Shuhan

Zhao Yun is facing an unprecedented challenge at this moment.

He stood in front of Chenggao Pass, his eyes sharp, but he had already planned a surprise attack in his mind.

Hundreds of elite Han troops, all veterans of many battles, are now ready to carry out an arduous task.

"Brothers, although this road is dangerous, it is the key to our army's victory." Zhao Yun said in a deep voice. Although his voice was not loud, it carried an unquestionable firmness.

He was dressed in silver armor, holding a spear, looking heroic, with an unyielding pride between his brows.

His eyes swept across the faces of the soldiers, and everyone felt the trust and expectations from their leader.

These hundreds of elite soldiers were divided into two groups by Zhao Yun.

They would advance along the rugged mountain path, intending to go around the back of Chenggao Pass and catch the Wei army by surprise.

The soldiers along the way were all agile and determined. They were well aware of the dangers of the journey, but no one backed down.

The mountain path is rugged and difficult to walk on, with jagged rocks and thorns everywhere.

The Han army soldiers held long swords, cut through the thorns and advanced step by step.

There were bloody scratches on their faces and hands from the thorns, but they didn't feel any pain at all. They only wanted to get to their destination as quickly as possible.

The mountain road is winding, sometimes steep and sometimes muddy.

The soldiers either climbed up or waded through the water, and every step was full of hardship.

The other route was to take a warship and land after bypassing Chenggao Pass.

Along the way, Zhao Yun specially selected dozens of warships, which were well-equipped and the soldiers were all in high spirits.

They knew that this route they took was a bait, in order to cover up the other route that took the mountain path.

However, they were not afraid at all. Instead, they were eager to fight the Wei army.

The warships cut through the waves on the sparkling river, the flags on the bows fluttering in the wind. Soldiers stood on the side of the ships, holding spears and looking forward with determined eyes.

There were determined expressions on their faces, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

However, the reaction of the Wei army was beyond Zhao Yun's expectations.

They seemed to have noticed the movements of the Han army long ago. When the warships had not yet approached the shore, the Wei army was already ready for battle.

Arrows rained down on the warships, and the soldiers raised their shields to block them.

However, the Wei army's attack was too fierce, and the Han soldiers on the warships were forced to retreat before they even landed.

"Quick! Retreat quickly!" the general on the ship shouted loudly, his voice full of anxiety.

The soldiers quickly gathered the boats and turned around to flee.

The warships left streaks of water on the surface of the river, looking as miserable as defeated deserters.

At the same time, the Han army that was taking the detour around the mountain also encountered trouble.

Although they successfully got behind the Wei army, many weapons and equipment were lost along the way because the mountain roads were rugged and difficult to navigate.

Some soldiers had lost their spears and could only fight with short swords; some soldiers had their armor torn, revealing their clothes underneath.

Their fighting power was severely reduced as a result, and although they were originally full of confidence, they couldn't help but feel a little worried at this moment.

When the Han army appeared behind the Wei army, the Wei army did not appear to panic.

They quickly adjusted their formation and attacked the Han army. The Wei army soldiers, armed with spears, fought bravely.

There was a ruthlessness in their eyes, as if they wanted to annihilate the Han army completely.

Although the Han soldiers fought with all their might, they soon fell into a bitter battle due to insufficient equipment and excessive physical exertion.

Their formation was broken up by the Wei army, and the soldiers fell to the ground one after another.

The blood dyed the land red and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood.

They were soon annihilated by the Wei army.

Zhao Yun stood on a high ground in the distance and witnessed all this, his heart filled with pain and helplessness.

He originally thought that his plan was flawless, but he did not expect the Wei army to react so quickly, and his strategy failed.

"I, Zhao Yun, have fought countless battles in my life, but when have I ever suffered such a setback?" He thought to himself, his brows furrowed, a look of unwillingness in his eyes.

He clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging deeply into his palms, but he felt no pain at all.

At this moment, Zhao Yun stood quietly on the high ground like a lonely statue.

His figure looked particularly lonely in the afterglow of the setting sun.

However, Zhao Yun was a battle-hardened general after all.

He knew very well that this was not the time to give in. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

Then he raised his head and looked into the distance with a determined gaze.

"Although we lost this battle, the morale of our army has not been extinguished."

