Shuhan

The cold wind was like a knife, cutting every inch of skin exposed to the air. The heavy snow covered the Wuhuan Commandant's Mansion in a blanket of silver, but it could not conceal the approaching murderous aura.

Yan Rou has been holding out in this isolated city for half a month.

His face looked a little haggard due to long-term tension and fatigue, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle, emitting an unyielding light.

It was the middle of winter and the north wind was howling as if it was going to swallow up the whole world.

Snowflakes fell in large flakes, and soon accumulated into a thick layer on the city walls, making it more difficult to defend the city.

The soldiers were wearing thin clothes, and many of them had red hands and feet due to the cold, and some even began to develop festering sores, but they still gritted their teeth and stayed at their posts.

Yan Rou looked at these loyal soldiers, with complex emotions surging in her heart - both heartache and pride.

Gongsun Yuan's army was like a dark cloud pressing down on a city, and their attacks became more and more fierce.

The catapults made a deafening roar, and the huge stones hit the city walls again and again like divine punishment. Each impact made the city walls tremble. Finally, after a fierce bombardment, a shocking crack was smashed into the city wall.

This crack is not only a physical damage, but also a heavy blow to the defenders' faith.

Upon seeing this, Yan Rou let out a loud roar, the sound piercing through the wind and snow, shocking everyone's heart.

The long spear in his hand was as firm and sharp as his will. He stepped forward and stood in front of the crack, like an insurmountable mountain, blocking the way of Gongsun Yuan's army.

His movements were swift and powerful. Every time he swung his spear, it was accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, which repelled the enemy troops that rushed forward one by one.

The rest of the soldiers, whether they were Xianbei or Wei, were inspired by Yan Rou's bravery. They forgot the cold and the pain, and rushed forward fearlessly to fight the enemy. For a while, the battlefield was filled with swords and blood, but Gongsun Yuan's offensive was actually held up by these brave defenders.

As for why there were Xianbei people in Yan Rou's Guarding Wuhuan Commandery
This is normal. The Xianbei people on the grassland are not a whole. Tuoba Shoutian was originally just a noble family on the grassland. Only with the support of the Han Dynasty could he regain other tribes and become the most powerful force on the grassland today.

But within his power, the other tribal chiefs did not completely obey his commands.

The reason why he followed Tuoba Shoutian was simply to be able to win the battle.

Among them, many Xianbei people were close to the Wei State, so they could naturally be used by the Wei State.

On the grassland, the Xianbei people were full of contradictions. Otherwise, with the strength of the grassland, Tubo Shoutian would not have been turned into a puppet by the Han State.

Who doesn’t want to be the supreme Khan of the grassland?
now.

Yan Rou's clothes had already been stained with blood, and she couldn't tell whether it was her own or the enemy's.

His face and arms were covered with tiny wounds, but he seemed to feel no pain. He just mechanically swung the spear in his hand, and each swing was accompanied by a low roar.

In his eyes, there was a desire for victory but also fear of the unknown - he didn't know how many times he and these loyal soldiers could hold off Gongsun Yuan's attacks.

During the battle, Yan Rou panted and looked around.

He saw a Xianbei soldier huddled in a corner, hugging his knees tightly with his hands, trying to resist the cold in this way.

The soldier's face was covered with frostbite, but his eyes still sparkled with determination.

Yan Rou walked over, patted his shoulder gently, and whispered, "There is a fire in the city, go and warm yourself by it."

The Xianbei soldier looked up at Yan Rou, a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, but then he shook his head firmly.

He struggled to his feet, picked up his weapon again, and took up his post.

This scene brought a warm feeling to Yan Rou's heart - he knew that with these loyal soldiers, he had the confidence to defend the city.

The battle broke out again, and Gongsun Yuan's army surged in like a tide, but Yan Rou and his soldiers were like reefs, firmly nailed to the spot, and did not move no matter how fierce the wind and waves were.

Every battle was a life-and-death struggle, but Yan Rou and his soldiers never thought of retreating.

As time went on, the situation on the battlefield began to become delicate.

Although Gongsun Yuan's army was large in number, the long siege also cost them a huge price.

Although Yan Rou and his defenders were exhausted, their will was as strong as steel.

Finally, after a fierce battle, Gongsun Yuan's army began to show signs of retreat.

Yan Rou looked at the enemy troops gradually moving away, and an indescribable joy surged in her heart.

They won today's battle.

After the battle, Yan Rou stood on the city wall, looking at the devastated battlefield, feeling mixed emotions.

