The consecutive days of victory have long since washed away the depression in Su Renting.
With the help of the geographical situation, they managed to block the Taishan thieves with local soldiers. But even so, many pavilion soldiers still had lingering feelings for the Taishan thieves.
These people were indeed the giant bandits that shocked Heshuo and defeated the Northern and Southern armies in succession. They fought really fiercely.
They still remember the thief general they met.
Because the road was wet, this man rushed to the front with bare feet, took an iron spear, jumped several fences, and killed several people. Then when the Su soldiers were about to surround this man, they were charged by him again.
He killed a military official, beheaded him, and then returned home.
From the beginning to the end, this person seemed to be in a deserted place. Although he was discouraged, all the warriors present felt ashamed.
But so what if the Taishan thieves and warriors are sharp? They still have to retreat.
At this time, on the flooded water, from the bandit's camp to the south bank, there were rafts, all of which were retreating Taishan bandits.
They won this battle!
…
Looking at the vast blue waves ahead, Su You on the wall of Suren Pavilion sighed:
"This battle has not been easy. If it hadn't been for the rising tide, we might not be able to stop such a tiger and wolf force."
Even though he said this, Su You's face was still wrinkled.
The confidant next to him, also his clan brother Su Yu, asked:
"Brother, you are worried that the bandits will come again after they become familiar with the water conditions. But don't you know what you can do to resist them then?"
Su You looked sad and nodded:
"Yes, in terms of strength, we and the Taishan Army are no different than Yunni. And Jushu behind us also intends to take advantage of our blunt thieves, so he refuses to send reinforcements no matter what. If we continue to fight like this, I, Su Clan
They must perish. Moreover, I still have some doubts. The bandits marched northward with great fanfare, but they retreated just because of a setback?"
But clan brother Su Yu had a different view. He smiled and said:
"Brother, you think too highly of the thieves. No matter how strong they are, they are still made of flesh and blood. They still need to eat millet and will get sick. Those of you who were earlier, I led my tribe to harass the thieves' food road. They have already arrived in their camp.
Then the supply was cut off. Then you look at the fortress built on the opposite side. Although it was built on high ground to avoid the spring water, so many people, horses and hedgehogs gathered in this small place, the disease will inevitably spread over time."
So Su Yu said firmly:
"Don't worry, brother, there are so many clever ideas, it's just like that for everyone else."
What Su Yu said still made some sense, so Su You nodded and suppressed the uneasiness in his heart.
Seeing that his brother was calm, Su Yu continued:
"Also, as for my brother's worry about the Taishan bandits coming back next time, it's nothing more than fighting, leaving, and surrendering."
Su You motioned for Su Yu to continue.
Su Yu was confident and said:
"War means taking advantage of the fact that the other party's morale is low and they are still withdrawing their troops. I can directly cover up and kill them from behind. As long as they continue to harass the opponent along the way, the opponent's attacks are insufficient and their morale is low, so they will inevitably be defeated. When the time comes, the rebel army will be defeated here.
We have nearly 10,000 elite soldiers, but the county guards who are eyeing them can't go up and tear the Taishan bandits apart? So, this is the best strategy."
Su You thought for a while and shook his head:
"This strategy is too risky. I have 200 soldiers under my command, and my clan soldiers can pull out a thousand people. However, the clan soldiers are all good at fighting, and their combat power will not help. And no matter how cowardly the thieves are, they can gather a thousand people."
Hundreds of elite soldiers can destroy us with a backhand. This strategy is not feasible, it is too dangerous."
Su You was still very sober. He knew that the reason why his side could withstand the Taishan Army was because after the waterway flooded, there was only a narrow walkway leading to Su Ren Pavilion, so the thieves' numerical advantage could not be shown.
But as this clan brother said, how can they fight with such a small number of people on the vast plains?
However, he also understood what this clan brother meant, which was to take advantage of the familiar situation and constantly harass people along the way without engaging in direct confrontation. But Su You had selfish motives, so why would he use his soldiers to benefit others?
So Su You asked what the meaning of "leave" and "surrender" were.
After rejecting the first option, Su Yu actually lost interest, but since his brother asked, he would simply talk about it.
"This walk is very simple. It is to avoid the Taihang bandits heading north. They are going to Xiangguo and have no enmity with us. Since we can't defeat them, it's better to avoid them. I see the towering Taihang Mountain to the west, which is an excellent refuge.
It is better to move all the family members to the Taihang Mountains, and we can have a happy land in troubled times."
After Su Yu finished speaking, Su You smiled bitterly:
"My dear brother, do you know how difficult it is in the Taihang Mountains? If so many of our clansmen move to the mountains, at least half of them will starve to death. How can there be any paradise? There are countless mountain huts, local bandits, yellow turban rebels and Han people in the Taihang Mountains.
The army is defeated. These people will eat people."
Su Yu was also annoyed. Neither this nor that would work. He simply shrugged:
"Then let's just surrender. That's the easiest."
