Wu Ben and his remaining troops mounted their horses and prepared for battle. Days of aimless fleeing had left this once-elite Xianbei force utterly demoralized.
With no way out and Tadun's Black Banner Army closing in on them like a vice, there was no choice left but to fight to the death!
Soon, a mass of black-clad cavalry on black horses appeared over the hill, resembling an impenetrable black wall.
The immense pressure seemed to drive the midday sun behind the clouds, and Wu Ben and his men were filled with dread.
Tadun, observing the ragged, disheveled remnants of Wu Ben's army, couldn't help but sneer. "The farce ends here. You miserable ants, now taste the might of my Black Banner Army!"
With a single wave of Tadun's hand, the cavalry behind him formed into a charging formation, ready to overwhelm their enemy. Wu Ben gritted his teeth, clutching his sword in one hand and his robe in the other.
"Brothers! We may not share the same blood, but we have fought and bled together. Today, I, Wu Ben, will sever my robe as a testament. If we die today, we will meet again in the afterlife!"
With those words, Wu Ben slashed through his robe. The Xianbei soldiers, moved to tears, cried out in unison, "We will follow the General to death!"
"Charge!" Both armies roared the command to attack at the same time. However, just as they were about to engage, a sudden tremor shook the ground.
Both sides halted and exchanged wary glances, realizing neither had made a move.
A moment of silence passed before a banner appeared on the horizon, followed by a massive wave of cavalry charging from the distance.
Wu Ben squinted his eyes, recognizing the character "Ding" on the banner. He burst into laughter, "Ding Yuan! It's the forces of the Inspector of Bingzhou, Lord Ding Yuan!"
As Wu Ben had said, the newcomers were indeed led by two of Ding Yuan's top generals, Zhang Liao and his adopted son, Lü Bu, commanding tens of thousands of elite Bingzhou cavalry from Jinyang.
"Who are they…?" Tadun watched the approaching army, his instincts warning him that these were not foes to be trifled with.
Especially intimidating was the towering general at the forefront, clad in full armor adorned with beast faces, with a long plume cresting his helmet.
His very presence exuded a murderous aura, and his cold, piercing eyes hammered at Tadun's mental defenses.
"General, they are the enemy's reinforcements!" Tadun's deputy stepped forward to remind him quietly.
Tadun snorted, "I'm not blind!"
With Lü Bu's forces joining the fray, both sides instinctively retreated a few paces. Zhang Liao rode forward alone to confront Tadun's Black Banner Army, drawing a line on the ground with his iron halberd. His expression cold, he declared,
"This line marks the boundary. Step over it, and you will enter Bingzhou territory. Withdraw your Xiongnu forces immediately, or my Bingzhou soldiers will show no mercy!"
"Han general! You misunderstand," Tadun didn't speak Han Chinese and had his deputy translate. "All we want are those few hundred defeated soldiers behind you. They are wanted by my lord. We are merely following orders. If we have offended your military might, we ask for your forgiveness."
"'Wanted'?" Zhang Liao sneered, glancing back at Wu Ben. After the two exchanged looks, Zhang Liao nodded, signaling Wu Ben to be at ease.
"Take my advice: if you value your lives, leave at once. Those behind me are not wanted criminals but allies of my lord. Any harm to our allies will be considered an act of aggression against us!"
"Curse it…" Tadun realized that Zhang Liao was clearly protecting Wu Ben and the remaining Xianbei forces, showing that they were already in league.
No wonder Yufuluo had traveled such a great distance to relocate his tribe to Bingzhou.
But faced with the overwhelming numbers and the well-armored, battle-hardened Bingzhou cavalry, his own troops, exhausted from days of pursuit, were no match.
If a battle broke out, his forces would be slaughtered. Frustrated, Tadun gritted his teeth, waved his horsewhip, and commanded, "Retreat!"
