When the princes from all walks of life heard that they were going to use their own troops, they all pretended to be stupid.
Someone said: "Oh, my weapons are not good enough. I have been changing weapons recently..."
Someone said: "My general has not come yet, there is no one to lead the troops..."
Another person said: "My father is dead. I have to go back and take a look. Leader, I want to ask you for leave!"
...
Yuan Shao actually responded: "Fake leave!"
Cao Cao was stunned. Although he had learned about these princes from a side perspective before, he did not expect that at the critical moment, these people would still want to accumulate their own power.
Cao Cao was speechless and said angrily: "Although you and others are in the name of the coalition, you are all harboring evil intentions and are afraid of losing your own military power...Okay, you won't go, right? I'll go by myself!"
Cao Cao said and gave Yuan Shao, who was sitting on the leader's seat, a sharp look.
Yuan Shao didn't blush, his heart didn't beat. He picked up a glass of wine naturally and said to the prince who just asked for leave because his father was dead: "I wish your father good health!"
Cao Cao rolled up his sleeves and left the coalition camp.
Returning to his tent, Cao Cao cursed angrily, but his men remained silent and watched Cao Cao get angry.
"Ahem", Xiahou Dun winked at Ma Xiaoquan again.
Ma Xiaoquan felt helpless and thought to himself: This Xiahou Dun is so funny to you. You don't dare to say anything yourself. You know that I am immortal. Anyway, even if Cao Cao is unhappy, I won't die even if you give me two swords. What a thief.
Ma Xiaoquan advised Cao Cao: "Xiao Cao, don't be angry. I have already figured it out. Your friends will come to help you within the time required to burn incense."
Cao Cao glanced at Ma Xiaoquan and said nothing, but his anger was temporarily suppressed.
Sure enough, just a moment after burning incense, someone outside the tent came to visit, claiming to be Zhang Miao's general Wei Zi.
When Cao Cao heard that he was a general of his friend Zhang Miao, he quickly let Wei Zi into the camp.
"Lord Cao!" Wei Zi cupped his hands and said, "My lord has not yet joined the coalition forces, but he heard that Lord Cao is going to pursue the remnant Dong bandits, so the lord asked me to lead a group of troops to help you!"
Cao Cao asked: "How many soldiers and horses do you have?"
Wei Zi replied: "2,000, including 500 cavalry, 1,000 foot soldiers, 300 bows, and other soldiers."
Cao Cao was overjoyed and said: "Meng Zhuo still knows me!"
...
After Wei Zi left, Cao Cao bowed deeply to Ma Xiaoquan and said, "Master Shangxian has a wonderful plan!"
Ma Xiaoquan smiled: "Okay, Xiao Cao, hurry up and go out to meet Zhang Miao's troops!"
Cao Cao happily left the camp. Xiahou Dun and other Cao Cao generals walked up to Ma Xiaoquan, cupped their hands and said: "Master Shangxian, you are awesome. Every time my lord gets angry, as long as Master Shangxian is here, he will be able to solve it!"
Ma Xiaoquan waved his hand: "Stop looking up to me, let's go and see your lord together!"
The generals nodded.
Cao Hong was walking at the end, and just as he was about to leave the camp, Ma Xiaoquan grabbed Cao Hong.
Cao Hong was puzzled and asked Ma Xiaoquan: "Why did Master Shangxian hold Hong back?"
Ma Xiaoquan said: "Zilian, let me ask you, if Xiao Cao's life is in danger, what should you do?"
When Cao Hong heard this, he was startled and said hurriedly: "What has Master Shangxian figured out?"
Ma Xiaoquan pretended to be mysterious and said: "Keep your voice down, I just made a secret calculation and calculated that Xiao Cao's pursuit of Thief Dong will lead to a big disaster, and the only person who can break this disaster is Zi Lian! So, I ask you,
If Xiao Cao's life is in danger, what should you do?"
