The blood-red setting sun filled the sky, once again dyeing this battlefield bathed in crimson.
On one side stood Zhang Liao defending the formation, on the other, Guan Yu charging into it.
In mere moments.
Dust billowed, and a tattered Han army banner appeared in the eyes of countless people.
Under Guan Yu's leadership, the Guan family army, numbering less than a thousand, cut their way out of the encirclement…
These were Guan Yu's most elite personal guards…
The flying "Guan" banner still stood tall, tattered armor, blood-stained robes, galloping steeds. Less than a thousand men, yet Zhang Liao, the pursuing Xu Huang, and every soldier in Cao's camp were struck with terror.
"Wasn't it the Hegemon Xiang Yu who broke through encirclements like this back then?"
Xu Huang sighed with emotion…
On the other side, Zhang Liao remained silent. He stood on the earthen slope, naturally able to see the fleeing enemy cavalry, with that "God of War" at their head!
Especially that long beard, the green robes worn beneath the shattered armor, and… that Green Dragon Crescent Blade, truly… quite eye-catching.
However, at this moment… he seemed to have lost the sharpness of his former "Might Shaking China"!
Downtrodden… Guan Gong!
Having been a general for so many years, Zhang Liao's heart had long been forged like molten iron, making it difficult to experience joy or sorrow…
Yet at this moment, watching Guan Yu flee, a hero's tragedy, Zhang Liao could not help but shed tears.
"Yun Chang, Yun… Yun Chang!"
…
…
The surrender of Mi Fang, Meng Da, and Liu Feng was not the last straw that broke the camel's back, but it… had driven the camel to its death throes.
No reinforcements, no provisions… enemies everywhere!
Retreating to Xichuan, retreating to Yiling… had become an impossible mission.
Mai City…
Fleeing all the way, Guan Yu led his remaining three hundred cavalry into Mai City.
This ancient city, located between the Ju and Zhang rivers, was destined to be renowned for a thousand years because of his name, "Guan Yu Guan Yun Chang."
At this moment… Guan Yu's army was out of provisions and reinforcements…
Staying here would only delay death!
"Breakthrough!"
After a brief rest, Guan Yu, within Mai City, issued an order. The soldiers, already utterly exhausted, seemed to instinctively boost their morale. They all strained to prop themselves up and mount their horses.
"I will lead you back to Yiling!"
"Kill!"
A hoarse but firm voice emanated from Guan Yu… The three hundred riders kicked their horses' flanks, carrying a monstrous ferocity, charging towards the enemy forces surrounding Mai City.
"Shoot!"
Lu Xun's gentle voice…
"Boom boom boom!"
A deafening roar erupted, and a spear-like bolt was fired from a war chariot.
The repeating crossbow chariot, a great weapon requiring three men to operate, its bolts capable of firing hundreds of paces, using a wheel to draw the string, originating from the Mohist school's craftsmanship, sadly, it had been lost…
Fortunately, under Lu Yu's blueprints, the workshop successfully completed its assembly, appearing with immense power, a force no ordinary person could contend with.
Indeed…
Under the charge of the vast cavalry, the arrows were like thunder, shaking heaven and earth. With a "buzz," a streak of black light flashed past Guan Yu, the tearing wind causing him to gasp.
*Thwack…*
A ten-foot-long crossbow bolt pierced the general beside him. The immense impact, along with the terrifying power of the bolt, instantly tore the general apart… Yet, the bolt's speed did not diminish, passing through three or four cavalrymen consecutively before pinning a warhorse to the ground. … This…
Guan Yu frowned.
At this moment, he realized…
The vast gap in military equipment between Shu and Great Wei had become an insurmountable chasm that strength alone could not bridge.
"Gulp…"
Not only Guan Yu, but every rider in the Guan family army unconsciously swallowed.
Then, terror descended.
Bolt after bolt was fired from the war chariots, a vast expanse, black light piercing the strong wind… producing a whistling sound, like the lament of heaven and earth!
