The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 427 Zhao Yun: All of you come at me at once, I'm in a hurry.
In the winter of the sixteenth year of Zhangwu.

When the first snow fell on the walls of Chengdu, the stone lions in front of the General's Mansion were already covered with a thin layer of frost.

The night watchman wrapped himself tightly in his tattered coat and struck the third watch. Suddenly, he saw several lights appear at the end of the long street.

More than ten knights escorted a blue-canopied carriage across the icy official road, the "Deng" lantern hanging from the shaft swaying violently in the wind and snow.

"The General entered the palace under cover of night, probably for the Northern Expedition."

The night watchman hunched his neck and mumbled something, but before he could finish speaking, the gust of wind ripped his words apart.

He naturally had no idea that at that moment, the underground heating in the Chongzheng Hall of the Wei Palace was burning brightly, so warm that even the Chamberlain Qiao Zhou was sweating profusely.

"This year, thirteen or fourteen out of ten people in Sichuan starved to death, and corpses often floated on the Jinjiang River."

Qiao Zhou's hand holding the tablet trembled slightly.

"If another 100,000 laborers are conscripted to transport grain, I fear it will cause a peasant uprising!"

The Han Dynasty's economic blockade of the Wei Kingdom was quite successful.

Previously, Sima Yi had attached great importance to developing domestic economic industries such as Shu brocade, well salt, and frost sugar.

This resulted in a situation where the industry and agriculture in Sichuan were unbalanced.

These industries had indeed accumulated a vast amount of wealth for the Sichuan region.

However, in ancient agrarian societies, food was the primary productive force.

If the State of Wei cannot convert money into grain immediately, it is destined to suffer a backlash.

Therefore, in less than half a year, the State of Wei was hit by a major famine.

Cao Rui, seated on his throne, stroked the jade paperweight, his gaze sweeping over Huang Quan, who was kneeling below the steps.

The petition to the people that the old minister had just presented was stained with blood, and inside was a piece of Guanyin clay cake, which hurt the king's palm.

"What does Deng Qing think?"

A slender figure emerged from the shadow of the palace pillar.

Deng Ai was not wearing court robes today, but instead wearing his old cloak from when he was stationed on the frontier, with unmelted snowflakes clinging to the shoulders of his iron armor.

"Now the Han emperor is still imprisoned in Shanyang. Has Your Majesty forgotten the wishes of the late king?"

Deng Ai asked calmly.

"Does the General intend to gamble everything like a gambler?"

Huang Quan suddenly raised his head, his white beard and hair standing on end.

"This year, Hanzhong suffered a complete crop failure, and many people resorted to cannibalism."

"If we launch a northern expedition now, it will be like tearing down houses for firewood, boiling cranes and burning zithers!"

The debate continued until the palace gates were locked.

When Deng Ai finally withdrew holding the tiger tally, the bronze bells on the eaves were being torn terribly by the north wind.

Qiao Zhou pursued him to Yongxiang, where he suddenly saw a figure draped in a black fox fur cloak emerge from the shadows of the palace wall—Cao Rui himself was waiting in the snow, carrying a sheep horn lantern.

"Since Your Majesty knows the dangers of the Northern Expedition, why did you still agree to Deng Ai's expedition?"

"Have you heard how much rice cost in Chengdu yesterday?"

The king reached out and caught the falling snow; the firelight reflected bloodstains on his palm.

"Even a bushel of rice costs a thousand coins, yet there is no market for it."

“Yesterday, my uncle hosted a banquet, and even the roasted pork he served was considered too old.”

Qiao Zhou suddenly remembered that this morning when he passed by the Prince Consort's mansion, he saw servants loading moldy old grain into sacks, preparing to dump it into the Tuo River.

The millet that leaked from the bag fell onto the snow and was instantly devoured by the starving people.

One child was even trampled to death during a fight, and his blood stained the snow with patterns resembling those of Shu brocade.

