Han Xiang

Chapter 298 This Is Not Liu Bei's Style
Liu Pi gained momentum with his mouth, and then withdrew from Cao Ren's sight.

Seeing this, Cao Ren led his horse back to the formation with a dark face, cupped his fists and relayed Liu Pi's words to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao didn't answer after hearing this, but sat on the head of a horse and looked towards the city. He saw the autumn wind blowing the flags and trembling, but he didn't see a few soldiers watching.

Did he really fall into Liu Bei's scheme?

Cao Cao, who always liked to calculate others, felt as uncomfortable as eating a fly at this time.

Seeing this, Cao Ren reminded in a low voice, "My lord?"

"Don't be angered by Liu Pi. It might be Liu Bei's plan. This man has no place to stay. At this time, soldiers will not abandon the city easily, and they will not leave sooner or later. They must wait until now?" Cao Cao said. indifferent.

He met Liu Bei in Luoyang in his early years, and later Liu Bei accompanied him back to his hometown to recruit soldiers. Cao Cao had a deep understanding of his temperament.

How could a person who was born as a mat weaver and had experienced hard times give up the city he had built so easily?

It's like a peddler who set up a mobile stall in a busy city. After finally grabbing a seat with a lot of people, he will never easily give up to his big peers. He will even quarrel or fight.

Others saw that Boss Cao's tone was firm. Even though many people saw that there was something abnormal in the city, no one was willing to try to persuade him.

Cao Cao then added: "You also said that Liu Bei has [-] troops? It's a bluff. If he really has that kind of military power, wouldn't Li Tong notice it? Immediately order the whole army to attack the city, first take down Pingyu and then make further calculations."

"Wei." Cao Ren took the order and left.

Not long after the army moved, the scouts patrolling the city in front suddenly reported that dozens of cavalry fled from the south gate of Pingyu.

Cao Cao's expression was strange after hearing this. He looked up in astonishment to observe the front army attacking the city. He saw soldiers pushing ladders, carts, etc. down the north gate of the city, but there was not even a defender on the top of the city to stop them.

Could it be that what Liu Pi said was true?Liu Bei really abandoned the city and fled?

Guo Jia hurriedly cupped his hands to remind: "Ming Gong, if there is Liu Pi among these dozens of riders, then Liu Bei must not be in Pingyu, and people should chase after him quickly, or we can find Liu Bei's whereabouts according to the map."

"It is also."

Cao Cao nodded slightly, and then told Shi Huan: "Gong Liu, immediately send an order to Zi Xiao, let him send fine cavalry to chase the enemy, and make sure not to let the thief escape."

"Wei." Shi Huan cupped his fists and walked away.

Cao Cao immediately led his horse forward, only to see that the former army soldiers were climbing the ladder, but there was no guard on the city.

Although he didn't want to believe it in his heart, it was obvious that Pingyu was empty.

After a while, the city gate opened.

Cao Cao entered Pingyu on horseback, but the streets were empty, and he couldn't find anyone to ask him.

It turned out that before Liu Bei left, Liu Ye had people spread the word in the city, saying that Cao Cao's tens of thousands of troops were coming, and that he might follow the example of Xuzhou in massacring the city, and suggested that the people escape from dangerous places.

No one dared to bet on Cao Cao's kindness, so they packed up their bags and fled for their lives, and most of them went south along the Lishui River, heading downstream to Xincai and other big cities.

Cao Cao led an army of tens of thousands and could not wait in the empty city of Pingyu, so he continued to march after breaking the city.

At this time, Liu Bei's main force had not yet appeared, and Cao Jun had to pursue without purpose, so Cao Cao prepared to march south of Pingyu according to Liu Pi's words.

Xun You, the mastermind, felt that this was inappropriate, so he stepped forward and said, "Duke Ming, Liu Pi's words cannot be fully believed. If he deliberately lures the army to the south, but Liu Bei's main force is hiding elsewhere, wouldn't it mean that he is exhausting his army?" The plan? We should temporarily order the army to garrison in Pingyu, and wait for all parties to investigate and find out their whereabouts.

