met free Chapter 304: Dong Zhuo's Plot and Cao Cao's Ambush
Chapter 304: Dong Zhuo's Plot and Cao Cao's Ambush
Chapter 304: Dong Zhuo's Plot and Cao Cao's Ambush
The next morning, Le Jin and Xiahou Yuan found Guo Jia and asked anxiously, "Military Advisor, why haven't you given the order to attack the city yet?"
Guo Jia was holding the teapot. Perhaps because he had quit drinking for a long time, his reaction was not as big as before. He was much more sober and calm now. His face was not as pale as before, but had a rosy look.
He took a sip of tea, smiled leisurely, and said, "General, send your troops north. They must have understood everything when they return to Xiaguan. Now, I want to see their reaction."
Xiahou Yuan and Le Jin were not the kind of "smart people". After hearing this, they sat opposite him. Xiahou Yuan held his stomach and asked in confusion: "What does the military advisor want to see?"
Guo Jia looked towards Huixiaguan, his eyes unusually quiet, and said: "Dong Zhuo played such a big game, it must not be so simple. Huixiaguan's reaction will give us some ideas."
Le Jin became alert and asked, "Military Advisor, do you think Dong Zhuo has other intentions?"
Guo Jia held the teacup and looked at the rising sun. He felt the cold sweat on his head. He wiped it and suddenly his expression changed. He stared at Le Jin and asked, "What did you say just now?"
Le Jin was stunned and said, "I would like to say..."
For a moment, Le Jin couldn't remember what he had just said.
Xiahou Yuan seemed to have noticed something and said quickly, "It was the military advisor's idea. He suspected Dong Zhuo had other intentions."
Guo Jia's expression gradually changed. He looked back to Xiaguan and said to himself, "Dong Zhuo wants to return to the west. Apart from breaking through Huanyuanguan, what else is there for them to do?"
Le Jin was suddenly startled and asked, "Dong Zhuo doesn't want to enter Luoyang, does he?"
"Don't be startled,"
Xiahou Yuan was not familiar with Le Jin and thought he was just a younger brother of Cao's family. He said, "In Luoyang City, there are 20,000 Yulin troops, 10,000 imperial guards, and the Sili Xiaowei has more than 100,000 soldiers. Does Dong Zhuo want to attack Luoyang with only 20,000 soldiers?"
"Then what is so worthy of Dong Zhuo's going to so much trouble and making so many plans?" Guo Jia subconsciously put the teapot to his mouth, a thoughtful look on his face.
His face looked calm, but his heart was beating like a drum. He had a feeling that the truth was only a thin piece of paper away!
But it was this piece of paper that prevented him from seeing clearly and thinking thoroughly.
"What else?" Le Jin followed Guo Jia's line of thought, his face full of confusion.
Dong Zhuo gave up the great opportunity to capture Xuzhou and wasted many days here. If not for the purpose of "returning to the west", what else could it be for?
"It can't be for us, right?" Xiahou Yuan said irritably, as he was not good at thinking.
"not good!"
Upon hearing this, Guo Jia's face changed drastically. He stood up suddenly and shouted, "Initiate your troops and follow me to support the general!"
Le Jin, Xiahou Yuan knew what was going on. He responded loudly in a panic and quickly organized his troops.
Cao Cao has been gone for almost a day, and it is not easy to catch up with him now.
But Guo Jia couldn't care about anything else, Cao Cao must not be in any danger!
Guo Jia mobilized his entire army and chased after Cao Cao.
And every move of Cao's army could not escape the attention of Huixiaguan.
Jia Xu looked at Cao's army packing up their tents and the army moving away. He relaxed and smiled.
Li Jue, who was standing beside him, was puzzled and asked, "Military Advisor, why did Cao's army retreat?"
Cao's army launched a fierce attack a few days ago, but now they are suddenly withdrawing?
Jia Xu said, "It's too late."
