride their powerful warhorses, their steeds neighing and kicking up clouds of dust as they galloped forward like whirlwinds.

The infantry formations were arranged closely together, like a solid city wall. Their eyes were resolute, their expressions solemn, and they were determined to die for their cause.

The 30,000-strong army stretched for miles, a mighty and majestic force that moved across the land like a winding dragon. Wherever they passed, dust billowed, obscuring the sky and the sun. Their powerful aura caused the heavens and earth to change color, as if this ancient land itself trembled at the sound of their footsteps, foreshadowing a storm that was about to sweep across Liaodong.

Han Zhong had never left Liaodong in his life, nor had he ever seen such a well-disciplined army. He couldn't help but tremble all over.

The fighting strength of such a team is self-evident. With the Han army leading the way, they brought Han Zhong right up to Zhang Liao.

Zhang Liao seemed a little impatient and urged the group beside him, "Keep going, don't stop."

The Han soldiers continued to march forward, their horses' hooves thundering, their spears flashing with a blinding cold light.

Zhang Liao sat high on his horse, his expression cold as he watched Han Zhong, the Liaodong envoy, slowly approach. Han Zhong approached with a slightly flustered look, stopping a few steps away from Zhang Liao.

Han Zhong forced himself to remain calm, dismounted, and bowed, saying, "General Zhang Liao, I am Han Zhong, the envoy from Liaodong. My lord cannot bear to see the people suffer, so he has sent me to persuade you to withdraw your troops."

Zhang Liao narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze shooting towards Han Zhong like lightning, and said coldly, "Oh? You're advising me to retreat?"

Zhang Liao seemed to have heard a huge joke. Not only did Zhang Liao laugh disdainfully, but Chen Gong and Yan Rou next to him also showed extremely contemptuous sneers.

Han Zhong swallowed hard and hurriedly said, "General, although your army is strong and well-equipped, Liaodong has not only fortified cities, but also a million soldiers, and is aided by forces such as Fuyu. Its strength far exceeds your imagination. If you lead your troops to attack, your side will surely suffer heavy losses. My lord cannot bear to see the people suffer and the innocent harmed. If you are willing to withdraw your troops, my lord will certainly not treat you unfairly."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the sky. He then abruptly stopped laughing and said sternly, "I, Zhang Liao, am loyal to the Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Liaodong has always been part of the Han territory. Gongsun Du took advantage of the turmoil in the Central Plains to seize control of this region. Now, with the greater good at hand, and bearing the imperial mandate to suppress the rebels, even if you truly have a million soldiers, I will not retreat! Enough said!"

Han Zhong tried to persuade him further, but Zhang Liao refused to listen and shouted, "Insolence! My mind is made up, how dare you say another word!"

With that, he raised his knife and brought it down. Han Zhong didn't even have time to react before his head fell to the ground, and crimson blood stained the ground.

Looking at Han Zhong's corpse, Zhang Liao's eyes were filled with determination and resolve. He shouted, "All soldiers, listen to my command! Continue the advance and crush Liaodong!"

The 30,000-strong army shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens and the earth, as they resolutely marched toward Liaodong.

The entourage that had come with Han Zhong were all terrified. One of them mustered his courage and said, "General, in times of war, envoys are not to be killed. How could you kill General Han Zhong?"

Zhang Liao glanced at him and said coldly, "Liaodong is the territory of the Han Dynasty. You dare to call yourselves two countries? Go back and tell Gongsun Kang that I have been ordered to suppress the rebellion. If you know what's good for you, quickly surrender the city. If you dare to resist, the example of Tadun in the past will serve as a warning to you."

The attendants were so frightened that they scrambled back to Xiangping in a panic to deliver a message to Gongsun Kang.

Gongsun Kang still harbored a sliver of hope. Han Zhong's confident oath might actually fool Zhang Liao, and once Zhang Liao withdrew his troops, he could rest easy.

But before he could even celebrate for two days, his followers fled back. Upon hearing that Han Zhong had been killed, Gongsun Kang was stunned, as if struck by lightning.

"What? Zhang Liao has some nerve! He actually dared to kill the envoy I sent."

"My lord, Zhang Liao's arrival is hostile; we must quickly prepare to meet him," Liang Mao hurriedly advised.

Everyone felt a sense of relief at Han Zhong's death; thankfully, it wasn't them who died, or their heads would definitely be gone too.

But after all, Zhang Liao's army was pressing in, and this was no laughing matter.

Gongsun Kang gritted his teeth and glared angrily, saying, "My Liaodong has been under my command for many years and has a strong army. At worst, I'll settle things with Zhang Liao."

Gongsun Kang, young and impetuous, immediately ordered the troops from various places to gather and the army to assemble in the north.

Since Zhang Liao came from the north, and Xiangping, the capital of Liaodong, was also in the north, with the sea to the south, there was no need to take precautions.

At this time, Gongsun Kang was unaware that the Han Dynasty had quietly established a navy, and Gan Ning and Taishi Ci were actively training in Donglai County, ready to be deployed to battle at any time.

When Zhang Liao's troops crossed western Liao, someone reported, "General, the territory of the Liaodong Dependent State is just ahead."

Chen Gong said, "The Liaodong Dependent State was originally established during the reign of Emperor Yuan to settle and manage the Wuhuan people who had submitted to the Han court. However, after Gongsun Du took office, he annexed the Liaodong Dependent State, and even the Fuyu in the north submitted to him." (End of this chapter)