Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Battle of Weinan (10)

"Your Majesty, now that Weishui is shallow, the ministers will go to Weibei in person to eliminate Feng Xishuijun, Ma Chao and Wang Ping, please Your Majesty stick to the camp and wait for good news." Sima Yi said in the big tent.

"Aiqing just go. If this battle is won, Aiqing's merit should be in the first place. Cao Pi nodded.

Sima Yi led the army north that day, crossed the river from Weikou, and met Guo Huai in Linjin, preparing to attack Ma Chao and others. It turned out that when Cao Zhang commanded the soldiers and horses, the Xiao cavalry battalion was directly under Zhang, and after Cao Zhang left the post, this position belonged to Cao Tai, the son of Cao Ren. At that moment, Sima Yi summoned Guo Huai and Cao Tai to deploy the matter of Weibei.

Sima Yi ordered Cao Tai to feign crossing Luoshui and attack Xiaqi. He brought in 3,000 elite soldiers to attack the camp of Feng Xi's water army.

Cao Tai said: "The elite cavalry, to the heavy actual combat, like a hammer to break the city, like an axe to open the mountain, to make contributions to the critical survival, will not feint." ”

Sima Yi said: "If you have the ability, you will directly attack the river." ”

Cao Tai shook his head and said: "The Xiao cavalry camp has no boat and no bridge, how to cross the river, you dare to make a mess?" The cavalry battalion is His Majesty's pro-army, and An can be controlled at will? ”

Sima Yi was furious in his heart, knowing that he was a direct descendant of the Cao family, and looked down on himself as a person with a foreign surname, and said in his heart, he was Cao Yu, the commander of the backbone battalion who was crowned the king, and saw that he also obeyed orders, not to mention you, a child? But he smiled and said: "If you want to attack head-on, I will build you five pontoon bridges and let you cross the river, and you may defeat Ma Chao's army head-on?" ”

Cao Tai said: "The cavalry battalion is invincible and has never failed. However, Ma Chao has always been strictly guarded, and every time our army's pontoon bridge was about to be erected, it was set on fire by him. If you build a pontoon bridge, I will be defeated. ”

Sima Yi said: "What's so difficult about this? ”

At that moment, Sima Yi ordered Sima Shi to lead 3,000 troops and horses overnight, each holding a torch, and marched north to force Pucheng. He also crossed the river and raised five pontoon bridges.

When Ma Chao heard the report, he said with a smile: "The Wei army is deceitful, and the people and horses entering the north will be suspicious soldiers, and they will build a bridge overnight, and I will burn him." "If there is a confidential report, the enemy army on the Luoshui River has built a bridge. All will be served.

Ma Chao led the army straight to the pontoon bridge, dispersed the enemy army, and burned a fire, and the pontoon bridge was scattered. Sima Yi was defeated. At this time, the fire broke out in the north, but it was Sima Shi who attacked Pucheng at night. Ma Chao retreated and ordered Wang Ping to go north to defend.

Sima Yi returned to the army, and Cao Tai smiled: "How about the servant's clever plan?" Sima Yi sneered: "I'll see it when it's dawn." ”

At dawn, I saw that the pontoon bridge by the river had been erected. Originally, Sima Yi erected bridges at the same time in two river bends, the downstream was framed by boats and wooden pontoons, and the upstream was framed by Hengjiang iron cables. Therefore, he deceived Ma Chao.

So Cao Tai crossed the river at dawn and attacked Ma Chao head-on, from morning to dusk, regardless of victory or defeat, but each of them truce. Cao Tai failed to make a meritorious service, and was furious, so he went to Sima Yi's camp in person and asked Sima why he didn't move the whole army in unison, and only let himself attack in one team, which was difficult to achieve full success. But he heard the battalion lieutenant general say: "The servant is no longer in the army." The servant said that the bridge had been erected, and if the little general could make meritorious contributions, he would make meritorious contributions, and if he could not make meritorious contributions, he would retreat to Hexi. ”

Cao Tai said angrily: "Without your help, I can defeat Ma Chao." Get ready for a night fight! "Although Cao Tai's skills are not very strong, the cavalry sergeant is extremely powerful, and he attacked Ma Chao overnight, Ma Chao could hardly resist the enemy, and the battle line was in danger.

