Three Kingdoms New Lü Bu
Lü Bu led his army to within thirty miles of Jizhou, when a scout returned with the report: The Yellow Turbans in Jizhou had captured Liu Xiu, King of Anping of Jizhou, and Liu Zhong, King of Ganling. Zhang Jiao had over 100,000 troops stationed inside the city walls, while Chen Bao (also known as "Flying Swallow") originally had tens of thousands of bandits; later he received several tens of thousands more Yellow Turbans who escaped from You and Qing provinces, now totaling nearly 100,000 stationed outside the city.
Lü Bu saw that the Yellow Turbans had over 200,000 troops and was quite worried. He only had 5,000 cavalrymen, how could he defeat the Yellow Turbans? Thinking about it made his head ache, but since quality is more important than quantity in an army, he decided to observe the situation first before making a move.
The army was 20 miles away from Julu, and Lü Bu learned that the Yellow Turban army's camp outside Julu city was in disarray. The soldiers had no armor, the troops had no equipment, and although they were numerous, they were extremely disorderly. Lü Bu hastily ordered his soldiers to march another 10 miles, ordering Xu Huang and Zhang Liao to lead their troops to rest, while he took Zhao Yun with a small group of scouts to personally go and reconnoiter Julu city.
Lü Bu followed the scout to a high slope and looked out at the distant view of the Giant Deer City outside, where Zhang Fei's large camp was located. All that could be seen were the Yellow Turban camps scattered about, set up in a disorderly manner. The camps were densely packed with people wearing yellow headscarves, among whom there were old and young, as well as women walking about, resembling a marketplace.
The Yellow Turbans' weapons were varied, including hoes, sickles, staves, wooden clubs, and kitchen knives - anything that could be used to harm others. Lü Bu was overjoyed at the sight, thinking that even if there were a million such refugees, they would still be no match for his cavalry from the north.
Lü Bu saw the situation of the Yellow Turbans, and it was clear that they were still unaware that Lü Bu's cavalry had approached. He wanted to launch a surprise attack on the Yellow Turbans outside Julu City. First, he would defeat them once and then talk later. So, he hastily returned to his troops, ordered them to eat some dry rations, feed their horses well, change into riding gear, and tie another horse behind the saddle, ready to gallop at full speed and trample the Yellow Turbans' camp.
Lü Bu's army was ready, and by noon, Lü Bu gave the order to rush towards the Yellow Turbans' camp outside Julu City.
Three miles away from the camp, the Yellow Turban army still had not realized that there were troops coming to attack. It wasn't until Lü Bu rushed to within a mile of the camp that someone shouted "The government army is here!" Unfortunately, the cavalry rushed forward and suddenly appeared before their eyes. The Yellow Turbans panicked and became disorganized. Although Lü Bu had only recently obtained the crossbowmen, there were only a few dozen in the army who used them, but with 5,000 cavalry shooting arrows in one go, they could shoot out 3,000 bolts. Before even entering the Yellow Turban camp, more than 2,000 Yellow Turbans had been shot down. This momentum, combined with the thunder of galloping horses, immediately made the Yellow Turban army even more terrified, and they collapsed without a fight.
Lü Bu charged into the camp on horseback, trampling it as he went. The 5,000 elite troops behind him were like a mighty wave washing away sand, and in an instant they had killed off Hua Flying Swallow's Yellow Turbans, sending them fleeing in all directions, and the camp was scattered.
Before noon, Lü Bu marched into the camp and slaughtered the Yellow Turbans. Only a little over 10,000 Yellow Turbans were killed by Lü Bu's army, but more than 20,000 to 30,000 died from being trampled by horses or crushed by their own comrades. In this brief campaign, Lü Bu annihilated 30,000 to 40,000 Yellow Turbans, and the remaining 60,000 to 70,000 fled straight into the city.
Lü Bu originally just wanted to first destroy the Yellow Turbans' morale. He led his troops to trample their camp, and when he turned his army around, he saw that all the Yellow Turbans were fleeing towards the city gate. From a distance, Lü Bu saw that below the Giant Deer City, there was a sea of black, all Yellow Turban soldiers. Before long, the city gates opened, and the people inside welcomed the Yellow Turbans from outside into the city. But once the city gates were open, they could no longer be closed, as tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans rushed towards the city in a frenzy.
Lü Bu saw this, his eyes rolled and he shouted to the soldiers: "The enemy is without strategy, open the city gate to welcome the troops, they cannot close the city gate. This is the time to break into the city. Follow me to kill..." Then he rode his horse towards the city, with the army rushing after him.
One mile away from the city, the Yellow Turbans saw the government army coming again with a loud noise of galloping horses. They became even more frightened and trampled each other as they rushed towards the city. Those who were farther away from the city gate abandoned the city and fled.
Lü Bu shouted at Xu Huang in the chariot: "Gongming... lead your troops to cover, don't let the bandits shoot arrows... the Imperial Guard will follow me to charge into the city..."
Xu Huang received the order and led 2,000 northern border cavalry to ride to Julu Castle, shooting arrows from above. The yellow turbans on the city wall fell down one after another due to the dense rain of arrows. Xu Huang's mounted archers shot farther than the yellow turbans' bows and arrows, and with the momentum of riding, they shot even farther, with greater force. For a time, the Yellow Turban soldiers were shot at and hid under the city wall, not daring to show their heads.
