After the Lei clan's food was burned, Zhang Fei tentatively went out of the city several times to raise food. Cao Xiu's tiger and leopard cavalry were waiting for the opportunity every time, and Cao Hong would then launch a full-scale attack.
When Zhang Fei did not move, Cao's army did not move. When Zhang Fei moved, Cao's army followed suit. Cao Hong seemed to have found a way to win.
After a few times, Zhang Fei stopped testing. After all, they were fighting alone far away from Yizhou. If they sent few troops, they would be easily eaten by the tiger and leopard cavalry. If they divided too many troops, it would be difficult to protect the city.
The depletion of food reserves in the city was worrying, and Zhang Fei whipped the top more often.
In mid-April, the two sides had been in a stalemate for more than a month.
Zhang Fei took the top to the city wall and whipped it, and arranged for the soldiers to make miserable screams. The sound of the whip and the howling of the soldiers could be heard far away.
This behavior lasted for three days in total, which surprised Cao Jun who did not attack outside the city.
On the third night, the patrolling Tiger and Leopard Cavalry caught a deserter. His body was beaten with a whip and his skin was torn, and many of his blood-stained clothes were embedded in his flesh.
After being sent to Cao Hong's camp, a basin of ice water was poured on the deserter's head. The unconscious man opened his eyes and saw Cao Hong sitting at the top, with Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu, Yang Fu, Xin Pi and others lined up on the left and right.
"This...where is this..." the deserter asked with difficulty.
"This is Cao Ying. What's your name? This injury on your body..." Cao Hong asked coldly.
When the deserter heard the word Cao Ying, his eyes showed a look of horror, then he lowered his head and did not dare to answer.
Cao Hong looked at Yang Fu and motioned for him to ask questions.
Yang Fu knelt down and stared at the frightened face of the deserter, and then said condescendingly: "You can tell he is Zhang Fei's soldier just by looking at your attire. How could you run out of Xiabian covered in blood? Could it be that he was beaten by Zhang Fei?" Bar?"
"Yes...yes..." The deserter hesitated for a long time and finally spoke.
Yang Fu sneered and said: "Answer General Cao's questions honestly. If anyone deceives you, your head will be gone."
"My... my name is Wu Er, this injury was caused by General Zhang..." The deserter lowered his head after finishing speaking.
After hearing this, Yang Fu nodded and explained to everyone: "It has been heard that Zhang Fei loves to whip his soldiers for fun after drinking. In the past few days, the soldiers besieging the city have also heard the sound of whipping and wailing. It seems that Wu Er has touched the bad luck of the black man."
"Why did Zhang Fei whip you? And why did you come here? Could it be that he was a spy?" Cao Xiu asked.
"I...I'm not a spy...General Zhang is fine when he's drunk...Now that there's no alcohol in the city, he's feeling depressed, and many brothers have been whipped..." Wu Er replied.
After hearing this, Cao Hong sneered and said: "I wonder why Zhang Fei suddenly whipped the soldiers. It turned out to be because he drank all the wine for the debate? It seems that the rumors in the market are somewhat false."
Cao Xiu saw that Wu Er was avoiding the important and taking the easy, and immediately shouted: "Answer my question directly, why did Zhang Fei whip you? And why are you here?"
Wu Er's body trembled and he replied in panic: "General Zhang asked us to go to the city to look for wine. Some found it and some didn't. I have been whipped and have to look for it tomorrow. If we can't bring it back, we will be beaten to death." I couldn't bear to send me out, I never thought about coming to Cao Ying..."
"Why can someone find it but you can't?" Cao Xiu continued to ask.
Wu Er swallowed his saliva: "Because...because I don't want to kill innocent people indiscriminately..."
Cao Xiu didn't ask any more questions after hearing this. Wu Er was seriously injured and his answers were consistent, so he dispelled any doubts about his identity.
Yang Fu nodded and analyzed: "It seems that the treasury in Xiaben is very nervous. Zhang Fei has secretly asked people to rob it. We should be able to regain the lost ground soon."
