Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At Hangu Pass, the cries of battle shook the earth, and wave after wave of assaults descended like a torrential downpour. Gao Shun and Zhang Liao led the men of the Xianzhen Camp, each with a resolute expression, blocking the path to the gates. Their bodies seemed like an impenetrable wall. For Pang De's urgent and trusting request, the two generals practically risked their lives, showing no sign of retreat.

Ma Chao spurred his horse, galloping like the wind. As he approached the pass, he saw the vanguard battalion, Zhang Liao, and Gao Shun still desperately resisting the coalition's overwhelming attack. Ma Chao's eyes widened in anger as he swung his spear from his horse, sweeping it forward like a dragon emerging from the sea, carrying unparalleled force. The soldiers blocking his path were unable to resist, and they flew left and right like kites with their strings cut. Ma Chao's momentum was unstoppable, forcing his way through the enemy.

Seeing Ma Chao approach, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun's eyes flashed with determination. They quickly moved aside, clearing the way for Ma Chao. Ma Chao, riding at top speed, and Pang De charged into Guanzhong. Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, fearing no delay, followed closely behind, retreating back inside the pass. With a resounding bang, the heavy gate closed, isolating the coalition forces and temporarily halting the enemy's advance.

Entering Guanzhong, Ma Chao looked anxious. He quickly ordered the soldiers around him to carefully help the wounded Pang De off his horse and shouted anxiously: "Quickly find a doctor to treat him!"

Ma Chao then turned around and bowed solemnly to Zhang Liao and Gao Shun, who had hurriedly retreated to Guanzhong and closed the gate behind him. Zhang Liao and Gao Shun looked at Ma Chao, who was covered in blood but still looked majestic, with admiration in their eyes.

They were deeply moved by Ma Chao's bravery and heroism. Zhang Liao quickly waved his hand and said, "General, please don't be so arrogant. Please stand up quickly."

Gao Shun also followed up with an exhortation: "General, please don't be polite. Your bravery in today's battle is truly impressive."

Ma Chao, however, maintained a serious expression, bowed formally, and said earnestly, "If it weren't for General Zhang and General Gao's desperate efforts to stop me, I would have never been able to return. I will never forget your life-saving grace."

Zhang Liao and Gao Shun also hurriedly bowed in return. Zhang Liao said loudly, "Meng Qi, please don't be so polite. Your divine power truly makes us both admire you deeply."

Gao Shun also nodded in agreement: "Exactly, exactly, the general's bravery is rarely seen in the world."

After the three of them finished speaking, they looked at each other and burst into laughter. In that laughter, there was the relief of surviving the disaster, the pride of sharing a common hatred for the enemy, and the firm determination for future battles.

On a hill far from Hangu Pass, Lü Bu, accompanied by his generals Wei Xu, Cao Xing, and others, watched with a solemn expression as this thrilling, smoke-filled, and unprecedented battle unfolded. Wang Yun, standing nearby, gazed at the battlefield, shaking his head and sighing. With a look of regret, he said, "General, today is such a prime opportunity. You should have led your elite troops like a divine descendant, striking directly at the enemy and capturing Dong Zhuo in one fell swoop. You would have achieved a truly earth-shattering feat, etched in history. But now, such a great achievement has slipped away before your very eyes. It truly brings a sigh of regret!"

The remaining generals listened to Wang Yun's words, secretly filled with disdain. They muttered to themselves, the relationship between Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo was so complex that it was impossible to just start a war. Furthermore, they knew Lü Bu well, and how could he take advantage of him at such a critical moment? However, due to Wang Yun's respected position in front of Lü Bu, the generals dared not speak out, and could only suppress their dissatisfaction.

Lü Bu's brow furrowed, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. He spoke slowly, "Don't be so hasty, Minister Wang. As a man of honor, born in these troubled times, I, Lü Bu, must act with integrity. How could I possibly take advantage of someone in need and commit such an unjust act? I didn't choose to help Prime Minister Dong resist the allied forces today, and I feel deeply guilty. Although Prime Minister Dong has committed numerous and heinous crimes, he has certainly never wronged my Bingzhou army."

Wang Yun, upon hearing Lü Bu's words, grew even more anxious and hastened to remonstrate with him, "General, you are truly foolish! Dong Zhuo is a traitor who has brought disaster upon the nation and its people. He deserves death. Eliminating such a traitor is the truest act of justice, saving the people of the world! Alas, it's too late to say anything now; they've already retreated to Hangu Pass."

Lü Bu was filled with deep sorrow and melancholy. Wang Yun had said, "Even though Dong Zhuo has committed countless evil deeds, my brothers Zhang Liao and Gao Shun are risking their lives to protect him. How could I possibly take advantage of this situation?" Zhang Liao and Gao Shun had resolutely gone to Dong Zhuo's aid without his consent, and together they retreated to Hangu Pass. This situation pained Lü Bu to the core.

