Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 1: The Yellow Turban Rebellion, The Clear Voice of a Young Phoenix, Chapter 25: Quzhou and Guangzong (Part 1)

Zhang Liang stared at the banner, lost in thought.

“Qiao?”

Which famous figure in the Han army has the surname Qiao?

Qiao Yan had Dian Wei and Zhang Fei carry back a massive log and erect it high in the camp. The banner hanging from it was no ordinary size; in fact, when placed next to Lu Zhi’s commander’s banner, it seemed to overshadow the latter.

She had successfully intimidated Zhang Liang with this grand display.

After all, with Lu Zhi’s position as the Middle General tasked with pacifying the north, few could surpass him in status.

The Left and Right Middle Generals and the Five Senses Middle General, directly under the Imperial Household, held even higher ranks than the usual miscellaneous generals.

Lu Zhi was a renowned scholar and a famous general of his time. Nine years ago, during the fourth year of the Xiping era, he had quelled a rebellion of the barbarians in Yang Province as the Prefect of Jiujiang, adding a glorious chapter to his record.

Yet this newcomer seemed to surpass even him?

How could Zhang Liang have guessed that the person behind this spectacle didn’t even hold an official position?

“If I were in the young lady’s position, I would never have come up with such a brilliant move,” Liu Bei remarked, having just apologized to Qiao Yan for Zhang Fei and Dian Wei’s brawl. He couldn’t help but praise her when he saw the grand banner in the camp.

Even if some soldiers in the camp were dissatisfied with Qiao Yan’s actions, they suppressed their complaints due to Lu Zhi’s orders before he left. However, Liu Bei could see through it.

Lu Zhi’s steady approach to attacking Quzhou was not static; the entire camp was dynamic under his command.

Building siege equipment, fortifying the camp, advancing the frontlines, skirmishes, reconnaissance patrols…

From the walls of Quzhou, though the exact number of troops in the camp couldn’t be seen, the traces and glimpses revealed the aggressive stance of the Han army.

But now, more than half of the camp’s forces were gone, including Lu Zhi, the commander.

In such a situation, merely holding the camp without action would surely alert Zhang Liang, prompting him to test their defenses.

This would also go against Lu Zhi’s hope that they could stall Zhang Liang for two to three days.

So, Qiao Yan either had to manage the troop deployment to maintain the appearance of their previous strength with fewer men, or, as she had done, take a bold and unconventional approach.

Of course, Qiao Yan didn’t tell Liu Bei that she had considered the former. Unfortunately, while reviewing the camp’s roster and positions the previous day, she realized that Lu Zhi had already optimized the camp’s operations to a high degree, even considering the need for rest and recuperation. Despite her advanced knowledge, she couldn’t achieve something beyond reason.

Thus, she was left with only the latter option.

“Commander, you are too modest. As a disciple of Lu Gong, you naturally wouldn’t dare to overstep like this,” Qiao Yan replied. “Besides, I also took advantage of my grandfather’s reputation.”

To deceive Zhang Liang with a commander’s banner in the camp, the character on the banner had to be carefully chosen.

First, it had to be convincing. If she wrote “Cao” on the banner, Zhang Liang would think it was a failed bluff rather than reinforcements.

But it couldn’t be too strong either.

If she hung a banner with “Huangfu,” Zhang Liang would immediately realize that Huangfu Song had already quelled the Yellow Turbans in Yanzhou and Yu Province.

The news of Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi joining forces would either prompt Zhang Liang to rush to Guangzong ahead of Lu Zhi’s predominantly infantry force or abandon Quzhou altogether.

Having such a large force abandon the city, whether to launch a surprise attack, choose another stronghold, or sweep through other provinces, would be a waste of Lu Zhi’s previous arrangements.

This would truly be a disservice to the trust Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi, loyal servants of the Han, had placed in her.

After much deliberation, she finally settled on the character “Qiao.”

In the current Han court and across the realm, the only Qiao family with the opportunity to lead troops and hang a Qiao banner was the Qiao family of Liang.

However, it was no secret that Qiao Xuan had resigned due to illness. At over seventy, he was unlikely to lead the charge against the Yellow Turbans.

But one person could: Qiao Zhao, the most promising among Qiao Xuan’s descendants in the officialdom.

During Dong Zhuo’s tyranny, he had served as the Governor of Yanzhou and the Prefect of Dong Commandery.

