In Wang Lang's impression, Zhang Xi was indeed a Shu thieves general, but Wang Lang still subconsciously classified Zhang Xi into the ranks of generals such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
In this era, the difference between civil servants and military generals is really not that big. Civil servants are never useless wastes, and military generals are not reckless men who only know how to fight. But, a general born as a civil servant is not as good as a general born as a military general. The generals are somewhat different.
A general with a civilian background may not necessarily be incompetent in martial arts, but he is definitely inclined to command operations and use strategies to win. For example, Zhou Yu, a famous general in the world, comes from a noble family and has outstanding strategies.
Generals who were born as military generals may not necessarily know how to command, but they are still more or less famous for their martial arts. For example, Guan Yu, who killed Yan Liang and was demoted to the imperial court, is most famous for his superb martial arts.
Unfortunately, in Wang Lang's heart, Zhang Xi belongs to that kind of military general.
This is a stereotype issue.
Wang Lang is probably a great scholar of Confucian classics today. He spent most of his life studying classics. He was also at the center of the imperial court all year round and had little contact with practical matters.
Wang Lang had heard of Zhang Xi's reputation, and he also knew that this man was very good at using troops and was one of the best generals among the Shu thieves.
But Wang Lang was full of stereotypes and prejudices against Zhang Xi.
Zhou Yu was recognized by Wang Lang as a military commander with a civilian background for two reasons.
One is that Zhou Yu is from the Zhou family in Lujiang, and the Zhou family in Lujiang is a top family in Huainan. Even a ruler like Yuan Shu, who attaches great importance to family status, is courteous to the Zhou family in Lujiang.
As a son of Zhou Yu, Wang Lang had a natural sense of identification with him.
Another one. In the early years when Zhou Yu helped Sun Ce conquer Jiangdong, Wang Lang had contact with Zhou Yu.
At that time, Sun Ce was the one who led the troops in battle, and the one who charged into the battle was Sun Ce. Zhou Yu was basically only responsible for making plans. Even if he led the troops into battle, he rarely charged into battle.
Therefore, in Wang Lang's view, Zhou Yu was a typical military general with a civilian background.
As for Zhang Xi, Wang Lang's understanding of Zhang Xi came entirely from hearsay.
Although Zhang Xi was from Yingchuan, he came from a poor family in Yingchuan. Even in Wang Lang's concept, before hearing about Zhang Xi, he had no idea that there was a Zhang family in Yingchuan.
Wang Lang didn't believe how much knowledge a child from such a poor family could have and how much art of war he knew.
Secondly, Zhang Xi has always been used by Liu Bei as a vanguard general.
As for the vanguard general, in Wang Lang's understanding, he must defeat the enemy in one battle and win. This requires a brave general to be competent.
You can't say that Wang Lang's perception is wrong. Most of the vanguard generals are indeed brave generals. It's just that Zhang Xi is a bit weird.
Third, Wang Lang has also heard of Zhang Xi's combat style, which is cautious in using troops and full of opportunities.
Caution in using troops is not exclusive to military generals who are civil servants. Many brave generals are also more cautious. For example, Li Dian and Zhang He from the Cao Wei camp are representatives of this kind of military generals. Zhao Yun from the Shu bandit side, Jiang Qin from the Soochow side, etc. General, all have this style.
In Wang Lang's view, there are many tricks, which are just quicker reactions, clever ideas, and more careful thinking. They are completely different from real strategies.
Taken together, in Wang Lang's mind, Zhang Xi is just a warrior general who is quite brave, cautious, and a little clever.
Such a person has such a great reputation in the northwest, probably because there is no one in the northwest, and Tu Ling Shuzi became famous. Once he meets an outstanding person from the Central Plains, he will definitely be no match.
And there is no supporting evidence.
This time when the Wei Dynasty entered Guanzhong, the strategy was written by the Central Plains man Sima Zhongda. However, Zhang Xi, without any notice, directly led two-thirds of Guanzhong's elite into Zuo Fengyi to confront the troops of Governor Cao Zhen. , completely unaware that this was Sima Yi's plan to seize the opportunity to attack the east and attack the west.
So, Wang Lang really doesn't understand that Zhang Xi has already been fooled. Why are Wang Chang and Cao Zhen still looking solemn, thinking that this person will have other tricks to deal with the current situation? !
Therefore, Wang Lang asked in confusion, "Did Wen Shu worry too much?! I also heard about Zhang Xi's use of troops, but he was just being cautious. Now Zhongda's plan is to contain him, and An Neng can no longer Make a difference?!"
In Wang Lang's view, Zhang Xi's caution had been completely calculated by Sima Yi.
Because Zhang Xi was cautious in using his troops, when Cao Zhen's 50,000-strong army left Feng Yi, he would inevitably lead the Yongzhou army to confront him. And because Zhang Xi was cautious, when the Wei army suddenly stopped advancing, he would inevitably have doubts and doubts, thus strengthening Be on guard and dare not take the initiative to attack.
As long as Guo Huai is delayed for a certain period of time and launches a full-scale attack in the Youfufeng area, then by the time the news reaches Zhang Xi, it will probably be too late for him to return to Youfufeng.
What we have to do now is to find a way to delay the Yongzhou County soldiers led by Zhang Xi for as long as possible.
Theoretically speaking, what Wang Lang said makes sense. As long as Zhang Xi leads his troops to Zuo Fengyi, Sima Yi's plan will be half successful.
