145. Xu Rong Captured, Fall Of Sishui Pass

Dong Zhuo's cavalry managed to halt the attack on Sishui Gate, they rode out pushing through the sea of infantries. Lie Fan seeing this led his Guard Battalion alongside his bodyguards and Zang Ba who led the cavalry battalion, they headed out to stop Dong Zhuo's cavalry from causing more damage.

Lie Fan: "Zang Ba, you take the left flank and I take the right flank. Looks like the commander of this cavalry is a powerful general, with your strength now you need a long time to kill him let me handle it."

Zang Ba: "Yes My Lord, please be safe!"

Lie Fan: "Haha don't worry about me! I have my bodyguards the Yellow Ghost, they can protect my back from hidden danger! Come everyone follow my lead, hya!!"

Lie Fan led a 5,000-guard battalion entering the battle fray, with his bodyguards behind him they pursued Dong Zhuo's Cavalry.

This is the first clash between the Xiliang Cavalry and Xuzhou Cavalry, which will be recorded in history in the future as the dominance of the Xiliang Cavalry is being replaced slowly by the Xuzhou Cavalry.

Dong Zhuo's cavalry splits into two groups, one head to the right flank and the other go to the left flank. When they try to approach the scattering ram again, Huang Zhong leads the archer battalion to fire on them while a drum is sounded for the infantries to enter turtle formation.

Sun Jian who is at the frontline with his veteran generals, hears the drum sound and remembers Lie Fan saying that whenever he hears this sound immediately puts his shield above himself.

Sun Jian did just that, he told all of his generals and soldiers around him to do the same. Soon rain of arrows called down to the field, and Xiliang Cavalry momentum was interrupted by the arrow shooting their horses and not the riders.

As they lose their momentum, they lose their speed and the infantries surround them. At this time, Lie Fan finally arrived with the guard battalion on the right flank. He sees a man in his mid-thirties, who looks like the commander holding a great sword and attacking the infantries surrounding him.

Lie Fan with his bodyguard charges toward this man, Lie Fan swings his halberd attacking the Commander. The man immediately raised his greatsword to receive Lie Fan's attack colliding heavily.

Lie Fan: "Not all men can receive my attack, you have a great posture, and from how you lead your men you are experienced in leading cavalries, what's your name?"

Xu Rong: "I'm Xu Rong from Liaodong, General of Xiliang Army! You're Governor Lie Fan of Xu Province the war hero from Yellow Turbans Subjugation!"

Lie Fan: "Haha! How could General Xu Rong know that I'm Lie Fan?! Is it from how young I am?!"

Xu Rong: "Not just because you're young, it was said that you hold a halberd and wear a cloak with a dragon inscribed on it! Also, you have strong proof and are very proficient in martial arts, with those people behind you're back the Yellow Ghost? People who participated in the previous war knew about them."

Lie Fan: "Looks like General Xu Rong has taken an interest in me, knowing about my exploit and even my cloak!"

Lie Fan and Xu Rong are dueling against each other while having these exchanges, Lie Fan purposely does not use all of his strength to have a conversation with Xu Rong, a veteran general who specializes in leading cavalry.

He doesn't expect to meet Xu Rong here, the general who will ambush Cao Cao who is pursuing Dong Zhuo and succeed. Almost killing Cao Cao if not for Cao Hong, Xiahou Dun, and Xiahou Yuan where Xiahou Dun killed him in a duel.

While both Xu Rong and Lie Fan are fighting against each other, his bodyguards are protecting him while the Guard battalion is attacking Xu Rong's cavalry. With the arched saddle, the Guard Battalion is very stable fighting on horseback compared to the Xiliang Cavalry rider.

Xu Rong can feel that Lie Fan doesn't fight him seriously, his heart is bleeding seeing his men being slaughtered by Lie Fan's cavalry and the infantries. He knew that he had to turn his position around, so after he parried Lie Fan's attack he turned his horse to distance himself from Lie Fan.

Lie Fan saw this and pursued him, his bodyguards and the Guard Battalion followed him from behind. Xu Rong is shouting for his men to follow him, they will retreat to Sishui Pass.

Xu Rong's men who heard this, also conveyed to their comrade while defending themselves. Soon the Xiliang Cavalry under Xu Rong is regrouping, making a beeline toward Sishui Pass.

Lie Fan and his men followed them from behind, Lie Fan wanted to capture Xu Rong and maybe he could turn him to his side. Because after Dong Zhuo died, he change sides with the Central Government under Wang Yun at the time even though the then killed by Li Jue and Guo Si.

He needs more general specialization in the cavalry, only he and Zang Ba can be said to specialize in leading cavalry. It doesn't mean that the other can't, it is just they also have their own unit they specialize in.

Lie Fan makes his horse run faster to catch up to Xu Rong, Xu Tong whose position is in the middle of his men doesn't know that Lie Fan is approaching. The Guard Battalion fell behind and couldn't keep up with Lie Fan, only his bodyguards were following Lie Fan right now.

Xu Rong's men in the rear of the formation turned their heads and saw Lie Fan with his bodyguard approaching, some decided to stay behind to halt them and let Xu Rong reach Sishui Pass which Xu Rong ordered them to not leave the formation.

They ignored Xu Rong's order, and 10 men stayed behind trying to halt Lie Fan who was pursuing Xu Rong. Lie Fan who saw this was a bit annoyed, he used all of his strength cutting down three men.

