Late winter has arrived, and the weather is getting colder and colder.
From autumn to late winter, the Chu army besieged Liyang City for five months.
After five months of suffering, the food in Liyang City was already running low. The sergeants' daily rations were less than half of the usual, while the common people's rations were less than one-third of the usual.
There was a shortage of food and grass, and the city was frozen and freezing. The morale of the Han soldiers quickly fell to the bottom, and there were complaints among the troops.
As for the people in the city, they were even more miserable. Countless people died of freezing and starvation, and countless people sold their sons and daughters in exchange for a morsel of food.
The Chu army's siege still did not relax, and Yan Liang was determined to kill Guan Yu in the city this time, even if it took forever.
Liyang was besieged for a long time, and the Chu army refused to withdraw, which made Liu Bei in Anyang sleepless and uneasy.
Liu Bei originally thought that Yan Liang would retreat to the Central Plains after besieging the city for two or three months, but he did not expect that Yan Liang was so determined that he had besieged for five months without showing any sign of retreat.
Liu Bei estimated that the food and grass supplies in Liyang City were approaching, so he could no longer sit back and watch, and was forced to take action.
It was late winter, and Liu Bei, who had been stationary for five months, finally began to take action.
Liu Bei personally led an army of 70,000 troops from Anyang to Danyin City, thirty miles north of Liyang. Afterwards, Liu Bei sent Tai Shici and Zhang Xiu out with light cavalry in an attempt to attack the Chu army's grain camp.
Yan Liang was well prepared for this, and Wen Chou and Zhao Yun each led their divine cavalry to closely protect the grain road and thwarted several attacks by the Han army.
Dang Yin, the imperial tent of the Han army.
Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his hands, staring at the map hanging on the screen, listening to Chen Dao's report on the latest military situation, his gray face becoming more and more gloomy.
Taishi Ci's attack on the grain camp failed, and Zhang Xiu's attack on the grain road was defeated by Wen Chou. All the information he heard was a failure.
Liu Bei remained silent, his fists clenched tightly and his joints crackling.
The generals on the left and right remained silent, knowing that Liu Bei was secretly angry and did not dare to take a breath.
Liu Bei suddenly turned around, his annoyed gaze directed towards Zhuge Liang.
There was some kind of complaint in his eyes.
Zhuge Liang was sworn at the beginning and planned this plan to use Li Yang to lure the enemy. As a result, Li Yang's supplies were approaching and the city's fall was imminent, but the Chu army had no intention of retreating. The southern gate leading to Ye City was about to fall.
.
Liu Bei, who had no idea what to do, naturally blamed Zhuge Liang for the idea.
How could Zhuge Liang not feel Liu Bei's resentment? Although he was still shaking the feather fan in his hand, he was quite anxious in his heart.
"Prime Minister, my strategies to defend against the enemy are all based on your strategies. Now that the situation is like this, Prime Minister, please tell me, what should I do?" Liu Bei asked coldly.
"Well..." Zhuge Liang started coughing dryly, as if he had no plan at all, so he had to cough to cover it up.
While he was coughing, Zhuge Liang kept scanning the map, as if he was trying to find a solution to the current problem.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if he suddenly realized something.
Immediately, the corners of Zhuge Liang's mouth raised slightly, and a mysterious smile flashed across his face.
The coughing suddenly stopped, and when Zhuge Liang straightened up, his face was full of confidence, and he smiled slightly: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, Liang has a plan to make the Chu army retreat without a fight."
Liu Bei's expression perked up, and his originally complaining expression turned to joy in an instant.
"What good advice does the Prime Minister have?" Liu Bei asked impatiently.
Zhuge Liang gently shook his feather fan and explained his plan in a leisurely manner, with no concealment of the confidence and pride in his brows.
After listening to Zhuge Liang's plan, not only Liu Bei but also the other generals in the tent were all inspired.
The excited Liu Bei jumped on the map in a few steps, glanced around, and couldn't help but nodded slightly, obviously convinced by Zhuge Liang's plan.
"Wonderful, the Prime Minister's plan is very clever. He will definitely catch that Yan thief off guard." Liu Bei clapped his hands and applauded Zhuge Liang's plan.
At this time, a man from the tent came out and said with enthusiasm: "I am willing to lead an army to implement the Prime Minister's plan for Your Majesty."
Liu Bei looked back and saw that the person asking for battle was none other than General Cao Ren.
Cao Ren's face couldn't help but be generous, and the flames of revenge were surging. Obviously, this remaining general of the Cao family couldn't wait to avenge the destruction of his Cao family.
Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Liang and asked for his opinion. Zhuge Liang nodded slightly to show his agreement.
"Okay, if you have a son who is filial, you will win this battle!" Liu Bei became energetic and immediately said: "I will give you 10,000 elite cavalry. We will set out tonight. We must implement this plan within three days."
Cao Ren was overjoyed and said sternly: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I will go all out to force the Yan traitor to withdraw from the territory of our Han Dynasty."
Liu Bei issued a tiger talisman on the spot and ordered Cao Ren to lead 10,000 troops and leave at night.
After the order was issued and Cao Ren led his army to leave, Liu Bei's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
Liu Bei stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the target place with his raised eyes, and sneered: "Yan Thief, aren't you good at making surprises? Then I will make a surprise once and give you a big surprise, haha~~"
Thirty miles away, Chu camp.
