The sun rises and a new day begins. The moments that determine history are often short, it can be a day or a moment.
After today, history will have a major turning point. Whether the Yuan family will occupy the Central Plains or whether the Cao family will turn defeat into victory will be revealed in this battle! Whether Cao Cao can recreate the historical miracle depends entirely on God's will, but with Yuan Xi's interference, it's hard to say.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" After a long drum, the Yanzhou soldiers marched out from the north gate one after another. However, the Jizhou army in the north of the city had not yet left camp, so they seemed to have to let the Yanzhou army choose their positions first. .ν.
To the north of Chenliu is the tributary of Honggou Water. A large flat field is a good place for a decisive battle between the large armies.
This is also the battlefield planned by Yuan Xi and several advisers.
Forty thousand Yanzhou soldiers marched out of the city, and the four thousand Yanzhou soldiers behind them made a strange move.
"Take it apart quickly!" Le Jin ordered.
"Dang! Bang!" Groups of Yanzhou soldiers arrived in front of the four city gates. The last hundreds of Yanzhou soldiers were armed with axes and hammers. They cut off the ropes of the suspension bridge and subway chain.
"Pull away, pull away!" Le Jin ordered again.
Several war horses held the line and dragged the suspension bridge out, and several soldiers spread firewood and oil.
"Baza! Baga!" The suspension bridge was set on fire, and puffs of black smoke came out. The Yanzhou soldiers who were leaving the city saw the rising smoke.
They knew that if they didn't win, they wouldn't be able to return to the city unless they grew wings.
Man Chong and Dong Zhao watched them go off to battle from the top of the city, perhaps for the last time.
As soon as the Yanzhou army moved, the Jizhou army also dispatched from the camp in the east of the city. One hundred thousand infantry, more than 14,000 cavalry, and 20,000 Wuhuan cavalry all headed to the north of the city.
Excluding the Wuhuan cavalry, the number of the Jizhou Army is more than twice that of the Yanzhou Army. However, on the battlefield, the number does not mean victory or defeat. What is more important is adaptability and decision-making. This is usually the case in decisive battles, whether it is Guandu, Chibi, or Yi. No matter the mausoleum.
The Yanzhou military commander arrived at the station first and seized the favorable terrain. Cao Cao and others ordered the soldiers to form an array with their backs to the water! And they were arranged in a square formation.
The essence of the so-called square formation is "thin, medium and thick square", which is the first of Sun Bin's "Ten Formations".
It consists of several small formations forming a large square formation. Each small formation can cooperate with attack or defense, and the command position is in the middle and rear of the large formation.
As the name suggests, "Thin in the middle and thick in square" means that there are slightly fewer troops in the middle and more troops on the surrounding sides. Once deployed, it can be used as a bluff, and strong troops on the surrounding sides can easily defeat the enemy. As long as the generals command it properly and the soldiers move quickly, it is a formation that is both offensive and defensive.
Cao Cao and two counselors, Cheng Yu and Xun You, stood on the chariot platform and commanded the formation. Cao Ren and Cao Ang led the last thousand cavalry, and elite soldiers from Yuzhou served as guards at the formation.
Xiahou Dun. Xiahou Shang led his troops respectively to perform the left front song and the right front song. Li Dian and Li Tong composed the left and right rear songs respectively.
Yu Jin and Le Jin cooperated to perform the most important song. Cao Hong and Zhang Ji maneuvered on the left and right.
"It seems that Yuan Xi is also eager for a decisive battle. He can't afford it, so let's do it." Cao Cao said coldly.
"It's just strange that since they know that there is chasm water in the north of the city, why do they still let our troops form array here calmly." Cheng Yu looked back at the flowing water in the distance. The water potential has not changed, and there is no water storage upstream.
"It is a taboo for military strategists to form a formation with their backs against the water as a last resort. Without well-trained soldiers and resolute generals, such a formation will only lead to a dead end. The Jizhou army cannot be the first to form a formation against the water." Xun You said.
"Success or failure depends on this one move, let's see how Yuan Xi arrays himself!" Cao Cao said calmly.
