Chapter 74 Chapter Nine: The Aunt Lost Her Nephew (5)

After Cao Renjun captured Huyang City, he immediately returned to attack Wuyang. There were not many troops in Wuyang City. Seeing that Wancheng and Huyang could no longer rush to help, Cao Renjun abandoned the city and surrendered soon after he could not resist. So, in less than a month, Cao Cao's army had regained the territory of Yuzhou, and returned to the good situation a year ago, Cao Cao was very happy again. At this time, Cao Cao thought that Wancheng was tightly guarded and it would be difficult to take it for a while, and the weather was getting colder as the new year was approaching, which was not conducive to the use of troops, so he ordered Cao Hong to lead his troops to guard the east of the Feishui River, and the rest of the troops returned to the army. Xu all.

Cao Cao returned to Xudu and waited until March of the following year, then decided to send troops again and visit the east bank of the Huai River in person.This is the third year of Jian'an, that is, March 198 AD. This time, Cao Cao left Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, his best partners, to station in Xudu just like the first time. The two of them were still left.Cao Cao himself led Xun You, Guo Jia, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Yu Jin, Lu Qian, Xu Chu and others to set off in a mighty way.In this season, spring is deep in the fields, and the wheat fields are ripening. Cao Cao is very pleased to see the harvest scene.However, because the army passed by and the villagers didn't know it, they all fled in fright, and there was not a single harvester in the field.

Cao Cao was unhappy about this.Feeling that since the end of the Han Dynasty, there have been many wars and bad military discipline, which has brought a lot of pain to the people.That's why this situation happened now. When they heard that there was an army coming, they all turned pale and ran away. In view of this, Cao Cao felt that it is particularly important to protect the people's crops.Therefore, he issued an order to the legions and regional defenders: "We are ordered by the emperor to send troops to fight against rebellion and eliminate harm from the people. When the square wheat is ripe, we have to raise troops. Generals and schools, all who pass through the wheat fields, but there are people who trample on them." , and all beheaded. The military law is very strict, and the people should not be surprised."

When the order is issued, no one dares to be sloppy. When the officers pass through the wheat field, they all dismount of their horses, lead the horse with one hand, and hold the wheat with the other, passing carefully.Cao Cao himself took the reins carefully and walked slowly, savoring the political effect of his order.But as he was walking, a turtledove flew up in the wheat field, passing by Cao Cao's mount.The horse started suddenly, and ran into the wheat field, trampling a large piece of wheat.Cao Cao immediately summoned the chief bookkeeper and asked him, "How should I be convicted?"

The master said: "Ming Gong, the leader of the army, how can he be convicted?" Cao Cao said: "I gave the order to destroy it myself, how can I convince others?" After Cao Cao finished speaking, he made an appearance that he was about to commit suicide. Counselor Guo Jia saw Cao Cao's intentions and immediately stopped him, saying: "The ancients have the righteousness of the Spring and Autumn Period, the law is not respected, and the prime minister leads the army, how can he kill himself?" Cao Cao thought for a long time, and said with a serious face: "Since the Spring and Autumn Period has laws and does not respect them, I will temporarily avoid the death penalty, but I will still replace it with hair."

After finishing speaking, Cao Cao cut off the hair vertebrae, handed them to the master book, and ordered all the barracks to show the public: "The prime minister practiced wheat, which should be beheaded as an order, and now cut the hair instead." As a result, the whole army was terrified, and no one dared to ignore military orders anymore, and discipline was rectified. When Cao Cao's army arrived at the bank of the Jishui River, Zhang Xiu thought that Wancheng was too prominent to be conducive to the defense of the whole line, so he strategically withdrew his troops to Rangcheng, 80 miles southwest.This time, Cao Cao had to cross the Ji River and the Turbulent River one after another to attack Rang City, which added a lot of difficulties to the supply line.

However, under Xun You's suggestion, Cao Cao still adopted a medium- and long-term strategy.He ordered to build a city across the turbulent water on the opposite bank of Rangcheng to surround and attack Zhang Xiu's army for a long time.According to Xun You, Zhang Xiu relied on Liu Biao for all his military rations, which was not in line with Liu Biao's always conservative strategy.As long as he sticks to the fighting method of confrontation, Liu Biao will definitely not be able to bear the long-term waste of Zhang Xiu's army, and they are destined to split up.On the contrary, if Zhang Xiujun is pushed too fast, Liu Biao will join the battle based on the friendship of the alliance and fight against Cao Jun.

Cao Cao also realized the rationality of Xun You's plan, but when he saw Zhang Xiuyao showing off his power, he gradually couldn't bear it. When he couldn't bear it anymore, Cao Cao sent Xu Chu to lead an elite force to storm Rangcheng, causing Zhang Xiujun to suffer heavy losses.Sure enough, when Zhang Xiujun was under strong oppression, Liu Biao led his army to rescue him.As a result, the main force of Cao's army on the other side of Rangcheng was attacked by the enemy, and Cao Cao regretted not listening to Xun You's suggestion. Due to the difficulty in food supply, Cao Cao decided to take a quick solution.After observation and thinking, he boldly chose the confluence of Turbulent Water and Huangshui.The gentler and wider Anzhong City was used as the battlefield.In order to lure the enemy, Cao Cao ordered to abandon the city and withdraw his troops to the northwest to Anzhongpo.Seeing Cao Cao abandoning the city, Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao thought that Cao Jun was afraid, so they chased them all the way.Zhang Xiu led his army across the Tuan River first, blocking Cao's retreat, while Liu Biao put pressure on Cao's army from the southwest.On the surface, Cao Jun has been driven to death.

Cao Cao followed his plan and put it to death to survive. He deliberately delayed the retreat and let Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao's allied forces occupy Zhanshui Ferry.In fact, Cao Cao ordered the whole army to dig a tunnel along the hillside to let the baggage pass through first, and ambushed the army on the other side of the foot of the mountain, making Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao think that Cao's army had withdrawn to the southeast through the tunnel. Sure enough, at dawn, Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao each found that Cao Cao's main camp had become an empty camp. They thought that Cao Cao had fled overnight, and saw traces of luggage on the tunnel. After detailed investigation, they followed the tunnel, and the whole army quickly chased Cao Jun.

Just after Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao's troops pursued them not far away, a large number of Cao Jun's cavalry suddenly appeared on the high hillside on the right and attacked Zhang and Liu Jun's left flank.Zhang Xiu was surprised and hurriedly adjusted his army to the right, but Cao Cao's infantry appeared at the end of the tunnel.These infantry quickly rushed into the left flank of Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao's coalition forces.Continuous unexpected attacks, coupled with Cao Cao's condescending use of his best mixed combat on foot and cavalry, soon defeated the main force of Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao, and had to retreat to Rangcheng.Although Jia Xu still deployed strong fortifications in Rangcheng, Cao Cao's pursuit troops were unable to attack effectively, but the main force of Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao's coalition forces was severely damaged, and they had no strength to attack Cao's army.

In this way, the allied forces of Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao defended Rangcheng, and Cao Jun had no choice but to stay under the city for a while. Until the autumn harvest season in July of that year, Cao Cao ordered the main force to withdraw to Yanzhou in order to seize the opportunity to prepare grain and grass for winter and spring. Therefore, this Western Expedition finally failed to defeat Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao, so it had to come to an end temporarily.