Seeing that Zhang Fei was beginning to break out of the encirclement, Xu Rong had no intention of expanding the victory, and even did not organize his soldiers to encircle him at all, and just watched Zhang Fei go away.
"Don't chase the enemy, let all our soldiers come back." Xu Rong sighed, "Go down and tell the whole army to pack their bags. As soon as the enemy troops are detected returning to the city, order the withdrawal immediately!"
For some reason, Xu Rong had a vague premonition in his heart.
He had clearly chosen a retreat route and repelled the enemy's hijacking camp, but why was the ominous premonition in his heart getting stronger and even making him a little uneasy.
"In the current situation, we can only take one step and take a look..."
Xu Rong sighed and said to himself with a sad face.
…
Zhang Fei led his army to finally fight out, and then saw Zhang Heng smiling not far from Xu Rong's camp.
"Yide, how was this battle? Can we recover Xu Rong's head?" Zhang Heng joked.
Hearing this, Zhang Fei couldn't help but rolled his eyes and said angrily: "Humph! Ziyi, you are so unjust. I, Lao Zhang, are charging ahead, but you are here to bewitch your brother to wait and see what happens. You are really a cunning and cunning person!" "
Seeing Zhang Fei angry, Zhang Heng smiled even happier.
"I don't agree with what Yide said. I'm holding the line for you, aren't I?"
How could Zhang Fei believe such rhetoric? He immediately retorted: "How can there be any reason to hold an formation several miles apart? What's more, it's still night and the enemy doesn't even know you exist. It's a useless formation!"
"Hey, it turns out that you, Yide, also know this truth, but I underestimated you."
Zhang Fei:......
I'm sorry that Zhang Ziyi has been treating me like a three-year-old child, right?
"Okay, don't be angry."
Zhang Heng jumped off his horse, stepped forward, patted Zhang Fei on the shoulder and comforted him: "It's not that I didn't let Duke Xuande send troops to help you, it's just that our purpose is not this. Just imagine, even if we swarm up and defeat Xu Rong, It would have to involve heavy casualties, and that would not be a good deal.
Furthermore, if we can defeat the enemy here, why would it be unnecessary for Yun Chang to go to the sewer to stop the attack? Therefore, we just need to hold Xu Rong until he is exhausted, and then find an opportunity to let him go. By the time he arrives at the sewer, he will be out of men and horses, and his soldiers will no longer have the will to fight. We will be able to capture these five thousand enemy troops without a single blow! "
After listening to Zhang Heng's explanation, Zhang Fei smiled helplessly.
"Okay, I guess you're right, what should we do now, just watch?"
At this time, Liu Bei also dismounted and walked over, looking at Zhang Heng with the same questioning eyes.
"There should be about an hour and a half before dawn." Zhang Heng looked up at the sky and said with a smile, "In that case, let's give Xu Rong a few more gifts."
"What is a great gift?" Liu Bei asked puzzledly.
Zhang Heng winked at Zhang Fei and said, "Yide, please rest for a while and attack again later."
"Ah, are you still going?"
Zhang Fei shouted with confusion on his face.
…
Half an hour later.
Xu Rong's soldiers entered the account and reported.
"General, all the army's luggage has been packed. We only need to wait for the general's order to set off."
Xu Rong asked: "What are the enemy's movements?"
The soldier shook his head and said, "The enemy troops did not withdraw into the city. Instead, they stopped not far away. I don't know what they are watching."
"Then don't worry about him. When the enemy troops withdraw, report him immediately."
"As you command!"
The soldier clasped his fists and was about to turn around and walk out of the tent when a messenger suddenly came in from outside and shouted with panic on his face.
"General, the enemy is coming again!"
"What?"
Xu Rong couldn't believe his ears.
They had clearly repelled the enemy half an hour ago, why did they come back so quickly?
Don’t they need to rest?
Although he had many doubts, Xu Rong hurried out of the tent and saw a large number of soldiers rushing towards the camp gate. There were shouts of killing from the front, and it was clear that a fight had begun.
Compared with the last attack, Zhang Fei was much more restrained this time, as if he was acting.
The horn blew loudly, and the shouts of killing resounded throughout the camp, but when it came time to fight, Zhang Fei had no intention of fighting to the death.
After most of Xu Rongjun's soldiers had gathered, Zhang Fei immediately showed them what it meant to be in a hurry.
Mr. Zhang is not only good at charging into battle, he is also very slow when running.
"General, the enemy has retreated!"
