Fight this battle well, and the entire Xiliang will be his. After Ma Chao broke through, he fled to Hebei at most, although it was a problem for his henchmen, but it was beneficial to the current war situation.

"Zhongda, can your battalion stop the Xiliang army?" Cao Cao asked.

"Prime Minister rest assured, it is not easy for Ma Chao to pass through the minister's defense area." Sima Yi chuckled: "Actually... Chen was surprised. Ma Chao turned out to be uncharacteristically unconventional and did not fight with us. This is probably Yuan Xi interfering with his decision. ”

"Hmm."

Cao Cao also thinks so.

Yuan Xi's giant python was burned by Sima Yi, causing Yuan Xi to lose confidence in the decisive battle with Cao, and was worried that Ma Chao and a large number of Xiliang generals would lose, so he could only abandon Xiliang and retreat to Hebei.

"Great..." Cao Cao said: "Quickly order the troops attacking the southern city, quickly enter the city, clear the remnants of the enemy, and see if there is any food." Then order the troops attacking Beicheng to do whatever it takes to drag down the Xiliang army. When I invade Ji County, I will send reinforcements to them. ”

"Zhongda."

"Yes."

Cao Cao said: "Don't watch the battle from me, go back to your military camp and find a way to intercept the Xiliang army." I hope that this battle will not only recover Xiliang, but also eliminate the main force of the Xiliang army. You have to know the relationship between Ma Chao and Yuan Xi, he will definitely take refuge in Yuan Xi and become our great enemy in the future. I don't want to run into Ma Chao in the next big battle. ”

"Your Ministers obey."

Sima Yi took his own soldiers and returned to Beiying.

Zhang Liao led his troops into Ji County, took over the city defenses, and won the first battle. It's just a pity that all the granaries have been inspected, and not a single grain of rice grain has been found, and even the big families in the city have only three days' rations, and the people live by eating wild vegetables, and they are already poor.

After Cao Cao learned the news, he swept away his previous joyful mood.

He originally wanted to pursue the Xiliang army for a long distance until it was completely annihilated. But the army has no food, let alone the pursuit of the Xiliang army, he doesn't know what to eat tomorrow.

"Wenhe, let's go into the city too, shall we?"

"Okay, Prime Minister, please."

Following Cao Cao into the city, Jia Xu said: "The problem of food must be solved as soon as possible. Even if you don't pursue Yuan Xi and Ma Chao, you have to feed our army, you can't be careless, don't make a mutiny, it's not good. ”

"I'm thinking about it too." Cao Cao pondered for a moment and said: "It's really not good, so I will use war horses to satisfy my hunger, it just so happens that Ma Chao's cavalry did not go far, so we will fight a decisive battle with him, leaving him some war horses as rations to feed the army." ”

Jia Xu smiled, "That's a good idea." ”

"Since it's a good idea, give an order quickly, don't let the Xiliang army escape."

"Yes."

Jia Xu went to meet Zhang Liao and Xu Chu, appointed Zhang Liao as the main general, Xu Chu as the vanguard, and led 10,000 elites to support Cao's army on the outskirts of Beicheng. But at this time, Ma Chao had already broken through Beicheng and went to Sima Yi's camp. Zhang Liao and Xu Chu could only gather the remnants of the army outside the northern city, chasing Ma Chao at the tail, trying to form a front and rear attack with Sima Yi against the Xiliang army.

According to soldiers, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly.

The Xiliang Army was on the rapidly changing battlefield, breaking through the defenses of the Cao army in Beicheng and reaching Sima Yi's camp. But when he came here, Ma Chao was also stunned.

Sima Yi was in the southeast direction of the camp and arranged heavy troops.

From a distance, there were three giant phalanxes, no less than 10,000 people.

