Liu Bang sat in Xingyang to face Xiang Yu's Chu army head-on, and sent Han Xin to specialize in the northern battlefield to deal with several other princes and kings in Xiang Yu's camp.

The Han army built a passage south of Xingyang to connect the Yellow River and transport grain from Guanzhong. The Chu and Han armies confronted each other in Xingyang for more than a year. Both sides attached great importance to the grain routes of the Han army and engaged in a tug-of-war for this purpose. Often, the Chu army captured it the first day, and the Han army recaptured it the next day. Repeated several times, the Chu army completely controlled this grain route, and also controlled the lifeblood of the Han army.

There was a gradual shortage of food in the city of Xingyang. At the same time, Xiang Yu accelerated the pace of the siege. Liu Bang sent people to Chuying to make peace, expressing his willingness to truce the war, but to divide the land west of Xingyang to the Han state. Xiang Yu hesitated.

Fan Zeng, the father of the second father, disagreed, he said: "Xingyang is about to be captured, and if you let Liu Bang go now, you will regret it in the future." ”

Xiang Yu didn't agree.

Liu Bang was worried, "What should I do?" Do you want to lower the summation condition? What if the other party still doesn't agree? ”

The strategist Chen Ping offered Liu Bang three strategies, and Liu Bang escaped again!

Chen Ping, a native of Jiyang County, Dangjun County (Lankao County, Henan). A famous conspirator and one of the founding heroes of the Han Dynasty. has served as prime minister for twelve years, and from this alone, you know how good he is. When Empress Lü died, he and Zhou Bo joined forces to destroy Zhu Lü and set up Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, Liu Heng, making great contributions to the prosperity and stability of the Han Dynasty.

Chen Ping worked under Xiang Yu and later defected to Liu Bang. Chen Ping understood the preferences and temperaments of Xiang Yu's subordinate generals, as well as the contradictions between them.

He asked Liu Bang for 40,000 catties of gold, bought some Chu army generals, and let them spread rumors, "Fan Zeng and Zhong Liyi have the greatest credit but have not been crowned kings, they have agreed with the king of Han to deal with Xiang Yu together and divide Xiang Yu's fiefdom." ”

When Xiang Yu heard the rumors, he became suspicious, suspicious of Zhong Liyi, and even began to suspect Fan Zeng. It was not enough to be suspicious, Chen Ping seized the opportunity to make Fan Zeng completely lose Xiang Yu's trust.

One day, Xiang Yu sent an envoy to the Han camp. Chen Ping received him warmly, put a table of high-end banquets, and the envoy happily said politely, Chen Ping talked about how good his father was, and asked what his father had to say.

The messenger replied puzzledly, "We were sent by the Overlord, not by the Father. ”

Chen Ping pretended to be surprised and said, "I thought it was my father's person!" “

So he ignored the envoy and threw his hand away, leaving the petty official in charge of the reception. Remove the good wine and good food, and bring coarse tea and light rice. The envoy went back angrily and went to Xiang Yu to complain.

Xiang Yu was even more suspicious of Fan Zeng. Fan Zeng felt the change in Xiang Yu's attitude, and when he heard the rumors, Fan Zeng was sad and angrily asked to return to his hometown for the elderly. Xiang Yu actually agreed. Fan Zeng fell ill and died on the road, and Xiang Yu lost his most important adviser.

When Xiang Yu heard the news of Fan Zeng's death, he knew that he had fallen for Liu Bang. Xiang Yu ordered that Xingyang must be captured. The Chu army attacked the city day and night, and the situation was very critical.

Chen Ping asked Liu Bang to write a letter of surrender to Xiang Yu, agreeing to surrender at the east gate of Xingyang.

That night, Chen Ping found more than 2,000 women in the city, asked them to put on helmets and armor, distribute weapons, and open the east gate to release. The Chu army waited for it, and when it was handed over, it was found that it was all women, and the soldiers of the Chu army laughed and fought to capture the prisoners. The Chu army of the other three gates was also attracted.

At this time, Ji Xin, a general under Liu Bang, pretended to be Liu Bang, rode in the king's car, and slowly walked out of the city from the east gate with the princes' guard of honor, shouting: "The King of Han has surrendered!" ”

The Chu army had completely relaxed their vigilance, chanted long live, and gathered outside the east gate to watch.

The real Liu Bang only escaped from the West Gate with a few dozen horsemen.

When Xiang Yu found that Ji Xin was sitting in the car, he asked, "Where is King Han?" ”

Ji Xin replied: "It's already far away." ”

Only then did Xiang Yu understand that he had been fooled again!