Lü Bu led the Imperial Army to pursue and kill the remnants of the Yellow Turbans, charging into the city. The Yellow Turbans inside the city saw the government army approaching and wanted to close the city gates, but unfortunately, the city gates were crowded with Yellow Turbans inside and out, and could not be closed. Lü Bu's three thousand cavalry arrived in pursuit, and many people were trampled to death at the foot of the city. Lü Bu had never intended to kill many of his own kind, seeing that they were all Han Chinese from the same roots, yet now slaughtering each other. He felt a pang of compassion. When he reached the foot of the city, he shouted loudly: "Those who surrender will be spared..."
Lü Bu shouted loudly, and the soldiers behind him followed with a loud shout: "Those who surrender will be spared from death..."
The Yellow Turbans, upon hearing that those who surrendered would be spared, ran for their lives, with those who couldn't run surrendering and kneeling on the ground, holding their heads in their hands and not daring to move. Lü Bu led his troops into the city, killing anyone who resisted, and ignoring those who surrendered. After all, there were too few soldiers, and now was the time to take advantage of the situation to crush the enemy, as the Yellow Turbans feared Lü Bu's mighty cavalry charge.
Lü Bu charged into the city, with only Zhao Yun and a dozen or so horsemen by his side. Zhang Liao and Xiahou Lan led the Imperial Guard in pursuit from behind. Lü Bu rushed to the front of the prefecture, where he saw a group of men on horseback trying to flee out of the city. Lü Bu shouted loudly: "Halt! Where are you escaping to? Dismount and surrender, and I will spare your lives!"
That fierce man led a group of ten or more horsemen, with hundreds of people by his side. Seeing that Lü Bu had few men and the government army was still some distance behind him, he wanted to take advantage of his numerical superiority. One of the horsemen swung a long spear at Lü Bu and shouted: "First taste Lord Lü's spear!"
Lü Bu flew into a rage and urged on his horse, charging at Leigong with his halberd. The two weapons clashed, producing a loud "clang". Lü Bu's halberd knocked Leigong's long-handled lance flying, which rebounded and struck the head of a soldier behind Leigong, shattering his skull. Lü Bu's halberd did not stop in its motion, slicing downwards to split both Leigong and his yellow horse in two.
But to say that the true bandit, Chu Feiyan, led his troops to rely on the Yellow Turban general Zhang Niujiao. Zhang Niujiao ordered Chu Feiyan to station outside the city of Julu, and soon Chu Feiyan also received the remnants of the Yellow Turbans from the northern provinces of You and Qing, totaling over 100,000 bandits. At noon, the bandits were about to cook their meals when suddenly a military officer appeared from the north, this official army was different from others. The momentum was like Mount Tai pressing down, rushing towards the camp to kill. Chu Feiyan was unprepared and was killed in a panic, his troops scattered and could not be controlled. He had no choice but to lead his troops to flee into the city of Julu. Unexpectedly, the official army followed closely behind, and Chu Feiyan hastily led his troops to escape into the city to see Zhang Niujiao.
At this time, the city was in great chaos. The government troops had followed and killed their way into the city, and many Yellow Turbans were kneeling on the ground begging for mercy.
Zhang Niujiao did not expect the government troops to arrive so quickly, and was caught off guard, not knowing where the government troops had entered the city from. He lost his composure and hastily ordered Zhu Feiyan and his generals to find a gate to escape from. Just as they were leaving the county office, the government troops arrived in pursuit. General Lei Gong underestimated the enemy's strength, thinking there were few of them, and wanted to kill the young general at the front. Unexpectedly, he was cut in two by that person with one blow of his halberd, along with his horse. Lei Gong's long spear was also knocked flying, smashing into pieces behind him, wrapping around his head. The troops under him were frightened out of their wits.
Lü Bu saw that the people and horses were not surrendering but resisting, so he didn't say much. He led his army to kill them all at once, and wherever his halberd passed, souls flew and spirits scattered. No one could withstand Lü Bu's single move. Lü Bu killed dozens of people in a row, and Zhao Yun behind him didn't show any mercy either. More than twenty people died under the spear. Zhang Niujiao had many people at first, but he couldn't kill more than ten of Lü Bu's riders. Instead, he was beheaded by over a hundred mouths. Just for this moment, Xiahou Lan also led an army to pursue and catch up, while Zhang Liao led his army to kill the rebels in various parts of the city. Zhang Niujiao and Chu Feiyan saw that Lü Bu was like a god of death, so they were afraid in their hearts, and the government army had already surrounded them, so they gave up resisting.
Lü Bu's army captured Zhang Niujiao, Chu Feiyan and other generals, then drove all the surrendered soldiers to the outside of Chu Feiyan's camp, calling Xu Huang and Zhang Liao each to lead 2,000 cavalrymen to take turns guarding. He ordered Xiahou Lan to lead an army to guard the city gate and patrol inside the city. Lü Bu took Zhao Yun with him to escort Zhang Niujiao, Chu Feiyan and more than a dozen generals to the prefecture office for interrogation.
Seeking gold medals, seeking collection, seeking likes, seeking comments, seeking red envelopes, seeking gifts, all kinds of seeking, whatever you want, just throw it over!
