In October of the fourth year of Chuping (193), Yuan Xi's army in Jizhou attacked Qi State in Qingzhou. Commander Yuan Xi sent troops to attack Changguo, Banyang, Xi'an and other places, and plundered a large amount of grain and wheat being harvested.
Yuan Xi's central army consisted of 25,000 Qingzhou soldiers commanded by Xu Huang, 3,000 crossbow archers, 2,000 garrison cavalry, and 2,000 garrison infantry.
In addition to the 2,000 cavalrymen rushing to aid Le'an, Tian Kaijun's defenders in Linzi had more than 20,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry.
Since Zhang He and Zhang Liao had not yet arrived, Yuan Xi's army was equal to Tian Kai's army. Therefore, under Guo Jia's instructions, Yuan Xi sent troops to guard Linzi and formed a camp.
On the city wall of Linzi, the three Liu Bei brothers followed Tian Kai to observe Yuan Xijun below.
"Master Tian, the Jizhou army is not larger than ours. We can take advantage of their new arrival to lead troops to attack them." Guan Yu said loudly. Since the plain was lost, he has been full of grudges against the Jizhou army.
Tian Kai said "Yes", obviously a little moved, but he still hesitated and said, "Is it possible that the Jizhou Army will take the opportunity to attack the city, so it's better to hold on."
"My lord, why should you be afraid of those Jizhou birdmen? I only need two thousand riders to prevent them from setting up camp." Zhang Fei said in a loud voice.
Tian Kai didn't like Zhang Fei, who was reckless and straightforward, and said displeasedly, "The Jizhou army has just surrendered the Yellow Turbans, so its food supply must be insufficient. Our army only needs to hold on for a few days, and it will retreat without a fight, so why risk an attack!" "
As soon as Tian Kai finished speaking, a scout covered in blood was taken to the city wall.
"Sir, my Xi'an was attacked by the Jizhou Army, and all the food outside the city was robbed..."
Tian Kai was so angry that he grabbed the scout and said angrily, "Why didn't the Jizhou army be discovered earlier?"
The scout was already exhausted and fainted after being caught by him like this. Tian Kai put down the scouts and had an ominous premonition in his heart. Since Xi'an, not far from Linzi, was attacked and plundered of food, other places were also in danger.
Liu Bei supported Tian Kai, who was a little unsteady, and persuaded him, "The Jizhou army must be dividing its troops to plunder our food and crops. Our army should defeat this army in front of us first."
Tian Kai waved his hand and sighed, "There are many talented people in the Jizhou army. How can we easily succeed in the attack? It is better to hold on. The Jizhou army's robbery of food shows that they are short of food."
Zhang Fei couldn't stand Tian Kai's looking forward and backward, huddled in his nest, and said angrily, "What's so scary about Jizhou soldiers? Since we won't fight, I'll go to sleep." He snorted and turned around to leave. No matter how Liu Bei called, it had no effect.
At the Qingzhou Army Camp, Yuan Xi welcomed a guest.
Jiang Wei is in his early forties, wrapped in a wide Shu brocade, his plump body, his round eyes
He was looking at Yuan Xi and Guo Jia. Fortunately, he said, "Young Master, I have admired you for a long time. I am really lucky to be able to see his face today, haha."
Most of the Qingzhou nobles moved during the wars in recent years, and only a few families insisted on staying in some towns in Qingzhou.
The Jiang family is the only remaining representative of the gentry in Linzi, Qi State. The reputation of the Yuan family and Yuan Shao was very powerful in the north at this time. Some time ago, Yuan Xi sent people to contact the few remaining noble families in Qingzhou. The Jiang family is one of the families that expressed their original intention to join.
Yuan Xi also observed Jiang Wei carefully and said politely, "Sir, there is no need to be polite. It is really a great blessing for the Yuan family to have the support of the Jiang family and other Qingzhou heroes."
Jiang Wei's face became solemn and he said, "I thought that Gongsun Zan and Tian Kai were just despicable and reckless men. They sent troops to harm Qingzhou. The people complained a lot, but they suffered from being alone. Now the young master has come with the rebels to really save me." The people of Qingzhou hang in a pot with water and fire."
Yuan Xi asked Jiang Wei to sit down, and after being polite to him, asked: "What do you think of the introduction of our army into the city that Sir said?"
