Shuhan

Tufa Shoutian stood on the battlefield, his eyes sharp, but he could not hide the anxiety in his heart.

His retreat plan was like a sophisticated chessboard layout, with every step carefully considered.

According to his idea, the Xianbei army should retreat in an orderly manner in batches, and each batch should be covered by elite cavalry to resist the Han army's tidal offensive.

However, the world is unpredictable and human hearts are even more unpredictable. Tuoba Liwei's betrayal was like a sharp blade that tore his carefully constructed defenses into pieces.

The sky was gloomy, as if foreshadowing something ominous.

Tufa Shoutian, wearing heavy iron armor and holding a scimitar, stood in front of the army. His eyes showed both determination and a hint of imperceptible worry.

He shouted loudly, ordering the troops to begin retreating according to the established plan. His voice echoed in the wilderness, but seemed to be ruthlessly swallowed up by the cold wind.

The retreat went smoothly in the early stages. Although the Xianbei soldiers were reluctant, they still maintained their formation and retreated northward in an orderly manner under strict military discipline.

However, the good times did not last long. Tuoba Liwei's rebellion was like a bolt from the blue, causing the entire situation to spiral out of control in an instant.

Led by Tuoba Liwei, the Han army pounced on him like jackals. Their arrows fell like raindrops, and every arrow seemed to be shot at Tuoba Shoutian's heart.

When Tufa Shoutian saw his plan come to nothing, he couldn't help but feel indescribable anger and despair in his heart.

He roared and swung his spear to repel a Han soldier who rushed forward, but personal bravery seemed so insignificant on the battlefield.

The Han army was approaching like a sharp blade, and Tuoba Liwei led his troops to block their way, as if mocking his incompetence.

Tufa Shoutian fled in a panic, and the soldiers behind him were also in a panic. Many of them even dropped their weapons and just tried to escape.

They crossed patches of withered grass and crossed icy streams, but no matter how hard they tried, the Han army's pursuit was always following them.

Tuoba Shoutian's breathing became rapid, and sweat and blood mixed together, soaking his clothes.

Finally, when they fled to the city of Lu County, Tuoba Shoutian was exhausted.

He looked up at the ancient city. The city walls were mottled, but they seemed to be their only lifeline.

He loudly ordered the soldiers to charge into the city, while he himself took the lead and climbed up the city wall first.

Standing on the city wall, Tufa Shoutian looked particularly lonely.

He was breathing heavily, his eyes wandering around the battlefield, and his heart sank a little bit with every place he looked.

The Han army was like a black torrent, chasing the enemy northwards. The Xianbei army suffered heavy losses under their impact.

There was an endless stream of surrenders, and many people even knelt on the ground, holding their heads in their hands, waiting to be captured by the Han army.

Tufa Shoutian held the railing of the city wall tightly with both hands, and his knuckles turned white from excessive force.

His face was covered in dust and blood, his hair was disheveled, and his eyes were gleaming with despair.

He looked towards the battlefield again and saw the Han army's flags fluttering in the wind, as if announcing their victory.

And those Xianbei soldiers who once fought alongside him are now fleeing everywhere like stray dogs.

"It's over, it's over..." Tufa Shoutian murmured in a low voice, his voice filled with endless despair.

He felt as if an invisible hand was strangling his throat, unable to breathe or struggle.

His heart was filled with fear. He began to worry about his life and whether he would become a prisoner of the Han army like those captured soldiers.

At this time, a messenger came running, knelt in front of Tufa Shoutian, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, the city is short of food and grass, and the soldiers' morale is low. If this continues, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold out for much longer."

Tufa Shoutian's heart sank when he heard this. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner panic.

Now is not the time to consider retreat, but how to hold on to the last chance of survival for himself and his soldiers in this isolated city.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze becoming firm. He turned to the generals behind him and said in a deep voice: "Pass the order, all soldiers, young and old, must take up arms and prepare for battle. Although we are trapped here, as long as we unite as one, there may be hope for survival."

