The next morning, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei led 8,000 infantrymen out of the city and headed towards Xuzhou along the official road. Han Zhan and his subordinates personally sent the army out of the city.

Looking at the soldiers and horses that were leaving, Guo Jia said to Han Zhan with emotion: "Lord, now Guan and Zhang are almost all under their former Yellow Turbans. After months of war, they look like strong soldiers."

Regarding Guo Jia's statement, Han Zhan nodded and said in agreement: "That's right, the former Yellow Turban subordinates gave Yun Chang and Yide so many of them, but they were worried that hundreds of thousands of people would gather together. It is a factor of uncertainty. It is necessary to find something for them to do. In the past few months of war, they have suffered heavy casualties, but the rest are elite soldiers who can serve as the main force of Jizhou in the future and fight for all parties for this marquis."

"Military advisor," Zhao Yun, who was standing aside, asked with some concern after the conversation between Han Zhan and Guo Jia came to an end: "Tell me, can Ziyi hold on until the reinforcements arrive? You know, it took two days for the messenger to rush on the road. The reinforcements will take as long as five days. Can Ziyi last for so long?"

"This is not where to speak," Guo Jia saw that everyone was still standing outside the city and there were many guards standing around, so he said to Zhao Yun: "Let's go back to the prefect's mansion and talk about it."

After Guo Jia reminded him, Zhao Yun also realized that it was not appropriate to talk about this matter outside the city gate. If it was leaked, it might cause unstable morale in the military, so he said to Han Zhan: "Second brother, let's go back to the house."

When he returned to the prefect's mansion, Guo Jiaping stepped back and said to Han Zhan and Zhao Yun: "Lord, General Zilong, let alone the two of Guan and Zhang walking on the road for five days, even if they walk for fifty days, as long as General Ziyi has enough food and supplies in the city, there will be no danger."

Guo Jia's words made Han Zhan and Zhao Yun confused when they heard this. Han Zhan turned his head and looked at Zhao Yun. Seeing that the other party was also looking at him, they both saw the doubts in each other's eyes. Han Zhan couldn't help asking, "Fengxiao, how do you say this?"

Guo Jia smiled faintly and said, "How much combat power can the new recruits recruited by Taishi Ziyi have? They can actually preserve so many people under the pursuit of Lu Bu? This is clearly because Lu Bu intends to let the water go to repay his lord's kindness. The reason why he still confronted Ziyi in Licheng was nothing more than just for Yuan Gaolu to see. If he wanted to fight, Ziyi's troops would have been destroyed long ago."

After hearing Guo Jia's analysis, Han Zhan felt that it was really possible. With Lu Bu's terrifying combat power, not to mention that he had 5,000 soldiers and horses, even if he had only 500 soldiers, he would still beat Taishici to the point of falling. He originally planned to lead the army south the next day, one to rescue Taishici, and the other to seize the territory of Xuzhou, but now he changed his mind and said to Zhao Yun: "Brother, I think Fengxiao is reasonable. We will rest here for two more days, and then go south to join Hansheng's troops and go to Xuzhou together."

If Guo Jia hadn't said what he said just now, maybe Zhao Yun would have been anxious to set up a large army to Licheng for rescue because he was worried about Taishi Ci's safety. But at this moment, he learned that Lu Bu did not really want to destroy Taishi Ci, but was just doing his order, so he changed his mind and agreed to stay here for another two days.

…………

The one who went to the battle with Lu Bu was Lei Bo, the captain under Yuan Shu. Nominally, he was Lu Bu's deputy, but in fact he was sent by Yuan Shu to monitor Lu Bu. For this, even if Lu Bu was brave but not resourceful, he could see it.

As Guo Jia analyzed, Lu Bu felt that he owed Han Zhan a favor and was ready to change it at the right time. Therefore, when he was ordered by Yuan Shu to chase Taishi Ci, he deliberately slowed down his marching speed. He set up camp after only thirty miles a day, and never took one more step.

If the troops led by Taishici had been rigorously trained and had been on the battlefield, and if they knew there were pursuers behind them, they would definitely increase the speed of the march and find ways to get rid of the pursuers behind them. However, when these new recruits heard that there were soldiers and horses chasing behind them, they were immediately in chaos. Many soldiers fled in the night, causing the morale of the army to plummet.

Taishici was worried that if he walked too fast, more soldiers would flee. Therefore, even though he knew that Lu Bu's troops were chasing him, he could not speed up the marching speed, so he could only march at a speed of twenty or thirty miles a day. However, for the sake of safety, he sent a exploring horse to explore the way forward to see if there was any suitable place to station troops to resist the pursuers in the rear.

Seeing that Lu Bu's marching speed was too slow every day and the distance between him and Taishi Ci's troops never shortened, Lei Bo repeatedly urged Lu Bu to speed up the marching speed. If Lu Bu's original character, if someone had been chattering in his ears every day, he would have used his Fang Tian Painting Liver to split the other party in half. However, considering that his family was young, Shouchun, which was still under Yuan Shu's control, could only delay the time.

Seeing that the troops had been setting off for ten days, they still couldn't catch up with Taishi Ci in front of him. Lei Bo couldn't tell that Lu Bu was intentionally letting the other party escape, so he sent his confidant back to Shouchun overnight to report what happened to Yuan Shu.

Yuan Shu learned that Lu Bu was deliberately slowing down the marching speed and seemed to be ready to let Taishi Ci go. He was so angry that he immediately took out his sword and handed it to Ji Ling and ordered: "Fu Yi, take my sword and take Lu Bu's head back."

Ji Ling agreed and stepped forward to take the sword. Just as he was about to leave, the chief minister Yang Hong came out of the queue and called Ji Ling, and then said to Yuan Shu: "Lord, no, no."

Seeing that his first counselor stopped him, Yuan Shu asked with an unhappy look: "Why not?"

"Lu Bu has outstanding martial arts skills and no one can defeat anyone in the world. If the lord is too impatient, he might take the risk." When Yang Hong said this, he glanced at Ji Ling meaningfully and continued: "Not to mention General Fu Yi, even if the lieutenant Lei Bo is added, he may not be his opponent."

"Yang Changshi, then tell me, what should I do with Lu Bu?" Yuan Shu asked angrily after Yang Hong finished speaking, "Can you really watch him let Taishi Ci go?"

"The lord can send someone to urge him to fight," Yang Hong said to Yuan Shu: "If you miss the opportunity to fight again, you will put his family in jail. In this way, Lu Bu will have to fight with Taishici."

Yuan Shu expressed doubts about Yang Hong's statement: "Brothers are like brothers and feet, and women are like clothes. Will Lu Bu listen to this general for his woman?"

Hearing Yuan Shu’s question, Yang Hong replied confidently: “My lord, please rest assured, the woman Lu Bu’s favorite was Diao Chan. For her, she did not hesitate to join Wang Situ and killed his adoptive father Dong Zhuo. Now the lord uses this woman to threaten Lu Bu, and he will definitely obey his will."

Yuan Shu felt that Yang Hong's words were very reasonable, so he adopted his suggestion and ordered Ji Ling to say, "Fuyi, immediately go to Lu Bu's army as a messenger, and urge him to chase Taishi Ci's troops. If they are allowed to return to the territory of Qingzhou, I will definitely be able to do military law."
Chapter completed!