Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Dusk stained the walls of Chang'an like blood, and the setting sun cast a crimson glow on the rain of arrows. Li Ru trod forward, stepping on the ground covered with broken spears and armor, the hem of his black robe sweeping across the frozen pool of blood. He lowered his voice and said, "General! The city walls are already cracking, and the defenders inside are just a spent force!" His joints turned white from the force. "After the city falls, the gold and silver in the Chang'an treasury and the emperor's ceremonial guards will all be ours. Why bother to let others hold us hostage?" His hoarse voice was shrouded in sinister intent. "Once our army breaks through the Suzaku Gate, not only Lu Wan, but even the entire Han clan will be..."

"Enough!" Ma Chao suddenly pulled the reins, and the Aurora Horseman rose to his feet, its front hooves crushing the remaining snow. His black armor clanged in the wind. He looked at Lu Wan, who was held captive by the soldiers on the city wall. The jade buckle on the girl's wrist shimmered in the twilight, and he was transported back to the days of Luoyang. His Adam's apple rolled violently twice, and he turned to look at the corpse-piled moat. Dark red blood was slowly seeping into the ground through the cracks in the ice. "Look at the elderly, women, and children on the city walls, and the corpses of soldiers scattered all over the ground..." The north wind blew his cloak. "If they really crush Chang'an, even if we win, more than half of my Xiliang men will be killed."

Wang Yun, seeing the opportunity, immediately lifted his dragon robe and bowed deeply before the battlements. "Marquis Wei is benevolent and righteous! However... the late emperor has not yet been buried. It will take time to hand over the seal to the new emperor and to resettle the officials..." The old voice suddenly choked. "At least give me three days, so that I, an old minister, can take care of the late emperor's affairs and avoid being branded as disloyal and unfilial!"

"One day!" Li Ru roared, his sword unsheathed half a foot, its cold gleam brushing against the reins of Ma Chao's mount. The warhorse neighed in fear, its hooves gouging deep furrows in the frozen earth. "If the city gates aren't opened before sunset tomorrow, don't blame me for setting up my catapults and crushing Chang'an to dust!"

"One day is too short!" Wang Yun's white hair stood on end, veins bulged beneath his python robe, and his knuckles dug into the bricks. "Inventorying the treasury, transferring files, and preparing food supplies—even a god would have trouble doing it!"

Li Ru suddenly let out a sinister laugh, a cunning glint in his eyes. "Not only that, I will also personally inspect the late emperor's remains." He licked his cracked lips. "Tomorrow, when the emperor's death is confirmed, you will evacuate Chang'an." He glanced at the people on the city wall. "If you lie even a little bit, I will make you pay for your crimes with blood when my Xiliang cavalry crushes Chang'an!"

Wang Yun's expression was uncertain, but he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Okay! But Marquis Wei needs to sign a written agreement, saying that after our army withdraws, you must not pursue us!"

On the city wall, Lu Wan looked at the two people confronting each other below the city, and the jade buckle on her wrist trembled slightly.

The setting sun dyed Ma Chao's black armor dark red. He drove his horse half a step closer to the city wall. His voice like thunder shook the flags on the top of the city wall: "Wang Si Tu, there is no need for signing a document." The sword at his waist rang lightly with his movements. "I, Ma Chao, was born in Longxi. Blood is more important than life. If you say you won't chase, then you won't chase!" Before he finished speaking, Li Ru behind him smiled grimly, his black robe fluttering like the wings of an owl in the night: "Giving up Chang'an is just the beginning. Gold, silver, food, fiefdoms and titles, after the city defense is handed over, we will settle them one by one!"

Wang Yun gazed at the Xiliang cavalry arrayed in a solemn formation beneath the city walls, his hands clenched and trembling beneath his dragon robe. The wails of the defenders drifted from the distance, mingling with the thick smoke that pierced his nose. His old Adam's apple rolled twice before he finally tore off the jade hairpin that held his hair together, his white hair unfurling like mourning banners. "Alright! Open the city gates tomorrow at three quarters past noon!"

As dusk fell, the Xiliang army slowly retreated to their camp like the receding tide. The clash of armor and weapons gradually faded in the cold wind. Li Ru stepped on the ground strewn with broken arrows and halberds, quickly catching up with Ma Chao's Aurora horse. The hem of his black robe swept across the pool of blood that had not yet solidified, splashing a little dark red. "My Lord!" He lowered his voice, a sinister glint in his eyes. "When they give up Chang'an, we will catch them in the trap! Then we will annihilate all the remaining Han Dynasty members. Who dares to oppose us?"

