(PS: There are a few more hours to double the monthly pass, at 0 o'clock on the 29th, the monthly pass is coming!) ）

Song Kai returned to the Xuzhou camp very smoothly, and reported to Deputy Director Tao the results of the envoy Cao Jun's team, and Deputy Director Tao was not surprised that Cao Boss promised to reschedule the decisive battle - the strength of the Xuzhou Army was placed here, and even if Cao Boss refused to agree, he was destined to have no way to take Deputy Director Tao. Deputy Director Tao was most concerned about Boss Cao's physical condition, so after Song Kai finished reporting Boss Cao's reply, Deputy Director Tao immediately asked Song Kai again: "What is the reaction of Cao Thief after reading the handwritten letter I gave him?" ”

Song Kai replied truthfully: "My lord, after reading your letter, the thief stayed for about half a cup of tea, and then asked the villain with a strange expression, why is your style of writing very similar to him?" Later, the villain replied to his ...... like this, and then Cao Thief said that he also admired you very much, and said that he lost in your hands, he was convinced, and finally promised to fight tomorrow. ”

"Lose to me?" Deputy Director Tao was a little surprised, and said with a smile: "This traitor even said such a thing, could it be that he also knew that his limit was approaching and confessed his last words?" ”

Jia Lao Poison and Liu Ye and others next to him laughed and agreed with Deputy Director Tao's judgment, but Xun Chen, who had suffered a big loss in the hands of Cao Lao, reminded: "Lord, please be careful, Cao is a thief and treacherous, so you must prevent him from pretending to be discouraged and desperate, and secretly highlight the strange soldiers." ”

Deputy Director Tao nodded, and like Xun Chen, he didn't dare to take Boss Cao lightly, but Song Kai suddenly said again: "Lord." With all due respect to the villain, Cao Thief may really be approaching the end this time, and the words of admiration he let the villain bring to you should also be his heartfelt words. ”

"How do you know?" Deputy Director Tao asked.

"The villain only saw the Cao thief once yesterday afternoon." Song Kai replied respectfully: "When the villain saw Cao Thief again this morning, he found that he had only been seen for a night, and Cao Thief seemed to be suffering a lot more when he was talking to him, his voice was weak, his expression was very weak and haggard, and his hands were still shaking involuntarily. Although the villain does not understand medical skills. But I also feel that such a condition does not seem to be pretended. ”

"Have you ever heard the story of Cao Shuang?" Deputy Director Tao sneered and blurted out the wrong allusion, and after discovering this mistake, Deputy Director Tao quickly changed the topic and waved to Song Kai and ordered, "Okay." You've done a good job on both occasions. Go down and claim your reward. Don't publicize the serious illness of the thief in the barracks, lest our soldiers slack off on the enemy. ”

Song Kai saluted and thanked him, and quickly said goodbye and left the Chinese army's tent. It was only at this time that Jia Lao Poison asked Deputy Director Tao: "Lord, the thief Cao promised a decisive battle tomorrow, I don't know if the lord plans to keep the contract and fight a decisive battle, or use another way to break the enemy?" ”

"Soldiers are not tired of deceit, and our enemy is not only Cao Thief." Deputy Director Tao said quietly: "After breaking the main force outside the pass of the Cao thief, we also attacked Hangu Pass, Hongnong City, Tongguan and Chang'an City, and it is likely that it will be a decisive battle between us and the Cao Liu coalition army when we are in Tongguan, although our army is several times more than the enemy, but it is a good thing to lose some soldiers less." ”

The notoriously vicious Jia Lao Poison nodded immediately, and extremely agreed with Deputy Director Tao's treachery - in fact, it was not treachery, the Xuzhou army did not promise not to attack the Cao army before the agreed decisive battle time, and at the same time, the decision-making level of the Xuzhou army was extremely suspicious that the Cao army's team would launch a sneak attack at night and kill the Xuzhou army by surprise. After finalizing the decision to use tactics to defeat the enemy, Jia Lao Poison suggested again: "Since the lord has made up his mind, it is best to set the time for our army to send troops before the third watch, so that even if Cao Mengde also sends troops to attack our army, we can also strike first." ”

Deputy Director Tao nodded, and immediately asked the guards to blow the trumpet and raise the account, summoned the generals to announce the decision of the night attack, asked all armies and battalions to prepare for night battles, arranged for Jia Lao Poison and Xu Huang, Song Xian and other generals to stay in the camp to strictly prevent the Cao army team from taking the opportunity to rob the camp, and decided to personally lead Xu Chu, Zhao Yun and Wei Yan and other generals to command 40,000 main forces to attack, and the troops were divided into four ways to attack the enemy camp at night, and attack the Cao army camp that was not stable head-on.

