The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

Chapter 239 Zhu Ling smuggled food and grass to repay his kindness, and Xi Yu killed Cao Cao's harm
"But, that was the beginning of Xi Yu stepping into our land of Jizhou."

"Cough cough cough..."

Yuan Shao coughed heavily, his eyes were full of viciousness.

Yuan Shao said in a deep voice, "However, I haven't really lost yet. I still have a plan. As long as I succeed, the world will surely fall into disputes again!"

……

Li Yang, in the camp.

Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren have been continuously attacking from Dongjun and Yanjin in the past few months. The two have continued to cooperate with each other and won successive victories. Now they have captured Baima, occupied the city near Liyang, and approached most of Weijun.

However, it has been difficult for the two to make progress in the war since then.

On Yuan Shao's side, the defense of Liyang City was quite effective. Because Wuchao's food and grass were burned by Cao Cao's troops, Yuan Shao's army began to lack food and could only wait for food and grass to be transported from various places. For this reason, Yuan Shao's army in Liyang had to shrink the defensive area .

Therefore, in the past few months in Jizhou, thousands of recruits have been collected from the territory basically every month, and then sent to various battlefields to ensure the number of soldiers.

As a result, it was very difficult for Cao Cao to attack Li Yang, and it was difficult to capture it for a long time.

In this way, the longer Yuan Shaojun of Liyang City defended, the more unfavorable the situation will be for Cao Cao.

Once the battle in the south is unstoppable, or if the battle is tight, Cao Cao will definitely not be able to persist in attacking Liyang, so he can only temporarily abandon Liyang and have to withdraw his troops.

At this time, in Cao Cao's barracks, a meeting had just ended, and the generals left one after another, but Cao Cao asked Zhu Ling to stay alone.

"Zhu Ling, you have been by my side for a long time, and now I am about to fight Yuan Shao, but I don't want to use you for the time being, so go back to Xuchang for now."

Cao Cao didn't give a chance at all, and directly lifted Zhu Ling's military power.

"My lord! Why are you doing this?"

Zhu Ling's face suddenly changed, and he was even a little panicked, "My lord, I have always been absolutely loyal to my lord, and I will never secretly inform the enemy. The buyer begs for glory!"

"Hehe, I'm very clear about this matter..." Cao Cao patted Zhu Ling's shoulder with a light smile, and said, "When I conquered the Yellow Turban Bandits in the early years, you have followed me around, but I also understand that you have always treated Yuan Shao Please do whatever you want, after all, he was kind to you once, and you can't get rid of this matter."

"So, if I let you go to attack Yuan Shao now, wouldn't it mean that you will be placed in a place of treachery, and now that the battle ahead is stable, you go back to the rear first, so that you can guard Xuchang well, and I will definitely record such credit for you."

During the words, Cao Cao smiled, his expression was very sincere, and there was no hint of a joke at all.

Cao Cao really believed that in the current war, if Zhu Lingru stayed, it would have little impact on the battle situation.

"My lord is very true." Zhu Ling was deeply moved by Cao Cao's words. He immediately knelt down in front of Cao Cao, clasped his fists and saluted, and said in a deep voice, "I will set off immediately and return to Xuchang immediately."

After all, Cao Cao patted the main beam with satisfaction, Zhu Ling turned and left the camp, and went to rectify the troops so that they could quickly withdraw to Xuchang.

At this moment, Cao Ren happened to pass by, passing Zhu Ling, Cao Ren walked into Cao Cao's camp curiously, and said in a deep voice, "Brother, Feng Yi has already told you that you must not let him go. Zhu Ling, don't you remember?"

"Hehehe, it's okay, it's because Fengyi has considered too much."

"Brother, you are about to start that romantic idea again."

"You don't learn to speak in righteousness! Do you still not understand the current battle?"

"Brother, I'd like to listen to what you say to me, brother, this Zhu Ling used to be a general of Yuan Shao's army."

"That's why I let Zhu Ling go, and I gave him two thousand infantrymen. In this way, there is no chance that Zhu Ling will have another chance, so I will let him go back. Don't worry, Zhu Ling is in Xuchang, with one thousand infantrymen. Two hundred people can't make any waves."

The two chatted about military affairs until they were about to eat.

Cao Ren chatted with Cao Cao about military affairs for a long time, until it was time to eat.

At this moment, when Zhu Ling returned to his tent, he sighed and took out a letter from his pocket...

This letter comes from Yecheng, Jizhou.

