Chapter 535: Battle against Guangling

In April of the 27th year of Qianyuan, after capturing Qi County, 20,000 partial troops led by Deng Yu advanced rapidly, capturing Qi County, Fu Li and other places, and pointed directly at Zhuyi. In order to prevent the further deepening of the Deng army and protect the land in Peinan, the 70,000 elite Zhao army troops stationed in Zhuqiu gave up their plan to advance west to Jiyang, turned south, and prepared to snipe Deng Yu's troops. Faced with the situation of the strong and weak enemy, Deng Yu decisively withdrew from Fu Li, retreating south to Qi County, echoing each other with the main force of the Deng army outside Guyang City.

While the Deng army made progress in Peinan, a war broke out in Guangling County in the east. When Chenliu was blocked, Li Rubing ordered all armies to move south at the same time. In addition to Pei County, the other armies also went south with the momentum. Among them, the 100,000 troops stationed in Xiapi County captured Dongyang, Ping'an, Lingxian and other places in Guangling County with a rapid offensive, and the troops headed directly to Guangling City, the capital of Guangling County.

The Deng army guards responsible for resisting the Zhao army in Xia Pi were the Yongping Guards led by Guan Yu. After the Zhao army marched south in large numbers and captured Dongyang, Ping'an and Lingxian areas adjacent to Xia Pi County, Guan Yu decisively moved the army north to Gaoyou, and asked the Jinwu Guards in Jiujiang County to go north to Xia Pi border to suppress the Zhao army.

In May of the 27th year of Qianyuan, the Jinwu Guard crossed the border and captured the east city of Xiapi County located on the border of Dengzhao. The troops were aimed directly at Xutai. Facing the attack of the Jinwu Guard, Zhang Jie decisively gave up Ping'an City and concentrated his army in Dongyang. The Yongping Guard took advantage of the situation to recover Ping'an City.

In June, facing the two sides of the attacks of Deng's army, Kou Fei from Pengcheng County decisively left 50,000 elite troops to support the war in Pei County, and led 50,000 elite troops to Xiapi. However, Kou Fei did not go to Dongyang, but went south and headed straight for Huailing, pointing directly at the Jinwu Guard in Dongcheng.

In July of the 27th year of Qianyuan, after Kou Fei's troops suppressed the Jinwu Guard in Dongcheng, Zhang Jie decisively led the army straight to Ping'an Yongping Guard. The Yongping Guard General Guan Yu felt that the Zhao army was coming in a fierce manner, and Guangling County was vast and there was no danger to defend. In desperation, Guan Yu had to lead the army to withdraw from Ping'an and abandon the city in the central and northern part of Guangling County, and the entire army retreated to Guangling City, the capital of Guangling County.

On July 15, in the 27th year of Qianyuan, Zhang Jie led a 100,000 army to Guangling City. Guan Yu was unwilling to be trapped in the city, so he led his army to camp outside Guangling City and confronted the Zhao army.

In Guangling City, in the central tent of Deng’s army camp, Guan Yu sat in the main seat, with the four generals in the tent Guan Ling, Deng Ping, Gao Xingzhou, Yang Zongbao, and military counselor Jingxiang.

"General, the Zhao army has launched several offensives against our positions in recent days, but they were all repelled by our army, and none of our positions were lost." Deng Ping said to Guan Yu.

The two armies were not simply confronting each other in Guangling, but were just real swords and guns. However, the Deng army was always on the defensive and the Zhao army was attacking. However, because the Deng army's defense lines were very close, the Zhao army had no choice but to do anything, and after a few attacks, they stopped.

"Although General Yue gave us the military orders to the Yongping Guard, and he did not care about the gains and losses of a city and a place, it would be fine to curb the Zhao army's offensive, all the troops had more or less gains. Only the Yongping Guard directly lost most of Guangling County. If the Zhao army still launched such an unscrupulous attack, the morale of the army would be frustrated." Yang Zongbao, who was on the side, said with concern. Although the Yongping Guard successfully curbed the Zhao army's offensive, he would directly abandon most of Guangling County, and the situation was completely at a disadvantage. This was a big blow to the morale of the Yongping Guard.

