Chapter 518: Cao Cao Came to Target

The summer of 197 AD.

Prime Minister Yuan Shao mobilized more than 300,000 soldiers and horses, known as 500,000 to the outside world, and went south to the Central Plains.

The shence army left Qingzhou and entered Mount Tai to support them.

The news spread to China along with the call to crusade against Cao Cao, and the world was shaken by it.

This time the Great War in the Central Plains will determine the ownership of the overlord, and it will definitely be recorded in the annals of history.

Whether it is a person with lofty ideals or ordinary people, they are all waiting to see the final result.

The Yuan family's 300,000 troops, whether crossing the river, gathering, or cooperating with each other.

Coupled with the vastness of the Central Plains, there are many important passes and cities.

This is bound to be a protracted general battle.

Cao Cao didn't take the initiative to attack, it seemed that he wanted to use defense as offense.

Call for the fifth day.

On the south bank of the Yellow River, Baimajin in the north of Yanzhou East County.

Here is a ferry of the Yellow River.

Generally, the ferry crossings are open and the water is shallow and the flow speed is slow.

Yuan Shang passed through here, crossed the river smoothly and entered the boundary of Yanzhou.

ferry.

Yuan Shang was riding on his big black horse, looking to the south.

Surrounded by generals and advisers.

Adviser Jiang Gan held a small wooden-winged fan, fanned the wind and said: "The law of war says: Bing is expensive and fast, and the third son uses his troops so quickly that Cao Cao must be caught off guard. If he can attack Puyang, it will be a feat of heaven. The position must not belong to others."

Cao Cao's Yanzhou East County is close to the Yellow River, and Puyang is the first city in the East County.

Taking Puyang will open the way to sweep all parts of Yanzhou.

The Central Plains War is not a street fight, and it is impossible for both sides to face hard steel as soon as they raise their troops.

The battle of more than half a million troops,

It involves millions of square kilometers of land and nearly ten million people.

Partial gains and losses are sometimes not so important.

But the vanguard battle is very important, it can boost the morale of hundreds of thousands of troops and increase BUFF.

Yuan Shang's purpose this time is to fight in the vanguard, and attacking Puyang is not in his plan.

However, if there is an unplanned overfulfillment of the task, the credit must be great.

"Report..., third son, Baima City is an empty city, there are no enemy troops, not even a single commoner."

A member of the scouting horse came galloping, rolled off the saddle and paid homage.

Baima City is a small city at the south bank of the Yellow River.

A city belonging to Cao Cao.

Immediately afterwards, many explorers also returned. The news they brought was very consistent. No one was found in the surrounding area, so they didn't know the enemy's movements.

"All empty?"

Before Yuan Shang swung his army forward, he said that he was caught off guard by Cao Jun, but he didn't expect that he would not meet anyone.

Adviser Yang Xiu came out, "Third son, this is a tactic of fortifying the wall and clearing the field. The enemy must have learned of our army's crossing of the river, and all the population has migrated to other places, preventing our army from getting supplies on the spot. It is impossible for the enemy not to send a vanguard To fight against our side, we need to further explore the enemy's situation."

Yuan Shang looked at the military adviser Zhong Yao.

Zhong Yao nodded, his political ability is more outstanding than his military ability.

At this moment, he looked at the people around him.

All of them are Yuan Shang's confidantes.

Said: "I am very worried that the position of the general will be taken away by the eldest son, but if he wins this time, I believe the prime minister will make a new choice."

"The most important thing is to let the prime minister know that the Yuan family doesn't just have the eldest son as a son."

"Without the eldest son, the Yuan family can still fight tough battles and win battles."

"It depends on the generals."

These words still boosted morale.

It seems that Ju Yi and other generals are all refreshed. They will be Yuan Shang's followers for the rest of their lives. Naturally, they hope that the number of followers will increase.

The first priority now is to detect the enemy's situation.

Ever since, Yuan Shang once again sent out all the scouts.

As long as the enemy's vanguard is dispatched, he can detect it.