After reading the letter, Zhu Ling murmured, "I don't know how I can save you from difficulties now. Back then, you had the kindness of knowing me, so I, Zhu Ling, had to repay such kindness."

"Back then, all the women, children, and children in my family died at the hands of Gongsun Zan. No matter what, you avenged this mortal revenge for me..."

Zhu Ling looked very surprised, and immediately urged the soldiers to set off. Now the core figures of the soldiers and horses under his command have more than 100 people who are at the level of ten commanders and centurions.

Although these people did not hold real power in Cao Junying, there were only more than 1000 soldiers and horses, but with the addition of veterans and officers, as long as Zhu Ling wanted to do something, he could still have soldiers and horses by his side, more than 1000 people, plus Most of them are veterans or officers, and Zhu Ling can do a lot of things, such as cutting off Cao Cao's rear food and grass, or even destroying it directly.

In this letter, Yuan Shao talked about his kindness to Zhu Ling in the past, and also mentioned that Zhu Ling had been his adoptive mother for several years, which inevitably moved Zhu Ling's heart, but he did not say anything to shirk it.

Otherwise, Zhu Ling felt deeply guilty.

And if Yuan Shao can stabilize, Zhu Ling thought he could go back too.

In this way, Zhu Ling thought that Cao Cao would win, but at this time, Zhu Ling had a good chance to escape.

From the beginning of the war to the present, Zhu Ling always thought that Cao Cao would win, but at this moment, Cao Cao lifted his military power and only gave him a few soldiers and horses so that he could return to Xuchang. This just gave him a good reason to escape, and he became a member of the army. free man.

Coming out of Cao Cao's camp, Zhu Ling led his soldiers and horses all the way to Xuchang. There happened to be many food stations on the way.

Zhu Ling thought to himself, he only needs to detour from the grain station to Xuchang in the name of Cao Cao, and then pass the grain and grass to Hua County, and then pass through the two roads in Jun County, bypass Cao Cao's barracks smoothly, and then seize the grain of Cao's army, and so on , Zhu Ling can go back to Yuan Shao's side, and go to help Yuan Shao solve the crisis in Li Yang.

……

That night, in Cao Cao's camp, it was very quiet. Now that the midsummer is coming to an end, Cao Cao has been staying in the Guandu tent for a year. He has never returned to Xuchang, and he is very tired.

Yuan Shao is feeling sad for Li Yang's army.

"It's a pity that Wen Chou can't compare with Yan Liang after all. If Yan Liang is still there, with his bravery alone, he can be deliberately favored and eliminated directly."

"However, Wen Chou doesn't have much strategy, but when he implements the strategy, he is very simple and reckless. He executes all orders without any changes. Such a point is very rare."

At this moment, it was in front of Cao Hong and Yu Jin that Cao Cao could calmly express his confusion.

However, in front of other generals, Cao Cao has always had a very optimistic image. At the same time, he constantly encouraged his soldiers and often gave them good hopes. As a result, Cao Cao always avoided his bad mood from affecting his soldiers.

Cao Cao wanted to convince his subordinates that as long as Liyang was captured, he would enter Jizhou with both feet.

Liyang City is the southern barrier of Wei County, and it is the largest county in the south of Jizhou.

Up to now, Cao Cao has led his army to attack for half a year, but failed to capture this place.

If it weren't for Cao Cao's insistence on using military orders and various encouraging strategies to keep his soldiers and horses standing firm, Cao's camp would have been in turmoil.

As for war, the ancients said: one effort, then decline, three exhaustion.

The same is true for the soldiers and horses in Liyang City. The defenders in Liyang City have held the city for more than half a year, and they are no longer as firm as they were at the beginning. If there is no continuous supply of food and grass and the encouragement of Wen Chou and others, the defenders in the city have long been exhausted. .

"My lord, in my opinion, the current situation is just right." Cheng Yu said, "We have been attacking Liyang for half a year, and we have bought a lot of precious time for Mr. Xi, so that he can develop his reputation in Leling County."

"Nowadays, many common people know that Leling County is implementing a benevolent government. There is money and food to be earned. A large number of refugees have climbed mountains and waded to Leling. At almost the same time, there have been many rebellions in the land of Quang Binh. Although they are rumors of refugees, I think these rumors are absolutely credible."

"Yuan Shao, today's internal and external troubles are no different from Gongsun Zan's situation back then?"

