Yuan Xi looked over and saw Guo Tu couldn't help but nod, knowing that this was his signal to Yuan Tan to win the first victory over the White Horse.
"There is no room for failure at the ferry crossing at the rear. I think it is still what Gong Yu and the Second Young Master said. It is safe to return to Baimajin to aid." Feng Ji said.
"The so-called attack strategy first, then attack the enemy, and then attack the city again. We contacted Liu Biao and Sun Jian to attack Cao Cao together. However, those two families have not sent troops for a long time. They clearly wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight! And our army lost the opportunity to win quickly. It is an extremely inappropriate decision to attack the city at this time! If Baima cannot be captured quickly and news of the loss of Baima Jin and Li Yang comes, the morale of the army will inevitably collapse, and we will die without a burial place! "Jushou advised.
When Yuan Xi heard this, he was determined to be evil. Yuan Shao was a soft-spoken man but not a hard-nosed person. Strong remonstrances like Jushu's would only have the opposite effect.
"Humph! No burial place?" Yuan Shao's face turned pale: "You are disturbing the morale of the army, how can I tolerate you!"
In a hurry, Jushou became hardened. He stamped his feet and said: "If you don't listen to me, I don't know how many people can return to Hebei!"
"How outrageous!" Yuan Shao pointed at Jushu and shouted, "Take this man who disrupts the morale of the army and take him under guard. Let him see how I conquered Baima and defeated Cao Cao!"
At this time, four guards ran in outside the tent. Without saying a word, they tied up Jushou.
"Father, Jushu just made a slip of the tongue. He also reminded us to pay attention to the rear. He did not mean any harm..." Yuan Xi advised.
"That's enough!" Yuan Shao said with a bad face: "I know what he did was not malicious, otherwise he would not be spared. But he cannot be allowed to disturb the morale of the army here, otherwise the enemy will not conquer it, and he will be in chaos. !”
Xu You kept winking. Ask Yuan Xi not to force him to persuade. Yuan Xi knew that it would be useless to persuade him, so he stopped speaking.
"The Qingzhou army will leave 10,000 men, the Jizhou army will leave 20,000 men, and all the rest of the troops will be gathered together. After eating, we will go out to the camp and form an array. We must capture the white horse before night!" Yuan Shao ordered.
"Here!"
Because the average distance between the two armies' camps was only three hundred steps, Yuan's army had to put up shields when they went to the assembly area outside the camp to guard against arrows fired from the opposite side. Tough tasks are deployed. The Jizhou Army is facing Baima City and is the Chinese Army. More than 10,000 Youzhou soldiers served as the right wing, and 20,000 Qingzhou soldiers served as the left wing.
Yuan Xi left Gu Yong to guard the camp. The troops dispatched included the remaining 2,000 Xiaoqi, 2,000 Wuhuan Tuqi, and four thousand Suwei infantry from four divisions. The rest were all Qingzhou standing troops, including the original Zhang He's two thousand "euphorbia warriors".
At this time, only two generals, Zhang He and Duan Pizhen, and Liu Ye were left with Yuan Xi. Guo Jia also gathered under the banner of Qingzhou Military Commander.
"If we attack by force, it's not impossible to defeat the white horse. We just have to release Cao Cao to deceive him." Guo Jia said seriously.
Yuan Xi nodded in agreement. Historically, Yuan's army was unable to attack Cao Cao's general camp. But the White Horse Camp at this time. The Jizhou army, which had already taken advantage of all its equipment, was beaten to a half-crushed state.
Moreover, Yuan Shao personally supervised the formation. There will never be a situation in history where the enemy cannot be defeated for a long time.
"Boom!" Another stone hit the high platform of the Yanzhou military camp.
The Yuan Army's stone-launching vehicles have never been available, and they have stopped attacking the enemy's high platforms. The Yanzhou Army's enemy towers and high platforms have basically been cleared. The crossbowmen on the Yuan Army's well railing also kept pouring arrows to suppress the Yanzhou soldiers' counterattack.
"That's fine. Taking the white horse may force Cao Cao to retreat to Chenliu." Yuan Xi took a deep breath and said.
"You can send cavalry to patrol the surrounding areas to prevent enemy ambushes and sneak attacks." Guo Jia suggested again.
Yuan Xi agreed and said, "Duan Pixi, you lead your troops to roam around to detect the enemy's movements."
"Here!" Duan Pixi, who has a high nose and deep eyes, cupped his fists and rode forward to summon his subordinates.
Under the banner of the Chinese Army, Yuan Shao looked across at Baima City. He waved his hand and shouted: "Attack the city!"
