Hangu Pass is one of the earliest Xiongguan fortresses built in Chinese history, because it is closed in the valley, it is as dangerous as Han, so it is called Hangu Pass, known as 'a husband when the pass, ten thousand people do not open, since ancient times, it is a place where soldiers must fight, commonly known as Guanzhong, also refers to the land west of Hangu Pass. In the third year of King Zhou Shenliang, King Chu Huai raised the army of the Six Kingdoms to attack Qin, and Qin relied on the natural danger of Hangu, killing the army of the Six Kingdoms with millions of corpses and bleeding. In the sixth year of Qin Shi Huang, the armies of Chu, Zhao, Wei and other five countries committed Qin, but the result was - to Hangu, they were all defeated!

Poor Deputy Director Tao fought the first battle of the Western Expedition, and he encountered this Xiongguan with a very strong character, whether he could successfully break through this natural danger, to be honest, Deputy Director Tao did not have a bottom in his heart.

Of course, Hangu Pass is not unbreakable, on the eve of the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu two bosses have crossed the Hangu Pass, in which Liu Bang adopted a detour strategy, led the army back to Nanyang, through Danshui out of the Wuguan, detoured thousands of miles to Xianyang, Xiang Yu was sent to Dangyang Jun Yingbu to copy the small road after the surprise attack on the pass, using a remote road that was neglected by the defenders to launch a surprise attack, which took Hangu Pass. But it's a pity that these two strategies can't be copied by Deputy Director Tao, one is that the detour is too far away and too wasteful of time, and the other is that Boss Cao will not make the mistake of the Qin army defenders in Hangu Pass.

Deputy Director Tao is a reliable and good public servant, and he knows that if he doesn't figure out the details of the demolition households, there is a good chance that he will hit the nail households if he directly engages in demolition and relocation, so when the main army is still resting in Luoyang, Deputy Director Tao has already sent a number of capable scouts and cartographers, so that they can rush to Hangu Pass with Zhao Yun's forward team to explore the terrain and draw a map. Grasp the specific situation of Hangu Pass now, so as not to be pitted by the old maps and old maps that were secretly surveyed and mapped before.

Three days later, a new map marked the approximate deployment of the Cao army was sent back to Luoyang, and as Deputy Director Tao expected, several small roads that the Xuzhou army had mastered before had indeed been controlled by the Cao army, either blocked by the Cao army at a dangerous place, or the road was destroyed, and the two cliffside paths were dug clean by the Cao army and made impassable, including the sheep intestine trail that Ying Buqi attacked Hangu Pass that year. The Xuzhou army has almost no possibility of a sneak attack on Hangu Pass.

"There are only three options." probably grasped the deployment of Cao's army. Deputy Director Tao raised three fingers, smiled at the few strategists present and said, "One, pay a big price to break through Hangu Pass head-on, and two." Counting on Zang Ba's partial division to break through Kei Pass. Crossing the river to cut off the back road of the Cao thief. Third, lure the thief out of the customs and fight a decisive battle. Where to go, what do you think? ”

"Your temper, lord. The first option, I'm afraid, will never be considered until the last minute. Liu Ye was the first to smile and said: "The second choice, General Xuangao broke the Ji Pass, if you don't know if the Cao thief will give up the Hangu Pass and slip away, the lord should not want to miss this opportunity to destroy the Cao thief to the east of Tong Pass." Only the third option is the most to the appetite of the lord, to get Cao Apu out of Hangu Pass, kill Cao Thief in the field, and then easily take Hangu Pass. ”

Everyone laughed together, and they all praised Liu Ye for understanding things, knowing that Deputy Director Tao likes to be opportunistic and stealing chickens and dogs, Deputy Director Tao also laughed, and then said: "If you want to lure Cao Thief out of Hanguguan for a decisive battle, I'm afraid it's not so easy." By the way, Huaiqing, your senior brother Ah Yi, is there any news? ”

