Competing

Chapter 597 Soldiers Out of Meridian Valley

The Qinling Mountains lie between Guanzhong and Bashu, stretching for thousands of miles, with steep mountains.This is the reason why the road to Shu is more difficult than going to the blue sky.

However, this does not mean that Guanzhong and Bashu are completely blocked. There are still many mountain trails, but they have not been discovered!
In the past, the communication between Qin State and Bashu was mainly through plank roads. Only when Liu Bang left Bashu did he have the strategy of building plank roads openly and crossing Chen Cang secretly.

The Chencang Trail has just entered the stage of history and is well-known, and now it has become an important channel for communication between the two places.

Since the Vietnamese army occupied Bashu, the Han Dynasty stopped the construction of the Bashu plank road, and deployed heavy troops on the Chencang trail, with the purpose of preventing the Vietnamese army from going north.

But where the Vietnamese army wants to block it, it can block it. There are many mountain trails in the valley.

Such as Meridian Valley, such as Baoxie Valley!
The Ziwu Valley has been explored during the Qin Dynasty, but because of the many obstacles in the mountains, it has not been fully normalized. Moreover, this is also a secret of the Qin Kingdom, and outsiders do not know it.

Yin Xu is familiar with it entirely because of the Ziwu Valley conspiracy presented by Wei Yan during the Northern Expedition of Shu Kingdom 400 years later in the original history!Since there is such a channel, it is natural to make good use of it.

After asking Li Si and Wei Liao, Yin Xu knew more about the Ziwu Valley. At that time, Li Si was still curious about how Yin Xu knew such a secret matter in Qin State.

As for the Baoxie Valley, the Baoxie plank road of later civilizations is here, and it is said that Cao Cao passed through here when he marched.It is famous in this era, perhaps because Bao Si, who ruined the fortune of the Western Zhou Dynasty, was born here.

These are all northward passages, and if the roads are feasible, they will have a huge effect.

Therefore, Yin Xu sent the map of the route to Bashu Yingbu in time, and the specific situation still needs to be investigated to know.

Hard work pays off. After Yingbu led people to investigate, he found that these two trails can be passed through after only a little rest.Especially Ziwu Valley, because the passage is located in the east of Guanzhong and Bashu, and the north entrance is a hundred miles southeast of Xianyang City.

The main defense of the Han army is concentrated in the Chencang area on the west side, and the defense in the east is empty, so it is easier to raid Guanzhong.

Before leaving, the king of Yue gave him an opportunity to send troops to Guanzhong as soon as possible, and to deal a heavy blow to Guanzhong before Liu Bang returned to his army.

Yingbu knew that this incident was a very important part of Yue's plan to go north, and it was related to Yue's next plan to start war and the future national fortune.The importance is self-evident and must be given sufficient attention.

Now that the Meridian Valley passage has been detected, it is time to seize the opportunity and implement it as soon as possible.

It can be imagined that the Han army is also ready to fight in Guanzhong, and some measures must be taken appropriately to disturb the attention of the Han army. Hitting east and west is a common method used by the Han army.

So an army entered the Baoxie Valley, and there was originally a Baoxie plank road passing through it. If there was any trouble, the Han Dynasty would be able to find out the news as soon as possible.

Xiao He, who was already frightened like a bird, would definitely be nervous. As for how to deal with it, he didn't know. As for Ziwu Valley, Prime Minister Xiao probably didn't know anything.

Since it's going east and west, the scale is naturally not small, and it's not just limited to Guanzhong.This step is a major strategy for the Han Dynasty, so it is natural to have a trick to confuse Han Wang Liu Bang.

While Yingbu was secretly gathering troops, Pu Jun, the general of the Yue State who was in Jiangling, also moved.The Yue State Navy marched northward along the Mianshui River, and the Jingchu Yue Army also mobilized accordingly. The target was Xiangyang City in the upper reaches of the Mianshui River in the Han Kingdom.

The State of Yue has heavy troops on the western front of the border between the two countries. There are two main areas, one is Bashu and the other is Jiangling.

No matter where troops are sent from the two places, they can quickly endanger the foundation of the Han Dynasty.

The battle with the Han State was something Yin Xu had expected a long time ago, and the Yue State had also been planning for a long time for this, so Jingchu and Bashu had already made preparations.

But outsiders can't know where to send troops, just like gambling, making guesses.

