January 22, 241 AD.
Outside Hefei.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"
Cao Shuang, the Great Sima of the Wei Dynasty, came out of his tent to greet Emperor Cao Rui. Cao Rui glanced at Cao Shuang, then looked at the city of Hefei in the distance, dismounted and asked Cao Shuang: "Sima, in whose hands does Hefei belong?"
Cao Shuang frowned and said: "Back to Your Majesty, I have been attacking for days, and Hefei will be captured soon.
Please don't worry, Your Majesty."
Cao Shuang did not lie. He set out from Luoyang and was not delayed all the way. It was just because the journey was too far. He hurried and hurried slowly. By the time he arrived at Hefei, Hefei had been occupied by Soochow for several days.
He was ordered to rush to Hefei's aid. As a member of the royal family of the Wei Dynasty,
And it’s Da Sima again,
Of course he knew the importance of Hefei to Wei.
Cao Shuang didn't even rest in Hefei. As soon as he arrived in Hefei, he launched a fierce attack on Hefei.
It’s just that Hefei City has high walls and deep walls.
Moreover, there were 60,000 to 70,000 Soochow soldiers and horses in the city. They held the city firmly. Cao Shuang, who had only 50,000 soldiers and horses, could not shake Hefei even though he attacked for days.
Cao Rui did not mean to blame Cao Shuang, because Soochow sent troops first, and calculating the time, unless Cao Shuang spread his wings and flew to Hefei, he would not be able to arrive before the Wu army conquered Hefei.
Moreover, Sun Quan sent troops to Hefei several times before, and each time they fought a few battles, the Wu army would be defeated and retreat, and the result would be the same regardless of the number of people.
So this time Cao Rui only gave Cao Shuang 50,000 people.
Thinking that with the 30,000 defenders of Hefei City, plus Cao Shuang's 50,000 troops, there would be a total of 80,000 people.
There is also a fortified city. What can Sun Quan do even if he has an army of 100,000?
"Ai Qing, please live in peace!" Cao Rui said calmly.
Returning to the Chinese army's tent, Cao Rui asked Cao Shuang: "Da Sima, I have brought 50,000 more elite troops to Ai Qing." As he said that, he looked at Cao Shuang and asked, "How should we use Ai Qing's plan to break the city?" < /p>
One hundred thousand troops!
This is all the troops and horses that Cao Rui can mobilize, and 10,000 of them are drawn from Jizhou.
Hefei, Cao Rui is determined to win.
"Strong attack!" Cao Shuang said solemnly.
Now Sun Quan is holed up in Hefei City, and he has already found out the news. Wuchang is also deploying troops and generals. It seems that Sun Quan does not intend to give up Hefei easily.
"Okay!" Cao Rui nodded and said, "Then attack with force and treat others with their own medicine."
Cao Rui also knew before that Sun Quan's attack on Hefei relied on force.
"From now on, divide the soldiers and horses into twelve teams;" Cao Rui said: "Four teams will take turns to attack the city every day!"
"No!"
All the generals responded in unison!
One hundred thousand people were divided into twelve teams, each team was less than ten thousand people.
But it can make Soochow very uncomfortable. This trick has also been used by Sun Quan before.
Starting early in the morning on the 23rd,
The Wei army attacked Hefei City from the west, north, and east gates at the same time. They planned to let Sun Quan experience what it means to be exhausted.
But——
Sun Quan in Hefei City was not worried, but was relaxed and contented, because at this moment, there were nearly 70,000 Wu troops in Hefei City.
With 70,000 people defending a city, it would not be easy for Cao Rui to break it.
Therefore, facing the wheel battle launched by the Wei army, Sun Quan also made corresponding strategies. He divided 70,000 people into three teams so that they could also rotate.
The two sides went back and forth and carried out offensive and defensive drills in Hefei City for more than ten days, but the results still did not change. That is, the Wei army's 100,000 people were reduced to 80,000, and the Wu army was reduced to nearly 70,000 people, which was reduced to 60,000.< /p>
Although the Wei army brought three-bow crossbows, and before attacking the city, they would fire a shower of spears, but this thing was good at defending the city, but the effect was not very obvious when used to attack the city.