When everyone looked around, they saw the overwhelming force of more than 100,000 Jizhou troops, but the various ministries moved quickly without any confusion.
After a while, the Jizhou Army's formation was also ready.
"It's the X-shaped formation!" Xun You exclaimed.
The so-called "聁-shaped formation" is not among Sun Bin's "Ten Formations", but a deformation of the forward flying geese formation. The center can be seen as a cone-shaped formation, and the two wings are several vertical small square formations. It is a complete offense. formation.
"As long as the Jizhou army takes the initiative to attack us, with water behind us, the soldiers will have no choice but to fight to the death!" Cao Ang sounded a little excited.
Cao Ren frowned and said worriedly. "Yuan Xi and others will not make such a big mistake. They must have other motives."
Jizhou Army Yuju
Shuo, Feng Ji, Sima Yi, Han Meng, Yuan Mai, and Zhao Rui stayed behind to guard various camps.
The vertical small square formations on the left and right wings are all infantry, led by Zhang He, Zhu Ling, Ji Ling, and Gao Lan.
Behind the small square formations on the left and right are seven thousand cavalry troops each. It was led by Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun, Taishi Ci, and Zhang Xiu.
Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Duan Pixi, Wu Sang, and Ke Bili led 20,000 Wuhuan cavalry to form a conical formation in the middle.
Zang Ba and Jiang Qi each led an infantry to hold down the formation behind the formation. Behind Wuhuan's cavalry is the formation's center, protected by Miwei's Danyang soldiers and Xu Chuzhu Gongdao's guards.
"Cao Cao is so scheming. He really did it with his back against the enemy. Such an old trick was used by Han Xin four hundred years ago." Guo Jia smiled and waved his feather fan, looking like a dashing strategist.
"No matter how inconspicuous the formation is, as long as it is used properly, it will achieve unexpected results." Jia Xu said lightly. He and Guo Jia have two personalities, one is wild and the other is restrained.
"My lord, you haven't come back yet?" Jia Xu frowned.
Guo Jia smiled and sat on a chair on the high platform, "It's not Guo Tun who encouraged the young master to call for formation and lure Cao Cao to attack."
"It's time to start!" Jia Xu said lightly.
A team of more than a hundred cavalrymen was launched in front of the two armies. Each of these cavalrymen was strong and skilled in riding. They rode their horses and ran two hundred steps in front of the Yanzhou army's formation before stopping, and then separated on the left and right.
Immediately afterwards, three more cavalrymen ran out from behind, causing the Yanzhou Army to scream in surprise.
Yuan Xi rode on Jueying, and riding with him was a beautiful and luxurious girl, who was Cao Xian. Next to Yuan Xi were naturally the two guards, Xu Chu and Zhu Gongdao.
"Cao Cao, my general asked you if you dare to come out and answer the question!" Xu Chu shouted at the top of his lungs.
The Yanzhou army was hit silently, but countless eyes were looking directly at Cao Cao at the center of the formation to see how he would respond.
Cao Cao's face was ashen, veins popped out in his hands, his eyes were red, and he was about to get angry.
"Master, please don't get angry, otherwise you will fall into Yuan Xi's trap!" Cheng Yu shouted loudly.
"Young Yuan Xi is so shameless. He has humiliated me again and again! This is too much!" Cao Cao said angrily.
Everyone was extremely angry, but Cao Cao did not dare to answer, which made them discouraged. After all, Cao Cao was not the scoundrel who would say "give me a piece of meat soup."
"Father, I'm going!" Cao Ang shouted, then rode out and rushed to the front of the formation.
It was too late for everyone to stop him.
Seeing the person coming, Yuan Xi put his hands around Cao Xian's slender waist, and then grabbed the reins. Their bodies were close to each other. Although Yuan Xi was wearing armor, he could still feel the softness of the beauty in his arms.
And inhaling the fragrance in the nose, there is also the intimacy among these thousands of troops. It made Yuan Xi feel strangely excited.
"Yuan Xi!" Cao Ang said coldly after riding out of the battle.
