The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 311 Sima Yi launched an attack
Shangguan Chong had already calculated the number of Sima Yi's main force from the city walls.

It was strong enough to counter Zhuge Liang's central army.

With the addition of Zhang He's troops, they could certainly form an absolute numerical advantage, directly encircling the Han army from both sides.

But Zhuge Liang wasn't blind.

If the disadvantage was too great, why would he foolishly walk into the Wei army's trap?

Therefore, in Shangguan Chong's view, the best place for Zhang He was to join forces with Wu Zhi to fight against Zhang Fei.

Alternatively, Sima Yi and Wu Zhi could work together to hold off Zhang Fei, while Zhang He could deal with Zhuge Liang.

However, Shangguan Chong did not speak again to refute the prefect.

Why bother if even he himself doesn't understand this?
Ultimately, no matter how the outside world calculates things, it's not something those trapped inside the city can interfere with.

He continued:

"What you say, Your Excellency, is absolutely right!"

"And that is precisely why I disagree with launching an attack from within the city."

"The opportunities exposed by the enemy during their advance are fleeting, and we need to carefully seize the moment to strike, neither too early nor too late."

"Since Lord Sima did not arrange an attack from within the city in advance, it means that he has already calculated the time, route and troop strength. There is no need for us to add anything unnecessary."

"If we leave the city without authorization, we might just be blocking Sima Yi's path to attack, or attract Zhuge Liang to attack the city... Wouldn't that be counterproductive?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Gu couldn't help but sigh:

"Thanks to Clerk Shangguan's reminder, otherwise I would have made a big mistake!"

Actually, he didn't want to play in the first place.

It's just that they're afraid of being accused of being cowardly.

With Shangguan Chong's public explanation, he could now sit comfortably in the city with a clear conscience.

He then ordered the soldiers in the city to remain in their posts and not leave, no matter what happened next.

Since we know nothing about warfare, we should do less to avoid making mistakes, and do nothing to avoid making mistakes.

As Shangguan Chong observed the situation all the way to midday, the battle unfolded exactly as he had predicted, with changes occurring.

However, the battle began with the confrontation between Zhang Fei and Wu Zhi.

"Sound the retreat!"

Wu Zhi turned to one of his subordinate generals and said.

"Your troops will become the vanguard. After crossing the river, retreat quickly into Wenxi City... Remember to tell the county magistrate to prepare hot water in advance!"

The adjutant hesitated somewhat:
"But didn't Lord Sima tell us to retreat to the north bank and meet up with General Hu? If we enter the city..."

Wu Zhi's face immediately darkened:

"Isn't Wenxi on the north bank?"

Then he pointed to the sun overhead:
"The sun is already setting, and I've held out until now before retreating. I've done right by Sima Zhongda!"

After saying this, he spurred his horse and rode away.

The subordinate general had no choice but to obey.

Soon, Wu Zhi's general's flag turned north amidst the sound of gongs.

The Wei army's infantry formation, already riddled with holes by Zhang Fei's charge, could no longer hold on.

Taking advantage of the victory, Zhang Fei launched a surprise attack, scattering Wu Zhi's Wei army in one fell swoop.

They then pursued the enemy all the way to the riverbank, killing over a thousand and capturing countless banners.

However, they did not pursue the enemy further.

Because by this point in the battle, his side had already suffered considerable losses.

Meanwhile, Sima Yi, who had a larger force in the rear, remained inactive.

If the charge goes too far and Sima Yi's fresh troops launch a counterattack, things could go awry.

Therefore, they changed their strategy to hold back the routed troops who had not yet crossed the river and drive them towards Sima Yi's direction in an attempt to disrupt the Wei army's formation there.

Just then, a loud drumbeat sounded from the direction where Zhuge Liang was located.

Tens of thousands of infantrymen, marching to the powerful and resonant beat of drums, slowly pushed eastward like a tidal wave.

Zhang Fei knew that training soldiers to be as responsive as their own arms was extremely difficult, and he was taken aback by this.

"General, the Tiger-like General of the Central Army has sent someone to ask if his troops intend to intercept the Wei army crossing the river?"

