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

Chapter 77 Dad, please stop laughing! Cao Cao: Heaven, how can you be so unkind to me!
The flag with the character "Guan" on it has a face as red as a date and a long sword in hand...

If the coming general is not Guan Yu’s son Guan Ping, who else could it be?
From the sound of his shout, it turned out that Xiao He had calculated that he would be defeated and flee to Chaoyang, so he ordered Guan Ping to take a boat to Yushui River to intercept him first!
Cold sweat rolled down Cao Cao's forehead, and a creepy chill ran from head to toe.

The moment before, he was laughing out loud, mocking Liu Bei's short-sightedness, laughing at Xiao He's limited wisdom, and laughing at the other party for not sending troops to set an ambush here.

The next moment, Guan Ping descended from the sky like a god, and all the ambush troops were mobilized.

At this moment, Cao Cao was not only shocked by the "country bumpkin"'s ability to predict the future, but also felt ashamed as if he had been slapped in the face.

For a moment, Cao Cao froze there, and was briefly at a loss as to what to do.

The Cao army around was in great fear.

From counselors and generals to soldiers, all looked at their Prime Minister Cao with resentful eyes.

You are talking about something, Prime Minister, why are you laughing so loudly?

This smile was not a big deal, but it actually attracted Liu Bei's ambush. Prime Minister, you really have a bad mouth.

"Father, the big-eared thieves are ambushing us. What should we do?"

Cao Pi was in a panic and grabbed Cao Cao's arm and screamed tremblingly.

Cao Cao came to his senses, glanced at the soldiers around him, and felt endless sadness in his heart.

I only have 5,000 soldiers under my command, and they are all exhausted. How can I fight again?

Even the most elite Tiger Guards, facing Liu's ambush, looked panicked and cowardly.

How can we fight in this situation?
"I have fought for decades, and even a powerful like Yuan Shao could not defeat me. Could it be that today, I will be plotted against by a country bumpkin and die at the hands of a big-eared thief?"

"How unkind to me, O great heaven—"

Cao Cao was filled with desolation and looked up to the sky and asked sadly.

At this moment, under the successive blows, he was actually feeling desperate.

Seeing this, Cheng Yu stepped forward and supported Cao Cao, saying sternly:
"Prime Minister, we have survived the Battle of Guandu. How can we give up hope now?"

"I think the enemy's ambush troops are only 7,000, which doesn't necessarily mean they have an absolute advantage. Prime Minister, you can ask the Tiger Guards to fight to the death to stop the enemy, while we will break up and retreat northwards in the northwest direction."

"Even if the Tiger Guards can't stop the enemy, they won't necessarily chase the Prime Minister. He still has a great chance of escaping!"

Cao Cao was suddenly awakened, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in his desperate eyes.

"Zhongde's words make sense. I'm not at my wit's end yet!"

Cao Cao regained his spirits and glanced at the remaining generals:
"Who among you is willing to lead the Tiger Guards to defend me from the enemy's ambush?"

Not only were the soldiers scattered along the way, but most of the generals were also separated. Apart from counselors such as Cheng Yu, the only generals who could fight with Cao Cao were Xu Chu, Xiahou Shang and a few other Tiger Guard generals.

These people are now the only lifeline Cao Cao can rely on.

"I'll go and block Guan Ping for the Prime Minister!"

Xu Chu didn't hesitate at all and was about to charge with his sword in hand.

"Zhongkang, wait!"

Xiahou Shang stopped Xu Chu and said sternly:
"The Prime Minister and Prince Zihuan must be accompanied by a powerful general for protection. If you can't go, I'll go!"

Without waiting for Xu Chu to react, Xiahou Shang rode out on his horse with sword in hand.

"Tiger Guards, listen up! The Prime Minister has been incredibly kind to you. Now is the time to repay his kindness."

"Follow me in this fight to the death, and kill the enemy—"

Xiahou Shang shouted loudly, waving his long sword and rushed towards the surging Liu army.

The five thousand exhausted and panicked Tiger Guards all recalled Cao Cao's kindness at this moment, and their blood was instantly ignited for Xiahou Shang.

A cry like that of a trapped beast was heard.

Five thousand Tiger Guards followed Xiahou Shang, roaring and snarling as they pounced on Liu's army.

