Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The scorching sun of May scorched the plains outside Tugu City, and the air was filled with a mixture of blood and dust.

The 70,000-strong Chu Army's "Canglang Legion" cavalry was defeated by the Wei-Han coalition forces, and the yellow sand raised by their horses' hooves covered half of the sky.

Looking from the top of the city wall, the black flags of the Chu army were tilted and toppled, and the soldiers threw away their armor and weapons, looking like a real rout.

"General, the Chu army has been completely routed!"

The Wei army scouts excitedly reported to Zhang Liao, who had chased them out of the city: "Their vanguard has retreated to the old locust tree forest several miles away!"

Zhang Liao narrowed his eyes and looked at the continuously defeated Canglang Army.

This famous general of the Wei army, who was over forty years old, had the typical features of a northern man - a square face, a broad forehead, and a pair of sharp eyes under thick eyebrows that were now bloodshot.

His armor was torn in many places, and the armor on his left shoulder was pierced by a feather arrow, revealing the blood-stained lining underneath.

"Something's wrong!"

Zhang Liao murmured softly, his rough fingers unconsciously rubbing the arrow marks on the city wall: "The Chu army's retreat was too orderly."

The deputy commander interrupted anxiously, "General, this opportunity cannot be missed! Han General Li Guang has already led his troops in pursuit. If we hesitate, they will steal all the credit!"

Zhang Liao turned his head and looked into the distance. The red flags of the Han army had indeed chased for more than two miles, dancing like flames in the sunlight.

He took a deep breath, and the hot May wind filled his lungs with the smell of blood, irritating his nerves.

"Send the order, except for the 20,000 new recruits who will stay in the city, the rest of the troops will follow me to attack!"

Zhang Liao finally made up his mind: "But remember, chase them only as far as the old locust tree forest, don't go any deeper!"

As the horn sounded, the gates of Tugu City burst open and the Wei army poured out like a tide.

At this time, at the edge of the old locust tree forest several miles away, the Chu army's deputy general Ma Ji reined in his horse, looked back at the pursuing Wei-Han coalition forces, and a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.

This general, who was in his early thirties, had a resolute face, and a scar on his left cheek made him look even more fierce.

He raised his right hand and made a concealing gesture.

"All troops, listen up! Retreat slowly and maintain formation!" Ma Ji's voice spread among the cavalry.

"Let these Wei soldiers chase closer!"

The Chu cavalry seemed to be retreating in a panic, but in fact they maintained a tight formation.

The flags and armor they deliberately discarded formed an obvious "retreat route" on the plain, luring the coalition forces to advance deeper.

Ma Ji's eyes kept glancing towards Tugu City - that was the real battlefield.

At the same time, in a depression that was out of sight of the Wei army, five thousand elite Chu cavalry were lurking quietly.

The leader, Ma Chao, sat upright on his horse, with the spear in his hand pointing diagonally at the ground.

The commander of the Canglang Legion was about thirty-five years old, with a face as sharp as a knife and a pair of eagle eyes that were bright and sharp.

The black light armor on his body shone faintly in the sunlight, and the wolf head carved on the shoulder armor was lifelike.

"Report - the main force of the Wei army has chased for five miles!" The scout came running to report.

Ma Chao's eyes flashed: "How is the city gate?"

"There are only a handful of new soldiers guarding the city walls, and there are less than a thousand archers on the city walls!"

Ma Chao nodded slightly, then turned to the captain of the guards beside him and said, "Pass the order down and act according to the plan. Remember, speed determines victory or defeat!"

Five thousand cavalrymen mounted their horses at the same time, their movements were in perfect unison, but without making any unnecessary noise.

These were the Chu Army's most elite "Black Wolf Cavalry," each equipped with two war horses, capable of maintaining astonishing speed during long-distance raids.

"Charge!" Ma Chao pointed his spear forward, and five thousand cavalrymen rushed towards Tugu City like arrows.

At this moment, on the Tugu city wall, the remaining Wei army recruits were nervously watching the pursuit in the distance.

No one noticed that a black torrent was approaching the city from the flank at an astonishing speed.

"What is that?" A young soldier suddenly pointed to the east, his voice changing with fear.

The captain guarding the city looked in the direction and saw a black wave sweeping in at an incredible speed, and the dust it raised formed a moving wall of sand.

"Enemy attack! Close the city gate! Close the city gate quickly!" the captain shouted at the top of his lungs.

But it was too late. Ma Chao's cavalry had already rushed to within three hundred steps of the city. This distance was only a blink of an eye for the heavy cavalry charging at full speed.

The archers on the city wall shot arrows in panic, but the sparse rain of arrows posed almost no threat to the fully armored cavalry.

"Seize the city gate!"

Ma Chao shouted loudly and rushed across the stone bridge over the moat.

The spear in his hand was like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue, piercing several Wei soldiers who tried to close the city gate.

The battle at the city gate instantly became intense.

Ma Chao's personal guards rushed into the city gate corridor like a pack of wolves, and spears and swords collided fiercely in the narrow space.

