Zhang Liao is very disappointed now.
I have done everything I can do now, but I am afraid that Deng County cannot continue to hold on as I wish.
Zhang Liao originally thought that relying on his many years of prestige, going to the tower to supervise the battle in person would not only effectively improve the morale of his own soldiers, but also intimidate the Shu thieves' generals.
After all, Zhang Liao was very aware of Guan Yu's injuries. His shot actually penetrated Guan Yu's chest and abdomen.
Guan Yu is already sixty-one years old. With such an injury, unless Guan Yu is like him and risks his life, it will be impossible for him to fight again in a short time.
At least in Zhang Liao's view, Guan Yu really didn't have this need.
He wanted to find a permanent way out for the Yanmen Zhang family, but he, Guan Yu, had no need.
With Guan Yu's prestige among the Shu bandits and his relationship with Liu Bei, Guan Yu doesn't have to worry about the decline of the Guan family in a hundred years. He has no reason to fight to the death.
As long as Guan Yu doesn't go into battle in person and relies on the younger members of the Guan family to lead the battle, Zhang Liao is still confident that he can intimidate them.
As for Xu Shu, he was just a counselor. After all, it was up to the generals to lead the army in battle.
But Zhang Liao really didn't expect that his plan was only half successful.
Zhang Liao's personal visit to the city tower to supervise the battle indeed aroused the morale of the Wei soldiers and strengthened their determination to defend Deng County. However, it did not deter the Shu army's general.
On the first day of the offensive and defensive battle in Deng County, the fighting was quite fierce. The fierceness of the Shu thieves' offensive surprised Zhang Liao, who was used to seeing battles on the battlefield.
In particular, Kou Feng, the vanguard general of the Shu thieves, launched five consecutive sieges in one day. Each time, he was the first to attack the city. In the most violent attack, he had already climbed onto the city wall and opened up a tunnel with his own strength. A landing area.
If the soldiers of Wei had not fought to the death and Zhang Liao had asked Zhang Hu to lead the troops to support them in time, they might have actually attacked the city.
This is a tiger general, no less a warrior than Le Wenqian.
Of course, the person who impressed Zhang Liao the most was Guan Ping, the son of Guan Yu.
This junior is quite like his father.
When the attack is going well, seize the opportunity to attack fiercely and never give the enemy a chance to breathe; when the attack is unfavorable, there is no hesitation, retreat when it is time to retreat, reorganize the offensive formation, and prepare for the next attack.
Looking at the high-spirited son of an old friend opposite him who was commanding the entire army in battle, and looking back at his own son, he knew that if Zhang Liao hadn't been tied to a pillar and couldn't move, he would have given this bastard a slap in the face again. .
Yes, guarding yourself is indeed a sign of filial piety. But the war situation is so urgent now. As a general, shouldn't you go to the city wall and command the soldiers to kill the thieves and retreat the enemy? !
What's the use of guarding an old man? ! ! !
Besides, I have dozens of personal guards guarding me. It is impossible for the enemy to attack the tower head-on. At most, they can suppress it with arrows and only protect themselves with dozens of shields. What danger can I be in? !
Therefore, on the second day of the Battle of Deng County, after Zhang Liao tied himself to the city wall again, he immediately sent Zhang Hu to the city wall to fight, and by the way, Zhang Liao's second son Zhang Bao was also taken away. The provincial Zhang Liao watched angry.
In this way, Zhang Liao tied himself to the city tower for three days, and Deng County also held on for three days under the siege of the Han army.
On the fourth day, Zhang Liao finally no longer had to tie himself to the tower.
It's not that the Han army stopped attacking, but that Zhang Liao really couldn't hold on any longer.
Zhang Liao held on and tied himself to the tower for three days. Don't forget, Zhang Liao was seriously injured and had difficulty even getting out of bed and walking.
If it weren't for Zhang Liao's amazing willpower, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to hold on for even a day.
Zhang Liao managed to hold on like this for three days. On the fourth day, Zhang Liao fell into a semi-conscious state again because his injuries worsened.
Fortunately, Zhang Liao was self-aware this time and felt that his body might not be able to survive the fourth day, so he quickly informed Zhang Hu and asked him to conceal his injury first, and then explained the next city defense deployment. After saying this, Zhang Liao fell into coma again.
To be honest, what Zhang Liao can do is already the limit.
Based on the arrangements Zhang Liao made before he fell into coma, as long as Zhang Hu really followed them, there should be no problem in defending Deng County before the news leaked that Zhang Liao was seriously injured and fell into coma again.
After all, what needs to be done has been done, and the tactics have been arranged long ago. All you need to do is follow them.
Defending the city is ultimately a matter where the defender has the upper hand.
But this time, Zhang Hu finally grew up a bit more than before, and finally stopped acting in a fussy manner. He followed Zhang Liao's instructions and only said that Zhang Liao was thinking about ways to defeat the enemy, so he would not go to the tower to supervise the battle for the time being. It did not arouse the suspicion of the army officers.
In this way, Zhang Hu followed the strategy left by Zhang Liao and held on for another two days.
But after that, I gradually started to lose control.
On the one hand, the pressure on Zhang Hu from the Shu thieves outside the city was too great, and Zhang Hu's emergency response ability was seriously insufficient. Although the overall city defense strategy was based on the strategy formulated by Zhang Liao before he fell into coma, in terms of detailed implementation, Zhang Hu's Tiger's resilience was not as good as Zhang Liao's.