"Starving people are like dry tinder; even if they don't burn themselves, they will burn others."

Cao Rui shone the lamplight outside the palace, where the lights of thousands of homes flickered brightly in the snow.

"The Northern Expedition would have brought that fire to the Central Plains."

Cao Rui was also aware that there was a famine in the country.

The problem is that it wasn't that the Cao Wei government didn't want to provide relief to the disaster victims.

Rather, even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice.

There's really no rice in China.

then what should we do?

Then we can only let Deng Ai continue his northern expedition.

Throughout history, war has always been the best way to divert domestic conflicts.

Although the State of Wei was short of food, some people were going hungry.

But no matter how hungry they are, the high-ranking officials and nobles will never go hungry.

This is what is meant by "behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the road, the bones of those

Half a month later,
On the day the army set off, three soup kitchens in the western suburbs of Chengdu suddenly disappeared.

Starving refugees, their eyes green with hunger, wailed and cried around the grain carts.

Suddenly, a small squad from the army broke off and threw dozens of bags of military rations mixed with bran into the crowd.

Taking advantage of the starving people's scramble for supplies, the supply caravan quickly passed through the chaotic official road.

On the command platform, Deng Ai saw a woman who had snatched half a bag of grain, but she couldn't bear to eat it herself and fed it to her child first.

The child choked to death in her arms when he swallowed it.

The veteran's Adam's apple bobbed several times beneath his helmet, and finally he pointed his whip northward:
"March!"

Almost simultaneously, in the warm pavilion of the Luoyang Imperial Palace.

The old emperor Liu Bei was admiring the Shu brocade while holding a piece of candied sugarcane.

The newly presented cloud-patterned brocade shimmered under the lamplight, and the old eunuch reported with a fawning smile:
“The price of millet in Wei has risen to three guan per shi, and people are scraping saline-alkali soil for food.”

"If Cao Cao saw his descendants trapped in the western frontier, I wonder what he would think."

The Han emperor chuckled upon hearing this, but then noticed that Zhuge Liang, who was standing to his side, was frowning and staring intently at the map of the southwest.

The candlelight on the desk crackled and popped, making the outline of the Jinjiang River appear as if it were cracked.

Zhuge Liang was kind-hearted and did not want war to affect ordinary people unless absolutely necessary.

Because Zhuge Liang, as an ordinary citizen, personally experienced being affected and harmed by the war.

That dates back more than thirty years, back when Cao Cao launched his first campaign against Xuzhou.

The Zhuge family was forced to relocate to Jingzhou to avoid disaster.

Now, through strategic planning, Zhuge Liang has achieved an economic blockade against the State of Wei.

This caused a great famine in Sichuan.

This caused many ordinary people to starve to death.

"……Ugh."

Zhuge Liang sighed inwardly, hoping that he could unify the world as soon as possible.

At this moment, the vanguard of the Wei army had reached the northern foot of Jiange.

Looking at the misty cliffs, Deng Ai felt a mix of emotions.

A cold wind, carrying snowflakes, rushed into the armor, and the old general shivered.

From the deep valley below the cliff, the faint howls of hungry wolves devouring rotting corpses could be heard.

The frozen soil on the Fuhan Road was trampled by 50,000 Wei soldiers.

On the west bank of the Tao River, Deng Aile saw the rising sun reflecting a blood-red hue onto the ice, and said to the military advisor beside him:

"In the past, Han Xin, with his back to the river, defeated 200,000 Zhao soldiers."

"Our army's food and rations are only enough for one month. We should learn from the wisdom of the ancients."

As dust rose on the opposite bank, Wang Jing's 70,000 Han troops had already deployed along the river.

The armor reflected the pale light of winter, and the banners of the four generals at the front fluttered in the north wind.

"Deng Shizai!"

Wang Jing pointed his silver spear directly at his country, saying, "I've heard that your country is suffering from starvation, with corpses piled up on the roads. Why don't you open your granaries to provide relief instead of coming here to die?"

