Although Cao Jun's well carriage could not reach the height of Fancheng's city wall, it also reduced his own disadvantage in upward shooting.
"ah!"
Soldiers from both sides were constantly shot by arrows. Cao Jun's ladder finally reached the city wall. The soldiers held knives in their mouths and held up their shields, and began to climb along the ladder!
"ah!"
Cao's army was not afraid of death. Even if the soldiers in front died in battle, it would not affect the soldiers behind at all.
Liu Jun's arrows continued to kill Cao Jun below the city, and rolling logs and stones continued to fall from the top of the city.
"What are you looking at? The enemy troops are rushing up, and they still haven't poured down the golden juice!"
"Overthrow the ladder!"
Wenpin kept walking around the city to give orders.
From early morning to dusk, Cao's army continued to attack with constant substitutions, for the whole day!
"Ding ding ding!"
Hearing Ming Jin's voice, everyone relaxed. Liu Jun no longer attacked, and Cao Jun retreated slowly!
In the prefect's mansion, Liu Cong and several people asked about today's casualties.
Of the more than 50,000 people who defended the city, nearly 10,000 died! There were even more injured, nearly 30,000!
"Cao Cao personally supervised the attack on the north of the city. There were more casualties, which I can understand. The other two walls were just Le Jin, Xu Huang, Zhang Jia, Gao Lan and others. Why were there such casualties?" Liu Cong
He stood up angrily and glanced at the generals.
Everyone lowered their heads and did not dare to look at Liu Cong.
"What are the casualties of Cao's army?" Liu Cong asked with a sigh of relief.
"Mo in the north of the city killed 6,000 Cao Cao's troops. The injured are unknown."
"West of the city, three thousand."
"East of the city, three thousand."
Add up to 12,000. The ratio of casualties between the siege team and the defenders is almost the same!
Although Cao's army would only be injured more when attacking the city than the defenders, Liu Cong still couldn't handle such a ratio.
"I ordered you to train the army. I asked you for money, food, food, and training every day. Is this how you repay me?" Liu Cong kicked over the table and shouted angrily.
"Well, the elite of Cao's army is indeed well known to the world." Liu Bei sighed.
Only then did Liu Cong remember that Liu Bei and other outsiders were present, "Uncle, do you have any advice?"
Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Liang and asked, "Commander, what should I do?"
Zhuge Liang smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Cao Cao is also an expert in using troops. Without showing any flaws, who can defeat such a commander and such an army?
As for cutting off the enemy's food route, it is even more impossible. Not to mention that Cao's army's military supplies all set off from Xuchang and were transported to Wancheng, which was impeccable.
Let's just say that Cao Jun's tens of thousands of cavalry are used to cut off food. Didn't you see that Cao Jun attacked the city today and pushed the catapults under the city wall? Liu Jun didn't even dare to send troops out to destroy the siege equipment?
It's because of Cao's army outside the city, with their brave cavalry running wildly!
"Everyone, please step back, Shi Yuan stays." Liu Cong waved his hand.
After everyone left, Liu Cong sat down on the ground. Pang Tong quickly stepped forward to help him, "Lord?"
Liu Cong's mind was full of Liu Biao's words, "We can only win, not lose. Otherwise, our whole family, including your unborn child, will die without a burial place."
"Shi Yuan, are we really unable to defeat Cao Jun?" At this moment, Liu Cong seemed to have been drained of all his strength!
Pang Tong looked at Liu Cong and advised him heartbrokenly: "My lord, there is a chance! My lord, you are the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, you can't be depressed. Even if we retreat to Xiangyang, we will still have a chance when the rainy season comes in June and July."
,Lord!"
"But if we continue to fight like this, we will be unable to bear it at first. Even if we retreat Cao's army, we will not be able to stop Jiangdong's invasion."
"Lord, we have a chance."
"How to do it? Shi Yuan teaches me." Liu Cong straightened up again and said.
