For several days, Cao Cao's right eyelid kept beating, making him feel unusual, and he felt a vague idea in his heart———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

In connection with the current trend, if there is really something "not good", most of the tenths of people should be in the wars everywhere.

Xun You, who stayed in Xuchang, would inform Cao Cao about the battle situation in Yu, Yan and Qingzhou almost every day in the form of a meteor fast horse. Although the enemy troops from Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong and Wei Yan have suddenly become fierce recently, they are in a stance to surround Xuchang in one fell swoop.

However, Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren and Zang Ba defended steadily and could roughly withstand the opponent's attack.

Since the east and middle roads are not at the same time, the problem can only be in the west road. Due to Lu Xun's blockade and the meticulous work cannot travel freely, Cao Cao has not received any information from Hulao Pass for many days.

As for Xiahou Yuan, who was guarding Guanxi, he had a slim reputation for more than ten days.

Although it is not ruled out that the enemy blockade and communication is difficult, Cao Cao also has confidence in the abilities of Xiahou Yuan and Cao Hong, the battlefield situation is complex and changeable, and no one is sure what will happen?

After learning about Cao Cao's worries, Jia Xu comforted him with optimistic analysis, and arranged to conduct detailed investigations into Yong and Si provinces through various channels.

Based on some clues revealed by the Lu Xun army in the past two days, Jia Xu came up with an astonishing speculation after careful consideration - Hulao Pass is likely to have been lost! But before confirmation, he really did not dare to tell Cao Cao this speculation, and could only try his best to hope that his estimate was wrong.

But the news that I had worked hard to find out finally confirmed Jia Xu's speculation. The reality is moving towards the cruelest side...

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In the general's tent, except Cao Cao and Jia Xu, there were only five and six trusted generals, including Cao Xiu, Cao Zhen, Xu Chu. The atmosphere seemed extremely depressing and dull...

"…Hulao Pass has been lost. Liu Bei and Zhang Fei seem to be leading the army eastward and are ready to continue attacking Luoyang..." Jia Xu's voice was low and slow to report.

From Jia Xu's expression, although Cao Cao and Cao Xiu were already prepared for bad mentality. But when they actually heard the news of the fall of Hulao Pass, they still felt a thunder sound in their ears, which shocked them all.

"How could Hulao Pass be lost as strong and steep?" Cao Xiu, who had become much more stable in recent years, was like an explosive gunpowder barrel. The first one to question Jia Xu.

"Details... Xu doesn't know, but the fall of Hulao Pass should be true..." Jia Xu replied slowly.

"How is Uncle Hong?" Cao Zhen asked anxiously.

"There are rumors..." Although Jia Xu knew what the next words might cause, he still had to answer. He could only deliberately let his tone go unsure, "General Cao has... been killed in battle!"

The handsome tent became surprisingly quiet, as quiet as death, and even the sound of people's breathing seemed so clear.

"This is impossible..." After a while, Cao Xiu broke the silence of death. He went forward without any ruthlessness and grabbed Jia Xu's lichen collar, shouting sternly, "This is absolutely impossible! Jia Xu, do you dare to spread rumors and cause trouble???"

Jia Xu did not resist, but just looked at Cao Xiu quietly. After feeling the gaze from the main position, he turned to look at Cao Cao again.

Cao Cao was unwilling to believe that Cao Hong had been killed, but Jia Xu's eyes told him that this news, even if it was not absolutely accurate, would be at least 70% or 80% credible.

For a moment, Cao Cao's mind was blank, and his heart was shattered. The huge sorrow made him almost breathless. Cao Hong was not an ordinary general, but a major general of the Cao family's clan.

Among the clans, he is also one of the closest brothers to Cao Cao.

Since the time of attacking Dong Zhuo, Cao Hong has followed Cao Cao to fight south and north, east and west, and made countless contributions, and saved Cao Cao from danger several times. This friendship is by no means comparable to ordinary clans.

Cao Cao slowly closed his eyes, lowered his head and shook his head with difficulty, and his body was even trembling slightly.

"Prime Minister, Prime Minister..." Seeing that Cao Cao was abnormal, Cao Xiu did not care about entanglement with Jia Xu anymore, and hurried forward a few steps. He shouted with concern.

"Zi Lian..." without warning. Cao Cao shouted to the sky, and then fainted.

"Prime Minister. Prime Minister..." The tent suddenly became in chaos.

After Jia Xu sighed inwardly, he rushed out of the tent and called the doctor to treat Cao Cao, and strictly ordered the Tiger Guards guarding the left and right sides of the tent to block the news.

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Cao Cao fainted, and the attack on Xingyang could not be carried out normally. But in order not to attract the chaos in the army and Lu Xun's attention, Cao Xiu and Jia Xu still arranged a feint attack to a certain extent.

Half a day later, Cao Cao woke up. Although he said he was not seriously injured, Cao Xiu, Jia Xu and others could see the blow that the bad news of "the loss of Huzhu and Cao Hong was killed" brought to Cao Cao.

It seems that Cao Cao has aged two or three years old in more than half a day.

"Wenhe, if Liu Bei really took down Hulao Pass, why not spread this news to the world to attack our army's morale?" Cao Cao seemed to have recovered from the bad news. Although his expression was a little depressed, his mind was still calm and sober.

"Maybe... he wanted to inform the world after he took Luoyang. This would further start to shake the bad intentions of our military and people.

