In a blink of an eye, early February.

Xiangyang City, in the palace.

Listening to the emperor's decree, Liu Biao frowned. It seemed that Cao Cao could not defeat Zhang Xiu for a while.

"Uncle Liu, please accept the order!"

After reading the speech, my father-in-law said sharply.

Liu Biao took the edict and was a little dazed, watching the eunuch leave.

"Everyone, since Cao Cao issued this edict, it seems that he and Zhang Xiu are bound to have a chance to decide whether I should respond to the edict?" Liu Biao glanced at everyone in the hall and said in a deep voice.

"Lord, my subordinates think that this edict can be accepted but cannot be responded. Otherwise, if Zhang Xiu is defeated, Cao Cao will be at the city. In this way, our army will face Cao's army directly, which is not a good deed."

"Lord, my subordinates thought that this edict should be followed. In less than a year after Zhang Xiu arrived in Nanyang, there were tens of thousands of elite soldiers, and even Cao Cao could not help him, for fear that this person would not have the ambition.

If the lord takes advantage of the situation to destroy Zhang Xiu, it will be a blessing for the people of Jingzhou!”

For a moment, everyone offered suggestions.

Liu Biao fell into hesitation. Seeing this, Cai Mao chuckled and said, "Lord, my subordinates think that you can accept the imperial edict and go slowly. The lord can send tens of thousands of water to the river bank.

At the same time, scouts can be sent to investigate the movements of the two armies. When both sides are both defeated, the lord can raise troops to fight, pacify Nanyang, collect all the remaining soldiers of Zhang Xiu, and even the lord can cover up and kill Cao Cao.

If you win, you can directly take Yanzhou and then dominate the world. If you lose, you will retreat to Nanyang and rule over the country."

As soon as Cai Mao said this, many civil and military officials nodded in recognition. He sat in the mountains and watched the tiger fight in this way, neither helping Cao Cao nor Zhang Xiu, but instead stationed troops on the river bank.

When the two of them fought each other, Liu Biao only needed to send a general and lead troops to attack Xinye.

Listening to everyone around him agree, Liu Biao hesitated and said, "But Zhang Xiu belongs to our northern vassal state after all. If he attacks him, wouldn't he be despised by the world?"

"The lord is such a bad word. The edict is here. If the lord is just following the order to fight against the thief, how can the people in the world despise it?

What's more, after defeating Zhang Xiu, the lord could be the name of clearing the king, summoning the princes of the world, and sending troops to Xuchang. If he wins, the lord would be a loyal minister who supports the Han Dynasty, right?"

Listening to the words of the civil minister, Kuai Liang was speechless. There was such a stupid person. Does Liu Biao seem to be someone who wants to clear the emperor?

"Lord, Cao Cao has a great power, and blindly advancing is not a good idea. What's more, the lord is ordered to fight the thief in the first step, and the next step, he will lead the army to attack, or lose the handle of others, so he cannot do it."

"Zirou's words are reasonable!" Liu Biao's face, which had originally sunken, smiled again. He did not have the idea of ​​supporting the Han Dynasty. Is it uncomfortable to be a local emperor now that he is separating the country?

"Cai Mao obeyed the order and immediately ordered you to reorganize 20,000 naval troops and 30,000 infantrymen to the north of the Han River and station troops in Fancheng. He said that there were many thieves on the river and were ordered to suppress the thieves."

"No!" Cai Mao happily accepted the order.

Although Zhang Xiu has repeatedly won over their Cai family, Zhang Xiu's identity is limited after all. Compared with Cao Cao, who has the emperor, they tend to join Cao Cao.

Of course, whether it is the Cai family or the Kuai family, it is just a symbolic response, otherwise it would not be a slow camp, but a strong army will attack Xinye and defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

The reason why they did this was to see who was more powerful, and who was more powerful, and who they were more inclined toward, of course, the premise was that they dared to take Jingzhou.

…………

In the blink of an eye, mid-February,

Looking at the Cao army retreating like a tide, Zhang Xiu breathed a sigh of relief. This was the third day that Cao army had attacked like this.

at this time,

Xu Shu walked quickly with anxiety on his face, and said hurriedly through several steps: "Lord, lord is a bad thing!"

Zhang Xiu frowned slightly, held the blood-stained sword and said in a deep voice: "What's wrong?"

