The ones who were hostile to Cao Xiu were the troops of the two generals Guo Jing and Ding Feng.

Guo Jing was responsible for the command of the entire army, and Ding Feng was the one who fought against Cao Xiu.

Three days ago, they were assigned by Lei Yuan to attack Fubo and Yuanlu, and then threatened Gushi, Ruyin and other places. According to Lei Yuan's instructions, the purpose of this trip was not to kill the enemy, but to try to create momentum, so as to induce Cao's army to concentrate their troops further, and then give Wu Hou a chance to show his mighty and good combat.

Of course, it is also necessary to continue to send a large number of scouts.

Runan and other places are either military camps, civil camps, or Wubi, which are the local clan tyrants. There are large wildernesses outside the Wubi and the reclamation area. Many scouts familiar with the terrain use three or five cavalry as a group of scattered posts. They can travel farthest westward to cross Ruyang and Shangcai line, and northward to Gushi where Lei Xiu ambushed Zhang Xi that day. If Guo had not been strict with orders, perhaps those who were brave enough to walk to Yingchuan.

In this way, the whistle detectives were almost 150 miles away from Anfeng Xincai, and 300 miles away from Anfeng. However, if there was any disturbance in the Cao army on both sides of the northwest, Lei Yuan's headquarters would be able to respond in time.

Sure enough, last night, the spy sent by Guo Jing reported that Cao's army was coming.

The problem is that Cao's army not only came, but also came a lot, nearly 30,000; it came very quickly, and was full of cavalry. This attitude was not like he was heading towards Wu Hou, but instead he planned to swallow Lei Yuan's troops in one bite.

Guo was surprised and asked the spies to rotate on two good horses, and reported the news to Anfeng urgently, and then sent all his entourage knights to the east to verify the details of the military situation.

Late at night, several groups of knights turned back. Among them, two groups of people sent between Gepi and Rushui were sure to meet a large Cao army camp. One group was chased by the light cavalry of the Cao army when evacuating. The three knights relied on the familiar terrain to drill into the deep ditches and old forests, and even so, they were all injured. Among them, Lin Er, the scout leader who was relied on to return to the camp, died of excessive blood loss.

The arrows found on Lin Er's back were extremely well-made armor-piercing arrows. The arrows were four feet long, with a pointed cone and feathers long; the tips of the arrows had carefully crafted counter hooks, so that they were difficult to pull out after being shot. If it weren't for the Cao army's tiger and leopard cavalry, the elites such as the tiger guards would not be equipped with ordinary light cavalry.

Since that's the case, Cao's army is indeed here.

Such news could not be hidden. Shortly after the spies returned to the camp, the soldiers of the camp were all panicked. Before Guo Jing summoned him, more than 20 Sima, who led the troops, gathered in Guo Jing's tent.

These officers are all brave people, not afraid of the enemy. However, at this time, two or three thousand infantry and cavalry collided with tens of thousands of Cao's army, and their strength was too obvious. What should the Japanese army be, and even what should the General Fenwei in Anfeng be in charge. Everyone was really unsure. Therefore, they came to see each other late at night, just asking Guo to make them feel at ease.

Guo Jing originally planned to continue sleeping, but had to wear clothes and get up and said to his subordinates: "Don't worry, how can Cao's army come and how our army will deal with it. General Lei has already made a decision. Tomorrow we will first defeat the enemy and then withdraw our troops. As long as you fight hard, you will not lose any mistakes."

Guo Jing was a veteran and skilled in military affairs. He was a serious cavalry general of the Han army. He was familiar with all the routines of governing, training, marching, camping, and fighting. Therefore, Lei Yuan sent his army to Runan this time, with him as the main general.

He was also calm and had always gained the trust of the soldiers. The soldiers knew that he was Lei Yuan's right-hand man in military affairs. Since he said that General Lei had made arrangements, he would not have any serious problems. So everyone dispersed with peace of mind and went to each camp to appease the soldiers and prepare for tomorrow's battle.

Shortly after the officers dispersed, the entourage came to report again: "Captain Ding is here to see you."

Guo actually asked in quickly.

Perhaps to avoid the attention of the soldiers, Ding Feng specially put on a cloak to cover his head and face. He did not throw the cloak down until he entered the tent.

Ding Feng has always been outspoken. At this time, he waved his servants to the head and said, "Cao Cao actually came in person! We... we are in big trouble!"

Guo Jing nodded slightly.

The soldiers who had just left didn't know that the attacking Cao camp army was led by Prime Minister Cao himself. Ding Feng, as Guo Jing's deputy, was qualified to know the real military situation. In order to avoid inducing more panic, he chose his subordinates to secretly visit after leaving.

It has to be admitted that although his young man’s plan was smart, something seemed to have gone wrong when it came to the specific grasp. The Lei family’s army was too loud in the Jianghuai River. It was so big that Prime Minister Cao did not go to Hefei, but came straight towards Anfeng. Perhaps Cao Gong wanted to get rid of the annoying raccoon cat before he angrily attacked the tiger?

In this way, the danger of the situation is beyond description. Everyone, everyone in the Lujiang Lei family, has their lives hanging on the line!

