Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3469 What is that?

"Too hasty! Too hasty!"

Cao Cao whispered, frowning.

The letter from Zhongtiao Mountain was naturally written by Dong Zhao.

Dong Zhao said that everything was going according to plan, but Cao Cao felt that there were some problems.

Just like what Cao Cao said, it’s too hasty!

Cao Cao could understand the reason for his urgency, but understanding does not mean agreement!

But now that things have come to this, even if Cao Cao sent someone to replace Dong Zhao, it might not have any good effect, not to mention that there is no one to replace him.

Cao Xian obviously could not understand Cao Cao's anxiety.

Cao Cao walked around the tent twice, then simply lifted the tent curtain and walked out.

Cao Cao looked west.

All I saw was the sky filled with stars and the vast earth.

The light of human beings is so insignificant between heaven and earth.

Suddenly, Cao Cao let out a long breath, and his anxious mood calmed down a little.

Cao Zhang didn't understand what was going on, so he followed Cao Cao out and stood not far behind Cao Cao.

"Zhang'er, the cavalry and I," Cao Cao suddenly said, "have no grudge against each other."

"Huh?" Cao Zhang was stunned for a moment.

Cao Cao shook his head again and said, "To be exact, there was no hatred at first... but now..."

War is all about using any means necessary.

When there are too many unscrupulous means, the friendship will fade, and only the stubborn red and black will remain.

There were too many casualties in this battle.

"Zhang'er, you have to understand... this war is not about land or population, but about 'Tao'..." Cao Cao said slowly.

"Tao?" Cao Zhang only had a vague understanding.

Cao Cao nodded, "The Way of the Great Han, or the Way of China... It's a pity that there are still many sons of the noble families in Shandong who don't understand it."

In fact, Cao Cao had more or less touched the edge of some unconventional warfare, but he was not very clear about it, and could not express his feelings about these unconventional warfare.

Lao Tzu said that the Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao, and this is actually true.

In ancient times when some concepts had not yet been purified and sublimated, even if some people touched the edge of such high-end theories, it was difficult to pass on their insights to their children, disciples, or anyone else.

Just like it is difficult for three-dimensional creatures to describe four dimensions.

Cao Cao could feel the cavalry's current war mode, war philosophy, and war derivatives, and he could also learn something from them, but it was difficult for him to tell a third person, not even his children.

Cao Cao tried to explain to Cao Zhang, but it was obvious that Cao Zhang only had a superficial understanding and only believed that the firearms of the Hussars were sharp and had many skills. As long as the firearms of the Hussars were destroyed, the combat effectiveness of the Hussars could be reduced.

Is Cao Zhang's idea wrong?

From a certain perspective, there is nothing wrong with that.

After all, if the equipment of the Hussars was damaged, it would indeed have a great impact on the Hussars and could even interrupt the rhythm of their attack.

But Cao Cao knew that simply destroying these equipments would only be a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution.

Before this, Cao Cao specially sent a general to raid the Beiqu workshop base of the Cavalry. In addition to destroying it, he also wanted to gain more knowledge and improve his own war equipment.

only……

Everything seems destined, and everything seems in vain.

Cao Cao waved his hand and lost interest in continuing to explain to Cao Zhang.

We can’t blame Cao Zhang for being ignorant, but for the Han people of that time, there were no similar words to describe many things, so it was difficult for them to understand these concepts.

Simply put, Cao Zhang's understanding is not enough.

"Well..." Cao Cao sighed and said to Cao Zhang: "You return to Yanxiang as soon as possible, and I will lead the army there immediately... The original plan... will be advanced!"

……

……

In the front military camp, Fei Qian was also thinking.

Under the lights, most people in the camp were resting, but Fei Qian was still looking at the map, thinking and planning.

The sound of gentle collisions between the patrol team's armor inside the military camp gradually came and then quietly went away.

Huang Xu walked in, "My Lord, it's time to rest."

Fei Qian nodded, and only then did he feel the pain in his back and waist.

Fei Qian was also nervous.

