Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 541
In a blink of an eye, more than a month has passed.

The battle against Han has also entered the most critical moment.

Prince Chu Xiangzheng's [-] troops had already advanced to Puban on the east bank of the river in half a month, but the [-] troops of Han veteran Li Zuoche had already made strict defenses on the west bank of the river from Xiayang to Linjin. Build a beacon tower every [-] miles, build piers every five miles, and garrison [-] troops, and build piers every [-] miles, and garrison [-] troops.

In addition, Li Zuoche personally led [-] elite troops to station in Heyang City between Yangxia and Linjin. No matter where the Chu army launched the battle of crossing the river, the Han army could rush to respond in the shortest time.

Looking at the defense map of the Han army provided by Xuan Yiwei, Xiang Zheng frowned unconsciously.

Lieutenant General Gao Lang usually prides himself on being resourceful and resourceful, but he was at a loss for a while.

After contemplating the map for a long while, Xiang Zhengcai said, "This Li Zuoche is really cautious."

"That's true." Gao Lang nodded lightly, and said again, "I heard my father mentioned this person. It is said that this person suggested to Zhao Wangxie at that time in the Battle of Jingxing to divide his troops to intercept the Han army's grain road. Unfortunately, Zhao Wangxie He was stupid and incompetent, and did not adopt his suggestion, otherwise, I am afraid that there would be no subsequent battle of Jingxing, and the situation of the struggle between Chu and Han would be very different."

Xiang Zhengdao: "Father also told me about this man. It was the battle of Gaixia when our army was newly defeated and the former king was mourned. The situation in Chu State was at its most critical. Fortunately, in the battle of Shouchun, my father defeated Li Zuo. Che, only then did the follow-up Meishan War come about, and then the situation in Chu State was able to turn the crisis into peace. My father once said that he was really lucky to win the Shouchun Battle."

Gao Lang said: "Although Li Zuoche is not well known, he is so valued by the King and King Han Xin of Qi, which shows that he is not in vain. Zihe, it seems that this time you have met a real opponent."

Xiang Zheng smiled and said, "As long as it's not Han Prime Minister Bai Mo, no matter how difficult it is, you have to try."

"Hehe, if the opposite side is really Han Prime Minister Bai Mo leading the army, then we don't have to attack, just go straight to the deep ditch and barrier." Gao Lang laughed, "Although this Li Zuoche is also difficult to deal with, but compared with Bai Mo, he is always the same. There is a lot of difference, we can always find a strategy to defeat him if we calculate it carefully."

Xiang Zheng nodded lightly, and said again: "Can the other armies make any new progress?"

Gao Lang replied: "It's still the same. The general is still facing off against Han Prime Minister Bai Mo in Shangyong. The [-] Shu soldiers of the light chariot general Zi Cheshi are blocked on the Jinniu Road and cannot advance an inch. The naval army of the building boat general Zhong Limei is still there. Fenglingdu cleared the iron chains blocking the river, and the [-] northern sable cavalry of Hussar General Meng Shi were still confronting the Xiongnu in Jiuyuan."

Xiang Zheng said again: "Where is the Yanzhao coalition army and the Han army?"

Gao Lang replied: "It's the same as before, still in Yunzhong, Lishi and the Han army are vain."

Xiang Zheng shook his head, and said again: "Where are the Qiang soldiers protecting the Qiang school captain Pang Zheng? Is there no news yet?"

Gao Lang shook his head and remained silent. He knew that the reason why the crown prince cared about the Qiang soldiers guarding Qiang school lieutenant Pang Zheng was entirely because his son Xiang Zhi was also in Pang Zheng's army. But he was worried that Xiang Zhi, the eldest son, would enter Xianyang before him, because at this stage, Xiang Zhi was Huai Yi who could threaten his crown prince.

As the prince's die-hard buddy, Gao Lang knew very well that the prince never relaxed his guard against his younger brother.

However, it was a risky move to order Pang Zheng, the captain of the Qiang guard, to lead the Qiang soldiers out of the Jinchuan River Valley and over the Gongga Mountains to attack Longxi. Passing through the territory of dozens of savage tribes, the level of danger is almost no less than that of the king's lone army.

It is said that after the Queen Mother (Yu Ji) heard the news, she even fainted from anxiety.

Immediately Gao Lang persuaded: "Prince, go out of the Jinchuan River Valley and cross the Gongga Mountain to surprise Longxi. Entering Longxi, even if you succeed by luck, it will be very difficult for you to do anything due to exhaustion and loss of soldiers."

But Xiang Zheng shook his head, and said disapprovingly: "But Ziliang, have you ever thought about it? Han Chancellor Bai Mo might not have expected the existence of Qiang soldiers like Pang Zheng, the captain of the Qiang guard. Now the Han army has come out in full force. The various counties are confronting our armies from all walks of life, Xianyang must be defenseless, if at this time the Qiang soldiers suddenly break out in Longxi..."

Gao Lang was silent. He had to admit that the prince's analysis was very reasonable.

And the reason why the son Xiang Zhi disobeyed the king's order and accompanied Pang Zheng, the captain of the Hu Qiang school, to conquer Longxi was probably because he had seen through this point. Thinking of this, Gao Lang couldn't help but feel awe-inspiring. He really didn't see that the son Xiang Zhi was usually careless. It seems that there is not much scheming, but there are such calculations in secret?
Xiang Zheng seemed to have guessed what Gao Lang was thinking, and shook his head immediately: "I know what kind of temperament the second younger brother is. With him, he definitely can't think so far. It's what I'm most worried about." What Xiang Zheng is most worried about is the huge power behind Xiang Zhi.