The new recruits of the Wei army were no match for these elite soldiers who had experienced many battles. They were killed to pieces in the blink of an eye.

"Report - General, the Chu army is attacking the city gate!" A messenger covered in blood stumbled in front of Zhang Liao's horse.

Zhang Liao, who was in pursuit, was shocked when he heard this and reined in his horse. "What? How many people are there?"

"At least five thousand elite cavalry have already... already stormed the city gate!"

Zhang Liao felt a chill running up his spine.

He finally understood the Chu army's plan - the so-called rout was just a pretext to lure the enemy out of the city! He turned his horse around and roared at the top of his lungs:

"All troops, return to support! Return to Tugu City!"

However, the situation on the battlefield changes rapidly.

Just as the Wei army was turning around in panic, the Chu army, which had been "fleeing", suddenly stopped.

Deputy General Ma Ji raised his sword high and roared, shaking the earth: "Men of the Canglang Legion, charge back!"

More than tens of thousands of Chu cavalry turned their horses around at the same time and counterattacked like a tide.

Ma Ji personally led 3,000 heavily armored cavalrymen to charge directly into the center of the Wei army's formation. Wherever their spears pointed, the Wei soldiers fell like wheat being cut.

Zhang Liao did not bother to reorganize the army, and only led 500 personal soldiers to rush towards Tugu City.

He must recapture the city gate, otherwise everything is over!

When Zhang Liao arrived at the city, the scene before him made him feel heartbroken.

The black wolf flag of the Chu army had been erected at the city gate, and Ma Chao was leading a team of elite cavalry in formation in front of the city gate, waiting.

"General Zhang, how are you?"

Ma Chao laughed heartily, pointing his spear at Zhang Liao: "Thank you for opening the door to welcome the thieves. I, Ma Chao, accept this generous gift!"

Zhang Liao's eyes were red, and he pointed the long sword in his hand at Ma Chao: "Shameless man, you only know how to use such despicable tricks!"

"Soldiers who, deception also."

Ma Chao sneered, "General Zhang has fought for many years, don't you think he doesn't even understand this?"

Zhang Liao said no more and urged his horse to go straight for Ma Chao.

The two main generals engaged in a fierce duel in the open space in front of the city gate.

Zhang Liao's long sword was powerful and heavy, and every strike was accompanied by a sound of breaking through the air.

Ma Chao's spear was like a snake emerging from a cave, fast, accurate and ruthless.

Amidst the flashes of swords and guns, the two men had exchanged more than thirty moves in the blink of an eye.

Although Zhang Liao was brave, he had been defending the city for a sleepless night and was exhausted.

His movements began to become slow, and beads of sweat the size of beans kept rolling down his forehead.

"General Zhang, surrender!"

Ma Chao deflected Zhang Liao's blade with a spear and said, "I respect you as a man. Surrender to the Chu State and I will guarantee you wealth and honor!"

"Don't think about it!"

Zhang Liao roared angrily and chopped down with his sword with all his might.

Ma Chao dodged sideways and thrust out his spear like lightning, hitting Zhang Liao's right shoulder.

"Ah!" Zhang Liao cried out in pain, and the long sword almost slipped out of his hand.

He gritted his teeth to steady himself, but saw that Ma Chao's second shot had already pierced his chest.

At the critical moment, Zhang Liao barely turned sideways, and the tip of the gun brushed past the armor, leaving a trail of sparks.

But Ma Chao's offensive was as continuous as the Yangtze River. In the fiftieth round, a sudden attack hit Zhang Liao in the chest.

"puff--"

Zhang Liao spat out a mouthful of blood and fell heavily from the horse.

He struggled to stand up, but saw that Ma Chao's spear was against his throat.

"General Zhang, do you have any last words?" Ma Chao asked in a deep voice.

Zhang Liao laughed bitterly, "The victor is the king, the loser is the bandit. I only regret... that I couldn't see through your... trick..."

Before he could finish his words, he died.

"General!"

Seeing this, Zhang Liao's personal soldiers' eyes turned red and they rushed forward desperately.

Ma Chao snorted coldly and swung his spear: "Kill! Leave no one alive!"

With Zhang Liao's death in battle, the Wei army completely collapsed.

The Chu cavalry in the city continued to pour out, forming a pincer attack with the main force of the counterattack outside the city.

The Wei army soldiers threw away their armor and weapons and fled in all directions.

On a high slope in the distance, the Han army commander Li Guang witnessed all this.

His hands were shaking slightly, and what was reflected in the lens was the scene of the Chu cavalry slaughtering the Wei army like wolves among a flock of sheep.

"General, what should we do?" asked the deputy general in a trembling voice.

Li Guang withdrew his gaze, his face gloomy: "We have been fooled. The Chu army's goal has never been a field battle, but Tugu City!"

He turned around abruptly: "Order, the entire army retreat immediately! Retreat towards Dongping!"

"The Wei army..."

"I don't care about that anymore!" Li Guang said sternly, "If we don't retreat now, we'll be the next Zhang Liao!"