At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty

In mid-to-late July, the weather was hot. On this day, when Guo Peng was personally instructing Guo Jin to handle military affairs, someone reported that Wei Yan had come.

Wei Yan.

Guo Peng remembered that before, Guo Peng asked Wei Yan to return to Zhang Yun, and then asked Zhang Yun for someone to see if Zhang Yun would give him.

How could Zhang Yun not give it?

He was worried that there was no good way to curry favor with Guo Peng. When Guo Peng asked him for someone, he definitely sent Wei Yan out immediately. Not only did he give it away, but he also gave away many other gifts. Please ask Wei Yan to bring it to Guo Peng.

Wei Yan thanked Zhang Yun, came to Runan, met Xiahou Dun, and relayed what Guo Peng said to him to Xiahou Dun. Xiahou Dun nodded and immediately arranged for someone to send Wei Yan to Chang'an.

So Wei Yan came, not only came, but also brought some gifts, not only some gifts, but also an important piece of information.

When Liu Zhang started the Northern Expedition, although he had a little bit of confidence, he was still worried about Guo Peng's strength and that Guo Peng would take the opportunity to attack Hanzhong, so he sent a letter to Liu Biao and Sun Ce, asking Liu Biao and Sun Ce to go north to contain Guo Peng according to the content of the covenant.

The news had already been sent to Liu Biao and Sun Ce, and Cai Mao asked Zhang Yun to tell Guo Peng about this, so that Guo Peng could make preparations early to avoid delays.

The news Wei Yan brought was that Liu Biao is holding a meeting to discuss this matter. Most people are against it now. Liu Biao seems to be very angry. It is temporarily unknown what is going on with Sun Ce, but I hope Guo Peng will still make preparations in advance.

"Is this the news Zhang Fujun and Cai Degui asked you to forward to me?"

Guo Peng looked at Wei Yan.

Wei Yan nodded.

"Exactly, it's absolutely true. Mr. Zhang also instructed the villain, saying that even if the villain has only one breath, he must bring the news."

Guo Peng smiled.

"Mr. Zhang Fu has a heart, I know, but you, Wen Chang, since you have come here, shouldn't you go back after delivering the news?"

Wei Yan smiled embarrassedly.

"Wei Gong said before that a good man has ambitions in all directions and should lead the army to quell the troubled times. The villain thinks what Wei Gong said is too true, so... so he dares to ask Wei Gong to take him in!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Looking at the young Wei Yan, Guo Peng was very happy, nodded and accepted Wei Yan.

"I'll put you in the Tiger Guards. You learn more in the Tiger Guards and make your body stronger. A man must be strong and strong. If you are really talented, I will let you lead the army fight."

"Thank you, Duke Wei, for your appreciation!"

Wei Yan was very happy at first, and then he was a little confused: "Duke Wei, the Tiger Guards are..."

"My personal guards are responsible for protecting my safety."

Guo Peng smiled and said: "It is the most elite army in the whole army. All the soldiers in it are good fighters. They are tall and big, and they are all tigers. You must be careful when you go in. The selection of Tiger Guards is very strict. You are my leader." The ones stuffed in represent my face, but don't let me lose face."

"Tiger Ben..."

Wei Yan nodded: "The villain knows, even if the villain is risking his life, he will never let Duke Wei's face be damaged!"

"Don't say anything like risking your life. This is the army, and you were not asked to go to the battlefield immediately."

Guo Peng waved his hand: "Also, don't talk about a villain, just call it by name."

"Yes! Xiao... Yan takes orders!"

Wei Yan was very excited.

Chapter 569 I will tell him to drain the blood of Jiangdong soldiers in Hefei

Guo Peng stuffed Wei Yan into the Tiger Guard Army in a few words, handed it over to Xu Chu to lead, and asked Wei Yan to report to the Tiger Guard Army himself.

What happens afterwards, whether Wei Yan can open up the situation in the Tiger Guards, is Wei Yan's own business.

Excellent talents can definitely stand out on their own, and Guo Peng doesn't need to do more. If he can't stand out, he doesn't need Guo Peng to do more.

Guo Peng called Chen Gong and Xun You, and also called Lu Su, and asked the three of them to refer to the content described in this information for himself.