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the tent. A quartermaster wearing armor and with a stern face hurried forward. There was a hint of anxiety in his eyes and a few drops of sweat on his forehead. It was obvious that he had jogged all the way here.

He stood in front of Zhao Yun, bowed, and then began to report a thorny issue - the problem of food and fodder.

"General, although Yanzhou and Youzhou have been pacified not long ago, the current situation is becoming increasingly difficult." The quartermaster's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to hit Zhao Yun's heart.

"This year, the weather was not good. We encountered a severe drought and the land output was extremely limited. In addition, bandits were rampant and could not be stopped despite repeated bans. They not only robbed the people's food, but also often harassed our grain transport teams. What's worse, the Wei State School Affairs Office has been secretly destroying farming in these places and burning farmland, so that our logistics and grain supply have serious problems."

When Zhao Yun heard this, his brows furrowed and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

Food and grass are the foundation of the army. Once the food and grass are insufficient, the army will be in chaos. At that time, let alone fighting, even maintaining daily livelihood will become a problem. He hurriedly asked: "How long can the food and grass last?"

The quartermaster pondered for a moment, as if calculating the amount of food and grass left in his mind, and then slowly said: "General, at the current consumption rate, the food and grass can only last for two months."

Two months?
Zhao Yun's heart sank. This number was undoubtedly a heavy blow to him.

He knew very well that two months was too short for a war. Once the food and grass were exhausted, the Han army would face a devastating disaster.

His eyes became serious and his brows furrowed even tighter, as if he could pinch a fly to death.

However, Zhao Yun was a battle-hardened general after all, and he was not intimidated by this sudden difficulty.

On the contrary, various countermeasures flashed through his mind quickly, trying to find a good way to solve the current dilemma.

After a moment, his eyes lit up and he thought of a solution.

"We can graze our war horses on both sides of the Yellow River."

Zhao Yun's voice was firm and powerful, as if he had seen the dawn of hope.

"This will not only reduce the loss of food and grass by horses and livestock, but also ensure that the war horses have sufficient fodder."

When the quartermaster heard this, a look of embarrassment appeared on his face.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "General, this plan is good, but it may be inappropriate. Once we graze our horses on both sides of the Yellow River, the Wei army will realize that we are running out of food and grass. At that time, they may take the opportunity to launch an offensive, which will be disadvantageous to us."

Zhao Yun smiled faintly when he heard this. He knew the risks of this strategy, but he knew that sometimes, risks are opportunities.

He slowly stood up, walked to the quartermaster, patted him on the shoulder, and said earnestly: "You are right, but this is exactly my strategy."

The quartermaster looked stunned, obviously not expecting Zhao Yun to say that.

He stared at Zhao Yun with wide eyes as if he was looking at a madman.

You know, once the Wei army knew that the Han army was short of food and grass, they would definitely launch an offensive with all their might when the Han army was short of food and could no longer survive, trying to annihilate the Han army in one fell swoop.

Zhao Yun looked at the quartermaster's astonished expression and laughed in his heart.

He knew the madness of this plan, but he trusted his own judgment more.

He took a deep breath and then said slowly: "What I want is to make the Wei army think that we are running out of food and grass. In this way, they will relax their vigilance and think that we are unable to resist. And then, we can take advantage of this opportunity to give them a fatal blow."

As he spoke, a hint of determination and firmness flashed in Zhao Yun's eyes.

His eyes seemed to penetrate the tent and see the battlefield in the distance and the future victory.

The quartermaster listened to Zhao Yun's words and gradually understood his intention.

He looked at Zhao Yun's firm eyes and resolute expression, and couldn't help but feel a surge of respect in his heart.

At this time, the afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on the earth, covering the whole world with a layer of golden gauze.

The soldiers outside the tent were busy, some were training, some were patrolling, and some were preparing dinner.

Their figures appear particularly agile and powerful in the reflection of the setting sun.

Zhao Yun looked at all this and felt a warm feeling in his heart.

He turned around firmly and said to the quartermaster: "Pass the order and execute my plan immediately. We must let the Wei army know that the Han army's food and grass are difficult to maintain!"

