Survival Three Kingdoms

Chapter 678 Unexpected Catastrophe
Zhou Wen's strategy was the same as Jushou's proposal to Yuan Shao during the Battle of Guandu. Jushou suggested that Yuan Shao send a small group of elite soldiers to bypass Guandu and intersperse to the Xudu area to harass the grain road and wreak havoc.However, Zhou Wen believes that Xu Huang does not have the problem of detours in Shouchun at this time. Taking advantage of Cao Cao's forces mainly concentrated on the northern and eastern fronts, he only needs to divide his troops into two groups to attack Chendu and Liang Commanderies instead of attacking the city. The purpose is completely to cause destruction, and turn him upside down.To put it bluntly, it is to be a robber and robber, and it is not difficult to do this with the abilities of Xu Huang, Xu Sheng and others.As long as Cao Cao's rear is in chaos, Cao Cao will definitely destroy Xu Huang first to stabilize the rear, and then Zhou Cang's opportunity will come.

However, here comes the problem again. Xu Huang must act quickly to make trouble behind Cao Cao. He has no time to steal the rich and help the poor and win the hearts of the people, and he will inevitably harass the people and hurt the innocent. It will affect Zhou Cang's reputation.This is the second thing, Xu Huang attacked, without the protection of a strong city, without backup support, fighting alone, the number of troops will only become smaller and smaller, and there is a danger of being surrounded and wiped out if he is not careful. Although Zhou Wen said that this is to die and survive, but Everyone knew that Zhou Wen's move was too insidious, and it was almost a narrow escape.

Deng Ai suddenly laughed: "Maybe General Gongming will fight all the way to Xudu."

Of course this was just a joke, Wu Gang hesitated for a moment and said: "If there is no other way, the only way to win is to risk everything!"

"It seems that's the only way." Zhou Cang finally made up his mind. "Han Bao, sneak into Shouchun immediately and tell Gongming that the limit is two months. If I can't defeat Cao Cao in two months, I will implement it according to this plan. Remind Gongming to make the momentum bigger, but when Cao Jun has a heavy army The rule is to go to another place immediately and not stay in one place for long."

"Yuanba, your husband and wife stay at Xiapi, while Han Sheng, Cao Xing, Deng Ai, Wu Gang and I send troops to Fengyang!" Zhou Cang looked at Zhou Wen again. "Yuan Fang can stay in Xiapi."

"Haha, my old bones can still come in handy, so let me go out with the lord." Zhou Wen smiled.

On February 25, Zhou Cang personally led an army of [-], and set up a camp in the east of Fengyang with Huang Zhong as the vanguard.While Zhang Liao stood firm in his camp, he urgently asked Cao Cao for help. The two armies of Zhou and Cao were at war with each other, and a big battle was imminent.

Xu Huang is in Shouchun, Zhou Cang is in the east of Fengyang, Zhang Liao is in Fengyang, Cao Cao is in Qiaojun, and Lu Meng is in Hefei. The forces of the three parties are intertwined. There are more than [-] troops gathered by each side, and the auxiliary soldiers and farmers who transport food and grass are even more numerous. Countless.When all eyes were on Huainan, a catastrophe broke out that everyone did not expect.

In the 22nd year of Jian'an, Huainan was hit by a great plague when it was supposed to usher in a bright spring at the beginning of March!
The plague came suddenly, came without warning, and spread rapidly to the surrounding areas. Fever, coughing, and diarrhea first broke out among the people, and then spread to the military camp almost overnight. He will die in more than ten days.In just one month, the land of Huainan was full of wailing and corpses.

Some people say that this is a punishment from the heavens for years of war.According to Zhou Cang's scientific analysis, this is inseparable from last year's flood, which is often accompanied by plague, especially when so many people are drowned. It's getting worse.A large number of soldiers and horses were gathered in one place, the population was too dense, the medical conditions were backward, and the people's awareness of epidemic prevention was weak, which caused the rapid spread of the plague.

