Competing

Chapter 416 Fan San's Determination
"Did Liu Bang catch it?" Fan Zeng's first sentence back to Pengcheng was not about the result of the battle, but only about Liu Bang's whereabouts.In his eyes, winning the battle of Pengcheng was expected, far less important than capturing Liu Bang.

Xiang Yu knew what Fan Zeng cared about, and said in a low voice, "Yafu, I'm sorry, only his wife and children were caught, and Liu Bang escaped by luck!"

Fan Zeng couldn't help sighing, this time it can be said that he missed an unprecedented great opportunity, but Liu Bang escaped and let the tiger go back to the mountain, it will be a serious trouble in the future.

The matter has come to this point, there is nothing to say, he only said that Xiang Yu has not been easy this time, and his performance has been very good.Then he said: "Forget it, let him be arrogant for a few more days first!"

That's what he said, but Fan Zeng still had no idea in his heart. He didn't know if he still had a chance to catch Liu Bang, and what would be the result of the conflict between Chu and Han?
"Tell me about the results of Pengcheng!" Xiang Yu asked now.

"Yafu, Yu Ziqi led the army... The widow personally went to Xiao County to cut off the retreat of the Han army... The coalition of princes was defeated, with 10 casualties, blood stained the river, and the Sui River did not flow!" Xiang Yu talked eloquently, Fan Zeng was very proud of telling Fan Zeng the ins and outs of the Battle of Pengcheng, and he was very proud of it.

Fan Zeng couldn't help sighing after hearing this, Xiang Yu did really well this time. With 3 people against 56 people, it is really unprecedented to inflict such a huge damage to the enemy and win such a big victory. As for future generations... I'm afraid it will be People are hard to come by!

An expected victory, but the result was indeed somewhat unexpected.However, Fan Zeng didn't care much about these things. He cared more about the impact of this battle and future events, as well as some details of the war.

"You mean, Wei Bao turned his back on the battlefield?" Fan Zeng seemed quite interested in this, and asked aloud.

Xiang Yu nodded and said: "That's right, if Wei Bao hadn't turned against him and let go of the defense in the northwest corner of Pengcheng, Yu Ziqi would not have rushed in so easily! In view of this, Yu'er intends to let Wei go, and reward him .”

Fan Zeng nodded and said, "Wei Bao is a smart man, and a reward is a must, but let bygones be bygones are not just for him!"

"What does Yafu mean?"

Fan Zeng continued: "All the princes who sent troops with Liu Bang or helped Liu Bang will not be blamed!"

"Yafu, this... these despicable people stabbed us in the back..." Speaking of this, Xiang Yu became a little angry.

Fan Zeng sighed lightly: "Yu'er, why doesn't Yafu know that the princes of the Central Plains are despicable, but they are all fools, and they will fall to whoever is strong. They are hateful, but now is not the time to compete with them for a moment. We The most important thing is to eliminate Liu Bang, and the princes of the Central Plains are also a force that cannot be underestimated.

If you get the right way, you can get more help than if you don't get the right way. This is an eternal truth.Even if the princes of the Central Plains are invisible and not used by us, they must not be allowed to become Liu Bang's help, nor should they be our enemies. "

Xiang Yu understood what Fan Zeng said, and nodded slightly.

Fan Zeng said: "Don't worry, just watch, the apology from the princes of the Central Plains will arrive soon!"

"Okay, Yafu, Yu'er knows what to do!"

Fan Zeng continued: "Where is Liu Bang now? How is our counterattack going?"

Xiang Yu replied: "Now that Liu Bang has withdrawn to the west of Daliang, Ji Bu, Zhongli Mo and Xiao Gongjiao are now fully pursuing the remnants of the princes and beating the dogs in the water. It is best to capture Liu Bang!"

"To the west of Daliang, it is estimated that Liu Bang is going to retreat to Luoyi or Xingyang, and Xingyang seems to be more likely." Fan Zeng estimated thoughtfully.

Xiang Yu said: "Father Ya, now that you are back, with you in Pengcheng, Yu'er can personally lead the army to encircle and suppress, and let Liu Bang taste the power of our Chu army's cavalry!"

Fan Zeng said: "Okay, go and try, but I think it is not easy to annihilate Liu Bang directly now, and it seems difficult to force him back to Guanzhong, try your best! But don't rush for quick success, don't forget The war in Qi is not over yet, and there are still Yin Xu and Ying Bu in the south, which is worrying."

