Cao's army quickly retreated to the Tiger Pass, leaving Zhang Jawshuai's 100,000 infantry troops to guard the Tiger Pass, and the rest of the army returned to Xuchang at full speed.

When the main force of Cao's army arrived at the city of Xuchang, Zhuge Liang had already led the army to retreat to Xuanyuan Mountain, set up camps, dug trenches, arranged to resist horses, and prepared to hold on.

Cao Cao stationed his army outside the city, first entered the palace to meet the emperor, and then returned to the prime minister's palace to convene all the civil and military affairs.

Cao Cao sighed and said with great regret: "This time I dispatched more than a million troops, hoping to capture Luoyang with one drum, but I didn't expect it to fall short!" This is providential! ”

Xu You held the goat's whiskers and smiled: "Definitely." This defeat was not providential, but man-made. The prime minister should not overestimate Sun Jian's ability! It is precisely because of the overestimation of Sun Jian's ability that our army will fail! ”

Xun You nodded and said, "Xu You is right, we overestimated Sun Jian's ability. Who would have thought that Sun Jian's 400,000 main force was almost wiped out by Lu Bu in a battle?! Our army was unprepared in Nanyang, which caused the flanks to be empty, and Lu Bu took advantage of the situation! ”

Xun Yu sighed with emotion: "Lu Bu's courage is also admirable!" Dare to transfer the main army away from Luoyang to fight Sun Jian! This is also something that we did not think of before the war! ”

Guo Jia said lightly: "What we should think about now is not what has passed, but what we should do." ”

Cao Cao nodded and glanced at everyone, "Now that Xuanyuan Mountain is occupied by Lu Bu's army, it directly threatens Xuchang, and this scourge cannot be eliminated!" I want to personally recapture Xuanyuan Mountain! Fengxiao and Xu Yu walked with me, and Xun Yu and Xu Yu guarded Xuchang. The four of them came out and clenched their fists in response.

After the discussion was dismissed, Cao Cao got down to Xun Yu, "Wen Ruo, during my absence, did Liu Bei make any moves?" ”

Xun Yu shook his head, "There is no change, his three brothers always stay at home and grow vegetables." ”

Cao Cao was stunned, "Growing vegetables? Hehe, I didn't expect Liu Bei to be so content with the status quo! Glancing at Xun Yu, "Wen Ruo, what do you think of Liu Bei?" ”

Xun Yu thought for a while, hugged his fists and said: "My subordinates think that Liu Bei is the dragon and phoenix among people, but I am afraid that he will not be willing to live under others!" Cao Cao thought for a moment and said with a smile: "I don't think the same way you do!" Although he is a dragon and a phoenix among people, I have the means to subdue the dragon and subdue the tiger! Liu Bei and the three brothers are all great talents, and I need them for my great cause. ”

Xun Yu asked, "Does the prime minister want to reuse them?" ”

Cao Cao shook his head and smiled, "No, I still have to polish them." They are heroes, and it is too easy for them to get the opportunity to show them, and it will not be easy to control them in the future. ”

Xun Yu smiled and hugged his fists and said, "The prime minister is wise." ”

Eyes turned to Luoyang.

Zhang Lang looked at the map and frowned, he found that the main army in the back mountain was sent all the way down from Bingzhou, and it was completely a long snake formation. Now Zhang Lang's situation is not very good, from Bingzhou, to Luoyang, to Nanyang, to Xiangyang, almost all of the fronts for more than 2,000 miles are fronts that need to be defended! His opponents, on the other hand, can concentrate their power on one point.

Zhang Lang rubbed his head, feeling that the shape in front of him was a little troublesome, and the most troublesome thing was the place where he bordered Cao Cao, and the pressure was very high.

Huang Yueying, who was wearing a black official robe and a scribe's crown, walked in, and Zhang Lang only smelled a fragrant fragrance like an orchid and musk, which was refreshing. When I raised my head and saw Huang Yueying coming over, my mood immediately improved.

