Chapter 9: The Battle Beyond the Great Wall (Part 2)

Guan Jing led the remaining soldiers to protect Gongsun Zan, taking advantage of the enemy's momentary lapse in vigilance to break through and head towards Gongsun Xu's main camp. After a day and night of effort, they finally encountered the 8,000 infantry sent by Gongsun Xu. Upon returning to the camp, Gongsun Zan was rescued, but he was unable to handle affairs and would occasionally fall into a coma. There was still no news from Zhao Yun, and the atmosphere in the main tent was lifeless. Without a commander, the morale of the three armies was unstable. An hour had passed, yet no one spoke in the main tent. Gongsun Xu sensed that the time was nearly right, so he stood up and addressed everyone: "The general is in a coma, and the three armies cannot be without a commander. I propose General Zou Dan to temporarily lead the army until the general awakens"

At this moment, Gongsun Xu stood up and said: "The army shall break camp and retreat to the riverside camp. The riverside camp is surrounded by water on three sides, allowing us to defend our position. I have inspected the upstream of the river, and at this season, the water level is not high, so we need not fear that the enemy will flood our camp. There is no time to lose; we must leave now." Upon receiving the order, everyone immediately went to prepare. The next day, the entire army arrived at the riverside camp, and Xu Rong had also made all the necessary preparations.

Five men on horseback charged towards Yan Liang, preparing to encircle and attack him. Yan Liang did not hesitate and spurred his horse forward. However, this action angered two individuals. Zhang Fei, known for his fiery temper, did not greet Gongsun Xu and instead targeted an enemy general, charging straight at him. Wen Chou, also quick to anger, could not tolerate seeing his senior brother being besieged. After receiving Gongsun Xu's consent, he shouted: "Is it fair to bully the few with the many? Are the dogs of the grasslands all cowards?"

Then Zhang Fei pointed his spear to the sky and shouted loudly: "Zhang Fei from Yan is here, who dares to fight?" His voice was even louder than that of Wen Chou, causing Qiu Lixiong's troops to waver, and they had no choice but to wave their hands and retreat. This challenge resulted in a significant loss, as the opposing side had too many fierce generals, and victory could not be achieved through single combat. He returned to report to his elder brother and waited for his brother's decision.

After speaking, he immediately signaled to Guan Jing, who understood and promptly knelt on one knee, saying: "I am willing to follow the orders of the Major General." With the remaining two high-ranking officers in the army doing the same, others had no reason to object.

Four days later, Gongsun Zan, unable to wait for the infantry, left General Yan Liang and Wen Chou to gradually advance with the foot soldiers while he led the cavalry to pursue the enemy. When the two armies were separated by about seventy li, Gongsun Zan fell into an ambush, with over ten thousand cavalry trapped in a siege of one hundred thousand men. In the chaos of battle, Gongsun Zan was struck by a stray arrow, which was poisoned, leaving him unconscious. At this critical moment, Zhao Yun led a thousand elite cavalry to disguise themselves as Gongsun Zan and broke through to the east, drawing the attention of the enemy.

On the second day after the heavy snowfall, the grassland was already covered in a vast expanse of white. The snow was too thick and showed no signs of stopping. While everyone was worried that the enemy would launch a large-scale attack on the camp, Gongsun Xu ordered the boiling of water, the gathering of sand, and the construction of a city. At first, everyone was puzzled, but after Gongsun Xu explained his reasoning, they all suddenly understood. In that moment, the military leaders were completely in awe of this young general.

The current development space for Gongsun Xu is vast, and with a formidable figure like Laozi by his side, coupled with the opportunity to grow alongside Gongsun Xu, he is bound to gain prominence in the frontier. It is even possible that he may assist the General in expanding the territories of the Han Dynasty, which has been the aspiration of all soldiers since ancient times. Who does not wish to achieve the merits of Wei Huo, to leave a name in the annals of history, and to secure titles and benefits for their family, all of which are within reach

Yan Liang beheaded two men in succession. One remaining general attempted to flee but was caught and stabbed to death from behind by Wen Chou, who then roared in anger and hurled the corpse ten meters away. On Qiu Lixiong's side, five of the five great warriors in the army had fallen, significantly impacting morale. In contrast, on Gongsun Xu's side, morale soared, and the atmosphere was filled with killing intent. Yan Liang sat on his horse, watching Qiu Lixiong, while Zhang Fei excitedly observed the opposing generals.

