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Cao Cao's army arrived in Xicheng in the evening. They did not approach Xicheng, but set up a camp in a wilderness about ten miles away from Xicheng. In the camp, Cao Cao was busy, and in the tent, Cao Cao was listening to the report of General Zang Ba on the offensive and defensive battle.

Xiahou Yuan successfully resisted the fierce attack of the Han army, resulting in nearly 5,000 casualties in the Han army, which made Cao Cao quite satisfied.

This can be said to be one of the rare examples of Cao's defeating the Han army, which also shows that his foresight was completely correct. The Han army could defeat the Cao army in the southern waters, but when they arrived in the north, the Han army's advantage disappeared and might not be the opponent of Cao's army.

Cao Cao walked to the tent with his hands behind his back and stared at the setting sun for a long time. The towering mountains in the distance were dyed with a layer of red blood. His heart was undulating. In recent years, he had been overwhelmed by Liu Jing's rise. At this moment, he felt a sense of brilliance of seeing the sun.

The Battle of Xicheng was like a mirror, allowing him to see the other side of Liu Jing's army. After leaving the south, the Han army was like a fish leaving the water. Their invincible myth was broken in the Battle of Xicheng, which gave Cao Cao hope.

Thinking of this, Cao Cao turned around and smiled at Zang Ba and said, "General Zang, go and rest for a while, I'll find you later."

"Abide by the orders of humble duties" Zang Ba hurriedly bowed and retreated.

At this time, Cao Cao smiled at Xun You and said, "Gongda has new ideas."

Xun You pondered for a moment and said, "I hope that the Prime Minister will not feel contemptuous because Liu Jing failed to attack the city. In fact, the Han army failed to attack the city because the West City was condescending, and the Han army's catapult could not play a role, otherwise the outcome of the battle situation would not be predicted."

The smile on Cao Cao's face froze. After a while, he nodded silently, "Gongda is right."

Xun You smiled again: "Although the Han army is very powerful, our strategy is close to success. Now Liu Jing has no choice but to do anything at the moment. I think he knows that long-term delay is not good for his army. This is the time for us to use our trump card. However, before using our trump card, I suggest another shot to create an illusion for Liu Jing."

Cao Cao's strategy to Xun You was obedient. He asked with a smile: "I don't know what this fake shot means."

"It's very simple, rob the Han army's food route"

Xun You whispered to Cao Cao again, "Find a general who may surrender to Liu Jing..."

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly and laughed with understanding.

After the failure of the first tentative attack, Liu Jing withdrew his troops back to the camp. Instead of launching a second large-scale attack, he summoned all the generals and counselors above the deputy captain and above to gather in the tent to review the reasons for the failure of this siege.

"From the terrain, our army is indeed in an unfavorable position, but I don't think this is the main reason. The reason is that many of our generals, including Liu Jing, have the intention to underestimate the enemy in Cao's army, and always think that the Cao army is vulnerable. Don't forget that it was in the south of the Yangtze River, on the Han River and the Yangtze River. Now we are in the north, and the Cao army is the overlord of the north. When we challenge the overlord of the north, we actually underestimate the enemy. This is a dangerous signal."

Liu Jing's attitude was very stern, and everyone lowered their heads in shame. At this time, Zhao Yun sighed and said, "I have the main responsibility for the failure of this siege. I am willing to take responsibility. Please punish the state governor."

Liu Jing shook his head, "I didn't say that a failure in a siege battle is a failure. It is normal for a failure in a siege battle, but such a heavy casualties are abnormal. In the final analysis, it is caused by our underestimation of the enemy. Today I want to review with you is underestimating the enemy, not failure."

Seeing that everyone was ashamed and knew that it would be enough to make a final review, Liu Jing said to everyone: "Go back and hope everyone can remain silent. This review is limited to everyone here. Don't expand it anymore, so as not to affect the morale of the army."

