Xia Houmao's eyes widened. He thought that more than a dozen groups had just passed by, and at least a thousand people had already 'escaped'.
"Send orders to each battalion to attack in separate sections. Zhang Fei cannot be allowed to escape." Xia Houmao shouted.
"Uh... I will go and deliver the order right away."
Han Shao hurriedly asked the flag officer to wave the five-color flag. Upon hearing the order, the surrounding battalions and troops moved, shouting and pounced on the cavalry running on both sides.
The battle line of the 30,000-strong army was already long, so the central and rear troops could not see the command flags, and the order to attack could not be conveyed. Han Shao sent messengers on horseback to rush to the rear.
For a time, outside Wangyuan City, there was a roar of people and the neighing of war horses.
The fierce shouts of killing caused the waves on the Wei River to sparkle.
Zhang Fei's four thousand cavalry were flexibly organized into nearly a hundred squads. Each squad formed its own regiment, with main attackers, auxiliary attackers, guides, observers, rear breakers and other units. They used the mobility advantages of the horses to contain and kill them while running. Enemies, avoid fighting when there are many people, and kill them when they are alone.
The tactics were clean and neat, without any sloppiness.
In order to deal with Zhang Fei's sparrow battle, Xia Houmao ordered each battalion to block the opponent separately, causing chaos. The soldiers of each unit fought independently without unified command, just like a group of farmers fighting without structure.
"Bastard, at this time, the Wangyuan defenders didn't come out of the city to help in the battle. The general will have to severely punish them later." Xia Houmao said through gritted teeth as he looked at the chaotic scene.
"Prince-in-law, Zhang Fei's cavalry is as slippery as loaches, and the infantry can't stop them unless they form a formation. In addition, the opponent has no main force at all, and our cavalry doesn't know which group to pursue..." Han Shao frowned.
"Whatever, I just want to end the battle as soon as possible." Xia Houmao looked extremely impatient.
"Wei." Han Shao nodded with his fists clasped.
Although the Weishui River Valley outside Wangyuan City is spacious, it cannot hold tens of thousands of soldiers scattered to capture and fight. With their speed and impact, Zhang Fei's cavalry can hardly be stopped by the Wei army. Stampede.
Tens of thousands of Wei troops were led around like headless flies. Some soldiers never stood up after falling down. The chaotic battle continued until dusk. Zhang Fei's cavalry team, like breaking through a barrier, broke out of the encirclement and all reached the east. , the sound of fighting beside the river valley gradually weakened.
Taking advantage of the dim light in the sky, Xia Houmao ordered people to clean the battlefield and count the number of people. The final statistics showed that two thousand of his own troops were killed and one thousand were wounded. Zhang Fei only lost dozens of people, but all the horses escaped without exception.
"Zhang Fei is this beast."
Xia Houmao cursed loudly and suffered a huge defeat in the first confrontation. There was nowhere to vent the anger in his chest.
"Consort, General Zhao wants to see you..."
At this moment, Chief Secretary Han Shao brought Wangyuan guard Zhao Yu.
Xia Houmao was so angry that he thought you were not here when we were fighting bloody battles, but you just came running over after the battle? I wanted to tie up the general and kill him to show his authority, but I also thought that this person was under Cao Zhen's command and it might not be appropriate to kill him myself, so he asked coldly: "General Zhao's labor force came in time, we just finished cleaning the battlefield." ”
"Zhang Fei is brave and invincible. Wang Yuan has so few major generals that he really can't leave the city. What other troops can he use?" Zhao Yu's head was covered with sweat, and his bitter face showed curiosity.
Han Shao reminded in a deep voice: "Didn't the consort send scouts to look for you? Ask Wang Yuan to prepare some food for the army. We have to set up camp at night."
"The general didn't see the scouts, and the Wangyuan defenders didn't inform me. Will Zhang Fei..." Zhao Yu swallowed his saliva and stopped after saying a few words.
"Hmph, very good, great. General Zhao has done his duty faithfully. When General Zhenxi returns from victory, I will ask him for credit." Xia Houmao was so angry that sparks appeared in his eyes.
"Thank you, Prince Consort..." Zhao Yu pretended to be dumbfounded.
