Yicheng's sudden attack was indeed something Zhang Xi did not expect.
Zhang Xi later learned that Lu Chang only brought 3,000 reinforcements to garrison Yicheng, and he arrived only three days earlier than Zhang Xi. Zhang Xi really didn’t understand how Lu Chang did it. of.
With a team of only 3,000 people, it was only over a hundred miles from Xiangyang to Yicheng. How did he manage to walk for twenty days? !
Lu Chang also felt that he had lost unjustly.
A month ago, Xiangyang received a battle report saying that Zhang Xi, the governor of Nanjun, led his troops to capture Linju. At that time, Lu Chang judged that Liu Bei's group might have launched a large-scale attack.
Otherwise, Zhang Xi, the governor of Nanjun, had stayed peacefully in Jiangling City for several years, why would he suddenly appear in Linju?
Moreover, Guan Yu has always been in charge of Nanjun's military affairs. How could Zhang Xi, the prefect of Nanjun, suddenly lead troops on an expedition? !
Obviously, this must be a military action instigated by Guan Yu.
Moreover, even the prefect of Nanjun personally led the troops on the expedition, but Guan Yu was nowhere to be seen. Can this military operation be the same as the previous small fights? !
Therefore, Lu Chang quickly asked Hu Xiu, the governor of Jingzhou, to send troops, not to mention conquering Nanjun, but at least to defend several counties near Xiangyang, such as Yicheng County.
But Hu Xiu believed that in recent years, Guan Yu would attack Linju whenever he had nothing to do. It was a place he had given up, and even if Liu Beijun occupied it, it would not be a big deal.
In that place, Hu Xiu didn't even bother to send a local official to govern it, and he had already given up on governing it.
This year it was just a different personal attack, but Lu Chang said it was a large-scale military operation, which was a bit alarmist.
After all, Hu Xiu was the governor of Jingzhou, and his official position was higher than that of Lu Chang. He said it didn't matter, but it was hard for Lu Chang to persist.
Then, it was discovered that Zhang Xi had already marched into Dangyang and attacked from the north.
Now, Hu Xiu believed that this was a large-scale military operation launched by Guan Yu.
After all, Zhang Xi had already arrived in Dangyang County and was marching north. Hu Xiu also found out that the number of soldiers and horses led by Zhang Xi was more than 10,000. It was definitely not a small fight.
Whoever has nothing to do is to use more than 10,000 soldiers to make a small fuss. There are only more than 30,000 soldiers in Xiangyang, including the defensive force of Fancheng on the north bank of the Han River.
Therefore, Hu Xiu believed that Guan Yu was going to launch a large-scale attack on Xiangfan this time.
But here, Hu Xiu and Lu Chang disagreed again.
Lu Chang's intention was to strengthen the defense of each county, resist at all levels, delay the advance of Guan Yu's army, consume the vigor of Guan Yu's army, and at the same time quickly seek help from the King of Wei.
But Hu Xiu believes that Guan Yu is a famous general in the world, and we are definitely no match for Guan Yu. Instead of wasting troops by deploying layers of defenses, it is better to concentrate all the troops in Xiangyang City to defend it, and then quickly report it to the King of Wei, so that the King of Wei can send generals to the front. Come and take charge.
Lu Changxin said how could this man be like this? Even if he didn't fight, he would say he was no match. For this reason, he started to quarrel with Hu Xiu again, and the quarrel lasted for seven or eight days.
Later, Hu Xiu was annoyed by Lu Chang's quarrel and gave Lu Chang 3,000 men. He said that since Lu Chang believed that he could resist at all levels, he would give you 3,000 men and go to Yicheng to garrison to stop Guan Yu and buy time. OK
Then Lu Chang took three thousand people to Yicheng.
But there is another problem - Lu Chang was also a civil servant, and he had never led an army.
Although he is a little better than Hu Xiu, he has read some military books and understands some tactics, but leading troops cannot be learned through reading.
Not to mention anything else, three thousand people eating, drinking and eating would be enough to give Lu Chang a headache for a long time.
Not to mention how long the march will take, how to set up camp, when to rest, and when to rush on. There are a lot of things.
Lu Chang led 3,000 people out of the city, but this was the real beginning of Lu Chang's nightmare.
