Survival Three Kingdoms

Chapter 157 Zhang Jiong's Conspiracy

Liu Bei led Guan Yu, Jian Yong, Sun Qian and others to set up a military camp in Xuyi. Although Guan Yu was brave and Ji Ling was unambiguous, he couldn't hold back Yuan Shu's crowd. They fought with Yuan Shu in several battles with each other winning and losing, and fell into a stalemate. Liu Bei was extremely anxious.

Yuan Shu couldn't defeat Liu Bei for a long time, and he was also very anxious. Just when he asked Zhang Jiong why Zhou Cang didn't send troops, his subordinates came to report Zhou Cang's five thousand troops and set up camp thirty miles away.Yuan Shu immediately changed his face, praised Zhang Jiong for his ability in handling affairs, and asked Zhang Jiong to immediately contact Zhou Cang to besiege Liu Bei's camp together.Zhou Cang received Yuan Shu's messenger and agreed to attack Liu Bei, but the food and grass had not yet arrived, so Yuan Shu was asked to wait a few more days.

When Liu Bei heard that Zhou Cang was coming with troops, he also sent a messenger to see Zhou Cang, and asked Zhou Cang what he meant by coming here. Zhou Cang explained straightforwardly that he was afraid that the two of them would fight with troops and Guangling would be harmed. The two disputes.

Liu Bei was skeptical after receiving the report, and wanted to send someone to check Zhou Cang's attitude again. Zhang Fei's defeated army arrived in Xuyi. "Brother, brothers Cao Bao and Cao Hong colluded with Lu Bu to lure me out to seize Xuzhou while the elder brother was not in the city. These two unrighteous people should have killed them in the first place to avoid future troubles. Let's return to the army and take back Xuzhou! "

Liu Bei was shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly called Jian Yong to discuss countermeasures with the two brothers, regardless of Zhou Cang.Jian Yong said: "My lord, let's make peace with Yuan Shu and return to the army quickly. But I suggest not to attack Xuzhou first, but to go to Xiapi first. Xuzhou has been lost, and Xiapi cannot be lost again."

"I'm afraid it's too late to go back to Xiapi. We should return to the army and take back Xuzhou while Lu Bu has just captured Xuzhou," Guan Yu said.

Several people were still discussing, the news of Xuzhou being occupied spread quickly among Liu Bei's army, and he came out to fight, but his hometown was occupied, and all kinds of rumors appeared in the army in an instant, the morale of the soldiers was low, and they had no fighting spirit. Xuzhou, this news also reached Yuan Shu's ears. Yuan Shu smiled happily and immediately ordered Ji Ling to lead the army to attack Liu Bei with all his strength. Liu Bei's army could no longer compete with Yuan Shu and collapsed without a fight.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei defended Liu Bei with their lives, and Jian Yong retreated to the vicinity of Pengcheng with three or 4000 people, but they separated from Sun Qian.Seeing Liu Bei's retreat, Zhang Liao stuck to Pengcheng and refused to fight, so he sent someone to report to Lu Bu.

When Zhou Cang heard that Yuan Shu was going all out to attack Liu Bei, he laughed loudly and called Xu Sheng over: "Don't you want recruits, here they come now. You and Xu Huang just go to collect Liu Bei's defeated army and military resources. How much can you collect?" I will give you as much as you want, and remember not to fight Yuan Shu and Liu Bei." Xu Huang and Xu Sheng were feeling uncomfortable, and immediately launched a dragnet and carpet search after receiving the order. People, horses, weapons, armor, and flags were all missing. let go.

So Zhou Cang didn't spend a penny, and when Liu Bei's three thousand defeated army and a large amount of military resources were collected, Xu Huang even arrested Sun Qian who had run away with Liu Bei.

In this battle, Yuan Shu won a complete victory and captured nearly 5000 Liu Bei. Although Yuan Shu was a little happy, he was still not very satisfied. First, the rich and powerful Yuan Shu didn't like the 5000 people at all, and second, he made a big meal by himself. However, he was taken advantage of by Lu Bu, and Xuzhou was captured by Lu Bu, so he always felt that he had suffered a disadvantage.

