The distance between Chang'an and Yixian is not too far, not to mention that the two places are plain thoroughfares. Therefore, the general grain transportation team usually takes a one-way trip, which is about three days. If you rush on a solo ride, it will only take about a day.

Late at night on the 26th, Du pre-sent an urgent messenger to Shibao. Late at night on the 27th, Shi Bao received a report under Anguo City.

"This sentence can't be trusted! The old man made a big mistake! ”

I think that Shi Da Sima has been leading 50,000 soldiers and horses to sit in Qinchuan, on the one hand, he really doesn't want to conflict with Sima Wang, and on the other hand, he really needs to block Jiang Wei in Longshan and prevent him from entering the Guanzhong Plain. After all, Jiang Wei's field ability, as Deng Ai's old colleague, Shi Bao is very clear.

But now it is useless to say this, Shi Bao, who received the urgent report, immediately summoned all the generals to discuss the movement of his army overnight.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Meridian Valley has been broken through, and the main force of the ginger thief has entered Guanzhong. If the old man is not bad, the news of the cut off of our army's grain supply will come soon. So, no matter what, this Yixian County can't stay anymore. ”

To be honest, when Shi Bao said this, the entire Jin army, including his own two sons, breathed a sigh of relief.

Why? Guan Yi's fortress is so perverted that he can't see any hope of breaking the city at all.

Some time ago, the excavation of the tunnel that Shi Qiao was responsible for was also hit hard: the tunnel dug by Zhang Zun from the city in advance was dug up, and the tunnel was full of fire oil......

The leading Jin army engineer commander immediately ordered the whole army to retreat, but it was still too late. The other party quickly ignited the oil of fire, causing the small amount of oxygen in the tunnel to be quickly drained, and countless people suffocated to death in the tunnel. At the same time, Zhang Zun, who had already determined the direction of the enemy's tunnel by observing the morning fog, concentrated a large number of trebuchets at this time and violently bombarded the tunnel ground, causing the tunnel to collapse...... After a blow, more than 1,000 soldiers and more than 3,000 civilians were put in.

This loss is nothing in terms of the number of Shibao's army, but the key is that the morale has been severely damaged - it is the height of summer, although Guanzhong is not as humid and rainy as Huainan, but there is a locust plague here now. Mosquitoes, parasites, and all kinds of bacteria and viruses are also the most abundant in this season. When a person or a group of people are extremely depressed and the external environment is very bad, it is easy to get sick.

In addition, due to the continuous ravages of locust plagues, the flight of local soldiers in Guanzhong has increased unabated. Although Shi Bao sent a large number of officers to count the number. But you have to be clear: the only people who can count which Guanzhong soldiers died or fled are the local officers of the Guanzhong Army - and their hometowns have also been affected. These officers took the officers of the Luoyang Chinese Army to the homes of the fugitive soldiers, and after seeing the tragic situation of the grass and trees along the way, these local officers in Guanzhong themselves were shaken.

As a result, the more deserters are strictly prohibited, the more deserters will become......

Therefore, when Shi Bud said that the Meridian Valley was broken through and the army's grain route was cut off. In addition to scolding Ju'an for being shameless, the generals of the Jin army also had a unified opinion: withdraw the army!

"It seems that you have no objection to the withdrawal of troops. So the next thing we need to agree on is, how to withdraw? ”

As soon as Shi Bao said this, everyone couldn't speak.

The withdrawal of troops in front of the enemy is not a joke, especially now that there are so many troops of the Jin army, not to mention, they are still very scattered. This alone is enough of a headache. What's more, on the way to withdraw the army, there was Jiang Wei's army halfway through, and there was Guan Yi who couldn't bite anything. This withdrawal is really difficult!

When Shi Bao completely took over the command of Guanzhong, his subordinates were more than 220,000. After excluding 20,000 in Qinchuan, 10,000 in Chang'an, and 10,000 in Tongguan. There are more than 185,000 people under the city of Yixian and Anguo. (Including the bald department, the Li family, and the 25,000 Southern Huns).

Among the 160,000 Jin troops, 15,000 people were divided to block the three valley passes (now there are only 10,000 left). More than 13,000 people were killed or wounded in siege battles and tunnel battles and could not go to the battlefield. Because of the locust plague, more than 15,000 local soldiers fled one after another. And then add more than 3,000 people who fell ill from various diseases. After a while, there are still about 114,000 Jin troops outside the two cities of Yixian and Anguo.

"The intelligence from Du Yuankai's side is very clear, the Jiang thief is attacking from the Meridian Valley this time, and his strength is at least more than 50,000. And the two cities of Anguo and Yixian behind us, their garrisons are also more than 20,000, and in the field of Wuzhang Plain, there are nearly 10,000 Shu Han cavalry that we have never been able to hit hard. Therefore, we do not have the advantage of forces. As for the current rations and grass of our army...... Dongqiang hunting general, how long was the last time your unit transported grain to the army? ”

Li Mu stood up: "Back to Da Sima, the last general will transport grain to the army seven days ago." At that time, 98,000 stone of grain and 130,000 stone of hay were put into storage. The last general was originally going to lead the army to Chang'an again tomorrow to transport grain, but if Jiang Wei stood in the way, the last general and 10,000 people would not dare to advance alone. ”

"Well, Qi Nuer, how much food is there in the army now?"

