Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

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Although Yu Jin disliked this man, he still said, "Let him come over here." A moment later, Qin Yang ran up. He wore gold-plated armor with tassels on the sides, exquisitely crafted, which made Yu Jin scoff disdainfully. Qin Yang then adopted a very obsequious manner, saying with utmost humility, "General Yu Jin, you have gathered an army of 100,000 in less than a year, guarding the area south of the Central Plains, preventing the Luo army from daring to look directly at our rear. General, you are truly incredibly brave!"

Yu Jin snorted, showing no interest whatsoever, revealing that his dislike for wealthy young men ran deep. He said impatiently, "Speak quickly! Stop wasting time!"

Helpless, Qin Yang could only say, "General Xiahou is currently pursuing Xu Shu, Ma Dai, Liu Bei, and other remnants of the enemy day and night. They are fleeing south. General, you hold considerable troops here and have nothing to do. Please send troops to intercept Ma Dai and the others." Upon hearing "nothing to do," Yu Jin flew into a rage. What did he mean by "nothing to do"? Did he think that Yu Jin, who was struggling to defend the southern part of the Central Plains, had "nothing to do"? Yu Jin's face changed drastically, and he angrily said, "I, Yu Jin, am very busy! It's not that nothing is going on! I'm guarding the southern border of the Central Plains, not trying to besiege Xu Shu! You have so many men, and you can't even capture a scholar? It's truly shameful! And open your eyes and look at what's in front of me! Do you think those military camps are just for show? Huang Zhong's hundreds of thousands of troops could attack us at any time. We'll face a life-or-death battle! Who says nothing is going on with you, you idiot!"

Qin Yang, never having been reprimanded like this before, flew into a rage, pointing his finger at Yu Jin and saying, "If Liu Bei and the others escape from your hands, can you bear the responsibility?"

Yu Jin was not one to be trifled with. "Come on! Drag him away and give him twenty strokes of the cane! This man is ungrateful and dares to offend this general!" Those around Yu Jin tried to dissuade him, but Yu Jin glared at them, and his men dared not disobey. They dragged the struggling and cursing Qin Yang away and gave him twenty strokes of the cane, leaving Qin Yang with torn skin and screaming in agony. At first, Qin Yang continued to curse, but he quickly cowered, screaming and begging for mercy. But Yu Jin showed no mercy, ordering his men to beat him half to death.

Yu Jin beat Qin Yang, who limped back to report to Xiahou Dun, unable to request any reinforcements. Xiahou Dun, seeing this, assumed Qin Yang had been captured and beaten by the enemy. Upon further inquiry, he learned it was Yu Jin who had done it, and Xiahou Dun flew into a rage: "This Yu Jin! Last time he beat my Qingzhou soldiers, this time he beat my general! He's really pushing his luck! He's utterly unscrupulous! He doesn't respect me at all!"

Xiahou Dun was also helpless. If attacking Qin Yang was an impulsive act, then not sending troops was definitely a rational one. Huang Zhong was stationed outside the city, and only a fool would send troops to block Ma Dai, letting Huang Zhong attack from behind? Was he going to waste all his hard work over the years? That was definitely not an option. Yu Jin's mission was to guard the southern part of the Central Plains, not to capture Xu Shu. If capturing Xu Shu caused the bulwark of Wancheng and Fancheng in the southern part of the Central Plains to be shaken, Yu Jin would be held accountable.

Nevertheless, since Huang Zhong had already dispatched his troops, Yu Jin could no longer remain holed up in the city, afraid to venture out. Yu Jin ordered a portion of his main force to march out of the city and form ranks, personally leading his troops to support Huang Zhong's army. Tensions were high, but neither side actually made a move.

Another day passed, and the renowned Guanzhong Iron Cavalry, numbering approximately 20,000, led by Huang Zhong, suddenly charged out of their camp, ignoring the Cao army directly in front of them, and sped off northeast. Yu Jin was greatly alarmed; Huang Zhong's strategic intention was clear: to reinforce Ma Dai's group. He was somewhat embarrassed, because the fighting strength of his Cao army was inferior to that of the veteran Guanzhong Iron Cavalry. Huang Zhong's 20,000 men could very well crush Xiahou Dun's cavalry. If he also led 20,000 cavalry, it would be ineffective; if he led too many, what would happen if the Luo army rushed in from the front? After hesitating for a long time, Yu Jin selected 30,000 cavalry to follow.