He called Zhang Jiong over: "Although we have defeated Liu Bei, we haven't acquired Xuzhou yet. The abominable Lu Bu has snatched Xuzhou. I plan to continue attacking Xuzhou. What do you think?"

"My subordinates congratulate my lord for this great victory. This battle will definitely make my lord famous among the princes, and no one in the world dares to despise my lord." Zhang Jiong first patted the horse, and Yuan Shu's face became more or less good-looking.

"My lord's expedition this time is to avenge Tao Qian and show off your prestige. Now that the goal has been achieved, why bother adding more to the snake, which is not beautiful? I think the time has come for the lord to become emperor. With this great victory, we can go back The enthronement ceremony is being prepared." Zhang Jiong wanted to persuade Yuan Shu to accept as soon as he was good, so he stopped here.

Hearing that he could be enthroned, this is a major event and cannot be delayed, Yuan Shu's face looked a little better. "Is this the way to forget? Lu Bu is so cheap?" Yuan Shu was still a little bit reluctant.

Zhang Jiong was speechless for a while, his mind was running fast, and soon he came up with an idea: "The subordinate came up with a perfect plan: the enthronement cannot be delayed, and the lord should go back to Huainan to announce it to the world. As for Lu Bu, he just took Xuzhou, and his subordinates must be displeased." Steady, my subordinates suggest to win over Lv Bu's subordinates to make them rebel against Lv Bu and seek refuge with our lord. If we succeed, we will take Xuzhou without a single soldier. , Let him fight Cao Cao with us."

"Well, not bad, not bad, it's very much to my liking." Yuan Shu was in a good mood, "But Xuzhou was given to Lu Bu like this? What if Lu Bu doesn't ally with me? Then I have another enemy?"

"My lord sent troops to Liu Bei, so Lu Bu had the opportunity to take Xuzhou. He can only be grateful to my lord. If my lord recommends him as the Xuzhou shepherd again, how can he not be attached to you? Besides, my lord is too forgetful, isn't there Zhou Cang?" Zhou Weiguo?"

"Zhou Cang? I heard that he has an unusual relationship with Lu Bu. He gave up Pengcheng to Lu Bu. Will he agree?" Yuan Shu asked suspiciously.

"He was afraid that Liu Bei would harm him, so he invited Lu Bu here. Now that Liu Bei has been defeated and Lu Bu occupies Xuzhou, he should worry that Lu Bu will harm him. Didn't we capture five thousand Xuzhou soldiers? It's useless to keep them, so why don't we just give them?" Zhou Cang, if you sell favors, then he will definitely obey the lord when he gets benefits." Zhang Jiong was really embarrassed, when his upper lip touched his lower lip, he actually said such a truth.

Yuan Shu felt very reasonable. "Okay, then I'll go back to Huainan, and I'll leave the matter here to you to deal with the aftermath, and I will not treat you badly after it is done."

"Yes, my lord, please don't worry, my subordinates will definitely take care of it." Zhang Jiong left Yuan Shu's camp in a happy mood, and looked back meaningfully when he went out: I will never come back again!
Xu Sheng got another 8000 recruits, and there were 5000 recruits. He was really happy.Zhou Cang didn't expect that there would be so many people. Originally, he estimated that 5000 people would be very good, but Zhang Jiong brought an unexpected [-] people. "Xu Sheng, we have agreed. If the recruits are not good enough, I will ask you."

Xu Sheng said: "Master, this is too much..."

"You are the one who dislikes too little, and now you are the one who dislikes too much." Zhou Cang looked at Xu Sheng and felt amused. "Well, you don't have to keep all the 8000 people. You select five thousand and send the rest to farms."

After sending Xu Sheng away happily, Zhang Jiong said to Zhou Cang with tears in his eyes: "My lord, I won't go back. Just let me stay with my lord, even if I'm just a small official."

(End of this chapter)