Cao Zhen chose to confront Zhang Xi head-on, which was somewhat of a decision from above.
In fact, without being able to accurately know whether Wang Chang can rescue him in time, choosing to risk a showdown with the enemy coach is somewhat of a desperate move and is not in line with the qualities of a calm coach.
However, this is how it is on the battlefield. No one can predict the possibility of everything happening. Sometimes, a decision made in the heat of the moment can actually have quite good results.
Today is a classic example of this.
Zhang Xi's prediction of Cao Zhen was that Cao Zhen would choose to divide his troops on the flanks to block Zhao Yun's cavalry attack. Therefore, his response plan was to direct his soldiers to launch a strong attack in the direction of Cao Zhen's flanks in an attempt to delay Cao Zhen.
However, Cao Zhen suddenly changed his command and launched a strong attack on Zhang Xi. He chose a head-on confrontation, which completely exceeded Zhang Xi's expectations.
That is to say, the soldiers commanded by Cao Zhen spent some necessary time in the process of changing formations, giving Zhang Xi a chance to adjust his response. Otherwise, Zhang Xi's side would be completely passive and beaten now.
Because the focus of the attack was different, Zhang Xi's main attack direction was the flank of Cao Zhen's army. This resulted in Zhang Xi's offensive formation being somewhat shifted toward the flank on the frontal battlefield.
Cao Zhen grasped this point very keenly, commanded his soldiers to change into an offensive formation, and launched an attack directly from the front.
Although Zhang Xi used Cao Zhen to command his soldiers to adjust the formation, he began to close the formation, but after all, it was a little too late and could not completely close the formation.
Therefore, the current battlefield situation is like a sharp blade from the Wei army thrust into the waist of Zhang Xijun's offensive formation.
If it cannot be stopped, the Han army commanded by Zhang Xi may be intercepted by the Wei army and fall into a situation where they are fighting on their own.
This is very detrimental to the Han army. Zhang Xi is desperately adjusting to increase the defense thickness of the key points of the Wei army's attack. But the first-mover advantage is gone, and the effect of later adjustments will naturally not be very good.
In addition, in terms of organizational ability and combat effectiveness, the Wei army is somewhat stronger than the Yongzhou County soldiers commanded by Zhang Xi. Although it is not much stronger, it is very likely to have a decisive effect on this local battlefield.
Of course, Cao Zhen's five thousand supporting infantry did not have any dangerous flanks. Under Zhao Yun's back and forth attacks, the formation had become loose and could collapse at any time.
At this time, Zhao Yun naturally saw Cao Zhen's response and knew that Zhang Xi would definitely be under great pressure in this situation.
Therefore, while Zhao Yun was attacking the flanking Wei infantry, he was also consciously driving these Wei infantry towards the direction of Cao Zhen's central army.
The purpose is not to increase the defensive strength of Cao Zhen's Chinese army, but to use these flanking troops to attack Cao Zhen's Chinese army, completely break up the defense of Cao Zhen's Chinese army, and plunge Cao Zhen's Chinese army into chaos.
In this case, once Zhao Yun breaks through the obstruction of the flanking Wei army, he can directly take advantage of the chaos and attack Cao Zhen's center army.
With the speed advantage of the cavalry, Cao Zhen couldn't escape even if he wanted to.
It's not that Cao Zhen can't see the current situation on the battlefield, but Cao Zhen is betting on whether he will defeat Zhang Xi in front of him first, or whether Zhao Yun will kill his middle army first.
Cao Zhen felt that he was still the side with a higher winning rate. After all, he still had Wang Chang as a backup, and the Shu thieves had no backup at this time.
And Wang Chang. The unlucky Wang Chang was now hurriedly ordering the Wei troops who were attacking Tongguan to retreat quickly.
The assisting defense of 5,000 troops on the flanks cannot stop the cavalry attack for too long, and it may take about a quarter of an hour for the 10,000 infantrymen led by Dai Ling to return to the defense. During this time, Wang Chang must organize a support force , to help Cao Zhen block the flank attack.
But the withdrawal of troops cannot be done in a short while. It is unrealistic to ask the soldiers who are still climbing hooks and ladders to siege the city immediately. They will easily be attacked by rolling stones from the defending army. Wood, and the counterattack of crossbow arrows.
Therefore, for a while, Wang Chang could only manage to gather 6,000 soldiers, and the remaining soldiers were still in the process of retreating.
At this time, the defense line composed of five thousand soldiers on the flanks was already loosely formed, and there was no time for Wang Chang to organize more troops.
Wang Chang had no choice but to grit his teeth and take the six thousand soldiers to immediately set up defenses on Cao Zhen's flank.
The only thing Wang Chang could hope for was that he could reach the flank in time before the five thousand soldiers collapsed, and re-establish a defensive front through his own command adjustments.
But a veteran like Zhao Yun, who has extremely rich battlefield experience, can he not understand the real purpose of Wang Chang's rapid reinforcements? !
