The Three Kingdoms become stronger when they get treasures

Chapter 431 The Bad News

Outside Shouchun City, Cao Jun had just finished a siege, and there were many corpses of Cao Jun soldiers piled up under the city wall. The defenders on the city were skillfully and methodically carrying out various post-war affairs, treating the wounded, repairing the city wall, and repairing various defenses. Equipment, prepare all kinds of materials for defending the city, and meet the next siege.

After a while, Cao Jun soldiers came to clean up the corpses, and the defenders on the city did not attack them, and let them clean up.

It has been nearly a month since the siege, but Shouchun City is still impenetrable. Cao Jun has never climbed the city wall, and the opponent's reinforcements and food and supplies have been continuously transported into the city from the Huaihe River.

It's not that the Cao army is not elite, nor is it that the soldiers of the Cao army are greedy for life and fear of death. It's really that the Chu army's defensive weapons are too sharp.The city-charging cart was burned by kerosene when it was pushed to the bottom of the city, and the catapult couldn't break through the hard city wall, and it would be cleaned up at the designated point by the opponent.When besieging the city, a large number of people were killed as soon as they were densely packed, and the number of soldiers sent was too small and not enough for the opponent's crossbow to shoot.

If Shouchun can be surrounded, it will take three to five years. Cao Cao will also trap him in the city, because he really doesn't want to lose this rich land, which he won from Yuan Shu with great difficulty.At the beginning, Yuan Shu occupied Yuzhou and Huainan, had enough soldiers and food, and was eyeing Xuzhou, which was enough to be called the strongest prince at that time.

When Cao Cao and Liu Bei were making wine with Qingmei, he asked Liu Bei if he knew the heroes of the world, and the first thing Liu Bei said was Yuan Shu.It's a pity that Yuan Shu committed suicide by himself. After getting the jade seal, he thought he was the real son of heaven.

After Yuan Shu's death, Cao Cao fought hard for many years before he defeated Liu Bei, occupied Yuzhou, Xuzhou and Huainan, and then really started to take off.It can be said that the grain production area in Huainan has played a very important role in the development and growth of Cao Cao, and it is also the frontier of Cao Cao's plans for Jiangdong. Once lost, it will no longer pose a threat to Jiangdong.

Zhang Wu also knows the importance of Huainan. Once he is allowed to gain a firm foothold here, Cao Cao's Yuzhou and Xuzhou will not be safe. The south of Xuzhou, where the river is close to the sea, can still be planned.

The Chu army in Hefei has been mainly harassing. Zhang Wu personally led [-] soldiers to stare at Hefei. The rest of the troops are used to ensure the land and water connection from Jianye to Shouchun. Zhuge Liang has returned to Jianye to deploy the manpower and material resources of the entire Jiangdong .

In order to defend Shouchun, Zhang Wu had already transported almost all the kerosene and gunpowder in stock, and the effect was indeed good. Cao Jun had tens of thousands of casualties, but he just didn't climb the city wall.

So far, Cao Cao has given up hope in his heart, but he is not reconciled. Giving up Shouchun means giving up Huainan, and giving up Huainan will make him more passive.

"Without the benefits of boats, it is difficult to compete between the Jianghuai River and the Huaihe River!" Cao Cao said with emotion.

Ships from the south to the horses from the north, this is determined by the geographical environment. Considering the level of technology at this time, it is difficult to change and solve the problem. We can only blame Cao Cao for his bad luck. After he solves Yuan Shao, Zhang Wu and Sun Quan has established a firm foothold in Jingzhou and Jiangdong respectively.Perhaps Cao Cao at the time did not expect that the south, which has always been ignored, would be so difficult to fight.

Sima Yi and the others also knew that Shouchun City would be difficult to regain. Over the years of fighting with Zhang Wu, this kind of siege battle was fought the most. He stayed in the city and could not come out. What can you do?The current Zhang Wu is not a few years ago when there were few soldiers. He has the confidence to spend time with you.

But Cao Cao couldn't afford it. He consumed astronomical amounts of food and grass every day, and lost a lot of soldiers every time he attacked the city. And as the weather got hotter and hotter, diseases began to spread among Cao Cao's troops.

Cao Cao didn't want to retreat because of face. I was beaten up just as soon as I became king, and took away a large area of ​​my territory. Where can I put my face?Others didn't dare to mention withdrawing troops. Xun Yu and Xun You who dared to speak up died, and Cheng Yu was deposed. Sima Yi didn't want to make things difficult, and he wanted to wait for Cao Pi to show his talents.

It was Liu Ye who said: "King Wei, the army has been besieging the city for several days, and the soldiers have lost a lot, and there seems to be a disease spreading in the army. It is better to repair it temporarily and make a plan."

Why did Liu Ye dare to speak?Because of Liu Ye's unusual status, he was not only an important adviser under Cao Cao, but also a relative of the Han family, a descendant of Fuling King Liu Yan, the son of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu.

Although Liu Ye is a clan member of the Han Dynasty, he defected to Cao Cao very early and followed Cao Cao wholeheartedly, which made Cao Cao very satisfied.When Cao Cao and Yuan Shao confronted each other in Guandu, Liu Ye presented Cao Cao with a "stone chariot" to fight against Yuan Jun's archers. Yuan Jun called this "stone chariot" a "thunderbolt chariot", but it was actually a catapult.

At this time, Liu Ye served as Cao Cao's prime minister Shi, and when Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and Xun You died one after another, Cheng Yu was deposed, and Jia Xu stayed behind, Liu Ye's status was higher than that of Sima Yi, Jiang Ji and other advisers Much taller.

Liu Ye himself is from Huainan. Before joining Cao Cao, he had lived in Huainan for many years and was very familiar with Lu Su. Therefore, he understood the current situation in Huainan battlefield very well, and it would be of no benefit to continue fighting. The army will be dragged down here.

Cao Cao didn't speak, he heard the meaning of Liu Ye's words, although he said it was a temporary repair, but in fact he said that he couldn't fight anymore.

Just when Cao Cao was still a little hesitant, some soldiers came to report the urgent military situation. It turned out that the military situation in Hanzhong had finally reached the Huainan battlefield.

"Report to the King of Wei. Chang'an sent an urgent report. Xia Houyuan, the general who conquered the west, attacked rashly and died in an ambush. Dingjun Mountain was occupied by the enemy. Hanzhong is in danger, please send reinforcements quickly!"

"what?!"

When Cao Cao and his generals and advisers heard the news, they were all shocked speechless. The commander-in-chief of the first army was killed in ambush. Is the whole western front not messed up now?

When Cao Cao learned the detailed process, he shouted loudly: "Miao Cai misled me! Miao Cai misunderstood me!"

Then burst into tears.

Cao Cao was both sad and angry. Xia Houyuan was not only his brother-in-law, but also his brother-in-law. He was imprisoned for Cao Cao in his early years. He was deeply trusted by Cao Cao and entrusted him with important tasks. Now that he is dead, how can Cao Cao not be sad?
But with Xia Houyuan's death, the entire Western Front was without a commander and without unified command, the war situation would undergo earth-shaking changes, and it might even collapse all of a sudden.If Zhang Wu takes the opportunity to occupy Hanzhong, not only will Liangzhou begin to be turbulent again, but even Guanzhong will also be in turmoil.

Seeing that Huainan is no longer guaranteed, if Hanzhong or even Liangzhou is lost again, it will kill Cao Cao. How can Cao Cao not be angry.I told you well at the beginning, let you guard the heroes, you have a lot of soldiers and horses, and you have fought for a lifetime, why are you so impulsive!

(End of this chapter)