Cao Zhen felt that Zhang Fei lived up to his reputation. He was indeed brave and courageous in attacking and was very difficult to deal with.
But Zhang Fei also found it a bit difficult to deal with Cao Zhen.
Cao Zhen relied on the defense of the camp and commanded the defense in an orderly manner. Although it seemed a bit difficult to face his own siege, at least there was no big flaw for Zhang Fei to seize, and the defense was quite organized.
It's not that Zhang Fei doesn't have the confidence to break through the camp. Zhang Fei believes that as long as he continues to attack like this, sooner or later he will break through the camp.
But Zhang Fei was a bit hard to estimate the price he would pay to break this camp.
There is no problem in laying down the camp, but the problem is how many soldiers he has to kill and injure. If the casualties are too great, Zhang Fei can't afford to lose them.
After all, the army in Zhang Fei's hands is the Northern Army that the Han Dynasty spent a lot of money to rebuild. The total number of the Northern and Southern armies is only about 30,000 people. If it were in his own hands, the Northern Army would be in trouble just because it attacked a camp. If the losses are heavy, it is really not worth it.
In addition, Cao's army is now trapped by the Weishui River. With no way forward and no way out, there is no need to fight to the death with these trapped beasts, right? !
Therefore, after Zhang Fei launched three attacks and failed to break through Cao Zhen's camp, he chose to withdraw his troops temporarily.
Regarding this point, Wei Yan expressed his confusion.
Seeing that Cao Jun's camp has been shaken a bit, if they can continue to strengthen the attack, it will only take two or three days to break the camp. Why did they suddenly stop attacking? !
Zhang Fei didn't hide it. Anyway, Wei Yan and Wu Yi were both of his own. One was from his eldest brother's tribe and his favorite general. The other was his eldest brother's uncle and the actual commander of the Southern Army. Lieutenant General, there's nothing I can't say.
After Wei Yan listened to Zhang Fei's explanation, although he could understand it, he still insisted on raising objections.
Wei Yan still had the same idea - what if the Wei army in front of him was not a trapped beast, but they were just waiting for waterway reinforcements from Chang'an? !
If we don't break the camp before Chang'an's fleet arrives and drive these Wei troops down the river to feed the bastards, are we going to watch them safely withdraw? !
When Wei Yan said this, Zhang Fei was a little dumbfounded. Indeed, the possibility that Wei Yan mentioned really existed.
But even if Zhang Fei realizes his mistake, it is no longer realistic to change his deployment and attack again at this time.
Now that the entire army has withdrawn its troops and returned to camp, the energy and spirit of the soldiers have entered a relatively relaxed state of rest. If these soldiers are allowed to go to fight again, their combat effectiveness and fighting will cannot be guaranteed.
At least we can't continue attacking today.
Therefore, Zhang Fei could only order the entire army to rest and recuperate before attacking the camp the next day.
Wei Yan was a little unwilling to accept this, but he also knew that Zhang Fei's decision was the right one. It was only his fault that he did not tell Zhang Fei his thoughts earlier, otherwise this would not have happened.
But early the next morning, when Zhang Fei had gathered his soldiers and prepared to fight again, the attack was forced to stop again.
This time, it wasn't Zhang Fei who changed his mind, but Liu Bei's arrival.
Liu Bei did not lead his army into Mei County to rest at all, but directly led an army of 20,000 people, following Zhang Fei's traces, and marched all the way to the Weishui River.
Even in order to reach Zhang Fei's camp quickly, Liu Bei asked Huang Quan to lead most of the troops to slow down. He only took a thousand personal guards and rushed all the way to Zhang Fei's camp.
Liu Bei, an old man in his sixties, didn't think much of running wildly all the way, but Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang, two young men in their forties, found it unbearable to ride on horseback.
This run made the two scribes feel the power of the emperor on horseback. Most people really couldn't stand this bumpy ride.
As soon as Liu Bei arrived at the camp, he naturally took over the command of the war. At the same time, Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, who were feeling a little uncomfortable but still clear-headed, suggested that Liu Bei postpone the attack on Cao Zhen's camp.
At this moment, Wei Yan was anxious again. Did the two military advisors run too fast along the way and lost their minds? !
I have made it very clear that Cao Jun may be waiting for Chang'an to come over to meet their retreating fleet. If we don't attack at this time, why don't we wait until they are all gone and then swim down the Weishui River to pursue them? !
Wei Yan hurriedly argued in front of Liu Bei with a pale face, while Pang Tong covered his head and felt uncomfortable for a while. He had to stand up and said to Wei Yan, "General Wei, don't be anxious. This is the method of encircling three columns. Sun Tzu There is a saying in the art of war: when returning to the enemy, do not contain it; if you surround the enemy, you must block it; when the enemy is poor, do not force it. This is the truth."
Wei Yan looked at Pang Tong in confusion and said, "What are you talking about?" !
What I'm telling you is that the enemy may have reinforcements and they can retreat calmly. What did you say to me about surrounding Sanque? Are the things you said about us comparable to our actual situation? !
Good guy, Pang Tong's head hurts even more.
Let's talk about it. Pang Tong really doesn't want to deal with Wei Yan. This person's character is really about the art of war, and it's not something to be learned mechanically. As a general, you should understand a little bit of this, right? !