"If you go back to your lordship, as of yesterday, there are still 68,000 stones in the whole army."

"Oh? Why so much reduction? ”

"My lord, because the cavalry of the Shu thieves has repeatedly attacked our army's grain transport troops, the grain route is unstable. The 123,000 stone of grain that used to be stored every half a month is now an average of 50,000 or 60,000 stone every half a month. In addition, because our army also had to send grain transport teams from Weinan to support the two armies that should guard the exit of Chencang and Baochuan Road, this loss has always been very large. What's more, the locust plague has not abated, and more and more locust swarms have concentrated in our military camps...... All in all, with the current grain stock, our army can only support it for about ten days. ”

Speaking of which, in the end, there is no real army, so don't look at Du Pre's army strategy, but his estimation of the grain stock in the Shibao army is still obviously wrong: the stock in the Shibao army can not last for half a month at all, even if the whole army now strengthens food control, but the locust disaster has not weakened. Shibao's army can last up to ten days!

Therefore, it is not feasible for Du to take Sima Yan's personal expedition and join forces with Shi Bao to hold a decisive battle in Guanzhong: Shi Bao can't last that long.

When Shi Chong reported the number of grain stored in the army, the generals of the Jin army below all looked nervous: In the past, the grain road was smooth, although everyone knew that there was not much food with the army, but everyone didn't care - why did you transport so much at one time? What a pity it was burned by the cavalry of the Shu thieves? Even if you arrive safely, the more you arrive, the more you will be gnawed by locusts. It's better to have less every time, everyone eats tightly, and there is less waste.

But now it's a big problem.

"Hmm." Shi Bao, who was sitting on the main seat, was very calm: "In this way, the situation is very clear." We can't take Anguo and Yixian, so we can only withdraw our troops back to Chang'an. As long as Chang'an is in hand, the Shu thief will not last long in Guanzhong. The congregation will obey the order! ”

"I'm waiting for Da Sima's order!"

"First of all, give an order to Wang Shizhi of Qinchuan! The Jiang thief has already entered the Guanzhong Plain, and his 20,000 people will be blocked in Qinchuan again. Let him withdraw his troops. In view of the fact that the Wei River shipping has been cut off, let him not come to Yixian. Go directly to Xinping County, get on the boat at the Jing River in Qi County, and then go directly south to Chang'an. ”

"Whoa!"

"Give an order to Chen Cang's Qing and Li Fu at the Bao Slope Crossing. The Meridian Valley has been broken, and there is no point in blocking these two exits again. Let them immediately lead their army closer to our army! ”

"Whoa!"

"Well, the Right Virtuous King, and the Almighty Leader, the Dongqiang Hunter."

"I'll wait."

"Please lead your headquarters and immediately go north to meet Wang Shizhi."

Hearing this order, Liu Meng, and Magnum and Li Mu's expressions were all strange.

"Hmph, what kind of virtue are you aliens, I don't know yet? Fence-sitter! Now that the situation in our army is so bad, it is hard to guarantee that you will not defect to the battle. But now that Lao Tzu is too busy to take care of himself, he can't kill you first. So, you'd better me off. Get far away, just don't make trouble for Lao Tzu in the next decisive battle. ”

Although he couldn't hear Shi Bao's inner shout, these three were not ordinary people, and they quickly understood what Shi Bao meant: "We will obey the orders of Da Sima!" As long as Da Sima allocates enough grain and grass, we will immediately go north to meet General Wang. ”

"Qi Nu'er, give them 10,000 stone of grain."

"Whoa!"

"Thank you, Da Sima, let's immediately reorganize our troops and leave today!"

Seeing the three alien leaders leave the big tent, Shi Bao began to continue issuing orders.

"Zimei! Hongzu! ”

"The last general (child) is here."

"Give you 30,000 Chinese troops, responsible for breaking off!"

Hearing this order, Zhou Zhi and Shi Qiao's teeth were sour: "Command!" ”

After arranging the personnel after the break, Shi Bao secretly said sorry to his second son in his heart, and then continued: "Everyone, except for Zimei's 30,000 troops, the rest of the troops immediately packed up and retreated to the north of the Wei River to concentrate first. At the same time, send light horses to follow and monitor the aliens to see how far they have gone. After we arrived in Weibei, we stayed for two days. On the one hand, it is to keep those aliens away from us, and on the other hand, it is to wait for the 10,000 troops of Li Fu and Zhan Qing. If the general is not bad, Jiang Wei's decisive battle place for the general should be in Huaili. It will be a decisive battle that will determine the national fortunes of the two countries, and we must fully mobilize every ounce of strength. In this way, there is a chance to survive in death! ”