It is said that Bing Yuan said the reason for helping Zhao Chen, Zhao Chen was overjoyed, if things went well, General Ziyi's inclusion in Liu Bei's account was already a certainty.

Coincidentally, on this day, I received two letters about Tai Shici in a row.

Although Sun Ce's movements were far faster than Zhao Chen expected, Zhao Chen reorganized his thoughts and felt that it would not affect him to take Qingzhou.

Bing Yuan led Zhao Chen's army all the way to Yingling City.

Seeing that the city was quiet, all the soldiers muttered in their hearts.

Zhang Liao asked Zhao Chen in a low voice: "Military advisor, could it be Wang Xuan's plan to bring our army here under false surrender, and they want to raid?" ”

Zhao Chen's eyes looked firmly ahead, and said, "I believe Mr. Genju." ”

Zhang Liao didn't say more.

Sure enough, after waiting for about a quarter of an hour, the gate of Yingling slowly opened.

Wang Xuan and Cen Bi led the soldiers out to surrender.

Zhao Chen was overjoyed, and successfully received the 10,000 troops in the city, and added two more available talents.

When the neighboring small cities of Pingshou, Xixian, Linqu, and Guangxian heard about it, they all sent letters one after another, expressing their support for Zhao Chen's army.

Zhao Chen also treated each other with courtesy, did not change everyone's official position, and still maintained the status quo of governance.

At this point, Zhao Chen's army in the Northern Expedition really had a foothold, and one-third of Beihai and most of the Qi Kingdom were under Zhao Chen's control.

However, Yuan Shao's 20,000 army, which was hundreds of miles away, was coming towards Le'an Kingdom.

The news was sent to Zhao Chen's temporary residence in Yingling as soon as possible.

In the study, Cheng Yu, Zhuge Jin, Bu Qi and others were deliberating

Zhao Chen asked, "Who can you find out the leading general?" ”

"Yan Liang, Zhang He, and another frustrated army."

Zhao Chen understood, waved his hand and motioned for the guards to wait outside the door.

Cheng Yu thought for a moment and suggested: "Military Division, there are only 7,000 people in Linzi City now, and the guards General Wen Xiang and Bo Yan are estimated to be difficult to resist, do you consider giving up Linzi?" The two armies combined should be more than enough to deal with Yuan Shao's army. ”

"That's exactly what Mr. Chung Tak said."

Zhuge Jin expressed his opinion for the first time: "Linzi City is deep in Qingzhou, and it is already facing pressure from several surrounding countries and counties, plus Yuan Shao's 20,000 troops on this trip, it is difficult to defend the city, and it is better to take the initiative to give up than to be besieged." ”

Zhao Chen listened, did not speak, but glanced at Bu Qi and asked, "What does Zishan think?" ”

Bu Qiu replied ashamedly: "If it is an internal matter, Qiu has a thousand plans, but for the march and battle, it is better to ask the military division to arrange it." ”

Zhao Chen smiled, just like Buqi in history, low-key and solid, knowing his strengths and weaknesses, and not acting recklessly, this is the best state of Buqi.

The suggestions of Cheng Yu and Zhuge Jin are indeed in line with the status quo for Zhao Chen.

When he left Linzi earlier, he had also warned Xu Sheng that if Yuan Shao's army came, he could abandon the city and leave.

But now that Yingling has been taken, and he has accepted Bingyuan's entrustment to recapture Donglai County from Yuan Tan, it is not the best plan to give up Linzi City at this time.

Zhao Chen said: "Yuan Shao ordered Yan Liang to lead an army of 20,000 to come, just to help Yuan Tan recover Qingzhou. If we can stop the second army from attacking in front and back, we will have a chance to take the four places of Anle Kingdom, Qi Kingdom, Beihai Kingdom, and Donglai County. ”

Cheng Yu asked: "Does the military advisor mean that our army should take the initiative to attack?" ”

Zhao Chen smiled: "Zhongde knows what I mean. ”

He walked to Yutu and landed his right hand within the boundaries of the Qi Kingdom.

"Xi'an?"

Everyone spoke in unison, but with full doubt.

