Chapter 311 You are the first-class follower of the dragon! You want me to be the sinner of Yuan Wei? I want to accomplish my goal in one fell swoop!
The next day, at dusk.

Three thousand iron cavalrymen, with their hooves wrapped and their men holding their tongues, finally passed through the forest.

Zhang Liao used his sword to push aside the branches, looked up and saw a small town.

This small town built on the Yingshui River has been surrounded by large military camps that extend all the way to the ferry on the waterside.

In the upper reaches of the Yingshui River, one grain ship after another was seen coming downstream and approaching the shore one after another.

On land, there were also teams of grain carts coming from all directions and gathering in the camp outside the city.

Looking down from the hillside, you can see the camp filled with dome tents.

No need to guess, it must be the granary.

Zhang Liao let out a light breath, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

The Wei army's defense map sent by Xun Chen was indeed correct. Relying on this defense map, he avoided several Wei army checkpoints along the way and reached the outside of Guling City without being noticed.

Looking at the situation in the enemy camp, the grain ships and grain carts were still entering the camp in an orderly manner. They were obviously unaware that a cavalry of the Chu army had already appeared under their noses.

Zhang Liao really wanted to lead his army into the enemy camp and burn Yuan Shao's millions of hu of grain in one fell swoop.

This unprecedented achievement has been achieved.

However, he suppressed the urge to compete for credit and carefully looked at the situation in the enemy camp.

As Xiao Fang said, the Wei army garrison in the camp was at least around 10,000 to 15,000 people.

Judging from the defenses of the enemy camp, although they did not notice the approach of his cavalry, the defenses at various locations were quite tight.

Zhang Liao quickly determined that his chances of breaking into the camp with only 3,000 cavalrymen were slim.

"Forget it, let's follow Prime Minister Xiao's plan and just pretend to attack..."

Zhang Liao then suppressed his desire to win credit.

Then he turned around and ordered all the thousands of battle flags carried by the army to be hung high.

All the war horses were hung with branches.

When the order was given, the three thousand soldiers ignored their fatigue and immediately got busy.

There were three thousand war horses, and a long branch was tied to the tail of each horse.

The swords and guns in everyone's hands were replaced with a royal flag with the word "Chu" on it.

Everything is ready.

Zhang Liao pointed his sword and shouted:
"All troops, listen up, follow me and charge out to feint an attack on the enemy camp!"

The sound of the horn pierced the silence of the woods.

Zhang Liao grabbed a "Chu" royal flag, rode his horse ahead, and was the first to rush out of the woods.

Three thousand Chu army soldiers, each holding a battle flag, rushed out like a tide.

The battle flags blocked out the sun and the branches on the horses’ tails stirred up a cloud of dust.

This overwhelming attack created such a momentum that it was as if tens of thousands of Chu troops were rushing towards them.

When the alarm gong sounded inside the Wei camp, it immediately resounded throughout the sky above the camp.

And at this moment, inside the central military tent.

An old general with half white hair and beard and a counselor were drinking together.

"Gongze, it's rare for you and I to get together, come on, have a drink with me, old man!"

Chunyu Qiong smiled and filled Guo Tu's glass with wine.

"General Zhong Jian, the king has strictly ordered that no alcohol is allowed in the army."

"You are the commander of this granary camp. It doesn't seem right for you to take the lead in disobeying the king's military orders."

Although Guo Tu took the wine glass, he reminded him again.

"It's just a drink, it's harmless. If you don't report it to the king, how would the king know about it?"

"Besides, I heard that the king often holds banquets in the Xiangcheng camp..."

Chunyu Qiong stopped talking, gave Guo Tu a look that said "you understand", then raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp with a smile.

Guo Tu understood what he meant, and just laughed, then raised his glass and drank it all.

Chunyu Qiong filled his cup again, a look of confusion flashing across his face:
"Gong Ze, you are the king's trusted adviser. You are always by his side when he is on the battlefield, offering advice at any time."

"Why did the king transfer you to Guling this time, to guard the grain with a useless old man like me?"

