Leu Leu

“Ha… good fortune has come in my old age.”

Zhu Kai, the pass commander of Guangcheng Pass, recited self-pity about his situation while tasting a bitter taste in his mouth.

Zhu Kai had built a smooth and successful military career so far.

He was appointed under Cao Cao based on the Battle of Guandu more than 20 years ago from now, around the 5th year of Jian’an (200 AD). After achieving large and small merits, he properly became a general by making achievements in the suppression of Chen Lan led by Zhang Liao and Zhang He in the 14th year of Jian’an.

And in the 24th year of Jian’an, he also participated in the battle for Jingzhou where Guan Yu swallowed Fancheng, under Xu Huang, and in consideration of those merits, he became the pass commander of Guangcheng Pass.

Those around called Zhu Kai a fine loyal subject of Wei and entrusted Guangcheng Pass to him as a trustworthy talent, but in fact Zhu Kai didn’t particularly have earnest loyalty.

He just followed the trend. From the perspective of Zhu Kai, who was appointed around the end of the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao was the right bet. Things just flowed smoothly if he followed Cao Cao’s words.

Cao Cao, who had been advancing triumphantly, showed somewhat of a downturn with Red Cliffs and Hanzhong, but Wei was still the trend of the world.

He was defeated again in Jingzhou, but that was only losing up to Fancheng, Wei’s might was still there.

Becoming the pass commander of Guangcheng Pass was in the same context. The thought that this place would become a battlefield didn’t exist in Zhu Kai’s mind at all.

It’s not like the time when he only had new recruits. Now even the soldiers under Xu Huang had long since been elited.

Would they even be able to break through Wancheng guarded by Xu Huang and come this far? Even if Xu Huang was defeated, the next defense line would be formed in places like Daoyang County or Yangcheng County.

Just do as told. That was his petty mindset.

Then when Guan Yu came, thinking the trend had really changed from Wei to Han now, he quickly opened the gates. Because he thought Sima Yi had lost.

Hearing that Sima Yi lost meant the previous stages of Xu Huang and Cao Biao must have been defeated too, right?

They said he was the God of War That All Fear and shook China, so Zhu Kai opened the gates in alarm, thinking Guan Yu really was extraordinary.

But as the momentary shock faded and he thought about it, Zhu Kai realized his choice had been too hasty. So when Sima Yi came, he quickly opened the gates again.

Because he knew he had been wrong. Guan Yu had merely passed through skillfully avoiding the Wei army, whether by luck or ability, and the intact Wei army would succeed in capturing Guan Yu.

As he stood on the pass feeling the wind, pondering what explanation to give for opening the gates to Guan Yu without fighting, dust clouds again appeared in Zhu Kai’s eyes.

“General, an army is coming over there. What should we do?”

At his adjutant’s words, Zhu Kai answered halfheartedly:

“What do you mean what should we do. Open it. The Governor of Henan said General Who Shakes the East would come as the following troops, so it must be him.”

Zhu Kai waved his hand, recalling Sima Yi who had left saying Cao Biao would come as following support troops.

Anyway, Sima Yi or Cao Biao would handle the decisive battle surrounding Guan Yu well, and Zhu Kai’s main concern was what excuse to use to defend himself.

But as the dust clouds gradually approached closer, Zhu Kai felt something strange.

“By the way, was General Who Shakes the East’s Zhang surname that Zhang?”

As far as he knew, Cao Biao’s surname was Zang (臧), but the character written on the military flag was Zhang (張). And the character written on another flag fluttering beside it was…

“…Luan (鸞)?”

Combined with the surname Zhang in front, it became the name of someone Zhu Kai knew well.

Zhang Ran.

After recalling that name, Zhu Kai remembered the order he had just given his adjutant.

‘Did I… tell him to open the gates…?’

Sure enough. The sound of the gates opening with a creak beneath Zhu Kai’s feet rang out like a scream.

“No, don’t open, close the ga…”

Zhu Kai trailed off and slowly closed his lips.

Does Zhang Ran’s arrival mean Han is really clearing up Nanyang and sending support troops?

When Guan Yu first came, he sensed Han’s trend, and when Sima Yi came again, he was certain that intuition was wrong.

But this time when Zhang Ran came. Zhu Kai really couldn’t tell what was what anymore.

