Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

As Ma Chao and his entourage left the city gate and walked some distance, he decisively ordered them to halt. His personal guards could not help but praise Ma Chao, expressing their admiration for his imposing presence at the gate and his calm demeanor in the face of danger. However, Ma Chao remained serious, not basking in the compliments. Instead, he calmly stated, "Our actions must have alarmed Zhang Xun. We can no longer maintain this disguise. Everyone, quickly put on your armor! We must hurry." Without hesitation, the generals responded in unison, quickly putting on their armor and then spurring their horses into action.

When they reached a ravine, Ma Chao's eyes lit up, and an idea came to mind. He knew that even if they fled with all their might, given Zhang Xun's temperament, if they persisted in pursuit, they would likely be caught up. After all, they were unfamiliar with the routes in this area. The ravine before them ran through a waterway, and since it was winter, the waterway was dry, allowing horses to wade through it easily. Ma Chao surveyed the terrain and came up with a plan. He said, "Everyone, stop first. Leave some armor and gold and silver and spread them along the other side of the river. Then, we will all take cover on the higher ground on the other side." Although the guards were puzzled, they had complete faith in Ma Chao's abilities. No one questioned them, and they all followed his orders.

Soon, the group took cover on the higher ground on the opposite bank, but remained mounted, their short weapons firmly grasped. They also grabbed the long weapons and bows and crossbows they had carried on their carriages. After all, they combined the formidable skills of the Xianzhen Camp with the expertise of the elite Flying Bear Army, the Western Liang Iron Cavalry. Though only thirty or forty men strong, they showed no fear, prepared for the arrival of Zhang Xun's army.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xun, in a hurry, led only a thousand or so cavalrymen from his personal guard battalion in pursuit. Because they were all riding fast horses, they soon reached the river valley. Before they even crossed the river, they saw armor and other items scattered across the other side.

At that moment, the guard at the city gate, whose cheeks were swollen from Ma Chao's whip, swiftly caught sight of the scene on the other side of the river. With a surge of joy, he quickly clamped his legs against his horse's belly and spurred his horse towards Zhang Xun. He leaned forward slightly, his face ingratiating, and said eagerly, "General, look! It seems to me these people are frightened and fleeing for their lives. Look at the armor scattered all over the ground, and the gold and silver. They haven't even bothered to take care of these valuables. They must be completely unfamiliar with the route in this area, so panicked that they have no idea where to go."

Zhang Xun didn't respond immediately. Instead, his brow furrowed, his gaze hawk-like as he gazed across the river. He fell into deep thought. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "We need to cross this river ahead, and the other side is all uphill. The terrain is complex, and I wonder if they'll set an ambush there." Zhang Xun, a veteran of battle, knew that marching and fighting were not a matter of carelessness. Even seemingly favorable pursuits could harbor hidden dangers.

Seeing Zhang Xun still had concerns, the defending general straightened his back, patted his chest, and said confidently, "General, you can rest assured! They are only thirty or forty at most, while we have over a thousand of them, all of whom are your personal guards, carefully trained and highly skilled. How much trouble can they cause with just that few people? Moreover, after crossing this river valley, there is a vast plain ahead. They are so desperate to escape that they would like wings to grow on their ribs. How could they dare to stop and set an ambush? In my opinion, this is a golden opportunity that must not be missed."

Zhang Xun listened to the commander's clear and logical explanation, and his worries immediately dissipated. After a moment's reflection, he felt the commander's words made sense. He acted decisively, waved his hand, and shouted, "Quickly arrange for the soldiers to cross the river. Don't miss this opportunity!"

Upon receiving the order, the vanguard immediately rode their horses into the river. As soon as the soldiers, having just crossed the river, saw the scattered gold, silver, and treasures, as well as the finely crafted armor that gleamed with a cold gleam, their eyes lit up, and greed grew like wild weeds in their hearts. They unconsciously slowed their horses, but without dismounting, they leaned forward slightly, stretched out their arms, and eagerly bent down to pick up the gold and silver on the ground.

However, this seemingly chaotic scene also indirectly proves that Zhang Xun's personal guards are indeed extraordinary. As their horses slowly move forward, they are able to accurately reach out and feel for armor and gold and silver on the ground. Their movements are skillful and smooth, which shows that they are well-trained and have a solid foundation in riding skills.

Zhang Xun, still on this side of the river, watched as the guards leading the charge, completely disregarding marching discipline for the gold and silver armor on the ground, each one sluggishly slowing down their horses. Their greedy expressions infuriated him to the core. His face flushed crimson, and he leaped on his horse like a raging thunder, shouting, "Damn it! Look at you all, what a mess you're all in! Get moving! Stop dawdling here and delaying everyone's crossing! Once we catch up to these bastards and capture them, I'm sure you won't have plenty of time to pick up these things!"

The shrewd guards in front were frightened when they heard that their commander was angry. They dared not delay any longer. They squeezed their horses' bellies, waved their whips, and started to rush up the slope.