"Boren, you——"

Cao Cao stretched out his hand to call his nephew, but swallowed the words back when they came to his lips.

If Xiahou Shang goes this way, he will surely be in great danger.

But what can he do?

At this moment of life and death, if he wants to survive, someone must sacrifice.

"Father, Brother Boren risked his life to delay the enemy. How could we let his sacrifice be in vain?"

"Father, let's retreat!"

Cao Pi was so anxious that his voice became hoarse.

Cao Cao let out a long breath, leaned over to pick up the whip again, and clasped his fists towards Cheng Yu and the others:

"We will split up and retreat northward separately."

"Everyone, please take care of yourselves. I will be waiting for you in Xinye."

After saying this, Cao Cao whipped his horse and galloped away towards the northwest.

Xu Chu, along with more than ten tiger guards and Cao Pi, followed closely.

Cheng Yu and the others looked at each other, sighed, and galloped away.

Behind him, the fighting has begun.

Five thousand Tiger Guards of Cao's army and seven thousand soldiers of Liu's army collided violently on the banks of the Yu River.

Blood mist rose into the sky and screams of misery were heard everywhere.

The Tiger Guards' brief burst of enthusiasm could not change the reality that they were exhausted and physically exhausted.

The seven thousand soldiers of Liu's army came by boat. They had enough food and sleep well along the way, and they were all full of energy.

In terms of troop numbers, mental and physical strength, Liu's army had the advantage.

What's more, these 7,000 soldiers came with the momentum of defeating Cao's army in Fancheng, and their morale was high.

In just a moment of collision, the 5,000 Tiger Guards Cao's army were scattered and the soldiers and horses were thrown to the ground.

Guan Ping brandished his long sword and rushed forward like a god of war.

The Guan family's inherited swordsmanship was used, and the Cao army soldiers along the way were all beheaded like cutting vegetables and melons.

With just one man and one horse, they almost defeated Cao's army.

"Think of the great favor the Prime Minister has shown you. Do not retreat! Hold the line to the death!"

"Even if you die in battle, the Prime Minister will provide generously for your wives and daughters!"

"I, Xiahou Shang, will fight to the death alongside you!"

Xiahou Shang's sharp shouts rang out among the chaotic army.

This elite of the younger generation of the Xiahou clan was brandishing a long sword and shouting at the Tiger Guards to fight to the death against the charge of Liu's army.

"Xiahou Shang, Cao Cao's nephew?"

Guan Ping, who was in the midst of a killing spree, suddenly became spirited, and his eyes swept in the direction of the voice, locking onto the figure of a military general.

As Xiao He said, even if Cao Cao could not be killed in this battle, killing a few of Cao's generals would be a great achievement.

Xiahou Shang is a descendant of the Xiahou family and his status is comparable to that of Cao Xiu. He is a big fish.

"You bastard Xiahou, Guan Ping is here, prepare to die!" Guan Ping's eyes suddenly became bloodshot, and with a sharp roar, he rode his horse and dragged his sword straight towards Xiahou Shang.

Wherever the blade passed, the Cao soldiers who blocked its way were knocked to the ground like ants, and no one could stop it.

"Guan...Guan Yu?"

Xiahou Shang looked up and seemed to see Guan Yu, and he shuddered all over.

It was not until Guan Ping's iron tower-like body stood in front of him, with the long sword in his hand slashing like a storm, that he realized that the person was not the bearded man.

But it was his son Guan Ping.

"I'm a bit afraid of Guan Yu, but who do you think you are? How dare you act so arrogantly!"

Xiahou Shang's shock turned into contempt and disdain. He swung the long sword in his hand back and blocked it.

"throat!"

There was a loud bang as if the sky was collapsing.

The unparalleled force came with the pressure of a mountain.

Xiahou Shang's long sword was instantly repelled, his body leaned back, and he was actually knocked off his horse.

"Guan Yu's son actually has such divine power?"

Xiahou Shang, who was in mid-air, was spitting blood, his face twisted with endless fear and astonishment.

Guan Ping, who was riding non-stop behind him, had already caught up with him and slashed him with the second blow.

"Crack!"

Xiahou Shang, who was in mid-air, was cut in half.

A wailing sound sounded.

Xiahou Shang's body fell to the ground, and his life slipped away like lightning.

"Uncle, I won't be able to see the day when you establish the Cao family empire. I have done my best."

