Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 107 Zhou Cang's Plan to Capture Zhang Liao

After the problem of soldiers was solved, the problem of food came next.

Xiaopei's current food reserves were still the rations Liu Bei had brought from Xiapi when he first attacked Yuan Shu. With only the original 10,000-plus troops, food and fodder would have only lasted a month. But now, Chen Bai had brought in 7,000 to 8,000 Yellow Turbans who had surrendered. Add to that the newly recruited Yellow Turbans from Wohu Mountain and the surrounding hills, and Xiaopei now had a full 30,000 soldiers.

Wei Xiaobao was more anxious about the food shortage than Liu Bei. After all, when he was in Chenliu, he had sworn that he would never let his three wives go hungry again.

Although Liu Bei's brother-in-law Mi Zhu was also a wealthy businessman in Xuzhou, food had long been in short supply during the war years and no amount of money could buy food, so Wei Xiaobao thought of robbing.

But whose food should they steal? Both the north and west were Cao Cao's territories. If they tried to steal Cao Cao's food, he would probably have already destroyed Xiaopei before they could recapture Xuzhou. If they tried to steal Lu Bu's food, it would be like declaring war on him too early, and the internal and external cooperation with Chen Deng would no longer be effective.

Wei Xiaobao finally decided to rob Yuan Shu's food.

Liu Bei had the same idea as Wei Xiaobao, but he did not go directly to Shouchun to rob food, but to rob the food that Yuan Shu gave to Lu Bu.

After Xia Pi was captured by Lu Bu, Liu Bei sent people to inquire about the situation. He found out that Lu Bu agreed to attack Xia Pi because Yuan Shu promised to give Lu Bu 100,000 stones of grain after the attack. However, Yuan Shu did not keep his promise and delayed sending the grain to Xia Pi.

Now that Yuan Shu had obtained new food and grass from Guangling, he was worried that Lu Bu would blame him for interfering, so he decided to send the promised food and grass to Xia Pi.

The newly recruited Yellow Turban Army still had to hurry up to train, and the only ones that could be sent out to rob food were the cavalry left behind by Zhao Yun.

After Liu Bei heard Zhao Yun talk about Wei Xiaobao's riding skills, he arranged for him and Guan Yu to lead the cavalry to rob food.

Lu Bu also sent Zhang Liao to support him.

In this way, the two teams met at a narrow pass before they even saw Yuan Shu's grain transport troops.

When Zhang Liao saw Guan Yu marching towards Shouchun, he knew he was going to rob food. Guan Yu was also very clear about Zhang Liao's purpose.

When the troops of both sides met, they immediately rushed into battle and fought each other.

Guan Yu usually leads infantry into battle and is not familiar with commanding cavalry. Wei Xiaobao is just a show-off and is good-looking but useless.

On the other hand, Lu Bu's cavalry was already experienced in battle, and with Zhang Liao in charge, their combat effectiveness was naturally much stronger than Guan Yu's.

After several rounds of attacks between the two sides, Guan Yu and Wei Xiaobao's cavalry had lost their formation and could only flee to the valley to hide.

Zhang Liao was worried that Liu Bei was lying in ambush in the valley, so he did not dare to enter the valley rashly.

Guan Yu was trapped in the valley. He sent people to inquire about Yuan Shu's grain transport troops while thinking about how to repel Zhang Liao.

After Zhou Cang of Wolong Mountain was subdued by Guan Yu, he became Guan Yu's vanguard and followed Guan Yu on this expedition. At this time, he and Wei Xiaobao were accompanying Guan Yu on the hillside to observe Zhang Liao's movements.

Zhou Cang said, "General, the day before yesterday at Wolong Mountain, I was also trapped in a valley by you. I actually had a way to escape, but I had long heard of your reputation and was determined to join you. I finally persuaded my brothers to surrender."

Guan Yu asked, "What is the plan?"

Zhou Cang said, "It's actually very simple. It's just a feigned surrender. We'll ambush on the hillsides on both sides, waiting for Zhang Liao to lead his troops into the valley. Then we'll attack them with huge rocks and heavy logs. I guarantee they'll be thrown to the ground and their bodies will be completely destroyed."

Guan Yu said, "Zhang Liao and Zhang Wenyuan are from the same hometown. After Lü Bu's defeat in Xuzhou, we became quite close. He knows my character and probably won't believe that I will surrender."

