Volume 5: Overlord of the Sea Chapter 559: Danger in Hanzhong
In the few days after Zhang Ren suffered a setback, he did not try to break the barbed wire with his personal bravery. However, Guo Huai always felt that the other party was making some kind of arrangement to make him let his guard down!
To this end, more patrols were arranged, and idle personnel and civilian laborers were deployed to further widen the trenches to facilitate the mobilization of troops, and to improve the drainage and sewage channels to guard against sudden rains.
Guo Huai himself was also busy these days. While directing the defense, he stayed up late to write memorials. In addition to boasting about his achievements, the main topics were about artillery, Qi bullets and crossbows, and the analysis of the practical results of General Jin Yu...
Although artillery had been used on a small scale before, it was only now that it was truly used on the battlefield, so Zhang Ren didn't recognize what it was at first glance.
Therefore, Guo Huai felt that this first-hand observation report should be very valuable and might add more glory to his contribution in defending Badong.
…
A few days ago, when Zhang Ren just set foot in Zhi County, the situation in Hanzhong was also mysterious and unpredictable.
Faced with the diametrically opposed proposals made by Yan Pu and Yang Song - one was for him to immediately withdraw from Hanchang in Bazhong, the other was for him to defend the city to the death - Zhang Lu was hesitant.
But after all, now is the time when Ma Chao has come knocking, and Zhang Lu knows that he cannot just hesitate, so... he sends the "chief priests" of various Tianshidao sects to notify the believers in Hanzhong to gather in Nanzheng, and to ensure that no grain is left in the warehouses or in the fields. Those who are greedy and disobey... will be visited by ghosts and gods at night!
In Hanzhong, it is so easy to fortify the city and clear the countryside.
As for Zhang Lu... he just felt that doing so was a passive strategy of clearing the countryside. At the same time, if he wanted to retreat to Hanchang, he could just migrate with the believers and let them come to Nanzheng first, which would not be a waste of time.
Thinking this way, I can feel more at ease to continue to be "indecisive".
"My lord! The bandits' minions are now imminent. You should make a decision early on whether to leave or stay!" Yan Pu anxiously advised Zhang Lu, who had been "indecisive" for several days.
"This..." Zhang Lu was still a little hesitant.
"Don't worry, Master Yan. My Tianshi disciples are now gathering in Nanzheng. There will be no delay whether we fight or retreat." Seeing Zhang Lu's expression, Yang Song immediately began to persuade Yan Pu.
"Yes, that's exactly the point." Zhang Lu said that he was successfully convinced.
For those with "fear of choice ", the default answer is always the easiest to give.
Yan Pu closed his eyes to avoid showing dissatisfaction, then stood back silently.
To Zhang Lu... Yan Pu was only loyal to his cause, which could not be considered as absolute loyalty. He would certainly not do something like dying for advice.
However, after Yan Pu stopped persuading him, Zhang Lu himself felt that what he said made sense, so... after the meeting, Zhang Lu specifically asked Zhang Wei to stay.
"After much thought, what Yang Song said is indeed reasonable. Nanzheng is not something that can be easily conquered by the northwestern barbarians. If we retreat without a fight, Shangyong and Xicheng will certainly not be able to be saved. We can only retreat to Bazhong, and it will be difficult to enter Hanzhong again!
However, Yan Pu's words cannot be ignored either. If Nanzheng is lost... I think we should make preparations for both situations. From now on, you will take your trusted men to the vicinity of the South City and dig a tunnel leading to the outside of the city.
After that, I will secretly report to Cheng Ji for you, and mark that area as the altar square for rituals, and tell the public... that you are preparing for a sacrifice." Zhang Lu came up with a good idea.
"Don't worry, brother!" Zhang Wei took the order and left. He was not surprised. This idea itself was very Zhang Lu's.
Nanzheng's "strong wall" did indeed block Ma Chao's Qiang army. After all... the Qiang people, who were originally cavalry, were not good at attacking strongholds. They even learned how to build some siege equipment only recently.
As for the "clearing" aspect...