At this time, when Sima Yi rode Ma Chao and Cao Tai to attack, he led the army south and attacked Feng Xi directly. The Wei River was shallow, and it was even more cut off at this time, and Feng Xishui's army was no longer able to move on the river, so he had to retreat to the camp. Sima Yi ordered the soldiers to set fire to the village overnight, almost breaking through the water village, burning countless Han warships, and the fire illuminated the heaven and earth, visible from far and near.

Ma Chao could not save the Han army's water village, but also was deceived by Sima Yi's suspicious tactics, the cavalry battalion turned over like a cloud and a wind, and pounced across the river, with fierce combat power, and he couldn't win it with more strikes and less. In a fit of rage, he personally went out and rushed straight to Cao Tai, the tiger camp couldn't stop him, Cao Tai was so frightened that his face was like dirt, and he turned around and fled. Ma Chao was about to catch up, and people reported that Guo Huai took Chongquan and Lotus Spoon, and Sima Shi took Pucheng and defeated Wang Ping. The Han army was under siege. Ma Chao had no choice but to retreat to Xiatai and lead an army north to rescue Wang Ping. Sima Yi broke the Han army's water village and led the army back in a hurry, wanting to kill Cao Tai, and the generals were dismissed. Sima Yi shouted: "As a general, he only knows how to fight ruthlessly, but he doesn't know how to use it, how is it different from his husband, do you obey it today?" "Cao Tai bowed.

At this time, the army was in all directions, and Sima Yi ordered Ma Chao to be captured. Ma Chao escorted Wang Ping's remnants back to the camp, and after personally breaking off, he was brave and invincible, rushing left and right, killing more than 20 famous generals of the Wei army, such as entering a no-man's land, and even in the frontal attack, almost breaking through Sima Yi's Chinese army, so that Sima Yi couldn't help but admire its fierceness. But no matter how brave he was, he couldn't stop the defeat of the Han army. At the moment, the Wei army surrounded Xia Tai and attacked the city day and night, and Ma Chao and Wang Ping tried their best to deal with it.

One day, fireworks and artillery on the south bank of the river rose into the sky, and then soldiers and horses from Henan crossed the river to respond. Seeing this, Ma Chao led the first army to open the south gate and rush towards the Wei River. Sima Yi had already prepared and divided the army into two routes, the first army repelled the Henan reinforcements, and the other army lined up along the river to block Ma Chao's way. Ma Chaoshu couldn't attack, so he had to stop. At this time, there was Sima Yi in the east and Sima Wang in the west, and it was difficult for Ma Chao and Wang Ping to escape.

At this time, Sima Yi heard the news, and Shangshu Chen Qun sent an envoy to come.

It turned out that after Sima Yi left, Cao Pi and the Han army fought every day, winning less and losing more, so he hated and hated, pointing to the Han camp and scolding: "Today, Ma Chao and Feng Xi are all defeated, and the Xiahou Shang army will arrive in the near future, and the four armies of Sima Yi and Sima Wang will be encircled, see how long will you Zhuge Liang be proud?" ”

