Insufficient balance

  Let's not mention Ma Chao's cunning and deceitful nature, taking advantage of the young and inexperienced Zou Yumao, risking danger to rescue her. Turning back to talk about the Yellow Turbans in Wan City, they had already been annihilated.

  In the west of the city, at the entrance of a small village, a pipe-like object with two round eyes stared at the yellow turbaned bandit, grabbed his collar and lifted him up in mid-air, shouting: "What did you say?"

  The Yellow Turbans' hearts were broken, and they stammered: "General, Commander Zhao has been killed by Han Zhong. The Grand Governor and Liu Bi also died with him. Han Zhong falsely claimed to have a meeting, but secretly surrendered to the imperial court. As soon as the Grand Governor, Commander Zhao, and Liu Bi arrived outside the west gate, the government army suddenly attacked, and the Grand Governor and Commander Zhao were unprepared and killed."

  Guan Hai roared in anger: "Traitor Han Zhong, I won't let him off! What about General Zhao and the troops of the Grand Commander?"

  The Yellow Turban bandit, with a mournful face, replied: "The large camp to the west of the city has been breached. Most of the soldiers have either surrendered or been killed. Only a few managed to escape with their lives. I was one of them and only managed to save my life because I ran fast."

  "How hateful! Tens of thousands of troops were destroyed in an instant, it's really hateful!" Guan Hai clenched his fists and said angrily, "Where did those government troops go now?"

  "The Yellow Turbans said: 'One group has entered the city, and another seems to be heading towards Liu Bei's large camp in the south of the city.'"

  "It's bad! Liu Bei's troops are going to be defeated!" Guan Yu said, looking worried. "Ma Chao and I have a bond of gratitude, I cannot stand by and do nothing!"

  Guan Hai still didn't know that Ma Yue had already left.

  Dong Zhou threw the Yellow Turban bandit who had been scared to death to the ground, Guan Hai flipped over and jumped onto a broken wall, drew out his treasured sword with a clang, raised his sword to the sky and let out a loud whistle. The more than 800 Yellow Turban bandits who were originally scattered at the village entrance, either sitting or lying down, all stood up and surrounded Guan Hai in front of him.

  Among these 800 Yellow Turbans, many were old subordinates of Guan Hai. When Guan Hai was still a mountain bandit in Qingzhou, they had followed him to rob and plunder. Later, Qingzhou suffered a drought that occurred once every hundred years, followed by a locust plague, the people lost their livelihoods, and even the mountain bandits who relied on looting for survival were affected. Guan Hai could only lead them southward, fleeing until they reached the borders of Nanyang where they were absorbed into Zhao Hong's forces.

  So the mountain bandits Huangjin and other peasant Huangjin have essential differences, because they are always living on the tip of a knife, and also wandering thousands of miles away, those with poor physique can't survive at all. As a result, only the fittest survive, and the weak are eliminated, until finally, every single one of them is a hero!

  They not only have a ruthless style, killing people without blinking an eye, but also have a stronger will to fight than ordinary Yellow Turbans. This group of mountain bandits originally had over 1,000 people, but unfortunately, after a fierce battle at Baidi, they encountered the even more ferocious Western Liang Iron Cavalry, resulting in heavy casualties. Less than 300 people managed to survive, and last night's fire fight with Zhou Cang's troops resulted in another loss of over 100 people. Now there are less than 200 people left.

  Guan Hai's gaze swept over like a wolf, and more than 800 Yellow Turbans were all silent. The entire village fell into a dead silence, and in the bleak cold wind, only the heavy breathing of the Yellow Turbans could be faintly heard.

  "At the Battle of Baidi, Ma Chao and I owed our lives to each other. A man who does not repay a debt of gratitude is no hero! Now that Ma Chao is in trouble, I want to go and rescue him. Will you follow me?"

  "Let's go!"

  "But General's order is strict!"

  "We swear to die together!"

  Bandits from the mountains, such as the Yellow Turbans, responded enthusiastically, while those of peasant origin hesitated, knowing that going would mean certain death and that not going would risk being killed by Zhang Jue in a fit of rage.

  "Those who are unwilling to go can leave quickly, I will never force anyone."

  The whole village was silent, and after a long time, a yellow turban thief cautiously approached the village. Guan Hai hummed, drew his bow, and shot an arrow that nailed the yellow turban thief to the ground.

