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Ma Teng and Han Sui stood inside the military tent, their eyes fixed on the map laid out on the table, their expressions grave. The supplies had long been exhausted, the soldiers were weary, and their internal support had been exposed, leading to a complete failure of their plans in Chang'an. Han Sui sighed, "With no food left and no assistance from within or outside, we may not have the strength to fight again. We must retreat."
Ma Teng nodded, his face pale but his tone resolute. "The immediate priority is to preserve our forces. We will dismantle the camp and withdraw at once, returning to Xiliang to regroup before we act again."
That night, the Xiliang Army quietly packed up and retreated westward. The news quickly reached Chang'an, where Li Jue and Guo Si sneered upon hearing it and immediately ordered a pursuit. Zhang Ji led the troops in pursuit of Ma Teng, while Fan Chou commanded his forces to chase after Han Sui, aiming to eliminate them during their retreat.
Zhang Ji's army rapidly closed in on Ma Teng's rear guard, the sound of war drums echoing through the air as weapons clashed. Ma Chao held the rear position and saw Zhang Ji's forces advancing like a fierce tiger. With a cold snort, he mounted his horse and charged forward with his spear raised high. He wielded his spear like the wind, cutting through enemy lines with ease. Zhang Ji's soldiers fell in disarray, forced to retreat under the onslaught.
Meanwhile, Fan Chou's pursuers drew closer to Han Sui's troops, with Chen Cang Cheng just ahead. Realizing that his rear guard was about to be caught, Han Sui reined in his horse and turned to face Fan Chou. "Fan Chou," he called out loudly, "we have known each other for many years as fellow townsmen; why must you be so ruthless today?"
Fan Chou paused, also halting his horse. "I have orders to pursue; I cannot stop!" he replied coldly.
Han Sui sighed deeply, his voice filled with resignation. "I came here for the sake of our country, not for personal gain. As fellow townsmen, why do you press me so?"
After a moment of silence, a complex expression crossed Fan Chou's face. He looked up at Han Sui and finally loosened the reins of his horse. "I will not pursue you any longer; return to your camp." With that, he turned his horse around and led his troops back.
Han Sui watched Fan Chou's retreating figure with relief before quickly urging his troops to withdraw.
However, news of Fan Chou letting Han Sui go soon reached Li Jue's nephew, Li Bie. He returned to Chang'an with a report detailing everything that had transpired. Upon hearing this, Li Jue flew into a rage and slammed his hand on the table. "How dare Fan Chou let the enemy go and defy military orders! This is clearly an act of treason!"
Guo Si quickly interjected, "The situation is unstable; with internal strife and external threats looming, we must avoid provoking further chaos."
At that moment, Jia Xu calmly stood up, his gaze icy and his tone steady. "If the general were to mobilize troops against Fan Chou at this time, it would likely cause unrest within the army and invite greater disaster. Instead, why not host a banquet to celebrate our achievements? We can invite both Zhang Ji and Fan Chou to attend; during the feast, we can capture and execute Fan Chou—this would both intimidate our soldiers and require no additional troops."
Li Jue let out a cold laugh and slapped the table with his hand. "This plan is excellent; we shall follow your advice!" He turned to his subordinates and commanded, "Send out the orders to hold a grand banquet to celebrate our victory!"
Li Jue had a lavish feast prepared in the city, inviting Zhang Ji and Fan Chou to join. The banquet was extravagantly set, with golden cups and jade bowls, and a table full of delicacies. The flickering candlelight added to the lively atmosphere. When Zhang Ji and Fan Chou entered the tent, Li Jue greeted them with a beaming smile, warmly inviting them to take their seats. "Today, with the assistance of both generals, we have dealt a heavy blow to the Xiliang Army. This banquet is set up to celebrate our success together!"
Upon hearing this, Fan Chou felt a slight unease in his heart. However, seeing Li Jue's sincere demeanor and the lively entertainment at the banquet, he gradually lowered his guard and began to drink with Zhang Ji. Li Jue frequently raised his cup in toast, engaging in light-hearted conversation that made both men unwittingly relax their vigilance.
As the wine flowed, Fan Chou lifted his cup for another drink when he suddenly noticed Li Jue's expression darken. The smile that had adorned Li Jue's face vanished, replaced by coldness and anger. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted sternly, "Fan Chou! You have been colluding with Han Sui; what are your intentions? Do you wish to rebel?"
Fan Chou was taken aback, his cup falling to the ground as disbelief washed over him. "General, this... where does this come from? I have never harbored such thoughts!"
