After a while, Xiahou Dun asked in a deep voice: "Master Shangxian, what do you think we should do? Should we kill Lu Bu?"
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head: "Of course you can't kill him. When Xiao Cao assigned you this task, you probably thought you wouldn't be able to complete it, right?"
Xiahou Dun didn't say a word, which was regarded as acquiescence.
Ma Xiaoquan said: "You can't kill, and you can't kill me, but you can still do it after a little tossing. You guys, like this..."
Ma Xiaoquan told Xiahou Dun the bad idea he had just thought of. After hearing this, Xiahou Dun blinked and asked weakly: "Master Shangxian, is this... can this work?"
Ma Xiaoquan patted his chest: "Of course, I used to play like this when I was in heaven."
Upon hearing this, Xiahou Dun nodded quickly: "Okay, then we will do what the Lord Shangxian wants..."
Xiahoudun did not stop. After confirming Ma Xiaoquan's bad idea, Xiahoudun led a group of his men and fled. Looking at the disappearing figures of Xiahoudun and others, Ma Xiaoquan covered his mouth and almost laughed out loud.
...
Lu Bu waited all night for Cao Cao but he still didn't come.
Early the next morning, Lu Bu kept yawning with his mouth wide open. From time to time, he looked at Chen Gong next to him with contemptuous eyes. Chen Gong had not slept all night either. He had already washed himself with cold water since the dawn.
I've been there a few times.
Lu Bu was quite critical of this, but as soon as he remembered Chen Gong, whom Lord Shangxian had recommended, Lu Bu said to Chen Gong in a friendly manner: "Gongtai, if Cao Cao doesn't come today, do you think he will come today?"
Chen Gong has worked under Cao Cao for some time, and he is quite familiar with Cao Cao's strategies and tactics. Cao Cao did not attack the city as promised last night, which does not mean that Cao Cao does not want to take back Puyang City. After all, Puyang City is regarded as Yanzhou no matter what.
An important city in Puyang, whether in terms of strategic location or material reserves, Chen Gong felt that it was impossible for Cao Cao to let Puyang City go.
Chen Gong said: "Don't worry, my lord, Cao Cao will definitely attack Puyang City in less than three days."
"Three days?" Lu Bu said dissatisfied, "Didn't you say last night? You waited all night and didn't come?"
Old Chen Gong blushed: "Don't worry, my lord, you can rest in peace. Leave this place to me. If Cao Cao dares to come for a sneak attack, I guarantee that he will be beaten with meat buns and dogs."
What Chen Gong said made Lu Bu very happy. You know, because of the vigil last night, he didn't have a tryst with Liu Xian'er...
After Lu Bu left, Chen Gong reassigned the military formations.
At noon, the scouts came to report that Cao's army had been spotted 30 miles outside the city.
After hearing this, Chen Gong was overjoyed and quickly ordered his soldiers to get ready and be ready. At the same time, he arranged for another group of soldiers to disguise themselves as civilians and beat gongs and drums in the city.
The sound of gongs and drums in the city spread far away, and it gave people a lively feeling. Cao Jun's scout reported that the sound of gongs and drums was coming from the city.
Cao Cao stood astride Jueying's horse and thought about the problem repeatedly. After thinking for a long time, Cao Cao was not sure.
"What the hell is this Lu Bu Chen Gong doing?"
Cao Cao jumped off his Jueying Horse, squatted half-crouched, unfolded the marching terrain map with a clatter, and studied it carefully.
Compared with Pengcheng before it, Puyang City was also a male city. Since ancient times, male cities were easy to defend but not easy to attack. Cao Cao carefully studied the terrain around Puyang City and thought about other feasible attack plans.
Xia Houyuan stepped forward and said respectfully: "My lord, Yuan Rang has been gone all night and he hasn't come back. Could it be that..."
Cao Cao raised his head and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Miaocai, there is Master Shangxian in Puyang City, Yuan Rang will be fine..."
Upon hearing that Lord Shangxian was there, Xia Houyuan patted his chest and said, "My lord, why did Lord Shangxian come to Puyang City again?"
Cao Cao shook his head and looked into the distance: "Master Shangxian has his own things to do..."
Cao's army stopped about 10 miles away from Puyang City. The scouts came to report that there seemed to be some kind of banquet going on in Puyang City.
Cao Cao was very suspicious of the news reported by the scouts. Firstly, Chen Gong knew his strategies and tactics very well. Secondly, it was because Puyang City was easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Since Cheng Yu and Xun Yu had to guard the final base, Cao Cao did not pull them over, otherwise, there would still be someone to negotiate with.
There are still gongs and drums beating in Puyang City, and Cao Cao is having a fierce ideological struggle in his heart. The distance to Puyang City is now only 10 miles. The distance of 10 miles in ancient times is different from the 10 miles in modern times. It is shorter than now. Please do not rush into it. If you immediately
If he raised his troops to attack Puyang City, Cao Cao thought that he had little chance of winning, but the Puyang City in front of him was like a piece of plump lamb, constantly tempting Cao Cao.
"Gulu" Cao Cao swallowed hard. Finally, after desire defeated his reason, Cao Cao pulled out his sword and shouted: "Attack the city!"
After giving the order, the officers and soldiers of Cao's army rushed towards Puyang City as if they had been given blood.
On Puyang City, Chen Gong had already been waiting impatiently. When he heard the shouts of killing coming from afar, Chen Gong immediately ordered the hanging gate to be lowered and threw iron caltrops outside the city.