Hanzhong did have a set of methods to fortify its walls and clear the fields. It only required the chief governor to pass the message down step by step, and the people of Hanzhong would be willing to be "cleared". Most of them came to Nanzheng, and some even voluntarily burned the crops that had not been harvested in time.
After all, "being punished by ghosts and gods" is just a joke for wise men and people with ambition. It still has some force for ordinary people. And for the believers of Tianshi Dao, these words spoken by the chief priest of Tianshi Dao are more powerful than an imperial edict!
However, there was still a part of the people who had not had time to return to Nanzheng before the Qiang people appeared. However, they all followed Zhang Lu's instructions and looked for hiding places on the spot - absolutely not to cause trouble for the Tianshi Dao.
Therefore, the strategy of clearing the countryside in Nanzheng can be said to be the simplest.
But I happened to meet the Qiang people again...
In terms of strength, the Qiang people have always been inferior to the peak Xiongnu and Xianbei, and even inferior to the Wuhuan. However, in terms of destructive power, they are still superior. The biggest reason is... Compared with the northern ethnic groups, the Qiang people originated within the territory of the Han Dynasty and have truly taken root here. They often cause trouble in Bingzhou and Liangzhou!
Compared with the Xiongnu in the Western Han Dynasty and the Xianbei in previous years, the Qiang people have never been regarded by the Han people as "strong enemies" or "opponents worthy of fighting."
However, they caused trouble in Liangzhou and Bingzhou time and time again. When they encountered ruthless Han generals who would massacre their own people at will, they would lie down. When they met strong men who were willing to take them in, they would follow them wholeheartedly. They did not have the arrogance of the Xiongnu and Xianbei, who thought, "I was once on equal footing with the Han people" and "How can I be driven by foreigners?"
There were the most numerous rebellions, but by comparison they never caused any great emergency.
It is precisely because of this that the Qiang people's talent for "plundering" is even greater than that of the Xiongnu and Xianbei...
Although many young Qiang people were impressed by Ma Chao and even worshipped him as a god, it was impossible to expect Ma Chao to enforce the military discipline of the Qiang people.
Of course, how could I, Ma Mengqi, be the kind of person who allowed his soldiers to plunder?
Just loosen up the constraints...
If the commotion gets too big, Ma Chao might even kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, to prevent the Qiang people from losing their morale.
The same thing happened after arriving in Nanzheng. Even after the main force encountered resistance in the siege, Ma Chao really wanted to bypass Nanzheng directly, go to the eastern part of Hanzhong, and take Xicheng and Shangyong first, just as Yan Pu said!
The order given was just the vague "assemble in West City before a certain time on a certain day."
As for whether someone from Nanzheng will come out to launch a "sneak attack"?
What are you afraid of? Field battles are the Qiang people's strong point.
Moreover, if Nanzheng was cut off and turned into an isolated city, with so many people gathered in the city by Zhang Lu, how long could they hold out even if the treasury was full?
Even if we are preached, as Han people, if we are really hungry, even ghosts and gods will bite off a few pieces of our flesh...
Zhang Lu did not expect that he originally wanted to follow Yang Song's suggestion and hold on for a while. Even if Ma Chao did not retreat, he could let Yang Song go to negotiate.
Who knew that what Ma Chao got was exactly Yan Pu's script, which was to directly cut off his wings and prepare to "starve" him to death!
In this way, the tunnel was prepared in vain - Ma Chao was not afraid of him leaving at all, and was determined to pacify Hanzhong first.
Yang Song didn't dare to mention going to Ma Chao to negotiate at this time. After all, Zhang Lu had no bargaining chips at all. It would be too fake to negotiate now...
However, when Zhang Lu learned that the Qiang people were outside the city, searching for the believers who had not returned to the city, Yang Song desperately winked at his brother Yang Bai. Although the latter was puzzled, under Yang Song's urging, he gritted his teeth and stood up and said, "Tianshi, I am willing to go out of the city to rescue the believers who have not returned!"
Yan Pu was standing aside at this time, with a stern face, not looking, not listening, and not paying any attention.
Zhang Lu was pleased and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Yang Jijiu!"
