Li Jue and his men fled more than twenty li before encountering Zong Yuan's infantry.
Seeing their disheveled state, a clansman couldn't help but ask, "What happened to you all?"
Ashamed, Li Jue turned his face away. Guo Si stepped forward and explained how they had fallen into an ambush.
"The men of Xiliang truly are reckless," Zong Yuan said coldly. "The art of war teaches: never enter a forest. Such a simple rule—yet you failed to follow it?"
As a member of a powerful Guandong clan, Zong Yuan had always looked down on these frontier warriors. Now, seeing them defeated, he made no effort to hide his disdain.
Li Jue's face flushed with anger, but just as he was about to speak, Guo Si stopped him.
"The General's words are wise," Guo Si said calmly, cupping his hands. "We will take this as a lesson—and hope you will not fall prey to that cunning enemy yourself."
With that, he turned and led the cavalry away without waiting for a reply.
Words spoken lightly may weigh heavily on the listener.
Zong Yuan stood in place, his expression darkening. Memories of the previous night flooded back—the sudden fire attack, the chaos, the feigned retreat that had deceived him.
"How dare that wretch toy with me like this!"
He clenched his fists.
"Pass my order! The entire army will march at full speed—we must reach Hanchang before sunset!"
At that moment, an officer beside him spoke up.
"General… it's snowing. We cannot pursue."
Zong Yuan froze. He looked up.
Snowflakes drifted silently from the sky.
Only then did he realize—he had brought no provisions.
If he pursued now, even if he managed to trap Zhang Xin, his ten thousand troops would have to endure the freezing night without supplies. Many would die from the cold.
That was a responsibility he could not bear.
After a long silence, he let out a weary sigh.
"…Forget it. Withdraw to camp."
Northern Camp of the Han Army
Liu Bei's body had been buried alongside the fallen.
Inside a dimly lit tent, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei sat facing each other in silence.
Empty wine jars lay scattered around Zhang Fei, who drank heavily, his face dark with grief.
Guan Yu sat quietly, eyes reddened, tears glistening.
In his early years, he had been driven to kill and flee, forced into a life of exile. He had thought his days would pass in obscurity—until he met Liu Bei.
Liu Bei had treated him with sincerity, speaking of great ambitions and shared destiny.
So when the rebellion began, Guan Yu followed him without hesitation.
And now—just as the end was in sight—Liu Bei had fallen.
"…Alas," Guan Yu sighed.
Zhang Fei suddenly smashed a wine jar, stood up, and strode out of the tent. He grabbed a soldier at random and tied him to a pillar.
"Spare me, Lord Zhang! Please spare me!" the man cried in terror.
"If I spare you, who will spare Lord Liu?" Zhang Fei roared, lashing his whip down viciously. "Is this how you protect him?"
The soldier screamed in agony.
"Yide!" Guan Yu could no longer endure it. He stepped forward and seized Zhang Fei's arm. "On the battlefield, blades have no eyes. How can you blame him?"
"You long-bearded cur!" Zhang Fei shouted, his eyes blazing. "Liu Jun treated you like a brother—shared food, shared bed! And now he's dead, yet you don't even think of avenging him?"
He jabbed a finger at Guan Yu.
"I respected you as an elder brother—but you're nothing but a heartless ingrate!"
Guan Yu's expression hardened. He shoved Zhang Fei back.
"The one who killed Liu Bei was the enemy!" he snapped. "What kind of revenge is this—beating your own men? If you have the courage, go take the rebel's head! Is venting your anger on your soldiers the act of a true man?"
"What difference does it make if I kill one more useless soldier?" Zhang Fei snarled. "Out of my way!"
"No."
Guan Yu stood firm.
"You bastard!"
Enraged, Zhang Fei threw a punch.
Guan Yu dodged and caught his arm. "Yide, calm yourself—"
Before he could finish, Zhang Fei struck him square in the face.
Guan Yu's temper flared. He snatched the whip from Zhang Fei, flung it aside, and struck back.
"Stop! Stop fighting!" the surrounding soldiers shouted. "Fetch the captain!"
Zou Jing arrived swiftly, his face dark with anger.
"Enough!"
The two men froze. Seeing him, they immediately bowed.
"Seize them! Twenty strokes each!" Zou Jing barked. "If they dare cause trouble again—execute them!"
Still furious over Zhang Xin's breakthrough the previous night, he had no patience to hear explanations.
The guards forced Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to the ground.
Guan Yu closed his eyes and sighed inwardly.
With Liu Jun gone… Yide and I may never stand together again.
He came from humble origins, valuing loyalty to the common people. Zhang Fei, by contrast, was born into wealth and looked down on the lowly.
Their differences had always existed—but Liu Bei had held them together.
Now, that bond was gone.
After the punishment, Zhang Fei snorted coldly and returned to his tent to drink.
Guan Yu rose slowly, then went to untie the trembling soldier.
"Thank you, Lord Guan… you've saved my life," the man said gratefully.
"Go tend to your wounds," Guan Yu replied.
As the man limped away, Guan Yu watched silently.
Without Liu Jun, Yide will no longer tolerate me…
He lifted his gaze toward the north.
Then I will avenge Liu Jun… and leave.
Snow continued to fall.
But with this storm… will General Huangfu still advance?
Huangfu Song's Camp
Li Jue and Guo Si knelt, recounting their defeat.
"The enemy is cunning. This is not your fault," Huangfu Song said calmly. "You have both worked hard. Go and rest."
He was in high spirits and did not pursue the matter.
With Zhang Bao dead, the rebellion was effectively crushed. As for Zhang Xin's remaining five thousand men—he paid them little mind.
The snow made pursuit difficult.
His army had campaigned nonstop for eight months and was exhausted.
And though the main leaders were dead, remnants of the rebellion still lingered across the land.
In Ji Province alone, forces like Chu Yan of Changshan and Yu Du of Wei Commandery still remained—far larger threats than Zhang Xin.
Soon after, Huangfu Song sent word of victory to the court.
At the same time, he ordered a massacre—over one hundred thousand people in Guangzong and Xiaquyang were executed.
Their bodies were piled into a grim mound outside the southern gate—a jingguan.
Thus, the great uprising that had swept across eight provinces came, for the moment, to an end.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
At the end of November, an imperial envoy arrived.
Huangfu Song was appointed General of the Left Chariots and Cavalry, Governor of Ji Province, and enfeoffed as Marquis of Huaili with eight thousand households.
The court also recalled the main imperial forces, leaving him with just over ten thousand men to stabilize the region. The rest of the troops were disbanded and sent home.
In early December, Emperor Liu Hong declared a new era name—Zhongping.
The seventh year of Guanghe became the first year of Zhongping.
And a general amnesty was proclaimed across the empire.