Chapter 329 Sun Jun’s Movement
Kuiji, outside Shanyin City.
Under the command of the Chinese army's flag, groups of soldiers successively launched a fierce attack on the city head.
Sun Ce's army launched a fierce attack on Shanyin City from the second day after arriving at Shanyin City.
Even though the engineering equipment was extremely rudimentary, with only the simplest ladders and rams, Sun Jun still climbed to the top of the city without fear of death.
This is not only because Sun Ce's army has high morale and fights bravely, but more importantly, Sun Ce has issued a heavy reward.
The first person to ascend the throne will be promoted to the third level and will be rewarded with two thousand pieces of cloth and five hundred acres of land and house.
This alone made the warrior Sun Cejun howl in excitement.
But even so, Sun Ce was still not satisfied. This morning, he also promised in the army to open Shanyin City and allow the city to be washed for three days.
At this time, not only the warriors, but also the eyes of ordinary soldiers were red.
There were people in the army who wanted to persuade Sun Ce, but in the end, they couldn't say anything to persuade him.
Because everyone knows that Sun Ce has no choice but to take Shanyin in a short time, Sun Ce's army will have no way to escape. Moreover, after this fierce battle, the casualties will definitely be insignificant, and morale will also become depleted by then, and some means will be needed to boost morale.
Washing the city is undoubtedly the most effective method. It can not only restore morale, but also make a lot of money.
According to Sun Ce's army's rules, half of the goods obtained from washing the city must be handed over to the army.
“There are too many casualties.”
Sun Hao watched the black dot fall on the city in the distance. These were Sun Cejun's warriors.
But the Kuaiji army also went crazy and fought tooth and nail to defend the city. Even if Sun Cejun's warriors successfully boarded the city, they were immediately forced back by counterattacks and even pushed down the city wall.
In just three days, Sun Ce's army had suffered more than 1,500 casualties, and more than 600 people were killed in battle.
However, the Kuaiji Army did not fare well, with about 1,300 casualties. Although they were protected by the city wall, the gap in combat power made the casualties between the two sides close to 1:1.
Han Dang gritted his teeth, clasped his fists at Sun Ce and said, "Bo Fu, let me go! If we don't take the city head, I swear not to return to the camp."
To be fair, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang are extremely loyal to the Sun family.
Huang Gai stood aside for more than ten years, but he was still willing to work as a spy for the Sun family in Chibi. If Huang Gai hadn't been neglected by the Sun family for more than ten years and everyone knew about it, would Cao Cao be able to believe him so quickly with his suspicion and jealousy?
It’s just that Cao Cao didn’t expect Huang Gai to be so loyal, let alone the southeast wind in Jiangdong in winter.
Sun Ce's handsome face was as cold as iron at this time. When he heard Han Dang's request to fight, he just uttered two words in a daze: "No hurry."
I don't understand what Sun Ce is doing. What are you waiting for? But Sun Ce is no longer what he was two years ago. He has a very high prestige in the army. Not to mention Han Dang, even Cheng Pu no longer dares to act like a veteran in front of him.
Calling you uncle is to give you face and to show Sun Ce's affection and righteousness, but it does not mean that your surname is really Sun.
Han Dang could only retreat, while Sun Ce's attention was still on the battlefield ahead.
Sun Ce knew very well that the only chance of survival now was in Shanyin City, and if he wanted to break Shanyin City, he could only spare his life.
At this time, there are still eight to nine thousand people in Shanyin City. Among them, only the six thousand intact Kuaiji troops with real combat effectiveness are the only two or three thousand defeated troops. The other two or three thousand defeated troops are already frightened and cannot be used.
But if the opponent is given enough time to rebuild their morale, then these defeated soldiers are no longer a burden. Even if they cannot be used completely and are broken up as supplementary soldiers, they may become a weight that affects the outcome. code.
Therefore, Sun Ce must not give the other party this time.
In the past three days, Sun Ce has been carefully observing the situation at the top of the city.
As he expected, the morale of the Kuaiji army was getting lower and lower. Although their resistance was still firm, their combat effectiveness was constantly declining.
On the morning of the first day, Sun Ce's army attacked twice, but none of them could reach the top of the city. However, among the three attacks in the afternoon, someone rushed to the top of the city during the second attack.
The situation was even more obvious on the second day. They attacked the city twice throughout the day, but they were still defended by the Kuaiji army.
By yesterday, it had become that every attack could successfully reach the city, but it still couldn't stand. But there are more places for breakthroughs.
The last time there were even three people who climbed onto the city at the same time. Although they were pushed back down by the Kuaiji army, Sun Ce clearly saw that the opponent had already mobilized their reserves.
