Seeing Guan Yu's suspicion, Xu Shu explained with a smile: "Cao Ren is very good at defending the city. In the past, Zhou Yu besieged Xiangyang for a year and was unable to win. Without a plan, it would be difficult to win. Yun Chang could sail his warship through the Yangkou Canal into the Han River and grow stronger along the way. He marched northward with great momentum, and threatened to take Xiangfan from the Han River, and I would lead another army to aid Zilong by land."
"The military advisor asked me to feign an attack?" Guan Yu asked in confusion.
Xu Shu nodded, "The navy is very mobile. Even if Cao's army in Runan wants to rescue, it will be too late in terms of time. Moreover, the general has experience in Juebei Road before, which will definitely frighten the Xiangfan garrison. Cao Ren is worried about the emptiness in the rear. Are you in the mood to guard Dangyang?"
"My troops must not be large, and it is almost impossible to attack Xiangfan by force. If reinforcements from Runan really come to help, what will Guan do?" Guan Yu asked.
Xu Shu sneered and said: "Although Jingzhou's warships are not as good as Jiangdong's, the few broken ships in Xiangfan can't stop them at all. As long as General Guan holds Hanshui and Danshui, Cao's army will be useless even if he has thousands of troops. We will really attack in the future." Xiangfan also needs to use naval forces to cut off reinforcements from the Central Plains, so Yun Chang should practice in advance."
Guan Yu nodded, "Very good, I will set off immediately to buy time for Yuan Zhi and Zilong, while Ping'er stays behind to guard Jiangling City."
"Wei." Guan Ping cupped his fists and accepted the order.
Guan Yu and Zhou Cang hurried out of the city. Xu Shu asked people to prepare troops and horses while handing over the city defense matters to Guan Ping. Although the threat from the Yangtze River had been lifted, there was no guarantee that Jiangling would not get involved. Xu Shu worked very hard on Jiangling city defense. Don’t think about others but also think about my mother’s safety.
Because Xu Shu was not in a hurry, he waited until the next day to rush to Dangyang with 3,000 soldiers. He walked slowly on the road for two days before arriving, but Guan Yu had already caused a disturbance in the Han River.
In order to deal with the invading navy from Jiangdong, Guan Yu took away all the warships he could mobilize, including the ships patrolling the Han River. After Cao Ren got the news, he sent dozens of patrol ships to carry news from the south to Xiangfan every day. deliver.
Without the deterrence of the Jingzhou navy, Xiangfan's patrol boats are no longer limited to Zhangshan waters, and have wandered south to the vicinity of Xiakou. The two tributaries of Yangkou Canal and Xiashui connecting Jiangling also contain Cao Jun patrol boats. After Lu Su took over the defense of Jiangxia, he temporarily only eliminated the informants in the waters of Jiangxia. .
Jingzhou's navy entered the Han River again. Guan Yu aggressively captured more than a dozen patrol boats along the way, but several of them escaped accidentally.
News of Guan Yu's navy heading north soon spread back to Xiangfan.
Lu Chang, the prefect who stayed in Xiangyang, sent people to deliver a message to Cao Ren and also sent people to Runan to ask for help.
It was already dusk when Xu Shu arrived at the south of Dangyang City. Zhao Yun and Liao Hua had already withdrawn their troops and returned to their camp.
Zhao Yun was overjoyed to see Xu Shu. Cao Ren was not only good at defending the city but also proficient in formations. Zhao Yun had endless power but could not use it. In addition, Cao's army had more troops than his own, so Zhao Yun and Liao Hua did not dare to split their troops to attack.
"It would be great if you came here, military advisor. Has the trouble in the Yangtze River been solved?" Zhao Yun asked.
Xu Shu replied: "Yun Chang and Ziyu have been properly resolved. Now we only need Cao Ren's troops to retreat. We cannot let Cao's army take root here, otherwise Jiangling will encounter threats at any time."
"Cao Ren is really powerful. He only has a thousand-man formation outside the south gate. General Zilong tried several times without success. The other three generals tried to challenge him, but they couldn't hold on." Liao Huazhi shook his head. .
Xu Shu's face was serious: "Oh? This is interesting. As long as Cao Ren's formation is broken, he will definitely abandon Dangyang and rush to Xiangyang. Yuan Jian (Liao Hua) can take advantage of Zilong and I to break the formation tomorrow morning and lead three thousand troops to rush. Go to a secluded place to the north of Dangyang to ambush, wait for Cao Ren's main force to leave, attack and kill his rear army, you must leave some food, grass and baggage behind."
