Inside Cao Jun's camp, Cao Hong suddenly changed his expression when he heard the news: "You say it again?"
The messenger knelt down on one knee, raised his hands tremblingly and said: "Immediate report from the rear. Imperial physician Ling Jiben, Shaofu Geng Ji, Sizhi Weihuang and others launched a rebellion and killed Wan Changshi. Fortunately, Wang Shangshu was smart and escaped into the palace in time. , ordered the guards in the palace to defend themselves, and now they are probably attacking the palace gate."
Zhao Yan was also shocked and said: "No wonder Shen Chen has not built any defensive fortifications. He must have colluded with Gibbon and others, knowing that we are worried that the rear will inevitably withdraw troops, so there is no need to defend."
"hateful!"
Cao Hong immediately said: "Return to support Chen Du!"
"No."
Zhao Yan quickly said: "As soon as the army moves, it will be pursued by Shen Chen, which may lead to a big defeat. Henan will be in danger by then. We must defend here and not allow Shen Chen's troops to advance even an inch."
"Then send Qingqi to rescue?"
Cao Hong calmed down, and after being persuaded by Zhao Yan, he remembered that he was in a big mess. If he really followed his order just now, Henan would not be able to survive.
The lieutenant general said: "Chen Du's courier missed us. General Cao on the front line was fighting the enemy in Nanyang. It was too late to return to Chen Du, so he had to ask the courier to change horses instead of people to report the news to Changshe. Now both couriers are exhausted. , right in front.”
Yan Kuang responded in a deep voice, looked around, and said: "I will take my troops and horses and pack them back immediately. Zhang Qian, you can take command of the troops and recruit the farmers from the nearby Wubao to help transport the grain. We must send it to the front line as soon as possible."
The grain transport team of the Diannong Army moved forward slowly on the wide official road. The baggage vehicles could not move very fast. Each vehicle carried seven to eight hundred kilograms of grain. The horses could not run, so they could only move at a walking speed. In the past, once a baggage truck broke down, the speed of the entire team would be delayed.
For example, in the Tang Dynasty, the inns could travel 400 miles a day, 600 miles a day, and 800 miles a day. All these were done by changing horses but not people. People's food and drink could only be maintained on horses.
But now, because Cao Cao moved the capital, he had two farming areas, so Yan Kuang's jurisdiction was larger. Every time he collected grain, he had to go from Chenliu to Yingchuan, and then send the harvested grain to the Dingling front line.
"But we can send people to Yingyin immediately."
At this moment, the deputy general at the front of the team hurried over, held up the seal with both hands and said: "General, there is a letter from General Cao, saying that there is a rebellion in Chendu, and the general is ordered to return to Chendu quickly to put down the rebellion."
"It was the end of the cockcrow the day before yesterday."
Originally, Cao's army had an infantry hard bow with a longer range, which should have a slight advantage in range, but this kind of infantry hard bow was difficult to use in mobile warfare.
"General!"
Zhao Yan said in surprise: "Changshe is more than four hundred miles away from us. Can we reach it within fifteen hours?"
The troops commanded by Shen Tao were very stupid. Henan was a plain with roads everywhere. If Cao Jun formed a formation and wanted to fight them, the Huangmen soldiers turned around and ran away. They ran so fast that even Cao Jun could not catch up. .
As a special force, the Huangmen soldiers have specially developed weapons for small-scale warfare, such as small serial hand crossbows, steel ring-head knives, leggings for long-distance marches, and special leather armor and round shields. Weapon backpacks, etc.
He took away most of the soldiers in the field, and there were still two thousand soldiers left. Led by deputy general Zhang Gan, he sent them to the surrounding Wubao to recruit people from the field to transport grain and grass back to Changshe.
Zhao Yan continued: "I'm afraid that within a day or two, all the horses will be exhausted, and the soldiers will have to run another two to three hundred miles back to Chendu. Even if the forced march is seventy miles a day, it will still take three or four days, at least
We won’t be able to reach Chendu within five days.”
If Cao's army dispersed and started to pursue, they would just turn around and shoot indiscriminately.
However, Cao's troops in northern Yichun and Yang'an saw that they ignored the surrounding cities and were afraid that they would attack the hinterland or flank Cao Hong's tribe, so they intercepted them halfway.
Zhao Yan frowned.
"The situation in Chen Du is not very good. We must return support as soon as possible."
For example, in the late Ming Dynasty, Huang Taiji led the Eight Banners Army to the city walls of Beijing. In order to relieve the siege of the capital, Yuan Chonghuan personally led 9,000 Guan Ning Army cavalry and marched more than 300 miles over two days and nights to rescue Beijing.
Yan Kuang is in a good mood. As long as the grain team can successfully deliver it to Dinying, half of his twice-a-year burden will be basically completed.
Later, he worked in the fields outside Xudu.
This is the acceleration speed of four hundred miles.
Especially for the 800-mile express, there are many records of horses running to death. Even the messengers with poor physical condition may die of overwork. It can be seen that it is absolutely impossible to run 600 miles in a short period of time without changing horses.
.
