Due to the poor communication efficiency of this era, Guan Yu's plan to seize the North Road has not yet reached Jiangling City.
Zhou Yu is still attacking the city with high intensity, but the progress is not great.
Although Jiangdong's army worked very hard, Jiangling's city wall was solid, there was no shortage of food and grass in the city for the time being, and there was no shortage of troops.
The Jiangling garrison was deceived by the Jiangdong Army's offensive rhythm at first, causing a certain amount of confusion, but Cao Ren was not in vain. Although he was a little panicked, he finally stabilized under Cao Ren's command.
Zhou Yu also realized that such a high-intensity attack would not have much effect, but would increase his own damage, so he adjusted the attack rhythm again and slowed down the intensity of the siege.
It is too common for the siege to encounter unsatisfactory situations. The most taboo thing at this time is for the coach to rush to make achievements. In this way, even if the city is captured, his own casualties will be heavy.
Zhou Yu is an excellent commander and knows this very well, so he will not hesitate to strengthen the attack when it is time to step up the attack, but when it is time to slow down, he will also slow down the troops.
Of course, slowing down does not mean stopping attacking the city.
Attacks still have to be arranged every day, which does not necessarily require the city wall to be stormed, but at least it must be harassed and contained, and the defenders cannot be given too many opportunities to repair the city's defenses.
Moreover, doing so would also make Cao Ren unclear about Zhou Yu's main attack time and direction.
Some time ago, Zhou Yu's attack frequency was very low, but suddenly he would increase his attack rhythm.
Now Zhou Yu suddenly reduced the frequency of attacks, which made Cao Ren really worried. Because he couldn't tell when Zhou Yu would next attack the city with high intensity, Cao Ren had to be on guard at all times.
It's not scary if the knife falls. The most terrifying thing is that the knife is about to fall at any time, but it just doesn't fall.
Therefore, Cao Ren did not dare to be careless for a moment, and was still fully alert to Zhou Yu's possible attack on the city at any time.
Zhou Yu was not idle at the moment. He held a military meeting again to brainstorm and see if there were any other more efficient ways to siege the city.
At this time, Zhang Xi and Zhang Fei would both attend.
But Zhang Xi and Zhang Fei were always guest troops. They were here to represent Liu Beijun and express the presence of the coalition forces. They would not take the initiative to say anything unless Zhou Yu asked.
After all, the coach is Zhou Yu, and the main attacker is Jiang Dongjun. This face should be given.
Therefore, neither of them said a word at the military meeting, and Zhou Yu would not force it.
But after the military meeting, Zhou Yu stayed with Zhang Xi and asked Zhang Xi if he had any good way to attack the city.
Zhou Yu saw Zhang Fei's ability to command operations and believed that he was an outstanding general and commander.
But how to attack the city is a strategic issue. Zhou Yu naturally did not think of asking Zhang Fei, but chose to ask Zhang Xi.
I don’t know why, but Zhou Yu has always had a good sense of Zhang Xi. He feels that Zhang Xi, like himself, is a talented person with both civil and military skills.
In Zhou Yu's army now, there are many generals who can help him share military affairs, but there are no civil servants and generals who can discuss plans with him.
Sun Quan attacked Hefei on the eastern front, so he transferred Lu Su back to Chaisang to handle government affairs.
Although Ling Tong is a versatile man in both civil and military fields, he is still young and needs to be nurtured slowly.
Although Lu Meng has some overall views, he is still a military commander, and he often has limitations when considering things.
Gan Ning is not with Zhou Yu at the moment. He is guarding Yiling.
The remaining Chen Wu, Pan Zhang and others can command the soldiers in battle, but they will definitely not be able to offer advice.
Zhou Yu had no choice but to discuss with Zhang Xi and ask Zhang Xi if he had any efficient way to attack the city.
Don't tell me, Zhang Xi really has an efficient way to attack the city, but...well, it's a bit unethical, so it's better not to use it as much as possible. Zhang Xi also wants to gain a reputation.
For example, diverting water from the Yangtze River and throwing dead people and cows into the city are quite immoral and can easily cause large-scale indiscriminate killing.
