Chapter 308: Liang's army is unstoppable, Guan Yu leads troops back to the court

In October of the tenth year of Jian'an (197), Emperor Xian of Han, Guo Jia led a 15,000 army, claiming to be 50,000, and attacked Nanyang with great fanfare, trying to restrain Ma Yue's 20,000 Liangzhou elites near Wancheng. Ma Yue personally took charge of Nanyang to resist Guo Jia's army. At the same time, he ordered Fang Yue, Gao Shun and Xu Huang to launch fierce attacks on Hangu Pass and Luoyang, threatening Xuchang.

Almost at the same time as the Battle of Guandu broke out, the Liang army and the Cao army also began a life-and-death battle.

Before Hangu Pass.

The horns sounded together, and the drums shook the sky.

The tumultuous black smoke rose, covering the setting sun in the winter and the sky and the earth was dark.

Amid the shouts of overwhelming shouts, the black Hanzhong surrendered army stepped on the bodies of their companions and swept towards the Hangu Pass like a tide. Endless arrows poured down from the walls, and the Hanzhong surrendered army that was clamoring down fell one by one, but no one stopped.

Most of the 20,000 surrendered troops in Hanzhong were believers of the Five Dou Rice Sect. These Five Dou Sect believers were wearing tattered cloth armor, mostly holding bamboo swords and wooden swords. Only a few soldiers had rust swords and dull swords. In terms of equipment, they could not compare with the elite Liangzhou legion, and even ordinary county soldiers were quite inferior to those of ordinary county soldiers.

This group of believers is not as disciplined and hierarchical as the Liangzhou army, and lacks basic military training. In essence, they are just farmers, and they are completely a mob!

However, this group of Five Dou Cultists was not useless. Driven by fanatical religious thoughts, most of these Five Dou Cultists were fearless. If Zhang Lu had not surrendered to preserve the Five Dou Cultist in the Battle of Hanzhong, this group of Five Dou Cultists would have fought to the last one. Even if the Liang army could win the final victory, it would have suffered heavy casualties.

Zhang Lu would be sympathetic to the life and death of the believers, but Ma Butcher can't do it, and Fang Yue, the subordinate of Ma Butcher, even more so!

The Hanzhong surrendered army charged forward fearlessly, and fell into a pool of blood. Fang Yue didn't even blink his eyes. Zhang Wei was so heartbroken that he was bleeding, but Fang Yue just glared at him coldly: "This is war, how can war not kill people?"

"Bang bang bang..."

One ladder after another reached the wall of Hangu Pass. The black Hanzhong surrendered army was like a crazy ants climbing up the ladder. Rolling wood and rocks fell like rain from the wall. Hanzhong soldiers fell down one after another, with broken tendons and broken bones, and boiling hot tincture oil poured down from the wall.

With the rockets falling, the wall suddenly became a burning hell. In the burning flames, countless Hanzhong soldiers were running helplessly, wailing in pain... However, no one stopped. The drums of war were endless and the horns were endless. The believers of the Five Dok Rice Sect would never stop attacking!

"General, please allow the last general to lead the army to fight!"

"General, let the last general go! The last general is willing to issue a military order and decide to seize Hangu Pass before dark!"

Yang Ren and Yang Ang walked to Fang Yue with great strides. Their eyes were already red. The large number of deaths of the surrendered troops in Hanzhong had aroused endless murderous intent in their hearts. They could no longer bear the feeling of the soldiers under their command charging forward, but they were huddled in the back and watching coldly.

"No, it's not time for you to go to war now!"

Fang Yue ignored Yang Ren, Yang Ang refused with a hideous look.

At the critical moment of Hangu, Cao Xiu was covered in blood and stood with his sword.

The burning flames under the walls made his handsome face red, but his heart was cold. Although Cao Xiu was young, he began to follow Cao Cao in battles when he was young. Until now, he has been in hundreds of battles, but Cao Xiu has never seen such an army!

The equipment of this group of "Liang Army" was even worse than that of the Qingzhou Yellow Turban Thiefs who were wandering in Yanzhou, and there was no rigorous formation. Whether it was a knife and shield, a spearman, or a small number of archers, they had no cooperation or cover at all, and they all rushed forward like a swarm.

But it was such a group of "masses" that made Cao Xiu, who had never known what fear was, deeply feared. This was not a human being, not at all. They were a group of wild beasts, crazy beasts! They seemed to never be afraid of death, and the death of their companions could not be exchanged for even a trace of hesitation and retreat.

