Listening to this series of numbers, Zhang Chao nodded with satisfaction, "Okay." So how many people are there now that we have entered Xiaquyang? ”

"Hui Lord, in addition to the 5,000 cavalry of the Zhangjia Army, there are 30,000 soldiers of the original Second Army plus 30,000 prisoners, according to your requirements, they are all disrupted and inserted into the Second Army, and persuasion and education are carried out day and night, and some of their families have gone to Bingzhou, and the number of people who want to fight can reach more than 65,000." Pang Tong replied very seriously.

"Okay." Hearing that all the way to the kill, Fei Dan's strength was not discounted, but improved, Zhang Chao couldn't help laughing. That is the case, I want to use this force to make a good mess in Jizhou, and I want Yuan Benchu to know what will happen if I offend me. Come, Shi Yuan, you immediately write a letter and send it to Jia Xu's military division in Youzhou by Feiying, and you tell him that it is appropriate to station troops next to Hejian County and put pressure on him. “

"No." After Pang Tong agreed, he began to write on the desk.

...... ......

Yecheng.

After Yuan Shao sent many secret agents, he finally knew the number of troops Zhang Chao brought into Jizhou. He couldn't help but laugh when he heard that there was only eighty-five thousand. "This Zhang Zhiyuan, it's really that there is a way in heaven that he doesn't take, and there is no door in hell to break into. He only entered my Jizhou with less than 100,000 people, how is it different from looking for death? ”

"Yes, only bringing these people into my Jizhou is really bullying us and no one. I also ask the lord to send troops quickly, and leave them forever, so that others may know what will happen if they offend us. Xu You saw that the opportunity appeared, and said in a sycophant way.

"Okay, Ziyuan's words are very much in line with me, after I catch Zhang Chao, I will have to drink for three days, hahaha." Yuan Shao was very happy at this moment, as if Zhang Chao had been caught by him now.

In fact, Yuan Shao did send a large army towards Julu, where Lu Bu's army was also facing the danger of being surrounded.

Lu Bu led 50,000 cavalry of the vanguard army, passed all the way, appeared in the form of a surprise attack, occupied Zhongshan County, and then appeared in Julu, beating the Yuan Shao defenders there in a daze. But with his whereabouts revealed, it was already difficult to think of a surprise attack.

The senior guard of Julu County followed the advice of the strategist Zhu Hanzhi and adopted the method of retreating, taking the initiative to surrender some cities to Lu Bu, and then he concentrated a large number of forces and began to confront. It is conceivable that once other Yuan Shaojun reinforcements arrive, they will be surrounded on several sides, and at that time, it will be the time of crisis for the vanguard army.

When Lu Bu's situation was reported to Zhang Chao, he was in the county seat of Wuxian County in Julu.

After entering here, Zhang Chao did not occupy the county seat as usual, but just took the money and grain in the treasury and left immediately, on the contrary, he did order people to build the city wall, and seemed to be ready for a defensive battle.

Many people were very puzzled by Zhang Chao's actions, even the staff officer Pang Tong who followed was also puzzled in his heart, but no one asked, in their opinion, all the decisions made by Zhang Chao were correct.

After hoarding troops in Wu County, Zhang Chao arranged for someone to release the rumors, saying that it was because of the running all the way, the army was already tired and couldn't walk, and needed to take a good rest.

In fact, the 60,000 infantry followed the cavalry of Lu Bu's vanguard all the way, running all the way, and the army was indeed a little tired. Zhang Chao also saw that the soldiers were not strong enough, so he decided to take a good rest in Wu County. Of course, he also had an idea to reduce the pressure on Lu Bujun.

Don't look at Lu Bu's joy of killing all the way, but it is all because he did not encounter the main force of the enemy, and now that the reinforcements are present, I am afraid that it will not be so smooth if I want to continue to move forward. On the contrary, if you can attract the main force of the enemy, the vanguard army can surprise any place without any block, and achieve the goal of doing whatever you want in Jizhou.

On the yatai of the county government, Zhang Chao looked at the sand table that had just been set up by Tie Wei, and asked Pang Tong on the side: "Shiyuan, you said that your Chen soldiers are here, how many of Yuan Shaojun's main forces can be attracted to attack?" ”

"Ahh Hearing that Zhang Chao's approach was actually to attract Yuan Shao's army and reduce the pressure on Lu Bu, Pang Tong was shocked and said, "Lord, you must not do such a risky thing." Even if we have mobilized Yuan Shao's army, it is better to retreat while fighting and retreat to Zhongshan County, so that we can attack and retreat, and there is no need to worry about safety. ”

