53, This son seeks his own death (for the leader of the fox leader 19K/20K)
Time passes minute by minute.
By the darkest hour of summer, the vanguard of the army had arrived five miles outside Xiapi City.
At this time, Xiapi City was already brightly lit, horses were neighing, and people were walking back and forth. It could be said that the whole city was on alert. If this group of people wanted to make a sneak attack at night and take it by surprise, it was completely impossible.
In Liu Bei's view, the other party... or you can directly say that Wang Zheng should not have any plans to fight at night.
Otherwise, we should not have allowed the army to camp and come to the city with only a thousand men and horses.
The night is getting deeper and deeper.
The generals on the top of the city were both sleepy and drunk, but they did not dare to fall asleep. The main elite troops had already been stationed at the gates on all sides, and everyone was whispering to each other, just speculating on the sudden appearance of this army below the city.
Where did the army come from?
Of course, someone has actually guessed the truth.
After all, there was another Yellow Turban giant named Cishi who was actually a bandit in Xuzhou at this time.
But what puzzled them was that if Wang Zheng was to attack, why would it appear in a direction not to the west of Xiapi, but to the northeast?
Liu Bei, who had a clear view of everyone's reactions, continued to send out scouts, while secretly thinking about whether and when to take the initiative to reveal the mystery.
While thinking about it, the scouts came back one by one to report the news.
At midnight, the enemy troops stopped about five miles outside the city, seeming to be resting and observing the terrain and environment around Xiapi.
When the rooster crowed, the enemy troops continued to advance again and quickly approached Xiapi.
By now, we are only two miles away from the city!
At this time, a scout rushed to the top of the city and shouted: "Zhou Mu, it's not good, it's not good, those people are not humans, they are demons and ghosts!"
These words made everyone stunned. Liu Bei was also stunned for a moment, and then he gave a rare sharp rebuke: "Don't talk nonsense in front of the formation!"
"Zhou Mu, I'm not talking nonsense." The scout looked panicked and hurriedly explained: "I just slipped nearby and accidentally saw..."
"Among those people, some people suddenly became taller and more than a circle bigger."
"This is nothing but a monster..."
"Come here!" Before he could finish his words, Liu Bei cut him off directly: "Behead this person who disturbs the morale of the army!"
Before the battle, Liu Bei didn't know why this veteran who had been with his family for a long time said these words, and he didn't believe it at all, but he knew that he couldn't let the other party continue to talk!
"Zhou Mu, I'm not talking nonsense." The scout was startled: "I saw this with my own eyes."
Liu Bei no longer looked at him, but said solemnly: "Behead immediately!"
Just as the soldiers were about to step forward, Guan Yu snorted coldly, jumped out and grabbed the scout's hair. The scout exclaimed: "Second Master, I really didn't say..."
Without waiting for him to finish speaking, Guan Yu directly pulled out his waist sword, and saw a sudden cold light. He cut off the scout's head with one strike, and the blood in his neck immediately poured out to the ground.
"Hang this head on the camp gate!" Guan Yu casually threw the head to a guard and ordered: "Show it to the three armies!"
"Here!"
When Guan Yu retreated again, Liu Bei looked around at everyone with his sword in his hand, his eyes stern.
He shouted loudly: "Gentlemen, no matter who the invading enemy is, are you confident and prepared to join hands and defeat it?"
Looking at Liu Bei's tall body standing upright at the top of the city, as majestic as a mountain and as majestic as a god, thinking that it was he who had just led them to complete an impressive record of defeating more with less, everyone was so heroic and brave, thinking in their hearts.
, even if the enemy is really an evil spirit from hell, he will still be a hero in front of this heroic Zhou Mu!
All the generals echoed in unison, shouting in unison: "Yes!"
There was also an eight-foot tall man with a beard and a tiger's beard, his head held high, and he knelt on one knee in front of Liu Bei and said: "Brother, I have something to ask of you!"
It was Zhang Fei.
Liu Bei was startled when he heard this.
Ever since they became sworn brothers, he, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei had ate at the same table and slept on the same bed. Their friendship was so deep and their relationship so thick that even real flesh-and-blood brothers might not be able to compare. The three of them had become one and the same.
But Zhang Fei and Guan Yu both knew the general situation and always treated each other with honorifics in public. Why did they suddenly change from normal?
Surprised, Liu Bei didn't have time to think about it carefully. The first reaction in his mind was that no matter what Zhang Fei mentioned, he was so solemn and there was no reason why he would not allow it.
He stepped forward and lifted Zhang Fei up, and said seriously: "Yide, if you have anything to say, just say it!"
Zhang Fei cupped his hands vigorously, and immediately turned his head to look down at the city, his leopard eyes full of fighting intent.
Liu Bei followed his line of sight and saw that it was the only light in the endless darkness outside the city.
The torches flickered, reflecting the cavalry of about a thousand people, and they immediately understood what Zhang Fei wanted.
If the reason for Tangyi's fall was subjective, it was naturally Zhang Fei's own fault.
If he hadn't gotten carried away and spoiled things, Tangyi would not have fallen into the hands of thieves, and the county governor Zhao Yu would not have died there directly.
The defeat of this battle had a far-reaching impact. It not only severely damaged the already small number of defenders, but also caused low morale. It even completely failed the strategy of defending the enemy on the front line. It also directly led to the loss of the entire Guangling County behind.
