Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 173 Xu Huang Raids the Camp with Hundreds of Cavalry, Liu Bei Attacks Pengcheng (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)
Although Xu Huang was usually taciturn, he was extremely prestigious.

Even though Wu Kuang, Zhang Zhang, Zhou Cang, and others did not belong to Xu Huang's camp, they dared not disobey Xu Huang's military orders.

That night.

Xu Huang selected a hundred cavalrymen from the camp and told them that he was going to raid the camp.

Upon hearing this military order, the faces of all the 100 riders changed drastically.

"Captain, it's not that I'm cowardly, it's just that this raid by a hundred cavalrymen is a death sentence."

"That's right, Captain. We're not afraid of death. If five hundred cavalrymen were to go, we would definitely be at the forefront."

"Captain, please think carefully."

"."

Seeing that the hundred riders were all frightened and unwilling, Xu Huang immediately said in a deep voice: "We have raised soldiers for a thousand days, and we will use them for one day. I am a general, and I am not afraid of my life. How can you be afraid of battle?"

"You have been in my camp for many days. Do you think I, Xu Huang, am just a brute who only knows how to lead you to your deaths?"

The riders were all taken aback upon hearing this, and then began to whisper among themselves.

Just now, I was afraid because of the hundred riders going there, and I forgot that although Xu Huang was brave, he was not a reckless man.

Seeing that the fear on the faces of the cavalry had subsided, Xu Huang then carefully explained the tactics.

These were all elite cavalrymen who had received basic education. As soon as Xu Huang explained the tactics, they understood his intentions and not only stopped objecting, but also became excited.

They all shouted, "We are willing to go with the captain!"

Seeing that the morale was good, Xu Huang ordered his men to bring soup, rice, and meat so that the cavalry could have a good meal and recharge their energy.

In Kong Zhou's camp.

Because Tao Qian disagreed with attacking Feng County, Kong Zhou was depressed and ordered someone to bring wine to cheer him up.

After drinking too much, Kong Zhou started rambling incoherently: "Tao Qian may know how to use troops, but he's too cautious. What's so scary about Xu Huang?"

“If I were Xu Huang, seeing that Xiaopei had been besieged for so long, I would have sent troops to rescue Xiaopei long ago. The fact that he dared not come must mean that he is not very capable.”

"Not everyone is Zhao Yun or Lü Bu, so what is there to fear!"

Amidst the grumbling and cursing, Kong Zhou gradually fell asleep in the main tent.

It was late at night.

Kong Zhou, needing to urinate urgently, woke up from his drunken dream and staggered toward the chamber pot.

A gust of night wind sobered him up a bit, and he staggered out of the tent to inspect the camp's defenses.

After inspecting the area for a while, Kong Zhou felt a renewed sense of unappreciated talent.

"I, Kong Zhou, am a descendant of Confucius, yet I can only serve as the Prefect of Mount Tai. With my talents, I would be more than qualified to be a Governor of a province."

"Why should I, with my great talent, be subordinate to those two idiots, Yuan Yi and Tao Qian? Tao Qian is just a military man; he's only fought a few battles in Liangzhou. Does he know any tricks of the trade?"

"I can also do water-based systems, I just didn't think of it at first."

After grumbling for a while, Kong Zhou went to the west gate of the camp. He glanced at the outside of the gate and suddenly wondered, "How can these deer antlers move on their own?"

Then he saw a soldier on duty dozing off, so he kicked him and said, "Who told you to sleep? Do you want to die?"

Upon seeing that it was Kong Zhou, the soldier turned pale with fright and hurriedly knelt down to beg for mercy: "My lord, I was wrong, I was just too tired."

Kong Zhou retorted angrily, "Huh? You're tired? Are you as tired as me? I'm so tired that my eyes are blurry, I even saw the antlers moving by themselves."

"How can the antlers move by themselves?" The soldier was stunned.

When questioned by the soldier, Kong Zhou's drunkenness subsided by three points, and he was stunned again. The two looked at the camp gate in astonishment, only to see that the deer antlers in front of them had all been moved away.

In an instant, Kong Zhou sobered up completely, turned around and ran away, but the soldier on duty was not so lucky and was shot dead by an arrow!