Zhao Yan said in a deep voice: "Just like the envoys who came here changed people and horses in the counties along the way, we sent people back and continued to change people and horses along the way. We should be able to reach Yingyin within twenty hours and order Yan Kuang to go back to Pingyang immediately.
If we rebel, we can support Chen Du within two or three days."
Historical records record that the tiger and leopard cavalry could run three hundred miles in a day and night, that is, in twenty-four hours, to pursue Liu Bei.
But the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry are different from ordinary cavalry. They are an ace unit. Not only do they have the best BMWs in the north, but they also have one person, two horses or even three horses. They can constantly change horses and run day and night.
Zhao Yan thought for a moment, suddenly remembered something, and said quickly: "General, I remember that Yan Kuang's Diannong Army set out to transport grain and grass to Dingling four days ago."
The main reason is that Shen Chen has been studying equipment technology with Zhuge Liang and craftsmen for so many years, such as crossbows, armors, shields, knives, etc., and they have all been modified and dabbled in.
This is Cao Cao's farming settlement in the Yingyin Changshe area.
This was Xia Houyuan's speed, five hundred miles in three days and one thousand miles in six days. The average speed per day reached one hundred and sixty-six miles.
"oh?"
"Hmm"
So much so that when he took another route, he didn't meet Yanling's messenger halfway.
The two sides fought in Daoting, southeast of Yang'an and northwest of Yichun.
The envoy replied: "The envoy came from Yanling and did not pass by Changshe."
But what he didn't know was that something had happened in the direction of Langling at this time. Zhang Xiujun did not attack the city, but led his troops northward without knowing where to go.
But even so, in a head-on attack, in one battle, 3,000 men defeated 8,000. With only more than 200 casualties, Cao's army was defeated, showing the power of the best in the world.
Yan Kuang recognized Cao Hong's seal in the deputy general's hand at a glance, and was surprised when he took it. He wondered: "Why did Chen Du rebel, but I didn't get the news?"
After defeating the intercepting army, the Huangmen soldiers continued to move northward and drove straight in.
There are countless fields on both sides of the road, and they are densely packed further north, with a large number of forts built.
Cao Hong shook his head and said: "But it's impossible for him to know the news now. Our farm in Henan is divided into two parts, one is near Chendu in Yanzhou, and the other is in the Yingyin Changshe area. Yan Kuang visits Changshe every time.
, is to go to Changshe to collect food and grass to send to Dingling, but he and the envoy are not on the same route."
Zhao Yan replied: "It is only one hundred and ninety miles from Yingyin to Chendu. If Yan Kuang gets the order now, let him give up transporting grain, and the infantry will quickly march lightly and forcefully back to Chendu. They can arrive in about a day."
"Rush to Changsha?"
But this is no longer a solution.
Although there was no expedited system for several hundred miles in the Han Dynasty, Zhao Yan understood it, so he nodded and said: "It would be best if this could be done. In this way, the crisis in Chendu can be resolved within two days."
However, it is difficult for an ordinary horse to run continuously. It is often exhausted after running for half an hour, and it takes at least a while to rest before continuing on the road.
Zhao Yan asked the envoy again.
Cao Hong clapped his hands and said, "Of course I know, but why don't you let Qingqi go to help?"
The guard outside the door came in and handed over his hand.
Shen Chen burned Xudu and Xudu was gone, but the interests of the farmland and the Yingchuan family could not be lost, so the farmland was still maintained.
The general of Cao's army became anxious and gave an order to pursue him. Then he was shot back and shot into pieces.
Zhao Yan analyzed: "So he should be north of Changshe, which is one hundred and twenty to thirty miles away from Chendu. He should be able to reach Changshe tonight and Yingyin tomorrow night."
Cao Hong said: "Let two scouts with the best riding skills, holding my general's seal, rush to Changshe immediately without stopping. They will change horses without changing people on the way. If there are any slackers in the counties along the way, they will be killed without mercy. They must be killed within ten days." Arrive at Changshe in five hours."
Under normal circumstances, if Cao Hongjun's cavalry stopped, ran, and rested, they would be able to cover one hundred and fifty miles in a day and night.
"You didn't meet General Yan on the way here, right?"
Fortunately, nothing has happened in the past few days.
Zhao Yan pointed at the messenger and said with a wry smile: "Chendu is more than six hundred miles away from Kunyang. The incident happened at the end of the rooster's crow the day before yesterday. In order to report the news, they changed people and horses in various counties along the way, and traveled more than twenty times day and night. We arrived at Taiting in the middle of the night and rode lightly. It would be impossible to arrive there in two days."
"It is more than four hundred miles from Chendu to Dingling. In the past, it usually took twelve or thirteen days to reach the destination. But that was because there were many carriages and horses transporting grain, and they could only travel more than thirty miles a day."
Lieutenant General Zhang Gan hesitated and said: "But General, isn't this too risky? If General Cao is fighting with the enemy and sending it to the front line, if the enemy robs the grain, it is better to take the grain and grass to Changshe City first, and wait until the general suppresses the rebellion. , and then send it over.”
At that moment, Cao Hong did not hesitate and immediately ordered the scouts to take action.
