Wancheng.
In order to avoid the war in Shouchun, Yan Xiang found a reason to come to Wancheng after Ji Ling left.
At this time, when Yan Xiang learned that Ji Ling had defected to Zhang Xiu, he smiled. This result had been expected after Ji Ling came back. Yuan Shu was not the master of the Ming Dynasty, and Ji Ling's actions were understandable.
But Yan Xiang is not Ji Ling.
News of Cao Cao's southern expedition to Nanyang has come. It's still unclear whether Zhang Xiu can keep Nanyang. He will never surrender to Zhang Xiu easily. The master in his heart is Cao Cao, not Zhang Xiu.
How can one county in Nanyang compete with Cao Cao's two states? Kuang Cao Cao was born into a noble family and had an endless supply of powerful generals and counselors. However, Zhang Xiu came from a humble background. How could he compare with this?
Yan Xiang sat under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree, closed his eyes and rested.
Suddenly, the captain who was guarding the city hurried over, fell to the ground in a panic, and said nervously: "Sir, it's bad, there are cavalry coming to attack the city."
There was no large-scale cavalry in the south, and they had never seen a large-scale cavalry attack. When the black cavalry, like a torrent, appeared under the city, shaking the earth, all the soldiers defending the city panicked.
This cavalry is naturally the Qinglong Cavalry Battalion led by Wei Yan.
When Wei Yan led the cavalry and rushed fifty steps below the city, he ordered the cavalry to shoot. Countless arrows flew away quickly, causing the frightened and panicked soldiers on the city to die under the arrows.
After the brave Xiliang soldiers suppressed Yuan's army at the top of the city, they immediately waved their iron hooks and ropes, threw them on the city wall, and climbed up as nimbly as monkeys.
Where had Yuan Jun seen such a method of siege?
The captain who was guarding the city quickly organized his soldiers to cut off the rope with their swords, but the arrows below were fired accurately. Yuan Jun on the city was shot when he showed his head, and the Xiliang soldiers quickly climbed up under cover. For a moment, on the top of the city, The screams continued.
After receiving the news of Cao Cao's southern expedition to Nanyang, Yan Xiang expected that Zhang Xiu would return to Nanyang as soon as possible and would not be able to attack Wancheng again, so he did not prepare a large number of defensive materials, which allowed Wei Yan to attack smoothly.
When Yan Xiang heard the bad news, he jumped up suddenly, his face turned pale and his scalp was numb.
Zhang Xiu didn't rush back to save Nanyang, but actually wanted to attack Wancheng. Did he not want Nanyang?
Yan Xiang gasped and asked: "The cavalry is not good at attacking the city, hurry up! Immediately organize troops to defend the city bravely."
The captain shouted in panic: "Sir! The city...is broken!"
Yan Xiang's body trembled suddenly, his legs were too weak to support the weight of his body and he fell down, his eyes staring blankly ahead.
"Sir!" The captain was so frightened that he quickly supported Yan Xiang's limp body.
Yan Xiang said desperately: "It's over!" Of course he didn't know that he would recall today's destruction of the city in the future. He was grateful to Wei Yan for his bravery in destroying Wancheng and forcing him to become Zhang Xiu's minister.
…
Xuzhou, Xiaopei.
Since joining forces with Zhang Xiu, Liu Bei seemed to have been stimulated. He recruited troops in Xiaopei and asked Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to train more troops.
Liu Bei's reputation was very good in Xuzhou, and he quickly recruited 5,000 troops in Xuzhou. Adding the original 5,000 troops and the 5,000 troops assigned to him by Cao Cao, he had a total of 15,000 troops.
With the full support of the Mi family, the richest man in Xuzhou, Liu Bei's arms and food are not a problem.
On this day, Cao Cao's letter came to Xiaopei.
Liu Bei saw the content of the letter, his eyes shone with shrewdness, and he was silently thinking about how to use this opportunity of Cao Cao's southern expedition to Zhangxiu to seek some benefits for himself. Following Cao Cao was not a long-term solution, and staying in Xiaopei was not a long-term solution either. Lu Bu had long been suspicious of him.
