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

Chapter 432 The Four Young Masters of Beijing are mostly talented young men who need to be warned.
On the road to Hanzhong, banners and flags obscured the sun.

Zhuge Liang personally led an army of 100,000 men, marching in a mighty force towards Hanzhong.

Inside the central command tent, civil and military officials gathered, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, his gaze sweeping over the generals:

“Lü Yi defended Nanzheng, with deep trenches and high walls, awaiting reinforcements.”

"If you want to take Hanzhong, you must first conquer Nanzheng."

"However, the city of Nanzheng is well-fortified, and a direct assault would likely result in casualties among the soldiers."

"What good strategies do you gentlemen have?"

Yang Yi, who had just joined the army, was the first to step forward:

"Prime Minister, although Nanzheng is fortified, it is difficult to defend an isolated city."

"We can divide our forces to besiege the city, cut off its supply lines, and wait for it to collapse on its own."

Wei Yan immediately retorted:

"Military Advisor Yang is mistaken! Cao Wei's reinforcements will arrive soon."

"If we delay, something unexpected may happen."

"This humble general is willing to lead elite troops and will surely conquer Nanzheng within three days!"

The generals discussed among themselves, and the tent was filled with commotion.

Suddenly, a young general stepped forward from the crowd, clad in golden armor and a red robe, exuding an imposing aura:

"This humble general, Guan Ping, is willing to serve as the vanguard, to capture Nanzheng and present it to the Prime Minister!"

Zhuge Liang gazed at Guan Ping, noticing a resemblance in his father Guan Yu to him, and pondered:
"Tan's courage is commendable, but Nanzheng is a strategically important location and should not be underestimated."

Guan Ping raised his head and said:
"Your Excellency is wise. My father always taught me that a general should advance despite difficulties."

"Though I am young, I am willing to give my life for you!"

Seeing Guan Ping's resolute will, Zhuge Liang finally nodded:
"In that case, I will give you five thousand elite soldiers to serve as the vanguard."

"Remember: always consult with your deputy general before acting rashly."

Guan Ping was overjoyed and gladly accepted the order:
"The last general takes command!"

Guan Ping led his troops on a swift march, and within a few days they had reached thirty li outside the city of Nanzheng.

The deputy general admonished:

"General, Nanzheng is a strategically important location. We should send scouts to investigate its strengths and weaknesses first."

Guan Ping disagreed:

"...You're overthinking it."

"I observe that the banners on the city wall are sparse, so the garrison must be small."

"We should take advantage of their unpreparedness and fight a swift and decisive battle."

He then ignored their advice and led his army straight to the city.

On the walls of Nanzheng, Lü Yi was already on high alert, ready for battle.

Military advisor Cheng Wu pointed to the Han troops outside the city:

"My lord, Guan Ping is young and impetuous, and indeed he acted rashly."

"We can proceed according to the plan."

Lü Yi sneered:

"You little brat, how dare you invade our territory!"

"Order: When the enemy has crossed half the bridge, fire all the crossbow bolts!"

Seeing that the city gates were tightly closed and the drawbridge was hanging high, Guan Ping ordered his general Zhou Shao to lead troops to seize the gate.

Zhou Shao brandished his broadsword and charged ahead:
"My lads, follow me!"

The Han army swarmed forward, and just as they reached the middle of the bridge, a clapper sounded, and arrows rained down from the city wall.

The crossbow bolts were incredibly powerful, capable of firing ten in succession.

Caught off guard, the Han soldiers fell to the ground, struck by arrows one after another.

Despite being struck by several arrows and his battle robe stained with blood, Zhou Shao fought on to the death.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Guan Ping hurriedly ordered the gong to be sounded to retreat.

When the army retreated, a headcount revealed that more than 300 men had been lost, and Zhou Shao was seriously wounded.

When the news of the defeat reached the central army, Zhuge Liang ordered Wei Yan to accompany Guan Ping to investigate the geography of Nanzheng.

Wei Yan then selected a hundred cavalrymen and, under cover of night, galloped swiftly to the front of Nanzheng Pass.

The moon is bright and the stars are few; the pass is quiet.

Wei Yan observed carefully and noticed that there seemed to be fresh soil on the wooden bridge in front of the pass, which aroused his suspicion.

He ordered his soldiers to scout ahead with spears, and they indeed discovered that there were traps on the bridge.

