With the dispatch of Cao Jun, Zhang Xiu soon received the news, because Nieyang was not far from Wancheng.

Knowing that Cao's army was marching towards Nieyang, Zhang Xiu immediately reorganized his troops and horses to prepare for battle.

A day later.

Cao Cao's 40,000-strong army rushed to the north of Nieyang County.

When the Xiliang sergeant in Nieyang County saw Cao Jun appear, someone immediately went to report Zhang Xiu.

Immediately, Zhang Xiu took Jia Xu to the Beicheng Tower in Nieyang County.

At this time, Cao Cao once again sent someone to persuade Zhang Xiu to surrender.

After Zhang Xiu heard the words of persuasion, he immediately said to Jia Xu beside him: "Wenhe, do you think Cao Cao's persuasion is true?" ”

"Lord, Cao Cao has already surrendered to you twice, as the so-called one can be two can not be repeated, Cao Cao's persuasion this time is a trick to lure you to surrender!"

Hearing this, Zhang Xiu immediately shouted: "Cao Sikong, if you want to fight, why are you acting coy?" ”

After hearing this, Cao Cao outside the city didn't know that Zhang Xiu had seen through his strategy.

Immediately after, Cao Cao sighed and said, "I didn't expect Zhang Xiu to have a master's guidance!" The situation in Nanyang County is really worse than I imagined. ”

At this time, Xun You, who was beside Cao Cao, continued: "Lord, the only person who can see through the plan to lure him must be Jia Xu next to Zhang Xiu." ”

"Such a talent, I hate to use it!"

After speaking, Cao Cao reluctantly ordered to set up camp, after all, his plan to lure him to surrender was unsuccessful.

After Cao's army repaired for a night, Cao Cao ordered his soldiers to start attacking Nieyang County.

Zhang Xiu saw the Cao army attacking, and he immediately commanded the Xiliang army to defend.

After several days of fierce fighting, Cao's army failed to make any progress.

Seeing this, Cao Cao had no choice but to order the troops to be collected and returned to the camp.

After returning to the camp, Cao Cao immediately approached Xun You to ask for advice, but Xun You failed to solve Cao Cao's problems, because the brave Zhang Xiu and the scheming Jia Xu were indeed difficult.

When Cao Cao saw that Xun You couldn't think of any good way, he suddenly had to order a temporary truce.

Just when Cao Cao was deadlocked in Nieyang County, Wang Kai, who was stationed in Liguo, and Ji Ling, who was stationed in Wuyin, also received news one after another.

When Wang Kai learned that Cao Cao raised 40,000 troops to attack Zhang Xiu, who was stationed in Nieyang, he suddenly thought about whether to attack Wancheng.

In the end, Wang Kai still gave up this plan, because his troops were already a little insufficient after they were dispersed, and he had no reason to attack Wancheng now, although his ambition was to dominate the world, but now he was still a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty after all.

Not long after Wang Kai received the news, Ji Ling also received the news.

Immediately after, Ji Ling summoned Yang Hong and asked: "Yang Changshi, the spies have come to report, Cao Cao raised 40,000 troops to attack Nieyang Zhang Xiu, do you think we have a chance to sneak attack Wancheng?" ”

"General Ji, now is not the time, we should wait a little longer."

Seeing Yang Hong say this, Ji Ling reluctantly agreed.

Then turn back to Cao Cao's side.

After Cao Cao stayed in Nieyang for a few more days, he finally came up with a solution, which was to dig a tunnel, because there was a river flowing near Nieyang County, and its soil must be very loose.

After thinking of a feasible plan, Cao Cao did not do it immediately, because digging tunnels too blatantly would not succeed, and he still needed to do something to cover up.

After Cao Cao's plan was perfected, he raised his troops again to line up outside Nieyang County.

After learning that Cao's army was arrayed, Zhang Xiu took Jia Xu to the city tower again.

Besides, after Cao Cao's 40,000 troops lined up in formation, he immediately said: "Order, divide 3,000 soldiers to launch catapults and prepare to attack the city." ”

After receiving Cao Cao's order, Cao's soldiers immediately launched catapults.

