On the first day of September, Wang Ling's army arrived at Wancheng (Nanyang) on the bank of Feishui (White River).
In the past, the Jingzhou Administrative Office was located in Wancheng, but after Wang Chang became the governor of Jingyu, he believed that the important frontline town of Xiangyang was more than 300 miles away from Wancheng, which was not conducive to timely support, so he wrote a letter to move the administrative office south to Xinye.
People's experience is summarized from actual combat. In the past, Cao Cao had planned to abandon Xiangyang and retreat to Xinye. At that time, Cao Wei had not really realized the importance of Xiangyang. But after decades of tug-of-war, Xiangyang has become Wei's
One of the most important towns of Wu and Wu countries.
Of course, the conditions in Xinye were not as good as those in Wancheng, and the grain and grass reserves were more abundant in Wancheng. So Wang Chang also returned to Wancheng at this time and met Wang Ling here. Among those traveling with Wang Chang was Sun Li, the governor of Jingzhou.
As soon as several people met, Wang Ling would hold one person's wrist with one hand. The seventy-year-old man was aroused with emotion and his hands were very strong. Wang Ling treated people with enthusiasm. From the strength of his grip on other people's wrists, he
, and his glaring and emotional eyes, the two generals can feel his strong friendship!
Wang Ling's emotions came from the bottom of his heart. For people of his age, there were very few old friends left. They were so far apart that they really only missed each other once they met.
Chang said: "General, it's been a long time."
Wang Ling called directly: "Brother."
Chang also immediately changed his words: "Brother!"
Wang Chang, who has gray hair on the temples, is still younger than Wang Ling. They are both from Taiyuan. He has been brother to Wang Ling since childhood and has been in love for decades.
Although Sima Yi gave too much in the middle and advocated giving Wang Chang a governorship of two states, Wang Chang defected to Sima Yi; but isn't Sima Yi dead now? Wang Ling became the leader of the Bingzhou gentry, and the relationship that had lasted for decades would of course end immediately.
Pick it up!
One of Sun Li's wrists was held by Wang Ling, and the other hand held Wang Ling's old hand. Sun Li said: "The servant and the general will fight side by side again."
"Haha!" Wang Ling laughed heartily twice, then stopped smiling and said, "How come Deda also has gray hair?"
Sun Li said: "My servant is over fifty."
Wang Ling said with emotion: "When I was in Shouchun, I had the impression that Deda was in his prime."
Sun Li thought for a moment and said, "It has been several years since I left Shouchun."
Previously, Sun Li had an affair with Sima Yi because he was very dissatisfied with Cao Shuang, but just like Wang Chang's situation, there is no need to worry about the past. Wang Ling was in Yangzhou, and the most harmonious relationship between the governor and the governor was that he and Sun
Li, the two of them have a pretty good relationship.
What's more, they cooperated very well with each other during the Battle of Shaopi. At that time, Sun Li took the lead. In order to reassure Sun Li, Wang Ling sent his eldest son Gongyuan to Sun Li's army. Having had such an experience, the trust between them was natural.
A little different from others.
Now Gongyuan is also here, Wang Ling and Sun Li are reunited again, they are all old friends. The only thing missing is the young man Qin Liang who made the original plan. However, Qin Liang has to guard Luoyang at this time, which is also a very important mission.
Pei Xiu, a young counselor on the side, saw this scene and said: "In the art of war, the time, place and people are favorable. If our army has someone to make peace with first, we will definitely win this battle."
Wang Ling smiled and said: "My brother has written the "Book of War" himself. After the battle is won, you can talk to him freely."
Wang Chang said: "The correct way to achieve success must still be based on local conditions."
At this time, Wang Ling finally released the joy of meeting the two old men after a long separation and let them go. Wang Chang made a gesture and said: "Brother, please come and take a seat in the pavilion."
The group of five people then walked into Wancheng Mansion while chatting and laughing.
Wang Ling mentioned on the road that in the early morning of the day he left Beijing, Zhongming went to the General's Mansion to say goodbye. Zhongming also made a special trip to mention that he met General Sun and said hello to General Sun on his behalf.
Sun Li was quite emotional. In his sigh, he might be sighing that Qin Liang still remembered him, or he might be thinking that Qin Liang's status had changed too quickly.
As soon as he entered the hall, Wang Ling couldn't help but slow down for a moment. The atmosphere in this hall was quite strange. If the owner was not his brother Wang Chang, Wang Ling might have felt that there was some danger.
This place feels quite deserted and dark.
Wang Chang looked sideways and said, "My servant hasn't been working here for a long time. He just arrived yesterday. Although he had someone clean it, there is still some smell left."
So that’s it! Popularity is indeed a mysterious thing. Soon Wang Ling understood the source of the feeling. Not only was there a faint musty smell in the air, but the lighting in this hall was not very good.
In addition, it was originally a cloudy day today, and the dim light in the quaint hall made people feel as if it had suddenly become dark. The wooden floors on the ground had been swept spotlessly, but there was a strange atmosphere of confinement.
There were only a few people in total, and it was impossible for everyone to sit separately in such a large and spacious hall, so the banquet was spread on a slightly higher table. Several people knelt and sat together.
Wang Ling asked himself: "What do Wen Shu (Wang Chang) and Deda (Sun Li) think of their chances of winning this time in attacking Jiangling?"
The two looked at each other, and Wang Chang said: "From the south of Xiangyang, only Yicheng County can get some grain. It has been nearly four hundred miles of raids. There are Soochow strongholds and military strongholds in the east and west. There may be problems with the grain road. But if we can rely on throwing stones.
If we have the opportunity to capture Jiangling before spring, it is not impossible to win."
Sure enough, the key factor in the siege of this battle was the newly emerged trebuchet. Otherwise, no one would agree to directly attack Jiangling.
