In a blink of an eye, more than a month later.

It was late autumn, and the autumnal equinox was bleak, and every household became idle. There were more and more walks around the streets, and many villagers even went to the mountains to hunt and chop wood, preparing for the winter.

In more than a month, Sun Ce successfully attacked Yuzhang and Gan Ning took a step later, but he seized several counties in northern Henan, and fortunately he won Chaisang.

Chaisang was built on the river, and there was a water camp and a strong city. It was the best place to guard Jingzhou and go down the river. Later generations Zhou Yu always used troops here.

Because Chaisang was taken away, Sun Ce had to set up a water village at the easternmost end of Pengze Lake to prevent Zhang Xiu from going down the river. At the same time, he sent someone to establish a water village at the southern Xiadaokou of Pengze Lake.

There is no way, Chaisang represents the initiative. Now that Chaisang is lost, only other places can establish defense.

As for Jingnan, Zhang Xiu asked Zhang Liao and Wei Yan and other military generals with less meritorious achievements to wipe out. Huang Zhong had outstanding achievements and did not need to deal with these little thieves and were responsible for guarding Xiangyang.

At this time, outside the study room.

Jia Xu looked at the departure of Lu Lingqi, frowned, and took two steps forward.

He bowed and said in a deep voice: "Lord, it's been half a year today, and the lord is all based in Jingxiang. Many civil and military officials under his command have made suggestions. Should we consider marriage?"

Hearing the sound, Zhang Xiu slowly put down the book and looked up to ponder for a moment. It was time to get a wife and take a concubine. If he didn't get a wife and take a concubine, he would probably not be happy with his civil and military officials.

Simply put, the more you marry, the better.

The more children are born, the better.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiu nodded and said, "Wenhe's words are reasonable, but now it's autumn, it's not appropriate to marry and marry. Moreover, I have already responded to Lu Lingqi and lead the army in three days."

"In this way, you can hire the Huang family, Mi family, and Cai family for me. After I return from Xuzhou, I will marry them as the scenery."

"Will it be winter? Well, I'll comfort the Huang family and Mi family. As for the Cai family, if I remember it well, there seems to be only one girl in the clan, about ten years old, isn't it?..."

Jia Xu looked at Zhang Xiu with suspicious eyes.

It’s nothing to marry at the age of ten. The point is to win over the Cai family, which is understandable.

"Well, it's not her, it's Liu Biao's widow Cai. I want to take her as my concubine." Zhang Xiu said with a light cough without showing any embarrassment.

Many people married their deceased husbands in this era, such as Cao Pi married Zhen Mi, Liu Bei married Wu, and both of them became queens as wives.

Jia Xu raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Xiu without saying anything. He just bowed and said, "Since the lord has made some arrangements, Xu is relieved, but the lord should be very cautious in this journey."

"Cao Cao is a hero, and Lu Bu is a fierce tiger. Both are not good people. The lord can only save the siege in this battle. As long as Cao Cao cannot conquer Xuzhou this year, the lord will not be worth the trip."

"Yeah, don't worry!" Zhang Xiu nodded.

…………

In a blink of an eye, three days later.

As the night gets cooler, Xinye City.

At this time, five thousand iron cavalrymen were holding pieces, horses wrapped in hooves, and quietly left the city.

Go out of the city and head east.

After running for more than half an hour, Zhang Xiu ordered the horse to get off the horse and rest. There was no way, and people were not tired. However, the war horse was very expensive. Although it was suitable for raiding, it had to run and stop.

Zhang Xiu looked around and it was pitch black. Wolf howls came from time to time under the night, and it was so scary that he probably ate some dead person from somewhere again.

He grabbed the water bag on his waist, raised his head and drank a sip of white wine. Looking at Zhao Yun who was walking quickly, Zhang Xiu put the wine bag in his arms and said, "The autumn night is getting colder, drink a sip of wine to warm your body."

Zhao Yun took the water bag, but he was not polite, so he raised his head and poured a few mouthfuls into his mouth, which was slightly spicy.

Then, he frowned slightly and said, "Lord, this is far from Xuzhou. If our army crosses Runan, it may be poked out by Cao's camp."

Zhang Xiu nodded, "Zilong thought how should we move?"