“I don’t know, really. Guan Yu, Sima Yi, Zhang Ran… just do whatever you want.”

And so Zhu Kai opened the gates of Guangcheng Pass for the third visitor.

§

When the gates of Guangcheng Pass were opening to welcome the third visitor. Meanwhile, Sima Yi was facing the Luo River.

“Luoyang Castle is safe.”

Luoyang Castle right across the Luo River. There, the siege battle between Guan Yu and Wei’s forces was still ongoing.

“But Xi Zhen would have notified that I’ve come, yet they’re still continuing the siege… Haha, I guess this Sima Yi was underestimated.”

Xi Zhen was truly a tenacious fellow. They fought until the last person died, as if to keep their word.

However, with Sima Yi seeing through the structure, and Yijue Pass alone unable to block Sima Yi after fighting one battle without repairs, it was impossible.

Xi Zhen charged in saying he would kill even Sima Yi, but that too was just a bold attempt. In the end, Sima Yi passed through Yijue Pass and came before Luoyang.

Sima Yi slightly turned his gaze from Luoyang Castle and looked at a group of Guan Yu’s army that had set up camp right in front of them.

‘They’re not completely unprepared.’

It seems they intend to interfere with crossing the Luo River. While some block Sima Yi from coming, the rest will continue attempting to siege and take down Luoyang. It was a gambling move of gaining all or losing all.

Seeing Guan Yu’s response, Sima Yi snorted.

“He still hasn’t abandoned that arrogance. Originally he should have died swallowed by that arrogance in Fancheng.”

From Sima Yi’s perspective, Guan Yu’s fate should have already set when he didn’t know when to retreat and recklessly continued the attack on Fancheng.

Xu Huang would have checked Guan Yu to prevent him from concentrating on the siege, and Cao Ren and Man Chong would have endured to the end with indirect help from outside.

And when Xu Huang, who joined with the support troops Cao Cao sent first, began attacking in earnest, Guan Yu’s life surrounded by both Fancheng and Xu Huang’s army would have been as good as dead.

And Sima Yi’s prediction had matched exactly in the original history.

The only thing Sima Yi misjudged was his evaluation of Zhang Ran.

That she would raise an army so immediately, and that her speed would be comparable to his own, was an unexpected variable even for Sima Yi.

‘But Zhang Ran who saved you in the past is busy fighting the Wu bastards in Jiangxia. This time I will truly cut your tenacious lifeline.’

Although Guan Yu had taken measures to block Sima Yi, it looked sloppy to Sima Yi’s eyes.

It’s commendable that he built fortifications with palisades despite the lack of time, but to Sima Yi that response was insufficient.

“If you were truly desperate, you should have been even more ruthless.”

The complacency of wanting to keep the people’s admiration.

The arrogance of thinking he could accomplish anything.

Those were the causes of death for Guan Yu today.

“Requisition all boats in the area. Don’t distinguish between fishing boats and merchant ships.”

Guan Yu had left fishing boats and merchant ships alone to avoid harming the people’s livelihoods, but Sima Yi was different.

One who can be endlessly cold-blooded if necessary. That was Sima Yi. What’s the loss of some civilians when accomplishing a great enterprise?

By connecting boats to make a pontoon bridge, a bridge to cross the Luo River could be made in a single morning.

It seems Guan Yu made and used rafts instead of boats, but Sima Yi had no intention of doing so.

Isn’t it the duty of the people to naturally follow for the sake of the country? Sima Yi even mobilized civilians instead of soldiers to connect the boats and link the bridge.

Seeing civilians instead of Wei soldiers doing the work, the Han army hesitated and couldn’t respond immediately.

This was because the soldiers were also aware of Guan Yu’s policy of not harming civilians.

By the time Zhao Lei belatedly issued attack orders, the timing had already passed.

Sima Yi’s army instantly rushed across the pontoon bridge and struck Zhao Lei’s camp. It was a sudden attack without even time for Guan Yu to send additional support.

“It’s over.”

As Zhao Lei couldn’t hold out and withdrew his troops, and Sima Yi completely crossed the Luo River, he muttered with satisfaction.

Although Guan Yu had the numerical advantage in soldiers for an immediate field battle, when combined with the soldiers in Luoyang Castle and Guan Qujian’s soldiers coming from Hangu Pass, Wei’s numbers were superior.

