Prancing Horse Xiliang

Chapter 236 Abandoning Linjing
Yuan Shao was the first to draw a lot, and when he saw the number on it, his face immediately darkened, and he looked at Cao Cao with a gloomy look.

Seeing Yuan Shao like this, Cao Cao knew that he must have been drawn ahead, and couldn't help but smile wickedly.

After everyone had finished drawing lots, the results came out, Yuan Shao was in the first round, Zhang Miao was in the second round, Tao Qian, who wanted to lead the race, got the last round, and Gongsun Zan was in the penultimate round.

Cao Cao was drawn to the middle position, neither good nor bad, but he secretly thought, Yuan Benchu ​​was drawn in the first round, so he might hate himself now.But after speaking, Yuan Benchu ​​felt unlucky, so how could he blame himself.

The lottery has been drawn, so naturally there is nothing to discuss.

It's just that the faces of Yuan Shao, Zhang Miao and other princes in the fighting formation were ugly.

The next day, all the princes set up their camps, entered the Hulao pass, and immediately raised their troops to tackle the key points in sequence.

At the same time, Sun Jian, the prefect of Wujun, and Yuan Shu, the governor of Yuzhou, also sent out troops from Yangren to attack Daguguan;

Long County, Luo Zheng's official residence.

Cheng Ying stepped into the inner hall quickly, bowed to Luo Zheng and said: "Master, the envoy sent to Hanzhong has returned!"

Luo Zheng put down the brush, let Chengying sit down, and then asked: "Why, what did Zhang Lu say?"

Cheng Ying replied: "Zhang Lu refused to hand over Ma Chao!"

Luo Zheng said in surprise: "Why is this?"

Jia Xu continued, "General, Ma Chao led the people to join him in Hanzhong. Even if Zhang Lu didn't care about Ma Chao, he would not tie Ma Chao up and hand him over to the general. Besides, Ma Chao is a rare general, how could Zhang Lu let him go?" The reason for passing!"

Luo Zheng thought about it for a while, then he understood, and said: "It's the general who didn't think about it!"

Jia Xu and Cheng Ying looked at each other, then looked away without saying anything.

The two had expected this result a long time ago, but these two old foxes have already become fine, and they are well versed in the way of being a minister. At the beginning, Luo Zheng was wishful thinking and full of confidence, so it was not easy to make a direct remonstrance, so I didn't say it .

Luo Zheng also thought of this immediately, and said in self-examination: "There is a cloud in the Analects of Confucius, I will be my own body for three days, the sages and sages have already warned, but this general has forgotten it. It seems that recently, this general It’s true that I’m getting carried away with complacency. If there is something to think about in the future, Wen He and Gong Ying must not hide their clumsiness, and must remind this general!”

Jia Xu and Cheng Ying looked at each other again, then they clasped their hands together and said, "I obey!"

But in my heart, I was somewhat relieved that getting carried away is not terrible, as long as it can be corrected in time.

It is indeed commendable that Luo Zheng can quickly realize his own shortcomings, and candidly review himself in front of his subordinates. At least Jia Xu and Chengying have not seen this quality in other princes who have served.

This alone has surpassed Han Sui and Ma Teng's generation.

Luo Zheng asked again, "So, the matter of borrowing food was also rejected by Zhang Lu?"

Cheng Ying said: "Zhang Luyan, if the lord wants to borrow money and food, he must let him teach and preach among the Han people under his rule before he is willing to lend the lord money and food. I think that Zhang Lu may have seen through the lord's plan."

Jia Xu also said: "This statement is reasonable. The Qiang and Hu people don't know etiquette and enlightenment, they only advocate force. The teachings of the five buckets of rice want to educate the Qiang and Hu people. It is simply wishful thinking. It is also reasonable for Zhang Lu to make such a request. .”

Luo Zheng frowned and said: "It seems that Zhang Lu is not stupid, it will not be so easy to use it in the future."

Jia Xu said: "The top priority is to stabilize the three counties of Hanyang, Longxi, and Wudu as soon as possible, dispatch troops quickly to stabilize them, wipe out Lu Bu with a thunderbolt, and take all ten counties of Liangzhou, and then prepare troops to deal with the Central Plains battlefield!"

Luo Zheng said happily: "What Wen He said is very true, just do it!"

June.

Yizhou Mu Liuyan confronted Hanzhong prefect Zhang Lu in Jiange for nearly three months. He couldn't see Hanzhong, and he couldn't lead his army to Luoyang Qinwang.