However, Li Jue did not give him a chance to explain. With a cold laugh, he waved his hand downwards and commanded fiercely, "Seize this traitor and behead him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, assassins who had been lying in wait outside rushed in, surrounding Fan Chou with their sharp blades. Fan Chou attempted to defend himself, but in a flash of steel, he was struck down beneath the table, blood splattering across the floor.
Zhang Ji watched in horror as his cup slipped from his hands; he fell to his knees, trembling all over. "General, please calm your anger! I am utterly loyal to you; I have no other intentions!"
Seeing this, Li Jue's expression softened slightly. He rose and helped Zhang Ji up, speaking in a calm yet imposing tone. "Fan Chou conspired with external enemies and intended to rebel; he deserved death. General Zhang is my trusted confidant; there is no need for such fear. From now on, you shall lead the remnants of the Xiliang Army."
Zhang Ji suppressed his inner terror and bowed his head repeatedly in gratitude. "Thank you for your trust, General! I will pledge my life in loyalty!" He forced himself to regain composure and quickly returned to Hongnong after bidding farewell, distancing himself from potential troubles.
Since Li Jue and Guo Si had repelled the Xiliang Army, stability had returned somewhat to Chang'an; no one dared provoke them any longer. However, the people's livelihoods were still in dire straits, leading to widespread grievances among the populace. Jia Xu repeatedly advised him, saying, "General, in these chaotic times, you should soothe the people and cultivate relationships with wise individuals; only then can you solidify your foundation for long-term peace."
After listening to this advice, Li Jue appeared enlightened. He ordered his subordinates to reduce their acts of violence slightly and summoned local scholars to attend court discussions. Gradually, signs of vitality began to emerge within the court.
At this moment, news of disaster spread through the Qingzhou region—the Yellow Turban Army had revived, and bandits surged forth from all directions, gathering hundreds of thousands to plunder cities and harm the common people, their momentum truly astonishing. Li Jue and Guo Si, upon hearing this, wore grave expressions and quickly convened a meeting to discuss countermeasures.
Tai Fu Zhu Jun stepped forward and cupped his hands in suggestion: "General, the Yellow Turban Army is wreaking havoc in these chaotic times, causing immense suffering for the people. If we wish to quell the bandits in Shandong, I would like to recommend a person who can surely defeat them."
Li Jue asked urgently, "Who is this person?"
Zhu Jun replied solemnly, "Dongjun's Governor Cao Cao, styled Mengde, is both wise and courageous, with a well-established reputation. He governs his troops with strictness and is deeply beloved by his soldiers; his army is well-trained. If we can command him to campaign against the Yellow Turbans, victory will be within reach."
Guo Si echoed, "Mengde is indeed an excellent general. Do you know where he is now?"
Zhu Jun responded, "Cao is currently stationed in Dongjun, with a strong and capable army fully able to handle this matter."
Li Jue was overjoyed and immediately ordered someone to draft an edict, personally sealing it with his stamp. He commanded a messenger to deliver the decree to Dongjun that very night. The messenger rode swiftly and arrived in haste; upon receiving the edict, Cao Cao respectfully accepted it and promptly mobilized his troops.
Cao Cao met with Prime Minister Bao Xin to discuss battle plans. He acted cautiously, dividing his forces into several routes to gradually eliminate the remnants of the Yellow Turbans. However, Bao Xin's temperament was impatient; he led his troops deep into enemy territory without proper defenses and was ambushed, ultimately dying on the battlefield.
Upon hearing this news, Cao Cao was furious and personally led the main force to pursue the Yellow Turban Army straight to Ji Bei. Along the way, he defeated enemies one after another, greatly boosting his military prestige. Many remaining Yellow Turbans sensed the dire situation and surrendered en masse. Cao Cao ordered these surrendered troops to serve as vanguards, reorganizing them to lead attacks on other strongholds with repeated successes.
Within a hundred days, Cao Cao had subdued hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban remnants and pacified over a million displaced men and women. To expand his military strength, he selected elite soldiers from among the surrendered troops to form the Qingzhou Army, creating a powerful force under his command while sending the rest back home to farm.
News of these victories reached Chang'an. Li Jue and Guo Si were astonished to hear that Cao Cao had quelled the Yellow Turbans in just a few months and gathered such a vast army. The court issued orders for rewards and promoted Cao Cao to General of the Eastern Pacification, further enhancing his reputation.
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