"My lord, the senior brother was left in Chang'an by Cao Cao, and only his brother followed Cao Cao to Hangu Pass." Yang Zheng, who had already been appointed as the East Cao Peng of the Taiwei Mansion, replied respectfully: "But at present, His Majesty has not yet made contact with Ah Yi's brother, and I don't know if the liaison person has also been left in Chang'an, or if he has no opportunity to communicate with our army. ”

"Find a way, let Cao Hong's people help you, and restore contact with him as soon as possible." Deputy Director Tao said casually: "Although he has no military power in his hands, and he can't expect him to open the gate of Hangu Pass to welcome our army into the pass, it is still very necessary to understand the internal situation of the enemy, and at the critical moment, maybe it can also come in handy." ”

Yang Zheng sang a promise, and Xun Chen next to him opened his mouth and said: "Lord, Cao thief is a competitive person, this letter to Guguan to meet our army, must have the determination to win the peace, our army may as well show the enemy to be false, deliberately expose some flaws, and lure the Cao army out of the decisive battle." ”

"Cao thief is treacherous, I'm afraid I may not be fooled if I do this." Deputy Director Tao was not very confident, but after a little calculation, Deputy Director Tao still nodded and said: "Then let's arrange it like this first, even if you can't let Cao Thief be fooled, at least you can make Cao Thief tempted." Pass my order, tomorrow the army will go to Hangu Pass, go to join Zhao Yun's division to prepare to attack the pass, and send an order to all the armies, there is no need to vigorously hunt down the enemy's scouts, and the enemy can properly grasp some of the situation of our army. ”

In the early morning of the next day, Deputy Director Tao left a steady henchman Chen Zhi to lead an army of 20,000 to guard the Luoyang granary, and let Tai Shici, Cao Xing and other generals lead the rear army to escort grain and grass, and led 60,000 main soldiers to the west, and arrived at the east of Hangu Pass in the evening of the same day, and joined Zhao Yun's team, and then immediately set up camp.

In addition, Zhao Yun's team totaled more than 70,000 people, such a huge team, the camp fence was naturally not built in a day, relying on the deliberate release of water by the Xuzhou army, Cao Jun's scouts basically determined the general situation of the Xuzhou army, and even preliminarily grasped the location of Deputy Director Tao's Chinese army. When the news was sent back to Hanguguan, there were naturally voices in Cao's army to make suggestions, instigating Cao Boss to immediately send troops to attack, taking advantage of the opportunity of the Xuzhou army's unstable foothold, to launch a surprise attack overnight, and first give Deputy Director Tao a dismount to hit the arrogance and morale of the Xuzhou army.

If it was replaced by another opponent, Deputy Director Tao might be able to succeed in doing so, but unfortunately, Deputy Director Tao met Boss Cao this time. After learning the news that the Xuzhou army was quite negligent in its precautions, Boss Cao immediately sneered loudly and said, "Lead the snake out of the hole? With such a small skill of carving insects, you also want to lure me out of the customs to fight? Dream! Pass the order down, and go out of the border without my order, no matter who it is, immediately beheaded! Tao Ying traitor will not take me lightly, expecting this traitor to be careless, that is something that can be imagined! ”

waited all night and didn't see Boss Cao out of the customs and sent him to death. Deputy Director Tao didn't care about it either—after all, it was too difficult to get Boss Cao into a scheme. On the second day after arriving at the front line of Hangu Pass, Deputy Director Tao led a group of strategists and a team of elite soldiers to inspect the enemy situation and terrain under Hangu Pass, and the result was that Deputy Director Tao lamented that Hangu Pass was indeed a well-deserved easy to defend and difficult to attack, both sides of the pass were cliffs, peaks and rocks stood up, the terrain was treacherous, the road was located in the middle of the valley, the road was winding, rugged and difficult to walk. At its widest point, it is only about ten meters. The narrowest point is only about three meters, and the attacker's forces cannot be deployed at all, and the Xiangyang cannon, the magic weapon of the Xuzhou army, is almost useless.

