Battle of Luoyang 9

From when I became aware of my past life at age 9, until this moment 16 years later.

I have met countless enemies on numerous battlefields, fought them, and sometimes killed them.

Starting with Niu Jin, I crossed swords with Lady Sun, went to Xizhou to duel with Wei Yan, and competed with Zhang He at Tanggu and Hanzhong, ultimately taking his head. Right after that, I defeated Xiahou Dun in the battle for Jingzhou.

In the northern expedition, I fought Guo Hui, and when facing the allied forces’ offensive, I fought Cao Zhang and was directly or indirectly involved in their deaths. In the battle to recover Jingzhou, I beheaded Wu’s fierce general Xu Sheng.

Even among enemies I had exchanged greetings with but not directly fought, there were many formidable ones.

Among them, excluding tactical and strategic abilities and judging purely on individual martial prowess, I would definitely pick one.

Cao Zhang Zifeng.

The old foe who inflicted the most wounds on me and left a scar on my neck that has not yet faded. I could assert that among all the enemies I had crossed blades with so far, Cao Zhang was undoubtedly the strongest.

However, that seemed about to change now.

His height was 8 chi (185cm), his waist circumference 10 wei (115cm), his appearance majestic and strong, and his bravery and strength surpassed ordinary people. This was the record of Xu Chu left in historical texts.

If the record of his physique is true, Xu Chu’s weight would easily exceed 100kg, but the sight before me was somewhat far from that.

Certainly when I first saw Xu Chu, he was as described in historical records. Xu Chu, who had been the owner of a grand physique and stature, had become much smaller compared to then.

Of course, even now Xu Chu’s height and build far surpass ordinary soldiers, but compared to our first meeting, it would be fair to say he had become gaunt.

There was no need to ponder deeply about the circumstances that changed so drastically.

It is said that when Cao Cao died, Xu Chu wept so much he even vomited blood. Indeed, when I went to pay condolences to Cao Cao, Xu Chu’s complexion I saw then was beyond description.

And Xu Chu’s age is close to sixty. If he neglected his body while wailing to the point of vomiting blood at such an advanced age, it’s certain there would be aftereffects no matter how strong his innate constitution.

Though his physical condition must have weakened considerably, Xu Chu’s aura was still the same.

If Guan Yu had a weight like that of Mount Tai, and Father had a rough and fierce explosive power budding like a storm, facing Xu Chu felt like confronting a massive cliff.

Indeed, it was a majestic aura that made one wonder if attacking would even make him flinch.

There was no opening at all to launch a preemptive strike. As I stopped, the Luanling Army also halted behind me.

Behind Xu Chu as well, a group of troops stood at attention. The presence each one exuded was no less than the Luanling Army. They must be the final bastion that Cao Pi had kept with him even while sending out his personal guard.

While I was cautiously looking for Xu Chu’s weakness, Xu Chu also carefully examined me. Then Xu Chu’s eyes stopped at my waist and trembled slightly.

“Bai Bi Dao…”

Perhaps feeling nostalgia for the former owner who had departed this world first from the Bai Bi Dao that Cao Cao had personally given me, Xu Chu said with a face where hostility had slightly faded:

“I don’t want to fight someone who was favored by him. You’ve won the battle, so why not be satisfied and end it here?”

The current situation was so one-sided that even the enemy general acknowledged their defeat and proposed ending the war.

And in such a situation, was there any reason to follow the enemy’s words?

I silently shook my head. Seeing this, Xu Chu said with regret:

“Do you really have to break the Bai Bi Dao?”

You have considerable confidence in victory. Well, when it comes to Xu Chu, though his military talent is unknown, his martial prowess alone is considered the strongest in Wei at this point.

But why?

I didn’t feel like I would lose.

“Luanling Army, while I deal with Xu Chu, clean up the rest.”

Entrusting the Luanling Army to Guo Yi, who had followed as my lieutenant to pursue Xiahou Shang and Cao Pi, I slowly approached Xu Chu.

§

Even while Zhang Ran was momentarily stopped by Xu Chu’s obstruction, the battlefield continued to change without pause.

As Zhang Ran at the rear moved to the forefront, command naturally returned to Liu Bei and Pang Tong. Since the right and left wings just needed to focus on defense on their own anyway, they only needed to pay attention to the center’s battle situation.

Zhang He maintained the defense line with all his might even against Liu Bei and Pang Tong’s fierce attacks. He certainly was no ordinary person.

