It was only after two hours that Pei Renji finally decided to send the junior general Qin Yong with 2,000 troops to Xintai County to strengthen the defense of Xintai County.

He immediately raised his troops to retreat north overnight, the camp did not light torches, and the camp tent and gate remained the same, but the troops quickly left the north camp gate and withdrew in the direction of Xintai County.

"Dashuai, do you want to tell Zhang Xuan about this?" Qin Qiong asked Pei Renji in a low voice.

Pei Renji was not in a good mood, so he nodded silently, "You send someone to inform them!" ”

"Obey!"

Qin Qiong immediately sent his own soldiers to Fei County to deliver a letter to Zhang Xuan.

At this time, Pei Renji looked at the city wall in the distance, and he couldn't help but sigh lowly, this southern expedition was hastily retreated north in less than two days, what a wretch!

Although the Sui army retreated north silently in the most covert way, their every move was still completely controlled by Wang Bo in the city, from the beginning of Pei Renji's release of Luo Zhenyu to the north, Wang Bo knew that his strategy was successful, and Xintai County would definitely be taken by Luo Zhenyu.

Without the logistics of grain and grass, the Sui army could only retreat north in a hurry, but the Sui army retreated north in a big way that night, which was still unexpected by Wang Bo, and he immediately realized that the grain and grass of the Sui army might only be able to support two or three days.

"King, let's chase it!" More than a dozen generals of the thief army are gearing up to fight.

Wang Bo's fox-like gaze stared coldly at the Sui army camp in the distance, "Don't worry! Wait a little longer. ”

He was a little worried that Pei Renji's hasty retreat north was a trick to lure his troops north to pursue, once his army went north, the city was empty, and Zhang Xuan suddenly led his army to kill, and his lair would be in danger.

Wang Bo thought for a while and instructed a school captain: "You can lead two hundred brothers to Fei County to monitor the movements of the Sui army in Fei County." If they also abandon the city and retreat north, inform me immediately by eagle letter! ”

"Obey!"

The lieutenant rushed down to the city, Wang Bo pondered for a moment, ordered a few of his subordinates, and then went down to the city to sleep, he was really tired for the past two days. I'm so tired that I'm about to fall apart, and I just want to get a good night's sleep.

But before dawn, Wang Bo was woken up by his own soldiers.

"King, King Sun of Linyi sent an urgent eagle letter, saying that Zhang Xuan also led the army to retreat north."

Wang Bo sat up suddenly, he was very excited, it seemed that the Sui army had indeed retreated north, he hurriedly ordered: "Order the army to assemble immediately, and the army will go north to pursue!" ”

Jang Hyun did urgently retreat north. He received an urgent eagle letter from Wei Chigong, a thief army appeared in the area of Dong'an County, they caught a thief army spy, and Xintai County seemed to have been captured by the thief army.

This news made Zhang Xuan very surprised, he knew very well what the fall of Xintai County meant to Pei Renji, if Pei Renji did not withdraw his troops immediately, once he was attacked by the thief army, there would be serious consequences of the rout of the whole army.

But Zhang Xuan is more concerned about the situation in Dong'an County. There were only 500 defenders in Dong'an County, although there was still a little surrender. But they may not be able to play a role, if Wei Chigong can't hold Dong'an County, then he can only withdraw from Yishui to Gaomi County.

What worries Zhang Xuan even more is that if the thief army attacks Beihai County on a large scale, will the 3,000 defenders he left in Beihai County be able to resist it?

It was already five o'clock, and Zhang Xuan's army was resting on an earthen hill about fifty miles north of Fei County. Jang Hyun sat on a boulder, engrossed in the map in front of him, and instead of lighting a torch, he used the moonlight to check their current position.

"General!"

Pei Xingyan didn't know when he appeared behind Zhang Xuan, and Zhang Xuan saw him with a worried face. Smiled: "Are you worried about your father's situation?" ”

Pei Xingyan nodded silently, he knew his father's weakness, he was too cautious in doing things, or indecisive, many things could not be decided immediately, and he often missed opportunities, whether it was a fighter plane or an opportunity to escape, which made Pei Xingyan very worried about his father's situation.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand to sit him down, and said to him with a smile: "The situation is very complicated now, and it is the enemy who is dark and I am clear, we don't know how many deployments the thief army has, but the thief army is very clear about our situation, I believe that your father must be leading the army to retreat north at this time, it is likely that Wang Bo's army is also chasing him, of course this is just my speculation, now my question is, what happened in Xintai County?" And what is the current situation of Dong'an County? If we can get these two issues clear, we will be able to make a clear decision. ”

Pei Xingyan hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice: "If Wang Bo pursues the commander in a big way, can we turn around and raid Liyu County and force Wang Bo to withdraw his troops." ”

"No, you can't!"

Fang Xuanling next to him walked over and said solemnly: "If we go to attack Yuanyu County, it is likely that we will be surrounded by Wang Bo and Sun Xuanya, and then we will encounter a catastrophe." ”

Fang Xuanling said to Zhang Xuan again: "The so-called strange soldiers are only produced under the premise of regular soldiers, and they must not be made alone, now the commander is retreating north, we only have 5,000 troops, and we have to face the tens of thousands of troops of Wang Bo and Sun Xuanya, the only choice is to retreat, and we must not fall into danger." ”

Zhang Xuan secretly screamed ashamed, in fact, he was thinking about whether to raid Liyu County, but fortunately, Pei Xingyan spoke his mind for him, he really didn't expect Sun Xuanya's threat.

