Inside and outside Chang'an City, the smoke of gunpowder is dense, the city wall is broken several times, flesh and blood are flying, and broken weapons can be seen everywhere.

On the city wall, Chen Xu stood with a gun, looking at the north from afar, with a far-reaching gaze.

After a long time, he muttered with a worried face: "I don't know if the war between Wenyuan and Ah Ai in Youzhou is going well." ”

At this time, Chen Xu was suffering from some gains and losses, and he was worried that Zhang Liao and Deng Ai would not be able to make contributions.

It can be said that the northern annexation army is a very important move in Chen Xu's hands, and if it cannot achieve the expected effect, it will have a great impact on the entire battle.

"My lord, the Yuan army that attacked the north gate first had a riot, and then began to retreat."

At this moment, Zhao Yun strode over with a spear in his hand, with a hint of joy on his face.

Chen Xu's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he hurriedly asked, "What is the cause of the riot?" ”

Zhao Yun replied: "I don't know yet." ”

"Stomp, stomp!"

At this moment, Pound came over with a large knife and a letter in his hand.

"Lord, and the state is urgent!"

Chen Xu stepped forward, hurriedly took the letter in Pound's hand, opened it and read the contents, and couldn't help laughing.

When Zhao Yun saw Chen Xu's expression, his eyes couldn't help but light up, and he asked, "But Youzhou is a good news." ”

Chen Xu laughed and said: "Deng Ai made a detour to the hinterland of Youzhou from outside the Saiwai, conquered Jixian County, the capital of Youzhou, killed Guangyang Taishou, and forced Fengji to death. ”

"Subsequently, Deng Ai led the troops into Zhuo County non-stop, Zhuo County Taishou surrendered, and the Yuan army from Jizhou was blocked by Deng Ai and was not allowed to go north."

"Wen Yuan first pretended to blempty in Yanmen County, then captured Dai County in one fell swoop, and then conquered Valley County and Yuyang County successively."

"Since then, the five counties in the western part of Youzhou have all changed hands, and the Bingzhou army is even more eyeing Jizhou, how dare Yuan Tan not withdraw his troops?"

Chen Xu's voice was loud, deliberately let the tired soldiers on the city wall hear it.

The soldiers on the city wall, although they didn't know the details of the battle situation, also felt that a turning point had come, and their eyes lit up and their morale was boosted.

Unlike the reaction of ordinary soldiers, Zhao Yun was happy, but the rest of the generals were suspicious.

Pang De asked with some surprise: "Wasn't General Wenyuan killed by Tai Shici's arrow, why did he suddenly appear in Youzhou?" ”

Chen Xu said with a smile: "If you don't let Wen Yuan cheat to death, he will disappear for so long, and sneaking back to the state secretly will definitely arouse suspicion." ”

When Pound and the rest of the generals heard this, their emotions were complicated and inexplicable.

On the one hand, the generals also admired their lord's plan, and knew that the tide of the battle was about to be reversed.

But on the other hand, they felt a little uncomfortable that Chen Xu had concealed such a big thing for so long.

Chen Xu seemed to have insight into what everyone was thinking, and immediately said: "It's not that I deliberately concealed it from you, but this matter is very important, if it is slightly leaked, the consequences will be unimaginable." ”

"Therefore, I hope that the generals will have no doubts in their hearts."

When the generals heard this, they hurriedly said, "Don't dare, don't dare." ”

In the camp of the coalition army, Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan were all shocked when they suddenly learned that Yuan Tan had withdrawn his troops and was preparing to return to Jizhou.

Several people went to meet Yuan Tan and asked why this was the case.

Yuan Tan watched a few people coming, his face turned pale, and said: "Deng Aiqi attacked the hinterland of Youzhou, Zhang Liao led the army to capture Youzhou, and now Youzhou has been lost, and Jizhou is in danger." ”

"I hope you forgive me for not being here with me!"

After speaking, Yuan Tan didn't care about the shocked people, strode out of the camp, and urged the soldiers to pack up and leave.

When Zhuge Liang heard this, his face became extremely pale.

He didn't ask why Zhang Liao came back from the dead, because with his wisdom, he quickly figured out the key to it, and there was no need to waste his tongue.

Zhuge Liang only knew that once Yuan Tan led his troops to retreat, the coalition army was likely to fall apart, and everyone's previous efforts would come to naught.

Zhuge Liang did not force Yuan Tan to stay, because the loss of Youzhou was a major event, and Zhuge Liang and the strategists of the coalition also had an unshirkable responsibility.

Yuan Tan didn't turn his face on the spot, he was already very restrained, if Zhuge Liang persuaded Yuan Tan to stay with righteousness, the two sides were likely to turn against each other, and the gains outweighed the losses.

The military situation in Jizhou was already urgent, and Yuan Tan did not delay at all, and led the army to withdraw from Guanzhong.

After Yuan Tan withdrew his troops, the soldiers under the command of the remaining princes also had some fluctuations.

Yuan Tan's corporal came from the north, and although he lacked training, he was also brave and good at fighting, and he was also the main force of the attack on the Guanzhong army this time.

With Yuan Tan leaving, the coalition army lost 150,000 troops, plus the 30,000 soldiers and horses that Huang Zhong brought back to Jingzhou, and the 30,000 soldiers and horses that Zhou Yu took away.

To this day, excluding those soldiers stationed in the counties and counties defeated by the coalition army, there are only about 250,000 soldiers and horses left in the coalition army.

There are also 200,000 Guanzhong troops in Chang'an City, and the coalition army has no way to occupy an absolute advantage in terms of strength.

