Hengdao Sixteen Kingdoms

Chapter 597
Although Fancheng was captured, Zhu Xu led thousands of elites across the river from Nancheng and burned the ferries on the Han River.

However, the Han River is not the Yangtze River, and it does not require a big boat. It can be crossed with just one raft.

Huan Wen clamored for the Northern Expedition and transferred most of the Jingxiang naval forces to Ruxu. The water stronghold in Xiangyang was also defeated by Qin Biao and Mi Jin.

In other words, no one in Jingxiang could stop Liang Jun from going south.

As for the things to cross the river, the craftsmen and civilians who accompanied the army could make them in a day or two.

"Order, Liu Laozhi will lead three thousand elites to stay in Fancheng, and the rest of the troops will follow me across the river!" Li Yue stayed up all night, but his energy was extremely high.

Xiangyang is actually more important than Hefei, Dongguan, and Ruxu. Taking this place will strangle the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

All parts of Jingzhou are within the attack range.

"Huan Chong's navy has arrived at Fucheng, which is three hundred miles away from Xiangyang and about three days' journey!" Cui Hong said.

"Huan Wen made three mistakes in this battle. First, he transferred most of his elite troops to Jianghuai. Second, he was confused by our army's suspicious tactics. Third, after he woke up, he did not personally lead the main force to come to support. These three mistakes Wrong, Xiangyang will definitely be mine!" Li Yue said with a smile.

Although Huan Chong was quite talented in Jiangdong.

But in front of Liang Guo, it was not enough. Moreover, there were only [-] naval troops on this trip, which could not lift the siege of Xiangyang at all.

You know, the Liang army is upstream and the Jin army is downstream.

For so many years, Huan Wen was able to rely on Jingxiang to suppress Jiangdong, and he also gained advantages from upstream.

Li Yue and Cui Hong crossed the river on bamboo rafts.

There is great strength in numbers, and tens of thousands of civilians are behind them. War horses, ordnance, and food and grass are constantly crossing the Han River day and night.

Standing on the bamboo raft, looking at Xiangyang City on the south bank, the Han River rises and falls, and I suddenly feel like a dream.

When they arrived at the south bank, Qin Biao, Mi Jin, Li You and Meng Kuan waited for a long time.

"General, I will pay homage to Your Majesty." The four of them knelt down on one knee.

Li Yue first helped up Qin Biao and Mi Jin, then Meng Kuan, and finally Li You, "Why is there need for red tape in the army?"

After not seeing each other for more than a year, Li You and Meng Kuan are stronger, their faces are a little less childish, their bodies are a little more military, and their waists are straight.

Since ancient times, the battlefield has been the most demanding.

Li Yue glanced over, without stopping, just patted the two of them on the shoulders, "How is the situation in Xiangyang?"

"Huan Huo defended his troops well, and the Jin army obeyed their orders. The general did not attack by force, but only burned their water stronghold. Your Majesty forgives me." Qin Biao looked apologetic.

"If the general hadn't destroyed the Jin army's water stronghold, how could I have captured Fancheng? I have merit but no fault."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Let's go and inspect Xiangyang City Defense with me." Li Yue got on his horse.

"As you command." The four of them followed behind.

Xiangyang is Huan Wen's hometown, and it is also the gateway and strategic fulcrum to the east and west of the Yangtze River.

Tao Kan relied on this to defeat Du Tao and Su Jun, Yu Yi used this to plot the Northern Expedition, and Huan Wen relied on this to suppress Jiangdong.

The lifeblood of Jin State lies in Jingxiang.

Therefore, I was extremely attached to this city. The city was taller and wider than Fan City. Huge urns were built at the four gates. There were crossbows on the walls, which was intimidating.

The morale of the defenders on the city wall was acceptable and was not affected by Fancheng's defeat.

From this, we can also see that Huan Huo has some general skills and can quickly stabilize the situation without being defeated like a mountain.

"This city is difficult to attack by force." Li Yue sighed. No wonder Qin Biao and Mi Jin, who had always been brave, were helpless.

In such a big city, without more than [-] troops, it would be difficult to succeed.

However, Li Yue mainly conducted a surprise attack this time, catching Huan Wen off guard, so he did not bring many troops.

"Now that Huanchong's reinforcements are coming, the military morale in the city has become more stable." Qin Biao said with a deep eyebrow.

"Fan City has been destroyed, and the upper reaches of the Han River are controlled by our army. If Huan Chong dares to come, I will teach him not to return with a sail! Send an order to prepare more rafts, bamboo rafts, hay, firewood, and kerosene!"

The winter is dry and there are dry firewood and dry grass everywhere.

"Your Majesty's brilliant idea!" Mi Jin bowed his hands.

Others also had expressions of admiration, but this look was more or less a showmanship. Burning the warship was originally a common strategy.

Zhou Yu's burning of Red Cliff has been spread throughout the world for hundreds of years.

