Yu Ban was unable to provide effective support, but Cao Hong suffered. After completely defeating the 2,000 Cao troops, the crossbowmen turned over and began to attack Cao Hong's home team.

The crossbowmen walked around the formation, and they lit torches to illuminate Kou Feng, causing invisible pressure on Cao's army. Cao Jun fought with Kou Feng on the one hand, and on the other hand, he was prepared for the crossbowmen who might come in at any time, half-heartedly, and fell into the disadvantage, but fortunately, thanks to Cao Hong's proper command, he could hold on for a while.

Even the crossbowmen are strange, that is, they go around and do not participate in the war. In fact, Kou Feng was also afraid of the invisible pressure, that is, the possible reinforcements of the Cao army, and Kou Feng did not know that the Wuxi volunteers had entangled the reinforcements. The crossbowmen were actually guarding against reinforcements from Cao's army that might arrive at any time.

A fire broke out in the direction of Cao's camp, and after seeing the fire from afar, the crossbowmen shouted in unison: "Cao's camp is on fire!" ”

The warring Cao Hong and Kou Feng took a look. Cao Hong was shocked and hurriedly said: "This is the camp lighting torches, not a fire. ”

Kou Feng shouted: "Cao Hong, you can see clearly, the firelight in the distance is not a torch at all, the firelight gathers, and the sky is full of red, which is not something that a torch can send out at all!" Soldiers, the camp of the Cao army has been attacked, we have won, follow me to kill the thief and make contributions! ”

The morale of the Han army was greatly boosted, and the Cao army fell into a slump. The herald who informed the forbidden faction of the actual situation was seen by the crossbowmen and killed by a burst of arrows.

Cao Hong couldn't get the exact news, and he hesitated in his heart whether it was an accident in the big camp that caused the reinforcements to arrive that could not arrive! Cao Hong didn't dare to fight hard anymore, and commanded the soldiers and horses to retreat and fight at the same time.

Kou Feng had the upper hand and did not let go, biting Cao Hong tightly. Cao Hong kept retreating, and after retreating fifty steps, Kou Feng looked back and saw that it was too far away from the iron car array, Cao's army was defeated but not dispersed, and it might be risky to entangle, so Kou Feng ordered to leave the battlefield and gather up the soldiers and horses.

The crossbowmen tacitly connected and shot at Cao Jun with their crossbows. Before, the two armies were entangled and did not dare to release arrows. Now, the Han army has retreated, the Cao army's formation has not been organized, and the crossbows have shown their might.

Cao Hong was also unwilling to be targeted, and ordered a return fire, but he was far inferior to the efficiency of the crossbowmen, and was shot dead as many as 2,000 people.

Kou Feng collected his troops and returned to the iron chariot formation and commanded the iron chariot to retreat to the Han army camp. Cao Hong was no longer a threat, and Kou Feng sped up to break away.

After setting the fire, Ma Liang also hurried back to Shamoko. Ma Liang ordered the Wuxi volunteers to blow a unique horn for retreat. When Shamoko heard this, he said, "Mr. Ma is really, I'm going to win in a while." ”

Most of the places where the Wuxi volunteers lived were mountainous, and the poor mountains and bad waters made them physically strong and brave and ruthless. Although there are few soldiers and horses, the combat effectiveness is very strong, especially in close combat.

Cao Jun did not expect to encounter the Han army, and blindly rushed to support, and the formation was inevitably loose. Shamoke led the Wuxi volunteers to successfully rush to their eyes and fight in close combat.

If it is not as good as fighting in battle with the Wuxi volunteers, if you want to talk about the melee Cao army, it is not an opponent. With their skills, they quickly suppressed Cao Jun.

Ma Liang sounded the horn of retreat, although Shamoke was unwilling, Ma Liang told him to listen to orders and listen to orders on weekdays. Shamoko still hesitated to call for retreat.

When Cao Jun saw that the Wuxi volunteers suddenly retreated, they were not sure and did not dare to chase after them. Gather the horses and horses and light the torches. Send someone to report to the ban and wait for the order.

Cao Cao also saw a faint fire in the distance, but Cao Cao didn't care, he believed that Yu Ban would deal with it.

On the battlefield, torches have been lit. The Han army has been retracted, and the formation is a tight defensive formation! Liu Bei Mingjin began to slowly withdraw from the battlefield.

Cao Zhen's cavalry attacked in all directions, waiting for an opportunity to break in, but as soon as they got close to the Han army, they fired thousands of arrows and forced them back.