Deng Ai lightly tapped his horse's belly as he charged out of battle, his iron halberd held horizontally.
"Liu Bei... hiccup... imprisoned the emperor in Xuchang."

"This is... hiccup... an unforgivable crime!"

Ice shards were shaken off his beard with his excited panting.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Ming and the other three generals all came out.

Hua Yong's axe was aimed at Deng Ai's face first, but was parried by the iron halberd, sending sparks flying.

After less than ten rounds of fighting, Deng Ai feinted with his spear, then turned his horse and fled.

The Wei army's formation loosened, and soldiers in the rear broke through the thin ice on the riverbank.

"Chase!"

Wang Jing waved his flag and shouted, "Their army has their backs to the river; we will surely defeat them!"

The Han army's iron cavalry swept across the frozen earth like a tidal wave.

Liu Da, who was at the forefront, suddenly felt his horse slip – the river water that Zhang Yi had ordered to splash last night had already frozen into dark ice on the riverbank.

Wang Ping, having clearly seen the situation from behind the formation, immediately ordered his ambush troops to set fire to bundles of straw soaked in wolf dung.

Thick smoke drifted downstream and hurtled straight towards the Han army.

"Turn around!"

Deng Ai suddenly reined in his horse and shouted.

Upon hearing the commotion, the Wei soldiers on the banks of the Tao River turned back to fight to the death, while the Han soldiers who slipped on the ice became an obstacle instead.

Zhu Fang's warhorse's forehooves sank into the ice hole, and before Zhang Ming could even raise his iron spear, it was pierced through the throat by a counter-attack.

In the midst of the melee, Deng Ai's iron halberd flashed with a cold light, each swing bringing up a mist of blood.

One of the Han army officers was forced to retreat repeatedly when he suddenly lost his footing and fell headfirst into the Tao River.

The cracking sound of ice breaking mingled with screams as the person struggling in the water grabbed onto their companion's armor.

They dragged the entire squad of soldiers into the icy river.

Wang Jing broke through the encirclement under the protection of his personal guards, and when he looked back, he saw that the Tao River had been dyed crimson.

In the section of the river blocked by floating corpses, there are still survivors sticking out stiff, purple arms from the ice crevices.

"General!"

Zhang Yi rushed over, stepping on the blood-red ice, to dissuade them, saying, "Didao City is fortified; it would be better to stop here."

"Now that we have won a battle against the Qi army, General, your achievements are already complete."

"His reputation has soared; it's time to stop."

"If we advance now, and things don't go as planned, it will be like drawing legs on a snake—completely superfluous."

Before he could finish speaking, Deng Ai interrupted him.

"Otherwise, after the defeat, they still wanted to advance and dominate the Central Plains."

"After today's battle at Taoshui, the people of Qi are terrified. I predict that Didao will be within our grasp."

"Do not let your will be broken."

Deng Ai wiped away the icy blood splattered on his brow bone and looked eastward.

There stands a lonely city in the twilight, like a broken sword stuck in the frozen earth.

He was determined to take Didao City.

……

Heavy snow in Longxi broke pine branches.

General Guo Huai, the Conqueror of the West, stood with his hand on his sword at the Xiangling Camp, fifty li west of Didao City.

Gazing at the arrowhead of the Shu army piercing into the heart of Longxi on the map, his brow furrowed deeply.

"Report—General Wang Jing's remaining troops have retreated to Lintao, and Deng Ai has divided his forces to cut off our supply lines!"

The scouts, covered in ice shards, rushed into the tent.

Guo Huai slammed his fist on the table, making the command quiver vibrate.

"Order the entire army to prepare food at dawn and launch the attack at 5 a.m.!"

"I must settle this with Deng Shizai."

"General, you mustn't!"

Before he could finish speaking, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and a young general burst in, swept by the wind and snow.

The newcomer removed his snow-covered cloak—it was none other than Jiang Wei, the Commander-in-Chief of the Central Army who held the imperial insignia and oversaw the Longxi campaign.