Qiao Yan searched her memories and found the trajectory of this uncle’s rise.

He was currently in Luoyang, having been appointed as a Court Gentleman.

The position of Court Gentleman, like Huangfu Song’s previous role, required a period of provincial experience after accumulating enough experience. For example, Huangfu Song had served as the Prefect of Beidi after being a Court Gentleman.

But given the urgency of the war, Qiao Xuan’s influence, and the unique context of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, it was entirely possible to skip the prefectural role and directly lead troops.

As for why the Qiao banner overshadowed Lu Zhi’s?

“If the newcomer is indeed Qiao Zhao, it could mean that the Han Emperor is dissatisfied with Lu Zhi’s lack of progress, or that the young man is overconfident, believing he can replace Lu Zhi under Qiao Xuan’s patronage and take us down first.”

Zhang Liang tried to decipher the meaning behind the Qiao character and arrived at the conclusion Qiao Yan had hoped for.

His subordinate asked, “General, should we give them a warning?”

“Fool!” Zhang Liang scolded. “When Qiao Xuan served as the General Who Pacifies the Liao, it was his first time leading a large army, yet he defeated the Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Goguryeo. Who knows if Qiao Zhao has inherited his family’s prowess? Moreover, today you only saw dust clouds and couldn’t even report how many troops they have. How can I rashly deploy troops?”

Some tactics, though overused in later times, still held novelty in this era.

For instance, Qiao Yan had the troops who left the camp at night and returned during the day tie branches behind their horses to create the illusion of a larger force.

Having fought Lu Zhi for two months, Zhang Liang had adopted some of his opponent’s cautious traits.

He instinctively chose to play it safe.

As he frowned at the newly erected Qiao banner, he suddenly found it hard to determine whether this was Qiao Zhao’s new authority clashing with Lu Zhi’s veteran status or Lu Zhi’s attempt to deceive him with a feint.

This seemed like something Lu Zhi would do.

So he couldn’t act.

Seeing Zhang Liang’s troubled expression, his eager subordinate asked, “Should we write to the Great Virtuous Teacher and ask for guidance from the Yellow Heaven?”

“…Not necessary for now.”

Zhang Liang didn’t want to admit that seeking his elder brother’s advice over a minor issue would tarnish his reputation as the “General of the People.” Nor did he want to acknowledge that the so-called prophecies and Mandate of Heaven were fabrications to oppose the Han.

He glanced at the Han camp, where figures seemed to move around the periphery, but nothing conclusive could be seen. Finally, he said, “We’ll wait and see.”

But his decision to hold back was already a sign of success for Qiao Yan.

As Zhang Liang observed the new banner in her camp, Qiao Yan also gazed at the Qiao banner.

Choosing the Qiao character was a calculated move, and its implications were indeed bold. But as she watched the banner flutter in the wind, she felt an inexplicable sense of pride.

This was a banner bearing her family name!

Though her pride faded quickly.

Dian Wei, who had initially overeaten, found the process of felling and transporting the massive log quite strenuous. He said with satisfaction, “I never thought I, Dian Wei, had such skills.”

This was a commander’s banner!

He wondered what it would be like to carry such a banner into battle.

Just as he thought this, he felt a gaze on him. Qiao Yan was looking at him thoughtfully, her eyes filled with scrutiny.

“Can you carry this alone?”

Qiao Yan remembered reading about him single-handedly lifting a Yamen Banner and thought it might be useful.

Dian Wei scratched his head, puzzled by the question. “Of course.”

Qiao Yan’s mind raced. “Good. This afternoon, you’ll carry this banner and accompany Colonel Zou Jing to challenge the enemy at the city walls.”

Who was Zou Jing?

He was the leader of one of the two regiments Lu Zhi had left under her command. Liu Bei’s five hundred men and the local militia were under his command.

Since Lu Zhi saw that Qiao Yan got along well with Liu Bei, and Liu Bei was indeed more than just a socialite, he temporarily assigned him to Qiao Yan, making him the second-in-command in the camp.

Zou Jing got along well with Liu Bei but couldn’t help feeling a bit envious.

He thought his reaction was natural, but before he could sulk for half a day, he received Qiao Yan’s assignment.