This is a battle fought in stillness.

When Huang Zhong's iron cavalry from Guanzhong appeared, the Cao army soldiers felt a familiar fear again. This army was too powerful, an iron army forged beneath Tongguan Pass. Their gleaming white sabers were a persistent nightmare for the Cao army; frankly, even Xiahou Dun himself was terrified. Xiahou Dun and his cavalry maintained tacit restraint, observing from a distance without charging. Xu Shu ordered his men to slowly approach Huang Zhong's forces. Soon, Yu Jin arrived as well. Upon reaching the battlefield, the previously shouting soldiers and horses seemed to fall silent involuntarily, sensing the intense killing intent and chilling atmosphere. Yu Jin couldn't help but give the order: "Without my command, no rash attack is permitted!" Yu Jin's cavalry, like Xiahou Dun's, quietly lined up, ready for battle, but none of them attacked.

Xu Shu finally rejoined Huang Zhong's forces, and Huang Zhong ordered his cavalry to retreat from their battle formation. The Guanzhong cavalry, methodical and extremely alert, slowly withdrew, escorting Xu Shu, Liu Bei, and their entourage. Cao Cao's 80,000-strong cavalry, lined up in battle array, simply watched silently as Huang Zhong led his men away from the battlefield. The Guanzhong cavalry, with their overwhelming presence, had simply won them over.

They watched as Huang Zhong's cavalry retreated to a safe distance, then sped away, disappearing into the (Zhao Li) horizon. Yu Jin knew that Huang Zhong's 100,000-strong army would also retreat. He saw Xiahou Dun standing there on his horse, dumbfounded, not even bothering to greet him, but dejectedly gathering his troops to return to Wancheng. Xiahou Dun had clearly forgotten about the defeat at Qinyang; he stood there blankly for a moment, then ordered a retreat back to Luoyang. Xiahou Dun's only gain was that Ma Dai's army had forgotten to take Xiahou Hui with them in their haste. When Cao Cao's army caught up, they found Xiahou Hui bound and thrown onto a horse, which was leisurely grazing. Xiahou Dun rescued him, but didn't think he would survive; Cao Cao would surely execute this incompetent general.

Huang Zhong indeed withdrew his entire army. Xu Shu wrote a letter explaining the situation, which was swiftly delivered to Chang'an and Luo Chen at the front lines via the postal system.

As for Luo Chen, he only fought symbolically. Seeing that the number of Cao troops around him was increasing, Luo Chen wisely decided to fight.

Chapter Forty-Three: On the Banks of the Yellow River

Xu Shu, Liu Bei, and others successfully retreated and entered Huang Zhong's Shangyong city. Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin, and other Cao army troops were also forced to withdraw, returning empty-handed, thus bringing a slight respite to the southern front. Meanwhile, in the north, in Luoyang and other areas, Cao Cao personally led an army of over 400,000 men, rapidly approaching. Cao Hong's 100,000 troops, relying on Luoyang's strong defenses, put up a fierce resistance. Luo Chen's 150,000 troops were in a perilous situation.

At that time, Cao Cao's army in the region will have swelled to over 500,000, with more than ten powerful generals including Dian Wei, Xu Chu, Xiahou Dun, Cao Hong, Zhang Liao, and Xu Huang. Luo Chen, on the other hand, will only have 150,000 troops and only one general, Ma Chao, putting him at a clear disadvantage.

At this moment, Luo Chen was overseeing the battle outside Luoyang. Luoyang had been almost completely burned to the ground during Dong Zhuo's rebellion a few years prior. Cao Cao had managed to rebuild it over several years, and Luoyang, as expected of an economic and military center, had quickly regained its vitality. Now, Luoyang was the central city of Cao Cao's eastern controlled territory, and most of Cao Cao's main field army was stationed there, primarily under the command of Cao Hong. It was currently receiving the main forces retreating from various battlefields, totaling 100,000 troops. Including local troops, the total strength was around 150,000. Of course, these men were no match for Luo Chen's elite 200-strong field army, especially since Luo Chen's army included many renowned Guanzhong cavalry. Cao Hong could only defend with difficulty, holding out until Cao Cao's main force arrived.

