In the initial capture of Jiangling City, Gao Shun's reconnaissance battalion made great achievements. After Huang Zhongguang informed him, Liu Bei fully promoted it in all armies, and basically expanded the scout team.
Zhang Fei brought out these 5,000 cavalry, thirty of whom were scouts. Each of them was equipped with the best horse, and used the best armor and weapons.
After locking Zhang He's group of 'fat sheep', Zhang Fei released all thirty scouts. Every move of the other party was under Pang Tong's control.
According to Zhang He's marching route, Pang Tong removed seven bridges in the Yishui section, leaving only a small stone bridge suitable for an ambush.
The five thousand troops and horses were divided into eight groups by Pang Tong. In addition to the main general Zhang Fei who led one thousand and five troops, the accompanying generals Yuan Wei, Huo Jun, Fu Wei, Liu Yong, Zhuo Ying, Zhang Cun, and Zhang Nan each received five hundred.
Pang Tong planned to use the intelligence advantage of the scouts to directly kill Cao Cao's 5,000 soldiers at Yishui.
Two days later, Zhang He's troops arrived near Yishui. There was only one small stone bridge for twenty miles along the river, and the rest of the wooden and stone bridges had been destroyed.
After Zhang He received the news, he halted his troops near the small stone bridge. The supervisor Xia Houjie immediately stepped forward and asked in confusion: "Why is General Junyi hesitant? You should cross the bridge as soon as possible."
"There is only this bridge for twenty miles along the river, and the river here is very fast. I suspect there is fraud..." Zhang He analyzed.
Xia Houjie looked around and saw a flat plain on the south bank of Yishui River, but there were woods not far from the north bank. He frowned and said: "According to General Zixiao's information, Zhang Fei's thousands of suspected soldiers have been returning south for many days. I heard that this man is a reckless man." Husband, how do you know any tricks? Let’s cross the river quickly.”
"Xiahou oversees the army, the Prime Minister, and the others should have completed the defense change. Our support mission has been completed. Why not turn north and return to Xiangyang to resume operations." Zhang He suggested.
"We have only been out for a few days, wouldn't we be ridiculed if we go back now? The Prime Minister asked us to go to Dangyangzhi, and now you are backing out just after we left Xiangyang? Is it because we were beaten up in Jingzhou last time and lost our courage?" ask.
"How could the Xiahou Supervisory Army know the complexity of the situation on the Chibi battlefield when they were stranded in Xudu that day? A dozen people infected with the plague could spread to the entire camp in an instant, and then spread to thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of people. That defeat was similar to The courage of the soldiers has nothing to do with it..." Zhang He shook his head.
"A non-war crime? It has nothing to do with bravery? General Zhang has such a good memory. He passed by here when he returned to the north. Do you still remember this bridge?" Xia Houjie continued to ask.
Zhang He said coldly: "Xiahou oversees the army, why is he teasing you again and again?"
"Of course I followed the Prime Minister's order to continue going south as a suspected soldier." Xia Houjie said.
"But Zhang Fei's soldiers and horses have already gone far. There is no point in chasing them. We might as well return to Xiangyang as soon as possible." Zhang He suggested.
"The Prime Minister asked us to go to Dangyang, how could we return immediately? General Zhang didn't dare to cross the river, so I went alone." Xia Houjie's eyes widened in anger.
"Why must Xiahou's supervisor army go to Dangyang?" Zhang He was very puzzled. Dangyang is now Liu Bei's territory, and if he encounters an ambush, he will lose more than he gains.
Xia Houjie suddenly looked gloomy, and then said calmly: "Because my brother En was killed in the sun, we have been brothers of life and death since childhood. I took the initiative to ask Ying to be the supervisor this time, just to pay homage to my brother's soul. Fan..."
"This...the deceased is gone...the supervisor does not need to be persistent..." Zhang He continued to persuade.
Xia Houjie frowned and shouted angrily: "If you want to go back to Xiangyang, go back first. I will take half of the troops and continue southward."
"This..." Zhang He didn't know what to do, because Cao Cao paid special attention to the clan's children, and a subordinate general like him would fall out of favor in front of the prime minister if he was not careful.
"Follow me across the river."
The supervisory authority has considerable power, so Xia Houjie gave the order, and the soldiers moved forward and followed him across the bridge and across the river one after another.
Zhang He could not abandon the clan members, so he was carried across the bridge by Xia Houjie. Because the bridge was narrow and slow to cross, it would take more than an hour for five thousand people to cross the stone bridge.
When all the troops in front crossed the river and only the baggage was left behind to cross the bridge, Zhang Fei, who was ambushing in the woods, suddenly came out.
