Reborn In The Three Kingdoms

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In Shangdang, Tian Feng and Xu You received news of Yuan Tan’s defeat with satisfaction, knowing that the setback would only solidify their strategy. The cracks in Yuan Shao’s court had grown into chasms, with each faction vying for influence while Cao Cao’s forces continued to press at the borders. Tian Feng and Xu You wrote to Cao Cao once more, suggesting further ways to exploit the weaknesses in Yuan Shao’s army and political structure for his campaign in the future.

As Yuan Tan’s defeat sent ripples through Yuan Shao’s court, far to the south in Xiapi, the atmosphere was markedly different. Lie Fan, having hosted a grand celebration for the newly reconstructed city, now prepared to say farewell to his guests from the Sun Clan.

The festive ambiance still lingered in the air as Lie Fan, surrounded by some of his advisors Jia Xu, Chen Gui, and Chen Qun, gathered with his wives — Ying Yue, Diao Chan, Cai Wenji, and Lu Lingqi — and his sister, Wannian. Nearby, four of Lie Fan’s loyal bodyguards stood watch, their imposing presence ensuring no threat interrupted these final moments of parting.

Sun Jian alongside Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Zhou Yu, as well as Lady Wu, Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao, and his younger daughter, Sun Shangxiang. There was an air of camaraderie and mutual respect as the men and women split into groups, exchanging words and promises of future alliances.

Lie Fan approached Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Zhou Yu, each offering a cupping of their hand and a respectful nod. ”I hope you found Xiapi a welcoming place,” Lie Fan began, his tone warm yet calculated. His leadership had been bolstered by the city’s rebirth, and he was intent on strengthening his ties with the Sun Clan. His gaze held steady as he hinted, ”Our vision for unity could flourish if met with equally willing partners.”

Sun Jian, catching Lie Fan’s subtle query regarding his proposal for cooperation, gave a hearty laugh, his eyes gleaming with a hint of his own ambitions. ”Xiapi has indeed left an impression, Brother Lie Fan,” he replied, with a glint in his eyes that belied his measured tone.

”However, such matters deserve the wisdom of our loyal advisors and supporters back at our capital.” With these words, Sun Jian left open the possibility of the cooperation going through, and Lie Fan knew that a cautious but positive response had been conveyed.

While the men discussed matters of diplomacy, the women gathered nearby, each embracing in warm farewells. Ying Yue, poised and graceful, led her sisters Diao Chan, Cai Wenji, and Lu Lingqi in a farewell to Lady Wu, Da Qiao, and Xiao Qiao.

The women shared quiet smiles and knowing looks, unspoken words of mutual respect and acknowledgment passing between them.

Wannian and Sun Shangxiang, both strong-willed and independent, held their own conversation a few steps away. They exchanged words of farewell in a way that was less formal but just as sincere, with Wannian admiring the strength and determination in Sun Shangxiang’s demeanor.

In their own manner, they pledged to keep contacting each other and perhaps a hint of friendly rivalry, each drawn to the other’s boldness and promised to have a friendly spar the next time either Sun Shangxiang visit Xiapi again or Wannian visit the Sun Clan’s capital.

As the Sun Clan’s party mounted their horses and carriages, Zhou Yu, ever sharp-eyed, turned back to offer Lie Fan a final respectful bow. Lie Fan watched them depart with a calm confidence, aware that the cooperation with the Sun Clan was not a question of ”if” but ”when.” He knew that having the Sun Clan submit to him would give him both military strength and strategic advantage in the turbulent times ahead.

As the Sun Clan entourage departed from Xiapi toward Huai’An, the sun cast a warm farewell glow on the roads they traveled. They rode under the watchful eyes of Lie Fan’s bodyguards until they were well beyond Xiapi’s borders, their conversations buzzing with the fresh memories of celebration and their recent parting with Lie Fan, who had shown them a powerful and renewed Xiapi.

Their destination, the Huai’An harbor, would mark the first leg of their return to Yuzhang, from where they would continue marching back to the Sun Clan’s capital. Each member of the Sun Clan, especially Sun Jian, held a measure of appreciation for Lie Fan’s offer of cooperation, but also a degree of caution—they had much to discuss and weigh once they returned to their homeland.

Meanwhile, far to the north, the atmosphere was charged not with camaraderie but with tension as Tugeh Khagan prepared his coalition of Northern Xiongnu tribes for an impending clash.

Having regrouped, replenished their supplies, and gathered reinforcements at the main encampment, Tugeh Khagan’s forces were ready to counter the Xianbei’s incursions on their eastern border. What he thought as his trusted allies Batu and Zolgar, however, were beginning to show signs of duplicity.

Batu and Zolgar, alongside the chieftains who supported them and had sworn allegiance secretly to the Han, had positioned their warriors at the rear of the coalition army, a move that raised suspicions among the coalition commanders.

The commanders, handpicked by Tugeh Khagan for their loyalty and strategic prowess, saw Batu, Zolgar, and the chieftains that followed them create this maneuver in a bid to avoid heavy casualties.

Though Batu and Zolgar alongside the chieftains justified this positioning as strategic to ”protect the flank,” the commanders felt that they were unwilling to truly risk their own men, suggesting that their loyalty to Tugeh Khagan—and perhaps even the unity of the coalition—was wavering.

Concerned, the commanders reported their observations to Tugeh Khagan and his close advisors. Tugeh Khagan listened, his face darkening with each new revelation.

