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

Chapter 304 Hmph! Qu Yi? I'll make sure you don't leave alive!

On the banks of the Yi River, the Wei army stood in formation.

Yuan Shao, clad in golden helmet and armor, stood at the front of the battle.

The generals Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and Gao Lan were arranged on the left and right.

Shao said:

“Zan merely seized a border region, yet he dared to covet the imperial artifacts and declare himself king.”

Although the Han dynasty was short-lived, it had not committed any moral transgressions, and even when the emperor faced hardship, he still harbored the desire to revive the Han.

To revive the Han dynasty and punish this traitor, I hereby petition Heaven above and Earth below to grant me the title of King of Wei, so as to restore order to the state!
Where are the soldiers?

The generals replied, "Here we are!"

"Follow me to raise righteous troops to punish the traitors and establish the Great Wei to support the Han!"

"All troops, heed my command! Today we will breach the city and destroy the kingdom, leaving not a blade of grass in Yan, and annihilate the entire clan of the traitor Zan!"

As he issued his orders, his generals Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Zhang He, Gao Lan, and others charged out from behind him, leading a large army to attack Yijing.

The Yan army was originally on high alert and defending the city of Yijing, but the Wei army launched a fierce attack. A general named Qu Yi led an elite force known as the "First Assault Death Squad," who were most skilled at being the first to scale the walls and break through enemy lines.

At that moment, the vanguard soldiers charged forward, overtaking the crowd, and in a single charge, they reached the top of the city wall.

Qu Yi personally beheaded a junior general of the Yan army and displayed his power on the city wall, which greatly boosted the morale of the Wei army!

Yan Tong was originally commanding his soldiers to form ranks and wait for the enemy, but he was surprised to see Qu Yi showing off his martial prowess. He recognized him as the enemy general who had defeated Bai Ma at the border bridge.

When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred. Yan Tong no longer cared about anything related to city defense, let alone the methods of defending the city.

He shouted orders, "Soldiers, heed my command!"

"Arrows are aimed at the man standing atop the city wall, clad in silver helmet and red tassels. Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!"

Qu Yi climbed to the top of the city wall and beheaded a junior officer. Just as he was boasting of his martial prowess and directing the vanguard to charge,

Upon hearing the phrase "arrows shot through silver helmets and red tassels," he touched the silver helmet and red tassel on his head and immediately threw it away.

Before he knew it, a hail of arrows was raining down on him.

Terrified, he scrambled up the city wall, grabbed the ladder he had used to climb up, and hung on the wall to avoid the enemy's attacks.

Before long, after the rain of arrows, Qu Yi was hit by several arrows, but fortunately he dodged quickly and was spared from being fatally wounded.

Before they could even treat their injuries, they heard the death knell from the city walls again.

"All troops, listen to my command! Fire a volley at the man hanging on the city wall who has no helmet on his head!"

Qu Yi: "."

"Fire arrows! Fire arrows!! Fire arrows!!!"

Qu Yi was horrified and dared not fight any longer. He quickly rolled down the siege ladder and urgently ordered his personal guards, "Retreat! Quickly escort me back to camp!"

He then fled in panic.

Qu Yi: "QAQ?"

Don't play like this!

Are you still going to defend the city or not?
Thousands upon thousands of people are besieging the city!

Why are you only hitting me?
What kind of general defends a city, and while others climb the ladders and fight on the city walls, does he only aim all the arrows at me?
Generally speaking, if you encounter a general like me who has taken the lead in climbing the city wall, shouldn't you order your soldiers to continue shooting arrows to defend the city, and personally take up your spear and come forward to fight me one-on-one, or at the very least bring your troops to surround and beat me up, so as to drive me off the city wall?

With your shooting skills, not to mention me, Qu Yi, even Lü Bu would have to flee in panic.

However, Qu Yi had misunderstood Yan Tong. In his understanding, the conventional method of defending a city was because the generals who were defending the city genuinely wanted to defend it.

Yan Tong, however, is different.

He could say he had absolutely no psychological burden about defending the city!
For him, since General Gongsun had already fled to Beiping and was ready to continue fleeing to the sea at any time, it was no longer important whether the city could be defended or not.

But we must avenge the grudge between us over the white horse!
At this moment, seeing Qu Yi carrying several arrows, he fled in panic, looking as if he was severely wounded and unable to fight anymore, and was carried back to the rear by the Wei army.