Moreover, there were originally more than a hundred three-bow crossbows in Hefei City. As the Wu army entered the city, of course these items all belonged to the Wu army.
When they attacked Hefei on the first day, Wu Jun had seen its power. After Sun Quan entered the city, he was overjoyed when he saw the three-bow crossbow. Through the soldiers' stories, Wu Jun quickly learned how to operate the three-bow crossbow. method.
Before Cao Shuang and his army arrived, Sun Quan ordered people to cut down trees nearby and work hard to make the spears needed for the crossbow. Of course, there were tens of thousands of spears on the battlefield in the south of the city and east of the city. These were all shot by the Wei army before. .
By the time Cao Shuang arrived at Hefei, Wu Jun had already been prepared.
When the Wei army fired spears at the city of Hefei, the Wu army of course fought back in the same way.
Both the Wei and Wu armies had three-bow crossbows, and their ranges were the same, so the daily exchange of spears became the opening song of the battle.
However, after more than ten days of hard work.
The Wei army also failed to make any progress, which made Cao Rui anxious.
February 8.
Cao Rui stopped attacking Hefei and instead sent envoys into the city to meet Sun Quan.
"Go back and tell Cao Rui!" Sun Quan glanced at the Wei envoy and said calmly: "There is no need for a decisive battle. I am not Liu Adou, and I have no interest in taking Cao Rui as a prisoner." As he said that, he deliberately smiled and said: "For I tell Cao Rui that if you don’t want your country to be ruined and your family to be destroyed, you should withdraw your troops and go back to Luoyang as soon as possible, otherwise it will be too late.”
"Hahaha!" The Wei envoy laughed when he heard this and said: "Your Majesty! We, the Wei Dynasty, have an army of 100,000 to besiege Hefei. How can your Majesty stay there for a long time when he goes deep alone?"
As he spoke, he glanced at the generals of the Wu army around him, and then said: "I, the Emperor of Wei, would like to advise your majesty that Wei is strong and Wu is weak. If your majesty understands the current situation, you should withdraw your troops as soon as possible and withdraw from Hefei. Otherwise, I, the emperor of Wei, will march south and your country will be destroyed." That’s it.”
"Hahaha!" Sun Quan said with a smile: "Nothing, nothing, let Cao Rui raise his troops south as soon as possible to save me from going all the way north."
"Send off the guests!" After finishing speaking, Sun Quan said loudly.
Originally, Cao Rui wanted to anger Sun Quan and ask him to either leave the city for a decisive battle, or to withdraw from Hefei and return to Soochow as soon as possible.
However, Sun Quan is so easily angered.
"Shameless old man!" Cao Rui said angrily: "I swear to destroy Soochow, I swear to destroy Soochow!"
Just when Cao Rui was furious, a young general quickly entered the tent and was so frightened that Cao Rui turned pale.
"Your Majesty!" the young general said anxiously: "Wu Yi, the Han cavalry general, and Guan Xing, the general of Zhenbei, led an army of 50,000 people out of Tongguan eastward and have reached Hongnong City."
"???"
The entire tent suddenly fell into dead silence.
Cao Rui froze on the spot.
He is currently busy regaining the lost land of compound fertilizer. He does not want Liu Chan to stab him in the back at this time.
"Liu Adou! Liu Adou!" Cao Rui said angrily: "You are a bastard with no faith."
A few months ago, Liu Chan sent people to Luoyang, telling him that the Han Dynasty would soon send troops to destroy Wu, and also invited the Wei Dynasty to jointly send troops.
Originally, Cao Rui planned to sit back and watch the tiger fight and remain neutral.
It's just that Sun Quan suddenly launched a two-pronged Northern Expedition, forcing the Wei Dynasty to send troops south to resist the Wu army. Now he doesn't ask Liu Chan to keep his word and takes the opportunity to send troops to destroy Wu. He only wants Liu Adou to remain neutral at this time.
But——
He was wrong. Among the Three Kingdoms, the Han Dynasty was the most powerful and Cao Wei could no longer compete with him. Now that there was an opportunity to stab him, how could Liu Chan let it pass?
Destroy Wu——
This is Liu Chan’s plan.
Just when Cao Rui was anxious, Sun Quan in Hefei City was so excited that he wanted to dance. He said excitedly: "Adou is very good, Adou is very good!"
