Shuhan

The setting sun was like fire, dyeing the sky red. The afterglow sprinkled on the city wall of Linzi, Qi County, giving this ancient capital that had experienced the ups and downs of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period a layer of tragic color.

Although the city had changed hands and the Han army's flags were fluttering in the wind, the scars of the war were still clearly visible. On both sides of the street, there were broken walls and ruins, and the people were either standing or sitting, their eyes full of anxiety and fear.

Zhao Yun was standing on the top of the city wall at this moment, his silver armor shining coldly in the sun. His face was firm and his eyes were deep, as if he could see into people's hearts.

Looking at the ancient city below his feet, he felt mixed emotions.

Capturing the city is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in how to appease the people and consolidate the newly acquired land.

"Post notices to appease the people." Zhao Yun's voice was steady and powerful. He instructed his trusted confidant beside him: "At the same time, repeatedly order the army that anyone who dares to oppress the people will be severely punished!"

Upon hearing this, the confidant nodded in agreement, then turned around and hurried away.

For a newly occupied city, the first step is to regain the hearts of the people, and the Han army has formed a set of effective procedures in this regard.

Just as Zhao Yun was deep in thought, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted his thoughts.

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He came hurriedly, saluted Zhao Yun, and reported solemnly: "General, Cao Zhen's army has set out from Gaotang and will arrive at Le'an County soon. How should we respond?"

When Zhao Yun heard this, he frowned and secretly marveled at the speed of Wei's reaction.

Every decision made at this moment will affect the direction of the entire battle.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Yun said resolutely: "No need to advance to Le'an County anymore. Immediately build a solid defense line in Bochang and Linzi to resist the Wei army!"

The real tough battle in this campaign to capture Qingzhou has just begun.

Complex emotions surged in Zhao Yun's heart. He did not ask to defeat Cao Zhen, but to at least delay this elite army of Wei.

As long as these tens of thousands of people can be tied down, favorable conditions can be created for the front battlefield and precious fighting opportunities can be gained for the Han Dynasty.

As night fell, the Han army's camp in Linzi city was brightly lit.

Zhao Yun sat at the desk, holding a map in his hand, brows furrowed, and every detail was repeatedly deduced in his mind.

"General, the defense line has been initially constructed, but the food and fodder supply line is long, so we may have concerns." A deputy general walked in and reported with a worried look.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun nodded slightly, already having a plan in mind.

"Immediately dispatch elite troops to protect the food route along the way. At the same time, strengthen ties with local forces and win their support to shorten the supply line."

The Qingzhou noble families are transporting food and fodder, and they have to do this kind of thing well.

If you want to be rich and prosperous in the Han Kingdom, how can you do it without making some sacrifices first?

Le'an County.

Linji City.

The winter wind blows and the war clouds gather.

Cao Zhen led the vanguard army and was the first to arrive at this border city.

The follow-up troops are still marching behind and have not arrived yet.

Cao Zhen stood alone in front of the city gate, his eyes sharp as torches as he scanned the surroundings, but he couldn't help but gasp.

The scene before us was horrifying: outside Linji City, broken limbs and arms were scattered all over the ground, covered in blood, as if silently telling of a fierce battle that had taken place here not long ago.

The air was filled with a pungent smell of blood, which intertwined with the smell of dead leaves in the autumn wind, making it seem particularly desolate.

Outside the city gate, the prefect of Le'an County and a group of officials from the city came hurriedly to meet them, their faces full of fatigue and anxiety.

When they saw Cao Zhen, they all knelt on the ground, their voices trembling: "We are here to see the general."

Seeing this, Cao Zhen quickly waved his hand to signal them to stand up. He stepped forward and personally helped the governor of Le'an County up, his eyes revealing some warmth and determination: "You all should stand up too. You have worked hard."

Upon hearing this, the subordinates hurriedly thanked him: "Thank you, General."

Cao Zhen took the county magistrate's hand and strode into Linji City.

Although the city seems a little depressed after the war, traces of its past prosperity can still be seen.

On both sides of the street, people were either hiding in their homes or secretly poking their heads out, with curiosity and fear in their eyes. It was obvious that they were full of expectations and uneasiness about the new general.

When we arrived at the inner hall of the government office, the aroma of food wafted into our noses. The prefect of Le'an County had already prepared a banquet.

Cao Zhen naturally sat on the main seat. His eyes were deep, as if he could see through people's hearts. He slowly said to the county governor: "You have worked hard these days."

Upon hearing this, the county magistrate's eyes slightly reddened. He took a few steps forward, his voice choking with sobs: "After repeated defeats, I, as the county magistrate, have the responsibility to defend the territory. However, more than half of Le'an County is now occupied by the pseudo-Han, and even Linji City was almost taken down by the Han army. Although we fought desperately, the disparity in military strength is really..."

Cao Zhen frowned, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, and asked in a deep voice: "How many soldiers are available in the city now?"

The county governor sighed and replied, "There are only 3,000 soldiers, and most of them are newly recruited. They are good enough to defend the city, but if we ask them to fight in the field, I'm afraid they are not strong enough."

