Cao's army retreated one after another, and Xuzhou soldiers took advantage of the situation to pursue him for a long time, but no matter which army or horse they encountered, they would avoid him far away when they met Yu Jin.

Zhang Yan did not pursue, but led his subordinates to Pengcheng.

The walls of Pengcheng had already been stained with blood. Tao Qian stood on the city tower and saw Cao Jun retreating outside the city, breathing a long sigh and slowly said, "Lucky... It's really a lucky..."

"Envoy Tao, all this is Zhang Yan's credit. If he hadn't set fire to Cao's camp and attacked Cao Cao from behind, Cao Cao wouldn't have retreated! Moreover, even Dian Wei was driven away by him..." Chen Deng, who had been standing beside Tao Qian, said at the right time.

"Zhang Yan is a great contribution. Our mansion will reward him heavily!" Tao Qian glanced at Zhang Yan, who was slowly approaching from outside the city, turned around and went down the city tower, "Everyone came to the city gate with our mansion!"

The group quickly got off the city tower and followed Tao Qian to the city gate. They waited quietly there, waiting for the triumphant Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan led more than 2,000 cavalrymen to approach Pengcheng bit by bit. The closer they got, the more bloody the more it smelled. Under the horse's hooves were piles of corpses and seas of blood. He stepped on the sea of ​​corpses and blood. Seeing the tragic situation here, it was enough to imagine what kind of battle he would experience here.

He sighed heavily, feeling more and more that life in troubled times was like grass, and a thick shadow was cast in his heart.

When he was about to approach the city gate of Pengcheng, Zhang Yan saw Tao Qian and his soldiers waiting there. He ordered the cavalry behind him to stop in place, and he jumped off the horse's back, took off a bloody package tied to the horse's neck, and walked straight towards the city gate.

Zhang Yan walked to the city gate and immediately raised the package in his hand and said loudly: "Fortunately, Zhang Yan, the last general, has not only burned down the food and grass that Cao's army has hoarded, but also killed Cao Cao's son Cao Ang, and specially presented Cao Ang's head to the envoy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Yan opened the bloody package and exposed a head from it.

Tao Qian was both surprised and happy, and did not dislike the blood on Zhang Yan's body. He grabbed Zhang Yan's hand tightly and said excitedly: "Mingda, it's really thanks to you this time..."

Zhang Yan said humbly: "The last general dare not take credit. The reason why he achieved such achievements depends entirely on the command of the envoy, the clerk Chen's brilliant plan, and the bloody battles of many soldiers..."

When Tao Qian heard that Zhang Yanju was not arrogant, he liked it more and more, and said happily: "Mingda is too modest. No matter what, if you can repel Cao's army this time, you will have the greatest contribution. Our mansion will definitely reward you!"

Chen Deng stood beside Tao Qian. Seeing Zhang Yanqian being so arrogant, he suddenly interrupted: "Zhang Jiaowei was ordered to be sentenced to the critical task of envoy Tao, but also drove Cao Cao away at the most critical moment in Xuzhou and rescued the military and civilians of Xuzhou in dire straits. He was my benefactor of the entire Xuzhou. Since envoy Tao said that he would reward Zhang Jiaowei, Zhang Jiaowei should not refuse, otherwise he would look down on envoy Tao..."

Zhang Yan glanced at Chen Deng, and saw a hint of hope flashing in Chen Deng's hot eyes and a wink at him, he stopped refusing and said happily: "Then you are more respectful than obedient!"

Cao Cao retreated, and Xuzhou was equivalent to avoiding a disaster. Tao Qian was the happiest person. He grabbed Zhang Yan's hand with one hand, and held Chen Deng's back with the other hand, and said loudly: "My Xuzhou Wen has Yuanlong and Wu has Mingda. Our mansion can rest assured..."

Later, Tao Qian ordered the soldiers to clean the battlefield, buried the fallen soldiers for a grand ceremony, and counted the list, registered the book, and erected monuments for future generations to admire.