Zhou Cang said, "The general and the lord have a deep brotherly bond and would certainly not betray him. But I am only a surrendered general. Trapped in this valley with no hope of escape, it is only natural for me to betray the general." Wei Xiaobao said, "Zhang Liao has seen me in front of Cao Cao's army. If Zhou Cang and I pretend to surrender, he will probably be fooled."

Guan Yu said, "Wenyuan is a hero of our time. I cannot bear to harm his life with this trick."

Wei Xiaobao said, "Second brother, there are always casualties in war. Even if we can escape, if we don't get any food, the soldiers in Xiaopei will starve to death. How can you recapture Xuzhou?"

Guan Yu closed his eyes and thought for a long time, then slowly opened his eyes.

Wei Xiaobao's heart was beating fast: "Master Guan has opened his eyes. Master Guan is going to kill someone."

Wei Xiaobao had heard people say since he was a child that the statue of Guan Yu always had its eyes slightly closed, because when Guan Yu opened his eyes wide, it was time for him to go into battle and kill his generals.

Wei Xiaobao quickly said, "Second brother, you lead the men in ambush. Zhou Cang and I will go see Zhang Liao. But I need your Azure Dragon Crescent Blade."

Guan Yu glanced at the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade and said to Zhou Cang, "This blade has been with me for many years. Whether the plan succeeds or not, you must not lose it."

Zhou Cang clasped his hands together and said, "Don't worry, General. The man is here, the sword is here."

Wei Xiaobao rode Jueying, and Zhou Cang followed beside him carrying the Qinglong Yanyue Sword, and the two of them galloped out of the valley.

Zhou Cang was carrying an eighty-jin sword, and his steps were not slow at all. He actually ran side by side with Wei Xiaobao.

Wei Xiaobao was momentarily in a trance: "I'm riding a BMW, with Zhou Cang by my side, and carrying the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade. Isn't that what makes me Guan Erge? Hehe, just thinking about it makes me feel so impressive. It's a pity that I'm not going to fight in the battlefield, but instead I'm being a traitor."

Zhang Liao was in the army when someone suddenly came to report: "Report! Two men and a horse have rushed out from Guan Yu's formation. One of them is carrying the Green Dragon Crescent Blade on his shoulder and is heading straight for our army."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao hurried to check. It was almost evening and there was fog in the mountains. For a moment, he could not see clearly whether the person coming was Guan Yu.

When they were still a hundred steps away, Zhang Liao raised his crescent halberd and shouted at Wei Xiaobao and Zhou Cang, "The man coming is Guan Yu of Jiezhou!"

Wei Xiaobao shouted from his horse, "General Zhang, don't do it. I am Wei Xiaobao. We met in Puyang."

Zhang Liao asked, "What brings you here?"

Wei Xiaobao shouted, "General Zhang, Lü Bu has surrendered to the imperial court. I was originally going to Xiapi to deliver the imperial decree appointing Lü Bu as the governor of Xuzhou, but when I passed through Xiaopei, I was captured by Liu Bei and Guan Yu. Later, they planned to exchange me and the imperial decree for food and supplies in Yuan Shu's hands."

Zhang Liao had already noticed the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade in Zhou Cang's hand and pointed at him, asking, "Why is General Guan's weapon in your hand?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "After Guan Yu was trapped in the valley, my brother Zhou Cang and I seized the opportunity to capture Guan Yu, snatched his sword, and surrendered to General Zhang!"

Zhang Liao had already galloped up, shouting, "Yun Chang was a great hero of the time, yet he was murdered by you two! All the soldiers, follow me and kill him in the valley to rescue General Guan!"

Wei Xiaobao saw that the situation was not going well, so he abandoned Zhou Cang and fled, urging his horse to run, shouting, "General Zhang, Guan Yu is your enemy. I'm here to help you. How can you not tell good from bad?"

Zhang Liao chased closely behind him and said, "Yun Chang and I each serve our own masters and have no grudge against each other. I want to defeat him, so why would I need the help of a despicable villain like you?"

As Wei Xiaobao fled back, he complained in his heart: "You and my second brother are heroes, you two are so noble! He was reluctant to kill you, and now you want to save him. Just don't put my life at risk!"

(End of this chapter)