Chapter 318

Chapter 318

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Volume 9: The Calamity of Drought and Locusts, Flying Troops to Liaodong Chapter 318: Gongsun’s Last Stand

“Three Kings of Wuhuan?” Gongsun Zan was initially shocked upon hearing this news, but then a sense of absurdity and amusement arose in his heart.

The Three Kings of Wuhuan were subordinate to Tadu, the Chanyu of Wuhuan, and one of them had already been annexed by Tadu. How could they possibly bypass Tadu directly and form support for Zhang Liao and others?

If this were true, Tadu would likely no longer exist.

Thinking of this, he mockingly said to his subordinates, “I see that Zhang Liao has done nothing in the three years at Juyong Pass. He is even unaware of the annexation in the Liaodong region, thinking he can fool me with the banner of the Three Kings of Wuhuan.”

His subordinates, who had been sent to escort the messengers, had already returned from the coastal road, passing through Pinggu County, which lies between Hunu County and the coastal road. This area was still under their control.

But as soon as he spoke, he couldn’t help but fall into deep thought—

Is Zhang Liao the kind of person who would make such a reckless arrangement?

Back then, the combined forces of Tadu, Ke Biner, and himself were trapped in a trap set by Zhang Liao’s troops guarding the camp, nearly failing to break through the encirclement. Ke Biner even lost his life in the process, depriving Gongsun Zan of the chance to win over the Xianbei tribe for his own use.

In the subsequent battle on the coastal road, Zhang Liao made a miraculous move by crossing from Xuwu Mountain, rescuing Liu Yu and allowing him to return to Qiao Yan’s hands, where he ascended the throne as the Son of Heaven in Chang’an.

During the years Zhang Liao was stationed at Juyong Pass, he consistently maintained a steady and solid development strategy. On one hand, he gathered people from Guangyang and Yuyang who were unwilling to serve under Gongsun Zan, and on the other, he continued Liu Yu’s policy of pacifying the people in Shanggu Commandery. It wasn’t until before this year’s autumn harvest that he launched a westward campaign at a time no one expected.

The timing of this military campaign and his swift advance left no doubt about his confidence in this battle!

Why would he need to fake it and raise the banner of the Three Kings of Wuhuan?

As soon as his subordinates left, Gongsun Zan’s face darkened.

Whether this is a feint or not depends on the general behind it.

At this moment, Gongsun Zan couldn’t help but make a judgment: apart from the Nanlou tribe, which had been annexed by Tadu, the other two tribes might have already joined forces with Zhang Liao in an attempt to break free from Tadu’s oppression. Even the Nanlou tribe might have sent a representative to show the former glory of the Three Kings under the Chanyu.

They might not have killed Tadu in the Liaodong region first, but they must have already become a force threatening Gongsun Zan!

If we add Budugen, who might appear outside the northern frontier, this is clearly a well-planned hunt!

Gongsun Zan looked at the night outside, his mind in turmoil.

Back then, he could decisively and wisely ally with two allies to deal with Liu Yu and Bingzhou. Now, he wouldn’t be directly crushed by the unexpected situation before him.

But the current situation is indeed difficult for him.

Yuyang is like a lone city!

Even if Yuan Shao from Ji Province wanted to support him, he would have to first cross the barrier between Anle County and Hunu County, and the situation with Tadu in the Liaodong region might not be as favorable as he imagined.

How could he escape from this predicament?

After some contemplation, Gongsun Zan summoned his subordinates and said, “In Hunu County, that brat Zhang Liao has raised the banner of the Three Kings of Wuhuan to create a diversion. The defending troops in the city must be few. I intend to appoint a trusted general to lead troops to attack Hunu County, expose their trickery, and boost our morale. Who is willing to fight for me?”

Gongsun Zan did not tell his subordinates about his subsequent speculations.

His accumulated authority as the Governor of Youzhou over the years and his past achievements made it hard for anyone to imagine that what he told his subordinates was not his full judgment.

Someone immediately volunteered, deciding to seize Hunu under the cover of night.

After praising their calm demeanor in the face of danger, he sent them out of Yuyang County. However, as he watched the troops depart, a complex expression flashed across his face.

This complexity did not show any trace in front of his subordinates. The general and soldiers who left Yuyang had no idea they were being used as a scouting stone by Gongsun Zan. They only thought they were going to recapture Hunu County for their lord and break Zhang Liao’s streak of conquering several cities.

However, when they arrived at the foot of Hunu City, the quiet night was suddenly interrupted by the urgent sound of war drums. The defenders on the city walls, as if they had anticipated their arrival, shot hundreds of arrows from the battlements.

After the first round of shooting, the surviving soldiers turned to see two columns of cavalry charging out from the woods behind them, rushing towards them under the blazing firelight on the city walls.

Bingzhou cavalry!

And an elite force at that!

Even soldiers who mostly followed their commander’s orders wouldn’t mistake one thing in the midst of the charging cavalry’s battle cries—

This was clearly a well-prepared trap, not some bluff!

