Chapter 4: The Duel of the Two Heroes Against the Three Champions

The righteous brother warms wine to slay Hua Xiong, while the fierce and competitive Zhang Fei rushes in. Zhang Liao swiftly kills the likes of Yu Nan, and in front of his brotherly friend Gongsun, danger looms.

One is a talented individual who remains unrecognized, while the other vows to eliminate the traitor Dong. The general rides out with ten cavalry from the majestic pass, disregarding the numerous heroes beyond the pass.

Liu Bei shouted at the top of his lungs: "Gentlemen, the one who relies on Dong Zhuo is Lü Bu. Now that Lü Bu is right before us, let us all rush forward together and tear Lü Bu's body into pieces! Dong Zhuo can be captured!" After shouting, Liu Bei fiercely struck his warhorse and led the charge out of the allied forces' formation.

Only because of anger at the corrupt inspector, I abandoned my official position to roam the world. Startled to hear of the changes in the court of Chang'an, I volunteered to fight against the traitors of the nation

Zhang Fei was firmly entangled by Zhang Liao, and Guan Yu was being pressed by Lü Bu to the point of gasping for breath. Liu Bei was originally doomed to die. However, fate proved to be more unpredictable than human calculations; perhaps the Great-Eared Thief truly had the protection of Heaven. His steed suddenly stumbled, throwing the Great-Eared Thief to the ground. Not only did he inadvertently evade Lü Bu's lethal strike, but his dual blades also inadvertently grazed the rear of the Red Hare. The pain caused the Red Hare to let out a tragic neigh, and it bolted away with Lü Bu, instantly leaving the battlefield.

Liu Bei exclaimed in frustration at his miscalculation. He had anticipated that with Lü Bu's arrogance, he would certainly disdain to ally with anyone. Liu Bei initially planned to kill Zhang Liao and then call back his two sworn brothers, sending others to provoke the invincible Lü Bu. To his surprise, Lü Bu unexpectedly charged out in advance, leaving Liu Bei astonished. Liu Bei understood that in the future, he must rely on his two sworn brothers to seize power, and as he saw them on the verge of death at the hands of Lü Bu and Zhang Liao, the militarily inept yet politically astute Liu Bei quickly devised a countermeasure.

"Second brother," Liu Bei quietly approached Guan Yu, "Our army has suffered several defeats in a row, and third brother has been locked in a prolonged battle with Zhang Liao. If we cease hostilities now, won't it dampen the morale of the allied forces? For the sake of our plan against Dong, second brother, do not seek any hollow fame. Quickly go and assist third brother in fighting Zhang Liao to turn the tide of the allied forces' defeat."

The coalition of warlords originally had their own ulterior motives. When they sensed that the situation was unfavorable, it was unclear which warlord was the first to withdraw their troops, prompting others to follow suit. Taking advantage of this, Dong Zhuo's army launched a full-scale attack. Those old soldiers and young recruits were merely cannon fodder in battle, but they could still manage to capture prisoners and clean up the battlefield. The Xiliang cavalry was able to unleash their full strength, relentlessly pursuing the coalition forces for over 30 miles, until Kang Peng deemed it sufficient and ordered the retreat. The famous Battle of Hulao Pass in the history of the Three Kingdoms should have resulted in a defeat for Dong Zhuo's army, but under Kang Peng's command, they ultimately achieved victory. At this moment, the flanks and supply lines of the eighteen warlord coalition were exposed like a naked beauty, vulnerable to the iron hooves of Dong Zhuo's army, at risk of being violated at any moment.

Liu Bei, gritting his teeth, charged into the battlefield and pretended to shout loudly, "Lü Bu, look at my sword!" He swung his dual swords wildly at Lü Bu's back. However, Lü Bu was not afraid of Liu Bei; he feigned a weakness and turned around to deliver a shocking thrust with his spear, intending to pierce Liu Bei, who was attempting a sneak attack from behind.

Zhang Fei of the Yan people, styled Yide, was sure to defeat the bandits of the Yellow Turban. With his eight-foot-long serpent spear, he struck fear into gods and spirits, vowing to cleanse the turbulent world.

In fact, Lü Bu had long been itching to act, but he was unwilling to join forces with others and tarnish his reputation. Now, spurred on by Kang Peng, the simple-minded Lü Bu immediately shouted and led his troops out of the gate. The Red Hare galloped like the wind, and in a moment, they charged into the arena. Upon seeing this, Guan Yu abandoned Zhang Liao and personally confronted Lü Bu.

