Chapter 500

Coincidentally.

After taking a detour to Longxi, Cao Cao did not choose to launch a strong attack upon arriving at Poqiang County.

In fact, in the mission Duan Yu gave to Cao Cao, capturing Poqiang County was not a necessary task.

Because Cao Cao took a detour to Longxi, all the troops he led were cavalry.

Among them, the three thousand Xiongnu volunteers and the Changshui Battalion from the Five Schools of the Northern Army that Yuan Shao brought from Luoyang were all foreign tribes, who were not good at attacking cities to begin with.

Therefore, attacking Poqiang was determined by the situation.

But Cao Cao did not want to lose.

At the very least, in his performance in this battle, Cao Cao did not want to lose.

Duan Yu went alone to support Yunwu, and there was no need to mention the bloody battles he fought.

And Yuan Shao attacking Jincheng, that was a tough nut to crack.

Among the three, only his mission seemed heavy, having to detour from Hanyang Commandery to Longxi Commandery and then rush to Jincheng Commandery.

But in reality, his most difficult task was the journey.

Therefore, the first thing he did upon arriving at Poqiang.

Cao Cao observed the situation in Poqiang County.

After observing and resting for a day.

Cao Cao decided to attempt an attack on Poqiang as a trial.

At that time, Chen Qing'an held a dissenting opinion.

Because Chen Qing'an thought Cao Cao was going to launch a strong attack.

But that was not the case.

Cao Cao did not intend to launch a strong attack on Poqiang County.

Instead, he used a stratagem.

Cao Cao dispatched a small group of cavalry, disguised as reinforcements from Longxi, escorting a large amount of grain and fodder, and deliberately let them be discovered by the Qiang tribe occupying Poqiang County outside the city.

This was used as a strategy to lure the enemy.

When the Qiang tribe attacked the Han people, their primary focus was looting.

Cao Cao grasped the greed of the Qiang tribe for looting.

Using fake grain and supplies, he lured the Qiang cavalry originally stationed in Poqiang County out.

Sure enough, the Qiang in the city were indeed fooled when they heard there were supplies being escorted outside the city.

Most of the Qiang in the city were lured out.

Poqiang County was located northwest of the Huangshui River.

The battlefield Cao Cao chose required the Qiang to cross the Huangshui River.

This was precisely to prevent the Qiang from discovering it was a trap and having a chance to escape.

Sure enough, the two thousand Qiang cavalry in the city were ambushed by Cao Cao's hidden cavalry on the south bank of the Huangshui River after crossing it.

And on the way back to Poqiang County, they were blocked at the Huangshui River again.

Subsequently, they were surrounded and wiped out, with almost none escaping.

Immediately following this, Cao Cao dispatched Lu Bu, the most fierce and brave in charging the Qiang, disguised as Qiang cavalry, to cross the Huangshui River and head to Poqiang County.

To use their own methods against them.

He directly tricked the city gates of Poqiang County open.

In one go, it only took one day.

From luring the Qiang cavalry out of Poqiang County during the day, to using Lu Bu disguised as the victorious Qiang cavalry bringing back grain and supplies to trick the city open at night, he captured Poqiang County in one go.

At this time, inside Poqiang County.

Cao Cao ordered a good night's rest in Poqiang County.

Although all the troops Cao Cao led on this trip were cavalry.

But after six or seven consecutive days of rushing, the soldiers were already exhausted.

Fortunately, they had grain and fodder supplies provided by Longxi Commandery along the way, otherwise, it would not have been just a matter of fatigue.

Therefore, Cao Cao ordered a good night's rest in Poqiang County.

Tomorrow morning, they would head to Yunwu.

In the county government of Poqiang County.

The firelight was bright.

The banquet was full.

Wrapped in a black robe, Cao Cao looked much thinner due to several days of rushing, and his lips were also somewhat chapped.

Sitting on the left and right in the hall were the various generals.

Chen Qing'an, Zhang Liao, Zhang Xun, Li Jue, Guo Si, Hua Xiong, Zhang Xiu, and Lu Bu.

Besides the generals under Duan Yu, Cao Cao's clansmen Cao Ren, Xia Houyuan, and others were naturally there too.

There were no dancing girls, no singing girls, and no maids.

The hall was filled with a group of grown men.

But there was plenty of wine and meat.

"Come, I toast everyone a cup!"

Cao Cao raised his wine bowl toward the generals in the hall.

Especially the generals under Duan Yu.

Previously in Luoyang, Cao Cao had only seen Tie Shitou and Wang Hunu; he had not seen any of the other generals.

Now that he saw them.

After several days of contact, Cao Cao could only say two words in his heart.

Envy.

If he had to say three words.

That would be very envious.

If it were four words.