Han Dang is stronger

Chapter 300 Strange Reinforcements

Uncle Zhou's decisive choice and the sudden Ruixue completely disrupted Xiang Yu and Li Zuoche's wishful thinking, and also made the coalition forces of the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army feel like crying.

Xiang Yu and Li Zuoche originally planned this way, thinking that even if their own army is not sure to quickly take down the Guangwu Mountain City behind the Han Army's Guangwu Camp, as long as they break through the Han Army's Guangwu Camp, they will immediately seize a large amount of military supplies. , to temporarily solve the urgent needs of the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army, and at the same time, it can also severely damage the main force of the Han Army Uncle Zhou, so that Uncle Zhou will no longer have any power to play new tricks, and then his own army can take the initiative. Wherever you hit, hit there first, and calmly defeat each department of the Han army.

However, both Xiang Yu and Li Zuoche underestimated Uncle Zhou's viciousness. Just after they found out that the camp of their own army was broken again, Uncle Zhou decisively burned down all the tents in the camp of Guangwu, allowing the Western Chu Army and Henan Army to take it down. In the camp of the Han army, there are still no military tents to keep out the cold and rest.Then, although Li Zuoche saw through Uncle Zhou's shameless attempt to break out of the siege and transfer, and suggested that Xiang Yu deploy the army in advance, and almost wiped out all the Han troops who broke out to the north, but the heavens helped the evil and did not promote the good. In the evening, the first snow after this year's winter fell.

The first snow of this year was very heavy, and there were many people, and there was no rest in the middle of the night. When it was dawn, it really became a whole world. There were black holes in the well, the yellow dog was white, and the white dog was swollen. The snow on the plains is more than half a foot thick, and the mountains, rivers and hills are covered with snow.At the same time, the temperature dropped sharply again. Although the nose and ears would not be frozen off, the dripping water turned into ice and the breath turned into fog.

There are no tents or houses to shelter from the wind and snow. Even though the soldiers of the Western Chu Army are all carefully selected elite soldiers, they are still suffering from the cold in such an environment. The wounded soldiers of the Western Chu Army who came over were also aggravated by the weather, and passed away early due to injustice.

The situation of the Henan Army was even worse. The soldiers were generally not as strong as the Western Chu Army, and the rate of frostbite and frostbite was several times higher than that of the Western Chu Army. The death rate of the wounded was also much higher than that of the Western Chu Army. Li Zuoche, a military think tank, also caught a cold from the cold and kept sneezing.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Xiang Yu, Sima Ang and the others could only stand around the bonfire and discuss how to deal with the situation. He suggested to Xiang Yu: "King of Western Chu, at this point in the matter, we can only attack the weakest enemy first. Aocang's Han bandit army is currently the largest in number, and Zhou Shupifu is in charge, so we can't fight first." The terrain of Guangwu City is steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and we are not sure that we can take it quickly. The only way is to take Xingyang as soon as possible to gain a foothold in the city, and then consider how to take Aocang and Guangwu City. "

After all, Li Zuoche sneezed twice again, and although Xiang Zhuang, Sima Ang, Ding Gu and the others knew that doing so would be a waste of time and would turn this raid into a one-by-one battle, they Still sniffling and nodding in agreement, Xiang Yu had no choice but to nod his head and said: "Then let's do it quickly, the sooner we take Xingyang City and gain a foothold, the better. It's getting worse."

In this way, the battle against the Guangwu camp of the Han army has just ended. With almost no rest and reorganization, the Western Chu army and the Henan army can only immediately move to the outside of Xingyang City, preparing to launch another ant attack with huge casualties .During this period, Sima Yang, who had ruled Xingyang for half a year, naturally had to visit the city in person to show his identity, persuade the old subjects and people in Xingyang to open the city and surrender, and threatened that if the soldiers and civilians of Xingyang refused to surrender, they would punish Xingyang after the city was broken. Carry out massacre revenge.

It is a pity that surrender and threats are doomed to have no effect. Li Yao, the county magistrate of Xingyang, who had already deceived Xiang Yu once before, not only went to the city to scold Sima Ang for leading wolves into the house, but also helped the Western Chu army kill the people of Sanchuan on the east side of the gap, and encouraged the army and people of Xingyang They worked together to defend the city, waited for reinforcements, and personally drew a bow and shot arrows at the former owner Sima Ang, almost actually shooting Sima Ang.Sima Ang was furious, and swore like Xiang Yu on the spot, vowing to kill Li Yao's family with his own hands after the city was broken.

