The drums and trumpets on the building were playing in unison. Taishi Ci took the lead in pursuing Cao Cao. Generals Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai led troops to protect him.
Like ferocious beasts, the Dongwu fleet rushed straight to the water village on the north bank. Cao Jun hurriedly fired arrows on the shore, but they could no longer stop the warships that broke through the waves.
Taishi Ci opened his bow and nocked an arrow, his ape-arm relaxed. Several enemy generals on the shore fell to the ground. Cao Cao's army was in chaos, and Cao Cao also fled to the back village surrounded by guards.
Bang bang bang——
The ship hit the port, like an earthquake, and the entire water stronghold was shaking. The morale of the Wu army soared. They picked up their weapons and followed Tai Shici and others ashore to pursue the enemy in the stronghold.
Zhou Yu led the army to the center of the river. Suddenly he heard the sound of drums, and he hurriedly urged the boat forward. He saw that the navy had already reached the other side of the river. People were running around in the village, and there were shouts of killing everywhere.
Lu Meng laughed and said, "The thief Cao thinks he is tyrannical, but I think this is nothing more than that."
He and Tai Shici were both in Yuzhang at the time and did not participate in the Battle of Hefei. They couldn't believe the news they heard. Now they met the enemy in person. Seeing that Cao's army collapsed at the first touch, they didn't take it seriously.
"Not good!" Zhou Yu stood at the bow of the ship, his face suddenly changed, and he ordered: "Quickly signal the gold and withdraw the troops."
Lü Meng wondered: "The men and horses landed on the shore and marched forward. It was the right time to take advantage of the victory to fight. Why did we defend the army?"
Zhou Yu said solemnly: "Cao's army will leave immediately after the battle. It must be defeated on the water. If we wait for our army to land and fight again, there must be an ambush in the stronghold."
General Lü Meng was doubtful, and suddenly the sound of gold ringing was loud. However, the wind on the river was very loud, and the sound of drums and fighting in front shook the surrounding areas. The front army could not hear the order at all.
Zhou Yu ordered his men to wave the flag and retreat, but Taishi Ci and others had already entered the stronghold and could not see the situation on the river.
Just when they were anxious, dull drums also sounded on the shore, and green smoke floated from several water villages in the east and spread to the west.
In mid-spring, the southeast wind on the river is strong. Once the fire spreads, the retreat of the front army will be cut off, and the consequences will be disastrous.
"Go quickly to meet the front army!" Zhou Yu was shocked and immediately sent four generals, Lu Meng, Zhu Huan, Ding Feng and Pan Zhang, to sail downstream.
As soon as the fleet came out, thick smoke was seen rising from all the water villages. Black smoke billowed and filled the river banks. Under the scorching sun, flames could still be seen rising.
"Thief Cao!" Zhou Yu's face turned livid and he gritted his teeth and said, "I didn't set the fire, so you started to burn it yourself."
Originally, he planned to send a fleet to burn the water stronghold in the evening when the east wind was strongest. Who would have expected that Cao Cao would be so decisive and burn the water stronghold to resist the enemy.
Lu Xun, who was escorting the Chinese army, drove a boat close to him and clasped his fists and said: "Captain, Cao Cao has set up an ambush at the water stronghold and has decided to retreat to Ruxu. Why don't the entire army land ashore, rescue the generals, and occupy the north bank?"
Zhou Yu glanced at Lu Xun in surprise and immediately sent an order: "General Lu and Pan Zhang landed from the lower reaches, and I went to the upper reaches to meet them. They attacked from both sides and defeated Cao's army together."
Lu Xun took the order to sail the boat, leading half of the men and horses, and sailed quickly along the water. Zhou Yu looked at Lu Xun's back from the bow with a deep look in his eyes.
Taishi Ci was too aggressive and was ambushed by the enemy. He was so impatient just now that he almost lost control. This rising star of the Lu family had such keen observation skills, which can be said to be the talent of a general.
At this time, the sound of killing on the shore was already loud, and Zhou Yu was not allowed to think too much. The remaining fleet went upstream, bypassing Cao Jun's water stronghold and outflanking them backwards.
Taishi Ci rushed into Cao Cao's camp first, wielding his iron halberd and killing several people in a row. He stared at Cao Cao, who was wearing a red robe, and led his troops in hot pursuit.
After chasing out of the back village, they saw a general blocking the way and shouted: "Jiao Chu is here, Wu Gou descends quickly!"
