Just when Zhuge Liang trapped Li Yuanba and Ma Chao faced Du Ye's raiding troops, Xu Shu received two urgent messages.

First, the enemy army in Wuchang City has reached the northern defense area.

Second, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's 70,000 troops arrived to the south of the river and launched a war against Li Cunxiao.

Xu Shu ordered Qin Zhang, the commander of the 12th Regiment, to lead the guard battalion of the 12th Regiment to support the 2nd and 3rd Battalions stationed in the north of the defense area.

The terrain in this direction is relatively flat, relying entirely on newly dug trenches and mounds to resist enemy attacks. Fortunately, the enemy troops from Wuchang did not have light cavalry and could not break through the defense of the 12th Regiment for the time being.

Xu Shu came to the south of the defense area to watch Li Cunxiao's battle against Guan Zhang.

"Sir." Seeing Xu Shu coming, the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Regiment called.

"How's it going?" Xu Shu asked.

"The enemy forces were blocked on the south bank and could not cross the river. Even if you cross the river, you will be defeated by General Li Cunxiao and the soldiers stationed by the river, and there will be no major problems. ”

"Okay."

Xu Shu said: "Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's army will be handed over to you." I'll go to the north and have a look. ”

"Sir, don't worry, with us stationed here, Guan Zhangxiu wants to take a step forward!"

Xu Shu came to Qin Zhang's position.

Qin Zhang faced more than 30,000 enemy troops who rushed from Wuchang City, most of them were foot soldiers, few iron cavalry, relying on deep ditches and high fortifications, grenades, and assault muskets, which were enough to resist the enemy's attack.

After Xu Shu understood the situation, he sat on the sandbag on the side and said: "Zhuge Liang wants to eat us, it's not so easy, according to the current situation, there is no problem to hold on for a day or two." ”

Qin Zhang said: "What Mr. said is true. Zhuge Liang wants to win with more people, which is simply wishful thinking. ”

"Qin Zhang."

"Yes."

Xu Shu said with a smile: "You have fought well in these battles, I will report to the lord, and after the expansion of the new army, you will be promoted to the combat staff officer of the brigade headquarters, or the deputy brigade commander of a brigade." ”

Only by becoming an operational staff officer or deputy brigade commander at the brigade headquarters can you be eligible for promotion to a real brigade commander.

Qin Zhang was ecstatic in his heart, and said, "The last general will thank Mr. Xie..." ”

"Well, you go and continue to command the battle."

"No."

Qin Zhang strode into the trench and commanded his two battalions to resist the menacing enemy. Use large and small assault muskets and grenades to repel enemy attacks again and again.

The battle lasted all night ...

Next.

Li Yuanba relied on his strong martial arts to kill Zhuge Liang's army of nearly 20,000. Zhuge Liang's formation was damaged and reorganized again and again, and in the end, the group was ungroupable, and was highlighted by Li Yuanba.

Ma Chao faced Du Ye's raiding troops and suffered heavy casualties.

After the two joined forces, they counted the number of people and found that there were less than 5,000 people.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's 70,000 troops, who crossed the river more than 20 times in a row, were met with stubborn resistance from Li Cunxiao, killing thousands of enemies and inflicting heavy losses on Zhang Fei.

Early morning.

The fog was thick and there was nothing to be seen.

"Sir, sir....

Du Ye hurriedly found Xu Shu and said excitedly: "Sir, Zhuge Liang has withdrawn." ”

"Is it a real withdrawal? Or is it a fake withdrawal? ”

"I don't know this general, but there is no enemy left in the west."

Xu Shu thought for a while and said, "Don't be careless, bring your two battalions to the north." Zhuge Liang most likely launched an attack from the north. ”

"Yes."

Things were as Xu Shu expected. After Zhuge Liang withdrew his troops from the west, he was unwilling to be defeated, and after joining up with the army of Wuchang City, he launched the most fierce charge to the northern defense area of Xu Shu.

However, Xu Shu's northern defense area increased the strength of two more battalions and set up a minefield with 2,000 artillery shells, causing Zhuge Liang heavy losses.

"Report..."

The scout reported to Zhuge Liang: "Commander, Lu Bu's army is less than ten miles away from here. ”

"So fast?"

"How many are there?" Zhuge Liang asked.

