Looking at the whole Han Dynasty, Guan Yu is the only one who dares to disobey Liu Bei's will.
If one day in the future, the powerful and rebellious Guan Yu really gets to do whatever he wants, what should he do?
Liu Bei's heart suddenly felt a chill.
"I only have this concern for the sake of the Han Dynasty. However, Yun Chang has followed your Majesty for many years. He should be loyal to your Majesty."
Zhuge Liang's words clearly meant that Guan Yu was loyal to Liu Bei, but the implication was rather that he was questioning Guan Yu's loyalty.
Liu Bei's hesitant thoughts became even more shaken now.
Liu Bei stood up and walked in the hall, feeling hesitant.
After pondering for a while, Liu Bei said in a deep voice: "I want to send another general to replace Yunchang to guard Liyang. Who do you think is more suitable, Prime Minister?"
The corners of Zhuge Liang's mouth tilted slightly, and there was a trace of imperceptible pride.
Immediately, Zhuge Liang tapped his feather fan on his forehead, pretending to be thinking deeply.
After thinking for a moment, Zhuge Liang said: "I think that apart from Yun Chang, Cao Zixiao is the most suitable candidate."
Liu Bei was very aware of Cao Ren's ability to use troops. In addition, with the destruction of the Cao family, Cao Ren already regarded Yan Liang as his mortal enemy, so Liu Bei did not have to worry about Cao Ren's loyalty.
It can be said that Zhuge Liang's choice is exactly what Liu Bei wants.
After weighing for a while, Liu Bei made up his mind and said: "Okay, I will issue an order tomorrow and order Cao Zixiao to go to Liyang to pay back Yun Chang."
"Your Majesty is wise." Zhuge Liang praised him with a cupped hand.
After worrying all night, Liu Bei summoned Cao Ren as soon as it became light the next day and expressed his intention to reuse him.
Yan Liang forced Cao Cao to commit suicide and wiped out the entire Cao family. When Cao Ren heard the bad news, he already hated Yan Liang with gnashed teeth.
Now Liu Bei wants to reuse him and let him guard Liyang against Cao Ren. Cao Ren, who is eager for revenge, is naturally eager to do this.
On the spot, Cao Ren expressed his determination and declared that he would defend Liyang to the death and never let the Yan thieves succeed in their plan to invade the Han Dynasty.
Liu Bei greatly praised Cao Ren, handed him the imperial edict he had prepared in advance, and sent Cao Ren to set off immediately to Liyang.
Just when Cao Ren stood up to say goodbye and was about to walk out of the lobby, Chen Dao hurried in and handed over another urgent message.
The urgent report just arrived from Guan Yu said that after Yan Liang crossed the river, the army was advancing rapidly and had implemented a complete blockade of Liyang. Liu Bei was asked to make a quick decision.
Liu Bei was dumbfounded when he saw this piece of information.
He really didn't expect that Yan Liang used his troops so quickly. Chen Qun had just reported the defeat, and Yan Liang had already surrounded Liyang City.
Liyang was besieged, and Cao Ren was naturally unable to go to Liyang City. The matter of replacing Guan Yu would also be in vain.
"Li Yang has been surrounded. It is impossible to get Yi Shuai at this time, so we might as well let this matter go." Zhuge Liang advised.
Liu Bei had no choice but to give up his intention of replacing Guan Yu with Cao Ren.
At this point, Liu Bei can only put his treasure on Guan Yu, hoping that Guan Yu will not disappoint him again and defend Liyang to his death.
As for Guan Yu's worry about losing his tail, he can only put it aside for now.
"As long as Yun Chang does not go to war, with his strength, it will not be a problem to defend Liyang. Your Majesty does not need to worry too much." Zhuge Liang said with relief.
Liu Bei's gloomy expression softened a bit, and his confidence was rekindled in his brows.
"Yan Thief, your small victory doesn't matter. I will drag you under Liyang City until you are exhausted. At that time, let's see how I deal with you, huh."
Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his back, looking south in the distance, with a proud look on his face.
Fifty miles away, the Chu army's siege had just begun, and the siege lasted three months.
In the past three months, the Chu army dug three trenches and built two high walls outside Liyang City, completely turning Liyang City into a dead city isolated from the outside world.
Yan Liang used Jia Xu's plan to besiege Liyang City for three months without attacking it.
Didn't you Guan Yu rely on Liyang City's abundant food and grass savings? Well, I will compete with you on food and grass to see who can afford more.
Therefore, when hundreds of thousands of Chu troops besieged the city, grain and grass from the Qing, Xu, Yan, Yu, Jing and Yang states south of the Yellow River were continuously sent to the front line of Hebei through floods and droughts.
Although Yan Liang has been campaigning here and there over the years, he has not relaxed at all when it comes to restoring the economy.
Xudu, Wancheng, Hefei, Shouchun, Xiapi, Chenliu and other important grain-producing areas are dotted with Chu's farmland. Coupled with the newly implemented land equalization system this year, a large amount of wasteland has been reclaimed, and this autumn's grain supply
There was a great harvest, and the grain stored in warehouses everywhere was almost overflowing.
To be exaggerated, Guan Yu's Liyang can only last for half a year at most, but Yan Liang's Chu Kingdom can support an army of more than 200,000 for two full years.
Yan Liang refused to retreat for a long time and assumed the posture of fighting a protracted war. Liu Bei began to feel uneasy.
According to Zhuge Liang's estimation, the Chu army could besiege Liyang for at most three months, and would retreat to the south of the Yellow River in less than three months, ending its future northern invasion.
But three months had passed, and the Chu army showed no intention of withdrawing its troops. Zhuge Liang's prediction was miscalculated. How could Liu Bei not be worried?
Guan Yu in Liyang City was naturally even more worried.
