Lao Cao was dissatisfied, and some of his generals also clamored fiercely. Just as Xiahou Dun said, they would always send out troops to stop them. If they don't fight, they will have to fight sooner or later. Let's fight first to explore the reality. .
Anyway, Wang Yan will definitely not cross the river within three to five years, so he must leave time to explore Henan. In fact, this is something that people in the world don't understand. After all, Wang Yan really has a strong army and a strong horse. If he uses all his elite troops, there is a high probability that the battle will be over within a few years. The country will be unified, and he will be called alone.
Just like what Lao Cao did originally, he kept fighting and barely recuperated.
So Lao Cao finally made up his mind to move south quickly, and sent Xiahou Dun and others to guard Hangu Pass. Le Jin, Yu Jin, Wen Chou and others went north to intercept Huang Zhong and others. They waited until Lao Cao and the others had almost retreated before looking for an opportunity to fight.
It means fighting soldiers against soldiers and generals. After all, it was a critical time to escape. It was impossible for Lao Cao to take command on the battlefield, and Wang Yan was also in Zhiding and did not go to the front line in person. This was a small-scale contest between the generals of the two sides.
In addition, Lao Cao also had the intention to disgust Wang Yan. He knew very well that Wang Yan's purpose of raising troops in winter, marching to Hangu Pass, and crossing the river at the same time, was precisely to sort out the local people in winter and directly carry out operations in spring. Spring plowing will not delay production and construction.
It was destined that it would be impossible for him to move all the people in Henan to Jiangnan, but he would try to delay as much time as possible until the farming season was over, and then all of them would evacuate.
Regardless of whether he was convinced or not, he had no way to deny Wang Yan's power. In terms of overall hard power, he just couldn't defeat Wang Yan. Therefore, the purpose of fighting a small battle was to see clearly what was true and what was true, but at the same time it would not delay his escape, and it would also cause Wang Yan to delay the farming season and burden the survival of millions of people.
In this way, it would have taken three to five years to go south to fight for unification, so if he was delayed like this, he could guarantee at least four years of stability. Even if it's a little more disgusting, it will last even longer if he chokes rivers and destroys cities when he leaves.
Lao Cao really wanted to push the Yellow River, but considering Wang Yan and the family inheritance, he gave up this immature idea. Because once he dared to do that, Wang Yan was completely angered, so he ignored everything and went south to fight the unification war. By then, he would have lost everything.
So it's not that Lao Cao didn't have the guts to push the Yellow River, but because it's not cost-effective. After all, although Wang Yan belongs to the northern army, his navy can sail far to sea, and he also speculated that the land under his feet is round. Although the Yangtze River is dangerous, there is no way to stop Wang Yan. What's more, Liu Bei and Wang Yan have an old relationship. If Liu Bei is directly recruited, then the great achievements that Cao Cao has not yet established will be completely finished...
"General, Cao Cao has sinister intentions."
In the large study room of General Zhending's mansion, Jia Xu reported the news received from the merchants and said, "This move is to delay time, causing Yuzhou to miss the farming season, so as to delay our army's march to the south of the Yangtze River. His intention is to be punished."
Of course Wang Yan has an intelligence department, but because of his policies, there is no way to break into the enemy's high-level officials. To be honest, although the senior officials of the various princes have all kinds of entanglements and sordid affairs, when facing him Wang Da The generals are quite united on this matter. And if you can only break into the middle and lower levels and cannot reach the core, it is meaningless.
So this time, Wang Yan's main energy was spent internally. Anyone who opposed it was killed by him. Preventing merchants from colluding with local officials as mentioned before and correcting internal thinking became the top priority.
Obtaining external intelligence is to communicate with caravans and observe the social environment and military trends. In fact, for Wang Yan, having so much is enough. After all, he relied on his various advancements to challenge ancient times in all aspects. If it wasn't to see the excitement and the like, what happened to other princes must have something to do with him, but it definitely wasn't too big. This comes from his own strength, and he is not afraid of those who come...
As for the spies on his side and the nails they planted, it didn't matter. Wang Yan could even fight them openly. Furthermore, there was nothing hidden about the situation in his territory. It was basically all in the newspapers, but it was just less timely. After all, the caravans moved slowly.
The contest between the two sides will ultimately be decided on the battlefield. No matter how much you know, it is useless. Instead, you see the prosperity and strength under General Wang's rule, which makes you fearful.
