Three Kingdoms: Cao Ying's mastermind, from nine to five

Chapter 211

"If you go to Youzhou, you should still have time to plunder. In this kind of fighting situation, you don't even need to pretend to be a bandit. The cavalry is the most comfortable."

"Moreover, the common people can take advantage of the chaos to flee and return to their hometowns, even if they are refugees. After all, their hometown in Jizhou still has land that belongs to them, and slaves under the gentry can get rid of their status as slaves."

"If the belongings are stolen and taken away, all the food can be burned."

"The people's soldiers and horses have no food, so they will naturally find a way to leave and return to Jizhou."

Jia Xu talked on and on, he was originally from Liangzhou, he had traveled to the northern states, and he knew that there was a mountain road from Bohai County that could directly enter Youzhou.

However, you have to pass through three passes between the mountains before you can leave the mountain. Originally, the loss would be great, but now if Yuan Shao Wuxia takes care of the frontal pursuit, the soldiers and horses in Youzhou will not have time to react. Ability, crossing mountains and ridges to enter levels that are not high in the first place.

Still no problem.

The maximum height of the checkpoint is seven or eight feet, and it was built on the back of the mountain for two years. It is an excellent choice for climbing and closing the gate.

After hearing this, Xu Zhen and Zhuge Liang couldn't help but look at each other, this old man is quite ruthless.

Xu Zhen only thought of rushing to protect the remaining few places before Yuan Shao, only Jia Xu directly plundered Youzhou regardless of the life and death of the common people, which would definitely be more effective.

However, I do not know how many people will starve to death.

"Sir, if this plan succeeds, wouldn't the common people all become refugees?"

"Then shut me up—" Jia Xu paused, blinked and changed his words: "Impossible, once they find out that there is chaos, they will just run back. We only need to prepare grain and grass and open the warehouse to release grain, so that we can plant a season of grain in time .”

"After the autumn harvest, let's settle down, and it will become more stable within a year or two. Otherwise, Yuan Shao's mind is extremely vicious, and his heart and soul are all indignant. He wastes the land and takes away his property. It's a plan to benefit himself and harm others. In this way, he can establish a solid foundation in Youzhou, and I will consume a lot of money and food when I take over Jizhou! And because there is no population, it will not be prosperous for a few years!"

"His thoughts can only be described in four words! Kong Ming, tell me!"

The corner of Zhuge Liang's mouth twitched, and he said helplessly, "It's outrageous."

"Four more."

"frenzied!"

"That's right!" Jia Xu faced Xu Zhen, bowed his hands solemnly, his face even flushed a little, and held Xu Zhen's palm like a pilgrimage, suppressing his excitement, "My plan is not only to get back money and food, but also It is to save the people from being enslaved, and to return them to their homeland, why don’t the soldiers who fight for this fight bravely!?”

"Okay, it's okay, it's okay."

Xu Zhen patted the back of his hand, it was incredible, tears welled up in his eyes, if he didn't understand your old character, he might have been really moved.

Jia Wenhe is aboveboard.

"Send troops first, let the Lord help you face-to-face, and immediately attack Youzhou after taking Bohai Sea."

……

Overnight, the flying cavalry traveled hundreds of miles and sent the letter to Qinghe. When Cao Cao saw the letter, he smashed it to the ground.

Then he slowly walked over to pick it up, slapped his forehead and smiled wryly at Guo Jia: "I just told Junyi that I will never march again."

"He also expressed admiration, you say this..."

Guo Jia smiled, "Actually, whether to march or not, the power is in the hands of the lord. If you advance, you can force and pull Yuan Shao, and if you retreat, you can sit and watch Yuan Shao exhausted. But since Bowen has something to ask, it must be to protect the remaining counties. The land will not be looted by Yuan Shao."

"The population of Jizhou is naturally still very important."

"If all the people are taken away, who will plow the fields, reclaim the wasteland, build water conservancy and clear the forest in the future?"

"Bowen is afraid that the people will be swept away, so he wants to start a war. Once the war breaks out, the people will flee."

"Their homeland is in Jizhou, and they can only go back to Jizhou if they escape. It is decided that if they attack at this time, Yuan Shao will suffer huge losses."

Cao Cao nodded immediately, "Then march."

……

When the order came out, Cao Chun dispatched tens of thousands of tigers and leopards that night, and directly entered Pingyuan County. He cooperated with the troops led by Xu Chu and quickly captured three or four cities. Everything has surrendered, but there is only one plain city with thousands of defenders who can't defend it at all.

After fighting for half an hour, all of them were broken and killed. The main reason was that the guards had no intention of surrendering. It seems that they should have received the death order, and they were too brainless and loyal to Yuan Shao to live.

Afterwards, the army directly marched into Bohai County, and the same army drove straight in, and was deeply supported by the common people, the gentry, and the poor families. Many city defenders even opened the city gates directly upon seeing this.

