After Liu Bei packed up, he took Zhang Fei and left Xuchang for Xuzhou with light equipment. Liu Bei never wanted to return to Xuchang again, he had had enough of his time here.

In order to avoid trouble, Liu Bei chose to pass through Shouchun and then take a ferry to Xuzhou.

Yanzhou.

Xiahoudun launched an entanglement battle with Ma Chao in Yanzhou, and the two can be regarded as good opponents. Each other understands each other's tactics.

Ma Chao's cavalry ability is very strong, so he has always led the cavalry in battle. In this attack on Yanzhou, Ma Chao also chose a cavalry-based combat method, crisscrossing the vast plain.

Xiahoudun relied on the city instead, the walls were clear, and he relied on the defense of the city and Ma Chao.

Seeing Xiahoudun's defense like a turtle, Ma Chao, the lion of Xiliang, was almost speechless.

Everyone in the world knows that cavalry is very disadvantageous in the battle of fortifications, and Xiahoudun made it clear that he and Ma Chao fought with the advantages of local warfare.

Ma Chao was often forced to cancel the offensive plan because of the excessive losses. As a result, the morale of Ma Chao's side dropped rapidly, and if the fight continued like this, the soldiers would die of depression.

After another futile return, Ma Chao depressedly took the soldiers to rest in a wood.

Ma Chao sat on a smooth stone angrily, and even pushed off the water bag handed by his own soldiers. Zhang He and Gao Ran saw that Ma Chao was sulking and didn't know what to do.

The old fox Jia Xu came to Ma Chao's side with a smile and said, "Meng Qi, what are you angry about!" ”

Ma Chao saw that it was Jia Xu, and said a little depressedly: "Commander, this general has been fighting on the battlefield since he was a child, and he has never suffered such a big loss in the same place. You see, now Xiahoudun is always unable to shrink back, and if this continues, the morale of our army will be over. Ben really can't help it. Is there anything you can do? ”

"Hehe, Meng Qi, if you are angry now, you will fall for Xiahou Yuanrang's tricks. He just wants to use this method to stimulate you and make you lose your mind, so that he can calculate you. Jia Xu reminded Ma Chaodao.

Ma Chao was stunned for a moment, and after thinking about it carefully, his impatient temperament was impatient, and if he was designed by Xiahoudun, he was afraid that he would suffer serious losses.

"Thank you for the reminder, otherwise the general would have suffered." Ma Chao has a lot of respect for Jia Xu, the two have been working together for a long time, Ma Chao knows that this thin scribe has an incomprehensible charm, and he can always solve problems at critical moments.

"Is there a way for the military advisor?" Zhang He came over and asked.

Gao Ran also had a hopeful expression.

Jia Xu smiled mysteriously and said, "There is a way, but the two generals Zhang He and Gao Ran sacrificed!" ”

Zhang He said happily: "As long as he can win, no matter what sacrifice he makes, you can say it!" ”

Gao Ran also nodded.

The two of them haven't made any contributions to Liu Yu here, which makes the two of them a little depressed. Now that there is an opportunity to make meritorious contributions, they will not let it go.

Jia Xu called all three of them over, and then whispered in their ears.

After listening, Zhang He and Gao Ran smiled bitterly, this Jia Xu is too damaged.

Ma Chao patted Zhang He and Gao Ran on the shoulders with a serious face and said, "If the two generals are unwilling, they will not be embarrassed." ”

"General Ma, don't worry, for the sake of Your Majesty, even if the two of us suffer a loss, what will we gain!" Gao Ran said solemnly.

Zhang He didn't speak, just nodded, he was also willing to listen to Jia Xu's strategy.

"Well, the two generals are really loyal and courageous. If they can succeed this time, the two will be the first to work. Jia Xu said.

"Don't worry!" Zhang He and Gao Ran hugged their fists.

