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

The shout was like a thunderclap, shaking the hearts of all the Wei soldiers.

They were startled and all turned their gazes toward Cao Pi.

They began to wonder if it was truly worth sacrificing their lives for such a cold-blooded emperor.

A chill ran through Cao Pi, as if an invisible cold wind had pierced through his body, and he couldn't help but shiver.

Looking at the chaotic scene below the city and the wavering eyes of the soldiers on the city walls, an unprecedented fear and unease welled up in my heart.

"Fire arrows! Shoot that traitor! Fire arrows immediately!"

Cao Pi instantly became enraged and started shouting wildly.

Cao Pi's roar stirred up waves of shock within the Wei army camp.

The Wei soldiers on both sides, who were already on high alert, were startled by the sudden roar and many of them showed a look of panic on their faces.

You should know that many of his brothers are still gathered outside the city gate at this moment.

They were also members of the Wei army, sharing the same loyalty and passion for the Great Wei.

If we were to fire arrows now, the rain of arrows would not distinguish between friend and foe, and wouldn't we end up killing our own comrades as well?

Such inhumane practices naturally aroused worry and resistance in the hearts of the Wei soldiers.

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely impossible!"

One of the generals was extremely anxious and quickly knelt down on one knee, his face full of worry as he tried to dissuade him.

"The reason we fired arrows at our own people just now was to close the city gates as quickly as possible and prevent the enemy from taking the opportunity to pour in. It was a last resort."

Another general quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said:
"But the situation is different now. Our comrades are all outside the city gates. How can we shoot arrows at them?"

Seeing this, Cheng Gongying also hurriedly spoke up to advise:
"Your Majesty, we must not act rashly at this moment. If we fire arrows now, it will not only discourage the soldiers, but also demoralize the Wei army, leading to endless troubles."

At this moment, Cao Pi was already blinded by rage, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was like a wild beast that had lost its mind.

He cracked his whip and roared:
"They're going to die sooner or later anyway, so dying by arrows would be much quicker than being brutally murdered by the Han army—"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Gongying was speechless with astonishment:
What kind of twisted logic and heresy is this?
Cao Pi completely ignored Cheng Gongying's astonishment and continued to shout:

"Archers, listen to my command! Fire immediately! Anyone who dares not fire will be punished according to military law, and I will show no leniency!"

Under Cao Pi's stern threat, the archers looked bitter and helpless, but military orders were absolute and they dared not disobey.

In the end, the archers could only grit their teeth, close their eyes, and fire arrows haphazardly at the city walls.

In an instant, arrows rained down, carrying a chilling killing intent, rushing towards the city walls.

At the foot of the city wall.

Zhang Bao was closely watching the movements on the city wall when he suddenly heard shouts of "fire arrows!" His expression changed drastically.

He never expected that Cao Pi would be so ruthless, willing to sacrifice his comrades for the sake of so-called "victory".

At this time, the city gates were tightly closed, and Hu Zun had already died in battle.

It would be a terrible waste to send your cavalry on a risky charge just to kill a few Wei soldiers abandoned by Cao Pi.

After all, every cavalryman is a valuable asset to the Han army, and losing even one is heartbreaking.

Thinking of this, Zhang Bao made a decisive decision and ordered the entire army to retreat immediately.

At his command, the Han army, like a tidal wave, abandoned their killing and quickly withdrew from the battlefield, roaring away.

At this time, only a little over a thousand Wei soldiers remained outside the city.

They had been clinging to a sliver of hope for survival, but instead, they were met with a hail of arrows from their own archers.

Under the barrage of arrows, Wei soldiers fell to the ground, their painful cries echoing before the city.

"Your Majesty, the Han army has withdrawn!"

Just then, a general rushed over and sternly advised Cao Pi.

When Cao Pi heard the news of the Han army's retreat, his previously agitated emotions gradually calmed down.

He waved his hand, signaling to stop firing arrows.

As his order was given, the sounds of killing and arrows gradually subsided, and the world seemed to return to its usual tranquility, though a strong stench of blood lingered in the air.

Cao Pi slowly looked down and saw corpses lying everywhere in front of the city, with blood flowing like a river.

Most of the fallen soldiers were their own men, killed by their own arrows, their deaths were gruesome.

Upon witnessing this scene, Cao Pi felt a deep sense of regret and pain.

"boom!"

Cao Pi punched the battlement, and the solid battlement trembled slightly from the impact of his fist.

His face was filled with hatred, and he gritted his teeth as he said:
"Hu Zun, Hu Zun, your rotten plan has caused me to lose half of my elite troops. I should not have trusted you, otherwise I would not have ended up like this, suffering such a miserable defeat."

In an attempt to shirk responsibility, Cao Pi placed all the blame on the already deceased Hu Zun.

Seeing Cao Pi's lack of responsibility, Cheng Gongying couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, his disappointment in this monarch growing even stronger.

"Your Majesty, Hu Zun has already sacrificed himself for the country. There is no point in blaming him now."

Cheng Gongying stepped forward and said solemnly:

"As for the responsibility for this defeat, I believe that it cannot be entirely blamed on Hu Zun; it was not his fault alone."

