Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Huang Zhong looked around at the few remaining soldiers behind him, his eyes firm and filled with a hint of relief. He shouted, "Men, we are now trapped in a desperate situation. Are you afraid?" The soldiers, covered in blood, were exhausted, but their eyes remained firm. They used up their last bit of strength and shouted, "Since we followed you out, we have already put life and death aside. Today, we will fight to the death with you!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong raised his head and laughed heartily, saying, "Great! I, Huang Zhong, have no regrets in this life as I have a group of good men like you by my side before I die!" After that, he tore off the tasseled helmet on his head, letting the night wind mess up his hair. He gripped the big knife tightly in his hand and was about to rush forward without any fear.

Seeing this, Zhang Fei was furious and shouted, "At this point, you're still thinking of committing suicide?" He was about to spurt his horse and charge forward, spear in hand, to attack Huang Zhong. But Guan Yu suddenly swung his Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, stopping Zhang Fei and saying gravely, "Third brother, wait! It would be a shame to let such a loyal and righteous man perish in this chaotic battle."

After saying this, Guan Yu gently spurred his yellow horse and slowly stepped forward a few steps. He bowed to Huang Zhong and said respectfully, "Old General, I deeply admire your loyalty. Now that the battle has reached this stage, you have served Liu Biao faithfully. But if you don't consider yourself, you should at least consider the brothers behind you. These soldiers, in such a desperate situation, still accompanied you to death. Why should you let them die in vain?"

Huang Zhong was deeply moved by Guan Yu's words. He turned to look at the soldiers who had fought alongside him through thick and thin. Seeing their bloodstained devotion, he felt a mixture of emotions. After a moment's reflection, he knew Guan Yu was right. He could no longer let these men die in vain because of his own selfish desires.

So, Huang Zhong slowly turned around and said to the soldiers: "My men, I have implicated you. Today, you should surrender and don't follow me to death." Although the soldiers were unwilling, they had to put down their weapons when they saw Huang Zhong's decision.

After arranging his men, Huang Zhong sighed to the heavens and slowly drew his sword, thinking to himself, "I've built a life of renown, but now this is my fate. Rather than being captured and humiliated, I'd rather end my life here." Just as he was about to place the sword against his neck, Zhao Yun, quick-witted and swift-handed, rushed forward and, with a deft move, knocked the sword from Huang Zhong's hand.

Zhao Yun said, "Old General, why do you have to do this? Victory and defeat are common in war. With your ability, if you could surrender to our lord, you would surely achieve great things in the future. Why bother with this short-sightedness?"

Zhang Fei, who was watching this, shouted, "Hmph, what are you upset about? Since you've been defeated, just follow us back to the camp!" After that, he ordered his men to escort Huang Zhong away.

As they marched Huang Zhong toward the camp, moonlight cast long shadows on them. Huang Zhong's mind raced, uncertain of his fate. Meanwhile, back in Liu Bei's tent, upon hearing that Huang Zhong had been captured, he eagerly prepared to welcome the formidable general. He knew that persuading Huang Zhong to surrender would undoubtedly be a powerful addition, an invaluable aid to his cause.

Huang Zhong was escorted into the tent, where Liu Bei was already waiting. Seeing Huang Zhong being brought in, Liu Bei quickly stood up and personally untied Huang Zhong with a sincere smile on his face. Huang Zhong looked up and saw Liu Bei, dressed in a blue brocade robe. His expression was gentle, but his heart was filled with resentment, and he did not appreciate his kindness.

Liu Bei smiled and said, "General Huang, I have long heard of your unparalleled loyalty and martial prowess. It is truly an honor for me to meet you today. I know you harbor resentment, but why don't you calm down first and allow me to prepare a feast so we can talk while we eat?"

Huang Zhong snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "Hmph, no need to be so hypocritical! Although I, Huang Zhong, am a defeated general, I won't fall for your tricks. Liu Biao treated you well. You came to him when you were desperate. He gave you a place to stay and helped you out of your immediate difficulties. You don't even think of repaying him, but now you're raising an army to attack him. How can I respect you for being so ungrateful?"

After hearing this, Liu Bei sighed deeply, his expression becoming solemn. He slowly spoke, "General Huang, it's not that I don't care about my kinship. Although Liu Biao took me in, he was suspicious of me, always worried that I, Liu Bei, would be nurturing a tiger to harm him, and never truly considered me one of his own. I endured all of this. I, Liu Bei, was solely dedicated to restoring the Han Dynasty, and never had any other thoughts. But Cai Mao and his men plotted to kill my innocent little prince, thus terminating the Han Dynasty's lineage. How could I, Liu Bei, face my ancestors if I didn't avenge this? I had no choice but to raise an army to seek justice and eliminate the treacherous villains from the Han Dynasty."

Huang Zhong was slightly taken aback. Although he still felt dissatisfied with Liu Bei's behavior, he also felt that Liu Bei had some hardship in his words. However, his years of loyalty to Liu Biao made it difficult for him to let go. He kept a straight face and said, "Even so, you should not have laid siege to the city, causing the suffering of the people of Wancheng and countless casualties among our soldiers."

Liu Bei showed a guilty look on his face and said, "General, you are absolutely right. I am also heartbroken about the casualties among the people and soldiers. But the situation was urgent at the time and I had no other choice. Now that the war is over, I will definitely comfort the people of Wancheng and bury the fallen soldiers with honor. I hope that the general can understand my difficulties." After that, Liu Bei bowed deeply to Huang Zhong.

Huang Zhong, hearing Liu Bei's explanation, was moved. At that moment, Pang Tong entered the tent with steady steps. He smiled at Huang Zhong and said, "General Huang, I'm from Xiangyang myself, so I'm well aware of Liu Biao's character. He's indecisive and indecisive, and certainly not the kind of leader capable of achieving great things. This time, you're surrounded, yet he refuses to send reinforcements. He's watched you and the soldiers and civilians of Wancheng fall into dire straits. Why should you remain loyal to such a heartless man?"