Lu Chang led 3,000 men and marched slowly. It took him more than ten days to reach Yicheng. As a result, before he could set up defenses, Zhang Xi led at least 10,000 people and appeared on the outskirts of Yicheng. .
Okay, now Lu Chang should consider defending the city immediately. But Lu Chang found that he didn't know how to defend the city at all.
What measures should be taken to defend the city, how to calm the minds of the gentry and common people in the city, how to arrange soldiers to defend, what methods should be used, and what equipment should be prepared to defend the city, these things have not yet been fully considered by Lu Chang. Zhang Xi, who does not have martial ethics , actually sent a vanguard to attack the city.
Then, Lu Chang lost ground and became incompetent in command.
Zhang Ni, the vanguard of Liu Bei's army, took less than half a day to lead his soldiers to attack the city wall and open the city gate. When Lu Chang saw this situation, he didn't care about the soldiers and ran back to Xiangyang.
All three thousand soldiers were lost to Zhang Xi, and they were scolded by Hu Xiu after they returned.
He had already said that it was enough to gather his troops and wait for reinforcements. He had to go to war. Now it is fine. Three thousand people were lost in vain. After saying this, Hu Xiu turned around and continued to impeach Lu Chang.
Lu Chang also felt that he could not rely on him for this matter. If Hu Xiu had believed his words and taken precautions earlier, how could he have failed so easily in Yicheng? He also wrote to the King of Wei to impeach Hu Xiu.
As for Zhang Xi, he also felt that this matter was a bit too smooth.
When I faced Zhou Yu under the city of E County, I was wasting time. I didn't have as many troops as the Yicheng defender. Why was there such a big gap? !
Didn't you keep it for a day? !
Zhang Xi also couldn't believe it. Is Cao Jun really so easy to fight these days? !
Zhang Xi quickly sent out detective horses in the direction of Xiangyang and Dangyang County to see if the city was lost on purpose, and then went to take his own escape route, intending to trap him to death in Yidu.
Although I know this is unlikely, Yidu is close to the Han River, and Zhang Xi can retreat at any time as long as there are naval forces. However, it is just in case.
As a result, no signs of Cao's army were found in either the direction of Xiangyang or Dangyang. Instead, they reported back from the scouting horses. Now the soldiers around Xiangyang City are all moving towards Xiangyang County. It seems that the defender intends to hold the city to death.
Indeed, with Fancheng on the north bank of the Han River as a backing, Xiangyang could transport grain supplies and troops through Fancheng, and indeed had the capital to hold on to the city.
It's just that Zhang Xi is really doubtful. Based on the performance of Cao Jun's defenders under Yidu City, can they really defend Xiangyang City? !
Well, let's not talk about him for the moment. Zhang Xi has no hope that he can break through a strong city like Xiangyang with just his own 10,000 people.
So, while Zhang Xi was clearing out Cao Jun's strongholds near Yicheng, he was waiting for Guan Yu to come north from the Han River to meet in Yicheng.
After waiting for about ten days, Guan Yu arrived in late June.
Guan Yu was also surprised when he arrived in Yicheng.
Originally, Guan Yu thought that no matter how fast Zhang Xi advanced, he would always encounter obstacles in Yicheng. He also planned to let the navy go ashore and help Zhang Xi attack the city.
The navy trained by the second master is different from those serious naval forces in Jiangdong. The navy trained by the second master is really versatile on both land and water.
Although the Jingzhou Navy may not be a match for the Jiangdong Navy in water battles, on land, Er Ye has absolute confidence in the Jingzhou Navy that he has trained.
Originally, the second master thought that Zhang Xi needed his help to capture Yicheng, but he found that Zhang Xi had already settled in Yicheng.
After Zhang Xi finished recounting his siege experience, the second master seriously doubted whether he had thought too much in the early years.
If he had known that Hu Xiu and Lu Chang were idiots of this level, then the second master should have sent troops to attack Xiangyang when Le Jin was transferred to Hefei. Maybe what he has to consider now is not to attack Xiangfan, but to attack Xudu. .
Well, there's no point thinking about it anymore. Now that we've reunited, let's discuss how to fight Xiangfan.
