When Cao Cao urgently sent an envoy from Xudu to Xuzhou.
night.
Pengcheng.
Far outside the city, the enemy troops retreated like a tide.
On the city wall, there are ruins everywhere.
On the city wall, some tired soldiers were cleaning up the corpses on the wall, while some were kneeling in front of the broken limbs and crying.
Blood flowed everywhere.
Among the busy soldiers, Zhao Yun, Tian Yu and Chen Jiao led a group of generals to comfort the soldiers while urging them to dispose of the corpses and repair the fortifications.
The armors of a group of generals were also covered in blood.
Everyone's face was covered with fatigue and numbness.
Chen Jiao looked at Zhao Yun beside him and said in a hoarse voice: "Captain Zhao, I'm afraid we can't defend Pengcheng anymore."
"Now we have withstood three sieges."
"The enemy has too many catapults and arrow towers, and they are carefully prepared."
"There are so many people."
"Moreover, there are six thousand cavalry watching eagerly."
"The next time we attack the city, this wall may not be able to hold up."
"Once the enemy attacks the city and opens the city gate, we will die without a burial place."
Chen Jiao, a member of the Chen family in Guangling, was directly promoted from a white body to the governor of Pengcheng County after discussions between Chen Deng and Lu Yi.
Although he is very young, during the time he was guarding Pengcheng, everything in Pengcheng was prosperous.
Who knows, Yuan Shao's army arrived and all the hard work was in vain.
However, Chen Jiao still completed what Chen Deng had asked him to do: when Pengcheng could not be defended, all the people in Pengcheng and Xiapi moved southward to Guangling County, especially the Chen family members.
Zhao Yun stopped and looked outside the city.
His hands clenched.
He is unwilling!
He defected to the Marquis of Wu. The Marquis of Wu overcame all opinions and directly promoted him to the rank of Cavalry Captain of Xuzhou, and entrusted him with the protection of Xuzhou's safety. What kind of trust was this!
Now, in the first battle, I can't defend myself.
Moreover, he transferred almost all Xuzhou soldiers and horses, nearly 30,000 soldiers.
After defending the city several times, there are now less than 20,000 soldiers left.
However, facing Yuan Shao's army outside the city, they fought so fiercely.
But although he was unwilling to give in, looking at the corpses of the soldiers lying on the city wall, and listening to the heart-rending cries of some soldiers for the loss of their fathers or brothers, Zhao Yun closed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "Pengcheng and your subordinates How are the people of Pi retreating?"
Chen Jiao said: "The retreat has been completed. Now, we are the only soldiers left in Pengcheng."
Zhao Yun did not respond immediately to Chen Jiao's words, but came to the edge of the city wall, pressed his hands on the wall, looked at the retreating army outside the city, and fell silent.
Behind him, Chen Jiao, Tian Yu, Que Ze and other generals did not speak any more.
After a while, Zhao Yun turned around, smiled at everyone and said, "Okay, I know what to do."
Looking at Que Ze, Zhao Yun said: "Derun, you lead three thousand soldiers and retreat to Guangling County with Sheriff Chen Jiao. Remember, you must protect the safety of Sheriff Chen Jiao."
Que Ze glanced at Zhao Yun with a somewhat gloomy look and said, "Here!"
Zhao Yun looked at Tian Yu again and said: "Guorang, you lead fifteen thousand soldiers, retreat to Xiapi, defend the Xiapi city wall, and try to hold off Yuan Shao's army as much as possible."
"The intelligence should have reached Wu County by now, and Wu Hou should be thinking of ways to send reinforcements."
"The reinforcements from Guangling County should also be on their way."
"Once they arrive, we might be able to hold on to the south of Xiapi."
Tian Yu asked hurriedly: "What about you, Captain Zhao?"
Zhao Yun sighed, turned to look outside the city and said, "Marquis Wu entrusted me with a heavy responsibility, but I failed to live up to his expectations. I can only fight to the end to repay Marquis Wu for his kindness."
"When you see Wu Hou in the future, remember to tell Wu Hou for me that Zhao Yun will not be able to repay his great kindness in this life, but he will repay him in the next life."
All the generals shed tears.
Tian Yu's eyes turned red and he said: "Captain Zhao, you can leave the green hills without worrying about having firewood. I believe that Marquis Wu hopes that you can survive!"
Zhao Yun squeezed out a smile and said: "No, and there must be someone behind us. Otherwise, everyone will leave. If Yuan Jun attacks, no one can leave."
"As the commander-in-chief, I should do this."
Zhao Yun looked at the night sky and sighed: "The general died in a hundred battles, and his body is returned wrapped in horse leather. It can be regarded as a worthy death."
At this moment, a soldier quickly ran over from the city, saying as he ran: "Where is the captain! Where is the captain!"
Zhao Yun and others turned their heads and looked over.
Someone said to the soldier: "It's not far from the city wall in front."
Soldiers galloped up the steps of the city wall.
Looking around, he saw Zhao Yun and others. The soldiers rushed over and said: "A large army has come from outside Ximen City, with thousands of cavalry and about 5,000 archers. They call themselves the Wancheng Zhangxiu Army. On the orders of Marquis Wu, they are coming. Come and meet the captain and protect Xuzhou together!"
Que Ze hurriedly stepped forward and snatched a piece of cloth from the soldier's hand.
The cloth is covered with writing.
It was clearly Lu Yi's handwriting, and it was stamped with the seal of Marquis Wu.
Que Ze hurriedly handed the cloth to Zhao Yun and said: "It's true. Although I have only read Wu Hou's autograph letter once, I remember it! Wu Hou's notes are very special. Moreover, this seal cannot be fake!"