Obviously, Zhao Yun did not intend to give Wang Chang such an opportunity. The first time he saw Wang Chang leading troops to help, Zhao Yun gave up the more secure method of riding to kill the enemy, but organized a charge again, and himself Personally lead the charge in the front army.
In doing so, Zhao Yun's cavalry would naturally suffer certain casualties, but the impact was the greatest. The infantry, which was already loosely formed, encountered such a strong impact from the cavalry, and instantly lost control and began to flee.
Zhao Yunzai paid the price of more than 200 cavalry casualties, and finally broke through the defense of 5,000 infantry on the flanks, and began to chase and drive these soldiers towards Cao Zhen's central army.
When Wang Chang finally arrived at the flank battlefield, what greeted him was not Zhao Yun's cavalry, but his own defeated troops.
As soon as Wang Chang saw this situation, he immediately knew that he had no other choice, not even a chance to organize a defense line on the spot.
The only thing he can do now is to let the more than 6,000 soldiers he brought this time rush forward to stop the disintegrating Wei army. At the risk of the army he brought being dispersed, he can block this wave of chaos for Cao Zhen's army. .
However, doing so is still very risky.
If the 6,000 men brought by Wang Chang cannot intercept this group of defeated troops, and even their own formation is scattered and becomes a defeated army, the impact on Cao Zhen's central army will be doubled.
Therefore, Wang Chang had no choice but to be ruthless and order his soldiers to shoot the fleeing soldiers. In this way, he would shock the fleeing soldiers and let them change their route to escape and not attack his own commander's central army.
However, when they were escaping, there was no way the soldiers could remain calm or choose other ways to escape. They would only choose the safest place within their sight to escape, and the Chinese army where Cao Zhen was located was originally what they thought was the safest place. The place.
Then a burst of crossbow arrows suddenly shot out from the formation of his own army. Many soldiers of the Wei army fled. In this unprepared situation, they ran towards their own army and were hit by arrows and died.
As a result, Wang Chang's troops had to bear the risk of being attacked by the defeated army, and were destined to fall into a fratricidal battle.
What's even more terrible is that even if Wang Chang can stabilize the defense line and scatter these broken troops to other places, there are four thousand cavalry led by Zhao Yun following closely behind the broken soldiers.
Six thousand infantry versus four thousand cavalry, Wang Chang knew what the consequences would be without even thinking, he was just stalling for time.
But Wang Chang had no choice. He could only hold on and hope that General Cao Zhen could respond in time.
At this time, Cao Zhen naturally saw Wang Chang's decision and sacrifice, and also knew that Wang Chang was creating time for himself. Cao Zhen also became ruthless, and went to the front line in person without avoiding arrows, and ordered all his soldiers to attack the front line. attack.
We must defeat the enemy in front of us before the soldiers led by Wang Chang completely collapse.
Cao Zhen's fierce attack made Zhang Xi feel uncomfortable.
Cao Zhen had seized the opportunity to attack the flank position. It was very difficult for Zhang Xi to adjust the deployment of troops. Coupled with the gap in combat power between the soldiers, Zhang Xi could barely maintain it.
However, Cao Zhen became so ruthless and began an all-out attack regardless of casualties. The Han army commanded by Zhang Xi suddenly fell into complete passivity.
The most terrible thing is that Zhang Xi now has no backup, and he has reached the limit of adjusting his command. He even released the last 100 guards on hand to strengthen the defense, and there is no room for adjustment.
Now Zhang Xi could only command his soldiers to hold on until Zhao Yun could defeat Wang Chang's troops and begin to attack Cao Zhen's central army.
The situation on the battlefield has come to a moment that determines victory or defeat.
At this time, Zhao Yun turned on Wushuang mode again.
In fact, Zhao Yun didn't want to do this. He was almost seventy years old, and his physical strength and force were no longer at their peak.
But there was no way. The battlefield situation that Zhao Yun saw really did not allow him to continue to use mounted archery to kill Wang Chang's troops. When the formation of Wang Chang's troops he fought collapsed, it is estimated that Zhang Xi's side would not be able to withstand Cao Zhen. Attacked.
Therefore, Zhao Yun did not choose to continue to deal with Wang Chang's army. After basically clearing the way forward, Zhao Yun still chose the cavalry charge mode, leading the cavalry to launch an assault on Wang Chang's army.
The purpose is to concentrate on breaking through Wang Chang's army's defense line, and then lead the cavalry to directly attack Cao Zhen's central army.
This is actually a very risky thing. Even if Wang Chang's army is not broken up, even if they can rush in, it will not be so easy to rush out. After all, Cao Zhen's army is not unguarded now.
But Zhao Yun must do this. Back in Dangyang Changban, Zhao Yun and his two hundred rangers dared to charge five thousand tiger and leopard cavalry. There is no reason why he doesn't have the courage now.
Anyway, I am almost 70 years old. Even if I die in battle, what do I have to fear? !
(End of chapter)
