Ju County, Yan Province!
This was the seat of Yan Province, and it was extremely important in terms of geographical location and political status. Currently, Yan Province was in a state of panic.
The reason for this was that the ten thousand strong army of Yu Province's Governor Guo Gong had already reached the city walls. They had not chosen to attack immediately, but instead set up camp, as if they had some ulterior motive.
At this moment, a huge roar echoed from an inn in Ju County, shaking the beams of the entire inn with a "creak, creak" sound.
"Damn it, has Cao Chun eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard to dare knock me out? Where's my spear? This general will go and beat him up now!"
The one roaring was Xiahou Dun, who had just woken up from being bludgeoned. He was furious and looking around, already trying to find his Flying Dragon Spear.
Unfortunately, the Flying Dragon Spear was no longer by his side.
"Brother... the Flying Dragon Spear, you... you already gifted it to Young Master Lu Yu!" Xiahou Mao reminded him from the side...
"Oh..." Xiahou Dun patted his forehead. The blow had made him a little disoriented, and he had forgotten about it. "Then... where's my incomparably eager broadsword?"
As he spoke, Xiahou Dun was about to draw his sword...
Upon hearing this, Xiahou Mao quickly pulled him back. "General, this time... you... you have wronged General Zihe (Cao Chun)."
"Wronged your great-grandmother..." Xiahou Dun was still seething with anger...
Xiahou Mao quickly explained, "The General was knocked out and brought back to Ju County, so he naturally didn't know what happened afterwards. Just now... our scouts have also returned. They all mentioned... when the enemy saw our army retreat, they withdrew all their ambushes. From afar, it looked like Puyang City was filled with ambushes..."
"Countless archers and crossbowmen, enemies from all directions, like an ambush from ten sides. Twenty li away from the city, there was also a cavalry unit led by Zhang Liao Zhang Wenyuan. I presume... he intended to cut off our retreat when we counter-attacked Puyang City, and attack us from both sides! If our army were trapped in such a situation, it would surely be a matter of life and death..."
At this point, Xiahou Mao was trembling all over. Thinking back, he was still terrified. If he had stubbornly followed Xiahou Dun to counter-attack Puyang, he would not be alive now.
Ah... it's good to be alive.
Xiahou Mao paused. Seeing that Xiahou Dun's emotions had stabilized, he continued, "This time, it is all thanks to General Zihe's strategy of a bludgeoning blow that saved Brother and all our brothers in the camp."
Hearing this, even if Xiahou Dun's intelligence was delivered as a bonus gift with a phone plan, he could roughly understand what had happened.
His eyeballs rolled continuously. It seemed that after the near-death experience of last night and another blow to the head, he had become much clearer-headed. His eyes fixed.
Foreseeing the enemy's moves, and even predicting his impulsive actions, and that blow...
Heh, how could Cao Chun have this kind of brain? This kind of courage? Could he have deployed such a meticulous plan?
Using one's toes to think, it was obvious that this was most likely instigated by Lu Yu, that Lu Yu had made Cao Chun bludgeon him.
Good heavens, this brat is truly "audacious and reckless."
Xiahou Dun felt that he was truly drunk...
...He had just gifted this brat the Flying Dragon Spear, and had just said that no matter how audacious and reckless he was, he wouldn't blame him. Heh heh... and in return, he got a bludgeoning blow!
With this thought, the corners of Xiahou Dun's mouth turned up, and a faint smile appeared on his stern expression.
"This brat..."
Normally, the term "brat" would be an insult, but in Xiahou Dun's case, at least the term "brat" for Lu Yu was more of a compliment than a derogatory term. It was praise for him.
Rough men didn't have so many manners, nor so many twists and turns in their speech.
Just then, "dong dong dong," the drums outside the city sounded like thunder,
"Kill..."
"Kill..."
"Kill..."
The deafening shouts of killing echoed through the heavens. With such a loud sound, based on Xiahou Dun's judgment, there must be tens of thousands of people!