With a sharp bone whistle, Tadun and his Black Banner Army, weary from days of relentless pursuit, hurriedly withdrew from the battlefield.
"Yes!" The men, having narrowly escaped death, erupted in cheers. Wu Ben also breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stepped forward to thank Zhang Liao and Lü Bu.
"Thank you, generals, for your rescue. Wu Ben is eternally grateful!"
"You're too kind, General. We already know the full story. Upon hearing that King Yufuluo had journeyed from the northern desert, our lord ordered General Fengxian and me to lead the army to receive you."
"We just chased off the Xiongnu pursuers, and King Yufuluo immediately sent us to aid you. We are fortunate to have arrived in time."
Upon learning that Yufuluo and the Xianbei people were safe, Wu Ben and his soldiers were greatly relieved.
Zhang Liao clasped his hands in salute and added, "General Wu, there is one more thing I must warn you about. South of Yinshan, within the Bingzhou territory, there is a strong band of outlaws known as the Black Mountain Army. "
"These rebels have plagued our Bingzhou for a long time. If you and King Yufuluo settle beyond Yinshan, do not venture into the mountains. I fear…"
Black Mountain Army—Wu Ben smiled, understanding that Ding Yuan was merely worried that Yufuluo, once recovered, might one day move south and threaten Bingzhou.
"Thank you for the warning, General. Please convey to Lord Inspector that if ever he requires our aid, the Xianbei people will repay today's kindness with all our strength!"
Hearing this, Zhang Liao returned the smile, nodding in acknowledgment. After some brief pleasantries, the two sides parted ways.
Zhang Liao and Lü Bu led their forces south back to Bingzhou, while Wu Ben continued westward to reunite with Yufuluo.
In an instant, the sun set behind the western mountains, and the moon rose high above the treetops. Wu Ben and his group, after a night of urgent travel, finally reunited with Yufuluo on a plain beneath the Yin Mountains.
The soldiers, having narrowly escaped death, were moved to tears upon seeing familiar faces.
Yufuluo, barefoot, rushed out of his tent to lead Wu Ben's horse. Wu Ben quickly dismounted and saluted him.
"My King! I have failed you! Of the brothers who went to battle with me, only this few remain. If we hadn't encountered reinforcements from Inspector Ding within Bingzhou territory, we would have been completely annihilated…"
Yufuluo, with a solemn expression, helped Wu Ben to his feet. Though he said nothing, his eyes were filled with deep emotion.
"Brother, there's no need to blame yourself. The battlefield is unpredictable. In our Xianbei beliefs, it is the highest honor for a warrior to die in battle. If not for you leading the men to hold off the Xiongnu army's pursuit, our Xianbei people would have faced extinction. You are all heroes!"
"Thank you, my King, for your mercy!" Wu Ben, deeply moved, couldn't hold back his tears.
Yufuluo looked at the few hundred soldiers who remained, both familiar and unfamiliar faces, his resolve growing stronger. With a swift motion, he drew his curved blade and examined it closely.
"Twenty years ago, I had only a dozen brothers in my tribe. We had a few curved blades, a few fine horses, and not even a single suit of proper armor!"
" But we fought side by side, with strategy and strength, and unified the Xianbei after it was divided into many factions!"
"Today, the Xianbei nearly faced annihilation once again. Though I am no longer as young and vigorous as I was twenty years ago, the Xianbei today are not as isolated as they were back then. "
"We have sworn a blood oath with General Qin Longyang of the Han, and together, we will restore the glory of the Xianbei!"
After his speech, Yufuluo raised his curved blade high, and the Xianbei people shouted, "Long live the King!" Their spirits surged, no longer resembling an army recently defeated but rather one poised for a resurgence.
Meanwhile, it had been some time since anyone mentioned the whereabouts of Qin Longyang. While Guan Yu was campaigning against Mount Tai and Gongsun Zan was conquering Liaodong, Qin Longyang and Liao Hua were leisurely traveling through the border of Qingzhou and Xuzhou.
