Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 73 Cao Cao's Enlightenment

The entire army was defeated. Despite Cao Cao's tears and reluctance, Cao Hong resolutely took the initiative to take orders and resist Liu Bei's pursuit.

The Qingzhou army advanced rapidly all the way, then broke through the built camp and pursued them in the southwest direction.

Cao Cao ordered the retreating troops to scatter money and food on the ground to stop the pursuers.

Unexpectedly, although the Qingzhou soldiers were willing to move, the military discipline was strict. If they hesitated to move forward when they should have been in pursuit, not only would their military merits be reduced by half, but they would also have to hand over a quarter of their good farmland after returning. If they were found to have committed the same offense again after verification, half of the land would be taken back as compensation for their crime.

Cao Hong and his troops were captured alive not long after they blocked the enemy's attack. They were tied up with hemp ropes and sent to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei was discussing Jibei Xiang Bao Xin with Guo Jia in the camp when he learned from a soldier captured by a scout that Cao Cao had previously sent a letter to Bao Xin asking him to lead his troops here quickly.

Judging from the time, the arrival should be soon. Cao Cao is his best friend. After receiving the letter, he is very likely to roll up his armor and travel light.

At the moment, the enemy does not know that Cao Cao has been defeated, and may be unprepared on the march.

If we send troops to attack, we might be able to unexpectedly defeat Bao Xin's thousands of troops.

Liu Bei clapped his hands and smiled, "What Fengxiao said is in line with my thoughts. I heard that there is someone in Bao Yuncheng's army who has some connection with me. I can bring him back this time."

He asked the military officer to call Zhao Yun and whispered a few words in his ear. Zhao Yun's eyes suddenly looked a little strange.

However, he still bowed and prepared to leave, and Liu Bei called Taishi Ci and asked him to lead sixty riders to go with him.

Even a lion will use all its strength to fight a rabbit. Liu Bei never underestimated anyone. Even if the opponent was lightly armed and defenseless, he would mobilize his strength to the greatest extent. Don't worry about winning, worry about losing first.

Zhao Yun and Taishi Ci took the order and left, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were cleaning up the battlefield, and Jian Yong and Guo Jia continued to handle military affairs and were also very busy.

Liu Bei was the only one in the entire army who had nothing to do, which made him quite uncomfortable.

By chance, a military officer came to report that an officer from Yanzhou named Cao Hong had been captured on the battlefield.

Liu Bei immediately became interested and said with a little curiosity: "Bring him in." Cao Hong was rich but stingy, and was famous for valuing money over life.

I have never seen such a thing in my memory. It seems that he has caught a big fish this time. Once it is in his hands, he won’t be able to let it go easily.

The soldiers pushed the tied-up Cao Hong into the tent, stood up from their chairs and slowly walked up to him. After a moment of careful observation, they said with a smile, "Are you Cao Zilian, who gave his horse to Meng De to escape during the Sishui battle?"

Perhaps due to the frequent military training, his skin is dark, his waist is round and his back is thick, and he has the physique of a fierce general.

No wonder Cao Cao liked to use him to lead his troops...

Liu Bei observed and thought to himself.

"Liu Qingzhou knows my eldest brother?" Cao Hong was a little surprised.

He had never heard Cao Cao mention it!
Liu Bei smiled and said, "We have been friends for many years. Wherever I was, there was Meng De. Now, wherever Meng De is, there is me, Liu Bei."

"Where is Meng De going next? Will he retreat back to Puyang, or go to Chenliu, or go to Yecheng to find Yuan Benchu?"

Cao Hong avoided answering and asked, "Since Lord Xuande is my elder brother's good friend, why don't you march into the East County of Yanzhou out of friendship?"

Liu Bei was not angry. There was no need to get angry with Cao Hong. He said casually, "If Cao Cao had not attacked Pingyuan first, how could this disaster have happened?"

Cao Hong was speechless. This matter was entirely their fault. Even if Liu Bei occupied Dongjun, it was Yanzhou's own fault. Who told him to listen to Yuan Shao so much? Liu Bei pretended to remember and said, "I heard that Zilian's family is rich and he is the richest man in Yuzhou. I will spend a lot of money on this expedition. If your family can pay hundreds of millions of money so that I can replenish food and weapons, I can take you back."

"Otherwise, you can be my prison guest in Pingyuan." After saying this, he turned around and ordered the military officer to call a boat and send Cao Hong to prison without delay.

Cao Hong was pushed out by the soldiers, shouting as he walked: "Lord Xuande's rumor is wrong. The Hong family is poor and has little money. How can we afford hundreds of millions of dollars?"

"If you want to put me in jail, just tell me straight, there's no need to tease me."

Liu Bei replied with a smile: "Cao Zilian, you can deceive Cao Cao, but you can't deceive me. If you can pay more money to redeem yourself, you can have a courtyard to live in, and you don't have to stay in prison all day."

Joking about Cao Hong was just Liu Bei's way of passing the time in his spare time.

Although Cao Hong was captured, there was no good reason to kill him at the moment. Guo Jia and Xun Yu both advised him to use winning the hearts of the people as the main means to capture Dongjun.

Be kind first, and then show your power after the situation is stable.

……

Cao Cao's soldiers were constantly deserting the army in large numbers on the road. Many of the defeated soldiers did not dare to return to their hometowns, fearing that they would be drafted again, and hid in the mountains.

Wait until the war stops and then secretly return home, or go somewhere else to avoid the war.

The battle with the Qingzhou army also frightened them.

The fierce soldiers wanted to take the man's head at every inch of their body. Instead of stabbing the man's torso with their spears, they kept poking the face where there was no armor.

Little did they know that someone in Liu Bei's army had previously proposed to record military merits by head count. They would tie a rope around the waist, and after the squad formed a formation and killed the enemy, they would use shields in front to block arrows, and then swing their swords at the back to cut off the heads and hang them around their waists. This would make it easier to count merits and could also intimidate the enemy.

Liu Bei quickly shut up the military officer who made this suggestion. It was correct that the Han Dynasty inherited the Qin system, but hanging the heads of enemy soldiers on one's body was not something that people in the world could accept.

Finally, a compromise method was adopted, using armor blades and human ears, together with the statements of comrades-in-arms, to verify each other and record military achievements in the books.

Ever since they encountered Gongsun Du in Liaodong, the soldiers had figured out their own way of dealing with armored enemies by simply stabbing them in the face with their spears. As long as the strength and accuracy were just right, they could take one down with just a poke or a pull.

Many things are acquired gradually through fighting on the battlefield. Only by figuring out the most effective and energy-saving way of killing can one conserve one's energy and kill the enemy.

When Cao Cao led the remaining troops to rest beside a desolate road, someone suddenly cried out that the rear army that was blocking the enemy had retreated.

This caused countless people to whisper to each other in fear.

Cao Cao found the clerk, whipped him dozens of times with his horse whip, and cut his throat with his own knife. Holding the bloody knife, he looked around fiercely and said, "Anyone who dares to spread rumors in the army will be killed without mercy, no matter who it is!"

"From today on, I will send people to register the number of soldiers and their families in the village. If anyone dares to retreat and flee again, his family will be executed along with him!"

Cao Cao found that he was still too lax in managing the army. He did not make his soldiers feel afraid. When he saw the front army encountering a fierce battle with the enemy, he did not dare to advance.

If the enemy is attacked again and the other troops dare not march to rescue, they will all be beheaded as a warning to the public to restore military discipline.

Cao Cao thought to himself, "When it comes to commanding an army, we cannot rely on benevolent means. Only by using strict military discipline and clear rewards and punishments can we train a strong army."

(End of this chapter)