Cautiously observe the top of the cliffs on both sides of the pass, and also send a good climber to climb the top of the cliff more than 60 meters high with ropes. It was repeatedly confirmed that Cao's army did not place ambushes on the mountain. Deputy Director Tao and his entourage cautiously came to the front of Hangu Pass. This is a long and narrow pass city with a length of 20 miles (Hanli) from east to west, the length accounts for almost half of the pass road of Hangu Pass, and the wall is built of rammed earth and bricks. It is about six meters high and three meters thick, and there are several places in the city that are relatively open, and you can store troops and grain. However, because the Cao army had already blocked the Guancheng long ago, the scouts of the Xuzhou army had not yet figured out how many Cao troops were stationed in the Guancheng, which invisibly increased the difficulty of the Xuzhou army attacking Hangu Pass.

After gasping, Deputy Director Tao also died on the spot with the idea of taking this Xiongguan by force, and said to the left and right strategists: "There is no way, it seems that unless you can lure the Cao thief out of the decisive battle of Hangu Pass, you can only see if Zang Ba's side can open the situation." If we want to take this city by force, it will be difficult, and even if we can take it, our losses will definitely not be small there. ”

"If the lord wants to count on General Xuan Gao to break the situation, I'm afraid it's not so easy." Jia Lao Poison replied: "When Xu followed Li Dao and Guo Yan to hunt down the Son of Heaven, he took the road of Jiguan, and I knew that the danger of the terrain of Jiguan was not much inferior to that of Hangu Pass, and if General Zang Ba wanted to break through Jiguan, it would not be much easier than our main force to break through Hangu Pass." Moreover, Cao Mengde guarded the Hangu with the main force and guarded the Jiguan with a partial division, and must have given an order to the Jiguan to only hold on and not to fight, Zang Ba wanted to break the pass, and the only way was to take people's lives. ”

"Even if General Zang breaks the situation and forces Cao Thief to give up Hangu Pass, we won't get there easily." Liu Ye interjected and said: "To the west of Hangu Pass is the 480-mile Kunhan Road, the mountain is dangerous and the road is narrow, it is difficult for our army to outflank and cut off the opportunity for the main force of Cao Thief to retreat, and Cao Thief can calmly retreat to Tongguan and continue to hold on." Although Ye has never been to Tongguan, since Tongguan is known as the first pass in the world, it will not be easier to attack there than this Hangu Pass. ”

After listening to Jia Lao's poison and Liu Ye's words, Deputy Director Tao, who had never liked to attack head-on battles, suddenly stretched his face longer than a donkey, and asked himself in pain, do you really want to pile up this Hangu Pass with human life? In a sullen mood, Deputy Director Tao turned his head to observe the mountains on both sides of Hangu Pass, trying to find out if there were any flaws, but the flaws were not found, but Deputy Director Tao unexpectedly found that Yang Zheng looked a little speechless, so he said: "Huaiqing, if you have anything to say, don't scruple." ”

"Thank you, Lord." Yang Zheng, who really wanted to express his opinion, thanked him politely, and then said: "In front of the lord and the elders, the certificate should not have taken the liberty of speaking, but I wonder if the lord and several uncles and elders have found out that there is something very strange?" ”

"What's strange?" Jia Lao Poison asked, and said: "Virtuous nephew, if you have something to say, just say it directly, the lord never minds what seniority is, you can speak out." ”

"Uncle Xie pointed out, and the little nephew understood." Yang Zheng, who was the lowest ranking among the people present, nodded, and then pointed to the Guan Lou of Hangu Pass and said: "Lord, several uncles and elders, please see, Lord Duke, you personally led the army to Hangu Pass to investigate the enemy's situation, and the enemy on the wall of Hangu Pass did not have such an increase in troops or the presence of the commander in person except for strict guard, such as the shaking of the flag and the movement of the soldiers, is this a little strange?" ”

"What's so strange about that?" Xun Chen said suspiciously: "We are just surveying the terrain and not carrying any siege weapons, can the enemy need to increase troops on the wall and the commander in person?" ”