Of course, if we want to talk about objective reasons, at least in Zhang Fei's opinion, it is because of Wang Zheng!
If it hadn't been for Wang Zheng, the general Ji Ling had just been stabbed on the horse by Zhang Fei in front of the two armies. Yuan's army had already been demoralized and leaderless. It would have been difficult to stay in the camp outside Tangyi. How could he still have the courage to attack the city?
Liu Bei never blamed Zhang Fei for this matter, but Zhang Fei himself felt guilty and resentful. He even hated the yellow turban thief and wanted to kill him every day.
Now that he knew his enemy was right in front of him, how could Zhang Fei still hold back?
Sure enough, Zhang Fei's voice was like a huge thunder, echoing in the sky: "Brother, I must be the vanguard in this battle!"
Hearing this, Liu Bei sighed secretly.
According to his intention, after Wang Zheng had captured Tancheng, he immediately pursued Xiapi, and he must have come prepared. Even if the opponent's footing was not stable at this time and there was an opportunity to take advantage of it, Liu Bei also wanted to see the opponent's true and false situation first before making a response.
.
After all, after losing Guangling first and then Tancheng, Pi must not make any mistakes again!
Since this is the case, I naturally have to stick to it in the past few days.
But Zhang Fei's words meant that he wanted to take the initiative to fight. After all, where was the so-called vanguard in defending the city?
He was silent and faced Zhang Fei's hot eyes. After all, he couldn't refuse directly. He smiled and said: "If there are soldiers and horses coming out of the city to defeat the thieves, my third brother's bravery will be known to the whole world, and he should be the vanguard!"
"
As he spoke, he turned his head to look down at the city. Now he was close enough to see clearly, and he saw that all of the thousands of people were strong, all wearing black helmets and black armor. The power of a strong army was at its peak.
Even if they were enemies of each other, Liu Bei was secretly convinced that these elite divisions were able to succeed under Cao Mengde's eyes. It was definitely not a fluke.
When he was observing the enemy, the enemy also stopped under the city for a long time, seeming to be commenting on Xiapi City.
During the silent confrontation, the sky became dim and bright, and the light of the torches was no longer so conspicuous.
But the formation on the opposite side became more and more clear. Thousands of soldiers, both men and horses, were motionless, standing on the plain below the city as if made of iron. This strange silence made people feel uneasy.
When dawn filled the sky, the enemy suddenly moved.
Amidst the sound of horses' hooves and the flying dust, there is a faint cold light of swords and guns, just like the starlight mixed in the twilight.
Everyone at the top of the city watched helplessly as they rode left and right below the city, the formations changing, and a thoroughfare was formed in a leisurely manner, and then the two riders walked out slowly, one behind the other.
The rider behind should be a soldier holding the flag, carrying a large flag to hunt in the wind. The flag was blown away by the wind, allowing everyone to see a red "king" painted on the flag.
The rider in front had a helmet on his head and was tall and straight, but his face could not be seen clearly.
But the three Liu Bei brothers knew each other the first time they saw each other.
This person is Wang Zheng!
Wang Zheng held the reins with one hand and finally stopped when he was a stone's throw away from the city.
He raised his head and looked at everyone, his eyes like daggers.
It was already daybreak, and the morning light shone in, illuminating the young man's raised eyebrows and his cross-eyed expression. Although he was the only one in the formation, riding alone like this made everyone feel the other's arrogant attitude.
After watching for a long time, Wang Zheng suddenly smiled and heard a sonorous sound. The long sword in his waist jumped out of its sheath. Immediately, Wang Zheng raised his arms and raised his sword, pointing it sharply at somewhere at the top of the city.
Is this a challenge?
The meaning of this action can be understood even by a seven-year-old child. Everyone pointed in the direction and immediately said "Eh" in unison.
It turned out that the person standing there was none other than Zhang Fei.
What a coincidence. Do these two people have a good understanding?
Zhang Fei was even more stunned, and then burst into laughter:
"Okay, okay, okay!"
"That's great!" He looked at Liu Bei solemnly: "Brother, have you seen it?"
"It's this guy who took the initiative to look for me as a fighting general!"
Liu Bei was silent for a while, then suddenly he said cheerfully: "This kid is asking for his own death!"
When it comes to fighting alone, he has absolute confidence in his third brother!
In today's world, apart from Wen Hou Lu Bu, there is no other person who can win!
"Third brother, let's go!" Guan Yu also shouted loudly from the side: "I will beat the drum myself to cheer you up!"
"If you want to kill a stupid thief, why should my second brother beat the drum to help?"
Zhang Fei strode away quickly, and his figure quickly disappeared at the top of the city.
Soon after, with a dull sound, the gate of Xiapi City opened wide.
In the shadow of the gate flag, Zhang Fei rode out with a spear, roaring out. As soon as he arrived in front of the formation, there was a loud roar, like a thunder rolling past!
"Yellow turban bandits! Do you recognize Zhang Yide from Yan!"
Wang Zheng, a big man with a stern look, sneered, and was about to taunt him verbally when he saw Zhang Fei spurring his horse on, but he rushed towards him without waiting for a reply.
At this time, the two sides were not far apart. Taking advantage of the horse's speed, they charged suddenly. It was like lightning and flint. When Wang Zheng was stunned, the black face and black beard crossed the distance of several feet, coming out of the blue like cold lightning.