Looking at the head of Shangqi City, Zhuge Liang stood with his hands in his hands, and the cold wind blew on his face, but he couldn't blow the anxiety in his heart.

Since the siege of Shangtai City in early August, he has been under Shangtai City for more than four months. If it weren't for Zhang He's sudden reinforcements, Guo Huai would probably have invoked the military law of the Wei army and surrendered the city. Even if he refuses to surrender, the others will be shaken, and in the face of his attack, it should be expected that Shangqi City will be broken.

Siege is the lowest cost, the largest harvest of the tactics, as long as the grain and grass can support, the siege is more suitable than the siege, because this can get a relatively complete city, casualties are relatively small.

Siege of the city, the fight is more about the mind. Wei Yan and his son occupied Guanzhong, Cao Wei's reinforcements sighed at Guanzhong, and Longyou became a rootless place, and the psychological impact on the people in the city can be imagined. After a few more months of siege, no reinforcements arrived, food and grass ran out, hope was cut off, and the worries of family members were dissipated by the arrival of the deadline, and the fighting spirit of the defenders in the city would quickly collapse, and it would be easy to attack the city again.

However, the arrival of Zhang He made all this come to naught, the morale of the Wei army in the city was greatly boosted, and there were 10,000 elite horsemen outside the city who were secretly watching like a pack of wolves, making the Shu Han army, which was dominated by foot soldiers, very passive. Chasing, can't catch up, doesn't chase, and is always in tension, and the psychological pressure is even worse than that of the Wei army in the city.

Fortunately, Zhang He also has his insurmountable weakness, as long as he survives for a few days and exhausts his sharpness and food and grass, he can be left to fend for himself. At that time, the morale of the Wei army, which had been reinvigorated by his arrival, would collapse at an even faster rate.

It was precisely because of this that he and Ma Jian decided on this strategy of static braking, hoping to defeat Zhang He and take all Longyou, so that this Northern Expedition would have a more perfect ending.

However, once again, his hopes were dashed. Zhang He was not forced to attack, but seized the opportunity to transport grain and grass from Hanzhong. The tide of battle was reversed all at once.

Compared with Ma Yan, who thought it was an accident, Zhuge Liang was more willing to believe that it was Zhang He's premeditation. He was afraid that he had already set his sights on that grain road, but he himself might not have thought of it at that time. This could really be a chance to turn the tide of the battle.

But he was ready, and once he found that the fighter was mature, he would strike with all his strength without hesitation.

resourceful and decisive, worthy of being Cao Wei's five good generals.

When he received the news that Ma Tan had sent back. When he said that Zhang He had gone in the direction of Zhu Yu Mountain, Zhuge Liang knew that he had encountered a strong opponent. Zhang He went to the direction of Zhuyuan Mountain, and the target should be the batch of grain and grass that had just arrived. Although he didn't know how Zhang He got the news in time. But he believed that Zhang He's purpose was for this batch of grain and grass.

While admiring Zhang He, Zhuge Liang didn't feel too nervous. Even if that batch of grain and grass will fall into Zhang He's hands, Zuihou's victory may not necessarily belong to Zhang He, on the contrary, this may be the best chance to defeat Zhang He. Before confirming Zhang He's true intentions, he gave Ma Jian a new order to follow Zhang He. Chase to the wooden door. His purpose was not to catch up with Zhang He - Zhang He acted first, and he was a cavalryman, and Ma Jian couldn't catch up at all. His purpose was to block Zhang He's return route and leave Zhang He at the wooden gate.

Mumen West, Qishan North. There is a county seat, called West County. There are more than 2,000 people left behind in Xixian, Zhang He has no siege equipment, unless he has the ability to penetrate the heavens and the earth, he will not be able to break through Xixian. As long as Ma Tan entered Xixian before Zhang He left, he could block Zhang He's way back. It doesn't take much, as long as it takes a day, Ma Dai, Gao Shen, and Chen Shi will lead more than 10,000 cavalry to arrive and surround Zhang He with Ma Tan. A total of 30,000 people, even if they can't defeat Zhang He, they can trap Zhang He.

