The original attack of the Northern Expeditionary Army was too hasty, and it was too great to lose too much in such a hurry to rush to Jizhou to fight. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoNow that I've had two more months of preparation, it's a very different story.

In recent years, the Central Plains has suffered from wars and disasters, and its vitality has been greatly damaged, although it has improved slightly under Cao Cao's efforts, but the results are not very significant.

In this Northern Expedition, Yanzhou mainly sent troops, and the grain of the Yanzhou Army was mainly supplied by Xu and Yang, so the biggest impact of this locust plague on the Northern Expedition was not the supply of grain and grass, but the rebellion that might arise from it in the rear.

In order to prevent the recurrence of the failure to fight against Dong, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Liu Biao and others immediately discussed and decided to requisition all the victims of the disaster in the Central Plains as their husbands and transport grain and grass to various grain routes. In this way, on the one hand, it can solve the problem of feeding the victims and prevent them from becoming displaced people, and on the other hand, it can also allow the people in Jing, Henan, Yang, Xu and other places to avoid the suffering of long-distance travel, killing two birds with one stone.

Cao Cao mentioned a possibility at this time, if the locust plague is serious, Jizhou may also be affected. Once Jizhou is affected by the disaster and the food drops sharply, the Northern Xinjiang Army is bound to be unsustainable.

Generally speaking, if the Central Plains is affected, Jizhou on the north bank of the Yellow River will definitely be affected, and Cao Cao's guess is correct.

Yuan Shao and the others suddenly became excited.

Yuan Shao said: "Urgently inform the affected counties and counties, block the news of the locust plague, and order the armies of all departments that have reached the south bank of the Yellow River to strengthen inspections and strictly prohibit anyone from smuggling into Hebei." ”

Liu Bei hurriedly returned to Xuzhou to arrange disaster prevention matters. Cheng Yu, Man Chong and other Yanzhou officials rushed to several counties and counties that might be affected by the disaster, and while directing the people to grab grain, they began to recruit the victims to serve as wartime people. Cao Cao also urgently wrote to Gongsun Zhan, asking him to pay attention to the direction of locust flow and take precautions as soon as possible to avoid disasters.

………………

From the front-line army on the north bank of the Yellow River, all kinds of news came one after another.

Hanoi's flamboyant army has already left Dangyin City and is approaching Yecheng along the galloping road. Han Hao, the governor of Hebei, led his army out of Chaoge City and approached Liyang in Wei County. Liyang is the westernmost city along the north bank of the Yellow River in Jizhou.

The armies of Yuan Shao's generals Han Qiong, Zhang Nan, and Tao Sheng have already entered Baima and confronted Liyang across the river.

The armies of Yuan Wei, Gao Gan, and Yuan Zhong in Yuzhou have been stationed in the Puyang area.

Jingzhou Liu Biao's army has been stationed in the Juancheng area, whether it crossed the river in the direction of Qinting, it is not certain at present.

Cao Cao's army had already been assembled in the direction of Dong'e and Cangting, and could cross the river to attack Dongwuyang at any time.

The Xuzhou army approached the front line of Linyi City and Chiping City, echoing Cao Cao's army from afar.

Gongsun Zhan's army gathered in Gaotang and Qiancheng, and it is impossible to predict whether he will attack Ganling with Cao Cao and Liu Bei, or directly enter Bohai County.

According to the current military analysis, the rebels may cross the river at nine to ten ferries, and if the two enemy forces in the direction of Hanoi are added, the rebels will attack in about 12 ways.

Which of these are the main rebel forces? Which crossings are the main directions of attack of the rebels? Li Yi and the generals of the Northern Xinjiang Army stayed up all night for this reason, and repeatedly discussed strategies to meet the enemy.

………………

In early May, the locust plague began to break out violently in several counties in the Central Plains.

In mid-May, the locust plague spread to the north bank of the Yellow River. More than a dozen counties in Yanzhou East County on the north bank of the Yellow River, Wei County, Qinghe Country and other places have been affected one after another.

In order to prevent the locust plague from continuing to spread to the central part of Jizhou, Zhong Xuan, Bao Zheng, Tian Chou and others, who presided over the evacuation of the 2 million people, resolutely ordered that all the wheat fields south of the Qinghe River that had not yet had time to be harvested should be burned.

In a short period of time, from the north bank of the Yellow River to the Qinghe River for about 300 miles, not only is there no human population, but even the plants are almost gone, and the red land is 300 miles.

………………

Mid-May, Yanzhou, Cangting.

The sun was shining, the drums in the camp of the Cao army were noisy, roars were everywhere, and the soldiers were rehearsing the battle formation.

The fast horses swept into the camp like a whirlwind.

Xiahoudun squinted at the fast horse that was getting closer and closer, licked his chapped lips, and stretched out his hand to the guards behind him.

The guards hurriedly handed over a skin bag filled with water. Xiahoudun drank a few sips of water, turned his head and said to Li Dian: "What the hell is this, it's not raining, it's still so hot!" ”

"Yuan Rang, it's good if it doesn't rain." Li Dian took the water bladder from Xiahoudun's hand and said with a smile, "If it doesn't rain for another month, we can wade across the river, and even the boat raft can be exempted." ”

"What a fart." Xiahoudun scolded unceremoniously, "It doesn't rain for half a year, let's drink the northwest wind?" ”

Li Dian smiled and raised his head to drink cold water.

Xiahoudun unfolded the document handed over by the fast horse and read it carefully.