Su You scolded:
"Nonsense, the Taishan thieves all divide their land. Do you think the inheritance passed down by our ancestors has been ruined like this?"
But Su Yu asked directly:
"Then let me ask, what if this land is divided? In the end, why not give it to my Su family members. Now the land is in the hands of the main line, and those remote branches have long been the serfs of the main line.
Attached, what's wrong with dividing the land? The meat will rot in the pot."
Su You had never thought about this before, so he was confused by Su Yu's question.
Neither he nor Su Yu were from the main line. In fact, the head of the main line family would not be in his hometown. He had already gone to Kyoto to socialize. Therefore, if the land was divided, it would not be that he and Su Yu would lose much. The biggest loss would be the main family.
But with the long-term inertia and the recent defeat of the Taishan Army, how could we suddenly switch to surrender?
Therefore, in the end, Su You was speechless and just watched the Taishan bandits retreat southward, neither pursuing, leaving, nor surrendering.
…
At this time, the Taishan Army was in the camp on the north bank of the Fan River. Guan Yu and three of his staff were climbing up to look north at the Su Ren Pavilion opposite.
After a while, seeing that Su Renting was completely motionless, Guan Yu turned to Shen Shang and said:
"Shen Jun, it seems that your strategy is not working. We have not mobilized the bandits in this pavilion."
Shen Shang, who was dressed in black and wearing a black hat, first bowed to Guan Yu to apologize, and then said:
"It doesn't matter. Originally this strategy was successful, but if it doesn't work, those teams crossing the river can also protect the grain road behind them and prevent the enemy from attacking again."
Guan Yu didn't blame Shen Shang for what he meant, so he nodded as he was told.
Then, Guan Yu asked Xun You, who was standing beside him:
"Where have Li Hu's troops moved to now?"
Xun You replied without hesitation:
"The news sent back to the camp yesterday is that General Li has led the Feilong and Feihu cavalry units to the north of Xiangguo and has begun to block the traffic between Xiangguo and the north."
Guan Yu nodded, stroking his beard and said:
"It seems we have to step up our efforts here too."
Then, Guan Yu asked the last person, Feng Fang, in a stiff tone:
"Are you sure the spring water will fall this evening?"
Feng Fang wiped his wet forehead, gritted his teeth and said firmly:
"Guan Shuai, it's no problem."
Guan Yu nodded, said no more, and went down to the watchtower.
Everything, just wait until the dust settles tonight.
Over there, as soon as Guan Yu left, Feng Fang became discouraged, grabbed Xun You's sleeve and begged:
"Mr. Xun, I mean just in case, just in case, the water will not go out tonight. Mr. Xun must give me a hand and say a few nice words to Guan Shuai for me."
Xun You smiled and went down without saying anything.
As for Shen Shang, he has long since disappeared, leaving only Feng Fang alone worrying about gains and losses.
In fact, Guan Yu did not criticize Feng Fang at all. After all, who can say accurately about the mountains and rivers? But Feng Fang took over everything, saying that he had a deep understanding of the water conditions in this place and could not explain three things.
By the day, the water will recede.
Originally, there was no joke in the army, and after being trapped in this narrow camp for many days, the morale of the army was already impetuous. Now this person talks so much, but when the time comes, he can't do anything. If he can't say it, he will be killed.
used.
But this was just Guan Yu's idea, and his face remained calm.
…
It soon became night.
Here someone is having trouble sleeping at night, and there is constant snoring over there.
At this time, in the big tent, all the generals of the Northern Expeditionary Army were wearing helmets and armor.
Guan Yu was also fully dressed and sat on the horse at the head. The atmosphere was extremely solemn.
An official lifted the curtain and rushed over quickly, reporting:
"The water level has not dropped yet."
Feng Fang trembled beside him and did not dare to look at Guan Yu.
Guan Yu closed his eyes to rest and calmly said:
"I'll report back in an hour."
"Here!"
After saying that, the guard retreated.
Several brave generals under Guan Yu, such as Dian Wei, Ma Bao, etc., looked at each other, but they did not speak, so they had to continue waiting.
Time passed minute by minute, and an hour later, the guardsmen came again with their tents raised.
As soon as he came, he said:
"Commander, the water level has receded by half."
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the tent was in high spirits, especially Feng Fang, who had been trembling with fear and fatigue. He now stood up and looked like he had a good chance of winning.
Everyone looked at Guan Yu, waiting for the commander's orders.
Among the generals present, some had a bright mind and secretly thought, the water has receded halfway before the guards came? Why? Just because the commander-in-chief gave the order to report after an hour.
To say that an hour is an hour is to say that military orders are like mountains.
Guan Yu looked around at the generals and ordered:
"Tear down the camp, spread it over with dirt, and use all the grass grown in the general."
Afterwards, Guan Yu looked at Dian Wei, who was holding his lower left hand, and said with a smile:
"Awei, it's okay to let you take the lead in the charge this time."
Dian Wei felt happy, then stood up without hesitation and said:
"Here."
After that, all the generals received their orders and dispersed.