The others were so shocked that three of them instantly fell, Lie Fan's bodyguards also joined in and together they finished off the rest easily. Lie Fan then continued pursuing Xu Rong, when Xu Rong and his men near the Sishui Pass gate they found that the coalition infantries had cramped up the entrance.

The chance of Li Jue and Guo Si opening the gate is very low, with how the battering ram is being operated again to open the gate by force. He should have agreed with Li Jue's order, knowing that there was a secret entrance near Sishui Pass he tried to lead his men there but was too late.

Lie Fan and his bodyguards alongside the guard battalion have caught up to them, and they began to clash again Cavalry vs. Cavalry. Li Jue and Guo Si from atop the wall saw this situation, but they ignored it due to the siege battle ongoing right now.

The collation army has begun to put siege ladders on the shorter part of the walls, Li Jue and Guo Si have to focus on protecting the wall from being taken by the Coalition Army.

Lie Fan and Xu Rong are having a duel again, this time Xu Rong can feel Lie Fan begin to slowly use the prowess he has. Feeling his greatsword began to feel heavier every time he received Lie Fan's attack, Xu Rong began to feel that maybe this was his end.

Lie Fan saw the despair flashing across Xu Rong's eyes, he immediately used this chance using his halberd pole smashing it onto Xu Rong's helmet. Xu Ring receiving the blunt attack, began to feel dizzy and saw that the light in his eyes was fading, thinking in his heart so this is how he died.

Xu Rong fell from his horse and Xu Rong's men seeing this turned hysterical, they attacked the Guard Battalion with renewed vigor causing some casualties to the Guard Battalion.

Lie Fan ordered Gong Du to retrieve Xu Rong and bring him to Huang Zhong and Chao Bo's position as a prisoner, Going Du took Xu Rong's body and rode back to the rear of their position.

Dong Zhimuo's army guarding Sishui Pass has lost 2 of 4 generals assigned to guard Sishui Pass, the skirmishes continue until the 6th day of the siege, when Dian Wei and Taishi Ci managed to climb the wall using the siege ladder.

They guarded the position with their prowess, killing every Dong Zhuo's men who tried to kick the ladder off the wall. This buys some time for the coalition army to climb the ladders, and slowly they began to push back Dong Zhuo's soldiers.

Dian Wei and Taishi Ci were soon joined by Chao Bao, Ze Rong, and Fang Yue. They together led the attack, and Li Jue and Guo Si saw that the situation had turned to the worse.

Because the wall had been infiltrated, Dong Zhuo's army wasn't too focused on the gate and soon it was breached by the Coalition Army battering ram. Sun Jian led the charge entering the gate, Li Jue and Guo Si saw this and knew that Sishui's Pass had fallen to the hand of the Coalition Army.

Li Jue and Guo Si soon sounded the drum for Dong Zhuo's army to retreat, Dong Zhuo's men who heard the drum began to retreat leaving Sishui Pass behind through the western gate heading toward Hulao Pass. The retreat of Dong Zhuo's army from Sishui Pass signifies the Coalition Army's first victory.

The Coalition Soldiers cheered loudly with morale breaking through the roof, and the Warlords that didn't participate in the battle also cheered laughing happily. Under Yuan Shao's order, the Coalition Army passed through Sishui Pass and stationed outside the Western Gate.

Lie Fan uses this chance with everyone distracted, to send Xu Rong to Xiapi with Oriole members that were stationed in Sishui Pass, to imprison Xu Rong there waiting for his return to try and recruit him.

Lie Fan told the Oriole members to treat Xu Rong with respect and to explain to him that he apologized that he couldn't converse with him more as he had to continue the campaign, to wait for him in his house prison.

The Coalition warlords threw a banquet to celebrate the victory, lavish food and wine were served for the Warlords to enjoy. The Coalition Army also received more rations than usual, seeing as they had a spare supply from Doing Zhuo's army supplier that was abandoned.

Yuan Shao: "Haha Everyone let's cheer for Governor Lie Fan, General Sun Jian, and General Dian Wei as they have made the biggest contribution to our victory!"

Everyone: "Woo!"

Yuan Shao: "Without General Dian Wei slaying Hua Xiong combined with Governor Lie Fan and General Sun Jian leading the Vanguard I don't think we will achieve this victory!"

Lie Fan: "Leader you're compliment is too much making me embarrassed, everyone contributed to this victory especially you as without your leadership we would not have won the battle!"

Sun Jian: "Without the Lord Yuan Shao's coordination, we would not have achieved victory!"

Yuan Shao: "Haha you two are praising me so much! Come everyone enjoy the food and wine, tomorrow we will rest our bodies, and the day after that we will begin to march to Hulao Pass!"

The Coalition Warlords are having a banquet, Dong Zhuo in Luoyang receives the news that Sishui Oass has fallen, and now Li Jue and Guo Si along with the army from Sishui Pass at Hualo Gate reinforcing Lu Bu. The fall of Sishui Pass was a wake-up call for Doing Zhuo and Li Ru, fearing that they would be defeated at Hulao Pass, Li Ru suggested reinforcing Hulao Pass with more soldiers, and for Dong Zhuo to even lead the defense himself for morale.

_________________________________

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Yellow Heaven Subjugator

Age: 22 Years Old (189 AD)

Level: 14

Next Level: 412.000

Renown: 215 -> 255

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 8)

SP: 656.700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 819 (+20)

VIT: 385 (+20)

AGI: 373 (+10)

INT: 385

CHR: 93

WIS: 319

WILL: 207

ATR Points: 0