Then a roar like that of a tiger or leopard rang out: "Xu Huang, a captain of the Lingyan Army under the Imperial Uncle, is ordered to raid the camp!"

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Huang cleaved the camp gate open with a single axe stroke.

The hundred riders behind them also charged in, shouting, "Kill Kong Zhou!" "Kill Kong Zhou!"

Kong Zhou was terrified. If he hadn't reacted quickly, he would have ended up like the soldiers on duty.

If a dignified prefect were to be shot and killed while strolling at night, it would probably be recorded in unofficial books: "Kong Zhou, the prefect of Mount Tai, met with a young man at night and died at the camp gate."

Upon hearing Xu Huang call out his name, Kong Zhou was both surprised and angry. He confidently declared, "I have never known that Xu Huang existed in this world since I was born," and "Xu Huang is far inferior to Zhao Yun and Lü Bu." He even suggested that they go to Feng County to fight Xu Huang.

As a result, Xu Huang attacked directly!
"Damn Xu Huang! He actually resorted to sneak attacks! If he's so capable, let's face each other head-on!" Kong Zhou cursed as he struggled to organize his troops.

However, just as Kong Zhou was preparing to counterattack, Xu Huang turned around and left, saying, "Old man Kong Zhou, I only brought a hundred cavalry tonight, so I won't fight you. Tomorrow, watch as I lead a large army to attack you!"

Kong Zhou was so angry that his beard trembled.

So annoying!

You raided the camp, fine, but you have to claim you only brought a hundred cavalry.

Are you afraid no one will know that my camp was raided by a hundred horsemen tonight?
"Chase them! Chase them!" Kong Zhou was filled with rage, his mind clouded by anger.

Chief Secretary Kong You hurriedly advised, "Your Excellency, you must not act rashly. Do you remember Lü Bu's ambush? Xu Huang is definitely trying to provoke you; he must have a large army lying in ambush outside!"

"Why not wait for Zhang Miao and Ying Shao's troops to arrive, and then join forces to pursue them!"

Kong Zhou reacted instantly.

It was because he was too eager to pursue Lü Bu and failed to coordinate well with Zhang Miao and Ying Shao that Lü Bu succeeded.

If he falls for the same trick again tonight, then Kong Zhou will have no choice but to retreat and leave, just like Kong Rong.

"Quickly muster the troops and send a message to Zhang Miao and Ying Shao!" Kong Zhou took a deep breath and said, "Tonight I will make sure Xu Huang doesn't return alive! An ambush? Hmph! Do you think I'm afraid of an ambush?"

Not long after.

Zhang Miao and Ying Shao led their troops over and inquired who had raided the camp.

Upon learning that Xu Huang had raided Kong Zhou's camp with only a hundred cavalry, both Zhang Miao and Ying Shao wore strange expressions.

They were practically ready to criticize Kong Zhou: Are all people with the surname Kong this useless? One is Kong Rong, the other is Kong Zhou; if you can't command troops, then don't command them.

Kong Zhou replied, "Last time, I was ambushed while leading my troops deep into enemy territory alone. This time, with the two of you flanking us, we will surely achieve a great victory."

"In this way, the three of us can take Feng County directly, and even Tao Qian will have nothing to say."

Zhang Miao and Ying Shao originally intended to return directly to camp, but after hearing Kong Zhou's words, they suddenly realized they made sense.

Gao Shun, standing to the side, said, "My lord, beware of a trap. Since Xu Huang can raid the camp with only a hundred cavalry, why not bring more troops to launch a full-scale attack? If so, Prefect Kong will be dead tonight. Why bother setting up an ambush?" Kong Zhou's face changed drastically, and he shouted, "Prefect Zhang, can't you manage your men properly? What do you mean by 'Xu Huang bringing more troops to launch a full-scale attack and I will be dead tonight'?"

Zhang Miao was secretly pleased, but quickly pretended to scold Gao Shun: "Commander Gao, don't talk nonsense! This is a plan by Prefect Kong to lure the enemy!"

Even so, Zhang Miao's suppressed laughter only fueled Kong Zhou's anger: "Are you still going to pursue them or not? Are you really going to obey Tao Qian's orders to attack Xiaopei City?"