...

vertical sun.

Rumbling horseshoes, 10,000 cavalry, what a shocking scene, marching in the northwest of Puyang, fifty miles south of Baima.

The banner is like a cloud, with the words "Hubao", "Cao" and so on written on it.

on a high slope.

Cao Cao stationed his horse and watched his cavalry march forward. This is the army he is most proud of, the iron and blood warriors, with which he swept across the Central Plains.

The Central Plains War is about to start in full swing, and the vanguard battle is particularly important.

Cao Cao personally led the most elite troops, Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, to fight Yuan Shang.

He is such a hero, completely different from most other princes, he likes to fight on the front line.

Sima Yi and Cheng Yu followed, as well as generals like Xiahou Dun, Xiahouyuan, Cao Ren and Cao Hong.

Xun Yu was assigned to coordinate the overall situation.

Sima Yi looked at this mighty cavalry group, it was the first time he saw such a large cavalry group together, it was too shocking.

"I will definitely not lose. Although Yuan Shang has an army of 30,000, he has less than 1,000 cavalry. In this alluvial plain of the Yellow River, as an attacker, he has no chance of winning."

Cao Cao smiled proudly when he heard the military division talking to himself.

"Report..., my lord, our army has discovered the enemy!"

There was news from Yuan Shang.

I am going to Puyang, that is to say, I am going the same way as Cao Cao.

Cao Cao smiled and said to everyone: "Young masters of the Yuan family have great ambitions."

"Cao Ren, pass on the order that the rear army will be the front army, and the front army will be the rear army. Food and grass will go first, and soldiers and horses will follow..."

Everyone heard the words: (⊙v⊙).

"My lord?" Cao Ren thought he had heard it wrong, but looking at the expressions of the others, it seemed that he had heard it right.

Cheng Yu couldn't believe it, "My lord, food and grass are in front? Soldiers and horses are in the back, what do you mean?"

Cao Cao stroked his beard and was very happy to see the expressions of the people. Could this be what Yuan Tan said about pretending?

Sure enough, no one can refuse to pretend to be coercive.

The status is high or low, only determines the object of pretense.

Calmly: "You also know that if the food and grass are at the back, they will be plundered more, so the orders are at the front."

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay when they heard the words, and they lost their senses, only Sima Yi showed a deep thought.

Cheng Yu was taken aback, and thought to himself, don't be joking, my lord, we are going to meet the enemy, and we are not going deep alone.

Behind is our city, so only the enemy is in front, okay?

If the food and grass are placed in front, they will be hijacked, right?

Cao Ren hurriedly said: "My lord, if our army can detect the enemy, the enemy will also quickly detect our army. At that time, our army's food and grass must be the first to be discovered. If it is robbed, what can we do?"

Cao Cao said coldly: "Let's wait until the enemy army arrives, then make plans and execute the order immediately."

Cao Ren had no choice but to deliver the order.

Ever since, the army gave way to the road to help the rear army's supply troops move forward.

After half an hour.

The army led by Yuan Shang is advancing slowly, and he may encounter the enemy at any time, so he should not go too fast, as it is recorded in the Art of War.

"Report..., third son, important information, the villain discovered the enemy's grain and grass brigade five miles away!"

A prowling horse came galloping, judging by his expression and tone, there was also an element of asking for credit.

"The enemy's food and grass!" Yuan Shang was refreshed.

Yang Xiu immediately said: "Third Young Master, I'm afraid it's the enemy's plan!"

Jiang Gan immediately said: "I feel that this is not a strategy. Obviously, after Cao Cao fortified the wall and cleared the field, he could not accurately obtain the movement of our army. This is an unexpected encounter for both the enemy and us."

Tactics and unexpected encounters.

how to choose?

"Third son..." Jiang Gan.

"Third Young Master..." Yang Xiu.

Each expresses his own opinion, no less than arguing.

Yuan Shang has a big head, and it seems that he is indeed Yuan Shao's favorite son, and the old problem of indecision can also be inherited.

