Chapter 303 Silent Sobbing: Happy New Year to You
Fancheng was an important town for Cao Wei to defend against Guan Yu in Jingzhou, so even after Zhang Liao gathered an army to attack Guan Yu, he still left about 3,000 Wei troops to guard Fancheng.
Three thousand Wei troops may not sound like much, but for a strong city with high walls and thick walls, it is not difficult for three thousand soldiers to hold the city for a short period of time under the command of a general who knows the art of war.
The person who was left behind by Zhang Liao to guard Fancheng was none other than Zhao Yan, who was then General Zhennan's military advisor.
Zhao Yan came from a well-known family and had been familiar with classics and history since he was a child.
Because of his good upbringing, he was known as the Four Famous Scholars of Yingchuan along with Yangzhai Xinpi, Xuchang Chen Qun, and Dingling Du Xi when he was still young.
Zhao Yan is not a person who lives up to his fame.
Before he was thirty years old, he had been dormant in Jingzhou looking for the Ming Dynasty. Later, after he chose to join Cao Cao, his official position was not high at the beginning.
In the past few decades, Zhao Yan has been promoted from a county magistrate to the current Wei Shizhong, Prince Consort, and Nanyang Prefect.
In the past days, Zhao Yan did not make any military exploits, but he was able to climb to his current high position based solely on his political achievements, which fully shows his impressive achievements in political achievements.
The most impressive achievement of Zhao Yan in terms of political achievements is that he was the most powerful guard in the Cao Wei regime in the history of Cao Cao's era.
On his right hand, a red cloth is tied.
They believe that even if the Wei army is defeated, with Zhao Yan here, he will definitely find a good retreat for Wei just like he did during the Battle of Chibi.
Compared to a group of defeated Wei soldiers who cursed without specifying the target, Zhu Shuo directly pointed at Zhao Yan's nose under the city wall and insulted him.
The longer time goes by, he doesn't know if something will happen to Fancheng, but he will definitely have something happen to him without the protection of the city.
Seeing that some of the fastest Wei troops had already begun to enter the city gate, a smile appeared on Mi Yang's lips.
The Battle of Chibi was the period when Zhao Yan served as a guard.
This was not the first time that Zhao Yan came to the border of Fancheng.
Seeing that the suspension bridge in Fancheng ahead had been completely lowered, and many Wei troops were breaking up and starting to cross the bridge, Mi Yang raised his right hand.
Even because Cao Cao appreciated Cao Xiu when he was still alive, his prestige in Wei was very deep.
Well, Zhao Yan is a famous general and an iron-clad general.
In this situation of internal and external difficulties, Zhao Yan thought of Cao Xiu's unusual identity.
The reason why Zhao Yan felt a little worried was not because he doubted the combat effectiveness of the Wei army, nor because he did not believe in Zhang Liao's ability.
In Zhao Yan's sight, many Wei troops in disorder were appearing in the south of Fancheng.
Escape, it will be safe if you escape back to Fancheng!
This is the only thought in the minds of all Wei soldiers now, even those Wei generals who were lucky enough to escape.
When we were discussing the candidates to stay in Fancheng, it was not so much that Zhao Yan was appointed by Zhang Liao, but rather that Zhao Yan was the candidate whom the generals favored.
It's just that Zhao Yan is not an ordinary person.
But this scene made Zhao Yan, who stood by the city wall again, frown deeply.
However, no matter how the thousands of Wei troops below insulted him, Zhao Yan pretended to turn a deaf ear.
There are still many people in this part of the Wei army who have just attacked the formation of our own army.
He thought it was a nightmare, but now the nightmare has come true. How can Zhao Yan accept this?
For Wei Jun, who had experienced such a terrifying scene just now, nothing could give them a greater sense of security than the city wall.
Almost at the moment when his own army formation was disrupted by the defeated army, Zhu Shuo led a group of personal guards and fled the battlefield.
However, the situation at the front is still unclear, and the Wei army outside the city is in a state of retreat, and their formation is very scattered.
There were even tears in his eyes.
Just don't worry about winning, think about defeat first.
The post of Guardsmen was first created by Cao Cao, but it was Zhao Yan who made the post of Guardsmen shine and established its important position in Cao Wei's military system.
Zhao Yan straightened himself up, and then he took heavy steps and moved his body to the city wall again step by step.
With such a personality, Zhu Shuo would not care whether Zhao Yan, who was guarding the city, was a highly respected veteran. In his eyes, Zhao Yan was an enemy who wanted to kill him.
For example, Zhu Shuo and others are among them.
So the scene today is the same as back then. Back then, it was Zhao Yan who was watching the high-spirited Xu Huang lead his army to attack at night. Today, it is Zhao Yan who is watching the ambitious Zhang Liao lead his army on the expedition.
After realizing this cruel fact, Zhao Yan couldn't help but cover his chest with his hands.
Otherwise, at least the Wei army would not have fled back to Fancheng completely like a defeated army.