"Don't worry, young master, Beimen Wei is a nephew of our clan, and most of his soldiers are soldiers from several major clans. As long as the young master gives an order, he will be able to open the door and lead the army into the city."
"I'm so grateful, sir." Yuan Xi thanked him and said, "After the city is defeated, I will never forget the promise I made to the Jiang family."
Jiang Wei had a smile on his face and said humbly, "Haha, Master, you are too polite. Once the city is broken, soldiers from several families will clear the way for the army."
Yuan Xi asked him to go down to rest in a pleasant manner, and then asked Guo Jia with his eyes.
"They are just people who seek benefits and avoid harm." Guo Jia said with some disdain, "Seeing that our army is strong and Yuan Chaqi's reputation is so powerful in Hebei, in order to seek greater benefits, I turned to the young master. There should be no fraud."
"The way to govern people lies in one mind. As long as they are placed in the proper position, they can make full use of them." As the saying goes, use people's strengths and tolerate their weaknesses. If the king is upright, the ministers will be upright.
Guo Jia nodded in approval and said, "It's just that the young master should identify villains like Jiang Wei and Qin Yuan and not entrust them to important positions."
"I understand what Fengxiao means." Yuan Xi then asked: "What does Fengxiao think our army's chances of winning this time are?"
"Sending Zhang Wenyuan and others to plunder Qi's grain is just an emergency measure. Yi Jia estimates that the grain can only be used for half a month at most. The success or failure depends on whether the attack can attack the city, but we must also be prepared to continue to attack the city." Guo Jia then smiled lightly: " As long as Zhang Wenyuan and the others can collect food and come back to merge together as soon as possible, our army has a 70% chance of winning."
Yuan Xi thought so too. Now he finally understood why Cao Cao always pressed for food during battles in history. The panic of having only two or three days of military rations is really uncomfortable.
Three days later, just when Yuan Xi's army was about to run out of food, Zhang Liao finally escorted a batch of grain. Zhang He, who had conquered Xi'an, also gathered at the foot of Linzi City after looting.
For three or four days, Tian Kaijun only strengthened his defense and did not make any sneak attacks. However, the food consumed by more than 50,000 people was astonishing. After Yuan Xi rested for a day at Zhang He and Zhang Liao's headquarters, he prepared to launch an attack on Linzi.
In the big tent, Yuan Xi, Guo Jia, Zhang He, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao and Zhao Yun discussed from morning to noon. From the distribution of troops, to the actions after entering the city, and the pursuit after the war, there must be many discussions.
Yuan Xi stood up, took the order to mobilize troops, and ordered, "Xu Zhongkang led two hundred Tiger Guards and one thousand garrison infantry to advance into the city and control the north gate."
Yuan Xi then handed the token to Zhang He and Zhao Yun, and ordered, "Zhang He and his troops will follow closely into the city. Zhao Yun's troops will then go straight to Tian Kai's house with Xu Chu to capture and kill him."
"Xu Huang's Qingzhou soldiers will build up momentum at the two southwest gates. If our army opens the city gate, they will attack into the city. There will be archers and crossbowmen at the east gate. If Tian Kai's army leaves the city, they will shoot them."
Guo Jia timely added: "Generals, you need to know that you should not pursue the enemy when you are poor. The first goal is to capture and kill Tian Kai. The second is to drive Tian Kai's army out of Linzi. It is best if you can capture him. Otherwise, just defeat him and leave the east gate for him to leave." . Zhang Liao’s cavalry will accompany the lord as a reserve."
Under Yuan Xi's bright eyes, all the generals took the order and left. Perhaps this was the style deployed by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin when he attacked Wang Shichong.
At midnight, the north gate tower of Linzi City.
City Gate Captain Jiang Jin, who was in his early thirties, looked nervously at the endless night below the city. This Linzi City is considered a tall and fortified city. Although it has not been repaired for a long time, the three-foot-high city wall is enough to make the attacking party pay a heavy price.
A Jiang family soldier behind Jiang Jin also asked in a low voice with concern: "Sir, why haven't the soldiers from Jizhou arrived yet? Brothers are unsure."
Jiang Jin glared at him impatiently and cursed, "Why are you making such a noise? Send someone quickly to see where the patrolling soldiers are."
"There's fire!" the clan soldier suddenly exclaimed.