Luo Chen sat quietly on his horse, his face calm. The shouts of battle around him seemed to have faded, and he couldn't help but gaze northward at the Yellow River. The Yellow River was truly magnificent! Its turbid waters surged and meandered, traversing the Central Plains. He recalled that night several years ago, when he was just a newly-adult university student, astonished by his special abilities, and somewhat recklessly went to the home of Cai Yong, the Grand Secretary of the court, to inquire about it. Cai Yong confirmed his suspicions and gave him some advice before going to write a book on a small island in the Yellow River. Several years had passed in a flash; he wondered how Mr. Cai Yong was doing. Luo Chen remembered that the address Cai Yong had given him was a small island called Longzhou in the Yellow River, north of Luoyang.

Now that Luoyang City is right before his eyes, how could he not think of Mr. Cai Yong?

"Reporting to the lord!" a soldier shouted, interrupting his thoughts. "Cao Cao's army is less than forty li from Luoyang! They are expected to arrive before nightfall." Luo Chen waved his hand to indicate that he understood.

"Ma Chao," Luo Chen said softly. Ma Chao, who was overseeing the battle, immediately leaned closer. "Order the army to retreat."

"It's obvious we can't retreat to Tongguan before dark, and Cao Cao's army will surely pursue us..." Ma Chao said with some worry.

"No need to retreat to Tongguan, just deploy the troops like this..." Luo Chen whispered in Ma Chao's ear, and Ma Chao nodded in understanding. "You will have full command of the 150,000 troops. Just do as I say. After returning to Tongguan, hand over military command to General Xu Da."

"Yes!" Ma Chao replied. "But my lord, aren't you in the army? Where are you going?"

Luo Chen smiled. "You don't need to worry about that. I'm going to visit someone. I should be back in two or three days. Oh, and a messenger!" Luo Chen beckoned to a messenger, who immediately tore a piece of paper from his notebook and pulled out a pen. This was the only item he had brought from the civilized era, and everyone around him was clearly curious; they had never seen such paper and pen before. Luo Chen wrote in hastily written traditional characters: "Zhang Juzheng: I heard Liu Bei has gone to Huang Zhong. Go see him and see if you can bring Liu Bei's group to my side. If not, don't force it. Luo Chen." He handed the note to the messenger: "Deliver this letter to Minister Zhang Juzheng as soon as possible through the postal and road delivery system." It turned out that Luo Chen had already established a relatively efficient postal system in Guanzhong and the areas west of it, as well as in Yizhou. The roads were smooth, and there were plenty of post stations, making the transmission of military intelligence and letters very fast. "Yes, sir!" The messenger respectfully took the note and quickly left.

Luo Chen summoned Yan Qing to prepare for departure, but Yan Qing was even more worried this time: "Where is our lord going? To a small island in the Yellow River? Isn't that too dangerous?" Ma Chao clearly also felt it was unsafe, and advised, "Does our lord intend to take only Yan Qing to visit someone in enemy-controlled territory? That's far too dangerous. If anything happens to our lord, we will all be guilty of a thousand deaths, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers of our Luo army and countless people in the controlled territory will be left without a home..."

"Alright, alright," Luo Chen said, somewhat amused. "It's only a two or three-day journey, five days at most. If I don't return in five days, you can lead your troops eastward along the Yellow River to search for them, paying particular attention to the small islands in the Yellow River."

"This..." Ma Chao wanted to offer some advice, but Luo Chen interrupted him firmly: "Don't worry! There won't be any problems! I also want to remind you that you must be single-minded in battle. After the blocking is over, lead all your troops back to Tongguan. Don't wait for me! If you act on your own initiative, I'll kill you!"

"Yes, yes," Ma Chao said, wiping the sweat from his brow. He then ordered a full retreat.

Luo Chen and Yan Qing also changed into the attire of northern merchants, with swords at their waists and some luggage on their shoulders, and quietly headed towards the Yellow River.

