Three Kingdoms: I, Liu Feng, do not want to die

The old friend Liu Feng mentioned was Yu Jin.

In less than five days, an army of over ten thousand appeared outside Pingchun City as if divine soldiers had descended from the heavens.

Looking at the "Prince of Yan" banner flying high outside the city, Yu Jin could hardly believe his eyes.

"This banner belongs to Liu Feng?"

"Wasn't Liu Feng in Jiangling City? How come he suddenly appeared outside Pingchun City?"

"Could it be that Yu Fan is bluffing?"

Yu Jin was both surprised and suspicious.

What was surprising was that Liu Feng's sudden arrival in Pingchun City was illogical.

What is doubtful is what Yu Fan said during his second visit to Pingchun City.

During this period.

Yu Jin did indeed send people to investigate the situation in Shiyang City.

Although he learned that a large number of banners had appeared in Shiyang City, Yu Jin did not pay attention to it, thinking that Yu Fan was just bluffing.

Gazing at the banner bearing the inscription "Prince of Yan" hanging high, Yu Jin felt a strange sense of apprehension.

Once bitten, twice shy.

In the Battle of Shiyang, Wen Ping was executed, and Yu Jin was forced to flee in disarray.

"Don't panic."

"This is Yu Fan bluffing."

Yu Jin once again categorized the Han soldiers outside the city as Yu Fan's bluff.

At the same time, orders were sent to the troops to prevent them from neglecting the defense of the city due to fear.

Just now.

A general rode in on horseback, shouting urging surrender.

"Listen up on the city wall! I am Fang Yue, a general under the command of the Prince of Yan. I have come here on the Prince's orders to persuade you to surrender."

"The King of Yan only allowed me to ask one question: Will you surrender or not?"

Hearing Fang Yue's powerful shouts, the Wei soldiers on the city wall were even more alarmed.

A person's name, the shadow of a tree.

Liu Feng's prestige has been soaring in recent years that even his mere title is enough to intimidate those who dare to defy him.

"Is it really Liu Feng? Can we hold out?"

"Don't panic. The former general said this is a bluff by the Han traitors, and Liu Feng is still in Jiangling City."

“But the Han rebels outside the city are well-organized and don’t seem to be bluffing.”

"Stop guessing, it's too risky. Just listen to the former general."

"General, what should we do now?"

"."

The soldiers were terrified, and the officers were worried.

Looking at the reactions of the soldiers around him, Yu Jin frowned.

With a wink, the lieutenant shouted back, "How could the brave warriors of Wei surrender to the treacherous Han dogs?"

Fang Yue shouted, "Who are you to dare to speak so arrogantly?"

The lieutenant shouted, "I am Bao Yong, the lieutenant under the former general. Fang Yue, you brat, if you have the guts, come and attack the city. Don't waste your breath with words!"

Fang Yue laughed loudly: "Good! As you wish!"

Subsequently.

Fang Yue spurred his horse back and shouted to the rear ranks, "The Wei traitors have not surrendered! Attack the city immediately!"

In an instant.

The drums sounded, and the banners fluttered.

The assassins, who had been waiting for orders, donned their armor and advanced.

The archers advanced in formation, unleashing a hail of arrows that rained down on the walls of Pingchun.

The lieutenant's expression changed drastically, and he cried out, "Avoid the arrows!"

But in one's heart.

The lieutenant cursed under his breath again.

Is all you're going to do is offer one word of persuasion to convince them to surrender?
Couldn't you have offered a few more words of advice?
Although I won't lower my price, isn't your change of heart a bit too abrupt?

What the lieutenant didn't know was:

Liu Feng was experienced in battle. Since he had chosen to launch a surprise attack on Pingchun City, why would he waste time by trying to persuade Yu Jin to surrender, giving Yu Jin time to reorganize his morale and deploy troops?

If they don't surrender, we'll fight.

It's that simple!
Or rather:

The attempt to persuade them to surrender was merely to let the Wei soldiers on the city walls know who had come.

The purpose is to use Liu Feng's name to intimidate the Wei soldiers on the city wall and demoralize them.

