On the afternoon of October 6, the 24th year of Jian'an, after Guo Jia sent a war letter to Shen Chen in the morning, Shen Chen sent a sternly worded letter back in the afternoon, responding to the battle.

At this time, in Yancheng County, Xiahou Yuan sat at the top as the main general of this expedition, followed by Guo Jia, and then Xu Huang and other generals.

As one of the Eight Tigers of the clan, Xiahou Yuan's status is second only to Xiahou Yuan Cao Ren in history, and it should be similar to Cao Hong, the only problem is that Cao Cao once scolded Xiahou Yuan as a "white general", that is, the meaning of an idiot general.

But no matter what, now that Cao Ren and Cao Hong are dead, except for Xiahou Dun, his status in the clan is extraordinary. Although it can't be compared with Xiahou Dun, who has never won a war and has not stopped being promoted, even if Guo Jia is one of Cao Cao's most trusted advisors, his status cannot be above him.

At present, Shen Chen sent someone to send the letter to Cao Ying, and after Xiahou Yuan read it, he slapped it angrily and said: "Shen Chen's thief is too rampant, he actually scolded Wei Wang Yuanrang and me in the letter, and said that this battle will let me and Yuan Rang go to see Zilian Zixiao, it is really unashamed, I swear to kill him!" ”

"Ahem, cough, cough, ......"

Guo Jia's face was pale, he covered his mouth and coughed, and said quite weakly: "Will ..... The general doesn't need to mind, the most important thing in this battle is to rescue the former general, if the former general can be rescued, then the big thing can be done. ”

"yes."

Xu Huang also said: "When the time comes, the former general will join us, and there will be more than 100,000 soldiers and horses. At that time, Nanyang will be returned to the King of Wei, even if Shen Chen defeats Jiangdong, it will be a loss of important places, and there is no need to care about some verbal attacks. ”

"Hmm."

Xiahou Yuan nodded heavily.

Although he was scolded by Cao Cao as an idiot general, it was Cao Cao himself who passed the blame on him in order to cover up his command mistakes.

In fact, Xiahou Yuan is still very capable of fighting, at least in terms of combat record, he is much stronger than Xiahou Yuan.

Therefore, Guo Jia and Xu Huang's persuasion had an effect, Xiahou Yuan thought for a moment, and said: "It's still Ling Jun's clever plan, since Shen Chen is willing to send it to the door, then I will have a fierce battle with him to cover Yuan Rang's retreat." ”

"It's ....."

Xu Huang suddenly hesitated.

"What's it?"

Xiahou Yuan asked.

Xu Huang hesitated: "I just feel that something is wrong, if I am Shen Chen, it is more beneficial for him to continue the stalemate, why would he choose to agree to fight with us outside the city?" I'm afraid there's a deception. ”

Guo Jia said with a smile: "It was because I guessed that he would inevitably go to war, so I took the initiative to go to the war letter to cover the former general's withdrawal from Xiangyang." ”

"Oh?"

Xu Huang wondered, "Why is this?" ”

"Ahem."

Guo Jia coughed twice more and said softly: "You have been on the front line for a long time, and you don't know how difficult it is to the rear. Do you know how the northern folk are now? ”

Xu Huang arched his hand and said, "Please also ask Lingjun to solve your doubts." ”

Guo Jia shook his head and said with a wry smile: "I am Shang Shuling, handling the affairs of the world. From the past years to the present, through the official documents in my hand, there have been no less than 20 rebellions in the rear alone, although most of them are minor troubles, but they have become more and more violent, the people are struggling to make a living, and the national strength has been extremely difficult. ”

Xu Huang was surprised: "I didn't expect the rear to be so turbulent. ”

"yes."

Guo Jia nodded: "King Wei Xiding Guanzhong, Liangzhou, and the land of Yongliang have made several expeditions, and you should also know in Guanzhong that in the early years, there was no grain in Guanzhong, and it had to be transported by Kanto, so you had to transfer people and levy conscription. After the king of Wei migrated to Liangzhou, the population of many counties in Hedong and Zuo Fengyi Tuntian, and the situation was slightly better. ”

"But what does this have to do with Shen Chen?"

Xu Huang was still puzzled.

Guo Jia continued: "Thinking that the King of Wei has a huge north, and the country has been unstable after many years of war, Liu Bei only owns the land of Erzhou and fights with the King of Wei, how can he not waste people's power? ”

"I see."

