Ma Chao ran all the way out of thirty miles, and then gathered the trilogy, and at first glance, his face couldn't help but be bad. At this time, the number of people in the army was less than three thousand, except for a unit hidden somewhere to guard food and prisoners. Thinking that the whole army was almost wiped out just now, I couldn't help but be afraid for a while.

Ma Chao asked Pang De: "Ling Ming, that Cao Jiang doesn't know who it is, it's so powerful." ”

Ma Chao is a martial artist, and martial artists often only look at the results. He suffered defeat, whether it was in ambush or hard fighting, defeat is defeat. He was convinced. Pang De said: "Look at the flag is Cao Zijiangqi, but I don't know if it's Cao Ren or Cao Hong." ”

Ma Chao thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid it's Cao Ren, Cao Hongyong is brave, it's not as good as Cao Ren." "Cao Renyuan was guarding in Jingzhou, and suddenly appeared in Yanzhou, this is not good news, he has to report it in time, so as not to suffer losses to the friendly forces in front.

Thinking of this, Ma Chao sent a team of knights and ordered them to return to Chenliu, return to their own realm since Chenliu, and send a message to the lord. Then he led the army back to the previous hiding place.

After a few days of rest, the injuries of Ma Chao and others basically began to improve. Those with minor injuries have begun to heal, and those with more serious injuries have survived. Thanks to Liu Bei's vigorous implementation of military medical and health and epidemic prevention regulations in the army, as long as seriously injured soldiers can be treated in time, there is generally a good chance that they will get better. Of course, this is only for general trauma. If the internal organs are seriously injured, the military doctor can only stare dryly.

On this day, the sun outside the valley was very good, so Ma Chao came out with Pang De and others to bask in the sun. Pound asked, "General, don't you know if there is enough food in the army?" ”

Ma Chao said: "It's enough, and there are still ten days of food." "It was not for nothing that they looted everywhere before, one was to lure the Jiyin local army out, and the other was to raise food for their own troops. Although Jiyin County did not move, they had enough food.

Pang De thought for a while and said, "Our army was ordered to enter Yanzhou and attack the rear. Although he failed to capture Dingtao today, he captured Xiahou Shang in a battle, and beheaded Ren Jun in another battle, and Chen Liu was also broken by our army. The general has shocked Yanzhou. At this time, the situation has changed, Yanzhou has taken precautions, and Cao Ren has come again. If our army stays here, there is not much chance, but the danger has increased greatly, and in my opinion, it is better to withdraw and go back. I don't know what the general wants? ”

Ma Chao frowned twice and said, "Retreat?" What did you say when you went back to see the lord? ”

Pang De said: "General, when you see the lord, just say it." The lord sees thousands of miles, and he will not blame us. ”

Ma Chao said: "I hope." "He was the successor of the Liangzhou Group, but after he surrendered, he only got a lieutenant general, and his father Ma Teng only hung up a false position as a guard lieutenant. Who doesn't know that there are very few people in the DPRK and the Central People's Republic of China who can have real power? If you want to say that Ma Chao has no mustard in his heart, then how is it possible.

It's just that Ma Chao can't help it, his father Ma Teng has clearly told him at home that Liu Bei is divided into generals, which is already a comprehensive consideration of all aspects. He himself had no complaints. After all, as a subordinate and the latest group to take effect, Ma Teng was already satisfied.

But Ma Chao is different, he is arrogant and conceited, and few heroes in the world can be seen by him. For example, Guan, Zhang, Huang, Zhao and other generals are also okay, but such as Liyi, Duan Xuan and others, but the old and decrepit generation, even lead an army alone, and the celebrities are all on top of it, so how can he be convinced in his heart.

This time he was ordered to fight, and he was holding back his strength to fight a few beautiful battles, so that the lord could see his Ma Chao's ability, but the front played well, but the back was all bad. Not to mention the failure of the attack on Jiyin, he also encountered Cao Ren, which led to a great defeat. made a tiger and snake, so it was not embarrassing. If you go back and see the lord, won't the lord really blame him? Even if he doesn't blame, then in his heart, isn't he a useless person?

Ma Chao thought about it for a while, and the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became, and he wanted to find another fighter, but he found that since the battle with Cao Ren, he had to deal with Cao Jun again, and he was already a little more than enough. In enemy territory, his troops cannot be replenished, and the more he fights, the more he consumes. Ma Chao found that it was really as Pound said, so he could only retreat early. Otherwise, if they are discovered by the enemy, they will come and surround themselves again. That Ma Chao really didn't dare to say that he could break through again.

Fortunately, Ma Chao is not a willful person. Thinking that his army would be at risk of being wiped out, Ma Chao immediately took care of it and decided to withdraw according to what Pang De said!

Before leaving, Ma Chao saw Xiahou Shang, his heart was furious, and he pulled out his knife and was about to behead Xiahou Shang to sacrifice countless soldiers who had sacrificed. Pound hugged him and said, "Keep people under the knife!" ”

Ma Chao said: "This person would rather die than surrender, what is the use of staying, just consuming food in vain!" ”

Pang De said: "General, this person is a relative of the Xiahou clan, so it is better to stay and sacrifice it to the lord." ”

When Ma Chao heard this, he turned his anger into laughter and said, "Okay, let's spare his life." Ma Chao thought that he could catch a heavyweight, and even if the lord blamed him, he would be able to make up for it.

Ma Chao's news soon reached Liu Bei's desk, and after Liu Bei read the information, he said strangely: "Why is Cao Ren here too?" ”

Cao Ren is Cao Cao's general who stayed in Jingzhou, and he will not move lightly for no reason. This time, he also led troops north, and also fought an encounter with Ma Chao. Why is that?

After discussing together, the ministers came to the conclusion that they were afraid that the Cao and Sun families would form an alliance, so Jingzhou would be fine for the time being, so Cao Ren led his army north to help the war when he received the unfavorable situation in Yanzhou. And from this news, it can also be concluded that Cao Cao's war in Yizhou will not go well.

In fact, since Cao Cao planned to attack Jingzhou and then enter Sichuan, strategically, Cao Cao has fallen into passivity. The speed of Yuan Shao's defeat was something Cao Cao did not expect. And Sun Jian and Cao Cao came together to fight for Jingzhou, which also seriously delayed Cao Cao's footsteps. As a result, Cao Cao had to put part of his main forces in Nanjun and Xiangyang to prevent Yangzhou soldiers and horses.

When Cao Cao entered Sichuan and defeated Hanzhong and Bajun, Liu Bei turned his head and took Guanzhong and Liangzhou. Therefore, Cao Cao wants to send troops from Liangzhou and Guanzhong in the future, but he is afraid that he will also be suppressed by Liu Bei.

It is equivalent to Liu Bei's every step in front of Cao Cao. And even if Cao Cao defeated Yizhou, because his main forces were in Yizhou and Jingzhou, Yanzhou was facing Liu Bei's attack, and Cao Cao was extremely weak.

Under such circumstances, Cao Cao was forced to make the decision to abandon Yanzhou as a last resort. He no longer had any hope for Yanzhou, and his only request was that Yanzhou could entangle Liu Bei's army and delay for some more time, so as to buy him more time to attack Yizhou.

And Cao Ren, it was in this situation that he made the decision to lead the army north.