Cao's army withdrew from Xuzhou, and the Xuzhou area temporarily returned to tranquility.

On the front line of Xuchang, the Cao army and the Huainan army met unexpectedly, the two sides fought continuously, and the Huainan army advanced all the way, and it was approaching the boundary of only seventy or eighty miles away from Xuchang.

The Huainan army is about to come to the city, but the city of Xuchang is still peaceful.

The noisy streets were still noisy during the day, and the people in Xuchang City seemed to have no idea that an army was approaching the city.

It is no wonder that the people of Xuchang will be so calm and relaxed, since Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Han Xian to Xuchang, Cao's army has not tasted defeat.

Although the Huainan army advanced all the way to Xuchang, the interception encountered along the way was not very strong.

Cao Cao's study in the house.

Cao Cao and Guo Jia, who were sitting opposite each other at a low table, were playing a game calmly.

"Feng Xiao has another son." Cao Cao, who was holding a sunspot, landed a chess piece on the chessboard, looked up at Guo Jia with a smile on his face, and said to him: "In this way, this game is decided!" ”

"Not yet! Not yet! Also smiling, Guo Jia held a white son in his hand, shook his head, dropped the white seed on the chessboard, and said to Cao Cao: "How does Ming Gong think of this son?" ”

"Oops!" Seeing the one that Guo Jia fell, Cao Cao slapped his forehead and said to Guo Jia with a look of annoyance: "Feng Xiao is really a good artist, so he is convinced!" ”

"This game is a preemptive game." Looking at Cao Cao, Guo Jia said with a smile: "Ming Gong was aggressive at first, and his subordinates just took it step by step. Although the Ming Gong offensive was fierce, the foundation was unstable. Once the subordinates find an opportunity, they will surely turn defeat into victory. ”

"A chess game is like a battle game!" Listening to Guo Jia's explanation, Cao Cao nodded and said to him: "Fengxiao is a god in using soldiers, and he can also play the heroes of the world in the palm of his hand. A certain has to be filial piety, but it is the way of heaven to help a certain person, to help the Han family, and revitalize the foundation of the Han Dynasty! ”

Looking at Cao Cao with a smile on his face, Guo Jia didn't speak, but nodded approvingly.

Since serving Cao Cao, Guo Jia has found that Cao Cao, who is not very good in the eyes of many people in the world, thinks that he wants to restore the Han Dynasty all the time.

However, Cao Cao was not the kind of foolish and loyal courtier, and while he wanted to restore the Han dynasty, he also tried to maintain his rights and status.

Like Cao Cao, who took the emperor with him, many things were forbidden by orders, and the courtiers who gave orders on behalf of the emperor would die once they fell off the horse.

Cao Cao knew this, so he suppressed Liu Xie in many ways and forced Liu Xie to do something he was unwilling to do.

Similarly, Guo Jia also knows this layer, and also knows that in Cao Cao's status, if he doesn't do this, I'm afraid that the most ugly person who will die in the end will be the hero in front of him who is truly loyal to the Han family, but also has his own thoughts.

"Our army will intercept the Huainan army in Baling, can Feng Xiao ever think about it, Baling is already a few miles away from Xuchang, if this battle is ......" stood up, walked to the window, looking at the scenery outside the window, Cao Cao's brows twisted slightly, and he only said half of the words, so he didn't say any more.

"Our army will win this battle!" Cao Cao stopped talking, Guo Jia hurriedly stood up, clasped his fists and bowed to him and said: "The Huainan army has advanced all the way, and our army has little resistance. The officers and men of our army watched the Huainan Army advance towards Xuchang, and they also held back a fighting spirit in their hearts. Once the two sides start a war, the other army is arrogant, our army is high-spirited, and the victory and defeat are already known in morale alone. ”

Cao Cao didn't speak, just looked out the window, quietly waiting for Guo Jia to continue.

"Baling is close to the Bahe River, the Bailu Plain on the left is flat, suitable for cavalry formation, and the mountains on the right are stacked, suitable for ambush attacks!" Facing Cao Cao, Guo Jia hugged his fists and bowed down, and said to Cao Cao: "Duke Ming can lay a small number of soldiers and horses by the river and lead the Huainan army across the river. Wait until it is halfway through, the ambush soldiers are all up, and they are intercepted and killed in the middle of the road! ”

Listening to Guo Jia's words, Cao Cao nodded, but still did not answer.

He knew very well that Guo Jia's plan would definitely not be so simple, and after the ambush soldiers intercepted and killed the Huainan army, I am afraid that there would be a backhand.

"After intercepting and killing the Huainan army, Ming Gong ordered the ambush soldiers to retreat to Bailuyuan!" Sure enough, after Guo Jia finished talking about the previous strategy, he went on to say to Cao Cao: "The Huainan army has suffered a big loss, and it must be unwilling in my heart. Although Ji Ling is a fierce general, he is brave and strategic. When the Huainan army chases to Bailuyuan, Ming Gong can wave his cavalry to attack it, and then the infantry will follow, and the Huainan army can be defeated in Bailuyuan in one fell swoop! ”

After listening to Guo Jia's plan, Cao Cao turned around suddenly, looked at Guo Jia, waved the sleeves of his robe, and said to Guo Jia: "Fengxiao is really a certain shareholder, in this way, the main force in front of Yuan Shu's tent will be lost, and when a certain person breaks through Xuzhou, he can go west to Huainan and include Huainan in the middle of the group!" ”

"Bonghyo!" After saying this, Cao Cao strode up to Guo Jia, took his hands, and said to him: "The Han family is declining, and the responsibility of restoring the Han Dynasty has now fallen on our shoulders. I don't know how people in future generations should evaluate us when they mention us a hundred years later! ”