Zhuge Liang hurriedly summoned the civil and military forces of the coalition army to discuss the follow-up war.

The coalition army was tired after a long battle, even if many generals felt homesick, Yuan Tan's departure was like a fuse, which made the hearts of the coalition generals and soldiers float.

Zhuge Liang ran around, and Cao Cao and Liu Bei struggled to maintain it, so that the coalition army did not completely collapse, but Sun Quan's attitude became a little ambiguous.

The collapse of the huge coalition army was only in the moment.

In Cao's military camp, Guo Jia stayed next to Cao Cao's bed, with a sad look on his face.

"Lord, are you in serious trouble?"

Cao Cao is getting older and worse, and his health is getting worse and worse, and he was still holding his breath in his heart, wanting to capture Guanzhong and capture Chen Xu.

It's just that when Yuan Tan led the troops to retreat, Cao Cao knew that the general trend was gone, and he was exhausted and couldn't afford to get sick.

Now Cao Cao has passed the age of sixties, and he suffers from headaches, and the successive deaths of Cao Hong, Xiahoudun and others have also hit him hard.

This great hero in history is about to come to an end in his life, but he has been holding on.

His only belief is to defeat Chen Xu, so that he can also leave a family business with a slightly better environment for his descendants.

It's just that when his belief collapsed, Cao Cao's physical condition suddenly became extremely poor.

"Ahem, I can hold on."

Looking at Cao Cao, who was already very old, Guo Jia's heart was sour, he almost burst into tears, and couldn't help but say: "Lord, the general trend of the coalition army has gone, let's lead the troops to Xuzhou." ”

It's not that Guo Jia is unwilling to eliminate Chen Xu, but the current coalition army has long lost its soul, even if Zhuge Liang tries his best to show his charm, he still can't let the soldiers work together.

I have to say that the chess piece that Chen Xu took in the north was so good that it could make the coalition army fall apart in an instant.

In fact, if only Yuan Tan leaves, the princes of the three roads work together, and they may not be able to continue to compete with Chen Xu.

It's just that Guo Jia has long heard that Sun Quan and Zhou Yu's monarchs and ministers are separated, so that Zhou Yu led his troops to leave for self-protection, and Sun Quan also focused on how to exterminate Zhou Yu, rather than wanting to crusade against Chen Xu.

In this way, just relying on the strength of Cao Cao and half of Jingzhou, it is impossible for Chen Xu to be Chen Xu's opponent.

Guo Jia saw this matter very thoroughly, and persuaded Cao Cao to lead the troops to leave directly.

Cao Cao smiled bitterly: "Even if you lead the troops to retreat now, it is just a matter of lingering, and there will be no chance for you to raise troops to attack Chen Wenzhao." ”

Cao Cao knew that if he missed this opportunity, neither Xuzhou's strength nor his own physical condition could support such a big battle again.

At that time, Chen Xu's momentum of sweeping the world was completely formed, and if no miracle happened, Xuzhou's demise would only be a matter of time.

Guo Jia was silent when he heard this.

Cao Cao, like Liu Bei, had reached a dilemma, and continued to fight the Guanzhong army here, and the chances of victory were very slim.

But if it goes away, how is it different from chronic suicide?

"But ......"

Guo Jia wanted to admonish, but was stopped by Cao Cao waving his hand, and then said: "The only chance now is for King Wu to make up his mind and work together with us to fight Chen Wenzhao." ”

Guo Jia's heart moved, and he said, "The lord is trying to ......"

Cao Cao smiled and nodded slightly.

Guo Jia's words were not finished, but Cao Cao already knew what he was going to say, after all, the two had been monarchs and ministers for many years and knew each other very well.

In the big tent of the commander of the Dongwu camp, Lu Xun and Zhou Tai sat next to Sun Quan, and the faces of the three were a little gloomy.

Sun Quan said to the two of them: "Zhang Liao deceived his death to capture Youzhou, Yuan Tan led the troops to withdraw to Jizhou, and the coalition soldiers were panicked. ”

Lu Xun bowed slightly when he heard this, and then said: "Eastern Wu is far away from Guanzhong, even if the princes are defeated, Eastern Wu can be safed in a short time." ”

"It's just that Zhou Gongjin disobeyed the order to lead the troops outside, and he was anti-righteous and arrogant, so he had to guard against it."

With a look of shame on his face, Zhou Tai knelt on the ground and said, "If I hadn't brought a letter to the Grand Duke, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened. ”

Sun Quan stepped forward to help Zhou Tai up, and said: "Zhou Yu has long been antipathetic, this matter has nothing to do with Youping, and Youping doesn't need to blame himself at all." ”

"It's just that Zhou Yu is leading the troops outside, but it is difficult to kill him."

At this moment, a personal soldier broke in and said, "My lord, Guo Fengxiao, the military advisor under the command of King Qi, asks to see you." ”

Sun Quan was slightly stunned when he heard this, and then said, "Hurry up, please." ”

For Guo Jia, a dissolute and uninhibited celebrity with a free and easy personality and full of talent, Sun Quan also admires it in his heart.

Therefore, after knowing that Guo Jia was visiting, he did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

Sun Quan thought for a while, and then said to Lu Xun and Zhou Tai: "You two retreat behind the curtain for the time being, and ask Guo Fengxiao why he is here." ”

The two were ordered to hide, and Sun Quan immediately walked to the door and welcomed Guo Jia in with a smile on his face.

After the greetings, Sun Quan asked, "I don't know why Feng Xiao came this time?" ”

Guo Jia said with a smile: "Jia came here this time just to relieve King Wu's worries. ”