Zhuge Liang led the troops from Luoyang County to press forward to Gong County. The purpose was not only to maintain the two-pronged offensive and continue to put pressure on Hulao Pass, but more importantly, to replace Wei Yan and go to Mengjin Ferry to launch a partial attack.
Zhang Xi has recaptured Mengjin Ferry, and Sima Yi has led his troops south to support the Yanling battlefield. The time is ripe for a partial division attack.
As for Gong County, although it was a bit risky, Zhuge Liang did not believe that Wang Ling, who was guarding Hulao Pass, had the guts to lead his troops to attack Gong County when Yanling was in emergency. Moreover, Wang Ling's defenders were not large in number, but There are more than 10,000 soldiers. If he really dares to come, it is not certain who will attack whom.
In this way, Zhuge Liang led 11,000 soldiers to guard Gong County instead of Wei Yan, while Wei Yan led 45,000 elite Han Imperial Guards, with Jiang Wei and Wen Qin as deputy generals, quickly went north, boarded a ship at Mengjin Ferry, and sailed along the Yellow River And down.
Let’s not talk about Zhuge Liang’s bluff in Gong County. Wei Yan followed the Yellow River all the way. Except for Wei Yan himself who was still vomiting like the same, the march went smoothly.
In less than ten days, Wei Yan led the Han imperial army to land at Baima Ferry in Dongjun, killing the Wei troops guarding here. After resting for a day, he immediately marched eastward and attacked Puyang County, the county seat of Dongjun.
At this time, all the soldiers of Dongjun were gathered in Puyang by Xiahou He, the governor of Dongjun.
Xia Houhe had no choice but to do it. There were only more than 12,000 county soldiers in Dongjun, and according to the intelligence sent back from the counties along the river and Baima Ferry before the fall, the number of Shu thieves was at least 40,000 to 50,000. .
With such a large strength gap, it is very foolish to disperse the guards and win in the field. Relying on Puyang's city defense is the most appropriate choice.
Moreover, Xia Houhe was very self-aware. His opponent was the famous Shu thief general Wei Yan, but he, a scholar with only a half-baked understanding of military affairs, could not easily deal with him.
Staying there and waiting for help is the best choice you can make at this time.
As long as it is delayed for a certain period of time, until General Jia Kui leads his troops to help and drags the Shu thieves into Dongjun, the matter will not be irreversible.
To put it bluntly, Xia Houhe's response really made it difficult for Wei Yan to handle.
Even with the elite level of the Han Forbidden Army, engaging in siege warfare would definitely be the last resort that would take time and effort.
Not to mention, Wei Yan doesn't have much time to spend time with Xiahou now.
Since it is a partial battle, it must be unexpected and attack the enemy unprepared.
It is impossible to occupy county towns one by one like a conventional march. In the past, Wei Yan would only choose places where the enemy's defenses were weak.
Fighting a siege is the last resort.
After learning about Xia Houhe's move to tighten the defense, Wei Yan discussed with Jiang Wei, Wen Qin and others and directly made the decision to divide the troops.
Three people, three groups of soldiers and horses, each leading 15,000 people, divided into three directions and headed south.
Abandoning the attack on Puyang, he turned south, entered Jiyin County from Dongjun, and attacked Lihu, Wanju, and Dingtao counties.
This move directly shook Jia Kui and Xia Houhe.
No one expected that Wei Yan and others would come up with this plan. They left the good Dongjun alone without attacking, nor did they think about marching westward to Chenliujun and then outflanking the rear of Hulao Pass, but instead went to the hinterland of Yanzhou.
This move was indeed unexpected, but afterwards, both Jia Kui and Xia Houhe felt that this was a very good opportunity.
You know, Cao Zhao's Jizhou cavalry, which had just gone south, is now in Shanyang County, and Shanyang County is right next door to Jiyin County.
At this time, as long as Cao Zhao leads the Jizhou cavalry to Jiyin County in the west, he can directly block Wei Yan and others in Jiyin County.
At that time, Jia Kui led his troops out of Chenliu County, Xia Houhe led his troops out of Dong County, and besieged them in three directions. The more than 40,000 Shu thieves led by Wei Yan surrendered to death.
Just when Jia Kui and others received the news and actively contacted Cao Zhao, the marching route of Wei Yan and the others changed again.
First, Wen Qin suddenly turned around and marched westward after capturing Lihu County, marching to Wanju in the west of Jiyin County, trying to join forces with Jiang Wei who was attacking Wanju. Wei Yan, who had originally marched towards Dingtao, also began to slow down. He seemed to be waiting for Wen Qin from behind to catch up.
No matter how Jia Kui looked at this posture, he felt that something was wrong. Don't you come here for me? !
