Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 144
"What did you say?!" Huan Chu said angrily, "With 6000 people, there are less than [-] left?!"

In a fit of rage, Huan Chu pulled Pang Yu by the chest, and then raised a big iron fist and threw it at Pang Yu's face, but before he succeeded, another big hand had already clamped Huan Chu like iron tongs Huan Chu struggled with his wrist, but it didn't move at all. When he looked back, he saw Xiang Zhuang with a gloomy expression.

"Old Huan!" Xiang Zhuang said coldly, "What do you want to do?"

Huan Chu pursed his lips, and let go of Pang Yu somewhat embarrassingly.

Pang Yu sighed again, bowed his hands to Xiang Zhuang, and said, "General, the last general underestimated the enemy's carelessness and lost Hangu Pass. I can't escape the guilt, and I would rather die."

Xiang Zhuang waved his hands, and said calmly: "Victory and defeat are common matters in military affairs."

Having said this, Xiang Zhuang looked around the crowd and said: "It is true that the loss of Hangu Pass is inevitable, but General Pang Yu could come up with a wonderful plan to surprise the Han army's supply camp with knotted trees down the cliff, and really burned the Han army to the ground. The army’s supply of food and grass has made great contributions, so the merits and demerits are offset, and neither rewards nor punishments will be given.”

All the generals looked at each other, feeling that Xiang Zhuang was too lenient towards Pang Yu.

Pang Yu was even more ashamed and said: "General, the last general is ashamed."

"Okay, let's go down and rest." Xiang Zhuang patted Pang Yu's shoulder, and said again, "And your [-] remnants, who will be stationed in the city tonight, take a good hot bath first, and then have a warm meal. meal!"

"No!" Pang Yu burst into tears of gratitude, turned around and strode away.

When Pang Yu was far away, Huan Chu said: "General, this is too cheap for Pang Yu."

Xiang Zhuang shook his head, and sighed: "Facing Liu Bang, Zhang Liang, Chen Ping and the 10,000+ Han army, Pang Yu was able to make a surprise plan to burn the Han army's supplies, food and grass. I'm afraid Hangu Pass can't be defended, and the Han army's supplies, food and grass can't be burned, and that will only make things worse!"

Wei Liao also nodded and said: "As the saying goes, the food and grass go first before the army is moved. If all the supplies, food and grass of Liu Bang's army are destroyed, even if Hangu Pass is captured, within ten days, at most tens of thousands of elite soldiers will be dispatched first. Marching towards Xianyang, in this way, our army will have much more room to turn around, otherwise Liu Bang's 10,000+ army will crush it, and the situation will really hang in the balance."

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Hangu Pass, Zhang Liang Xingyuan.

Zhou Bo hurried into the hall and said to Zhang Liang, "Mr. Zhang Liang, the army has run out of food."

Zhang Liang sighed, and said helplessly, "General Zhou Bo, let's kill hundreds of mules and horses first, and then let the soldiers go to the field to dig some wild vegetables and cook them to satisfy their hunger."

After talking about this meal, Zhang Liang said again: "Also, the whole army is only allowed to eat one meal a day."

Zhou Bo was silent, this is the only way to go now, as long as everyone is not starved to death.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Bo said again: "Sir, do you think we should send an elite army to march towards Xianyang first?"

Zhang Liang thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "Forget it, Xiang Zhuang's bravery and Wei Liao's sophistication are not easy to deal with, and the Chu army has been recharging their energy for a long time, and they have enough food and grass, but our army is poor and lacking in horses and men. , and the food and grass are not available, if you rush into the army rashly, you may lose your troops and lose your generals, let's wait until the king borrows food and grass."

"Oh, that's the only way to go." Zhou Bo couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.

Seeing that Hangu Pass has been captured, and the remnants of Xiangzhuang Xiaoer's Chu army are right in front of you, but you can't drive the army to attack, don't you feel uncomfortable?Thinking of this, Zhou Bo couldn't help hating Pang Yu to the bone. From the mouths of the Chu army prisoners, Zhou Bo already knew that the guard of Hangu Pass was a guy named Pang Yu, and it was said that he was still very young.

Pang Yu?Pang Yu? !Where the hell did this guy come from?
When Zhou Bo hated Pang Yu to the bone, Zhang Liang was also thinking about Pang Yu who drove the 10,000+ Han army into a desperate situation.

Moreover, Zhang Liang saw deeper and farther than Zhou Bo. It is said that this Pang Yu was not from Chu at all, but from Wei.In this alone, Xiang Zhuang is far ahead of Xiang Yu. If Xiang Zhuang can't be forced into the wilderness this time, the general trend between Chu and Han may really be reversed.

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Xianyang, the residence of the prime minister.

The question is back to the original point, where should the Chu army go?
Hanzhong is the place where dragons are locked, and you must not go there. The road to Wuguan is rough and there are elite soldiers guarding it. There are less than 10,000 people, even if it is replaced by Xiang Yu, I am afraid that it is impossible to bring 2 people to defeat Hangu Pass guarded by 2+ Han troops, right?
What's more, the 2 talents in Xiangzhuang have just formed an army, and they are far from elite.

And Liu Bang's 10,000+ army, at least half of them are elite veterans who have experienced many battles!

Wu She thought for a while, and suggested: "Or, let's forcefully cross the river to Hedong, then pass Huguan or Jingxing, Feihuxing to enter Zhaodi, and then cross the river from Zhaodi to fight back to Weidi!"

Wei Liao sighed, "The Han army blocked Wuguan, how could Huguan, Jingxing, and Feihuxing be defenseless?"