Seeing that his face was expressionless, Li Dian asked strangely, "Where did you get the urgent book?" Prime Minister's? ”

Xiahoudun nodded and asked, "Man Cheng, will Zhang Yang defect on the verge of battle?" ”

"Zhang Yang?" Li Dian shook his head, "Lu Bu and Zhang Liao are opposite, they are all from Northern Xinjiang, and their personal relationship is extraordinary, it's hard to say." Why do you ask this? ”

Xiahoudun asked again: "What about Gongsun Zhan?" ”

"Gongsun Zhan?" Li Dian thought for a while, shook his head again, and said, "He won't defect, although he used to have a good relationship with Li Yi, but later he had a big enmity." ”

Xiahou sneered, casually threw the documents in his hand to Li Dian, and said: "The prime minister said that the people of Hebei have been in close contact with Zhang Yang and Gongsun Zan recently, and in order to prevent accidents, he has given up the strategy of attacking first on both wings and told us to fight first. ”

"Shall we fight first?" Li Dian asked in surprise, "When?" ”

Xiahoudun said: "Tonight. ”

"Tonight?" Li Dian hurriedly opened the paperwork, "Didn't you say that you have to wait until mid-June?" Why did it change again? ”

Xiahoudun said with a smile: "The locust plague over there is serious, and the people of Hebei are too busy to take care of themselves, so it is the best time to attack." ”

Xiahoudun took the water bladder from Li Dian's hand, and as he walked, he waved his hand and shouted: "Order, end training, eat and sleep." ”

………………

The sun is setting.

Bian Xi sat on the embankment, looking at the blood-red clouds, drunk and infatuated.

"What are you looking at?" Zhang Yan carried a horsewhip, walked over leisurely, and asked with a smile, "Do you miss your wife?" ”

Bian Xi smiled, turned over and got up to salute.

Zhang Yan asked, "The scout hasn't come back yet?" ”

Bian Xi shook his head and said: "It hasn't rained for a few months, and the water level is getting lower and lower, so if it goes on like this, the Yanzhou army can come over with a swagger." ”

"Come over here." Zhang Yan smiled, "I'm looking forward to them." ”

"Iron Rider arrived?" Bian Xi asked in surprise.

Zhang Yan nodded and said, "When I arrive, I'll wait for Cao Cao to cross the river." ”

Bian Xi looked back at the other side, shook his head in disappointment, and said, "That butcher doesn't know how long it will take." ”

At this time, the guards standing behind them suddenly pointed to the river and shouted happily: "Come back, they are back." ”

………………

In the dark night sky, the stars are dotted, and a crescent moon is quietly floating in the clouds, looming.

Sun Guan turned over, opened his eyes to look at the fire in the distance, and slowly got up, he was a little uneasy.

At dusk, the scouts brought news from the other side that the Yanzhou army had stopped its routine training today.

Maybe the enemy is about to attack.

Sun Guan stood up, rubbed his eyes, and stretched out in the fresh river breeze.

The Yellow River was obscured by darkness, and only the sound of the river lapping on the embankment could be heard.

In the grass near the embankment, unnamed insects are chirping.

Sun Guan looked up at the dark Yellow River, listened intently to the sound of the waves, and sighed softly.

"Old grandson, can't sleep?" Li Zhong walked over slowly, stretched out his leg and kicked Sun Guan, and joked with a smile, "Miss your mother-in-law?" ”

"Yes, I'm getting older, but I'm thinking more." Sun Guan smiled, "You can't sleep either?" ”

"I can't sleep, I can't sleep every day...... Li Zhong shook his head, and then he scolded a few words hatefully, and then sat down opposite Sun Guan and said.

Sun Guan chatted with him for a few words, but his heart became more and more uneasy, and his eyes looked at the dark river from time to time.

Li Zhong asked strangely, "What's wrong with you?" What to see? ”

Sun Guan didn't speak, he stood up with a solemn expression and listened carefully, and then sniffed the air hard.

"Old Sun, is there something wrong?" Li Zhong followed and stood up.

Although Li Zhong is very old in the army, he also respects this partner who was born a thief in Taishan. Perhaps because of his experience as a thief of Mount Tai, Sun Guan is very sensitive to some special situations.

"Old Sun, we are ten miles away from the ferry here, even if the enemy wants to cross the river, he will not choose this broken place." Li Zhong said nonchalantly.

"Quick, ......light the fire," Sun Guan said, quickly rushing to the nearby fire, leaning over to pick up firewood and throwing it in.

The fire immediately increased, and although it was possible to see a little farther away, nothing was found.

Suddenly, Sun Guan's face changed drastically, and he shouted hoarsely: "Hurry up, the enemy is attacking, the enemy is attacking, ...... is attacking."

The screams tore through the night in an instant, and it was terrifying.

The soldiers sleeping on the embankment woke up suddenly, and looked around blankly.

Sun Guan rushed to a soldier in a few steps, grabbed him by the collar, dragged him and ran, and shouted: "Hide under the embankment, hide under the embankment......"

Dozens of soldiers didn't think about it, and rushed down the embankment with a rolling belt.

The piercing roar of "...... Boom" came from far and near, thrilling.

Li Zhong ran at the end, he kept looking back, and finally the moment he rolled down the embankment, he saw the sky full of long arrows obscuring the twinkling starry sky.

………………

The drums of war resounded through the night.

On the embankment on the north bank of the Yellow River, piles of flames rose into the air, like a roaring fire dragon, flying over ten miles in an instant, lighting up the night sky.

On the surface of the Yellow River, countless boats and rafts were loaded with heavily armed soldiers and soldiers, riding the wind and waves, roaring.

Li Zhong smashed his fist to the ground and yelled: "Copy the guy, give me a ...... to the death"

The frightened soldiers lay dead under the embankment, eager to bury all their bodies in the ground, and they didn't hear Li Zhong's cry at all. Several soldiers who had been hit by arrows hugged their wounds, screaming in pain, and their terrible voices were terrifying. (To be continued.) )