There was no one on the banks of the Yellow River. Because of Luo Chen's army's advance, all the outposts had been closed, and all the troops had retreated into the city. Many civilians had also moved to Luoyang. Luo Chen noticed that although there were many villages along the river, he hadn't seen a single person for a long time. After searching for a long time, he finally found an old boatman, squatting at the bow of his boat, fishing.

"Grandpa, I am very polite," Luo Chen said.

The old man, seemingly unperturbed, turned around and said, "Young masters, this area is in chaos and war; how dare you come here?"

Luo Chen bowed slightly and said, "We came to Luoyang from the north of the Yellow River to do business. We didn't expect to run into the great battle between Luo Chen and Cao Cao's army... There is a family friend of mine on the banks of the Yellow River. I want to seek refuge with him, so I came to ask you for help."

The old man nodded: "When Luo Chen fought Cao Cao, the people along the Yellow River all moved into Luoyang. It is said that Luo's army burned, killed, and looted, so no one dared to stay by the river. Your relatives must have entered the city as well, but I don't know what their names are."

"Did the Luo army burn, kill, and loot?" Luo Chen asked hurriedly.

“Hahahaha,” the old man laughed, “I’m a brave old man, and I don’t want to leave, so I’ll stay on the boat. The Luo army did send cavalry, and they burned all the outposts, but they didn’t damage the village at all.”

Luo Chen nodded in relief and said, "I'm looking for Cai Yong. I wonder if you've ever heard of Mr. Cai Yong?"

The old man shook his head blankly.

Luo Chen's heart tightened: "Then what about Longzhou?"

Chapter Forty-Four: Dragon Continent

Luo Chen asked the old man about Cai Yong, but the old man had no idea. Luo Chen then asked where Longzhou was.

"Longzhou?" The old man seemed very familiar with it. "Isn't Longzhou the small island over there?" He stood up and pointed to the island. "There are indeed a few fishing families living on the island... Perhaps your relatives live there?"

"Yes!" Luo Chen exclaimed with delight. "Then please take us there. We'll give you silver."

The old man nodded in agreement: "But you can't bring the horses; my small boat can't hold them." Luo Chen and Yan Qing had no choice but to leave the horses on the banks of the Yellow River, letting them roam freely and forage for food. Hopefully, the two horses would still be there a few days later…

The Yellow River is nearing its lower reaches, its surface wide and shrouded in mist. Summer has just passed, and the water is pleasantly cool. The small island was once faintly green. The boatman, propelling the boat from the bow, takes advantage of the cool breeze and sings: "The sky is boundless, the earth is limitless, and so is my sorrow. Life is fleeting, like a white horse flashing past a crack, yet I cannot find joy in my prime. I lament and want to question Heaven, but Heaven is vast and I have no way to reach it. I raise my head and gaze at the empty clouds and mist. To whom can I convey my feelings in these nine verses?"...

The melody was melodious and plaintive, captivating Luo Chen. Suddenly, the tune and lyrics seemed familiar. Upon reflection, she realized it was the famous Han Dynasty folk song, "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute"! Legend has it that it was composed by Cai Yan, daughter of Cai Yong. Cai Yan was a renowned talented woman of the Eastern Han Dynasty, later captured by the Xiongnu. Cao Cao, hearing of her talent, wanted to ransom her. Upon learning of this, Cai Yan composed "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute" to express her feelings and the unbearable pain of losing her family. However, perhaps due to the tense war in the Central Plains, Cao Cao may have temporarily forgotten about it. But this song—now—is circulating in the north…

"Old man! How do you know how to sing 'Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute'?" Luo Chen asked.

"I don't know the name of this song. There's just an old man on the island who sings it every day, often with tears in his eyes. We fishermen hear it and, because of its sorrowful melody, we are also moved to tears every time we hear it. After listening to it for a long time, we can sing it too."

Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat. He was almost certain that the "old gentleman" the fisherman spoke of was Cai Yong. Cai Yan was Cai Yong's daughter, and now she was a captive of the Xiongnu, longing for home but unable to return. Only this sorrowful song remained. How could the old gentleman not miss her? How could he not be heartbroken!

The boat soon docked at the island. Luo Chen thanked the fisherman and strolled onto the island.

