After Zhang Xi received the military report from the rear, he wanted to curse.
Who the hell is this unscrupulous guy who gave the King of Hanzhong this bad idea? !
Use yourself as bait to attract Guo Huai's attention and attract Guo Huai to the area from Ji County to Xixian County. Are you afraid that something unexpected will happen and everything will be lost? !
What do Fazheng and Pang Tong do for a living? !
Don't we just want to nail Guo Huai under the city of Ji County? I can't help it. As for letting Liu Bei take the risk of luring the enemy in Xi County? !
Originally, Guo Huai had already led his troops to the city of Ji County. Zhang Xi was planning to go to the city tower in person early tomorrow morning and scold the formation in person in front of the armies of both sides. While attracting Guo Huai's hatred, he would also show Wei Yan how the general scolded the formation. Woolen cloth.
It's okay now. If I don't take some remedies tomorrow, I really might not be able to stop Guo Huai.
After all, Liu Bei's bait is so good. As long as Liu Bei is defeated, Liu Bei's group will inevitably retreat, and the so-called Northern Expedition will naturally come to an abrupt end.
As for Guo Huai, he has not yet received a report from the expedition. He has indeed just led his troops to camp outside the city of Ji County. He is planning to go to the city of Ji County tomorrow to test the strength of the guards in Ji County.
Guo Huai was in a really bad mood during this time.
In mid-September, I learned that Liu Bei had pledged to fight for the Northern Expedition in Hanzhong, and then received a military order from Cao Hong, the governor of Yongliang, asking him to raise troops and be ready to march eastward for support at any time.
Guo Huai did not dare to neglect, so he led Liangzhou troops to Pingxiang County in early October and began to gather the Qiang and Hu Yi Cong, preparing to gather the Qiang and Hu Yi Cong and then march eastward.
Since then, Guo Huai has not received good news.
First, Gao Gang lost the Qishan Fort, which brought news that the Shu army was dispatching troops from Qishan Road. Not long after, Ma Zun abandoned the city and fled, and refused to return to Ji County to hold on.
After finally receiving good news, Zhao Ang said that he would stick to Ji County, and he was finally able to assemble his army with peace of mind and go to the rescue. However, only halfway, he heard the news of Zhao Ang's defeat and the fall of Ji County.
This is too fast, only four or five days. How on earth did Zhao Ang keep it? !
Because it was too hasty, and Jiang Xu and others surrendered too simply, Guo Huai did not even know how Zhao Ang failed. Therefore, Guo Huai did not dare to advance easily, and quickly sent an order to call back the vanguard cavalry that had been sent, and the army While on the road, collect information.
In the end, I found out that Zhao Ang had asked the famous families in Tianshui County to sell him out, and that was why he failed.
At this time, Guo Huai didn't know what to say. He didn't know whether to praise Ma Zun for his foresight or to continue to spurn him as a cowardly person.
But no matter what, after learning that the Shu army generals did not know any magic and had no unpredictable strategies, Guo Huai still led his army to the foot of Ji County.
The location of Ji County is too important. It is a crossroads in the north of Yongzhou. This place is occupied by the enemy and cannot be ignored.
Therefore, Guo Huai cheered up and led his army personally to the gate of Ji County the next day and invited the Ji County garrison to answer.
This is the battlefield etiquette these days. On the one hand, you can ask each other to see each other's mentality. On the other hand, you can somehow know who your opponent is, so that you can be more targeted when formulating a battle plan.
At the beginning, the conversation was relatively normal. Zhang Xi and Guo Huai greeted each other, and both sides also knew who their opponents were.
But when the conversation came to an end, Zhang Xi started to act coquettishly.
Originally, after this conversation, Guo Huai would retreat to the central army. Whether to attack the city or temporarily suspend his troops and return to the camp depends on Guo Huai's choice.
But at this time, Zhang Xi said that Guo Huai had come a long way and wanted to give Guo Huai a gift.
Although it is strange, there is no precedent for this kind of thing. Moreover, in front of the two armies, Guo Huai did not have any supervisors or allies with ulterior motives, and he was not afraid of Zhang Xi's tricks, so he agreed. .
Then Zhang Xi ordered someone to put down a hanging basket, and in the hanging basket, there was a square wooden box that was not too big or too small.
Guo Huai was wondering, was it really a gift? !
After all, this box looks very exquisite, and the things it is used to contain are generally not very low-end.
Guo Huai thought that Zhang Xi was following ancient etiquette, saying hello to each other and giving gifts before the fight started, and then starting the fight. After the fight, they had to say hello to each other and give gifts.
This is pretty much what the wars in the Spring and Autumn Period meant.
Even Guo Huai was wondering what gift he should give in return so that he wouldn't look rude.
But when Guo Huai opened the gift from Zhang Xi in front of the entire army, his hair almost exploded.
Zhang Xi actually gave Guo Huai a set of women's clothes in front of the two armies.
What the hell does this bastard mean? ! What do you want to do by giving yourself women’s clothes? ! Do you laugh at yourself for looking like a woman? !
This is really too much. Although I, Guo Huai, am a bit shorter, I am still a tall and dignified man. I have made countless achievements in battles in all directions. I am revered as a god by the Qiang and Di people. How can I look like a woman? !
Guo Huai was so angry that he wanted to throw away the clothes and the box together.
But Guo Huai could not do this, because there were many soldiers in front of the two armies who were curious about what was in the box and were waiting to see it with their own eyes.
Even if Guo Huai wanted to get over this matter calmly, Zhang Xi would not let him go. He looked like he was afraid that Guo Huai would not understand what it meant to give him women's clothes. He shouted loudly in front of the two armies. Not only did he say The gift given to Guo Huai was women's clothing, and Zhang Xi made it clear that he would treat this women's clothing as an agreement between the two parties.