Just then,

After lighting the torches, Lü Yi personally led his troops out to attack.
"General Qi, do not flee!"

Wei Yan turned his horse around and headed back, but the horse's hooves got stuck in a trap on the bridge.

The warhorse neighed mournfully, nearly throwing him off.

In the critical moment, Wei Yan leaped up and abandoned his horse to walk.

Wei general Wang Dou thrust his spear forward:

"You traitorous general, prepare to die!"

Wei Yan dodged to the side and snatched the spear with his other hand.

He thrust forward, striking Wang Dou squarely in the throat.

The Wei soldiers were horrified at the sight and dared not advance.

Wei Yan seized the opportunity to shout:

"My lads, follow me and we'll conquer this obstacle!"

The defending troops, seeing Wei soldiers at the pass, dared not fire arrows, and Wei Yan led his men to capture the pass in one fell swoop.

Wei Yan returned to camp victorious and recounted the events that had transpired.

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang's face darkened.

"Summon Guan Ping!"

Guan Ping entered the tent and knelt on the ground:
"This humble general pays his respects to the Prime Minister."

Zhuge Liang slammed his fist on the table and stood up:

"Guan Ping! As the vanguard, you should clear the way through mountains and build bridges over rivers."

"Dedicated to repairing bridges and roads to facilitate military marches."

"Now that we are unaware of the enemy's situation and are constantly searching the roads, our army has suffered heavy losses."

"General Wei nearly lost his life, do you know your crime?"

Guan Ping was drenched in sweat:

"This humble general admits his guilt..."

"Since you know you've committed a crime, you should be punished according to military law!"

Zhuge Liang shouted sternly, "Guards, take him out and execute him!"

An uproar immediately erupted in the tent.

Zhang Bao was the first to kneel and beg:

"Your Excellency is wise! Although General Guan has made mistakes, his father, Lord Yun Chang, has rendered great service to the country. I beg for your forgiveness!"

Guan Xing saw that Zhang Bao pleaded for mercy first, and then he was the second to plead for mercy.

"Prime Minister, please forgive my brother this time, considering the Guan family's many years of service to the court!"

Generals such as Zhao Guang and Taishi Heng also knelt down:

"We beg the Prime Minister to show leniency!"

Zhuge Liang slammed his feather fan down and said in a deep voice:
"If military law is unclear, how can one command the troops?"

"If Guan Ping is pardoned today, how will we control the army in the future?"

"Many young people in the military today rely on their fathers' achievements and have become arrogant."

"This is absolutely unacceptable."

Just then, Fei Yi hurriedly entered the tent:
"Prime Minister, please calm your anger! I have something to say."

Zhuge Liang's anger had not subsided:
"Does Wenwei intend to plead for Guan Ping?"

Fei Yi bowed and said:
"...not just for Guan Ping."

"Does the Prime Minister remember that before the expedition, Guan Yu held the Prime Minister's hand and entrusted Guan Ping with his duties?"

"Although this boy is young and inexperienced, his loyalty and courage are commendable. I hope the Prime Minister will teach him well."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang's expression softened slightly.

Seeing this, Fei Yi continued:
"If we were to execute him now, we would not only be betraying the trust placed in us by Lord Yunchang, but also failing His Majesty's earnest teachings."

"I beg the Prime Minister to temporarily remember his fault and allow him to atone for his crime by performing meritorious service."

Guan Yinping also came out to plead for leniency, her voice clear and bright:
"I hope that Prime Minister Rao will spare my brother this time."

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at Li Zhi, who was standing silently to the side, seemingly signaling him to speak up for her.

Li Zhi then stepped forward and spoke:

“When Tanzhi was young, he also studied military strategy with my father.”

"I apologize to the Prime Minister on behalf of my father for failing to make good use of this opportunity."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

Everyone knew that once those words were spoken, Guan Ping's life was saved.

The former prime minister's influence still held sway.

As expected, Zhuge Liang pondered for a long time before finally sighing:
"...That's all."

"Death penalty can be avoided, but living crime cannot be avoided."

"Thirty strokes of the cane, as a warning to others!"

……

The crescent moon shone sadly on the gate of the Han army camp.

It was already past midnight.

The sentries outside the central command tent had just changed shifts, and their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Only one tent on the west side still faintly emitted candlelight.

Several figures swayed uncertainly on the tent.

