I, Zhou Cang, am the number one tank in the Three Kingdoms.

Because of Cao Ren's leg injury, Cao's army was given two days of rest.

On the morning of the third day, patrolling soldiers in Yan County captured two Cao soldiers who claimed to have been captured and escaped a few days earlier, and escorted them to Li Dian's camp.

"Are you saying that Zhao Yun has already withdrawn his troops?" Li Dian stood up abruptly, looking at the two deserters in disbelief.

"General, our families are all outside Xuchang City, and we dare not deceive you," a soldier explained to Li Dian with all his might.

"Do you know why they withdrew their troops?" Li Dian pressed.

This is so illogical. They made a big show of launching a surprise attack on Xuchang, and after winning a battle, they suddenly withdrew their troops. It doesn't make any sense.

"We don't know either. We were blindfolded and didn't see the details," another soldier added.

Li Dian slowly sat back down and began to ponder Zhao Yun's motives for withdrawing his troops.

"Guards! Detain these two men for now, give them some food, and I will decide what to do after I have ascertained the truth."

After giving his instructions, Li Dian got up to go and discuss things with Yue Jin, but as soon as he stepped out the door, he bumped into Yue Jin, who was rushing over.

"What does Wenqian want with me?" Li Dian patted his clothes and looked at Le Jin.

"We just captured three soldiers who escaped from Zhao Yun's camp. They all said that Zhao Yun has withdrawn his troops and they have come to discuss matters with Manchester," Yue Jin explained.

"Oh? So Zhao Yun really withdrew his troops? Two people from my area also escaped and gave similar accounts." Li Dian stared wide-eyed at Le Jin.

"Did those three men explain why Zhao Yun withdrew his troops?" Li Dian asked, rubbing his sleeves.

"One man overheard the soldiers talking and suspected that their food supplies were running out."

"This matter is quite strange. You two should stay here for now," Li Dian said, stopping the two escaped soldiers who were about to be taken away for custody.

"How did you two escape from the bandit camp? Tell me in detail."

"Reporting to the general, after we were captured that day, Zhao Yun blindfolded us and took us to different tents, but the two of us ended up in the same tent," a soldier said without hesitation.

"Last night we heard a lot of noise in the camp, but by dawn there was no more sound. We called out to each other but no one answered, so we untied each other's ropes."

Li Dian was still somewhat skeptical.

"General, please look!" Another soldier quickly showed the marks on his wrist where the rope had been tied.

"What was the situation in the military camp after the ropes were untied?" Yue Jin pressed.

"In our haste, we found that all supplies, carts, horses, and weapons in the camp were gone; it was an empty camp!"

Before the soldier could finish speaking, a patrolling soldier rushed over to report: "Generals, more than a dozen deserters have returned!"

Li Dian and Yue Jin exchanged a quick glance. Li Dian decisively said, "Wenqian, lead five hundred light cavalry to investigate. If there is any trickery, do not engage in battle. Return to the city immediately, and I will report to General Cao Ren."

Le Jin nodded, drew his sword, and left.

"Is this true?!" Upon hearing Li Dian's report, Cao Ren sat up directly from the couch and, supported by his servants, stood in the room leaning on his cane, pondering the matter.

"Wenqian has led a light cavalry to investigate. Should we report this to the Prime Minister?" Li Dian looked at Cao Ren with concern.

"This matter is indeed strange. If Liu Bei is just bluffing to divide our troops, we have been here for several days, and the messengers from Guandu report three times a day, yet we have not seen any Hebei troops attacking." Cao Ren looked outside the hall and muttered to himself.

After winning a battle, Zhao Yun did not press his advantage to attack the city, but instead challenged the enemy every day, seemingly just to buy time.

If that's the case, Liu Bei might have other schemes, but that remains to be seen...

"I believe this matter should be reported to the Prime Minister immediately," Li Dian reminded him from behind.

"Quickly bring me pen and ink!" Cao Ren turned around and shouted anxiously to his servants.

Just as he finished writing the letter and handed it to the messenger for urgent delivery, Yue Jin had already returned with the information.

"How is it?" Li Dian asked anxiously.

"The rebel army has indeed withdrawn! I observe that most of their cooking fires are for show, and their actual number is at most three thousand. Moreover, their tracks are still fresh, so they must not have gone far!" Yue Jin looked at Cao Ren, his eyes filled with a desire for revenge.

