Outside Xiyang City, the army was ready to go, and its momentum was like a rainbow. The soldiers, wearing iron armor and helmets and holding sharp weapons, were standing outside the city, as if they were about to go into battle.
The horses neighed and the sound of hoofbeats shook the sky. The soldiers held the reins tightly to stabilize the surging horses.
Each war horse holds its head high and is full of energy. They are the most loyal comrades on the battlefield, fighting to the death together with the riders.
The flags are flying, and the Liu characters on the military flags are flying and phoenixes are dancing, showing the momentum and majesty of the army.
The flag bearer was ordered to raise the flag and stand at the front of the military column, and the soldiers were organized into a neat square formation.
The army was in neat formation, the military drums were beating, the soldiers acted in unison, and the horses marched to the beat of the drums in unison. The sound of military music echoed in the cold wind, inspiring the fighting spirit of every soldier.
On the second day after arriving in Xiyang City, Liu Chan was preparing for military exercises in Xiyang City.
He has the ability to send troops to attack Wei, but it would be too risky.
Wei Guo is like a giant. If you bite him, he will only feel pain and may not be injured.
But he in Jingzhou is a child who is still growing taller. He has no food or water. Now he goes to fight a giant. It's okay if he wins, but if he loses, his life is not guaranteed.
He could only put pressure on Wei here.
certainly...
If there is a good opportunity to fight, it is not impossible for him to send troops to attack Wei.
Runan County is densely populated, and it would not be a loss if they could occupy a few cities.
Even if the city cannot be taken, plundering grain and moving people away is still a profitable business for Liu Chan.
Regardless of whether it is Yizhou or Jingzhou, there is a shortage of heads.
The speed of converting the barbarian population to our own use is still too slow.
Where can the Han people obey the barbarians?
Skills such as farming, smelting, and weaving do not require training, but for barbarians, you still need to train. Even after training, the effect is not as good as that of Han people.
One Han is like five barbarians.
Not only in the military, but also in economic production.
"Set off!"
It's said to be a military exercise, but thieves don't leave empty-handed and come here. If you don't bring something over, do you really think that soldiers don't need to eat?
Zhang Bao took the order and led five thousand people from the Wuyi Army to Xiyang City. They cruised all the way to Yiyang, then to Xinxi, then crossed the river, passed Baoxin, and wandered around four cities.
If you encounter people, move away. If you encounter villages or manors, capture them. At the same time, pay attention to the situation in the city. If the city is empty, you will attack the city.
After plundering hundreds of miles of land, they returned to the outside of Xiyang City two days later. Not only did they bring a lot of food and grass, but they also brought back more than 10,000 people.
"This Wei Guard General is really a piece of shit. That's all. Why don't you dare to attack me?"
Zhang Bao took the water bag from Guan Xing and took a big gulp, with a look of pity on his face.
"I only have 5,000 men. I've penetrated deep into the enemy's territory and even crossed the river. If the defenders from the four cities come out together, they might not be able to keep me, you bastard!"
Although this trip was fruitful, Zhang Bao was particularly dissatisfied.
hit me!
Why don't you send troops to fight me?
Damn it, the food and grass I grabbed and the people who moved here created a long snake formation that stretched for several miles, but no one dared to fight.
Guan Xing smiled softly and said: "With Your Highness here, how can ordinary guards dare to send troops to interfere? It's just a loss of some people, and it doesn't damage the foundation. I'm afraid it won't be easy to rob the people in the future. The border of Wei State must be The vertical wall clears the field.”
Liu Chan nodded and said: "They are right not to leave the city. If you leave the city and want to go back, it will be difficult. Losing people is a trivial matter, but losing land is a capital crime."
Although there are only 5,000 soldiers in Wuyi Cong, their war horses are all Western Region BMWs, and almost everyone is wearing armor. They are the best among the best.
Your Wei State must send at least three times more troops before you can dare to defeat him, and if you want to completely retain them, three times the strength is not enough.
Now there are only soldiers defending the city in Runan. Where are the soldiers fighting in the field?
There is no other option but to be a coward.
"In a few days, Cao Pi will surely send people for reinforcements."
Everyone knows that there is no extra food and grass in Jingzhou, so it is difficult to fight again.
However...
Do you dare to bet, Cao Pi?
With Liu Chan's control over people's hearts, Cao Pi would definitely divide his troops and come.
No division of troops?
He, Liu Gongsi, would also scare him until he divided his troops.
"Let's rest for a day and start looting again tomorrow."
"I'll go tomorrow!"
Guan Xing hurriedly stepped forward to take the order.
Liu Chan nodded, but still said: "After all, we are going deep into enemy territory. We must not advance rashly. If we see reinforcements from Wei arriving, we must withdraw. Don't put yourself in danger."
Guan Xing nodded quickly and said, "Your Highness, you know me. I, Guan Xing, have always been cautious and will not do anything rash."
Compared to Zhang Bao, that's true.
"Tomorrow you lead the prince's personal army."
Talk about Wu Yicong and the prince's pro-army.
In turn, let the generals of the Wei army know that I, Mr. Liu, also have elite soldiers under his command.
