After Xiahou Yuan intercepted Huang Quan, the mountain that Huang Quan retreated into was called Axe Cutting Ridge, the ridge was relatively bare, but fortunately it was quite steep, and the stone and rock forests were conducive to defense.

Xiahou Yuan was very satisfied and said to Zhao Ang: "It's very good here!" Huang Quan really knows how to choose a place! ”

Zhao Ang said: "Why did the general say this! It seems to be good for defense, but it's not. Huang Quan was mostly a cavalryman, and his horses needed horse feed, and there were not many trees and grass on the mountains.

Within a few days the horses were left without food. When the cavalry loses its horses, it is equivalent to losing most of its combat strength, and our army can fight in one battle! ”

Xiahou Yuan said with a smile: "It's naturally not good to stand on Huang Quan's side!" Isn't it right to be on our side? Wei Zhang, you are optimistic, the Han army was originally rescue-oriented, carrying not much food, and the forage needed for horses was even scarce, so they could only kill horses!

And looking at the fact that there are not many trees on the mountain, there is no firewood to make a fire for cooking, and the food will be bad, so how can we talk about combat power when the time comes! At least half a month, at most twenty days, Huang Quan will be captured by me! Liu Bei used this person as a general, which is really empty! ”

Xiahou Yuan ordered to surround the surroundings and set up a strict arrangement to prevent the Han army dogs from jumping over the wall in a hurry. What Xiahou Yuan didn't expect was that in the place where he couldn't see, Huang Quan had already prepared a month's worth of food.

Choosing this place is to take a fancy to its disadvantages, and give Xiahou Yuan the illusion that the Han army can break itself without just waiting.

Xiahou Yuan used the main force to encircle Huang Quan, and divided 2,000 soldiers and horses to hold Lintao City, blocking Taoyang, Hou and possible Han troops, and the rear grain road was guaranteed by Sima Guohuai.

At first, there were no waves, the grain and grass arrived in time, and everything went according to plan. Xiahou Yuan patiently confronted Huang Quan.

After ten days of confrontation, Huang Quan led his troops down the mountain to attack Cao's army, and Xiahou Yuan commanded Cao's army to stand still, wait for the battle, and shoot back with bows and crossbows. Subsequently, Zhao Ang and Wang Ling each led Cao's army to attack.

Huang Quan retreated to the ridge and did not fight again. A few days later, Cao Jun, who was patrolling, found the carcasses of horses abandoned at the bottom of the ridge, and Cao Jun, who was on the lookout, also observed the appearance of a horse's head in the mountain, speculating that it might be killing horses.

Xiahou Yuan analyzed in detail that the reason why Huang Quan went down the mountain was because of the lack of food, so he took a risk. After being defeated by himself, he retreated to the mountains to kill his horses for food, and the time he waited for was approaching.

Xiahou Yuan's situation was very good, Cao Hong disrupted the deployment to besiege Taoyang, Xiahou Yuan went back and forth to apply for punishment, and finally persuaded him to go back.

The situation began to change subtly, first received a report from Yang Fu that Ma Chao had killed Di Dao, the grain and grass were threatened, and his own troops were insufficient, Ma Chao had the possibility of going south, hoping that Xiahou Yuan could give up Huang Quan and give priority to the rendezvous to avoid the dispersion of troops.

Xiahou Yuan was unwilling to give up the upcoming victory, and replied to hope that Yang Fu could keep Xungu, wait for Cao Ren's reinforcements and Cao Hong, who was returning to the division, and drag Ma Chao.

It's a pity that the letter was intercepted and Yang Fu didn't receive it. Guo Huai then reported that the grain and grass could not be transported, and his grain transportation team was attacked by a large number of Qiang thieves, which had never happened before, so he gave priority to protecting the grain and grass hoarding land, and sent people to contact Yang Fu to deal with the attack.

In the next five days, Yang Fu has not been able to contact, and most of the people sent have not returned. There was no news from Yang Fu, and Xiahou Yuan felt that something was wrong.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, the generals were separated on both sides to listen to orders, Xiahou Yuan held a sword in his right hand, pressed his left hand on the table, and pondered something with his head sideways!

A person came in from the military tent, it was Zhao Ang, who stepped forward and bowed his hand. Xiahou Yuan came back to his senses and said, "It's all done!" ”

Zhao Ang responded: "General, it's all done!" ”

Xiahou Yuan straightened up and said: "Generals, I have already heard of what I want to say, in recent days, it has been rumored in the army that Ma Chao intercepted the grain from behind us and killed us!"