Inside the tent, Guan Ping lay naked on the couch.

Thirty purplish-red whip marks crisscrossed his back, each one swollen to the height of half a finger.

The military doctor had just applied wound medicine to him, and the stinging pain from the medicine taking effect made him gasp for breath from time to time.

"Brother..." Guan
Yinping knelt before the bed, holding a wet towel in her hands, and gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

Guan Ping forced a smile:
"I feel much better after applying the medicine."

He paused, his voice lowering.

"This time it was indeed my carelessness and underestimation of the enemy that led to the loss of hundreds of soldiers, and I deserve to be punished for it."

Zhang Bao stood to the side, his fists clenching unconsciously.

"I just didn't expect the Prime Minister to be so serious this time."

"Thirty flower backs, what if Uncle finds out..."

He swallowed his words halfway through and sighed heavily.

"It seems that from now on, we can't rely on our fathers' influence to neglect military law."

These young men were, after all, powerful and influential figures in the capital, and their families were not merely newly emerging wealthy clans in Qi and Han.

His father was a leading minister in the court.

In particular, the young men led by Li Zhi, Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, and Zhao Guang were jokingly referred to as the Four Young Masters of the Capital.

No one in Beijing dared to offend him.

The same applies in the military.

There were many veteran generals in the army, none of whom dared to easily offend these young masters.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi, who had been silent all along, twitched his brow almost imperceptibly, but still remained silent.

Guan Yinping noticed her husband's expression and became suspicious, but she did not ask him on the spot.

At this moment, Guan Xing brought a basin of clean water from outside the tent and replaced the blood-stained cloth in Guan Yinping's hand.

He looked at the scars on his brother's back, his eyes reddening.

"The Prime Minister is too ruthless. My brother has fought alongside him for many years. Even if he has not made any great contributions, he has certainly worked hard."

"Even if there was a mistake this time, a few words of admonishment would have sufficed, why go to such lengths..."

"Second brother, please don't talk nonsense."

Guan Ping suddenly raised his voice, then winced in pain as the movement aggravated his wound.

"The Prime Minister's strict enforcement of the law is the very foundation upon which our army stands in the world."

“It is only right and proper for me to be punished for my mistakes. You must not have the slightest complaint against the Prime Minister.”

The tent fell silent for a moment, with only the crackling of the candlelight.

Guan Yinping covered Guan Ping with a light blanket and whispered:

"Brother, please rest well. We will come to see you again tomorrow."

After all,

She gave Li Zhi a wink, and the two of them took their leave.

Stepping out of the tent, the night wind rushed towards me, carrying the chill of the night.

Guan Yinping pulled Li Zhi to a secluded corner before whispering:

"Just now in the tent, my husband seemed to have something he wanted to say?"

Li Zhi looked around to make sure no one was there before lowering his voice and saying:

"...The Prime Minister did not truly intend to kill Tanzhi's brother."

"Gong Yun's reputation speaks for itself, how could he not know that?"

"But if we don't put on this show today, how can we explain it to the soldiers?"

Guan Yinping was taken aback upon hearing this, and then asked:
"If that's the case, why didn't you say so earlier?"

“My lady,” Li Zhi shook his head slightly, “since it’s just an act, if too many people find out, the act will be in vain.”

"Besides, the Prime Minister's original intention was to encourage Brother Tanzhi, so why should we go against his good intentions?"

Guan Yinping gazed at her husband for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly:

"My husband is starting to resemble Prime Minister Li more and more these days."

Li Zhi raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her ear:

"Does the lady like it or not?"

“My Guan family’s children have always been straightforward and honest, unlike your Li family who have so many hidden agendas.”

Guan Yinping turned her face away, but her voice softened.

"But since she has married into the Li family, she should serve them wholeheartedly."

Just as the two were talking in hushed tones,
Guan Xing and Zhang Bao also came out of the tent, looked around, and then walked quickly toward them.

"It's perfect that you and your husband are both here,"

Guan Xing lowered his voice, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"I've discussed it with Brother Bao, and we plan to raid Nanzheng tonight and make a name for ourselves!"

Zhang Bao continued:
"The defenders of Nanzheng were riding high after winning a battle during the day."

"The patrol report today states that the city's garrison commander is holding a celebratory banquet in the city to celebrate today's minor victory."

