"Oh no." Ma Dai's face changed and he stood up anxiously, "In this way, I would like to lead a cavalry back to seize the camp."

Fa Zhengdao: "I'm afraid it's too late."

Ma Chao said: "Zhongyue (Ma Dai's name is a word called "Ma Dai") should not be reckless. It is useless to be urgent. You can let the entire army rest overnight and wait until tomorrow, and then make a decision."

Chen Dao said: "What the Major General said is that nearly 8,000 elite troops of our army have been gathered at the pass. Even if Sun Jian brings up a hundred thousand troops to fight, he will not be able to fight in less than ten days or half a month. Moreover, after a long journey, the soldiers have just experienced a fierce battle and need rest in urgent need. Let's wait until tomorrow."

Fa Zhengdao: "That's all."

Xuchang, Cao Cao's official residence.

When Cao Cao was sitting at his desk, he was suddenly awakened by footsteps. When he looked up, his clan's son Cao Xiu entered the side hall, bowed to Cao Cao, and said, "See Uncle."

"Wen Lie is not given a gift." Cao Cao waved his hand and asked Cao Xiu, "Have General Zhang He invited him?"

Cao Xiu said: "It's already outside the hall."

Cao Cao said, "Please invite him."

"Affect the order."

Cao Xiu bowed and retreated. After a while, Zhang He had already stepped in quickly and bowed to Cao Cao aloud and said, "I will meet the lord."

"General Zhang He is exempted from the ceremony." Cao Cao Su said, "and come to the seat."

"Thank you lord."

Zhang He bowed again with his fists, stepped forward and sat down on the ground, facing Cao Cao's side by side.

Cao Cao sighed deeply, suddenly pulled out his sword and turned the hilt backwards and handed it to Zhang He, saying, "General Zhang He, please kill the head of the orphan."

Zhang He was shocked and said, "Why is this the lord?"

Cao Cao said: "The butcher Ma hated the lonely and the bones. Although the general had a grudge against Ma Chao to kill his father, if he could offer his or her head, the general might be able to save his life."

Zhang He stood up quickly, leaned on the table in panic, and said, "If the lord wants to harm each other, why do you find this excuse? Just kill me directly."

"I am the heart of my heart." Cao Cao said with a sigh: "Now that I am trapped in Xudu, and I am already at the end of my life. I am afraid it will be difficult to escape this disaster. After I die, Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, Liu Zhang and others are not opponents of horse butchers. Although Sun Jian, a fierce tiger in Jiangdong, is quite majestic, but unfortunately, it is difficult to defend for a long time. In less than ten years, the world must be the stuff of horse butchers! The general came to surrender when he was poor and helped him defeat Yuan Shao. His achievements were not as good as Emperor Gaozu's power was poor."

"It's a pity that the luck is not good. Since Cao is born, why do you have a horse? Now that you are lonely and poor, you are about to lose. You can't repay the general's love and righteousness. There is only one head, so the general can take it with confidence."

"Lord!" Zhang He said sadly, "I was framed by a villain and turned against me in front of the battlefield. When I surrendered to the lord, I realized that my lord's talent was far from comparable to Yuan Shao's mediocre talents. I always said to Jiang Qi and Han Mengyan that I now meet a wise lord and want to fight on the battlefield and establish a success. Isn't it worth my life? Moreover, since I surrendered to the lord, all the young members of Yecheng were harmed by Yuan Ni, and I have become an irreconcilable hatred with Yuan Shao, and I also have a grudge against Ma Chao. Ma Chao is a confidant of Ma Yue, so how can I be compatible?"

"The lord's move is called saving me, but it is actually a harm!" Zhang He said that, snatched the sword from the case and crossed it to his neck, and said tragically, "If the lord suspects that I have two intentions, I will only die if I have no choice but to speak out!"

After saying that, Zhang He pulled the sword in his hand and wanted to commit suicide.

"General, no!" Cao Cao quickly snatched the sword. The sharp blade cut off Cao Cao's palm in an instant. Blood fell down, but Cao Cao seemed to have not realized it, and he persuaded Zhang He, "I am wrong, I should never doubt the general. The general quickly put down the sword in his hand."

Zhang He abandoned his sword in dejectedly, and a bloody mouth had been cut from his neck, and the blood was flowing like a stream.

Cao Cao personally bandaged Zhang He's wound, and then pointed at the heavens and swore: "From now on, if Guru is suspicious of the general again, he will be killed by the five thunders!"