Sima Ang's threat also had the opposite effect. He had already seen with his own eyes how the Western Chu army killed the people in Sanchuan east of the gap. Now Sima Ang threatened to massacre the city on behalf of the Western Chu army. The people in Xingyang City were in fear. Under the circumstances, not only did they not waver in any way, on the contrary, they spontaneously organized to help the Han army in Xingyang guard the city. Helping the soldiers of the Han army carry all kinds of materials for defending the city, and delivering water and meals to the soldiers of the Han army, so that even if the soldiers of the Han army are on the front line, they can drink boiled hot water at any time, and every meal is delicious. Being able to eat hot meals has greatly boosted the morale of the army.

Under such circumstances, when the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army jointly launched an attack on Xingyang City, they were naturally hit head-on by the soldiers and civilians of Xingyang. His head was bleeding, his tendons were broken and his bones were broken, and the boiling feces poured down from time to time, scalding the soldiers of the Western Chu Army to the point of howling ghosts and wolves. Will fall into the vast ocean of Xingyang soldiers and civilians, be cut to pieces of flesh and blood, with incomplete bones.

After all, the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army had a large number of soldiers, and their total strength was more than ten times that of the Xingyang garrison. The quality of individual soldiers also had obvious advantages, and they were eager to seize the city and gain a foothold. The signs of defeat were revealed, and when it was getting dark, it was also time for the Western Chu army to launch the third large-scale attack. After all, dozens of Western Chu warriors successfully charged up the north gate wall, occupying a position at the top of the city, and let the Western Chu army Army and Henan Army saw a glimmer of victory.

Those who lost the hearts of the people lost the world. In a critical moment, the people of Xingyang made great achievements. Luo Xian, the guard of Xingyang of the Han army, had all the regular troops on the battlefield, with the last ray of hope, he dispatched his last reserve team—— The Xingyang militia led by Li Yao, the county magistrate of Xingyang, reinforced the North Gate!In the end, Li Yao was also willing to let his family move all his property and distribute it to the militiamen of the reserve team. However, the Xingyang militiamen of the reserve team categorically refused to receive a penny, and only asked Li Yao to distribute it to the militiamen who died in battle after the war. Li Yao overjoyed to agree to his family members, and immediately personally led the reserve team to the city for reinforcements.

An army determined to die is naturally extremely terrifying. After Li Yao went to the city, the soldiers under his command, in addition to desperately killing the enemy without risking their lives, also kept rolling down the city wall with heavily armed Western Chu soldiers. , and the enemy died together, and it turned out that relying on this brave and fearless courage, Li Yao's army miraculously drove all the enemies from the city to the city, and re-stabilized the already precarious defense line of the north gate.

After the Western Chu army's third attack failed, the furious Xiang Yu immediately reorganized his army and prepared to launch the fourth storm, but Xiang Zhuang told him with a mournful face that the flying ladders he had prepared before the military had been exhausted in the fierce battle. At the end of the day, there were no siege weapons to launch a fourth attack.Xiang Yu was furious and slapped his cousin for the first time, but there was still nothing he could do. In the end, he could only withdraw his troops in hatred, and withdrew to make more siege weapons again.

That night, there was another heavy snowfall in the area of ​​Xingyang. The soldiers of the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army were camped out in the wind and snow. It was miserable up and down. However, what caught Xiang Yu and others by surprise was that it was still the same night The scouts of the Western Chu army sent to the lower reaches of the divide to investigate the enemy's situation suddenly came back and reported that an army under the banner of the Han army had crossed Quyu and was heading towards Xingyang. Xiang Yu was shocked when he heard the report, and hurriedly asked : "How many enemies are there? Where are the troops from?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, there are not many enemies coming, only about two thousand people."

Xiang Yu was relieved by the answer from the scouts of the Western Chu Army, and then he said: "Our people disguised themselves as ordinary heads of Guizhou, ventured into contact with them, and found out that they were troops from Daliang, and said that they were the magistrate of Daliang County who had surrendered to the Han bandits before. Wang Chao, having received the order from Xiang Kang's traitor, led Daliang County soldiers to reinforce Zhou Shupifu first, and said that Xiang Kang's army of traitors had already arrived in Chenliu and would follow them soon."

"Xiang Kang's army of traitors has already arrived in Chenliu, how is it possible?" Xiang Yu said in surprise, "In just a few days, he has already returned to Chenliu?"

Worried, Xiang Yu could only turn to Li Zuoche, the only think-tank beside him, for help. Li Zuoche, who was recovering from illness, heard the scout report from the Western Chu Army, and said with just a roll of his eyes, "Western Chu Wang, this matter is very suspicious. If Xiang Kang's traitor has really returned to Chenliu, he can just speed up to save Aocang and Xingyang. Why should he order the magistrate of Daliang to lead the county soldiers westward to die? I don't understand, two thousand county soldiers are like lambs waiting to be slaughtered in front of our army?"

