Han Dang is stronger

Chapter 353 Brothers Reunion

In fact, the soldiers of the Western Chu Army are also fighting bravely. Even though the soldiers of the Han Army have completely broken through the southern three gates of the Western Chu Army camp, rushed into the Western Chu Army camp, killed people and set fire everywhere, the Western Chu Army is the least vulnerable to the outside camp. However, Huan Chu, Zhong Gong, Xiang Han and other generals of the Western Chu Army still did not give up, and still led the troops to defend their respective camps. Not even one general with a rank of more than a thousand men escaped or surrendered. They have proved their actions with practical actions. Loyalty to Xiang Yu.

It is a pity that although the generals are capable, the soldiers under their command are not competitive enough. After several large-scale recruits, the number of recruits in the Western Chu Army has already surpassed the experienced veterans, and their combat effectiveness has long been inferior to that of the original soldiers. When the Western Chu army conquered Qi, the only combat experience of many people was to head-on against the Han army camp in Xingyang, and they did not get much real experience. Such an army is not a big problem when fighting with the wind, but once it is in adversity Downwind, all weaknesses will be infinitely magnified.

During the fierce battle, the soldiers of the Han army, whose proportion of veterans was much higher, closely followed the flags of their respective troops, and always maintained a relatively perfect formation to fight in groups. However, the soldiers of the Western Chu army were in a mess. They couldn't be found there, they were running around in the self-barracks like headless flies, they were scattered by the soldiers of the Han army, and they were easily wiped out. In addition, there were fires everywhere in the Xichu barracks, and there were fires everywhere. People shouted and neighed, and the soldiers of the Western Chu Army became even more chaotic, and the noise shook the sky.

In the chaos, countless overly timid soldiers of the Western Chu Army pushed each other, yelled, or ran to where there were too many people in their own homes, or fled to where there were fewer people when they saw it was darker, or Many people escaped directly from the Western Chu army camp, fled to the distance of the camp under the cover of night, fled into the campfire, overturned the baggage vehicles, tore down the camp tents, and even threw away the torches indiscriminately, and set their own military tents on fire. The baggage, trampled on each other and killed countless people, and began to put down their weapons and kneel down to surrender.

To make matters worse, more defeated soldiers of the Western Chu Army tried to escape directly into the camp of the Chinese Army. All he wanted to do was storm his own army camp, forcing Cao Jiu's troops to shoot arrows and knives at his own soldiers and drive out the panicked soldiers by force.

The Han army was still rushing into the camp of the Western Chu army. Long Qie had just led his troops into the camp, and Ding Ji, another fierce general of the Han army, immediately followed with tens of thousands of Han army soldiers, commanding under his own flag. , led the generals of the Han army straight to the left camp of the Western Chu Army, and then, the Han generals Chong Jun and Zeng Ji, who were born as young commanders and old men, each led an army into the camp, and joined hands to attack the right camp of the Western Chu Army. It further expanded the scale of the battle in the Western Chu military camp, and also created more chaos in the Western Chu military camp.

The main attack target of the Han army was, of course, the camp of the Chinese army where the headquarters of the Western Chu army and the garrison area were located. The Han army’s infantry ace heavy-armored soldiers took the lead and directly attacked the gate of the Western Chu army’s Chinese army barracks. Cao Jiu’s direct troops fought to the death To resist, Cao Jiu himself also went to the front line to command and supervise the battle, relying on the defense line composed of fences and baggage vehicles to resist stubbornly, and temporarily blocked the fierce attack of the Han army.

But it's useless, the thin wooden fence line of defense is destined not to be as strong as the camp, and the cunning Han army keeps expelling the defeated soldiers of the Western Chu army as free vanguards, forcing the defeated soldiers of the Western Chu army to attack their own defense lines. He also kept pushing the fence of the Chinese army camp, and forced a gap in the fence defense line. As a result, many defeated soldiers of the Western Chu army managed to escape into the Chinese army camp. It shattered Cao Jiu's dream of defending the camp of the Chinese army.

At this point in the matter, Cao Jiu, who is still a man, still did not waver in the slightest. He was still leading his soldiers to resist desperately, but it was doomed to be useless. There were also more and more Han soldiers in the barracks, and the troops directly under him were beaten back steadily, with heavy casualties. In the end, they had to voluntarily abandon the fence line and retreat into the middle barracks to fight in the streets.

After gaining more space in the camp, another general of the Han army, Zhong Limei, also personally led his troops into the camp, and followed the former army to directly attack the camp of the Chinese army of the Western Chu army. The pressure from the troops directly under Cao Jiu also increased. The bigger it was, the bigger it was, and it was finally compressed to the vicinity of the large tent of the Chinese army, and was soon flanked by the soldiers of the Han army on three sides, and was in danger of being completely encircled at any time.

