When Bai Xiaowen's 30,000-strong army arrived in Anyang, it turned out that Xiahou Dun had not invaded.
Bai Xiaowen summoned the officers above the rank of Captain from Anyang and looked over them one by one to check that no one from the Awakening of the Divine Court was among them, and then he felt relieved.
The sentry horse came to report that Xiahou Dun's seven thousand soldiers were stationed in Liyang and were repairing the city.
Moreover, in Baimajin, south of the Yellow River, Cao's subsequent army continuously crossed the river and entered Liyang. It is said that there were 200,000 troops.
Tian Feng said: "Liyang is the southern gate of Jizhou. The camp of Liyang has fallen, and the bandit army has opened up a situation in Jizhou. The bandit army now has 200,000 people, and it is huge. Does our army need to dispatch troops and horses from Yedu as soon as possible?
To counter Cao Cao?"
Bai Xiaowen shook his head and said: "Cao Cao cannot create food and grass out of thin air. He lied about an army of 200,000, and it would be good to have half of the real number. Our army is not in a hurry to mobilize troops. With this army of 30,000, it is enough to guard Anyang;
When Tian Yu and Murong Ping finish reorganizing their troops, they will lead their troops to defend Wei County."
If Cao Cao really led an army of 200,000 people, he would consume nearly 10,000 dendrobiums of food every day (equivalent to 300,000 catties), which would definitely be a heavy burden on Cao Cao's army.
What's more important is the expedition. In the enemy's territory, food and grass must be transferred from one's own home.
Horse chews are eaten by people on the way of the baggage train, and the expenditure on the grain road is also huge, and the longer the battle line is, the higher the cost. That's why Sun Tzu's Art of War recommends "feeding the enemy with grain", that is, from the enemy's territory
Robbery of military supplies.
This is also the reason why Bai Xiaowen admired and granted the title of Jiang Yiqu: in addition to setting an example for the generals, it was mainly because he was able to burn the grain and grass stored in the Liyang camp to prevent the enemy from using it when he was defeated.
Yuan's grain reserves, even after the burning of Wuchao in Guandu, were still better than Cao's army.
Bai Xiaowen only had 30,000 troops, and the food was transferred from Yedu, so the burden was light.
Bai Xiaowen himself felt that during the Three Kingdoms era, there were often hundreds of thousands of troops. Although the momentum was huge, it was really unnecessary. To capture an enemy city, 30,000 elite soldiers were enough; to defeat an enemy country, a hundred thousand troops were enough.
Unless it is a multi-front battle or a full-scale war, more troops will be needed.
It is the wisest principle of a military strategist to value elite soldiers rather than large numbers.
After Tian Yu and Murong Ping have organized their troops, they will eliminate a large number of old and weak soldiers and hand them over to Diannong Zhonglang General Ren Jun to reclaim wasteland.
Yes, the special talent Ren Jun captured by Bai Xiaowen in the Xudu Tuntian Guards also came in handy. When Xudu left with the emperor's officials, he did not forget Ren Jun and took Ren Jun's family with him.
Arrive at Yedu.
Ren Jun had no way out and no worries, so he took refuge in Bai Xiaowen.
It should be noted that it is only 199 AD (the fourth year of Jian'an). Cao Cao only took back the emperor in 196, moved Xudu, and changed the Yuan Dynasty to Jian'an. Many talents under his command only served Cao Cao for a short time.
The talents of the Cao Group are not as high in loyalty as they were in the late Three Kingdoms period.
In addition, Bai Xiaowen has the legitimacy of the emperor and his charm as a monarch is exaggerated, so it is logical for Ren Jun to join him.
Speaking of the reign name, after the emperor moved to Yedu, Bai Xiaowen changed the reign name to "Taishi". AD 199 was the first year of Taishi.
This was the reign name when the three families were later unified under the Jin Dynasty. Bai Xiaowen used Taishi as the reign name, which has profound meaning in itself.