Chenggao Pass, a strategic pass nestled between towering mountains, now looks more gloomy and solemn in the afterglow of the setting sun. The walls of the pass are high, the arrow towers are majestic, and the stone walls are still as solid as ever after the baptism of time, like a silent guardian, witnessing the baptism of countless wars. At the pass, the guard stood on the top of the city wall, his eyes like torches, scanning the vast battlefield outside the pass. He was wearing heavy armor, which shone coldly in the setting sun, his face was firm, and his brows revealed an unyielding heroic spirit.

On this day, as the sky gradually darkened, the commander of Chenggao Pass was patrolling the city gate as usual. Suddenly, his eyes froze on a scene in the distance, and he saw an unexpected scene taking place in the Han army camp.

The Han army camp should have been in good order, with battle flags flying and soldiers either training or resting. But at this moment, there was a strange tranquility mixed with a little chaos. The guard looked carefully and saw that the Han army soldiers were driving their livestock and horses, not towards the battlefield, but towards the grassland in the distance. Those horses were fat and strong, and were originally good helpers on the battlefield, but at this moment, they were like ordinary livestock, being driven by the Han army soldiers to graze.

The guard's heart moved, his brows knitted, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. He knew very well that the importance of war horses to an army was self-evident. War horses not only carried the heavy responsibility of the soldiers charging into battle, but were also the key to the mobility of the army. The consumption of war horses in a day was far more than that of two or three soldiers, and they needed a lot of food and grass to support them. Now, the Han army actually drove the war horses to graze, and the meaning of this was self-evident.

He narrowed his eyes and carefully observed every detail of the Han army camp. There were few tents, little smoke from cooking, and the faces of the soldiers revealed a trace of fatigue and helplessness. All of this seemed to confirm his guess - the Han army was short of food!
The general suddenly understood, and an indescribable joy surged in his heart. He knew that for an army, food and grass were life. Once food and grass were cut off, the army would be in trouble, morale would be low, and combat effectiveness would be greatly reduced. The fact that the Han army drove the horses to graze at this moment was undoubtedly a sign that they could no longer sustain the food and grass.

He turned around and looked at the soldiers behind him, his eyes flashing with determination. His voice was steady and powerful, as if it could penetrate the smoke of the battlefield and reach the depths of every soldier's heart: "Brothers, look! The Han army has run out of food and grass. This is our chance! As long as we hold on to Chenggao Pass for a while longer, the Han army will retreat! By then, we can free up our hands to deal with the Han army E Huan in Mengjin!"

The soldiers were excited when they heard this, and their eyes were full of fighting spirit. They knew that the general's words were not groundless, but were based on an accurate judgment of the current situation. They held their weapons tightly, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

The general turned around again and looked at the Han army camp in the distance, with an irrepressible sense of pride in his heart. He knew that the key to the victory of this battle was who could hold on to the end. At this moment, the Han army's food and grass problem undoubtedly gave them a great opportunity.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm his excitement. He knew that as a defender, he had to stay calm and rational in order to lead his soldiers to victory. He glanced at the soldiers on the top of the city again and saw that they were all in high spirits. He nodded, his heart full of confidence.

As night fell, the lights in Chenggao Pass were bright, and the soldiers were on full alert, ready for the upcoming battle. The defender stood on the top of the city, staring at the Han army camp in the distance, silently thinking about the next plan in his mind.

As time went by, the noise in the Han army camp became quieter and quieter, and the smoke from cooking gradually died down. The garrison commander knew that this was a sign that the Han army had to reduce their activities and conserve their energy due to lack of food. He sneered, and his judgment became more firm in his mind.

. . .

After a month, the season has quietly entered deep winter.

The sky was like grey satin, hanging heavily. The snow fluttered down in large flakes, as light as goose feathers, yet bringing a biting chill.

The snow covered the earth, making everything look white, but also hiding all life.

On this vast snowy plain, even the grass roots and seeds had been eaten clean by the grazing war horses of the Han army, leaving only patches of bare yellow earth, telling of the bleakness and desolation of winter.

The bustling scene in the Han army camp no longer existed.

The tents were dismantled one by one, and the soldiers were busy and orderly packing their luggage in preparation for evacuation.

The war horses also looked exhausted. They lowered their heads and the white air from their nostrils rose in the cold wind and then dissipated into the endless sky.

As the Han army's logistical supply lines were blocked and food and fodder were running out, they had to decide to retreat in batches and in an orderly manner.

seem.

The Han army's strategy of attacking Chenggao Pass this year failed. (End of this chapter)