Therefore, Sun Ce refused the mid-level officers' request to take a day off, strictly ordered the siege to continue, and issued rewards for washing the city to stimulate morale.
Seeing that another wave of offensives was disintegrated, Sun Ce's army retreated and regrouped, replacing them with new troops, preparing for the next wave of attacks.
A cold smile escaped from the corner of Sun Ce's mouth. He had decided that the day after tomorrow would be the day to win.
Zhu Zhi has sent word that the remaining troops staying in Jiangbei have arrived and will arrive at noon tomorrow.
With the reinforcements of the new force and the elite troops he has hidden in the snow, it depends on whether he can take down Sanin this time.
Besieging a city in ancient times was difficult mainly because the city walls and fortifications were too advantageous. As long as the casualties of the attacking party exceeded a critical value, the attack would be impossible. Various factors such as time, supplies, and additional troops must be used to boost morale before the attack can continue.
Another point is that if one attack wave is calculated based on the collapse of the attacker's morale, no matter how elite the troops are, they still can't defeat it after two or three waves of attacks. Then the soldiers will deal with it completely passively. If the pressure is tight, Yes, it is common for you to stage a mutiny.
So those big and fortified cities can easily defend themselves for a year and a half, but they don’t fight there every day. Most of them withstood the first two or three waves of attacks from the attackers, allowing them to The attackers completely lost confidence in attacking the city and turned to a siege.
In addition, as long as the defenders can withstand each wave of attacks from the siege party, there will be plenty of time between the two waves of attacks to rest and reorganize their troops and repair the city's defenses.
This time can be as short as one or two months, or as long as one and a half years. It all depends on factors such as the ability of the siege general, the organization of the army, and the ability to supplement logistics.
Sun Ce knew very well that the current casualties were close to 10%, and the reason why he could still maintain strong morale was all supported by the rewards from washing the city. He knew even better that what he lacked was time.
Don't look at Sun Ce's soldiers with red eyes and fiercely attacking the city wall like hungry wolves, but once this momentum passes, it won't take ten days and a half to let the soldiers below get closer. Half a step to the city wall.
That’s why he gritted his teeth and insisted on consuming and exhausting Kuaiji County on the city wall at the cost of human life, in exchange for the opportunity to seal his throat with one blow.
********
“Yuzhang, I will hand over Wu County to you.”
Xu Kun, whose courtesy name is Yuzhang.
At this time, on the city tower, Wu Jing watched the troops below continuously passing through the city gate, and then heading south. He warned Xu Kun beside him: "You don't have to fight hard, try your best to delay Time is enough. As long as you can persist in Wu County for two months, you will be the first to win this battle!”
After careful consideration, Wu Jing felt that Xu Kun’s words still made sense, and he was not the only one! With this advice, Zhu Chao and Sun He also came to him in private and suggested that he lead the main force to withdraw south first, leaving eight or nine thousand people to guard Wu County. It would be easier to move around then.
Based on these reasons, Wu Jingcai decided to adopt Xu Kun's suggestion and take the main force to leave first, and by the way, he also took the family members of the Sun, Wu, and Xu families with him.
Originally there were nearly 10,000 people in Wu County, but Xu Kun withdrew more than 7,000 people, adding up to almost 17,000 people. After discussion, Wu Jing added 8,000 people to Xu Kun, and took the remaining 9,000 people and more than 1,000 family members southward.
"Don't worry, uncle, I will take your orders to heart."
Xu Kun nodded vigorously. He and Wu Jing were not on good terms before, but now he has Liu Jing. Seizing this formidable enemy, coupled with the tragic defeat in Wuxi, made Xu Kun put away his arrogance and pride, and became humble.
The same was true for Wu Jing. After Xu Kun made a conciliatory gesture, he immediately changed his attitude.
Everyone is a smart person, and until the battle for the second house, the Sun family's internal strife was actually relatively well controlled.
Sun Hao, the eldest son of Sun Jing's family, rebelled when Sun Ce died and wanted to seize power. He directly raised troops to attack Kuaiji County and Shanyin County openly and openly. After his defeat, he was just left idle by Sun Quan.
Sun Ben's younger brother Sun Fu wrote directly to Cao Cao, secretly communicated with Cao Cao, and wanted to replace Sun Quan. However, after the matter was exposed, he was also under house arrest.
Wu Jing and Xu Kun both realized that the Sun family was about to be squeezed into a desperate situation and that it was time to unite, so they naturally made adjustments.