After Zhang Fei completely retreated, his soldiers immediately ran over to report to Xu Rong.
But Xu Rong just nodded slightly and looked solemnly at the direction of Zhang Fei's withdrawal.
What does this mean?
Could it be a tactic by the enemy to tire them out?
Xu Rong was worthy of being an experienced general, and he guessed Zhang Heng's intention immediately.
But...he didn't have any solution.
Compared with the conspiracy, Zhang Heng's plan to weaken the enemy is actually a real conspiracy!
It's actually easy to crack, as long as Xu Rong takes the initiative and forces Zhang Fei back into the city.
But, does he dare to move?
With his return route cut off and food supplies running low, Xu Rong was preoccupied with thinking about how to withdraw his troops safely and did not dare to fight with Liu Bei.
Therefore, he could only be beaten passively.
The most critical winner of this battle was Zhang Liao's surprise attack on Xingyang. Xu Rong's defeat is now determined and he can only let Zhang Heng manipulate him.
"In order to prevent the enemy from coming to rob the camp again, please don't sleep tonight. As long as you stay up until dawn, you're done!"
In desperation, Xu Rong had to order his soldiers to stay on guard until dawn.
The next development of the situation confirmed Xu Rong's guess.
Only half an hour later, the enemy came again.
Although the person leading the attack on the camp was replaced by Liu Bei this time, there was no difference in terms of effect.
Helplessly, Sergeant Xu Rong, who had barely slept all night, had no choice but to drag his heavy body and get up to fight again.
Just like before, the battle only lasted less than half an hour before Liu Bei led his troops to withdraw. The soldiers Xu Rong, who was left with dark circles behind his eyes, looked at each other and felt extremely aggrieved.
There is no end, this is too bullying!
If you dare, come here openly and let us fight to the death. What's going on with the continuous harassment!
It's a pity that Liu Bei has already led his troops to withdraw, and their screams and curses cannot be heard.
"It's really a tactic to tire out the enemy..."
Xu Rong looked at it, but the night sky was still as dark as ink, and he couldn't even see the stars.
It won't be dawn for more than half an hour at most, and there shouldn't be another wave of attacks on the camp.
But Xu Rong didn't dare to gamble, so he didn't dare to let the soldiers rest, so he had to work hard.
Facts have proved that he was right not to gamble.
Because less than three quarters of an hour passed, Zhang Fei led his army to kill again.
Like the previous two times, this attack on the camp was quickly repelled by Xu Rong.
But the successive sneak attacks had exhausted the soldiers. Zhang Fei's side had just retreated, but already some of the soldiers couldn't hold on and fell asleep. Even Xu Rong's military orders were ineffective.
In the distance, seeing Zhang Fei returning from a surprise attack, Liu Bei asked: "Ziyi, it will be daybreak in a while, do we want to continue to attack the camp?"
"No need." Zhang Heng shook his head, "Mr. Xuande, we can go back to the city."
Zhang Heng understood that Xu Rong would not dare to withdraw his troops even if he did nothing. On the contrary, once he returns to the city, Xu Rong will inevitably run away immediately.
"Yide, send the order, withdraw the troops and return to the city!" Liu Bei nodded and ordered.
As soon as Liu Bei withdrew his troops, Xu Rong immediately received the news.
"Are you sure the enemy has returned to the city?"
Xu Rong stared at the messenger and asked eagerly.
"General, I have seen with my own eyes that the enemy has indeed withdrawn and returned to the city!" the soldier replied hurriedly.
"Okay, immediately send an order to the entire army to pack up and withdraw!"
"This..." the soldier said hesitantly, "General, the soldiers have not slept all night, and they are all drowsy now. Should you rest first..."
Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Xu Rong waving his sleeves.
"No, withdraw immediately! The enemy has returned to the city and will not come out again in a short period of time. We just take the opportunity to withdraw. If we take a break at this time, it will be difficult to withdraw. Send my order to withdraw immediately!"
"As you command!"
The messenger clasped his fists and turned around.
In the county town.
After Zhang Heng received the news of Xu Rong's withdrawal, he couldn't help but look up at the dark night sky, with a smile on his lips.
"The sky is bright, but the darkness is fierce. Xu Rong, you thought you could escape, but you didn't expect that this was just the beginning of the trap..."
After Zhang Heng finished speaking, a ray of light slowly flashed from the eastern horizon.
With this glimmer of light, the entire sky slowly turned from black to white.
It's day, it's dawn.