Occupying the Bohai Sea in just seven days, even a city with a stubborn heart to resist, also captured the city gate under strong attack. This is enough to show that Yuan Shao has long lost the hearts of the people in the boundaries of Jizhou.

That's why he captured Bohai so smoothly. In this way, Yuan Shao knew that Hejian was his only chance.

Garrison a large number of troops into Hejian County, and then start looting the people like before, and take them away. With the people in hand, Xu Zhen dare not attack and massacre. If he kills the people all the way, then the Cao family and Xu Bowen, etc. Years of benevolent and righteous people will be completely damaged!
On this point, Yuan Shao was confident and confident, and he could undoubtedly pinpoint Xu Zhen's weakness.

Sure enough, for the past few days, Xu Zhen's army did not make much movement. Yuan Shao gradually slowed down and retreated steadily, carrying hundreds of thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of food, grass and property, and hundreds of carts of gold, silver and jade. , the army guarded each other back and forth, although the journey was slow but not far away, it was about to enter the Youzhou area.

In Youzhou, he ordered his son Yuan Xi to lead tens of thousands of elite soldiers, led by experienced generals, to meet him.

In order to ensure nothing goes wrong, they wear the most elite military equipment. The horses they ride come from the excellent hummers of the horseback clan. The arrows and crossbows are fully equipped, just to welcome Jizhou into, and then build a solid city defense in Youzhou. Beijing is not too much.

The closer Yuan Shao got to Youzhou, the more stable he became in his heart. Although Xu Zhen and Cao Cao were not able to win most of the counties, Xu Zhen and Cao Cao reacted, but fortunately they did not leave too much money and manpower for them. To make up for this vacancy in a short period of time, the vitality of the whole territory must be severely damaged.

But the light of the fire that came at night completely dispelled his sense of joy. The fire was very intense, because the soldiers and horses in Youzhou piled up the grain, and although the wind was not strong, it could still blow the fire, especially when the temperature suddenly dropped at night. When it falls, the wind will be extremely strong.

The fire that broke out at once allowed Yuan Shao to see with his own eyes that most of the food and grass carts were in the sea of ​​flames, and almost all the cavalry guarding around were in a pool of blood. Among the piled up corpses were occasionally a few corpses of Xu Junjia cavalry, and their property had almost been looted When it was empty, the people all fled, almost never appearing here.

Only at this time did someone come on horseback from a distance, and after running for a long time before arriving in front of Yuan Shao, he got off his horse in a panic and came to report, with a frightened and flustered expression on his face, "My lord, my lord! An hour ago, from the mountains on the border of the Bohai Sea, Xu Zhen's armored cavalry And Cao Cao's tiger and leopard cavalry suddenly came out and attacked our garrison army! Most of the food and grass were burned, and all the treasures and jewels were looted."

"Also, taking advantage of the chaos... let go of hundreds of thousands of people."

"How could it be possible to let him go!" Yuan Shao pressed his breath against his chest for a while, and asked in a shy voice: "These, don't these people really follow me? After so many years of favorable government, can't they get the support of the people?"

"Master, Second Young Master, Second Young Master, he..."

"What happened to Xi'er?!"

Yuan Shao panicked suddenly, as if he was caught in his heart, the lieutenant immediately explained: "He took the lead general and went to chase and kill Xu Zhen."

"Second Young Master said that he will kill this person with his own hands, and he will never let him be arrogant and domineering again, ignoring my civil and martial arts in northern Xinjiang."

"Oh! Come back! Call Xi'er back immediately!! Xu Zhen can't catch up!"

Yuan Shao was so angry that he began to stomp his feet on the horse. Why are his sons so impatient? Xu Zhen is full of tricks. If he dares to come and attack, he must have already prepared and set up an ambush, just waiting The pursuers followed.

"Go and chase Xi'er back immediately! Call me back! Xu Bowen can't chase her!"

"Here!"

The lieutenant ordered to get back on his horse in a hurry, and ran forward like desperately. Yuan Shao looked around and saw that the distance of hundreds of feet on this road was a mess. , the heartbeat accelerated too much.

Soon there were other lieutenants surrounding him, and Yuan Shao asked puzzledly: "There are so many treasures, jewels, and jade articles. Xu Zhen and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry probably didn't bring auxiliary horses, so how can they take them away calmly?"

"Is there any other soldiers and horses!?"

"No, he, he ordered the people to take their belongings back to Jizhou, and take as much as they can..."

"Then you should go after the common people!" Yuan Shao became anxious immediately, there is no use in chasing Xu Zhen!

The deputy general looked distressed, looked around and sighed embarrassingly: "I went to chase and kill the people first, and then Xu Zhen led the troops to order the grain cart..."

