"Lord, please withdraw!" Zhuge Liang sighed, and all kinds of plans were burned out with the fire. Although he didn't know who was planning for Guan Yu, the letter he had urged Cai Mao to write before deceived Guan Yu, but obviously he could not deceive the person behind the scenes.

At this time, the shortcomings in Zhuge Liang's character also began to appear.

In fact, it is not a disadvantage, but Zhuge Liang is the kind of person who pursues perfection. He will calculate every step in advance and make corresponding arrangements.

Generally speaking, Zhuge Liang's wisdom can calculate the Taoist situation in all aspects, but manpower is limited after all. Although Guan Yu in Nanyang is important, to put it bluntly, it is just a chess piece that Ye Zhao arranged in Xinye to attract the attention of the princes. Zhuge Liang calculated all the possible paths Guan Yu could take, but did not calculate how Ye Zhao would arrange it.

Indeed, if Ye Zhao did not want to give up the Central Plains at this time, he would not be able to devote his energy to dealing with Jingzhou. However, with Ye Zhao's current momentum and the talents under his tent, he did not need to do anything personally. He only needed to send a good counselor to control enough power to change the situation.

Although Zhuge Liang calculated that Ye Zhao might have doubts about the sudden compromise between Liu and Cai in Jingzhou, he did not expect that Ye Zhao would directly send such a person to Nanyang, completely disrupting Zhuge Liang's original plan against Guan Yu.

Zhuge Liang's pursuit of perfection became the biggest disadvantage at this time, because every step of the whole game was carefully arranged by him, so when someone pinched a certain node to disrupt the game, Zhuge Liang could not re-define the new layout in a short time. Simply put, although Zhuge Liang was extremely intelligent, he was used to everything being mastered, so when variables appeared, he lacked the ability to adapt to the situation.

Now, Zhuge Liang's only thought is to retreat and re-layout.

Liu Bei was naturally unwilling to do so. Although the situation had changed, there was not a chance to turn defeat into victory. This time, he was facing only people like Nanyang, but when they regrouped, they would face Ye Zhao's main army. At that time, let alone Nanyang could not get it, even Jingzhou would fall.

Therefore, Liu Bei decided to take down Xinye first, temporarily suppress the news that the food and grass were burned, and continue to attack Nanyang. As long as Wancheng takes it, the food and grass problem can also be solved.

Liu Bei's idea was not disappointed, but he miscalculated Nanyang's strength. The real elite troops were indeed only two troops, Guan Yu and Zhao Yun. But in fact, in this Nanyang, there were still 100,000 surrendered soldiers left by Lu Bu. These troops, because they were approaching Jingxiang, Ye Zhao did not disband them, but were incorporated into various counties.

After Fa Zheng and Guan Yu separated, the first thing he did was to transfer several places of heavy troops and let Cai Mao's army go deeper. When Cai Mao's army arrived in Wancheng, it was the real opportunity to counterattack. This time, Fa Zheng had a great appetite. He wanted to swallow up the 100,000 Jingzhou troops brought by Cai Mao.

When Liu Bei was about to fight against Guan Yu, Fa Zheng's reinforcements had arrived. Under the attacks inside and outside, the Jingzhou army, which was already in a bad morale, was completely depressed. As for Cai Mao's army, due to the dispersion, it was too late to assemble after Zhao Yun suddenly started to counterattack, and was killed by Zhao Yun commanding a group of generals throughout the territory.

The Jingzhou Army had a land battle, let alone the fierce soldiers in Guanzhong, Lu Bu could have crushed him with his men and horses at the beginning, so he was not the opponent of the elite Guanzhong. Although Zhao Yun had only 5,000 elite troops, there were still 30,000 Lu Bu surrendered troops left by Fa Zheng. The Jingzhou Army was completely stunned by this sudden counterattack. He only knew how to escape and did not dare to compete with Zhao Yun. The 100,000 troops retreated in large numbers.

At the suggestion of Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei led his army to Xiangyang. As for Cai Mao's fate, he was no longer concerned. As long as he occupied Xiangyang, took Xiangyang as a base, quickly integrated Jingzhou, reorganized the team, and then joined forces with Jiangdong, there might not be no chance of victory. After all, after passing the Han River, it was time to take the exam for the navy, which was also Ye Zhao's only shortcomings now.

But Fa Zheng has set up such a game of chess against Zhuge Liang, how could he give Zhuge Liang a chance to regroup?

As soon as Liu Bei crossed the river, news came that Xiangyang had been captured, and Liu Cong and Liu Qi all fell into the hands of the soldiers in Guanzhong, leaving only the remaining troops to escape from the river to seek help.

Zhuge Liang was knocked out by this combination of punches. The failure of Xiangyang means that Ye Zhao embedded a nail in Jingzhou. If the nail was not pulled out, the entire Nanzhong was within Ye Zhao's attack range. Moreover, the 100,000 troops brought by Cai Mao were completely cut off. The opponent didn't need to do anything else. He just needed to defend Xiangyang and several ferries. The army brought by Cai Mao this time could not be returned at all. Zhuge Liang, who was just a novice, was designed by someone for the first time, which made Zhuge Liang feel an unspeakable sense of frustration.

Liu Bei sighed. He also realized the seriousness of the problem. He glanced at Zhuge Liang and said to Zhang Fei: "Notify Uncle to arrive and withdraw the troops!"

"Where to go?" Zhang Fei asked subconsciously. Xiangyang was broken, and at this time, he obviously could not go back.

Liu Bei pondered for a moment and said, "Jiang Xia."

This is also their only way of retreat at present. Ye Zhao's main force is in the Central Plains, so there is no way to mobilize too many troops here. Although Xiangyang has lost, it is probably difficult to eat the entire Nanjun in one bite. As long as you gain a foothold in Jiangxia, you can also contact Jiangling and other places to organize the four counties in Jingnan to compete with Ye Zhao.