Cao Zhen nodded, and after a moment's silence, his eyes became unusually firm and his fists clenched.

"Now I am leading an army of 100,000. The Han army in Qingzhou will not be able to hold out for much longer. We must fight quickly and pacify Qingzhou."

The State of Wei is now truly in a precarious situation.

Cao Zhen knew that Wei had suffered defeat after defeat and must not be defeated again.

There is no room for failure.

At the banquet, Cao Zhen and the county magistrate talked while eating, discussing the next tactical deployment.

The county magistrate and his subordinates gradually felt a spark of hope as they listened to Cao Zhen's analysis. They believed that under the leadership of this great general, Le'an County and even the entire Qingzhou would usher in a new dawn.

Although the Han army is rampant, our Great Wei army is coming with 100,000 troops. How can your Han army not be defeated?
As night fell, the hall of the government office was still brightly lit.

Cao Zhen stood in front of the window, staring at the night outside, feeling mixed emotions.

The next battle will be extremely difficult.

It’s a heavy responsibility!
"Pacify Qingzhou and make a quick decision. For the sake of Wei and Your Majesty, I, Cao Zhen, will not retreat until my death!"

He made a silent vow in his heart.

He, Cao Zhen, no longer has any reason or excuse to fail.

. . .

Shouchun was now surrounded by the iron hooves of the Han army, like a trapped giant beast, gasping helplessly.

The cold winter wind whistled past like a knife, taking away the last bit of warmth in the air and shrouding the entire earth in a solemn atmosphere.

The Han army did not rush to attack the city, but chose to start a massive project one hundred meters outside the city - building a city wall, intending to completely isolate Shouchun City and force it to collapse without a fight.

This project is extremely difficult and arduous, but under such extreme weather conditions, it unexpectedly received "help".

It was freezing cold and water turned into ice. The craftsmen found that they only needed to mix water and soil and then add some grass roots and gravel to make it quickly solidify into a solid ice wall.

As a result, tens of thousands of laborers were organized. They were dressed in rags, their cheeks were red from the cold, but there was a gleam of determination in their eyes.

Among these laborers, there are elderly men and young children. They hold simple tools and shovel soil, carry things, or water. They have clear division of labor and cooperate well.

Dust was flying on the construction site.

The laborers' breath turned into white mist and was soon blown away by the cold wind. Their hands were frozen purple, but they still persisted. Every swing of the shovel and every pile of bricks was a desire for survival and protection of their homeland.

Occasionally, a laborer would fall down due to exhaustion, and the people around him would immediately step forward to either support him or replace him. No one complained, and no one backed down.

In this busy and heavy construction site, an elderly craftsman is particularly eye-catching.

His hair and beard were all white, and his face was full of traces of time, but his eyes were unusually bright, revealing an indomitable spirit.

While instructing the young people on how to build the city wall more effectively, he encouraged them in a hoarse but firm voice: "Hold on, kids. Our team only needs to build 50 meters of wall every day. We will have meat and vegetable soup in the evening. Work hard. When the Han army captures Shouchun, we will be given land. Work hard!"

Land is the root of the people. Liu Chan was able to make these laborers work hard, which naturally gave them hope.

As for whether the land will really be divided in the end.

It will definitely be divided. Now there are few people and a lot of land, so it is enough to divide. If it were in the future when there are more people, I am afraid this trick would not work.

As the sun rose and the moon set, the city wall expanded at an astonishing speed. In ten days, it had surrounded half of Shouchun City. . .

In Shouchun City, the wind was cold and the flags fluttered in the wind, as if telling the difficulties faced by this ancient city.

Sima Shi stood on the top of the city wall, his face full of anxiety. He looked through the layers of fog, trying to find a glimmer of hope.

He turned to his father Sima Yi, and said anxiously, "Father, we can't just sit there and watch the Han army build the city wall. If they really surround Shouchun, won't we be trapped? We must send troops now to tear down the city wall built by the Han army!"

Sima Yi frowned when he heard this, his eyes were deep, as if he could see through everything.

However, at this moment he felt mixed emotions.

He knew that Sima Shi's concerns were not unreasonable, but the risk of fighting outside the city was too great.

He shook his head slightly, trying to make his thoughts clearer: "This is a trick of the Han army to lure the enemy. We can't fall into Liu Chan's trap."

Cui Lin also came forward, his expression equally solemn.

As an imperial commissioner, he should not have been involved in such military decisions, but at this moment, his life was closely related to the survival of Shouchun.

He said in a deep voice: "If the general of the Bagongshan camp does not come to rescue us, and the Han army builds a wall around us now, our lives will be in danger. Lord Sima Yi, we can't wait to die here!"

When Sima Shi heard what Cui Lin said, he became even more anxious and stamped his feet.

Although there are sufficient supplies in the city, if the soldiers and civilians have lost hope, how can the city be defended?

He pleaded again: "Father, in this situation, even if we know it is Liu Chan's plan, we must face the challenge head-on. Otherwise, the hearts of the soldiers and civilians in the city will be scattered!"

