Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After all, Xiliang's food supplies had been burned, and they were the first to lose their patience. After waiting for another three days, they could no longer hold back. Following their previous plan, Yang Feng and Sun Qing led a group of troops and aggressively challenged Yuan Shao's main camp. They deliberately appeared flustered and anxious, cursing loudly in front of the camp, hoping to provoke Wen Chou and draw him into battle.

Wen Chou, hearing the shouting and cursing from within the tent, frowned slightly and exchanged glances with Guo Tu. Guo Tu sneered, "General, Wei Yan has lost his patience, trying to lure us into battle this way. So, let's counterattack. Let Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang lead their troops in pursuit. But remember, don't pursue too far; just pretend we've fallen for their trap."

Wen Chou nodded in agreement and immediately summoned Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang, giving them instructions. The two men took his orders and marched out of the camp with three thousand men to meet the enemy.

Seeing Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang go into battle, Yang Feng was secretly delighted. He feigned defeat and rode away. Sun Qing also joined in the retreat, fighting and retreating as they raced towards their pre-arranged ambush. Following Wen Chou's instructions, Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang feigned ignorance of the ruse and pursued closely behind.

Wei Yan, delighted to see Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang take the bait, immediately signaled Sui Gu and Bai Rao, who were lying in ambush on either side, to prepare for an attack. Once Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang led their troops into the valley, Sui Gu and Bai Rao gave the order, and the ambushes on both sides rushed out. Suddenly, shouts of killing filled the air, and arrows rained down. Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang feigned panic, commanding their troops to resist, but in reality, they were waiting for their subsequent plan to unfold.

At the same time, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan saw the Western Liang army fighting with Yuan Shao's army at Hangu Pass. Thinking that the time had come, they led Cao's army out of Hangu Pass and rushed towards Wen Chou's camp.

Wen Chou had been keeping an eye on the movements from Hangu Pass. Seeing the Xiahou brothers leading their troops out, he was overjoyed, thinking, "They've taken the bait!" He immediately led a large force out of the camp and charged towards Cao's army. The two sides instantly engaged in a chaotic battle, with shouts of killing and the neighing of horses mingling in a cacophony of chaos.

At that moment, Zhang He led a fresh force from the flank, charging towards Cao's army like a tiger descending from a mountain. Guo Tu had anticipated the possibility of a pincer attack from both sides and had arranged an ambush by Zhang He. Zhang He's sudden appearance threw Cao's army into disarray.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Xiahou Dun shouted loudly: "Oh no, we've been ambushed! Brothers, hold on!" However, facing the double attack from Wen Chou and Zhang He, Cao's army gradually fell into trouble.

Wei Yan was engaged in a fierce battle with Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang in a valley when he suddenly heard deafening shouts and cries of battle in the distance. He thought to himself, something bad might have happened to Cao Cao's army, so he decisively ordered, "Don't fight any longer! Go support Cao Cao immediately!" The Western Liang army quickly broke away from Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang and headed towards Cao Cao's army.

Seeing the Western Liang army rushing to support them, Wen Chou remained unfazed. Instead, he sneered, "Just in time! We'll capture them all!" He commanded Yuan Shao's army, gradually encircling Cao Cao and the Western Liang army. For a moment, the battlefield situation was extremely unfavorable for Cao Cao and the Western Liang army. Both sides were locked in a bitter struggle, a life-and-death struggle reaching a fever pitch...

In this extremely tense situation, Xiahou Dun fought hard while shouting to Xiahou Yuan, "Wonderful talent! I didn't expect Wen Chou to be so prepared. This time, I'm afraid it's very dangerous!" Xiahou Yuan's face was solemn, and he waved his long sword. He responded, "Brother, don't panic. We are not in dire straits yet! The Xiliang army has arrived to support us. Let's break through together!"

Wei Yan led the Western Liang cavalry, charging like a black torrent. Their ferocity was unmatched, forcing Yuan Shao's troops to retreat wherever they advanced, throwing the battle formation Wen Chou had painstakingly arranged into disarray. Wei Yan shouted from within the ranks, "Don't panic, Generals! Wei Yan is here!" He quickly reached Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan.

