Yangcheng has been down, the next pass is Yangzhai, there is no longer any obstacle to the eastward road, and there is no need to guard against any problems in the supply of grain and grass, so Cao Ju ordered the army to rest for a day, and then go east to Yangzhai.

In the Yangcheng County Ya, Cao Ju sat in the right position, and on the left and right were the generals under Cao Ju's command and the strategist Yan Zhong.

Gan Ning knelt in the center, bowing his head, with a guilty face.

Beside Gan Ning, there are one person on the left and right, it is Gan Ning's deputy generals Huang Xu and Gan Xing, at this moment, Huang Xu is telling Cao Ju about Gan Ning's defeat, but it is different from what Gan Ning said in the letter, Huang Xu is trying his best to exonerate Gan Ning.

Although he knew that Huang Xu's account was a little different from Gan Ning's letter, Cao Ju never interrupted him, but quietly listened to Huang Xu's words.

Huang Xu kept covering up his mistakes for him, but Cao Ju's attitude was so calm, Gan Ning's heart was out of content, and he didn't know how Cao Ju would deal with him.

Finally, Huang Xu finished speaking, hugged his fists, and said: "Lord, the last general is finished, please make a decision." ”

"Hmm." Cao Ju nodded, and didn't ask Gan Xing anymore, because Gan Xing was Gan Ning's younger brother, so he would naturally help Gan Ning, so he asked Gan Ning, "Xingba, can you be guilty?" ”

Gan Ning barely gave any thought, and immediately replied: "My lord, the last general will be guilty." ”

"Guilty?" Xiong Yu snorted coldly and said, "Hmph, since that's the case, tell me, what crime do you know?" ”

When Gan Ning came to see Cao Ju, he was already determined to die, and he carefully considered the reason for the defeat of this battle, and immediately replied when he heard the words: "My lord, the last general is gullible and deceitful, does not listen to the advice of the book, insists on going his own way, and is brave and brave, which led to the defeat of this battle, and the defeat of this battle is all due to the last general. ”

Cao Ju narrowed his eyes and said lightly: "Xingba, in your opinion, the defeat of this battle and the loss of our army are only the lives of those 1,500 soldiers?" ”

was asked by Cao Ju, Gan Ningden was stunned, not knowing what Cao Ju meant, let alone how to answer.

The rest of the generals were also stunned, all of them frowned, thinking about Xiong Yu's question.

Yan Zhong was the only one, still looking indifferent, gently brushing his beard, as if Gan Ning's life and death had nothing to do with him.

Gan Ning thought for a while, but he didn't have a clue at all, so he shook his head lightly and said, "Lord, please forgive the last general for being stupid, I really can't think of it." ”

Cao Ju turned his head to look at the generals one by one, and asked lightly: "Everyone, Xingba's mistake has had a great impact on our army's Eastern Crusade. ”

Gan Ning's heart darkened, and he lowered his head and said, "The last general confesses his guilt and is willing to bow to the law." ”

Gan Xing was shocked in his heart, and was about to intercede for Gan Ning, Yan Zhong had already spoken: "Lord, although Xingba is at fault, he should be beheaded according to the crime, but this is the first battle of the Lord's Eastern Crusade, and it is unlucky to behead the general because of the crime, it is better to give him a chance, if Xingba can realize the seriousness of the consequences of this defeat, please ask the lord to give him a chance, I don't know what the lord will do?" ”

Cao Ju pretended to think about it, nodded and said: "Okay, just take Zifeng's words, before tomorrow, if Xingba can't be enlightened, he will not be spared." With that, Cao Ju stood up, snorted, and turned to leave the mansion, with Dian Wei and Shi A following behind him.

Shi A escorted his family into Luoyang, arrived at the Horse Mansion, and handed over Cao Ju's letter, Qu Mu naturally did not dare to slack off, and immediately settled Shi A's family according to Cao Ju's instructions.

After settling down the family, Shi A stayed at home with his mother for a day, and was kicked out by his mother with a stick, asking him to return to Cao Ju's side immediately to protect Cao Ju's safety.

After Cao Ju left, the generals got up one after another, gathered around Gan Ning, and helped him untie the rope.

Cao Peng shouted: "Xingba, seeing that when the lord left, the residual anger has not subsided, you quickly think about what the consequences will be after this battle, if not, after tomorrow, I am afraid that the lord will not be able to spare your life." ”

Gan Ning smiled bitterly and said: "It's ashamed to say, if Ning can guess it, he has already said it, why not provoke the anger of the lord again." ”

This is also true, Cao Peng asked Huang Zhong and the others again: "General Huang, Zihe, Zixiao, Bonan, Ru and others are all wise generals, hurry up and talk about it, help Xingba get through this danger." ”

Huang Zhong and the others, you look at me, I look at you, all of them are ashamed.

Huang Zhong sighed: "We are all comrades, if we can know, how can we not say it, seeing Xingba being beheaded?" ”

"This ......" Among the generals under Cao Ju's command, except for the general of the Cao family, Cao Peng has the best relationship with Gan Ning, of course he doesn't want Gan Ning to be killed by Cao Ju, but everyone doesn't know what Cao Ju said, and Cao Peng can only be dumbfounded.

Gan Ning sighed and said: "Zixiong, everyone, this time Ning's army was defeated, and he suffered heavy losses, which made the lord angry, and he should be beheaded for his crimes. ”

This is, Cao Ren suddenly coughed lightly twice, and said in a low voice: "Xingba, it's too early to say, I have a plan, maybe Xingba's life is worry-free." ”

Without waiting for Gan Ning's reaction, Cao Peng was overjoyed, grabbed Cao Ren's hand, and asked urgently: "Zixiao, if you have a clever plan, let's talk quickly, after the matter is completed, Xingba will definitely invite you to get drunk." ”

Cao Ren said with a smile: "You kid, don't Xingba invite me to drink, and I will sit and watch him be killed?" ”

Cao Peng scratched his head, and said with a smile: "Zixiao, don't blame, the little brother doesn't mean this, hey, Zixiao, you just talk about it quickly, don't hang me and wait for your appetite." ”

Cao Ren pointed his finger at Yan Zhong, who was still sitting upright, as if he was closing his eyes and recuperating, and smiled, but didn't say anything.

At this moment, Huang Zhong and the others understood, and couldn't help but secretly scold themselves for being stupid, it is said that when Cao Ju left, Yan Zhong would either come over to care about Gan Ning's situation like them, or he would leave, but he sat upright like this, didn't it make it clear that he deliberately stayed and wanted to help Gan Ning solve this crisis?

Under Cao Ju's camp, there are not a few generals, Cao Ren is the one who joined relatively late, but among the generals of the Cao family, he seems to be the first general, and although Cao Chun and Cao Peng joined late, they are also very respectful to Cao Ren, but it makes the rest of the generals with foreign surnames dissatisfied with Cao Ren.

However, just such a detail is enough to show Cao Ren's extraordinary, and the generals' dissatisfaction with Cao Ren has been diluted.