Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 159 On the day the city falls, present this letter of surrender and you may collect your pay from Yuan's camp.
When Sun Qingxiao gathered thousands of people to fight the generals, Yuan Shu was taken aback.

There's no other reason than that, when it comes to fighting among generals, Yuan Ying, under his leadership and with the exemplary role set by General Ji Ling, had already shown enough lack of morality.

Like the two young men, Chen Dao and Xu Sheng, who bullied General Dian from a superior position.

Subsequent military reports such as "Dian Wei was defeated and fled" were no longer surprising to anyone.

Even with ten thousand men fighting like this, Yuan Shu had to admit that he still had much to learn and improve upon Sun Qing's shamelessness.

Yuan Shu was astonished to see Zhao Zilong charge in and out of the enemy army seven times. Although he knew that Zhao Zilong could move freely at Changban Slope in Dangyang and regarded Cao Cao's 830,000-strong army as nothing, he was still amazed.

But when it was actually in front of him, he couldn't help but worry that he might make a mistake, so he immediately gave the order.

"Yun'er, don't worry, your father will help you!"

With all three armies mobilized, Sun Qing will be annihilated today!

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Jun pressed forward. The Black Mountain bandits, already terrified by Zhao Yun's bravery, dared not resist and fled into the city in panic.

At this moment, Sun Qing no longer cared about beheading Zhao Yun to gain merit. He ordered his personal guards to drive the soldiers away and clear the way, and his only thought was to retreat into the city.

However, while he was trying to escape, someone had already set their sights on his head.

With the help of Yuan Shu's large army, Zhao Yun hurriedly spurred his Jade Lion Horse over the crowd, where a gleaming silver spear came into view.

His personal guards tried to block him, but they died one after another. Sun Qing raised his sword to meet the attack. The dazzling spear shadow reflected in his pupils, like a hundred birds paying homage to a phoenix, became the last glimmer in his eyes.

Sun Qing was pierced through the chest three times by the spear tip, and his body fell to the ground.

As Zhao Yun beheaded Sun Qing and displayed his head to the public, the already defeated Black Mountain bandits were thrown into further chaos by Yuan's army's offensive.

Fortunately, Yang Gong stepped forward with great righteousness. He remained calm and composed, leading his six or seven hundred elite troops to defend the city and resist the first wave of Yuan's army's attack.

On the other hand, the Black Mountain bandits who had retreated to the city were also mobilized to defend various locations. In addition, manpower was organized to guide more and more Black Mountain bandits back to the city while blocking Yuan's army from taking advantage of the situation to attack.

It can be said that Yang Feng played a pivotal role at this time, calmly and composedly stabilizing the morale of the people in Heishan after Sun Qing's death.

In fact, Yang Feng was also in a dilemma at this moment. His original intention was just to send Sun Qing away, and then he could use the troops and cities left behind by Sun Qing as capital to surrender and exchange them for a seat in the Golden Terrace.

Little did they know that Sun Qing not only delivered it himself, but also brought his troops to deliver it as well.
Leading 10,000 men, you were slaughtered seven times by a single enemy. Sun Qing, with this record, are you even human?

If the city falls and I am captured today, how will Lord Yuan know my loyalty and righteousness when I surrender as a prisoner? Wouldn't my dream of building the Golden Terrace be ruined?
Yang Feng was truly desperate, fighting with all his might to defend the city like never before. Anyone who didn't know better would really think he was a loyal and devoted minister to the emperor, the Duke Yang of the court!

For example, Xu Huang!

Seeing that Sun Qing had made a mistake and that Yang Feng had even led his men in a desperate resistance, how could Huang not be moved?
"Desperate and trapped, Sun's light troops have collapsed. Yang Gong is still willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. General Cao, why should we hesitate to fight to the death?"

Cao Chun watched as Yang Feng fought fiercely on the city wall, and the banner bearing the character "Yang" remained standing, and he deeply agreed.

"Gongming is absolutely right. We should take Yang Gong as our role model. Wherever Yang Gong's sword points, we will not hesitate to die ten thousand times."

