Chapter 66: Seizing the Mountain as King

  Nanyang

  Zhu Huan led his army to Wan City at the beginning of the month, and Qin Yang Taishou Qin Xing took advantage of the situation to mobilize troops from various counties, gathering more than 5,000 people. He joined forces with Zhu Huan's army and launched a fierce attack on Wan City for over ten days, but failed to capture it. Instead, his soldiers suffered heavy casualties, so he could only surround the city without attacking.

  Wan City is the strongest city in the world, easy to defend but hard to attack.

  Han Zhong led an army of 100,000 men and defended the city, only defending and not coming out. The government army was small in number and found it difficult to capture the city quickly.

  Located in a valley between Zhong County and Bowang County.

  Zhou Wu led several Yellow Turban leaders and Xi Chang climbed up the mountain peak on the left to observe the terrain.

  Among the surrounding mountains, there is a ravine that stretches for over ten miles, forming a valley several miles wide. The valley is covered with dense wild grasses and has a stream flowing gently along the bottom of the ravine, which flows out of the valley and joins the Luo River.

  "Good, it's here."

  Zhou Wu slapped his palm and said, "This place is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only one exit, which is extremely high in terrain, advantageous for defense but not for offense. Moreover, there is a stream running through the valley, and opening up several thousand mu of land will not be a problem. As long as we can make it in time for spring plowing, after the autumn harvest matures, we can solve part of the food supply for six thousand people, and our future days will be much better."

  Xie Chang didn't say a word, but his heart was icy cold.

  He was forced to flee to this desolate mountain forest and become a bandit, which was really against his will.

  However, if you don't comply, your life will be in danger in an instant.

  It seems that Cao Ren, this thief, is planning to settle here for a long time. However, in order to support nearly 6,000 people, even if several thousand mu of land are opened up, it will still be far from enough. Although they brought a lot of grain and fodder when leaving Wan City, it's not enough for these more than 5,000 refugees to eat until next autumn.

  Having chosen a location, Zhou Wu immediately led more than 5,000 Yellow Turbans to cut down trees and build barracks, setting up houses.

  Also organized the elderly and children to open up wasteland as fields, diverting water for irrigation, waiting for next spring to plow and plant, and autumn to harvest grain.

  At the same time, nine other followers also led more than 50,000 Yellow Turbans to flee into the mountains and forests, looking for suitable valleys, organizing the chaotic army to set up camps, reclaiming mountain fields, preparing to be bandits for a long time, waiting quietly for Zhou Jian's orders.

  Jizhou, Guangzong.

  A mighty roar shook the sky, spears and swords stood like a forest.

  Jiang Qin, Dian Wei, Xu Chu and several military officers were practicing their military formations. The scorching sun was burning the earth, all the soldiers were sweating profusely, but their morale was very high, each one radiating a strong killing aura.

  After a series of bloody battles, the three thousand soldiers who could survive on the battlefield had all become old soldiers.

  Zhou Jian stood on the high platform for a while, then walked down with big strides and beckoned to Dian Wei, "Old Dian, come here."

  Dian Wei wore a suit of heavy armor, looking like an iron giant. He heard the call and rushed over in big strides, asking: "What are your orders, General?"

  "Long time no fight with you, come on, let's exchange a couple of moves."

  "Good, someone else also has this intention."

  Dian Wei was overjoyed when he heard the news, and hastily removed his iron armor, grasping two large iron halberds in his hands. He shouted loudly: "It's no fun to compete with Xu Chu that guy! It's been almost a year since I last fought with General, let me try out General's martial arts progress!"

  "Kill!"

  Zhou Jian didn't waste words and directly slashed over with his knife.

  "Kill!"

  Dian Wei let out a loud roar, swinging his two large iron halberds in an intersecting pattern, and charged forward with a powerful tackle, countering Zhou Cang's swift slash.

  Right!

  The deafening sound of clashing steel shook the night sky, audible from far and near.

  The two of them shuddered at the same time and took a step back.

  Dian Wei's eyes gleamed with a fierce light as he said, "General, your strength has increased by another notch and is no longer inferior to that of Cao Cao."

  Zhou Jian swung his Baolian treasured sword fiercely and shouted loudly: "Come again."

  "Good."

  Dian Wei let out a loud roar and charged forward with his halberd.