He turned around, looked at the soldiers who were exhausted but still holding their posts, and said loudly: "We will definitely win this battle. Reinforcements will arrive soon. If we hold on, we will find a way! Long live the Wei Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers raised their arms and shouted:
"Long live the Great Wei!"

"Long live the Great Wei!"

"Long live the Great Wei!"

The sound echoed in the wind and snow for a long time.

Outside the city of the Protector of Wuhuan Commandery, the wind was cold and the snow was flying. Gongsun Yuan, wearing heavy armor, stood on a high slope, staring at the gate of the Protector of Wuhuan Commandery with a sharp gaze.

His face looked haggard due to the long period of fighting, and his brows revealed a sense of unwillingness and stubbornness.

The guards around him crowded around him, trying to shield him from the biting cold wind, but Gongsun Yuan seemed unaware and just stared at the tightly closed city gate.

Originally, he thought that with the advantage of the military force in his hands, he could easily capture this isolated city, but reality gave him a severe blow.

The Wei army's resistance was unexpectedly tenacious, especially Yan Rou, who gave him a lot of headaches.

Gongsun Yuan looked at his soldiers who were once again defeated by the Wei army, and his heart was filled with anger and helplessness.

These soldiers were ragged and exhausted, and some even lost their weapons. They staggered back to the formation with fear and despair in their eyes.

"Waste! A bunch of waste!" Gongsun Yuan cursed in a low voice, clenched his fists, and dug his nails deeply into his palms, but he didn't feel any pain at all.

If this continues, morale will completely collapse. By then, let alone attacking the city, even retreating will become a problem.

"Sir, we can't go on like this." A guard warned cautiously, "The soldiers are almost at their limit. If they continue like this, I'm afraid..."

Gongsun Yuan's face became even gloomier when he heard this. He knew this truth, but the current situation made him unable to back down.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger, and then said in a deep voice: "Pass the order down, let the supervision team be more strict, anyone who retreats will be killed without mercy!"

When the guard heard this, his face changed, but he finally obeyed the order and left.

Gongsun Yuan knew that this order was cruel and ruthless, but it was the only solution he could think of.

He had to keep up the morale of his troops, or all would be lost.

However, even with the threat of the supervision team, the morale of the soldiers was gradually dissipating.

They had been attacking the city for too long in this cold weather and were exhausted both physically and mentally.

Every charge was like stepping into an endless abyss with no end in sight.

Gongsun Yuan looked at all this, his heart filled with helplessness and sadness.

He understood that although he had the advantage in terms of military strength, he was always in a passive position in this battle.

That Yan Rou seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle, firmly blocking his way forward. "Yan Rou, Yan Rou, you are indeed a tough opponent." Gongsun Yuan murmured in a low voice, with a trace of admiration and fear in his eyes.

Yan Rou's reputation on the grassland is not undeserved. This man has rich combat experience and extraordinary wisdom. It is not easy to defeat him.

Time passed little by little, and Gongsun Yuan's army suffered heavy losses in repeated charges.

However, in the residence of the commander of the Wuhuan Guard, Yan Rou still held on as firmly as ever, like an unshakable fortress.

Gongsun Yuan watched all this, his heart filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

If time goes on, it will be more and more disadvantageous to him. Ji County may be attacked by Cao Zhen, and in Liaodong, Zhao Yun of the Han Kingdom will definitely not sit idly by.

These two threats made him feel uneasy and he dared not slack off even a little.

However, even so, he did not dare to send all the reserve troops to attack the city.

Because he also had to guard against the Xianbei Tuoba tribe in Dai County.

Although this tribe usually does not interfere with him, who knows what they will do in this chaotic world?

If they take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, I would be in an irretrievable situation.

Gongsun Yuan weighed the pros and cons in his mind, his face changing from gloomy to bright.

I am now in a dilemma.

But even so, he didn't want to give up easily.

Because he understands that once he gives up, all his previous efforts will be wasted.

"Attack again!" Gongsun Yuan suddenly shouted loudly, his voice full of determination and firmness.

"I will take this city no matter what!"

When the soldiers heard this, although their hearts were filled with fear and fatigue, they still gritted their teeth and launched another charge.

However, this charge still did not make any progress.

The Wei army's resistance remained as tenacious as before, like an insurmountable mountain, firmly blocking their way forward.

Gongsun Yuan looked at all this, his heart filled with despair and helplessness.

I might really not be able to take this city.

"Are we really going to retreat?" Gongsun Yuan murmured in a low voice, his voice filled with fatigue and unwillingness.