"I suspect the defenses will be lax. If we lead our elite troops in a surprise attack, we will surely be able to take the city in one fell swoop!"

Guan Yinping was overjoyed upon hearing this:

"What my two elder brothers say is exactly what I think!"

"If you would not mind, I would like to go with you, brother."

The three of them turned to look at Li Zhi, their gazes intense.

Li Zhi shook his head with a wry smile:

"What are you doing... Guan Ping was just disciplined by the military today, and you're already breaking the rules?"

"Once the mission is accomplished, the Prime Minister will certainly not blame you!"

Guan Xing said urgently, "Besides, we are getting older, but we are always regarded as juniors who need protection."

“The Prime Minister takes advantage of our youth and refuses to employ us.”

"Today we are determined to achieve a great feat and show the Prime Minister our abilities!"

Zhang Bao also said:

"Exactly! Exactly!"

"My fathers were heroes when they fought against Yuan Shao and Cao Cao's million-strong army!"

"Can we continue to live in the shadow of our parents' glory?"

"We need to show those old fogies in the court that it's the young people's world now!"

Seeing the intense gazes of the three men, Li Zhi knew that trying to dissuade them was futile.

He sighed:
"Enough, enough, enough!"

"Since you've all gone, I've been dragged onto this pirate ship by you and have no choice but to go along."

With the plan settled, the four men returned to their respective camps to gather their troops.

Guan Xing led 1,000 swordsmen and axemen, Zhang Bao led 800 spearmen, Guan Yinping led 500 cavalrymen, and Li Zhi mobilized 700 archers.

A total of three thousand people.

The group ate their fill and prepared ample supplies of arrows, fire starters, and other necessities.

When the fourth watch drum sounded, they quietly gathered at a small gate on the west side of the camp. "Gentlemen,"

Before his departure, Li Zhi gave his final words of advice.

"If things do not go well, retreat quickly and do not linger in battle."

Guan Xing, however, had already mounted his horse, his heroic spirit soaring to the heavens:
"Brother Zhi, why worry so much! Tonight, I will show those rats from Sichuan the power of the heroes of the Central Plains!"

Under the hazy moonlight, three thousand men silently left the camp and hurried along the mountain path towards Nanzheng.

The mountain road was rugged, but these people were all carefully selected elites, and they made very little noise as they moved.

The night was deep.

Apart from the footsteps of the patrolmen and the occasional sound of a watchtower, the Han army camp was completely silent.

The central command tent, however, remained brightly lit with candles.

Zhuge Liang sat upright at his desk, his vermilion brush constantly marking up military documents.

The tent flap was gently lifted, and Fei Yi strode in. Seeing Zhuge Liang still reviewing documents, he couldn't help but ask with concern:
"Prime Minister, it is already past midnight, why are you still not resting?"

Zhuge Liang didn't even look up, his pen never stopping:

"I am entrusted with a heavy responsibility by the nation; how dare I be negligent?"

"Wenwei must have come here on important business."

Fei Yi then remembered the important matter and hurriedly said:
"Just now, during the patrol, we discovered that Guan Ping, Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, and Li Zhi led their 3,000 troops out of the camp and headed towards Nanzheng."

"These kids must have been upset during the day, so they went out to raid at night!"

"Oh."

Zhuge Liang responded calmly, and circled a wrong character on the bamboo scroll with his vermilion brush.

Fei Yi was greatly surprised to see him so calm:
"Is the Prime Minister not surprised?"

Zhuge Liang finally put down his pen and rubbed his throbbing temples:

“During the day, I severely reprimanded Guan Ping and publicly reprimanded these young men.”

"They said they relied on their fathers' achievements and were unaware of the hardships of war."

"Young people are full of vigor, and when provoked by this, they will surely try to prove themselves."

"It was expected that they would raid Nanzheng."

Fei Yi suddenly realized:

"So the Prime Minister was using reverse psychology!"

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly, but then said seriously:
"However, although Lü Yi is incompetent, there are still quite a few soldiers guarding Nanzheng City."

"Just in case, we still need to provide backup."

"Wenwei, go quickly and ask General Zilong to lead three thousand elite troops to provide support."

"I'll go right away."

Fei Yi bowed and was about to leave, but couldn't help turning back, "Prime Minister, you should also get some rest."

Zhuge Liang had already picked up a military report again, but simply waved his hand lightly.