For the Han Dynasty, the pressure was especially great. Their troops were limited, and they could only concentrate their troops on defending one area.

But they don't know whether it should be Guanzhong or Xiangyang, so no matter where it is urgent, they need to send troops to garrison in time.

Although the country of Yue has a lot of independent options, it is actually limited.

Going north from Jingchu, although it can threaten Guanzhong and the Central Plains at the same time, it is only a threat in essence, and it is not easy to achieve a major victory.

At that time, Guanzhong and the Central Plains will still be in the hands of Han, and the Vietnamese army will face pressure from both the east and the west, and the gains outweigh the losses.Substantial progress cannot be achieved, and it does not help the big plan.

From Bashu, it is not the case. Guanzhong is located in the west, and it can be connected with Bashu, and the effects in all aspects are better.In addition, Yin Xu has other important considerations, and the significance of Guanzhong becomes even more important.Therefore, from the very beginning, Yue State's established strategy was to send troops from Bashu to attack Guanzhong in the north. As for Jingchu, it only played the role of attacking the east and attacking the west to confuse the Han State.

Even so, when Pu Jun received the edict, he still dispatched troops step by step. Although it was just a feint to restrain him, he still did it in a decent manner.

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The Xiangyang guard of the Han Kingdom is Liu Jia, who is a member of Liu Bang's tribe and has been in charge of the military affairs of the Yue Kingdom in the south of Jingchu.

Since Liu Bang followed Zhang Liang's suggestion and built Xiangyang City in the upper reaches of the Mianshui River, Liu Jia took the post of general of the Han army in Xiangyang as a matter of course.

After the Vietnamese army occupied Linjiang, they have been eyeing it all the time, making Liu Jia restless and careful.After spending two years in fear, the Vietnamese army suddenly dispatched.

Upon receiving the news that the Vietnamese army sent troops, Liu Jia couldn't help but twitched in his heart, a little panicked.

The Vietnamese army has been dormant for two years and chose to send troops at such a time.The main force of the Han army is still near the Huai River, and it is too late to withdraw, and the pressure on my side is really not small.

Pu Jun is the most valiant general of the Yue Kingdom, and he may not be his opponent.The strength of the Yue State in Jingchu was also more than that of the Han army, not to mention that the navy of the Yue State was the best in the world, and the city of Xiangyang was close to the Mian River.

From a conventional view, Mian Shui seems to be a natural line of defense.But now, in front of the powerful Yue sailors, it seemed to be a burden and a threat.

What Liu Jia was more worried about was what would happen to Xiangyang. If the city was lost, the defense line in the upper reaches of the Mian River would be completely torn apart by the Vietnamese army.The Yue army marched northward, threatened Guanzhong from Wuguan in the west, and threatened the Xingyang area of ​​the Central Plains in all directions.

There was going to be a big mess, and Liu Jia was apprehensive, not daring to delay, so he promptly sent the news to Liu Bang, the King of Han, who was on his way to retreat.

After receiving the news that the Vietnamese army launched troops against Xiangyang, Liu Bang felt a little bit in his heart.

After the destruction of Chu, it was inevitable that Han and Vietnam would be hostile, but they did not expect the war to happen so quickly.

The State of Yue actually took the lead in sending troops to the State of Han. It seems that Yin Xu really had ulterior motives and had already planned to harm the State of Han.Thinking about how foolish it was to unite with Yue at that time, it seems so stupid now.

Moreover, in the case of Xiang Yu, the operation of Yue State took up the name of justice.Even if they immediately send troops to Han, they have enough reasons to avenge Xiang Yu and attack treacherous villains. While gaining the support of the people in Chu, they also stand on the side of righteousness and make Han popular in public opinion. completely at a disadvantage.

Not to mention these, after all, it is only in name, and the key lies in the confrontation in the war.

Now that the army of Yue State is marching towards Xiangyang mighty and mightily, the defense line around Mianshui can be said to be precarious.Liu Bang is very clear about the significance of Jingchu to Han, if it continues like this, what will be the consequences?There are some things that you absolutely dare not take risks, so Liu Bang's heart is full of apprehension and uneasiness.

It is heard that the Vietnamese army dispatched [-] troops this time, marching by land and water, led by Yin Xu himself.