"Yicheng has been defeated. We only need to send one general and lead thousands of troops to defend Yicheng so that the Xiangyang defenders dare not leave without authorization. I think that Hu Xiu and Lu Chang are both courageous and will not dare to act lightly. When we get out, there should be no worries here." Guan Yu said to Zhang Xi, "When our navy builds a water stronghold, defeats Cao's navy in a water battle, completely seizes the Han River, cuts off the connection between Xiang and Fan, then lands on the north bank, and quickly encircles Fancheng, if this is the case, Cao Cao will definitely not want Fancheng to be lost, and will definitely send people to rush to help, and he may not have the intention to march westward to Hanzhong."
Well, there is nothing wrong with the strategy. It is almost the same as what was discussed in Jiangling. At this time, the second master still only focused on the response instead of taking Xiangfan.
This matter made Zhang Xi very happy.
But there are some details that still need to be discussed.
"The prince's plan is very good, but he has some doubts about the river." Zhang Xi raised his own doubts about Guan Yu, "It is not difficult for the navy to occupy the Han River. However, there are still more than ten thousand defenders in Fancheng. How can they ask for help and Cao's army comes to rescue them?" How should we respond? Even if Cao Cao comes to Wancheng to supervise the battle, how should we respond?!"
There is no suspense at all that Guan Yu's navy bullies Cao Cao's navy, so Zhang Xi has no doubt that the navy has cut off the connection between Xiangyang and Fancheng.
After so many years, Cao Cao was surprised that he had not established a reliable naval force in Xiangfan.
Of course, this may also be related to Cao Cao's determination to form a navy army.
After all, after the defeat of Chibi, Cao Cao had painstakingly trained a naval force, preparing to go south again to compete with Jiangdong. Then in the first Battle of Ruxu, he was defeated again by Zhou Yu, and he himself was commanded by Sun Quan. The navy troops were beaten so hard that they could only huddle in the water stronghold and not come out.
Sun Quan even asked people to drive a tall ship, pretending to be a wedding party, and personally went out to spy on Cao Cao's water stronghold. However, Cao Cao was stunned and did not dare to send warships to fight. Instead, he ordered people to fire arrows to drive them away, and staged a "historical version" of straw boats as scheduled. Borrow arrows.
Cao Cao was so angry that he found out about it later.
The last time I was tricked by the Zhuge villagers, at most I thought it was a beggar sent away with a hundred thousand arrows.
This time, even Sun Quan's son came to bully me. The most terrible thing is that I also fell down twice in the same pit with this kind of sailor, who really didn't agree with me.
Cao Cao may be motivated by the above mentality. Since then, Cao Cao has never organized a navy army. Even Xiangfan's navy army is half-baked. For so many years, he has not built many boats and has maintained it half-deadly. .
This time, Guan Yu brought out all the navy assets he had accumulated over the years, including more than 200 large and small ships, including Shang Ke.
Therefore, Zhang Xi had no doubt that Guan Yu wanted to cut off the connection between Fancheng and Xiangyang. After all, Cao Jun did not have a decent naval force.
But the problem is that if you want to attack Fancheng, you have to go ashore and fight on land in the open area north of the Han River. Facing Cao's army's attack is not an easy task.
Just as Lu Meng worried, Cao Cao had cavalry, and he had no shortage of cavalry. In places such as the Central Plains and Hebei, Cao Cao had the advantage of cavalry arms.
Secondly, Cao had many soldiers.
Although Cao Cao has put down the rebellion in Xudu and moved to Luoyang, Fancheng is not far away. As long as he makes up his mind, it is possible to come to Nanyang to supervise the war in person.
Cao Cao brought an army of 150,000 this time, preparing to go to Hanzhong to support Xiahou Yuan.
Once Guan Yu attacks Fancheng and defeats Fancheng, Cao Cao's reinforcements may arrive at any time. By that time, Guan Yu will be surrounded by enemy troops.
And Fancheng is actually not that easy to fight.
Let’s not talk about the more than 10,000 Cao troops guarding Fancheng. Let’s talk about the defender of Fancheng, Man Chong, the prefect of Runan.
Well, God knows why the prefect of Runan County acted as a guard in Fancheng, but this man was not just a cruel official who bullied others.
People who can use Sun Shiwan as an experience package must have some ability themselves.
(End of chapter)
