At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty

Guo Peng also sent someone to announce the imperial decree, saying that the soldiers should be well-fitted during the New Year holidays, which will help them better exert their physical advantages in the war and earn a wave of military morale.

Compared with the Shu army assembled from various places in central Shu, which was nearly a month later than the Wei army, the Wei army was simply waiting for work.

The soldiers are full of energy, and the soldiers from different places have adapted to the local climate in advance and adjusted their spirits to the best state.

By the end of Yandeyuan, Wei Jun's overall strategy and tactics had been fully formed, and reported to Luoyang to Emperor Guo Peng, who sent a staff desk to verify, and then sent it to the front-line troops for confirmation.

The staff officer Zuo Pu shot Guo Jia and rushed to Nanjun again to supervise the fighting of the troops in Nanjun.

And Xun You, who was transferred from Henan Yin to Youpushe, the staff officer, was also appointed to go to Hanzhong to participate in the war guidance and supervise the participation of the Hanzhong armies in the battle.

Henan Yin's position was taken over by Zhang Zhao, an official of Shangshutai.

At the same time, Pang Xi, who dedicated Hanzhong to Guo Peng, was transferred from the prefect of Hanoi County to the staff office, and also went to Hanzhong with Xun You as a staff officer.

The post of prefect of Hanoi County was taken over by Zhang Hong, an official of Shangshutai.

Not only that, Guo Peng also ordered that Fa Zheng and Deng Zhi, who had surrendered together with Pang Xi, be transferred from the post of county magistrate in Hanzhong area to be the staff of the staff station, under the leadership of Xun You, and they participated in the battle of the Hanzhong Front Army's attack on Shu among.

Guo Peng used the original Liu Zhang's surrenders to participate in this war together, raised the familiarity of the route of the Hanzhong Front Army to the top, and let a large group of people familiar with the road serve as staff officers to avoid mistakes due to road problems.

As for Nanjun, there are more people who are familiar with the road, Guo Peng is not worried, Guo Jia is also an old acquaintance of Le Jin, and the two cooperate tacitly, so there is no problem.

As for Guan Yu and Xun You...

Guo Peng was very worried that Guan Yu's arrogant character would make mistakes again, and he was dissatisfied with Xun You, who had a stain on his integrity, and something would happen.

So after thinking about it, out of trust in Xun You's desire to survive, Guo Peng chose to grant Xun You a Yue, so that Xun You can forcibly restrain Guan Yu at critical moments, so that Guan Yu must obey orders.

And if this kind of thing really happened, Guo Peng would definitely ask Guan Yu to settle accounts after the war, and Guan Yu couldn't let Guan Yu feel that he could do whatever he wanted because he was a veteran of Yuan Cong.

By the middle of the first month of the first year of Yande, the preparations for both Hanzhong and Nanjun had been fully prepared, and the logistics transfer of the civilian husbands and auxiliary soldiers had also been completed. .

Therefore, on the 21st of the first month of the second year of Yande, Guo Peng issued an order to advance troops and sent tiger talismans to Hanzhong and Nanjun.

On the 26th day of the first month of the second year of Yande, the Tiger Talismans were delivered to Hanzhong and Nanjun respectively. They matched the Tiger Talismans in the hands of Guan Yu and Le Jin, and the battle officially began.

According to the previous plan, Guan Yu would give up the road to Micang Mountain and only place a partial division on Micang Mountain to play a feint attack. He would directly lead the main force to take the stone cow road and attack Chengdu directly.

Through the introduction of Pang Xi and others, Guan Yu learned that the most important pass on Shiniu Road is the Jiange. If the Jiange can be breached, there will be no obstacles on the road to Chengdu.

If it is impossible to break through the Jiange, the road to Chengdu will be blocked, and there will be no other more suitable road to take.

The road to Shu is so difficult, and the road to the Chengdu Plain is so difficult and dangerous. This not only protects the Chengdu Plain, but also greatly limits the possibility of the Shu people aspiring to the top of the country.

Having said that, it was not easy for Guan Yu to march forward.

Before the army set off, Guan Yu had already ordered the scouts to explore forward as usual, and ordered the logistics troops to move forward to build a resting point for the army to garrison.

The so-called three armies marched before using food and grass, and marched in places like Yizhou where the road conditions were very bad, so the importance of food became even more prominent. It can be said that whether the war can be won or not depends entirely on the food road.

