Chapter Sixteen: Aftermath

  They came quickly and left quickly, Cao Cao's army rushed to burn the grain like a raging fire, and retreated like a tidal wave. They set out in the morning and arrived in the evening, without delay or drag. Just from this, one can see the strictness of Cao Cao's military discipline and the high level of his soldiers' elite status.

  Zhang Fei saw Cao's army retreating and did not pursue them. He hastily ordered his men to put out the fire and rescue those in Wuchao.

  But looking at the fire, I'm afraid there won't be much grain and hay left in the nest.

  Although Wu Zhi was in a hurry, Zhang Jue did not forget another important matter. While ordering people to rescue Wu Zhi, he also sent someone to investigate Yuan Shang's news. After all, the fundamental reason for Yuan Shao's dispatch of troops to Wuzi this time was still on Yuan Shang.

  The scout soon brought back a report that Yuan Shang was guarding the south side of the mountain in front of the main gate of Wuchao.

  Zhang Jie didn't hesitate at all and immediately led his troops to go see.

  When he arrived, Yuan Shang was leading his troops down the mountain. Zhang Jue dismounted and rushed forward, bowing to Yuan Shang and saying: "General Zhang Jue, I have been ordered to support the Third Lord, but I have come late; I hope you will forgive me."

  Zhang Jue's tone was extremely respectful, because throughout the military journey, only Yuan Shang had a broad vision, seeing that Cao Jun would launch a surprise attack on Wuchao and led his troops to rescue in advance, and even narrowly escaped from life and death. Just for this intuition and bravery, Zhang Jue had already admired this third public son deeply in his heart.

  Yuan Shang carefully sized up Zhang Jue for a few moments, silently praising him in his heart. He was indeed the most accomplished of the Four Pillars of Hebei, with an impressive and extraordinary appearance that was in no way inferior to Zhang Liao and others he had seen earlier.

  "General Zhang was polite, if you hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid this little life of mine would have been handed over to Cao Cao..."

  Zhang Jue heard this and shook his head, sighing: "Alas... the Third Master's eyes are sharp as a hawk, he had already seen through Cao Cao's treacherous plan and dared to come to reinforce us. Unfortunately, we were all unaware of it, if only we had followed the Third Master's words earlier, how could there be today's losses..."

  As he spoke, Zhang Jue turned his head and looked at the fire in Wuchao, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart.

  "The fire is so great that even if we put it out, I fear we won't be able to save one or two. The grain and fodder are all burned up. Our army will not last for a few days, and when the time comes, how can we resist Cao's bandits... This battle is in danger!"

  Yuan Shang heard this and smiled, saying: "It's not that serious yet. I've already ordered General Chunyu to leave a rear guard, so we should still have enough food and fodder to hold out for a while... just afraid it won't last more than a few days..."

  Before he could finish speaking, a loud rumbling sound of horseshoes was heard in the distance. It was Yuan Shao who had appointed Gao Lan as his vanguard and personally led his troops to reinforce them.

  Yuan Shang and Zhang Jue did not dare to be slow, and hastily rode their horses forward to welcome them.

  Far away, he saw a nest of crows filling the sky with flames. Yuan Shao couldn't help but feel dizzy and his vision blurred, almost suffocating him to death.

  But as soon as he opened his mouth, "Whoa---" a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, and then he fell off the horse.

  "Father!" Yu Jin, who was standing by his side, suddenly panicked and hastily dismounted to hold onto Yuan Shao.

  Yuan Xi secretly lamented in his heart, his third brother's wind and cold had just shown some improvement, but now his father was coughing up blood and falling off his horse. What was wrong with the Yuan family?

  Yuan Shao spat blood and fell off his horse, which was no small matter. The three armies immediately stopped in their tracks. The guards and military officers on either side shouted loudly, ordering someone to quickly summon the army's medical officer. For a time, there was considerable confusion.

  Yuan Shao slowly came to in Yuan Xi's arms, his turbid eyes gazing up at the half-dark, half-red night sky, seemingly somewhat bewildered and at a loss.

  After a good while, Yuan Shao finally spoke in a hoarse voice, saying a sentence with indignation.

  "Cao A Man, you've done a good deed..."

  Just as the mourning and resentment had not yet subsided, suddenly Yuan Shang and Zhang Jue arrived on horseback. The soldiers of Yuan's army recognized these two men and scattered in all directions, clearing a path for them.