Xiang Yu nodded lightly. Although Pengcheng had won a major victory, the situation in the Western Chu Kingdom was still not good.Yingbo and Yin Xu are entrenched in the south, and they will be a worry in the future!

"Yafu, Jiangdong Second County..."

Fan Zeng shook his head and said, "Let Yin Xu hold those two counties first. Now that Tian Rong and Liu Bang have not been resolved, it is not good for us to easily start a war in the south. You know that Yin Xu should never be underestimated." Ah Xu! But it's not an option to let him go on like this, it's time to shake the mountain and shake the tiger!"

"Then which mountain to knock on?"

"Jiujiang!" Fan Zeng said: "According to Huan Chu's report, Yin Xu and Ying Bu may have conspired to become one. If the two of them are in harmony, it will be a huge threat to us, so we don't have to We must strike. As long as Jiujiang is conquered first, people will not be so worried about relying on Yue alone.

Even if Yingbo did not conspire with Yin Xu, Jiujiang Kingdom is still a hidden danger.It's fine if Yingbo doesn't take over Jiangdong in time, and Pengcheng doesn't come to the rescue in an emergency. If such a person is kept, there may be trouble one day.Taking down the Jiujiang country is a deterrent and a wake-up call to Yin Xu.In this way, all the land north of the great river is in our hands. Across the natural moat of the great river, Yin Xu lost the springboard of Jiujiang, and it will not be easy to go north! "

Xiang Yu nodded and said: "Good Yafu, when the matter of Liu Bang and Tian Rong is over, send troops to Jiujiang!
……

Winter has come, and the Central Plains area is quite cold, so it is not a good time to send troops to fight.But this year is an exception. The Central Plains is full of smoke and war.

Yafu Fan Zeng returned to Pengcheng and sat in the town in person, while Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, personally led an army to counterattack.Many cities occupied by the Han army were taken back one after another. On the way, they encountered the remnants of the Han army and the allied forces of the princes, and they all dealt heavy blows.

On the way, many princes who could not withstand the counterattack of the Chu army handed over their confessions to Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, in fear.They all claimed that they were coerced by Liu Bang, and they were all forced to follow the army to fight against Chu, and begged the overlord of Chu to forgive him.Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, readily agreed to their plea, and let the past go, all the princes of the Central Plains turned to Chu, and the situation of Han was in danger.

Under the fierce counterattack of the Chu army, Liu Bang of the Han army retreated steadily, and did not gain a firm foothold until he entered Xingyang.

The strategy of exchanging distance for time has achieved certain results. Prime Minister Xiao He sent all his troops in Guanzhong to rescue, and what is even more gratifying is the return of Han Xin, the Generalissimo of the Han Army.

In Xingyang City, Liu Bang was very excited when he received the news of Han Xin's return. With Han Xin here, he was not so afraid of Xiang Yu.

Zhang Liang said: "King of Han, after Han Xin comes back, he must win over and treat each other with sincerity. His coming back shows that his heart is in the country of Han, and he will be loyal to you, King of Han!"

It is definitely a good thing for Han Xin to go back to Huaiyin to visit relatives without crossing the river to Yue.Hearing Zhang Liang's remonstrance, he emphasized the point.Mingxiu plank road to cross Chencang secretly, plus Han Xin's suggestions and strategies to defend against the enemy in the battle of Pengcheng.It is enough to see his talent and strategy. It seems that the more he leads the army, the better!

"Marshal Han, you're finally back!" When seeing Han Xin, Liu Bang gave full play to his talent as an actor, and it can be said that he burst into tears and was extremely kind.

"Chen Han Xin sees the King of Han!"

Liu Bang hurriedly picked up Han Xin and said: "Marshal Han, don't be polite. I was confused at the beginning, didn't listen to Marshal Han's advice, and sent troops rashly so that I was defeated like this. I really feel ashamed! Now that Marshal Han is back, our country has Hope!"

"The king of Han speaks too seriously, and the minister can't afford it!"

Liu Bang shook his head and said, "Marshal Han, don't be so modest. By the way, Marshal Han, this time back to Huaiyin, the family is well. Why didn't you take it?"

With a thought, Han Xin felt indescribably depressed and angry.What the hell is Liu Bang planning, is he deliberately reminding me and threatening me?Or did he not do this at all?Xiangning and Piaomu were inexplicably picked up by a group of people who spoke a Guanzhong accent. Han Xin remembered that he once talked to Xiao He about his hometown, but no one else seemed to know the details.