Guo Huai was astonished:

"Why did Boyue personally venture into such a dangerous place instead of assisting Governor Lu in Chang'an?"

Jiang Wei was very respectful and said:

"Hearing that the general intends to follow the same path as Wang Jing, I have been ordered to come and assist the general in defeating the enemy."

"Now Deng Ai's army has penetrated deep into enemy territory alone. If he were to join forces with the Qiang tribes and march east out of Guanzhong, Chang'an would be in grave danger."

Jiang Wei traced the Tao River basin on the map with his fingertips, "However, they abandoned their strengths and chose their weaknesses, launching a fierce attack on the fortified city of Didao."

"General, please look—"

"Didao is like a flickering candle; a strong attack would be too hot to handle, and a prolonged siege would extinguish it."

Guo Huai stared at the flickering candlelight and suddenly realized:
"Does Boyue intend to turn the tables?"

"Xiangling's terrain resembles a coiled dragon raising its head, making it suitable for hiding elite troops."

Jiang Wei pointed his sword at the mountains southeast of Didao and said, "Please give me twenty squads of feint troops, each with fifty men, and many flags, drums and horns."

"We will lie in wait by day and march at night to set up an ambush there. When the Shu army is in the midst of their attack on the city, we can then strike them."

Outside the tent, the north wind howled, but Guo Huai felt an unbearable heat rising in his chest.

He picked up the command token, pondered for a moment, then suddenly burst into loud laughter:
“Brilliant! Back then, Zhuge Liang repeatedly defeated Sima Yi in Guanzhong, and today Jiang Boyue has used a feint to trap Deng Ai—truly, the student has surpassed the master.”

"Get the wine!"

When the guards brought over the wine jar, Jiang Wei had already dipped his finger in the wine and drawn a continuous mountain range on the table.

The two discussed their plan until the third watch of the night.

A thousand assassins gradually gathered on the snow outside the tent.

Horses had gags in their mouths, people had grass in their mouths, and the banners, drums, and horns they carried were all wrapped in white cloth.

The same cold moon shone on the city wall of Didao, where the defending general Wang Xin was leaning on his broken spear, counting the casualties.

The Shu army camp stretched for ten miles below the city, and the newly built siege towers were three zhang higher than the city walls.

The Wei prisoners hanging above have been frozen into ice sculptures.

"General, another three zhang (approximately 10 meters) of the west wall has collapsed!"

The lieutenant, dragging his injured leg, crawled up and reported, "Less than 20,000 arrows remain."

Wang Xin grabbed some snow and smeared it on her face:
"Tell the brothers that General Guo Huai's reinforcements have arrived at Xiangling!"

Before the words were finished, a deafening roar suddenly came from outside the city—

The Wei army launched a surprise attack in the dead of night, and the northwest corner tower collapsed with a crash.

Deng Ai immediately took up his position on the high platform in the center of the army and saw that the attack had succeeded.

Just as they were about to order a general attack, three streaks of red flame suddenly shot up from the southeastern horizon.

"Report! A feint by the Qi army has been spotted in Black Wind Valley!"

"Report! A huge cloud of dust is rising from the direction of Xiangling!"

"Report! Jiang Wei's banners have appeared on the northern slope!"

Three scouts in succession disrupted Deng Ai's plans.

Deng Ai's pupils suddenly contracted.

At that moment, drums and horns suddenly sounded in the southeastern mountains, and countless banners could be vaguely seen fluttering in the snow and mist.

"Ming Jin withdraws his troops!"

Deng Ai gritted his teeth and pulled out the command flag.

"Order Zhang Yi's troops to switch from offense to defense, and have Wang Ping lead his iron cavalry to intercept the Qi army coming from the north!"

However, the military order had not yet been issued.
Torches suddenly lit up the hills on all sides, and drums and horns sounded in unison from twenty different locations.

Interspersed among them was the mournful sound of the Qiang flute.