"Okay, you are also experienced in fighting, and you have experience in conquering the Southern Army. It will be hard on you this time." Seeing that the team has left the city, it is time for Wu Jing to set off, Xu Kun accompanied him Watching the other person get off the tower, then watching the other person get on the horse.
"Uncle, have a pleasant journey!"
"Yu Zhang, may your military fortune be long-lasting!"
After the two said goodbye, Wu Jing led dozens of cavalry soldiers on foot. He went out and chased the team.
After the team left Wu County, they first traveled fifty miles a day for two full days.
On the third day, Wu Jing suddenly ordered to slow down, and after walking only twenty miles, he set up camp and cooked and rested early.
Early the next morning, Wu Jing ordered a forced march, and they actually marched fifty miles in one day, which was extremely risky. And this was not just one day. On the morning of the fifth day, Wu Jing still ordered to continue marching. Although the soldiers complained a little, they still obeyed the order.
After walking a hundred miles in two days, although the soldiers were very tired, they were undoubtedly about to embark on the most dangerous part of the journey.
Wu Jing’s bet was that Zhou Yu had just won You Quan and had insufficient grasp of the situation around You Quan.
Facts also proved that Wu Jing was right in his bet. Zhou Yu really couldn't control such a big place.
This is not because Zhou Yu is not capable, but because Zhou Yu is very clear-headed and knows that holding on to your fists and waiting for Taishi Ci's reinforcements is the first step, and he does not rush forward greedily.
Coupled with Wu Jing and Xu Kun's prompt decision-making, as well as Wu Jing's astuteness in smuggling across the border, it was possible to bypass Youquan and successfully head south.
After walking another forty miles on the sixth day, Wu Jing was completely relieved. In the past few days, his energy had been highly concentrated, and he would be frightened for a long time by any slightest move.
Once this kind of rapid march encounters an ambush, coupled with the fatigue accumulated in the previous few days, it is not surprising that it collapses on the spot.
Fortunately, I managed to make it through.
The next road was much easier. Wu Jing no longer forced the march, but changed to a march of thirty miles a day to appease the somewhat shaken military morale.
********
In a house in Yuhang County, Wu County, a man of medium height and quite strong physique was sitting in front of a scribe.
"Kong Wen, Zheng Nan and Sheng Gong came to invite you. Do you think you should go or not?"
The person who spoke was none other than Xu Zhao, the most powerful man in Yuhang, and he asked for advice. He was a scribe in Wu County and a righteous man in Wu County. He was praised by Shengxian for his filial piety and integrity, Gao Dai and Gao Kong Wen.
Xu Zhao received letters from Sheng Xian and Liu Feng, and was very moved after reading them.
Unlike Sheng Xian, Gao Dai and others, Xu Zhao is completely powerful. In most cases, it is difficult for him to become an official.
Although Gan Ning was fighting and killing, his family was not just powerful, they could also be considered to be from a noble family.
Otherwise, Gan Ning could study if he wanted to?
Books were extremely rare in the Eastern Han Dynasty and were worth a lot of money, especially classics, which were treasures that even if you had money, you had no place to buy them.
In terms of family property, Xu Zhao is definitely not inferior to Gan Ning, but Xu Zhao wants to buy a classic?
Sorry, Xu Zhao is not qualified.
It is precisely for these reasons that Xu Zhao was very polite to the nobles. He once took huge risks to hide Sheng Xian and Gao Dai, protect them from wind and rain, and resist Xu Gong's pressure. Behind all this is Xu Zhao's family of two thousand people and tens of thousands of tenants.
Gao Dai also received letters from Sheng Xian and Liu Feng. Sheng Xian informed the two of them in the letter. It was precisely because of this that Xu Zhao came to Gao Dai to solve his doubts.
Gao Dai glanced at Xu Zhao. Although the other person looked calm, the fire in his eyes was not hidden.
Gao Dai understood that Xu Zhao valued this opportunity very much.
The reason why the other party still came to ask me for advice was because it was written in Sheng Xian's letter that he recommended himself and Xu Zhao. Secondly, I also hope to inquire about the situation of Liu Zhengnan and Sheng Gong from myself.
After all, Sun Xinqiu had just defeated Wang Lang and captured Guling. It was said that he was attacking Shanyin fiercely. If he were allowed to capture Kuaiji, Liu Zhengnan might not be able to go south smoothly.
Xu Zhao’s family’s properties, houses, and shops are almost all in Yuhang. If he makes a wrong bet at this time, it will undoubtedly be a disaster for him.
