Chapter 1197 Loyal Ministers of the Wei Dynasty
“Hoo!”
"boom!"
A stone crossed Danshui and fell to the wetland on the shore, making a dull sound.
Other than some mud and water, not even a shrimp was hit.
Some of the Wei troops at Guan City stretched their necks out of the city to see where the stone fell, and then curled their lips in disapproval.
Judging from the reaction of the defenders, they should have been used to it for a long time.
In the past two days, the Han army began to throw stones here.
At first it caused a commotion among the defenders.
Later, it was discovered that these stones were basically scattered and their accuracy was extremely poor.
After two days, only two or three pieces occasionally hit the city wall.
The rest, basically, fell to the bank of Danshui without even touching the base of the wall.
It seems that the Han army's thunder chariots are not only inaccurate, but also not as powerful as the legend says.
What is it that comes to the world like a thunderbolt, shaking the heaven and the earth with its sound, and destroying everything it strikes...
Now it seems that it may be more reliable to "shock the world".
There is a Danshui across, and even the roar of the Danshui cannot cover up its loud sound.
If you are not prepared, you will naturally be frightened.
But now that Wei is prepared, he will not be easily fooled.
“Guess how many stones the thief will throw today?”
Someone looked at the other side and asked with a smile.
“I bet ten dollars, no more.”
Someone picked up the topic with a relaxed and casual tone.
At the beginning, many people in Guancheng were panicked when they heard that Feng Thief had arrived in person.
It wasn't until the governor of Guanqiu arrived with reinforcements that people reluctantly calmed down.
What people didn’t expect was that the thieves from the other side had been here for almost a month. They were just stationed on the other side without even a symbolic crossing.
If Feng Thief's commander-in-chief had not been stationed on the other side, there might have been someone in the Wei army at Caoqiao Pass who wanted to counterattack and test the situation.
Wei Bing, who was responsible for observing the situation on the other side of the city, was joking when suddenly someone spotted someone walking towards this side out of the corner of his eye.
Subconsciously, he turned his head and saw that it was the governor of Guanqiu patrolling the city. He was so frightened that he quickly reminded several others to keep silent.
Unlike the relaxed Wei Bing below, Guanqiu Jian's face was very serious.
If you look carefully, you will find a trace of anxiety and worry hidden in his eyes.
He stood on the top of the city, looked at the other side, and asked:
“Is there any movement on the other side today?”
“General, it’s the same as yesterday, just throwing a few stones.”
As he was talking, he saw another stone flying in the air.
“Boom”!
Passed by the border wall of Guancheng.
Guan Qiujian looked towards the direction where the stone fell and remained silent.
Seeing the general’s appearance, the people below were very discerning:
"General, there is no need to worry. In the past two days, the bandit army just wanted to scare us."
“Most of these stones fell on the shore. In the past two days, only three or four stones could reach the city.”
“The piece like the one just now is already the furthest piece. Looking back, if the elixir water hadn’t receded a little, they might have even thrown it away from the shore..."
Before he finished speaking, another piece flew over.
"boom!"
This time, it landed on the city wall.
Even Guanqiu Jian felt the slight vibration under his feet.
The general who was about to say, "I'm afraid they won't even be able to throw him to the shore" felt as if his throat was being strangled.
Everyone was silent for a while, and then the general smiled and said:
“The bandit army was very lucky today, and they were able to throw two pieces into the city…”
Before he finished speaking, there was another "bang".
Another piece hit the city wall.
Guanqiu Jian subconsciously looked at the general, focusing on his mouth.
The general has shut up a long time ago, and he has shut up tightly.
Sure enough, after waiting with bated breath for a long time, the next stone hit the wetland on the shore after the water receded.
Someone breathed a sigh of relief quietly.
Guanqiu Jian finally spoke again:
"Don't despise the other side just because there is no big movement among the bandits. Since Feng bandit came out of the mountain, anyone who despises him will not have a good end."
Furthermore, even those who did not despise him were still defeated.
This sentence was Guanqiu Jian's warning to himself in his heart.
The soldiers below may be ignorant, they may not be ignorant, or they may be self-deceived.
But as a general, you must not relax at all.
On the contrary, the longer the Han army remained quiet on the other side, the more worried he became.
It is said that Feng Thief was cunning and unpredictable in his tactics. He would either stay still or make a move that would catch people off guard.
Not to mention his own rear, there was an equally famous Lu Xun who personally led his troops to float on the Han River, blocking the connection between Fancheng and Xiangyang.
Even though Guanqiu Jian appears to be extremely calm now, that is because as a general, he must have an attitude.
But a few days ago, after receiving news from Lu Xun and Xiangyang.
Guan Qiujian, who originally thought he had expected it, realized now that he had imagined Feng Yong and Lu Xun too simply.
Feng Xie did not move his troops, but Lu Xun used lightning speed to surround Xiangyang.
