“Can strategists even ascend to the throne?”
As Cao Cao pondered this, he inadvertently smeared some ink at the start of his letter.
But then again, he thought, whether it’s a grandson or granddaughter of Qiao Gongzu doesn’t really matter in the face of the ferocious Yellow Turban assault; what’s important is to fend off this momentum and uphold the legitimacy of the Han dynasty.
In the Han era, the restrictions on women weren’t as severe as in later times.
The Han inherited many systems from the Qin, which included an intriguing law stating, “If a husband strays and the wife kills him, she is not guilty.” It meant if husbands were unfaithful, wives could take extreme measures without any legal repercussions.
While the Han didn’t strictly enforce this, the environment allowed women to serve as head of households and engage in societal activities. Besides having several empresses ruling from the throne, the political education of noblewomen was quite significant, and many even indirectly participated in political affairs.
Cao Cao rarely met Qiao Yu but knew well about Qiao Xuan’s righteous character. Thus, it didn’t surprise him that his granddaughter would dare infiltrate enemy ranks with plans of countering the Yellow Turbans.
Never underestimate women, huh…
“What’s on your mind, Mengde?” Huangfu Song, noticing Cao Cao’s hesitation, asked.
Since Qiao Yan hadn’t disclosed her identity, Cao Cao felt no need to bring it up himself and simply replied, “I’m thinking that if it weren’t for Qiao Gong’s introduction, I wouldn’t have had the chance to gain Xu Zijiang’s insights. Now that Qiao Gong is gravely ill and I’m not in the capital, what a regret! And to learn that his granddaughter is in the Yellow Turban camp, it makes one wonder—are we really going to risk the nation’s security over one child?”
People back then valued loyalty and righteousness, so what Cao Cao said had its merits.
Huangfu Song stroked his long beard and responded, “What Mengde said is true. If we win in this chaotic struggle, the Qiao family heirs in the army won’t escape unharmed. If we triumph but they inadvertently lose their lives, how could I return to Luoyang to face Qiao Gong?”
He scanned the vicinity, contemplating whether to send more protection for Qiao Yan. Hearing this, Tian Yan quickly interjected, “There’s no need to worry about her safety! We’ve hired the warrior Dian Wei from Chenliu, and he’s currently beside her. Dian Wei possesses the strength to withstand ten thousand men; with him around, no ordinary person could even approach her!”
Huangfu Song inquired seriously about Dian Wei’s grip and arm strength, and the information he received from Tian Yan assured him that Dian Wei was indeed an exceptional warrior. Additionally, since Qiao Yan mentioned having Cheng Li beside her, they could complement each other’s tactics should any oversights occur, so he felt at ease.
Tian Yan, overwhelmed by the imposing presence of several seasoned generals around him, felt like he could hardly breathe. He finally managed to slip away, clutching a letter detailing the agreed signals and timings. Under the cover of night, when he returned to the camp, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.
The cold sweat on his back intensified as the wind blew, adding to his discomfort.
During the Little Ice Age towards the end of the Han dynasty, it was still too early in April for warmth and spring.
“Follow me,” he suddenly heard a familiar voice from beside him.
Turning his head, he saw Cheng Li holding a wind lamp covered in black cloth looking at him.
That glimmer wasn’t very conspicuous in the camp, but it brought some comfort to Tian Yan.
After all, it spared him the trouble of stumbling around in the dark and ending up in the wrong place.
Having already entered Changshe, if anything went wrong now due to such a trivial mistake, that would truly be a waste!
Fortunately, everything was proceeding according to plan.
He handed the letter in his possession to Qiao Yan after meeting her.
Qiao Yan read the content word for word before passing it to Cheng Li.
She asked, “Since we have days left, will Mr. Zhongde be able to prepare a bit more?”
Having seen the contents of the letter, Cheng Li already grasped that Qiao Yan convincing Huangfu Song for a surprise attack was quite promising. So when he received this agreement for cooperation, a wave of joy surged through him.
At his age, he had moved past displaying emotions so readily and refrained from feeling any pride simply because the person who persuaded him was a left middle general appointed by the court.
From a strategist’s viewpoint, he genuinely felt that reaching this point was no easy feat.
Just as Qiao Yan had stated during their siege of Tian Family Fortress as she advised Liang Zhongning to “attack fivefold,” now the situation was no different.
