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

The sudden battle report made Huo Quji frown slightly, and a sense of foreboding flashed through his mind.

But he still calmly reached out to take the thin bamboo tube, crushed the sealing wax, and took out the note inside.

His eyes quickly swept over the words on the note, and Huo Quji's originally confident and calm expression suddenly changed drastically!

As if struck by an invisible thunderbolt, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the knuckles of his fingers holding the note turned white from the force, and even trembled slightly.

He looked at the note again in disbelief, and finally squeezed out a word of shock and horror: "This... How is this possible!?"

His inappropriate growl instantly attracted the attention of the surrounding generals.

The generals looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

The most senior general, General Cheng Bu, who was over fifty years old, rode his horse closer and asked in a deep voice:

"Your Excellency, what happened? Why are you so panicked?"

Huo Quji suddenly raised his head, his face so gloomy that it seemed as if water was about to drip out.

He clenched the note in his hand tightly, his voice hoarse with extreme anger and disbelief: "Xunyang City... was lost! Just yesterday afternoon!"

He paused, each word coming out with immense difficulty: "General Jia Yuan led 5,000 soldiers to cover the rear... their entire army was annihilated, and General Jia... fought bravely and died for his country!"

"Gongsun Ao... He only has less than 3,000 remaining soldiers and is fleeing towards Hongdu City."

"And the Chu cavalry is hot on their heels, clearly intent on wiping them out!"

This news was like a bolt from the blue, and it exploded among the generals in an instant!

"What?! Xunyang City is high and the moat is deep, and with General Gongsun and tens of thousands of defenders, how could it be lost in a single day?"

"Is it fake? Is this a trick by the Chu army? Even carrier pigeons could be intercepted and forged!"

"General Jia Yuan... this... the Chu army's attack is so fierce?"

"Duke! General Gongsun is in imminent danger! I am willing to lead my cavalry to rescue him immediately!"

"No! Our army is marching in large numbers. If we split up and advance rashly, we might fall prey to the Chu army's scheme to lure the enemy away from their hiding place!"

"Are we just going to watch General Gongsun get annihilated? That's over 3,000 lives at stake!"

"Duke, we need to take a long-term view!"

The generals were immediately in an uproar, talking at once. Some were shocked and questioned, some advocated for immediate rescue, and some worried that it was a trap. There were many different opinions and endless arguments.

"enough!!!"

Huo Quji suddenly let out a thunderous roar, instantly suppressing all the noise.

His face was livid, and his eyes burned with anger and determination.

"Stop arguing!"

He glanced at Cheng Bu, "General Cheng!"

"I am here!" Cheng Bu immediately clasped his fists.

"I will personally lead five thousand elite cavalry and set out immediately with light equipment to support Gongsun Ao!"

"You are in full command of the army here. Slow down, maintain your formation, and cautiously approach Hongdu City! Without my order, you are not allowed to engage the main force of the Chu army!"

This decision once again caused an uproar among the generals!

"You can't do that, Duke! You are the commander-in-chief of the three armies. How can you take such a risk yourself?"

"Five thousand cavalry are too few! What if we encounter a large force of Chu troops?"

"Duke, please let me go! You must not act rashly!"

However, Huo Quji had made up his mind. At this moment, his heart was filled with worry about Gongsun Ao's situation, and the news that Chu Ning had taken the lead and the city had fallen aroused a strong desire to fight and anger.

He needed a victory to reverse the downward trend, and he also needed to personally bring back the defeated troops and stabilize their morale.

"I've made up my mind! No need to persuade me!"

Huo Quji waved his hand, decisively interrupting all the remonstrations: "Protective Guard Battalion, Cavalry Battalion, follow me immediately!"

After saying this, he suddenly squeezed the horse's belly, and the black horse stood up and let out a loud neigh.

Huo Quji pulled the reins and led the 5,000 elite cavalry that had quickly assembled.

Like an arrow shot from a bow, they broke away from the main force, raising a cloud of dust, and rushed towards the direction where Gongsun Ao was retreating at lightning speed!

Only Cheng Bu and a group of generals were left, looking worriedly at their commander's receding back and the unknown dangers ahead.

……

Two hours later, the autumn sun shone lazily through the carved window lattices into the living room of a mansion in Xunyang City that originally belonged to a prominent Han Dynasty official.

The traces of the war have been roughly cleaned up, but there still seems to be a faint smell of gunpowder and blood in the air.

Chu Ning sat upright on a rosewood armchair, his body stretched out, as if he was not in a frontline city that had just experienced a bloody battle, but strolling leisurely in his own back garden.

In his hand was a delicate white porcelain teacup filled with freshly brewed hot tea. The mist of hot steam curled up, blurring the calm expression on his face that seemed to indicate that everything was under control.

The hall is elegantly decorated. The rosewood furniture and the calligraphy and paintings on the walls vaguely recall the prosperity of the past. However, it has now become a temporary headquarters for the conquerors. An invisible pressure permeates the silence.

A captain of the Jinyiwei, wearing a brocade flying fish robe and an embroidered spring sword on his waist, was kneeling on one knee, bowing his head and respectfully reporting:

"Your Majesty, a pigeon has arrived from the front lines, informing you that Duke Huo Quji, the Protector of the Han Dynasty, has personally led five thousand elite cavalrymen, separated from the main force, and is galloping towards the direction of Gongsun Ao's retreat, intending to provide support!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, outlining an arc full of calculation and pleasure.

He gently blew away the floating leaves on the tea, took a small sip, and then slowly put down the teacup. The porcelain made a crisp sound when it touched the wooden table.

"Ah,"

He chuckled, his tone tinged with joking, "As expected, the bait was heavy enough, and this big fish finally took the bait."

He stood up, the hem of his brocade robe swayed slightly, and his eyes instantly became sharp. The previous leisure was swept away, replaced by the decisiveness of an emperor who decided the fate of the battlefield.

"Propagate my decree: Leave behind 5,000 soldiers and horses, commanded by a lieutenant general, to eliminate the remaining enemy forces in Xunyang and maintain order in the city's defenses."

"All the remaining troops, assemble immediately and follow me towards Hongdu!"

His voice was steady, yet it carried an undeniable murderous aura: "This time, I will personally meet this renowned Duke of Han and put an end to him with my own hands!"

Chu Ning's gaze seemed to have penetrated the wall and saw the battlefield in the distance.

Huo Quji, this name represents the last military pillar and morale of the Han Dynasty.

As long as this pillar can be completely cut off, the resistance will of the entire Han people will collapse and drop to freezing point!

By then, there will be no real and powerful obstacles to sweeping across the Central Plains.

The order was passed down quickly.

In less than half an hour, the huge Chu army had completed its assembly outside Xunyang City.

Compared with the lineup during the siege yesterday morning, the army at this moment is more elite and has shed the burden of siege equipment. It is a completely elite force ready for field battles and pursuits.