Jiang Jin slapped his head hard and said angrily, "If you want to die, tell me to go down and open the city gate."
The two hundred Tiger Guards led by Xu Chu were all wearing exquisite black iron fish scale armor. The people in front held shields and cautiously touched the north gate, while the people behind led the war horses with their hooves wrapped in cloth.
After a while, there were bursts of chaotic sounds from the city gate, and with the sound of "creak, creak", the gap in the city gate became wider and wider. Xu Chu looked at the sergeant holding the horse behind him and told them to prepare for the attack.
In the middle of the night, the sound of the suspension bridge falling to the ground was particularly harsh. Nearly a thousand soldiers near the city gate swarmed into the city without any orders.
Jiang Jin stood at the edge of the city gate, looking at Yuan Xi's soldiers who were moving neatly and quickly. He couldn't help but admire their skill, and secretly felt relieved that he had made the right choice.
As soon as Xu Chu entered the city gate, he saw Jiang Jin and said loudly, "Are you the contact person? Please take me to Tian Kai's lair quickly." Xu Chu saw that the defenders of Linzi City had not discovered them yet, and the city gate was handed over to a thousand guards. The infantry guard was sufficient, so he wanted to take the lead.
"General, would you like to wait until more troops and horses come in before we go together?" Jiang Jin advised.
"No!" Xu Chu took the horse and said, "The Qingzhou Army will come up immediately from behind. The noise will be loud and it will definitely wake up Tian Kai. If we go now, we can catch him off guard." I don't know when, under the influence of Yuan Xi, Xu Chu will also Use your brain.
Xu Chu ignored Jiang Jin and forced him to lead the way. It was simple, rude, and effective, and he really had the character of a tiger and a fool.
■■■
Because Yuan Xi's army besieged the city, Tian Kai was distressed and depressed these days. Insomnia at night, he summoned kabuki. After enjoying themselves, Tian Kai was sleeping soundly with his concubine in his arms, unaware of the approaching crisis.
There was the sound of weapons clashing and soldiers shouting to kill. Tian Kai sleepily touched his concubine's delicate body.
"Sir, something bad has happened! The city has been destroyed..." Several soldiers ran into Tian Kai's bedroom without caring about anything else.
Tian Kai vaguely heard the word "city destroyed" and was immediately startled. He pushed his concubine away and quickly put on his clothes.
A group of Tiger Guards had already rushed into Tian Kai's mansion. Tian Kai didn't know the situation in the city and thought that Yuan Xi's army controlled the entire Linzi City. In panic, he took a few guards with him and prepared to escape through the back door to the guard station.
"Where are you going, thief!" Xu Chuwei chased Tian Kai out. He approached Tian Kai with a long knife.
Tian Kai was so distraught that he ran and crawled on the ground. Xu Chu was not willing to let go. He slashed left and right with a long sword. Tian Kai's soldiers on both sides were unable to resist and were injured one after another.
"Tian Qingzhou, don't panic, Liu Bei is coming!" Just when Tian Kai was desperate, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, who lived not far from here, arrived with more than a dozen soldiers.
Zhang Fei was impatient. Without saying a word, he rode his horse and swung his spear to stab Xu Chu on the opposite side.
Xu Chu had just entered Tian Kai's mansion on foot. Without a horse, he couldn't fight Zhang Fei head-on. So he retreated sideways to avoid Zhang Fei's impact.
"Captain, get on your horse!" A tiger guard surrounded Xu Chu from behind. Seeing that Xu Chu was passive, he quickly led his own horse to him.
The Tiger Guards were all chivalrous warriors with superb martial arts. Their cooperation made it difficult for Zhang Fei and Liu Bei's personal soldiers to gain favor for a while. Xu Chu quickly jumped on the horse, rode the horse with a sword, and struck Zhang Fei fiercely. The two of them were about to meet a good talent and an opponent in chess.
Liu Bei looked at the panicked Tian Kai, and then saw the shouting and fighting sounds at the north gate. He knew that something was wrong, and advised, "Sir, go to the camp to gather troops and horses."
Tian Kai finally came to his senses, took Liu Bei's hand, and said gratefully, "Xuande saved my life. Come with me to gather troops and kill the Jizhou soldiers, avenging the shame of the past."
As Liu Bei shouted, Zhang Fei had no choice but to abandon Xu Chu, protect Liu Bei and Tian Kai, and flee towards the city where the soldiers were stationed.