But Cao Zhen and Wang Chang are still worried.
What is Wang Lang's status? He said that Wang Chang was worried too much. It was not easy for Wang Chang to refute, but Cao Zhen could explain.
"Situ Gong doesn't know something!" Cao Zhen explained to Wang Lang, "Zhang Yuanchang's use of troops is not based on caution, but on opportunities. This man is best at finding a way to break the situation in chaos. In the past, he fought with Guo Boji in Ji County, and with Cao Ren, Uncle Cao Hong fought in Longshan, all trying to survive in chaos. Although he fell into the trap now, there is no guarantee that he will not have other strategies to deal with it, so we cannot take it lightly."
On the one hand, Cao Zhen explained Zhang Xi's difficulties to Wang Lang, and on the other hand, Wang Lang had nothing to say about Sima Yi.
Since the last court meeting, Cao Zhen's sense of Sima Yi cannot be said to be very good. Although this time he is still willing to counterattack Guan Zhong according to the original plan, but that is because Cao Zhen approved the plan, which does not mean that Cao Zhen approved Sima Yi.
Even after dealing with Zhang Xi a lot, Cao Zhen also doubted how long Sima Yi could keep Zhang Xi's strategy a secret.
In addition to Cao Zhen's overestimation of Zhang Xi, it also has something to do with Cao Zhen's disdain for Sima Yi. Although the old boy has a good strategy, it is not easy to say that he can hide it from Zhang Xi.
Cao Zhen had expressed his position in this way. Although Wang Lang felt that Cao Zhen had overestimated Zhang Xi, it was hard to say anything.
"In that case, why doesn't the governor march into Chongquan and take the initiative to attack?!" Wang Lang asked again.
Assuming that Zhang Xi really saw some flaws and discovered that Cao Zhen's side was just feigning an attack, then at this time, Cao Zhen should take the initiative and use his military superiority to hold back Zhang Xi's troops and prevent him from having a chance to adjust.
The best way is to take the initiative and capture Chongquan County.
After all, Cao Zhen had the advantage in military strength.
The Wei army had 50,000 men, but the Shu thieves killed 30,000 men.
The Wei army's food and grass supply line is shorter and it is easier to obtain supplies, while the Shu thieves' food and grass supply line is longer than that of the Wei army, which is not conducive to long-term persistence.
If Cao Zhen takes the initiative to launch an attack on the Shu thieves and delays the possible adjustment of the Shu thieves' forces, it will not be able to better contain the Shu thieves. After Guo Huai breaks through You Fufeng, the Shu thieves will inevitably choose to withdraw their troops and follow them to pursue them. It will definitely defeat the Shu army.
It's not like now, one is in Linjin and the other is in Chongquan, with a gap of seventy or eighty miles in between. If the Shu army really wants to mobilize its troops or simply retreat directly, when the Wei army receives the information, it will be unable to catch up.
Cao Zhen actually thought about this too.
but.
"It's not the governor who doesn't want to, it's true." Cao Zhen pointed helplessly to the north of Guanzhong and said, "According to detailed reports, the elite northern army of Shu thieves has left Qinzhou and is likely to enter Guanzhong. If our army suddenly attacks , the Shu thieves chose to retreat, lengthen our army's supply line, shorten their own supply line, and then attack our army's flanks with elite troops. They may be taken advantage of by the enemy."
How did Cao Cao defeat Guandu back then? !
The most important move was to retreat proactively, shorten the supply line, and lengthen the supply line of Yuan Shao's army. As a result, Yuan Shao had to choose Wuchao to collect grain. Then he was betrayed by Xu You, a traitor, and exposed the location of the grain collection, so that Cao Cao could burn Wuchao. Victory was established in one fell swoop.
Now Cao Zhen had originally sent out troops in a hurry and the logistics supplies were not perfect. He had already been affected by the untimely supply of food and grass.
If we continue to rush into the army rashly and lengthen the supply line, the logistical pressure will only increase. At that time, the party that cannot last long will become the Wei army.
If the Shu thieves allowed the Northern Army to bypass Zuofeng Yi's flank, or even go behind the army to cut off the supply line of food and grass, then the 50,000-strong army would be in danger of being divided and surrounded.
This is also the reason why Cao Zhen has been staying in Linjin and is unwilling to move forward and attack Chongquan.
Cao Zhen was waiting for Guo Huai's side to make progress first, capture Youfufeng and then threaten Chang'an.
At that time, both the Northern Army of the Shu thieves and the Yongzhou County soldiers in Zuo Fengyi would inevitably choose to return to defend Chang'an. At that time, Cao Zhen led his troops to advance, occupy the area east of Zuo Fengyi, and join Guo Huai's left and right sides. Attack from a flank and besiege Chang'an.
Once the Shu thieves are forced to retreat to Chang'an, a large number of occupied areas between Zuo Fengyi and Right Fufeng can be connected together. Even if the battle line is lengthened, there is no need to worry about no place to store food, and the originally divided areas can be The two supply lines at Wuguandao and Tongguan were merged into one.
After ensuring the safety of the grain and grass supply lines, we can completely engage in a war of attrition with the Shu bandits around Chang'an.
Once a war of attrition begins, Cao Zhen believes that the Shu thieves will never be able to consume the Wei Dynasty.
This is Cao Zhen's strategic arrangement for Zuo Fengyi's army based on the current actual situation.
(End of chapter)
