Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At the end of the first month of the lunar calendar, remnants of snow still clung to the crenellations of Xuchang's city walls. A cold wind whipped up dust as it swept across the city. Yu Jin, wrapped tightly in his armor, gazed at the Xiliang army's camp outside the city, his brow furrowed. Zhang Liao's army had been besieging the city for months. Arrow marks covered the walls, the armor of the defenders gleamed from wear, and every soldier's eyes betrayed their weariness. They were struggling to hold on with their meager forces, while news of reinforcements seemed to have vanished without a trace. Only today had Cao Cao's reply finally arrived.

Unfolding the letter, Yu Jin's gaze swept over the lines, his expression gradually darkening. The letter clearly stated: Xuchang was isolated outside Yingchuan, its connection with Cao Cao's main force had been severed by the Xiliang army, Ma Chao's power was at its peak, and Cao Cao was currently focused on attacking Runan, unable to attend to the north. Therefore, he was ordered to temporarily avoid the enemy's advance, abandon Xuchang, withdraw from Yingchuan, and lead his army south to join forces with the main force to conquer Runan together.

"Abandon Xuchang..." Yu Jin repeated in a low voice, his knuckles turning white from gripping the city so tightly. He had defended this city for months; the blood of his brothers could soak half the city wall. Now, he had to hand it over to someone else. He couldn't bear the thought. But he knew Cao Cao's intentions. Rather than being trapped in a lonely city and annihilated, it was better to preserve strength, concentrate forces to take Runan first, and stabilize the southern front.

"Pass down the order to prepare for a retreat." Yu Jin took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and glanced at the adjutant beside him. "Order the archers to guard the four gates, and the infantry to organize the supplies. Tonight at midnight, we will break out from the south gate, head south along the Ru River, and reunite with our lord."

Although the generals were reluctant to part with him, they all respected Yu Jin's decision and accepted the order in unison.

As night fell, a quiet movement began to unfold within Xuchang City. Yu Jin did not choose to flee in panic, but instead laid a trap: the city walls remained brightly lit, and the guards stood in neat rows of armor on the crenellations, as if they were still holding out; in secret, he personally led the main force under cover of darkness, moving swiftly and silently along a route he had already scouted, breaking out to the south.

When Zhang Liao received the report in the camp, he raised an eyebrow slightly. He looked at the lights in the direction of Xuchang, then at the map of Yu Jin's retreat route presented by the scout, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "Yu Wenze is a wise man." He did not order a pursuit. Yu Jin had laid out layers of cover during his retreat, and the pursuers might not gain any advantage, but might even suffer losses. It was better to let him go and concentrate on taking over Xuchang.

The next morning, when the Xiliang army entered Xudu, the city was empty of guards, with only a few empty flags fluttering in the wind. Yu Jin's army had already disappeared on the road south, as if it were just a change of guard.

Cao Cao's move, seemingly a loss of Xuchang, actually concealed a hidden strategy. When news reached the front lines in Runan, Cao Cao learned that Yu Jin had successfully withdrawn his troops. He immediately adjusted his deployment and concentrated his forces to launch a fierce attack on Runan County.

The winds of Yingchuan County carried the scent of war across the fields. As Cao Cao had predicted, after Zhang Liao took control of Xuchang, he immediately led his army south, aiming his sword at Yingchuan. When the news reached Nanyang, Guan Yu was preparing his troops. Upon hearing of the urgency of Yingchuan, his brow furrowed—if Yingchuan fell, Nanyang's gateway would be exposed, and he had no choice but to send troops to its aid.

"Pass down the order: personally lead three thousand elite cavalry to Yingchuan immediately!" Guan Yu mounted his horse, his Green Dragon Crescent Blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight. "The remaining troops will be commanded by Guan Ping, stationed in Nanyang, and guarded against any disturbances in Runan." He knew this was Cao Cao's diversionary tactic, but he had no choice but to accept it. The safety of Yingchuan was crucial to the entire Nanyang defense line, and there was no room for hesitation.