"What's going on?" Xiahou Dun urgently asked Xiahou Mao beside him...
Xiahou Mao replied truthfully, "It is... it is Governor Guo Gong of Yu Province leading a ten thousand strong army to attack Ju County. They are now arrayed below the city walls, beating drums and shouting to boost their morale!"
Huo... Ten thousand troops from Yu Province, they're really here?
Xiahou Dun frowned. Despite being fearless, even he couldn't help but frown anxiously at this moment.
"Where is that brat Lu Yu? And Commander Xun?" Xiahou Dun continued to ask...
"They should be... they should be on the city wall?" Xiahou Mao replied...
Xiahou Dun immediately got out of bed, picked up his armor, and put it on as he walked out. At the same time, his words were unusually urgent. "Lead the way, take me to the city wall!"
At such a critical moment of defending the city, how could he, the ever-losing general, be absent?
...
Dark clouds pressed down on the city, and the wind howled ominously.
At this moment, the battlements of Ju County were lined with banners, covered with rolling logs and huge stones, bows and arrows, spears...
Cao Chun was mobilizing troops and urgently setting up defenses, while Xun Yu and Lu Yu looked forward... Guo Gong's army had already arrived at the city!
A force of ten thousand people, arrayed in formations of a thousand, was a grand sight. The two rows of drums in the center beat with a "rumbling" sound, exuding an aura of unwavering determination to capture the city.
Facing such a large number of troops, everyone on the city wall looked nervous.
Especially Lu Yu. Damn it... this was the first time he had seen such a large-scale formation, and his heart couldn't quite take it.
"Including the Qing Province troops, how many soldiers do we have in total?" Xun Yu asked the deputy general beside him... This deputy general was named Cao Anmin, the son of Cao De, and the nephew of Cao Cao.
Cao Cao had placed him beside Xun Yu, partly to learn the art of governing prefectures and counties, and partly to assist Xun Yu in defending Ju County.
"Reporting to the Prefect, we have a total of seven thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry..." Cao Anmin replied truthfully.
"So that's eight thousand!" Xun Yu's eyes remained serious. He carefully assessed the combat strength of the situation. Eight thousand against one hundred thousand, coupled with the city's defenses, there was still a chance to fight, but... Ju County's bows and arrows, and military equipment were equipped for four thousand defenders. If eight thousand people defended the city, the consumption would double, and the shortage of supplies was what worried Xun Yu the most.
He could hold for half a day, but not for a whole day!
The most crucial point was that at this critical juncture... Ju County's importance was self-evident. Puyang City had already been lost, and Ju County was now a barrier. If it were lost, then the northern border of Yan Province would be completely lost. The impact here would be far more severe than the fall of Puyang City.
"Commander Xun, look... they are making a show of force." Cao Anmin pointed to the ten thousand strong army below the city. "It is expected that they, along with Lu Bu and Zhang Miao, had planned this long ago. Their intention this time is certainly to not retreat until the city is taken. Commander Xun bears the safety of Yan Province, so you must make plans early!"
Cao Anmin's meaning was very clear. If they couldn't hold the city, then they must ensure Xun Yu's escape. With Cao Cao not present, Xun Yu was the backbone of Yan Province. As long as he was here, Yan Province would remain.
However... regarding Cao Anmin's mention of "not retreating until the city is taken"... Lu Yu scratched his head and blurted out subconsciously, "I don't think it's necessarily 'not retreating until the city is taken.'"
The reason for saying this was because Guo Gong was recorded in the "Records of the Three Kingdoms."
Although there were only a few strokes, his character was clearly described. This person was suspicious and cautious, and at the same time, he was an opportunist who "had the heart of a thief, but not the courage." He dared not act rashly, let alone be determined to capture the city.
Of course, these were all written by Chen Shou, and Lu Yu didn't know if they were true or not.
However, at this point, it was best to take them as true.
Lu Yu was about to speak and describe the Governor of Yu Province, Guo Gong, in detail...
But at this moment.