The horses neighed and the soldiers shouted.
The soldiers transporting the baggage were instantly panicked. They didn't have much combat effectiveness. At this time, the baggage was lying across the small stone bridge, and the river cut the baggage between the front army and the rear team.
Zhang He was shocked when he saw this. He never expected that Zhang Fei was ambush here.
He ordered people to throw the baggage on the bridge into the river, eager to open a crossing channel back to Xiangyang. However, the bridge was narrow and the passage was slow. The panicked soldiers scrambled to get through. With less than a hundred infantry passing, Zhang Fei's ambush troops had already arrived.
Zhang Fei and Huo Jun led 2,000 troops and slaughtered several hundred soldiers of Zhang He's rear army as child's play.
The two of them had a clear division of labor. Huo Jun led his 500 troops to guard the bridge. The shield soldiers were arrayed in front, and the spearmen and archers behind them. Zhang Fei's army of 1,500 people intercepted their baggage in front of Zhang He.
The stone bridge could only carry five or six people side by side. Zhang He organized several infantry charges, but they were all suppressed by Huo Jun at the bridge.
"What should I do?" Xia Houjie was also panicked at this moment. He originally thought that Zhang Fei didn't have many troops and would have a chance to fight even if he encountered him, but he didn't expect that the other party would use conspiracy and tricks.
"The Yishui River is very long. It is impossible for Zhang Fei to demolish all the bridges. We can only find bridges downstream to cross the river. I think the opponent's troops are inferior to ours. If they dare to cross the bridge to pursue us, we will kill them and take back the baggage." Zhang He suggestion.
Xia Houjie was a little unwilling. He walked back to the bridge and shouted to the other side: "Zhang Fei, do you have the guts to cross the bridge and fight to the death?"
Zhang He was stunned when he heard this. It was said that Zhang Fei's martial arts skills were not inferior to Guan Yu's. Is General Xiahou so brave?
Zhang Fei was already collecting the spoils of war at this time. The general on the other side of the bridge was Huo Jun, Liu Biao's former subordinate. It was as if Xia Houjie had not heard what he said.
"General Xiahou, Zhang Yide is a general of Xionghu..." Zhang He reminded.
"I just want to leave in a dignified manner. Let's go downstream quickly to find a bridge." Xia Houjie said.
Zhang He shook his head, "We can't reveal our intentions in front of them. Let's march south for twenty miles first, and then turn east to find a bridge to cross the river. Otherwise, Zhang Fei will follow us on the other side and we won't be able to cross the river by then."
"Yes, now we have no baggage, and everyone has no food for the night..." Xia Houjie sighed.
Are you still thinking about dinner at this time?
The small stone bridge was controlled by Huo Jun and could not cross the river. The 5,000 men brought by Zhang He did not suffer much loss. Except for the 300 soldiers escorting the baggage and the hundreds of infantry who failed to rush the bridge, the rest of the troops were trapped on the south bank.
Zhang He and Xia Houjie led more than 4,000 men to march south and sent scouts to investigate the movements near Xiaoshiqiao.
Zhang Fei then handed the baggage to Huo Jun and asked him to continue guarding the small stone bridge. Then he led his 1,500 horsemen across the river to pursue Zhang He's troops. All the horses he had chosen were on the south bank.
After all Zhang Fei's troops crossed the river, Zhang He had already walked five miles south. After the scouts passed back the military information, Xia Houjie's desire to fight was ignited again.
"General Junyi, Zhang Fei is chasing me. He only has one or two thousand soldiers and he dares to divide his troops. Let's kill him back now?"
"Ahem, now is not the time. Zhang Fei's people are guarding the stone bridge. If they turn back and attack now, they can easily escape to the other side once the opponent is defeated." Zhang He analyzed.
"What should we do?" Xia Houjie asked.
"First continue south, then outflank and find a way to encircle Zhang Fei and completely wipe out Zhang Fei's more than a thousand people." Zhang He's eyes became solemn.
"Good idea." Xia Houjie complimented.
Zhang He wanted to use the advantage of the cavalry to encircle Zhang Fei's pursuing army, so he deliberately slowed down the march of the infantry. However, they were not as familiar with the terrain here as Zhang Fei and Pang Tong.
Zhang He's army advanced another three miles to the south and garrisoned. There was a hill on the left and a bush on the right.
"We will wait here for a while, and let the cavalry hide behind the hill on the left. When Zhang Fei's pursuers arrive, we will instantly cut off his retreat. Together, we will be able to capture this person." Zhang He stroked his beard with confidence.
"Okay, just in time to avenge the previous incident of breaking the bridge and cutting off the baggage." Xia Houjie clenched his fists.