Next, he will lead 20,000 foot soldiers to arrive and give Zhang He a blow.

This batch of grain and grass will become Zhang He's deadly bait, even if Zhang He burns that batch of grain and grass, he will not be able to save the defeat. Because Zhang He was killed, no one would rush to Longyou's aid, and even if Guo Huai ran out of Shangtai City, he would only have the life to escape.

As for grain and grass, compared with Longyou, what is this batch of grain and grass?

The biggest variable now is not whether Zhang He will rob the batch of military rations - there is no suspense about his success in robbing the grain - but whether Ma Tan can leave Zhang He at the wooden gate. If Zhang He succeeds in robbing the grain and retreats with his whole body, then no one will be able to catch his traces anymore.

The only one who can catch up with the cavalry is the cavalry, but he now only has 2,000 cavalry, and he is not Zhang He's opponent at all.

Alas, if Ma Tan had been able to take Yuzhong before, he would not be so passive now. Most of the war horses of the Han Dynasty came from Wuwei and Zhangye north of Yuzhong, and if they did not take Yuzhong, they would not be able to go to Wuwei smoothly, and they would not be able to get a large number of high-quality war horses.

Now, the heavy responsibility once again falls on Ma Yan's shoulders, and it depends on whether he can intercept Zhang He.

He has more than 20,000 foot soldiers, most of whom are elite who are proficient in mountain warfare, and siege may not be their strong point, but in mountain warfare, Ma Jian must not let him down again, right?

Young Chang, you must intercept Zhang He. You know best how heavy the burden is on my shoulders.

The sound of hurried footsteps interrupted Zhuge Liang's contemplation. Jiang Wei hurriedly walked over and said with a smile: "Prime Minister, Ma Dai sent news that he fought with Zhang He." ”

Zhuge Liang was startled, hurriedly took the military report, and walked towards the big tent while reading it. He walked up to the map, looked at the mileage marked on the map, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, his eyes were full of smiles.

"Okay, according to the schedule, it shouldn't be a problem to intercept Zhang He when you are young."

"Yes. As long as Ma joins the army in accordance with the prime minister's military orders and implements them to the letter, he will definitely be able to leave Zhang He at the wooden gate. Jiang Wei echoed excitedly: "Moreover, there is a lot of terrain near the wooden gate that is conducive to interception, presumably Ma will not let go of the army, with the favorable terrain, plus those Southern Barbarian Qiang soldiers, Zhang He wants to retreat with his whole body, I am afraid it will be absolutely impossible." ”

Zhuge Liang also laughed, looked up to the sky and sighed: "The sky has eyes, this time, we can finally kill Zhang He and end the Longyou war." Before the New Year, we can present a good news to Bixia and sacrifice to the first emperor, and our hard work in the past two years has not been wasted. ”

Jiang Wei arched his hand and said: "Congratulations to the prime minister, congratulations to the prime minister." ”

"It's too early to celebrate. Beryo, is the army ready? ”

"The prime minister can rest assured that everything is ready. 20,000 elites. You can go at any time. ”

"Good!" Zhuge Liang was also a little excited, and said loudly to the guards at the door: "Please come to Changshi Xianglang and Hu Ji, the chief bookkeeper." ”

"Whoa." The guards answered and left.

After a short time, Xiang Lang and Hu Ji hurriedly walked in. Zhuge Liang arched his hand to Xiang Lang with a pleasant face: "Xiang Gong." In the matter of Shangtai, there will be labor to the public. ”

He bowed to Lang and returned the salute: "Please rest assured, Lang will do his best to prevent Guo Huai from going out of the city." ”

There is a sentence to the public. I was relieved. Zhuge Liang smiled: "Xiang Gong doesn't have to rush to attack, when I and Youchang kill Zhang He, Guo Huai doesn't have to worry." ”

The beard on Lang's lips moved. Bite one's tongue. He once suggested in public that Zhuge Liang retreat to Longshan, but Zhuge Liang vetoed it, and clashed with Lai Min, which also made Zhuge Liang not very satisfied. This time, Zhuge Liang handed over the matter of staying in Shangtai to him, which surprised him very much. He wanted to remind Zhuge Liang to be careful of Zhang He's cavalry, but seeing Zhuge Liang so excited, he felt that something was not appropriate.

