Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3375 A little plan

Cao Sheng trembled a little.

I don't know if it's because of the pain from the wound or some other reason.

Cao Sheng was missing three fingers on his right hand, leaving only his thumb and little finger, which were wrapped like a bloody bun.

When he returned from the defeat, three of his fingers were cut off at some point.

As the saying goes, the tortoise does not laugh at the bastard, and Cao Hong does not laugh at Cao Sheng. Both of them were injured. When they were put together, they could not laugh.

"We can lose, but these supplies and food..."

Cao Hong turned to Cao Sheng and said, "But we can't leave it to the hussars!" 』

Cao Jun's emphasis was on fighting in formation and then fighting. His mobility was not as good as that of others, so naturally he fought hard and was wasted.

The consumption of people and the consumption of things.

Previously, Cao's army had a large number of people and was running out of food and grass, but there were still a lot of armor and weapons left, so naturally there was no time to transport them away. There are hundreds of thousands of arrows here alone, and now they are all doused with kerosene...

There are also some pots, pans, etc. that are impossible to carry.

As for gold and silver, there are also many. On the one hand, they were collected by Cao's army. On the other hand, the more tragic the war, the more they wanted to see these things.

In addition, there are a lot of leftover timbers from the original camp, carpentry tools, iron door jammers, night lighting equipment, iron chains connecting Luzhai, bamboo nails, iron nails and caltrops placed under the trench, etc...

All the things you can think of and things you can't imagine can't be left to Fei Qian in vain!

That's right, at this moment, Cao Hong no longer thinks about how to win, but how to lose...

Once the fire is set on fire, you can burn as much as you can, and you can also burn some hussars and horses, which is naturally the best!

"But General..." Cao Sheng couldn't believe it, "We...really..."

"The hussar is too cautious..." Cao Hong couldn't help but sigh, and then said angrily, "Why doesn't he come?" ! 』

Plans are great, but they often fail to keep up with changes.

Cao Hong's plans were all very good, but when he met a guy like Xu Chu who took an unconventional path, and added Bao Zhong's rebellion, he was immediately confused, and all his original plans to lure the enemy deeper were scrapped!

"This hussar is not Xiliang at all!" ” Cao Hong gritted his teeth, “If I had known earlier... Huh! Nowadays, we can only use the last resort! 』

Some of Fei Qian's early battles are indeed full of Xiliang style. This is not Fei Qian’s personal initiative. Among the Three Kingdoms, Liu Guanzhang was good at this kind of tactics, and even many of Yuan Shao's men were accustomed to this simple and crude fighting mode.

Or maybe it's the Northland tactics.

The last time he was in Yuzhou, Cao Cao suffered a loss, and then secretly summed it up and found that Qiusi liked to use this set of tactics. Hussar fought against the Shanshan Kingdom in the Western Regions, and also led his troops to attack the royal capital of Shanshan. The same is true for the camp down the slope. Like a thunderous wind, the force of thunder directly broke through the camp, and then directly captured the central army, beheading the enemy general in one fell swoop, and immediately won a great victory.

Therefore, Cao Cao and Cao Hong made preparations.

If Fei Qian is going to use this tactic of directly attacking the middle formation again, then under the high platform, it will be a dead place!

For this reason, Cao Cao specially left a substitute...

And he also prepared a letter of challenge, on the one hand to anger Fei Qian, and on the other hand to prove that when Fei Qian came, Cao Cao was still on the high platform, waiting for Fei Qian to come to meet him!

So if Fei Qian goes against the norm and wants to attack Cao Jun's camp steadily and steadily, Cao Cao and Cao Hong will also be able to accept it.

Is it a war of attrition? If you can consume more strength of the hussars, it will be Cao Jun's gain!

As a result, who could have imagined that Fei Qian ignored Cao Cao's letter of challenge and did not follow Cao Cao and Cao Hong's expectations. He neither chose a central breakthrough nor an attrition battle. Instead, he used formation tactics to drag Cao Hong out... …

It's like Cao Cao and Cao Hong said to Fei Qian, "Trap or ambush, choose one?" 』

Fei Qian gave the answer, he chose "still".

