Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 305 Confrontation
After a whole day of rapid marching, Xiang Zhuang finally joined up with Pang Yu in the evening. Although the combined Chu army surpassed the Han army in terms of strength, except for the more than [-] men led by Pang Yu who were elite soldiers from the Tianlang camp. However, Xiangzhuang brought from Langzhong County all the private soldiers of the Qin family, Tang family and other Bashu tycoons, with limited combat effectiveness.

In the canvas tent temporarily used as the tent of Pang Yu's army, Xiang Zhuang was convening a meeting with all the generals.

Pang Yu spread out a piece of white paper on a large stone that was temporarily used as a marching table, and then drew a simple defense map of the Vice Jiange Han Army on the paper, and introduced while drawing: "The Han Army is at the highest point of Jiange Valley Road. Build forts everywhere, although this is just a simple wooden fortress, but once the Han army builds it, it will be a big trouble."

The generals nodded again and again, and Xiang Zhuang also deeply agreed that Jiange is a majestic pass that cannot be opened by one man. Once the Han army builds a fortress, it is basically impossible for the Chu army to conquer it.

After a pause, Pang Yu went on to say: "In addition, on the cliffs on both sides of the Jiange, the Han army also stationed heavy troops. Our army thought of repeating the old trick and dispatched surprise soldiers from the cliff to intercept the Han army's back route. That is absolutely impossible, and if our army chooses to attack from the front, then the two Han troops on the cliff will become the biggest threat!"

The generals nodded again. The Jiange valley road is narrow and difficult to walk, and the cliff is even steeper and difficult to climb. The Han army guarding on the cliff only needs to throw down rolling wood and rocks, and the Chu army who is attacking head-on will suffer heavy casualties. At the highest point, there is still a simple fortress under construction. It seems that the Han army really intends to build the Jiange into an unbreakable pass?
Mrs. Qin, who was fortunate enough to attend the meeting, frowned her beautiful crescent eyebrows, and said in a low voice: "So, isn't it impossible for our army to capture the Jiange?"

"That's not necessarily the case." Tang Tongdao said, "As long as General Huyan can take a small path to get behind the Han army..."

Bai Lixian shook his feather fan and said disapprovingly: "When your Majesty withdrew from the trail, the trail behind the mountain was already known to the Han army. Bai Mo used his troops cautiously, and it was impossible to ignore such a trail that might threaten the retreat of the Han army. , and this path is hidden deep in the rock crevice, the Han army only needs to block the rock crevice with huge stones, and our army will not be able to enter through the door."

Xiang Zhuang is silent, the reason why he sent Huyan to cut the trail yesterday to intercept the Han army's retreat was because Bai Mo was confronting Pang Yu on the Jinniu Road at that time, if he knew that Bai Mo had already retreated to the Jiange, there was no need to do anything extra, just like Bai Mo As Li Xian said, Bai Mo used his troops cautiously, how could he leave such a loophole?
At this point, there is no other way but to attack Jiange from the front!

Xiang Zhuang then asked Bailixian, "Ziliang, when will the main force of the Tianlang and Huben camps arrive?"

Bai Lixian sat up on his knees, cupped his hands and replied: "My lord, in two days at most, two battalions of troops will arrive!"

"Okay!" Xiang Zhuang nodded, and then asked Pang Yu, "Zi Ang, the Jiange Fortress that the Han army is rushing to repair will take a few more days to complete?"

Pang Yu said: "At least five days!"

Xiang Zhuang nodded again, and asked Qu Bucai again: "Old Qu, when will the soldiers of Hanzhong County be able to assemble? And when will the Han reinforcements from Guanzhong be able to arrive in Hanzhong?"

"This..." Qu Bucai was suffocated when he heard the words, but he was speechless.

Although Wumuya has set up a carrier pigeon system, most of them are single-line connections between branches and headquarters.

There was no cross-contact between the branches in various places, which caused the intelligence of the Chu army to conquer Shu. Branches, and then transferred to Xiang Zhuang by the branches, this way, the time is too late.

Or, the information was delivered with great difficulty, but the time has passed and it is worthless.

At that moment, Xiang Zhuang frowned, and said to Qu Bucai: "Old Qu, no matter what method you use, and no matter how much it costs, you must grasp the movements of the Han army in Hanzhong and Guanzhong as soon as possible!"

Whether Jiange can be broken, and whether Hanzhong can be taken, there are two decisive factors.

One is whether Gaochu and Bailimao's Chu army can arrive in time, and the other is why did the Han reinforcements arrive?
If the army of Chu State can break the Jiange before the reinforcements of the Han State, then even if Liu Bang personally leads the army to come, it will not be able to keep Hanzhong County, because at this time the Han army has already gone to the north to conquer the Xiongnu. The Han army in Hanzhong is infinitely limited in number, and its combat effectiveness is probably limited. How can it compare with the two elite battalions of Sirius and Huben?

However, if the soldiers of Hanzhong County completed the assembly before the Chu army broke the Jiange, or Liu Bang personally led the army to arrive before the fall of the Jiange, then there is basically no hope of seeking Hanzhong. , It is also impossible to break through the Jiange guarded by at least [-] Han troops!
Therefore, Xiang Zhuang must keep abreast of the movements of the Han army in Hanzhong and Guanzhong.

