Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

— Xu Huang, who was fighting on the front lines, saw Deng Ai's army "defeated" and his burning desire for victory burned even brighter!
Without much thought, he raised his great axe, pointed it at the retreating Han army, and roared at the top of his lungs.

"The enemy has been routed! All troops, pursue them! Do not let Deng Ai escape! Capture Yangping Pass!"

"Chase!"

Seeing their commander's determination, Cao Cao's soldiers believed victory was assured. They were all fired up and chased after him with all their might. Their formation involuntarily stretched and became somewhat scattered during the pursuit.

As Deng Ai retreated, he kept an eye on the movements behind him.

He deliberately controlled the speed of his retreat, neither letting Cao Cao's army catch up and engage in close combat, nor letting them lose him. Like an experienced angler, he steadily led the hooked fish towards the direction of Luofeng Valley.

When the vanguard of Cao Cao's army, which was at the forefront of the pursuit, had already entered the area of ​​Luofeng Valley, and most of Cao Cao's army had also entered this area where the terrain was gradually narrowing, a sudden change occurred!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Three heavy cannon shots suddenly rang out from behind Cao Cao's army!

Immediately afterwards, countless Han army banners were raised on the high ground on both sides of the valley, and arrows rained down like locusts! Rolling logs and boulders crashed into the chaotic ranks of Cao Cao's army with deafening roars!

"Kill! Capture Xu Huang alive!"

Gu Rubing took the lead, wielding a long sword and leading 10,000 ambushers. Like divine soldiers descending from the sky, they launched a fierce and overwhelming attack from behind Cao's army!

At the same time, Deng Ai, who was in retreat, suddenly reined in his horse, drew his long sword, pointed it at the pursuing troops behind him, and roared.

"Soldiers! Our lord has cut off the enemy's retreat! Follow me and charge back to annihilate Cao Cao's army! Kill—!"

The Han army, which had been "fleeing," turned around instantly and launched a fierce counterattack against the pursuers like tigers descending the mountain!

With ambushes ahead, pursuers behind, and deadly long-range attacks from both sides, Cao Cao's army was instantly thrown into utter chaos!

The soldiers were in a panic, unable to distinguish between the enemy and friendly forces, and countless soldiers trampled each other in the process.

Despite his bravery, Xu Huang wielded his great axe and killed dozens of Han soldiers who charged at him, but in such a desperate situation, his personal bravery seemed so pale and powerless.

He tried to rally his troops to organize a resistance, but orders could not be conveyed at all, and the formation was in complete chaos.

"General! The situation is hopeless! Retreat!"

The guards gripped Xu Huang's horse reins tightly and shouted anxiously.

Xu Huang looked at the devastating defeat before him, his eyes bloodshot, his heart filled with endless regret and resentment, and in the end he could only let out a long sigh.

"Retreat! Break through towards the main camp!"

With the desperate protection of some loyal generals and personal guards, Xu Huang led a remnant of his troops, like stray dogs, and fought his way through to escape back to the camp they had come from.

How could Gu Rubing let such a good opportunity slip by?
"Xu Huang, don't flee! All troops, pursue him!"

As Gu Rubing pointed his long sword, the morale of the Han soldiers soared, and they surged forward like a tidal wave towards the fleeing Cao army.

This pursuit lasted for more than twenty miles! Along the way, Cao Cao's army was littered with corpses, their helmets and armor discarded, and more than two thousand more were killed.

When Xu Huang finally escaped back to the now-empty camp, he counted the remaining soldiers around him. Of the more than four thousand elite troops who had followed him on the expedition, only a hundred or so remained, all of them wounded and completely disorganized, reduced to a disorganized mess.

Looking at the group of terrified and frightened soldiers around him, and recalling his lofty ambitions when he set out on the expedition, Xu Huang's face turned ashen, and a sense of desolation, like a hero facing his end, welled up in his heart.

He knew that he had not only suffered heavy losses, but had also completely ruined Cao Cao's strategy of advancing from both the east and the west.

He didn't even dare to linger in the camp. He burned the grain and supplies that he couldn't take with him and led his hundred or so remaining soldiers in a sorry state, fleeing in the direction of Cao Cao's main force.

When the news of the crushing defeat at Yangping Pass and the near annihilation of the entire army was delivered to Cao Cao by a messenger who had managed to escape, Cao Cao was in his central command tent outside Linjiang City, discussing the battle situation with his strategists.

He first received the bad news from Xu Huang that "the rearguard troops were attacked and annihilated by Gu Rubing's reinforcements." His face darkened.

Immediately afterward, another urgent report stained with blood arrived before him—the ambush at Luoyingpo had resulted in only 5,000 survivors escaping from the 20,000-strong Second Squad!

Cao Cao's hand holding the silk cloth trembled slightly. He had not yet recovered from the successive blows when hurried footsteps and a tearful report came from outside the tent again.

"My lord... my lord! Something terrible has happened! General Xu Huang... he was ambushed at Yangping Pass, his army... his entire army was wiped out, and General Xu survived with only a hundred or so cavalrymen..."

"puff--!"