The flags were waved, and the rhythm of the war drums also changed accordingly. After the three-way drum beat, the soldiers in the front row held up their shields and pushed the ladders towards the opponent's camp. ** ***
Several trench-filling trucks were first pushed to the base of the Yanzhou Army barracks, and the soldiers laid wooden planks to cover the trenches dug by the Yanzhou soldiers.
The infantry behind were driven, one after another, climbing the ladder to the fence and earth wall. Soldiers from both sides immediately started hand-to-hand combat. At this time, the thunderbolt chariots and crossbows on the Yuan Army camp also stopped firing, and the soldiers on both sides were fighting for their skills and will.
On the high platform in Baima City, several generals left behind by Cao Cao's army gathered here.
Yu Jin looked calm, Dong Zhao kept looking around at the battle situation, the young general Shi Huan looked eager to try, and Cao Ang looked a little nervous. . . .
"Tsk, tsk! Finally, I stopped shooting arrows." Cao Hong said angrily: "Yuan Benchu has shot no less than a hundred thousand arrows these days, right? Jizhou is really a rich place, Yuan Benchu is rich!"
Listening to Cao Hong's joke, Cao Ang smiled bitterly. This uncle was stingy and loved money. Money can still be mentioned at this time, but I also know that he has good intentions of making jokes and relieving the tension.
"After defeating Yuan Benchu, General Zilian must not have the idea of using these arrows." Dong Zhao said with a smile.
Cao Hong smiled and said, "Let's not talk about this. Let's talk about strategies to retreat from the enemy. Dong Zhao sneered and said: "As expected, my lord, even if he learned that Li Yang was attacked, Yuan Benchu was still eager to capture Baima. Don’t you know that we have been here for a long time? "
Dong Zhao was very worried about Zhang Yang's murder, and he also hated Yuan Shaolai. However, for some reason, he surrendered to Emperor Taizong Xuanwu and Yuan Xi. Therefore, loyalty is sometimes just that. The reason for loyalty , because there is no bargaining chip for betrayal, right? ! .
Hearing this, Cao Ang said worriedly: "Yuan has many soldiers. I don't know whether the two battalions on the left and right can hold up."
"Don't worry, young master, the left camp is guarded by Man Chong and Bian Xi. The right camp is guarded by Lu Qian and Chewei. They are all favored by the lord, so it won't be a problem to guard them for an hour or two." Yu Jin said.
"I don't know when will we implement the strategy that father and the others told us?" Cao Ang asked after Yu Jin finished speaking.
"After half an hour, if it is too early, Yuan Benchu will be suspicious! Anyway, it is a foregone conclusion that our army will give up the white horse. If the plan fails, we will retreat and escape unscathed." Dong Zhao said.
Cao Ang glanced at the Qingzhou military commander's flag in the distance. He sighed: "Xianyi, I didn't expect that we really met on the battlefield. It's just that this time we didn't fight the enemy side by side, but became life and death rivals! Things are really unpredictable."
On the right wing, Yuan Tan was in high spirits and stood on horseback under the banner. Next to him were two generals, Zhu Ling and Zang Hong.
Zhu Ling frowned and said, "This guard is a character. The entire camp is very well-organized and the soldiers are mobilized quickly and accurately. Our soldiers attacked twice and were forced out again."
Yuan Tan's face dropped when he heard what he said. Said, "I want to know how long it will take to capture this camp."
Zhu Ling sensed Yuan Tan's displeasure and quickly replied: "These attacks are to consume their combat power. It will take another half an hour before our elite soldiers are sent out. By then we should be able to capture this camp in one fell swoop. "
"No, we must attack in front of the Qingzhou Army!" Yuan Tan said sharply to Zhu Ling.
"I understand!" Although he was secretly unhappy. But Zhu Ling still replied respectfully.
The camp on the left.
Man Chong wiped his face that was spattered with blood. He raised the ring-headed steel knife and shouted for the soldiers to step forward.
At this time, groups of soldiers came from Baima City in the middle. Cao Ang, Dong Zhao, Cao Hong and several generals also came to the camp on the left.
Because the fortresses on the left and right are closely connected to Baima City, the three areas cooperate to form a three-dimensional defense fortification. The camp and Baima City are covered with ditches, bridges between fences, and tunnels on the ground to communicate with each other. Not only can they fight independently, but they can also support each other. This is a very important arrangement.
Cao Ang and others passed the bridge between the fences and came to the camp on the left. Then they ordered the soldiers who were following them to go up to the earth wall and prepare for sniping.
Man Chong cupped his fists and said, "My eldest son, I have lived up to my great trust. I have repelled three attacks by the Qingzhou soldiers."
"Okay. Excuse me, General. The longer we hold on, the better." Cao Ang ordered.