"Hahaha!"
"Hefei is worry-free!"
"Hefei is worry-free!"
A few months ago, Liu Chan said that he would unite with Wu to destroy Wei, and now he actually means what he says.
When the Han army leaves Tongguan in the east, as long as it breaks through Hongnong County, Luoyang, the capital of Cao Wei, will be exposed to the Han army's cavalry.
Now that the main force of the Wei army is contained by the Wu army, how can the Wei army in Luoyang stop the Han army?
Hongnong County——
"General!"
Guan Xing smiled and asked: "When will we start attacking the city?"
The army had arrived in Hongnong for three days, but Wu Yi did not order an attack on the city, but maintained a standoff outside Hongnong City.
"No rush, no rush!" Wu Yi waved his hand and said with a smile: "Wait a little longer for Cao Rui."
"???" Guan Xing was stunned when he heard this.
This dispatch of troops was also due to the battle between Wei and Wu in Hefei. The Han Dynasty found a fighting opportunity, so the emperor ordered Wu Yi to be the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Expedition, leading Guan Xing and others to send troops to attack Wei.
However, when Wu Yi's troops arrived at Hongnong, they refused to attack the city.
"General!" Guan Xing said: "At this time, Hongnong's defenders are lacking. This is a good opportunity for our army to attack the city. Why do we have to wait for Cao Rui to rush to help?"
Of course Guan Xing didn't understand.
However, the commander-in-chief is Wu Yi, and if he doesn’t order the attack, Guan Xing will have nothing to do with him.
The Han army suddenly attacked, and Hongnong's defenders were naturally frightened. At this time, Hongnong only had more than 10,000 defenders. How could they defend against 50,000 Han troops?
Cao Wei was attacked on both sides, and the most nervous one was naturally Cao Rui. Compared with the loss of Hefei, he was more afraid of the loss of Luoyang. He originally wanted to fight Sun Quan, but when he learned that the Han army was coming to kill Hongnong, he no longer continued to attack. Thoughts about Hefei.
In the afternoon of that day, Cao Rui returned to Luoyang with an army of 50,000 to aid him. He needed to get to Luoyang before Hongnong fell.
Of course, Hefei is not just left alone. Sun Quan still has to block it here. Even if Hefei is lost, Sun Quan cannot be allowed to take the opportunity to go north.
The remaining 30,000 soldiers and horses were commanded by Cao Shuang. At the same time, Zhong Yu was recruited from Xuzhou and led 20,000 Xuzhou troops to go south and join forces with Cao Shuang to attack Hefei.
Cao Rui is busy mobilizing troops and generals, but Liu Chan in Chang'an is happy and happy. He doesn't seem to be nervous because of the current melee between the Three Kingdoms.
Morning time.
After the ministers finished reporting some government affairs, Liu Chan coughed and glanced at Fu'an.
Fu'an understood instantly and immediately clapped his hands.
Snap, snap, snap.
After hearing Fu'an clapping his hands, several palace maids soon walked into the hall. Each of them held a small tray with some coins in their hands.
When the palace maid walked into the hall, Liu Chan said with a smile: "Dear ladies, please take a look. These are some coins I recently ordered people to make."
Coins?
All the ministers were stunned, thinking that there was no use in getting these coins at this time. Isn’t there the direct money introduced by the First Lord in the world now?
Of course, ordinary people are more willing to barter.
As soon as Liu Chan finished speaking, the maids had already arrived in front of the ministers, and then gave each minister several coins, which were made of several different materials.
Copper coins, silver coins, gold coins.
Yes, there are three types.
It just surprised the ministers. These coins have denominations engraved on them. The smallest copper coin has one character engraved on the front, the larger and thicker one has five characters engraved on it, and the largest copper coin has ten characters engraved on it.
Silver coins and gold coins are similar, but the text is changed to yuan, which are one yuan, five yuan, and ten yuan.
On the back of these coins, the four words "Xinghan Tongbao" are engraved.
These words are surrounded by dragon patterns.
Seeing that the ministers were seriously appreciating these coins, Liu Chan said with a smile: "As you all know, from the Han Dynasty to the late emperors, Zhibai coins were promoted, but over the years, the people were not very willing to use them."