Ma Chao and Ma Dai (who returned to the camp at dawn) all looked solemn.

"Less than 10,000 people, but 500 red-coated cannons."

Zhuge Liang thought to himself, judging from the current situation, it is impossible to quickly eliminate Xu Shu, and he can't stop Lu Bu's reinforcements, if he doesn't withdraw quickly, he is afraid that he will be attacked by Xu Shu and Lu Bu from both sides and fall into a desperate situation.

"That's it...!" Zhuge Liang let out a long sigh and said, "I wanted to eliminate Xu Shu and capture some shells and guns, but I didn't want to... Heaven will not help me, help the thief. ”

"Sir, Lu Bu's cannon is extremely powerful, it is definitely not something we can resist, so let's evacuate as soon as possible." Ma Dai hugged his fists.

"Hmm."

Zhuge Liang came back to his senses and said, "Order all the departments to move closer to Yun Chang and Yide, and prepare to withdraw to the Jiangfang battalion." ”

"No."

Ma Dai passed the order.

The tens of thousands of troops in the north bypassed Xu Shu's defense area and went to rendezvous with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

"The enemy really withdrew this time..." After Xu Shu received the tip, he analyzed.

"Yuanba, save filial piety."

"Yes."

Both stood up at the same time.

Xu Shu said: "Although we can't defeat Zhuge Liang's army of more than 100,000, we must hold him back. He can't be allowed to go to the Jiangfang Battalion, because the Jiangfang Battalion has been lost and fallen into the hands of Zhao Yun and Zhang Yun. Once Zhuge Liang is stationed in the Jiangfang battalion, it is very likely that he will withdraw to Yizhou. ”

"Sir, isn't there still General Gan Ning to intercept you?" Qin Zhang asked.

"Gan Ning's tens of thousands of sailors have been fighting fiercely with the enemy for half a month, and the damage is great, and there are no shells, I am afraid that they will not be able to stop Zhuge Liang." Xu Shu's eyes fell on Li Cunxiao and Li Yuanba, and ordered: "You two, take a small road to catch up with Zhuge Liang and try to intercept it..." ”

"Hahaha... Don't worry, sir, we'll go. Li Cunxiao hugged his fists and responded.

"Wait."

The two turned around and wanted to leave, but Xu Shu stopped them and said, "Your task is to intercept, not to kill the enemy." Any idea what to do? ”

Li Yuanba looked confused.

Li Cunxiao said with a smile: "The last general knows that after the last general catches up with Zhuge Liang, he will kill thousands of him first, disrupt his formation and then retreat." After Zhuge Liang regrouped the formation, I continued to fight... So repeatedly, even if he wanted to be fast, he couldn't get up quickly. ”

"Good... I didn't expect General Cunxiao to have such a strategy. Xu Shu praised and said, "Just do as you say." As long as Zhuge Liang can be intercepted, it will be a great achievement. After the lord's army arrives, it will be Zhuge Liang's death. ”

"The last will obey."

Li Cunxiao and Li Yuanba left ecstatically.

In the evening.

Lü Bu's army arrived at the front line and joined Xu Shu.

In the tent.

Xu Shu reported to Lu Bu the process of the battle with Zhuge Liang, and said: "I never thought that Zhao Yun and Zhang Yun's naval army had captured the Jiangfang battalion, and the 10,000 shells transported by the minister were not delivered to Gan Ning's hands in the end. ”

"The so-called planning is in the people, and the success is in the sky, maybe it is the will of heaven." Lu Bu stared at the map on the wall for a while, turned around and said: "Since the Jiangfang camp is lost, Zhuge Liang must not be allowed to join Zhao Yun, otherwise he will flee back to Yizhou, and Ganning's navy will not be able to stop him." ”

"Don't worry, the lord has sent Yuanba and Cunxiao to intercept the path, I expect Zhuge Liang's march speed is not fast, as long as we travel day and night, within two days, we will be able to catch up." Xu Shu said.

"Okay, Yuan Zhi is thoughtful."

Lu Bu was very satisfied, and said: "The artillery regiment is moving slowly, it is not suitable to pursue the enemy, and it is temporarily led by Shan Tong and stationed in Wuchang City." All the departments traveled lightly and simply, pursuing Zhuge Liang, and they must be surrounded and annihilated before Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun meet. ”

"No."

(End of chapter)