My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Zhang Bao charged forward on horseback, spear in hand, as if entering an empty field, and began to slaughter his way through the chaotic army.

The spear in his hand was like an angry dragon, flying up and down, thrusting left and right, and wherever it went, the southern barbarian soldiers fell to the ground.

Each assassination attempt was fueled by his burning rage and hatred.

Each swing seemed designed to completely annihilate the enemy before him.

Countless southern barbarian soldiers were stabbed to the ground, their blood staining the earth red.

Zhang Bao was undeniably strong.

However, the reality is extremely cruel.

The barbarian army outnumbered the Han army twice as many times, and they surrounded the Han soldiers like a black ocean.

Moreover, they were in an ambush position, had made thorough preparations beforehand, and were very familiar with the terrain and tactics.

This charge scattered the Han army, making them difficult to resist.

Although the Han soldiers fought bravely, they gradually became overwhelmed by the powerful offensive of the Nanman army.

Their formation was broken, they lost contact and support, and could only fight on their own.

Even a valiant general like Zhang Bao could not reverse this already predetermined situation.

Soon, the Han army found itself in a state of division.

The once tightly connected troops were divided into countless small groups by the Southern Barbarian army, and each group was surrounded by the Southern Barbarian army.

The Han soldiers were separated into different areas and could not support each other, so they could only fight alone.

Although they continued to put up a fierce resistance, casualties were rising and the situation was becoming increasingly critical.

On the hillsides of the southern wilderness, wild grasses grew wildly, and jagged rocks were scattered everywhere.

Meng was clad in animal hide armor, with a scimitar inlaid with animal teeth at his waist. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at the battlefield below the slope, his eyes full of sarcasm and amusement.

The fighting below the slope had already reached a fever pitch. The Han army was divided and surrounded by the Nanman soldiers and the Shu soldiers under Liu Xun's command, and their formation was scattered like broken jade.

Although the Han soldiers were still fighting desperately, their numbers were dwindling and their morale was low. They were being slaughtered by the enemy, with screams and the clash of weapons echoing everywhere.

Blood stained the soil beneath their feet, and severed limbs were scattered everywhere, creating a horrific scene.

Witnessing all this, Meng Quan finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, a rough and grating laugh filled with the arrogance of a conqueror:

"Wei Yan! You're nothing special! I've heard you're brave and skilled in battle, but seeing you today, you're just a brute!"
And that supposedly divine military genius Xiao He, his strategizing and planning were nothing special!

He pointed his scimitar at the Han soldiers fleeing in disarray on the battlefield, his tone growing increasingly contemptuous:

"I really don't know why that good-for-nothing Liu Zhang died at the hands of you people! In my opinion, it's not that you're too strong, but that Liu Zhang was too cowardly. He couldn't even defend his own territory, so he deserved to be swallowed up!"

After laughing enough, Meng Quan turned his gaze to Lü Kai beside him, a look of approval on his face.

Lu Kai, dressed in a blue scholar's robe, had a gentle expression. It was he who offered the plan to lure the enemy, which led the Han army into this ambush.

"Lu Kai, your plan is quite clever, it has the Han army completely outmaneuvered. I admire you."

Upon hearing this, Lü Kai immediately bowed and clasped his hands, his expression humble, not daring to show the slightest arrogance:

"Your Majesty flatters me! This is due to Your Majesty's unparalleled divine might and the unmatched bravery of your soldiers. I have only done my humble part; how dare I claim credit? All credit belongs to Your Majesty!"

These words struck a chord with Meng Quan, and his smugness deepened. He raised his chin slightly, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

Upon seeing this, Liu Xun frowned slightly, a barely perceptible hint of displeasure flashing across his face.

Although he was now under Meng Quan's patronage, seeing his former subject fawning over the southern barbarian generals made him feel humiliated and uncomfortable.

However, at this moment, he was living under someone else's roof, and his own safety was in Meng Quan's hands. Even though he was dissatisfied, he dared not show it in the slightest. He could only suppress his emotions and pretend to look at the battlefield as if nothing was wrong.

Just then, Meng Quan's laughter abruptly stopped, and the smugness on his face was replaced by a hint of surprise.

His gaze was fixed on the center of the battlefield, where a silver figure stood out amidst the chaos of the Han army.

The general was clad in a bright silver armor that reflected a cold luster in the sunlight.

He held a long, gleaming silver spear, its tip flashing with a cold light. When he wielded it, it was like pear blossoms fluttering in the air, an unstoppable force.

The southern barbarian soldiers swarmed forward, but he killed them one by one with his spear, knocking them to the ground one after another. Countless barbarian soldiers died under his spear, and their blood splattered all over his armor, which only made him appear more fierce and unparalleled.

"Who is that person? How could he be so powerful?"

Meng Quan pointed at the silver figure, his tone filled with disbelief, and asked in a deep voice.

Liu Xun looked in the direction he was pointing and immediately recognized the man. He gritted his teeth and said:
"That fellow is Zhang Bao! He is Zhang Fei's son, and he is highly skilled in martial arts. He was the one who seriously injured General Wu Rong, who was under the general's command!"

