Silver Fox of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 8
On the fourth day of May, Xiangben County.

Cao Jun almost slaughtered Xiapi, and the corpses piled up like a mountain, making the Sishui river stagnant.

After killing Xiapi, Cao Cao led his army north to destroy Tao Qian.

Before Liu Bei and Kong Rong sent troops to repel Cao Cao's small peripheral troops, now the main force of Cao's army is coming, like wolves and tigers, Tao Qian can't help it.

So he told Liu Bei, Kong Rong and others not to go out of the city, stick to the city, wait for work with ease, and let Cao Jun take the initiative to attack.

Cao Cao tentatively attacked several times, but failed to break through Shan County, so he stationed troops in Xiangben, intending to slaughter the surrounding areas of Xiangben, but he did not expect that the people in Xiangben County fled in sevens and eighty-eight. kill.

In the county government office, Cao Cao’s temporary residence was in the evening, and he had just checked the food storage in the army. Last time he retreated due to lack of food, this time he was fully prepared.

At this time, Cao Ren came in a hurry and reported to Cao Cao: "Brother."

Cao Cao was surprised: "Why is Zixiao back?"

He asked Cao Ren to massacre the surrounding counties and villages, such as Lanling, Wuyuan, Fuyang and other places. Even if it was the fastest, it would take four or five days.

Clinker Cao Ren replied: "Most of the people in the surrounding countryside have fled, and there are few people living in the village pavilions. Later, we caught some villagers who had no time to escape. They said that our army was massacring in Xiapi, and they will kill them soon. came here, so they all fled."

Cao Cao was surprised: "How did the news spread so fast? Could it be that after Tao Qian sent scouts to investigate the news, people evacuated the county?"

Before that, he personally led the army to go south to slaughter Xiapi. He killed hundreds of thousands of people in five or six counties. It is impossible for a person to deliver information faster than his army.

So in Cao Cao's mind, there is only one possibility, that is, Tao Qian sent scouts to investigate, and after discovering the situation, he immediately went back to report, and then Tao Qian ordered the people in the surrounding counties to flee and avoid the butcher's knife.

However, Cao Ren shook his head and said: "No, it is said that there is a child prodigy at the Huangmen Pavilion at the foot of the Zongshan Mountain about [-] miles northeast of Xiangben County. He said that in order to prevent Yuan Shu from encroaching on Xuzhou, our army will inevitably make Xuzhou dilapidated and will be massacred. The common people, therefore, publicized it in the village and persuaded the villagers to flee, and the surrounding people all ran away."

"Oh?"

Cao Cao was extremely surprised and said, "There are people like this in the world? How could they guess my intention? What is the name of this person, and where is he now?"

Cao Ren replied: "This man's name is Shen Chen. He is not yet nine years old. He has been intelligent since he was a child. He can speak at the age of one, can read a thousand characters at the age of three, and has read all the books of the clan at the age of six. It is said that he often crouches in the Taoist room and asks his neighbors what to do." He is a well-known child prodigy in Xiangben County who has come and gone in the county and analyzed the current situation."

Cao Cao's eyes flickered, he nodded slightly and said, "If I get such a talent, it will be a big deal. Zixiao, you send people to lurk in the countryside of Huangmenting. If Shen Chen escapes and returns home, you will be ordered immediately. He came to me."

"only!"

Cao Ren responded and left.

The sky was getting dark, and soon the sun was setting.

Cao Cao ate some dry food at will in the county office, and then continued to deal with official documents between cases.

Just as night was approaching, Cao Hong was sweating profusely and hurried into the government office. He had just entered the hall when he shouted, "Brother, it's not good, something happened in Yanzhou."

Cao Cao raised his head and put down his writing brush. Seeing that he was in a panic, he frowned and said, "Hurry up, what's the matter, tell me what's going on!"

Cao Hong swallowed his saliva, and said anxiously: "Zhang Miao and Chen Gong rebelled to welcome Lv Bu into Yanzhou. Now all parts of Yanzhou have been occupied, only Juancheng, Fanxian, and Dong'a are controlled by Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, and Xiahou Yuan. Persevere, and ask the eldest brother to immediately send troops back to rescue."

"what?"

When Cao Cao heard the news, as if he had been hit hard, his head suddenly became dizzy and painful, and he was on the verge of falling. He sat on the table and barely supported the table, so he didn't faint because of the sudden news.

He supported the table, panting heavily, the hair on his body stood on end, countless thoughts flashed in his mind, and cold sweat kept pouring down from his forehead.

For Cao Cao, this news should be the darkest time in his life.

Not only because of the loss of foundation, but also because Zhang Miao and Chen Gong were the two people he trusted the most during this period, but they betrayed him, and his suspicious character has been with him all his life ever since.

After Cao Cao and the eighteen princes defeated Dong Zhuo, he returned to Dongjun as the prefect. Chen Gong joined the Cao Cao Group during this period, earlier than Xun Yu, Xi Zhicai, Cheng Yu and others. He was the first member of the Cao Cao Group. strategist.

The reason why Cao Cao trusted Chen Gong so much and regarded him as his confidant was that Chen Gong designed to help Cao Cao capture Yanzhou.

It can be said that without Chen Gong, it would be impossible for Cao Cao to have the foundation of Yanzhou.

The relationship between Zhang Miao and Cao Cao is even closer. They have known each other for many years. When Cao Cao first conquered Tao Qian in the fourth year of Chuping, he once told his family that if he failed to attack Tao Qian, he would die During the war, you can go to Meng Zhuo.

It can be seen that Cao Cao regards Zhang Miao as his best friend who can entrust his wife and son.