Guo Si seemed to have thought of something and asked, "Military Advisor, could it be Lord Dong?"
Jia Xu nodded and said, "Mr. Dong's plan was for Cao Cao. If Cao Cao is not dealt with, Mr. Dong will not be able to sleep at night and his food will lose its taste."
Guo Si and Li Jue looked at each other, suppressed their dissatisfaction and said no more.
It was already obvious that Dong Zhuo, Jia Xu and others had concealed the truth from them and planned a big drama.
The key point is 'hide it from them'!
Jia Xu's eyes were full of light, and he said, "Don't think too much, generals. If we can destroy Cao Cao in this battle, Yuzhou and Xuzhou will all fall into Lord Dong's hands. The south is already in chaos, and with Yizhou and Xiliang, great things can be achieved! By then, being a marquis or a prime minister will only take a word from Lord Dong."
The two listened, their expressions slightly changed, and they quickly raised their hands and said, "Thank you, military advisor, for your advice!"
Jia Xu calmed the two men down and looked again. Guo Jia's army had stretched out very far and was advancing very fast.
Too late.
Cao Cao marched faster and had been walking for nearly a day, so it was not easy to catch up with him.
Besides, it will be soon.
Guo Si calmed down and suddenly asked, "Military Advisor, should we chase them and hold them back?"
Jia Xu pointed at Guo Jia's army and said, "Look at their march. There aren't that many people, and they're not moving very fast."
Li Jue looked out and said, "Military Advisor, is it that Cao's army did this on purpose to lure us in and ambush us?"
"Maybe it's a deliberate attempt to confuse people,"
Jia Xu put his hands behind his back and said, "No matter what, we don't need to worry about them. Get ready and follow me to take over Runan."
Li Jue and Guo Si looked at each other again with serious expressions. They both felt that Dong Zhuo and Jia Xu's plan this time was even bigger than they had expected!
Seeing the unmoved Huixiaguan, Guo Jia, who led the troops north, shook his head secretly and said, "There are experts in Huixiaguan, so there is no need to worry about pursuit. Let Xiahou Sima come over and we will move forward with all our strength."
Le Jin responded, adjusted the army, and began to march north at full speed to catch up with Cao Cao.
On the other side, Cao Cao was still unaware that Guo Jia was chasing him, but he received more and more bad news.
Hua Xiong captured Chen County of the Chen State, while Zhang Ji had already entered Yingchuan.
From Chen State to Yingchuan, and even Zhang Wen in Xu County, they all sent him a "letter of help", asking him to go north as soon as possible to stop Dong Zhuo from advancing north.
Cao Ren rode his horse beside Cao Cao, glanced at his sullen face, and said, "General, don't worry. There is no news from the court. There is still time."
Cao Cao's narrow eyes were full of coldness, and he said, "I am not worried about the court, I am worried about Your Majesty."
Xiahou Dun said, "There are tens of thousands of elite soldiers in Luoyang. Even if Dong Zhuo breaks through Huanyuan Pass, he won't dare to march into Luoyang. What are you worried about, General?"
Cao Cao rode his horse and looked towards Luoyang with a cold gaze, but did not answer.
He was worried that the palace would be disappointed in him!
When he was still the lieutenant of Xiyuan, the emperor in the palace looked at him differently and promoted him against all odds. He made many serious mistakes, but it was the palace that protected him, which is why he is here today.
In recent years, he has pacified Qingzhou and recaptured the Black Mountain Army, demonstrating certain abilities. However, due to his unruly behavior and the constant impeachment from both the government and the public, the attitude of the palace towards him has changed.
If Dong Zhuo really breaks through Huanyuan Pass this time, will the emperor in the palace still trust and protect him as always?
Cao Ren did think of something and consoled him, "Huanyuan Pass is easy to defend but difficult to attack. There are thousands of soldiers and horses here. Dong Zhuo will not be able to break through it in a short time. We can still catch up."