Zou Dan's prestige in the military is second only to that of Gongsun Zan, but at this moment, he does not dare to step into the spotlight, and he is also unable to control the subordinates beneath him

Gongsun Xu personally led his troops to welcome Zhao Yun at the entrance of the main camp. Along the way, Zhao Yun learned about the situation in the army from Yan Liang. Upon seeing Gongsun Xu come to greet him, Zhao Yun was deeply moved and dismounted to kneel, saying: "I am willing to be at the disposal of the young general."

However, Yan Liang said: "The enemy army is well-prepared, and the journey to Guanzi City in Liaoxi is long. Currently, we have mostly infantry, and I fear we may be caught up by the enemy on the way. At that time, we will not be able to hold our ground in the wilderness, nor can we engage in battle with the enemy. It is likely that our defeat is not far off."

After speaking, Zou Dan pointed to Gongsun Xu and said: "The young general has fought alongside the general since childhood, experiencing numerous battles, and has considerable prestige within the army. Furthermore, if we all fully support him, we will surely be able to hold on until the general awakens"

In the blink of an eye, as a spear was thrust towards an enemy general, in less than a round, Wen Chou's long spear had already pierced through the opponent's chest. The only one who could clearly see Wen Chou's move was Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun was explaining to Gongsun Xu beside him, but before he could finish his words, the battle on the field came to an end. Zhang Fei's martial arts had not yet reached full maturity, and it was his first time in battle; however, this did not hinder him from slaying the opponent.

Two days later, a messenger from Ci Hou brought news that Zhao Yun had led his troops to traverse five hundred li, successfully shaking off the enemy forces and was now less than fifty li from his main camp. A large contingent of enemy troops was pursuing him. Gongsun Xu immediately ordered Yan Liang and Wen Chou to go and provide support. Yan Liang and Wen Chou each led five thousand cavalry to ambush in a favorable terrain. When Zhao Yun arrived, both armies launched their attacks simultaneously. Zhao Yun, aware of the reinforcements, led his troops to counterattack, charging alone into the enemy ranks to seize the head of the opposing general.

The enemy forces were thrown into disarray during a chaotic battle, leaving behind ten thousand corpses as the rebels retreated. On the side of Yan Liang and Wen Chou, over three thousand men were also lost. After clearing the battlefield, they all returned to the main camp

Two hours later, the rebel army came to challenge. Although Zhao Yun was injured, he insisted on fighting together. Outside the camp, 50,000 rebel vanguard blocked the only escape route. Upon seeing Gongsun Xu and his men arrayed, the vanguard general Qiu Liju's brother Qiu Lixiong laughed heartily and said: "The Han army is without men, using a child to mock me. Who will behead this boy for me?"

On the morning of the second day, Gongsun Zan led 15,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry to confront the rebel forces. He left Gongsun Xu in charge of 10,000 infantry to guard the main camp. After the main army set out, Gongsun Xu ordered the troops and laborers in the camp to expedite the preparation of rations, gather fodder, and inventory supplies to be ready for a potential retreat, while also urging Xu Rong to accelerate the planned schedule. Three days later, Gongsun Xu received news that Gongsun Zan had engaged the enemy's vanguard, achieving a great victory by killing 3,000 foes, and continued to advance deeper into enemy territory.

"One should not engage in battle without preparation; the general possesses the qualities of a renowned commander." Zhao Yun sighed softly in his heart, "Perhaps, before long, this child will become famous throughout the world; perhaps he is the one I can follow."

Gongsun Xu nodded slightly, thinking to himself: "Yan Liang and I are on the same wavelength; being able to see through the chaotic situation and, given time, properly nurture him, he will undoubtedly become a talented leader."

This reflects the thoughts of many soldiers. Although occupying the main camp only requires dealing with one front, how can one compare to the advantages of a city wall? Moreover, it is snowing now, which significantly reduces the lethality of arrows. If the main camp is breached, it is likely that we will have to fight to the death. Looking at the heavy snow in the sky, Gongsun Xu sighed to himself: "The weather is quite favorable; the temperature is likely to drop significantly this time. The enemy has come from afar, and many of their cattle and sheep will probably freeze to death. Additionally, after the heavy snow, it will be difficult to find enough fodder, and the forage within a hundred miles has long been depleted by us. This time, I will ensure that your entire army starves to death here."