Everyone stood up and said goodbye. Only Liu Jing, Zhao Yun, Fa Zheng and Pang Tong were left in the tent. Fa Zheng said sincerely to Liu Jing: "Prince, please forgive me for saying frankly. I think this siege was actually a bit too hasty and was not fully prepared. This is the real reason for our failure, and it is not a problem of underestimating the enemy."

Pang Tong also said: "I also felt that the provincial governor seemed a little impatient after passing Qishan. In fact, this siege battle was obviously not good for us. We should not fight, but we should look for opportunities in confrontation. Xiaozhi was right, and being too hasty was the main reason for the failure of this siege."

Liu Jing was silent for a moment and said, "The two military advisors are right. I am indeed a little impatient. The main reason is that our food and grass are only enough to last for ten days, and the battle line is long, and supply has become a problem. We can only send food once every two days, but it is only enough for 70,000 troops to eat for one day. The pressure of military food is very high. We have not encountered this problem of food and grass transportation before. If we fight a long-term and protracted war like this, we cannot afford it. This is what Cao Cao means, so I must conquer Xicheng before Cao Cao's main force arrives, but now it seems that this idea is unrealistic."

Zhao Yun suggested on the side: "The main force of Cao's army is only 60,000 troops, which is comparable to ours. In fact, we can face the main force of Cao's army and order 10,000 troops to keep an eye on Xicheng. If we can defeat the main force of Cao's army, the Xicheng will be broken."

"inappropriate"

Fa Zheng and Pang Tong opposed each other in unison. Fa Zheng said solemnly: "The Cao army is a supportive force and has the benefit of mutual support. If we attack the main force of Cao's army, the Wan Cao army in the West City will inevitably attack in full swing. Attack us from behind, causing us to be attacked from both sides. Even as long as we cut off our food route, we will be defeated without fighting. This is a taboo in military strategists, and we must not attack rashly."

Liu Jing nodded, "The reason why I didn't go north to meet Cao Cao is because there are many troops in the city and it is not suitable for the tactic of besieging the city and fighting aid. Now we either retreat or stand back or stand up for fighter planes. There is no better way yet."

Everyone was silent, and retreating was obviously not possible, so they could only confront each other for a while. Fa Zheng and Pang Tong had no choice but to do anything at all. At this moment, a personal soldier rushed to the door of the tent to report: "Qi Bizhou Governor, the scout found that Cao's army was moving, and an army of about a thousand people went deep into us."

Everyone looked at each other. This was Cao Cao's old trick and sent troops to rob their food route. Liu Jing snorted heavily and then said to Zhao Yun: "Although Zhang Ren follows the army to protect the food, he may not be prepared. Long Ke leads 5,000 people south to intercept the Cao army that sneaked into the food route. It is necessary to annihilate the Cao army that sneaked into the food route."

"There is a good minister"

Zhao Yun bowed with fists and hurriedly left. Liu Jing walked to the door of the tent, looked at the north with his hands behind his back and said to himself, "Cao Thief, I'm afraid you will disappoint."

The dark night enveloped the vast mountains, without the stars and moonlight, the dark clouds were drooping, and the night was particularly deep. On the dark and rugged mountain road, an army of thousands of people was marching south quickly.

This is the Cao army who attacked the Han army's food route, led by the general Xiahou Lan, who was from Zhending, Changshan and a general of Xiahou Yuan. He was highly valued by Xiahou Yuan because of his same surname and was appointed as the deputy captain.

Xiahou Lan led his army to set out yesterday, and bypassed the Han army camp from the western path. He is currently in the area of ​​the west road of Qishan. They are preparing to go around Heisongling, which is conducive to the Cao army's attack on the grain road.

It was already four o'clock now, and the mountain road was getting harder to walk, and the road ahead could no longer be seen clearly. At this time, a confidant tooth led his horse to Xiahou Lan and whispered: "General, take a rest and leave after dawn."

Xiahou Lan shook her head, "We were discovered by the Han army scout yesterday, and there must be pursuers behind us, so we can't rest, so we can continue to march."

