Ji Han Liu Zhang

"Cao Aman."

An angry shout was heard from the Yuan army tent outside Yubi City. The person who spoke was Yuan Shao, the general who ruled the Hebei area. The reason for this shout started with a piece of news Yuan Shao received.

Ever since hearing the rumor that Cao Cao was plotting to attack Ye City, Yuan Shao stopped his plan to attack Yubi City. He kept his troops in place and no longer attacked Yubi City day and night. He also made preparations to retreat in case Cao Cao really attacked Ye City and cut off his retreat.

Without waiting too long or spending too much energy, Yuan Shao's spies stationed in Xu Du, or the ministers in Xu Du who were loyal to Yuan, proved the authenticity of the news that Cao Cao was attacking Ye.

"Hateful." Yuan Shao looked sullen and spoke angrily.

"Lü Bu, Zhang Miao and Chen Gong will attack and capture Yanzhou, leaving Cao Cao with only three cities. If I hadn't sent troops to help him, Cao Cao would have been annihilated by Lü Bu. Today, he repays kindness with hatred, which is really hateful."

Yuan Shao characterized Cao Cao as a wolf cub that could never be fed and a tiger that murdered its benefactor.

Xu You replied, "Cao Cao welcomed you to Xuzhou and called himself the general. He appointed you as the Grand Commandant and placed you under his name. This shows that he is not a good man and has the intention of taking Hebei."

Facing Yuan Shao's anger, Ju Su also responded: "Xudu is low and wet, and the terrain is low. It is not a place for the emperor. In the past, you sent a letter to Cao Cao, asking him to send the emperor to Yecheng, but Cao Cao refused under the pretext of the emperor's order. This shows that he has evil ambitions, just like Dong Zhuo, Li and Guo."

Feng Ji, Guo Tu and other civil and military officials attended the meeting one by one and denounced Cao Cao in front of Yuan Shao, in order to echo the furious Yuan Shao.

However, anger could not solve the problem. Yuan Shao was faced with a difficult choice, or rather, forced by the situation, he had to withdraw his troops to Yecheng when his expedition to Hedong yielded no results.

But the 100,000-strong army came here in high spirits and went back in disgrace. Yuan Shao was really unwilling to accept this and hesitation appeared in his eyes.

Seeing Yuan Shao's hesitation, Ju Su cupped his hands and said, "Mingsong, you should quickly return to Yecheng to thwart Cao Cao's plan to attack Yecheng. Otherwise, if you hesitate and do not retreat, Cao Cao may take advantage of you."

Xu You also cupped his hands and said, "Mingsir, now all our elite soldiers and brave generals in Hebei are here. Liyang is under-defended and Yecheng is under-strength. We should think about returning the army to resist Cao Cao."

Feng Ji brought up the current war situation to persuade Yuan Shao to withdraw: "Mingsir, Yubi City is strong. Our army has been fighting for months, and the casualties of the soldiers are heavy. Many of them want to return home. Now Ye City is in danger. It is better to withdraw now, reorganize the troops and attack Hedong again tomorrow."

All the family members were in Yecheng. A number of civil and military officials from Hebei attended the meeting and advised Yuan Shao to withdraw his troops and strengthen the defense of Liyang and Yecheng to avoid being taken advantage of by Cao Cao.

"Forget it." Seeing everyone's opinion, Yuan Shao was unwilling to continue attacking Yubi City, so he nodded and said, "Organize the troops and prepare to return to Yecheng."

"Yes." All the civil and military officials accepted the order.

into the night.

Yuan Shao tossed and turned on the bed, unable to fall asleep for a while. Anger was accumulating in his heart, and this anger was directed at his childhood friend Cao Cao.

From his childhood till now, Yuan Shao's attitude towards Cao Cao is that of a younger brother. When the princes met to attack Dong before, he recommended Cao Cao as General Yangwu and regarded Cao Cao as his own. After the princes' alliance was dissolved, he recommended Cao Cao as the governor of Dongjun. Then Cao Cao became more powerful and was appointed as the governor of Yanzhou. He swallowed up Yuzhou and Xuzhou and unified the Central Plains.

It was Yuan Shao who supported Cao Cao all the way to such a powerful position. However, Cao Cao was difficult to support and was ungrateful. He did not remember his kindness and even intended to take over Yecheng when Yuan Shao sent troops to Hedong.

"Cao Aman, has your conscience been eaten by a dog?" Yuan Shao was indignant and angry. He made a decision to join the army and go to Yanyu next year to vent his anger.

On the second day, Yuan Shao began to withdraw his troops back to Ye. The army did not retreat all at once, but in batches. During the retreat, they also had to guard against the enemy's pursuit.

And you know, when you are withdrawing troops, it is easiest for the enemy to take advantage of you, because the soldiers are homesick and their fighting spirit is low, while the enemy's morale is high.

"Mr. Yan, Mr. Zhang," Yuan Shao said loudly, naming Yan Liang and Zhang He. "I will leave the task of covering the rear to you two. I will lead the army back to Yecheng first."

