Yan Liang was right. The war had just begun. The Xiliang coalition had only lost a few thousand people. This battle was not enough to defeat them.
After the Xiliang Allied Forces retreated that day and rested for two days, Ma Chao adopted new tactics.
This time, Ma Chao focused his main attack on Wancheng. He used more than 10,000 troops to monitor Yan Liang's camp, and used the rest of his troops to attack Wancheng where Gan Ning was guarding.
Of course, Ma Chao still followed the same method, forcing Yang Qiu and other princes to do all the tasks of attacking the city and damaging the soldiers, while he tried his best to use various excuses to preserve his strength.
Yang Qiu and others were not idiots. After witnessing Li Kan's defeat and death, they all saw Ma Chao's "evil intentions". Although they had to attack the city due to the situation, they were unable to do anything.
Due to the internal suspicion of the Xiliang Allied Forces, although the enemy army was large, it did not pose a serious threat to Wancheng. Gan Ning relied on 5,000 soldiers to tenaciously ensure that the city was not lost.
Just when Yan Liang took a breath and planned to wait until Huang Yueying had built enough profit and loss repeating crossbows, the situation in Chaoyang in the south made him nervous again.
After Liu Biao heard that Yan Liang's main force was all attacking Jiwan City, he immediately ordered Cai Mao to lead an army of 50,000 to attack Chaoyang City.
This time was different from the past. Liu Biao learned from the previous experience of sitting back and watching the success or failure, but in the end he was defeated by Yan Liang. Regardless of the battle situation in Wancheng, he urged Cai Mao to launch a fierce attack on Chaoyang City.
Although the Jingzhou army's combat strength was mediocre, its number was ten times that of the Chaoyang defenders. Moreover, Liu Biao specially mobilized more than 10,000 elite soldiers from Huang Zu, the prefect of Jiangxia.
Huangzu guarded Jiangxia and fought against the Sun family in Jiangdong for many years. The soldiers under his command could be regarded as the most elite army in Jingxiang.
With the addition of Jiang Xiabing, the combat effectiveness of Cai Mao's 50,000-strong army was naturally raised to a higher level. He then ordered his younger brother Cai Zhong to be the vanguard and launch a fierce attack on Chaoyang City day and night.
Facing an enemy that was ten times more powerful, Man Chong showed no fear at all. With 5,000 infantry, he used various means to withstand several fierce attacks by the Jingzhou Army.
Just as Yan Liang expected, Man Chong used his outstanding city defense ability to forcefully defend the southern barrier of Xinye for Yan Liang.
When the Jingzhou army repeatedly failed to attack, Kuai Yue proposed to Liu Biao that he should surround Chaoyang with a large army and send more than 10,000 troops to spare Chaoyang and attack Xinye.
Liu Biao adopted Kuai Yue's plan and ordered Cai Mao on the front line to follow the plan.
Xu You's commander, Cao Xizuo, quickly detected the movements of the Jingzhou army and sent them to Yan Liang in Wancheng with an eight-hundred-mile horse.
After learning the news, Yan Liang couldn't help but feel worried.
At present, there are only two thousand soldiers and horses left behind in Xinye. If the Jingzhou army really divides its troops and attacks Xinye, it will not be finished conquering Xinye, but even if Xinye is besieged, it will pose a great threat to Yan Liang.
Because the food and grass on the front line of Wancheng are basically provided by Xinye, once Xinye is surrounded, it means that the food and grass on the Wancheng side will be cut off.
Of course Yan Liang knows the consequences of being cut off from food and grass.
The atmosphere inside the Chinese military tent was solemn.
Yan Liang threw the information about the Jingzhou Army into the file, looked around at the crowd and said, "Liu Biao has become bolder this time and dares to divide his troops and attack the new country. What do you think?"
All the generals looked worried, and there seemed to be nothing they could do for the moment.
Yan Liang turned his attention to Jia Xu.
Jia Xu coughed a few times and said, "Liu Jingsheng is indeed the leader of the defense, but this person is quite bloody. This time he is ruthless. I'm afraid it will be difficult to deal with him."
What he said is as if he didn't say it.
Yan Liang frowned slightly, and his eyes gradually became a bit worried.
"Liu Biao, an old dog, dares to attack Xinye. He is really impatient. General, please lead Tiefutu back to Xinye. I will definitely kill all the Jingzhou troops."
At this time, Hu Cheer shouted angrily, with veins surging on his face.