"Liu Jingsheng and Sun Bofu are really going north?"

Lu Su was a little surprised after seeing it.

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy? Liu Jingsheng has been constrained too much. If he really wants to go north, Cai Degui and Zhang Yun will definitely stop him and inform us in advance. Rather than saying that Liu Jingsheng will go north, it is better to say that Sun Bofu Possibly up north."

Chen Gong said so.

Guo Peng felt that what Chen Gong said made sense.

"Whether it is the combat effectiveness of the army or the aggressiveness, I think that Sun Bofu is stronger than Liu Jingsheng. Liu Jingsheng is old and is not very willing to make troubles. Sun Bofu is young and vigorous, and he has just been hit by our instigator against the Lu family. With resentment.

From my point of view, the possibility of Sun Bofu going north to attack is very high, but the possibility of Liu Jingsheng threatening Runan and Yingchuan is very small. Therefore, we should focus on guarding Sun Bofu, and Liu Jingsheng can relax a little bit to let Wen Just staring at it is enough. "

Xun You thought for a moment, and then said: "The possibility of Liu Jingsheng going north is very small, because he already has Nanyang County as a barrier for Xiangyang, but Sun Bofu does not. Wei Gong's thinking is right, relying on the Yangtze River alone is not enough to protect him foundation.

The south of the Yangtze River is vast and sparsely populated, and it is only along the river that can barely be called the land of Wanghua. Going south, it is mostly occupied and invaded by mountains and rivers. Sun Bofu's foundation cannot be preserved by relying on the Yangtze River. North seeks a place that can become a barrier to Jiangdong. "

Guo Peng looked at the map and asked with a smile: "Then Gongda thinks, if Sun Bofu wants to take advantage of our main force staying in Guanzhong to go north and fight for the front, where will his goal be?"

"Jiujiang, Lujiang."

Xun You replied decisively: "To defend the river, you must defend the Huai River. The Yangtze River is not enough to withstand the front of the army. If Sun Bofu wants to consolidate his foundation, he must go north to fight for Jiujiang, and then for Lujiang. If he occupies Yangzhou entirely, he will have a northern barrier."

"Yes, Jiujiang County and Lujiang County are indeed the top priority of our army's defense line. If Jiujiang and Lujiang cannot be defended, Yuzhou and Xuzhou will be in a hurry. The southeast defense line will be completely torn apart, and we have to go to war. Sun Bofu This can achieve the effect of four or two thousand catties."

Guo Peng stared at Jiujiang County on the map for a while, and said: "I take Zhang Wenyuan as the general of Zhennan, in charge of Huainan military affairs, deploy [-] troops on the front lines of Lujiang and Guangling in Jiujiang, and take Yu Wen as the leader of Donghai County. The [-] battalion is stationed in Xuzhou, and if necessary, they will immediately go south to help, it is sure to be safe, but..."

"Does Duke Wei have any worries?"

Chen Gong asked softly.

"In Jiujiang County, Shouchun can contain the upper reaches of the Feishui River and prevent the Jiangdong Navy from going up the river, but its location is too far to the north. It is the concentrated area of ​​the entire Jiujiang Farm. There are more than [-] farmers in the north of Jiujiang County. Tuntian for military supplies.

The villagers in this area are the source of supply for the [-] troops in Huainan, and they are also one of the food supply bases for our army to go south in the future. If Sun Bofu is allowed to drive straight into the Shouchun area, even if Shouchun cannot be conquered, let him destroy the farmland. It is not something I would like to see people being kidnapped and returned to the south. "

Guo Peng took a deep breath: "Jiujiang's military defense line needs to be moved southward, moving southward. Except for Jiangfang, the defense line must be pushed southward. Sun Bofu cannot be tolerated going too deep into the northern part of Jiujiang County to prevent him from destroying the great cause of farming."

Chen Gong and Xun Youlusu stared at the map together.

"Where does Wei Gong think it is most appropriate to move the defense line south?"

Guo Peng's finger moved all the way south from Shouchun to an inconspicuous county town and stopped.

"here."

The three stared at it, and it turned out that the place Guo Peng was pointing at was Hefei County.

"Hefei County..."

Chen Gong and Xun You are not locals, so they don't know much about the local geography, but Lu Su has a deep understanding of this area.

