Around the second watch of the night, everyone gathered at the camp gate wearing armor, wearing white goose feathers on their heads, holding ring-headed knives, and carrying three torches wrapped in kerosene on their backs.

This white goose feather is inserted on the helmet as a trumpet, used to distinguish ourselves from the enemy.

Cao Ang stood in front of the camp gate and personally saw everyone off.

One hundred soldiers who were trapped in the battle drank a bowl each, and then, under the leadership of Cao Xiu, they went down the mountain to kill.

The fences, trenches and other fortifications at the foot of the mountain were not completed, and there were still many gaps. People followed the gaps and rushed all the way to the outside of the rebel camp.

Several strong men stepped forward and cut off the fence in the bandit's camp in two or two strokes.

Cao Xiu held a sharp ax in his hand, shouted loudly, and rushed to the front, killing anyone he saw, without stopping anyone.

The crowd headed straight for the central army, but the bandit army seemed to be on guard. They used chariots to pierce the road and surrounded the central army, which was similar to iron barrels. The people suddenly attacked from left and right, but it was difficult to enter.

When Cao Xiu saw this, he no longer took care of the central army, but ordered everyone to set fire to the camp.

At this time, the torches carried by everyone came into use. Hundreds of torches were lit and thrown everywhere in the camp. What's more, they were thrown specifically into the tents and livestock pens.

As a result, fires soon broke out in the rebel camp, and thick smoke billowed, staining the night sky translucently.

After everyone set the fire, they continued to rush left and right, galloping vertically and horizontally, killing everyone they met, causing chaos in the enemy camp.

The bandits in the camp were all in panic, and they didn't know how many enemy soldiers there were. They disturbed each other, fled, and had already lost their formation.

Cao Xiu killed the enemy camp all the way, then turned north. Seeing that the bandits from the other two camps came to support him, he did not dare to delay and withdrew towards the mountain.

However, the rebel army suffered a heavy loss last night and did not dare to pursue the case. They watched helplessly as the Xuzhou army fled to the mountains.

Cao Ang stayed on the mountain to observe the battlefield situation. When Cao Xiu retreated to the camp, he went to greet the victorious people with a smile.

When Cao Xiu arrived in front of the camp gate, the soldiers on the mountain shouted loudly and cheered loudly.

When Cao Xiu saw Cao Ang, he immediately knelt down and returned to his life. Cao Ang stepped forward, quickly helped him up, and then said to everyone: "Did you see it? This is my family's Qianliju."

After this battle, the morale of the Xuzhou army was even more shaken. However, the rebel army at the foot of the mountain thought that they would be captured by a sudden attack, but they broke up twice in a row, and their morale was greatly reduced.

Next, Zhang Baiqi had to be cautious. He had been fighting for many years and had only accumulated this little fortune. If he lost a few more battles, it would all be lost.

So Zhang Baiqi discussed with the other two troops, and everyone attacked from three sides, attacking the mountain step by step, leaving no opportunity for Cao Ang to take advantage of.

The next morning, the bandits were divided into three echelons and began to attack.

Although the terrain is unfavorable to it, the bandit army has a large number of soldiers after all. Three forces, tens of thousands of people, surrounding a small Tanshan Mountain, have the potential to flatten it.

Zhang Baiqi was indeed a fierce bandit who was well versed in military affairs. He ordered the troops to attack one after another, one after another, without giving the Xuzhou army any chance to breathe.

Under the rolling attacks of the bandits, the situation gradually became unfavorable to Cao Ang.

Cao Ang saw the purpose of the rebel army.

However, the available troops were no more than three thousand, and the adjustments Cao Ang could make were limited.

Cao Ang deployed two groups of soldiers in the south, commanded by Huang Xu, to attract the main force of the enemy army; he arranged a group of soldiers in the north, commanded by Liu Ye; as for the front, Cao Ang personally watched it, but the matters before the battle were left to the cavalry capital. The fifth handsome man.

The fifth handsome man is from Jingzhao. He comes from the famous fifth family of Sanfu. He has been an official for generations. He once served as Gai Xun's Qing bandit captain, and this time he is the general guard of the mission.