My lord, you really misjudged.

But perhaps Gongsun Zan did not misjudge the Hunu County that raised the banner of the Three Kings of Wuhuan.

The night’s encirclement and escape splattered layers of blood under the faint moonlight.

The well-rested Bingzhou cavalry were like beasts that would never let go of their prey.

Then, a group of infantry holding torches charged out from Hunu City, pursuing and capturing Gongsun Zan’s fleeing troops.

Even so, some managed to escape the pursuit and return to Yuyang County.

But when they finally returned to Yuyang at dawn, relying on their war horses, they discovered something terrifying.

Gongsun Zan said that Hunu County was just raising the banner of the Three Kings of Wuhuan and was actually an empty city with few defenders? On the contrary, Yuyang County was now an empty city with no defenders!

Last night, he had already withdrawn from this place.

These soldiers who attacked Hunu County had no way of knowing what words Gongsun Zan used to make the soldiers follow him out of Yuyang after they left.

What they saw was that the majority of the people in Yuyang County were unaware of the defending general’s overnight withdrawal, and there was no sign of chaos.

But regardless of whether the people were in chaos or not, the more pressing matter was that Gongsun Zan had sent them to attack Hunu not to win a battle, but to have them walk into a trap, giving him a chance to escape.

What kind of irresponsible lord is this!

Gongsun Zan, however, did not see any problem with his actions.

This is Youzhou, a place that fully demonstrates the survival of the fittest.

As long as he could break out of the current encirclement and return to the territories of Liaoxi and Liaodong, Zhang Liao and others, being non-natives of Youzhou, would eventually be driven out like Liu Yu.

His temporary retreat was just to make a stronger comeback later!

As for the soldiers left behind as sacrifices, he would naturally give them an explanation after his victory.

Therefore, after the soldiers who attacked Hunu County left, he quietly gathered the other troops in the city and, under the pretense of dividing forces to attack Anle County, left the city and headed straight for Pinggu.

He knew very well that it might not be difficult to notice a large-scale withdrawal from Yuyang at night, but with a force already sent to attack Hunu, it would be hard for Zhang Liao’s troops to respond effectively in time.

This was the perfect opportunity for him to retreat!

However, these soldiers who discovered Gongsun Zan’s escape might not realize that his act of abandoning his subordinates did not bring him any good results.

When he led his troops through Pinggu City without stopping and continued eastward, a force suddenly appeared from the gap in the northern Great Wall.

A force that had been waiting there all along!

This force directly split his cavalry in half.





The Bingzhou cavalry, having lain dormant all night, showed no signs of fatigue. Instead, they displayed a terrifying ferocity as they charged towards both ends.

Gongsun Zan turned his head in panic and saw a particularly striking figure in the ranks.

The steed he rode was the finest in the world, and the Fangtian Huaji in his hand reflected a shimmering golden light in the faint sunlight of Yunzhong.

Who else could it be but Lü Bu!

Why was he here?

Gongsun Zan’s face was beyond grim.

He never imagined that Zhang Liao didn’t use “luring Gongsun Zan to attack at the foot of Hunu City” as the key to breaking the battle situation. Instead, he forced Gongsun Zan to abandon defending Yuyang with his aggressive attack and the signals given at Hunu.

Three years of observing Gongsun Zan had allowed him to see through Gongsun Zan’s selfish nature and the possible escape moves he might make in the face of an unfavorable battle situation.

So this ambush east of Pinggu, near the border of Yuyang and Youbeiping, was the real trap he set for Gongsun Zan!

Anyone might slack off in such an ambush, but not Lü Bu.

Because once he entered Youbeiping, he had to retreat, or he would be violating Qiao Yan’s orders.

Now was the time to take Gongsun Zan’s life!

But even Lü Bu seemed a bit helpless at Gongsun Zan’s performance.

His famous White Horse Righteousness, which had shown such strength in quelling the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun in Yuyang, showed no sign of it now. Instead, they were even faster in covering the retreat and fleeing.

The speed of the Youzhou cavalry in this desperate situation wasn’t much slower than Lü Bu’s cavalry, which was mounted on Ferghana horses. Plus, Gongsun Zan and his subordinates knew the terrain of Yuyang far better than Lü Bu. This roundabout chase, while not allowing Gongsun Zan to shake off Lü Bu, didn’t let Lü Bu catch up either.

“Is this kid really trying to outlast me?” Lü Bu, holding the Fangtian Huaji, really wanted to curse.

Back then, chasing the Xianbei Chanyu wasn’t this troublesome. Gongsun Zan sure could run.

He repeatedly wanted to put down his weapon and switch to his long bow to shoot Gongsun Zan down, but years of combat instinct made Gongsun Zan either dodge Lü Bu’s arrows or pull away again, staying out of range.

But if it came to endurance, how could Gongsun Zan’s mount compare to Red Hare?

