Cao Cao and Bao Xin each led 15,000 soldiers and horses to Xiaohuang County to support Zhang Miao, which made Zhang Miao's original heart fall again because Yuan Shu might approach Xiaohuang County at any time.

Cao Cao brought 15,000 people, Bao Xin brought 15,000 people, plus Zhang Miao relied on his prestige and financial resources to regather 10,000 people around Xiaohuang County during this time, and now Zhang Miao, Cao Cao, and Bao Xin have 40,000 people, which can be compared with Yuan Shu in number.

However, it is only comparable in terms of quantity, the soldiers under Yuan Shu's command are either the Nanyang veterans who followed him in the early years, or the young men in the yellow turban in Yuzhou, and Yuan Shu's treatment of the soldiers under his command is very generous, so that these soldiers have the heart to die for Yuan Shu.

After Yuan Shu occupied Yuzhou and Nanyang, although he became a little greedy for pleasure, after ensuring that his enjoyment could satisfy his desires, Yuan Shu did not treat the people under his rule too harshly. And for the 100,000 army that guaranteed his status, Yuan Shu was very preferential.

In this era, being a soldier is all about eating a mouthful of food, and it is a helpless move that can't survive. And Yuan Shu can treat his soldiers preferentially, and these soldiers are also willing to repay Yuan Shu with their lives.

This point is incomparable to the people under the command of Cao Cao, Bao Xin, and Zhang Miao, not that Cao Cao and others don't know this truth, on the contrary, as the leading master of the art of war in the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao still understands this truth, but Cao Cao does not have the same conditions as Yuan Shu.

The Nanyang and Yuzhou places that Yuan Shu now occupies are rich places in the world, and Cao Cao is now just a garrison in Dongjun, which cannot be compared with Yuan Shu at all, and Cao Cao can now afford to raise an army of 20,000 because the Cao family and the Xiahou family have a rich family background. However, no matter how thick the Cao family and the Xiahou family are, it is not a good thing that they have been in and out. So originally this year, Cao Cao set his goal on Yanzhou. With Xun Yu and Xi Zhong planning for him, as well as Xiahoudun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian, Le Jin and other good generals, Cao Cao is very confident.

But unexpectedly, just when Cao Cao was about to take action, the news of Yuan Shu's attack on Chen Liu came, so that Cao Cao could only temporarily give up the plan in his heart and send troops to support Zhang Miao.

Cao Cao understood that Yuan Shu's march into Chenliu was only the beginning, and if Yuan Shu really took Chenliu, then the entire Yanzhou would fall into Yuan Shu's ambitions, which would conflict with Cao Cao's plan. Therefore, in order to be able to succeed in his heart, Cao Cao did his best to support Zhang Miao.

Soon after Cao Cao and Bao Xin's armies arrived in Xiaohuang County, Yuan Shu led 35,000 soldiers and horses to Xiaohuang County and set up a large camp ten miles outside Xiaohuang County.

Although the county seat of Xiaohuang County is not as strong as the county seat of Yongqiu and the county seat of Chenliu, the current Xiaohuang County has an army of 40,000, so that Yuan Shu does not dare to be careless. Cao Cao, Zhang Miao, and Bao Xin also became vigilant when they knew that Yuan Shu's army had arrived, and when Yuan Shu set up a big camp ten miles away from Xiaohuang County, Xiaohuang County didn't know how many scouts and horses appeared outside the big camp.

Yuan Shu didn't care about these scouts at all, he wanted to crush the opposite side with absolute superiority this time, even if the tripartite alliance of Cao Cao, Zhang Miao, and Bao Xin on the opposite side is now pulling up an army of 40,000, and the 35,000 people on Yuan Shu's side are 5,000 more, but in Yuan Shu's opinion, the 40,000 people on the opposite side are completely a rabble, and there is nothing to be afraid of.

Three days after Yuan Shu led his troops to set up a large camp ten miles outside Xiaohuang County, he ordered someone to shoot a war letter to Xiaohuang County, and asked Cao Cao, Bao Xin, and Zhang Miao to fight outside Xiaohuang County the next day.

After Zhang Miao received Yuan Shu's flying arrow war letter at the head of the city, he didn't dare to be careless, and hurriedly sent someone to call Cao Cao and Bao Xin to discuss how to deal with Yuan Shu's war letter.

In the county government of Xiaohuang County, Cao Cao, Zhang Miao, and Bao Xin sat opposite each other, and on Zhang Miao's table was displayed the war book of Yuan Shu's order to shoot arrows into Xiaohuang County. And staring at this war letter, Cao Cao, Zhang Miao and Bao Xin had different faces.

After a while, Cao Cao looked up at Zhang Miao and asked, "Meng Zhuo, has Meng Gao ever acted?" ”

Guangling guards Zhang Chao and Zhang Menggao, and Zhang Miao are brothers and have an excellent relationship. Yuan Shu marched into Chenliu and defeated Zhang Miao in a row, Zhang Miao naturally did not only ask Cao Cao and Bao Xin for help, and Zhang Chao, the Taishou of Guangling, also received Zhang Miao's request for help. However, Guangling is the land of Xuzhou, and the distance between it and Chen Liu is a little far, so Zhang Miao asked Zhang Chao for help and did not let Zhang Chao come to support Chen Liu, but wanted Zhang Chao to send troops from Guangling to attack Peiguo in the east of Yuzhou, so that Yuan Shu's rear yard caught fire and forced Yuan Shu to withdraw his troops.

Hearing Cao Cao's inquiry at this moment, Zhang Miao said: "According to the time, Meng Gao should have already sent troops, but even if Meng Gao can attack Peiguo and even Runan, but if we can't stop Yuan Shu here, I'm afraid Yuan Shu may not be able to return to defend Yuzhou." ”

Cao Cao nodded, then looked at the battle book on the table, and said in a deep voice: "In this way, this battle is not going to be fought." ”

Bao Xin groaned: "We must fight, Yuan Shu's army is now powerful, and he has won two consecutive games in Yongqiu and Chen Liucheng, it is the time when the momentum is at its peak, if we can't suppress his arrogance, I'm afraid it will be very difficult for us to defend the city, but if we can suppress Yuan Shu's arrogance, not to mention defeating Yuan Shu's army, as long as it is a tie, it will not be a loss for us." ”

Zhang Miao's eyes wandered over Cao Cao and Bao Xin, and finally said, "Then tomorrow we will fight with this Yuan Shu." ”

Cao Cao and Bao Xin both said categorically at this time: "A battle!" ”

After deciding to fight, Zhang Miao ordered someone to return the news to Yuan Shu, and agreed with Yuan Shu to have a big battle outside Xiaohuang County tomorrow. The next day, a total of 40,000 troops of Cao Cao, Zhang Miao, and Bao Xin almost poured out, and set up a formation outside Xiaohuang County, with flags fluttering, soldiers and soldiers, and all the soldiers were solemn, waiting for the arrival of Yuan Shu's army.

In the eyes of Cao Cao and others, Yuan Shu personally led an army of 30,000 to appear outside Xiaohuang County, leaving 5,000 soldiers to stay in the camp, these 30,000 people are already the strongest force that Yuan Shu can use now, it can be seen that Yuan Shu also has the idea of wanting to succeed in a battle.

Yuan Shu rode the snow shadow horse, carried a sword at his waist, his eyes were cold, looking at the tripartite army of Cao Cao, Zhang Miao, and Bao Xin who were confronting his army, and there was a look of disdain in the depths of his eyes.