Chapter 705: Especially Guan Yu Yu beheads Yan Liang and executes Wen Chou; Liu Bei is in danger (2nd update!)

It was against this backdrop

that the grand decisive battle between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao grandly pulled back its curtain.

On Cao Cao's side, because Su Xuan intentionally went easy on him, he was able to concentrate the vast majority of his troops to fight Yuan Shao with peace of mind.

Conversely, on Yuan Shao's side, although he had secretly colluded with the Xiongnu and Xianbei in an attempt to contain and even eliminate Jia Wu and Zhang Yan,

Jia Wu and Zhang Yan had received Su Xuan's support for many years, and their strength was no longer what it used to be.

They easily repelled the attacks of the Xiongnu and Xianbei, causing them to suffer heavy losses.

At the same time, Jia Wu and Zhang Yan each diverted a portion of their troops to posture for an attack on Jizhou and Youzhou,

forcing Yuan Shao to divert two forces totaling 100,000 men to block the offensives of Jia Wu and Zhang Yan respectively.

This left Yuan Shao feeling incredibly stifled.

Yet even so, after several months of mobilization and forced conscription, on the day of the expedition, the army Yuan Shao led to attack Cao Cao reached 300,000 men, counting only regular combat troops.

If logistics personnel were included, the number was no less than a million; the momentum was immense.

As for Cao Cao's side, his true regular army was only just over 200,000, and including logistics units, it did not exceed 500,000.

In particular, his cavalry, including the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, numbered only about 10,000.

Yuan Shao was different. Not to mention the large number of warhorses he seized after taking down Gongsun Zan and Liu Yu, nor the foundation of his Yuan clan,

he had traded for quite a few warhorses from the northern Hu Ren over these years just by colluding with them.

His total cavalry strength reached 100,000.

Among them, 70,000 to 80,000 were sent to attack Cao Cao.

Yuan Shao's initial offensive was incomparably fierce.

Led by Yan Liang and Wen Chou, the vanguard army split into two routes, crossing the Yellow River to attack Baima and Mengjin respectively.

At the start, Yuan Shao's army was like a hot knife through butter, forcing Cao Cao to retreat step by step, fully utilizing the advantages of large-scale cavalry warfare to launch a surprise attack.

This caused Cao Cao's situation to take a sharp turn for the worse.

That was until Cao Cao sent out Especially Guan Yu Yu.

Especially Guan Yu Yu replicated the battle record from Su Xuan's past-life memories, successively beheading Yuan Shao's great generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou, directly cutting off the momentum of Yuan Shao's vanguard army.

Ultimately, this forced Yuan Shao to confront Cao Cao's army at Guandu.

In Yuan Shao's main camp,

"Hateful! That Especially Guan Yu Yu is simply hateful! He actually beheaded my great generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou! It pains me to the core!"

"Liu Bei! I remember this Especially Guan Yu Yu is your second brother, right? Do you have anything else to say?"

Yuan Shao wore a look of extreme heartache, then glared at Liu Bei, as if he might execute Liu Bei at any moment if he could not provide a satisfactory explanation.

Sensing the faint murderous intent emerging in Yuan Shao's eyes, Liu Bei felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly explained: "Lord Yuan! Yunchang is indeed my second brother! But I cannot yet confirm that the Especially Guan Yu Yu in Cao Cao's army is my second brother!"

"Why doesn't Lord Yuan wait for me to probe and confirm it before deciding?"

"Besides, I believe that even if this person is truly my second brother Especially Guan Yu Yu, he must have had no other choice and faced hidden difficulties to do such a thing!"

"He absolutely cannot have truly defected to the Cao traitor!"

Liu Bei was very clear about his second brother's loyalty and righteousness.

There must be a misunderstanding here!

Hmm! Although Liu Bei said he was uncertain, in reality, he felt a faint sense in his heart that the person who beheaded Yan Liang and executed Wen Chou was likely his second brother.

"Yunchang! Second brother! What exactly happened to you? Why are you in Cao's camp, helping the Cao traitor attack Yuan Shao, and more importantly, why did you behead Yuan Shao's great officials and generals?"

"Aren't you pushing me into a pit of fire?"

Liu Bei muttered to himself.

"Could it be that Yunchang has truly forgotten the brotherhood between us, forgotten the vows we made when we swore our oath? Has he already defected to Cao Cao?"

Despite his outward confidence, Liu Bei could not help but mutter.

After all, Especially Guan Yu Yu and Zhang Fei were both tricked by him into swearing the oath in the first place.

Although their feelings had grown deeper over the years, they hadn't really lived many good days.

The Cao traitor was also incomparably cunning; if he constantly eroded Yunchang with favors and wealth, it was not impossible that Yunchang, feeling short of breath for a moment, had truly defected to Cao Cao...

After all, the human heart is quite complex.

Even if it were himself facing a constant barrage of sugar-coated bullets, he might not have the confidence to hold out.

Yuan Shao did not know what Liu Bei was thinking and immediately looked at Liu Bei coldly, asking: "Then how do you intend to confirm it?"

Liu Bei immediately replied: "As long as I am allowed to meet with that Especially Guan Yu Yu on the other side, I will be able to confirm it!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "Then if this person is truly your second brother, what will you do? What crime should you be charged with?"

"By then, if I kill you, you should have nothing left to say, right?"

"This..."

Liu Bei was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.

It was Xu You, standing to the side, who hurriedly interjected: "My lord! May I ask Lord Xuande a question?"

"Hmm?"

Yuan Shao looked at Xu You with some confusion, not understanding why he was stepping in to interrupt at this moment; could it be that he wanted to speak for Liu Bei?

"When did these two have a friendship?"

Yuan Shao wondered suspiciously.

However, that was not important; Xu You was his top strategist, so he had to give him this face. Perhaps Xu You could bring him a surprise?

Immediately, Yuan Shao waved his hand and said: "Fine! Go ahead and ask!"

"Thank you, my lord!"

Xu You bowed in thanks, then looked at Liu Bei and asked: "Lord Xuande! Your next answer concerns your life and death, so please answer my question seriously!"

Hearing this, Liu Bei looked at Xu You gratefully, bowed, and said: "Many thanks, Mr. Ziyuan! Please ask, and I will certainly answer seriously."

"Good!"

Xu You was very satisfied with Liu Bei's respectful attitude and immediately asked: "If you are allowed to see the Especially Guan Yu Yu on the other side and confirm that he is indeed your second brother, do you have the confidence to make him abandon Cao Cao's command, come to defect to my lord, and serve my lord?"

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