"Captain Cao, Captain Zhou has an order, ordering you and others to stand against the city wall and form a formation to resist the enemy, and the crossbowmen in the city will help you and others resist the rebels together."

On the tower of the city gate, the prince of the gate shouted to the bottom.

"The tiger didn't open the city gate this week?"

Cao Suo secretly hated in his heart.

He shouted angrily to the city gate: "Wang, the rebels are chasing after our army, and they will kill here immediately, and quickly open the city gate for me!" Do you hear that? Open the gates for me at once! ”

In all fairness, Wang Yan still sympathized with Cao Suo and the others, but since Zhao Yu had already issued an order, how could he dare to disobey it?

He shouted again: "Captain Cao, please immediately order your back to the city wall and form a formation to defend against the enemy, and the crossbowmen in the city will help you and others to resist the rebels together." ”

Seeing this, Cao Suo feigned anger and said, "What about Zhou Hu? Is Zhou Hu in the city? Tell him to come out to me! ”

"This ......"

Wang Yan turned his head and glanced at Zhao Yu.

Seeing this, Zhao Yu took a step forward and said hello to Cao Suo under the city: "Cao Duwei ......"

"Zhou Hu is really in the city."

As soon as the torches in the city were bright, Cao Suo immediately noticed Zhao Yu, a guy with a tiger stripe mask, and shouted loudly: "Zhou Hu, I waited for a lot of hard work to break through, but you refused to open the city gate, what is the purpose?" ”

From the side, Zou Yuan, who came to the city with Cao Suo, also secretly signaled to his soldiers, telling his soldiers to make a commotion and exert pressure on the city.

For a time, more than 2,000 rebel soldiers pretending to be county soldiers pretended to be angry one by one, and scolded the city again and again, making the guards in the city look at each other.

These guards on the west city wall didn't know that the 'own soldiers' below were actually pretended to be rebels, and when they saw a certain Zhou Du Lieutenant refusing them to enter the city, they couldn't help but feel a little unbearable.

Even the Marquis of the Gate was a little shaken in his heart, and couldn't help but say to Zhao Yu: "Duwei, look ......"

But Zhao Yu's attitude was still resolute, and he shouted to the soldiers under the city: "I am the commander Zhou Hu, before dawn, I will never open the city gate, if you want to live, quickly turn your back to the city wall to form a formation, and the city guards will help you and others to resist the rebels together." ”

After that, he looked around the city and ordered in a deep voice: "I repeat, before dawn, no one is allowed to open the city gate without permission, otherwise it will be severely punished by military order!" ”

After speaking, he was still not at ease, and ordered Jia Shu: "Jia Shu, I order you to guard the city gate personally, no one is allowed to open the city gate without my order!" ”

"Yes!"

Jia Shu solemnly hugged his fists and immediately walked down the city wall quickly.

Seeing that Zhou Hu's attitude was so resolute, Cao Suo outside the city couldn't help but be angry.

At this time, Zou Yuan, who came with Cao Suo, saw this situation and said to Cao Suo in private: "Captain Cao, what should I do now?" ”

Cao Suo glanced at the city and said hatefully: "I can only do what he says, otherwise, I am afraid that he will see through it...... How is Guo Qu preparing over there? Tell him to take an offensive immediately and see if he can trick Zhou Hu into opening the city gate. ”

"Okay." Zou Yuan nodded, and immediately ordered someone to contact Guo Huai.

After the discussion, Cao Suo immediately shouted loudly: "All the soldiers listen to the order and form a formation with their backs against the city wall. ”

At the same time, about four or five miles from here, Guo Huai, a general under Xiang Xuan, was leading an army armed with torches, slowly pursuing Cao Suo's army.

Not long after, the henchmen sent by Zou Yuan found Guo Huai and told the latter about the current situation in Xuchang.

Guo Huai couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded when he heard this, and said in amazement: "That Zhou Hu is so cautious? ”

You must know that according to the strategy of his general Xiang Xuan, Cao Suo first deceived the defenders of Xuchang with Zou Yuan and more than 2,000 soldiers in this battle, deceived them into opening the city gate, and then waited for Guo Huai to lead the 'chasing soldiers' to arrive, and the two sides should jointly capture the west city gate.

As long as he can capture the West City Gate and attack the city, then half of this battle will be won by his righteous division - after all, this battle is different from last year's Battle of Kunyang, Xiang Xuan doesn't care whether Xuchang is safe or not, as long as he annihilates the defenders in Xuchang City, even if he sets a fire to burn Xuchang City to the ground, Xiang Xuan doesn't care.

And the current problem is that Zhou Hu actually didn't open the city gate to welcome the fleeing 'Cao Suo Army'.

"Could it be that Zhou Hu saw any flaws?" Guo Huai was shocked.

Hearing this, the henchmen sent by Zou Yuan shook their heads and said, "It shouldn't be, otherwise, the defenders of Xuchang will immediately shoot at us, but they haven't done that yet, they shouldn't have seen through it." ”

"That's good."

Guo Huai nodded, and then said to the henchman: "Since this is the case, then I can only order an attack, and you go back and tell General Zou Qu and ask him to get ready." If you get injured during this time, don't blame me. ”

"Yes." The henchmen sent by Zou Yuan retreated with fists clenched.

Immediately, Guo Huai sent someone to summon the governors under his command and said to the latter: "Cao Suo and Zou Yuan are in trouble with the city, and Zhou Hu ordered that the city gate should not be opened before dawn, and now we are going to launch an offensive against the armies of Cao Suo and Zou Yuan to see if we can deceive Xuchang." You wait and command carefully, don't fake it. ”

"Understood."

The governors smiled and nodded.

