Three Kingdoms: Ancestors of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 224 The Battle of Leqieshui ([-])

On the tenth day of April, Guo Huai, governor of Liangzhou in Wei Dynasty, raised 20,000 people and marched up against the Huangshui River in a mighty way, looking for the main force of the Han army.

It was said that the troops were dispatched on the tenth day of the lunar new year, but in fact, Guo Huai received the military report four days ago.Then Guo Huai sent Wei Ping as the vanguard with [-] cavalry to set off first, and Dai Ling set off yesterday with [-] people and some conscripted corvees to escort food, grass, and luggage.

Today, Guo Huai personally led the Wei army with 6000 people and [-] Qiang soldiers, and set off with food and grass.

Liangzhou has a small population, and there are not many corvees that can be collected, but fortunately, Liangzhou has enough horses, which are very helpful for grain transportation.

After Wei Yan and Wu Yi attacked the granary in Poqiang County, they did not attack the county seat, but continued westward, deep into the Huangshui Valley.

It wasn't until the Han army arrived in Anyi County that Wu Yi camped outside Anyi County in a siege posture, while the army led by Wei Yan disappeared by the Huangshui River without a trace.

The reason why Wei Yan and Wu Yi did not garrison in Poqiang County, but let Wu Yi garrison in Anyi County, is very simple. Poqiang County is located on the north bank of Huangshui River. The terrain is dangerous, the city is high and narrow, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and lacks offensive The Han army equipped in the city had no choice but to let go of Poqiang County and march westward on the south bank.

Po Qiang City was built to guard against the Qiang people on the north bank. It was built in Laoya Gorge in Huangshui Valley. Laoya Gorge is long and narrow, with a width of more than 160 steps (more than [-] meters). It is the main traffic route from Huangshui Valley to Hexi.

Wei Ping, the vanguard of the Wei army, had already settled in Poqiang City, and then the main force of the Liangzhou Army and the people serving in corvée arrived one after another. The city was piled up with grain, grass, ordnance, and there were countless horses, cattle and sheep. It was already the most important advance base for this battle.

On April 246th, Guo Huai, governor of Wei Liangzhou and general who conquered Shu, arrived with the rest of his troops. The broken Qiang city with a circumference of only 787 feet ([-] meters today) could not accommodate [-] troops, plus [-] to [-] Liangzhou people in corvee. , That's why the army was stationed outside the city.

In Poqiang City, Guo Huai and senior military officers gathered in front of a large map.

Guo Huai pointed to a map of Huangshui Valley hanging on the wall, and said: "Huangshui Valley is long and narrow, and the downstream valley is wide, which is convenient for cavalry to gallop. The whereabouts of the People's Army. Is there any movement of the Shu Army now?"

"General, since I saw the Shu army marching against the south bank of the Huangshui River a few days ago at the north bank city, there has been no other military situation." Po Qiangcheng county lieutenant said.

"The last general led the cavalry up the south bank. When he was approaching Anyi City, he saw some Han army cavalry. Once we attacked, they scattered and fled. Some spies approached the city of Anyi and found thousands of Shu troops. Stationed outside the city of Anyi, besieging the city." Pioneer Wei Ping said.

Hearing this, Guo Huai frowned slightly, and asked, "Who is the commander in chief?"

Wei Ping recalled a little, and said: "According to Yaqi, it should be Shu general Wu Yi."

Guo Huai looked at the map on the wall, remained silent for a while, and asked, "In your opinion, what do you think the Shu army intends to do?"

Dai Ling pondered for a while, and said: "General, according to the mausoleum, the Shu army may want to lure the enemy to go deep. The Shu army is not good at cavalry, but it is good at foot combat. The east of Anyi City is a barren beach. It's an open place, but densely covered with ravines, suitable for infantry combat, maybe the Shu army wants to fight our Wei army here."

Guo Huai did not speak, but vaguely felt that what the Han army was thinking was not so simple.

Guo Huai stared at the map, looking at the location of Anyi City on the map.

The terrain of Anyi City is special. It is located on the south bank of Huangshui River. meeting place.Anyi City is located at the mouth of the Anyi River.

Guo Huai was not sure that there were many rivers in Anyi City, not only the three rivers outside the city, but also the surrounding tributaries. For the entire Huangshui Valley, the terrain was extremely special.

