If you can swallow Xiahoudun and others and occupy the entire territory of Nanyang, there is no need to say much about the benefits.

The question now is to do it or not to do it.

Dryness is risky.

In a big war, revealing a small flaw can be fatal, even if it is a deliberately revealed flaw.

And the other party is Xiahoudun, Yu Ban, and Li Dian.

Although Xiahoudun fought an ordinary war, Yu Ban and Li Dian were very bullish.

If the plan fails, they will be killed. That could even lead to total annihilation.

And now the situation is actually favorable to Liu Bei, Liu Bei has relied on Guan Ping's strength to complete the accumulation of strength, with a strong city, a population of more than 100,000, and 20,000 or 30,000 elite soldiers.

This is a family foundation that has been accumulated with great difficulty.

With this force, there will be a better future. And this time, Liu Bei's purpose in going north is just to beat Cao Cao, brush up his fame, and prove that he still exists.

The second is the plundering of the population.

And these two goals, Liu Bei's has been achieved. A rude estimate of 30,000 or 40,000 people can be plundered, which is more than expected.

The current situation is that the strategy of plundering the population is very stable, but on the contrary, it is necessary to act as a demon, which may lead to a crushing defeat of the army, and it will be completely defeated.

In exchange for the possibility of devouring Xiahoudun and others and entering Wancheng.

This is the contradiction between prudence and aggressiveness, no matter how powerful the advisors are, they can't tell who is right and who is wrong, and no one can help Liu Bei make a decision.

The only one who can make decisions is Liu Bei himself.

Soon after, Liu Bei made a decision. He said to Sun Qian: "Mr. Gongyou, you personally drafted the order and ordered Gan Ning, Yide, and Wei Yan to plunder the population according to the original plan, but to join me one day later. Attract Xiahoudun to chase. ”

Liu Bei's original plan was to plunder the population within three days, and then return to Xinye. Because Xiahoudun's army may reach Ye County in four days at the earliest.

However, Liu Bei postponed the planned retreat by one day, that is, to make it possible for Xiahoudun to catch up.

"No." Sun Qian agreed, and then began to draft Liu Bei's order on the spot, and then asked Chen Zhi to send someone to the three generals.

"It's a matter of success or failure." Liu Bei's right hand is the palm, and his left hand is clenched into a fist, and he clapps his hands with a fist, which is very excited.

..............

Wancheng is the original seat of Jingzhou, and it is currently the forefront of Cao Cao's resistance to Jingzhou's forces. If Wancheng is lost, the Jingzhou forces can drive straight in, send troops to the north without scruples, and may even approach Xudu.

Therefore, Cao Cao sent Xiahoudun, Li Dian, Yu Ban and other generals to lead 30,000 elite soldiers to defend Wancheng.

There were six generals in the city, 10,000 under Xiahou Dun, 5,000 each in Li Dian and Yu Ban, and 10,000 in the remaining three generals.

Since Xiahoudun sat in Wancheng, he has continued to increase the height and strengthen the city wall of Wancheng. At this moment, the city wall of Wancheng is two zhang eight high, one zhang thick, there are Weng City, moats, and piles of materials, grains.

How strong Xinye is, Wancheng is almost as strong as it is.

Cao Cao's 100,000 troops may not be able to take the current Xinye, and with the combat effectiveness of Liu Biao's army, even 200,000 will not want to attack Wancheng.

This is in the case of the city generals, if the city generals choose to take the initiative, it will be another matter.

The generals in the city, of course, are headed by Xiahoudun.

Rumors, of course it's just rumors.

Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, was originally surnamed Xiahou, and was succeeded to Cao Cao's grandfather Cao Teng, so he changed his surname to Cao.

Of course, this rumor is less credible. Because of Cao Cao's traitorous male, many people have to find ways to smear him.

But the Cao family and the Xiahou family are married to each other, and this matter is a fact. Xiahoudun was Cao Cao's most trusted general, and there was no one.

Xiahoudun also has merit, and the credit is great.

When Cao Cao was the general of Fenwu, Xiahoudun was the Sima of the other department, leading a battalion alone. Cao Cao conquered Xuzhou, and Lü Bu attacked Cao Cao's rear, relying on the strength of Xiahoudun to maintain a small county seat, so that Cao Cao could return to the army and defeat Lü Bu.

Later, Xiahou tuntian planted grain in the fields and gave Cao Cao great support.

Therefore, the generals in the city, although Yu Ban and Li Dian are better at fighting than Xiahoudun, they respect Xiahoudun.

At noon, Xiahoudun was in the back house of the general's mansion in Wancheng. Xiahoudun had just woken up from a nap, opened his only remaining eye, and then saw a bronze mirror.

Xiahoudun saw himself from the bronze mirror, with a Chinese face, a beautiful beard, a strong body, and a broken momentum, the only fly in the ointment was that the person in the bronze mirror was blind.

