Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1260 Liu Bei's Reinforcements Relieve Chengdu's Predicament

On the city walls of Luocheng, Lei Tong and Li Yan guarded the east and west sides respectively, their brows furrowed as they watched the relentless siege outside the city. The 20,000 newly dispatched troops from Chengdu, bringing the defenders to over 30,000, were mostly inexperienced recruits, relying entirely on veterans to maintain order. The Xiliang army attacked daily, raining arrows and stones, but these were consistently repelled by the rolling logs and stones from the walls. Having suffered a crushing defeat at Mianzhu Pass, the people of Luocheng had no more illusions; they knew only to defend to the death, which repeatedly thwarted Jia Xu's aggressive assaults.

That day, the Xiliang army below the city suddenly withdrew its attack. Lei Tong watched from the city wall and saw the enemy troops split up and leave, while the remaining forces built fortifications, completely surrounding Luocheng and cutting off the supply lines to Chengdu. "They're trying to starve us to death!" Li Yan said in a deep voice. Lei Tong nodded, his heart sinking—with the supply lines cut off, the city's food reserves could only last for a month at most, after which it would collapse without a fight.

Meanwhile, outside Chengdu, another large army from Xiliang had already besieged the city. Jia Xu personally led Pang De and Zhang Xiu's troops, setting up camps stretching for dozens of miles, their banners obscuring the sky and completely surrounding the capital of Yizhou. Liu Zhang, atop the city wall, gazed at the dark mass of enemy troops outside the city and listened to the incessant shouts and curses day and night. In just half a month, his eyes became sunken and his temples turned gray.

"My lord, the granary in the west of the city is almost empty." She Jian's voice was weary. "If we continue to defend it, the people may run out of food."

Liu Zhang leaned against the battlements, gazing at the distant banners of the Xiliang army, his throat bobbing but no sound escaping his lips. All the messengers he had sent for reinforcements had been intercepted and killed; Pang Xi of Bazhou was tied down by Wei Yan and unable to return to help; Luocheng was besieged, and all communication with it had ceased. Chengdu was like a lone boat, teetering on the brink of capsizing in the raging waves of the Xiliang army. The court officials discussed matters day and night, but could only offer the word "defend to the death," with no other options.

Early that morning, a deafening battle cry suddenly erupted outside the city, but it was not directed at Chengdu. Liu Zhang donned his robes and climbed the city wall. He saw dust billowing in the southwest, and a fresh force, like a sharp sword, pierced the rear camp of the Xiliang army. The large banner bearing the character "Liu" at the head of the force was particularly conspicuous in the morning light.

"It's reinforcements!" Cheers erupted from the city wall. Liu Zhang squinted to take a closer look. The army was well-disciplined, with a variety of banners, but one banner with the character "Liu" stood out—it was Liu Bei's army that had come from Jingzhou!

The Xiliang army below the city was clearly thrown into disarray. Jia Xu hastily mobilized his troops to meet the attack, while Pang De and Zhang Xiu each led their forces in a counterattack, only to be held tightly by the enemy's formation. Leading the charge, Zhang Fei's spear swept across the Xiliang soldiers, causing them to fall from their horses. To his left, a white-robed general thrust his spear forward with lightning speed—it was Zhao Yun! A white-haired old general, wielding a phoenix-beak saber, also exuded an imposing aura!

After half a day of fierce fighting, the Xiliang army was thrown into disarray. Pang De fought Zhao Yun to a standstill, and Zhao Yun knocked off his helmet plume with a single spear thrust. Zhang Xiu attempted to break through the encirclement but was blocked by Zhang Fei, and the two faced perilous situations for over sixty rounds. The Jingzhou generals were simply too valiant. Seeing the unfavorable situation, Jia Xu sighed, "Heaven is not on my side!" and had no choice but to order a retreat, heading west.

The siege of Chengdu was lifted. Liu Zhang stood atop the city wall, gazing at the massive army, and tears suddenly welled up in his eyes. He personally descended the wall to greet Liu Bei at the city gate. Seeing Liu Bei dismount, covered in dust but with a gentle gaze, he hurried forward and grasped his hand: "Lord Xuande...you've finally arrived!"

Liu Bei bowed and said, "Ji Yu, don't worry. I and Shi Yuan (Pang Tong) rushed here overnight, and fortunately, we have not failed in our mission."

