cite Han

Chapter 459 Burning the Bridge
Liu Bei walked through the mountain roads with his family, although he repeatedly urged the team to speed up, but the mountain road was rough and difficult, and there were many women and children in the team, so it was impossible to go fast.

Liu Bei was very anxious. At this speed, he might not be able to catch up with the water blockage even after dark. Guan Yu's men only had more than 300 men at full strength. With this small force, how long can they last?

Whether our side can get away depends entirely on Guan Yu. As Liu Bei marched, his attention was always on the rear. After he and Guan Yu parted ways, he had not traveled far when there was a fierce fighting sound, which echoed in the valley for a long time.

The pursuers arrived sooner than he expected, such a short time was not enough for Guan Yu to build a solid line of defense.

Liu Bei can only hope that Guan Yu will use his personal bravery to stabilize the situation, delay the enemy as much as possible, and buy them time.

It's a pity that the development of the situation is not as Liu Bei expected. As time goes by, the sound of fighting is gradually weakening. Just now, the sound of fighting has completely subsided.

"Could it be that Yunchang has already repelled the pursuers? Or..." Liu Bei felt uneasy and didn't dare to continue thinking.

Zhao Yun obviously had the same worries as him, and said decisively: "General, the ancients said: 'A gentleman should not stand under a dangerous wall'. The current situation is unclear. It is really inappropriate for the general to take risks with his own body. It is better to lead the way."

Liu Bei shook his head without even thinking about it: "The soldiers are fighting bloody battles and entrusting their families to me. How can I abandon them and run for my life alone?"

Zhao Yun said with a serious face: "Why do you need a general to take care of your family, one general is enough, Yun is willing to leave guards, the general can just go ahead with peace of mind."

Liu Bei knew that Zhao Yun's suggestion was the right choice, but he could let him abandon the crowd and run away. He couldn't bear it, so he couldn't make a decision for a long time.

In fact, when Liu Bei competed with Cao Cao, Lu Bu, Yuan Shu and other heroes in the Central Plains, he abandoned his wife and children more than once, but it was a decision made only when he had to do so.

Although the current situation is very serious, but before the enemy shows up, he is impatient to abandon the crowd and flee first, wouldn't it make people laugh out loud?

Just as Liu Bei was hesitating, there was a sound of horseshoes in the valley behind.

Liu Bei's face changed drastically, and he sighed, "Could it be that Liu Jing showed his strength to chase me, otherwise why did Yun Chang lose so quickly?" Liu Bei thought that the sound of horseshoes was Guan Yu's return. After all, with Guan Yu's bravery, if he wanted to leave , No one in the world can keep him.

However, the sound of horseshoes became louder and louder, and the huge roar spread throughout the mountains and valleys. This kind of momentum is definitely not something that a mere hundred riders can achieve.
Zhao Yun was the first to react and came back. At this time, regardless of whether Liu Bei agreed or not, he greeted Zhang Fei and walked away with Liu Bei wrapped around him from left to right.

Most of the riders and those with horses left with Liu Bei, while the family members of the soldiers in ox carts and on foot were abandoned by Liu Bei when they saw the pursuers approaching.

The resonance of the rocks in the valley amplified the sound of horseshoes invisibly, coupled with the winding mountain road, it seemed close at hand, but in fact it was still far away. It was not until two quarters of an hour before Liu Jingjun's cavalry caught up with the chaotic Liu Beijun family team.

"Boom... boom..."

Liu Jingjun's mounts are all inlaid with horseshoes. When running, the sound is like wind and thunder, and with the addition of the valley, it is almost like heaven and earth falling apart.

Liu Beijun's family members were all women and children, and they knelt in front of the road, with their bodies stuck to the ground, waiting helplessly for the "judgment" of the other party.

"Where is Liu Bei?" Liu Lianggao asked with a glance at his horse. When he learned that Liu Bei had already abandoned the crowd, he couldn't help curling his lips, leaving behind a team of cavalry to guard the prisoners, and then continued to pursue Liu Bei with Cai Sheng and Huang Zhong.

Without the encumbrance of his family members, Liu Bei's speed was more than doubled. The water blockage tens of miles away was no longer out of reach. Before sunset, Liu Bei successfully reached the bank of the blockage.

At this time, there were less than [-] people around Liu Bei, most of them were Liu Bei's subordinates and followers. Among the family members, only Liu Bei's wife, Guan Yu's wife and other very few people barely kept up with Liu Bei because they were riding in a carriage.

Concerned about Guan Yu's safety, Liu Bei was reluctant to cross the river at first, and wanted to stay on the east bank and wait for Guan Yu.

Zhao Yun knew that he was still far from out of danger, and only by crossing the blocked water could he completely get rid of the enemy, so he forced Liu Bei to cross the river.

At the same time, Zhang Fei led people to dig the ferry in Shenjin Ferry, and collected oil and firewood from the homes of many people on both sides of the strait, buried them under the bridge, and was ready to burn the bridge at any time to cut off the pursuers.

Liu Bei stood on the west bank of the blocking water, looking at the opposite bank, his face was full of sorrow, Guan Yu has not returned yet, he already realized that Guan Yu might not come back, but he still had hope in case.

However, Liu Jingjun's cavalry, dressed in evening glory, came with a bang, and the last trace of luck in Liu Bei's heart was shattered, and he was extremely sad for a while.

Zhao Yun was also in a heavy heart, but now was not the time to be sad. When he saw that Zhang Fei was holding up a torch and hadn't moved for a long time, he couldn't help but anxiously said, "Yide, what are you doing in a daze? The enemy is chasing you, burn the bridge quickly... "

Zhang Fei came back to his senses when he heard the words, endured his grief, and threw the torch into the firewood under the bridge. It was fueled by oil, but a raging fire ignited in an instant and spread across the bridge.

Seeing the flames rising into the sky, thick smoke billowing, and the impassable crossing bridge, Liu Liang gritted his teeth angrily, after all, it was still a step too late.

Now that the bridge was burned down and the ferry was scuttled, the only way to cross the blocked water was to make bamboo rafts or build a simple pontoon bridge. By that time, Liu Bei and others would have long since disappeared.

No matter how unwilling he was, Liu Liang had to admit that Liu Bei escaped from under their noses, and the good mood brought about by killing Guan Yu couldn't help but be swept away.Although Guan Yu is one of the best generals in the world, ten Guan Yus are not as important as one Liu Bei.

The more Liu Liang thought about it, the more angry he became, and he ordered Guan Yu's head to be hung on a spear, showing off wantonly.

Dushui is a small river, not more than forty or fifty feet wide. Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and others on the west bank can see it clearly, and their eyes are instantly shattered.

"Yun Chang, we swore to live and die together, and we haven't accomplished our achievements yet, why did Yun Chang abandon me?" Liu Bei couldn't accept the blow of Guan Yu's death for a while, and he looked up to the sky and cried out sadly.

Guan Yu followed him across the Central Plains. He had never experienced any strong winds and waves. He did not expect that today he would capsize in the gutter.

"Brother...!" Zhang Fei wished he could put on a pair of wings, fly up to the river bank, kill all the enemies, and take back his head.But now he can't do anything, he can only watch the enemy make fun of Guan Yu's head.

Zhang Fei knelt on the ground, hammering the ground with both fists crazily, venting his emotions, his fists hit blood dripping, Liu Bei stepped forward and hugged Zhang Fei, bleeding profusely.

(End of this chapter)