Relatively speaking, Cao Cao is better at defensive counterattacks. When the opponent loses his energy, he will launch a wave of fierce attacks and pursuit, which can often achieve good results.

But now I met Fei Qian, a guy who was more stable than Cao Cao and wilder than Cao Cao.

Fei Qian can either use elite soldiers, sophisticated weapons and equipment, and powerful siege equipment to achieve an extremely sharp central breakthrough, or he can use the current maddeningly calm tactics.

This gradually made Cao Hong lose his original confidence.

Does he really have the ability to compete with Fei Qian in tactics?

Especially after he got injured.

It seemed that all the confidence he had before flowed out with the blood from the wound.

"Hussar is an outstanding person!" Cao Hong waved his hand and said, "It's not unfair to lose to him, not unfair!" But... this person will be punished by heaven, ha, I'm afraid he will be punished by heaven soon! 』

During the Battle of Anyi, Cao Hong finally realized that the Hussars General’s achievements in the southern and northern campaigns were by no means accidental. Let’s not mention other things, just the changes in the battlefield, the choice of tactics, and the changes in formations. , there are some mysteries that are unpredictable and difficult to deal with.

At this moment, Cao Hong seemed to understand the deep pain that hit him on the shoulder when Cao Cao left.

Even if Cao Hong was given time and thought more, would there be a better choice?

Not necessarily.

This hussar is an opponent who, even if he tries his best and makes all the right choices, will still get the wrong result in the end...

So at the end, Cao Hong blurted out the word "Heavenly Punishment".

Perhaps, only the "Tenchu" left can defeat such an enemy and such an opponent.

At this moment and here, this general who had fought many times in the Central Plains, no matter what opponents he encountered, no matter what miserable situation he was in, was still never discouraged, finally showed helpless bitterness between his brows.

He pressed the sword on his waist and watched the changes in his camp, but remained silent for a long time.

It's not God's punishment or anything like that. In fact, that's just saying it. After all, God or gods really don't have time to pay attention to these trivial matters in the human world. Therefore, more often than not, it is because one is unable to take revenge that one hopes God will help him.

If Cao Hong had this ability now, wouldn't it be fun if he didn't just go up and kill the rebel with his own hands?

Especially Bao Zhong's rebellion made Cao Hong feel that he was completely out of control of the overall situation!

He took precautions and made arrangements, but when Bao Zhong rebelled, these arrangements were almost completely useless!

The soldiers sent to monitor Bao Zhong were killed so easily that they could not even delay the attack. If it were not for the fact that the Central Guards who blocked the suspension bridge were relatively reliable, it would be impossible for Bao Zhong to break through the camp gate and attract the hussars. Army!

He dared to gamble before because he felt he could control the situation.

But Bao Zhong made him realize that he had lost control.

And in this Cao Jun camp, how many people are hidden rebels like Bao Zhong? !

Cao Hong didn't know.

Cao Hong suddenly discovered that all his arrangements and plans seemed to be a joke!

It’s not that he didn’t have a plan or arrangement, but every time he thought it was okay at the beginning, something went wrong!

This time entering Guanzhong is actually a gamble.

Whether Cao Cao or Cao Hong, they are all gamblers sitting on the gambling table. Seeing that the chips in their hands are getting smaller and smaller, how many people can persist in betting and discarding their cards again and again? Then he watched Hussar take away the pot again and again. Even if the pot is not big every time, every time Hussar wins, it means that Cao Jun loses one chip!

When Cao Hong finally caught two aces, he felt that everything was stable and he could make a big move, but he was beaten back by Fei Qian's three aces...

This made Cao's army's already bad situation worse.

But it also made Cao Hong even more angry!

You started with two Aces, why did you lose?

So, gamble again!

Even a no-name like Bao Zhong thought it was pretty good and he could take a gamble...

As a result, we lost again.

Now Cao Hong finally felt that something was wrong, and felt that his control of the entire situation was completely out of balance. Even if he could hold on until dawn, how many chips would he have to take another gamble?

When the blind bets at the bottom are greater than the chips in hand, even if Cao Hong didn't want Allin originally, he could only be Allin.