The enemy's messengers shouted in unison, "Please, Xun Wenruo of Yingchuan, come down from the city to converse!"
"Please, Xun Wenruo of Yingchuan, come down from the city to converse!"
"Please, Xun Wenruo of Yingchuan, come down from the city to converse!"
Three consecutive shouts, deafening and resounding through the heavens...
Upon hearing this, Xun Yu frowned and fell into brief contemplation, while Lu Yu's eyes blinked repeatedly, a sharp light flashing.
In his opinion, this was an opportunity, a good chance to drive back the enemy!
"Commander Xun... this..." Cao Anmin tried to inquire...
"Impossible!" Almost simultaneously, a huge roar came from the steps of the city wall. Everyone looked to see who it was, and it was none other than Xiahou Dun!
And at this moment, Xiahou Dun's shouting continued, "You are the governor of a province, going there is dangerous, impossible! Impossible!"
Concise and clear, the ten words that Xiahou Dun blurted out expressed the sentiments of all the defenders.
Who didn't know that Xun Yu was personally chosen by Cao Cao to govern Yan Province? If he were to go down to the city to converse with the enemy, it would be extremely dangerous, and this was absolutely not to be done.
Xun Yu's expression paused slightly. He did not rush to answer, but turned to ask Lu Yu, "What do you think, Young Master Lu?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu smiled, "I think it's possible to go!"
Ah... ah...
As soon as this was said, everyone was shocked. A scholar like Xun Yu going to a meeting alone? Isn't this... a sheep entering a tiger's den!
Especially Xiahou Dun, he couldn't understand? What was Lu Yu up to? Could it be that... he had a deep-seated hatred for Wenruo at some point?
Just as everyone was astonished, Xun Yu's lips curved slightly, and he waved his hand, "Young Master Lu, please explain in detail?"
This...
Lu Yu tried to explain according to the description of Guo Gong in the "Records of the Three Kingdoms," "Guo Gong was not in regular collusion with Zhang Miao, Lu Bu, and others. His purpose in coming here was to fish in troubled waters..."
"This kind of person is commonly known as an opportunist. The more he makes a show of force and beats drums below the city, the more his heart trembles. Especially now that our Chenliu Commandery has been held, and the central prefectures and counties of Yan Province have also been held, it makes him even more apprehensive and hesitant to advance."
Having said this, Lu Yu paused before continuing, "He ordered the messengers to request a conversation with Commander Xun because he wanted to probe our strength. This is an opportunity for us!"
"While he has not yet made up his mind, Commander Xun has the opportunity to persuade him, at least to make him feel that Ju County has made full preparations and cannot be taken!"
"If this is the case, even if he cannot be used by us, at least he can remain neutral. If he dares not to attend the appointment, he will be convinced that our forces are insufficient and will order an attack without any scruples!"
Lu Yu spoke with great conviction.
However, in fact, the logic was sound, and everyone could understand it, but... the idea of letting Xun Yu go to a meeting alone still made everyone a little uneasy.
Instead, Xun Yu burst into laughter, "Hahahaha... what Young Master Lu mentioned is exactly what I, Xun, intended to say. This time, Young Master Lu and I have the same brilliant idea!"
With that, Xun Yu immediately ordered, "Prepare to open the city gate. I will go to the meeting alone..."
Going to a meeting alone?
Cao Anmin's expression paused. "Why not let me choose a few elite guards to escort Commander Xun, so that..."
"No need!" Xun Yu waved his hand. "No matter how many guards there are, can they be more numerous than Guo Gong's ten thousand strong army?"
His tone was resolute, and Xun Yu himself was calm and composed.
Such a vast aura made Lu Yu feel that Xun Yu had grown thirty centimeters taller. A two-meter aura instantly enveloped him.
"Wenruo... I still think..." Xiahou Dun still wanted to persuade him.
Xun Yu directly interrupted, "My mind is made up. Besides..." Speaking of this, Xun Yu raised his eyes and looked at Lu Yu, "Young Master Lu's judgment is exactly the same as mine, which also gives me a lot more confidence!"