Yan Tong's eyes were filled with regret. He shook his head, knowing that the city could no longer be defended, and was about to summon the white horse.
and many more!

To his utter surprise, when he looked back, he saw that his soldiers were in high spirits and had driven all the enemy troops off the city walls.

Yan Tong: "???"

When we had arrow support, you all looked like you couldn't hold out. But now that I've redirected all the arrows to shoot Qu Yi and there's no more crossbow support, you've managed to hold out.
It turns out that Qu Yi's "Vanguard Death Squad" emphasized a spirit of bravery, fearlessness, and a willingness to die in one fell swoop.

This courage was evident in the story of Qu Yi leading his infantry to meet the enemy at Baima on the Jieqiao Bridge years ago. He stood before the enemy and was the most valiant warrior in the vanguard camp.

At that time, he was not a direct subordinate of Yuan Shao, but a surrendered official who betrayed his lord Han Fu and joined Yuan Shao. He also had no significant military achievements or accomplishments.

He could hardly hold his head up in front of Yuan Shao's trusted generals like Yan Liang and Wen Chou, and was not given important positions.

In the Battle of Jieqiao, he was determined to make a name for himself, to gain Yuan Shao's favor, and to make those who had looked down on him unable to hold their heads high in front of him.

It was with this death-defying spirit of either succeeding or dying for one's cause that he trained a daring army, just like himself, willing to risk their lives for fame and fortune. He named them the "Vanguard Death Squad"!
It was this unwavering will to die that enabled his infantry to withstand the cavalry's charge without retreating or flinching.

Like a sturdy rock standing on the boundary bridge, it repeatedly withstood the desperate charges of the White Horse Cavalry, who had roamed the north undefeated, and finally broke the last backbone of General Gongsun Zan of the White Horse Cavalry.

But now, it is still a clash between the white horse and the vanguard, yet it is said that the hearts of old friends are fickle.

With no worries about the rear or the defense of the city, Yan Tong was filled with murderous intent and aimed directly at Qu Yi's life.

And what about Qu Yi?

He is no longer the unknown, treacherous minister who surrendered to his lord.

Rather, he was a world-renowned general who became famous after the Battle of Jieqiao!
The reason why the King of Wei was able to dominate the north was all thanks to my contributions!

Without my efforts, how could the King of Wei have achieved what he has today?

He was a peerless general, so righteous that even the King of Wei treated him with the utmost respect.

Even Yan Liang and Wen Chou must lower their heads when they see me!
Having achieved success and fame, it's no longer an age to risk one's life for wealth and status.

At this point, he no longer had any will to die.
Therefore, when Qu Yi saw Yan Tong with red eyes, commanding the three armies to fire a volley of arrows just to take his life, his first reaction was to flee in panic.

I, the dignified "Great General of Wei", am enjoying wealth and honor as my lord becomes king. How can I die here?
If the commander-in-chief has lost his courage, how dare the vanguard call themselves warriors who will die for their cause?

When they saw their commander Qu Yi fleeing in disarray, the morale of the "vanguard warriors," who were already fighting with all their might, immediately collapsed, and many of them followed Qu Yi in their escape.

As "vanguard suicide squads," they were among the first to charge into the Wei army.

For some unknown reason, after charging onto the city wall, the most elite and fearless "vanguard warriors" among the troops, contrary to their usual behavior, began to descend the ladder one after another in an attempt to escape.

The troops behind, unaware of the situation, assumed that the enemy was too strong and that even the "first-to-fly suicide squad" was no match for them, so how could they dare to go up again?
As a result, the Wei army's offensive gradually weakened, while the Yan army's morale soared. Thus, the offensive and defensive positions shifted, leading to the strange phenomenon that Yan Tong looked back and found that his own side had miraculously held its ground.

On the city wall, Yan Tong watched as the Wei army's offensive gradually weakened and his own defenses became solid. He frowned and pondered for a moment, as if he had figured something out!
Yan Tong: "!!!"

With this excellent strategy in mind, and relying on the fortification of Yijing, what does Tong have to fear from Shao's 300,000-strong army?
He was even considering writing to Beiping, saying to Gongsun Zan:

Your Majesty, why don't you come back?

