Just as Cao Cao led the Tang army in Hebei to sweep through the Liang state, the confrontation between the Chu army and the Qin army on the south bank of the Yellow River also became increasingly fierce.

After Xiang Yan led 100,000 Chu troops to Luyang, he joined forces with Dou Bobi and his son, approached Yique to the west, and had several small-scale battles with the Qin army led by Bai Qi, winning and losing each other.

Fan Zeng, as Xiang Yan's friend, accompanied the army staff officer as a guest secretary, and repeatedly suggested that Xiang Yan learn the lesson of Tang Yan's rash advance against the enemy, step by step, and move forward steadily.

Xiang Yan's personality is originally cautious, and Fan Zeng reminds her in her ear every day, so she is naturally more cautious.

Every thirty miles to the west, the Chu army would set up camp and march after thoroughly searching the surroundings to avoid being ambushed by the Qin army.

Seeing that Xiang Yan was steady with his troops, he took Wang Ben, Sima Cuo, Zhang Han and other generals to climb the highest peak of Longmen Mountain and look eastward, but saw that the Chu army camp was heavily fortified, stretching for more than 30 miles from east to west, and the momentum was huge.

Wang Ben, who was twenty-seven years old, was the best among the young generals of the Qin State, and was deeply appreciated by Bai Qi. If our army continues to defend the Yique Valley, I am afraid that it will not have much gain, and in the end it can only fight a head-on battle with the Chu army.

Judging from the generals, it is better to leave tens of thousands of horses here to put up more flags, bluff, and drag Xiang Yan's army. However, Wu Anjun, you led the main army to the north quietly, intercepted the back road of the Xiangliang army from Gucheng, and then besieged the Xiangliang army in Hongnong. ”

Bai Qi stroked his beard and laughed when he heard this: "Haha...... Ben Jiang also has this intention, I didn't expect to be guessed by the virtuous nephew, it is really terrifying, and the future achievements of the virtuous nephew will not be under the general. ”

Bai Qi made a decision immediately, leaving Wang Ben and Sima Cuo to lead 50,000 soldiers and horses to continue to hold the Yique Valley, and erected a large number of banners to confuse the Chu army, making Xiang Yan think that the main force of the Qin army was still defending the Yique Valley.

Bai Qi took Zhang Han, Fan Yuqi, Wang Ao and others to lead 120,000 soldiers and horses to cross the western part of Xiangshan, which was not steep, and walked more than 100 miles north in one breath, and embarked on the road from Gucheng to Hongnong.

The Chu army walked all the way west from Luyang, walked more than 200 miles, and approached the Yique Valley, but still did not see any movement of the Qin army.

This made Zhou Yu, who was a partial teacher, puzzled, and rode his horse to the Chu army camp to meet Xiang Yan at noon on this day, and said straightforwardly: "General, the army of Great Chu has approached the Yique Valley, but Bai Qi has been standing still in the valley, which cannot help but make people wonder. ”

Xiang Yan stroked his beard and said: "It's indeed a little weird, this is not in line with Bai Qi's style, the Qin army's strength is not much less than ours, why has Bai Qi been slow to move?" ”

"I think it's clear that Bai Qi has tasted the sweetness after completely annihilating Tang Yu, and I plan to continue to use the valley of Yique to wait for the rabbit."

Dou Bobi didn't take Zhou Yu's suggestion seriously, "If our army is still in Luyang, maybe Bai Qi will play conspiracy, and now that our army has blocked the way out of Yique Valley, can he still fly out of Bai Qi?" ”

Fan Zeng stroked his beard and said: "General Dou Bobi is a little underestimated, since he is known as the first general of the Qin State, he is by no means a mediocre person. The Qin army has been standing still in the valley, isn't it aimed at General Xiang Liang? ”

Dou Bobi asked rhetorically: "The Yique Valley stretches for more than three hundred miles from east to west, and the Qin army can only get out of this valley until it reaches Huangchi, how can Bai Qi deal with General Xiang Liang?" ”

Xiang Yan frowned and said: "The old man always thinks that Xiang Liang's army has advanced too deeply, and it is taboo for soldiers to go deep alone. If there is a path out of the Yique Valley, I am afraid that Xiang Liang's army will be in trouble. ”

The Chu army was not familiar with the terrain of Yique, so Xiang Yan immediately selected dozens of scouts to disguise themselves as woodcutters and climb the mountain overnight to find out if there was a path out of the Yique Valley?

Zhou Yu suggested: "The mountain road is steep, and the scouts will take at least three or four days to return. It is better to send a group of soldiers and horses into the valley to attack the Qin army, whether the main force of the Qin army is still there, you will know at a try. ”

"What Gong Jin said is extremely true, then let General Zhaoyang enter the valley to test it first."

Xiang Yan followed what Zhou Yu said, and ordered Zhaoyang and Han Yi to lead 50,000 soldiers and horses into the Yique Valley to test the reality of the Qin army.

