Zhang Ren didn't bother to answer and shouted, "Master, please leave now. There's no time to explain!"
"I can't believe it, a guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes like you would also betray me, bah!" Liu Xun cursed loudly and led his troops to retreat in a hurry.
The ambush outside the city was Kou Feng. After Zhao Yun captured Guanghan, he led his troops to meet Kou Feng. Liu Qi asked them to return to Fushui Pass and wait for orders.
Yesterday, after luring Wu Yi to rob food supplies, Kou Feng ambushed on the way to prevent any deserters from returning to the camp to report the situation. After the Shu army surrendered, he sent out a signal on the mountain and came to rob the camp at night.
The soldiers outside the city attacked in two directions, but it was just a bluff to attract the attention of the defenders. The defenders inside the city were the main force. Zhang Fei, Chen Dao and Lei Tong each led their troops to attack, and the two sides cooperated inside and outside.
The Shu army's morale was already low and there was no general to command them. They were leaderless and unable to rescue each other. All three camps were dispersed, and the northern camp fell into chaos and fled.
Liu Xun and Huang Quan led their personal soldiers to break out, but they were surrounded by Kou Feng. Huang Quan hurried forward to stop them, and Liu Xun fled alone.
Drums were beating loudly on the city wall, and shouts of killing were deafening on all sides. Zhang Ren silently mounted his horse and stood in front of the central military tent with his spear in hand. He looked like a reef standing against the current among the fleeing army, with an indifferent expression on his face.
Zhang Fei led his troops to attack first, and when he saw Zhang Ren, he rushed over without saying a word. Zhang Ren raised his spear to meet him, and his first move was a sure win for both sides, showing no fear of death.
"Are you crazy?" Zhang Fei raised his spear to hold Zhang Ren and was frightened by his desperate posture.
Zhang Ren said coldly: "I have been repeatedly slandered by Liu Qi, and the master is suspicious of me. I can only die to show my determination!"
"Stupid!" Zhang Fei cursed, "A good minister chooses his master and serves him accordingly. If you don't understand this principle, why don't you sit down and have a good chat with me?"
"How can a loyal minister serve two masters? Look at the gun—" Zhang Ren roared, drew his gun and stabbed at Zhang Fei's chest.
"You are so loyal!" Zhang Fei was also inspired, his eyes widened: "If I can't catch you today, I will take your surname!"
Here, Zhang Fei and Zhang Ren fought alone, leaving only the Yanyun cavalry to guard the surrounding areas. Chen Dao and other generals killed the Shu army and led their troops to chase Liu Xun, heading straight to Mianzhu Pass.
Liu Xun had never suffered a defeat in a battle. At this moment, he was in a panic and only cared about escaping. He did not even bother to divide his troops to intercept the pursuers and rode his horse at full speed to Mianzhu Pass.
It was just getting light in the sky and I saw the flag fluttering at the gate. Before I could see the signal clearly, I went forward and shouted to open the door.
A general stood on the top of the city wall and said proudly, "I am Zhao Zilong from Changshan. I have been ordered by the General of Chariots and Cavalry to take this pass!"
"What?" Liu Xun was so shocked that he almost fell off his horse. He asked in surprise, "Where is the guarding general Zhuo Ying?"
Wu Yi suddenly stood up from the city wall and laughed, "General Zhuo has abandoned the dark and joined the light. I have persuaded him to surrender!"
"Uncle... Wu Yi, you... you are so bold!" Liu Xun was stunned, wondering how Wu Yi, who went to rob food, could suddenly arrive at Mianzhu Pass.
Wu Yi said coldly: "You know very well how your father and son oppressed your third uncle and our Wu family in order to protect their power. Since Liu Zhang doesn't trust us, we have no choice but to find another wise leader."
Liu Xun was so angry that his whole body was shaking. He was extremely panicked and angry. He felt a buzzing in his ears and blackness in front of his eyes. He was about to faint. At this time, Chen Dao also led the pursuers to catch up with him.
As the drums sounded, Zhao Yun led his troops out of the pass and blocked Liu Xun's remaining troops on the mountain road in front of the pass. He clasped his fists and said, "General Liu has already told us that our two families are of the same clan, so there is no need to kill each other. Why don't you go to Guanzhong to rest for a while and wait for General Liu to come and meet us?"
Seeing the troops in front and behind him in neat armor and full of murderous intent, Liu Xun knew that resistance was futile, so he sighed lightly, dismounted and put down his weapon.
Zhao Yun stepped forward to welcome Liu Xun into the city and did not treat him as a prisoner. This made the nervous Shu army calm down a lot and they followed him into the pass.
