"Captain."

A moment later, Tian Qin and Liao Guang came to the East City Gate Tower and saw Cao Suo with a gloomy face.

After exhaling slightly, Cao Suo said with a gloomy expression: "Just now I got the news sent by Xuchang, and Zhou Hu instigated it, refusing to send reinforcements to us, and let us break through on our own......"

“……”

Tian Qin and Liao Guang both changed slightly when they heard this, and the former said in shock: "Lord County Shou and Song Juncheng ......"

"Song Juncheng has been deposed."

Interrupting Tian Qin's words, Cao Suo said expressionlessly: "After we were trapped in Yingyin, Zhou Hu conspired with Shi Chen Lang, the county guard, and took the opportunity to attack Song Juncheng...... He took a deep breath and said with a desperate wry smile: "Now, Xuchang has completely fallen into the hands of Zhou Hu. ”

"Unexpectedly ......"

Tian Qin and Liao Guang glanced at each other, and they didn't know what to say.

After a long time, Tian Qin cautiously clenched his fists and said, "That...... What should I do? ”

"Prepare for a breakout."

Cao Suo smiled bitterly, quite a little discouraged.

Seeing this, Tian Qin Zhengse persuaded: "Captain, please cheer up, there are nearly 10,000 soldiers in the city, and you are still needed to lead the breakthrough......

"Huh."

Hearing this, Cao Suo showed a slightly bitter smile on his face.

He knew very well that even if he led nearly 10,000 county troops under his command to successfully break through the siege and return to Xuchang, it would only be a 'merit and demerit', and at the moment when the county Cheng Song Shu had lost power, he had no chance to compete with that Zhou Hu for the position of captain.

"Tell the soldiers to get ready for a breakout."

Cao Suo commanded heartily.

“…… Be. ”

Tian Qin and Liao Guang glanced at each other, and then retreated.

Around the time of the day, Cao Suo, Tian Qin, and Liao Guang led the army to launch the first breakthrough operation, but it was a pity that the rebels had already prepared: Zhong Fei's army was in the east, Yan Xuan's army was in the south, and Xiang Xuan's army was in the north.

In the end, after fighting hard for a full moment, the county army could only retreat to the city after leaving nearly a thousand corpses outside the city.

This is also the result of the rebels not taking advantage of the victory to pursue - of course, the rebels do not need to take advantage of the victory to pursue, because Xiang Xuan is sure that Cao Suo's army is short of food, so he is naturally happy to besiege Cao Suo's army for a few days, and wait for this army to collapse due to lack of food, so that his righteous division can destroy this county army at the smallest cost.

The first breakthrough was repelled by the rebels, and Tian Qin and Liao Guang hurriedly discussed countermeasures with Cao Suo.

Tian Qin said anxiously to Cao Suo: "The rebels besiege but do not attack, they must guess that our army is short of food, and if they want to trap us here, the captain should make a decision as soon as possible." ”

Cao Suo said with annoyance: "The number of rebels is several times that of me, and Zhou Hu didn't send reinforcements, what can I do?" ”

『…… At least Zhou Hu has repeatedly reminded you that Ying Yin is a trap."

Liao Guang glanced at Cao Suo quietly.

I have to say that in view of Cao Suo's performance in the past few days, his evaluation of Cao Suo is getting worse and worse.

Ying Yin is a trap, did Zhou Hu say it? It was you Cao Suo who didn't listen, so that now you are deep in Yingyin.

Did Zhou Hu remind you about the food? Or did you Cao Suo not listen, so that the nearly 10,000 county troops couldn't even be trapped for a few days now.

Once upon a time, Liao Guang was quite dissatisfied with Zhou Hu, just because Zhou Hu was too arbitrary—although it turned out that Zhou Hu's point of view was correct in the end.

But in Liao Guang's view, Zhou Hu had an advantage that Cao Suo did not have, that is, responsibility.

I still remember the days when I was on an errand under Zhou Hu a while ago, although Zhou Hu was also a county army that was not good on one side and insufficient on that side, and refuted Cao Suo and the Du Wei Office as if they were worthless, and ridiculed them wantonly, but when Li Junshou asked Zhou Hu for advice, Zhou Hu never blamed Cao Suo for his fault, but immediately put forward a feasible plan for the moment.

In other words, Zhou Hu's criticism of them was just ridicule.

But what about Cao Suo now?

But he attributed all the faults to 'Zhou Hu's refusal to send reinforcements', and he didn't think that it was because of him Cao Suo that nearly 10,000 of their army stepped into the trap of the rebels.

What's worse is that apart from breaking through, Cao Suo has no other countermeasures at all.

Maybe Liao Guang didn't realize it before, but after comparing Zhou Hu and Cao Suo, he finally realized that from last year to this year, why his county army was repeatedly defeated in front of Xiang Xuan: the coach was incompetent, and the three armies were affected.

『…… However, I have also been, and I should not have instigated Cao Suo to take the opportunity to recover Yingyin.'"

Liao Guang smiled bitterly in his heart.

The commander is unscrupulous, the generals are blind, how can this army be invincible?

However, Liao Guang quickly perked up, because they were not the only ones who were trapped in Yingyin, but also nearly 10,000 county soldiers - these innocent county soldiers were all sacrificed by Cao Suo and Zhou Hu in the fight for the position of captain.

In any case, Liao Guang also wanted to take these nearly 10,000 county troops away from Yingyin alive to make up for his mistakes.

After pondering for a moment, Liao Guang clenched his fists and said, "Duwei, now that the matter is over, it is better to break through to the west and retreat to Yingyang." ”

Cao Suo glanced at Liao Guang and did not react.

The reason is very simple, Yingyang is the occupation area of the 'Zhou Hu forces'.

