Three Kingdoms: I help Liu Bei grow thousands of miles

"Well, the total strength of Jiangling and Jiangxia is less than [-]. Do we need to transfer troops from Jingnan?" Liu Bei asked.

Zhuge Liang: "It depends on Zhou Gongjin, he is now the main force against Cao Cao."

"Husband... it is better to send less reinforcements..." Sun Shangxiang hesitated to speak.

Liu Bei turned his head and looked at Sun Shangxiang suspiciously: "Ma'am, what is the meaning of this? Do you trust Zhou Lang so much?"

Sun Shangxiang was stunned for a moment, and then replied in a panic: "Uh...yes... Zhou Gongjin Chibi can fight 40 to [-], this time Cao Cao is less than [-], he has no problem..."

Chapter 1 Cao Cao: Driving...

Lu Su left Jiangling for Jianye. Sun Quan had already deployed defenses along the Yangtze River. After reporting the frontline situation, he hurried to Xinye.

After Cao Cao's army arrived at Qiao for half a day, Cheng Yu led [-] troops and headed south under his own banner, while he himself led the main force to secretly turn westward to Runan, and reached Wancheng ten days later.

Wancheng is the only way to go south to Xinye, and Zhou Yu sent many sentries in this area.

As soon as Cao Jun arrived in Wancheng, Xinye soon received the news.

From the moment Cao Cao left Xudu, Zhou Yu was preparing for this defensive battle. The long-term siege of Xiangyang made Jiangdong soldiers depressed and exhausted.

Zhou Yu raised his account in the Xinye County Government, and Han Dang, Lu Meng, Ling Tong and other generals were all eager to try, but Lu Su, who had just returned to Xinye, looked worried.

"Cao Cao's main force came to Xinye, and Hefei must be very empty. Zijing just returned from Jianye, so I can tell you about the situation there." Zhou Yu said after looking around at the crowd.

Lu Su nodded, "My lord is deploying defenses along the Yangtze River. He said that if Cao Cao attacks Xinye, he will send troops to Hefei. The governor can quickly send someone to inform."

"Ziming, send people to Jiangdong and Jiangling respectively," Zhou Yu ordered.

"Wei." Lu Meng cupped his fists and stepped aside.

"Xinye City is not as strong as Xiangyang, and the terrain is relatively flat. Cao Cao's force is comparable to ours this time. It is not easy to defend this place. We have to find a way to drag him into a water battle..." Zhou Yu said.

"Governor, we must stop Cao Cao in Xinye, so as to buy time for our lord to win Hefei." Lu Su reminded.

"My Jiangdong is dominated by naval forces. If I give up my own advantages and fight Cao Cao on land in Xinye, this is what a reckless man did..." Zhou Yu looked at the deputy governor Cheng Pu while speaking.

Cheng Pu was a veteran during Sun Jian's period. His qualifications can be regarded as the most in Jiangdong at this time. Before the Battle of Chibi, he competed with Zhou Yu for the position of coach. Because Zhou Yu's prestige in the army is higher, he can only be subdued as the deputy commander-in-chief. .

"What's Gongjin's plan?" Cheng Pu frowned.

"I would like to ask Cheng Gong to lead [-] riders to guard Xinye for help. I will personally lead the navy to intercept Cao Ren in Xiangfan." Zhou Yu said.

"Reinforcement? Gong Jin also said that Xinye County is small and the city is not as strong as Xiangyang. I don't know how long the old man can defend. Also, are the reinforcements from Jiangdong or Liu Bei?" Cheng Pu asked.

Zhou Yu glanced at Lu Su, then smiled and said: "Zijing has made an agreement with Liu Xuande that if Cao Cao comes to attack, he will immediately send troops to support him. Guan Yunchang's Jingzhou navy is in Jiangxia. It can be reached in a few days along the Han River. Guan Yunchang This person is quite capable, and he is quite familiar with the Xinye area, so he will be able to defend Cao Cao with Cheng Gong."

"Guan Yunchang will be fine if he comes, if Liu Xuande doesn't send reinforcements..." Cheng Pu was still worried.

Lu Su quickly said: "Don't doubt Cheng Gong, Liu Shijun is a man of integrity and promise. He once promised me that if Cao Cao goes south, he will let Guan Yunchang and Zhang Yide send troops from Jiangxia and Jiangling respectively. It doesn’t matter if the main force stays here, even if we lose Xinye in the end, the master can win Hefei.”

Cheng Pu also knew the importance of Hefei. Taking Hefei would allow him to enter the Central Plains by water, and the Jiangdong navy would be able to take advantage of it.