At the same time, Zhang Xun and the defending general also rode their horses into the river, wading slowly across the icy water. Their horses' hooves splashed water on the sandy riverbed. As they reached shore, before they could even find their feet, Ma Chao, who was lying in ambush on the hillside, saw the opportunity was ripe and shouted like a bell: "Charge!" The sound reverberated throughout the area, like a thunderclap exploding through the valley.

With a shout, Ma Chao took the lead, spear flashing in his hand as he charged out like a bolt of white lightning. His physique was nimble, his riding skills superb, and his horse, the Aurora, seemed to understand human nature. With lightning speed, he charged towards the enemy troops below the mountain. Following behind him were thirty or forty well-trained riders, each maintaining a tight charging formation. They followed Ma Chao closely, like a sharp sword, rushing down the hillside with swiftness and unstoppable momentum.

Zhang Xun's guards struggled to climb the slope, while Ma Chao and his men descended from above, enjoying a commanding advantage. The Xiliang army's exceptional cavalry, combined with their usual meticulous coordination within the Xianzhen Camp, further strengthened their position. Behind Zhang Xun lay a swathe of troops, some still struggling to wade through the river, others barely entering it. Zhang Xun had barely gained his footing when he realized something was amiss and shouted for his men to deploy and meet the enemy. However, Ma Chao's cavalry, advancing with unstoppable force, plunged into the enemy lines like a hurricane, shattering Zhang Xun's hastily assembled defenses.

After a fierce charge, Ma Chao and his men were nearing the riverbank when they saw the knights expertly maneuvering their horses, weaving to either side like nimble swallows. Their movements were coordinated, unfazed by the chaotic battle. After gaining some distance, they quickly drew their powerful crossbows and trained them on the roughly three or four hundred soldiers Zhang Xun had already crossed the river. Instantly, crossbow bolts flew out like locusts, whistling with sharp gusts. Zhang Xun and his men were immediately thrown into chaos, screams echoing in pain. Casualties, including Zhang Xun's, were heavy. Even the defending general was struck by a stray arrow in the chaos, bleeding profusely.

After a brief detour, Ma Chao gave the order, and the thirty or forty riders returned like ghosts. They galloped, their long swords wielding a flash of cold light, each blow drawing screams of pain from the enemy. Ma Chao, even more valiant, locked his gaze on Zhang Xun, who stood at the front of the battle formation, and charged at him with his spear. The spear gleamed coldly in the sunlight, like the scythe of the Grim Reaper. Seeing Ma Chao charging at him like a god of war, Zhang Xun was so frightened that his soul was trembling, and his face instantly turned as pale as paper.

Just as Ma Chao was about to catch up with Zhang Xun, Zhang Xun shoved the unfortunate general outward like a bundle, right into Ma Chao's sharp spear. The poor general, feeling aggrieved, was pierced through the chest by Ma Chao's spear before he could offer any resistance, killing him instantly.

Seeing Ma Chao's unrivaled bravery, like a god of war, Zhang Xun was overwhelmed with fear. He dared no longer to resist. In panic, he spurred his horse and fled for his life into the river. The river was now in turmoil. Soldiers who had not yet crossed were terrified by the sudden change and stopped in their tracks, bewildered. Soldiers already in the river were equally disoriented by the chaos and stopped where they were, unsure whether to advance to support or retreat. Even if the soldiers behind him wanted to help, the narrow river made it impossible for them to cross and join the battle.

Once the commander fled, Zhang Xun's personal guards fought hard, but they stood no chance against the elite force of thirty or forty men led by Ma Chao. Ma Chao and his men fought back and forth in the enemy lines, unstoppable. Furthermore, the narrow river channel made it difficult for Zhang Xun's personal guards to mount an effective defense.

In a panic, Zhang Xun, who hadn't yet crossed the river, shouted at the top of his lungs, "Sergeants who haven't crossed yet, quickly draw your bows and arrows and shoot at the enemy!" However, Ma Chao was flanked by two burly men, each wielding a massive shield. The shields were impenetrable, like two moving iron walls. Arrows pinged and clanged against the shields, but they couldn't penetrate, posing no threat to Ma Chao.

Ma Chao, navigating the narrow river channel like no one was there, strangled more than half of the three or four hundred men who had already crossed. Looking at the bodies strewn about before him, Ma Chao, brimming with pride, waved his hand and led his men away. Zhang Xun, terrified, sat paralyzed on his horse, watching Ma Chao depart, not daring to order a pursuit.

It took a long while for Zhang Xun to recover from his shock. His face was as gloomy as the dark clouds before a storm, his eyes fixed on the direction where Ma Chao and the others were retreating, a glint of fear and anger mingling in them. However, even though hatred was boiling in his heart, he could do nothing about it. He could only grit his teeth and reluctantly begin to deal with the remaining defeated troops.

The soldiers were covered in dust and dirt, their morale low. Some were wounded, their clothes soaked with blood. Zhang Xun looked at his beleaguered men, his heart filled with resentment, yet he had to accept the reality of this crushing defeat. He sighed deeply, waved his hand, and, filled with anger and helplessness, led his men back to the city in disgrace.