Cao Cao nodded, took a deep breath, and spurred his horse again, saying, "Order the whole army to speed up the march, and increase the levy by one more string per day!"
One xian is equivalent to one tael of silver, and one xian is enough for a small family's expenses for a month!
This is a windfall for ordinary soldiers!
Xiahou Dun looked back and saw that the soldiers had not had a rest for a day.
Not to mention the soldiers, even the horses were exhausted.
But looking at Cao Cao's expression, Xiahou Dun didn't say much and gave the order loudly.
Cao Cao was trying his best to get on the road, while Guo Jia was trying hard to catch up with him.
Because of the one-day time difference and unknown route, the two were unable to get in touch.
Cao Cao's army first arrived at Chen County, where they saw a devastated state. The small county town seemed to have been demolished, and there were hardly any living people.
Cao Cao took a temporary break and wanted to find out some information in Chen County.
Until the evening, Cao Cao hadn't gotten anything useful. He brushed his horse and pondered constantly.
Cao Ren rushed over and said, "General, I have learned something from asking, and they said it was under Dong Zhuo's banner."
Cao Cao looked at his beloved horse, which had recovered somewhat, and said thoughtfully, "I always feel that something is wrong, and I can't figure it out for the time being."
As he spoke, he looked back towards Xiaguan and said, "It would be nice if Fengxiao was here."
Guo Jia had a very special position in Cao Cao's court.
At the beginning, Cao Cao carried a pig's head and went around visiting temples, but because of his background, few famous scholars were willing to serve under him. It was when he was bored that he met Guo Jia.
Cao Cao was skeptical about Guo Jia at first, but the abilities Guo Jia demonstrated made Cao Cao admire him very much.
Most of the credit for Cao Cao's achievements in these battles can be attributed to Guo Jia.
Cao Ren naturally understood and said calmly: "General, if we calculate the time, Dong Zhuo may have already attacked Huanyuan Pass. We have to hurry."
Cao Cao stroked his horse, nodded, and said, "Hasn't Mr. Zhang replied yet?"
Cao Ren was a little worried and said, "Yes. Although Zhang Gong has some relationship with Dong Zhuo, I am afraid Dong Zhuo will not spare Zhang Gong's life."
Not to mention that Zhang Wen was once the Grand Marshal, but he was the main general in the expedition against Yuan Shu, the Left General. If he was killed, Cao Cao would have to bear even more crimes!
Cao Cao saw Xiahou Dun coming over and asked, "Yuan Rang, how are the soldiers?"
Xiahou Dun handed over a pot of wine and said, "Many are exhausted and can't walk much. They need to rest for at least a night."
Cao Cao took the wine jug and took a sip, then said, "We can't wait any longer. Let them eat and drink well, and rest after we reach Changping."
Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun looked at Cao Cao, seeming to want to say something but stopping themselves.
Cao Cao did not give them a chance to speak, and said, "We will set out in half an hour."
Cao Ren looked up at the sky and saw that it would be dark in half an hour.
Cao Cao didn't give them a chance to speak and continued brushing the horse's hair. A trace of heartache flashed in his eyes for the tired old friend, and then it turned into determination.
Half an hour later, Cao Cao's army set out from Chen County and headed north, but their speed was not as fast.
By the time we got to Changping, it was dark again.
Cao Cao's army was exhausted and almost reached its limit.
Cao Ren rode up from the front and shouted, "General, Changping is safe. The Changping garrison is holding out. Dong Zhuo is not approaching here and has taken a detour."
Cao Cao was also very tired. He was forty years old this year and his health was not as good as before.
The one in front of him nodded and said, "Let's go into the city and rest for a night. We will set out early tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, the soldiers around him breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help laughing.
They are too tired.
Cao Cao rode his horse and led his army towards Changping County.
"kill!"
Before they could get close, countless dark shadows rushed out from the dense forests surrounding Changping, and the sound of shouting and killing shook the sky.
The horse under Cao Cao panicked and almost fell off.