As he spoke, he paused and sighed: "A small copper coin is worth a hundred or five hundred yuan. Naturally, the people will not recognize it."
When Liu Chan just said this, the ministers were stunned. They were a little confused.
I thought it was your father who did it.
Are you trying to overturn your father's decision?
"I have decided!" Liu Chan ignored them and said directly: "Immediately implement this new type of currency."
"Your Majesty!" Fei Yi, the imperial censor, came out and said: "Although this coin is good, it is just a straight hundred coin on the market, so what should I do with it?"
When emperors introduced new currencies, they were sometimes just to make money, to transfer the country's financial pressure to the people. For example, this was the case when the First Lord introduced Zhibai Currency.
Then this new currency...
"Equal exchange!" Liu Chan said loudly: "Notify the world that within half a year, only this new currency is allowed to be used in the Han Dynasty. The people's original straight hundred coins can be exchanged for this new currency at the government."<
/p>
"Equal exchange?" Fei Yi seemed confused.
Liu Chan said: "Isn't a hundred coins worth a hundred coins?" He took out a one-penny copper coin and said: "One coin is one penny..." After that, he took out a one-yuan silver coin and said: "
One thousand silver coins is equal to one silver coin, and one hundred silver coins is equal to one gold coin."
Liu Chan has been studying this coin these days. Of course, he only came up with the idea based on the coins given by the Sasanian businessman Salotto brother and sister.
As for the exchange value, it is reasonable. Copper coins are the least valuable. To make a thousand one-penny copper coins is almost as valuable as a one-yuan silver coin. The gold required for a hundred-yuan silver coin is just enough to make one one-yuan gold coin.
Liu Chan had wanted to do this for a long time, but he had been busy with the wars in the north and south, so he delayed the matter.
For a dynasty to develop, this currency is very crucial.
People all over the world have always bartered, but this is not a long-term solution.
However, when Liu Chan finished speaking, Xu Shu frowned and said: "Your Majesty, such an exchange will mean to the court..."
Before Xu Shu finished speaking, Liu Chan laughed loudly and said: "What Xu Aiqing wants to say is that the court will suffer some losses in this exchange, right?"
Xu Shu nodded slightly. The late emperor promoted zhibaiqian, which meant using one coin to exchange hundreds of coins for the common people, and then continued to make zhibaiqian. In the end, most of the coins went to the treasury.
But Liu Chan's exchange is just the opposite. People can exchange one hundred copper coins for one hundred or even five hundred copper coins.
This, it seems, the court suffered a big loss.
But Liu Chan said with a smile: "Take it from the people and use it for the people."
Liu Chan also knew that the imperial court would suffer a lot from this exchange. After all, the weight of one piece of the popular straight hundred coins on the market was similar to the ten coins that the imperial court was currently promoting.
But he understood a truth better: if this kind of currency cannot be implemented, how can the economy of the Han Dynasty be improved in the future?
It may seem like a slight loss at the moment, but if this kind of currency is fully circulated, it won't take long before it will improve the economy of the Han Dynasty.
First of all, as long as the people are willing to use it, it can be considered valuable. If the people are not willing to use it, no matter how much it is, it is just a pile of scrap metal.
Of course, there is something more important. When Liu Chan implemented this currency, he also wanted to standardize the commodity market and transaction methods, instead of bartering like before.
Wei and Wu were at war, but Liu Chan was issuing currency here. Not to mention that Cao Rui and Sun Quan would go crazy when they found out, even the civil and military ministers of the Han Dynasty were a little speechless.
After all, the Han Dynasty has now sent tens of thousands of troops to Hongnong.
Is it really appropriate to implement currency now?
But there was no way. Liu Chan was the emperor, and when he said he wanted to implement currency, Zhuge Liang expressed support. Although Xu Shu had some objections to the exchange, he agreed to the implementation of this new currency with Liu Chan's insistence.
While the Han Dynasty was busy issuing this new type of currency, Cao Rui had already rushed back to Luoyang in a hurry.
"Your Majesty!"
Cui Lin went out to report: "The Han army has been attacking the city for several days. Hongnong is in urgent need. Please send troops for reinforcements quickly. If you hesitate, Hongnong will be defeated and Luoyang will be in danger."
