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

Wherever Zhang Ren's spear struck, Jiangdong soldiers fell to the ground, screaming in agony. The swords and blades of the other Xichuan soldiers also mercilessly slashed at the Jiangdong soldiers, as if harvesting crops.

The Jiangdong soldiers were routed and their formation was thrown into chaos. They abandoned their armor and weapons and fled in all directions, but could not escape the pursuit of the Xichuan soldiers.

Corpses piled up like mountains on the battlefield, and blood stained the valley red. The casualties of the Jiangdong soldiers continued to rise.

Soon, Zhang Ren spotted Zhou Yu. Wielding his spear, he charged straight at Zhou Yu like a raging beast.

His eyes burned with rage, determined to kill Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu was shot in the left arm and his face was pale. The previous battles had gone too smoothly, which made him a little complacent.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, even the brilliant strategist Zhou Yu lost his composure.

Zhang Ren rode his horse with his spear at the ready, moving as if there were no people in his path. The Jiangdong soldiers who stood in his way fell one after another. As he got closer and closer to Zhou Yu, Zhang Ren's eyes flashed like lightning, burning with a fierce killing intent.

"Zhou Yu, don't run! Take this!"

After brushing aside several Jiangdong soldiers, Zhang Ren stood before Zhou Yu. Without hesitation, his spear, like a dragon emerging from the water, thrust straight at Zhou Yu's heart.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and raised his sword to defend, but with his arm injured, he was no match for Zhang Ren. Zhang Ren's spear technique was ruthless, and his attacks were fierce and powerful. One spear after another was powerful and heavy, forcing Zhou Yu into a dangerous situation.

Every time their weapons clashed, Zhou Yu's body trembled violently, and he almost fell off his horse.

At this critical moment, Han Dang stepped forward and charged at Zhang Ren with his sword.

Han Dang roared, channeling all his strength into his blade, and engaged Zhang Ren in a thrilling life-or-death battle.

Zhang Ren's spear moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, swift and fierce, each move carrying a deadly aura. Han Dang was equally relentless, his blade flashing as he gritted his teeth and desperately defended against Zhang Ren's relentless attacks.

The two exchanged blows, the sounds of their weapons clashing filling the air, sparks flying everywhere.

While desperately resisting Zhang Ren, Han Dang urged Zhou Yu loudly, "Grand Commander, retreat immediately! Get out of here!"

Dong Xi and Zhou Tai protected Zhou Yu and helped him escape. Han Dang gritted his teeth and fought to the death, going all out. His broadsword flew up and down, clashing repeatedly with Zhang Ren's spear.

Zhang Ren, known as the Spear King of Xichuan, possessed formidable spear skills and astonishing arm strength. Seeing Zhou Yu about to slip away, he was enraged and his spear thrusts became faster and more ferocious with each strike.

The two fought for thirty rounds, and after a series of fierce battles, Han Dang gradually ran out of energy and revealed a weakness.

Zhang Ren seized the opportunity and thrust his spear forward. Han Dang was unable to dodge in time and was stabbed in the chest with a thud.

Han Dang grunted and staggered. Zhang Ren shouted and used both arms to lift Han Dang high into the air.

The sharp spearhead pierced Han Dang's body completely, spraying blood and quickly taking away Han Dang's life force.

In the Battle of Red Cliffs, Han Dang narrowly escaped death. He never dreamed that he would die in Xichuan.

Zhang Ren was the guardian deity of Xichuan. After killing Han Dang, he continued to pursue Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu led his men in a desperate breakout and finally escaped.

This battle dealt a heavy blow to the Jiangdong troops, with more than 3,000 dead or wounded.

Following Chen Wu, Jiang Qin, and Huang Gai, Han Dang, the fourth general of Jiangdong, also died in battle!

Although Zhang Ren failed to kill Zhou Yu, he still returned to Luocheng without hesitation. After learning about the battle, Liu Xun not only did not blame Zhang Ren, but also praised him highly.

Afterwards, Zhou Yu, despite his injuries, led his troops out again. Upon arriving at Luocheng, he joined Liu Bei's forces. Learning that Liu Bei's side was safe and sound, Zhou Yu felt a pang of sadness.

Is it my own fault for being unlucky?
Why did the Western Sichuan soldiers specifically ambush us?

Luocheng was now within reach, just a step away from Chengdu. Ignoring his injuries, Zhou Yu quickly ordered a siege, determined to capture Luocheng.

But, you don't know until you fight, and when you do fight, you're really shocked.

The difficulty of Luocheng far exceeded Zhou Yu's expectations, and even Liu Bei and Pang Tong were taken aback.

One month, two months, three months... the battle continued, but under Liu Xun's command, Luocheng remained impregnable.

