Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Huang Zu ran for his life, breathless and exhausted. Looking back, he was shocked to see Sun Ce personally leading his elite troops in pursuit. His heart sank, and he suddenly felt that he was cornered. In a panic, he grabbed Liu Yao, who was following closely beside him, and pulled him to his side, as if he had grabbed a last straw.

Liu Yao shuddered at the sudden action, his face filled with terror. Huang Zu, panting heavily and looking frantic, shouted at Sun Ce, "Sun Ce, you little brat, I've fallen for your tricks! Humph, if you dare come near me, I'll kill you!" He then placed his long knife against Liu Yao's neck, hoping to intimidate Sun Ce by using Liu Yao's status as a relative of the Han Dynasty as a shield.

Liu Yao was so frightened that he was shaking with fear, and stammered in a crying voice, "General Huang Zu, General Huang Zu, what...what are you doing?" But Huang Zu said viciously, "Don't worry, General Liu. You are a relative of the Han royal family. How dare Sun Ce attack you!" Liu Yao felt a little relieved, but before he could recover, the accident happened without any warning.

From a distance, Sun Ce firmly reined in the reins, dismounted, and pulled a feathered arrow from his quiver. He placed it on the bowstring, drawing his bow like a full moon. His gaze fixed on Liu Yao, he released the bowstring without hesitation. With a whoosh, the sharp arrow streaked through the air, striking Liu Yao squarely in the chest with a fierce momentum.

Liu Yao's eyes widened, a look of horror and disbelief still lingering on his face, as if he couldn't believe he'd died right then and there. A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, and his body fell limply. Seeing this, Huang Zu froze in place, his long sword dropping to the ground with a clang.

Huang Zu's face was filled with panic, his eyes were wide open, and he roared at the top of his lungs: "Sun Ce, you little bastard, how dare you? How dare you attack a relative of the Han royal family!" The voice was so sharp with anger and fear that it was almost broken, and it echoed in the empty battlefield.

At this moment, Sun Ce clamped his legs against the horse's belly, and the steed neighed as it charged forward like an arrow. His spear flashed with a cold light, the tip of the spear firmly pressed against Huang Zu's throat, the sharp blade nearly slicing through his flesh. Sun Ce's expression was grim, a hint of disdain playing on his lips as he shouted to his men, "Tie him up!"

Beside Huang Zu, Kuai Liang and Xu Shao were equally stunned by this sudden turn of events, still reeling from the shock of Liu Yao's sudden death. After a long pause, Kuai Liang spoke, his lips trembling, his voice trembling slightly, "Sun Ce, how dare you defy the wrath of the world and openly shoot a member of the Han royal family? Do you still have any regard for the Han court?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce couldn't help but sneer, his face filled with contempt. He scanned the men before him with a piercing gaze and loudly refuted them, "Liu Yao is unworthy of being a relative of the Han royal family, bearing this noble title in vain! In times of peace, he hasn't done a single thing to benefit the people; in times of chaos, he hasn't relieved the court of any worries. All he does is fight for power and profit, exploiting the people. What's the point of keeping a man like him around? I'll kill him, and I'll have a clear conscience!"

A flicker of determination flashed in Sun Ce's eyes, and his entire body seemed enveloped in a frost, his aura chilling and chilling. He tilted his head slightly, staring intently at Huang Zu, his eyes burning with the flames of revenge.

"One day or another, I will take old Liu Biao's head!" Sun Ce's voice was low but powerful, each word swirling with endless hatred. "He murdered my father back then. I will never forget this blood feud! All these years, I have trained hard day and night, preparing for this moment. He thinks he can rest easy hiding in Jingzhou? That's wishful thinking!"

Sun Ce clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening and veins bulging on his forehead. He was clearly blinded by hatred. "He colluded with Liu Yao, relying on his power to act recklessly. I will avenge this blood debt! I will make him pay for his actions, to appease my father's spirit in heaven!"

With that, Sun Ce swung his hand with a sudden, decisive movement, seemingly severing all obstacles. The soldiers, obeying the command, charged forward like tigers descending a mountain. Ropes in their hands arced through the air, and in the blink of an eye, they had Huang Zu and the others firmly restrained. Huang Zu and the others' faces paled, their legs weakened, their previous arrogance gone.

With Liu Yao slain by an arrow and Huang Zu captured alive by Sun Ce's soldiers, the fierce battle drew to a close. The smoke of gunpowder had yet to clear, and the cries of battle gradually died down, leaving only the sporadic clash of weapons. The remaining soldiers of Huang Zu's army, still holding out, saw their leader captured, and their morale instantly crumbled. They stared at each other, their eyes filled with despair and helplessness, their weapons weighing down their hands.

Someone dropped their weapon first, a clang breaking the brief standoff. Soon, more soldiers followed suit, throwing their spears and swords to the ground and raising their hands in surrender. Exhaustion and fear were written across their faces as they slowly advanced towards Sun Ce's army. This thrilling battle had finally come to an end.

After the battlefield was cleaned up, the setting sun shone like blood, its afterglow casting a shadow over the land that had just experienced a life-or-death battle. In Sun Ce's tent, lights flickered, and the generals gathered together, the atmosphere heavy and solemn.

With a cry of "Bring them forward!", Huang Zu, Kuai Liang, and Xu Shao were escorted into the main tent by soldiers. Xu Shao was hunched over, his face pale. Since Liu Yao's death, the pillar of support in his heart had collapsed, and his former pride had vanished without a trace. He lowered his head, as if his spine had been torn away, and allowed the soldiers to push him forward.

