Three Kingdoms: Domination of the World

Yuan Jun camp.

Yan Liang stared at Li Cunxiao with a sharp gaze. His expression was solemn as he said:

"General Li, Suo Chao's army is powerful. It is best for us to defend the city for a long time, and we cannot go out of the city to fight." He looked at this fortified city made of cement, and his confidence grew stronger.

Li Cunxiao was a towering figure, like a majestic mountain. His purple armor gleamed with a cold and mysterious light in the sunlight, and each plate seemed to contain infinite power.

"I am absolutely confident that I can repel the enemy!" Li Cunxiao held his head high, his chest as broad as if made of steel. He exuded a fearless aura, as if he could break through any obstacle.

Yan Liang pondered for a moment, his fingers tapping the tabletop lightly, making a rhythmic sound. He nodded slightly and said:

"Okay! General Li and I will defend the north gate together, which should not be a problem. The reinforcements from my second brother Wen Chou will be arriving soon!" His voice was decisive and powerful, full of trust in Li Cunxiao.

Yan Liang dispatched Qu Yi and Gao Lan to guard the south gate against Zhang Mei Niang. Zhang He guarded the east gate against Ma Chao. In this battle, Yan Liang was the main general, while Yuan's army dispatched 8 elite troops to defend Taiyuan County to the death.

Taiyuan County was a key location for the Northern Expedition, identified by Tian Feng and Xu You as a crucial location. They could not afford to lose it. They would gradually annex Youzhou and Bingzhou, waiting for changes in the empire before attempting to advance south. Ju Su believed that while the Northern Expedition was important, Suo Chao was too powerful, so they should first seize Youzhou and avoid offending him prematurely.

Yuan Shao adopted the advice of Tian Feng and Xu You, hoping to seize the opportunity, a sentiment shared by many other vassal states. Gongsun Zan, governor of You Province, was willing but unable to provoke the powerful Suo Chao.

Liu Zhang, encouraged by Zhu Jun, was somewhat tempted. However, Zhu Jun's army struggled to break through the Siyong Line of Defense built by Pang De and Yuwen Tai, while Zhang Ren's army was held back by Huangfu Song's Qiangzhou Line of Defense, and neither of them succeeded.

The Seven Provinces Rebellion was quelled with astonishing speed, and Suo Chao's troops, like a sharp sword, pointed directly at Taiyuan County. This development of the situation made it impossible for Yuan Shao to sit still.

Yuan Shao paced back and forth in the hall, his expression anxious, his hands sometimes clenched, sometimes unclenched. His brows were furrowed, his eyes filled with worry and uneasiness.

"Yuan Hao, Suo Chao is attacking Taiyuan County fiercely. How should we respond?" Yuan Shao stopped, looked at Tian Feng, and asked anxiously.

Tian Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, stroked his beard, and looked solemn. After thinking for a moment, he slowly said:

"My lord, Generals Yan Liang and Li Cunxiao are defending Taiyuan County, and General Wen Chou will come to support us soon. There is nothing to worry about." His voice was steady and powerful, as if injecting a shot of adrenaline into Yuan Shao.

Ju Su on the side took a step forward, his expression serious, his eyes revealing deep thought.

"My lord, we should unite with Cao Cao and jointly deal with Suo Chao's threat." Ju Su's voice was firm and decisive. Li Cunxiao had forced Suo Chao's sister to death, and this matter was destined to be difficult to resolve. He could only try to hold on to Taiyuan County.

After hearing this, Yuan Shao nodded slightly, a thoughtful look on his face. After a moment, he felt that what Ju Su said made sense, so he waved his hand and said:

"Gong Yu, I'll do as you say."

Then, he turned to look at Guo Tu, who was dressed as a scholar, and ordered:

"Guo Tu, quickly go and ally with Cao Cao. We are willing to provide some food and supplies."

Guo Tu accepted the order, looked solemn, and said:

"My lord, rest assured. I will fulfill my mission." He turned and left. He had a strong desire for power and was determined to become the chief military advisor of the Yuan army.

......

In Taiyuan County, the atmosphere was tense and solemn.

At the north gate, sixty thousand elite Han troops descended upon the city like a torrent of steel. They formed neatly into battle array, well out of range of Yuan's archers. Their armor gleamed with a cold light, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight. Their expressions were solemn, their battle lines firmly in place, like an unshakable mountain.

Suo Chao, clad in black armor and holding the Nine-Glory Thunder Spear, charged towards the city like a bolt of black lightning. He pulled the reins, and his horse reared up, neighing loudly.

Suo Chao's eyes widened with rage, and he cursed at the enemy general on the city wall:

"Li Cunxiao, do you dare to come out and die?" His voice exploded in the air like thunder, full of anger and provocation.

On the city wall, Li Cunxiao stood tall and straight like a pine tree, clad in purple armor, looking majestic. Upon hearing Suo Chao's provocation, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile.

Li Cunxiao was a man of extraordinary courage and had always held himself in high esteem. How could he tolerate such a provocation? He waved his hand and said proudly:

"Hmph, little Suo Chao, you dare to be so arrogant. How could I be afraid of you?" He decisively accepted Suo Chao's invitation to fight.

Seeing this, Yan Liang hurried forward to dissuade him:

"General Li, think twice. This is Suo Chao's way of provoking you. Don't fall for it," Yan Liang said earnestly, his tone filled with worry. However, Li Cunxiao was determined and remained unmoved.

Li Cunxiao was the strongest among Yuan Shao's troops and was greatly favored by Yuan Shao, while Yan Liang and Wen Chou were only ranked second or third. Seeing that his repeated attempts to dissuade him were futile, Yan Liang could only acquiesce to Li Cunxiao's actions.

Three thousand Yuan soldiers quickly formed up outside the city, all of them in high spirits and full of fighting spirit. Li Cunxiao rode a black BMW, which was tall and powerful, and its hooves were as fast as flying.

Li Cunxiao, on horseback, looked like a god of war, awe-inspiring. He stared resolutely ahead, facing Suo Chaoyao. The air between them seemed to freeze, a fierce battle about to begin.