Han officials

Chapter 294 The Huai River Flows On [4.6K]

Night fell in the Wei army camp.

"Sun Ce/Zhou Yu pay their respects to General Huo Qubing!"

Inside the command tent, two young men greeted him respectfully, their eyes filled with curiosity.

Just as Cao Cao was about to be besieged and killed, Wei Zhe's territory encompassed six terrifying provinces.

With such a powerful ruler and such a background, it would be strange if Sun Ce and Zhou Yu weren't curious.

That's how young people are; they always admire heroes who started from scratch.

In contrast, the feelings of Huang Gai, Zu Mao, Han Dang, and Cheng Pu behind Sun Ce were much more complicated.

Han Dang, in particular, felt a deep sense of melancholy as he looked at the imposing middle-aged man behind the desk.

It has been a full ten years since Han Dang last saw Wei Zhe.

Many changes have taken place in the world over the past decade, yet this man alone has become a legend.

Whenever he thought of this, Han Dang couldn't help but feel regret.

For himself, and for his former master Sun Jian.

After wasting ten years, they have finally returned to where they started.

However, it's not just Sun Ce and Zhou Yu who are curious; Wei Zhe is also quite curious about them.

Looking up, Wei Zhe noticed that Sun and Zhou really did look a bit like brothers.

The former was heroic and spirited, while the latter was elegant and composed, but both were generally handsome.

Thinking of this, Wei Zhe couldn't help but glance at Sun Quan behind the group and couldn't help but chuckle.

If these three stood together, anyone would probably think that Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were brothers.

Not only are they handsome and dashing, but they also have very compatible auras and their actions are full of tacit understanding.

In comparison, Sun Quan, with his purple beard and blue eyes, seemed like an outsider.

It's no wonder that Sun Quan disliked Zhou Yu after taking control of Eastern Wu; he must have felt somewhat inferior.

However, Wei Zhe was too lazy to concern himself with Sun Jian's family affairs. He glanced at them briefly and then woke everyone up.

"Alas, I never imagined that my parting with Brother Wentai would be our separation by death."

"It's a pity that he was born at the wrong time; otherwise, with Wentai's talent, he would surely have shocked the world and made a name for himself in history!"

Looking at the heroic spirit between Sun Ce's brows, Wei Zhe couldn't help but sigh:

"Bo Fu, do it well, but do not tarnish your father's reputation!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce was inevitably saddened, but he immediately expressed his gratitude respectfully:
"Thank you for your concern, General. I will always keep it in mind!"

Sun Ce didn't know much about what happened back then, only that his father had fought alongside the General of Chariots and Cavalry.

Seeing Wei Zhe's high regard for his father, he felt even more certain that he had come to the right place.

After all, his father had a really bad temper; he had few friends but quite a few enemies.

Yuan Shu, the only person with whom he had any familial ties, was a heartless and ungrateful scoundrel.

At this moment, Sun Ce was even secretly relieved that his father had not made enemies with Wei's General of Chariots and Cavalry back then.

Otherwise, he would probably have no other way out but to flee to Jiangdong and struggle to survive.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Wei Zhe got down to business.

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce immediately replied:
“Governor Zhong will arrive tomorrow afternoon, so he ordered us to go ahead to avoid delaying military operations.”

It must be admitted that talent does exist.

Just as Han Xin was able to become a general and command a large army at the age of twenty-five, so too was Sun Ce.

Despite his young age, his instinctive reactions on the battlefield are no less than those of veteran generals.

He may lack experience in leading a large army, but he is more than qualified to be a vanguard.

After Zhong Hu commanded the troops several times, he even saw the shadows of Zhang Liao and Zhao Yun in him.

So he couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation for talent, and simply transferred three thousand cavalrymen to Sun Ce's command, appointing him as the vanguard officer and giving Sun Ce a great deal of freedom.

Subsequent events proved that Zhong Hu's approach was indeed correct.

A few days later, Sun Ce led his troops to raid Xiaqiu, where he killed Que Xuan in battle, eliminating a threat to the main army.

On the other side, after listening to Sun Ce's report, Wei Zhe immediately nodded slightly.

"In that case, you shall set up camp one mile outside the camp and come with me to battle tomorrow."

