coobybook Chapter 1263 Xiliang Wins the First Battle
Chapter 1263 Xiliang Wins the First Battle
A man's shadow, a tree's name. The story of Ma Chao's decisive victory over Lü Bu on the battlefield was already widely known. Zhang Fei was known for his bravery, but he knew better than anyone that even when he and his sworn brother Guan Yu joined forces, they could only manage a draw against Lü Bu at Hulao Pass. Ma Chao's ability to defeat the "Lü Bu among men" was beyond Zhang Fei's comprehension. Just moments before, Zhang Fei had been arrogant, but now, looking at Ma Chao's gleaming silver armor on horseback, he felt a tightness in his throat. All the curses he had been hurling at him vanished, and he stood frozen in place, even his hand holding the spear trembling slightly.
Seeing Zhang Fei remain silent, his face still bearing the relaxed air of wine, Ma Chao glanced past him and looked towards the army formation. He saw Zhao Yun gripping his spear tightly, the tip pointing diagonally to the ground. Though silent, his eyes were sharp and ready, clearly indicating that if Ma Chao were to attack Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun would immediately rush to his aid. On the other side, the veteran general Huang Zhong subtly shifted behind Wen Ping, his hand unconsciously reaching for his bow at his waist. The bowstring twitched slightly, indicating he was also on guard.
Ma Chao noticed these subtle actions but paid them no mind. He said loudly, "Zilong is also in the formation? I suppose Senior Brother is here too? Why not invite him out for a chat?"
Zhao Yun bowed in the formation, his voice steady: "Greetings, Your Majesty. Please forgive me for being unable to perform the full ceremony due to my armor." He addressed the king with neither servility nor timidity, showing neither a lack of courtesy nor the slightest hint of cowardice.
Ma Chao laughed heartily: "Alright, alright, there's no need for formalities. Quickly invite my senior brother out. It's been almost two years since we parted in Jingzhou, and I've often thought of him."
In the Shu camp, the soldiers retreated in an orderly fashion to the sides, making way for Liu Bei. Riding his horse Lu, with a double-edged sword at his waist, Liu Bei slowly walked out of the formation. His black brocade robe fluttered slightly in the night wind. His gaze fell on Ma Chao, and he laughed loudly, "Junior brother, it's been two years since we last met. Your demeanor has become even more outstanding."
Ma Chao returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his tone slightly teasing: "Senior brother, you're too kind. It's just that I've been thinking about how you didn't come to my wedding to offer a drink."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei sighed softly: "My dear brother, you now have a beautiful wife by your side and children around your knees. This is the best time of your life. Since you are already so content, why raise an army to invade Yizhou? Wouldn't it be better if we each guarded our own territory and lived in peace?"
Ma Chao laughed loudly, his laughter echoing across the battlefield: "Senior brother is joking. Back in Jingzhou, I saw that my two sisters-in-law, Lady Gan and Lady Mi, were gentle and virtuous. How could you, senior brother, lack beautiful women by your side? As for Yizhou... Liu Zhang is incompetent and foolish, and the people are suffering. Since I have been appointed King of Liang by the Han court, how can I sit idly by and watch the people of this region suffer?"
"Meng Qi!" Liu Bei suddenly raised his voice, his double-edged sword trembling slightly in his hand. "Since you call yourself the King of Liang of the Great Han, do you know that you should uphold the laws of the Great Han? Do you respect the imperial decree? Now you have raised an army to invade our borders, how are you any different from a traitor?"
Ma Chao's eyes sharpened: "Senior brother, don't forget that the world is now divided, with warlords ruling their own territories. Who can claim to be completely obedient to the king's orders? Senior brother, isn't your entry into Shu for the sake of the territory of Yizhou?"
Liu Bei's face darkened, and he slowly said, "Since you've made up your mind, there's no point in saying more. The Han and the traitors are irreconcilable enemies, so let's settle this on the battlefield."
"Alright! Let's see who's the best!" Ma Chao nodded in response.
The two men exchanged a glance, then turned their horses around, preparing to return to their positions.
Just then, the soft twang of bowstrings suddenly rang out from the Shu army formation! A cold arrow, whistling through the air, aimed straight for Ma Chao's back!
Ma Chao was prepared – he had already caught a glimpse of Huang Zhong's subtle movement towards the bow and arrow out of the corner of his eye. Hearing the sound of the wind, he whirled around, his tiger-headed golden spear darting out like a serpent, the tip striking the arrow shaft precisely with a crisp "clang," and the arrow fell to the ground.
"You old scoundrel!" Ma Chao roared, "The grudge against Bo Fu from back then has not yet been settled, and you dare to launch a sneak attack today? Do you have a death wish?"