The rear guard of the Wei army, thinking that their retreat had been cut off by the Qiang soldiers, was thrown into chaos.

Standing atop Xiangling, Jiang Wei gazed at the receding Wei army torches outside Didao City and gently put down his ox horn.

Left with no other option, Deng Ai had to temporarily withdraw his troops to Zhongti.

……

Let me talk about two things.

At the foot of Beiman Mountain in the western suburbs of Luoyang, 30,000 Imperial Guards stood in formation like pines.

The north wind whipped up the black dragon flag, making a fluttering sound.

Zhuge Liang, dressed in a crane-feather cloak, ascended the command platform, his gaze sweeping over the group of young generals in full armor below. He turned and bowed to Liu Bei, saying:

"Your Majesty, all the generals participating in today's military exercise are descendants of the Tiger Warriors."

Liu Bei stroked his beard and nodded, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar young faces below the stage.

Guan Ping, wielding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, stood on the left flank, while his brother Guan Xing, holding a modified Li Lian crossbow, led the crossbowmen in formation.

On the right flank, Zhang Bao brandished his eighteen-foot spear, while behind him, a hundred catapults were poised to fire.

Zhao Guang, wielding a silver spear and riding a white horse, commanded a cavalry unit of three thousand rocket archers.

The descendants of these veteran generals who once followed them across thousands of miles have now grown into new pillars of the Han Dynasty.

"ignition!"

Zhuge Liang waved his command flag.

In an instant, three hundred catapults were launched simultaneously.

Sulfur-coated stone projectiles pierced the sky and exploded in flames on the pre-arranged Wei army positions.

But then Zhao Guang raised his arms and shouted:

"Fire arrows!"

Three thousand cavalrymen simultaneously drew their bows, and specially made whistling arrows, trailing crimson flames, swept across the sky, weaving a net of fire in the heavens.

Guan Xing waved the command flag at the opportune moment, and the three thousand crossbowmen fired in stages.

The improved crossbow fired thirty arrows in a single volley, the sound of them piercing the air never ceasing.

On the viewing platform, Zhang Fei slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed in admiration:
"Sir, this repeating crossbow is truly remarkable! If we had possessed such a weapon back then, we would have defeated Cao Cao in Xuzhou long ago!"

Although Liu Bei won many battles throughout his life, it was precisely because of this that...

The defeat at Tanxian in Xuzhou was all the more unforgettable.

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly and said with a smile:
"Third brother, look, Ping'er's swordsmanship is already seven-tenths similar to the original."

Liu Bei suddenly turned his head and asked Li Yi, the old minister sitting beside him:

"How do these young generals of Ziyu Temple compare to us back then?"

Li Yi cupped his hands in response:

"Your Majesty, we were nothing more than commoners in the marketplace when we gathered our troops in Xuzhou in the past."

"Looking at these young generals now, they have all inherited their family's learning."

"With the court's support, the Han dynasty is truly blessed. It is a good thing for the nation."

At this moment, another sudden change occurred in the game.

Guan Ping led his heavy cavalry in a charge, their hooves shattering the icy river as they rushed straight towards the simulated Jian Ge Pass.

Zhang Bao commanded the trebuchets to unleash a series of deafening thunderbolts, blasting a breach in the wooden fortress wall.

Zhao Guang's rocket cavalry took the opportunity to break through, while Guan Xing's repeating crossbow formation continued to suppress the city walls.

The seamless coordination of various military branches demonstrated the formidable military strength of the Han Dynasty.

And the most advanced military technology in the world.

Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan and said:

"Cao Rui, relying on the natural defenses of Shu, rebuilt the imperial palace in Chengdu and proclaimed himself King of Wei."

"They rely on the fortification of Jiange and the danger of Yinping, but they do not know that our army also has new weapons that can break through them."

Liu Bei gazed at Guan Ping charging through the smoke of battle, then turned and asked:
"When does the Prime Minister expect to set out on the expedition?"

