Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Even before the morning mist cleared, the cries of formations echoed from Yuan's camp. Yan Liang, clad in brand-new black iron chain mail, his tiger-headed golden-ringed broadsword gleaming coldly in the morning sun, barked orders to his lieutenant. Yuan Tan's grip on his whip tightened slightly as he gazed at the 45,000 troops ready for battle, then glanced at the sparsely sparsely guarded city walls. "Lord Yan, should we only leave 3,000 men to defend Tongguan?"

"Don't worry, sir!" Xin Ping hurried forward, waving his ivory folding fan. The golden cloud pattern on his brocade robe swayed gently with his movements. "Although we lost two thousand soldiers in yesterday's siege, these three thousand elite soldiers are all veterans." He lowered his voice, glancing at Yan Liang's proud expression. "Besides, Tongguan is our army's retreat route westward. As long as we secure the city gate, we won't have to worry."

Yan Liang stroked his curly beard and laughed heartily, startling a few crows from the city walls. He swung his long sword fiercely, the blade cleaving the morning mist and pointing in the direction of Chang'an. "Mr. Xin is absolutely right! Forty-five thousand cavalrymen crushed Chang'an like a whirlwind. Besides, with Lord Yuan's reputation, who among the princes of Guanzhong dares to attack our city?" The flat of his sword slammed against the saddle of Yuan Tan's horse, startling the steed and causing it to neigh and rear. "Once Chang'an falls into our hands, Tongguan will become our army's backyard granary. Who would dare to lay a finger on it?"

Yuan Tan looked at Yan Liang's confident expression, then at Xin Ping's resolute eyes, and his heart gradually settled. Three blasts of war drums echoed through the sky, and 45,000 Yuan troops, rising into a cloud of dust, marched towards Chang'an. Only 3,000 defenders, gripping their weapons tightly, watched their commander retreat, and stood guard against the chill wind at the newly captured pass.

The rising sun dyed the banners atop the Chang'an city walls crimson. It was a rare fine day. Wei Yan stood, sword pressed, blood seeping from the cracks in his armor, forming ice crystals in the chill wind. Ma Teng's silver beard fluttered, veins bulging as he gripped the battlements. Li Ru's wide sleeves brushed the cool bricks, his fingertips tapping on hidden mechanisms. Behind the three men, the Black Mountain generals gripped their swords tightly, listening to the faint clatter of horses' hooves in the distance.

"General Wei Yan, Yan Liang will arrive today." Li Ru looked at the dark clouds rolling in the sky, a sinister smile on his face. "Tongguan has fallen into the hands of the enemy..."

"What?!" Ma Teng turned around suddenly, making the bells on his cloak ring. "That's the most powerful pass in the world! How can they..."

"Old lord, please sit down." Li Ru waved his gilded feather fan, the Bagua diagram on the fan shimmering in the morning light. "If our army holds on, they won't be able to get out of this place in fifty days, let alone five. But if they deliberately show weakness..." He suddenly closed the fan and pointed it to the west. "It's just bait to lure the enemy deeper."

Ma Teng stroked his beard in a state of sudden realization, a flicker of approval in his eyes. Li Ru, however, had already turned to Wei Yan, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's: "Once the Yuan army breaks through Tongguan, their arrogance will reach its peak. When they challenge you, General, lead 10,000 cavalry out of the city." He paused, his fingers like dry branches rapping heavily on the city wall. "Only defeat is allowed, not victory. After the battle with the Yuan army, act convincingly, pretending to be defeated by the Yuan army's front, and lead your army away from the city, fleeing to the left side of Chang'an. Remember not to look back!"

Wei Yan frowned and was about to speak, but Li Ru raised his hand to interrupt him: "Chang'an doesn't need you to defend it. No matter how many days, you just lie in ambush. When the smoke of war rises from the city—" He suddenly leaned close to Wei Yan's ear, and his voice was so low that only the two of them could hear, "That will be the time to attack Yan Liang's central army."

After Wei Yan took the order and left, Li Ru slowly turned around, his cold gaze sweeping across the Black Mountain generals: "Du Xiong leaves 10,000 soldiers at Tongguan, and Zhang Yan leads 20,000 to ambush outside the city." He counted on his fingers, "You have 40,000 elite soldiers in your hands, and you only have one thing to do today—" He slammed his feather fan heavily on the bricks, "As long as the people are here, the city will be here! If even half an inch of the city wall is lost, you will be beheaded!"