"Zhang Bao? That's the kid who injured my Wu Rong!"

A fierce glint flashed in Meng Quan's eyes, and he snorted disdainfully:
"He's just a mere brat, yet he dares to be so insolent in front of me! Order Meng Chang to lead his troops forward and kill Zhang Bao!"

"Follow the order!"

The scout beside him loudly accepted the order and immediately turned and ran down the slope to relay the command to General Meng Chang.

At the same time, in order to boost morale, Meng Quan once again loudly issued the order:

"Listen up, all soldiers! Whoever can take Zhang Bao's head will be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and ten beautiful women!"

A reward of a thousand gold pieces was an unimaginable fortune for the soldiers of the Southern Barbarians who lived in poverty in the barren lands year-round.

With such a generous reward, brave men were bound to emerge. The Southern Barbarian soldiers instantly turned red with rage, pounced on Zhang Bao like hungry wolves, completely disregarding their own lives.

Seeing this, Liu Xun's Shu generals dared not lag behind and led their soldiers to rush forward, joining forces with the Nanman troops to besiege Zhang Bao, hoping to seize this great achievement.

Zhang Bao possessed unparalleled martial arts skills, wielding his silver spear with unparalleled skill. He moved with lightning speed, his spear shadows blurring as he relentlessly reaped the lives of the surrounding enemy soldiers.

However, the enemy's numbers were overwhelming, and wave after wave surged forward.

His stamina was gradually depleted in the continuous fighting. His forehead was covered with sweat, his breathing became heavy, and he was gradually becoming exhausted.

Despite this, Zhang Bao showed no sign of backing down.

His soldiers on either side had been gradually killed by the enemy, leaving him alone. The enemy surrounded him more and more, densely packed like ants, completely blocking his way.

The spear moved a little slower, but each strike still took a life. It seemed Zhang Bao was trapped, with no way to escape.

But there was no despair in his eyes; instead, a fierce fire ignited within them, and his fighting spirit grew even stronger.

He laughed wildly, "Hahaha! You ants, come on if you dare! Let me slaughter you to my heart's content! Let's see who has the ability to take my head!"

As the laughter subsided, Zhang Bao suddenly exerted his strength, sweeping his silver spear horizontally. A sharp gust of wind whistled past, sending several barbarian soldiers flying in front of him.

Blood splattered on his face, but he didn't care. Instead, he licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes growing increasingly fierce, like a tiger driven to the brink of despair.

Even if Zhang Bao were incredibly brave and invincible, he could not change the situation of being surrounded by an enemy force several times his size.

The Han army on the battlefield was already in complete disarray and unable to provide support. It seemed that the outcome of this battle was destined to end with Zhang Bao being killed after exhausting his strength.

Down the hillside, Meng Quan watched Zhang Bao's frantic resistance with great interest, a disdainful sneer playing on his lips.

"Zhang Bao, your martial arts are indeed unparalleled, but alas, mere brute force is no match for a thousand troops! You alone cannot change the outcome of the war; today is your death day!"

As soon as the words were spoken, two plumes of dust suddenly swept in from the northern horizon, blotting out the sun and accompanied by earth-shattering battle cries, instantly drowning out all the noise on the battlefield.

Meng Quan's expression changed drastically. He turned his head sharply to look north, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Two massive Han army legions, like two surging torrents, were charging onto the battlefield with overwhelming force.

With bright flags and neat armor, the soldiers were full of vigor, and their shouts shook the valley.

The Han army's reinforcements have arrived!

At this moment, the two leading generals were Guan Xing and Guan Suo.

The two men each led 30,000 troops and rushed to provide support day and night.

When they arrived at the edge of the battlefield, they immediately saw Zhang Bao surrounded by enemy troops, fighting valiantly. They instantly understood the meaning of Xiao He's advice to "act according to circumstances" before leaving:

The plan is for them to suddenly attack while Zhang Bao draws the enemy's main force, catching the enemy off guard!
"Kill! Save Zhang Bao!"

Guan Xing, wielding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, roared loudly and charged into the enemy ranks.

Guan Suo followed closely behind, wielding his spear, and together with Guan Xing, they carved a bloody path towards the core area where Zhang Bao was surrounded.

The Grand Marshal Xiao He, who was stationed in the rear, had already grasped the overall situation.

He knew that Liu Xun's defeat and surrender were already suspicious, and combined with the recent unusual movements of the southern barbarians, he immediately saw through the fact that it was a feigned surrender.

What's even more ingenious is that he accurately predicted Zhang Bao's courageous and eager-to-achieve merit, which would inevitably lead his troops to pursue the enemy who had feigned defeat, ultimately falling into Meng Quan's ambush.

Therefore, before Xiao He left, he ordered Guan Xing and Guan Suo to lead their troops to secretly follow him, not so that they would rush into battle, but rather to lie low and wait for an opportunity.
When Zhang Bao's troops are surrounded and the main force of the barbarian army is tied down, they can suddenly launch an attack, which will not only relieve Zhang Bao's siege but also catch Meng Quan off guard.