Most of the food and grass in the city has been consumed. Although there is still enough food and grass to last more than three months, the firewood has long been exhausted. Both the army and the people can only rely on the wood of dismantled houses to make fires.
Autumn turns to winter, the first snow of early winter arrives unexpectedly, and the weather gets colder.
As for the houses in Liyang City, either the doors or the narrow doors were demolished. As for the beds, they had also been demolished and set on fire.
As a result, when winter came, both soldiers and civilians had to live in drafty rooms and sleep on the ice-hard ground. Life became increasingly difficult.
All these factors gradually demoralized the soldiers and civilians in the city, and even Guan Yu himself became increasingly depressed.
What troubled Guan Yu the most was that he had lost contact with the outside world for three months. He had no idea where Liu Beibing was, whether he planned to rescue Li Yang, or how he planned to rescue him.
This isolation of information made Guan Yu even more frightened.
While Guan Yu was fearful and uneasy, Yan Liang's good days had arrived.
It was a cold and windy day. The temperature dropped to the lowest point since the beginning of winter. If you stood outside and peed, you could freeze into ice in the blink of an eye.
At dusk, Yan Liang, sitting on a red rabbit horse and wrapped in a thick robe, led tens of thousands of soldiers and horses into the south of Liyang City.
Thirty thousand well-fed and drunk soldiers of the Chu army approached the enemy city with vigorous steps.
There was a loud sound of gongs on the top of the city, and the trembling Han soldiers boarded the top of the city one after another. After hearing the news, Guan Yu also hurried over.
"The Yan thief finally couldn't stand it any longer. Are you planning to attack the city?" Looking at the enemy at the top of the city, Guan Yu raised his lips with a hint of pride, "Humph. Good attack. I will give you some color to see."
Guan Yu immediately ordered all the soldiers to cheer up and prepare to attack the enemy attacking the city severely.
Outside the city, Yan Liang looked up at the tense city and sneered: "Guan Yu, don't get excited. I haven't planned to break the city yet. I just want to give you a small surprise today."
While sneering, Yan Liang raised his riding whip slightly.
The command flag wavers and the holy will is sent out.
The Chu army's formation slowly split open. More than a thousand soldiers, carrying thick and long logs and large pots, arrived at the city head. The logs were set up and water was boiled in the pots.
Pretend to have a meal before the battle.
The Han troops on the top of the city were all dumbfounded when they saw the Chu army's appearance. They looked at each other, wondering what kind of medicine the Chu army was selling in their gourds.
"Commander Father, what do the bandits want to do?" Guan Xingqi asked.
Guan Yu's brows were furrowed and his eyes were focused. After watching for a long time, his expression suddenly changed.
"Quickly, get the shelter from the rain, now!" Guan Yu, who had come to his senses, shouted loudly.
"A shelter from the rain, Father, what do you need a shelter from the rain in this winter?" Guan Xing said in confusion.
Guan Yu yelled: "What nonsense are you talking about? The Yan thieves are going to attack the city with water dragon cannons. Why don't you go and act quickly?"
Guan Xinghe and the Han troops around him suddenly realized this, and all of them turned pale with fear.
Yes, Yan Liang was planning to bombard the city with water dragons.
Didn't you Guan Yu double the walls of Liyang City so that my city-breaking cannons would be useless? Well, if it's freezing cold today and I can't blast your city, I'll let you taste the feeling of being frozen.
Although Yan Liang had not used water dragon cannons against the Han Dynasty, Guan Yu in the Han Dynasty had already heard about the incident when he froze Luokou City. Therefore, when he saw the strange behavior of the Chu army, he could deduce Yan Liang's intentions.
.
Guan Xing was ordered to leave and hurriedly looked for something to protect him from the rain.
Outside the city, more than five hundred water dragon cannons were filled with boiling snow water, and their steaming muzzles were all aimed at the city head.
"Your Majesty, the water dragon cannon has been loaded. Please give the order to attack the city." Zhu Huan flew to ask for instructions.
"Wait a moment."
Yan Liang suddenly had an evil thought, so he galloped on his horse and arrived in front of the formation.
Yan Liang got off his horse and went straight to a big pot. He unbuttoned his pants and hissed into the pot.
The soldiers on the left and right were dumbfounded and looked at their emperor in surprise. He sprinkled "dragon urine" in front of all the soldiers.
After the shushing, Yan Liang lifted up his pants and said to everyone: "What are you doing in a daze? Come together and let the enemy have a taste of something new."
The soldiers were in a daze and swarmed forward. When more than a dozen cannons urinated into the pot, they were mixed with snow water and poured into the water dragon cannons.
Yan Liang got on his horse, pointed his riding whip, and sneered: "Let me blast the city, and let Guan Yu taste the taste of my dragon's urine."
The decree was issued, and the war drums sounded loudly.
In the blink of an eye, more than five hundred water dragon cannons fired in unison, and water columns rose up into the sky, roaring towards the city head.
The Han troops at the top of the city were so frightened that they hid in all directions and used various objects to try to resist the impact of the water flow. However, the water cannons falling from the sky still hit hundreds of Han troops.
The snow quickly froze the Han soldiers who were soaked by the water, freezing their armor and skin together. The slightest movement of their armor would tear the skin off.
The sound of screams suddenly started.
Guan Yu was lucky. A dozen soldiers used huge shields to form a "big umbrella" to block him from the water cannon attack. At most, there were only residual water drops dripping from the narrow gaps.
come out.
"Humph, you Yan thief, you are just a man of extraordinary skills and skill, how can you do it to me?" Guan Yu snorted coldly, showing great disdain.
At this moment, a drop of water fell and landed on the corner of Guan Yu's mouth. Guan Yu subconsciously licked it and suddenly felt a salty and astringent taste. (To be continued...)
