While Lu Su was trying to persuade Lu Bu, Qingzhou's messengers also arrived at Yujin, Zhang Liao's army went to Bingzhou, and Xuzhou's messengers were still running wildly on the road.
From the perspective of hindsight, on February 15th, the Qingzhou Army carried out an extremely strange and comprehensive contraction. The result was not only that Sun Ce, who was eagerly heading north, was hit by a punch, but also made Cao Cao inexplicable.
I was shocked and had no idea what was going on.
You know, when he heard that the conflict between Ma Teng and Han Sui had resumed, and that internal strife was bound to occur within a foreseeable time, Cao Cao was almost stunned.
After repeating this sentence dozens of times, I regained my energy a little.
All the counselors in Cao's camp were covered with dark clouds and their faces were ashen, as if they were about to face a disaster and face annihilation.
With the battlefield in the Central Plains being fought like this, if the Xiliang army collapses, is it still necessary to persist in this war? It doesn't take much. Qingzhou's Bingzhou Army only needs to send half of its troops south to Hedong, and then attack Guanzhong and Hongnong. Cao's army will basically
That's it. It's over.
Losing Guanzhong and Hongnong is not only a matter of shrinking territory, the key is that there is no strategic depth, and the access to Yizhou is cut off. After the Bingzhou Army captures Guanzhong, Luoyang and Nanyang will also face a flanking attack from both sides. This is terrible
No joke!
Liu Yan in Yizhou is not a die-hard ally, and Zhang Lu in Hanzhong is also ready to make a move. In addition, Liu Biao and Li Ru are entrenched in Jiangling to lick their wounds... If Hanzhong is lost, Cao Jun will definitely collapse. Even if he can barely hold on, he will be able to make a comeback.
The hope is also quite slim, and we can only linger on for a while.
Although Cao Cao immediately sent Zhong Yao, Cao Hong, Sima Lang and other capable officers to Chang'an, Hongnong took charge. He contacted the local powerful and assembled troops for defense. But everyone with a discerning eye knew that this was just a chat about personnel matters and could not change the overall situation at all.
Guanzhong has been exhausted for a long time. Most of the surviving powerful people have turned into rebels and bandits. Most of these people were dragged away to Bingzhou by Han Sui. There were only a few kittens left, which was not a climate at all.
Even if Hongnong is a little stronger, his strength is limited. He can barely assemble a mob of three to five thousand people. In front of the Qingzhou army that comes to win, won't they just be crushed?
When Qingzhou's main offensive in Chuilong City suddenly turned violent, Cao Jun realized that Wang Yu had also received the news. Morale became even lower. If Cao Cao hadn't cheered up and his command level hadn't dropped, maybe the 80,000-strong army would have been defeated.
It was defeated by Wang Yu in one go.
Although the Qingzhou Army's fierce attack was blocked, the atmosphere in Cao's camp did not improve much, and everyone's attention was focused on Bingzhou.
Everyone involved with Ma Teng and Han Sui was desperately writing letters, trying to persuade Ma Teng and Han Sui to let go of their past grudges, at least for the time being. Even if they really didn't like each other, it would be a good idea to separate their forces.
.
Some people are sincere, some are sincere and good at tempting, some are analyzing the pros and cons, and some are yelling and trying to give a warning. In short, they are doing their best. They hope to save Bingzhou's crisis.
But the hope is very slim. The journey from Luoyang to Bingzhou will take at least ten days! During these ten days, too many things can happen.
With this mentality, when in the early morning of February 15th, the Qingzhou Army suddenly broke out of camp and retreated in a swaggering manner in front of Cao Jun. Including the extremely decisive Cao Cao, in the huge Cao camp, unexpectedly
No one made any reaction, they just watched the Qingzhou Army withdraw from the battlefield and walk away.
"Really quit?"
Within an hour after the first scout discovered something strange and reported to the camp, Cao Cao did not give any effective instructions. He only asked the scouts to confirm again and again, and then personally led the troops out of the camp and arrived at Chuilong City.
It was confirmed that the scout was not lying.
"How could you retreat?"
"That doesn't make sense!"
Even though they had confirmed it with their own eyes, everyone was still full of doubts and had no idea what was going on. Everyone looked at each other in confusion and kept repeating the same questions.