The time of the attack was set by Deputy Director Tao at the second quarter of the first watch, and it was decided that the army would leave the camp after the second quarter of the first watch, and it would take an hour to rush to the Cao army camp, and launch an attack on the Cao army camp before the second and third quarters, so as to prevent Cao Boss from also coming to rob the camp. After explaining the time of the battle, Deputy Director Tao said to the generals under his command: "Generals, I won't hide it from you, Cao Thief is treacherous, I and Jia Junshi and they can't judge whether Cao Thief can predict whether our army will send troops to rob the camp tonight, if Cao Thief guesses this action of our army, then his army must be prepared, and we will face a fierce battle." ”

"But it doesn't matter." Deputy Director Tao said: "Our army's sortie strength is more than three times the enemy's total strength, and its combat effectiveness is far above the enemy, so even if the enemy is prepared, and even sets up a net to wait for our army, as long as our army is psychologically prepared to fight hard to the end, the winner of this decisive battle must be us!" ”

"Please rest assured, the last general will fight bravely to kill the enemy to repay the lord's great kindness!" The generals of Xuzhou replied with their fists clasped neatly.

Deputy Director Tao nodded with satisfaction, called Zhao Yun and Wei Yan again, and instructed them: "Zilong, you are the vanguard, Wen Chang, your task is to cut off the enemy's way back, if Cao Thief's team is arranged with ambush soldiers, your team will bear the brunt, you know what to do when the time comes, right?" ”

"Yes!" Zhao Yun and Wei Yan replied in unison: "Fight to the end, never retreat!" Wait for the arrival of the lord's rear army and join forces with the lord to break the enemy! ”

"Good!" Deputy Director Tao nodded with joy, patted the case and said: "Scatter the tents, go down to rest and prepare, and wait for the battle of breaking Cao tonight!" ”

When the order for the night attack was conveyed, more than 70,000 Xuzhou soldiers immediately took action, and the Xuzhou soldiers who were preparing to go out of the camp for a decisive battle sharpened their swords and guns, inspected their bows, crossbows, feathers, and arrows, and prepared enough torches, fire oil, flying muskets, and other things necessary for arson and lighting in the night battle, and seized the time to rest and recuperate their physical strength. Prepare for a tough battle at night. The Xuzhou soldiers who stayed in the camp dug deep trenches and fixed the antlers, arranged double scouts and light and dark lookout posts, determined the generals guarding the camp gates, granaries, horse corridors, and tents of the Chinese army, and sent the orders for the arrangements for guarding the various sections of the fence directly to Qutun, and the entire Xuzhou camp was shrouded in an atmosphere of tense preparations for war.

At the same time, Deputy Director Tao naturally had to arrange elite scouts to closely monitor the movements of Cao Jun's camp, and what made Deputy Director Tao sneer again and again was that Cao's camp was indeed closed and strictly guarded, and a large number of scout sentries were arranged to protect the surrounding area of the camp, so as not to give Xuzhou Army scouts a chance to get close to Cao's camp to reconnoiter the enemy's situation. A team of Xuzhou troops who tried to rely on the grass and rocks to cover the camp of the Cao army. He was also chased and killed by as many as 100 Cao Jun scouts, and was driven out of nearly ten miles in one go. The news was sent to Deputy Director Tao, and Deputy Director Tao immediately sneered loudly and said, "Lord Yue." It looks like you're really up to the idea of raiding the camp at night. Come on. See who of us gets the fastest! ”

The autumn sun finally set below the horizon in the west, and the sky gradually began to darken, just after the third quarter of the first shift. Zhao Yun and Wei Yan's 20,000 troops were the first to leave the camp, and after gathering outside the camp with the last remaining light, Zhao Wei and the second generals exchanged respects to each other, and immediately marched in the direction of Cao's camp. As soon as the two forward teams left, Deputy Director Tao and Xu Chu, Ma Yan and other generals also immediately led 20,000 rear troops out of the camp, and after assembling outside the camp with torches, Deputy Director Tao also cherished each other with Jia Lao Poison and others who stayed in the camp, and then ordered in a deep voice, "Let's go." ”

The distance of 20 Hanli is only equivalent to about eight kilometers now, the distance is not too far, in order to preserve the physical strength of the soldiers, the front and rear of the Xuzhou army are marching westward at the usual walking speed, and there is no one to do anything to wrap the horses, but as far as possible not to make too much noise, to avoid the Cao army team to discover the traces of the army prematurely. At the same time, in order to guard against the Cao army's team, they also chose to attack early, and Deputy Director Tao had to send a large number of elite scouts to reconnoiter the front and both sides of the road, and sneaked to the Cao army camp with careful care.