Others might not know, but Xun Yu knew Lu Yu's true identity.
He was the Hidden Dragon, whom the world claimed spoke words that "leaked heavenly secrets." With Xun Yu's own judgment and the Hidden Dragon's words, under double assurance, Xun Yu was certain that nothing would happen!
Seeing Xun Yu go off so magnanimously, a heroic spirit surged forth. This kind of demeanor was not only beyond the reach of scholars, but also of warriors like Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, and Cao Hong.
Yi...
Suddenly, Lu Yu thought of something. Since Guo Gong was cautious and suspicious, why not... create a diversion?
With this thought, he ran to Xun Yu's side and went down the stairs with him.
As they went down, Lu Yu reminded him, "Commander Xun might as well try to proactively mention the defenses of Yu Province? Lu Bu was able to sneak attack Yan Province, so... wouldn't someone be eyeing Guo Gong's hometown, Yu Province?"
"Yu Province borders Jing Province and Yang Province... it seems that Yuan Shu and Liu Biao's battlefield is not far from Yu Province..."
Lu Yu's words were actually a considerable guess...
Guo Gong only appeared once in the "Records of the Three Kingdoms," which was this time when his ten thousand strong army pressed down on Ju County. Afterwards... his movements were completely unrecorded, which was truly bizarre.
Imagine, in this era of chaotic wars between warlords, a warlord with a hundred thousand troops suddenly vanished without a trace, and there was no record. Why was that?
Most likely, it was because he was quickly submerged by the wheels of history. And to infer from this, who in the current era could discreetly annihilate or absorb this army of one hundred thousand? Considering the geographical location, it would either be Liu Biao or Yuan Shu!
It was for this reason that Lu Yu was certain that someone must have been coveting Guo Gong's Yu Province...
Given Guo Gong's cautious and suspicious nature, if Xun Yu subtly steered the conversation towards Yu Province.
What would Guo Gong do? He would likely realize that Yuan Shu and Liu Biao were his biggest threats, and then... abandon Yan Province and flee in a hurry, right?
Of course, these were all guesses, and Lu Yu was not entirely confident.
But it was precisely this guess that made Xun Yu's footsteps pause.
Lu Yu's reminder set his mind racing.
Liu Biao and Yuan Shu were fighting in Nanyang, and Nanyang belonged to Yu Province... Originally, Guo Gong had ten thousand troops stationed in Yu Province, so Liu Biao and Yuan Shu had some reservations and some apprehension, and dared not attack Yu Province too aggressively!
Now, with ten thousand troops invading Yan Province, why would Yuan Shu and Liu Biao continue to fight? They were all fighting for territory anyway, and now that Yu Province was empty, wouldn't it be more advantageous to capture it?
It could be said that Lu Yu's suggestion opened a new window for Xun Yu, allowing him to see further and calculate further.
Hoo...
Xun Yu cried out, thinking to himself, "The Hidden Dragon is indeed the Hidden Dragon!"
Perhaps in terms of strategy, Xun Yu felt he was not inferior to him, but in terms of vision and breadth of perspective, there was still a huge gap between them!
"Haha..."
Xun Yu immediately smiled faintly. If he had only a seventy percent chance of repelling the enemy by going to the meeting alone before, then now... he had a ninety-nine percent chance of repelling the enemy!
Stable, it was simply as stable as a dog...
Xun Yu once again cast a meaningful glance at Lu Yu, then bowed respectfully, "Thank you, Young Master Lu, for your guidance. Xun Yu has learned a great deal!"
With these words, Xun Yu turned around and quickly walked towards the city gate. At this moment... the city gate was opened, and the moment of witnessing a miracle was about to arrive.
Of course...
Xiahou Dun on the city wall did not know what Xun Yu and Lu Yu had discussed, but the more he thought about it, the more bizarre it felt.
A strategist going to a meeting alone to face an army of one hundred thousand.
What kind of thing was this? This was clearly sending himself to his death!
...
...