Chapter 8, Approaching Lady Xiahou

... ...

... ...

My lord, there are already over 600 soldiers gathered gradually. The three generals are still holding the rear at the bridgehead, and there is still no news from General Zilong, the young general, Madam Mi, and the young master

At the same time that Liu Feng was maneuvering with the Mi family, Liu Yue, and Liu Lan through the chaotic army towards the direction of Mount Lumen, Zhao Yun was charging back and forth in the Cao army's formation while holding A Dou.

When Liu Bei recognized him as an adopted son, A Dou had not yet been born, and Liu Bei himself did not know whether he would have a son. Originally, after A Dou was born, Liu Feng, this adopted son, would not have been so important. However, this time, A Dou fell into the midst of the chaotic army, causing Liu Bei to gain a son only to lose him again, resulting in a futile moment of joy.

Even if Liu Feng and the others were to pursue, it would be unlikely for them to board the ship that Guan Yu had sent to provide assistance

The Emperor's uncle, General Liu Bei, sat in a disheveled manner under the shade of a tree, a hint of fatigue evident in his slender, deep-set eyes. His usually well-groomed beard hung in disarray beside him, with a few strands of white hair also showing.

Thirdly, it is to cherish talented individuals. After the defeat of Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, many generals from Bingzhou and Hebei surrendered to Cao Cao's command

Upon hearing that the Prime Minister had personally arrived, the morale of the Cao army soared even higher. From time to time, Cao army officers lit torches, gathering towards the sounds of battle cries and the clash of arms.

Throughout the journey, the Cao army pursued from multiple directions, while Zhao Yun rode alone, engaging in conflicts repeatedly, with hardly any opportunity to catch his breath

If luck does not favor him and he cannot find Lady Xiahou, Liu Feng plans to take Mi Shi, Liu Yue, and Liu Lan to Lu Men Mountain to "hide away" first, and then head south after this wave of pursuit has passed.

After making up his mind, Liu Feng briefly explained the situation to his adoptive mother, Mi. Since A Dou had been taken away, Mi had no more concerns and lacked confidence in breaking out. At this moment, following Liu Feng and hearing that they would meet up with the Xiahou family, she finally felt a bit more at ease.

The families of Xiahou, as well as those of Guan and Zhang, must escape from the chaos of the battlefield

Firstly, there are the love poems and compositions, such as "Viewing the Vast Sea" and "Short Song", among other famous works that need not be elaborated upon

If all goes as expected, Zhang Fei will block the Changban Bridge, and Liu Bei will soon abandon A Dou, leading the last remnants of his troops towards the escape route at Hanjin Ferry.

Moreover, prominent recluses such as Pang Degong and Sima Hui were teaching disciples in the vicinity of Lumen Mountain. Notable officials like Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang, the Ma family of Wuchang, Pang Tong, Cai Mao, and Song Zhong were all their disciples. After Cao Cao took control of Jingzhou, he still needed to rely on these individuals for governance, making it naturally impossible for him to offend figures like Pang Degong.

Liu Feng, accompanied by three women, one adult and two children, sought a way to break through. The best course of action at present was to first locate the Xiahou family, and then see if they could rely on her protection to evade the pursuit of the chaotic army

"Who is this person?" Cao Cao ordered the soldiers of the central army to light torches and gathered everyone to watch the battle at Jing Mountain. From a distance, they caught sight of Zhao Yun single-handedly driving back Zhang He, and they hurriedly inquired.

By the time it was the fourth watch of the night, Zhao Yun, with his battle robe soaked in blood, had finally broken through the encirclement. During this time, he cut down two large flags of the Cao army, seized three spears, and with his dragon spear, he killed over forty officers of the Cao camp.

