Zhuge Liang doesn't have as many messy ideas as Zhang Xi. The first thing he considers now is how to defeat the defenders left by Guo Huai.
The movements of the Wei army some time ago showed very obvious signs of withdrawal. This was just because Zhuge Liang did not have clear information and did not know the real reason for Guo Huai's withdrawal.
It may be that Wei Yan was too hasty to attack Mei County and Guo Huai was in a hurry to go back to rescue it. It may also be that Wei Yan had already captured Mei County and Guo Huai wanted to take advantage of Wei Yan's unsteady foothold to counterattack and recapture Mei County.
There are both possibilities, but from Zhuge Liang's perspective, when he formulates a response plan, although he must take into account the differences between the two situations, more importantly, he should try to find two possible common response plans.
For this reason, Zhuge Liang had to drag Zhang Xi back to the camp on the west side of Wuzhangyuan, find Liu Bei who had moved the camp here, and formulate the next response plan with Pang Tong and Huang Quan who were accompanying Liu Bei.
Guo Huai's withdrawal is basically a foregone conclusion. No matter what the reason is, the Han army cannot just sit back and watch Guo Huai retreat so easily.
Therefore, the first step is to defeat the defenders left by Guo Huai and pursue Guo Huai as soon as possible.
There is no objection to this. After all, what the enemy wants to do should be what we want to stop - Guo Huai must not be allowed to withdraw his troops so easily.
But next, after defeating Guo Huai's remaining troops, there was disagreement within Liu Bei's intelligence group as to whether he should pursue Guo Huai with the main force or divide his forces to capture Wugong County.
Zhang Xi believes that the possibility of Wei Yan attacking Mei County is not high, because in terms of time, unless the right time, place and people are available, Wei Yan should be besieging Mei County at this time.
After all, the terrain of Chencang Road is difficult. Even if Xiahou Mao is an idiot, delaying it for five to ten days should not be a problem. Mei County is also guarded by two thousand Wei troops. As long as the defenders do not wander and hold on to the city with peace of mind, Wei Yan will not be able to capture Mei easily. county.
Therefore, according to Zhang Xi's estimation, Guo Huai withdrew his troops to rescue Mei County. What he had to do was to march along Guo Huai's retreat route, try to delay Guo Huai's withdrawal to Mei County, and create opportunities for Wei Yan to attack Mei County. time.
Regarding Wugong County on the east side of Wuzhangyuan, Zhang Xi also advocated sending people to capture it, but only because Wugong County's geographical location is very important. It is on the flank of Wuzhangyuan. Capturing and holding that place can prevent Zhang He from the right Fufeng from leading troops to threaten. Wuzhangyuan.
This was a precautionary measure. Zhang Xi did not believe that Zhang He would invade Wugong County in a large scale unless he no longer wanted You Fufeng.
Therefore, Zhang Xi's suggestion was to let Liu Yin lead three thousand troops to capture Wugong County.
There are not many Wei troops guarding Wugong County. As long as Liu Yin can quickly attack the city, it shouldn't be a big problem for 3,000 people to capture Wugong County.
With Liu Yin's defensive ability, once Wugong County is captured, even if Zhang He really leads troops to threaten Wuzhangyuan's flanks, there is no need to worry too much. In history, Liu Yin used 3,000 men to defend against the siege of Zhong Hui's tens of thousands of troops. of.
Under the current war situation, even if Zhang He is killed, he cannot send more than 10,000 troops. If he dares to send more than 10,000 troops, You Fufeng's defense will be completely empty. Then the superior Kou Feng and Meng Da will You can copy what you did during the last Northern Expedition, lead troops into Youfufeng, and directly threaten Chang'an.
This is Zhang Xi's suggestion.
This is a relatively safe approach, and it is also an approach to put the main force of the Han army on Guo Huai's army. The purpose is to completely annihilate this Wei army and not give Guo Huai a chance to escape the battlefield.
But Pang Tong had the opposite idea.
First of all, one thing to admit is that Pang Tong approved of Zhang Xi's approach. Although this was a relatively conservative strategy in Pang Tong's opinion, it was indeed very safe.
The main force of the Han army numbered more than 50,000, and Wei Yan's troops numbered about 20,000, adding up to a full 70,000.
As for Guo Huai's troops, after leaving some of the defenders behind, there should be only more than 30,000 people left. The military strength ratio is almost two to one.
In this case, regardless of whether Wei Yan has occupied Mei County or not, under the siege of such a large army, Guo Huai's army will most likely not be able to escape the encirclement.
Unless Guo Huai is really capable of being pursued and intercepted by so many Han troops, he can break out of the Han army's encirclement before his army runs out of food and fodder, defeat Wei Yan's troops, and successfully counterattack or relieve the siege of Meixian.
But this is basically impossible. Unless all the generals and counselors of the Han army collectively become wise.
Yes, Pang Tong approved the plan proposed by Zhang Xi, but Pang Tong still had objections.
In Pang Tong's view, the focus of Zhang Xi's entire plan was based on Wei Yan's failure to capture Mei County. What if Wei Yan really captured Mei County? !
If that's the case, then Zhang Xi's combat plan seems a bit conservative, and at the same time, the defense in the direction of Wugong County seems a bit overestimated.
Once Wei Yan really captures Mei County, Guo Huai will withdraw his troops and counterattack Mei County, leaving little time for Guo Huai, and the food supply for Guo Huai's army will also be a big problem.