Isn’t this an argument? ! !
If it weren't for the fact that he was the mastermind of this Northern Expedition, he wouldn't want to deal with Wei Yan.
After all, Pang Tong came from a noble family. Although he felt that he was still very kind to others, he had some deep-rooted concepts that could not be changed for a while.
That's not to say that Pang Tong looked down upon Wei Yan, but Pang Tong was really reluctant to deal with someone like Wei Yan who felt good about himself and was not easy to reason with.
But Pang Tong ignored him, so Zhuge Liang couldn't ignore him.
After all, Wei Yan is also His Majesty's confidant. You can't let Your Majesty explain this kind of thing to Wei Yan in person. Isn't that what we do as counselors? ! !
Therefore, Zhuge Liang could only stand up and said to Wei Yan, "Mr. Wen, don't be anxious, we have anticipated this. As Chief Wen said, if Cao Jun is waiting for someone to come from Chang'an to meet him, he will fight to the death to save his life." . If we attack by force, it will be no less than besieging the city without leaving any chance to the enemy. If we had not waited for his ships to come, Cao's army would have just wanted to retreat and would have no fighting spirit. If we attack again at a later time, wouldn't we get twice the result with half the effort?!"
That means that Cao Jun's chance of survival is to be rescued by the fleet. Attacking now is equivalent to cutting off Cao Jun's chance of survival. Then Cao Jun must fight hard to hold on to this glimmer of hope.
But once Cao Jun's fleet really comes, then Cao Jun's soldiers all want to board the boat and escape. This is equivalent to letting go of the siege. They will definitely not defend. If they attack again at that time, they will Much easier.
When Zhuge Liang explained this, Wei Yan understood immediately.
It's understandable, but Wei Yan still insists that he must attack immediately.
Moreover, Wei Yan also gave his own reasons.
Your strategy of surrounding three buildings can certainly reduce the Wei army's determination to resist and make our attack smoother, but it will always make some of the Wei army retreat to Chang'an. It would be better to try to break through the enemy before the enemy fleet arrives. The Wei army had no choice but to swim across the Wei River at the risk of death.
Swimming across the Wei River in winter is basically courting death.
With such an opportunity to completely annihilate the enemy, why should we give the enemy a chance to retreat? !
What he said was that Zhuge Liang didn't want to talk to Wei Yan, he knew how to talk so hard! ! !
Yes, Wei Yan didn't really want to oppose the strategy proposed by Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, he was just being tough and refused to admit his mistake.
Wei Yan had been in Liu Bei's camp for a long time. Both Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong knew him well. They knew that his nature was not bad, and he was not the kind of person who didn't take the lives of his soldiers seriously. But that's what you said. , it sounds awkward to others.
It's impossible for this guy not to know that such a strong attack will cause heavy casualties to his own soldiers, and he is not the kind of cruel person who regards the lives of his soldiers as consumables. He also knows that his strategy is too reluctant, but for the sake of his own face, he must You have to be tough and insist on a few words.
Really, Zhuge Liang really doesn't understand. What's the point? !
Fortunately, Zhuge Liang knew what kind of person Wei Yan was, and Liu Bei knew even more about the character and temper of Wei Yan, a general from his own tribe, so no one really took Wei Yan's insistence seriously.
Liu Bei still ordered the entire army to rest and recuperate temporarily, and at the same time sent soldiers to cut down trees and build siege equipment to prepare for the next war.
But Liu Bei suddenly stopped moving, and Cao Zhen was also in a lawsuit, and he was a little confused as to what the Shu army was doing.
We are waiting for the fleet from Chang'an to meet us. What are you, the Shu Army, waiting for? !
Why don't you take advantage of the arrival of our fleet to attack our camp and drive us down the river to feed the bastards? Are you waiting to catch fish? !
Cao Zhen really didn't understand. For this reason, he had to find Guo Huai and the two of them discussed countermeasures.
Guo Huai was also a little confused about the Shu army's strategy of suspending the attack. In fact, his thoughts were similar to Cao Zhen's. He really couldn't understand why the Shu army gave him time.
Could it be that General Zhang He successfully attacked Wuzhangyuan, which caused the Shu army to be short of food and grass, so it stopped moving.
But this isn’t right either.
If General Zhang He successfully attacked Wuzhangyuan when he and Governor Cao Zhen were besieging Mei County, then there was indeed a risk that the main force of the Shu army would run out of food. Although there was food in Mei County, it would be useless if it could not be transported out.
But now that Mei County has been relieved, even if the Shu army is really captured by General Zhang He and captures Wuzhangyuan, relying on the grain and grass that the Wei army has hoarded in Mei County, it can fully support a two-front battle such as counterattacking Wuzhangyuan and pursuing itself.
The current reaction of the Shu army is really strange.
Guo Huai and Cao Zhen discussed with each other and inspired each other's ideas. In the end, Guo Huai's strategy was more advanced, and they became terrified.
"This is the way the Shu thieves want to encircle three towers!!!"
After hearing this, Cao Zhen looked at Guo Huai with the same expression as Wei Yan, and then began to think. What you said is the same as what I thought? !
The Shu army did nothing, so why did they surround three buildings? !
(End of chapter)