"Then follow Gongjin's arrangement." Cheng Pu nodded.

After only two days of rest in Wancheng, Cao Cao asked Wenpin to take the Wancheng garrison to Xinye. The soldiers he brought this time were all strong and strong. After the Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao understood that elite soldiers are more useful. He was indeed complacent at the time.

During the Battle of Chibi, the sick soldiers in the north gradually became uncontrollable. The more people Cao Cao led, the more cumbersome it became. In the end, each battalion was infected with the epidemic, and Cao Cao's elite also suffered heavy losses in that battle.

In February, the spring breeze was like scissors, and the warm sun still couldn't withstand the cold weather. The soldiers in the north were used to this kind of fighting.

Cao Cao was cautious in using his troops. When he marched south, he found that Zhou Yu didn't send troops to stop him, not even a decent ambush.

Did this give up?

If Zhou Yu was an incompetent person, it would be reasonable, but he was the commander who defeated Cao Cao in Chibi, which made the suspicious Cao Cao unclear about the situation.

Tens of thousands of troops set up camp two miles north of Xinye, and Cao Cao and Xia Houyuan went to call for battle at Xinye City in person.

"Son Zhou Yu, the prime minister's heavenly soldiers have arrived. Those who descend will not be killed, or they will be smashed to pieces if they are late." Xia Houyuan shouted loudly towards the city.

Zhou Yu left Cheng Pu, Han Dang and other veterans to guard Xinye, while he, Lu Su, Lu Meng and others had retreated to the warships in Danshui.

This group of veterans followed Sun Jian to fight in the north and south. Last year, they were the attacking side of Xiangyang, but in a blink of an eye they became the defenders. Seeing Xia Houyuan yelling and scolding, Han Dang was eager to fight, but was stopped by the old and steady Cheng Pu.

Cheng Pu stood at the head of the city, stroking his white beard with his hand, and responded coldly: "What prime minister? Where is he?"

Xia Houyuan didn't know what Cheng Pu meant. This fellow followed Sun Jian and met Cao Cao when he was begging for Dong. Although everyone has grown old for so many years, they shouldn't know each other. Why do they ask now knowingly?

"This is Prime Minister Cao of the great Han Dynasty. Demou hasn't surrendered yet?" Xia Houyuan introduced Cao Cao, who was wearing a brocade robe and riding a yellow horse.

Cheng Pu looked Cao Cao up and down, and said with disdain: "It was dark and hot in Wulin that night, and I didn't have time to appreciate Prime Minister Cao's demeanor. Now the sky is clear and the old man can see clearly. It's really short..."

"Old man, I think you are tired of work." Xia Houyuan pointed at Cheng Pu and said angrily.

"Who are you talking about?" Cheng Pu continued to mock.

"Piff said..."

Xia Houyuan swallowed his saliva without saying a word. Cao Cao hated people mocking his height the most. He took the words and asked, "Where is Zhou Yu hiding? Don't you dare come out to see me?"

"Hmph, the governor is preparing firewood, so I can protect Cao thief from the cold at night." Cheng Pu answered wisely.

"Hahaha, Jiangdong's children turned out to be rats. Miaocai, let's go back and catch these rats tomorrow." Although Cheng Pu said it unintentionally, after Cao Cao was burned by Chibi, his expression changed a little.

"Cao thief, don't go." Han Dang drew his bow and set an arrow, aiming directly at Cao Cao.

Xia Houyuan is also good at using arrows, and he instinctively felt that the opponent might be about to attack. After Han Dang shot the feathered arrow, he immediately raised his cloak backwards, and the cloak just wrapped around the flying arrows.

"It really is an insidious rat." Xia Houyuan spat a ball of saliva.

"Drive..." Cao Cao didn't speak, carefully urged him to sit down on his horse, and left this thrilling place.

After returning to the camp, Cao Cao was still sweating on his back, and his servants brought hot soup to calm his shock.

The position where the two were standing just now was not within the range of the arrow's attack, but Han Dang's physical strength was extraordinary, and the bow and arrow he shot had exceeded the normal range.

Xun You, Liu Ye and other advisers accompanying the army, and generals accompanying the army such as Yu Jin and Zhang Yun, they were in two columns of the big tent and did not speak.

At this time, Xia Houyuan, who succeeded Shi Huan who died of illness last year, asked: "Prime Minister, Zhou Yu avoided seeing him, is there any conspiracy?"

Cao Cao shook his head and said nothing. He was still waiting for the news from scouts everywhere. As a commander, he had to pay attention to the overall situation, and a small detail could change the situation of the battle.

