Zhang He pointed his spear and stabbed the charging Montenegrin army to death. He knocked away a few cold arrows and felt a little weak, so he retreated behind the soldiers to rest for a while.
The Jizhou Army soldiers who rushed up were obviously unable to stop the bows and arrows fired from time to time from the opposite side. Not long after, half of them were injured and were forced to retreat down the hillside.
What the two sides are fighting for in front of them is the center line of the ridge. Whoever stands on the high point will become the target of public criticism. The high point is also very important, so that both sides continue to fill in people.
Seeing that Wen Chou was about to charge forward with an axe, Zhang He advised: "General, don't be impatient. The two sides are in a stalemate. It's difficult to rush down even if we go up and occupy the high ground for a while. It's better to think about it in the long term."
Wen Chou thought about how many people were ambushing him in the forest on the opposite hillside, and he felt irritated. "All the stones near this mountain have been thrown away. Otherwise, if we occupy a high place and use rolling stones and wood, we might be able to push back down."
Zhang He thought for a while and said: "The trees are blocking the way, so the rolling rocks won't do much damage. Why don't we go around?"
Wen Chou shook his head and said: "The mountain road is really difficult to walk. Soldiers cannot look at each other from head to tail. If they are ambushed by the enemy when they go around, it will be difficult to turn back."
The two looked at each other, both of them quite helpless. If they had led their troops on the plains, they would have overturned several times the number of enemies. But on this mountain road, even the horses could not go up, so they were simply unable to use their strength.
When the Black Mountain Army launched the Yecheng Rebellion, the two of them had followed Yuan Shao all the way into the Black Mountain. However, the fighting terrain at that time was mostly flat, so the cavalry could also use it. At that time, Lu Bu led several troops for several days. Ten cavalry rushed into the formation and defeated the Montenegrin army to the point of collapse in morale, making them famous in the first battle.
After the Black Mountain Army was defeated, it retreated into the hinterland. Yuan Shao saw that the terrain was complicated and the food and grass supplies were not available, so he led his troops back. Therefore, Wen Chou and Zhang He did not go into the mountains to fight.
However, this time Yuan Shang's purpose was to eliminate the Montenegrin army and open up the passage from Jizhou to Bingzhou. It was inevitable that he would enter the hinterland of Montenegro to fight. He attached great importance to this and brought Wen Chou and Zhang He here in order to achieve success in one fell swoop.
But as soon as Wen Chou and Zhang Hefu engaged in the battle, they knew that this battle was not easy to fight. The height difference on the mountain was huge, and the trees and weeds were overgrown. It was impossible to form a formation. Often, the entire mountain would become a mess after the two sides engaged for a moment. It was difficult to Separate ourselves from the enemy.
The Black Mountain Army fought whenever they could. Once they were at a disadvantage, they immediately turned around and ran away, disappearing after entering the dense forest. Under this situation, even if the Jizhou Army was well-equipped, it could not deploy and seemed to be stuck in a quagmire.
Zhang He Wenchou had heard about the Youzhou Army's practice of building copycats all the way before, and thought that it was too conservative. If we advance step by step like this, we still have to fight for several years?
After the battle, we discovered that building camps, digging deep trenches, and relying on defense turned out to be the most effective method in this mountainous situation!
No wonder the Youzhou Army and the Black Mountain Army faced each other for such a long time, but the losses were minimal. It turned out that Yuan Xi had already calculated everything!
Thinking of this, the two of them were puzzled. Yuan Xi had no previous experience in fighting in the mountains. How could he come up with such a solution like a prophet?
Seeing that they could not attack, the two had to return to the camp temporarily. When they saw Yuan Shang, they explained the current difficulties. Finally, Zhang He said: "It seems that Young Master Yuan Xi's idea is correct. Now we want to invade Montenegro. The best way is It is to advance the defense layer by layer, otherwise if there is a slight mistake, the enemy will sneak attack and push back."
Wen Chou also said: "There are several generals in the Black Mountain Army who are very skilled in martial arts and are quite difficult to deal with. We don't have war horses, so we can only fight head-on, and we won't get any advantages."
"Zhang Yan came out the day before yesterday and led several leaders to escape the siege by the two of us. However, the opponent is skilled in mountain warfare. It is really difficult to defeat him in one fell swoop."
After hearing this, Yuan Shang looked very unhappy. He turned to Pang Ji next to him and said, "Why is Yuan Xi so familiar with the Black Mountain Army? He was able to gain an advantage before. Our Jizhou Army has stronger soldiers and horses than him, but we can't defeat the Black Mountain Army?"
"Then Yuan Xi is really better than me?"
Pang Ji quickly laughed and said, "Young master is right, it's us counselors who are incompetent."
"Furthermore, Mr. Yuan Xi has Jushu to help him. He has served as a military supervisor for many years and is naturally more familiar with military affairs than I am. It is Ji Zhi's negligence."
Yuan Shang's face turned pale, "It has nothing to do with sir, it's just that Yuan Xiduo has a little plan. What should we do now?"
Pang Ji cautiously said: "How about we also try to build a camp and advance step by step?"
Yuan Shangpo feels unhappy, but in the end, he still wants to imitate Yuan Xi!
He was depressed, knowing that Pang Ji had made it easier for him to get down the stairs, but Ju Shou didn't know how to fight like a tortoise! Even though he has made great achievements with his advisors and generals, if he continues like this, he will become a joke!
Yuan Xi's tactics against the Black Mountain bandits made Yuan Shang envious and jealous, and it also spread to the ears of Yuan Tan, who was far away from Qingxu.
He took the bamboo slips sent by his eyeliner, showed them to Guo Tu and Xin Pi, and said, "I, the former second brother, have great ideas in fighting wars."
