Insufficient balance

  Liu Bijun's camp.

  Ma Yue stood expressionless against the wall, a slender and beautiful girl carefully bandaging his wound. The girl's name was Liu Yan, who was none other than Liu Bi's sister, the one Zhao Hong had been yearning for.

  "You're really courting death, if this sword had stabbed another inch deeper, even a god wouldn't be able to save you." Liu Yan said while bandaging, "But only you could make Pei Yuanshao that guy so miserable."

  Listening to Liu Yanxuan's tone of anger and resentment, the relationship between the two seems somewhat ambiguous.

  Ma Yue's expression was indifferent, without any reaction.

  Liu Yan lightly bit her jade lips and scolded: "Hey, are you dead? Someone is talking to you."

  Ma Yue sighed inwardly, Liu Yan's affection for him was palpable even to a blind person. If they were living in a peaceful and prosperous era, Ma Yue would have been more than happy to accept Liu Yan's feelings. Unfortunately, they were currently in the midst of chaos, and he didn't even know if he could see tomorrow's sun. What could he offer her?

  Ma Yue really likes Liu Yan, but precisely because he likes her, he doesn't want to bother her.

  A faint sorrow flowed out of Ma Yue's eyes, he didn't want Liu Yan to be a widow at such a young age.

  Liu Yan felt as if her heart had been pinched, she saw the gloom on Ma Yue's face and the faint sorrow in his eyes. Liu Yan would never forget the scene when she first saw Ma Yue, that pair of melancholy eyes, which easily opened her heart.

  There is a kind of affection in this world called love at first sight.

  Her gentle feelings rippled in Liu Yan's eyes, and she said softly: "Thank you, Ma Yue, it was you who saved Big Brother and all the brothers."

  Ma Yu's eyes widened in shock.

  Liu Yan smiled and said, "Yesterday I told my brother what you said, but he didn't believe it. However, I believed your analysis, so I went to find Zhao Da Ge, and that's why Zhao Da Ge sent Guan Hai to lead the troops to rescue us."

  A faint worry floated in Ma Chao's eyes, and he finally spoke: "So you went to find Zhao Gong, no wonder Gan Ning led the troops to rescue."

  Liu Yan said regretfully: "Unfortunately, Guan Hai came a bit late. If he had come earlier, we wouldn't have lost so many brothers."

  Ma Yue's eyes became even more melancholic as he calmly said, "Guan Hai is probably intentionally late."

  Liu Yan was puzzled: "What? Guan Hai deliberately came late, why did he want to do this?"

  Ma Yu sighed, the Yellow Turbans had reached a peak of one million people at their most powerful time, but were basically wiped out in just one year. One of the main reasons was that the internal struggle for power and profit within the Yellow Turbans consumed too much strength. Take Nanyang's Yellow Turbans as an example, with all the troops combined, they had 300,000 people, while the government army and the righteous army from various places totaled less than 10,000 people. If the Yellow Turbans could unite and work together, the government army would not be able to withstand a single blow.

  Unfortunately, the Yellow Turbans could only be the Yellow Turbans, so in their battles with the government army, they could only suffer defeat after defeat. Although they managed to capture Wan City by luck, it brought even greater crisis to the Yellow Turbans.

  "Why did Guan Hai want to do this? Because Zhao Hong wants the money and grain from your elder brother's camp."

  Ma Yue let out a sigh and spoke the truth.

  Liu Yan's face changed color, and she suddenly realized, her voice condensed: "So you knew early on that Zhao Hong had ill intentions, then why didn't you tell me earlier?"

  Ma Yue's mouth curled up with a hint of melancholy smile as he looked at Liu Yan and said, "I told you, would you believe me?"

  Liu Yan's expression changed again. Yes, if Ma Chao had told her before yesterday that Zhao Hong would be detrimental to Liu Bi, she would not have believed it at all. Because her impression of Zhao Hong has always been good. Not only is Zhao Hong the youngest and most handsome commander in the Yellow Turban Army, but he is also the most wise and strategic leader who is most supported by the Yellow Turban generals. The city of Wan was captured thanks to his strategy.

  Liu Yan hastily said: "Then I must hurry and remind big brother."

  Ma Yue sighed: "It's too late, if I'm not mistaken, Zhao Hong's number one general Guan Hai is probably leading his troops to take over the camp and money."

  ……

  More than 100 li northeast of Wan City is Duyu County.

  The official army led by Zhu Huan, the Right Central Lang General of the Great Han Dynasty, was stationed here. In addition to the 5,000 elite northern troops under his command, there were also 1,000 southern troops led by Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, 1,000 western iron cavalry led by Dong Zhuo, 800 Jiangdong righteous army led by Sun Jian, and 500 Youyan righteous army led by Liu Bei, totaling over 8,300 people.

