They originally guessed that Xi Zhicai's change in attitude was due to pressure from the imperial court, but they did not expect that it was ultimately due to the Black Mountain Army!
The Black Mountain Army invaded Shangdang County from Changshan State and then threatened Luoyang. The court would definitely not tolerate it!
In panic and anger, the target of the attack was naturally pointed at Cao Cao, who was ordered to conquer the Black Mountain Army!
Everyone's expressions changed in shock, except Cao Cao, who was expressionless and said calmly: "How will Bingzhou respond?"
Xi Zhicai shook his head and said, "That's all the news I got."
Guo Jia took a slow sip of wine, his eyes became sharp, and said: "There are 20,000 Yulin troops in Luoyang City, so there is no need to worry. However, we must not let the Black Mountain Army besiege Luoyang!"
The rebels attacked the imperial capital. This was a big deal. No matter how worry-free, no one could bear the accountability afterwards!
And Cao Cao is the first to bear the brunt!
Cao Cao stood up suddenly and said: "Send troops immediately!"
Xi Zhicai said: "General Cao wants to send troops to Luoyang?"
Cao Cao's narrow eyes were cold and silent, and he said: "Changshan Kingdom!"
Xi Zhicai coughed lightly and pretended to think.
Cao Cao's decision was no problem in terms of military strategy. Whether it was encircling Wei to save Zhao or reaching the bandit's nest, it was indeed the best tactic.
But the consequences are also very serious. In the future when the siege of Luoyang City is lifted, someone in the court will definitely impeach Cao Cao for "sitting back and watching the rebels invade Jifu, supporting the troops without saving them, and having ulterior motives"!
This crime was enough to cause Cao Cao to be executed by the Nine Tribes!
Guo Jia, Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun and others all looked at Cao Cao in silence.
He is not stupid, and he naturally understands the terrible consequences of Cao Cao's actions.
But none of them spoke out against it.
Cao Cao raised his troops and marched north, without any cover, and attacked Changshan Kingdom.
Cao Cao, who had been marching in hiding, suddenly revealed his whereabouts, causing shock in Yanzhou and Jizhou.
Especially the Black Mountain Army, after receiving the news and knowing Cao Cao's location, took more targeted actions.
Jizhou, which was originally relatively peaceful, suddenly moved at high speed. In response to Shao, Zhang Liao mobilized his troops and generals to deal with whatever might happen.
The Black Mountain Army in Huguan, Shangdang County, originally intended to test Luoyang, but now they dare not move, as if they are waiting to see the direction of the wind.
Cao Cao crossed the prefecture and came to Changshan Kingdom. The army rushed straight to the well path like wind and thunder.
The year before last, the Black Mountain Army was so powerful that it besieged Ying Shao in Changshan Kingdom for more than half a year. Afterwards, the Black Mountain Army was defeated and Ying Shao and others were unable to completely wipe out Chang Shan Kingdom, so there were many Black Mountain Army entrenched.
This time, Zhang Yan gathered the heads of the Black Mountain Army from all over the country and gathered in the well, preparing to fight head-on with the officers and soldiers to avoid being defeated one by one.
Jingjing Mountain.
Zhang Yan is sitting in the main seat, followed by Yu Du, Yang Feng, Sui Gu and other so-called Black Mountain Army Commanders, which are slightly older leaders, as well as Liu Shi, Qing Niujiao, Huang Long, Zuo Xiao, Guo Daxian, Li Damu, Yu Di Gen and many other small bosses.
Zhang Yan still has more than 100,000 men under his command, while Yu Du, Yang Feng and others only have 50,000 or 60,000 men, and the others are even less, with 30,000 to 20,000 being more, and thousands and hundreds being the most.
The small ones relied on the big ones, while the big ones were half independent and half dependent on Zhang Yan, and made a living by plundering on the mountains.
Although Zhang Yan, Yu Du and others were recruited by the imperial court and had official positions such as school captains, the imperial court never paid them salaries. Therefore, in addition to relying on the mountains to support them, robbery was the basis of their survival.
