The Xuzhou army attacked in three directions, went against the grain, and threatened several neighbors on the southern front at the same time, such a big move, of course, it was impossible to hide from the eyes of Deputy Director Tao's good neighbors, and it also really frightened several good neighbors who were weak in strength and were easier to bully.

The most frightened was not Xiao Yuan Sangong, who had a grudge against Deputy Director Tao, but Liu Xiangjun who seemed to have no contradiction with Deputy Director Tao, because poor Liu Xiangjun was not only the weakest and most easily bullied, but also located downstream of the mouth of the Xukou, after Wei Yan led the army to Liyang to station, as long as Deputy Director Tao was willing, the Xuzhou Navy Division could go down the Yangtze River at any time, arrive in Liyang in a short period of time to join Wei Yan's army, and launch a rush to Niuzhu.

In addition, the alliance between Deputy Director Tao and Xiao Yuan Sangong is a terrifying nightmare that Liu Xiang made Jun linger, even if his vitality was greatly injured in the Huainan War, the overall strength of Xiao Yuan Sangong is still stronger than Liu Xiang, Liu Miao has made Jun able to hold on to the present, a big reason is that Xiao Yuan Sangong has made too many enemies, and is hated and contained by almost all his neighbors, Xiao Yuan Sangong can't concentrate his strength on one point to let Liu Jianshi persist until now, but if the Xuzhou army suddenly joins forces with Xiao Yuan Sangong, The powerful Yuan Shujun sailors protected the Xuzhou army and crossed the Yangtze River, so the poor Liu Miao basically had only one way to go to arrange the future.

In order to avoid such a situation, in addition to personally moving to Niuzhu to sit in the town and concentrating all efforts on strengthening the garrison of the river route, Liu Miao also listened to the unanimous advice of several strategists and sent envoys to contact Xiao Yuan Sangong, and persuaded Xiao Yuan Sangong to form a secret alliance with the self-army and join hands to resist Deputy Director Tao, a jackal and hungry tiger.

Although Liu Xuan's abacus was good, it was a pity that after his envoy Xue Li arrived in Wuhu, he didn't see Xiao Yuan Sangong at all - Xiao Yuan Sangong was not in Wuhu at all, but fortunately, Xiao Yuan Sangong who stayed in Wuhu was a more rational person from his younger brother Yuan Yin, and he didn't dare to refuse after learning Xue Li's intentions, but just left Xue Li in the post house temporarily, and then sent a fast horse to Spring Valley to contact Xiao Yuan Sangong and ask Xiao Yuan Sangong to decide. Fortunately, Wuhu is not far from Spring Valley, and the fast horse sent by Yuan Yin only took half a day to send the news to Spring Valley.

"Liu Miao is more afraid of the pottery thief breaking through the Yangtze River than our army, and he is also more afraid that our army will form an alliance with the pottery thief to attack him." Yan Xiang broke Liu Xiang's true intention to seek an alliance with one sentence, "That's why Liu Xiang took the initiative to ask the lord for an alliance first, so that our army would not suddenly fall to the pottery thief and pose a fatal threat to him." ”

"According to Yan Gong's wishes, how is it good to be alone?" Xiao Yuan Sangong asked, and said: "Liu Xiang Pifu wants to share Jiangdong with Lone, of course, this point must not be agreed, but if you don't agree to Liu Miao's alliance, and I am afraid that this Puffer will fall to the pottery thief, and join forces with the Tao thief to attack Gu, Lone is to temporarily make a false deal with Liu Xuan, and temporarily stabilize this puppet, what does Yan Gong think?" ”

"The lord wants to temporarily stabilize Liu Xiang's puppet, and Liu Xiangxu and the snake, why doesn't Liu Xiangpifu want to cooperate with the lord and the snake to temporarily stabilize our army?" Yan Xiang smiled, and then arched his hand and said: "Lord, according to the image, it is not impossible to temporarily make a false relationship with Liu Xiang, but this is a great opportunity to knock on Liu Xiang's bamboo bar, and the lord must not miss it." ”

"Knock on Liu Xiang's bamboo pole?" Now that he is so poor that he is about to use his pants, Yuan Sangong's eyes lit up.

