Zhang Fei waved his spear and knocked a sneak attack crossbow arrow, driving the horse to chase the enemy, but the Xiliang cavalry had already run away. Zhang Fei cursed angrily, tied the reins of the horse and looked back at the tangled bodies of the people and horses behind him. Among them were enemies and their own people.

"Sweep the battlefield!"

Zhang Fei roared and urged his horse to run to the outside. The battlefield gradually became quiet. On the field where the snow was not very thick, several crows stood on the branches of dead trees in the distance, looking at the battlefield here sneakily, waiting for the opportunity to have a feast.

Zhang Fei looked around and pulled off the cloth strips wrapped around the sap handle. The blood-soaked cloth strips had dried and frozen hard, and they broke into pieces as soon as they were torn, making a "hissing" sound. Zhang Fei carefully wrapped a new cloth strip on the sap handle, and the battle might happen again at any time.

These Xiliang cavalry have been extremely active recently, and sometimes even run to Yongqiu. Even Chenliu City is shocked three times a day. Zhang Fei had to post a large number of battlefield search and clearance tasks in various cities, but the mobility of these Xiliang cavalry is too strong. The Yiren's troops can discover the enemy immediately and will be quickly chased and annihilated. It is very difficult to encircle and ambush these Xiliang cavalry.

This time, under Zhuge Jin's planning, Zhang Fei finally blocked the Xiliang cavalry's way, but the flexible and capable tactics and fearless fighting style of the Xiliang cavalry still made Zhang Feisu helpless. Although he had a small victory in this battle, he did not cause an effective blow to the opponent. The escaped Xiliang cavalry would become a threat behind Zhang Fei, and it would become even more difficult to block them again.

The unhappy Zhang Fei led his army back to the wrongful sentence. Zhuge Jin knew what the result was when he saw Zhang Fei's expression.

"Second General, no matter how hard you beat the soldiers, you cannot change the facts. The enemy cavalry is better than us, and we must admit this."

Zhang Fei kicked the soldier huddled on the ground and kicked him to the ground. Then he threw down his whip and walked inward.

Zhuge Jin shook his head and ordered the guards to help the soldier down to heal his wounds. He slowly followed Zhang Fei to the barracks.

"Second General, what's the battle?"

"Hmph, let that thief run away!"

"The second general, it would be nice to block them with a short attack and a long attack. There are still opportunities, but it is winter now. The terrain is beneficial to them, and it is obviously impossible to encircle and annihilate these cavalry in one fell swoop."

"Cabinet, cavalry! Do it! I hate cavalry the most!"

Zhang Fei didn't know what he remembered, but suddenly became furious and kicked the desk in front of him over, and the scroll paper and other things on it were scattered all over the floor.

Zhuge Jin walked forward, picked up a piece of paper full of handwriting and looked at it, ignoring the angry Zhang Fei.

"The word "The Second General" seems to have improved again, and its power has become more and more subtle. Is this called "hiding without revealing it?"

"Uh yes!"

"General, I don't understand martial arts, but I often hear the general say that the power cannot be used. Is this the case? Just like this, if you show your sharpness, it is better to feel more powerful than to show your weakness?"

Zhang Fei was stunned for a moment, took a few deep breaths, walked to a round stool on the side, and waved his hand and said, "I understand. The military advisor doesn't have to beat around the bush. I also know that it's useless to be angry. But it's uncomfortable to hold this breath in my chest. Every time I touch a cavalry, I can't help. This has been the case since Youzhou!"

"The second general can work hard to improve the cavalry formation level and cavalry skill level!"

"This is not something that can be done overnight, but I can."

Zhuge Jin smiled and walked to another round stool to sit down, rolled up the paper in his hand, and stuffed it into the cuff.

"Military advisor. Are you?" Zhang Fei asked, pointing at Zhuge Jin's hand.

Zhuge Jin smiled: "Haha, collect one or two."

Zhang Fei rolled his eyes and shook his head helplessly.

"Military advisor, you are really leisurely. Now that the war is fighting like this, are you not in a hurry at all?"

"What's the use of being anxious? Now that the main force of Cao's army is coming west, the battlefield situation changes, attack, we can't attack and defend, the enemy's cavalry is too rampant. If you want to change this situation, you can only lead the enemy out. However, after we withdraw the injustice, the enemy still does not move."

"Oh!!" Zhang Fei sighed heavily and smashed his fist on his leg.

"Cao Cao's idea is to defend the north and attack the south. In the north, he will hold down the second general with the strongest combat power. In the south, he will actively attack and try to take over Yingchuan and gain a strategic advantage. If Yingchuan is in a loss, the situation in Sili will be very bad!"

"Yingchuan! Cao Cao may not be able to take it down!"

"It's hard to say. Judging from the comparison between the soldiers, Cao Cao still has strength, and it's hard for our army to withdraw troops and join Yingchuan." Zhuge Jin said, restrained his smile and frowned, turned his head to look at the huge map hanging beside him and said, "And I have a worry."

"Worry? What are you worried about?"

"Second General, look, is Jiyin County really important?"

"Jiyin County is naturally very important. Jiyin County is Shanyang and Rencheng."

"Haha, look, Jiyin County is now only four cities and two in Shanyang County. Jiyin County is really that important? It is worth Cao Cao to invest five legions in this direction, with more than 200,000 war soldiers? If Cao Cao suddenly abandons Jiyin County and puts all these war soldiers into the southern part of Chenliu and Yingchuan, what would the second general think it would?"

