Kuai Yue let out a breath of relief and immediately ordered Wang Wei to lead the personal guards in protecting Liu Cong and the families of the Cai clan as they fled.
At the same time, he sent riders at full speed to Xiangyang with orders for Cai Mao to lead the core troops of the Cai clan and withdraw south at once.
At Xiangyang, Cai Mao stood proudly with one hand resting on his sword, looking down at Liu Bei’s main force outside the city.
He was still waiting to make Liu Bei understand what it meant to kick an iron plate.
Yet the “ten thousand” enemy troops remained in formation beyond the walls and did not attack for a long time.
“Liu Bei, what are you waiting for?” Cai Mao frowned more deeply, and doubt began to rise in his heart.
Then, all at once, shouts of killing erupted from the direction of East Gate of Xiangyang and carried over from afar.
A moment later, the sounds of battle exploded inside Xiangyang as well, as if the whole city had turned upside down in an instant.
Cai Mao immediately went on alert.
His attention shifted from the enemy outside the city to the fighting within.
A rider came galloping in, stumbled up the wall, and dropped to his knees before Cai Mao.
“Reporting to General Cai Mao, East Gate of Xiangyang’s military marquis Wei Yan has rebelled, killed General Deping, opened the gate, and let Liu Bei’s main force into the city.” “Our army’s morale has collapsed.
Some are surrendering, some are scattering, and countless others are rising to answer Liu Bei.” “Administrator Kuai Yue is already escorting my lord in a retreat south out of the city.
General Cai, please lead your troops out at once and withdraw together to Jiangling,” the messenger finished.
Cai Mao felt his head ring, and he staggered back three steps.
East Gate of Xiangyang had fallen, Wei Yan had rebelled, Xiangyang was lost, and Liu Cong had already begun retreating south.
The changes had come too quickly and struck too hard, leaving his mind blank.
Only when Cai Zhong cried out beside him in grief and fury, “Third Brother, Third Brother!” did Cai Mao snap back to himself.
“That dog traitor Wei Yan dared collude with Liu Bei and kill my third brother!” “If I do not cut you into pieces, I, Cai Mao, am not a man!” With that, Cai Mao drew his sword and hacked it down hard against the battlements.
But the soldiers of Jing Province around him had already been crushed by the shocking reversal, and panic spread across the wall line at once.
The men’s morale plummeted, and frightened discussion broke out everywhere.
Deng Yi, the Assistant Officer beside them, put on a miserable face and urged, “Generals Cai, grieve later.
This is not the time for anger.” “We have fallen into Feign East, Strike West.
He attacked from outside and worked with people inside.
Now that Liu Bei’s main force has entered the city, everyone inside who does not want to surrender to Cao Cao Army is rising with him.
Xiangyang cannot be held.” “Since my lord and Administrator Kuai Yue have already abandoned the city and gone south, we should hurry and withdraw as well.
If we do not leave now, we may not be able to leave at all.” The two Cai brothers stiffened, and their grief and anger turned into fear in an instant.
Cai Zhong ground his teeth and said, “So Liu Bei has finally shown his true face.
The moment former lord Liu Biao died, he could not wait to come seize Xiangyang, and he even used such a dirty scheme.
He is truly shameless.” “But that big-eared traitor boasts of benevolence and values his reputation so much.
By rights, he should not have attacked Xiangyang,” Cai Mao said.
“Who persuaded him to bear the name of seizing his nephew’s foundation and strike our city?
And Wei Yan was only a mere military marquis, so how did that traitor even notice him and win him over?” His furious eyes were full of confusion as he asked those questions.
“Capture Cai Mao alive!” “Capture Cai Zhong alive!” “Kill all the traitors who surrendered to Cao Cao Army!” The thunder of shouting came closer and closer to Xiangyang.
Cai Mao shivered and no longer dared think any further.
“Retreat!
All troops, follow me and abandon the city for a retreat south!” Before he had even finished speaking, he had already turned his horse and fled down from the wall.
Cai Zhong, Deng Yi, and the rest of his close followers rushed after him, while the officers and soldiers loyal to the Cai clan also fled in a mass.
But not everyone among the more than ten thousand troops on the wall belonged to the Cai clan, and many did not want to surrender to Cao Cao Army.
More than a thousand men did not flee with them, and after several officers conferred briefly, they decided at once to open the gate and surrender outside to Liu Bei.
Outside the city, the five thousand Liu troops standing in formation heard the great uproar of battle within and were all excited, eager to fight.
A scout came racing in from the direction of East Gate of Xiangyang.
He reported, “To my lord, the Wei military marquis kept his word, killed Cai He, and seized the gate.
General Zhang has already entered Xiangyang smoothly.” “The soldiers of Jing Province inside collapsed at first contact.
Some surrendered, some ran, and countless others have risen to answer my lord.
General Zhang asks my lord to attack Xiangyang at once.” As the good news arrived, cheers erupted among the officers and soldiers on every side.
Liu Bei was also filled with joy, and he quickly looked toward Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan and said with a smile, “This Xiao He first offered the plan for Raid on Xiangyang, then recommended the uncut jade Wei Yan for great use.
In this battle, his merit is the greatest.” “Later, when we hold a victory feast in the provincial government, my lord and I must both drink several cups to him.” As soon as he finished speaking, the gates of Xiangyang ahead swung open, and a surrender banner was raised high.
Several riders then galloped over and knelt before Liu Bei.
“Reporting to Liu Bei, Liu Cong, Cai Mao, and the others have abandoned Xiangyang and fled.
We do not wish to surrender to Cao Cao Army, and now we are willing to offer the gate and submit to Liu Bei.” “We ask Liu Bei to enter Xiangyang and take charge of the situation.” Xiangyang had fallen without a fight.
It was another piece of good news, and the army around them was stirred once more.
Liu Bei laughed boldly and lifted his whip.
“The strategist is right.
At the victory feast, we truly should drink well with Xiao He.” Then he gave the order, “All troops, enter Xiangyang!” A quarter of an hour later, under the rising morning sun, the great banner of Liu Bei was raised above Xiangyang.
By full daylight, the banners on all four gates had been changed.
Xiangyang, the seat of Jing Province, had changed hands.