Back at the camp, Li Yue waited for Huan to rush up and die.

But after waiting for three days, Huan Chong never came.

According to the news brought back by the scouts, Huan Chong saw that Fancheng had been breached. Liang Jun had taken control of the upper reaches and returned to Fancheng to wait and see what would happen.

Sure enough, no one is ordinary these days.

Huan Chong's army can support Xiangcheng at any time and protect the cities of Jiangling and Wuchang.

Xiangyang City is high and deep, and there are [-] to [-] Liang troops. It will be difficult to capture it in a moment.Li Yue looked at the sand table made by the scout, with a panoramic view of the Jianghan mountains and rivers, "If the mountains are not mine, I will go to the mountains. Qin Biao will obey his orders."

"The end is here!"

"Lead [-] black cloud elites and [-] suppressing troops, and go south to sweep the cities in Jiangling!"

Xiangyang cannot be conquered, and the same cannot be said for attacking the cities in Jingnan.

The south was even more empty, and the Jin army was mainly concentrated in the Xiangyang area.

"Father, what if Huan Chong leads his army to support us?" Li You was a lively nature and couldn't help but interrupt.

Li Yue laughed loudly, "When the fish in the water land, aren't they ready to be slaughtered?"

All the way south, the Jin army either relied on the Han River and the Yangtze River as a screen, or huddled in fortified cities.

In field battles, Li Yue has absolute confidence.

Even if the Jin army has cavalry, they are no match for Heiyun's elite!

We are not afraid that the Jin army will come to support us, but we are afraid that the Jin army will not be able to retreat.

"My sons and ministers are willing to go together." Li You's newborn calf is not afraid of tigers.

"The last general is also willing to go with us." Meng Kuan also said with cupped hands.

In front of so many generals, Li Yue couldn't bear to offend them, so he nodded and said: "As expected of my son, go ahead!"

The two were overjoyed.

Li Yue raised his eyes and suddenly caught a glimpse of Cui Hong looking at Li You thoughtfully.

Cui Hong is good at everything, but he has too many thoughts.

Qin Biao led [-] cavalrymen through the Xiangyang City in a majestic manner and went straight to the cities in the south.

Li Yue led his troops and prepared to attack, but the troops in the city remained stationary.

Huan Huo is as steady as an old dog, and like Huan Chong, he is worthy of being a brother.

Xiangyang is the hometown of the Huan family. If Xiangyang is there, the entire Jingzhou will be there. If Xiangyang is not there, Jingzhou will be in danger.

Li Yue simply rested in the camp.

Xincheng County upstream is in hand, and Fancheng in the north has also been captured. Sooner or later, Xiangyang will be the turtle in the urn.

It can be consumed one bite at a time.

Sure enough, when Qin Biao went south, Huan Chong still did not come out. He allowed Liang Jun to attack the city and plunder the land, and sent the captured people's money and food to Xiangyang.

Li Yue admired their determination.

But from another perspective, it is right not to stick to it. As long as Xiangyang is still there, the foundation of the Huan family will be there.

"It's better to send another [-] troops to attack Xiangyang in one fell swoop and control Jiangdong's command!" Cui Hong suggested.

"It's too late. A hundred thousand troops came from Yecheng. It took a long time. How could Huan Wen remain indifferent? With the strength of Xiangyang, even a hundred thousand troops would be difficult to break." Li Yue was not impulsive.

Raising another hundred thousand troops will lead to a decisive battle with Jiangdong.

Fu Jian will be happy and happy in Guanzhong.

It is easy to send troops, but it is not so easy to stop them.

As soon as he finished speaking, a scout came to report: "Your Majesty, Huan Wen personally led a main force of [-] people to advance by land and water to support Jingxiang."

With his lair under siege, Huan Wen would definitely not give up.

Cui Hong said: "If Huan Wen rushes to the battlefield, I'm afraid this battle... will end here."

The defenders of Xiangyang City, Huan Chong's navy, and Huan Wen's [-] elite troops will no longer be a question of whether to attack Xiangyang, but how to retreat.

"Why panic, just wait!" Xiangyang is difficult to break, but Jingnan is not necessarily so. The main force of the Jin army is either transferred away or gathered on the front line of Xiangyang.

At least for now, Liang Jun has the advantage.

It takes a long time to go upstream from Dongguan to Xiangyang. The more troops there are, the slower the speed.

The new year is here in a blink of an eye.

Chang Wei sent more than 1 cattle and sheep to reward the three armies and celebrate the New Year.

Li Yue ordered them to be slaughtered so that the soldiers could eat enough.

"Your Majesty, I am very happy that General Qin Biao has attacked Jiangling!" Mi Jin came to report with great joy.

"Jiangling, great kindness!" Li Yue waved the roasted leg of lamb in his hand vigorously.

There is another village in the dark.

(End of this chapter)