When Jia Xu left Jingyang County and retreated to Chang'an, the soldiers sent by Yuan Shao to inform Cao Cao had arrived outside Hangu Pass and reported the news of Yuan Shao's retreat to Cao Cao.
Compared with the news of Yuan Shao's defeat, Yuan Shao's soldiers conveyed the news faster.
After Cao Cao got the news, he was very angry.
Xu Chu was standing outside Cao Cao's camp and heard the clatter of the slips falling to the ground and the clang of the sword being unsheathed.
Afterwards, the camp fell into silence, and no sound was heard again.
About half an hour later, Cao Cao's slightly hoarse voice came and said: "Zhong Kang, please invite Xi Zhicai, Cao Ren and Xia Houyuan to the camp to discuss matters."
"promise" Xu Chu replied and immediately carried out the order.
Not long after, Xi Zhicai took the lead in arriving at Cao Cao's camp, followed closely by Cao Ren and Xia Houyuan.
These three people are the most strategic people under Cao Cao.
Cao Cao summoned the three of them, obviously there was something important to discuss.
After Xi Zhicai sat down, he raised his hands and asked, "My lord, I am humbled to hear from the soldiers in the army that Yuan Shao has sent an envoy.
I wonder what news they have brought, whether it is that Yuan Shao has defeated Li Ru and Jia Xu and sent troops to attack Chang'an."
Previously, Yuan Shao had been winning battles, while Li Ru and Jia Xu had been losing battles, so Xi Zhi asked this question.
Moreover, the news of Yuan Shao's defeat had not yet spread, so Xi Zhicai and others did not know about it.
Cao Cao sighed and said: "Zhicai, if Yuan Shao really won the battle, that would be great.
I would rather let him take the first step and enter Chang'an first."
Hearing this, Xi Zhicai's expression immediately changed.
Xia Houyuan and Cao Ren secretly said that it was not good, they knew that the situation had changed, otherwise Cao Cao would not have such a tone.
Cao Ren hurriedly asked: "My lord, could it be that Yuan Shao was defeated?"
When he asked, he seemed cautious and had a look of disbelief on his face.
After Yuan Shao raised his troops and entered Guanzhong, he was invincible.
No soldiers could stop Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao has always been a victorious general and has never lost a battle.
It is impossible to be so vulnerable.
"well" Cao Cao sighed and said, "Yuan Shao has withdrawn his troops."
"ah" Xi Zhicai, Cao Ren and Xia Houyuan exclaimed at the same time.
The news of Yuan Shao's withdrawal was more frightening than Yuan Shao's defeat, because he could continue to fight after defeat.
People often say that repeated battles are an extremely tyrannical state.
However, Yuan Shao had won consecutive battles and now only failed once before withdrawing his troops and returning to Jizhou, which is unbelievable.
"Ahem" Xi Zhicai covered his heaving chest and coughed softly.
After a while, Xi Zhi calmed down his excitement, but a flush rose on his face.
Xi Zhicai ignored his physical pain and asked directly: "Lord, what's going on?
Yuan Shao just suffered a defeat, and he didn't suddenly withdraw his troops.
This is too sudden and strange."
Cao Cao looked defeated and told everything.
After hearing this, Xi Zhicai and the other three fell silent.
The 40,000-strong army was beaten down to only 7,000 soldiers, and only more than 3,000 people had combat effectiveness.
Only Yuan Shao could do such a thing.
Gongsun Zan was actually ready to make a move, which gave Yuan Shao an excuse to return to Jizhou.
In fact, Cao Cao understood that Gongsun Zan's imminent move was Yuan Shao's excuse to return to Jizhou, because when Yuan Shao left Jizhou, he had already left Shenpei and Jushou behind in Jizhou to deal with unexpected events.
Yuan Shao had been prepared for a long time and was not afraid of Gongsun Zan's attack at all.
But if Gongsun Zan made any movement, he immediately returned to Jizhou.
This was just an excuse.
Cao Cao sighed and said, "Now that Yuan Shao has retreated, what can I do?"
Cao Ren's eyes flickered and he fell into deep thought.