The Yellow Turban forces outnumbered the Han soldiers five to one. Even if Huangfu Song launched a night attack for a surprise effect, not everyone in the army possessed Lü Bu’s valor to break through the dense barriers. Moreover, after Bo Cai surrounded Changshe for so long, if they attempted to break out, he would be informed promptly, prompting a rapid response. All things considered—
If Huangfu Song truly led the troop to attack, he might be betting his life on Qiao Yan.
And betting on Cheng Li too.
His face lit up momentarily in confident excitement before quickly adopting a more serious demeanor. He bowed to Qiao Yan and said, “I will do my utmost.”
“Then I’ll leave it in Mr. Zhongde’s hands. But this is a reminder,” Qiao Yan tapped her finger on the desk, “on the night after tomorrow, please don’t wander around recklessly. Also, I’ll need you to ride me to our destination.”
“…” Getting such a significant task for the first time being a shield made Cheng Li somewhat uncomfortable.
Dian Wei, standing aside, blurted, “What should I do then?”
With his superior foot combat skills and knowledge of horsemanship, it seemed strange that Qiao Yan would send Cheng Li as a bodyguard instead of having him, the protector, take on that role.
Despite his temporary employment with her, Dian Wei had done menial tasks like delivering letters before, which left him with a subtle air of frustration.
But the next moment, he saw Qiao Yan looking at him solemnly and saying, “I have a more important task to entrust you with.”
As Dian Wei exited the tent, he whispered to Tian Yan, “I sometimes really dislike these clever people.”
Qiao Yan was indeed a bit excessive; claiming to have urgent matters yet not telling him what they were felt frustrating.
While it was said that the details would be revealed after, dangling someone’s curiosity without clarification could really twine the mind.
“Yeah, I dislike them too,” Tian Yan whispered back.
Qiao Yan didn’t assign him any tasks, giving him, the great hero, a well-deserved rest.
But that night, having narrowly escaped death and seen so many high-ranking officials of the Han dynasty, he wouldn’t learn how to achieve victory until after the sun rose—
Tian Yan could already predict he would have to stay wide awake until dawn.
The two exchanged glances and then sighed in unison, feeling that they both shared this half-knowledge plight like a couple of buddies caught in the same boat.
Fortunately, there weren’t any new sieging tasks during the day that required them to squander their energy unnecessarily.
After the previous failure at Changshe, Bo Cai felt defeated.
Not wanting Liang Zhongning to siphon off his credit, he aimed to capture Changshe before the latter comprehended the situation.
Especially since his prior attack was prompted by tales he heard—it was said that lofty officials, after being besieged for days, were bound to make mistakes out of impatience.
However, he never expected that despite having numerical superiority, the truth lay in his opponents being experienced generals who wouldn’t give him such leeways.
And for him, managing the aftermath of a siege would turn out to be the real headache.
These less-militized people wouldn’t see that during the breakout battle Liang Zhongning led, Cao Cao countered with deceptive tactics. Had Bo Cai not ordered a retreat prematurely, Liang Zhongning would surely have suffered a defeat.
What they saw was their leader’s futile contest against the Han army, contrasting sharply with Liang Zhongning’s valorous demeanor.
This comparison certainly led them to think of the layout of their camp they had heard so much about.
Qiao Yan genuinely counted herself lucky this time.
With Cheng Li carrying out Qiao Yan’s orders, he couldn’t miss such an opportunity.
But this time around, he shifted from inciting conflicts to steering the morale positively.
Qiao Yan had thoroughly taught Liang Zhongning the difference in mindset between the Yellow Turbans from Yanzhou and those from Yuzhou, ensuring they could apply this knowledge effectively.
The system felt its central operations slightly lagging, ultimately deciding to take on the supportive role, quietly observing Qiao Yan’s maneuvers.
Meanwhile, Cheng Li wasn’t idle during this time either.
He gave Liang Zhongning another lesson on human emotions.
This convoluted concept that made it seem like he learned something yet nothing at all had the system exclaiming “scam!”
But Liang Zhongning couldn’t possibly think the strategist was pulling a fast one.
He merely felt that these ideas were akin to astrological proclamations, beyond his grasp.
Within these complex teachings, there was indeed something quite easy to accept, becoming distinct enough for him to remember.
Qiao Yan stated that the comforting words after a conflict often hide the opponent’s traps.
In fact, it wasn’t necessary to complicate any of the thoughts of the Yellow Turbans too much.
