Author: Ximen Yangzhou

Liu Pi gained power and then withdrew from Cao Ren's sight.

Seeing this, Cao Ren turned his horse back to the formation with a dark face, and clasped his fists to convey Liu Pi's words to Cao Cao.

After hearing this, Cao Cao did not answer, but sat on the head of a horse and watched the city. He saw the autumn wind blowing and the flags shaking, but few soldiers looked at him.

Did you really fall into Liu Bei's plan?

Cao Cao, who has always liked to plot against others, felt uncomfortable as if he had eaten a fly.

Seeing this, Cao Ren whispered: "Lord?"

"Don't be angry with Liu Pi, it might be Liu Bei's plan. This person has no place to settle down. At this time, if there is a soldier, he will not abandon the city easily. He will not leave sooner or later. He will have to wait until now?" Cao Cao's expression was indifferent.

He met Liu Bei in his early years, and later Liu Bei accompanied him back to his hometown to recruit soldiers. Cao Cao had a deep understanding of his nature.

How could a person who has been a mat and footwear seller and has experienced hardships easily give up the city he has built?

This is like a mobile stall vendor in a downtown city. After finally getting a large crowd, it will never be easily given to a large peer. There will be a few quarrels or fights.

When others saw that Boss Cao was firm in his tone, even though many people saw something abnormal on the top of the city, no one wanted to persuade him.

Cao Cao then added: "I also said that Liu Bei had 30,000 troops? It was a bluff. If he really had that military force, would Li Tong not notice it? He immediately ordered the entire army to attack the city, take down Pingyu first and then make a decision."

"Yes." Cao Ren took the order and left.

Shortly after the army started to move, the scouts patrolling the city in front suddenly came to report that dozens of cavalry fled from the southern gate of Pingyu.

After hearing this, Cao Cao looked strange. He looked up in surprise to observe the front army's attack. He saw the soldiers pushing ladders, rushing cars and other objects under the north gate, but there was not even a defender on the top of the city to stop him.

Could it be that what Liu Pi said is true? Liu Bei really abandoned the city and fled?

Guo Jia hurriedly reminded: "Ming Gong, if there is Liu Pi among these dozens of horses, Liu Bei will definitely not be in Pingyu. He should hurry up and chase him, or he can follow the map to find Liu Bei's whereabouts."

“Yes.”

Cao Cao nodded slightly, and then ordered Shi Huan: "Dong Liu, immediately send a command from Zixiao to send his elite cavalry to chase the enemy, and be sure not to let the thieves escape."

"Which." Shi Huan held his fists and took the order away.

Cao Cao immediately led his horse forward and saw the soldiers of the front army climbing the ladder, and no guard appeared on the city.

Although I don’t want to believe it in my heart, Pingyu Kongcheng is already very obvious.

After a while, the city gate opened.

Cao Cao walked into Pingyu and saw that the street was empty and he couldn't even ask someone to ask.

It turned out that before Liu Bei left, Liu Ye had asked someone to promote in the city, saying that Cao Cao's tens of thousands of troops were coming, and he might follow Xuzhou's massacre and suggest that the people flee the dangerous places.

No people dared to bet that Cao Cao was kind, so they packed their bags and fled in all directions, and most of them went south along the river and headed to the downstream Xincai and other big cities.

Cao Cao led tens of thousands of troops and could not stop in Pingyu Kongcheng, so he continued to set sail after breaking the city.

At this time, Liu Bei's main force had not appeared, and Cao's army could not pursue without purpose, so Cao Cao prepared to march south of Pingyu according to Liu Pi's words.

The planner Xun You felt that this was inappropriate, so he went forward and said, "Ming Gong, Liu Pi's words cannot be fully believed. If he deliberately lured the army to the south, and Liu Bei's main force hid in another place, wouldn't it be a problem for his tired army? We should temporarily order the army to station in Pingyu, and wait for all parties to explore the horses and find out whereabouts, and then target it, it will not be too late to advance."

Cao Cao shook his head gently: "Although Gongda's concern is complete, although Liu Bei's troops are not 30,000, and more than ten thousand mobs are still there. According to the information provided by Li Wenda, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei have all returned to Liu Bei. If he really fled south as Liu Pi said, how could Zihe's more than a thousand tiger and leopard cavalry resist?"

"If Liu Pi is cheating, then"

Xun You looked solemn, and he did not continue to say that it was because Cao Cao was worried.

Cao Cao was not a reckless person, and he was also very confused at this time.

Seeing Guo Jia beside him, Cao Cao turned his head and asked, "I think I have great opinions on filial piety?"

Guo Jia bowed and replied, "Liu Bei was defeated several times by Ming Gong. At this time, he fled when he heard the news and made progress compared to the past. Since Runan could not stay, he had no choice but to go west to Jingzhou to join Liu Biao, or to Huainan Union or to Sun Quan. There is no other place to go;

It is not easy to cross Tongbai Mountain to the west. To the south, it is a smooth journey across Huai River. I will also choose to escape to Huainan. Combined with Liu Pi's words just now, Liu Bei is likely to use the virtual and real strategy. Ming Gong can lead an army to pursue the south and leave an army in Pingyu to wait for news from the west. This will be perfect."

"The words of filial piety are very consistent with my heart."

Cao Cao nodded and then instructed Xun You: "Liu Bei led ten thousand people to march, and it is impossible for him to hide all the time. I will leave 10,000 elite troops in Pingyu, and be commanded by you and Zi Lian (Cao Hong). You will also leave Zhang He to listen. You are always ready to reinforce Li Wenda, or intercept Liu Bei to flee in the opposite direction."

"Yes." Xun You bowed his hand and responded.

Cao Cao then rushed south and received a scout news halfway, saying that the smoke and dust in the direction of Xincai downstream seemed to be traces of the movement of the army.

Is this too much? It must be Liu Bei.

Cao Cao did not doubt that he had him, so he ordered the army to move forward lightly, intending to use cavalry to trip up the opponent first, and then the main infantry force followed and encircled and annihilated it.

Although the ideas are beautiful, the reality is cruel.

When Cao Ren pursued Liu Pi to the vicinity of Xincai, he found that except for the dozens of cavalry, the rest were refugees who were with their families.

Liu Pi was the only clue. While Cao Ren sent someone to report to Cao Cao, he led the cavalry to continue pursuing.

Cao Cao was not angry when he received the information, but instead smiled and joked at Guo Jia: "This is not Liu Bei's style of using troops. He must have experts to assist him. Fortunately, he is filial and Gongda can predict the enemy first, and things become interesting."

"Liu Bei really wants to go to Jingzhou? How could he break through the defense line of Prefect Li?" Guo Jia said to himself, his face full of disbelief.

Cao Cao sneered: "Before Liu Bei's main force, everything was still unknown. Anyway, Pingyu has left 10,000 elite troops. We continue to advance to Xincai for rest. The soldiers marched quickly for two days and must stop."

Guo Jia nodded and agreed: "Liu Bei can also use the people as a cover. His main force has already gone to the front. As long as he can cross the Huai River before us and then escape to the mountains in the northern Lujiang River, it will be difficult to chase after it."

"Don't worry, although Zihe (Cao Chun) has few tiger and leopard cavalry, it may not be able to stop Liu Bei, but it should be no big problem to help us delay some time."

Until now, Cao Cao still believed that Liu Bei fled to Huainan.
Chapter completed!