Before the army attacked, the scouts had already explored the road ahead, and the Shu army seemed to have given up on pointless resistance to the north of the Jiange and concentrated their main forces in the Jiange.

This is actually a good thing for Guan Yu, because it means that Guan Yu doesn't have to worry about the problem of the grain road, and can go deep into the grain road in one go without wasting more time.

Regarding the threat of the Guanghan vassal state, Gao Lan, the commander of the garrison in Wudu County, has received direct orders from the staff desk.

The staff desk has obtained the information that the foreign tribes of the Guanghan vassal state are preparing to attack Guan Yu's grain road. In order to cope with the advance of Guan Yu's army and protect Guan Yu's grain road, Gao Lan will lead the army into the Guanghan vassal state to suppress the many foreign tribes in the Guanghan vassal state. tribe.

Ensure that they will not attack Guan Yu's grain road because of Liu Zhang's bribe, and create conditions for Guan Yu's smooth march.

So Guan Yu marched all the way, and he did not meet the resistance of the Shu army, and the food road was very safe.

Cao Xiu, Guan Yu's vanguard, only encountered a few Shu troops in Baishui, and it seemed that it was not for defense, but to confirm whether the Wei army had started to attack, and then quickly went back to report without making much trouble.

Seeing that the army of the Wei army was coming towards the Jiange, the Shu army immediately began a full-scale mobilization. Wu Yi immediately went into battle, went to the front line, and conducted a comprehensive inspection of the defense of the Shu army near the Jiange to ensure that the defense of the Shu army was true and effective. It will not be easily broken by Wei Jun.

After marching for more than ten days, by the ninth day of February in the second year of Yande, Guan Yu had led his army deep into the vicinity of Jiange.

By observing the nearby terrain, combined with the explanations of Pang Xi and others, Guan Yu and other Wei generals discovered that this is indeed a dangerous place where one man should guard the gate and ten thousand men should not leave.

Climbing up the steep mountain, you can see Jiange Pass City from a distance. Guan Yu found that the road in front of Jiange Pass City is very narrow, not enough for the army to deploy, but it is very convenient for the troops on the pass city to defend.

The Guancheng is very high, and it is impossible to climb the city without a ladder. The Shu army is condescending, and the use of bows, rolling oil, rolling wood, rocks, and even gold juice can cause huge damage to the Wei army.

The Wei army was limited by the width and length of the attacking road, and it was difficult to give full play to its advantages in strength and combat power. The attacking road was locked, and it was almost a living target for the defenders in the city. very high.

After realizing this, Guan Yu ordered the army to retreat slowly, and found a slightly open place to set up camp along the river to ensure the stability of the food road and prepare for a protracted war.

Chapter 828 830 Guan Yu will not let go of any chance

After observing the terrain of the Jiange, Guan Yu held a military meeting, which was presided over by the staff officer Xun You.

Although Guan Yu disdained Xun You's behavior, but Xun You held a Jie axe and could restrain him, so he did not dare to be rude to Xun You.

Xun You observed the terrain along the way, and through Fazheng and Deng Zhi's explanations, he understood the danger and key of Jiange, and realized that this was a battle that was not easy to open up.

Therefore, at the military meeting, Xun You asked the generals to guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and absolutely not to forcefully attack Jiangeguan City because of losing patience.

"You have all seen the danger of Jiange Pass City. From the current point of view, this is not a battle that can be resolved quickly. I am not very clear about the defense and defense strength of Jiange Pass City. In order to avoid There are too many casualties in the army, and a tentative attack is necessary."

Xun You suggested so.

Guan Yu did not object, but nodded in agreement, and the generals also nodded in agreement.

At present, the heavy weapon trebuchets of the army have not arrived yet. Even if they arrive, the suppression of the trebuchets is probably very problematic in the situation of Jiangeguan City.

More importantly, the attack surface is too narrow, much narrower than most cities, and there are not many sides to climb.

Therefore, the generals of the Wei army agreed that a small-scale tentative attack should be carried out first, to feel the strength of the Shu army's defense, and then discuss other combat strategies.

So on February [-]th, Guan Yu's general Yang Qiu led a thousand elites to launch a tentative attack on Jiangeguan.

Wu Yi came to Guancheng in person, commanded in person, and used the defense system of Guancheng to attack the Wei army head-on.