Many loyal soldiers pleaded with tears for Cao Jiu to order a retreat. Seeing that the situation was not going well, the defenders in Puyang City had already made preparations to open the city gates to welcome their own defeated soldiers. Cao Jiu contacted and asked Cao Jiu to withdraw to the city as soon as possible to take charge of the overall situation, but Cao Jiu also gritted his teeth and shook his head resolutely, saying loudly: "Your Majesty, leave the army to this commander. Do you still have the face to meet our king?"

"Great Sima, we can't let our army stay outside the city and die in vain!" Kuai Che said, "We should withdraw our army to Puyang City as much as possible while we still have the opportunity, leaving enough troops to defend the city. , so that we can hope to continue to contain the Han bandit army and persist until our king returns to the army to rescue him!"

After hesitating for a while, he took a quick look at the situation in his own camp, seeing that the front camp and the east and west camps were full of killing noise, and there were torches everywhere, only the rear camp was barely peaceful, Cao Jiu frowned. He said to Kuai Che: "Then you go to the rear camp and send an order to Xiao Gongjiao who guards the rear camp, telling him to withdraw into Puyang city with the army immediately, and you go back to the city with him."

Kuai Che's nose was sour, and for the first time, he saluted Cao Jiu sincerely, while Sima Yang on the other side was anxious and asked, "Elder Sima, what about Xiao Wang?"

"You go too." Cao Jiu replied without turning his head, and shouted again: "Everyone, move closer to my commander-in-chief's banner, stick to my commander-in-chief's banner, and let our soldiers know that this commander-in-chief is now Still in the big camp, to buy time for our rear army transfer."

Kuai Che left with tears in his eyes, Sima Ang couldn't wait to pull Li Zuoche to follow, Cao Jiu's soldiers obeyed the order, and quickly approached Cao Jiu, who was guarding under the banner of the commander of the Chinese army, and even built an army in the fierce battle. The infantry formed a circle, protecting Cao Jiu and his commander-in-chief from all sides, the Han army immediately covered up, and soon surrounded Cao Jiu and his personal troops heavily, attacking from all sides.

Cao Jiu's sacrificing his life gave the western Chu army the opportunity to retreat quickly. Seeing his commander-in-chief flag still flying in the camp of the Chinese army, Xiang Han, Huan Chu, and Duke Zhong were encouraged, and they each brought their own backs. The armies that can be controlled stick to their respective camps without retreating an inch, while the Han army suffers because they cannot fully invest their troops. They can only watch helplessly as the Western Chu army in the rear battalion lights up torches and quickly withdraws to Puyang City to continue defending the city. No matter how eager they were, there was no chance to stop the Western Chu army from retreating back into the city.

They are all old sparrows on the battlefield. Of course, all the generals of the Han army understand the reason why the Western Chu army resisted so tenaciously. Jiu's commander-in-chief kept on, while Cao Jiu's soldiers stood by and refused to give in. They insisted on resisting the almost invulnerable heavy armored soldiers of the Han army with their flesh and blood. The tight phalanx of soldiers can only fight Cao Jiu's soldiers head-on one by one, and eliminate Cao Jiu's soldiers layer by layer like peeling bamboo shoots.

It was only a matter of time. In the middle of the night, when nearly [-] of the main force of the Han army entered the Western Chu barracks, the stubborn Western Chu army still collapsed one after another. The general of the Western Chu army died first. With dozens of wounds, his army also completely collapsed. Then Huan Chu saw that the situation was not good, so he could only quickly retreat to Puyang City with the rest of the army. Huan Chu was killed outside, and Huan Chu successfully escaped into Puyang City.

Xiang Han was captured alive by the soldiers of the Han army because there was a word "Xiang" written on his banner. After dragging him off the horse with a spear, the soldiers of the Han army did not greet him mercilessly with knives and swords, but chose to coax him. On the other hand, he pressed him firmly to the ground, and grabbed his hands and feet to capture him alive. Even though Xiang Han kept cursing and angered the Han soldiers, the Han soldiers did not commit suicide without authorization.For this reason, the soldiers of the Han army sacrificed more than ten companions in vain.

After the main generals were either killed or captured, the Western Chu army in the outer camp soon collapsed completely. In the middle of the fourth watch, the Western Chu Army's outer camp was fully occupied, and at the same time they went out to pursue the camp, desperately expanding the results of the battle.