"Next year, around the Grain Rain season."

Zhuge Liang pointed to the well-railing cart that was being demonstrated.

"After the spring flood season, these mobile trucks can help our army cross the Micang Mountain barrier."

Liu Bei, wrapped in a black fox fur cloak, ascended the high platform, followed by more than ten ministers.

The sixty-year-old emperor's gaze swept over the lingering smoke of battle, and he suddenly laughed:
“Back when we were in Xuzhou, I and all of you were in our prime.”

"Watching the young men perform martial arts today, I can still see the might of tigers from back then."

Upon hearing this, all the generals bowed in unison:
"Your Majesty, we dare not accept such high praise."

Liu Bei walked to the railing and pointed to the archery targets that had not yet been removed from the field:
"I remember Guan Ping was skilled in archery; could he possibly hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces?"

Guan Ping stepped forward in response:

"Your subject requests to try it."

Three arrows were fired in quick succession, all hitting the bullseye.

"color!"

Before the cheers had even faded, Zhang Bao had already leaped into the arena with his spear.

The silver spear danced like pear blossoms, and during its sudden thrust, it strung three straw figures together in a line.

Zhao Guang and Zhao Tong joined forces with their swords, while Tai Shiheng's meteor hammer whistled through the air.

In an instant, weapons clashed in the arena.

Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan:
"You are all sons of military families."

Liu Bei clapped his hands and laughed:

"...Today's martial arts demonstration is not for the purpose of watching the performance."

"With the invasion of Shu imminent, the position of vanguard remains undecided. Are you willing to compete in a martial arts contest to seize the flag?"

Instantly, the entire hall fell silent.

Guan Xing was the first to remove his Green Dragon Crescent Blade:

"I am willing to sign a military pledge!"

Zhang Bao held his spear and sneered:

"This vanguard seal should rightfully belong to the Zhang family!"

Torches suddenly ignited around the drill ground.

Guan Xing, dressed in a green robe and silver armor, drew his long sword, leaving sparks as it dragged on the ground.

Zhang Bao, clad in black armor with a red tassel, pointed his steel spear diagonally towards the sky.

The two circled the field three times, then suddenly collided with each other like two tigers pouncing on their prey.

"Look at the gun!"

Zhang Bao twisted his body and thrust forward, the tip of his spear flashing out seven cold stars.

Guan Xing parried with his sword raised, the clang of metal striking metal making the torches flicker.

Thirty days passed, and the snow on the ground was trampled into mud.

Guan Xing feigned an opening to lure the enemy in, then struck Zhang Bao's shoulder with the back of his knife.

General Hongying staggered three steps, then suddenly used his spear to knock away his opponent's helmet.

Guan Xing, whose hair had fallen loose, suddenly changed color, and his swordsmanship became fierce.

"Shu Zi'an dare!"

Seeing that the other party's blades were aimed at vital points, Zhang Bao's eyes widened in anger.

As the spearhead grazed Guan Xing's neck, the clear sound of a jade chime echoed from the command platform.

The north wind whipped snowflakes against the black armor, and Guan Xing's Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Zhang Bao's steel spear became entangled in a fierce struggle.

Amidst the flashing blades and spears, Guan Xing suddenly spun around and slashed, the back of his blade barely grazing Zhang Bao's shoulder armor.

Zhang Bao roared and thrust back, his spear tip knocking off his opponent's helmet.

The two glared at each other, ready to fight again, when suddenly a sharp shout rang out.

"stop."

Zhuge Liang used a feather fan to separate the two.

"The vanguard is not a task that can be undertaken by mere brute force."

Liu Bei slowly descended the steps, picked up the helmet from the ground, and put it on Guan Xing's head.

"In the past, Guan Yu guarded Qingzhou and Zhang Fei guarded Xuzhou; both were men of ten thousand men."

"Now that my two nephews have each carried on their father's will, I am very pleased."

Then he turned to Zhang Bao.