He hurriedly grabbed the reins, looked around, and shouted, "Cao Ren!"
Cao Ren looked panicked and said, "General, the situation is unclear!"
Cao Cao and others were panicked, let alone the ordinary soldiers.
Seeing the dense black shadows rushing towards them not far away, they were in chaos and panic.
"Don't mess up! Don't mess up!"
Xiahou Dun shouted loudly and looked at the figures rushing out. There didn't seem to be many of them.
"Cao Cao!"
Suddenly, a fast horse rushed over and shouted, "Hua Xiong has been waiting here for a long time!"
Cao Cao's face turned pale when he heard this. He turned around and saw his soldiers in a mess, exhausted. He gnashed his teeth in hatred, but he was helpless and shouted, "Retreat!"
Without caring about anything else, Cao Cao turned around and left.
In this situation, there was no way to fight and we could only run away.
Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren guarded Cao Cao on both sides, riding their horses at full speed.
Hua Xiong ignored everything and rushed forward with his troops, heading straight for Cao Cao.
"Cao Cao, don't run away, or you'll kill me!"
Hearing the loud shout, Cao Cao turned around, filled with hatred and anger, and could only beat his horse hard.
The 20,000-strong army they brought with them was already in disarray and in a state of disarray.
Cao Ren felt very guilty, but he didn't care. He said in a deep voice: "General, go first. I will cover you!"
When Cao Cao saw this, he wanted to say something, but the cold wind from his horse blew into his mouth, blocking his throat.
Hua Xiong was blocked by Cao Ren and Cao Cao was able to escape.
But the army was slaughtered one-sidedly and fled in all directions.
When Cao Cao saw this, his heart bled and he felt both hatred and helplessness.
Cao Cao ran madly with his head down, not knowing how long he had been running. Just as he was about to stop, he heard the sound of horse hooves again.
"Cao Cao, Zhang Ji is waiting for you!"
A large group of people rushed out from a valley not far away, rushing towards Cao Cao.
Cao Cao, who was just about to take a rest, had to flee again with the remaining troops.
"General, take the small road!"
Xiahou Dun whipped Cao Cao's horse on the buttocks with his whip, then stood on his horse with his sword drawn, ready to cover Cao Cao's retreat and stop Zhang Ji.
Cao Cao's horse was frightened and ran away quickly. Cao Cao could only turn around and shout: "Yuan Rang, your life is more important, don't fight to the death!"
Xiahou Dun didn't hear it, and held his long sword at an angle, confronting Zhang Ji.
Zhang Ji led a full three thousand men and rushed forward, ignoring Xiahou Dun completely, bypassing him and going after Cao Cao.
"Don't run away! Do you dare to fight me?"
Xiahou Dun stopped him and swung his sword to stop Zhang Ji.
Zhang Ji could not escape, so he ordered his men to chase Cao Cao while fighting with Xiahou Dun.
Cao Cao ran into a small path, looked back, and saw Dong Jun chasing him quickly, and hit his horse hard.
But the horse under him was exhausted and could not run at all.
Seeing that Dong's army was about to approach him, Cao Cao looked at the forest not far away, gritted his teeth, jumped off his horse, and after rolling down, he didn't care about anything else and stumbled into the forest.
The hundreds of soldiers that Dong's army was chasing after reined in their horses without hesitation, jumped off their horses and fell into the woods.
Cao Cao was leading a heavy load and limped through the woods, looking back in panic from time to time.
When he saw the grass and trees shaking, he ran away in fear.
"Is it possible that I, Cao Cao, will die here?"
Cao Cao was filled with sorrow. He held his sword in his hand and limped forward.
"Cao Cao, where are you escaping to!"
Suddenly there was a loud shout from behind, which scared Cao Cao so much that he almost fell down.
咻
An arrow shot out and hit the small tree next to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao gritted his teeth, leaned on his sword, endured the pain, and sped up his escape.