At this time, there were only a few hundred soldiers around Cao Jiu, and most of them were wounded. There was no hope of getting out of the encirclement. Many of Cao Jiu's soldiers who were not strong enough had already put down their weapons and surrendered on their knees. The crowd of Han soldiers was full of slogans for surrender and not to kill.Seeing that the general situation was over, if he continued to fight, his loyal soldiers would die in vain, so Cao Jiu could only smile miserably, and said to his captain: "Tell our people to surrender, don't let them die in vain. "

After saying that, Cao Jiu quickly raised the sword around his waist and wiped it hard on his neck. When the soldiers stopped him in shock, Cao Jiu's carotid artery had already been severed, blood sprayed everywhere, and the soldiers on the left and right shouted Weeping loudly, Cao Jiu's expression was numb, and he murmured, "Your Majesty, the last general is incompetent, but at least the last general is not greedy for life... and afraid of death."

After Cao Jiu's death, more than [-] of his soldiers killed themselves and followed, and the rest of the soldiers all cried loudly. In the end, they could only follow Cao Jiu's final order and surrendered to the Han army.And after Cao Jiu's suicide was reported to Xiang Kang, Xiang Kang also cried on the spot, beating his chest and shouting, "Uncle Cao, why are you so confused? I asked Mr. Qi Liji to tell you, you don't care Whenever I surrender, I will never hurt you, and I will never treat you badly, why don't you listen? Why don't you listen?"

Seeing that Xiang Kang was crying so emotionally, Chen Ping, Zhang Liang and others could only comfort each other: "My lord, this is Cao Sima's own choice, and it has nothing to do with you. Moreover, Cao Sima is loyal to the King of Western Chu. It must be his heart's wish that King Xichu died loyally, and he died willingly, so don't feel too sad for him."

"Uncle Cao has great kindness to our Xiang family! All of us Xiang family children were raised by my second uncle, and En is the same as my biological father. He saved my second uncle, which is equivalent to saving my father! I I'm sorry for him!"

The more Xiang Kang cried, the more sad he became, and he admitted frankly that he was very sorry for Cao Jiu, who had shown great kindness to the Xiang family.But Xiang Kang still refused to give up, and ordered again with sobs: "My uncle Cao, set up a spirit sacrifice in our camp. I will personally put on sackcloth and mourning for Uncle Cao, and then send someone to deliver his coffin to you." Go back to his hometown in Qi County for burial."

Wen Wu of the Han Army agreed, Xu Ji, the current Lang Zhongling of the Han Army, also seized the opportunity, and hurriedly said to Xiang Kang: "My Majesty's condolences, I have good news for you. General Chong Jun has just sent someone to report that our soldiers have been captured alive." I killed your elder brother, General Xiang Han, and when he was captured, although he was wounded, his life was definitely not in danger."

"Caught my brother Xiang Han alive?" Xiang Kang was a little surprised, and said: "With my brother Xiang Han's violent temper, how could he be captured alive so easily by us? How did they catch Chong Cheng?"

"I heard that he hooked his armor with a dagger, pulled him off his horse and caught him." Xu Ji replied, "In order to catch him, more than a dozen of our soldiers were killed by his own soldiers, and we paid a considerable amount of money." Big price."

Xiang Kang's expression was extremely complicated, and he said after a while: "Go and bring my elder brother, I have something to say to him."

According to Xiang Kang's order, when the sky was about to dawn, Xiang Han, who was tied up with five flowers, was brought in front of Xiang Kang. After two full years, Xiang Kang and Xiang Han finally reunited as brothers, and the two of them remained silent for a long time. It took a long time before Xiang Han spat heavily and cursed, "Traitor!"

"A traitor?" Xiang Kang smiled miserably, and asked, "Brother, you call me a traitor, so I have to ask you, who did I rebel against? Brother Xichu King you follow? Is he My king?"

Xiang Han was at a loss for words, and after a while he shouted: "You rebelled against the king of Chu whom our Xiang family supported! The king of Chu issued an edict to let the princes of the world attack you!"

"Brother, are you still a three-year-old child?" Xiang Kang asked strangely: "How did the edict issued by the King of Chu come about? No one else knows, but you don't know? If it wasn't for us Brother Xiang Yu is jealous of my anti-Qin exploits, insisting on framing me as the king in Guanzhong without authorization, and forcing the King of Chu supported by our Xiang family to issue an edict, will there be such an edict?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Xiang Han blushed and roared, "If you don't want to become king in Guanzhong, why did you fight with our brother's army when you were in Hangu Pass? Why did you kill our brother's army?" Generals?"