Xu Huang suddenly realized and said: "Jingzhou was divided into three before, Nanyang was obtained by us, Jingnan was returned to Sun Quan, Nanjun, Jiangxia, and Xiling were flooded again, and Shen Chen could not get grain and grass supplements, so Liu Bei could only send grain and grass from Yizhou." ”

"Exactly."

Guo Jia said: "And Liu Bei took the initiative to attack Guanzhong this time, which is also an expedition of laborers, and now Shen Chen and Liu Bei need to transport grain from Yizhou for a long time, and the weight of the people's conscription will only be more than us and not less than us, we can't hold on, can Liu Bei be alone?" ”

Xu Huang gave a thumbs up in admiration: "Ling Jun is really a plan of gods and ghosts, and even these can be calculated." ”

Guo Jia smiled and did not speak.

These things are indeed difficult for ordinary people to see, but as a top resourceful person, and he understands the current situation of Wei, he can naturally guess that Liu Bei, who is fighting with Cao Cao for national strength, is now also at the end of the crossbow, and he wishes for an early decisive battle.

Therefore, one urgently needs to rescue Xiahoudun, and the other needs to solve the battle in Xiangfan as soon as possible.

According to Guo Jia's calculations in this battle, probably no one can help anyone.

After all, Shen Chen's military morale is now booming, although the number is slightly less than Cao's army, but its command ability and military strength should not be underestimated, so Guo Jia does not think that Xiahou Yuan can defeat Shen Chen.

However, his strategic purpose must have been achieved, after rescuing Xiahoudun, Cao's army relied on the numerical advantage to be able to defend various cities in Nanyang and occupy Nanyang.

At that time, Jingzhou will lack the Nanyang Basin, an important source of population and grain and grass, and its war potential and overall strength will inevitably decline.

The best-case scenario is that Sun Quan flees back to Jiangdong, which can not only strike Shen Chen, but also weaken Sun Quan, and prepare for Cao Cao's capture of Yangzhou in the future.

The worst result is nothing more than Sun Quan's death in Jingzhou, Liu Bei's troops in Jiangdong, and they can, and the two sides continue to open up new battlefields in Yangzhou.

So this is a plan to kill three birds with one stone, Guo Jia wants to make Shen Chen lose all his money this time.

"Good!"

Xiahou Yuan listened to Guo Jia's analysis, and also felt that it was very reasonable, patted himself up and said: "Then according to Lingjun's words, I will go out of the camp tomorrow and fight to the death with Shen Chen!" ”

At that moment, Xiahou Yuan immediately ordered to strictly organize the team and display the banner to strengthen the army.

Following.

In the early morning, the Cao army of Yancheng was dispatched.

In the early winter of October, although the weather is getting colder, there is no snow, and the sun hangs in the air, as if there is not much temperature, and it is slightly pale.

After the meal time, the soldiers of the Cao army, who had eaten breakfast half an hour ago, had already lined up and left the camp.

Just as several camps were deployed around the important places around Fancheng, Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huangbu also built several camps around Yancheng and Lingyangpo.

Among them, the main general Xiahou Yuan, the deputy generals Xu Huang and Zang Ba, plus more than ten generals of all sizes, led an army of 60,000 and marched out of the camp to the south.

Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang brought 40,000 people before, but there were still 20,000 or 30,000 Cao troops in Wancheng and Xinye in the rear, and now Zang Ba brought nearly 20,000 people, and the total number of Cao troops is now 90,000, which is equivalent to Shen Chen's existing army.

Therefore, in order to prevent Shen Chen from sneaking up on the camp, Xiahou Yuan thought that the 60,000-strong army would be enough to cover Xiahoudun's retreat, and 30,000 people should be left behind in Yancheng and many camps outside the city.

Although it took more than 300 miles to withdraw from Xiangyang to Yancheng, it would take at least four days to make a long detour, and it would definitely not be possible to sneak attack Shen Chen on the battlefield.

But the task of covering Xiahoudun's retreat will definitely be completed, and as long as Xiahoudun comes back at that time, they will be victorious.

Therefore, this time, Xiahou Yuan has already moved into the nest.

Approaching the beginning of Yuzhong, his troops had already been assembled, the camp was garrisoned by Xu Huang, Xiahou Yuan personally led the troops, the deputy general took the deputy general Zang Ba, and there were Yin Bureau, Zhu Gai, Zhang Shun, Yang Qiu and other generals, and marched south.

Almost after Xiahou Yuan left the city, in the direction of Fancheng, more than 20 miles to the south, Shen Chen's army of 40,000 horses was also dispatched.