Qu Bucai immediately sat up on his knees and said solemnly: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

Wumuya has been operating in Guanzhong and Hanzhong for ten years, and has established a huge network of relationships. It is inextricably linked with many powerful and official families in the two places, and there are many powerful and official families in these two places. Pigeon breeders, with the help of these pigeons, it is entirely possible to send information in time.

But in this way, the possibility of the Ebony Cliff organization being exposed is greatly increased.

After all, the Wumuya family of Chu State is not the only intelligence organization in the world. Han, Qi, Liang and other vassal states also have their own intelligence organizations. The mission of the intelligence personnel of the enemy country, the strangulation among the intelligence personnel of various countries has never stopped.

Mrs. Qin stood up suddenly, and said to Xiang Zhuang: "Your Majesty, the Qin family has quite a few estates in Guanzhong and Hanzhong, and they usually use carrier pigeons to deliver news. The system will be able to unreservedly cooperate with President Qu to deliver messages."

"Then I would like to thank Madam." Xiang Zhuang was overjoyed when he heard the words, he would not refuse such kindness.

Mrs. Qin smiled sweetly, and sat back gently. Tang Tong, who was sitting under Mrs. Qin's head, jumped his eyelids, and then knelt and sat up immediately, and said generously: "My lord, our Tang family also has two manors in Nanzheng. Usually there are carrier pigeons to deliver news, if Your Majesty is trustworthy, our Tang family is also willing to lend a helping hand."

"Of course I can trust you." Xiang Zhuang was overjoyed, and said to Qu Bucai, "Old Qu, I leave this matter to you."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty." Qu Bucai cupped his hands and said, "I will go to the heads of the various families and set up an intelligence network covering Guanzhong, Hanzhong, and Bashu as soon as possible to ensure that Hanzhong and Guanzhong are under our comprehensive monitoring!" With the help of Bashu tyrants, and Xiang Zhuang's willingness to spare no expense, if he still can't do well, Qu Bucai should really commit suicide.

Xiang Zhuang said to Pang Yu again: "Zi'ang, although the main forces of the Hu Ben and Sirius battalions have not arrived yet, don't let the Han army in the Jiange be idle, no matter day or night, you still have to kill them from time to time. For a while, even if it is impossible to succeed in a sneak attack, at least the Han army will not be able to build a fortress with peace of mind."

"Here!" Pang Yu sat up on his knees, clasped his hands in a bow, and responded loudly.

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The trail behind Jiange.

After a day and night of long-distance marching, and after dozens of soldiers fell to death, Huyan finally rushed to the back mountain of Jiange with two thousand Sirius warriors. At the exit of the rock crevice, no Han army guards were found, but sent People entered the rock crevice to inquire, only to find that the exit of the rock crevice towards the other end of Jiange Valley Road had been blocked by the Han army with huge stones!
Huyan didn't believe in evil, so he went into the crack of the rock and tried to push it, but the boulder didn't move at all.

Re-exiting the rock crevice, a small school said: "General, the passage is blocked, you can't get through!"

Another junior said: "General, this road is blocked, let's go over the mountain?"

Hu Yan looked up at the towering mountains on both sides, and quickly gave up the idea of ​​climbing over the mountains. The Jiange area is surrounded by high mountains and dense forests, deep streams and steep cliffs. Even local hunters and woodcutters dare not enter. If the Chu army entered the mountain, they might not be able to get out again, but Hu Yan was really unwilling to go back the same way like this.

After pondering for a while, Huyan summoned a dozen or so Sirius warriors, and ordered: "You guys, go around and see if there are any mountain hunters. If you find them, report back immediately!" I imagined that I could find the mountain people among the mountains, and then lead the way by the mountain people, and go directly to attack Hanzhong by detour.

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Jiange, the fortress construction site.

At the highest point of the valley road, it has become a bustling construction site at this time. Two thousand soldiers from Hanzhong County have become peasants, and they are moving up huge boulders and pieces of wood.

On the heights, the prototype of a fortress has already appeared.

Surrounded by Hanzhong County Lieutenant Li Bu and a dozen of his own soldiers, Bai Mo was inspecting the construction site.

Looking at the soldiers of the Han army who were busy going back and forth, Bai Mo's brows were full of unresolved worries. When he visited the highest point of the construction site, Bai Mo suddenly stopped and turned back to ask Li Bu: "Lieutenant Li, under Hanzhong County." When will the county soldiers from each county be able to assemble? How many days will it take to open the Jiange?"

"This..." Li Bu pondered for a moment and said, "It will take three to five days, right?"

Bai Mo frowned, and said slightly displeased: "Lieutenant Li, three days or five days?"

Li Bu looked embarrassed, and replied: "The general thought that the assembly should be completed in three days, but it took five days to open the Jiange."

"It takes five days to open Jiange?" Bai Mo heard that the worry on his brows became more intense, he breathed a sigh of relief, and said in a low voice, "I hope the king's reinforcements can arrive in time, otherwise, Hanzhong County may not be able to keep it." .”

(End of this chapter)