"Is this possible?"

"What's impossible? Cao Cao could abandon Mount Tai, Lu County, and Rencheng to lift Yuan Shao's threat in one fell swoop. Why can't Jiyin and Shanyang exchange Chenliu's southern part and Yingchuan? Once this exchange is established, our army's situation will be greatly damaged, and Jingzhou and Sili will be separated."

"Wait, how could it be broken? Can you still go straight to Luoyang from Wancheng?"

"That's all mountain roads, and it's impossible to become a strategic channel at all."

“So how should we deal with it?”

Zhuge Jin shook his head: "It is best to capture the opponent's live power and fight to the decisive battle. If you can't, you can only deal with it by chance!"

Zhang Fei rolled his eyes: "The military advisor means not to be greedy for the military achievements in front of him, right? I understand. If Cao's army goes south, we will follow us and eliminate the enemy's vitality first, that's right?"

Zhuge Jin grinned and nodded, "That's what it means. Generals should be prepared at any time. Wrongful words are not a place to stay for a long time, and the other side of the Iron Army."

"The military advisor is worried that the iron army will take the opportunity to grow bigger?"

"It's possible, but it doesn't make any sense to worry about this now. I mean, if we move south, we will encourage the iron army to go south to attack Dingtao and other places. We suggest that they plunder the population."

"Plunder the population? Wouldn't they take the opportunity to occupy it?"

"Haha, the second general should not underestimate Yiren. They will not take the big and empty path. It is more acceptable to take the opportunity to concentrate the population and build a big city. We hope that he can take action behind Cao Cao's back. Help us to restrain Cao Cao."

In the middle of October of the tenth year of Guangxi, Xun You, as Zhuge Jin expected, used Yan Xing's cavalry to harass him everywhere and create various illusions. Xun You and Le Jin, Cao Hong suddenly led his army south, attacked Xiangyi, and then took down Yuanxian. Jiwu collapsed without fighting.

Xun You's target was aimed directly at Fugou. Gao Lan was attacked from both sides. Zhang Fei led his troops to urgently go south and stationed in Yongqiu. He counterattacked Xiangyi in an attempt to cut off Xun You's retreat in Yuan County. However, Xun You ignored Zhang Fei's actions at all, but attacked Fugou. Together with Xiahou Yuan, he defeated Gao Lan in Fugou and captured Fugou. Gao Lan led the remaining troops to retreat to Weishi.

Immediately, Xu You led his army to Yanling, trying to capture Yanling and surrounded Xuchang. Zhang Fei advanced lightly. He fought a battle with Xun You north of Fugou. Xun You was obviously prepared, with enough heavy infantry and chariot formations, and Xiahou Yuan attacked on the side. Although Zhang Fei was brave, he had to retreat in despair without the support of infantry.

Zhang Fei then captured Xiangyi and Yuanxian, but Fugou was defended by Cao Hong. Yan Xing then appeared again, active in Yongqiu, Yuanxian and Xiangyi areas, and restrained Zhang Fei's troops later.

In early November, Yanling fell, Cao Cao's siege of Xuchang was formed, and Liu Bei's situation was not good.

In Xuchang City, Liu Bei was convening a military meeting to discuss the current bad situation. Liu Bei's face looked very bad, with a deep bitterness and bloodshot eyes, which made people look very haggard.

"Everyone, the situation is not good now, Xuchang is in danger. Once Xuchang is lost, Yingchuan will not be protected. If Yingchuan loses, the traffic between Jingzhou and Sili will be blocked. Our army's situation is very bad. What are some wonderful strategies for solving the current crisis?"

After Liu Bei's voice fell, the hall became quiet, only the sound of charcoal fire in the corner was whirling. Liu Bei glanced left and right, and the wrinkles on his face became tighter and tighter.

"Lord, I don't have any magic chart, I can only fight to the death!"

Sun Qiankeng said, this statement won the approval of most generals, but Liu Bei seemed not very satisfied, and just nodded without objection.

Pang Yuan looked at Sun Qian who was excited and pressed the fan in his hand and said, "Sir, my subordinates thought that Lord Sun's statement was right. There is no other good way now. There is only a fight to the death. As long as we can defeat Cao Cao in Xuchang City, everything is easy to say. Our army still maintains a good strategic situation. If Cao Cao cannot capture it for a long time, there will inevitably be other voices within. In addition, after Yuan Shao digested the three counties of Mount Tai, he will definitely make a difference. Therefore, time is beneficial to our army, and sticking to it is a good choice."

Liu Bei sighed: "Is there no way to turn defeat into victory?"

"Master, from a strategic perspective, there is no! But in some cases, if General Zhang Fei can be liberated, he will not be able to look down on Yongqiu and Chen Liu, there may be some turning point. Of course, the premise is that Xuchang is not lost and Chen Liu is not lost."

Liu Bei thought about it and seemed that there was no better way now. Cao Cao's intention was to use the key point of Xuchang to engage in a quick battle. The situation was difficult to reverse, so he could only try his best to delay the war and try his best to defeat Cao Cao under Xuchang City.

"Okay, order Zhuge Jin to take over Chenliu County's affairs, Yide can act freely, mainly to kill and injure the enemy's live forces."
Chapter completed!