Although it was determined that the unworthy son-in-law was just sowing discord, for the sake of prudence, while continuing to let Zhang He be in charge of the defense of the east gate of Hangu Pass, Boss Cao still let his henchman Guard Hu Benying take over the control of the gate, and explained that if there was no personal order from him, even Zhang He would not have the right to open the gate of Hangu Pass. In this regard, Zhang He also said that Boss Cao was cautious, and handed over the key to the door that was originally in his hands without warning, completely unaware that he had actually passed by the god of death - if Zhang He had any objection to handing over control of the gate, Dian Weike, who was ordered to ask for the key, would take Zhang He down without hesitation, and even behead him on the spot!

I can't blame Cao Lao for being suspicious, it's really that Cao Jun's current situation can't withstand the toss, plus Zhang He was originally a surrendered general from the Third Duke of Yuan, and a large number of old colleagues are acting as accomplices and lackeys for Deputy Director Tao. So Boss Cao said that he believed Zhang He, but in fact he was still a little worried, until he confirmed that Zhang He handed over the key to the door without vagueness, Boss Cao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Zhang Jun will not live up to me." ”

"Lord, if there is really a traitor in Guanzhong, as long as you have the military power in your hands, it doesn't seem to matter whether you have the key in your hand or not." Confidential Secretary Sima Lang cautiously reminded and suggested: "For the sake of prudence, do you want to send a few more people to General Zhang He's side?" ”

Boss Cao was silent when he heard this, and he pondered for a moment before saying: "No need, at this time, if you put someone in your hand, you will think that you have lost your trust, but it's not good." ”

Sima Lang was silent, but he was snorting coldly in his heart. believes that Boss Cao is treacherous and suspicious, and refuses his proposal on the lips, but secretly he may not quietly strengthen the surveillance of Zhang He. At this time, it was already more than half of the second watch, and Boss Cao, who had not rested for more than a day, couldn't resist the invasion of sleepiness, coughed and put down the official documents in his hand, pointed to the mountains of official documents and bamboo slips on the desk, and instructed Sima Lang: "Boda, distribute the official documents I have read, and I will read the rest tomorrow." Then you go and rest. ”

Let's talk about it. Boss Cao instructed Dian Wei, who was guarding the door, again: "Junming, remember, tell the guards to wake me up when the fifth watch, don't make a mistake." ”

"My lord. You're not in good health. I haven't had a day off for another day. Get more sleep. Dian Wei kindly proposed: "How about the last general let the guards wake you up at the time of the hour?" ”

"There are so many things to do, I don't dare to sleep more." Boss Cao sighed. Let Dian Wei help himself to get up, and lie directly on the gum in the study, Sima Lang, who was also exhausted, also quickly packed up the official documents that Boss Cao had approved, saluted Boss Cao, and went back to his room to rest, Dian Wei slept outside Boss Cao's study, and used a listening urn as a pillow very carefully to ensure that he could find outsiders close to Boss Cao's bedroom for the first time.

Because of illness and tiredness, Cao Boss lay on the bed not long before he fell asleep, but Cao Boss's snoring had just sounded, but the valley of Hangu Pass suddenly drummed like thunder, gongs and drums shook the sky, horns continued, the sound passed through the mountains and cliffs on both sides of the canyon amplified, and the Hanguan Canyon was turned upside down, the grass and trees were clustered, and the sleeping alert Cao Boss also jumped up from the gum at once, and shouted: "Someone! Come on! What's wrong? ”

"My lord, there seems to be an enemy attack." Dian Wei entered the room and played.

"Quick, follow me to the gate to see what happens."

Boss Cao hurriedly went to get his armor to put on, but Dian Wei hurriedly stopped him: "Lord, you can rest in peace, there is General Zhang He and his subordinates guarding the gate over there, and there will be no accidents." ”

"No, the pottery thief likes tricks the most, he won a big battle during the day today, and I think we may take it lightly tonight, and it is very likely that we will launch a sneak attack overnight." Boss Cao categorically refused and insisted on putting on the armor to go out, Dian Wei had no choice but to quickly lead a team of guards to escort Boss Cao out and observe the enemy situation at the wall.