Zou Jing wasn’t a fool. Upon receiving Qiao Yan’s orders, he first replied, “The Middle General ordered us to hold our ground against Zhang Liang’s forces in Quzhou and not to advance rashly. Why does the young lady make such arrangements?”

Qiao Yan showed no surprise at his question and calmly replied, “What do you think holding ground means? If both sides stay in their camps, cook, train, sleep at night, and glance at each other in the morning, that’s not called fighting bandits.”

She played with the commander’s seal Lu Zhi had temporarily handed over to her, exuding an air of authority that made the Northern Army Colonel feel as if he were facing Lu Zhi himself.

He heard Qiao Yan continue, “You can rest assured. This challenge is only to confuse Zhang Liang. You don’t need to engage him directly. Once you hear the retreat signal, withdraw immediately without fail!”

As Qiao Yan’s sharp gaze met his, Zou Jing instinctively straightened his back and loudly responded, “Yes!”

“Additionally, I need you to do one more thing.” As Qiao Yan’s gaze shifted from his eyes to his chin, Zou Jing felt a sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, he heard Qiao Yan say, “Shave your beard.”

“…?”

At the time, many considered a full beard a sign of beauty, and Zou Jing was no exception, having grown what he considered a handsome beard.

But the firmness in Qiao Yan’s tone and the commander’s seal in her hand made him realize this wasn’t a request he could refuse. He swallowed his question, “Why?”

Perhaps what made it harder to refuse was Qiao Yan’s next statement, “Whether we can keep Zhang Liang from moving an inch and maintain the camp’s safety until Lu Gong returns from Guangzong depends on Colonel Zou’s sacrifice.”

The young lady, now in power, even stood and bowed slightly to him, showing great trust. Zou Jing could only agree.

Though he was utterly baffled as to why, after shaving his beard, he also had to apply a thin layer of powder to his face.

His fair complexion already made him feel less imposing compared to others in the army. Now, with his beard gone and powder applied, he felt even more so.

Fortunately, his armor still gave him some semblance of a general’s presence.

Just past noon, he led most of the camp’s troops, along with Dian Wei, the strongman carrying the banner single-handedly, straight to Quzhou.

The remaining troops were left under Liu Bei’s command, positioned further back as a reserve.

In just a short while, the camp was left with only a few dozen cavalry patrolling the outskirts, and the center was nearly empty.

Yet Qiao Yan showed no fear of being in an empty camp, potentially vulnerable to an attack from the city. She simply took out some extra breakfast cakes made by the cooks, broke them into snacks for lunch, and studied the map Lu Zhi had marked.

A commander’s annotations on a map were invaluable to someone with the ability to read and interpret military situations.

However, a certain gaze was hard to ignore, slightly disrupting her focus.

Qiao Yan spoke up, “If Zhongde had spoken earlier, he could have taken Zou Jing’s place. But I already asked Zhongde to come to Ji Province to gather intelligence on the Yellow Turbans, which was already a favor. Asking him to sacrifice his beard would be too much.”

Cheng Li chuckled at her teasing and replied, “Using the Qiao banner to make Zhang Liang think there’s discord between the reinforcements and Lu Zhi’s main force, and having Zou Jing disguise himself to make Zhang Liang believe the Han Emperor is dissatisfied with Lu Zhi’s progress—these are ingenious tactics. The young lady’s quick wit is rare in the world.”

But then he changed his tone, “However, too much of a good thing can backfire. What if Zhang Liang truly believes the discord gives him an opening and attacks the camp tonight?”

Qiao Yan showed no surprise at his warning and calmly replied, “If that happens, since it was Zhongde who pointed out the flaw, I’ll leave it to you.”

“…” Cheng Li felt he had dug his own grave.

But Qiao Yan’s interest in Lu Zhi’s camp layout was something even a strategist like him couldn’t ignore.

Under her gaze, Cheng Li could only bow and say, “I am at your service.”

Cheng Li was a man of action.

Once Qiao Yan entrusted him with the task, he immediately got to work.

With few people left in the camp, when Lu Yuan offered to assist, Cheng Li didn’t refuse.

With her involvement, Cheng Li realized that, unlike the soldiers who needed explanations, Lu Yuan almost intuitively understood his intentions. Her ability to lock the Yellow Turbans in the dungeons of Xiaquyang wasn’t a fluke but a testament to her true capabilities.

“This Lady Lu is truly remarkable,” Cheng Li remarked as Qiao Yan handed him the camp defense plans left by Lu Zhi.

