Cao Mengde, who was mentioned by Yan Xiang, had already gone north to Linyi City, located at the junction of Langya County and Taishan County.

Because Xuzhou was attacked by Cao Cao, Zang Ba forces entrenched on the borders of the two counties took advantage of the situation to capture the city of Linyi, Jiangyangdu, Dong'an, Mengshan, Feiguo and Linyi, and the area formed by the cities of Yangdu, Dong'an, Mengshan, Feiguo and Linyi were completely controlled.

There is a trend of China.

However, Zang Ba was not proud of it for long before he received the news that Pan Feng had repelled Cao Cao, and recently he learned that Pan Feng had taken Xuzhou.

The successive bad news made Zang Ba feel a little restless. He didn't know what attitude he used to deal with Pan Feng.

Do you listen to the tune or not as you did in the past? Or do you take the initiative to send someone to surrender?

It is obvious that Pan Feng will not allow it, and a dispute will inevitably occur at that time. With the strength of his men, the group of people should not be able to defeat the Jizhou army.

But he was a little unwilling to ask Pan Feng to surrender.

Zang Ba fought hard for so long to build this foundation. How could he say that it was just for people to make people?

Just when Zang Ba was in a dilemma, Cao Cao sent someone to send a message to him.

Although Zang Ba felt a little disgusted with the ease of being defeated by Pan Feng, Cao Cao must be Pan Feng's enemy at the moment.

As the saying goes, the enemy's enemies are allies, and you won't suffer any loss when you meet Cao Cao now.

Soon, Zang Ba promised Cao Cao to meet him outside Linyi City.

......

On this day, the weather was clear and there was little cold wind.

Cao Cao and Zang Ba met at a platform three miles away from the south gate of Linyi City.

Although Cao Cao was indifferent when he left Xuzhou City, there were a lot of wrinkles on his face in just a few days.

It can be seen from this that the battle of Xuzhou has had a great blow to Cao Cao.

However, the biggest thing about the hero Cao Cao is to be defeated without fear and retreat without chaos.

During his days from Xuzhou, Cao Cao was not only following his advice to find Zang Ba, but he had been thinking about another question.

Where can he become a place for Cao Cao to settle down again next?

This issue is very important, even more important than how to join forces with Zang Ba!

The food and grass on the soldiers were ultimately limited, and even if Cao Cao asked the soldiers to rob them along the way, it would not last long.

The only thing that can solve this dilemma is to find a place to stay.

Fortunately, Cao Cao had already had some direction in his discussions with his subordinates these days, and what he lacked now is just the chess piece Zang Ba.

Outside Linyi City, Zang Ba, with a slut on his face, looked at Cao Cao in front of him calmly.

If it were before the Battle of Xuzhou, Zang Ba would never dare to look at Cao Cao so rudely, but it is different now.

Cao Cao is a dog that is a family, and he, Zang Ba, still has at least a place. The strength of the two is different from the past.

Cao Cao did not take Zang Ba's force seriously, and he cared more about how to win Zang Ba into his chess piece.

"Brother Xuan Gao, don't be fine." Cao Cao bowed to Zang Ba.

The two met once when the princes were fighting against Dong, but they were not completely strangers.

"Brother Meng De, your situation is not very good." Zang Ba bowed perfunctorily.

Cao Cao's face was inconvenient, and he still had a relaxed smile on his face: "I wonder why Brother Xuan Gao said this?"

Upon hearing this, Zang Ba sneered: "Why should Meng De pretend to be deaf and dumb? The news of your defeat in Xuzhou City has spread all over the world. How can I not know when I am in Xuzhou?"

"Haha, Brother Zang Ba knows first, but he knows second, but he doesn't know third. Although I, Cao Mengde, was defeated in Xuzhou, my situation is not as unbearable as Brother Zang Ba said." Cao Cao smiled.

This smile made Zang Ba feel a little confused.

Almost the entire territory of Yanzhou was lost, the elite army was greatly damaged, and even the generals under his command were also damaged. In this case, Cao Cao could laugh? He even said that he was not that level?

Seeing Zang Ba’s face showing confusion, Cao Cao spoke.

"Brother Zang Ba said that my situation is not optimistic, it's just that I have no place or no one."

Zang Ba nodded.

Seeing this, Cao Cao continued, "So I said that Brother Zang Ba knows one thing, two things, but not the third one."

"Indeed, now my Cao Cao is losing his troops and generals in Xuzhou, and his vitality is exhausted, but Brother Zang Ba, don't forget that my biggest advantage has not been lost because of this!"

"Oh? What's the advantage?" Zang Ba was puzzled.

Cao Cao stroked his beard proudly: "It's simple to say. My Cao Cao's biggest advantage is the position of Yanzhou Governor, who was enthroned by the court!"

"Now most of Yanzhou is occupied by thieves, but those people are just kids who take the opportunity to make trouble. The nominal leader in Yanzhou is still me, Cao Cao!"