Xiaopei City was small and weak, not a place to live. Xuzhou was occupied by Lu Bu again. He had counselor Chen Gong to help him. It was not easy to recapture it, so he had to find another way out.
But where is the way out?
Liu Bei looked at the map hanging on the side, and finally set his sights on Beihai Kingdom, which was occupied by Yuan Shao. The Beihai Kingdom was the territory of the Qi Kingdom during the Warring States Period. It had the remnants of Mount Tai in the west as a natural barrier, the natural barrier of the Yellow River in the north, and the Xuzhou Lu Bu in the south, which ensured that the North Sea would be safe.
Now Yuan Shao is attacking Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan is my senior brother, so I can use this name to attack Yuan Shao and seize the land of Beihai. Looking at the land of Beihai, Liu Bei's eyes straightened.
"Brother!" Zhang Fei came in, "I heard that Cao Cao has sent a letter. What do you want us to do? This Cao Cao is really hateful. He uses us as his spearmen."
Guan Yu followed him in, with a calm expression and a hint of arrogance in his eyes.
Liu Bei felt that this was feasible, his eyes flashed, and he didn't care about Zhang Fei's complaints. He stood up and excitedly pulled the two of them to the front of the map and pointed at Beihai: "This place will be our foundation in the future!"
"Qingzhou?!" Guan Yu narrowed his eyes, "Brother, Qingzhou is the land of Yuan Shao, how do we get it?"
Liu Bei smiled and said: "Now Yuan Shao is attacking Gongsun Zan of Youzhou. Gongsun Zan is my fellow disciple. How can I not help my brother if he is in trouble? I will write a letter to Duke Cao, and then we will immediately order troops to march to Beihai."
Zhang Fei was overjoyed: "In this way, we finally don't have to work hard for Cao Cao."
Guan Yu nodded: "As long as we guard the natural dangers of the Yellow River in the north and Lu Bu in the south, we can protect the Beihai without worries. Brother, the Beihai is preferable." Then he said excitedly: "After we capture the Beihai, Yuan Shao will definitely divide his troops and go south to let You When Gongsun Zan of the state has a chance to breathe, he immediately unites with Gongsun Zan to threaten Yuan Shao from the north and the south."
Liu Bei smiled and nodded.
Later, Liu Bei ordered people to call Sun Qian and write two letters: one was sent to Lu Bu, expressing his willingness to give up Xiaopei and asking him to make way to Beihai to rescue Gongsun Zan; the other was sent to Cao Cao, asking for his permission to send troops to rescue Gongsun Zan;
Liu Bei's words were precise, he burst into tears, and his writing overflowed with deep emotion.
…
When Liu Bei's letter appeared on Lu Bu's desk, he couldn't believe it. Liu Bei actually wanted to give up Xiaopei and send troops to attack Beihai? Rescue Gongsun Zan?
Chen Gong laughed contemptuously: "Instead of saving Gongsun Zan, he clearly wants to seize Qingzhou as his foundation."
"What do Gongtai think?" Lu Bu raised his eyebrows, "Liu Bei is recruiting troops and horses in Xiaopei, which will cause trouble in the long run. It is better to let him go to Beihai. Yuan Shao is not easy to offend."
Chen Gong nodded: "Of course let him go. Liu Bei threatened Xuzhou in Xiaopei. This was deliberately arranged by Cao Cao to monitor us. Now Cao Cao attacks Zhangxiu south again and wants to use Liu Bei to contain us, but how can Liu Bei be willing to stay in depression for a long time? Someone else?"
Lu Bu laughed: "Liu Bei went to Beihai under the pretext of saving Gongsun Zan. Not only did he win Beihai, but he also earned Gongsun Zan's gratitude. It really killed two birds with one stone!"
Then he told the messenger: "Go back and tell your lord that as long as he gives up Xiaopei, I will open the road and let him go to the land of Beihai."
The messenger bowed his head and left.