Now that the goal has been achieved, there's no time to waste.

The small city of Pingchun is not as well-defended as the large city of Shouchun, and it is even less well-defended than the city of Hefei.

If Sima Yi hadn't sent troops to Luyang, the defense would have been much easier.

And now.

Sima Yi divided his troops.

Liu Feng didn't take the small garrison at Pingchun City seriously.

Compared to the Jiangdong army, which needed to temporarily allocate Shu brocade to entice them with benefits, Liu Feng's elite troops only needed to shout a slogan.

Because all the generals and soldiers knew very well that Liu Feng was always fair in rewarding and punishing, and always kept his word.

The families of all the soldiers in Xincheng County were also well taken care of by Liu Feng.

Even if Liu Feng is not in Xincheng County, his wife Sun Yan will represent him to offer condolences and assistance.

What is a suicide squad member?

Raise an army for a thousand days, use it for a while.

"Death warriors" are people who are kept in captivity and serve their lord when needed. They don't have to worry about their lives or their wives and children going to other men after they die in battle.

Looking at the well-organized and spirited Han soldiers, Yu Jin's doubts gradually disappeared, replaced by astonishment.

"This isn't a bluff! Liu Feng really has arrived!"

If it's just bluffing, all they do is wave flags and shout slogans; they can't actually attack the city.

The Han soldiers before them looked fierce and menacing, as if they wanted to devour Pingchun City alive.

There were also arrows used for suppression, catapults were used in formation, ladders were used to reinforce walls, battering rams were used to break down doors, and there were also fearless armored warriors.

We've fallen for their trap!

Yu Fan didn't come to ask for cooperation; he deliberately tricked Sima Yi into dividing his troops and leaving!
Liu Feng wanted more than just Liu Shan to be unable to win in Luyang; he also wanted to capture the city and achieve merit.

This treats us all as the snipe and the clam.

Yu Jin quickly analyzed the current situation in his mind and guessed Liu Feng's intentions.

however.

I guessed it, but that's all I could do.

Sima Yi has now divided his troops and left only three thousand men in Pingchun City.

It won't be easy to stop Liu Feng's strong attack with just over three thousand men!
Taking a deep breath, Yu Jin issued a series of military orders, including orders to defend the city and orders to request reinforcements.

If it were Guan Ping or Guan Xing who came, Yu Jin would be confident in defending Pingchun City; but if it were Liu Feng who came, Yu Jin would not be so confident.

outside the city.

Liu Feng stood on his horse.

They quickly issued one combat order after another.

In addition to attacking the city, it also included sending troops to cut off the only road from Pingchun to Luyang.

Liu Feng needs to capture Pingchun City before Sima Yi returns.

After Cao Pi sent people to cultivate land in the Pingchun and Yiyang areas, Pingchun became a good granary.

In other words.

Pingchun City is not short of food, so besieging the city and waiting for Pingchun City to run out of food is not a viable strategy.

There is no other way but to launch a direct attack.

Although Sun Tzu's Art of War states that "attacking cities is the lowest form of warfare," once you're on the battlefield, it's impossible not to attack cities. The saying "attacking cities is the lowest form of warfare" is more relevant to dealing with large cities like Shouchun.

For a small city like Pingchun, with a capable general in charge and no shortage of supplies, a direct assault is the most effective way to break through.

The shouts of battle raged from morning till night.

The Han soldiers' morale remained high.

They even worked through the night, attacking in shifts.

Liu Feng planned to use his superior military strength to keep Yu Jin, who was inside the city, busy dealing with the situation.

Any time.

Outnumbering the enemy is always the easiest way to win on the battlefield.

Fighting against overwhelming odds is a last resort.

"General, Han traitors are attacking the city from the west gate!"

As night deepened, a sudden snoring infuriated Yu Jin, who was just about to close his eyes for a nap.

During the daytime siege, Liu Feng concentrated his forces at the south gate, and during the nighttime battles, he also launched a strong attack on the south gate.

As a result, late at night, Liu Feng actually sent troops to the west gate again.

