"Seal the camps!"
Rank upon rank of chevaux-de-frise barred the camps, sealing every approach. All that remained was to hang up signs refusing battle. After leaving many corpses behind, the Coalition of the Lords withdrew to their respective camps.
For a time, the atmosphere grew heavy. They were actually no match for the enemy in a head-on clash, something everyone found utterly mind-blowing.
This meant that without an ingenious stratagem, the court would remain trapped in defeat, at least tactically. More seriously, its strategy was failing as well.
Why was there such urgency to fight a decisive battle with Zhang Jue? Because when faced with a large-scale righteous uprising, especially a righteous army like the Taiping Army, which openly declared its intention to overthrow the court, this rebellion had to be crushed resolutely, swiftly, and thoroughly.
Every moment of delay was purchased with the court's accumulated authority, with the prestige of its legitimate rule.
If chaos lasted too long, people's hearts would fall into disorder.
Once people's hearts fell into disorder, bringing All Under Heaven back onto the right track would be difficult.
"Everyone, what should we do now?
"Zhang Jue is ferocious and unstoppable. He is more terrifying than King Xiang and Han Wumu in the histories."
As the highest-ranking official in the King-Protecting Army, Huangfu Song naturally became its leader. The lords who had rallied to the emperor were gathered in the command tent; apart from those who had died outright on the battlefield, all were present.
At Huangfu Song's words, everyone in the tent looked uncomfortable. Recalling Zhang Jue and the Taiping Army on the battlefield, their faces darkened further.
When Yuan Shao and the others had suffered devastating losses, they had laughed at him. Some had even mocked him: was this all that acclaimed talent of