Meanwhile, the battle situation in Runan Commandery was undergoing a dramatic change due to Yu Jin's return. Yu Jin, leading troops withdrawn from Xuchang, joined forces with Cao Cao's main army, forming a pincer attack on Runan. The previously stalemate instantly tilted, leaving the defending troops attacked from both sides, and their formation began to crumble.

Cao Cao stood atop the high slope, watching Yu Jin's army join forces with his own, a cold smile playing on his lips. He had calculated that Guan Yu would be distracted by Yingchuan, and that Yu Jin's withdrawal would create an encirclement. These moves were intricately linked, firmly grasping the initiative on the battlefield.

In Yingchuan, Guan Yu's iron cavalry clashed with Zhang Liao's troops in the open fields, the clash of swords echoing through the sky; in Runan, Yu Jin's composure and Cao Cao's aggressive advance complemented each other, their offensives relentless. These two battlefields, echoing each other, further complicated the already chaotic political landscape. And all of this began with the decisive move to "withdraw from Xuchang," a seemingly yielding action that, in reality, skillfully paved the way for a more advantageous battlefield.

The city walls of Runan County were already mottled from the flames of war. Liu Feng leaned on the cold crenellations, gazing at the endless camps of Cao Cao's army outside the city, his knuckles turning white from the exertion. He had been guarding this place for half a year, from autumn to winter, and even past the first month of the lunar calendar. The soldiers on the city walls had changed batch after batch, and the quivers had been emptied and refilled, but the shadow of reinforcements had never appeared on the horizon.

“Young Master, if this continues, the brothers won’t be able to hold on much longer.” Deputy General Fu Shiren leaned closer, his voice low and filled with resentment. “We only have enough rations for less than ten days, and the wounded are lying all over half the city. Do you think… is it because our lord has a child of his own, and Second Master… no longer wants to care about us?”

These words were like a needle, piercing Liu Feng's heart. He turned around abruptly, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes, but he did not rebuke Fu Shiren, because these words had precisely touched the deepest scar hidden in his heart.

Guan Yu looked down on him, from the very beginning. When his adoptive father Liu Bei wanted to take him in as a son, he initially intended to make him an adopted son, but it was only after Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu strongly persuaded him that it was changed to "adopted son." At that moment, he understood that in Guan Yu's eyes, he was ultimately an outsider, unworthy to inherit Liu Bei's legacy.

But he had no choice. Years ago, his adoptive father was recruiting talent in Jingzhou and took a liking to his bravery, wanting to take him in as his son. If he refused, how could an unknown and faceless military general establish himself in Jingzhou? He could only accept this "favor" and this heavy embarrassment.

Before entering Sichuan, Liu Bei entrusted him with the newly acquired Runan Commandery, patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Feng'er, this is the northern gate of Jingzhou. If you can defend it, you will have accomplished a great feat." At that moment, his blood boiled, and he vowed to defend this land for his adoptive father. But he did not expect that the one coming against him was Cao Cao, the ruthless warlord who held the emperor hostage to command the princes, accompanied by veteran generals like Cao Ren, Yue Jin, and Li Dian, as well as the fierce Xu Chu, who would often lead his personal guards to challenge the enemy outside the city, his roars shaking the snow off the city bricks.

For the past six months, he had relied on sheer tenacity to repel Cao Cao's attacks time and again with rolling logs and stones. He even raided Xu Chu's camp under cover of night, inflicting a minor loss on Cao Cao's army. But he knew in his heart that this was just a show of strength. Cao Cao's forces outnumbered his by three times, and his supplies were plentiful. Meanwhile, he was on the verge of despair.

He had placed his hopes on Guan Yu. Upon hearing that his second uncle had led his army to Nanyang County, he wrote three letters overnight pleading for help, clearly explaining his situation and even promising to relinquish command once reinforcements arrived. However, there was no movement from Nanyang until a few days ago when a scout reported that Guan Yu had led his army to Yingchuan and was currently confronting Zhang Liao's Xiliang army.