"Even if the sixteen armies capture Xiaopei, how much credit will they get? If they capture Fengxian, why bother with the credit from Xiaopei?"

Zhang Miao and Ying Shao exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement: "Of course we have to pursue! As planned, you take the central route, and the two of us will flank and encircle them!"

Gao Shun hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

The movements of the three battalions quickly reached Tao Qian's camp: "What's going on? Who are Kong Zhou, Zhang Miao, and Ying Shao fighting? Go and find out immediately."

After a while.

Upon learning that Kong Zhou's camp had been raided by Xu Huang's hundred cavalry, and that Kong Zhou, Zhang Miao, and Ying Shao had all led their troops in pursuit, Tao Qian was so angry that he smashed the earthenware bowl he was drinking from on the ground.

"Three idiots!"

According to Tao Qian's plan, as long as they steadily and surely capture Xiaopei and wipe out Liu Bei's troops there, it would be enough to severely damage Liu Bei.

Even if Liu Bei led the troops from Feng County to attack, Tao Qian could hold the city and not come out, thus wearing Liu Bei down.

Unexpectedly, having just gained the upper hand, Kong Zhou and his two companions were impatient, thinking victory was in sight.

"The generals of Yanzhou are indeed unreliable!"

With a gloomy face, Tao Qian quickly summoned Zang Ba, Zhou Gan, Yin De, Liu Kui, Ji Lian, and Yuan Zhong.

He then informed everyone that Kong Zhou and the other two had launched an unauthorized attack, and added, "Kong Zhou and the other two were tricked by Xu Huang tonight, so they will certainly not dare to attack the city with all their might tomorrow. In order to avoid Yuan Yi and the others having any concerns, we must do our best to attack Xiaopei tomorrow."

"I am always worried that Yuan Shu may not be able to hold Liu Bei for long. If we cannot take Xiaopei quickly, we will have to return empty-handed. I will personally supervise the battle tomorrow! Let me make this clear: anyone who is afraid to fight will be my enemy."

"If I cannot defeat Liu Bei, then surely I can defeat you all?"

Zang Ba and the others were all stern-faced.

Whether it was the chancellors Yin De, Liu Kui, Ji Lian, and Yuan Zhong, or Zhou Gan, the former governor of Yangzhou, or Zang Ba, the once rampant bandit of Mount Tai, they were not willing to obey Tao Qian because of his benevolence and righteousness, but because Tao Qian was capable in battle.

Whether it was Dong Zhuo, Liu Bei, or Tao Qian, they were all border generals. The common characteristic of border generals is one thing: they are good at fighting!

Tao Qian was from Danyang, a place historically known for its martial spirit, and he commanded a fierce and elite force recruited from Danyang.

"We are ready to obey your orders, Lord!" Zang Ba and the others shouted in unison, no longer daring to harbor any illusions.

And in the north.

Yuan Yi also received news that Kong Zhou and the other two were pursuing Xu Huang, and summoned Yuan Xu, Qiao Mao, Zheng Sui, Bao Xin, and Li Zan.

Xu Xu revealed his thoughts: "Kong Zhou and the other two want to take Feng County without sharing the credit with us. They disregarded Tao Qian's orders and pursued the enemy on their own for Xu Huang's hundred cavalry. We'll see what Tao Qian decides tomorrow."

"If the generals of Xuzhou bravely attack the city, we must also do our best; if the generals of Xuzhou dare not attack the city, we must think of a way to retreat."

Bao Xin shook his head and sighed: "We have just achieved a small victory, and Kong Zhou and the other two are already vying for credit. Regardless of whether Tao Qian will attack the city tomorrow, I will personally lead the Jibei army to attack it. If you are unwilling to join forces to attack the city, I will lead my troops back to Jibei the day after tomorrow."

Li Zan also said, "Tomorrow I will personally lead the Dongping army to attack the city, just like Prime Minister Bao. If you are unwilling to join forces, I will leave with Bao Xin."

The two then bowed and left, leaving Yuan Yi feeling extremely embarrassed.

Qiao Mao sneered, "Governor Yuan, what time is it? You still want a way out? If we can't take Xiaopei, we can forget about seizing Xuzhou and Yuzhou. In the future, who in Yanzhou will listen to your orders as governor?"

