Night covers Han Tao's camp outside Handan City.

Zhou Cang's body was stolen by the soldiers, and Han Tao specially arranged for someone to set up a mourning hall for worship in the camp.

The night was already deep, and Han Tao was still sitting quietly in front of the coffin in the mourning hall and refused to leave.

At this time, Han Tao was full of self-blame. If he had not been too confident, he believed that he had formed absolute suppression on Yuan Shao and relaxed his vigilance. Without arranging people in advance to investigate the battlefield trenches and deep trenches, Zhou Cang and the siege troops would not have been raided and wiped out.

It has to be said that from the beginning of the Battle of Hulao Pass, to the later recovery of Jingzhou, pacifying Yizhou, and defeating Yuan Shu, Han Tao was all smooth sailing, which made him feel that he was invincible in the world, and defeating Yuan Shao and others was just around the corner, so he relaxed psychologically.

To underestimate the enemy, you will have to pay a heavy price. Today's victory taught Han Tao a deep lesson and also made him wake up.

Whether it is Yuan Shao or Cao Cao and Liu Bei whom they will face in the future, they are all heroes in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and there are many famous strategists and generals around them.

I was able to continue to win in the past, use tactics properly, and have my own knowledge from later generations, as well as a powerful army and a large number of talents to help me.

But now it is time for the two sides to fight to the decisive battle, and there is absolutely no tolerance for any mistakes. At the moment of life and death, the other party will definitely burst out with great combat power and fight with all their might.

The sound of footsteps came from behind Han Tao, and he slowly stopped behind him.

"Lord, it's already late at night. You've been waiting here for a long time. You'd better go back and rest early." The person who spoke was Xun Yu, who came to persuade Han Tao to rest.

"The death of Yuanfu is all my mistake in judgment. I feel extremely guilty in my heart now. Just let me stay with him for a while." Han Tao sighed softly and responded.

"Lord, victory or defeat is common to military strategists, and there are always victorious generals in this world? Yuan Fu doesn't want to see you feel so depressed and uncomfortable for him."

"I'll also ask the lord to take care of himself, lead us to regain our strength, defeat Yuan Shao, and avenge Yuanfu. Only when he is in the nine springs can he be truly peaceful." Xun Yu comforted and persuaded Han Tao.

"Yuan Fu was killed, and the long-range troops he brought were also killed in the fire. It would be even more difficult for us to attack Handan. I am willing to transfer people from other prefectures and counties. I wonder what Wen Ruo is thinking?" Han Tao raised his head and asked Xun Yu.

"Lord, it's not the best way to draw troops to come, that is, to compete with Yuan Shao for manpower and consumption. I have a plan, maybe it will do it." Xun Yu said to Han Tao.

"Wenruo, what are you going to do? Tell me quickly." Han Tao was upset because of Zhou Cang's death and could not calm down, so he naturally couldn't think of a good strategy to break the enemy.

"Lord, attacking Handan head-on is too expensive for our army, so why not try to fight in a roundabout way, directly attack Qingzhou, and then form an encirclement of Yuan Shao's Jizhou from Qingzhou?" Xun Yu offered advice to Han Tao.

Han Tao was slightly stunned when he heard Xun Yu's words, and then sighed: "Even Handan cannot break through, we cannot advance at all, so why should we attack Qingzhou and Youzhou?"

"Lord, our troops were blocked in Jizhou, but there should be no problems in advancing from Xuzhou and Yanzhou to Qingzhou, right?" Xun Yu reminded Han Tao.

After hearing Xun Yu's explanation, Han Tao suddenly realized: "Wenruo, what you mean is to ask me to write a letter to Cao Cao and Liu Bei, asking them to assist me in sending troops from Yanzhou and Xuzhou to attack Yuan Shao?!"

"Cao Cao has always claimed to be loyal to the Han Dynasty as a Han minister; Liu Bei also claimed to be a relative of the Han Dynasty, and the lord issued an order to them in the name of the emperor. How dare they not obey? Wasn't it also the lord issued an order to withdraw them from Qingzhou to Yuan Shao? This is the perfect time to ask them to send troops to help and avenge Yuan Shao." Xun Yu explained his intention to Han Tao.

"Well, this is indeed a good idea. If the two of them can send troops and Yuan Shao is attacked, they will be panicked and they will also divide their troops to rescue him. We will have a chance. Okay, then I will immediately submit a letter to the emperor and ask him to issue an order to Cao Cao and Liu Bei immediately, ordering them to send troops to help and attack Yuan Shao together." After hearing Xun Yu's plan, Han Tao cheered up and stood up immediately.

...

A few days later, in the Xuzhou Governor's Mansion, Liu Bei summoned his advisers and many generals to discuss the plot.

"Everyone, I just received an imperial edict from the Chang'an Emperor, asking me to send troops immediately to attack Qingzhou and assist Han Tao in encirclement and suppress Yuan Shao." Liu Bei announced the imperial edict he had just received to his subordinates.

"This Han Tao is really cunning. In order to coax Yuan Shao, he asked us to give up Qingzhou! Now he is going to attack Yuan Shao, and he asked us to send troops to attack Qingzhou. What did he treat us as?" Zhang Fei responded angrily.

"Yes, brother, we are sending troops to attack Yuan Shao now. Not to mention that we are consuming troops for nothing. Once Yuan Shao is annihilated, who knows whether Han Tao will turn around and attack us? I don't think we can send troops!" Guan Yu also agreed with Zhang Fei's words.

Liu Bei said with a embarrassed look: "Of course I know Han Tao's intention, but I am now enthroned by the emperor and became the governor of Xuzhou. Now that the imperial edict has arrived, I asked me to send troops. If I do not obey it, it will become an anti-order! As a relative of the Han family, I will publicly resist the edict, wouldn't it become a rebellion? How can I recite this charge?"

After Liu Bei said this, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and the advisers were silent.

The failure to obey the order is indeed a mountain pressing above his head. As Liu Bei's identity, he would never dare to make such a decision.

"Brother, then so, we really have to send troops to help Han Tao attack Qingzhou?" Zhang Fei asked unwillingly.

"Otherwise, what can I do?" Liu Bei responded helplessly.

"Lord, I have a plan that will prevent our army from sending troops to Qingzhou, and there are legitimate reasons to declare war with Han Tao directly. I just don't know if you are willing?" A seventeen or eight-year-old boy from the team of counselors around Liu Bei left the list and asked.

The young man had a feather fan and a fur scarf, tall and handsome, and he was holding a feather fan in his hand, looking graceful.

Liu Bei looked at the boy and smiled happily: "Mr. Kongming, what are your tricks? Please tell me quickly."

This young man was Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei's newly recruited strategist. Because he repeatedly gave Liu Bei good ideas, Xuzhou's internal affairs were stable and people's livelihood was developing very well. Liu Bei also trusted and valued him very much. At this time, when he heard Zhuge Liang take the initiative to offer advice, Liu Bei naturally listened carefully.
Chapter completed!