At this moment, the scout outside the tent came to report: "Prime Minister, Zhou Yu has been found."

161 Chapter three thousand

"Prime Minister, Zhou Yu led the Jiangdong water army back to the Danshui battleship..." said the scout.

Cao Cao frowned, and said to himself: "Zhou Yu retreated before fighting, what kind of conspiracy is this fellow playing?"

The mastermind Xun You was not there during the Battle of Chibi, this time Cao Cao learned his lesson and specially brought this mastermind along.

Xun You ignored the others, and expressed his own opinion, "Xinye, north of Lianwan City, and south of Xiangyang, although it is located on an important road, it is only an isolated city. Zhou Yu's move is nothing more than trying to block the waterway for us to save Xiangyang from the south, and Jiangdong besieged Xiangyang. If it can’t be defeated for a year, its land combat capability is worrying. I guess I want to use the advantage of the navy to spend the main force of our army in Nanyang, so as to buy time for Sun Quan to attack Hefei.”

Cao Cao nodded, "This is also what I am worried about. As long as Xiangfan is still in my hands, there is nothing to fear. If Hefei loses, the Central Plains will be in danger. What is the situation on the east front now?"

Liu Ye cupped his hands and replied, "Prime Minister, according to the news from Huainan, Sun Quan's warship is currently in the Niuzhu area, and has not entered Chaohu to attack Hefei..."

"Zhongde's three thousand suspects are so effective?" Cao Cao was puzzled.

"Sun Zhongmou is suspicious. Before Jiang Zitong withdrew the enemy with a letter, I guess he is also waiting for information from Xinye." Xun You analyzed.

Cao Cao laughed and said, "Bi Yaner is cautious. In this case, let's take Xinye as soon as possible. Where is Zhou Yu going to set fire to such an open terrain?"

"Ahem, my lord, it should be Cheng Pu's nonsense to talk about setting fire..." Yang Xiu, the chief secretary of the army, reminded.

Cao Cao heard it very harshly, thinking that the Prime Minister didn't know?

"Zi Lian, order the whole army to encircle Xinye tomorrow."

"Wen Ze, you lead your troops to Danshui to contain Zhou Yu's navy."

……

Cao Cao continued to issue orders, and Cao Hong, Yu Jin and other generals took orders one after another to mobilize troops.

The next day, the main force of Cao's army began to attack Xinye, and Cheng Pu and Han Dang organized soldiers to defend the city tenaciously.

Wenpin brought siege equipment such as rams and catapults from Wancheng, and the intensity of the siege was much more intense than Zhou Yu's attack on Xiangyang.

Cao Cao wanted to go to Xinye quickly, and Cheng Pu wanted to buy time for Sun Quan. Because both sides had their own ideals, the casualties were very heavy.

In order to ensure Xinye's offensive, Yu Jin, who was in charge of containing the Jiangdong water army, only brought thousands of Qingzhou soldiers on the east bank of Danshui to shoot at Zhou Yu's water army on the warship.

The Jiangdong navy did not disembark, and Yu Jin's infantry did not wade, so the fight was a bit of a joke.

Lu Meng saw that Jin's soldiers were few, so he called for a battle and said: "Great Governor, there are only three to five thousand people in Yujin. He clearly despises our Jiangdong navy. I would like to get off the boat and capture this man."

"Don't be reckless, this may be Cao Cao's tactic to lure the enemy, first confront like this and wait for the opportunity." Zhou Yu said firmly.

"Governor, Cao Cao only uses a few thousand people to restrain us, and his main force must be attacking Xinye. What kind of opportunity are we waiting for?" Lu Meng asked puzzled.

"The governor said before that Jiangdong is good at water warfare but not land warfare. It is unwise to abandon one's strengths to fight on land. I heard that Xiangyang's defenders have also been mobilized in the past two days. When Liu Bei's reinforcements arrive, we will take advantage of the chaos. Go get Xiangyang." Zhou Yu explained.

"Then Cheng Gong and the others..." Lu Meng said in his heart that we can't just watch Cheng Pu be wiped out like this.

Zhou Yu asked Lu Su, "Has Liu Xuande sent reinforcements yet?"

"Guan Yunchang has entered the Han River from the Yangtze River, and it is estimated that he will arrive tomorrow night. Zhang Yide assisted us in capturing Xiangyang, and he has also set off from Jiangling." Lu Su returned.

"How many soldiers are there?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Guan Yunchang brought [-] Jingzhou sailors, but it is unknown how many paces Zhang Yide has." Lu Su continued.

Zhou Yu was overjoyed when he heard that Jiangxia's naval force was only [-], and Guan Yu brought out [-] this time, which shows Liu Bei's fear of Cao Cao.