"Jia Xu had long thought about this problem——Cao Hong's death and the loss of Hulao Pass are indeed very critical to the battle situation itself, but for the scholars and people all over the world, this may not be considered a big deal.

Because, in the eyes of ordinary people, Hulao Pass is just a pass, and Cao Hong is just a general under Cao Cao's command, while Luoyang is completely different.

Although it has been destroyed by wars many times in the past twenty years and has no longer seen its prosperity during its heyday, Luoyang is the eastern capital of the Han Dynasty after all. Since the revival of Guangwu, the Han Dynasty has been established for more than two hundred years.

In a sense, Luoyang is a symbol of the Han Dynasty.

Once the ownership of Luoyang land changes, it will inevitably cause a great shock in the world, and the people's hopes will further tilt towards Liu Bei. By then, the confrontation between Cao and Liu will probably be difficult to maintain...

"Yeah..." Cao Cao nodded and forced himself to lift his body from the soft couch. Xu Chu stood beside him and quickly took a fur cloak and carefully wrapped it in Cao Cao.

"Wenhe, can Luoyang be kept safe?" Cao Cao ordered Cao Xiu to take the map and lay it on his legs.

"Just rely on the soldiers and horses near Luoyang alone.

I'm afraid it's difficult to stop Liu Bei and Zhang Fei's army, especially General Cao..." When talking about Cao Hong, Jia Xu noticed that a trace of extreme pain flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, "However, if Xiahou could have some support to Luoyang in the west, then from Henoi and Hedong to move south as much as possible, perhaps he could hold the city for a while.

If the situation in the Central Plains changes in the future and forces Liu Bei to withdraw from Guanzhong, it is not impossible..."

After staring at the map and thinking for a while, Cao Cao nodded and said, "Immediately, I ordered Tian Yu to lead 20,000 troops from Mengjin to cross the river to the south to reinforce Luoyang. As for how to reinforce, he will do it cheaply."

Jia Xu nodded.

"From tomorrow, attack Xingyang with all your strength and order Gongming to come and reinforce..."

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After the meeting, Jia Xu walked out of the tent and looked up at the night sky where dark clouds covered the moon. He sighed lightly without anyone's hearing...

……………………………………………………

Luoyang City was in unprecedented panic, and the officials and scholars in the city were in panic all day long, as if the end of the world was about to come——

Chang'an was lost, Tongguan was lost, and Xiahou Yuan, the general who was in the west of Huzhangguan, became a prisoner under the enemy's ranks. Ma Dai's power was like a craziest Western Liang Iron Cavalry had already reached Hangu Pass.

If it weren't for the dangerous terrain of Hangu Pass and General Yang Lie Gao Lan fought to the death, the nightmare torrent of the cavalry might have already reached the city of Luoyang;

Hulao Pass was lost.

Former General Cao Hong was killed, and the 25,000 troops guarding Hulao were almost wiped out. The 100,000 (deception) army led by the enemy chief Liu Bei and Zhang Fei had already arrived at the city of Luoyang. The more than 10,000 troops and horses of his vanguard even began to siege the city a few days ago.

Guanxi has been lost, and Guanzhong is also in danger... Who can save Luoyang? Who can save Guanzhong?

In contrast, the people in the city were not so frightened, and even had a little expectation. It is said that the people under General Liu lived a wealthy and prosperous life, and Jingzhou and Yangzhou were even called paradise on earth... and changed to the lord.

Will there be a better life?

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Henan Yin (Henan County Princess. He is in charge of the twenty-one counties near Luoyang) Xu Xuandi's right hand trembled slightly, feeling a piece of silk book in his palm. It was even heavier than a huge rock.

This is already the third ultimatum of the enemy, and it was written by Liu Bei. Unlike the previous two ultimatums, Liu Bei's handwriting was quite earnest, not forcing, but for convincing, and convincing the country.

Dozens of pairs of eyes were staring at Xu Xuan. These people were either officials of prefectures and counties, or famous families in Luoyang City. At this moment, they were all waiting for Xu Xuan's decision.

Fight? Or surrender?

There are only more than 5,000 troops in Luoyang City, and the enemy troops outside the city are probably ten times more numerous. Moreover, the Western Liang Iron Cavalry may soon rush into the tide. If the war starts, how many people in the venue can hold on to the end? After thinking about it for a while, Xu Xuan felt that he could only smile bitterly.

By then, I'm afraid more than half of the people will fight back from behind.

"It would be better to surrender and lure Liu Bei into the city, and then attack him with ambush. If he can kill him in one fell swoop, he can achieve great achievements..." Someone offered his advice.

"Even if you can kill Liu Bei, can you kill all his troops? Otherwise, no one in Luoyang could escape the massacre..." Henan Chief Wu Guan shook his head and said.

"If you don't kill it, you can capture it..."

Wu Guan looked at the man like a fool and asked softly: "Can you know who is the real commander outside the city?"

"Zhang Fei..." As soon as he said that, the man shut up himself.

Even if the opponent doesn't know, he talks about design; even if he doesn't know how much he has, he is actually talking about "killing" and "capturing"...

The hall was in a long silence.

"...I want..." After hesitating for a long time, Xu Xuan looked at everyone uneasy and said slowly, "According to the will of heaven, I offer the city to Duke Chu..."

At this moment, a sigh of relief sounded in the hall.

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Chapter completed!