When he was halfway through the road, several Xuzhou scouts escorted a Cao soldier to the front of Deputy Director Tao, and said to the head of the army: "Lord Yu, the villain and others encountered this Cao soldier on the south path, but it is very strange that not only did he not run, but also took the initiative to meet our army, asking the villain to bring him to see you immediately, saying that there is something important to report to you." The chief thought it was strange, so he sent a villain to bring him. ”

"Is there such a thing?"

Deputy Director Tao also felt a little strange, and immediately ordered the guards to escort the Cao soldier in front of him and ask him what was the matter, but the Cao soldier pleaded first: "Please let the villain's left hand move." ”

"What?!" Deputy Director Tao was taken aback, and hurriedly shouted: "Let go of his left hand!" ”

The guard followed the order, and after the Cao Jun's left hand was moved, he immediately pressed the ring finger and tail finger with the thumb of his left hand, stretched out the index finger and middle finger, pinched out a sword finger, and then pointed his eyebrows, forehead and heart with the sword finger in turn, and finally reached into his arms, took out a small iron card from the closet, showed the pottery characters on the iron plate, and played in a low voice: "The king of heaven covers the tiger, and the river demon of the pagoda town." Gu Dashi, the captain of the third squad of the second team of the internal guard, visited the lord and could not pay full respects, so he asked the lord to forgive his sins. The villain was ordered by General Cao Hong to contact our army on behalf of the Ayi brothers, and has been lurking in Cao's army for seven years. ”

"Let him go, it's his own person." Seeing that the code and token were correct, Deputy Director Tao was immediately overjoyed, and hurriedly asked the guards to release Cao Hong's spy internal guard who had been placed in Cao's army for him, and then couldn't wait to ask: "Brother Ah Yi sent you, right?" What's wrong? ”

"My lord, yes." Gu Dashi nodded, and said with a smile on his face: "Congratulations to the lord, congratulations to the lord, Cao Cao is no longer good, and the medical officers of the Cao army team all think that Cao Cao is likely not to survive tonight." ”

"What? Cao thief may lose his breath tonight?! ”

Deputy Director Tao was shocked, and hurriedly asked Gu Dashi for details, Gu Dashi reported truthfully, Deputy Director Tao only then knew that after sending away Song Kai, the envoy of the Xuzhou Army, this morning, Cao Boss vomited blood on the way back to the camp and fell into a coma, after being rescued back to the camp, the unconscious Cao Boss was blocked by thick phlegm several times and almost lost his breath, and when Dian Wei and others guided the phlegm for Cao Boss, the blood and thick phlegm that were sucked out were all bloody, and the Cao military medical officer was helpless, and when Sima Lang personally checked the pulse of Cao Boss, he also confirmed that Cao Boss's pulse was weak and was not pretending. I also heard the medical officer conclude that Boss Cao would not survive tonight. Sima Lang found an excuse to arrange for Gu Dashi to return to Hanguguan, and let Gu Dashi take the opportunity to sneak out of Gudao halfway and return to the Xuzhou military camp to report to Deputy Director Tao. As a result, Gu Dashi climbed the cliff from the valley road, and then took the mountain path to the east, and happened to bump into the reconnaissance scouts of the Xuzhou army.

"Lord, this is a good opportunity from God to break the enemy!" Liu Ye next to him was overjoyed and said: "Cao Thief is seriously ill and dying, our army takes the opportunity to attack, not only Cao Thief dies immediately, but our army can also take advantage of the opportunity of Cao Thief's team without a leader to completely annihilate his main force out of the customs!" Ye proposed. Our army should immediately pick up the pace. Let the soldiers beat the drums and shout to storm the enemy camp, and you will win a complete victory! ”

The opportunity to break the enemy in one fell swoop was in front of him, but Deputy Director Tao hesitated and thought about it for a while. Deputy Director Tao suddenly instructed Ma Zhong: "Ma Zhong." Thou hast held my decree thyself. Ride a fast horse to chase Zhao Yun and Wei Yan's team, and tell Zhao Yun and Wei Yan that tonight's camp robbery operation has been canceled. Halt their march, line up on the spot, light more torches, and wait for our rear army to join them!" ”

"Lord, what are you doing here?" Ma Zhong and Liu Ye both screamed.