Taishi Ci didn't answer, but pursed his lips and strode forward. Jiao Chu was furious, urging his horse and slashing at him with his sword.
Taishi Ci, however, did not retreat but instead advanced, staring closely at the sword that was coming, like Yuan Ting Yue Zhi. When his mount came closer, he roared his iron halberd and faced the sword.
The cavalry is condescending to the infantry, and with the impact of the horses, it has a natural advantage. Facing the impact of the cavalry, the unformed infantry can only avoid it.
"Go to hell!" Jiao Chu swung his sword with all his strength, intending to kill the person blocking his way.
However, they saw Taishi Ci twisting his waist and suddenly dodging when the sword was approaching. Jiao Hu cut the air with his sword, and because of the excessive force, his horse swayed.
At this moment, Taishi Ci's iron halberd struck fiercely, as if his body was facing the tip of the halberd, and with a pop, it pierced through his left rib.
With a pop, Jiao Chu screamed, and was pulled off his horse by Taishi Ci's robe belt. Under the huge momentum, his internal organs were shattered. His body was tumbling, and he vomited blood clots and died.
It was just a moment of meeting, and Cao Cao was still not far ahead. Taishi Ci grabbed his mount, picked up the sword, turned over, and shouted: "Cao Cao, thief, don't leave!"
"You killed my brother and you want to leave?"
Zhang Nan and Jiao Chu were both former generals of the Yuan family and had the closest relationship. They were ordered to guard the rear camp. When they saw Jiao Chu being killed, they came to take revenge.
Taishi Ci's face was as dark as water, and he continued to urge the horse forward. He only had Cao Cao in his eyes. Zhang Nan stepped forward, and when the two horses crossed each other, he was cut under the horse with a knife.
Cao's army was in panic, and all the soldiers who rushed up were killed by Taishi Ci. Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin also led troops at the same time, grabbed their horses and rushed to kill them. Wu's army rushed forward, and Cao's army retreated.
Taishi Ci urged his horse to pursue Cao Cao. Suddenly, a general blocked his way. He was big and round, and covered in black armor, like an iron tower. He said in a buzzing voice: "I Xu Chu will meet you!"
when--
Taishi Ci urged his horse forward and slashed him with his sword. Xu Chu held him with his sword, but he came back with a shock. He couldn't help but be secretly shocked. He had heard for a long time that Cao Cao's guard was called "Tiger Chi", and he was indeed very powerful.
When they turned their horses to fight again, suddenly there was a loud beating of drums in Cao's camp, and ambushes appeared everywhere. Xiahou Dun, Le Jin, and Zang Ba led their troops to fight out respectively. The cavalry came down the mountain like tigers, running wildly.
Taishi Ci suddenly turned around and saw thick smoke rising from the shore. He immediately realized that something was wrong and exclaimed: "You've been tricked, get out quickly!"
"Wu Gou eats my sword!" Xu Chu laughed wildly and slashed with his sword, not allowing Tai Shici to retreat at all.
Taishi Ci was so anxious that he gritted his teeth and caught Xu Chu, shouting at Zhou Tai and others: "I'll break the rear, retreat quickly!"
Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin hurriedly commanded their troops and retreated to the water stronghold while fighting. Only by retreating into the stronghold could they stop the cavalry charge through fences and trenches.
The cavalry is extremely fast, especially the newly recruited Xianbei cavalry led by Le Jin. Like the Wuhuan cavalry, they can bend their bows and arrows on horses and launch mounted shooting.
Le Jin arrived first, and the horses roared past, and random arrows fell on their heads. Wu's army fell in large numbers, and the hastily organized formation was in chaos.
Xiahou Dun and Zang Ba followed closely behind and made a fierce charge. Wu's army was in disarray. Just like they used warships to attack Cao's army on the water, the situation was reversed and they could not stop it at all.
As soon as Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin retreated to the entrance of the village, they saw a fire burning in the village, thick smoke spreading, and the hot flames making it impossible to get close, so they had to rush forward to fight.
The two men also took advantage of the chaos to grab their horses and fought hard to get in front of Tai Shi Ci. Zhou Tai helped force Xu Chu back and loudly shouted: "There is a fire along the coast and the retreat is blocked."
Taishi Ci turned around to look, his face suddenly changed, and when he saw Cao Jun approaching again, he shouted: "The Governor will definitely come to the rescue, and fight to the east to break through."
Zhou Tai and the two men also knew that they were deeply surrounded at this time, and the only way to survive was to break the cauldron and sink the boat, so they organized their troops to rush downstream to kill.