"That's right, rip off!" Yan Xiang nodded vigorously and said with a smile: "Liu Xiangpifu is located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and now it is in the middle of winter, and the north wind is blowing, and the tide and wind are the most passive, and I am most afraid that our army will let the route let the pottery thief sailor go down the river, to Liyang, and even to Guangling to launch a crossing." In this case, the lord might as well use the excuse that our army and the pottery thief sailor confronted each other head-on, which cost a huge amount of money and food, and ask Liu Xiangpifu for a sum of money and food compensation, and then ask Liu Xiangpifu to hand over his eldest son as a hostage, and then agree to form an alliance with Liu Xiang. Liu Xiang suffered too much from the geographical advantage, and he was afraid that our army would fall to the pottery thief, so he didn't dare not agree. ”

"Yan Gong's clever plan!" Xiao Yuan Sangong applauded with joy, and then clapped on the spot: "That's it, let Yuan Yin come forward to negotiate with Xue Li, and ask Liu Xiangpifu to hand over 100,000 grains and the eldest son as a hostage, in exchange for our army to form an alliance with it, if not, I will let go of the Yangtze River route, and let the pottery thief sailor go south to Liyang to find trouble with Liu Xiangpifu!" ”

As Yan Xiang judged, Liu Xiangjun really didn't dare to refuse the blackmail of his old enemy Xiao Yuan Sangong, so when Yuan Yin made an alliance condition to Xue Li on behalf of Xiao Yuan Sangong, Xue Li didn't dare not refuse, and said on the spot that he would immediately send someone back to Niuzhu to report to Liu Xiangyu about Yuan Shujun's alliance conditions. After Liu Xuan hesitated again and again, he finally made up his mind to partially accept the conditions of Xiao Yuan Sangong, agreed to pay 50,000 grains to compensate Xiao Yuan Sangong, and also handed over his eldest son Liu Ji to Xiao Yuan Sangong as a hostage, but asked Xiao Yuan Sangong to also hand over his only son Yuan Yao as a hostage, in order to show the mutual sincerity and mutual trust between the two armies.

When Xiao Yuan Sangong and Liu Miao were still bargaining for the alliance against Tao, our double agent Sun Quan and Sun Biyan had also re-crossed the Yangtze River, and took the Xuxu Waterway to the north to meet the Xuzhou Sailor who was on the way south, and said in front of Xiao Yuan Sangong that he was here to surrender to Deputy Director Tao, but in fact he came to report the good news to Lu Su, saying that his uncle Wu Jing and cousin Sun Ben had agreed to Deputy Director Tao's request and decided to cut off the head of Chen Fen, the general of Yuan Shujun's water division, to create chaos in Yuan Shu's water division. Set fire on the south bank to meet the Xuzhou Navy Division to cross the Yangtze River, and then discuss the time with Lu Su, the governor of the Xuzhou Navy Division.

"The time to start can't be too early, we must wait for our army to figure out the route and hydrology of the Yangtze River." Lu Su is a very cautious person, although he was overjoyed after learning that Sun Ben and Wu Jing were determined to take over the army to cross the river, he still replied very cautiously: "Therefore, the specific time must be determined later, and Quan Gongzi can rest in our army first, and then we will discuss when to start after arriving at the mouth of the water." ”

"Governor, the soldiers are fast, if you start too late, I'm afraid of extraneous branches." Sun Quan cautiously urged.

"Of course I do." Lu Su nodded, and said: "Quan Gongzi, rest assured, our army has made detailed arrangements for this matter, and it will definitely not be wrong." Oh, by the way, yesterday the lord sent someone to send Childe's sister to the army, Childe can go to meet with Sister Ling's brother and sister first, and then discuss the time with Childe when I make arrangements to cross the river. Sun Quan had no choice but to retire honestly and go to the baggage fleet to meet Sun Shangxiang.