If we follow the theories of later time travelers, it must be before going into battle, hahaha, charging in the front, hahaha, and after the war, hahaha. It would be best to participate in every battle and every campaign, and make the greatest contribution. Other generals and soldiers, even if they were besieged, would stand on the sidelines waving their guns and cheering like in a drama, but would not step forward and let Fei Qian alone show what it means to sweep through an army and what it means to mow down an unparalleled force.

But the reality is not like this.

In a small-scale battle, Fei Qian can lead the team, or he can command the troops on a certain front, but when the battlefield is dispersed, he must hand over each battlefield to others.

Only those who know how to focus on the big things and let go of the small things are qualified leaders.

But it takes time for news from various battlefields to be transmitted.

Even if the message was passed on, it would still depend on how others described it and wrote the report. It was obviously impossible for Fei Qian to control all the details.

At the same time, due to the distortion of details, Fei Qian will also encounter difficulties and obstacles in inferring certain issues.

Things that were originally very simple to handle by yourself become uncertain when handed over to others.

It is still unknown whether Pang Tong's army was unstoppable or was lured deep into Cao's territory.

"What exactly does Cao Jun want to do?"

Fei Qian had no desire to sleep. Although he had promised Huang Xu that he would rest, he only left the desk. He walked out of the big tent and looked in the direction of Zhongtiao Mountain.

Fei Qian seemed to be talking to Huang Xu, but also seemed to be organizing his thoughts and talking to himself.

"Zhongtiao Mountain, Tongguan..."

Fei Qian pointed out, "In Zhongtiao Mountain, no matter whether this defense map is true or false, we will fight them... because this defense map is only effective for a period of time. After a long time, it will be useless... and Tongguan is another battlefield... and then in Jingxiang... Youzhou..."

"If I were Cao's army, I wouldn't fight like this..."

"If we fight quickly, then if we want to keep the occupied territory stable, we must disperse our forces..."

"If you don't ask for land, but only for people, you are just like a barbarian..."

Fei Qian suddenly turned his head and looked behind him.

There was not much food and fodder in the front military camp, and it was mainly transported from Anyi and Pingyang.

The weather is so dry right now that once a fire starts it will be out of control.

Cao Cao is definitely not a man who is content with his lot. He is calm when the wind is favorable but turbulent when the wind is against him. The more disadvantaged he is, the more he will come up with surprising strategies...

So what was Cao Cao’s brilliant plan?
forage?

Wasn’t Cao Cao the one who loved cutting off people’s food supply in history?
When commanding a battle, if you feel that a certain place is particularly dangerous, there may be another less noticeable danger approaching.

"Anyi has already caused a commotion once..." Fei Qian seemed to have grasped something, "Hasn't the Youwensi in Pingyang reported back yet?"

"My lord, not yet." Huang Xu replied.

"Now go and scout the vanguard camp, select some good fighters, and investigate left and right!" Fei Qian ordered, "Send more people to Anyi and Pingyang, and send more scouts to investigate, and make sure to prevent Cao's spies from attacking the granary!"

"Yes, sir!" Huang Xu took the order and went to make the arrangements.

Fei Qian's frown relaxed a little.

Now he was like playing chess, except that the chess pieces on the board were alive and could move on their own. If he wasn't careful, the chess piece might disappear somewhere else...

Suddenly, a soldier came running over, "Report! Dali Qing Sima is reporting urgent military intelligence!"

"Give it to me!"

Fei Qian said this as he walked into the big tent.

Tonight is another sleepless night. …

……

It was four o'clock in the morning and it was still dark.

Pang Tong, Zhang Liao and others met in front of the formation while the soldiers were making a fire and preparing breakfast.

"It will take time to dismantle and hoist the artillery. Although the Tongguan Slope Road is generally passable, it will still take some time to transport the artillery here. But time cannot wait..." Pang Tong said first, "I will ask the navy to bring two small cannons here, which can provide some help... But the soldiers are a little tired after fighting for days... Wenyuan needs to be careful when deploying the soldiers."

Zhang Liao nodded, "I'll pay attention."

Pang Tong said to Zhu Ling again: "Now that we have advanced to this point, the transportation of food and grass has become longer and longer. Although we have the support of the navy, after all, the number of ships is small, so we still have to rely on land transportation. However, this earth plateau gully... We can cross the gully to launch a surprise attack, and Cao's army will definitely think of attacking us... General Zhu still needs to inspect this aspect strictly and must not be careless."