Arrived at the east gate, the Cao army team on duty at the wall was already on full alert, the soldiers pulled their bows and arrows and aimed at the dark pass, the reserve team gathered under the wall, Zhang He also hung out of the city tower, and was leading the team to prepare for the enemy on the wall in person. Seeing that the self-army team was on duty effectively, Boss Cao was quite satisfied, praised a few words of his own generals who led the reserve team to assemble quickly, and hurriedly went up to the wall to understand the situation, and asked Zhang He, who came to salute, "How is it?" Did you spot an enemy team? ”

"My lord, I only heard the trumpets and gongs and drums, but I did not see the enemy." Zhang He replied truthfully.

Didn't find the enemy, Cao Boss was even more grim, personally observed that in addition to the thunder of drums in the valley road, there was indeed no enemy, Cao Boss still refused to rest assured, and arranged for the scouts to use ropes to go down the pass, and go to the dark place with torches to reconnoitre, but the scouts just got off the wall, but the sound of war drums and horns in the valley road stopped abruptly, and there was no movement at all. Boss Cao carefully calculated, and soon understood the vicious intentions of his son-in-law, and immediately scolded: "The god-killing pottery thief actually used the strategy of tired soldiers to make our army unpeaceful day and night. ”

"My lord, please rest assured." Zhang He comforted: "Hangu Pass is strong, and our army's strength in guarding the pass is quite sufficient, and the team will be arranged to take turns to rest and take turns to prepare for battle, so that the pottery thief's tired tactics cannot succeed, even if the pottery thief suddenly comes true in the ten holidays, our army can immediately meet the enemy." ”

"Good, that's how it should be." Boss Cao nodded with satisfaction, and at this moment Cheng Yu, Guo Jia and others had also gone up to the wall, and after meeting with Boss Cao, they also unanimously decided that this was the tired tactic of the Xuzhou army, and wanted to make the army unrestful day and night, unable to rest at ease, and after repeating it many times, he suddenly came to the truth, and scolded Deputy Director Tao for his despicability and shamelessness with Boss Cao, so he invited Boss Cao to go back to Guancheng to rest.

It was night, and the Xuzhou army made a fuss almost every half an hour, beating gongs and drums to destroy the Cao army's rest, and as a result, although the Cao army's troops took turns to rest and take turns to guard with a strong wall, they were not too affected by the fatigue of the Xuzhou army. Cao Boss, who was sick and tired, suffered a great crime, and was awakened six or seven times by the gongs, drums and horns of the Xuzhou army in one night, and he had to listen carefully to the movements outside the pass before he was woken up until it was confirmed that the Xuzhou army had not launched an attack. Fang dared to fall asleep in a daze, and then was awakened again after a short time, almost sleepless all night.

The next morning, when Boss Cao had just fallen asleep exhausted, there was a herald outside the door to report, saying that Deputy Director Tao had sent General Zhao Yun to lead an army of 3,000 to fight under the pass, and Boss Cao, who couldn't open his eyes, was startled at first, and his sleepiness disappeared, and then he ordered Zhang He to only guard the pass. No fighting. However, after the herald received the order, he left. I don't know how much time has passed, but there was a neat and loud shout outside the gate, "Cao Mengde! Come out and die! Cao Mengde! Come out and die! ”

"What's wrong?" Boss Cao, who was awakened again, jumped up again and listened carefully to the shouting outside the gate. Boss Cao breathed a sigh of relief. I lay down again and rested. He also ordered that unless the Xuzhou army waved his army to attack the fortifications, he was not allowed to disturb himself.

Seeing Boss Cao's sick, tired and tired appearance, Dian Wei, Guo Jia and others naturally couldn't bear to disturb Boss Cao's rest. However, Cao Boss's accomplice lackey of his son-in-law was not so considerate, and after shouting two provocations and fighting, when it was almost noon, there was a sudden thunderous sound outside Hangu Pass, which was louder than thunder, so startled that Cao Boss quickly jumped up from the bed again, and asked the reason, but Dian Wei and others didn't know, Cao Boss had no choice but to quickly wash his face with cold water to wake himself up, and then personally led everyone to the pass to check.

