In the fourth chapter, the viper strikes, leading to a great defeat at the Tao River, while the valiant warriors sever their wrists to retreat and defend the high city

General Chen cast a slight downward glance and said in a deep voice, "I have heard of your commendable loyalty and bravery." Immediately, his cold gaze swept quickly across each of our faces, and suddenly he raised his riding whip and pointed at me, asking, "Who are you?"

First, there is the phrase "under the command of General Sima." Everyone knows that the one who holds real power in the court now is General Sima; if one wishes to rise in rank, one must cling to that thick leg without fail. Next is the "false imperial edict," which is particularly important. A general stationed outside without the title of "Commissioner" can easily be dismissed by someone holding that title. Even if one does have the title, if a false imperial edict suddenly appears, one can still be imprisoned before any report is made, leaving one in tears without recourse—therefore, this imperial edict must be genuine.

At this moment, I had struggled to rise from the ground. Coincidentally, just as the second round concluded, Lin Zi's warhorse charged directly towards my position. Before he could turn the horse's head, I repeated my previous tactic, swinging my blade in a wide arc and striking fiercely at the horse's neck. Although my shoulder was injured and I could only use my right hand, with my left hand feeling numb and weak, the horse was not the same mount that the opponent was accustomed to; it was less agile than its predecessor. The air was filled with the tragic whinny of the horse, and Lin Zi, just as before, let out a cry of "Ah!" before crashing down.

Thus, I stood up amidst the envious, jealous, hostile, and even hateful gazes of the crowd, saying "At your command," and allowed General Chen and the others to enter the yamen. They occupied the main hall, holding a military meeting, while I had no choice but to continue my work in the side chamber of the scribe. In truth, I had no official matters to attend to; I could simply delegate everything to Erma and the others.

In this battle, we killed seven bandits, while our side suffered losses of eight cavalrymen and nine horses. Fortunately, we managed to seize around ten discarded weapons from the bandits, about ten bags of rations, seven or eight bundles of wood, and eight or nine zhang of bark rope. Additionally, we cut down a large banner and successfully defended the city, which can be considered a victory. My companions, including Qin Rui, were filled with pride as we returned triumphantly. However, as soon as I entered the city gate, my legs went weak, and with a thud, I sat down on the ground.

It is not merely a matter of reputation; General Chen's late father, Duke Chen Jing, was deeply favored by Emperor Wen and served alongside Duke Anping as a key minister in governance. Now, the Sima family is growing increasingly powerful, while General Chen holds only a minor position. If he cannot achieve victories or accomplish anything remarkable, how will he face his childhood friend, Duke Sima, upon returning to court? If Duke Sima perceives him as useless, can he still rely on the favor of his ancestors to continue mingling among the high-ranking officials?

1. Jiang Wei has just defeated the forces of Governor Wang and is riding high on his success; 2. Our troops each have their own command structure, lacking the ability to cooperate in combat, and morale is currently low; 3. If we advance and are unable to win, the entire situation in Longxi will deteriorate. Therefore, the conclusion is that it is better to take advantage of the advantageous terrain for self-preservation and wait for the enemy to tire. As for Governor Wang... let him fend for himself.

I was originally a civilian and had never prepared armor before. This time, in order to defend the city, I hastily found a set to wear, which does not fit very well. That spear came in with great cunning, piercing in from below my shoulder guard—if the armor had fit properly, the impact of this strike would have been reduced by at least half.

However, it does not matter; those people from the western region who are accustomed to the taste of Sichuan pepper and speak in a dialect may not be able to understand my authentic Mandarin. Indeed, as soon as I shouted, Lin Zi's mouth gaped wide open, and he couldn't close it for quite some time. I could not wait for him to close his mouth and come to his senses, so I quickly brandished my long knife and angrily shouted, "You wicked thief!" and charged straight in.

I hurriedly signed up, saying, "The Assistant to the Prefect of the County, Wang Xian of Langya." General Chen nodded slightly, saying, "Very well, I hereby appoint you to temporarily take charge of the affairs of the Governor of Longxi."