After thinking about it for a while, Gao Dai gave Xu Zhao some advice: "Liu Zhengnan took the order of the court and the order of the hussar, and after crossing the river, he already got Yangzhou Mu Liu Shijun, Danyang Prefect Zhou Fujun and others. Although Sun Bofu is brave and capable of fighting and has won many battles, he has suffered successive defeats in the north of Wu. If Sun Bofu continues to use troops in Kuaiji and does not return to the north, Wu County will surely gain from the expedition to the south. "< br>
Xu Zhao's eyes flashed. He really didn't know Wu Bei's situation. Sheng Xian didn't mention it to him in his letter.
But Youquan is just north of Yuhang. Although the distance is not close, there is always news coming from the close proximity.
He already knew that Zhou Yu's magic soldiers descended from the sky and cooperated inside and outside to capture Youquan County. No matter how stupid Xu Zhao was, he could see that Liu Zhengnan now had the upper hand.
Xu Zhao felt a little confused when he thought that Sun Bofu, who was the brave and unruly leader of the three armies, went south to attack Kuaiji, but did not dare to confront Liu Feng in Wubei.
For a powerful person like Xu Zhao, sometimes it is very simple to solve problems.
To him, Sun Ce's behavior was that he was afraid of Liu Feng and was avoiding him.
Remembering that Zhu Zhi had persuaded him to join Sun Ce before, but fortunately he did not agree to it.
Xu Zhao felt sorry for Zhu Zhi at this time. Since Zhu Zhi became the captain of Wu County, he has been managing politics in Qiantang and Yuhang and has not gone to Wuxian.
Xu Gong was also afraid of Zhu Zhi and pretended to turn a blind eye to it, as long as the two sides did not conflict with each other.
As the most powerful person in Yuhang, Xu Zhao naturally caught Zhu Zhi’s eye.
After the visit, Xu Zhao and Zhu Zhi hit it off at first sight, and the relationship between the two parties was very harmonious.
Xu Zhao also donated a thousand shi of grain to help Zhu Zhi appease the place.
In the original time and space, after Sun Ce arrived in Jiangdong, someone wanted to settle old scores and persuaded Cheng Pu to speak to Sun Ce, asking Sun Ce to destroy the opponent on the grounds that Xu Zhao had taken Yan Baihu in.
Sun Ce was quite generous, rejecting Cheng Pu's suggestion, and praised Xu Zhao for being loyal to his old emperor (Sheng Xian) and sincere to his old friend (Yan Baihu), which was also his husband's ambition.
After his eyes flickered, Xu Zhao suddenly gritted his teeth and said: "Kong Wen, if I raise troops in Yuhang and send troops to the south, is it okay?"
Xu Zhao's words were not a joke, but something he could really do.
His family has two thousand troops in Yuhang. When necessary, he can also mobilize his tenants and country rangers, and he can have three to four thousand young people in an instant.
Originally, it was a bit troublesome to capture Yuhang, but now Zhu Zhi has taken away all the county soldiers in Yuhang City. Today, Yuhang is almost an empty city. If Xu Zhao wants to capture it, it will be easy. Moreover, the autumn harvest had just been completed in the city. Although a lot of it was consumed by Sun Ce's army, it was still being sent to the front line in a steady stream.
But even so, there are still no less than hundreds of thousands of stones of food in the city for Xu Zhao to hold on to after he captures the city.
Therefore, Xu Zhao felt that the chance of winning was very high. If it succeeded, he would be able to surrender the whole city to Liu Feng. The rewards he would receive at that time would be completely different.
Xu Zhao originally thought that his plan had a high chance of winning, but Gao Dai was shocked when he heard it, and quickly stopped him: "Absolutely not!"
Xu Zhao said in confusion: "I see Kong Wen, you I also look down on the people of the Sun family, why not?"
Gao Dai smiled bitterly and said: "I must speak for the Sun family, but actually for the sake of the king."
Xu Zhao was even more puzzled: "Why? I can't say it? Why is this?"
Gao Dai sighed, knowing that Xu Zhao still couldn't understand the situation, so he could only analyze it carefully: "Wuxian is a strong city, even with the ability to conquer the south. , I may not be able to defeat him overnight. But I, Yu Hang, am at the mercy of Sun Jun. If Jun Xu were to arrive at the city at this time, it would be Sun’s rebels.”
"Liu Zhengnan is far away in Wuzhong at this time, almost seven or eight hundred miles away from me. The Sun family's rebel army has always fought bravely. If our county cannot support it, Zhengnan's place is beyond the reach of the whip and there is nothing we can do to help."< br>
“Do you think Mr. Xu doesn’t dare to massacre the city?”
Xu Zhao stood up in horror.
(End of this chapter)