"Cao Ang!" Yuan Xi sighed.
After not seeing each other for many years, the best friend in childhood has grown up and now has become a sworn enemy.
The agreement to kill the enemy and make meritorious deeds together in Luoyang's "Drunken Immortal Tower" seems to be still vivid in my mind, but as time has passed, the two families have stood on opposite sides for their own ambitions and their respective hegemonies, and it has finally evolved into the endless deadlock today.
Just like what Li Shimin and Kou Zhong Xu Ziling faced in The Legend of Two Dragons of the Tang Dynasty.
"Zixiu, tell your father that your brothers' lives are safe. I hope he understands your daughter's plight." Cao Xian said sadly.
Unable to hold back the tears any longer, he said in a trembling voice, "Let my father put his great career first, and let him not be distracted by his small family... As long as my daughter breathes, my brothers will be safe."
"Sister, I will tell father!" Cao Ang gritted his teeth and said, Cao Xian's beautiful eyes were filled with relief mixed with tears.
"It's really touching!" Yuan Xi said coldly.
"Zixiu, you also tell Cao Cao that my father's blood feud cannot be commemorated except by his and Shi Huan's heads. The Central Plains is mine. These beauties are mine too! Haha!"
After saying that, Yuan Xi laughed loudly, hugged Cao Xian and ran back to the main formation, with Xu Chu, Zhu Gongdao and Hu Wei following closely behind.
"Ah Man has a wonderful plan to calm the world, he lost his wife and lost his troops!" The soldiers in front of the Jizhou army shouted in unison, and the waves of shouts hammered the hearts of Cao Cao and Cao's generals.
play
Having had enough, Yuan Xi rode his horse back to the high platform of the formation.
Jia Xu helplessly shook his head and said nothing, Guo Jia gave him a bad smile, and Guo Tu clapped his hands in admiration.
"The general's plan to provoke the generals is so subtle that even if they knew it was a plan, they would still be angry. Once angry, they would fall into the lord's trap again. What a conspiracy." Guo Tu's eyes flashed. change. Said: "This play can be called the Three Qi Cao Cao. It will definitely become a classic for military strategists to lure the enemy. It's wonderful."
"You came up with this all. If it becomes a classic that is praised, you will naturally leave a name in history, but I don't know if you will leave a name for it. It's hard to say." Yuan Xi scolded with a smile.
"As long as I help my lord achieve his great cause, it doesn't matter if he leaves a bad reputation!" Guo Tu said seriously.
"Okay, the Yanzhou Army seems to be making moves again!" Guo Jia pointed to the distance and said.
Sure enough, the Yanzhou Army's front line changed slightly, and the small square formations on the left and right began to penetrate behind the front line, making the front line thicker.
However, a quarter of an hour later, the Jizhou Army made no move, and the Yanzhou Army stood still, seemingly back to the starting point.
In front of the Yanzhou Army formation, Cheng Yuxunyou and Cao Cao were having a heated discussion.
"Obviously the Jizhou army does not dare to attack. They are afraid that our army will have to fight to the death. He wants to kill us." Cheng Yu pointed at Chenliucheng in the distance and said: "The most important thing for our army is to cut off the retreat and boost morale. If we continue If it continues to be used up, morale will be reduced, and after an hour or two, the effect of burning the boat will be completely gone!"
"Attack where to attack him?" Cao Cao asked.
"You can let Qianqu attack for a while first, and then retreat to lure them to attack." Xun You suggested.
"Have you seen, my lord, that their conical formation is the Wuhuan cavalry!" Cheng Yu suddenly pointed to the center of the opposite formation and said firmly, "Yuan Xi actually put the Wuhuan cavalry in the middle. He must have wanted them to consume our army, so Just like the last time we surrounded Lu Bu!"
"So what?" Cao Cao asked doubtfully: "The Wuhuan soldiers only temporarily attached themselves to Yuan Xi. When they are full-fledged, they will break away from Yuan Xi's control. Therefore, even if the Wuhuan cavalry is exhausted, Yuan Xi will not be heartbroken. He is With this mentality, you exchanged for my seven thousand fine knights! Why is there any problem?"
