Chapter 196: Pang Kuo’s helplessness

On April 11, in the fifteenth year of Qianyuan, Xue Rengui fought in Shenting, and defeated Chen Li and the Chen army. In this way, the entire Runan County had no power to stop Xue Rengui.

After cleaning up the battlefield of Chenting, Xue Rengui led a large army to Pingyu City. At first, the garrison of Pingyu was planning to resist stubbornly, but when he saw Chen Li being pushed out by Deng's army, he was immediately sad and heartbroken. After careful consideration, he decided to open the city and surrender. In this way, the important town in the southern part of the Chen State fell into the hands of Deng's army.

When Xue Rengui led the generals to the Runan Prefect's Mansion located in Pingyu City, he smiled with satisfaction. The battle of Runan has been going on for now, and it can only be described in the word "smooth".

"Wang Yanzhang, Li Cunxiao obeyed the order!" Xue Rengui didn't care about resting and quickly ordered the two generals under his command.

"The last one is here!" the two responded.

"I ordered Wang Yanzhang to lead his troops to attack Yuyang, Gushi, Xinyang, Yilu, Song State, Ruyin, Xiyang, Sishan, Chengfu, Shansangzhucheng, and then move the military city." Xue Rengui said.

"Here!" Wang Yanzhang responded.

After arranging Wang Yanzhang, Xue Rengui ordered Li Cunxiao: "Sorry Li Cunxiao to lead his troops to capture Geling, Xincai, Baoxin, Xinxi, Anyang, Geyang, Qisi, Yuanlu, Fubo, and Zhucheng of Shenxian, and then move to the Bingchengfu."

"Here!" Li Cunxiao responded.

Xue Rengui was in charge of Pingyu, and then sent four generals under his command to capture Zhucheng in Runan.

At this time, the Wei army was still fighting to the death in Xinping City. Since capturing Yangxia, Xie Xun took out all his troops, and then the Wei army made no progress.

"Baoshi, after fighting for so long, there is still no progress!" Pang Kuo lost his temper in the Wei Central Army's tent and angrily scolded the generals under his command.

In order to break through Xinping City, Pang Kuo also wrote a letter to the King of Wei, sending tens of thousands more people, so that the number of Wei soldiers attacking Chen State reached more than 200,000. As for the Chen army, in the battle of Yangxia, defeated 30,000 Chen army, while the remaining 70,000 Chen army was to guard Xinping and Ningping respectively. At this time, there were only 40,000 Chen army in Xinping City. In addition to 50,000 Chen army who were seizing 50,000 people to watch Ningping's Chen army, there were 160,000 to be placed under Xinping City. In this way, with four times the strength of Chen army, the fierce attack was still unstable for more than half a month.

All the Wei generals lowered their heads and remained silent. Chen's resistance was too tenacious. Every time the Wei army attacked the city, they were beaten down by Chen's army without any surprise. They even almost broke the city several times and failed in Chen's desperate resistance.

At this time, a Wei army messenger came in and knelt on one knee and said, "Report to the Grand Sima, news came from Runan that Deng's general Xue Rengui defeated the Chen army at Chenting, and now he has captured Pingyu City, the Runan capital. The four generals under Xue Rengui have captured the rest of Runan cities in front of each other. The situation in Runan has been settled!"

"What! Deng's army is so fast?" Wei general Feng Kui exclaimed. The speed of Deng's army's advance was really beyond his expectations. He had made every decision. Less than a month before Xue Rengui vowed to Yingchuan, he was almost occupying the entire Runan County.

"Haha, what's so surprising? Now all the main forces of the Chen army have been dragged by our army. It would be strange if the Deng army was not happy." Sima Song, the general of the Wei army, said with a wry smile, Yes, more than 80% of the Chen State's troops were restrained by the Wei army in Xinping, Ningping, and there was not much force in the south. If the Deng army is not progressing fast, then the Deng State will not be able to do today.

Thinking of this, Sima Song began to doubt whether it was a wrong choice to join forces with Deng Kingdom for the first time. Since the war between the Wei Kingdom started, it has lost 20,000 to 30,000 troops, but apart from capturing several cities north of the Chen army, there has been no progress. However, the Deng army has almost no effort to capture the entire Runan County. No matter how you look at it, it is Wei Kingdom that has lost.

"Grand Marshal, why not ask the Deng army to raid Chencheng." At this time, Chu Fei, a military advisor of the Wei army, made a suggestion, that is, ask the Deng army to send troops to raid Chencheng.