Qiao Yan glanced at Lu Yuan, who was observing potential breach points at the camp’s periphery. From Qiao Yan’s perspective, her judgment was sound. She replied to Cheng Li, “Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Heroes are not judged by their origins’?”

With that, Cheng Li knew exactly what kind of person Qiao Yan was.








“What an attitude. ‘In that case, Miss, don’t worry about us. Just focus on the timing of the gong,’ they said.

Qiao Yan was also quite confident in Cheng Li.

Although one shouldn’t stereotype people, Cheng Li was not like Xu Fu, who was still a seedling yet to be trained and polished. In his conversations with her, he had already shown his current level of competence.

Moreover, there was also Lu Yuan, whose origins were unknown but who seemed quite capable. If they couldn’t even handle some basic camp defense traps, that would be too pathetic.

Her gaze had already turned towards the direction of Quzhou City.

The figures on the city walls, due to the movement of their troops, appeared blurry from her vantage point.

The people on the city walls naturally couldn’t see that there was a pair of eyes in the camp below, keenly observing everything and firmly locked onto their positions.

From Zhang Liang’s perspective on the city walls, all he saw was a well-organized and disciplined army advancing to the base of the city walls, stopping just within bowshot range.

Zou Jing might not be qualified to be a general, but as a captain who had achieved merit in suppressing bandits, he was certainly competent in military affairs.

As the troops halted, they immediately followed his orders to form a defensive stance against Quzhou City’s defenders.

After completing this, he looked towards the city walls.

Since their arrival in Ji Province, Zou Jing had engaged in numerous skirmishes with small Yellow Turban forces during patrols, but this was the first time he had been so close to Quzhou City.

He instinctively wanted to stroke his beard and assume a calm demeanor, but suddenly realized he shouldn’t do that since he no longer had a beard, and quickly withdrew his hand.

Fortunately, this instinctive action didn’t alert Zhang Liang on the city walls, as Zhang Liang’s attention was entirely focused on Dian Wei.

Earlier, when he saw the Qiao banner from a distance, he had noticed it was taller than the usual Yamen banners. Now, up close, it was even more imposing. Yet, this banner, which could at most serve as a standard in the camp, was being held aloft by Dian Wei with one hand.

His ease and grace made it seem like he was holding a thin pole rather than a massive banner, and even when they stopped at the city’s base, he didn’t lower it.

Zhang Liang couldn’t help but feel a twitch in his eyelid.

This tiger-like warrior, with the commander’s banner in his hand, no matter how crude the pole, seemed to exude an imposing aura.

If this was the level of the reinforcements attacking them, then defending the city might not be necessary.

Fortunately, the soldiers following behind, though disciplined, were only on par with Lu Zhi’s troops he had faced before.

And the leader seemed to lack presence, far inferior to Lu Zhi in his eyes.

The leader…

When Zhang Liang finally turned his gaze to Zou Jing, the latter had completely suppressed his instinct to touch his beard, so what Zhang Liang saw was Zou Jing’s clean-shaven face.

The distance of a bowshot ensured that Zhang Liang couldn’t see any artistic embellishments on Zou Jing’s face.

He only saw Zou Jing point, and the strong warrior holding the banner slammed it into the ground, almost creating a deep crater, followed by a powerful shout that could be clearly heard from the city walls:

‘Yellow Turban rebels, dare you come down and fight!’

Zhang Liang was almost amused by the performance of the people below the city.

This man was brave, and their soldiers didn’t seem mediocre, but they started with the most inappropriate challenge between besiegers and defenders.

Why would Zhang Liang, defending a fortified city, engage in a fair fight with those below, sacrificing his advantage?

If battles could be decided by champions, why would the Yellow Turbans gather so many soldiers and attack cities across counties and provinces?

This was simply ridiculous.

He even noticed some of their own soldiers turning away, as if unable to bear the sight, let alone his own city defenders, who found the challenge laughable.

Only someone new to commanding troops would do something so foolish.

But a new, inexperienced commander was a great opportunity for Zhang Liang.

War wasn’t child’s play as depicted in stories!

However…

The opponent’s lack of experience gave Zhang Liang a chance to confirm the identity of these reinforcements.

He immediately leaned over the city wall and shouted, ‘Who are you below? State your name!’