At a quarter past the hour of the Snake, the weather changed abruptly, with smoke and dust filling the sky. A grand army, vast and imposing, advanced directly towards the southern gate. Leading the way was a standard bearer, accompanied by a valiant general clad in golden armor, riding a tall steed. His brows were adorned with eight colors—black, white, and gray—while his eyes sparkled like bright stars, glancing upwards without a care for those around him. It was surely the renowned General Chen.

Qin Rui returned on horseback, shaking his spear to thrust. Lin Zi's troops seemed to have trained well, coming forward as before to provide cover. "Hoo, hoo," they pulled the commander by the neck, dragging him forcefully over a distance of more than one zhang. Qin Rui's first thrust missed, and he intended to thrust again. Lin Zi, having gotten up, was bleeding profusely from his nose, but he no longer had the heart to continue fighting. He turned around, seized a horse, mounted it, and fled in a disheveled manner, lying flat on the horse's back.

With a crisp sound, I severed the flagpole of that pirate flag, causing it to fall to the ground. As I pondered whether this could be considered a contribution to the achievement of "toppling the grand banner," suddenly I heard the sound of wind by my ear, followed by a sharp pain in my shoulder, as I had been pierced by a gunshot

I fell backward in pain, as the enemy's gun "whooshed" out from my flesh, bringing forth a day's worth of blood and foam. I lay on the ground, focusing my gaze, and to my surprise, Lin Zi had already found another warhorse to ride, with dust on his face and blood at the tip of his nose, so fiercely valiant, charging towards me once again

Only then did Qin Rui spur his horse and charge with his spear from the flank. Lin Zi did not dare to be careless, turning his horse's head to counter. The two horses clashed, marking one round of combat, with no clear victor, each side retreating half an arrow's distance before turning to fight again

General Chen listened to everyone's opinions without expressing any clear stance. He merely swept his cold gaze back and forth and asked, "Is there any better strategy?" Upon hearing this, I suddenly felt a stir in my heart. Could it be that this old fellow was not in agreement with the others and was intent on advancing to battle the bandits? It is also worth noting that when the former General Guo Huai was alive, he consistently defeated Jiang Wei soundly. Yet, when Chen Tai took over, he was forced to retreat and even abandoned the governor of Yongzhou in the midst of the wolves, which would not reflect well on his reputation.

The phrase "Governor of Yongliang and Youyang in the four provinces" was actually a slip of the tongue. I originally intended to say "Yongliang, Jing, and Yi" in the four provinces. I don't know how it happened, but it just came out as "Yongliang and Youyang." Goodness, one is in Longxi, one is in Guandong, and there are also regions in the south and north. The defense area is so vast and dispersed; only a fool would set such a title!

After dinner in Shouyang County, General Chen convened a military meeting to discuss subsequent strategic deployments. General Deng Ai, who was in charge of the western front, first analyzed the enemy situation. He stated that Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba led an army of eighty-nine thousand, surrounding Governor Wang completely within Didao City. Although Didao is fortified with high walls, it has limited supplies, and given that Governor Wang suffered a defeat at the Qingshui River earlier, it is estimated that he currently commands fewer than ten thousand troops.

The road to Shu is difficult to traverse, and the production in Shu is not particularly good. Despite the fierce demeanor of those rogues, their fervor is fleeting. Initially, the Duke of Anping—who was also the father of General Sima—dealt with Zhuge Liang by employing a strategy of solid defense, responding to changes with constancy. The bandits of Shu had no way to advance and would eventually have to retreat.

Taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the negative and the injuries from the books, I can leave all the aftermath to Erma and rest assuredly take a long nap. It is a pity, however, that I cannot touch alcohol. Dr. Liao, who claims to be a disciple of Hua Tuo, insists that with such serious external injuries, I must refrain from drinking to avoid hastening the flow of qi and blood, which could cause the wounds to burst. That fellow, Shui Zang, is truly detestable; it would have been fine if he had just come to visit me, but why did he have to come reeking of alcohol? ... Leaving me with nothing but dry swallowing my saliva ... That fellow, Shui Zang, is truly detestable; it would have been fine if he had just come to visit me, but why did he have to come reeking of alcohol? ... Leaving me with nothing but dry swallowing my saliva ...