As a result, at this juncture, the two people he trusted the most betrayed him at the same time, almost putting him to death. How could Cao Cao not be in pain?How could it make him feel sad?
"Brother!" Seeing the extremely painful expression on Cao Cao's face, Cao Hong hurriedly stepped forward to help him.

Unexpectedly, Cao Cao almost jumped up from the table, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and almost roared to Cao Hong: "Quick, send someone to pass the order to let Xia Houyuan and Yu Jin come back."

His [-] soldiers and horses were not all in Xiangben, but they were stationed in Xiangben, Wuyuan, and Liangcheng in an encircling manner, enveloping Shan County like a big net. At this time, there were many soldiers and horses. Still on the periphery.

After hearing the news, Cao Cao immediately sent someone to send an order to bring back all the soldiers and horses, but it took time for the soldiers and horses to assemble, so he quickly arranged manpower to prepare for the retreat.

The reason why Xiongxiong is Xiongxiong is because even if they encounter setbacks and difficulties, they will not give in like heroes.

It's just that the means of heroes and heroes are different.

The hero is insidious, cunning and unscrupulous.Heroes are aboveboard and will not break through the bottom line of morality.

On the second day, Cao Cao sent Cao Hongxian to escort the food and grass back to Yinping, and at the same time urged Xia Houyuan, Yu Jin and others to come back immediately, rectify the troops and horses and rush back to Yanzhou as soon as possible.

On the fourth day, Xia Houyuan had received the order to leave, and after Cao Cao joined Yu Jin, he also set off immediately to evacuate.

Before leaving, in order to prevent Tao Qian from making trouble, he left behind 5000 troops, led by Cao Ren.

On the eighth day of May, Cao Cao's complexion had recovered a little. In order to stabilize the morale of the army, he did not dare to express his worry and pain, so he ordered the army to formally set off to Yanzhou for rescue.

Before he left, he called Cao Ren, and said earnestly: "Our army has just withdrawn, Tao Qian must have thought it was a fraud and dare not pursue, so you also retreat to Lanling, wait for Tao Qian to send people to pursue them, and if you ambush them, they will come Don't dare to chase."

"only."

Cao Ren replied.

The army behind Cao Cao had already set off. He turned his horse and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and turned to Cao Ren and said, "Zi Xiao, then Shen Chen, send someone to assassinate him."

Cao Ren was puzzled and said, "Brother, didn't you tell me to summon him earlier?"

Cao Cao said in a deep voice: "This time Yanzhou was robbed, life and death are unpredictable, and I have no time to take care of this young son. If I were Tao Qian, after the war subsided, I would be recruited into office after I learned that there are such talents in my county. If I don't get it, How can I leave it to Tao Qian?"

"Then why don't you take him away? After all, he's just an eight-year-old boy."

"He has family members, even if he was taken captive to Yanzhou, how could he help me sincerely? Unless I move his clan away, it is already impossible for the rear to be in chaos now."

"So that's how it is. I know. I have already sent people to ambush in the village. If that Shen Chen returns to his hometown, he will kill all his villagers to frighten Tao Qian."

Cao Ren nodded. He was also a ruthless man. Later, he also slaughtered Wancheng, and once he was successful, he was killed. Not only the lives of soldiers, but also the lives of unarmed civilians were used to lay the foundation of Cao's famous generals!
"it is good."

Cao Cao reined in his horse and turned away, strangling a young genius was nothing to him.

In history, he also sent people to assassinate the genius prodigy Zhou Buyi. As long as these people are not used by his enemies, it doesn't matter whether they live or die. Even if they are under his command, they may be killed for some reason.

On the second day after Cao Cao led the army back to aid Yanzhou, Tao Qian's scouts outside the city had already found out the news of his withdrawal.

In Shan County, the mansion of Zhou Mu.

Tao Qian summoned Liu Bei, Kong Rong, Mi Zhu, Chen Deng and others to the hall to discuss matters.

He coughed twice, looked around and said, "Everyone, what is the meaning of Cao Cao's sudden retreat?"

Chen Deng thought for a while and said, "Maybe it's a trick to lure the enemy, pretending to withdraw troops, but actually laying an ambush."

"I think so too."

Tao Qian was about to tell everyone to wait and see the situation first, to determine whether Cao Cao would retreat before making any calculations.

Unconsciously, he suddenly remembered Shen Chen once said that Cao Cao's killing of celebrities in Yanzhou had long caused the dissatisfaction of the Yanzhou aristocratic family, and there might be troubles in the rear, so he hesitated for a while.

Seeing that he was thinking, Liu Bei asked, "What do Mr. Tao think?"

Tao Qian looked at Liu Bei, thought for a while, and said hesitantly: "Xuande, someone once told me that Cao Cao's rear might be chaotic, so I was wondering if Cao Cao really planned to retreat?"

Chen Deng shook his head and said: "How can there be such a person in this world who can count on the future. Don't be deceived by others and neglect the important affairs of the state and county."

"Forehead"

Tao Qian tentatively said: "But if Cao Cao really retreated, wouldn't it be a good opportunity lost?"

Liu Bei said, "Duke Tao, I would like to lead troops out of the city to test it out."

Tao Qian became happy: "Then there will be Lao Xuande."

At the moment Liu Bei was also unambiguous, summoned Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, and brought about a thousand elites with him, plus Kong Rong's 3000 troops, a total of 4000 people were preparing to leave the city.

Tao Qian was afraid that it would be difficult to maintain the army if there were fewer people, so he ordered his general Xu Dan to lead [-] Danyang soldiers to follow Liu Bei to support him.

(End of this chapter)