Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Li Ru solemnly advised Dong Zhuo, "My lord, the situation is now quite precarious. The warlords from Guandong are advancing with great force. In my opinion, we should dispatch Li Jue, Guo Si, and other generals to take over the defense of Hulao Pass. Hulao Pass is a strategic location and must not be lost. Send Lü Bu to Sishui Pass to engage the warlords outside the pass. He is incredibly brave and will surely deal a heavy blow to the warlords from Guandong. At all costs, we must not allow these warlords from Guandong to breach Hulao Pass. If Hulao Pass falls, Luoyang will be in dire straits."

Li Ru's eyes sparkled as he continued his analysis, "My lord, although Li Jue, Guo Si, and the others may not possess the courage of Lü Bu, they are veterans of battle and are extremely familiar with the Xiliang army. Having them guard Hulao Pass will allow us to leverage the terrain to stabilize the defenses. Lü Bu's ferocity will allow him to fully utilize his military superiority at Sishui Pass and strike at the Guandong vassal camps. Hulao Pass is the site of the decisive battle, and we must devote all our efforts and be fully prepared. If Sishui Pass proves difficult to hold, there's no need to force it. We can simply hold the enemy back and focus the decisive battle at Hulao Pass. Using the terrain and our superior numbers, we can deliver a fatal blow to the Guandong vassal."

At this point, the Xiliang generals whose names were called, such as Li Jue and Guo Si, were all eager to take action. After a moment's deliberation, Dong Zhuo finally decided, "Let's follow Li Ru's advice. Let Li Jue, Guo Si, and the others go to Hulao Pass to relieve Lü Bu. Lü Bu will then rush to support Sishui Pass."

Li Ru went on to say, "My lord is wise. At Hulao Pass, we can deploy more powerful bows, crossbows, catapults and other equipment to enhance our defense. At the same time, we must ensure an adequate supply of food and supplies so that the soldiers have no worries. In addition, we can send spies deep into the armies of the princes in Guandong to disrupt their deployment and collect intelligence so that we can make timely responses. As long as we plan carefully and work together, we will be able to defend Hulao Pass and repel the princes in Guandong." Dong Zhuo nodded slightly, indicating that he agreed with Li Ru's suggestion.

Soon, Li Jue and Guo Si led a massive army to Hulao Pass. Entering the pass with arrogance, they addressed Lü Bu bluntly, "In compliance with Grand Tutor Dong's orders, from today on, Hulao Pass will be under our control. Lü Bu, lead your troops to reinforce Sishui Pass!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Bu was furious and his face was full of resentment. He wanted to step forward and argue with everyone: "I, Lu Bu, have been holding here for a long time without making any mistakes. Why do you want to replace me now?" He widened his eyes, his eyes full of unwillingness and anger.

Just as Lü Bu was about to argue, Zhang Liao, standing by, quickly restrained him and, lowering his voice, advised, "General, this is not a good time to act rashly. The Prime Minister's order has already been issued and cannot be reversed. Don't let a momentary anger lead to a major event."

Gao Shun also stepped forward, clasped his fists and said, "General, please be patient for a while and we will make a long-term plan."

When they faced Lü Bu, they couldn't help but feel jealous. While they knew Lü Bu's martial prowess was unrivaled and his troops were formidable, they saw him as a recent recruit, not to be compared with Dong Zhuo's veterans. Their lips curled slightly in a sneer of disdain, their words filled with contempt and mockery for Lü Bu.

Under their pressure, Lü Bu's face sullen, though resentful, he could only reluctantly lead the Bingzhou army to Sishui Pass for support. His tall figure receded into the distance, while those behind him, including Li Jue and Guo Si, erupted in triumphant laughter, their laughter filled with pride and arrogance, as if to declare to the world that they were the true core strength of Dong Zhuo's army, and that Lü Bu was merely a figure to be manipulated. However, they never anticipated that their narrow-mindedness and arrogance would later lead to a series of unintended consequences.

When the heroes in Guandong learned that Sun Jian had defeated Dong Zhuo's army twice at Sishui Pass, and saw that Sishui Pass was on the verge of collapse, these heroes could no longer hold back and hurried to Hulao Pass and Sishui Pass, fearing that Sun Jian would be the first to achieve great merit and break through Sishui Pass.

Meanwhile, Sun Jian and his son, Sun Ce, were also discussing how to capture Sishui Pass. Sun Ce, with a determined look in his eyes, said, "Father, I've frightened Hua Xiong and the other defenders out of their wits. They won't dare pursue us anytime soon. We can send a small force to quietly bypass Sishui Pass, pretending to be Dong Zhuo's reinforcements. Then, once they enter, we can join forces from within and seize the opportunity to seize Sishui Pass." Sun Jian stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, "This plan is feasible, but we must ensure the operation is covert and hidden from the enemy. We need to carefully select soldiers who are clever and skilled in disguise to carry out this mission." Sun Ce nodded and replied, "I understand. I'll make arrangements and see to it that this is done perfectly." With that, father and son began to prepare this plan, striving to successfully capture Sishui Pass and achieve a crucial victory.

