Cao Zhen glanced at Zhang He and mocked himself. "Wise? We've been driven about like cattle and sheep, so what wisdom is there to speak of? Liu Bei's momentum is at its height now. Retaking Guanzhong is probably nothing more than a bubble that has burst. But our existence is of great importance to the State of Wei. As long as we hold our ground in Hexi's fertile lands, Liu Bei's main force will not dare leave Guanzhong lightly."
Zhang He's eyes shifted, and he praised the idea excitedly. "Brilliant! With the fertile lands of Hexi at our backs, our supplies are ample. Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei, meanwhile, have come all the way from Guanzhong, making their supplies difficult to maintain. The balance between offense and defense has turned in an instant. If Liu Bei abandons our detached force, then when the Han army in Guanzhong attacks the Central Plains, it will be the day we retake Guanzhong."
"Precisely. Junyi, do not shrink from hardship. Immediately put your troops in order. The entire army will set out tomorrow morning," Cao Zhen said sternly.
"Yes." Zhang He first cupped his fists in reply, then quietly reminded him, "With an army of tens of thousands retreating, there will be countless carts and loads of baggage to take away. General, you should leave behind a small force to put up a false show. It only needs to slow the enemy's pace of attack. Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun each command several thousand cavalrymen. If no one covers our rear, we'll have a serious problem."
"Well said." Cao Zhen nodded approvingly, then patted Zhang He on the shoulder. "Hu Zun is from Anding and enjoys considerable prestige here. I'll leave three thousand men with him to assist Cui Liang in defending Linjing. I