Yuan Xi took advantage of the superiority of the four sides in the air, probed over the enemy camp, and came back and said: "Sima Yi has transferred more than half of his troops to the southeast, it seems that he has already expected that we will attack here. If we still stick to the original tactics, we will probably not be able to rush through. Meng Qi, let's go around to the south and attack the front of Sima Yi's camp, what do you think? ”

"Everything is up to the lord."

Ma Chao didn't bother to think about it, anyway, he had already taken refuge in Yuan Xi, and Xiliang couldn't take it back, so he simply listened to Yuan Xi's command.

"Well, everyone obey my orders, go around to the south, and attack the enemy camp. Pass through Sima Yi's camp at full speed. Yuan Xi flew into the air and shouted.

"Yes..."

Under the leadership of Ma Chao, the Xiliang army moved to the south of Sima Yi's camp.

The cavalry was fast and approached in the blink of an eye.

Sima Yi realized early on that the Xiliang Army had changed its operational intentions and transferred troops to Nanying. However, the speed of the infantry army was always inferior to that of the cavalry, and the guards of the southern camp were weak, so they were broken through by Ma Chao in an instant.

The Xiliang army was like a bamboo, running through Sima Yi's camp.

"Sir, are we still chasing?" Ding Huai asked.

"If we don't have cavalry, how can we catch up?" Sima Yi waved his hand and said, "Order the soldiers of each battalion to not have to pursue." Report the situation of the war to the prime minister, and ask the prime minister to decide. ”

"Yes."

Ding Huai sent someone back to Ji County to report the news.

At this time, Zhang Liao and Xu Chu came, and they did not have cavalry, but they pursued the master: "Sir, there are still our troops in Longxi, which control the official road into Xiliang in the city. It is expected that if you want to drag Ma Chao for a day, there should be no problem. We will transfer troops to the city, maybe we can wipe out the Xiliang army outside Longxi City. ”

This was said by Zhang Liao.

"Wen Yuan thinks it's possible?" Sima Yi asked.

"The situation of war is changing rapidly, who can say for sure? Sir, you must know that Yuan Xi does not have a giant beast, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, even if there is little hope, we should give it a try. Zhang Liao said.

"Okay, I'm tired of General Wenyuan and General Xu, lead the army to pursue the Xiliang Army, and when I arrange the affairs of the camp, I will personally lead 15,000 elites as your backup." Sima Yi said.

"Thank you, sir."

Zhang Liao and Xu Chu led 10,000 soldiers and pursued them north.

Sima Yi was afraid of Yuan Xi's ambush and the Xiliang army in the field, so he did not rush to support, he cleaned up the battlefield while waiting for Cao Cao's decision.

Early morning.

The fighting around Ji County ended completely.

Cao Cao learned that Ma Chao had fled to Longxi, and let out a long sigh: "It's a pity..." ”

"Zhongda asks for instructions, do you want to pursue?" Jia Xu asked.

"Do you need to ask me? If he could chase it, he would have chased it last night. Since he didn't chase it, it means that he is not sure, so why should I let the soldiers take risks. Cao Cao said.

"Besides, we have run out of food, and the soldiers of the battalion have a lot of complaints. If at this time, the Xiliang army is still pursued for a long time, I am afraid that it will cause a mutiny. ”

"The prime minister is wise." Jia Xu said: "The minister immediately ordered Sima Yi to go to Ji County to rest. Order Zhang Liao and Xu Chu to withdraw. ”

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

The end of this battle showed that the Xiliang army led by Ma Chao was completely defeated, and followed Yuan Xi on the road to Hebei. The ten counties of Xiliang completely belonged to Cao Cao.

Under Yuan Xi's guidance, Ma Chao's Western Liang army rushed to Longxi City within two days and defeated the defenders there.

Go around to the north and continue your journey north.

When he was about to arrive at the street pavilion, Ma Chao suddenly remembered an important matter: "Lord, we still have 20,000 iron horsemen on standby in Chencang City." How do we pick them up? This doesn't lead to Chencang. ”