On the banks of the Sishui River, a group of men and horses were rushing along the river bank in the direction of Xiang Xiang. Walking in the middle of the queue was Liu Bei. He led four thousand troops to break the siege of Xiang Xiang.
Xiang Xiang originally had nearly 2,000 soldiers. Later, Zhang Fei went over and brought another 2,000 soldiers. The total number was nearly 4,000. If some civilians in the city were mobilized, it would be possible to gather together a total of 6,000 soldiers.
, and even if Ji Ling had many men and horses, it would still be difficult to "surround an enemy with ten and attack with five". How could Zhang Fei lose his support so quickly?
what is going on?
Liu Beiguang thought about Zhang Fei's military strength, but did not consider Zhang Fei's violent temper.
When Zhang Fei became the Prime Minister, he naturally wanted to mobilize the people and send more money and food, so the nobles and nobles who were the Prime Minister quit their jobs. For these people, the only advantage of admitting Liu Bei was that the land tax Liu Bei wanted was low, and the result was a blink of an eye.
Liu Bei's third brother is even more ruthless in asking for money, food and people than before. How can he bear this?
What's more, it's Liu Bei who wants to fight against Yuan Shu, and it's not the noble nobles who want to fight against Yuan Shu. Anyway, no matter which family you give to, you have to hand over food and salary, but it's just more or less. It's not worth fighting for it...
Another point, isn't the basic skill of the Chinese people including bargaining? Naturally, the humble nobles thought that Zhang Fei was asking for a high price, so he would naturally pay back the money, and then the middleman would make the difference. Uh, wrong, let's discuss.
A mid-range price, but I didn’t expect that Zhang Fei, with his bad temper, would take action without finishing three sentences!
Immediately the photo was like a whirlwind of excitement!
In the end, Zhang Fei got the money and food he wanted, but he also laid the root of the disaster. Not long after Ji Ling besieged the city, the nobles in Xiangxiang City, who felt that they had been greatly humiliated by Zhang Fei, secretly had an affair with Ji Ling and prepared to cooperate with each other inside and outside.
If Zhang Fei hadn't happened upon him while patrolling the city that night and led his men to risk their lives to block the city gate, the county seat of Xiangxiang County would have changed hands long ago.
After such a change, Zhang Fei was immediately in trouble in Xia Xiang. On the one hand, although he blocked Ji Ling's surprise attack, he suffered heavy losses. At the same time, Zhang Fei also doubted whether there was a second traitor in other Xia Xiang people.
And Zhang Fei didn't know how to hide this suspicion, which made the person who was photographing the photo even more uneasy...
Others have doubted themselves, so who is still so stupid and only wants to sacrifice his life for others?
So he fell into a vicious cycle. The more he doubted, the more alienated he became, and the more alienated he became, the more doubtful he became. As a result, in the end, Zhang Fei was helpless and had to ask Liu Bei for help.
Liu Bei really didn't expect Zhang Fei to be so unbearable. He originally thought that he could hold on for at least a month or so. Then when the cold winter came, Ji Ling's troops in the wild would not be able to retreat even if they did not retreat. At that time, he would have to consider whether to pursue or regain the lost ground.
It's possible, but now Liu Bei can only adjust his combat strategy...
In a battle between large armies, no one can avoid the other in many cases. After all, there are only a few major transportation routes. With scouts from both sides roaming in front of the large army, many things cannot be hidden at all.
Just like now, although Ji Ling knew about Liu Bei's arrival in advance, Liu Bei's scouts also quickly discovered the location of Ji Ling's camp. Liu Bei prepared to set up camp ten miles away from Ji Ling's camp, and then
You can advance, attack, retreat or defend, just like when he led his soldiers to Xuzhou to rescue Tao Qian.
But this time, Ji Ling obviously didn't want to let Liu Bei set up camp so comfortably. He seemed to have been prepared for it. He led a group of soldiers and horses and when Liu Bei had just arrived about ten miles away, he laid out his formation and came to kill him.
Liu Bei had no choice. After traveling a long distance, if there was a fight, it would inevitably be disadvantageous, so he could only avoid the edge first, and then retreat ten miles to the village...
…………………………
In autumn and winter, the water level of the Sishui River drops a lot and the flow slows down a lot.
Looking in the distance on the other side, you can see Liu Bei's newly established camp, crouching there dark and motionless.
Ji Ling deliberately drove Liu Bei away ten miles away, just to allow Liu Bei to camp at this location. Here the Si River turns around and the current slows down, so you can swim directly across it.
It has already fallen into the night, and the stars above are twinkling, and the moon is also hanging in the sky, big and round. There is silence between heaven and earth. In such a night, it looks like a beautiful scene. Who would have thought that what would follow would be a bloody battle?
Fighting and fighting?
