Chapter 47: stop

"Surrender?" As they approached the wide-open gates of Hulao Pass, Gongsun Zan and the other coalition leaders couldn't help but exchange puzzled glances. They couldn't fathom why the Xiliang Army guarding the pass would be surrendering.

"Kong Rong, you have a keen military mind. Do you think this is a trap?" Gongsun Zan turned to Kong Rong, his eyes filled with uncertainty, as he observed the open gates.

Hulao Pass had been a source of confusion for the coalition forces. Just the day before, Lu Bu had left the pass and decisively defeated the leaders of the eight towns. If Lu Bu had returned to the pass on that day, the leaders of the eight towns would not have dared to attack so boldly. They would have feared a sudden and ferocious counterattack by Lu Bu, which would have disrupted their efforts to appear victorious. Such an outcome would have deprived the leaders of the eight towns of their glory and the perception of being saviors.

However, Lu Bu had not returned to the pass after leaving it. During the day, there was no way for him to re-enter the pass from another direction, so the leaders of the eight towns were left baffled. Yet, on the following day, Hulao Pass unexpectedly lowered its defenses and opened its gates. This situation was confounding, to say the least.

"It's not a difficult decision. Let's enter the city to accept the surrender. If there are no hidden traps or ambushes, we can quickly secure key points within the city. If we advance slowly and cautiously, it will only delay our progress," Gongsun Zan responded, his tone displaying a degree of confidence. Although he felt uneasy, they had a significant number of feudal lords and their soldiers. Sending a team to investigate was not a great risk, and even if the team encountered trouble, it could still be managed.

"It's not too late to follow Bogui's advice," Kong Rong agreed. The plan was straightforward, and it seemed like a good approach. When it came to selecting the team, no words needed to be spoken. Wang Kuang and Bao Xin had both perished in the previous day's battle. With their leaders gone, the troops under their command had lost their guiding figures and were the natural choice to scout the situation.

The execution of the plan proceeded surprisingly smoothly, and to the coalition leaders' astonishment, the commander of the Hulao Pass, Hu Zhen, surrendered willingly.

Once Gongsun Zan and the others entered Hulao Pass, a sense of unreality washed over them. Kong Rong immediately dispatched a messenger to inform Yuan Shao of the victory, while the rest of the coalition leaders couldn't help but wonder about the circumstances surrounding Hu Zhen's surrender.

Liu Bei was tasked with questioning Hu Zhen about the reasons behind his decision. Hu Zhen's explanation was surprising—he claimed that the day before, Lu Bu had been locked out of the city gates by him. Despite having surrendered, Hu Zhen expressed his willingness to do so long before the coalition's arrival. He cited Lu Bu's formidable combat abilities and the fear he instilled as his reasons for surrendering.

The coalition leaders, Gongsun Zan, Kong Rong, and others, listened with mixed emotions as they questioned Hu Zhen. It was evident that they were not pleased with Lu Bu's behavior. They had anticipated that if Lu Bu had indeed returned to the pass the previous day, he would have been a formidable opponent. However, his actions had taken them by surprise, leaving them feeling bewildered and unimpressed.

Gongsun Zan, Zhang Yang, and others couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain as they observed Hu Zhen's smug expression. While they understood the potential reasons behind Lu Bu's actions, his conduct still came across as reckless and arrogant. Even if Lu Bu had been caught off guard, his previous behavior didn't endear him to the coalition leaders.

Zhang Fei, in particular, had a low tolerance for such conduct. He suggested, "Brother, why do we even keep treacherous individuals like this alive? We should simply eliminate them."

Liu Bei, however, was quick to intervene, "Yide, we cannot be hasty in our judgments. Although this man may be treacherous, we cannot resort to such extreme measures."

Gongsun Zan concurred, adding, "Xuande is correct. While this man may be a traitor, we must consider the larger picture. If we execute him without just cause, it will set a dangerous precedent. Who else will be willing to act on our behalf in the future if they fear retribution?"

Hu Zhen had potentially saved his own life, but he was still filled with apprehension. These coalition leaders may not have punished him, but they also made it clear that they had no trust in him. Although he held onto his military authority, it was not without a price. Now, he was merely a figurehead, unable to exercise his power freely.

In the end, Hu Zhen opted not to relinquish his military command. Even though he held the authority, he was well aware that he could easily be killed if he did so.

As for the question of loyalty, it seemed that his actions had left him in a precarious position. He had retained his authority, but he had lost the trust of the coalition leaders. Despite his treacherous conduct, he had effectively preserved his own life, and for the time being, that was enough.

"Gong Zu, now that the tiger's prison has fallen, we can reach Luoyang in a day. Why don't we join forces and march on Luoyang together, launching a decisive attack to capture and eliminate Dong Zhuo in one fell swoop? This would be a remarkable achievement," Gongsun Zan proposed to Tao Qian and the others. With Hulao Pass secured, it was much easier to proceed to Luoyang, and attacking Luoyang was a more straightforward endeavor compared to the challenging defense of Hulao Pass.

Tao Qian hesitated for a moment before responding, "Well, our forces did capture Hulao Pass, but we also suffered heavy casualties and lost several generals in yesterday's battle. On the other hand, Dong Zhuo still has tens of thousands of elite troops from Xiliang under his command. If we proceed hastily and encounter resistance, it could be a difficult situation. I suggest we report this to the leader of the alliance first. When all the coalition leaders arrive together, we can launch a coordinated attack on Luoyang."

Tao Qian's perspective was cautious, considering that capturing Hulao Pass had already been a significant achievement. Furthermore, the victory at Hulao Pass had boosted the coalition army's morale, and they were now in a better position to wait for reinforcements. Hulao Pass was only fifty miles away from Luoyang, so they could launch an attack whenever needed, and there was no rush to do so immediately.

In addition, the recent events had shaken the confidence of the Xiliang Army. Despite Lü Bu's individual prowess, he could not prevail against the combined forces of the eight towns. Lü Bu's unit at Hulao Pass was only a fraction of Dong Zhuo's army, which still possessed tens of thousands of Xiliang troops. The thought of facing such a formidable force made Tao Qian, Kong Rong, and others apprehensive.

Therefore, they decided to leave the task of attacking Luoyang to Gongsun Zan and his powerful army, while they would focus on providing logistical support and supplies.

Gongsun Zan agreed with their decision and informed them that he had already sent a messenger to inform the leader of the coalition. They expected representatives from various factions to arrive within the next two days, after which they would collectively advance toward Luoyang to confront Dong Zhuo and his forces.

Kong Rong, stroking his beard, smiled in agreement, satisfied with the arrangement. The next steps would depend on the actions of Yuan Shao and the other leaders of the alliance.