Lord of the House

In order to be able to spend the night in Fancheng on the north bank, Si Xizi specially took a ferry across the Han River when it was dark.

There are two pontoon bridges on the Han River, and there are trucks transporting grain and grass into Xiangyang at all times. Unless there are special circumstances, personnel exchanges between Xiangyang and Fancheng, especially when crossing the river in the reverse direction, need to take a boat - although the pontoon bridge is faster, but Grain transportation is a big matter, and Si Xizi did not dare to openly break Azige's rules.

It was only mid-October, the autumn was getting colder, the ferry boat docked at the pier, and yellow leaves were blown off by the wind and fell on the bow of the boat.

"General Chen, what kind of wind blows you to the north bank?" The garrison military academy at the north bank wharf came over to greet Si Xizi, stretched out his hand, and wanted to help Si Xizi's small wings to walk across the trestle.

Si Xizi is a Han Chinese, his family name is Chen, but he was taken as a slave by the Nahe family for three generations, and now he has become the family slave of the Nahe family. Chen Xi grew up with Azige since he was a child. He was a slave and was trusted. Azige led the army, and he also served on the front and back. He fought in the north and south for many years, and he accumulated a lot of military merits. He obtained the official rank of nomadic lieutenant.

According to the official system of Yanjing, he is a military attache from the eighth rank. He is not as rich as the military guard school guarding the pier on the north bank. However, Chen Xi, relying on the status of Xiangfan guarding general Azige's family slave, is the prefect of Xiangyang, Shen Haobo and Fancheng guards. The co-leader Puama wanted to give him three points of face. Chen Xi naturally accepted Tong Cheng's favor.

"The king of Xiangyang pushed three and four a few days ago, and this time he sent grain and force so simply. General Azige was afraid that the king of Xiangyang would take some old grain and rotten grains, old and weak women and children to perfunctory here, and specially called Chen to come over and inspect the school one or two. , if this is the case, send them back..." Chen Xi raised his head and said loudly.

"It turns out that General Chen came to the North Bank under the order of General Azige to do business. Brother, I don't dare to delay General Chen." Tong Cheng helped Chen Xi to the pier, and held his arm affectionately, suppressing his voice. He said, "Then when General Chen finishes his work, don't rush back to the South Bank and ask my brother to prepare a few pots of wine on the pier, and then find a few songs from the prostitute camp to catch up with the old days..."

Prostitution camps were set up in the army, and the women were taken captive. It was also one of the means by Beiyan to collect the looted property from the generals and soldiers to make up for the lack of finance. Ordinary soldiers and soldiers could play in the prostitute camps for a specified period of time, and the officers had privileges. Camp prostitutes can be taken out for the night, but they will cost more money.

It's just that Azige is dedicated to seeking military exploits, and the restraint is very strict. Chen Xi does not dare to indulge in greed and pleasure too presumptuously by Azige's side.

Chen Xi took it to the river at this time, thinking about staying in Fancheng at night and having a good time, but thinking that Fancheng's defending general and commander Puama must also be entertained, he thought how could Tong Cheng find any good stuff ? But he couldn't block the road, so he said: "I have checked the food and grass, maybe I have to discuss the military with Puazuo, then let's see the weather..."

"That is, that is, the business is important!" Tong Cheng said, sending Chen Xi and the eight soldiers to the south gate of Fancheng...

*************

It was basically the same as Azige's expectations in Xiangyang. The grain and forage brought from Chaishan and the 3,000 strong people who accompanied him were indeed temporarily diverted from Suizhou to Fancheng.

Before the war, the King Xiang scolded each other badly, making Luo Xiancheng angry, so he could not wait to tie the King to him and whip a few whips. However, with the development of the war, almost all the supplies in Suizhou and the surrounding Lishan, Zaoyang, Xiaochang and other places were exhausted, and Luo Xiancheng had to think about the benefits of Wang Xiang again.

During the war, a large number of soldiers and civilians were dispatched from Suizhou, Lishan, Zaoyang, Xiaochang and other places, which seriously affected the agricultural affairs of these places. In the summer, the waterlogging cannot be drained in time, and the weeds in the field grow and grow and cannot be removed in time; when the autumn ripens, due to the lack of young and strong labor, even large tracts of rice and wheat are rotten in the ground before they can be harvested - the overall harvest of autumn ripening in Suizhou less than half of the previous year.

In the past, even if there was only half of the harvest, the soldiers of Suizhou could support them for half a year, squeeze more grain tax from the people, and survive the spring drought without a problem.

However, since the Battle of Jingxiang, the harvest in the south of Xiaochang will support the consumption of Tiemen Mountain and Fengshan; the harvest around Dahong Mountain will be exported to Shicheng; the autumn grain in Zaoyang will be sent to Xiangyang; Luo Xiancheng will be in Suizhou to the north of Huaishan Mountain Soldiers and horses could only rely on the supply around Suizhou City and Lishan, which was extremely tight, and even the grain storage at the northern foothills of Huaishan was not enough for more than a month.