For a time, the Shu army fired all arrows, and the arrows fell like rain. The Wei army was completely suppressed and could not advance an inch. If it were not for the solid shield and excellent armor, the Wei army would inevitably suffer huge losses.

After Yang Qiu advanced to a certain area, he was unable to continue advancing and could only retreat. Guan Yu was dissatisfied and wanted to try again, so Cao Xiu called for a battle.

Although the relative general Cao Xiu is young, he has always been known for his bravery and bravery. Guo Peng personally brought him by his side to guide the use of troops. He has made great achievements in Liangzhou and has a lot of prestige in the army.

Guan Yu had great hopes for Cao Xiu, hoping that Cao Xiu could open up the situation, but Cao Xiu led 1000 troops to advance, and the results achieved were not much better than Yang Qiu.

From the beginning to the end of this battle, Cao Xiu was suppressed by Arrow Rain and couldn't hold his head up.

The arrow rain was too dense, and the Shu army's defense was very active. The Wei army was unable to advance even with a large shield. In the end, Cao Xiu was forced to retreat with his troops.

In the two attacks in the battle, 13 people from the Wei army were killed and 31 were injured. The casualties were not large, but the result of this tentative attack made Xun You, Guan Yu and other senior officials of the Wei army look dignified.

"I didn't expect the defense of the Shu people to be so tight. We couldn't move forward at all. There were too many arrows and the defense was too active. If our army didn't form an formation and push the big shield, it would be difficult to move an inch. Moreover, the arrows were too dense. Our army The larger the number, the more likely it is that there will be a large number of casualties.

What's even more exasperating is that our army suffered huge casualties, but we couldn't touch the Shu people at all, and it was difficult to fight back. The Shu people had no casualties, but our army suffered huge casualties. Strong attack is really not an appropriate tactic. I suggest that we find another method, and then to attack. "

Cao Xiu had a gloomy look on his face, and told all his feelings.

Guan Yu's face was solemn, Xun You didn't speak, Deng Zhi and Fa looked at each other face to face, and Pang Xi didn't dare to show his anger.

Zhang He, who stood aside, put forward his own opinion.

"Shu people naturally know the importance of this battle to them, and this road is the only way from Hanzhong to Chengdu, and Jiange is the throat of this road, they must defend with heavy troops, I think, such a The strength of the defense is normal, instead of a strong attack, it is better to wait for the trebuchet to arrive, and then think of a way."

Cao Xiu nodded, supporting Zhang He's opinion.

"A strong attack is definitely not enough. The casualties will be too great, and the loss will be too much. We can't bear it, but if the trebuchets come, the range of the trebuchets is far beyond the crossbow, and they can attack far away from the Shu people's defense line. Bring some results."

Guan Yu pondered for a moment, then frowned and said: "Having said that, even though the trebuchet is useful, the Jiangeguan City is tall, wide and deep. Guancheng, open the road, this way, it still doesn't make much sense."

Xun You thought for a moment, then said, "Perhaps we can try it with Thunderbolt."

Guan Yu looked up at Xun You.

"The thunder is as loud as thunder, but after all, the damage is limited."

"Even though the damage is limited, the sound is like thunder after all."

Xun You said with a smile: "Our army just retreats and rests, and asks people to release them during the day, at night, and early in the morning. Telling him to guard the city without rest day and night will inevitably lose energy. Moreover, in recent years, His Majesty has strictly ordered the Gunpowder Department of the Ministry of Industry to deal Gunpowder and Zhentianlei have been improved to increase the lethality of Zhentianlei.

Although I haven't seen it directly, it is said that when General Le pacified the chaos in the four counties of Jingnan, he used a new type of thunder to attack the mountains and forests, which greatly killed the Nanman in the four counties of Jingnan. People, it might work wonders.

In addition, the fierce fire oil tank is also a good choice. It can burn itself without touching flammable objects. I will use a trebuchet to throw the fierce fire oil tank into the Guancheng and burn it. Maybe it can burn a large number of Shu people to defend the city. Things that can also reduce their defense. "

The generals and staff members nodded repeatedly, thinking that Xun You's views were correct.

In the situation where Jiange Pass cannot be stormed, such an approach may not be a way out.

"The only problem right now is the food, the food road should not be a big problem..."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and beard.