"Today is February 2nd."
On February 2, the dragon raises its head.
"Dragon" refers to the seven-constellation star of the Eastern Blue Dragon among the twenty-eight constellations. At the beginning of the first month of the second month of every year, the "Dragon-horned Star" rises from the eastern horizon, so it is called "Dragon Heads Up".
"The dragon raises its head" indicates the growth of yang energy, the increase of rain, and the vitality of all things.
The dragon raises its head, also known as Spring Plowing Festival, Farming Festival, Green Dragon Festival, Spring Dragon Festival, etc.
"We have been fighting for several months, and now it is supposed to be the time for spring plowing and sowing. War!"
Liu Chan sighed in his heart.
Once this battle starts, if several counties in Runan are affected by Liu Chan, then there will definitely be no need to think about spring plowing.
It will directly delay the farming work.
If the people here have no harvest for a year, wouldn't they be hungry?
This is even more true around Hefei.
And if Liu Chan sends a large army to attack Wei, Jingzhou will have to send out brave local masters to transport grain, grass and various materials. There will be fewer people, and farming will naturally be delayed.
This was also the reason why Liu Chan did not dare to send troops directly.
Not only was there no food in Jingzhou, but also because if too many soldiers were sent to Wei, it would also delay Jingzhou's agricultural work.
Once the farming work is delayed, food will become a problem again in the second half of the year.
If we can maintain the battle after several battles this year, the Liu Chan Merchant Alliance will have to transfer a lot of food and grass from the Wei State.
Zang Ba turned against him and wanted to exchange grain and grass from Wei through the merchant alliance, which was not easy.
"The current war is just something the world must experience. When His Highness rules the world, the world will naturally be at peace."
Seeing Liu Chan's heart rippling, Fei Yi hurriedly came to comfort him.
"I hope this process can be short."
Liu Chan shook his head gently, driving away the sentimentality in his heart, and asked instead: "Are the four counties in Jingnan peaceful?"
Fei Yi nodded and said: "The Changsha barbarians were almost wiped out by His Highness. Now Mi Yang is the governor of Changsha County, managing the barbarians without any unrest. Wuling County has two chess pieces laid out by His Highness, regardless of the mountains. The barbarians and plain barbarians are all very obedient. Although His Highnesses from Guiyang County and Lingling County did not come in person, the officials sent by His Highness came in, and the barbarians no longer dared to look down upon them as before."
"Where is Jiaozhou?"
He personally visited the four counties in Jingnan and spent several months, but he naturally produced some results.
Barbarians, it's of little use if you try to reason with them.
Let them see the fists of my Han people and let them know the consequences of disobedience. Naturally, they will not dare to disobey again.
"The Shi family obeyed their promise and handed over Yulin County to His Highness. Zheng and A Huinan went to Bushan City. The Shi family did not stop them."
Yulin County governed Bushan. After Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, established the Western Han Dynasty, he still used restraint methods and still named Zhao Tuo the King of Nanyue. Later, Lu Jia, the prime minister of South Vietnam, rebelled, opposed surrender to the Han Dynasty, and insisted on local separatism.
It governs Bushan, Anguang, Alin, Guangdu, Zhongliu, Guilin, Tanzhong, Linchen, Dingzhou, Lingfang, Zengshi, Yongji and other counties.
The place is very large, but there are few Han people and few barbarians. The mountains are endless. The scholar family handed over this county to Liu Chan just to appease Liu Chan.
and...
Even if Yulin County is handed over to Liu Chan, can the two or three thousand people brought there by Ma Liang and A Huinan really be able to manage the entire Yulin County?
In the end, those barbarian chiefs didn’t listen to his scholar family?
Liu Chan was naturally well aware of Shi Xie's thoughts.
However...
With the war going on in Hefei, Liu Chan no longer had any extra energy to deal with Shi Xie.
He is willing to hand over Yulin County, even in a symbolic sense, which is very important to Liu Chan.
In the future...
Once they are freed up, they will naturally come to deal with Jiaozhou.
At least there is a name.
Liu Chan and others returned to Xiyang City. Not long after they sat down, they heard from the steward outside the mansion that Zang Ba's envoy had arrived.
With the benefit of the business alliance, Liu Chan's news of sending troops to Xiyang was naturally notified to Zang Ba in advance.
"Let him come in."
Liu Chan sat on the main seat, and not long after, Zang Ba's envoy dressed in Confucian robes slowly entered.
"The envoy pays homage to His Highness."
"Please get up! I wonder if Zang Ba has called you over. Why is it important?"
The envoy stood up slowly and said, "My lord invites Your Highness to send troops to attack the Han thief Cao Pi!"
Liu Chan's eyes flickered.
"I don't have enough troops, and I'm even more lacking in food and grass. Is it inappropriate to attack this time?"
The envoy gave Liu Chan a meaningful expression and said, "In the past few months, the Merchant Alliance has transported countless grains and grass from Wei to Jingzhou. Is your highness really out of grain?"
All the beautiful porcelain, colored glaze, salt and iron, cloth and silk were all exchanged for food and grass by Liu Chan.
The amount of food and grass exchanged is definitely not a small amount.