Just like earlier Yellow Turbans in Yanzhou, who thought they could still reap a decent meal under Liang Zhongning’s command even after Bu Ji and Zhang Bo were dead, the current Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou would similarly yearn for a better march environment.
However, under Qiao Yan’s brainwashing, Liang Zhongning didn’t think this way.
“He’s really been led astray by you!” the system lamented, “He must believe he’s at a pivotal moment, with him directed by the stars, but isn’t Bo Cai plotting against him, even taking the initiative to curry favor with his soldiers first?”
“What’s favored upward will surely be echoed below, and what’s loathed is the same,” Qiao Yan replied.
Stepping out of the tent, she scanned the camp, seemingly orderly but full of vulnerabilities, confirming that everything was going well with her plans before withdrawing her gaze. “Besides, even if he got tricked badly… there’s always the option of surrender, right?”
The system listened in confusion, just catching Qiao Yan murmuring a verse, which it distinctly recognized as “When the world is chaotic, cities become dilapidated, mothers cannot protect children, and wives lose husbands, may Huangfu restore peace.”
This hymn was in its system archives, speaking of Huangfu Song.
But the hymn emerged after he had slaughtered the Yellow Turbans surrendering at Guangzong, turning the corpses into the Pyramid of Skulls. The Han dynasty felt grateful for his efforts in safeguarding their reign, compounded by his petition after taking command in Ji Province to exempt the region from taxes for a year.
“The 60,000 people who died at the foot of Guangzong wouldn’t have heard anything about ‘restoration and peace,’ and Huangfu Song, tasked with protecting the Han frontier after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, likely never imagined the chaos of the Five Barbarians would arise over a century later.”
Qiao Yan’s tone left the system guessing her sentiments, as she quickly stated, “Let’s not dwell on this. I shouldn’t judge Huangfu Yi’s deeds; at least he hasn’t yet committed such a massacre against surrendering soldiers after eight months of combat.”
In truth, Huangfu Song’s shock tactics hadn’t quelled the Yellow Turbans who escaped the slain Zhang brothers from opposing the Han dynasty.
For example, in the year of Chuping (AD 192), the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou invaded Yanzhou, capturing Dongping and Rencheng while killing the then Yanzhou governor, Liu Dai.
When they acted, they didn’t even consider that, someday, their own heads might end up like those at Guangzong’s Pyramid of Skulls.
Currently, only two months had passed since the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and Huangfu Song had been in battle for not even a month. The turning Yellow Turbans still had opportunities to negotiate their lives before the Han soldiers.
Qiao Yan’s reflections weren’t shared with Cheng Li.
After all, those living in this era wouldn’t have imagined the Yellow Turban Rebellion was merely the prelude to a century of turmoil.
She was aware of what was at stake, and that was enough.
For now, focus on the battle at hand!
Attacking the fortress was just small-scale fighting, hardly qualifying as true warfare.
Eliminating Bu Ji and Zhang Bo and consolidating Yellow Turban forces under Liang Zhongning didn’t require any soldiers clashing, more so resembling an assassination plot.
But now it was different!
No matter how much the deceitful heart-manipulation tricks and inside-outside coordination stealth tactics were in play, this definitely counted as a substantial battle involving thousands of troops.
Having witnessed that authentic siege warfare previously stirred emotional ripples within her; now, it heightened.
For this battle would see her pulling the strings right until the dust settled!
That night, a breeze stirred.
In April and May in Yuzhou, the north winds often blew, and today was no exception.
Bo Cai had no idea what stationed his camp south of Changshe entailed, but for Huangfu Song, it was undoubtedly an opportunity laid before him.
The preconditions for victory that Qiao Yan outlined in her letter required him to penetrate Bo Cai’s camp and incite some chaos.
The letter also contained the locations ideal for infiltration, precisely drawn from Qiao Yan and Cheng Li’s surveillance over the past few days.
Her requests to Huangfu Song didn’t come across as troublesome; quite the opposite, he believed that such inside-outside coordination should synergize for meaningful outcomes.
After all, Huangfu Song wasn’t keen on achieving victory through sheer laziness.
Moreover, Qiao Yan’s letter molded him into a potential pillar of the future, which subtly praised Huangfu Song.
The phrase “fear that General Huangfu couldn’t discern potential talents or understand battle opportunities” was an excellent and understated compliment for a general.
Having targets to defeat and admiring words from juniors, Huangfu Song did his utmost.