Zhang He was so grateful that he cried and said, "If someone betrays his lord, he will be killed by thousands of arrows!"

"Hahaha." Cao Cao laughed three times, stepped forward and helped Zhang He up and said, "General, please get up."

"Lord!" Zhang He stood up, clasped his fists and said, "Don't stay in the city for as long as possible, why not break through as soon as possible?"

"I also intend to break through, but I am afraid that I will be plotted by the horse butcher!" Cao Cao said in a difficult situation. "Although the 20,000 Western Liang Iron Cavalry is missing, how can I know it is not a trick set by the horse butcher and Jia Dushi? To lure our army to break through on the voluntary."

Zhang He said: "Breaking through is death, and not breaking through is death. Both the left and right are dead. Why not break through to death?"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, his slightly narrowed eyes suddenly opened and said, "Good, as the general said, I will break through at night when it is dark today!"

Zhang He said: "I am willing to lead the elite troops of our headquarters to fight for a bloody path!"

Cao Cao said: "I have a hard time."

That night, Xuchang Prime Minister's Mansion.

The generals of Zangba, Zhang Liao, Zhang He, Jiang Qi, Han Meng, Yin Li, Sun Guan, Song Xian, Lu Qian all arrived. Xun Yu, Xun You, Cheng Yu, Liu Ye, Jia Kui and other advisers were gathered together. The hall suddenly seemed a little crowded. Suddenly, Cao Xiu pressed his sword from the side door and shouted loudly: "Lord is here!"

Cao Cao, dressed in military uniform, had already walked out of the side door quickly. As his narrow and long eyes opened and closed, his eyes flashed with a flash of sting.

Everyone bowed and sang in unison: "See lord."

Cao Cao calmly ascended to the main position and said, "No gift."

"Thank you lord."

Everyone thanked me and came out on the left and right.

Cao Cao looked around everyone majesticly, suddenly drew his sword and slashed down a corner of the table in his hand, and said sternly: "I decided to break through tonight and fight to the death with the Ma rebels. I hope that all the generals will control their own soldiers to serve the country, so there must be no mistakes!"

The Tibetan tyrant, Zhang Liao and other generals responded sternly: "The last general is only the lord's order, and he will obey!"

"Yeah." Cao Cao nodded and said, "Yin Li, Sun Guan, Song Xian obeyed the order."

Taishan bandit Yin Li, Sun Guan and Lu Bu's former general Song Xian stepped out quickly and stood side by side in front of Cao Cao's case, answering: "The last one will be there."

Cao Cao said: "Each leader of 5,000 soldiers, and made great efforts in the north, east and west gates, causing our army to gather overnight and prepare to break through at the same time from three directions!"

"Get orders!"

Yin Lisan responded with a loud bang and took the order and left.

Cao Cao said again: "Zhang Liao obeys the order!"

Zhang Liao stepped forward and replied with his fist, "The last one is here."

Cao Cao said: "Lead eight thousand elite soldiers to lurk within the south gate, raising fire at the top of the city as a call. When the fire breaks out, the soldiers will take turns to leave the city with earth and fill the trench outside the south gate at all costs, and clear obstacles for the subsequent army to break through."

"Receive the order!"

Zhang Liao took the order and left.

"Jiang Qi, Han Meng obeyed the order."

"The last one will be there."

"Each of them leads 5,000 heavily armored infantry to gather in the south gate and stand by. When Zhang Liao fills the trench, he immediately drives troops to attack the Liang army camp and destroys the arrow tower on the outer edge of the trench."

"Affect the order."

Cao Cao's eyes finally fell on Zhang He and said in a deep voice: "Zhang He obeys the order!"

Zhang He took two steps forward, stood upright in the hall, clasped his fists and said, "The last one is here."

Cao Cao said: "Lead 5,000 cavalry in the city to gather and stand by, waiting for Jiang Qi and Han Meng to break through the Liang army camp, and then take advantage of the situation to enter. The general will remember that our army is aiming to break through, not kill the enemy. Therefore, after the general enters the enemy camp, remember not to fight. It is necessary to drill through the enemy camp as quickly as possible, and then repel the Liang army's counterattack at all costs and open a bloody road for the army to break through."

"The last general will receive the order!"

Zhang He responded loudly, and turned around and left.

