It is said that Zhao Chen instructed Zhang Fei, Zhang Liao, and Chen Zhi to take turns to provoke and call for battle under Jucheng, Xiao Jian listened to Huang Qing's suggestion and stuck to the city.

When Xiao Jian climbed the city tower again to check the situation, Zhao Chen's army suddenly disappeared without a trace, and even the scouts that had been scattered in the past few days did not come back.

Many soldiers thought that Zhao Chen's army could not take advantage, so they withdrew, and the resentment in their hearts could not be vented, so they could only forcibly suppress it.

Seeing that Xiao Jian was very uneasy, Huang Qing suggested: "It's better for the minister of state to send some more scouts, not only to investigate the camp of Zhao Chen's army, but also to investigate several directions around Jucheng to confirm whether Zhao Chen's army has really evacuated." ”

Xiao Jian followed his plan and immediately sent out four waves of scouts.

About half an hour later, the scouts from the southwest were the first to rush back.

The southwest direction reported to the scout: "Zhao Chen's camp is empty, and all materials and personnel have been evacuated. There was no trace of Zhao Chen's army in the three miles around the camp. ”

Xiao Jian thought for a while and asked Huang Qing: "Could it be that Zhao Chen's army saw that I couldn't wait for the city to fight, so they led the army back?" ”

Huang Qing shook his head and replied, "I can't say for sure yet, I'll wait for the other scouts to come back and make a judgment." ”

Xiao Jian agreed.

After another half an hour, scouts from the northeast hurried in.

The scout reported: "Ten miles to the northeast, I found the traces of Zhao Chen's army, which was heading towards Zhucheng. ”

When Xiao Jian heard this, he was taken aback: "Zhucheng is the second largest city in Langya Kingdom, and it is the most important position to resist Yuan Tan in Qingzhou, if it is attacked by Zhao Chen from behind, it is very likely to break the city." ”

At this point, Huang Qing suddenly figured it out.

Zhao Chen had spent so much time before, constantly letting all the generals take turns to provoke in front of the city, even if the soldiers of Jucheng should not fight, they would not stop.

It is nothing more than to let the soldiers of Jucheng develop a mindset, and always feel that Zhao Chen's army will return to the camp to rest after the sun goes down today, and Zhao Chen's army will come to provoke again tomorrow morning.

Until last night, Zhao Chen's army took advantage of the fact that the soldiers of Jucheng were accustomed to it, so they quietly bypassed Jucheng and killed directly to Zhucheng.

Huang Qing also sighed: "This Zhao Chen is so bold, he dares to cross Jucheng and take Zhucheng directly, I really think that our army is afraid that he will not dare to go out of the city!" ”

Xiao Jian hurriedly asked, "What does Huang Zhen suggest?" ”

Huang Qing replied: "Prime Minister, Zhao Chen is sure that our army will not dare to go out of the city, and he will not find him bypassing Jucheng, so he will be so bold, regardless of the grain road behind the army, desperately take Zhucheng." But how could Zhao Chen know that our army had discovered his plan. Prime Minister, when will you wait if you don't attack at this time? If our army assaults Zhao Chen's army from behind at this moment, it will definitely be able to surprise and win a complete victory. The soldiers were provoked for days, and they were already angry, so they just took them out to vent, so as not to cause chaos. ”

Xiao Jian was still a little uneasy, so he asked, "What if Zhao Chen's army fights back?" ”

"It doesn't matter, even if our army retreats, it can cut off the grain route of Zhao Chen's army, so that Zhao Chen's army will not return. Jucheng is located in a fortress, and it is a taboo for soldiers to bypass and attack, Zhao Chen dares to take this risk, and the defeat is decided. ”

Xiao Jian was overjoyed when he heard it.

Immediately left 3,000 soldiers to guard the city, led the remaining 5,000 soldiers, and rushed to attack Zhao Chen's army.

The army was violent, and after about half an hour, they arrived at the place ten miles northeast of the scout, and sure enough, a large number of footprints were found on the ground, facing the northeast.

The footprints are messy, with occasional path footprints separating.

Huang Qing said with a smile: "Prime Minister, this Zhao Chen led the troops just like this, our army has not responded to the battle for several days, and the momentum of Zhao Chen's army has reached a low point, and there are even many deserters." At this time, if you chase and kill the past, you will definitely be able to kill Zhao Chen. ”

When Xiao Jian heard this, he became more confident and led the way in a hurry.

Chasing all the way, you can always see the traces left by the army, but you have never found Zhao Chen's army.

