Yuan Xi stood on the bow of the ship, looking at the mighty fleet behind him, thinking that indeed in ancient times, all wars were fought without water.
When the army sets out for an expedition, most of the troops march along rivers. No matter how bad the situation is, the marching location must be planned to ensure that there is a water source at the next stationed location.
Only in this way can the physical strength and water supply of the soldiers be guaranteed. Often because of this, in an offensive and defensive war spanning two places, the choice of marching routes is actually greatly restricted. There are often only a few suitable routes between the two places. Several, or even just one.
If the counselors can understand the local geography well, they can guess the enemy's movements from the map, arrange ambushes in advance, and defeat the enemy.
On the other hand, war was all about supplies. The road conditions in this era were extremely poor. A heavy rain could destroy the land and make it muddy, making it difficult for logistics convoys with heavy loads to move.
Moreover, land transportation requires either human power or animal power, and it also requires food, so the losses along the way are huge.
But waterways don't have this problem. The load of any small boat can be comparable to a dozen or even dozens of carriages, but it requires less manpower, faster transportation, lower losses, and is not limited by weather and road conditions.
Therefore, large-scale wars are often launched with logistical supplies based on water systems. Therefore, from this point of view, the scale of wars near large rivers is much larger than that in mountains, hills and arid areas.
Of course, this is no exception in the grassland area outside the Great Wall. To penetrate the enemy's hinterland, you need to be very familiar with the water sources along the way. Otherwise, if you don't encounter the enemy, you will starve to death and die of thirst.
Now after Yuan Xi captured the Lujiang River, he had captured hundreds of warships. Together with his original ships, the number could already support the army's food and grass transportation on the north bank of the Yangtze River.
Yuan Xi did not blindly build ships before, but used a considerable part of the shipbuilding to make war equipment. Now with the help of the captured warships, he was finally able to transport these equipment from Guangling into Chaohu and launch a full-scale attack on Hefei City. !
His marching route was the same as that of later Sun Quan when he attacked Hefei. He first controlled Wankou of the Lujiang River, then captured Wancheng, and led an army of 100,000 people northward to attack Hefei.
The difference is that at that time, the competition between Soochow and Wei for Chao Lake never stopped, and the Wei army also used Chao Lake to train a navy. The war between the two sides lasted for more than ten years, with no outcome.
But this time, Yuan Xi sent troops unexpectedly, with lightning speed, relying on Liu Bei's army on land and his own navy, and they marched together to control Chaohu, turning Hefei into an isolated city.
Moreover, after Liu Bei's army surrounded the point for reinforcements and defeated the incoming Yuan Shu's army several times, the morale of the defenders in Hefei City had dropped to the extreme. Unless someone like Zhang Liao appeared in later generations, there was no hope of a comeback.
But even if there are generals like Zhang Liao on the opposite side, he still has to face Liu, Guan, and Zhang, which is much more difficult than Sun Quan.
The ship docked at Chaohu Pier. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were already waiting in advance, and Zhang Fei muttered to himself.
He was aggrieved. Liu Bei asked him and Guan Yu to greet Yuan Xi as a sign of respect. However, Zhang Fei just didn't like the fierce tiger. He thought that despite his young age, Yuan Xi was so prosperous that even his three brothers... They all became the other party's guest generals. How could this make Zhang Fei feel balanced?
But thinking about it, Zhang Fei still wanted to show off on the surface, but when he saw the two generals of Yuan Xijun disembarking, Zhang Fei felt even more uncomfortable.
On one side is Gao Shun, who is trapped in the camp with hundreds of people. He is tall and powerful, and has excellent soldiers and armor. Zhang Fei knows the goods. He can tell at a glance that the equipment cost of the soldiers is probably not more than the dozen of his men!
What a waste!
Zhang Fei was filled with envy and jealousy, feeling sour, and turned his attention to another person.
Then he completely broke the defense.
Isn't this Baibo Army general Xu Huang who was surrounded by his three brothers and almost killed?
I haven’t seen you for a few days, why have you risen so high?
Zhang Fei stared at the flag behind Xu Huang with his mouth open. Isn't this a general with a mixed number?
Only then did Zhang Fei realize that this fierce tiger had the authority granted by the emperor to open the government!
When Liu Xie was granted the title of General of the Four Directions of the Baibo Army and had the power to establish a government, the symbolic meaning was actually greater, because firstly, the Baibo Army had no background and his subordinates were all bandits. Even if they were randomly granted official positions, they would not be able to get so much salary.
But later, General Baibo died and Yuan Xi took over as his replacement. The situation changed. He was backed by the Yuan family and had a profound background. He wanted a reputation, a base and a territory, and he used his territory and salary to appoint a few generals. Still no problem.
Therefore, except for Zhao Yun, who has a transcendent status, Xu Huang, who surrendered to Yuan Xi less than two months ago, has become a miscellaneous general second only to Taishi Ci, Shuntian and Yu, and is one level higher than Zhang Fei!
Zhang Fei vomited blood in his heart. He was so inhumane. It took him more than ten years to get to this point. How could Xu Huang, a surrendered general, be so virtuous and capable, and be treated like this?
At this time, Yuan Xi, wearing armor, came down from the big ship at the front. Jushou Lu Xun, followed by Taishi Ci Lu Lingqi.
Yuan Xi couldn't help but feel a little complacent when he saw the people in front of him. Only he knew what his group of men, plus Liu Guanzhang opposite him, meant in this era.
