"Why should the gentleman blame himself? It should be a dereliction of duty at the end of the general. Ma Dai looked apologetic.

Zhuge Liang stood up, walked to the map on the side, and said, "I don't have any other expectations now, I just want to recapture Mianzhu and return to Chengdu." Maybe relying on the city defense of Chengdu, he can hold on for a while. ”

"The most important thing is that our elite Wudang Flying Army is also in Chengdu..."

Zhuge Liang is the most calculating.

Before he came to Xindu, he had already thought about it, and he only had less than five days to defeat Li Jing. If he can't recapture Mianzhu, he will be surrounded by Lu Bu.

At that time, the gods will be difficult to save...

"Sir, there are still 80,000 foot soldiers under the command of the last general, and I am willing to attack Mianzhu with General Guan Ping, and I will definitely be able to break the city within two days." Ma Dai said.

"Guan Ping disobeyed the military order, he should be in a hurry to make contributions, let him attack first. Besides, Mianzhu Pass could not accommodate more than 100,000 troops to attack the city. His tens of thousands of soldiers and horses are more than competent. ”

Zhuge Liang pointed to the map and said: "Before Guan Ping captures Mianzhu, all our troops will be deployed around the new capital and prepare to intercept Lu Bu. This time... It's up to me to do it myself. I want to see what means Lu Bu has to break my formation. You go and prepare some boulders and broken logs and bamboo tips. Then use the bamboo tip to weave into a two-zhang square bamboo row. When you're ready, I'll show you how to use it. ”

"No."

Ma Dai still has a certain degree of confidence in Zhuge Liang, and he prepares with expectations.

Two days later.

More than 70,000 soldiers and horses under Guan Ping's command arrived in Mianzhu and launched a strong attack.

Meantime.

Lu Bu's tens of thousands of soldiers also set out and set out for the new capital.

For Zhuge Liang, he must occupy Mianzhu at all costs in order to return to Chengdu to prepare for war. That was his only way out, and it was also the key to stopping Lu Bu.

And Lu Bu, as the attacker, also saw through Zhuge Liang's thoughts.

Although the troops were tired and in urgent need of rest. There were no firearms or ammunition either, and even Han Shin's 1st Division was greatly damaged. But in order to capture Zhuge Liang, he must rush to the aid of Li Jing and defend Mianzhu!

"I thought that defeating the tens of thousands of Shu troops would solve the war in Yizhou. I didn't expect Zhuge Liang... He's just a nasty psoriasis, a never-ending resistance. ”

On the march, Lu Bu couldn't help but complain.

Xu Shu rode a horse and followed Lu Bu's car, and said with a smile: "What the lord said is true." Zhuge Liang is good at using soldiers and is also good at entrapping his subordinates. Although he has been defeated again and again, he has not yet collapsed. If you want to completely solve the matter of Yizhou, you still need an opportunity. ”

Lu Bu snorted: "This is also in Yizhou. If it were in the Central Plains, even ten Zhuge Liang would have been destroyed by me.... ”

"After more than a year of fighting, I also see that our troops are indeed an iron army. When he returned to Yangzhou and rested, he sent troops to dominate the world. I believe that Yuan Shang, Yuan Xi, and Cao Cao are by no means our opponents. ”

"That's what the lord said. However, we can take two steps. Occupy Hebei first, and then destroy Cao.... ”

Regarding Xu Shu's suggestion, Lu Bu laughed at it.

Yuan Shao of Hebei is dead, leaving his two sons, Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi, who are still competing for the throne, and there is no fear at all. It is only necessary to send a partial army to complete the great cause of unifying Hebei.

The most important battle was still in the Central Plains.

Lu Bu had already thought about it, and after occupying Yizhou, he would hoard grain, grass, and ordnance, and then recruit a large number of troops. With the strength of the people of five or six states, at least one or two million troops can be recruited.

With such a strong military strength, is it difficult to dominate the world?

"Report..."

Just as Lu Bu was quietly thinking about the great cause of unification, the scout came running from a distance and said, "Lord Yu, the grain, equipment, and artillery transported from Jingzhou have arrived at the Sword Pavilion. ”

"Got it. Let them move on. ”

"No."

Lu Bu waved his hand, and the scout left.

Immediately, he couldn't help but laugh and said: "Just such a little food, equipment, and artillery, and it has been transported for a whole year, and the speed is too slow, right?" ”

"If the grain route had not been cut off, these burdens would have arrived last year." Xu Shu replied.

"Hmm."

Lu Bu also thought in his heart: "Maybe... That's why Yizhou hasn't been occupied for a long time. ”

The next evening.

Lü Bu's army reached the east of the new capital. I saw a lot of flags planted on the official roads, on the hillsides, and in the fields. The first impression is that there is an ambush ahead.

"Stop."

Tens of thousands of troops stopped on the official road.

Lu Bu took Xu Shu, Xiang Yu, and Han Xin to climb the nearest col and observe the surrounding terrain.

"This Zhuge Liang, what kind of formation is he doing?" Standing at the top of the mountain col, I saw flags and some phalanxes of the Shu army planted in a radius of several miles. Xiang Yu said with some irritation.

"Zhuge Liang is also capable of this..."

Han Xin arched his hand towards Lu Bu and said, "Please ask the lord's permission, and the last general will lead the 1st division to try his formation." ”

"Where are you going to attack from?" Lu Bu asked.

"Just take the official road and kill until the new capital." Han Shin's answer was straightforward. However, not being favored by Lu Bu also made Xu Shu very incomprehensible: "General Han is not a reckless person. Zhuge Liang laid out many ambushes and heavy troops within a radius of ten miles outside the new capital. If we go straight to the new capital, it is likely to be surrounded by Zhuge Liang. Besides, taking the official road is the easiest way to be ambushed, General Han won't know it, right? ”

"I know."

Han Xin was still stubborn, pointed to the east and west, and said: "Sir, look at the formation laid by Zhuge Liang, wherever the road is smooth, there is a military formation of the Shu army, and each military formation must be arranged by at least 10,000 people. All these military formations combined, counting his ambush soldiers, how many troops should it be? How many troops does Zhuge Liang have in his hands now? In this way, all his troops are outside the city, so won't the new capital be empty? We went straight to the new capital, and even if we couldn't conquer the new capital, we could force all the military formations that Zhuge Liang had arranged outside the city to withdraw. Won't we break his formation? ”

Hey?

Hearing Han Xin say this, Xu Shu felt that there was a play.

Lu Bu's eyes also lit up, and he laughed: "Okay." It seems that General Han is really Zhuge Liang's nemesis. ”

"The lord has won the prize."

Lu Budao: "Okay, as you said, you will lead the 1st Division and advance along the official road." I asked Xiang Yu to lead 20,000 elites as your backup. I followed the army of self-command. When you arrive at the new capital, you will immediately attack the city. ”

"No."

Han Xin didn't know that his suggestion almost buried Lu Bu's army...

Due to the late day, the plan to march along the official road was put on hold for the time being.

Zhuge Liang didn't make any moves. Bonfires were lit around the formations, and the formations remained unchanged, without any movement.

Until dawn.

Han Shin led the 1st Division, about 6,000 men (more than 4,000 losses in the previous battle), and advanced south along the official road. Behind Han Xin were Xiang Yu's 20,000 elite infantry (there was no longer a broken barracks).

In addition to those taken away by Han Xin and Xiang Yu, Lu Bu still had 40,000 elites left (including 6,000 light cavalry, led by Zang Ba).

Compared with Zhuge Liang, there is still a big gap between this strength.

(End of chapter)