"Yes." Yan Liang and Zhang He bowed and agreed.

Next, Yubi City Lord General Lou Fa discovered that the number of Yuan army tents outside Yubi City was decreasing day by day, and the columns of smoke rising from the stoves were also decreasing day by day.

"Is Yuan Shao retreating?" Lou Fa asked Lou Qi and Gan Jiuyan, but Lou Fa was not sure. After all, things like tents and smoke columns could be faked. It was possible that Yuan Shao was just bluffing and was actually luring him out of the city to pursue him.

"Send a letter to Anyi and inform Governor Fa that Yuan Shao showed signs of withdrawing his troops." To be on the safe side, Lou Fa did not say too much. In the document he handed over to Anyi, he only said that Yuan's army showed signs of withdrawing.

As time went by, the number of Yuan army tents outside Yubi City became increasingly sparse, and the smoke rising from cooking fires decreased significantly. In addition, Lou Fa sent scouts to investigate, and he came to a definite answer - Yuan army was indeed retreating.

At the same time, after Fa Zheng of Anyi received the news, he discussed with Gan Ning and decided that Gan Ning would lead 3,000 elite soldiers to Yubi first to wait for an opportunity. If Yuan’s army really retreated, they would try to bite off a piece of meat from Yuan’s army and prevent Yuan’s army from retreating peacefully.

When Gan Ning arrived at Yubi and met with Lou Fa, Lou Fa immediately reported the latest military situation: "Yuan Shao is indeed withdrawing his troops. At present, 50% to 60% of his troops have already left. Only Yan Liang, Zhang He and others are left to cover the retreat."

Then Lou Fa asked, "I heard that General Fu Bo Ma Chao led more than 10,000 elite cavalry to Hedong. I wonder where they are now. If we use our elite cavalry to pursue them, we should be able to capture most of them."

"Ma Chao has just arrived at Puban. It will take him several days to get here. I'm afraid he won't be able to catch up. I should pursue him first." Gan Ning shook his head. He planned to follow and pursue the retreating Yuan army first.

"Yan Liang and Zhang He are famous generals in Hebei, and the soldiers under their command are all brave and sharp. But my brother arrived here first, and his troops are few in number, so I'm afraid we will be at a disadvantage in fighting with them." Lou Fa expressed his concerns.

Gan Ning patted Lou Fa on the shoulder and said, "Zi Chu, be at ease. I will act according to the situation and send out scouts and spies. I will not fall into the ambush of Yan Liang and Zhang He."

After the two men agreed, Lou Fa continued to defend Yubi City, while Gan Ning led 3,000 men to pursue Yuan's army. Along the way, he spread out his scouts far away to keep abreast of the surrounding situation. Soon, Gan Ning found a Yuan army retreating slowly, and he immediately ordered Gan Jiu and Gan Shisan to lead a group of soldiers to challenge them. With the combat power of their elite soldiers, Gan Jiu and Gan Shisan easily broke up the formation of this Yuan army.

When Gan Ning saw this, he was about to send in his reserve forces, but at this time a well-equipped Yuan army armed with halberds returned and came to rescue their friendly forces in distress.

"Soldiers using large halberds." Gan Ning had read the detailed documents about famous generals and elite soldiers in Hebei, and knew that Zhang He, a general under Yuan Shao, had a troop using large halberds. The combat power was very strong and there was no rival for them.

But Gan Ning believed that the combat power of his Jinfan Ranger was unmatched in the world, and his fighting spirit was burning, and he clenched the ring-handled sword in his hand.

When two strong forces meet, a war is about to break out.

……

Xudu.

"I remember that during the last meeting to discuss the attack on Ye City, Yuan Shao's people were not invited to participate."

Cao Cao's tone was full of confusion and bewilderment, which came from a piece of news that had come from Hebei: "Why is there a rumor spreading all over Ye City that I will lead troops to attack Ye City?"

When two armies are at war, the most important thing is to understand the other side and know its background, while at the same time concealing one's own true situation to prevent the enemy from knowing one's background.

Such military and national affairs concern life and death and cannot be taken lightly.

But what made Cao Cao angry was that he had just discussed with Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, Guo Jia and others about taking advantage of the fact that Yuan Shao sent troops to Hedong and Liyang and Yecheng were empty, to attack Yecheng and reap the benefits.

The next moment, Cao Cao received a document delivered from Yecheng, saying that everyone in the streets and alleys of Yecheng, the old, the weak, women and children, knew that he, the prime minister, had the intention of plotting to take over Yecheng.

"Someone leaked the news that there was a spy for Yuan Shao among the attendees." This was Cao Cao's first thought, and he immediately called in the people who had attended the previous meeting. He scanned them one by one with a sharp gaze, hoping to see some clues from their faces.

But considering that these people were old ministers who had followed him for many years, such as Cheng Yu and Mao Jie, and many of them had given up following Yuan Shao and joined him, such as Xun Yu and Guo Jia, the people attending the meeting should not have betrayed him and would not have the possibility of leaking secrets to Yuan Shao?