Outside Fucheng, Huang Quan was defeated by Kou Feng, and Zhang Ren was knocked off his horse by Zhang Fei after more than 80 rounds of fighting. Zhang Fei captured both of them alive, one of them lowered his head in silence, while the other kept cursing.
Liu Qi first brought Huang Quan to him and said, "I am marching this time only to join forces with the imperial court as soon as possible to suppress the rebellion and eliminate violence. Sir, you are a wise man, so there is no need for me to say more, right?"
Huang Quan sighed, "I followed the will of the former lord to assist Liu Mu. Now Yizhou is doomed. As a minister, I cannot preserve the territory. I feel ashamed for failing to live up to the trust placed in me. How can I continue to serve the court?"
Liu Qi smiled and said, "I know you are a loyal minister. Now that the royal power is weak, I am following the emperor's edict to suppress the rebellion and revive the Han Dynasty. It is time for everyone to make achievements. Liu Zhang and his son are not even able to defend the land, let alone support the court. You are a minister of the Han Dynasty, you should be loyal to the Han Dynasty, not Liu Zhang and his son."
Huang Quan was silent for a moment, then clasped his fists and said, "I am willing to obey the general's orders, but I feel guilty towards Liu Jiyu and his son. I only ask that I never meet with them again."
"How difficult is this?" Liu Qi was overjoyed and untied Huang Quan. "Right now Jiangzhou is in need of someone to govern it. Sir, you have both civil and military talents. You can defend this place and connect Bachu. I'll have to ask you for help!"
Huang Quan thanked Liu Qi, and Liu Qi ordered his men to send him back to Fucheng to rest and to choose a day to take up his post in Jiangzhou. Although Jiangzhou is no longer on the front line, the management of this strategic location still needs to be strengthened.
After seeing Huang Quan off, Liu Qi asked, "How is Zhang Ren doing?"
Kou Feng smiled bitterly and said, "He cursed at General Zhang for a while, and fainted from exhaustion, but he refused to surrender!"
Liu Qi sighed and ordered him to be brought in. He saw that Zhang Ren's hair and beard were disheveled and his eyes were red. He was glaring at Liu Qi fiercely like a ferocious beast.
Zhang Fei shouted, "You've seen the eldest master, why don't you kneel down?"
Zhang Ren gritted his teeth and said, "In my heart, there is only one eldest son—that is Liu Xun!"
Liu Qi frowned and said, "General, you are a minister of the Han Dynasty. If you speak like this, wouldn't you become a retainer of Liu Zhang and his son?"
Zhang Ren growled, "Liu Qi, you little brat, no matter how much you talk, I only know that a loyal minister will never serve two masters, and I would rather die than surrender!"
Liu Qi walked up to Zhang Ren, bowed to the north and said, "General, you are loyal and brave, which is admirable, but we all serve the emperor, how can we say that we have two masters? Being loyal to only one master is foolish loyalty, being loyal to the emperor and the Han Dynasty is the righteousness. General, you have both civil and military talents, you are a good minister to revive the Han Dynasty, why do you have to show off your courage?"
"Hahaha, what a generous remark!" Zhang Ren laughed hoarsely and gritted his teeth, "You have repeatedly used schemes to slander me, alienate the relationship between me and his subjects, and ruin my good reputation. I will never coexist with you!"
Liu Qi sighed, "I have put so much effort into this because I value the general's talent. I cannot bear to see such a great general buried in Xichuan. I want to see the general travel across the Central Plains and support the Han Dynasty!"
Zhang Fei also snorted: "Zhang Ren, you should not be like a dog sitting in a sedan chair - you don't know how to appreciate it. The eldest master has never been so attentive to me, Zhang!"
"Bah!" Zhang Ren cursed angrily, "You have usurped the throne and invaded my prefecture, yet you still speak so righteously and ask me to recognize you as my father? Forget it!"
Zhang Fei was furious. He rolled up his sleeves and shouted, "How could our Zhang family produce a jerk like you? You are even more stubborn than our donkey that pushes the millstone. I can't stop you from being scolded, so I have to use the whip!"
Liu Qi stopped Zhang Fei and tried to persuade him: "The whole world belongs to the king. Yizhou was originally the territory of the Han Dynasty. Let's put this aside. Liu Zhang and I are both descendants of King Gong of Lu. If you help me to revive the Han Dynasty, it won't be considered as betraying your master!"
Zhang Ren was silent for a moment, and finally said, "When Guan Yu surrendered to Cao Cao, he promised three things. I also have three things to promise you. If you can agree to them, I will be willing to serve you."