Lu Su's surname is indeed cautious and a little almost timid, in the case of smooth wind and water, he led the sailors to the south, and it took three days to cross Chaohu Lake, after entering the narrow road of Xushui, Lu Su ordered that only thirty miles of travel was allowed every day, and constantly sent light boats and small boats to reconnoitre, and immediately ordered the fleet to stop advancing at the slightest disturbance, and the marching speed was outrageously slow, and it was so slow that Sun Quan, who was anxious to make contributions in front of Xiao Yuan Sangong and get reused, began to suspect that Deputy Director Tao was deliberately attacking the east and west- deliberately let the sailor slow down the march, but let the partial division led by Wei Yan speed up the speed from the land to Liyang, and then the sailor suddenly made a force down the river and went to Liyang to launch a rush to Niuzhu!

Sun Quan is not the only one who has this suspicion, when the detailed work sent the march of the Xuzhou Navy Division to Chungu and Niuzhu respectively, plus the news that Deputy Director Tao and a large number of Xuzhou elites suddenly disappeared, Yuan Shujun's think tank Yan Xiang and Liu Xuanjun's strategist Shi Yi, who must not be taken seriously, also began to doubt the real purpose of Deputy Director Tao's troops, and went to the front of Xiao Yuan Sangong and Liu Xiang respectively, pointing out that the real target of the Xuzhou Navy Division was probably not Chungu, but Niu Zhu, which was located downstream!

The result of the worry was, of course, that the weak Liu Miao made concessions, and took the initiative to promise to pay the 100,000 grains extorted by Xiao Yuan Sangong in installments in the negotiations, and also proposed that the two armies would not exchange hostages, but if there was really a situation where the Xuzhou sailors rushed to cross Niuzhu, then Xiao Yuan Sangong must send troops to help Liu Miao resist the attack of the Xuzhou army. And Xiao Yuan Sangong also listened to Yan Xiang's persuasion and made concessions, nodded and agreed to Liu Xiang's conditions, in exchange for 100,000 Hu military rations, and concluded a formal alliance with Liu Xiang, and joined forces to resist the threat from Deputy Director Tao.

Of course, there is also a reason why Yan Xiang strongly persuaded Xiao Yuan Sangong to make concessions, because Yan Xiang was also worried about one point, that is, Deputy Director Tao ostensibly created the illusion of Niu Zhu rushing to the crossing, but in fact, the big stick that had been picked up would eventually fall on Xiao Yuan Sangong's ass -- after attracting Xiao Yuan Sangong's attention to Niu Zhu, he suddenly launched an attack and rush to Chungu, so in order to avoid the dilemma of fighting on two fronts, Yan Xiang could only persuade Xiao Yuan Sangong to accept it when he saw it, and first stabilize his old rival Liu Xuan temporarily.

"It doesn't matter where the real goal of the pottery thief is, I hope Sun Quan can succeed in defrauding him." At the same time, this is also the real thought in Yan Xiang's heart, "As long as our army can use traps to kill the main force of the pottery thief's sailors, as well as a large number of his elites, then our army will be able to fight for at least a year of safe time on the northern front. ”

Regarding the slow march of the Xuzhou Navy Division and the unclear goal, Sun Quan was actually far more anxious and worried than Xiao Yuan Sangong and Liu Xuan, especially worried that Deputy Director Tao's goal was actually Niu Zhu to make himself lose the opportunity to get ahead, but there was no way, he could only be worried that the Xuzhou Navy Division slowly went south, and kept praying that Deputy Director Tao would not play new tricks. But fortunately, no matter how long the road is, there is an end, after a few days of crawling like a turtle, on the twentieth day of the first month of the third year of Jian'an, the Xuzhou sailor finally arrived at the mouth of the water, and built the sailor camp on the west bank of the water.

That night, Lu Su secretly summoned Sun Quan again, ordered Sun Quan to return to Spring Valley overnight to contact Wu Jing and Sun Ben, and informed Wu Jing and Sun Ben to take action on the night of the 23rd day of the first lunar month three days later, kill Chen Fen and set fire to the Yangtze River, and take the Xuzhou sailors to cross the Yangtze River. After Sun Quan received the order, he was both happy and worried, and couldn't help but ask Lu Su: "Governor, is it too late to start in three days?" What if Yuan Shupifu is prepared? ”

"It has to be three days before you do it." Lu Su finally told Sun Quan the truth, "Most of the horses and cavalry of our army are northern soldiers, and they are not used to wind and waves. Sun Quan was a little suspicious, but he didn't dare to ask, so he could only honestly accept Lu Su's order, go back to the boat to say goodbye to his sister, and prepare to cross the river overnight to return to Spring Valley.