Guan Yu, who was left behind, glanced at Feng Fang beside him and praised:
"You're fine."
After that, the account was paid.
At this time, Feng Fang glanced at Xun You and said to himself:
"Mr. Xun, are Feng's predictions accurate?"
Xun You bowed slightly and praised seriously:
"Feng Jun, even if you have no plans left, it's not as good as this."
…
On the 23rd, the Taishan Army who was trapped in the camp took advantage of the retreat of the Wanchui River and launched an attack on Su Renting overnight.
Dian Wei of the right army led 400 soldiers, went around to the Su Ren Pavilion, and took the lead to ascend first. At the same time, Dian Wei's subordinate Sima Chen Guang led 400 men to attack the wall in the south.
The soldiers in the Su people's pavilion were caught off guard and attacked from behind and in front. They were unable to support themselves and retreated one after another. Su You, who was resting, put on his robe and went out of the tent. Seeing the situation, he knew what to do. He led a hundred remaining soldiers out of the east gate and headed straight to the east of the city. The Su clan barracks outside.
Outside the city, Li Damu had been waiting with the three battalions of Tao Yong, Ma Bao and Li Jing. When he saw a group of thieves standing out, he immediately pursued and killed them. Su's soldiers were defeated and the army collapsed. They were chased for several miles by Li Damu and other generals.
In this battle, except for Su You who escaped by chance, Su Yu surrendered with most of his tribesmen. The remaining enemies were killed by Li Damu's troops, more than 200 of them. Hundreds more flags, swords, and cards were obtained.
Su Renting is broken!
At dawn on the 24th, Guan Yu's Northern Expeditionary Army marched again after the night battle. With five troops in front and five behind, they quickly approached the river in the north.
At this time, the Han general Li Ding had set up an ambush at Shuijin Ferry.
Dian Weishuai's vanguard Gao Ya was leading his vanguard battalion along the riverside road when he encountered Li Ding leading eight hundred of Li's tribe to ambush him.
The reason why the Li family is able to become the local tycoon who can rule the countryside is because of this tribe's soldiers who are trained in Han-style battle formations. Therefore, their combat power is not inferior to that of the Gaoya tribe. As soon as they break out, they swarm forward with great force.
But after all, Li's soldiers were short of armor and stomach, and the Gao Ya Department's armor rate was almost full except for the archers. Therefore, after the initial chaos, the Gao Ya Department pushed Li's ambush troops back.
After a short melee, Li Ding was defeated and lost more than a hundred corpses and fled back to Jindu in a hurry. Just as he was about to cross the river and burn the Jinqiao, he encountered another strong soldier under Dian Wei's command, Chen Guangbu, who was coming.
It turned out that there was a melee on Gao Ya's side, and Chen Guang, who was not far away, did not directly lead his troops to rescue. Instead, he led his troops around to the south bank of the river, intending to capture Xiajin Bridge first.
But unfortunately, he was a step slower than Li Ding and allowed this man to escape to the north bank. But in the end, Jin Bridge was still preserved.
Over there, the Gaoya tribe cleaned up the battlefield, captured several clan flags, and sealed their ribbons, and quickly rushed to the north bank. Then the two armies crossed the river together.
Here, Gao Ya, Chen Guang and Chen Guang were about to continue chasing Li Ding's remnants, but they encountered thousands of elite soldiers from Xiangguo City.
The backbone of this army is the Jushu tribe, and Zhao Bei's exile is the canine fang. Its combat effectiveness is astonishing. The Gao Ya tribe and the Chen Guang tribe have been fighting fiercely for a long time, and it is somewhat difficult to stop this army.
Therefore, they could only retreat to the north bank of the river, intending to rely on Jinqiao to hold on. However, the Red Head Army did not catch up. They rushed back to Xiangguo City after catching up with Li Ying's remaining troops.
Later, on the afternoon of February 24th, Guan Yu finally arrived at the north bank of the river with his follow-up army.
After joining Gao Ya and Chen Guang's troops, the army continued northward and camped outside Xiangguo City, and then surrounded it heavily.
In this way, from February 15th, Guan Yu set out from Yecheng with an army of ten thousand people, until February 24th, a total of nine days. He successively waded through the bed water, the water flow, the water river, and fell into Tantai.
, Guangnian, Su Renting, and the four walls of the water bridge. They marched for 200 miles, defeated more than 3,000 Han troops and local tribesmen, captured and killed 1,200 people.
It can be said that the anti-Thai forces in the northern part of Zhao State have been wiped out, and now as long as the Xiangguo City in front of them is captured, the strategy has been initially achieved.
But after looking at the small town of Xiangguo in front of him, Guan Yu fell silent.
Just because the small town in front of me is made of bricks and stones.
You must know that in all the cities in the world, except for the two capitals, which have walls built with bricks and stones, there is no earth city built with rammed earth. Even in the south, because of frequent heavy rains, earth cities are easy to collapse, and there are even no walls.
But here, Guan Yu actually saw a brick and stone fortress, so he was not surprised.