Cao Shuo led the army to Huguan Pass.

The soldiers worked day and night to build catapults.

Standing on the periphery of the barracks, Cao Shuo looked at the head of Huguan City.

At the head of the city, the original battle flag of the Cao army has been pulled down and replaced with the battle flag of the Yuan family.

"Childe." Lu Bu came to Cao Shuo's side: "Do you want to fight first?" ”

"Huguan Pass is thicker than the city, and if you attack it, I don't know how many soldiers will be killed." Cao Shuo said: "If you can't collapse the city wall with a catapult, you can build a hill for me with stones, and then let the soldiers step on the stones to attack it." ”

"I see." Lu Bu responded.

"I don't think Childe's battle needs to be fought at all." Cao Shuo was talking to Lu Bu when Guo Jia came to him.

Looking back at Guo Jia, Cao Shuo asked, "What is Fengxiao's opinion?" ”

"I don't dare to do it." Guo Jia said to Cao Shuo: "As long as Gongzi sends someone to the pass to say it, he will say that those who are willing to surrender will not be killed, and they can be reused, and it will not be long before the pot will fall into the hands of Gongzi." ”

"So easy?" Cao Shuo asked Guo Jia in surprise.

"Gao Gan has left, and only Guo Sheng and Xia Zhao are left in Huguan." Guo Jia said: "The two of them must have heard of Gongzi, Youzhou was like that before, and Gongzi was not there and was pacified, what is Huguan?" Childe is willing to surrender, how can the two of them not have a consideration in their hearts? ”

After staring at Guo Jia for a long time, Cao Shuo nodded.

He shouted, "Deng Zhan." ”

Deng Zhan quickly ran to his side.

Cao Shuo instructed: "Send someone over and tell the defenders of the city that if they are willing to sacrifice the pass, I will not kill a single person, and I will also give them credit." ”

After receiving the military order, Deng Zhan ran away quickly.

After a while, a fast horse rushed towards Huguan.

The horsemen who rode their horses waved the white linen cloth in their hands, and shouted at the pass: "The city guards are here?" ”

Xia Zhao stayed all night, and at this time he had gone to sleep.

It was Guo Sheng who was in charge of monitoring Cao Jun at the head of the city.

Standing on the tower of the city gate, he asked the cavalry below, "What did Cao Zirong send you to do?" ”

"Childe asked me to tell the Huguan defenders that as long as they are willing to open the city and surrender, he will not kill any of them." The cavalry shouted: "And the soldiers who sacrifice the Huguan can make meritorious contributions, and the son will be rewarded." ”

Listening to the cavalry's shouting, Deng Sheng did not say anything.

He turned back to one of the soldiers and ordered, "Bring Mr. Zhong Changtong." ”

The soldiers departed, and soon arrived with Zhong Changtong.

Deng Sheng asked Zhong Changtong: "Cao Zirong sent someone to persuade him to surrender, how should I respond." ”

"Didn't General Xia say that he would rather die in battle than surrender?" Zhong Changtong asked.

"He's him, I'm me." Deng Sheng said: "Now I am standing here, not Xia Zhao. ”

"So General Deng has the heart to surrender?" Zhong Changtong asked in a low voice.

"Who is Cao Zirong? How many of the cities he was about to fight had not been breached? Deng Sheng said: "If you are an enemy of him, it is clear that you are looking for death." ”

"I'm very glad that the general can have such an awareness." Zhong Changtong clenched his fists and arched to Deng Sheng: "The lives of the two thousand soldiers in Huguan were all saved by the general." ”

He lowered his voice and said to Deng Sheng: "If the general wants to surrender, it is best to send a message to Cao Zirong now. ”

"What's the message?" Deng Sheng asked.

"Taking advantage of General Xia's absence, please ask Cao Zirong to enter the city immediately." Zhong Changtong said: "Within Huguan, General Xia has more soldiers and horses than generals. ”

Squinting his eyes slightly, Deng Sheng said to the side: "Take a bow and arrow." ”

The soldier handed over the bow and arrow in both hands, and Deng Sheng privately took a piece of cloth from the corner of his clothes, quickly wrapped it around the arrow, and shot towards the cavalry under the city.

Arrows landed on the horse's hooves.

Glancing down, he saw that the arrow was wrapped in a piece of cloth, and the cavalry leaned down to pick it up, turned his horse and galloped towards the large array.

When he arrived at the front of the battle, he turned over and dismounted, holding the arrow in both hands and handed it to Cao Shuo: "Back to Gongzi, the enemy didn't say whether to surrender or not, but just shot down an arrow, and I thought it was strange and brought it back." ”

Taking the arrow from the cavalry, Cao Shuo glanced at it and handed it to Guo Jia: "Feng Xiao thinks that the people in the city want to send us some message." ”

Holding the arrow and looking at it over and over for a while, Guo Jia smiled slightly: "Childe can attack the city." ”

"Why?" Cao Shuo asked.

"If they reject the son, they must shoot the soldiers who spread the word." Guo Jia said: "But they didn't have so much, but shot an arrow wrapped in a strip of cloth. Judging from the strips of cloth, it should have been torn off the battle robe, and this is not to tell the prince that they are ready to surrender? ”

"Since you're planning to surrender, why don't you just open the city gate?" Cao Shuo asked.

"The reason is simple." Guo Jia said: "There are two guards in the city, one of them is willing to surrender, and the other is unwilling. The two disagreed, and the one who was willing to surrender to Cheng sent a message to Childe that as long as Childe sent troops, he should immediately surrender. ”

"I see." Cao Shuo nodded, and he said to Lu Bu: "General Lu, lead the troops to attack the city." ”

Lu Bu responded.

Cao Shuo instructed: "No need to attack, just bluff, wait until the city gate is opened, and the army will rush in." ”

"The last general commands!" Lu Bu took the order and left.

It didn't take long for the sound of war drums and horns to be heard from the Cao army's large array, and countless Cao troops marched forward in a neat formation.

The sound of war drums and horns woke up Xia Zhao, who had only been asleep for a long time.

Jumping up suddenly, he quickly ran towards Deng Sheng, who was standing at the head of the city watching.

"Cao Jun has attacked?" Xia Zhao asked Deng Sheng.

"Cao Zirong just sent someone to persuade him to surrender." "I didn't pay attention, so he attacked. ”

Xia Zhao spat and said to Deng Sheng: "Cao Zirong wants us to surrender, it's just a fool's dream. ”

"That's what General Xia said." Deng Sheng replied: "The enemy army is more than ten times larger than our army, and they are all elite in the army, so we need to be more careful." ”

Nodding, Xia Zhao shouted, "Prepare to fight." ”

Deng Sheng took two steps back and gently drew his long sword.

Attention was on the Cao Army's large array outside the city, and Xia Zhao did not doubt his actions.

The long sword was unsheathed, Deng Sheng held the hilt of the sword with both hands, and slashed at Xia Zhao's neck.

The unsuspecting Xia Zhao was struck by the long sword and fell headlong.

Afraid that he would not die, Deng Sheng stepped forward to make up for two more swords.

Carrying the bloody sword, Deng Sheng shouted: "I have joined the Cao family, and I am willing to follow to open the city gate and welcome the son of Zirong." Those who do not want to follow will be killed! ”

Several guards who followed Xia Zhao saw that he had killed the general, and they were about to rush up, but they were stopped by other soldiers.

The general trend has passed, and these guards can only hesitantly put down their weapons.

(End of chapter)