However, people's hearts are hidden. After experiencing the rebellion of Zhang Miao and Chen Gong, Cao Cao's suspicion was magnified. Except for Cao's generals and a few confidants, he looked at everyone with suspicion, so he still could not let go of the suspicion in his heart.

Xun Yu saw the suspicion on Cao Cao's face, so he said: "Mr. My Lord, I think the rumor in Ye that you led the army to attack Ye City must have been done by Liu Zhang."

"Now Yuan Shao has led an army of 100,000 and has dispatched troops to Hedong. He is attacking the counties in Hedong very urgently. Liu Zhang is troubled by this and must be thinking of a way to break the impasse... Yuan Shao's army is on a long expedition to Hedong, and the only one he is worried about is you. You have the Central Plains and are adjacent to Jizhou. If you lead your troops to attack Yecheng, Yuan Shao's retreat will be cut off.

"So it is most likely that Liu Zhang spread the rumor to frighten Yuan Shao so that he would not dare to stay in Hedong for long to fight, thus lifting the siege of Hedong."

The suspicion in Cao Cao's eyes faded away a little. Xun Yu's words were a reasonable explanation. Liu Zhang, the Grand Marshal of Guanzhong, had the reason and the need to do this.

However, Liu Zhang's actions ruined his plan. Cao Cao gritted his teeth and felt a headache. Yuan Shao's army was heading to Hedong, and Yecheng was empty. It was such a good opportunity. If he could grasp it, he might be able to take over Hebei in one battle.

But now, with Liu Zhang spreading rumors, Yecheng must have been on guard, and Liyang's defenses had probably been strengthened, so he had no chance.

If one wants to capture Yecheng easily, one must take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness. If one launches an attack when Liyang and Yecheng are well prepared, one may end up trapped inside a strong city.

By that time, Yuan Shao will return to Ye City with an army of 100,000, which will cause great trouble.

"With such rumors, Yecheng must be on guard. It is better to stop the attack on Yecheng. What do you think?" Xun Yu gave a suggestion. Since the opportunity for war disappeared, the attack on Yecheng could only be put on hold.

"Yes." Cao Cao nodded, but he knew that Yuan Shao would most likely detect his actions to reorganize the troops during this period, and given Yuan Shao's temper, he might turn his guns around and stab him.

As for why, Cao Cao knew it very well in his heart. Yuan Shao was extremely powerful, and the Yuan family had three officials in four generations who had been immersed in the court for a long time, and their students' hometowns were all over the world.

Although Emperor Liu Xie is currently in his hands, most of the ministers and officials from the prefectures and counties under him are loyal to Yecheng and have sent letters to Yecheng to express their sincerity. Especially in Runan, where the Yuan family started out, they are waiting for Yuan Shao's army to move south, take down Cao's flag, and raise Yuan's flag instead.

Therefore, Cao Cao knew that with his every move and every step he took, several letters from different people would be delivered to Yuan Shao in Xudu. Yuan Shao must be aware of his actions of reorganizing the troops and attacking Yecheng.

"Mingsir, news has come from Hedong that it has been raining for days since August and Yuan Shao has stopped attacking Yubi City." Guo Jia said worriedly, "Given Yuan Shao's character, he would probably retreat when faced with difficulties and obstacles. In addition, there are rumors in Yecheng that you are going to attack Ye..."

"I believe Yuan Shao is worried about his retreat and his attack on Yubi is not going well, so he will return to Yecheng. I'm afraid he will attack you tomorrow."

Cao Cao nodded heavily. After the summer harvest, Yuan Shao and Liu Zhang fought in Hedong. He was overjoyed when he heard about it. Yuan Shao and Liu Zhang were both his strong enemies and the only two rivals he could compete for in the Central Plains. While Yuan Shao and Liu Zhang were fighting, he could just sit back and watch, and reap the benefits.

However, facing Yuan Shao's army approaching, Liu Zhang's side defended alone and did not have the courage to decide the outcome of the battle. As a result, the war was not big enough, and it was not convenient for Cao Cao to wait for an opportunity to intervene, so as to avoid attracting hatred from Yuan Shao and Liu Zhang.

As time went by, Yuan Shao blocked his troops in Hedong for more than a month, and the attack and defense became really fierce. The forces were intertwined and could not be suddenly resolved for a while. Cao Cao thought that the opportunity had come, and he began to think of attacking Yecheng.

But before the plan to attack Ye was even started, rumors in Ye had already ruined the opportunity. Cao Cao knew that he had no chance of attacking Ye City. At the same time, Yuan Shao had heard of his recent preparations for the attack, and a major disturbance would arise between Hebei and the Central Plains.

"According to the order of the emperor, Liu Zhang will be rewarded as the King of Qin for his merits." Cao Cao gave a plan to break the deadlock. He planned to award Liu Zhang the title of King of Qin and let Liu Zhang continue to absorb Yuan Shao's firepower for him. (End of this chapter)