The pale-faced commander opened his mouth, but the distance prevented Zhang Liang from hearing him clearly. Instead, he saw the commander point, and the strong warrior shouted back, ‘The Military Supervisor’s identity is too important for you to know. I am Dian Wei of Chenliu, under General Qiao!’

Dian Wei of Chenliu?

Never heard of him.

But another piece of information in his words caught Zhang Liang’s attention.

The Military Supervisor and General Qiao, as mentioned by the strong warrior named Dian Wei, were clearly two different people.

One was likely the owner of the commander’s banner, who wasn’t present, making it impossible for Zhang Liang to confirm his earlier guess that it might be Qiao Zhao.

The other was this clean-shaven leader!

The title of Military Supervisor was uncommon and somewhat sensitive, coupled with his outward appearance…

Zhang Liang had a rough guess.

The Yellow Turban Rebellion’s Way of Great Peace had many followers in the capital, Luoyang, and its influence surpassed other religions.

Even some eunuchs close to Emperor Liu Hong followed it, such as Palace Attendants Feng Xu and Xu Feng.

With such informants, though Zhang Liang hadn’t met them personally, he had received much insider information from Yellow Turban leaders who had contact with them, including some not yet known in Luoyang’s official circles.

For instance, he knew that among the Palace Attendants, one was praised by Emperor Liu Hong as ‘strong and martial,’ named Jian Shuo.

There were even rumors that the Emperor intended to form a special army to protect Luoyang, directly under his control, and due to his admiration for Jian Shuo, he had mentioned appointing him to a key position.

Whether this was due to the Emperor’s excessive favor towards eunuchs or an attempt to control the new army to counterbalance the noble families in the capital, Zhang Liang couldn’t recall his brother Zhang Jiao’s exact assessment.

But one thing he could figure out on his own—

If Emperor Liu Hong truly intended to entrust a battalion of the new army to a eunuch, he would first need to give him a chance to prove himself.

This perfectly explained why this Military Supervisor was at the city’s base instead of safely in the camp, merely overseeing.

Because he was here to claim the merit of defeating Zhang Liang!

And only a eunuch who had long served the foolish Emperor in the palace would issue such a naive challenge.

Zhang Liang took a deep breath.

He had initially thought that with only a small force and an inexperienced commander, he could quickly defeat them and vent his frustration from being trapped by Lu Zhi. But upon realizing the likely identity of the leader and seeing the approaching reinforcements, he decided against it.

He slowly lowered his hand, which had been about to order an attack.

Yes, he couldn’t do that.

With this in mind—

To Dian Wei’s self-introduction, he replied with a provocative ‘So what?’

To the pale-faced Military Supervisor’s subsequent challenge, he ignored it.

To his subordinates’ requests to fight, he merely gestured for them to wait.

Only when the sound of the retreating gong came from Lu Zhi’s camp, and the pale-faced Military Supervisor reluctantly turned back, joining the reinforcements and disappearing behind the camp’s fences, did Zhang Liang withdraw his gaze, a calculating smile on his face.

‘General, why did you let them provoke us below the city and then retreat safely?’

One of his subordinates immediately asked, clearly dissatisfied with Zhang Liang’s decision to avoid battle.

‘Because letting him return is better than letting him die below the city,’ Zhang Liang replied, even with a hint of joy in his tone.

This was quite different from his initial reaction upon seeing Qiao Yan’s Qiao banner.

He continued, ‘I originally thought there were two forces opposing us, but now it seems there might be three.’

His subordinate, a mere laborer, couldn’t understand why Zhang Liang found this joyful.

‘Isn’t three worse than two? Doesn’t that mean more pressure?’

If there were three opposing forces, wouldn’t the pressure on them increase?

‘No, this only presents an opportunity for us,’ Zhang Liang said, his gaze falling on the Qiao banner re-erected in the opposing camp, now overshadowing Lu Zhi’s commander’s banner, his expression relaxing further. ‘The Han army is different from us; with more people, they’ll compete for merit.’

Zhang Liang didn’t know about the three Yellow Turban leaders in Yanzhou merging into one, so seeing his subordinate’s confusion, he had to explain further, ‘Previously, there was only Lu Zhi, who was highly skilled in military affairs, making them a solid block. I couldn’t do much against him.’