Zhang Lu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the [-] troops also withdrew from Baocheng.

Ma Chao took the opportunity to speak to Zhang Lu, intending to use troops to attack Wudu, take Wudu for Zhang Lu, and avenge his father at the same time.

Zhang Lu refused without even thinking about it. Are you kidding me? Is that guy Luo Zheng easy to provoke?Zhang Lu has no ambitions, he just wants to guard Hanzhong as the local emperor, and he doesn't plan to expand the territory, let alone get into trouble.

At the beginning of July, after Luo Zheng initially stabilized the situation in the three counties of Hanyang, Longxi, and Wudu, he immediately led an army of [-] cavalry out of Longxi, passed through Ayang, crossed Wuzhi, and crossed Kaikai Mountain to Dinglinjing, Anding County.

Upon hearing the news, Lu Bu hurriedly summoned his generals to discuss a strategy to retreat from the enemy.

Linjing, Lu Bu's official residence.

Lu Bu's face was livid with anger, and he slammed his fist on the table, rather angrily said: "At most, there will be half a month before the autumn grain can go to the ground, and this guy just raised his troops to attack at this time, I am really angry." !"

Zhang Liao said solemnly: "My lord, Luo Zheng rushed to send troops at this time, just because he didn't want our army to collect enough food and grass to defend Linjing after the autumn grains went to the ground. It's really vicious! Even if you hurry up now, it's too late!"

Lu Bu was so angry that he wanted to vomit blood, the feeling of being forced was really annoying.

Wei Xu said with low confidence: "My lord, our army is full of plans. Even if we call up soldiers and horses stationed in various counties, there will be no more than [-] soldiers to fight at most, and there is not enough food and grass. I am afraid that it will not be able to stop Luo Zheng's [-] troops Great army. From the point of view of the general, it is better to simply abandon the two counties of Beidi and Anding, and go to Guanzhong to join Duan Yan, so that we can preserve our strength."

"This……"

Lu Bu's face changed, and he was quite moved.

Linjing was about to run out of food, and even the generals in command began to eat bran and swallow vegetables, not to mention ordinary soldiers, not only could only eat one meal a day, but it was just light soup, which was not enough to fill their stomachs at all.

In the past few days, there have been soldiers making troubles almost every day because they didn't have enough to eat. Although they were suppressed, it was not a long-term solution.

If Luo Zheng didn't raise his troops to attack, he would still be able to survive until the autumn grains went to the ground.

But now that Luo Zheng personally mentioned the army to invade, once he was trapped in Linjing, he would definitely die.

"My lord, absolutely not!"

Zhang Liao was the first to object: "Dong Zhuo's usurping the Han and standing on his own is really treasonous. My lord finally got rid of my lord. If I lead the crowd to vote again, I will become the public enemy of the world and lose the hearts of the people. How can I gain a foothold in the future!"

Wei Xu said disapprovingly: "Zhang Liao, don't be alarmist. A person's mouth is like two skins. According to what you said, that guy Luo Zheng slaughtered the nobles and became a public enemy long ago. He still lives well."

"How can this be compared!"

Zang Ba said in a deep voice: "That guy Luo Zheng is aggressive, not only looting money and food everywhere, but even robbing people, it's completely a robber's style, look at his rule, many places don't even have county magistrates, how can any gentry be willing to do it for him? Effectiveness, all the territories laid down must be garrisoned by heavy troops, although they gain power for a while, how can it last for a long time, my lord can't be Xiaofang."

Zhang Liao also said: "That's right, my lord must not lose righteousness and lose the hearts of scholars in the world!"

"This one……"

Lu Bu was in a dilemma and didn't know who to listen to.

Xu Wei's proposal was correct, but what Zhang Liao and Zang Ba said were also correct.

Sometimes, occupying the righteousness is indeed more important than momentary gain and loss.

But Lu Bu's subordinates only have such a small capital, and they really don't want to spend it all. It is too difficult to start a business.

Hou Chengpi smiled and said: "Since this is the case, then you must think of a way to fight back."

Zhang Liao and Zang Ba immediately fell silent. If they wanted to retreat from the enemy, they would have said it long ago, so why would they wait until now.

Wei Xu cupped his hands to Lu Bu and said, "My lord, the [-] army is the foundation of our army, and we must not continue to consume it any longer! Going to Guanzhong is the only way out for our army. Please make a quick decision, my lord, lest things change."