Zhao Yun pondered and immediately said, "Lord, Yun thought he could transfer from Runan to Lujiang, then from Lujiang to Jiujiang, and then pass through Xia Pi. Although it was a little farther, it was not easy to be discovered."

"Well, just go to Lujiang." Zhang Xiu nodded.

…………

More than ten days later, outside Xiapi City, Xuzhou.

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On the chariot, Cao Cao looked depressed and looked at the attacking army from time to time, making him even more worried.

He had been besieging Xia Pi for nearly two months, and he had countless casualties under his command. However, Xia Pi City was still as solid as a golden soup and was unmoved at all. I am afraid that he would not be able to destroy Xia Pi before winter.

Thinking of this, he closed his eyes and rested. After a long time, his eyes suddenly opened. He looked at Guo Jia and said, "Fengxiao, Xia Pi City is strong. Our army has been fighting for two months and cannot defeat them. The soldiers of the three armies are exhausted. I want to withdraw the troops and rest. If you fight again in the early spring, what do you think?"

"Retreat?" Guo Jia raised his eyebrows and said immediately: "Lord, not only can we withdraw our troops at this time, we should attack urgently and fiercely. Otherwise, if the lord withdraws his troops at this time, all his previous efforts will be wasted."

"At that time, how do the counties in Xuzhou view the lord? When the lord attacks Xuzhou again next year, will the counties still surrender? I'm afraid that when Lu Bu recovers, the lord will be even more difficult to defeat."

"But Xia Pi is difficult to attack, how can we win?" Cao Cao frowned and said with a gloomy expression.

Guo Jia pondered for a moment and then said, "Lord, there is a plan that is too vicious and may hurt the innocent, but this plan can help the lord break the city."

On one side, Xun You narrowed his eyebrows and said, "Does Fengxiao want to dig the Si River and the Yishui River flood the city?"

Guo Jia nodded and said in a deep voice: "Yes, Xia Pi is built on the Si River and Yi River, surrounded by water on three sides, and its terrain is the extreme. The lord only needs to dig the Si River and the Yi River embankment to return to Xia Pi."

"In this way, only more than a month will the Lu Bu army defeat without fighting. However, the city will be flooded, and the people in the city will be affected, and the people who are despised, so Jia has not mentioned it for a long time."

Cao Cao stood up, smiled heartily, and said loudly: "It's right that Fengxiao didn't mention it before, but now our three armies cannot defeat Xia Pi City, and Lu Bu is unwilling to surrender."

"I, Cao Cao, think about the stability of the millions of people in Xuzhou, had no choice but to use this plan. If the world is surprised, I can only blame Lu Bu's child for not knowing the current affairs and causing the people in the city to die tragically."

After saying that, Cao Cao pulled his sword and shouted angrily: "Cao Ren, let you immediately cover the soil along the river embankment, prepare to break the embankment and divert water, and return to Xia Pi City."

"No!" Cao Ren responded with his fists.

"Hehe, Xiahou Dun, Ming Jin to withdraw his troops and besiege the city." Cao Cao said again.

"The last general will receive the order." Xiahou Dun responded.

"Xu Huang, please lead more than ten cavalry. After the three armies retreat, I will inform Lu Bu that I will flood the city and ask him to surrender quickly. Otherwise, the old and young will not stay when the city is broken."

A coldness flashed in Cao Cao's eyes.

On the side, Guo Jia couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. It seemed that his lord was trying to kill someone and kill him!

If the soldiers and people in the city learned that Cao Cao was going to flood the city and Lu Bu insisted on defending Xia Pi, the soldiers and people in the city would only hate Lu Bu rather than Cao Cao.

At that time, even if Cao Cao doesn't attack.

It is difficult to defend Xia Pi, after all, most of the families of the defenders of Xia Pi City live in Xia Pi. Once the river embankment is dug and flooded the city, none of the people in the city will be spared.

You should know that the biggest problem in drowning cities is not drowning, but starvation, freezing, or even infection with plague.

Unless Lu Bu leads his army to fight against Cao Cao in the field, he has led his army to fight back several times earlier and all of them are defeated. If he dares to leave the city, he can only defend the city to the death.
Chapter completed!