  "Father?"

  "My lord!"

  The two came before Yuan Shao, hastily dismounted and looked at Yuan Shao who was weakly lying in Yuan Xi's arms. For a moment, the two felt as if they had smashed a five-flavor bottle and did not know what to say or how to taste it.

  "Xian fu......" Yuan Shao weakly called out.

  "Father, I am here..." Yuan Shang hastily replied.

  "Alas... I've let my son down... Regret not listening to his words, thus leading to today's events..."

  Yuan Shao looked extremely distressed, sighed sorrowfully and continued: "Now that Wu Chou has been burned... the grain and grass of hundreds of thousands of troops are all gone. I'm afraid that within a few days, there will be chaos in the army. If Cao's army takes advantage of this to attack, we will all be captured. Alas, it is too late for regrets... alas, it is too late for regrets..."

  As he spoke to this point, the eyes of Yuan Shao, a self-proclaimed hero, were somewhat moistened, and a faint sense of sorrow suddenly enveloped everyone's heart.

  Yuan Shang smiled slightly and said: "Father doesn't need to worry too much, I've already..."

  "Right...". Yuan Shao seemed to have not heard what Yuan Chang was saying, suddenly opening his mouth to interrupt Yuan Chang's words and asked angrily: "What about Chunyu Qiong? Was he killed in the Battle of Uchou?"

  Zhang Jie hesitated for a moment, then respectfully said: "Reporting to the master, General Chun Yuqiong has been injured, but his life is not in danger. At present, he is commanding soldiers to put out the fire inside Wusuo..."

  "This drunkard has brought great harm to our army!"

  Yuan Shao gritted his teeth and stood up straight, saying: "Why hasn't he died? I...I...I will chop this scoundrel into a million pieces to vent my hatred!"

  "Father... General Chun Yuqiong also fought hard tonight, and besides, Cao's army is too powerful, the responsibility doesn't lie solely on his shoulders." Yuan Shang thought for a moment, still deciding to speak up for justice.

  "Isn't it just him?" Yuan Shao heard this and sneered, shaking his head: "My great army has no grain, and will be destroyed in a day or two. Even if he fights valiantly again, what use is there in preserving the grain?"

  Yuan Shang felt suffocated, these people are really annoying, popping up left and right, like a nagging wife, can't they let me finish speaking?

  Yuan Shang didn't care, and hastily poured out the beans from the bamboo tube, saying in a rush: "Father, although Wuchao was burned down, but this time I came to Wuchao to delay Cao's army, it wasn't useless. At least... we still saved one-twelfth of our grain and fodder."

  “............”

  “...........”

  "What?!"

  They were stunned for a long time, but hearing the people on the scene, including Yuan Shao, Yuan Xi, and Zhang Yan, they all shouted in disbelief, then their mouths were wide open in shock, looking at Yuan Shang with a look of astonishment, as if he was telling a huge joke.

  Yuan Shao stared blankly at Yuan Shang for a long time, then suddenly said: "Xianfu... you... did you really manage to save one or two tenths of the grain and fodder?"

  Yuan Shang nodded and said, "At this moment, how can I still have the heart to deceive you with nonsense? I ordered Chunyu Qiong to lead the army to transport grain and fodder, while I led the army to delay Cao's army on the mountain slopes in front of and behind Wuchao. We scared off Cao's vanguard troops Zhang Liao and Xu Chu, and gained a lot of time. Now, one or two tenths of the grain and fodder are either hidden in the mountains and forests behind Wuchao, or buried in the valleys and gullies. Father, if you send people to search carefully after this, you will definitely find something!"

  Yuan Shao was stunned for a long time, and suddenly he heavily patted Yuan Shang's shoulder with a joyful face, his voice trembling as he said: "Heaven does not destroy me in Hebei, giving this Qilin child to Yuan, it is indeed the good fortune of our ancestors, the good fortune of the Yuan family!"

  Yuan Shang forced a bitter smile, but didn't show any triumphant expression. After a long while, he finally spoke in a helpless tone: "However, Father, you must prepare yourself mentally. The amount of grain and fodder is really not much. It's impossible to continue attacking Cao Cao. If we want to maintain the three armies' retreat to the Yellow River crossing, it will barely be enough... Father, this battle cannot be won after all. Let's withdraw our troops."