Chapter 993 The last hurdle
With Li Xi’s help, General Guan saved a lot of trouble.
After the army rested in Jinyang for a day, General Guan left a small number of troops to garrison Jinyang, and then continued to lead the army south.
Just when General Guan led the army to leave Jinyang, Governor Feng finally led more than 10,000 people and rushed to Guangwu County under Yanmen Fortress.
“Meet the king.”
Huo Yi, who stayed in Guangwu County, knew that Feng Jishi was coming and waited at the pass early.
“No need, but do you have some ready-made soup?”
At the time when the tiger was showing off its power in autumn, Governor Feng and his men hurried along slowly and hurriedly. Both the men and horses were thirsty and tired.
Even without armor, just wearing tight clothes and narrow sleeves, Governor Feng still felt unbearably thirsty.
“Knowing that the king is coming, the general has already prepared food and drinks.”
"Excellent!" Governor Feng showed admiration. He took the boiled water from Huo Yi's hand, drank it cleanly, wiped his mouth and asked, "How is the situation now?"
“Your Majesty, it is reported that General Guan has broken through the mountain pass to the north of Jinyang and is approaching Jinyang City.”
Between Guanji and Guangwu County, there are messengers going back and forth every day to report news.
The first is to have Huo Yi of Guangwu be prepared to respond if things go south badly.
The second reason is to prevent Wei thieves from coming from Youzhou and attacking Yanmen fortress.
As Guan Ji gets farther and farther away from Yanmen Fortress, the news between the two will lag more and more behind.
The news Huo Yi got now was a day and a half ago at the earliest, or even two days ago.
The news that General Guan has captured Jinyang is still on the way.
But even so, Governor Feng was very satisfied. He nodded and exhaled a long breath:
“The speed is not slow.”
Frauding Pingcheng, taking Yanmen, attacking Jiuyuan, and taking the northern mountain mouth of Jinyang.
As a result, neither Cao Rui in Luoyang nor Sima Yi in Guanzhong had time to rescue Jinyang.
When General Guan returned to his hometown to worship his ancestors, it was considered the fastest speed for the reinforcements sent by Cao Rui and Sima Yi to reach Hedong at the same time.
Knowing that his mother-in-law was making good progress, Governor Feng asked again:
“Is there any news from Youzhou in the east?”
Huo Yi shook his head:
“Not yet, but in the next few days I will not only ask a lot of local natives, but also send people to investigate to the east.”
"As far as I know, it will be difficult for the bandits in Youzhou to reinforce and merge with the state. Although there is a Feihu Road to the east of Guangwu County that connects to Youzhou, it is rugged and difficult to navigate."
"I heard that the widest part of this road is only four feet, and the narrowest part is only more than one foot. The mountain road never sees the sun all year round, and only the black wind howls along it."
“Therefore, even if the Youzhou thieves dare to come from this way, their troops will definitely not be too large, otherwise the food and grass will not be able to keep up.”
Hearing this, Governor Feng nodded approvingly: "General Huo is indeed thoughtful."
Huo Yi hurriedly said: "The princes and princes are only rewarded because they are in their position and perform their duties."
Knowing that the threat from Youzhou was not great, Governor Feng reviewed the situation in Guanzhong and Bingzhou and Hedong in his mind.
Then he suddenly laughed.
Sima Laogui, no matter how hard your turtle shell is in Guanzhong, can it be compared with the Maginot Line of defense of the Gallic Chicken in later generations?
Do you know what a German gun is?
Do you know what blitzkrieg is?
Excellent war horses cultivated by the scientific system, dry food, and a three-piece cavalry set, with one person and multiple riders, aren't they the tank army of this era?
As for the Air Force…
Forget it, I am compassionate and will not bully the ancients.
Feng Jishi looked at Huo Yi again:
“How many sergeants are there in the city now?”
Huo Yi kept his head down and seemed not to notice Feng’s complacency. He didn’t answer aloud until he heard the question:
"General Guan left 3,000 men for the last general, and gradually gathered the stragglers behind him. Now there are more than 6,300 men."