"I will do my best, but the Qingzhou soldiers are unexpectedly strong. The casualties among the soldiers are heavy," Man Chong said.
"Before the Jizhou army attacks Baima City, you have to pile up people to block it!" Dong Zhao ordered.
Man Chong didn't say anything else. After clasping his fists as a gesture to Cao Ang and others, he picked up the ring-headed steel knife and walked towards the earth wall in front.
Because two generals, Wen Chou and Han Meng, were stabbed by Lu Bu, Yuan Shao now still has several confidants available to him, including Ju Yi, Yan Liang, Jiang Qi, Jiang Yiqu, Qian Zhao, and Zhao Rui.
"Ju Yi, do you think the time is ripe?" Yuan Shao asked impatiently.
Ju Yi narrowed his eyes and looked at Baima City for a while, and said: "No, the enemy soldiers are still very powerful. It will take another half an hour. The first attack on the camp can only be used once, and we must succeed in one fell swoop."
Yuan Shao snorted coldly, if it were anyone else, he would really be tied up and chopped off. But Ju Yi had the greatest merit in the Jizhou army and had a high reputation and seniority, so he had to listen to Ju Yi's opinion.
"Yan Liang, Zhao Rui, lead your troops up. If you can't attack the city gate, those Yanzhou soldiers will be killed." Yuan Shao ordered.
Yan Liang and Zhao Rui promised that although it was a hard job, they did not dare to be like Ju Yi.
More than two thousand fresh troops, led by Yan Liang and Zhao Rui, quickly rushed to the earth wall. They climbed up the ladder to the earth wall. The soldiers below used powerful crossbows to accurately kill the Yanzhou soldiers on the earth wall. The soldiers from both sides cooperated and gradually took over.
Yuan Shao looked at the battle situation on the earth wall and looked back at Ju Yida: "Yan Liang's troops are worthy of being elite soldiers in the army. Look, didn't this force the Yanzhou soldiers back?"
Ju Yi frowned and wanted to say something but stopped.
"Coax! Bang!" A loud noise came, the drawbridge of the city gate in front of the white horse was lowered, and the city gate was pushed open.
"Okay!" Yuan Shao shouted and ordered: "The rear army presses forward and takes Baima City!"
"Kill!" The flag was waved, and the more than 5,000 infantrymen who followed received the order. Follow Yan Liang's soldiers and horses into Baima City.
On the Qingzhou Army side, Yuan Xi, Guo Jia, and Liu Ye held down the formation with the flag of the Chinese Army Commander, while Zhang He put on his armor and stepped forward to direct the attack for Yuan Xi.
"Ah! Why was Baima City captured first?" Yuan Xi asked in confusion as he looked ahead.
"Baima City is in the middle of two forts, and its earthen walls are taller than those on both sides. Why was it captured first? Could it be a fraud?" Zhang He was also surprised and confused.
Liu Ye looked at the left-wing camp directly in front, and then at the Jizhou soldiers swarming into the city, and said: "The defenses on both sides have become tighter, but the Baima City in the middle fell instantly. It was clear that Baima City was deliberately abandoned. There was a deceit in the process. , inform the Chinese Army quickly!"
"Listen to the order and let the Jizhou Central Army withdraw!" Yuan Xi ordered the flag bearer behind him.
"No." The flag-bearer did not dare to neglect. A flag was immediately raised to ask the Chinese army to retreat in danger. But after a while, the Chinese army still did not respond.
Guo Jia kept waving the feather fan. After a while, he stared at the fan and exclaimed: "No, it's broken, it's a fire attack!"
When Yuan Xi heard what he said, the word "burning new fields" came to his mind, his head was confused, and his face immediately changed color.
"Send fast cavalry to report this to Duke Yuan. In addition, let the soldiers attack the left camp with all their strength!" Guo Jia gave the order for Yuan Xi without waiting for his reaction.
"General Zhang, send out the Euphorbia and the Shensha battalion. To be fair, you also lead the guards to rush for reinforcements!" Yuan Xi ordered.
"Here!" Zhang He and Zhu Gongdao clasped their fists and accepted the order.
In White Horse City.
Yan Liang rode alone at the front, and no soldiers could stop him. He controlled the horse skillfully, and no ditch or ditch could block his path. But the further inside, the more Yan Liang realized something was wrong. The camps in the city were very tight, and the Yanzhou soldiers evacuated to the camps on both sides in an orderly manner.
Suddenly, Yanzhou soldiers appeared again. They crouched between Baima City and the earthen wall of the camp, holding crossbows and shooting arrows at the Jizhou soldiers who entered the city.
