The way forward is blocked, the way back is cut off, and there is still no food in hand.
No matter who it is, they will feel panicked when encountering this kind of situation.
However, Zhang Hua was also a figure who followed his brother Zhang Gongping through the Liangzhou rebellion.
He made a prompt decision, and while he could still stabilize the morale of the army, he secretly ordered the battalions to prepare for retreat.
At night, the Wei army prepared food at the third watch and broke out of camp at the fifth watch. Their horses bound their hooves and their men wore titles. Without lowering their flags or turning off their fires, they quietly retreated toward Jincheng.
It is more than a hundred miles from Jincheng to Yuzhong. It usually takes three days to walk, and five days of food is enough.
At dawn, Gao Xiang looked at the Wei army camp opposite and saw green smoke shrouding the opposite side, while drums were rumbling.
He couldn't help but have worry in his eyes.
Today is the last day for General Wei to set a deadline.
After today, I have to make way for the passage to allow the Cao thieves in Yuzhong City to join the thieves reinforcements coming from Jincheng.
Cao's thieves have many cavalry. Even if they can capture Yuzhong, most of Cao's thieves will escape.
Gao Xiang thought as he asked his soldiers to prepare for the battle.
Unexpectedly, the sun was about to reach its peak, the gates of the camp opposite were closed, and there was no sign of troops being sent out.
This made Gao Xiang secretly relieved.
It seems that the continuous fighting in the past few days has forced Cao Thief to take a rest.
Although it was speculated that Cao Cao would not fight today, Gao Xiang still did not dare to take it lightly.
Throughout the day, he kept paying attention to the opposite side.
As the sun sets and the heat begins to subside, the birds take advantage of the last chance before dark to look for food in groups.
Gao Xiang then sent an order to all the battalions to prepare to join the Chinese army.
He glanced to the west with some worry: There has been no news from General Feng until now, and he doesn't know what's going on now.
But the camp to the west, where birds were constantly rising and falling, blocked his view.
Gao Xiang turned around and took two steps. He suddenly felt something in his heart and turned around suddenly, with a look of surprise in his eyes.
He suddenly took a step forward, rushed to the top of the camp, set up a pavilion, and stared at the setting sun, staring across the way.
In that somewhat blurry golden yellow, there were many flying birds bathing in the afterglow, circling and landing on the opposite camp.
The Han army's camp soon opened wide, and groups of soldiers came out one after another and formed formations.
At the same time, a small group of cavalry was sent out first, trying to wander around the gate of the Wei army camp.
Unexpectedly, at this time, the Wei army camp suddenly opened wide, and even the wooden bridge of the trench was lowered.
A dozen old and weak soldiers walked out of the village gate holding white flags.
Seeing all this, Gao Xiang still doesn't understand what's going on?
His face suddenly changed.
He ordered people to take over the Wei army's camp, and he took his men and rode back to the Chinese army like a storm.
"What? Thief Cao ran away?"
When Wei Yan heard the news, he couldn't help but have a look of surprise on his face.
"General Wei, Cao Cao escaped last night." Gao Xiang was happy and worried.
Fortunately, without the support of Cao's thieves from the west, Yuzhong City will definitely be able to be taken safely.
What is worrying is that the Cao thieves suddenly retreated, which was very strange.
"General Wei, the Cao thieves quietly withdrew their troops, but they didn't dare to let us notice. It must be General Feng who was behind the scenes."
"Should we send some troops to follow the thieves westward to see what the situation is like with General Feng?"
Listening to the rumbling noise outside, Wei Yan's expression quickly returned to calm.
"Chasing? Thief Cao ran away last night. It's almost dark now, how can we chase him?"
"Besides, wouldn't it be better if Cao Cao ran away? We will capture Yuzhong City tomorrow!"
When Gao Xiang heard this, he felt anxious, "But General Feng..."
"Feng Yong's purpose was to attract the attention of the Cao thief in Jincheng. If he really did something and lured the Cao thief away, wouldn't it be just right?"
