Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After being ambushed by the allied forces, Dong Zhuo's army and Lü Bu's Bingzhou troops were decimated and left to flee, their armor and armor abandoned. Terrified and distraught, their generals fled in panic, fleeing back to Hulao Pass like stray dogs. The allied forces, led by Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and others, were brimming with morale, determined to storm into Hulao Pass and pursue their victory, denying the enemy even a moment to breathe. However, they encountered Gao Shun's trap camp at Hulao Pass. The trap camp, like an iron fortress, held its ground, refusing to retreat. Combined with the torrential downpour of arrows from the Pass, the defenders fought tooth and nail, preventing the allied forces from breaching this fortified defense.

Yuan Shao also made a huge investment, urgently deploying General Ju Yi's Xiandeng Camp. It should be noted that both the Xiandeng Camp and the Xianzhen Camp were the well-intentioned creations of Gao Shun and Ju Yi. Although neither of them was outstanding in strategy or bravery, they were both extremely skilled in training troops.

As the warriors of the Xiandeng Camp surged forward like a tide, carrying powerful crossbows and clutching massive shields, their steps were steady and resolute. The warriors in the front row quickly raised their shields, forming an impenetrable shield wall. The warriors behind, shielded by the shield wall, drew their bows and arrows, unleashing a dense hail of arrows like locusts at the Xiandeng Camp. Undeterred, the Xiandeng Camp swiftly shifted formations. The warriors in the front row formed a tight line, their spears raised like a forest, forming an impenetrable spear formation that easily deflected the incoming arrows. Then, as the Xiandeng Camp drew closer, the Xiandeng Camp launched a fierce counterattack. With cries of war, they pounced on the enemy like tigers, their spears brandishing with unstoppable force. In an instant, a fierce close-quarters battle ensued with the Xiandeng Camp.

The Xianzhen Camp was truly an elite division, adept at both defense and offense, possessing exceptional combat prowess. On defense, their tight formation was like a rock, impervious to any attack from the Xiandeng Camp. On the offensive, they moved swiftly and decisively, each attack imbued with fierce momentum, placing immense pressure on the Xiandeng Camp soldiers. The clashes were brutal, blood and flesh flying across the battlefield, and the cries of killing and the clashing of metal resounded through the air. Every soldier fought tooth and nail for their faction. Yet, even amidst such brutal and intense fighting, the Xianzhen Camp remained unwavering, showing no sign of retreat. Despite the seemingly dire situation, they stubbornly defended Hulao Pass, using their own flesh and blood to build an impenetrable defense, allowing the defeated Xiliang army to escape back to Guanzhong. The desperate rain of arrows continued to fall like a torrential rain, stopping the coalition forces outside Hulao Pass again and again, preventing them from advancing bravely.

Yuan Shao watched helplessly as the Xiandeng Camp suffered heavy casualties in a brutal clash with the Xianzhen Camp. Atop the high towers, formidable generals like Lü Bu and Zhang Liao had ascended, further strengthening the fortified walls. The hail of arrows, like swarms of locusts, now grew denser, pouring down like a torrential downpour. While the soldiers of the Xiandeng Camp were fearless and each fought bravely, training them was incredibly difficult. Yuan Shao had poured immense effort and energy into the camp, and he truly hated to see it destroyed. Seeing the hopelessness of capturing Hulao Pass was lost, Yuan Shao, overcome with frustration and unwilling to see the vanguard camp utterly decimated, reluctantly ordered the retreat. At Hulao Pass, the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, but each face was etched with worry as they pondered how to inform Prime Minister Dong of the battle's progress and how to request reinforcements. There is no doubt that their failure this time will make Prime Minister Dong furious again. No one knows what kind of waves will be set off at that time. Everyone's heart is filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

As the fierce battle concluded, deep antagonism between Li Jue, Guo Si, and other generals and Lü Bu's Bingzhou army, after this defeat, resurfaced. Dong Zhuo's trusted generals, like Li Jue and Guo Si, revealed their narrow-mindedness, attempting to shift the blame for the defeat solely onto Lü Bu. This, they believed, was the only way to mitigate their own guilt and gain an explanation before Dong Zhuo.

