"Your Majesty, since Zhang Lingxing, the former general of the Han State, left the town of Yong'an, in the past three years, the Han State has built a large number of ships in Yong'an, Jiangzhou and other places. The area of its shipyard stretches for dozens of miles. Although the minister cooperated with Wang Dian to correct many times, he sent a large number of people to destroy and burn the Han shipyard. However, the garrison of the Han State and Si Wencao's strength in the shipyard was also very strong, and after more than a dozen actions, little effect was achieved...... Therefore, the minister estimated that the strength of the Han navy had surpassed that of the Jingzhou navy. ”

"Your Majesty, the Huainan Army under the command of the minister, after many times to strengthen the Jingzhou and Jiaozhou armies, now there are less than 30,000 people left. If the Han State attacked on the Huainan front. The minister can only stick to Shouchun or Hefei. For the rest, there is nothing the minister can do......"

On June 25, Zhong Hui and Zhang Zheng entered Jianye. Above the court, the commanders of the two corps shook their heads at the current situation, only feeling that they could not deal with it.

"Woo~!" slapped the case heavily: "Two Aiqing, I invited you to come, not to listen to your complaints." It's up to you to come up with a way to deal with it! ”

is really in a hurry, and Sun Hao won't pretend to have a good temper at this time. But what's the use of him being so blunt? After Zhong Hui and Zhang Zheng glanced at each other, they both hung their heads lower helplessly: "The ministers are incompetent, please forgive your majesty." ”

Seeing that the atmosphere at the scene was a little embarrassing, it was no trouble to stand up everywhere: "Your Majesty, all the officials, the so-called soldiers and horses have not moved, and the grain and grass go first." Before deciding how to deal with it, would you like to ask the company to inform us about our current family background? ”

Soochow has not won much on the battlefield over the years. But to tell the truth, due to the purge of the Lu Wang Party, the Huiji family was greatly weakened. Its national strength has increased compared to when Sun Xiu was alive.

Population in the hands of the state: 2.3 million.

Army: After many defeats, many replenishments. Now there are still 160,000. Among them, there are 50,000 Jingzhou Legion (including 20,000 Water Army), 30,000 Yangzhou Army (including 10,000 Water Army), and 60,000 Jiaozhou (including 10,000 Water Army). The total number of troops under the command of the three capitals of the central government is 20,000.

Grain: Both 274 and 275 were floods on the Yangtze River, and the treasury was almost completely empty. In 276, there was finally a good year. Now there are about 7 million stone in the treasury.

Qian: The salt tax was directly cut in half because of Ji Han's influx of a large amount of private salt. In terms of trade, the bulk exports of Soochow before were grain, kudzu cloth, linen cloth and porcelain. However, due to the disaster in the country, and the fact that Ji Han is no longer short of food. This grain export is completely gone. Other commodities, kudzu cloth and linen cloth were defeated in the face of the increasingly prosperous cotton cloth of Ji Han. Ordinary porcelain is also completely vulnerable to the bone china of the Han Dynasty in the last Ji Dynasty - in short, the trade is a great excess, and the commercial tax is basically not collectible.

Therefore, at this time, there is only 2.5 billion money in the treasury of Soochow.

After listening to Wan Yu's report, everyone attending the meeting only felt colder in their hearts and bodies.

"Your Majesty, the minister proposes to ......"

"Shiji, please speak."

"The country is difficult, but in order to deal with the invasion of the Han state. This soldier still has to be conscripted. Your Majesty, the minister thought that at least another 100,000 people should be recruited to replenish the national army to 260,000. ”

"......" As soon as Zhong Hui finished saying this, Wan Yu unconsciously took a step forward. But soon he held back: yes, the state finances are very difficult. There are many conscripts, and the burden is heavy. But if there is no conscription, what do you say if the country is gone?

