My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Hu Zun felt a chill run down his spine and shivered all over.

At this moment, the atmosphere inside the tent was oppressive and heavy, and everyone's face was filled with helplessness.

Cheng Gongying broke the silence first, calming herself down and looking at Cao Pi:

"Your Majesty, the defeat is now inevitable. There is no point in blaming yourself or others. Although we suffered a heavy blow, Your Majesty has returned safely and brought back more than 10,000 troops. This is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune."

"The pursuers have not yet caught up. We should lead the remaining troops north as soon as possible and retreat to Anmi City. This is the best course of action. If we hesitate any longer, we may find ourselves in an even more dangerous situation."

Cao Pi's already tense nerves tightened upon hearing these words, and a sense of fear welled up in his heart.

His eyes revealed regret, and he gritted his teeth as he said:
"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have played the clown and ended up in such a pathetic state. Alas..."

After a long sigh, he finally made up his mind and waved his hand:
"Alright, issue the order: the entire army shall immediately head north and retreat to Anmi."

Hu Zun secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but looked helplessly in the direction of Luan Bird City, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
This defeat resulted in the loss of nearly half of Cao Pi's forces, a further blow to his already dire situation.

Zhangye could no longer be defended, and he had no choice but to flee north with Cao Pi, not knowing what awaited them ahead.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but let out another long sigh:
"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have humiliated myself..."

Subsequently, the 10,000 Wei soldiers, like frightened birds, hurriedly left along the northern road, their steps hurried and their expressions panicked.

……

Meanwhile, in Wulan City, south of Luan Bird City, a completely different scene unfolded.

Seventy thousand Han troops are entering the city in an orderly manner.

Above the city.

Xiao He and the others were looking at a map of Liangzhou together.

Lu Xun pointed to the map, his brows furrowed slightly, and analyzed:
“Liangzhou has a narrow terrain, stretching a thousand miles from east to west. If Cao Pi retreats to Dunhuang, our army’s supply lines will be stretched by more than eight hundred miles.”

"Given the current strength of our Han Dynasty, it is probably difficult to support such a long supply route. Once the food supply is cut off, the soldiers on the front line will inevitably be in trouble, and this battle will be difficult to fight."

The biggest difficulty in fighting in Liangzhou was the excessively long supply lines.

This is also a major reason why, despite numerous rebellions by the Qiang and Hu peoples over the years, the Han court was never able to completely eradicate them.

Whenever the imperial army arrived, the rebel soldiers would flee westward and penetrate deep into the heart of Liangzhou.

Ultimately, the imperial court was unable to pursue the enemy deeply because the grain routes to Liangzhou were too long and transportation was difficult.

In a few years, the rebels will make a comeback, and the imperial court will have no choice but to send troops to suppress them again.

Despite this back-and-forth, the rebels remained rampant, while the Han Dynasty's national strength was exhausted, and its power gradually declined.

It can be said that the decline of the Han Dynasty's national strength was closely related to the rebellion in Liangzhou.

Xiao He was well aware of this cautionary tale. He nodded slightly.
"Boyan is right. If Cao Pi were to flee to Jiuquan, it would indeed cause us a great deal of trouble..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun's brows furrowed, and he fell into deep thought.

Just then, a cheer suddenly erupted from below the city.

"Great news! The Luan bird has achieved a great victory!"

Ma Su, holding the battle report high and beaming with joy, galloped over.

"Reporting to the General of Chariots and Cavalry, Grand Marshal, General Meng Qi has sent back a report of victory!"

Ma Su, panting, said, "When my cavalry arrived at Luan Niao, Cao Pi was burning the troops of the General of the Cavalry. Our army dealt a heavy blow to the enemy, killing 10,000 enemy soldiers. The enemy general Yan Xing was also killed by the General of the Cavalry!"

A chorus of excited shouts erupted from the city walls.

Zhao Yun received the report of victory and examined it carefully, his eyes gradually revealing surprise.

After a long pause, he looked at Xiao He and sincerely praised him:

"It has to be the Grand Marshal. I didn't expect Cao Pi to actually use trickery. Fortunately, the Grand Marshal reminded us and ordered Meng Qi to lead the cavalry to Luan Niao, which broke Cao Pi's scheme. Otherwise, our army would have suffered a great loss this time."

After saying this, Zhao Yun showed the good news to everyone.

After everyone saw it, they all sighed in admiration, their respect for Xiao He evident in their words.

Gan Ning examined the victory report, his brow furrowing slightly as he noticed something amiss. He asked:
"Strange, how did Cao Pi manage to set the fire from the inside? The fire was so fierce that there must have been an inside agent or a special passage, otherwise it would have been very difficult to do."

After hearing this, Xiao He smiled slightly and explained:
“Cao Pi followed my old plan and prepared a tunnel connecting the inside and outside of the city. He arranged for a special force to sneak into Luan Bird City through this tunnel and set fires everywhere, which caused the chaos.”