After recounting this matter, Wei Zhe specifically mentioned the names of Huang Gai and the other three, offering them a few words of praise.

Each of them was also rewarded with a fine horse from Liaodong, a set of armor, and a hundred-times-forged Han sword.

After all, if they hadn't tenaciously defended Haixi City and held off Cao Cao, this siege might not have gone so smoothly.

Upon hearing Wei Zhe's words, Huang Gai and the other three couldn't help but show their joy and quickly bowed in gratitude.

It should be known that the reputation of Liaodong horses is almost on par with that of the Heavenly Horses of the Western Regions.

The title "Liaodong Xuanjia, unparalleled in the world" is even more dazzling and enchanting.

Now that they suddenly have a fine horse, precious armor, and a precious sword, Huang Gai and the other veteran generals are even happier than if they had obtained a beautiful woman.

Even Sun Ce was somewhat envious, let alone them.

Seeing the envy in Sun Ce's eyes, Wei Zhe couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't worry, you'll get your share."

Not to mention Sun Ce's merit in beheading Que Xuan in battle, he also played a significant role in eliminating the Chen clan of Xiapi.

Sun Ce even deserves credit for Huang Gai and the other three's defense of Haixi.

If he hadn't decisively sent Huang Gai and others to lead troops to garrison Haixi, Cao Cao would probably have captured the city long ago.

Then, to Sun Ce's delight, Wei Zhe laughed heartily and said:

"Someone, bring me my Shadowless Steed."

A moment later, a tall and majestic black horse appeared in front of the tent.

This horse was quite unruly, just snorting to itself.

Sun Ce fell in love with the horse at first sight; it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was love at first sight.

Seeing this, Wei Zhe stroked his beard with considerable pride and said:

"This horse originated from Fuyu and is a famous breed of horse from Liaodong, the Shuaibin. There are only a few of these divine steeds a year."

"Bo Fu, this horse is yours. I hope you can achieve great feats again!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce was overjoyed. He immediately disregarded the occasion and knelt down in the mud to express his gratitude repeatedly.

He couldn't help but touch it, just like a man in later generations would when picking up a car.

Perhaps Jueying also found Sun Ce pleasing to the eye, for he suddenly quieted down as well.

When Sun Ce donned the finely crafted black armor of the Wei army, along with his precious bow and the hundred-times-forged Han sword, he immediately became a sight to behold.

It truly makes one sigh with admiration; what a handsome and valiant young general!

Seeing this, Xun Chen immediately smiled and chimed in:
"Since ancient times, good generals have assisted wise rulers, and fine horses have been matched with heroes. Today, Lieutenant Sun is truly blessed with double happiness!"

Upon hearing this, everyone understood and burst into laughter.

Sun Ce was also overjoyed and showed a hearty smile.

Even though he had only recently joined Wei Zhe's ranks, he felt a strong sense of belonging for some reason.

It was precisely because of this that when Sun Quan casually complained after leaving the camp that Wei Zhe was too biased and clearly didn't take them seriously, Sun Ce immediately flew into a rage.

"Don't mention such things again!" Sun Ce glared at him. "If I hear you gossiping again, I'll break your legs. Even if Mother comes, it won't help."

Even a tiger cub is still a tiger, and Sun Quan was immediately terrified and fell silent when Sun Ce got angry.

Huang Gai and the others didn't take Sun Quan seriously either, and even thought that Sun Ce was still too soft-hearted.

If it were their own descendants, Huang Gai and the others would have already given him a good beating.

Zhou Yu, being kind-hearted, saw Sun Quan hesitate and dared not speak, so he kindly explained:
"It is a common practice in the army not to accept outside troops after the main force has set up camp."

"The General of the Flying Cavalry has never suffered a defeat since joining the army, which is due to his strict discipline and lack of oversight. Even if Bo Fu were to sit in the command tent today, he would not allow outside troops into the camp."

It is well known that many famous generals have suffered during night raids on enemy camps, and some have even been defeated and killed.

Because no matter how elite the troops are, they are most vulnerable at night.

Even in the later era of firearms, this remained unchanged.

If you are careless in this regard, you might ruin your lifelong reputation.