Ma Chao reined in the reins, his black armor gleaming coldly in the twilight. Torches flickered in the distance on the walls of Chang'an, and he vaguely recalled Lu Wan's pale face. His Adam's apple twitched as he gazed at the last rays of the setting sun. His voice, shrouded in fatigue, said, "We'll talk later."

"Lord!" Li Ru stamped his feet anxiously, the soles of his python-patterned boots crushing arrowheads on the frozen soil. "Don't forget the hard battles we fought before! How many brothers lost their lives under the city!" He gripped Ma Chao's reins, his skinny knuckles turning white. "Wang Yun is so cunning, how could he be so willing to give up this opportunity? This is a godsend opportunity. If we don't seize it..."

Ma Chao yanked back the reins, and his Red Hare neighed and reared up. He turned to look at Li Ru, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's. "I naturally understand Wang Yun's plan. We'll be careful when we enter the city tomorrow." He paused, looking toward Chang'an, his voice low but firm. "But whether we can successfully enter the city tomorrow is still uncertain. We'll decide after we've truly taken over Chang'an."

The night was as dark as ink. Wang Yun's delaying tactic, using peace talks as bait, had indeed worked. As Western Liang scouts crisscrossed the outskirts of Chang'an, they saw only the clatter of carts carrying baggage and supplies echoing through the streets. Inside the city, lights flickered, and the sounds of shouting, horses neighing, and objects clashing mingled with the sounds of a panicked retreat.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao personally led his army, mouths sealed, at full speed. The assault force, advancing from Luoyang, evaded the Western Liang defenses and advanced stealthily along a hidden route along the Wei River. Thick clouds obscured the stars and the moon. Horses held their mouths sealed, their hooves wrapped in cloth. Tens of thousands of soldiers, a silent shadow, crept forward along the back of Chang'an's walls. The fleeting steeds, spears drawn, and frost condensed on their armor, vanished into the thick darkness. The Western Liang sentries atop watchtowers could only glimpse the hazy shadows outside the city walls, mistaking them for the unrest shrouding Chang'an in the night.

Horses' hooves shattered the night as Cao Cao's army, shrouded in dust, galloped towards them. In the distance, the Xiliang camp stretched for miles, torches dotting the wilderness like stars. Deer antlers intertwined like dragon teeth, and at the gate stood several majestic catapults. Cao Cao reined in his horse, taking in the impregnable formation with a breath of cold air, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of his sword.

"Yuan Rang, Miao Cai!" Cao Cao turned and called over Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan, saying in a deep voice, "You two will lead the army to camp outside the city. Make sure you guard the retreat route." His sharp eyes swept over his men, "If there's any unusual movement, sound the drums immediately!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Cao, flanked by Cao Zhen, Cao Hong, and his eldest son Cao Ang, assembled three thousand elite soldiers and quietly approached the city gates under cover of night. A chill wind whipped snowflakes against his face, but Cao Cao remained oblivious, calculating how to maximize his advantage in this treacherous situation. The heavy city gates slowly opened, and Cao Cao, taking a deep breath, led his troops into the turbulent city of Chang'an.

The third watch gong struck, and the candles in Wang Yun's mansion suddenly lit brightly. Cao Cao brushed off the frost on his cloak and bowed deeply to the two men waiting in the hall. The white jade beads on his crown swayed slightly. "I hope you are well, old brother! Your Majesty was frightened." Before he finished speaking, Liu Xie had left his seat to greet him. The black crown tassel swept across the bronze lamp on the table, reflecting the golden light from the corners of his dragon-patterned robe.

"Meng De has arrived just in time!" the young emperor's voice trembled as he held Cao Cao's hand tightly. "I just dreamt that the Western Liang cavalry crushed the palace gates. Now that I see you, I know that God is blessing the Han Dynasty." Wang Yun stroked his silver beard and smiled, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across the brocade carpet. "Back when we were in Luoyang, I knew Meng De had the strength to hold up the sky."

Suddenly, there was a faint rustle of armor in the darkness. Lü Bu stood with his sword drawn, the red tassel of his painted halberd drooping from his shoulders, casting a shadow on his face. He gazed at Cao Cao and the emperor's clasped hands, a muffled groan escaping his throat, the soles of his boots crunching the snow between the bricks.

