Yuan Yao led three thousand elite soldiers to leave Xinye and headed towards Pingshi County, but when he was halfway there, Wei Yan, who had faintly become the first general under Yuan Yao, felt that something was wrong, and rode his horse to Yuan Yao's side and asked: "Childe, are we going wrong, although this road can also lead to Ping's, but I feel like a detour." ”

Yuan Yao smiled: "That's right, and who told you that I was going to Pingshi County." ”

After listening to Yuan Yao's words, a trace of doubt flashed on Wei Yan's face, and he asked, "Didn't Gongzi tell the lord that he was going to seize the Ping clan?" Then why don't we go to Ping's? ”

Hearing Wei Yan's words, Yuan Yao felt very satisfied, when he knew that his order and Yuan Shu's meaning conflicted, Wei Yan did not question himself, indicating that in Wei Yan's heart, he was the first, as for Yuan Shu, he could only rank behind Yuan Yao. It is not in vain that Yuan Yao has cultivated Wei Yan over the years.

Yuan Yao said: "I am indeed going to capture the Ping Clan, but when did I say that I was going to attack the Ping Clan? ”

Yuan Yao's words made Wei Yan a little confused, and asked again: "Childe, if we don't attack the Ping Clan, how can we take the Ping Clan?" ”

Yuan Yao smiled and said, "Wei Yan, do you think if the news of Liu Biao's defeat in Xinye reaches the Ping clan, what will the guards of the Ping clan county be?" ”

Wei Yan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, "Childe, do you mean that the Ping clan guard will abandon the city and flee?" ”

Yuan Yao's eyes flashed with confidence, and he said: "This is natural, Liu Biao's 50,000 army was defeated in Xinye, and it was defeated, and it was impossible to form an army, this Ping City is only 5,000 people, how can it be the opponent of my father's army, if this Ping Clan guard does not escape, then when my father reacts and personally leads the army to kill, he can't escape even if he wants to, so now is his last chance to escape." ”

Wei Yan appeared Yuan Yao's route in his mind at this time, and then with a hint of enlightenment, he said, "Gongzi is going to ambush the Ping clan guard on the way to escape?" ”

Yuan Yao said: "That's right, from here another half a day's journey, there is a mountain, called Pingyue Mountain, is the only way to return to Xiangyang from the Ping family, we will go to Pingyue Mountain to set up an ambush, and wait until the Ping guards come, it is to kill left and right, and then I want to see what ability this Ping guards have to kill out of the encirclement." ”

When Yuan Shu first got Nanyang, Yuan Yao once made a terrain sand table of Nanyang based on the map of Nanyang, which is still preserved in the Nanyang Taishou Mansion in Wancheng, and the original production of this Nanyang topographic sand table made Yuan Yao know the topography of Nanyang well, so that he knew the place of Pingyue Mountain.

Yuan Yao never thought of using his three thousand elites to storm Ping's City, although he would definitely be able to take Ping's City in the end, but the loss of Yuan Shu's headquarters would not be small, so Yuan Yao thought about ambushing this defender from the beginning, taking him by surprise and maximizing the results.

As for if the Ping guards do not withdraw their troops from the Ping clan or make a detour, then Yuan Yao will not have any losses, at most he will stay in Pingyue Mountain for a few days, if Yuan Yao has not encountered the evacuated Ping Jingzhou army, then Yuan Yao will wave his troops north and storm the Ping county. Although the loss is not small, if the Pingshi Shou General insists on sticking to the Pingshi county, there is no way to do it.

When Yuan Yao led his troops to Pingyue Mountain to prepare to ambush Ping's Jingzhou army, in Ping's county at this time, the guard general Huo Du also received the news of Liu Biao's defeat in Xinye, and when he received this news, Huo Du was also in a tangle.

At the beginning, Huo Du led 3,000 troops to capture the county seat of Pingshi, and even if Liu Biao increased his troops in Nanyang, he did not mobilize Huo Du's 5,000 soldiers and horses, in order to let Huo Du attract the attention of Yuan Shujun in Nanyang as a partial army, and create conditions and opportunities for Liu Biao's main force to attack Xinye, of course, if there is a chance, Huo Du can also send troops north to take Wancheng directly, but even if Huo Du's 5,000 soldiers and horses hit Wancheng, it is impossible to capture Wancheng, so this plan has not been implemented.

Huo Du has been waiting for Liu Biao or Wen Ping's order in Ping's family, but he didn't get the order, but he got the news of Liu Biao's defeat in Xinye, and after determining the authenticity of the news, Huo Du also fell into a dilemma. If you stick to the county seat of Ping, then the main force of Yuan Shu that will inevitably be attracted will really not be able to escape if you want to, but if you retreat now, Huo Du will also be unwilling in his heart.

When Huo Du was trying his best to defend or retreat next, Huo Du's younger brother Huo Jun appeared in front of Huo Du, Huo Du was able to receive the news of Liu Biao's defeat, Huo Jun naturally knew it, and when Huo Jun saw Huo Du like this, the brothers were connected, and Huo Jun also knew what Huo Du was struggling with.

"Big brother!"

Huo Jun called softly and woke Huo Du up, and after Huo Du saw that it was Huo Jun, a smile appeared on his face and said, "Second brother, you are here." ”

Huo Jun filled the pottery bowl in front of Huo Du with water and said, "Big brother, I know what you're thinking." ”

Huo Du knew that his second brother had always been smart, and his talent was much better than his own, and he also had his own unique opinions and opinions on some issues, so he asked: "Then second brother, what do you think we are going to do next?" Do you stick to the county seat of Pingshi or retreat and return to Caiyang County or even Xiangyang? ”

Huo Jun said: "Big brother, I just want to ask you one question, that is, even if we can keep the Ping clan, what can we do?" The main army of the lord has been defeated in Xinye, even if we hold the county seat of the Ping clan under the attack of Yuan Shu's army, can the lord raise troops to attack Nanyang again in a short period of time? Big brother, you should know that after this battle, it is very difficult for the lord to return to Nanyang, so what is the point of us sticking to the Ping clan? ”

Huo Du was told this by Huo Jun, and he also figured everything out in his heart, looked at Huo Jun, and said, "Second brother, it seems that our Huo family will rely on you in the future." ”

Huo Jun was still just a teenager, and when Huo Du said this, his face was also a little blushing, but the light in his eyes had betrayed his psychological state at the moment.

Huo Du ignored Huo Jun at the moment, walked straight out, called a personal guard, and ordered: "Pass my order, and the whole army will assemble." ”

"No!" After the soldier left, Huo Jun walked up to Huo Du, looked at Huo Du, and asked, "Big brother, are you going to withdraw from the Ping clan?" ”

Huo Du nodded and said, "That's right, as you said, there is no point in us continuing to cling to the Ping clan. ”