Upon hearing Xiao He's explanation, everyone immediately understood.

Lu Xun said, "Grand Marshal's plan is truly ingenious, but I wonder who is trying to imitate him and daring to show off their limited skills in front of Grand Marshal?"
After hearing this, everyone began to speculate about who could have come up with such a plan.

Xiao's thoughts raced, and a name quickly surfaced in his mind:
Hu Zun!

In his view, this person was on par with Cheng Gongying in terms of intelligence, so it was not surprising that he plagiarized his plans.

"It doesn't matter who came up with this plan; what matters is that Cao Pi suffered another defeat today, losing over ten thousand soldiers."

Xiao He gave a cold laugh and slowly said:
"This means that we only need about 50,000 men to defeat him. If we only need 40,000 or 50,000 men, even if we extend the supply route by 800 li, with the current strength of our Han Dynasty, the food supply will be sufficient."

"If we have no worries about food supplies, we will surely be able to wipe out Cao Pi and destroy Wei in one fell swoop!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun's spirits lifted, and he slammed his hand on the battlement:
"The Grand Marshal is right. Then we shall lead 10,000 infantry and cavalry north to join forces with Yide and together attack Cao Pi!"

The strategy was thus decided, and everyone accepted the order.

On that day, Xiao He and Zhao Yun led more than 10,000 infantry and cavalry to continue northward.

A day later, Xiao He and Zhang Fei successfully reunited in Luan Bird City.

Having learned his lesson, Zhang Fei obediently stayed in Luan Bird City, waiting for Xiao He to arrive.

Upon seeing Xiao He, he burst into laughter:

"Grand Marshal, you've finally arrived! I've been looking forward to fighting alongside you!"

After the two joined forces, their 50,000-strong army continued to pursue Cao Pi's remaining troops with overwhelming momentum.

Xiao He pursued relentlessly, while Cao Pi fled frantically, as if a vengeful ghost were chasing him.

In the Battle of Luan Niao, Cao Pi lost more than 10,000 men. His already weakened army was now reduced to only 15,000 soldiers.

By this time, Cao Pi had long lost his former courage and only knew how to flee frantically.

He abandoned all the cities along the way without a fight, as if those cities had no meaning to him.

In order to prevent the Han army from obtaining food locally, Cao Pi took drastic measures.

He ordered the Wei army in the cities along the way to loot all the food and supplies in each city, and then set the cities ablaze.

Not only that, Cao Pi also drove all the citizens out of the city and left them to starve to death.

Those innocent people, with their families in tow, wept bitterly, yet could only struggle to survive in this desolate wilderness. Cao Pi, however, turned a blind eye to this, thinking only of escaping for his own life. Cao Pi treated the common people like pigs and dogs, while Xiao He cared deeply for the people.

As the Han army pursued Cao Pi's remnants, Xiao He demonstrated the benevolence and righteousness expected of the Han Dynasty, decisively slowing down the pursuit and calming the terrified people.

Not only that, he also allocated precious military rations to relieve the starving and displaced people.

The slowdown in the Han army's pursuit unexpectedly gave Cao Pi some breathing room.

Over the course of these few days, Cao Pi, like a frightened bird, led his remaining troops on a frantic march, finally arriving at Anmi City, the capital of Dunhuang Commandery.

Cao Pi was already exhausted. He had just stopped to catch his breath and calm his tense nerves.

But just then, a scout rushed over, bringing back news that plunged Cao Pi into despair:
Xiao He and Zhang Fei led 40,000 Han troops and had already occupied Biao City.

This sign clearly indicates that the Han army is already advancing towards Dunhuang Commandery.

Cao Pi's situation became increasingly precarious.

"why?"

Cao Pi's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and he gritted his teeth as he said:
"I have already retreated to this point. The Han army's supply lines are so long, why are they still relentlessly pursuing us all the way here?"

Upon seeing this, Cheng Gongying sighed slightly and revealed the secret:
"If our army had 20,000 men, the Han army would certainly not have dared to pursue us so recklessly. Unfortunately, we lost more than 10,000 men in the Battle of Luan Niao, which greatly affected our strength."

"That's why Xiao He dared to bring only 50,000 troops to pursue them. With the current strength of the Han Kingdom, even if the supply route is extended by more than 800 li, it can still fully support them."

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi suddenly realized what was happening and his gaze instantly turned to Hu Zun.

His eyes were full of resentment, as if questioning: If your plan hadn't failed, causing me to lose 10,000 troops, how could Xiao He have been so confident in chasing me so far?
Hu Zun felt Cao Pi's sharp gaze and lowered his head, not daring to look him in the eye. He was filled with guilt and fear.

"Gentlemen, it seems that Xiao He intends to exterminate me!"

Cao Pi suppressed his resentment, looked around, and sought advice from the crowd:
"In your opinion, what should I do next?"

Hu Zun remained silent, and none of the other generals dared to utter a sound either.

