When Cao Ren's letter was delivered to Xuchang, the troops he led had already entered the Zhushui Valley Road.

When Cao Cao sent messengers south and ordered Yu Ban and Yan Xing to lead the Seventh Army into Jingzhou in batches, Cao Ren had already led a large army into Fangling.

When the messenger arrived in Zhuyang, Cao Ren had already been defeated in the ambush, and the entire army was almost annihilated, so he fled to Gucheng with his own life. Cao Cao tried to catch up with Cao Ren, who was alone in the depths, but it was too late after all.

Cao Ren, who had fled to Gucheng, wept bitterly when he saw the messenger sent by Cao Cao. regretted that he was stupid and gullible to Meng Da's tricks, so that he was ambushed and defeated by water thieves, resulting in the emptiness of Jingxiang's soldiers and horses.

Cao Ren then wrote a letter to Cao Cao, in which he promised that he would guard Xiangfan and not let the situation in Jingxiang worsen.

During his stay in Gucheng, Cao Ren sent people deep into the Zhushui River to search for the defeated army scattered among the mountains. Knowing that Cao Ren was in Gucheng, Niu Jin, who had broken out of the encirclement, led more than 1,000 people to join him.

While Cao Ren continued to search for the scattered sergeants, Wen Ping sailed to Xiangfan and burned Dunse's Wei warships at night while the city of Xiangfan was empty.

Knowing that Deng Sai was lost and Xiangfan had changed, Cao Ren led more than 1,000 remnants of the army to defeat and hurried to Fancheng.

At this time, Guan Yu, who had won a great victory, did not rush to pursue as before, but led the army to rest in Fangling for a few days, digesting the results of the battle of killing more than 10,000 prisoners, as well as planning the road map for the march.

Fangling, Han military camp.

In the big tent, Guan Yu sat on the couch, holding his long beard, talking and laughing with the left and right.

"Congratulations to the prince!"

Fei Yi bowed his hand and said with a smile: "The people of Jingxiang are almost wiped out, except for Niu Jin and Cao Ren, the thieves will be captured by both the upper and lower levels, and it is a battle of great victory." ”

Saying that, Fei Yi sighed with regret and said, "It's a pity that Cao Ren was not obtained. If you can capture Cao Ren, you will break Cao Cao's arm! ”

Guan Yu's expression was self-contained, and he said lightly: "If it weren't for the help of Zhushui, Cao Ren would have been captured by me." But even if Cao Ren escaped, what was the use? Cao Ren's boy, brave and unscrupulous, has to be valued by Cao Cao because of the clan. ”

"Although I fled by hugging the wood and floating in the water today, I expect that Cao Ren is also frightened, not because of our army!"

In Guan Yu's eyes, the level of the Cao family generals is mostly sparse and ordinary, and it may be more than enough for a general to enlist, but for the handsome to sit in the border area, and when he meets the generals, he is probably not capable.

Now that Cao Ren escaped, Guan Yu said that it was a pity that it was purely fake. After all, even if Cao Ren's ability is not good, but Cao Ren, as a chariot general, if he can be captured, he can give it to his brother as a congratulatory gift for the emperor.

But if you really want to say that it's a pity, Guan Yu is mostly insensitive. As he said, Cao Ren is not only passionate and brave, but his ability is ordinary, and he has no foresight, so it is difficult to say that he is handsome. Now that he was beaten to driftwood and fled, he lost his courage, and Cao Ren and his people were no longer worried.

"The prince and the tiger are powerful, and Yi admires it."

After a pause, Fei Yi asked: "Since the prince has destroyed Cao Ren's army, but he doesn't know how the prince wants to march now?" ”

After thinking for a while, Guan Yu said: "Cao Ren's department is gone, and Jianghan is empty. I want to advance with victory and enter Xiangfan. ”

"Cao Rentun has been in Xiangyang for many years, and the fortress outside the city is strong. Although Cao Ren's department has been destroyed, Chinese power still exists. The prince entered Xiangfan with victory, and Cao Cao would not sit still, and would definitely send troops south to rescue. ”

Fei Yi pondered a little and said: "Yi once heard that the water of Xiangyang is more than 100 steps away, and the confrontation with Fancheng and Hanshui is a rare fortified city in the world. The prince wants to try to Xiangfan, I'm afraid it's not easy! ”

Guan Yu stroked his beard and smiled, and said, "The king has ordered Wen Zhongye to sneak into Hankou and burn the Dunsai sailors by boat. Xiangfan waterless division is interconnected, and the picture is easy! ”

After a pause, Guan Yu looked at Lu Meng with the mighty and heroic Danfeng eyes, and said, "Zi Ming can tell you and me all about the strategy of your plan." ”

"No!"

Lu Meng got up from the seat, first bowed his hand to Guan Yu, and then looked at the people in the tent, telling him all about his plan to discuss with Guan Yu to attack Xiangyang.

"The two cities of Xiangfan stand between the rivers and are rare fortified cities in the world. If you want to attack Xiangyang City now, you must not follow the rules and use ordinary methods to ...... it"

Luring Cao Ren's troops to fight and setting up an ambush to annihilate his division was only a prelude to the battle of Guan and Lu, and the real purpose of the two was in the two cities of Xiangfan.

For so many years, Cao Ren has built many fortresses outside Xiangyang, relying on the dangers of mountains and rivers, and with the steepness of Xiangyang City itself, it is mostly impossible for the Southern Han Dynasty to use normal siege methods to break it.

Therefore, in order to find a way to break through the two cities of Xiangfan, Guan and Lu studied the geography of Xiangfan for many years, and finally let them find a way to break through the two cities of Xiangfan, that is, 'besiege Xiangyang and break the city of Fan. 'Strategy.

It was said before that Xiangyang and Fancheng were opposite to each other, and there were mother cities with each other. Therefore, from the perspective of defensive strategy, the second city of Xiangfan is a corner trend. However, there are many pros and cons in the world, and the two cities of Xiangfan have become both in the corner and in the corner.

For the southern regime, the city of Xiangyang was south of the Han River, and the city of Fancheng was north of the Han River. Since Xiangyang City is difficult to fight, it is completely possible to bypass Xiangyang City and go directly to Fancheng. Compared with the difficulties and dangers of Xiangyang City, Fancheng is narrow and small. If Fancheng can be breached, Xiangyang City will have no meaning of defending.

If the head of the Xiangyang garrison does not surrender, the Southern Han Dynasty can also adopt the strategy of besieging but not attacking, waiting until the food in Xiangyang City is exhausted, and let the soldiers in the city go out of the city and surrender on their own.

But bypassing Xiangyang and directly hitting Fancheng is not a simple matter!

The Han River is not a natural hazard of the Yangtze River, and it is not difficult to cross the Han River in the north. Emptying the forces of Jingxiangyang, before the reinforcements arrive, using the Han River to isolate Fan Ercheng, or to capture Fancheng, is the key thing. Meng Da lured Cao Ren to fight, and Wen hired to attack and burn Dunsai's army, both of which were preparing for the attack on Xiangfan.

Of course, there is another thing that is easy to be overlooked, that is, mastering the upper reaches of the Han River, cutting off the road for Cao Wei to rescue Xiangyang City from the west of Xiangfan.

As Lu Meng told the strategy of cutting Xiangfan, Guan Yu leaned his back on the table, and his expression was proud.

At this time, Cao Ren sent the main force of Jingxiang to the end, and the second city of Xiangfan was empty, so he could take the plan of besieging Fancheng now. Once Fancheng is broken, Xiangyang City, which is cut off from the back road, will surrender without a fight.

Laying down Xiangyang City, as a gift for my brother to become the emperor, is also beautiful!

The generals in the tent listened to Lu Meng's detailed explanation, and they all understood the next battle ideas.

"The prince sent more than 20,000 soldiers out of Hanshui and besieged Fancheng. I'm afraid that the troops are insufficient, whether to let the king send reinforcements now! Zhao Lei asked.

Guan Yu got up from the couch, paced slowly in the tent, and said: "Where two armies fight, the victory or defeat is in the general, not in the outnumbered. Now Cao Ren was defeated at the beginning, the army was cowardly, and it was enough to surround the thieves with 30,000 soldiers! ”

"However, Cao Cao's army will go south, and then ask the king for troops, and it will not be too late!"

"I don't know if you have any doubts?"

"Please command!" The generals stood up and answered.

"Good!"

Guan Yu pressed the sword on his waist and said in a deep voice: "Today's soldiers are divided into two routes, with Lu Ziming as the front, leading the troops to build water to Gucheng, according to Hannan and other cities, and go down to Xiangyang. I led the partial army back to Jiangling, and the soldiers and horses of Nanjun went north, and the second army converged at Yuliangzhou. ”

"No!" The crowd answered.

——

Not to mention that Guan Yu exhausted the northern expedition of the soldiers and horses of Nanjun, and a few days after Cao Ren withdrew to Gucheng, Cao Cao of Xuchang received the news of Cao Ren's defeat.

In the Xuchang Palace, Liu Fang cautiously walked up to Cao Cao, presented the letter, and said, "Your Majesty, Cao Che rides the letter to!" ”

"How's the war going?" Cao Cao held the bamboo slip in his hand and asked lightly.

Liu Fang lowered his head and didn't dare to answer.

"Huh?"

Seeing that Cao Cao seemed to be dissatisfied, Liu Fang swallowed for a while and said, "Your Majesty, Cao's car riding contract is defeated!" ”

"What about the losses?" Cao Cao put down the bamboo slip, stared at Liu Fang with that cold eye, and asked.

Being stared at by Cao Cao, the attendant suddenly felt nervous, swallowed his saliva, and said: "In addition to Cao Cheqi, General Niu Jin and his more than 1,000 subordinates, all the people of Jingxiang were wiped out, Jingzhou Thorn Shi Hu Xiu surrendered, and Nanxiang Taishou Fu Fang defected. ”

"Idiot!"

Hearing this, even if he was mentally prepared, but when he learned of such a big loss, Cao Cao couldn't hold back the anger in his heart, and directly smashed the bamboo slip in his hand at Liu Fang. The sharpness of the corners of the bamboo slips directly scratched Liu Fang's forehead, and the blood flowed down.

"Your Majesty forgives your sins!"

Liu didn't care about the blood on his head, and hurriedly knelt down and confessed to Cao Cao.

Cao Cao stood up angrily and scolded: "How foolish Cao Ren is to believe in the enemy, to rush forward in danger, and to suffer such a big defeat!" ”

"Your Majesty is angry!" Liu Fang endured the pain on his head and persuaded.

"Your Majesty~"

Sima Yi picked up the bamboo slips for Cao Cao, as if he wanted to persuade something, but was interrupted by Cao Cao.

"The Taishou of a county, the history of a state, the sharpness of more than 10,000 people were all captured by the enemy, and Jingxiang was empty. Meng Da descended, Guan Yu set up an ambush, it was really a good plan! ”

Cao Cao paced and scolded angrily: "The people who weave mats and sell shoes are unscrupulous, and if they can have this plan, it must be the strategy of Zhuge , Fa Zheng and others." ”

Although Cao Cao was mentally prepared for defeat, he really didn't expect Cao Ren to play for him and annihilate the whole army. Gai was prepared before, and Cao Cao scolded angrily a few times before he gradually calmed down.

Glancing at Liu Fang, who was bleeding from his forehead, Cao Cao said, "Retreat and recuperate!" ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Liu Fangru was born and hurriedly thanked Cao Cao.

After Liu was released, Sima Yi said: "Jingzhou was defeated at the beginning of the year, the assassin and the county guard surrendered, Jingxiang was in turmoil, and judging from the trend of literary employment, the water thieves will seek Xiangfan." With the current situation, the ministers are afraid that it will be difficult for Cao Che to ride on the border, and whether they want to choose another virtuous general to rule the border and quell the chaos. ”

Listening to Sima Yi's sincere words, Cao Cao fell silent.

In recent years, with the increase in the intensity and difficulty of the battle, the flaws in the Cao family's ability have become more and more obvious, even if he arranges excellent deputies to assist, sometimes he can't stand them and don't listen.

Now he will recruit Cao Ren back to Beijing, with the current situation, who can trust?

"Cao Renjiu is in Xiangfan, and he is familiar with the topography of mountains and rivers. If he chooses another one today, he will go out of the town, I am afraid that he will not know the shortness of the terrain. ”

After pacing for a while, Cao Cao said: "Although Cao Ren is the main general, he is sticking to the city; Although Yu Ban is a lieutenant general, he actually fights for the overseers. When so arranged, there should be no mistakes. If there is a change in Xiangfan, I will personally lead the army south. ”

In order to show the fairness of his rewards and punishments, Cao Cao said: "Demote Cao Ren as the general of the expedition to the south, and temporarily carry out the matter of the general of the chariot and cavalry." ”

"No!"

(End of chapter)