The imperial court became more and more powerful, and the officers and soldiers were no longer as easy to bully as before. Their life had been difficult since the year before last.
Zhang Yan sat in the seats, looked around at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "You all know, please tell me."
Yu Du snorted coldly and said, "What's there to say? If you resist danger and defend, is it possible that you have to fight head-on with the army?"
Everyone else's expressions of deep understanding.
They came here in response to Zhang Yan's call. They were afraid of the army. Who would be willing to go out to fight with the army?
Yang Feng looked like a scholar, obviously different from the burly men present, but he sat there silently, like an outsider.
Zhang Yan had a panoramic view of everyone's expressions. She looked at Yang Feng calmly and said, "Yang Qushuai, what do you think?"
Being careless often means having a special emotion towards scholars, including contempt and disgust, but also uncontrollable envy and reverence.
When the others saw Zhang Yan asking, they all looked at Yang Feng, waiting for his 'wonderful plan'.
Yang Feng was silent for a long time and said: "Joining the Shangdang and attacking Hu Pass is a clever plan. Now being trapped in Jingjing Mountain is a dead end."
"Nonsense!" Huang Long almost threw the cup and shouted at Yang Feng.
"What a dead end. There are hundreds of thousands of us, but we can't defend a mere 30,000 troops?"
"Is it possible that we have to go out and fight the army again? Didn't we fight enough the year before last?"
"Anyway, if I don't leave the mountain, if you want to fight, you fight!"
Yang Feng sat there, turning a deaf ear and not looking at anyone.
Zhang Yan frowned, looked at Yang Feng, and then at the others. After everyone stopped, she said, "Where is Bai Rao now?"
Yu Du got a little closer to Bai Rao, and looked unkind when he heard this, and said: "We are surrounded in Dongjun, and we don't know what the situation is. Commander, tell me, how should we deal with the officers and soldiers now?"
In the battle the year before last, the Montenegrin Army not only suffered heavy losses, but also suffered a severe setback in their morale, losing their previous ambition to capture cities and territories.
Especially the little bosses, who want to dominate the mountain and become kings without disturbing the government and the army.
Zhang Yan obviously felt that his prestige was not as good as before, so she stood up and said: "You guys discuss it, I'll come as soon as I can."
When everyone saw Zhang Yan leaving like this, they couldn't help but look at each other.
The officers and soldiers are about to attack, why don't they just leave without discussing a countermeasure?
Yu Du glanced at Yang Feng coldly, knowing very well that as the so-called small meeting is held for small matters, and small meetings are held for big matters, Zhang Yan was going to hold a small meeting.
Sure enough, not long after Zhang Yan went out, someone came to invite Yang Feng.
Yang Feng turned a blind eye to other eyes and walked straight into the back hall.
Zhang Yan smiled warmly and said: "Yang Qushuai, sit down. We haven't been close for a long time. Let's have a good chat today."
Yang Feng had no expression. After raising her hand, she sat opposite Zhang Yan.
After the maid served tea and retreated, Zhang Yan looked at Yang Feng and said, "I heard that Yang Qushuai defeated Zhang Liao last year, which is really impressive."
Yang Feng's eyes moved slightly, and then he said calmly: "I just made a sneak attack."
Last year, after Ying Shao, Zhang Liao and others had regained their strength, they carried out a large-scale crackdown on banditry in the territory. However, when attacking Qiyang Mountain where Yang Feng was located, Zhang Liao was defeated and had to withdraw his troops.
This can be regarded as giving the Montenegro Army a chance to breathe.
Zhang Yan smiled more and more and said: "Zhang Liao probably didn't expect that Yang Qushuai would dare to leave the city. He deserves to be defeated!"
Yang Feng's reaction was dull, without any joy or pride.
Zhang Yan said a few polite words, but could not see the depth of Yang Feng's restrained expression. He pretended to think and said: "Shuai Yang Qu should see the current situation clearly. Do you think we should resist the danger and defend it against the officers and soldiers?" ?"
