Liu Bei immediately stood on the north bank of the Yellow River. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood not far behind him with their sergeants.
Ten days have passed since the tragic battle in Guandu. The blood in the Yellow River has not faded to this day, but the tens of thousands of corpses lying on the south bank have been gradually buried by the first snow. In addition to being glad that he was stationed in Liyang for the purpose of defending the rear and not following Yuan Shao to Guandu for a decisive battle with Cao Cao, Liu Bei had an indescribable complex feeling in his heart, including joy, nervousness, worry, and more. It's a heavy feeling of guilt. [bsp; Liu Bei thought of Yuan Shao who fled back to Liyang in a hurry a few days ago. This leader who once divided one side and became famous all over the world has lost his former arrogance. There were hundreds of cavalry who followed him back. Each of them seemed to be He lost his soul, his eyes were dull, and he exuded a desperate death aura. Yuan Shao failed, a complete failure. The courage of him and his soldiers was completely defeated by Cao Cao. For an army, after the most important morale collapsed, only irreversible defeat followed. This time Yuan Jun not only left their lives in Guandu, but their souls were also lost on the battlefield.
Liu Bei shook his head and remembered the first words Yuan Shao said when he saw him in Liyang after his defeat - "Your Majesty, my life is entrusted to your hands." Liu Bei laughed silently and said In troubled times, it is extremely foolish to completely trust one's allies. If Yuan Shao knew that it was him who informed Cao Cao about the movement of grain and grass and the situation of the garrison, I don't know what his reaction would be.
Liu Bei was looking ahead in trance. A gust of wind and snow blew in, confusing his vision. Liu Bei raised his hands to cover his eyes, blocking the snow dust that was coming towards his face. From between his fingers, he could faintly see the large figures on the other side of the river that gradually became clearer. The person at the front of the queue was riding on a purple-black sacred horse, wearing a red cloak, and was walking slowly towards the shore with the horse. The man raised his head high and his eyes were like lightning. Even across the Yellow River, Liu Bei could feel the sharp, unruly and even arrogant look in the eyes of the man.
"It hasn't changed." Liu Bei sighed with a low smile, "He is still the Cao Mengde he was when the eighteen princes challenged Dong."
"Is that Prime Minister Cao on the other side?" Liu Bei cleared his throat and shouted loudly.
"Why should Xuande ask questions knowingly?" Cao Cao reined in his horse and said calmly. Although his voice was not high, people around him could hear him clearly.
"I am stupid for asking." Liu Bei laughed at himself and asked loudly: "Does the Prime Minister have to kill everyone?"
"Xuande, you are still the same as before. You like to hide your words and always feel so unhappy." Cao Cao waved the riding whip in his hand, "Now that Yuan Shao has fled north, Xuande can just say whatever he wants. You and I are like brothers, there¡¯s no need to pretend.¡±
"As the Prime Minister said, Duke Ming has already wiped out Yuan Shao's remnant troops on the south bank. Isn't it that he came here to cross the Yellow River and capture all of Hebei?"
"Xuande underestimates me too much." Cao Cao sighed, "I remember very clearly what I said to myself, and I will never break the oath I swore. You can rest assured about this. Xuande can rest assured. I am here this time. Not to cross the river, just to see old friends."
Liu Bei snorted disdainfully: "I'm afraid the Prime Minister is not so innocent."
"Xuande, you used to be someone I both admired and feared! I'm a little sad to see you like this today." Cao Cao fiddled with the riding whip in his hand, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him, " I still remember when you and I first met, it must have been at Hulao Pass. At that time, you were still serving under Gongsun Zan, and even the two generals Guan and Zhang behind you were just small horse-mounted archers. At that time, you You have nothing but the blood of the royal family, but despite this, the heroic temperament in you cannot be concealed, because I can see that you have a heart that is not willing to be silent like me, and you and I hold the whole world in our hearts."
Cao Cao shook his head and sighed: "But look at yourself, look at Liu Bei and Liu Xuande now. For the sake of two mere states, Chen Bing is here, like a weakling, questioning your old friend. ." Cao Cao turned the horse's head and repeated, "I'm really sad to see you like this today."
"In this case, you and I don't need to talk anymore. Please Xuande tell Ben Chu that I am waiting for his revenge in Xudu." Cao Cao's voice floated from afar. Liu Bei looked at Cao Cao's gradually blurred back through the wind and snow, with no expression on his cold face.
"Brother, Cao Cao is so rude, why not let me lead five hundred elite soldiers and cross the river to cover up the killing." Zhang Fei geared up and led his horse eager to try.
Liu Bei shook his head: "Third brother, please don't be reckless. Cao Cao is careful with his troops. If you pursue him at this time, you will definitely be ambushed."
Guan Yu whispered: "Brother, didn't we form an alliance with Cao Cao? How could you"
"Yun Chang, with our current strength, we still can't compete with Yuan Shao." Liu Bei waved his hand to interrupt Guan Yu, "Although Yuan Shao was defeated in the Guandu battle, it only hurt his muscles and bones, not his vitality. .Only when he and Cao Cao have another battle can we take advantage of it."
Guan Yu said thoughtfully: "In other words, we still have to follow Yuan Shao and continue to act as his allies?"
Liu Bei nodded and said nothing.
There was a long silence between the brothers. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei looked at each other and said at the same time: "The eldest brother's plan is definitely right. Whatever the eldest brother says, the brothers will do it!"
"Okay! Okay!" Liu Bei held their arms and said excitedly. But in his heart, he let out a long sigh. Only when some things are out of reach will you understand how important they are, for example, sincerity.
"My lord, are we really not going to cross the river to pursue him?" Xia Houyuan approached Cao Cao and asked.
"This first snow came at the wrong time." Cao Cao raised his head and looked at the falling snowflakes in the sky. "We have lost too much time. Yuan Shao's defeated army should have gathered by now, and Liu Bei led another army. The fresh force still occupies the north bank of the Yellow River, and most of our soldiers are injured, so a strong attack at this time will definitely lead to defeat."
Xia Houyuan was a master of surprise attacks. He was always praised as a flying general in the army who said "five hundred in three days, one thousand in six days". Of course he knew what Cao Cao said was reasonable, so he could only say dullly: "It's really a bit embarrassing to just give up like that." Pity."
Cao Cao laughed loudly: "In a matter of seconds, retreating in order to advance is also the way to use troops."
At this time in Lujiang City, Sun Ce looked at the military report in his hand with a calm expression.
"Cao Cao really defeated Yuan Shao." Sun Ce said calmly, "Our thousands of tons of military rations were finally not in vain."
"My lord, should we take action?" Gan Ning carefully asked, "The old lady has been gone for almost a year."
Sun Ce glared at Gan Ning and said, "My mother's anniversary is still seventeen days away. Xingba is too impatient."
Gan Ning smiled calmly and said, "My lord, you remember it so clearly, and you still say that you have no plans to send troops?"
Looking at the earnest faces of the generals in the hall, Sun Ce felt a huge sense of powerlessness, and felt that the world was as desolate as snow. He finally understood deeply that the reason why many tragedies occurred in troubled times was not because the mountains and rivers were filled with blood and rivers, but because too many important things were ruthlessly destroyed by the instinct of survival.