The round eyes wide open, the spear thrusts forth, its sound like thunder, startling both dogs and sheep. The great sword whirls and slashes, cutting down foes, Zhang Liao does not fear Zhang Yide.

The Xiliang Iron Cavalry was the very heart and soul of Dong Laoda, equipped with exceptional gear and, moreover, well-trained and skilled in martial arts. Dong Laoda seldom deployed them lightly. The warlords beyond the pass had never encountered such elite troops, and they were thrown into disarray by the charge of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, leading to the collapse of the coalition forces wherever the cavalry went. At this moment, Lü Bu had already trained the Red Hare and returned, filled with rage, killing anyone he encountered, whether human or Buddha, instilling fear and trepidation in the hearts of the coalition forces.

Liu Bei charged halfway when he suddenly sensed something was amiss behind him. Turning around, he discovered that none of the others had made a move, not even his close friend Gongsun Zan, who pretended not to hear. Liu Bei felt a wave of dizziness, realizing that it was over; these fellows were all afraid of death. However, having already charged halfway, if he were to retreat now, not only would he be scorned by the lords, but his two sworn brothers would also no longer follow him.

In front of Hulao Pass, the duel between Zhang Liao and Zhang Fei is undoubtedly a fierce battle, a dreamlike confrontation that excites fans of the Three Kingdoms. As the saying goes, when chess pieces meet their match, generals encounter true talent. There are literary praises:

Lu Bu was extremely excited. A master of his caliber had reached a point where he was no longer afraid of opponents who were too strong, but rather feared those who were too weak. The strength of the opponent he encountered today was unprecedented in Lu Bu's life, which instead ignited his fighting spirit. The Fangtianhua halberd spun like a wheel, forcing Guan Yu to retreat step by step. Meanwhile, Zhang Liao had also caught his breath and was engaged in a fierce battle with Zhang Fei, causing the heavens to darken and the earth to tremble. Poor Zhang Fei had to deal with Zhang Liao, who was not inferior to him, while also trying to rescue his second brother, who was on the brink of danger. In a moment of chaos, he was at a loss for what to do.

The long sword beheaded Mu Shun, lightly wielding the weapon to secure the escape of the nation. The general of Shanyang perished in an instant, while Zhang Liao of Yanmen gained renown.

Guan Yu was already feeling restless, but he was reluctant to tarnish his reputation by engaging in a two-on-one battle. However, upon hearing his elder brother's words, he could no longer contain himself. He spurred his horse, brandished the 82-pound Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and advanced to join Zhang Fei in attacking Zhang Liao. Zhang Liao was only slightly inferior to either of the two, but now faced with their combined assault, he found himself at a disadvantage.

Lü Bu curled his lips, thinking to himself why he was not called out at the beginning, and now that Zhang Liao had already stolen the limelight, they thought of him; no way! Kang Peng, noticing the arrogant fellow's thoughts, said: "That long-bearded man is Guan Yu, who killed Hua Xiong. If my son is afraid, he need not go."

After a prolonged battle, the sun had already dipped in the west, yet neither side could claim victory. Liu Bei, within the ranks of the allied forces, secretly contemplated that it was not a viable strategy for his third brother to continue fighting against this young general. It would be better to have his second brother step forward to assist and capture this young general in one fell swoop, thereby laying a foundation for his grand ambitions and simultaneously establishing connections with the powerful figures who had lost their warriors to this young general.

Although Kang Peng could not clearly see the appearance of the person approaching, he recognized from a distance that the individual, with a large beard, could only be Guan Yu. He hurriedly instructed Lü Bu, "Fengxian, my son, Zhang Wenyuan has been exhausted from the prolonged battle; quickly go to his aid"

The big-eared thief inadvertently struck gold, and the feudal lords, seeing an opportunity for gain, would not let it slip by. Suddenly, the war drums sounded in unison, and the armies of the feudal lords surged forward to launch a surprise attack. Kang Peng, in a state of panic, could no longer afford to consider the strategy of using others to eliminate the troops of Bingzhou. He immediately dispatched his most elite Xiliang Iron Cavalry to confront the allied forces.

Here, Gongsun Zan was enraged, brandishing his spear and riding to battle against Zhang Liao. Unbeknownst to him, Wen Yuan possessed great skill, and the governor recklessly risked his life.