The island is very small, with only one winding path leading in. You can vaguely see a few low houses and wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys. The island is surrounded by vegetation, and a small river flows slowly through it before joining the Yellow River.

Luo Chen walked further in, and there seemed to be music playing. The further in he went, the louder the music became. Luo Chen listened carefully, and sure enough, it was the melody of "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute" again:

"I never imagined that my remaining life would end so tragically, yet I could return home. Holding my barbarian child, tears streamed down my face. The Han envoy came to greet me with four galloping horses. I cried out in anguish, but who could hear my cries? We were bound together by life and death, and now this moment has come. My sorrow for my child has dimmed the sun's light. How can I grow wings to bring you home? Each step is a struggle, my feet can hardly move. My soul is consumed by grief, and all that love remains. The thirteen beats of the zither are stern and mournful. My heart is torn apart, and no one understands my pain..."

Luo Chen slowly walked to the outside of a small courtyard; the sound was coming from inside. Luo Chen stepped forward and gently knocked on the wooden gate, "tap, tap, tap," and the sound stopped abruptly.

The door creaked open, and a boy peeked out, staring blankly at Luo Chen and Yan Qing. "Who is it?" a hoarse but familiar voice asked.

Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't help but push open the door and say, "Mr. Cai Yong, it's me! I'm Luo Chen, and I've come to see you..."

Luo Chen entered the courtyard and saw Cai Yong playing the zither with his back to the door. His hair was completely white, and his back was slightly hunched. Upon hearing this, Cai Yong trembled slightly, slowly turned around, and was greatly surprised. Luo Chen saw that his face was covered with wrinkles.

"This junior, Luo Chen, pays his respects to Master Cai Yong." Luo Chen bowed deeply. Cai Yong, however, had already prostrated himself: "This old country man, Cai Yong, pays his respects to Prime Minister Luo Chen." Luo Chen quickly helped him up. "Sir, these past few years, you…"

Seeing Luo Chen hesitate, Cai Yong understood most of it: "I'm old, and it's natural to show signs of aging. My health has indeed been deteriorating day by day lately... But Prime Minister Luo, over the past few years, I've seen you completely shed your immaturity, exuding a commanding presence and displaying a sense of composure and maturity. This old man is truly delighted!"

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Luo Chen felt a pang of sadness and personally helped Cai Yong into the house.

Luo Chen had many questions to ask. Regarding himself, what new research progress had Cai Yong made on his special abilities? And regarding Cai Yong's daughter, it was clear that Cai Yong's rapid aging was related to his concern for her… But Luo Chen didn't know how to begin. He could only say something trivial: "I heard that Mr. Cai Yong's history of the Han Dynasty has already reached Emperors Huan and Ling. Perhaps he'll include me next, hahaha…" Cai Yong also laughed and shook his head: "No more, no more. I'm old and frail; I can no longer write. Let future generations judge the history of today…"

Cai Yong then sighed and said, "In the midst of the chaos in the Central Plains, Prime Minister Luo and Cao Cao are the two most powerful forces. However, due to the conflict, they have not yet been able to attend to the issues of foreign tribes on our borders, leaving the Qiang people, Xiongnu, and others to run rampant..."

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Seeing that he had brought up the matter, Luo Chen no longer concealed his feelings: "I heard that your daughter is still among the Xiongnu. The piece you just played seems to be 'Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute.'" Cai Yong nodded silently, his face filled with sorrow. Luo Chen felt somewhat ashamed. He was now one of the most powerful separatist forces in the Central Plains, and his northern border faced the territories of the Xiongnu and Qiang people. In recent years, due to his battles with Cao Cao and Yizhou, he had no time to attend to the Xiongnu and other northern forces. When the Qiang rebelled, he only sent Ma Teng to defend Shicheng, without leading a large army to quell the rebellion. His policy towards the Xiongnu was one of appeasement... In any case, he seemed to have failed to guard the borders properly. Luo Chen then stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Sir, it is my fault for failing to guard the borders properly... Rest assured, I will definitely bring Cai Yan back. I will immediately deploy a surprise attack on the Xiongnu."