When Liu Bei stationed his troops in Xinye, Lady Mi and Lady Gan often gathered the womenfolk for meetings. Lady Xiahou was renowned for her exceptional intelligence and unique insight; with her by their side, the hope of survival would undoubtedly increase significantly

"Moon, you come to guide the direction, we seek to meet with Aunt Xiahou." Liu Feng slightly steadied his mind and said to Liu Yue

At the third watch of the night

Xu Shu, Sun Qian, Chen Dao, Mi Zhu, Mi Fang, Jian Yong, and other trusted generals and advisors who broke through gathered around Liu Bei

Cao possesses the Central Plains and harbors ambitions of unifying the world. A fierce general like Zhao Zilong must surely fall into my grasp. Issue a command to ensure Zhao Yun is captured alive and must not be killed!

This time at Changban Slope, Liu Bei was indeed careless, not expecting his old rival Cao Cao to send the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to pursue him. After the crushing defeat, he tragically lost all the wealth he had accumulated over eight years in Xinye.

Then a question arises: what method did the Xiahou family use to escape? Did they not retreat with Liu Bei towards Changban Bridge, but instead take a different route?

The most likely conjecture is that the Xiahou family revealed their trump card by directly stating their name, relying on the reputation of the Xiahou clan to evade the pursuit of Cao's army

It is unlikely to disguise oneself as an ordinary citizen. Madam Mi and Madam Gan were targeted by Cao's army simply because of their beauty, and Madam Xiahou is equally beautiful. How could the soldiers of Cao's army possibly let her go

Upon hearing Liu Bei's words, Xu Shu approached Liu Bei and said: "My lord, I have an unsolicited request. This young general has ventured north alone, rescuing my mother and saving Xianhe and others, enduring great hardships and achieving significant merit. If heaven is merciful and allows him to return, I hope my lord will treat him well and not let his heart grow cold."

Cao Cao stamped his foot in anger and said to his trusted generals, Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun, "What abilities does Liu Da'er possess to have such fierce generals following him"

South of Changban Bridge

The young general, also known as Liu Feng

Defeat, retreat, gather strength, another defeat, another retreat... This sequence of events is already second nature to Liu Bei; it is nothing, at worst he can start all over again

At the foot of Mount Jing, in the southern part of Changyang, Cao Cao led the central army to arrive here

Fortunately, during his time in Xiangyang, Liu Bei had the foresight to send a portion of the naval forces led by Guan Yu and Zhuge Liang down the Han River to Xiakou, which helped preserve part of his strength. Otherwise, no matter how much determination he had, he would not have had the courage to make a comeback.

As one ages, strength is no longer determined by muscles and bones

Secondly, the beloved | wife, such as the wife of Qin Yilu, the wife of Zhang Ji, and so on, are all cherished by a certain Cao

Zhao Yun greatly benefited from Cao Cao's command, and holding onto A Dou, he faced close combat with unwavering courage. What he feared the most was precisely the treachery of hidden arrows.

Upon witnessing Zhao Yun's unparalleled bravery, Cao Cao's admiration for talent was immediately ignited

Due to the delay caused by rescuing Liu Yue and Liu Lan, and based on the time after Liu Feng headed north, it is estimated that Zhao Yun and A Dou are likely nearing Changban Bridge at this moment

Sun Qian, who served in the army, was an old subordinate of Liu Bei. He was temporarily assigned to count the soldiers and, filled with anxiety, approached Liu Bei to report.

"My lord, this is Zhao Yun, also known as Zhao Zilong, a general of the White Horse Company under Gongsun Zan in the past." Cao Chun reported breathlessly as he turned his horse back.

After Xu's mother and Jian Yong were rescued by Liu Feng, Mi Fang, Mi Zhu, and Lady Gan also successively escaped to this place. They were all saved by Zhao Yun, having narrowly escaped from the chaos of battle

Liu Bei is approaching fifty years of age, and it is normal for his beard to turn white. In fact, it is not just his beard and hair; even the muscles in his thighs have begun to sag.

Liu Bei sighed and resolutely said, "If we wait another half an hour and if Zilong and the others have not arrived, we will leave first. Whether we can survive will be left to fate."

Lao Cao is the most remarkable person of the Three Kingdoms, and throughout his life, he had three main hobbies

Liu Bei, leading his defeated troops, temporarily rested in a wild forest area