When Zhang Xiu saw Cao Jun pushing out the catapult, he was suddenly surprised and said, "How can this Cao Cao still have a catapult?" ”

"My lord, the catapult is a siege weapon, please immediately order the soldiers under your command to find a good place to hide."

Seeing that Jia Xu's tone was very anxious, Zhang Xiu immediately gave the order.

When Zhang Xiujun was basically hiding, Cao Jun's catapult also happened to start.

Soon, the sound of boulders hitting the city walls sounded in Nieyang County.

Just when the catapult smashed the city wall, Xu Chu also took 5,000 soldiers to dig a tunnel outside the city, because the sound of huge stones hitting the wall was covered, Cao Jun's behavior of digging the tunnel was not discovered at all.

After the catapult smashed for a while, Cao Cao immediately ordered his soldiers to charge towards Nieyang County.

After Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu on the city tower did not hear the sound of the boulder hitting the wall, they immediately returned to the edge of the city tower.

When Zhang Xiu saw Cao's army charge, he immediately ordered his soldiers to go up to the city to meet them.

After about two hours of fighting, Cao Cao ordered Mingjin, because his purpose was not to attack the city, but to dig tunnels.

Whether it was the catapult bombardment or the soldiers attacking the city, it was all to cover up Cao Cao's true intentions.

Because it took time to dig the tunnels, Cao Cao used a catapult to bombard them for a while every day before letting his soldiers charge.

In this way, after nearly a month, the five thousand soldiers under Xu Chu finally dug the tunnel into the city.

After Xu Chu learned that the tunnel had basically been dug, he immediately reported to Cao Cao.

After Cao Cao learned that the tunnel had been dug, he immediately smiled and said, "God really helps me!" Xu Chu, pass on my military order, we will attack the city tonight. ”

After Xu Chu received the order, he immediately passed down Cao Cao's military order.

Just when Cao's army was fighting, Jia Xu also discovered the strangeness of Cao's army's siege of the city this month.

Jia Xu, who was a little worried, immediately found Zhang Xiu and said to him: "Lord, the minister has something important to report!" ”

When Zhang Xiu saw Jia Xu's worried look, he immediately asked, "Wenhe, what's the matter with you?" ”

"My lord, the minister found that the siege of the Cao army in the past month has always been anticlimactic."

"Wenhe, isn't it normal for Cao's army to retreat if it is defeated by our army?"

"Lord, it is precisely this situation that is too normal that makes it seem abnormal, because this situation has lasted for nearly a month, can the lord still remember the days when Cao Cao first attacked the city?"

Zhang Xiu recalled for a moment and suddenly replied, "Is there any problem?" Didn't Cao's army all retreat? ”

"Lord, in the earliest days, the retreat of the Cao army was obviously chaotic, but in the past month, the retreat of the Cao army was obviously premeditated, and it must be Cao Cao doing something in secret."

Zhang Xiu thought about it carefully, and suddenly exclaimed: "It seems to be true!" Wenhe, what do you think Cao Cao will do secretly? ”

"My lord, the only thing that can last for a month is to dig tunnels."

"Authentically?"

"It is precisely that Nieyang County is close to the river, and its soil is inevitably loose, so it is feasible to dig tunnels."

"Wenhe, there should be a sound when digging a tunnel, but there has been no sound in the past month."

"My lord, this is exactly what Cao Mengde is so clever about, he first used the violent sound of catapults to cover up the sound of digging tunnels, and then he sent soldiers to attack the city to distract our army, and this back and forth has several hours for him to dig tunnels."

When he heard this, Zhang Xiu had completely believed what Jia Xu said.

Immediately after, Zhang Xiu hurriedly asked: "Wenhe, if it is really as you said, what should I do now?" ”

"Lord, the top priority is to find the entrance to the tunnel as soon as possible, once the Cao army enters the city from the tunnel, then our army will instantly fall into the disadvantage, as I expected, the time for the Cao army to attack the city from the tunnel is in the near night."

As soon as Zhang Xiu heard this, he immediately ordered Hu Che'er to lead his troops to find the entrance to the tunnel.