Liu Xuande would never be a succubus of the Eastern Han Dynasty!

"Resign."

Without asking any questions, Lu Bu ordered the vanguard to take the wooden box and leave the place. Relying on the guide's knowledge of the terrain, he took a hidden path and quickly arrived at the entrance of Shanggu County.

But they did not enter. Instead, they divided into two teams, each holding a hundred wooden boxes, hiding in the grass on both sides, motionless.

Time passed gradually.

There was a vibration from the ground, and a Han soldier who was about to fall asleep suddenly woke up and whispered, "The Hu people are coming!"

The sound of horse hooves came from far away.

A vanguard cavalry of several thousand men looked around, as if they were searching the surroundings, but perhaps because Tan Shihuai was leading the army personally and the army was indeed hungry, they did not observe carefully. They just took a quick glance and continued to move forward.

Not long after, the 20,000-strong central army led by Tan Shihuai's nephew also arrived here. But before they could move forward, a voice suddenly came from all around them -

"Do it!"

Bingzhou: Chapter 20: Invitation to Battle

Tan Shihuai's strategy was ingenious. He knew that attacking Dingxiang County by force was like hitting a rock with an egg, so he turned to a risky tactic and tried to use Liu Bei's benevolent and people-loving character to force him out of the city.

However, he did not expect that his opponents, Liu Bei and Jia Xu, had already built Dingxiang County into an impregnable fortress through the combination of their wisdom and military force, and any tricks seemed pale and powerless in front of them.

First of all, Jia Xu's wisdom was like a skynet. She had already seen through Tan Shihuai's attack plan long before the Xianbei cavalry approached.

From besieging the city and cutting off food supplies to dividing troops to contain the enemy, she anticipated every step and prepared countermeasures. Even though the Xianbei cavalry had thousands of changes, in Jia Xu's eyes, they were just chess in the palm of her hand and could not escape her Five Finger Mountain.

This is a victory of wisdom.

Secondly, Liu Bei personally led the military and civilians of Dingxiang County to build a watertight city defense. The city walls were as high as clouds, arrow towers were densely distributed like forests, archers were on high alert, the trenches were unfathomable, and chevaux de frise were spread all over the periphery, making it like an iron fortress.

If the Xianbei cavalry dared to approach, they would be greeted with a rain of arrows like locusts, shooting them into sieves. Unless Tan Shihuai could gather ten times the number of troops, he would have no chance of shaking this city.

This is Wusheng.

With these two advantages, Tan Shihuai's frontal attack had no chance of success. He was well aware of this, so he took a radical approach and captured the surrounding Han people, preparing to kill them one by one in front of Liu Bei, in order to provoke this benevolent and righteous lord to come out of the city to fight.

From a certain perspective, this strategy grasped Liu Bei's weakness - after all, when he was in Yangzhou, the pirates massacred the city and angered Liu Bei. He once chased the enemy alone for more than a thousand miles and was in danger several times.

Now Tan Shihuai is using the same old trick again, confident that he can force Liu Bei to make the same mistake.

However, Liu Bei was no longer the reckless boy he used to be.

After learning of Tan Shihuai's movements, he quickly sent people to grasp Tan Shihuai's deployment: his 20,000 cavalry rushed to Shanggu County to contain the enemy, 10,000 cavalry stayed outside Dingxiang County, and another 10,000 cavalry were missing, suspected of lying in ambush.

Liu Bei frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "As Wenhe said, Tan Shihuai wants to use the Li people as bait to lure me out of the city and then ambush me. How insidious!"

He immediately convened a military meeting to discuss how to swallow up the 10,000 Xianbei cavalry roaming outside.

The atmosphere in the conference room was solemn and murderous. Lu Bu had been ordered to ambush in Shanggu County and was therefore not among them.

Everyone sat around, Liu Bei glanced around and looked at Zhang Fei first.