"Why did that traitor Xiang Kang do this?" Xiang Yu asked quickly.

"I'm afraid this point may not be the arrangement of Xiang Kang's rebel." Li Zuoche came to a conclusion and said, "The foreign minister suspects that this matter may have been arranged by Mr. Zhou Shu, or that Mr. Wang Chao acted on his own initiative. , wanting to pretend to advance troops to reinforce Xingyang, and at the same time deliberately spread rumors, claiming that the main force of Xiang Kang's rebels will arrive soon, bluffing and intimidating our army to retreat voluntarily."

Xiang Yu made careful calculations, nodded his head quickly, and said, "There is a possibility. Uncle Zhou knew that we would be afraid that the main force of Xiang Kang's rebels would come back to aid Aocang in Xingyang, so he deliberately let the traitors in Daliang bluff and pretended to be Han soldiers. The main force of the thieves will arrive soon, intimidating us to take the initiative to retreat."

Li Zuoche sneezed again, and then said: "King of Western Chu, the ministers think that we don't need to worry about the bandit reinforcements from the rebel army. We just need to send more people to keep an eye on their actions. In addition, we can send scouts to keep an eye on them." Chen stays in the direction, and see what tricks they can play."

Xiang Yu readily accepted Li Zuoche's suggestion. In addition to ordering the soldiers to hurry up to build siege weapons, he just sent people to keep an eye on the movements of Daliang's army and strengthen the surveillance of Chenliu's direction.However, to Xiang Yu's surprise, the Daliang Army, who had obviously come to die, was so courageous that he advanced to Bolangsha the next day before stopping to set up camp. At the same time, the scouts monitoring Chen Liu's direction also flew back. It is said that Chen Liu also dispatched more than 2000 county soldiers to the west, and they are following the Daliang Army and rushing towards Xingyang.

The matter was not over yet. On the same night, the cavalry of the Western Chu Army also captured a suspicious man, and found a letter written by Daliang County Magistrate Wang Chao to Uncle Zhou from him.Xiang Yu was overjoyed when he heard the news, and hurriedly ordered people to take Xi Zuo in front of him for interrogation in person. Seeing Wang Chao's letter claiming that Xiang Kang's main force had arrived in Chenliu, he asked Uncle Zhou to stand by and wait for help, so he hurriedly asked Daliang Jun Xi Zuo to do something In detail, the captured Daliang army was very stubborn in detail, insisting that he saw with his own eyes that Xiang Kang's main force had arrived in Chenliu, and would arrive at the Xingyang battlefield within three or four days.

Xiang Yu looked suspiciously at the Liang messenger, and suddenly shouted: "Put this bastard on fire and burn his feet with fire!"

The torture began, and after he was forcibly put on the fire, the messenger from Daliang was first burnt until his skin was oily, and he yelled, and then his skin was scorched and his flesh stinks, screaming incessantly. Only then did Xiang Yu say coldly: "Tell the truth, immediately let you go."

Unable to withstand the torture, the messenger could only tell the truth and screamed: "I said, I said, I didn't see the army of the King of Han. If you accidentally caught me, I must confess that I saw the army of the King of Han with my own eyes, but I have never seen it at all.”

"Every man! With your appearance, you still want to pretend to be a hero in front of this king?"

Xiang Yu scolded, and then asked others if he believed it. The Liang messenger also poured out beans in a bamboo tube, and told Xiang Yu everything he knew, saying that Wang Chao had suddenly decided to lead the army to reinforce Xingyang in person, regardless of others. Persuasion, he insisted on bringing the army to Bolangsha, and said that Wang Chao ordered the Liang soldiers to spread the news along the way, claiming that Xiang Kang's main force had arrived in Chenliu and would arrive in Xingyang soon.Xiang Yu was relieved when he heard this, and first stabbed the spy who was trying to deceive him to death with a sword, and then told Ding Gu: "At dawn tomorrow, you will take the army to Bolangsha for me, and give me Wang Chao's hand. Bring the traitor's head."

Early the next morning, according to Xiang Yu's order, Ding Gu first led his army east to pack up the Liang reinforcements, and then at noon, after preparing enough siege weapons, Xiang Yu led the main force of the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army to attack again. Xingyang launched an attack.