Wang Ling looked at Wang Chen from the side. Wang Chen was Wang Chang's nephew. He was originally with Ma Jun, but today he came with his uncle to greet Wang Ling.
Wang Shen said: "Ma Shaofu has completed the production of twelve large trebuchets, and has specially prepared sufficient tip poles and other easily damaged devices. At this time, Ma Jun followed the ship to Xiangyang. He was worried that after the water in the Feishui River dried up,
, unable to sail large ships, the wooden pieces have been transported south to the Mianshui dock first."
He thought for a while and then said: "Ma Shaofu is very careful and hard-working in his work. He often sleeps with his clothes on. Every time a wooden piece is made, he has to personally inspect it. I heard that it is because General Wei made it clear to Ma Shaofu that the construction deadline is important.
If the construction period is delayed and we have to wait until next autumn or winter to launch the attack, we will lose the opportunity to catch the enemy by surprise."
Gongyuan's voice said: "Zhongming's heart goes to my father."
Wang Ling nodded and said: "Period is indeed very important. Ji Yan (Pei Xiu) should talk about the strategy."
Except for Wang Chang, the veterans were still the same as before. Pei Xiu seemed to have suddenly transformed into Qin Liang back then. Pei Xiu took out a complicated map. The map drawn by Qin Liang seemed to be different. The two made
The counselors seem to have some similarities.
Wang Chang and Sun Li both frowned and looked carefully at the map that Pei Xiu had laid out. Upon seeing this, Pei Xiu took out another simple map.
The generals here in Jingzhou should have already explored the topography and hydrology of various places, so they don't need too detailed maps.
Pei Xiudao: "We got news from Jianye before that Bu Zhi, the governor of Xiling in the Eastern Wu Dynasty, returned to Jianye at the beginning of this year and became the prime minister. The person who succeeded Bu Zhi was his second son Bu Chan. Although Bu Chan was young, most of his subordinates were Bu Zhi.
After Gu Buzhao left office, the governor of Xiling could not be underestimated.
The reinforcements to reinforce Jiangling City were mainly from Buchan in the west. Because the main force of Zhuge Ke's troops in Xiakou, Wuchang and other places in the east had already gone to Dongguan.
Our army first went south along the Mianshui River. When the Mianshui River reaches here, it is divided into east and west branches. The east side is Xia River, which leads to Xiakou, and the west side is Mian River, which leads to Jiangling.
Han Guan can be sent to the east and lead a group of troops to station in Xiashui to prevent the enemy from coming from the direction of Xiakou. The rest of the army will attack Dangyang first (the location of Dangyang at this time is directly north of Jiangling City), and then divide the troops to clean up the branches of Governor Xiling.
Jiang, Maicheng and other places. The main force drove directly to Jiangling City along the Mian River, besieged it, and then used trebuchets to break through the city."
After Pei Xiu finished explaining the general strategy, Sun Li commented unceremoniously: "Han Guan is weak and old, and he is a famous scholar. He only has a false reputation and is not good at military affairs. Letting him guard the east is a weak point of our army."
Pei Xiudao: "Because Han Guan is the weakest, we will temporarily arrange it in Xia Shui.
The soldiers and horses coming from Xiakou Governor and Wuchang Governor of Dongwu must go to Xia River, because the river has a long winding road in this section; in addition, the main force of Xiakou was taken to Dongguan by Zhuge Ke, so Wu Guo from
Rushing for reinforcements from the east should be slower. The place where the threat is the latest is the east."
He thought for a moment and then said, "Our army can also dispatch troops from Jiangxia County to go south, with great fanfare, and pretend to enter the direction of Xiakou to confuse the enemy in the east."
Wang Chang said: "Zhijiang, Maicheng and other places have small cities. Enemy reinforcements to the west may not come from the north bank. Instead, they will go down the river and reinforce Jiangling City through waterways.
There is a river center island on the river to the west of Jiangling City, named Zhongzhou. After winter, the water of the river becomes shallow, and the land of Zhongzhou becomes larger and can be used for garrisoning troops. You can send a group of soldiers and horses to build a pontoon bridge to Zhongzhou, and use beef tendon catapults to attack ships and block the west.
The enemy came to help."
Wang Ling immediately nodded and said: "This is a good plan, so I will follow Wen Shu's plan." He looked around and his eyes stayed on Sun Li's face.
Sun Li clasped his fists and said, "I would like to lead my troops and board the Central Continent to fight."
Wang Ling said happily: "Deda should guard carefully."
Sun Li said: "Here."
The Wei army's navy was no match for the Wu army, not to mention that the water was shallow in winter and large ships could not sail on the Mian River, let alone the Wu navy on the river. Therefore, it was quite dangerous to board Zhongzhou to fight. If the battle went unfavorably, the pontoon bridge was destroyed and the river surface
Blocked by the enemy navy, the troops in the middle of the river were unable to return.
There are generals under his command who are willing to take risks and take orders, which is also the benefit of harmony. Sun Li believes that if he is in trouble, Wang Ling will save him.
Wang Ling said: "After blocking the Wu army's reinforcements, the most important thing is to capture Jiangling City before spring! Jiangling City has been repaired many times and the city is very strong. Let's encourage each other!"
Several people bowed together and said, "Here!"
The person guarding Jiangling City should be Zhu Ran, who is also the only veteran left in Soochow who has been famous for a long time. Both sides are veterans, so it just depends on whose ginger is more spicy.
However, Zhu Ran just suffered a bad loss this year. He took his soldiers and horses to Xiangzhong, originally intending to rob the population. However, the Wei court had already figured out his plan and moved the population of Xiangzhong to the north bank of Mian River in advance.
The population had just been relocated, and Zhu Ran didn't know it, so he rushed over and found nothing.