Zhang Fei was filled with anger because of the setbacks he had suffered in the north, and he had nowhere to vent his anger. At this moment, he stuck his snake spear into the ground and said anxiously: "Brother, the Xianbei are too bullying. They have captured my Han people as hostages. I can't swallow this! Let me lead the troops to attack at night and kill them all!" She stared with wide eyes, with a burning desire to fight, and was obviously eager to avenge her humiliation.

What a classic speech.

However, Liu Bei could understand that Zhang Fei was just straightforward but not a fool. She didn't really want to rush into anything when she said that, but was actually just trying to "create an atmosphere."

In other words, she deliberately made the people present want to correct her.

Zhang Fei actually managed to catch two fish.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao bowed and asked for battle, saying calmly, "Sir, I am willing to lead the troops and will definitely live up to your trust."

Gao Shun on the other side had a cold glint in his eyes and said simply, "I am willing to go too."

These two men had just received their official positions and were eager to make achievements, with determination in their eyes.

Only Guan Yu remained silent, holding a long sword, cold and arrogant as ice, looking like a living statue. Liu Bei couldn't help but find it a little funny.

This is deliberately different from everyone else, waiting to be sold at a high price.

So Liu Bei turned to look at her and said softly, "Second sister, what are your thoughts?"

As expected, Guan Yu immediately replied, "In fact, this battle requires three key words: speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness. The Xianbei cavalry is highly mobile. If we cannot fight quickly and decisively, we may suffer a backlash. Therefore, the army should be elite rather than numerous. Select one general to stay behind, and send the rest out to disrupt the enemy formation in one fell swoop."

She paused, her eyes sweeping over the crowd, "But this method is very risky. If the war goes badly, Dingxiang County will be in danger."

"Yun Chang is absolutely right, this move is indeed too risky.

Jia Xu, standing beside him, gently waved his feather fan and took over the conversation, saying softly, "However, I have a plan that can be used in conjunction with the Xianbei to disrupt their formation."

Everyone looked at her. Jia Xu put down his feather fan and said with a smile, "Send 1,500 warriors out of the city at night. Provoke and insult the enemy in front of the camp, dance and make noise, and take turns harassing them. Don't let the Xianbei live in peace. When they are mentally exhausted and their morale is low, our army will attack with all our might and annihilate them in one fell swoop!"

He is indeed a fox with a black heart, and he has a pig-like heart even when killing people...

Liu Bei and his generals all raised their eyebrows, but they all thought that this plan could succeed.

Jia Wenhe is not the kind of riddle person who plays feints. Her strategies have always been very unique: accurately grasping the enemy's thoughts and ideas, and using everything around her that can be used to build our own advantages.

In other words, this is a pragmatist.

Needless to say, Liu Bei immediately adopted Jia Xu's night raid plan. Standing, he pointed to the map and laid out the plan, "Okay, I now issue the following orders as the Marquis of Guannei: Guan Yu will be the commander-in-chief, responsible for overall command; Zhang Fei will be the deputy commander-in-chief, assisting Guan Yu; Gao Shun will lead 1,500 warriors, responsible for harassing the enemy camp at night; Zhang Liao will lead 5,000 soldiers, disguised as civilians, and will march out of the city in batches, ambush behind the enemy lines, and await their opportunity to strike."

His eyes fell on Jia Xu, "Wenhe, you stay in the county and be prepared for any eventuality."

Jia Xu smiled and said, "Don't worry, my lord. I will guard the rear."

Liu Bei still had great confidence in her, and he added, "I will personally supervise this battle, waiting for the right moment to strike and making the decisive move. In this battle, I ask you to ensure that you will annihilate these ten thousand Xianbei cavalry in one fell swoop!"

Everyone responded in unison and left.

Liu Bei and Jia Xu were the only ones left in the hall. Liu Bei sighed softly, "Tan Shihuai has really caught on to me. I naturally can't ignore the captives... Wenhe, this plan is brilliant, but it's quite risky. If the Xianbei see through it, our army will be in danger."