The midday sun was exceptionally bright, and a tight net had quietly been laid throughout Chang'an. Only Li Ru stood atop the city walls, gazing at the dust and smoke billowing in from the west, his smile growing ever colder.

Forty-five thousand Yuan troops, their banners brimming with banners, darkened the sky, swirling a thick cloud of yellow dust along the official road from Tongguan to Chang'an. This elite force had marched a hundred miles in just half a day. As the final outline of the city walls came into view, even the battle-hardened soldiers gasped and straightened their backs. Yan Liang pointed his sword at the towering city walls in the distance, the blade catching the glaring sunlight. "Young Master and Master, please set up camp here. I will lead an army to challenge Chang'an's prestige!"

Yuan Tan raised his hand to stop him, his sleeves embroidered with golden cloud patterns fluttering in the wind. He looked at the soldiers' sweat-soaked armor and the white foam forming on the horses' mouths, his brow furrowed with worry. "General, our army may be unstoppable, but after galloping a hundred miles in half a day, even the strongest of men would tire." He turned to look at Xin Ping, who stroked his beard and pondered. He added emphatically, "A hasty battle could lead to unexpected consequences. It would be better to rest for a while and recharge tomorrow..."

Yan Liang clasped his fists and puffed out his chest, his eyes gleaming with a gleam in his eyes. "Sir! Speed ​​is of the essence in war, and this is the best footnote!" He strode forward, his armor colliding with a crisp sound. "Our army broke through Tongguan in one day and reached Chang'an in half a day. The people of Xiliang must have thought we needed to rest for several days. Now we suddenly attack the city and catch them off guard!"

Yuan Tan frowned slightly and was about to speak when he saw Yan Liang swung his long sword fiercely, the blade cutting through the heat wave: "This is the first reason! The second reason is that it will take time for our army to set up camp. If the Chang'an defenders take this opportunity to attack at night, it will only disrupt their formation." He turned the blade towards Chang'an, and the back of the blade struck the saddle hard, startling the warhorse and making it neigh and stand still. "I will lead the elite troops to challenge them first, blunt their edge, and make them retreat into the city and dare not move rashly. Only then can our army rest assured tonight!"

Xin Ping stroked his beard and pondered for a long time, then suddenly laughed out loud, clapping his hands: "Brilliant! General Yan's plan not only demonstrates the strength of our army, but also eliminates hidden dangers. It's truly brilliant!" He turned to Yuan Tan, his eyes full of praise, "My lord, this is a steady and cautious strategy."

Yuan Tan finally relaxed his brows and raised his hand to support him: "Since that's the case, General, please be careful. When you return, I'll prepare fine wine and delicious food to welcome you back!"

"Yes!" Yan Liang laughed heartily in response, and with a wave of his robe sleeve he assembled his ten thousand cavalrymen. Their horses' hooves crushed the frozen, cracked loess as they rolled towards Chang'an like a red cloud. Their long swords gleamed coldly, as if ready to split the fortified city apart.

Yan Liang's ten thousand cavalrymen galloped back and forth beneath the walls of Chang'an, their clouds of dust and obscenities rising toward the city walls. "You rats of Xiliang! Don't you have a single man brave enough to fight?" Yan Liang drew his sword, his blade pointed at a tattered banner with the Chinese character "Liang" in it. "With that scoundrel Ma Chao gone, you're nothing but broken-backed dogs, cowering like turtles in this city!" His personal guards roared with laughter, their obscenities hurled like arrows at the city walls.

On the city wall, Li Ru's fingers trembled slightly as he held onto the battlements. He deliberately stumbled half a step, the hem of his brocade robe brushing against the panicked retreating soldiers. "Quick! Quickly mobilize the archers!" His voice trembled with just the right amount of force.

There was a commotion on the city wall, and then some troops began to adjust their positions back and forth. They looked at a loss, which made Yan Liang's army below the city laugh.