Whether it was historical inevitability or a nudging effect from Qiao Yan instructing Tian Yan to use flaming arrows as a signal to inform Changshe, it played a role in giving Huangfu Song a hint.
He still opted for fire tactics.
As Fu Xie and Zhu Jun led their respective teams to infiltrate Bo Cai’s camp as vanguards, Huangfu Song donned light armor and climbed up to the city walls.
His father had served as Governor of Yanmen, and his uncle had been General of the Liao Pass. In his youthful memories, confrontations with foreign enemies occupied most of his early experiences.
It was precisely this differentiation from the usual bureaucrats of Luoyang that granted him extraordinary composure when dealing with the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
As he caught the flicker of a flame in the distance, he immediately raised his hand.
The soldiers prepping for battle quickly followed his orders, binding blazing torches to the city walls, creating a fiery sea that danced in the wind.
Almost simultaneously, Fu Xie, having broken through the Yellow Turban camp’s barriers on horseback, flung his torch into the air.
The camp set up by Bo Cai beneath Changshe city was sturdy by necessity, but due to last year’s drought and this year’s scarce rains, it was almost more a collection of makeshift shelters.
While it wasn’t a full-blown inferno, Fu Xie’s torch ignited on the instant it landed on one of the tents.
Realizing they were on fire, the Yellow Turban soldiers, just stepping out of their tents, were met head-on with a gleaming long spear.
Fu Xie charged in on horseback, piercing one soldier clean through the throat with a single thrust.
As a fitting response, war drums began to beat upon the walls of Changshe.
Huangfu Song had issued the call to arms!
The drums echoed ominously in the night, roaring like thunder.
This sound, accompanied by the pounding of hooves, jolted people awake, catching them off guard.
The unlucky Yellow Turban, whose camp hadn’t encountered Fu Xie’s surprise attack, stepped out armed, only to see several fires erupting within their encampment.
And that was just the beginning; in a state of half-dreaming, they unconsciously turned their gaze towards the source of that special sound.
But that glance revealed something alarming.
Amid the confusion, the inexperienced Yellow Turbans in the chaos failed to recognize that the fire was coming from Changshe.
From their vantage points above the tents, they only saw flames flickering at the horizon and ominous clouds.
Feeling the heat carried by the wind, they almost mistook the glowing flames as if they were spreading towards them!
As the first gasp echoed through the camp, panic instantly spread among them.
However, the situation was far from dire at that moment.
The fires inside the camp hadn’t inflicted serious casualties, and the number of soldiers launched in this surprise raid was also minimal, with not many cavalry among them. If the Yellow Turbans had realized the situation earlier, they could have contained it; the Han troops were certainly not invincible foes.
They could have launched a sea of soldiers tactic and turned the tide against the intruders.
However, just at that moment, someone abruptly called out in the night, “Where is the rebel leader?”
Where was the rebel leader?
Bo Cai sensed something was off, quickly readying his sword and gathering his trusted men for a defense.
But thanks to Qiao Yan acting as an insider, neither Zhu Jun nor Fu Xie’s group was particularly close to Bo Cai’s position, which caused this inquiry to go unanswered.
The turmoil of night such as this easily sowed confusion, shrouding the enemy’s movements and distorting their sense of timing.
Thus, the Yellow Turbans scurried back and forth, weapons in hand yet unsure of which way to go. What seemed to be but a fleeting moment felt like a long stretch to them.
So when the one who first spoke exclaimed, “Let us seek out Liang Zhongning,” nobody felt that this was an odd suggestion; it sounded entirely reasonable!
Fu Xie pulled his horse around, making a mental note of this “double agent” mingling with Bo Cai’s troops, to avoid accidental harm during his charge.
But this fellow seemed to manage just fine on his own.
This guy was picked by Qiao Yan as the nimblest among the ranks, and the suggestion to find Liang Zhongning spurred him into a sprint towards the Yanzhou Yellow Turban camp.
If Fu Xie hadn’t witnessed the scene unfold before him, he would have struggled to understand why, even with the rebel leader present, his troops would be heading the opposite way.
But Huangfu Song, having seen more battle from the city walls, could probably figure out the reason behind this chaotic trend—
It was all about comparison.
In the panic, the Yellow Turbans had a bunch of blind followers, some perhaps brave enough to resist, but most were just waiting for their leader to take charge.
Those folks were sure to seek safety in numbers!
From the moment the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans arrived in Changshe, they had constantly fed them this signal.