After learning that the threat from Youzhou was not great, it seemed too much to use more than 6,000 people to defend such a small city.
Feng Jishi said decisively:
"I have come all the way, and many soldiers have fallen behind. You continue to gather the soldiers in the rear. I will take away three thousand soldiers from the city and go south to support General Guan."
In total, he set out from Wuyuan County only three and a half days later than General Guan, while General Guan only spent three and a half days resting in Pingcheng, Guangwu, and Jiuyuan County.
Even so, Feng Jishi's speed was not too slow - General Guan's marching speed was really too fast.
Along the way, Governor Feng gathered many of the fallen soldiers from General Guan, and at the same time, he also lost many of his own soldiers.
Huo Yi gathered his men and horses again, just as a supplement.
The Liangzhou Army has a grassroots organization that transcends this era. Even if it is disrupted, it can quickly reorganize itself.
Facing the exact same request from a certain couple, Huo·Toolman·Yi had no objection at all except that he immediately agreed.
Just when Governor Feng led his army south from Guangwu, he was anxious to support his mother-in-law.
Far away in the camp of the Wei army commander to the east of Wugong River, two thousand miles away, the roar of the great Sima of Wei rang out:
"How did Feng Thief come from there? Isn't he still in Yinshan? Where is Ke Bineng? Is he a dead person? Feng Thief killed so many of his tribesmen, but he didn't think about revenge?"
Coming from a prominent family in Hanoi, Da Sima, who has always paid attention to manners and self-cultivation, no longer had the calmness when confronting the Han Dynasty Prime Minister.
In this hot weather, there are many emotions such as tension, anger, and even fear.
Sima Yi's heavy breathing came out of his lungs, and the clothes inside had become a little sticky.
“The report from Da Sima, Bingzhou, only said that the Shu captives who led the army into Bingzhou were not Feng thieves, but were named Guan…”
“It’s Thief Feng!”
Sima Yi could no longer control his emotions. He didn't know whether he was frightened or furious.
“Other than the Liangzhou army led by Feng Thief, who else can come from there? That man named Guan is just Feng Thief’s vanguard!”
After saying this loudly, Sima Yi held the table in a depressed manner and murmured:
“Thief Feng is so cunning and ruthless…”
Twenty thousand horses!
In order to be able to deceive Guo Huai, in order to be able to deceive himself, in order to be able to deceive the monarchs and ministers of the Wei Dynasty.
This guy actually took the lives of 20,000 barbarians and staged a shocking show on Qiaoshan!
It’s cruel and poisonous enough!
Sima Yi could already imagine the scene of Feng Thief leading his army back north.
Since he dared to kill so many barbarians in Qiaoshan, Ke Bineng in Yinshan Mountain in the north will most likely be in trouble.
Sima Yi did not believe that Ke Bi could escape Feng Wenhe's premeditated strangulation.
Yes, Kebineng may really be dead.
After Feng Thief killed Ke Bineng, he immediately turned east and raided Yanmen...
Thinking back on these years, Kebi was able to occupy Yinshan Mountain and received help from Liangzhou, thinking that he had a plan.
Sima Yi couldn't help but let out a few heart-wrenching laughs from his throat.
His back was already soaked.
As expected of Xiao Wenhe, he actually deceived everyone in the world!
What's ridiculous is that he actually followed this person's advice and focused on the barbarians in the north of Guanzhong, and also tried his best to strengthen Qiaoshan's defenses.
But he didn't expect that Feng Thief was basically raising Ke Bineng like a pig, and he would kill the pig for military food when the time came.
Even slaughtering pigs at the most critical moment can paralyze the entire Wei Dynasty.
What’s even more ridiculous is that in recent years, the Wei Dynasty thought that its border with Bingyou was stable, so it deployed a large number of troops to support Guanzhong...
Even though the Grand Sima of the Wei State had seen strong winds and waves, he still shivered more and more as he thought about it. He murmured to himself, "The cruel and ruthless Xiao Wenhe is indeed the cruel and ruthless Xiao Wenhe!"