Fei Yi stepped out of the tent, gazed at the starry sky, and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle softly:
"The Prime Minister's military tactics are truly unpredictable."

at the same time,

Ten miles outside Nanzheng City, in the mountains and forests, Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, Guan Yinping, and Li Zhi were lying in ambush under the shadows of the trees.

They observed the movements of the garrison on the city wall from a distance.

Guan Yinping nudged Li Zhi beside her:
"You usually have the most clever ideas, so you can decide what to do tonight."

Li Zhi did not refuse, and looked around at the three men:
"In that case, you all have to follow my orders."

Zhang Bao grinned:
"As long as it brings me merit, why not listen to you!"

Li Zhi first said to Guan Yinping:

"I trouble you, Madam, to lead a cavalry unit to capture a few prisoners."

Guan Yinping accepted the order and immediately mustered fifty light cavalry, who disappeared into the night like ghosts.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she returned with three Wei soldiers who were bound tightly.

After interrogation, it was learned that Lü Yi, the garrison commander of the east gate of Nanzheng, and Cheng Wu, the military advisor, had a disagreement on the city's defenses and were already at odds.

The defenses at the East Gate are weak, and tonight is the night when Lü Yi's troops are changing shifts, which presents an opportunity to exploit.

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Li Zhi's eyes:
"God help me too!"

He then gave the order:

"Guan Xing and Zhang Bao will lead the main attack on the east gate, while Yin Ping will lead the cavalry to provide support outside the city."

"I led the archers to occupy the high ground on the west side, using fire arrows as a signal, while simultaneously firing arrows for cover."

Guan Xing was somewhat puzzled:

"Why divide our forces on the west side? Wouldn't it be better to concentrate our forces and attack the east gate?"

Li Zhi explained:
"The high ground on the west side overlooks the entire city. Archers here can both cover your attack on the city and monitor the movements within the city."

"If things don't go well, I can cover your retreat."

Zhang Bao clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Wonderful!"

"Brother Zhi has indeed inherited Uncle Li's true teachings!"

The plan was finalized, and the four men each led their respective units to their positions.

Li Zhi ascended the high ground on the west side, where he indeed had a wide view, with the entire city of Nanzheng spread out before him.

He ordered the archers to quietly disperse, nock their arrows, and wait for the right moment.

Around four in the morning, the guards on the city wall began to change shifts, and the intervals between patrols became noticeably longer.

Li Zhi seized the opportunity, drew his bow, and launched a rocket that pierced the night sky with a sharp whistling sound.

"kill!"

Upon seeing the signal, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao immediately led their troops out.

Guan Xing took the lead, his Green Dragon Crescent Blade slashing straight at the city gate.

Caught off guard, the defenders were about to fire their arrows when Li Zhi ordered his archers to unleash a volley of ten thousand arrows, pinning the defenders on the city walls down.

Zhang Bao then led his troops to set up ladders and personally climbed the city wall.

He was agile and quickly climbed to the top of the city wall.

The spear danced like the wind, slaying more than ten guards in succession.

"General Guan Xing of Han is here! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

Guan Xing roared and swung his Green Dragon Blade down with all his might, snapping the thick bolt on the door in two.

The city gates were opened wide, and the Han army poured in like a tide.

The city was thrown into chaos, filled with cries and shouts of fighting.

Lü Yi was fast asleep in his mansion when he was shaken awake by his personal guards and was terrified.
"Where did the enemy troops come from? How many are there?"

The guard reported in a trembling voice:

"The east gate has been breached, and the enemy has stormed into the city!"

"Judging from the banners, they are followers of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others!"

"These kids actually dared to..."

Lu Yi was both shocked and furious, and hurriedly put on his armor.

"Quickly! Go and ask General Cheng Wu to lead the troops to resist!"

Meanwhile, Cheng Wu was engaged in a fierce battle at the East Gate.

Although he was at odds with Lü Yi, he still showed the true colors of a veteran general when faced with the sudden attack.

They organized the remaining troops to fight and retreat, attempting to retake the East Gate.

"Don't panic! Form a battle formation!"

Lü Yi also led his troops to the scene. He shouted loudly and thrust his spear repeatedly.

Several Han soldiers fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Guan Xing spurred his horse and charged straight at Lü Yi:
"You treacherous general, cease your arrogance! Guan Xing is here!"

