At the beginning of April of the first year of Yongchang, Shi Le, who had not long taken Fanyang, was resting in the city, but saw Zhang Bin and Xu Guang walking into the room with lonely faces. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Seeing this, Shi Le suddenly had an ominous premonition in his heart, and hurriedly asked, "Two gentlemen, I don't know what happened?" ”

"My lord, General Zhixiong, he ......" Zhang Bin and Xu Guang glanced at each other and couldn't say any more.

"What's wrong with him? You say! Shile said eagerly.

"My lord, General Zhixiong was defeated and killed, and the 100,000-strong army was wiped out." Under Shi Le's constant urging, Zhang Bin finally explained what happened.

Knowing the detailed process of the ambush of Zhixiong and the annihilation of the 100,000 army, Shi Le was like pouring a basin of cold water on his head, and the joy that had just been generated by the capture of Fan Yang suddenly disappeared without a trace.

His face was full of dejection, and he muttered to himself, "This, this, how can this ...... How can it be?! ”

Zhang Bin sighed and blamed himself: "My lord, it's all because the ministers didn't think it through, it was not the Liaodong Division that attacked Changshan this time, but some of the main forces of the Liaodong Army, including Duan Wenyang, Ji Tang, Xie Ai and other famous generals in Liaodong who participated in the Battle of Changshan. General Zhixiong was invincible with two fists and four hands, and finally died in battle. ”

Zhixiong's death in battle and the annihilation of the 100,000-strong army certainly made Shi Le feel distressed, but he did not blame Zhang Bin for this, but comforted him very generously: "Eh, Mengsun doesn't have to feel guilty for this, how can Mengsun be blamed for this?" You are not a god, you can think that the Liaodong Army will attack Changshan, how can you be like a god in everything? ”

To tell the truth, Zhixiong's accidental death was completely beyond Shi Le's expectations, Zhixiong was a battle-hardened general, and there were 100,000 troops under his command, and he actually died in battle like this, which was a huge loss for Xiangguo.

Moreover, Zhixiong's death is likely to affect Shiler's subsequent layout, which will adversely affect the war.

"Alas, Zhixiong died in battle, is this because God doesn't want me to achieve hegemony?" Shi Le couldn't help but look up to the sky and sigh.

Xu Guang stepped forward and comforted: "Lord, it is a pity that General Zhixiong died in battle, but it has not broken Xiangguo's muscles and bones. In the future, as long as we work together, we will be able to recover the decline. ”

Shi Le's brows furrowed, and his tone was worried: "Zhixiong was proud to underestimate the enemy, and finally died, and he was completely to blame. Although I feel sorry for Zhixiong's death, I am more worried about the future of Xiangguo. Now that Changshan is lost, the Liaodong Army on the West Road poses too much of a threat to us. They can not only attack Zhao and Wei in the south, so as to advance into Xiangguocheng, but also attack Zhongshan and Gaoyang in the east, cutting off our retreat. ”

"In the face of this crisis, what adjustments should Xiangguo make, please let the two gentlemen speak freely!"

Zhang Bin was silent for a moment, and said softly: "The established strategy of the army cannot be changed at will, and the lord should also take the capture of Zhuoxian and Jicheng as the primary goal. As for the threat from the Liaodong Army on the West Road, it can only mobilize troops from other places to strengthen the defense of Zhongshan and Gaoyang. ”

"Mengsun, it makes sense." Shi Le bowed slightly, very much agreed with Zhang Bin's suggestion, and seeing that Zhuo County was close at hand, he was naturally unwilling to give up halfway.

"Lord, where do we still have troops to adjust right now?"

Xu Guang frowned and said: "At present, the main force is going north with the lord, and some of the remaining soldiers and horses are deployed in Hebei, Central Plains, and Huainan counties, plus the 200,000 people left behind in Xiangguo, there are no extra soldiers and horses in Xiangguo." ”

"What does Meng Sun suggest?" Shi Le didn't have much to do, so he could only ask Zhang Bin for advice.

Zhang Bin knew very well that Zhixiong's death would not make Shi Le change his plan to conquer Zhuo County and Jicheng in the north, and Shi Le would never retreat if he did not defeat Zhuo County. Although this is exactly what Liaodong wants, the pressure on the 500,000 army is too great for Liaodong, and if it can be dispersed, it will be conducive to the Liaodong army to encircle and annihilate Shile in the future.

"The garrisons of Huainan and the Central Plains are already very weak, and it is really not appropriate to draw troops from the local area. As for Xiangguo City...... Then it won't be even worse, who knows if Changshan's Liaodong Army will continue to move south, in case its long drive straight in, with Xiangguo's little strength is originally more than defensive, and not aggressive enough, where can the extra troops be drawn? ”

Zhang Bin touched his chin and thought for a while and continued: "The minister thinks about it, but the only way to ask the lord to divide the troops in his hands is 100,000 points and stationed them in Zhongshan and Gaoyang counties. ”

"Well, according to Mengsun's words!" Shi Le quickly made up his mind and immediately sent 100,000 soldiers and horses to Ma Qiu to lead him south to Zhongshan and Gaoyang.

