Chapter 991: Zhang Yan's Martial General Lineup
Chapter 991: Zhang Yan's Martial General Lineup
September 25, 2017
As troops mobilized from all sides, a massive battle was about to erupt.
Amidst the siege he found himself in, Lu HaiKong showed no signs of worry and remained steadfast in executing his initial plan.
As Dong Zhuo and Yuan Hong's armies approached, one of Lu HaiKong's legions was already making its way towards Youzhou.
Lu HaiKong's current posture seemed to suggest that he was willing to risk losing the group battle as long as Zhang Yan perished. Of course, he never intended to lose the group battle, but he had put considerable effort into assembling a formidable force for the expedition against Youzhou.
The expeditionary force was divided into two parts. One group set out directly from Beifeng, while the other consisted of a 20,000-strong army led by Meng Qui, dispatched from the Second Army.
The focus wasn't on Meng Qui's 20,000 troops but on the legion coming from Beifeng, which was the true main force.
At this point, few believed that Lu HaiKong could muster a formidable lineup, given his less-than-ideal external circumstances.
On one front, Dong Zhuo's forces from Sili were advancing aggressively, and their lineup was terrifying. Lu HaiKong had to allocate a significant portion of his troops to counter them. Additionally, Yuan Hong's army was positioned below, making it unlikely for many to believe that Lu HaiKong could deploy a substantial legion to the Youzhou battlefield.
It was under these circumstances that Zhang Yan felt confident enough to confront Lu HaiKong.
Yes, Lu HaiKong was powerful, and his martial general lineup was impressive. She genuinely feared facing him alone.
However, with Dong Zhuo's forces pinning down Lu HaiKong, he could only deploy a third or even less of his military might. Why, then, would she fear him?
Let the battle commence; she didn't believe that she couldn't withstand even a third of Lu HaiKong's strength at full power. Zhang Yan was eager to witness Lu HaiKong's defeat.
Whether Zhang Yan would witness this defeat was uncertain, but the outcome would soon be revealed.
Beifeng City was already close to Youzhou, and since Lu HaiKong had initially targeted Zhang Yan as his primary adversary, his troops could swiftly reach Youzhou.
In contrast, Dong Zhuo's 200,000-strong army had set out from Chang'an, while Yuan Hong's 100,000 troops had departed from Bohai.
These two legions had massive armies, and it would take some time for them to reach Bingzhou.
Although there was a slight time difference, they had meticulously planned their timing.
Despite the time gap, if Lu HaiKong attempted to divide his forces to defeat them individually, he would face the consequence of being unable to protect both fronts.
It was evident that Yuan Hong and Dong Zhuo's collaboration had gone deeper, as they had set a trap for Lu HaiKong from the outset. Unfortunately, Lu HaiKong had no intention of falling into it.
...
187 AD, End of September
Twelve days after the aristocratic families severed ties with Lu HaiKong, his army reached the border of Youzhou. The next stop was Daiding Prefecture, and the troops marched in without hesitation.
Despite Zhang Yan's boastful words, she remained vigilant when facing Lu HaiKong.
Zhang Yan had set up three defensive positions in Daiding Prefecture, at Yangyuan, Pingshu, and Huai'an, forming a defensive line.
Before Lu HaiKong's army arrived, Zhang Yan had personally stationed herself at Yangyuan, seemingly determined to witness Lu HaiKong's defeat before her.
"Greetings, Holy Maiden!"
Inside Pingyang City, Zhang Yan sat upright in the Prefectural Governor's Office, with rows of her martial generals kneeling before her.
Despite Zhang Yan's usual low-key demeanor, her lineup was quite impressive. Among them was Zhou Cang, whom Lu HaiKong had met before, and two familiar faces.
One was Guan Hai, the First Martial General of the Yellow Turbans, whom Yuan Hong had almost captured in Bohai Prefecture. The other was Zhang Yan, who had narrowly escaped Lu HaiKong's grasp.
It was unexpected that these two would end up serving under Zhang Yan.
Furthermore, among these three historical generals, Guan Hai was particularly formidable, with a martial power of 95 from the very beginning. Even without significant progress in recent years, he remained an extremely terrifying force.
