Your Majesty, please spare Diao Chan; your yang energy is too strong.

"My lord, great news! Lord Mi just sent word that Liu Bei and Chen Gong have been successfully driven out of Xuzhou."

"They also captured Lü Bu's family members, as well as Liu Bei's wife."

"We captured grain, weapons, and more than 6,000 warhorses."

Thirty li outside Xuzhou city.

A swift horse arrived to report.

Since Chen Gong retreated in haste, he naturally could not take all his warhorses with him.

Basically, each person rode one horse.

There's no energy left to lead two horses.

So at this time, there were still 6,000 spare warhorses left in the city, but Mi Zhu managed to snatch them up.

"Excellent! Notify the entire army to advance at full speed. We must reach Xuzhou before Lü Bu does."

"Furthermore, we have our men avoid the main road, bypass the east gate of Xuzhou, and enter through the north gate."

"From now on, the entire Xuzhou belongs to us."

Zhou Heng was overjoyed and gave the order.

Since Lü Bu was in a hurry to get to Xuzhou, he could not take the side roads and could only take the main roads.

Because the main road is the fastest.

If you take the main road now, you will definitely run into Lü Bu.

Even if Lü Bu is incredibly stupid, he will probably realize that Zhou Heng's scheme is far from simple.

This is not what he wants to see.

Moreover, in order to allow Liu Bei and Lü Bu to meet, Zhou Heng deliberately drove Liu Bei out of the east gate.

Liu Bei had nowhere to go.

They will definitely return to Xiaopei.

At that time, it would be inevitable that they would run into Lü Bu.

Therefore, they absolutely cannot take the main road at this time.

"Yes."

Everyone was overjoyed.

Their gazes toward Zhou Heng were filled with admiration.

Just a month ago, they were nothing more than bandits and outlaws.

Let alone occupying Xuzhou.

There isn't even a small county town where we can settle down and make a living.

In just one month, they have not only no worries about food and drink.

He commanded an army of tens of thousands.

They even occupied an entire state.

He firmly held his position as one of the most powerful warlords in the land.

What is this concept?

All of this is thanks to their lord.

Wise and powerful.

How could they not admire them?

Throughout the land, among all the feudal lords, there is one who, in such a short time, could conquer a vast territory with a motley crew and become a regional ruler.

This is probably the only one of its kind.

"Walk."

Without further ado, Zhou Heng immediately led his army forward at full speed.

.............

And at the same time.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others were returning to Xiaopei dejectedly.

Having failed to capture Xuzhou and with nowhere else to go, he could only return to his small county town.

At this moment, Zhang Fei was grumbling.

"After a day and a night of hard work, we finally captured Xuzhou, but in the end, we were able to work for him."

"It is truly bitter to spend years making gold thread, only to end up making wedding dresses for others."

"If you ask me, bro, we shouldn't have retreated then and instead fought them head-on."

"Even if Lü Bu arrives, we can just perish together."

"It's better than feeling so stifled right now."

Zhang Fei said in a muffled voice.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and in the end, he chopped down a large tree next to him with a spear.

Since his debut, Zhang Fei had fought against the Yellow Turbans, battled Lü Bu, and defeated Dong Zhuo. When had he ever been so frustrated?

Now, however, he has been defeated by a lowly clerk he once looked down upon, a bandit and outlaw.

How could this not make him furious?

"Third brother, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"Our ambition is to uphold the Han Dynasty, eradicate evil and wickedness, and serve our country with our lives. How can we sacrifice our useful lives for a moment of passion?"

"Then how are they any different from those brave and fierce wandering knights-errant?"

Liu Bei looked displeased.

Although he felt extremely frustrated inside.

But there's nothing I can do; time waits for no one.

Fighting to the death with the other side is easy.

But what if Lü Bu arrives?

"Yes, Third Brother is right. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."

"Temporary success or failure is not enough to define a hero."

"You, if you hadn't lost Xuzhou, would we be in this mess today?"

"Doesn't our brother want to fight them? Isn't he just thinking of us brothers?"

"you........"

Guan Yu also offered advice.

"I was just venting, I didn't say anything..."

When Guan Yu pointed out that he had lost Xuzhou, Zhang Fei's momentum immediately softened.

Feeling somewhat guilty, he said sheepishly.

After all, if he hadn't lost Xuzhou, how could he have felt so frustrated?

If he hadn't lost Xuzhou, he wouldn't have been able to fall into Zhou Heng's trap.

If he hadn't lost Xuzhou...

"Alright, this matter is not the fault of Third Brother. If anyone is to blame, it is Zhou Heng, who is cunning and treacherous, and who dragged us all into it."

Seeing that his two brothers were getting angry, Liu Bei quickly stepped in to mediate.

"Yes."

"Alright, Xuzhou is now occupied by Zhou Heng, and it's almost impossible to take it back. Let Lü Bu and Zhou Heng fight over it. We'll return to Xiaopei for now..."

Liu Bei waved his hand weakly.

"Report."

But before he could finish speaking, a flying horse came galloping to report.

"My lord, something terrible has happened."

"A large number of troops suddenly appeared ahead, probably no less than three thousand."

"what?"

Liu Bei was greatly alarmed.

"Could it be that Zhou Heng still refuses to let us go and wants to wipe us out completely?"

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's expressions were extremely grim.

Having been outmaneuvered by Zhou Heng time and time again, they naturally began to regard the other party as one of Zhou Heng's men.

"This is bad! Immediately order the entire army to be ready for battle at any time."

Only Liu Bei's expression changed drastically, as if he had thought of something.

"What's wrong, brother? Do you perhaps know whose men the soldiers ahead are?"

Liu Bei nodded solemnly: "If I'm not mistaken, that should be Lü Bu's returning reinforcements?"

The two men's expressions changed: "What?"

They were not afraid of Zhou Heng's troops.

After all, although Zhou Heng's troops were numerous, their combat strength was still somewhat inferior to theirs.

He was confident that he could easily defeat them.

But if it were Lu Bu's troops, then things would be much more serious.

Lu Bu's men were all Bingzhou Iron Cavalry, veterans of countless battles.

Their combat capabilities are far beyond what they can compare to.

"My lord is right. Although that army did not fly any banners, I saw that the leader was wearing a golden crown, a brocade robe, Tangni armor, and a silk belt. He was riding the Red Hare and holding a halberd. That should be Lü Bu."

The soldier also spoke up at the opportune moment.

"Damn it, I didn't expect that no matter how much we hid, we would still be outmaneuvered by Zhou Heng."

At this point, Liu Bei finally realized what was happening and was filled with rage.

"What my elder brother means is..."