Twenty thousand at Qiaoshan, plus Kebi Neng's men and horses at Yinshan, there must be 30,000 or 40,000.
In this way, Xiao Wenhe used it as a stepping stone to enter Bingzhou.
This person's behavior is extremely cunning and cannot be speculated based on common sense.
"Da Sima, what should we do now? Should we send reinforcements immediately to Bingzhou?"
Sima's military advisor Du Xi was so anxious when he saw Sima Yi's dejected appearance that he stepped forward to ask without caring about being rude.
“It’s too late, Bingzhou is gone.” Sima Yi shook his head, with a sad look on his face, “Bingzhou already has few soldiers, and Jian Bigui is no match for Feng Thief.”
According to the current situation, even if reinforcements are sent out immediately, as long as the Shu captives move south fast enough, I am afraid that the two sides will collide in Hedong or Pingyang.
Whether it is Pingyang County and Linfen County in Pingyang County, or Wenxi County and Jie County in Hedong County, they are all county towns on flat ground. What can they do to stop the iron cavalry of the Shu captives?
Hedong County's county magistrate, Anyi, is located on the east side of the mountain, but what's the use? Shu captives don't have to pass there.
Not to mention that the Ge thieves on Wuzhangyuan are watching eagerly.
Sima Yi’s eyes were distracted and seemed to have no focus, but what he said was extremely calm:
"The best way now is to use the land west of Hexi and use the Yellow River and Luoshui River as gullies to prevent Feng Thief from crossing the water and entering Guanzhong."
(Note: Before the Western Han Dynasty acquired the Hexi Corridor, Hexi specifically refers to the area sandwiched between the Yellow River and Luoshui River. See the comments at the end of the article)
Hearing what Da Sima said, Du Xi was shocked and lost his voice:
“Wouldn’t that mean handing over Hedong to Feng Thief?”
“That’s better than letting Feng thief enter Guanzhong and threatening the retreat of the Guanzhong army!”
Sima Yi's eyes began to regain clarity, and there was a hint of ruthlessness in his tone.
“Da Sima, this matter is of great importance, so we should consider it carefully.”
Du Xi took another step forward and emphasized his tone, "Hedong is a large county. If we give it to Feng Thief, even the Chief Sima will have a hard time explaining it in front of His Majesty!"
Sima Yi was startled and subconsciously looked at Du Xi.
His eyes were a little complicated, and finally he sighed secretly in his heart.
The expression on his face quickly became happy, and he nodded repeatedly:
“Zixu is right, but I failed to consider it carefully.”
He pondered for a moment and then said slowly:
"I thought about it for a while and remembered that if the Shu captives want to go south from Taiyuan to Hedong, they must pass through Pingyang County. To the north of Pingyang County, there is a dangerous mountain pass called Guanjuejin Valley."
“There are dozens of miles of dangerous passes in the Guanjuejin Valley. It is a valley formed by the Fen River flowing through the mountains. It is extremely rugged and steep. There is a saying: Only a powerful stork can fly over it.”
"Guanjuejin Valley belongs to Xihe County to the north and Pingyang County to the south. It would be a good idea to send troops to guard it."
Du Xi was overjoyed:
“In this way, if we can really stop the Shu captives from going south, then Great Sima will really be the pillar of the Wei Dynasty’s security and stability!”
Sima Yi waved his hands, but there was no hint of joy on his face:
"What I'm worried about is the Ge thieves on the opposite side. We may not be able to easily support Bingzhou. I need to think about it carefully before the Ge thieves take advantage of the opportunity."
Du Xi understood the idea and immediately excused himself.
After he left, Sima Yi's face suddenly became so gloomy that it was like dripping water.
Yicheng is more than a thousand miles away from Pingyang County, and it takes a lot of time to mobilize troops and generals in Guanzhong.
And what about Taiyuan County?
To the south is Xihe County!
If he really wants to send a large army there, as he said before, he may not have a chance to reach Pingyang. There is a 90% chance that he will meet Feng Thief in the east of the river.
