Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 544 Confrontation
At the northern foot of Yangshan Mountain, the camp of the Northern Diao Army.

Because the Han army suddenly withdrew from Jiuyuan, the result gave the Huns an opportunity to take advantage of it. When Meng Yu led [-] Northern Diao cavalry to the outside of Gaoque Pass, the Huns had already occupied Jiuyuan.

What is intriguing is that Meng Ji did not order the attack on Jiuyuan.

It took more than a month for the Northern Diao army to confront the Huns outside Gaoque Pass.

Meng Liao strode into the big tent of the Chinese army, first bowed to Meng Yu and Meng Yuan who were discussing in the tent, and said loudly: "Father, brother, our army has been stationed outside Gaoque Pass for more than a month. I also sent envoys several times, hoping to go south with our army to sack Guanzhong, but my father just ignored it, are we going to kill the Han or not?"

"Of course we will attack the Han." Meng Chu said, "If we don't attack the Han, what are we going to do with our troops?"

"Since you want to attack the Han, then quickly make up your mind, whether it is to go around Hexi and attack Guanzhong, or defeat the Huns first and then go south along the straight road, or simply join forces with the Huns to go south, father, you really have a good word " Meng Liao clapped his hands, and said with a bitter face, "Don't you keep nesting on the Mobei grassland like this?"

"What's wrong with living in Mobei Grassland?" Meng Chu asked, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Can you not be in a hurry, baby?" Meng Liao stomped his feet and yelled loudly, "Ten armies attacked Han at the same time, if we go late, the first victory of Ping Han will be snatched by other families."

"What are you yelling about?" Meng Ji said coldly, "Let someone else take the first achievement, that's right."

"Huh?" Meng Liao was stunned when he heard the words, scratched his head and asked Meng Chu, "Father, what do you mean by that?"

"Boy, do you know? Since Concubine Ying's death, our Meng family has been on the cusp of controversy. Yes, the king never doubted the loyalty of our Meng family and his son, but what about the nobles of Chu? What would they think? "Facing his son, Meng Ji didn't hide too much, "And the two forces behind the prince and the son Xiang Zhi, what would they think?"

Meng Liao suddenly realized, and asked in a low voice: "Father is saying that this time, the Meng family can't show too much limelight?"

"Adversary." Meng Yuan got up and patted Meng Liao on the shoulder, and said, "Second brother, this time the ten armies attacked Han, Han has already exhausted its national power and its military strength is exhausted, and the destruction of the country is a certainty. It has been avoided, the only suspense now is when the Han Kingdom will be destroyed, under such circumstances, it is necessary for my Meng family to fight for this first merit again?"

Meng Xi also said earnestly and earnestly: "Liao Er, you have to keep in mind that a big tree attracts the wind."

"The big tree attracts the wind?" Meng Liao muttered, "Isn't there a big tree like the General on top?"

"General?" Meng Chu smiled, shook his head and said, "Liao'er, my father dares to bet you that this time, the general will not gain anything from the attack on the Han, and maybe he will suffer a few defeats."

Meng Yuan and Meng Liao didn't believe what they said, would the general be defeated?

Seeing that the two brothers Meng Yuan and Meng Liao couldn't react at once, Meng Ji didn't explain much, but just told him: "Okay, you should keep an eye on the Great Wall, especially Gaoque Pass, since the Huns got in Once they get out of the cage of Jiuyuan, they won’t be able to escape again, let’s wait for the Han to perish first, and then deal with the Huns.”

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In the eastern suburbs of Shangyong, the camp of the Chu army.

The 20 Chu army set up a company camp for dozens of miles on the wasteland ten miles east of the city. From a distance, the tents of the Chu army were stacked and densely packed, extending from the near to the end of the field of vision.

However, what is strange is that since the Chu army came to the city of Shangyong, there has been no movement. Except for the daily horn gathering and daily drills, there is not even the most basic tentative attack. Although the generals in the army It's strange, but no one dared to question Bi Shu's strategy of using troops. He is the peerless military god who defeated King Han Xin of Qi.

But now someone finally loses his temper, and he is Bi Shu's pro-military lieutenant Tieniu.

"General, when do we have to wait?" Tieniu hurried into the tent of the Chinese army with a horizontal knife in his hand, but saw Bi Shu sitting leisurely on the couch tasting wine. If you want to start the war as soon as possible and get the battle achievements as soon as possible, if you continue to wait like this, you will end up worrying about morale problems.”

"Morale problems?" Bi Shu smiled and said, "I've only heard that the morale of the army collapsed due to lack of food, defeat or the death of the leader, but I have never heard that the morale of the army will be weakened due to confrontation."

"But..." Tieniu said anxiously, "General, how long are we going to wait?"

Bi Shu smiled and waved his hands, and said, "Don't worry, don't forget that Bai Mo is the senior brother of this general, and we both came out of Guigu's sect together, and we are basically equal in terms of war strategy and wisdom. , It is not so easy to break the Shangyong guarded by my senior brother, in short, when it is time to fight, this general will naturally give the order."

"Hey." Tieniu sighed and stomped his feet again, and walked away sullenly.

Watching Tieniu's figure go away, the smile on Bi Shu's face gradually faded. The reason why he chose to confront rather than forcefully attack Shangyong was actually one of the reasons why Bai Mo was difficult to deal with, and the deeper reason was that Bi Shu There is no way to tell people that this time, he must ensure the demise of the Han Dynasty, and his army along the way cannot make great achievements in battle.