Before the war began, Zhang Liao and other Wei generals had great confidence in this general.
It's just that although Zhu Shuo was deeply loved by Cao Pi, he was just a lucky minister.
But the moment they saw Fancheng, a final burst of power inexplicably erupted from their bodies.
Zhao Yan did not disappoint the Wei generals.
For such a Wei army, how could they endure that the city of Fan, which was clearly protecting them and could protect them, was right in front of them, but the friendly forces in the city walls did not open the gates to let them in.
These three thousand elite soldiers were the Han army led by Mi Yang himself.
This means they are saved!
But just when thousands of defeated Wei troops began to cross the suspension bridge with excitement.
Therefore, Zhao Yan was always worried about Wei Jun's expedition.
During that period, one-third of the military power in the entire Central Plains was in the hands of Zhao Yan.
When Xu Huang led tens of thousands of Wei troops out of camp to attack Guan Yu's camp under Guan Yu's trick to lure the enemy, Xu Huang also asked Zhao Yan to stay behind and guard the camp.
Defeated!
Since this kind of thing has been done, of course he has the courage to insult Zhao Yan and the Wei troops on the wall.
It’s not easy, I finally see my home!
This is the feeling of escaping from death.
His future is still very bright and he must not die here.
Even though he was being pointed at and scolded, his heart was filled with shame and anger.
After more and more Wei troops appeared outside Fan in this way, he knew very well the outcome of the battle between the two armies in the frontline city.
As the cruel facts continued to impact Zhao Yan's thoughts, Zhao Yan's breathing became more rapid.
Zhao Yan slowly raised his head and looked at his bodyguard with a pair of red eyes. He gently shook off the bodyguard's hand that was trying to help him.
In the chaotic army just now, even famous generals such as Zhang Liao and Cao Xiu were unable to stabilize their formation, let alone Zhu Shuo who was good at playing tricks.
However, despite this, Zhao Yan's eyes were faintly full of worry.
It looks like there are thousands of them.
It can be seen that Zhao Yan's personal military strategy is not bad.
Zhu Shuo had an irritable personality, and he always thought highly of himself and looked down on anyone except Cao Pi.
When thousands of Wei troops finally saw Fancheng after running desperately for a long time, tears appeared in their eyes.
When the wide suspension bridge was lowered with loud "crack" noises, thousands of defeated Wei troops outside Fancheng had expressions of joy on their faces.
There is a distance of more than ten miles, and there are many mountains and forests outside Fancheng, so even if Zhao Yan is from a high position, he can't see anything in the distance.
After the Wei troops ran closer to Fancheng, Zhao Yan saw the status of the Wei troops more clearly.
However, there is no basis for this worry. At least from the outside, the probability of the Wei army winning this battle is quite high.
But after that part of the Wei army arrived at the moat, they saw that the suspension bridge on the city wall had not yet been lowered.
But how is this possible?
That is the 70,000-strong Wei army with hundreds of battles!
So even though he was worried in his heart, Zhao Yan finally gritted his teeth and issued the order to lower the suspension bridge and open the city gate.
According to common sense, if his army was defeated and returned to the city, he would definitely open the city gate.
Although he does not know the specific battle situation on the front line now, it can be seen from the state of the Wei troops under the city that the Wei troops on the front line must have suffered a terrible defeat.
He was grieving for the 70,000 tiger and wolf troops of the Wei Dynasty, and he was also grieving for the future of the Wei Dynasty.
When Cao Xiu finally appeared under the city wall, the thousands of defeated Wei troops under the city wall seemed to have found their backbone.
Even though his mind was fluctuating violently now, when his personal guards came over to help him, Zhao Yan forced himself to calm down from the panic and sadness.
What's more, Wei Emperor Cao Pi's imperial edict has been issued, and no one can disobey it.
After arranging the defense of Fancheng, Zhao Yan did not enter Fancheng.
This scene caused a drastic change in Zhao Yan's pupils.
However, out of his own sense of responsibility, Zhao Yan would not open this city gate easily.
If such a person was killed by the Han army because he did not open the city gate and was left homeless, Zhao Yan would not be able to bear the consequences.
And all the Wei generals felt very relieved when Fancheng, the army's retreat, was handed over to Zhao Yan.
Although he was worried beforehand, Zhao Yan only thought that his worries were his own random thoughts.
The same was true for the three thousand Han troops behind him.
After seeing this scene, Zhao Yan's pupils no longer changed.
After Zhang Liao's army left Fancheng, Zhao Yan carefully arranged the defense of Fancheng.
Although Zhao Yan had full confidence in Zhang Liao's expedition, he had always been smart and capable and did not take it lightly.
Behind these thousands of Wei troops, there were about three thousand elite soldiers wearing Wei uniforms, who began to slowly emerge from the mountains and forests outside Fancheng.
