Jiangcheng, also known as Jiangxia City, is located in the outskirts of what is now Wuhan.
It is said in modern history books: A Jiangxia city is half of the history of China.
The earliest history of Jiangxia City can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Sushan, Guzhai, Tongdun, etc. all originated from Jiangxia.
However, the real prosperity of Jiangxia began during the period of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty.
Because Jiangxia is close to the Yangtze River Basin and has a unique geographical advantage, the Han Dynasty vigorously developed the shipbuilding industry and gave birth to many highly skilled shipbuilders. Gradually, Jiangxia became a strategic location that various princes competed for.
The most famous war that broke out in the Jiangxia region was undoubtedly the Battle of Chibi.
In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208 years), Cao Cao led an army of 200,000 to the south, and Sun Quan appointed Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu as the left and right governors, and Lu Su as the captain of the Zan Army. Zhou Yu led 30,000 elite troops along the river to Xiakou and jointly garrisoned them.
Liu Bei's army from Fankou marched westward along the Yangtze River and met Cao's army at Red Cliff.
In the end, Cao's army, which had an absolute superiority in strength, was defeated. The boats were burned and extended to Cao's camp on the shore, causing heavy casualties. During the retreat, most of the soldiers died of hunger and disease, and almost all of Cao's army of 200,000 was wiped out.
And no one thought that in the Tang Dynasty more than five hundred years later, Jiangxia City would usher in a war that was no less than the Battle of Chibi in terms of scale and intensity.
On top of the tower of Jiangxia City, Duke Zhaode of the Southern Tang Dynasty came to Gui. He looked at the surging river in the distance and asked his deputy Xue Nanyang: "Have the people in the city been evacuated?"
Xue Nanyang: "Everyone has been evacuated."
Lai Yi: "How about food, weapons, and supplies?"
Xue Nanyang: "It can last the army for half a year."
Lai Yi: "Where's morale?"
Xue Nanyang: "The only son in the army is given severance pay and ordered to go home and fulfill his filial piety. The rest of the soldiers swear to live and die together in Jiangcheng!"
Lai Yi slowly closed his eyes, nodded, and said softly: "This battle is dangerous, one hundred thousand versus four hundred thousand, and the future is uncertain."
Xue Nanyang: "My lord, although our army is small, it has occupied the natural danger of the Yangtze River. And before leaving, Master Li also said that as long as Jiangcheng holds out for three months, the war situation will turn around."
Lai Yi: "Li Bi? That Taoist priest? It's not that I don't believe him, but the three-month agreement he said is more like a gamble than a strategy. How can the country's grand plan pin all its hopes on outsiders?
?”
Seeing Xue Nanyang's silence, Lai Yi said: "Let alone an outsider, even Shi Siming stationed in Xunyang (today's Jiujiang City), I can't trust him. He seems to be inseparable from the imperial court, and he has a conspiracy in his heart."
Xue Nanyang: "If that's the case, then why does the imperial court still want Shi Siming to station in Xunyang?"
Lai Ai: "Because Shi Siming has 30,000 Hebei soldiers under his command, the imperial court needs their combat power to garrison the line of Pengli Lake to resist Li Guangbi's army. And Shi Siming himself also knew clearly that if he wanted to ensure that Xunyang would not be lost, he must fight with Jiangcheng.
We watch each other and serve as each other's horns to defend against the Northerners. So, in the final analysis, Shi Siming and I are just doing what we need."
At the same time, the North Tang Middle Route Army camp was in Yingcheng, Anzhou.
Guo Ziyi was in the meeting room, looking at the map, and asked: "How far is it from Jiangcheng?"
Guo Xi, the son of Guo Ziyi, replied: "There are still two hundred and thirty miles... After five days' march, we can reach Xiakou, which is the north bank of Jiangcheng."
Guo Ziyi: "Where are the Western Route Army led by Duan Xiushi and Li Siye?"
Guo Xi: "The West Route Army set out from Xiangyang on the east road of Shannan, first went to Changban, then took a boat in Jiangling, went all the way east, passed through Wulin to Chibi, and finally met up with our army in Xiakou."
After hearing this, Guo Ziyi thought for a while and said: "Back then, Cao Cao's army seemed to have followed this path."
Guo Xi: "Yes, but this time, unlike five hundred years ago, the main battlefield between our army and the puppet Tang Dynasty will not be in Chibi, but in Jiangcheng."
Guo Ziyi: "If Lai from the south of the Yangtze River has an army of 200,000 in his hands, or if our army fails to capture Huangzhou (today's Huanggang) and Qizhou (today's Qichun), then the battlefield of this battle may really be peaceful."