The two fought fiercely, their swords and spears clashing, sparks flying everywhere.

Guan Xing was young and strong, and his swordsmanship was fierce.

Lü Yi was experienced and had a steady marksmanship.

They fought several rounds, but neither side could gain the upper hand.

Zhang Bao attacked from the side and, upon seeing this, shouted:

"Brother Xing, step back. Let me handle him!"

Seeing that another general had joined the fray, Lü Yi knew he was no match for him, so he feigned a thrust of his spear and rode away.

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao were unwilling to let go and pursued them relentlessly.

At this time, Guan Yinping saw that the battle was at a stalemate outside the city, so she led her cavalry into the city to provide reinforcements.

Iron hooves trampled the streets, and spears pointed in all directions, causing the Wei army to collapse in disarray.

"Shoot straight for the Prefect's residence!"

Guan Yinping shouted, and a troop of cavalry plunged straight into the heart of the city like a sharp sword.

Li Zhi, seeing the city ablaze from the high ground, knew the surprise attack had succeeded.

Seeing that the Wei army, though in disarray, had not completely collapsed, he felt a growing unease.

He ordered his deputy to continue commanding the archers, while he himself led a squad of personal guards down the mountain to provide support.

really,

Lü Yi retreated into the city and regrouped about two thousand men, continuing to fight the Han army through the streets and alleys.

He realized that the Han army was small in number and tried to delay the arrival of reinforcements.

"Set it on fire! Burn down these houses and see where they can hide!"

In a fit of rage, Zhang Bao ordered the burning of civilian houses.

Li Zhi arrived just in time and quickly stopped him:

"No! As the Prime Minister often says, a true king's army is one that comforts the people and punishes the guilty."

"If you burn down civilian houses, how are you any different from a bandit?"

Guan Xing also said:

"...Brother Zhi is right."

"We are here to make contributions, not to commit sins."

Zhang Bao reluctantly accepted the order, but the battle thus reached a stalemate.

Lü Yi held his ground in the streets and alleys, making it difficult for the Han army to break through.

Seeing this, Guan Yinping came up with a plan:
"Second Brother, Brother Bao, feign an attack here. I will lead the cavalry to bypass the back street and cut off their retreat!"

Li Zhi added:
"I observe that Lü Yi always leaves himself a way out when he uses troops."

"Yinping can lie in ambush near the North Gate and intercept them when they retreat."

With the plan in place, Guan Yinping led her cavalry to quietly detour and, as expected, set up an ambush in the alley near the North Gate.

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao intensified their offensive, putting pressure on Lü Yi.

As the battle raged until dawn, Lü Yi, seeing that the situation was hopeless, indeed led several dozen of his personal guards to break through to the north gate.

They fought and retreated, and just as they reached the north gate, they heard a sharp shout:
"Where do you think you're going, you thief!"

Guan Yinping, riding a white horse and wielding a silver spear, stood like a god blocking the road.

In the dim light of dawn,
She was dressed in white armor, looking heroic and dashing, which startled Lü Yi.

"Where did this little girl come from, daring to block my way?"

Lü Yi was furious and spurred his horse forward to fight.

Guan Yinping remained calm and unhurried. When Lü Yi's spear tip was about to reach her, she suddenly dodged to the side.

At the same time, she stretched out her jade arm and actually clamped Lü Yi off the horse!
This unique skill of "carrying a spear while holding a person" was personally taught by Guan Yu.

Lu Yi was squeezed so tightly that he could hardly breathe, and the spear in his hand clattered to the ground.

"General!"

The Wei army's personal guards were shocked and were about to rush forward to help when Guan Yinping had already pressed her silver spear against Lü Yi's throat.
"Who dares to step forward?"

Just then, a cloud of dust rose from the north, and a troop of men galloped in.

The general in the lead, dressed in white robes and silver armor, was over seventy years old but still exuded an imposing aura.

It was Zhao Yun who led the support troops to arrive.

Zhao Yun saw a female general capture an enemy general alive; she was dressed in white and armor.

Her figure was that of a woman, yet she possessed a striking and heroic air; one could tell she was Guan Yu's daughter.

Then he laughed loudly:
"Is it Miss Guan San?"

Guan Yinping smiled sweetly when she saw it was Zhao Yun:
"Uncle Zhao, don't you remember me? You taught me marksmanship when I was little!"