Lu Bu was a little irritable, got up and walked back down the hall for a few steps, then suddenly made up his mind, and said decisively: "Wei Xu, quickly gather the troops and horses to withdraw from Linjing, and then send people to Chang'an, just say that this general is willing to fight for you." Dong, I am willing to serve His Majesty."

"As ordered!"

Wei Xu took the order bravely, got up and left the hall quickly.

Cheng Lian, Hao Meng, Hou Cheng and other generals also breathed a sigh of relief.

Only Zhang Liao and Zang Ba looked at each other, each sighed, and remained silent.

At this moment, suddenly a little schoolboy rushed in with a panicked face, and said loudly: "My lord, something is wrong."

Lu Bu's eyelids twitched, and he said in a deep voice, "Why are you panicking, speak slowly, what happened?"

The little colonel took a breath, and then said in a concentrated voice: "Our scouts reported back, Luo Zheng personally led more than [-] cavalry to march lightly, and drove forward for more than [-] miles within three days. Linjing!"

"what?"

Lu Bu was taken aback, Huo Di stood up and said, "Mr. Luo Zheng came so fast?"

Xiaoxiao nodded repeatedly and kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

General Hou Cheng's face changed: "It's bad, Mr. Luo Zheng is trying to trap us in Linjing, like Ma Teng, just wait for the food in the city, and then we can only catch him without a fight. The only way is now, my lord, please speed up the army to go south , to get rid of Luo Zheng's pursuit."

All the generals were dignified, and they didn't expect Luo Zheng's army to come so fast.

Even Zhang Liao and Zang Ba were no exception. Luo Zheng had many cavalry under his command. Even if more than [-] cavalry could not attack the city by force, it would still be enough to hold Lu Bu's [-] troops in Linjing. The situation was extremely dire.

What's more terrible is that there are still more than [-] soldiers and horses who have not rushed to Linjing, and there are only more than [-] soldiers and horses in Linjing.

If they were to withdraw now, they would have to give up the more than [-] soldiers who hadn't arrived yet to assemble.

Lu Bu's complexion changed, he was very unwilling, but he also knew that the situation was critical, so he couldn't hesitate at all. After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly made up his mind and said decisively: "Go and gather the army, and go out to the south of Linjing now."

"As ordered!"

The generals solemnly took orders, and quickly went to prepare separately.

Forty miles west of Linjing.

Tens of thousands of cavalry are all over the mountains and plains, rolling eastward.

In the middle of the army, Luo Zhengxin Ma Youjiang let go of the reins and let the bloody BMW run at a constant speed.

Not long after the army passed the Qingshi Bank, a scout came galloping ahead.

"Report-"

The scout cavalry rushed to the front and said loudly: "My lord, Lu Bu abandoned Linjing and led his army to the south."

"Lu Bu ran away?"

Luo Zheng's eyes narrowed, and he gently reined in the horse.

The scout soldier shouted: "Exactly!"

Jia Xu urged the horse to catch up, and after thinking for a while, he said, "General, our army hastened to send troops before the autumn grains go to the ground. Lu Bu thought he knew that even if he fought to the death, he would not be able to defend Linjing. Now it seems that he is going south to Guanzhong , go to Duan Yan."

"Go to Duan Yao?"

Luo Zheng frowned and said: "Lv Bu got rid of Dong Zhuo with great difficulty. Today, the princes are raising troops to serve the king. If this guy goes to join Duan Yan, wouldn't he jump into the fire pit on his own initiative? Even if Dong Zhuo is defeated in the future, there will be no place for him in the world. "

Jia Xu sighed: "There is no way to survive by defending Linjing. At least you can preserve your strength by going to Duan Yan. It is better to rely on Dong Zhuo than wait for death in Linjing. Besides, Dong Zhuo may not necessarily be defeated. I think Lu Bu's actions are understandable."

Luo Zheng thought for a moment, then nodded, and asked the scout soldiers, "How many soldiers and horses does Lu Bu have?"

The scout soldier replied, "About six thousand."

Luo Zheng made a 'huh' sound, and said: "There should be more than this number of soldiers and horses under Lu Bu's command. It seems that the general is rushing lightly, and Lu Bu's soldiers and horses stationed in various places have not had time to gather. This time it should be a hasty trip south!"

Jia Xu hurriedly said: "The general can quickly go south to pursue, and must wipe out his main force."

Luo Zheng said happily: "Good, just follow the words of Wenhe!"

(End of this chapter)