Pang Tong also stepped forward to pay his respects. Behind him, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and other generals were all valiant and heroic, which moved the people of Chengdu to tears. They knelt down and cheered, as if they were looking at a savior.

Liu Zhang, holding Liu Bei's hand, walked into the city, his voice choked with emotion. He knew that if Liu Bei hadn't arrived in time, Chengdu would likely have already fallen to the wrong hands. The sunlight outside the city shone on the streets, dispelling the gloom of the past few days and finally giving the anxious capital a glimmer of hope.

Inside the Chengdu city lord's mansion, a lively banquet was underway, the gloom and anxiety of the past few days dispelled by the aroma of wine and laughter. Liu Zhang raised his cup to Liu Bei, his face filled with the relief of surviving a calamity: "Brother, your timely assistance was truly a godsend. If we had been a few days later, Chengdu might have..."

Liu Bei quickly rose to retort, saying gently, "Ji Yu, you flatter me. I am of the same clan as you. How could I stand idly by while Yizhou is in trouble? It's just that I'm late this time, and I feel guilty for causing you and the people to be frightened."

After several rounds of drinks, Liu Zhang finally inquired about the journey: "Brother, you must have had a long and arduous journey, but why... is it more than twenty days later than expected?"

Liu Bei sighed and turned his gaze to Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong beside him: "To be honest, our army was intercepted by the Jiangdong navy at Fuling as soon as we entered Shu. Taishi Ci and Gan Ning led 20,000 naval troops in a surprise attack. Our Jingzhou navy was already unfamiliar with naval warfare and suffered a great loss in the rush, losing many ships."

Pang Tong interjected, "After we abandoned our ships and landed, Gan Ning still refused to give up. Relying on his familiarity with the waterways, he harassed us several times by boat. Although we were repelled, it still delayed us considerably. When we reached Ba County, we encountered treacherous waterways. They repeatedly entangled us using the complex currents, which slowed our journey. In addition, the Shu Road was difficult to traverse, and the land journey was even slower. If it weren't for the soldiers gritting their teeth and pressing on, we would have arrived even later."

Hearing this, She Jian slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Gan Ning is originally from Ba County in Yizhou. He knows the waterways in the area like the back of his hand. He must have brought the Jiangdong army to block the road! Otherwise, how could the Xiliang army be so rampant in Yizhou?"

The ministers echoed his sentiments, some vehemently condemning Jiangdong's betrayal, others praising Liu Bei's loyalty in rushing to their aid despite the dangers. Liu Zhang exclaimed repeatedly, "Brother, you are truly the savior of Yizhou!"

Liu Bei waved his hand, his expression becoming serious: "Now is not the time for drinking. I just heard that Luocheng is still under siege and General Lei Tong is in a critical situation. Our army needs to rest for a while and send troops to relieve the siege of Luocheng tomorrow. If we delay, something unexpected may happen."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhang was so moved that he rose from his seat and bowed deeply to Liu Bei, saying, "Brother, you are so considerate. I...I have no way to repay you!"

"Ji Yu, there's no need for such formalities." Liu Bei helped him up, his tone earnest. "The most urgent task is to defeat the Xiliang army and stabilize Yizhou. As long as the people can live and work in peace, I am willing to endure any hardship."

Hearing these words and seeing Liu Bei's open and honest expression, the civil and military officials of Yizhou secretly nodded in approval. This imperial uncle from Jingzhou was not only decisive in his military tactics but also compassionate towards the people, making him a completely different person compared to Liu Zhang's timidity and hesitation.

Officials from prominent families, such as Zhang Yi and Qiao Zhou, were particularly keen on this. Liu Zhang couldn't hold Yizhou, the Xiliang army was brutal, and the Jiangdong army harbored treacherous intentions. Now it seemed that perhaps Liu Bei, a member of the same clan, was the only reliable ally to ensure the stability of Yizhou.

Inside the Xiliang army's main camp, candlelight flickered, illuminating the solemn faces of the generals in the tents.

“Those generals under Liu Bei’s command are truly brave and unparalleled!” Zhang Xiu slammed his wine cup heavily on the table, the clanging of armor making a dull sound. “In the battle the other day, even with Pang De’s help, we could only barely hold our own. If it weren’t for the cavalry’s high mobility, we would have suffered a great loss.”