The series of crushing defeats, especially the tragic end of his trusted general Xu Huang, caused immense anger, disappointment, and frustration at the strategic setbacks to erupt in Cao Cao's chest like a volcano!

He suddenly clutched his chest, his face instantly turning bright red. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and he actually spat out a mouthful of blood!

"Lord!"

"King Wei!"

The strategists and generals inside the tent were terrified upon seeing this and rushed forward to help him up.

Cao Cao shoved away the person who was helping him, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and his eyes became fierce and frightening, like those of a wounded beast.

He forcefully suppressed his churning blood and qi, his voice hoarse and cold, as if it came from the deepest hell.

"Well done... well done Gu Rubing! Well done Liu Bei! What brilliant tactics!"

He suddenly stood up, and although he swayed slightly, his ruthless aura as a tyrant only intensified.

"If one plan fails, another will do! Summon all strategists to the main tent for a meeting immediately! I want to see how long Gu Rubing can remain smug!"

Meanwhile, inside Yangping Pass, a completely different scene unfolded.

After the great victory at Yangping Pass, Gu Rubing was not blinded by success.

He knew that Cao Cao's power was formidable and that he would not be seriously weakened by one or two defeats; an even greater storm was yet to come.

While ordering the army to be rewarded and boost morale, he also seized the time to prepare weapons, strengthen city defenses, and stockpile grain in Mianzhu City in preparation for Cao Cao's inevitable and fierce counterattack.

As the gateway to the heart of Yizhou, the strategic importance of Mianzhu City is self-evident, and Gu Rubing is determined to build this city into a solid fortress.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao, who had retreated back to Luocheng, felt his anger and shame surge like magma.

Looking at the remnants of his defeated troops whom he had barely managed to gather, his first action was to use swift and decisive measures to enforce military discipline!
He publicly denounced several generals who had shown cowardice and poor command in the battles of Yangpingguan and Luoyingpo, and without allowing them any explanation, directly executed them at the gate for "neglecting battle, fearing the enemy, losing the army and disgracing the country"!

The bloody human head hanging high atop the pole silenced all of Cao Cao's soldiers, instantly reinforcing military discipline.

After dealing with the defeated generals, Cao Cao suppressed the surging anger in his chest and summoned his core strategists, including Xun Yu and Cheng Yu, as well as generals such as Xiahou Dun and Zhang He, to the Luocheng government office. The atmosphere was oppressively suffocating.

"Gentlemen, Liu Bei, that brat, has repeatedly defeated our army and is now extremely arrogant."

Now, the city holding Mianzhu has become a major threat! If we cannot capture this city quickly, our army will be unable to advance an inch in Yizhou! What are some good strategies to resolve this predicament?

Cao Cao's voice was hoarse, but the ruthlessness in his eyes remained undiminished.

Xun Yu pondered for a moment, then stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Your Majesty, Liu Bei relies on the fortified city of Mianzhu and its deep moats, intending to wage a protracted war against our army. A direct assault would likely result in heavy casualties, and we might not even be able to capture it. I have a plan that might allow us to emulate Liu Bei's past tactics—encircle and annihilate reinforcements!"

"Block the point and attack the reinforcements?" Cao Cao's eyes flashed.

"Wenruo explained in detail."

Xun Yu walked to the map and pointed to Mianzhu City.

"Although Mianzhu City is fortified, it is not an isolated city."

Liu Bei's supplies and reinforcements must be transported via specific routes. Our army can feign a major attack on Mianzhu to draw Liu Bei's attention and forces away from him.

At the same time, a special elite force was dispatched to bypass Mianzhu's line of sight and secretly infiltrate its rear, specifically to cut off its supply lines and strike its reinforcements!
Thus, Mianzhu will become an isolated city. If left unattended for too long, without food or reinforcements, the morale of the army will inevitably collapse, and it may fall without a fight! This city is the 'point' we have chosen!

Cao Cao stared at the map, his eyes growing brighter and brighter, and then suddenly slammed his hand on the table.

"Excellent! Excellent! This plan suits me perfectly! Let's use his own methods against him! Liu Bei will never expect that I would use the methods he is good at to deal with him!"

Once the plan was decided, Cao Cao immediately and swiftly began to deploy it.

He summoned Xiahou Yuan, a general of the clan known for his bravery and speed, and solemnly gave him the order.

"My lord, I grant you five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, all clad in light armor and carrying ten days' rations. Your mission is not to attack the city, but to infiltrate behind enemy lines!"

"Avoid the main roads for me, take the mountain paths, and stealthily circle around to the rear of Mianzhu City! Find and completely cut off Liu Bei's supply lines! If you see reinforcements, attack if you can, otherwise harass them! Make sure Mianzhu becomes a dead city!"

"This subordinate obeys! I will certainly not fail the King of Wei's trust!"

Xiahou Yuan clasped his hands in a fist salute, a wolf-like glint flashing in his eyes, and turned to muster his troops.

After arranging the surprise attack, Cao Cao looked at his strategist Xun You.

