Chapter 1163

The million Qingzhou Yellow Turbans, although the vast majority were women, children, and the elderly.

But there were also three or four hundred thousand soldiers capable of fighting.

Couldn't three or four hundred thousand defeat thirty thousand?

Therefore, Zhang Rao, upon learning this news early in the morning, immediately sent messages to the commanders of other stockades.

Requesting everyone to join forces to attack these thirty thousand Han troops.

He was responsible for defending the stockade, and the other Huang Jin forces would join forces to attack the Han army from all directions.

This was the tactic they often used before.

Using absolute numbers to surround from all directions.

But now it was clear.

No one came to support him.

And the old, weak, women, and children in the surrounding stockades had already begun to flee.

"Commander, let's retreat."

Xu He, holding a sword, came to Zhang Rao's side: "The Han army is about to break through the gate; if we don't retreat now, it will be too late."

"Commander, as long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood; let's retreat." Sima Ju also advised from the side.

Zhang Rao gritted his teeth, looking at the black mass of Han troops outside the stockade, and then gritted his teeth again.

"Retreat, retreat!"

"Retreat toward the direction of Zhang Kai and the others; since they won't help, fine, if we die, we all die together," Zhang Rao said ruthlessly.

Xu He and Sima Ju nodded immediately.

Subsequently, Zhang Rao led hundreds of people to flee from the Mengshan mountain behind.

Tens of thousands of Huang Jin soldiers in the stockade were still resisting, completely unaware that Zhang Rao had already run away.

And Dian Wei, who had successfully torn open the gate of the stockade, only took a moment to clear the area around the gate.

Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Xia Houdun, and Xia Houyuan and others broke through the gate of the stockade and began a bloody slaughter.

The sun set in the west.

The afterglow of the sunset sprinkled on Mengshan, reflecting Mengshan into a golden mountain.

And Zhang Rao and others who fled all the way from Mengshan were also fleeing toward the direction of Fei County.

On the plain between Mengshan and Nishan, fleeing refugees could be seen everywhere.

Some were in groups of three or five, while others were hundreds of people walking staggeringly, not even knowing where to flee.

They just followed the large crowd in a daze, constantly taking steps in one direction.

The Huang Jin soldiers around Zhang Rao were all elites, and there were dozens of warhorses, which were exceptionally eye-catching among the numerous refugees.

After fleeing for an afternoon, Zhang Rao looked very disheveled at this time.

The armor on his body was crooked; where was the high-spirited look of yesterday?

Suddenly, a cavalry of dozens of people in the distance rushed toward Zhang Rao's direction.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Rao was startled, thinking that the pursuers had come.

But when he saw the leader clearly, Zhang Rao breathed a sigh of relief.

However, a trace of resentment also appeared in his eyes.

The person who came was none other than someone else.

It was Zhang Kai, one of the commanders of the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans.

And beside Zhang Kai, there was a general wearing a green war robe and holding a large saber.

On the other side, there was a man wearing a grey Confucian robe.

After the dozens of riders rushed to Zhang Rao, they stopped.

Zhang Kai, riding on his horse, bowed to Zhang Rao and said: "Brother Zhang, I have been looking for you for a long time; fortunately, you escaped."

Seeing Zhang Kai, Zhang Rao was furious and didn't give Zhang Kai a good look at all.

"Looking for me for a long time, hehe!" Zhang Rao said coldly: "Then I should thank you?"

"Eh..." Zhang Kai waved his hand hurriedly and said: "Brother Zhang, what are you saying? I know Brother Zhang must be blaming me, blaming me for not sending troops to support Brother Zhang."

"But it's not that I didn't help, Brother Zhang; don't you know the principle that a grieving army will win?"

"Those thirty thousand Han troops want to avenge Cao Cao. Since Brother Zhang has already beheaded that Cao Cao, why still clash with them?"

"Even if we win, what benefit do we have?"

"To tell you the truth, Brother Zhang, I have already found an excellent way out for us," Zhang Kai said.

An excellent way out?

Zhang Rao frowned.

"Brother Zhang, let me introduce you."

Zhang Kai said, looking at the two people beside him, and introduced: "This is the sworn brother of Langya Chancellor Liu Bei, General Guan, Guan Yu."

"This is the advisor beside Langya Chancellor Liu Bei, Mr. Jian, Jian Yong."

"Less than ten miles away from here, Lord Liu's army is waiting for us there."

When hearing the two words 'Liu Bei', Zhang Rao subconsciously reached for the sword at his waist.

However, Guan Yu, who was squinting his eyes, suddenly raised his eyebrows.

Zhang Rao only felt as if a chill rose from his waist instantly.

"Zhang Kai, what do you mean by this!" Zhang Rao, alert, pushed his body back and said: "Cao Cao sent someone to contact Liu Bei to put us to death; didn't I tell you?"

Zhang Kai, upon hearing this, waved his hand hurriedly and said: "Brother Zhang, you misunderstood!"

"Cao Cao did indeed mean that, but Lord Liu did not agree to Cao Cao, did he?"

"Lord Liu has already said that he wants to accept us, settle us in Langya, and submit a memorial to the imperial court to grant us official positions."

Zhang Rao's gaze looked at Guan Yu and Jian Yong.

Jian Yong, riding on his horse, said: "General Zhang, my Lord is benevolent and righteous, and cannot bear to see these refugees slaughtered by Cao Cao's subordinates, so he accepted and gathered you."

"If it weren't for this, why would my Lord need to go through so much trouble?"

"And my Lord also said that if General Zhang surrenders, then my Lord will naturally help General Zhang solve the pursuers behind him."

Zhang Rao's eyeballs rolled around.

It was indeed so; now the army in his hands was gone.

Even if he could gather some in the future, his strength would be far inferior to before. If Liu Bei really wanted to kill him, why would he go through so much trouble?

"Brother Zhang, Lord Liu is a benevolent gentleman and will certainly not be like that Cao Cao, who says one thing to your face and another behind your back," Zhang Kai advised again.

Zhang Rao, who had thought about it and had no other way to go, could only nod in agreement.

"Good, thanks to Lord Liu for not abandoning me, Zhang Rao is willing to be a pawn for Lord Liu in the future," Zhang Rao bowed to Jian Yong and said.

Not long after, when it was getting dark, Zhang Rao also met Liu Bei under the leadership of Zhang Kai.

And Liu Bei, after receiving Zhang Rao and comforting him, discussed with Jian Yong how to solve the pursuers of Cao Ren behind them.

"Xianhe, the Yanzhou army is not far from here, I believe they will catch up soon."

Liu Bei said in a deep voice: "Wanting to lead these million Qingzhou refugees into Langya State... is by no means an easy task."

Liu Bei, while speaking, looked at the refugees all over the field, and those old, weak, women, and children who walked the slowest.

The young and strong among the Qingzhou Huang Jin army formed an army, and their speed was still okay.

But the speed of these old, weak, women, and children was too slow.

Being caught up was only a matter of time.

"If you don't want to have a conflict with the Yanzhou army, it's a bit difficult," Jian Yong said, frowning.

Liu Bei took a deep breath and said: "In this way, Xianhe, you and Yunchang take the army and lead the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans to retreat toward the direction of Linyi first; once you reach Linyi, it will be fine."

"As for me..."

"I will take Yide and leave only a small part of the army, gather these old, weak, women, and children, and follow behind."

As soon as Liu Bei said this, the look in Jian Yong's eyes changed immediately. ===== CHAPTER 1165 =====