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Several days passed by, and by the time they reached the fertile plains of Yuzhang, the air had turned cooler. The scent of river reeds and the distant hum of cicadas filled the landscape. The city walls rose ahead majestic, crowned with the banners of the Sun Clan and Hengyuan Dynasty, as the gates swung open at the sight of their returning heroes.
Sun Jian himself awaited them at the steps of his residence, dressed in ceremonial robes, his hair streaked faintly with silver but his presence remained commanding, the tiger of Jiangdong in all his pride and vigor. His eyes softened when he saw his children approach.
"Bofu, Zhongmou, Xiang'er," he greeted, spreading his arms. "Welcome home, my sons… and my mischievous daughter."
The three bowed deeply, and then Ma Chao dismounted to offer his formal salute. "Duke Wulie, it is an honor to meet you once again."
Sun Jian regarded him quietly for a moment, then smiled. "Ah, General Ma Chao, the young lion of Xiliang. Yes we finally meet again haven't we, the last time we meet was when we have that banquet at Xiapi. The tales of your valor in the southern campaign have already reached here! His Majesty chose well to send you alongside my sons
"I am unworthy of such praise," Ma Chao replied respectfully, but his voice carried pride. "It was an honor to serve beside them, my lord. Together we carried His Majesty's will to the ends of the sea."
Sun Jian's smile deepened as he gestured toward the courtyard. "Come, all of you. The journey from Jiaozhi must have wearied your bones. Rest and eat before we speak of reports."
That night, the Sun Clan's manor echoed with music once more. Wine flowed freely, though less extravagantly than Jiaozhi's feast. The Sun brothers discussed strategies and future postings with Zhou Yu, while Sun Shangxiang sat quietly beside her father, occasionally stealing glances toward Ma Chao.
Sun Jian noticed, of course. A seasoned warrior could see through subtlety as easily as a blade through silk. Yet he said nothing, for now.
Later, as the feast waned and the younger officers retired, Sun Jian summoned Ma Chao privately to the garden pavilion.
The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of osmanthus. Fireflies danced over the pond as Sun Jian poured two cups of wine.
"Tell me honestly, General Ma," he began, his tone measured but not unkind, "what do you think of my daughter?"
Ma Chao hearing that was surprised but hesitated only briefly. "She is… extraordinary, Duke," he said at last. "Brave, wise, and unafraid to speak her mind. I have met few who could match her spirit, even not many men could match her."
Sun Jian nodded slowly, taking a sip. "And you intend to marry her one day?"
Ma Chao's eyes widened slightly. "If Your Lordship, the Heavens and His Majesty will it… yes, I will."
Sun Jian chuckled quietly. "Then you have courage beyond the battlefield. My daughter is not an easy prize, and neither am I as a father. Still, I see honesty in your eyes, and that I respect. When the time comes, you will have my blessing, but first, win the Emperor's."
Ma Chao bowed deeply. "I will, Duke Wulie. That, I swear."
Two days later, the Imperial Army began its northern march once more. The parting at Yuzhang was bittersweet.
Sun Ce clasped Ma Chao's forearm firmly. "Ride hard, brother. Tell His Majesty the south stands secure."
Sun Quan added, "And when next you march, may it be toward victory once again."
Sun Shangxiang stood a few steps apart, her expression carefully composed though her eyes betrayed emotion. When Ma Chao approached, she said only, "Come back soon. That's all I ask."
He smiled faintly. "For you, I will."
Then, with one last salute, he mounted his horse and led the Imperial Army northward, their banners fading into the horizon as Yuzhang's walls receded behind them.
On the other hand, far to the north, where the autumn winds carried the scent of dry earth and ash, another storm brewed.
The winds blew over to Hongnong as it carried the chill of late autumn, biting and sharp. Rows of tents stretched across the plain outside the city walls, banners of black and gold fluttering in the cold wind. The Wei army had entrenched itself deeply around Hongnong, their encampments fortified, their fires burning night and day.
Xun Yu and his group ride past lines of soldiers and catapults as they approached the city. Riding alongside hime wereJia Kui, Tian Feng, and Xu You, while Cheng Yu was on a carriage, ll their faces were drawn with fatigue from long days of travel. Fifty elite Imperial Guards accompanied them, their armor polished despite the dust of the road.
"Just as I said," Xun Yu murmured as they approached the gate. "His Majesty has made his base here. The army's formations are tight, discipline unbroken. Hongnong is their stronghold."
Cheng Yu nodded gravely. "Then the speculations could be true. His majesty intends to make his stand between here and Hangu Pass."
When the gates opened, the guards inside saluted immediately upon recognizing the Chancellor's seal. "The Imperial Chancellor has arrived!" the captain cried, and soon word spread through the garrison. The ministers dismounted and made their way directly toward the Governor's Castle, the heart of the command.
Within the Governor's Castle, the air was thick with tension.
Cao Cao sat upon the main seat, his face pale beneath the torchlight. Before him, a council of his most trusted men, Around him were gathered his most trusted men, his sons Cao Ang and Cao Pi, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai, Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, Yu Jin, and Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu who had been stationed at Hongnong to oversee its defense.
Maps lay scattered across the table before them, ink marks and small wooden markers denoting troop movements. The discussion was heated.
