Three Kingdoms: Wolong's brother-in-law, tricking Liu Bei into seizing Jingzhou

Yu Jin was stimulated by Cao Cao's words and jumped out to take on the important task of defending Jicheng and covering the rear.

Cheng Gongying had no choice but to step forward and volunteer.

As a native of Liangzhou, he was unwilling to flee to Yizhou to beg for food.

Only by staying in Jicheng might there be a chance of turning the situation around.

Moreover, the surprise attack on Chencang failed, causing Cao Cao to lose many soldiers and his wrist to be broken. He cannot escape blame.

Volunteering to cover the rear can be considered as making up for one's mistake, even if one cannot turn the situation around.

Even if he had to flee to Yizhou in the end, he at least had a place with Cao Cao and would not be unable to hold his head up.

Cao Cao's expression turned from gloomy to bright, and a satisfied smile flashed across his face.

"Well, well, well, among those from other families, there are indeed some loyal and brave people."

"Yu Wenzhe, you are indeed an old minister who has followed me for many years. You have not let me down."

"And you, Cheng Gong Bo Ming, you are also a loyal and brave minister of the Qin Dynasty."

After praising them profusely, Cao Cao stood up and walked down the stairs, patting the two men on the shoulders and saying:
"I will entrust the important task of defending Jicheng and covering the retreat of the main force to you."

"As soon as I pass Qishan, you will abandon the city and retreat southward."

"I have prepared a welcoming banquet in Hanzhong, waiting to celebrate your success!"

Yu Jin and Cheng Gongying accepted the order generously and expressed their determination passionately.

The decision to retreat south was thus made.

On that day, Cao Cao led more than 40,000 main forces, as well as tens of thousands of civil and military officials and their families, and hurriedly fled Jicheng to the south.

Yu Jin led 30,000 troops and began to step up the construction of city defenses, waiting for the Han army to attack.

North direction.

After Liu Bei captured Lueyang, he led an army of 300,000 and marched southward in a mighty force.

All the cities along the way surrendered at the sight of this.

Less than a day after Cao Cao's withdrawal, the vanguard of the Han army reached the north bank of the Wei River, facing Jicheng on the south bank across the river.

Although the Qin army broke the ice in the Jicheng area at this time, the Han army had no way to cross the river directly.

But the Wei River stretches for hundreds of miles, and there is more than one place where it can be crossed.

Liu Bei left more than 40,000 soldiers and horses and set up camp on the north bank. After monitoring and containing the Qin army in Jicheng, he led the main force along the north bank all the way downstream.

A day later, the Han army successfully crossed the river on ice in the Shangbang River basin.

After taking Shangbang without bloodshed, the Han army turned back to the south bank and marched westward, arriving at Jicheng that same day.

Yu Jin naturally did not dare to leave the city to fight, and all 30,000 soldiers hid in Jicheng and dared not go out.

The Qin army, numbering more than 200,000, began to set up camps on all sides of Jicheng and built a siege.

Yu Jin and his 30,000 soldiers could only stand on the top of Jicheng City, watching the Han army calmly set up camp and gradually surround Jicheng, but they were helpless.

...

In the blink of an eye, it was five days later.

The Qin soldiers in Jicheng were trembling in fear as they watched the Han army camp gradually closing in outside the city.

"I wonder where Your Majesty is now, and how far is he from Qishan?"

Yu Jin looked towards the south and muttered to himself.

Cheng Gongying counted a few times on his fingers and said:
"Your Majesty is accompanied by the princes, princesses, concubines, and the families of civil and military officials. Naturally, the marching speed cannot be too fast."

"But even if it's slow, according to my calculations, we should be able to cross Qishan in three days."

Yu Jin raised his eyebrows slightly and nodded:

"That's good. It looks like the big-eared thieves won't attack Jicheng for a while. We should be able to defend it for three days."

Cheng Gongying sighed, but said bitterly:

"We can hold out for another three days, but if the Han army completes the siege after three days, Jicheng will be turned into a dead city." "General Yu, do you want to repeat the mistakes of Lueyang City?"

"This time, I'm afraid we won't be so lucky to escape alive."

Yu Jin's body started to shudder, as he was suddenly reminded.

With 300,000 Han troops besieging the city, it would be impossible to break out even if you had wings.

The time when they took Luoyang City, they were able to escape safely because Yan Xing happened to surrender to the Han Dynasty and pleaded with Liu Bei on their behalf.

Who can plead for them this time?
"boom!"

Yu Jin pounded the battlement with his fist, a barely perceptible trace of regret flashing across his brow.

He seemed to be secretly regretting that he should not have been provoked by Cao Cao's words that day and impulsively volunteered to stay in Jicheng to cover their retreat.

He was a loyal minister and received praise from Cao Cao, but what was the use?

If Jicheng was captured, would I die fighting for my country, or become Liu Bei's prisoner?
If unfortunately he was captured, should he surrender to Liu Bei or would he rather die than surrender?

The more Yu Jin thought about it, the more guilty he felt, and cold sweat gradually broke out on his forehead.

"General Yu, General Cheng Gong's words make sense. We can't just sit there and wait for death."

"Your Majesty, retreating to Hanzhong should not be a problem. Our mission has been completed, and it is time to think about a way out for ourselves."

"Why don't we break out from the south gate tonight and catch up with Your Majesty while the Han army is still encircling the camp?"

General Zhao Ang pleaded anxiously.

There was no way, he was really anxious.

Also a native of Liangzhou and a wealthy family in Tianshui County, he followed Cheng Gongying in the assassination of Ma Chao.

They were all backstabbing, but he was much more ruthless than Yan Xing.

Yan Xing only led his troops to attack Ma Chao, but Zhao Ang directly raided Ma Chao's old nest, Jicheng, and killed Ma Chao's wife and children.

The hatred of killing one's wife and destroying one's children is irreconcilable.

If he was defeated and captured, and unfortunately fell into Ma Chao's hands, it would be strange if Ma Chao did not grind him to dust.

Originally, he wanted to follow Cao Cao and escape to Jicheng with the main force to end it all.

But Cao Cao chose to keep him and his troops behind, and under the leadership of Jin, they were given the important task of defending Jicheng and cutting off their retreat.

Zhao Ang was anxious.

Now that he saw that the Han army was about to surround him, he became even more anxious and almost knelt down to beg Yu Jin to immediately order the army to abandon the city and break out.

Yu Jin was obviously persuaded, and he looked towards the south, as if thinking about something.

Although Cao Cao is still two or three days away from Qishan, even if the Han army captures Jicheng and pursues him, by the time they reach Qishan, Cao Cao should have retreated to Yizhou.

The Han army's encirclement had not yet been closed, especially in the south, where there was still a gap at least half a mile wide.

Such a big gap was enough for his 30,000 soldiers to break through.

If what Zhao Ang said is true, the chances of successfully breaking out are still very high.

"Brother Zhao, have you ever thought about why Liu Bei was the slowest to encircle the southern part even though he knew that the southern part led to Hanzhong?"

Cheng Gongying suddenly said this.

Zhao Ang was stunned.

Yu Jin also looked suspicious and asked:
"Berming, just say whatever you want to say."

Cheng Gongying took a deep breath, raised his hand, pointed to the south, and said slowly:
"The reason why the Han army left a gap in the south and delayed encircling it was because they wanted us to think there was a chance of breaking out and choose to break out from the nearest south."

"I expect Liu Bei will set up a heavy ambush on the road we must take to the south and annihilate us in one fell swoop!"

"If we break out from the south, we will be walking into a trap!"

Yu Jin suddenly realized and couldn't help but take a deep breath. (End of this chapter)