As for the news on the battlefield, that is the matter of the Ranger Scouts, which captures the dynamics of the entire battlefield. In this regard, it must be very powerful. After all, the scouts are one of the earliest arms trained by Wang Yan. They started training when they were wearing straw sandals. Over the years, they have trained a large number of elite rangers with high combat effectiveness, strong survival ability in the wild, and keen insight. This is War machine eyes. Over the years, there has never been an error or omission, and it is very reliable.
Wang Yan nodded and said: "What Wen He said is absolutely true. Cao Cao is cunning and insidious, and has the intention to harm the people. It is really hateful. In the alliance between Liu Bei, Liu Biao and Yuan Shu in the south of the Yangtze River, Cao Cao's main force is in the south rather than the north. In my opinion, Hebei is not the best. There are only one hundred thousand soldiers and horses, so there is nothing to worry about. In this case, they should know the power of our troops.
He sent orders to Huang Zhong and other troops to attack Yuzhou and Luoyang, attracting troops, and sent Lu Bu and others to bypass Hangu Pass and advance to Luoyang. In addition, 60,000 militiamen were recruited in Jizhou to maintain order in Qing, Xu, and Yanzhou. "
"Yes, General."
Having made up his mind to attack Cao Cao, Jia Xu resigned and went out to write military orders and seal them.
Even without Yuan Shao's lessons learned, as a mature military strategist, Cao Cao also knew very well the reason for defeat. In the confrontation with Wang Yan, Cao Cao had already failed before the fight began. Even if he won one or two battles, it would have no impact on the overall situation. The main reason is that Wang Yan has deep accumulation and strong public power. Gains and losses in one or two places are far from the level of injury.
Therefore, Cao Cao went to Jiangnan step by step. Although he has prepared warships a long time ago, his productivity is really not enough. He is far from Wang Yan, who can build five or six huge warships a year, as well as cargo ships sailing offshore.
Even though Lao Cao had many warships, compared with millions of people, they were still not enough, and the transportation capacity was too poor. This has led to the current continuous operation of ferries on the Yangtze River 24 hours a day.
Part of the ships are used to transport ministers, wealthy families, wealthy households and their various property. These are all wealthy people, and they are also supporters of Lao Cao. They cannot be abandoned no matter what.
Another part of the ships are used to transport soldiers. Recently, Lao Cao has accelerated the transfer process. Liu Bei and others in Jiangnan all felt the huge threat and launched an even more violent siege. In this way, we must constantly replenish our troops, block and counterattack, expand our territory, and expand our space.
There are also some people who are transporting people. Ships of goods are being transported to the south of the Yangtze River, but they cannot be delivered at all.
Of course, there are also people who are constantly rushing to build ships, which indeed increases a certain production capacity in a short period of time, but in vain, they are all small sampans.
It took Lao Cao a little bit to be able to move, and there was a lot of knowledge involved in retreating. To retreat indiscriminately is to seek death.
Wang Yan gave Lao Cao some time, or it could be said that he was unwilling to fight and continue to destroy Henan. But Lao Cao is ignorant, and it's not easy to walk away in a hurry, so naturally he has to give Lao Cao an unforgettable experience.
Originally, Huang Zhong and others did not attack with all their strength. They had been clearing order in various places and were not in a hurry to attack Lao Cao. Now that Wang Yan has recruited new militiamen to go south and issued clear orders, they will naturally implement them with all their strength.
The wind was blowing, and Huang Zhong, whose beard was already white, led the team and hurried along the river. Previously, he was crossing the Yellow River downstream, slowly clearing Yanzhou. Now I received the military order and headed straight to Luoyang. The purpose was to repel the defenders there. On the one hand, I helped the garrison on the other side of the river skate across the river. On the other hand, I also helped Lu Bu and others cross Hangu Pass.
At this time, they had arrived in the Dongjun and Chenliu areas, less than five hundred miles away from Luoyang, and had entered Cao Cao's tight security area.
However, Huang Zhong didn't care much. He didn't come here by himself. They all relied on each other. What's more, there were troops preparing to cross the river on the other side of the river.
The Yellow River has long been frozen. The reason why we didn't come over here is because it would affect our actions on the ice and easily give the enemy an opportunity to take advantage, which is really not good. Only then did they slowly come down from the north. After they opened up the situation, they would skate over in batches.