After looking at Zhuge Liang who was a little decadent, Liu Bei smiled and said, "Kong Ming doesn't need this. Victory and defeat are common in military affairs. In this life, victory and defeat are more than defeat. It's okay to fail once, and we may not have no chance."

It is so fresh and unreal to say that winning more than losing less is Liu Bei's strength. He can lose every battle but lose every battle. It is really impossible to do without a strong heart.

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang could only nod his head bitterly, help Liu Bei conquer the defeated army, and headed straight for Jiangxia.

Guan Yu recaptured Xinye, but just looked at the direction where Liu Bei fled far away, and his heart was mixed. If this battle was illegal, he would probably be the one who defeated him.

The situation in Jingzhou and Nanyang suddenly changed, which not only shocked the people in Jingxiang, but also shocked Ye Zhao, who had just captured Xia Pi and was originally planning to repair it here for a period of time and stabilize Xia Pi.

Fa Zheng occupied Xiangyang. If he could take advantage of this to take advantage of Jingxiang, Jiangdong would be the only one left.

At this moment, Ye Zhao ordered people to send letters with flying pigeons, and released eighteen carrier pigeons to inform Ganning to go south to capture Jiangling. At the same time, he ordered Ding Li and Fang Yue to stay in Xuzhou and then drove their troops to Nanyang. After running a thousand miles in half a month, they arrived in Xinye. In early May, they ordered Shengong Camp to build a large number of floating bridges on the Han River so that the soldiers could cross the river smoothly.

Xiangyang, the governor's office.

Zhao Yun came to pay a visit with a group of prisoners.

"Lord, this person is Cai Mao." Zhao Yun pointed to Cai Mao and said.

"See the Prime Minister!" Cai Mao bowed to Ye Zhao.

"Relax quickly, let's untie these guys together." Ye Zhao stood up and helped Cai Mao loosen the rope with his own hands, and smiled: "Although there are some misunderstandings, Brother Degui's reputation is known for a long time when the late emperor was alive. When the Yellow Turban cholera was in Nanyang, you and I also had a few encounters. In short, you and I still have a friendship with robes. Although you and I have some misunderstandings today, Gu still admires Degui quite well."

"Prime Minister is generous!" Cai Mao said to Ye Zhao with gratitude.

"Today's battle didn't have to happen." Ye Zhao sighed and said, "It's just that the scholars in Jingxiang may have some misunderstandings about the orphans, and the villain caused them to be troubled today. Speaking of which, you and I are both Han ministers, what's the point of fighting like this?"

"What the Prime Minister said is that the criminal minister is willing to convince the scholars of Jingxiang to surrender for the Prime Minister." Cai Mao was not the kind of person who was too principled. He was persuaded by Zhuge Liang before, and it was because of his own interests. Ye Zhao's new policy was too big for scholars, but this does not mean that Cai Mao would be willing to pay his own wealth and life for the benefit of the scholar class. After all, people are still for survival. In the face of life and death, no matter how big the matter is, it is a small matter. Not everyone can be generous in the overall situation. What's more, Ye Zhao's troops have come to Nanyang, and the entire Nanzhong is under Ye Zhao's military front. As for the four counties in Jingnan, they are not as good as one Nanjun. Cai Mao really doesn't want to make trouble anymore.

Coupled with Ye Zhao's attitude, he gave Cai Mao enough face and gave him a step.

Ye Zhao laughed when he heard this. Whether the scholars in Jingxiang surrendered or not. Ye Zhao didn't value it very much. He was interested in the navy of Jingxiang and the generals of Jingxiang naval forces.

"I dare to ask the Prime Minister, how will he treat the two young masters?" Just as Ye Zhao wanted to continue communicating with Cai Mao, a general who was unbound suddenly looked up and looked at Ye Zhao.

"Don't be rude in front of the Prime Minister!" Zhao Yun frowned and said in a deep voice.

"It's okay, this general is..." Ye Zhao waved his hand.

"The last general Wang Wei." The general clasped his fists and bowed.

"Loyalty and courage are commendable." Ye Zhao nodded with a smile, and thought for a while: "The two young masters are both relatives of the Han Dynasty. They wanted to grant Prince Cong the title of the governor of Qingzhou. As for Prince Qi, they would enter Chang'an and serve as the royal family, and inherit the Duke of Jingsheng."

When Wang Wei heard this, he bowed and said, "Young Master Cong is young, and I will be willing to follow Youth to Qingzhou to take up your post."

"Accurate!" Ye Zhao said with a smile.

Ye Zhao admired Wang Wei's loyalty and courage very much, but Ye Zhao is really not short of generals now, and Wang Wei's ability may not be as good as the generals trained in the academy. Since he wants to be loyal, Ye Zhao will not stop him.

The arrangements of the brothers Liu Qi and Liu Cong also made the last grudge in the hearts of the generals. Under the leadership of Cai Mao, generals such as Wenpin, Zhang Yun, Cai He and others all served their loyalty to Ye Zhao and were willing to help Ye Zhao surrender to Jingxiang and accept Ye Zhao's new policy.

I must have been resistant to Ye Zhao's new policy, but there is no way. Ye Zhao is now coming with the momentum of sweeping the Central Plains. The new policy has become the general trend. No matter how dissatisfied the gentry of Jingxiang, it will not be able to shake Ye Zhao's power now. Instead, Ye Zhao will be targeted. It is better to temporarily compromise and wait for the changes of the times.

Ye Zhao naturally knew what these people were thinking, but he was not afraid. As long as Jing Xiang was stable, it would be difficult for these people to turn over the table next.
Chapter completed!