No matter how Zhou Yu fought, no matter what methods he used, Luocheng always stood in front of Zhou Yu, like a towering and unshakable mountain!
…………

Liu Xie traveled from Xudu to Xiangyang, where he met with Cao Cao and closely monitored the development of the situation.

"That's really unexpected."

Cao Cao clicked his tongue in amazement, "Although the specific details of the battle are unknown, it is an undeniable fact that Zhou Yu has been blocked in Luocheng for several months."

"Yes, Zhou Yu is now in a dilemma and will probably have no choice but to send more troops."

Guo Jia was overjoyed when he finished reading the letter the emperor had sent him home.

"Fengxiao, congratulations! Your wife has just given birth to a baby boy. You finally have an heir." Liu Xie was genuinely happy for him.

"Your Majesty, Zhuge Liang says there's a possibility of a three-way power struggle. Do you have any countermeasures?"

Although Guo Jia was happy to become a father, he still maintained his composure and wisdom.

Liu Xie nodded. Since Zhuge Liang had made such a prediction, he couldn't just do nothing and let the situation develop in the direction he least wanted.

"I have already sent a brocade pouch to Xichuan," Liu Xie said with a mysterious smile, keeping everyone in suspense.

Guo Jia looked at the emperor, smiled without saying a word, and did not continue to ask questions.

“Besides sending reinforcements, Zhou Yu is also at a loss,” Cao Cao said.

Liu Xie nodded; he had great confidence in Liu Xun's abilities.

It's important to know that historically, when Liu Bei entered Sichuan, he brought with him only the most outstanding and capable people.

However, when attacking Luocheng, Liu Bei had no choice but to ask Zhuge Liang for help, forming the most luxurious attack team, a star-studded lineup of Shu Han.

The strategists included: Pang Tong, Fa Zheng, and Zhuge Liang.

The military generals include Wei Yan, Huang Zhong, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun.

Facing the strongest lineup of Shu Han, Liu Xun held out for more than a year, not only causing Liu Bei to suffer heavy losses, but also killing Pang Tong.

Some say Hao Zhao was good at defense, others say Huo Jun was good at defense, but in Liu Xie's opinion, the most skilled defender in the Three Kingdoms was Liu Xun!

"This time Zhou Yu has met his match. Even if he reinforces his troops, it will be difficult for him to cross Luocheng."

Cao Cao and Guo Jia both looked at Liu Xie with curiosity, wondering why the emperor was so confident.

"Once the reinforcements from Jiangdong are dispatched, Prime Minister, you must also take immediate action."

Just moments ago, Liu Xie had a smile on his face, but Cao Cao soon noticed that Liu Xie's expression had become much more serious.

Cao Cao hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have made all the arrangements!" Liu Xie walked out with his hands behind his back. Guo Jia glanced at Cao Cao and whispered a reminder, "His Majesty only rushed to Xiangyang after receiving news of the Dragon Guard's deaths."

Cao Cao fell silent. The Dragon Guards had indeed died tragically. Of the more than three hundred Dragon Guards who were tasked with killing Zhang Zhao, only thirty-odd had survived.

Liu Xie went to the city wall outside and remained silent for a long time. His gaze seemed unfocused. Whenever he thought of the Dragon Guards who had once drunk with him, Liu Xie felt that they were still by his side.

Zhao Yun stood behind him, motionless, like Liu Xie's shadow.

As the commander of the Dragon Guard, Zhao Yun was the first to receive the news.

After a while, Liu Xie spoke up, "Zilong, Zhan Fei and the others are all excellent. Perhaps I shouldn't have sent them to Jiangdong in the first place."

Zhao Yun shook his head. “Your Majesty need not blame yourself. Before they died, they only had one thought: they did not want to disgrace you. Over the years, they have been stationed in various places. In fact, they all hoped to be summoned by you to do one thing for Your Majesty. That would make them happier than if they did a hundred things on their own.”

Liu Xie's eyes were a little moist. "They all made great contributions to my capture of Xuchang, but they never asked me for anything. In fact, I haven't given them any generous rewards even now."

Scholars can become officials, and warriors can become generals, but Liu Xie felt indebted to these wandering knights-errant.

It's not appropriate to appoint them to official positions.

They helped Liu Xie reclaim Xuchang, but Liu Xie could only grant them a legitimate identity, allowing them to freely right wrongs in various places.

"Your Majesty, you have already given them the best reward."

Seeing the emperor so remorseful, Zhao Yun quickly comforted him, "You have given them respect and freedom, which is enough for them!"

Liu Xie sighed and ordered, "Tell Liu Biao to withdraw all the Dragon Guards from Jiangdong. Let them come back and rest properly. Fighting is a soldier's business. I will remember this blood debt and will definitely avenge them."

After a pause, Liu Xie's eyes turned terrifyingly cold. "I will avenge them tenfold, a hundredfold!"

Zhao Yun said, "Alright, I'll arrange it right away!"