The Han army in Zhoucang has a slightly improved epidemic prevention system. It is an iron law not to drink raw water, but livestock must drink raw water, and the spread of the plague is not only a channel of water, but also air, saliva, rats, etc. possible.Zhou Wen and Cao are sexually infected!Suspecting that it was cholera or plague, Zhou Cang ordered to retreat fifty miles, and the old camp was burned down.Nearly [-] soldiers were quarantined, and all their clothes were burned. Even so, the bodies of dozens of soldiers were burned every day, and the number continued to increase.

Zhou Cang hurriedly mobilized medicines and medical officers from Xuzhou. There was no lime and no effective medicine. The rough cotton yarn was processed day and night to make simple masks and sent to the army. Regardless of whether it was useful or not, each soldier in the army was provided with one or two spirits every day. , either for drinking or for disinfection.

Xuzhou and Qingzhou entered a state of emergency, and all suspected infected persons were found to be quarantined for observation.Foreign trade was interrupted, and personnel entering and exiting needed to be strictly inspected. Rat and insect extermination campaigns were launched in the two states to strictly prevent the spread of the plague.

Hefei was seriously affected by the epidemic, nearly half of the soldiers were infected, and the governor Lu Meng lay down!
Shouchun, Hao Zhao, and Niu Gai fell ill, and nearly [-] soldiers were quarantined!The people were all relocated outside the city.

On the other hand, the situation on Cao Cao's side was the best. Zhang Liao shrank his camp together to isolate himself from the outside world, dug the ground to fetch water, and burned any sick soldiers to death immediately, so the plague did not spread much.Cao Cao was in Qiao County, and the epidemic broke out before he went south. Cao Cao decisively ordered to cut off all contact with the south, and the grain and grass delivered to Zhang Liao were only sent to the fields for Zhang Liao to send people to pick up.Even so, thousands of soldiers and civilians under his command were burned to death, and Ruan Yu, Ying Jue, and Liu Zhen fell ill and were imprisoned in a small black room.

This is just the army, and they can no longer take care of the people. The poor people can only rely on their meager immunity to survive this catastrophe!A county in Huainan has become an isolated place, a desperate place, completely isolated, and left to fend for itself.The fleeing people were ordered to stay where they were, and anyone who crossed the line was shot.

On March [-], Guo Huai's messenger arrived in Qiao County.Cao Cao slammed the case: "The big-eared thieves bully people too much!"

"Huh? Liu Bei captured Dingjun Mountain?" Sima Yi and Liu Ye gasped after reading the letter. "Master, the situation in Hanzhong is critical, please move your troops to Hanzhong!"

Three people have already fallen ill, and if you stay longer, it may not be anyone's head, so let's go.Sima Yi said: "The epidemic in Huainan is serious, and it will be difficult to contain it within a year or so. It is already difficult to use troops here. Why don't you take this opportunity to conquer Hanzhong and attack Liu Bei!"

Such a good suggestion, Cao Cao followed suit.Immediately, Lu Qian and Li Dian were left to guard Qiaojun, and he led the army westward to leave this right and wrong place. When passing through Chendu, he left Sima Yi to assist Cao Pi.

On the second day of April, Ruan Yu, Ying Yu, and Liu Zhen died of illness. Three of the seven sons of Jian'an died at once, and Cao Zhi also lost three comrades in arms.

On the sixth day of April, Lu Meng, governor of Jiangdong, died of illness.

On the ninth day of April, Han Bao turned back from Shouchun, and generals Hao Zhao and Niu Gai died of illness. Due to lack of doctors and medicines, Xu Huang had only 20 men left!And according to what he saw along the way, the Huainan area was completely empty. What evil did the people of Huainan do? They were ravaged by Yuan Shu [-] years ago, and finally recovered, and suffered another disaster!God bless!
(End of this chapter)