Wei Yan interrupted him without any explanation, and at the same time opened the tent and looked at Yuzhong City not far away.
Just then a stone flew by and hit the city wall.
Dust was flying, soil was falling, and the dilapidated city wall was almost about to collapse.
The rumbling sound reached my ears at the same time.
"Come here, send an order to Huo Yi of the Engineering Battalion, tell him that the city must be breached tomorrow, otherwise military law will be dealt with!"
Wei Yan ordered loudly.
Then he turned around and told Gao Xiang, "General Gao, since Cao's reinforcements have retreated, you don't have to move back. You will stay in the west tomorrow and don't let Cao's escape to Jincheng."
Gao Xiang opened his mouth, but when he saw Wei Yan looking at him coldly and solemnly, he couldn't help but clasped his fists: "Nuo!"
Zhang Hua naturally didn't know that if he left a day later, he might be able to catch up with the Wei army leaving Yuzhong City and retreat to Jincheng together.
Now, he is leading people and heading west quickly.
After he led his army across the natural pass formed by the river and the remaining mountains in the south, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The reason why Jincheng is called impregnable is because on this only road, you have to pass through at least two dangerous places before you can reach the gate of Jincheng.
The first danger is this natural pass.
Now that he has entered the pass, he no longer needs to be afraid even if the Shu soldiers come after him.
"Let's rest at the pass tonight and continue our journey tomorrow."
Zhang Hua asked someone to pass on the order.
If you want to intercept enemies coming from the east, this pass is the best place.
Although no Shu people were found plundering food and grass here, Zhang Hua did not feel relieved.
If this pass is a mountain pass formed by the remaining mountains, then the second dangerous point we will pass tomorrow can be called a water pass.
In the boundary of Jincheng, a lot of river water flows out from the mountains in the south and flows into the river.
Going west for more than twenty miles from Shanguan, there are still mountains extending to the river.
Although it is not as steep as the mountain pass, it has one more stream of water than the mountain pass.
If we use this water flow as a barrier and rely on the remaining mountains, the westward advancing army will also have to stop moving forward.
The Han army that robbed the grain and grass was not at Shanguan. I just hope that they are not at Shuiguan either.
But Zhang Hua didn't know that there is a psychological effect in this world called Murphy's Law.
When he led the Wei army to the east bank of Shuiguan in panic the next day, he saw a stronghold standing on the opposite side.
Looking at the Han army flag flying high, Zhang Hua's face suddenly turned extremely pale.
Not only him, but also the generals and commanders around him couldn't help but look panicked.
Zhang Hua halted his horse at the water's edge and shouted in person: "Zhang Hua, the governor of Jincheng in the Wei Dynasty, may I ask who is leading the army on the other side?"
He would definitely not be willing to end up in this situation for no apparent reason.
Even if he dies, he still needs to know who has tricked him.
I could only hear the voice from the other side coming from far away: "Han, the Marquis of Jiequanting, and the Qiang Colonel Captain Feng Yong who is leading the protection."
Feng Yong?
Zhang Hua was stunned.
Thinking of the four words "Jie Quanting Hou" again, Zhang Hua's expression finally changed drastically.
I see!
Last year, he led the army to attack Longguan and cut off the passage between Longyou and Guanzhong.
Now I don't know how to cut off my retreat back to Jincheng.
This Feng Yong is indeed Xiao Wenhe!
It's a vicious and ruthless move right from the start, making it hard for people to guard against it.
At this time, another voice was heard from the opposite side: "Prefect Zhang, now you are pursued by troops behind you, blocked in front, and blocked by deep ditches. You are in a desperate situation!"
"If you turn your back and take off your armor and surrender with courtesy, wouldn't it be wonderful if you can protect yourself and protect the lives of the soldiers?"
Zhang Hua almost couldn't breathe.
I just wanted to ask about your origins, but you actually took the opportunity to persuade me to surrender? How dare you bully me?
He shouted loudly, "I'm afraid it's General Feng who is in dire straits, right? The people of Shu in Yuzhong are not chasing after me."