A cloud and rain passed by, and Yan Liang was lying on the couch with his back stretched out, his muscles crisscrossed and soaked with sweat.
Guan Feng, who was dripping with sweat, lay on Yan Liang's chest, panting heavily. His pretty face was already covered with sweat.
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is outside asking for an audience." Zhou Cang's voice came from outside the tent.
"I have business to deal with, please step aside first." Yan Liang said, and slapped Guan Feng's buttocks hard.
Guan Feng snorted, blushed and crawled down on the bed, hurriedly put on her clothes neatly, straightened out her messy hair, and then she was lucky enough to leave.
Yan Liang put on a rough shirt, drank wine to quench his thirst, and called Pang Tong in.
After a while, Pang Tong walked into the imperial tent. Seeing Yan Liang dressed so casually, and remembering the peach blossom look on Mrs. Guan's face just now, he knew what happened in the imperial tent just now, and he couldn't help but smile.
"I pay my respects to your Majesty." Pang Tong said with a smile.
Yan Liang saw that he was smiling strangely, so he disapproved and said: "It's freezing cold today, so of course I have to warm myself up. If the Prime Minister is also cold, I can give him some beauties so that he can also warm up."
Yan Liang and Pang Tong started Pang Tong.
"My fragile body cannot bear this. I can only accept your Majesty's kindness." Pang Tong laughed at himself.
Yan Liang laughed loudly and motioned for Pang Tong to come forward and speak.
Yan Liang personally poured Pang Tong a cup of hot wine to ward off the cold, and asked, "The prime minister is here in a hurry to see you. There must be something important."
"To be honest with your Majesty, I just feel a little suspicious about the recent movements of the Han army." Pang Tong said while drinking.
suspicious?
Yan Liang's eyebrows narrowed slightly and he motioned for Pang Tong to continue speaking.
Pang Tong said: "Since Qian Fan Zilong defeated Zhang Xiu's raid on the grain road, the Han army in Dangyin has completely shrunk and has never made any move to harass our Liyang army. News was also released in the Han camp that Liu Bei had given up understanding Liyang.
After the siege, I planned to withdraw my troops back to Yecheng, and Cao Ren had already led an army to evacuate first. I feel that Liu Bei's actions are quite suspicious."
Liyang is the gateway to Jizhou. Once Liyang is lost, the Chu army can march north and directly take Yecheng. Now that Guan Yu has not exhausted his supplies, how can Liu Bei really give up Liyang until the last moment?
How could Yan Liang not know this?
After thinking for a moment, Yan Liang said: "According to the Prime Minister's opinion, Liu Bei's rumor that he was going to withdraw from Ye City was just to deliberately confuse our army. There must be a conspiracy secretly?"
"That's right." Pang Tong nodded heavily, "And I feel that Liu Bei's trick fell on Cao Ren's army."
Pang Tong revealed his final suspicion.
Yan Liang sat up suddenly, his lazy spirit suddenly tense.
Liu Bei has an army of 70,000 in Dangyin, but his strength is far inferior to that of Yan Liang. Even if he wants to withdraw his troops, he should withdraw with all his troops to avoid weakening his troops and being defeated by Yan Liang's attack.
But now, Liu Bei asked Cao Ren to lead his army to retreat first. On the surface, it seemed reasonable, but in fact, it was unreasonable.
Unless Cao Ren's army was intended to retreat to Yecheng, but it actually had another purpose.
"Then where does the Prime Minister think Cao Ren's troops are going to attack?" Yan Liang's tone also became solemn.
Pang Tong stood up, came to the screen, pointed his finger at a point on the map, "I think Cao Ren's army must attack here."
Yan Liang's eyes followed Pang Tong's hand, his expression moved slightly, he stared for a moment, but then he smiled.
"This must be Zhuge Liang's plan for Liu Bei. If Cao Ren really succeeds, I will indeed have to withdraw my troops." Yan Liang sneered.
Pang Tong said calmly: "I have thought about it over and over again. Apart from this move, Liu Bei has no other means to solve the crisis in Liyang. I came here this time just to remind your majesty that you must be on guard."
Yan Liang nodded slightly and immediately shouted: "Here comes someone, tell Zhao Zilong to come quickly."
Three days later, south of Dunqiu City.
Under the setting sun of dusk, the hurried Han army was rushing south on the desolate road.
Cao Ren galloped on his horse, marching to the front of the team, his face was as serious as iron, and his eyes sometimes flashed with the anger of revenge.
While running, Cao Ren's mind often recalled his grief and anger when he heard Cao Cao committed suicide, heard Cao Pi was hanged alive, and heard the Cao family was wiped out.
"Tie Yan, I want revenge. I, Cao Ren, want to avenge the Cao family~~" Cao Ren secretly gritted his teeth and vowed loudly.
The army of 10,000 people marched non-stop. When night fell, they finally stopped advancing.
Ahead is the Yellow River.
Cao Ren reined in his horse and stood on the bank, looking at the frozen river for thousands of miles, his eyes flashing with excitement.
His eyes crossed the Yellow River, and from a distance, he could vaguely see a towering city, looming in the twilight of the setting sun.
Cao Ren's face couldn't help but show a hint of solemnity and pride.
With his long sword raised, Cao Ren shouted sternly: "The whole army kicks the ice across the river and follows my general to capture Puyang City!"