Just like five hundred years ago, we have to start a war in Chibi. Unfortunately, Lai Ai does not have many troops, and all the prefectures and counties near Jiangxia have been lost. Jiangcheng is the last line of defense."
Speaking of this, Guo Ziyi pondered for a moment and asked Guo Xi: "Where is Shi Siming? Where are the others?"
Guo Xi pointed to the map. One hundred and seventy miles east of Jiangcheng, there was a fortified city called Xunyang City, located on the south bank of the Yangtze River.
Guo Xi pointed to the city and said: "In addition to Jiangcheng, Xunyang is also the key to the Yangtze River defense line. For Laigui, if Xunyang is lost, our army can cross the river from the Pengli Lake area and then detour to Jiangcheng.
From the south, launch an attack on Jiangcheng from the land. In this way, Laiyi will be attacked from both sides."
Speaking of this, Guo Xi sighed with emotion: "Jiangnan and Shi Siming have always had a grudge, but this time, Lai Ai gave his back to Shi Siming. I don't know whether this move was stupid or helpless."
Guo Ziyi: "Both Lai Ai and Shi Siming are stupid. If we use four words to describe their current relationship, it would be as if they were in love with each other. If Xunyang is lost, Jiangcheng will be in danger; if Jiangcheng is captured, Xunyang will also lose its retreat. Lai Ai and Shi Siming
Everyone knows this, so the two complement each other, and no one dares to neglect... I don’t know who made the plans in Jiangnan. In the future, Ai and Shi Siming made such arrangements. The person who made the plans knows people's hearts and is familiar with the art of war. He will definitely be the one in the future.
A serious problem for my dynasty."
Guo Xi: "However, one thing is certain, Lai Yi and Shi Siming are fighting on their own. Even if Lai Yi in Jiangcheng is attacked, Shi Siming will never save him in order to protect himself. Vice versa."
Guo Ziyi: "Not bad."
Guo Xi: "In this case, then the East Route Army led by General Li Guangbi will be responsible for containing Shi Siming, and our army can attack Jiangcheng with peace of mind without worrying about extraneous problems."
Guo Ziyi was silent for a while, then shook his head and said: "I can't be so sure. There are few soldiers in Jiangcheng and no external aid. The natural danger of the Yangtze River alone is powerless to stop our army from attacking. However, Jiangnan arranged Laiyi in Jiangcheng, and
Placing Shi Siming in Xunyang, such a layout may have a back-up plan."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! At this point, Guo Ziyi frowned.
On the other side, in Xunyang City.
Shi Siming sat in the hall, closing his eyes and relaxing.
As the chief general in the city, Zhou Zhi came to Shi Siming, handed over a letter and said: "Qin Jing, the defender of Huaining City in Shuzhou, sent a letter asking for help, saying that Li Guangbi's forward general Pu Gu Huai'en had led troops to invade Huoshan County.
, less than a hundred miles away from the City of Remembrance. The city is in urgent need, and we hope our army will lend a helping hand."
Shi Siming didn't even read the letter, rolled it up into a ball, threw it aside, and said, "What does their life and death have to do with me?"
Zhou Zhi: "King Yan, our army still belongs to the Southern Tang Dynasty in name. Since Huaining City is asking for help, it is better to find some light goods and kill them instead of being talked about."
Shi Siming: "The 400,000-strong army of the Northern Tang Dynasty went south, and now it has reached the edge of the Yangtze River. It is difficult for the prefectures and counties in Huainan Road to protect themselves. By the time our army's aid is sent, Huaining City may have been captured.
."
Zhou Zhi thought about it and felt that what Shi Siming said was right.
According to Li Guangbi's marching speed, after Huaining City sent out this letter asking for help, even if reinforcements were sent, the news that the city had been breached would probably be heard halfway.
Shi Siming said to Zhou Zhi: "The north of the Yangtze River cannot be defended no matter what. Only the two cities of Jiangcheng and Xunyang can resist the attack of the Northern Tang army."
Zhou Zhi nodded and said: "Please rest assured, King Yan, the general will definitely defend Xunyang!"
Shi Siming glared at Zhou Zhi: "Idiot, who told you to defend Xunyang?"
Zhou Zhi looked puzzled.
Shi Siming pondered for a moment and then asked: "You were traveling in the dense forest with your friends and suddenly encountered a tiger. What should you do at this time?"
Zhou Zhi thought for a while and replied: "If two people are armed with weapons, as long as they advance and retreat appropriately and fight bravely, they can kill the tiger and protect themselves."
Shi Siming sneered: "Don't bother, you only need to do one thing, and that is to run faster than your friends!"