"Yes, yes, go to Zhang Xun for help first."

"If Cao Cao's army really kills it, we will definitely not be able to stop it with our manpower, and Zhang Xun must send more people to come!"

After Qiao Rui was reminded by Yuan Yao, he quickly reacted, and immediately called the guards to convey his order.

Immediately sent someone to find Zhang Xun for help, Zhang Xun has retreated dozens of miles since Lingbi was defeated, and it is not far from Ruyin's location.

The people who went to Zhang Xun for help only needed two or three days to go back and forth.

However, Yuan Yao did smile faintly.

"General Qiao, although I asked you to go to Zhang Xun for help, I can tell you in advance that Zhang Xun will definitely not send someone to support us."

"Huh? Why? Could it be that Zhang Xun wasn't worried about Cao Cao's army? ”

"He's naturally worried, it's just that he's just like you, firstly, he doesn't believe that Cao Cao will choose to attack Zhuxian where we are stationed at this time, and secondly, he has just experienced a big defeat in Huaibei."

"Not to mention the heavy losses of manpower under my command, we also have to guard against Yang Feng and Lu Bu's counterattack, so we may not be able to draw more manpower to support us."

"In the end, even if Cao Cao really comes, he is not far from us, and it will be completely too late to send someone over to support when the time comes."

After Yuan Yao finished speaking, Qiao Rui was a little puzzled.

It's not that he thinks what Yuan Yao said is wrong, it's just that he doesn't believe that Zhang Xun dares to really ignore their pleas for help.

After all, Yuan Yao is stationed here, in case something really happens. It's not good for Zhang Xun to go back and explain to Yuan Shu.

In fact, on the contrary, it was precisely because it was Yuan Yao who was stationed here that Zhang Xun would not send reinforcements here.

After all, although Zhang Xun and Yuan Yao have no direct grudges in private, it is enough that Zhang Xun is Yuan Jing's uncle.

Zhang Xun wished that Yuan Yao would die on the battlefield and never suffer in the future.

Where will they send reinforcements to help Yuan Yao fight Cao Cao?

Even if Cao Cao really came and killed Yuan Yao in the end, Zhang Xun would not be able to take this responsibility, and Yuan Shu would not punish him too much.

At most, he will only blame Yuan Yao, he doesn't know how to advance and retreat, and insists on stationing in Zhuxian, and he won't retreat in advance.

With such thoughts, Zhang Xun naturally ignored Qiao Rui's request for help.

Sure enough, after Qiao Rui sent people and horses for help to Zhang Xun's camp, Zhang Xun agreed on his face.

But for several days, no soldiers and horses were sent to Zhu County at all.

A few days passed, Yuan Yao and Qiao Rui were not waiting for Zhang Xun's reinforcements, but Cao Cao's army that came quickly all the way from Xuchang.

Cao Cao's vanguard force, 5,000 soldiers and horses led by Xiahoudun, went straight to Zhu County, preparing to capture Zhu County first and pave the way for Cao's army.

When Xiahoudun's 5,000-strong army arrived thirty miles outside Zhuxian County, Yuan Yao's spies conveyed the news to Zhuxian County.

Qiao Rui, Ji Ling, and Yuan Yao held an emergency meeting to discuss how to respond.

"Childe, that Zhang Xun really doesn't know what to do, and he hasn't sent reinforcements for a few days, it's too bad, Cao Cao's army is really here."

Qiao Rui's face was tightly knit, and he couldn't help but have some worries about the next battle.

Cao Jun's power, he still has been taught, and it is precisely because he knows Cao Jun's strength that Qiao Rui is not very sure about the next big battle.

What's more, now in this Zhu County, there are only thousands of defenders, and if they want to block the attack of Cao Cao's army, I am afraid that it is not so easy.

Yuan Yao was not worried, and when he saw Qiao Rui's expression, he comforted him a few words.

"General Qiao, don't worry, even without Zhang Xun's reinforcements, we can hold this Zhu County."

"I have 3,000 elite soldiers under my command, and you also have 3,000 elite soldiers under your command, counting the standing troops of Zhu County, we will recruit some more brave people from the countryside and gather 7,000 soldiers and horses, it is not a problem."

"At present, Cao Cao's main army has not yet arrived, and what has arrived in Zhu County is only the vanguard army, which is 5,000 men and horses led by Xiahoudun."

"With 7,000 soldiers and horses, against Xiahoudun's 5,000 men, the advantage is mine!"

Yuan Yao's analysis quickly helped Qiao Rui stabilize his mind.

Qiao Rui was right to think about it carefully, Cao Cao's main army had not yet arrived, and they didn't have to worry too much for the time being.

If Xiahoudun dared to attack the city, the outcome was still a matter of two words.

Moreover, they have the advantage of troops, and they obviously have a slight upper hand.

"Childe is right, we have the advantage, don't worry about it for the time being."

"In this case, we can take advantage of the fact that Cao's army has not yet arrived, first set up an ambush to defeat Cao Cao's advance force, if we can inflict heavy damage on Xiahoudun, then even if Cao Cao's army arrives, we don't need to be too afraid."

"How can we set up an ambush so that Xiahou can fall for it?"

Ji Ling also frowned, leaned over, and asked Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao glanced at the sand table in front of him, pondered for a while, and then continued.

"It's not difficult, Xiahou Dun, as the vanguard army, if he wants to establish merits, he must be in a hurry to attack the city, and they must be bound to win Zhuxian."

"We can also deliberately show some flaws to lure them in."

"Orders, everything will not move, continue to impose a curfew, the city gates will be wide open, but some suspicious people passing through the pipelines will be investigated."

"Send some more men to deliberately patrol outside the city, and change the patrol to once a day three times, so that the enemy will think that we have relaxed our vigilance."

"In this way, Xiahoudun is in a hurry to break the city, and he should find a way to attack Zhuxian."

"We just have to wait for him in the city."

Yuan Yao thought about it a little and thought of a plan, since he wanted to deal with Cao Jun, he naturally needed to be cautious.

His troops are not many, and if he goes out of the city to face the battle, the two sides will charge into battle with great openness, and there will be no fewer casualties.

Yuan Yao couldn't let his men and horses be lost in such a meaningless battle, so he could only adopt the strategy of defending the city.

After all, defending the city is their advantage, and using their own advantages to deal with the Cao army can maximize the collapse of the Cao army's attack.

In order to reach Huaibei as soon as possible, Cao Jun must want to break through Zhu County as soon as possible, which is a point that Yuan Yao can use.

Even if Xiahoudun didn't fall for it in the end and wasn't in a hurry to attack the city, Yuan Yao wouldn't have lost anything anyway, the big deal was just to wait a few more days.

With Yuan Yao's proposal, Qiao Rui and Ji Ling, who were present, both nodded, and there was no better way for them at the moment.

It is definitely impractical to go out of the city to meet the enemy, but the defense of inviting the king into the urn is the most important thing.

"Prepare some defensive equipment in advance, and let's split up."