Finally, Cao Pi, with no other choice, turned his gaze to Cheng Gongying and asked urgently:
"Minister Cheng, do you have any better strategies?"

After a moment of contemplation, Cheng Gongying looked at Cao Pi and asked in return:
"Your Majesty, are you truly seeking a plan?"

Cao Pi hurriedly said:
"Of course, tell me your best plan quickly!"

Cheng Gongying took a deep breath and said solemnly:

"Your Majesty, things have come to this point, and there is no way to hold Anmi. If Your Majesty does not wish to sit and wait for death, the only option is to withdraw from Liangzhou!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi was stunned, his eyes filled with confusion.

He never expected that Cheng Gongying would order him to withdraw from Liangzhou.

"Your Majesty, have you heard me clearly? My intention is to withdraw from Liangzhou!"

Seeing Cao Pi's blank expression, Cheng Gongying repeated herself.

Cao Pi remained completely bewildered, his face full of confusion.

Seeing this, Cheng Gongying quickly brought out the map, spread it out in front of everyone, and pointed to it, saying:

"This place is indefensible. Our only option is to abandon Liangzhou. There are two options for withdrawing from Liangzhou: one is to retreat westward to the Western Regions."

"The kingdoms of the Western Regions are weak and feeble. If our army uses its troops properly, we will surely be able to gain a foothold. Although we will not be able to counterattack Liangzhou and return to our old territory, at least we can save our lives and Your Majesty can continue to be the king of a country."

Cheng Gongying analyzed in detail the advantages and disadvantages of retreating westward to the Western Regions.

Cao Pi raised his head and looked westward, images of the Western Regions appearing in his mind.

The Western Regions were weak in military strength. Back when the Han Dynasty was powerful, it could easily destroy a country and force it to submit.

Therefore, if he led more than 10,000 Wei troops into the Western Regions, he would naturally not encounter much resistance.

However, the Western Regions are a vast area, and it is impossible to swallow them all.

Therefore, Cheng Gongying said that if Cao Pi went to the Western Regions, he would lose all thought of returning to the Central Plains. Cao Pi could only stay in that desolate Gobi Desert and become a ruler who only had a small part of the country.

Thinking of this, Cao Pi felt a strong sense of humiliation:
"I am a descendant of the Cao family, how can I go to a foreign land to become a ruler of a small corner? Absolutely not!"

Then, Cao Pi said urgently:
"Minister Cheng, do you have any other good ideas?"

Cheng Gongying sighed and pointed to the map again, saying:

"Change course and head north to Zhangbei, a vassal state. This place is one of the few prosperous areas. If we retreat here, we can obtain grain and horses, and we can also go north into the grasslands to rely on the Xianbei people!"

Upon hearing this unfamiliar term, Cao Pi couldn't help but glance at the map.

Seeing this, Cheng Gongying patiently explained:
"The Xianbei people have replaced the Xiongnu as the masters of the grasslands, and the Xianbei ruler has a strong momentum to unify the northern frontier. Your Majesty can go and form an alliance with Budugen, and you will surely be treated with courtesy."

"At that time, Your Majesty will be able to recruit the Wei people in the north to revitalize your strength. When Budugen leads his troops into the border, Your Majesty can follow and invade the Han Kingdom to reap the benefits."

Cheng Gongying pointed out this second, seemingly feasible path to Cao Pi, who then fell into deep thought.

In his lifeless, despairing eyes, a spark of hope gradually ignited.

"Invade the Han Kingdom..."

Cao Pi muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the unfolded map before him, a grand blueprint rapidly forming in his mind:

After forming an alliance with the Xianbei people, they used their strength to expand their army and accumulate food and supplies.

When the time is right, he will lead a large army to invade the Han Kingdom, reclaim the lost territory, and restore the glory of the Great Wei.

It's easy to see from his focused and slightly excited expression that he has clearly leaned towards the second path proposed by Cheng Gongying.

In his view, this might be the only option that gives him hope of turning his life around.

Just then, Hu Zun, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke:

"Your Majesty is the ruler of the Great Wei. If you were to submit to Budugen, wouldn't you become a laughingstock? Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Hu Zun knew very well that going to the grasslands to rely on the Xianbei people meant living under their roof and having to act according to their wishes.

This was undoubtedly a huge humiliation for Cao Pi, who had once been in a high position and held great power.

Hu Zun, too, was unwilling to follow Cao Pi into a life of subservience.

Upon hearing Hu Zun's words, Cao Pi felt a sudden chill, and his slightly raised eyebrows instantly hardened.

The word "dignity" was like a sharp dagger, piercing the most sensitive nerve in Cao Pi's heart.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Gongying quickly stepped forward and said:

"I know that going to seek refuge with Budugen would be an insult to Your Majesty's dignity, but I really can't think of a better way. Apart from the Western Regions, the only way is to rely on the Xianbei people."

"Besides this, there is only death." (End of Chapter)