Besides, Zhang Xi's original intention was not to really help Zhou Yu. The longer Zhou Yu could delay Jiangling City, the better, so that Liu Bei would have enough time to capture the four counties of Jingnan.
So, Zhang Xi looked embarrassed when faced with Zhou Yu's inquiry, and then gave Zhou Yu an idea that was not his idea.
"General, why don't you write a letter and ask Cao Ren to go out to fight in the field?!"
When defending the city, Cao Ren's 20,000 defenders faced Jiangdong's 40,000 siege troops. Cao Ren had the upper hand.
But if they go out to fight in the city, even if Cao Ren still has 600 cavalry, Jiangdong's army also has strong bows and crossbows.
If Cao Ren can be forced to leave the city to fight in the field, it will at least be better than attacking the city.
Of course this is the truth, but the problem is - is Cao Ren stupid? !
I don't want to use my advantageous defensive methods, but I have to fight you in the field? !
Zhou Yu was noncommittal about the idea proposed by Zhang Xi.
You can't say that what Zhang Xi said is unreasonable. Cao Ren held the city and defended it. Zhang Xi suggested asking Cao Ren to fight in the field, which was also a way to divide Cao Ren's troops.
There is a saying in the art of war: double the enemy and divide it.
Although Zhang Xi's plan was a bit silly and Cao Ren would not agree, the idea was still right.
Zhou Yu was also thinking about this issue, how to get Cao Ren to divide his troops.
If I had known earlier, I shouldn't have sent Gan Ning to capture Yiling so quickly. If I had used Yiling to encircle the area and mobilize reinforcements, I might have been able to let Cao Ren divide his troops at once, and Jiangling City might have been much easier to defeat.
But there's no use thinking about it now.
Yiling has been captured and it is impossible to let it go to Cao Ren.
Jiangling City has also been surrounded, and it is even less likely that Cao Ren will be given the opportunity to leave the city to build a camp and fortress.
Therefore, we can only find a way under the current situation.
As for Zhang Xi's invitation to Cao Ren for a field trip, Zhou Yu still did it.
Let’s give it a try. It doesn’t take much effort to write a letter anyway. What if Cao Ren is stupid and agrees? Well, Cao Ren is not stupid, so Cao Ren refuses.
As for the scolding array, Zhou Yu sent his soldiers in turn to do it, but Cao Ren was hiding in Jiangling City and pretending to be deaf without showing his face, and there was nothing you could do against him.
In this way, another month passed with Zhou Yu fighting and stopping at the foot of Jiangling City.
Nearly four months have passed since troops were dispatched from Jiangnan in November last year and besieged Jiangling City. It is already the spring of the 14th year of Jian'an.
Spring is supposed to be the season for farmers to plow.
But now, half of Nanjun south of Jiangling is under Zhou Yu's control, but Zhou Yu himself is not sure when he can capture Nanjun, so Jiangdong will naturally not arrange for officials to come and organize spring plowing.
Although the area north of Jiangling was still Cao Cao's territory, due to the battle at Jiangling, Cao Ren did not have time to arrange spring plowing in various counties.
No one in the entire Nan County is doing spring plowing now, and they don't want to make wedding clothes for others in the future.
This is what happens in troubled times. Once a war breaks out, the agriculture and economy of a place will be destroyed, and it will always be the ordinary people who suffer.
Zhou Yu and Cao Ren continued to confront each other at the foot of Jiangling City, while in Jingnan, Liu Bei had already led an army to march towards the four counties in Jingnan under the banner of Liu Qi, the governor of Jingzhou.
I have to say that the title of Jingzhou Governor Liu Qi is really useful. Three of the four counties in Jingnan, Changsha, Guiyang, and Lingling, surrendered without any resistance at all.
Only Jin Xuan of Wuling County sent troops to resist on the grounds that the Jingzhou governor appointed by the imperial court was not Liu Qi.
Jin Xuan's ancestor was Jin Richan, a powerful official of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He was a very legendary figure. From a prince of the Huns to a powerful official of the Han Dynasty, he was also a man of the hour.
