Chapter 373

After confirming that Zhang Xiu was indeed a scout sent by Xia Houyuan.

Tian Feng and Guo Tu hurriedly asked Zhang Xiu:

"What is the current situation in Runan City?"

"Has Xia Hou Miaocai managed to repel the army led by Gu Linzhi?"

Regarding the questions from Tian Feng and Guo Tu.

Gu Yi and Fa Zheng had long anticipated them.

Therefore, Zhang Xiu answered Tian Feng and Guo Tu calmly according to the template Gu Yi had taught him.

Zhang Xiu responded in a deep voice:

"Two gentlemen, General Xia Hou and General Le tried their best to repel Gu Linzhi's two offensives."

"But our brothers in the Runan City garrison also paid an extremely heavy price for this."

"The garrison in the city has already lost more than twenty thousand men!"

Tian Feng and Guo Tu couldn't help but feel shocked upon hearing this.

But upon second thought.

It was reasonable for the Cao army to pay such heavy losses when encountering the fierce Dong Zhuo army.

If Zhang Xiu had answered that the garrison in the city had basically not suffered any major losses, it would have instead aroused the suspicion of Tian Feng and Guo Tu.

But losing twenty thousand garrison troops actually confirmed their conjectures about the current situation in Runan from the side.

Before this, Tian Feng and Guo Tu had inferred that the situation Xia Houyuan was facing must be quite bad.

After all.

His opponent was Gu Yi, who had defeated the Guandong coalition twice!

But now.

The fact that Runan was still under Xia Houyuan's control could already be considered the greatest fortune among misfortunes.

Having filled in the gaps in their minds, Tian Feng and Guo Tu asked Zhang Xiu for some news about the defense situation in the city.

After listening to what Zhang Xiu said.

The two hurriedly requested Yuan Tan:

"Eldest Young Master, please immediately speed up the march."

"With our seventy thousand reinforcements, relying on the sturdy Runan City, even Gu Linzhi will only end up failing here!"

In the original history, in the first year of Jian'an, Yuan Tan led fifty thousand troops to capture Qingzhou and drove away Kong Rong.

But now, under the butterfly effect of Gu Yi, Yuan Tan had not been on the battlefield.

Leading troops this time could be considered his first battle.

His heart was inevitably filled with a desire to achieve success.

Hearing that both Guo Tu and Tian Feng suggested speeding up the support for Runan.

Yuan Tan immediately gave the order, commanding the entire army to switch to forced march mode, and must arrive at the foot of Runan City as soon as possible.

And Zhang Xiu thus mixed into the ranks of the Yuan camp.

After inquiring, he soon learned the ins and outs of Yan Liang knocking out Qu Yi.

Regarding this, Zhang Xiu didn't know what to use to complain about it in his heart for a while.

This Qu Yi was from the same northern land of Liangzhou as him.

But he didn't expect this fellow to be arrogant to such a degree!

But Qu Yi did indeed have the capital to be arrogant.

The record of the Vanguard Death Soldiers shooting down cavalry with infantry bodies was something no other unit in the same era could achieve.

For the next few days, Zhang Xiu remained in the ranks of the Yuan camp.

It wasn't until Yuan Tan led the army to arrive at the foot of Runan City that Zhang Xiu quietly found an opportunity to leave the Yuan camp.

But before this.

Zhang Xiu had already sent people to inform Gu Yi of all the intelligence of the Yuan camp in advance.

That is to say.

These seventy thousand men led by Yuan Tan.

In Gu Yi's eyes, they were like lambs waiting to be slaughtered, stripped of their clothes.

At the foot of Runan City

Yuan Tan stood at the foot of the city tower with Yan Liang, Chunyu Qiong, Tian Feng, and Guo Tu.

Just as the four were wondering why Xia Houyuan still hadn't opened the city gates to welcome them into the city.

They saw the "Xia Hou" banner on the city tower suddenly being pulled down.

Subsequently, what was replaced was the "Gu" banner!

Seeing this scene, the expressions on the faces of Tian Feng, Guo Tu, and the others changed suddenly.

"Eldest Young Master, quickly order a retreat!"

"Runan City, I'm afraid it has already been taken by that fellow Gu Linzhi!"

No sooner said than done.

No sooner had Tian Feng and Guo Tu finished speaking.

Countless arrows from the city tower fell down with a rustle!

Many Yuan soldiers who couldn't dodge in time were instantly shot into beehives.

"Damn it!"

"Where did those ten or so Cao army scouts run off to?"

Yuan Tan roared sternly.

However, Zhang Xiu had already run off without a trace by now.

He would never leave any opportunity for the Yuan army to kill him.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The most terrifying scene appeared!

Twenty thousand Xiliang Iron Cavalry, who had long been ready to go, killed their way from the end of Yuan Tan's field of vision under the leadership of Hua Xiong!

"Xi... Xiliang Iron Cavalry!"

The Yuan soldiers were instantly scared out of their wits.

During the second coalition of warlords against Dong Zhuo, the cavalry unit under Yuan Shao's command was wiped out because they fell into a trap.

Although after returning to Jizhou, Yuan Shao, who had a large family and business, reorganized a new cavalry unit.

But how could a precious unit like cavalry be trained in a day or two?

Therefore, this time heading south, Yuan Tan only had two thousand miscellaneous cavalrymen by his side who were not rich in combat experience.

Facing twenty thousand elite Xiliang Iron Cavalry...

These two thousand cavalrymen were probably not even enough to fill the gaps between their teeth.

Moreover.

Besides the Xiliang Iron Cavalry.

The remaining seventy thousand plus soldiers of Gu Yi.

Had also been led by five great generals: Huang Zhong, Xu Huang, Zhang He, Pang De, and Fan Chou.

And were encircling Yuan Tan from different directions!