Jingzhou is short of food now.
But as long as there is no large army, there is still enough food and grass.
but...
There is no need to tell outsiders about your own details.
"How much food and grass can be saved after a horse chews it? Don't you know, I personally conquered the four counties in Jingnan before, which cost a huge amount of billions. No matter how much food and grass was shipped from the Wei State, it was not enough to support the army."
Liu Chan's words are naturally both true and false.
The four counties in Jingnan did indeed consume a lot of food and grass.
However, when passing through the four counties in Jingnan, a lot of resources were also plundered from the hands of powerful barbarian chiefs from various places. There was some consumption, but not as much as Liu Chan said.
"If Your Highness is willing to send troops, our Lord is willing to provide His Highness with food and grass, and even cut off Runan County and Your Highness."
Cut off Runan County?
The fight hasn't started yet!
A celebration banquet has been arranged?
"How can I trust you?"
The foreign envoy solemnly saluted Liu Chan and said seriously: "My lord is not a rat from Jiangdong, but he has kept his promise. Your Highness has absolutely no need to worry about the issue of food and grass. Xuzhou and Qingzhou produce a lot of food, which can supply more than ten thousand people." Ten thousand troops, that’s more than enough.”
"I heard that Cao Pi from Wei State brought over hundreds of thousands of people. How many people do you have under your master?"
"Nearly a hundred thousand."
Messenger Zang Ba said without blushing.
Nearly one hundred thousand?
This is too awesome.
"I'm afraid the number of soldiers that can fight is only thirty or twenty thousand?"
Zang Ba's envoy was horrified.
How did Liu Gongsi, the crown prince of Hanzhong, know the details of my lord?
"Recruit troops, and within ten months, we can recruit 100,000 troops!"
There must be money, food and grass, but...
"In the land of Qingxu, does your Lord really command you like an arm?"
As soon as Liu Chan asked this question, he stopped Zang Ba's envoy again.
If the land of Qingxu was really run like an iron barrel by Zang Ba, why would he leave Qingxu?
"It is precisely because my lord is unable to fully control the Qingxu Land that he must have a victory to eliminate the ulterior motives of those who have the ulterior motives of the Qingxu Land!"
Zang Ba's envoy stared directly at Liu Chan and said: "As long as your Highness is willing to send troops, you don't have to worry about food, grass, and luggage. One Runan County is not enough. My Lord can also cede Lujiang County to Your Highness."
Runan County, plus Lujiang County, including hidden households, has a population of one million, right?
What a big deal indeed!
Liu Chan was undoubtedly moved.
"Your master, Zang Ba, will you not only ally with me?"
The envoy nodded and said: "We have also formed an alliance with Jiangdong. Our Lord wants to exchange Jiujiang County and Jiangdong for his support!"
Jiujiang County includes Shouchun and Hefei.
From a geopolitical point of view, it was impossible for Sun Quan not to be tempted by Zang Ba's promise of such benefits.
If the alliance really comes to fruition, there really is a chance!
Liu Chan's eyes flickered, but he still asked: "Your Excellency, how do you transfer the food to me?"
When the envoy heard that Liu Chan wanted to form an alliance, he was overjoyed and said quickly: "As long as Your Highness fights until Shouchun and joins forces with my lord, there will be no worries about food and grass!"
Fight to Shouchun?
"snort!"
Liu Chan immediately snorted coldly and said: "Shouchun is more than four hundred miles away from Xiyang. During this period, more than ten Wei cities were built deep into the enemy's territory. There was no help from outside and no food and grass inside. Could it be that the envoy thought that I, Mr. Liu, was easy to deceive?"
"this..."
Zang Ba's envoy also knew that it was not easy to accomplish this, but he still flattered his face and said: "Your Highness can defeat Mengde, and can capture the nine counties of Jingxiang and Xiang in just a few battles, a mere four hundred miles away. For Your Highness, What does it matter?"
Liu Chan doesn't like this kind of compliment.
"If you are not sincere, then I don't think there is any need to say anything more."
"this..."
The Zang Ba envoy suddenly showed a look of panic on his face.
"Perhaps we can use the Jiangdong waterway to transport food and grass for His Highness."
This is right!
Liu Chan nodded and said: "As soon as the food and grass arrive, I will send troops. Of course, even if the food and grass have not arrived, I will harass the counties in Runan County to attract the attention of the Wei army for Zang Ba. You can rest assured about this. "
The messenger opened his mouth. In fact, he wanted Liu Chan to send troops to attack the city now.
After the city was captured, Cao Pi must be nervous. By then, more Wei troops would be attracted.
only...
He looked at Liu Chan's clear and wise eyes and knew that even if he spoke out, the Crown Prince of Hanzhong would not agree.
Bargaining with this little fox?
He doesn't have the ability yet.
In any case, the Crown Prince of Hanzhong has agreed to the alliance.
This time he went deep into the enemy's territory and came as an envoy, which was considered a success.
The rest of the matter is beyond his control as an envoy.
However, the three-party alliance means that the Wei State has an army of hundreds of thousands, so what can it do to the Lord?
vitality!
Winning plan!
My lord already has it!