It is certain that all the people and horses used by the Shu captives to raid Bingzhou must be cavalry.
Suddenly encountered Feng Thief's cavalry on the plains east of the river...
Sima Yi no longer dared to think about what the situation would be like.
If the reinforcements are defeated, and there are Ge thieves in front and Feng thieves behind, the army in Guanzhong will be in danger!
But if reinforcements are not sent eastward across the river, Your Majesty will definitely blame himself in the future.
After much thought, Sima Yi couldn't come up with a way to get the best of both worlds, which made him feel uneasy and restless.
At this moment, he truly understood what a dilemma was.
I don’t know whether it was because he hesitated for too long or for some other reason. This time, the Great Sima of the Wei Dynasty did not show his usual decisiveness.
After three days of "careful consideration", Sima Yi began to dispatch Guanzhong troops and horses to Chang'an.
Prepare to gather with the troops staying in Chang'an and cross the river to Pingyang.
By this time, General Guan had already led his army to the north entrance of Guanjuejin Valley in Jiexiu (near Jiexiu City in later generations).
Looking at the mountains in front of him that isolate Bingzhou and Sizhou, and are also the last obstacle to the south to Hedong, General Guan let out a long breath.
"How is it going?"
"General, there are thieves guarding the valley in the southern section."
"Well."
General Guan nodded.
This is to be expected.
When he entered Jinyang, the Wei thieves in the south would react no matter how slow they were.
In addition, Hedong County is a large county and has been a land of grain production since ancient times. It is also an important county for Wei thieves to farm. How can the Wei thieves not pay attention to it?
“What is the specific situation of the thieves in Nanduanjin Valley? Have you found out clearly?”
“General, I heard that the Wei thieves gathered all the young and strong Huns in Puzi County and drove them into the valley in order to prevent the Huns in the southern part of Puzi County from following suit.”
"Then the Wei thieves personally guarded the southern valley entrance in the rear as a backup, hoping to prevent our army from going south."
After hearing this, General Guan nodded slightly and asked again:
“Do you know how many Wei thieves are guarding the entrance of the valley?”
“I don’t know.”
Guan Ji pondered:
“Even if the state is merged, only 5,000 people will stay behind. A large rear area like Hedong has to support Guanzhong on the other side. It is impossible to have more than 5,000 people. I think it will be about 3,000 people..."
It’s just that although Guanjuejin Valley is a Fenshui River Valley, it is narrow, difficult to navigate, and the terrain is dangerous. Thousands of people are enough to stop tens of thousands of people from moving forward. What can be done?
“Come here, let Liu Meng and Liu Bao come over to see me!”
Liu Meng and Liu Bao came over quickly: "Meet the general."
“According to reports from spies, people from the southern tribes are stationed in the valley to the south.”
General Guan looked at the two of them with clear eyes and said slowly, "What do you think I should do?"
Liu Meng and Liu Bao had just returned. When they heard General Guan's words, their hearts jumped suddenly!
After looking at each other, Liu Bao gritted his teeth and said:
“General, our two tribes and the south are of the same clan, but now we have returned to the righteousness, but they are working for the thieves. This can be said to be different and they are not conspiring with each other.”
Liu Meng continued:
“That’s right, to show our loyalty, the villain is willing to lead the tribe to the river valley to clear the way for the general!”
Hearing this, General Guan smiled with satisfaction and looked at the two men with deep eyes:
"Don't I know the loyalty of the two commanders? Well, I still have some barbarians on hand who came south from Yanmen and Xingxing, and I will hand them over to you now."
“When the time comes, you can drive them to explore the road ahead, which will also help the tribe reduce some casualties.”
Liu Meng and Liu Bao trembled at the same time: "The villain thanks the general!"
The general in front of me, despite his handsome appearance, his cruel methods are beyond the comparison of ordinary people.
PS: Pingyang Hedong two counties map, please click to comment, the first floor has not been simple since ancient times.
(End of this chapter)