This person had a good relationship with Cao Ang, so Cao Ang reluctantly used it with confidence.

The officers and soldiers of the three armies, except for the northern army guarding the mountain, the western and southern armies are all deployed on the mountainside for defense. This is also impossible. The terrain on the top of the mountain is narrow, and the second line of defense can only be deployed on the mountainside. If they are all crowded on the top of the mountain, , I’m afraid there is no room to move my feet.

Facing the fierce attack of the rebels, the Xuzhou Army soldiers were brave and fearless. They not only defended tenaciously, fighting on every inch of land, but also repeatedly launched counterattacks.

The two sides fought fiercely for two days. The Xuzhou Army's mountainside defense line was in danger three times, but they were recaptured by the Xuzhou Army.

In times of crisis, even Cao Ang himself fought with all his strength and took the lead.

On the night of the third day, Cao Ang returned to his tent after inspecting the position. Before he had any rest, Liu Zhou came to report that the identities of the three enemy armies on the opposite side had been completely figured out. Except for Zhang Bai's cavalry, those in the southeast camp were Guo Gong's tribe established himself as the governor of Yuzhou, and Zhang Yan's tribe from Hongnong was camped in the north.

Zhang Yan's appearance was not as expected by Cao Ang, but the name Guo Gong was unexpected by Cao Ang.

Guo Gong was an old general of Kong Yu who hovered in the west of Yuzhou. After Yuan Shu was overthrown, he barely controlled most of Yingchuan County. During the Yanzhou rebellion, he went to Yanzhou at the invitation of Chen Gong and prepared to take advantage of it, but unfortunately he let Xun Yu After being fooled for a while, he retreated.

In the past two years, Cao Ang and Liu Biao competed for Yuzhou. The main purpose was to consume Liu Biao, so he did not transfer too many main forces to Yuzhou, and naturally he could not care about Guo Gong.

The relationship between the two parties can be said to be one in which there is no grudge in the recent past and no grudge in the past, so it is not difficult to guess the reason why Guo Gong appears in Hongnong.

Another person who was deceived by Yuan Shao.

In Cao Ang's view, among the three people, Zhang Baiqi was the backbone of the ambush and should have the closest relationship with Yuan Shao; as for Zhang Yan's relationship with Yuan Shao, it is difficult to determine; and Guo Gong should have the most distant relationship.

Otherwise, Guo Gong should have directly defected to Yuan Shao through Yingchuan County.

There were tens of thousands of troops in the three armies, and even Cao Ang found it difficult to deal with them. In Cao Ang's view, if he wanted to defeat the rebel army, he had to win by scoring points.

Cao Ang thought for a long time and asked Liu Ye, Zhuge Jin and others: "What do you think the conditions my uncle offered Guo Gong are?"

Zhuge Jin first said: "After defeating our army, let him be the governor of Yuzhou?"

"Guo Gong is not stupid. He will not make an enemy of our army just because of a promise."

At this time Liu Ye said: "Yingchuan is exhausted, the land is barren, and the people are in dire straits. In addition, the Guanxi Army has repeatedly harassed us. It will be very laborious to feed Guo Gong's two or thirty thousand horses.

I think Yuan Jizhou should have given Guo Gong a large amount of grain to support his army, in exchange for Guo Gong sending troops.

Of course, there must be recognition of his status as the governor of Yuzhou."

Cao Ang nodded.

"As much as my uncle pays, I can pay double, always double."

At this time, Liu Ye and Zhuge Jin looked at each other, and Zhuge Jin stepped forward and said, "I am willing to send Guo Gong as an envoy on behalf of your lord."

After hearing this, Cao Ang said with some worry: "Guo Gong has a perverse and sinister character, he is brave but not virtuous, and he has no friendship with me. If Tzuyu leaves, I am afraid that there will be unpredictable fortunes and misfortunes."

After Zhuge Jin heard this, he smiled and said: "If Tanshan is destroyed, I will not be able to survive. It is better to go to Guo Gong as an envoy, at least there is a glimmer of hope."
Chapter completed!