When Zhang Xin, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian met again, courtesy came first—as always.
"Lord," Sun Jian said with a firm salute, eyes bright with respect, "you faced Dong Zhuo's ferocious army at Huayin and repelled them with inferior numbers. Wentai truly admires you."
Cao Cao followed with a nod. "So do I."
Zhang Xin smiled faintly, exchanging a few polite words before calling for a council of war.
A Gathering of Legends
Inside the central tent, the air itself seemed heavier.
On one side stood Zhang Xin's core commanders—Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Yu Jin, Yue Jin… a lineup that could shake kingdoms.
On the other side—Sun Jian's fierce veterans and Cao Cao's rising talents.
A constellation of war.
Zhang Xin's gaze swept across them, and a thought surfaced:
With men like these… conquering the realm would not be difficult.
"If everyone is here," he began calmly, "let's discuss our advance."
Before he could continue—
"Lord!"
Sun Jian stepped forward immediately, fire in his eyes.
"I request to be the vanguard in attacking Zheng County!"
Zhang Xin chuckled. "Still impatient, Wentai. We haven't even decided on a plan."
"Whatever the plan is," Sun Jian insisted, voice firm, "I request to lead the vanguard!"
His fists clenched.
"I failed to take Shan County for over a month. This shame… I must wash it away!"
Zhang Xin's smile faded slightly.
"This time… I'm afraid I can't agree."
Sun Jian froze.
Zhang Xin continued evenly:
"The defender of Zheng County is Huangfu Song."
Silence.
Sun Jian's momentum halted instantly.
Absolute confidence?
Against that man?
Impossible.
The Weight of a Name
Huangfu Song.
A general undefeated for years.
A name that carried both prestige… and pressure.
Even Sun Jian had to lower his gaze.
Cao Cao let out a bitter sigh.
"Why would such a man serve Dong Zhuo…"
Zhang Xin shook his head.
"Not necessarily."
He explained Huangfu Song's recent actions—his ambiguous stance, his suspicious restraint.
Sun Jian's eyes lit up.
"Then we should advance quickly! If we join forces with him—"
"No."
Zhang Xin cut him off.
"War is deception."
His gaze sharpened.
"Can you be certain this isn't his strategy? To lure us into arrogance?"
Silence fell again.
"If all our forces are here," Zhang Xin continued, "and we are defeated in one battle… who will save the Son of Heaven?"
That thought chilled the room.
Even Cao Cao nodded slowly.
Zhang Xin concluded:
"We proceed steadily. Whether he truly serves Dong Zhuo or only pretends—we treat it as real."
No one objected.
The Advance
The plan was set.
Fifty thousand troops moved toward Zheng County.
Zhang Xin led the core force.
Sun Jian established a forward camp.
Cao Cao… shamelessly attached himself to Zhang Xin's camp without hesitation.
No one stopped him.
Ten Days of Silence
A letter came from Huangfu Song.
A challenge.
Zhang Xin read it—and replied with two words:
"No battle."
Another came the next day.
"No battle."
A third.
Still—
"No battle."
Ten days passed.
Only when the camp was fully established, the troops rested, and preparations complete…
Zhang Xin finally gave his answer:
"Accepted."
The Day of Battle
Drizzle fell from a gray sky.
The earth was damp. The air heavy.
Zhang Xin rode out with fifteen thousand troops—five thousand cavalry, ten thousand infantry.
Beside him rode Cao Cao.
And from the southern camp, Sun Jian joined as well—though denied command of the battle.
"This is only a probe," Zhang Xin had told him. "Not a decisive clash."
The Armies Face
Scouts rode back one after another.
"Huangfu Song has left the city—fifteen thousand strong!"
"They have formed ranks ten li outside Zheng County!"
"Both armies are within five li!"
At three li distance—
Zhang Xin raised his hand.
"Stop."
The army halted.
Engineers rushed forward, assembling a watchtower from prepared parts.
Within moments, it rose above the field.
Zhang Xin climbed it slowly.
Cao Cao and Sun Jian followed.
From above—
The battlefield unfolded like a painted scroll.
Across the plains, Huangfu Song's army stood in perfect formation.
Orderly.
Silent.
Immovable.
Like a mountain.
Zhang Xin rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes fixed on the distant figure commanding that army.
Rain fell between them.
Teacher and student.
Past and present.
Loyalty and ambition.
"Whether you truly serve Dong Zhuo… or merely pretend…"
Zhang Xin murmured softly—
"…this battle will tell me."
Across the field—
The drums began to sound.
The storm… was about to break.