Upon seeing this, the generals of Xiliang were enraged. Pang De, Zhang Xiu, and others spurred their horses out of the battle formation and shouted fiercely, "You treacherous dog, how dare you plot against my king! Prepare to die!"
Seeing the Xiliang generals charging out in a fierce battle formation, their momentum like a surging tide, Liu Bei's heart tightened. Zhao Yun had already shouted sharply, "My lord, retreat at once!" With that, he brandished his spear and spurred his horse, charging towards Zhang Xiu at the forefront. His spear flashed like pear blossoms, instantly clashing with Zhang Xiu's spear.
Pang De's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Zhang Fei in the Shu army formation. With a roar, he spurred his horse forward, his broadsword slashing with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks. Zhang Fei, disregarding his earlier fear, raised his eighteen-foot spear to meet the attack. The two horses clashed, and the deafening sound of their weapons colliding was deafening.
Ma Chao glanced at the front of the formation and said to Xu Huang beside him, "Gongming, go and lend Lingming a hand!"
Xu Huang responded with "Yes, sir!" and brandished his great axe, charging towards Zhang Fei's flank. His arrival immediately relieved the pressure on Pang De, and the two of them, one on the left and one on the right, surrounded Zhang Fei in the middle. The flashing of swords and axes forced Zhang Fei to retreat repeatedly.
On the other side, Ma Chao said to Zhang Ren, "Gongqi, go help Axiu!"
Zhang Ren clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, spurred his horse, and charged into the battle between Zhao Yun and Zhang Xiu. Zhang Xiu, who was locked in a fierce battle with Zhao Yun, was invigorated by Zhang Ren's assistance. His spear technique became even more ferocious, and with the combined efforts of the two, they gradually gained the upper hand.
Ma Chao himself, holding his tiger-headed golden spear, fixed his gaze on Huang Zhong in the distance with lightning speed. The old general did not retreat after firing his arrow; instead, he stood firm on his horse, sword drawn, his face resolute.
The fighting on the battlefield intensified, with the glint of swords and the shadows of spears weaving a deadly net under the torchlight.
Zhang Fei was attacked from both sides by Pang De and Xu Huang. He wielded his eighteen-foot spear like a windmill, sometimes sweeping it to force back Pang De's broadsword, sometimes parrying Xu Huang's giant axe. Pang De's sword was heavy and powerful, each strike carrying the force of splitting a mountain, forcing Zhang Fei to lower his waist and immediately meet the blows head-on. Xu Huang, on the other hand, always looked for openings to strike, the cold glint of his giant axe flashing in Zhang Fei's blind spots. Even with Zhang Fei's extraordinary bravery, sweat beaded on his forehead. The speed of his spear gradually slowed down. He could barely protect himself, but he could no longer free his hands to counterattack. He could only struggle to hold on under the combined attack of the two, and for a time, neither could gain the upper hand.
On the other side, Zhao Yun fought alone against Zhang Xiu and Zhang Ren, a perilous situation. Zhang Xiu's spear was cunning and unpredictable, always aiming for his lower body; Zhang Ren's spear, however, was as steady as a rock, repeatedly blocking his attacks. Zhao Yun, however, remained unfazed. His gleaming silver spear seemed to come alive in his hand, sometimes darting out like a serpent, striking at their weaknesses; sometimes fluttering like pear blossoms, the spear shadows protecting his entire body. He seized the moment when Zhang Xiu's spear technique had exhausted its old strength and had not yet generated new power, and suddenly swung his spear to deflect Zhang Ren's spear shaft. The spear tip grazed past Zhang Xiu's armor, startling Zhang Xiu into hastily reining in his horse and retreating. But before he could press his advantage, Zhang Ren's spear was already piercing him like a shadow, forcing him to retreat and defend himself. The three exchanged blows, spear tassels flying, a truly evenly matched contest.
The situation was completely different for Ma Chao and Huang Zhong.
Ma Chao wielded his tiger-headed golden spear, his silver armor gleaming coldly. His steed trotted so finely it left no trace in the snow, each charge carrying the force of a thunderbolt. Huang Zhong, though old and vigorous, wielded his broadsword with impenetrable skill, but before Ma Chao, he gradually found himself outmatched. Ma Chao's spear was too fast, as fast as lightning. Just as he dodged a thrust from the tip, the shaft swept across; just as he parried a fierce attack from the left, a spear shadow from the right coiled around him like a venomous snake.
Huang Zhong roared fiercely, his broadsword, imbued with all his skill, slashing towards Ma Chao's face, intending to force him to parry and defend himself. Unexpectedly, Ma Chao neither dodged nor evaded, but instead twisted his waist sharply, narrowly avoiding the blade. His spear slid down smoothly, the tip grazing Huang Zhong's saddle and sending sparks flying. Huang Zhong felt his horse startled, rearing up abruptly. He quickly pulled on the reins, but in that brief moment of hesitation, Ma Chao's spear was already upon him, piercing his chest!