But no matter how well Zhang He fought, war is not something done alone.

“Xiahou Shang is retreating. Break through there and surround Zhang He.”

Not long after Pang Tong issued new orders in line with the constantly changing battle situation, good news was heard.

“The General of the Guards has taken the head of our sworn enemy Xiahou Shang!”

Liu Bei was overcome with emotion at the report that Zhang Ran, who had inherited Guan Yu’s spear, had personally beheaded Xiahou Shang, one of the three enemies directly involved in Guan Yu’s death.

The repercussions of Xiahou Shang’s death. It was the moment when the two main objectives of this battle, avenging Guan Yu and recapturing Luoyang, were achieved simultaneously.

Pang Tong was equally amazed at Zhang Ran’s exploits. But unlike Liu Bei, he did not stop his command staff until the end.

“Now is the time! The moment has come to completely cut off the enemy’s lifeline! Bu Rong, keep pressing Zhang He to prevent any tricks, and Shang Cong, break through Xiahou Shang’s collapsing troops and form an encirclement with the Luanling Army!”

Under Pang Tong’s command, the Han army began its final advance.

Xiahou Shang’s troops were as good as crumbled. They could no longer withstand the attacks of the Han army closing in from two directions, Shang Cong and Jiang Wei.

Zhang He’s troops, who now had to fight the Han army from the right as well as the front, were soon overwhelmed by superior numbers.

As the situation reached the point where total annihilation seemed inevitable, Zhang He let out a deep sigh at the Han army’s calls to surrender.

“Is this as far as it goes…”

Even until the moment Xiahou Shang abandoned them and fled, Zhang He had faced the enemy throwing his life on the line. It would be fair to say he had sufficiently maintained his loyalty to Cao Wei.

“Yun Lu, let’s stop. We must surrender.”

After conveying his intention to surrender to his lieutenant Yun Lu, Zhang He raised his head to look at the sky. The still blue sky seemed to say that the era of creation had not yet ended.

Zhang He reflected on the moment he first faced Liu Bei in Xuzhou. At that time, he hadn’t thought such a day would come.

Back then, Liu Bei was under Cao Cao, and the hegemony of the world was passing to Cao Cao.

Who would have known? That Liu Bei would finally break away from Cao Cao and stand tall as the hegemon after his death.

Only his old enemy Cao Cao might have vaguely guessed the possibility.

‘It’s all too late now.’

Zhang He passed through the Wei soldiers laying down their weapons and surrendering, and dismounted as he watched Liu Bei coming towards him.

§

“Your Majesty, it’s good that we’ve received Zhang He’s surrender, but we don’t have time to hesitate here like this.”

Right above, Zhang Ran and the Luanling Army were still fighting the enemy, and looking further up, Wu Yi, Guan Ping, and Ma Dai were struggling to hold back Xiahou Dun.

The farthest south couldn’t be overlooked either. Judging by the fact that no messenger had arrived yet, a fierce battle must be unfolding between Zhang Fei and Sun Quan.

We needed to quickly finish the situation in the center and go support them.

“Don’t worry. I know that well.”

This time, Liu Bei gave orders directly.

He sends Shang Cong, who had matched up with Zhang Ran several times, to support the Luanling Army, and Bu Rong, who had once been Zhang Fei’s lieutenant, to support the southern right wing. This was also a measure considering distance conditions.

And lastly, he sends Zhao Lu, who belongs to the General-in-Chief’s Office like Guan Ping there, to the northern left wing.

“Grand Commander, you go to the right wing as well. I will guard the hills here.”

“I humbly follow your command.”

Pang Tong did not show any concern about the enemy prisoners outnumbering the troops remaining on the hills, and obediently followed Liu Bei’s order to move south.

Though they were many in number, the prisoners’ weapons had been completely removed. Zhang He too had taken off his armor and weapons and was paying prisoner’s respects to Liu Bei. There was no way Liu Bei would be harmed by such unarmed prisoners.

After sending 5,000 to the Luanling Army and 10,000 each to support the left and right wings, the nearly 50,000 troops in the center were instantly reduced by more than half. There were also quite a few soldiers who had been wounded in battle.

But stepping on those sacrifices, they had won.

Liu Bei recalled his old rival who had departed first, and sent a message that would not reach him.

‘Cao Cao, do you see? All that you built is crumbling. And continue to watch. The dream of unifying the world that you could not achieve is being realized by the hands of our brothers and Han’s ministers.’