Zhao Yun asked with a smile: "Why are military advisors like Yide, always trying to gain benefits from Cao's army? But why are you so sure that Cao Ren will leave? Is it possible that someone will attack Xiangfan?"
Xu Shu affirmed: "I remember Ziyu's famous saying, 'If you can't take advantage, you will suffer a loss.' After thinking about it, it really makes sense. General Guan's main naval force set off first, and now it should approach Xiangfan along the Han River. If Cao Ren If you are not afraid of being isolated, you will inevitably lead the army to retreat."
"I knew the military advisor had a backup plan." Zhao Yun nodded repeatedly.
Early the next morning, Xu Shu and Zhao Yunming attacked Dangyang. Cao Ren still set up a formation in the south of the city and waited with contempt for Zhao Yun to break the formation.
Niu Jin recognized Zhao Yun, who was on a white horse and silver armor. When he saw the Jingzhou army coming to attack the city again, he stood at the top of the city and shouted scornfully: "People say that Zhao Zi is a tiger general in the world, but it is a pity that he has lost several times in a row. Today he is embarrassed again." Can you show your eyes?"
Zhao Yun ignored Niu Jin's sigh, cupped his fists and asked Xu Shu for help: "Commander, this formation is somewhat mysterious. Let me enter the formation first and show it to you."
"Zilong, be careful." Xu Shule looked familiar in front of the horse formation.
Zhao Yun led a group of men and horses into the formation, and saw that the formation suddenly moved. The front of the formation was covered by infantry shields, and the rear was pierced and attacked by spearmen.
Zhao Yun relied on his personal bravery to charge left and right, but the enemy was like a river flowing eastward, and his troops soon became exhausted and fell into a crisis.
Seeing this, Xu Shu immediately offered gold and retreated his troops. Zhao Yun fled back covered in blood. Only a dozen of his two hundred followers escaped. Cao's army burst into laughter on the city wall.
"Commander, you saw clearly just now. Do you want me to explore the formation again?" Zhao Yun asked breathlessly.
Xu Shu stretched out his hand to stop, "This is the eight-door golden lock array. The eight doors are Xiu, Sheng, Shang, Du, Jing, Death, Jing, and Kai. Open the door from Shengmen, Jingmen, and enter the auspicious circle, and open the door from Shangmen and Jingmen. , close the door and enter and get hurt, enter from Dumen and the death door, and die.
Cao Ren does have some skills, but it is not difficult to break this formation. General Zilong can attack from the Shengmen Gate in the southeast corner, and if he breaks out from Jingmen Gate due west, his formation will be in chaos. "
"I'll get ready right away." Zhao Yun was overjoyed.
Xu Shu summoned Liao Hua again and told him: "Zilong and others will break through the eight-door golden lock array. Yuan Jian can take advantage of Cao Jun's attention on the south gate and secretly go around to the north of the city to ambush. Dangyang will break the city today."
"Wei." Liao Hua cupped his fists and accepted the order.
Niu Jin on the city wall saw that Zhao Yun was defeated and refused to retreat, so he asked the general Cao Ren curiously: "General, Zhao Yun is very unusual today. It seems that he is mobilizing men and horses to break the formation again. Is he crazy?"
Cao Renxu picked up his goatee and said, "Zhao Yun is not a person who has gained a reputation in vain. Maybe he has lost his troops several times in the past two days and found a way to break the formation?"
"Impossible. The general's eight-door golden lock formation is so mysterious. How could Zhao Yun see through it?" Niu Jin didn't care.
Cao Ren had received a request for help from Xiangyang at this time, and was planning how to withdraw from Dangyang. Suddenly, his elite cavalry sentry came to report that a small number of Jingzhou troops were secretly moving eastward.
Cao Ren was very keen and instinctively sensed the danger, "Immediately asked Cai Ji to replace Chen Zhao in the formation, and we immediately reorganized our troops and assembled to the north of the city.
Zhao Yun must have an expert here, and he wants to cut off the return route to Xiangyang, but what can the soldiers and horses do to me? "
"What about you, General?" Niu Jin asked doubtfully.
Cao Ren frowned: "Be careful when sailing the ten thousand year ship."
Niu Jin nodded and followed Cao Ren down the city wall, sighing that Cao Ren didn't forget to replace Chen Zhao before leaving. After all, his nephew was closer than Cai Mao's nephew.
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