Yan Liang shouted loudly. Let the soldiers retreat to the center of the city. Avoid the firing range of Yanzhou soldiers' crossbows.
"Ah! There are people from Yanzhou in the trenches!" Zhao Rui, who entered the city together, shouted.
Yan Liang looked around and saw several Yanzhou soldiers emerging from the trench. They threw several torches, which were centered on the many tents in the city. More than one place, many tents in the city were on fire in an instant.
Yan Liang shouted something bad and ordered: "The rear army becomes the front army and get out!"
The heat wave was coming, and Jizhou soldiers didn't care about the rear army and the front army, and ran towards the city gate in a chaotic manner.
"Boom!" Just when the Jizhou soldiers were about to withdraw, a section of the city gate collapsed. It turned out that Yanzhou soldiers had long hollowed out the city gate with tunnels and then put wooden pillars on top.
When the Jizhou soldiers entered the city, they set fire to the wooden pillars under the tunnel. Only more than 200 Jizhou soldiers escaped before all collapsed near the city gate, blocking the way out.
On the earth wall, Yanzhou soldiers held shields and stones to fill up the collapsed city gate section. On the earth wall connecting Baima City and the camp, the Yanzhou soldiers continued to use bows and crossbows to kill the Jizhou soldiers who wanted to flee.
At one time, more than 8,000 Jizhou soldiers entered the city and were in chaos. No matter how loud Yan Liang and Zhao Rui shouted, they refused to listen to orders.
Seeing the miserable situation from a distance, Yuan Shao at the Central Military Department's eyes turned black. A while ago, Yuan Xi called a flag to ask him to withdraw his troops. But victory was in sight. Although Yuan Shao was surprised, he still ignored it.
Ju Yi also panicked and said, "Let the soldiers outside dig open the city gate, and then let the Qingzhou Army and Youzhou Army capture the camps on both sides and rescue Yan Liang and the others!"
"Don't be stunned, do it quickly!" Yuan Shao shouted.
The ordering soldiers behind did not dare to neglect, and immediately waved their flags and changed the sound of drums.
Youzhou Central Army.
Yuan Tan broke out in a cold sweat. He pointed at the collapsed city gate and said in a trembling voice, "Did these Yanzhou people have a premeditated plan?"
Zhu Ling nodded and said: "I'm afraid it was premeditated. It was clearly to lure our Chinese army in. You can tell by the thick smoke coming out of the city that they used a fire attack strategy."
Looking at the thick smoke, Zang Hong felt his mouth was dry and said, "Master, come down quickly and attack with the whole army, otherwise General Yan will be in danger!"
Yuan Tan hesitated for a while and said, "I wonder if there are ambushes in the camps on the left and right?"
Zhu Ling shook his head and replied: "I'm afraid there is no ambush, but they are guarding it more tightly."
The camp on the left.
Zhang He commanded more than 500 sharp archers, and under the cover of shield men, they came to the fence and earth wall. They used their crossbows to accurately kill the enemy soldiers that appeared.
Zhu Gongdao was dressed in fine armor and carrying a broad-handled sword through the ladder to the earth wall. Following Zhu Gongdao were the tiger guards and the guards' infantry. They used their shields to block arrows, then rushed forward to compete with the Yanzhou soldiers for the earth wall connecting Baima City.
The subsequent marksmen also climbed up the earth wall, and they carefully covered behind.
After a quarter of an hour of fighting, a section of the earth wall was finally captured.
The Qingzhou soldiers couldn't find the tunnel for a while, so they could only use wooden planks to build it down and let the Jizhou soldiers climb up.
The city of Baima turned into a sea of fire, burning with the ugliness of war. The lives of Jizhou soldiers were devoured one by one.
Yan Liang and Zhao Rui were so smoked that they burst into tears. Their faces and armor were blackened, and a piece of their robes was burned off.
The two of them were protected by personal soldiers and finally escaped to the earthen wall of the camp on the left.
At the earthen wall captured by the Qingzhou Army, the fire was very strong, and the Jizhou soldiers were involved in each other's fight for the chance to survive. Many soldiers even killed each other in order to fight for the way.
Several soldiers waved their halberds and stabbed down the soldiers who were rushing to climb up. They protected a section of the board and allowed Yan Liang and Zhao Rui to climb up.
Although the commander escaped, more Jizhou soldiers were trapped in the flames. There were constant moans and wailing in the city, and it would be no exaggeration to say that it was a hell on earth.
Yuan Shao of the Chinese army was angry and anxious. He clamped the horse's belly fiercely, drew out his saber, and shouted: "Cao Mengde, you actually used such a sinister trick! If I catch you, I will cut you into pieces." !”