"Clang!" Huang Zhong hastily parried with the back of his sword, only to feel a tremendous force surge through him, his arm instantly going numb, and his broadsword nearly slipping from his grasp. Using the momentum of his horse, he retreated several steps, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes filled with horror as he looked at Ma Chao. Such spearmanship, such power—truly living up to his reputation!
Ma Chao gave him no chance to catch his breath, spurring his horse forward again, his spear flashing like a tide, layer upon layer pressing down on Huang Zhong. The Xiliang soldiers on the front lines were thrilled, shouting their encouragement; the Shu soldiers, on the other hand, were all anxious, watching their old general being forced back again and again, but they were helpless because no one could come forward to support him.
Ma Chao's spear technique grew increasingly fierce; his tiger-headed golden spear drew chilling arcs in the moonlight, each strike aimed at Huang Zhong's vital points. Huang Zhong's broadsword movements slowed, his tiger's mouth already cracked from the impact, blood dripping from the hilt onto his horse's back. Clearly, he was only capable of parrying, and defeat seemed imminent.
Liu Bei, watching from the ranks, felt a surge of anxiety. Seeing Ma Chao's fierce spear thrusts, clearly aimed for the kill, his eyes turned bloodshot with urgency. He abruptly drew his double-edged sword from his waist and shouted sharply, "Follow me to support General Huang!" With that, he spurred his horse, sword at the ready, and charged forward. The Shu army behind him followed like a surging tide.
The Xiliang army was prepared. At a command from within the camp, armored cavalry surged out like a black torrent, charging towards the Shu army. The two armies clashed instantly, swords flashing and shouts of battle echoing through the night sky, and a chaotic battle ensued.
Amidst the chaos of battle, Ma Chao's spear pierced Huang Zhong's shoulder like a venomous snake! With a "thud," the spear tip pierced through the armor, drawing a spray of blood. Huang Zhong groaned, his body swaying violently, nearly falling from his horse. Ma Chao swiftly withdrew his spear, the blood droplets from the spear tip splattering onto the silver armor, adding to his ferocious appearance. With a flick of his wrist, he thrust the spear forward again, clearly intending to end Huang Zhong's life in one fell swoop.
At the critical moment, Dilu horse swept past like a gust of wind, and Liu Bei drew both swords simultaneously, precisely blocking the fatal spear! With a loud clang, the twin swords clashed with the tiger-headed golden spear, sparks flying everywhere. Liu Bei felt a violent tremor in his arm, almost losing his grip on the sword, but he gritted his teeth and refused to back down.
When Ma Chao saw that it was Liu Bei who had personally taken action, a complex look flashed in his eyes. He then put away his spear and stood still, without taking the opportunity to pursue.
"Stop fighting, retreat!" Liu Bei roared, his voice particularly jarring amidst the chaos of battle.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and others immediately flanked Huang Zhong, fighting and retreating simultaneously. Zhang Fei brandished his spear to force Pang De back, Zhao Yun held off Zhang Xiu with his spear, and the Shu soldiers also fought valiantly to resist the onslaught of the Xiliang cavalry.
The Xiliang cavalry charged like a tidal wave, their iron hooves crushing the Shu soldiers' formation. With spears and lances flashing, the Shu soldiers screamed in agony, their ranks crumbling instantly. Only after Zhang Fei and his men fought desperately within the ranks did the Xiliang army sound the retreat, ending this one-sided crushing defeat. Thousands of Shu soldiers' corpses remained, the stench of blood filling the air.
The generals returned from their pursuit, their faces still etched with the exhilaration of battle. They surrounded Ma Chao, bowing respectfully: "Your Majesty is truly awe-inspiring!!" "Today's battle will surely terrify Liu Bei!" "With Your Majesty by our side, what is there to fear in unifying the world!"
Ma Chao raised his hand to stop the praise, his face showing little pride. He simply patted the dust off his battle robe and said in a calm tone, "It's just a minor victory, nothing to brag about." After saying that, he mounted his horse and said to the generals behind him, "Let's go back to camp. We haven't finished our wine yet, let's go back and drink some more."
Upon hearing this, the generals cheered and escorted Ma Chao towards the camp. Night had fallen, the wolf banners of the Xiliang army fluttered in the wind, and lights were quickly lit again in the camp. The aroma of wine mingled with a faint smell of blood. The generals raised their cups and drank heartily, occasionally boasting about the battle they had just fought. Ma Chao, however, sat in the main seat, sipping his wine slowly, his gaze fixed on the darkness outside the tent, lost in thought.