Because it was necessary to stabilize the Xingyang defense line before, and later to counterattack the Western Chu State in all aspects, it almost took away all the troops that could be deployed on the western front.The defense line around Xiangyang is very limited. From the point of view of military strength alone, the Han army is at a disadvantage, and facing the enemy head-on will undoubtedly lose.The only thing that self-love can rely on is Xiangyang City. As long as Xiangyang City can last, how long can the Mianshui defense line last.

The fact that Liu Jia was able to send urgent reports and requests for help meant that the situation must be serious, and Liu Bang couldn't help feeling a little flustered.

"Mr. Zifang, what should we do now?" Liu Bang handed the report to Zhang Liang, hoping to get a solution as soon as possible.

Zhang Liang was also a little surprised at the speed of the Yue Kingdom's dispatch of troops. Before, he was worried about what the Yue Kingdom would do on the western front, but now it was fully fulfilled.I have to marvel at the speed of Yue Guo, which has caused a panic in Xiangyang so quickly.

"King of Han, what General Liu Jia mentioned in this way is only the news that Yue sent troops, and he has not yet launched an attack on Xiangyang!" Zhang Liang was not in a hurry.

Liu Bangdao: "But going on like this is not an option after all. The Vietnamese army has already launched a large-scale attack. It is inevitable to attack Xiangyang."

"Xiangyang City is strong, and it seems that the Vietnamese army will not be able to conquer it for a while!" Zhang Liang was quite calm.

Liu Bang shook his head and said, "It is common for Yue to be caught by surprise. Mr. Xiangyang knows the importance of Xiangyang. If there is a slight mistake, the consequences will be disastrous."

Zhang Liang said: "Don't be anxious, the King of Han. Now our army is still on the way and cannot provide rescue for General Liu Jia. Let him use Xiangyang's own strength to confront the Han army first!"

"Will there be a problem?" Liu Bang was still a little worried about this.

Zhang Liang shook his head lightly and said, "There will be no problem for the time being. We are in the process of withdrawing troops. The army is withdrawing to the west. If there is any problem, we just need to support it immediately. However, in my opinion, the goal of the Yue Kingdom does not seem to be in Xiangyang!"

"How do you say that?" Liu Bang asked with a look in his eyes.

Zhang Liang explained: "King of Han, you also know that Yue has always been good at attacking east and west. How do you know if this battle is a feint?"

Liu Bang was a little hesitant. He had thought this way before, but Liu Jia's report emphasized the actions and scale of the Vietnamese army. The authenticity was too high. There was every reason to believe that the Yue State was going to break through the Mian River, so he gave up his doubts.Now that Zhang Liang said this, he had to pay attention to this point again.

"Speech? Do you mean...?" Liu Bang didn't continue, he had already thought of something, and his eyes were already covered with a layer of deep worry.

Zhang Liang nodded solemnly, and said, "Yes, Guanzhong!"

Liu Bang's mood suddenly became a little heavy. Bashu is now in the hands of the Yue State, and it can completely pose any threat to Guanzhong from now on.Thinking of the reason behind the Chencang Trail, Liu Bang knew that the natural dangers of the Qinling Mountains were of little use to the Han Kingdom, and it was entirely possible for the Yue Kingdom to appear quietly in Guanzhong. This was the most frightening thing.

"Sir, is it very likely?" Liu Bang asked anxiously, feeling a little lucky in his heart.

Zhang Liang said: "It's common to see a lot of thunder and a little rain. Jingchu's Yue Kingdom is making a big splash, so it may not actually make much action. On the other hand, Guanzhong and Bashu are still silent until now. It's calm, the more worrying it is!"

"Then what should we do?" Liu Bang has also realized the troubles of the matter.

Zhang Liang said: "Let's withdraw the troops as soon as possible and go back to support. As for the Guanzhong side, we can only rely on Prime Minister Xiao!"

"Okay!" Liu Bang hoped silently, hoping that Xiao He could firmly guard Guanzhong, and it would be best not to let anything happen.Suddenly, Liu Bang felt that without Xiang Yu, it would be harmful to Han to some extent.The situation of the Han State is getting worse and worse, and maybe it will follow in the footsteps of the Western Chu State at some point, so what will happen to him?Will it be as miserable as Xiang Yu?Liu Bang shook his head suddenly, unwilling to continue thinking about it!

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The crux of the problem and everyone's attention was focused on Guanzhong, so Xiao He's pressure was not small at all.