This time, he sent Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong a total of more than 30,000 people, plus 3,000 Huangmen soldiers from Shen Tao's department, to rush to Zhuyangyin County to attack Xiahoudun, and ordered Wen Ping Zhou to lead 20,000 people to garrison Fancheng and the surrounding camps, and personally led Shamoke, Lu Chang and other headquarters to meet the enemy.

There are many people and horses on both sides, and from a distance, the armies on both sides are lined up, forming a number of military formations for several miles, slowly moving forward, until the ancient pavilion three miles south of the Lingyang slope, they all stopped.

The ancient pavilion was originally a vast plain, surrounded by villages and countless fertile fields, but after the flood, it has long been in ruins.

The soldiers stepped on the yellow earth formed by the drying of the silt, and the softness under their feet made many people feel uncomfortable.

In spring, the sprouting grass will emerge from the soil below, absorb the nutrients of the silt, which is full of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and thrive, bringing the buried land back to life.

But it was the early winter, and there was still a smell of desolation and decay after the flood receded, and the world was desolate and bleak, mixed with the howling of the north wind, which only brought people a kind of cold wind and cold slaughter, and that kind of pale yellow desolation.

Shen Chen rode on his jade horse, with a tiger guts hanging from his waist, and looked at the horizon in the distance from afar, and saw that countless dense black dots suddenly appeared on the wide wilderness, as if the entire horizon was stuffed.

As the distance between the two sides got closer and closer, those black shadows gradually took on outlines and appearances, and finally turned into black-clothed and black-armored Cao Wei soldiers who stepped on neat steps and made dull footsteps.

Cao Jun's costume was black, even the flag.

The uniforms and flags of the Jingzhou army were the orange-red color inherent to the soldiers of the Han Dynasty.

So in the eyes of Cao Wei's soldiers in the distance, they saw countless black dots also emerging on the horizon.

As the distance began to get closer, the black dots turned bright red colors, like the rising sun, embellishing the desolate world with a touch of light.

"Stop!"

Xiahou Yuan saw that the enemy had appeared a mile away, so he raised his hand to signal.

"Stop!"

When the rear herald saw Xiahou Yuan's gesture, he immediately waved his flag.

Soon the military order reached the camps, because it took some time to convey the order, and due to inertia, the soldiers walked forward a few dozen meters before stopping and regrouping.

The Jingzhou army did not stop, and walked forward for more than 100 meters, and the two sides were half a mile apart, that is, 200 meters, before stopping.

The two sides of the enemy lined up in a line, outside the bow and crossbow arrows, facing each other from a distance, between the enemy and us, we can even see clearly the armor and stomach worn by the other party, the weapon in the hand, the face of the Cao army and the Jingzhou army.

Shen Chen rode on the jade horse, located in the center of the battle array, and his main general, the Chinese army, was at the forefront of the battle array, with three or four phalanxes arranged in turn.

There are also seven or eight phalanxes in the rear, each phalanx has three or four thousand people, forming a pyramid triangle formation with a zigzag army formation.

Guo Jia frowned when he saw such a formation on the opposite side from a distance, and after a while, he calmed down again, and said to Xiahou Yuan beside him: "As I expected, Shen Chen is also eager to repel us, and he probably can't hold it anymore." ”

Xiahou Yuan said happily: "Since he wants to fight with us, then we will also list the triangular awl formation and hedge against them." ”

"No."

Guo Jia's pale face showed a touch of sickness, and he shook his head and said: "Our task is to delay time, let the former general's side evacuate as soon as possible, entanglement of the opponent is the right way, we can't hedge against them, we should defend the formation." ”

Defensive formations?

Xiahou Yuan's face was dissatisfied, Shen Chen's rampant made him extremely uncomfortable, the enemy wanted to attack, why couldn't he attack too?

But Guo Jia is right, the top priority now is to rescue Xiahoudun.

So I had no choice but to say: "Then listen to Lingjun." ”

Guo Jia glanced at him, as the most skilled strategist at controlling people's hearts, he naturally knew that Xiahou Yuan was unhappy in his heart.

But it's also something that can't be helped.

In fact, according to Guo Jia's thoughts, the best way is actually to give up Xiahoudun and drag Liu Bei and Shen Chen down.

Xiahoudun used small buckets to feed the army in the city, but he really didn't have anything to eat, so he caught mice, boiled leather, and even ate the corpses of soldiers, and he could last for three or five months.