The shape of caltrops is similar to a thorn ball. Its main function is to prick human feet and horse hooves. Each thorn on each caltrop is 3 inches long. If a person or horse steps on it, it will be punctured.
I can't move forward because my feet are solemn.
"Get off the horse" was another order, and the engineering soldiers outside the city began to quickly evacuate into the city.
The number of engineers was not large, but their work efficiency was surprisingly high. Long before Cao Jun attacked, these engineers had already begun to arrange the defense facilities in the outer city. The order they just received was just an order to withdraw troops.
The engineering soldiers entered the city through an inconspicuous small side gate. As the last person entered, the city defenders quickly blocked the side gate with rocks and mud.
This scene was seen by Xiahou Dun, who had been ambushing the city for a long time. After the group of engineering soldiers and city defenders withdrew, Xiahou Dun ordered his men to quickly step forward and remove the stones and mud blocking the side door.
However, in order to deceive others, Xiahou Dun still made a false appearance that looked quite real after dealing with the side issue.
"If... there is a chance, we may be able to attack here. Even if we don't attack, we can still escape..." Xiahou Dun waved his hand, and his men quickly lurked. Xiahou Dun nodded and disappeared.
In a residential building...
Cao Jun, who was attacking with great momentum, reached 2 miles in front of the city, and suddenly found iron caltrops all over the ground. The front of Cao's army, which had no time to stop, suddenly stepped on the iron caltrops, and the screams were loud. Some of Cao's soldiers instinctively reacted because the soles of their feet were pricked.
He fell to the ground and rolled around. Unexpectedly, more caltrops pricked him...
Xia Houyuan was at the front. When he saw that the situation was not right, he immediately ordered the front troops to stop moving forward. He finally stopped, but it was already certain that more than half of the casualties in the front were lost.
With a livid face, Xia Houyuan drove his horse to Cao Cao, dismounted and knelt on the ground to apologize to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao shook his head and helped Xia Houyuan up.
"I don't blame you for this. If I do, I blame Chen Gong for knowing my playing style too well..."
Cao Cao pardoned Xia Houyuan's guilt with one sentence. Xia Houyuan stood up and assured Cao Cao that he would definitely capture Puyang City. After saying this, Xia Houyuan drove his horse and ran towards the front army.
On the wall of Puyang City, Lu Bu calmly threw himself on his armor and walked to Chen Gong.
Looking at the front troops of Cao's army who were covered in bruises and wounds from iron caltrops not far from the city, Lu Bu laughed proudly.
"Gongtai, you are really powerful. The caltrops are so useful. If you have any more, leave them to Cao Cao!"
Chen Gong smiled and cupped his hands and said: "My lord, please do not be proud. Cao Cao's tactics are deceitful. Although I have scattered iron caltrops outside the city, I am sure Cao Cao will soon come up with a countermeasure."
Sure enough, as Chen Gong said, after the front of Cao Cao's army was injured by caltrops, Cao Cao immediately ordered a small group of sergeants to carry big branches to "sweep mines", because they were still within the range of Lu Bu's army's crossbowmen.
At such a distance, Cao Jun successfully swept away most of the iron caltrops.
After approaching the city wall and entering the shooting range of Lu Bu's army's crossbowmen, Lu Bu personally ordered the arrows to be released.
Facing the fierce formation of flying arrows falling from above and from the sky, Cao Cao quickly ordered the front troops to put up a shield that was taller than a man.
"Dang, dang, dang," the arrow hit the shield, and there was a sound like hail hitting the window.
Forced by the fierceness of the opponent's arrow formation, although Cao Cao's army took precautions, their advance speed was greatly reduced.
Lu Bu took the opportunity to issue an urgent order, changing the original flying arrow formation to a rocket sky attack.
Rocket Sky Attack just quenches the original arrow head with kerosene, ignites it and shoots at the opponent.
Although the transformation work is simple, the strategic strike effect obtained has been nearly doubled.
The arrows tempered with kerosene hit Cao Jun like meteors. Cao Jun held up their shields and waved their weapons to block them. But unfortunately, once the arrows were blocked, the kerosene on the arrows would splash out. Cao Jun had many soldiers.
He used leather armor to protect himself, and when exposed to fire oil, it was very strong. After a while, Cao's army was in a rout.
"Change formation, counterattack!" Cao Cao gave the order, and the crossbowmen in the rear of Cao's army unfurled their bows and set arrows.
"shoot arrows"
With one order, Cao Jun's army fired thousands of arrows. What's more, they imitated Lu Bu's army, quenching the arrow heads with kerosene, and returned fire in the same way.
The counterattack of Cao Jun's crossbow battalion immediately brought back a lot of the original decline. Although shooting arrows from bottom to top may cause some problems, there are always those strong crossbowmen who will temper the fire.
Oil arrows hit the top of the city.
The kerosene splashed onto the city wall and ignited the wooden buildings on the city wall.
Lu Bu pulled Chen Gong and quickly retreated from the top of the city. At the same time, he did not forget to yell and curse Cao Cao's parents.
In terms of siege, Cao Jun successfully set up a ladder under the cover of archers and crossbowmen.
Based on the lessons learned from the last defeat of Pengcheng, Cao Cao ordered that while setting up a cloud ladder, he also raised two wells. On top of the wells, 10 crossbowmen were assigned to each to support and cover the siege personnel climbing the city wall with bows and arrows.
.
Under the city gate, the charging cart has also been pushed to the city gate. As the shouts of "yi, two, go, yi, two, go" rang out, the rumbling sound of impact began to be heard from the city.