Zhao Yun rode closer, examined it carefully, and couldn't help but sigh:

"A girl changes a lot as she grows up. She used to be that little girl who kept asking to learn how to shoot a gun."

"Now women are just as capable as men!"

At this moment, Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, and Li Zhi also arrived with their troops. Upon seeing Zhao Yun coming to meet them, they all dismounted and bowed.

Zhao Yun waved his hand and laughed:

“…No need to be so polite.”

"The Prime Minister anticipated that you would raid the camp, and specially ordered me to come and meet you."

"It seems that this was unnecessary. You fought a brilliant battle!"

The group entered the city together and saw Wei soldiers kneeling on the ground in the streets, and the fire in the city had been brought under control.

Guan Yinping ordered her men to arrest Lü Yi, and said smugly:
"Fortunately, I live up to my fate!"

Zhao Yun surveyed the city and, seeing the Han army's strict discipline and lack of disturbance to the people, couldn't help but nod in approval.

"Our army is swift in its military operations yet remains benevolent and righteous; this is precisely the style of our army."

He immediately ordered the treasury to be sealed off and the spoils of war to be inventoried, while sending a fast horse to report the victory to Zhuge Liang.

By daybreak, the news of the victory had already reached the Han army camp.

Upon hearing the report, Zhuge Liang merely smiled and said to Fei Yi:

"How about it? I told you long ago that these young people need to be tempered."

Fei Yi sincerely praised:

"The Prime Minister's ability to judge people and his skill in using troops are truly beyond our reach."

"but……"

Zhuge Liang then changed the subject, saying, "Do not be arrogant in victory, nor discouraged in defeat."

"They have won this victory, but they still need to be given a timely warning to prevent them from becoming arrogant."

As they were talking, Zhao Yun had already led his troops back.

Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, Guan Yinping, and Li Zhi entered the tent to report back.

Although they hadn't slept all night, everyone was full of energy.

Zhuge Liang looked at them, and his expression suddenly darkened:
Do you know your crime?

The four were stunned for a moment, then hurriedly knelt down.

Zhuge Liang slowly said:

"Those who send out troops without authorization and disobey military orders shall be executed according to the law."

The atmosphere inside the tent instantly froze.

Guan Yinping looked up to argue, but Li Zhi quietly pulled her back.

Upon seeing this, a hint of a smile flashed in Zhuge Liang's eyes, but his voice remained stern:
"However... considering your merit in defeating the enemy and capturing the enemy general alive, your lives will be spared for now."

"Each person will receive ten strokes of the military rod as a warning to others!"

This punishment is obviously unusually lenient.

All four knew that Zhuge Liang had raised the issue high but lowered it gently, and they said in unison:
"Thank you, Prime Minister, for sparing my life!"

After the execution was completed, Zhuge Liang finally smiled:

"...Get up, all of you."

"You fought quite well in this battle."

He looked particularly at Li Zhi, saying, "Zhi'er is cautious in his military tactics, somewhat like your father."

He then said to Guan Yinping:

"The Third Miss captured Lü Yi alive, she is no less than a man, truly a tiger daughter of a military family!"

Finally, he addressed Guan Xing and Zhang Bao:

"You two are exceptionally brave, but remember this."

"A general must possess both wisdom and courage to be considered the best."

The four bowed deeply to receive the instruction.

As we left the tent, the sun had already risen, and golden sunlight bathed the camp.

Guan Ping came forward, his face full of relief despite the lingering pain in his back.
"I heard you achieved a great victory; I am honored by it!"

Guan Yinping smiled and said:
"Brother, you don't know, when I captured Lü Yi in one move, his eyes were wide open like copper bells!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and the sound carried far on the morning breeze.

Zhao Yun looked at the group of young people from afar and sighed to Fei Yi beside him:

"Our great Han Dynasty has worthy successors!"

Fei Yi nodded in agreement, but in his mind he recalled the image of Zhuge Liang reviewing military reports all night long.

He secretly vowed to emulate the Prime Minister and dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the country.

On the city walls of Nanzheng, the banners of the Han army fluttered in the wind.

This battle not only dealt a heavy blow to the Wei army, but also allowed these young generals in the Han army to begin to show their talents.

Behind them stood the prime minister, clad in a feather fan and silk turban.
With his far-sighted vision, he is paving a hopeful path for Qi Han's future.

(End of this chapter)