Since Dong Zhuo decided to move the capital to Chang'an, he began to launch large-scale forced evictions in the entire Henan Yin and even the Sanfu area. The people all complained and secretly targeted Dong Zhuo's eighteen generations of female ancestors in turn.
Guoting was under the rule of Xingyang, and naturally it was no exception. A large number of people were moved away, making Guoting, whose people's livelihood was already in decline, even more deserted.
But fortunately, some people survived by luck, so Zhang Liao quickly found an old man in his sixties and brought him over.
"Old man, please be polite."
Zhang Heng saluted the old man with a smile on his face.
The old man was suddenly brought over by officers and soldiers, and he was extremely frightened. However, when he saw that the leader, Zhang Heng, was smiling and did not seem to be harming him, he calmed down and saluted quickly.
"Little old man, please see the envoy."
"I don't need to be polite, please get up quickly, please get up quickly."
Zhang Heng did not correct the mistake in the old man's address, but quickly stepped forward to help him up.
"I'm asking you to come over this time because I'm a little confused. Please give me some answers."
With that said, Zhang Heng waved to Zhang Liao, who understood and immediately picked up a large bunch of five-baht coins and handed them to the old man.
The old man didn't dare to pick it up at all. It wasn't until Zhang Heng personally put the money into his hand that he put it into his arms, with a hint of excitement on his brow.
"Excuse me, your Majesty. As long as I know something, I promise to tell you everything!"
Zhang Heng stretched out his hand, pointed at the Bianshui River in front of him and said, "Old man, has the flow of this Bianshui River always been so gentle?"
"Of course not." The old man shook his head and said, "You may think that there is not much water at this time, but there are always a few times every year when the water flow is strong. Sometimes the water level rises, and even the crops on both sides of the bank are flooded."
"How many times?" Zhang Heng's eyes narrowed and he asked quickly.
"Maybe three times, maybe four times, I can't tell."
"Does it happen several times a year?"
The old man nodded, "Yes, there are several times every year, but some are big and some are small. Sometimes the crops will be flooded, sometimes not."
"When?"
"This..." the old man said with a wry smile, "I don't know the specific date, but it probably happened once or twice in February and March, and several times in August and September. It's hard to say the specific time."
Hearing this, Zhang Heng smiled with satisfaction.
The old man's statement and his guess can basically confirm each other.
"Thank you, husband, for clarifying my doubts!"
Zhang Heng bowed to the old man again, and then ordered someone to send him back again.
After the old man left, Zhang Liao frowned and said, "Master, I don't understand."
"What don't you understand?"
"Why are you asking about Bianshui?"
Zhang Liao knew that most of what Zhang Heng asked about was related to the upcoming war, but he couldn't figure out the key, so he humbly asked for advice.
"Wenyuan, do you really want to know?"
Zhang Liao quickly clasped his fists seriously and said: "Please teach me, Chief Registrar!"
"Okay, then I'll talk to you."
Having just obtained the method to defeat the enemy, Zhang Heng was in a good mood, so naturally he would not refuse Zhang Liao's request.
"Nowadays, the enemy is strong and we are weak. Dong's army is attacking. With just the few men and horses in our hands, even if we can defend Xingyang, we will suffer heavy losses. If we want to defeat the enemy and win, we have to think of other ways."
Zhang Liao looked at the Bianshui in front of him with a hint of understanding in his eyes.
"The chief secretary means to use water attack?"
"Yes, as the saying goes, fire and water have no mercy. How can the enemy stop the flood when it comes?"
"But... the water flow in Bian River is gentle, how can it be used as a water attack?"
Zhang Heng said with a smile: "Didn't the old man just say that the water will rise several times every year, which should be enough."
"But we don't know the exact time when the water will rise. Furthermore, if the enemy sees a flood coming, they will inevitably retreat to higher ground to avoid it. How can a water attack be effective?"
"Then suddenly launch a water attack to catch the enemy off guard and make them unable to escape!" Zhang Heng sneered. "As for the exact time when the water will rise, the old man doesn't know, but I do."
"this……"
Zhang Liao looked at Zhang Heng with disbelief.
"Does Wen Yuan know why the seemingly gentle Bian River suddenly rose?"
"I don't know the end of the general." Zhang Liao shook his head.
"Then I'll tell you." Zhang Heng's eyes suddenly brightened, "To be precise, Bianshui River rises twice a year. One is in February and March, and the other is in August and September. August and September The water rose that time was due to the continuous autumn rains, which caused the Yellow River to surge. Bianshui is a branch of the Yellow River, so it will naturally rise with it. As for the water rise in February and March, the same is true."