Cao Cao stroked his curly beard and glanced at the flickering candlelight in the hall: "When I entered the city just now, I saw that the Xiliang camp stretched for ten miles, and the sound of gongs and drums shook the earth. The situation is critical now. I wonder if Si Tu and Your Majesty have any good plans?" His eyes were as deep as the abyss, hiding a sharp edge.

Wang Yun sighed and recounted the day's peace talks with Ma Chao in detail: "To protect the safety of Your Majesty and the officials, this old minister has no choice but to offer to cede Chang'an. I only hope to buy some time so we can make further arrangements." Before he finished speaking, Lu Bu suddenly emerged from the shadows, slamming his Fang Tian Hua Ji heavily onto the blue brick floor with a muffled thud. "General Cao, since you've already brought your troops here, why should you continue to be so servile to that little Ma Chao? I'd like to ask, how many troops have you brought with you this time? Why not march into Chang'an immediately and repel the Xiliang bandits?"

Cao Cao's expression remained unchanged. He bowed and said, "To be honest, although I brought an army of forty or fifty thousand, it was a long journey, so to avoid alerting the enemy, I only brought three thousand elite soldiers into the city first." Lu Bu sneered at this, his armor clashing. "Tomorrow, Ma Chao will definitely come to attack Chang'an. These three thousand soldiers are just a drop in the bucket!"

Wang Yun's face darkened and he shouted sternly, "Fengxian, don't be rude!" Then he turned to Cao Cao and said with an apologetic smile, "Fengxian has a reckless personality. I hope Meng De will forgive me." The candlelight flickered on the faces of the three people, and the atmosphere was as solemn as iron.

Cao Cao laughed out loud, his voice shaking the beams, and his beard trembled with his laughter: "Marquis Wen is a quick-witted man, and he makes this dull night a little more lively! The demeanor of Marquis Wen in front of Hulao Pass still makes my blood boil when I think of him!" He strode forward and grasped Lu Bu's iron wrist. The thick calluses on his palm collided with the other's armor, making a light sound, but his smile did not reach his eyes.

When the laughter died down, Cao Cao restrained his expression, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the jade pendant at his waist: "In my humble opinion, giving up Chang'an is indeed a wise move." His eyes swept across Liu Xie's pale face, and his tone suddenly became heavy. "Although Chang'an is the imperial capital, it is isolated in Guanxi, facing the Western Liang cavalry to the west and the Qiang and Hu elite troops to the north. It is surrounded by enemies. Even if we can stop Ma Chao's siege today, what will happen in the future?" He waved his sleeves and pointed to the window. "This city is under the attack of the army every day. It is difficult to sustain the supply of food and grass. The government's orders cannot be carried out within a hundred miles. It is always under the threat of Western Liang. It is definitely not a place to defend for long!"

The candle flame suddenly burst into sparks, casting a sinister shadow on Cao Cao's face: "Why not take advantage of his own strategy! Our army has just arrived and has not revealed its whereabouts, so we can pretend to withdraw from Chang'an. If Ma Chao keeps his promise, Your Majesty and the Prime Minister will follow me to Yuzhou, and choose an auspicious place to rebuild the palace and restore the imperial lineage;" He suddenly lowered his voice, with a wolf-like look in his eyes, "If he dares to break his promise and pursue us, the ambush troops outside the city and the elite troops of Wenhou will attack us from the front and back, and the Western Liang cavalry will surely be defeated!" After that, he looked at the sword on Lu Bu's waist, and a meaningful arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Liu Xie's pale fingertips tapped the imperial desk, the black crown tassels swaying with his movements, but a long-lost light shone in his eyes. "What Meng De said is exactly what I want! If the crisis in Chang'an is resolved, I am willing to go to Yuzhou myself and restore the government!" Wang Yun's fingers trembled slightly under his python robe, and his silver beard trembled with excitement. "Your Majesty is wise! I will immediately arrange for all officials to make arrangements overnight and open the city gates for evacuation tomorrow morning."

The sound of the night watch was particularly clear in the silence. Cao Cao saw the anxious look in the eyes of the emperor and his minister. He calmly smoothed the wrinkles on the corner of his robe and said loudly, "Minister, order more flags to be raised on the city walls. Feign panic but actually evacuate in an orderly manner. Make sure Ma Chao is convinced."