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"If we go straight to Chang'an, we can't oversee what happened clearly," Xun Yu explained. "Staying st Hongnong is the best chocie. Once we regroup there, we can link with His Majesty's forces. If I am correct, he will already have departed from Chang'an after resupply, bound for Hongnong to reestablish control in the east."
For the first time that morning, some color returned to Jia Kui's face. He exhaled with relief. "A wise decision, Master Xun Yu. Truly the best course left to us to do."
"Yes," Xu You added quickly, nodding. "Wise indeed. If we move fast, we may avoid the worst of the Hengyuan pursuit."
Cheng Yu and Tian Feng, however, remained quiet, not out of doubt, but in contemplation a they looked at e ah other for a moment.
After the moment passed for a minute, Cheng Yu bowed slightly. "Then it shall be done. Tian Feng and I will see to the packing of what remains of our belongings and records. Most of our families have already departed with the first wave toward Chang'an. We will ensure that what remains is ready to leave by noon."
"I will oversee the mobilization of our elite Imperial Guard escort," Tian Feng added, his voice tight. "We will not be taken on the road."
"Good," Xun Yu said softly. "I thank you both. Then go. Time is our enemy now.""
The two men bowed and left swiftly, their robes whispering against the floor.
Turning to Jia Kui and Xu You, Xun Yu continued, "See that the men hasten the evacuation. We no longer have the luxury of time. If the Hengyuan army reaches the city before we are gone, and the evacuation remains incomplete, you have my authority to burn whatever cannot be carried. We must not allow them to take what belongs to the Wei court, not grain, not gold, not a single document."
Jia Kui's lips tightened into a grim line. Xu You's eyes gleamed with a dark approval. "Understood," they said in unison.
"Go," Xun Yu said.
They left at once, leaving him alone in the hall again.
For a long time, Xun Yu did not move. He rose at last and walked to the window, gazing out at the awakening city. The people were already stirring, carts rolling, voices calling, the low hum of evacuation efforts that had stretched on for days. In the distance, soldiers of the Imperial Guard moved with quiet discipline, their armor catching the pale light.
Luoyang, the heart of civilization for centuries, was preparing once more for abandonment.
Xun Yu's gaze lingered on the rooftops, the temples, the once proud palaces now shadowed by fear. "How many times must this city fall before peace returns?" he whispered.
By midmorning, the compound was a flurry of movement. Servants rushed to and fro, loading carriages and securing scrolls. The sound of horses filled the courtyards. Cheng Yu supervised the packing himself, issuing calm but firm instructions, while Tian Feng checked each manifest to ensure that nothing vital was left behind.
By noon, the sun had begun to burn away the morning haze. The time had come.
The five men gathered at the northern gate, where the Imperial Guard awaited, fifty of Wei's finest, clad in dark steel, their banners bearing the black tiger of the dynasty. Horses were prepared, carriages loaded.
Cheng Yu stepped into one of the covered carriages, the weight of age and wisdom upon his shoulders. The others mounted their horses. Xun Yu lingered a moment longer, turning back to gaze upon Luoyang one final time.
The city lay bathed in sunlight now, serene despite the turmoil that gripped it. Smoke from the chimneys rose like prayers into the sky.
"May Heaven forgive us," he murmured, "for leaving her once more to ruin."
Then, straightening in the saddle, he raised his hand. "We ride for Hongnong! Protect the carriages at all costs!"
The command rang out, and the column began to move. The guards formed ranks around them, their horses' hooves thundering against the stone road as the gates of Luoyang swung open.
As they rode westward, dust billowed behind them, shrouding the city in a gray veil, as though the earth itself sought to hide its sorrow.
Hours later, from one of the watchtowers still manned at the city's edge, a soldier watched their figures grow smaller upon the horizon. He bowed his head and whispered a silent farewell.
By dusk, the five men and their escort had vanished into the western roads.
Far to the north of Luoyang, at Shangdang, two figures stood upon the ramparts overlooking a wide stretch of plain where the Northern Command Army was encamped. Huang Zhong, the veteran general whose hair had long since turned white but whose eyes still burned with fire, held in his hand a letter sealed with Sima Yi's mark. Beside him stood Chen Deng, calm and calculating as always.
Huang Zhong broke the seal and read the contents aloud.
"Sima Yi, Army Strategist of the Central Command Army, to Marshall Huang Zhong and Army Strategist Chen Deng of the Northern Command,Hulao Gate has fallen. The path to Luoyang lies open. The Central and Western Armies will rest for a short period before advancing upon the capital. You are to begin preparations immediately for movement within five days. Gather the Northern Command and march to the river crossing. Once there, secure the ports and prepare to cross into Hongnong from the north. When Luoyang is taken, we will rest one day before then goes to strike Hangu Pass."
When he finished, the letter crinkled in his tightening grasp. A fierce smile touched his weathered lips. "So, Sima Yi has done it," he said with a low chuckle. "That fox never fails to deliver."
Chen Deng nodded slowly, his expression grave. "It means the war is entering its final stage. Once Hongnong falls, the Wei will lose access to heartlands as it was the bridge for the western province. From there, nothing will stop our advance to Chang'an itself except for Tong Pass."