"Now General Feng seems to be based on the water, blocking me from the east, but he doesn't know that there are tens of thousands of elite soldiers of the Wei Dynasty in Liangzhou behind Jincheng, which is only a few days' journey away."
"When the time comes, I will lead my army across the river to attack, and Jincheng's elite troops will attack from behind. I wonder how General Feng will respond?"
When Feng Yong heard this, he frowned slightly: Did Wei Yan really not send troops to chase him?
However, Jiang Wei next to him said, "General Wei has been on the battlefield for a long time, how could he not know that this is a good opportunity to annihilate Cao's thieves?"
"If this group of Cao thieves is destroyed on the east bank and cannot return to Jincheng, then the courage of Cao thieves in Jincheng will be broken. When the time comes, entering the city will be like turning the palm of your hand."
Feng Yong nodded: "That makes sense."
But he sighed in his heart.
Boyue, you don't know the grudge between me and Wei Yan! I hope that old man Wei can really capture this fighter plane without communicating with each other.
Zhang Hua waited for a long time and then heard another voice coming from the other side: "In that case, why don't Prefect Zhang stay with me across the river for a few days?"
Where do I get the food from across the river from you?
Zhang Hua turned his horse's head and came to the front of the Wei army's formation. Looking at the pale-faced soldiers, he knew what they were afraid of.
Immediately, he ordered people to gather together the main generals in the army and said, "Your parents, wives and children are all in Liangzhou."
"If you surrender a thief, your life or death will be uncertain. Your parents, wife, and children will also be severely punished according to national laws."
"I see that there are only a few thousand Shu captives opposite. If you all can attack them together, you may not have a chance to defeat the thieves."
"It's only a few dozen miles away from Jincheng. It can be reached in one day at the fastest."
"This one-day journey is an evil and dangerous road that prevents you from being reunited with your parents, wives and children."
"Why don't you, gentlemen, defeat the thieves and make meritorious service, and return to Liangzhou together? This will save your parents, wives, and children from leaning against the door and looking up at you?"
The Wei army, who was eager to return to Jincheng, was eager to return to the army. When Zhang Hua said this, some people started to get red-eyed.
Obviously, Feng Yong seemed to have violated the art of war this time.
"Broken thief! Broken thief!"
"Okay, please go down and make it clear to all the soldiers: This battle is not only a battle of life and death for us, but also a battle for our parents, wives and children!"
Zhang Hua drew his sword and shouted.
This bridge over the Sichuan River has been destroyed by Feng Yong's men, and all nearby ships have been towed back to the west bank.
Fortunately, there is a distance of more than ten miles between the big river and the remaining mountains. For such a long river, the Wei army could wade directly through the wide and shallow parts of the river.
The main battlefields of the Han and Wei armies were also concentrated in this section of water.
The Han army was on the defensive and did not need to enter the water. It arrived a day and a half earlier than them and was well prepared.
If the Wei army wants to attack, they must wade ashore.
But Zhang Hua felt that he had one biggest advantage, and that was the cavalry.
Moreover, they are returning to the teacher, and they must work hard to return to the teacher.
The sound of horns sounded, and the Wei army began to gather on the east bank.
Fortunately it is summer and the river water is not cold.
The captured Wei soldiers and civilians helped Feng Yong a lot.
Not only did they help the Han army set up a camp, they also dug a trench on the west bank where they could directly wade through the water.
In other words, after the Wei army on the east bank crossed the river, they had to cross another ditch before they could fight hand-to-hand with the Han army.
So Feng Yong was not afraid.
Even if there is a superior force on the opposite side, this river and a trench can more than make up for it.
What's more, the superior strength of the Wei army may not necessarily be an advantage against its own elite troops.
The Wei army had already formed a formation, with the front row holding large shields and behind them spears and halberds, and began to cross the river head-on.
At the same time, the two wings of the Jingqi spread out, preparing to find an opportunity to break through the loophole.
"Fight back to Jincheng!"
"Fight back to Jincheng!"
"Fight back to Jincheng!"
…
The Wei army began to shout angrily. They had been prepared to fight tooth and nail from the beginning, leaving no chance at all.
