Chapter 394

Yanzhou

Chen Liu City

On the city walls

Xun Yu's brows were furrowed, and his hands were trembling uncontrollably.

Below the city, Gu Yi led tens of thousands of troops and had already arrived here.

And Cao Cao's main army, although also returning to Yanzhou from Xuzhou at the fastest speed.

But until now, there were still five days of travel left before they could return to Chen Liu.

Apart from Xun Yu, the expression on Xia Hou Dun's face didn't look any better.

The enemy was many and they were few.

Looking at the entire Chen Liu, there were only a little over 20,000 people left.

And Gu Yi's army was several times theirs.

A clever woman cannot cook without rice.

Even if Xun Yu was good at strategy.

But at this moment, he had no way to stop Gu Yi from leading his army to surround Chen Liu.

What made Xun Yu feel even more terrified was.

Gu Yi was not in a hurry to attack the city.

Instead, he calmly divided his soldiers into four parts.

And drew hundreds of strong men with loud voices from the army.

Dividing them into different batches, they kept shouting below the city walls:

"Listen, soldiers of the Cao army in the city, Xia Houyuan has already surrendered!"

"What are you still persisting for?"

"Think of your elders and fellow villagers."

"If you die in this meaningless war, what will happen to them, living in hardship?"

"There is only one chance."

"Anyone who voluntarily surrenders to our army will be forgiven for past mistakes, and can even receive a generous reward!"

"But if you want to continue to resist stubbornly, after the city is broken, you will be killed without exception!"

In this day and age, anyone who is a soldier.

Especially the bottom-level common soldiers.

Their family situations were all extremely miserable.

Under the various oppressions of the aristocratic families, the people of the Great Han were living in misery.

It sounds outrageous at first, but what is a fact is:

From the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the tripartite division into Jin.

The number of people who died in war was far less than those who died from various disasters and famines.

In this era.

Farming honestly, the final outcome was that one's ancestral farmland would be snatched by the aristocratic masters of the neighboring village by every possible means.

How could the farmers and common people who lost their land survive?

There was no way, either starve to death, or become mountain bandits and wandering outlaws.

Or, become an ordinary bottom-level common soldier under some warlord.

Compared to farming, the rewards for being a soldier were higher.

Especially after becoming a squad leader or battalion commander.

Apart from being able to support oneself.

One could also send the accumulated money and grain home, making life a little better for the family.

Of course, being a soldier was not a good option.

If one was unlucky and unfortunately died in some battle, there would be no pension in this era.

However, could the poor common people at the bottom of the Great Han have any other better choices?

At this moment.

Listening to the shouts of these strong men below the city walls, most of the Cao army soldiers on the city walls fell into silence.

Because Gu Yi had already sent people to spread the news of Xia Houyuan's "surrender" throughout Yanzhou.

Therefore, the soldiers in the city were not unfamiliar with the matter of Xia Houyuan's surrender.

As for whether Xia Houyuan had really chosen to surrender, there were many different opinions.

But at least more than 50% of the Cao army soldiers believed that this news was true.

Now.

Being stirred up by these strong men sent by Gu Yi, most of the Cao army soldiers fell into confusion and anxiety in their hearts.

Seeing that the situation was not good.

Xia Hou Dun hurriedly ordered the archers to draw their bows and arrows, preparing to shoot and kill those strong men below the city walls.

But how could Gu Yi give him this opportunity?

The moment he saw the archers on the city walls drawing their bows and arrows.

Gu Yi had already quickly ordered the shield bearers to raise their large shields.

Protecting them in front of those strong men.

After the arrows on the city walls were shot, those strong men opened their throats again to shout, in order to disturb the morale of the Cao army soldiers.

"How hateful!!!"

"Damn Gu Yi, you little brat!"

"Actually so despicable!"

Xia Hou Dun, this honest man, where had he seen such a way of playing without martial virtue?