Chapter 65: The First Battle (Third Update, Seeking Three Rivers!)

  Although Liu Bian didn't dare to fully trust anyone now, and although he knew that Yang Xiu was a arrogant and boastful person, when facing this young man who was similar in age to himself, he still felt closer to him than people like Jia Xian.

  The man from Western Liang gave him a sense of danger.

  "With the support of the Hongnong Yang family, it can be seen that people's hearts are thinking of Han." Liu Bian said half-truly and half-falsely: "My heart is at peace."

  "Can Your Majesty be at peace?" Yang Su said without hesitation, "Half of the rivers and mountains have changed hands, the great Han dynasty is on the verge of collapse, the foundation of 400 years has been destroyed overnight. How can Your Majesty be at peace?"

  Liu's face was slightly embarrassed, thinking that this kid was indeed a big mouth, speaking without leaving any room for tact. However, he had long been mentally prepared and didn't lose his composure. He smiled: "The High Ancestor Emperor rose to power from a humble position, using a three-foot sword to conquer the world; Emperor Guangwu revived the Han dynasty as a common farmer. What do I have to fear from a mere collapse of tiles and pottery? The way of heaven is cyclical, and accumulated evil is hard to eradicate - it's just a matter of making up one's mind to thoroughly sweep it clean."

  Yang Xiu was stunned, looking at Liu Bian in astonishment. Is this the supposedly weak and incompetent emperor of legend? This aura, this confidence, how could a weak and incompetent youth possibly possess it?

  "Your Majesty......" Yang Xiu wanted to speak but stopped, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "......good temper."

  "It's not that I'm arrogant." Liu Xie sighed and said helplessly, "Who doesn't want to be a peaceful emperor? Alas, my luck is bad, so I can only encourage myself with the examples of Emperor Wu of Han and Guangwu Emperor."

  Yang Xiu couldn't help but burst out laughing with a "pfft" sound.

  ……

  "How?" Yang Biao stared at Yang Xiu's eyes, somewhat tense.

  "With the grandeur of Gaozu and the tolerance of Emperor Wen." Yang Xiu said word by word: "Although his learning is a bit rough, he is a master of a chaotic world."

  Yang Biao let out a sigh of relief and turned to his wife, Madame Yuan: "Madam, I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"

  Yuan smiled but did not speak, his eyes ridiculing.

  ……

  Kawachi, Kohei Tsu.

  The Western Liang elite cavalry kicked up a cloud of dust and smoke, charging forward with a loud roar, cutting into the battle formation of the Hebei army.

  King Wang's eyes were wide with rage, his voice loud and stern as he directed the army to change formation. Unfortunately, his soldiers had been marching for a long time and were exhausted, their minds preoccupied with rest. At this moment, they were suddenly attacked by the Western Liang's elite cavalry, and in their panic and confusion, they no longer had the courage to form up and counterattack.

  "Report to the commander-in-chief at once and ask for reinforcements!" Wang Kuang shouted loudly as he drew his sword, cutting down two retreating soldiers with one stroke. "Those who retreat will be killed! The troops of Mount Tai, advance and shoot these Western Liang barbarians dead!"

  The horn sounded, and the 500 Taishan strong bowmen began to shoot in unison. A dense rain of arrows leapt out of the battle array and rushed towards Dong Zhuo's central army, which was charging forward. Several knights fell off their horses, and the charging formation was hindered.

  "Kill! Kill them all!" Dong Zhuo roared with a ferocious and sinister tone, his facial muscles twitching. Li Ru, standing beside him, watched with a sigh, but didn't know how to persuade Dong Zhuo.

  Dong Zhuo is in a bad mood.

  He became Taifu, but now this Taifu is nominal, not only unable to grasp the overall command power, but also became a pawn in the hands of the emperor. In name, he was the head of the three dukes as Taifu, but in fact, he and Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun were just one of the three major armies, which was seriously inconsistent with his identity as Taifu.

  What made him even angrier was that Huangfu Song led an army of 30,000 to Luoyang and was appointed as Taifu by the Emperor. Taifu was one of the top three officials in the imperial court, although it did not hold much real power, but it was still above Dong Zhuo. For Dong Zhuo, who had always been at odds with Huangfu Song, this was like a slap in the face.

  Dong Zhuo was dissatisfied, so he took the initiative to attack, wanting to use military achievements to prove his ability and prove that this commander's name was well-deserved.

