Because of this, Zhang Chao is hesitating about how to fight this battle? Although the Celestial Empire is strong, it is still a little insufficient with the strength of one battle and three battles, maybe it can be said, but it is too risky.

If the Celestial Empire is still a small force, Zhang Chao doesn't mind taking a gamble. But now that the situation is so good, it seems worthless to risk life and death.

Those who achieve great things are not forever indomitable, and they still have to retreat when they should retreat, which is also to take greater steps and achieve greater victories next time.

Zhang Chao, who knew this truth well, also made a decision at this moment, that is, to withdraw the army, temporarily give up the situation of fighting with Xishu and Dongwu, and give up Yuzhou. After that, he hoarded troops in Gunzhou and Xuzhou, if in this case, Xishu and Eastern Wu still have to fight, then he will fight hard to get hurt and have no breath, and he will give them a good look. And even if he retreats now, he has to say hello to Zhuge Liang and send troops to test it, at least let the other party understand that his Celestial Empire still has strong military strength, and if he wants to seize the fruits of my victory, then whoever he has to pay a very heavy price to do it.

With a decision, Zhang Chao immediately sent the three army commanders over, and said in person that he wanted to withdraw the troops, and also said that although the siege battle was not to be fought, he still had to give a lesson to the Xishu army from afar.

Dian Wei's Sixth Army obtained this errand, and he took his 350,000 troops to Kunyang, Yuzhou, to fight against the Western Shu Vanguard Army.

Under the military order, that night, the Celestial Empire army began to retreat, and when it was early the next morning, Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and Cheng Pu went up to the city wall, and what they saw was the shadowless Celestial Empire military camp.

The front of the city suddenly became empty, and there was not even an ordinary pot and bowl left on the ground, and the three of them were naturally surprised. They were blocked in the city, and they didn't know that Xishu had already sent troops, so they naturally couldn't understand why the Celestial Empire would withdraw its troops.

"Why did you retreat, could it be that my father brought the army here?" On the top of the city tower, Sun Ce asked Zhou Yu a question very puzzled.

"No, even if King Wu arrives with his army, the army of the Celestial Empire will not necessarily retreat." Zhou Yu, who was very familiar with the situation in Dongwu, shook his head, he knew how many soldiers and horses Dongwu could squeeze out now, and it was far from being able to scare away the Celestial Empire.

Hearing Zhou Yu's denial, Sun Ce was even more puzzled and asked, "Could it be that the Celestial Empire deliberately set up a situation to lead us to pursue us?" ”

After saying this, Sun Ce himself denied it. With the strength of the Celestial Empire, they can completely capture the city, or even kill themselves, they have not done it, let alone be bored to use any tricks to lure the enemy.

Sure enough, as soon as Sun Ce figured it out, Zhou Yu shook his head and said: "This is even more unlikely to be a plan of the Celestial Empire, and there is no need for them to do this, and Your Highness, please look at their camp, they are very clean, and they must be quite calm when they leave, and there is no confusion at all." Then such an army, instead of us rushing to pursue? ”

This answer made Sun Ce nod involuntarily. If he used to boast that he was the best in the world, after this war with the Celestial Empire, this kind of thinking would have long been gone.

It's just that he met a Wen Chou, and he didn't win, and this person is just a deputy legion. There are still so many deputy legional commanders in the Celestial Empire, and even several major legion commanders, presumably their strength is even stronger. And the so-called Jiangdong Xiaobawang is also said in Dongwu, and it is better not to mention it when you go out.

Even he thinks he is invincible, with the more than 100,000 soldiers and horses left under his command, how dare he say that he is pursuing the army of the Celestial Empire? Isn't that an egg hitting a stone?

Unable to discuss the results, and didn't know why the Celestial Empire would retreat, Zhou Yu arranged for scouts to go out to inquire about the news.

At noon the next day, the scouts rushed back, and behind the scouts were the 500,000 Eastern Wu army led by Sun Jian.

Sun Jian also learned the news of the Celestial Empire's retreat from the scout's mouth, so he rushed over from the riverside. He was worried about the safety of his son Sun Ce, and it was only now that he was relieved to see that Sun Ce was safe and sound.

When Sun Ce met his father, he also knew the reason for the possible withdrawal of the Celestial Empire. It turned out that Xishu sent troops, and Zhang Chao was forced to withdraw.

"Father, now that Xishu has sent troops, should we send troops to pursue Zhang Chao now? It's a good time. When Sun Ce thought that he had been surrounded for nearly two months, he was indignant.