Feeling that admitting inferiority might damage the Yellow Turbans’ reputation, he added, ‘Of course, if the Great Virtuous Teacher were here, it would be different.’

He quickly shifted back to the current situation, ‘But now it’s quite different.’

‘On one side, there’s Lu Zhi, who hasn’t captured any Yellow Turban leaders; on another, a eunuch sent by the foolish Emperor to supervise and claim merit; and on the third, a young general trying to restore his family’s glory. What do you think will happen when these three come together?’

Zhang Liang didn’t give a definitive answer, but his tone made his implication clear.

As long as he held the city, these three would inevitably clash!

Once cracks appeared in their camp, that would be his opportunity.

When scouts reported that Lu Zhi’s troops, who had been gathering materials for siege equipment, had decreased in number, Zhang Liang was even more certain of his judgment.

‘So even he can change his plans…’ he mused sarcastically. ‘Of course, it’s also thanks to the foolish Emperor’s helpful envoy.’

Likely, Lu Zhi was under significant pressure, possibly even losing some troops to the other two.

Today might not be enough for the conflict to reach a tipping point, but what about tomorrow, or the day after?

Once those two rookies took over military affairs, it would be his time to counterattack!

After sending a small team to scout at night, only to have them all killed, Zhang Liang was even more certain that Lu Zhi still held control over the camp, and it wasn’t yet time for him to act freely.

The next day, seeing a dispute break out in the camp, with the strong banner-holding warrior leading a team to gather wood while Lu Zhi’s main force remained inactive, Zhang Liang quickly dismissed his frustration from the previous night’s losses.

It was just a matter of waiting a few more days!

Having endured two months of stalemate, what were a few more days?

But—

If Zou Jing was indeed the eunuch Jian Shuo as he suspected, if Qiao Yan’s Qiao banner was raised because Qiao Zhao had arrived, and if Lu Zhi was still in the army, his speculation wasn’t far off.

In fact, Lu Zhi’s assessment that he wasn’t simple was correct. Zhang Liang wasn’t just a Yellow Turban leader due to his brother Zhang Jiao; he was indeed capable of strategic thinking.

But in reality, Lu Zhi had already reached the vicinity of Guangzong and had connected with Huangfu Song.

These few days seemed short to Zhang Liang, but for Guangzong City, they could bring about earth-shaking changes!

Qiao Yan took out a chessboard from Lu Zhi’s tent and leisurely played a game with Cheng Li as Zhang Liang remained holed up in the city.

Her task was done; now it was up to Guangzong.

At this point, Zhang Bao, who only needed to play the role of a sick patient, was barely clinging to life.

Huangfu Song certainly had no pity for him. After confirming that once the city gates were secured, Lu Zhi’s army would immediately follow, he exchanged a glance with Cao Cao, both seeing the fighting spirit in each other’s eyes.

Within the deep trenches and strong walls of Guangzong City lay the mastermind behind the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Whether they could strike decisively and quell the rebellion depended on this moment.

After days of travel and waiting, Huangfu Song didn’t have time to consider what Qiao Yan, whom he had praised as having ‘Talent to Assist a King’ and who had convinced Lu Zhi to entrust her with significant responsibilities, could achieve in Quzhou. All his focus was on the preparations.

For instance, he had to study the Yellow Turbans’ demeanor to ensure he didn’t stand out and reveal himself when they reached the city.

He also had to learn a few phrases of Ji Province dialect from a soldier who happened to be from there, to avoid arousing suspicion if questioned on the city walls.

But these tense preparations didn’t leave him anxious when they finally reached Guangzong.

He was a battle-hardened general!

Hunched over and with an anxious expression, he looked like any ordinary Yellow Turban soldier worried about Zhang Bao’s critical condition, carrying the nearly lifeless General of the Earth with a small team rushing towards Guangzong.

As the city walls came into view, he looked up, his sweat glistening in the sunlight.

While leading the small team of thirty or forty men forward, he shouted, ‘General of the Earth is critically ill! Report to the Great Virtuous Teacher immediately!’

The banner of Zhang Bao in the distant team was particularly striking.

The closer they got, the clearer the figure being carried became.

Coupled with the anxious tone of the shout.

All these undoubtedly signaled a message that the Guangzong defenders couldn’t ignore—

General of the Earth Zhang Bao is critically ill! The Great Virtuous Teacher Zhang Jiao must come to his aid!