"Your Majesty, if you can replenish the force to 260,000. Zechen suggested the following defense strategy: First, Jingzhou allocated 60,000 troops, including 40,000 naval troops. Second, Yangzhou is equipped with 90,000, including 20,000 sailors. Third, Jiaozhou will leave 10,000. Fourth, His Majesty personally commanded an army of 100,000 to sit in Jianye. When the Han invades, where there is a crisis, it will be replenished. ”

“…… Is there any basis for Shiji's arrangement? ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhong Hui smiled slightly: "According to the minister's calculation, the strategy of the Han State should be, first of all, the Nanyang soldiers will attack Xiangyang first, and the main force of the Jingzhou Corps that attracts the subordinates will all go north to Jiangbei. Then, taking advantage of the emptiness of our army's defense line on the Yangtze River in Jingzhou, the naval army of Yizhou went down the river to attack Xiling and Jiangling. In this way, the Jingzhou army of the general Zizhong was sandwiched on the north bank of the Yangtze River. At the same time, the Xuzhou army of the Han State will also move south, and the Yangzhou army that is holding back the ministers will not be able to move. In this way, after the annihilation of our Jingzhou army, the enemy's naval army went east to Yangzhou, and the minister's army was also locked in the land north of the Huainan River......

The key to this battle is to hold Jingzhou. If Jingzhou is not lost, then I will destroy the land of Huainan at most. If Jingzhou is lost, the enemy's large naval army will go down the river. Then I am passive everywhere.

So, the minister's suggestion is. The Jingzhou army abandoned Xiangyang and gathered the strength of the whole army to defend the Xiling. Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen, the Three Gorges waterway of the Yangtze River is extremely steep. Large ships are not accessible during the summer months. Therefore, if the ministers expected it well, the invasion of the Han Kingdom should be in the winter of this year. When the time comes, as long as the generals can hold out until the summer of the following year...... Hehehe, then I will be able to let Zhang Lingxing be the second Liu Xuande. ”

In general, Zhong Hui's strategy was to replicate Lu Xun's method of defeating Liu Bei in Yiling.

Due to the dense reefs of the Three Gorges waterway of the Yangtze River at this time, it was difficult for large ships to pass through during the turbulent water in summer. Therefore, if Yizhou in the upper reaches wants to conquer Jingzhou in the middle reaches, it can only choose to march in winter.

Xiling is the former Yiling. This place holds the key node of the Yangtze River waterway from narrow to wide, and as long as it is defended, the enemy will not be able to advance an inch.

And as the time progresses, after the summer. For the enemy from upstream, it was even worse: at this time, the Yangtze River was surging again, and it was not something you could go back to if you wanted to. At this time, the initiative on the battlefield will be transferred to the downstream side...... This was Lu Xun's strategy against Liu Bei in the past.

Of course, Liu Bei only had one state in Yizhou that year, and could not launch an attack from the north of Jingzhou and Yangzhou. And now Ji Han can attack from multiple directions, so it is not enough to just copy Lu Xun's strategy back then.

"Your Majesty, after the Xiling direction responds like this. In Yangzhou, the minister will take 70,000 infantry as the main force, relying on the two fortified cities of Shouchun and Hefei, to resist one by one. Do your best to stall for time. His Majesty is in Jianye and personally trains newly recruited recruits. Then 20,000 Yangzhou sailors were used as a maneuver. Where there is a crisis or where there is a warplane, His Majesty can lead the three capitals and 100,000 troops to pour out. Win or break in a battle!

The difficulty of this battle lies in whether our army's initial insistence can be dragged from winter to summer as the minister predicted. Among them, the pressure on the generals in Xiling is the greatest. Moreover, the minister did not know whether the current siege methods of the Han State had been improved. After all, three years ago, the speed of the fall was too fast! In the past three years, the ministers and the people have sent a lot of people to the north to investigate. I heard that the enemy should have used the method of trench excavation, but because the identity of the people interviewed is not very high, it is still unclear what kind of system this trench method is. ……”

"Hmph, the fundamental reason why Luoyang fell so quickly is that the people of the Sima family are too wasteful! Besides, the method of the trench, although I don't know exactly what it is. But I'm in the south. All the important towns along the route are in the places where the water network is dense. No matter how the Han Kingdom wants to dig a trench, hahaha, I dare to guarantee that a large amount of groundwater gushes out if they dig a few hoes......" After listening to Zhong Hui's strategy, Sun Hao only felt that his heart was settled: "Shiji, your strategy is very good." But I'd like to change it a little. ”

"Your Majesty, please."

"Well, 50,000 of my 100,000 people will be allocated to Jingzhou. I not only have to defend Xiling, but also Xiangyang. Xiangyang is here, and our Northern Expedition will have a foundation in the future! I am convinced that Guan Zifeng will definitely repeat Liu Xuande's mistakes this time. When the time comes, it will be a good opportunity for my Da Wu to fight back! ”

“…… Your Majesty! ”