Chapter 204: Retreat to Lanchi...
In the original history, Meiwu was the place Dong Zhuo chose for himself to spend his remaining years in peace. It was a small city seven feet high that was built separately next to Mei County. However, nowadays, the reason why this place is called Wu is just because -
In order to prevent invasion from Liangzhou, Dong Zhuo strengthened the defenses and walls of Mei County, and added several watchtowers in the county. From the west of the town, it was clearly in the shape of a fortress.
The inner circle of watchtowers are also equipped with archers to defend the city, which is equivalent to guarding two circles of city walls.
This is the western barrier that Dong Zhuo has high hopes for!
The distance of more than 200 miles from Chang'an was just convenient for the delivery of military supplies, and it was also enough to allow enough time for Chang'an to set up defenses after Meiwu was breached.
If troops from the direction of Yizhou took the Xiegu Road to reach Guanzhong, they would reach Wuzhangyuan, which is 20 miles away from Mei County and is separated from the Wei River by a gate.
There are two peaks facing each other on Jiankuoling in the north of the county, and the mountain has two branches, so it is named Qishan.
After the Wei River was diverted to protect the city, this place can be considered an easy-to-defend and difficult-to-attack location.
But the premise of all this is that there is no obvious difference in numbers between the defenders in Meiwu and the enemy forces attacking from outside the city!
Li Ying, Fan Chou and others transferred 5,000 soldiers from Meiwu.
In order to rescue Dong Zhuo from Li Jue's control in Chang'an, Duan Wei transferred more than 3,000 people from here.
There are only three thousand left.
Although a part of the population gradually gathered in Guanzhong as Duan Wei implemented the military farming management, there were still more than 10,000 residents in the county seat of Mei County.
However, the number of county residents who could be brought in to garrison the city was no more than a thousand. If the number was too large, it would inevitably cause chaos in the city defense.
However, their opponent today...
On this afternoon between summer and autumn, the scout on the watchtower almost dozed off leaning against the tower.
After all, their 20,000 troops had just left Mei County not long ago, and the Xiegu Road was not an easy place to advance, so the possibility of encountering the enemy was very small.
Chencang is also the outpost for garrison. If any special situation occurs, news should be sent over.
But at this moment, he suddenly heard a sound.
He suddenly woke up and listened carefully. The sound was like approaching summer thunder and was getting stronger. It was clearly the sound of troops marching towards this place.
Even though the other party had not appeared in his sight yet, he was chosen by Duan Wei to guard the watchtower on the top of the city wall because of his hearing ability.
The next moment after making this judgment, he struck the gong on the top of the city wall without hesitation.
No matter whether it is an enemy or a friend, it is always right to sound the alarm first.
It was when this sound was made that he vaguely saw smoke rising from a very far distance.
He looked at the soldiers who were guarding the place together, and it was not difficult to tell from their solemn expressions that they had also made the judgment that the enemy was attacking.
Someone asked him, "Don't you think... this scene is even bigger than when Generals Li and Fan left?"
When asking this question, the man's voice was trembling a little.
What does it mean that the army is larger than the ones led by Li Ying and Fan Chou?
The two men combined to take away 5,000 people from here, a total of 20,000 people. According to their marching plan, it is obviously impossible for them to turn back at this time, so there is only one possibility left.
This is an enemy force that numbers more than 20,000 people!
As the enemy approached, the difference in numbers became increasingly clear to the soldiers in the watchtower, and it completely dispelled any hope they had.
The clothing, armor, and number of cavalry of these people were not the same as the group they left.
When that mighty army approached and stopped within six or seven hundred steps, the lieutenant general Duan Wei who was left behind to defend the city couldn't help but gasp.
Although it was impossible to see clearly at this distance, it was enough for people with excellent eyesight to vaguely see that on the large flag of the central army waving in the mighty team coming from the opposite side, there was a word "Qiao".
There is only one person who can use the Qiao flag and appear here now.
"Qiao's flag... that's Bingzhou Mu's army!"
As soon as he realized this, he immediately ordered someone to send a report about the enemy's attack towards Chang'an.
Duan Wei and Dong Bai set out with the garrison of Mei County five days ago. Judging from their marching speed, they had arrived in Chang'an two days ago.
If the two sides had joined forces successfully, they would have regained control of Chang'an by now.
Considering Meiwu's reserve of defensive equipment, the solidity of the city, and Duan Wei's reputation in the area, it should not be difficult for them to hold out until reinforcements from Chang'an arrive.
He was even more grateful that the autumn harvest near Mei County had been basically completed before General Duan set out.
This can be considered a state of clearing the countryside.
Following the sound of gongs and drums from the top of the city wall, the county residents who were still outside the city hurriedly returned to the county.
The city gates on all four sides were closed and the drawbridge over the moat was lowered.
