Chapter 119 Li Ru, you bastard, look out for the knife!

Li Ru was disdainful in his heart, but on the surface he was still very respectful: "General, the 100,000 troops must be a lie, but 50,000 is more or less, otherwise why would we build so many siege weapons?"

"Fifty thousand?"

Li Jue, who was originally somewhat skeptical, had to choose to believe it after hearing Li Ru's words. After all, if there was no army to support him in the rear, how could Wang Jing dare to lead 3,000 soldiers to attack the strategic pass where he had 30,000 soldiers stationed?

If Li Jue put himself in Wang Jing's shoes, he would never risk such a risk by deploying troops, so he did not think that Wang Jing would take such an unwise move.

Li Jue remained calm at this moment, because even if Wang Jing really had 50,000 soldiers and horses, he still didn't think Hangu Pass would be captured. This was his confidence as a military strategist: "Now I have 30,000 elite troops, and I am defending a dangerous place. Even if Qi Hou has great ability, will he really dare to attack?"

Li Jue was not the only one who had this question.

Outside Hangu Pass, the Northern Army’s camp.

Lü Bu asked Wang Jing about this with a puzzled look on his face: "My lord, our army is small and it is impossible to break through the pass. What is the point of building siege equipment?"

Li Ru boasted 50,000, and Wang Jing boasted 100,000.

But bragging is just bragging after all. The actual number of troops Wang Jing can really fight is only over 8,000.

They were 3,000 Bingzhou soldiers and 5,000 remnants of Lu Bu's troops. The rest were civilians recruited from the surrounding counties. There were quite a few of them, but they had almost no combat effectiveness. They could only do odd jobs like carrying food, cutting down trees, and transporting supplies.

If we let them go to the battlefield to kill people, it would be very difficult.

Do you think you can capture a historic pass with 30,000 defenders with only 8,000 people?

If the person who made this decision was not Wang Jing, Lu Bu would have turned away on the spot. He would not have said such crazy things unless he had suffered a 10-year cerebral infarction.

If we attack Hangu Pass head-on, even if all 8,000 soldiers were killed, it would be a question whether we could even attack the city wall without damaging a single piece of stone.

Lü Bu, who had just experienced a disastrous defeat, solemnly advised: "My lord, Li Jue is from the school of military strategy. He is not only proficient in the wind force in the Six Forces of Military Struggle, but also has the Flying Bear Army under his command, which moves like the wind and is best at surprise attacks. Lü Bu was defeated by him using the same tactics that Peng Yue used to attack Chu."

"In addition, there is Xu Rong, who has also inherited the true teachings of the military strategy school. It is said that he is the inheritance left by Wei Liaozi, the first master of military strategy in the Xian Qin Dynasty. His strength should not be underestimated."

Wang Jing stood in front of the sand table, with his hands behind his back, and his tone was quite relaxed, as if he had already put life and death aside: "Why, Fengxian, do you think I can't take Hangu Pass?"

"This……"

Lu Bu really wanted to tell the truth, but he was afraid that Wang Jing would get angry. He had been scolded for this many times when he was under Dong Zhuo, so he simply kept silent.

Wang Jing knew that Lu Bu didn't believe him, so he laughed and teased him, "Fengxian, you are more than brave and there are only a handful of people in the world who can rival you. But when it comes to strategy and wisdom, you are far behind."

Hearing Wang Jing say that he was brave but not wise, Lu Bu was very dissatisfied: "Hangu Pass is so dangerous, even if I have a brilliant plan, how can I capture it?"

"How about we make a bet? Within three days, I don't even need to do anything, someone will naturally deliver this ancient pass to me. Do you believe it?"

When Wang Jing said this, he was so calm and confident that even Lu Bu couldn't help but doubt whether this was really possible.
But then Lu Bu felt that it was impossible. No matter how hard he racked his brains, he could not figure out how to capture a dangerous pass like Hangu Pass.

"Okay, what do you want to bet on, my lord?"

"I have no shortage of gold, silver, and treasures. If you want to gamble, just make a promise."

Lu Bu looked puzzled and asked doubtfully, "Agreement?"

"Yes, Fengxian, if you lose, you will pass on the last few moves of the Heavenly Dragon Halberd Method to Yanming. He was once a registered disciple of Halberd Maniac in his early years, but he only learned the first three moves."

Wang Jing was obviously trying to get benefits for Yan Xing, and when Lu Bu heard that Yan Xing was also a disciple of Master Li Yan, he immediately patted his chest and agreed: "Okay, if I lose, I will teach you martial arts on behalf of my master."