"Lord, this time and that time!" Cheng Yu looked a little excited and continued to analyze, "That time was a cavalry battle in an open field. The Wuhuan soldiers were defeated and fled in all directions. But this was a battle formation, and the Wuhuan soldiers retreated. If you do it, you might be able to attack his main formation!"
Cao Cao clapped his hands and exclaimed, "What a second! In all the decisive battles in ancient and modern times, defeats often started with a chaotic formation. Unexpectedly, Yuan Xi thought he was smart, but he made a stupid move."
"No wonder, they have never commanded the decisive battle between the two armies, unlike the Lord and General Huangfu who have wiped out most of the Yellow Turbans." Cheng Yu said. At that time, the battles involved hundreds of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people, and the momentum was much greater than it is now.
"Although it is a weakness, Yuan Xi and others may not make such a mistake. It may be a conspiracy." Xun You said.
"Even if it is a conspiracy, we have to break through. Our army really has to attack! If you win, you will live, if you lose, you will die." Cao Cao said firmly, but he didn't know that his mood was no longer as calm as before.
"Let the left and right wings resist their left and right wings, and the middle block the Wuhuan cavalry, and then send out elite troops to defeat them and force them back!" Cheng Yu suggested.
"Send the order, attack!" Cao Cao ordered.
Cheng Yu agreed and waved a small flag to let the messenger direct the mobilization of troops.
As the war drums beat, the Yanzhou Army moved forward slowly from left to right, and soon the left and right wings of both sides began to engage in small-scale battles.
"Kill!" There was a chorus of neat shouts, and the soldiers from both sides formed an array to attack and kill each other. In addition to competing for the armor of both sides, they also competed for the physical combat skills of the soldiers on both sides, and more importantly, their command and will to kill the enemy!
"Lord, the central part of the Yanzhou Army has also begun to attack!" Jia Xu said.
Yuan Xi hugged Cao Xiance and rode to another high platform, saying quietly, "If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move. If the enemy moves, I will move first!"
"Send the order for the Wuhuan cavalry to attack!" Guo Jia ordered.
War drums beat, flags waved, and 20,000 Wuhuan cavalry began to attack on horseback.
"Kill!" Yan Liang, Wen Chou and three foreign generals led the Wuhuan cavalry to attack. They first fired a shower of arrows, and after two rounds of shooting, they rushed to the Yanzhou soldiers.
"Whoosh whoosh!" The Yanzhou soldiers braved the rain of arrows and suffered a lot of casualties before finally rushing to the Wuhuan cavalry.
"Whoa!" After the shield was raised, the spears were raised one by one, and the Yanzhou Army's formation suddenly looked like hedgehogs.
"Ah! Ah!" He rushed towards the spears. No matter how scared everyone was, the Wuhuan soldiers who couldn't stop for a moment bumped into the sharp spears. In close hand-to-hand combat, once the impact of the cavalry is delayed, they have no advantage at all.
"Shoot an arrow!" Yu Jin shouted.
"Whoosh!" A dense rain of arrows shot out from the rear row of the Yanzhou Army, hitting the Wuhuan cavalry queue. A quarter of an hour later, the two sides were already locked in a hand-to-hand battle.
As mentioned before, the cone formation has extraordinary offensive power, but the requirements are also extremely high. It must have a sharp forward and sharp wings.
The Wuhuan cavalry did not undergo several drills, and the conical formation formed in a hurry could not be sharp and sharp.
When Sun Bin mentioned this formation, he warned: "It is as humble as a sword. If it is not sharp at the end, it cannot penetrate. If the blade is not thin, it cannot be cut. If the base is not thick, it cannot be arrayed."
In another two-quarters of an hour, the Wuhuan cavalry charge was blocked and suffered heavy casualties. There was only one word - "withdraw".
There are small square formations on the left and right of the two sides fighting. If the conflict cannot be overcome, there is naturally only one direction - behind you!