Xiao He also got the news that the Vietnamese army sent troops to Xiangyang. After hearing this, many generals couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.I think that the main attack direction of the Yue Kingdom is Jingchu, not Guanzhong, so there is no need to be as frightened as before and take precautions carefully.

There are not a few people who have such thoughts, including Sima Xin, an important general of the Han Army in Guanzhong!

Among the original Three Qin Kings, after Zhang Han and Dong Yi were defeated, they were rescued by Wei Liao and went to Jiangdong, and now things are going smoothly.Sima Xin surrendered to Liu Bang and stayed in Guanzhong to assist Xiao He, and his life was not bad.

Among the current garrison forces in Guanzhong, half of them are commanded by him. His status and role are not small, and a word plays a big role.

After learning that Sima Xin had such thoughts, Xiao He felt a little heavy.He had the same opinion as Zhang Liang, and he didn't think that the Vietnamese army was attacking Xiangyang.Maybe the real goal of the Vietnamese army is Guanzhong, because no matter from which point of view, it is more likely that the Yue country will send troops to Guanzhong.

It is a critical moment, but the attitude of the generals is really worrying.Although Xiao He emphasized repeatedly, the generals still disagreed.

Xiao He can only hope that things will not continue to deteriorate!
But the sky didn't follow people's wishes, and something happened soon.

The spies of the Han army got the news that a large army from the Yue Kingdom had appeared in the Baoxie Valley and was marching towards Guanzhong.This valley is mostly related to the original plank road, and there must be a passage for the Yue Kingdom to march from here, Xiao He is not surprised at all.

A few things can be verified from this. The Vietnamese army's attack on Xiangyang was completely smacking east and west, and the goal was still in Guanzhong, which suddenly increased the pressure on his shoulders.

Since the Yue State is planning to go to Guanzhong, where is it going to send troops?Is it Baoxie Valley?

Xiao He doesn't think so, the more obvious things in the Yue country are more likely to have variables, Jingchu's side is a good example.

If the Han army is really going to march from the Baoxie Valley, it can be guarded against.But what if this is another way of shaming?Where will the Vietnamese army attack from?Will it be Chencang Trail?Or is there another channel?Knowing nothing about Xi Xiao He, he was full of worries.

For this reason, Xiao He specially found Sima Xin and asked him. Anyway, Sima Xin was a former general of the Qin State, so he should know more about the old place of the Qin State.

"General Sima, do you know of any other passages between the Bashu Mountains?" Xiao He asked.

When seeing Xiao He, Sima Xin's expression was a little unnatural.Before, he thought that the Vietnamese army would attack Xiangyang instead of Guanzhong, so he did not follow Xiao He's advice and did not focus on the defense of Guanzhong.Now that I received the news that the Vietnamese army appeared in the Bashu Mountains, it turned out that I was wrong, so I am somewhat embarrassed.

Sima Xin shook his head and said, "This last general really doesn't know!"

"The general used to be a general in Qin, but he didn't know any clues?" Xiao He was still a little surprised by this.

Sima Xin shook his head lightly and said, "I never knew!"

He didn't lie about this, Sima Xin really didn't know.At the beginning, he was just a magistrate, and he didn't have the level of confidentiality at all.

Only Li Si and Wei Liao knew some information about Meridian Valley, not even Zhang Han, let alone Sima Xin.

Xiao He couldn't help being a little disappointed, even Sima Xin didn't know, it seemed that the matter of the mountain road was doomed to be hopeless.This defensive thing is really a bit troublesome.

"General Sima, where do you think the Vietnamese army will attack from?"

When Xiao He asked such a question, he naturally expressed his attitude, and he did not think that the Vietnamese army would really march from Baoxie Valley.

Having learned the lesson from the previous incident, Sima Xin followed Xiao He's intention and said, "Could it be the Chen Cang Xiaodao?"

He didn't know anything about the roads in the mountains, the only thing he knew was the Chencang trail.

Xiao He smiled wryly, and said, "Maybe!"

Now there seems to be no other way but to strengthen the defense on Chencang Trail.As for other places, we can only strengthen our vigilance and resign ourselves to fate.

At this time, in the Meridian Valley, the army led by Yingbu has already traveled halfway, and will soon appear in Guanzhong, north of the Qinling Mountains!
(End of this chapter)