Cui Lin is as anxious as an ant in a hot pot these days. After the Han army arrived in Hongnong, they first faced off for more than ten days, and then two days before the emperor returned to Luoyang, the Han army suddenly launched an attack on Hongnong City.
.
Hongnong's garrison was 15,000, and the Han army's siege troops were 50,000, and the leading generals were Wu Yi, who was good at conquering and fighting, and Guan Xing, the son of Guan Yu.
"Okay!"
Cao Rui nodded when he heard this, then looked at a general and said, "Wang Ling."
Jianwei General Wang Ling came out of the squad and responded with his hands raised: "The humble minister is here."
"I gave you 20,000 elite troops and immediately sent troops to aid Hongnong. I have rejected the Han army."
"Wei Chen accepts the decree!" Wang Ling promised.
The Han army suddenly marched out of Tongguan. Although Cao Rui was a little anxious, the Han army only had 50,000 horses to attack this time, and the leader was neither Prime Minister Zhuge Liang nor the imperial censor Xu Shu, which made Cao Rui feel a little relieved.
Perhaps he felt that Luoyang was not the focus of the Han army's invasion.
The reason is of course very simple. If the Han army's goal is Luoyang, then one of Zhuge Liang, Xu Shu, or even Liu Chan must come out.
However, none of them came. Instead, they sent two generals.
Is this an attack on Luoyang?
No, not quite.
Of course, Cao Rui hoped that this was the case. Maybe Liu Chan just wanted to help Sun Quan contain the Wei army. In this way, the Wei army would be attacked from both sides. Isn't this just because he didn't want to comfort the Wei army?
As a precaution, Cao Rui also urgently mobilized troops and horses from various places to assist Luoyang. Although Liu Chan felt that Luoyang was not the intention of this battle, he could also imagine that if Luoyang's defense was really empty at this time, the Han army might also launch an attack on Luoyang. of.
Early March.
Lu Xun, who was confronting the Wei army in Fancheng, eventually did not continue to attack Fancheng, but led his army to withdraw to Jiangxia, which allowed the Wei army to resolve the crisis on the front line of Xiangfan.
The crisis in Xiangfan was resolved, and General Sima Yi was immediately ordered to return to the court. Now Luoyang is in urgent need of soldiers and horses to garrison to prevent the Han army from attacking.
As for Hongnong, Wu Yi besieged Hongnong for a month. Because the Wei army sent more troops and horses, they were unable to break through Hongnong. The two sides still maintained a confrontation.
Regarding Hefei, although the Wei army transferred 20,000 people from Xuzhou, and in terms of military strength, the Wei army that attacked Hefei also had more than 50,000 people, but facing Sun Quan's more than 60,000 Wu army, it was naturally difficult for them to capture Hefei.
So Sun Quan, who had stayed in Hefei for two months, left Hefei in early March and returned to Wuchang, but he still left 50,000 people to garrison Hefei with Quan Cong and Ding Feng.
March 8.
Luoyang Imperial Palace.
Imperial Study Room.
Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi and asked: "In view of my love for you, what does Liu Adou want to do?"
"Don't worry, Your Majesty!" Sima Yi said with a smile: "I think Liu Adou just wants me, the Wei Dynasty, and Soochow Wu to be in a state of tension all the time, but he can sit back and watch the tiger fight."
"Yes!" Cao Rui nodded slightly, paused, and then asked: "Now that the Wei Dynasty has lost Hefei, and the Han army is besieging Hongnong, what should I, the Wei Dynasty, do?"
Although what Sima Yi said seemed to make sense, Liu Chan just didn't want Wei and Wu Ansheng to let them fight each other here, but Cao Rui also had some difficulties.
After the Battle of Jinzhong, the Wei Dynasty has been severely damaged. Now it needs some time to recuperate. If it continues to maintain this high-pressure state, how can the Wei Dynasty develop and recover?
"Your Majesty!"
Sima Yi said with a smile: "Continue to attack Hefei. As for Hongnong..." He paused and said with a smile: "Since the Han army wants to contain our army, then our army only needs to close the city and hold on. As long as the Han army If Hongnong is not defeated, we, the Wei Dynasty, will definitely be fine."
......
......
This chapter has been completed!