Yuan Shao, the father of Fanghua in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 589: Digging the River to Flood the City
Watching the other party burst the embankment and release the water, Le Jin and Yu Jinhui's intestines turned green because they found that they had fallen into a misunderstanding.

They have been fighting with Cao Cao for many years. In Chen State, they used water attacks to repel Yuan Shu, and to surround Puyang, they used water attacks. But this time to attack Yecheng, Xiahou Dun and others also prepared to attack Yecheng with water attacks.

Because Cao Jun was good at water attack, but the enemies he encountered had never used it. As a result, after a few years of fighting, Le Jin and others subconsciously felt that water attack had become a unique tactic for their side.

However, until now, when they discovered that they were the targets of the water attack, they suddenly panicked!
The two were well aware of the power of the water attack. They saw that holes had been dug out on the river bank, and the water flowed down. At first, it was like a stream, but gradually the water began to grow larger, rushing down like a waterfall. Cangtingjin rushed over.

The soldiers of Yuan Xijun who were digging on the river bank saw it and hurriedly climbed up along the rope. They jumped on the boat and watched the river under their feet gradually wash away the river bank. The hole became bigger and bigger, and finally gathered the water dragon rushing down the city.

When the river flowed to the camps around Cangtingjin, it first rushed into deep trenches and pits, and then surged around in the trenches, gradually filling them up.

Some soldiers of Cao's army were in the trenches. They were unable to dodge and were washed away by the rushing water. Their screams filled the surrounding area.

There were shouts one after another, "The dam is broken, run!" After hearing this, the others panicked, climbed up the ditch and rushed towards the camp.

But the river water came faster and faster, following the fleeing soldiers, rushing toward the stronghold where Le Jin Yujin was. Cao's soldiers fled in panic, shouting and looking for higher ground to take shelter.

Le Jin and Yu Jin looked at each other and looked at each other. Looking at the momentum of the water flow, in less than a moment, the place where they were was about to be flooded by water!

The two of them knew how powerful the water attack was. If there was still a way to survive the fire attack, they would basically die if they were submerged in the water. Thinking of this, Yu Jin said decisively: "Wen Qian, we have to make a decision immediately!"

"If we don't leave, we will all die here!"

Le Jin gritted his teeth and said, "But we have the entrustment of Duke Cao, so we must go back."

Yu Jin sighed: "Wen Qian, if you lose your life as soon as the water comes in, what else can you entrust to me?"

"If we drown here alive, how can we stop the other side?"

Le Jin showed an unwilling look, knowing that Yu Jin's words were right. In front of the flood, anything he did now was in vain. Even if he stayed, his life would be in vain.

He stared at the vague figures on the bow of the large river ship in the distance, his eyes gleaming with hatred, and then shouted to the soldiers below: "Pack up your weapons and armor immediately, and retreat to the west!"

After hearing this, Cao Jun hurriedly opened the west gate of the stronghold and was about to escape. However, they heard the sound of horse hooves in the north. It turned out that Xu Huang came with a cavalry and fired at the fleeing Cao Jun soldiers. The Cao Jun soldiers just ran away, and some people kept getting hit. The arrow fell.

Le Jin and Yu Jin escaped with their soldiers. They ordered the soldiers outside to raise their shields for protection, but people were so panicked at this time that few people could listen.

From time to time, someone would fall down and be trampled to death by those behind them. Those who stepped on them would accidentally fall down again, and then repeat the same mistakes as those in front. The soldiers trampled on each other, and there were countless casualties, and their corpses were everywhere. yes.

The raging flood from behind chased Cao's army and swept through it, submerging the dead bodies on the ground. After a while, dead bodies were floating everywhere on the water.

Le Jin Yujin looked back and couldn't help but feel furious. Previously, they fought with Yuan Xi's army, and only a hundred people died in total. But this time, at least a thousand people were killed by the flood!
As the flood swept through, Cangtingjin quickly turned into a swamp, and all the previous deer and wood fences were submerged in the water.

The generals of Yuan Xi's army watched silently from the bow. Although they had fought water battles before, they still used bows, arrows and swords to kill the enemy. But now they suddenly saw that they could easily kill so many enemies in a short time just by the power of water flow. When someone kills someone, his heart is shocked.

Seeing that the flood had reached the escape route of Cao Jun and blocked Xu Huang's cavalry, Lu Xun said to Yuan Xi, "Do you want General Xu to pursue us?"

Yuan Xi looked at the dense forest road in the direction of Cao's army's escape. Cangtingjin was already submerged in the ocean, and said: "No, let him come back, mobilize the soldiers, and try to block the opening."

Jushou said at this time: "Wait a minute, the current is too strong now, and it is difficult to fill the river. It will be easier to carry it after the water level goes down."

"And even if it's filled in, if the bow of the boat moves, it will still let water flow down."

Yuan Xi understood that what Jushu said was right, and immediately nodded and said: "Then fix those boats on the river bank to prevent a large-scale breach of the embankment."

"Now that the river has not flooded this area, except for the people repairing the river bank, everyone else hastily unloaded the baggage and food and rushed to Dongwuyang!"

Everyone took the order, and soon the horses and grain were unloaded from the river bank. Yuan Xi took the lead, and Taishi Ci Lu Lingqi galloped to Dongwuyang on horseback.

When he looked back, Cangtingjin was almost completely submerged in the water. There were countless corpses of Cao soldiers floating on the water. Although he couldn't bear it in his heart, being kind to the enemy now was cruelty to his own people.

