Ji Han Liu Zhang

"It is indeed a peerless cavalryman."

Cao Cao, who was watching the battle, saw Zhang Ren leading 800 cavalrymen to break through the front line of the Huainan army, and then charge left and right, killing people in all directions with his unparalleled power. He kept his eyes on Zhang Ren, who was stunned at first, and then sighed.

The two brave generals Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren who were accompanying Cao Cao saw Zhang Ren's heroic figure rushing into the battle line. As military generals, they showed admiration in their eyes. After all, they had never had such a record.

"My lord, we should seize the opportunity to lead our army forward." Military chief Guo Jia looked into the distance and saw that Zhang Ren's troops, who had broken through the front line of the Huainan Army, did not retreat but advanced instead, charging towards the central army banner of the Huainan Army.

As Zhang Ren's troops rampaged through the enemy camp, the central army banner of the Huainan Army actually moved backwards. As soon as the banner moved, the Huainan Army immediately showed signs of disintegration. This was a rare opportunity to defeat the Huainan Army in one fell swoop, so Guo Jia made a timely suggestion.

"Of course." Cao Cao also saw the opportunity, and he gave the order: "All troops attack."

Cao Cao's orders were transmitted to the left and right wings of the army through the changes of flags and the sounds of gongs and drums. Immediately, Cao's troops, which had been standing in formation like a mountain, began to move. The troops in the center moved forward together, and the left and right wings opened like the two claws of a crab, ready to devour the Huainan army in front, whose formation had been disrupted by Zhang Ren.

Seizing the opportunity brought by Zhang Ren, Cao's army easily defeated the Huainan army. At this moment, the Huainan army, like their commanders Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui, fled as if they wished their parents had given them two more legs.

Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui fled ahead of time. When Zhang Xun was riding his horse at full speed, he took the opportunity to glance behind him. This glance made him feel cold and beads of sweat the size of beans slid down his forehead.

"You bastard, you're chasing me so closely." Zhang Xun cursed in his heart, and when he looked back, he saw Zhang Ren chasing him not far behind him.

Zhang Xun understood that Zhang Ren was going to kill the general, and the general he wanted to kill was him, the commander-in-chief of the Huainan Army.

"Captain Qiao, the enemy cavalry is very close, you go and intercept one or two of them." Zhang Xun ordered Qiao Rui who was fleeing with him.

"Me?" Qiao Rui showed an expression of disbelief, mixed with extreme fear. He did not expect Zhang Xun to give such an order. This made Qiao Rui wonder if there was something wrong with Zhang Xun's eyesight, so that he did not see the scene where the Cao army general just rushed into the battle line and killed people in all directions.

Qiao Rui had a full understanding of his own abilities. He claimed that he was no match for Cao's generals. Zhang Xun had been with him for a long time and was also aware of his abilities. So why did Zhang Xun ask him to intercept Cao's generals? This was clearly asking him to die.

"Yes, you." Zhang Xun confirmed, and added coldly: "If Captain Qiao doesn't want to obey orders, that's fine. As we have worked together, I won't blame you. You can return to your hometown with your family in Shouchun and live out the rest of your life in peace."

"My wife and children." Qiao Rui heard this, gritted his teeth, reined in his galloping horse, called out to his guards, and turned back to intercept the Cao army generals who were chasing him.

Zhang Xun fled at full speed, and Qiao Rui stopped to intercept him. This scene fell into the eyes of Zhang Ren who was chasing him. Zhang Ren did not care. The Yuexi horses under his command continued to move forward without stopping.

"Please leave your name if you come." Qiao Rui shouted loudly, trying to buy some time.

Zhang Ren smiled and said, "I am Zhang Gongyi from Shu."

After reporting, Zhang Ren did not ask Qiao Rui what he thought. He rode forward, thrust his spear and started fighting with Qiao Rui.

"This man is so rude." Qiao Rui was suffocating under Zhang Ren's airtight attack, but he still took a moment to curse in his heart. He politely asked Zhang Ren's name, but Zhang Ren did not ask back. Instead, he raised his spear and rode his horse, looking like he was asking for his life.

Qiao Rui recalled Zhang Ren's background, and made a sharp inference based on the word "Shu": "After all, he is from a remote country, and he is really rude."

Within a few rounds, Qiao Rui was shot twice. He knew that he was no match for Zhang Ren and would be killed if he fought for a few more moves. So he made a feint, turned his horse around and ran away.

"Don't run, you villain." Zhang Ren shouted angrily. He despised those who cowered in battle the most. He squeezed his legs together, and the horse under his seat took advantage of the gap to communicate with him. With all four hooves flying, he caught up with Qiao Rui in a few steps.

Seeing Qiao Rui's back right in front of him, Zhang Ren only needed to shoot with his spear as fast as a dragon to end Qiao Rui's life, but he did not do so. He had no intention of hurting anyone from behind, so he urged the divine horse under his mount to jump over the gap and move forward a few steps, and appeared in front of Qiao Rui.