Hu Che'er is rude by nature, and he doesn't know what to say when he gets excited, and he just blurts out vulgar words.
When Jia Xu saw this, he quickly glared at Hu Che'er to signal him not to be rude.
Yan Liang seemed to be reminded by Hu Che'er's fuss, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
Yan Liang's tightly knitted brows gradually relaxed, and murderous intent burst out faintly in his blade-like eyes, as if he already knew what he was doing.
Jia Xu caught a glimpse of Yan Liang's expression, and his eyebrows suddenly moved, "General, do you really want to..."
Jia Xu's expression seemed to have seen Yan Liang's plan.
"Since Liu Jingsheng has failed to remember his last name several times and is so fond of taking advantage of others, it seems necessary for me to give him another big gift so that he can have another taste of unexpected surprises."
A sneer appeared at the corner of Yan Liang's mouth, and his words were filled with murderous intent.
The crowd was frightened by his murderous intent, and their spirits suddenly rose.
Yan Liang turned his gaze to Wen Chou, with a hint of expectation in his eyes, and said slowly: "Ziqin, this time, I will rely on you as my brother."
######
South of Xinye.
On the road in the wilderness, an army of ten thousand people was marching northward.
Among the large army, the big flag with the word "Cai" fluttering in the wind was particularly dazzling.
Cai He rode a white horse and marched unhurriedly among the army with his head held high. Occasionally he glanced back at the endless snake army behind him, and Cai He's face showed a bit of pride.
There is the front in Xinye City. According to reports from scouts, there are less than two thousand defenders there, and the people are already in panic.
In Cai He's view, it would be easy for him and his 10,000 elite troops to conquer the new territory.
"Brother, he tried several times to take back Xinye but failed, but now I have gained this great achievement. My reputation among the Cai family, Cai He, will definitely be greatly improved by this battle, hehe~~"
Cai He was thinking in his mind, his face flashing with smile from time to time.
A horse galloped over, and a young general came into Cai He's sight.
"General Cai, Xinye is not far ahead. The last general recommends sending more scouts to the north of Xinye to conduct reconnaissance in case Yan Liang makes a surprise attack."
Cai He glanced sideways at the young general, and it turned out to be Captain Wei Yan.
The corner of Cai He's mouth slanted upward, showing a touch of disdain, "Yan Liang's main force is all in Wancheng fighting with the Xiliang army. How can he find any surprise soldiers?"
Wei Yan frowned, raised his hands and said: "The general doesn't know. The last general has fought with Yan Liang. This man is very good at using troops. Besides, he has thousands of cavalry under his command. If he suddenly withdraws from Wancheng, he will suddenly come forward."
how."
Cai He laughed, his laughter full of sarcasm.
"The Xiliang coalition has 40,000 troops. Even if Yan Liang transfers all the troops to Wancheng, it will be difficult to resist. How can he dare to divide his troops at this critical moment? Wei Yan, you think too highly of that surnamed Yan."
"But General..."
When Wei Yan was about to say more, Cai He waved his hand and said displeasedly: "How can I allow you to dictate how I am going to use my troops? Wei Yan, just keep your job and don't disturb the morale of the army here again."
Wei Yan was scolded, a hint of anger flashed in his eyes, but he was helpless.
He had no choice but to swallow his breath secretly and retreat unhappily.
Cai He snorted coldly and said in a loud voice: "Pass this general's order and the whole army will speed up the march. Before dark, I will force the city into the stronghold in Xinye."
The army continued to move forward, and the big flag with the word "Cai" still faced the wind and dazzled.
As dusk approached, the outline of Xinye City came into view. Cai He became increasingly excited and was already thinking about how to attack the city in the morning.
At this moment, I suddenly saw a large cloud of dust flying from the side and rear of the team, and it seemed that another team was approaching my own army.
Because the dust appeared behind him, Cai He didn't pay too much attention.
"It's probably the food transport team sent by my brother." Cai He thought in his mind.
However, the long dust was getting closer and closer, and the ground could also faintly feel the rumbling vibrations. Cai He gradually felt that something was wrong.
Just when he was about to send a scout to investigate, the dust fog was approaching immediately, and a fierce cavalry crashed out of the dust, like a ghost soldier emerging from the underworld.
On that big black flag, the word "文" was embroidered impressively.
Wen Chou, that’s the cavalry led by Wen Chou!
Cai He's face suddenly turned pale, as if he had seen the most incredible horror in the world.