The meaning of this sentence is: King Xiang then ran eastward with his cavalry and arrived at Dongcheng. At this time, there were only twenty-eight people left.

Source: "The Death of Xiang Yu" by Sima Qian of the Eastern Han Dynasty

Excerpt:

When King Xiang went to Yin Ling, he lost his way and asked Yi Tian's father, Tian Fuling. Said "left". On the left, it is trapped in the swamp. Follow up with the old Han Dynasty. King Xiang then led his troops east again. When they reached the east city, they had twenty-eight horses.

Translation:

When King Xiang crossed the Huaihe River, only a hundred of his strong men were left to keep up. When King Xiang arrived at Yinling, he lost his way and asked a farmer. The farmer lied to him and said, "Go to the left." King Xiang led his people to the left and fell into a swamp. Therefore, Han soldiers caught up with them. King Xiang then took his cavalry and ran east again. When they arrived at Dongcheng, there were only twenty-eight people left.

Text Interpretation

This last scene consists of three scenes: the siege of Gaixia, the quick battle in Dongcheng, and the suicide in Wujiang River. A series of thrilling plots and details such as a quick battle in the East City, a gift of a horse for refusing to cross the border, and a head gift to an old friend. With full passion, Sima Qian used historical facts, legends and imagination to convey the story of Xiang Yu's end, constantly enriching and developing his character, and made the hero die in songs, tears and laughter, achieving an artistic effect that is both evocative and evocative.

The Elegy of the Concubine Yu, the refusal to cross the Wujiang River, the gift of a horse and a head, the twists and turns, all based on the details, make the whole text reach a majestic and tragic aesthetic realm, which is soul-stirring to read. In biographical literature, it is at least unprecedented, if not unprecedented.