Lu Meng said with a solemn expression: "Your Majesty, the last general went to carefully inspect the walls of Yecheng and found that the attack was very difficult, almost impossible to succeed. Although there were more than 100,000 troops and a supply of gunpowder, it was difficult to win. ”

"Tell me why!"

Wang Can didn't expect that Lu Meng had already gone to see the situation in Yecheng, and he was very satisfied.

In the art of war, it is said that only by knowing oneself and knowing one's opponent can one win a hundred battles. As soon as Lü Meng and the army arrived in Yecheng, they went to check the situation, which showed that Lü Meng had gradually matured.

Lu Meng said loudly: "Yecheng, as the capital of the Wei State, must have strong walls and strong defenses. A few years ago, the army attacked Xiangyang and encountered great difficulties, and I can say that Yecheng is stronger than Xiangyang. In the past, if you were able to take Xiangyang by attacking Jingzhou, it was still up to Your Majesty to kill Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and others, otherwise it would be very difficult to take Xiangyang. ”

"The current Yecheng is stronger than Xiangyang."

"The last general inquired about the surrounding people, and learned that after Cao Cao moved the capital to Yecheng, he has been committed to strengthening the walls of Yecheng, and building urn cities, and also sent soldiers to dig moats, forming today's scale."

Among them, the city wall of Yecheng is as high as six zhang, the top of the city wall is six zhang wide, the bottom of the city wall is seven zhang wide, and there is an enemy platform every fifty zhang on the city wall. These enemy platforms protrude outside the city wall, and the two enemy platforms gather fifty zhang together, which is just right to shoot the soldiers besieging the city with arrows on the enemy platform, which is the first defense of Yecheng. ”

"Secondly, Yecheng has four city gates in the east, south, west and north, and each gate has an urn city. As long as the army is attacking the city, the soldiers standing on the urn city can shoot arrows to block it, and each city is connected by a drawbridge and a moat outside the city. The width of the moat was thirty feet, enough for a boat to sail on it. ”

Lu Meng sighed: "Cao Cao sits in the city, and if he wants to shake Yecheng, it is almost difficult to reach the sky. ”

These words made all the generals in the big tent frown.

Not only that, Wang Can's brows furrowed, feeling very tricky. Wang Can even felt that his attack on Yecheng was the same as the Mongols' attack on Xiangyang in history, and he had encountered hard bones.

Wang Can said in a deep voice: "If the strong attack fails, do you want to consume Cao Cao and kill Cao Cao?" ”

Jia Xu said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that it must be consumed slowly, and only by boiling slowly and gradually eliminating Cao Cao's power can he take Yecheng in one fell swoop." Moreover, there are Zhang Liao, Tai Shici, Xu Shu and others in the south, as long as they capture Yanzhou and Qingzhou, and Cao Cao is isolated in Yecheng, it will be easier. ”

Wang Can felt helpless for a while, and said, "In this case, let's wait for the time being." First set out to eliminate Cao Hong and Zhang Jaw stationed outside Yecheng, and wiped out Cao Cao's power little by little. ”

For five consecutive days, Wang Can stood still.

This situation made Zhang Jaw and Cao Hong feel that something was wrong, both of them were extremely vigilant, and kept sending soldiers to inquire about Wang Can's situation, and then passed the news to Cao Cao, both of whom wanted to send troops to attack Wang Can. After Cao Cao got the news, he sent a message to Cao Hong and Zhang Jaw, asking the two to brake quietly, and strictly ordered the two to send troops.

The situation in Yecheng is at an impasse for the time being.

However, Yanzhou was swept away by the Shu army.

On the third day of the fourth month, Gan Ning, Tai Shici, and Zhang Liao led their troops into Chenliu County and defeated Cao Ren, who wanted to use Chenliu County to hold on. The Wei army was defeated, and Cao Ren continued to retreat. Next, Gan Ning and other generals led the army to capture Jiyang County and enter Jiyin County, Yanzhou.

In half a month, the army swept through Jiyin County, took Dongjun, and controlled half of Yanzhou.

Jiyin County, Dingtao County.

The Shu army was temporarily stationed and did not advance immediately.

According to common sense, the army should take advantage of the victory to pursue, continue eastward, and then control the whole of Yanzhou. However, after the Shu army took Dongjun and Jiyin County, it already bordered Wei County. In other words, the Shu army could go north to attack Yecheng, precisely because Yecheng was already close at hand, and opinions in the army were divided.

Gan Ning put on his armor and stood in the hall.

