The imperial cause at the end of the Han Dynasty was not one of partial peace.

Chapter 47 The End of the Yellow Turban Rebellion: Benevolence and Virtue Finally Show Their Effecti

In the Battle of Xiaquyang, the Yellow Turbans suffered nearly 40,000 casualties, a devastating blow to their strength.

In particular, there were several thousand Yellow Turban warriors among them, who were the elite and direct subordinates of Zhang Bao's army!

With these thousands of men gone, Zhang Baorui's morale was almost completely shattered, and he could only passively defend, making it difficult to even launch a raid outside the city.

Therefore, when Huangfu Song's vanguard arrived at Xiaquyang in early September, they found that Liu Bei and Guo Dian had already surrounded Xiaquyang.

More than 10,000 laborers were besieging the city and building moats, digging three layers of trenches and building four walls around the city of Xiaquyang, completely trapping Xiaquyang.

The general who came to invite Liu Bei to join him was Cao Cao. This young man was indeed humorous and unrestrained. Upon seeing Liu Bei, he laughed and said, "I wish to observe your use of troops and learn your military strategies."

"Unexpectedly, before we even reached Xiaquyang, you had already defeated the Moth Bandits."

"Could it be that Liu Jun is afraid I'll steal his skills, which is why he achieved victory so quickly?"

It must be said that Cao Cao in his youth possessed a romantic and heroic spirit, far from the ruthless, cunning, and ruthless villain who later became a massacre.

If Liu Bei had not held a grudge against him and if he had not massacred hundreds of thousands of civilians, the two might have admired each other and become close friends.

At this moment, Liu Bei merely cupped his hands slightly and said, "Commander Cao's praise is too kind; I am unworthy of it. May I ask what brings you here, Commander?"

Cao Cao immediately replied with a smile, "Huangfu Zhonglang is leading the royal army and will soon arrive at the city of Xiaquyang. I am the vanguard and have been ordered to come and make contact. I would also like to invite Commandant Liu to the camp east of the city to welcome the royal army together."

Liu Bei immediately agreed, replying, "This is only right. Please return first, Commandant. I and Lord Guo will arrive shortly after."

Xiahou Dun gripped the sword at his waist angrily and whispered in Cao Cao's ear, "Mengde, haven't you realized yet? He's arrogant and looks down on you because of his talent. Last time when we arrived at Quzhou, he didn't say a word to stop us and told us to leave immediately."

"Today they won't even travel with us. Clearly, they don't want to associate with us."

Cao Cao waved his hand and said, "Yuanrang, don't overthink it. Xuande is a benevolent and righteous gentleman, he's just always been a man of few words. Besides, his mentor was just killed by the eunuchs, so it's understandable that he harbors resentment towards us."

After saying this, Cao Cao cupped his hands to Liu Bei and said, "I have heard Xuande speak of the border troubles, saying that if internal affairs are not well managed, external troubles will surely follow. Now the Yellow Turban Rebellion has not been quelled, and there is already the alarm of barbarian dust in Liangzhou. This is truly a wake-up call, and I have thought about it day and night and deeply agree with it."

Then, he laughed heartily and said, "Although you have won first place, you will become famous throughout the world because of these words. But you must not let Cao Cao surpass you and take the lead with a troop of elite soldiers, march west out of Jincheng, and north to Qilian, so that you may be appointed as the General Who Conquers the West of the Great Han."

"If this wish is fulfilled, then my life will be complete!"

After speaking, he mounted his horse, bowed to Liu Bei, and led Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, and more than ten other riders away, his red robes fluttering, his spirits soaring.

Zhang Fei stared at his retreating figure, clicking his tongue in amazement. He said, "Cao Cao's ambition is merely to become the General Who Conquers the West of the Han Dynasty? He's far inferior to you, brother! You should be vying with me for that position."

Liu Bei, watching Cao Cao's retreating figure, sighed. This cunning and ruthless hero of a chaotic era was, at this moment, undoubtedly still a spirited young man, admiring renowned scholars and honoring heroes. His lifelong ambition was nothing more than to become the General Who Conquers the West of the Han Dynasty.

At this time, Liu Bei already had the ambition to pacify the world and the desire to rebuild his country. He had a strong army and many talented generals under his command, as well as a top-notch strategist and three thousand elite infantry and cavalry.

He was certain that in this life, he would go faster and go further than Cao Cao.

In high spirits, he immediately waved to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, saying, "Let's go with Lord Guo to the east of the city to welcome General Huangfu!"