If you, Guo Huai, think you can't conquer Ji County, then just put on this woman's clothes and get out, whether you return to Liangzhou or go to help Cao Hong, it doesn't matter.
But if you, Guo Huai, can lead the army to capture Ji County, then Zhang Xi will die in women's clothes. Even if he dies in battle, Guo Huai will be allowed to be buried in women's clothes.
It has to be said that Zhang Xi made an agreement that was quite extraordinary in this era.
And this is what Zhang Xi came up with to pin Guo Huai to Jixian County. Anyway, Zhang Xi didn't believe that Guo Huai had the cheekiness of Sima Old Fox to dare to wear women's clothes and ask his subordinates if he was beautiful!
Although he copied Prime Minister Zhuge's idea, the Guo Huai opposite Zhang Xi was not Sima Yi after all, and it was not that Guo Huai could not avoid fighting. Zhang Xi was mainly afraid that he would run away.
As soon as this move came out, Zhang Xi felt that it was impossible for Guo Huai not to accept this agreement if he wanted to save face.
As long as Guo Huai accepts this agreement, he will have to fight against Ji County until the two sides decide the winner.
As for Guo Huai, he is indeed being held captive by Zhang Xi.
Guo Huai is indeed not Sima Yi, he still wants face and reputation.
Now Guo Huai leads more than 50,000 troops, and the total garrison of Hebei County only has more than 20,000 troops. The strength of the troops is completely dominated by Guo Huai. If he doesn't agree to this, he will inevitably be arranged by others, and his reputation will be completely ruined.
But as the general in charge, Guo Huai naturally knew that most of the troops he brought were Liangzhou cavalry. No matter how many troops he brought, it was of no use. Do you want the cavalry to dismount and attack the city? !
He wanted not to agree, but Zhang Xi gave the woman's clothes to him in front of the two armies, and everyone was watching. If he didn't agree, not only would the morale of his soldiers be low, but the Hu Renyi who came with him would also have to watch. lively? !
Regardless of the outcome of this battle, as long as he does not agree to this agreement, when he returns to Liangzhou, which of these barbarians will still fear him? !
Furthermore, Guo Huai felt that he might not lose.
It is true that the cavalry is not good at attacking cities, but that does not mean that the cavalry cannot break the city. There are many ways to break the city, nor does it mean that the soldiers must climb the city wall.
Guo Huai thought about it carefully and felt that it was not impossible.
Guo Huai not only agreed in public, but also ordered people to build a platform outside his camp, put the gift box on the platform, and threatened that after breaking the city, he would personally watch Zhang Xi put on this woman's clothes and present the gift to him. Please surrender yourself.
Zhang Xi breathed a sigh of relief as long as you agree. Anyway, Zhang Xi himself has no resistance to wearing women's clothing.
Besides, Zhang Xi doesn't believe it. What other tricks can you, Guo Huai, have to teach these Liangzhou soldiers who can only ride horses to attack the city?
Guo Huai does have a unique trick, but he is not using it now.
After Guo Huai returned to camp, he first ordered his generals to dispatch Qiang and Hu cavalry to conduct a large-scale sweep around Ji County.
The purpose of this is to complete the encirclement of Hebei County and prevent Hebei County from receiving any grain supplies from other areas.
This behavior was within Zhang Xi's expectation.
After Jiang Wei initially raised objections to Wei Yan's plan to set up a stronghold for battle out of the city, Wei Yan asked Jiang Wei how long he could hold on without a stronghold to protect the food routes and rely on an isolated city.
Of course, this problem is purely because Wei Yan is deliberately making things difficult for Jiang Wei. Everyone knows that the army of the King of Hanzhong is behind him. There is no way for such a small number of cavalry to completely stop the advance of the army of the King of Hanzhong.
As long as the main army of the King of Hanzhong arrives, then food and grass will naturally be available.
So, Zhang Xi really didn't care. If Guo Huai was willing to clean up, just let Guo Huai do it.
It is definitely not a problem to hold on to the grain and grass stored in Ji County for a month, and with the arrival of the Hanzhong King's army and Ma Chao's cavalry, within this month, it is enough for Cao and Liu to decide the winner at the border of Liangzhou.
But then, Guo Huai came up with his own strange move, and when Zhang Xi saw this thing, his expression suddenly changed.
Guo Huai, this old boy, actually has a catapult! ! !
Zhang Xi looked at Guo Huai's army with a solemn expression. He really didn't expect that he could encounter a catapult in Liangzhou.
This is Guo Huai's trump card.
Guo Huai has always been a calm general who is good at learning.
A few years ago, Zhang Xi built catapults to smash people's city walls when he had nothing to do. Especially during the Battle of Xiangfan, Man Chong abandoned the city and fled. After Guo Huai learned about it, he directly obtained some through Cao Hong's channels. Craftsmen who could make thunderbolt cars stayed in the army just in case.
Don't use it now.
Looking at Zhang Xi's not too bright face on the top of the city, Guo Huai suddenly felt a lot relieved. Oh, I left you to mess around with the agreement. Now you are dumbfounded. The person wearing women's clothing must be you.
But then, Guo Huai couldn't laugh anymore.
Urgent information came from the spy sent to the south - Liu Bei personally led the army out of Qishan Road and stationed in Xi County. At the same time, he sent General Zhang Fei with 20,000 troops to rescue Ji County.
Now Guo Huai also looked at the box he placed on the high platform with mixed emotions. Why the hell did I agree to this agreement yesterday? !
(End of chapter)