If the Han army just wanted a simple field battle, it would be impossible, and there must be a deeper plan.

It is their real idea to lure the enemy deep, but this is only a means to achieve the goal.

"Where is Shu general Wei Yan?" Guo Huai asked calmly.

"We have no whereabouts of Wei Yan's army." Wei Ping said after hesitating for a while.

"From Poqiang to Anyi, send more rangers to search with nets to prevent Wei Yan from ambush in the valley." Guo Huai narrowed his eyes slightly, and ordered: "Leave this matter to General Wei."

"The general will follow orders." Wei Ping replied.Then I hurried out to dispatch soldiers and horses

"The whole army obeys the order. The whole army rests tonight and sets off in batches tomorrow morning. General Wei rode [-] paces as the vanguard. General Dai led ten thousand people to slowly approach Anyi City. I will lead [-] soldiers to suppress the rear. We wait The front, middle and rear armies should keep a distance of ten miles to facilitate mutual rescue." Guo Huai ordered.

Guo Huai made up his mind, looked around at the crowd, and ordered.

"The rest of the troops are stationed at Poqiang City and put on strict guard to prevent the Shu army from attacking and cut off our army's retreat."

"No!" Everyone responded.

Dai Ling, Wei Pingping, the general of the Wei Army, then hurried out to arrange the military matters.

Guo Huai stared at the location of Anyi City on the map, and said calmly: "Huai wants to see, what exactly do you Wei Yan intend to do?"

Although Guo Huai couldn't figure out what the Han army was doing, he knew the most important point, the Han army definitely wanted to defeat him.Otherwise, the Han army would not go deep into the Huangshui Valley, harass everywhere, and lure themselves to attack.

In the face of the Han army's lure, Guo Huai could not turn a blind eye to it, because once the Han army occupied the Huangshui Valley, and then the Yellow River Valley in Yongzhou, and the Hehuang Valley, it would cause great danger to Liangzhou.

And does Wei Yan want to defeat Guo Huai?
Of course not, Guo Huai also wants to defeat Wei Yan!

So Guo Huai decided to go deep into the Huangshui Valley to see what kind of medicine Wei Yan's gourd was selling.

Xiping County, Xidu County, Niuxinchuan (now Xining Nanchuan River) valley.

"Goo, goo, goo..."

A group of egrets are leisurely pacing back and forth on the river, making cheerful calls from time to time.

Wei Yan and the others walked slowly by the river, looking at the scene in front of them, if it wasn't for the imminent war, it would be very pleasing to the eye.

"General Wei, this river is Niuxinchuan, which is called Xilakute River in Qiang language." The Qiang man said respectfully.

Wei Yan clasped his hands behind his back and asked, "I don't know how Paizi (Note ②) is getting ready, Bo Yue?"

Jiang Wei was half a body behind, and replied: "Although Brother Fu is helping, half of the platoons are still not ready yet."

Wei Yan nodded, and said to Fu Yang: "I am a big man who will never forget the kindness of Chief Fu's help. After this battle, Yanzi will report to the country and report the merits of the leader."

Faced with joy, Fu Yang said slowly: "Thank you General Wei and Jiang Changshi. If the big man promises to give me a department, it would be best to go to Huangzhong to graze."

Wei Yan smiled and said, "Don't worry, this general promises to you what the leader asked."

"Thank you General!" Fu Yang thanked.

Fu Yang, a Qiang man, was a good friend of the Li family in Longxi. As a relative of the emperor, the Li family in Longxi spent a lot of energy helping Jiang Wei and Fu Yang build a bridge and help the big man win over the Huangzhong tribe.

In the end, before Wei Yan put forward the strategy of attacking Liangzhou, Jiang Wei had successfully persuaded Fu Yang to join the Han, and the two became an alliance by blood.Then Wei Yan proposed to go north to Liangzhou, and Fu Yang was also very willing to help the big man.

So Wei Yan went to Niuxinchuan to join the Fuyang tribe, and the army settled here, repaired the paizi, and waited for Guo Huai.
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① Anyi City and Poqiang County are based on my research of local materials.There are too many historical materials, so I will not list them one by one.

②Sheepskin raft

(End of this chapter)