"This……"

Yuan Shaoren was dumbfounded, waiting for the open space with dull eyes, to be honest, he still doesn't even know what Xu Zhen looks like, yet he has made him like this.

This time and again, the loss is not only the food and grass, but also the reputation is completely damaged.

It is depressing to take the people away, their property is robbed, and their food and grass are burned.

Can there be a worse situation than the present... The most important thing is how can Xu Zhen be sure that such a march will yield something? How dare he!

From the border mountains of Bohai County, at least three passes are required. Even if there are only 3000 people in those three passes, they can block them overnight. This is a pass, easy to defend and difficult to attack!

The barriers were originally built with the help of the terrain, to prevent the enemy from making a surprise attack from the trail. Once found, they can lay down an ambush and counterattack.

oh no...

The real mistake should be that I focused all my troops on Hejian County...

Yuan Shao suddenly looked up to the sky, closed his eyes regretfully, his face was full of despair, "Oh..."

"There are too many calculations, and I can't count them anymore."

Yuan Shao's heart collapsed, coupled with the exhaustion and pain in his body, he actually had a feeling of sore eyes, and really wanted to rest.

Not only to guard against Cao Cao's use of troops, but also to guard against Xu Bowen's various schemes, and none of the advisers around him can count against these two.

No, they still have counselors under their command.

There must be counselors under Xu Zhen's command.

Cao Cao has uncles and nephews of the Xun family, Guo Fengxiao, Xu You... There are many capable people and strangers who I don't know.

It is not unfair to have this result.

Yuan Shao looked at the fire in the distance, and was speechless for a moment, wanting to cry without tears.

……

After dawn, Yuan Xi came back alive, but there were two open scars on his face, and one hand was pierced by an arrow. The horse was no longer his original mount, but an ordinary horse.

There are only a few hundred riders around.

Not a single pawn was seen.

"Father, my son was defeated, and my son chased rashly, and was ambushed by the Sword and Shield Camp... I didn't expect Xu Zhen to ambush the elite Sword and Shield on the mountain."

Yuan Xi fell to his knees in front of Yuan Shao. At this moment, the hero who had lived half his life was finally laughed out of anger in extreme despair.

"Haha... I lost 65 for my father, so what's the point of losing this game?"

Yuan Xi raised his head in a daze, and looked at his father in disbelief. Don't you blame me?

what does this mean.

But before Yuan Shao could reply, he spit out a mouthful of blood, and fell powerlessly to the ground. Under the double blow of exhaustion and extreme despair, he had already lost the will to persevere. It hit like a tide, and instantly washed away my mind and reason.

"Father handsome! Father handsome!"

Yuan Xi cried and rushed forward to shout, and the only remaining soldiers and horses around hurriedly came to support him, and then Gao Lan, Qianzhao and others could only order to go back quickly with the remaining food and grass.

Go back to the land of Youzhou first, and set up a few gates along the way to strictly guard against death. Sentinels were also specially arranged on the mountain.

Yuan Xi knew in his heart that although Xu Zhen succeeded in this surprise attack, the price he paid was also very high.

There was absolutely no way he couldn't care less.

Thousands of armored cavalry and thousands of tiger and leopard cavalry were handed over on the battlefield, which can be called a serious injury. Any elite soldiers and horses are extremely rare, and this is the only time Xu Zhen did not get the battlefield to clean up his sovereignty raid.

Yuan Xi also sent people to clean up the battlefield, and took away the full-scale armor and swords of the dead soldiers. Although this kind of sword forging method was developed somehow, and the skills could not be learned, these more than 1000 pairs of armor and ring swords are indeed real. Strengthened the armament.

In this way, when facing Xu Zhen next time, he will definitely not be so passive, at least he will have the ability to fight back!
Use his armament to defeat him!
But now this idea is just a beautiful fantasy for Yuan Xi. The strength of the armored cavalry is not only as simple as armaments, but also the tactics and personal bravery. As for the casualties so many.

……

At noon, after Xu Zhen returned to the mountain, he was about to walk slowly, and when he was about to leave the mountain pass, he called Zhang Liao to come to him, "Order all the soldiers and horses to go to Hejian County, and then start to garrison the army and manage the administration, and lead the people back to live in peace." .”

"What about the property they got?" Zhang Liao asked with a serious and dignified expression.

"You don't need to plunder, you can turn it in voluntarily, anyway, you will open a warehouse to release food later."

Jia Xu suddenly approached on the other side, and said: "I feel that I still have to spread the word among the people. Before that, Yuan Shao plundered wantonly without caring about the lives of the people, because the government has not rewarded him for many years."

"If it spreads like this, it's a beating, and the common people will be obedient by giving grace and power."

Xu Zhen was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, Mr. is really kind!"

Jia Xu clapped her hands in panic: "Oh, it's a big mistake."

(End of this chapter)