chapter 278

[?]: Sir, should we set up formation?

[?]: There’s no one to our south!

[Han Hao]: What in the world happened here?

chapter 278 One Less Nuisance From Each

[HH]: Our arrangements are now all over the place…
(not sure if he means the graves, or the overall situation)

[?]: General Han, we caught one.

[?]: Huff.

[?]: Let me go! Let me go!

[?]: Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!

[?]: Spare me!

[?]: Spare me (please)!

[?]: Spare me, General Lü Bu!

Lü Bu…

[?]: I had no idea
[?]: that I offended the mighty God of War…
(simplified)

{sfx: cha!}

[Zhang Liao]: Lü Bu is already dead.

[HH]: Your former lord may be dead, Zhang Liao, but your new lord isn’t!

[ZL]: My former lord may be gone, but old habit dies hard.

[ZL]: Please forgive my offenses.

[ZL]: I swear to redeem myself in the future.

[ZL]: Step aside.

[HH]: Hm.

[HH]: Lü Bu is gone, but the God of War lives on.

[?]: Sir!

[?]: Fire at the wood’s entrance!

[HH]: Change formation at the sight of fire. Understood!

[?]: Sir, fire is coming!

[Gao Lan]: The wind will carry the fire toward us.

[GL]: Start a fire when in the woods. Looks like Xun Yu had a backup plan.

[?]: Sir, there is a troop five li away to the west. It may be Han Hao.

[GL]: Order team one to defend the entrance to the woods. Don’t let them come near.

[?]: No, order them to defend the mountain paths.

[Yuan Fang]: Look over there.

[YF]: Xun Yu withdrew, but the main force is still calm in the face of danger.

[YF]: They’re on the move. Soon they’ll reach our retreat path.

[YF]: The Cao army has been through much training. They’re veterans.

[YF]: Compare that to our so-called Elite force, which became a mess the moment the commander loses control. It’s clear who has the higher caliber.

[YF]: Their formation is orderly, which means they have a contingency plan.
(simplified)
[YF]: We would be asking for trouble if we charge in now.

[?]: Advisor, General Zhang has returned.

[GL]: Hm. Sent as aid but ends up a savior.

[Yuan Tan]: Lü Bu is still alive;
[YT]: Cao and Lü must be working together!

[YT]: We fell for their trick!

[YT]: They’re coming!
[YT]: Rearguard, hurry, rearguard!

[YT]: Deploy rearguard, you hear me!

[YF]: This lesson for the pampered prince may have been too over the top.
[GL]: Though it was quite absurd what happened.

[Zhang He]: Those two monsters fought like one but were of different minds. They were not interested in the battle, so they left after exhausting themselves after a few rounds against me.

[YF]: Ten thousand elites beaten by two civilians. The eldest son is an incompetent commander, forever a laughing stock for the whole clan.

[YT]: Gao Lan, spread it around when you return.
[GL]: Yessir.

[GL]: Young Master,

[GL]: Yuan Tan is the clan’s acknowledged heir apparent to our Lord. Isn’t your “righteous rescue” a wasted opportunity?

[GL]: Why don’t we…

[YF]: Our Lord has three sons. The death of the eldest will lead to the empowerment of the other two. They will then become even harder to handle.

[GL]: You mean… let him owe you a favor to make things easier later?

[YF]: The Yuan clan is the most powerful clan in the world. Its members are difficult to control because each one has significant influence.

[YF]: Just this one aspect makes them harder to fight than Cao Cao.

[YT]: I have more Elites, Yuan Fang; go lead the rearguard immediately!

[YF]: Haha, as you wish.

[GL]: You mean, do as Yuan Tan says and withdraw from Xuzhou.

[GL]: Abandon Yuan Shu so as to have one less problem?

[YF]: Remember, I’m only following Controller Chief‘s order. I said nothing else.

[GL]: Yes. Let that boy take all the blame!

[?]: Withdraw from Xuzhou!

In year 199, Yuan Shao‘s eldest son Yuan Tan marched his army southward from Qingzhou to join forces with Yuan Shu, in preparation to fight Cao Cao.

But something happened along the way and he suffered a defeat at Xiapi.

Afterward, one of Yuan Shao’s three sons lost his influence.

Similarly, one of Cao camp’s three Geniuses had to withdraw from battle to recover from his wound.

On the same day the First of the Eight Geniuses Yuan Fang took over Yuan Shao’s best Elite force, boosting his military strength.

That day was the prelude to the Battle of Guandu.

Yuan Shao let his older brother adopt Yuan Tan so that he may have an heir.

When in reality this removes Yuan Tan from being considered for the role of successor.