Although Liu Ye was worried about the safety of his lord, Liu Mang, he was not a rash person. He knew that he could not put all his eggs in one basket. Therefore, he only sent half of the City Guard's battalion to Yingshang. If Liu Mang's Army was surrounded by the Yuzhou Army, with half of the City Guard's battalion, they would be able to break out of the encirclement. Even if they could not save the majority of the troops, they would be able to kill their way into the encirclement and rescue Liu Mang.
Liu Ye did not move the remaining half of the Black Flag Battalion. This was because the heavy armor worn by the Black Flag Battalion was too heavy. The weight of nearly 100 jin was not suitable for a long distance raid. Liu Ye subconsciously felt that something was not right. Therefore, he left half of the Black Flag Battalion behind. Not only that, Liu Ye also sent out scouts to keep an eye on the four city gates of Ruyin. This was to prevent Sun Qian from ambushing him after seeing that he had split up his troops. This was to protect himself. However, this unintentional action had caused Sun Qian to suffer.
Sun Qian wanted to cry. Three days had passed. Logically speaking, Sun Qian was prepared to retreat. However, it seemed like he could not escape. Sun Qian sent out a few veterans to test the waters. Before they could go far, they were killed by the scouts. Sun Qian was like a turtle in a jar.
… …
Liu Mang listened to Liu Ye's report in the camp. His expression was very strange. This was because no matter how he listened to Liu Ye, it sounded like an empty city strategy. Moreover, the main character of this empty city strategy had changed. Zhuge Liang did not come. Instead, it was Sun Qian who sang a song. Strange things happened every year. Sun Qian? He was just a second-rate strategist. He was not even ranked among the second-rate strategists. At most, he was on the same level as Yang Hong. Could he think of retreating his troops to the city gates to avoid the ballistae and rely on urban warfare to delay Liu Ye's Army? Wouldn't it be difficult to rely on the main force to arrive at Yingshang when Liu Mang divided his forces, and besiege Liu Mang together with Yingshang's defenders?
Liu Mang also admitted that this was indeed a good strategy. If Guan Yu really hardened his heart, Liu Mang could bring out all of his garrison troops in Runan, as well as the elite troops in Qingzhou. Together with the garrison troops in Yingshang, there was a chance that Liu Mang would be defeated in a battle of attrition. After all, Guan Yu had about 30,000 troops in total. With both of Liu Mang's heavy armored infantrymen, Guan Yu naturally would not dare to touch the spearhead. But once the troops were divided, it would not be certain. They could completely divide up and attack. This was indeed a good strategy, but how could a second-rate strategist like Sun Qian come up with it?
Liu Ye was now caught in a dilemma. He stood in Sun Qian's point of view and thought about what Sun Qian would think and what he would do. He was playing chess with himself, countering each move as they came up with such a strategy. He was scaring himself. In fact, all of these were Liu Ye's own battles.
He was both a spear and a shield. He was using his own strategy against his own strategy. How could Sun Qian come up with such a strategy? Unknowingly, Liu Ye had already pulled Sun Qian to the same height as himself.
If Pang Tong was still in Yuzhou, Liu Ye's thinking would not be wrong. This was because Pang Tong and Liu Mang were the same type of people. They belonged to the top class of strategists. Between the two of them, it was a battle of high IQ. But the opponent was Sun Qian. If Sun Qian could think so much, would Liu Mang's cheap father-in-law have occupied Xu Province? Or would he have been beaten by Lao Cao to the point where he had to hide? Even the empty fort strategy in front of him should be designed by Pang Tong! Liu Mang thought of the dark fatty again. When Liu Mang used the straw boat to borrow arrows, he could not help but look at him a little more. He did not expect him to play the empty fort strategy!
"Ziyang, prepare to attack the fort!" Liu Mang waved his hand. He had miscalculated. He thought that letting Liu Ye command an army alone would help him quickly take down Ruyin. But who asked the Yuzhou Army to play along with Liu Ye? Liu Mang would not blame Liu Ye. After all, the smarter a person was, the more they would think. This empty fort strategy was a psychological battle. It was just like Liu Mang's English teacher's test questions. There were a total of 20 multiple-choice questions and he gave all of them A's. If it was a person with bad grades, they would not care much about it. Since they could not score many points, they might as well just write it like that.
As for those with good grades, they began to hesitate. This was because according to common sense, it was impossible for all the answers to be A's. They began to wonder if there was a trick in the questions set by the teacher. They were not sure if there were hidden places to deliberately mislead them. The correct answers had been changed by them. And this English teacher was playing with their hearts, making them not dare to write.
If Liu Mang had let Xu Sheng lead the army, Ruyin would have been taken down long ago! And Liu Ye was like Sima Yi in history. They were both people with high IQ. Subconsciously, they would think highly of their opponents and put them on the same level as themselves.
"My lord, there might be a trick in the fort!" Liu Ye still had some lingering fear.
"Hehe, Ziyang! Sun Qian is not as difficult to deal with as you think. Moreover, Ziyang, you were only worried that our army would be ambushed. Now that Yingshang has been taken down by me and I did not encounter any ambushes, what are you still worried about? "Liu Mang smiled and said to Liu Ye.
"But!" Liu Ye did not know if it was because he had fallen into a trap or because of other reasons. He wanted to refute but could not say a reason.
"Don't worry, Ziyang! I will definitely be careful! "Liu Mang waved his hand." Where is the City Guard's Great Shield Bearer Wei Yan? " Wei Yan was now just a small soldier in the City Guard. Naturally, he would not be in the tent. Liu Mang only had a few soldiers. After a while, Wei Yan walked in from outside the tent.
"Great Shield Bearer Wei Yan greets Your Highness King Of Shu!" Wei Yan walked in and half-knelt in front of Liu Mang. These days, Wei Yan stayed in the City Guard and had been honed a lot. At the very least, his original arrogance and unruly attitude had disappeared.
"Wei Yan, how is your stay in the City Guard?" “
"King Of Shu, very good!" “
"You don't resent me for not using a general like you, do you? Are you scolding me in your heart for not using you?" Liu Mang looked at Wei Yan with a teasing smile. If Liu Mang was Wei Yan, he would also scold him.
"I don't dare!" Wei Yan lowered his head. It would be a lie to say that he did not resent Liu Mang. After all, Wei Yan came here for the position of general. But now, Wang Wei, Zhao Yun and the others who came with him have become the general or deputy general of the army. He was now just a small Great Shield Bearer. This kind of psychological gap was unbearable for ordinary people.
"So you don't dare!" That means you still have resentment in your heart? It's just because I am the King Of Shu, my status is higher than yours. That's why you don't dare to say it! " Liu Mang looked at the beast in front of him with a smile. The beast's wild nature was difficult to tame. If Wei Yan was originally a wolf, then Liu Mang needed to turn this unruly wolf into a domestic dog to make his wild nature disappear.
"This!" Wei Yan didn't know what to say. He was choked by Liu Mang's words.
"Do you want to continue to stay in the City Guard?" Liu Mang looked at Wei Yan with a smile and asked.
"Yes!" Wei Yan answered very loudly. He looked at Liu Mang with his eyes shining. He had killed a lot of enemies in the City Guard these days. According to reason, he should be promoted. Liu Mang bypassed so many generals, deputy generals, and sergeants to find him. Wasn't it because he wanted to promote him? Thinking of this, Wei Yan's eyes were burning, his heart was happy, and his blood was boiling.
"Since you want to, then go back and continue to be a Great Shield Bearer!" Liu Mang waved his hand, indicating that Wei Yan should leave.
"Yes, En?" Subconsciously, Wei Yan was about to agree. But after carefully listening to Liu Mang's words, he was stunned. Not to promote him? Or to be a small Great Shield Bearer?
"What? Do you have any objections?! "Liu Mang laughed again. But this time, there was a hidden killing intent in his laughter.
"Yes, Master!" Although Wei Yan was very disappointed, he didn't dare to disobey the person sitting on the main seat. He could only bow his head and said, "I will leave now!"
"My Lord, what are you doing?" Wang Wei was the most emotional one. In terms of force, Wei Yan was definitely not inferior to him. In terms of command, Wang Wei didn't think that Wei Yan was a reckless man who didn't know anything. But now, he was a Great Shield Bearer. Wasn't it a waste of talent? Moreover, this time, Liu Mang called Wei Yan in but didn't give him any reward. This clearly didn't correspond to the City Guard's reward and punishment.
"Tell Wei Yan that I will only give him 20 City Guard soldiers and let him lead them into Ruyin. I need to know the situation of Ruyin City within two hours!" Of course, Liu Mang didn't ask Wei Yan to come here on a whim. Liu Mang needed a strong warrior to lead a team of soldiers into the city to investigate the situation. Liu Mang also hated to fight with Sun Qian in the streets. If Sun Qian really wanted to fight in the streets and there was an ambush in the city, then Liu Mang would burn the entire Ruyin. What Liu Mang wanted was not the city, but the provisions in Ruyin! Liu Mang now had a lot of generals in his hands, but Chengyu, Huang Xu, Xu Sheng, and Wang Wei needed to lead the team. Huang Zhong and Liu Mang also needed him to do something else. So, only Wei Yan was left. After keeping this wolf quiet for so long, it was time to give him some meat to eat. The best policy was to use a big stick and carrot.
