As mentioned in the previous chapter, Liu Cong led 40,000 Jingzhou soldiers to cross the Han River and surround Fancheng on all sides, which alarmed Xu Huang, the guard general of Cao soldiers in Wancheng, and Xiahou Yuan, the guard general of Yuzhou, who were very alarmed, so they wrote to Xiahou Xuan, the general of Cao Bing sitting in Xuchang, to report this unpleasant news.

Cao Cao ordered Xiahoudun to sit in Xuchang, that is, he was responsible for handling all military, political, economic, and diplomatic matters south of Xuchang. Xu Huang and Xiahou Yuan were also under his jurisdiction at this time.

Therefore, as soon as Xiahoudun saw the news, he immediately sent a letter to Cao Cao, and after Cao Cao saw the letter, after some consideration, he wrote back to Xiahoudun and told him to act according to his military deployment.

Therefore, Xiahoudun urged Xu Huang to lead his troops to recover Deng County, so as to open the passage from Wancheng to Deng County, and ordered Xiahou Yuan to take action immediately, lead his troops out of Yuzhou, and march to Queweipo through Anzhong. After preparing to break through the Queweipo Pass, he attacked Xinye, and then led his troops straight down to Fancheng to relieve the siege of Fancheng.

After receiving the order, Xiahou Yuan immediately took action. However, he didn't follow Xiahoudun's fart to smell the wind, but came up with a new idea, sent troops in two ways, all the way out of Yuzhou to pass Anzhong, and moved slowly to Queweipo, feints to attack the Queweipo Pass. The other way sent Cao Kuan and Liu Lu to each take 5,000 men and horses, and the flag was silent, marching towards Fu at night, crossing the Mushroom Ridge, moving towards Zaoyang and Yiyang, preparing to make a detour to the south to surround Xinye.

Over there, Xu Huang, Xiahou Dun, and Xiahou Yuan are all busy in full swing, and here Liu Cong has already brought Wei Yan, Xu Shu, and other civil and military officials, and 10,000 Jingzhou elite soldiers, to Xinye City to station.

At this time, it was the sixth day of coming to Xinye.

On this morning, Liu Cong was sitting in the yamen and discussing military affairs with Huang Zhong, Xu Shu, Pang Tong, Wei Yan and others, and suddenly the sentry came to tell him, saying that Zhao Yun of Deng County sent someone to send a letter, Liu Cong hurriedly sent an order to receive him, and the envoy of Deng County came in to present Zhao Yun's letter, and then stood aside, waiting for Liu Cong to ask.

Liu Cong was not in a hurry to read the letter, and asked the messenger: "How is the situation in Deng County?" What did Cao Bing do? ”

The envoy replied: "Tell the lord, on the afternoon of the day before I came to deliver the letter on the order of General Zhao, Xu Huang, the general of the Cao soldiers of Wancheng, led his troops to Shiliwa north of Deng County and stationed there. When General Zhao learned the news, he immediately wrote to you. ”

"What verbal instructions did General Zhao give when you left?" “

There are no verbal instructions. Just smiled and said, you hurry up and send the letter to the lord, please rest assured, within ten days, I will defeat Xu Huang. It's done, even Xu Huang caught it and brought it to the lord.

It seems that General Zhao treated Xu Huang as happily as he did when he found a rabbit while hunting. ”

Liu Cong was very happy when he heard this, and he didn't read the letter, so he ordered: "You go back and tell General Zhao that as long as you hold Deng County, don't be greedy for merit." Well, let me repeat again, you also told General Zhao that after Xu Huang's troops were defeated and fled, they should not be pursued. handed over the important task of Deng County's defense to Liu Xian, and Zhao Yun immediately rushed back to Xinye to obey the order. ”

Liu Cong said that he would send the envoy back to Deng County to resume his life, so he turned his face and asked Pang Tong: "Mr. Feng Yan, look, can Zhao Yun defeat Xu Huang this time?" ”

Pang Tong said with a smile: "Don't worry, Zilong is a famous general in the world, and he will definitely keep Deng County." Although Xu Huang is also a good general, he is slightly inferior to Zilong. Besides, Deng County is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and Zilong occupies a favorable area and strength. Hehe, in the battle of Deng County, Zilong can get full credit. ”

Liu Cong listened, squinted at Pang Tongyi's eyes, and thought: "It is said that you are talented, and it seems that this is indeed the case." ”

Just thinking of this, Zhou Cang, who was stationed at Quewei Slope, sent scouts to send information. When Liu Cong opened the information, he saw that the intelligence said that the last general Zhou Cang told the lord that ten days ago, he saw a plainclothes scout in Yuzhou and reported that Xiahou Yuan had requisitioned 100,000 elite soldiers, left Yuzhou City, and was stationed outside the west gate of the city to stand by, saying that he was preparing to attack Xinye and relieve the siege of Fancheng. At the same time, soldiers and officials were sent to the cities and countryside to collect cattle, horses, and vehicles, saying that they were to transport grain and grass. For a while, the city was full of chickens and dogs, and the movement of Hulong was very loud, and the residents of the city rushed to tell each other, all of them were worried, and everyone panicked. They all knew that General Xiahou Yuan was going to personally lead 100,000 horses to attack Xinye, but he didn't know how big a battle he would fight.