Zhaoyang received the order to lead his troops to attack, and walked more than fifty miles west along the Yique Valley, seeing that the road was getting more and more cramped, and it was getting farther and farther away from the base camp, and his heart gradually became a little timid.

At this moment, the scouts who had been sentry in advance returned one after another to report: "Report to the general, a large number of Qin army flags were found in front, all over the sides of the valley, and it seems that there are no less than 100,000 Qin troops in the valley. ”

"Retreat!"

Zhaoyang was taken aback, hurriedly ordered the troops to retreat, and led the 50,000 Chu troops to retreat eastward for more than 30 miles before setting up camp.

Then he personally went to report to Xiang Yanyu: "Report to the general, there are a large number of Qin troops in the valley, banners are all over the mountains, no less than 100,000, the main force of the Qin army should still be defending the valley, it seems that it is going to have a protracted battle with our army." ”

"Dare to ask General Zhaoyang if he ever engaged the Qin army? Or did you see a flag in the distance and retreat? Fan Zeng stroked his beard and asked.

Zhaoyang was afraid of being ridiculed for being frightened by Bai Qi, and said ambiguously: "After a little engagement, I retreated, anyway, I was sure that the main force of the Qin army was still in the valley." ”

Xiang Yan relieved his heart at this time, and said with his head bowed: "Since this is the case, then prepare to start hand-to-hand combat in the valley!" ”

Xiang Yan issued a military order again, ordering Zhaoyang and Doulian to lead 50,000 soldiers and horses to climb the mountain; With Zhaoyang on the left and Dou Lian on the right, they advanced along the hillside, first breaking the condescending advantage of the Qin army, and finally advancing along the valley by the main army.

"As long as the Qin army can be driven out of the Yique Valley and reach the city of Mianchi, you will be able to join forces with the Northern Route Army led by Xiang Liang, go straight to Xianyang, and capture the victory!"

Xiang Yan glanced at the nearly 100 generals under his command in the tent, and loudly boosted morale with a majestic voice.

Nearly 100 generals and colonels of the Chu State responded with their fists clenched in unison: "Great Chu will win!" ”

Under the command of Xiang Yan, 100,000 Chu soldiers divided into two routes, overcame thorns and thorns, and under the command of Zhaoyang and Dou Lian, they climbed Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan respectively, and advanced westward along the mountainside, traveling more than 30 miles a day.

Xiang Yan and Dou Bobi led 150,000 Chu troops along the valley, echoing with the Chu army halfway up the mountain, so that they were not afraid of being ambushed by the Qin army.

Three days later, the scouts who had gone to explore the road returned one after another, and reported a very bad news to Xiang Yanyu: "The middle section of Xiangshan is low, which can be easily crossed, and a hundred and ten miles to the north can reach the post road leading from Gucheng to Hongnong." ”

Xiang Yan was taken aback when he heard the report, and hurriedly sent a messenger to make a detour to Hongnong to report to Xiang Liang, and immediately retreated to the vicinity of Luoyang, so as not to be cut off by Bai Qi.

Before the envoy left, he saw Xiang Liang coming from the east covered in dust, rolling down from the saddle and kneeling in front of Xiang Yanma: "The general is not good, the 100,000 soldiers led by General Xiang Liang were cut off from the retreat by Bai Qi in Shaanjin County, Hongnong County, and fell into siege. ”

Xiang Yan almost fell off his horse when he heard this, and shouted: "Let Zhaoyang come down the mountain to see me, didn't you say that the main force of the Qin army is still in the Yique Valley?" How did Bai Qi put on his wings and fly to the territory of Hongnong? ”

Hearing that Xiang Liang's army was besieged again, the Chu army became nervous when they ascended up and down, and Zhaoyang, who was leading his troops to march along the mountainside, was so frightened that he saw sweat on his forehead, and went down the mountain in a panic to see Xiang Yan.

"General, I admit that I didn't dare to go deep into the valley, but I just saw the flags all over the mountains, and I retreated for fear of being ambushed." Zhaoyang fell to his knees and cried, crying in pain.

Xiang Yan's heart was in turmoil, and he fell into deep self-blame: "The souls of the 100,000 soldiers have not dispersed in the Yique Valley, and now the 100,000 sons led by Xiang Liang are trapped in Hongnong. As the main general, I am really ashamed of the trust of the lord, what does Mr. Fan think should be good? ”

If the Chu army retreats eastward from the Yique Valley, and then detours to Luyang, Taigu, and Luoyang, it will eventually enter the territory of Hongnong for at least a thousand miles, and it will take half a month to reach it at the earliest. Apparently this is the next step.

Fan Zeng stroked his beard lightly, his eyes were blazing, and he said in a deep voice: "It will definitely not work to retreat, then continue to march and defeat the Qin army in the valley." Then the troops divided into two routes, one along Bai Qi's march route to support General Xiang Liang, and the other along the Yique Valley to the west to Mianchi, and then threatened Xianyang, making Bai Qi unlucky. ”