His gaze swept over Tai Shici, Huang Xu, Zhang Liao and others, and said loudly: "The defeat of the Wei army is no longer a climate, as long as Cao Cao is destroyed, the remnants of Yanzhou and Qingzhou will naturally be defeated." We have a chance to go north, so why waste time on one or two counties. I think going north to support His Majesty is the fastest way to solve Cao Cao. ”

"Gandudu, I don't agree with your suggestion."

Tai Shici stood up and said, "Cao Ren is immortal, it is always a big trouble, and it must be taken down. His Majesty has an army of more than 100,000 people, as well as Jia Xu, Guo Jia, Fa Zheng and other advisers, as well as fierce generals such as Dian Wei, Zhao Yun, and Huang Zhong. If we go north to attack Yecheng, it is nothing more than tens of thousands of people, what use can it be? I think I should stay in Yanzhou, take Yanzhou as soon as possible, and then join Xu Shu to destroy Cao Ang and Xiahou Yuan in Qingzhou. ”

Gan Ning's eyes widened and he asked loudly: "Ziyi, don't you want to participate in the last battle?" ”

What moved Gan Ning was the last battle.

If he swept the entire Yanzhou, but lost the opportunity to defeat Cao Cao, Gan Ning was a little unwilling in his heart. It is precisely because of this that Gan Ning thought of going north to attack Yecheng, which was also the mind of the generals who wanted to go north.

Tai Shi Ci pondered for a while and said, "Of course Ci wants to go north to participate in the war, but he should focus on the overall situation. ”

Lu Xun said: "The two generals think that even if they sweep Yanzhou with their troops, and then destroy Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ang, they will still have time to participate in the final battle if they go north. ”

"!"

Gan Ning retorted unceremoniously: "Your Majesty has Jia Xu and other strategists to give advice, as well as Zhao Yun and other fierce generals, can't you still take a Yecheng?" It's definitely no fun to go late. ”

Pang Tong smiled: "Gandudu, I also think that Bo Yan has a point. ”

"Oh, tell me." Gan Ning calmed down and asked.

Lu Xun replied: "When the army captured Dongjun, Zai had already sent people to inquire about the news of Yecheng and the situation of His Majesty. The city of Yecheng is strong, and there are countless grains, and it is a strong city. His Majesty's soldiers approached Yecheng, and they did not move for the time being, and did not immediately attack the city. I think it will take quite a long time for Your Majesty to solve Cao Cao, and even need our cooperation in the end, so it is not too late to take Yanzhou as soon as possible, destroy Qingzhou with Xu Shu, and then wave the army north to Yecheng. ”

Gan Ning asked hesitantly: "Lu boy, can you be sure that there is still time to capture Qingzhou and Yanzhou?" ”

Lu Xun said: "It must not be wrong! ”

Li Ru opened his mouth and said: "Gandudu, Confucianism also thinks that Boyan's words will not be wrong. ”

Gan Ning saw that several strategists were talking, so he no longer insisted.

Without Gan Ning taking the lead, Huang Xu and other generals will wilt and obey orders. After resting for a day in Dingtao County, the army immediately set off to continue its expansion eastward.

Cao Ren was powerless in the face of the Shu army, and even if he wanted to resist, it was difficult to succeed.

After Cao Ren led his troops to retreat to Rencheng County, he also faced two choices.

First, Cao Ren could continue to retreat eastward, passing through Lu County and Taishan County, and then enter Qingzhou, join Xiahou Yuan in Qingzhou, and then resist the Shu army together; Second, Cao Ren could choose to go north, pass through Dongping County, and then go north to Jizhou, quickly run towards Yecheng, and return to Yecheng to join Cao Cao's army.

There are two options, one is to assist Cao Ang and hold Qingzhou with Xiahou Yuan, and the other is to help Cao Cao.

In the end, Cao Ren chose to go north.

He no longer resisted the Shu army, went north to Dongping County, entered Jizhou, and ran towards Yecheng.

Yanzhou lost Cao Hong, the backbone, and the people's hearts collapsed, and it was even more difficult to organize forces to resist the Shu army. When Tai Shici and Gan Ning led a large army to approach Rencheng County, Lu County and Taishan County, all the places they passed surrendered, and no one led troops to resist. Such a speed is naturally what Tai Shici, Gan Ning and others are willing to see.

When Tai Shi Ci and Gan Ning's army won the victory, Xu Shu also led the army to Linzi, the seat of Qingzhou Prefecture, and the troops came to the city to confront Xiahou Yuan.