"What Uncle Xun said is extremely true." Yang Zheng nodded in acknowledgement, and said: "But the little nephew has another idea, as far as the little nephew knows, the lord and Cao Mengde are not only rivals who do not share the same sky, but also confidants who have similar interests and understand each other, I heard that after Cao Mengde was defeated in Ye County, he also sent a messenger to beg the lord to search and rescue his family for him, and the lord can be said to be both friend and foe." Case. The lord and Cao Mengde have not seen each other for six years, and this time the lord came to Hangu Pass in person, and he stayed for a while, why didn't Cao Mengde want to go to the gate to meet with the lord for a long time and talk a few words? Is this against human nature? ”

After listening to Yang Zheng's analysis, Xun Chen and Jia Lao also felt that the situation was a little wrong, because with Boss Cao's personality and habits, they would indeed not miss such an opportunity to reunite with Deputy Director Tao after a long absence, and Deputy Director Tao made a little calculation. Immediately pointed at a guard. Commanded: "You, fly a white flag to close it, and ask the thief to come out and answer." ”

The guards received the order, waved a small white flag and went to the pass to negotiate with the Cao army's team. In the name of Deputy Director Tao, Boss Cao was invited to come out to answer. Zhang Liao, who was guarding the gate, hesitated. He still didn't dare to hide the enemy's situation, so he could only quickly send someone into the customs to report to Cao Laoda, and at the same time, Zhang Liao secretly ordered the messenger to report to Guo Jia and Cheng Yu first. Please Guo Jia and Cheng Yu to report the idea to Boss Cao.

After a while, Zhang Liao's messenger rushed to the Cao Junzhong military camp located inside the Guancheng, and reported the situation to Cheng Yu and Guo Jia as ordered, Guo Jia and Cheng Yu were also immediately embarrassed, Cheng Yu asked in a low voice: "Fengxiao, what should I do?" If you report that the lord pottery thief is in person to the pass, with the temper of the lord, he will definitely go to the gate and answer the pottery thief, and then let the pottery thief see the current appearance of the lord...... the situation may not be good? ”

"I can't tell my lord." Guo Jia immediately made a decision and instructed Zhang Liao's messenger: "Go and tell General Wenyuan, ask General Wenyuan to come forward and tell the pottery thief, just say that the lord is too lazy to see him, and tell him to get out of here immediately." I will bear the crime of concealing military information. ”

With the words of Boss Cao's favorite minister Guo Jia, Zhang Liao suddenly had the confidence, stood out of the wall and asked Deputy Director Tao's guards to get out immediately, and also ordered the soldiers to draw bows to intimidate, the guards had no choice but to rush back to the Xuzhou army team and report the so-called Boss Cao's reply to Deputy Director Tao. As a result, Deputy Director Tao was not angry but happy when he heard this, and said with a smile: "Okay, Cao Thief must be very sick and refuses to see me, and it must be his gang of lackeys who hide it from him and refuse for him." ”

"The Lord has a point, but what's next?" Yang Zheng hurriedly asked.

"Don't you see that there are mountains on both sides? Are you afraid that the echo will not reach the ears of the thief? Deputy Director Tao smiled and ordered: "Organize the soldiers and shout this sentence together-Cao Mengde, come out and answer!" ”

"Cao Mengde, come out and answer! Cao Mengde, come out and answer! Come out and answer! ”

It is good to know a little physics knowledge, the sound of thousands of Xuzhou soldiers shouting neatly, through the refraction and amplification of the cliffs of the Handao Valley, it is really like thunder, spreading for dozens of miles, Cao Laoda, who is recuperating in the city, was suddenly awakened, and quickly jumped off the hospital bed, and ran out of the door to ask the reason, Guo Jia and Cheng Yu did not dare to continue to conceal it, so they had to honestly explain the enemy situation, Cao Laoda was furious when he heard this, and roared: "Tao Ying traitor came to explore Hangu Pass in front of the pass, such a big thing, why didn't he report me immediately?" ”