Zhu Ling cupped his hands and said, "I will definitely take strict precautions!"

Ma Yue said: "If we can get through Yanxiang, we can make full use of cavalry!"

Pang Tong nodded and said, "That's true. It's not difficult to defeat Cao's army. The difficult part is not only to defeat them, but also to keep as many of Cao's troops as possible! Otherwise, Cao's elite troops will still be there. If we fight them this year and they come again next year, the cost will be countless and we will lose money."

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

The three of them discussed the situation on the battlefield for a while and gradually came to a preliminary estimate.

"If we take Yanxiang, we will not only break through Shanjin and cut off the north-south communication of Cao's army, but we will also need to deploy troops along the river. Xiaopingjin, Mengjin, and Heluo will all need troops... Then we will need to transfer more troops from Guanzhong..." Pang Tong sighed, "At the end of this year, we will have to increase the number of troops."

Zhang Liao said: "If we want to fight along the river and defend Heluo, we will need at least another 10,000 soldiers..."

Pang Tong nodded, "That's about right. We have the troops."

But after a while, Pang Tong said again: "However, Guanzhong still needs to be guarded carefully. Soldiers should not be too empty... If there are too many, we will have to wait for the troops from Sichuan and Hanzhong... As for the troops in the northern region, they are barely enough and cannot be divided..."

Ma Yue said: "If not, we can recruit soldiers locally! Don't we have prisoners of war? They can be used as well!"

Pang Tong glanced at Ma Yue and said, "Those are not very useful... at least not now."

"I understand," Ma Yue said, "but general labor and chores should still be done by them..."

"..." Pang Tong frowned slightly, but didn't say anything.

It was a busy morning and time passed quickly. Soon the soldiers finished their breakfast and began to line up.

Zhang Liao and others separated and went about their own business.

Pang Tong sat in front of the map and pondered.

He heard that some military academies in the army had already started discussing what to do after they conquered Shandong...

Some people want to add more merit fields to their family, which is not a problem.

The problem lies in those who treat Shandong Cao's army and the people of Shandong as inferior, and suppress and bully them intentionally or unintentionally.

Just like Ma Yue said, what's wrong with doing some "rough work"?
If it's just a one-time battle, then of course there's nothing wrong with it. But if you want to start spreading your military power throughout the world, then problems will arise sooner or later.

Zhang Liao received a letter from an "old friend", which proved that Cao's army was not only trying to make trouble in the military, but also in interpersonal relationships. Pang Tong trusted Zhang Liao, but he was a little worried about Ma Yue.

But now we still have to focus on the old city of Tongguan...

Amid the beating of war drums and the shouts of soldiers, the tricolor flag advanced eastward.

As the war drums roared, Zhang Liao led his troops to the old city of Tongguan, but he soon realized that there seemed to be something different about Cao's soldiers today.

The most direct impact is that the sounds of drums and shouts are louder.

This means that the morale of Cao's army has been significantly boosted.

Why does this happen?

Zhang Liao frowned, realizing something was wrong, and dismounted from his horse, then strode onto a lookout carriage.

The vantage car is not very high, but it can provide Zhang Liao with a wider perspective.

Zhang Liao took out a telescope and carefully observed the movements of Cao's army.

Zhang Liao suddenly saw a large banner looming in the city.

"Prime Minister Cao?"

Zhang Liao was stunned for a moment.

In the early morning, they had a brief military meeting to discuss how to break through the old city of Tongguan. They believed that the key to the subsequent battlefield situation lies in subsequent breakthroughs and control of the nodes on the river. As long as Pang Tong's subsequent troops and food supplies can flow smoothly, he can achieve victory in Heluo.

However, Zhang Liao and the others had just finished their discussion when they realized that Cao Cao’s flag had appeared here.

It was as if Cao Cao had been listening to their discussion from the side and now ran over to put pressure on them and demonstrate.

"Boom boom, boom boom!"

Above the old city of Tongguan, the sound of war drums was also heard, and then suddenly there was a cheer.

"Prime Minister! Prime Minister!"

"Wan Sheng!" Won victory! 』

The sound was not uniform, but it was noisy and loud.