However, Lü Bu expressed utter disdain for their actions, disdaining to argue. Standing tall, his expression stern and resolute, Lü Bu explained the true reasons and facts of his defeat without servility or arrogance. He left the final judgment to Dong Zhuo. He knew Dong Zhuo's character well and believed he would make a relatively impartial judgment, not be easily swayed by the groundless accusations of Li Jue, Guo Si, and others. Lü Bu held his own pride and confidence.

Regardless of whether they actually captured Hulao Pass, the allied forces had at least decimated a significant portion of Dong Zhuo's forces, dealing a heavy blow to his vital forces. On the occasion of this resounding victory, numerous princes gathered in celebration, showering Yuan Shao with praise and flattery. This euphoria made Yuan Shao somewhat forgetful. Gongsun Zan, meanwhile, had suffered heavy losses in the fierce battle with the Bingzhou army. This in turn significantly elevated Yuan Shao's status, while the emperor's predicament became increasingly precarious. Furthermore, Gongsun Zan's heavy losses had once again cleverly neutralized his influence. During these days and under these circumstances, the allied forces continued their fierce assault on Hulao Pass. However, as the world's most formidable pass, it proved difficult to capture it in a short period of time through brute force alone unless it was weakened from within. Because of this, Hulao Pass was guarded by Dong Zhuo's subordinates and no longer dared to go out to fight easily. The coalition forces were blocked here and could not make any progress. They sent troops to attack the pass every day, but ultimately returned empty-handed.

Over half a year had passed since Emperor Liu Bian issued his edict, calling on the princes to assemble and join forces to defeat Dong Zhuo. Although Dong Zhuo's forces had only suffered the loss of Sishui Pass, they were unable to quickly subdue Emperor Liu Bian. This, in turn, dealt a severe blow to the authority and legitimacy of Emperor Liu Xie, who was controlled by Dong Zhuo.

During this long six months, the governors and prefects of various provinces no longer obeyed the orders from Luoyang with the same obedience as before. Instead, they became perfunctory and casual, treating them with a wait-and-see attitude. Under these circumstances, whenever Dong Zhuo was in court, he could not effectively control his temper, and his behavior became increasingly erratic and unruly.

However, all kinds of different thoughts had already emerged in the minds of the ministers. After all, the news of Emperor Liu Bian had spread in the world again, and there was a coalition force outside that was aggressively attacking Dong Zhuo. Therefore, the prestige of Dong Zhuo in the eyes of many officials was no longer as unattainable as before, and his prestige had obviously been greatly disturbed and weakened.

One day, Dong Zhuo was in the imperial court, furious with the official in charge of procuring grain and fodder due to the delays in the transportation of grain and fodder, as well as the excessive consumption and delays in transportation. Unexpectedly, the official couldn't help but object, even questioning Dong Zhuo's mere military prowess and his lack of understanding of domestic affairs. In the past, these officials would never have dared to do so, but the warlords' attacks on Dong Zhuo had damaged his prestige, and Dong Zhuo's inability to quickly eliminate the warlords further damaged his prestige.

Just as Dong Zhuo was about to explode in anger, urgent news arrived: a defeat at Hulao Pass. The army had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the coalition forces, and now suffered heavy losses. On one hand, they apologized, on the other, they begged for assistance, claiming that more troops were needed to prevent the fall of Hulao Pass. After reading the letters from Li Jue, Guo Si, and other trusted generals, as well as Lü Bu, Dong Zhuo flew into a rage, lashing out with curses: "Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Duan Wei are truly fools! If they hadn't deliberately marginalized Lü Bu's Bingzhou army, how could they have suffered such a crushing defeat? And how dare they advance so recklessly? They even wrote letters to deceive me. Do they really think I dare not kill them?" Dong Zhuo's roar echoed loudly in the court.

At that moment, the official who was collecting grain and fodder observed Dong Zhuo's fury with a hint of a sneer on his face. Though he didn't say it out loud, Dong Zhuo keenly perceived his expression. Instantly, like a furious lion, Dong Zhuo drew his sword and struck the official down. Still not satisfied, he hacked at the corpse, angrily declaring, "Even a little corrupt scholar like you dares to mock our family!" For a moment, Dong Zhuo's sudden fury and murderous act silenced the entire court.