Pei Xingyan was ashamed and said: "Mr. is right, we can't put ourselves in danger. ”

He saluted Zhang Xuan again, "Now you can't abolish the public with private interests, please put the overall situation first, and the lowly post will give full support." ”

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment, and then asked Fang Xuanling, "Does Fang have any thoughts on joining the army?" ”

Fang Xuanling picked up a few stones and put them on the big stone, he put two small stones in the northwest and due north, "This is Xintai County and Dong'an County, these two are the key to the reversal of this chess game, judging from the current situation, it is obviously Wang Bo's counterattack, and it has nothing to do with Sun Xuanya for the time being." ”

Although Zhang Xuan wanted to ask why it had nothing to do with Sun Xuanya, he didn't interrupt Fang Xuanling's analysis in the end, and quietly listened to him continue.

Fang Xuanling continued: "If Wang Bo is to force Pei Shuai to withdraw his troops, then it is enough for him to seize Xintai County, as long as Pei Shuai withdraws his troops, then we can only follow the withdrawal, this is inevitable, but the general has not thought about it, why does Wang Bo continue to attack Dong'an County?" ”

"Wang Bo wants to annihilate us all in Langya County, and then swallow the entire seven counties of Qingzhou." Zhang Xuan immediately understood Fang Xuanling's train of thought.

He followed Fang Xuanling's train of thought and said: "Then the key to Wang Bo's game of chess is in Dong'an County, I'm right!" ”

"The general has a clear mind, and he is right."

Zhang Xuan pondered for a while and said: "But I can return to Gaomi County from Yishui County, and it is unrealistic for Wang Bo to completely annihilate my army." ”

"But will the general go to Gaomi County?"

Zhang Xuan nodded, Fang Xuanling was right, under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for him to go back to Gaomi County, and he would definitely go back to Beihai County by Dong'an County, Wang Bo also saw this, so he sent an army to attack Dong'an County.

He thought for a moment, and then said to Pei Xingyan: "General Pei, you can lead five hundred cavalry to march to Dong'an County day and night immediately to rescue Wei Chi, but when you are close to Dong'an County, you must not advance recklessly, and you must be careful of being ambushed by thieves." ”

"Obey the order!"

Pei Xingyan turned around and trotted away, and after hearing his shout for a moment, the five hundred cavalry stood up one after another, quickly assembled, and followed Pei Xingyan like a torrent to rush down the hill and rush towards the north.

Zhang Xuan stood on the hill and looked at Pei Xingyan leading the cavalry away, he groaned for a while and said to Fang Xuanling: "Why did Fang Senjun just say that this counterattack was Wang Bo's deployment and had nothing to do with Sun Xuanya?" ”

"It's easy!"

Fang Xuanling smiled slightly: "As long as Meng Rang is here, Sun Xuanya will never cooperate with Wang Bo very tacitly, Sun Xuanya will take advantage of the situation, such as recovering Fei County, and then continue to march into Ju County, etc., if we raid Liyu County, or the retreat back to Beihai County is cut off, Sun Xuanya will also press the whole army, and together with Wang Bo, we will be annihilated in Langya County, but this is only Sun Xuanya's instinct, and it has nothing to do with the cooperation of the two armies." ”

At this time, Zhang Xuan remembered something and hurriedly said: "I remember that when Yishui County was captured, the main general guarding Yishui seemed to be Meng Rang's brother, and that army was also Meng Rang's remnants. ”

"The general is right, Meng Rang will never be willing to send people under the fence, Sun Xuanya sheltered him, I'm afraid it was to lure the wolf into the house."

While the two were talking, a peripheral scout came running from a distance and shouted, "General, General Qin has sent someone." ”

Zhang Xuan hurriedly ordered: "Bring him up!" ”

After a while, a messenger was led up by the soldiers, and he stepped forward and knelt down on one knee and said, "General Zhang, I am humbled to send a letter to the general on the order of General Qin." ”

After speaking, he handed a scroll of letters to Zhang Xuan, Zhang Xuan unfolded the letter, and through the faint moonlight, he could barely see what was written on it, it was Qin Qiong who explained to him what happened in Xintai County.

Zhang Xuan was secretly taken aback, and hurriedly said to Fang Xuanling: "It was Wang Bo's subordinate Luo Zhenyu who deceived and surrendered to cause Xintai County to fall, and Shubao said that there are probably nearly 10,000 thieves in Xintai County." ”

Fang Xuanling also realized that the situation was serious, "General, if there are nearly 10,000 people, I think they will never be trapped in the city, they will definitely attack, attacking Dong'an County is one thing, I am worried that they will ambush Pei Shuai's army, and Wang Bo's army will be in danger before and after." ”

Zhang Xuan also realized the seriousness of the situation, and he hurriedly asked, "Where has Pei Shuai's army arrived now?" ”

The messenger hurriedly said: "I don't know about the humble position, the humble position came to deliver the letter when the army retreated in the middle of the night last night, and went to Fei County first, but found that the general was not there, and continued to chase north." ”

If it was a retreat in the middle of the night last night, it would have been a day and a night now, if it was a light and rapid march, it should be almost to Xintai County, Zhang Xuan began to be anxious in his heart, and immediately shouted: "Pass my order, the whole army will immediately assemble and prepare to go!" (To be continued......)