Tian Yu glanced at the crowd blankly and said: "Zhang Xiu of Wancheng? Why is he here? Isn't he dependent on Liu Biao of Jingzhou?"
Chen Jiao muttered: "Whatever the reason is, let him in first. But to be honest, in this situation, just adding a thousand cavalry and five thousand infantry archers will not help."
Zhao Yun looked at the content on the banner and immediately walked down the city wall.
Don't worry about anything else.
Since he is someone sent by Marquis Wu, naturally he will talk about it after seeing him.
The generals watched Zhao Yun leave and followed him one after another.
A group of people rode war horses and rushed to the west gate of the city.
Zhao Yun signaled the soldiers guarding the city to open the gate.
Outside the city, Zhang Xiu was riding a war horse and standing at the front.
Behind him, Hu Che'er and other generals followed closely.
One thousand cavalry and five thousand infantry archers formed at the end.
Zhang Xiu's face was very serious.
On the way here, he encountered a large number of fleeing people.
After asking around, I found out that Yuan Shao's army had already arrived at Pengcheng.
He could only speed up his march.
Along the way, he was also trembling with fear.
It’s not that I’m afraid of war.
He has experienced dozens of battles, big and small!
Ever since he was young and followed his uncle to war, there has never been a year that he has not fought in a war.
He was afraid of Zhao Yun.
According to Wu Hou, the master has passed away, leaving him with only two junior brothers.
On the battlefield, swords and guns are blind.
Thinking that the junior brother he met this time might have died in battle, he suddenly became a little restless.
He has no family left.
His two junior brothers are his only relatives now.
Fortunately, he rushed to Pengcheng without stopping, and Pengcheng had not been breached yet.
Zhang Xiu stood on the other side of the moat, looking nervously at the city gate.
Finally, I saw the city gate drawbridge lowered, the city gate opened, and dozens of figures riding horses came out of the city.
Zhang Xiu signaled Hu Che'er and others not to move, and he rode up to meet them by himself.
The two sides met each other.
Zhang Xiu first clasped his fists and said: "Zhang Xiu of Wancheng came to meet Xuzhou Cavalry Commander Zhao Yun on orders from the Marquis of Wu!"
Zhang Xiu's heart was in his throat and he nervously looked at the dozens of figures in front of him.
Who will be his younger brother?
Seeing this, Zhao Yun returned the salute and said: "Zhao Yun, the Cavalry Commander of Xuzhou, comes to greet General Zhang!"
Zhang Xiu looked at Zhao Yun blankly.
Is it the tall, burly, handsome young man in front of me?
Behind Zhao Yun, Tian Yu, Chen Jiao, Que Ze and others looked at Zhang Xiu staring at Zhao Yun with some confusion.
what's the situation?
Are they familiar with each other?
Zhao Yun also asked in confusion: "General Zhang?"
When Zhang Xiu heard this cry, he came back to his senses. With tears in his eyes, he said in a trembling voice: "A bit of cold light arrived first, and then the gun came out like a dragon!"
Zhao Yun's bewildered face froze for a moment, with a look of disbelief on his face, and his voice trembled with excitement: "Even if the enemy is outnumbered and I am outnumbered, I can still kill the enemy general in the midst of thousands of troops!"
Tian Yu: "."
Chen Jiao: "."
Que Ze: "."
After hearing Zhao Yun's reply, Zhang Xiu almost rolled off his horse, opened his hands, and wailed with hot tears: "Little junior brother!"
Zhao Yun also hurriedly got off his horse and went up to him. He held Zhang Xiu's arms tightly, knelt down and said with red eyes: "Elder brother!"
Everyone: "."
Zhang Xiu hurriedly helped Zhao Yun up and choked with sobs: "Little junior brother, I finally see you! Wu Hou did not lie to me. Although the old master has passed away, he left me two junior brothers!"
Zhao Yun's tears rolled down like floods bursting from the embankment at this time and he said: "When the master was alive, he always kept the senior brother and second senior brother in advance. However, until just now, I couldn't believe that the senior brother Zhang Xiu mentioned by the master was Wancheng Famous general Zhang Xiu!"
Zhang Xiu laughed loudly, patted Zhao Yun's shoulder heavily and said, "What kind of bullshit famous general?"
Zhao Yun smiled and said: "Elder brother, there is no need to be humble. Although this is the first time I have met my elder brother, I have heard a lot about your deeds. In the Battle of Wancheng, you killed Cao Cao so much that he lost his armor!"
After a pause, Zhao Yun hurriedly said: "By the way, Senior Brother, why are you here? You are not Jingzhou Liu Biao——"
Zhang Xiu wiped the tears on his face, laughed loudly and said: "You don't know something, Wu Hou has already captured Jingzhou! Now, my junior brother and I are all obeying Wu Hou's orders!"
Tian Yu, Chen Jiao, Que Ze and others all exclaimed.
"What? Captured Jingzhou?"
"We have no news at all here!"
"How long has it been? Jingzhou actually belongs to us?"
Zhang Xiu smiled and said: "We will tell you the specific reason when we have time."
Looking at the blood on the armors of Zhao Yun, Tian Yu and others, as well as their exhausted expressions, Zhang Xiu said with a cold expression: "I came all the way. I heard that Yuan Shao's general Wen Chou led his army to detain the pass and bully the junior brother?"
"As a senior brother, if I don't give my junior brother a place, what face do I have?"
Looking at Zhao Yun, Zhang Xiu said: "Junior brother, take us to the north gate of the city immediately, and then declare a challenge to Yuan Shao's army."
"Tomorrow morning, I, Zhang Xiu, will fight them to the death!"
(End of chapter)