Cheng Gongying's words clearly implied that Cao Pi also bore responsibility, leaving Cao Pi speechless.

He never expected Cheng Gongying to be so disrespectful, embarrassing him in public.

But at this moment, he dared not lose his temper with Cheng Gongying.

After all, his troops had been lost, and he was now in dire straits, completely disoriented.

Next, he will have to rely on Cheng Gongying's advice to have a chance of survival.

"Very well, Hu Zun died for the Great Wei after this defeat, which can be considered as fulfilling his loyalty. I will not blame him."

Cao Pi coughed twice, trying to hide his embarrassment, then looked at Cheng Gongying:
"Then tell me, what should I do next?"

Cheng Gongying's gaze was firm as she pointed north:
"Abandon the city and head north to the border, to seek refuge with Budugen!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Pi's body trembled violently, and the last glimmer of hope in his heart vanished instantly.

Just moments before, he was eagerly anticipating what ingenious plan Cheng Gongying could devise to turn the tide and restore the prestige of the Great Wei.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Gongying's advice disappointed him greatly.

In the end, they still had to go to the northern frontier to submit to Budugen.

"Traveling north to the northern frontier is a long journey of thousands of miles, and the hardships and dangers along the way are unimaginable."

Cao Pi frowned, his mind troubled, and said:

"Moreover, Budugen's attitude is unknown, and the future is uncertain after this trip to the northern frontier."

In truth, although Cao Pi was somewhat unwilling to live under someone else's roof and endure humiliation, he could still accept it.

After all, the situation is critical right now, and saving lives is the top priority.

However, his biggest worry was whether Budugen would accept him.

What if Budugen kills him instead of seeking refuge with Liu Bei?
Wouldn't I be just throwing my life away for nothing, ending up with a tragic death?
Thinking of this, Cao Pi felt a deep sense of fear welling up inside him.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I have already figured out Budugen's attitude perfectly well."

Cheng Gongying's gaze was steady, and her tone was firm as she said:
"To be honest, long before the situation became so critical, I secretly dispatched my subject Cheng Gongyi to the north to meet with the Xianbei leader Budugen."

"Cheng Gongyi is going on a mission with great responsibility. I have specifically instructed him to find out Budugen's true thoughts so as to lay the groundwork for Your Majesty's future actions."

"Just a few days ago, Cheng Gongyi finally sent back news after going through many hardships." "According to him, Budugen was overjoyed to hear that His Majesty had come to surrender."

"Not only that, Budugen has also personally led a large army, traveling day and night to welcome His Majesty, which shows how much he values ​​His Majesty."

"Your Majesty may not know this, but Budugen has many former officials under his command. Although these officials are from a foreign land, they always keep the Great Wei in their hearts and have great respect for Your Majesty."

"They all advised Budugen to treat His Majesty well and form an alliance with him, so that they could jointly deal with Liu Bei."

"Therefore, Your Majesty, please do not worry too much. Just go north with peace of mind. There will definitely be a place for Your Majesty in the northern frontier."

Cao Pi immediately understood, and an undisguised joy welled up in his eyes.

Only then did he realize that Cheng Gongying had secretly sent his son to the northern frontier in advance, securing this possible path to survival for himself.

So he couldn't help but think to himself, "I never expected that you would have already devised a way out for me. Minister Cheng is truly a visionary. Such foresight is a great blessing to me."

Cheng Gongying sighed bitterly and said:

"I was worried that Xiao He had anticipated Hu Zun's plan and knew that Your Majesty might be in a desperate situation, so I made arrangements in advance to find a way out for Your Majesty."

"Once the waters recede at Zhangbei, Zhang Fei and Xiao He will surely launch a large-scale attack across the river to besiege the city. Your Majesty, you must abandon the city and head north to the northern frontier! Delay could lead to unforeseen changes."

Cao Pi dared not hesitate for a moment and immediately shouted:

"Pass down the order: the entire army abandons the city and retreats north! There must be no mistakes!"

...

As dusk falls, the last rays of the setting sun bathe the earth.

At this moment, the water level in Zhangbei finally began to recede slowly. Xiao He led the main infantry force and successfully landed on the north bank.

On the north bank, Guan Suo and other generals had already led their infantry and cavalry, ready for battle, their eyes fixed on the movements on the opposite bank.

"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, reporting to the General of Chariots and Cavalry."

"We attacked Cao Pi from both inside and outside, inflicting heavy losses and killing more than 7,000 enemies. Cao Pi led 7,000 remaining soldiers and retreated back into the city in a sorry state."

Upon hearing of this victory, the generals all showed expressions of excitement.

Zhang Fei's eyes blazed with fury, he was enraged beyond measure.

Cao Pi had repeatedly schemed against him, causing him to lose face in front of others, and he had been holding this grudge in his heart for a long time.

At this moment, he wished he could tear Cao Pi into eight pieces to vent his anger.

"Order the army to besiege the city immediately! We must capture Cao Pi alive today!"

Zhang Fei gave the order loudly.