"I thought that Gongsun Zan was besieged in Youzhou at that time, unable to go south, but also unable to go north. It should be the same as Yuan Shao is now, with internal and external troubles and a dilemma. If this is the case, the lord will be able to completely defeat Yuan Shao now!"

"Hehehe..."

Hearing this, Cao Cao felt an inexplicable bitterness in his heart, and even a strange feeling: the same internal and external troubles, so similar to Gongsun Zan back then.

Thinking about it, it seemed like retribution, maybe how Yuan Shao drove Gongsun Zan to death, and now he will be driven to the same end.

"I also know this, but I have been thinking about it for a long time, and I don't know why." Cao Cao swallowed cold water and said in a deep voice, "I really don't understand why Yuan Shao still sticks to it now, instead of Withdrawal?"

"The terrain of Liyang City is not high, it is very difficult to defend it, and the losses are huge. Even with Wen Chou as a strong general, it is still difficult to hold on for a long time!"

"If this drags on, Yuan Shao will only lose more. By this winter, Yuan Shao will lose more than [-] troops. If I, Sister Jia, attack, I will not hesitate to lose the consequences of the next few years. The army is attacking fiercely, and Yuan Shaozhi's losses will surely exceed one hundred thousand."

"At the same time, the men in Liyang City and even Jizhou will flee from Liyang and even Jizhou in order to avoid recruitment!"

"If I had been Yuan Shao, I would never have stayed in Liyang. Instead, I should have retreated to Wei County. This is the largest city in Wei County. There are countless money and important roads in the city. I would have retreated to Wei County long ago. There is the whole of Wei County. The largest city in the county!"

"From this point of view, Yuan Shao must be waiting for something, maybe something that made me have to retreat."

Cao Hong and Cao Ren looked at each other and asked blankly, "What is Yuan Shao waiting for?"

"Ridiculous, if I knew what Yuan Shao was waiting for, why would I need to ask you two?!"

Cao Cao glared at Cao Hong and Cao Ren.

Now Cao Cao couldn't figure out the matter of Yuan Shao, but he was trying to figure out the rest.

At this moment, it was nearly midnight.

Cao Cao asked Cao Hong to go back to deploy night patrols and defenses, and left a few people in the camp to stand by at any time.

Not long after, I suddenly remembered the sound of footsteps, and everyone in the camp was startled.

At such a time, none of the soldiers had fallen asleep, and only the sentry guards were left. There must be a reason for the sound of footsteps at this time.

Everyone saw that the person who came was actually General Gao Shun who was trapped in the camp.

At this moment, Gao Shun was holding a bundle in his hand, but the bundle was constantly oozing blood.

Cao Cao has been on the battlefield for decades, and his experience tells him that the baggage in Gao Shun's hand is likely to be a human head.

But it was really hard for Cao Cao to guess whose head it was.

Even so, Cao Cao immediately paid attention to it. He immediately stood up, very puzzled, and after Gao Shun walked in, he asked, "Why did the general kill people in the middle of the night? Could there be an assassin?"

"It's not an assassin, this is Zhu Lingxiang's head." Gao Shun said coldly.

Gao Shun was a man who never talked much, and even rarely communicated with others, but he always managed the army strictly and never made any mistakes, which was always admirable.

Therefore, even though Gao Shun came to the camp late at night, Cao Cao did not think that Gao Shun had malicious intentions.

However, Xu Chu did not relax his vigilance. He drew out his sword and looked at Gao Shun very vigilantly.

"Since it's not an assassin, I'd like to hear why General Gao killed one of my favorite generals?"

Cao Cao looked at the table, the head was indeed Zhu Ling, and Zhu Ling was indeed dead.

But in this way, where are the more than 1000 veterans under his command now?
Cao Cao was even more puzzled, how Gao Shun managed to kill Zhu Ling with more than 1000 veterans around Zhu Ling.

Could it be that Gao Shun is a fierce general who hides his secrets?
Gao Shun walked in front of him, knelt on the ground, bowed deeply, and said in a very calm and deep voice, "Reporting to my lord, I will finally be entrusted by Master Xi. First, the Lord is in charge of casting and using the giant crossbow, and obeys the dispatch. , is to pay close attention to Zhu Lingzhi's movements."

"Last night, Zhu Ling mobilized his troops and headed south. When he was camping in Wulidi, he said that he was ordered by the prime minister to send back the food and grass to prevent Yuan Shaozhi from attacking."

