I was also tired, and fell asleep with a big knife in my arms. I hurriedly got up, only to see two or three miles away, on a deserted path, there were two pairs of soldiers and horses fighting, it is estimated that Cao Cao met which general in the Yuan army.

Everyone was awakened, and I shouted, "There is an army battle ahead, let's go and see the excitement." They had no objection, and now five hundred of us mounted our horses and galloped over. I saw that Cao Cao had just raised his knife and cut off the head of a Yuan soldier. I was meeting me, but it was a little awkward.

There are more than 5,000 soldiers and horses on his side, and they are the elite of Cao's army, and there are only 500 old, weak, sick and disabled people on my side. At that moment, the adjutant quietly tugged at my shirt and said, "General, let's run." ”

I glared at him and shouted, "Fight to the death!"

When I looked back, I saw that a group of people had taken ten steps back. I chuckled inwardly, thinking that I was not to blame. At that moment, I shouted indignantly: "Brothers, this time it is not that we are unwilling to fight to the death, but that Cao Cao is powerful, and we are outnumbered, so you must not blame me! I will go and talk to Cao Cao and let him spare our lives!"

Everyone said: "Don't blame the general! ”

I said, "This is natural." ”

When a horse arrived in front of Cao Cao, he saw that they were wearing Yuan Jun's clothes and armor, and he thought that it was also to hide people's eyes. I arched my hand and said, "Brother Cao, have you succeeded?" Cao Cao smiled: "You kid gave me such a big gift, if I don't have to do it again, wouldn't it be a shame, but I owe you a great favor this time." ”

I said, "These soldiers behind me have been with me for a long time, you have to let them go." ”

"I won't give you anything you say. Let's go, come back to the camp with me!" Cao Cao came over and pulled me, for fear that I would run away.

"Yuan Ying can't stay anymore, it's okay to go to you. I said.

He returned to his horse and walked to the five hundred soldiers I had brought, and said, "Brothers, I have already negotiated with Cao Cao and let you live! If you are willing to go home, hurry up, and if you don't want to go home, go with me to Cao Cao and eat this bowl of military rations!"

When everyone heard this, they were overjoyed, and they wanted to shout "Long live me." At that moment, only three soldiers wanted to go home, but the rest followed me and surrendered to Cao Cao. I had another dead soldier who looked and was similar to me, changed into my clothes, and slapped his face to shreds so that others could not recognize him, giving Yuan Shao the illusion that I was dead, lest he scold me behind my back.

All this was taken care of, so he got on his horse and followed Cao Cao back to the camp. When I walked to the dawn of the day, I had already arrived at the Cao army's tent in Guandu, and saw Xiahoudun, Cao Ren, Cao Hong and others also returning to the camp, each returning to Cao Cao. Speaking of the fire in Wuchao, Yuan Shao did not send troops to reinforce Wuchao, but instead ordered Zhang Jaw and Gao Ran to attack Cao Ying, and he was rushed out by the three of them, killing Zhang He and Gao Ran and returning with a big defeat.

I was embarrassed in my heart, knowing that Yuan Shao had high hopes for me, so I felt guilty about him in my heart, so I became depressed. Cao Cao pulled me privately and said, "I know you feel ashamed of Yuan Shao, but the princes have to do the same in their struggle for hegemony." I promise you, if you win the battle of Guandu in the future, let you decide Yuan Shao's life and death, and let you return him a favor. ”

Cao Cao said it clearly, I am naturally very grateful, and it is always effortless to get along with him, I said: "Then I will thank you in advance." ”

On the second day, a scout suddenly came to report, saying that 3,000 Yuan Ying soldiers had come to Cao Ying, and only said that they wanted to see the prime minister, but they didn't know what to do. Cao Cao happened to be talking to me, so he took me to the front of the army to ask questions.

Before walking to the camp, I saw that the generals were Zhang He and Gao Lan. That Zhang He and Gao Lan were originally called "Hebei Four Court Pillars" by later generations with Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and Zhang He, and I have always been familiar with each other. When I saw that it was them, I took the initiative to step forward and asked, "Two brothers, don't come here unharmed!"

The two of them were quite surprised to see that it was me, and they clasped their fists and said, "General Duan, why are you here?"

I said, "It's a long story. The two brothers came this time, I don't know what they wanted?"

Zhang He said: "Don't hide it from my brother, I came to steal the camp yesterday and was ambushed by Prime Minister Cao Cheng, and I waited to fight to the death before I got out of the encirclement." Unexpectedly, when I returned to Yuan Ying, instead of being rewarded, I was framed by the strategist Guo Tu for trying to defect to Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao's husband actually intended to kill us. We were aggrieved in our hearts, killed Yuan Shao's generals, and now we are desperate, so we have come to seek refuge with Prime Minister Cao Cheng. ”

"Wait a minute, two brothers, and let me return to the prime minister. I said.

They knew the origin of me and Cao Cao, and it was natural for them to get twice the result with half the effort with half the effort with me as a lobbyist, so they were overjoyed and said, "Then thank you General Duan!"

I beat my horse and explained to Cao Cao the intention of the two of them, and Cao Cao was still suspicious, worried that the two of them had come to surrender by fraud. I patted my chest and smiled: "Don't worry, I know what the two of them are, and they will never be Yuan Shao's spies." And these two people are excellent in martial arts, especially Zhang He has the talent of a general, and these two people are your strong help. ”

Cao Cao smiled: "I can't trust others, but I can't trust you? You tell them that Cao Cao will treat them as brothers in the future!"

I hurriedly went to see the two of them again and said, "Two brothers, I have already returned to Prime Minister Cao Cheng." Prime Minister Cao Cheng said, from now on, you will be brothers!"

The two of them were overjoyed, dismounted and bowed to me. walked in front of Cao Cao again, knelt down and said, "Lord, the two of us are willing to serve the dogs and horses!"

Cao Cao helped the two of them up and said, "Two brothers, you don't have to be polite. ”

At the moment when Cao Cao raised the tent, all the generals came to discuss the matter, and I sat in the first position on the left hand side of the tent. Cao Cao first introduced Zhang He and Gao Lan to the generals, and then said: "Generals, now that Yuan Shao's grain and grass are burned, Yuan's army will inevitably be in chaos. It's a good time for us to strike in one go, I wonder if you have any good plans to help me break Yuan?"

Xun You said: "Lord, now that Yuan Shao is short of grain and grass, he can pretend to allocate people and horses, take sour dates all the way, attack Ye County, take Liyang all the way, and cut off the return route of Yuan's soldiers." If we send troops, Yuan Shao will inevitably be in chaos and divide his troops to reject me. At that time, the main force of our army and Yuan Shao fought in Guandu, and the first battle could be decided. ”

Guo Jia also said: "This plan is wonderful! Taking advantage of his panic, Zhang He and Gaolan two generals surrendered to our army again, and Yuan Shao's army had no generals, so it was naturally quickly defeated. ”

The generals discussed it for a while, and there was no objection. Cao Ren said: "Lord, I am willing to lead the troops to attack Ye County." Xiahoudun said: "A certain wish to attack Liyang." ”

Cao Cao laughed and said: "In this battle, all the soldiers must move forward bravely, and Yuan Shao will be determined in a battle, and from then on the north will be dominant!"

Everyone clasped their fists in unison and said, "The lord will win!"

Cao Cao then transferred troops and horses to fight Yuan Shao to the death. On the second day, with the division of troops of Xiahoudun and Cao Ren to attack, Yuan Shao really panicked, and divided 100,000 troops on each side to resist Cao's army.

The battle of Guandu is imminent, like an arrow on the string, and is heading towards the trajectory of history.