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After a long time, Cao Ren said: "Lord, our Yanzhou borders Qingzhou and Jizhou.
After Yuan Shao led his troops to withdraw, it became a situation of sitting on the mountain and watching the tiger fight.
If we fail to attack Wang Can, Yuan Shao will send his troops south to attack Yanzhou.
Haven't we become the fish in Yuan Shao's palm?"
Cao Ren's worry was that he was afraid that Yuan Shao would stand aside and then attack Yanzhou.
Cao Cao shook his head and said: "Yuan Shao will not attack us, at least not for the time being.
After he returns to Jizhou, on the one hand he will recuperate, and on the other hand he will definitely seize the time to attack Gongsun Zan and quell the future troubles in the north.
Only when Yuan Shao is relieved of his worries will he Send troops south to attack Yanzhou or Guanzhong."
Xia Houyuan said: "My lord's words are reasonable.
Yanzhou is not in danger for the time being."
After a pause, Xia Houyuan said: "Despite this, we have been blocked outside Hangu Pass.
We can only look at Hangu Pass and sigh.
What should we do?"
Xi Zhicai looked at Cao Cao and said: "My lord, although Yuan Shao was defeated, there are still Yuan Shu, Lu Bu, Liu Bei, and Xiliang Ma Teng has also raised his troops.
Doesn't my lord want to retreat and return to Yanzhou?"
Cao Cao raised his eyebrows and said: "Wang Can occupied Yizhou and also captured Guanzhong.
He is already the strongest prince in the world.
Now even Yuan Shao cannot withstand Wang Can's edge.
If he cannot defeat Wang Can this time, wait until Wang Can After Can is relieved, he will definitely go to the Central Plains and start sweeping the world.
This is very detrimental to us and must be stopped.
Now the princes from all walks of life are attacking Wang Can.
This is the last opportunity to contain Wang Can and cannot be missed. " The tone was decisive and left no room for doubt.
After finishing speaking, Cao Cao looked at Xi Zhicai and asked: "Zhicai, do you have any way to break Hangu Pass?"
Hearing this, Xi Zhicai shook his head.
It's not that he didn't use various methods to attack Hangu Pass, but Guo Jia and Xun You who guarded the pass were both top counselors.
The two of them worked together and were able to see through Cao Jun's plan, whether it was provoking a fight, luring the enemy into fighting, or trying to take a small path to get behind Hangu Pass, but they were still seen through and no progress was made.
Various methods have been tried, but no results have been achieved.
Xun You and Guo Jia, plus Zhao Yun, Huang Xu, Yan Yan, and Pei Yuanshao, were enough to hold off Cao Cao's army.
Moreover, Hangu Pass is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it is a veritable natural danger.
The last time Cao Cao raised troops to welcome the emperor, the generals guarding the pass were greedy for merit, so they were ambushed by Cao Cao and then fraudulently opened Hangu Pass.
However, Guo Jia and Xun You were different.
They ordered their generals to pursue him and had no intention of defeating Cao Cao.
As long as they kept Cao Cao out of the pass, their mission was completed.
Zhao Yun's cavalry from the broken barracks did not take the initiative to attack, but stayed on the tower of Hangu Pass.
Rows of spearmen were stationed on the tower, making it difficult for Cao Cao's army to rush onto the tower.
Hangu Pass stood in front of Cao Cao, like a high mountain that could not be crossed.
Cao Cao suffered consecutive defeats and was a little discouraged.
However, Cao Cao suppressed his thoughts and said, "I want to attack Hangu Pass.
What do you think?"
Xi Zhicai also wanted to conquer Hangu Pass, but he had no idea.
He opened his mouth to speak, but he still swallowed the words that came to his mouth.
Xia Houyuan said: "My lord, we have tried to lure Zhao Yun to attack countless times without success.
Are we going to pretend to be defeated this time and lure the enemy to attack?"
Cao Cao shook his head and said: "Attack Hangu Pass by force."
When Cao Ren heard this, his heart sank.
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Hangu Pass is the gateway to the east of Chang'an.
It is not a simple pass.
It must be said that it is quite difficult to capture Hangu Pass by force first. s: Four updates two: