Under Huguan City, tens of thousands of Zhao troops are still closely surrounding Guancheng, but since the beginning of winter, the Zhao army has never launched an attack on Huguan. The trees are bleak, and the north wind is sad, which is a true portrayal of Huguan at this time.

It has been two months since the soldiers pressed this pot pass, Yuan Shao relied on the army to have many generals, and the Xia army was outnumbered, and wanted to attack it. But after all, the city defense of Huguan was strong, and Xu Bu Chiyi made up his mind to defend it strictly, and Min Chun hoarded more than half of the grain of the entire Shangdang in the city, and added the support of Shi Changlin, the state assassin, so that the Xia army had the capital for a protracted battle.

It was not advisable to attack by force, and Yuan Shao's advisers tried all kinds of methods, but in the face of the Xia army, which was bent on defending, it was useless. made a gesture of crossing Huguan and entering Taiyuan in the north, trying to attract the Xia army out of the city, but the Huguan Xia army did not react at all. It is also impossible for Yuan Shao to really go north and then return to the besieged city in the south when the party is undecided.

The army was divided to capture other counties with empty garrisons in Shangdang, trying to lure them to rescue, but Xu Bu Chiyi was still unmoved, and made enough plans to give up the county. Blocked by the Huguan, Yuan Shao felt helpless, Yuan Shao had the heart to withdraw, but because of his previous stubbornness, he couldn't pull his face.

Fortunately, under the response of Jizhou's army under the leadership of the Yi Army, the threat of Xia Qi has gradually been eliminated, which makes Yuan Shao feel a little relieved.

"Zhang He played well, and finally took out a bad breath for Gu!" In the camp of the Zhao army in Huguan, he received Zhang He's battle report for the first time, and Yuan Shao summoned the civil and military forces, and his spirits were flying.

Passing on the battle report to the civil and military, Yuan Shao's eyebrows danced, and he had suppressed it for a long time under the pot pass, which was the most exciting news he had received recently.

"Zhao Gong, Zhang He is here, is it too much killing?" When the atmosphere in the tent was hot, one of them suddenly made a statement.

This person Cui Yi, just his surname can tell that he is from a family, with an elegant demeanor and good looks. Some of the surrounding advisers, hearing his words, all looked at this family playfully, like Xu You, with a smile on their faces.

"How much killing? Do you know what kind of calamity my Youji Shimin suffered in the face of the Xia army? Well? Hearing this, Yuan Shao's face immediately turned cold: "Are you Qinghe Cui Clan, under the attack of that ten thousand hibiscus, intact!" ”

Hearing Yuan Shaozhi's cold words, Cui Yi's face suddenly turned red, and he fell to his knees all of a sudden, feeling uneasy: "The minister lost his words!" The minister lost his words! Please forgive Zhao Gong! ”

"Get out!" Yuan Shao scolded.

There was no one in the way, Yuan Shao's complexion returned to normal, and he waved his sleeves: "Zhang He gave Hu Xia this heavy blow, if Liu Yuan heard it, he was afraid that it would hurt into the bone marrow!" I rode in the summer in my territory, but I was afraid that I would desperately return to the grassland! Summoning the righteousness and high cadres, be sure to leave them behind! ”

"Zhao Gong, there is a report from General Lu Yi that the Xia army is the governor of the Xia army, Wan Qian, and Jizhou Xia rode 20,000 horses, and marched west from the river several times. Although General Lu Yi intercepted and entangled, he was not restrained by the cavalry, and it was very difficult. Now the Xia army has moved to Zhongshan and Changshan, and General Lu Yi is chasing after it! Guo Tu got up and said.

"Xia Jun must want to return to the state through Jingcheng!" Fu Zhi was very sure, and looked at Yuan Shao: "Duke Zhao, you need to order the city to strengthen the garrison on the Jingcheng side, I am afraid that Yan Roudong will respond!" ”

Yuan Shao became more and more trusting of the frustrated teaching, listened to his concerns, and immediately sent someone to summon him.

"Gentlemen, since the fierce battle at Huguan, the sharpness of our army has disappeared, and we can't take the pass, but there is a strategy to teach the orphans?" Sinking his face, Yuan Shao asked with a solemn expression.

"Zhao Gong!" Xu You immediately got up, clenched his fists and said, "Withdraw the army!" ”

Judging from the previous conversations with Yuan Shao several times, he intentionally or unintentionally expressed the idea of withdrawing the army, so Xu You directly expressed his thoughts.

Sure enough, when Yuan Shao heard this, the expression on his face was obvious.

The frustration on the right also bowed his hand and said: "It has been more than three months since my army marched west and merged with the state, and now it is blocked by Huguan, and it is difficult to advance an inch. Troops were mobilized before and after, more than 100,000 horses, the consumption of heavy grain and grass was not calculated, and the loss and difficulty of the transfer of Taihang grain road were expected. Youji was attacked by the Xia army and suffered heavy losses, and the soldiers and people also suffered heavy losses. Zhao Gong's years of cultivation were consumed in these three months. It is already winter, if we wait until the heavy snow closes the road, the grain road will be blocked, and if our tens of thousands of troops are trapped in the party, it is easy to take advantage of the enemy's army. Moreover, in today's secluded period, the national strength has been exhausted, the people's livelihood has withered, and it is no longer possible to continue to support the war. If the fight continues, I am afraid that Xia Jun will still be able to support the land, and the Zhao State will collapse! ”

"And the princes fought in Xia, Cao Cao was defeated in Hangu, Liu Bei stopped at Wuguan, Han Sui in Liangzhou and Zhang Lu in Hanzhong couldn't move, and it was not worth it for my Zhao army to fight bloodily!"

"Do you have any comments?" Yuan Shao looked at the others.

With Xu Yu and Fu Zhu in front of them, no one else raised any objections, Xun Chen, Guo Tu and others all persuaded together: "Please Zhao Gong withdraw the army!" ”

"Even if you want to withdraw, how to deal with the Shangdang City that has been taken?" Yuan Shao had almost agreed.

Facing Yuan Shao's gaze, Xun Chen came out: "If Duke Zhao intends to rely on it for a long time and wait for the future, he will leave troops on guard." There are 20,000 elite soldiers of the Xia army in Huguan, and if there are few soldiers, it is not enough to defend; If there are many soldiers, the supply of the army will be far away, which is extremely inconvenient, and once it is cut off by the enemy, there is a worry of annihilation. See the ministers, go to the party, or give up! ”

"If you abandon the party, will it not be in vain to pay so much price alone?" Yuan Shao's voice immediately raised when he heard this: "The soldiers have been fighting for months, with thousands of casualties, plus the national treasury is depleted, and millions of soldiers and people are plundered. Just give up? Never! ”

Although he understood Yuan Shao's mood, seeing that his reaction was so big, Xun Chen felt helpless in his heart. When the main force of the Xia army still exists, as soon as the army withdraws, it will counterattack, and it is very difficult to hold the counties and towns of the attack.

"The benefits of the party are not in its land and population, but in its geographical advantages. Our army finally crossed Taihang and hit here, if he gave up lightly, he attacked again in the future, will Gu have to pay all kinds of prices? Yuan Shao took a few deep breaths, stared at Dao Xun Chen's eyes and said, "No matter how difficult it is, you have to keep it!" ”

"Zhao Gong's words are not unreasonable!" Xu You glanced at Xun Chen, walked to the map hanging in the big tent, and said while gesturing: "The party is the backbone of the world, and the sky has the advantage of being condescending. At that time, Zhao Gong fought with Gongsun Zhan for Hebei to build the foundation of hegemony, but he had no choice but to abandon the party, and Xia Jun easily took it. Since then, we have been in a passive situation. Now that the siege has come to this point, and the disadvantage of the geographical advantage has been leveled, how can you give up lightly! ”

Listening to Xu You's words, Yuan Shao showed an expression of "Ziyuan knows my heart", nodded his head twice, and then looked at Xun Chen, who had already sat down and was silent.

"That's it for the withdrawal of troops!" Yuan Shao made a final decision: "Wait for half a month, if you still can't find any opportunities to conquer the city, just withdraw!" ”

Yuan Shao sighed, he was still very unwilling, saying so, he just had the expectation of breaking the pot in his heart.