"Lord, everyone, the facts are in front of you now. This is not the time to study why. We should mobilize the army to pursue it as soon as possible!" The only one who behaved differently was Guo Jia. He shouted loudly, trying to wake up everyone and take effective action as soon as possible.
.
"Isn't this... inappropriate?" Cheng Yu immediately raised objections: "The Qingzhou Army's withdrawal was quite strange. There was no sign at all in advance. Who can guarantee that this is not Wang Yu's trick to lure the enemy? Just wait.
Shall our army catch up and launch a counterattack?"
"Exactly, it's really strange that the Qingzhou Army is retreating at this time. Until there is no further information for confirmation, it is better for our army to hold firm." This time, even Xun Yu's uncle and nephew agreed with Cheng Yu's statement.
Opinion, with a look of lingering fear on his face.
"In previous battles, our army has been at a disadvantage. Qingzhou's political order is stable, its population is large, and its technology is sophisticated. It is far superior to our army. If we continue to fight step by step, what are our army's chances of winning? There is no danger at this time, but there is more to wait.
When?" Guo Jia tried to raise his voice, trying to let everyone hear his words, so as to arouse a few more supporters.
"It is said that there are no signs, but if you think about it carefully, it is not the case. The fierce attack launched by the Qingzhou Army in the past three days was probably to cover the retreat of the army! To the east of Hulao, there are mostly flat terrains, and the enemy cannot take advantage of the terrain.
If we set up an ambush and our army pursues us, the worst-case scenario is just a head-on confrontation, so why should we be afraid?"
"Fengxiao, you said three days ago?" Cao Cao frowned and asked suspiciously: "Three days ago, wasn't it the time when the news of Bingzhou came? If Wang Yu made the decision to withdraw his troops at that time, could it be to reinforce Bingzhou?
?But isn't this strange? Unless he wants to mobilize the army to go north for reinforcements, there is no need for him to do this."
"The specifics are like this. The current information is limited and we still don't know. But I am sure that if our army catches up now, the possibility of falling into the trap of luring the enemy and destroying Wang Yu's strategy should be equal to half! We really fall in the trap of luring the enemy.
, it’s just a decisive battle in advance. Our army has the upper hand, so we may not be unable to give it a try. If it’s the latter, then..."
Guo Jia looked at Cao Cao, his eyes full of ardent expectations. As he said, although he tried his best to strengthen himself, the development speed of Cao Cao's army was never as fast as that of the Qingzhou army. It showed that the competition between chariots and horses was a loss in the end.
It's better to fight for the first time and decide the outcome in one battle! No one supports him now. But it doesn't matter, as long as Cao Cao can show his courage, this battle can be won.
Cao Cao was lost in thought for a long time before he raised his head and called out two names in a hoarse voice: "Wen Lie, Zhong Kang..."
"The general is here!" Cao Xiu and Xu Chu all came out.
"The two of you will lead your troops to pursue them along the way. You must be careful on the way, and you must not be ambushed by the enemy. If the enemy retreats in panic, report back quickly. I will lead my own army and attack later, but
Understood?"
"I understand, my lord, please rest assured!" Generals Cao and Xu took the order. Except for Guo Jia who showed an obvious look of disappointment, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. This was a happy ending for everyone.
Guo Jia suggested that Cao Cao attack with his entire army. It would be too dangerous. Once he is bitten in the wild and has no support from the city, then the only choice is a decisive battle. Is a decisive battle necessary now? Even if the Qingzhou Army really has to retreat.
The reason can be calmly planned, so why rush to decide the outcome in a battle?
Soon, news came from Cao Xiu. He said that he had discovered the encirclement set up by the Qingzhou Army and was almost surrounded. The cavalry was fast enough to escape, which confirmed everyone's worries.
In the end, Guo Jia could only look up to the sky and sigh, regretting missing this good opportunity.
…
In fact, on the eve of Wang Yu's withdrawal, the Bingzhou battlefield had already taken an astonishing turn.
The camp of the Xiliang Army rarely gets quiet. On weekdays, it is always very noisy, like a market. The Qiang soldiers and Han rebels are very reckless, and they only basically obey military discipline.
Don't expect these people to stay quiet unless it's nighttime and it's time to go to bed.
On February 14th, the center of the camp was even more noisy, because tonight Han Sui hosted a banquet to invite Ma Teng, trying to reconcile and eliminate the imminent internal strife.