"The enemy approaches from the east," said Yu Jin grimly. "If we abandon Hongnong, we yield the gateway to the plains. The Hengyuan forces will pour through unopposed."
"But if we stand here," countered Guo Jia, "we risk encirclement. Once the Hengyuan Army crossed from the north and Hangu Pass was easily taken, they will strike from both east and north. We will be trapped between hammer and anvil."
Xiahou Dun slammed his fist on the table. "Then we fortify Hangu Pass itself! It is narrow, defensible. Hongnong can be retaken, but once Hangu falls, the heartland is lost."
Cao Pi interjected sharply, "And how will the men of Hongnong feel, left behind as we retreat? Their morale will shatter."
The argument grew louder, each man defending his stance, until Cao Cao's temples throbbed with pain. His old headaches, remnants of years of battle and sleepless nights, began to pulse again.
"Enough!" he barked, his voice cutting through the din. "You speak of walls and maps, but not of hearts! We cannot win if our men fear before they fight."
The chamber fell silent for a moment. Then, just as Cao Cao opened his mouth to continue, the heavy doors swung open. A guard knelt hurriedly.
A guard knelt immediately. "Forgive the intrusion, my lord! The Chancellor and ministers from Luoyang have arrived, Lord Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, Jia Kui, Tian Feng, and Xu You seek an audience!"
At once, Cao Cao's eyes lit with relief. He rose from his seat. "At last," he breathed, "Heaven sends wisdom when it's most needed. Let them enter!"
Moments later, Xun Yu entered, followed by Cheng Yu, Jia Kui, Tian Feng, and Xu You, their cloaks still dusty from travel.
Cao Cao descended from his seat, a rare smile breaking across his stern features. "Wenruo! Zhongde! Zixu! Yuanhao! Ziyou! All of you've come at last. The heavens favor me this day!"
He clasped Xun Yu's hands tightly. "I feared you were still trapped in Luoyang. To see you safe, ah, I can breathe again."
Xun Yu smiled faintly, bowing his head. "Your Majesty overpraises me. The journey was long, but we dared not delay. The situation grows grave, and your presence here steadies the realm."
Cao Cao laughed, the sound echoing warmly through the chamber. "You bring not only wisdom but hope, my friend. Come, join us. The council is divided, and I need your clarity more than ever."
He gestured toward the great map spread across the table. "The question before us is this, do we defend Hongnong or retreat to Hangu Pass? One wrong step, and Wei may lose the heartland forever."
The arrival of Xun Yu and his cohort was like a sudden, steadying hand on the shoulder of a reeling man. The tense, circular arguments that had been echoing in the Governor's Castl ceased the moment the five of them entered.
Their presence was a tangible reminder of the administrative and intellectual backbone of the Wei state, a structure that had not completely crumbled with the loss of Luoyang.
Cao Cao's visible relief was a testament to the weight he had been carrying alone. As the newcomers were ushered to the map strewn table, the earlier cacophony of competing strategies was replaced by a more measured, though no less urgent, discourse.
Xun Yu, his face pale with fatigue but his eyes sharp as ever, was the first to break the silence after the initial greetings. "Your Majesty, the question is not merely one of geography, but of political and psychological consequence. To abandon Hongnong without a fight is to signal to every prefecture west of here that the heartland is already lost. It would be an admission of terminal weakness. The city is large, its granaries are still partly full from our evacuation efforts, and its walls, while not as formidable as Hangu's cliffs, are long enough to station a massive garrison. We can make them pay for every inch."
Cheng Yu,stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Master Xun Yu speaks true about morale. However, we must consider the strategic trap. If we commit our main force here, and the Hengyuan northern army crosses the river to strike from the north while their main force presses from the east, we risk being surrounded. Hangu Pass offers a natural choke point. It is a door we can slam shut."
Jia Kui, his mind always on logistics, added, "Supplying a large army in Hongnong is feasible in the short term. Supplying one in the narrow confines of Hangu Pass is simpler, but if the siege is prolonged, it becomes a noose. The enemy need only wait."
Tian Feng, his frustration from Luoyang still simmering, argued with sharp intensity. "A passive defense is a slow death! At Hongnong, we have room to maneuver. We can send out cavalry sorties, harass their supply lines. At Hangu, we are rats in a stone cage, waiting to be starved out or crushed."
Xu You, seeing the debate begin to spiral again, interjected with a more political angle. "The eyes of the world are upon us. If Wei is seen retreating again, from Luoyang to Hongnong to a mountain pass, our enemies will scent blood. A stand must be made, and Hongnong is the place to make it. It is a statement."
Through it all, Cao Cao listened, his initial headache receding to a dull throb as Xun Yu skillfully moderated the discussion, drawing out the key points from each man, synthesizing them without letting tempers flare.
He didn't impose his own view immediately, instead, he guided the council toward a consensus, making each man feel his concerns had been heard. This was the Xun Yu that Cao Cao relied on, not just a brilliant mind, but a masterful leader of men.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty
Age: 35 (202 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 2325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 966 (+20)
VIT: 623 (+20)
AGI: 623 (+10)
INT: 667
CHR: 98
WIS: 549
WILL: 432
ATR Points: 0