At dawn in the east, Xiao Qiao, accompanied by Old Zhong and Chun Niang, stood at the top of Tantai Terrace, watching Wei Shao’s army slowly moving south.

……

At the end of the winter of the second year of Tai’an, after Xing Xun’s army from Luoyang crossed the Hujuan Pass, they were stationed on the south bank of the Yellow River.

The two sides looked at each other across the river for half a month. Xing Xun could not hold back and sent his son, Xing Wei, and Ding Qu to cross the river by forcing a floating bridge from the Hujuan pass, intending to obtain Wei Shao’s camp in Liyang.

Wei Shao sent Tan Fu and Leiyan, with only 10,000 men and horses, to attack with a wave of arrows, forcefully preventing them from crossing the river. Once the main army of Xing Xun across the river halfway, they ceased the attack. And Li Dian, Zhang Jian, Li Chong, and Wei Liang led four waves of ambush troops to kill Ding Qu and Xing Wei.

Ding Qu and Xing Wei were caught off guard and could not resist the severe attack. They wanted to back to the floating bridge and intended to retreat, but Wei Shao had burned it. With the boats and bridges destroyed, there was no way for them to retreat. Xing Wei was shot dead by arrows, and Ding Qu bravely fought out of the siege with the remnants of the troops. He escaped a hundred miles before finally finding a boat, forced it across the river, and returned in defeat.

In the first battle at Hujuan Pass, Xing Xun lost more than 10,000 soldiers. When he learned about the defeat and lost his son in the first battle, he pounded his chest in pain and vowed to take revenge to erase the shame.Half a month later, Xing Xun built the floating bridge again. This time he learned his lesson and left his men to guard the bridge. He led his army to cross the river again. This time Wei Shao personally led the battle. With hundreds of thousands of people from two sides, the war was intermittent, and each side sustained damage.

Half a month later, a fire rose in Xingyang, south of the Yellow River. Yang Xin and Guo Quan’s allied forces attack the granary set up by Xing Xun. Xing Xun’s guards were defenseless, and the fire burned six of ten granaries.

After the news spreads, the army of Xing Xun was in turmoil. Wei Shao took advantage of the opportunity to attack, and Xing Xun couldn’t resist. But with Ding Qu’s help, they finally returned to the south coast. Once across the river, Xing Xun immediately ordered to burn off the floating bridge to break the pursuit. After losing in both battles, Xing Xun’s army damaged their spirits and lost their sharpness.

Unwilling to stop here but did not dare to raise troops, combined with the increasingly cold weather, Xing Xun ordered the soldiers to set up the tents and had a standoff with Wei Shao’s army temporarily.

Secretary Zang Chang advises: “Your Majesty now governed the Central Plains lords. Except for Guo Quan and Yang Xin, the rest are all submissive. Guo Quan and Yang Xin follow the orders of Wei Shao, plotting rebellion. Let them get away with it for a while, and then take them after Your Majesty has settled the situation in the north. Yuan Zhe may have second thoughts, so Your Majesty should not use him. The remaining vassals, Le Zheng Gong from Hanzhong, are Your Majesty’s old friend. Your Majesty is the emperor. He also submitted to Your Majesty. Why not send an edict ordering him to send troops and help us? First, to strengthen the army. Second, to deter Wei Shao.”

Xing Xun was pleased to hear that. Then, he sent Zang Zang to Hanzhong to deliver the order.

……Hanzhong.

Le Zheng Gong received the decree and respectfully asked Zang Zang to rest at the post house. He returned to his inner room and summoned his strategist, Zhang Yan, and Luo Xian. He turned pale and threw the decree on the ground, furiously spoke, “Xing Xun detained the young emperor in the western suburbs of Luoyang, overstepping his authority to claim the empire, and now, after he lost in two battles against Wei Shao, cannot even cross the Yellow River, how dare he call me to come to his aid?”

Zhang Yan, the strategist, said, “You are lucky. Luoyang must be empty now. I advise you to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to seize Luoyang, take it, and hold the young emperor. Then you can call all the vassals in the name of the young emperor to fight against Xiongnu. By that time, with Wei Shao in front, and the Lord behind, the two sides attack, and Xing Xun will certainly die. Once Xing Xun is dead, the Lord has the great merit to save the king, who dares not to follow the Lord as the standard?”

Luo Xian also agreed.

When Le Zheng Gong was pondering, he suddenly heard a man at the door say, “No!” Raising his eyes, he saw Zhu Zeng, who had just come to join him last month.

Le Zheng Gong was displeased, frowned, and said: “What do you think?”

Zhu Zeng entered the room and said, “I am grateful to the Marquis Hanzhong for not abandoning me and taking me in. I will be straightforward in expressing my thoughts. I have been with Xing Xun for many years. I know this man well. He was headstrong, self-opinionated, and overly ambitious. However, Wei Shao was young and promising. He commands elite soldiers and good generals. This person is Marquis Hanzhong’s enemy. If you let Wei Shao destroy Xing Xun, then Wei Shao will be the winner. The momentum is like breaking bamboo, unstoppable! Even if the Marquis Hanzhong occupies Luoyang, I’m afraid it’s not a long-term plan!”

Le Zheng Gong’s light expression gradually concentrated. Seeing Zhu Zeng stop talking, he invited him to take a seat.

Zhu Zeng took his seat and said: “In my opinion, the Marquis Hanzhong should send troops to attack Wei Shao. Combine the forces of Marquis Hanzhong and Xing Xun to destroy Wei Shao first. Once Wei Shao is defeated, and only Xing Xun left, who is just a bastard, there is nothing to fear!”

Le Zheng Gong was overjoyed, rose, and bowed, “With your help, I am like a fish in water! I was too negligent earlier, sir. Please, don’t blame me!” Le Zheng Gong treats him politely.