"Ming Gong is too worried!" Holding his hand by Cao Cao, Guo Jia said to Cao Cao: "A hundred years later, there are descendants who say that Ming Gong only needs to do a good job in the present and let the world know that Ming Gong is the one who saves the Han from fire and water, turns the tide, and looks down on the world." As for how future generations will comment, Ming Gong can't hear it, his subordinates can't hear it, and no one in the world knows about it, so why bother too much! ”

"Good!" Holding Guo Jia's hand, Cao Cao strode towards the door, standing outside the door of the study, he raised his hand and pointed to the courtyard outside, and said to Guo Jia: "This small garden is like the world, I hope to be able to see the infinite rivers and mountains with Fengxiao in the future!" ”

"Ming Gong is a great talent in the world, and he must do his best to think about it, and he will die for Ming Gong!" His hand was held by Cao Cao, Guo Jia couldn't salute Cao Cao, so he had to bow slightly and express his heart to Cao Cao.

Two days later, on the banks of the Ba River.

On the banks of the river on both sides, two armies were stationed.

The army on the south bank was more than 50,000 men, while the army on the north bank was at most more than 10,000 men.

Riding his horse to the river, Ji Ling raised his horsewhip, pointed to the opposite side of the riverbank, and said with a smile to Zhang Xun beside him: "Looking at the opposite side of the riverbank, do you feel that this battle is familiar?" ”

"What does the general mean?" Looking at Cao Jun on the other side of the river, Zhang Xun asked Ji Ling with some puzzlement: "What battle is this battle similar to?" ”

"On the same day, Cao's army entered Xuzhou, led Mi Zhu and Mi Fang brothers to cross the river to pursue, and intercepted and killed in the valley, could it be that the general forgot?" Turning his head to look at Zhang Xun, Ji Ling smiled slightly, and said to Zhang Xun: "Now it's such a battle again, but it's not Mi Zhu and Mi Fang, how can Cao Jun succeed?" ”

"What does the general mean?" Hearing Ji Ling's words, Zhang Xun turned his head to look at him and asked him.

"Cross the river!" With a disdainful smile on the corner of his mouth, Ji Ling said to Zhang Xun: "Pass the order, cross the Bahe River, there is no need to pursue the enemy army, wait until the army gathers and advance to Xuchang!" ”

"No!" As a deputy general, Zhang Xun had to obey Ji Ling's orders, and after Ji Ling's order was issued, he responded with a fist, and then said to a personal soldier who followed behind: "Pass the general's order, and the whole army will cross the river!" ”

As the order flag flew, there were bursts of shouting in the camp of the Huainan Army.

Countless Huainan troops pushed boats down the riverbed and rowed towards the opposite side of the riverbank.

Leading Cao's army on the other side of the river bank was Xiahoudun, who had led the army to attack Liu Bei earlier, drove Liu Bei out of Qingzhou, and then went down to Xuzhou to pursue him.

Seeing that the Huainan army had begun to cross the river, Xiahoudun did not order the whole army to retreat as Ji Ling expected, but waved his hand and shouted to the soldiers behind him: "Pass the order, the whole army will meet the enemy!" ”

After receiving Xiahoudun's order, his own soldiers responded and waved the order flag.

Five thousand Cao troops, who had been waiting on the bank of the river for a long time, immediately put up a defensive formation.

More than 1,000 archers, putting arrows on the bowstring, aimed at the Huainan army that was crossing the river.

The Bahe River is not very wide, but the wind on the river is very strong, if the distance is too far, after the bow and arrow shoot out, it is likely to be blown aside by the wind, and it is difficult to cause due damage to the Huainan army.

The officer of the Cao army, who commanded the archers, raised one arm and stared at the Huainan army on the riverbed getting closer and closer to the shore without blinking.

The Huainan Army, who was marching across the river bank in a small boat, put a shield on the front of the boat, and stared at Cao Jun on the other side of the river bank with a pair of eyes.

Many archers of the Huainan Army had also buckled their arrows on the bowstring and aimed at the Cao army lined up on the opposite side of the riverbank.

The Huainan army that crossed the river was difficult to get a unified command when they got on a small boat, so they took off their longbows and confronted the Cao army, completely out of a warrior's instinct.

These Huainan troops are all elites under Yuan Shu who can fight habitually, and their ability to control the battlefield is not even inferior to that of some low-level officers.

The arrows were buckled on the bowstring, and the Huainan army did not rush to release the arrows, until they felt that the arrows had been able to hit the Cao army, and a few Huainan soldiers released the bowstrings.

The arrows that flew out staggered towards Cao Jun under the fierce wind blowing on the riverbed, and although they eventually fell into Cao Jun's array, they were already at the end of the crossbow and could not cause any damage to Cao Jun at all.

An arrow flew into the chest of one of the Cao soldiers, who was parrying in the direction, and the arrow had pierced his heart.

The soldiers of Cao Jun, who thought that he would definitely die, were stunned to find that when the arrow hit his heart, it didn't even penetrate the leather armor and fell directly to the ground.

Looking at the Huainan army that was about to land on the river bank, the officer commanding the archers of the Cao army had his arm raised high.

The wind on the river was getting tighter and tighter, as if it wanted to cooperate with the battle.

Finally, the first small boat of the Huainan Army approached the riverbank, and twenty or thirty Huainan soldiers on board jumped out of the boat with shields.

"Shoot the arrows!" As soon as the boat of Huainan Army jumped out, the officer of the Cao Army commanding the archers suddenly pressed his hand and gave the order to release the arrows.