Shu Chen

Chapter 165
The earliest Xiaoguan Pass was not an independent pass.

It was the town fortress of the Qin Great Wall defense system during the Warring States Period.

Among them, at the eastern foot of Liupan Mountain and south of Guwating Gorge, there is a dangerous canyon accompanied by the source of Jingshui, surrounded by emerald peaks and deep valleys, which is the only way to get out of the fortress from Guanzhong.

It is also a battleground for military strategists.

After entering the Han Dynasty, in the 14 years of Emperor Wen (166 BC), the Xiongnu Shanyu once led an army of 140,000 to knock down the pass, killed Sun Ang, the captain of Beidi County who was stationed in Xiaoguan, and entered the fortress, and sent troops to destroy the pass.

The Han Dynasty recaptured this place, and the fortifications built again were renamed Watingguan.

When Kaixiao ruled Longyou, he heard that Lueyang had been captured, and the place where Niuhan was defending was Watingchuan (pass).

Later, during the Qiang rebellion during the reign of Emperor Ling, because the Qianghu tribes in Beidi County and Anding County above Guanzhong also rebelled, Liangzhou and Guanzhong were reduced to the paradise of various warlords for decades. Come to the disaster of chaos.

After staying until Xiahouyuan Hubuguan right, Xiao Guanfang repaired it again.

However, due to the lack of financial and material resources at that time, today's Xiaoguan is just a narrow pass.

Now, after the Great Han regained the land of Longyou, Cao Wei once again repaired and strengthened along the mountain and water flow, and became a grand pass for the garrison and guard on both sides.

If there is sufficient food, fodder and supplies, and the generals are well versed in military affairs, it is no problem to have ten times the enemy!
Coincidentally, Wei Ping, the general who guarded the pass against Wei, was a frontier general who had been in the army for a long time.

And leading five thousand soldiers, it can be said to be as solid as gold.

Previously, Wu Ban had repeatedly provoked and showed weakness, trying to lure him out of the customs to fight, but to no avail.

Therefore, Zhang Bao looked at it silently for a while, and when he looked away, he couldn't help sighing, "It's such a majestic pass, and it's hard for apes to get over it. If my big man wants to break through in the future, I don't know how many soldiers will be lost in battle!"

"Yeah~~~"

Hearing this, Zheng Pu also sighed in a long voice, "If we want to take Liangzhou, we must first destroy Wei Guanzhong's reinforcements. If this Xiaoguan is not broken, our army will send troops to Liangzhou, and the result will be half the effort." Immediately afterwards, he laughed again, "Wen Rong Brother, didn’t we wait for the cart before the horse? Now Ni Wei is about to attack in a big way, I waited to see the enemy’s army, so I can go back and take precautions. But I don’t want to, but I feel the strength of Xiao Guan.”

"Hahaha~~~"

Zhang Bao, who pulled the horse's reins lightly, turned the horse's head and walked back, also laughed.

After laughing, he joked, "Extremely! Extremly! Don't say it's too early to think about how to break through the level. Even if I think about it in the future, I won't do my business. I just don't know Zijin. How long will Xiao Guan have a sad face!"

Well, he is the commander of the armored cavalry, and it really has nothing to do with him to attack the city and pull out the stronghold and guard the road.

As for obviously nothing to do, why did the prime minister send him here?
But just in case.

Although it is said that Zheng Pu restrained a lot of troops this time, no one can be sure how many troops were invading Longyou against the Wei Dynasty.

If tens of thousands of troops leave Xiaoguan, and more than [-] cavalry come from the north of Wuwei County, Zheng Pu, who is relying on the siege, will inevitably fall into heavy siege, and it will be difficult for Chen Shibu to rescue him.

But with Zhang Bao's armored cavalry, they can be fully protected.

Because the roads here are not wide, only more than two hundred people can be invested in the place where the two armies meet.