When Huangfu Song's army arrived east of Xiaquyang City, it was already the fifth day of the ninth month. The tens of thousands of elite northern troops had marched north from Dongjun, exuding a chilling aura of battle-hardened veterans.

Huangfu Song, with the honor of Left General of the Central Army, held the imperial insignia and commanded the army. His red flag covered the sun, and his armor shone brightly in the sky.

This famous general from the late Han Dynasty had a thin face and a slightly gray beard. He was not known for his imposing presence, unlike Lu Zhi, who was resolute and principled.

However, he "treated his soldiers with kindness and care, which won the hearts of the troops. Whenever the army stopped marching, he would set up the tents and camps before going to his own tent; after the soldiers had eaten, he would then eat his own meal," so he was very popular with the army.

Although he had just arrived at the city, he did not rush to enter the tent to rest. Instead, he stood on a high slope, put his hands behind his back, and looked out at the three layers of moats outside Xiaquyang City. His gaze lingered on the moats for a long time before he nodded slightly.

Then his gaze fell on Guo Dian, and he cupped his hands and said, "Lord Guo has been besieged in a lonely city for months, using himself as bait. His loyalty and bravery are as clear as the sun and moon. When I was in Yingchuan, I heard that there was such a loyal minister in Hebei. Today, to see him is truly a comfort to my life."

Guo Dian quickly returned the greeting, offering a few words of modesty.

Huangfu Song then turned his gaze to Liu Bei, sizing him up, a hint of admiration in his eyes: "This is Liu Xuande, the one who shook Youzhou and captured Zhang Liang at the Zhang River?"

Liu Bei stepped forward, clasped his hands in front of his forehead, and bowed deeply: "Liu Bei, the Martial and Mighty Commandant, pays his respects to Huangfu Zhonglang. I have only managed to achieve some minor merits by relying on the Emperor's divine power and my master's legacy, and I dare not accept such high praise from you, Huangfu Zhonglang."

Upon hearing Liu Bei mention his mentor's dying advice, Huangfu Song sighed, stepped forward, and personally helped Liu Bei up, his tone tinged with regret.

"Xuande, Song had also heard about Lu Zigan's affair while in the army. Zigan was resolute and principled, but he was framed by eunuchs, which made all the loyal and righteous men in the world sigh with regret."

"Your willingness to sacrifice your merits to escort him at this time is a testament to your loyalty and righteousness, which I admire even more than the merit of the Zhang River rescue. Zigan, having a disciple like you, can still smile even in prison."

Then he released his grip, looked up at the moat surrounding Xiaquyang in the distance, and said, "Song received the Emperor's decree to attack Jizhou in the north. But unexpectedly, before the main army arrived, you had already reorganized the situation, and Zhang Bao was trapped in an isolated city. You have truly given me a pleasant surprise."

"What's even more remarkable is that the army has already laid three layers of siege and moats around the city. Is this all thanks to Lord Guo and Xuande?"

At this point, Zong Yuan and the other Northern Army officers felt extremely guilty and broke out in a cold sweat.

Since Dong Zhuo's defeat, their morale has been low, and they have achieved almost no victories.

It can be said that Zhang Bao's current predicament in being trapped in an isolated city is primarily due to Guo Dian, followed by Liu Bei! They are merely watching from the sidelines.

If the two men were to speak up at this moment, Huangfu Song could punish them for being cowardly.

Fortunately, although Guo Dian was straightforward and outspoken, he was also a gentleman and would not stoop to kicking someone when they are down.

He immediately cupped his hands and said, "This is all Lu Zhonglang's plan. We only have the strategy and tactics to rely on, such as besieging the city and building trenches. Even the more than 10,000 laborers who dug the trenches under the city were surrendered soldiers placed by Lu Zhonglang. Now they have been put to good use."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Song sincerely praised, "Lu Zhonglang is a great Confucian scholar of the world. His plans and strategies are unparalleled in this era. I have also heard of his system of official land reclamation, which is truly a good policy for quelling rebellion, pacifying the people, and allowing them to recuperate."

Then he frowned and said, "But he is a Confucian scholar, kind and benevolent, and he has been too lenient towards the surrendered Yellow Turban soldiers, allowing tens of thousands to live. In my opinion, he should be executed to deter the remaining rebels."

Guo Dian laughed and said, "Zigan and Xuande are both virtuous and gentlemen, benevolent and generous, truly a blessing to the world. Without their system, we would not have been able to build three layers of moats and trap 100,000 Moth bandits with only a few thousand men."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Song nodded and said, "Well, there are pros and cons to everything."