I have commanded that this matter should not be discussed! But the words are terrifying, and the soldiers are panicked after all, and if the rumors are there, they must find a way to calm them down. Therefore, I want to fight a quick battle, destroy Huang Quan, and then the north will also meet Yang Fu and Cao Hong, and then the rumors will be self-defeating.

Originally, I wanted to wait a little longer, and when Huang Quan was weaker, I was marching into the army, but now I can't afford to drag it out! In that case, then I will lure him down the mountain, and then surround and annihilate! ”

After a pause, Xiahou Yuan said: "All the generals have their own orders and follow the plan. Everything you need is ready. Then he commanded him to go down, and the generals made their own preparations.

After everyone left, Zhao Ang couldn't help but ask: "General, the last general asks one more question, if Huang Quan doesn't plan or things change, what should he do?" This has to be prepared! So as not to mess up the battle! ”

Xiahou Yuan sighed and said, "At that time, I can only retreat!" According to my judgment, Ma Chao should enter Longxi County. I also got the exact news that Qiang Di is burning the pasture and cutting off the fodder for our army's horses!

Why is Qiang so obedient? Who will make them obedient! Ma Chao, only Ma Chao has this kind of prestige. Truth be told, the safest way is to retreat now! But I don't want to let my prey go. ”

Zhao Ang supported: "I understand the general! Releasing Huang Quan is very detrimental to the next action! It is right to annihilate! Besides, even if we can't return to the north, we can still go east into the Qishan circle to meet Yangfu in Longxi County! ”

Xiahou Yuan said: "I dare to fight because there is still a retreat in the direction of Qishan!" Now concentrate on eliminating Huang Quan! ”

Huang Quan was not as miserable as Xiahou Yuan thought in the mountains, at least the food and horse feed were still enough.

The only thing I don't like is that raising horses is too hard. The mountains do not dare to expose the horses, there is no racecourse, the horses are all circled together, after raising for so many days, we must pay special attention not to raise the war horses fat, this is to start a war and run slowly, how much the horses eat must be strictly controlled, and every day we have to slip on the narrow mountain, it is really painstaking.

Huang Quan is not as anxious as Xiahou Yuan, but he is hanging in his heart like Xiahou Yuan, unable to get news from the outside, it is a torment for Huang Quan, and his hope is completely pinned on Ma Chao.

Huang Quan forced himself to pay more attention to how to confuse Xiahou Yuan, and repeatedly figured out Xiahou Yuan's psychology. Imagine how you would do it if you were starved of food. The result is that Xiahou Yuan's is indeed consumed here.

Huang Quan spent the rest of his time looking at the map, calculating Ma Chao's action steps in detail, deducing what might happen, and how he should deal with it, but unfortunately his deduction was like a car behind closed doors!

The guards came to report to Cao's military camp that a large number of birds had been falling in the past two days, and it took a long time to fly out. Huang Quan heard the spirit and said, "Let's go, go and see!" ”

Huang Quan came to the watchtower to observe, and it was indeed so. Huang Quan quickly considered what might happen.

After thinking for a long time, Huang Quan said to the general beside him: "Lead a few people, be thin, ride a few skinny horses to have a look, and look around to see if there is any Cao Jun!" ”

The leader of the general, Han Yuan, promised: "The last general will go!" ”

Han Yuan went down the mountain to check, and returned to report about two hours later: "Assassin History, Cao Junzhai is empty. There was no Cao Jun nearby. However, there is a large amount of grain and grass left in the village! So the birds flock to go! ”

Huang Quan thought for a while and said, "General Han, Cao's army retreated without a fight. We need to guard against their schemes! You go down the mountain with 3,000 men, remember, don't line up in formation, it's just like a thief and a robber.

The horses were brought five hundred, and the rest were on foot. When entering the camp to make a fire and cook, there must be obvious cooking smoke. In the village, you must quickly catch up with the horses and choose heavy objects.

and men were sent to carry grain into the mountains. If Cao Jun does not move in two days, he will retreat, and Ma Chao will definitely succeed in the rear. Han Yuan took the order.

For the next day, there was no movement. Huang Quan sent a large number of scouts to listen to the news. In the secret place, Xiahou Yuan waited anxiously, and two scouts rushed to report and were about to give a salute.

