Xia Houyuan ordered the Jizhou Army to set fire to the camp in the wind direction. For a while, the raging fire followed the wind and burned to the edge of the camp.
Chunyu Qiong was emboldened by his drunkenness and did not take the Yanzhou Army's sneak attack seriously. He shouted: "Here comes someone. Bring my gun, and the men of Heshuo go out to meet the enemy!"
"Ah!" The cavalry captain was frightened and persuaded, "General Chunyu, there is a big fire outside. We can't see clearly the enemy's situation. We may be ambushed if we attack rashly! General, think twice!"
Chunyu Qiong pushed him away and said with a smile: "Isn't it just a fire? The camp is so far away from the fence, so it can't be burned in. They are just bluffing. Am I still afraid of your grandfather?" He is really like Nan Yunzhong. Pig teammates.
The cavalry captain couldn't stop him. Chunyu Qiong strode out of the camp, shouting and gathering to attack.
Although the fire was set upwind and the fire was very threatening, as Chunyu Qiong said, the camp was far away from the fence and the fire could not touch the Jizhou Army's camp.
Of course, the Yanzhou army did not set the fire for lighting. The thick smoke from the fire burning fences and firewood happened to reach the Jizhou soldiers in the camp. Chunyu Qiong led the more than 3,000 soldiers and horses he had gathered, and tried to rush out despite the thick smoke. However, before they could get outside the camp, they were shot back by thick smoke and rain of arrows.
Chunyu Qiong was suddenly sober from the smoke that he was drunk. He screamed strangely and asked the soldiers to be on guard in the camp.
At the same time, more than a thousand Yanzhou infantry also surrounded Liyang Ferry and suppressed the two thousand Jizhou soldiers here.
South bank of the river.
In his sleep, Gao Lan was awakened by the soldiers' screams. He rolled over and lay down, quickly dressed and picked up his gun. He soon arrived outside the camp and saw that something big had happened.
At this time, all the Jizhou soldiers stationed in Baimajin were awakened. They screamed and looked at the raging fire on the other side.
"General, it's the Yanzhou Army's night attack! Should we go to the rescue?" a deputy general asked.
"Wait a minute, Baima Jin can't allow any mistakes. We can't act rashly. First send someone to Baima to report the enemy's situation." Gao Lan ordered.
The deputy general agreed to step down and send someone to Baima to report the news.
"General. Baima has more than a day's journey to get here. Including gathering troops and horses, and then rushing to Baimajin, it will take more than two days. And the direction of the fire is General Chunyu's camp. I don't know if they can withstand it. ." Another Cavalry Captain said doubtfully.
"Alas! That Chunyu Qiong, the Lord sent a letter to remind him that the Yanzhou Army might launch a sneak attack. Why didn't he take precautions!" Gao Lan stamped his feet anxiously.
Gao Lan had 10,000 men under his command, but he did not dare to mobilize his troops at will. Because Yuan Shao said he was recruiting 100,000 elite soldiers, but many of the additional troops and horses were local warriors from all over Jizhou, and it was okay to use them as supply camps.
But it won't work if you go into battle to kill the enemy. And there are 2,000 such soldiers among his 10,000 people, so there are only more than 8,000 Jizhou soldiers that can be used as a large area.
"There is no way that ten thousand horses will be killed and sent to the grain camp!" Looking at the spreading fire. Gao Lan said anxiously.
"General, the situation is not good. Do we have to sit back and watch Liyang be attacked?" the deputy general asked.
"Send scouts across the river quickly to investigate the enemy's situation!" Gao Lan ordered.
The deputy general took the order and ran out to arrange the troops.
Two quarters of an hour later, the deputy general ran back and said: "General, there is no need to send scouts to investigate, General Chunyu has sent someone to ask for help!"
Gao Lan immediately asked his deputy to take the people with him. I saw two middle-aged men wearing Qidu's robes being brought in. Their robes were burned by smoke and fire, and several holes were broken. Both of their faces were covered in soot. He looked very embarrassed.