"There hasn't been a large-scale exodus in Xiabian yet. We'll reap the benefits when the city gets really chaotic." Cao Xiu reminded.
Cao Hong thought for a while and threatened Wu Er: "General, I see that you are seriously injured. If you don't get timely treatment, you will die in the wilderness. If you have any useful information, maybe I can arrange for an army doctor to take your place." treat."
"Uh...no..." Wu Er lowered his head.
"Haha, you are worried that the Yizhou family will be implicated and you dare not say anything? Even if you don't tell us now, Zhang Fei will have no chance to go back alive. Maybe he can reunite with his family if he keeps his life." Cao Hong shook his head and sneered.
"Well...it seems that there are only ten days left of food left in the city. General Zhang seems to want to station himself in the mountains to the south, and then on the surface he is bluffing, but in fact he wants to take a detour to collect food..." Wu Er replied with a blushing face.
Cao Hong raised his eyes and said, "Building a plank road openly to attack Chencang secretly? Who would have thought that this black guy can still use tricks?"
"Zhang Fei is a little clever, just like that day when he threw urine..."
In the middle of his words, Yang Fu noticed that Cao Hong and Cao Xiu had different expressions and immediately stopped talking. He just blurted out and forgot that the master of suffering was right in front of him.
Wu Er raised his hands and asked tentatively: "I have told you everything I know, can you give me a full meal?"
Cao Hong waved his hand and said: "If you follow us, you won't starve. This general will not only give you a full meal, but also treat your whip wounds. Take him with you."
"Thank you, General..." Wu Er clicked his head.
After Wu Er was taken away from the tent, Cao Hong told Xin Pi: "George is going back to Hechi tomorrow to supervise the grain supply, so just take Wu Er back with him. It's not a problem to stay here with us."
"Wei." Xinpi answered with his hands raised.
"George has been back and forth several times to supervise food supplies, why don't you let me go for a visit?"
Upon seeing this, Yang Fu stood up and asked for help. He accidentally said the wrong thing just now and planned to go to Hechi County to take shelter from the limelight and wait for Cao Hong and Cao Xiu to calm down.
"That's fine." Cao Hong nodded.
Cao Hong saw Cao Xiu looking thoughtful, so he left him alone after the accounts were settled.
"Zhang Fei is at the end of his battle, what are Wen Lie still worried about?" Cao Hong asked curiously.
Cao Xiu replied: "Zhang Fei was severely dragged down by our style of play. The opponent's food consumption was also expected. I just don't understand why he wanted to bluff and sneak out of the city to raise food. Isn't it okay?"
Cao Hong said with a smile: "Wen Lie has been with the King of Wei for a long time, right? Xia Bian is surrounded by the spies of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. Zhang Fei's every move is monitored by us. How can he hide it from us without some tricks?"
"The south is surrounded by mountains. Which way will Zhang Fei go?" Cao Xiu said to himself while looking at the map.
"I think it must be to the west. There are no soldiers and horses blocking the west of Xiabian. He will not forcefully cross the Zuoxi River from the mountains and then go around to the back of our camp, right? Ma Chao has suffered heavy losses." Cao Hong said disapprovingly.
The Zuoxi River flows east of Xiabian, crosses the Chenghui Basin from north to south, enters the mountains, and finally flows windingly into the Jialing River.
Cao Xiu nodded, "It is very possible to take a detour and sneak attack on our camp. As long as Zhang Fei mobilizes enough troops, but this will leave Ben City empty. This black guy should want to take a gamble with us."
"A gamble?" Cao Hong's face was full of questions.
Cao Xiu sneered: "Bet we haven't captured Xiabian yet, but he can break through our camp by going around. Zhang Fei's move is quite risky. As long as we can capture Xiabian, it doesn't matter even if the camp is lost."
"Yes, yes, we won't suffer any loss if we change camps." Cao Hong understood.
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