Cai Yong was deeply moved and repeatedly expressed his gratitude: "While that may be true, I know that the competition in the Central Plains is fierce, and I still do not wish to disrupt Prime Minister Luo's plans for the Central Plains..."

But Luo Chen firmly interrupted him: "This time, I absolutely must fight the Xiongnu. From a long-term perspective, it's the right thing to do. If we don't defeat the Xiongnu, when my main force marches south, the Xiongnu will pose a major threat to Chang'an. The Western Jin Dynasty even perished because of this."

Chapter Forty-Five Yin and Yang

Meanwhile, Luo Chen decided to launch a surprise attack on the Xiongnu and discussed some details with Cai Yong. After thinking it over, Luo Chen decided to be frank about his own affairs.

Luo Chen rose from his seat and bowed, saying, "Regarding my special abilities, sir, do you have any new insights? Are they stable? Are there any side effects on the master? For those who have taken the blood, besides loyalty, are there any other side effects?" Cai Yong pondered for a long time, then rose and went to a secret room, returning after a while to return with two books. Luo Chen glanced at them and saw that they were written in seal script, clearly pre-Qin works, possibly even from the Shang or Zhou dynasties. The title seemed to be "Yin Yang."

"I came here not only because of its beautiful scenery, quietness, and undisturbed environment, but also because of the legend that the second volume of this book is near Longzhou. The story goes that a successor of Yin-Yang philosophy fled to the Yellow River with this book, and the First Emperor led a massive '007' army in pursuit, all for the sake of obtaining it. At that critical moment, the Yellow River suddenly surged with enormous waves, and the Qin soldiers dared not approach. The successor risked his life, venturing into the center of the Yellow River in a small boat. Several days later, his body was discovered, but after the First Emperor's repeated searches of the surrounding area, the book was nowhere to be found."

Luo Chen asked with interest, "Did the message also fall into the Yellow River and get washed away?"

“No, it’s just where it should be.” Cai Yong waved the old book in front of him. “The first volume of the book clearly states that the greatest softness is water, and the ultimate is the infinite. Combining these, it should be in Longzhou. This place overlooks the imperial city and is situated in the middle of the vast Yellow River. It is also called Longzhou. This island has an extraordinary history…”

"So what did you find in the book, sir?" Luo Chen asked eagerly. He seemed unable to understand the crooked seal script or even earlier scripts, so he asked Cai Yong directly.

"Have you ever thought about maximizing the use of your special abilities?" Cai Yong asked rhetorically.

Luo Chen fell silent. He knew what Cai Yong meant; he had indeed considered it. If his blood could command submission, why bother conquering the land? Simply place his blood at water sources, and countless people would easily submit to him! Wherever the army camped, drip his blood into their drinking water, and the entire army would submit! Would he still need to painstakingly implement the so-called Fubing system? Would he need to painstakingly develop gunpowder? If his blood were precisely placed in the drinking water of various lords and generals, wouldn't he have directly conquered the world?

However, Luo Chen dared not do something so contrary to the laws of nature. What if he acted recklessly and caused serious chaos? Luo Chen's large-scale blood-spraying ended after it was applied to several thousand imperial guards. At that time, Luo Chen desperately needed protection and had no other choice but to do so. Afterwards, once Luo Chen had gained a slightly stronger foothold, he used blood a few more times, always on captured generals, minimizing the impact.

"I've thought about it..." Luo Chen said sincerely, "but this approach would be extremely contrary to the laws of nature, so I didn't do it."

Cai Yong nodded happily: "Excellent, you've done the right thing!" Cai Yong stood up: "All things are born from qi, and all things have their own principles. The sum of these principles is Taiji. When yin and yang qi occasionally condense, extraordinary people are born. Such accidents do not affect Taiji. If extraordinary people use their special abilities to frequently interfere with the changes of heaven and earth, the principles and laws of all things will be disordered and operate haphazardly. Taiji will be in chaos, and the world will be in danger, perhaps even facing an irrecoverable catastrophe..."

Luo Chen felt a wave of fear, but also a sense of relief.

“Everything has its limits…” Cai Yong concluded, “If one acts in an extreme manner due to greed and destroys the principles of all things, then one will also bring disaster upon oneself.”

