dognovel Chapter 200 Zhang Fei is excited, Guo Huai is worried
Chapter 200 Zhang Fei is excited, Guo Huai is worried
Wei Yan walked up to Feng Shan and asked condescendingly, "What position do you hold in the army? Didn't you receive our warning about the raid on Dazhen Pass? Why are you sleeping with your clothes off?"
During a major battle, both generals and soldiers slept fully clothed, ready to fight at any moment. But you took off your clothes and slept soundly. Do you really think the battlefield is your home?
Feng Shan dared not lie and answered honestly, "This humble officer is only a minor commander. My captain went to Longxi with General Zhang He and is not here."
"This afternoon a messenger did come to say that Dazhen Pass might be under attack. The magistrate of Qian County also told me to strengthen defenses, saying that he was mobilizing troops and provisions and that they would arrive to provide support tomorrow. I thought that Mei County was more than 300 li away from here, and that you would not be able to arrive until tomorrow at the earliest, so I told the brothers to rest well and prepare for a full-scale night watch tomorrow. Who would have thought that you would arrive so quickly?"
It turns out he was just a minor novice; no wonder his understanding was lacking.
Wei Yan continued, "Where did the messenger who brought you the news go? Did he go to Jieting or return the way he came?"
This issue must be clarified because it relates to the next steps in the operation. The fact that the messenger did not go to Jieting proves that Jieting has not yet received the message, and they can launch a rapid attack.
If the messenger goes to Jieting, it proves that Jieting has begun to prepare for defense, and they need to rearrange their tactics and proceed cautiously.
Feng Shan replied, "The messenger ran for two whole days. When he entered the city, both he and his horse collapsed from exhaustion. He gave me a few simple instructions and then passed out. He hasn't woken up yet. As for whether he will go to Jieting or return to Chang'an after he wakes up, we'll only know after he wakes up."
Wei Yan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and continued to ask, "Did you send someone to Jieting to report the news?"
Feng Shan shook his head and said, "The messenger didn't tell me to deliver a message. He just finished saying that the Shu army might launch a surprise attack on Dazhen Pass and told me to be careful before he fainted, so..."
Wei Yan said speechlessly, "This is a matter of utmost importance. You didn't report it because the messenger told you to?"
Feng Shan said matter-of-factly, "I'm a squad leader, not a general. Why should I concern myself with such trivial matters?"
What do you mean? You don't do anything extra besides your job. No wonder you're over forty and still just a minor official.
Wei Yan suddenly found this guy kind of adorably silly, and said speechlessly, "That's all for you, go get some rest."
After counting the prisoners and collecting the weapons, he sent someone to recall the garrison commander who was blocking the fleeing soldiers behind Dazhen Pass. After confirming that no fleeing soldiers had escaped to Jieting, he began to take over the city's defenses. At the same time, he sent a messenger to Yujun to report the situation to Zhang Fei.
If the plan had gone smoothly, Zhang Fei should have already captured Yujun by now.
After finishing all that, Wei Yan did not rest, but instead struggled with a question: should he lead his troops to Qian County to seize some territory?
Once they enter the Longshan Road, they will completely lose their supply sources, so the more food and fodder they prepare, the better. Where else can they rob if not Qianxian?
Qianxian is a small county town with low city walls. I could easily take it down with a thousand men. However, Guo Huai's cavalry is probably on their way here. It would be troublesome if we encountered Guo Huai's cavalry during the attack or on the way back.
After all, we'll be transporting supplies on the way back, so the journey won't be fast.
Alright, guarding the Dazhen Pass is the priority; everything else can wait.
With this in mind, Wei Yan abandoned his idea of plundering Qian County, raised the Wei army banner again, and changed into Wei army uniforms to wait for the fish to take the bait.
Feng Shan just said that the magistrate of Qian County will be escorting a batch of reinforcements and supplies today, and he is determined to get his hands on these supplies.
Around 3 PM, the magistrate of Qian County arrived with nearly a thousand laborers and three thousand bushels of grain to provide support. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Wei army's banners fluttering on the city walls.
There's nothing to worry about as long as Dazhen Pass is still in Wei's hands. The garrison inside the pass, along with the thousand or so civilians I brought, will surely be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive.
