"General Zhang's words are wrong. Liu Bei is notoriously benevolent, he will not cross the river and tear down the bridge. Besides, we were under Cao Cao, and we were not reused. Once Jingzhou falls and Cao Cao has no naval army, where will we be useful? And also... Over the past year or so, we have been defeated by the Jiangdong Army many times, and Cao Cao will not be punished urgently. ”

"yes." Zhang Yun was even more hesitant.

"Hehe..." Cai Mao smiled: "I thought you were determined to be loyal to Cao Cao, but I didn't expect that you also had the intention of surrendering to Liu Bei, since that's the case, let's get straight to the point." After consideration, I decided to surrender to Liu Bei. Not only because Jingzhou fell and we had no place to use it, but also because Cao Cao was despicable and crossed the river and demolished the bridge. At the beginning, we led more than 100,000 Jingzhou troops to surrender to him, and he also promised to let my nephew Liu Cong be the lord of Jingzhou, but after he got Jingzhou, he sent Liu Cong and my sister to Xuchang, called protection, but in fact imprisoned, that's all, they were assassinated by bandits halfway, I suspect that Cao Cao did it. He has a murderous enmity against me, so how can I be loyal to him again? ”

"Zhuge Liang has made it clear in the letter that Cao Cao is a Han minister, but he is actually a thief, and Liu Bei is the orthodox royal family, so we should not help the abuse..."

After making her position clear, Cai Mao still looked at Zhang Yun vigilantly.

Zhang Yun slapped the desk in front of him and shouted, "Okay, I'll listen to you!" ”

"Hahaha..."

Cai Mao and Zhang Yun reached a consensus.

...........

Zhuge Liang's letter of persuasion did not intend to persuade Cai Mao and Zhang Yun to surrender, but only hoped that they would have scruples and be in a neutral situation, neither letting go of Jiang Jindu, nor attacking Huang Zhong's fishing boats and rafts. But he still miscalculated, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun had long been dissatisfied with Cao Cao, and after receiving Zhuge Liang's sincere letter of persuasion, they all agreed to surrender to Liu Bei.

Next.

When Wei Yan led his army to attack Baqiu, Huang Zhong also marched towards Jiangjindu.

Unexpectedly, as soon as his fishing boat and raft arrived in Jiangjindu, he saw Cai Mao and Zhang Yun coming over on a fighting boat and handing him a letter.

This letter is Cai Mao's surrender letter.

Huang Zhong was pleasantly surprised after seeing it.

He invited Zhuge Liang and said, "Cai Mao and Zhang Yun are willing to surrender to the lord, but I don't know if it's true or not?" ”

"It must be true, Hansheng doesn't have to doubt it." Zhuge Liang walked to the deck of the fishing boat and said, "Send someone to tell Cai Mao and Zhang Yun that we accept his surrender." He was ordered to continue to defend Jiangjindu, and we went to Linxiang to fight through Jiangjindu. ”

Huang Zhong said: "Just accept their surrender, but there is no need to reuse it, especially not let them guard Jiangjindu, here is the key to linking Jiangling and Xiangyang, once they betray again, we will fall into a passive situation." Sir, don't forget, they have rebelled many times, and they are so gullible by nature? ”

Zhuge Liang said: "Your worries are not unreasonable, but Jiang Jindu must be guarded by the army, and they are the most suitable candidates." This is also my test of them. In the future, to assist the lord, they also need to train the navy. ”

"The so-called suspicious people don't need to be used, and the employment is not suspicious. Hansheng, don't argue with me about this matter, just do what I tell you to do. ”

"Yes."

Huang Zhong personally went to see Cai Mao and Zhang Yun to convey Zhuge Liang's meaning. Immediately, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun followed him to Zhuge Liang's fishing boat to meet each other.

With Zhuge Liang's means, he quickly subdued them.

This also means that he has opened up the way to Linxiang and can directly rush to Linxiang. Of course, before that, he also had to go to Wuling County in the south of Linxiang, where thousands of soldiers and horses could be mobilized, which was the key to defeating Xiahou Yuan.

A few days later.

Outside the city of Linxiang.

The troops led by Xiahou Yuan captured Linxiang City.

The battle did not last long, and there were not many soldiers involved in the battle, but it was no less bloody than waging a big war. Liu Beijun, who was stationed in Linxiang City, resisted Xiahou Yuan's attack with a force of less than 3,000 people, until the entire army was annihilated, and no one surrendered. The thousands of troops who rushed to the rescue were also defeated by Xiahou Yuan, and finally forcibly broke through and attacked the city.

Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and the families of all their generals were taken hostage.

Considering the importance of the matter, Xiahou Yuan strictly ordered his subordinates to take good care of all the hostages, not to allow anyone to touch them, and not to be short of food.

After controlling Linxiang City, he stepped up his defense and prepared to resist Liu Beijun's counterattack.

"Report..."

As soon as Xiahou Yuan arrived at the mansion, a light horse came and handed him a letter.

Xiahou Yuan opened the letter, read it and said: "This is sent by Zhuge Liang, saying that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun have taken refuge in Liu Bei, Baqiu is also under the control of Wei Yan, and we are trapped in Linxiang..." ”

"He wants us to return Linxiang City and release all the prisoners, and he will guarantee our safe retreat to Jiangxia County. Generals, what do you think? ”

Cao Chun snorted: "My tiger and leopard ride is enough to destroy Zhuge Liang, why do you need him to guarantee it?" ”

"These thousands of us are the elite of the elite, what can we do with Zhuge Liang's thousands of old and weak soldiers? General, please give the order to meet Zhuge Liang, defeat him, and Liu Bei will be finished. It was Adjutant General Liu Xun who said this.

Liu Xun was originally a general of Yuan Shu, and after Cao Cao eliminated Yuan, he surrendered to Cao Cao.

He had been serving in Yangzhou and had recently been transferred by Cao Chun to participate in the Battle of Jingnan.

Xiahou Yuan was psychologically afraid of Zhuge Liang and didn't dare to take the lead in attacking, but he couldn't say it clearly, so he said: "Linxiang City is Liu Bei's capital, and it is also our current barrier. I mean... First pretended to negotiate with Zhuge Liang, delayed time, and reported the situation to the prime minister. If the prime minister's army can defeat Liu Bei, our task will be accomplished. ”

"General, isn't this okay?" Cao Chun said: "The prime minister sent us here to make trouble behind Liu Bei, and if we don't move, will it affect the war in Xiangyang?" ”

"No, it won't."

Xiahou Yuan said: "We don't have many troops, and it is not easy to contain Zhuge Liang and all the enemy troops in Jingnan. I hope to hold out until the war in Jingzhou is over and still occupy this place. ”

From Xiahou Yuan's words, it can be seen that he is indeed afraid of Zhuge Liang.

However, Cao Chun, who came with him, was very disdainful of this negative approach, and said: "You don't dare to fight Zhuge Liang, you are cowardly, and I will lead the tiger and leopard to ride forward." ”

"You..."

"Humph!"

Cao Chun was arrogant in the end, and even dared to openly disobey Xiahou Yuan's order, and left with a cold snort.

The generals present all looked at each other and did not dare to say more.

Xiahou Yuan was angry for a while, and said to Liu Xun: "Go and invite General Cao Chun back, just say that I agree to fight with Zhuge Liang, but I must formulate a battle strategy, and I can't attack blindly, so as not to fall for Zhuge Liang's tricks." ”

"Yes."

Xiahou Yuan put the overall situation first and invited Cao Chun back.