"A mere trick, how could it possibly fool me!"

While Yu Jin was still angry, he sent more soldiers to the west gate.

And half an hour later.

Another soldier came to report.

"General, Han traitors are attacking the city from the east gate!"

again!

Yu Jin was furious.

Although Yu Jin knew that Liu Feng was doing this on purpose, he was helpless.

We can't just leave our troops undeployed for defense, can we?
It's early morning.

Another soldier came to report.

"General, Han traitors are attacking the city from the north gate!"

Upon hearing the soldier's cry, Yu Jin's face turned ashen.

In a normal siege, to prevent the defenders from fighting to the death and then escaping, a way out is always left to demoralize them.

For a skilled general, there are very few times when he is attacked from all sides.

And now.

Liu Feng opted for a four-pronged attack!
Was Liu Feng ignorant of military strategy?

impossible!
If Liu Feng didn't understand military strategy, then there were very few people in his time who did.

Yu Jin could guess that Liu Feng was determined to take Pingchun City!
This was repeated for three days.

The defenders in Pingchun City began to tire, while the morale of the Han soldiers grew even higher due to their obvious chance of victory.

"General, the Han rebels' offensive is too fierce. If reinforcements don't arrive, I'm afraid we won't last ten days." The deputy general's tone was anxious, and his eyes were bloodshot from staying up all night.

Yu Jin's face remained indifferent.

If even a deputy general could understand the battlefield situation, Yu Jin could naturally understand it as well.

however.

Even if Sima Yi returned with his troops upon hearing the news, it would take at least ten days, assuming the messenger seeking help could successfully meet Sima Yi.

"During a major battle, if you dare to speak nonsense and disrupt the morale of our army again, I will kill you to uphold military discipline." Yu Jin did not tell his deputy the solution, but instead rebuked him with a cold face.

Yu Jin always emphasized military discipline, and this rebuke immediately silenced the deputy general.

The deputy general didn't know whether Pingchun City could be defended.

However, if the deputy general disobeys Yu Jin's military orders, he will certainly not survive.

Yu Jin took a deep breath.

When the disparity in strength is too great, strategies are unlikely to be effective.

Cases like the Battle of Changshe, where the Yellow Turbans camped in the grass but were burned down by the government army, were rare.

Even for a warrior as skilled as Liu Feng, the decisive factor in the Jiangling crisis was not strategy but bravery.

Strategies only played a supporting role; the outcome was still determined by which side had better equipment and was more valiant.

And now.

In terms of equipment, the Wei army had no advantage.

In terms of ferocity, the Wei army also had no advantage.

Even the auxiliary strategies were used by Yu Jin, but he fell for Liu Feng's trap.

Aside from the geographical advantage of having Pingchun City, Yu Jin had no other advantages.

natural.

Aside from strictly enforcing military discipline to maintain morale and defend the city to the death, Yu Jin had no other way to break the deadlock. Should he leave the city and fight Liu Feng?

Yu Jin was neither Zhang Liao nor Xu Huang; he lacked their strength and courage.

in contrast.

Liu Feng was the one who most wanted Yu Jin to leave the city and fight.

As the King of Yan and Grand General, Liu Feng no longer needs to be the first to charge into the city. However, if he has to fight outside the city, Liu Feng will surely break through the enemy lines with his bravery.

The Han army's offensive grew more intense each day, and the casualties among the defenders in Pingchun City increased daily.

On the road leading to Luyang.

One by one, the Wei army messengers were either captured or killed; not a single one escaped!

On the ninth day...

Liu Feng ordered his men to carry the head of the Wei army messenger and push the captured Wei army messenger to the city walls, where he once again tried to persuade the Wei army to surrender.

"Listen up, you on the city wall! The Prince of Yan is benevolent and does not wish for you to die fighting alongside Yu Jin. He has specially ordered me to come again to persuade you to surrender!"

Fang Yue spurred his horse and shouted.

"Yu Jin did not surrender because his son was still in Luoyang; if Yu Jin were to die in battle, his son could inherit the title of Marquis of Yishou and live a life of comfort and ease."