Sun Ce led a carefully selected group of elite soldiers. To ensure the secrecy of their operation, they set out in the deepest darkness of the night. Each of them wore armor captured from the enemy, their faces smeared with dust, trying to make their features difficult to recognize in the dim light.

Sun Ce led the charge, having carefully studied the Xiliang army's marching pace and posture, and now he was deliberately imitating them, walking at the front of the team. The soldiers in the team also held their breath, maintaining a high level of vigilance and discipline.

When approaching Sishui Pass, the soldiers guarding the pass shouted, "Who are you coming?" Sun Ce was not hurried and responded with a slight Xiliang accent, "We are the reinforcements sent by the Prime Minister!" The guard was skeptical, and Sun Ce hurriedly handed over a document he had forged in advance. The seal and handwriting on the document were blurred in the hazy moonlight, and the guard could not tell the authenticity for a while.

Sun Ce added, "The battle situation at the front is tense. The Prime Minister has received General Hua Xiong's letter asking for help. He has specially ordered us to come to support. Open the gates quickly!" The defending general was still a little hesitant, but when he saw that Sun Ce and the others looked anxious, and their clothing and weapons were no different from those of the Western Liang army, he finally ordered the city gates to be opened.

As soon as Sun Ce and others entered the pass, they quickly dispersed and hid according to the predetermined plan, quietly waiting for the opportunity.

Before the operation, Sun Ce and Sun Jian had secretly agreed to light a fire at midnight as a signal for a surprise attack. Sun Jian engaged the enemy at the pass, constantly keeping an eye on the clock.

As night fell and all was quiet, at the appointed time of midnight, Sun Jian, as planned, quietly lit a blazing fire on a distant hilltop. The flames were particularly dazzling in the darkness, instantly piercing the stillness of the night sky.

When Sun Ce, who was hiding inside the pass, saw the signal, he immediately drew his sword and shouted, "Brothers, it's time to kill the enemy!" The soldiers rushed out from the darkness in an instant, like gods descending from the sky, and killed the unprepared enemy.

Like wild horses unbridled, the soldiers surged out of the darkness. Sun Ce led the charge, spear in hand, its tip gleaming coldly in the moonlight. His eyes blazed with determination and murderous intent. Each charge was accompanied by a roar, a force that seemed to shatter the enemy's nerves in an instant.

The soldiers behind him were also brave and fearless. They brandished their weapons and engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy. For a moment, the inside of the pass was filled with the sound of killing and the flashing of swords. The enemy was panicked by this sudden attack and responded hastily.

Hua Xiong, hearing the commotion outside from his tent, rushed into battle, wounded. He had hoped to rely on his reputation to stabilize the situation, but upon catching sight of Sun Ce, the formidable warrior at the head of the battle, his heart sank. He had been wounded from his previous battle with Sun Ce, and now, facing Sun Ce's overwhelming power, he felt unprecedented pressure.

Hua Xiong, wounded, had barely mounted his horse when he was confronted by Sun Ce, who charged at him like a tiger. Sun Ce, eyes wide open, held his spear, the tip flashing with a cold gleam, as he charged at Hua Xiong. Hua Xiong took a deep breath and swung his broadsword to meet him.

With a clang, the spear and sword clashed, sparks flying. Hua Xiong felt a sudden tingling sensation in his arm, and a sharp pain shot through his wound. But Sun Ce showed no sign of retreating, and stabbed him again with another fierce spear. Hua Xiong barely dodged it by leaning sideways, but was startled and broke into a cold sweat.

Sun Ce then unleashed a powerful blow, sweeping across the enemy lines. Hua Xiong fought back with all his might, but his injuries slowed his movements, and the blow sent his blood surging.

Hua Xiong knew he was no match for Sun Ce, and now, gravely wounded, he would surely die if he continued fighting. He secretly groaned, seized an opening, yanked the reins, and fled.

Sun Ce saw Hua Xiong fleeing, but he didn't pursue him. He had already given Hua Xiong some leniency during the previous battle, considering him a skilled general. Now that the outcome was decided, he had no time to bother with Hua Xiong. Instead, he continued to command his men to fight and capture Sishui Pass as quickly as possible.

Sun Ce, on this side, was unstoppable and quickly reached the gate. With a loud shout, he personally cut down the enemy guarding the gate and pushed open the heavy gate with force, sending a signal of victory to Sun Jian's army outside.

Seeing the gates wide open, Sun Jian immediately led his army in like a tide. Hua Xiong, realizing his defeat was inevitable and powerless, fled hastily with his guards.