Lü Bu fell into deep reflection. Reflecting on all that had happened recently, he felt completely bewildered by Diao Chan's captivating beauty. Lost in that gentle embrace, he had neglected the deep bonds he had formed with his old comrades. Images of their shared dangers, their battles, resurfaced in his mind, those years of shared hardship and suffering seemingly only yesterday. Now, due to his own negligence, an unspoken rift had grown between him and his old comrades, leaving him tormented. He resented himself for having been seduced by beauty, forgetting his vows and promises, and the trust and support he had shared with his comrades.

Seeing Lü Bu's gloomy expression, Wang Yun felt a pang of anxiety, knowing that his words had touched a sore spot and offended him. So, Wang Yun quickly asked Diao Chan to persuade Lü Bu again, hoping to ease the tension between them and resolve the crisis caused by his inappropriate words.

The allied forces watched helplessly as Dong Zhuo's army, after a fierce battle, was successfully assisted and entered Hangu Pass. Even Ma Chao, a general who had fought bloody battles and been surrounded by enemies, finally made it through Hangu Pass unscathed. Yuan Shao and the other allied forces witnessed this scene with rage, their faces filled with resentment and anger.

Yuan Shao's eyes widened, he waved his arms, and shouted, "Keep attacking!" The princes were also ignited by this anger and ordered another attack. However, unwilling to give up, they launched several more rounds of frantic attacks, and the soldiers rushed towards Hangu Pass like a tide.

But Hangu Pass's walls were high and its terrain was formidable, and the defenders on the city walls were well prepared. From their high position, they rained down arrows and hurled rocks and logs. The allied soldiers suffered heavy casualties in this fierce counterattack, and screams of agony rang out.

After half a day of fierce fighting at such a formidable pass, the coalition forces were practically exhausted. Further attempts at an attack would be futile. The generals, gazing at the impenetrable fortress and the countless fallen soldiers, finally realized that a relentless assault would be a futile end. With no other choice but to call a retreat, they ordered their troops to retreat. The battlefield was left in ruins, with countless corpses. The setting sun cast a particularly desolate glow over the blood-soaked landscape.

The allied camp was brightly lit, as bright as day. The soldiers sat in a circle, their faces gloomy, the atmosphere so heavy it seemed as if water could drip out. They were all trying to come up with all sorts of excuses and reasons for their failure, and the cacophony of discussion filled the tent.

The conversation turned to blaming Gongsun Zan and Lu Zhi for the defeat. Yuan Shu shouted indignantly, "If it weren't for Ma Chao, Lu Zhi's excellent disciple, who fought so hard to stop us from the beginning, how could we have been in such a difficult situation?" Zhang Yang accuses him bitterly, "It was Lu Zhi's traitor who ruined our cause! If it weren't for his desperate resistance, we would have already slain that old scoundrel Dong Zhuo!"

Bao Xin's face was full of regret, and he complained loudly: "Even if Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and other generals could go out earlier to delay Ma Chao, we would not have let Dong Zhuo retreat back to the pass and miss this great opportunity!" Everyone talked one after another, venting all the anger and unwillingness in their hearts, and a strong sense of resentment filled the tent.

Cao Cao, wearing heavy armor and with a weathered face, frowned, lost in deep thought. He slowly stood up, looked around at the people who were still blaming and complaining to each other, sighed deeply, and said solemnly:

"Everyone, please calm down for a moment! What can be changed by just complaining and blaming like this? Each of us is to blame for this defeat!" His voice was a little hoarse and full of deep fatigue.

"We should all reflect on this! Take Ma Chao for example, he is indeed extremely brave, but didn't we expect that there would be such a powerful general blocking our way before the battle? Is our strategic deployment comprehensive enough? Let's talk about Gongsun Zan and Lu Shi, they may have hesitated when facing Ma Chao, but what about our own ability to respond on the battlefield? When the situation was unfavorable, did we make quick and effective adjustments?" Cao Cao's eyes became sharp, as if to penetrate everyone's hearts.

"Also, we have always hoped that Generals Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and others could go out earlier to delay Ma Chao, but what about our own coordination? Is our coordinated operations too loose?" He became more and more excited as he spoke, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

"This defeat is by no means the fault of one person; it's our collective failure. We can't just focus on the mistakes of others while ignoring our own shortcomings. If we don't learn from this failure and draw upon our experience, we'll likely repeat the same mistakes again!" His words struck like a hammer, hammering down on the hearts of everyone present. For a moment, the tent fell silent, everyone lost in thought.