In terms of combat power, they are not at an advantage, and Tan Shihuai's goal is to lure them out of the city.

Jia Xu approached and said softly, "Don't worry, my lord. Tan Shihuai will surely think we are still in a state of 'suspicion' and will definitely be fooled."

Tan Shihuai's strategy of feigning an attack was indeed very good, but Liu Bei and Jia Xu chose to create a time difference - normal people, when seeing the movements of the Xianbei people, would usually verify it repeatedly, and even wait for several days before deciding whether to leave the city or stay.

But they did not hesitate at all. The Xianbei people divided their troops in the morning and attacked here at noon.

This is a time difference.

Jia Xu smiled slyly: "Besides, with the Lord here, I feel very relieved."

-

"Hurry up, move faster!"

That night, the moon was dark and the wind was strong. Gao Shun led 1,500 warriors, dressed in black, holding torches and gongs, and swaggered out of the city and stopped in front of the gate.

Gao Shun looked at the Xianbei camp, estimated the distance, and then led the warriors forward for a while before she whispered, "Begin."

The warriors lit torches and struck gongs, shaking the earth and cursing, "Xianbei dogs, come out and die!"

"Tan Shihuai, your son is in our hands, do you dare to come and rescue him?"

"A bunch of barbarians who only know how to bully the old and weak. Come and attack the city if you dare!"

"???"

In the Xianbei camp, the soldiers were about to rest when they suddenly heard loud gongs and drums and deafening curses. They were immediately in chaos. Some people rushed out of the tent roaring, but they only saw flickering fires and jumping figures, but no army approaching.

The Xianbei general was furious. Looking at these 1,500 people standing in front of the city gate in a swaggering manner, he almost lost his temper.

Bingzhou: Chapter 21: Attack!

The night was deep and everyone in the city was on the move. Liu Bei, wearing light armor and with two swords hanging from his waist, led three thousand elite cavalrymen and quietly emerged from the west gate of Dingxiang County.

The sound of war horses' hooves was wrapped in cloth, low and secretive. Under the cover of night, this elite force approached the outside of the Xianbei camp as quickly as a ghost.

"Stop."

As the faint moonlight shone down, Liu Bei reined in his horse, raised his head, and with his eyes as sharp as torches, he observed the enemy camp in the distance with bated breath.

In the Xianbei camp, flames flickered and figures gathered.

This group of Xianbei people who stayed behind had just been awakened by the 1,500 brave warriors led by Gao Shun. The soldiers were startled from their sleep and glared at each other. Some even drew their bows and arrows, wanting to shoot at the Han army that was looming in the night.

However, under the comfort of the Xianbei commander, they gradually calmed down and reorganized their troops, with some surprise and uncertainty, obviously intending to observe the situation first.

Liu Bei narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, "These Xianbei people are quite cautious and won't fall for tricks easily."

At this moment, the guard beside him suddenly whispered, "My Lord, there seems to be a dark shadow moving over there!"

Liu Bei looked in the direction pointed by his personal guard, and sure enough, there was a cavalry moving quietly on the right.

Judging from the direction of their movement, they had obviously separated from the Xianbei camp. He concentrated carefully and, based on his experience in battle, estimated that the number of cavalrymen was about 5,000, and they were moving straight towards the South Gate, as if they were planning a night attack.

"Are they planning a surprise attack? Are they trying to gather intelligence? Or are they coordinating with another group?"

Countless thoughts flashed through Liu Bei's mind, but he knew full well that hesitation was a taboo on the battlefield. As the commander-in-chief, he acted decisively, raised his brow, and whispered an order: "When two armies clash, there must be no hesitation. I will move before the enemy. Let's follow!"

Three thousand elite cavalry moved upon hearing the order, keeping a distance from the Xianbei cavalry, following them silently like a shadow.