Cao Hong sent someone to report that he had been defeated and that reinforcements from Yu Ban had not arrived for a long time.

Cao Cao listened and looked down and said, "Withdraw!" No matter how much we fight, we can't expand the results of the battle, and after a day of fighting, the soldiers are tired, and once our momentum passes, we will suffer! "My men went to give the order.

Jiang Ji said: "King, we finally won!" ”

Cao Cao nodded and said, "Yes!" It's a win! The two armies of Cao and Han each collected their troops and retreated. The iron chariot soldier Kou Feng and the Wuxi volunteer soldier Ma Liang also took advantage of the chaos to withdraw.

Liu Bei retreated to the camp and ordered Xu Shu to go to check the casualties and rescue the wounded.

After dawn, Xu Shu came to see Liu Bei, who was taking a nap with his head down!

Xu Shu shouted to the lord, Liu Bei looked up at Xu Shu and said, "Yuan Zhi, have the casualties been counted?" ”

Xu Shu nodded slightly, Liu Bei touched his face and said, "Then report it!" ”

Xu Shu agreed and said: "Zhang Nannan Zhang Nan was killed in battle, and most of the soldiers and horses were lost. Feng Xi and Zhao Rongbu lost more than half. All 5,000 cavalry were lost. In addition to the losses of various units, more than 34,000 people were killed.

In addition, the iron chariot soldiers lost more than 5,000 people, nearly 1,000 crossbows, and the lord's white-eared elite soldiers also lost nearly 3,000 people. Injuries don't count. ”

Liu Bei was stunned for a moment and said: "That is, half of the soldiers and horses are lost!" ”

Xu Shu said: "Almost." However, according to my estimate, Cao's losses were not light.

First of all, the cavalry that poses the greatest threat to me may not even be able to make up 10,000. General Pound also annihilated more than 10,000 men. General Kou Feng killed more than 6,000 people of Cao Hong's army. It is estimated that Cao's army lost about 30,000. ”

Liu Bei sighed and said: "It was I who was greedy, and in order to annihilate the 10,000 Cao army, Cao Cao seized the opportunity to send cavalry to crush our army." The greatest losses were undoubtedly those of the cavalry. ”

After a pause, Liu Bei smashed his fist on the table and said, "Yuan Zhi, send a letter to Kong Ming, and take Longyou at all costs." We need cavalry, otherwise it would be a joke to advance into the Central Plains! There is no need to send reinforcements, all the reserve soldiers and horses are sent to Longyou to support! ”

Xu Shu responded: "It's the lord." But the lord doesn't have to be upset. Judging from this battle, we suffered a small defeat, but from the overall point of view, we did not suffer a loss, and we were able to delay for a long time by removing the threat of Cao's cavalry.

Although Cao Cao won, he didn't dare to support Longyou with the whole army, and our plan was realized! And this battle proves that we can fight Cao Cao head-on. South of Nanyang is already in our pocket. ”

Liu Bei said: "Yuan Zhi is reasonable. However, the iron chariot soldiers, even crossbow soldiers, and white-eared elite soldiers are not trained overnight, and the three most elite soldiers and horses add up to 10,000 casualties, how can I not be heartbroken!

After this war, Cao Cao's gains were greater than ours, and the Central Plains was first stabilized by him, and those who wanted to respond to us may not dare to act for the time being! Cao's army is more than ours, and our losses are still greater than his. I'm afraid that Cao Cao will be able to free up his hands and divide his troops to rush to Longyou after all! Xu Shu was silent.

Liu Bei said: "There is another thing, the body of the fallen soldier will be transported back to Yizhou for burial, all the parents of the fallen soldiers over 50 and children under 16 will be exempted from the levy tax, and the money and food will be provided every month, and the disabled soldiers will be exempted from the levy tax for the whole family or part of the levy according to the situation of the family. Zhang Nan's son Zhang Li was included in my house. Xu Shu was ordered to withdraw.

Liu Bei rewarded Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhang Ren, Pang De, Kou Feng and other soldiers for their hard work. Liu Bei packed up his soldiers and horses, and there were still 50,000 soldiers and horses.

After learning of the front-line battle, Pan Jun in the rear transferred 4,000 soldiers and horses from Jiangling, Gong'an, Wuling, Lingling and other places to supplement the losses. Xiangyang City drew two thousand soldiers and horses. Liu Bei had 60,000 soldiers and horses and continued to confront Cao Cao.