The next instant, more soldiers were torn apart, blood spattering the battlefield!
Some were even impaled on the bolts driven into the ground, their pupils filled with the terror of approaching death.
In less than a moment…
Guan Yu had already lost over half his men!
"Retreat!"
"Quick, retreat!"
Guan Yu turned his horse. At this moment…
Even he could feel the aura of death. If they continued to fight like this… all his brothers would be finished!
The more than thirty thousand men brought from Yiling, could they… could they not all… return?
On the other side…
Lu Xun squinted at the gate of Mai City.
Beside him, Zhou Yu slowly approached…
Looking at the retreating figure of Guan Yu's army, he sighed, "Is this Mai City… the final chapter for him, Guan Yun Chang?"
Lu Xun did not answer, but he knew in his heart…
Not a single bird could fly out of Mai City now!
…
…
"Hahaha… Hahahaha!"
On the battlements of Mai City, Guan Yu suddenly… looked at the Wei army's crossbows below the city walls, and he laughed.
A bitter laugh… his voice filled with sorrow.
"Father…" Guan Ping urgently called to Guan Yu, but Guan Yu turned and surveyed every soldier beside him, their eyes still holding lingering fear.
Not just them, Guan Yu too. His face was pale, looking at his still slightly trembling hands, he said hatefully, "When the crossbow bolts whistled past my ears, I, Guan, did not even have the courage to raise my Green Dragon Crescent Blade to block. The armor on the soldiers was also meaningless. It wasn't until brother after brother fell that I came to my senses!"
This…
Zhou Cang, Liao Hua, Guan Ping, Wang Fu… they were all stunned.
It was rarely seen…
No, to be precise, they had never seen General Guan belittle himself and boost the enemy's morale like this.
"General Guan, now… we must find a way to remedy the situation. Out of provisions and reinforcements, defending Mai City… it is also…"
Wang Fu's words were quite cutting.
But Guan Yu's reply was even more cutting.
"It's hopeless! That Cao Yu is countless times more powerful than he was back then, and I, Guan Yu… have been stagnating all these years!"
Guan Yu's eyes were filled with despair, his voice growing increasingly mournful.
At this moment… in this scene, he finally saw everything clearly. When contending with an opponent of Cao Yu's caliber, even the slightest mistake could not be made, because… any mistake would be exploited and amplified by him, like a dike gnawed by termites… often, as soon as one section collapsed, the entire dike would instantly crumble, riddled with holes!
"Father…"
"My Lord…"
No matter who was calling out to Guan Yu, Guan Yu remained silent. He merely gazed at the Wei army outside the city, reminiscing… about the past.
Before the Battle of Guandu… designed by Lu Yu, he, Guan Yu, captured Yan Liang and slew Wen Chou…
It was also in this battle that he, Guan Yu, was enfegeted Marquis of Hanshou, and Lu Yu was enfegeted "Marquis of Baima." The past was like smoke, but today… the Marquis of Hanshou would likely become a stepping stone for the "Marquis of Baima" to advance further!
…
…
Outside Mai City, in the main military tent.
"Commander Lu, Commander Zhou… General Xu Huang and General Zhang Liao's troops have arrived…"
"Two Commanders, General Ma Chao leading the Xiliang Iron Cavalry has arrived and is clamoring to spar with Guan Yu!"
"Two Commanders, the Flying Arrow Battalion is in position, and the civilians within Mai City have been evacuated. Mai City can be burned at any time…"
One report after another entered the main military tent, reaching the ears of Lu Xun and Zhou Yu.
Inside the tent at this moment, Lu Meng, Ling Tong, Gan Ning, Tai Shi Ci, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Xu Sheng stood in order… each general's eyes gleamed.
Clearly, they were all sharpening their blades for the extermination of Guan Yu—eagerly anticipating it!
Back then, flooding Jiangling… had caused such a great shock to the world. Now… this shock could be brought back once again after the elimination of Guan Yu.