Tian Feng thought for a while and already understood Bai Xiaowen's intention: "My lord, he shouldn't be in a hurry to take back Liyang."
Bai Xiaowen smiled and said: "Although Liyang City has an important strategic position, as long as our army guards the two major gates of Anyang and Wei County, Cao Cao can't open up the situation. Cao Cao has gathered more troops, and the consumption of food and grass will inevitably be huge. When the opponent loses his spirit,
When we run out of food, our army will look for opportunities to attack and we will definitely win."
Tian Feng himself is a mature and prudent royal counselor. Hearing this, he said happily: "My lord, what I said is very true."
Bai Xiaowen garrisoned Anyang, and relying on the city, he dug ditches in the west of the city and built a new stronghold. He sent Zhang He and Gao Lan, two generals, and 10,000 elite troops to garrison the city, forming a corner with the city.
If the enemy attacks the city, Zhang and Gao Er will attack the enemy's flanks; if the enemy attacks the stronghold, the defenders in the city attack their flanks.
This was the strategy Chen Gong proposed to Lu Bu during the battle of Xiapi City. Unfortunately, Lu Bu was obsessed with beauty and did not listen.
…
Two days later, Cao Cao personally led his army to Anyang City.
Cao Cao raised his whip and pointed at the city head: "My nephew Yuan Xi, come out and answer!"
Bai Xiaowen stood at the top of the city, pointed at Cao Cao and shouted sternly: "Thief Cao! The hatred for killing my father is irreconcilable. I have nothing to say to you, a deceitful man who deceives the emperor and ignores his superiors. If you want to fight, fight, no more."
Word!"
His tone was very impassioned, similar to Ma Mengqi in the Battle of the Weishui River.
Cao Cao laughed and said, "My nephew, Yuan Xixian, people of the Ming Dynasty don't speak secretly. You kidnapped the emperor to Yedu, aren't you doing the same thing as me? I heard that as a great Sima, you opened a palace and built a family.
All major affairs of the imperial court are reported to you first, and then reported to the emperor; you also make Xun Yu the minister, and the imperial edicts are all under your control, and the emperor is nothing more than a human-shaped seal."
Of course Bai Xiaowen would not admit it and said: "I have the trust of the emperor and am given arbitrary power. There is a fundamental difference between me and you, a rebellious minister and traitor who monopolizes power! Cao thief and Xu Tian invaded and overran the emperor, and killed the imperial concubine in the palace.
, these evil things were all done by you. Do you want to be on par with me? You are worthy!"
Cao Cao was very thick-skinned and did not get angry. He laughed and said:
"Nephew Yuan Xixian, how come I haven't heard any of the things you said? Don't talk nonsense. When your father was alive, we had a close relationship. Later, during the battle for supremacy on the battlefield, he unfortunately died. I am also very sorry!
Now that my army is approaching, please consider whether you should return the Emperor to Jizhou? As an uncle, I will not treat you badly!"
Bai Xiaowen sneered, fired his big move, and memorized the "Edict against Cao".
After hearing a few words, Cao Cao shook his head, whipped his whip and ordered the army to attack the city.
However, with Zhang He and Gao Lan leading the troops stationed in the west of the city, Cao Jun did not dare to attack the city with all his strength. Bai Xiaowen also selected elite troops to defend the city, relying on the Yedu base camp, and the defense equipment was fully equipped.
At that moment, kerosene was poured down, the ladders were burned down, countless people were killed by rolling logs and rocks, and arrows rained down like rain. Waves of Cao Jun's siege soldiers rushed up and fell down again and again, like cutting wheat.
When Li Shuyi saw this scene at the top of the city, her eyes twitched. The brutality of ancient Chinese sieges can be clearly seen.
But for the leaders of the Three Kingdoms, this is just a trivial matter.
On the first day of the siege, Cao's army lost more than 3,000 people, while Bai Xiaowen's side only lost a few hundred people. This battle loss ratio was normal.