Due to the large number of cattle, sheep, and horses in Gongsun Xu's army, the previously stored fodder is insufficient for winter. Three days ago, Gongsun Xu ordered the slaughter of all the sheep. With the cold weather, the mutton will not spoil, and the processed sheep skins will be distributed to the soldiers for warmth

The sky has just begun to snow heavily. Watching the enemy's army retreat, Gongsun Xu did not pursue them; he merely ordered the troops to return to camp. There are still three hours until nightfall. The enemy's main force should arrive the day after tomorrow. At that time, launching a fierce attack with the entire army will not be easy.

Gongsun Xu looked at the cavalry that Zhao Yun had brought back; now fewer than five hundred remained, each one injured, many of them very weak. He then shouted to the army: "Those who have returned are all brave; those who lie here forever are heroes. In this battle, our army will surely win." The three armies all shouted: "Victory, victory, victory"

Qiu Liqiu was greatly alarmed, as the brave warriors in the army had unexpectedly fallen like this. He said to the five men: "You all come at me together; we must capture this person."

A great general charged out on horseback, shouting: "I have arrived." Yan Liang, unable to contain his anger, quickly sent the valiant warrior Zhang Fei to step out of the formation. Without uttering a word, he immediately engaged in combat. The rebel general was equally unyielding, brandishing a spear to thrust at him. However, it was unfortunate that the two were far from evenly matched; before they even exchanged a single blow, the rebel general's head was severed.

Guan Jing was also inadequate, even slightly worse than himself. After much contemplation, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration, stood up, and said: "Zou Dan's knowledge is limited, and he does not dare to take on such a great responsibility, but I can recommend someone to lead the army and break through the enemy forces."

Inside the large tent, the crowd was engaged in a heated debate. Gongsun Zan planned to lead his army to launch a direct attack. Although the opposing force boasted an army of 150,000, he believed there was certainly some exaggeration in that number, and the quality of their weapons was also subpar. Gongsun Zan was confident that he could lead his troops to break through the enemy's vanguard. The others unanimously agreed; however, Gongsun Xu felt that the enemy's large-scale advance seemed to be well-prepared. Originally, Gongsun Xu did not support sending troops; he preferred to hold the main camp and let the enemy come to attack.

Wen Chou couldn't even be bothered to look and directly said: "Who else dares to come and seek death?" Zhang Fei, with his booming voice, felt it was not enough.

The next step is to discuss how to proceed. Guan Jing suggested that the army withdraw to Guanzi City in Liaoxi. Although the journey is long, having the city walls as a support would definitely allow them to hold out for several months. Many people agreed.

However, he could not oppose alone and could only request to remain in the main camp. At the same time, he instructed Xu Rong to return to the riverside camp for garrison duty. Although Xu Rong was nominally allowed to command only five hundred men, the riverside camp had over one hundred thousand able-bodied men, along with ten thousand infantry and ten thousand laborers, not to mention nearly four hundred thousand captives. Furthermore, there were the new troops he had trained for a month. Although Gongsun Zan had not approved, Xu Rong had confidence in his abilities. As Xu Rong was leaving, he noticed Gongsun Xu with a furrowed brow, and he too felt the atmosphere of impending battle, repeatedly telling himself: "The responsibility is immense." There were ten thousand infantry and ten thousand laborers, along with nearly four hundred thousand captives, not to mention the new troops he had trained for a month. Although Gongsun Zan had not approved, Xu Rong had confidence in his abilities. As Xu Rong was leaving, he noticed Gongsun Xu with a furrowed brow, and he too felt the atmosphere of impending battle, repeatedly telling himself: "The responsibility is immense."

Everyone knelt down and shouted: "We are willing to follow the orders of the young general." Gongsun Xu smiled inwardly, and without delay, addressed the crowd: "I kindly ask all the uncles and elders to assist with their authority."

Since ancient times, a ruler chooses his ministers, and ministers also choose their rulers. Gongsun Zan's personal charm could not completely sway Zhao Yun and Yan Liang, but now there is Gongsun Xu. After a series of events, both Zhao Yun and Yan Liang have developed the idea of following Gongsun Xu. Although Gongsun Xu is still young, it is precisely because he is young that he is even more worthy of following.