Pang De's face was ashen, and his knuckles were white as he gripped the hilt of his sword: "I'm going to go and meet Zhang Fei again. I refuse to believe I can't defeat him!"

“No.” Jia Xu gently shook his feather fan, his gaze falling on Luocheng on the map. “Liu Bei’s reinforcements this time are mostly infantry, but they rely on the bravery of his generals. If our army forces an attack on the city, he will definitely attack our rear; if we divide our forces to meet the attack, the Luocheng defenders will come out of the city to support us, and our army will be attacked from both sides, making the situation even more dangerous.”

The tent fell silent for a moment, broken only by the crackling of the candlelight. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside. Unable to contain his anxiety, Xu Huang abruptly stood up: "What's all this noise? I'll go check what's going on outside the camp." With that, he strode out of the tent.

A moment later, Xu Huang's barely suppressed shout of joy suddenly rang out from outside the tent: "Strategist! Generals! Come out and see!"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone came out and saw Xu Huang followed by a burly Hu general, wearing an iron helmet and heavy armor. It was Hu Che'er. When he saw Jia Xu, he bowed and greeted him in a deep voice: "Sir, generals."

A glint flashed in Jia Xu's eyes, and he quickly stepped forward: "Che'er, what brings you here?"

"His Majesty has already passed Mianzhu Pass," Hu Che'er said in a booming voice. "He will arrive tomorrow, at the latest by noon! He sent me to inform you, sir, and all the generals in advance so that we can make preparations."

The generals in the tent were taken aback at first, then their faces lit up with surprise, mixed with a hint of astonishment.

"The King has come in person?" A complex look flashed in Zhang Xiu's eyes, a mixture of excitement at the impending arrival of reinforcements and a touch of shame. They had been stationed outside the city for many days, yet they had to trouble their commander-in-chief to lead the troops in person.

Jia Xu, however, was overjoyed and clapped his hands, laughing, "Excellent! Now that Your Majesty has arrived, Liu Bei's generals are nothing to fear!"

Upon hearing this, the generals in the tent immediately felt embarrassed. Pang De frowned, Zhang Xiu pursed his lips, and even the usually composed Zhang Ren turned his head away. As generals, they were helpless against the enemy's generals, and in the end, they had to rely on their lord to take action. It was a disgrace to say that.

Seeing this, Hu Che'er scratched his head and then added, "Sir, please don't blame the generals. The roads to Shu are really difficult to travel. His Majesty set off as soon as he received the news of the fall of Mianzhu Pass. He led his cavalry day and night, and it took a lot of time just to transport warhorses and provisions. On the way, he also defeated Pang Yi's army that was besieging the city at Jiangyou. It took more than a month to reach Mianzhu Pass. When he heard that the situation at the front was critical, he urged the troops to speed up, and there was very little time to rest."

Jia Xu then realized his mistake and quickly said to the generals, "I misspoke. You have all fought hard for days, which is no easy feat. His Majesty's personal visit is not because he does not trust you, but because this battle concerns the overall situation of Yizhou, and he is worried about you."

Pang De and the others' expressions softened slightly. Xu Huang clasped his hands and said, "In that case, we must be even more vigilant! Tomorrow, when His Majesty arrives, we will definitely cooperate with him to defeat Liu Bei in one fell swoop and take Luo City, so that His Majesty can see that we are not just empty names!"

"Good!" the generals responded in unison, their previous worries vanishing and their fighting spirit rekindled.

Outside the tent, the night wind whipped up dust and fluttered the wolf banners of the Xiliang army. In the distance, the faint neighing of warhorses could be heard, as if foreshadowing an even greater storm about to erupt outside Luocheng.

Over the years, Ma Chao had been engaged in continuous battles with little rest. Although he had spent over a year resting in Chang'an, surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines and children, he still found it unbearable. It was only when news of the fall of Mianzhu Pass reached him, coinciding with the one-month celebration of Cai Wenji's fourth son, whom Ma Chao named Ma Luo, that he could no longer contain himself. Worried about the war at the front, he finally raised his army.

Unlike the critical situation in Chengdu, where Liu Bei had just arrived and broken the siege, Ma Chao led his troops to the city shortly afterward, and the two heroes were destined to have a fierce battle there.