Huang Zhong has lived a pretty good life over the years. His eldest son is still alive. Although he has been ill, he is in good condition. He has been working in the General's Mansion so that Wang Yan can keep an eye on the situation at any time. Now he is working as Jia Xu's deputy. The second son is now more than ten years old. He is very good at studies and has adequate martial arts skills. The third son and the fourth daughter, who are younger, are both studying in school. His daughter did not inherit his appearance, but took a daughter-in-law who was very beautiful.
The general also valued him. Although there was no general title, everyone did not. The troops under his command are constantly changing, but everyone is changing, even from the grassroots soldiers to the mid-level and senior officers. This is determined by the complete military service system. He is treated very well and has always been by Wang Yan's side. Others do not have this treatment. This is Wang Yan's generous treatment.
Of course, he also knew that it was Wang Yan who took care of him because he was old, and his eldest son died at some point, but kindness was kindness. He was very grateful, and his life was very comfortable.
This is also the case, which makes Lao Huang often feel that life is like this, and there is nothing more he could ask for.
The old guy, who was riding on a horse and galloping with the horse on his back, was in a very comfortable mood. Speaking of which, he hasn't done anything in several years.
Although every spring he would challenge Wang Yan to a duel and receive a beating to test whether he, an elderly military commander, had fighting prowess. But it has indeed been many years since he actually went into battle to kill the enemy. The last time they fought was during the Battle of Hebei with Yuan Shao, more than four years ago.
The deceased is like a man, what Confucius said is true...
Just as Huang Zhong was sighing, a knight came running towards him. Huang Zhong turned his head and glanced at the guard beside him, and then the man raised the horse on his shoulder with the chess pieces tied to it.
Following this movement, the more than a thousand cavalrymen led by Huang Zhong slowly stopped. At this time, the knight on the opposite side also reined in his horse and came in front of him.
"General, Dongjun (Puyang) is located twenty miles ahead. We don't know the size of the defenders. According to common sense, they should be no less than two thousand. We have not been found."
Huang Zhong hummed and took out a map from his armor-lined pocket. After looking at it for a while, he turned his head to look at the sun and put the map away again.
"Dongjun is a big city, and it is useless for us to attack the city. It is already dusk now, so we ordered all the troops to hide, bury pots, cook rice, and have a good rest. We marched at night, bypassed Dongjun, and reported the news and location to Zhang He's troops. Rangers It is necessary to investigate carefully, if you fall into the enemy's plan, it will be too late to regret it."
"Yes, General."
"Just go."
After Huang Zhong finished his instructions, the rangers continued to investigate, and the messengers behind ran to inform the other five thousand troops. Huang Zhong and the others also found a village to rest and prepare for their departure at night.
Anyone who can be a captain has a sense of war. These are the people who have made a great name here, and they didn't do it for nothing. So even though You Qi is very strong, Huang Zhong still doesn't believe everything. He should be cautious.
This is war, and to be precise, they are fighting on the road. Although the map here has been surveyed and mapped by caravans before, since the place is unfamiliar, caution is necessary.
Furthermore, they turned to attack Yuzhou this time. The mobilization of tens of thousands of troops could not be hidden from Cao Cao. But now it is getting closer and closer to Cao Cao's center of power in Henan. Whether it is Luoyang or Xuchang, where Cao Cao has retreated and Liu Xie and his ministers are stationed, they are all within the radiation range, and the defense force is still sufficient.
You Qi said that his whereabouts were not exposed, but he did not see the enemy's reaction. Who knows if it had been exposed before and the enemy was ready to ambush.
After all, their purpose is clear, the enemy is also clear, and there is always a way to deal with it...
After resting for a while, that night, when the moon was high in the sky, Huang Zhong led his troops to bypass Dongjun and go southeast, entered Chenliu, and went to Suanzao. He led more than a thousand cavalry to clear the way, and from the rear and on the left and right wings, a mixture of infantry and cavalry were used to support the formation.
Not long after leaving, the ranger reported back: "General, there is a hill fifteen miles ahead. There may be an ambush on it. The ranger has been exploring there for half an hour and has not returned."
This was expected. Huang Zhong nodded, turned around and ordered: "Inform all ministries to take a rest and attack at midnight."
The terrain here is a plain and hilly area, with basically no dangers and obstacles, only strong cities to rely on. They were taking a detour to Luoyang, so they must have taken a shortcut, so it was no surprise if they were predicted.
