The soldier came again and whispered in Qi Xiong's ear.
Qi Xiong had been waiting for a long time. As usual, at this time, the enemy soldiers who were urging them to surrender and scolding them outside the city were about to go back.
He looked at several village chiefs, Uncle Du, and hinted that they should start taking action.
"Cao Gong said, everyone must watch the city gate tightly and make sure no mistakes are made." Qi Xiong shouted loudly.
"promise."
The village commanders all agreed to the promise, and then dispersed, each taking their own troops and occupying favorable positions, preparing to control the other group of people who were also guarding the city gate, and cover others to open the city gate.
"Do it."
Following Qi Xiong's order, everyone immediately drew their swords and chopped down those who were near the city gate first.
The other group of people did not expect such a thing to happen. They were unprepared and had twenty or thirty people chopped down.
By the time they reacted, Qi Xiong's people had lined up to block them, and some were opening the city gate.
Outside the city, Gan Ning had been waiting for the city gate to open, but after waiting for a long time, the expected time had already passed, and there was no sign of the city gate opening.
This made him feel a little anxious. He didn't know if the people in the city were deliberately deceiving him or if something happened.
People waiting as anxiously as Gan Ning include Liu Bei and Zhou Ping.
Originally, they thought that Cao Cao was trapped in the city and they were bound to capture him. It was just a matter of time.
And soldiers came out of the city and said they would open the city gate to welcome them. This would allow Liu Bei to end the siege early, but he was worried about it early, which made him look forward to it very much.
Like Zhou Ping, after getting rid of Cao Cao, Yuan Shao will be easy to deal with.
It can also prove that his original strategy of joining forces with Yuan to destroy Cao and then Yuan was right.
Gan Ning was sitting on his horse, holding a big sword in his hand, looking towards the city, hoping to see what happened.
Suddenly, there seemed to be sounds of fighting and shouting inside the city gate.
He immediately cheered up and shouted: "Get ready to enter the city."
The soldiers who were shouting and yelling to persuade them to surrender just now also grabbed their weapons and stared at the city gate.
Soon, they saw the city gate slowly opening, and soldiers inside the gate were killing each other.
"Come in!"
Gan Ning shouted again, clapped his horse and rushed towards the city gate, followed closely by the soldiers.
They were only more than a hundred steps away from the city gate, not far from the city gate, and quickly rushed into the city gate.
Nearly half of Qi Xiong's men were dead, and he was also injured. The other group of people saw that the city gate had been completely opened, and saw the soldiers and horses outside the city entering the city. They did not dare to fight anymore and immediately retreated.
The defenders on the city panicked when they saw the enemy soldiers who were shouting and cursing suddenly taking up weapons and charging towards the city. They hurriedly asked the crossbowmen to shoot to stop them, and at the same time sent people to report to Lu Qian and Cao Cao.
Gan Ning led his men to rush into the city gate and took control of the city gate. Zhang Fei followed closely behind him and led his troops into the city.
After Zhang Fei, there were five thousand people led by Guan Yu.
As soon as the city gate was opened, it was like a dam bursting, and soldiers and horses poured into the city, chasing and killing the enemies defending the city.
However, Liu Bei did not let them open the other three gates, so they just used the east gate as a point and advanced into the city step by step.
Cao Cao and Dian Wei had just returned to the mansion to patrol the city and sat down. He was thinking about how to break out of the siege at night. Suddenly he saw soldiers running in a hurry. He fell when he entered the door. He got up and did not wait for notification, trying to break in.
Inside the house, he was stopped by Dian Wei.
"What's the matter?" Dian Wei asked sternly.
"Let him in."
Cao Cao had already seen it in the house and knew that something big must have happened.
Dian Wei avoided it and let the soldiers in.
The soldier hurriedly ran into the house again and reported to Cao Cao: "Oh no, the city gate has opened and the enemy soldiers have rushed in."
Cao Cao originally thought that there was something wrong with the people in the city, or that the guards in the city were fighting and killing each other, but he never expected that the enemy soldiers would invade the city.
"Why did the enemy soldiers enter the city? Did they attack the city?" Cao Cao stood up and asked.
"No, the gatekeeper opened the gate himself and let the enemy soldiers into the city."
"Which gate is it?" Cao Cao asked anxiously.
"East."
Cao Cao knew that Liu Bei's troops and horses were outside the east city. The opening of the east city gate meant that Liu Bei's troops had entered the city.
If Jushou and Zhang Xiu had led the troops into the city, he might still have a chance to survive. But now that Liu Bei has entered the city, it seems that he will inevitably die.
"Ming Gong, Wei will take you out of the city."
Dian Wei heard it outside the door and came in and said.
Cao Cao thought for a moment and said hurriedly: "Let's go out of the city from the south."
Dian Wei agreed, shouted, and gathered his guards.
Cao Cao went outside, and Dian Wei quickly gathered two hundred guards.
At this time, a steady stream of soldiers came to report. Just as Dian Wei was protecting Cao Cao and preparing to leave the mansion, another soldier came to report: "The enemy soldiers have been killed outside the mansion."
