Wei Ni

Leliang, who has served in the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry for more than ten years, is impeccable for any general in terms of tactical coordination.

When he hurried northward, he assigned two hundred scouts to the commander of Jiang Ban to go to the west bank of Zhongdu River to meet Xia Houhui, while he crossed the water from the pontoon bridge and went up the water from the east bank.

This approach was to avoid the possibility of Wu soldiers abandoning their boats and escaping from the east coast.

After all, Xia Houhui couldn't pursue him through the water.

Moreover, there are places along the river such as Hailing County and Dongling Pavilion on the east side of Zhongdu River where Wu soldiers can hide until Dantu's reinforcements arrive.

Facts have proved that Leliang is very thoughtful.

When Wu Bing's fleet crossed Guangwu Lake and entered the boundary of Dongling Pavilion, Sun Shao really had this thought.

Because here he had already seen the thick smoke rising into the sky from Jiangdu Wubao, and several walking boats who had gone ahead to explore the path also came back to tell them that the entrance to the river was blocked by countless sunken ships.

"As a general, I did not pay attention to it. I fell into Wei's plan and put all the officers and soldiers in danger. I have betrayed the country and it is not a pity to die."

As Leliang Yinqi appeared on the east bank of the Zhongdu River, Sun Shao sighed sadly, and whispered to Wu Can beside him with a guilty look on his face, "The only person who has trouble calming down is actually hurting brother Kong Xiu."

"Why did Gongli say this!"

But Wu Chan, who was also looking desolate at first, became excited after hearing this, and said with relief, "I am a man's ear, how can I be afraid of death! And although our army's return is blocked, we are still on the boat, letting the Wei cavalry He is so fierce that he can't fight with water. In this case, Gongli only needs to have strong soldiers and stabilize the morale of the army. At most, Dantu's reinforcements will arrive!"

Alas, your statement is too optimistic.
Just think for the best.

I want to ask, how could someone who could formulate the tactics of luring snakes out of their holes not consider in advance that cavalry cannot wade through water to attack?

Especially the target of their lure to the enemy was themselves, who were originally stationed on the south bank of the river and needed to take a boat to get there!

After hearing this, Sun Shao couldn't help but sigh again.

Of course, he would not refute Wu Can's point of view out loud under such circumstances.

Not only because Wu Can only had experience in conquering Shanyue, but also because he thought it would be good to let him and other soldiers keep some thoughts. At least, it can maintain the stability of military morale in a short period of time.

"Well, what Brother Kong Xiu said makes sense."

Nodding slightly, Sun Shao agreed.

Immediately, after pondering for a moment, he asked the personal guards to raise flags for each group to continue slowly heading south in the direction of Jiangdu.

This move made Wu Can look pale.

Although he is not as good as Sun Shao in generals and strategies, he is not a stupid person.

Therefore, we can also guess that Sun Shao is ready to abandon his boat and go ashore in a desperate fight - although the Jiangduwu Fort on the east side of Zhongdu River has thick smoke billowing into the sky, but on the west side There is a Jiangshui Temple built on the cliff of the river surrounded by dense forests. If the Wu soldiers abandon their boats and go ashore and arrive at the Jiangshui Temple smoothly, the dense forests can greatly hinder the speed of the Wei army's cavalry; and the Wu soldiers can come to meet Dan Tu's reinforcements when the golden drums sing on the cliffs of the river, and Dantu's reinforcements pass by. This way they can jump into the river to survive.

As for how many people were rescued on the boat after jumping into the river in the early spring when the weather was cold and the water was cold, and how many people died after the wind and evil entered their bodies?

But what puzzles me is, has the situation reached the point where we have to abandon the boat and go ashore?
Obviously, the Wei cavalry stationed on both sides of the strait are just sorting out their formations and letting their horses regain their power. They have nothing to do against their own side~
Maybe he saw his doubts.

After giving the order, Sun Shao also looked for one of the reasons and explained to him in a low voice, "This time our army hastily came to suppress the rebellion and pursue pursuit. We did not carry rations and baggage, so we may not be able to last long. Therefore, it is better to be prepared." "

It turned out to be the case.

It suddenly dawned on Wu Can that he couldn't help but look up at the sky.

There was still light snow falling at this time, and the sky was getting dark, and it was going to be sunset soon.

Once night falls, it is difficult for the hungry people to endure the cold wind, and their morale will inevitably be low. And the Wei cavalry who are always watching their side on the shore will definitely try to make noises to scare them after nightfall and prevent them from resting.

The thousand private soldiers affiliated to Sun Shao have been favored and nurtured for many years. Everyone is willing to die for Sun Shao, but their morale will not collapse because of this.

But those eight hundred navy soldiers
It’s really worrying!

After all, they had rowed hard all day long from Dantu to Fanliang Lake, and then back to Jiangdu from Fanliang Lake!
With their return route blocked, no food to eat, no rest, no fire to keep warm, and the Wei cavalry watching eagerly, they faced both mental and physical torture. Will they feel that there is no way out and their morale will collapse? Or even, will there be an outbreak similar to the Xiaoying camp or a direct mutiny?
Wu Can has no answer.