The thunder was the sound of gunpowder exploding, in order to disgust and refuse to admit that he was his son-in-law's father-in-law, Deputy Director Tao asked Zhao Yun's team to carry some gunpowder, ignited and detonated outside the gate, and made a loud noise to use the echo of the valley to disturb Boss Cao. When he came to ask for details, Boss Cao gritted his teeth with hatred and scolded: "traitor!" There are so many tricks! But don't want to fool me, I just won't fight, see what you do! After scolding, Boss Cao bent down again and coughed in pain.

Because the camp has not yet been established and the siege weapons have not yet been built, in the next three days, the Xuzhou army has never launched a single attack on the front of Hangu Pass, but every night, Deputy Director Tao has to send hundreds of soldiers to beat gongs and drums every half an hour or so to disturb the Cao army; He also sent troops to fight under Hangu Pass every day, shouting slogans to disturb the defenders of Guanzhong, and from time to time he set off a cannon during the day or night, creating a loud noise to disturb the enemy in the pass, so that Cao's army was in a tense state day and night.

With more than 20,000 defenders only needing to defend the 1,800-meter-long wall, the Cao army team can easily take turns to rest and take turns to prepare for battle, and the impact on mental state and physical strength can be said to be minimal. But for Cao Boss, who is the commander of the whole army, such a disturbance tactic is simply hellish torture, every time the Xuzhou army makes a disturbance, Cao Boss has to pay attention to his spirit, he has to be woken up eight or nine times a night, and he can't find a chance to rest at ease during the day, so after three days, Cao Boss, who is already sick, is inevitably emaciated, his illness is getting worse, and his physical condition is even worse.

It was also on the fourth day, when the herald flew again to report that Deputy Director Tao had sent General Zhang Nan to fight at Guanxia, Boss Cao, who was already bloodshot in his eyes, finally came to his senses and exclaimed: "The Tao thief is so constantly disturbing our army day and night, is the target not our army, but myself?" ”

"Lord, did you just think of it?" Guo Jia smiled bitterly and said: "The pottery thief knows that you are seriously ill, so he let the army take turns to go into battle, and keep disturbing our army day and night, not for anything else, just to make your condition more serious, so I have repeatedly persuaded you not to pay attention to it in the past few days, so that you can rest well, but you just don't listen, you look for a bronze mirror to see, what do you look like now you are haggard and emaciated?" ”

Boss Cao was speechless, and only sighed after a while: "What a filial son-in-law, I am afraid that I will die too late, so I used such a cheap trick to let me die early." ”

"My lord, or you will move to Simon." Guo Jia suggested: "Go to the West Gate of Hangu Pass to rest and camp, the sound there is much quieter, you can rest assured, and we will report to you immediately if there is something." ”

Boss Cao hesitated a little, and just wanted to accept Guo Jia's kindness for a long time, but a soldier Pegasus came to report outside the door, saying that the Xuzhou army shot an arrow book on the east gate of Hangu Pass, explaining that it was a letter written by Zhang Nan, the former general of Jizhou, to his former colleague Zhang He. Boss Cao was hated when he heard this, and said: "It must be a surrender, don't worry, Zhang Junyi will send the letter to me." ”

To Boss Cao's surprise, after waiting for a long time, Zhang He never sent the letter. Boss Cao was strange in his heart, in order to prevent accidents, he had to quickly lead Dian Wei and others to catch up with the wall, and asked Zhang He in person if there was such a thing. Zhang He replied: "My lord, there is such a thing, but although the enemy under the city shouted that there was a letter on the arrow, but the arrow entered the city, the last general did not find the letter on the arrow, so he could not send the arrow book to the lord intact." ”

"No letters on the arrows?" Boss Cao was a little suspicious.