Apart from Guan Hai, the remaining two, Zhou Cang and Zhang Yan, surprisingly also possessed a Military Power of 90.
It was already impressive for these two historical Martial Generals to have a Military Power of 90, but within their camp, there was yet another Martial General, a towering figure standing at almost three meters tall.
This general was clearly not a historical figure, but his Military Power had also surpassed 90. It seemed that in this world, with dedication and resources, it was possible to cultivate Martial Generals with a Military Power of 90.
Looking at these four powerful generals under her command, Zhang Yan felt a surge of confidence. After waving her hand to dismiss their formalities, she turned her gaze to Zhang Yan, "Where is Lu Hai Kong's Legion?"
Yangping's army was led by Zhang Yan, so naturally, Zhang Yan was the one Zhang Yan sought out for information.
"Reporting to the Saintess, Lu Hai Kong's Legion has entered Daiding Prefecture. From their direction, they seem to be heading towards us. At their speed, we can expect to see them outside the city walls by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."
At these words, Zhang Yan's eyes gleamed with determination, "How many soldiers are in their Legion? Who leads them? Is it Lu Hai Kong?"
"The enemy Legion numbers around fifty thousand. As for their commander, it's not entirely clear at the moment, but their formation is disciplined, and the banners they fly bear the character 'Zhang'. I believe it's highly likely that it's Commander Zhang Chushuai's troops!"
As soon as Zhang Yan spoke these words, the room fell silent, and everyone's expressions changed.
In the 619 Book Bar, not a single mistake could be found!
Everyone knew who Zhang Yan was referring to when he mentioned Commander Zhang Chushuai. Who else could it be but Warlord Zhang Mancheng, who led hundreds of thousands of allied forces at Huolao Pass and defeated Emperor's Tyrant Dong Zhuo?
Before the Coalition Against Dong Zhuo, the name Zhang Mancheng didn't carry much weight.
To the Outsiders, he was just a Yellow Turban Commander, and not a particularly impressive one at that. He was easily crushed by Lu Hai Kong's few thousand cavalry.
But after the Coalition Against Dong Zhuo, the name Zhang Mancheng became synonymous with the finest commander.
Anyone who had witnessed that battle would never forget it. They couldn't forget how, when Lu Hai Kong's Melon Skin Commander had the situation in disarray, Zhang Mancheng stepped forward with ease, turning the tide of battle. With a simple gesture, he breached the renowned Huolao Pass and effortlessly defeated Emperor's Tyrant Dong Zhuo and his elite forces.
Understanding this, one could grasp the true intimidating power of the name Zhang Mancheng.
"If it's truly Commander Zhang Chushuai, this battle will be extremely challenging," Zhang Yan swallowed nervously, a hint of headache in his voice.
As soon as Zhang Yan finished speaking, Zhang Yan shot him a stern look. At this moment, Zhang Yan's words were undoubtedly demoralizing. If he weren't one of Zhang Yan's few capable commanders, he would have been disposed of long ago.
After giving Zhang Yan a stern look, Zhang Yan turned her attention back to the other generals in the room, "Rest assured, Lu Hai Kong wouldn't send Zhang Mancheng here. With Dong Zhuo's aggressive advance, it's more likely that Zhang Mancheng was dispatched to Shangzhou County."
Although Zhang Yan's words calmed the generals, her heart couldn't help but grow heavy.
Upon careful consideration, it was entirely possible for Lu Hai Kong to make such a move.
At this point, Zhang Yan began to feel a chill.
In truth, Zhang Yan lacked significant war experience, and some of her strategies seemed sound before the war but became muddled once the battle commenced.
What Zhang Yan initially thought was a surefire victory now seemed less certain with the mere mention of Zhang Mancheng's name, shaking her confidence.
However, as a leader, Zhang Yan had a unique ability to manage her emotions. She quickly regained her composure.
After all, once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back. Having taken the first step, there was no going back. Overthinking at this point was futile; they had no choice but to fight.
Moreover, even if Lu Hai Kong did deploy Zhang Mancheng, it didn't mean all hope was lost. If Zhang Mancheng was sent to their side, it meant they had a chance.
As long as they could hold their ground, when Dong Zhuo's main force arrived, Zhang Yan would see how Lu Hai Kong planned to defend.
(End of Chapter)
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