"Hefei is connected to Shishui River in the south and Feishui River in the north. This waterway is the most important waterway in Huainan and Huaibei. The rivers along the route are criss-crossed and the water network is densely distributed, which is convenient for troop delivery and grain transportation. Moreover, Hefei County itself is well-connected in Huainan. hub.

Everyone, please see, enter Ruxushui from Dajiang River, then enter Chaohu Lake, then enter Shishui from Chaohu Lake, land from Shishui, and reach Hefei. If you take Hefei again, you can enter Huaihe River along Feishui River, and then follow Yingshui River Going north all the way to the hinterland of Yuzhou, our army will fall into decline.

As far as Hefei goes north, the water supply has been traced back to the source. Jiangdong soldiers must go ashore to fight for Hefei. After taking Hefei, as long as they march northward for a few dozen miles, there will be another waterway to go, and it is still a smooth road, so Hefei is such a place. It is the only important town on a waterway that can resist the Jiangdong navy. "

After Lu Su's lecture, Chen Gong and Xun You had a deeper understanding of this, and found that Hefei was indeed a battleground for military strategists.

As long as Hefei is captured, the Jiangdong Navy will basically be able to march along the waterway and reach the hinterland of the Central Plains, threatening the Luoyang area of ​​Yingchuan, causing far-reaching harm.

On the water, the Wei army under Guo Peng's command did not have the strength to compete with the Jiangdong Navy on the water.

Tai Shici's navy is still training and building in Qingzhou, and the total number has not yet reached [-], so they can't be used for the time being, let alone blocking the Jiangdong Army on the water, it will be very difficult, and they will only be exhausted by then.

Therefore, once the regime confronts the north and the south, Hefei will become a very important town for the northern regime, and the Huainan area must not be lost.

When Guo Peng defeated Yuan Shu and swept Huainan, Jiangdong was still in chaos, so Guo Peng successfully occupied Huainan and pushed the territory to the riverside.

In another time and space, after Yuan Shu's death, Sun Ce once occupied Hefei and threatened Cao Cao to the north. If Sun Ce hadn't been assassinated and killed, Cao Cao took advantage of Sun Wu's civil strife and captured Hefei. Would he be able to control it smoothly? Huainan is still unknown.

For the Jiangdong strategy, Huainan is a decisive factor, and it is the same for the Jiangnan and Jiangbei regimes. Whoever occupies Huainan will have an advantage.

Previously, Guo Peng had foreseen the arrival of this day.

"After the crusade against Yuan Gonglu, I asked Zhang Wenyuan to lead the people to repair Hefei City, expand the city wall of Hefei, increase the height, thicken it, and build it into a fortress. Now Hefei City is not what it used to be. It's not that easy."

Is Guo Peng already prepared for his relationship?

"Duke Wei is far-sighted, and his subordinates admire him."

Chen Gong immediately took the lead in flattering, followed closely by Lu Su, and Xun You froze for a moment, barely keeping up.

"It's nothing. The key is that Hefei cannot be lost. As long as the land of Hefei is preserved, even if the Jiangdong Army has millions of troops, it will never go north through Jiujiang and threaten the hinterland of the Central Plains. The same is true for Jiujiang County and Lujiang County.

The area around Wancheng is rich in land, and it is also an important place for our farms. More than [-] people in the farms cultivate the farmland, and the millions of stones of grain produced are not only supplied to the garrison, but more are stored for future use. If Sun Bofu got it, the consequences would be disastrous, so there is nothing to lose. "

Guo Peng clenched his fist and beat the table: "To guard the river, you must guard the Huai River. When you cross the river, you will also occupy the land of Huainan, and use Huainan as the base to advance northward. The blood of the soldiers was shed in Hefei."

Guo Peng's eyes were filled with coldness.

Chapter 570. 570 Nine Northern Tuntian Farm Flow VS Southern River System Mobile Flow

Seeing that Guo Peng seemed to be ready, Lu Su and the other three could only worry about Sun Ce in their hearts, hoping that he would not make such a stupid move.

For Guo Peng who is already prepared, it is better for him to be more rational, if he is not rational enough...

Guo Peng will help him to be more rational.