"Nope." Zhang He also knew that this matter was difficult to explain, so he immediately called a few soldiers. Explain to Boss Cao: "The lord can ask them." The last general sent them into the city to look for the arrow book, and ordered them to send it to the lord as soon as they got the arrow book, and they were not allowed to read a word in the book, but they found the crossbow arrow that Zhang Nan shot into the city with a strong crossbow. but they did not see the letter on the arrows. ”

Several of Zhang He's personal soldiers testified. said that after a few of them entered the city to find crossbow arrows. The letter was not found on the arrow, and the feather arrow shot into the city by the Xuzhou military crossbow was also presented, and Cao Boss was asked to check it personally. And Boss Cao took the ordinary crossbow arrow and turned it upside down and looked at it for a long time. finally came to his senses, gritted his teeth and said: "It must be a pottery thief trick again, he made people deliberately shout that there was a letter on the arrow, but he shot an ordinary crossbow arrow, in order to make me suspicious in my heart, suspecting that you Zhang He and his pottery thief colluded!" The little traitor of the heaven-killing sword, using a non-existent arrow to divide the book, is even more ruthless than wiping the enemy between the books! ”

Fighting to wrench the crossbow arrow in two, and throwing it down the wall, Boss Cao roared angrily: "Pass my order, in the future, if there is a messenger of Tao Ying traitors approaching the wall, regardless of whether he carries a weapon and a white flag in his hand, he will release the arrow and drive it away!" ”

Zhang He and other generals sang promises, and Boss Cao went down the wall again and returned to his room to rest, and on the way back, Sima Lang seized the opportunity and whispered in Boss Cao's ear: "Lord, whether there is really a letter on the arrow, please be careful about this, those soldiers who pick up arrows are all General Zhang He's personal soldiers." ”

Boss Cao's footsteps stopped, glanced at Sima Lang, and then gritted his teeth and said: "The camp of the Chinese army will not be transferred, I still live near the east gate, rest assured!" ”

Before the words fell, there was a sudden thunderous sound in the east of the gate, and then the soldiers of the Xuzhou army made a loud noise, pretending to attack the sound, Boss Cao subconsciously looked back at the wall of the east gate, and sighed: "Traitor, it seems that you are determined to exhaust my father-in-law." ”

Before he finished speaking, Boss Cao suddenly felt dizzy for a while, and fell to the ground, when Dian Wei and others rushed to rescue Boss Cao, they saw that Boss Cao's face was like gold paper, his breath was dying, and he was already unconscious on the spot............

…………

When Boss Cao was rescued and woke up, it was already night, and seeing Cheng Yu, Guo Jia, Dian Wei and others all waiting by his side, there were still tears on his face, Boss Cao was also quite sad, and asked with difficulty: "What time is it?" How's it going? ”

"My lord, it's more than half of the second watch." Guo Jia choked up and replied: "The situation is as usual, except for disturbing our army from time to time, the pottery thief soldiers and horses have not launched a breakthrough, so the lord doesn't have to worry." ”

"Traitor." Boss Cao scolded and said with difficulty: "This traitor, if he really comes to tackle the problem, my situation may be better, and it will be difficult for me to resist this disturbing strategy." Bonghyo, Zhongdeok, do you have a clever plan to crack the pottery thief's disturbance tactics? ”

"My lord, you might as well send an army to camp at the mouth of the valley road to form a buffer." Cheng Yu said with tears in his eyes: "In this way, at least the lord can get a chance to rest." ”

"For the sake of my rest, do you have to sacrifice hundreds of soldiers in vain?" Boss Cao smiled bitterly and said: "The combat strength of our army is not as good as it used to be, leaving the protection of the wall of Hangu Pass, how many troops are sent to Gukou to set up camp, they are just sent to death in vain." ”

"But my lord, I can't go on like this." Cheng Yu cried and said: "Hangu Pass is built in the valley, the pottery thief only needs to send hundreds of people to beat drums in the valley road to disturb, can make the mountains echo and shake our army, the lord, if you don't send soldiers and horses to fight and block, you will not have time to recuperate." ”

Boss Cao still shook his head, refusing to take the army to sleep for himself and sacrificed in vain, during the dispute, Boss Cao coughed violently again, this time he also blocked his throat with phlegm and coughed out, his throat was full of grunting sounds, Cheng Yu and others were shocked, and they could only let the maid guide phlegm for Boss Cao, but the maid was small and could not suck out the thick phlegm in Boss Cao's mouth, Dian Wei was in a hurry, and quickly threw the maid aside, personally attached it to Boss Cao's mouth, and used his superhuman lung capacity to suck carbon for Boss Cao, which finally sucked out the phlegm in Boss Cao's throat, Let Boss Cao return to normal breathing.