Sun Jian didn't answer Sun Ce's words immediately, but looked at Zhou Yu and said, "Gong Jin, let's talk about it." ”

"Yes." Zhou Yu responded with a respectful fist, and then said: "If you go back to the king, the minister thinks that you can't pursue the army of the Celestial Empire." Not to mention that we are probably not their opponents when we catch up, even if we can entangle them, we are just making a wedding dress for Xishu. And once our main army is hit hard, I am afraid that if the Celestial Empire does not spy on us next, Xishu will not let go of this opportunity to deal with us. ”

"But aren't we in alliance with Xishu now?" Sun Ce asked with some puzzlement.

"Huh. Gong Jin said very well, we will never give anyone a chance to be weak. As for saying that it is an alliance? That is also based on your own strong ability. Just imagine, if we don't even have the ability to protect ourselves, then what kind of alliance are we talking about? Who wants to be in league with us? It was Sun Jian, who was very satisfied with Zhou Yu's answer at this meeting, and at the same time deliberately explained two sentences, in order to talk to his son Sun Ce to understand.

After listening to his father's words, Sun Jian seemed to understand a lot and said, "So that's the case." In that case, we can go home now. ”

"No." Who thought that Zhou Yu denied his opinion again.

"Why is that?" Sun Ce was really confused by his father and Zhou Yu this time.

Fortunately, Zhou Yu is a courtier, even if the master has doubts, of course he has to answer them. "Your Highness, we still need to chase after the Celestial Empire army, even if we are allies, the superficial work must be in place, at least we can't let people say that we are wrong. As for what kind of speed to use in the pursuit, of course, it is up to us to decide. ”

"Yes, we still have to chase the Celestial Empire army, but at a slower pace. In this way, it was announced to the public that Ce'er was seriously injured on the battlefield and was in a hurry, so the army naturally couldn't move fast. Sun Jian smiled, after several defeats, the strength of Dongwu has long been inferior to the beginning, and now the preservation of strength is the main thing. As for the so-called alliance, the so-called joint attack, if you Xishu have the ability, you will attack well, anyway, he will not take the initiative to attack.

Under Sun Jian's orders, the Eastern Wu army pursued in the direction of Zhang Chao's withdrawal after only a day's rest.

It's just that it's chasing, but in fact, it's only a dozen miles a day, and at this speed, I'm afraid it's never possible to see the figure of the Celestial Empire's army.

......

Kunyang City.

It is located at the junction of Jingzhou and Yuzhou.

Because of the war, and the fact that Wei and Xishu have always been in a state of separation, the exchanges between the two states are not very much. Over time, Kunyang City also declined, and some young and strong people also stayed away from here, leaving only some old people who couldn't walk far, staying here to spend their last lives.

But on this day, groups of black-armored troops did come outside the originally quiet Kunyang City, and after they appeared here, they did not leave immediately, but began to set up camp and make fires and rice.

This one is the Sixth Army of the Celestial Empire, the headquarters of General Dian Wei.

Snatched this main attack task from the First Legion and the Seventh Legion, which made Dian Weizhi complacent. "The emperor still remembers the credit of my old man, hehe, he handed over the task of attacking Xishu to our six legions, even so, it is necessary to behave well to repay the emperor's kindness."

This is the big tent that belongs to the Sixth Legion, Dian Wei said this, and the deputy legion commander Yan Liang and the horse play general even claimed that it was. They knew that Dian Wei and Zhang Chao were very close, but they didn't expect that they would be so close, and the tasks of fighting Xishu in this way were snatched up, which also made the two very excited.

"Okay, I can understand your feelings, but this time we are facing the Xishu army alone, so we must be careful and cautious, cautious and cautious. Hehe, now please ask the military advisor to arrange a battle plan for us. After Dian Weile finished speaking to the two deputy commanders, he said to Li Ru, the military advisor on the side, with some flattery: "Military advisor, please." ”

The reason why Zhang Chao arranged for Dian Wei to stay and fight with the Xishu army was not only because this was a comprehensive army with cavalry and infantry, but also because of the existence of the military advisor Li Ru. This is also where Zhang Chao can rest assured.

"Whew." With a light breath, Li Ru said slowly: "Emperor Cheng is very important, and handed over this opportunity to fight with the Xishu army." In that case, of course we have to behave well. It's just that after all, we have too little experience in fighting with the Xishu army, and for the sake of safety, I decided this way..."

......

After Zhuge Liang received Liu Bei's holy decree, he gathered 500,000 troops from Chengdu in seven days and headed straight for Jingzhou.

The reason why Zhuge Liang took the initiative to fight this time was because he saw that although the Celestial Empire was strong, it was because of the continuous wars, coupled with the fact that he had just occupied the two states of Gon and Qing, it was the moment when his strength was unstable. In addition, Dongwu will also fight to the death, and this time he is determined to severely damage the army of the Celestial Empire.

In order to hurry up to the battlefield and not give Zhang Chao a chance to breathe, he first gathered 500,000 troops and handed them over to General Zhang Ren to lead, and then he arranged for Hu Che'er to stay and continue to gather the remaining 300,000 troops.