Cao Cao shook his head lightly: "Gongda's considerations are comprehensive, but although Liu Bei's army does not have [-] soldiers, there will always be more than [-] mobs. According to the information provided by Li Wenda, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei have returned to Liu Bei's side. If he really Liu Pizhi fled to the south, how could Zihe's thousand tigers and leopards resist?"

"If Liu Pi cheats, then"

Xun You twisted his beard with a dignified expression. He didn't continue to talk because Cao Cao was justified in worrying.

Cao Cao is not a reckless person, and he is also very entangled at this time.

Seeing Guo Jia beside him with a calm demeanor, Cao Cao turned his head and asked, "Fengxiao seems to have a good opinion?"

Guo Jia cupped his hands and bowed, and said to him: "Liu Bei was defeated by Duke Ming several times. At this time, he fled after hearing the news, and he has improved compared to the past. Since Runan can't stay, he can only go west to Jingzhou to vote for Liu Biao, or go to Huainan. To unite or go to Sun Quan, there is no other place to go;

To the west, we have to pass through Li Taishou's defense area. It is not easy to cross Tongbai Mountain easily. To the south, we have to cross the Huai River all the way. Ming Gong can lead an army to pursue south, and leave an army in Pingyu to wait for news from the west, so it will be safe. "

"The words of filial piety are very close to my heart."

Cao Cao nodded affirmatively, and then told Xun You: "Liu Bei marched with ten thousand people, and it is impossible to hide all the time. I will leave ten thousand elite soldiers in Pingyu, under the command of you and Zi Lian (Cao Hong), and leave Zhang Yun to serve as well." , you are always ready to reinforce Li Wenda, or intercept Liu Bei and flee in the opposite direction."

"Wei." Xun You bowed his hands in response.

Cao Cao then swung his army south, and received a report from scouts halfway, saying that there was smoke and dust in the direction of Xincai downstream, which seemed to be traces of the movement of the army.

Needless to say?It must be Liu Bei.

Cao Cao didn't doubt that he was there, so he ordered the army to move lightly, intending to use the cavalry to stumble the opponent first, and then the main force of the infantry to follow up and encircle and wipe out.

Although the idea is beautiful, the reality is cruel.

Cao Ren pursued Liu Pi to the vicinity of Xincai, only to find that except for the dozens of cavalry who were chasing after him, the rest were refugees with their families.

Liu Pi was the only clue. While Cao Ren sent someone to report to Cao Cao, he led his cavalry to continue the pursuit.

Cao Cao didn't get angry when he received the information, instead he joked to Guo Jia with a smile: "This is not Liu Beibing's style, he must have expert assistants by his side, but fortunately Feng Xiao and Gong Da can predict the enemy first, and things become more interesting. "

"Liu Bei is really going to Jingzhou? How could he break through Li Taishou's defense line?" Guo Jia muttered to himself, disbelief written all over his face.

Cao Cao sneered: "Before Liu Bei's main force is discovered, everything is still unknown. Anyway, Pingyu has left [-] elite soldiers. We will continue to advance to Xincai for rest. The soldiers marched quickly for two days and must stop."

Guo Jia nodded in agreement: "Liu Bei can also use the people as a cover. His main force has already run ahead. As long as he can cross the Huai River before us and escape to the mountains in the north of the Lujiang River, he will not be easy to chase."

"Don't worry, Feng Xiao, although Zihe (Cao Chun) has few tiger and leopard riders, he may not be able to stop Liu Bei, but if you help us delay for a while, it shouldn't be a big problem."

Cao Cao still believes that Liu Bei fled to Huainan until now.

Because any normal person would not choose to flee from the west of Runan, as long as Li Tong guarded the main roads connecting Tongbai Mountain to Jingzhou, Liu Bei's little force would not be able to break through.

The so-called clever trick is to turn decay into magic.

Everyone thought that the west was difficult, but Liu Ye deliberately let Liu Bei go west.

(End of this chapter)