"Don't talk nonsense, go right away!" Deputy Director Tao shouted with a straight face.

It was rare to see Deputy Director Tao face stern to himself once, Ma Zhong didn't dare to say much, quickly took Deputy Director Tao's order, rode a fast horse to chase Zhao Yun and Wei Yan's team, Deputy Director Tao immediately ordered the whole army to light torches, and quickly chased Zhao Yun and Wei Yan's team, at the same time, Deputy Director Tao also ordered the whole army, without his own order, no general is allowed to lead the army to storm Cao Ying, violators of the order will be immediately beheaded on the spot! The generals of the Xuzhou army were shocked when they heard the order, but they didn't dare not listen, so they could only quickly order the torches to be lit and follow Deputy Director Tao to chase the forward team.

When Ma Zhong caught up with Wei Yan and Zhao Yun's team, Wei Yan and Zhao Yun's team was only three miles away from Cao's army camp, and the sparse lights in Cao's army camp could already be seen. If the enemy is ambushed and we light torches, won't we immediately reveal our position? ”

"The general can rest assured that there is no mistake." Ma Zhong had no choice but to reply to Zhao Yun and Wei Yan: "The lord not only asks you to light torches, but also asks you to light more torches. After listening to Ma Zhong's clear order, Zhao Yun and Wei Yan were confused, so they could only quickly order the army to form a formation and use more torches to show the lineup.

………………

After nearly 20,000 torches appeared in the dark place in the east, the camp of the Cao army, which had not yet noticed the approach of the Xuzhou army, was suddenly in chaos. Hearing this news, Guo Jia, Dian Wei, Cheng Yu and Zhang Liao, who were guarding the Hou next to Boss Cao's sickbed, suddenly changed their faces greatly, and they scolded together, "Traitor! said that tomorrow's decisive battle was held, and he actually came to rob the camp tonight! Shameless! ”

"Princes, you are here to guard the lord, I will lead the troops out to fight the pottery thieves!" Dian Wei roared angrily: "Even if I die, I will defend the camp and kill the enemy army!" ”

may be because he was awakened by Dian Wei's loud voice, at this time, Cao Boss, who had been in a coma for six or seven hours, suddenly made a little sound, Dian Wei and Guo Jia and others heard it, and quickly turned their heads to see Boss Cao's situation, and saw that Boss Cao had slowly opened his eyes, and the throat was still grunting, Dian Wei hurriedly sucked blood and phlegm for Boss Cao, Boss Cao took a few breaths, and then asked with difficulty: "What's wrong?" Outside the tent, why is it so noisy? ”

No one dared to answer Boss Cao's question, but the sound of Cao soldiers running and assembling and shouting to prepare for war outside the tent clearly told Boss Cao that the danger had arrived. Boss Cao thought about it for a while, and then asked in a weak voice, "Is it night?" Tao Ying traitor, did he come to rob the camp at night? ”

Guo Jia nodded, choked up and said: "Lord, please rest assured, the soldiers of our army have noticed that the pottery thief team has robbed the camp and is strengthening the camp guards, and the pottery thief team will not have a chance to kill our camp." ”

"Traitor." Boss Cao sighed, his voice was a little louder, and after listening carefully to the movement outside the tent, Boss Cao suddenly noticed a strange thing, so he hurriedly asked: "Since the pottery thief team came to rob the camp, why didn't they hear the sound of shouting and killing?" ”

was reminded by Boss Cao, and the people of Cao Jun, who were dizzy and anxious. Only then did I suddenly discover this strange thing - when the Xuzhou army was already approaching the Cao army's camp, it did not launch an attack on the Cao army's camp, and let the Cao army's team strengthen the camp defense, and sit back and watch the sneak attack take the lead! Surprised, Cheng Yu simply blurted out: "What the hell is the pottery thief?" Why not attack? ”

"Send some people to check on the situation and come back to report to me." Boss Cao coughed and commanded with difficulty.