How could Sima Yi not know this truth?

He was also extremely anxious.

However, as an experienced military strategist, he understood better that if he went out of the city to fight the Han army in the field, it would be fine if he won, but if he lost, Shouchun City would not be able to be defended.

He doesn't want to bear this responsibility, and he can't bear it.

He took a deep breath and tried to keep his tone calm: "Wait, wait until the fighter plane arrives. We can't attack blindly now."

In fact, Sima Yi had already begun to think about retreating.

The odds of winning this battle are slim.

If you fail, your future will be ruined.

Won.

There will be another big battle.

Today's Wei State is far inferior to the Han State.

However, as an important official of the Wei State, he could not give up easily.

He had to wait for the right time before the prince could remove him from his position.

As for when to withdraw, Sima Yi knew it very well: that was after the emperor's death.

After all, the prince's influence on him was not good.

By then, everything will be settled and he will no longer have to bear this heavy responsibility.

The atmosphere on the city wall became increasingly tense, and the cold wind seemed even more biting.

Sima Shi looked at his father's solemn expression and felt a nameless anger surge in his heart.

The father had too many concerns in his mind, but at this moment, they had no way out.

He pleaded again: "Father, we can't wait any longer! If we wait any longer, Shouchun will really be finished!"

When Sima Yi heard this, his heart was also beating fast.

He looked into the distance, where the Han army was busy building the city wall, as if he had already seen the future of Shouchun.

When acting, one has to play the whole role. For the "movie king" Sima Yi, he naturally knows this.

hiss~!

Sima Yi took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart: "I know, I know... But we can't attack blindly. We must wait for the right time."

Cui Lin was listening at the side, feeling extremely anxious.

Sima Yi's concerns were not unreasonable, but at this moment, they no longer had time to wait.

Cui Lin said in a deep voice: "General, we can't hesitate any longer! If we wait any longer, there will really be no chance!"

The atmosphere on the city wall became increasingly solemn, and everyone held their breath, waiting for Sima Yi's decision.

Sima Yi's heart was also in turmoil. This decision would determine the survival of Shouchun and his own destiny.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened them: "Okay, tomorrow morning, we will attack! However, we must act with caution and not fall into the trap of the Han army!"

He pulled Sima Shi over and whispered, "Let the 500 troops from the North Camp go out of the city to harass."

The five hundred men in the North Camp are Cao Xiu's old subordinates. It's time to wear them down.

. . .

The next morning.

Outside Shouchun City, the wind was cold and the ground was covered with a thin layer of frost and snow, making it look particularly cold.

Yu Jin stood behind the ice wall, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, staring in the direction of the Shouchun city gate.

His armor shone with a cold luster in the morning light, and every scratch recorded his past military exploits and glory.

When the figure of the Wei army finally appeared in his field of vision, he sneered and clapped his hands in approval: "Great! Finally these cowards have come out. My men, follow me and charge!"

Following his order, the ice wall seemed to be activated, and an elite Han cavalry rushed out in an instant like a sword drawn from its sheath. The sound of their horses' hooves was like thunder, breaking the tranquility of the early morning.

They were dressed in black battle robes, wearing iron helmets, holding spears, and their eyes were burning with desire for victory.

In the shining of the morning sun, their shadows were stretched out, appearing both majestic and mysterious.

The Wei army obviously did not expect the Han army to attack so swiftly. They had just poured out of the city gate, still a bit lazy and relaxed. Faced with the sudden offensive, they instantly fell into panic.

The screams of fear and the clash of weapons mixed together, making it very noisy.

"Come on~"

"Kill~"

The Wei army's defense line was like paper under the charge of the Han army and collapsed at the first touch.

On Shouchun City, Sima Yi was wearing a heavy battle robe, his brows were furrowed, and his eyes were as sharp as torches.
Having witnessed this scene outside the city with his own eyes, although he felt unwilling, he also understood that the current situation was not optimistic.

He quickly ordered the city gates to be closed. The heavy wooden doors slowly closed with a rumbling sound, ruthlessly isolating the hundreds of Wei troops who had not yet withdrawn.

There was a hint of determination in Sima Yi's eyes, but it was also mixed with helplessness and indifference towards the victims.

He turned to look at Cui Lin and Sima Shi beside him, and said with a bit of reproach in his tone: "Leaving the city at this moment, if not committing suicide, what else is it?"

Cui Lin and Sima Shi's faces darkened when they heard this.

Cui Lin's eyes revealed a bit of anxiety and uneasiness. He knew very well how difficult this battle would be, but he couldn't find any words to refute.

Sima Shi clenched his fists, his veins exposed, showing his inner struggle and unwillingness.

He thought to himself: "Are we just going to sit there and wait for death, and let the Han army slaughter us? No, we can't!"

Sima Yi looked at the two men and understood their thoughts. He took a deep breath and said firmly, "Although we are at a disadvantage, we are not without a chance of winning. The key lies in outsmarting them, not fighting hard."

As for the chances of winning?

Let Cao Rui transfer me away, and the Han army will naturally have a chance of winning. (End of this chapter)