"General Duan is quite a talented person." Qiao Yan looked over here and said with emotion.
Since they marched into Chencang and entered the Guanzhong Plain, a rare open scene in Liangzhou appeared before them.
These flat fertile soils still show traces of the recent autumn harvest and the remaining straw.
Although it was not like Bingzhou and Liangzhou where people cultivated land according to strict farming methods under her command, there was clearly an orderly system here.
Near Chencang, due to the influence of Liangzhou's invasion of Sanfu a few years ago, few people wanted to set up farms here. The number of Dong Zhuo's generals was not enough to support their expansion to this range. Duan Wei simply set up this military farming area between Qishan and Wuzhangyuan.
The well-ordered fields made it easy for Qiao Yan to judge that with Duan Wei's governance methods, ordinary people in Mei County might subconsciously regard them as invaders from Liangzhou over the years and assist in defending Mei County.
Duan Wei is indeed a good general!
Qiao Yan immediately ordered: "Send a message to the top of the city wall, saying that someone from Wuwei County in Liangzhou has come and is an old friend of General Duan, and wants to meet him."
Although he knew that with Duan Wei's temper, he would most likely not be persuaded by a few words, but this was Qiao Yan's signal to the people in the city to use courtesy before force, so it would not hurt to use it.
However, when Yan Jun took the initiative to go there with the intention of redeeming himself, he turned back and said, "Duan Zhongming didn't show up on the city wall. He said...if we want to fight, then we can fight. Why bother to establish a relationship with him? Even if we asked the elders of the Wuwei Duan family to come, he would give the same answer."
"He also said that defending the city is just defending the city, don't talk about old friendships."
Qiao Yan exchanged glances with Guo Jia and Xun You, and said with a smile, "It seems that Duan Zhongming is not in the city."
If Duan Wei was still in Meiwu, this sentence spoken by him personally standing on the city wall would obviously have a better effect in boosting morale than having it conveyed by someone else.
Why give up just because you are worried about seeing your relatives and friends back home?
"It seems that the information we got from Li Ying's personal soldiers was indeed correct." Xun You looked at the direction of the city wall and said, "The struggle for power between Li Jue and Dong Zhuo in Chang'an City is true, which further caused Duan Wei to lead his troops back to provide support, leaving Meiwu without its original commander.
This is really the best news for them.
Although Meiwu did not have a city wall, it did have internal sentry towers, and casualties during the attack were difficult to avoid. If there was a seasoned commander like Duan Wei, even with the lead in siege equipment, there would still be an advantage in numbers.
This would still be a loss that would make Qiao Yan feel very sad.
"So how does Gongda think to attack the city?"
Xun You replied: "Quickly form the battle array and slow down the attack on the city. Of course, the slowness I mentioned is only relative to the former. As for the rest, I think General Gongming has made some preparations."
But don't forget that when Qiao Yan attacked Guanzhong this time, he also brought the Vanguard Camp organized by Xu Huang as the main general.
He did not get the opportunity to perform in conquering the four surnames of Hanyang, fighting against Li Ying, Fan Chou and others in the valley, and capturing Chencang.
He had been waiting for a long time and his hands were getting hot.
Now is the time to verify the word "xiandeng" in Xiandeng Camp.
What the defenders on the city wall of Mei County saw was that this team still kept a distance from the city wall and quickly spread out the battle line on three sides.
This kind of battle-ready situation is enough to make people applaud the strict military discipline and good command of the troops.
However, they did not launch an attack quickly, but set up camp slowly and leisurely, as if they were not worried at all about anyone coming to help.
It was strange that they were thinking about setting up camp instead of attacking the city in the afternoon, which was still a good time for siege.
After all, there is a saying in the art of war that goes "the army is known for its clumsy and quick tactics", which means that if you can fight a war quickly, you don't have to consider the tactics, which is also a kind of cleverness.
When there is foreign aid in Mei County, this article should be referred to.
The defender couldn't help but fall into deep thought as he looked at the scene outside the city.
However, this slow siege did not seem to be just an ordinary slow siege.
Also being assembled in this camp were catapults for siege.
From the top of the city wall, the 30,000-strong army was divided into two distinct groups.
A group formed a defense line six hundred steps outside the city wall to prevent people in Mei County from launching a sneak attack while they were camping on the spot, and also to prevent crossbows fired from the top of the city wall. Those who are tired from traveling can just rest on the spot.
Another group brought standard stones for the trebuchets from the mountains to the north.
Each stone weighed more than ten pounds and was quickly transported to the front of the battle with the help of a wheelbarrow.
This signal that they should wait until they are fully prepared before attacking the city in order to capture it in one blow, coupled with the huge number of people below the city, made the defenders on the city wall look at each other with unspeakable fear.