"Zhang Fei is a general under Liu Bei. Capturing this man must be a great achievement." Zhang He nodded.
"I'll meet him later." Xia Houjie's heart ignited with fire and he was already gearing up.
"As a general, you should not take risks at will. Fighting generals in front of the battle is the behavior of a reckless man. What should we do if we lose the troops behind us?" Zhang He said.
"Well... that's a disadvantageous situation. Now our strength is several times that of the enemy. It's just a matter of pleasure." Xia Houjie smiled slightly.
Zhang He was speechless for this clan boy. He immediately ordered the entire army to line up and prepare to eliminate Zhang Fei's pursuing army right here.
Half an hour later, Zhang Fei's pursuers were hundreds of meters away, and Zhang He's troops were seen blocking the way with flags fluttering.
Zhang Fei's subordinate general Jin Yan said: "General, this seems to be a place where military advisors set up an ambush. That Zhang He actually chose this place to fight you..."
"Pang Shiyuan is indeed quite capable. I'll go back and have a few more drinks with him." Zhang Fei said to himself, then rode up to meet him.
When they were a hundred meters away, Zhang Fei reined in his horse, pointed a spear at the opponent and shouted, "Where is Zhang He? Hurry up and die."
The two generals had never met each other before, and only learned their names from the scouts' intelligence. This was the first time the two armies met.
I only hear his name, but don't see his person.
Xia Houjie turned around and asked Zhang He: "Didn't General Zhang say that the general fighting in front of the battle is a reckless man? Could it be that this reckless man is the enemy's general Zhang Fei?"
Zhang He shook his head slightly, "I don't know, maybe..."
When Xia Houjie saw this man with a leopard head and ringed eyes, a swallow's chin and a tiger's beard, and holding a snake spear eight feet long, he frowned and urged his horse to take two steps forward, shouting: "Who are you?"
When Xia Houjie walked to the front of the formation, Zhang Fei mistakenly thought he was Zhang He and thought to himself that the famous Hebei general was such a child? He shouted excitedly: "I am Zhang Yide from Yan. Do you dare to go out to fight, Zhang He?"
Zhang Fei's eyes widened in anger, his voice was like a huge thunder, and his power was like a galloping horse.
Xia Houjie suddenly felt a chill and took a step back unconsciously when he sat down on his horse.
At this time, Zhang He came up, which made Xia Houjie feel more at ease. Zhang He sneered and said: "Zhang Fei, you are about to die, but you still dare to utter arrogant words here and attack with the whole army."
Zhang He waved his hand, and the troops behind him swarmed out like locusts.
"Cowardly trash, sons and gentlemen, meet the enemy."
The soldiers from both sides immediately rushed into battle, and the sound of weapons clashing resounded throughout the world.
Due to terrain restrictions, Zhang He's troops could not fully deploy. He used the command flag to command the troops behind him and changed from a square formation to a flying geese formation, trying to make room to encircle Zhang Fei. On the other hand, he secretly sent cavalry to surround him.
The hidden cavalry received the order from the flag and began to gather behind Zhang Fei.
Zhang Fei fought bravely in the front and did not pay attention to the cavalry behind him.
Before the cavalry launched the offensive, four groups of soldiers and horses, Liu Yong, Zhuo Ying, Zhang Cun, and Zhang Nan, who were hidden in the bushes, rushed out together. Because the distance was too close and there were more troops, Zhang He's cavalry was instantly lost. Impact advantage.
This group of ambush troops was personally commanded by Pang Tong. He originally planned to lure Zhang He over to surround and annihilate Zhang Fei's pursuers, but as a result, the cavalry accidentally entered the cage.
Zhang He saw smoke and dust rising from a distance, and thought the cavalry was charging into the formation. However, he soon saw scattered horses, and the cavalry he was using to circle back was ambushed.
"What's happening?" Xia Houjie was surprised.
"We have fallen into a trap. Zhang Fei has set up an ambush here. Quickly turn east and find a bridge to cross the river..." Zhang He reminded loudly.
"Oh...just follow the general's arrangements." Xia Houjie rushed away first.
Zhang He secretly retreated to the east, and Zhang Fei gathered several ambushes to cover up the attack. Not only did he defeat the opponent's main force, but he also captured 300 horses.
Zhang Fei asked Liu Yong to clear the battlefield and collect supplies and prisoners, while he led his troops to continue chasing the fleeing Zhang He eastward.
The infantry under Zhang He surrendered without dying in the battle just now. Only ten of them were able to escape and ascend to heaven. The fastest ones only had 200 fine cavalry left.