On the same day, someone suddenly reported that the Han army Shangshu ordered Liu Ba's servants to come. Cao Pi met and asked, "What's the matter, do you have to surrender?" The servant said, "No." Although my lord was not on good terms with Liu Bei's father and son, he never thought of surrendering. "Liu Ba and Liu Bei are not on good terms, and they don't like Zhang Fei's affairs. When Jingzhou was defeated, everyone went south from Liu Bei, he went north alone to join Cao Cao, Cao Cao ordered him to go south to defend the city, he said to avoid Liu Bei, refused to go, Cao Cao said it's okay, I will protect you with the army. As a result, Cao Cao was defeated by Chibi, and this sentence became empty words. Liu Ba fled incognito to Jiaozhou, and then to Yizhou, and finally did not escape Liu Bei's palm, these things are known to everyone. At that moment, Cao Pi asked: "If your lord does not surrender, why are you here?" The servant said: "My lord's heart belongs to Emperor Wu, and he is loyal." After all, Liu Bei is also killed. Today, Your Majesty has come to the West, and I have come behind the Lord's back, and I only have one word to ask Your Majesty. Cao Pi asked, "What words?" The servant said, "On the day the city is broken, the jade will be burned." I don't know what Emperor Wu said about the protection of the army that day, do you still do it? Cao Pi got up and said, "You are really a righteous servant." The words of my father are naturally effective, and on the day the city is broken, whether the Shangshu order surrenders or not, I will protect his house with the army, and will not disturb it. While speaking, someone suddenly reported that Meng Ping, the son of Meng Da, asked to surrender on behalf of his father.

Cao Pi was surprised in his heart, and asked him to take down Liu Ba's servant, so that Meng Ping could see him. This person is more than 20 years old, with a face like white jade, clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, and a polite literary quality. At that moment, he asked, "Are you here to deceive?" Meng Ping replied: "The father and son were repeatedly oppressed in Han, so they had to surrender." Cao Pi said: "If you come, why doesn't your father come, if you surrender, you can lead the army to attack Kongming." Meng Ping said: "How can attacking Kong Ming be like destroying Kong Ming?" How can we get Chang'an? The minister came here to bring the map of Kong Ming's eight formations, and dedicated it to His Majesty. If Kong Ming is broken, the minister's father can dedicate Chang'an to Long live. At the moment, the eight arrays were presented, and Cao Pi made Chen Qun and Dong Zhao look at it and everyone was amazed. Meng Ping said: "Right now, Sima Fu has shot through Ma Chao and Feng Xi, and General Xiahou is leading the army north, just around the corner." Kong Ming didn't dare to stay for a long time, and was ready to retreat, and Kong Ming was breaking at this time. Cao Pi was uncertain, and only suspected Meng Ping's identity, so he asked Liu Ba's servants to watch quietly outside the tent. The servant said, "Why did Meng Ping come to Wei Ying?" Cao Pi was determined in his heart.

Chen Qun was uneasy in his heart, so he drew a map of the eight arrays, sent an envoy across the river, and asked Sima Yi to watch. The messenger said, "My lord, this is a painting by my lord. The northern front of the Lord defeated the thief army, His Majesty won the victory on the southern front, and Zhuge Liang heard that General Xiahou was going north from Jingzhou, and he did not dare to engage in the battle, and was ready to withdraw the army. Meng Ping, the son of the thief army Dahong Bin Mengda, threw himself into the city, handed over a copy of the eight array illustrations, and voluntarily led the army to fight the thieves. His Majesty used him as a staff officer for the march, leading the whole army to attack the thieves, and wanted to punish Zhuge Liang in Weinan. My lord was afraid that there would be fraud in the meantime, so he hurriedly said that His Majesty would stop him, and recorded this picture and handed it over to the servant to watch. ”

Sima Yi looked at the exhibition and sighed loudly: "Zhuge Liang Guo has an unpredictable strategy of ghosts and gods. This array swallows the opportunity of heaven and earth, rushes and the qi of yin and yang, and the avenue of ginseng, and contains wind and thunder. I originally thought that what I had learned in my chest, exhaustively studied the world and the world, and today I know that it is far from Kong Ming. ”

The man said, "Your Excellency, are you saying that this picture is real?" ”