From Liu Xun's feigned surrender to Zhang Bao's encirclement, and now to the sudden attack by reinforcements, every step has been precisely controlled by Xiao He without the slightest deviation.

"The Grand Marshal is truly a master of foresight, unfathomable even to the gods!"

Guan Xing and Guan Suo looked at each other, their eyes filled with amazement and admiration.

Without another word, the two shouted simultaneously, urging their warhorses to charge forward like two arrows released from a bow.

The Han soldiers behind them were already poised to attack. Upon seeing this, they immediately followed closely behind, surging forward like a raging torrent, and charged straight into the flank and rear of the barbarian army.

At this moment, the barbarian army was engrossed in the frenzy of besieging and killing Zhang Bao.

Their eyes were bloodshot as they brandished knives, spears, and clubs, their minds completely focused on Zhang Bao in the core area of ​​the siege. They were so engrossed that they were oblivious to the danger that was quietly approaching from behind.

It wasn't until the Han army's iron cavalry broke through the barbarian army's rear defenses that the barbarian soldiers were thrown off their horses, their bones broken, and their screams echoed. Only then did the barbarian soldiers wake up from their daze and discover in horror that countless Han reinforcements had descended upon them as if from the sky.

The barbarian army was inherently undisciplined and relied entirely on its fierce courage to fight. Once it encountered an unfavorable situation, its morale would collapse instantly.

Faced with the Han army's thunderous surprise attack, the barbarian army's formation was thrown into chaos. The soldiers were filled with fear and lost all will to fight. In the blink of an eye, they were slaughtered and fell apart.

The wave of collapse spread rapidly like a plague. The barbarian soldiers were terrified and dropped their weapons on the ground. They scattered and fled like frightened birds, only concerned with saving their own lives. They no longer cared about formations or military orders.

On the hillside, Meng Quan looked down at the battle situation that had been reversed in an instant, his face ashen, his eyes filled with rage and disbelief.

He whirled around, his fierce gaze like a sharp blade shooting towards Lü Kai beside him, and demanded through gritted teeth:

"Lu Kai! What on earth is going on?!"

It was Lü Kai who offered the plan to feign defeat and lure the enemy, hoping to draw the main force of the Han army into an ambush, severely damage the enemy, and achieve a great victory.

But who would have thought that Xiao He, one of Liu Bei's subordinates, would be so cunning? He not only saw through the scheme but also sent two groups of men to pursue them.

The first thread entangled them, but the second thread circled around to the rear, unaware of their presence.

Now, not only have they failed to inflict heavy damage on the Han army, but they have also been caught off guard by the Han army and are now in a desperate situation with enemies on both sides, suffering heavy losses.

How could Meng Quan not be furious at such a disastrous outcome, where he tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead?
"This this……"

Lu Kai trembled at Meng Quan's angry glare, his lips trembling as he stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence, his face filled with panic and helplessness.

He never expected that his plan would be so easily cracked by Xiao He, and that it would bring such a disaster upon him.

Liu Xun, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but turn his resentful gaze to Lü Kai.

If it weren't for Lü Kai's strong encouragement of Meng Quan to carry out this feigned surrender, he wouldn't have sent troops to help. Now, nearly three thousand of his soldiers have been lost on the battlefield, and he has ended up with a crushing defeat. This has caused him great distress.

But it was too late for complaints now. He could only clench his fists, grit his teeth, and watch the chaos below, his heart filled with resentment.

Amidst the chaos and resentment, Wu Rong suddenly spoke.

She was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, her face was cold and stern, and her eyes flashed with resentful anger as she said indignantly:

"Even if Xiao He has seen through the scheme, so what? Although reinforcements have arrived, the outcome is still uncertain! Is Your Majesty simply going to sit here and wait for death, doing nothing?"

Meng Quan was stunned by what he heard. Wu Rong's words were like a slap in the face, waking him from his rage.

Yes, by this point, the arrival of Han reinforcements is a foregone conclusion. There's no point in scolding Lü Kai here anymore. Instead of wasting time venting our anger, we should try to turn the tide and fight to the death!
Thinking of this, a fierce glint flashed in Meng Quan's eyes. He drew his curved sword from his waist, raised it high, and shouted at the generals beside him:
"Gentlemen! The situation is critical. The Han army's reinforcements are coming in force! Who has the courage to follow me and lead the troops to block the Han army's reinforcements?"

He was plotting a last-ditch effort:
If he could fight to the death to hold off Guan Xing and Guan Suo's reinforcements, he would have enough time to completely annihilate Zhang Bao's forces.

At that time, we can concentrate all our forces to turn around and deal with the two Han armies, thus gaining a local advantage. Perhaps there is still hope of turning defeat into victory!

The key issue is that the Han reinforcements are in high spirits, with 60,000 troops as fierce as wolves and tigers, while the morale of our own soldiers is already low. How easy is it to stop this torrent?
The generals present exchanged hesitant glances, none daring to give a prompt answer. (End of Chapter)