Dividing Forces Once Again, Yuan Shao Departs First

Tian Feng devised a strategy for Yuan Shao, suggesting that Zhang He lead the majority of the remaining troops to ambush Cao Cao's pursuing forces.

Following this, a unit of cavalry would escort Yuan Shao back to Yecheng.

Their current location was not far from Yecheng. If the cavalry pushed forward at top speed, they could return to the city within a single day and night.

With Ju Yi captured and Yuan Shao's remaining forces in disarray from blocking Cao Cao's army, Yuan Shao could not simply ignore Cao Cao's potential flanking force.

If one were to truly disregard Cao Cao's ambushing troops, and they suddenly struck from the rear, Yuan Shao would be caught entirely off guard.

It was imperative to leave behind an army to act as an ambush party and intercept any pursuing forces from Cao's camp.

By taking the cavalry with him and leaving the infantry behind, Yuan Shao was effectively shedding dead weight.

Unburdened by the slow pace of the foot soldiers, Yuan Shao and his men would be able to return to Yecheng much faster.

Upon hearing Tian Feng's proposal, Yuan Shao immediately nodded and praised, "Yuanhao's strategy is brilliant! Junyi, you shall lead the troops and remain behind to set the ambush!"

At this moment, Yuan Shao's heart was set solely on returning to Yecheng.

Leaving the infantry behind while the cavalry escorted him back was the best possible arrangement for him.

A military general naturally never feared battle.

Regardless of which Cao general came forward, Zhang He would show no fear.

Zhang He had no objections to staying behind as the ambush commander.

His only concern, however, was Yuan Shao's safety once he was left behind.

If Zhang He departed to take command of the rear guard, Yuan Shao would be left without a major general by his side.

"I have no objection to staying behind to ambush the enemy, but once I leave, I cannot help but worry for My Lord's safety!" Zhang He stated bluntly without concealing his thoughts.

As soon as Zhang He voiced his concern, before Tian Feng could reply, Yuan Shao spoke up first: "Junyi, you are overthinking this!"

"Ahead of us lies Yecheng. Cao Aman's army can only possibly chase us from behind; how could they possibly ambush us from the front?"

"Could it be that Cao Aman's army can somehow emerge from right inside Yecheng?"

Clearly, neither Tian Feng nor Yuan Shao had any inkling that Yecheng had already fallen into enemy hands.

Hearing Yuan Shao's words, Zhang He thought to himself that My Lord made a valid point.

The danger they faced was the rear guard that could catch up at any moment. As long as he held off the pursuers, Yuan Shao would naturally be safe.

Zhang He likewise had no idea that Yecheng had already been lost.

Su Ming's daring move to capture Yecheng was a feat that almost any general would consider impossible.

Even one could say that the miracle of taking Yecheng with a mere eight hundred men was something that could scarcely be replicated at any time.

"In that case, I place My Lord in the care of Mr. Yuanhao!" Zhang He said, cupping his fists toward Tian Feng.

Then, turning to Yuan Shao, Zhang He asked, "My Lord, how many men will you take with you?"

During the defeat at Guandu previously, Yuan Shao had left hundreds of thousands of troops to Ju Yi while taking fifty thousand soldiers back to Yecheng himself.

Now, with Zhang He staying behind to ambush the pursuers, how many men would Yuan Shao take with him to Yecheng?

Zhang He figured that My Lord should pick his men first, and he would take whatever was left to hold off Cao Cao's troops.

Yuan Shao was currently eager to return and lacked any specific plan of his own.

Thus, he turned his gaze toward Tian Feng.

The very purpose of a strategist was to plot and plan for his lord.

Tian Feng said to Yuan Shao, "My Lord, taking three thousand cavalry—at most five thousand—will be more than enough!"

In the end, after some discussion,

Yuan Shao and Tian Feng would take five thousand cavalry and speed back to Yecheng, while Zhang He would lead the remaining forces to find a suitable location locally and ambush Cao's pursuing army.

Scarcely had Yuan Shao and Tian Feng departed when Zhang He began his preparations in a tense and orderly fashion.

As a renowned general of Hebei, Zhang He was well-versed in military formations, troop deployment, and ambush tactics.

First, he scouted a section of the main road flanked by valley slopes on both sides, ordering his soldiers to conceal themselves along the inclines.

Additionally, he had boulders and logs gathered on the slopes above, ready to be rolled down the instant Cao's cavalry appeared.

The most crucial element of an ambush was patience and confidence.

Once the preparations were complete, Zhang He and his men lay flat in the grassy thickets for several hours.

They remained prone from noon until dusk.

At that moment, a scout hurried over to Zhang He and reported, "General Zhang, Cao's pursuing forces did not press forward; they have retreated!"

Zhang He: "??????"

Hearing this, Zhang He's mind buzzed. He simply could not fathom why Cao's pursuers had turned back.

Logically speaking, Cao's forces should have chased them all the way until Yuan Shao was captured alive, right?

In reality, the cavalry scouted by Zhang He's men today was indeed the three thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by Cao Hong.

However, when Cao Hong advanced deeply with these three thousand elite riders, they had not come in pursuit of Yuan Shao.

The purpose of Cao Hong personally leading the three thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry deep into enemy territory was to search for Su Ming.

After accepting the mission to burn Wuchao, Su Ming had indeed successfully torched the supply depot.

Yet, once Wuchao was burned, logically speaking, Su Ming should have returned to report back to Cao Cao!

Cao Cao waited and waited, but Su Ming simply failed to return.

As time passed, Cao Cao grew anxious.

He worried that something might have happened to Su Ming.

Consequently, Cao Cao hastily issued an order for Cao Hong to lead the three thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry ahead of the main army to track down Su Ming's whereabouts.

Regardless of whether he found him or not, Cao Hong was required to report back once every three days.

The reason Cao Hong had turned back was precisely to return and report to Cao Cao.

Even Cao Cao never imagined that Su Ming would dare to take Yecheng with a mere eight hundred men.

And most critically, that he had actually succeeded in capturing the city.

"General Zhang, Cao's pursuers have retreated?"

"Should we still set the ambush?" a deputy general asked Zhang He.

Hearing this, Zhang He thought to himself: since the enemy has already retreated, what on earth is there to ambush?

Why should we keep lying here? To ambush the air?

"They have retreated!"

"We shall retreat as well, and catch up with My Lord as quickly as possible!" Zhang He issued the order.

Yuan Shao had departed earlier with five thousand cavalry, and from this location to Yecheng was a journey of about a day and a night at a cavalry's pace.

Since Cao's pursuing forces had already withdrawn, even if they turned back to chase them now, it would be impossible to catch up.

After a moment of deliberation, Zhang He concluded there was no longer any point in laying an ambush. It would be better to rejoin Yuan Shao and head back to Yecheng.

Thus, Zhang He gathered his men and marched rapidly in the direction of Yecheng.

Because the majority of Zhang He's troops were infantry, their marching speed was considerably slower than that of Yuan Shao's cavalry.