It is completely reasonable for Liu Bang to threaten his allegiance with Xiangning and Piaomu, but now... maybe Liu Bang is trying to test it?Liu Bang didn't say these things clearly, and he could never bring them up easily... Han Xinxin said: "Liu Bang, Liu Bang, you are really unnecessary. I want to come back after you are defeated. Why threaten me like this?"
Han Xin gritted his teeth, got up and knelt down in front of Liu Bang, and said formally: "I, Han Xin, have received the kindness of the King of Han, and now I am so praised and treated so generously.

Liu Bang was a little confused, what's going on?Why did Han Xin talk about him suddenly?Want to show your loyalty so formally all of a sudden?Maybe he was afraid that he would not trust him?Well, it seems that you can use him with confidence this time.

"Okay, with Marshal Han here, I'm not afraid of Xiang Yu..."

Zhang Liang stood aside, thinking more complicated, what is Han Xin thinking?Or what does he want to do?Seeing the expression between his brows, Zhang Liang felt a little strange.

"Marshal Han! The current situation is critical. How should we deal with it?" Liu Bang asked about Han Xin's strategy.

Han Xin said in a deep voice: "King of Han, although Pengcheng failed, don't be discouraged. The foundation of our Han country is not damaged, and there are definitely people who will continue to deal with the Han army. On the other hand, Xiang Yu, although the Chu army has won a big victory this time, but the Chu army is still in danger. The situation is not very good. Xiang Yu's war in Qi has not yet ended, and we are fighting fiercely again. I heard that the second Jiangdong County in the south has been occupied by Yue, and Chu is still facing a situation of fighting on all sides. Now our top priority is Han, Reserve food and grass, train soldiers, and think long-term! Externally, contact the princes, win allies, and fight against Chu together!"

Liu Bangdao: "Storing food and training troops is an inevitable thing, and it's easy to handle. It's just that the foreign allies...who can become our allies? Now the princes of the Central Plains are vying to defect to Chu, and the situation is very unfavorable to us. !"

Han Xin shook his head and said: "King of Han, the princes of the Central Plains are nothing to worry about. As for our allies, I think there are four!"

"Which four people?"

Han Dao said: "Qi State Tian Rong, Yue State Yin Xu, Jiujiang State Yingbu, and Peng Yue! Qi Chu has been at war for so long, Tian Rong and Xiang Yu have a sworn feud, Qi State is our best ally, but there are If Mr. Fan San is involved, Tian Rong may have a grudge against us. In fact, the best allies should be in the south, Jiujiang Wang Yingbu and Yue Wang Yinxu!
This time, when I returned to Huaiyin, I realized something. Now the Yue Kingdom has occupied the Kuaiji and Yuzhang counties of the West Chu Kingdom in Jiangdong.The State of Yue has now occupied the entire Jiangdong and dominates the south, which can be said to be Xiang Yu's confidant.King Yue is also a man with great ambitions, and he is not satisfied with the current situation. He wants to use Han to contain Xiang Yu. Why can't we use him?

There is also Jiujiang Wang Yingbo, who is behind the hinterland of Chu State. This time Chu State was in trouble, Yingbo did not rescue him.Xiang Yu once deliberately took advantage of Yingbo to take the second county of Jiangdong, and later became an enemy of Yin Xu.However, Yingbo did not do this, and he was likely to be suspected by Xiang Yu, and they could be said to be at odds with each other.Is it possible to provoke the relationship between them, and then use it to form an alliance against Chu?
As for Peng Yue, let alone, this time Peng Yue offered the city to surrender, which can be said to have thoroughly angered Xiang Yu.Xiang Yu can accept the surrender of the princes of the Central Plains and plead guilty, but he will never forgive Peng Yue.Peng Yue is well aware of this, so now he has no way out and can only cooperate with us.Now he gathers soldiers and horses in the Waihuang area. Although his strength is weak, he should not be underestimated.The king of Han might as well send someone to contact him, give him some support, and promise some benefits, maybe there will be a surprise attack in the future, at least it should give Xiang Yu a headache, right? "

After Liu Bang heard this, he nodded lightly. What Han Xin said was true, but the matter of forming an alliance cannot be done casually. How should it be done?