"But the general knows the military order very well. Our army is short of food and grass. The food and grass in the army are only used for three days. When the food station arrives, the follow-up food and grass also need to be delivered through the food station."

Gao Shun explained in great detail.

"Master Xi once told us that the establishment of a food station seems to be invulnerable, but if there are spies inside, the food and grass will also be ruined, and it is difficult to resist when we go back from where we came from."

Gao Shun was fearless, and truthfully stated his purpose, and even took out a letter from his arms, saying, "This letter was obtained from General Zhu Ling's close quarters, please read it yourself, my lord."

"Submit the letter." Cao Cao immediately looked at Xu Chu and said.

"Hmm..." Xu Chu came to Gao Shun, and suddenly felt that this man was very murderous, and he was a rare person in the army.

From this point of view, if this son is asked to kill someone, he probably won't have the slightest hesitation, and will go straight up and kill him.

Xu Chu took the letter from Gao Shun and handed it to Cao Cao.

However, there are still bloodstains on the letter, and the blood has soaked the letter, and some handwriting on the letter has become blurred, but fortunately, it can still be read carefully.

Cao Cao only read a few paragraphs in the letter, and concluded that the letter was written by Yuan Shao, and then said in a deep voice, "This letter is indeed written by Yuan Shao himself, hehe, so Yuan Shao wants to put me to death... ..."

Suddenly, Cao Cao felt a chill down his back.

Starting from Yanzhou, he told himself that he must be courteous and corporal, and that he should not doubt his employment. Because of this strategy, although Cao Cao was in danger several times, he was always protected by loyal people, and he managed to survive the danger and come to today.

But Cao Cao really didn't expect that he was almost killed by someone he once trusted.

Fortunately, Zhu Ling had no intention of assassinating. From Cao Cao's point of view, Zhu Ling may have a disturbed conscience. Cao Cao treated him impeccably, and even brought him with him to give advice.

When attacking Shouchun and eradicating the false emperor, Zhu Ling also made a lot of contributions. He didn't destroy his future and what he held on to in his heart, and went for the assassination.

Or maybe, Zhu Ling was afraid of Xu Chuzhi's might and loyalty. After all, Xu Chu guarded Cao Cao day and night and would never leave easily.

Thinking of this, Cao Cao concluded that Zhu Ling did not intend to kill him, but wanted to help Yuan Shao with food and grass.

Cao Cao knew that Zhu Ling was well aware of the lack of food and grass in the army. If the food and grass did not arrive within three days, Cao Cao would definitely send someone to check, and he knew very well that he would urge the food to be delivered.

If Zhu Ling succeeded in this move, by the time Cao Cao found out, Zhu Ling would have already left with food and grass.

And he, Cao Cao, will be counterattacked by Li Yang's soldiers and horses. In the end, he has no choice but to retreat, or kill the horses to satisfy his hunger, otherwise, the soldiers and horses under his rule are likely to mutiny!
Naturally, any army is powerless without food.

Cao Cao secretly said in his heart: Yuan Benchu, it can be said that he is so scheming, that he placed such a person by my side eight years ago.

You really deserve to be you, Yuan Benchu. Eight years ago, you were vicious and far-sighted. Compared with you today, you are much more powerful.

Fortunately, Xi Yu seems to have seen through such a trick long ago.

Cao Cao remembered that Xi Yu began to warn him to beware of Zhu Ling a few years ago.

But Cao Cao finally moved with compassion and treated Zhu Ling with the courtesy of a national scholar, but Cao Cao never thought that he wanted to let him go back to Xuchang, but how did Zhu Ling betray him like this.

Fengyi, this time you saved brother Wei's life again!
Cao Cao stared at Gao Shun for a long time, but Cao Cao didn't speak for a long time. After a while, Cao Cao sighed, "Gao Shun, since you killed Zhu Ling for me, would you like to stay with me? "

At this moment, Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his back, and he admired Gao Shun's ability very much.

Seeing Cao Cao standing with his hands behind his back, it seems that this person is brave and loyal, such a first-class and powerful general is very rare, if he gets Gao Shun's help in any battlefield in the future, he will surely get twice the result with half the effort.

Gao Shun bowed deeply, not daring to meet Cao Cao's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Ming is recruiting, so naturally I won't refuse."

"But when the last general came, Master Xi once said that if Duke Ming knew that Zhu Ling would rebel, the Lord should think of a countermeasure, otherwise, Zhu Ling's death would be wasted."

"What do you think about this matter, my lord?"

(End of this chapter)