It was not until five days ago that Cao Bing outside the west gate of Yuzhou City rose out of the camp, and moved to Queweipo here unhurriedly, but he walked calmly, and it had been three days since he left Yuzhou, and the people and horses in front of him left Yuzhou less than a hundred miles. Judging from this marching speed, I am afraid that in another month, Xiahou Yuan will not be able to come to Queweipo.

It's like going out to fight, it's like going out of the city.

Also, the scouts had long reported that all Cao soldiers in Yuzhou City were less than 30,000, but they didn't know why Xiahou Yuan was talking about it in the city and saying that he would attack Xinye with 100,000 elite soldiers. Yunyun.

After reading Zhou Cang's letter, Liu Cong already understood Xiahou Yuan's intentions in his heart, but he didn't squeak, and showed the information to everyone.

Xu Shu took it and looked at it and handed it to Pang Tong, and when Pang Tong looked at it, Huang Zhong and Gong Zhi looked at it together.

Liu Cong observed everyone's expressions, and saw that everyone looked at Zhou Cang's letter, with a puzzled look on their faces, and only Pang Tong smiled with disdain.

Liu Cong understood, until this time, only Pang Tong understood the mystery of Xiahou Yuan's use of troops, so he stopped talking, and waited for the generals to discuss after reading it.

At this moment, a busy sound came from outside the door, and in the midst of the chaos, I heard the sentry announce: "There is urgent information from the direction of Mushroom Ridge." ”

Liu Cong hurriedly went in to see him, and the messenger sent information about Wei Yan, the ambush general in the direction of Mushroom Ridge. When Liu Cong hurriedly launched the intelligence, the intelligence said that according to the reconnaissance of plainclothes scouts, it was found that there were two groups of men and horses in the direction of Yuzhou, and they were marching towards the Mushroom Ridge Canyon, which was still two days away from the Mushroom Ridge Canyon at this time. The last general, Wei Yan, came to tell the lord.

In addition, the last general has been arranged here according to the orders of the lord, waiting for Cao Bing to come in, and immediately carry out the attack. Yunyun.

Seeing this, Liu Cong hurriedly put down the information, opened the map and summoned everyone to look at it for a while, and analyzed: "The Mushroom Ridge Canyon and this Quewei Slope are east and west of each other, and they are less than two hundred miles apart. Well, the people will obey the order! ”

Everyone got up and waited for Liu Cong's order.

Liu Cong said: "I will immediately take people to the front line of Mushroom Ridge. Gong Zhi led 5,000 troops, and then marched to the east of Xinye to camp in Wild Boar Bay, at any time to collect information on the direction of Queweipo and Mushroom Ridge, and if there was an emergency at the Queweipo Pass, reinforcements would be sent immediately. ”

Gong Zhi was ordered to go out and mobilize people.

Liu Cong thought again: "In this way, Xiahou Yuan is carrying out a feint attack north of Queweipo. Therefore, as long as he does not get the news of the victory at Mushroom Ridge, he will not attack. It can be seen that there will be no fighting in the direction of Quewei Slope in the short term. In case of a war, Zhou Cang led his troops to stay at the pass, which was enough to stop Cao Bing for half a month. Well, I'll go to Mushroom Ridge to direct the battle, and I'll have plenty of time to get my first victory. ”

When Liu Cong thought of this, his heart surged with enthusiasm, and he immediately became excited, as if a tiger was hunting for the first time, and suddenly found its prey. Okay, I've been looking forward to this hearty fight for a long time, and today, I'm going to experience it for myself! All right! ”

Thinking of this, Liu Cong took off the emperor's saber on the wall, hung it on his waist, and ordered: "Xu Shu Pang Tong is here to assist the old general Huang Zhong in defending the city." Liang Zhu'er ——, prepare the horse! Let's go to Mushroom Ridge and play with Cao Bing! ”

When Liu Cong shouted here, he turned around and flew a mischievous look at everyone, and took a big stride to go out. 040