At this point, Zhou Yu even offered words of comfort:
“Zhongmou, I know you are not a bad person at heart, but you should read more military books in the future, so as not to let down your father’s reputation on the battlefield.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Quan's face stiffened, and he remained silent the rest of the way, no longer daring to utter another word. Fortunately, Sun Ce's troops were small, numbering only a little over three thousand, and with the help of the main camp's supply troops, a temporary camp was set up in just half an hour, preventing them from having to endure the elements.

However, Sun Ce had only been asleep for less than an hour when he was suddenly awakened by a fright.

He suddenly opened his eyes, ran barefoot out of the tent, and sure enough, he heard a sharp whistling sound coming from the darkness in the distance.

Sun Ce's expression immediately tightened, and he quickly put on his armor while giving the order:

"Quickly, beat the drums to gather the troops, and follow me out of the camp to attack the enemy."

Sun Ce paused slightly at this point, then quickly added:

"Send someone to inform the main camp that Cao's army has made unusual movements, and my troops are conducting preliminary reconnaissance."

……

The story ends in two places, in the wilderness.

Under the cover of night, Cao Cao's face was ashen.

It is said that Cao Cao's army suffered heavy losses during the day, with nearly half of his 10,000 troops killed or wounded, forcing him to switch to a full defensive posture.

At the time, Cao Cao's army didn't quite understand; it was Cao Cao who was acting unilaterally.

But after nightfall, Cao Cao summoned his trusted generals and revealed his plan in detail.

Cao Cao's idea was actually quite simple: to withstand the fierce attacks during the day and then take the opportunity to escape at night.

Out of caution, he abandoned all his infantry and even left quietly with only five hundred personal cavalry.

As for the remaining remnants of the army, he left them in place as bait, hoping to deceive the Wei army for a longer period of time.

To be honest, he almost succeeded.

He had finally managed to evade the scouts and sentries of the Wei camp, but unexpectedly, another camp suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Cao Cao and his men were discovered by Sun Ce's hidden sentries without their knowledge.

However, since things have come to this point, there's no point in saying more.

Cao Cao took a deep breath and resolutely said, "Very well, let's fight our way out!"

After saying this, he whipped his mount and led Cao Chun, Xiahou Dun, and the others south towards the Huai River.

Meanwhile, the Wei army camp was also alerted.

After being woken up, Wei Zhe, who was lying in bed fully clothed, immediately darkened his expression upon hearing Sun Ce's report:
"Oh no, this guy's trying to escape!"

Without saying a word, Wei Zhe beat the drum to gather his troops, and then led all the cavalry to chase after the bonfires left by Sun Ce. In an instant, the torches formed a long dragon in the wilderness, winding and twisting, stretching into the depths of the night.

……

"Don't let Cao Cao escape!"

Under the summer night sky, shouts could be heard echoing across the wilderness.

The cold moonlight seemed to stand by indifferently, silently observing everything.

Thanks to Sun Ce's timely reaction, Cao Cao's troops were caught off guard by Sun Ce's army before they had gone far.

"kill!"

Sun Ce, riding a black horse and clad in black armor, wielding a long halberd, plunged headlong into the midst of Cao Cao's cavalry.

After a loud shout, Sun Ce excitedly knocked a Cao cavalryman away, and then with a flick to the left and right, he knocked two more Cao cavalrymen off their horses. He was unstoppable.

Seeing Sun Ce getting closer and closer, Xiahou Dun did not hesitate at all.

"Brother, take care!"

After saying this, Xiahou Dun turned his horse around, roared, and led his personal guards to attack Sun Ce.

Seeing this, Cao Cao was so angry he almost ground his teeth to powder, but he still spurred his horse onward with tears in his eyes.

Seeing Xiahou Dun approaching, Sun Ce showed no fear, grinned ferociously, and charged forward.

Soldiers against soldiers, against generals.

Then a loud clang of metal clashing rang out, and Xiahou Dun's spear was lifted slightly higher.

However, with just that slight deviation, the crescent branch on the side of Sun Ce's halberd slashed through his throat.

As the two passed each other, Xiahou Dun's head flew high into the air, blood spurting from his neck and splashing into the night sky, leaving only a headless corpse riding on horseback.

It wasn't that Sun Ce did this intentionally, but rather that he was simply taking advantage of the momentum of the horses and going with the flow.

