After Liu Bei waited for Song Zhong to leave, he immediately discussed with Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang, and Xu Shu said: "It's better to lead troops to attack Xiangyang urgently, and then reject Cao."

Liu Bei asked: "This is the foundation of Brother Jingsheng, how can he attack his heirs and take away his inheritance!"

Zhuge Liang saw that Liu Bei categorically refused, and also understood that Cai Mao had been in charge of the army for a long time in Xiangyang City, and he had been in business for decades, which could not be easily taken, not to mention that Cao Cao's army would arrive soon, so he said: "Since this is the case, it is better to retreat into Jiangling and try to make a big deal."

Liu Bei said: "It can only be like this."

So he led the soldiers and horses to Jiangling in the south, Liu Bei was stationed in Xinye for seven years, governed Xinye, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment.

Liu Bei couldn't bear to abandon it, so he retreated south with the people. When the people of Fancheng saw it, they also followed. The people dragged their families and followed them. Liu Bei led more than 100,000 people to retreat south.

Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang hurriedly came to Liu Bei to persuade them: "Lord, if we want to take Jiangling, we must attack urgently, if we bring 100,000 people, I am afraid that it will delay the speed of our army's march, and we will not be able to resist Cao Cao at that time."

Liu Bei said: "I know, but if the people want to belong to me, how can I abandon it."

Liu Bei ordered the ships that were prepared to hide in the people to be collected, and Guan Yu's sailors boarded the ship, Liu Bei first let the old people and children among the people board the ship, and the sailors trained by Guan Yu did not board the ship except for the necessary guards of the sailors, and sent the people to the direction of Jiangxia, and then returned to continue to transport the people.

Liu Bei sent someone to Liu Qi for help, and answered on the way. Everyone persuaded Liu Bei to send his family members away first, Liu Bei said: "There are no old people in my family, how can I go first, the people believe in me before they follow, how can they violate their oath, there is no need to say more." ”

Zhuge Liang said: "Even so, after all, the lord's family should not be mixed with the people, so as not to have accidents." The crowd agreed.

Liu Bei said: "In that case, Zilong, prepare the family, and take care of it." ”

Zhao Yun stepped forward and said, "I will live up to the trust of the lord." ”

Guan Yu first led the troops to line up the wooden boats in the Han River, erected two pontoon bridges, and the people all crossed the Han River, and the neighbor chief, the township head, and the tun chief each selected the old people and children, sent them to Guan Yu's boat, and went south along the Han River.

Liu Bei looked at Xiangyang and came.

When everyone arrived at the city of Xiangyang, Liu Bei came to the city and shouted, "Please come out and talk."

The soldiers and horses defending the city reported to Liu Cong, Liu Cong did not dare to answer, Cai Mao said: "Don't pay attention to him, if you dare to approach the city, you will shoot him with arrows."

Liu Bei shouted several times, but no one paid attention, Liu Bei sighed, beat the horse and left.

Zhang Fei said: "Why don't you take the opportunity to break Xiangyang and slaughter Liu Cong and Cai Mao."

Liu Bei said: "Even if the city is broken, it will not help, it will only be a misery, not to mention that Liu Cong is the son of Brother Jingsheng, and Anken will harm him."

Zhang Fei said: "Big brother is too kind, cheap these thieves."

Liu Bei continued to retreat south, some people in Xiangyang fled out of the city, abandoned Liu Cong and took refuge in Liu Bei, and some scholars in Jingzhou, with their own family and subordinates, fled with Liu Bei. There were tens of thousands more, and the march was very slow, and it was only more than ten miles a day.

Jian Yong persuaded Liu Bei: "If you march like this, before you reach Jiangling, Cao Cao will inevitably catch up, so it is better to advance with a light horse, and when Jiangling is broken, you will come to meet again."

Liu Bei said: "The great affairs of Fuji must be people-oriented, and this person belongs to me, how can I bear to abandon it!" What's more, once I leave, the people will panic, the soldiers will be frightened, and if Cao Cao catches up, he will be poisoned. I am here, and I can still organize soldiers to resist, so that the people can survive. ”

Jian Yong said again: "It's not a good strategy to go on like this."

Liu Bei pondered for a while and said, "I won't go to Jiangling, I ordered to go to Jiangxia." The crowd was shocked.

