Chapter 32: The Pursuit

Liu Zhan parted ways with Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun. Zhu Jun stayed behind to continue clearing out the remnants of the Yellow Turban forces, while Huangfu Song led his 30,000 troops north to Hebei to besiege Zhang Jue's main Yellow Turban army.

After the three armies separated, Liu Zhan led his force of over 20,000 soldiers and more than 10,000 auxiliary troops eastward, continuing the pursuit of Zhang Mancheng's defeated army.

Huang Zhong also parted ways with Liu Zhan here, as he planned to return home to bring his family to Youzhou. Before leaving, Liu Zhan instructed Huang Zhong to recruit any talented naval personnel he might encounter.

Along the way, they fought numerous battles, employing a strategy of defeating the enemy and capturing the young and able-bodied.

Liu Zhan's army grew larger with each battle, while Zhang Mancheng's Yellow Turban forces grew weaker, to the point where they were almost completely routed at the first sign of conflict.

By early June, Liu Zhan and his troops caught up with Zhang Mancheng's Yellow Turban army in Runan. Zhang Mancheng wanted to put up a last stand, but his troops were already terrified of Liu Zhan's forces, and after just one clash, they were utterly defeated.

The Yellow Turbans turned east and fled, but the battle quickly turned into a rout and then into a full-scale pursuit. Liu Zhan led his army eastward in pursuit.

During the eastward march, Liu Zhan summoned Cheng Zhi Yuan and others who had undergone ideological education and had changed their mindset. He assigned them tasks and explained the plan, which Cheng Zhi Yuan and the others gladly accepted.

Seeing that the enemy was relentlessly pursuing him, Zhang Mancheng knew that things would not end well if this continued. His forces were dwindling, and he knew that he was their main target, so he began planning his escape.

Zhang Mancheng had his flag-bearer continue running ahead while he, along with a small group of guards, secretly fled towards Xiangcheng. Unluckily for him, Liu Zhan, with his keen eyesight, noticed this. Zhang Mancheng was crafty, diverting attention by having the flag-bearer run in one direction while he fled in another.

Liu Zhan then turned to Dian Wei and said, "Go inform Gao Shun to lead the army and continue pursuing the remaining Yellow Turbans. I will go after Zhang Mancheng and meet up with you at the next location."

"My lord, let me go instead. You are the commander; you shouldn't leave the army," Dian Wei replied.

"Pfft, you're worried about me being in danger? Don't waste time worrying; just go," Liu Zhan said as he rode off in pursuit.

Zhang Mancheng was on horseback, while his guards were on foot. When he saw someone chasing from behind, he abandoned his guards and sped away on his horse.

The foot soldiers were no match for Liu Zhan. A few who tried to block his path were quickly cut down, while the rest scattered. This delay allowed Zhang Mancheng to escape out of sight. Undeterred, Liu Zhan continued pursuing him down the main road.

By the time the sun was setting, Liu Zhan was growing anxious. Damn, he thought, I've lost him. Zhang Mancheng sure runs fast.

He pressed on and reached a crossroads, where he spotted a little girl crying loudly by the roadside. He quickly dismounted and asked, "Little sister, why are you crying here all alone? Where are your parents?"

"Sob… sob… my sister was taken by a bad man. Uncle, please help save my sister," the girl pleaded.

"Tell Uncle, what kind of person took your sister?" Liu Zhan asked.

"Uncle, it was a bad man on a big horse with a yellow turban on his head. Uncle, please save my sister!"

Liu Zhan immediately understood that it was likely Zhang Mancheng. Fortunately, he had encountered this little girl. He picked her up and placed her on his horse, comforting her, "Don't cry, Uncle will take you to catch that villain and save your sister, okay?"

"Okay, thank you, Uncle. Xiao Qiao won't cry anymore."

"Good girl, Xiao Qiao. Now tell Uncle, which way did the bad man go after taking your sister?"

Sure enough, the little girl stopped crying and pointed to a road. "The bad man took my sister that way. Uncle, hurry and chase him."