Guo Tu seemed to be hit in a sore spot. He sighed helplessly, picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

"Things are different now. The eldest son has been captured and his life or death is uncertain. It is unclear when he will return."

"We, the Ruying people, are losing power day by day. Now the king only listens to Ju Shou Feng Ji and others."

"I am sent to guard the granary. Isn't it only natural for me, my foolish brother?"

Guo Tu spat in a sarcastic tone, poured himself a cup, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

How could Chunyu Qiong not understand Guo Tu's situation?

Back then, he and Yuan Shao were both one of the Eight Colonels of Xiyuan, and his qualifications were second to none among the Wei Kingdom's advisers and generals.

But since Yuan Tan was captured, his status as a member of the Ruying faction has been declining, and he basically has no say in front of Yuan Shao.

He could say that he could empathize with Guo Tu's situation and share the same suffering.

"This is fate. It's because the eldest son has bad luck that he is destined to have no chance of becoming the heir to the Yuan family. As a result, our future is bleak as well."

"Brother, I am already old, and I am afraid I won't live for many more years. Before the Third Young Master takes the throne, those people from Hebei will come to settle accounts with us."

"But my dear brother, you are in your prime, I am afraid that in the future..."

Chunyu Qiong hadn't finished speaking when he shook his head and sighed, then lowered his head to pour some wine.

Looking at Chunyu Qiong who was sighing and worrying about his grievances, Guo Tu raised the corner of his mouth, but a meaningful smile flashed in his eyes.

"General Zhong Jian said this too early. It is still unknown who will take the throne a hundred years after the King of Wei passes away."

"Ok?"

Chunyu Qiong looked up with a blank look in his eyes.

Yuan Tan was captured, and the Chu and Wei kingdoms fought to the death. Yuan Tan would be killed by Liu Bei sooner or later. Isn't this something everyone knows?
Since Yuan Tan was doomed to die, who else could take the throne after Yuan Shao a hundred years later except Yuan Shang?

Could it be the second son Yuan Xi who is famous for his mediocrity and weakness?

"General Zhong Jian, please be patient for a few more days. I have already used some tricks in secret. Maybe in a few days, the eldest son will return intact."

"As long as the eldest son can come back alive, it's hard to say who will settle the score with whom later."

Guo Tu played with the wine glass, a sneer appeared on his lips. Chun Yuqiong almost spit out a mouthful of wine, and said excitedly:

"Gong Ze, what means did you use to save the eldest son?"

"Well..."

Guo Tu coughed dryly and smiled mysteriously:
"The secret cannot be revealed. Anyway, I have my own way. When the eldest son returns, you, General Zhong Jian, will know it naturally."

Although Chunyu Qiong was also a member of the Ruying faction, he was not in their core circle after all. Guo Tu naturally did not dare to reveal the secret of betraying Yuan Shao to him.

Chunyu Qiong was overjoyed and quickly poured Guo Tu a glass of wine:

"Brother Gongze, if you can really rescue the eldest son, you will be a great contributor to the people of Ruying!"

"From now on, not only me, your elder brother, but all of us in Ruying will follow your lead."

"If the eldest son can win the throne and inherit the Yuan and Wei dynasties in the future, you will be the first-class follower of the dragon!"

Guo Tu was so delighted by the flattery that he couldn't help but laugh, with pride written all over his face.

He took the wine glass handed to him by Chunyu Qiong and was about to bring it to his mouth.

Suddenly, from outside the tent, there was a deafening roar of killing, followed by the sound of gongs and alarms.

Guo Tu's hands trembled and he almost couldn't hold the wine glass steadily. He looked at Chunyu Qiong anxiously.

Chun Yuqiong's expression suddenly changed, and the smile in his eyes turned into shock:
"Could it be that the Chu army is attacking?"

"That's not right. Guling is more than 50 miles away from the front line. How could the Chu army sneak up to me without anyone noticing?"

"If the Chu army was launching a surprise attack, I should have received warnings from the sentries along the way!"

Guo Tu's heart skipped a beat and he suddenly thought of something.

"Could it be..."