After seeing it, Xin Pi marveled a few times, and then said: "This method has a miraculous effect on the Black Mountain bandits, but it can be used to deal with the Taishan bandits!"
Yuan Tan heard this and smiled: "I think so too."
The situation of the Black Mountain Bandits and the Taishan Bandits are very similar. Both number in the hundreds of thousands. One is hiding in the Taihang Mountains, which runs 800 miles from north to south, and the other is hiding in the Taishan, Nishan, Mengshan, Yishan, and Wulian Mountains. East and west, in the mountains hundreds of miles long.
Because they are all located in mountainous areas with complex terrain, the Taishan bandits are just like the Black Mountain bandits, they will run away if they cannot be beaten.
Yuan Tan mobilized all Qingzhou troops to attack from above and below. Xin Pi and Guo Tu used many tactics, including knocking on the mountain to shock the tiger, luring the snake out of its cave, surrounding Wei and rescuing Zhao, etc., but they still had little effect.
After all, there are too many places to enter and exit hundreds of miles deep in the mountains. How can Yuan Tan completely block it with tens of thousands of soldiers?
Now Yuan Xi's fighting method in Black Mountain has inspired them. Although this method seems stupid, it can encroach on the enemy's hinterland step by step and force the enemy out.
As long as the Taishan bandits' strongholds in the mountains are removed one by one and their living space is squeezed, sooner or later they will be forced to fight Yuan Tan!
Guo Tu said at this time: "Young Master Xian Yi is born with the ability to fight. I'm afraid he will become a big problem for you in the future."
Xin Pi raised his head and glanced at Guo Tu. Yuan Tan thought for a moment and said, "Right now I still need him to deal with my third brother."
Guo Tu still insisted: "The intelligence said that Young Master Yuan Xi gave up the pass in the middle of Montenegro to the Third Young Master. It is very likely that the two parties have reconciled."
"If this is the case, Mr. Xian Yi may not turn around and deal with the eldest son in the future."
Yuan Tan felt slightly unhappy after hearing this. Guo Tu advocated suppressing Yuan Xi, and even did some shameful things with his own acquiescence.
Yuan Tan thought to himself that in the past six months, Yuan Xi had not gotten along with him. Could it be that what he had done was exposed?
Some time ago, Yuan Xi chopped off Xu Jie's head, but left Xu You alive, which puzzled Yuan Tan and Guo Tu. Did the two sides break up, or did they reconcile privately?
This also alerted the two of them. Although the estrangement plan left little evidence, it would have the opposite effect if it made Yuan Xi suspicious.
Therefore, during this period of time, Yuan Tan focused on defeating the Taishan bandits. He had to compete with Yuan Shang for time. If the other party captured the Black Mountain Army before him, he would definitely overwhelm him again!
Only by swallowing the Taishan bandits can he have the strength to covet Xuzhou and then go south to attack Yuan Shu. Only by killing Yuan Shu with his own hands can he surpass Yuan Shang in terms of momentum and gain the upper hand in the fight for the position of the head of the family.
This is Yuan Tan's true purpose. Qingzhou has no room for development. He must find his own way before he can surpass everyone and seize the Yuan family, and even the world!
As for Yuan Xi's plan for him to capture Liaodong, Goguryeo, and even go to sea, Yuan Tan sneered. Those places were bitter and cold places. Even if they were captured, what would happen?
Only by recruiting the Taishan thieves, taking advantage of the situation to go south to seize Xuzhou, then spy on the Jianghuai River, break into Yuzhou, and even control Jiangdong to completely capture Yuan Shu's territory, is this the bright road that Yuan Tan's counselors have worked hard to plan!
As for the agreement with Liu Bei, Yuan Tan naturally has a way around it. Although Liu Bei is his leader, Yuan Tan will never let him become powerful.
Thinking of this, he became so proud that he stood up and waved his hand: "Two years, no, within one year, we will take down the Taishan bandits!"
"Of course, if Zang Ba is wise, I can't share the mountain with him!"
"Everything you do is for me to compete for the position of the head of the family. When the success is achieved, I will definitely give you a satisfactory reward!"
After hearing this, Pang Ji and Xin Pi quickly stood up and cupped their hands and said, "I am willing to serve you!"
When Xin Pi saw Yuan Tanzhi and Pang Ji proud, he murmured in his heart, would things really go so smoothly?
He didn't know what Yuan Tan and Pang Ji did to Yuan Xi in private, but Xin Pi knew very well that the fierce tiger of the Yuan family was a vengeful person!
In the hinterland of Heishan, Zhang Yan was also worried. Although the Blackshan Army had the advantage of the terrain, the Jizhou Army was one of the most powerful soldiers in the world. In these days, the Blackshan Army actually suffered heavy casualties.
It's just that the Montenegro Army launched an offensive desperately and seemed full of momentum. On the contrary, Yuan Shang felt that the Montenegro Army had a lot of spare strength, so he became more cautious in his actions.
Only Zhang Yan knew that if the Black Mountain Army continued to fight like this, they might not be able to survive for two months, let alone break out and occupy Youzhou!
And another thing made him even more upset.
Lu Bu, who was in Hanoi, sent a letter with extremely harsh words.
It is said that the Black Mountain Army instigated a rebellion in Huaicheng, sent troops to attack the Lu family's residence, and even attempted to kidnap his wife and daughter. Now Lu Bu wants to ask for an explanation from the Black Mountain Army!
Zhang Yan looked at the conclusive evidence in her heart, and the evidence was detailed, pointing from Yang Chou to Yang Feng, which made Zhang Yan also confused. The rebellion in Huaicheng was definitely not his own. Was it Yang Feng's own idea?
What does she want to do?
Zhang Yan hesitated, wondering if she should call Yang Feng over and have a frank talk?
(End of chapter)