Cao Cao returned to the camp to set up a banquet to reward the three armies, Cao's army won a great victory, and the generals were enthusiastic, and they all asked for war to take advantage of the situation to fight Liu Bei again.

Cao Cao smiled to appease the generals and entertained them. Leave Jiang Ji and Sima Yi to discuss. After Cao Cao waited for the generals to leave, he took out the report of the battle in Guanzhong and handed it to them.

Jiang Ji and Sima Yi were shocked when they saw it. Cao Cao said: "Alas, Zitong and Zhongda, although our army's victory over Liu Bei is gratifying, the situation in Longyou and Guanzhong is really worrying.

This was received last night, and this is the reason why Zitong persuaded me to withdraw my troops several times today, and I insisted on taking the risk of fighting this battle. Zhang Ji sent me the requirements, there are thieves out of the Meridian Valley into the Guanzhong.

Preparing to defraud Chang'an, the Tongguan guards also found that there were thousands of unknown Cao troops haunting. I pressed it and didn't leak it, Miaocai is still besieging the street pavilion, once this soldier and horse attacks its back, even cutting off its grain and grass will be a fatal blow, and now Liu Bei is newly defeated, there will be no big action in a short time.

I'm going to go to Guanzhong in person to deal with the rebellion in Guanzhong, you see. ”

Sima Yi said: "Liu Bei has only 50,000 or 60,000 soldiers and horses in Jingzhou, only more than 100,000 in Yizhou, and only 40,000 or 50,000 in Hanzhong. Now there are nearly 90,000 soldiers and horses under Nanyang City, defending Jiangdong, garrisoning Xiangfan and dividing 20,000 or 30,000 soldiers and horses, and there are no less than 50,000 or 60,000 people in Longyou, and more than 10,000 people out of the Meridian Valley, and they have to defend Hanzhong. Liu Bei pressed all the money at this time and then made a big gamble. He's too bold. ”

Cao Cao said: "Yes, Liu Bei used all his strength, but we only took out less than half of our strength.

I look ahead and look ahead, so now it is me and not Liu Bei who are embarrassed, Liu Bei seems to have no family background, if he wins, with the war horses of Liangzhou, the grain of Longyou, and Qiang Di as a soldier, he can get rid of the hardships of Shu Road and compete with me for Guanzhong.

With Nanyang as a bridgehead, he can easily reach out to the Central Plains, and now, Guanzhong is in chaos, we have to retreat, Guanzhong can't be chaotic, chaos can't be afforded. Originally, I wanted to finish the battle, but now it seems that Nanyang is going to give up for the time being! ”

Jiang Ji said: "Is there no other way for the king?" Didn't Liang Xi send troops to support General Xiahou a few days ago? ”

Cao Cao said: "This is exactly what I am worried about, the soldiers and horses of Bingzhou do not pass south of the Yellow River, they go to the north and go directly to the street pavilion."

Zhao Yun entangled Xiahou Yuan in the street pavilion, the thieves from the Meridian Valley stuck the grain road behind, more than 50,000 people had no food, and in less than ten days, they would inevitably be defeated, isn't the battle of Guandu an example? ”

Sima Yi said: "The king, I thought that I should retire the army, and now Nanyang is no longer recoverable in a short time, so it is better to give up."

Now, we rush to the aid of Guanzhong, while Liu Bei is still in Nanyang, on the one hand, annihilate the thief army in Guanzhong, stabilize the back road and grain road of General Xiahou, on the other hand, why not go straight into Hanzhong, so that Liu Bei is difficult to take care of, as long as the street pavilion is opened, Liangzhou and Longyou can be lost and regained, and then make full preparations to attack Nanyang and Xiangfan, which are flat. ”

Cao Cao said: "Zhongda's words are exactly what I want, I am ready to send Xu Huang, Zhu Ling and others to take the first step and enter Guanzhong, and tomorrow, I will personally order to go down." I followed with 20,000 men and horses.

Zhong Da assisted Cao Ren to lead 50,000 soldiers and horses to hold Liu Bei here, under my banner. Zitong with the army! Jiang Ji and Sima Yi promised and withdrew.

The next day, Cao Cao left Cao Ren to be himself, confronted Liu Bei, and confused Liu Bei. Zhang Liao led the troops to Xinye, hired Tun Jiangxia, recalled Cao Zhang, who pacified Wuhuan, and led troops back to the division to defend Xuchang, and supported everywhere at any time. Cao Cao personally led 20,000 soldiers and horses into Guanzhong.