When the generals heard this, although they still had doubts in their hearts, they all responded in unison.

There is no way out now. Only by fighting can we gain a chance of survival.

Tufa Shoutian stood on the city wall, looking at the Han army rolling in from the distance, with an inexplicable sense of tragedy and grandeur in his heart.

This battle will be a life-and-death battle for their Xianbei army.

But even so, he would not give up easily, because he was Tuoba Shoutian, the king of Xianbei, and he wanted to use his actions to tell everyone that the warriors of Xianbei would never yield to anyone.

As night fell, the city of Lu County was brightly lit and the soldiers were nervously preparing for battle.

Tufa Shoutian stood on the city wall, looking at the dark night sky and praying silently in his heart.

Perhaps tomorrow will be a fierce battle, but he also believes that as long as they unite as one, they will be able to overcome this difficulty.

It was not until the evening of the third day that the noise of the battlefield gradually died down, as if nature itself was mourning for this brutal battle.

Snowflakes fell silently, covering the earth with a layer of white gauze, and quietly covering the warriors who fell in a pool of blood. Their bodies had been frozen by the severe cold and were stiffly piled up into shocking corpse mountains.

The flags of the Han army fluttered in the cold wind. They were stationed in a camp that originally belonged to the Xianbei people. The tents stretched for several miles like a long dragon, and were arranged in an orderly manner. Not only were they filled with Han soldiers, but also those Xianbei people who chose to surrender.

Zhao Yun, the famous general of the Han army, was standing on a high place in the camp, staring at all this.

He did not adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy for the surrendered Xianbei people, but cleverly divided them into five tribes, each of which selected a commander, and these commanders were equipped with Han commanders as supervisors.

This arrangement not only ensured the Han army's control over the surrendered Xianbei people, but also allowed the Xianbei people to feel a certain degree of autonomy, thus reducing internal unrest.

"If you want to use troops, you must get the consent of the captain before you can send troops." Zhao Yun's voice was low and powerful. When he announced this rule to all the surrendered Xianbei people, his eyes were as sharp as torches, as if he could see into people's hearts.

Although such a system is harsh, it is the best option to stabilize the situation at present.

Tuoba Liwei, as the Khan of the Xianbei, was given the important task of controlling the troops in the central region.

He is tall, with a rough face, and there is an unruly air between his brows.

However, when facing Zhao Yun, he appeared to be extremely submissive, as if he had completely lost his former arrogance.

He understood that his fate was firmly in the hands of the Han army, and only obedience could bring peace to his people.

As for the other four commanders, they were all candidates that the Han State had observed in advance. They were very respectful to the Han State. Some of them had even studied in the Han State and married Han women. They could almost be considered half Han people.

Zhao Yun naturally trusted them more than he did other Xianbei people.

With the help of these people, the Han Dynasty was able to further transform the Xianbei and incorporate them into its own ruling system.

Intelligence from the battlefield continued to arrive, and Zhao Yun also gained a better understanding of the war on the front line.

Gongsun Yuan, that cunning guy like a fox, actually retreated towards Ji County so quickly after the food and grass were burned. His speed was so fast that it was simply astonishing.

Zhao Yun couldn't help but sneer, thinking to himself: "This guy runs faster than a rabbit!"

In comparison, Tufa Shoutian's situation seemed precarious.

He hid in Lu County, barely surviving like a lamb to be slaughtered.

Now is the time to wipe out Tufa Shoutian once and for all.

However, he did not want the Han people to bear the loss of this killing, so he turned his attention to Tuoba Liwei.

"Tuoba Liwei, take the Xianbei people to kill Tuoba Shoutian."

Zhao Yun's voice was calm and cold, as if he was giving an insignificant order.

However, Tuoba Liwei heard a deep chill in his voice.