An extremely ominous premonition suddenly spread throughout my body.

Chunyu Qiong didn't have time to think about it. He threw down the wine glass, jumped up and rushed out of the tent.

Guo Tu temporarily suppressed his uneasiness, jumped up quickly, and rushed out.

Listening carefully, I heard the deafening sound of killing coming from the south.

Outside the camp, dust and fog rolled up in the sky, covering it like a sandstorm.

Such sounds of killing and such dust and fog clearly indicate that a large army is charging towards the granary.

A horseman came galloping over, dismounted, and knelt down in front of Chunyu Qiong and the other man.

"General Chunyu, there seem to be countless soldiers approaching from the south of our camp!"

"Looking at the number of enemy troops, there must be at least 20,000 of them!"

More than 20,000 people?

Chunyu Qiong's expression suddenly changed and he lost his composure in an instant.

"Twenty thousand Chu troops?"

"With so many Chu troops, how did they evade our sentries and reach our Guling granary without anyone noticing?"

"This, this, this..."

Chunyu Qiong looked stunned, as if he had seen a ghost, and looked at Guo Tu in astonishment.

Sweat broke out on Guo Tu's forehead and a guilty look flashed in his eyes.

Only he himself knew why the tens of thousands of Chu troops outside the camp were able to evade their sentinels and reach the granary like a force descending from the sky.

Because we have him as our guide.

It was he who packed up all the military secrets of the Wei army and gave them to Liu Bei in exchange for the return of Yuan Tan!
Previously, he was still wondering how Liu Bei could defeat their 160,000-strong army with just this information?

Now the truth is out.

Liu Bei actually wanted to emulate the Battle of Guandu and launch a surprise attack on their granary!

A fire burned these one million hu of grain and grass, cutting off the food supply for the Wei army on the front line, and causing the army's morale to collapse and become chaotic without even fighting.

"Liu Bei, Xiao Fang, you and your lord are so despicable!"

"You guys are going to make me, Guo Tu, a sinner of the Yuan family~~"

Guo Tu gnashed his teeth, his face twisted with shame and anger.

"Gong Ze, what should we do?"

Chunyu Qiong's panicked cry interrupted his shame.

Guo Tu took a breath, trying to hide his inner guilt, and pretended to be calm:

"General Zhong Jian, don't panic. Maybe the military intelligence is wrong. Let's go to the camp wall first to see what's going on before making a decision."

The two of them immediately mounted their horses and rushed straight to the southern wall of the camp.

Climbing up the watchtower and looking up again, the optimism on the two men's faces disappeared in an instant.

Under the setting sun, a sandstorm was seen rolling in, covering the sky.

In the dust and fog, thousands of Chu army flags were looming in the dust.

With such a large battle and such a great momentum, there must be more than 20,000 Chu troops, and the attacking troops must be at least 30,000.

"Gong Ze, there are so many enemies, what do you think we should do?"

Chunyu Qiong was in a state of confusion and asked Guo Tu in a trembling voice.

Guo Tu pretended to be calm, and after rolling his eyes a few times, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

"When Cao Cao attacked Wuchao, he led his army to attack. Your Majesty did not listen to my advice and missed the God-given opportunity to kill Cao Cao."

"Now that the Chu army has arrived with so many soldiers and horses, Liu Bei must be leading the army personally. This is a great opportunity to kill Liu Bei."

"If I can kill Liu Bei, even if the eldest son dies, with my contributions, even if Yuan Shang takes the throne in the future, how dare he settle accounts with me?"

Guo Tu's mind raced, and he weighed the pros and cons in an instant, a sinister smile forming on his lips.

"General Zhong Jian, don't panic. Even if the enemy escapes our sentinels, don't forget that you still have 10,000 elite soldiers in your camp!"

"You must immediately send out orders to have all the troops at the camp wall and stand ready. We must defend the camp wall at all costs!"

"Hurry up and inform the king, and tell him to mobilize all the main forces to surround the big-eared thief and make sure he never returns!"

"As long as we kill the big-eared thief, we can accomplish our goal in one fell swoop!"

(End of this chapter)