“Woooooooooooo…”

The fierce drums of war stopped abruptly, and the desolate horns rang out. The Five Dogs of Rice Cultists crowded under the wall finally retreated like a tide. In just a moment, they retreated clean from the gate. Under Hangu Pass, corpses were everywhere, and fire was everywhere. The burnt smell of the corpses filled the sky with a strong smell of blood, and the people in the middle were about to vomit.

"Huh~~"

Cao Xiu looked up to the sky and let out a long breath of bloody air. Looking at the western sky, it finally faded gradually. The longest day since memory finally passed, and Cao Xiu felt a sense of relief and fatigue in his heart, and this was something that had never happened before.

"Come."

Cao Xiu gently wiped away the blood from Qinghong's sword, turned around and turned around, with a cold expression.

"What are the general's instructions?"

The blood-filled captain struggled to stand up and tried his best to stand up. But unfortunately, his left leg was already injured in the fierce battle just now. In order to block a cold arrow for Cao Xiu, he sacrificed his left leg.

Cao Xiu glanced at the left leg of the captain of his personal soldiers with expressionless expression and ordered: "Immediately send someone to ask for emergency in Luoyang. The offensive of the Liangzhou army is far beyond expectations. According to the current situation of the two armies, Hangu Pass can only be kept for three days at most and will never last for three months. Please send reinforcements quickly by General Cao Ren."

"Affect the order."

The captain of the personal soldiers agreed and struggled to go.

Luoyang.

Cao Ren was patrolling the city tower, and suddenly there was a rush of footsteps from behind. He turned around and saw the captain of the personal soldiers rushing up the city tower and saying to Cao Ren: "General, Meng Jin urgently reported, Pingyin urgently reported, Hangu Pass urgently reported!"

Cao Ren's face turned cold and he said in a deep voice: "Tell me."

The captain of the personal soldiers said: "The Liang army's strong general Xu Huang led 10,000 troops to Mengjin, and the Liang army's general Gao Shun led 20,000 troops to approach Pingyin. The two armies were only a hundred miles away from Luoyang. In addition, General Cao Xiu condemned the fast horses to come and rushed to the emergency. The Liang army's offensive was far beyond the forecast, and Hangu Pass could only last for three days at most!"

Cao Ren was shocked. The Liangzhou army was coming so fast!

In just a few days, the two Liangzhou troops were approaching within a hundred miles of Luoyang. What made Cao Ren feel heavy was that Ma Butcher actually mobilized a total of 30,000 troops to attack Luoyang. At present, there are only 5,000 troops in Luoyang City, and there is still insufficient self-protection. How can he mobilize troops to Hangu?

A trace of convulsion flashed across Cao Ren's mouth, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Where is Cao Tai (Cao Ren's eldest son)?"

Cao Tai stood up and said sternly: "I am here, what are my father's instructions?"

Cao Ren said: "Lead two thousand troops and retreat immediately to Hulao Pass!"

"Ah?" Cao Tai said in a lost voice, "Split the troops and retreat to Hulao Pass? Then how can Luoyang defend?"

"You don't have to worry about this." Cao Ren said coldly, "You just need to execute military orders!"

Cao Tai said anxiously: "Father?"

Cao Ren shouted: "Military orders are like a mountain!"

Cao Tai had no choice but to take the order and leave.

Watching Cao Tai go away, Cao Ren said again: "Come."

The captain of the personal soldiers said, "What are the general's instructions?"

Cao Ren said sadly: "Quickly condemn the horses to Wancheng to challenge the military advisors. Now 50,000 Liangzhou troops are in the forefront, and they are divided into three groups to attack Hangu and Luoyang. Hangu will be lost within three days, and it will be difficult for Luoyang to defend for a long time. Cao Tai has already divided his troops and refused to guard Huzhu and guard the last barrier in Xuchang. Ren decided to defend Luoyang to the death and burned his thief with the jade and stones."

"General!?"

The captain of the personal soldiers was shocked and Cao Ren said this tone to explain the funeral!

Cao Ren said coldly: "You can't go quickly!"

The captain of the personal soldiers bowed and turned around and left quickly.

Wancheng North, Guo Jia's military account.

"Ahem cough cough..."

A suffocating cough sounded, and the tent suddenly became silent. Outside the military tent, Cao Zhen held a lacquer letter in his hand, making it difficult to move. I wonder if he should lift the curtain or turn around and leave?

"Is there a young man outside the tent?"