When retreating, Zhang He sent multiple scouts to go all the way around the small stone bridge that they had just crossed the river. If Huo Jun's defenders were to withdraw, it would be safest for them to return to Xiangyang via the original route, and the rest would follow the Yi River downstream to find the bridge.
When he finally fled to the south bank of Yishui River, he received news that Huo Jun was still stationed at the bridge. His plan to return from the original route was shattered, and Zhang He had no choice but to continue heading east.
After escaping for twenty miles, we passed through the twists and turns of Yi River. Because the distance between the two banks of the bend was relatively narrow, the river was very fast and there was no bridge across the river.
After passing the bend, the river water becomes gentle and the river surface is very spacious.
At this time, the scouts who went east to search for the bridge returned.
Scout: "General...there is also an ambush in the east..."
Zhang He was startled when he heard this. Isn't this flying soldier too scary? Have you even thought of my retreat route?
"General, isn't that Zhang Fei a reckless man in front of the battle? Why did he create this ambush situation..." Xia Houjie swallowed hard.
Zhang He saw the rolling Yi water beside him, and then looked at the remaining two hundred elite cavalry behind him. He thought that although it was not as embarrassed as Xiang Yu's original situation, the situation was not much different.
"General Xiahou, are we still going to Dangyang to pay homage to Xiahou En?" Zhang He suddenly asked teasingly.
"I won't go... I can offer sacrifices in the distance... I can offer sacrifices in the distance..." Xia Houjie quickly replied. He didn't think of a way to run away yet, and would soon follow in his footsteps.
It was already dusk. After several hours of frightening fighting and fleeing for their lives, they were now trapped and exhausted.
The scout's information was correct. After the sky gradually darkened, flickering firelights could already be seen in the east. They were the last two groups led by Yuan Wei and Fu Wei.
Fire also appeared in the southwest. The infantry who had followed Zhang He to escape were probably all exhausted by now. The only ones of that magnitude could be Zhang Fei's pursuers.
"General Junyi, think of a way quickly." Xia Houjie was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. Although he looked very anxious, he was only in his twenties. He still had many good years left to enjoy, and he didn't want to die here. .
"The only solution for now is to forcefully cross the river. The nearest bridge here is thirty miles away. As long as we reach the other side of the river, we will be safe. Fortunately, the water flow here is relatively gentle." After Zhang He finished speaking, he took the lead to dismount.
"What about us good horses..." Xia Houjie asked.
Zhang He: "Can you still care about so much now? Leave quickly, or Zhang Fei will catch up."
Zhang He took the lead in abandoning his horse and taking off his armor. The cavalrymen jumped into the water like fish and shrimps, regardless of whether they knew how to swim. Xia Houjie, who knew how to swim a little, also jumped into the water.
Although spring has begun, the sun has set and the river is still freezing cold.
To cross the Yi River, which is dozens of meters wide, only shallow water is not enough. Everyone feels a rush as soon as they enter the water, and many people who cannot stand the cold turn into fish and shrimp.
Zhang Fei and Pang Tong led their pursuers to the river. Zhang He and others had already swam to the middle of the river, and half of the two hundred cavalry had sunk to the bottom of the water.
"Commander, these are good horses, thanks to your strategy." Zhang Fei said with a smile.
"It's nothing to worry about. It's just a pity that the other general is gone..." Pang Tong shook his head.
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "If I had known that I would have borrowed Gan Xingba and caught these guys as fish and shrimps, I would have asked the archers to give them a ride."
Zhang Fei called for a skilled archer to shoot at random on the river. Due to the lack of strength and the influence of the wind, there was little effect, but a few unlucky ones were shot.
Xia Houjie was originally struggling desperately, using different swings of his arms to generate heat to resist the cold, but when he discovered that a soldier next to him had been shot, he suddenly felt a chill in his heart, and then he found that he could not move his legs.
"General Junyi...my feet..." Xia Houjie kept slapping the water.
"Stop talking and swim forward as hard as you can. We're not far away." Zhang He ignored him after he finished speaking.
Gulu gulu...
Xia Houjie slowly sank...
"General, something grabbed my leg. Could it be a water ghost? Help...save me..." A soldier was shocked.
"Hu Dui, you have the best water quality, don't scare us..." the struggling cavalryman next to him reminded.
"Don't talk anymore. If you have the strength, swim over there as soon as possible..." Hu Dui was about to explain, but Zhang He gave the order directly.
After a while, most of the soldiers swam to the other side, leaving only a few who were still plowing the water.
Zhang He looked around and asked doubtfully: "Where is Xiahou's supervisor? Weren't you still talking just now? Where did they swim to?"