And you soldiers who fought to the death and died for the city, not only will your sons not be granted titles, but the women in your families will also be married off to other men. Isn't that tragic?

Cao Pi and his son usurped the Han throne and established the Wei dynasty, and they also mistreated the people. Are you still willing to die for such tyrannical people?

Your ability to hold out for nine days proves you are all true warriors. The King of Yan greatly admires warriors; if you surrender, he will treat you with great honor.

Do you know why we fought to the death and still maintained our high morale?
Because my wife and children have been protected by the Prince of Yan in Xincheng County, and have no worries about food and clothing.

We are not worried that after we die, the women of Jiazhong will become other men's wives, nor are we worried that our children will be left without anyone to care for them, as the Prince of Yan will take care of them for us.

My final plea: If you surrender, we will serve the King of Yan together and share wealth and honor; if you do not surrender, we will perish when the city falls.

Your messengers have been intercepted, so you can forget about sending reinforcements.

With Sima Yi's intelligence, he could have guessed that the Prince of Yan would attack Pingchun City, but in order to show his loyalty to Cao Rui, he disregarded the danger of Pingchun City and insisted on sending troops to Luyang to assist in the attack, and even took away the troops from Pingchun City.

Their sinister intentions are nothing more than to make you all lose your lives in vain.

A few words.

It was powerful and resonant, a mixture of truth and falsehood.

The already low morale of the Wei soldiers was further dampened by Fang Yue's words.

Seemingly fearing that few Wei soldiers would hear the proclamation, Liu Feng sent men to shoot surrender proclamations through the four gates, hoping to demoralize the Wei soldiers.

All of a sudden.

The Wei soldiers in Pingchun City were filled with fear and unease.

Even though Yu Jin executed several minor military commanders, he couldn't stop the rumors from spreading. Instead, the deaths of these minor military commanders fueled Yu Jin's dissatisfaction.

If you die, your son can be granted a noble title.

When we die, our sons will become slaves, and the women of our household will be divided among other men.

Why?
If the Han army's offensive is not strong, the Wei soldiers will not show such thoughts even if they have them.

But now the Han army's offensive is too fierce, the morale of the Wei soldiers is low, and their dissatisfaction and resentment are like water bursting its banks, impossible to stop!

Why is it that when Liu Feng's soldiers die, he supports their wives and children, but when we die, we get nothing?

People are not worried about scarcity but about inequality; this is a timeless truth.

Liu Feng gave the Wei soldiers in Pingchun City only half a day to consider their options. At the same time, he withdrew the troops from the north gate and ambushed them at a crucial point outside the north gate.

With the current morale of the Wei army soldiers, the tactic of surrounding three sides and leaving one side open has room to be implemented.

What good is having plenty of food in the city?

If military strength is insufficient, one's own grain reserves become the enemy's granary.

As the Han army launched another fierce attack, the Wei soldiers inside the city began to have differing thoughts.

Yu Jin also sensed the change in his own army's morale and Liu Feng's intention to encircle three sides while leaving one open, and reluctantly gripped the hilt of his sword.

Are you going to escape again?

Yu Jin's eyes were bloodshot.

When Shi Yangcheng fled, Yu Jin was not punished but was even promoted. This was because, in addition to the fact that Yu Jin was not the main general, Cao Pi was also worried that Yu Jin would be afraid of being punished and would be demoted again.

But now.

Yu Jin was the commander-in-chief of Pingchun. If he abandoned the city and fled, he would definitely be punished.

Why did Sima Yi fall for the trap and divide his troops?

Yu Jin knew very well that if Cao Pi had to choose between Sima Yi and Yu Jin to hold accountable, he would definitely hold Yu Jin accountable.

now.

Surrender is a disgrace, and Yu Jin is unwilling to do it again.

Fleeing would be met with accountability, and would also implicate his wife and children in Luoyang.

Yu Jin had no choice but to fight to the death.

"Enough! Enough! Today I may die, so why be afraid?" Having made up his mind, Yu Jin no longer hesitated.

South Gate.

