"Are you secretly laughing at me because I am ignorant and there is no one to help me?!" Lu Bu sneered. He was originally furious, but Chen Gong's words poured cold water on him.
If Cao Cao is moral, then I am an immoral person? It's time for a big defeat, right? Do you want to see whose tent you're standing in?
Lu Bu glanced at Chen Gong, feeling slightly unhappy.
"Alas, I didn't mean that," Chen Gong sighed helplessly. "Morality has been lost as early as Tao Qian's time. Cao Cao occupied Xuzhou twice, in the name of quelling the rebellion of Que Xuan and avenging his father. Both times he He implemented benevolent policies in Xuzhou and left an excellent reputation."
"I have long said that Fengxian should not take over Xuzhou, but should find a place to station the army immediately," Chen Gong said with a look of regret on his face.
But now Tao Qian has died of illness on the way, and his family has returned to his hometown in Danyang to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests. It is useless to blame him.
"Stop talking," Lu Bu waved his hand impatiently, "Now we have to go back to the army and clean the food roads."
Chen Gong did not answer, but was thinking about the strategy at this time. Returning to the army to clear the obstacles on the food road, and returning to Xiapi seemed to be the only way.
But because of this, Chen Gong was even more afraid. Cao Cao's military use was always full of cunning and unpredictable tactics.
There is only one road left, which may not be left by him, because Cao Cao must have expected that Lu Bu would immediately send troops to intercept it. How could he not leave a backup plan?
"Fengxian, don't be anxious..." Chen Gong said quickly, anxiously walked to Lu Bu and expressed his concerns.
Lu Bu was suddenly reminded and was stunned with deep understanding.
Only then did I feel like my hands were tied. I had never even seen Cao Cao, the traitor, since the war with him, but I already felt like he was being plotted against me everywhere.
Then shouldn't I go to the rescue? If we don't go, when the food road is completely cut off, no food, military supplies, or medicinal materials will be delivered, and the entire army will die sooner or later.
"What can I do?"
Chen Gong thought for a moment, forced out a calm smile, and said to Lu Bu: "Fengxian, please don't be upset."
"It is imperative to return to the army for rescue. Of course we must rescue. However, how to go and how many troops to divide need to be carefully discussed, otherwise we will fall into Cao Cao's treacherous plan."
"What Gongtai said is absolutely true," Lu Bu calmed down, returned to the main seat and sat down, looking solemnly at the table in front of him.
His thoughts continued to spread out, thinking about the current situation: "Cao Cao first defended, and after I was tired, he defeated Wenyuan to calm the morale of the army. After that, I used the strategy of showing the enemy's weakness and retreating more than ten miles to lure them out of the city. Come chase.”
"Cao Cao's army was indeed interested in chasing, so they went out of the city to camp, but they did not dare to pursue rashly. They could only send out sentries to investigate and then harass. This is not because Cao Cao was scheming and anticipated the enemy first. This is because he has suffered a loss!! "
Lu Bu's eyes lit up, and he suddenly remembered an important event, "When he was in Bianshui, Cao Cao was so anxious that he pursued him deeply and went deep alone. He was defeated by Xu Rong! He almost wiped out the whole army! He should remember this kind of defeat in his heart, and When Bianshui fought, I also led troops on the side and was in the same line as Xu Rong. Cao Cao was afraid that that battle would happen again."
"Yes, that's right!"
Thinking of this, his face was filled with joy, as if he had caught something in an instant. Cao Cao was not so terrible. On the contrary, he was actually afraid of being ambushed, so he hesitated and used his troops cautiously.
"After he cut off the food route and detoured to our army, he must have sent a large number of troops..."
"And now that Cao Ren has led his troops from Pengcheng in order to chase our army all the time, why not do the opposite and attack the camp!"
Lu Bu made up his mind. At this time, the army still had ten days of food. Even if the raid failed, they could still return to the defense. Once they returned to attack, they could even let Cao's army come to the rear to rescue them. When they relaxed and created a hole, they could break through. After a tight siege, return to Xiapi.
Thinking of this, Lu Bu quickly stood up and faced Chen Gong, his eyes eager and said: "We will directly attack Cao Ren's camp! Loot the food and grass in his camp! The Cao army in the rear must come to rescue! We can set up an ambush and wait!"
Chen Gong lowered his head and pondered for a moment, and felt that this plan was feasible. He did not have to be led by Cao Cao, and could have the power to dispatch troops and generals in his hands.
"This plan is feasible," Chen Gong said, cupping his hands. "Marquis Wen will leave and leave a group of elite troops to garrison here."
"Well, this plan will definitely break the situation." The more Lu Bu thought about it, the more feasible it became. He might be able to follow General Xu Rong's example and defeat Cao Cao in one battle.
