Cao Cao sent people to the mountain to observe the specific situation, and reported back again: "There are smoke coming from several places on the side of the mountain on the small road, but everything is normal on the other side of the road. There is no movement." Cao Cao thought for a moment and said: "We will go to Huarong Road Let’s take the path!”
The generals were a little confused and said: "Where there is smoke, there must be soldiers and horses. I am afraid there will be an ambush. Why don't we leave the main road and take the small road?"
Cao Cao smiled and said: "I am familiar with military books. Haven't you heard that what is false is real and what is true is false? Zhuge Liang still has some tricks, so he deliberately sent people to set off some fireworks on the side of the path to let our army He deliberately didn't dare to go this way, but set up an ambush on the main road, but I couldn't fulfill his wish and didn't fall into his trap."
After hearing this, everyone felt that it was very reasonable and praised: "The Prime Minister has a wonderful plan, but we cannot achieve it."
So everyone headed towards Huarong Road. At this time, the people were already exhausted, and many people could not support themselves. They simply lay on the ground and waited to die. Some soldiers with a little strength helped some people, and there were also injured people who were hit by bows and arrows. They walked slowly and looked very difficult. The armor on their bodies was soaked through. Many of them were not fully clothed. The military flags were also torn apart. Most of them were chased too hard by Zhang Fei on the Yiling Road. , he could only ride on an empty horse, throw away his armor, and run all the way forward. It was the cold winter season, with no clothes and no food or drink. One can imagine the pain he suffered.
After walking for a while, Cao Cao saw the team stopped and asked why.
A soldier found out the situation and reported: "The mountain road ahead is very narrow. Because it rained in the morning, there was water in the pit. The horses' hooves were stuck in the mud pit and they could not move forward."
After hearing this, Cao Cao was very angry and said angrily: "My army is building roads across mountains and building bridges when encountering water. How can it be that it can't walk when it encounters a mud pit?" So he issued an order to let the old, weak, sick and disabled soldiers walk Walking slowly behind, the strong man made some objects with soil and straw, preparing to fill the mud pits on the road ahead. We must act as soon as possible, and those who disobey military orders will be beheaded immediately.
Everyone had no choice but to dismount and use weapons to cut down trees on the roadside to fill the mud holes. Cao Cao was afraid that there would be an army chasing him from behind, so he asked Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, and Xu Huang to lead a hundred swordsmen and axemen to guard the rear. Some people were too slow to move. The soldiers were also beheaded directly.
At this time, the soldiers were all at the end of their strength, they were trapped and their horses were exhausted. They all fell to the ground one after another. Cao Cao ordered the soldiers to move forward directly, trampling on the bodies of the fallen soldiers, and many people were trampled to death. After all, they were former comrades-in-arms. Everyone cried and the cries could not be heard.
Cao Cao was very angry and said: "Life and death are fateful, there is nothing to cry about! If anyone is crying, behead him immediately!"
In this way, the mud pits were slowly filled up, and after passing the steep road, the road became a little easier. Cao Cao looked back at the soldiers following him. There were only more than 300 cavalry, and no one's clothes were intact.
Cao Cao urged them to move forward as quickly as possible, and the soldiers said: "The horse is almost exhausted. Let's take a short rest before moving forward."
Cao Cao said: "The danger has not been eliminated yet. Let's rest until we arrive in Jingzhou."
Everyone had no choice but to move forward. After walking for a while, Cao Cao suddenly looked up to the sky and smiled again.
Everyone asked: "Why is the Prime Minister laughing?"
Cao Cao said: "People say that Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang are resourceful, but in my opinion, they are still incompetent. If there is an ambush here, we will have no choice but to capture them!"
Before he finished speaking, there was a sudden sound of cannon, and five hundred swordsmen and axes on both sides opened up. The general at the head was Guan Yu. He was carrying the Qinglong Yanyue Sword and riding a red rabbit horse, completely cutting off Cao Jun's path.
When Cao Cao saw it, he was surprised and looked at each other.
Cao Cao said: "Since we have arrived at this place, which is also the last place, let's go up and fight to the death!"
The crowd said: "Although people can fight, horses can no longer do it and have no fighting power!"
When Cheng Yu saw that the other party was Guan Yu, he suggested: "I know that Guan Yu is very arrogant, but in his heart he actually sympathizes with the weak. He bullies the strong but not the weak. He has clear grudges and loyalty. The prime minister has been kind to him before. , now we can tell him in person, then our difficulties will be relieved."
Life was the most important thing at this time. Cao Cao followed this advice, rode forward and said to Guan Yu: "General, are you okay? Come and be safe!"
After all, he was kind to himself, so Guan Yu was very polite and said: "I have been waiting for the prime minister here for a long time following the military order."
Cao Cao said: "Now that I have been defeated and the situation is very critical, there is no way out. I hope the general will respect his past kindness and let us go!"
Guan Yu said: "The Prime Minister's kindness to me was indeed very deep before, but I have already killed Yan Liang, killed Wen Chou, and solved the siege of the White Horse, which can be regarded as repayment. Today's matter is official business, how can I use private affairs to do so?" Where is the deposed father?"
Cao Cao said: "When the general passed the five passes and killed six generals, do you still remember those things? A true man values loyalty. The general is very familiar with the "Spring and Autumn". Doesn't he know about Yu Gong's pursuit of his children?"
Guan Yu is a person who attaches great importance to friendship. Thinking of Cao Cao's various care and kindness to him before in Xuchang, including the fact that he later passed five levels and killed six generals without blaming himself, how could he not blame him at all at this time? Tempted? When I saw Cao Jun again, none of his clothes were intact, and his face was covered with wounds. He was shivering in the cold wind, looking sad. However, Cao Cao himself had his hair disheveled, and he no longer had the demeanor of a prime minister in the past. The atmosphere was very tense. Feeling miserable, I couldn't bear it for a moment, so I moved the horse away and said to everyone: "Let's all disperse."
This was obviously his intention to let Cao Cao go. When Cao Cao saw Guan Yu's appearance, he didn't hesitate for a moment and rushed over with all the generals.
When Guan Yu turned around again, Cao Cao and everyone else had jumped out of the encirclement. Guan Yu shouted loudly and was about to catch up, but he saw that Cao Cao and everyone else had dismounted and were crying on the ground. They were thanking Guan Yu for letting him go.
After Guan Yu saw it, he felt even more unbearable. When he was hesitating whether to pursue him, Zhang Liao also came over. After Guan Yu saw it, he remembered the friendship between the two of them. He sighed and gave up the idea of pursuing him, so he simply let them go. .
After Cao Cao left Huarong Road, he arrived at the mouth of the valley. When he turned around to look again, he found that there were only twenty-seven soldiers and horses following him. The sky was gradually getting dark. When he arrived at Nanjun, the torches illuminated the surrounding area very brightly, and suddenly he appeared. A group of people blocked the way.