Zhao Ang shouted: "Tell me if there is any news!" ”

The scout hurriedly said: "The thief army has not left our army camp. Thieves are constantly entering our military camp. ”

Zhao Ang looked at Xiahou Yuan, and Xiahou Yuan said in a somewhat impatient tone: "Isn't there any sign of preparing to march?" ”

The scouts looked at each other and said, "There is no obvious sign. There are still a small number of thieves in the mountains. ”

Xiahou Yuan said angrily: "What is Huang Quan doing! I withdrew from the siege, and he didn't dare to move. The net scouts inquired for news. The soldier is fast, what is he doing there? ”

Zhao Ang looked at Xiahou Yuan and thought: Huang Quan is understandable for being cautious, after being on the mountain for such a long time, blindly marching into the army is an act that only does not know the art of war.

General Xiahou wished that Huang Quan would choose to return to Taoyang quickly after withdrawing from the siege. It seems that he is in a hurry.

Thinking about it, Zhao Ang persuaded: "Maybe Huang Quan is afraid that we won't dare to leave easily!" He didn't know where Ma Chao and the others were, and it was understandable to send someone to investigate! ”

Xiahou Yuan tapped the ground with the hilt of his sword, and suddenly said: "Don't wait, the intelligence collected by the scouts is less than a thousand thieves and horses, and most of the thieves are unkempt and shabby, like remnants.

Now the thief army has the support to attack it, and it is more expensive to come out and fight in the wilderness. We can't afford to wait! ”

Xiahou Yuan got on his horse neatly and began to gather Cao's army. That night, Xiahou Yuan sent a good shooter to shoot the Han scouts and quietly approached.

At dawn, Xiahou Yuan led 10,000 cavalry and Fei Yao's 2,000 foot soldiers to approach the Han army, and then raided. Huang Quan has ordered martial law to die in the past few days, and all the soldiers of the Han army are not allowed to disarm, and the horses are tied to the rest of the camp.

Han Yuan didn't dare to slack off, and did as he could. Cao Jun's approach was secretive, but he was still discovered by the Han army. The Han army reacted quickly, prepared their blades, and stepped on their horses.

Han Yuan set fire to report to the mountain, and Huang Quan on the mountain quickly responded. Concentrate 2,000 cavalry and prepare to go down the mountain to fight. Xiahou Yuan and Zhao Ang dealt separately, Xiahou Yuan led 3,000 cavalry to intercept the Han army on the mountain, and Zhao Ang led the rest of the soldiers and horses to deal with the Han army in the camp.

Zhao Ang was unceremonious, surrounded the Han army, and began to attack the camp, Han Yuan commanded the Han army to block the gate of the wall, not letting Cao's army in. The grain carts and the horses that had been made in the past two days were placed in a staggered and orderly manner to block the impact of Cao's cavalry.

Destroying all the tents in the village and giving his cavalry room to attack, Han Yuan ordered that after Cao's army entered, they would only rush in one direction, that is, on the mountain.

Zhao Ang didn't take much effort to tear down the fences on all sides of the camp and surrounded them from all sides. He was stunned for a moment when he saw the three thousand cavalry.

Zhao Ang didn't expect that the scouts were listening to what they saw during the day, and Huang Quan had already quietly sent the horses at night. Zhao Ang was shocked that according to their calculations, the Han army's horses should have been almost killed, and at the same time he was shocked that the Han army was well prepared.

He felt like he had fallen into a trap. The Han army charged up and hit the Cao cavalry formation, and the impact of the Cao cavalry that had just rushed in slowed down, and the Han army took advantage of the situation to kill and start a fight.

Han Yuan roared: "Rush forward, don't stop!" Rush! "Swing the spear in your hand with all your might. Zhao Ang quickly noticed Han Yuan, picked up the strong bow, and drew the feather arrow.

The bowstring sounded, and Han Yuan's attention was focused on the battle, and he didn't have time to defend himself and fell in response. After a riot in the Han army, it immediately returned to normal, and the Han army tied Han Yuan's body to a war horse and continued to break through. The Han army had their own commanders, captains, and military commanders.

A fire burned on the mountain in the distance, and that was where they were headed. After Zhao Ang shot Han Yuan to death, he commanded the soldiers and horses on the left and right to turn the direction of the attack and encircle the Han army.

Carelessly, Zhao Ang divided the Cao army into four directions to attack, and wanted to encircle and annihilate the Han army. Unexpectedly, this will lead to a weak army. The 3,000 cavalry of the Han army rushed to one place, but instead had the advantage.

The Cao army desperately blocked, but still did not stop, the Han army killed through the Cao army's formation, the Cao army desperately stopped, the two armies were completely twisted together, and the Han army guided the battle in an orderly manner and gradually broke away from the battle.

Zhao Ang commanded, and his hands were not idle. The flowing movement of arrows was fired, and it was the Han army that fell to the ground in response, and Zhao Ang also dispatched sharpshooters to snipe the Han army together.