"Why so fast?"
Cao Cao stopped, holding the hilt of his sword tightly, listening to the closer and closer shouts of killing.
He knew that he could not run away now.
In fact, these enemy soldiers in the city had suffered a huge defeat and so many generals had died, so they all knew that there was no way they could defeat Xuzhou's troops.
Moreover, the city is now surrounded on all sides, and there are only so many people in the city. Food is scarce and there are no reinforcements. Apart from seeking surrender to survive, there is only one way to die.
After Gan Ning and Zhang Fei led their troops to charge in, many people chose to surrender, and those who did not want to surrender were quickly killed.
Precisely because of this, Gan Ning led his troops and quickly rushed outside the prefect's mansion. This was what Zhou Ping had ordered, telling him to rush to the prefect's mansion where Cao Cao was after entering the city. He must not let Cao Cao escape.
"Ming Gong, let's fight out."
Dian Wei said and was about to rush out.
Cao Cao grabbed him, shook his head, and said, "That's all, we can't leave the city. Let everyone guard the gate. If the enemy soldiers come to attack, just ask Liu Bei to come see me."
"Ming Gong..."
Dian Wei and all the guards urged him in unison.
These guards are all people who have been with Cao Cao for a long time, and they are all people who are willing to die for Cao Cao.
At this time, many soldiers returned to the mansion. There were loud shouts outside the mansion, and the sounds of weapons clashing and injured screams also sounded one after another.
"Go and guard the gate of the mansion and wait until Liu Bei arrives before letting them in." Cao Cao ordered.
Dian Wei said helplessly: "No."
Dian Wei led all the guards to rush outside the gate of the mansion and charged and killed them. After cutting down more than twenty Xuzhou soldiers, Dian Wei finally killed them back.
"Cao Gong said that you can't come in until Liu Bei comes, otherwise you will never step through this door."
Dian Wei is like a huge tower, standing at the door, holding two halberds, showing his authority without fighting.
The Xuzhou soldiers just saw him killing the enemy and knew that he was a ruthless person, and he looked even more ruthless than General Gan, so they did not dare to step forward, but surrounded him at a distance, waiting for reinforcements.
Gan Ning arrived quickly and saw his men and horses gathered outside. Looking at the enemy soldiers at the door but not daring to come forward to fight, he couldn't help but ask: "What's going on?"
"General Gan, they said they can't enter until the Lord arrives, otherwise they can't enter."
"Are you Dian Wei?" Gan Ning stepped forward and asked.
He had heard Zhou Ping mention it and knew that it was Dian Wei who killed Gao Shun. His strength should not be underestimated.
"Yes, Duke Cao wants to meet Liu Bei. Go and call him quickly."
Gan Ning hesitated for a moment, feeling that as long as Cao Cao was in the palace, he would not be able to escape.
So he ordered soldiers and horses to surround the prefect's mansion and not let anyone escape. He also sent people to report to Liu Bei.
Not long after, Zhang Fei also arrived with his men. After hearing what Gan Ning said, he wanted to go up and fight Dian Wei, but when he saw the pair of halberds in Dian Wei's hand, he felt that he might not be able to win on foot, so he had to give up.
, deployed troops and horses to surround the mansion with Gan Ning, waiting for Liu Bei.
When they led their troops into the city, they encountered not much resistance. Many people chose to throw away their weapons and beg to surrender.
Therefore, Liu Bei and Zhou Ping, escorted by Chen Xu Chu and others, led their troops into the city.
When they first arrived at the city gate, soldiers came to report that Cao Cao was trapped in the prefect's mansion and that there were four to five hundred soldiers blocking the way. They also said that Cao Cao wanted to see Liu Bei.
For a person like Cao Cao, ordinary soldiers would not kill him without authorization. Unless they encountered resistance, they would only capture him alive.
Liu Bei and Zhou Ping also wanted to see Cao Cao at the last moment, especially to see Cao Cao die with their own eyes, so that they would feel more at ease.
The two led everyone to rush outside the prefect's mansion.
I saw four to five hundred enemy soldiers standing outside the gate of the mansion, and there were three to four thousand Xuzhou soldiers confronting them.
When Dian Wei saw Liu Bei coming, he immediately went into the house and said to Cao Cao: "Ming Gong, Liu Bei is here."
Cao Cao sat on a big stone in the courtyard of the mansion.
He thought of many things, and he couldn't understand why he had failed like this.
He seemed to have figured it out, and his face showed relief. Just then Dian Wei came in and said that Liu Bei was here.
"You all surrender. There is no need to die for Gu. As long as Gu dies, Liu Bei will not kill you! Let him in!"
Dian Wei said anxiously: "If the public is here, Wei will be there! If the public is not here, then Wei will not be here either!"
Cao Cao smiled happily and waved his hand: "Go and ask the soldiers to put down their weapons and let Liu Bei come in. I have something to say to him, and that Zhou Ping."