Lu Xun's move was cruel and decisive. He took advantage of Wu Kou's naval force and turned Xiangyang into an isolated city south of the Han River.
I don’t know if Peizhong can block Wu Kou’s attack from the south.
If the defenders in Peizhong are unable to hold Manshui and are eventually forced to retreat to Xiangyang, then Xiangyang will really have no room for maneuver.
Guanqiu Jian stood at the top of the city, looking at the other side, with his back to everyone, and the worry in his eyes could no longer be hidden.
Just at this moment, rapid footsteps suddenly came from behind, and at the same time, someone shouted urgently:
“General!”
Guanqiu Jian turned around and looked at the person who came. When his eyes fell on the official document in the other person's hand, his pupils suddenly shrank.
For some reason, his heart suddenly sank.
The visitor came to Guanqiu Jian, handed over the official document, and deliberately lowered his voice:
“General, an urgent message from Wancheng!”
Guanqiu Jian took it, his eyes paused on the official document for a few seconds, but he did not open it on the spot, but just nodded.
The expression on his face did not change at all. He was still calm and put away the official document slowly.
Then he continued to patrol the city for a while before leaving.
When he returned to the commander's residence in the city, Guanqiu Jian walked a few steps quickly and didn't even realize that he had kicked over the threshold.
As he walked, he took out the official document, hurriedly opened it, and opened it before sitting down and started reading.
Before he finished reading, Guanqiu Jian's expression suddenly changed, his body swayed, and he sat down holding on to the table.
Seeing this from the left and right, he quickly stepped forward and asked with concern:
Guanqiu Jian closed his eyes, handed over the official document, and uttered a difficult sentence:
“The outskirts of Xiangyang have been breached by Lu Xun.”
Fancheng and Xiangyang are only separated by a river. Even if Lu Xun surrounded Xiangyang, even if Fancheng could only watch, he could still watch anyway.
At least you can know the general situation of Xiangyang at any time even by looking and guessing.
Xiangyang is surrounded by the navy's water stronghold, and Xiangyang has high walls and deep pools, which can be relied upon.
Logically speaking, it would not be easy for the Wu army to break through the water stronghold, and at least it would have to pay a certain price.
What Wei Jun didn't expect was that at the beginning of the siege, Wu Jun immediately selected the elite and suddenly attacked the water village at night.
Caught both inside and outside Xiangyang City off guard.
The defenders in the city and Fancheng, separated by a river, could only watch the fire in the water village outside Xiangyang City rising to the sky, and the loud shouts of killing rang out all night long.
The defenders of Fan City could not get through, and the defenders inside the city did not dare to open the city gate to support them at night.
By daybreak, although not all of the water stronghold had changed hands, the situation was over. Even if the defenders in the city left the city, they would be unable to recover.
Guanqiu Jian has been in Jingzhou for a long time, so he naturally knows the topography of Xiangyang well.
The moat was more than a hundred feet wide, and it was connected to the Han River. Naturally, the Wu army was unable to fill it.
But after Xiangyang City lost its water stronghold, the wide moat of Xiangyang City became the domain of the Wu navy.
Perhaps the only thing that worries Wu Kou's navy is that once they cross the center line of the moat and get close to the city, the defenders at the top of the city can directly suppress them with arrow feathers.
But this is nothing more than self-comfort.
Xiangyang City is surrounded by water on three sides and has a huge geographical advantage of being backed by mountains in the south. In fact, most of the time, it is used against threats from the north.
Faced with the powerful naval force of Wu Kou coming from the south, being surrounded by water on three sides became a boost to the enemy.
The mountains in the south of the city, which were the only defense against the south, could no longer play its due role after the Han River was blocked by the Wu invaders.
Guanqiu Jian could already imagine the plight of Xiangyang City at this time, and his face was extremely ugly.
"Your Majesty, what should we do? Should we return to the army to rescue Xiangyang?"
After reading the official document, everyone was shocked and asked quickly.
"No!" Guanqiu Jian heard this and shook his head decisively, "I can't say that Feng Yong on the other side is waiting for this moment."
“Then what should we do?”
Guanqiu Jian let out a long sigh, with a bitter look on his face:
"The only solution now is to ask Xuchang for help..."
To be honest, since he became Cao Rui's literary agent twenty years ago, everything has been smooth sailing.
After all, he was young and successful, so he had a bit of arrogance.
Even though the power of the Wei Dynasty has been shrinking in the south of Jingzhou in recent years, he still believes that this is forced by the general trend and not his own fault.
Facing Feng Yong, Guanqiu Jian thought that he had taken Feng Yong very seriously. Not only did he personally lead his army over, but he also kept warning his subordinates not to take it lightly.
I never thought that at this moment, I was still too trusting and underestimated Feng Yong and Lu Xun.
The alliance between Feng Yong and Lu Xun had just revealed its power, but it already made Guan Qiujian feel deeply frustrated.
