Xianyang, Qin Palace.

"Report to the lord, the Han army has entered the city."

"Oh!" Han Teng sat up straight on the throne and said, "Sure enough, it is coming into the city, now that the army of the plateau has arrived there, are the defenses on the royal city ready?" I'm here to see how many soldiers the plateau is going to bury in front of the royal city. ”

Cao Wuxian, who was standing at the bottom, shook his head and said: "The plateau is not attacking the royal city now, but occupying the city gate of Xianyang City, and building defensive positions near the city gate, and also collecting vehicles, cloth bags and other things in the city, and a small number of soldiers are propagandizing on the streets near the city gate, calling for Qin people to support them." ”

Mu Tuoshan on the side frowned and said, "Is Gao Yuan making long-term plans?" Is it to fight against us for a long time in Xianyang City and fight a war of attrition? Although our army is brave and good at fighting, after all, the number of people is too small, and the current strength of the plateau is no less than 100,000, so if we fight and consume, I am afraid it will be disadvantageous to us. ”

Jin Changdou said: "Let's consume it, now the food in the royal city is enough for us to support a year, and the plateau is from afar, how much food can we bring, see who can consume whom?" ”

Cao Wuxian said: "Otherwise, no matter how much grain is stored, there will be a time when it will be eaten, and we have no replenishment, so we will eat one day less." Although the food of the Han army is small, they have already received the support of many Qin localities, and there will definitely be many Qin people in Xianyang City who will support them, so they will inevitably get a steady stream of replenishment, and we will definitely not be able to consume the plateau. ”

At this time, Han Teng said: "Don't worry, the plateau will definitely not fight with us, because the plateau can't afford it at all, we still have half a year to consume energy, and the plateau can't be consumed for half a month." ”

When the others heard this, they were also puzzled, and Mu Tuoshan said: "Why does the lord see this." ”

Han Teng said lightly: "Although the plateau has received the support of some Qin countries, but now he has 100,000 troops under his command, as well as tens of thousands of war horses, and the demand for grain and grass is much greater than ours, and now the entire Qin country has fallen into a semi-chaotic state, and those Qin places that support the plateau are only a small part, and it is difficult to supply 100,000 troops, so it is to fight for grain and grass, and we may not lose to the plateau, not to mention that there are two more important reasons, so that the plateau is impossible to fight with us for a long time." ”

Cao Wushu said: "Dare to ask the lord, what are the two reasons?" ”

Han Teng said: "The first is the situation of Qin, the plateau entered the Qin country, and used Hehua's call in the Qin country to play the banner of avenging the Qin Wangzheng, although it raised 100,000 troops, but it also forced the plateau to fight with us quickly, don't forget, after all, the plateau is the king of Han, not the king of Qin, although he sent troops into Qin as an in-law, but it will inevitably arouse suspicion, so if the plateau wants to fight with us, it will not take half a month, it will make the morale of these Qin troops completely lost, the army will be discouraged, and they will be defeated without a fight." ”

After hearing this, everyone also felt that Han Teng was reasonable, because the reason why Gao Yuan was able to recruit so many Qin troops was because of the righteous name of avenging Qin Wangzheng, although it raised the Qin army's morale, but if after entering Xianyang, he would not launch an attack on Han Teng for a long time, it would only make the Qin soldiers doubt the motive of Gao Yuan to raise troops into Qin, and they would be separated internally.

Han Teng said: "The second point is not in Xianyang, but in Handan, now we have concentrated the armies of Qin, Qi and Chu, with a total army of nearly one million, attacking Handan, although it is said that the plateau must have been fully arranged in Handan, but after all, he is not personally in Handan, and he never dares to guarantee that Handan will be able to defend, otherwise he will not take the risk to attack Xianyang, and he has delayed a lot of time along the way, so it must be a quick battle in Xianyang, in case Handan is lost, even if the plateau captures Xianyang, it is useless." Gao Yuan is a man who is proficient in the art of war, he will not see these situations clearly, he will never be consumed with us for a long time in Xianyang, he now occupies the city gates, and builds defenses, just in case, and at the same time leaves himself a way to retreat, at most two or three days, maybe tomorrow will be launched against us, we must prepare early. ”

Cao Wuxian heard this, and immediately said: "Lord, my subordinates will arrange it immediately, and they must strictly guard the royal city." ”

It turned out that after learning that the army of the plateau was stationed in Duyou, Han Teng ordered the Jiuli army in Xianyang City to abandon the city wall of Xianyang and retreat to the royal city to defend. The periphery of the royal palaces of various countries is built with city walls and moats to protect them, and Xianyang is one of the largest capitals in this era, and the scale of the royal city is naturally very large, accommodating 15,000 troops, which is completely sufficient, so the army of the Jiuli tribe abandons Xianyang, retreats to the royal city, and the Han and Qin coalition forces fight a decisive battle in Xianyang City, which is indeed a correct choice.