"Fengxian is indeed generous. If I lose, I will give you this sword."

Wang Jing took out the Seven-Star Knife, a dagger he always carried with him, and placed it in front of Lu Bu.

There was a spiritual glow on all four sides of the blade, and the seven gems sparkled like the Big Dipper in the sky. The blade was so sharp that it could cut gold and jade, and shave iron like mud.

"This sword is called Seven Stars. It is my personal sword. It once helped Cao Mengde escape from a difficult situation. Now, as the story spreads from mouth to mouth, the Seven Stars Sword has become a famous product. It has the magical power of 'borrowing a sword'. You can temporarily lend your own strength to the person holding the sword. The power is extraordinary."

A famous product!

Upon hearing this, Lu Bu immediately showed a greedy expression. He didn't expect that Wang Jing would be willing to bet on such a precious sword, just to help Yan Xing obtain the complete inheritance of "Tianlong Jifa".

"My Lord, are you serious?"

Lu Bu's heart was moved, and his eyes were fixed on the precious sword in Wang Jing's hand without blinking.

Wang Jing smiled calmly and nodded without thinking: "A gentleman's word is as good as a whip. I never break my promise. Of course, if Fengxian is afraid of losing, he can choose not to gamble."

As soon as Wang Jing made a move to put away the precious sword in his hand, Lu Bu was anxious. He gritted his teeth and agreed: "Let's bet! If I win, you must not cheat."

"Okay, then it's a deal."

As night fell, the mountain breeze blew gently over Hangu Pass, bringing a cool breeze.

Xu Rong stood on top of the city gate, looking into the distance in the direction of the Bingzhou soldiers' camp, his expression slightly sad.

Even at night, with the bright lights shining, Xu Rong could rely on his excellent eyesight to clearly see thousands of laborers holding torches and working all night to build siege equipment.

Gazing at the bustling scene of the Northern Army camp from afar, Xu Rong's eyes were deep and his face was as gloomy as water. Although he tried his best to hide the uneasiness in his heart, his subconsciously clenched hands had already exposed his truest thoughts.

Just then, footsteps were heard in the darkness.

"who!"

Xu Rong was so nervous that he pressed the sword at his waist like a frightened bird. Under the high pressure of recent days, even this veteran of the battlefield had fallen into a state of paranoia.

"General Xu, it's me."

Li Ru's thin face slowly emerged from the darkness, but the way he looked at people was completely different from before.

There is less panic and anxiety, and more calmness and composure.

When Xu Rong saw that the person coming was Li Ru, he felt a little relieved and took back his hand that was holding the hilt of the knife. "So it's the doctor. I wonder why you came so late at night. What can I teach you?"

"I dare not ask for advice. I came here only to show General Xu a clear path. After all, we are colleagues, and I really can't bear to see the general throw away his talent."

Li Ru looked straight at Xu Rong, his eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.

Xu Rong felt uncomfortable under his gaze, and his mood was slightly disturbed by his words. He had an indescribable uneasiness.

"Law Master, what do you mean by this?"

Seeing Xu Rong looking at him with a vigilant expression, Li Ru smiled calmly, but the smile sounded very creepy: "General Xu, I remember that you are from Youzhou, not Xiliang, and you have always been excluded in the army, right?"

Xu Rong looked angry when he heard that. He put his right hand on the hilt of the knife again and glared at Li Ru. Even at this point, he could see that something was wrong with Li Ru.

This is not what a counselor should say now!
However, Li Ru ignored Xu Rong's vigilance and put his hands behind his back, calmly continuing to stir up Xu Rong's anxiety: "When Dong Zhuo was still alive, he didn't treat you well. Why do you continue to work hard for the Xiliang Army? For so many years, in terms of outstanding achievements in the Xiliang Army, the general is second only to Li Jue, but what's the result? In terms of status, the general is not even as good as Niu Fu and Guo Si. Is this fair?"

"Rong fought all his life for loyalty and righteousness, not for fame and gain."

Xu Rong stared at Li Ru coldly, murderous intent boiling in his heart, and shouted angrily: "Li Wenyou, the Grand Tutor has been very kind to you, why did you betray us?"

"us?"

Li Ru curled his lips and laughed contemptuously: "General Xu, why do you have to deceive yourself? You are not from Liangzhou and have always been excluded in the army. How many of Li Jue, Niu Fu and others have ever regarded you as one of their own? How many of your soldiers are loyal to you? As for the loyalty you mentioned, it is even more ridiculous. Now the Western Liang Army is the biggest rebel and rioter. If General Xu really wants to be loyal, he should change his allegiance and join the light instead of the dark." "This..."