Everyone was poised, eagerly awaiting the arrival of such a momentous occasion!
"Two Commanders, give the order!"
Lu Meng cupped his fists…
All of this, ultimately, had to come to an end.
Lu Xun and Zhou Yu exchanged glances. Zhou Yu stepped aside, "Boyan is the Grand Governor of the Navy personally appointed by His Majesty. The order should be given by Boyan!"
"Since that is the case…" Lu Xun was about to issue the final order to attack.
This was not difficult…
Now, Mai City had no soldiers, no provisions. Guan Yu's situation now was truly at its last gasp, not an exaggeration. He was not even as good as Xiang Yu at Wujiang… He had no chance at all.
"All troops, hear my order!"
"Wait a moment!"
At this moment…
A resonant voice echoed from outside the tent.
Everyone started… and turned to look at the entrance of the tent. A burly man appeared before them. Besides Xu Chu, who else could it be?
"General Xu?" Lu Xun asked doubtfully…
Xu Chu, however, first took out a imperial edict from his embrace, "Grand Governor Lu, it would be best to read His Majesty's edict before issuing the military order…"
This…
Lu Xun took the edict.
Xu Chu reminded him, "There are still two of Yun Chang's 'friends' who have not arrived. His Majesty requests Grand Governor Lu to postpone for three days, if possible?"
A general in the field is not bound by the orders of the sovereign…
It was precisely because of this that Xu Chu's tone was extremely humble, entirely in a tone of negotiation.
Lu Xun slowly unfurled the edict. The moment he unfurled it, he saw two names… two names that shocked him.
"They… are all… coming?"
Lu Xun asked urgently.
Xu Chu replied truthfully, "Yes!"
*Hoo…*
With a heavy sigh, Lu Xun finally understood that Guan Yu, the Guan Yu who shook the world, his connections were not all in Shu, but also many in Great Wei!
Lu Xun cupped his fists, "Your humble servant respectfully obeys His Majesty's command. We will attack Mai City after three days!"
…
…
A day later, in the yamen of Mai City, the lamps were brightly lit.
Guan Yu held the "Spring and Autumn Annals" in his hands, his eyes shifting.
This time… the chapter opened in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" was—the debate between Cao and Hui.
"One effort, then decline, then exhaustion… they are exhausted, we are full of vigor, thus we conquer them!"
Guan Yu muttered…
As he read this, the autumn wind brushed against him, and the candlelight in the room flickered. Zhou Cang entered with a pot of wine, "It was difficult to find a pot of wine in Mai City. Under your lordship's rule, wine was not permitted during wartime, but your subordinate still wanted to bring it to you!"
Guan Yu flipped over on the stool. In normal times, he would have smashed the wine jar to signal to the army that wine was forbidden;
But this time… Guan Yu took the wine pot, opened it… and took a large gulp.
Zhou Cang helped Guan Yu drape his disheveled cloak over him, and then solemnly said, "Your subordinate has followed your lordship for several years. The world has changed during this time, the Han dynasty is gone, your lordship and His Majesty raised the slogan 'The Han rebels cannot coexist,' wanting to once again march north to pacify them… but ultimately, the fact that Wei is strong and Shu is weak cannot be changed…"
Speaking of this, Zhou Cang was filled with emotion…
Guan Yu handed him the wine. Zhou Cang also took a large gulp, followed by two long "sighs… sighs!"
Guan Yu opened his mouth and asked, "Yuan Fu, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
This…
Zhou Cang lowered his head slightly, "I left home when I was young. Back then, I always wanted to escape my hometown, escape the control of my parents and relatives, but now, what I want most is still my hometown. If I have any unfulfilled wish, Zhou Cang wants to return to his hometown in Shanxi to see his old mother, to see his elder sister, to see…"
At the end, this dark-faced, bewhiskered man from the west actually shed tears.
And this tear also made Guan Yu empathize.