The next day, Guan Yu's water reinforcements arrived at Danshui, and when Yu Jin saw the reinforcements, he retreated five miles to the village.

Guan Yu went to Zhou Yu's main ship and saw Jiangdong's warships lined up neatly, each ship was full of soldiers. He couldn't help being puzzled: "Why are tens of thousands of Jiangdong soldiers staying on board? Could it be that Cao Cao's military situation in the south is wrong?"

"No, I am not good at land warfare in Jiangdong, so I asked the deputy governor to guard Xinye, and the governor blocked Cao's army from crossing the river by water." Lu Su explained.

"To prevent Cao's army from crossing the river? When Guan came over by warship just now, he only found thousands of Cao's troops on the bank. Do you need tens of thousands to stop it?" Guan Yu became more and more confused as he listened.

Just as Lu Su was about to explain, Zhou Yu laughed softly: "This is Cao Cao's army to lure the enemy. The main force of Cao's army may be not far away..."

Yu Jin's thousands of pinned soldiers were like scratching their feet in front of the Jiangdong warship. It was hard for Guan Yu to imagine why they could feel at ease here, but left Cheng Pu and others to fight in Xinye.

"What is the plan of the governor?" Guan Yu continued to ask.

"Jiangdong Jianer is not good at land warfare. General Guan just happens to support Xinye. Cao Cao is already empty here in Hefei. My lord should have entered Chaohu Lake. Cao's bandits can't look at both sides. This battle will be as disastrous as Chibi..." Zhou Yu analyzed.

Guan Yuxuan asked, "I'm going to fight, what is the governor going to do?"

"When Cao Ren heard that Cao Cao had come to rescue him, the city of Xiangyang was in disarray. I wanted to lead a navy to cross the Han River and attack Xiangfan again, and cooperate with Yide's land reinforcements to capture the important town of Xiangyang," Zhou Yu explained.

Guan Yu was taken aback when he heard this, and said to Zhou Yu that he had paid attention to this before. He could not defeat Xiangyang without reinforcements, but now that Cao Cao's reinforcements have arrived, he can defeat them instead?But he came here on orders and didn't ask much.

Guan Yu left Guan Ping to guard the warship, disembarked with Zhou Cang and the others, and ran directly to the forbidden camp. Jiang Xia's eight thousand sons were very capable in fighting, and within an hour of the battle, they were able to escape from the forbidden camp and fled north.

Zhou Yu was shocked from ear to ear when he heard the battle report, and he couldn't help saying to himself: "Guan Yunchang is a well-deserved name, if he can be used by Jiangdong in the future, the world will not be difficult."

Seeing Zhou Yu sighing at the bow, Lu Su followed and asked, "Governor, General Guan's reinforcements have arrived, when will we go to capture Xiangyang?"

"Order all the warships to turn their rudders to the south, and our whole army will march to Xiangyang immediately." Zhou Yu ordered.

"Wei." Lu Su cupped his hands in response.

Zhou Yu's battleship led the way, followed by hundreds of warships, just like fish migrating.

When the fleet arrived in the waters of Xiangyang, Zhou Yu took a long look at the city in the west that had been fighting for a year, then waved and ordered to continue southward.

The generals thought that Zhou Yu was looking for a landing place, because there were indeed soldiers sent by Le Jin on the nearby river beach to stop him.

When the fleet was a hundred miles away from Xiangyang, Lu Su saw that he had gone too far, so he said, "Governor, is this too far? Marching by land is much slower, and the distance is estimated to take two days. "

"If you have a boat, you should walk less. Zijing will wait and see. I won't let everyone suffer." Zhou Yu smiled mysteriously.

Lu Su scratched his head, and continued to go south along the Han River. When he reached the end, it merged into the Yangtze River. Where is there any waterway that can lead to Xiangyang?

Chapter 162 Huang Zhong: What a coincidence

Two or three days later, Zhou Yu's fleet reached the waters of Jingling County along the Han River.

Jingling County is under the jurisdiction of Jiangxia County. There is a waterway in the east of Jingling that connects with the Han River. It runs from east to west and goes directly to Jiangling.

Yangshui is a channel dug manually, mainly to connect Xiangyang and Jiangling, so that ships can communicate through this waterway, without having to transfer from Xiakou to the Yangtze River, which can save thousands of miles of water.

At this time, early spring and February belonged to the season of dry water, and Yangshui was not yet passable for large ships, nor could Zhou Yu's battleships enter.

Zhou Yu entrusted the battleship to Lu Meng to command, while he and Lu Su boarded the boat.