In the past few days, the two armies were at war with each other. Of course, Ma Teng would not go to Han Sui's camp carelessly. Han Sui found a middleman, which dispelled Ma Teng's wariness. The place where he hosted the banquet was
In the camp of Shaodang Qiang lord Nali.
Ma Teng has Qiang ancestry and has always been close to all Qiang tribes. When he heard that he was in the Shaodang Qiang camp, he immediately relaxed a lot and took his second son Ma Xiu to the banquet happily.
Ma Xiu was only fifteen years old now, and his martial arts and strategy were far inferior to those of his brother Ma Chao, so he was of no use. The reason why Ma Teng brought him here was because Han Sui planned to marry off his only daughter to show his sincerity.
Give it to Ma Xiu, and the two families will be on good terms with Qin and Jin, so as to avoid being dirty again in the future.
According to the custom of the Qiang people, when a man gets married, he needs to go through the step of immediately snatching the bride. Han Sui and Ma Teng initially had a rift because the former despised the latter's bloodline. This time, Han Sui was in the Shaodang Qiang camp, using the Qiang people as his
Marrying a girl in such a way can be considered a sign of sincerity.
Ma Chao didn't come because Ma Teng was still a little wary, so he ordered Ma Chao and Ma Dai to take charge of the army outside, just in case.
However, under the cover of night, what the blazing bonfire reflected was not a festive and peaceful atmosphere, but a blood-splattered and tense killing scene.
In the midst of the mess, Ma Teng stood up from the fallen weapon rack, holding his left shoulder. The hand holding his left shoulder was bleeding. He was still wearing a robe, looked at the other end of the bonfire, and shouted in a hissing voice: "
Han Wenyue, why do you want to kill me!"
After shouting these useless words, Ma Teng covered his shoulders and looked coldly at the other people in front of him.
The leader of the Shaodang Qiang people did not dare to meet his eyes, and shrank back and lowered his head. However, the handsome man Nali mustered up the courage and said: "Brother Ma, we have finally reached the situation we are in today. We have to fight for it."
It’s wealth and splendor, not ambition. This time you heard the rumors and got into trouble with Mr. Wenyue. It’s your fault..."
"Okay, okay, okay, I have been despised by Han Laogou for half my life because I am half Qiang, but in the end I was plotted by the Qiang. Han Laogou, you are right to look down on me. Qiang Hu, that's his mother.
They are a pack of wolves, white-eyed wolves that have not been raised well! They should not exist in this world! But don’t get too complacent too soon. I am dead, but Meng Qi is still there. If Meng Qi can’t do it, there will still be Qingzhou’s army.
!I’ll go ahead and wait for you below!”
Han Sui looked at Ma Teng, who was almost crazy, with an expressionless expression on his face. He just shook his head slowly and did not delay here any longer. He turned around and left the camp. Even if Ma Teng didn't say anything,
He also wanted to gather troops and horses as soon as possible and launch an attack as soon as possible before Ma Chao got the news, so as to eliminate this last hidden danger.
As long as Ma Chao is eliminated, even if his strength is reduced, with these 300,000 troops, is he still afraid that he will have no place to stay?
Na Li picked up a scimitar, smiled ferociously, and shouted: "Cut Ma Teng!"
The soldiers in the camp surged up like a tide, and the few personal guards around Ma Teng were quickly submerged in the crowd. Soon, Ma Teng's scolding and shouting stopped abruptly. A powerful man in the generation finally stood up.
He died under the sword slashed from behind.
But neither the killer nor Han Sui, who took the lead, noticed that just as the incident was coming to an end, a petite figure was sneaking up in the dark and happened to see Ma Teng lying on the ground covered in blood.
The scene of being cut into pieces with random knives!
This little figure first trembled violently, as if he had been greatly stimulated, but rarely made any sound. Instead, he quickly regained his composure, took a deep look at his father and brother who died tragically, and then resolutely
Determined to leave. The direction of departure was Ma Chao's camp!
Soon, fires broke out in the Xiliang military camp, and the shouts of killing shook the sky. Soon, Xu Shu and Xu Huang, who were stationed in the county town ten miles away, were alerted. The two generals were overjoyed when they heard the news. They immediately ordered their troops and fought out of the city.
Go, prepare to take advantage of the situation and deal with this powerful enemy of Xiliang Army once and for all.
Chaos and killing became the theme of this night, and this night also became the biggest and most critical turning point in the Central Plains War. (To be continued...)