All the generals took the order and left. Cao Cao then breathed a sigh of relief and said to Xun Yu and others: "The lonely general climbed to the south gate and personally beat drums and cheered for the soldiers of the three armies. You can go with you!"

late at night.

Xuchang City was full of sky, but outside the city was silent. The trench passing by the city was like a winding black snake, lurking quietly in the night sky, waiting for prey to pass by it before it suddenly started attacking! The two-meter-high wooden fences stood on the outer edge of the trench. The row of wooden fences were all made of wooden stakes as thick as thighs, and the bottom end was deeply nailed into the ground, and the top was sharpened. The white and sharp blades were like rows of people-eating fangs in the mouth of a giant beast under the light of fire, which were hideous and terrifying.

Behind the solid wooden fence, an arrow tower is built every ten steps, with fifty archers stationed on each arrow tower.

The trenches covered with sharp antlers, towering wooden fences, and more than 200 arrow towers were densely spread behind the wooden fences, building an insurmountable natural danger! What's more, there are 10,000 elite infantrymen of Gao Shun (10,000 archers have been scattered on the arch tower) and 10,000 Hanzhong surrendered troops led by Zhang Wei, Yang Ren and Yang Ang. It is really difficult for Cao's army to break through. No wonder even Gao Shun, who has always been calm, said that the siege of Xuchang has been completed and the Cao army is at a loss.

The night was dim, and suddenly the sound of trumpets surged into the sky, shattering the tranquility of the night.

Hu Chier, Zhang Wei, Yang Ren, Yang Ang and Li Su were awakened by the rapid sound of the horns, and hurriedly came to the central army's tent to gather. The soldiers in the camp also stood up one after another. For a moment, the Liang army's camp was crowded with figures and fires soared into the sky. When the generals arrived at the central army's tent, Gao Shun had already been neatly dressed, standing straight in front of the screen like a thousand-year-old pine. Gao Shun's eyes swept over the faces of the generals majestic, and said, "Justice just now, the Cao army in Xuchang City is gathering, and it is possible to break through at night."

"Yeah, break through?"

"Cao Jun finally can't stand it?"

"Haha, it's time!"

When the generals heard this, they were not surprised but happy. They were ready to fight against Cao's army. Only Li Su asked: "General, how dare you ask Cao's army breaks through?"

Gao Shundao: "There are fires inside the north gate, east gate and west gate of Xuchang, and all troops gather, but the south gate is pitch black and there is no movement."

Hu Chier said: "So Cao's army is preparing to break through from the north, east and west at the same time?"

"There is this possibility." Gao Shun nodded, "Cao's army has many soldiers and has the ability to break through at the same time in three directions. However, based on the general's years of experience in fighting, Cao's army may just be bluffing in these three directions. The real purpose is to concentrate troops and break through to the south gate!"

"Oh?" Li Su pondered, "Break through the south gate?"

"Let's go." Gao Shun waved his hand and said loudly, "You will follow me to the south gate to check the truth!"

"Affect the order."

The generals responded loudly.

Xuchang South Gate.

Compared with the boiling sky at the three gates of the north, west and east, the south gate seemed extremely quiet. There were only a few night watchmen standing up like javelins on the city tower, and a few faintly burning torches inserted into the enemy tower. Everything seemed dead, like the Nine Nether Hell. In the dark and lacquered enemy tower, Cao Cao rolled up his sleeves regardless of the cold, and his hands wrapped in thick linen were each holding a drumstick that was thick as an arm, standing in front of a marching drum taller than him. The frost of the winter night condensed a piece of ice flower on his beard, as if it was not aware.

Xun Yu looked at the sky and said to Cao Cao: "Lord, the hour of You has arrived."

"Yes." Cao Cao nodded and said to Cao Xiu who was standing behind him, "Wen Lie, light the fire!"

Cao Xiu turned around suddenly and shouted to the guards who were waiting for him: "Light up!"

The two personal soldiers immediately threw the torches in their hands into the firewood pile prepared in front of them. The firewood pile that had been poured with tinder oil in advance burned, and the fire they were swept straight up several feet high. The next moment, the two drumsticks in Cao Cao's hand fell heavily on the drum surface. Suddenly, there were dull sounds of war drums between the dark and dark world. Xun Yu and others standing behind Cao Cao felt their hearts beating violently, and they wanted to pulsate with the rhythm of the war drum.

Under the city tower, Zhang Liao raised his gun and shouted: "Open the city gate!"
To be continued...