The Han people attach great importance to their appearance, and the reason why Yuan Shao and Liu Biao can have their current achievements is that their beauty also plays a role.

And Sun Ce could have been treated because of a facial injury, but Sun Ce looked in the mirror and thought: "If the face is like this, can you still make meritorious contributions?" ”

So he screamed, and the wound immediately cracked, and he died that night.

Xiahou is a great husband, but he is blind, and he is called "Blind Xiahou" in the army. Xiahoudun hated this.

"Humph!" When Xiahou saw himself in the bronze mirror, he was like seeing an enemy, pushed with both hands, overturned the bronze mirror to the ground, snorted coldly, and walked out of the bedroom.

"General." There was a team of personal soldiers guarding outside the door, and when they saw Xiahoudun, they hurriedly bowed and saluted, respecting them very much.

Although Xiahoudun fought an ordinary war and had almost no decent victories, he was very good at governing the army, and he was the kind of good general who was willing to give out his family property to support the soldiers, and he was very popular.

Xiahoudun saw himself in the bronze mirror in the room, he was very angry, and when he went out of the room, he had a smile on his face, and nodded kindly in the face of the salute of the soldiers.

Suddenly, Xiahoudun saw someone, so he asked with concern: "Zhang Chong." Your mother is seriously ill, didn't you ask for leave to go back to take care of your mother? How did you come back again? ”

The pro-soldier named Zhang Chong's eyes turned red when he heard this, and he choked up and said, "General Hui, my mother has passed away. The villain was in a trance, and after burying his mother, he returned to serve the general. ”

Hearing this, Xiahoudun sighed: "Life is short, my mother died early, every time I think of my dead mother, my liver and intestines are broken, and I can't do my filial piety." ”

Saying that, Xiahoudun patted Zhang Chong's shoulder and said with relief: "Who said that you have no relatives, I am your brother, and the robes in the army are also your brothers." When I have the opportunity, I should lead my brothers to kowtow to your mother. ”

"General!" Zhang Zhong was already in tears, unable to cry.

When the soldiers heard this, they revered Xiahoudun more and more.

Xiahou won the hearts of the army and allowed the soldiers to die generously. After a while, Xiahoudun planned to go to the study in the front yard to sit down, and the itinerary was to go to the study to read first, then practice martial arts, and then inspect the city wall in the evening.

Before entering and exiting the courtyard gate, I saw Li Dian, Yu Ban and other five generals coming from the past. Xiahoudun was surprised: "Why are you all here?" ”

Immediately, Xiahoudun came to his senses, and his face changed: "Could it be that there is an emergency military?" ”

Yu Ban has always been strict and dignified, not restrained and smiling, but he is the deputy second of Wancheng. Yu Ban nodded to Xiahoudun, and Xiahoudun took Yu Ban and the others to the study and sat down.

After sitting down, Xiahoudun asked in a deep voice, "What's the matter?" ”

"General, the news came just now that Liu Bei attacked Ye County, Zhang Fei, Wei Yan, and Gan Ning each broke through the county seat, and they are all gathering population with the intention of moving to Xinye."

Yu Ban clenched his fists towards Xiahoudun and said in a deep voice.

"The weaver is really hateful." Xiahoudun was furious, stood up suddenly, and said angrily: "I am entrusted by the Duke of Ming to guard Wancheng. Since Liu Bei is in my boundary, how can I sit idly by. Li Dian, Yu Ban. ”

"The end will be." Li Dian and Yu Ban stood up and bowed in response.

"The two of you will lead the men and horses of the camp and follow me to fight Liu Bei. The rest of the generals guarded Wancheng. Xiahoudun ordered.

"No."

The five generals present suddenly agreed, and then Xiahou and Yu Ban, Li Dian began to dispatch troops, but in half an hour, 20,000 horse infantry troops neatly left the east gate of the city and went to Ye County.

Xiahoudun and others fought at home, and it was easy to supply, so they only brought five days' rations and went to war with a light army.

On Cao Cao's side, the fastest runner in the infantry army was Xiahou Yuan, who was known as five hundred miles in three days and one thousand miles in six days. Xiahou Xuan, Yu Ban, Li Dian's corporal, running slower than Xiahou Yuan's corporal.

But it's not outrageous.

Yexian County is about 500 miles away from Wancheng, and Xiahoudun led Yu Ban, Li Dian's second general, and 20,000 horse infantry troops walked 400 miles in three days.

On the plains.

The sky was very clear and the sun was shining. The temperature is cold, and when you exhale it, it becomes a white mist. The 20,000 horse infantry army was divided into three armies, the front and the center.

Li Dian was the front army, Yu Ban was the rear army, and Xiahoudun was in the middle.

The 20,000 horse infantry army, plus many horses and vehicles, was very spectacular for a while. The Chinese army was in the middle position, and Xiahoudun held a silver spear, wearing heavy armor, straddled and sat on a good horse, and walked on the edge of the "Xiahou" flag.