Afterwards, Tao Qian asked someone to hang Cao Ang's head on the head of Pengcheng and held a celebration banquet in Pengcheng.

Zhang Yan became famous in one battle. His name and deeds spread throughout the streets and alleys, but it was just a meal. Everyone in Pengcheng knew that it was Zhang Yan who drove Cao Cao away, defeated Dian Wei, and rescued Xuzhou.

Many of them are spread by rumors. The more you say Zhang Yan, the more powerful it is. In the end, there are all kinds of versions.

Zhang Yan was in Pengcheng and naturally heard rumors about him. Some of them were barely in line with the facts, but some were exaggerated and outrageous. He actually said that when he was fighting with Dian Wei, he did not shoot him, but just shouted, which scared Dian Wei to pieces, turned his head and ran away.

But in fact, when Zhang Yan fought with Dian Wei, he was almost killed by Dian Wei with one move. If the Danyang soldier had not appeared in time and blocked him, he would have been killed now.

For this reason, Zhang Yan specially found the body of the Danyang soldier after the war and buried the Danyang soldier with his own hands. In addition, he also asked about the family situation of the Danyang soldier and was ready to go to the Danyang soldier's house in person when he had time.

In the prefect of Pengcheng, there was no empty seat in the hall, and there were some hearty food and wine in front of everyone. Zhang Yan also moved from the last seat to the first seat on Tao Qian's right hand.

In the Han Dynasty, the right was the most respected, and Zhang Yan was the first to be the seat, which shows how much Tao Qian attached to him.

Zhang Yan sat there and felt a little uncomfortable. After all, he was not an ancient person. He was not used to this kneeling posture.

He sat there quietly, looking around the civil and military personnel in the hall, and found that there were more people present this time than last time, and there were a few of them still unrestrained.

Among these strange faces, the one who attracted his attention the most was a scholar next to Chen Deng.

This man is about 35 or thirty-five years old, with sword-browed eyebrows and starry eyes, fair skin, long beard, and looks gentle and elegant. Especially the navy blue robe on him highlights his grace and luxury, which is unforgettable at a glance.

The scribe seemed to feel Zhang Yan's gaze, and inadvertently looked at Zhang Yan. Seeing Zhang Yan looking at him, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he nodded to Zhang Yan.

In the center of the hall, Tao Qian cleared his throat first, then raised his wine glass and said loudly: "Please raise your wine quickly and drink happily with our mansion to celebrate this hard-won victory! Do it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Tao Qian raised his neck and drank no drop of the wine in the wine. He did it first to respect him, so that others naturally had nothing to say, and they raised their glasses and drank them all.

After drinking a glass of wine, Tao Qian filled another glass of wine. He held the wine, suddenly got up and left the seat, walked straight towards Zhang Yan, with a smile on his face.

He walked to Zhang Yan, and Zhang Yan immediately stood up. Tao Qian stretched out his hand and grabbed Zhang Yan, and said with a little excitement: "Mingda, if it weren't for you this time, my Xuzhou would be in danger. The millions of people in the territory would be destroyed by Cao Cao. As the governor of Xuzhou, I am the governor of Xuzhou and guarded the court. When Cao Cao's army arrived, I am powerless. I am really sorry for the people of Xuzhou. If it weren't for you to turn the tide and drive Cao Cao away, I will definitely become a sinner for the ages. For this reason, I will give you a cup instead of the people of Xuzhou!"

Tao Qian's words came from the heart. As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately toasted Zhang Yan respectfully.

Zhang Yan hurriedly got up and caught the wine from Tao Qianjing and said, "The Tao envoy is so serious. The reason why I can do this is entirely due to the envoy's trust in me. If the envoy had not assigned me three thousand elite Danyang soldiers, I would not have been able to complete the important task, and I would not have been able to force Cao Cao to retreat. In addition, it is also closely related to the desperate resistance of the soldiers of Xuzhou. If they had not fought with Cao soldiers and vowed to defend Xuzhou to the death, I would not have been able to cooperate with him and attacked inside and outside. I would have drunk this glass of wine for all those who fought against Cao's army!"