This undoubtedly led them to instinctively turn towards the more secure, organized camp of Liang Zhongning as danger approached.
But this instinct for self-preservation had them running towards Liang Zhongning, effectively walking into a trap.
When Bo Cai finally realized the trajectory of these soldiers and furiously ordered them back, the undercover agent who had infiltrated the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans was already leading the way across the barriers.
And all these changes transpired in no time!
There wasn’t even enough time for the flames in Bo Cai’s camp to catch anyone’s attention before Liang Zhongning could have clear sight of the situation.
In fact, it was the booming thunder that stirred him awake, and shortly after he stepped out of the camp to investigate, the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans had arrived, dragging along bewildered comrades, on the edges of the two camps.
Bo Cai’s ambition to claim credit placed his camp right at the front lines, while Liang Zhongning’s camp remained on the periphery.
But precisely because of this layout, the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans didn’t immediately register that the sounds and chaos originated from the Han troops in Changshe.
All they saw through the reddish shadows of night were soldiers from Bo Cai’s side, armed to the teeth, advancing over the barriers, casting ominous shadows like wolves and tigers.
This looked nothing like a plea for help; on the contrary, it seemed to validate the previous caution expressed by their leader under Qiao Yan’s influence against the “evil intentions of the enemy.”
Indeed, they were coming to raid!
And nobody knew where a sudden arrow emerged from this group, striking a Yanzhou soldier right in the chest.
That arrow ignited a sudden escalation of conflict, unraveling the night battle.
Bo Cai and his men, still grappling with the shock of this abrupt turnabout, hadn’t even uttered a call for help when the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans sprang into “self-defense” action.
This was the kind of opportunistic strike that caught them off guard.
Qiao Yan had arranged the night patrols in a manner that allowed the undercover agent to guide the others precisely to where Liang Zhongning’s group could quickly muster fighting forces at night.
In these initially misinterpreted chaos that escalated into a real tussle, the Yanzhou side undoubtedly gained an advantage.
Bo Cai’s forces already felt that Liang Zhongning’s camp was stronger, and this sudden counterattack only reinforced that notion.
It was tricky to compare the battle capabilities of both sides accurately, but in the rush of combat, morale was undeniably a key factor.
The first side to seize the advantage would see their morale grow stronger.
But that still wasn’t enough!
At least not for what Qiao Yan wanted to achieve!
In the night attack, as the torches were lit in the Yanzhou camp, two gory spots reflected in her eyes.
As she scanned to ensure that the conflict they had orchestrated was unfolding as intended, a sharp glimmer flickered through the blood.
There are no plans entirely foolproof; she still needed to do a bit more.
She wasn’t going to miss the sounds of the clashes, mixed with sporadic shouts of “misunderstanding,” which would eventually reach Liang Zhongning’s ears.
Though Liang Zhongning wasn’t exactly the brightest, he certainly wasn’t deaf!
Qiao Yan couldn’t be sure he would halt his men upon hearing such rebuttals.
He seemed emboldened by their current positional advantage, stepping closer to the fray, clearly fearless.
But this also meant he was more likely to hear those calls.
And that spelled trouble.
With the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans ready to act as Bo Cai’s reserves, should Fu Xie and Zhu Jun’s edge falter, Huangfu Song’s plan of creating panic with shadows could easily crumble if someone spotted the plan’s flaws.
So she had to do something.
And it was precisely what she’d instructed Dian Wei to undertake the day she received Huangfu Song’s response.
In addition to placing agents within the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans, she had procured a suit of armor that obscured identity—assembled from strips torn off two soldiers from Bo Cai’s camp.
This armor might slow down anyone else, but for Dian Wei, it was merely an advantage.
As Qiao Yan subtly raised her hand, Dian Wei surged into Bo Cai’s ranks, merging seamlessly into their midst, and then boldly stepped forward to snatch the spear aimed at his direction.
Even without armor, this fierce warrior would dare such a bold act, let alone now!
The spear he seized crashed down, while his thunderous roar plunged into the fray.
Though the soldiers might have recalled Dian Wei’s courage, the cover of night meant they didn’t immediately recognize the absurdity of his actions. Plus, Qiao Yan’s previous departure from Puyang had muddied their impressions of his presence.
Besides, if they had someone like Dian Wei on their side, how could Bo Cai not have a hidden powerhouse lurking around?
The swift changes left them no time to ponder.
This armored oddity seized the spear and hurled it back towards the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans.