At this time, Guan Yu had already walked up quickly, cupped his hands and said, "According to the order of my eldest brother, I came to greet the envoy."
After hearing this, Zhang Fei said, "Same for me."
Yuan Xi bowed his hands and returned the greeting: "Excuse me, two generals. Is Mr. Xuande okay?"
Guan Yu returned: "My eldest brother is in the camp, waiting for the envoy to discuss matters."
When everyone arrived at the military camp, Liu Bei had been waiting at the entrance of the camp. When he saw Yuan Xi riding his horse, he came up to greet him and said, "Bei finally has the envoy waiting for you."
Yuan Xi smiled and said: "You have worked hard during the siege of Hefei. This time I brought dozens of siege equipment. I only need to wait for them to be assembled before we can attack the city."
Liu Bei couldn't help but be happy after hearing this. Soldiers are easy to recruit, but weapons are difficult to make. The production of siege equipment requires a large number of craftsmen and tools, and is very expensive. Unless the princes with a lot of wealth can't afford it.
Even if it is done, transportation will still be a big problem, but now these things have been solved one by one by Yuan Xi, and everything is ready, except for the war!
Liu Bei introduced Yuan Xi into the camp, ordered his people to hang up a map, pointed at the map and talked about the situation around Hefei City.
There is a long and narrow gourd-shaped area in Hefei that is difficult to break through. Later generations of Sun Quan suffered losses here, and Liu Bei was unable to attack for a long time, but suffered a lot of losses, so he was forced to encircle the area and fight for reinforcements, which was really helpless.
After hearing Liu Bei's words, Yuan Xi lowered his head and thought for a while, then raised his head and said to Ju Shou and Lu Xun, "What do you two gentlemen think?"
Liu Bei was slightly startled. His cheap son-in-law Lu Xun had joined the army at a young age, and judging from Yuan Xi's title, he was quite valued by Yuan Xi!
Is this son-in-law really so capable?
Jushou pointed to a corner of Hefei and began to predict what might happen after the war began, and how the two armies would cooperate to deal with it. After he finished speaking, he turned to Lu Xun and said, "Does Boyan have any other ideas?"
Lu Xun did not refuse, and immediately expressed his thoughts. Jushu pointed out some possible flaws. Lu Xun listened and began to improve his previous ideas. As the two discussed, Yuan Xijun's troop deployment and tactical plan for Hefei, Gradually it started to take shape.
Liu Bei looked at the two people arguing loudly, and then at Mi Zhu Jian Yong and others behind him, and jealousy suddenly rose in his heart.
None of his subordinates can match Jushou Lu Xun in front of him in terms of strategy!
It’s just Jushu. How could Lu Xun have such knowledge at such a young age?
He even had an idea, could he use Lu Xun as his son-in-law to lure him over?
Liu Bei suddenly remembered that Yuan Xi and Lu Xun became sworn brothers. If Lu Xun could be recruited by him, would it also negate the significance of the sworn sworn relationship between his three brothers?
He shook his head, and Jushou's voice brought him back to reality, "Hefei Sifang City Gate, two gates need Duke Xuande to send troops to attack, is that okay?"
Liu Bei came back to his senses, nodded and said: "No problem, everything will be arranged by Yuan Shijun."
He then spoke out: "Will the envoy use the extremely powerful wooden barrel used in the attack on Wancheng?"
Yuan Xi thought to himself that this matter had indeed spread. It is true that such a very threatening thing would not be ignored by the generals who are marching and fighting. After all, no one wants to die in confusion.
He immediately replied: "This thing is extremely difficult to make, and it is easy to cause accidental damage. I didn't make more of it. I won't use it in the attack on Hefei this time."
After hearing this, Liu Bei breathed a sigh of relief. After all, this thing was said to be too evil. If it fell next to him, he would die if he touched it. Who wouldn't be afraid?
But Liu Bei knew that what was in Fierce Tiger's hand had spread throughout the world. Many people in private were speculating whether Yuan Xi had obtained the magic of Taiping Dao!
This incident caused far greater waves than the bombing of hundreds of soldiers on the top of the city, because at that time during the Taiping Dao uprising, there were rumors in various places that General Tiangong used magic to defeat the enemy. The rumors were once widely circulated and were astounding.
But some people refuted it at the time, saying that they had never seen Zhang Jiao perform magic with their own eyes, and that this was just a rumor boasted by Taiping Dao.
As the Yellow Turban Army was wiped out and the Taiping Dao went underground, these rumors finally fell into disuse. Only some Taiping Dao alchemists still insisted on this theory, and more and more people sneered at it.
As a result, the two thunderbolts from the top of Wancheng made everyone in the world tremble with fear. This time, someone actually saw it. It was so powerful that everything within a radius of several feet was shattered into powder. It is said that not only people were shattered to pieces, but even the city walls were broken. !
It is said that its power is like thunder from the sky, but when the thunder falls, some people have witnessed it, and it is nothing more than splitting trees, but the magic on the top of the city is more powerful than that?
Reminiscent of the previous Taiping Dao rumors about Yuan Xi, rumors suddenly spread that Yuan Xi was a real person who had inherited the Taiping Dao magic!
Now the world has linked Yuan Xi to the rumor that the Han Dynasty was Tu Gao, and everyone wants to see who will win in the end between Yuan Shu and Yuan Xi!
Yuan Xi did not spread this incident intentionally at first, but now the direction of the situation has begun to exceed Yuan Xi's expectations.
(End of chapter)