Cao Hong said without thinking: "My lord is a hero in this world, Hong Zi must protect my lord with all his heart!"
Ma Xiaoquan clapped his hands and said: "Okay! Then listen carefully. Your main task in this battle is to protect Xiao Cao's comfort. No matter where he goes, even if he squats in the toilet, you have to follow him... Understand
?"
Cao Hong seemed to understand, but he still nodded seriously.
Ma Xiaoquan waved his hand: "Go!"
After Cao Hong left, Ma Xiaoquan felt secretly happy.
Ma Xiaoquan thought: Cao Cao was bound to lose in pursuit of Dong Zhuo, and it was a disastrous defeat. Cao Cao's horse was also shot to death. Historically, Cao Hong gave up his mount to Cao Cao. Even if I don't say it, history will still happen.
My lord, I have a clever plan. I made a move in advance so that Cao Cao won't be respectful to me. When Cao Cao becomes more powerful, I can ask him to send someone to find a solar recorder for me. How fast will that be? Oh, I, Ma Xiaoquan, am so smart. Little
Juedao: Shameless!......
After Cao Cao reorganized his army, he went to pursue Dong Zhuo with great force.
Dong Zhuo set out from Luoyang and rushed to Chang'an all the way. On the way, people and nobles continued to die, but Dong Zhuo didn't even look at it.
In an exquisite carriage, there were four women who were as beautiful as flowers and jade. One of them kept rubbing her little hands like tender lotus roots.
"Lin'er, please stop being like this, okay? Brother Shangxian will definitely be safe. He is a god. He must know that we have left Luoyang!"
"But, Sister Xiu'er, I'm still worried about my brother!"
"Don't worry, Brother Shangxian is immortal, no one can hurt him!"
"Well, Sister Miaoyu, I'm so tired, my feet are swollen..."
"Come, come to Sister Diaochan. Sister will give you a massage. Your sister Miaoyu is a little tired..."
...
Inside Dong Zhuo's carriage.
Dong Zhuo sat up, took a sip of wine, and shouted to the outside of the car: "Li Ru!"
Someone outside the car responded: "Li Ru is here!"
Dong Zhuo said: "We are going to Chang'an non-stop. Do you think Yuan Benchu will come after us?"
Li Ru smiled and said: "Father-in-law, don't worry, I have already made arrangements."
Dong Zhuo asked: "How was it arranged?"
Li Ru said proudly: "I ordered Xu Rong to ambush in Xingyang according to my father-in-law's instructions. At the same time, I will try my best to arrange some old and weak soldiers along the way to lure the enemy deep. When they arrive in Xingyang, hehe... However,
Because I used my father-in-law’s instructions without authorization, I hope my father-in-law will forgive me!”
Dong Zhuo said with great joy: "What's the matter? You did a good job. Come on, get in the car and have fun with me."
Li Ruwei said: "Father-in-law, my wife..."
Dong Zhuo took care of everything: "What are you afraid of? It is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. When we get to Chang'an, I will personally arrange several concubines for you!"
Li Ru's fox eyes were slitted, and he said happily: "Thank you, father-in-law, thank you, father-in-law!"
After Cao Cao reorganized his army, he invited Ma Xiaoquan to accompany him on the expedition to pursue Dong Zhuo. Ma Xiaoquan knew that Cao Cao would lose this battle, but he did not challenge Cao Cao, so he refused Cao Cao on the grounds that he had become an immortal for a long time and would not interfere in worldly affairs.
Cao Cao didn't mind either. After all, Cao Cao was full of confidence in pursuing Dong Zhuo.
Cao Hong, who was beside Cao Cao, was worried.
"Master Shangxian asked me to keep it a secret, saying that this is a heavenly secret. If the secret is exposed, my lord will die and die. Master Shangxian will tell me even if he is condemned by God. It seems that after this battle, no matter what, I have to do it well.
Thank you, Lord Immortal."