When separating from his brother, Sun Shangxiang, who had missed his relatives for a long time, had to pull Sun Quan's sleeve and ask again and again, asking about the specific time when his uncle and cousin would cross the river and go north with their families, and also asked his brother to let his uncle cross the river the next night to vote. Sun Quan was only perfunctory, deducing that Yuan Shujun's naval division had a tight blockade of the Yangtze River, and it was not easy for a large family to cross the river, so they were afraid of danger if they did not make sufficient preparations, but Sun Shangxiang of course told Sun Quan confidently, "It's okay, there will be no danger, and they just have to cross the river with confidence." If my mother and relatives are really in danger, I will also ask my eldest brother to send an army to meet and protect my mother. ”

"Big brother? It's so affectionate, it seems that you have forgotten about the revenge of killing your brother, right? Sun Quan quietly snorted, and suddenly his heart moved, and he hurriedly said deliberately: "Ask Tao to send troops to meet your uncle and mother?" Tao Yuanjun has gone to Lujiang now, how can you beg him? ”

Sun Shangxiang's cute little face really showed hesitation, Sun Quan observed the words, and deliberately said, "There's no way, right?" Little sister, don't think too beautifully, the governor surnamed Lu has no relatives and no reason for our family, why should you send the army to save our mother? But you don't have to worry, if you really don't have a chance, the great mother and mother will not cross the river for the time being. ”

"Don't." Sun Shangxiang was so young that he was immediately anxious when he heard this, and hurriedly pulled Sun Quan's sleeve and said: "Second brother, you tell your uncle and cousin that they must take their mother across the river, there will be no danger, there will really be no danger." ”

"Little sister, you'll be ten years old soon, why do you still talk about children?" Sun Quan said angrily: "You don't know how wide the Yangtze River is, there are so many enemy warships stationed on the south bank, if my mother's adventure to cross the river is discovered, and Lu Dudu refuses to send an army to pick up our mother's relatives, then our mother's relatives will not be captured by the enemy?" Do you think the defection across the river is a joke? This is a felony of killing the head! ””

"No, no." Sun Shangxiang really hit the plan, looked at the left and right, and leaned into Sun Quan's ear and whispered: "The eldest brother said that when my mother crosses the river, he will definitely appear in front of me, and the eldest brother never lies to me, so you tell your uncle to rest assured, if there is really danger, I will definitely ask the eldest brother to send troops to save them." ”

"Will she definitely appear in front of my little sister?" The corners of Sun Quan's mouth hooked up beautifully, and finally showed a little smile, and said secretly: "Okay, you pottery thief, you are really deceitful, it turns out that you have to personally command this sneak attack battle across the river." False and real, the trick of striking the west, you really played it smart! ”

With the key information that his sister exchanged for his immature body, all Sun Quan's previous worries were suddenly swept away, and after crossing the river overnight and returning to the Spring Valley camp, Sun Quan naturally went to see Xiao Yuan Sangong overnight, and reported to Xiao Yuan Sangong the good news that he had succeeded in defrauding, and truthfully confided the news that the Xuzhou Navy Master would smuggle across the Yangtze River on the night of the 23rd day of the first lunar month, and also presented the letter written by Lu Su to his uncle Wu Jing and cousin Sun Ben with both hands, as ironclad evidence that he had succeeded in defrauding.

After reading Lu Su's handwritten letter, the little Yuan Sangong, who hated Deputy Director Tao so much, was of course overjoyed, and canonized Sun Quan as the captain of the army on the spot, and rewarded Wu Jing and Sun Ben, and then immediately summoned Yan Xiang, Shu Shao and Chen Fen's confidants Wenwu to discuss how to arrange traps, and waited for Xuzhou sailors and Xuzhou elites to come to the door to send them to death by themselves - the team of Xiao Yuan Sangong, who was greatly injured, could never be the opponent of Xuzhou's elite on land, but they had to say it upside down on the water.