First use the strategy of dividing the troops to distract everyone, and at the same time lower the alert of Jia Kui and others, and then suddenly unite the army and march westward to Chenliu County to cut off the retreat of Sima Yi's frontline army. If Wei Yan had this idea, then just rely on Jia Kui's 10,000 county soldiers went to stop Wei Yan's 45,000 elite imperial troops. That was really a fool's errand.
When he thought of this, Jia Kui immediately suspended his march and defended on the spot in Waihuang County at the junction of Chenliu County and Jiyin County. He sent a military order to Xia Houhe who was stationed in Puyang, asking him to send troops immediately to recover the Li territory captured by the Shu bandits. Fox County threatens the retreat of these three Shu thieves.
At the same time, Jia Kui sent an order to Cao Zhao in Shanyang County, asking him to immediately march southwest and enter Jiyin County to assist him in encircling and suppressing Wei Yan's main force that was gathering in the direction of Wanju.
But just as Jia Kui had made adjustments and arrangements, after the three armies of Wei Yanjun completed their rendezvous in Chengshi County in the middle of Jiyin County, they suddenly swayed collectively, turned their heads north, left Jiyin County, and headed back. Heading to Dong County in the north.
At this moment, Xia Houhe was startled again. Why did these Shu thieves come back again?
Could it be that this group of Shu thieves were just pretending to be attacking from the east to the west, but their actual goal was Puyang, the important town in the east county? !
Thinking of this possibility, Xia Houhe quickly gave up his thoughts of sending troops to intercept, and continued to retreat to Puyang to wait for help. At the same time, he asked Jia Kui of Waihuang County and Cao Zhao of Shanyang County for help.
Jia Kui was okay and didn't think there was anything wrong with it. But Cao Zhao couldn't stand it anymore.
What kind of messy military orders are these? !
Since accepting Sima Yi's military order to fight south, Cao Zhao has experienced several unknown military orders.
First, Sima Yi asked Cao Zhao to fight the Shu thieves' cavalry legion as soon as possible, and also asked Cao Zhao to rush to Yanling to help in the battle after winning. This Sima Yi said that he was very relaxed and capable, so you can fight the Shu thieves' cavalry legion yourself. ah.
Cavalry combat is all about "fast", especially a cavalry general like Pound who has been stationed in the border areas for more than ten years. It can be said that he already has his own understanding of the use of cavalry.
How could a cavalry group led by such a general be blocked so easily? !
Another thing, even if he can block people, 20,000 cavalry against 20,000 cavalry, if there is no advantage in cavalry equipment, the battle is the personal ability of the cavalry commander. From experience to personal bravery, what does Sima Yi think? Can Zhao easily defeat Pound, the famous white horse general in the North? !
Even if you, Sima Yi, praise me again, I still have this self-awareness.
Therefore, after receiving the military order from Sima Yi, who was a fool, Cao Zhao bluntly told Sima Yi that such a request was impossible to fulfill. Anyway, Cao Zhao is Cao Xiu's son, and if he doesn't deal with Sima Yi, he will naturally not do it. Will this answer offend Sima Yi?
Well, if it ends here, it's not really a bad thing, but what happens next is really beyond the comprehension of Cao Zhao.
First, Dongjun was attacked by Shu thieves. Jia Kui, the governor of Yanzhou, sent an order to himself, asking him to lead his troops westward to encircle the Shu thieves' imperial army.
Taking into account the importance of Dongjun and Jiyin County, and cavalry fighting infantry, there is indeed a military advantage. Cao Zhao thought that this was not impossible, and began to follow Jia Kui's order from Shanyang County to Jiyin County. The central operation is preparing to cooperate with Jia Kui to outflank this Shu bandit who has penetrated deep into Jiyin County.
But not long after this military order was implemented, Jia Kui suddenly issued another military order, asking Cao Zhao to move to the south of Jiyin County to help him defend Chenliu County.
Okay, who told you that Jia Kui is the governor of Yanzhou? It's not impossible to obey orders. But Cao Zhao just turned around and marched south. Within a few days, Cao Zhao received another request for help from Xia Houhe, asking Cao Zhao to go north. March forward and head to Dongjun to rush for reinforcements.
At this time, Cao Zhao really couldn't bear it anymore. You guys, why can't you give me an accurate answer? What on earth do you want me to do? !
Should I go to intercept the Shu bandits' cavalry troops, or go to Yanling to help in the battle? Do you want me to go south, or do you want me to go north to play with me? !
Can we discuss it before issuing military orders to move me around? Is it fun? !
Cao Zhao, who was holding back his anger, was very angry. At this time, he received a military report from his scouts - the Shu bandit cavalry had moved north from the south of Yanzhou and entered the territory of Pei State.
Okay, my opponent is here. If any of you give orders again, I will have an excuse not to listen.
From now on, you fight yours and I fight mine! ! !
(End of chapter)