It also helps the world know that Cao Cao is not a terrible person. He still has a record of abandoning his armor and will continue to do so in the future!
…
That night, after Lu Bu's deployment, he angrily sent out troops. He led 3,000 cavalry and 8,000 infantry under his command and went straight to Cao Ren's camp. Thousands of troops were left behind. After arriving outside Cao Ren's camp, they charged with fire.
After rushing into the camp, they found that there were only a few troops guarding them. When they saw them, they all retreated and fled, scattering in all directions.
This is an empty camp!
"Oh no, I fell into the trap!" Lu Bu even thought that there was a traitor under his command. How could Cao Cao know every strategy so clearly and always seize the opportunity to design it first.
This made Lu Bu extremely uncomfortable, so he could only lead his army back. At the same time, he sent out sentries to guard the vicinity and beware of ambushes. However, after running for a long time, no ambush came.
After running for a while, Lu Bu became suspicious. He stopped in the trail, spread out his troops and looked for them again, but there was still no ambush. Except for the yellow dogs in the countryside, there was no sign of an ambush nearby.
"What on earth is Cao Mengde going to do..." Lu Bu was puzzled. What he feared most during the march was this kind of situation. He couldn't figure it out!
Cao Mengde set up an empty camp, obviously to lure me deeper, but he never ambush me. Could it be that he was waiting for me to rush to my camp as soon as I arrived here! ?
Lu Bu's pupils shrank sharply, and he felt as if he had been awakened by cold water. His whole face turned pale, he urged his horse to run wildly, and then shouted an order: "Go back to camp immediately!!"
"Your Majesty gave the order! Return to camp immediately!"
"Go back to camp! Everyone return to camp immediately!!"
"Get up and go back to camp! Drive!"
"do!"
"Hold!!!"
Suddenly, there was a roar of cheering horses in the forest path. Almost tens of thousands of people followed Lu Bu back to the camp desperately.
After returning, the camp was peaceful and quiet.
At this time, Lu Bu could only dismount in confusion and stood in front of the camp, completely losing his ability to calm down.
What on earth is Cao Cao going to do...
He set up an empty camp to lure me, and sent sentries to ride behind me to cut off my food routes, but he did nothing.
Do you have to force me to attack the city? !
After Chen Gong heard about Lu Bu's trip, he fell into deep thought. Among the civil and military officials present, he was the only one who had worked with Cao Cao and understood his thoughts better, but he couldn't guess what he was doing.
"Cao Cao set up this empty camp, what's the point besides making us wait for the long journey?" Chen Gong asked himself, mainly because he was also confused and didn't know what Cao Cao meant.
It is absolutely impossible for Cao Cao to use his troops just to play with them. He must have some purpose. He has gone to great lengths to cut off the retreat of the army and cut off the food route, but he did nothing? !
"Fengxian, why don't we retreat back to Xiapi and clean up the food road again. In this way, we don't have to think about what Cao Cao is going to do..."
"Retreat..." Lu Bu's heart moved, and he was already a little entangled. If he retreated at this time, his morale would be greatly affected, and Wenyuan had been captured, but he only got these camps, barbicans, small county towns, and rural pavilions outside Pengcheng.
These are of no great use. What really has the most strategic significance is Pengcheng, which is Tancheng's barrier.
Xuzhou has no danger to defend. Only these two cities can serve as chains to stop the iron hooves of the war horses. Once lost, Tancheng will be exposed.
However, even if we don't retreat now, the food route is cut off. We can't just forcefully attack Pengcheng. Once we lose, it will be the same as a dead end.
Thinking of this, Lu Bu sighed deeply: "They are all old foxes. Yuan Shu only provides food and does not use troops... He must see me bite off a piece of meat from Cao Cao before he is willing to send troops."
Chen Gong smiled bitterly and said: "There are no stupid men among the princes in this world. Although Yuan Shu is not as good as Yuan Shao, he is still a hero. Naturally, he will only take advantage of him, rather than truly make an alliance."
"Then, retreat! Fight back first and deal with the troops in the rear!" Lu Bu made up his mind, rested the whole army for half a day, and then set off immediately.
…
Xiapi.
Cao Hong led his troops to the city. After seeing the flag, the city gate opened immediately, and an old man and a young man walked out, followed by many officials, as if they had been waiting for a long time.
Three people came out from Cao Hong's cavalry.
Turn over and dismount to greet him.
The middle man was Xi Zhicai, with Zhang Han on the left and Dian Wei on the right. Behind them were Gao Shun, a black iron cavalry, and more than two thousand Cao Hong's descendants.
When they reached the bottom of the city, the young Confucian scholar on the opposite side came over and held his hands, saying: "Xiapi City is here, Lu Bu's guard Cao Xing has been controlled, Xuzhou must welcome the Ming Lord Benevolence and not feed tigers or wolves."
This person is Chen Deng.