Dian Wei hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed to his promise, went outside the house, and ordered the soldiers to put down their weapons.
However, these people who retreated to guard here are all people who are willing to fight to the death for Cao Cao, and are unwilling to lay down their weapons and ask for surrender.
"We will never let go of our weapons. If they were allowed to rush in, how could Mr. Cao still be alive?"
"Hmph, if you don't put down your weapons, will Cao Cao survive?"
Zhang Fei roared loudly, and the Xuzhou soldiers also pressed forward with their spears and halberds.
"Captain Dian, since Mr. Cao cannot survive, we must take the first step." After speaking to Dian Wei, a commander suddenly shouted, "Even if we die, we will die in battle!"
After he shouted, he suddenly rushed towards the Xuzhou soldiers with a sword, and the other soldiers followed and rushed towards the Xuzhou soldiers outside the mansion.
Gan Ning and Zhang Fei stood in front and shouted: "Kill!"
The two of them were the first to wield their swords and spears, and in just a moment they led the soldiers to kill the two to three hundred people who came forward.
Dian Wei took the remaining more than 100 people and retreated into the mansion.
"Rush in."
Zhang Fei shouted, and he and Gan Ning rushed into the mansion with their troops.
After killing dozens more people, less than a hundred people were left standing behind Cao Cao. Zhang Fei and Gan Ning led people with their halberds and spears to stand in front of them.
Cao Cao looked at the fighting in front of him and seemed indifferent. It wasn't until everyone retreated and stopped fighting that he said to Zhang Fei: "Let Liu Xuande come in! I have a lot to say to him!"
After controlling the situation in the palace, Zhang Fei sent someone out to invite Liu Bei in.
Xu Chu and Zhang Wu escorted Liu Bei and Zhou Ping into the mansion.
Cao Cao saw Liu Bei and Zhou Ping coming in with a smile on his face.
"Liu Xuande, Zhou Wen'an, do you know? When Gu led his soldiers and horses to Xuzhou together with Jizhou soldiers and horses, I had imagined such a scene. You two stood in front of Gu and let him do whatever he wanted. But he didn't expect it.
But now I am sitting alone in front of you, letting you do whatever you want!"
"Liu Xuande, I just sat here and thought a lot. I originally thought that the only heroes in the world today are you and me, but now it seems that I am far inferior to you!"
"What's worse?" Zhou Ping asked calmly.
Cao Cao glanced at Zhou Ping, then turned to Liu Bei and said: "In terms of ambition, you and I both have the ambition to pacify the world. In terms of background, I am better than you. In terms of commanding troops, I am better than you. There is only one thing I am not as good as you!"
Liu Bei nodded slightly, feeling that what Cao Cao said was indeed true.
In terms of family background and ability to lead troops, he is far inferior to Cao Cao.
Although I am the queen of the Liu family and the queen of Zhongshan Prince Jing, there are more than ten thousand people with the same status as myself in the whole world!
In terms of commanding troops, Cao Cao not only lost to Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong in Xingyang, but also defeated the Black Mountain bandits and the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans successively. As a result, he was appointed as the governor of Dongjun and the governor of Yanzhou.
They defeated Yuan Shu in Chenliu, Lu Bu in Yanzhou, the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan and Runan, and Yang Feng in Liangxian. They did not begin to defeat until they came to attack Xuzhou.
And before he took over as the governor of Xuzhou, he was almost always defeated.
Until I met Zhou Wen’an!
Cao Cao's defeat and his own victory were both after he received help from Zhou Wen'an.
Perhaps, what Cao Cao said is not as good as it should be, and it should be related to Zhou Wen'an.
"Which point is it?"
Although Liu Bei thought so, he also wanted to hear what Cao Cao had to say.
Cao Cao glanced at Zhou Ping again and said, "You are the only one who knows how to employ people! Zhou Wen'an is from Peiguofeng County, and we are from the same county as me. In fact, when he expected that I could take over as the governor of Yanzhou, I had already
I thought about sending someone to invite him to help. However, I thought that he was very young at the time, so I thought his words were nonsense, and because Yuan Shu came to attack Chen Liu during the Yellow Turban campaign, I was unable to send someone to invite him."
"Do you think that if you send someone to invite me, I will agree?"
When Zhou Ping heard Cao Cao mentioning himself, he couldn't help but say.
"Probably not, so later I heard that you had expected Gu General to massacre Xuzhou, and Gu had already killed many people, so he asked Cao Hong to invite you. Unfortunately, he could not see you at that time."
"I might as well tell you that I expected that you would send someone to invite me, so I went to Qiao County and stayed at Xu Zhongkang's house."
Zhou Ping pointed at Xu Chu.
Xu Chu nodded hurriedly and said: "Yes, sir came to my house and stayed for a long time, but he didn't say he wanted to avoid you. I thought he was escaping from marriage again!"
"Hahaha..." Cao Cao laughed suddenly, and then asked, "It turns out that you avoided me on purpose. Why? Why did you then agree to Liu Xuande's request to help him?"