Tuoba Li nodded slightly without saying anything more. He turned and left, his back looking somewhat desolate.

He knew that he was about to embark on a road full of blood and killing.

However, for the future of his people, he had no choice.

. . .

In the early morning, the sky was still shrouded in the darkness of night. The cold winter wind was like a sharp blade, cutting every inch of exposed skin. The heavy snow flying all over the sky covered the land of Youzhou with a layer of silver, foreshadowing the cruelty of today's battle.

Outside the city of Lu County, there was a solemn and murderous atmosphere, and the flags of the five Xianbei tribes fluttered in the wind, as if it was nature's resonance with the upcoming battle.

The newly appointed Xianbei Khan Tuoba Liwei, wearing heavy iron armor and riding a majestic black warhorse, shuttled through the dense military formations.

His eyes were firm and cold, as if they could penetrate the thick snow curtain and look directly at every inch of land in Lu County.

He raised his hands high, and then waved them violently, as if declaring his determination to the heaven and earth, and sending a signal to the warriors under his command to attack.

Following his movements, the Xianbei soldiers surged like a tide. Carrying heavy ladders on their shoulders and stepping on the snow, they gave deafening shouts and rushed towards the city wall of Lu County. Their momentum seemed to swallow up the solid city wall in one fell swoop.

On the city wall, Tufa Shoutian looked particularly lonely.

He was wearing a slightly worn leather armor, his face was haggard, and his eyes were flashing with a mixture of indomitable spirit and despair.

Looking at the fierce Xianbei army under the city, his heart sank to the bottom, but even so, he still forced himself to cheer up and shouted loudly: "Gongsun Yuan's support will arrive soon. Tuoba Liwei betrayed the Xianbei and the Eternal Heaven. He will not have a good ending!"

Although his voice was a little hoarse, it was full of unquestionable firmness, as if he wanted to use this last flame of hope to ignite the dying fighting spirit in the hearts of the soldiers on the city.

When the Xianbei soldiers on the city wall heard Tuoba Shoutian's words, a trace of hesitation flashed across their faces, but it was quickly replaced by an inexplicable courage.

They gripped their weapons tightly, and even though their hands were shaking from the cold, their eyes were burning with unyielding fire.

This battle is about life and death, honor, and the future of their tribe.

So, they plucked up their courage, faced the enemy that was coming like a tide, and began to put up a tenacious resistance.

The battle was about to break out, arrows flew like rain between the two armies, accompanied by screams, blood dyed the white snow red, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of blood and burning smell.

Tuoba Liwei personally supervised the battle. His figure on the battlefield was like a black lightning. Wherever he went, the enemies were terrified.

He wielded the long sword in his hand, and every swing was accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, as if he was a god descended to the earth and no one could stop him.

As time went on, the Tuoba Xianbei in the city began to lose gradually.

Their physical strength was quickly consumed by the severe cold and continuous fighting, and their morale began to decline.

Some soldiers began to approach Tuoba Shoutian quietly, their eyes filled with fear and despair, as if they were looking for an excuse to escape.

If it weren't for the close protection of Tuoba Shoutian's personal guards, he would have been captured by these irrational soldiers.

Tufa Shoutian saw it all and felt pain in his heart.

If we continue to persist, it will only lead to the annihilation of the entire army.

So he gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision.

He turned around abruptly, strode down the tower, and came to the city gate. Tufa Shoutian took a deep breath and ordered loudly: "Open the four city gates, everyone, follow me to break through!"

Following his order, the city gate slowly opened, and a cold wind mixed with snowflakes suddenly rushed into the city.

Tufa Shoutian took the lead and rode out of the city gate, followed closely by the remaining Tufa soldiers, whose faces were filled with determination and helplessness.

However, outside the city, the world had long been dominated by the five Xianbei cavalry tribes.

Tuoba Liwei had already anticipated that Tuoba Shoutian would try to break out, so he had already laid a tight net.