Huang Yueying came to the middle of the hall, and Ying Ying bowed: "Little sister meets eldest brother." ”

Zhang Lang smiled, "Little sister is here." Come on, come on, sit sit down. ”

Huang Yueying smiled slightly, walked to the bookcase, and knelt down. Glancing at the map in front of Zhang Lang, he asked with a smile, "Big brother is worried about the current situation?" ”

Zhang Lang nodded, "The bigger the territory, the more trouble!" From Bingzhou to Jingzhou, the wide front of more than 2,000 miles is almost a front that needs to be guarded! Our army's strength is a little beyond its means! ”

Huang Yueying pondered: "The main threat to our army is in the two directions of Luoyang and Nanyang. Heavy troops should be stationed in these two places. Now the arrangement of our army does not have to be adjusted. ”

Zhang Lang asked, "Don't you think our Luoyang's defense is too weak?" There are only three legions of Luoyang, Hussars, and Blue Wolf, and Cao Cao occupies the Tiger Prison Pass, and he can be overwhelmed by the army at any time! ”

Huang Yueying smiled slightly, "Big brother, you forgot that there are more than 200,000 people's troops in Luoyang!" After thinking about it, "I think we can swap Ma Chao's Blue Wolf Legion and Pingnan Legion, and the Blue Wolf Army should be able to play a greater role in the direction of Xuanyuan Mountain." ”

Zhang Lang looked at the map and thought for a moment, then nodded. Raising his head, he smiled: "That's it?" ”

Huang Yueying pondered: "I estimate that Cao Cao may launch an attack on Xuanyuan Mountain in the near future to remove the threat to Xuchang. ”

Zhang Lang said: "Then we can attack in other directions to contain Cao Cao's forces." ”

Huang Yueying nodded and pointed to the Huguan in Bingzhou, "We should rush here to attack, this is Cao Cao's weak link." ”

Zhang Lang pondered: "Huang Zhong's hussar army still has 50,000 horses left, you can secretly transfer it, rest on the spot, and attack from Huguan immediately if necessary!" Huang Yueying praised: "Big brother's idea is the best. ”

Zhang Lang looked at Huang Yueying's delicate face, and couldn't help but be stunned, and his heart was about to move. Huang Yueying noticed Zhang Lang's demeanor, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head.

Xiao Long, the captain of the guard, suddenly rushed in and knelt down and said, "General Qiyu, Mrs. Cai asks to see you." ”

Zhang Lang showed a look of surprise and glanced at Huang Yueying, Huang Yueying smiled and said, "She must have come this time for the matter of Xiangyang." Zhang Lang asked jokingly: "Does she still want to be the assassin of Jingzhou?" ”

Huang Yueying smiled slightly, "That's not true, she should want to take back their Cai family's property in Jingzhou." There was a look of hesitation in his eyes.

Zhang Lang covered Huang Yueying's slender hand with his big hand and said with a smile: "Don't have any scruples, just say whatever you want." ”

Huang Yueying showed gratitude, and said: "Actually, the eldest brother needs the Cai family now......" Zhang Lang understood what Huang Yueying meant, now he has just obtained Jingzhou, and his foothold is not stable, and the Cai family is a big family in Jingzhou, although it has gone through the previous destruction, but the old relatives and friends are still there, and the influence is still there, and the use of the Cai family is very useful for controlling Jingzhou.

Zhang Lang nodded and said to Xiao Long, "Please Mrs. Cai." ”

Xiao Long promised, retreated, and after a while, he led a mature woman with heavy makeup and a long skirt in a palace dress to come in, it was Mrs. Cai, who had not been seen for a long time.

When Mrs. Cai saw Zhang Lang, her eyes lit up, revealing a lingering taste of affection, and Ying Ying bowed: "The people's daughter meets the general." ”

Huang Yueying stood up and saluted: "Auntie." ”

Mrs. Cai smiled slightly and said with emotion: "Yueying is really getting more and more beautiful!" The eyes turned between Huang Yueying and Zhang Lang, and the meaning was self-evident.