When the chase had lasted nearly half a day, Gongsun Zan clearly felt his mount slowing down.

Not just the mount, under the rising noon sun, Gongsun Zan felt his energy nearing its limit, and even his vision seemed to blur with fatigue.

But a sudden series of rapid hoofbeats ahead forced him to rally his spirits.

He looked up and saw Tadun’s face.

At this moment, all his previous fatigue was forgotten, replaced only by the relief of reinforcements arriving.

Although, by normal travel time, the messenger he sent to the Liaodong vassal state shouldn’t have reached Tadun so quickly, let alone bring Tadun to him.

Or perhaps Tadun’s arrival didn’t signify allies but another encircling force.

But he no longer wanted to continue this hopeless escape where any moment of relaxation could mean being shot down.

Even if he died by Tadun’s hand, it could still be said to be infighting among the Youzhou people, rather than being forced into this situation by the invading Lü Bu and Zhang Liao!

He stared intently at that somewhat familiar face in the distance, feeling that the summer sun and the long chase had caused hallucinations, making him see a horse’s head above Tadun, with another unfamiliar face behind.

What kind of bizarre sight was this, almost laughable… a joke?

In an instant, Gongsun Zan suddenly reined in his horse, feeling a chill run through him.

Amidst the sound of hoofbeats from both sides, he came to his senses.

He clearly saw that it wasn’t a visual hallucination caused by the bright light, but Tadun’s head had been cut off and hung in front of a horse, displayed as a trophy, along with the warhorse charging towards him.

And it wasn’t just Tadun who suffered this fate!

The distinctive heads of the Wuhuan people were hung in front of every warhorse in this cavalry.

This unique method, even under the command of a young woman, gave Gongsun Zan no sense of opportunity, only a chilling fear.

With Tadun dead, did he really have any chance of escape?

Gongsun Zan didn’t know the answer.

He only knew that at this moment, his body’s instincts had overridden his decision-making mind, and he turned his horse south without hesitation.

But before he could get far, he heard the sound of what seemed like death bells ahead.

What kind of feeling was this…

Bells, hoofbeats, battle cries, and the long wind of Youzhou mixed together, forming a quagmire that tightly enveloped him.

Gongsun Zan couldn’t even tell if his mechanical movements in trying to counterattack had struck any of his opponents.

But soon he felt sharp pains in his forehead, throat, and chest.

Stimulated by these penetrating wounds, he hadn’t even had time to grip the reins before he fell from his horse.

What happened next, he couldn’t possibly know.

Because he had been trampled by warhorses, extinguishing his last breath like stepping on a spark.

He was dead.

The battle soon came to an end.

When the force that had charged in from the east fiercely entered the ranks of the fleeing soldiers, it was almost like a butcher chasing defenseless poultry.

Gan Ning, who should have been patrolling the sea to the south, hurried ashore upon hearing reports of Gongsun Zan’s movements and just caught up with this encirclement, completing the capture of the stragglers.

Lü Bu’s forces also caught up from behind, intercepting the pursuit of Gongsun Zan within Yuyang Commandery, without violating the restrictions set by Qiao Yan.

The outskirts of Yuyang Commandery gradually quieted down, with only the faint sounds of horses flicking their tails and lifting their hooves remaining.

Seeing this, the three forces meeting here, from their leaders down to their subordinates, each breathed a sigh of relief at the successful completion of the mission.

But this relief came too soon.

When Gongsun Zan’s body was brought before everyone after the battlefield was cleared, a serious problem arose.

Almost everyone present who had surrounded and killed Gongsun Zan was skilled with a bow, and in the action to quell this remnant force, each had shot an arrow to claim the credit for killing Gongsun Zan.

They all feared that in this three-sided pursuit, their teammates and competitors might reach Gongsun Zan first.

Their exceptional archery skills made their almost instinctive drawing and shooting of arrows each hit their chosen targets, resulting in several arrows in Gongsun Zan’s body, each in a fatal spot.

For example, Lu Lingju’s arrow, modeled after Qiao Yan’s, was lodged in Gongsun Zan’s forehead.

Gan Ning’s small arrows, which he was accustomed to using, were shot at an extremely tricky angle, appearing in Gongsun Zan’s throat, right in the gap of his damaged armor.

Lü Bu’s three-stone bow and Tai Shici’s two-stone bow had such strong penetration that one arrow pierced Gongsun Zan’s back, and another entered his side, piercing his lungs.

Looking at it this way, it seemed like everyone was responsible for Gongsun Zan’s death.

So, who should get the credit for killing Gongsun Zan?

A pair of father-daughter generals had no intention of yielding the credit to each other, each believing they had secured the top merit, making the scene even more dramatic.

When Zhang Liao and Gongsun Du arrived belatedly from the west and east respectively, they saw this scene of everyone staring at Gongsun Zan’s body in mutual confusion.

Gongsun Du spoke up, trying to break the awkward silence: “How about… you draw lots to decide?”