Of course, they knew that the county army led by Cao Suo and Zou Yuan, who were pursued by them along the way, was actually the soldiers of their righteous division.

A moment later, the henchmen sent by Zou Yuan returned to the west gate of Xuchang first, and said to Zou Yuan in private: "General Guo Qu ordered me to tell General Qu that he will immediately launch an offensive and ask General Qu to get ready." ”

"Hmm."

Zou Yuan nodded slightly.

By this time, he had already greeted his governors.

Three minutes later, the army led by Guo Huai finally arrived in the western suburbs of Xuchang, and this army with torches was unusually eye-catching in the eyes of the guards on Xuchang City.

The Marquis of the West City Gate immediately pointed to the light of the many torches in the distance outside the city and said to Zhao Yu urgently: "Captain, it must be the rebels who are chasing Cao Suo!" ”

“……”

Zhao Yu nodded slightly, and ordered: "Order the crossbowmen on the city to release arrows at the torch position outside the city." ”

"Yes!"

Wang Yan hugged his fists and immediately ordered: "The commander has an order, and the crossbowmen in the city will release arrows to the firelight position outside the city." ”

Suddenly, thousands of arrows were fired on the west city wall of Xuchang, accompanied by a swishing sound, a dense rain of arrows passed the armies of Cao Suo and Zou Yuan below, and fired at those positions with fire in the distance outside the city.

Although Guo Huai had already prepared, under the volley of Xuchang's arrows, his soldiers still suffered casualties.

"Damn it."

Secretly scolding, Guo Huai raised his arms and shouted: "Don't retreat, quickly drive Cao Suo's army to extermination!" ”

"Oh-"

As soon as the words fell, the western suburbs of Xuchang resounded with earth-shattering shouts of killing, and immediately, Guo Huaijun launched an offensive against Cao Suo's army...... At least on the surface.

If someone stood on this battlefield at this time, he would definitely be surprised to find that the soldiers of Cao Suojun and Guo Huaijun were just shouting and pretending to kill each other.

All the soldiers on both sides involved in tonight's operation knew that in fact, both sides were the brothers of his righteous teacher, so there was no burden on them to act together, and the only thing they were worried about was the arrows that were fired from Xuchang from time to time.

Therefore, many of the soldiers used their ingenuity to sit on the ground, with shields in their hands, and shouted loudly while striking the sword in the hand of another soldier with the sword in their hand.

At first glance, the sound sounded as if it was a very fierce killing.

At least the guards in Xuchang City were deceived, and they shot arrows at the rebels outside the city more and more vigorously, hoping to protect the 'own soldiers'.

At this point in chaos, Cao Suo pretended to be angry and shouted towards the city: "Zhou Hu! I know you're going to put me to death, but my soldiers have never offended you, and you can't bear to sit back and watch them being slaughtered by the rebels?! ”

From the side, Zou Yuan also secretly instructed the soldiers to cooperate with Cao Suo.

For a time, there was a cry of pleading from the city.

"Captain Zhou, help......"

"Zhou Duwei ......"

"Zhou Duwei ......"

Listening to the pleading voices of the countless soldiers below, the face of the Marquis of the West City Gate flashed a little unbearable, and he frequently looked at Zhao Yu.

The guards in the city also showed unnatural expressions one by one.

In this regard, Zhao Yu was unmoved, still looking at the city.

From the faint light of torches under the city, he also saw that there were rebels crossing the moat and fighting fiercely with the county army led by Cao Suo, but he always felt that something was wrong.

First of all, Cao Suo was able to break through the encirclement of the rebels tonight, which was completely unexpected.

Because according to common sense, Cao Suo's army only had two possibilities to break through the encirclement of the rebels, that is, the 'first breakthrough' and the 'last breakthrough'.

The so-called first breakout, as the name suggests, is the first breakthrough, at that time the county soldiers under Cao Suo have not yet suffered defeat, morale is still high, if you fight hard, it is very likely to break through the blockade of the rebels in one go.

And the 'last breakthrough' refers to the fact that Cao Suo's army ran out of food and had to fight against the water in order to survive.

Based on the state of Cao Suo's army's rations, this final breakthrough should have taken place on June 30, or on the first or second day of July, taking into account the attrition of non-commissioned officers during this period.

And this is also the reason why Zhao Yu originally planned to decide to sneak attack Zhong Feijun tonight, wanting to bring hope to Cao Suojun and give him a chance to break through.

Unexpectedly, Cao Suo chose to make a breakthrough tonight at all costs and with all his might.

This is completely inconsistent with Cao Suo's indecisive and death-fearing character.

You must know that today is only June 29, and Cao Suojun can at least hold on to Yingyin City for a day or two, waiting for news from Xuchang.

"Captain."

Just as Zhao Yu was pondering, Wei Shi Hanhe pleaded beside him: "If this continues, the thousands of soldiers who have broken through to this place under the city are afraid that they will suffer heavy losses, and I feel that this matter is not conducive to the prestige of the captain, so it is better to ......."

Speaking of this, his voice stopped abruptly, because he clearly saw that the Zhou Duwei in front of him glanced at him coldly.

Han He immediately lowered his head in recognition and didn't dare to persuade again.

At this time, Zhao Yu shouted to Cao Suo below: "Cao Suo, you lead your soldiers around the city, I will order the guards on the four city walls to cover you and others, as long as the rebels dare to pursue, the guards on the east, south, west, and north city walls can take the opportunity to inflict heavy damage on the rebels!" ”

『……』

Cao Suo was so angry that he almost vomited blood, and Zou Yuan, the rebel general beside him, was also dumbfounded when he heard this.

There is still such a trick?!