Chapter 415: Cheng Yu: Making a Fuss

The sun was high in the sky, and the sunlight was shining on everyone, illuminating their tired faces.

Cao Cao looked at the endless mountains with a bitter expression. He looked at Zhang Xiu with countless fatigue in his eyes. He opened his chapped lips and asked, "Sir Zhang, where are we now?"

"." Zhang Xiu looked left and right, but couldn't figure out what was going on, so he looked at Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment before opening his mouth and squeezing out a hoarse voice, "Taihang Mountain"

"." Zhang Xiu curled his lips. It was the same as not saying anything. Who doesn't know that we are in Taihang Mountain now? The key to the problem is where is Taihang Mountain. Taihang Mountain is not small. If you don't know the direction, you are like a headless fly.

He wanted to rebuke Cheng Yu, but was stopped by Cao Cao, who lowered his eyebrows and blamed himself, "Sima Zhang, this is all my fault. If it weren't for me, I wouldn't have fallen into such a situation."

Several days had passed since they had climbed up the mountain via the mountain trail.

When we first climbed the mountain, the sky was almost dark. The red glow of the sunset slid across the treetops, rising higher and higher, and finally died completely at the end of our sight.

The sky and the earth became completely dark, as if a god had drawn the curtains.

The smell of the surrounding woods became stronger and stronger, as if something had slipped out as night fell.

The wind blowing in my face was as cold as a knife, as if it was constantly reminding me of the pursuers behind me.

Fortunately, it was not pitch dark around us, and there was still faint starlight.

Cao Cao, Zhang Xiu and others did not dare to delay. They led their remaining troops and marched madly towards the distance.

After an unknown amount of time of trekking, the dark night gave way to daylight again. By the time Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu realized that there were no pursuers behind them, they no longer knew where they were.

"Sima Zhang," Cao Cao spoke again, "How many comrades have you gathered now?"

Zhang Xiu looked solemn and blurted out a number that left Cao Cao silent for a long time.

"Less than six hundred."

The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry that had previously followed Cao Cao in pursuing Zhang He now number less than 600.

Cao Cao felt his ears buzzing when he heard this answer. Before they set out, there were a thousand cavalry! A full thousand cavalry! But now...
How could he have the face to see Xuande!

For some unknown reason, Cheng Yu reminded him, "Captain Cao, six hundred men and their horse brisket is not a small amount."

These words brought Cao Cao back to the present. He was stunned. What Cheng Yu said did make sense.

Six hundred people is not a small number. In the absence of logistical supplies, food and drink become the most important issues.

Before bidding farewell to Jia Xu, Cao Cao only brought a small amount of dry food with him. As the retreat was like a flood and a beast, even Zhang Xiu was like a frightened bird, not to mention him. He carried very little dry food with him, and a great defeat caused them to lose most of their only dry food.

In addition, many bows and arrows were lost, and the loss of war horses was even more shocking. Some were lost at the foot of the mountain, and some were lost at night.
There are only dozens of war horses now.

How can they be called the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry when they can't even have a war horse for each man?

Self-blame and anxiety surged into my mind. What should I do now? Hunt? Eat wild vegetables? Eat wild fruits?

Just when Cao Cao was brainstorming.

A scout came hurriedly to report, "Captain! Sima! I found a camp ahead!"

"Camp?" In the past, Cao Cao would have laughed loudly and said, "God is really protecting us! There is always a way out! If we take down the camp, we will have food and grass."

However, Cao Cao's first reaction was that this camp might be a trap. So he said in a deep voice: "Find out who is in this camp! Make sure to find out if there are any ambushes!"

"promise!"

Soon the scout hurried back, "Captain, there might be a bandit camp ahead! There are no ambushes!"

"Explore again!"

"promise!"

The scouts went back and forth more than three or four times, and the results were almost the same each time, but Cao Cao still looked worried.

Zhang Xiu couldn't stand it any longer. He couldn't help but say, "Captain, Zhang He is not an immortal. How could he have predicted what we are facing? If you are worried, why don't I lead the troops to capture the camp and you can support us from outside?"

Cao Cao thought about it and finally said, "That's good."

Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu led their troops to the camp that the scouts had mentioned. They hid in the woods and observed the general appearance of the camp.

The camp was not very big, with rows of wooden walls and a few wooden towers with people standing guard with bows and arrows on the top.

At first glance, it looked ordinary, and there did not seem to be any ambushes around. Even in the woods where people could easily hide, there were mostly traps set for hunting.

Before Zhang Xiu set out, Cao Cao could not help but admonish him: "Sir Zhang, fellow soldiers, if there is anything wrong, please retreat immediately. You must value your life!"

"Captain, please be at ease. I have always been smart!" Zhang Xiu patted his chest and gave Cao Cao a reassuring look. He looked at the camp again, "If the person in the camp was Zhang He, I would probably be a little bit afraid of him. I don't even take a petty thief seriously! Captain, just watch me. It won't be long before I can capture the camp!"

Just as Zhang Xiu said, it really didn't take him much effort to capture the camp.

Zhang Xiu led 400 Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, holding up their shields and taking the arrows from the archers on the tower. Even when the people in the camp sounded the urgent drums, they were still on high alert.

Still, the gate of the camp was broken open by Zhang Xiu and his four hundred Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. It was like a tiger entering a pack of wolves. The bandits in the camp were no match for them at all. They were chopped to the ground by Zhang Xiu and his men in the first encounter. It was like using a butcher knife to kill a fly.

Before Cao Cao could react, Zhang Xiu, with blood on his face, strode back.

Although the previous defeat made Cao Cao depressed, it was also a happy thing that he captured a camp in such a short time.

Cao Cao quickly stood up and walked towards Zhang Xiu, preparing to say a few words of congratulations.

However, when he saw the expression on Zhang Xiu's face, he was completely stunned.

Before leaving the camp, Zhang Xiu's face was not flushed, but it could be said that he looked normal.

But why did Zhang Xiu's expression become so complicated after he came out?

"Sima Zhang, what are you doing?" Cao Cao asked in confusion.

Zhang Xiu's eyes seemed to be filled with anger. He gritted his teeth and said, "This camp leader is unworthy of being a human being!"

"I am unworthy of being called a human being." Cao Cao seemed to understand something.

Zhang Xiu was unwilling to say more. He took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and said calmly, "Captain, you will understand if you follow me. In short, they are a group of defeated soldiers."

Cheng Yu, who was sitting under the shade of a tree, curled his lips. The moment Zhang Xiu opened his mouth, he guessed the answer.

Isn't it just some kind of meat?
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and don't make a fuss about nothing.

(End of this chapter)