If Zheng Pu's troops were outstretched due to the disparity between the enemy and ourselves, and they were pursued by Niwei when they retreated, Zhang Bao's armored cavalry could suddenly break out.In front of the torrent of steel-wrapped war horses, the soldiers against the Wei who had their formation broken due to pursuit will usher in the fate of being crushed.

It can also win the morale of Wei Wei!

Let it be timid and dare not chase again.

Even if General Niwei came after him again, Zheng Pu and Zhang Bao could use the time difference to escape back to Ayang City.

Naturally, this is a rainy day.

Zheng Pu and Zhang Bao had to play by ear as to what to do when they were about to fight.

As for using armor cavalry here, whether it will be overkill, it is a helpless move.

Neither the making of horse armor nor the training of a heavy cavalry soldier can be accomplished overnight.

Originally, in the prime minister's prediction, Zhang Bao planned to train five hundred armored cavalry.

However, more than a year has passed, and Zhang Bao's men are only worthy of a hundred cavalry.

Putting this number elsewhere is of little use.

But at the time when the soldiers of various ministries were doing their best, he didn't want to be idle, so he asked for orders to follow the expedition.After thinking about it, the prime minister sent him to Zheng Pu's department.

The right is to be prepared.

At least like Zheng Pu's farewell letter last time, the Prime Minister no longer wanted to receive it again.

"Hey, brother Wen Rong's words are wrong!"

Smiling, Zheng Pu, who was riding side by side, also raised his eyebrows and retorted loudly, "We are both fighting for the country, but you don't want to make a group plan, and you only care about your own comfort, how can you be so evil!"

"Hahaha~~~"

Hearing the sound, Zhang Bao burst out laughing again.

After a while, he put away his smile, and nodded with pretended solemnity, "Well, Zijin's words are justified! Then I will offer some strategies for Zijin to consider!" After looking around, he pointed Pointing to the trees on the mountain and the tributaries of the Jingshui, he said, "The most powerful thing to kill an enemy is water and fire! Zijin can let the soldiers cut down trees and attack with fire, or build dikes to store water and flood them!"

Just after saying that, I couldn't help laughing first.

Walking and laughing, the two horseshoes returned slowly.

After traveling for two or three miles, when he was about to cross the Wating River, Zheng Pu suddenly pulled the reins of the horse, causing the horse to stop with its hooves raised and neighing.

It also surprised Zhang Bao.

Instinctively, he put his hand on the handle of the knife at his waist, and looked around vigilantly, but the mountain path was empty.

Didn't you find the enemy?
Surprised in his heart, Zhang Bao turned his head to look at Zheng Pu, but saw that Zheng Pu was thinking with his eyes closed, and he didn't know what he thought of.

Could it be that Zijin had thought about breaking the Xiao Pass?
Zhang Bao thought in his heart, and didn't make a sound to disturb him, he reined in his horse and waited quietly.

When he was young, Zheng Pu opened his eyes and did not speak, but drove his horse slowly along the flow of Wating Water.

The Wating water originating from Longshan Mountain flows westward, passing through the north of Wating; the other flows southeast, passing south of Wating.both

And the southwest merges into one water, so this place is called Watingchuan.

And the water flowing through Xiaoguan is one of the sources of Jingshui.

The two do not converge, but the distance between them is not too far.

Zheng Pu drove the horse to stop and go, go round and round, and after a while, he returned to the place where he had just looked at Xiaoguan.

Leaping off his horse, he climbed to the top of the gentle slope, looking far into the distance.

Zhang Bao, who didn't know it, also climbed up after abandoning the horse out of curiosity, and looked at Xiao Guan.

I saw that Xiaoguan was built according to the fortified road of the mountains. It is high in the west and low in the east, surrounded by mountains on three sides.Only the tributary of the Jingshui broke through the mountains and meandered eastward from the side of Xiaoguan.