With that said, Zhang Heng reached out and fished out a small piece of crushed ice from the water and handed it to Zhang Liao.
"Does Wen Yuan understand now?"
Zhang Liao looked at the ice cubes in Zhang Heng's hand, reflecting the brilliant light under the warm spring sun. Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind, and he blurted out: "I understand, the rising water in February and March is because the Yellow River opened up and the solid When the ice melts, the water level downstream naturally rises, which causes the Bian River to rise!"
"good."
Zhang Heng nodded approvingly.
"But even if we know that the water will inevitably rise, how can we control the time of the water rise, and how can we catch the enemy by surprise?" Zhang Liao asked in confusion.
"This matter is easy to handle. Just send someone to keep an eye on the movements upstream. The weather is getting warmer, and in less than ten days, the Yellow River will inevitably open up. If there are signs of the ice breaking, soldiers will be ordered to build dams upstream. The enemy troops are coming to kill them. To get water conveniently, we must set up camp on the bank of Bian River. When we dig the dam, the water will pour in, and the enemy troops will all be turtles in the jar!"
After hearing Zhang Heng's plan, Zhang Liao couldn't help but widen his eyes, his expression full of surprise.
"The master has a clever plan. If this plan comes true, we will be able to defeat the traitor army without any bloodshed!"
"If you want to defeat many with less, you must rely on the right time and place. What can be used to defeat the enemy is nothing more than water and fire. If you make good use of it, you can defeat a hundred thousand soldiers."
Zhang Liao said sincerely and sincerely: "What the chief secretary said is absolutely true!"
Zhang Heng stretched out his hand, patted Zhang Liao's shoulder twice, and said sincerely: "Soldiers have no constant momentum, and water has no constant shape. As a general, everything can change and remain in one mind. Only in this way can you not be controlled by others. Wenyuan, you are a talented general." , Duke Xuande has high hopes for you, and you will have to think more about how to use troops in the future."
"The master's instructions will be remembered at last."
Zhang Liao looked solemn and quickly raised his hands.
"In this case, the construction and digging of the dam will be left to you. Remember to choose the right time."
"only!"
…
In the afternoon, after Zhang Heng returned to the city, he rushed to the county government office to meet Liu Bei as soon as possible, but unexpectedly met Zhang Fei at the door.
"Where is Ziyi going?"
Seeing Zhang Heng walking in a hurry, Zhang Fei couldn't help but wonder.
Zhang Heng smiled and said, "I have something to ask you to see Mr. Xuande. Why is Yide so free today?"
"There is no time left!" Zhang Fei immediately shouted dissatisfied, "Ziyi, you don't know, I'm almost too busy these days. It's just training troops, but even small things like logistics and supplies, my brother asked me to Do it, seriously..."
Halfway through his words, Zhang Fei suddenly shut his mouth tightly because Liu Bei's figure suddenly appeared in front of the county government office.
"Yide, what did you just say?"
Liu Bei looked at Zhang Fei and said with a half-smile.
"What, I didn't say anything just now. Brother, you must have heard wrong." Zhang Fei said with a serious face, "Brother, Ziyi has something important to do with you, so I won't bother you anymore."
Having said that, Zhang Fei immediately ran away without waiting for Liu Bei to react.
"Yide, when will you be more stable..."
Liu Bei looked at Zhang Fei's back, shook his head and sighed, then turned to look at Zhang Heng.
"Ziyi, how is the scenery outside the city?"
Seeing Liu Bei joking about his outing in the city, Zhang Heng was not embarrassed, but smiled and said: "Reporting to Mr. Xuande, the early spring is getting warmer, and the scenery outside the city is pleasant. I came here just because I wanted to invite Mr. Xuande to go and enjoy it. ."
Ziyi is very shameless these days.
Liu Bei failed to tease Zhang Heng, so he could only spread his hands and said with a smile: "There are too many military affairs in the city, so I won't go. Ziyi, just have fun."
"No, I think it would be better for Mr. Xuande to go outside the city and have a look in person."
Zhang Heng smiled and explained the strategy he had thought of. Liu Bei was dumbfounded, just like Zhang Liao's reaction just now.
He originally thought that Zhang Heng had been fishing for fish these past few days, but who knew that he would come up with such a trick without saying a word!
Moreover, this was too unreasonable. I and others had not thought about it at all, and it was even less likely that the enemy would have expected it.
"Ziyi has a far-reaching plan. With this clever plan, why worry about not being able to defeat the enemy?"
Liu Bei sighed.
