Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3685 The banners of rebellion obscure the sun, the gongs sound early; clouds hang low over the Han River, the cauldrons are cold.

"Report! Flying Fox Fortress... Flying Fox Fortress has fallen!"

A scout from the Flying Cavalry, covered in blood, stumbled and crawled into Sima Yi's tent, his voice filled with disbelief and terror.

Sima Yi, who was working on the sand table, suddenly raised his head. His composure froze instantly, then turned ashen!
He was played!

He strode to the map, looked at the location of the abandoned military fortress, his eyes filled with anger, confusion, and a hint of shame at being fooled.

"Han Hao... what a fine Han Yuansi!"

Sima Yi gritted his teeth and said, but soon noticed something unusual.

"Wait a minute... where did Cao Cao's army get so many men?"

Sima Yi quickly realized his mistake. He had calculated based on the previous number of Cao Cao's troops, concluding that if the soldiers at Guiku Pass were all real men, they wouldn't have much strength to attack Feihu Fortress. But the current result clearly showed that Cao Cao's army had received reinforcements!
So……

Where did the reinforcements come from?

The fall of Feijunbao meant that a breach had been forcibly opened in his meticulously constructed defense line at Songshan, and more importantly, it meant the loss of his southward route to contact Pang Shanmin and Huang Zhong in Wancheng, as well as his attempt to coordinate with Liao Hua and Li Dian of Wuguan Road.

That relatively convenient path, which allowed for the rapid transmission of messages and supplies, was completely cut off.

This is very troublesome.

He was restricted.

To re-establish communication, they either had to pay a huge price to launch a strong attack and recapture the abandoned military fortress, or they would have to take a detour of hundreds of miles along rugged and difficult mountain roads, which would greatly reduce efficiency and increase the risk.

"Someone! Send a message to our lord!" Sima Yi said in a deep voice, "Cao Cao's army is reinforcing the Songshan line... I'm afraid Cao Mengde has marched south!"

Jingzhou is preoccupied with its own problems, so it probably doesn't have the time to provide Cao Yi with such a large-scale military aid. Therefore, there is only one possible place where reinforcements could come.

If Cao Cao's army really marches south, there will inevitably be a gap in the central route.

Therefore, Sima Yi immediately sent a message to Fei Qian, asking him to make a wise decision.

However, Sima Yi now faces a new situation on the southern front.

Along the Songshan line, Cao Cao's army was originally on the verge of collapse. But now, with this unexpected turn of events, Cao Cao's army has recaptured Feihu Fortress, making the battlefield somewhat unpredictable again.

The situation that Sima Yi had painstakingly built up was shattered by this precise and bold strike.

"My lord..." Sima Yi's personal guard asked in a low voice, "Now, what do we do now? This Flying Fox Fortress..."

Sima Yi's eyes darted around a few times. "Of course, we must send troops to take it back... but... if Cao Cao's army receives reinforcements... then now..."

Sima Yi raised his head. "Reinforcements are confirmed... but the problem now is... whether to replace them..."

"What?" The guard didn't hear clearly.

"Hmm, it's nothing..." Sima Yi waved his hand. "Prepare some men; we need to 'retake' Flying Fox Fortress..."

……

……

The continuous fighting resulted in a pile of corpses on the Ghost Cry Pass mountain road.

Neither Sima Yi nor Cao's army showed any intention of thoroughly cleaning up the bodies; many corpses were simply thrown into the mountain stream.

Nature's cleaners gather and excitedly enjoy humanity's generosity in the mountain stream.

However, no matter how fast these cleaners eat, their stomachs are limited, and in the summer, the rate of decay is much faster. As a result, a stench permeated the area near the Ghost Cry Pass, and it was as if pale green bacteria were having a wild party in the air.

Inside the pass, Sima Yi, clad in black armor, stood quietly atop a makeshift, simple watchtower. Sunlight shone on his face, reflecting a faint glow as sweat dripped down his cheeks.

Sima Yi watched silently, as if trying to pierce through the mountains and see who was lurking in the ranks behind Cao Cao's army in the distance...

Sima Yi has already thrown out the bait of feigning an attack on Feihu Fortress.

The scouts reported that Cao Cao's army had indeed taken the bait.

A group of Cao army soldiers waited in a ravine, their backsides sticking out, for Sima Yi's troops to "recapture" Feihu Fortress. They were ready to repay Sima Yi, tenfold, and tenfold, the humiliation they had suffered at his hands in the previous ambush...

This is exactly what he wanted—

By using Flying Fox Fortress as bait, Cao Cao lured the enemy into a trap, opening a deadly loophole in the Ghost Cry Pass, which Cao Cao believed was weakened by his troop redeployment to retake Flying Fox Fortress.

