When the 20,000 cavalry led by Ma Chao were only more than 40 miles away from Cao Ren, the vanguard on the right, Cao Jun got the news. Because most of the troops had been sent to various places to harvest crops, when they suddenly heard that the Yizhou cavalry was coming, Cao Jun panicked and hurriedly summoned troops to prepare for resistance. At the same time, Cao Hong, who was supporting the two vanguards, also began to lead the center vanguard troops closer to Cao Ren's right army.
Although Cao¡¯s army was finally gathered together, these soldiers who were busy harvesting the people¡¯s crops seemed to have not come back to their senses. Putting down the farm tools in his hands and replacing them with weapons only changed his appearance, not the murderous look at all. When Cao Ren sent his troops to prepare to meet the enemy, everyone from the general to the soldiers looked frightened and walked listlessly - it could be said that he was defeated before fighting.
Cao Jun was only three or four miles away from the camp when Ma Chao's army blew in like a strong wind. Using Pang De and Zhang Ren as two sharp knives, they killed Cao Jun's chaotic ranks at once.
"kill!"
"Capture Cao Ren alive!"
"Surrender and avoid death!"
¡¡
Although they ran for dozens of miles and took a rest last night, they ran forty miles today, but the morale of the Yizhou soldiers was obviously higher than that of Cao's army. Especially when the Yizhou cavalry rushed into Cao's army, and Cao's army was mercilessly hacked and trampled by the cavalry while crying, Cao's army was demoralized to the extreme. As the general, Cao Ren shouted loudly: "Retreat!" without calling for kill.
Fortunately, the distance that Cao's army came out was short, so when Cao Ren gave the order to retreat, all the soldiers only hated their parents for having two legs. Turn around and run away. It can be said that the speed of returning to the camp is more than ten times that of leaving the camp. Fortunately, although the land in the northwest is not fertile, the terrain is relatively flat. Even if 12,000 people escape at the same time, it will not feel so crowded.
Less than half an hour later, most of the soldiers returned to the camp. Cao Ren immediately ordered the camp to be closed and defended it, regardless of whether there were still soldiers who had not come in.
The Yizhou soldiers, who had won a great victory, did not attack immediately. While they sent troops to pursue the fleeing Cao army, they also sent some troops to intercept Cao Hong's troops who came to support Cao Ren. This time the "sheep herding" battle. They killed more than 500 Cao soldiers at once, captured nearly 1,000 people, and scattered more than 2,000 people. It was a brilliant victory.
The combat effectiveness of Cao Hong's troops was not much better. When Pang De and Zhang Ren entered his team, the entire team would have dispersed. If it weren't for Cao Hong's desperate resistance. In addition, Zhang Ren and Pang De did not dare to divide their troops too far to prevent Cao's army from counterattacking Ma Chao who was besieging Cao Ren. Cao Hong may be about to make the same mistake as Cao Ren.
"Haha, is Cao Jun so awesome? What else can he do besides escape?"
"Fuck, they knelt down before we even charged."
"With just 20,000 of our cavalry, we can reach Chang'an."
¡¡
But the ones who talked and boasted the most were the Yizhou soldiers who came from Chengdu. The soldiers who transferred from the original Xiliang soldiers didn't say anything. They either suspected that Cao Jun was playing some trick, or that Cao Jun had not yet regained its combat effectiveness. Just like the Battle of Tongguan. The ten men led by Ma Chao were invincible at first, but in the end they were still doomed. If Liu Jia had not extended a rescue hand, he would not know whether he was dead or alive.
Although I have doubts in my heart, I am still happy after winning the battle. It is not like before. No matter what the situation is now, there will be no problems in the rear. There is a large force of the ever-victorious general Liu Jia guarding the rear, so there is no need to worry about anything.
Now 10,000 cavalry, led by Ma Chaodi personally, are looking at Cao Ren's army of more than 10,000 men, while Zhang Ren and Pang De's 10,000 cavalry are blocking Cao Hong's army. The distance between Ma Chao and Zhang Ren is only seven or eight miles. Compared with the two cavalry, this short distance is almost as a whole.