However, the national strength of Liu Bei and Shen Chen's side cannot be dragged on any longer, and the people in the rear must be struggling to make a living.

Although Cao Cao's north is also about to collapse, after all, the foundation is thick, gritting his teeth and suffering the people, it is still no problem to hold on for another year and a half than Liu Bei.

At that time, even if the entire army of Xiahoudun is wiped out, as long as Jingzhou cannot recover for a day, and Shen Chen cannot recapture Nanyang for a day, the rear of Yizhou will completely collapse, and Liu Bei's territory will also be on the verge of collapse.

This is much stronger than taking risks to rescue Xiahoudun.

But Guo Jia can't say.

Not to mention that Xiahoudun is Cao Cao's most trusted and favorite clan general, it is impossible to agree to say that Xiahouyuan is Xiahoudun's subordinate brother.

Therefore, Guo Jia can only be saved, and he has to choose the safest way to rescue him.

So what's the safest way to do this?

Of course, it was to drag Shen Chen's main force.

As long as Shen Chen's main force is here, then Xiahoudun can evacuate with confidence.

Thinking of this, Guo Jia said to Xiahou Yuan again: "General, don't be impatient, what matters now is to rescue the former general, wait for the former general to come back, everything is easy to say, and Rong Jia will delay it before the battle." ”

"Oh?"

Xiahou Yuan wondered, "What is Ling Jun's idea?" ”

Guo Jia said with a solemn face: "I have always had a doubt, why Shen Chen suddenly sent so many more reinforcements. This is impossible, even if Liu Bei got the news temporarily and immediately sent Huang Zhong to organize soldiers and horses, where did he get so many soldiers? I'd like to ask before I go to the battle. ”

"You can't."

Xiahou Yuan hurriedly said: "If you go to the front of the battle, I am afraid that Shen Chen will kill the killer." ”

"It doesn't matter." Guo Jia waved his hand: "At the beginning, Wen Ruo also talked to Shen Chen in front of the battle, he has a high degree of Confucianism, so he will not do this." ”

As he spoke, he said to the boy beside him, "Follow me into the battle." ”

The two boys led Guo Jia's horse slowly forward, Guo Jia rode on horseback, clutched the saddle, coughed twice from time to time, and was extremely reluctant to go to the battlefield.

"Senior brother, what does that mean?"

Zhou Budo saw a middle-aged Confucian scholar riding a white horse slowly forward, and wondered.

Shen Chen looked over and saw that the middle-aged Confucian was wearing a wide robe, with a blue crane on the outside, and a white fox fur tied around his neck, which was quite a bit of the aristocratic style of the Wei and Jin dynasties.

His skin was quite fair, and although the corners of his eyes and between his eyebrows were already full of wrinkles, it was not difficult to see that when he was young, this person should have been a handsome man.

The middle-aged Confucian came to the center of the battle array, a hundred meters away from Shen Chen's army, which was already within the range of bows and arrows, but he was not afraid, rode on horseback, and bowed his hand in the direction of Shen Chen's commander central array from a distance.

"My husband wants to ask Shen Daru to talk about it."

A boy in his teens hurriedly ran over and shouted under the banner of Coach Shen Chen twenty or thirty meters away.

"Those Confucian scholars."

Shen Chen shook his head and said, "It's always whimsical, which way does this Confucianism want to convince me." ”

"Master don't bother."

Xie Hui, a disciple on the side, said: "Such a rotten Confucian, just shoot it." ”

Shen Chen said with a smile: "People came to talk about it in front of the formation, but I didn't dare to go over, and I still wanted to shoot it, wouldn't it make the world laugh at me for being rude and unjust?" It's okay, I'll go over it. ”

It's nothing to look at in the past, with his current force value, he is probably only weaker than the five tigers, Zhang Liao Ganning may be similar to himself at his peak, but now they are all old, he is still in the prime of life, and he has the confidence to kill when he meets Zhang Liao, not to mention a Confucian student?

As he spoke, he urged the horse, and a man slowly approached the past.

He was still more cautious, and did not approach the Confucian Sheng, but was seven or eight meters away, about one hundred and twenty meters away from the Cao army's military array, so that he was in a hundred steps position, and it was almost difficult to shoot the arrow, which was very safe.

When he got closer, Shen Chen looked at the Confucian scholar and arched his hand and said, "Shen Xiaoqing of the East China Sea!" ”

"Yingchuan Guo Fengxiao."

Guo Jia also bowed his head and bowed back.

Guo Jia?

Shen Chen was quite surprised, this guy is not dead yet?