Xia Houmao felt as if he had been punched in the cotton. He frowned and said impatiently: "When the baggage ship arrives, I will arrange to set up camp and go down to the stronghold. General Zhao will go back to the city to prepare meals."
"Uh..." Zhao Yu stood still.
"Huh? Doesn't this general's military order work?" Xia Houmao suddenly became murderous.
Zhao Yu clasped his fists and replied: "I will go and take care of it right away. I just want to tell you something before I leave."
"Huh?" Xia Houmao frowned.
"Is the general's baggage shipped in batches or all at once? Zhang Fei is extremely cunning and often robs ships on the Wei River. If precautions are not taken..." Zhao Yu hesitated.
Xia Houmao's eyes widened and he quickly ordered Han Shao: "Quickly take all the cavalry down the river and escort the water transport ships to Wangyuan Pier."
"Although the surface of the Weishui River is not as large as the Yellow River, it is not easy to plunder, right? Even if you encounter Zhang Fei riding and shooting near the river, you can definitely rely on the north bank, unless Zhang Fei can really fly..." Han Shao disagreed.
Zhao Yu smiled bitterly and said: "Although Zhang Fei can't fly, he will lead the people on the boat to the south bank under the guise of reinforcements and friendly forces, and then use bows and arrows to threaten and seize the ship and rob the food..."
After hearing this, Han Shao did not refute, but hoped that it was already dusk and since Zhang Fei had "escaped", he should not cause more trouble.
The more afraid something will happen, the more likely it will happen.
Han Shao didn't know Murphy's Law, but Zhang Fei was definitely a person who wouldn't suffer.
Zhang Fei had no reason to refuse what was brought to his lips. He asked people to use Xiahou Mao's flag to guide the water transport ships in the Wei River to the shore. In addition to grabbing some food and wine for consumption, he forced the sailors to scuttle all the ships. Shen, only three small boats on the periphery escaped.
Xiahou Mao's baggage was thrown into the river by Zhang Fei, and the tents and provisions for the camp were gone in an instant. He could only squeeze into Wangyuan City with his soldiers.
But Wangyuan was not big to begin with, and had been "exploited" by Zhang Fei, so it could not bear the supply of Xia Houmao's army.
Guard general Zhao Yu admonished him and said: "Prince-in-law, Wangyuan City is small and the grain stored in the warehouse has bottomed out. We must ask Governor Ma for help as soon as possible..."
When Xia Houmao heard the call for help, it was a bit jarring, and he thought to himself, isn't this general just a reinforcement? But it is not easy to be careless in times of crisis. He nodded and affirmed: "In that case, please ask General Zhao to send someone to Jicheng overnight and ask Ma Zun to prepare the rations for me to return to Chang'an."
"The prince-in-law is leaving?" Zhao Yu asked in surprise.
"Your Majesty asked me to drive Zhang Fei away. Now that he has escaped, why should I stay in Liangzhou? Besides, there are still military affairs in Chang'an..." Xia Houmao was not so diligent. He just missed the gentleness of Chang'an. Township.
"Uh...Zhang Fei is different from normal people. He often doesn't follow the rules when doing things and uses troops. He robbed the Prince Consort's grain ship today. Maybe he won't leave?" Zhao Yu reminded.
"Can't leave? The black man's fighting skills today are quite powerful. If you want to defeat him, you can only use cavalry against cavalry. Otherwise, if the infantry breaks his legs and falls under the horse, how can he still have the strength to fight?" Xiahou Mao shook his head.
Han Shao, the chief secretary, suggested, "Zhang Fei's troops are already east of Wangyuan. Why don't the prince-in-law ask Governor Ma to assemble cavalry from all over the country? The number will definitely exceed Zhang Fei's strength, and then slowly advance eastward. Zhang Fei will inevitably retreat if he loses his advantage."
"Good." Xia Houmao nodded.
Ten miles east of Wangyuan, Zhang Fei and several generals were sitting on the grass to rest. The soldiers of each battalion set up fires and buried pots to make rice.
"General, we have been out for more than a hundred days and have caused chaos in Liangzhou for more than a hundred days. Shall we return to Wudu tomorrow?" Zhang Da asked.
Zhang Fei frowned, "I always feel like I missed something, it seems like it's not satisfying."