In fact, Xiang Zheng thinks farther and farther than his old son Xiang Zhuang on this matter.

Out of the need for political stability, Xiang Zhuang appointed the crown prince early, but he has not seriously considered the arrangements for the funeral. After all, he is only in his early forties, and he is still far from death. In the dark, quietly pre-planned.

Xiang Zheng's understanding of his father is beyond ordinary people's imagination. He knows very well that his father, Xiang Zhuang, must be enthroned and proclaim himself emperor as long as the Han Dynasty is destroyed. He is not sure whether he will be crowned king with a different surname, but it is very possible to get a few sons to be crowned king.

If Xiang Zhi made great contributions in the battle against Han, even if he could not replace Xiang Zheng as the crown prince, he might not have been crowned king. In addition, Xiang Zhi was the stepson of the previous king Xiang Yu. If it is not affected, Xiang Zhi will be named Jiangdong King, which is not a good thing for Xiang Zheng.

If Xiang Zhi is really crowned King of Jiangdong, his kingdom is likely to be invincible. At that time, even if Xiang Zheng successfully succeeds to the throne as the second emperor of Chu, he is very likely to be deprived of the throne by his younger brother. For the sake of his own crown prince and future emperor's throne, Xiang Zheng had to take precautions.

After pondering for a long time, Xiang Zhengcai said in an unquestionable tone: "In any case, we must rush into Guanzhong before the Huqiang captain. The first contribution to destroying the Han must not fall on the second brother!"

"However, Zihe, it is not easy to defeat Li Zuoche. If you act too hastily, it is easy for him to take advantage of you." Gao Lang can understand Xiang Zheng's mood, but Li Zuoche is not a fuel-efficient lamp after all, let alone now The Han army retreated and defended, and the Chu army did not have the assistance of the water army. It was not easy to cross the river and attack.

Xiang Zheng said thoughtfully: "When I was young, my father once told me a story called Romance of the Three Kingdoms. There was such a passage in it. In order to lure the general of the North Kingdom to take the initiative to attack, the Prime Minister of the Western Kingdom sent the woman's clothes to someone. Give it to the Northern General to ridicule that the Northern General has no eggs and is not a man."

"Oh?" Gao Lang asked, "Has the general of the Northern Kingdom been angered?"

"No." Xiang Zheng shook his head and said, "The general of the Northern Kingdom gladly accepted the women's clothes sent by the Prime Minister of the Western Kingdom, and even wore them in front of the army, but the Prime Minister of the Western Kingdom finally returned without success." After a pause, Xiang Zheng He added, "However, Li Zuoche may not have the stamina of a general of the Northern Kingdom, I want to try this method on him."

Gao Lang said: "If Li Zuoche is really angered, so what?"

Xiang Zheng twitched the short beard that just grew from the corners of his lips, and whispered a few words in Gao Lang's ear, Gao Lang's eyes lit up instantly, and he nodded immediately: "Understood, don't worry, Zi and you, I know what to do." How to do it."

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In the city of Heyang, Li Zuoche went to the gate.

The next morning, Crown Prince Xiang Zheng of Chu sent an envoy across the river, threatening that the Chu army would fight the Han army on the west bank of the river, and asked the Han army to retreat ten miles to give the Chu army room to cross the river.

Lieutenant General Xia Houzao suggested that Li Zuoche agree to the Chu army's request, and then attack the Chu army halfway across.

However, Li Zuoche did not take the advice of Lieutenant General Xia Houzao, because Li Zuoche had confronted the Chu army several times, and he knew that the Chu army was brave and good at fighting. The river water, I am afraid that the defense line of the Han army on the west bank of the river will fall apart in an instant, and everything will be over by then.

After Li Zuoche refused, Prince Chu ordered another brocade box to be delivered the next day.

"Prince Chu gave this old man a gift?" Li Zuoche sent away the envoy who brought the brocade box, and said to his deputy Xia Houzao with a smile, "This is something new, old man, let's see what kind of gift it is."

Before he finished speaking, Li Zuoche wanted to step forward to open the brocade box.

"Old General, be careful that there are hidden weapons in the box!" Xia Houzao hurriedly stopped Li Zuoche, and ordered his soldiers to open the brocade box, but there was no hidden weapon in the box, only a lotus green silk and satin straight skirt , There was also a letter on Shenyi, and the envelope was written with the words "Li Zuoche, the former general of the Han Dynasty, personally signed it".

"Oh, a letter to the old man?" Li Zuoche opened the envelope with a smile, but his face changed drastically upon seeing it.

Xia Houzao saw that Li Zuoche remained silent for a long time after reading the letter, but the expression on his face turned blue and white, and asked cautiously, "Old General, what did you say in the letter?"

Li Zuoche didn't answer, but just picked up the brocade box on the case and the women's deep clothes in the box and threw it on the ground fiercely, before the lingering anger subsided, he roared sharply: "Xiang Zheng, Lizi, dare you do this? Gan dare Such an insult to the old man?!"

Xia Houzao picked up the letter that fell on the ground, and couldn't help but change his face when he saw it. Prince Chu Xiangzheng even ridiculed the old general Li Zuoche in the letter as a childless little lady, and even gave the old general a deep Yi, I hope the old general will like Yunyun, it is no wonder that old general Li is so angry that he is so humiliated.

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(End of this chapter)