…………

These days, Yu Fan can't help but come to the backyard, to the place where Zhan Fei and the others used to live.

The house is now completely empty; none of those dozen or so people have returned.

Logically, Yu Fan should have breathed a sigh of relief. In the past, whenever he saw these people, he was always on tenterhooks.

They were both afraid that they would threaten them into doing something, and also afraid that they would be exposed and implicate them.

Now that everything is completely quiet, no one is threatening him to do anything, and he doesn't have to worry about being exposed, but Yu Fan is even more afraid.

He knew that all those people had died in battle at the execution ground.

Of the sixty-six people, not one escaped; each of them died a tragic death.

Yu Fan both respected and feared these people. They had amazing willpower and courage. Even though they were on Jiangdong's territory, they were still fearless and caused a great disturbance!
Yu Fan sometimes thought that if he did something wrong and one day the Dragon Guards took notice of him, that would be terrifying.

The Dragon Guards represent the emperor; they are fearless and will fight to the death if they are targeted. Yu Fan often has nightmares about the Dragon Guards suddenly appearing in front of him.

He believed that there were many people on the Jiangdong side who shared his thoughts.

It seems that Sun Quan has eliminated most of the Dragon Guards, but many people have felt a sense of dreadful oppression.

The Dragon Guard's revenge, the Emperor's revenge, will surely come!

Who will be able to withstand that?

…………

What's meant to happen will happen; Lu Su finally received Zhou Yu's plea for help.

The letter was brought back by Zhou Tai, who was covered in injuries and looked terrifying from the long journey.

"Zijing, send reinforcements quickly! The Grand Commander has been fighting hard for days and has suffered heavy casualties. He is still wounded by arrows, but he insists on commanding the battle on the front line every day. His situation is too difficult."

Zhou Tai's voice was almost choked with sobs. Zhou Tai and the other soldiers had all witnessed Zhou Yu's performance these past few days.

Even though Zhou Yu was injured, he did not leave the battlefield and stayed with his soldiers.

Lu Su frowned. He was very worried about Zhou Yu, but more importantly, he felt a deep fear about the future.

Xichuan is now a huge pit of fire, and Zhou Yu has already fallen into it.

Sending more reinforcements, will that guarantee the capture of Xichuan? What if the reinforcements are also lost?

“Youping, go and rest for a while. This matter is of great importance, please allow me to think it over.”

Lu Su waved his hand, ordering someone to take Zhou Tai away. Zhou Tai paced back and forth in the room, his brows furrowed into a knot.

After much deliberation, Lu Su still couldn't make the decision. Despite having soldiers and generals by his side, he dared not easily send troops to Xichuan.

Lu Su hurriedly wrote a letter to Sun Quan, but a few days later, Sun Quan summoned him back to Chaisang.

Sun Quan also lost his composure; he had to summon Lu Su to his presence for a personal meeting.

Lu Su hurriedly returned to Chaisang. After entering the city, he rushed to pay his respects to Sun Quan without even catching his breath.

Lu Su, Lü Meng, Zhang Hong, Yu Fan, Gu Yong, Zhuge Jin, and others have all arrived. This matter is too serious; Sun Quan must discuss it with everyone.

Sun Quan spoke with concern: "Gentlemen, Zhou Yu's troops have marched into Xichuan, but they are currently blocked in Luocheng. The battle is not progressing well, and he requests reinforcements. What do you think?"

This news caused an uproar and startled everyone.

Gu Yong said, "My lord, in my opinion, since the progress is not going well, we should simply have Zhou Yu withdraw."

Yu Fan said, "My lord, even if we want to withdraw our troops, we must send someone to meet us. Luocheng has already penetrated deep into the heart of Xichuan. It's easy to get in but difficult to get out."

Yu Fan's current stance has quietly shifted to the side of the imperial court.

Jiangdong already had limited military strength. If Sun Quan could send troops to Xichuan, Jiangdong would be completely wide open, and the imperial court could easily launch an attack.

Sun Quan glanced at Yu Fan and nodded, "Zhongxiang is right. Even if we want to retreat, we should send someone to meet us."

Lu Su thought for a moment and advised, "It would be better if our lord wrote a reply to Zhou Yu himself, urging him to withdraw his troops and return to recuperate."

Sun Quan raised an eyebrow; his dissatisfaction with Zhou Yu was about to explode.

If Zhou Yu had taken Xichuan, Sun Quan might not have been so angry. But now, Zhou Yu is trapped in Xichuan, potentially dragging the entire Jiangdong region into it. How could Sun Quan not be furious?
Sun Quan immediately wrote a letter to Zhou Yu. After this back and forth, more than a month had passed. When Zhou Yu received the reply, his troops had dwindled to only about seven thousand.

When Zhou Yu arrived, he was full of vigor and brought 15,000 men; now, more than half of them have been lost. (End of Chapter)