Chapter 917 Calming the North and the South

Zhang Fei used himself as bait and set up an ambush in the forest to lure Cao Zhen into taking the bait, but in the end he failed.

Zhang Fei in history is naturally not the reckless man in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. When the three brothers Liu, Guan, and Zhang launched an army, it was the wealthy Zhang Fei who provided the materials to recruit troops. Zhang Fei, who came from a wealthy family, must have read poetry and books. I also have a little ink in my belly.

Later, Zhang Fei, together with Guan Yu, Huang Zhong, and Ma Chao, were appointed as the four generals, front and rear, left and right, and defeated Cao Wei's famous general Zhang Jaw at Waguan Pass. From this, it can be seen that Zhang Fei is not just a man with muscles in his mind. A reckless man.

However, Cao Zhen is not a fool. He is a second-generation general carefully trained by Cao Cao. After the Battle of Dingjun Mountain in history, Cao Wei's commander-in-chief on the western front, Xia Houyuan, was beheaded on the battlefield. After that, Cao Zhen became the governor of Chang'an and officially took over Xia Houyuan's position. In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Sima Yi has always been fighting against Fang Geliang. In fact, among the six outings of Qishan, Cao Zhen was fighting against Zhuge Liang in the first four times. After Cao Zhen died of illness, Sima Yi Only then was he transferred to the west to compete with Zhuge Liang.

Cao Zhen had a long-term strategic vision. He had predicted that Zhuge Liang was likely to follow Han Xin's example of "building a plank road to cross Chencang secretly", so before leaving, he ordered the defense of Chencang City to be strengthened. Sure enough, Zhuge Liang led an army of 100,000 to besiege Chencang for dozens of days, which made Hao Zhao's reputation as a good defender. In fact, Cao Zhen had already prepared for a rainy day.

"The whole army retreats!"

When Cao Zhen saw that the enemy army had already ambushed him, he simply took it and took it if the tens of thousands of people said they didn't want it, patted their butts and left. Generals Zhu Ling and Lu Zhao also praised Cao Zhen's command, so they followed Cao Zhen and turned away together.

After Zhang Fei watched from a distance for a while, he turned around and shouted: "Okay, the enemy has retreated. The entire army is retreating and moving closer to the main force!"

After confirming that Cao Zhen was really withdrawing his troops and would not return, Zhang Fei gave an order, and the five thousand Yuzhou troops stood up and retreated towards the way they came.

The Battle of Huainan came to an end. Liu Bei led 30,000 Yuzhou troops to defeat Xiahou Dun in the Battle of Huai River, and led his army to besiege Shouchun City for many days. However, with the arrival of Cao's troops from all directions in Huainan, Cao Zhen led the people to grow stronger. Building momentum and raising the banner of Cao Cao, he finally decided to withdraw his troops, and led the Yuzhou Army to plunder 30,000 people from Huainan and retreat to Runan County.

Huainan was peaceful for a while, but at this time, the north and south of Jingzhou were in flames of war.

General Cao Ren of Zhennan was ordered by Cao Cao to launch a surprise attack on Jiangling City. However, the defender Wei Yan held on tenaciously until Li Yan arrived in Nanyang in person. However, Li Yan's army was weak and could not defeat Cao Ren for a while, so he had to garrison outside the city. , forming a cornering force with Wei Yan in the city.

And in Wuling County.

"What's going on? Why haven't the grains been delivered after so many days?" Liu Pan frowned.

Liu Pan and Huang Zhong led more than ten thousand Wuling troops to station in Ruanling. They only waited for the food and grass to be transferred from Jiangling, and then immediately launched an offensive against Sun Quan who was entrenched in Jingnan, sweeping Jingnan in one fell swoop and exterminating the Sun family.

However, after waiting for so many days, the food and grass could not keep up, so Liu Pan and Huang Zhong could only stand still. As the saying goes, before the three armies move, food and grass go first. When the army is on an expedition, its consumption rate is several times that of when it is stationed, because food and grass must be transported, and the civilians who transport food and grass are not robots, so they naturally also need to eat.

Just when Liu Pan and Huang Zhong felt puzzled, a guard suddenly reported outside the door: "General, Governor Gao is here!"

"Is Governor Gao here? I'll greet him personally." Liu Pan was taken aback and stood up hurriedly.

"I didn't expect that Governor Gao, as a great governor, would personally escort the grain and grass here." Liu Pan said to Huang Zhong who was standing aside.

"The identity of Governor Gao is probably not here to escort food and grass, right?" The veteran Huang Zhong was a little confused.

No matter, Gao Chong is the naval commander of the Xiliang Army. His status is the same as that of Zhang Zha, Yu Jin and other founding generals. Naturally, he cannot be offended, so Liu Pan and Huang Zhong went out to greet him together.

"Liu (Huang Zhong) has met the Governor." Liu Pan and Huang Zhong saluted Gao Chong together.

"It's okay, let's go in first. I have something important to say to you two." Gao Chong stretched out his hand in a gesture of invitation, and then walked into the room with Liu Pan and Huang Zhong.

"A few days ago, Cao Ren, the general of Cao's army, led his troops to besiege Jiangling."

Gao Chong frowned and told Cao Ren about the siege of Jiangling. Liu Pan and Huang Zhong looked at each other, both worried.

"What, Cao Ren besieged Jiangling?"

"Jiangling is an important place connecting Jingnan and Jingbei, and it is also a place for transshipment of grain and grass. If it is besieged by the enemy, wouldn't it be difficult to sustain this grain and grass?" Huang Zhong said worriedly.

Historically, because of its geographical location connecting the north and the south, Jiangling became a place for Jingzhou to store weapons, grain and grass. Therefore, after Cao Cao captured Xiangyang, his first order was to send Cao Chun to lead five thousand tiger and leopard cavalry to capture Jiangling before Liu Bei. Prevent Liu Bei from using the large amounts of grain, grass and ordnance stored in Jiangling.

"It doesn't matter. Our army still has a navy, which can transport food and grass through waterways. Most of Cao Ren's men are from the north, how can they stop our navy?" Gao Chong said with a smile.

Hearing this, Huang Zhong and Liu Pan were overjoyed: "Yes, our army can still transport grain and grass by water. How can Cao Ren stop it?"

"In this case, how about our army temporarily abandoning Jingnan, sending troops north, cooperating with the Nanjun army, and annihilating Cao Ren?" Liu Pan suggested.

Although there are still waterways to transport grain and grass, Jiangling has to be rescued when it is surrounded by Cao Ren. It seems that the military plan to capture Jingnan can only come to an end for the time being.

"It doesn't matter."

Gao Chong's eyes were bright and he said ambitiously: "A few days ago, the French military division in Wancheng had formulated a new battle plan! Zhang Zhennan personally led 30,000 Nanyang troops south, and cooperated with the defenders in Jiangling City to defeat Cao Ren. .”

"But our army will continue to attack Jingnan according to the original plan."

Gao Chong asked: "Is there a map engraved on it?"

"Come on, give the map to Governor Gao!" Liu Pan shouted.

Not long after, several sergeants carried a map of Jingzhou, including all seven counties in the north and south.

"Look, you two, our army can now be divided into two groups! General Liu Lang and Captain Huang led their troops south from Wuling and attacked Lingling all the way." Gao Chong waved his arm downwards from Wuling and stopped at Lingling. The county seat.

"And our army has the strength of the navy, so it will march eastward, enter Dongting Lake, and take Changsha directly!"

The Wuling army commanded by Liu Pan and Huang Zhong were mostly infantry, so they could go south from Wuling County to capture Lingling County, while Gao Chong was in command of the navy.