Guan Yu and Pang De Huang Xu went down to reorganize the soldiers and horses and prepared to go on the expedition.

Liu Chan ordered again: "Summon, let him straighten out the rear as soon as possible and lead his troops out of Longshan." Another order was issued to Huating and Meixian, if the Wei army withdrew, there was no need to pursue, and the city should be collected first to stabilize the people's hearts. ”

"No!" The generals will take the command.

But it was said that Cao Zhen also led 200 people to flee all the way to Linlinjing before it got dark last night.

Cao Zhen fell ill after returning to Linjing, but it was caused by depression, and he didn't wake up until dawn the next day, he lay on the bed, his eyes were blank: "Now we have lost Longshan and broken 50,000 horses, how can this be explained to Your Majesty." ”

There were originally 30,000 defenders on the Longshan side, and the Han army attacked for the first time, seized the first line of defense, and destroyed more than 8,000 of them, and at the suggestion of Xiahou Rong, Cao Zhen killed more than 1,000. Later, Meixian and Huating sent 10,000 soldiers and horses over, and now 40,000 people are confessed to Longshan.

Chen Tai persuaded and said: "General, you must not lose your fighting spirit, now Your Majesty is still in Chang'an, if you are like this, how can I ...... the Great Wei Jiangshan"

"Your Majesty...... Yes, Your Majesty is still in Chang'an. ”

After listening to Chen Tai's words, Cao Zhen hurriedly sat up from the bed and said: "Now that Longshan has been lost, the Shu army can drive straight into the Guanzhong Plain, Huating, Meixian, and Chen Cang are useless.

Now the top priority is to gather the defenders from all over the country to go to Chang'an to guard and let His Majesty return to Luoyang. You quickly send someone to inform the defenders from all over the country to go to Chang'an, and I will immediately set off for Chang'an to let His Majesty return to Luoyang. ”

There were still a few fast horses in Linjing City, and Cao Zhen couldn't care about being sick, so he immediately rushed to Chang'an with the crowd.

Not far from Linjing, Cao Zhen met the grain transportation team.

This batch of grain and grass has 100,000 stones, which Cao Rui sent after learning that the grain and grass were destroyed.

If the whole army retreats to Linjing, this batch of grain and grass will also arrive, and then with Linjing City, it will be able to block the Shu soldiers, and it will not bury the 40,000 soldiers and horses now.

But now that Longshan has been lost, there is no point in sending this batch of grain and grass to Longshan, and the hard-working people can only escort the grain and grass back to Chang'an again.

Cao Zhen hurried up and arrived in Chang'an first.

Chang'an, Weiyang Palace.

There was a cold silence in the hall, and the pins could be heard.

Cao Rui's handsome face was full of anger.

Cao Zhen knelt under the main hall, his forehead tightly pressed to the ground.

Cao Rui suddenly shouted: "Longshan is lost? Longshan lost? Cao Zhen, didn't I tell you to guard it strictly, why did you lose Longshan to me. ”

"Wechen is guilty of capital crimes, please punish Your Majesty, if you want to kill or chop, Wechen has no complaints." Cao Zhen buckled his head again and again, breaking his forehead, and leaving bright red blood stains on the stall.

Seeing Cao Zhen like this, Cao Rui was even more angry: "Kill you? Can Longshan come back? ”

Chen Tai helped Cao Zhen defend and said: "Your Majesty is angry, the general has also done his best, originally General Xiahou raised a batch of grain and grass in Linjing, but it was still destroyed by Ma Chao." The general broke the cauldron and wanted to counterattack the Shu army with a fire attack, but unfortunately it still failed, this is not a crime of war. ”

"That's it!" Cao Rui slapped the table and said: "Cao Zhen's sin will be discussed in the future, and now that Longshan is lost, what should you do?" ”

Chen Tai arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, don't panic, the general has sent someone to inform Huating, Meixian, Chencang and other places to come to Chang'an, Chang'an city is strong, grain and grass can be supported for two or three years, then you can find an opportunity to defeat the Shu army."