Zhao Ang couldn't see the waves on the outside, and he was eager to end the battle as soon as possible, and he didn't want to stay here anymore.

He remembered what Xiahou Yuan told him yesterday: Guo Huai sent people to directly persuade them to retreat from Qishan and not risk going north to meet Yang Fu. The situation is eroding more than they could have imagined.

On the way to attack, Xiahou Yuan had already informed him that he had decided to adopt Guo Huai's suggestion, no matter what the outcome of the battle would be tonight! After dawn, go east out of Qishan and return to Longxi County. It's just that no one could have imagined that his old opponent Ma Chao was coming.

Huang Quan went down the mountain to prepare to meet the Han army under the mountain, but Xiahou Yuan had already arranged to lead his troops to block the attack, the mountain was rugged, and the cavalry needed to go to the open ground to set up a formation before charging.

Huang Quan saw Xiahou Yuan's strict formation and understood that if he swaggered in formation, Xiahou Yuan would attack first and tear up his formation.

Huang Quan thought about it and thought about it. Huang Quan led his guards forward and suddenly said: "The thief army below, there are 5,000 cavalry in my mountain, if you want to live, don't stand in the way!" ”

Xiahou Yuan was originally cautious, and he couldn't help but laugh when he saw such a situation, if he wasn't afraid that Huang Quan would run back to the mountain, he would have ordered an attack a long time ago. Now I listen to Huang Quan's intention to fight against myself, and I can't ask for it.

There are few people now, and Huang Quan said that he would run. If there are many people under him, he will be clogged and crowded if he loses, and he will have a chance to capture Huang Quan alive.

Xiahou Yuan playfully said: "Although the Yellow Thorn History shows his skills, he is waiting to see the five thousand cavalry of the Yellow Thorn History!" ”

Huang Quan pretended to brag about himself, and secretly the Han cavalry dismounted and lowered his voice, and went to the designated position to mount the horse.

Huang Quan attracted Xiahou Yuan's attention, Xiahou Yuan was not stupid when he saw it as a joke, he paid close attention to the movements of the Han army, he didn't want to lose to this incapable assassin.

In the dark night, the Han army extinguished the torches, and Huang Quan also beat the war drums to cover the sound of the horses to prevent Xiahou Yuan from judging the number. Xiahou Yuan felt a little uncomfortable, and suddenly a thought flashed through him.

Xiahou Yuan shouted: "Charge! Offensive! Cao Jun moved.

Huang Quan reacted immediately and shouted: "Soldiers, face the battle!" Charge! ”

At this time, the Han army had only 1,000 troops, and the rest of the soldiers and horses had not yet been set up in formation. Huang Quan organized the 1,000 cavalry to fight first, and then the remaining 1,000 cavalry stepped up their formation.

Xiahou Yuan was cheated by false information, when he saw the whole team of cavalry, Xiahou Yuan scolded the scout in his heart, originally expected that there would be a maximum of 500 cavalry on the mountain, and he would command 3,000 enough to crush it, but it is difficult to say whether he will win or lose at the moment.

Huang Quan calmly commanded the current situation, turning a blind eye to the fighting under the mountain. The Han army slaughtered from above, and the impact power slightly prevailed.

Cao's army was better than the large number of people, and Xiahou Yuan did not devote all his troops, he felt that there were still Han cavalry in motion. The two armies were slaughtered together, and it was difficult to separate.

Xiahou Yuan and Huang Quan did not join the battle group, and the two of them were like two masters, waiting for the other party to move first, revealing flaws, and killing them with one blow.

Xiahou Yuan waited, and suddenly Zhao Ang sent someone to report the battle situation, Xiahou Yuan's face changed slightly after hearing this, the Han army was still five thousand cavalry, and he had waited for nearly a month in vain!

Pulling the armor around his neck, Xiahou Yuan said solemnly: "Tell Zhao Ang that seven thousand cavalry is enough to encircle and annihilate the Han army." Don't surprise me! ”

Xiahou Yuan's attention turned back to the battlefield, Huang Quan no longer hid his figure, and a thousand cavalry were neatly arranged. Xiahou Yuan saw that he was even more sure that he was calculated!

Xiahou Yuan was uncomfortable, Huang Quan was the same, after Xiahou Yuan was worried, Huang Quan was worried about the moment, he was thinking about whether to give it a go and throw in this thousand cavalry, but once defeated, he could not retreat to the mountain and hold on.

The two confronted each other with their own hearts, and the battle between the 1,000 Han army and the 2,000 Cao army on the battlefield became more intense.