If the grain storage is insufficient, once the Shouzhou Army and the Fengli Army are encircled, how will the soldiers in the northern foothills of Huaishan be supported?

Luo Xiancheng had to be shy, and ordered the Prime Minister to send Chaishan an additional 100,000 stone grains and grass to support Suizhou, in addition to the rations that should be paid.

Geographically, Chai Mountain is closer to Fengshan Mountain and Tiemen Mountain, and the straight-line distance is only more than 100 miles away, but this distance of more than 100 miles traverses the remaining Siliu Mountain, which is a branch of Huaishan Mountain.

Siliu Mountain is high in water and dangerous, and there are occasional dangerous trails that can be walked. There is no channel for large-scale grain transportation. It is practical to transport grain directly from Chai Mountain to Fengshan and Tiemen Mountains. The passage of Lishan, from Chaishan to Suizhou via Lishan, is quite convenient.

Wang Xiang and Zhou Bin personally led a team of 2,000 soldiers to levy three or four thousand people to **** the first batch of grain and grass to Suizhou. An envoy was sent to Suizhou to raise food for dignitaries. Wang Xiang and Zhou Bin contacted Cao Ziang and Zhou Tong, who were lurking in Lishan, and temporarily changed their plans.

At that time, Luo Xiancheng personally supervised the battle at the northern foot of Huaishan Mountain, and Ma Zhen presided over the political affairs of Suizhou. Ma Zhen couldn't make a decision and wanted to send someone to the northern foot of Huaishan Mountain to ask Luo Xiancheng for instructions, but Wang Xiang arbitrarily suggested that the grain and grass brought from this mountain should be handed over.

Ma Zhen was originally reluctant, but Wang Xiang promised to supply Chaishan with an extra batch of grain and grass, and Ye Ji Luorong's messenger was extremely vicious and urgent, so he reluctantly agreed to give up this trip.

Wang Xiang and Zhou Xiang wanted to take the opportunity to sneak attack on Shicheng.

Although Shicheng is closer to the Eastern Hubei defense line and the Jingzhou battlefield, and Shicheng is only more than 200 miles away from Suizhou, there is Dahong Mountain between Shicheng and Suizhou. For a long time, Dahong Mountain has always been a peripheral area of ​​Suizhou, and it faced Shicheng, which was still under the control of Jinghu Army at that time. How could the road condition through Dahong Mountain be better?

It is possible to pass through Dahong Mountain on foot, but it is much more difficult for a grain and grass truck carrying dozens of stones to pass through.

From Suizhou to Fancheng, it has always been the hinterland controlled by Suizhou, and the roads are in good condition. Therefore, it is more convenient to transport grain and grass to Fancheng via Zaoyang, and then take the waterway downstream to Shicheng.

Therefore, Wang Xiang returned to Chaishan to adjust grain and grass to "support" Suizhou, while Zhou Bin and Huang Zuyu took the opportunity of escorting grain and grass, and led two thousand Chaishan troops and three thousand "people's husbands" to **** more than 2,000 vehicles of grain and grass to the foot of Fancheng City smoothly.

Since the war in Nanyang, Yanhu and the newly-affiliated Shejia and Suizhou soldiers and horses have been busy with the war, making Ye Jiluorong too late to integrate the Shejia and Suizhou military and horses, let alone sorting out the Jingxiang area, and the Jingxiang area. The control of the occupied area is generally divided into three areas: luxury home, Suizhou and Beiyan.

Ye Jiluorong was good at military affairs, but not good at civil affairs. He did not sort out the Jingxiang area in time, so that the Jingxiang hinterland was under different jurisdiction and decrees were issued. There is no unified system of postage, and the delivery of documents in various places is very late and has become the norm. Azige is also distressed by it, but there is nothing he can do.

Therefore, Azige did not receive the official letter from Luo Xiancheng in Xiangyang, and Zhou Bin, the commander of Chaishan, had already rushed to Fancheng to pay for the grain and the people. Strictly review the delivery, for fear that Luo Xiancheng will perfunctory him with some old grain and rotten grain.

The delivery of food and grass is not that simple. First of all, the guards will not be stupid enough to let the 2,000 soldiers and horses escorting food and grass enter the city directly. As for the civilians, they may enter the city directly after the delivery, but they will also be strictly controlled, thus losing the opportunity to contact weapons. .

The convoy and the escorts were parked ten miles away from the east gate of Fancheng, and Puama sent more than a dozen military discipline officers to monitor and restrain them. Not to be suspicious, it's just a necessary procedure.

Zhou Bin first took the grain transporter Bo Guan into the city to see the defender Puama, and presented the documents he was carrying with him signed by Ma Zhen in Suizhou, and made an appointment for the inspection and delivery time. The generals in the direct line of Yan Hu generally despised the surrendered generals. After negotiating, Zhou Bin went straight out of the city and returned to the temporary camp outside the east gate.

Huang Zuyu, who was pretending to be the head of the people's husband, crouched on the head of the field. When Zhou Bin came over on horseback, he stood up, making the people around him become alert and asked, "How is the situation in the city?"

