Cao's army withdrew from the siege of Yecheng, and Yuan Shang immediately personally led his troops and horses to attack Yuan Tan.

Yuan Tan, who was stationed in Nanpi, had many fewer soldiers and horses than Yuan Shang, so he dared to go out of the city to face the battle, so he had to close the city gate and defend the city.

At the head of Nanpi City, Yuan Tan looked at the army outside the city, his face was gloomy.

Xin Bi did not come back to Cao's house, and only Xin Ping and Guo Tu were by his side.

One left and one right stood on both sides of Yuan Tan, and Xin Ping and Guo Tu's faces were also very bad.

"The eldest son." Guo Tu said: "The third prince has more soldiers and horses than us, it is impossible for us to go out of the city to meet the enemy, even if we defend the city like this, as long as they trap us to death, I am afraid we will not be able to hold it for too long." ”

"Ask the Cao family for help." After being silent for a long time, Yuan Tan said: "Please Cao Cao send troops to help, as long as Cao Jun arrives, he will not leave." ”

As he was talking, a fast horse came out of the army outside the city.

The knight on horseback waved a snow-white linen cloth and shouted to Yuan Tan when he arrived at the city: "Eldest son, the judge has a letter for you." ”

Earlier, he had written a letter to Yuan Tan, persuading him not to be an enemy of Yuan Shang, and Yuan Tan had been moved by the letter at that time.

Now he sent a letter again, which made Yuan Tan very confused.

"What do you do when you send letters?" Yuan Tan asked Xin Ping and Guo Tu: "I know that he persuaded me to surrender, but I can't figure out what his purpose is. ”

"Childe must not surrender." Xin Ping said: "The third prince is jealous of the son, once you surrender, he will definitely not leave you a way to live." ”

"I understand." Yuan Tan nodded and said to him and Guo Tu: "Let's see what the judge said first." ”

Guo Tu gestured to the guards on the side.

The guards shouted to the knights of the city, "Shoot the letter." ”

In fact, he took off his longbow, wrapped the letter in an arrow, and shot it at the wall.

The letter happened to fall on the city wall, and a guard took it and handed it to Yuan Tan with both hands.

Opening the letter, Yuan Tan browsed it and slowly closed his eyes.

In the letter, the review of the past glory of the Yuan family, and the eloquent story of the Yuan family's brothers, who fought for each other, actually gave up Hebei to Cao Shuo.

Touched, Yuan Tan closed his eyes, and two lines of tears rolled down his cheeks.

Taking the letter from him, Guo Tu and Xin Ping read it together.

After reading it, Guo Tu said: "Childe, this is a heart-attacking technique, you must not be fooled." ”

"The army of the three princes is outside, but the letter is written by the judge who is far away in Yecheng." Xin Ping also said: "Once the prince surrenders in Kaicheng, the third prince will definitely say that he did not promise our army to surrender." At that time, the child's life will definitely not be guaranteed. ”

Xin Ping had long been ready to fight to the death with Yuan Shang.

At the beginning, he followed Yuan Tan into Qingzhou, and tried to match and Feng Ji to kill his and Xinbi's family.

The sea of blood has to be avenged.

Even if Yuan Tan was willing to surrender to Yuan Shang, Xin Ping would never allow him to do so.

With tears on his face, Yuan Tan said: "I'm just sentimental and said it, how can I not know Xianfu's thoughts?" He has been fighting with me for several years, and he wishes that I would die immediately, so how can he allow me to lead my army to surrender? ”

As soon as Yuan Tan said this, Xin Ping breathed a sigh of relief.

Guo Tu said on the side: "Childe, I will send a good hand out of the city at night to ask Cao Cao for help." ”

When it comes to Cao Cao, Yuan Tan and others don't use honorific titles, which shows that they still don't agree with Cao Cao's suzerainty in their hearts.

led the army to besiege Nanpi and sent a letter to the trial, but Yuan Shang did not wait for the news of Yuan Tan's surrender.

Standing in the army, looking at the Nanpi city wall, Yuan Shang's face was very gloomy.

After a long time, he instructed the guards: "Send the order to go down and keep an eye on the gates of Nanpi and not let a single person escape." ”

The people sent by Yuan Tan did not arrive at Cao Cao's military camp, and the scouts sent by Cao Cao had already brought him the news of the siege of Nanpi.

Signaling the scouts to retreat, Cao Cao asked the people seated: "Nanpi is surrounded, Yuan Tan will definitely send someone to ask for help, based on what you can see, should we go to help?" ”

Guo Jia smiled slightly: "Does Gong Cao think that Yuan Tan is sincere?" ”

"I never thought he meant it." Cao Cao said: "Hebei originally belonged to the Yuan family, if it weren't for Yuan Shang's sideways, as the eldest son, Yuan Tan should have inherited, and now he sits back and watches Hebei being obtained by us, how can he be willing?" ”

"Since Cao Gong thinks that he has no integrity to serve, why should he save him?" Guo Jia said: "Cao Gong might as well wait and see the battle situation first, and wait until Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang have almost exhausted each other's mental strength, and then send troops to Yecheng." At that time, there were not many defenders in Yecheng, and our army would definitely be able to break through the city. As for Yuan Shang, if he comes back to help, not only will our army be able to intercept and kill in the middle of the road, but even Yuan Tan will pursue him from behind. This battle will be broken! ”

"What does Feng Xiao mean is that you want me to wait for Yuan Tan to rebel?" Cao Cao asked.

"Cao Gong has already said that he is not sincere in his efforts." Guo Jia said: "Once Yuan Shang is defeated, Yuan Tan will definitely gather his remnants of the army, and then fight to the death with Cao Gong." The soldiers and horses of the Yuan family are exhausted, and as long as Cao Gong leads the army to meet the battle, Yuan Tan will also come to an end. ”

"Bonghyo is right." Xun You took over and said, "Gong Cao went to help at this time, it was nothing more than to stir up the brothers of the Cao Yuan family. In the event that they unite to fight back against our army, it is not completely impossible to be defeated. ”

"What else do I have to do besides besieging Yecheng?" Cao Cao asked Guo Jia and Xun You.

"Please ask Gong Cao to write a letter to Gongzi." Guo Jia said: "Let Gongzi be ready to march into Qingzhou at any time, once Yuan Tan rebels, Gongzi will immediately send troops to take Qingzhou, cutting off his retreat." ”

"Okay, that's it!" Cao Cao nodded in response.

He was about to give the order, when a guard outside the house said, "Qi Gong Cao, there is a general who asks to see you." ”

Cao Cao's generals sat in the house except for Xu Du.

Including Cao Cao, everyone looked at the door.

"Where did the general come from?" Cao Cao asked.

"It was said that Zhang Yan of Montenegro came to meet Cao Gong on purpose." The guard replied.

"Who knows this Zhang Yan?" Cao Cao asked the crowd.

"I know him." Zang Ba got up and said: "This person followed the Black Mountain thief Zhang Niujiao in his early years, and since Zhang Niujiao died in battle, he has taken over the position of Qu Shuai. When the imperial court recruited An, he also served the imperial court. However, the good times did not last long, and after the rebellion of the Ten Standing Servants, he sat in Montenegro and did not obey the orders of the imperial court. Yuan Shao had repeatedly crusaded back then, but there was always nothing to do with him. When the Yuan family and Gongsun Chan were fighting for Hebei, Zhang Yan assisted Gongsun Chan and fought against the Yuan family. ”

"It's a character, too." Cao Cao said this first, and then instructed Xu Chu: "Zhong Kang, you go and welcome him in." ”

Xu Chu received the order and walked quickly to the door.

(End of chapter)