Ji Han Liu Zhang

White Horse City.

Liu Yan, the governor of Dongjun, looked at the Hu cavalry galloping back and forth outside the city and couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Liu Yan knew where these Hu cavalry came from. These Hu cavalry came from the Wuhuan tribe and were subordinates of the Wuhuan leaders Nanlou and Su Puyan. They were lured by Yuan Shao with gold and silk, and this time they led their troops south to help Yuan Shao conquer the Central Plains.

This was a customary practice. Since the Wuhuan people moved to Youbeiping, Yuyang and Shanggu, they had always been the thugs and mercenaries of the Han Empire. Liu Yan did not find it strange that Yuan Shao recruited the Wuhuan for help this time.

Now the Wuhuan people from the Nanlou and Subuyan tribes, with more than 5,000 cavalry, crossed the river as the vanguard and marched to the outside of the Baima City where Liu Yan was stationed.

It is well known that the Hu cavalry are not good at attacking cities. However, it is also known that the Hu cavalry rely on their horses, move back and forth erratically, and are good at riding and shooting. Liu Yan also knows this clearly. Similarly, the Wuhuan leaders Nanlou and Su Puyan on the opposite side also know this.

Therefore, after Zidong Nanlou and Su Puyan's troops arrived at Baima, they did not rush to attack Baima City. After all, siege was not their strong point. They only ordered their Hu cavalry to form teams of 100 people to clear out Cao's scouts within 30 miles outside Baima City and cut off the news channel from Baima City to the outside world, laying a good foundation for the arrival of the subsequent siege troops of Yuan's army.

At the same time, the Wuhuan cavalry entered the rich Central Plains and naturally plundered. Although Yuan Shao had promised them corresponding rewards, who would complain about too much money? This time they went south to help Yuan Shao, so they naturally wanted to plunder some benefits.

As a result, the villages near Baima City were harassed by Wuhuan cavalry. Liu Yan, the governor of Dongjun, looked out from the city tower and saw wisps of smoke rising from the villages outside the city for a long time.

"Hu dog." Liu Yan gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He hated the Wuhuan people for harming the people. He wanted to lead the soldiers in Baima City out of the city to fight and rescue the common people near Baima City.

After a long time, Liu Yan loosened his clenched fists. Although he wanted to save the people, he also knew that relying on the two thousand infantrymen and three hundred knights in the city to fight against the six thousand Hu cavalry would be like using an egg to hit a stone, and the result would be smashed to pieces.

In addition, his mission was to defend Baima City. If he went into battle out of anger, Baima City would probably be lost. Then, without Baima City as a nail in Baima Crossing, Yuan's army could move southward without restraint.

In order to consider the overall situation, Liu Yan endured it. He looked south, hoping that the reinforcements sent by Prime Minister Cao Cao would arrive early to rescue the people of Baima City and kill all the unscrupulous Wuhuan and Hu dogs.

"Prime Minister Cao." Liu Yan once again looked south, his expression thoughtful.

Outside Baima City, Nanlou and Subuyan, the two leaders of the Wuhuan tribe, looked at the closed gates of Baima City with a look of toothache.

"Tsk." Nan Lou said with disdain. He cursed: "Liu Yan is the governor of Dongjun and a lord of two thousand stones. When our army arrived here, he turned a blind eye and just closed the city gates, not daring to send out a single soldier to fight. He is truly a coward."

"That's right." Su Puyan echoed, "This guy is carrying the heavy responsibility of a county, but he is a coward... But..."

Following a "but", Su Puyan sighed and said, "This man is hiding in the city, and we can't get into the city, so there is no good way to deal with him."

"That's right." It was Nan Lou's turn to say 'That's right': "Han'er's city is like an iron barrel. If you want to get the gold, silver, jade, and wealth in the iron barrel, you have to break the iron barrel outside. But this iron barrel is really hard to break."

"Compared to these poor villages outside the city, the city is a glamorous world." Nan Lou, who had seen the scenes inside the Han city, looked at Baima City with extreme desire and bloodthirstiness. But soon, Nan Lou withdrew his gaze. As for the siege, they had no chance of taking Baima City. After all, with their siege methods, it might be difficult to take down even a fortress built by a powerful person, let alone Baima City, which was several feet high.

Nanlou and Su Puyan looked at each other and saw the disappointment in each other's eyes. They could not enter Baima City to plunder at will and could only plunder a few villages. They were not very satisfied with their current gains.

They went south to help Yuan Shao. They had no demands for land, but only wanted to gain wealth and bring it back to the tribe so that they could have a good year. Unfortunately, the current gains did not satisfy their appetite.

"No hurry." Su Puyan comforted Nanlou, "I heard that the Duke of Wei's army has a magical weapon called the Thunderbolt Chariot, which can fly stones a hundred steps away with a sound like thunder. There is no city that the Thunderbolt Chariot cannot break. When Yan Liang and Wen Chou's troops arrive, we will mount the Thunderbolt Chariot and make White Horse City fall. I will then charge into the city and enjoy it."

"Of course." Nanlou smiled, his eyes kept wandering around Baima City, as if he saw the happy scene of breaking through Baima City and fighting their way into the city. He couldn't help but licking his lips.

……

Chenliu State, Kuangting.

Cao's army marched northward, and the vanguard led by Cao Cao has now arrived at Kuangting. They only need to cross the Pu River in front of them and march a hundred miles to reach Baima City on the bank of the river.

"Has there been any messenger to report from Baima City?" Cao Cao asked Xiahou Yuan who had entered the tent.

Xiahou Yuan shook his head, indicating that no messenger had arrived. "The latest news from Baima City was ten days ago. Liu Yan reported that a large army was crossing the river at Baima Ferry. Judging from their flags and the clothes of the men and horses, they were most likely Wuhuan from the Three Commanderies. There has been no news since then."

"According to the information sent back by the scouts we sent out recently, within a radius of thirty miles from Baima City, the Wuhuan Hu cavalry were marching back and forth, intercepting and killing our scouts. I guess this is the reason why the news was cut off."

Cao Cao looked solemn. He asked, "Have you found out the number of Hu cavalry?"

"About 5,000 cavalrymen." Xiahou Yuan gave an estimated number, which was also a roughly correct number: "As for the Wuhuan tribe, according to the results of the interrogation of the two captured tongues, it is known that they are the troops of Nanlou and Su Puyan. As for Wuhuan Chanyu Louban and Wuhuan King Tadun, they did not go out."

The situation became clear in an instant. The Wuhuan people, as mercenaries, were sent by Yuan Shao as vanguard to cross the river and surround Baima City. Although the Wuhuan were not capable of attacking a city, Baima City was most likely in the hands of Liu Yan, the prefect of Dongjun.

But the Wuhuan people were good at riding and shooting, and were used to running. Relying on their horsepower, they surrounded Baima City tightly, and the news inside Baima City could not be passed out.

This gave Cao Cao the first problem he needed to solve immediately: to wipe out this group of Wuhuan people, resolve the siege of Baima City, and send out Liu Yan, the prefect of Dongjun, and his soldiers.

With this thought in mind, Cao Cao turned his gaze towards Guo Jia. (End of this chapter)