Pang Tong ran to the shelf, took down the map, and threw himself on the ground, "My lord, we did not expect that Cao's army was so ferocious. Our original plan to use the city to defeat Cao's army and then use heavy armored cavalry to fight Cao's army went bankrupt.
"
Pang Tong pointed at Fancheng again and said, "But you see, my lord, Fancheng is located in a basin, and the rainy season will come in June. Let's retreat to Xiangyang first, wait until the rainy season arrives, and dig up the Han River, which will turn the tide of the war!"
"Cao Cao is also a master of the art of war. Will he wait for us to give him water?" Liu Cong was still worried.
"Nearly everyone in Jingxiang's army can swim, and Cao's army's warships are not as numerous as ours. When that time comes, the weather is on my side!" Pang Tong's eyes were full of confidence.
"Okay, retreat tonight!"
"Lord, we have an army of hundreds of thousands. I'm afraid Cao Cao won't let us retreat easily. Are we a little hasty tonight?" Pang Tong said.
"Shi Yuan, please make preparations and ask Gan Ning to immediately bring the navy to help."
"Lord, tonight is too hasty." Pang Tong was anxious.
"We can't hold on for another day, Shi Yuan, the soldiers will not be able to bear it." Liu Cong said with a wry smile.
Then, Liu Cong seemed to have decided something, and said with firm eyes, "Shi Yuan, call Huang Zhong, Wen Pin, Wei Yan, Xu Feng and others come in."
"No." Seeing that Liu Cong could not be persuaded, Pang Tong was relieved.
If we retreat tonight, we will only lose 30,000 to 20,000 troops. If we hold on for a few more days, the losses will be even more serious than this.
At least tonight, Cao Jun will not think that they are going to retreat, and it will take time to mobilize troops and horses to block the attack.
The generals were all guarding the door. In today's situation, they didn't have the nerve to go back and rest, and Liu Cong would definitely ask them to discuss it. After a while, the generals came in and said, "Lord."
"Tell the kitchen to make some food." Liu Cong said to the personal guard Xu Feng led in.
"promise."
"You guys are at the top of the city today, can you still fight?" Liu Cong asked seriously.
"What do you mean, lord?" Huang Zhong asked.
Later, Liu Cong told everyone his and Pang Tong's plan, "I have decided to retreat, but tonight, I will attack Cao's camp at night!"
"Night attack on Cao's camp?"
Everyone was shocked and a little in disbelief.
They had seen the ferocity of Cao's army today. Liu Cong wanted to retreat, and the generals could accept it. But at this time, they still dared to stand up to Cao's army. They really couldn't believe it.
"That's right. Let's have a full meal and set off immediately!"
"Who are you going to send, my lord?" Li Yan asked.
A night attack on Cao's camp must be extremely dangerous. No matter who is sent, there will be a narrow escape!
"Go alone!"
"thump!"
"My lord, no!"
As soon as Liu Cong finished speaking, everyone knelt down.
Liu Cong stood up and said, "Now, it's a matter of life and death. A night attack on Cao's camp is extremely dangerous. No matter who you send, you won't be worried. But if we win, the blow to Cao's army will definitely be strong enough."
"My lord, as the master of others, how can you..."
"I have made up my mind, no need to persuade me anymore!"
Liu Cong suppressed the people who were admonishing him and continued, "Shi Yuan, if you can't come back tonight, or surrender to the Cao family, or join Liu Bei, they will not treat you badly because of your contribution to Jingzhou."
"My lord, if your lord passes away, I will definitely die as a martyr!" Pang Tong knelt down and bowed.
"If I don't come back, I'll leave my family to you all." Liu Cong bowed to everyone.
"Lord!" Everyone kowtowed.
"Wenpin, you are familiar with the terrain and roads near Fancheng. Wei Yan, you have been responsible for training heavy cavalry. Xu Feng, you are the commander of Gu's bodyguard, General Huang, who has guarded Jingnan for many years. How dare you guys go with Gu?