"It's true. If there is no such plan, our army will attack Weinan with 200,000 horses, and it will not be able to break this formation, and it will not be able to reach Chang'an. If you get this picture, it is easy to turn over this formation. What's more, Meng Daqi has a humanistic style and thinks highly of himself. When he was in the middle of the year, he was repeatedly bullied by Liu Feng, and was later promoted to Dahongbin, although he was listed as Jiuqing, he was promoted to the dark and lost his military power. I have been dissatisfied for a long time, but this surrender is also expected. His Majesty should treat Meng Ping well, and after the eight formations, he will capture Kong Ming like capturing a deer. ”

The man was overjoyed and turned to take his leave. Sima Yi personally sent it outside the tent, and was about to say goodbye, when suddenly a cold wind blew, his heart was clear, and he was shocked: "The messenger stays!" Now Guo Huai and I are in Weibei, Xiahou is still on the way, and His Majesty only has Cao Zhen and Zhang He by his side. The safety of the Chinese army is the life of the whole army, and it is safe to move. I was fascinated by the formation diagram at the right time, and I missed a few big things. I heard that Kong Ming has eight formations of yin and yang, each hiding mysteries, and the changes are gratuitous, how can it be covered by one picture? Kong Ming has the law of heaven and earth, water and fire and five thunders, which is unpredictable. If I try to lead the army, it doesn't matter, but if it's someone else, the whole army is in danger! When you came, did your majesty send troops? ”

"No, I heard the lord once say that in the past, His Majesty and everyone discussed the attack on Kong Ming very frequently, and his heart was broken. When I came, His Majesty said: 'The discussion of the ministers is also reasonable, and the army will not be raised for the time being, so as to wait for Zhongda.' I think I was persuaded by the ministers. ”

Sima Yi paused and said: "An is reasonable!" His Majesty is attacking and showing that he will not attack, he said this, it is a suspicious plan, I am afraid that at this time, his front army has rushed into the eight formations! I am in a hurry to write a letter, and the messenger will bring it back, so that your lord will hand it over to Your Majesty as soon as possible, I am only Weihe, and I can't chase Kong Ming! ”

Sima Yi hurriedly wrote a letter, and at the same time ordered the drumming to raise the account. He handed the letter to the messenger and ordered Sima Zhao to personally escort the messenger south. Then he ordered the generals to say: "Today's war is urgent, and we must take down Xia Tai tonight and eliminate Ma Chao and Wang Ping." The whole army attacked, followed by death! ”

The generals suddenly saw Sima Yi's faint look of horror, and they couldn't help but be surprised. Since Sima led the army, he has seized the opportunity everywhere, making the horse more than the palm of his hand, and I don't know why he is so urgent today. Now they have promised.

At this moment, I suddenly heard the west roaring like a dragon roaring and a tiger roaring, and even the war horses ridden by tigers and leopards trembled. In the blink of an eye, the waves are high and close to the feet, and the white waves are rolling like thousands of horses galloping, and the rumbling is like a huge thunder in the sky.

The Wei River is shallow, and the Wei army lined up along the river, at a low place, and most of them were swept away by the water. For a while, the screams and cries were endless. In winter, when the water is cold, those who wear armor will sink when they enter the water, and those who can't move their arms can't be spared. Seeing the torrent surging, Sima Yi's eyes were bloodshot, and he cursed in a low voice: "Sima Wang, you have done a good deed!" ”

However, at this time, it is useless to blame anyone, although I don't understand why the dam built by Sima Wang was destroyed, but now the Wei army is in chaos, with heavy casualties. Ma Chao and others took advantage of the momentum to counterattack, like a fierce tiger, unstoppable. Fang knew that the battle of the horse beyond the city was to lure the enemy. At this time, the Weishui River reflowed, and the north-south traffic was blocked again. If you want to cross Weishui in the south, it is already difficult to support Your Majesty.

As I was thinking about it, I only heard a loud bang on the south bank of the Wei River, like a volcanic eruption. Then there was a loud rumbling and incessant rumbling. Sima Yi turned around and saw that the fire was raging in the south, and the place where the fire broke out was where the imperial camp was located. Sima Yi's heart was in a hurry, and a mouthful of blood spurted out.