Although his original plan was to cooperate with Zhang Liao, send troops to the left and right, and cover the main force rushing out of the main gate, this plan was not discussed with everyone, but was his unilateral plan.

Therefore, Liu Bei could change his battle plan at any time without worrying about whether it would affect other people's actions.

In fact, as a commander, he only needs to decide the strategies of his advisers before the battle, and then select the combatants, and then he can go home and wait for the results.

It’s a pity that Liu Bei can’t sit still.

The night wind howled, and the breath of the war horses condensed into white mist in the cold air.

Liu Bei gripped the reins tightly, his eyes fixed on the movements of the Xianbei cavalry in front of him. With the help of the faint moonlight, he confirmed that the other party was galloping towards the South Gate. Their route was secretive, and it was obvious that they were planning to raid the South Gate at night and attack the city by surprise.

The corners of his mouth rose slightly, and he sneered in his heart: "Since you have come to my door, don't blame me for being rude."

Liu Bei made a quick decision. He sent a messenger back to the city at full speed to inform the defenders of the South Gate to prepare for the battle in advance, while he pulled out a rocket arrow from his quiver.

Then, after waiting for a while, he drew the bow himself, and the tip of the arrow was blazing with fire.

With a "whoosh", the rocket cut through the night sky and shot into the sky with a long tail of fire, like a meteor, instantly illuminating the dark night.

This rocket was not only a signal, but also a provocation to the Xianbei, foreshadowing the imminent counterattack by the Han army.

The Xianbei cavalry apparently also noticed the rocket, and there was a commotion in the team, but they did not stop. Instead, they accelerated and rushed towards the south gate, intending to break through the city gate before the Han army could fully react.

However, they underestimated Liu Bei's strategy and the efficiency of the Han army.

Just as the Xianbei cavalry approached the South Gate and were about to launch a charge, the South Gate suddenly opened, and a woman in white holding a long sword led thousands of cavalrymen to rush out like a flood.

"Come at me!"

The golden light was overflowing, the sword light was like snow, the horse hooves were like thunder, Guan Yu was full of murderous aura, like a god of war descended to the earth.

"It's now!"

At the same time, Liu Bei, who had witnessed the entire scene, quickly shouted out his order: "Charge the entire army, attack from the front and back!"

Three thousand elite cavalrymen rushed down from the rear like tigers, their horses neighing, their swords unsheathed, and the sound of killing shook the sky.

The Xianbei cavalry was caught off guard and instantly found themselves in a desperate situation of being attacked from both front and back, with their formation in chaos.

Liu Bei took the lead, holding two swords in his hands, his figure moving like the wind through the enemy camp. His swordsmanship was sharp, and every swing of his sword brought up a flash of blood. He killed more than ten people in succession, his movements were efficient and precise, and blood stained his green shirt red, but it did not affect his efficiency at all.

Under the fierce attack of the Han army, the morale of the Xianbei cavalry collapsed and they began to flee in all directions. Their commander tried to stabilize their position.

"Everyone calm down! Anyone who retreats will be beheaded!"

“…a clay chicken and a clay dog.”

Guan Yu also heard the voice of the Xianbei commander. After estimating the distance, he rolled his eyes, left the Han army behind him, chose to ride alone, and rushed towards the latter.

"Don't retreat anymore, everyone listen... Okay?"

At the critical moment, the Xianbei commander suddenly felt that he was being stared at by a dangerous beast. Without much hesitation, he immediately wanted to abandon his horse and move forward, but it was too late.

"Take a certain knife."

"Click——"

The Xianbei leader held the iron knife in front of him, intending to withstand the blow, but unfortunately Guan Yu had just placed the blade of the long knife on the ground, and then he ran all the way, and the "force" accumulated by this was not easily resisted.

"……puff."

The long sword reaped lives like the Grim Reaper's scythe, first cutting the sword and then the person, and blood spurted out instantly.

"Ahhhh!"

"This strength is simply inhumane!"