I remembered what Governor Wu had said before he led the troops, and couldn't help but remind me:
"But the envoy said that over there in Xuchang..."
Guanqiu Jian shook his head and interrupted what he was saying:
"Now and then, since I can't escape here, I should at least let the general send someone else to Fancheng to take charge of the affairs in the south."
“Okay, don’t say any more, bring me a pen and ink.”
Just when Guan Qiujian's letter asking for help had just been sent out, the news that Xiangyang was besieged had already caused a stir in the court of Xuchang.
General Cao Shuang, holding the urgent report from Wancheng, his fat body was shaking slightly and his face turned blue. He didn’t know whether he was angry or frightened:
"Didn't Wu Zhonggong just send a battle report a few days ago, saying that Jingzhou is worry-free?! Why is Xiangyang now surrounded by Wu invaders?"
“Who is lying about the military situation? Who is it?”
The general's roar echoed in the court.
Wei Emperor Cao Fang, who was sitting on the dragon chair, looked at the general's nervous calls, with a slightly frightened look on his young face.
It's just that in the past few years, Cao Shuang has monopolized power, acted arrogantly and extravagantly, changed court regulations, and changed several government orders.
He also raped the talented people left by the late Emperor and sent the Queen Mother to live elsewhere.
Prestige has not yet been established, but people's hearts have gradually lost.
Except for the fact that the young emperor was ignorant and fearful when he saw the general getting angry.
Most of the remaining ministers sitting below lowered their heads and turned a deaf ear.
The dignified general of the Wei Dynasty is quite angry and incompetent.
Even the three dogs in Taichung, who usually dance the most happily, couldn't think of a way to deal with it for a while.
There is no other way. When it comes to fighting for power and profit, and selling their official positions and titles, they are very good at it.
But when it comes to military formations, which one of them, Cao Shuang or the Three Dogs, has actually led an army?
In the end, Taiwei Manchong, who was nominally in charge of the country’s military forces, stood up:
"General, the war on the frontline is changing rapidly. If you are safe today, it may not be troublesome tomorrow."
"Not to mention that according to the Jingzhou battle report, Feng Yong and Lu Xun joined forces to attack this time, attacking from the north and the south. Both of them are the best use of troops in the bandit army."
"Although Wu Zhonggong has a good reputation, he is eager to fight and lacks experience. How can he stop the attack of these two thieves at the same time?"
"The situation in Jingzhou is urgent now, and the imperial court should try to save it immediately, rather than pursuing the crimes of the soldiers in front at this time."
Man Chong is already over eighty years old. Ever since he was transferred back from Huainan by Cao Shuang and made way for Wang Ling, he has gradually become senile.
At such a young age and occupying the position of one of the Three Dukes, even Cao Shuang had to show respect on the surface.
When Cao Shuang heard Man Chong’s words, he probably felt that he had just lost his temper. He calmed down and said:
“What the Taiwei said is very reasonable, but now, where should we mobilize this reinforcement?”
Since the war in Huainan has ended, it is not impossible to mobilize, but not too many.
After all, based on the actions of the Wu invaders in Jingzhou, no one knows whether Sun Quan will suddenly attack Huainan again.
Moreover, the journey to mobilize troops from Huainan is long and the time is too long. No one can guarantee whether they will be able to make it in time.
Feng Yong and Lu Xun join forces, who dares to underestimate it?
“I think you can let the Xuchang army go.”
When Cao Shuang heard this, his face became ugly.
The Forbidden Army is indeed the most suitable. At the same time, as a strategic maneuver, the Forbidden Army is indeed responsible for supporting the border troops.
But Cao Shuang now simply does not dare to transfer the imperial army in his hands away from Xuchang.
In fact, if the war had not resumed this year, he had already planned to suggest that the emperor make an eastward tour and go to Qiao County, one of the five capitals of the Wei Dynasty, to "temporarily stay".
As far as possible from Luoyang.
This is also the reason why Cao Shuang was so angry when something happened in Jingzhou.
Because of the defeat in the Jingzhou war, his plan was completely disrupted.
Nanyang is the barrier to the southeast of Xuchang!
Without Nanyang and Luoyang to the northwest, Xuchang would face the worst situation.
At that time, he will patrol east again. How will it be different from when the late emperor left Luoyang?
“General, this time the Western bandits and the Wu bandits joined forces to attack our country, the Wei Dynasty. The Wu bandits invaded Jingzhou in Huainan, and the Western bandits invaded Wuguan in Hanoi.”
“This is a time when the Wei Dynasty is in danger of survival. The Taifu has sent people from Luoyang to discuss with the general a plan to defeat the thieves.”
As soon as these words came out, the whole court immediately became commotion.
Cao Shuang was also a little in disbelief:
“Sima… Taifu sent someone here?”
“Exactly.”
"who?"
(End of this chapter)