Huang Zhong frowned, lost in thought. Pang Tong's words made perfect sense. "Besides," he continued, "those rumors about the massacre were merely a ploy to disrupt the morale of the soldiers and the people of Wancheng. Emperor Liu has always loved his people like his own children. Over the years, wherever he went, he always considered the people's well-being. How could he ever massacre them?"

When Liu Bei heard what Pang Tong said, he couldn't help being moved and shed tears. He looked at Huang Zhong with deep affection and said sincerely: "General Huang, the Han Dynasty is in decline, treacherous ministers are in power, and the world is in chaos. Although I am not talented, I am willing to uphold justice in the world, but my wisdom and skills are shallow and I have not achieved anything. Now the descendants of the Han Dynasty are dying, and I am heartbroken. I hope that the general will take into account that the Han Dynasty was hard-won and lend me a helping hand to work together to restore the Han Dynasty. I will treat you as a national hero." After that, Liu Bei actually cupped his hands and bowed to Huang Zhong, as if he was about to kneel down.

Huang Zhong was greatly shocked when he saw this and could no longer hold back. He hurriedly stepped forward, stretched out his hand to support Liu Bei, and said excitedly: "Uncle Liu, please get up quickly. I am so grateful for your kindness. I just heard what you and Mr. Pang said, and I suddenly woke up from my dream. Liu Biao is unkind, so why should I be loyal to him? I am willing to sincerely submit and bow down to you, and serve you like a dog." After that, Huang Zhong bowed down solemnly to the ground to express his submission.

Liu Bei was overjoyed and hurriedly helped Huang Zhong up, saying: "It is a great honor for me and the Han Dynasty to have your help, General!" Seeing this, everyone in the tent showed joy on their faces and came forward to congratulate him.

Pang Tong looked at Huang Zhong with a smile and asked, "General Huang has guarded Wancheng for many days and must be familiar with the situation here. Now that you have surrendered to the emperor's uncle, do you have any good plans for taking Wancheng? I hope you can provide some advice."

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong couldn't help but sigh deeply, a trace of regret flashing across his face. He slowly said, "To be honest, Yi Ji had long ago urged me to surrender with the Emperor's uncle. However, I was foolishly loyal and stubborn. I refused to listen and insisted on holding on. This is why hundreds of men have lost their lives in vain. Fortunately, I had an agreement with Yi Ji that he would open the city and surrender tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned at first, then overjoyed. Liu Bei stepped forward, gently patted Huang Zhong on the shoulder, and comforted him gently, "General Huang, don't blame yourself too much. Your loyalty is admirable. Now that you have returned from your wrong path, it is a blessing for our army. I will definitely treat the families of those who died well to comfort their souls." Zhang Fei also grinned at the side and said, "Old General, don't dwell on the past. Let's work together with Big Brother from now on, and we will surely achieve great things!"

The next morning, sunlight streamed across the land as Liu Bei led his vast army to Wancheng. From afar, he saw the city gates wide open. Yi Ji, dressed in plain clothes and holding a seal, waited respectfully before the gates to offer his surrender. Seeing this, Liu Bei urged his horse forward and approached Yi Ji.

Liu Bei and Yi Ji were old acquaintances, and seeing Yi Ji like this filled him with emotion. He dismounted, quickly walked over to Yi Ji's side, took his hand, and spoke soothingly, "Ji Bo, it's been years since we last met. I never expected to meet you here today. Let's not dwell on the past. You saved the lives of the people of Wancheng, and I am deeply grateful. From now on, we will work together to restore the Han Dynasty."

Yi Ji hurriedly bowed and said, "The emperor's uncle's reputation for benevolence and righteousness is known throughout the world. I am willing to follow him and serve him wholeheartedly. The people of Wancheng are truly fortunate to have the emperor's uncle's protection."

Liu Bei smiled and nodded, then led his army slowly into Wancheng.

Most of the city's inhabitants, however, looked at Liu Bei and his companions with apathy and numbness, their eyes devoid of any enthusiasm or anticipation. Seeing this, Liu Bei's heart sank. He turned to Pang Tong and whispered, "These people have suffered immensely from years of war. We must do our utmost to protect the people and ensure their safety, so that they can live in peace."

At this moment, a woman in the crowd suddenly became agitated. She bent down, picked up dirt and other debris, and threw them at Liu Bei's ceremonial procession. This sudden action startled the soldiers, who immediately drew their swords and were about to attack the woman. Liu Bei quickly raised his hand to stop her, saying calmly, "We have been besieging the city for many days, and it is inevitable that the people will harbor some hatred. Do not act rashly."

Afterward, Liu Bei quietly whispered to Pang Tong, "Who defended Wancheng in the past, and why do the people hate us so much?" Pang Tong pondered for a moment and replied, "Back then, it was Zhang Xiu and his nephew who defended Wancheng. They governed well and got along well with the people." Upon hearing this, Liu Bei sighed deeply and said, "Alas, if my junior brother Ma Chao had been more dedicated to supporting the Han Dynasty, the country wouldn't have fallen into this state. Back then, the Ma family was a loyal and valiant family, and Ma Chao was incredibly brave. If he had joined me in restoring the Han Dynasty, perhaps the chaos would have been quelled by now, and the people wouldn't have suffered so much." Pang Tong nodded slightly in agreement. Both of them understood that the current situation was complex, and that the long and arduous road ahead lay ahead in their quest to restore the Han Dynasty. Appeasing the people of Wancheng and earning their trust and support was a crucial step.