The torch lights of Diao Dou in Liu Bei's camp were crackled and lit at night, which added a bit of tranquility. Most of the soldiers were sleeping soundly. Liu Bei's soldiers and infantrymen who were on guard above Diao Dou on the sentry tower held their hands together and wore their clothes crookedly.
Wearing a fur hat, Hoge stood facing south, occasionally taking a few steps to move his body that was stiffened by the night wind.
Ji Ling's lieutenant Zhang Xun led his troops and horses from the hiding place on the other side of the Surabaya River. He was wearing armor and holding soldiers, leading the horses and moving forward gently. The horses had their swords in their mouths, their swords were unsheathed, their guns were in their hands, and their bows and arrows were in their hands.
Within arm's reach from the side of the horse's back, twenty riders formed a triangular formation, a total of ten arrays. Zhang Xun led the way, and his personal bodyguards followed closely to the left and right of Zhang Xun.
cover.
Liu Bei's camp focused its attention on the south direction, and it was separated by the Surabaya River. It never thought that someone would cross the Surabaya River from behind to attack, so almost no night patrols were sent to guard this direction.
The sound of the rushing water seemed to be louder, but it still failed to alert Liu Bei's soldiers.
The first shout finally rang out in the night sky, tearing apart the surrounding silence and seeming to explode in everyone's heart! And Zhang Xun, with his men and horses, had already rushed to a place four to five hundred steps away from Liu Bei's camp!
Zhang Xun's cavalrymen all subconsciously stepped on their spurs and thrust them straight into the horse's belly. The horse held the spur in its mouth and could not scream. It could only spread its hooves and rush forward crazily!
There were shouts one after another, and then all kinds of sounds came out at the same time. The sentry towers in the camp were towering over each other, and the soldiers frantically knocked on the warning gongs. More torches were lit, and the flames flickered.
Among them, many soldiers in Liu Bei's camp could be seen rushing out of their tents in panic and bumping into each other mindlessly!
Liu Bei's rank-and-file non-commissioned officers, who were sleeping in their uniforms, stood up one after another, but the first thing they did was not to resist, but to quickly mobilize their men to suppress Ying Xiao!
The civilians who came with the army were already terrified, running around and screaming. If there was no suppression, the panic would soon spread to the entire army, leading to irreparable consequences!
So when Zhang Xun and his cavalry approached Liu Bei's camp, except for a few soldiers on the two sentry towers in the rear camp who leaned out and opened their large rifle bows in an attempt to shoot, they encountered no attack at all.
stop.
But just relying on the few infantry on the sentry tower, how long can it be supported? Under the counterattack of Zhang Xun's cavalry, the soldiers on the sentry tower Diao Dou soon screamed and jumped straight from Diao Dou.
It fell straight down!
The rocket was like a meteor, piercing in from outside the camp!
Because the focus of Liu Bei's defense was on the south, the north side was the rear camp, which meant that a lot of grain and grass supplies brought with the army were piled up. As a result, many of them were ignited by the rockets fired by Zhang Xun's cavalry, and they suddenly ignited.
A lot of fire.
Normally, to stack grain and other flammable items, one needs to lay rattan mats outside and then apply a thick layer of wet mud to prevent fire. But the problem is that today Liu Bei was driven back by Ji Ling and retreated to the camp ten miles below.
Time is not so abundant, and the days are short in winter. As a result, many tasks that should be completed at night cannot be completed, including the detailed work of setting fires in the camp...
Fiery fire rose up, illuminating Liu Bei's pale face.
…………………………
Liu Bei was devastated and fled back to Xiapi with the remaining defeated soldiers. Of the 4,000 soldiers he brought out, only less than 1,000 came back. He did not suffer much direct losses from the overnight fire. Most of them escaped secretly on the way, and only
Those Danyang soldiers followed Liu Bei.
The grain and grass were burned, and the morale of the military was suddenly gone. If Liu Bei had not immediately chosen to transfer on the spot, he might no longer be loyal to the party and the country.
Fortunately, Zhang Fei saw that the situation was not going well and abandoned the city to fight his way out of the siege and found Liu Bei. A brave general like Zhang Fei was in his prime. Unless there was a strong opponent who could stop him, Zhang Fei would not be able to stop him.
The Arrancar is really difficult for ordinary soldiers to defend.
Ji Ling has been besieging the city for many days under Xiangxiang. He has gained a new city and needs to be reorganized and repaired. Therefore, although he is not pursuing them all the way now, he will catch up sooner or later.
However, when Liu Bei and Zhang Fei arrived at Xiapi, still thinking of reviving their position in Xiapi and continuing their glory, they found that the four gates of Xiapi were tightly closed, and the soldiers on the top of the city felt as if they were facing a powerful enemy.
But outside the moat under the city, there was only one person standing, wearing a crown and long sleeves, standing proudly in the cold wind, it was Chen Deng.