Wei Yan also breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that the magistrate of Qian County would receive the news or notice something was wrong and would not send him grain. Now that he had come, things were much easier.
Wei Yan had Feng Shan open the city gates and invite the magistrate of Qian County into the city, and then...
Upon entering the city, the county magistrate, seeing the entire city's Shu army breached on the spot, angrily began cursing Feng Shan's ancestors for eighteen generations.
Wei Yan ignored this and, after accepting the grain and mules, drove the county magistrate, Feng Shan, and all the soldiers and laborers in the city out of the city.
This group posed little threat to him outside the city, but a significant threat inside. He didn't want to have to guard against internal strife while defending against the Wei army's attack, so it was best to send this plague away.
Thus, only two thousand Han soldiers remained in the city. Wei Yan divided the Han soldiers into three teams: one team to defend and the other two teams to rest and conserve their strength.
At the same time, to prevent the Wei army from using the same tactics he used to attack Dazhen Pass to launch a surprise attack from the mountaintop, a hundred soldiers were stationed on each of the two mountaintops.
After doing all this, Wei Yan was completely relaxed. He didn't need to do anything else; he just needed to guard Dazhen Pass and patiently wait for Zhang Fei to arrive.
……
Meanwhile, Zhang Fei, after defeating Guo Huai, led his army to Yujun and successfully captured it. He then rested in the city while waiting for news from Wei Yan.
At noon that day, five cavalrymen dressed as Wei soldiers came from the direction of Dazhen Pass. They were overjoyed to see the Han army banners fluttering on the city wall. They spurred their horses and rushed to the city wall, shouting, "We are messengers of General Wei Yan. Take us to see General Zhang Fei immediately!"
After all, they were on Cao Wei territory, so wearing Wei army uniforms was more convenient for them.
Zhang Fei, who was patrolling the city wall, rushed over upon receiving the news. Seeing the five men, he asked impatiently, "Do you have any token?"
To prevent Wei soldiers from disguising themselves as Shu messengers and spreading false information, he prepared tokens of communication when he parted ways with Wei Yan.
The lead messenger took out half a jade pendant from his pocket, and Zhang Fei snatched it and took out the other half from his pocket. When they were put together, they formed a complete jade pendant.
Zhang Fei then asked anxiously, "Has Dazhen Pass been captured?"
"We've taken them." The messenger replied, presenting Wei Yan's handwritten letter. Zhang Fei was overjoyed after reading it and said, "Excellent! Wei Wenchang has indeed not disappointed me. Order the army to assemble immediately and follow me back to Yong County to meet Huang Zhizhong."
Now that he had Dazhen Pass in his grasp, he had no more worries. All he needed to do next was to safely transport Huang Quan's main force, along with their supplies and provisions, to Dazhen Pass, and that would be considered a victory.
After capturing Yujun, Zhang Fei did not rest, but was always ready to return by the same route. Now, there was no need for further preparations, and he could set off at any time.
Zhang Fei led all his troops out of the city and south. After traveling all night, they arrived safely outside Yong County at noon the next day. Once there, they did not dare to advance rashly. Instead, they sent out scouts to contact Huang Quan and to explore the surrounding area. At the same time, they deployed their troops in formation and advanced slowly to prevent Guo Huai's cavalry from suddenly attacking.
Upon receiving the news, Huang Quan personally led 5,000 troops out of the city to meet them. The two forces successfully rendezvoused, and Zhang Fei went straight to the point without any pleasantries: "Gongheng, Dazhen Pass has been captured. Are you ready?"
Such a major event happening outside the city could not possibly go unnoticed by the Wei army, and the Wei scouts hiding nearby quickly reported the news to Guo Huai.
Guo Huai was currently stationed ten miles northeast of Yong County. Upon hearing the news that Zhang Fei was coming, his anxious heart sank to the bottom.
Zhang Fei's arrival in Yong County at this time can only mean one thing: Dazhen Pass has fallen. He no longer needs to block the Wei army heading to Dazhen Pass and wants to take the main force, supplies, and provisions with him.
This is trouble!