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Hu Zhen led five thousand Elite Troops, charging out of Si Shui Pass with great fanfare. Banners fluttered in the wind, armor gleamed, and the display was awe-inspiring. In Sun Jian's camp, Cheng Pu rode forth, spear in hand, directly confronting Hu Zhen. As the two armies clashed, hooves kicked up clouds of dust, and the two generals engaged in fierce combat. Hu Zhen wielded his spear like a venomous dragon piercing the clouds, while Cheng Pu skillfully countered with his Iron Spine Snake Spear, their weapons clashing and sparking as they fought. The two were locked in a deadly struggle amidst the cacophony of neighing horses and shouting soldiers.
Suddenly, Cheng Pu let out a mighty roar and charged forward on horseback. With a swift thrust that was as quick as lightning, he aimed directly at Hu Zhen. Caught off guard, Hu Zhen was struck in the chest by the spear, blood gushing forth as he fell from his horse. Cheng Pu cast a cold glance around and shouted, "The enemy general is dead! Surrender now or face your doom!" Seeing this, Sun Jian immediately spurred his horse and swung his blade with a voice like thunder: "All troops advance! Charge straight for the pass! Let Dong Zhuo's minions know who truly rules this land!" The Jiangdong Army surged forward like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains, sweeping through the enemy ranks and forcing Dong Zhuo's forces to retreat.
However, the defenders at Si Shui Pass were not to be underestimated; they had long been prepared. Arrows rained down like a storm from the city walls, while rolling logs and giant stones came crashing down, causing chaos among the Jiangdong Army as they struggled to maintain their advance. Observing this situation, Sun Jian decisively ordered, "All troops retreat! We will regroup at Liangdong and wait for a better opportunity to strike." After a brief pause at the pass, the Jiangdong Army withdrew while Sun Jian led his main force to set up camp.
Back at camp, Sun Jian immediately summoned his subordinates to take action. He sent messengers to deliver news of their victory to Yuan Shao's main camp while urgently dispatching others to Yuan Shu for supplies. However, within Yuan Shu's tent, dark currents were already stirring as he harbored jealousy towards Sun Jian's achievements. One advisor suggested, "General, although Sun Jian is part of our alliance, he is brave and skilled in battle. If he truly captures Luoyang and slays Dong Zhuo, do you think he will willingly remain subordinate? This Jiangdong Tiger could become uncontrollable and threaten your position. It would be better to withhold supplies for now to shake his troops' morale and create disorder within his ranks. This way we can curb his accomplishments without damaging our own standing."
Yuan Shu chuckled coldly and pondered for a moment before replying, "That is indeed wise counsel. Send orders to delay the supply of provisions; there is no need to rush." The messenger returned empty-handed, plunging Sun Jian's army into dire straits.
With insufficient supplies, discontent spread among the soldiers both inside and outside the camp. As night fell, arguments erupted outside the tents; some soldiers even came to blows over the last remaining rations. Several generals approached Sun Jian with grave expressions: "General, it seems Yuan Shu is deliberately withholding supplies to weaken our strength." Upon hearing this, Sun Jian was filled with rage and slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Yuan Shu is so shortsighted! Is he playing political games while our nation faces disaster? At this rate, does he intend to hand over the realm to Dong Zhuo?"
Yet before internal troubles could be resolved, external threats loomed large. Scouts quickly relayed news of Jiangdong Army's food shortages back to Si Shui Pass. Hua Xiong rejoiced upon hearing this and immediately summoned strategist Li Su for a secret discussion. Li Su proposed a plan: "General, we cannot miss this opportunity. Reports indicate that Sun Jian's army is in disarray and discontent among soldiers is growing. Tonight I will lead an Elite Troops unit along a hidden path to encircle their rear while you launch a frontal assault with your main force. With attacks from both sides, even this Jiangdong Tiger will be unable to withstand us!"
Hua Xiong rose with determination etched on his face: "Excellent plan! Let this Jiangdong wolf experience the might of my Xiliang cavalry!" With orders given, war drums sounded as soldiers quickly readied themselves for an all-out assault on Sun Jian’s forces under the cover of night—a night destined for bloodshed.
After feasting well, Hua Xiong set out under moonlight for a surprise attack on Sun Jian’s camp. The surroundings of Si Shui Pass were eerily quiet under the night sky except for the low whinnies of warhorses. At that moment, with the bright moon hanging high and a gentle breeze blowing, Hua Xiong’s army surged toward Sun Jian’s encampment like a black tide. Upon reaching outside the camp, Hua Xiong waved his hand; war drums thundered as torches blazed bright—the shouts of battle suddenly pierced through the night sky. Soldiers charged into the camp like tigers leaping from their cages.
Sun Jian was jolted awake and quickly donned his armor before shouting angrily: "Enemy attack! All troops prepare for battle!" Armed with his Ancient Coin Blade, he burst from his tent just as Hua Xiong charged toward him. The two generals met head-on; blades clashed fiercely amidst flying weapons as they fought with all their might. Hua Xiong’s imposing figure struck fear into hearts while his attacks were relentless; Sun Jian responded nimbly as glints of steel flashed between them.