That's how battles on the battlefield are; life and death can be decided in an instant.

Whether it was the "Shadowless" buff or not, Sun Ce was exceptionally brave tonight.

Just like Lü Bu after acquiring the Red Hare, he truly deserved the title of "Little Conqueror of Jiangdong".

When another scream and cry rang out behind him, Cao Cao felt a pang of pain in his heart.

He knew that Xiahou Chun was likely in grave danger at this moment.

Cao Hong, Cao Ren, and Cao Chun exchanged a glance and then tacitly turned their horses around.

This time, Cao Cao couldn't hold back any longer and immediately said in a trembling voice, "Zilian..."

However, Cao Hong repeated his previous statement, and with a carefree smile, he said:

"The world can do without Hong, but not without Jun."

After saying this, Cao Hong and the other two resolutely led half of their cavalry back to attack Sun Ce and his men.

Since they were fighting in a completely suicidal manner, Sun Ce was unable to escape for the time being.

It wasn't until Huang Gai, Zu Mao, and others caught up that the group managed to defeat Cao Hong and his men.

But until the moment before their heads were separated from their bodies, Cao Hong and the other two were still fighting desperately.

The blood ties of the clan displayed an astonishing fighting spirit at this moment.

It was precisely because of this that Cao Cao was able to escape Sun Ce's pursuit for the time being.

However, affected by this, he unknowingly deviated from his route. As a result, when he arrived at the banks of the Huai River, a group of Wei cavalry were already searching for him along the river for several miles.

Even the wild grass along the riverbank had been set ablaze by the Wei cavalry, forming a bright strip of flame.

It turned out that after chasing for a while, Wei Zhe decisively gave up the pursuit and instead led his men directly to the Huai River.

Although the Huai River stretches for thousands of miles, the area that Cao Cao could reach at that moment was limited.

As expected, Cao Cao couldn't help but smile bitterly upon seeing this scene.

He currently has only a dozen or so riders with him, making it impossible for them to break through this defensive line.

As he watched the first light of dawn appear on the horizon and recalled the battles fought by Xiahou Dun, Cao Hong, and others, Cao Cao's heart suddenly calmed down.

A moment later, Cao Cao on horseback suddenly drew his long sword, smiled knowingly, and said:

"My lads, do you dare to fight me again?"

"Why don't you dare?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's personal cavalryman immediately burst into a hearty laugh:

"Where my lord points, I will follow him to the death!"

It should be noted that they were not only Cao Cao's personal cavalry, but also the Cao family's household troops.

Many of them even grew up with Cao Cao and had long since entrusted their lives to him.

Seeing that Cao Cao was determined to fight to the death, the group stopped wasting words.

After a roar, the group charged towards the Wei army on the banks of the Huai River.

When Wei Zhe heard the commotion and rode his horse to the scene, he saw Cao Cao, his armor tattered and covered in blood, leaning against a horse carcass, panting heavily, his face filthy, no longer displaying his former heroic demeanor.

Around him lay the bodies of his personal guards, all of them mutilated.

Clearly, these warriors kept their promise until their very death.

Upon seeing Wei Zhe appear, Cao Cao, who was sitting on the corpse, suddenly felt a surge of strength.

He struggled to his feet, leaning on his Han sword, then looked directly into Wei Zhe's eyes and laughed freely:
"Though I, Cao Mengde, am dead, I am still a man of the Han dynasty!"

After saying that, he did not hesitate to swing his sword and commit suicide, his clean and decisive action seemingly proving the bloodthirstiness of the Han people within him.

It seems he spent his entire life trying to shake off the label of "descendant of a eunuch"!
Seeing this scene, Wei Zhe suddenly felt a sense of emptiness in his heart for some reason.

Perhaps it was because they saw the downfall of a powerful figure and felt a sense of loss for their own kind.

However, he quickly regained his senses and sighed softly:

"Bury him on the spot, and inscribe on the tombstone...Tomb of the General Who Conquered the West of the Han Dynasty!"

At this moment, the morning sun finally broke free of its shackles and slowly rose from the horizon.

Bathed in the morning sunlight, Wei Zhe felt an overwhelming sense of peace...

(End of this chapter)