Clad in heavy armor, Yue Ju once again scaled the city wall.

As one of Liu Feng's most valued and valiant generals, Yue Ju's performance lived up to Liu Feng's high regard.

He was always the first to charge into battle and was also the fastest to be promoted under Liu Feng, accumulating military merits that surpassed those of veteran generals like Fang Yue.

It should be noted that Fang Yue and others had followed Liu Feng for more than ten years, while Yue Ju had only followed Liu Feng for a few years.

"I am Yue Ju, a general under the command of the Prince of Yan. Who dares to fight me to the death!" Yue Ju held a heavy shield in one hand and a heavy sword in the other. His fierce and valiant spirit was unstoppable.

After years of life-and-death trials and personal guidance from Liu Feng, Yue Ju's personal combat strength has undergone a qualitative change.

If Yue Ju was merely an ordinary junior officer seeking advancement during the Battle of Nan Commandery seven years ago, then Yue Ju today is more than qualified to be called a fierce general.

Yang Xing, Yan Cheng, and others followed closely behind and also climbed the city wall.

These men were all rising stars in Liu Feng's army, ambitious to advance and appreciated by Liu Feng. They were all extremely brave on the battlefield.

"General, the enemy forces are overwhelming, and the city walls are about to fall." The lieutenant retreated to Yu Jin's side, his voice filled with fear.

Just now, the deputy commander saw Yue Ju's ferocity as if cutting melons and vegetables, and was indignant. He wanted to go forward and drive him away, but instead, Yue Ju shattered his tiger's mouth.

"Shut up!"

Yu Jin growled.

"Since I have eaten the king's food, I should die for the king."

"As long as the city stands, people live; if the city falls, people die."

Yu Jin drew his sword and joined the battle.

The lieutenant, worried that Yu Jin might be in danger, quickly followed.

however.

The tide of battle could not be turned around by Yu Jin's sheer courage.

When they discovered that Yu Jin had joined, Yue Ju, Yang Xing, and the others' eyes lit up.

If you kill Yu Jin, you can be ennobled!

"General Yue Ju is here! Anyone who tries to stop me will die!" Yue Ju slammed his shield into the Wei soldier beside him, then charged toward Yu Jin like a bull charging.

Generals such as Yang Xing and Yan Cheng also followed suit.

Swords clashed.

Yue Ju sensed that Yu Jin's strength was inferior to his own and couldn't help but grin: "Yu Jin, you're getting old!"

Yu Jin has also turned sixty.

Yue Ju was in his prime.

It is said that youth has the upper hand in boxing, and this is also true on the battlefield.

If Yu Jin were not a former general, then he would be an old, weak, sick, or disabled man in the army. Although he had rich experience in commanding troops, he no longer possessed the fierce courage he had in his prime.

"Killing you is enough!"

Although Yu Jin was old, he refused to admit it. After uttering cold words, he slashed his sword fiercely at Yue Ju.

Sensing Yu Jin's determination to fight to the death, Yue Ju dared not be careless.

These veterans were all forged in battle during their prime; carelessness meant certain death.

If this were to become Han De's five-member family, they would be condemned for eternity.

As the fighting continued, Yu Jin's personal guards dwindled in number.

After a while.

Yang Xing and Yan Cheng also joined the battle, fighting alongside Yue Ju against Yu Jin.

It was already very difficult to defeat Yue Ju alone.

Now, with Yue Ju, Yang Xing, and Yan Cheng to fight, Yu Jin found himself in a perilous situation.

"Caught alive!"

Almost at the same time.

Yue Ju and the other two shouted in unison.

The living are more useful than the dead!

Yu Jin's expression changed.

If they were to die in battle, the guards would fight on to repay Yu Jin's kindness.

If captured, the guards would have to abandon the fight and surrender for fear of harming the innocent.

"You three think you can capture me?"

Yu Jin shouted angrily.

The words fell.

Another voice rang out: "What if I were included!"

The one who arrived was none other than the fierce general He Yuan.

With four generals surrounding him, Yu Jin was powerless to resist.