Qiao Rui, who was fleeing with his horse's head in his arms, sensed a strong murderous intent with his military instinct. He raised his head and glanced to the right, but saw that the Cao army general in front of him was staring at him.

Qiao Rui felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave. He felt as if the weather had turned from the scorching heat of midsummer to the freezing cold of winter in an instant. His body began to tremble involuntarily, and his face was distorted with fear.

"Rat." Zhang Ren glanced at Qiao Rui's fearful expression and said contemptuously. As the word "rat" fell into Qiao Rui's ears, the tip of a spear pierced Qiao Rui's heart.

Severe pain spread throughout his body, and Qiao Rui's head tilted. His body was about to fall off the horse's back and to the ground. He only did not fall because of the spear that pierced his heart.

At this time, Qiao Rui had lost the ability to control his horse. The horse under him was completely unaware that its master had died and continued to run forward. Without the restraint of inertia, Qiao Rui and his mount were separated.

However, the body of Qiao Rui, who had lost his mount, remained suspended in mid-air because Zhang Ren did not pull back the spear he had thrust out.

A moment later, as Zhang Ren pulled back the spear that had pierced Qiao Rui's body, Qiao Rui's body fell to the ground below with a plop under the action of gravity, raising a cloud of dust.

After killing Qiao Rui and beheading a Huainan general, Zhang Ren turned his gaze to the fleeing Huainan army commander. After considering for a moment, he stopped chasing him and only ordered his soldiers to cut off Qiao Rui's head. Then he led his troops to join Cao's army in encircling and suppressing the scattered and chaotic Huainan army.

At night, a celebratory banquet was taking place in Cao's central camp.

Cao Cao, the commander-in-chief, raised his cup and came to Zhang Ren, saying to him, "Gongyi led the cavalry to break through the enemy's formation today. He was invincible and killed the general and captured the flag. Gongyi can be credited with the main merit for today's victory."

"Come, drink this cup." Cao Cao said as he personally poured wine into Zhang Ren's empty cup. After filling it up, he handed it to Zhang Ren and motioned Zhang Ren to drink it with an appreciative look.

"Thank you, Sikong." Zhang Ren's face was as calm as a lake. He took the wine handed by Cao Cao with both hands and drank it all in one gulp. Cao Cao saw this happy scene, and he smiled and nodded: "Gongyi, a straightforward person... Now that you have made such a great contribution, I have submitted a petition to the emperor to request your credit, and the reward will be issued soon."

Cao Cao observed Zhang Ren's expression after he finished speaking. Unexpectedly, he did not see Zhang Ren showing joy. He only saw Zhang Ren calmly put down his wine glass, bowed and said to him: "I am here to help the court fight against the enemy under the order of the Grand Marshal. I am satisfied if I can make some achievements and repay the Grand Marshal, but I do not need the court's reward."

Cao Cao's expression froze when he heard this. After a moment he boasted, "You are so loyal and righteous, which is really commendable." After the boast, Cao Cao looked at Zhang Ren with eyes full of appreciation and the intention to recruit him.

Led by Cao Cao, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren and others raised their glasses to toast Zhang Ren, praising his feat of breaking the enemy's formation today and his heroic figure riding a horse and holding a spear.

Zhang Ren did not show any arrogance because of the praise from everyone. He looked calm, only smiling occasionally, and accepted the compliments from everyone without showing any expression.

Zhang Ren's performance was also observed by Cao Cao. He nodded in approval, feeling a little sad. Although he had many cavalry generals under his command, none was as brave as Zhang Ren. It was a pity.

After the banquet was over, Cao Cao asked Xiahou Yuan, "Miaocai, what do you think of Zhang Gongyi?"

"Among all the cavalry generals in the world, there is no one better than Zhang Gongyi." Xiahou Yuan gave a very high evaluation. As a military general, he knew best how valuable it was to break through the enemy's formation, defeat the enemy, kill the general and seize the flag.

"That's right." Cao Cao agreed with a sigh, and then he said with regret without hiding it: "It's a pity that the pearl is not mine, it belongs to someone else's box."

"Brother, are you interested in recruiting Zhang Gongyi?" Xiahou Yuan heard the implication of Cao Cao's words and asked directly.

"That's what I meant." Cao Cao nodded happily. "Last time, Zhang Gongyi was your vanguard. You should have a good conversation with him and have made some friends with him." Cao Cao asked Xiahou Yuan, who had been with Zhang Ren for some time, "Can he be used by me?"

"Hmm..." Xiahou Yuan was silent for a moment or two, then shook his head and said, "Looking at Zhang Gongyi's words and deeds, he seems to be steady and consistent. He has the demeanor of a good general and a heart of loyalty and righteousness. He cannot be shaken by power or wealth."

Cao Cao thought of Zhang Ren's words during the banquet, and Xiahou Yuan's words. He nodded with a gloomy look. Zhang Ren was loyal to Liu Jiyu, and it would be difficult to shake him. But Cao Cao still planned to give it a try: "Miaocai, please tell me something. Such a brave general should be used by me. Otherwise, it would be a pity."