Yan Kuang was riding on horseback, looking at the endless grain transport convoy on the road ahead, and then looking back, he still saw the endless grain transport convoy.
As a result, the field was divided into two parts. After each harvest, Yan Kuang had to make a trip to Changshe Yingyin northwest of Xudu to deliver the grain and grass turned over by Chen Liu and Changshe Yingyin to the front line.
Yan Kuang thought for a while and realized that this was his mature opinion. Although it would delay the transportation of grain, it would at least be safer, so he said, "Okay, let's follow your opinion."
The disadvantages of moving the capital are now apparent.
"good."
Cao Cao had a good relationship with the Yingchuan family before, so he placed his capital in Xu County and became Xu Capital.
Historically, the Yoshimoto Rebellion occurred in Xudu. Yan Kuang was stationed in Tuntian District, north of Xudu City. Wang Bi sent people to him overnight to send troops, and he put down the rebellion.
"Report!"
This is how Cao's army was defeated at Taiting.
"And we are in Kunyang. Kunyang is six hundred miles away from Chendu. Even if Qingqi gallops to Chendu overnight, it is more than six hundred miles away. How can we get there?"
"When did it happen?"
"There must be a faster way"
"Yes, but won't it take four days for the Diannong Army to return?"
Cao Hong explained: "When they came to report the news, they had to open the city gate and change people and horses. They were also county officials with average riding skills. It was normal for them to be delayed for three or four hours. But I ordered the scouts who were good at riding.
Go, don't allow the county officials to slack off, save these few hours, maybe we can stop Yan Kuang when he leaves Changsha."
They intercepted the Huangmen soldiers at Taiting. They had just assembled their troops and lined up to meet the enemy, when they gave orders and went to another place.
Although that small serial hand crossbow can only shoot three seven-inch-long arrows at a time, and the range is only within fifty meters, it can still take advantage of this kind of encounter.
Cao Hong's eyes suddenly lit up, he nodded repeatedly and said: "Boran still has the wisdom, just do what Boran wants, and someone will come."
Cao Hong understood and asked: "Boran's intention is to send someone to notify Yan Kuang and ask him to return to Chendu?"
At this time, in Chendu, the nominal capital of the Han Empire, Yoshimoto and others set fire to Wan Qian's mansion and then attacked the palace.
In the first round of the battle between the two sides, Cao Jun was directly shot into a hornet's nest.
At that moment, he gave an order, and the soldiers put down the grain trucks and quickly gathered to the rear.
Therefore, if Cao Hong sends out his cavalry and marches day and night, with only two or three hours of rest in between, and the rest is on the road, it will take at least four or five days. By then, the men and horses will be exhausted, and even if they reach Chenliu, they will not have the combat power to fight the enemy.
Zhao Yan turned around and asked the messenger: "How many troops are there in the enemy?"
The messenger from Dingling quickly replied: "The messenger is from Linying. He said that the messenger who escaped from Chendu and went to Weishi informed the county magistrate of Weishi that there were about thousands of enemies. The exact number was too confusing.
And I don’t know.”
In the early morning of September 24th, on the official road from Changshe to Yingyin, a large convoy of carriages and horses headed in the direction of Yingyin.
As Dian Nong Zhonglang General, these places are all under Yan Kuang's jurisdiction.
The comparison of the strength of the troops on both sides was that Huangmenting had 3,000 men and Cao's army had more than 8,000 men. Moreover, because they had to travel lightly, the Huangmen soldiers did not carry heavy armor. They only wore leather armor and fought with small round shields wrapped with iron sheets.
"Is there a rebellion in Chendu?"
Cao Hong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot and said: "Does Boran have any other strategies to rescue Chen Du? Let Qingqi set off now."
Cao Hong was puzzled.
"They set fire to Chang Shi's Mansion and Shangshu Mansion, and a fire has broken out in the city."
Cao Hong fell into thinking.
"I see."
"What was the situation like when the envoy left Chendu?"
So now we send Qingqi to rush back to Chendu. The water in the distance cannot relieve the fire in the distance, and the time will be much slower.
Shen Tao led the Huangmen soldiers and resumed their old duties. They walked lightly and quickly, walking eighty kilometers every day, nearly two hundred miles a day, straight to Chenliu.
But after being forced to move the capital, he had to open up new farmland outside Chendu. At the same time, Cao Cao compromised with the Yanzhou family and had to take into account the interests of the major Yanzhou families.
Shangshu Wangxuan fled into the palace and ordered Su Wei, who was guarding Liu Xie, to take control of the palace gate.
Gibbon and the others were unable to kill them for a while, and were as anxious as ants on a hot pot. The city was now in a storm, because they had not broken into the palace in the past two days. Many dignitaries of the Yanzhou family who had reacted had already begun to collude and gather their servants.
Want to attack them.
If it weren't for the spies that Shen Chen placed in Chendu to stabilize the morale of the army, Gibbon's unreliable servants would have probably fled in all directions.
But as time went by, with no reinforcements from the outside and no way to enter the palace from the inside, their military morale also fell to the bottom.
Suddenly the situation took a turn for the worse, and many people were panicked and unsure of their future fate.