  Zuochonglang General Zhu Yue and Youzhonglang General Huangfu Song jointly annihilated the Yellow Turbans led by He Yi, Zhang Yan, and others in Yingchuan. Afterwards, they divided their troops into two routes: Huangfu Song went north to coordinate with Beizhonglang General Lu Zhi to attack the main force of the Yellow Turbans led by Zhang Jiao in Guangzong; Zhu Yue went south to Nanyang to suppress the Yellow Turban forces led by Zhang Mancheng, Han Zhong, and Zhao Hong who were entrenched in the area around Wan City.

  In the grand hall of the county government office, a lively wine party was in full swing.

  Yuan Shao, Dong Zhuo and Liu Bei sat on the left, Cao Cao and Sun Jian sat on the right, while Zhu Huan sat in the middle with a raised wine cup, proposing: "Everyone, let's toast Zhongying with a cup to celebrate his first victory."

  Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Jian all raised their cups in a distant toast. Dong Zhuo's face was filled with joy, he drank the fine wine in his cup in one gulp, and then said with a lingering tone: "It's a pity that Zhao Hong sent troops to reinforce, so my general didn't achieve complete victory! If it weren't for the Yellow Turban reinforcements arriving, I would have annihilated Liu Bian's rebel army."

  Zhu Huan waved his hand and smiled: "Zhong Ying, don't be angry. Although this surprise attack didn't completely destroy Liu Bi's troops, it has sown discord among the Yellow Turbans. Within three days, they will definitely turn against each other. At that time, you can lead your troops to launch a fierce attack, and we can achieve great success."

  All the generals were confused by Zhu Huan and did not know what he was saying. Only the Colonel Cao Cao had a flash of insight in his tiger eyes, as if he had guessed something.

  Zhu Huan smiled and said: "Has Meng De already guessed the reason?"

  Cao Cao stood up and respectfully cupped his hands, replying: "This humble general has indeed guessed some of it, but I don't know if it's correct or not."

  Zhu Yan said: "Tell me about it."

  Cao Cao said, "Dong Gong led the Western Liang iron cavalry to launch a surprise attack on Western E, although he was unable to annihilate Liu Bi's troops, he had already injured his foundation. As a result, Liu Bi's army was small and his grain was abundant. Zhao Hong and Han Zhong were both greedy, they would definitely have a covetous heart, and would certainly order their soldiers to forcibly demand food from Liu Bi. Liu Bi would not agree, and disputes would arise. Gong Dou was friendly with Liu Bi, and Sun Xia was also friendly with Gong Dou. As a result, the Yellow Turban bandits would inevitably form alliances and attack each other."

  Sun Jian, Liu Bei and others all showed admiration on their faces. Zhu Huan clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "Meng De's thoughts are quick-witted and intelligent, surpassing ordinary people. Given time, he will surely become a pillar of our great Han dynasty."

  Cao Cao was secretly delighted, but humbly said: "General, you are overpraising me. I am actually dull and unworthy of such praise."

  Zhu Huan burst out laughing and said: "Meng De doesn't have to be modest. Come on, I'll treat you to a cup of wine."

  ……

  Liu's army camp had already become a tense and volatile situation.

  Liu Pi sat high on his chariot, shouting loudly: "Guan Hai, what are you doing leading your troops here?"

  Under the gate, a black-faced strong man like an iron tower, Han Kan, smiled sternly and said in a loud voice: "Hand over the camp and grain, I can spare your lives, otherwise, I'll break into the camp and not even a chicken or dog will be left!"

  Whispers rose in Liu Bei's camp, and almost all the Yellow Turbans showed fear in their eyes.

  Liu Bi on the chariot also showed a look of horror, he knew how formidable Guan Yu was, this guy not only excelled in archery, but his knife skills were also extremely fierce, even the first brave warrior under the account, Pei Yuan Shao, couldn't last more than ten rounds against him.

  ……

  Ma Yue walked out of Liu Yan's tent with a cold expression, Liu Yan followed closely behind him, calling out: "Ma Yue, your injury is severe, you can't go to the battlefield, if the wound ruptures again, you'll lose your life."

  Ma Yue stopped in his tracks, turned around and looked at Liu Yan's eyes with a hint of desolation, calmly saying: "Liu Bi once saved me, today I'll save him once, from now on we're even, neither owing the other anything."

  Liu Yan was so anxious that she stomped her feet and said, "You can't even walk steadily, if you go to the battlefield, you'll only be sending yourself to death."

  Ma Yuehan smiled faintly and said: "If you believe me, hurry up and do what I say, maybe you can still save your brother's life."

  After finishing speaking, Ma Yue turned around and walked away with heavy footsteps, never looking back at Liu Yan again. Liu Yan pouted her small mouth, stunned for a moment, then stomped her feet and followed him out.