Xu Shu glanced at the soldiers around him.

Zhang Xiu had a bad premonition in his heart. He raised his hand and the soldiers on both sides knew to leave and retreated for more than twenty steps.

"Lord, Gan Ning has an urgent case. There is something wrong with Jingzhou. Liu Biao sent tens of thousands of water to the city of Fancheng, Jiangbei. He said to the outside world that it was to wipe out the water bandits, but in fact he wanted to use troops to us!"

Xu Shu's pupils shrank, and his voice trembled.

"House troops in Fancheng?" Zhang Xiu raised his eyebrows, "Is this Liu Biao ignoring his name?"

"Lord, it's probably Cao Cao's trick! However, Cao's army should have received the news before our army, but led the army to fight to the death. I think Liu Biao responded to the imperial edict but slowed down."

Xu Shu raised his eyebrows and analyzed.

"I followed the imperial edict but went slowly? Could it be that he wanted to sit in the mountains and watch the tiger fight? Isn't he afraid of destroying his old teeth?" Zhang Xiu's voice was cold, and murderous intent burst into his eyes.

"Lord, at present, no matter whether Liu Biao wants to sit in the mountains and watch the tiger fight or attack our army, he should be prepared! Otherwise, if Xinye loses, the three armies will be defeated."

Xu Shu said anxiously.

Zhang Xiu nodded and said in a deep voice: "The Pegasus urgently reported to Gan Ning, and ordered him to obey the orders and Jia Xu. Be careful of Liu Biao and guard Xinye."

After saying that, Zhang Xiu looked at the withdrawn Cao army.

Is this the Three Kingdoms? It seems that I am still too young.

But next, he could not sit in the city and defend it. He had to defeat Cao Cao in one fell swoop and win a big victory, otherwise Nanyang would be uneasy, so he would not have a place to stand.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiu fell into deep thought. He tried hard to recall various military strategies, and he was thinking about ways to break the enemy.

That night, Zhang Xiu fell asleep for a long time.

However, he thought about it all night, only one could promote the decisive battle and produce a victory or defeat.

That is, food!

In ancient times, when marching and fighting, food and grass were the lifeblood of the three armies. Almost all battles were sent to attack each other's food routes.

The most famous one is the Battle of Guandu, where Cao Cao attacked Wuchao at night and defeated Yuan's army.

Perhaps, he can do something about it.

…………

The next morning, Zhang Xiu got up early.

While he was washing up, he also sent someone to summon Xu Shu.

In the study room for a few moments.

At this time, Xu Shu walked quickly and bowed, "Lord, what's the matter with calling Shu?"

"Yuan Zhi, our army is now under the enemy from both sides and cannot be dragged down anymore. I want to use a trick to defeat the enemy."

"Use a strategy to defeat the enemy?" Xu Shu was stunned, "What strategy do you want to use?"

Zhang Xiu did not answer, but asked: "Yuanzhi, how much food and grass are there in the city now? How long can it last?"

"Food and grass?" Xu Shu didn't understand for a moment and replied: "Lord, Yecheng still has more than 100 days of grain, and the current grain supervisor is Li Xu."

"Oh~? Is there only half a month of food left?" Zhang Xiu raised his eyebrows and said in surprise.

Xu Shu: "???"

"Lord, it's a hundred days of food, not half a month!"

Zhang Xiu raised the corner of his mouth, "I said there is still half a month left, and then half a month left. Immediately send someone to Xinye and ask Jia Xu to prepare 100,000 hu of rice."

"In addition, Cai Fan was appointed as the grain supervisor and led the troops of the headquarters to transport grain."

"Lord, how can you let him lie to the Lord Cai Fanbing for Lucky?" When he said this, Xu Shu's eyes shrank and asked in surprise: "Lord, what do you mean?"

"Military rations are the weight of the three armies, how can I hand it over to such a villain? But if I force Cai Fan to join Cao Cao again and let him secretly understand Cao Cao's surprise attack on the grain transport node, what do you think Cao Cao will do?"

Zhang Xiu looked solemn and asked.

He didn't know whether his plan was feasible.

"If this is true, Cao Cao would definitely not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He may rush overnight and destroy this batch of military rations." Xu Shu thought for three breaths and said solemnly.
Chapter completed!