Battle of Luoyang 10

Xu Chu’s weapon was a great sword. It was quite different from the spears generally used by generals on the battlefield for mounted combat.

My spear and Xu Chu’s great sword clash. The resounding clash of metal spread across the battlefield, striking the eardrums of surrounding soldiers.

Surprisingly, the one who gained the upper hand in the first exchange was Xu Chu. Though by a very narrow margin, Xu Chu’s physical strength was superior to mine. To be at this level even after his body weight greatly decreased while mourning Cao Cao’s death to the point of vomiting blood.

In his prime, Xu Chu may have surpassed even Guan Yu or Father in pure strength alone.

‘But it’s not an insurmountable gap.’

My hand tingled with each exchange with Xu Chu. It didn’t hurt. Rather, I felt satisfaction at the strength of an enemy worth defeating.

Though I was slightly behind in strength, my speed was clearly ahead. The great sword as a weapon would be advantageous in a contest of strength compared to a spear, but it falls short in a speed battle.

A spear whirling dazzlingly and a great sword bringing out optimal effects with the shortest movements by utilizing the principle of striking second but hitting first.

The two weapons tangle. A recreation of the tiger and dragon battle. The great sword fiercely tears through the air like a tiger’s front paws, while the spear becomes a dragon playing in space.

It was a series of precarious exchanges where a single mistake would lead to irreversible damage. Like a climber continuing a perilous rock climb while hanging on the edge of a cliff, or an acrobat walking on a rope between precipices.

The extended spear blade flashes like lightning. The swift spear flies towards Xu Chu’s neck, too fast for the eye to follow.

Clang!

Despite such speed, Xu Chu’s great sword blocked my spear at the perfect moment. Skilled and composed. Dun’s martial arts adapted to suit his aged and weakened body. It is the karma of martial arts built up along with the years.

The following counterattack. The great sword swings quickly. But all that’s heard is the eerie sound of wind cutting through empty air.

Senses honed to the extreme reflexively avoided Xu Chu’s great sword as if reading the future. In a sense of unity between horse and rider as if becoming one with Golden Pavilion Yellow, I demonstrate an evasive maneuver half a beat faster before Xu Chu’s great sword can reach.

Though Xu Chu’s horse is also a fine steed carefully selected and bestowed by Cao Pi, the weight difference of the riders was suppressing the steed’s agility.

Despite falling behind in the horses’ contest for advantageous positions, the fact that the fight continued evenly was thanks to Xu Chu’s skill making up for that gap.

Xu Chu’s movements, not only blocking my full-power spear strikes but immediately preparing counterattacks, were as flexible as water, unfitting for his massive frame.

In the brief respite created as Xu Chu’s counterattack came to nothing, I checked the surrounding situation. For an instant, I caught sight of the Luanling Army pushing forward. And I also heard the sound of reinforcements coming from the rear, as if the battle in the center had ended.

At this rate, the suicide squad blocking the way along with Xu Chu would all die, and Xu Chu alone would be isolated like a solitary island. Time was clearly on my side.

‘Xu Chu isn’t even impatient.’

Yet Xu Chu’s aura remained the same. His appearance of maintaining calm breathing and focusing only on the opponent he was fighting was closer to that of a martial artist than a military officer.

‘Cao Pi must have escaped. Has the objective been achieved, then?’

Xu Chu’s goal was not his own preservation, but Cao Pi’s survival. Seeing that no separate reinforcements were coming, it seemed Cao Pi had prioritized his own escape over saving Xu Chu.

Then capturing Cao Pi has become difficult. Even Xu Chu with his low tactical ability would have this much analytical power as a guard officer.

As a guard officer, he protected his lord, so he has no regrets. All that’s left is to defeat an enemy who could be a future threat to his lord and who is fighting with martial prowess equal to his own.

Having read Xu Chu’s mind, I spoke to him for the first time.

“Xu Chu!”

As if returning my silence when he had proposed a ceasefire to me, Xu Chu remained silent. But since I hadn’t particularly hoped for his answer either, I continued speaking.

“Do you intend to follow Dian Wei’s footsteps?”

Cao Cao, who had received a general’s surrender, is driven to the brink of death by that general’s counterattack while coveting his aunt Lady Zou. At that time, the subordinate who sacrificed his life to guard the city gate so Cao Cao could escape the city was Dian Wei.

He saved Cao Cao but met a miserable end. Xu Chu’s situation was exactly like that of Dian Wei.

My words mentioning Dian Wei were advising Xu Chu to preserve his life since he had achieved his purpose, rather than lose his life like Dian Wei.

At this roundabout suggestion to surrender, Xu Chu’s lips parted.

“The former emperor called me his Dian Wei.”

Xu Chu’s blade still did not leave me.

“How could I betray that person’s grace?”

Xu Chu’s resolve was transmitted even to the Emperor’s guards, the Tiger Soldiers, following him. Despite the obvious losing situation, they never mentioned surrender and simply fulfilled their duty silently facing the Luanling Army.

If that was their belief, urging surrender and dragging out time any further would be an insult.

I raised my spear again.

Words disappeared.

Only the cold, emotionless sound of spear and great sword colliding filled the area.

Will was imbued in the steel blades.

The weapons, bearing each one’s cause, fighting spirit, and killing intent, sought the enemy’s life in accordance with their owners’ wishes.

“Hup!”