All the way to the south of the castle to the black ditch.

There are mountains on both sides here, and the passage in the ditch is long and narrow, and the parallel is no more than ten people's shoulders, and ordinary carriages are not easy.

Xiao Jian chased after this place, and suddenly felt fear, and immediately stopped his horse and hesitated.

Huang Qing also sensed that the terrain here was very unfavorable for the march, and it was sunset, the light was dim, and if there was an ambush, the army would be in danger.

He hurriedly suggested: "Prime Minister, it is not advisable to stay here for a long time, it is better to evacuate quickly." ”

Xiao Jian agreed, and was about to give the order to retreat.

Suddenly, a torch appeared in front of him, and the faint light of the fire swayed in the wind.

Xiao Jian and Huang Qing couldn't help but step forward to check.

Before he could get to the front, suddenly there were shouts of killing on both sides.

A large number of rolling logs and boulders fell down from the entrance of Heijian Ditch, blocking the retreat of Xiao Jian's army.

Xiao Jian exclaimed: "It's not good, there is really an ambush!" ”

At this time, Zhao Chen stood up from the top of the mountain, and the Zhao Chen army in ambush on both sides also showed their faces.

Zhao Chen shouted from afar: "Xiao Jian, it's really not easy to get you out of the city. ”

Xiao Jian sighed: "After all, I fell for Zhao Chen's tricks." ”

It turned out that Zhao Chen had made a plan to lure Xiao Jian out of the city a few days ago, first with the army taking turns to call the battle in front of the city, and the rest of the personnel rested in the camp to confuse Xiao Jian, so that Xiao Jian thought that Zhao Chen's army had no way to start, so he had to go home.

After that, he pretended to sneak around Jucheng, took Zhucheng, and lured Xiao Jian out of the city to attack with the grain road exposed behind him.

Xiao Jian couldn't resist the temptation, so he had to go out of the city and sneak attack, but the result was successful.

For a time, the rockets on the mountain were fired, and Xiao Jian's army, which was besieged in Heijiangou, had nowhere to go, and could only run around as soon as the fire burned.

Countless people trampled on each other, and the number of dead and wounded climbed rapidly.

Xiao Jian was helpless, and while directing the army to retreat, he resisted the arrows shot down from the mountain, and the wood and boulders that rolled down.

About half an hour later, Xiao Jian organized the personnel to move away from the wood and stone blocking the black ditch.

Seeing this, Zhao Chen ordered the army to rush and kill.

On the left is Yanren Zhang Yide, and on the right is Runan Chen Shuzhi, each leading an army of 3,000 to attack Xiao Jian.

Wherever the army went, there was no resistance at all, and they surrendered one after another.

Seeing this, Huang Qing drew his sword against Zhang Fei, and was stabbed off his horse by Zhang Fei in only one round.

Xiao Jian was taken aback and desperately urged the army to retreat.

finally escaped from Heijian Ditch and went straight to Jucheng.

Zhao Chen, who was behind him, was not in a hurry to catch up, gathered the army, counted the wounded, and arranged for prisoners.

Xiao Jian ran out of thirty miles in one go, and when he turned around, he didn't see Zhao Chen's army chasing after him, and finally put his mind at ease.

Until the early morning of the next day, Xiao Jian came to Jucheng and shouted to open the city gate.

Suddenly, the flag on the city changed, Zhang Liao walked out from behind the daughter wall, and replied: "Xiao Jian, Jucheng has been taken by my military division, why don't you surrender quickly." ”

Xiao Jian only realized at this time that he led his troops out of Jucheng with his front foot, and was attacked by Zhao Chen on the back foot.

Zhang Liao pretended that Xiao Jian's defeated army deceived and opened the city gate.

The soldiers in the city had no backbone, and when they saw Zhang Liao leading the army into the city, they surrendered one after another.

This time, it can be regarded as a bloodless victory over Jucheng.

At sunrise, Zhao Chen led the army back to Jucheng.

Zhang Liao led Xiao Jian, who was bound by his hands, to see Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen personally untied Xiao Jian and said: "Xiao Xiang doesn't have to be like this, Langya Country is the land of Xuzhou, and my father-in-law Liu Xuande is a relative of the Han family, and he aims to revive the Han family." Xiao Xiang is the lord of my family, guarding Jucheng is not a departure from the Han Dynasty. ”

When Xiao Jian heard this, he knelt on one knee and was convinced.

After taking Jucheng, Zhao Chen found that the supply of grain and grass in the city was far more than he imagined.

No wonder Zang Ba has been thinking about it.