"Who are you two? Why don't you tell me your names?" Gao Lan shouted.
"Ah! The villain Chunyu is under General Qiong's tent, Zhang Xin." "Liu Ji."
Gao Lan interrogated for a while. After he was convinced that he was one of his own, he asked: "How is the battle situation on the other side?"
"It's very bad. The Yanzhou people made a sneak attack outside the camp overnight. We didn't expect that the Yanzhou people would suddenly attack and ended up losing two camps. Now General Chunyu has concentrated his troops and defended the three camps and the ferry. He specially sent me and others Come and ask the general for rescue," Liu Ji said.
"General Gao, hurry up and send troops to rescue, otherwise the food in Liyang will not be guaranteed!" Zhang Xin said.
Gao Lan was upset by the word "food". The food shipped from Yecheng was mainly stationed in Liyang and Baimajin. If Liyang was lost, the way back across the river would be cut off, and half of the food and grass would be lost.
Gao Lan waved his hand: "Step back and I will make arrangements!"
The two looked at each other and said: "The lives of thousands of brothers in Liyang were saved by the general. The brothers risked their lives to guard the ferry, waiting for the general's reinforcements!"
Gao Lan paced back and forth, not because he didn't want to rescue Li Yang, but because Puyang was just east of Baima Jin. If the Puyang defenders took advantage of Baimajin's lack of troops and came to sneak attack, the Jizhou army would also suffer heavy losses.
Until dawn, Gao Lan was looking at the other side. From a distance, I could see the billowing black smoke and the faint sound of war horses neighing. This decision was so difficult to make.
Chunyu Qiong camp.
Chunyu Qiong rushed out of the camp again with more than 4,000 soldiers and horses, but what greeted them was a hail of arrows.
"Don't retreat! Hold on for me!" Chunyu Qiong shouted while hiding behind the shield soldiers. Although Chunyu Qiong is a bastard, he still understands the importance.
Under the supervision of Chunyu Qiong's personal soldiers, three to four thousand Jizhou soldiers continued to charge towards the Yanzhou elite outside the camp.
"Woooo!" the horn sounded, and more than two thousand Yanzhou elite cavalry rushed out, sabers and halberds coming to greet the Jizhou soldiers.
"All the firewood nearby has been chopped down, otherwise he would be smoked again!" Li Dian said with regret.
Xia Houyuan took out his strong bow, shot an arrow and killed a small school, and then said: "The morale of the Jizhou soldiers is low. They were already panicked when they were attacked. We don't need to push too hard, don't forget the Lord's orders."
Li Dian rubbed his hands and said with a smile, "If my lord hadn't ordered Gao Lan to come to the rescue, I would have led the troops into the camp."
Xia Houyuan looked at the sky and said, "If Gao Lan doesn't send troops until dusk, we will capture Chunyu Qiong."
Li Dian laughed proudly: "My lord and the military counselors have a clever plan. Gao Lan must be in a dilemma! Even if he doesn't send troops, when my lord and the others besiege Baima Jin, they can set up an ambush to defeat Yuan Benchu's reinforcements from Baima." . And our army will guard the retreat route of the Jizhou people and seize their food and grass, so they will not be in chaos."
Xia Houyuan nodded: "This is a must-win situation. Yuan Benchu was defeated because he was too obsessed with the white horse in front of him. He never expected that we would cross the river from Yanjin and attack Liyang. In this way, no matter whether he sent troops to rescue or not, he would be defeated. Our army has a plan."
"Our group's attack on Liyang is really related to the overall situation. I'm still sweating." Li Dian said with lingering fear.
“Haha!”
Li Dian chuckled: "Aren't the Qingzhou Army always against us? Let's see where they can jump this time?"
While talking. The Yanzhou army drove Chunyu Qiong back again. Although many of the fences and earthen walls of the camp had collapsed, Chunyu Qiong commanded the Jizhou soldiers to repair them hurriedly.
Baima Jin.
Gao Lan was so worried that his face was uglier than a toad. While pacing back and forth, he looked at the ferry on the other side.