At this time, the army suddenly stopped advancing, and Xiahou held the golden helmet on his head, and asked suspiciously, "What's the matter?" ”

Soon after, a fast horse came quickly from the front army. Xiahoudun's corporal did not stop him, this person came to the front of Xiahoudun, turned over and dismounted, and reported: "Report to the general, Liu Bei has plundered the population and gone to Xinye." ”

"How long have you been gone?!" Xiahoudun immediately asked in a deep voice. Xiahoudun has a strong sense of self-esteem, and since he was ordered to guard Wancheng, how could he let Liu Bei loot the population so easily.

"Almost a day."

The messenger replied.

"Ordered to turn around and go south and pursue Liu Bei." Xiahoudun immediately said.

"No."

The heralds responded to the promise, and each reported to Li Dian, and Yu Ban went. So Li Dian in front set off again, Xiahou Dan, and Yu Ban followed.

It's just that although Li Dian got the order, he was not very willing.

Li Dian is not a brave general, but a Confucian general. He didn't become a general at the beginning, the head of their Li family was Li Dian from his father Li Gan, and Li Gan led the people to defect to Cao Cao, which was the beginning of the Li family becoming a general.

Later, Li Gan died in battle, and Li Gan's son Li Cheng inherited Li Gan's army. In the fifth year of Jian'an, Li Quan also died.

In this way, the people of their Li family fell on Li Dian.

In other words, Li Dian has been a general for less than three years. But Li Dian is very outstanding, although his ambition is not to be a general, but his talent is far better than that of ordinary generals, and he is an elite general of the Cao family.

Li Dianru is a general martial artist, only wearing a sword and not a weapon. Like Xiahoudun, Li Dian was located in the middle of the department, riding a horse, and beside him was the flag bearer.

The word "Li" is a flag, and the hunting sounds.

After receiving the military order, Li Dian sent troops to the south, but his face also showed a gloomy color. When the commander noticed this, he asked, "Why is the general worried?" ”

"Liu Bei is a hero, and he is a veteran of the battlefield. It is impossible not to calculate the speed of our march, and it is supposed that he should have fled in three days, but now it has taken four days, and we are only one day. and with the people, we only need to chase him for two or three days to catch up with him. The grass and trees in the south are deep, suitable for ambushes, and I am afraid that Liu Bei is deliberately luring the enemy deeper. ”

Li Dian showed embarrassment on his face, exhaled a breath, and said to the camp Sima: "Immediately send someone to inform General Xiahou of my worries." ”

"No." Hearing this, the battalion Sima's face was awe-inspiring, and he hurriedly promised to arrange for the herald to go down. Soon after, the heralds returned. He hugged his fists at Li Dian and said: "General Xiahou, please don't worry too much about it, Liu Bei's command is just a rabble, and the people and horses in the north of our department are all strong generals." Liu Bei was in Xuzhou back then, but he abandoned his wife and Guan Yu fled. At this moment, Liu Bei's army has 30,000 or 40,000 people, and he does not dare to fight with us. And even if Liu Bei sets up an ambush, with my strong soldiers, there is no need to be afraid of him. ”

This is a self-confident soldier, and there is no one in sight.

At present, this is not the problem of Xiahoudun alone, but the problem of the entire Cao army. Since Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu, the generals under Cao Cao's group have become much more arrogant.

Because before this, only Yuan Shao in the world stabilized Cao Cao. And now Yuan Shao has died of illness, leaving his son's nephew to be just a clown jumping off the beam.

Seeing that Cao Cao's domination of the world was just around the corner, the momentum of the generals naturally came up.

Besides, Liu Bei was indeed a defeated general before this, and he was defeated repeatedly, losing Xuzhou twice, mixing with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Biao, just a lost dog.

Xiahoudun now has a psychological advantage and a military advantage, so naturally he will continue to chase after him.

After Li Dian heard the herald's return, he became more and more worried. He thought for a while and said to the herald: "Tell General Xiahou that I am very timid because I have little time and inexperience. Please also switch with General Yu Ban and become the rear army. ”

"No." The herald made a promise and immediately went to report the matter to Xiahoudun.

"Li Mancheng is indeed timid." Xiahoudun frowned after hearing this, but he didn't blame Li Dian too much, but followed the good as the stream, and took the rear army Yu Ban as the front army, and Li Dian as the rear army.

After the army adjusted slightly, it pursued Liu Bei south at full speed.

The army was fast, and its footsteps kicked up a monstrous amount of dust, obscuring the sky and the sun. Some of the soldiers couldn't help but cough.

Xiahoudun straddled the war horse, held a silver spear, and ordered: "Order the soldiers to speed up again, if Liu Bei can be captured or killed alive in this battle, I should be enlightened to the Ming Gong, and everyone will get money and food." ”

"No." The herald turned around and roared as promised, and went down to give the order.

There will be brave men under the great reward.

With Xiahoudun's order, Cao Jun's morale was suddenly greatly boosted.