Zhang Liao frowned.

Is it really Cao Cao who has come?

But it’s good to be here!
Zhang Liao looked back...

In the direction of Guanzhong on the river, there are ships breaking through the waves.

……

……

Cao Cao did not come to the old city of Tongguan. Instead, it was Cao Zhang and the flag representing Cao Cao who came.

The Cao army's cheers were not for Cao Cao, but because Cao Zhang brought the food and supplies they had been waiting for for a long time.

It may be difficult for people in later generations to understand the temptation of these simple vegetables, fruits, salted fish and vinegar cloth to ordinary soldiers. After all, the vegetables in the supermarket and vegetable market are still green and lovely even in the coldest days of winter. But in the Han Dynasty, after a long time without seeing side dishes, and even the staple food began to decrease, they would definitely cheer from the bottom of their hearts when they suddenly saw the food and supplies on the baggage carts!

"The defense of a land lies in the city, the defense of a city lies in the soldiers, the defense of the soldiers lies in the people, and the defense of the people lies in the grain." Cao Zhang looked at the Cao army soldiers whose morale had obviously improved and whose faces showed some joy, and he couldn't help but sigh, "The ancients said this, and it really didn't lie to me."

However, Cao Zhang and Liu Fu's pride and relaxation did not last long. Soon they discovered that the boats on the river seemed to have changed a little...

"What is that?"

Cao Zhang is young and has good eyesight. He pointed at the ships approaching in the distance and said.

"Guanzhong Tower Ship..."

Liu Fu was a little puzzled. Was Cao Zhang hysterical? How come he didn't even recognize the ship?

"No, no, I mean the one on the bow..." Cao Zhang squinted his eyes, then suddenly froze and couldn't help shouting, "Wait, no way?! They actually installed a cannon on the ship!"

When Ma Jun led the navy to fight before, because what he needed was to cooperate with the breakthrough operation of the upper city of Tongguan, the navy was loaded with soldiers, and the war equipment was mainly catapults and crossbows, and no cannons were installed on the ship.

After all, a single cannon is too heavy, and if the center of gravity of a ship is slightly unbalanced in the river, the stability of the entire ship will be greatly reduced. At first, Ma Jun gave up the idea of ​​installing more cannons because of too many difficulties. In addition, there were cannons in the upper city of Tongguan for land support operations, and there was no need to install additional tower ships. However, the battle line began to extend, and the drawings of the Sichuan Navy installing cannons were also passed to Guanzhong...

As soon as Ma Jun saw it, he suddenly realized what was going on. He immediately became itchy and dismantled the crossbow and catapult overnight, hoisted the cannons onto the ship, and added counterweights.

Thus, the combination of tower ships and cannons was presented in front of Cao Zhang and Liu Fu.

"Can a ship be equipped with cannons?"

If Cao Zhang had not seen it with his own eyes, it would have been hard for him to believe that the Cavalry Army could come up with such a thing.

"artillery?"

Liu Fu was also very skeptical. Shouldn't that thing require a huge bracket? Even if it had wheels, it would take at least a dozen people to push it. How could it be installed on a ship now?

Although there is only one bow gun on the tower ship of the Guanzhong Navy, it is conceivable that if such a cannon is used to shoot...

"Quick! Send an order immediately to all soldiers along the river to pay attention! Be careful of the enemy's artillery!" Liu Fu shouted.

Originally they were only on guard against the arrows and crossbows of the Hussars, but now they also have to guard against artillery fire, especially some military camps that are closer to the river. Their walls may need to be reinforced, otherwise they will not be able to withstand the attack.

Cao Zhang also reacted and quickly gave the order, "Put up more stone slabs and sand on the river side of the city! Just in case of emergency!"

The Cao army soldiers took the order and left in a hurry.

As the cavalry navy approached, the new mode of coordinated operations on land and sea, and the new tactics brought by firearms, immediately caused the morale of Cao's army, which had finally risen, to fall again...

Cao Zhang looked at them and became anxious. "This won't work...Morale is too low. We must find a way to boost it! Is there any way to destroy those ships in Guanzhong?"

Liu Fu pondered for a while before slowly saying, "Perhaps... I have a plan that you can try..."