  Zhou Jian's treasured sword shot out, its body rapidly advancing. The treasured sword instantly transformed into a dazzlingly bright knife light that swiftly and mercilessly slashed towards Dian Wei's neck. Its speed and ferocity were breathtaking, and the aura of "one go, no return" as well as the faintly revealed determination to kill made Dian Wei feel a chill run down his spine. Not daring to be careless for even a moment, he immediately raised his halberd horizontally to block.

  In a flash, it seemed that Zhou Jian's incisive views on martial arts and strategy were echoing in Dian Wei's ears once again.

  Martial arts are not for comparing and competing, but for killing.

  True martial arts should not be used for comparison or competition, but rather for killing.

  If it's just a simple comparison of strength, it's difficult for a martial general to fully exert their power.

  Dian Wei felt that this statement was truly incisive, even if it was just a self-cultivation, the general's swordsmanship revealed a determination to kill without any reservations or holding back, and with the slightest carelessness, it would end in a bloody outcome within five steps.

  The gleam of swords is like a prison, the shadows of halberds are heavy and layered.

  Two men came and went with knives, quickly killing a hundred people.

  The more than three thousand soldiers who were training had already stopped and gathered around to watch, each one staring in amazement.

  Xu Zhu's eyes were wide and staring, with a sharp light shining from his pupils. His fists were clenched tightly, and his blood was boiling for no reason. He looked at Dian Wei, whose hair was standing on end, and saw that he was already drenched in sweat. He couldn't help but think to himself that Lord Cao's martial arts had improved again, and his strength had also increased.

  Two hundred combined, Di Wei's breathing began to quicken.

  Three hundred meters, Dian Wei was already panting like an ox.

  Zhou Jian was also drenched in sweat, but his sword flashes were getting faster and more fierce, his attack becoming increasingly sharp.

  Four hundred yen.

  Zhou Jian's fierce dive forward, both hands grasping the knife slashing down swiftly.

  Dian Wei's eyes bulged like copper bells, and with a loud roar, he swung his twin halberds in unison, forming an impenetrable barrier.

  Right!

  In the midst of the clear and loud sound of metal clashing, Dian Wei was struck as if by lightning, only to feel a wild power surging back, his chest seeming to have been heavily pounded, unable to help but retreat three big steps before stabilizing his figure.

  Zhou Jian leapt back under the force of the counter-shock, and after landing, she sheathed her sword with a long laugh, "Good, refreshing."

  Dian Wei held two iron pikes in one hand and wiped his sweat with the other, slightly panting: "I lost."

  Zhou Jian shook his sleeves and took a deep breath, saying: "If I were to defeat you, it would be after 500 moves. However, compared to the draw within 1,000 moves last year, there has indeed been some progress this year."

  Xu Chu's eyes itched with eagerness, and he clenched his fists tightly, barely restraining himself from charging forward to challenge.

  It turns out that Zhou Jian had just fought a fierce battle with Dian Wei and was heavily injured, but he forcibly endured it.

  "Good, General, you are mighty."

  The more than 3,000 soldiers who were stunned by the sudden turn of events finally came to their senses and let out a thunderous roar.

  He is the soul of the army, a brave and good fighter, and can greatly boost the morale of the soldiers. Although these soldiers knew that Zhou Jian was brave and good at fighting, when they saw that there were several fierce men in Lian's army who seemed to be no match for him, how could they bear it? They immediately cheered.

  Zhou Jian was just about to return to his barracks when a close attendant came to report that Huangfu Song had summoned all the generals to go to the central army commander's tent to discuss military affairs.

  "Gong Yi, you continue to drill the troops."

  Zhou Jian did not dare to be slow and hastily replied before immediately hurrying to the central army commander's tent.

  The large army has been besieging the city for over two months. Although Zuo Feng did not speak ill of anyone in front of the Emperor after returning to the capital, he said that Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi had already trapped Zhang Jiao's rebel army in a solitary city, and it would be broken through soon.

  But nearly a month has passed and Guangzong City has not been captured, and there are inevitably some unfavorable rumors circulating in the court. Some officials with other ideas have privately said that Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi's command of the army is not auspicious.

  Huangfu Song summoned a military council, presumably to discuss how to quickly capture Guangzong and end the Yellow Turban Rebellion in one battle.

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