However, after listening to Cao Wuxian's words, Han Teng shook his head again and said, "No, you go and inform the Yuanxian, Mang, and Yue clans, and let them prepare the army, and go out of the city early tomorrow morning to fight to the death with the Han army." ”

Cao Wuxian was stunned for a moment, and said: "Our army is small, and there is a strong city to rely on, at this time we should defend the city, and wait until the Han army can not attack the city, and when the troops are exhausted, then go out of the city to counterattack, you can succeed in a battle, why go out of the city and the Han army in the first place." ”

Han Teng sighed secretly in his heart, although Cao Wuxian was the most knowledgeable person under his command, but his vision was too narrow and he lacked a sense of the overall situation, so he could only be regarded as a general rather than a handsome choice. Because now the Han and Qin coalition forces are holding on in one breath, if they retreat to the royal city and avoid the battle, it will only boost the morale of the other party, and the royal city is a city within a city after all, whether it is the city wall or the city defense facilities, it is far inferior to Xianyang City, and there are 100,000 troops under the plateau, and it is completely possible to use the Qin army recruited along the way as cannon fodder to attack the city, and keep the elite army brought from Lingshou and wait for the opportunity to put it into the battlefield. Although he has a city to defend, after the other party captures it at night, there will inevitably be some casualties, and after a long time, the soldiers will inevitably get tired, and Gao Yuan will never miss such an opportunity.

However, Cao Wuxian couldn't see through this layer of truth, and Han Teng could only explain patiently, saying: "Our advantage lies in the strong combat effectiveness of the soldiers, and the strength of the plateau is a large number of troops, so we are stationed in the city, but we abandon the advantages of the strong combat effectiveness of the soldiers, and the other party can give full play to the advantages of many troops, surround the royal city on all sides, and build arrow towers around it to attack, so that it is difficult for us to play our strengths, it is better to go out of the city and fight a decisive battle on the plateau, the road in the city is narrow, and it can only be used for a small number of troops to fight, Although there are many troops on the plateau, they are useless, but we can give full play to the advantages of the soldiers' individual combat effectiveness, and this is the tactic we should use. ”

After listening to Han Teng's explanation, Cao Wuxian understood, nodded, and said, "The lord is still smart, and his subordinates will immediately go to inform the Yuanxian, Mang, and Yue clans, and let them prepare for tomorrow's decisive battle." ”

Han Teng said again: "Remember, I also have to inform the two Great Elders that tomorrow is a decisive battle between us and the plateau, and they cannot be missing." ”

After Cao Wuxian left, Han Teng said again: "How is the situation over there in Handan?" Have you captured the positions outside the city? ”

Mu Tuoshan shook his head, smiled bitterly, and said: "The news just received yesterday that the Chu army has arrived outside Handan City, and launched another attack on the position outside Handan City, although we have pulled out the two military villages outside the West City, but the Han army still has twelve military villages outside the city, still guarding the positions outside the city, and at this time our casualties have reached more than 100,000 people, it seems that Handan's defensive position is really powerful, and the plateau dares to leave Handan at this time and come to Xianyang, and it is not all an adventure. ”

Han Teng said: "Our casualties are heavy, but the situation of the Han army may not be good there, at least we have uprooted the thirteen military villages outside the Xicheng, and most of the positions outside the Xicheng have been defeated, and this is the news received yesterday, in fact, it has been more than ten days, during this time, there must be new progress, there will always be a meeting to completely break through the positions outside the city, not to mention that the dead are the armies of the three kingdoms of Qin, Qi and Chu, it doesn't matter how many people die." ”

Although the Jiuli people did not have flying birds to pass on books, Han Teng set up dozens of horse posts between Handan and Xianyang, and used fast horses to relay news, which could often be delivered in seven or eight days.

Mu Tuoshan said: "Having said that, if the army of Qin, Qi and Chu suffered too many casualties, it will inevitably shake the morale of the army, after all, we cannot completely control the two countries of Qi and Chu, and although the Han army has casualties, it is much better than us." ”

Han Teng said lightly: "Isn't there still the army of Tu Yong, Jiang Li, and Sang?" Haven't they gone to war yet? At this time, do you still think about preserving your strength? ”

Mu Tuoshan said: "My subordinates have already issued an order to Sang Qingti a few days ago, and asked her to immediately give an order to let the armies of Tu Yong, Jiang Li, and Sang participate in the battle, and there must be no more excuses. I believe that the order has been sent to Handan at this time, but even if the position outside the city is broken, the Han army can still retreat to the city, Handan is also one of the few fortified cities in the world, and it is not easy to capture Handan City. ”

Han Teng nodded and said: "Yes, but don't forget, the Jiuli clan also has a force, that is, the Kuafu clan, the Kuafu clan has always refused to participate in the war, but now they can't help it, ten days ago, I and the two great elders jointly notified the Kuafu clan to let the Kuafu clan immediately send troops to participate in the war, and the strength must not be less than 5,000 people, otherwise I will treat them as betraying the Jiuli clan, don't think that at this time, I don't dare to do anything to them, let them weigh the consequences themselves, I think now the Kuafu clan does not dare to refuse." ”

Mu Tuoshan said happily: "If the Kuafu clan participates in the war, then it is very certain to capture Handan." ”

Han Teng was satisfied at this time, and said with a smile: "Okay, then let's see which side will break through Handan first, or defeat the plateau here first." ”