Likewise, it was no surprise to be discovered by them. Cao Cao didn't know how the roving scouts worked, how far they traveled, how often they reported communications, and so on. But even if he knew, for the scouts who discovered their movements and there was no way to bribe them, anyone could It's impossible to let go.
They also know that they have been exposed, so what does it matter whether they let it go or not?
So this is no longer an ambush on Cao Cao's side, but an encounter between the two sides.
After resting, Huang Zhong made rough arrangements. He would go around the hillside and lure the enemy to attack. The enemy will definitely come. If Huang Zhong is easily allowed to get close to Luoyang and Xuchang, they will be in misery.
The fighting method is also very simple. He is in the center and attacks mainly, and the two groups attack separately. This is a serious field battle, there are not so many strategies available, it just has to be fought.
Of course, they are the ones who take advantage. The main reason is that General Wang treats his soldiers and civilians very well. With various nutritional supplements, although some people are still night blind, they do not exist in the army. And this is already an advantage.
As Huang Zhong expected, after discovering that they were going to attack at night and go around, the defenders on the mountain panicked.
Yu Jin thought for a moment and understood what Huang Zhong meant. Although he was unsure, he was indeed a little panicked. After all, it was the highest combat unit under Wang Yan's command, and he didn't know who commanded the troops. Since his debut, Wang Yan himself has never lost a battle, and the generals under his command have also never lost a battle. It is difficult to be without pressure.
But he didn't have time to think too much. If Wang Yan's army was allowed to pass, they would be dead.
Immediately, he gave an order and the whole army pursued him.
More than 10,000 people were also divided into three groups. They led 3,000 soldiers and horses in the Forbidden City and descended the mountain in the dark to pursue Huang Zhong.
Of course, Huang Zhong did not run away. When Yu Jin made a move, he had already received the news, turned his horse's head directly, and formed a formation to attack.
The moon tonight is semicircular, cloudless, the field of view is pretty good, and Huang Zhong's eyes are not blurry yet. He closed his eyes and carried the horse's halves. The white smoke caused by the cold drifted steadily from the tip of his nose, and the cold wind at night blew his cloak, making a hunting sound.
Suddenly, the sound of intensive horse hooves came. Huang Zhong untied the wine bag from his waist and took a big sip of strong wine. The team under the moonlight also started to rustle, and they were all drinking strong drinks.
Old Huang Zhong drank the wine and tied the wine bag again. After waiting for a few seconds, someone behind him rustled past, and he suddenly shouted: "Kill!"
Then, the whole person rushed out on horseback.
In an instant, the cavalry in the rear also shouted loudly. Under the moonlit night, they closely followed Huang Zhong in front and charged towards the darkness on the opposite side.
I saw a flash of fire in the distance. It was a torch raised by the enemy to guide the people behind.
Huang Zhong's horse was three points faster. He tightened his grip on the horse and headed towards the densest place of torches. Needless to say, that was the general's position.
It was unknown how many enemies there were, but Huang Zhong and his soldiers launched a fearless charge.
Closer, closer, the world is full of the sound of horse hooves, and people are shouting "kill" for luck.
Although Huang Zhong didn't have dazzling eyesight, he couldn't see clearly, but he had feelings. Maybe the feelings weren't enough, and he also had the courage to grow stronger with age.
He swung away the incoming weapons, twisted his body in the blink of an eye, and used his tail to knock the unknown man off his horse. He was then trampled to death by the horses behind him without even a scream. .
Rushing all the way, after killing two non-threatening attacks, and preparing to attack the third person, the moment the weapons collided, Huang Zhong felt the power coming from him. Huang Zhong braced himself up and used more force. The weapon was opened with great strength, and then relying on the feeling, he stabbed it with both hands quickly, crisply and powerfully, only a scream was heard, and then nothing happened.
Huang Zhong shouted: "The general is dead. Surrender without killing him."
One or two times, gradually, all the soldiers in the rear shouted, and the wilderness was full of voices shouting for surrender.
Huang Zhong didn't even know who was on the other side, and of course Yu Jin, who had been trampled to death by a horse, didn't know who it was that killed him.
This fierce general who had won many battles in his life and had a reputation for being upright, but whose only failure led to Guan Yu flooding the Seventh Army, died like this, in a way that a general should die...
I would like to express my daily gratitude to the good brothers who vote monthly for their support.
Thank you to all the brothers who recommended me for your support,
Thanks to the big brothers who read silently for their support.