"But the road ahead is very steep, and it is very dangerous to walk in the dark at night. The Han army will not chase after it in the dark, so it will stop and let the tent go to tent first."

Xiahou Lan pondered for a moment, this was OK. Anyway, the Prime Minister's explanation was not to rob the grain, but to make a big noise. Fighting a war was just in line with the Prime Minister's requirements. Thinking of this, Xiahou Lan immediately ordered: "Let the brothers rest on the spot for two hours."

General Ya was overjoyed and hurriedly went up to pass the order, "The general has an order, rest on the spot."

The Cao army soldiers sat down one after another, drank water and ate dry food. At this moment, a soldier rushed to report to Xiahou Lan: "General Qi reported to the general, a grain transport team of the Han army was found twenty miles ahead, with thousands of livestock and about a thousand troops guarding him."

Xiahou Lantengdi stood up and shouted loudly: "All up and prepare to set out for the battle."

There is indeed a northbound grain team in a valley twenty miles away, composed of a thousand mules, transporting 8,000 stones of grain and a thousand dan of forage. These grains also include the consumption of grain from more than one thousand mulemen and one thousand guard soldiers. When transported to the front line camp, only five thousand stones of grain were left, and the forage was basically gone.

This grain delivery team is just one of the twelve grain delivery teams on Qishan Road. The twelve grain delivery teams take turns to transport grain, continuously to ensure the supply of 70,000 troops on the front line. Because it was dark at night, for safety reasons, the grain delivery team did not go to the night, but spent the night in the valley.

It was already five o'clock, and the sky gradually became clear and no longer dark. You could vaguely see the mountains ahead. Amid the shouts of the army, the mule drivers urged the mules to get up, put the grain unloaded on the mule back again, drank water for the mule, packed their luggage and set off.

At this moment, a patrolman rushed over and shouted anxiously: "Retreat quickly and there are Cao troops coming in front of you, two miles away."

This news immediately made the grain team mess up. Some of the mule and horse teams were at a loss, while others were running back with mules. At this time, Feng Jing, the tooth guarding the grain team, shouted: "The grain team retreated south immediately, and the army followed me to the valley entrance to block Cao's army."

He turned around and ordered a military marquis and said, "Mr. Wu, you lead the two brothers to take the quick-grain team to retreat south."

In the chaos, the grain team turned around and went south. Eight soldiers rushed to the entrance of the valley to hide. They set their bows and arrows and prepared to ambush Cao's army. Soon, Xiahou Lan led a thousand to rush to the entrance of the valley. The sky was so bright and the light was dark. The Cao army did not find the ambush at the entrance of the valley. They were eager to make contributions and rushed to the entrance of the valley, until dozens of steps away from the entrance of the valley.

At this moment, a buzzing sound suddenly came from the valley. Arrows suddenly appeared on both sides of the valley, and dense arrows shot towards Cao's army. Cao's army was caught off guard, and the soldiers rushing in front were all shot and fell to the ground, killing and injured the rest of them. The screams were heard, and Cao's soldiers retreated one after another.

Xiahou Lan was also surprised and shouted: "Brother with shields come forward."

Several soldiers holding shields immediately rushed out from Cao's army, quickly formed a shield wall on the mountain road, and began to slowly advance. At the same time, Cao's army's dense rain of arrows shot towards the entrance of the valley, and the Han army also suffered casualties. At this time, when the Yajiang Feng Jing saw that the bow and arrow had lost its function, he shouted: "Kill up"

The Eight Han Army shouted in unison and rushed out of the hidden place, holding spears and swords in hand to kill Cao's army. Cao's army also shouted and rushed forward. The two armies collided and fought bloodyly in the wilderness outside the valley entrance.

At this moment, Zhang Ren led the Thousand Han troops to come from the south, rushed into the valley, and rushed away on the battlefield several miles away.
Chapter completed!