……

"Hahaha, okay, Xie Ai and Duan Wenyang did a great job! Now I'll see how Shiler responds. ”

Wei Shuo held the good news of Changshan's victory in his hand, and danced excitedly, and the victory in the first battle can be said to be a good start for the war.

In addition, according to his guess, the death of Zhixiong and the destruction of the 100,000 army, although Xiangguo did not hurt his muscles and bones, but Shi Le was somewhat worried in his heart, so in order not to make Shi Le suspicious, the main force of the Liaodong Army on the East Road had to make some big moves in Jizhou.

"Guys, it's our turn to behave next!"

"In order to make Shile firm in his confidence in attacking Zhuoxian, in the next half a month, the army must take Zhangwu, Bohai and other counties in the northeast of Jizhou."

"Changzhi, you can first introduce to you the situation of several counties in the eastern part of Jizhou." Wei Shuo pointed at Lu Chang and commanded.

"No!"

Lu Chang got up and said loudly: "My lord, according to the report from the scout, in the three counties of Zhangwu, Hejian, and Bohai, there are a total of 60,000 Hulu garrisons, which are stationed in several cities such as Zhangwu, Nanpi, and Lecheng. ”

Then Wei Shuo took over and said: "You have all seen that at present, Hu Lu's garrison in several counties in the northeast of Jizhou is weak, which creates an opportunity for us to seize Bohai and other three counties. As long as Zhangwu and other counties are successfully taken, the connection between Youzhou and Leling will be opened. ”

"The people will listen to the command! General Wei Xiong led 30,000 troops to attack Hejian, and the rest of the men and horses followed me to Zhangwu and Bohai. ”

"No!" The generals commanded with a loud voice.

Subsequently, 300,000 Liaodong troops came out from Dongpingshu, and the troops were divided into two routes: all the way to the west to enter the Hejian country; The other way is to directly attack Zhangwu City.

Shi Fan Tan looked at the boundless Liaodong Army under the city, and was completely desperate, with only more than 10,000 defenders in the city, how could he be the opponent of the more than 200,000 Liaodong Army outside the city?

With the sound of war drums, hundreds of ballistas and bed crossbows lined up neatly under Zhangwu City, and a large number of soldiers carried ladders and pushed well railings to prepare for the attack, just waiting for the Great Sima Weishuo to give the order to attack.

Wei Shuo didn't talk nonsense, he directly stretched out his hand and waved it, and ordered loudly: "Attack, the whole army attack!" ”

"Dong Dong Dong" soon the passionate war drums resounded throughout the battlefield, the first to power is still ballistas, bed crossbows and other large siege equipment, and then the sword and shield soldiers under the cover of archers, quickly crossed the moat, climbed the ladder to the head of the city.

The piercing shout of "kill ......" resounded throughout Zhangwu City.

"General, the Liaodong Army has attacked the city." The Colonel shouted in panic.

On the city wall of Zhangwu, Shi Fan Tan of Zhangwu looked at the imposing Liaodong Army, his heart was shocked, and he almost forgot to fight back. Until the junior colonel under his command reminded him, he came to his senses, and then hurriedly commanded the defenders to launch a counterattack.

"Boom, boom!"

The huge stones thrown by the ballistas on the head of the city took the defenders by surprise, and many soldiers huddled in the corners in fear.

Fan Tan was taken aback when he saw this, he had heard that Liaodong had sharp weapons, but now seeing is believing, and it is indeed worthy of its name. Large ordnance such as ballistas and bed crossbows are simply the supreme weapons for attacking cities. With such a sharp weapon in hand, what other city in the world cannot be conquered by the Liaodong Army?

"Don't panic, don't panic, give Ben a steady place." Looking at his somewhat flustered subordinates, Fan Tan hurriedly comforted him loudly.

But verbal comfort did not help the soldiers to reduce their fears, and their hands trembling with swords were all palpitating.

"Kill Hu!"

Countless Liaodong soldiers, under the cover of archers, followed the ladder and began to climb towards the city wall, and gradually the defenders of Liaohu were somewhat unable to stop the offensive of the Liaodong army.

"My lord, the Liaodong army is coming, and the brothers can't resist it, so let's withdraw quickly!"

Fan Tan glanced at his henchman who was persuading him to escape, and said with a pale face: "Retreat? Where to retreat? The city is full of Liaodong troops, as soon as we leave the city, we will be chased by the Liaodong cavalry and killed. At the moment, there is no other way out but to die in battle. ”

For the Liaodong Army, taking Zhangwu City was just a piece of cake, and it didn't take much effort at all. Soon more than 10,000 defenders disappeared under the fierce attack of the Liaodong Army, and with the killing of Fan Tan, it marked the complete recovery of Zhangwu City by the Liaodong Army. (To be continued.) )