Xu Chu killed several of Liu Bei's soldiers who were blocking the way. He was annoyed that he had missed the opportunity and immediately asked the Tiger Guard to gather his troops and chase Tian Kai. When they reached the intersection, they encountered a group of cavalry. The first general is none other than Zhao Yun, the man with white horse and white robe.
"Zhongkang, have you been looking for Tian Kai?" Zhao Yun saw Xu Chu's hurried expression and expected that things had changed, so he asked.
"Oh, I was careless. I failed to kill Tian Kai and let him escape to the front."
Zhao Yun didn't say much, and led the garrison and cavalry to chase Tian Kai with Xu Chu. After all, to capture the thief first, capture the king.
■■■
Zhang He led his troops to wait outside the north gate. After Zhao Yun's garrison cavalry also rushed into the city, he quickly entered the city with his Euphorbia soldiers and 20,000 Qingzhou soldiers. Next, he divided his forces to attack the east gate and south gate.
The terrain in the city is not open, but it is also conducive to the Euphorbia warriors who have strong offensive and defensive capabilities but poor mobility. Under Zhang He's command, the Euphorbia soldiers formed small teams and advanced to the city gate step by step.
Tian Kai's defenders were caught off guard and most of them panicked. They fired arrows loosely, but those bows and arrows were not much of a threat to the heavily armored Euphorbia warriors. The Euphorbia warriors in small formations cooperated with each other to attack and kill each other, just like tigers entering a flock of sheep.
The spears and halberds of Tian Kaijun soldiers stabbed the Euphorbia soldiers, but the opponent's thick armor bounced their swords away. The other party may also feel pain, but what they got in exchange was the sharp halberd points of the Euphorbia soldiers.
Two quarters of an hour later, the Euphorbia soldiers led by Zhang He, with the cooperation of Qingzhou soldiers, occupied the south and east gates, and blocked the streets near the gates to prevent Tian Kai's army from counterattacking at the three gates.
Tian Kai took Liu Bei and Zhang Fei to the city's personal barracks. Guan Yu, who was ordered by Liu Bei to mobilize his troops, also hurried to join them.
In the dark night, the defenders in the city could only hear the sound of fighting and see the torches of the Jizhou Army far and near. The city was breached, which had a huge impact on the morale of the defenders. Moreover, half of the more than 20,000 defenders in the city were strong men forcibly recruited from Qingzhou. They put down their weapons one after another when Jiang Jin and others shouted to surrender.
After the south gate and west gate were controlled, Qingzhou soldiers from Xu Huang's tribe outside the city also quickly poured into the city. They gradually advanced towards the center of the city and started street fighting with the still resisting defenders.
Zhang He followed a group of Euphorbia soldiers and dispatched soldiers to advance towards Tian Kaijun's garrison in the city.
The Euphorbia warriors wear iron armor. This kind of armor is relatively simple to make and is made of large long strips of armor. The twenty kilograms of iron armor made the Euphorbia warrior make a heavy sound with every step he took. The halberd soldiers thrust out their halberds in unison, uniform and monotonous.
The defenders were crowded together in panic as Tian Kai's personal soldiers behind them supervised the battle with swords. The euphorbia soldiers kept waving their halberds until their arms were numb and sore, and the bloody shouts of killing stimulated these soldiers. They did not retreat until the general gave the order and the next group of euphorbia soldiers hit them.
Guan Yu, who was following Tian Kai and Liu Bei, saw Tian Kai's army retreating steadily. He frowned and said, "Brother, Master Tian, I see that the general behind the Jizhou Army is a general, and let me take him."
Tian Kai naturally wanted to reverse the defeat and said happily, "Yun Changwuyong, the key to victory or defeat is entrusted to you."
Liu Bei didn't want Guan Yu to take risks, but Tian Kai had promised him not to object, and said with concern, "Second brother, you must be careful not to get caught in the enemy's lines."
Zhang Fei had already been aroused to fight, and cursed, "I'm afraid of a bird. I am raiding the formation for my second brother. We can advance and retreat freely among millions of troops, so what's the difficulty in taking down an enemy general!"
Guan Yu nodded in agreement, mounted his horse and went straight to Zhang He who was behind the Euphorbia warriors. Zhang Fei also rode his horse to attack Guan Yu quickly.