Even though it seems that the enemy will not launch this final attack until tomorrow, they will not be able to sleep well today.
What's more, they lined up so quickly, who could be sure that they wouldn't suddenly change their minds!
The commander immediately recruited an extra garrison from the civilians in the city, and they took turns to watch the gates with the patrol soldiers here to prevent them from becoming nervous and exhausted.
The stalemate between the city and its outskirts soon turned the time gate from day to night.
As the Wei River flowed slowly under this fortified city at night, only sporadic torches were burning in the camp outside, and everywhere else was pitch black.
The camp of 30,000 people was silent, as if there was no other large army outside.
But when people stand on the top of the city wall of Mei County, they feel as if countless pairs of eyes are staring at them, which makes people feel chilly.
By the next morning, the stone transportation that began on the other side at the hour of Mao had accumulated even more stones.
Looking at our side, there are quite a few who are in low spirits.
Seeing this, the deputy general in the city couldn't help but lament in his heart: "General, if you don't come back to help us quickly, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold on for much longer!"
But perhaps before the letter for help could reach Duan Wei, they were already in crisis.
In the afternoon of that day, the Bingzhou Mu army, which surrounded Mei County on three sides, suddenly launched an attack!
And Duan Wei probably couldn't hear his cry for help.
Two days ago, before his troops entered the city of Chang'an, he saw a group of defeated soldiers coming from the south.
At first glance, it turned out to be Zhang Ji who was supposed to meet them.
Dong Bai, who was in Duan Wei's team, had just separated from Zhang Ji in Lantian Valley a few days ago. When he saw Zhang Ji again, he felt like he was a different person.
There was a mark on his neck that was caused by the blunt end of a stick or a spear, which made people wonder whether he could have made it here safely if he had been hit harder.
According to what Zhang Ji said, the one who dealt him this blow was none other than Yan Xing.
Yan Xing's ambush at Yu Bashui caught Zhang Ji off guard and also made Zhang Ji deeply impressed. This man is truly the next wave among the powerful generals of Liangzhou. As a result, he ended up fleeing in panic with only a hundred or so cavalrymen.
But this is obviously not the time to praise the other person.
The news that Zhang Ji led his troops to attack and suffered heavy casualties had already been reported to Chang'an City by Yan Xing, and the speed was almost the same as Zhang Ji's escape to Duan Wei.
Before Duan Wei had time to retreat, Li Jue had already mobilized the soldiers in Chang'an City to attack Duan Wei.
Duan Wei attacked from Meiwu where he was supposed to be stationed without authorization, which could be considered an act of treason. Li Jue's deployment of troops to fight was upright and even in terms of military strength, Duan Wei would definitely suffer.
Due to the hasty preparation of the army for battle, Duan Wei was unable to cross the Weishui River Bridge and was forced to stay on the north bank.
Seeing the fighting going on in the wilderness on all sides, and knowing that it was becoming increasingly disadvantageous for Li Jue as he was unable to send reinforcements from Chang'an, he made a prompt decision and chose to retreat to Lanchi.
Or rather Chiyang County.
In the past, Qin Shihuang built the Lanchi Palace here. During the Han Dynasty, this palace was also built in the south of Lanchi Pond, and a county was established in the north of Lanchi.
This was also the fiefdom chosen by Dong Zhuo for his mother.
Dong Bai had been here with his great-grandmother and was quite familiar with the place.
But both she and Duan Wei knew that retreating to the city gates was not a long-term solution.
If they cannot find an opportunity to reverse public opinion and send more troops to counterattack Li Jue, even if they defend the city, they will be surrounded and killed by Li Jue sooner or later.
After all, Chiyang is not like Meiwu where Duan Wei was previously stationed, which has enough food reserves to support several years.
In this comparison, Li Jue, as the attacking party, would be in a much happier mood.
"I should thank you, sir. If it weren't for Mr. Wenhe's suggestion to arrange Yan Yanming to go south to follow Zhang Ji's team, how could we have discovered that this guy would actually join forces with Duan Wei and suddenly attack Chang'an. So what if this man survived a disaster! I will make him die in Chiyang with Duan Wei!"
Li Jue asked his attendants, "Have you seen Mr. Wenhe? Ask him to come see me as soon as possible."
Such a reliable Jia Xu will definitely be able to give him a way to quickly defeat Chi Yang.
However, an incense stick later, he saw his subordinate rushing over in a cold sweat, and replied: "Mr. Jia is not where he usually works."
If that were all, it would be fine.
Chang'an City is so big, it is normal for people to want to walk around.
But he immediately heard his subordinates say: "We heard that you went to meet Dong Zhuo's relatives today. We were worried that things might have changed, so we hurried over and found out——"
"Weiyang Jun, Chiyang Jun and others are also missing!"
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