Put this last bit of bargaining chip in!

If you can’t catch big fish, it’s okay if you can catch a few shrimps!

In short, if you can consume more hussars and horses, try to consume as much as possible!

Cao Cao's substitute came, his face was pale, and he was a little unsteady on his feet. If it weren't for the soldiers behind him, it seemed that he would collapse to the ground in the next moment!

"Hold him up!" ” Cao Hong frowned, “If you can’t stand still, tie me up with a rope!” 』

Cao Cao's substitute shouted in panic, "No, no, I don't want it..."

"Gag his mouth!" ” Cao Hong waved his hand.

Are you serious about pretending to be prime minister?

Do you think you can just say no?

Cao Jun's soldiers responded, then directly stuffed a piece of cloth into the mouth of Cao Cao's stand-in, and then tied it with a piece of cloth to prevent the stand-in from spitting out the gag cloth.

But as a result, a groove was drawn on the stand-in's face, which was quite obvious even in low light conditions.

"etc! 』

Cao Hong suddenly stopped the soldiers who were about to lead Cao Cao's substitute to the high platform, and then stepped forward.

Cao Cao's substitute thought that Cao Hong had changed his mind, so he stared at Cao Hong with hopeful eyes and tears, and hesitated and didn't know what to say...

Cao Hong stood in front of Cao Cao's double, frowned and thought for a moment, then touched the wound on his leg, but found no blood. After all, he was the commander-in-chief, and the guards had bandaged him well, and the medicine had just been changed, so naturally not much blood seeped out.

Cao Hong turned around, saw Cao Sheng, took Cao Sheng's hand, and then smeared Cao Sheng's injured blood on the face of Cao Cao's stand-in.

The blood stains destroyed the original light and dark structure on the stand-in's face, making the grooves on his face less obvious.

Cao Hong looked around and felt that even if there were some differences, it would not be a problem under the flickering lights, so he nodded and waved.

The soldiers dragged the substitute of Cao Cao, who was whining and still saying that he didn't want it, to the high platform of the central army...

After so many days of delicious food and drink, isn’t it time to put it on the chopping block?

What else is there to feel aggrieved about and not want?

I really don’t know what to say.

Cao Hong snorted, then turned to look at Cao Sheng, suddenly showing a smile.

Perhaps Cao Hong himself thought his smile was amiable, but in fact, in this dim environment with uncertain firelight, his smile was somewhat ferocious.

The bait was also put up to see if it could lure any prey to the bait.

If there is bait, there must also be someone to hold the rope or someone to pull the trigger.

Otherwise, if the prey runs away with the bait in its mouth, wouldn’t it be all in vain?

Cao Sheng is the one who Cao Hong plans to stay as the triggerman.

"All the things that happened before are no longer mentioned now. ” Cao Hong said to Cao Sheng, “My lord has entrusted this place to you and me, but you and I cannot fulfill our duties. We are both guilty!” Just remember, in this world, the hussar is not the only hero! Before I leave, I also want to bring back some of the spirit of frustration between you and me! This bit of energy is too much to lose! 』

Sheng was silent for a moment, "Thank you for your generosity, General..."

Cao Sheng, what can he say?

It is said that Cao Hong has an idea every time, but you, the king of ideas in Shandong, are not reliable at all?

Cao Sheng returned in defeat. Cao Hong did not punish Cao Sheng on the spot, which was considered a mercy outside the law!

What?

You mean Cao Hong? Cao Hong was also defeated?

What's wrong?

Victory or defeat is a common matter for military strategists. What could Cao Hong do wrong?

Even if Cao Hong is really at fault, it doesn't matter. The worst he can do is give him a warning, a one-year salary penalty, and then be relieved of a certain position as an explanation, and then he can be quietly reassigned to a new position.

Isn't this what all the noble clansmen are shouting? Officials are human beings and they make mistakes. What's more, the appointment of officials is based on imperial edicts and reflects the emperor's face. If an official is really laid off by some unruly people and loses his official hat, where will the court's face be put? Could it be a feudal country ruled by imperial power?

