After Wuchao caught fire, Yuan Shao ordered generals Zhang He and Gao Lan to attack the Wei army camp. Unexpectedly, generals Cao Zhang and Cao Hong rushed out of the camp, and Xun You had already suspected that the troops were outside.
The Jin army was defeated and the two generals fled.
Unexpectedly, Guo Tu interfered, making Yuan Shao suspicious of Zhang He and Gao Lan, and prepared to kill them. The second general was helpless and turned to join Cao Cao.
Cao Cao personally went out to the military base to meet him.
In order to show their trust in Zhang He and Gao Lan, they immediately named Zhang He as a partial general and a marquis of Duting, and Gao Lan as a partial general and the marquis of Donglai.
The two of them were overjoyed and returned to Cao Ying.
On Yuan Shao's side, he lost Wuchao's grain and grass, went to Xu You, Zhang He, and Gao Lan, and killed Chunyu Qiong in battle. The army was in panic. Coach Yuan Shao even drank to drown his sorrows and became drunk every day.
Xu You added: "Your Majesty, this is a perfect opportunity to defeat Yuan. We can quickly advance and kill him. The Jin army has lost its food and grass, and its morale is unstable, so it will be defeated."
Zhang He and Gao Lan immediately asked for orders.
Cao Cao was overjoyed and immediately ordered Cao Hong, Cao Ren, Xiahou Chun, Zhang He and Gao Lan to lead 50,000 troops to rob and kill the Jin army camp. As Xu You expected, Cao's army marched out in three directions, and the Jin army was defeated. They fought in a melee until dawn, and each of them withdrew their troops. The Jin army lost most of it.
But even if most of them were lost, the Jin army still had 150,000 troops. Cao Cao did not dare to be careless and summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures.
Xu You said: "Your Majesty, you can first threaten that our army will mobilize 30,000 men and go to Suanzao; then send out an army of 30,000 men and go straight to Yecheng; then send out another 30,000 men and horses to capture Liyang and cut off the Jin army's return route. When Yuan Shao hears this, he will definitely panic and disperse his troops. Our army can then directly attack Yuan Shao's camp."
Cao Cao was overjoyed and said: "Gongda's plan is very clever!"
Immediately people spread the threat.
As Xu You expected, when Yuan Shao learned of the incident, he hurriedly ordered Yuan Tan to lead 30,000 people to rescue Yecheng, Xin Ming to lead 30,000 people to rescue Liyang, and Han Meng to lead 30,000 people to rescue Suzhou.
At this point, there were only more than 60,000 people left in the Chinese army's tent.
When Cao Cao learned about this, he was overjoyed and immediately ordered the entire army to dispatch. The troops were divided into eight groups and all attacked the Jin army's central tent.
But just when Cao Cao was about to take action, a piece of news flashed across his sky like a bolt from the blue.
On the eve of the army's departure, the hidden guard sent eight hundred miles of urgent information to Xun You. When he saw the information inside, Xun You was so frightened that his face turned pale and he hurriedly informed Cao Cao.
"What? Zhang Xiu left Luoyang?"
Cao Cao looked in disbelief. He thought about it carefully, waved his hands and laughed: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The war in Yizhou is not over yet, how dare Zhang Xiu leave without permission? The battlefield is changing rapidly, how can this be a child's play!"
Xun You said solemnly: "Your Majesty, Yu Jinyu General has died in battle."
Cao Cao's face turned stern, and there was a sharp coldness in his eyes: "What did you say? General Yu Jin died in the battle? Who? Who killed -!"
Xun You: "General of the State of Jing, Zhang Xian."
"Xian Zhang?" Cao Cao was stunned, "He can be considered a general? Is there anyone left in Jingguo?"
Xun You: "Your Majesty, Zhang Xiu led only a thousand cavalry to sweep the Guandu battlefield. I heard that the Jinggan Army was secretly built by King Jing. It is well-equipped and powerful. We need to deal with it with caution."
Xu You immediately said: "Your Majesty, you can't! Zhang Xiu can only defeat a thousand men with only one general leading tens of thousands of soldiers and horses. Yuan Shao is the top priority of our army. How can we lose a big thing because of a small thing?" "
Xun You stopped talking and just lowered his head.
He knew what Cao Cao was thinking, and he also knew Zhang Xiu's position in Cao Cao's heart, which was definitely No. 1. In Cao Cao's heart, ten Yuan Shao could not resist one Zhang Xiu.