It seems that he indirectly changed the historical entry and made Guo Jia not go to Saibei.

However, I haven't heard any news about Guo Jia over the years, only a few years ago I heard that Guo Jia was Shang Shuling when Cao Cao claimed to be the Duke of Wei.

Probably because of poor health, he has been living in seclusion, so his sense of existence is so low.

Shen Chen thought to himself.

After Guo Jia finished the salute, Shen Chen said again: "Guo Lingjun's name is like thunder, I don't know what to say when I come to the front of the battle and face the soldiers of the two armies?" ”

Guo Jia said with a smile: "I am not as good as Wen Ruo, and even worse than Jing Xinggong, even they can't argue with the general, how can I do it?" ”

"Oh?"

Shen Chen was puzzled: "If that's the case, then why did you invite me to talk about it before the battle?" ”

Guo Jia thought for a while and said, "Jia has something unclear, and I ask the general to solve my doubts." ”

"Please."

Shen Chen stretched out his hand to signal.

Guo Jia said again: "I don't know if the general can play?" ”

In ancient times, the game did not mean a contest, but an invitation to play Go.

"The Analects of Yang Goods" - is there no gambler?

There are records of Go in the Spring and Autumn Period, to the end of the Han Dynasty, the wind of the game is getting stronger, Cao Cao also likes to play Go, to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties period, gradually swept the whole country, it is said that every household in the Southern Liang has a chessboard, even the village children will talk a few steps, the wind of Go can be described as overwhelming.

Shen Chen actually doesn't study Go well, and likes to play chess invented by himself, but it's not completely unlikely, so he nodded and said, "Yes." ”

Guo Jia dismounted under the support of the boy, and the other boy held a mat in his hand, he spread the mat on the ground in the center of the two, and then the girl turned around and ran towards his own army, and after a while he came over with a chessboard and chess pieces.

After the boy who supported Guo Jia helped Guo Jia to the mat, after Guo Jia sat down cross-legged, he also ran back to his military formation, holding an incense burner, a pot of tea and two teacups, and put things on the table.

Shen Chen pursed his lips.

These Confucian students are really, a bunch of stinky problems.

Especially in the Wei and Jin dynasties, what are the seven sons of Jian'an and the seven sages of the bamboo forest, it is the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties to say that it is good, and it is pretending to be elegant when it is ugly.

Obviously, the people live in the water and fire, but they compare themselves to the gods and only care about their own happiness.

This is the same as many people in later generations who yearn for the so-called elegance of the Republic of China, who only see the drunken people at the top, but they can't see how hard the people at the bottom live.

Compared with those people, Shen Chen admired Tao Yuanming's self-cultivation attitude more.

Do-it-yourself, plenty of food and clothing.

After all, it is much stronger than these rotten people who rely on family power to oppress the people, and then use the people's fat and people's ointment to make themselves live a luxurious life.

But he didn't say anything, Guo Jia could do whatever he liked, he was happy.

After the boy set up the mat, put the chessboard, set the incense burner, and added tea to the two cups, Guo Jia stretched out his hand and said, "Please!" ”

Shen Chen turned over and dismounted, his armor creaked, and he walked to the table, but he did not sit down cross-legged, but half-squatted.

This is a habit he developed in the army, once he encounters an emergency, he can flick his legs and get up, immediately get on his horse and retreat, unlike sitting cross-legged and still need hand support to get up.

Guo Jia only smiled when he saw his caution, and said to Shen Chen: "General Suwen is a famous Confucian in the world, I have also read "Zhuziyan" and "Shen's Sutra", and the affairs of the world will be handed over to the people of the world. ”

"Ling Jun is so courageous, is this planning to use the world's people as pawns?"

Shen Chen asked rhetorically.

Guo Jia looked at him seriously and said, "If it's someone else, it's definitely not good." But since he is a general, he is naturally qualified to use the country as a chessboard and the world as a pawn. ”

"Okay, but I have a word first, my chess skills are not very good, if Ling Jun wants a good game, it is wrong."

Shen Chen put the words first, he really doesn't study Go much, but Zhuge Liang also likes to play chess, so he has studied with him for a while before, although he has a certain level, there is still a big gap between him and the top masters.

"It doesn't matter."

Guo Jia put four seats, then stretched out his hand and said, "Don't guess first, the general first." ”

In ancient times, Go did not cancel the seat, and whoever made the first move took advantage.

Shen Chen was not polite, put the white chess basket on his side, and said, "Then let's start." ”