He thought that Batu and Zolgar had been among his most trusted allies, and he was deeply frustrated by their apparent self-preservation at a time when solidarity was paramount. To lead an army fraught with internal divisions was dangerous, especially against the organized and aggressive Xianbei forces.

In a moment of anger, Tugeh Khagan was ready to issue an order for their capture, seeing it as the only way to prevent any chance of betrayal mid-battle. Yet his advisors, voices of caution, counseled restraint.

They reminded him that Batu and Zolgar commanded strong support from other chieftains within the coalition, many of whom believed Tugeh Khagan’s recent policies overly centralized his power. Should he move against these chieftains, he could risk sparking dissent and outright rebellion—an outcome the Xiongnu could ill afford.

”Tugeh Khagan,” one advisor cautioned, ”if you act now, the support of other chieftains may turn against you. Even those who are loyal might question your leadership if you are seen to act rashly, particularly with the Xianbei threat at our doorstep. Batu and Zolgar must be handled carefully. Perhaps there is another way to ensure their cooperation.”

Reluctantly, Tugeh Khagan allowed his anger to subside and considered a different approach. He gathered his senior advisors and devised a strategy to test Batu and Zolgar’s loyalty without directly challenging them.

They would assign the two chieftains specific roles in the battle that would require their forces to play a crucial part, framing it as a necessity for the coalition’s success rather than a personal order. This subtle pressure would reveal whether Batu and Zolgar intended to truly support the coalition or preserve their forces at the expense of unity.

Days later, the coalition army advanced to meet the Xianbei invaders, with Tugeh Khagan at its head. The Xiongnu forces marched with an imposing front, their banners fluttering in the cold northern wind, weapons gleaming under the pale sky. Batu and Zolgar, positioned at the rear, observed with expressions carefully neutral, though an astute observer might have noticed their hesitation.

The Xianbei, however, had prepared for the Xiongnu’s response. Led by Kuitou, the Xianbei forces employed a strategy of feigned retreat, luring parts of the Xiongnu force into an ambush to inflict a large casualties on their force.

Tugeh Khagan, wise to their methods, countered with an advance designed to avoid overcommitting his forces, yet he was prepared to spring his own trap. Batu and Zolgar’s troops would be called upon to close the ambush from the rear, thus ensuring a two-pronged attack.

When the time came, Tugeh Khagan issued the command to Batu and Zolgar’s troops to engage, signaling the start of their role in the battle. Batu and Zolgar hesitated, exchanging looks filled with unspoken intentions. Their instinct was to hold back, to let the others bear the brunt of the fight, and they subtly delayed their advance.

Yet as the battle intensified, the commanders in Tugeh Khagan’s force grew suspicious of Batu and Zolgar’s inaction. Another report made its way to Tugeh Khagan, who, upon receiving the message mid-battle, knew that decisive action was needed.

In an unexpected maneuver, Tugeh Khagan rode toward Batu and Zolgar’s position himself, his presence a stark reminder of the command he had issued.

His piercing gaze and direct orders spurred their warriors into action, forcing Batu and Zolgar’s troops to engage or risk public humiliation. The two chieftains had no choice but to comply, and with their reluctant participation, the Xiongnu managed to close the ambush, trapping a segment of Kuitou’s forces.

However, an unexpected turn of events unfolded. Kuitou had anticipated the Xiongnu’s battle strategy and had devised a counter-ambush.

However, just as Tugeh Khagan was beginning to feel the tide of battle turning in his favor and anticipated his first decisive victory since forming the coalition, an ominous horn sounded from the hills overlooking the battlefield.

This was Kuitou’s signal, the cue for the Xianbei’s hidden forces lying in ambush to attack. They had been waiting in silence, concealed within the rugged terrain, watching and preparing to strike. The Xiongnu coalition forces were caught off guard as Xianbei warriors suddenly emerged from all sides, flooding into the battlefield like a shadowed tide.

Realizing the extent of the trap, Tugeh Khagan felt a pang of panic seize him. His forces, already partially engaged and spread thin, were now surrounded. With the Xianbei forces pouring in from every direction, his strategy of an encirclement had been turned against him.

He called out urgently to his commanders, ordering his troops to regroup, hoping that a unified front might repel the encircling Xianbei forces. But the chaos on the battlefield rendered his orders nearly impossible to execute.

Amid the confusion, Batu and Zolgar, along with the chieftains loyal to them, saw the unfolding disaster and made a calculated decision. They quietly led their rear forces away from the main battlefield, strategically withdrawing under the pretense of regrouping.

But in reality, Batu and Zolgar had no intention of rejoining the fight. This was the opportunity they had been waiting for, a chance to weaken Tugeh Khagan’s forces significantly without lifting a sword against him. They held back, watching the turmoil from a safe distance, knowing that the greater the casualties on both sides, the more favorable their position would become.

With the Xianbei closing in and no reinforcements from the rear, Tugeh Khagan and his loyal forces were left to fend for themselves. The Xianbei pressed their advantage, driving Tugeh Khagan’s army into a tighter and more desperate circle. Surrounded and cut off from any escape, Tugeh Khagan could only watch as his men fell, one by one, to the merciless attacks of Kuitou’s warriors. Despite his resolve, he realized that the coalition he had so painstakingly built was fracturing right before his eyes, with betrayal compounding the losses inflicted by the enemy.

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Name: Lie Fan

Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains

Age: 32 (199 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 1325

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 951 (+20)

VIT: 613 (+20)

AGI: 598 (+10)

INT: 617

CHR: 96

WIS: 519

WILL: 407

ATR Points: 0