"Please ask Deng's army to raid Chencheng?" Pang Gu said with a frown.

Chu Fei nodded and said, "Yes, Grand Marshal is now in Xinping, Ningping's front line is guarded by Xie Xun. Although it is only a matter of time for our army to continue to attack fiercely, it is probably a matter of time to break Xinping, but now the Qi army has already attacked Pengcheng. If we cannot take down Chen State before Han Qing captured Pengcheng, it will be extremely difficult for us to take down Pei County. Therefore, the best way at this time is to ask Deng's army to attack Chencheng. As long as we take down Chencheng, Xinping, the Chen army on Ningping's front line will collapse without fighting."

"But in this way, the gold, silver, money and grain of the entire Chencheng will fall into the hands of Deng State." Pang Kuo had no objection to asking the Deng army to attack Chencheng. The only point is that once the Deng army captures Chencheng, the treasures of the entire Chencheng will fall into the hands of Deng Army. Even if Deng army gives up Chencheng at that time, Pang Kuo would feel unwilling to accept it.

"Oh..." Chu Fei sighed. He understood what Pang Kuo meant. How could he be willing to give Chencheng's treasures to Deng State? You must know that Chen State has been established for more than two hundred years. Over the years, Chen City, as the capital of Chen State, has accumulated a lot of treasures, but there is no way. The Wei army cannot continue to consume the front line of Xinping and Ningping. This time, the attack on Chen State itself is to compete with Qi State for time. There is still time to waste the Wei army. Quick battle and quick decision is the king.

Chu Fei said: "Grand Sima, now this is the best way to quickly destroy Chen State. If the Qi army captured Pengcheng and then captured Pei County, then this time we sent troops to our Great Wei, we would not be worth the loss. I hope Grand Sima will think three times."

"Oh..." After some ideological struggle, Pang Kuo sighed, but decided to listen to Chu Fei and send someone to Pingyu to ask Xue Rengui to send troops.

At this time, Deng's army had already sent most of Runan's cities. According to the agreement between the pre-war and Wei State, once Xue Rengui took down Runan County, he would have to move his troops to the border of Pei County to attack Pei County. Now most of Runan has already taken down, and the remaining cities are only a matter of time, so Xue Rengui planned to lead his troops to Chengfu City soon.

But at this moment, Pang Kuo sent someone to ask Xue Rengui to send troops to attack Chencheng, which surprised Xue Rengui. Didn’t he agree to attack Chen County, and I will attack Runan, and then work together to fight Pei County? Why are you going to attack Chencheng by yourself now?

Xue Rengui, who couldn't figure it out, immediately called Xun You, a military advisor, to ask him about his opinion.

After hearing this, Xun You laughed and said, "General, the Wei army is anxious."

"The Wei army is anxious? What do you mean? I hope the military advisor will give you advice!" Xue Rengui said.

Xun You smiled and said, "General, the Wei State sent troops this time to compete with the Qi army, and the target of the competition is Pei County. If the Wei army can take Chen County before the Qi army breaks through Pengcheng, then Pei County will be the one in Wei State's pocket. However, once the Qi army breaks through Pengcheng first, Pei County will probably have no chance with Wei State. Now the Qi army has attacked Pengcheng and is about to break through the city. How about Pang Kuo not hurry?"

When Xue Rengui heard this, he suddenly realized and said, "No wonder Pang Kuo suddenly sent someone to invite this general to attack Chencheng, but the military advisor, are we going? According to the agreement, Chen County belongs to Wei State, and it is not good for us to take Chencheng."

Xun You shook his head and said, "The General is such a bad word. This time we really have to help Pang Kuo. If we refuse, and the Qi army will take Pengcheng first and Pei County, then the Wei State may withdraw its troops directly. In this way, in Xinping, the Chen army on the Ningping line will go south. If our army wants to occupy Runan, there will be a stir again. Besides, who said that attacking Chencheng will not be good for us? Yes, we cannot occupy Chencheng, but don't forget that Chencheng is rich and has countless gold, silver and treasures. As long as we take Chencheng, these things will belong to us, and even the Wei army cannot say anything."

After hearing this, Xue Rengui raised his lips slightly and thought to himself: Yes, Chen Cheng was captured by this general, so what is the problem with this general taking away Chen Cheng's treasure? As long as it is not dominating Chen Cheng and not leaving.
Chapter completed!