The two are not at the same level at all.
But at this time, attacking Yuan Shao is more beneficial than attacking Zhang Xiu, but it is also the best time to kill Zhang Xiu.
The big tent became quiet.
Cao Cao stood there, eyes narrowed to a slit, thinking rapidly about countermeasures; Xun You remained silent, also thinking. Xu You was extremely anxious, but when he saw the two of them thinking, he didn't dare to disturb them, so he was anxious.
After a long time, Cao Cao spoke: "Gongda, where do you think Zhang Xiudong came from when he left Luoyang?"
Xun You said confidently: "Of course it is for Yuan Shao. If the Jin army is defeated and returns, the land of Hebei will be owned by our country and the national power will be greatly increased. This is what Zhang Xiu does not want to see. His purpose is naturally to save Yuan Shao and fight against Disrupt our army’s deployment.”
Cao Cao chuckled: "So, Zhang Xiu is sure that Gu will give up Yuan Shao and kill him, thus giving Yuan Shao a chance to survive."
Xun You nodded: "Yes."
Xu You was too anxious to wait any longer: "Your Majesty, Gongda, Yuan Shao's army has been dispersed. Such a golden opportunity must not be missed because of Zhang Xiu! I ask the King of Wei to send troops to kill Yuan Shao!"
Xun You said calmly: "But this is indeed a good opportunity to kill Zhang Xiu."
Cao Cao nodded: "Prince Jing did not hesitate to risk his life and left the border alone. He just wanted to lure the lone king to give up Yuan Shao and turn around to kill him. Humph! Being alone is not what he wants."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Xu You shouted.
Xun You lowered his head and stopped talking.
Cao Cao's eyes were struggling, and he gritted his teeth and wanted to open his mouth to order the entire army to move out, but the order was not issued for a long time. Because he knew that once this order was issued, it would mean giving up the perfect opportunity to kill Zhang Xiu.
Xu You shouted: "Your Majesty, Zhang Xiu has a rich body, how can his ministers and generals let Prince Jing be in danger alone? There must be a plan, and we must not fall into his plan."
Cao Cao was shocked, suddenly came to his senses, drew out his sword decisively, and ordered without hesitation: "All the soldiers in the army, listen to the order of the lonely king, go to the Jin army camp and kill!"
"Here!"
Xu You shouted loudest.
In order to prevent Zhang Xiu from making a sneak attack from behind, Cao Hong led 10,000 troops to stay and keep an eye on the movements of the Jing army. The other troops, led by Cao Cao personally, went to the Jin army camp to kill.
Suffering successive disastrous defeats, the troops were divided. The Jin army had no fighting spirit. After Cao's army came, only generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou led their troops to resist desperately, while the others fled in all directions.
When Yuan Shao was half drunk, he heard the sound of fighting and was so frightened that he hurriedly followed his guards, mounted his horse in a single coat and a scarf, and fled north with his youngest son Yuan Shang.
Zhang He, Gao Lan, Xu Chu and other generals led their troops to pursue Yuan Shao.
Thanks to Wen Chou's desperate resistance, Yan Liang led Yuan Shao and Yuan Shang across the river. In the end, Wen Chou was exhausted and died on the bank of the Yellow River.
When 'Zhang Xiu' learned that Cao Cao's army was attacking Yuan Shao, he immediately led his troops towards the Yellow River. On the way, he encountered Cao Hong's army coming to rob him, and a fierce battle broke out between the two sides.
In the end, due to insufficient troops and horses, 'Zhang Xiu' could only fight and retreat, and finally withdrew from the battlefield.
Cao Cao, on the other hand, led the victorious army in pursuit and headed towards Liyang. Yuan Shao, wearing a scarf and single clothes, crossed the Yellow River under the escort of Yan Liang and arrived at the north bank of Liyang.
When the defeated army of Jin heard that Yuan Shao was in Liyang, they fled to Liyang one after another. Yan Liang immediately gathered the remaining troops and gained 80,000 troops. The army regained strength and stood firm on the north bank.
The armies of Wei and Jin faced each other again on the north and south banks of the Yellow River.
With the natural danger of the Yellow River here, Cao Cao had no choice but to cross the Yellow River by force. What's more terrible is that Zhang Xiu stationed troops in Duyang City and Luoyang, so he had to return his troops to defend.
General Yecheng has asked for help many times.