Seeing that Guo had no words, Ding Feng took a step forward and said, "Cao's cavalry marched very quickly and would arrive at Xincai City tomorrow. Within three or five days, he would arrive in Anfeng. The tens of thousands of mobs around General Lei are no match for him at all!"

Guo Jing nodded slightly again.

Lei Yuan gathered nearly 40,000 people around Anfeng and Yulou. Among them, more than 10,000 soldiers and generals, soldiers' families and the people recruited by the Lei family in Lujiang, more than 20,000 old people. More than 10,000 soldiers and horses are naturally a huge force, but most of them are Cao soldiers who were forced to surrender.

In the past few days, Lei Yuan used all the means of severe punishment and rewarding them, and even dispersed his subordinates and assigned them to surrendered troops as grassroots officers. However, his headquarters was too small, and the situation after he was dispersed in surrendered troops was called "scattered pepper". When it was really urgent, it was hard to say how much role this force could play.

Therefore, Lei Yuan himself admitted that this group of people was a real mob and could not stand the attack of Cao's army. The reason why Guo Jing and Ding Feng were sent north was to ask them to warn them in advance so that their team could escape if they could pull out their feet.

"Since that's the case, why are we delaying here?" Ding Feng finally asked the key point: "Cao's army is so fierce and we... no, everyone can only escape when they see the wind. They are cavalry, and we have many infantry soldiers. Even if we run away overnight, we are still afraid of being pursued by Cao's army. Why do you tell the officers that we will defeat the enemy tomorrow?"

Ding Feng turned around and looked outside the tent, and made sure that his entourage had stood a little far, then turned around and lowered his voice and said, "Will we fight with him, aren't we seeking death?"

Guo Jing nodded again.

"Then why don't you order the camp immediately and start the journey?" Ding Feng was a little anxious.

Guo Jing and Ding Feng were both subordinates who followed Lei Yuan to escape from the mountain that day. Since this was not the first time I did it, I had no scruples.

"It was indeed unexpected that Cao Gong came in person. Their advancement was fast, as Cheng Yuan said, and he could reach Anfeng within three to five days." Guo actually stood up with the handle of the knife and asked slowly: "So, do you think that in three to five days, just by the situation in Anfeng... can you run far?"

"I'm afraid it's difficult. We walked from the mountain that day, and our subordinates were all old brothers from the Huainan Haoyou Alliance. After the old sect leader gave the order, everyone followed. He was caught up by Cao's army and killed him. The situation now..."

Ding Feng walked back and forth in the tent twice, thought for a while, and sighed: "Cao's army came too fast. It's hard! It's hard!"

"Then let us make the way, even if Cao's army moves forward? Wouldn't we let tens of thousands of people in Anfeng die?"

Ding Feng asked in response: "Then do you dare to fight against Cao's army?"

"How powerful is Cao Gong? How dare I fight against him? But we have to fight a battle nearby to buy time for the soldiers and civilians of Anfeng!" Guo Jing said: "Only by fighting a war can we tell Cao Gong to be strong and then make Cao Gong a little alert and the speed of the march slows down a little!"

Ding Feng frowned and looked at Guo Jing.

Guo Jing's face was calm and he was looking at Ding Feng without evading him.

After fighting in this troubled world for so many years, Guo Jing saw many dangers. He was almost dead and resurrected again and again, and then he went from being a wanderer to a captain and became a right-hand assistant to General Fenwei. Guo Jing knew more than anyone else where his status came from and how his life value should be realized.

Therefore, although he said that to buy time for the Anfeng military and civilians, the true meaning was to buy time for Lei Yuan. In any case, the young man must retreat safely. For this reason, Guo actually tried every means.

Guo Jing believed that Ding Feng must understand his feelings.

The curtain of tent was quiet for a long time.

Ding Feng finally stopped and asked word by word: "Then do you think, how to fight this battle? How can you get out after the battle?"

Guo Jing was silent for a while: "You and I have to do this together... we have to try it."

Ding Feng sat down beside the desk and patted several times: "Get out the map!"

Although these two men are not wise men with outstanding strategies, they are both old and good at military strategies, are very decisive, and are proficient in the surrounding terrain. So they thought about it for a long time and came up with a comprehensive solution overnight.

First, he used a small number of troops to attack the dock wall and lured a group of Cao's army to come and help.

When Cao's army came, the soldiers who attacked the dock wall first retreated into the forest, and put on an unprepared posture to lure the Cao's cavalry into the forest. The forest was equipped with tripping ropes and strong bows and crossbows in advance to defeat the enemy.

If the enemy is not deceived, Guo actually leads his troops out of the woodland and evacuate to the east. On the way, he must do his best to be loose, lure Cao's army to the thorny land south of the dock wall, and use the trap to deal with them.

When the horse pit takes effect, Ding Feng's sword and shield hands lurking under the trench around the dock wall made a big move, breaking into the chaos of the enemy cavalry, depriving the cavalry of their mobility, fighting with them, and fighting in close combat.

At this time, Guo Jing’s plan could be said to have been fully realized.
Chapter completed!