The resistance of the soldiers and civilians in Xingyang was still extremely tenacious, and the siege of the Western Chu Army and the Henan Army had not been smooth. It was time for Shen Shi, and the Western Chu Army was still able to seize the top position of the city. Fortunately, during this period, Ding Gu's side They sent someone to send an urgent report, saying that they easily killed the Daliang reinforcements led by Wang Chao, and successfully defeated the Chenliu reinforcements who came later in the pursuit. They seized some military supplies and were already on their way back to Xingyang in triumph. , Xiang Yu was not too anxious at this time, he just urged the army to continue to attack the city with patience.

The calm Xiang Yu is always terrifying on the battlefield. No matter how tenaciously the Xingyang army and people resisted, when it was getting dark, the Western Chu army finally seized a position on the city wall, and this time, the Xingyang militia led by Li Yao failed To replicate the miracle, even if they rushed to the city wall for reinforcements, they failed to drive the West Chu army off the city wall. The West Chu army continued to ascend the city, and it was only a matter of time before Xingyang City was broken.

At the same time, Ding Gu returned triumphantly to the city of Xingyang with the captured military supplies. Xiang Yu, who was in a good mood, waved his hand and promised to let Ding Gu choose four beauties as rewards for him after the destruction of Xingyang City. Gu Daxi thanked him, while Li Zuoche next to him sneezed and asked, "General Ding, how far have you chased after defeating Chen Liu's reinforcements?"

"I didn't chase very far." Ding Gu replied truthfully, "As soon as the bandit army collapsed, they immediately fled in all directions, so I probably only chased it for five or six miles and didn't pursue it any more."

Li Zuoche was completely relieved, nodded and smiled and said: "That's no problem, if Xiang Kang's rebels are really close, Chen Liu and Daliang's bandits will definitely lead you to chase them from a distance, since they will be defeated in a single battle , running around, then we don’t have to worry about anything.”

…………

At the same time, in Aocangcang City, even though it was too weak to fight, Uncle Zhou still did not give up on the investigation of the enemy's situation. With the hard work of the scouts of the Han army, at this time, Uncle Zhou already knew that the Daliang Army was coming to help and The situation of being easily defeated by the Western Chu army, and because of different thinking angles, Uncle Zhou quickly found out that the situation was wrong, and said suspiciously: "Our Daliang defenders came to rescue us? How dare they come here? Dare to pull teeth from the tiger's mouth?"

"It should be because of the fear of dying lips and teeth." Lu Kuang, the former Ao Cang guard, analyzed: "If we lose Xingyang Ao Cang, none of the Daliang defenders who surrendered to our Han King before will surely die. In order to survive, they can only be Take a desperate gamble."

"No." Uncle Zhou shook his head and said, "Da Liang's defenders are not fools. With such a huge disparity in strength, it's impossible for them to come here and take the initiative to die."

"What is that for?" Lu Kuang asked suspiciously.

Uncle Zhou thought about it, and then suddenly thought of a possibility after a long time, and said: "Xiang Yu rushing to attack Aocang Xingyang in light clothes will definitely prevent our main force from suddenly returning to help, and that old fox Li Zuoche is extremely treacherous, and he will definitely persuade Xi Chu The thieves are keeping a close eye on the direction of Chenliu Daliang. If our main force really comes back, we will definitely not be able to hide it from their eyes. Our King of Han wants to deceive Xiang Yu and Li Zuoche, the old fox, so that they will not do anything to our main force's sudden return. Beware, there is only one way!"

"What way?" Lu Kuang asked quickly.

"Crossing the sea with lies, the truth is the truth!" Uncle Zhou replied with two military terms, and then said: "Use false soldiers to attract the attention of the western Chu rebel army, and cover our main force to suddenly return to the Aocang battlefield in Xingyang!"

"General Zhou, what do you mean by that?" Lu Kuang blurted out that his joy was extraordinary, "Could it be that our main force is coming back soon?"

"Not sure, but this possibility cannot be ruled out." Uncle Zhou shook his head, and then said with some calculations: "Our King of Han has always been very accurate in timing. If the Daliang Army was really sent by him to set up a false appearance, then within tomorrow, our The main force will definitely come back.”

After reaching this conclusion, Uncle Zhou suddenly came up with a bold idea, and secretly said: "Do you want to take a gamble? The bandits from Western Chu have been attacking Xingyang since noon today. Their stamina will definitely drop seriously, if I take a gamble and let them consume more stamina, then our main force will suddenly kill us, and the situation will be too favorable to us."

"But if I lose the bet... I'll be in big trouble."

Of course, Uncle Zhou also had to worry about the consequences of his wrong analysis. However, after thinking about it, Uncle Zhou still felt that the sudden arrival of reinforcements was very suspicious. County soldiers, how dare you take the initiative to send troops to rescue the Aocang Xingyang battlefield?
(End of this chapter)