"Come on, pottery thief! Come on! It's best if you, the thief, personally lead the army across the river to sneak attack, and we welcome it with our hands held high! This is the common voice of Xiao Yuan Sangong, Yan Xiang, Shu Shao, Sun Quan, Sun Ben and Wu Jing and others, and it is also their greatest wish at present!

……………… Both sides are loose on the outside and tight on the inside after another three days, the night of the twenty-third day of the first lunar month will soon arrive, it is the night clear sky, the west wind is strong, the river is turbulent, the wind direction and water flow are extremely conducive to the Xuzhou Navy Division to launch smuggling, in fact, Lu Su, who has also been nervous for a long time, boarded the top of the ship of the flagship building of the Navy Division, Jiang Qin on the left, Zhou Tai on the right, the soldiers of the whole army are ready to go, the bow is wound with crossbows and arrows, the swords and guns are like forests, the flag is like the sea, and they are ready to fight.

Looking at the south bank, looking across the river, seeing the moonlight shining on the river, like a thousand golden snakes, turning waves and playing waves, Lu Su stood in the wind, his heart was surging, his mind was complicated, the left and right soldiers were also sweating palms, nervously waiting for the fire on the south bank, thousands of soldiers were silent, all immersed in the tense atmosphere of the coming of the war.

"It's on fire! The South Bank is on fire! Report to the governor, there is a fire on the south bank! ”

When the second watch was approaching, a sentry suddenly exclaimed from the flagship lookout, and Lu Su, who was closing his eyes and calculating, suddenly opened his eyes, but saw that several fires had risen on the south bank, and the fires were rising higher and higher, rising more and more, and in a blink of an eye, there were as many as a dozen shares. Seeing this scene, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai and other sailor generals cheered together, rushed to Lu Su and clasped their fists, and said in unison: "Governor Yudu, the fire on the south bank is rising, do you want to attack?" Please give the Governor's order! ”

Lu Su didn't answer, looked at the tumbling fire on the south bank again, pursed his lips, and then took out a fire-painted sealed envelope from his arms, and explained: "When the princes were in a hurry, the lord handed me an envelope, and asked me to open it when I saw the fire on the south bank, and act according to the orders in the letter. ”

While explaining, Lu Su opened the envelope, took out the silk and looked at it, and then took a look at it by the light of the torch in the hands of the soldiers behind him, but Lu Su was suddenly dumbfounded and exclaimed: "What? How could the lord give such an order?! ”

"What did the lord order?" The generals asked in surprise.

"No, nothing." Lu Su shook his head, quickly put away the silk carefully, and ordered loudly: "Order!" The whole army left the port and retreated ten miles overnight! Retreat to the narrow part of the Xushui River and line up to prevent Yuan Shushui from attacking overnight! ”

"Return the succumbing?!" All the Xuzhou generals present screamed and asked together: "Governor, we won't cross the Yangtze River?" ”

"The enemy situation is unknown, and our sailors are still very weak and can't take risks, this is the original words of the lord." Lu Su replied.

"Then what are we here for hundreds of miles?" Jiang Qin asked in surprise.

"Of course, it's to cover the real actions of the lord." Lu Su replied with a sad face: "The lord deceived me this time, our sailor is actually just a feint, the purpose is to attract the attention of Yuan Shu and Liu Xuan, so that our lord can let go and carry out his real plan." ”

"What?" Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai and other generals who dreamed of showing their skills in the water battle were dumbfounded, and after a long time, Jiang Qin stammered and asked, "Then, what about the lord?" There he is? ”

"If nothing else, our cunning lord has already crossed the Yangtze River with his army this morning." Lu Su replied weakly.

"The lord has already crossed the Yangtze River? Where did the lord cross the Yangtze River? Without the cover of our sailors and the transport of soldiers, how could the lord cross the Yangtze River? ”

"You didn't think of the place where the lord crossed the river, and I didn't think of it beforehand, it was in ......."

(To be continued)