Although most of the Wei troops died or surrendered in the main battlefield, after all, the battlefield was connected in all directions, and tens of thousands of Wei troops dispersed too quickly, so many Wei troops still fled the battlefield.
He also saw Zhu Shuo below the city.
His entire face had turned pale, and his body, which had been standing upright, was so frightened by this scene that he took several steps back, and then bent unconsciously.
Thousands of Wei troops fled from the front line all the way back to the outside of Fancheng, and they had already spent too much energy.
What's more, among this part of the Wei army, there were many Wei generals who survived the disaster.
Old dog, that’s it?
I thought you weren't going to open the door.
At this time, more and more Wei troops fled back from the front line below Fancheng.
And because of Cao Xiu's support, the thousands of defeated Wei troops under the city wall were even more insulting.
Sure enough, when Cao Xiu began to issue orders to Zhao Yan on the city wall, a look of hesitation began to appear on Zhao Yan's face.
Defeated!
Zhu Shuo was not from a noble family, but he was just a lucky minister, while Cao Xiu is currently one of the representatives of the Cao clan.
Driven by the desire to survive, they couldn't help but curse their comrades on the city wall.
So even though he was worried, Zhao Yan did not choose to dissuade Zhang Liao from going on the expedition.
But as time went by, more and more defeated Wei troops gathered below Fancheng, and there were more and more Wei generals.
As Wei generals with rich combat experience, they would definitely consider the retreat of their army in the event of their own defeat.
For such a person, as long as he can defend Fancheng, coupled with his prestige in the Wei Dynasty, even if Zhu Shuo joins him in front of Cao Pi in the future, Zhao Yan will not be afraid.
He just stood in the southern part of Fancheng with a worried heart, wanting to get news from the front line as soon as possible.
It's just that Xu Huang back then was quite similar to Zhang Liao today, and Xu Huang's end was not good back then.
Because of Cao Xiu's appearance, the faces of Wei Jun in Fan City also showed hesitation, and they all looked at Zhao Yan.
But since you are open to welcome guests, I will go to Fancheng to "wishes you a new year"!
While Zhao Yan was standing on the city wall thinking, Wei Jun, the fastest runner under the city wall, had already reached the moat.
Zhao Yan, who was already old, had a look of fear in his eyes like those of the Wei soldiers under the city.
It is precisely because of Zhao Yan's resume that his prestige among the Wei army is not low at all.
Their bodies were covered in blood, their armor was incomplete, and they were unarmed. Even many Wei soldiers had a look of fear on their faces.
Zhu Shuo knew why Zhao Yan hesitated to open the city gate, but precisely because he knew it, he was even more afraid.
As for the Wei army who fled the battlefield, their first choice must be to escape back to Fancheng.
When Guan Yu first besieged Fancheng, Cao Cao was worried that Xu Huang was no match for Guan Yu, so he asked Zhao Yan to serve as Xu Huang's bodyguard and lead his army south together with Xu Huang.
Although Zhao Yan has never commanded a specific battle, his understanding of the army is no worse than that of ordinary generals.
Thousands of defeated Wei troops slowly gathered around Cao Xiu, and asked him to order Zhao Yan on the city wall to lower the drawbridge and open the city gate.
In terms of leadership, they should obey Cao Xiu's command.
It's impossible for him to worry about whatever comes up.
He knew that he must not mess up now.
After Cao Cao was defeated in the Battle of Chibi, it was Zhao Yan who took care of Cao Cao's retreat, preventing the situation in the Central Plains from becoming ruined.
So now when Zhao Yan's worries came true, Zhao Yan was not prepared as he had expected, but instead was filled with an unbelievable sense of panic.
Although Bo Ran has gone through ups and downs, now he is crying silently.
If when he opened the city gate, Han troops suddenly appeared outside the city gate and took the opportunity to attack the city, then Fancheng would probably be unprotected.
And because of Zhao Yan's prestige in the army, even if he was insulted in every possible way by his colleagues below the city wall, and a look of shame appeared on the faces of Wei Jun in Fan City, no Wei Jun disobeyed Zhao Yan's order to lower the suspension bridge.
He had been standing on the south wall of Fancheng, looking far into the distance.
And just three hours after the Wei army set off for the expedition, Zhao Yan got the news that he had been thinking about.
Most of the Wei troops who were able to flee outside Fancheng at this time had the strongest desire to survive.
That force suddenly accelerated their speed.
During that period, almost all generals with different surnames in Cao Wei were supervised by him, including the Five Sons of Good Generals who later became famous all over the world.
As the deputy general in this battle, Cao Xiu is currently the top commander of the Wei army inside and outside Fancheng, even though the main general Zhang Liao is nowhere to be seen.
These days, I’ll start with one chapter a day.
The first month of the year is busier than the Chinese New Year.
Soy Sauce also borrows this chapter to wish all the book lovers across the country a happy New Year.
I wish you all good fortune and a happy life in the new year.
(End of chapter)
This chapter has been completed!