Chapter 194 Movements in the Wes (1/2)
Chapter 194 – Movements in the West
South of the Imperial Army support camp, a thousand horsemen were gazing at the burning granaries. They did not carry any flag to identify themselves as they came here in secret.
This group of soldiers was to one that razed Liu Biao's granaries.
The leader of these cavalries read the reports from his scouts with a frown. While he was contemplating something, a horseman at his side with a well-equipped armor approached him.
He had a sharp oval face and toned skins as he was a seasoned warrior. His trimmed black beard and mustache made his expression fierce and mature, yet he still looked attractive to women.
”Mengde, what does it say?” The horseman asked.
Cao Cao, the leader of this group of cavalries, tossed the report he read at the horseman and said, ”I'll summarize it in short. We underestimated Zhang Tong. All plans have to be reconsidered.”
”Huh?”
The horseman was Xiahou Dun, a cousin of Cao Cao and his trusted subordinate.
Xiahou Dun grabbed the report and read it. He opened his eyes wide in astonishment and looked at Cao Cao.
”This is a joke, right?”
The reports were a summary of Tong's recent military activities, starting from the forced march to Ye City to the latest duel agreement. The details were also precise as the number of Tong's remaining active soldiers and the Imperial Army active soldiers were in there.
Cao Cao attempted to simulate a scenario if he were Tong in the same situation, he could not come up with a plan to get a better or the same result that Tong had achieved.
An army of 60,000 men taking down a city and the coalition force of 250,000 men was impossible for him. Even worse, Tong lost only one-fifth of his men after the skirmishes while the Imperial Army suffered severe blows one after another.
To Cao Cao, these brilliant moves by Tong from start to finish scared him.
Furthermore, there was a secret report about the identities of otherworlders and their unique skills. Cao Cao immediately connected this intelligence with unusual individuals like Liu Ping and Zhang Tong. He also grasped the information of Sun Jian's adopted son, Sun Fang, and his wife, Li Jing.
Fighting with the warlords would be difficult enough for him, but challenging immortals like Tong and the others was an impossible task that Cao Cao had no confidence that he could succeed.
”No, we're competing with more than one immortal, Yuanrang.”
”Are you certain?”
”No other explanation. I believe in the results I see.”
”So, what will you do? Will you still fight them?”
Cao Cao closed his eyes and pondered again. He answered as he still closed his eyes, ”We'll make our decision based on the result of this war. If Liu Ping wins, we'll stick to the plan. If Zhang Tong wins, we'll rework our plan from the beginning.”
Xiahou Dun stared at his cousin. He wanted to know why Cao Cao wished to raise a private army in this turbulent time.
”What are you trying to achieve from this, Mengde?”
Cao Cao opened his eyes. They were sad and depressed eyes which carried many other complex emotions within.
”I want to reform this country and restore peace for the people …”
…
…
Back in time, October 7th.
Zhang He, Ju Shou, and their 10,000 men snuck to Henei City as planned. They rushed to the city gate while they waved their ”Bao” surname flags.
”That's our ally! Their uniform and their flags are from the Imperial Army. Open the gate!”
As soon as the guards on the wall saw the flags, they opened the gate to receive them.
Seeing the opened gate, Zhang He galloped to the front of the line and shouted the words that Jia Xu had him recite.
”KILL! FOR LORD DONG ZHUO!”
”SHAAAA!!”
The ten thousand horsemen rushed into the city while the guards looked at them in confusion and panicked.
”T-They're attacking!”
”Close the gate!”
”Damn it! Dong Zhuo betrayed us!!”
It was too late for the garrison force to react. All Zhang He's men had entered the city and unleashed hell.
Because Wang Kuang, the governor of Henei Commandery, left the city with all his generals, nobles, and private troops, there were only a thousand militias inside the city.
The city fell under the leadership of Ju Shou and Zhang He in two hours, and the surviving militia guards surrendered with resentment eyes.
Zhang He approached the surviving prisoners and said, ”Be grateful to our Lord, Dong Zhuo! If it weren't for him, all of you would have been dead!”
The militias spat as they heard such a hypocritical remark.
”What grateful, you traitor!”
”Damn you and screw that Dong Zhuo!”
Zhang He snorted at the prisoners and ignored them. His job had been completed.