As far as Guo Peng is concerned, he deeply understands that most of the time, the victory or defeat of a war does not lie in the crushing of IQ, but in the level of executive ability.

Wars rarely involve military genius versus military idiot, and what you know, I know, is more about strategy than strategy.

Guo Peng may not be smarter than anyone else, but his Guo Wei regime has world-class executive power.

Under his leadership and building, his team of officials is the most powerful team of officials in the world, with strong execution from top to bottom.

If this battle takes place, it will become a classic confrontation between the Tuntian farm flow in the north and the mobile flow in the river system in the south.

To a large extent, wars are fought for food and logistics. A large part of the combat effectiveness of the army is limited by logistics supplies.

For the Central Plains area where waterways are not densely covered, Tuntian Farm is the lifeline of the army.

Guo Peng set up Tuntian villages and townships in the Central Plains and connected them with roads. Over the past few years, he has built a land logistics transportation system that is not inferior to the Jianghuai water network. Worried about the lack of food and grass.

And this is the biggest reliance for Guo Peng's army to maintain its combat effectiveness.

Wherever the Tuntian farm is, Guo Peng's dominance can radiate wherever it is, and everything is based on food.

But once it is separated from the support of the land logistics transportation system, the combat effectiveness of the army will be inversely proportional to the distance.

No matter how well-trained Wei Jun was, it would be fatal if he didn't have enough to eat.

In contrast, for the Jiangdong regime, which is densely covered with water networks, the river water network is their lifeline.

Even in modern times with convenient and developed transportation, water transport still has an irreplaceable advantage of carrying large capacity and low cost. Then in the late Eastern Han Dynasty when there was no railway and air transport, water transport had an incomparably huge advantage.

The marching route of the army should try to choose a direction that is basically consistent with the direction of the water flow, and use water transportation to reduce the pressure on the army's logistics transportation. The more water flows and the greater the carrying capacity, the less the army's logistics pressure.

The Jiangdong navy, which is good at manipulating boats, has a greater advantage in this regard than the northern army.

The northern army can only use ships to transport food and fodder, and is not good at fighting on water, while the Jiangdong army can not only transport supplies, but also fight on water, making it difficult for the northern army to fight.

Therefore, the lifeline of the Jiangdong army is the water network. Wherever the rivers and rivers flow, the combat effectiveness of the Jiangdong army can be maintained.

Once the Jiangdong army is out of the water network, the farther it is from the water surface, the combat effectiveness will decline in a straight line, and it will not be able to fight against the northern infantry who are proficient in land warfare.

The Jiangdong army used the water flow to achieve combat advancement and food and fodder transportation. Wherever the water flowed, it could fight wherever it went. It had a great advantage. However, for the northern regime, if it wanted to fight, it had to set up forward bases all over the place.

For Guo Peng, the forward base is the farms, those directly-administered villages and townships. Wherever these farms extend, his control extends. The farther they extend, the more his arms extend. Far.

Every large-scale Tuntian village is a forward base, which can not only strengthen his control over the place, but also curb the advance of the Jiangdong Navy. After all, the Jiangdong Navy cannot stay on the water all the time, and must land.

They can go deep along the river, but as long as Guo Peng's farming base cannot be destroyed along the way, then Guo Peng's army can be stationed there, cutting off the retreat of the Jiangdong navy at any time.

If Sun Ce wants to go north, he must attack the farm base set up by Guo Peng along the way, destroy, plunder, and turn it into his own forward force, otherwise, he will be blocked layer by layer until he collapses.

Guo Peng knows that Sun Ce's military ability is not comparable to that of his younger brother Sun Shiwan. , It's hard to be sharp.

Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, and Zang Ba, these three are the top generals at the forefront, and they are also Guo Peng's first line of defense. Whether these three can display their combat effectiveness is an important factor in whether Guo Peng can prevent Sun Ce from going north. where.

At this time, Guo Peng was unable to escape from Guanzhong, and the 6 southeast front army set up on the southeast battlefield would be the only army that could cope with Sun Ce's attack.

Guo Peng trusted Zhang Liao and gave Zhang Liao a lot of power. In terms of command, Zhang Liao was above Jin. When necessary, the East China Sea camp under Yu Jin's command should follow Zhang Liao's instructions.