Dian Wei hurriedly sent the guards out of the tent, and after a while, the guards rushed back to the sleeping tent, knelt down in front of Boss Cao's sickbed and said, "My lord." The team of pottery thieves is only lined up three miles outside our military camp. But for some reason there was no offensive against our troops. Also, our scouts also discovered that the handsome banner of Tao Ying's traitors also appeared in the enemy formation. ”

"Tao Ying's traitor is here in person?" Boss Cao was even more puzzled. "Then why didn't he attack?" The appearance of our army rushing to meet the enemy. It's impossible to hide from his scouts? ”

No one can answer Boss Cao's question. Boss Cao closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, and suddenly said, "Could it be that the pottery thief knows that I am going to die?" So you won't take advantage of me? ”

"Is the pottery thief so kind?" Guo Jia, Cheng Yu, Dian Wei and others looked at each other, and they all felt that Boss Cao's judgment was simply absurd to the extreme.

Boss Cao smiled hard. He didn't speak, just closed his eyes and listened to the movement outside the tent.

I don't know how long it took, Xiahou Ba rushed into the tent and shouted to everyone in the tent: "Princess, great joy, the pottery thief has withdrawn!" I don't know why, the team of pottery thieves suddenly retreated westward! ”

"Withdrawn? How can it be? Cheng Yu, Guo Jia and others all screamed in disbelief.

Boss Cao also opened his eyes, and said in a weak voice: "Tao Ying, maybe there will be a messenger, or maybe there will be a letter, go and see, if there is, send the messenger or letter directly to me, there must be no mistake." ”

As Boss Cao expected, after a short while, a herald rushed to report outside the tent, saying that the Xuzhou army had sent a messenger to deliver a letter after retreating. Boss Cao was overjoyed when he heard this, and urgently ordered the guards to present the letter to him, but after the letter was delivered, Boss Cao didn't even have the strength to take the letter, and his eyes were dizzy, and everything was vague. ”

Guo Jia took the letter, and after opening it and taking a rough look at the contents, Guo Jia couldn't help sighing, and said, "Lord, Tao Ying only wrote one sentence on the letter. ”

"That sentence? Read. Boss Cao urged.

Guo Jia cleared his throat and read: "Right and wrong, there are posterity comments, in my heart, you are a hero." ”

After reading it, Guo Jia added: "My lord, at the end of Tao Ying's letter, there is another paragraph for the ministers, saying that when the letter arrives, if you have ...... it, please cremate the letter in front of your spirit." ”

Boss Cao's eyes were melancholy, and he muttered after a while: "In my heart, you are also a good son-in-law." ”

After sighing, Boss Cao, who couldn't see anything, muttered again: "After my death, the army will be temporarily in charge of Zhang Liao, with Jun Ming and Jun Yi as his deputies, assisted by Guo Jia and Cheng Yu, give up Hangu Pass and Ji Pass, withdraw ......, withdraw to Tongguan, and listen to the command of my eldest son Cao Ang." ......Remember, remember, don't ......, don't avenge ...... me. ”

After that, Cao Cao didn't move anymore, Guo Jia and the others hurriedly looked at him, and were shocked to see that Cao Cao's breath was completely gone.

Almost at the same time as Cao Cao's death, Deputy Director Tao, who was leading the army to retreat the way it came, suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable in his chest, as if he had been suddenly hit by a heavy object, and couldn't help but look back at the direction where Cao's camp was located, and his heart was full of melancholy.

………………

When the news of Cao Cao's death reached Xuchang, Yuan Shao's fourteen-year-old son Yuan Mai heard the news, and immediately rushed back to his home, rushed to the side of Yuan Shao's sickbed who had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed in bed for nearly six years, crying and reporting the good news to Yuan Shao, telling Yuan Shao, who hated Cao Cao, that his brother-in-law had finally avenged Yuan Shao's revenge for Guandu and Xuechang's hatred.

Contrary to the young Yuan Mai's expectations, after hearing the news that his rival Cao had finally died, Yuan Shao, who once hated Cao Cao to the core, not only did not show any joy, but his eyes were full of loss and depression. After a long time, Yuan Shao, who had not been able to speak for nearly six years, suddenly said vaguely, "Meng De, you and I are really difficult brothers." ”

After that, Yuan Shao also spurted a bloody arrow from his mouth, his head was crooked, and he died on the spot, less than a month after Cao Cao's death. (To be continued......)