Yuan Shao is nothing to fear; Tong alone can hold him off!

Thinking this, he looked down at the city walls, searching as if looking for his next prey.

At the foot of Yijing City.

Qu Yi's vanguard battalion has always been the first to charge into the Wei army, a suicide squad.

Therefore, Yan Liang was leading the second wave of attacking troops behind him, waiting for Qu Yi to open up the situation on the city wall so that he could lead his troops to press forward and seize the greatest credit and victory.

To reap the greatest benefits without taking the greatest risks—that's the treatment one receives as a confidant of the King of Wei. Qu Yi, a mere surrendered official, has achieved some merit and dares to be arrogant, believing himself to be on par with me.

The most ridiculous thing is that he thought that the King of Wei trusted him and valued him highly because he always entrusted him with the most difficult and dangerous vanguard missions, and that no one else could do it.

As Yan Liang chuckled inwardly, he kept his army at his command, waiting for the perfect opportunity to take the stage, just like always.

However, this time, something seems different?
Why did the Vanguard Army retreat?
Why is our offensive getting weaker and weaker?

"not good!
Qu Yiru, you are such a mediocre person, you have no right to call yourself a great man.

First to charge, the suicide squad!

How could a warrior who is about to die not die before the battle, but instead flee in panic?
"This will demoralize our troops and jeopardize the King of Wei's great cause!"

Fortunately, Yan Liang was the foremost of the Four Pillars of Hebei, and he was proud of his martial arts skills, declaring them unparalleled in the world. He only regretted not having the opportunity to fight against the world's most famous generals.

Otherwise, how could Guan Yu, who could kill Hua Xiong while the wine was still warm, or Ji Ling, who could defeat Guan Yu in three rounds, be a match for him in a single round?
Upon seeing Qu Yi's defeat and the weakened state of the Wei army, Yan Liang immediately led his troops forward, shouting as he prepared to retake the city walls.

"Yan Liang of Hejian is here!"
"Gentlemen, calm down! Follow me to scale the city walls and fight the enemy!"

As he spoke, he hastily ordered his personal guards to raise the banner with the character "Yan" high, ready to unite the three armies and charge up the city wall.

The morale of the Wei army, which had been waning due to Qu Yi's defeat and escape, was immediately boosted upon seeing General Yan Liang lead the charge, and they were ready to follow him to fight the enemy.

However, Yan Liang's act of announcing his name and raising his banner not only caught the attention of the surrounding Wei soldiers, but also Yan Tong, who was searching for a target on the city wall, thus locking onto him.

As he deliberately slowed down the Yan army's defensive posture, Yan Liang immediately felt that he was the one to replace Qu Yi. Sure enough, the Wei army was invincible and soon attacked the city.

However, just as he was halfway up the ladder, he suddenly heard a messenger from within the enemy ranks shouting in unison:
"The general has ordered that anyone in this embroidered robe and golden armor be shot!"
Fire arrows! Fire arrows! Fire arrows!

Yan Liang: "???"

He touched his embroidered robe, looked at the golden armor on his body, and in his incredulous gaze, countless arrows were reflected in his pupils.

The Yan army once again allowed the rest of the troops to attack the city, while a hail of arrows locked onto him alone.

Yan Liang only had time to curse once before he jumped down from the ladder halfway down, ignoring his injured foot, and was carried back by his personal guards, limping along.

Seeing this, Yan Tong once again commanded the Yan army to drive the Wei soldiers who had rushed up the city wall during the earlier lull in the arrows down one by one.

The Wei army was shocked to see that General Yan Liang had also been defeated and fled, and their will to fight was completely lost. They became more and more exhausted as the battle progressed.

When the news reached Wen Chou, the leader of the third wave of attacking troops, Wen Chou was so angry that he slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

"Who goes there? How dare you hurt my brother Yan Liang!"

He immediately ordered his troops to charge!
Wen Chou: "I am Wen Chou, the general of Hebei!"
Who dares to fight me to the death?

Yan Tong: "Fire arrows! Fire arrows! Fire arrows!!!"

Thus, Wen Chou, protected by a group of shield soldiers, was carried back to the rear while cursing and swearing.

The Wei army suffered repeated setbacks in its attack on the city today, and thus sounded the retreat.

Yuan Shao's main camp.

