The winds of Yanzhou had changed, bringing a salty tang and the scent of blood.
When Liu Bei met Cao Cao, it was truly a meeting of enemies, their eyes blazing all the fiercer.
The greatest wound Liu Bei had suffered to date had been Cao Cao's sudden attack on his army.
After that encounter, the two had broken with each other completely. Even after each founded his own kingdom, neither had sent the other a single state letter.
Liu Bei urged his horse forward and called out, "Cao Thief, you probably never imagined that I would be able to lead a great army before you again so soon.
"Today, I will repay the vengeance of days past!"
Yet Cao Cao smiled with considerable indifference. "All is fair in war. You, Liu Xuande, were simply too foolish. I employed a little trick, and you lost men and generals. You really cannot blame me for that.
"Now you have employed the stratagem of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao, but did you ever consider that I would divide my forces in two to meet you?
"Now I will show you just how great the gap in strength between us is!"
The soldiers of Wei State roared in unison, their voices like thunder. There were not many cavalry among them, but blades and spears stood like a forest, their armor gleaming, rank upon rank and file upon file, as though blotting out the sky and sun.
Inside Liu Bei's camp, his expression was rather grim.
Luo Qi coughed softly and said, "Your Majesty, Cao Cao is now entirely different from when he conquered Yuan Shao.
"He seized that most fertile stretch of land in Wei Commandery, and Hedong and Henei have gone over to him completely. Cao Cao now possesses the Three Rivers