Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1324 Luck
Yuan Xi's retreat this time was a well-considered decision, and it was not simply because Guan Yu left.

The number of soldiers he and Zhuge Liang brought this time was actually less than 20,000, which was not even half of the number of Sima Yi who was about to return and the Wei army in Xu Du. This time, Yuan Xi's real main attack direction was the line from Huaicheng to Luoyang. If Luoyang was captured, Xu Du would collapse without a fight.

The reason why Yuan Xi's army was able to fight so smoothly before was mainly because he used a strategy to divert Sima Yi away. However, Zhuge Liang predicted that Wei Yan might not be able to hold back Sima Yi. If he was allowed to return for support, the Jin army would be passive without Guan Yu's help.

The siege of Xu Du was by no means as simple as one might imagine. Although Yuan Xi had expected Cao Pi to abandon the city and flee, judging from the responses of both sides, Cao Pi did have some strengths and did not lose his composure. Under such circumstances, if Yuan Xi attacked Xu Du by force and failed to take it, it would not only be a loss, but it might also restore the confidence of the Wei army, which had been defeated repeatedly.

Therefore, after discussing with Zhuge Liang, Yuan Xi decided to withdraw the troops temporarily and turn back to the east to assist Zhao Yun's offensive against Luoyang from Huaicheng.

Of course, before that, Yuan Xi decided to give Sima Yi a big blow. After all, this might be the most threatening person to Cao Wei in the next ten years.

Sima Yi was still ignorant of this and was rushing back desperately. His goal was to cut off the food supply to the Jin army's rear and wait for the Jin army to fall into chaos. Then he would take the opportunity to attack the Jin army and cooperate with the Wei army in Xudu to attack from both sides and lay siege to Xudu.

Sima Yi had a good idea. After defeating Wei Yan, he marched north quickly without any delay, just to launch a surprise attack on the Jin army without any knowledge of the attack. If he was facing other opponents, this move might have been a brilliant move to turn defeat into victory.

But he happened to encounter the Jin army.

Sima Yi's intention of action was also included in Zhuge Liang and Yuan Xi's pre-war deductions. Although Wei Yan did not have time to arrive to report the news, the rocket signal set up between the hills could, as the fastest means of signal transmission at the time, the expedited signal was finally delivered to Yuan Xi the day before Sima Yi arrived.

Although the rocket signal could only be used for emergency reporting and could not convey what had happened, the urgent signal itself indicated that something unexpected had happened. Therefore, Yuan Xi and Zhuge Liang became more certain of their previous guess and prepared to set up an ambush more than 200 miles southeast of Xu Du, waiting for Sima Yi to arrive at the border between Chen State in Yuzhou and Yingchuan County.

The reason for choosing this place is that the city here is located in a long and narrow passage called Fukouxing.

This passage runs from north to south, with the parallel Kongcang Mountains to the west and the northern exit being the east-west line of Danzhuling, Yangtou Mountain and Jinquan Mountain. To the east are several rivers and mountains, which block the northern exit of the passage to the north like a Hukou.

This is also the only passage that can go north within hundreds of miles of the eastern road, except for the direct route from Fancheng to Xuchang. Because of its dangerous terrain, it was also a place of contention for military strategists in ancient times.

This city, located at the neck of a narrow passage, is not as prosperous as before and is now only a fortress, but it controls the passages going south and north. Due to its dangerous terrain, the Jin army has not attacked and is still controlled by the Wei State. This is why Zhuge Liang predicted why Sima Yi dared to take this route.

The name of this city during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period was Changping.

Because the passage outside was previously controlled by the Jin army, the Wei defenders did not dare to come out to investigate and could only defend it tightly. Zhuge Liang guessed that if Sima Yi wanted to turn the situation around this time, he would have to take risks, so there was a high possibility that he would take this road.

As long as they could unexpectedly attack the valley entrance and go north fifty miles, they would be able to cut off the Jin army's logistics and food supply route to Xuchang, and then attack westward in one go, thus avoiding the situation of being surrounded in Xuzhou.

But on the other hand, Sima Yi was cautious by nature, so it was impossible for him not to send out spies, which was why Yuan Xi had to lead his troops away early to set up an ambush.

Now he and Zhuge Liang each led an army, ambushing on Kongcang Ridge and Danzhu Ridge on both sides. The soldiers were completely forbidden to light stoves and fires, and even war horses were not brought along, so as not to make any noise and alert Cao's spies.

Fortunately, at dusk that day, two groups of Wei army spies passed by. After receiving the news, Yuan Xi analyzed it and thought that they were advance scouts of the Wei army. It seemed that Sima Yi was preparing to march at night in order to conceal his whereabouts.

He believed that Zhuge Liang, who had advanced ten miles ahead, would certainly respond quietly. Sure enough, at the first watch, a scout came to report that the Wei army was rushing and heading straight for the exit.

Yuan Xi thought that the opportunity had come, and the rest depended on whether Sima Yi could get into this pocket.

Zhuge Liang in front used the faint moonlight to see through the telescope that there were crowds of people in the Jingxing Road below. It was the Wei army on the march. He ordered his subordinates to stay put and wait for the Wei army to pass, and then prepare to encircle them in this ten-mile-long passage with Yuan Xi's army.

This passage was also the last line of defense for Lian Po when he retreated during the Battle of Changping. The exit of the river valley is wide, but the interior is a triangular area with extremely complex terrain.

Sima Yi was at least on horseback. He had just passed Changping Pass controlled by the Wei army. The thirty miles before that was where Zhao Kuo's 400,000 troops were destroyed. So when Sima Yi passed by, he was also nervous and on guard at all times.

He didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he reached Changping Pass. After that, he only rested for half an hour. Seeing that it was getting dark, he ordered the soldiers to march quickly. If they walked another twenty miles, they would be able to get out of the gap in Danzhu Ridge and appear behind the Jin army!
Thinking of this, he became uneasy. Under normal circumstances, he would never take such a risk. But if he went back to Xudu directly, he would be punished because Guan Yu slipped through his path. So he had to make merit to atone for his crime. Sima Yi did not know where Guan Yu was before, and the news told by the Wei general after he arrived at Changping Pass also made Sima Yi feel depressed.

Guan Yu took the Huai River route and raided Cao Hong, defeating Cao Hong's army and making it flee. Cao Hong's whereabouts remain unknown to this day!

Sima Yi thought that he was doomed this time, so he was very anxious and set off immediately without stopping, just to atone for his sins. Otherwise, when he returned to Xu Du this time, his end might be miserable!

In this anxious mood, Sima Yi led his troops to march a little faster. When they saw that they were only seven or eight miles away from the valley entrance, he looked up at the dark mountains on both sides and suddenly felt something was wrong.

It is true that the southern passage of Changping Pass that we just passed was the place where Zhao Kuo died, but at that time, Bai Qi's surprise attack bypassed Danzhuling in the north of Changping Pass, reached Guguan in the east, and then marched southwest through the mountains, cutting off and surrounding Zhao Kuo's army.

In other words, he was in this triangular area, and there had been no news of the enemy from Guguan before, but Sima Yi overlooked one point, that is, although Changping Pass was safe, this passage was not necessarily safe!
This is because if there is an enemy, Sima Yi can retreat to Changping Pass, but if the enemy is the Jin army, they have means of attack that the Qin army does not have!
As if to confirm Sima Yi's idea, suddenly horns sounded from the mountains on both sides, and then hundreds of rockets rose up, with thick tail flames, and smashed towards the Wei army in the passage!

Then, hundreds of ignited fireballs rolled down the hillside at the same time, leaving long lines of fire and smashing into the crowd of Wei soldiers.

Suddenly, the horses and men neighed, and within just a few dozen breaths, the passage of more than ten miles was filled with flames. Thick and choking smoke rose up and filled the air, rushing into Sima Yi's nose, making him feel a headache and nausea.

Sima Yi had experienced many fire attacks by the Jin army and knew that compared to the fire, the choking smoke from the Jin army's kerosene was more deadly. After the soldiers inhaled it, they would often feel sore in their limbs, dizzy and have a swollen brain in less than a cup of tea, thus losing their ability to fight and even move, and died in the fire.

Seeing the critical situation, Sima Yi made a prompt decision and shouted: "The whole army turns around, the rear army becomes the vanguard, and rush back to Changping Pass!"

The Wei soldiers under his command were well-trained and knew that this was a life-and-death situation. They roared in unison and turned around to rush back the way they came.

Zhuge Liang was well prepared. He waved his feather fan and the Jin army soldiers immediately put on masks and strode down the hillside towards the passage, trying to block the Wei army's retreat.

Seeing this, the Wei army, which had temporarily become the vanguard after the rear army, also picked up their weapons and stepped forward. The two sides stood together, with burning kerosene and pine wood everywhere under their feet, but neither would show weakness and vowed to kill the other here.

Sima Yi, who arrived at the scene, took a look and realized that something was wrong, because the advancing soldiers were rushing down the hillside, and when the fire spread, they could still hide on the hillside for a while, but the Wei army that was trying to break out could only move forward on the fire in the passage at the bottom. Many people fell in the fire and could not break out quickly at all!
Seeing this, he shouted: "Divide into two armies and fight on the hillside!"

However, when the Wei army reached the hillside, they discovered another problem. The fire on the hillside was smaller, but because the smoke was rising, the smoke on the hillside became more choking, making it unbearable for the Wei soldiers.

In contrast, the Jin army had taken protective measures in advance and even had buckets of water behind them. They took turns wetting the cloth masks covering their mouths and noses, and they recovered their energy in a moment, and became more and more courageous as the battle went on.

Gradually the Wei soldiers were exhausted and squeezed into the narrow area below. Even though Sima Yi had thousands of countermeasures, he could not use them at this moment.

Watching his generals and soldiers falling in the fire one after another, Sima Yi thought about how he had been scheming and struggling to survive in the Cao Wei court. He finally had the opportunity to lead the troops, but it seemed that he was being targeted every time. Why was that?
If it were other Cao Wei generals, the offensive and pressure from the Jin army would not be half as strong as mine. Why would the Jin army target me like this?
Doesn't make sense?

He watched the fire grow bigger and bigger, and the enemy continued to attack the hillside. He realized that there was no hope of escape and was afraid that he would die here. He could not help but sigh to the sky: "Oh, God, how unkind to me!"

As if in response to his curse, there was a thunder in the sky, the clouds rolled up, and it began to rain.

Sima Yi and his subordinates were overjoyed and quickly formed a battle formation for a surprise attack. Driven by the desire to escape, the Jin army on the mountains on both sides completely blocked the Wei army's escape route. The rain got heavier and heavier, and soon the fire in the valley was put out. The Wei army was ecstatic and broke out in the direction of Changping Pass.

Zhuge Liang stood on the hillside, looking at the sky, and couldn't help shaking his head and said, "This is really strange. According to stargazing, the possibility of rain is very small, but it really rained."

"Then Sima Yi, how come he is so lucky?"

(End of this chapter)