“Every few centuries, a single extraordinary person is born. This may be a blessing for the world, or it may cause chaos and regression. This is against the natural order!” Cai Yong exclaimed. “Fortunately, Prime Minister Luo is a self-disciplined and rational person. The world is fortunate indeed! The world is fortunate indeed!”

"I will live up to your teachings..." Luo Chen said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"I don't belong to this era... How can I go back?" Luo Chen couldn't help but ask the question that had been on his mind the most. He wielded great power and achieved great things in this era, but that didn't mean he didn't miss the comfortable library and the peaceful home he once knew!

Cai Yong looked troubled: "This question is too perplexing, I haven't figured it out yet... Perhaps when I reach a certain point, the solution will become clear, and the answer will become obvious..." Cai Yong paced back and forth in the room, "Could the answer be in these two volumes? I haven't found it yet..."

"Oh..." Luo Chen was somewhat disappointed. Did this mean he would never be able to go home?

“Luochen,” Cai Yong’s voice was very old, “I could die at any moment… I will definitely study these two volumes carefully, and maybe I will find the answer, but I might die before I finish. The second volume must be placed in Longzhou, and the first volume… you can come and take it then, and I will place it on the top of the secret chamber…”

"Understood." Luo Chen nodded.

“Alright, then I can rest assured…” Cai Yong grasped Luo Chen’s hand: “Before I die, I have one selfish wish, which is to urgently see my daughter… I beg Prime Minister Luo…” Cai Yong said, tears streaming down his face. “Don’t worry, please rest assured, sir…” Luo Chen said firmly.

"You only brought one attendant with you?" Cai Yong glanced at Yan Qing behind Luo Chen.

"Yes," Luo Chen said.

"How reckless! Even more reckless than the first time we met! Spend the night here, and go back tomorrow. This place isn't entirely safe; your whereabouts might be discovered, and that could be dangerous!" Cai Yong urged Luo Chen to return.

Having finished asking his question, Luo Chen didn't linger. Nothing more was said that night. The next day, they found a small boat, and Yan Qing rowed slowly away from Longzhou, heading towards the Yellow River. The two warhorses were well-trained; after grazing, they waited for their master on the banks of the Yellow River.

Luo Chen and Yan Qing rode away. Only one day had passed, and things had gone relatively smoothly. Luo Chen deduced that Ma Chao was already engaged in fierce fighting with the enemy near Hongnong. Perhaps the fighting was still ongoing, or perhaps Ma Chao had already led his men to retreat safely towards Tongguan.

Luo Chen and Yan Qing traveled rapidly for dozens of miles, and in the distance they saw smoke and ash rising into the sky above Hongnong. The thick smoke and ash seemed to have been drifting for a long time, and the air for miles around was filled with smoke and the smell of charcoal. "What's going on!" Yan Qing said nervously. "Who set a huge fire in Hongnong! I don't know if our troops are in danger!"

Luo Chen smiled slightly: "Don't worry, our army is in no danger. It's Cao Cao's army..." Luo Chen didn't finish his sentence, but instead cracked his whip and galloped swiftly towards Tong Pass.

Chapter 46 Hongnong

Why was Luo Chen so confident and relaxed? It turns out everything was planned by him. This brings us to Ma Chao's side.

Having received Luo Chen's secret plan, Ma Chao didn't hesitate and immediately ordered his army to retreat. Luo Chen's forces, a mix of cavalry and infantry, moved quickly, especially the approximately 60,000 to 70,000 cavalry, which comprised half of Luo Chen's initial force. Cao Hong, on the city wall, was overjoyed. He had already received reports that Cao Cao's army was very close to Luoyang and would arrive soon. "Immediately organize the cavalry and infantry within the city to pursue them!" Cao Hong commanded.

Cao Hong watched as the Luo army retreated in an orderly fashion, following behind and firing arrows as he pleased. He dared not get too close, fearing that if the Luo army turned around and charged with their cavalry, his soldiers would be easily defeated. Therefore, Cao Hong felt it would be a waste not to pursue, but he dared not get too close to engage them. He also positioned his chariots in front to prevent the Luo army's cavalry from charging. If anything happened, he could immediately arrange the chariots into a defensive formation, forming a square to withstand the cavalry charge. Thus, Cao Hong's pursuit was essentially ineffective; he was merely following behind the Luo army, hoping that Cao Cao's main force would arrive quickly.

