In the early morning of the next day, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei led 8,000 foot soldiers out of the city and went in the direction of Xuzhou along the official road. Han Zhan took his subordinates and personally sent the army out of the city.

Looking at the soldiers and horses in the distance, Guo Jia said to Han Zhan with emotion: "Lord, now almost all of Guan Zhang's subordinates are the yellow scarves of the past, and after months of battle, they have the appearance of strong soldiers. ”

Regarding Guo Jia's statement, Han Zhan nodded and said approvingly: "That's right, in the past, so many old Yellow Turbans were given to Yun Chang and Yide, just because they were worried that hundreds of thousands of them would gather in one place, and it was probably an unstable factor, and it was necessary to find something for them to do." In the past few months of battle, although they have suffered heavy casualties, the rest are elite soldiers in a hundred battles, and they can be used as the main force of Jizhou in the future to fight for all parties for Benhou. ”

"Military Division," Zhao Yun, who was standing aside, waited for the conversation between Han Zhan and Guo Jia to come to an end, and asked with some concern: "Tell me, can Ziyi hold out until the reinforcements arrive?" You must know that it took two days for the messenger to hurry up on the road, and it would take five days for the reinforcements to rush over, can Ziyi support it for so long? ”

"This is not the place to speak," Guo Jia saw that everyone was still standing outside the city at this moment, and there were many guards standing around, so he said to Zhao Yun: "Let's go back to the Taishou Mansion." ”

After Guo Jia's reminder, Zhao Yun also realized that it was not appropriate to talk about this matter outside the city gate, and if it was leaked out, he was afraid that it would cause instability in the army's heart, so he said to Han Zhan: "Second brother, let's go back to the house." ”

Back at Taishou Mansion, Guo Jiaping retreated, and then said to Han Zhan and Zhao Yun: "Lord Gong, General Zilong, don't say that Guan and Zhang have been on the road for five days, even if they have walked for fifty days, as long as General Ziyi has enough food and grass in the city, there will be no danger." ”

Guo Jia's words made Han Zhan and Zhao Yun confused, Han Zhan turned his head to look at Zhao Yun, and saw that the other party was also looking at him, and they both saw confusion in each other's eyes. Han Zhan couldn't help but ask, "Fengxiao, how can you say this?" ”

Guo Jia smiled faintly and said: "How much combat power can the recruits recruited by Taishi Ziyi have, and they can actually save so many people under Lu Bu's pursuit?" This is obviously Lu Bu's intention to release water in order to repay the kindness of the lord. The reason why he is still confronting Ziyi in Licheng is nothing more than to show Yuan Highway, if he wants to really fight, maybe Ziyi's soldiers and horses have already been wiped out. ”

Listening to Guo Jia's analysis, Han Zhan felt that it was really very possible, with Lu Bu's terrifying combat power, not to mention that there were 5,000 soldiers and horses under his command, even if there were only 500 soldiers and horses, he would still defeat Tai Shici. He originally planned to lead the army south the next day, one was to rescue Tai Shici, and the other was to seize the territory of Xuzhou, but at this moment he changed his mind, he said to Zhao Yun: "Big brother, little brother thinks Feng Xiao is reasonable, we will rest here for two more days, and then go south to join Hansheng's soldiers and horses and go to Xuzhou together." ”

If Guo Jia hadn't said what he had just said, maybe Zhao Yun would have been worried about Tai Shici's safety, and couldn't wait to raise an army to go to Licheng to rescue. But at this moment, he learned that Lu Bu didn't really want to eliminate Tai Shici, but was just acting on orders, so he changed his mind and agreed to stay here for two more days.

…………

Accompanying Lu Bu on the expedition was the captain Lei Bo under Yuan Shu. Nominally, he was Lu Bu's deputy, but in fact he was sent by Yuan Shu to spy on Lu Bu. For this point, even if Lu Bu is brave and unscrupulous, he can see it.