The soldiers who swam ashore huddled together, their teeth chattering with the cold. No one answered Zhang He's question.
The last one to swim to the shore was Zhang Dui, the best swimmer among the cavalry. He grabbed the shore with both hands and said helplessly: "Please give me a lift, I really can't swim anymore..."
At Zhang He's nod, the soldiers ran over in small steps. Several of them pulled and pulled Zhang Dui to the shore. When his legs came out of the water, there were really two hands firmly holding Zhang Dui's right calf.
"Ah...General Zhang...there is really a ghost..." One of the soldiers was so shocked that he let go.
It was almost dark at this time, and the water in the river could not be seen clearly. Zhang Dui was innocently thrown on the shore, and his right leg was stretched into the river again.
Zhang He strode over, grabbed Zhang Dui's hand and lifted it to the shore. He saw a swollen man who was also pulled out of the water.
This mention just separated Zhang Dui from the man. The nearby soldiers retreated in fright, and Zhang Dui did not dare to say a word.
Zhang He walked over and turned it over and saw that it was Xia Houjie who had a bloated belly after drinking. He had already lost his vitality and had sunk due to leg cramps due to fright.
In order to survive, Xia Houjie grabbed Zhang Dui who was passing by. If Zhang Dui hadn't been so good at water, he would have been dragged to the bottom of the river by him.
Zhang Hezheng said that Xia Houjie could not be found, but he did not expect that he had been drowned by the water. The clan disciples were drowned like this. He would definitely be punished when he returned to Xudu.
Zhang He mentioned Xia Houjie's body and threw it into the river, and said coldly: "I remember that Zheng Zhi has good water properties. We have to flee now, so we won't take his body on the road..."
While there was still a glimmer of light, Zhang He counted only sixty-four people.
"Let's go, it's too late and Zhang Fei is chasing us again." Zhang He led the remaining soldiers into the darkness.
Zhang Fei didn't bother to chase them. After half a day of fighting, Zhang He was almost wiped out. Not only did he get a lot of food and baggage, but most importantly, he got five to six hundred horses, which was a big help to Liu Bei's army who was short of horses.
After the victory, Zhang Fei camped on the south bank of Yishui River, preparing to clear the battlefield tomorrow before retreating to Xiangyang.
At night, there was a bonfire in the camp to keep warm, and Zhang He's army rations were provided to satisfy his hunger. Zhang Fei and other generals sat around to celebrate the victory.
Zhang Fei picked up the wine bowl and toasted Pang Tong: "Commander, I think you have some skills. Please go out with me to fight more battles in the future."
Pang Tong drank the wine from the bowl: "Yide withstood Zhang He's attack of 4,000 men with only 1,500 soldiers. This also impressed Tong."
"It's a pity that Zhang He's son didn't fall into the trap. If I had poked a few holes in front of the formation, his rabble would have been defeated long ago." Zhang Fei didn't care.
"Now I finally got some benefits, Yide's time cost was not in vain." Pang Tong laughed.
"If Cao Cao sends more war horses, I will be able to form an elite cavalry. My second brother, Zilong, and I were all cavalry commanders when we were in Hebei. Unfortunately, after we came to Jingzhou, we were forced to use infantry because of the tightness of the horses. Die." Zhang Fei sighed.
"Our infantry are not bad either. We were not afraid at all when we surrounded Zhang He's cavalry just now." Pang Tong boasted.
Zhang Fei shook his head: "In terms of infantry, Gao Boping's trap must be..."
Pang Tong had seen the trap camp in Jiangling. The uniformity and cold momentum was different from the ordinary army. For this reason, he also discussed with Huang Zhong. In addition to admiring Gao Shun and the trap camp, Huang Zhong admired the former commander Lan Tian.
Although it is enough to have Gao Shun in the trapped camp, Lan Tian can enhance the cohesion of the soldiers. This power can greatly increase the combat effectiveness.
"I don't know what happened to my lord in Jiangling..." Pang Tong looked to the south.
Zhang Fei muttered: "Before leaving, Gan Xingba came to Jiangling. Ziyu seemed to have something important to do. He asked his eldest brother to go to Quanling and pick up Adou and his sister-in-law. Now they should be eating in the sea. Drink, if the military advisor hadn’t ordered my general, I would have given this opportunity to Zilong..."
"General Zilong also has important things to do, and he doesn't know what important things will happen in the south." Pang Tong said to himself.
Lantian hosted a banquet for Liu Bei, Kong Ming and his entourage in Quanling. The hall was filled with many delicious foods, including the Fushouquan dish with rich ingredients.
This time Lantian invited Liu Bei to Quanling to meet an old friend he had not seen for many years.