"My hometown is Xie County in Hedong… I haven't returned for decades…" Guan Yu murmured softly.
With that sentence, Guan Yu patted Zhou Cang's shoulder, "With this pot of wine, let all the brothers have some. Say it's permitted by this Lord of the Household…"
"Yes… Yes…" Zhou Cang's reply was filled with more tremulousness.
*Thud… thud…*
As Zhou Cang left, Guan Yu leaned on the armrest, his eyes filled with reminiscence.
That year, he was still Guan Changsheng from Xie County, Hedong;
That year, he was still in love with a certain girl from Xie County, Hedong;
That year, to save that girl, he, as a bodyguard, cleaved the wicked bully with a single saber…
That year, he was no longer called Guan Changsheng, he changed his name to Guan Yun Chang!
"Guan Changsheng, Guan Changsheng from Xie County, Hedong!"
Guan Yu repeatedly called out this name until dawn…
The faint sunlight shone through the window. This was the second day of Mai City's encirclement. Guan Ping hurried into the main hall, looking at his father's bloodshot eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.
"What?"
Guan Yu asked softly.
Guan Ping gritted his teeth, "Last night, over thirty brothers secretly opened the city gate… they fled, they fled!"
"Your father knows!" Guan Yu stood up, supporting the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, "It's good if they surrender. At least they won't die here, at least they can return home… at least they can see what kind of world that Cao Yu will build!"
"Father…"
Guan Ping didn't know what to say.
Guan Yu waved his hand, his voice hoarse, "Today is the second day. Have someone open the city gate. If anyone wants to surrender to that Cao Yu, have them take off their armor and surrender. There's no need to sacrifice their lives for a defeated general like Guan Yun Chang!"
"Father!" Guan Ping's eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Hahaha…" Guan Yu laughed, "Ping'er, your father is old, but you are still young. If you want to live, your father will only blame himself, never you!"
"Father!" Guan Ping's gaze was resolute, "To protect the court and the country, to be filial and loyal, until my death, I will follow my father's side!"
Another night…
Wang Fu again found a jar of wine from somewhere. He intended to bring it to Guan Yu. But upon entering the main hall of the yamen, he saw Guan Yu, who was still engrossed in the "Spring and Autumn Annals," with many furrows now etched on his cheeks…
"My Lord!"
"You should surrender too!" Guan Yu said first.
"My Lord, I…"
"I know you are loyal to me!" Guan Yu continued, "But a person's life is not just about loyalty, it's also about filial piety. Your parents, wife, and children are all still alive. If you die, what will happen to them? I, Guan Yu, can fail you alone, but how can I fail your family again?"
This…
The reason Wang Fu only came today was because of this internal struggle. Now that it was revealed by Guan Yu, he felt much more at ease.
"Go, surrender… tell the Wei army outside the city that Guan has opened the gates of Mai City. If they want Guan's life, Guan is ready at any time!"
At the end, with a bang… the Green Dragon Crescent Blade was heavily slammed onto the ground, and a crack appeared in the ground…
"My Lord!"
"Go, this Lord will not send you off!"
"Yes… Yes!" Wang Fu cupped his fists and bowed respectfully, then turned and walked out of the city gate with over ten men.
That day…
The scattered Guan family army converged into a column… walking out of Mai City. There were groups of five, groups of ten. In just a few hours, the garrison in Mai City was less than a hundred men.
"Father, there is… there is no more food!" Guan Ping reported!
"Surrender…"
"Everyone surrender!"
Guan Yu did not reply to Guan Ping, but merely murmured softly, as if he had fallen into some kind of trance.
Just then…
"Dad… Dad…"
An impassioned female voice came from behind Guan Yu and Guan Ping. It was precisely this female voice that brought Guan Yu's thoughts back from the clouds.
"But…"
"But…"
Whether it was surprise or shock, for a moment… Guan Yu's words became hesitant.
…
…
bq.
Niu Nai Tang Tang Tang reminds you: Please collect after reading.