"Junming." Boss Cao said with difficulty: "In the future, let others do this kind of thing, don't infect you." ”

"The last general is not afraid!" Dian Wei said loudly: "As long as the lord's body can be healthy and can continue to lead us to kill the enemy and break the thief, the last general will be willing even if he is infected with tuberculosis." ”

Boss Cao smiled bitterly and asked himself in his heart, "Do I still have hope of victory?" The treacherous pottery thief is not below me, the combat strength of the army is far above me, and he also seized the weakness of my serious illness to chase and fight, in the face of such an enemy, can I repeat the miracle of Guandu? ”

"Boom!" Suddenly, there was a shocking noise outside the gate, and then there was an earth-shattering sound of war drums and horns, and it was obvious that Deputy Director Tao's accomplice lackey was greeting the boss again. Hearing this voice, the dying Boss Cao couldn't raise his energy to pay attention to the enemy's situation, but just coughed painfully and shook his head slightly, Dian Wei was furious, jumped up and said: "Lord, please rest in peace, I will take three hundred tigers out in the end, and kill these pottery thieves and lackeys who pretend to be gods and ghosts for you!" ”

Boss Cao first sighed helplessly, and then suddenly remembered something, and suddenly coughed even more, coughing painfully while trying to call Dian Wei back, but couldn't say a complete sentence, Cheng Yu and Guo Jia and others hurriedly beat Boss Cao's back and comforted: "Don't worry, my army scouts have already found out, the pottery thieves only send a few hundred people to make noise and disturb in the valley every time, and General Dian will not be in danger." ”

"Ahem, ahem, ahem......." After coughing in pain for a long time, Boss Cao finally shouted out the complete words in a vague voice, "Confused! Dian Wei is the former lieutenant of my tent, and he personally led his troops out to fight the enemy, and the pottery thief immediately understood that I was overwhelmed! In the future, we will only carry out the disturbance tactics to the end! Immediately call Dian Wei back, come back! ”

Cao Boss reminded Guo Jia, Cheng Yu and others came to their senses and hurriedly sent people out to chase Dian Wei, but it was too late, Dian Wei had already rushed out of the east gate of Hangu Pass with three hundred elite soldiers, and killed in the direction where the Xuzhou military drum and trumpeter was noisy, and the east gate of Hangu Pass was controlled by the soldiers of the Tiger Ben Battalion under Dian Wei, so Dian Wei rushed out of the Hangu Pass very smoothly, and the herald soldiers who did not get Cao Lao's order were stopped in the door by the Tiger Ben camp and could not go out to catch up with Dian Wei's team.

When the news came back to Boss Cao's ward, Boss Cao coughed up blood again, and said helplessly: "Let the messenger take my order, go out to chase Dian Wei, and tell him not to chase him out of the valley." Let Xiahou Ba lead an army of 3,000 and go out of the customs to meet Dian Wei, if the pottery thief has an ambush, no matter how much it costs, Dian Wei must be rescued for me! ”

That night, Dian Wei led the army to raid the drum and bugle team of the Xuzhou army, but the soles of his feet were injured by the Xuzhou army drum and bugle team scattered in the valley road - the horse nails were connected into a long string with a thin rope and spread in the narrow part of the valley road, which could not only prevent the enemy from raiding, but also take them all away at any time, so as not to accidentally injure their own soldiers.

After being injured, Dian Wei endured the pain and continued to lead the troops to chase and kill, but the Xuzhou military drum and bugle team had already won the time to retreat, and quickly withdrew from the narrow valley road with horn gongs and war drums, and the angry Dian Wei led the army to chase out of the valley road, but was ambushed by the Xuzhou army at the entrance of the valley road, and fell into a bitter battle.

In this battle, because of the courage of the Dian Wei team, the Xuzhou army suffered some small losses, and dozens of people died more than the Cao army's team, but just like Cao Boss was worried, after hearing that Dian Wei personally led the army to raid his drum and bugle team, Deputy Director Tao immediately applauded and laughed, and said: "Dian Wei dog jumped over the wall in a hurry, proving that it has worked, tired of the old man, there is hope." (To be continued......)