As night deepened, the two casually set up a campfire by the roadside and roasted some dry rations.
Qin Longyang tossed a dry stick into the fire, causing the faint flames to flare up, lighting the dark night a bit more.
"Master, why don't you like staying in inns and prefer camping out in the open?" Liao Hua asked, leaning against a tree while chewing on his rations. It had always puzzled him.
Despite not being skilled in martial arts, his lord preferred sleeping outdoors rather than in the safety of an inn.
It would have been fine if it was just Liao Hua himself, but accompanying his lord in this "wild living" meant keeping one eye open even while sleeping to guard against wild animals.
Qin Longyang smiled, "The more crowded a place, the noisier it is, and the noise can cloud one's judgment."
Qin Longyang's cryptic response left Liao Hua puzzled, though he didn't press further. The two had spoken openly about many things on their journey, including Qin Longyang's thoughts on the current chaotic situation.
Liao Hua's response had been straightforward: "Since I decided to follow you, whether it's climbing mountains of knives or diving into seas of fire, I'll do whatever you say. As for my thoughts, we should advance step by step, conquer Sili, and take Luoyang, forcing the dog emperor to abdicate!"
His words implied a plan to march on the capital and seize power for themselves. Qin Longyang had only smiled noncommittally, aware that his ranks were filled with talented men. Perhaps that day might come, who knew?
But the world was ever-changing, and in the turbulent end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, with so many warlords rising, who could guarantee that they wouldn't become mere stepping stones for others?
As the two were chatting, a few figures suddenly appeared in the distance. Liao Hua, who had been drowsy, immediately widened his eyes and stood up. Qin Longyang also became alert, wondering who could be approaching at this hour—could it be bandits working overtime?
"Ha! Damn it!" As the figures drew near, it became clear there were six or seven of them, all looking fierce and menacing. But what was surprising was that these men had yellow scarves wrapped around their heads! "Where do you brats think you're going, wandering onto Grandpa's turf?"
The leader of the Yellow Turban bandits barked, causing Qin Longyang to narrow his eyes. Liao Hua was about to draw his sword and confront them, but Qin Longyang held him back, putting on a forced smile as he stepped forward to talk to the bandit leader.
"Wearing yellow scarves—could it be that you gentlemen are members of the famed Yellow Turban Army?" Qin Longyang feigned a look of shock.
The bandit leader grinned proudly and spat, "Kid, you've got it. I am none other than the renowned General of Heaven, Zhang Jiao!"
"Zhang… Zhang Jiao…" Qin Longyang and Liao Hua exchanged glances, struggling to suppress their laughter.
The bandit leader mistook their reaction as fear and shouted with hands on hips, "Now that you know how powerful I am, hand over all your silver and get lost, or I'll use you as a warning to others!"
Liao Hua could hardly contain himself and was about to step forward when suddenly a voice came from behind the Yellow Turban bandits, "How dare you scoundrels defame the name of the General of Heaven!"
As the words fell, a man wearing a straw hat and dressed in green robes, with a bear-like physique, leaped out from the bushes wielding a long-handled broadsword.
The bandit leader turned at the sound, only to see a flash of cold steel before being cleaved in half, head and shoulders, by the newcomer.
The remaining bandits screamed in terror and scattered, leaving Qin Longyang and Liao Hua staring at the warrior before them.
"Straw hat, green robes, tiger-headed broadsword…" Liao Hua murmured, "Could you be Zhou Cang?"
The warrior, hearing this, became suspicious and sized up Liao Hua. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"
"Hahaha, it really is Zhou Cang!" Liao Hua laughed heartily. "I am Liao Hua. I've heard of a mighty warrior under the People's General, known as Zhou Cang, ever since my time in Julu. So it's truly you!"
"Liao Hua!" Zhou Cang's eyes lit up with recognition, "I've heard of you too, General! It's an honor to meet you!"