  Guan Hai shot and killed a Yellow Turban who was trying to retreat, shouting loudly: "Whoever dares to retreat again will be an example!"

  All the Yellow Turbans were terrified, and followed Guan Hai to kill the government army. It was possible that they would die if they went, but if they didn't go, they would immediately be killed. As long as one wasn't an idiot, who wouldn't know how to choose?

  The Yellow Turban bandits were intimidated by Guan Yu's fierce reputation and had no choice but to summon their spirits and follow him as he killed his way towards the large camp in the south of the city.

  When Guan Yu led the army to the southern camp, Zhang Fei and Liu Bei were already attacking the city. Zhu Jun was in Wan City with Han Zhong, so he only sent Zhang Fei to lead 500 soldiers from his own unit to attack the southern camp, accompanied by only 500 Youyan volunteer soldiers from Zhuo County led by Liu Bei.

  The Han army's combat effectiveness has always been strong, they are not only well-trained and well-equipped, but also have a complete system of merits and rewards. Killing one Yellow Turban means one merit, one reward, so everyone rushes forward, risking their lives.

  Yuan Shao's forces, although only 500 Southern soldiers (Han dynasty military system, with Southern and Northern armies, equivalent to the Central Army), were able to fight against Liu Bei's camp of 3,000 Yellow Turbans, making it difficult for them to withstand. Many defensive lines had been breached, and if there had been no external intervention, Liu Bei's Yellow Turbans would have collapsed soon.

  Just at this critical moment, the cavalry led by Guan Yu arrived.

  ……

  Wan City had become a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood at this time.

  Thinking that he had made a great contribution, he would surely be rewarded by the imperial court, and from then on, he would rise to prominence. Han Zhong, who had transformed from a Yellow Turban rebel to a loyal minister of the Great Han, was finally shattered by the cold blade raised by the government army.

  Under Zhu Huan's command, the more than 20,000 Yellow Turbans under Han Zhong laid down their weapons and marched into the west gate of Wan City with empty hands, forming neat queues. When the heavy city gates slowly closed, these Yellow Turban bandits were still immersed in a beautiful dream, completely unaware that disaster had befallen them.

  Until a team of stern-looking archers appeared on the city wall, Han Zhong, who had been following Zhu Kun's buttocks and flattering him, realized that something was wrong. What is the army doing with this formation? Guarding the city? Now that the Yellow Turbans in Nanyang have been wiped out, who else would dare to attack Wan City? If they're not guarding the city, what are they doing?

  A terrible thought flashed through Han Zhong's mind, his face turned pale in an instant. Just as Zhu Yun turned around to look at him, the dark eyes revealed an undisguised cold-blooded killing intent! Good heavens, the government army was going to shoot and kill his troops, but they had already surrendered, why were they still doing this?

  This is an out-and-out deception!

  "General, you can't, you can't do this! You promised me that as long as we surrender to the imperial court, the past would be forgiven..." Han Zhong howled like a wounded wolf.

  Zhu Yun's expressionless face turned away, his right arm raised high and swung down fiercely. The officer staring intently at Zhu Yun's gesture let out a shrill yell: "Release... the arrows!"

  That one cold and desolate command shattered the beautiful dreams of countless Yellow Turban soldiers, who turned back to find that the only thing waiting for them was a fate of being slaughtered.

  Long accustomed to life and death, the bowmen with hearts harder than iron calmly drew their bows, nocked their arrows, took aim, then released. In an instant, thousands of feathered arrows converged into a sharp scythe of death, mercilessly reaping the lives of the defenseless Yellow Turban prisoners!

  No!

  Han Zhong suddenly became enraged and charged at Zhu Yue, Dong Zhuo who had been waiting on the side with a fierce gaze didn't hesitate to draw his sword and slash down. The sword flashed brightly, blood splattered everywhere, Han Zhong's head was already flying high in the air.

  One sword chopped off Han Zhong's head, Dong Zhuo involuntarily felt a pang of regret and looked down at the city that had become a bloody hell, more than 20,000 Yellow Turbans, what a great achievement! Unfortunately, it couldn't be credited to him, otherwise, with this military merit, he would have been promoted to Lang Jiang.

  Under the fluttering banners, Cao Cao stood solemnly against the wind, but ultimately could not bear to witness that tragic scene, and quietly turned his face away.

  Inside and outside the city, the north wind is blowing tightly, a mass of dark clouds is surging, covering the weak sunset, and the earth is desolate. Heaven and earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs!