On April 10, Huo Jun led his army to the west and regained the boat abandoned in Surabaya.

In the evening, the boat hoisted its sails and headed south along Surabaya. In order to highlight Sikou as soon as possible, the fleet traveled day and night, and did not dare to delay time, so as not to reinforce Sikou by the follow-up Cao army soldiers.

Walking day and night is no better than sailing during the day. After a night, there is still a lot of distance to Sikou. However, with the arrival of the day, the speed of the boat's movement was much faster.

April 11, midday.

Under the frightened gaze of the Wei army in Sikou, Ding Feng led 2,000 elites as the vanguard, rushed ashore in a small boat, and killed the empty Sikou camp.

In the face of Ding Feng's surprise attack, the Wei army guarding the Sikou camp was defenseless, symbolically resisting a few times, and arrows flew sideways in the sky at will.

Under Ding Feng's armor and shield, the Han army fought bravely, and after easily solving a few Wei soldiers guarding the periphery, the Wei army in Sikou scrambled to flee backwards.

In just one cup of tea, Ding Feng not only led the army into the inside of the Sikou camp, but also killed the Wei army to a great defeat.

After throwing down more than 100 corpses, the Wei troops on both sides fled in different directions.

Ding Feng led his army to seize Sikou and immediately began to dismantle the iron locks that crossed the two banks and destroy the pontoon bridge built on Sikou.

After Ding Feng seized Sikou, Gao Xiang led his troops to come to support. With the joint efforts of the two armies, the iron locks that crossed the two banks were dismantled, and the heavy chains were washed by the current, carried to the Huai Shui, and then disappeared on the water.

The iron locks blocking Sikou were all torn down, which immediately aroused cheers from the sergeants on both sides of the strait.

The blockade of Sikou has been broken, and it can be returned to Huainan!

Then, in order to completely open up the channel in and out of the Huaishui from Sikou, Ding Feng personally selected hundreds of people who were good at water, tied ropes around their waists, dived to the bottom of the water, and destroyed the hidden piles under the water surface.

It took an hour to solve all the hidden piles under the water on the eve of the arrival of the big ship.

After half a ring, hundreds of warships appeared in the upper reaches of Sikou, and under the action of the current, the boats merged into the Huaishui.

At the moment of entering the Huaishui, the Han soldiers on the boat cheered loudly for the escape of heaven.

Looking at the rolling Huai Shui, Huo Jun exhaled slightly, and the gloom in his heart instantly dissipated.

After more than half a month of traveling, the land and water marches were thousands of miles, rushing west and east, although the process was somewhat tortuous. But in the end, the army retreated, during which Sun Guan was beheaded and three or four thousand people were killed, which was also a small achievement.

Jiang Ji's heart was agitated, and he said with emotion: "In the past, when I saw Huaishui, I felt normal. But see you again now, you have to have the feeling of fish entering the river and swimming freely. ”

After a pause, Jiang Ji asked: "Governor, our army is entering Huaishui today, and I don't know where to march, to the west to join the king, or to retreat to Huaiyin to recuperate?" ”

"March?"

Hearing this, Huo Jun looked at the water and smiled, as if he did not approve of Jiang Ji's proposal.

"Could it be that the Governor has another plan?" Jiang Ji asked.

Huo Jun pointed to the Sikou camp and said with a smile: "Now that the siege of Sikou has been resolved, what is there to fear about the Wei army?" I intend to camp here and ask Cao Cao for labor and army expenses! ”

Just kidding, Cao Cao caused Huo Jun to run around for so long, and didn't ask Cao Cao for mental damages, how could this be Huo Jun's style?

The gods crossed the Chishui four times, and because of the encirclement and suppression of the army, they had to enter Yunnan. Wouldn't it be a pity if you didn't take the opportunity to make a profit?

Huo Jun stroked the hilt of his sword, commanded to the left and right, and said, "Order all departments to anchor on the riverbank and enter the camp in order to rest." Let the scouts go west, and send the news of our army to the king. At the same time, he asked the king for military rations, saying that our army only had a few days of food left. ”

"No!"

Huo Fan was puzzled and asked, "Dare to ask my lord, what is the cost of the labor army?" ”

Huo Jun looked at the Sikou camp that was heavily built by Zhao Yan, and said: "From Sikou to Xiapi, between Suikou and Fuli, hundreds of miles, there are many people living. ”

"Now I want to garrison troops in Sikou, according to the old village of the Wei people, order the soldiers of all departments to go north by boat, break the cities of Xia County, Suining, Ling County, etc., plunder the people of the north to go south, and use the population of Jianghuai to realize."