"Yingchuan..." Liu Feng repeated the place name in a low voice, a chill rising from the soles of his feet. The battle at Yingchuan was at a stalemate, and Guan Yu probably wouldn't be able to spare any more troops to rescue Runan.

He gazed at the smoke rising from Cao Cao's army camp outside the city, then looked down at the wounded soldiers huddled at the foot of the city. The weariness and despair on their faces were like a mirror, reflecting his own predicament. He had fought with all his might to defend his adoptive father's land, but in the end, he felt as if he had been forgotten in this lonely city.

“Fu Shiren,” Liu Feng took a deep breath, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly, “take another inventory of the grain and gather up all the edible items. Also, send down the order to reinforce the defenses of the north gate; Cao Cao is likely to launch a full-scale attack on the city.”

Fu Shiren answered and left, leaving Liu Feng alone on the city wall. The wind whipped his battle robes, making them flutter loudly. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out, nor what awaited him after the city fell. He only knew that as long as he stood here, he couldn't let the land his adoptive father had entrusted to him be lost in his hands. Even if there was no one behind him.

When the last line of defense in Runan County was breached, shouts of battle surged into the city like a tidal wave. Liu Feng stood atop the city wall, watching the armored torrent of Cao Cao's army break through the streets and alleys, his longsword gripping so tightly it was burning hot. Six months of steadfast defense had finally come to an end.

"Young master! The city has fallen! Retreat quickly!" Fu Shiren, covered in blood, rushed over and grabbed his arm.

Liu Feng suddenly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse as if tearing silk: "Withdraw? My godfather handed Runan over to me. If I can't defend it, how can I face going back?" He raised his hand to commit suicide with his sword, but in the instant the cold light flashed, Fu Shiren pounced on him and grabbed his wrist tightly.

"Young master, you're foolish!" Fu Shiren's roar drowned out the fighting outside the city. "As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood! Cao Cao's combined forces with Yu Jin's are several times stronger than ours. No one could have held out against this! This isn't your fault!"

Liu Feng struggled, tears mingling with the blood on his face as they rolled down his cheeks: "But I..."

"But what?" Fu Shiren forcefully pulled him down from the city wall. "We retreat to Xiangyang, but our lord is still waging war in Xichuan. That's exactly when he needs men! We're not fleeing in fear, we're just exhausted and have lost our position. When we get to our lord, we'll have our say! You're still young. If you die here, it would be a real disservice to our lord's trust!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing Liu Feng's resolve to die. He gazed at the soldiers fleeing below the city walls, at his brothers who had fought alongside him for half a year; the will to survive in their eyes pierced his heart. Yes, it would be easy for him to die, but what about these men?

"Go!" Liu Feng abruptly sheathed his sword, grabbed Fu Shiren's arm, and said, "Lead the brothers to break through the west gate and head towards Nanyang to join Second Uncle!"

A hint of relief flashed in Fu Shiren's eyes. He immediately turned and called to his guards, "Protect the young master! Break through at Ximen!"

The group charged through the chaotic army, Liu Feng's longsword flashing like lightning, carving a bloody path through the chaos. Behind them, the city was gradually engulfed by Cao Cao's forces, flames soaring into the sky, illuminating half the heavens. He glanced back at the ruined city, his heart filled with mixed emotions; it had ultimately been lost.

Heading west, the shouts of the pursuing soldiers gradually faded into the distance. Liu Feng reined in his horse, gazing at the few hundred remaining soldiers beside him, each wounded and their armor tattered, yet still clinging tightly to him. Fu Shiren, panting heavily, patted his shoulder: "Young Master, we... survived."

Liu Feng nodded, his throat tightening, unable to speak. He had survived, but which way should he go? Back to Nanyang to see Guan Yu? His second uncle had always disliked him; now that he had suffered defeat, how would he treat him?

The wind whipped up dust, blinding him. Liu Feng raised a hand to wipe his face, suppressing the chaotic thoughts, and turned his horse around: "Let's go, to Nanyang."

No matter what lies ahead, he has to keep going. At least, he's still alive and has a chance to prove to his adoptive father that he's not a coward.