Immediately, ten thousand elite Cao troops charged out, using a pincer movement to attack Yuan's army from behind.

After a fierce battle, Yuan Shu, seeing that he had already won a great victory and mindful of the losses suffered by his soldiers, did not order another attack but instead sounded the retreat.

After returning to camp, Zhao Yun, covered in blood, knelt down on one knee before Yuan Shu and presented Sun Qing's head.

"With Godfather above, I have fortunately fulfilled my mission!" Upon seeing this, Yuan Shu's eyes darkened slightly, then he sighed deeply, angrily throwing Sun Qing's head to the ground and rebuking him:
"For this mere bandit leader, I almost lost my beloved son!"

"Yun'er, never take such a risk again. If you see the enemy's overwhelming force, turn your horse around immediately. Your father has a large army to deal with them and will never let such people who bully you get away with it."

Upon hearing this, how could Zhao Yun remain unmoved?

"I am willing to be your godfather, even if it means going through fire and water!"

After this battle, Zhao Yun left. Although his adoptive father had treated him with great kindness, he still carried the heavy responsibility entrusted to him by General Gongsun. He was to go to Shouchun to requisition large ships.

After Zhao Yun left, another person arrived. It was General Yue Wenqian, who was personally escorted from Yingchuan by Xiahou Ba!

He was much tougher than Xiahou Dun. Xiahou Dun at least knew how to endure humiliation and plan for the future, but he had an unyielding and indomitable spirit. When he saw Yuan Shu, he angrily rebuked him:

"Traitor to the nation!"
Even if you deceive heaven and earth and can fool the world, there is absolutely no way you can make me surrender and serve you.

I advise you to give up on this idea as soon as possible. Do with me as you please, but don't try to tarnish my reputation any further.

However, Yuan Shu not only did not get angry, but instead smiled and said to him:
"General Pingdong, what are you saying? Haven't you already surrendered?"

Men, raise the banner of General Pingdong and shoot these "handwritten letters" from General Yue into the city.

"Wherever General Pingdong goes, who will not surrender? The war against Liang should now come to an end."

"Traitor to the nation! You!!!"

However, before he could utter another curse, he was already taken away. Xiahou Ba led his personal guards to "protect" him. The mighty General Pingdong, relying on his position, escorted Yue Jin to make a brief appearance in front of Cao Cao's army.

When the banner bearing the character "乐" (meaning "joy") of General Pingdong fluttered in the wind, and when letters from Yue Jin, detailing the magnificence of the Golden Terrace and the generous treatment of surrendered people by Lord Yuan, appeared, they spoke volumes.

In particular, the letter also contained the following: "On the day the city falls, whoever possesses this letter will be spared death and will receive pay from Yuan's camp."

Now that's great. Soldiers get paid, let alone the Black Mountain bandits? They're just waiting for the city to fall so they can escape death and run off to Yuan's camp to collect their pay. Who would want to defend the city with that mentality?
When the city was gripped by panic, Yang Feng knew that the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

With Mao Jie's precedent and Yue Jin's example, Yang Feng's last trace of doubt vanished.

That night, he summoned a group of Black Mountain bandit leaders who were in a state of panic because of Sun Qing's death to discuss important matters.

Yang Feng, with a righteous and awe-inspiring air, addressed the crowd:
"Yuan Ying's letters are malicious. I have strictly ordered all troops to hand them over. I don't know why it is already evening and you have only handed over a few dozen letters to me now?"

After all the previous incidents, there was no doubt about Yang Feng's loyalty to the imperial court. The group of Black Mountain leaders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with cunning.

“If soldiers hoard their own goods, forcing them could lead to a mutiny.”

Yang Feng sneered, his eyes icy. "Is it the soldiers who are hoarding it, or are you the ones who are hoarding it!"

What does Master Yang mean?

"Master Yang, things have come to this point. It wouldn't be good for anyone if we just went all out."

"Lord Yang, you are loyal to the Emperor and are willing to fight to the death for the court. Why drag us into this?"

Yang Feng: "."

(End of this chapter)