Chapter 73: Retreat?

  Xu Rong heard this, and the excitement on his face could no longer be concealed. He excitedly said to Qiu Shui: "Your Excellency, everything is now ready, and the Taishi of Luoyang has urged us several times already. If we wait any longer, I fear that the Taishi will discover something amiss!"

  Qiu Shui's eyes flashed with a bright light, nodded and then shook his head. Seeing Xu Rong's face full of doubts, Qiu Shui said solemnly: "Now our soldiers are already exhausted, if we hastily withdraw the army, how can we deal with the coalition forces leading the cavalry to pursue?"

  Xu Rong's face was filled with helplessness after hearing this, but when he saw the smile at the corner of Qiushui's mouth, his mind suddenly flashed a bright light, as if he had understood something. He excitedly shouted: "General, is it true that you have us prepare in Guanzhong just to block the allied forces' pursuit?"

  Qiu Shui's mouth slanted, coldly smiling: "Now the Allied Army has been attacking the pass for many days, today let the eighteen vassals of Chang'an see our might!"

  Ding ding ding!

  The various princes below saw that the sky was already dark, and the soldiers had been fighting for a day and were exhausted, so they sounded the golden drum to withdraw their troops and replaced them with another batch of generals to attack Xiongguan.

  After hearing the sound of eighteen vassals blowing their horns below Guan, the soldiers who were attacking the city slowly retreated. Autumn water gazed at the dark red sky, and a faint cold smile hung from the corner of her mouth.

  ........

  Report!

  At this time, the eighteen vassals gathered in one hall, were in the midst of a battle discussing important matters, when suddenly a small soldier rushed into the big tent and shouted loudly.

  Bang! Yuan Shao saw his subordinates being so rude, and he slammed the table heavily. With a gloomy face, he said in a cold voice: "Why are you shouting loudly, disturbing my army's morale? If you can't explain yourself, I'll let you taste the severity of military law!"

  Xiaozu was shocked after hearing the news, and quickly knelt down on the ground to report to Yuan Shao: "Report to the alliance leader, we have received news that Dong Zhuo in Luoyang intends to move the capital to Chang'an. This is an urgent military matter, and a lowly person like me cannot make decisions. Please forgive me for rushing into the main tent!"

  Hiss! The vassals heard the small officer's report, and they all took a cold breath, shocked by Dong Zhuo's audacity, actually wanting to move the capital!

  Cao Cao was shocked for a moment, then quickly reacted and hastily said to Yuan Shao: "Benchu, Dong Zhuo moved the capital, the tiger's lair pass guard army will definitely retreat, so we can only attack the pass immediately. If we delay for a moment and let the Western Liang army escape to Chang'an, what face will our eighteen vassals have in front of the people of the world?"

  "Yes! Send troops!"

  "Leader, we can't just let this opportunity slip away. If we let Dong Zhuo escape like this, won't our alliance become a laughing stock of the world?" Liu Bei also stood up and hastily said to Yuan Shao.

  Yuan Shao also knew that things had gone too far, and he absolutely could not let the Western Liang army move to Chang'an safely. If not, the whole world would be talking about how the eighteen vassals had attacked Dong Zhuo without achieving anything, wouldn't that be a joke? And as the leader of the eighteen vassals, wouldn't it be letting everyone know that he was incompetent?

  Yuan Shao's eyes were filled with rage, and he roared: "Beat the drums, summon all the generals and soldiers to set out for Tiger Trap Pass!"

  Cao Cao also stood up, facing Yuan Shao and saying: "Benchu, let the whole army know that Dong Zhuo wants to move the capital to Chang'an. Our great army's momentum is like a rainbow, breaking through Hu Lao Pass will be easy!"

