Chapter 18: Skirmish

With the thousand elite soldiers sent by Youzhou Governor Liu Yan, Liu Zhan's army and the newly added prisoners were roughly equal in numbers. Additionally, the prisoners, who had been trained and had fought in battles, were no weaker in combat effectiveness. The recruits, all strong young men with high potential, had expanded the army to three thousand troops, with an additional thousand auxiliary soldiers, totaling four thousand troops as they continued south to Jizhou.

During this period, the army faced numerous battles. Upon entering the lower part of Quyang, the troops did not halt but continued their southward march past Quyang City.

One day, as the army was on the move, scouts on horseback reported, "Report, there is a large number of Yellow Turban troops approaching from more than ten miles ahead. The exact number of the enemy is still being determined."

"Keep investigating and determine the enemy's numbers and their flags."

"Understood."

The scouts set off on horseback.

"Guan Yu and Zhao Yun, listen up. You two will lead your troops to set ambushes on the left and right. When you hear the signal, move in from both sides and attack the Yellow Turbans in the confusion. The enemy will surely be defeated."

"Understood, we will follow orders."

Guan Yu and Zhao Yun took their leave and went to set up their respective ambushes.

Soon, the scouts returned on horseback. "Report, we have confirmed that the Yellow Turban army's general is Zhang Bao, with approximately thirty thousand troops. Among them are many old, weak, women, and children. The Yellow Turbans are within ten miles of this location."

"Good. Continue to investigate and report."

"Understood."

With the Yellow Turban forces numbering thirty thousand and only three thousand of his own troops, Liu Zhan knew that a direct confrontation was impractical. Engaging in a conventional battle with such a large force would be foolish.

Although the Yellow Turbans were indeed a disorganized rabble, consisting partly of non-combatants, Liu Zhan still needed to be cautious. A successful engagement could be very problematic, and despite having capable generals, facing over thirty thousand Yellow Turbans would be exhausting.

Liu Zhan's mind raced with strategies, and he eventually decided. "All commanders, listen up. In this battle, I will first provoke the bandit Zhang Bao. I'll approach and try to shoot him with an arrow. If the shot misses, others can provide support from a distance. Once Zhang Bao is dead, the enemy will be thrown into chaos. We will then beat the drums and charge in. Remember, the primary goal is to capture prisoners and the secondary goal is to kill the enemy. Do you understand?"

"Understood."

The Yellow Turban forces, covering the sky, advanced from afar. Liu Zhan saw that the enemy had halted and that a command flag was being displayed at the front.

Liu Zhan observed and thought that the person holding the flag must be the bandit Zhang Bao. He then rode forward and called out, "Is the force opposite us the Yellow Turbans? Let Zhang Bao come forward and speak."

Zhang Bao was taken aback. It was clear that the other side was official troops, and their tone seemed to be quite familiar. Despite his confusion, Zhang Bao still rode forward and said, "Who are you to call my name directly and block our path?"

Zhang Bao was cautious, staying out of the effective range of arrows. However, this tactic worked on most people but not on Liu Zhan, who was not an ordinary opponent. Liu Zhan had a six-stone bow, and although he could also draw a nine-stone bow, he preferred the six-stone bow for its faster firing speed. If Zhang Bao had tried to use a nine-stone bow, he would have missed the opportunity as the enemy would have already moved.

These bows were chosen from the weaponry warehouse of Youzhou, along with many other weapons. In warfare, having good equipment was crucial.