Huang Zhong looked out across the plains, where thousands of soldiers drilled in formation under the fading light. "Five days, eh?" he murmured. "Let the men rest well, then. They'll need their strength when we cross the river."
He folded the letter carefully and tucked it away. "Tell the officers, rations doubled tonight. Let them know victory is near."
Chen Deng gave a slight bow and departed to carry out the order. Soon the orders went out through the camp at Shangdang. The quiet, simmering energy of an army waiting for its moment erupted into controlled, purposeful activity.
Meanwhile at the ramparts of Hulao Pass, it still bore the scent of fire and steel. Smoke drifted faintly on the wind, curling upward into the crimson dusk. Below, the Central and Western Command Armies spread across the battlefield like a sea of glimmering armor, campfires flickering, soldiers sharing rations, laughter and conversation echoing through the scarred plain.
Sima Yi stood beside Zang Hong, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes half closed as he studied the men below. The sharp evening wind stirred his robes, but he did not move. Zang Hong followed his gaze, his own expression thoughtful.
The war had been long, and Hulao Pass had been the fiercest test yet, a fortress that had resisted all siegecraft and fury, now finally subdued. Yet even in victory, there was no triumph in Sima Yi's face, only calculation.
Beneath them, among the fires and laughter, Zhang Liao and Taishi Ci were walking side by side through the ranks, their armor still scarred with battle, their voices loud with camaraderie. Soldiers stood and saluted as they passed, but the generals returned their greetings like equals. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, not far away, were seated on overturned crates, sharing bowls of wine and roasted meat with common troopers, trading jests as though they were brothers in arms rather than legends.
It was a sight that had become part of the army's soul, the mark of their Emperor, Lie Fan.
In the past, when Lie Fan still led from the front, he had walked among the soldiers like this, listening, laughing, sometimes even mending a weapon or pouring wine with his own hand. To those who had served him longest, that image had become more than memory. It was tradition.
Sima Yi watched as one young soldier stumbled over his own words when Zhang Fei clapped him on the shoulder, roaring with laughter. He turned slightly, glancing at Zang Hong. "It is remarkable, isn't it?"
Zang Hong smiled faintly. "You mean how the great generals of Hengyuan share their tables with the lowest of soldiers? Aye, it still surprises me, even now."
"This," Sima Yi said softly, "is why our army does not break. Not because of fear. Not because of gold. But because each man knows his worth. It is… His Majesty's greatest legacy in military."
He fell silent again, watching the orange light flicker across Zhang Liao's armor as the marshal knelt to speak with a wounded soldier.
For a long while, neither of them spoke. Then Zang Hong broke the silence. "Master Sima Yi, the men have rested for some time. Should we issue the command to prepare for the march toward Luoyang? Dusk has already come, and if we move at night, we might reach the capital before dawn."
Sima Yi turned his gaze toward the western horizon, where the fading light outlined the distant silhouette of Luoyang, a city steeped in history, now awaiting its next conqueror.
"Yes," he said at last, his tone calm. "Give the order to prepare the march. But tell the officers, there is no need for haste. Let the soldiers complete their meals and secure their gear carefully. If my calculations are correct, there will be no defenders left in Luoyang when we arrive."
Zang Hong blinked. "You are certain of this?"
Sima Yi's eyes glinted in the fading light. "Xun Yu is no fool. The fall of Hulao Gate means his position is untenable. He will have withdrawn by now, either to Chang'an or Hongnong. The gates of Luoyang will open for us without a fight."
Zang Hong bowed slightly. "Understood. I shall relay the order."
He turned and left at once, his footsteps echoing against the stone.
Sima Yi remained at the rampart a little longer, gazing down at the army that was once again stirring to motion. The sun dipped fully below the horizon, and torches began to bloom across the camp like stars. The murmur of preparation rose, armor being strapped, wheels greased, horses saddled.
Two hours later, the Central and Western Command Armies were arrayed in formation, banners rising above the dark plain. Zhang Liao and Taishi Ci rode at the forefront, the twin marshals of the Hengyuan host. Their presence alone seemed to ignite confidence in the soldiers, their shadows long and proud beneath the moonlight.
Sima Yi and Zang Hong soon joined them, each on horseback, the soft clatter of hooves breaking the night's silence.
"All is ready," Zhang Liao reported, his tone crisp.
"Then let us finish what we began," Taishi Ci added, tightening his reins.
Sima Yi nodded once. "Advance. Maintain order. No unnecessary torches within the vanguard, we enter under cover of night."
The horns sounded low and steady, like the breath of a dragon stirring. Slowly, the massive host began to move, hundreds of thousands of soldiers marching as one, their steps measured and disciplined. The road to Luoyang stretched before them, lit only by the pale shimmer of the moon.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Founding Emperor Of Hengyuan Dynasty
Age: 35 (202 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 2325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 966 (+20)
VIT: 623 (+20)
AGI: 623 (+10)
INT: 667
CHR: 98
WIS: 549
WILL: 432
ATR Points: 0