Just you wait...

Sima Yi spoke in a low voice, it was unclear whether he was speaking to the Cao army soldiers lying in ambush at Feihu Fortress, or to the cavalry soldiers facing Cao army at Guiku Pass.

That's right, he was also lying in ambush.

Sima Yi confirmed that Cao Cao's army had received reinforcements, but he was unsure whether Cao Cao's army had changed its commander...

this point is very important.

Report! Cao Cao's vanguard has reached within five li!

The scout rushed in to report.

Sima Yi nodded, his voice as steady as a rock, "All units proceed according to plan. The garrison at the pass feigns weakness, pretending to be unable to hold out, and lets them in. Order the ambush troops on both flanks to remain patient and wait until their main force is fully inside before attacking on my command!"

The messenger responded and immediately relayed Sima Yi's order.

As Cao Cao's army approached and pressed forward, the cavalrymen on the front line at Guiku Pass began to panic.

The once-solid defensive line seemed to have thinned out, the flags were askew, and the counterattack was clearly sparse...

Seeing the performance of the cavalry soldiers at the pass, Cao Yi felt reassured. He also recalled the news that the cavalry had launched a large-scale attack on Feihu Fort. He was certain that at least half of Sima Yi's soldiers had gone to Feihu Fort, and that this was Sima Yi's weakest moment!
"My lord! That brat Sima has indeed divided his forces! This place is sparsely defended; it's the perfect opportunity to break through! I request permission to lead my troops in a fierce attack and recapture Ghost Cry Pass in one fell swoop!"

Xun Yu did not wear heavy iron armor, but only leather armor.

His eyes were deep as he stared at the seemingly precarious pass, without speaking immediately.

Cao Yi first forced a smile, then the smile slowly dried up, turning into powder, as if being blown away little by little by the mountain mist...

"My Lord!"

Cao Yi was anxious.

Having just drunk the "rat tail juice" before, and now that I can finally cheer myself up and stop being laughed at for my lightning five-legged combo, I'm naturally seizing the opportunity!

"I sense something's amiss..." Xun Yu said in a low voice, without looking at Cao Yi, "The General of Chariots and Cavalry wouldn't act like this..."

In Xun Yu's eyes, the cavalry at the pass seemed suspicious, but in Cao Yi's eyes, it seemed that Xun Yu didn't want him to gain merit and wanted someone else to steal the spoils...

For example, Xun Yun, who remained silent by Xun Yu's side.

"My lord! I am willing to pledge my loyalty!"

Cao Yi said through gritted teeth.

Xun Yu paused for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "General Zicheng, there's no need for that..."

"My lord!" Cao Yi bowed respectfully, "Please give your order, my lord!"

Xun Yu frowned, pointing to the mountains behind the pass, and said, "There are no birds or beasts in these mountains... I fear there may be an ambush..."

Cao Yi glanced back, but dismissed it, saying, "My lord, after days of fighting, even birds and beasts have fled!"

Xun Yu glanced at Cao Yi, "In that case... I urge General Zicheng to be extra cautious..."

Xun Yu eventually agreed to let Cao Yi lead the troops to attack.

As soon as Cao Yi led his troops forward, the cavalry's front line at the pass couldn't hold out any longer. They immediately began to flee, abandoning their flags and armor, and some even dragged their wounded soldiers along the way...

Cao Yi was overjoyed. He brandished his sword and charged ahead to the front line of the cavalry. He then planted the flag on the ground, put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily. He glanced back, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, before directing his men to continue the pursuit.

Xun Yu remained silent, his gaze fixed on the 'panicked' cavalrymen...

Then, Xun Yu's expression gradually became serious.

The cavalrymen's movements appeared chaotic, but their steps were not unsteady...

Their armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight; though stained with mud and blood and looking disheveled, it wasn't badly damaged...

Especially some of the cavalrymen who were fleeing in defeat moved nimbly and powerfully, their breathing steady, showing no signs of exhaustion or despair after a long battle...

Just as I expected!

Xun Yu narrowed his eyes. The cavalrymen before him were definitely not in the state of an army exhausted from repeated battles!
Sima Yi's feigned attack on Feihu Fort was a ruse; his real purpose was to lure our army into believing that his forces were scattered and his main force was vulnerable there, thus luring our main force into this perilous situation!
At this moment, in Xun Yu's eyes, the narrow passage seemed to have transformed into the gaping maw of a giant beast ready to devour its prey!
"Sound the retreat! Withdraw! Vanguard, retreat! Rear guard! Spread the orders quickly!"