"Have the nearby wilderness areas and places where troops are hidden been searched?" Li Dian was always very cautious.

"All have been investigated, and nothing is abnormal." Yue Jin was quite certain.

Li Dian also looked at Cao Ren, but he didn't have any suggestions at the moment, because the current situation was really baffling.

Whether to pursue or not seems to be a valid point.

Cao Ren, leaning on his cane with one hand and stroking his beard with the other, hesitated.

The last raid on the camp was a major defeat. Although we lost more than 3,000 soldiers, it did not fundamentally damage our forces.

The purpose of this military expedition was to eradicate the threat posed by Liu Bei. Now that we know Zhao Yun's strengths and weaknesses, it seems reasonable to pursue and kill him before he runs out of supplies and retreats too far...

"Le Jin, Li Dian, listen to my command!" With that thought, Cao Ren decisively issued the order.

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You two will each lead two units of troops and quickly pursue and kill Zhao Yun! But one thing is certain: you must not linger in battle; kill him for a while and then return."

Having experienced his previous defeat, Cao Ren was constantly reminded by the pain of the spear wound in his leg that he should never underestimate Zhao Yun.

Both of them accepted the order.

"I will await your victory report here!" Seeing that the cautious Li Dian had no objections, Cao Ren gained some confidence in the upcoming battle.

After seeing the two men off, Cao Ren summoned each of the soldiers who had escaped and questioned them, attempting to obtain more useful information.

After following the footprints along the main road for thirty miles, Le Jin and Li Dian arrived at a valley.

Li Dian reined in his horse, dismounted again, and examined the scattered hoofprints, ruts, and other traces. Looking at the dense forests and crisscrossing hillsides on both sides of the road, he hesitated again.

"Manchester, are you worried about an ambush?" Yue Jin asked, dismounting when he saw that Li Dian remained silent.

"Indeed, the road here narrows, and if we fall into an ambush, it will be difficult to escape," Li Dian said, expressing his concern.

"It would be a pity not to pursue them now." Le Jin was unwilling to withdraw his troops back to the city so easily. He looked at the road ahead and mounted his warhorse again.

"In that case, if Wenqian insists on pursuing us, the two of us will split into two groups, so that we can support each other if anything changes."

Li Dian knew that Yue Jin was driven by a desire for revenge, and he was actually unwilling to withdraw his troops.

Le Jin nodded solemnly: "We will do as Mancheng says."

After traveling another five miles, the sweltering heat became unbearable, but Yue Jin still hadn't seen Zhao Yun's troops, and he began to get impatient.

Suddenly, the troops behind him stirred. Le Jin quickly reined in his horse and looked back. He saw a large flag with the character "Chen" suddenly erected next to a large rock on the hillside.

"Chen Dao has been waiting for you for a long time!" Chen Dao shouted from the mountainside.

In an instant, the ambushing soldiers emerged from the bushes, waving flags and shouting, as a hail of arrows poured down from the hillside, heading straight for Le Jin's troops.

Before Le Jin could react, another army appeared at the crossroads ahead, led by General Zhao Yun, who shouted, "Le Jin, spare your life!" and charged forward on horseback.

Before Le Jin could even issue his orders, the troops had already begun to flee and scatter in disarray.

Without even turning back to check on Zhao Yun, Le Jin quickly whipped his horse, using his sword to deflect the rain of arrows as he charged back.

Seeing the change ahead, Li Dian quickly ordered his men to wave the military flag, and the rear guard became the front guard, hastily retreating out of the valley.

The routed soldiers ran for more than ten miles when a lone rider caught up with Yue Jin, shouting, "General! General! The enemy is just bluffing; they haven't pursued us!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Jin stopped his horse. At this moment, Li Dian also arrived from the rear army.

"Wenqian, are you alright?" Li Dian deeply regretted not sticking to his suspicions earlier.

Le Jin, breathless, gritted his teeth and said, "I never imagined the thieves would be so cunning!"

When the two chased after them again, the road in the valley was blocked by trees and rocks, making it impossible to pass.

Le Jin gripped his riding whip tightly and slammed his fist into his thigh: "I'm so angry!"