  Liu Bei felt somewhat disheartened after hearing Cao Cao's words. He had originally planned to say this himself, but unexpectedly someone else had spoken out first. Wasn't this snatching his own credit? Liu Bei's eyes blazed with fervor as he addressed Yuan Shao: "Alliance leader, when the entire army learns of Dong Zhuo's plan to flee to Chang'an, morale will greatly increase! However, at Tiger Trap Pass there are still several tens of thousands of troops under his command, including Xu and Lü Bu. If we continue to attack the city in shifts as before, the effect won't be great. Why not order a full-scale assault on Tiger Trap Pass? We can decide the outcome with one battle! The world will then spread the word that the alliance leader is wise!"

  "Good! Gather all the soldiers and attack Tiger Trap Pass together. If we don't break through this pass in one day, we won't retreat for a single day!" Yuan Shao heard Liu Bei's words and shouted to the crowd with great enthusiasm, at this moment Yuan Shao seemed to have already seen himself standing on the city wall of Tiger Trap Pass, showing off his military power, while Lü Bu and other Western Liang generals knelt under his feet.

  Roar! The eighteen vassal states' great army burst forth with waves of cheers, and for a moment the momentum was like a rainbow. Like untethered wild horses, they marched out of the main camp in unison, their eyes fixed firmly on the Tiger Cage Pass in the dark night sky.

  At Hu Lao Pass, Autumn Water and Lv Bu heard the distant roar of the eighteen vassals' army and knew that the enemy was about to launch another attack. At this moment, the roar sounded like not just tens of thousands of people, but clearly several hundred thousand people shouting in unison!

  For a moment, Qiu Shui and Lü Bu stared at each other in shock, never expecting that Yuan Benchu would have such momentum, and actually launched a full-scale attack.

  At this time, Xu Rong's face was firm as he looked at Qiu Shui and said: "Your Excellency, we are ready. Please retreat first."

  After hearing Xu Rong's words, Lü Bu and Qiū Shuǐ nodded firmly in unison and said to Xu Rong: "General, take care of yourself, and retreat quickly if the situation becomes unfavorable."

  Xu Rong listened and his eyes were filled with excitement. He fiercely clenched his fists at the two of them, then turned around to order the soldiers to prepare for a major battle.

  Qiu Shui turned his head and exchanged a glance with Lü Bu, saying: "Fengxian, now we can only wait for the eighteen vassals to fall into our trap!"

  Haha! Lü Bu burst out laughing and walked down the pass with Qiu Shui, holding his halberd.

  Wū wū! After Chūshuǐ and Lǚ Bù walked down the city wall, the allied army of vassals also led a large army to the front of Hǔliáo Guān, and the sound of the attack horn sounded.

  Xu Rong's face was set in determination as he gazed out at the enemy army below, his eyes filled with a thirst for blood. He stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, then coldly bellowed to the crowd: "Set up a pot of oil for me and get the boiling oil ready! We'll show these northeastern scoundrels our prowess soon enough!"

  Kill! Xu Rong's order made the soldiers at Tiger Trap Pass burst out with even greater momentum. To know that the oil used for defense was not easily obtained, and generally, unless it was absolutely necessary, the defending generals would not waste hot oil. Now, their own general had actually ordered all the oil pots inside the pass to be erected, and for a time, the soldiers were slapping their weapons in their hands and roaring with anger.

  Attack! Boom boom!

  Yuan Shao stood in the dark night, wearing a golden armor, looking majestic and extraordinary, gazing at Tiger Trap Pass. After coldly issuing the order to attack from his mouth, the war drums sounded like thunder in the army.

  Kill!

  The eighteen vassal states have all come out tonight, and even the main camp has only left some wounded soldiers behind, with everyone else being sent to the battlefield.

  Kill! The earth-shaking killing sound pierced through the clouds and reverberated in front of Dong Han's Tiger Trap Pass.

  The eighteen vassals did not spare their own lives in the fierce battle, and for a time, the Tiger Pass was shaken. Xu Rong, as a famous general, would not easily give up the strategic pass in his hands, and he gave orders to his subordinates one by one.

  At that moment, the rolling logs and scorching hot oil on Tiger Trap Pass fell down like dumplings, taking away pieces of fresh lives. ... PS: Everyone, today's second update is here, please click and collect.