"Logically speaking, our scouts should have reached Baima, and if reinforcements are sent there, it will still be a day's journey." The deputy general said worriedly.
"Report! Reinforcements... people from the other side of Baima!" a cavalry captain ran up to Gao Lan and said excitedly.
"Ah. How could it happen so quickly! Could it be that the Yanzhou Army deceived the camp?" Gao Lan asked with confusion.
The cavalry captain took a breath and replied. "They say they are here to extract grain and grass. There are more than a thousand troops."
Gao Lan's heart became cold. According to the agreement, it was time for Baima to come to extract food and grass. More than a thousand people were not enough to affect the crisis.
After the meeting, the soldiers reported that the landlord came from Baima to ask for an audience.
Gao Lan also wanted to know the situation on the Baima side, so he asked his soldiers to take him with him.
However, what surprised Gao Lan was that the so-called commander was actually a middle-aged scribe in his forties. The middle-aged scribe was not outstanding in appearance except for his taller stature. What impressed Gao Lan most was his calm expression.
"Who are you, sir?" Gao Lan asked.
"General Gao may not remember this little guy. I am Wuwei Jia Xu, the second young master's servant. We met at the second young master's wedding banquet." Jia Xu said lightly.
"Ah! It turns out to be Mr. Jia." Gao Lan thought about it. I did meet Jia Xu at Yuan Xi's wedding banquet. It's just that Jia Xu kept a low profile and did not make friends with the high-level civil and military officials in Jizhou. So Gao Lan didn't pay attention to this person.
"I have a letter written by the Second Young Master here, please read it personally." Jia Xu took out a letter and handed it to Gao Lan.
"General Gao, Xi learned that Cao Cao planned to attack Baimajin and Liyang, and sent special troops to rescue him. I hope that the general will put the overall situation first and follow Jia Wenhe's plan. Xi is grateful and will definitely ask for credit for the general. Yuan Xi worships you." Gao Lan expressed his belief.
"It turns out that the second young master has already understood Cao Cao's plan." Gao Lan felt a lot of pressure relieved.
"I asked Mr. Yuan to remind you that it is also the second young master who is with General Chunyu, but the battle situation on the other side is not good now, right?" Jia Xu asked.
Gao Lan sighed angrily: "Chun Yuqiong was too careless. With more than 10,000 troops, the Yanzhou people were unable to fight back."
"Liyang is the place where our army gathers grain. We must not lose it. It will take at least a day before Mr. Yuan sends reinforcements. I wonder what the general has planned?" Jia Xu asked.
"Didn't the Second Young Master say that troops and horses were secretly sent to come to our aid? Why didn't they see me stationed in Baima Jin?" Gao Lan asked rhetorically.
"Didn't I bring the rescue troops and horses?" Jia Xu said with a smile.
"Ah! Mr. Jia is kidding! The Qingzhou Army has many elite soldiers, but how can these thousand soldiers and horses be of much use?" Gao Lan said excitedly.
"General, don't be anxious." Jia Xu explained: "Duke Yuan did not follow the advice of the second master and sent troops early to guard against Baima Jin. The second master sent troops secretly behind the back of the second master, so there are only a few thousand people."
"Ah!" Gao Lan exclaimed, "How can this be a good thing?"
Jia Xu also looked at the other side and said, "We were still guessing what Cao Cao's plan was, but it seems to be as expected!"
"Is Cao Cao trying to capture Baimajin or Liyang? Or ambushing Yuan Gong's reinforcements?" Gao Lan asked.
"All three, but he mainly wants to take advantage of our army's food and grassland." Jia Xu replied.
"Liangcao! Isn't that Baimahe Liyang?" Gao Lan asked in surprise.
Jia Xu nodded: "I'm afraid Cao Cao is gathering elite troops to surround Baimajin. If you don't rescue me, General Gao, Liyang will fall, and a ferry crossing and half of the grain and grass stored by our army will fall into the enemy's hands." If you, General Gao, send troops to rescue us, then all our army's food and fodder, as well as the two ferries, will fall into the hands of the enemy."