"As long as I, Cao Cao, can kill my sons in Yanzhou at any time to regain the lost land!"

Hearing this, Zang Ba couldn't help laughing: "Meng De, Meng De, how confident are you? Do you know the two forces entrenched in your Yanzhou territory?"

Cao Cao glanced at it and slowly uttered a few words: "Runan Yuan Shu and Chang'an Lu Bu."

"Not bad! It's them!" Zang Ba nodded and said, "Since you know the two major forces occupying Yanzhou, you should know that with your current strength, Cao Cao cannot defeat any of them!"

"You are not as strong as them, so how can you recover the lost territory in Yanzhou!"

Zang Ba's words made Cao Cao look at him with some admiration.

Before coming to Linyi, Cao Cao thought Zang Ba was just a brainless reckless man, and he could easily use it with a wave of his hand.

But now it seems that Zang Ba's strength may not be strong, but his strategic vision is far beyond ordinary people, and he is a rare general!

Thinking of this, Cao Cao had the idea of ​​subduing Zang Ba.

"Brother Xuan Gao's eyes are as sharp as a wise man, and he can see through the embarrassing situation of our army at a glance. It's really high!" Cao Cao was not stingy with his praise.

Zang Ba was a little proud and a smile appeared on his face inadvertently.

At this time, Cao Cao spoke again.

"Although our army's situation is not optimistic, Brother Xuan Gao's situation is not much better than our army."

Upon hearing this, Zang Ba's expression changed slightly.

"Why did Brother Meng De say this?"

Seeing that Zang Ba was a little anxious, Cao Cao chuckled and said, "Brother Xuan Gao is in a difficult situation, mainly because Pan Feng has recently taken over everything in Xuzhou."

"In previous years, Tao Qianyong was weak, and Brother Xuan Gao could listen to the tune or not, and was free and easy as a fairy. But once Pan Feng took over Xuzhou, he would definitely not sit idly by and watch Brother Xuan Gao continue to be free. In this way, a shocking battle between Brother Xuan Gao and Pan Feng will definitely be inevitable!"

Seeing that Zang Ba's face became increasingly ugly, Cao Cao continued: "If you fight, your combat power under Brother Xuan Gao's command will definitely be inferior to Pan Feng's elite Jizhou. If you don't fight, with Brother Xuan Gao's previous practice of plundering all directions, Pan Feng will most likely behead you and calm the public anger. Even if you don't behead you, you will hide you for the rest of your life and will not be hired."

"Is this the ending that Brother Xuan Gao wants?"

After the words came to an end, Zang Ba's face was extremely hard to see.

Even Zang Ba himself didn't know that he had fallen into a trap set by Cao Cao without realizing it.

"Brother Meng De, can you have a good idea to help me?" Zang Ba asked by Cao Cao's hand.

Even outsiders Cao Cao could see the situation of Zang Ba, and how could his generals see the situation that they did not appear?

Zang Ba was afraid that Pan Feng would suddenly attack, but he was even more afraid that his subordinates would sell him to Pan Feng for glory and wealth after learning that there was no hope of life.

It's just a gangster general who speaks out. This kind of thing is easy to do.

It is precisely because of this that Zang Ba was the first to be cowardly after Cao Cao finished speaking.

Cao Cao didn't expect Zang Ba to be so weak in his heart, and his evaluation of him in his heart dropped a little, but it did not affect Zang Ba's becoming his pawn to solve the dilemma.

"Brother Xuan Gao, you and I are all in the same situation right now, so the best way is to join forces with you and I." Cao Cao took Zang Ba's hand and said sincerely.

Zang Ba was stunned, and then he soon realized the benefits of joining forces between the two companies.

Not to mention anything else, once the two sides join forces, their strength will definitely skyrocket.

In the eyes of most soldiers, military strength often represents strength and morale. The inevitable result of the joint efforts of both sides must be that the confidence of the soldiers under their command will greatly increase and morale will be restored.

This made Zang Ba a little moved, but he was afraid that Cao Cao would take the opportunity to annex his troops after the union.

Cao Cao obviously had already prepared for this.

Seeing that Zang Ba did not agree immediately, Cao Cao spoke again.

"Brother Xuan Gao, don't worry. The two armies I mentioned are not mergers, but you and I have reached an alliance and make progress together. Your troops are still led by you, but you and I need help when wars occur on either side."

"If you advance, you advance together, and if you retreat, you retreat together!"

Advance and retreat together! No merger!

At this moment, Zang Ba had never felt this kind of heart in his heart, but he still resisted asking the last question.

"Since we are going to unite, who will be the dominant party?"

Cao Cao smiled faintly: "Of course it's me."

"Oh? Why?"

"Because I have the identity of the great Han Dynasty enthroned the governor of Yanzhou!"

Zang Ba was silent for a while, and finally bowed respectfully to Cao Cao.
To be continued...