In Lao Cao's mind, although he relied on a strategy to gain access to the tiger's mouth, a bloody battle was inevitable after entering the pass.
For example, when we took Juyong Pass before, we first used the stratagem of blooming trees to fill the gap with the few, encircled Wei and rescued Zhao, and lured out the elite defenders of the pass. Guan Sheng, Shi Bao and others were elite soldiers, and they took the opportunity to infiltrate the defeated troops and enter the pass. Even so, Guanzhong was captured after a fierce battle.
But he never expected that Hua Rong shot the guard to death with an arrow, and the soldiers pretending to be golden soldiers and prisoners were about to fight. The opponent was immediately defeated, without any intention of resistance. With three strikes, five divided by two, he controlled this pass.
Cao Cao was very surprised and couldn't figure out why the defenders here were so weak because they were all at the pass.
It happened that Lu Fang captured the deputy general at this pass and came to report his merits. Cao Cao asked the deputy general why the defenders were so weak. The deputy general told the cause and effect, and Cao Cao realized it.
It turns out that this killing tiger's mouth was previously stationed by the elite of the Pishi Army. Later, the Taoist soldiers of Zhongshi came out of Yanmen and won a series of victories all the way. Emperor Tianzuo had no choice but to dispatch elite troops to meet the enemy. After being defeated again, he dropped gold in anger and released him. The golden man enters the customs.
Since the gold was dropped, Killing Hukou was useless to defend against the enemy. In addition, the Jin soldiers did not want the Liao people to send elite guards to guard their back roads. After negotiation between the two parties, only a thousand old and weak soldiers and horses were released to do this. Just a look.
These soldiers and horses had weak fighting spirit and even less fighting power. Therefore, when they saw the West Wind Army entering the pass, they immediately gave up resistance.
After hearing this, Lao Cao laughed: "Sure enough, God helps me!"
Then he ordered two generals, Hua Rong and Zhu Dian, to lead five thousand soldiers to guard this pass, while he led a large army and turned back to attack Yunzhou, which was Datong, Xijing.
He set out from Wuzhou and made a long-distance surprise attack, marching along the wilderness at the southern foot of Yinshan Mountain. He also passed through Datong on the way. At that time, the entire army took advantage of the dusk and stopped their troops to quietly pass through Datong seventy miles north of the city.
Now when I go back, I still follow the Yanshan Mountain. I also capture all the Liao people I meet along the way, including traders and hunters, in the army to prevent them from leaking the news.
Unexpectedly, halfway through, an accident occurred.
Killing the tiger's mouth is two hundred miles away from Datong. According to the speed at which Lao Cao arrived, he expected to arrive in three days, so he left all the excess military rations with Hua Rong, and only brought three days of rations with him.
Unexpectedly, the sky was filled with gloomy clouds on the second day, and at night, heavy snow fell like goose feathers.
Lao Cao's expression changed greatly, and he slapped his thigh: "That's all, this time it's just a big mistake. After all, it's my luck."
At dawn the next day, the heavy snow had not stopped, and there were several feet of snow on the flat ground. When all the generals saw it, their expressions changed.
Cao Cao thought for a long time and ordered the march to continue.
On this day, I only walked twenty or thirty miles.
At night, all the generals came to his tent and said, "Brother, we will run out of food and grass tomorrow. What should we do?"
Cao Cao took out the map, pointed his finger and said: "There is no other way but to change the route."
Yunnei County, a county under Yunzhou, is located thirty miles west of Datong, Xijing.
If Lao Cao had followed the original plan and went to Datong, bypassing the inhabited areas, he would still have to travel sixty or seventy miles, and there would be nowhere to supply supplies along the way. If he turned back to Yunnei County, it would only take more than twenty miles, even in such snowy weather. , you can reach it after a day’s trek.
Early the next morning, Lao Cao killed more than a hundred horses, boiled them into broth, and fed the soldiers a hearty meal. Then he turned south and arrived at Yunnei County at nightfall.
There were only a few hundred garrison troops stationed in this county, and the city walls were low. Lao Cao attacked the city directly and defeated it with one blow.
While sleeping in the clouds at night, Cao Cao looked out the window at the dense snowflakes, with a sad face, and sighed: "When we attack this county, someone will go to Datong to report the news. The surprise attack plan has been defeated. With only these two thousand soldiers and horses, I am afraid that It’s difficult to get out of a fortified city like Datong, so why not wait here for the snow to stop and return to Bailang Pass first before making any further calculations.”
Guan Sheng listened and shook his head repeatedly and said: "Brother, we go deep into the enemy's territory alone, relying on the word bravery. Moreover, we retreated to Bailang Pass with no help in front or behind. If the Jin soldiers attack in large numbers, the pass will be dangerous. There is a certain amount of food and grass. If we defeat him and siege the city, wouldn't it be a desperate situation? In this Datong Mansion, it is better to attack the lower part."