"It's not a big problem. The food and fodder accumulated in Hanzhong is enough for our army to use for two years. From Hanzhong to Jiange, there are waterways for food transportation. Tens of thousands of civilians and auxiliary soldiers ensure food transportation. In Wudu, General Gao Lan suppressed the barbarians. The food transportation capacity is sufficient."

Zhang He stepped forward to report.

"Two years... If this Guancheng cannot be taken for two years, it is estimated that Chengdu has been breached by Le Wenqian long ago. It is much easier for him to attack from Badong County and take the water route than us to take the mountain road. This Le Wenqian It's not a simple character."

There was some displeasure in Guan Yu's words.

His qualifications are deeper than Le Jin, Yu Jin, Zhang Liao and others. Among the five tiger generals ranked by Wei people, only Cao Ren and Zhao Yun have deeper qualifications than him.

In fact, he was not as open-minded as Xia Houyuan and Cao Hong.

Xia Houyuan has a brave personality, but he doesn't care much about rank and titles. Cao Hong cares about these, but he cares more about money and enjoyment than rank and title.

Usually under Cao Ren, there is nothing to say. Cao Ren is recognized as the number one military veteran in the army. He is also a relative general. He grew up with Guo Peng. Guan Yu dared not challenge this relationship, no matter how arrogant he was.

But if he was compared with Le Jin alone, he would not be happy.

He asked himself no worse than Le Jin.

When it comes to using troops, he has a lot of confidence. In terms of seniority, he and Zhang Fei are lower than the generals of the Cao and Xiahou clans. Liu Bei has been following Guo Peng after his death. The joy of joining should be deep.

In the end, Le Jin came from behind and had a higher position than him.

He was not convinced that Le Jin's position was higher than his. He felt that he would not lose to Le Jin, and he wanted to surpass Le Jin.

Now that he has the opportunity to compare with Le Jin, how can he let it go for nothing?

However, Guo Peng's order to him is very clear. He is an auxiliary army along the way, and Le Jin is the main army. He wants to attract as many Shu troops as possible to defend here and share the offensive pressure for Le Jin.

But whenever there is an opportunity, Guan Yu is not willing to let it go.

Chapter 829 830 Nine Wei Army Evolved

Although the plan proposed by Xun You seems conservative, it is also an opportunity.

At the moment when there is no hope of storming, Guan Yu can only hope for the power of the trebuchet and the new firearms.

Because of its huge size, the trebuchet was disassembled into parts during transportation, and then reassembled when it arrived at the battlefield.

Because of the special tactics and technical requirements, the trebuchet fleet is often listed separately in the Wei army array, and it seems to have become the fourth military branch besides the infantry, horse and navy.

And when the destructive weapons it can throw are not only stones, its role is also greatly improved. Later, Guo Peng called the trebuchet in the name of a cannon. Call it Artillery.

There are really signs of becoming the fourth branch of the military.

The Zhentianlei, which has been improving over the years, is a throwing weapon, and the fierce fire oil tank, which Guo Peng regards as a powerful weapon, is also a throwing weapon. It can also use the power of flames and deflagration to carry out long-range attacks. Huge boulders that may have a greater meaning.

Especially when facing the Shu army defenders in Jiangeguan City.

Guan Yu didn't have to wait too long, he just waited for the trebuchet.

After the trebuchets were delivered one by one, the wrinkles on Guan Yu's face also relaxed a lot.

Seeing the gunners skillfully assembling the trebuchet, Guan Yu easily stroked his proud beard again.

After all, this is the beautiful beard praised by Guo Peng, praised by the emperor himself, Guan Yu regards it as his life, and he has to use a special bag to protect it when marching and fighting.

Then Guan Yu, Xun You and other senior commanders of the Wei army inspected the storage of various weapons transported from Hanzhong, and felt that they had a bottom line in their hearts and were sure about attacking Jiangeguan.

On the other hand, Wu Yi was relatively less confident.

Repelling the Wei army's attack for the first time was really inspiring, but the soldiers were very happy, but Wu Yi was not so happy.

He knew very well that this was a tentative attack at all. Wei Jun didn't contribute at all, and he didn't make a strong attack. He just tested his defensive strength and left.

Obviously, the Wei army had some leeway and did not plan to attack by force. The rear should be very stable, and there was no mandatory order from Emperor Wei, so they were able to design tactics safely.