As Qiao Mao and Zheng Sui also left, Yuan Yi slammed his fist on the table in anger: "What a bunch of rude people! Yuan Xu, neither of us can show weakness tomorrow. I will personally supervise the attack on the city!"

Yuan Xu hesitated: "Should we pass on the order to Kong Zhou and the others?"

Yuan Yi sneered, "Hmph! Do you think they'll obey just because I've given the order? If I want to take control of Yanzhou, I'll get rid of these three sooner or later!"

Kong Zhou and his two companions were unaware that their unauthorized actions had made Tao Qian and Yuan Yi, among others, impatient and frantic. They chased after Xu Huang's ambush until dawn but still couldn't find it.

"Strange? Where are Xu Huang's ambush troops?" Kong Zhou was furious.

This time, they made thorough preparations, pursuing from the middle and flanking from both sides, but they didn't encounter a single ambush.
"My Lord," Chief Secretary Kong You cautiously guessed, "could it be that Xu Huang didn't have any ambushes at all, and he really only brought a hundred cavalry?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Kong Zhou was even more furious. If Kong You's guess was true, then wouldn't all their efforts have been in vain?
Not long after.

Sensing something was wrong, Zhang Miao and Ying Shao caught up with Kong Zhou, both of them looking equally grim.

"Kong Zhou, didn't you say there was an ambush?" Zhang Miao asked with a gloomy face, while Gao Shun behind him looked helpless.

I told you it was a scam, but you wouldn't believe me.

If the soldiers are exhausted, how can we attack Xiaopei?
"You're asking me? Who should I ask?" Kong Zhou retorted irritably. "Xu Huang, you coward, doesn't even dare to deploy an ambush. What kind of camp are you planning to raid? He's definitely not as good as Zhao Yun or Lü Bu!"

Ying Shao sighed: "The three of us disobeyed military orders and gained nothing. We will be ridiculed when we return. We should think about what to do next."

Kong Zhou, enraged, said, "Since we're already here, why not just go and attack Feng County directly!"

Gao Shun couldn't help but say, "Xu Huang has several thousand troops in Feng County. Even when he raided the camp last night, he only used a hundred cavalry. It's obvious that Feng County is impregnable. How can we possibly take it?"

Kong Zhou was already furious, and when Gao Shun refuted him, he flew into a rage: "Prefect Zhang! Keep your men in check! Even we ministers are humble, how dare a mere captain presume to discuss military affairs?"

Gao Shun suppressed his anger and clenched his fists.

Zhang Miao quickly restrained Gao Shun and chuckled, "Prefect Kong, why are you in such a hurry? Tonight, only the three of us are pursuing him. If we say we've defeated Xu Huang, then we have defeated Xu Huang."

"Later, we will return to camp in a grand display, which will not only save face but also avoid the losses of a siege. We have already defeated Xu Huang, shouldn't Tao Qian, Yuan Yi, and the others launch a full-scale attack on the city?"

Kong Zhou's face lit up with joy: "Prefect Zhang's words make sense! What does Prefect Ying think?"

Ying Shao nodded: "I agree with this plan. Can they really go and ask Xu Huang for advice?"

All three of them burst into laughter.

Gao Shun, however, frowned, clearly uncomfortable with this practice of falsely reporting military achievements.

However, since this plan was suggested by Zhang Miao, Gao Shun hesitated and swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

And on the other side.

After returning from Qiao County, Liu Bei did not go directly to Xiaopei, but instead attacked Xiang County, the capital of Pei State, and captured the family of Pei Chancellor Yuan Zhong and the families of his generals and officials.

They then moved to Xiao County and entered Pengcheng, using the same methods to capture Pengcheng and seize the family members of Pengcheng Chancellor Ji Lian and the families of his generals and officials.

Because Yuan Shu was defeated so quickly, neither Xiang County nor Pengcheng were prepared.

The two city commanders never expected that Liu Bei would have time to circle around and attack Xiangxian and Pengcheng directly from the rear.

After launching surprise attacks on Xiang County and Pengcheng, Liu Bei did not continue to launch surprise attacks on Tancheng. Instead, he directly garrisoned Pengcheng, spreading the news while ordering Guan Yu to detour to Xiaopei.

(End of this chapter)