They are now trapped in a dangerous pass, and the only way to win is to wait until the army's food and grass are exhausted and they have to retreat.
Yang Feng shook his head and said: "This time, it is the decision of the Han court. With Hu Pass being broken, we will not give up easily. If we are trapped in Jingjing Mountain, we will be the first to be unable to hold on."
Zhang Yan remained silent and poured tea by herself.
There are now hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Jingjing Mountain. Some come with money and food, and many come with empty hands and mouths.
The consumption of hundreds of thousands of mouths is a terrifying figure every day!
Zhang Yan took a sip of tea, slowly raised her head and said, "What do Yang Qushuai have in mind?"
Yang Feng straightened up and said with a serious expression: "Commander, go to Huguan and then transfer to Liangzhou. We can't stay here any longer."
Zhang Yan originally thought that Yang Feng would come up with a plan to attack the government troops again and force them to withdraw, but he never expected that Yang Feng wanted to go to Liangzhou.
Not to mention the years of foundation, Zhang Yan doesn't feel like she has to run away yet.
"Really, you can't fight?" Zhang Yan thought for a long time and stared at Yang Feng and asked.
Yang Feng's eyes were stern and he said: "We fought this time, what about the next time? The officers and soldiers are getting stronger and stronger. They are not the same as before. We now have no food and grass inside, and no help from outside. If we drag on, we will only be defeated!"
Zhang Yan frowned deeply.
He agreed with Yang Feng's words that he could not hold Jingjing Mountain in a stalemate with the army. They would be the first to be unable to hold on.
But if he was asked to escape directly, he couldn't do it!
He felt that he could still fight Cao Cao!
Zhang Yan still has tens of thousands of elite troops under his command. Together with others, they can assemble an army of 100,000. How can he be afraid of Cao Cao's mere 30,000 troops?
Seeing this, Yang Feng said more seriously: "Commander, it's still too late to leave now. Once the officers and soldiers encircle Huguan, we will have no way out!"
Zhang Yan moved her butt unconsciously, and her eyes flashed with solemnity.
He had to admit that Yang Feng's words were very reasonable, but he was reluctant to leave!
However, there are more and more officers and soldiers in Bing, Hebei, Yan, and You, and their control over the states and counties is constantly strengthening. They can no longer plunder and be invincible as before.
Even if Cao Cao is defeated this time, the days to come will still be very difficult.
Perhaps, as Yang Feng said, defeat will come sooner or later.
Seeing his hesitation, Yang Feng said further: "Commander, Yuan Shu in the south is trapped in the four counties. According to my judgment, he will not survive this year! How long can we survive after the imperial court solves Yuan Shu?"
Zhang Yan's expression became more and more unnatural, but she still said unwillingly: "Really, we can't fight? The Han Dynasty is declining, and the change of dynasties is just around the corner. How can we escape to a remote place?"
Yang Feng sighed and said: "Commander, the decline of the Han Dynasty was said many years ago. The current imperial court is already hiding its power and biding its time and concentrating on running the northern states. Can't you see it? First Bingzhou, then Yanzhou, Qingzhou the year before last and Jizhou last year, if we are able to pacify them, the northern states, except Liangzhou, are all in the hands of the imperial court. Yuan Shu has been defeated, who can change the dynasty?"
Zhang Yan looked at Yang Feng, hesitated to speak, but silently picked up the tea cup and drank quietly.
The tea that was originally very hot was already cold. The herbal tea entered her stomach, making Zhang Yan tremble all over.
"Commander! The troops are here!" Suddenly, a guard rushed in and shouted in a panic.
Zhang Yan's expression suddenly changed and she said, "Where is Cao Cao?"
"In less than a hundred miles, the Yuan clan has been captured." The guard said.
Zhang Yan's face was as dark as water, and her heart was shocked and angry.
(End of chapter)