But he knew that once a person is forced into a desperate situation, he can do anything.

So, he became worried again.

At this moment, as Wu Bing's fleet headed south, Xia Houhui, who was also riding slowly, met Jiang Ban.

Without any courtesy, Jiang Ban called his horse to ride alongside him. He first told Jiangdu about the change of ownership and that Jiao Yi Gouquan and others had returned and waited for the situation of the battle. Then he quietly informed that Wu soldiers had fled back to Dantu to report the news. and his own suggestions.

"General, the news has been leaked. The thief Wu will definitely send reinforcements. If our army wants to kill the thief General Sun Shao, the opportunity is only tonight. Therefore, I secretly believe that it cannot be done without going deep into the tiger's den! It would be better if Generals and General Yue do it now. He also fired arrows vigorously to dampen the morale of the bandits Wu and make them panic. Then, after dusk, he used soldiers who were good at water to swim and attack them, forcing the bandits to abandon the ship in order to achieve success. "

At this point, he generously asked for orders, "General Yue sent the scouts under my command. There are more than a hundred of them who are good at water and brave enough to face death. If the general agrees, I am willing to lead them to swim in the water and attack." Don’t disgrace your life!”

Scouts are all selected from the elite.

Even if he is a cavalryman, he is still powerful when he abandons his cavalry and fights on foot. If we follow Jiang Ban's suggestion and take advantage of the night to swim and board a ship to attack, we may not be unable to achieve success.

But Xia Houhui still refused.

He had seen Sun Shao's private army in Kuangqi City, and he did not hesitate to die, so he did not want Jiang Ban to take risks.

"Young Jun's courage to die is commendable!"

First he praised, then Xia Houhui shook his head, "It's just that the thieves general Sun Shao is not incompetent. He must be wary of our army's night attack. I don't want to see Gongjun and the scouts lose this."

After saying that, without waiting for Jiang Ban to argue, he continued, "However, Gongjun and his scouts will definitely accompany me to the battle tonight. Let's urge them to have a good meal first and recharge their batteries until I force the thief Wu to abandon his boat and go ashore. ”

Is there any way for the general to force the thief Wu to abandon his boat?
Jiang Ban was slightly surprised.

Immediately, he said "promise" loudly and drove his horse back to the scouts.

Due to their previous interactions, he had a blind confidence in Xia Houhui.

Even though he couldn't figure out what method Xia Houhui could use to force Wu soldiers to abandon their boats, he still followed his instructions and went ahead to prepare.

Dantu, Jingkou official office.

It's late at night, everything is silent; the snow has stopped, and the cold moonlight diffuses into the hall from the vestibule, playing with the heartstrings of the sleepless man.

In the front hall, which was warmed by several braziers, Zhang Chengzheng, who resigned as Governor of Ruxu last year and was transferred as General Fenwei to serve as Sun Shao's deputy, held the slip in his hand and read it quietly.

Just the way he glanced outside the room from time to time showed how restless he was at the moment.

He was waiting for Sun Shao's messenger.

Since Sun Shao led his troops to Guangling County to quell the rebellion this morning, he came from the military camp to Jingkou to take charge.

That's why I'm a little anxious.

Although he had not worked with Sun Shao for a long time, he also knew that Sun Shao had always been thoughtful.

For example, if you are going to the north bank to quell the chaos, if you plan to stay there for a few days and inspect other garrison points, you should send a messenger back to ask him to handle military affairs on his behalf. But now there is no messenger and no return of Sun Shao.

Was it delayed because of the pending rebellion?

However, the rebel Guangwu Lake garrison station only had a mere 700 soldiers stationed there. With Sun Shao's talent, wasn't it easy to capture them?

Zhang Cheng was puzzled.

But it was dark tonight, and it was not easy to make a fuss about it, so we sent someone to find out.

Yeah, I don’t want to make a fuss out of a molehill.

The Wei army now does not have the strength to attack across the river, so it will not use troops against Guangling County.

That's all, there's no point in waiting any longer.

If you still don't see the messenger return the next day, send someone to ask again.

Zhang Cheng, who felt sleepy coming over him, didn't want to sit still any longer. He put down the letter, stood up from his desk and went to bed.

But before he entered the back hall, there was a faint noise coming from outside the court.

"Urgent report!"

"The Wei army attacks Guangling!"

"Jiangdu Wubao has been lost! The whereabouts of General Zhengbei and the Tunqi Colonel are unknown!"

Zhang Cheng, who had roughly heard it clearly, was also startled, and his fatigue disappeared instantly.

He quickly strode to the front of the hall and signaled to the soldiers on duty to bring in the noisy people outside.

After a while, I saw several hundreds of people in charge of clothing staggering in, bowing their heads to the ground, and crying urgently, "Report to General Fenwei! Jiangdu has been lost! General Zhengbei is still in Guangling, please send troops there quickly. save!"

"Blow the drum! Gather the generals!"