Seeing Wei Yan's arrival, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were cheered. Xiahou Dun hurriedly asked, "General Wei, what should we do now?" Wei Yan looked at Wen Chou, who was commanding the central army in the distance. He gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "Let's go all out! With our current strength, we will go straight to Wen Chou's center! I don't believe that the three of us can't capture Wen Chou!"

Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Alright! Now that our army is in dire straits, we can no longer care about the moral principles of the martial arts world!"

Thus, with the support and blessing of the Western Liang cavalry, the three fierce generals rushed towards Wen Chou's central army like tigers descending from the mountains. Wen Chou's central army was composed of the elite soldiers of Yuan Shao's army. Facing the fierce Western Liang cavalry and the three fierce generals, they were not afraid and quickly organized themselves to fight a desperate battle with the Western Liang cavalry.

However, Wei Yan, Xiahou Dun, and Xiahou Yuan were unstoppable. With the support of the Western Liang cavalry, they charged towards Wen Chou like they were in an empty city. Seeing the three charging straight at him, Wen Chou was startled, but he was a fierce man by nature, so he wouldn't retreat easily. He summoned his courage, spear in hand, and leaped onto his horse to face the three fierce generals alone.

The four of them instantly engaged in a fierce battle, swords flashing and spears flying. Despite his martial prowess, Wen Chou was unable to hold his own against three. Within twenty or thirty rounds, Wen Chou was gradually losing ground, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. The situation became critical.

At this moment, the situation on the battlefield was subtly changing due to this crucial moment. Seeing their commander, Wen Chou, in dire straits, Yuan Shao's army began to lose morale. Meanwhile, the Cao and Western Liang armies, inspired by the bravery of their three commanders, fought with increasing ferocity.

At this critical moment, Zhang He, on the flank, noticed Wen Chou's critical situation and acted decisively, leading 5,000 halberd-wielding soldiers to rush like a hurricane to support Wen Chou's central army. Zhang He, spurring his horse and spear in hand, charged directly at Xiahou Dun, shouting, "Xiahou Dun, stop being so arrogant!" Seeing this, Xiahou Dun immediately braced himself and engaged Zhang He in battle.

At the same time, Zhang He's generals Wang Meng and Zhao Xiong also rushed towards Wei Yan, brandishing their swords, hoping to stop his attack and relieve the pressure on Wen Chou. Seeing the reinforcements coming, Wen Chou was greatly encouraged and his spear was like a venomous snake emerging from a hole, instantly suppressing Xiahou Yuan again.

Seeing the two enemy generals charging, Wei Yan showed no fear, wielding his long sword and charging forward. Wang Meng led the charge, his sword raised high, and slashed fiercely at Wei Yan's head. Wei Yan sneered, leaning slightly to the side, easily dodging the fierce blow. At the same time, he stabbed Wang Meng in the chest with his sword. Shocked, Wang Meng quickly dodged to the side, and Wei Yan's sword grazed his armor.

Zhao Xiong took advantage of Wei Yan's attack on Wang Meng and attacked from the side, slashing his long sword diagonally towards Wei Yan's waist. Wei Yan felt the attack from the side and quickly withdrew his long sword, blocking Zhao Xiong's sword with a "clang" sound, sparks flying everywhere.

Wang Meng seized the opportunity to steady himself and thrust his sword once more at Wei Yan, forming a pincer attack with Zhao Xiong. Wei Yan remained unfazed, his long sword wielding impenetrable fire, fending off the two's attacks. The three of them exchanged blows, fighting for five or six rounds.

Wei Yan knew he couldn't fight for long, or else Xiahou Yuan's side would be in danger. He saw the right moment and deliberately left a flaw. Wang Meng, thinking it was an opportunity, suddenly struck Wei Yan with his sword. Suddenly, Wei Yan dodged, darting forward with lightning speed, thrusting his sword straight at Wang Meng's throat. Wang Meng's eyes widened in disbelief, and he fell from his horse with a thud.