There was no other way, so I had to consult Qin Rui. Upon hearing that we were going to the battlefield, Qin Rui's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he slapped his thigh, saying, "I will bring the cavalry and follow you!" I thought this was a good idea; the cavalry is fast and might help me escape quickly in a moment of danger.

While marching, I cautiously inquired and learned that General Chen, along with the troops from various prefectures, as well as General Deng Ai of the Western Expedition and General Wang Bi of the Anti-Shu forces, commanded an army of over 60,000 men. With such a large force advancing, unless Jiang Wei possessed extraordinary abilities or General Chen was more foolish than a pig, it was likely that even in defeat, the loss would not be too severe. I felt a certain assurance for my life, and my mind was immediately put at ease. With such a large force advancing, unless Jiang Wei possessed extraordinary abilities or General Chen was more foolish than a pig, it was likely that even in defeat, the loss would not be too severe. I felt a certain assurance for my life, and my mind was immediately put at ease

My head buzzed with a sound, and I saw stars before my eyes, hardly believing my ears. But then again, who is General Chen? He is a veteran of the court and a seasoned commander on the western front; he must have his own way of assessing people. Now, there are only five of us left as scribes in Longxi County, so it is only natural to select one among us to temporarily take on the role of governor. Qin Rui and Duan Xia both have faces full of brutishness, clearly not appearing benevolent, while the two Ma brothers are so obsequious that it makes one’s teeth ache—though I also wanted to smile ingratiatingly, my shoulder hurt too much to manage a smile at that moment. Thus, for such an important responsibility, who else could it be but me?

General Chen appeared before us. He did not speak but instructed a young officer beside him to ask us: "Where is the Governor of Longxi?" Ma Chi, with a face full of ingratiating smiles, replied: "The Governor fled the night before last and his whereabouts are unknown. The five of us armed ourselves to defend the city, but yesterday we suffered defeat against several thousand bandits..."

My target was an ordinary Shu soldier, who was unarmed and waving a banner with the character "Han" beside a crowd. When he saw me rushing over, his face was filled with terror and confusion, as if to say: "What have I done to you? Why are you coming at me?" I paid no mind to his thoughts and swung my knife to strike. The Shu soldier, unfazed, mustered all his strength and surprisingly hurled the large banner at my face. Once the banner left his hands, he did not hesitate, covered his head with both hands, and turned to flee. The Shu soldier, unfazed, mustered all his strength and surprisingly hurled the large banner at my face. Once the banner left his hands, he did not hesitate, covered his head with both hands, and turned to flee.

This battle cannot be fought. If we insist on charging forward, it will surely lead to a situation where survival is highly unlikely. Everyone exchanged glances, and it was clear that everyone understood this simple truth. Thus, Wang Bi, the protector of Shu, took the lead, and all the governors and commandants from various prefectures, along with Hu Fen and other officers under General Chen, unanimously called for a temporary halt to the advance, suggesting that troops be divided to guard Gaocheng Ridge, waiting for a change in circumstances—in other words, waiting for the Shu bandits to exhaust their supplies. All the governors and commandants from various prefectures, along with Hu Fen and other officers under General Chen, unanimously called for a temporary halt to the advance, suggesting that troops be divided to guard Gaocheng Ridge, waiting for a change in circumstances—in other words, waiting for the Shu bandits to exhaust their supplies.

Of course, no one would say, "We can't win, so let's just defend." There is always a need to come up with some grandiose justification. What are the reasons? Wang Hujun took the lead, everyone contributed, and in the end, Deng Anxi stammered and mumbled a summary, mainly listing the following points

A good man aspires to great heights, especially someone like me, a scion of a prominent family. Who does not wish to achieve great accomplishments, to establish a family and provide for descendants, allowing the ancestral graves to once again emit a wisp of smoke? I often indulge in daydreams, envisioning a day when I will become a formidable general, establishing a stronghold and commanding respect, or a grand chancellor, adorned with a ceremonial cap and wielding a sword in the court. Thus, although I may adapt to circumstances and falsely claim titles, there is indeed a significant depth to this matter.