Gao Lan's back was dripping with sweat and he asked, "Sir and the second young master must have a way to deal with it, right? Please give me your advice, sir!"
"It's actually very simple." Jia Xu said calmly: "Cross the river to rescue Li Yang."
"Ah!" Gao Lan exclaimed again, "Isn't that just like what Mr. said, giving up both Li Yang and Baima Jin to the enemy?"
"If we cross the river for rescue, we may be able to save Li Yang. I came here to ask General Gao to give Baima Jin to Cao Cao." Jia Xu's eyes flickered.
Liyang Ferry.
More than 2,000 Jizhou soldiers guarding the ferry were killed by Yanzhou elite soldiers with crossbows, and more than 500 people were killed or injured. Although the casualties were not heavy. However, they were attacked by Yanzhou elite soldiers and suppressed at the ferry. Their morale dropped sharply.
The fighting lasted from midnight yesterday to this evening. Even Xia Houyuan ordered to postpone the attack. However, the Jizhou soldiers were frustrated. Reinforcements had not yet arrived, and their morale was still on the verge of collapse.
"Look! There's a ferry coming from the other side!" the unknown soldier shouted.
"The ferry is coming! We are saved!" all the soldiers shouted.
For a time, the morale of the Jizhou soldiers in Baimajin was greatly boosted. The soldiers even spontaneously picked up their crossbows and fired arrows at the Yanzhou elite soldiers. To cover the landing of reinforcements.
One, two, three... After a while, the river was covered with ferries.
Chunyu outside the Qiongjun camp. Li Dian and Xia Houyuan looked at each other, and they each saw the joy in the other's eyes.
"It seems that our efforts were not in vain, Gao Lan finally took the bait!" Li Dian said excitedly.
"The more Gao Lan's troops can be pinned down, the easier it will be for my lord and the others to break through Baima Jin. But as a result, our burden will be heavier. Mancheng, ask your scouts to find high ground with water sources." Xia Houyuan commanded.
Li Dian agreed and immediately sent people to prepare.
The soldiers in Chunyu Qiong's camp also received news that reinforcements were coming. They also became excited and repelled the attack of the Yanzhou elite.
The Jizhou soldiers who boarded Liyang Ferry quickly gathered. Their mission was to break through the Yanzhou soldiers' encirclement. Rescue Chunyu Qiong's army camp. The ships from Liyang Ferry also go to Baimajin. Bring the subsequent reinforcements over.
Half an hour later, more than 4,000 reinforcements were assembled at Liyang Ferry. Among them were more than a thousand Danyang soldiers.
"After breaking through the siege of the Yanzhou soldiers outside the ferry, General Mi Wei led his troops to attack the enemy troops outside the camp head-on. Generals Taishi Ci, Guo Huai, and Zhang Xiu led the rest of the troops to outflank the enemy troops in two groups." Jia Xu ordered.
This time, Jia Xu was accompanied by more than a thousand Danyang soldiers led by Mi Wei. In addition, Tai Shi Ci, Guo Huai, and Zhang Xiu were sent to lead the troops.
Gao Lan was persuaded, and he personally took command of Baima Jin, and handed over the command of the soldiers crossing the river to Jia Xu and others.
In fact, it is something deeper. If he succeeds, he will have a high share of the credit, and he can befriend Yuan Xi. If he fails, it won't matter. There is still the second young master Yuan Xi who is supporting him, right?
Mi Wei, Tai Shi Ci, Guo Huai, and Zhang Xiu all clasped their fists and made promises.
The gate of the Dukou camp was opened, and four thousand men and horses attacked the more than a thousand Yanzhou soldiers outside.
The Danyang soldiers at the front were well equipped. Not only were they equipped with simple fish scale armor, but they were also equipped with long and short weapons such as shields, bows, crossbows, knives and halberds.