Guan Qujian was a general with decent military talent in both offense and defense, and in Luoyang there was Xiahou Shang to lead the army.

The reason Sima Yi was uncomfortable with Xiahou Shang wasn’t just because he was there to monitor Sima Yi, or because he was from the Xiahou clan who had achievements attached to Zhang Ran.

Because he was capable. Sima Yi put Liu Ye forward because Xiahou Shang was capable.

Xiahou Shang’s ability was comparable to the first generation generals who assisted Cao Cao.

Sima Yi could only think of Xiahou Shang as a general who could succeed the duo of kinsmen generals, Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan.

Although Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen couldn’t be compared to the previous generation, Xiahou Shang was possible.

If such a Xiahou Shang and Guan Qujian together attacked Guan Yu from three directions, how could even Guan Yu withstand? Unless it was Guan Yu in his prime who could behead an enemy general in the middle of the enemy camp.

And the war situation flowed as Sima Yi expected.

Having already received communication from Luoyang and waiting only for Sima Yi to come, Guan Qujian rushed over as soon as he heard news that Sima Yi had crossed the Luo River.

Guan Qujian, who viewed Guan Yu, Han’s Grand General who had killed his father, as a mortal enemy, charged in recklessly while instantly narrowing the space between Guan Yu’s army.

A response also began from Luoyang. Emboldened by the joining of reinforcements, Wei’s forces in Luoyang Castle defended more strongly, and Xiahou Shang rushed out of the castle gates taking advantage of the weakened momentum of Guan Yu’s army.

To the east was Luoyang Castle, to the north Xiahou Shang, to the west Guan Qujian, to the south Sima Yi.

Even while surrounded on all sides, Guan Yu built fortifications and faced Wei’s army as if he had expected this.

Even Sima Yi had to acknowledge that swift and solid formation of defenses.

“As expected of Guan Yu. This is why you were called the God of War That All Fear. But this is as far as you go. How can a human, not an immortal, walk the path of the God of War That All Fear even at 60 years old?”

It’s over now. Guan Yu dies here, today.

Liu Bei will mobilize all the country’s strength to avenge Guan Yu and wage a bloody battle.

Wei will rely on passes like Hangu Pass, Yijue Pass, and Guangcheng Pass to block and erode Han’s national strength.

Then finally when Han reveals its poverty. Once again entice Sun Quan to attack Xingnan and Nanzhong, and if Wei attacks Jingbei and Guanzhong from the north, they should be able to retake Guanzhong.

The reason Sima Yi wanted to take Guan Yu’s head even at the cost of losses:

It was to break Han looking ahead 10 years into the future.

The world is not yet Han’s.

Opportunities still remain for Wei as well, Sima Yi intended to prove with his own hands.

‘I wanted to kill Guan Yu in Nanyang and retake Fancheng to make it a defensive line, but I have no choice but to temporarily leave Nanyang to them. It was land that would be crossed anyway if we couldn’t get Fancheng. If we strike from three directions of Wuguan, Shangyong, and Fancheng prepared for national destruction, our country’s losses would not be small either.’

The best progression Sima Yi planned was to trap and kill Guan Yu in Wancheng and recover up to Fancheng, but even this current situation wasn’t the worst.

It’s a bit disappointing to call it the second best, but too good to call the lesser evil, about halfway but slightly closer to success.

Though narrow, success is success. Sima Yi began to think about preparing for the next stage while wrapping this up with minimal damage.

But who was truly complacent?

“Ge-General! E-enemy f-f-forces have a-appeared in the r-rear!”

“Si Zai, your stutter is worse than usual today. Why are you in such a panic? Didn’t you know Zhang Zhendong was coming? Rather than being greedy for military achievements, it’s better to safely take Guan Yu’s head together with Zhang Zhendong. Hmm… but he came faster than expected. Did he cross the mountains like Guan Yu?”

“Th-that’s not it!”

This time Sima Yi didn’t brush it off casually.

At Deng Ai’s desperate cry, Sima Yi sharply turned his head. It looked grotesque with only his neck turning around while his body remained still.

But in Sima Yi’s opinion, what was truly grotesque was the scene before his eyes, the characters written on the military flags being raised by the army rushing over from the other side:

“How… how can that woman be here!”

The Nanling Army has come (鸞來來).