Guo Huai is also a wise man. In this case, he did not choose to seize Wugong County and withdraw to Chang'an. Instead, he chose to return to the army to counterattack Mei County. If he did not have enough confidence, could Guo Huai take such a risk? !
Therefore, Pang Tong believes that if the entire strategic plan is based on the fact that Wei Yan has captured Mei County, then we cannot just focus on Guo Huai's army. What is the reaction of Cao Zhen in Chang'an, and what is the reaction of Zhang He in You Fufeng? All should be considered.
If we think about it this way, the location importance of Wugong County will be improved by several levels.
Whether it is threatening Wuzhangyuan's flanks or leaving a way for Guo Huai's army to retreat, Wugong County is a very critical node.
Guo Huai will definitely not hand over this place to the Han army easily. Even if he does not personally send troops to occupy it, Zhang He of You Fufeng will definitely send troops to rescue it quickly. It is even possible. When Guo Huai chooses to withdraw his troops, Zhang He of You Fufeng We have already led our troops to support Wugong County.
If Liu Yin is only sent to lead 3,000 people to seize Wugong County, the force will not be enough.
Although Wugong County is closer to Wuzhangyuan, and the distance between Zhang He's troops from Youfufeng and Wugong County is obviously longer, Zhang He is a famous general after all, and it is impossible that he does not know the importance of military speed. Once Zhang He is allowed to occupy Wugong County first, Liu Yin's Three thousand people were there to die, and Wuzhangyuan would also face threats from the flanks.
And even if Liu Yin can occupy Wugong County before Zhang He, if Liu Yin is only given 3,000 men, whether Liu Yin can hold on to the army led by Zhang He is a very critical issue.
Pang Tong didn't have an intuitive understanding of Liu Yin's abilities. It was just because of the candidates recommended by Zhang Xi that Pang Tong couldn't directly oppose them. Facts over the years have proven that the people recommended by Zhang Xi are generally not very capable. Low.
But this does not mean that Pang Tong can trust Liu Yin unconditionally, especially when Liu Yin's opponent is Cao Wei's famous general Zhang He.
Therefore, Pang Tong's suggestion is that if Wei Yan has occupied Mei County, then Guo Huai's army will be in a desperate situation. As long as time is delayed, Guo Huai's army may collapse at any time, and there will be no need to use too many troops.
On the contrary, Wugong County is so important that a general, such as Zhang Xi, should be sent to personally lead the troops to capture Wugong County, and the force should preferably not be less than 15,000 people.
Pang Tong even had a more radical suggestion - if Zhang Xi found that Zhang He on the right in Fufeng did not make much movement after seizing Wugong County, he could lead his troops across the Wei River from the north of Wugong County and march directly to Chang'an.
If Mei County has been captured by Wei Yan, then Chang'an at this time will definitely not sit back and watch Guo Huai's army be surrounded so easily, and will definitely send out a supporting army. Chang'an cannot have too many defenders, maybe they can receive Wonderful effect.
Even if there is no miraculous effect, Zhang Xi can still retreat to Wugong County along the Wei River when the situation is unfavorable, continue to guard the Wuzhangyuan flank, peek at Youfufeng, and contain Zhang He's troops.
This is Pang Tong's suggestion. It is as radical as ever, but it is not impossible. But Zhang Xi feels that it is a bit too risky.
And although Pang Tong's suggestion has its own reasons, isn't it just like his own, basing his strategy on the fact that Wei Yan has already captured Mei County? !
If Wei Yan had not captured Mei County, but he had sent 15,000 men to seize the martial arts. With less than 40,000 men left, would it really be that easy to hold back Guo Huai, who was eager to withdraw his troops? !
Once the main force of Guo Huai's army is allowed to retreat to Mei County, it doesn't take much, as long as 20,000 people can be withdrawn. The entire Guanzhong war situation will fall into a stalemate again.
As for leading troops from Wugong County to Chang'an, just think about it.
Zhang He is not a fool. If he leads the troops to occupy Wugong County, Zhang He will definitely react, and there is no way he will be given a chance to divide his troops to attack Chang'an.
I'm afraid that as soon as I led the troops across the river, Zhang He led the troops to besiege Wugong County. Once Zhang He retakes Wugong County and crosses Zhangxi, there will be no way out.
At that time, if Guo Huai had led his troops and safely retreated to Mei County, then Zhang Xi would have been completely suffocated between You Fufeng and Chang'an.
At this point, even Huang Quan had no intention of supporting Pang Tong.
In Huang Quan's view, it was necessary to send troops to seize Wugong County, and it was necessary for Zhang Xi to personally lead 15,000 people there, but there was no need to cross the river to attack Chang'an.
If you have the time, it is better to secure Wugong County first, and then find a way to contact Meng Da and Kou Feng in Shangyong, and jointly put pressure on You Fufeng, creating a tense atmosphere in Chang'an, so that Chang'an does not dare to send any troops to Mei County easily. It is safer to support the troops.
Generally speaking, Huang Quan also supported Pang Tong's plan, excluding the part of crossing the river to attack Chang'an.
As for Zhuge Liang. To be honest, Zhuge Liang's choice this time was somewhat beyond Zhang Xi's expectations.
This "cautious" Zhuge Kongming did not choose to support Zhang Xi's obviously more cautious plan this time, but chose to side with Pang Tong.
Zhuge Liang was even more radical than Huang Quan. He even supported Pang Tong's plan to cross the river to attack Chang'an.
Somewhat difficult to accept.
(End of chapter)