"Gongda, you must personally travel to Jiaozhou and meet with Liu Zhang. Tell him the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'! If we sit idly by and watch Liu Bei grow stronger, we will surely be swallowed up by him one day."

Now that Liu Bei's main force is tied down in Yizhou, his Jingzhou is inevitably vulnerable! Let him immediately launch a full-scale attack on Jingzhou, putting pressure on Zhuge Liang! Once Jingzhou is in dire straits, Zhuge Liang will inevitably request reinforcements from Liu Bei, forcing Liu Bei to divide his forces! This is a decisive strategy!

"You understand!"

Xun You bowed and accepted the order, preparing to depart immediately.

With everything prepared, Cao Cao personally led all the troops he could muster, numbering supposedly 200,000, and marched straight towards Mianzhu City, displaying an attitude of sparing no expense and determined to flatten the city.

In Jiaozhou, Liu Zhang, persuaded by Xun You and analyzed by Surena, finally made up his mind.

Surena believes that Zhuge Liang's forces were indeed stretched thin, and his biggest weakness was the lack of troops.

Liu Zhang then adopted his strategy and launched a massive attack on the border of Jingzhou from six different directions!

Each force was small, but the combination of feints and real attacks left Zhuge Liang, whose forces were already insufficient, struggling to cope with the situation and causing his defenses to be under constant threat.

Jingzhou, Xiangyang.

Zhuge Liang, sitting in the central command, frowned deeply as he faced the chaotic situation of Liu Zhang advancing from six directions.

He only had 50,000 elite troops from Mount Tai led by Zang Ba at his disposal. Although these 50,000 men were a battle-hardened army, they were undoubtedly a drop in the ocean when it came to defending the long border of Jingzhou.

"Prime Minister, the defenses are under immense pressure, especially in the Jiangling and Wuling areas, where the enemy's offensive is fierce and there is a risk of them falling!"

Military advisor Ma Su anxiously reported.

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, but his gaze was unusually clear.

"Ji Chang, don't panic."

Liu Zhang's actions, though seemingly fierce, were actually driven by Cao Cao, intended to contain our army and force our lord to send troops back to reinforce us.

This was Cao Mengde's overt strategy.

He walked up to the map and sighed.

"Even if it's an open conspiracy, we have no choice but to fall into its trap. Jingzhou is our fundamental territory, and we cannot afford to lose it."

He immediately wrote a letter detailing the perilous situation in Jingzhou and his assessment of Cao Cao's "encirclement and suppression" strategy, and sent it to Gu Rubing in Yizhou by express courier.

Inside Mianzhu City, Gu Rubing received almost simultaneously a messenger reporting an emergency in Jingzhou and news of Cao Cao's massive army pressing in.

Upon reading Zhuge Liang's letter, his expression became extremely solemn.

"Kongming's judgment was correct; this was indeed Cao Cao's open scheme."

Gu Rubing passed the letter to Lu Su, Deng Ai, and others who were beside him.

"If Jingzhou is lost, our army will lose its foundation, and Yizhou will also be difficult to protect."

However, if troops are diverted to rescue Mianzhu, the city's defenses will be weakened, which would play right into Cao Cao's hands..."

Silence fell over the tent; it was a difficult choice.

Lu Su sighed deeply.

"My lord, this situation... is unsolvable. We cannot abandon Jingzhou. We can only hope that Kongming can defeat Liu Zhang as soon as possible and then return to support us."

Gu Rubing closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his expression was resolute.

"Issue the order! Divide the army into 100,000 troops, led by..., and set off immediately to reinforce Kongming in Jingzhou! Tell him that the war in Yizhou is urgent and that he should resolve the conflict quickly!"

"promise!"

Despite their deep reluctance, military orders were absolute.

The 100,000-strong army, carrying a heavy mission, quickly left Mianzhu City.

As a result, Gu Rubing's forces available for direct confrontation with Cao Cao on the front lines plummeted to less than 100,000.

Cao Cao's open strategy, like an invisible noose, successfully changed Gu Rubing's strategic deployment, forcing him to switch from proactive offense to passive defense.

When the news reached Cao Cao's ears, he clapped his hands and laughed heartily, feeling smug and triumphant.

"Liu Bei is already in our trap! Order the entire army to advance at full speed and surround Mianzhu!"

Cao's army marched in a mighty force, completely surrounding the city of Mianzhu.

Everything seemed to be going according to Cao Cao's script in the early stages—the surprise troops had been dispatched, the reinforcements had been transferred away, and only this "isolated and helpless" city remained in front of them.

However, when Cao Cao actually began the siege, he discovered that things were far more complicated than he had imagined!
Gu Rubing devoted tremendous effort to the defense and management of Mianzhu City. The city walls were heightened and thickened, the moat was deepened and widened, and the city walls were densely packed with arrow towers and cannon positions. The city was well-equipped with defensive weapons, with rolling logs, stones, and molten oil piled up like mountains.

More importantly, the defending troops, led by Gu Rubing, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Deng Ai and others, were in high spirits and united in their hatred of the enemy!
Cao Cao first led his soldiers, carrying makeshift siege ladders, in a fearless charge. (End of Chapter)