On several occasions, Kou Feng had already led his troops to attack the city wall. Zhang Hucai led the Wei soldiers to arrive late. If the gap in military strength in a small area was not too large, Kou Feng might have already captured the city wall and went down to the city to open the city gate. .
On the other hand, Zhang Liao did not show up for three consecutive days, which somewhat made the army officers and soldiers somewhat suspicious.
This was only possible after Zhang Hu was extra careful and had Zhang Bao wear Zhang Liao's armor and walk around the camp from time to time, creating the illusion that Zhang Liao was in the camp, and he was able to hide this for three days.
Even if the soldiers believe that Zhang Liao is thinking about a strategy to defeat the enemy in the camp, the city defense situation is urgent now. What is needed now is not a strategy to defeat the enemy, but a strategy to defend the city. The general always does not show up, and he always asks people to Don't worry.
Therefore, the generals in the army requested to meet with Zhang Liao more and more, and the morale of the army began to fluctuate.
At this time, Zhang Hu did not have a good way to deal with it, and Zhang Liao was still in a coma. Zhang Hu could only grit his teeth and block them all. This only made the Wei army soldiers more suspicious.
Zhang Hu could at least fool his own soldiers' doubts, but the Shu thieves outside the city would not cooperate with Zhang Hu's acting.
What finally crushed Zhang Hu completely was the 20,000 Jingzhou soldiers brought by Wang Ji.
On the seventh day after Guan Ping sent his army to attack Deng County, Wang Ji led 20,000 Jiangling soldiers to the Nanyang battlefield and completed the final strength of the Jingzhou Army.
At this time, the strength of the Jingzhou Army had reached 87,000, while the Deng County defenders only had 23,000.
Such a huge gap in troops completely broke Zhang Hu's psychological defense.
Zhang Hu didn't know whether he should abide by his father's instructions and continue to defend Deng County, or whether he should retain his strength before the Shu bandits launched a full-scale attack on the city and retreat to Wancheng to wait for the emperor's reinforcements.
This is already an issue related to the entire military strategy.
Zhang Hu always followed Zhang Liao before, and he only had to be responsible for the implementation of whatever decision Zhang Liao made. But now, such a big strategic change requires Zhang Hu to make the decision.
Zhang Hu is really under a lot of pressure.
Without the halo of his father, Zhang Hu weighed and hesitated again and again, but was still unable to make an immediate decision.
But Zhang Hu also knew that he had to make a quick decision. If he waited for the Shu thieves to launch a full-scale attack on the city and then wanted to retreat, it would be too late. Whether to leave or stay, he had to do it as soon as possible.
Just when Zhang Hu was hesitating and entangled, Zhang Liao woke up again.
Zhang Hu was immediately relieved and hurried to Zhang Liao's bed, told his father about the current predicament, and asked him to make a quick decision.
After Zhang Liao heard this, he let out a long breath.
I don't know whether to be relieved or desperate.
The gratifying thing is that although his son is not as good as Brother Yun's son, he is at least somewhat capable. He defended Deng County during the three days when he was unconscious. To be honest, Zhang Liao was really afraid that he When he woke up from coma, he was already in Wancheng.
The desperate part is that, faced with the current situation, his son still doesn't understand his strategic purpose, especially at such a critical moment, he is still hesitant to advance or retreat.
This talent destined that his son could only become a general who charged into battle, and could not reach the position of a general commanding three counties.
"Help me get up, raise the tent and gather the generals, I will make arrangements!" Zhang Liao struggled and got up again.
Zhang Hu did not dare to say anything more. He immediately helped his father stand up and prepared to change clothes. At the same time, he asked his second and third brothers to inform the generals in the city.
Just when Zhang Hu picked up Zhang Liao's robe and was about to put it on Zhang Liao, Zhang Liao waved his hand and stopped Zhang Hu.
"No need to wear anything, just wear light clothes." Zhang Liao said calmly.
But Zhang Hu was a little confused. Discussions in the military were important occasions. On this occasion, it was necessary to wear a robe.
Wearing light casual clothes was unheard of.
Furthermore, if his father's injury was not covered up with a shawl and he only wore casual clothes, wouldn't it be obvious to others at a glance? !
At this time, Zhang Liao had a calm expression on his face, not worried at all.
Looking back at his eldest son who was at a loss, Zhang Liao actually didn't have any thoughts of getting angry and just let out a long sigh.
"Hu'er, give Mo Mo to my father. My father wants to write a letter to the emperor." Zhang Liao said calmly.
Although Zhang Hu didn't know the reason, he didn't dare to neglect and hurriedly gave Zhang Liao ink.
Zhang Liao looked at Zhang Hu and just smiled. After Zhang Hu finished inking, he said, "This is an urgent matter. Hu'er also needs to avoid suspicion and go outside the tent to greet the generals."
Zhang Hu was slightly startled, but he still obeyed and went out to wait.
At this time, Zhang Liao smiled bitterly.
My son, that's it. If the Yanmen Zhang family wants to be rich and prosperous for a long time, except for their own lives, I'm afraid they can only risk their old face and ask for a favor from the emperor.
Therefore, Zhang Liao took up his pen and wrote the last memorial in his life to the Emperor of Wei Dynasty, Cao Pi.
(End of chapter)
