Three Kingdoms: Cao Cao is stunned when he reveals his time-traveling identity.

On the way to Xuzhou.

Cao Cao's army marched in a low-key manner.

However, there were simply too many soldiers, making it extremely difficult to conceal them.

Yanzhou is indeed quite far from Xuzhou.

Midway through the journey, Cao Cao's army took a rest.

"Any battle reports from the front?"

Cao Cao had just rested and hadn't even had a sip of water when he asked the question.

Xiahou Dun clasped his hands and said in a deep voice:

"Reported to the Minister of Works."

"More than twenty scouts dispatched by our army have all reported back."

There are no signs of troops near Xuzhou.

"There are very few soldiers guarding the city walls."

"It seems that Lü Bu is determined to take Yangzhou at all costs."

Xiahou Yuan, who was not far away, also said with a smile:

"That's right!"

"Lord Sikong, if you ask me, Lü Bu is nothing but a reckless brute!"

"Since he's unpopular in Xuzhou anyway, let's just go all out and attack Yangzhou."

"Why should we be so cautious in our march? Let's just lead the main force on a rapid march."

"Our army can take down the small garrison in Xuzhou without lifting a finger!"

The officers in the camp burst into laughter.

No one could have imagined that this march would go so smoothly.

There were no ambushes around, only the guards on the city walls.

In addition, it already had the support of the gentry and common people.

I don't even know how we lost this battle.

Su Chen, standing to the side, frowned slightly.

It's too simple, it's unbelievably simple.

Lü Bu was foolish, but Chen Gong was not.

How could they possibly send out all their troops, leaving only a small garrison?

Although Yuan Shu was a fool, his troops were not made of paper; they could not be taken down so easily.

Chen Gong couldn't possibly have left no backup plan.

However, none of the more than twenty scouts discovered anything.

Now that we are not far from Xuzhou, it is not realistic to leave an ambush there temporarily.

Why is that?

Just as Su Chen was pondering.

Guo Jia spoke first:

"Minister Sikong, I believe we should proceed with caution."

"You should have a thorough understanding of Chen Gong, Minister of Works."

"This person is extremely meticulous; there's no way he wouldn't leave himself an escape route."

"There seems to be something fishy about this."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Dun was immediately displeased:

"Strategist, aren't you being far too cautious?"

"The facts are now before us."

"Our army will reach Xuzhou in one more day!"

"No matter how Chen Gong arranges things, it's impossible for him to redeploy his ambush forces in such a short time, right?"

Cao Hong also stepped forward and spoke:

"Under normal circumstances, there must be something fishy about this."

"But our army has been marching for so many days."

"A large number of scouts repeatedly surveyed the area around Xuzhou, but failed to find anything unusual."

"Strategist, this time victory is assured!"

Guo Jia shook his head:

""

Cao Cao frowned slightly, letting the two sides argue without expressing his opinion.

It seems he's also considering it.

Indeed, Cao Cao knew Chen Gong very well.

Because of this understanding, Cao Cao did not think that attacking Xuzhou would be so smooth.

When Lü Bu led his army to attack Yangzhou, Chen Gong would definitely stay behind to guard the rear.

This is clearly illogical, and even less in line with Chen Gong's character.

How could he not take precautions to prevent anyone from targeting Xuzhou?

Don't be impatient.

After a long silence, Cao Cao finally spoke, stopping the argument.

"Master Sikong, now is an excellent opportunity."

"Lu Bu was caught off guard because Chen Gong didn't have time to react."

"After all, Lü Bu had only recently launched his campaign, and our army quickly followed suit."

"Zixiao's troops are still in Yangzhou; Chen Gong certainly wouldn't consider that possibility!"

"Don't miss it, Sikong!"

Now, Xiahou Dun was truly anxious.

This is a golden opportunity for him, as the commander-in-chief, to make a name for himself!

It should be noted that Xiahou Dun was also known as a general who was frequently defeated.

He's been promoted non-stop, but he's never won a war.

Although not many people dared to say these things to his face, it had always been a knot in Xiahou Dun's heart.

The battle of Xuzhou right now is an excellent opportunity.

He rose to fame in one battle and wiped away his previous humiliation!

It wasn't just about laying the foundation for Cao Cao's army, but also about making a comeback and gaining fame for himself!

He can't wait!

He wasn't willing to wait for such a good opportunity!

"alright."

"The marching speed has slowed down again."

"Don't be careless, send scouts to investigate again."

"Chen Gong, it's impossible for him to be unprepared."

Cao Cao slowly closed his eyes and spoke.

Upon hearing this, a clear look of disappointment appeared on everyone's faces.

Clearly, this is a last resort.

Whether Chen Gong takes precautions or not, slowing down will give him ample time to prepare.

In the end, it might be counterproductive.

However, Cheng Yu and the others couldn't offer any good suggestions.

Although a direct assault is possible, attacking Xuzhou is also an option.

But after capturing Xuzhou, they immediately turned their attention to Yangzhou.

With Xuzhou captured, Lü Bu must be furious and humiliated.

To deal with both armies simultaneously, it is essential to preserve one's strength.

If there are significant losses, it will be a losing proposition.

"Actually, I do have a method."

Just then, Cheng Yu suddenly spoke up, breaking the deadlock.

"Zhongde, please continue."

Cao Cao's eyes lit up immediately, and he spoke.

"Although our scouts have been exploring the route, most of the routes they have explored are on main roads."

Cheng Yu slowly began to speak:

"I suspect that Chen Gong has stationed troops along the path."

"In this way, even if our main force arrives, these garrison troops can still return to reinforce in time."

"Although they cannot stop my army, they can hold out until Lü Bu returns to defend."

Cheng Yu had just finished speaking.

Xiahou Dun frowned and said:

"Even if we knew, what could we do?"

"The path is difficult to traverse, and our troops are not familiar with the terrain around Xuzhou."

"If we then attack the defending forces first, wouldn't we be falling right into their trap?"

"It would be better to launch a direct attack; Xuzhou might not be able to hold out!"

Xiahou Dun is right.

The reason why scouts were not sent to explore the trails was...

It is completely unnecessary.

If there are indeed garrison troops, then the scouts are simply going to their deaths.

If not, then it's a complete waste of time.

Even if they know there are defenders, what can they do?

How can a carefully laid ambush be attacked at will?

"This situation may not be unbreakable."

Cheng Yu smiled slightly and said:

"Just send out a small force, pretending to transport supplies via a back road."

"This will surely draw out the defending troops."

"If there are garrison troops, it is good to hinder their advance, or even... defeat them."

"Without a garrison, supplies must be prioritized. Without worries about the rear, our army will surely be victorious!"

"This is a win-win solution."

"Easier said than done!"

"Where can we find this army?"

"Are we really going to send the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to escort the supplies? The enemy isn't stupid!"

Xiahou Dun spoke up with dissatisfaction.

"It wasn't there before, but now it is, isn't it?"

"The enemy is unaware of the troops trained by Fengxiao and Jingming."

"With proper disguise, I'll be perfectly capable."

Cheng Yu spoke calmly.

This sentence immediately stunned everyone.

"You're putting a bunch of new recruits in this important position?"

"Cheng Yu, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

Xiahou Dun's face immediately darkened, and he said unhappily.

……