Liu Bei was confident and thought: "Since Jiangxia is my place of origin, it is against the sky to go to Jiangling, so it is better to go to Jiangxia as soon as possible." ”

When ordering a team of 1,000 people, divide into five teams, and start cooking every ten miles to save time.

Liu Bei also ordered the people to leave only one piece of clothing except for gold and silver, and the rest were buried or discarded, and then compensated until Jiangxia.

Liu Qi received Hou Yin and asked in surprise: "In this way, my father has passed away."

The messenger said, "Exactly."

Liu Qi cried bitterly when he heard this. The tent said, "When will the lord die?"

The messenger replied, "Twenty days ago."

Yi Ji said angrily: "In this case, why don't you notify the eldest prince immediately, but come here at this time."

The envoy did not dare to conceal it, so he made it clear that Cai Mao, Kuai Yue and others supported Liu Cong one by one.

Liu Qi was shocked when he heard this, and Yi asked again: "Then what did Cai Mao send you here for?"

The messenger said: "Cai Mao sent me to inform the eldest prince Cao Cao's army that it has arrived, and if it surrenders, it will still not lose the position of the marquis, otherwise, the army will be crushed and turned into powder in an instant."

Liu Qi said angrily: "Cai Mao dog thief, my father treats him well, why does my father have to surrender before his bones are cold."

Yi said: "Why don't the eldest prince fight against Liu Cong and regain control of Jingzhou to resist Cao Cao."

Liu Qi said: "I also have this intention. You can send someone to Xinye to contact my uncle Liu Xuande and fight Liu Cong together. ”

While they were discussing, Liu Bei's envoy Mi Zhu arrived, and Liu Qi informed the envoy of the matter as it was.

Mi Zhu said: "The eldest prince, my lord also knows about this matter, and now my lord wants to occupy Jiangling to resist Cao Cao, so I have come to invite the eldest prince to go together."

Liu Qi said: "That's what I mean." Immediately ordered 10,000 soldiers and horses, and made Gan Ning the vanguard and came to Jiangling.

Cao Cao arrived in Xinye, saw that there was no one in the city, and knew that Liu Bei had fled south, and Cai Mao sent someone to greet him, Cao Cao asked: "Liu Bei has been to Xiangyang."

The messenger said: "Liu Bei has been to Xiangyang, but he did not dare to attack the city, and led the remnants of the army to flee south. ”

Cao Cao said: "Where to go." ”

The messenger said: "I don't know, but Liu Bei brought more than 100,000 people, and he couldn't walk ten miles a day." ”

Cao Cao said: "Liu Bei must want to occupy Jiangling in the south, Jiangling is an important place for soldiers, and Liu Bei must not be allowed to get it first." Where is Cao Chun? ”

The person under the tent turned out and said, "Cao Chun is here." ”

Cao Cao said: "You and I led 5,000 tigers and leopards to attack Jiangling in a hurry, and they were taken by surprise and attacked unprepared. The army was postponed, and Liu Bei must be completely annihilated in this battle. ”

Cao Chun promised. Raise your troops and lead the crowd to attack.

The tiger and leopard cavalry is Cao Cao's selection of 100 generals, each of whom has been in war for a long time, and the battle is brave, and the horses are one of the best horses in a hundred, and this army is known as the world's best horse.

Cao Cao and Cao Chun led the tiger and leopard to gallop 300 miles in one day and one night, and caught up with Liu Bei at Changban Slope in Dangyang.

Liu Bei and Guan Yu reconciled, and Guan Yu transported the old and weak back and forth to the direction of Jiangxia, and put down all the people. After such repeated transportation, Liu Bei did not stop, and kept going south.

Guan Yu made peace with Liu Bei in Changbanpo this time, at this time, there were only 30,000 left of more than 100,000 people, and most of them were men and women, and Liu Bei was ready to send them all to Jiangxia at one time.

Liu Bei transported the people to the ship, but the boat could not be loaded, Liu Bei ordered the soldiers who were familiar with the water to take the people who were familiar with the water to hold the wood, and the wood was tied to the back of the big boat, and transported as many people as possible. Temporary conversion of vehicles into improvised boats. Liu Bei's family was also picked up on the boat at the insistence of everyone.

In the end, less than 10,000 people remained. Liu Bei led more than 10,000 people to protect them.

Cao Cao led the tiger and leopard to ride and kill, and after Liu Bei got the news, he lined up and ordered the people to flee in all directions, and fought in person.