Zhuge Liang saw it in his eyes. I know it. "Xiang Gong, if you have anything to say, just say it directly. Be loyal to the public, even if there is some rebellion, I think I can still bear it. ”

Xiang Lang smiled embarrassedly: "Prime Minister, although you often have an army of 20,000. Most of them are elites, but the art of war is cloudy, and if they fight for profit for a hundred miles, they will step on the general, and they will compete for profit for fifty miles, and they will get half of it. Children often travel 300 miles long distances, and it is inevitable that there will be soldiers who will be left behind, which ......"

Without waiting for Xiang Lang to finish speaking, Zhuge Liang hahadaxiao, took Xiang Lang's hand and said, "Xiang Gong, I understand what you mean." I know that you all feel that you are too young to be in a big deal and have not been in war. Including Xiang Gong, I am a little dissatisfied with the important responsibilities of our commission. However, I am confident that Yotsune will prove his worth with an uncontested victory. ”

Without waiting for Xiang Lang to argue, Zhuge Liang said again: "Xiang Gong, when the first emperor promoted Bourne (Xiang Favor) as the goalkeeper against the public, didn't many people disagree? In the first battle of Zigui, the armies retreated, but only the first battalion of Bourne was complete, and even the first emperor was a little unexpected. The Ma family and the Xiang family are both Xiangyang clans, and if the Xiang family can produce a talent like Bourne, the Ma family can't produce a young man? ”

Xiang Lang didn't say anything more. Zhuge Liang had already rejected him in a joking tone, and if he forced him, it would be a bit of a suspicion of belittling the Ma family. Moreover, Zhuge Liang is a scholar like Ma Tan, he said it too seriously, and it is hard to guarantee that Zhuge Liang will not think that he has something else, ostensibly questioning Ma Tan, but actually questioning him Zhuge Liang himself.

Zhuge Liang arranged the remaining personnel of the battalion, and personally led 20,000 elites to rush to the wooden gate.

Xiang Lang and Hu Ji sent Zhuge Liang out of the camp, and the two stood side by side outside the camp, looking at the battle flag that was gradually disappearing in the distance, Xiang Lang sighed heavily. Hu Ji looked at Xiang Lang puzzled: "Xiang Gong, are you worried about this war?" ”

Xiang Lang nodded: "Weidu, it's not that I have a whisper about the prime minister, he really trusts the young man too much." I grew up with my own eyes, but I don't know what he can do? There is talent, and the ability to manage government is not bad, but the experience of using soldiers is less. The soldiers are fierce and dangerous, and they can't make a fuss, nor can they be compared with being a county guard, the fight is not for the merits of talent and learning, but for the decisiveness of killing. If you miss it in a moment, it may bring about a catastrophe. When did he have such an experience when he was young? ”

Hu Ji raised his eyebrows, and after a while, he slowly calmed down again. "However, Prime Minister Jihua is thorough, according to ...... There won't be any surprises, right? ”

"What if something happens?" Xiang Lang asked rhetorically: "Who will bear the consequences at that time?" Is it the prime minister, or is it a child? ”

Hu Ji was speechless.

Xiang Lang let out another long sigh.

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I'm in a bit of a hurry today, and I may not have time to change the chapter on repaying the debt at night, please Haihan. Don't worry, Lao Zhuang said that I am just like the Lannister, I must repay my debts, and the remaining three chapters will never be ruined.

By the way, the Lannisters in Castle Rock don't seem to be very good except for this aphorism. (To be continued.) )