Just as Gongsun Yuan was thinking about how to get out of his current predicament, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence outside the tent.

A personal guard walked in quickly. He was wearing silver armor and an iron helmet, with an anxious look on his face.

When he saw Gongsun Yuan, he bowed quickly and said with a breath in his voice: "My lord, Tufa Shoutian wants to see you."

Gongsun Yuan was stunned when he heard this.

Tuoba Shoutian, the name flashed quickly through his mind.

As the leader of the Tufa tribe of the Xianbei in Dai County, Tufa Shoutian was a puppet supported by the Han State and did not show obvious hostility or friendliness towards Gongsun Yuan.

Why did he suddenly ask for a meeting at this time?
Although Gongsun Yuan had doubts in his heart, he did not show it on his face.

His eyes flickered as he quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

No matter how
If he could form an alliance with Tufa Shoutian, he might be able to buy himself some breathing space, or even take this opportunity to turn the tide of the war.

Even if it requires selling out some of Youzhou's interests, compared with survival, what does it matter?
Thinking of this, Gongsun Yuan said in a deep voice: "Please ask him to come in."

The guards took the order and left. After a while, the curtain was opened and Tufa Shoutian strode in.

He was tall with a rugged face, wearing a heavy fur coat and with a long sword hanging from his waist, looking very imposing.

When he saw Gongsun Yuan, he nodded slightly as a gesture of greeting.

"Brother Gongsun, long time no see." Tuoba Shoutian's voice was low and powerful, with a bit of the heroism of a grassland man.

Gongsun Yuan also smiled and responded: "Tufa Khan, how come you have time to come to me today? Is there something important to discuss with me?"

Tufa Shoutian's expression straightened when he heard this, and he said in a deep voice: "Brother Gongsun, I came here this time to discuss an important matter. I see that you are attacking the Guardian of Wuhuan, and there are heavy casualties. Zhao Yun of Han and Cao Zhen of Wei are both eyeing you covetously. Your current situation is full of dangers."

Gongsun Yuan was shocked when he heard this. He did not expect that Tufa Shoutian would point out his predicament so bluntly.

However, he remained calm on the surface and smiled, "Brother Tufa, you are wrong. I, Gongsun Yuan, am not a coward. Even if I have to face Han and Wei at the same time, I will never give up easily. Moreover, I have already formed an alliance with Han, so why should I worry about Liaodong?"

Tufa Shoutian heard this and shook his head, sighing, "Brother Gongsun, you and I are both sensible people, why bother with these polite words? Your current situation is indeed not optimistic. However, I am not here to laugh at you, but to show you a way out."

Gongsun Yuan was moved when he heard this, and asked quickly, "Brother Tufa, what do you think? Please enlighten me."

Tufa Shoutian hesitated for a moment and said slowly: "Brother Gongsun, you are fighting alone now, and it is difficult to resist the attack from Han and Wei.

Why don't we form an alliance and fight against the foreign enemies together? Although my Tufa tribe has few troops, we can still provide you with some help.

Moreover, I have some friendship with the Han Kingdom, so perhaps I can convince him not to take action against you for the time being.

But I need your help to deal with the counterattack of the Han Kingdom."

Gongsun Yuan was overjoyed when he heard this.

He did not expect that Tufa Shoutian would actually take the initiative to propose an alliance and be willing to win the support of the Han State for him.

This is undoubtedly a timely help for him.

However, Gongsun Yuan did not agree immediately.

He knew very well that alliances must be treated with caution.

Once an alliance is formed, it means sharing risks and benefits together.

He must make sure that he can gain sufficient benefits from the alliance before making a decision.

Besides, can you, Tufa Shoutian, have the final say?

So, he pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Brother Tufa, your proposal is indeed very tempting. However, I need time to consider it. After all, the matter of alliance is no trivial matter, and I must treat it with caution. Besides, can Tufa Khan really decide the affairs of the Tufa tribe?"

Hearing this, Tufa Shoutian's eyes flashed darkly, and he said, "The eagles on the grasslands are always thinking about freedom. I have already made an agreement with Ke Bineng. If you are willing to form an alliance with us, the grasslands will be your greatest backing. Not only Youzhou, but also Bingzhou can be shared with you!"

Gongsun Yuan felt awe-inspiring.

It seems that Tubo Shoutian does not want to be a mere puppet.

After all, who would want to be a powerless puppet when they can be the supreme Khan of the grassland!

now!

There is a gap between the grassland and the Han Kingdom, and this is Gongsun Yuan's opportunity! (End of this chapter)