Xiang Kang smiled wryly, and said: "Brother, it seems that you are more childish than I imagined. Even the other princes with different surnames know about Hanguguan. I know this too, but I still deliberately believe Liu Ji's nonsense, so that he can have an excuse to start a war with me, and take away the fertile soil in Guanzhong that I have conquered with my own hands, and the throne in Guanzhong that should belong to me. You are also a general, You have a lot of power in your hands, why did you send someone to check it yourself?"

"I don't need to investigate! I only believe what our overlord brother said!" Xiang Han roared: "Also, our Uncle Ji also said that the Hangu Pass incident was caused by you. Fame, expel you from our Xiang family's genealogy!"

"It's really a person who can never wake up and pretends to be asleep." Xiang Kang sneered, and said: "No one knows what Uncle Ji's attitude towards me is. Haven't you seen it with your own eyes? Since the day we started our army in Xiaxiang, he has been He wanted to reach out to pick peaches, and forced me to hand over the military power and territory to him. It was because I refused to agree, so he kept targeting me. He said that I was responsible for the Hanguguan incident. You must believe it, and I am too. Nothing to say."

Xiang Han was silent, and said after a while: "Stop talking nonsense, since it has fallen into your hands, how do you want to kill me, do it."

"You are my elder brother, who shed the blood of the Xiang family like me. If I kill you now, I will have no way to explain to the whole world, let alone our two aunts."

Xiang Kang shook his head helplessly, and 8 said again: "But remember, I will only forgive you this time, do you know? In order to catch you today, my soldiers sacrificed more than a dozen people in vain. , if I want to do this in the future, I won’t be able to explain to the parents, wives and children of my soldiers. So, there will be no next time, next time we meet on the battlefield, I will give my soldiers an order that they don’t have to If you capture him alive, you can do whatever you want on the battlefield."

As the person concerned, Xiang Han is of course very clear that if it wasn't for the mercy of the soldiers of the Han army today, after he was dragged off the horse, he would have been chopped into meat sauce by chaotic knives and swords, so Xiang Han could only keep his mouth shut. .Xiang Kang ordered: "First heal my elder brother's wounds in a while, and then send someone to send him thirty miles east, give him a horse and a sword, and some money and food, so that he can love him." go there go there."

Xu Ji hurriedly agreed, Xiang Kang waved his hand, and the guards who escorted Xiang Han understood, immediately dragged Xiang Han away, Xiang Han didn't speak, turned around and strode away, Xiang Kang shouted again: "Wait a minute, Ah! Brother, if you go back to see our brother Xichu King, be sure to tell him a word for me, and say that he only knows how to make good use of our Xiang family brothers, and only knows to entrust us with lucrative and lucrative errands Brothers of the Xiang family, we are not doing good to you, but actually harming you. Just like when we were forging iron at Shiling Pavilion, we brothers of the Xiang family can truly become masters only after hard work."

Xiang Han heard Xiang Kang's subtext, and didn't say a word, Xiang Kang said: "Also, say hello to our Xiang family brothers, just say that I miss them very much, and apologize to them for me, We Xiang family brothers, I am afraid that it will be very difficult for us to have the opportunity to visit and play together, and enjoy the same feast together in the future."

Reminded by Xiang Kang, Xiang Han's lips trembled slightly when he thought of the days when his brother and sister had fun together, but after a pause, Xiang Han left Xiang Kang with his head held high. None of them recognized Xiang Kang brothers.Seeing the back of him leaving, Xiang Kang sighed, and said: "My overlord brother really doesn't know how to employ people, he is a good general, but he was trained like this. If my brother Xiang Han If you don’t know how to repent, I’m afraid this life will be useless.”

"Come on." Chen Ping, Zhang Liang and others slandered in their hearts, secretly saying: "You and Xiang Yu's Xiang family has already caused chaos in the world. If all the children of your Xiang family become like you A traitor, or turned into a tyrannical and brutal overlord of Western Chu like Xiang Yu, will the people of the world still survive that day?"

After the slander, Zhang Liang said to Xiang Kang: "Your Majesty, what should we do next? A large number of Western Chu bandits went directly to Puyang City. It is conservatively estimated that there are at least 3 to [-] people. Puyang City is also a famous city. The trenches are high and deep, easy to defend and difficult to attack, if we attack head-on, I'm afraid it will be difficult to take it down with confidence."

"Mr. Zifang, don't worry, I have been mentally prepared for this." Xiang Kang comforted, and then said with a smile: "For us in the past, it was really difficult to take Puyang City by frontal attack, but fortunately, the situation is different now. Now, the city wall made of rammed earth will no longer be an obstacle for us."

(End of this chapter)