He and Cao Cao are already fighting to the death. What will break out next will be a complete war. The final victory or defeat of the two sides will be witnessed by the land of Jizhou.

When he rushed to Dongwuyang with his first 5000 men and horses, the defenders at the top of the city were as if they were on the ground and began to take archery postures. Taishi Ci took the lead and crossed the line to attack the city and shouted: "I am Taishi Ci of Donglai, Yuan Xianyi "Come under your command!" "Now I have sent you to lead troops to rescue Jizhou and resist Cao's army. Are there Jizhou soldiers and generals in the city?"

The guard on the top of the city heard this and shouted: "Please wait a moment, I will fetch the general!"

After a while, no one was seen at the top of the city. Lu Lingqi couldn't help but said to Yuan Xi: "Why are you reacting so slowly? Could it be that Cao Jun is pretending to be?"

Yuan Xi said: "It doesn't matter, it won't be too late."

After a while, a general staggered up the tower and said feebly: "Where is Mr. Xian Yi?"

After hearing this, Yuan Xi stepped out from the crowd and said, "Brother Gao, it's me."

The visitor was none other than Gao Lan. When he saw Yuan Xi's face, he immediately felt relieved and ordered the soldiers to open the city gate to greet him.

Yuan Xi led his troops in and saw Gao Lan being helped off the top of the city with one arm still holding a wooden crutch. He couldn't help but be surprised and asked: "Brother Gao, what's going on?"

Gao Lan smiled bitterly and said: "Don't mention it. When I was fighting with General Cao Ying, I was attacked by Le Jin with a hidden arrow. He was shot in the back and fell off the horse. If my subordinates hadn't saved me quickly, I would have died long ago."

After hearing this, Yuan Xi said: "We just defeated them half a day ago, and now I want to know the situation in Yecheng."

Everyone went all the way back to Gao Lan's mansion and listened to his detailed explanation of the current situation, and felt that the situation was not good.

Before Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang rushed back to Yecheng, Gao Lan came out with three thousand soldiers and horses to garrison Dongwuyang. Now there are less than ten thousand people in Yecheng, and the general is Chunyu Qiong.

But according to Gao Lan, he led troops to fight before and was repulsed by Xiahou Dun. He heard that he was also injured and was forced to retreat to Yecheng to defend.

Both generals in Jizhou were defeated by Cao's army and could not respond to each other. Moreover, Gao Lan received news that Cao's army was preparing to dig up the Zhang River and flood Yecheng!
After hearing this, Yuan Xi stood up and said: "I want to lead people to Yecheng for rescue. Brother Gao is recovering here. Lejin Yujin's soldiers have been dispersed, and they should not pose a threat to Dongwuyang for the time being."

Gao Lan stood up, but he staggered and said: "I really have difficulty moving, so I have to rely on the envoy."

Yuan Xi nodded, feeling restless. Cao Cao wanted to attack Yecheng with water!
Yecheng is a world-famous fortified city with a large population and strong city defenses. If Cao Cao's army did not have hundreds of siege equipment and the consciousness of tens of thousands of lives, it would be difficult to knock down even a single city gate.

Therefore, the fastest way to kill the enemy coincides with what Yuan Xi had thought before, which is water attack.

Water attacks can not only cut off the enemy's supply of food and fodder, greatly reducing enemy morale, but also floods can pour into the city, which can easily breed diseases.

Infectious diseases in this era are very scary, because there are no systematic prevention and treatment measures. Epidemics often occur, and by the time people start dying, the situation is already out of control.

During the Three Kingdoms period, several major epidemics occurred, which not only the common people but also the nobles could not avoid. Cao Wei lost a large number of high-ranking officials in two major epidemics.

Therefore, the purpose of Cao Jun's flooding of the city was very clear, which was to kill as many people as possible at the minimum cost. In other words, the purpose of attacking the city with water was not to use it for his own use, but to completely destroy it.

Yuan Xi inquired about the situation of Cao Jun's excavation of Zhangshui, led his troops out of the city, and sent spies to investigate the enemy's movements. He knew that with his current strength, he was still at a disadvantage compared to Cao Jun, both generals and soldiers.

But if Cao Jun is left alone and the Zhang River pours into the city, large-scale deaths will begin in the city within ten days, so he must find a way to disrupt Cao Jun's excavation of the Zhang River.

Everyone rushed all the way, and after a day and night, they finally met their own spies. After finding the correct route, they finally encountered Cao Jun at Zhangshui, south of Yecheng.

At this time, Cao Jun was chasing one of Yuan Xi's vanguard troops.

Previously, Yuan Xi's fleet dropped hundreds of cavalry troops at the Renchengguo dock hundreds of miles east of Cangtingjin, patrolling near Yecheng, and collecting intelligence at the same time.

It was this cavalry army that after hearing about Cao Jun's movements, they sent spies to report the news to Yuan Xi. However, they were also discovered by Cao Jun and were fighting and retreating.

When Yuan Xi arrived, the cavalry was retreating south. Cao's army was in hot pursuit and was about to surround it. However, as Yuan Xi's army arrived, they suddenly attacked Cao's pursuers. Cao's soldiers were caught off guard and were defeated. Escape.

He ran fast and returned to the stronghold to report the emergency to General Xiahou Dun. When Xiahou Dun heard that the enemy army had arrived, his face was extremely ugly.

He had previously dug several tributaries, and now he was blocking and digging the largest tributary. It was only a few days before Zhangshui could be fully dug. Unexpectedly, the enemy appeared at this time and completely disrupted the plan!
(End of this chapter)