As for why?The reason is very simple, that is the lesson learned by the old Qin general Bai Qi.

After the Changping War, the vitality of the Zhao State was severely injured. When Bai Qi was about to take advantage of the victory to destroy the Zhao State, he finally waited for King Qin Zhao's order to withdraw troops, so that he missed the best time to destroy the Zhao State.

Is it true that King Qin Zhao doesn't understand the reason why fighters are fleeting?
Of course not, of course King Qin Zhao knows that the opportunity to fight is fleeting. If he misses this opportunity, the Qin army will pay a higher price to destroy Zhao, but King Qin Zhao has no choice, because Bai Qi's combat exploits are too great and too high , Qin Zhaowang found that he had nothing to seal, if Bai Qi was asked to destroy Zhao Guo, he would simply have to abdicate to make way for the virtuous.

It was precisely because of this consideration that King Qin Zhao recalled Bai Qi at the critical moment of destroying Zhao.

After returning to Xianyang, Bai Qi finally came to his senses, so when the Qin army's battle was unfavorable and King Qin Zhao had no choice but to use Bai Qi again, Bai Qi refused to lead the army because Bai Qi had already seen it very well. It is clear that if he leads the army, he will die if the battle is not good, and he will die if the battle is successful. He can only save his life if he recovers from his illness.

But unfortunately, Bai Qi overestimated the heart of King Qin Zhao, and was eventually given to death.

Bi Shu has been an official in Chu for more than ten years, and Bi Shu has a sufficient understanding of Chu King Xiangzhuang's mind. Bi Shu is very clear that the Duke of the State is already the highest rank that meritorious ministers can obtain. The high-ranking prince is Ni Lin of King Chu, whoever dares to covet him will die.

Bi Shu is now the Duke of the State. If he makes great achievements in battle and puts down the Chu King in Guanzhong and proclaims himself emperor, there will inevitably be a new round of rewards for the ministers. Wouldn't he be crowned king if he was promoted to a noble again?Isn't that touching the Ni Lin of the King of Chu, isn't it courting death?

Therefore, Bi Shu only wanted to contain the main force of Baimo's Han army in Shangyong, so as to create opportunities for the rest of the Han army. Bi Shu was even considering that when the rest of the army entered Guanzhong, Bai Mo was forced to return to Xianyang At this time, does he need to come to Mao Jin, who underestimates the enemy, and ask his senior brother to lay an ambush?
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Bai Mo was standing on the archery tower at the east gate looking at the Chu army camp outside the city.

The two armies of Chu and Han have been confronting each other in Shangyong for more than a month. Tongguan, Beidi, and Shangjun are also calm in all directions. According to the signs, there is no sign of breaking through the Han army's defense line and entering Guanzhong, and Xianyang is still as stable as a rock.

But for some reason, Bai Mo always felt a faint uneasiness in his heart.

Bai Mo always felt that he seemed to have neglected something, but every time he combed his thoughts repeatedly, he still couldn't find where he had neglected.

Looking at the densely packed and overlapping Chu army tents outside the city, Bai Mo began to sort out his thoughts again.

At this juncture, there was a sudden sound of footsteps on the stairs, and when I looked back, I saw that Uncle and Sunying, the general of Yulin Zhonglang, had already strode up the archery tower with a sword in his hand, and when he got closer, he bowed his hands and bowed. : "Prime Minister, the food reserves in the city are about to run out, and it won't work if it continues to be consumed like this."

Bai Mo was annoyed for no reason again, the situation of the Han Kingdom is very difficult.

Gathering his mind, Bai Mo asked Uncle Sun Ying, "General Uncle Sun, how much food is there in the city?"

"There are only ten thousand stones of food left in the city." Uncle Sunying said, "If only 20 troops are supplied, they can barely last for half a month, but the problem is that there are still more than [-] people in the city, and they are about to run out of food."

Bai Mo's brows became more and more frowned, and he said in a deep voice: "In this way, immediately send troops to gather all the food in the city, as well as chickens, ducks, cattle and sheep. From today onwards, the people in the city will follow the soldiers and distribute rations uniformly. If it is halved, the people’s rations will only be [-]%, and it will be enough to keep them alive and not starve to death.”

The uncle and grandson Ying said: "But this will only last for half a month at most, after half a month?"

Bai Mo is silent, yes, what about half a month later?After half a month, the city will definitely run out of food, but Bai Mo is sure that it is absolutely impossible for the Chu army outside the city to run out of food. Last year, the counties under Chu's rule had an unprecedented bumper harvest, so how could they be short of food?Looking around, Bai Mo happened to see a group of grain trucks meandering into the camp of the Chu army.

Uncle Sunying said: "Prime Minister, why don't you attack the Chu army's camp at night, let's fight?"

"No." Bai Mo flatly refused, "Even King Han Xin of Qi is not Bi Shu's opponent. If our army attacked the camp before night, wouldn't it be tantamount to seeking death? With Shangyong Jiancheng, our army may still be able to survive." Trying to deal with the Chu army for a while, if you go out to fight in the field, you will definitely lose, and the truth will never do such a stupid move."

"Hey." Uncle Sunying stomped her feet angrily, turned around and left.

(End of this chapter)