King Wei stared coldly at his generals, who lowered their heads and dared not look up, remaining completely silent.

Even the mighty King of Wei, without uttering a word, had no choice but to respond to his generals.

Having just treated his injuries, Qu Yi feigned a pale face and bowed to apologize.

"I underestimated the enemy and was careless, which resulted in me being seriously injured and forced to retreat due to defeat."

Please punish him, Your Majesty.

Yuan Shao originally intended to punish him for withdrawing his troops without permission, which affected the morale of the army. However, seeing that he was seriously injured, he had no choice but to suppress his anger and act as if he were kind and caring.

"Qu Qing braved arrows and stones, but was wounded by a stray arrow, which led to this defeat."

This is the will of Heaven; what crime have I committed?
The most urgent task is to focus on recovery.

There was nothing he could do. His men were already fighting hard and seriously injured on the front lines. He wouldn't even let them retreat. Did Yuan Shao expect him to force his men to die in battle?

If that were the case, it would likely alienate the generals.

Seeing that Qu Yi had escaped unscathed, Yan Liang, who hadn't been seriously injured in the fall, hurriedly limped forward and apologized, saying:
"General Qu's withdrawal has led to the collapse of morale among the troops. I fought valiantly but could not stop the retreat, which has disappointed Your Majesty."

Seeing his limping gait and his attempt to shift the blame to Qu Yi, Yuan Shao was both annoyed and amused.

Well, what can I do when this is my trusted and beloved general?

"In the midst of defeat, we strive to turn the tide."

You have done your best, so what crime have you committed?

Seeing that Yan Liang had also escaped, Wen Chou originally wanted to pretend to be seriously injured.

Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, his own side had also gained experience and quickly raised their shields to protect him, so he didn't suffer any serious injuries.

Who would have thought that there would be this hurdle to overcome?
Meeting Yuan Shao's gaze, Wen Chou cupped his hands, hesitated for a long time, and finally said:

"Your Majesty, the Yan army is shameless. We were careless and caught off guard."

"Allow me to atone for my crimes with meritorious service; I will surely conquer this city tomorrow!"

This is also a trusted confidant!
Yuan Shao sighed and waved his hand to signal him to step back, but someone had to take responsibility for today's defeat.

He then looked coldly at Zhang He and Gao Lan.

"All the generals are fighting to the death on the front lines, why don't you two go forward?"

Zhang He and Gao Lan: "."

Isn't it because the recent offensive has been progressing smoothly, and they've all been lining up to claim credit, so before it's even our turn, they've already withdrawn?
The two exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves, "Oh no!", and then bowed and stepped forward.

"This humble general admits his guilt!"

Yuan Shao nodded in satisfaction and did not make things too difficult for him, only saying:
"He will be fined six months' salary as a record of this offense."

Immediately, he sought advice from the wise men in the group, saying:

"Gentlemen, do you have any good strategies for dealing with the Yan army's tactics today?"

Ju Shou stroked his beard and smiled, "My lord, do not worry."

Our army is now strong and bullies the weak, so why should we be in a hurry?
Since they are targeting my general, then we should not send our general to lead the charge.

Next, simply order the soldiers to attack the city day and night; Yijing will fall sooner or later.

Guo Tu sneered, "These are the words of an old-fashioned conservative!"

Sooner or later?
Now, with an army of 300,000 marching north, the daily consumption of food and fodder is enormous!
"If no great general leads the troops to attack the city and break through the defenses, and only soldiers are sent to scale the walls and wear down the enemy, how many days will it take to siege it?"

Then he offered a suggestion to Yuan Shao:
"Now, the reason why the Yan army can identify our general is!"
He said: Silver helmet with red tassel!

He said: Embroidered robes and golden armor!

Tomorrow, all we need to do is order a junior officer to wear an embroidered robe and golden armor, a silver helmet with a red tassel, and call himself Wen Chou, to pretend to be a general and attract the Yan army's arrows.

The real General Wen Chou was to be dressed as an ordinary soldier and blend into the besieging army.

They waited until the enemy's arrows were all aimed at the fake General Wen Chou, and they stopped defending the city.

The real General Wen Chou will secretly lead his troops to storm the city walls, which will surely turn the tide and allow them to capture the city in one battle!

The king said, "Excellent!"

(End of this chapter)