"Your father single-handedly resisted a million Yuan soldiers in Qingzhou back then, relying not only on his bravery and strength."

The young generals, their clothes soaked with sweat, bowed their heads and listened to the instructions.

At that moment, a sudden downpour of heavy snow began.

A general arrives, treading through the snow.

"Since this is a selection of vanguards, how can I be left out?"

A powerful voice pierced the wind and snow, but the old general Zhao Yun left no trace on the snow.

The silver-saddled white horse seemed to emerge from the jade dust.

The armored soldiers quickly moved aside, and not a single footprint could be seen on the snow.

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao immediately laid down their weapons and bowed:
"Greetings, General Zhao."

Zhao Yun walked straight to the command platform, snowflakes freezing into ice crystals between his white beard and beard.

"Your Majesty, this old minister requests to serve as the vanguard in the campaign against Shu."

"Why is Zilong getting involved in this mess!"

Zhang Fei stepped out from the ranks of military officers with a voice as loud as thunder, his black gold armor shaking off the accumulated snow.

"Today was originally meant to be a chance for the younger generation to show their skills. If you want to compete, I, Old Zhang, will compete too!"

Zhao Yun untied his silver spear and stuck it into the snow:

"Does Yide know how dangerous the plank road at Jiameng Pass is? Back when I launched a surprise attack on the Wei army on the banks of the Han River, I climbed the cliff on a snowy night as if walking on flat ground."

After saying this, he turned around and bowed deeply to Liu Bei.

"Since I began serving Your Majesty, I have always been the first to engage the enemy and have never retreated in battle."

"Now that the Han Dynasty is about to be unified and the nine provinces are to be brought together, how can we be without the silver spear in Zilong's hand?"

Seeing this, Li Yi went up to Liu Bei and interjected:
"In my opinion, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are indeed brave, but the roads to Shu are treacherous, and only a mature and prudent person can lead the army."

"General Zhao has long been renowned throughout the land and is capable of undertaking this task."

"Why doesn't the gentleman speak up for the children?"

Zhang Fei's eyes widened, and his voice shook the pine branches and accumulated snow.

“We’re all old and we should give the kids a chance.”

Time changes people the most.

When Zhang Fei was young, he was violent and belligerent.

Now that he's older, although his temper is still fiery, he's lost much of his aggressiveness.

But Zhao Yun was a man who remained loyal to his cause until the end.

He is neither combative nor afraid of fighting.

He simply hoped to see the world unified as soon as possible and dedicated his life to the Han Dynasty.

Zhuge Liang lightly raised his feather fan, glanced at the three generals below the platform, and then looked at Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who stood solemnly in the snow.

"Young people are ultimately full of youthful vigor and need veterans to keep them in check."

Liu Bei was overjoyed and took off his shawl, then draped it over Zhao Yun.

Just as he was about to speak, he was suddenly interrupted by voices from the audience.

"Wait a minute!"

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao stepped forward together.

Guan Xingfeng's eyes widened:

"His Majesty has decreed that the vanguard shall be selected based on military prowess."

Zhang Bao's voice was as loud as thunder:

"General Zhao has made outstanding contributions, how can he rely on his seniority to deprive us of the opportunity to make contributions?"

Guan Yu's phoenix eyes snapped open, and his Green Dragon Crescent Blade struck the ground with a clang:

"You brat, stop talking nonsense!"

Clearly, the younger generation are all young and impetuous.

They were naturally dissatisfied when they saw that Zhao Yun, relying on his seniority, wanted to take their vanguard position.

But then Zhao Yun stroked his beard and laughed loudly:

"...What my two nephews say is very true."

"Bring me my silver spear!"

On the training ground, the seven young generals stood like stars surrounding the moon.

Guan Ping's golden chainmail gleamed coldly, Guan Xing's Azure Dragon Blade emitted a blue light, and Zhang Bao's eighteen-foot spear exuded a chilling aura.

