Chapter 402

Causing Cao Cao so much pain he nearly fainted.

Fortunately, Cao Cao's mental fortitude was strong enough that he did not let the migraine completely crush him.

After Cao Cao's body felt slightly better, the advisors hurriedly gathered around.

"My lord, Gu Linzhi's momentum is great."

"The troops our army has left, compared to Gu Linzhi, do not possess any advantage."

"The current plan should be to hurry north, using Qingzhou as a base to reorganize the forces to resist Gu Linzhi."

Xi Zhicai, Guo Jia, Chen Qun, Cheng Yu, and others all proposed this view in unison.

Cao Cao turned his head to look at Xun Yu, who also nodded heavily.

Abandoning Yanzhou was truly a helpless move.

But if he did not abandon Yanzhou.

With the troops in Cao Cao's hands, it was likely impossible to gain any advantage from Gu Yi.

Moreover, Cao Cao only had this little bit of family fortune left in his hands now.

If it were all lost, he might as well just wash up and jump into the Yellow River!

Therefore.

Even though everyone in the Cao camp felt helpless in their hearts.

They could only be forced to accept the fact that their lair, Yanzhou, had been captured by Gu Yi.

"My lord, as long as the green hills remain, there is no need to worry about firewood."

Cao Ren, Cao Chun, Li Dian, Li Tong, Lü Qian, and other military generals also hurriedly came to Cao Cao's side, persuading Cao Cao to withdraw toward Qingzhou.

After several battles.

The Cao camp had suffered heavy casualties among its generals.

Yu Jin had already surrendered to Gu Yi after the second failure of the coalition of lords to crusade against Dong Zhuo.

Le Jin died on the walls of Runan.

Xia Hou Dun, Xia Houyuan, and Cao Hong had all become prisoners.

As for the remaining few generals of the Cao camp.

Although they indeed had ability.

For example, Cao Ren, who could be called a master of defensive warfare, was one of the steadiest generals in the Cao camp.

In the original history, Cao Ren garrisoned Nanjun with weak forces, resisting Zhou Yu for as long as a year and a half.

He even personally led troops to charge into Zhou Yu's formation multiple times, killing his way in and out three times.

Therefore, the Cao Ren of original history was praised as having the "bearing of a celestial being."

And Cao Ren's own younger brother, Cao Chun, was the future commander of the Cao camp's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, deeply trusted by Cao Cao.

Li Dian was a Confucian general with quite a reputation in the Cao camp.

If it weren't for his illness and death shortly after the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford in history, it is likely that his name would have appeared among the Five Elite Generals.

Of course, even if he could not become one of the Five Elite Generals.

With Li Dian's seniority in the Cao camp and Cao Cao's trust, his status would definitely not be low.

However.

These few generals, compared to Xia Houyuan, Cao Hong, and others, undoubtedly would not be so reckless in personality.

But it was precisely because they were not reckless.

They chose to collectively admit defeat at this moment, persuading Cao Cao to give up fighting for Yanzhou and instead head north to develop toward Qingzhou.

Cao Cao's heart was filled with unwillingness and hatred.

A little bit more, and he could have become a great lord spanning the three provinces of Yan, Yu, and Xu.

But now, none of these three provinces would belong to him anymore.

Instead, Qingzhou, which had suffered from the remnants of the Yellow Turbans and was poor and weak, became the only place of refuge Cao Cao could occupy.

"Withdraw the army."

"Before long, Cao will definitely bring everyone back to this place."

Cao Cao sighed long.

Of course, Cao Cao was also a person who could pick things up and put them down.

Although abandoning his lair, Yanzhou.

Was no different from stabbing his heart with a knife for him.

But at this moment, only by abandoning Yanzhou could he seek a glimmer of survival for the more than one hundred thousand Cao troops.

Otherwise.

Don't look at the fact that the Cao army still had over one hundred thousand troops.

If they really fought Gu Yi, the chance of winning would definitely not exceed ten percent.

After all.

Besides Gu Yi's main troops.

The thirty thousand elite cavalry of Zhao Yun and Lu Bu had also been eyeing them covetously.

What could the Cao army use to fight a decisive battle with Gu Yi?

One-for-one?

Very sorry, whether in quality or quantity, the Cao army was no match for Gu Yi.

Even if all these one hundred thousand troops under Gu Yi were exhausted, he could still mobilize troops from Luoyang or Chang'an.

But if all of Cao Cao's troops died, the options left for him would really only be to head north and defect to Yuan Shao.

…….