Chapter Fifteen: The Burning of Luoyang

“Cowards, I, Lu Fengxian, have stood at the city gate for countless hours, yet none of you dare send forth a champion. Are you all so afraid of your grandfather?” Lu Bu set his halberd by his side and took up his bow. With the strength to draw a ten-stone bow, he pulled the string into a crescent arc.

“Take this!” With a light call, Lu Bu loosed his arrow, which shot forth like a meteor. Its silver light flashed, and the banner atop the city gate snapped in response. Yuan Shu quickly ducked, the arrow whistling past his ear and embedding deeply into the wooden board behind him. Seeing the banner before him severed, this blatant humiliation left Yuan Shu furious. “That brat dares to shame me like this!”

Jiang Wen raised an eyebrow and instinctively shifted backward; after all, weapons have no eyes, and a stray shot could be fatal.

Yuan Shu shouted sharply, “Where is General Yu She?”

Yu She, tall and broad—even armored, his girth was unmistakable—forced his way out of the crowd. “Present!”

“Do you dare accept the challenge?”

Yu She snorted coldly. “Lu Bu may be praised as the mightiest among men, his horse as the finest among steeds, but it’s all just Dong Zhuo’s trickery. I will cut off Lu Bu’s head within three rounds and bring it to you, General!”

Yuan Shu was delighted. Seeing his top general unafraid, he declared loudly, “Good! I await Lu Bu’s head here!”

“Wait a moment!” Han Fu interjected, “I have the mighty Pan Feng, who can go together with Yu She!”

“Pan Feng, receive your orders! Join Yu She and capture Lu Bu’s head!”

“Yes!” Pan Feng, burly and wielding twin axes, immediately went to mount his horse beneath the city.

Yuan Shao, full of admiration, spoke to the assembled lords, “Yu She is the fiercest general under Gonglu, unmatched in strength. General Pan Feng’s skills are also renowned. Surely this battle will see Lu Bu slain!”

Cao Cao silently surveyed the scene and withdrew, while Jiang Wen watched with keen interest at the city gate, anticipating Cao Cao’s return and the famed battle of the three heroes against Lu Bu.

With the gates flung open, Yu She and Pan Feng faced Lu Bu with cold, steely gazes.

As Yu She and Pan Feng charged, the outcome was as expected: Yu She did not last a single round against Lu Bu, his head rolling on the ground, blood spraying. Pan Feng managed two rounds before falling to Lu Bu’s halberd as well.

“This…” The lords were speechless, while Sun Ce and Lü Ziming could not help but praise, “Lu Bu is truly formidable!”

“General Lu! General Lu! General Lu!” The roar and shouts of one hundred and fifty thousand troops shook all the commanders at Hulao Pass.

Lu Bu flicked the blood from his halberd. “Are all the troops of the eighteen rebel routes nothing but shrimp soldiers and crab generals?”

“Traitor, you go too far! I am Zhang Fei of Yan, taste my spear!”

A burly warrior charged forth, brandishing an eight-foot serpent spear, his thunderous voice momentarily stunning Lu Bu. His steed raced forward as his spear thrust straight at Lu Bu’s face!

Lu Bu showed no fear, roaring angrily as he swung his halberd with overwhelming force. Zhang Fei, undaunted, eyes blazing, lashed out with his serpent spear from right to left, striking fiercely.

Weapons clashed with a metallic clang; the tremendous force vibrated through their grips. They had exchanged fifty rounds, and each regarded the other with awe: “This brute’s strength is incredible!”

Halberd and spear danced, dust swirling at the city gate, horses neighing. Lu Bu, a supreme warrior, gradually gained the upper hand, forcing Zhang Fei back.

“Brother, don’t panic! Second Brother is coming to help!” A nine-foot warrior with phoenix eyes, silkworm brows, and a magnificent beard charged forth, his broadsword chopping down!

Together, they pressed Lu Bu, their combined might greater than the sum of their parts. Spear, sword, and halberd clashed, and Lu Bu was driven into a disadvantage.

Lu Bu’s halberd moves grew increasingly erratic. The spear lunged at him, and he dodged hastily. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the broadsword rising—this move would surely end him! Suddenly, a sword flashed before him, dissolving the crisis in an instant.

“Uncle Liu truly knows how to act. If Lu Bu dies here, who will kill Dong Zhuo…” Jiang Wen mused, saluting Sun Jian. “General, prepare yourself. Lu Bu is about to flee. The lords may advance immediately and defeat Dong Zhuo here!”

Seeing the three tiger generals force Lu Bu into retreat greatly shook Dong Zhuo’s morale, and at this moment, the allied army’s spirit soared to its peak. Yuan Shao shouted, “All troops, charge!”

Tens of thousands of lions surged out of Hulao Pass. Among them, the fiercest wore red robes and headbands; eight thousand elite cavalry and seven thousand heavy-armored riders led the charge. Lu Bu fled ahead, urging Red Hare on in terror.

“Where righteousness leads, life and death follow! Heaven bears witness, the white horse as proof!” Gongsun Zan drew his sword and raised it high. “Gentlemen, follow me!”

Gongsun Zan’s cavalry charged from the right vanguard, tens of thousands of soldiers following. The Ma family’s left vanguard, famed for warriors who sleep on horseback, fielded the finest cavalry in the land, each fierce and valiant.

Dong Zhuo, upon receiving Lu Bu, urgently called out, and Hua Xiong’s 150,000 troops hastily formed ranks.

Blood splattered, corpses fell from their horses, and the roar of tens of thousands shook the heavens. Both sides fought fiercely, warriors’ shouts, cries, and encouragement resounding across the battlefield.

Sun Jian led three thousand elite cavalry straight into enemy lines, fearless. Huang Gai, Zu Mao, Cheng Pu, Lü Meng… every tiger general encircled Dong Zhuo’s Western Liang troops.

In the year 191, Dong Zhuo suffered a crushing defeat at Hulao Pass and fled to Luoyang. The emperor was taken hostage and the capital moved, with plans to establish Chang’an as the new seat.

A great fire swept through Luoyang. The vast city was encircled by flames, the blaze unstoppable. Countless citizens wailed in anguish, watching their loved ones perish in the fire.

Fleeing citizens, desperate in the streets, found no escape, surrounded by flames, left only with despair.

Jiang Wen followed the army, Tao'er seated behind him, eyes tightly shut, the ground littered with charred corpses.

Luoyang became a wasteland. Jiang Wen dismounted with the other generals, entering the ruined imperial hall, now in tatters.

Cheng Pu, ecstatic, approached, holding a cloth-wrapped object.

Cheng Pu knelt on one knee, offering the treasure in both hands. “General, we have found the Imperial Jade Seal here!”

“What!” Sun Jian trembled, the surrounding generals bursting with joy. Sun Jian held the jade seal, dazed, his arm shaking, struggling to contain his excitement, wanting to laugh aloud but remaining silent.

At this moment, Sun Jian’s spirit was entirely captivated by the jade in his hands.

“General, according to Cao Cao, he borrowed five thousand troops and has been gone three days. Our army can now advance!” Jiang Wen saluted Sun Jian. “General, now is the time!”

Sun Jian ignored Jiang Wen, still gazing at the jade. Cheng Pu immediately said, “General, the Han court has lost its sacred artifact, which now rests in your hands. Heaven decrees that you accomplish great deeds. Please, General, ascend at once!”