Even if Cao Sheng knew in his heart that Cao Hong was guilty of defeating the army, could he say it?

Buddha said, it cannot be said.

So Cao Sheng can only be what he is.

Cao Hong nodded, and then looked at the lights of torches outside the camp, "Now General Dai is going to exterminate the rebels. If he succeeds, he will lure the hussars in the name of rebellion. If he fails...this camp..." As soon as the door opens...hehe, hum..."

Cao Sheng lowered his head, looking like he was listening attentively.

Indeed, logically speaking, there is nothing wrong with Cao Hong's plan.

But the problem is that often these plans with no problems turn out to have various problems later on.

Cao Sheng's hands were throbbing and his heart was sinking.

He knew what Cao Hong's purpose was for telling him this...

"I remember that you followed me in the second year of Taixing..." Cao Hong said with some emotion, "So many years have passed in a flash..."

Cao Sheng's heart sank deeper and deeper.

To say someone is senior often has only two meanings. One is used to block the position of newcomers, indicating that their seniority is nothing. You, a newcomer, don’t worry about climbing up; the other function is to hint to the elderly that you are a waste, and you have not been able to do it for so many years. Go up...

This is a question that Cao Sheng cannot answer.

He can neither be right nor wrong.

It can't be said that he actually came in the first year of Taixing, right?

Doesn't that not only show that the leader has a bad memory, but also that he is careless?

So Cao Sheng could only remain silent.

Cao Hong obviously didn't mean to let Cao Sheng answer, but continued: "I have always thought that you are a talent, but you just don't have a good opportunity... A failure is nothing, but if you are unable to recover because of it, Well, even if you can get by on your own, what about your family? Wouldn't it be disappointing? Although life is alive, how can it be fulfilled? However, as a man, if he cannot hold the power of life and death and enjoy glory and wealth, wouldn't his life be in vain? 』

When Cao Sheng heard this, he trembled slightly.

He is different from Bao Zhong.

His surname is Cao, and his family, young and old, all make a living in Cao Hong's territory.

Cao Sheng lowered his head and said, "Don't worry, Lord!" Subordinates...subordinates are willing to share the worries of the general! 』

"good! ” Cao Hong nodded heavily, “I really didn’t misjudge you! 』

The night wind came, blowing yellow sand on the ground.

"Now this burden is entrusted to you!" ” Cao Hong said in a deep voice, as if to comfort Cao Sheng, he hurriedly added, “Actually, this matter is not difficult at all. There is no need to face the enemy head-on, nor does it require a long-term battle. All we need is to lead the hussar army here. ...The main thing is to seize the opportunity..."

Cao Hong gestured, "This central camp... you also know that we have already arranged it, and now is the best time to use it!" The key is not to fight, but to attract the hussars! 』

Cao Hong looked at the substitute on the high platform and said, "With him here... the Qiusi will definitely come!" 』

Cao Sheng nodded, "That's what the general said." 』

Cao Hong said again: "If you can lure the hussars to the trap, that's great. If you can't, try to burn his generals and horses... Don't pour the fire oil too early to prevent the thieves from being alert... Don't do it too late either." Being discovered by the thief... If you can really kill the hussar, you will be the number one hero in this battle! 』

Cao Sheng took a breath, gritted his teeth and reiterated, "Don't worry, Lord!" You will definitely live up to the Lord’s trust! 』

"good! If this happens, you will be the first to achieve success! I mean what I say! ” Cao Hong nodded and emphasized again, then took off his cloak, tied it on Cao Sheng with his own hands, then patted Cao Sheng on the shoulder, then turned around and walked into the Chinese army’s tent.

Following Cao Hong, the other guards also entered the central army tent one after another.

The secret passage for escape was right under the central army tent.

After a while, Cao Sheng took a breath and then shouted, "Beat the drum! Raise the banner!"

The Cao army's central camp, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly roared with drums and blazed with fire, reflecting the figure of Cao Cao's stand-in on the high platform!

Soon, a Cao army soldier shouted: "The prime minister has an order! Counterattack on the spot! The enemy army will be defeated! Our army will win! "

This shout was like the waves caused by bait in the water, spreading out in circles...