"Brother Wen Rong, when you recruited the people of 蜑獽 in the past, were there any herbal pickers who were good at climbing or were they from hunters?"

Just when Zhang Bao was once again shocked by Xiao Guan's majesty, Zheng Pu turned his head, pointed to the mountains on both sides of Xiao Guan and asked softly, "The kind that requires exceptional agility. If we don't alarm the Wei Wei defenders, Down, climb up the mountains on both sides."

Ok?
Hearing the sound, Zhang Bao looked sideways in amazement, seeing Zheng Pu's serious face did not seem to be joking, so he twisted his beard and carefully looked at the mountains on both sides of Xiaoguan.

There was no answer for a long time.

The people of the two tribes of Pihou live and thrive in Fuling County, where there are many mountains and rivers, and there are many people who are good at climbing.However, the mountain on which Xiaoguan rests is the fractured canyon of the Liupan Mountains, the canyon is extremely steep as if split by a huge knife and axe.

If the climber is a little careless, he will end up falling into mud.

However, since ancient times, compassion has not been in charge of soldiers.

Zhang Bao didn't make a sound immediately, not because he didn't want to let some of the poor people try it, but because he was afraid that Zheng Pu's matter would be missed.

After all, Zheng Pu, who is known for being resourceful and decisive, will never aim at nothing.

Since it was asked, there must be some planning.

"Of course there are, and there are not many."

After a long while, Zhang Baofang nodded slightly, "When I recruited soldiers in the past, most of the recruits were 'mountain beggars' who had nowhere to stand. Row to row, easy to climb with bare hands. The mountain here is too steep, and there are few rocks to borrow when climbing, so I dare not say for sure."

After finishing speaking, before Zheng Pu could make a sound, he waved his hands to the left and right subordinates to keep them away, and then asked in a low voice, "Zijin asked this question because he wanted the soldiers who are good at climbing to sneak into Xiao Guan, waiting for the opportunity to burn the food and fodder of the defenders against Wei?"

"Hehe~~~"

Involuntarily, Zheng Pu burst out laughing, shook his head and said, "No way. Isn't there a lot of food and fodder in the army and a heavy defense? If I think so, I will be beheading that rebellious Wei! Well, Brother Wen Rong, I just want to know whether the water taken by the defenders against the Wei Dynasty for food and cooking is a tributary of Jingshui."

"So best! So best!"

Immediately, Zhang Bao let out a long sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly.

He was thinking that if Zheng Pu had the intention of sending people to burn food, he would not be able to persuade him!
After a pause, he smiled and said, "If you just check the water source, you have nothing to worry about. The people of 蜑獽 have been living in the mountains and swamps for a long time, and their eyesight is very good! You don't need to climb to the top of the mountain, you can see it at a glance. Hmm , and there is no need to dispatch from the Qixi army, I will pick 20 people from the trilogy and give it to you."

Well, when Zhang Bao recruited soldiers in the past, 300 people were privately recruited out of family resources.

This time he was transferred from the Suihou army, and the prime minister also allowed him to take those parts away.

Today, some of these 300 people are accompanying Zhang Bao as retinues, and some are managing the Zhang family's fields and pastures in Longyou.

"Okay, thank you Brother Wen Rong!"

Zheng Pu beamed with joy, "Regardless of whether the brothers can find out the situation or not, I will reward them with the salary!"

"Hahaha~~~"

Not wanting to, Zhang Bao raised his eyebrows and laughed, with a slightly suspicious tone, "This is Zijin's family matter, just discuss it with my little sister, you don't need to talk to me."

My family?
Ask me Xijun Zhang Yan?

After hearing this, Zheng Pu was puzzled.

It also made Zhang Bao smile even more, and explained in a low voice.

It turned out that Zhang Bao had originally planned to give his younger sister Zhang Yan some retinues to her after she came to Longyou.

The right is to make up for the guilt that Zhang Yan's dowry was too meager when he got married because he exhausted his family resources by recruiting soldiers.