Without any hesitation, Xun Yu issued the order in a stern voice, with an unquestionable air of authority.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sharp, piercing sound of gongs suddenly rang out, drowning out the shouts and chaos on the battlefield.

The vanguard of Cao Cao's army, which had already reached the pass and was preparing to charge in, suddenly halted their advance as if doused with a bucket of ice water. The Cao soldiers looked around in bewilderment, not understanding why they were suddenly retreating when victory was within their grasp. But military orders were absolute, and they could only prepare to withdraw according to the command.

"We can't retreat!"

Cao Yi was just one step away from scoring when he was stopped, and he must have felt incredibly frustrated.

They've already taken their pants off and are holding their guns ready...

It was called off!
Can this be stopped?
"Don't stop! Charge forward!" Cao Yi shouted, brandishing his sword and spear. "Charge in! Victory or defeat hinges on this!"

However, not all the vanguard soldiers of Cao's army obeyed Cao Yi...

As a result, Cao Jun's vanguard was conflicted and huddled together.

……

……

Inside the pass, atop the watchtower.

When the sound of the retreat signaled the end of Cao Cao's army, Sima Yi's calm expression vanished instantly, replaced by an icy chill.

He clearly heard the piercing sound of the retreat signal and saw the Cao army's vanguard suddenly stop and retreat like a tide.

"We've been found out..."

He whispered, his voice unreadable, "They've changed people..."

He had meticulously set up a trap, the bait was thrown out, and the prey had already poked its head out, but just before it was about to step into the circle of death, someone sounded the retreat!
Who is coming?
Sima Yi looked into the distance, but saw no difference.

In the distance, the banners bearing the surnames of the Cao and Xun families still fluttered.

"Um? 』

But the next moment, Sima Yi saw that the vanguard of Cao's army suddenly became chaotic.

Some of Cao Cao's troops charged forward, while others retreated, creating a chaotic scene.

"General, shall we attack?"

Seeing this, the military academy officer next to him asked anxiously, "Since Cao's army is about to escape, if we pounce now, we can at least take a piece of flesh!"
Sima Yi stared at the chaotic vanguard of Cao Cao's army, then smiled slightly. "Since Cao Cao's army has already seen through our plan, they must be prepared… A forced attack would expose our ambush, making us easy prey… Order the ambush troops not to move rashly! Let their vanguard and rear guard safely withdraw from the pass!"

The military academy officer looked on, "But... Cao Cao's army is about to withdraw!"

"It's alright..." Sima Yi waved his hand, "I'm just going to catch a big fish... a rotten fish or a shrimp, you know..."

After a brief period of chaos, Cao Jun's vanguard, under the reprimands of other military academy soldiers rushing from the rear, quickly regained order and slowly retreated...

The key point is that Sima Yi saw that Cao Cao's central army was well-organized. If he had wanted to take advantage of the situation to attack Cao Cao's army before, he would most likely be entangled in Cao Cao's central army now!
The chaotic advance of Cao Cao's army, in a way, was also part of the bait!

Sima Yi glanced at the retreating Cao army vanguard, not feeling particularly regretful for missing out on the bait. Instead, he squinted at the distant banner of the Xun clan, and suddenly realized, "The Xun clan? Perhaps Xun Wenruo is here?!"

Among Cao Cao's Xun Yu faction, who could devise such a two-pronged attack, repeatedly luring and trapping each other in a series of interconnected strategies?

Only Xun Yu!
"Wait!" Sima Yi suddenly paused, "Someone! Quickly send a message to the lord, the camps in Wancheng and Danjiangkou! Tell them it's confirmed that Cao Cao's army is marching south! Cao Mengde is most likely leading his troops close to Jingzhou! Be extremely careful!"

With Xun Yu here, how far away can Cao Cao be?
……

……

Fancheng.

Li Dian and Liao Hua were commanding their troops to launch a new probing offensive against Cao Zhen, who had retreated to Fancheng.

The news of the gunpowder in the cannons being damaged by moisture has been reported, but the supply of new gunpowder and cannons will not be quick.

Relying solely on existing siege equipment and manpower for climbing would undoubtedly result in slow progress.

Li Dian and Liao Hua naturally had no intention of fighting to the death; they were simply putting some pressure on Cao Zhen and also letting their soldiers get some exercise so their joints wouldn't rust and their stamina wouldn't drop.

However, after Wancheng was attacked, Liao Hua felt a vague unease. Ever since he saw through Cao Ren's false report last time, he had been extra vigilant and sent out scouts to great distances.