Then he turned to Liu Bei, a smile on his face, and asked, "Xuande is Zigan's prized disciple, and must have inherited his true skills. Having spent much time in Hebei, you are well aware of the situation with the bandits. I have only recently arrived and am still unfamiliar with the local situation and the fluctuating banditry. In your opinion, what is the current situation like? What strategy should we use to defeat the bandits?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei straightened his posture, clasped his hands, and replied generously, "Since you, General, have asked this question, I dare not fail to answer with utmost sincerity. We have been in Hebei for a long time and have not heard of Zhang Jiao's name. The last time we captured tens of thousands of bandits in Xiaquyang, we learned of him through interrogation. This matter is also circulating in their army, and they all say that 'the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao has been ill for a long time and has passed away.'"

"I believe that Zhang Jiao must be dead. The only thing the Moth bandits relied on was the mandate of heaven that Zhang Jiao had bestowed upon them. Now that the mandate of heaven has passed, the bandits are leaderless. Although they still have 100,000 men, they are nothing more than souls wandering at the bottom of a cauldron."

He raised his hand and pointed to the besieged, isolated city of Xiaoquyang, his spirits high: "Furthermore, in the battle the other day, Lord Guo used himself as bait, annihilating nearly 40,000 of their elite troops, and almost all of the thousands of Yellow Turban warriors were wiped out. Zhang Baorui's morale has been lost, and his army's spirit has collapsed. Although there are 100,000 people in the city, most of them are the elderly, women, children, and displaced people."

"Now is the time to press on with our momentum, day and night, and launch a fierce attack from all sides. We will surely be able to quickly break through the city, capture and kill Zhang Bao in one fell swoop, and pacify Hebei."

At this point, he looked up at Huangfu Song, his tone earnest: "The internal strife is not yet quelled, and alarms of barbarian invasions have already reached the borders. As a general of the court, you, Zhonglang, must take precautions. Every day the war in Hebei is delayed, the situation in Liangzhou becomes more uncertain. Therefore, in this extraordinary time, extraordinary measures must be taken. We should spare no expense, fight a swift and decisive battle, and return our troops as soon as possible to prepare for the border troubles."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Song's expression shifted slightly. As a native of the north, he was most acutely aware of the fickle nature of the Qiang and Hu tribes of Liangzhou.

Upon hearing Liu Bei mention the border troubles, he frowned deeply and said in a deep voice, "What Xuande says is exactly what I am worried about. The Qiang and Hu tribes of Liangzhou will surely harbor rebellious intentions upon hearing of the chaos in the Central Plains. If the situation in Hebei remains unresolved, I fear we will be attacked from both sides."

He immediately surveyed his generals and solemnly declared, "In that case, we shall follow Xuande's advice. The army shall attack the city immediately—Song shall command from the east, Mengde from the north, Guo Fujun from the west, and Xuande from the south. We shall surround the city from all sides, day and night, and we must defeat the enemy in one decisive battle!"

The generals responded with a resounding roar.

Liu Bei then bowed and advised, "My lord, with us surrounded on all sides, the enemy knows they are doomed and will likely fight like cornered beasts. Even if our army wins, our casualties will be heavy. I request that you issue the order—only the ringleaders will be investigated, and those who were coerced into following will be spared. If we can break the enemy's morale and cause them to collapse from within, victory will be easy."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Song pondered for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

He had won many battles in Yingchuan and Dongjun, and he never showed mercy to the surrendered Yellow Turban soldiers wherever he went. Now, when he heard Liu Bei propose "not to question those who were coerced into submission", he couldn't help but hesitate.

At this moment, Cao Cao, who was standing by, stepped forward, displaying his cunning nature, and said with a smile, "General, I think Xuande's plan is feasible. It is fine to pretend to agree. Once the city is breached, the rebel forces will be completely defeated, and life and death will be in your hands."

"Xuande's might shook the Hebei region, and the Yellow Turban rebels trembled at the mere mention of his name. Moreover, he followed Lu Zhonglang's strategy and in the past, he recruited and accepted rebels in Guangzong and Quzhou, saving tens of thousands of lives. The Yellow Turban soldiers who surrendered are still grateful for his kindness to this day."

"If Xuande personally proclaims this order, the enemy will surely believe it, and the morale of the army will be greatly undermined."

"Our priority should be to quickly defeat the Moth Bandits."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Song glanced at Liu Bei again and finally nodded, saying, "Very well! Let's temporarily follow Xuande's advice. Order the three armies—only execute the ringleader Zhang Bao; those who were coerced into surrendering will be spared. Surround the city from all sides and attack day and night!"