"Yes, Shi Yuan is right, the method you said is really safe. But in this way, our military goals have not been achieved, I want to stir up the land of Jizhou, if I see the enemy army and retreat, wouldn't it make people laugh? Of course, I don't have to value this fame and fortune, but I really didn't achieve my military goals, so I left like this, which makes people unwilling. After Zhang Chao said his thoughts to Pang Tong, he pointed to the sand table and said: "We have already released the rumor, the army is tired, and we must be able to attract more sieges from Yuan Shaojun, so that the pressure on Lu Bu will be much less, but it can well complete the strategic purpose I requested, in this way, it will be worth the trip!" ”

Zhang Chao said in a very firm tone. And after saying this, he looked at Pang Tong on the side and said: "Shi Yuan, immediately repair a book, send someone to the place where General Lu Bu is, and tell him that I am attracting the attention of Yuan Shao's army behind him, and whether I can be safe depends on whether he can stir Yuan Benchu into fear and withdraw his troops from me." ”

Zhang Chao is trying to use himself as a bait to attract the main force of the enemy army and provide an opportunity for Lu Bu to hit Jizhou hard.

Although Pang Tong knew that this move was too dangerous, even Zhang Chao was not afraid, so what was he afraid of. I immediately agreed, and immediately began to write a letter.

When Kuaima delivered the letter to Lu Bu's place, Lu Feng first saw it and handed it to the deputy general Hou Cheng and said, "Look at it, how much risk the lord has taken?" ”

After receiving the letter, Hou Cheng looked at it carefully and said with a hesitant expression: "The lord is a real hero, but isn't it too dangerous to do this." Otherwise, let's retreat, join forces with the lord all the way, and have more strength, so that there is a danger, and there is also the possibility of returning to Zhongshan County and returning to Bingzhou. ”

"No, absolutely not. If we withdraw our troops and return now, it will not only make the lord's plan fail, but also may fall into a heavy siege, which is the next policy. It would be better to rely on the superiority of the cavalry to take the initiative to attack, as written in the letter, and perhaps reduce the pressure on the lord. "Lu Bu once disobeyed the military order, was arranged to Yanmen for a while, and even delayed his marriage to Minchan, with the experience of the previous car, he did not dare to violate Zhang Chao's order.

After saying these things to Hou Cheng, Lu Bu pointed to the sand table in front of him and said: "Come, we will go out of Gaoyi from the west, pass through Ren County, attack Quliang, and approach Yecheng, to give Yuan Shao a powerful look, as long as we can achieve such a military goal, we will definitely divide the army besieging the lord, this is what we should do." ”

Lu Bu said in an unchangeable solemn tone. After hearing this, Hou Cheng also nodded and said, "Okay, general, I am willing to be the vanguard and lead 10,000 cavalry to kill first." ”

"It's been so hard General Hou, don't worry, if the road is in danger, you can retreat and join forces with me, looking for a way to break the enemy." Lu Bu looked at Hou Cheng with appreciative eyes and nodded.

While Zhang Chao was arranging everything, several reinforcements arranged by Yuan Shao also came to Julu one after another.

Among them, Yan Liang of Hejian County led 50,000 troops, Changshan Gao Ran led 50,000 troops, General Wen Chou led 100,000 and 60,000 Gao Gan troops guarding Julu, with a total of 260,000 people.

With 260,000 against Zhang Chao's so-called less than 100,000 people, he first had a great advantage in terms of military strength.

When the four armies converged in Julu County, a piece of news made them both excited and a little hesitant, that is, the spies had found out that Zhang Chao was leading 30,000 infantry to Julu's Wu County.

This news made the faces of several generals show joy, but another piece of news made them a little confused about the situation, that is, the 50,000 vanguard army led by Lu Bu suddenly disappeared from view, and where it went, the spies have not yet discovered.

"Where did Lu Bu go? Could it be that you saw our army coming and fled? In the military tent, Wen Chou, the general who led the most troops, asked the people below.

"Maybe it's an escape, a good Lu Bu, the world says that he is the number one general, and now that I see our army, I don't even want the lord, hehe, I think he is just like that." It was Yan Liang who spoke, and as he spoke, he looked at Gao Gan, who was guarding the giant deer.

As Yuan Shao's nephew, Gao Gan has always been high-minded, and even fierce generals like Yan Liang and Wen Chou don't pay much attention to it. Now that I have the opportunity to ridicule him, I naturally won't let it go.

"Who said that Lu Bu must have escaped, what if he made a detour to Yecheng, wouldn't it be dangerous for the lord? In my opinion, I still have to find out what I am saying. After noticing Yan Liang's slightly sarcastic gaze, Gao Gan explained.

For Lu Bu, he had sent troops to engage him, but the 10,000 troops he sent were defeated in just a face, which also made him have to change from offensive to defensive.

"Okay, don't quarrel, I think this matter should be reported to the lord to make a decision, but even if Zhang Chao is in Wu County, such an opportunity must not be missed. I'd suggest that it be fenced off first. When the time comes, whether to fight or release, everything is up to the lord. Another general, Gao Ran, also stood up and said his suggestion.