When Cao was really at a loss, Guo Jia's weak voice suddenly sounded in the tent, and Cao Zhen had to lift the curtain and enter.

In the military tent, Guo Jia was leaning on the brocade mat tiredly and was on the brazier to keep warm. Seeing that Cao Zhen came in, he could no longer bow, so he only smiled bitterly on his face and said, "Young Master, I am in a state of ill health, so I can't bow anymore."

Cao Zhen said anxiously: "The military advisor does not need to be polite."

Guo Jia coughed twice again and asked, "Young Master, is there any movement in Liang Jun opposite?"

Cao Zhen said: "The Liang army attacked the camp twice in one night, both of which were expected by the military advisors. I have already repelled the Liang army in accordance with the military advisor's arrangement."

"Yeah." Guo Jia nodded tiredly and said, "Liang Army is testing the reality of our army. The war has just begun. You must not take it lightly."

Cao Zhen clasped his fists and said, "Remember the military teacher's teachings."

When Cao Zhen clasped his fists, Guo Jia saw the hot lacquer script in his hand and couldn't help asking: "Young Master, the hot lacquer script in your hand is in urgent need of the document?"

Cao Zhenwei said: "This..."

"Young Master." Guo Jia said, "When is it now? Tell me, what happened?"

"Alas." Cao Zhen sighed, "Uncle Ren condemned the quick horse and sent an urgent letter. The 50,000 Liangzhou troops were divided into three groups and attacked Hangu and Luoyang. Hangu Pass could only be kept for three days at most, and Luoyang could not be defended for a long time. Now Uncle Ren has condemned Cao Tai's brother to divide his troops to guard Huzhu, thinking that Xuchang's last barrier. Uncle Ren himself led his army to defend Luoyang to death, and was determined to burn his thief with the thief."

"Three days!?" Guo Jia said miserably, "By the time, Hangu Pass has been lost now!"

Cao Zhen said sadly: "Military advisor, I'm afraid Luoyang is no longer protected. Now there is only the last barrier of Hulao Pass. If Hulao Pass is lost again, 50,000 Liangzhou can drive straight into the front of Xudu, and the troops will be heading straight to Xudu! In this way, our army's offensive in Nanyang will be meaningless!"

"Is that true?" Guo Jia looked tragic and sighed to Cao Zhen, "The Liang army can break through Hangu and Luoyang, which was originally expected by this military advisor, but what the military advisor did not expect was that Hangu Pass and Luoyang were lost so quickly. The Liangzhou army of the butcher's horse is indeed extraordinary!"

Cao Zhen said: "Military advisor, it's too late to return to Luoyang now!"

"Yes." Guo Jia nodded and said without thinking, "Young Master, quickly order the three armies to raise troops overnight to withdraw back to Yingchuan!"

Wancheng, Ma Yue’s military tent.

"Hahaha……"

The good news came, Ma Yue, Jia Xu and Li Su laughed at each other, and the atmosphere in the tent seemed extremely warm.

Ma Yue slapped the map on the table and said proudly: "Fang Yue broke through Hangu, Gao Shun captured Luoyang, and Xu Huang led three thousand light cavalry to attack the Huzhu at night. Once this last barrier fell, the whole Xuchang would be like a stripped-down girl, nakedly exposed to our army's 'iron spear'!"

Li Suhong continued with a gloomy face: "In this way, Guo Jia's offensive in Nanyang will become meaningless. Even if he can restrain his lord's 20,000 elite troops in Wancheng, so what? Xuchang's fall will still be inevitable! Even if Guo Jia is genius and has no choice but to make plans, he will never be able to change the huge gap in strength between Cao's army and our army!"

Jia Xu said: "Yes, in the face of absolute strength, all conspiracies will be useless."

"Guo Gui's skills are only here!" Ma Yue waved his hand and said loudly, "Cao Cao is about to be defeated. Once this trouble is removed, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, hahaha..."

"Report..." When Ma Yuezheng laughed, Ju suddenly stepped into the tent and knelt down and said quickly, "Lord, Cao's army set off the camp overnight and retreated to Yingchuan!"

"Guo Jia wants to run?" Ma Yue looked fierce and said coldly, "There is no door, where is Dian Wei?"

Dian Wei stepped forward and said sternly: "What are the lord's instructions?"

Ma Yue said: "Tell me the order, the entire army will gather immediately and pursue Cao's army!"

Li Su said: "Lord, our army has attacked twice overnight. The soldiers are extremely tired. If you pursue them again, you may be defeated by Cao's army."
To be continued...