Once Huangfu Song issued his military order, the Han army of over 30,000 surrounded the enemy from all sides and launched a relentless attack day and night without pause.

East of the city, Huangfu Song personally commanded five schools of the Northern Army, deploying thousands of crossbows below the city. Arrows rained down like a storm, leaving the Yellow Turban rebels with almost no place to stand on the city walls.

North of the city, Cao Cao led his elite troops, braving arrows and stones, and climbed the city walls several times. Generals such as Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren all took the lead. Cao Ren was hit in the face by a stray arrow, but he still shouted and fought fiercely without retreating.

In the west of the city, Guo Dian led the county's elite troops in a relentless attack day and night. The county's soldiers longed for the war to end and for the county to be at peace as soon as possible, so they all fought bravely forward.

The fiercest battle took place south of the city, where Liu Bei was overseeing the fighting. He deployed all his elite troops, with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Cheng Pu each leading a squad to attack the city in shifts. He himself stood beneath the siege ladders, fully armored and wielding a weapon, braving arrows and stones alongside his soldiers.

Zhang Fei, his eyes bloodshot, charged up the city wall several times, his eighteen-foot spear soaked in blood. Arrows and stones rained down from the Yellow Turban rebels on the wall, and he was covered in arrows like a hedgehog, yet he did not retreat. Zhao Yun, in white robes and wielding a silver spear, led several dozen elite soldiers to scale the wall under cover of night. He felled the defending general with a single spear thrust, tearing a breach in the wall, but was forced to retreat again because reinforcements were blocked by boiling oil.

The Han army launched a fierce attack for more than ten days, and many sections of the city wall of Quyang collapsed. The city ran out of food and reinforcements, and the defending soldiers ate grass roots and tree bark to fill their stomachs. Their morale gradually collapsed.

At that time, everyone inside and outside the city knew that the Yellow Turban Rebellion's fate was sealed.

All the officers and soldiers were gritting their teeth and persevering, determined to seize this last and most important victory of being the first to scale the cliffs!

Once they are the first to reach the summit, they are destined to be the first to receive the credit for the victory.

Because the strategy for this siege was based on Lu Zhi's deployment, Huangfu Song had already made it clear that all credit would be given to Lu Zhi.

Therefore, whoever is the first to breach the city will be the greatest hero of this battle, and will be renowned for his bravery before the emperor, thus winning the emperor's favor!

Just as everyone was full of vigor and fiercely attacking the city, any factor could affect this tense situation and determine who would ultimately be the first to capture it.

At this time, Tian Feng's words to Liu Bei, "The people do not see the influence of virtue, but hear of war. If you, Lord Liu, practice benevolence and forgiveness and govern with virtue, you will eventually become famous among the bandits," finally came true.

Previously, Liu Bei had settled tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers in Guangzong and Quzhou, and implemented the government land system, saving countless lives.

Those soldiers who surrendered and occasionally escaped or returned to the Yellow Turbans had already brought back Liu Bei's reputation for benevolence to the city of Xiaquyang.

Within the city, the Yellow Turbans privately spread the word: "There is a ruler named Xuande who distributes land and grain, his benevolence and righteousness are evident, and his virtuous influence is widespread."

Now Huangfu Song has surrounded the city from all sides and is attacking it day and night. The city is in imminent danger. The rebels are restless and are thinking about how to survive. They want to open the city gates and surrender.

On the day of Gengzi in October, several ropes were suddenly lowered down from the south city wall at night. Several Yellow Turban leaders were lowered down the wall in an attempt to cross the moat, but they were quickly captured by the Jing Sai Iron Cavalry on patrol.

After interrogating Liu Bei, Guan Yu was overjoyed. He rushed into Liu Bei's tent, woke him up, and exclaimed with delight, "Brother! A bandit named Moth has sent an envoy to surrender! He specifically requests to see you, saying he only trusts you!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was instantly wide awake. He immediately put on his robe, leaped up from the bed, and said to Guan Yu, "Quickly invite him to see me."

Soon, several Yellow Turban leaders were brought into the camp. Once inside the tent, they prostrated themselves and kowtowed, saying, "Commander Liu, the city has been without food for over ten days, and people are resorting to cannibalism. Zhang Bao, however, uses his power and violence daily to intimidate those who wish to surrender. We have heard of your benevolent reputation, Commander Liu, and are willing to surrender the south gate of the city to atone for our past sins. We only beg you to honor your previous promise and spare the lives of those who were coerced into following us!"