Xiao He smiled faintly and said calmly:
“Yide, there’s no need for such trouble. I’m sure Zhang Fei’s city is already an empty city.”

Empty city?

Zhang Fei was taken aback, his eyes filled with confusion:

"Does the Grand Marshal mean that Cao Pi has already abandoned the city and fled?"

Xiao He smiled and nodded in agreement.

Zhang Fei immediately shouted, "What are we waiting for? Attack the city! Even if he escapes, we must take this city and leave him nowhere to hide!"

Once the order was given, the Han army swept towards Zhangbei City like a tidal wave.

The shouts of battle were deafening, as if they were about to completely engulf the city.

Half an hour later, the Han army successfully captured Zhangbei City.

This city, which once served as the last Wei city in Liangzhou, is now filled with Han flags.

"Grand Marshal, you're right, Cao Pi has escaped!"

On the city wall, Zhang Fei gave Xiao He a thumbs up, his eyes full of admiration.

Xiao He sneered:
"Cao Pi knew that holding out was tantamount to waiting for death, so how could he dare to defend it? Even if he wanted to, Cheng Gongying would have advised him to abandon the city and flee."

Zhang Fei frowned and asked:
"In your opinion, Grand Marshal, where would Cao Pi flee to?"

"Northern Frontier!"

Xiao Hebei pointed, his expression resolute, and said:

"Going south is a dead end; the only option is to go north, which leads to the northern frontier. The Xianbei people now occupy the northern frontier, and Budugen is a man of great talent and ambition, with the potential to unify the northern frontier."

“I predict that Cao Pi will use the banner of alliance to enter the northern border and rely on Budugen. Then he will be able to take advantage of the Xianbei people to seize our border states and try to bring disaster to the Han Dynasty again.”

Xiao He exposed Cao Pi's schemes one by one.

Zhang Fei suddenly realized what was happening, slapped his thigh hard, and roared:

"Cao Pi actually thought of going to join the Xianbei people and continue to wreak havoc on the Han Dynasty. I must not let him succeed. I must chop him up immediately and not let him escape!"

Zhang Fei immediately ordered his troops to head north and pursue Cao Pi.

Guan Suo, however, poured cold water on the idea, saying:

"In order to escape, Cao Pi must be fleeing day and night without daring to stop for a moment. Although our army has cavalry, the northern frontier is vast, the territory is large and the terrain is complex. It is not easy to catch up with Cao Pi."

Zhang Fei gritted his teeth and said:
“You’re right. Once Cao Pi enters the northern frontier, it will be much harder to kill him. But are we really going to let that kid escape? I simply can’t swallow this insult!”

Xiao He gave a cold laugh and said in a chilling voice:
"Cao Pi is nothing but a stray dog. What is there to fear? He is already at his wit's end. Even if he manages to escape to the north and seek refuge with that so-called Budugen, what kind of trouble could he possibly cause?"

"Even if he attaches himself to Budugen, it's nothing more than an ant trying to shake a tree, overestimating his own strength. At worst, His Majesty can send troops out of the border, and with the might of our Han army, we can wipe them out together. It will just take a little more time."

"Besides..."

At this point, Xiao changed the subject:
"I have already deployed my troops in advance, let's see if we can intercept Cao Pi and make him unable to escape."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback, and their gazes instantly turned to Xiao He, their eyes filled with doubt and anticipation.

"Grand Marshal, you said you deployed troops in advance, which route is it?"

Zhang Fei was overjoyed and couldn't wait to ask.

Xiao He remained calm, gently instructing someone to bring the map, which he slowly unfolded before his eyes.

On the map, mountains, rivers, cities, and passes are all clearly visible.

“Look, Liang and Bing are separated by three hundred li. These three hundred li may not seem long, but they are like a natural barrier that separates the two states.”

"Zhangbei is located in Liangdong, and Wuyuan is located in Bingzhou.

"Therefore, I ordered Zhuge Dan to lead the Wuyuan garrison westward to Zhangbei in advance, in order to prevent Cao Pi from escaping to the northern frontier. According to the timeline, he may be able to intercept Cao Pi and leave him nowhere to escape."

Xiao He pointed to the map and explained the entire layout in detail.

Hearing Xiao He's ingenious plan, everyone was full of admiration.

Zhang Fei was so utterly awed that he exclaimed excitedly:

"Bowen, so you had already foreseen that Cao Pi would flee to the north, and even sent Zhuge Dan to intercept him in advance? You are too farsighted!"

The generals were equally shocked, looking at Xiao He with eyes full of respect and admiration.

Xiao He smiled faintly, his smile carrying a sense of humility and composure:
"I only sent Zhuge Dan ahead of time just in case; I suppose it was fate."

Zhang Fei looked north and silently prayed:
"Zhuge Dan, I hope you can arrive in time to stop Cao Pi. We can't let this kid continue to cause trouble."

Meanwhile, a hundred miles east of Zhangbei, a cavalry force of about 20,000 men was marching in a grand procession across the northern frontier.

The sound of horses' hooves thundered, raising clouds of dust.

The leader was none other than Budugen, the Xianbei Chanyu. (End of Chapter)