The sword and shield bearers were in front, and after resisting the rain of arrows in front, five hundred cavalry selected from Gao Lan's army, led by Tai Shici, immediately launched an attack.
The remaining more than 3,000 Jizhou Army infantry swarmed out and broke through the Yanzhou Army's defense line in a short time. The number of Yanzhou soldiers who besieged the ferry was small. They had already received the order from above and did not resist. Instead, they retreated in an orderly manner to join the Chinese army.
Mi Wei took the lead and led more than a thousand Danyang soldiers to attack the Yanzhou soldiers outside Chunyu Qiong's camp.
The Danyang soldiers were soldiers recruited by Tao Qian in his hometown of Danyang. He handed over these personal guards to the leader of the Mi family whom he trusted. But things are unpredictable, and now this elite soldier is under Yuan Xi's control.
The people of Danyang are fierce and fierce, and these elite soldiers recruited by Tao Qian are the best among them. They fight fiercely and bravely, and are not afraid of death.
Although they had only experienced a few actual battles, Mi Wei and the Danyang soldiers grew up very quickly. They skillfully blocked the incoming arrows, and when they reached the attack range, they attacked with long and short weapons in a coordinated formation. Suppress the momentum of Yanzhou soldiers.
Xia Houyuan frowned. He could see immediately that these new reinforcements were not idiots. They are skilled in combat. No less than his own elite soldiers. What made Xia Houyuan even more uneasy was. He saw the word "barbaric" in these soldiers.
The horn was blown, and the soldiers on the left and right wing raised their alarm. More than three thousand Jizhou soldiers, led by Guo Huai and Zhang Xiu, have surrounded the Yanzhou army.
In the camp, Chunyu Qiong saw it clearly. He touched his blackened face, raised his knife and shouted, "Come on, boys and men. It's time for us to teach the people of Yanzhou a lesson!"
Although the Jizhou soldiers in the camp were tired, the arrival of reinforcements temporarily boosted their morale. Under the orders of the generals, they gathered energy to attack.
Xia Houyuan secretly said that something was wrong, and Yanzhou's elite troops only numbered more than 5,000 people. Although the results were brilliant, no fewer than three thousand enemy troops were killed or wounded. But after fighting hard day and night, they only had about 4,600 men left.
Mi Wei's Danyang soldiers were fierce and powerful, entangling the Yanzhou Army's front. Under the leadership of Tai Shici, a tiger general, more than 1,500 Jizhou soldiers also tried their best to outflank and attack the Yanzhou Army's flanks.
After Chunyu Qiong sent more than 3,000 troops to the camp, the Yanzhou army fell into a dangerous situation of being surrounded.
"I will lead the troops to defeat you, and you will retreat first with the army in seconds!" Li Dian shouted.
Xia Houyuan broke out in cold sweat on his forehead. This was because they anticipated the enemy's mistake. I thought Gao Lan's troops had the same fighting strength as Chunyu Qiong's troops, but as soon as Pu fought, he was caught off guard by the opponent's fierce offensive.
"Damn it! Seconds. I think they look like the Danyang soldiers from Xuzhou!" Li Dian yelled.
Xia Houyuan's face changed color. Qiang braced himself and said: "Who cares about his soldiers, I will leave it to you to cut off the queen here. Take care of yourself!"
Li Dian agreed and led more than 500 soldiers to stick to the Danyang soldiers.
"Fire!" someone shouted.
By this time the fighting was already dark, and the soldiers from both sides of Liyang saw the fireworks coming from the direction of Baimajin at almost the same time.
The morale of the Yanzhou soldiers suddenly rose to an all-time high, and they followed Xia Houyuan in an orderly retreat to the pre-prepared high ground.
The Jizhou Army on Gao Lan's side knew that the enemy would attack Baimajin because of previous predictions, and their mission was to annihilate the enemy in Liyang, leaving nothing else to worry about.
Jia Xu looked at the fire on the other side and ordered to the soldiers beside him: "Listen. Let Taishi Ci and others wipe out all the enemy soldiers, otherwise military law will be dealt with!"