Zhao Guang and Zhao Tong crossed their guns.

Tai Shiheng's three-pointed, double-edged sword whistled as it cut through the wind.

Xu Yi's axe was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"All of you, come at me at once!"

"And don't accuse me of bullying the weak."

Zhao Yun's white beard fluttered in the wind, and his gleaming silver spear darted like a dragon exploring the sea.

Seven beams of cold light suddenly shot out at the same time.

Guan Ping cleaved Mount Hua with his sword, aiming straight for the face; Zhang Bao swept away a thousand troops with his spear, blocking the horse's legs; Xu Yi split the heavens and earth with his axe, pressing down on the head.

But then the silver spear trembled slightly, and three cold stars shot out, arriving first despite being delayed.

With three crisp clangs, all three weapons were knocked away.

Tai Shiheng rode his horse in a zigzag pattern, then thrust his three-pointed dagger straight at the back of the heart.

Zhao Yun seemed oblivious, waiting until the blade was three inches from his back.

Suddenly, the silver spear pierced through his ribs, its tassel like a red plum blossom in the snow, striking the spine of the blade.

Tai Shiheng felt a sharp pain in his tiger's mouth, and his weapon almost slipped from his hand.

"Formation!"

Guan Xing shouted sternly.

Seven riders suddenly split into Yin and Yang, their twin spears blocking the upper three routes, and their broadswords locking the lower three routes.

Long spears and short axes intertwined to form a net.

Zhao Yun let out a long roar, and his white dragon horse stood upright, his silver spear transforming into a sky full of stars.

Every time the spear tip touches a weapon, it inevitably leads to a mutual attack between the two sides.

The sound of metal clanging was incessant, as the seven kinds of weapons were locked in a fierce battle.

Guan Xing's Green Dragon Blade moved with the force of thunder, when suddenly a silver spear slid in close to the blade, like a nimble snake climbing up the bamboo.

Just waiting to change tactics,

The spear shaft struck the wrist guard, and the Green Dragon Blade flew out of his hand, spinning wildly before plunging into an earthen mound three zhang away.

Seeing this, Zhang Bao roared in anger and thrust his eighteen-foot spear straight at the enemy's head.

Zhao Yun dodged the attack by sidestepping, and swept the horse's leg with the back of his spear.

The black horse neighed in fright and reared up.
Zhang Bao hurriedly pulled on the reins, but the silver spear had already struck the red tassel on the chest armor.

Zhao Guang and Zhao Tong combined their two spears to unleash the ultimate spear technique, "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix."

Suddenly, the silver spear rang out like a phoenix's cry in the heavens, and two streaks of cold light snapped in two.

The two brothers stared blankly at the broken spear shaft, but Zhao Yun flicked the tip of his spear lightly, slicing off their hair ornaments.

Xu Yi's axe, with the force of a thousand pounds, cleaved down, but Zhao Yun neither parried nor dodged; instead, his bright silver spear, like a white rainbow piercing the sun, thrust straight for his throat.

The axe stopped abruptly half a foot from the top of his head, while the spear tip froze three inches in front of his throat.

Xu Yi was drenched in sweat, only then realizing with shock that if they were truly fighting to the death, he would have already suffered a ruptured throat and splattered blood.

Guan Ping suddenly withdrew his sword and bowed:

"Uncle, your divine might is truly admirable."

The rest of the troops abandoned their weapons and dismounted.

Zhao Yun sheathed his spear and laughed heartily, his silver beard gleaming like a galaxy in the setting sun.
"Your martial arts skills are already mastered; what you lack is only the refinement and practice."

"After this battle, I will pass on the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear to you all."

Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan and smiled at Liu Bei:
"Zilong was not only exceptionally brave and resourceful, but also knew the importance of passing on the torch."

The banners of the Han dynasty fluttered in the autumn wind.

The silver spear, reflecting the setting sun, resembled the ever-shining white rainbow over Changshan thirty years ago.

……

(End of this chapter)