In the evening after the battlefield was temporarily stabilized, Ma Chao summoned Zhang Ren to discuss what to do next. After the two discussed, they decided to attack in accordance with Pang Tong's request before departure.
Early the next morning, Pang De, who was ordered to be harassed all around, was about to leave. Tan Ma suddenly came to report that Cao Ren had begun to retreat!
Just when Zhang Ren and Pang De were hesitant and about to send someone to Ma Chao's camp to ask what to do in this situation. Ma Chao sent an order:
"Order General Pang De to lead 5,000 soldiers to monitor Cao Hong's troops on the spot to ensure the entire army's retreat. Order General Zhang Ren to lead the remaining 5,000 cavalry to return to the army. Together with Ma Chao's 10,000 cavalry, they will pursue Cao Ren."
Cao Ren's troops set out secretly in the early morning. If he hadn't left the troops behind to set fire to the camp before withdrawing, Ma Chao would not have believed that Cao Ren had withdrawn. After all, Cao Ren still has more than 10,000 soldiers, a camp to rely on, and Cao Hong outside to support him. Even Wang Shuang, the pioneer on the left, can come to help. He can withstand Ma Chao's troops for a period of time or defeat them.?Even if more than 50,000 cavalry cannot drive away Ma Chao's 20,000 cavalry, they can wait until Cao Cao's army arrives and there should be no problem at all. I really can't think of a reason for Cao Cao's army to escape.
But since Cao Jun wants to escape and leave his behind to be beaten by Ma Chao, Ma Chao will not be polite. Anyway, he is a cavalry. He has a stable rear in this vast northwest plain and is not afraid of your encirclement and ambush.
So except for Ma Chao who left a thousand cavalry to put out the fire in Cao Ren's camp, more than 13,000 cavalry led by him and Zhang Ren chased Cao Ren's tail.
Compared with Cao Jun¡¯s infantry, the advantage of cavalry running is significant. Cao Jun set out an hour early, but was caught by Ma Chao within two hours.
The ten thousand cavalrymen were like a giant dragon with its huge mouth open, devouring them all the way, and the fleeing Cao Ren was thrown away all the way. Perhaps to save Cao Ren, perhaps because he was worried that his retreat would be cut off by Ma Chao's cavalry. Soon after Cao Ren retreated, Cao Hong also began to retreat, but his troops were separated by a distance from Ma Cao and Cao Ren's troops. Pang De naturally led his troops in hot pursuit and also devoured Cao Hong's troops. Soon, Cao Hong and Cao Ren were about ten miles apart and marched hand in hand on the northwest land toward Chang'an in the east.
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? As one troop flees, and another pursues him, the speed is indeed not slow. Cao Jun not only abandoned countless weapons but also abandoned a lot of grain and grass plundered from the fields of ordinary people, leaving Ma Chao's troops without even bringing grain and grass.
Ma Chao and Zhang Ren later discovered that something was wrong. Ma Chao said to Zhang Ren: "General Zhang, is Cao Cao up to something?"
Zhang Ren also said: "It looks like we are going deep into Yin*, but we have nothing to worry about. Doesn't this give us a big advantage? At worst, we won't pursue it when the time comes. It's a bit strange."
Ma Chao said: "But it doesn't look like it's a trick. After all, what we killed and captured are all living people. If they escape like this, it's just a trick and it also lowers their own morale. What's the use?"
When they were about to set up camp, Tan Ma came to report that Cao Cao, who was in charge of the Chinese army, not only did not come out to rescue Cao Ren and Cao Hong, but instead led the army to retreat towards Chang'an, leaving behind the cities of Kunmi and Yongxian.
Ma Chao smiled and said: "They even gave up the city. There must be an internal problem in Xuchang. We don't need to worry about anything. Let's kill without worry!"