In stark contrast were Huang Zu and Kuai Liang, both prominent figures from the aristocratic families of Jingzhou. Even as prisoners, they remained unbending. Huang Zu's face was a bit shaky, but his eyes revealed a reluctance and stubbornness. Kuai Liang's expression was stern, his gaze deep, as he pondered how to escape.

They were calculating, certain that Sun Ce would be wary of the power and complex network of connections of the aristocratic families and would not easily kill them. They even attempted to use this as leverage to negotiate with Sun Ce and secure a chance of survival. Huang Zu spoke first. Though bound by ropes, his tone remained firm: "Sun Ce, although you may have won this battle, do not forget that I am backed by the Huang family of Jingzhou. If you dare to touch me, the Huang family will not let you down!"

When Kuai Liang heard Huang Zu's words, his heart sank, and he secretly thought, "Oh no!" He groaned bitterly. How could Huang Zu, a prisoner, be so outspoken and reckless? He couldn't help but blame Huang Zu. At this critical moment, why didn't he understand the situation?

Sun Ce, the ruthless figure who dared to kill even Liu Yao, a relative of the Han Dynasty, with a single arrow, how could he be afraid of the Huang family in faraway Jingzhou? Kuai Liang knew that the situation was now extremely precarious. A single misstep would lead to disaster. Beads of sweat instantly covered his forehead, and his back was drenched in cold sweat.

His mind raced, frantically searching for words to remedy the situation. But the more he panicked, the more his thoughts became disorganized, and for a moment, he couldn't think of anything to ease the situation. He instinctively glanced at Sun Ce, seeing him, already enraged by Huang Zu, chuckling in anger, and a chilling chill in his heart. He knew Huang Zu's words were simply adding fuel to the fire, pushing the situation further out of control. Huang Zu's foolishness had dragged him even deeper into despair.

At this time, Sun Ce was so angry at Huang Zu's conceited words that he laughed in anger, with a cold light flashing in his eyes. He took a step forward, and a murderous aura emanated from his whole body.

"Huang Zu, you still can't see the situation clearly? You're still threatening me with your so-called Jingzhou Huang family?" Sun Ce sneered, his voice icy. "I even dared to kill Liu Yao, a relative of the Han Dynasty. How could I be afraid of your Huang family? Your Huang family may have some influence in Jingzhou, but in my eyes, they are nothing but a bunch of bullies! You think your family name can save your life? That's ridiculous! You aided Liu Biao in his evil deeds and secretly murdered my father. This blood debt must be settled today!"

His gaze was as sharp as a torch, scanning Huang Zu and Kuai Liang as he continued in a stern voice, "I raise an army of justice to save the people from danger and quell the conflicts of troubled times. You, the aristocratic families, routinely abuse your power, oppress the people, and hinder world peace. Not to mention your Huang family, even if it's the aristocratic families of Jingzhou, if you dare to oppose me, I, Sun Ce, will show no mercy! Today, if you fall into my hands, don't even think about escaping unscathed!"

Although Huang Zu was tied up tightly with ropes and looked miserable, he still stiffened his neck, looked defiant, and shouted at the top of his voice: "Sun Ce, if you have the guts, kill me! If you touch a hair of mine, the Huang family of Jingzhou will make sure that you will never have peace in Jiangdong!" His arrogant attitude made it seem as if he was not a prisoner, but the master who controlled the situation.

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce's face instantly darkened to the point where water could drip out of it, with murderous intent surging in his eyes. Without hesitation, he waved his hand and shouted sternly, "Leaders, take him out and behead him!" His voice echoed in the tent like a huge bell, revealing unquestionable majesty.

The soldiers immediately stepped forward, picked up Huang Zu and dragged him out. Huang Zu was still struggling desperately, cursing and kicking wildly, but it was no use.

Kuai Liang watched Sun Ce wave his hand and unhesitatingly order Huang Zu's execution. His heart leaped to his throat, and the blood in his body seemed to freeze. In this life-or-death moment, he couldn't think of anything else. He screamed at the top of his lungs, "General Sun! Wait!" His cry resonated like thunder in the tent, drawing everyone's attention.

Sun Ce had already turned around to leave, but when he heard the urgent voice of stopping him, he paused, raised his eyebrows, and a hint of displeasure and suspicion flashed in his eyes. He slowly turned around and looked at Kuai Liang coldly. His eyes seemed to be real, carrying an invisible oppressive force: "What do you mean? Do you want to plead for Huang Zu?" His voice was low and cold, as if wrapped in the frost of December.

Kuai Liang didn't dare to delay for a moment. He quickly straightened his disheveled clothes and bowed respectfully with his hands bent low. There was even a layer of fine beads of sweat on his forehead. "General, please report that killing Huang Zu is just a piece of cake for you. It's as easy as pie. But you might as well think about it. Once Huang Zu's head and body are separated, the defenders of Yuzhang County will be filled with grief and indignation for the tragic death of their commander and will unite against the enemy. They will be determined to die and defend the city to the death. By then, you will pay a heavy price for conquering Yuzhang County." As Kuai Liang spoke, he secretly raised his eyes to observe Sun Ce's expression. He saw that Sun Ce had a gloomy face and did not comment. He took a deep breath and continued.

"Furthermore, my lord, Liu Jingzhou, has always valued friendship and has deep ties to the Huang family. If Huang Zu dies, the Huang family will undoubtedly put pressure on my lord. Given my lord's kindness and affection for the Huang family, he will definitely not sit idly by and will dispatch a large army to deal with the general."