But unfortunately, Jin Xuan obviously did not inherit the skills of his ancestors. Although he led his army to resist, he did not hold on to the city but went out to fight with Liu Bei in the field.
The result is obvious. Although Liu Bei's military command ability may be high or low, he is not something Jin Xuan can fight against.
During a confrontation, Jin Xuan was attacked by Liu Bei and defeated his soldiers. Jin Xuan himself was captured by Liu Bei's army.
In this regard, in early March, Liu Bei pacified the four counties in Jingnan. Zhuge Liang, the military advisor, was in charge of the three counties of Wuling, Lingling, and Changsha. General Zhao Yun led the governor of Guiyang with General Yamen to comprehensively arrange the government affairs of the four counties in Jingnan. The most important one was to preside over spring plowing.
Of course, the four counties in Jingnan are not actually four complete counties.
Because the four counties of Jingnan are bordering Jiangdong, Jiangdong has been attacking or infiltrating this place.
During the Battle of Chibi, Zhou Yu was stationed at Lukou. In order to ensure the safety of the flanks and rear, he also sent people to attack Changsha and Wuling counties. Therefore, Jiangdong actually occupied some county seats in Changsha and Wuling counties.
Only the two counties of Guiyang and Lingling that Liu Bei actually controlled were intact. Changsha County and Wuling County were both occupied by Liu Bei and Sun Quan.
But in any case, Liu Bei had been wandering around for so long and finally found a place to settle down.
Therefore, Liu Bei himself temporarily stationed himself in Lingling County. While calming people's hearts, he began to recruit talents.
Liu Bei remembered Zhang Xi's recommendation when he was leaving. After Han Xuan, the prefect of Changsha, surrendered, he went to Huang Zhong's mansion in person to seek help. Huang Zhong was moved and accepted Liu Bei's call. He was worshiped as Zhonglang General by Liu Bei and formally served as Liu Bei.
As for Liao Li, Xi Hong, Xi Zhen, Hao Pu and others, they also surrendered to Liu Bei. For a time, Liu Bei's talent pool began to slowly enrich.
Just being alone made Liu Bei a little uncomfortable.
Liu Ba, Liu Zichu.
Liu Ba was a native of Lingling and a famous scholar in Jingzhou. When Liu Biao was here, he recruited him to serve as an official many times, but Liu Ba refused.
It was not a bad thing to refuse conquest in those days, but it would make people think that you disdain to bow to the powerful, so Liu Ba's reputation became more and more famous.
But in fact Liu Ba is not really a noble person, he just looks down on Liu Biao.
As soon as Cao Cao arrived, Liu Ba went to court Cao Cao. Cao Cao also sent him to the four counties in Jingnan to persuade them to surrender.
But no one expected that it would be so easy for Cao Cao to take Jingzhou and lose it so quickly. A fire in Chibi made Cao Cao not even bother to say anything about retreating, but he also directly gave up the four counties of Jingnan, just to keep Nanjun and Xiangyang.
At this time, Liu Bei almost effortlessly collected Liu Ba's people from the four counties of Jingnan. Before he could leave Jingnan, Jingnan had already changed its master.
Of course Liu Bei had also heard of Liu Ba's name, so Liu Bei still cherished this talent and wanted to recruit him to serve as an official.
But Liu Ba despised Liu Bei and felt that he was the defeated general of Prime Minister Cao, a person with a false reputation just like Liu Biao. In Liu Ba's heart, there was only Prime Minister Cao forever, so Liu Ba ran away.
Just run, Liu Bei won't be angry with Liu Ba for this matter.
But Liu Ba didn't know what he was thinking. He actually wrote a letter to Zhuge Liang. He praised Cao Cao and said that only Cao Cao could rule the world. He also belittled the governors of Jingnan counties and said that they all surrendered to Liu Bei for personal gain. .
The implication is that Liu Bei, who continues to hire these people, is not a good guy.
Zhuge Liang cherished his talent, so he wrote to him to persuade him to surrender, but the guy said that even if he fled to Jiaozhou, he would take a detour north to join Cao Cao.
This makes Liu Bei angry, why don't we bring someone so harmful?
(End of chapter)