As Guo Jia analyzed, Lu Bu felt that he owed Han Zhan a favor, and was ready to replace it at the right time. Therefore, when he was ordered by Yuan Shu to chase after Tai Shici, he deliberately slowed down the march, and the soldiers and horses only walked thirty miles a day before setting up camp, never taking one more step.

If the soldiers and horses led by Tai Shici had undergone strict training and had been on the battlefield, if they knew that there were pursuers behind them, they would definitely increase the speed of the march and find a way to get rid of the pursuers behind. However, when these recruits heard that there were soldiers and horses chasing after them, they immediately became confused, and many soldiers took advantage of the night to flee, which greatly reduced the morale of the soldiers.

Tai Shici was worried that if he walked too fast, more soldiers would flee, so he knew that Lu Bu's soldiers and horses were chasing behind, and he couldn't speed up the march, so he could only march at a speed of twenty or thirty miles a day. However, to be on the safe side, he sent out scouts to explore the way ahead, to see if there were any suitable places where soldiers and horses could be stationed to defend against the pursuers in the rear.

Lei Bo saw that Lu Bu's daily marching speed was too slow, and the distance between him and Tai Shici's soldiers and horses had not been shortened, so he urged Lu Bu to speed up the march many times. According to Lu Bu's original character, if someone chattered in his ear every day, he would have split the other party in half with his Fang Tian painting halberd. However, considering that his family is small, Shouchun, who is still under the control of Yuan Shu, can only delay time with Lei Boxu and the snake.

Seeing that the soldiers and horses had set off for ten days, but they still couldn't catch up with Tai Shici in front, Lei Bo couldn't see that Lu Bu was deliberately letting the other party escape, so he sent his henchmen back to Shouchun overnight to report what happened to Yuan Shu.

Yuan Shu learned that Lu Bu deliberately slowed down the march and seemed to be ready to let Tai Shi Ci go, so he couldn't help but be annoyed and angry, and immediately took out his sword, handed it to Ji Ling, and ordered: "Fu Yi, take my sword, go and get Lu Bu's head back." ”

Ji Ling agreed, stepped forward to take the sword, and just as he was about to leave, Changshi Yang Hong came out of the queue and stopped Ji Ling, and then said to Yuan Shu: "Lord, no, don't." ”

Seeing that his first strategist was blocking him, Yuan Shu asked with a displeased face, "Why not?" ”

"Lu Bu's martial arts are outstanding, no one in the world is invincible, if the lord is in a hurry, maybe he will take risks." When Yang Hong said this, he glanced at Ji Ling meaningfully, and continued: "Don't say that it is General Fuyi at that time, even if you add Captain Lei Bo, I am afraid that he will not be his opponent." ”

"Yang Changshi, then tell me, what should I do with Lu Bu?" Yuan Shu waited for Yang Hong to finish speaking, and then asked angrily, "Is it true that he watched him let Tai Shici go?" ”

"The lord can send someone to urge him to fight," Yang Hong said to Yuan Shu: "If he delays the fighter again, he will be imprisoned." As a result, Lu Bu had to fight with Tai Shici. ”

Regarding Yang Hong's statement, Yuan Shu expressed doubts: "Brothers are like siblings, women are like clothes, will Lu Bu listen to General Ben like this for the sake of his women?" ”

Hearing Yuan Shu's question, Yang Hong replied confidently: "Lord, please rest assured, Lu Bu's favorite woman is Diao Chan, who did not hesitate to defect to Wang Situ for her sake and killed his father-in-law Dong Zhuo. Now that the lord is using this woman to blackmail Lu Bu, he will definitely obey his words. ”

Yuan Shu felt that Yang Hong's words were very reasonable, so he took his suggestion and instructed Ji Ling: "Fu Yi, you immediately go to Lu Bu's army as the messenger of this general, and urge him to chase after Tai Shici's soldiers and horses. ”

After Ji Ling waited for Yuan Shu to finish speaking, he immediately clasped his fists and saluted: "The last general obeys the order, and he must bring the words of the lord to Lu Bu, so that he can immediately send troops to fight with Tai Shici's soldiers and horses." ”