However, Liao Guang's reminder also made Cao Suo think of another place to go - Yang Zhai.

However, Liao Guang objected to Cao Suo's decision: "Captain, Yingyin is only forty miles away from Yingyang, Xiang Xuan can arrive in a hurry overnight, and our army can also arrive." But Yang Zhai is not less than seventy or eighty miles away from Yingyin, and I am afraid that the rebels will take the opportunity to chase and kill them on the way. …… Moreover, Yangzhai is just an isolated city, and it only has the power of self-preservation, which is not as good as the three counties of Kunyang, Runan, and Xiangcheng, no matter how you think about it, it is more advantageous to retreat to Yingyang. ”

However, Liao Guang was unable to convince Cao Suo in the end, and Cao Suo still insisted on retreating to Yangzhai.

Tian Qin and Liao Guang had no choice but to follow orders.

At the same time, Xiang Xuan summoned his subordinates and ordered: "Cao Suo can't break through head-on, he will definitely try to break through to the west tonight, trying to escape to Yangzhai, Zou Yuan, I order you to set up an ambush on the way from Yingyin to Yangzhai......"

"Obey."

General Zou Yuan hugged his fists, but Xuan asked in confusion: "Compared with Yang Zhai, Yingyang is closer to Yingyin, why is the general sure that Cao Suo will not break through to Yingyang?" ”

Xiang Xuan smiled and explained: "Although Cao Suo is incompetent, but from his disobedience to Zhou Hu, it is not difficult to see that this person is proud, Yingyang is backed by Kunyang, Runan, and Xiangcheng counties, according to common sense, it is naturally the best choice to retreat, but Cao Suo may not agree, just because there are Zhou Hu's people...... Cao Suo was still unwilling to succumb to Zhou Hu, so how could he go to Zhou Hu's territory to seek refuge? ”

Hearing this, Guo Huai persuaded on the side: "Although what the general said is reasonable, but for now, is it possible that Cao Suo will choose to flee to Yingyang?" Yingyang originally had nearly 10,000 troops of Zhou Hu, if Cao Suo broke through again, the last general thought that it would be greatly unfavorable to my righteous teacher, for the sake of safety, it was better to send someone to inform General Yan Xuan and ask him to set up an ambush on the way to Yingyang. ”

"Hmm."

Xiang Xuan thought for a while, then nodded: "You're right, the righteous master finally trapped Cao Suo and the nearly 10,000 county army into Yingyin, and he really shouldn't relax." ”

After that, he immediately sent someone to inform Yan Xu.

And it turns out that Xiang Xuan calculated very accurately.

That night, Cao Suo led his army to break through from the west gate of Yingyin, and was ambushed by Zou Yuan soon after, after learning the news, Xiang Xuan also immediately led the army to pursue, forcing Cao Suo to retreat into Yingyin.

The next day, June 28, Cao Suo, Tian Qin, and Liao Guang led their troops to break through the siege several times, but whether they broke through to the east or to the west, they were all firmly blocked by the rebels.

This can't be helped, firstly, the county army is generally inferior to the soldiers under the command of Xiang Xuan in terms of combat ability, coupled with the huge gap in numbers, how can it be possible to gain an advantage in the encounter in the field?

These few forced breakouts caused heavy losses to the county army in Yingyin City, at least 3,000 people, but the worst thing is that this sacrifice of 3,000 people still can't let the remaining five or six thousand county troops fight out of the encirclement.

In the case of repeatedly breaking through, the morale of the county army in Yingyin City plummeted.

What's worse is that they have very little food left.

In the evening of the same day, Xiang Xuan came to Yingyin City again and looked at the city in the distance.

During this period, the general Guo Huai said to Xiang Xuan with a smile: "General, the breakthrough strength of the county army under Cao Suo is getting weaker and weaker, which shows that the morale of his army has been discharged. ”

Xiang Xuan nodded with a smile and shook his head again: "It's true, but it's not necessary." ”

As he spoke, he asked Guo Huai: "Today, what is Xuchang's action?" ”

Guo Huai shook his head and said, "According to the news sent by General Zhong Fei, Xuchang has not acted all day today. ”

Hearing this, Xiang Xuan frowned instead.

He said in a deep voice: "Zhou Hu may not care about Cao Suo's life or death, but the county army in Yingyin City, I think he will still try to rescue him...... Cao Suojun is short of food, even I can guess it, how can Zhou Hu, as a captain, not know? He didn't move, just to let me relax, you immediately send someone to remind General Zhong Fei and tell him to be more vigilant in the next few days. The more Zhou Hu does not move, it means that once he launches an offensive, it will be a thunderous momentum. ”

Guo Huai was taken aback, and hurriedly hugged his fists and said, "The last general will send someone there." ”

Glancing at the back of Guo Huai leaving in a hurry, Xiang Xuan once again set his eyes on Ying Yin in the distance.

『…… Zhou Hu was so calm that he probably calculated how many days Cao Suojun's military rations could last, so he would stay still during this period, hoping to lower our defenses...... He will inevitably send troops in the end, either me, Zhong Fei, or Yan Xu...... It must be before Zhou Hu's action."

Thinking of this, Xiang Xuan's gaze became more and more determined.

Suddenly, he turned his head to the guards beside him and said, "Yang Yi, if I ask you to go into the city to persuade that Cao Suo to surrender, do you dare to go?" ”

"Why don't you dare?"

The guard named Yang Yi hugged his fists, and immediately said, "It's just that I'm stupid, I'm afraid I can't convince Cao Suo." ”

"It doesn't matter."

Xiang Xuan looked at Yingyin City in the distance with his hands behind his back, with a slight indifferent smile on his face.

"I'll go with you."

“！！”

Yang Yi and several other guards suddenly changed their faces.