"Mancheng," Liao Hua said to Li Dian beside him, "Gunpowder transportation is difficult. Although Cao Cao's army has retreated, Fancheng is well-fortified and difficult to capture quickly. In my opinion, we should secure the supply lines, clear out the surrounding area, and wait until the siege equipment is ready, or until we receive further news from Wancheng and Songshan, before launching an attack."

Li Dian nodded, "That's certainly a prudent approach, but... what about the provisions..."

Liao Hua frowned as well, "Yes... provisions..."

As the two men were discussing, a dust-covered, panting scout galloped up on horseback, shouting, "Report! Generals! To the northeast! A large force of Cao Cao's army! Banners obscuring the sun! Judging by the banners... it's... it's a banner with the character 'Cao' on it! And there are also banners with the characters 'Xun' and 'Lü'! They're less than two hundred li from here!"

"What?!" Li Dian and Liao Hua's expressions changed drastically.

"A grand banner?!"

"Cao Mengde?!"

The two looked at each other.

Cao Cao's main force...

They actually marched south in a large force?!
The two instantly realized the perilous nature of the situation.

If Cao Cao were to arrive in person, it would change the entire battle situation in Jingzhou!

Their original tactical and strategic plans must be readjusted immediately!
"Investigate further!" Liao Hua ordered.

The attack on Fancheng ended hastily.

Although the Cao army on the city wall did not know that Cao's army had arrived, seeing the half-hearted attack by Li Dian and Liao Hua's cavalry, they guessed something and cheered to some extent...

Li Dian's face was so grave it could drip water. "Sima Zhongda... I'm afraid something has happened to him..."

Liao Hua nodded silently.

After Sima Yi broke through the Songshan defense line, he made contact with Li Dian and Liao Hua. However, now that Cao Cao's army was advancing south, and Sima Yi had not sent anyone to notify them in advance, it was clear that either they were kept in the dark or their communication lines had been cut off.

"Sima Zhongda relies on the mountain pass, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack, unless..." Liao Hua said, "he is probably temporarily trapped in Songshan..."

Li Dian nodded slightly.

While they were worried about Sima Yi, they were even more concerned about the situation they were currently facing!
The scouts who went to investigate again confirmed that Cao Cao's army had indeed come in large numbers!

Now they are forced to choose whether to fight against Cao Cao's army in the half-finished siege camp of Fancheng, or to retreat back to the Wuguan Pass on the Han River for defense.
The siege camps were large in area because they were mainly for besieging Fancheng and organizing the attack. They also had many small open spaces where troops could be concentrated. However, this also meant that if troops attacked from the outside, the area to defend the outside would also be very large!

What's more, it's only a semi-finished product?

Many watchtowers, traps, trenches, and other structures have not yet been fully constructed.

It's a pity, but if Li Dian and Liao Hua were trapped in Fancheng, then...

"Withdraw from Fancheng!" Li Dian decisively ordered, "Retreat! Abandon this half of the military camp beneath Fancheng, and seize the opportunity before Cao Cao can complete the encirclement! Return to Zhuyang, defend Danjiangkou and Wuguan Pass!"

Liao Hua frowned. "In that case, Wancheng..."

Li Dian said, "We can only focus on one aspect right now; if we try to do both, we'll lose on both!"

Liao Hua finally had no choice but to agree.

The order to retreat was issued swiftly.

Although the soldiers of the Flying Cavalry were well-trained, they were inevitably unsettled when they suddenly heard that Cao Cao had personally led a large army to attack.

Abandoning the newly constructed heavy siege equipment inevitably led to some chaos. Fortunately, Liao Hua and Li Dian were both relatively disciplined in their troops, and their officers were experienced, so they quickly restored order. The main force was able to withdraw from the siege camp of Fancheng before Cao Cao's vanguard arrived, and the retreat proceeded in an orderly manner.

Cao Jun's vanguard had come from afar, but dared not pursue them relentlessly. They simply followed Li Dian and Liao Hua's troops step by step.

Liao Hua and Li Dian did not try to take advantage of the situation by waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. They retreated in an orderly manner until Cao Cao appeared on the horizon with his massive army. Only then did Li Dian and Liao Hua exchange a glance and confirm that their decision to abandon the half-finished siege camp in Fancheng was the right one.

On the city wall of Fancheng, Cao Zhen looked at the familiar banner with the character "Cao" below the city and was so moved that he almost burst into tears.

Cao Cao did not immediately pursue them. He reined in his horse north of Fancheng, gazing at the retreating Flying Cavalry in the distance, then at the half-repaired siege camp nearby. A smile of relief mixed with regret appeared on his face. He had successfully deployed his main force to the core battlefield in northern Jingzhou, not only relieving the siege of Fancheng but also reversing the tide of the entire southern front!
but……

This is still just a stopgap measure.