Having said this, Wei Liao said again: "Besides, it's too dangerous to cross the river by force. If Liu Bang sends a cavalry to the east of the river to attack while our army is halfway across, it will be a big trouble!"

Everyone was silent, Liu Bang really had an elite cavalry under his command.

This cavalry was trained by the former Qin generals Li Bi and Luo Jia to help Liu Bang, and was commanded by Guan Ying. However, since Han Xin’s Northern Expedition, this cavalry has been following Han Xin in the battle. In the battle of Gaixia, Guan Ying was Han Xin’s general. Participating in the battle was Guan Ying's elite cavalry, which forced Xiang Yu to slay himself in Wujiang.

Based on Han Xin's trust in Liu Bang, it may not be possible to detain Guan Ying's cavalry and refuse to return it. If this cavalry has really reached the east of the river and waits for the Chu army to cross the river to attack, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Wu She said sadly: "So, we really can only go west or north to join Rongdi."

Xiang Zhuang shook his head silently. To the west is the territory of the Qiang and Yuezhi people, that is, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu and other places in later generations. If the Chu army really wants to enter here, needless to say the bitter cold and harsh natural conditions. Don't even think about going back to the Central Plains in this life. As for going north, isn't that going to the tiger's mouth of the Huns?

While they were discussing, Jin Xiang suddenly came in and reported: "General, Bai Lixian is asking to see you."

Exhaling, Xiang Zhuang waved at Jin Xiang: "Mr. Bailixian please come in."

Jin Xiangnuo backed out, and soon, Bai Lixian in white shook his head and walked in with his feather fan Shi Shiran.

After entering the hall, Bailixian greeted Xiang Zhuang, Wei Liao, Wu She, Huan Chu, Ji Bu and others respectively. Xiang Zhuang returned the ceremony and said solemnly, "Zi Liang, please be seated."

Bai Lixian flicked his sleeves and entered the table casually.

He said again: "General, just now I saw a defeated soldier on the streets of Xianyang. It is said that they retreated from Hangu Pass. Dare I ask the general whether Hangu Pass has fallen?"

Xiang Zhuang nodded and said: "Yes, Hangu Pass has been lost."

Bai Lixian smiled slightly, and said again: "Then Wuguan was also blocked by the Han army?"

Xiang Zhuang couldn't help applauding from the bottom of his heart, and said, "Ziliang, how do you know?"

"I guessed it." Bailixian said, "I'm afraid Chen Ping planned this poisonous plan for Liu Bang. Chen Ping never left the slightest room for his opponent when he offered a plan. If I didn't guess wrong, not only Wuguan has already If it is blocked, I am afraid that Huguan, Jingxing, Feihuxing, Chencang Road, Ziwu Valley, and Baoxie Road have all been blocked by the Han army."

From Bailixian's tone, Xiang Zhuang faintly heard a hint of ease, and immediately asked, "Ziliang, do you have any solutions?"

Bai Lixian shook the feather fan in his hand, and said: "Chen Ping never leaves any room for his advice, and I can't solve it either. However, Chen Ping has never been to Saibei after all, and he doesn't know the situation in Saibei. Therefore, his strategy of closing the account There is still a gap left, the general still has a way to go!"

Xiang Zhuang immediately got up and bowed deeply to Bai Lixian, and said, "Please also ask Ziliang to teach me."

Bai Lixian hurriedly stood up and bowed to Xiang Zhuang, saying: "I dare not be such a great gift as a general. Since I have entered the tent of the general as a staff member, it is my duty to offer advice and suggestions for the general." After a pause, Bai Lixian said again, "The general can actually follow the straight road to the north and go straight to Jiuyuan, then detour through Yunzhong, Yanmen, Daijun, Shanggu and then enter Zhaodi."

"What, go north to Jiuyuan?!" Xiang Zhuang changed his expression slightly, "Ziliang, hasn't Jiuyuan County been occupied by the Huns since Wang Li's army was transferred to the south? The Huns cavalry come and go like wind, brutal and murderous , and there are no less than 40 people who control strings, and our army is less than 2, so going north to Jiuyuan is not like a sheep entering the tiger's mouth?"

As a time traveler, Xiang Zhuang certainly knew about the siege of Baideng.

The siege of Biden in history should have happened within these few years.

After Liu Bang ruled the world, he led a large army to attack the Huns in the north. As a result, he underestimated the enemy and did not wait for more than 30 infantry to arrive. Liu Bang's several breakouts were blocked by the Huns, and the Huns' repeated attacks on the mountain also failed miserably. The two armies held each other for seven days at Baideng Mountain. It was not until Chen Ping made a surprise plan that the Huns broke through. This is the famous Baideng Siege in history. !

The history books also say that there were 40 Xiongnu cavalry participating in the siege of Baideng Mountain, and it is also conclusively stated that the horses of the [-] Xiongnu cavalry in each direction of the east, south, west, and north are divided into white, blue, black, black, and white. There are four colors of red, but the newly established Han Empire couldn't even get four horses of the same color for the emperor's imperial chariot.

Such a huge contrast caused a great psychological shock to Liu Bang and the soldiers of the Han army.

For nearly a hundred years since then, the Han Empire has been living under the terrible shadow of the Huns. After Liu Bang returned to Chang'an, he adopted the suggestion of the mastermind Lou Jing and adopted a humiliating peace policy towards the Huns. Several generations of emperors have also consistently pursued this policy. It was not until Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ascended the throne that the magnificent counterattack began!

(End of this chapter)