At this time, the military adviser Zhong Yao spoke, with a very calm expression, "Since seeing the enemy's food and grass, how can we not take action? Since you are afraid of ambushes, you can send small troops to plunder first, and the larger troops will respond."

Yuan Shang nodded hastily and looked over with admiration.

Immediately ordered Ju Yi to take 5,000 soldiers and horses to hijack food and grass, and his 20,000-strong army would respond at any time.

the other side.

Cao Cao is here.

"My lord, it's better not to let the food and grass come first, you will encounter the enemy at any time." Cheng Yu earnestly said.

at this time.

The exclamation came from the front army, Cao Cao could hear it even in the middle army, obviously not one or two can shout out.

Now that the grain and grass are the former army, Cheng Yu's expression changed, and so did the others.

"Report..., my lord, the front army has encountered an enemy attack!"

All the generals were shocked, and said in unison: "My lord, hurry up and rescue the soldiers!"

Without food and grass, this battle cannot be fought at all.

Cao Cao was also shocked, "Miscalculation! Immediately send my order to let the soldiers undress and lie down on the ground to rest, and let the horses go to Nanshan!"

(⊙v⊙)

Everyone looked like a ghost.

My lord, have you developed a headache, are you stupid?

After yelling that they had miscalculated, instead of going to rescue, they still rested, took off their armor to rest, and returned their horses to Nanshan. When the enemy came, they couldn't even put on their armor and couldn't find their horses.

Fortunately, it was Cao Cao who said this. If it was someone else, everyone would have slapped him.

This commander is so stupid.

Cheng Yu immediately said: "No, now we should organize the rescue of the enemy, how can we undress and unarmor?"

Even facing Cao Cao, everyone became angry.

Only Sima Yi smiled and said: "Yuan Shang is a fool, my lord is using tricks, this is exactly how to lure the enemy."

(⊙ o ⊙)!

Everyone: "Really?"

Sima Yi said: "Yuan Shang saw our army's food and grass, and also saw our army resting in disheveled clothes..."

Cao Cao smiled.

Sima Yi's heart moved, and he didn't say a word. There was no need to steal Cao Cao's limelight and attract hatred.

Only then did Cao Cao say: "Yuan Shang only thought it was a sudden encounter, and our army was not prepared at all. Can he not be overjoyed? Surely he will charge forward with his army, and our army can set up an ambush to catch them all."

x-on:_x-on:, everyone was dumbfounded.

Cheng Yu said: "Since it is to lure the enemy, why didn't you just use food and grass to lure the enemy?"

Cao Cao: b (￣▽￣) d

He said: "Yuan Shang used to be an idiot, but now he is not an idiot. If he wants to fall into the trap, he needs to plan carefully. How can he not doubt the sudden appearance of our army's food and grass? It is better to give him food and grass first to lure the enemy."

After thinking about it, everyone admired it.

Ever since, 5,000 men undressed and unarmored, let go of their horses, and another 5,000 cavalry lay in ambush.

There are people and horses all over the mountains and plains, and normal people can't count the number.

later.

Yuan Shang's side.

"Report, behind the enemy's food and grass are tiger and leopard cavalry! The banner is Cao Cao."

Yuan Shang and others were surprised, but Cao Cao personally led the tiger and leopard cavalry to fight the vanguard.

This tiger and leopard cavalry is very powerful. The combat effectiveness of all cavalry is far superior to them.

"Everyone, the enemy cavalry will definitely come over immediately, so what can I do?"

When they were in a panic, the messenger said again: "Now their cavalry have let their horses and horses undress and armor, and are resting."

╰(*°▽°*)╯: Yuan Shang

I feel that I shouldn't have said the fearful words just now in advance.

Overjoyed, he yelled out, "Yang Xiu, you have made great contributions. You are right. It really was a sudden encounter. Give me an order, and immediately advance at full speed. When you see the enemy, attack immediately, without asking for orders. Be sure Destroy the enemy before he reacts!"