Chapter 13

Turning around, it was none other than Yuan Shu from Huainan! Li You was slightly surprised, wasn't this the line Liu Bei mentioned at the White Gate Tower? Why are you saying it today! Thinking about what Yuan Shao had just said, Li You understood that the Yuan brothers did not want the other warlords to become too powerful! Cao Cao now had over ten thousand elite soldiers, the Xiahou brothers, the Cao brothers, and many other fierce generals, and with the addition of Lu Bu, it was like adding wings to a tiger! Thus, he resorted to this low tactic to sow discord.

Yuan Shu's words, however, only served to rouse Cao Cao's heroic spirit. He recalled the words he had spoken during the wine-drinking session in the tent earlier, when he was so confident in front of Han and Liu. How could he now lack the courage to accept Lu Bu? He laughed loudly, "Ha ha, how can Cao Cao be compared to Ding Jianyang? Lu Bu, are you willing to submit to me?"

At the time, Cao Cao treated him with great respect in Luoyang, but now he was to become his subordinate! Lu Bu felt quite bitter, but since he had already surrendered once, any further defiance would only be a joke. Lu Bu dismounted and knelt on the ground, "Lu Bu... pays respects to my lord!"

"Please rise, Fengxian!" Cao Cao quickly helped Lu Bu to his feet, dusting off the dust from his body, and said, "I have Fengxian, as if I have gained a strong arm!" Seeing his humility, Lu Bu's concerns were reduced by half.

On one side, the lord and his minister were in harmony, while on the other side, Zhang Fei saw the green silk umbrella fluttering in the west wind and shouted, "This must be Dong Zhuo! We should take advantage of our victory to capture Dong Zhuo, to cut off the roots of the evil!" With that, he was about to spur his horse forward!

Cao Cao also echoed, "Now that Dong Zhuo has just suffered a defeat, we can take advantage of the situation to pursue him; why doesn't Benchu urge his army to directly attack Hulao Pass?"

However, Yuan Shao hesitated for a moment and shook his head, "The troops are exhausted, advancing would be of no benefit." The other warlords, such as Kong Rong of Beihai, Wang Kuang of Heyi, Bao Xin of Jibei, and Zhang Yang of Shangdang, also said that they should not act rashly.

Cao Cao was furious, "These scoundrels are not worth plotting with!" With that, he was about to lead his troops to attack the city alone.

"Wait, Mengde! I will advance and retreat with Mengde!" Li You spurred his horse forward and ordered Pan Feng, "You lead my Jizhou troops under Cao Gong's command! Follow Cao Gong to attack Hulao Pass!"

Pan Feng accepted the order and left. Li You then turned his gaze to Liu Bei, "Lord Xuande, are you willing to join us in the advance?"

"I am willing to go!" Liu Bei said, and with Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, he spurred his horse to stand behind Cao Cao.

Li You's gaze swept over Sun Jian, Gong Sun Zan, Ma Teng, and others, and he said, "Dong Zhuo and I have no personal grudges. Now, I risk my life, personally facing the arrows and stones, to fight a decisive battle, for the sake of the country and to bring glory to my family. You all stand at the gate, watching us fight alone, how can you be at ease?"

"Cao Cao is ashamed to be in your company!" Cao Cao said, drawing his sword and cutting a corner of his robe, throwing it to the ground, indicating his intention to sever ties with the other warlords!

"Lord!" Huang Gai and Cheng Pu of Sun Jian's army simultaneously spurred their horses forward, looking at Sun Jian with a desire to fight; Gong Sun Zan looked at his junior brother Liu Bei, his face showing embarrassment; Ma Teng gripped and released his sword hilt several times.

"Dong Zhuo defies heaven and disrupts the royal family. I want to exterminate his clan to repay the world. How can I stand idly by?" Sun Jian finally made his decision, spurred his horse forward, and shouted, "Even a minor county magistrate knows to serve the country, how can we fall behind! Wenjie, Mengde, Xuande, I, Sun Jian of Changsha, will come to your aid!"

"Gong Sun Zan of Liaodong is not a coward!" Gong Sun Zan waved his hand, and the White Horse Riders behind him advanced three steps.

"And I, Ma Teng of Xiliang!" Ma Teng glanced at Li Yuanba, thinking that even though he no longer had the great strength of his ancestor, General Ma Yuan, he could not lose the spirit of a warrior!

Among the other warlords, Kong Rong of Beihai and Tao Qian of Xuzhou seemed to be about to act, but seeing that the Yuan brothers and others remained stationary, they lowered their heads; for a moment, the eighteen warlords were divided into two groups.

Although Li You's side only had himself, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Gong Sun Zan, and Ma Teng, and the small county magistrate Liu Bei, their troops were all elite and strong, and their strength was no less than that of the remaining warlords!

Cao Cao was overjoyed at the sight, "Thank you, Wentai, Bo Gui, and Shoucheng for your assistance! Once we capture Hulao Pass, Cao Cao will drink with all of you!"

"Let's talk about this later! For now, please let Mengde command the army to attack the city! We will drink after capturing Dong Zhuo and his gang!" Li You was planning to hand over the command to Cao Cao, and added, "The enemy has just suffered a defeat, the opportunity for victory is fleeting, Mengde, please do not refuse!"

"Alright!" Cao Cao, being a decisive person, saw that Gong Sun Zan and others did not object, and immediately agreed, "General Gong Sun, I have heard that your White Horse Riders can travel a thousand miles in an instant and never miss their target! Please lead your troops to pursue the remaining enemies at the gate!"

"Lord Sun, Lord Xuande, General Pan Feng, after General Gong Sun clears the remaining enemies, join me in attacking Hulao Pass! Lord Ma, once we break through Hulao Pass, please immediately lead your Xiliang Iron Cavalry into the pass to intercept Dong Zhuo!"

A series of orders, each perfectly utilizing the strengths of these generals! Gong Sun Zan's White Horse Riders were light cavalry, best suited for pursuit and clearing the remaining enemies left by Lu Bu at the gate! Sun Jian was brave and daring, Pan Feng had experience in capturing the Fenshui Pass, and Liu Bei, though with fewer troops, had fierce generals like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, making them perfect for a strong attack! Ma Teng's troops were all cavalry, not good at attacking fortresses, so it was better to save their strength for the final pursuit!

Cao Cao's military strategy was indeed remarkable! As Li You was thinking, Cao Cao bowed to him and said, "Wenjie, may I borrow General Yuanba?"

"Ha ha! Why not!" Li You immediately understood his intention and turned to Li Yuanba, "Yuanba, you didn't get enough fighting just now, here's another chance! Our tens of thousands of troops are counting on you to lead the charge!"

Children need to be coaxed, and Li You's words made Li Yuanba very happy! He immediately spurred his horse, Wan Li Feng, to Cao Cao's side, "What do you need me to do?"

"You!" The Xiahou brothers and the Cao brothers behind Cao Cao were furious, but he raised his hand to stop them, not minding that Li Yuanba called himself "young master" in front of him, and said with a smile, "General Yuanba! Hulao Pass is in a dangerous position, with only the gate for entry and exit! Please open the city gate for our army!"

"It's not a fight with people, right?" Li Yuanba pouted in disappointment, but when he saw the gate of Hulao Pass, he regained his spirit, "Wait here! I'll be back soon!"

With that, he spurred his horse to the gate, swinging his twin hammers to knock away the rolling logs, stones, and arrows flying from above, and with a loud cry, he used the momentum of Wan Li Feng to smash the gate with his right hammer!

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