Sun Ce inquired carefully, and then learned that not only the giant stone throwing machine that broke the tip rod, but also the three giant stone throwing machines all had different degrees of problems, and the biggest problem was that the tip rod had cracks.

Sun Ce regretted it. The responsibility for this is not for anyone else, but for himself. Even if he didn't come from a mechanical background and didn't know much about the mechanical properties of materials, he knew that such a large pole was no longer something that natural wood could bear, and it was almost a matter of time before it broke.

There is a common sense in mechanics that there is usually nothing wrong with reducing the scale, but the biggest problem with the magnification ratio is often the strength of the material. The giant stone thrower may seem to be only twice as big, but it may be four or five times more dangerous. The pole bears the greatest force, because you can't use splicing materials, you can only use virgin wood, and the five or six feet tall tree poles are not much, and there is no room for selection, so it's no wonder if there is no problem.

Fortunately, except for Huang Yueying, who was injured in a fall, there was nothing wrong with the others, but they were a little frightened, which can be regarded as a blessing in misfortune.

"These rock-throwing machines have stopped."

"How's that going to work?" Huang Yueying was anxious. "I haven't broken Wancheng yet."

"No need to fight, Cao Cao has already run away." Sun Ce frowned and looked at Zhou Yu on the side. "You didn't tell them?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "I've already received the news, but Cai Deqi has just entered the city to negotiate, and at this time I can't stop attacking, and it is good for the negotiations to maintain the pressure. It's just that...... I didn't expect such an accident. ”

"Don't blame yourself, it's none of your business." Sun Ce waved his hand. "Well, let people quickly change the pole and set up these three stone-throwing machines to pretend that the people in the city can see them. You quickly send someone to intercept Cai Deqi and let him be prepared. ”

"I've arranged it."

Seeing that Zhou Yu had already made arrangements, Sun Ce had nothing to explain. Huang Chengyan also rushed over and took over the command of the baggage battalion to calm the emotions of the craftsmen. Sun Ce carried Huang Yueying back to his big tent and put it on his marching couch. Huang Yueying was also too tired, and fell asleep as soon as she lay on the bed. Looking at Huang Yueying's thin face, Sun Ce sighed secretly. For this war, I don't know how many people have paid their hearts, only Yuan Shu and the two goods only think about beating Cao Cao and Zong Shilin.

Sun Ce just scolded two sentences, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside, Yuan Shu pushed the tent in, and was just about to speak, when he saw Huang Yueying on the couch, he immediately covered his mouth with his hand, stared at a pair of big eyes, pointed at Huang Yueying, his mouth was wide open, but his voice was very small.

"Is Achu okay?"

Sun Ce got up and shook his head. "The arm is broken, everything else is fine."

"That's good, that's good." Yuan Shu rubbed his hands, leaned in front of the couch, looked at Huang Yueying carefully, and tiptoed out, signaling Sun Ce to talk to him. Sun Ce covered the quilt and followed Yuan Shu out of the account. Yuan Shu let out a sigh of relief, his expression much more relaxed. He looked up at the eastern horizon that was showing the whiteness of the fish's belly, and for a moment he was stunned.

"Bo Fu, Cai Deqi has already entered the city, if nothing else, he should be able to persuade him to surrender successfully, Wancheng is lost and recovered, you are the first credit."

Sun Ce was just about to say a few words of modesty, when Yuan Shu raised his hand and put it on his shoulder and patted him gently. "Don't be nervous, Bo Fu. Although I don't have much knowledge, I know who is trustworthy and who is not. You don't have to take it to heart what those people say, I can tell right from wrong. ”

Sun Ce blinked, and then understood what Yuan Shu meant. He and Zhou Yu were appreciated and trusted by Yuan Shu when they first arrived, and it was strange that no one was gossiping behind their backs. If nothing else, Chen Yu should be one of them.

"It stands to reason that you should be allowed to enter Wancheng to have a look, share the spoils, and rest for two days. But the war is urgent, so don't waste time, rest for a day, and rush to Wuguan tomorrow. I will keep the spoils of your war, and I will never treat you badly. ”

Sun Ce's heart tightened, and he glanced at Yuan Shu's side face. Yuan Shu felt his gaze, the corners of his eyes jumped down inadvertently, and then he showed a faint smile again, and turned his head to meet Sun Ce's gaze. Sun Ce smiled. Yuan Shu is a gentleman, but he can't act, and his micro-expressions have betrayed his heart. The original plan was that he and Zhou Yu rushed to Wuguan together, but now Yuan Shu never mentioned Zhou Yu, and then thought of the fact that Qin Mu had just been arranged under his command, the meaning of this was already very clear.

It was suggested that Yuan Shu should suppress his military power and separate him from Zhou Yu, and Yuan Shu accepted the suggestion.

"Whoa! I'll leave early tomorrow morning. ”

Yuan Shu pressed Sun Ce's shoulder and wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything after all, just sighed, showed a hint of embarrassment, and turned away. He lowered his head and walked as fast as he could, as if he was running away from something. Sun Ce was originally a little angry, but when he saw his weak appearance, he couldn't help but want to laugh, and he felt a little more relieved.

After all, this thing is not political material.

Back to the big tent, Sun Ce took off his heavy and cold armor, let people move a marching couch in, covered it with a quilt, lay down with his clothes, and fell asleep as soon as his head was dipped in a pillow.

——

In the Purple Mountain, Cao Cao sat on a boulder and looked at the undulating mountains in the east.

Xi Zhicai took his hands and stood beside him. Cao Ren led more than 100 guards to hide in the woods behind him. They were all tired, but no one complained. They leaned against the tree, while sending dry food and light wine to their mouths, while silently looking at Cao Cao, who had been sitting like a stone statue for half the night.

"General, let's go, Yuan Shu shouldn't be coming. If he had been chasing, he should have arrived a long time ago. ”

Cao Cao remained motionless. After a long while, just as Xi Zhicai was about to persuade again, Cao Cao suddenly stood up, patted the dust on his buttocks and said, "Zhicai, do you know whose tomb is under that hill in the east? ”

Xi Zhicai thought for a moment. "Is the general talking about Zhang Pingzi?"

"That's right. We were not defeated by Yuan Highway this time, nor by Sun Bofu, we were defeated by those stone throwers. If it weren't for the power of the stone thrower, we would have been able to hold it for at least a few more months until the alliance leader defeated Gongsun Chan and stabilized Jizhou. ”

Xi Zhicai's eyes flashed, but he didn't speak.

"I was negligent." Cao Cao sighed softly. "Cai Deqi said that Sun Bofu admires Zhang Pingzi, and he doesn't like scholars but loves craftsmen, I should think of this, and the He family's manor was broken in an instant, and I should also think of this, but I was negligent. Once can also be said to be an accident, twice in a row, alas, I was justified in defeat. It is not the fault of the sky, but the fault of the war. ”

Xi Zhicai stopped talking, but his eyes were a little brighter. "The general does not complain about the sky, does not care about people, does not get angry, and does not make mistakes. Even if you are defeated for a while, there will be a time for you to make a comeback. General, let's go. ”

Cao Cao turned around and was about to descend the mountain, when he suddenly stopped again and turned to look south.