Zhao Xiong panicked when he saw Wang Meng being killed, and his swordsmanship became chaotic. Wei Yan, seizing the opportunity, shouted loudly and swung his sword. A flash of cold light passed, and Zhao Xiong was unable to dodge, and was killed by Wei Yan.

After defeating these two enemy generals, Wei Yan, seeing Xiahou Yuan on the verge of defeat, hurriedly rode forward, shouting, "General Xiahou, don't panic, I'm here to help you!" Wei Yan's arrival eased the situation somewhat. However, Zhang He and Wen Chou's combined strength was formidable, and the three of them fought hard, gradually losing the upper hand.

Zhang He saw that while his side had temporarily stabilized, a continued stalemate would likely lead to defeat. So, he devised a plan: a feint, feinting his spear, feigning defeat against Xiahou Dun, causing him to instinctively retreat to defend. Taking advantage of this brief respite, Zhang He shouted to Wen Chou, "General Wen, retreat! We cannot afford a prolonged battle here!"

Wen Chou knew that if he continued to fight, he would be in grave danger once reinforcements from Cao and Xiliang arrived. He glared at Wei Yan and the others, swung his spear, and ordered a retreat. Upon hearing the commander's order, Yuan Shao's army immediately retreated, fighting and slowly leaving the battlefield.

Wei Yan, Xiahou Dun, and Xiahou Yuan did not pursue. Firstly, they had fought a fierce battle and were exhausted; secondly, they feared a tactical attack. As Yuan Shao's army retreated, the three men smiled at each other. Although they had not been able to completely defeat Wen Chou, this encounter had dampened the morale of Yuan Shao's army.

After this fierce battle, Wen Chou, Zhang He, and the others hurriedly gathered their forces. After a thorough inventory, everyone's faces were solemn. The casualties from this battle were indeed considerable. Originally 100,000 soldiers, combined with Wei Yan's earlier charge, had been reduced to over 35,000, leaving only a little over 60,000.

Guo Tu frowned as he looked at the demoralized soldiers. He said slowly, "We can't fight them to the death here any longer. Let's retreat for now, guard the camp, and await the Lord's next move. If we continue fighting like this, I'm afraid our hundred thousand strong army will be wiped out before the Lord can deploy his forces."

Although Wen Chou was unwilling, he also understood that what Guo Tu said made sense. He nodded helplessly and ordered the army to retreat slowly and strengthen the defense of the camp.

Wei Yan, on his side, was equally overcome with grief. Returning to camp, he immediately counted the troops. Of the 40,000 Black Mountain troops who had marched on the expedition, 10,000 had been killed or wounded. Even the elite Xiliang Iron Cavalry had lost over 4,000. Wei Yan felt a pang of grief as he gazed upon the wounded. These were the elite of Xiliang, the brothers he had brought with him along the way.

Seeing Yuan Shao's army withdraw, Wei Yan, knowing full well that it's best not to pursue an enemy who has reached a desperate point, decided not to pursue them. He immediately ordered the camp to be moved forward a little, forming a corner with Xiahou's troops at Hangu Pass to strengthen the defense while also maintaining a certain degree of deterrence against Yuan Shao's army.

At Hangu Pass, the Xiahou brothers watched the retreating Cao troops, faces filled with worry. In this battle, Cao's army had suffered over 20,000 casualties. They also watched the Western Liang army slowly advance, setting up camp in a convenient location to form a strategic defense against Hangu Pass. They knew that the Western Liang army must have suffered heavy losses as well, and that life would be difficult.

Xiahou Dun frowned, sighed, and said, "Miaocai, our army has suffered heavy losses in this battle. Repelling Yuan Shao's army will be extremely difficult. Although the Western Liang army is now supporting us, they have also suffered losses. It will be difficult for them to organize a large-scale attack in a short period of time."

Xiahou Yuan nodded slightly, his expression solemn. "Brother, you're absolutely right. Although Yuan Shao's army has suffered considerable casualties, a lean camel is still stronger than a horse, and their strength remains. Now that the three forces have reached such a delicate balance, we can only defend Hangu Pass and await news and further instructions from our lord."