Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Nearly a year had passed since the imperial court publicly issued an edict, confidently declaring that the former emperor Liu Bian had been brutally murdered by Lu Zhi and that a new emperor had been appointed. However, unexpectedly, news of Emperor Liu Bian's return came again. At the same time, many princes gathered in Suanzao Land to hold an alliance.

The first town was Yuan Shu, the rear general and prefect of Nanyang, whose reputation was very great;

The second commander was Han Fu, the governor of Jizhou, who was very imposing.

The third town, Yuzhou Governor Kong Ju, is awe-inspiring;

The fourth town, Yanzhou Governor Liu Dai, is watching with eager eyes;

The fifth town, Wang Kuang, the governor of Henei County, was a man of great brilliance and splendor;

The sixth town, Zhang Miao, the prefect of Chenliu, was a man of great bearing;

The seventh town, the governor of Dongjun, Qiao Mao, was a powerful figure;

The eighth town, Shanyang prefect Yuan Yi, is full of vigor and ambition;

The ninth town, Jibei Xiang Bao Xin, is unstoppable;

The tenth town, Kong Rong, the governor of Beihai, was a man of great elegance;

In the eleventh session, Zhang Chao, the governor of Guangling, was a man of valiant character;

The twelfth town, Xuzhou Governor Tao Qian, is still strong despite his old age;

The thirteenth town, General Fenwu Cao Cao, a man of great talent and strategy;

The fourteenth town, the governor of Beiping, Gongsun Zan, is a domineering figure;

The fifteenth town, Zhang Yang, the prefect of Shangdang, was awe-inspiring;

The sixteenth town, Wucheng Hou Changsha prefect Sun Jian, is a man of unrivalled bravery;

The seventeenth town, Yuan Shao, Marquis of Qixiang and Governor of Bohai, was feared by all.

This huge force of seventeen towns, all the princes were ready to fight, gathering their troops and advancing towards Luoyang like a tide. Their determination to fight against Dong Zhuo was as firm as steel.

This shocking news not only made Dong Zhuo panic-stricken and confused, but also made the entire situation in the world like a lake into which a huge rock was thrown, causing huge waves and plunging into great turmoil, shocking people all over the world and focusing all attention on it.

At this critical moment, Sun Jian had already led Sun Ce, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Zu Mao, Han Dang and other brave generals, and marched towards Sishui Pass rapidly like a tiger emerging from the mountains.

Since Sun Ce's return from Luoyang, he has been constantly honing his skills in battle alongside Sun Jian. Coupled with his previous battle with Ma Chao and the weapons Ma Chao had crafted specifically for him, these factors have only further strengthened his abilities. Now, Sun Ce has become the undisputed foremost expert in Sun Jian's army, earning the admiration of not only the veterans but also the deep trust of the soldiers themselves.

Arriving at Sishui Pass, Sun Jian and his men had just set up camp when the impatient Sun Ce eagerly sought permission from his father, urging him to lead the charge and launch a counterattack. Sun Jian, unwavering in his belief in Sun Ce's abilities, saw no reason not to allow him. At this moment, Sun Ce, commanding his four generals, Cheng Pu, Han Dang, Zu Mao, and Huang Gai, charged fiercely at Sishui Pass. The defenders, completely unaware of Sun Ce's strength, hurriedly led their troops out of the city to confront him.

Sun Ce was just worried about where to display his skills, but when he saw the enemy coming out, he immediately rushed forward like a tiger out of a cage to fight. The lieutenant general rushed towards him with his spear in hand. Sun Ce was not afraid at all. He flashed his body and wielded his spear like a dragon out of the sea, and in an instant he was engaged in battle with the lieutenant general. The sound of spears and halberds clashing was endless. In just a few breaths, just three or five rounds, Sun Ce found a flaw, shook his spear violently, and thrust it out like lightning. Before the lieutenant general could react, he was hit by Sun Ce's spear. He screamed and fell straight off his horse, killed on the spot, ending the battle cleanly and decisively.

Another lieutenant, seeing his compatriots dead, was instantly enraged, his eyes filled with grief and indignation. He brandished his gleaming sword and charged out of the battle formation like a whirlwind. Seeing this, Sun Ce's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he fearlessly thrust his spear forward to meet the attack. The lieutenant's sword slashed down with the force of thunder, accompanied by a whirring sound. Sun Ce dodged the blow with a deft movement, then swung his spear, stabbing the lieutenant like a snake. The lieutenant quickly drew his sword back to block, and with a loud clang, sparks flew everywhere.