"The Lord forgives sins." Cheng Yu hurriedly changed the topic and replied: "The pottery thief brought a lot of soldiers and horses, and they are all elite soldiers, even if our army goes out of the customs to fight, there is no chance of winning, so Yu and the others did not report to the main gong." ”

"Ridiculous!" Boss Cao refused to be fooled, and said angrily: "The pottery thief only arrived at the battlefield yesterday, and the camp is not stable, how can he come to fight today?" Prepare a horse for me immediately, and I will go out of the customs and answer him. ”

"Lord, don't be fooled!" Cheng Yu hurriedly said: "The pottery thief lured you out to answer, and it was clear that he wanted to take the opportunity to peek into your condition, if you were tricked, it would be a big trouble!" ”

"Confused! The day before yesterday, I had just personally met with the messenger of the pottery thief, and I am afraid that the pottery thief would have known what my condition was. Boss Cao scolded again, and said in a shocking voice: "I also expected that he Tao Ying traitor would inevitably come to answer me personally, and I have been waiting for a long time for this, do you almost miss my big event?!" ”

"What do you mean by that?" Cheng Yu and Guo Jia asked in surprise.

"I'll explain it to you in the future, prepare the horse immediately, I want to go out of the customs and answer Tao Ying traitor!" Boss Cao waved his hand and strode out, and his steps were much easier and faster than before, as if his condition had suddenly improved greatly.

After a while, Boss Cao personally sent a letter to the east gate of Guguan, ordered Zhang Liao to open the gate, and personally led Guo Jia, Cheng Yu, Dian Wei and a team of elite soldiers out of the gate, and went outside the gate to answer with Deputy Director Tao face to face. But it's strange to say, Boss Cao, who seemed to be in good condition just now, went out of the customs, but he thought that his condition had suddenly recurred, and he coughed extremely painfully on the war horse, which made Cheng Yu and Dian Wei and others who were accompanying him worried. And Deputy Director Tao begged for porridge and food, and when he saw that Boss Cao actually opened the door and came out to answer nearby, he was overjoyed and hurriedly led Xu Chu, Ma Zhong and Jia Lao Poison and others to step forward, and stood twenty steps apart from each other in the formation of the two armies with Boss Cao.

This is the first meeting between Deputy Director Tao and Boss Cao since the farewell of Xuchang in the fifth year of Jian'an, and I haven't seen him for six years, Deputy Director Tao almost can't recognize the high-spirited black dwarf Boss Cao, the current Boss Cao is still short and dark-skinned, and the whole person has lost more than a circle, and the person who is just in his early fifties, his hair is almost all white, and the wrinkles on his black face are obvious, and he is so old and weak that he seems to be a septuagenarian, and he is also coughing painfully on the battlefield. Deputy Director Tao, who has a heart like a snake and scorpion, will inevitably have secret pity.

Of course, Boss Cao was also coughing and looking at Deputy Director Tao, six years left almost no traces on Deputy Director Tao's body, and felt that Deputy Director Tao was still that frivolous appearance with oily hair and powder, and the carefully trimmed mustache also added some mature temperament to Deputy Director Tao, and the young and strong body made Boss Cao quietly jealous. In fact, the two Weng and son-in-law looked at each other at a distance of twenty paces, and neither of them took the initiative to speak, and on the battlefield where the two armies confronted, only the painful coughing sound of Boss Cao and Guo Jia's occasional coughing sound remained.

Almost half a pillar of incense time, Deputy Director Tao, who is a junior, bowed his hand to Boss Cao, and called out very respectfully, "Lord Yue." ”

"Shut up! Don't scream so disgustingly! This is the first sentence that Boss Cao gave to his son-in-law who had not seen him for six years, and scolded with great grace: "Ever since my daughter was occupied by you, a traitor, Lao Tzu has been memorizing words!" People who dare to be your father-in-law, sure enough, none of them have a good end! (To be continued......)