Chapter 115 Chapter Fifteen

The fire was raging, all the food and fodder in Wuchao disappeared, and the captured soldiers cried together. The raging fire, gunpowder smoke, the crackling sound of peeling and peeling, the smell of burnt food, Yuan Jun's crying and Cao Jun's laughter enveloped Wuchao. "Attacking the city is the bottom, and attacking the mind is the top. We must break Yuan Shao's military spirit and not allow him to have a chance to breathe!" Cao Mengde, who was planning to return to Guandu, suddenly had a whim, and ordered Chunyu Qiong and a dozen soldiers to have their noses cut off, and then Send them back to Yuan Jun's base camp.

Only the loyal Chunyuqiong returned to Yuan Jun's base camp. Yuan Shao and Zuo Zuo were so frightened that they took several steps back. Everything seemed to require no questioning, no need to explain.Yuan Shao waved his hand feebly, and asked the sergeant to take Chunyu Qiong down. Cao Mengde's base camp at Guandu was defended by Xun You and Cao Hong with all their strength. Due to the strong fortifications, it was useless for Zhang Yun and Gao Lan to attack with all their strength. Yuan Shao's base camp seemed so quiet all of a sudden, Yuan Shao walked around with his hands behind his back, his eyes seemed to burst.

In order to shirk his responsibility, Guo Tu said to Yuan Shao with a strong spirit: "Zhang He was the chief culprit for not doing his best to attack and delaying the military plane because of resentment." Yuan Shao was hesitant. As usual, he would definitely announce the punishment immediately. The soldiers in the base camp who had a friendly relationship with Zhang Yun passed this information to Zhang Yun who was struggling to attack the stronghold. Zhang He Gaolan was worried because he failed to attack the stronghold, the soldiers suffered heavy casualties, and Cao Mengde's army returned to camp. After hearing Guo Tu's slander, he became furious.

"Two generals, my lord wants you to go back immediately!" Another sergeant came to report. Zhang He Gao Lan realized that his fate might be similar to that of Tian Feng and Ju Shou. After a moment of discussion, he decided to raise his troops and surrender to Cao Mengde. This frightened Cao Mengde, he did not dare to order Zhang Yun Gaolan to enter the village. Guo Jia joked: "The prime minister is not afraid to rob Wuchao with his head up, but he is afraid of the two surrendered generals. I have already obtained information about the dispute between Zhang Yun and Guo Tu. They are obviously desperate."

Cao Mengde also twitched his beard and said with a smile: "Thank you Yuan Shao for sending me two more generals. It seems that Hebei is really a good place to produce talents." After saying that, he laughed. Yuan Shao couldn't believe that his 700,000 troops could not deal with Cao Mengde's 100,000 troops, and he never imagined that Cao Aman, who was at the end of his rope and had to sell his ancestral property or even dig up his ancestral tomb to raise his military salary, would grow so quickly. Thinking of the ferocious faces of the soldiers without noses, Yuan Shao shuddered. Unexpectedly, the conquest plan that had been painstakingly planned for a long time was completely burned by the fire of Wuchao. "If you had listened to Tian Feng and Ju Shou's advice, what would have happened?" Yuan Shao regretted it even more when he thought of this, and couldn't help crying. "This, is this God's will!" In Yuan Shao's tearful eyes, the heroic images of Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Chun Yuqiong and other favorite generals are as vivid as yesterday.Now, they have shed blood on the battlefield and their souls have returned to the Yellow River.

Yuan Shao looked at the officers and staff who were drooping their heads beside him, and asked sharply, "Where is Tian Feng, where is Ju Shou?" It was only when the surroundings were quiet that he felt his gaffe, and he looked at Yuan Tan for a while with infinite sorrow , his eyes moved to the sword hanging on the wall, Yuan Tan realized something, hugged Yuan Shao tightly, and said in tears: "Father, since ancient times, if there are green hills left, I am not afraid that there will be no firewood. Jiangdong, there will be a comeback, father has always been magnanimous, don't learn from Xiang Yu!"

Yuan Shao finally calmed down amidst extreme grief, replaced by gnashing of teeth anger. "Cao thief, one day, I will use your head to worship the tombs of the fallen soldiers. Xu You, Zhang He, Gao Lan, these traitors, one day, I will eat you alive!" "Withdraw the entire battalion!" Yuan Shao ordered. Cheng Yu, who was guarding Zhencheng, and Yu Jin, who was active near Yanjin, took the opportunity to go north to attack Liyang, an important camp on the north bank of Yuan Shao. The coalition forces of Cao Ren and Xu Huang attacked Suanzao. "Cao Cao is here, here comes the nose-cutting!" the soldiers shouted and ran, Guo Tu slashed wildly with his sword, but he couldn't control the scattered soldiers, so he had to let the armies retreat automatically.

Cao Mengde found out about Yuan Shao's army movement, and immediately ordered Cao Hong, Zhang Liao, and Zhang Xiu's army to attack Yuan Shao's base camp in Guandu.Yuan Jun, who was guarding the front battalion, had no fighting spirit and fled in all directions.When Yuan Shao heard that the guards in the base camp were disintegrated, he had no time to put on his armor and helmets, so he mounted his horse with only one coat and a scarf, and his eldest son Yuan Tan led the guards to follow closely behind. Yuan Shao crossed the Jishui River in a panic. All the confidential books, luggage vehicles, gold, silver and jewels were abandoned on the bank, and he only led more than 800 light cavalry to cross the river.

In the chaos, more than 100,000 Yuan troops were massacred or pitted after surrendering. The Nanji and Guandu waters were all red, and the river was filled with corpses, almost blocking the river.Yuan Shao ordered Yuan Tanfei to arrive at Yanjin Ferry to prepare the ferry boats.When Yuan Shao arrived at Yanjin Ferry, there were only 20 or 30 boats. Yuan Tan waved his sword and ordered the sergeants to transition in order of rank.Where the sergeant could listen, they rushed to climb up one after another. For a while, some had their fingers and ears cut off, and some fell into the water and floated away.

Yuan Shao crossed the Yellow River from Yanjin and went straight to Liyang. "Don't chase after the poor!" Cao Mengde ordered to rectify the battlefield. For a while, Guandu was very lively. Jushou was captured alive.Cao Mengde and Jushou had contacts before, so they went to inquire. When Jushou saw Cao Mengde, he kept shouting, "Jushou would rather die under Yuan Gong's family than surrender to you!" Cao Mengde persuaded with a smile: "Yuan Benchu ​​didn't listen to your plan, which caused you to be implicated. Why do you keep the chastity for him! If I, Cao Mengde, had your help earlier, I wouldn't worry about major events in the world."

Jushou held his head high and looked down on Cao Mengde.Cao Mengde pondered for a moment, then made a beheading gesture decisively and calmly. Jushou died peacefully, repeating what he said to Cao Mengde. Cao Mengde ordered a generous funeral, buried Jushou at the mouth of the Yellow River, and personally inscribed the words "Tomb of the Loyal Jujun" on the tombstone.