Taking a deep breath, Xu Chu’s great sword came crashing down. The will to end it with this one strike was projected, pressing down on my entire body. The great sword bitterly sliced through space.

The sound of onlookers gasping in shock was heard. Xu Chu’s flash imbued with the will for certain death. Did they expect it would cut me down and scatter my blood across the battlefield?

But.

The blood spilled on the ground was not mine.

“…You will take my head.”

“I will.”

“Then cut it with the Bai Bi Dao. I want my last moment to be decorated by my lord’s sword, not Guan Yu’s spear.”

“I will do so.”

“Thank… you…”

Reassured by my promise, Xu Chu let go of his great sword. It was his intention not to resist any further so that I could take his life with the Bai Bi Dao as promised. Though Xu Chu could probably kill soldiers even barehanded like Dian Wei, it would be difficult to defeat me who was holding a weapon with bare hands.

I too followed the promise, putting down Guan Yu’s spear and drawing the Bai Bi Dao.

And I beheaded the loyal subject who had faithfully devoted himself to protecting his lord across generations.

I support Xu Chu’s body so it doesn’t sprawl on the ground. His blood flowed and soaked my body, but I paid no heed. As I held Xu Chu’s body, Luanling Army subordinates who quickly approached my side took custody of Xu Chu’s remains.

“These are the remains of a loyal subject. Handle them with proper respect.”

The soldiers receive Xu Chu’s body with careful hands. They staggered momentarily at the heavy weight of the body with armor, but soon two more joined to receive Xu Chu’s body.

Guo Yi, whom I had entrusted with cleaning up the surroundings, came as if taking over from the soldiers and shouted with an face full of excitement:

“Amazing, General. Everyone must have thought time stopped at the end. They couldn’t even feel the process of your spear deflecting Xu Chu’s great sword and stabbing. General, you have truly reached the realm of being a match for ten thousand!”

I let Guo Yi’s fervent praise flow past my ears. Instead, I clenched and unclenched my hand, retracing the sensation from just now.

It felt as if I was moving a part of my body rather than a spear. In fragments of time split into tens or hundreds within one second, I instinctively thrust out my spear in a state of no-mind.

A realm where the spear is already where the mind is directed, transcending form. Is this the realm Father said he was in? If so, I have finally stepped into the realm reached by martial gods like Father and Guan Yu.

“Xiaoxian.”

“Ah, yes, General! Please speak.”

“What’s the situation in the center?”

“To think you prioritize the battle situation even after achieving such martial feats… No, His Majesty has occupied the hills and dispatched reinforcements to each army! Cao Pi is retreating after joining up with Xiahou Dun’s right wing, so all that’s left is to clean up those remaining with the General of Chariots!”

It seems Liu Bei naturally stepped forward as supreme commander while I entered battle.

Having completed the division of the enemy army, the final remaining procedure is to encircle and annihilate the divided enemy. The ones assigned that role are Grand Commander Pang Tong and Father? There was no need for me to intervene further.

“Then it’s better for us to wrap up the remaining work here. Xiaoxian, reorganize the troops and support Bai Yue.”

The scales of victory have completely tipped in our favor, but Xiahou Dun’s right wing and Cao Pi who escaped with Cao Zhen are still up there. They might try to capture Liu Bei and aim for a sudden reversal taking advantage of the gap left by the reinforcements, so we must maintain thorough defense until the very end.

As I was thus rallying the Luanling Army and securing the defense line, Liu Bei’s messenger came to me from the center. Li Zhao, Li Su’s elder brother, unable to contain his joy, shouted from atop his horse while running:

“General of the Guards! The General of Chariots and the Grand Commander have annihilated the enemy left army! Sun Quan has fled, and they have taken the head of the Wei general Xiahou Yu! His Majesty has ordered that if you judge pursuit possible on site, you are to pursue and attack the enemy’s rear!”

The peak of summer.

We had taken Luoyang.

§

Summer Solstice of the 4th year of Zhangwu (225 AD)

South of the Luo River, the three kingdoms of Han, Wei and Wu gathered to contend over Mount Huiyue, with their troops and horses numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The Ardent Emperor followed the tactics of Zhang Ran, General of the Guards, making Zhang Ran the supreme commander to personally direct the battle, and the enemy could not withstand it.

In this battle, tens of thousands of Wei and Wu soldiers were killed and wounded, and tens of thousands were taken prisoner. At the same time, many enemy generals including Xu Chu, Xiahou Shang, Xiahou Yu, Pan Zhang, and Song Qian lost their lives. Moreover, when the General of Chariots Zhang Fei and Grand Commander Pang Tong encircled and annihilated the enemy, enemy soldiers who could not endure jumped into the Yi River. It is said that the waterway nearly changed course due to the corpses of enemy soldiers who died like that, which allows us to well imagine the extent of the damage.

The war ended with just one battle, and after recapturing Luoyang and performing the jiao sacrifice at the Circular Mound of Mount Huiyue, this victory became the beginning of the restoration of the world.

Though the High Ancestor was greatly defeated by Xiang Yu at Pengcheng, losing the enemy’s capital and having a hundred thousand officers and soldiers die blocking the Suihe River, the Ardent Emperor recaptured the old capital of Luoyang and diverted the course of the Yi River with enemy corpses, so how can it be said that the Ardent Emperor did not match up to the High Ancestor?

《From the Annals of the Ardent Emperor in the Continued Book of Han》