Xu Rong was speechless after being confronted by Li Ru. He eventually became dejected, and the murderous intent in his body disappeared without a trace.

"General Xu, the imperial army will arrive soon. Rather than perish together with Li Jue and other traitors, it is better to surrender. If you achieve such a great feat, not only will you be forgiven, but you may even be appreciated by Marquis Qi and rise to prominence from now on. Isn't that wonderful?"

"You want me to surrender?"

"Hey, General Xu, it is the duty of a minister to restore order. You followed the enemy in the past because you had no choice. Now that Dong Zhuo is dead, do you still want to be loyal to an incompetent like Li Jue?"

Li Ru's words, which were both defensive and offensive, made Xu Rong completely unable to resist.

Because every word Li Ru said touched his heart.

After Dong Zhuo's death, there were many factions within the Xiliang army. Li Jue seemed to be in charge of the overall situation, but in fact he lacked prestige and could not overpower the other Xiliang generals.

After defeating Lu Bu together, Zhang Xiu disobeyed orders and sent troops to attack Pingyin County without authorization, which led to his being beheaded by Wang Jing.

Xu Rong was not a fool, and he naturally knew that continuing to follow the Xiliang Army would only lead to death. After all, the aristocratic families and powerful families all hated the Xiliang Army very much, so supplies such as food, weapons and elixirs were becoming increasingly scarce.

If this continues, defeat is only a matter of time.

Who wouldn't want to get off a broken ship that's leaking everywhere and about to sink?
Therefore, after a brief hesitation, Xu Rong thought it through and said to Li Ru: "What the doctor said makes sense, and I am not a person who does not know what is good and what is bad. As long as Marquis Qi is willing to forgive my previous sins, I am willing to surrender."

Become!

Li Ru was in high spirits and said to Xu Rong with a smile: "General, you are very righteous and I admire you. Before, Dong Zhuo gave you a wrong order and you were just following his orders. What crime have you committed? Now that you are willing to surrender, there is no time to lose. Take advantage of the night and follow me to get Li Jue's head. Then we can open the gate and surrender."

"it is good!"

Xu Rong was also a ruthless man. Since he had already decided to surrender, he might as well do it to the end. He even offered the head of the traitor Li Jue. Maybe he could get more credit for it.

Xu Rong then summoned his men. Among these soldiers under his command, none were from Xiliang. Most of them were from Youzhou and Bingzhou. They had never been taken seriously in the Xiliang army and were even often bullied because of their place of origin.

Now that Xu Rong wants to rebel, they immediately rise up in response.

"General, we will follow you!"

"These bastards have been deducting my food and wages all the time. What a traitor!"

People from different regions have different dialects and cannot even speak the same language. Their customs and habits vary greatly. How can we expect them to be united?
Although Dong Zhuo treated these soldiers very well, he was afraid of comparison. After all, Dong Zhuo was from Liangzhou, and he had differences in closeness to them. How could he really treat them equally?
Moreover, after Dong Zhuo's death, Li Jue, Niu Fu and other Xiliang generals were trying to exclude dissidents from within their ranks. Naturally, soldiers and generals who were not from Xiliang, such as Xu Rong, had an even worse fate. They had to eat leftovers on a daily basis, had no share of the benefits, and were always the first to do the hard work.

The soldiers had long been complaining about such unfair rewards and punishments.

Li Ru had long seen that the Xiliang army was plagued by internal conflicts, so he was confident that he could capture this ancient pass with just his words.

Following Li Ru's instructions, Xu Rong lit three fires on the top of the city wall as a secret signal, and then sent people to open the city gate.

He himself, with his two thousand men, went to kill Li Jue under the cover of night.

On the way, Xu Rong and Li Ru met Li Jue's nephew Hu Feng.

When Hu Feng saw Xu Rong, he didn't think much about it. Instead, he asked carelessly, "Xu Rong, why are you looking for my uncle in the middle of the night instead of staying at home to watch over your own affairs?"

Not only did Hu Feng call him by his name, but from his tone and manner, it was obvious that he did not take Xu Rong seriously at all.

At this point, Xu Rong was too lazy to pretend to be a grandson anymore, and immediately shouted: "Go, kill all these traitors!"

"Kill these Xiliang bastards!"

The accumulated resentment of the past suddenly burst out like a mountain torrent, and it was out of control.

The soldiers under Xu Rong were as fierce as wolves and tigers. They attacked with all their might and soon killed Hu Feng's men.