  Dong Zhuo was enraged but did not lose his composure. Seeing that the strong archers in the river were hindering the charge, he immediately changed formation.

  "Order, Zhang Ji and Guo Si make a pincer movement on both sides, the central army advances steadily."

  The war drums sounded, and Zhang Ji and Guo Huai each led 500 elite cavalrymen, bursting out from the left and right, killing into the He Nei army formation. The two wings of the He Nei army collapsed, and in an instant, they lost their footing, the Western Liang elite cavalry repeatedly charging and killing, as if entering a territory without people.

  The Hebei army became the target of Dong Zhuo's anger, although there were more than 10,000 people, but facing the sudden charge of the Xiliang soldiers, they had no power to fight back, and were killed until they fell into disarray, retreating in defeat. Wang Kuai was powerless to turn the tide, watching as the Xiliang army drew closer and closer, he could only let out a long sigh, and under the protection of his personal guards, he withdrew from the battlefield.

  With one wave of the flag, the Hanoi army collapsed completely.

  ……

  Yuan Shao's eyes narrowed, looking at Wang Kui with his helmet crooked and armor askew, his anger suppressed.

  Wang Kuang was a heroic figure from Mount Tai, and he was a good friend of He Jin's when he was at the general's mansion. He let Wang Kuang serve as the governor of Henan, leading troops in front, originally intending to give Wang Kuang an opportunity to make achievements. Unexpectedly, Wang Kuang was all show and no substance, and was defeated by Dong Zhuo with a single blow. Not only did he fail to achieve anything, but he also lost face.

  Hebei people must be laughing at him.

  Yuan Shao did not get angry, and after a moment, he said lightly: "Victory or defeat is a common occurrence in the military, General Wang, don't take it to heart. Go back and regroup your troops, prepare for another battle."

  "Yes." Wang Kuang let out a breath of relief and returned to his position with a bow.

  "Gentlemen, Dong Zhuo has long been a seasoned veteran of the battlefield, and the Western Liang soldiers are also brave and skilled in combat. Don't you think we should avoid his sharp blade..."

  Before Yuan Shao finished speaking, Tian Feng stood up: "The alliance leader, it is precisely because Dong Zhuo is brave that the alliance leader must take charge in person. Hebei borders on the capital and can cross the river to attack Luoyang directly, and control Pingzhou to the west. With the alliance leader here, how dare Dong Zhuo make a move? The Western Liang army that restrains Dong Zhuo, the large troops of Xiangyang and Nanyang can then..."

  Bu Deng Tian Feng finished speaking, and Xiang Ji stood up: "Alone in the enemy's lair, isn't that a heavy strategy? The Western Liang army is skilled at swift cavalry, appearing and disappearing like ghosts. Once they cut into our rear and sever our supply lines, the entire army will be in danger."

  Yuan Shao raised an eyebrow: "According to Yuan Ti's view, what should be done?"

  "Soldiers are strong when united and weak when divided. I think the alliance leader should join forces with Xianyu's army, concentrate our troops, form a powerful formation, break through the Hengyang and Tulao defense lines, and directly attack Luoyang." Xiang Ji glanced at Tian Feng, smiled and said: "Yuanhao's plan of surprise attack is excellent, but it's not suitable for the alliance leader. The alliance leader only needs to order a small detachment."

  Tian Feng originally wanted to argue, but Shen Pei pulled his sleeve and shook his head silently. Tian Feng had no choice but to shut up and sat alone on the side, sulking.

  Xun You looked at it in his eyes and couldn't help but sigh. He stopped Tian Feng, not because Feng Ji's plan was more brilliant than Tian Feng's, but because Feng Ji's plan was more in line with Yuan Shao's idea. As the alliance leader, Yuan Shao should naturally go to the front battlefield to command the army, rather than being a side general and undertaking the task of containment. Tian Feng's plan was good, but it was used on the wrong person, how could Yuan Shao possibly accept it.

  Apart from this, it can be seen from Yuan Shao's handling of Wang Kui that Yuan Shao is not completely at ease with the people of Hebei. He trusts more in the people he brought from Ru'nan and his old acquaintances. If Tian Feng insists on his own views, he will only make Yuan Shao suspicious and even more resentful.

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  Third watch, asking for three rivers votes, asking for recommendation votes, asking for collection!

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