Xu Ning studied the map for a while, then nodded and said: "Brother, Guan Dadao is right. If we can't capture Yunzhou, we can't defend the killing tiger's mouth, so we have to plunder the city, and then bring Hua Rong and Zhu Dian's troops. Keep returning to Wuzhou."
After hearing this, Cao Cao thought sharply: "Ah, if it hadn't been for the advice of these two wise brothers, we would have made a big mistake as brothers! Yes, if we can't get Datong as a horn, we will be alone in killing the tiger's mouth! We are bound to win Datong." thing."
Shi Wengong shouted: "My younger brother does not have the insight and ability of brothers Guan Sheng and Xu Ning, but if my elder brother wants to break his city, my younger brother is willing to do it first!"
Hearing this, the other brothers rushed to ask for a fight. When Lao Cao heard this, he was very proud and slapped the table: "That's all, with a brother like you, why should Wu be afraid of hardships and dangers!"
On December 6, the heavy snow that had been falling for several days finally stopped.
Cao Cao led his troops out, paved a path through the white snow, and headed towards Datong.
On the way, Lao Cao had already made up his mind: instead of encircling three buildings, he would concentrate all his efforts on storming a city wall, and with the help of these fierce generals, he could defeat ten groups with one force.
As the sun set, the West Wind Army arrived in Datong. They saw the city gates wide open. Looking inward, up to the city walls and down to the streets, there was not a single person in sight.
Shi Bao laughed and said, "What is this? An empty city plan? We are not Sima Yi!"
He cupped his fists towards Lao Cao and said, "Brother, give me a team of men. If he dares to open the door, I will dare to break through this city!"
Cao Cao frowned and thought deeply, unable to make a decision for a while.
Guan Sheng advised: "Brother, let Shi Bao have a try. If he is ambushed, Guan will risk his life to save him."
Cao Cao secretly thought: If the Lord of Liao surrenders gold and the Jin soldiers attack Yanmen, how can he allow the Lord of Liao to lead his army behind? It will inevitably wrap up all his elite soldiers and generals. Yelu Yanxi is a man of great ambition and limited talent. He might have devised a trick to deceive me due to the lack of troops and horses at hand...
His eyes narrowed and he nodded: "In that case, I will give you a thousand men to vanguard the city!"
Shi Bao was overjoyed, ordered a thousand soldiers, and rushed into the city gate with murderous intent.
Cao Cao and others couldn't help but become nervous. Not long after, they saw Shi Bao's figure on the top of the city, waving and laughing: "Brother, it's either an empty city plan or an empty city!"
Cao Cao was so surprised that he led his troops in. He divided his troops to rob the gates of the city. He brought thousands of troops with him and went straight into the Yelu Yanxi Palace. He saw that the ground was in a mess, as if they had been robbed by a gang.
Cao Cao waved his hand, and a group of brothers dispersed like wolves and tigers, searching the palace. After a while, hundreds of eunuchs and maids were captured. They were all trembling, and the timid ones even had their pants wet.
Cao Cao said warmly: "I am the commander-in-chief of the Xifeng Army. Because the Liao Kingdom is immoral, I do the opposite. I only kill corrupt officials but not a single good person. You can't wait for the Liao Emperor's slaves. They are all pitiful people who can't control their lives. How could I rashly do harm? I only have one question to ask you, where is Yelu Yanxi now?"
After saying that, his eyes swept across the crowd like cold lightning, and most of them had blank faces. Only one woman lowered her head, and there was a trace of hatred in her eyes.
Cao Cao put his hand on the handle of the knife, stepped forward, held the opponent's chin with his hand, raised his face and looked at it for a moment, and suddenly said with a smile: "The country is so beautiful, even the Emperor of Liao, I'm afraid there won't be such a stunning palace concubine."
The woman's body trembled slightly, but her expression showed no fear, and she replied: "Young lady, I don't dare to be praised for her beauty."
This speech sounds like the voice of a phoenix or an oriole, which is both graceful and graceful and ecstatic.
She calls herself an old lady, which is true. Although she is well-maintained, how discerning is Lao Cao? Naturally, it can be seen that this woman must be thirty-two or thirteen years old, and there is a hint of sadness in her expression.
"Hahahaha." Cao Cao laughed: "Beauty never grows old! Although it has been weathered, it still looks more graceful and graceful. This is why autumn flowers are often better than spring flowers."