Then, Sun Ce unleashed his masterful spearmanship, his spear tip dancing like twinkling stars, shadows etched everywhere, each strike imbued with immense force and precise angles. The lieutenant, overwhelmed by Sun Ce's onslaught, was left flustered and desperately struggling to hold his own with his sword. The two men tumbled and clashed fiercely across the battlefield, the battle intensifying. But after only seven or eight rounds, the lieutenant's stamina began to wane, and his movements gradually slowed.

After ten rounds, Sun Ce seized a tiny flaw in the general and thrust his spear with lightning speed. The tip of the spear instantly pierced the general's armor and sank deep into his body. The general's eyes widened, an expression of disbelief on his face, and then he slowly fell to the ground.

Instantly, the defending commander witnessed all this, his heart awash with panic, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Knowing Sun Ce's formidable strength, he dared not even think of fighting again. With a pale face, he turned his horse back and headed back inside the pass. Sun Ce would not let such a golden opportunity slip away. He raised his spear high and let out a thunderous roar, like a dragon's roar reaching the heavens, a resounding roar. Seeing this, the army behind him surged forward like a surging tide.

The defending general's troops were completely unable to withstand this ferocious onslaught, being slaughtered and falling to pieces, their cries of pain echoing. The soldiers abandoned their armor and weapons, their bodies scattered in pieces, their blood flowing on the ground, staining the earth red. In a matter of moments, most of them were killed or wounded, leaving only a few remaining soldiers desperately covering the defending general's desperate escape into Guanzhong.

Sun Ce returned victorious, atop his warhorse, majestic and imposing, like a descending god of war. The soldiers behind him cheered, their morale high. But the commander guarding the pass was terrified, his body trembling uncontrollably. He knew he was no match for Sun Ce, and the situation was completely beyond his control. With no other choice, he trembled and sent a distress signal to Luoyang, praying for reinforcements to arrive quickly and resolve the crisis at Sishui Pass.

In a flash, emergency documents from Sishui Pass were sent to Luoyang as fast as snowflakes, as if announcing that a shocking war was about to begin.

When Dong Zhuo heard that the princes of the seventeen towns were coming to attack him and received an emergency document from Sishui Pass, his face suddenly became as gloomy as water and he hurriedly summoned his civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.

The atmosphere in the court was solemn and tense, and everyone was apprehensive. Dong Zhuo sat on his high seat with a gloomy face, his eyes, seemingly capable of spitting fire, surveying the courtiers below. At this moment, Lü Bu straightened his body, a belligerent glint in his eyes. He bowed respectfully to Dong Zhuo and said, "Prime Minister Dong, I am willing to lead my army to Sishui Pass and will utterly annihilate the allied forces!" Dong Zhuo frowned slightly at Lü Bu's words. Although he admired Lü Bu's bravery, due to Ma Chao's presence, he was far less fond of Lü Bu than of Ma Chao. At this moment, Dong Zhuo simply said calmly, "Don't worry, my lord."

At that moment, Hua Xiong strode forward, a look of disdain on his face. He bowed and said, "My lord, why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? Why should General Lu be dispatched to deal with the allied forces of the princes? I am willing to march to Sishui Pass and defeat the enemy for you!" Dong Zhuo observed Hua Xiong's confident expression, pondered for a moment, and nodded. "Okay! Hua Xiong, I command you to lead your army to Sishui Pass and stop the allied forces." Hua Xiong obeyed, his eyes filled with excitement and greed, as if he could already see himself slaughtering his enemies on the battlefield. Lü Bu, on the other hand, stood aside, somewhat resentful. Although he felt resentful, he could only endure it for the time being. After all, he dared not easily disobey Dong Zhuo's decisions. He always held Dong Zhuo in awe and loyalty, and held no resentment towards him.

Dong Zhuo had a clear vision of the current situation. He knew Lü Bu's abilities were exceptional within the Western Liang army, and he held his admiration high. The breathtaking battle between Lü Bu and Ma Chao was still fresh in everyone's memory. The intense battle and Lü Bu's unparalleled bravery captivated everyone. Dong Zhuo decided to assign Hua Xiong to withstand the initial attack at Sishui Pass. He then deployed his second plan: to have Lü Bu lead his Bingzhou Wolf Riders to Hulao Pass as a second, solid line of defense. He believed that with Lü Bu's formidable might and his elite Bingzhou Wolf Riders, he could inflict a crushing defeat on the allied forces, forcing them to recognize his power and deter them from tackling him. Lü Bu, though regretful that he could not immediately join the battle, could only obey Dong Zhuo's instructions, secretly gathering strength and awaiting his moment of battle. He knew that he would finally have his chance to demonstrate his prowess. He wanted everyone to witness his invincibility and hold this crucial line of defense for Prime Minister Dong. In this tense atmosphere, everyone waited, anticipating the direction and outcome of this battle.