It's just that Chang'an will face war soon, and for the sake of Your Majesty's safety, please return Your Majesty to Chang'an. ”

Cao Rui said angrily: "Go back? You're going to let me go back again? I have said that I will live and die with Chang'an. ”

Hua Xin arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, the Shu army is about to fight to Chang'an, as the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, let alone the lord of a country?" At that time, the Shu soldiers will besiege the city, and the war will last for two or three years, and His Majesty will be in Chang'an, unable to deal with national affairs, so the country will be in turmoil.

Please also ask Your Majesty to think about the overall situation and return to Luoyang. ”

"This ......" Listening to Hua Xin's words, Cao Rui couldn't help but hesitate, Hua Xin's words are very reasonable, if he is trapped in Chang'an, he will not be able to deal with domestic affairs, if the war lasts for two or three years, maybe the country will change.

"In that case, for the sake of the overall situation, let's go back!" Cao Rui pretended to be reluctant to agree, and immediately said: "In addition to summoning Meixian and Huating defenders to come to guard Chang'an, what other suggestions do you have?" ”

Zhong Xuan arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, Chang'an hoards grain is enough to support two or three years, Liu Chan, as the lord of a country, it is impossible for him to stalemate with our army in Chang'an for two years, during which he will return to Chengdu, and when Liu Chan leaves, our army can find an opportunity to counterattack the Shu army."

Therefore, our army must mobilize reinforcements to stabilize Chang'an, but it is necessary to ensure that Chang'an is not lost. ”

"That's right!" Listening to Zhong Xuan's suggestion, Cao Rui nodded.

Zhong Xuan continued: "Now there are not many soldiers and horses to mobilize in Bingzhou, so you can mobilize troops and horses in the Central Plains to Tongguan to support Chang'an, so that Sima Zhongda can send an army from Nanyang to Wuguan to defend the situation with Chang'an.

Chang'an is a strong city in the world, as long as our army sticks to it without fighting, the Shu army will not be able to conquer it at all, and the Shu army will be exhausted. Our army can counterattack the Shu army. ”

"Not good!" Cao Zhen heard this, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, Wuguan is connected to Nanyang, and after the Shu army gets Longshan, it will prevent Your Majesty from mobilizing reinforcements from Nanyang, and will definitely send troops to seize Wuguan."

Now there are only 1,000 defenders in Wuguan, so we should quickly send people to Wuguan to guard it, so as not to capture Wuguan by the Shu army. ”

When Cao Rui heard this, he was shocked, if the Shu army captured Wuguan in advance, then Nanyang's soldiers and horses would not be able to enter Guanzhong, and the strategy that Zhong Xuan said would lose a big boost, and it would be difficult to counterattack the Shu army.

Cao Rui hurriedly said to the generals: "Who are you waiting for to send troops to guard the Wuguan?" ”

Shi Bao bowed his hand: "Your Majesty, the last general is willing to go!" ”

Seeing that it was Shibao, Cao Rui nodded and said: "Okay, Wuguan is a dangerous pass in the world, one husband is a pass for ten thousand people, I will give you three thousand soldiers and horses, hold my order letter, plus a thousand defenders, enough to block tens of thousands of soldiers and horses of the Shu army."

After you arrived at Wuguan, send someone to inform Sima Yi and ask him to rest the road from Nanyang to Wuguan, and prepare to lead troops into Guanzhong at any time to counterattack the Shu army. ”

"No!" Shi Bud gave up his hand.

Cao Rui said to Cao Zhen: "I brought 20,000 soldiers and horses from Luoyang, and Tongguan has always been guarded by 10,000 soldiers and horses, and I am mobilizing 20,000 soldiers and horses from the Central Plains to guard Tongguan.

In this way, after the defenders from all over Huating arrived, Chang'an had 90,000 soldiers and horses, Tongguan had 30,000 reinforcements, and Wuguan was connected to Nanyang, and Sima Yi could support at any time. Cao Zhen, this time, you may defend Chang'an for me and recapture Guanzhong? ”