Listening to him stutteringly report the situation, everyone gasped in disbelief. Our army has only over 60,000 troops, and with the demoralized and exhausted soldiers from Governor Wang's forces, it barely reaches 70,000, while the enemy boasts nearly 90,000! In fact, numbers are not the most crucial factor; what matters in battle is morale and the level of training. The bandits, needless to say, must be the main force, daring to march from Hanzhong to Longxi. And what about us? General Chen's main force has over 20,000 men, while the forces of Deng Anxi and Wang Hujun each have over 10,000. Their combat effectiveness might be acceptable, but the soldiers from the other counties, their morale and capabilities, can at most catch a few thieves and oppress the good people. Just by looking at the quality of the soldiers in our county and the appearance of the cavalry under Qin Rui, I can draw a comparison.

With the commander having retreated, the thieves lost their fighting spirit, and with a "whoosh," they discarded their armor and fled in disarray. Qin Rui stood beside me, laughing heartily with his spear raised to the sky, as if the enemy had been driven back by him. How ridiculous! If it weren't for my two instances of cutting down the enemy's steeds, do you really think you would have won?

The next morning, we woke up suddenly to the sound of a fast horse entering the city to deliver a message, stating that General Chen Tai, the Commander of the Western Expedition, had gathered troops from various routes and was on his way to Long. He would arrive at Xiangwu by noon, and the Prefect was requested to go to the South Gate to welcome him. The five of us exchanged bewildered glances, thinking about where we could possibly find the Prefect. We had no choice but to put on clean clothes and go together to kneel outside the South Gate to respectfully welcome him.

Originally, I thought that after adversity comes prosperity, but unexpectedly, the army set out in the afternoon, and General Chen actually sent a messenger to instruct: "Governor Wang is leading the local troops to advance west with the army." Upon inquiring further, I found out that among the ten counties of Yongzhou, except for the county seat of Jingzhao, the governors of the other counties had also been conscripted into General Chen's forces. It seems that I cannot escape; however, the phrase "leading the local troops" poses a bit of a problem, as the main force of the local troops has already been reassigned by Inspector Wang, and now there are hardly any local troops left to lead.

I was muttering to myself: "The heavens do not grant a year, my life is at an end!" Suddenly, I heard a loud shout from not far away: "You thief, my lord has come to be your opponent!" Just hearing the term "my lord" made me realize that Qin Rui had returned, as it was his habitual self-reference, one he often could not refrain from even in front of his superiors, for which he had received countless beatings. I felt a surge of joy in my heart, knowing that I had temporarily regained a small life. I knew it was Qin Rui who had returned, as it was his habitual self-reference, one he often could not refrain from even in front of his superiors, for which he had received countless beatings. I felt a surge of joy in my heart, knowing that I had temporarily regained a small life

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant, and I decided to muster my courage and take a bold step forward. Thus, I took a step ahead, bowed respectfully, and said loudly: "I cannot agree with the opinions of you all!" The volume of my voice was so great that everyone turned to look at me, and I was taken aback myself.

Thus, the various affairs of the county were entrusted to Ma Chi for civil matters and to Duan Xia for military matters. Qin Rui and I led the remaining fifty cavalry and followed General Chen westward. That evening, we arrived at Shouyang County, but saw no trace of the Shu bandits; Shouyang was merely an empty city.

Deng Anxi and Wang Hujun could solemnly declare: "The viper strikes, and the brave man must sever his own arm." This likens the governor Wang to a poisoned limb; in order to save the whole body, it is better to remove the limb without regret. However, we, as district governors and military officers, cannot be so heartless, for Governor Wang is still our superior. Several magistrates raised their sleeves to wipe their eyes, pretending to shed tears, lamenting that Governor Wang's time was all too brief. Yet we, as district governors and military officers, cannot be so heartless, for Governor Wang is still our superior. Several magistrates raised their sleeves to wipe their eyes, pretending to shed tears, lamenting that Governor Wang's time was all too brief