Li Ru suddenly banged hard on the bricks, startling the crows on the rooftops. He turned to Wei Yan, a cold glint in his eyes: "Go! Show Yuan's army the might of the Western Liang cavalry!" Before he finished speaking, Wei Yan had already rushed down the tower like an arrow, his heavy black iron armor flashing coldly in the sunlight, and behind him, more than ten thousand cavalrymen crushed the bluestone.

Yan Liang's yellow steed galloped back and forth at a quick trot, stirring up dust and carrying laughter as it charged towards the city walls. Suddenly, the city gate rumbled, and the heavy drawbridge dropped with a crash. A column of iron cavalry surged out like a black torrent, led by a general clad in heavy black iron armor, his scarlet cloak rustling in the wind.

Yan Liang reined in the reins, his eyes instantly sharp as an eagle, staring at the aggressive general and laughing loudly: "Come and tell me your names!"

"Wei Yan, Wei Wenchang, is here! Enemy generals, stop being so arrogant!" Wei Yan gave his horse a sharp kick, and the black horse neighed as it galloped forward. The broadsword in his hand sliced ​​through the heat, the blade reflecting a dazzling cold light. The murderous aura emanating from him seemed to freeze the air around him.

Yan Liang's pupils shrank slightly, and the playful expression on his face faded, his knuckles tightening around his sword. But he refused to back down. He taunted, "In the Western Liang army, I've only heard of Zhang Liao, Zhang Ren, Pang De, and Gan Ning. When did a nobody like you show up? It's truly hilarious!" Before he'd even finished his words, he'd already spurred his horse forward, his long sword wielding a sharp blade as he aimed it straight at Wei Yan's face.

The two war horses collided like meteors, the roar of the weapons clashing was deafening, sparks flew everywhere. Thus began a thrilling duel.

The moment the two horses collided with a thunderous roar, sparks flew like stray arrows. Wei Yan's machete and Yan Liang's wind-splashing blade clashed with a deafening clang of metal as two immense forces exploded along the blades. Both men's knuckles went numb, and their mounts were thrown back three steps, their hooves plowing deep furrows into the scorched earth.

Yan Liang's pupils suddenly constricted. As the yellow cavalryman leaped to his feet, he saw the veins bulging beneath Wei Yan's armor—this was no ordinary warrior! "What strength!" He roared, his blade slicing a half-moon arc, aiming for the enemy's throat. Wei Yan dodged, the back of his blade sweeping across Yan Liang's waist and abdomen. The two engaged in a revolving battle, their blades flashing like silver snakes, sending rubble clanging against the soldiers' armor.

"As expected of the leader of the Four Pillars of Hebei!" Wei Yan gritted his teeth, his black iron blade wielding Yan Liang's attack. He caught a glimpse of the tricky angles hidden in the opponent's sweeping sword moves, and was inwardly astonished: This combination of ferocity and subtlety truly lived up to its reputation! A chill ran down his spine as he channeled all his strength into his right arm, the blade swirling with the force of wind and thunder as he slashed towards Yan Liang's face.

The flashes of swords and sabers intertwined into a dazzling curtain of light. Their warhorses were already foaming at the mouth, the yellow earth beneath their hooves soaked with blood, congealing into a dark red mud. During the thirtieth round of the clash, Yan Liang suddenly shouted, his Red Hare rearing up, his broadsword slashing down like a mountain, the blade slicing through the air with a piercing shriek.

Wei Yan's arms were throbbing with veins as he raised his sword with all his might to block the blow. The immense force of the blow cracked his knuckles, and blood dripped down the blade. This blow was surprisingly more brutal than the previous one! Looking at Yan Liang again, his eyes burned with fighting spirit like a raging fire, a maniacal smile on his lips: "Great! Great! Come again!" With that, he swung his sword, abandoning defense for offense, each strike aiming for the vital points.

Wei Yan felt a chill run down his spine. Every block felt like a brush with death. He finally understood that Yan Liang was worthy of being the leader of the Four Pillars of Hebei. His swordsmanship was fierce yet concealed a subtlety and unpredictable form. Even without the military advisor's orders, if he continued fighting like this, he would be powerless. Cold sweat streamed down his back, and he gritted his teeth, hoping for the smoke signals to rise soon so he could find a chance to escape.