"Report! There's an attack on the flank!" a soldier suddenly shouted in a panic. Cao Hong looked up and saw a cloud of dust billowing from the south, indicating that there were about fifty or sixty thousand cavalrymen rushing towards them at high speed.

"Damn it! What the hell!" Cao Hong cursed. "Stop advancing! Chariot soldiers, form a square formation! Infantry, get ready behind the chariots! Archers, get ready! Cavalry, get the hell off your horses!" It turned out that Cao Hong did not dare to use his cavalry to directly confront the enemy, because he knew the gap between his cavalry and the Guanzhong Iron Cavalry. A head-on confrontation would obviously wipe out the cavalry he had painstakingly organized, and would obviously cause him to suffer a great loss.

The enemy is getting closer, and the archers have already drawn their bows; they can fire their arrows at a moment's notice.

"General Xiahou's cavalry is here!" the lead cavalryman shouted. "Which unit are you from?" The lead cavalryman carried a large banner with the words "Xiahou" written on it. He was wearing Cao army black armor and should be a cavalryman under Xiahou Dun's command. The cavalryman charged to within a hundred meters of the square formation and saw that all the gleaming arrows were pointed at him. He couldn't help but let out a strange cry, lowered his body, spurred his horse, and ran faster than a rabbit.

Before Cao Hong could explain, the soldier had vanished. One of Cao Hong's archers, in his nervousness, fired an arrow, but missed. "Damn it!" Cao Hong kicked him.

Cao Hong mounted his horse and galloped over with several attendants, only to run into Xiahou Dun, who had come to check on the situation. "It's you!" Xiahou Dun breathed a sigh of relief and said gruffly.

Cao Hong breathed a sigh of relief: "I heard you went to capture Xu Shu? Did you succeed?"

"Don't even mention it! We ran into Ma Dai halfway there, and then Huang Zhong with his Guanzhong cavalry. How could we possibly fight? That Yu Jin was useless; he didn't cooperate with me at all!" Xiahou Dun said dejectedly. "And Li Dian was even stabbed to death by a white-robed general. What was his name again? I think it was Zhao Yun, damn it!" Cao Hong nodded sympathetically. It seemed that Xiahou Dun was in a worse situation than him. At least he had managed to hold Luoyang and buy time for Cao Cao, which should be considered a great achievement.

The two joined forces, with infantry and cavalry exceeding 100,000 men. Xiahou Dun clearly wanted to gain some merit so as not to suffer a humiliating defeat, having failed to capture Xu Shu and with Li Dian dead... He volunteered to assist Cao Hong in pursuing the fleeing army.

As they were pursuing, a messenger rushed over: "Report! The lord has ordered Dian Wei to lead 100,000 cavalry to recapture Mianchi and Caoyang from the north. The lord also orders you to take Hongnong directly! When the two armies meet, strike the main force of the fleeing army!"

Upon hearing that Dian Wei's cavalry was approaching, Cao Hong was overjoyed, as this would greatly tie down the fleeing troops. Cao Hong ordered his troops to slow down, with the chariots still moving slowly around the perimeter. The fleeing troops had already disappeared from sight, which was understandable given their slow pace. Cao Hong dispatched numerous messengers to Dian Wei and those around him to communicate. Xiahou Dun was quite puzzled: "The fleeing army has already fled in disarray, and General Dian Wei is in pursuit. Why are we still moving so slowly?"

Cao Hong sneered, "Heh, no wonder you came back empty-handed, with nothing to show for it. Don't you think we can easily deal with Luo Chen's cavalry? Dian Wei's field cavalry is stronger, though. Dian Wei will definitely launch a fierce attack on Mianchi, Caoyang, and other places, relentlessly pursuing Luo Chen's main cavalry. Luo Chen's main force will inevitably be drawn there. Wouldn't it be better if we could easily capture Hongnong by defeating the remaining Luo Chen forces? Why go and humiliate Luo Chen's main iron cavalry? They'll cripple us then, won't they? Fool!"