Three hundred and sixtieth chapters of the good of the good
"Advancing troops to attack and plan, attack the heart first, and defeat the opponent's troops without fighting." [Sun Tzu's Art of War: Planning and Attack]
When Cao Ren, Yu Jin and other new forces led the elite Qingzhou soldiers to attack the city, the silent Xiapi was finally awakened. There were lights on the top of the city, people were everywhere, and panicked shouts kept coming. Most of the generals knew that
An ambush was going to be set up tonight, but I didn't expect that Cao Cao was too cunning and sent only a partial army into the ambush. Now, most of the 20,000 defenders of Xiapi City were transferred to the west gate by Guan Yu, and the rest were evenly divided among the three cities, with only three walls on one side.
Four thousand people stayed behind. Spread out, it was impossible to withstand them.
The elite of Cao's army, whether they were the original Xuzhou army in Xiapi City or the old troops brought by Liu Bei, knew clearly that when Cao Cao was angry and raised his army, Xuzhou was bleeding and drifting.
The Danyang soldiers were also defeated by Cao's army. Now the Danyang soldiers are imprisoned in the city. Most of the defenders standing on the top of the city are military soldiers mobilized by Tian Yu from the East China Sea, Pengcheng and other countries.
On weekdays, with their large numbers, high walls and deep pools, they were still able to resist. Now, with only a few soldiers and few generals, Cao Ren's troops were rushing up from the city walls like tigers and wolves. When one of the guards turned around and ran away, he was chopped down by Cao Ren.
Behind the ground, the remaining tribesmen either jumped over the wall in fear, or abandoned their troops and knelt down to beg for mercy.
Cao Ren first ordered someone to capture a military commander and asked for details about the city, especially the imprisoned Danyang soldiers not far from here. Then he pushed him to the ground and shouted to the guards around him: "Go! First!"
Release the Danyang soldiers!"
After the city gate was breached, a large number of Cao's troops entered the city and occupied the city tower like a swarm of ants. Cao Ren stared at the city and vaguely heard the shouts of killing on the west wall, so he ordered people to set fire to the city gate tower. Not long after, the billowing fire came.
Thick smoke rose vertically and flames shot into the sky. The defenders of the North City and South City were in disarray and fled the city walls one after another. Some of them fled out of the city in groups and tried to escape downstream through Surabaya. As a result, the deserters heading south happened to fall into the hands of Captains Li Qian and Cao Ang.
, surrounded by Cao Chun and others, the result can be imagined.
The firelight in the east city was particularly conspicuous in the night. Guan Ping knew something was wrong and quickly ordered people: "Quick, go and find out! Tell Mr. Tian!"
Guan Yu, who was on the stairs of the city wall, was currently fighting with Xia Hou Lian. He had just cut off Xia Hou Lian's right forearm with a knife and was about to cut further to the opponent's neck.
Xia Houlian knew that he was no match, so he took advantage of Guan Yu's brief distraction and stumbled away down the stairs holding the wound on his right arm.
Guan Yu ignored this opponent. As soon as they fought, he knew that with the opponent's rough and ordinary skills, he would definitely not be Cao Cao's arm Xia Houyuan. At that moment, he had no idea of continuing to pursue.
After the city gate was breached, Cao's army came through the city along the central streets and advanced towards the west city. Xia Houyuan, Le Jin and others also made great efforts and sent a sparse number of heavily armored sergeants who regarded them as treasures to greet the city. There were still many on the city intermittently.
After the flying arrows fell, Cao Jun continued to carry the arrows upward with his thick armor. When they boarded the Baimen Tower, they found that except for Du Bo, there were no higher-ranking generals on it.
General Guan Yu, Guan Ping and others were heading north along the city wall at this time.
Xia Houyuan ascended to the top of the city, immediately arranged his men to prepare for defense, and conveyed the good news to Cao Cao. He looked around and did not see the familiar short figure. He suddenly panicked and asked hurriedly: "Where is Le Jin?"
The others looked at each other in confusion for a long time before someone hurriedly came up from the city and said: "General Le is chasing the Army Sima who set up an ambush under the city and is heading north of the city!"
When he heard that Le Jin was fine, Xia Houyuan was relieved, but then he was shocked again: "Call him back quickly!"
When Guan Yu led Guan Ping and two thousand troops to the north gate, the cavalry captain Tian Yu was already waiting there. He was also wearing short clothes and armor, riding on his horse and staring at the silent night in the north. Tian Yu
When Yu Shi arrived, he also engaged in a street fight with Cao's army in the city. He was wounded several times, but fortunately his vitals were not hurt. When he saw Guan Yu and others coming, he looked away and smiled disheartenedly: "Yun Chang, let's go.
Bar."
"Leave?" Guan Yu pushed forward, holding a knife in his hand, and said coldly: "Why are we leaving? We haven't lost yet! Cao Jun just entered the city. We can still organize thousands of troops in the city and rely on the lanes. How?
Can’t we retreat from the enemy?”
"Lost." Tian Yu repeated. He was not in a hurry to flee south at this time. Instead, he stood under the city gate and explained to Guan Yu slowly: "Yuan Shu defeated Liu Shijun in Huaiyin. Now Shijun
We have retreated to Haixi with Zhang Yide, Chen Yuanlong and others... We have lost, and whether Xiapi City is defended or not is irrelevant to the overall situation."
Guan Yu raised his eyebrows, his face as dark as water: "Is the news true?"
"Before tonight's battle, a messenger came into the city from this gate." Tian Yu said calmly, and at the end, he added: "Cao Cao let him in specially. Cao Cao also knows the news about Huaiyin."
"Since Cao Cao put it in specially, the news may be false." Guan Yu said.
Tian Yu turned around and looked around, looking inside and outside the door. There were fires and the sound of swords fighting everywhere, but it was very quiet here. At this time, a knight ran out of the door.
When Tian Yu met Guan Yu, he clasped his fists on horseback and said, "Captain, there is no ambush outside the city."
"I also hope that this is a deliberate ploy to mess with the morale of our military, but look..." Tian Yu nodded and expressed his understanding: "This is definitely true."
Guan Yu frowned, not understanding the basis of Tian Yu's guess, and listened to the other party continue: "The general does not know that the war situation in Xuzhou started when Cao Cao entered the Langye Kingdom south, and it did not depend on the gains and losses of one city or one place in Xiapi.
, not to mention the victory or defeat between our army and Cao Cao. It depends on whether Liu Shijun can successfully resist Yuan Shu in Huaiyin. If he can, Pei Prime Minister Tian Zitai will come from the west to aid our army. If not... this time, Tian Zi
Tai should have received the news and gone to Huainan."
"Why?" Guan Yu said angrily: "Xuan Degong devoted himself to the Han Dynasty and lamented day and night. There were also Chen Gong, Kong Gong, Zheng Gong and others in the court to support him. Why did the imperial court favor one over the other?"
"Why?" Tian Yu felt a little funny and turned around to look at Guan Yu: "Cao Mengde is also dedicated to the Han Dynasty, and he has a group of Yingchuan scholars in the court to advocate for him! Even if he is as powerful as
The emperor must also consider and weigh this. If the two cannot coexist, and only one of the strongest can be left to help the court wave the flag when the troops leave Guandong, and eliminate violence and peace, then simply let our army and Cao Cao separate.
Down!"
Guan Yu was stunned by Tian Yu's series of words. He couldn't help but think, isn't this a war? How could it be related to the power struggle and interest disputes at the highest level of the imperial court?
After all, he has too little experience to understand the mystery of this. War is never limited to one city or one place. Sometimes a war that occurs in a local area often decides the outcome before it even begins.