The infantry array slowly advanced and began to enter the water.
The sun was high in the sky, and the calves of Wei's soldiers were completely submerged in the water, which was quite comfortable.
But no one feels the coolness, because the opposite side is crowded and crossbow arrows are about to be fired at any time.
Layer after layer of water patterns are constantly scouring the river bank.
Feng Yong looked at the Wei army and suddenly said: "The Wei army in Jincheng is considered elite."
Thinking about it, Yuzhong and Jincheng are the two most important strongholds for Cao Wei to defend the Han from entering Liangzhou.
Jincheng, in particular, is a top priority.
Presumably many of Liangzhou's elite are guarding the gate of Jincheng.
"Peng"!
"Peng"......
The heavy crossbow was the first to show its power, and the arrows specially made for the heavy crossbow were long and thick.
"Raise your shield!"
The captain of the Wei army shouted loudly.
The Han army stood on the shore and had a certain height advantage. Coupled with the extremely powerful crossbows, several wooden shields were shot through on the spot because they were only covered with leather, almost injuring the soldiers behind the shields.
The most exaggerated thing is that a small wooden buckler was directly shot and exploded.
A large shield cannot protect everyone.
More than ten unlucky Wei soldiers were shot through their bodies on the spot and fell into the water. A stream of blood filled the air, spreading along the water and gradually fading away.
Under the command of the Han army, Feng Yong put down his telescope and handed it to Jiang Wei who was standing next to him: "Boyue, please take a look."
Zhang Yi and Jufu are not here, so they need to lead their respective battalions to fight.
As the pride of mobile strategy, the Tiger Infantry was left behind by Feng Yong.
Naturally, Jiang Wei could only follow Feng Yong and make up for it at any time.
"Your Majesty, Cao Cao's elite cavalry have dispersed to both sides. I'm afraid they want to cross the water from both wings."
"Come across." Feng Yonghun said nonchalantly, "Wait until they come around and see how capable they are."
At the same time, I feel a little regretful that Liu Hun's cavalry is not here, otherwise I would let you know what a real cavalry is.
"Your Majesty, the Tiger Infantry is at your disposal at any time, and we will definitely not let Cao Cao's thieves cross the east bank..."
"I have never worried about the Cao thief on the other side."
Feng Yong shook his head, "What I'm worried about is, how many traitors are there in Jincheng, our rear area?"
The current situation is that the Jincheng reinforcements led by Zhang Hua are sandwiched between Feng Yong and Wei Yan.
Feng Yong himself was caught in the middle by Zhang Hua and Jincheng.
The main thing to watch now is that Wei Yan arrived first and cooperated with Feng Yong to eat up the Wei army on the east bank.
It was the Wei army from Jincheng that arrived first and cooperated with Zhang Hua to break through Feng Yong's interception.
The Wei army finally landed ashore, but their bows and crossbows were of no use, making tooth-aching sounds such as "boom" and "crash".
The hastily arranged antlers in front of the trench only acted as a slight hindrance, and were then pushed away by the Wei army.
"kill!"
Wei Jun's eyes turned red and he raised his knife and started to charge.
The Han army's spears and halberds were all stabbed at them. The Wei army, which had finally crossed the trench, was stabbed directly into the trench, becoming a stepping stone for those who came after.
The Wei army who followed behind began to throw bows and arrows, which fell into the Han army's formation, causing casualties to the Han army.
"Your Majesty, Cao Cao's cavalry has crossed the water from both wings!"
Jiang Wei held up the binoculars and suddenly said, "How about the general lead the Tiger Infantry to stop it?"
Feng Yong shook his head, "It's not yet time for the Tiger Infantry to move."
A frontal charge and fight, with the cavalry on both wings waiting for an opportunity to find an opening, or trying to tear the opening from both wings, and finally swarming forward. This is the most common use of cavalry today.
On the battlefield, the strategic reserve team in your hand is your trump card for victory, and it is also your trump card for saving your life.
This trump card cannot be revealed easily until the last moment.