Just as they exchanged blows for less than ten rounds, Li Su’s reinforcements surged from behind the camp shouting: "Set fire to their tents!" In an instant flames erupted everywhere as chaos engulfed Sun Jian’s camp; soldiers panicked and scattered in all directions. Sun Jian shouted: "Steady yourselves! Follow me out of this encirclement!" However, with fires raging and enemy forces pressing hard against them, it became increasingly difficult for Jiangdong Army to mount an effective defense.
Amidst the turmoil, Zu Mao closely followed Sun Jian as he swung his blade to cut through pursuing enemies’ encirclement. At that moment Hua Xiong pursued from behind with an angry shout: "Sun Jian! Prepare to die!" Sun Jian turned back and quickly drew an arrow from his quiver; he fired two arrows in rapid succession but Hua Xiong evaded them with agility. Unwilling to relent, Sun Jian pulled back another arrow with great force but heard a loud snap—the bowstring broke under pressure. Cursing under his breath, he tossed aside his bow and spurred his horse into flight.
Seeing this, Lord Zu Mao urgently said, "My Lord, you are wearing the Red Cap, making it easy for the enemy to identify you. Please give me the cap and escape through a different route." Sun Jian decisively handed the Red Cap to Zu Mao, donned his armor, and commanded, "Be careful; I will take the small path to get out!" Zu Mao nodded, put on the Red Cap, and shouted loudly to attract the enemy's attention before galloping away in another direction.
From a distance, Hua Xiong spotted the Red Cap and immediately ordered his soldiers to pursue. "The one wearing the Red Cap is Sun Jian; capture him alive!" The pursuing soldiers surged after Zu Mao. As he rode swiftly, he saw a village ahead with charred pillars still standing. A clever idea struck him; he took off the Red Cap and hung it on one of the half-burned pillars. Then he leaped down and quickly hid in the dense forest outside the village.
Under the dim moonlight, Hua Xiong's army saw the Red Cap from afar, like a bright beacon hanging on the ruined pillar. Hua Xiong frowned and restrained his impatient subordinates, whispering, "Don't rush in; it might be a trap." He ordered archers to surround the area, and arrows rained down like locusts toward the Red Cap. The sound of arrows whizzing filled the air as they struck without hitting anything; finally, a soldier approached to take a closer look and discovered it was merely a decoy.
"Damn Sun Jian!" Hua Xiong roared in anger, pointing his blade forward. "Continue the pursuit; don’t let him escape!" However, before Hua Xiong's troops could act, Zu Mao suddenly burst out from the forest on horseback, wielding his Dual Sabers that gleamed coldly as he charged at Hua Xiong. Zu Mao shouted fiercely, "Dog thief Hua Xiong, come and face me!"
Hua Xiong sneered and swung his Dadao to meet him. The two horses collided amidst flashing blades and cold winds mixed with the scent of blood. Zu Mao's strikes were swift and aimed at Hua Xiong's vital points, but Hua Xiong relied on sheer strength, his blade steady as a mountain. After several exchanges, Hua Xiong let out a fierce roar; taking advantage of Zu Mao’s exhaustion, he delivered a heavy blow that sent Zu Mao crashing to the ground along with his horse, blood splattering everywhere.
"Sun Jian's subordinates are nothing but this!" Hua Xiong looked down at Zu Mao's lifeless body with disdain and coldly commanded his troops to retreat while taking advantage of the dawn's light.
The next morning, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang led their troops in search and finally found a disheveled Sun Jian. The three dismounted to greet him. Han Dang quietly asked, "My Lord, are you injured?" Sun Jian shook his head and said solemnly, "I am fine, but Zu Mao sacrificed himself heroically, and many of our soldiers suffered losses. How can I face them?" His gaze swept over his subordinates as he coldly declared, "Gather the remaining troops and regroup; we cannot let the enemy underestimate us Jiangdong warriors!"
Sun Jian sent messengers overnight to report the situation to Yuan Shao’s camp. Upon receiving the news, Yuan Shao's expression darkened as he slammed the letter onto his desk with a cold laugh. "I never expected Sun Wentai would be defeated by Hua Xiong! The war against Dong Zhuo has just begun and we’ve already lost two generals; how am I supposed to explain this?"
The following morning, Yuan Shao summoned various warlords to discuss matters in his main tent. The atmosphere inside was tense and oppressive as everyone kept their heads down in silence. Yuan Shao scanned them coldly with dissatisfaction evident in his voice: "The other day General Bao’s brother acted without orders and ended up dead on the battlefield, resulting in significant losses for us. Now Sun Wentai has also fallen to Hua Xiong’s hand—this has dampened our morale! What should we do now?"
A dead silence filled the tent; no one spoke up. Only the charcoal in the fire pit occasionally crackled. Yuan Shao’s piercing gaze swept over every warlord present but found them all looking down submissively as if weighing how to respond.
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