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

The Han army messenger quickly stuffed a silk strip with a simple distress message and location into the thin bamboo tube on the pigeon's leg, and then suddenly threw the pigeon into the air!

A few gray carrier pigeons flapped their wings and flew over the bloody battlefield in panic, struggling to fly upwards, trying to break through the canyon of death and fly in the direction they came from.

However, the Chu army had been prepared for this!

"Shoot them down! Don't let their carrier pigeons fly away!" On the hillside, the Chu army officer in charge of commanding the archers shouted sternly.

Suddenly, a specially reserved arrow aimed at the sky flew out!

"Puff puff!"

Several balls of blood feathers exploded in the air, and most of the pigeons were shot dead instantly, falling down with wailing.

Only one exceptionally agile carrier pigeon narrowly avoided several waves of arrows, and with scars on its back, it struggled to get out of the range of Falling Eagle Gorge and disappeared into the sky.

Huo Guang felt a little relieved as he watched the only carrier pigeon that might bring hope disappear, but was then overwhelmed by even greater worries.

Could Yang Yong's army arrive in time? Even if they did, what chances would they have of victory against the well-rested Chu army, which had the advantage of terrain?

But at this moment, he had no time to think. The Chu army's siege became more and more fierce. He brandished his spear and roared in despair:

"Brothers! Hold on! Reinforcements will be here soon! Kill!"

Luoyingjian completely turned into a bloody cage, trapping the Han elite vanguard cavalry and Huo Guang's last hope.

Just as Huo Guang and his 5,000 cavalrymen were engaged in a bitter battle and fighting for their lives in Luoyingjian, dozens of miles away, the main force of the Han vanguard army was still advancing towards Hongdu City with difficulty and caution at the normal marching speed of infantry.

In the central army, Deputy General Yang Yongjun frowned and rode on his horse, feeling uneasy.

Huo Guang rashly led only 5,000 light cavalry ahead, which always felt like a huge rock pressing on his heart.

He kept sending scouts forward to explore, but no clear news came back.

At this moment, a small black dot appeared in the sky, flying crookedly towards the direction of the army.

A sharp-eyed sentry immediately exclaimed, "General! There's a carrier pigeon! It's our army's carrier pigeon!"

Yang Yongjun's heart trembled, and an ominous premonition instantly seized him. He immediately ordered:

"Quick! Lure it down!"

The professional pigeon trainer immediately gave the signal.

The carrier pigeon seemed to be exhausted as well. It flapped its wings and landed precisely on the pigeon trainer's arm.

The soldier quickly took out a small roll of blood-stained silk from the bamboo tube on his leg and quickly presented it to Yang Yongjun.

Yang Yongjun almost snatched the silk, and his fingers even trembled as he unfolded it.

His eyes quickly swept over the scribbled yet familiar handwriting, and his face instantly turned as pale as paper, and fine cold sweat instantly seeped out of his forehead!

"Luoyingjian... encountered an ambush by the main force of the Chu army... the situation is extremely critical... help quickly!!!"

Just a short line of words exploded in his mind like thunder!

The thing he was most worried about actually happened!

"Quick! Beat the drums! Summon all officers above the rank of captain to the center of the army for a meeting immediately! Quick!"

Yang Yongjun's voice became hoarse and sharp due to extreme shock and anxiety.

The urgent sound of drums calling for the troops to gather immediately resounded throughout the marching troops. The generals from various units did not know what was happening, and they all rode their horses at the fastest speed from the front and back of the troops to the center of the army.

As soon as everyone gathered together, they saw Yang Yongjun's extremely ugly face, and their hearts sank.

Yang Yongjun passed the silk in his hand to all the generals for circulation. Every general who saw the content gasped and showed horror on his face.

"You all saw it!"

Yang Yongjun's voice was heavy, filled with struggle and anxiety. "General Huo underestimated the enemy and advanced rashly, only to be ambushed by the Chu army! Now he's trapped in Luoying Gorge and in imminent danger!"

He looked around at the generals and told them the most agonizing dilemma he was facing at the moment: "Our army is still some distance away from Luoying Gorge.

What General Huo said in the letter was that they were ambushed by the 'main force of the Chu army'!

But how many people are there in the main force of the Chu army?

Is their intention just to consume General Huo's 5,000 cavalry, or... is this itself a larger trap, meant to lure our main force to rescue them, and then capture them all in one fell swoop?"

He glanced at everyone, his tone filled with uncertainty: "If our entire army rushes to help right now and runs headfirst into the enemy's encirclement, and the enemy's forces are far superior to ours, not only will we fail to save General Huo, but all 25,000 of us infantrymen will also be killed!"

"By then, the siege of Hongdu will not be lifted, our vanguard will have been completely annihilated, and if Your Majesty's army doesn't arrive, then the situation will be lost!"

These words were like a drop of cold water on their heads, calming the agitated generals instantly and causing them to fall into deep thought.

Yes, if the rescue fails and you get yourself involved, that would be a serious sin.

But soon, another voice sounded.

A general with a strong character suddenly clasped his fists and said excitedly: "General Yang! I understand your concerns!"

"But General Huo is our army's commander-in-chief, and a trusted and beloved general of Your Majesty! He is currently surrounded and fighting bravely, hoping for our rescue!"

"How can we, fearing the enemy, hold back and sit back while our commander is annihilated? If so, how can we face His Majesty and our fellow soldiers?"

"I would like to personally lead my troops as the vanguard and explore the way ahead. Please allow me, General!"

"General Wang, you are wrong!"

Another older, more composed general immediately retorted, "How can we place our entire army in danger due to a momentary impulse? General Huo's ambush proves the Chu army had planned this all along! Their 'main force' was no lie!"

"Our army is mainly composed of infantry. We rushed here in a hurry and are exhausted. The enemy is well-rested and has the advantage of terrain. What are our chances of victory?"

"Whether we can rescue them or not is still uncertain. If they are ambushed again, who will bear the consequences?"

"In my humble opinion, we should halt our advance immediately and build defensive fortifications on the spot. Meanwhile, we should send a swift horse to report to Your Majesty's main force. Please make your decision!"

"Defend on the spot? Wait for His Majesty's order?"

The general surnamed Wang was immediately furious: "By the time the decree arrives, General Huo will have already arrived and it will be too late!"

"Then you are going to die!"

"Isn't it a sin to watch someone die without helping them?"

"You are playing with the lives of all the soldiers in the army!"

There was a sudden uproar in the tent.

The generals who advocated immediate and all-out rescue at all costs and those who advocated cautious action and even believed that preserving the main force should be the priority each held their own opinions, arguing fiercely and neither could convince the other.

Both sides have good reasons and face unbearable risks.

If they send out troops rashly without knowing the enemy's strength, there is no guarantee that they will not fall into an ambush.

But if they just let this matter go, once Huo Guang was killed, they would lose their chief commander, and not only would the morale of the soldiers be low, but the emperor would also punish them!