However, now that Wei Wei is about to invade in a large scale, Zhang Yan, who was originally scheduled to leave for Longyou in autumn and August, must postpone her departure for safety reasons until the war subsides.

According to the law at this time, all dowry items belong to the wife's private property, and neither the husband nor the husband's family can use them.

Now that Zheng Pu is using it first, Zhang Yan will have to make a few reproaches at that time.

That's why, after Zheng Pu fell silent, he was dumbfounded for a while.

This wife and brother have the style of roughness and fineness of my uncle Zhang Fei!
They've only been married for a few months, and they don't even forget to see the needles when they are busy with state affairs, helping their younger sister to suppress her son-in-law.
However, it doesn't matter anymore.

Even if he loses in swordsmanship, what else is there to care about.

"Never mind."

Zheng Pu glanced at Zhang Bao, and said in a somewhat angry tone, "In this case, please brother-in-law, please pick out my servants as soon as possible."

Xijun's retinue, these few words Zheng Pu took especially seriously.

It made Zhang Bao smile.

Afterwards, he had some regrets.

Because on the way back, no matter what he asked, if he wanted to know what kind of water Zheng Pu used to make meals for the defenders against the Wei Dynasty, Zheng Pu would either talk about him, or keep silent.

Just don't let him understand, don't worry!
It was not until five days later, when those subordinates who climbed the mountains on both sides of Xiaoguan and observed the rebellious Wei defenders for three days, came back to report, that he vaguely guessed the reason.

When it was confirmed that the defenders against the Wei Dynasty were eating from the tributaries of the Jing River, Zheng Pu wrote a letter to Zhuge Liang, the prime minister in Ji County, asking to send [-] sheep to work for the army.

Well, Lao Jun, it was Zheng Pu who prevaricated casually when he was asked.

Zhang Bao didn't believe it.

The army has its own laws.

Asking the prime minister to send sheep to work in the book, even Wei Yan, the left general who is known for his rebelliousness, dare not have such absurd thoughts!

And Zheng Pu, who is always resourceful, would be so unwise?

And it still costs two thousand!

Four days later, the prime minister replied, and unexpectedly agreed!
Zhang Bao also read the letter, only a few words.

Said:
"Yes! Within ten days, the sheep will arrive. However, if you are not careful in this plan, you will hurt yourself. Zijin should be careful."

What is the plan to use sheep?

Could it be that he wanted to drive the flocks outside Xiaoguan, and lure Wei Shoujun to come out greedily to snatch them, but our army is lying in ambush, so we can take the opportunity to seize the pass?

Zhang Bao guessed in his heart, and it was difficult to make a decision.

But Zheng Pu's next dispatch made him overturn what he thought.

Not only did Zheng Pu not set up an ambush, but he ordered the Xuanwu and Bixiu armies to move their camps, and one of them retreated more than [-] li to camp.

Afterwards, Yang Ji led five hundred cavalry to stand guard outside, and then dispatched more than a thousand people from the Xuanwu Army to dig a pit in a hidden depression between the Wating River and the tributaries of the Jing River.

Quite a big pit.

Zhang Bao thought to himself by visual inspection that this pit could accommodate the burial of more than a thousand corpses.

And ditches were dug on both sides of the pit.

The ditch connected to Wating Water is high in the east and low in the west, so it should be injected with water.

The ditches connecting the tributaries of the Jingshui River are completely opposite, and they draw water from the pits.

Therefore, Zhang Bao finally understood what Zheng Pu was thinking and planning.

When he was young, he was familiar with various schools of thought, and he also carefully studied many wars from the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States to the Qin and Han Dynasties.It also includes the usual tactics of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing who sent troops out to attack the Xiongnu during the period of Emperor Wu, and the Xiongnu avoided fighting instead of fighting.

What Zheng Pu is planning and doing now is faintly similar.

(End of this chapter)