"Not at all alert," Zhou Bin said, getting off his horse, "I have made an appointment to send someone to deliver the goods before noon tomorrow..."

"Okay," Huang Zuyu clenched his fists and said, "We will temporarily camp outside the city, and we will equip the soldiers with armor during the night. I will lead the team to Qiaodu tomorrow, and Zhou Ye is responsible for attacking Fancheng. In addition, they sent a bribe to the enemy troops guarding the city gate, saying that the brothers have worked hard all the way, and it is rare to encounter a big city. If you want to go in to eat, drink and have fun, send a group of people in first to cooperate with the city in the morning!"

The soldiers and armor were all hidden in the carriage, including the 2,000 people escorting them, that is, ordinary uniforms with long spears. Only a few people were armored, so as not to cause unnecessary alertness. Obviously, the men and horses who escorted the grain and grass were better than the soldiers, and they could not hide from the eyes of the caring people. Everything has to wait until the city to change clothes.

Zhou Bin nodded, and sent one person to lead thirty or forty men into the city to eat, drink, and have fun. Together with Huang Zuyu, they carefully observed the situation around the camp to prevent any accidents.

The more than a dozen military discipline officers sent by Puama to monitor the restrained grain transport team had already asked Huang Zuyu to send people to invite people to eat and drink in the camp. In addition to the camp for eating and drinking, they also deployed enough personnel; "In conjunction with the camp, nearly 2,000 grain trucks surrounded the camp. The scale of the camp was very large, and the dark posts had been sent out to guard against others who accidentally approached the camp and discovered the secrets in the camp.

Zhou Bin and Huang Zuyu changed to a higher soil **** to talk, called the generals above the battalion general, and combined with the map to further study the terrain around Fancheng and discuss tomorrow's tactical arrangements.

Fancheng was not built near the water, but it was only two miles away from the river bank.

A total of four battalions of cavalry are stationed in Fancheng on the north bank, and the third battalion of cavalry is directly stationed in Fancheng City, but the iron pile wharf and the pontoon bridge at the upstream position are the key guard locations on the north bank. There is a small fortress on each of the east and west wings. , guarding the entrance, there is a battalion of elites in total.

In order to prevent the spies lurking in the Yue Dynasty from wreaking havoc, the defenders of Qiaodu were very vigilant, and it was strictly forbidden for civilians to approach. Ordinary military horses passing through Fancheng would not be able to approach the Qiaodu area without Azige's warrant.

In addition to these, on the upstream of Qiaodu, there is a water village at the northwest corner of the branch where the Hao River joins the Han River, with more than a thousand navy troops and thirty warships.

The water village located upstream of Qiaodu was naturally prepared to prevent the Cao family's troops and horses in Hanzhong from descending along the Han River and attacking Xiangyang. However, Xiangyang's main line of defense against Hanzhong's troops and horses is the upstream Danjiangkou and Baiyangguan line ~www.wuxiaspot.com~ with 3,000 water infantry troops stationed. In addition, Danjiangkou and Baiyangguan are also the key places where Hanshui connects with Danjiang and Wuguan River, and connects Wuguan to the north and Danfeng County, the capital of Shangzhou.

Fanxiang is the key road connecting Jingzhou and the North, but it does not mean that if you occupy Fancheng, you can completely close the gate of Jingxiang. The actual gap starts from Danjiangkou and Baiyangguan in the west. Zaoyang, in the east, can only completely close the gate of Jingxiang when it has to completely control the area of ​​more than two hundred kilometers.

Huang Zuyu squatted on the ground, sipped the leaves, and said, "If we can take down Baiyangguan and Danjiangkou, then the plan to close the door will be perfect!"

"It's difficult," Zhou Bin said. "From Fancheng to the east to Baiyangguan and Danjiangkou, it is the defense area of ​​Azige, the direct descendant of Yanhu; and from Fancheng to the west, along the Han River, the terrain on both sides is narrow and dangerous. It's a waterway connection. It's very difficult to send someone to climb the mountain and sneak in to attack Baiyang Pass. If Master Zhu can lead his troops to arrive in time, he may even attack Baiyang Pass..."

Huang Zuyu pointed to the map and said: "Going west from Xiangyang, the terrain on both sides of the Han River is extremely dangerous. The enemy forces in Jingzhou want to retreat westward on a large scale and escape from the Danjiang and Wuguan Rivers to Guanzhong. They can only go upstream by the Han River. If we keep the pontoon bridge between Fancheng and Xiangyang from burning down, then the pontoon bridge is a direct obstacle to the enemy's escape along the Han River..."

"Is that so..." Zhou Bin frowned. If they didn't destroy the pontoon bridge, after their surprise attack on Fancheng, the defenders of Xiangyang City on the south bank would use the pontoon bridge and ferry to counterattack the north bank frantically...

There was no room for Zhou Bin to think too much. At this time, a group of people rushed here from the east gate of Fancheng. There were more than 100 people. Zhou Bin stood up and asked Huang Zuyu and the other generals to go back to the camp to prepare first. Two stalwarts went to greet him to see what was going on. My QT room is open! More vulgar official QT room number [9167] Click to enter