Yue Ju unleashed a powerful bull charge, dislocating Yu Jin's hand that was gripping his sword from the heavy shield!
Yang Xing, Yan Cheng, and He Yuan attacked together. Two held him down, and one tied him up. Yue Ju then cut off his battle robe and stuffed it into Yu Jin's mouth.

Their movements were incredibly skillful, clearly indicating they had worked together extensively.

"Yu Jin has been captured alive by us. Those who surrender will not be killed!" Yue Ju shouted at the top of his lungs.

Unable to struggle or shout for his personal guards to continue fighting, Yu Jin could only stare helplessly at his disoriented soldiers.

Taking the opportunity, Yue Ju shouted, "The Prince of Yan and Yu Jin have a past relationship and once shared drinks. Although they had to kill each other due to their differing stances, as long as you stop resisting, the Prince of Yan will remember your loyalty and past friendship and will not kill Yu Jin. If you remain obstinate, then I will have no choice but to execute Yu Jin immediately!"

Yue Ju understood people's hearts.

Upon hearing this, Yu Jin's personal guards lost all will to fight.

The personal guards' duty is to protect the commander-in-chief, and ensuring the commander-in-chief's survival is their sole objective.

Yu Jin's personal guards lost their weapons, and the remaining Wei soldiers on the city wall lost all will to resist.

Looking at the Wei soldiers kneeling on the ground, Yu Jin's angry eyes turned dejected.

They've been captured again!
With Yu Jin's capture and the surrender of the Wei soldiers at the South Gate, the West and East Gates did not hold out for long either.

The Wei soldiers who tried to escape through the north gate were also intercepted by the ambush troops outside the north gate. Some died, some surrendered, and none of them managed to escape.

It was dusk.

Liu Feng led his troops into the city.

Seeing Yu Jin bound hand and foot and looking dejected, Liu Feng immediately ordered his men to untie Yu Jin and then had a stool brought over for Yu Jin to sit down.

"General Yu, are you willing to surrender?" Liu Feng asked sincerely.

Yu Jin snorted coldly: "I have received great favors from the Great Wei, how could I surrender to you?"

“That’s true.” Liu Feng poured another cup of wine and personally handed it to Yu Jin: “If you surrender, you will only be branded as a traitor. Come, drink this farewell wine tonight, and I will personally send you on your way.”

Yu Jin picked up the wine bowl, drank the wine in one gulp, and then smashed the bowl on the ground: "Liu Feng, kill me quickly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Jin felt a dizzying sensation and looked at Liu Feng in astonishment. He only managed to utter the word "you" before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

"The medicine given by Zhongxiang is indeed very potent. Even a fierce general like Yu Jin would be knocked out after just one bowl," Liu Feng said with a smile.

He then ordered people to prepare songs and dances, and they began to play music and dance right there in the mansion.

Until late at night.

The music and dance had just ended.

Subsequently.

Yu Jin, who was "completely drunk," was carried out and taken care of by his concubine in Pingchun City. This scene was "coincidentally" witnessed by Yu Jin's personal guards.

at the same time.

A message also circulated among Yu Jin's personal guards, the gist of which was that Yu Jin was worried about his wife and children in Luoyang and therefore dared not surrender. He was also worried that if he did not surrender, his personal guards would lose their lives. In his anxiety, he got drunk.

A psychological tactic.

Yu Jin's personal guards finally couldn't hold back any longer and sent several representatives to see Liu Feng, hoping to beg Liu Feng to save Yu Jin's life.

"I am fully aware of your loyalty to Jin."

"However, Yu Jin was defeated and captured. Whether he surrenders or not, he will not live long. At most, I can preserve his reputation."

"For Jin, reputation is more important than his life, and his son's life is even more important than his reputation. I am willing to do the right thing and provide a solution that satisfies both parties."

"If you are willing to do one thing for me, after I conquer Luoyang, you may treat Yu Jin's son well and ask the emperor to enfeoff him as a marquis and grant his descendants privileges."

Looking at Yu Jin's personal guards kneeling on the ground, Liu Feng made a promise with kind words. (End of this chapter)