"Yes." Xiahou Yuan bowed and accepted the order. He knew that facing a powerful general like Zhang Ren, any monarch would want to recruit him and want to use Zhang Ren under his command. So he accepted Cao Cao's order.

After defeating Yuan Shu's generals Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui who were blocking the Qinyang area, Cao Cao's army that was conquering Huainan approached Shouchun City smoothly, set up a camp under the city, and prepared to attack the city.

A siege requires weapons, such as battering rams and ladders. Without these weapons, it would be difficult to attack a city. So when Cao's army approached Shouchun, they did not attack the city immediately, but first built siege weapons.

Taking advantage of the free time when the soldiers were making siege equipment, Xiahou Yuan invited Zhang Ren to come and have a drink. He first chatted with Zhang Ren about his life in order to bring the two closer together.

"Oh, so it turns out that the Grand Marshal is a person who loves talents." Upon hearing that after the battle of Ba County, Liu Zhang directly promoted Zhang Ren from a minor official to a captain of cavalry, Xiahou Yuan couldn't help but sigh. At the same time, seeing the respect with which Zhang Ren spoke of Liu Zhang, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Given Zhang Ren's admiration for Liu Zhang, it seemed that it would be difficult for him to persuade Zhang Ren to stay in the court.

However, Xiahou Yuan still planned to give it a try. He said cheerfully, "In the previous battle of Qiyang, Gongyi defeated the enemy and killed the general. Within a few months, Gongyi's name will be known throughout the world... With Gongyi's ability, it is only a matter of time before he is granted a title of nobility."

“But if you want to be granted a title and a nobility as soon as possible, it is best to be close to the emperor. Otherwise, even if you have meritorious services, you will not be able to report them to the emperor in time, and the emperor will not reward you in time.” Xiahou Yuan tried his best not to reveal his true intention and spoke in a roundabout way.

"In fairness, it would be better for you to stay in Xudu after conquering Huainan, so that you can be close to the emperor. This way you can gain fame, fortune and reputation throughout the world." After saying this, Xiahou Yuan smiled naively, as if he was thinking about Zhang Ren wholeheartedly and had no other ideas.

Zhang Ren smiled calmly upon hearing this. He shook his head and said, "Brother Miaocai's words make sense, but I will not accept them. I have received great kindness from my lord, the Grand Marshal, and I have no way to repay him in this lifetime. Why should I abandon him?"

"What I wish for in this life is only to be under the command of the Grand Marshal, to be driven by him, and to do something good to repay him... As for getting close to the emperor in order to seek fame and honor, it is not my wish, and I will not do it." Zhang Ren's expression was sincere, and it came from his heart.

Xiahou Yuan was stunned at first, but then a smile appeared on his face, and he praised loudly: "Gongyi, you are truly a loyal and righteous man."

"Come, have another drink." Xiahou Yuan saluted Zhang Ren.

While Cao's army was building war equipment under the city of Shouchun, Cao Cao, thinking of conquering the enemy without fighting, sent envoys into Shouchun in an attempt to recruit the generals of Yuan Shu stationed in the city - Zhang Xun, who had fled to Shouchun after the defeat in Qiyang, and Li Feng, Liang Gang and Le Jiu, who were left behind by Yuan Shu to guard Shouchun.

What disappointed Cao Cao was that the envoy failed to complete his mission and was humiliated by Yuan Shu's generals Zhang Xun, Li Feng, Liang Gang, Le Jiu and others before being released.

"Zhang Xun, Li Feng and others said that they are generals under the command of Emperor Zhong and are determined not to surrender to the Han Dynasty. They asked Sikong to attack the city as soon as possible without wasting his breath." The messenger relayed the words of Zhang Xun, Li Feng and others.

Cao Cao did not get angry when he heard this. He just waved his hand to dismiss the messenger. Then he chuckled, "Zhong, the emperor, it's fine that Yuan Shu is just a monkey in human form, but I didn't expect that Yuan Shu's subordinates would act like this. It's really ridiculous."

Forgetting that Zhang Xun, Li Feng and others refused to surrender, Cao Cao asked Guo Jia: "Did Lü Bu really raise an army?"

"According to the scouts, Lu Bu is worried about the risks of being in trouble, and does not want Yuan Shu to fail, so he has already deployed troops and is heading to Shouchun," Guo Jia affirmed.

Cao Cao half-closed his eyes, thought for a moment and said, "Send someone to pass a message to Liu Xuande, telling him not to rush to Shouchun, but to stop Lu Bu. Otherwise, if Lu Bu comes here, Shouchun will be difficult to take."

"Lu Bu is brave, and with Chen Gong's strategy, Liu Xuande may not be his match." Guo Jia said worriedly.

"We don't need to stop him for too long. As long as we can stop Lü Bu for ten months, Shouchun will be ours." Cao Cao said proudly. (End of this chapter)