Zhao Chen explained: "Yuan Shao's army must attack Linzi City first when it enters Qingzhou, and it is the only way to go from the front line of Youzhou to Linzi City. Now Xi'an County is still in the hands of Yuan Tan, the supply of grain and grass is not a problem, the key distance is less than 50 miles from Linzi, and it can be attacked and defended, and it is the best cantonment point. He is a wise man who will surely understand this truth. So I expected that Yan Liang would definitely lead the army here. ”

Zhuge Jin was still a little puzzled: "Military advisor, could it be that our army wants to increase troops in Linzi City to fight against Yuan Shao's army?" ”

Zhao Chen shook the map: "Holding on can only take time and effort, Sun Ce has already conquered Qu'a, and it won't take many days for Cao Cao to attack Yuan Shu, and if it drags on, it will be unfavorable to our army, so we can only fight quickly." ”

"Tomorrow, our army will lead 10,000 troops to Xi'an County to prevent Yuan Shao's army from approaching Linzi City. As for Yingling City, Zhongde, I will let Wang Xuan, Bing Yuan, and Cen Bi assist you, lead 9,000 troops, and defend Yuan Tan in the east. Wait for our army to repel Yuan Shao's army, converge with Er, and take Yuan Tan together. ”

Cheng Yu took the order.

The next day, Zhao Chen gathered an army of 10,000 and led Zhang Liao, Chen Dao, and Zhuge Jin to Xi'an County.

The march of 10,000 troops usually takes four days from Yingling City to Xi'an County.

On the other side, Yan Liang led an army of 20,000 and hurried all the way.

According to Fu Zhi's suggestion, he rushed straight to Linzi, and at the same time informed Yuan Tan Gongzi that he should stick to the camp and not go out.

But who knew that two days later, after getting Yuan Tan's distress letter, the camp had been lost, and now his 10,000 troops were forced to be stationed in Duchang City.

After thinking for a moment, Yan Liang kept his previous strategy and the army aimed at Linzi.

As long as Linzi is taken, Zhao Chen will have to withdraw from Qingzhou, and Yingling will naturally be recovered.

Yan Liang followed his plan, and the army hurried to Xi'an County, which finally took twelve days to reach in Le'an, Qingzhou.

Frustrated Zhu suddenly found that a group of troops were stationed ten miles outside the city, and seeing the banner floating on the camp tent, it was "Zhao".

He couldn't help but grunt in his heart, could it be Zhao Chen?

The scout who went to inquire about the news first reported that Zhao Chen led an army of 10,000 troops stationed ten miles outside the city, and the leading generals were Zhang Liao and Chen Dao.

At this point, Fu Zhi immediately suggested that Yan Liangqin lead the army to explore the camp.

Yan Liang led his own soldiers to fifty horses, and together with Zhang He and Fu Zhu, they traveled ten miles outside the city to the front of Zhao Chen's camp.

The crowd climbed up and looked.

I saw that Zhao Chen's camp was only built with a few wooden sticks, and there was no sentry at the gate of the camp, and there were no personnel on both sides.

In the camp, the camp tent is set up messily, the function is not fully divided, and there are no trenches in key parts, such as rejecting horses and other devices to block the cavalry's impact.

The patrol officers wandered around in an unorganized manner, and all of them were in a state of low spirits, which was in stark contrast to Yan Liang's army.

Yan Liang suddenly smiled and said, "It seems that Cao Mengde and Cao Zixiao are incompetent. ”

Zhang He asked suspiciously, "What does the general mean?" ”

"Zhao Chen is an empty name, and marching and camping is the most basic quality of a general. I look at this man's battalion, like a three-year-old child, without the slightest demeanor of a general, let alone his marching and fighting? Therefore, I said, if Zhao Chen is not powerful, it is Cao Mengde and Cao Zixiao who are incompetent, so they will be defeated by Zhao Chen three times and twice. ”

When Zhang He heard this, he persuaded: "The general must not underestimate the enemy, since Zhao Chen was able to defeat Cao Cao three times, defeated Yuan Highway, and was forced to evacuate the camp by Yuan Gongzi, he should be a person who can recruit good fighters, and he is definitely not such a person who is not worthy of his name." ”

Fu Zhu couldn't understand why Zhao Chen's camp was so messy, and he didn't have the demeanor of a commander at all.

Yan Liang smiled and said, "I'm too worried." Zhao Chen's victors are all young people, and they have never met me. Tonight will be a defeat for this man. ”

Fu Zhu hurriedly stopped: "The general can't be in a hurry, I heard that Zhao Chen is the best at sneak attacks, and now that he knows that our army has arrived in Xi'an, he will definitely prevent our army from attacking at night." ”

Yan Liang waved his hand, didn't listen to the words of frustration, and led the fifty horsemen to turn around and return to the camp.

Zhang He, who was on the side, couldn't persuade him, so he had to give up.

Frustrated, he glanced at Zhao Chen's camp again, and went to the barracks full of doubts.