The woman didn't expect that he, a bandit leader, would talk in the same way. She couldn't help but show a trace of curiosity, and suddenly pointed to the falling snow outside the palace: "But it is already the severe winter, everything has withered, and all flowers are gone." Die of old age."
Cao Cao shook his head and said: "The wind and snow cover the ground and the sky, and the white plum blossoms are dancing gracefully. It is quiet and quiet, and the scenery is as beautiful as an immortal."
The woman's cheeks turned red, she quickly took a few steps back, and said angrily: "Since you know my identity, why do you still want to play with me?"
Cao Cao asked curiously: "Who knows your identity? I see that you are a lady with a wonderful appearance and a good demeanor. I guess she is not a palace maid. She must be a famous female official in the palace. Therefore, I want to chat with you for a few words so that you will no longer be afraid of me. Only then can I ask you about the whereabouts of Emperor Liao."
The woman was stunned for a moment, then turned her head slightly and said, seemingly believing it but not believing it: "Really? Then how could you say my maiden name in a poem? I don't believe there is such a coincidence in the world."
This gesture is quite childish. If it were done by a little girl, it would be naturally cute. However, when she is older, it would feel artificial. However, this girl, who is about thirty years old, makes such an innocent gesture, but it seems to be natural, and she does not feel it is artificial at all.
Cao Cao couldn't laugh or cry: "You said the flowers are gone in the harsh winter, but I said there are still plum blossoms. On a whim, I just made up a few crooked poems. Who knows what your name is?"
The woman bit her lip, shook her head and said, "I still don't believe it. You are so cruel to kill the emperor. How can you write a good poem?"
Cao Cao sighed and said, "Although I am a martial artist, when I see a beauty like you, I naturally feel tempted to show off. If I don't compose a poem, will I suddenly show you my sword?"
The woman heard what he said was interesting and couldn't help but laugh for a while. Then she realized something was wrong, coughed and turned away.
Lao Cao smiled and said: "That's all, Miss Youyou or Miss Pianpian, no matter what, it is always rude to tell a girl's maiden name. Even if I make a mistake, here, how about sparing all these palace maids and eunuchs and not killing any of them as compensation?"
As soon as he said this, the faces of the palace maids and eunuchs showed surprise, and they looked at the woman without blinking, obviously begging her to agree.
The woman said angrily: "You are not a good person. Just now you said that they are poor people and will not harm them. Why do you sell short favors to me in the blink of an eye?"
Cao Cao laughed and said: "If I were a good person, I would have been forced to death by the world. Furthermore, what I just said was that I would not harm him rashly. I will interrogate Yelu Yanxi's whereabouts later. They are eager to protect the Lord and remain silent. I You can only kill people to establish prestige, then it will be considered as if there is a reason, and you will not kill people rashly."
As soon as these words were said, the faces of the palace maids and eunuchs turned pale again.
The woman shook her head and said, "They really don't know the whereabouts of the Hun Jun. Please don't kill them."
Cao Cao nodded and said: "Didn't I just say that in order to show my gratitude to you, I have spared them."
The woman blinked, seeming a little happy, and then shook her head: "Don't call me random names, I don't call you Youyou."
Then he seemed to have expected what Cao Cao was going to say, and glared first: "It's not called Pianpian, it's not called Baimei, it's not called Sijing or Ruoxian!"
Cao Cao laughed: "That's it, Miss Ditian, what a domineering name! I guess your father is also an incredible hero, otherwise how could he give his daughter such an audacious maiden name?"
The woman was so angry that she stamped her feet and said, "You also said that you don't know who I am. You are clearly trying to make fun of me."
As he spoke, tears fell.
Cao Cao whispered: "You can't call her Sesu, right? I heard that your concubine Wen is called Xiao Sese."
Then he was shocked: "Are you Concubine Wen? The most beautiful woman in Liao Palace? That's all!"
Suddenly his face filled with anger, he turned around and shouted: "Bring me my spear and my horse!"
Seeing his sudden rage, Xiao Sese trembled in fright: "You, you promised not to kill anyone."
Cao Cao roared: "Who wants to kill someone? I will go after Yelu Yanxi, the dog thief, but I will ask him face to face. I will surrender the Jin Kingdom properly. Even if he is not strong-minded, that's it. Such a woman, If you didn't take it with you when you ran away, could you be blind?"
Before he finished speaking, Du Bo rushed into the palace: "Brother, all the city gates have been captured...ah!"
He glanced at Xiao Sesu inadvertently and grinned almost to his ears: "Brother! I, I don't want Yelu Chun's wife anymore, I only want this..."
Before he finished speaking, Guan Sheng, who was always solemn and calm, pounced like a tiger, clamped Du Bo's head in the creaking nest, and dragged him out of the hall in a few steps.
(End of chapter)