Xu Rong himself was wearing precious armor and leading the charge, his eyes fixed on Hu Feng. He rushed forward and chopped his opponent's head with a powerful sword, going straight to the face. The sword light reflected the moonlight, blooming a cold and brilliant cold light in the dark night, and his violent power was unreserved.

"You die!"

Hu Feng hastily drew his sword to fight, but he was already at a disadvantage. His courage was taken away by Xu Rong. After three consecutive angry slashes from Xu Rong, his palms were immediately numb. He was horrified: "Xu Rong, what are you doing? Are you trying to rebel?"

Xu Rong laughed angrily: "I have already abandoned the dark and joined the light, you traitors are the ones who are rebelling."

After saying this, the knife swung like the wind, slashing continuously.

The sword technique he displayed was from the "Tian Zheng Wu Dian", a unique martial art from the lineage of military situation, one of the four major schools of military strategists!
The so-called heavenly conquest refers to the conquest by the emperor.

War is a matter of great importance to a state. When the emperor leads a war, his purpose is not to gain wealth or prolong his life, but to conquer the vast country and unify the system.

The Tian Zheng Wu Dian is the military strategy handed down from the grandmaster of military strategy Wei Liao. It has a total of twenty-four moves and is both a military strategy and a martial art.

Xiang Yu learned from him and invaded like fire, setting the whole country on fire.

When Han Xin obtained it, water had no fixed shape and his power spread throughout the world.

Although Xu Rong does not have the bravery of Xiang Yu or the scheming of Han Xin, he is also a brave general who has fought his way out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood. His swordsmanship has already reached the threshold of the fifth realm of martial arts, almost reaching the level of perfection.

At this moment, a sword was slashed out, the murderous aura was almost tangible, and the power was swift and fierce. It was the fourth of the twenty-four styles of Tian Zheng - War Power!
In all military operations, some people win by virtue of morality, some by power, and some by force.

Defeat the army and kill the general, seize the opportunity, route the crowd and seize the land, then return with success - this is victory by force!
Xu Rong took advantage of the situation by being prepared and taking advantage of the situation. He used courage to defeat the timid and took away the morale of the enemy. Therefore, when he swung his seventh sword, Hu Feng's weapon had already been knocked away. The eighth sword that followed was covered in blood and cut off Hu Feng's head, killing him on the spot.

"The thief general Hu Feng has surrendered, follow me and kill him!"

Xu Rong personally led his troops to charge and in just a few moments he defeated Li Jue's personal guards guarding the periphery.

Li Jue was awakened from his sleep and was still grouchy. He angrily shouted, "Why are you making a noise in the middle of the night? Aren't you afraid of being punished by military law?"

"General, this is bad! Xu Rong has rebelled!"

"What did you say?"

Li Jue was horrified when he heard this. He quickly put on his Iron Winged Bear Barbarian Armor, held his two swords and walked out of the bedroom. He angrily ordered: "Shoot the whistling arrows and summon the Flying Bear Army!"

"Yes!"

The messenger immediately shot the whistling arrow in his hand, and the arrow pierced through the clouds and the air, making a piercing whistling sound.

More than a thousand Feixiong soldiers quickly gathered together. They were the most elite soldiers in the Xiliang Army. They were wearing heavy armor, holding long spears, and had superb riding skills. They were a powerful army formed by Dong Zhuo, and were usually trained and integrated by Li Jue.

Now that Dong Zhuo is dead, the Feixiong Army will naturally only pledge allegiance to Li Jue, and will be absolutely loyal to him.

Li Jue, with his five remaining followers, fought his way through the chaotic soldiers. His two swords were stained with blood. Although he was protected by armor, Li Jue still broke out in cold sweat on his back. If he had not reacted in time, he would have become a prisoner.

He thought that Hangu Pass was breached by Wang Jing's surprise attack, but when he saw Li Ru and Xu Rong standing behind the chaotic soldiers and directing the battle, he was immediately furious and shouted, "How dare you two traitors betray me! You shall not die a good death!"

Li Ru sneered in response, his sinister eyes piercing Li Jue like a dagger: "Don't worry about that, General. For the sake of our friendship, I hope you take care on your journey to the underworld, Zhiran."

"How despicable! Li Wenyou, I swear to take your head today!"

Li Jue flew up, and a pair of iron wings spread out from behind him. With just one flap, he rolled up a shocking air current, propelling him across a distance of several dozen feet and rushing straight towards Li Ru: "You bastard, watch out for the knife!"

(End of this chapter)