The voice of Chief Secretary Jiang Wan came through.

"No need!" Zhang Fei replied without hesitation.

"If the Prime Minister's prediction is correct, the two armies will be decided in one or two hours."

"If he finds himself too idle, he should have his afternoon meal an hour earlier, so that he won't be too tired when chasing the enemy!"

Jiang Wan immediately went to find someone to relay the order.

"Kongming, now it's up to you to see what you can do..."

With a muttered cry, Zhang Fei suddenly roared and charged back towards the routed soldiers blocked on the riverbank. "Zhang Fei actually managed to refrain from pursuing them?"

Sima Yi looked at the banner with the character "Zhang" that was beginning to press towards him.

A rare look of surprise appeared on his face.

But it only lasted for a moment.

Midday has passed.

The course of the battle largely followed his estimates.
Even though Wu Zhi played a little trick, it was within his expectations.

They've been dating for years, don't they know each other well?

Whatever.

The Crouching Dragon has emerged from the mountain.

The valiant general is already weary and old.

Capturing dragons and subduing tigers is happening today!
Moments later, the last batch of fresh troops from the Wei army, which was also the most heavily fortified force under Sima Yi, finally launched their attack.

At the very front were the Wei infantry, well-fed and clad in armor.

Their formation was so well-organized that it rivaled even that of Zhuge Liang.

Moreover, because of their strength, the soldiers' postures of beating drums, carrying flags, and wielding spears were even more vigorous and powerful.

With tens of thousands of people gathered together, their presence was naturally impressive.

Some of the routed soldiers driven by Zhang Fei dared not charge in that direction and preferred to stay on the riverbank, risking being trampled by the Han army's horses.

Zhang Fei personally led several charges forward.

Aside from killing a Wei general, there were no further gains.

The loss of that general did not stop Sima Yi's army from pressing westward like a mountain.

"Prime Minister, the vanguard of our army has reached the ditch where the culvert has overflowed."

Chief Clerk Hu Ji hurriedly ascended the platform.

"Act according to the plan." Zhuge Liang closed his eyes and remained silent.

They seemed completely unconcerned about the current battle situation.

Hu Ji readily agreed, but did not leave:
"The Wei army under Zhang He in front of Nanshan..."

"Don't bother."

Hu Ji opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't ask any more questions.

He turned and gave instructions to the messenger.

Before long, the Han army infantry split into two, choosing to bypass the rugged and uneven salt river channel.

The river channel is actually not wide, only a few feet wide.

But the soldiers in the infantry formation were shoulder to shoulder, heel to heel, with even a foot of space between them.

Moreover, the number is in the tens of feet?

It can only be said that the Han army's choice was not unexpected.

However, once the formation was divided into left and right sides, the originally well-organized array inevitably revealed its flaws.

Even if we get past this stage and regroup, it will inevitably require slow and careful adjustments.

Just as the front rank of the formation crossed the ravine, the Wei army's vanguard cavalry charged forward.

First came two volleys of arrows.

Although the Han crossbowmen immediately retaliated, it inevitably slowed down their march, which in turn slowed down the pace of readjusting their formation.

By the time they finally managed to drive away the enemy cavalry that had come to harass them, the Wei army's vanguard infantry had already approached.

The two sides finally came to close range, their blades clashing.

The drumbeats from both sides suddenly accelerated.

It was likely that the two most elite infantry forces in the world at that time clashed fiercely together.

Then it became shield against shield, spear against spear.

The two sides pushed and shoved each other, using the most primitive and bloody method to compete in overall strength.

The losing side falls to the ground, instantly losing all hope of survival.

The victors continue the brutal game over the corpses of the losers until they themselves fall.

At this point, no amount of wisdom, strategy, planning, knowledge, or reputation is as useful as acquiring more armor, eating more meals, or conserving more strength.

And it is quite obvious that at least the front-line Wei troops are indeed better fed.

After a struggle lasting half an hour, they finally gained the upper hand.

The troop line, stretching for three or four miles, began to show a noticeable tilt.

Specifically, it leans towards the right flank of the Han army, that is, towards the Zhongtiao Mountains in the southwest.

(End of this chapter)