When Tao Qian saw Zhang Yan drink the glass of wine, and Zhang Yan was very humble and sincere, and did not take any credit for his contributions, he felt comforted, thinking that Zhang Yan was a person who could entrust his great responsibilities.

He took Zhang Yan's hand, turned around and walked to the scholar sitting next to Chen Deng, and said to Zhang Yan: "Come on, let me introduce you to you. This is our Xuzhou person who is engaged in Mi Zhu and Mi Zizhong. Half of our mansion can make the people of Xuzhou live and work in peace and contentment, and half of it is Zizhong's contribution. This time he even transported a large number of food and supplies to help the war. You are close to each other!"

"So it's just a lord. Zhang Yan is polite!" Zhang Yan said with his fists.

Mi Zhu stood up slowly and bowed to Zhang Yan, "Person Zhang became famous in battle, and the streets and alleys have already spread all over the streets and alleys. Now I have seen the real person, and he really has the style of a general. Mi admires it, and admires it!"

Zhang Yan and Mi Zhu exchanged a few greetings, and they met. Tao Qian then introduced several new faces to Zhang Yan one by one, one by one, one by one, both of them were famous scholars in Xuzhou.

At the celebration banquet, after three rounds of wine, Tao Qian began to reward those who had made meritorious people. Zhang Yan was the first to be rewarded with five hundred golds, two thousand silvers, and five hundred pieces of cloth. These golds, silvers and cloths were all things that were used by Mi Zhu who had just transported from Tancheng, and they were just handy now.

Zhang Yan did not refuse again, but accepted Tao Qian's reward calmly.

This night was destined to be a carnival night. The entire Pengcheng, from the provincial governor Tao Qian to the people, were immersed in joy.

But Zhang Yan didn't feel much joyful, but was worried. Because he knew that Cao Cao had just temporarily retreated and after he recovered, he would set off a bloody storm in Xuzhou again.

Zhang Yan took up a glass of wine in depressed mood and drank it all. At the same time, he glanced at everyone present with a sharp gaze. He suddenly realized that Chen Deng, who was sitting opposite him, was also staring at him with the same gaze.

Suddenly, Chen Deng squirmed his lips a few times, as if he was saying something to him. Judging from his lips, he seemed to be saying "I will see you in the land temple in the west of the city at midnight."

The eyes met and it was fleeting. Zhang Yan looked at Chen Deng again. He had already picked up a glass of wine, turned his face and drank Mi Zhuhuan who was sitting beside him.

After the celebration banquet, Zhang Yan took the rewards he received from Tao Qian and went directly to the military camp, and distributed the vast majority of the rewards to the soldiers in the military camp, and took out the remaining small part as pensions and asked someone to give them to the families of the fallen soldiers, without even leaving any of them.

A stone caused a thousand waves. His approach moved the Danyang soldiers who followed him through life and death for the first time. Moreover, Zhang Yan was brave and good at fighting and often led by the way. In several battles with the Cao army, the Danyang soldiers had already convinced him. The previous arrogance disappeared, and what was in exchange for was gentleness and obedience.

This time, Zhang Yan distributed all the rewards he received to the Danyang soldiers. The Danyang soldiers were touched and suddenly felt that the distance between him and Zhang Yan was suddenly closer.

The Danyang soldiers could not suppress their joy, so they spread the matter, one to ten, ten to hundreds. Soon all the military camps in Pengcheng learned about this matter, and Zhang Yan quickly gained unanimous respect from the whole army.

Zhang Yan sat quietly in his tent without rest. He kept thinking, what was the reason for Chen Deng and he made an appointment to meet him late at night?
Chapter completed!