That night, Ma Chao led all the troops and took advantage of the night to attack Shangqiu City, which was heavily guarded by Xiahoudun.

Shangqiu City is located in the territory of Yanzhou Liang State. At that time, Liu Wu, the only younger brother of Emperor Liu Qi of the Han Dynasty, was the king of Liang, who relied on the dangerous terrain to help his brother block the rebellion of the princes of the Seven Kingdoms. From that moment on, the Liang State became a battleground for soldiers. Due to years of war, many cities in the Liang Kingdom were deserted. Since Liu Yu made a big fuss in Yanzhou, Cao Cao began to pay attention to the rise of the Liang State in its dangerous terrain, and strengthened several of its important cities in the original city defense foundation. Shangqiu was one of the most important cities in the Liang Kingdom. Xiahoudun chose Shangqiu as the location of his garrison.

Xiahou Dun, who was stationed in Shangqiu City, wished that Ma Chao could come to attack. Even if there are ten Ma Chao, Xiahou is confident that Ma Chao will be blocked outside Shangqiu City.

As soon as Ma Chao arrived in Shangqiu, he began a stormy attack, and Xiahoudun calmly poured a large amount of fire oil down the city wall to illuminate it, using the firelight to defend.

The tall city wall is like an iron wall, which makes Liu Jun feel hopeless.

After fighting for half the night to no avail, Ma Chao had no choice but to withdraw and camp outside Shangqiu City. Xiahoudun stood on the city wall and watched sarcastically as Ma Chao's army retreated, wanting to break through Shangqiu, at least five times more such troops.

At dawn, Ma Chao started to attack again, but unfortunately he returned again in vain.

In the case of very heavy casualties, Zhang He and Gao Ran persuaded Ma Chao not to be rash and to calm down.

"General Ma can't fight anymore, it's very disadvantageous to fight like this." Zhang He said bitterly.

Gao Ran also persuaded: "General, let's stop the attack and think of a good strategy." ”

"Bastard, Ben is the boss, what qualifications do you two who surrendered to speak. Still shaking the hearts of the army here! Come! Drag it down and beat a hundred sticks. Ma Chao was furious, dragged the two down and beat them with a hundred sticks.

Zhang He and Gao Ran received a hundred military sticks for no reason, beating the two of them to a blur of flesh and blood.

Not surprisingly, Ma Chao failed again and returned.

Annoyed and angry, Ma Chao put all the responsibility for this failure on Zhang He and Gao Lan, and regardless of their injuries, he tied them to a stake to show them to the public, and humiliated them fiercely.

If Jia Xu hadn't arrived in time, Zhang He and Gao Ran would have died here.

And all this, Xiahoudun in Shangqiu City can see it clearly.

Seeing the infighting of the enemy army, Xiahoudun was overjoyed, thinking that it was best for them to mutiny, so he could take advantage of it. Xiahoudun sent spies to find out what happened in Ma Chao's camp.

In fact, all this is a ploy that Jia Xu said yesterday, and to put it bluntly, it is a bitter strategy. Let Ma Chao publicly humiliate Zhang He and Gao Ran, and use the identities of Zhang He and Gao Ran to surrender to operate well, the purpose is to lure Xiahoudun in Shangqiu City. As for the soldiers who died during the strategy, it was not within Jia Xu's consideration, as long as they could win, any losses could be offset. Of course, Liu Yu must not know about this matter, otherwise Emperor Shenwu, who loves soldiers like sons, will definitely punish them.

Zhang He and Gao Ran were carried down by the soldiers to rest.

They touched the wound on their buttocks, and invariably began to scold Ma Chao for being too ruthless, just acting, why did he make such a big ruthless move. However, considering that Xia Houdun could convince him, their flesh and skin suffering was nothing.

Jia Xu carefully selected and arranged a person who dared to die to come to Shangqiu City in the middle of the night, and the most important part of this drama had arrived.

I just don't know if Xiahou doesn't believe it.