"Chen Jiazi!" Zhang Fei spurred his horse forward, thrust his spear almost to Chen Deng's nose, and yelled angrily, "What are you going to do! Get someone to open the door quickly and let a certain eldest brother enter the city!"
"Third brother! Don't be reckless!" Liu Bei caught up, jumped off his horse, walked to Chen Deng, glanced at Xiapi City with four closed gates, and said to Chen Deng, "Yuanlong, why is this...
?”
Seeing this, Zhang Fei also jumped off his horse, raised his spear, and stood beside Liu Bei.
Chen Deng didn't even look at Zhang Fei. Instead, he bowed solemnly to Liu Bei and said, "Your Majesty, do you want to save the people of Xuzhou? Do you want to harm the people of Xuzhou?"
"This..." Liu Bei was a little confused, but he still said, "As a pastor, he naturally protects the people... Why did Yuan Long say this?"
Chen Deng looked at Zhang Fei and said: "I heard that the third general was in Xiaxiang City, whipping the nobles and blackmailing the people, so as to alienate the army and the people, and this defeat...is this the way to protect the king?"
Zhang Fei was so angry that he raised his fist as big as a sandbag and wanted to beat Chen Deng, but Liu Bei stopped him.
"The third brother has a reckless character and acted inappropriately in a hurry..." Liu Bei said to Chen Deng, "I am willing to apologize for my third brother..."
"Brother!" Zhang Fei raised his beard and stared at Chen Deng, spitting at Chen Deng and shouted loudly, "What are you asking for guilt? What is the crime? When the war is about to begin, refusing to pay food and wages, delaying military flights, according to law
Beheaded! He was just whipped, so he was forgiven, so why should he be guilty?"
"Losing the city is a serious crime! According to the law, you should be killed!" Chen Deng said without any politeness, "If the three generals want to discuss military law, they will immediately break the law here!"
"You're talking nonsense! I'm going to kill you!" Zhang Fei was so furious that Liu Bei almost couldn't hold him back.
"The three generals can kill a certain person, but they can kill everyone in the world! Is this the way to make a king love the people?" Chen Deng's voice is not bad compared to Zhang Feilai, "Those who follow the rules will live, and those who go against will die! If you act in such a perverse way,
How different from the national thief Dong Zhuo! Tao Shijun entrusted Xuzhou to Liu Shijun, but he emphasized that he was an elder, benevolent and righteous and loved the people! The three generals wanted to make Liu Shijun get a bad name and be cast aside by the people of the world!"
"Third brother!" Liu Bei's expression changed, he pointed his finger to the side and said angrily, "Wait aside! You are not allowed to come unless you are summoned!"
"Huh!" Zhang Fei glared at Chen Deng again, knowing the importance, so he said no more and turned away.
Liu Bei bowed his hands to Chen Deng and said: "Third brother, I'm sorry, I apologize for third brother... But if Yuan Long has anything to say, it's okay to just say it."
"I don't dare to treat you as such a courtesy..." Chen Deng returned the gift quickly, then bowed down and said, "The general's power is so great that it is hard for you to support him alone. Even if you suffer this defeat, it is not your fault... Now that your envoy is here, even if you greet him
When you enter the city and your troops are few, how can you hold on? When the city is destroyed, what will happen to the people? The people of Xuzhou have just escaped from the suffering, but they are facing a catastrophe.
, please also kill a certain person who has nothing to do with the people in the city..."
"This..." Liu Bei hurriedly stepped forward to help Chen Deng up, with tears in his eyes, "I know Yuan Long's intention, but... May I ask what Yuan Long has planned?"
Chen Deng said: "The current strategy is to stick to it to no avail... A certain person has ordered people to prepare grain and grass in the forest ten miles east of the city so that you can take it. He quickly went to Pengcheng and transferred to Yanzhou to find reinforcements from the imperial court... Later General Jing Yuben
The flames of war are burning, even if the momentum is great at this time, it will not last long... A certain person pretended to surrender to the general behind him. When the emperor's troops arrive, he can cooperate with the inside and the outside, and seize the city as if he were turning his hand... In this way, the people of Xuzhou will not be devastated.
You can also avoid reality and preserve your strength by being imaginary. Isn’t this the best of both worlds? I hope you will think deeply about it.”
Liu Bei held Chen Deng's arm, with tears in his eyes: "Bei knows...it will save the people of Xuzhou from military disasters, so what's the point of losing one person? In this way, we will follow Yuanlong's strategy... I hope that one day I can have wine with Yuanlong again."
Yan Huan..."
"Make you merciful!"
Chen Deng took a step back without hesitation and paid homage.
"Make you merciful!"
Xiapi City seemed to understand something, and there were many echoing voices.
"Make you merciful!"
More voices rang out, and Liu Bei finally couldn't help it, and with tears streaming down his face, he waved towards the top of the city with choked sobs, said goodbye to Chen Deng, and led the remaining soldiers towards the east...