"Uncle, one day, you must kill the big-eared thief and Guan Ping to avenge your nephew—"

Blood spurted from Xiahou Shang's mouth, and he looked in the direction of Cao Cao's escape with a sad and angry look.

"My uncle is assisted by gods and blessed by heaven. Cao Cao's attempt to usurp the Han Dynasty will only lead to his own destruction!"

Guan Ping snorted coldly and slashed down again with the bloody knife in his hand.

Xiahou Shang's head fell to the ground.

Seeing their commander killed, the Tiger Guards of Cao's army used up their last drop of chicken blood and fled in all directions.

Along the banks of the Yu River, corpses were scattered everywhere.

Almost all of the 5,000 Tiger Guards were killed or wounded, with less than 500 escaping.

These five thousand lives also successfully bought Cao Cao an opportunity to escape.

Under the protection of Xu Chu, the father and son of the Cao family, they did not dare to stay for a moment and bypassed Chaoyang City and headed north to Xinye.

Cao Cao was fat and several of his war horses died of exhaustion along the way. Xu Chu had to order his personal guards to give their mounts to Cao Cao.

By the next morning, when the east was getting light, only Cao's father and son were still on horseback. The other ten or so people, including Xu Chu, could only follow on foot.

"Prime Minister, we are almost at Xinye City. Please hold on a little longer."

Xu Chu was panting like a cow, but he still pointed ahead to comfort Cao Cao.

Cao Cao looked into the distance and saw the outline of Xinye City right in front of him.

This thrilling escape is finally coming to an end.

Cao Cao let out a long sigh and collapsed on the horse's back as if he had collapsed.

After looking around, there were only about ten people left.

Looking back, Xiahou Shang hadn't caught up with him, so he was probably in great danger.

Cao Cao never dreamed that he would end up in such a miserable state.

"Hahaha--"

Cao Cao suddenly straightened his back and laughed out loud towards the sky.

Cao Pi, Xu Chu and others all looked at Cao Cao in confusion and bewilderment, all of them completely bewildered.

The last time he smiled, he attracted an ambush of 7,000 Liu troops, killed 5,000 Tiger Guards, and nearly lost his life.

How come you don’t learn your lesson and can still laugh?
Cao Cao's smile faded, and a hint of pride appeared on his face:
"Liu Bei's military strategy is indeed different from before, and Xiao He's wisdom and strategy are truly remarkable. I have to look at him with new eyes."

"What a pity! I was not blessed by fate. No matter how hard his master and his ministers tried, they still couldn't kill me and let me escape."

"As the saying goes, those who survive a great disaster will surely have good fortune in the future. How can I not smile?"

"Hahaha--"

Just as Cao Cao was rejoicing that he had escaped disaster, a cloud of dust suddenly swept in from the direction of Xinye.

In the dust and fog, countless figures of soldiers and horses appeared and disappeared.

"ambush?"

"Father, there's another ambush from Liu Bei!"

Cao Pi was terrified and pointed forward and shouted.

Cao Cao was so frightened that he slipped off his horse and fell to the ground.

"Prime Minister!"

Xu Chu hurriedly helped Cao Cao up.

Looking at the troops rolling in from the front, Cao Cao's mentality completely collapsed.

"Could it be that the Big Eared Bandits have already sent out a surprise attack on Xinye?"

"Heaven has doomed me, Heaven has doomed me—"

Cao Cao cried out to the sky, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Xu Chu gritted his teeth and shouted:
"Prime Minister, the enemy hasn't arrived yet. You still have a chance to escape. Please mount your horse immediately!"

As he spoke, Xu Chu lifted Cao Cao up and tried to force him onto the horse.

Who would have thought that the warhorse was also exhausted to the limit, its four hooves could no longer support it, and it fell to its knees on the ground with foam at the mouth.

The last warhorse collapsed from exhaustion at this critical moment!

Xu Chu glanced around anxiously, and his eyes suddenly fixed on Cao Pi.

Now, only Cao Pi still has a horse!

Xu Chu shouted at Cao Pi without hesitation:

"Master Zihuan, what are you still standing there for? Hand over your mount to the Prime Minister!"

Cao Pi's body froze, and he sat stiffly on his horse without getting off immediately. There was a hint of hesitation in his frightened eyes.

(End of this chapter)