In the chaos of injuries, he lunged toward Liang Zhongning with a force and speed defying belief—
He sped toward Liang Zhongning.
As he drew near, Liang Zhongning sensed a flicker of familiarity.
But his previous encounters with Dian Wei had always been interrupted, and he didn’t realize how quickly their close-quarters struggle would conclude while Dian Wei was fueled with confidence and determination.
Just as he caught a clear glimpse into Dian Wei’s eyes, he realized who was charging at him—but it was far too late!
Dian Wei’s palm came crashing down like a giant fan.
Instead of flattening Liang Zhongning’s head, it simply knocked him out cold.
Then, illuminated by firelight, everyone saw this armored figure, unrecognized, hoisting Liang Zhongning and sprinting towards Bo Cai’s camp.
“…”
This was the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans stunned by their leader’s unexpected abduction.
“…”
This was the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans who didn’t understand why they were taking their leader and running into danger.
Both sides were left bewildered.
Yet in that moment of confusion that felt like a pause button had been pressed, a youthful voice broke the silence.
Qiao Yan shouted, “What are you waiting for? Go get our leader back!”
If that wasn’t compelling enough, her next line hit home, “Did Bo Cai feed you well?”
At once, the Yanzhou soldiers awakened to clarity.
They looked toward the voice and saw Qiao Yan riding atop Cheng Li’s horse.
Before they could even react, she was already adopting a stance prepared to chase.
They’d certainly heed her call!
Because of Liang Zhongning, Qiao Yan held significant standing among the troops. Her words, combined with her penchant for appealing to their interests, had an undeniable impact.
While Bo Cai’s soldiers felt the strength of Liang Zhongning’s side, did those under Liang Zhongning make the same observations?
They likely did!
Thanks to Qiao Yan’s influence, after Bu Ji and Zhang Bo fell in battle, Liang Zhongning had wisely handed over some provisions to calm potential unrest.
The local gentry within Yanzhou had cooperated with significant grain contributions, either due to defeat or persuasion.
Compared to Bo Cai’s force stuck in a prolonged siege at Changshe, the fact they were well-fed was their best reason to hold their heads high.
This undoubtedly solidified their loyalty to Liang Zhongning.
But now, their leader had been snatched away in a moment of chaos!
Amidst this abrupt upheaval, they barely had time to comprehend why they hadn’t killed him on the spot, but instead ran with him.
After all, taking someone hostage to exert control over the Yanzhou Yellow Turbans was theoretically feasible, yet fraught with practical complications.
They instinctively followed Qiao Yan’s lead.
In light of Liang Zhongning’s presence, Bo Cai seemed far less competent!
Encouraged by this realization, Qiao Yan smoothly placed the blame on Bo Cai.
Using her clout within the Yellow Turbans and devastatingly effective slanders against her opponents, she quickly reached a definitive conclusion.
In this leaderless moment, she seamlessly took over command!
Being mounted certainly made her more agile.
From her elevated position, the Yanzhou soldiers saw her steel-like demeanor, projecting an innate leader’s essence that made them subconsciously inclined to adhere to her direction.
She pointed decisively towards Bo Cai’s camp and clearly issued the order to attack.
“We have come forth from Yanzhou, enduring long journeys and hardship, having fought fiercely just days ago, yet Bo Cai the scoundrel fosters ill-will and absconds with our leader. What do you all think we should do?”
The first voice shouted back, “Destroy the scoundrel!”
Then a chorus answered, rising like a tidal wave—
“Destroy the scoundrel!”
Cheng Yu, acting as the “driver” for Qiao Yan, couldn’t help but admire her fluid approach.
It’s worth noting, both Yanzhou and Yuzhou sides shared the Yellow Turban label, so what sense did it make to declare them as “scoundrels?”
Yet as this battle cry resonated and swelled, it gained an inexplicable and righteous momentum.
Undoubtedly, she was a born orator.
Cleverly obscuring some critical information through wordplay, she made it easy for the flaws in logic to be overlooked.
However, Cheng Li didn’t dwell on those distractions; he simply charged over the barriers, carrying Qiao Yan along with the energized Yanzhou Yellow Turbans straight at Bo Cai’s camp.
At that very moment, Huangfu Song and Cao Cao stepped out of Changshe city.
Clad in armor, weapons in hand, they mounted their horses, charging alongside the soldiers spilling out to confront the target!
The goal: encirclement!