Soon, Tuoba Shoutian was surrounded by a group of Xianbei cavalrymen who were as ferocious as wolves and tigers.

His warhorse neighed in fear and kicked its hooves wildly, but it could not break out of the encirclement.

Tufa Shoutian looked around and felt an unprecedented despair in his heart.

At this moment, his fate has come to an end.

But he did not give up. He continued to wave his weapon and fight a desperate battle with the enemy.

However, two fists were no match for four hands, and eventually, he was knocked off his horse by a halberd from a Xianbei cavalryman and fell heavily on the snow.

At this moment, Tuoba Shoutian was like a lamb to be slaughtered, and was rudely pushed into the tent of the Han camp by Tuoba Liwei.

Inside the big tent, the flickering candlelight illuminated a series of tense and solemn faces, and the air was filled with a lingering atmosphere of solemnity.

Zhao Yun was sitting upright on the main seat, his brows revealing unquestionable majesty.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, as if he could see into the deepest secrets of the human heart.

After Tuoba Liwei stepped into the tent, he first bowed respectfully to Zhao Yun, and his voice was filled with a bit of awe: "General, Tufa Shoutian has been brought here. Please tell me how to deal with him."

When Zhao Yun heard this, his eyes swept lightly over the bald Shoutian who was tied up and in a miserable state, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Tufa Shoutian has now betrayed the Han Dynasty for his own selfish interests. In Zhao Yun's view, such behavior is unforgivable.

"There has never been any chance for traitors in our Han Dynasty to survive." Zhao Yun's voice was low and powerful.

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Liwei nodded immediately, turned around and winked at the guards escorting Tufa Shoutian, and said in a deep voice: "Drag him out and behead him!"

The guards responded immediately, roughly lifted up Tufa Shoutian, and prepared to drag him out of the tent.

Tuoba Shoutian's mouth was tightly blocked by a cloth strip, and he could only make a wailing sound. His eyes were filled with fear and despair, and his legs stomped wildly on the ground, trying to break free from the shackles of death, but all struggles were in vain.

As Tufa Shoutian was dragged out of the tent, the atmosphere inside the tent did not become much more relaxed.

Zhao Yun's gaze returned to Tuoba Liwei again, and his tone became more steady: "Although Gongsun Yuan is not obedient, he cannot be easily allowed to surrender to Wei. Send someone to tell Gongsun Yuan immediately that I intend to form an alliance with him. As long as he is willing to help the Han Dynasty defeat Cao Zhen of Wei, he can continue to be the King of Youzhou."

When Tuoba Liwei heard this, his expression changed. He knew that this was not only Zhao Yun's order, but also a strategic need of the Han Dynasty.

He responded without hesitation: "Yes, General!"

Then, Tuoba Liwei turned around and prepared to leave to carry out the order.

However, at the moment when Tuoba Liwei was about to step out of the tent, Zhao Yun's eyes suddenly became deep, as if he had penetrated time and space and saw the distant future.

In his heart, although Gongsun Yuan was a temporary ally, Youzhou was ultimately the Han Dynasty's Youzhou, not Gongsun Yuan's private property.

He planned to let Gongsun Yuan relax his vigilance first, use him to fight against Wei State, and when the time was right, recapture Youzhou in one fell swoop and completely incorporate it into the territory of the Han Dynasty.

The night outside the tent was as dark as ink, with the occasional howl of wolves in the distance adding a bit of eeriness.

Tufa Shoutian's screams pierced the night sky, short and shrill, and then everything returned to calm.

Soon, a guard walked into the tent holding a bloody head. It was the head of Tufa Shoutian.

The eyes on the head were still wide open, as if still expressing unwillingness and fear.

Zhao Yun glanced at the head indifferently, nodded, and signaled his guards to retreat.

There was no ripple in his heart, and he never showed mercy to traitors.

The first step of managing Youzhou has been completed, and the next step is the second step. (End of this chapter)