Now he has missed the opportunity to take Xiapi, and use the people of several counties between Xu and Huai to compensate him for the cost of the labor army this time, presumably Cao Cao doesn't mind!

There are many household registrations of the people in the Suishui Basin, and there may not be 10,000 households, but if they are properly pacified, it is not difficult to plunder the people by boat and boat, and win thousands of households.

Thousands of households may seem like a small number, but if you compare it with some withered counties, they are already the household registration of a county. Settled in Jianghuai and re-established two counties, it should enrich the population of Jianghuai and consolidate the rule of the Southern Han Dynasty in Jianghuai.

"Someone!"

Huo Jun was so excited that he shouted: "Come with pen and paper, let me write a letter to Cao Cao." ”

"No!"

Seeing Huo Jun writing a letter to tease Cao Cao's emotions, Jiang Ji shook his head and smiled.

"Governor, if you want to order the sergeants of all departments to go north to plunder the people, it is advisable to make arrangements as soon as possible. If the Wei army of various departments comes to reinforcement one after another, it will be difficult for the people to move south! Jiang Ji reminded.

"Hmm!"

Huo Jun held a pen and wrote a few crosses on the scarf, read a few times, and was satisfied to let people pack and send them out.

Handing the pen to the attendant, Huo Jun said: "As Zitong said, he ordered Gao Xiang, Yu Shao, and Ding Feng to lead their soldiers to the north by boat, and take advantage of the enemy's emptiness to divide the cities of Sui and Siershui, appease the rural people, and move the people south. ””

"Zitong and I led the sergeants to temporarily guard Sikou and retreat for the three generals. Unexpectedly, after a long time, the king sent troops and food to the camp, and the Sikou camp should be worry-free. And first ordered people to use all the Wei troops captured by Fu Li to carry them through Huai, so as not to stay in the camp and cause chaos. ”

"No!"

——

The news that Huo Jun successfully broke through and took the Sikou camp with his backhand has gradually become known to everyone.

Xu Huang and Xiahou Shang hurried to Sikou according to Liu Ye's letter. However, when the two of them were about to arrive at the Sikou camp, they encountered the rout of the camp on the road.

"What?"

Xu Huang's face was full of horror and incredulity, and he said: "Liu Junshi said that Huo Jun led his troops east to Yuzhou, wanting Xu Sheng to respond, so as to float to the south of the sea. How could Huo Jun appear in Sikou today, could it be that Liu Junshi was confused by Huo Jun again? ”

Xiahou still couldn't believe it, and confirmed again: "Could it be that you are wrong, the enemy is coming from Huaishui, not from Surabaya." ”

The rout hurriedly shook his head and said, "I don't dare to be mistaken, Zhao Dujun and Liu Junshi led their troops to pursue to the east, and the enemy fled eastward. Yesterday, however, the enemy's army descended from Surabaya, broke through our army, and occupied the camp. ”

Xu Huang sighed slightly and said: "Huo Jun's strategy to confuse the enemy among Liu Junshi, Huo Jun's name is to go east, but in fact he returns to Surabaya in the west. ”

Xiahou Shang straightened out Huo Jun's route of employing troops, gasped, and said: "The sound of the east and the west confuses our army, causing Sikou to be empty. Huo Jun is cunning with his soldiers, how can there be such an enemy in the world! ”

Xu Huang's expression was slightly in a trance, compared to the fledgling Xiahou Shang, he had more or less competed with Huo Jun.

He participated not only in the Battle of Chrysostom, but also in the Battle of Hanzhong. In the Battle of Chrysostom, Huo Jun won with fire; In the battle of Hanzhong, Huo Jun crossed the mountains and mountains, and took the mountain road for thousands of miles to kill Xiahou.

Today, as a member of the encirclement and suppression of Huo Jun, I watched Huo Jun play them around.

Xu Huang looked melancholy and said, "Huo Jun's use of soldiers as a ghost is unpredictable!" ”

"General Gongming, the Sikou camp was taken by Huo Jun, what should I do now?" Xiahou Shang asked.

"The Surabaya camp is strong, and now Huo Jun is stationed, and it is not easy for our army to go down."

Xu Huang held the reins and said: "Since Liu Jun's division advanced eastward, Xu Huai is empty, and our army has gone deep into Sikou and isolated from the army, which is not a wise move. ”

Xu Huang was already afraid of Huo Jun in Sikou. This kind of enemy is too terrifying, almost impossible to guard against, and he doesn't know when he will become his prey.

"Good!"

In a short period of time, Xu Huang and Xiahou Shang reached a consensus and led the army back to Hukou by the same route. And the return journey was very fast, for fear that Huo Jun would learn their whereabouts.

However, in fact, they didn't know that Huo Jun sent the army to the north, wanting to move Sui and the people of Siershui to return to the south, and the Sikou battalion had more than enough to protect itself, but it had no strength to attack.

Not to mention that Xu Huang and Xiahou Shangyuan withdrew their troops, Zhao Yan, Liu Ye, Wen Ji and others who were deceived by Huo Jun and pursued eastward were really pursuing with all their might, for fear of being one step slower and thus missing Huo Jun's army.

After many days and nights of pursuit, on April 12, the pursuing Wei soldiers finally arrived in Qu County.

But not long after, the Wei army, who rushed to Qu County, was dumbfounded. They sent a large number of scouts to search, but they didn't see Huo Jun's army at all.

Although Xu Sheng's Zhouge troops arrived at Yuzhou Island, when they saw the pursuing Wei army, they seemed to see some signal and led the army to leave the camp. Leaving behind the Wei soldiers with confused faces and messy in the wind.

The generals of the Wei army argued with each other, and there were many incomprehensible behaviors of the Han army. Even the generals who reacted slowly were still wondering why Huo Jun had not appeared for a long time, whether he had already left by boat with Xu Sheng.

Everyone was discussing, but Liu Ye looked gloomy and sighed silently.

Things have progressed to this point, and if Liu Ye doesn't know it, it's his stupidity. He was betting against Huo Jun and lost the bet.

When he learned that Huo Jun crossed Surabaya and left the boat to travel east. In fact, Liu Ye guessed that Huo Jun might fight back and take a boat down the river. However, after several hesitations, Liu Ye chose to believe what he saw, and firmly believed that Huo Jun would lead his army east to the seashore.

Huo Jun, who is now missing, and Xu Sheng, who led the fleet away, all show that he and Huo Jun lost the bet.

Liu Ye sighed to himself, how could Huo Jun be so good at understanding people's hearts?

Perhaps only the military advisor Liu Ye thinks this is a gamble, but in fact, for Huo Jun, no matter what choice Liu Ye makes, Huo Jun is the one who wins.

The Wei army did not leave, and after Huo Jun received the information, it was a big deal to work hard and go east.

If the Wei army is greedy to pursue, Huo Jun can return to Surabaya as he is doing now, and take a boat south to Sikou.

As for Xu Sheng's voyage to Yuzhou, it was a letter passed down by Huo Jun to Quancong. In the letter, Huo Jun asked Xu Sheng to lead a boat to Yuzhou to pick him up and return to China. If you don't see yourself and see the pursuing Wei army to Qu County, don't worry too much, it means that he has returned to Huainan.

Therefore, Huo Jun's three crossings of Surabaya have a lot of luck elements. If Liu Ye doesn't cooperate, he can only cross Surabaya twice, and he has to abandon the boat, how can he be so chic and calm as Sandu.

"Ziyang?"

Zhao Yan looked at Liu Ye and asked, "What is the situation now?" ”

Liu Ye met everyone's eyes and said bitterly: "I have Huo Junsheng's strategy of attacking the east and the west, if it is not bad as expected, Huo Jun will enter Huai from Sikou." ”

Then, Liu Ye looked depressed and said: "The staff officer has failed, Ye should ask the king for his guilt." At this time, Sun Guan died in battle, and only Zang Ba and Yin Li's two generals were holding on to Xiapi City, and our army should evacuate the East China Sea and protect Xiapi. lest Huo Jun lead his troops to attack north and seek to take Pi County. ”

Hearing Liu Ye's words, the generals in the tent made noisy noises, either shocked that Huo Jun had tricked them, or dissatisfied with Liu Ye's continuous running around for them.

"Huo Jun only has 20,000 tired troops in his hands, how dare he commit Picheng again?" Zhao Yan asked.

"Just in case!"

Liu Ye stroked his beard and said with a sigh: "According to the common sense of soldiers, Huo Jun does not dare to commit Pi lightly. However, after Huo Jun rested and recuperated, he took advantage of the boat, and he was afraid that he would make a comeback. ”

"Withdraw to Xiapi City today, get food and heavy supplies, and then stabilize Xiapi. Then echo with the king, observe the situation of the enemy, and measure the strategy of marching. ”

"Good!"

(End of chapter)