Han Dao said: "Peng Yue's side is just the same as before. Qi Guotian Rong doesn't need to be contacted. His existence is our ally. Jiujiang can send a eloquent person to lobby Yingbo, even if he can't win over Yingbo immediately. Bu, there will also be a rift between him and Xiang Yu. As for the State of Yue... Although the King of Yue and the King of Han had the intention of forming an alliance at the beginning, they also helped each other a lot..."

When it comes to helping, Liu Bang feels a little ashamed. Yin Xu has saved his life twice.After crossing the Sui River, there was only one chariot driver left beside him, and he killed him without hesitation.The predicament of King Han must not be rumored or ridiculed by others!
"The Yue Kingdom is now in Jiangdong. It is not easy to win over, and the possibility of success is not great... But you must try your best. If the relationship between the Han Kingdom and the Yue Kingdom is closer, it may be better... "

"But how does this get closer?"

Zhang Liang on the side suddenly said: "Marriage!"

"Not bad!" Han Xin nodded in agreement.

marriage?Liu Bang muttered to himself, this might be a good way.Things like this in the Warring States Period could not be more common, and the best way to connect with allies is through in-laws.Just how to marry?He has only one daughter, Lu Yuan, who is still young, but the key is that he is still a hostage in Xiang Yu's hands.There is no younger sister of proper marriageable age.

Zhang Liang sensed Liu Bang's embarrassment and said, "Han Wang, as long as the candidate for marriage can fully represent the Han Kingdom and represent the Han King, that's fine. If there is no suitable candidate for the Liu family, you can consider the Lu family, the lady's younger sister or niece……"

When Zhang Liang said this, Liu Bang thought of a little girl.Speaking carefully, this girl has some fate with Yin Xu, and her age and status are also very suitable, so she can be considered.

"However, this matter needs to be discussed in the long term, so there is no need to be too anxious now..." Zhang Liang expressed his opinion.

Liu Bang nodded and said: "Okay, let's stabilize the situation in Xingyang first, and then proceed gradually later... What does Marshal Han think?"

Han Xin nodded and said: "What the King of Han said is true, just wait a little longer, the situation will be clearer, maybe some things will be easier to do."

Zhang Liangdao: "King of Han, Mr. Fan San has arrived in Xingyang, will the King of Han summon him?"

……

Fan Wenke came to Xingyang directly after leaving Linzi. Although he hoped that the Han army would win, he still had a little worry in his heart.According to the tradition of the Fan family, things are more cautious, so instead of going to Pengcheng and Daliang, he chose Xingyang, a city that is very convenient to go east or west.

Fan Elin immediately reported the news of the defeat of the Han army to him: "Third Master, Pengcheng of the Han army is pale, and almost the entire army was wiped out. It seems that he is not Xiang Yu's opponent."

Fan Wenke sighed, quite helpless, the most worrying thing happened.As soon as he got in touch with Liu Bang, the Han army was defeated like this... Before Qi Guo abandoned Tian Rong and left, both Qi and Han were defeated, and Xiang Yu is the dominant player in this world.Perhaps the only one who can deal with him is the Yue King of Jiangdong, and he will not get involved in the candidate that the elder brother likes.

Where is the place for him in such a big world?Who can help him kill Xiang Yu for revenge?Although the Han State was defeated, it did not hurt the fundamentals, and the Han State still had strength.Many days passed, and I heard that Zhang Liang, the first counselor of the King of Han, and Han Xin, the marshal of the Han army, had both rushed back. There is still great hope for Han.

Now that there is no other choice, Fan Wenke has made up his mind, that is, to put all the treasures on Han Wang Liu Bang at all costs.Moreover, the eldest brother must be excluded as soon as possible.

Since he wants to support the King of Han, he should wholeheartedly support the Kingdom of Han on behalf of the Fan family. As for the others, any obstacles should be removed.Life under the fence is not easy, Fan Wenke doesn't want to be oppressed by his elder brother all the time, wouldn't it be better if I became the Patriarch of the Fan family?

"Elin!" Fan Wenke stood in the room and called softly.

When Fan Elin heard Fan Sanye's call, he immediately appeared in front of him.

Fan Wenke pondered for a moment, and finally spit out a few words: "E Lin, have you arranged everything properly?"

Fan Erlin nodded.

"Go ahead!"

Fan Elin's heart was shocked, and he nodded immediately: "Yes!"

At this moment, a servant came to report: Hanwang summoned!

(End of this chapter)