"You want me to lead 20 soldiers into the city?" Wei Yan was stunned. Although the city gate of Ruyin was wide open, no one knew what was inside. What if there was an ambush? Wei Yan was also a bit worried, but he still clenched his teeth. He was a warlord, he was supposed to fight on the battlefield. In the end, he should die on the battlefield. If he was afraid of this and that, then he might as well go back and farm. Moreover, Wei Yan had been at the grassroots level for a long time. Although he was quite happy in the Urban Army, but this wasn't what he wanted.
"Okay, I know!" Wei Yan nodded and took a deep breath. Riches and honor were found in danger. This time, entering Ruyin might be an opportunity for Wei Yan to be promoted!
"All the ballistae have been brought. Set up the ballistae and prepare to attack the city!" Liu Mang said.
"My lord, there is no enemy on the city wall!"
"Anyway, your ballistae have nothing to do there. Moreover, those collected stones are just going to be wasted like this? Shoot them all out! "Liu Mang said to the generals." Also, Han Sheng, this time I am here to see you! Let's go and meet this Mr. Sun Gongyou. "
Under Liu Mang's lead, the group arrived at Ruyin City under the guidance of Liu Ye.
As soon as Liu Ye and the others arrived at Ruyin City, someone notified Sun Qian. "Mr. Ziyang, Ruyin City is empty. Mr. Ziyang, quickly enter the city and drink with Gongyou!"
"Hmph, Sun Qian, you!" Liu Ye wanted to go forward and scold Sun Qian for seeing through his scheme, but he was stopped by Liu Mang.
"Sun Qian, you despicable villain. Using yourself as bait, you lured my lord to split his forces, causing my lord to be ambushed at Yingshang. Our army suffered a crushing defeat and my lord's whereabouts are unknown. You are truly the most despicable person in the world!" Liu Mang walked forward and scolded Sun Qian. The generals at the side were puzzled. Who would curse their own whereabouts?
"Who is this?!" Sun Qian was puzzled. Sun Qian did not know Liu Mang. This time, it was Liu Mang who was leading the way. Moreover, Liu Mang did not wear his iconic golden armor, so Sun Qian thought that he was just an ordinary general under Liu Ye's command!
"There really was an ambush?!" Sun Qian was really stunned. Previously, he had followed Liu Mang's train of thought. Could it be that he, Sun Qian, was really just bait and Yingshang's army was really ambushed? However, no one had told Sun Qian. Sun Qian felt that something was wrong. If they really sent troops to ambush Liu Mang's army at Yingshang, then it could only mean that he, Sun Qian, had been abandoned. He, Sun Qian, was one of the three strategists in Liu Bei's army. It could be said that he was one of Liu Bei's confidants. However, he did not know such important information. Didn't this mean that they were deliberately avoiding him? Moreover, they wanted him to stay here for three days? Wasn't this treating him as an abandoned pawn?! Sun Qian felt a trace of anger.
"This general, don't slander others. All is fair in war. How can some schemes be considered as treacherous?! Look at this huge Ruyin City. Qian is prepared to give it up. How can Qian be a traitor?! "Sun Qian still wanted to get some information from the person who scolded him.
"Hmph, Sun Gongyou, didn't you just want to sacrifice yourself for a loyal subject? Using your own life in exchange for the victory of the entire battle. Today, we will fulfill your wish. Since the Lord has been defeated, we have nowhere to go. We might as well kill our way into Ruyin City and fight to the death with you, Sun Qian, to avenge the Lord! "Liu Mang shouted righteously.
"Wait, this general, this general!" Sun Qian was really anxious. Although Sun Qian was not afraid of death, he could not die for no reason. Once Liu Mang's army attacked Ruyin City, Sun Qian would really be finished. If what this young general said was true, Liu Mang was ambushed at Yingshang and it was unknown whether he was dead or alive. Once Qiu Ba caught him, he would be cut into pieces. He, Sun Qian, would become a scapegoat and an abandoned pawn for no reason.
Liu Mang would not take advantage of Sun Qian. "Everyone, prepare the ballistae. Target the city walls of Ruyin! Fire! " Behind Liu Mang were ballistae that had already been installed. This time, as soon as the ballistae heard Liu Mang's command, they collectively fired their stone shells.
"Boom, boom, boom!" Sun Qian immediately felt what it meant to shake the earth and the mountains.
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