...
"Let's go!" Cao Cao drew out his sword with high spirits and led his army to run in the direction of Dong Zhuo's escape.
When the army stopped for a rest at a post station, a scout came to report that there were Luoyang people who froze to death and starved to death along the way.
Cao Cao couldn't bear it, but he had no choice but that he didn't have much military rations. If he distributed them to the people, the war would not be fought.
Cao Cao ordered with red eyes: "Explore again!"
After a while, the scout came to report again, saying that there were many old and weak soldiers from Xiliang on the road.
"Huh?" Cao Ren said, "Would Dong Zhuo be so miserable?"
Cao Cao shook his head: "Zixiao is wrong, Dong is trying to reduce the number of people."
Cao Ren was puzzled: "I won't talk about the common people and the nobles. Those old, weak and disabled soldiers are all Dong's soldiers."
Cao Cao said: "It's because of the old, weak and disabled soldiers that Thief Dong doesn't want them."
Cao Ren asked: "My lord, what does Thief Dong mean?"
Cao Cao made a brief analysis and said: "Those who follow Thief Dong must be his elite troops. However, after a long march, the soldiers will be exhausted. Even the elite troops will have their combat effectiveness greatly reduced. We only need to speed up."
If you pursue, you can catch up with Thief Dong."
Cao Ren suddenly realized: "My lord has a clear vision!"
The army accelerated their pursuit, and as Cao Cao had judged, the whole road was filled with old and weak soldiers with little fighting ability. Cao Cao paid no attention to them. In the blink of an eye, they had been chasing for most of the day.
When the army stopped to rest, Cao Cao saw a city not far away and asked his men.
The subordinate replied that the name of the city was Xingyang.
"Xingyang?"
Cao Cao unfolded the sheepskin map and took a look.
"Lord!" Xia Houyuan stepped forward and said, "Xingyang has mountains. If Dong's army ambushes..."
Cao Cao smiled and said confidently: "The mountain is a short mountain, so it doesn't matter. We will march quickly and pass through quickly. We just don't have to stop in Xingyang!"
The forward formation was headed by Xiahou Dun, leading a group of cavalry far ahead. In fact, Cao Cao was also afraid. Although he said that, it would definitely be uncomfortable if he was really ambushed.
The army passed through Xingyang City, but not a single soldier was seen. Those who occasionally came and went were ordinary people who had fled.
"Haha, look, am I right?" Cao Cao chuckled and said to Xia Houyuan, "Wonderful talent, you are worrying too much!"
Xia Houyuan's face turned slightly red and he said nothing.
Cao Cao looked at Cao Hong beside him and asked in confusion: "Zilian, why are you always by my side? Didn't I ask you to rectify the infantry?"
Cao Hong was helpless. He kept thinking about Cao Cao's comfort in his heart, but it was difficult to disobey the military order, so he had to accept the order.
As soon as Cao Hong left, he heard a sudden explosion in Xingyang City, and then, a marching army appeared not far outside the city.
In front of the marching army, on a large flag, the word "Dong" was deeply written in red ink. Next to the word "Dong", there was a slightly smaller flag with another word "Xu" written on it.
Cao Cao reacted and ordered his troops to retreat backwards. However, Li Dian, who wanted to take charge of the retreat, sent word that Dong Zhuo's army appeared in the rear.
One of his subordinates suggested: "Lord, please retreat to Xingyang?"
Cao Cao broke out in a cold sweat, but he still said calmly: "No, once we enter Xingyang, we will be alone. The thieves will catch the turtle in the jar, and our army will be at rest!"
Cao Cao thought for a while and ordered: "Pass my order to break out of the encirclement in a detour. Yuan Rang Miaocai will break out on the left, Zixiao and I will go on the right, Mancheng, Li Dian, Zi Qianle, go into the middle, and Zilian will be in charge of the rear route."
After receiving the order, the generals began to break out of the encirclement.