First, he yelled at the soldiers beside him. Zhang Cheng pulled one of them up and asked anxiously, "Where is General Zhengbei now? How was Jiangduwu Fort breached? Tell me in detail!"

"only."

"General Zhengbei walked northward on the Zhongdu River. I don't know where he was. Jiangdu Wubao was destroyed, and it was Liu Yu who rebelled."

After a while, the generals from each battalion came upon hearing the sound of drums.

But there were only five people.

It's not that the Jingkou Company, which can be said to be the gateway to Jiangdong, has no one who is qualified, but that according to the practice of raising troops in Hua County, Jiangdong, many troops are scattered elsewhere.

For example, Zhang Cheng, who had a private army of 5,000 men, only had 2,000 men stationed at Jingkou.

And because there is no war, 600 of them are still taking turns.

However, fortunately, Sun Shao's remaining two thousand private soldiers are all there.

When the two thousand-man supervisors heard that Sun Shao was trapped in Guangling and did not know whether he was alive or dead, they rushed to ask for help and were willing to lead the troops to the north bank for rescue.

It is very dangerous to cross the river at night.

But Zhang Cheng couldn't take care of that much anymore. Not only did he immediately agree to the request of the two thousand-man governors, but he also personally rushed there with more than a thousand of his own private troops.

no way.

That was Sun Shao who was relied upon by Sun Quan to be the vassal of the country~
Even if more than 3,000 soldiers are killed, as long as Sun Shao can be brought back unharmed, everything will be worth it!
Not to mention, Wei Wucan of the Tunqi School, who was also highly regarded by Sun Quan, was also there!

Gongli and Kongxiu, please hold on until I arrive!
Zhang Cheng, who did not dare to delay for a moment and ordered his soldiers to row with all their strength after boarding the warship, listened to the sound of the oars breaking through the water and the whine of the cold wind, and silently muttered in his heart.

Indeed, as long as he arrives, Sun Shao can escape.

Because when he was about to leave, he also sent several walking boats to Hengjiangpu and Niuzhuwu.

There were many soldiers stationed in Hengjiangpu and Niuzhuwu. After they learned the news, they could send troops to Tangyi County in Guangling County to outflank the Wei army's retreat, forcing the Wei army not to dare to stay in Guangling County.

However, Jiangduwu Fort was breached near dusk.

Calculating the time it took for the defeated troops to flee back to Dantu to report the news, for him to order the generals to gather troops, and for the hasty crossing of the river, could Sun Shao and Wu Can, who had rushed lightly, be able to hold on for that long?
Gongli went north by boat. Since the Wei army was not used to fighting on the water, he should have insisted on spending the night without any worries, right?

Zhang Cheng didn't dare to be sure, so he could only comfort himself.

Because at this time, he had no other choice but to firmly believe that Sun Shao's general strategy could be sustained.

Sometimes, however, things often backfire.

How long Sun Shao, who was trapped on the Zhongdu River waiting for reinforcements, could hold on depends on when he abandons his boat and goes ashore.

And an hour after nightfall, he had to abandon the boat.

Just as he expected, since the Wei army had all planned to lure the snake out of its cave, they would of course make preparations in advance and force the Wu soldiers who came across the river in boats to land.

This precaution was why Xia Houhui asked Deng Ai to choose three hundred of his men to pursue him.

Deng Ai, who was deeply committed to his achievements, had just been awarded the post of governor of the new army of thousands of soldiers. He selected those who were good at water from his subordinates to practice boating on the Huai River!
According to him, it was the new Shijia army that resisted the Wu soldiers in Huainan, and they would inevitably board ships and maneuver them in the future.

Since Man Chong, the general who conquered the east, did not send the new soldiers of the Shijia family to various garrison points or counties to garrison the city, and they were not included in the defensive establishment, they would be used in field battles or pursuit battles in the future. In this case, he should let his soldiers practice boating in advance. The boat is right.

Of course, he was not arrogant enough to compete with Jiangdong Navy.

That is openly seeking death.

He just required that the selected soldiers be able to skillfully operate the boat.

In order to have more rapid mobility in Huainan, where there are dense rivers, our army can have the opportunity to seize the battlefield opportunity with the Wu soldiers in future reinforcements, battles for land or pursuits.

Opportunity awaits those who are prepared.

Deng Ai's precautions gave him one more opportunity to make meritorious deeds than Gou Quan and Jiao Yi, who were both governors of a thousand people and had already led their troops back.

When Sun Shao's fleet went south to Jiangdu and was unable to advance or retreat at the mouth of the river, many Wu soldiers suffered from hunger and cold in the cold night wind. They were looking forward to the early arrival of reinforcements from Dantu. They led dozens of Wu soldiers with 300 soldiers Deng Ai, who was heading south, arrived.

These gangs originally belonged to the garrison of Kuangqi City.

It was filled with dried grass and dry firewood, and poured with the ointment that Kuangqi City always used for lighting and burning siege equipment.

Therefore, when he came to Jiangdu, the fire in Zhongdu Water was as bright as day. (End of chapter)