"General Yang is right. Our army should not be passive like this. We must come up with a way to break the situation as soon as possible and turn the situation around." Guan Yu nodded and said, among the sixteen guards of Deng Kingdom, there are not many who can really fight against the wind, and there are definitely no Yongping guards.

It has only been a few years since the establishment of Yongping Guard, and there have not been many major battles. Although Guan Yu has confidence in the strength of Yongping Guard he has built, his lack of confidence is the biggest problem for Yongping Guard. He has never fought a big battle or a tough battle. In the face of a long-term suppression, he will easily collapse.

"General, in fact, his subordinates have thought of many ways these days. The final conclusion is that if we go from the front, it will be difficult for our army to defeat twice the Zhao army, and we can only find a way from the rear of the Zhao army." At this time, military advisor Jingxiang said.

"From the rear of the Zhao army, I wonder what the military advisor has to do?" When he heard that Jing Xiang had an idea, everyone's eyes lit up. The frustration he had been in these days was so uncomfortable. When will the Deng army, who was dominant in the world, be beaten passively for one day?

Jingxiang said: "Guangling County has been a traditional power of Chu since ancient times. Although Chu has been destroyed, the influence of Chu nobles in Guangling County has not been reduced at all. In addition, the numerous crimes committed by the Zhao army to go south to destroy Chu, especially the large-scale purge of Chu royal nobles, which gave Zhao a tenth of the prestige in the former Chu territory. If we can invite the former Chu nobles in Wancheng to go deep into Guangling and instigate the Guangling nobles, we will definitely achieve miraculous results."

Guan Yu hesitated after hearing this. As the chief general who took over Guangling County, Guan Yu knew very well that over the years, Deng State had been eliminating the influence of Chu State in Guangling County. Although the effect was very small, things were also developing in a good direction. Now, in order to defeat the Zhao army, in order to re-invigorate the people of Chu, if you are not careful, Guangling County will no longer be owned by Deng State. After all, the capriciousness of the people of Chu State is famous.

"Don't worry, General!" Jing Xiang clearly saw the worries in Guan Yu's heart, so he said: "Although Chu's prestige in Guangling County is still very high, the Chu State has been destroyed after all, and the elite Chu State who once dominated the world have disappeared. Even if the Chu people have a different intention, they cannot shake the rule of my Great Deng in Guangling. Besides, over the years, my Great Deng has basically been recognized by the people of Guangling County. As long as we grasp the standards, it should be fine."

Guan Yu nodded, and his worries on his eyebrows decreased a little. In recent years, Deng State has not done nothing in Guangling County. He has also achieved great results in political management of Guangling County. Although it still cannot replace the position of Chu State in the hearts of the people of Guangling, it cannot be destroyed overnight. The Chu nobles who have no soldiers or generals alone cannot make any troubles.

Thinking of this, Guan Yu said, "What the military advisor said is very much, but I only invite the nobles of Chu to Guangling. I don't have such great power. Not to mention this general, even General Yue does not have this power. Only by getting the permission of the king can I do this. I will write two copies in hand, one to Chenliu to inform General Yue, and the other to Wancheng to present the king. I will inform the king of Guangling in all aspects. I believe the king will agree."

"General, if it is just a memorial, even if the king agrees, it will be very difficult for the officials in the court to pass the level. It would be better to let the subordinates go to Wancheng in person to meet the king. If the officials in the court have any objections, the subordinates can convince them one by one." Jing Xiang said again.

The rise of Deng State is like the process of a storm trial. Although it seems very powerful, its foundation is still not very deep. The foundation here does not refer to strength, but to the sense of belonging of various places. Except for Nanyang County and Shangyong County, the entire Deng State is all territory seized in the past few decades, and some have been captured in the past ten years. Old forces from all over the country are still staring at Deng State in the dark. Even the earliest acquisition of Nanjun, Jiangxia County, Yingchuan County, and Deng State took twenty years to fully gain a foothold. Therefore, the Deng State court is very vigilant against the nobles of various countries. Without Deng Sheng's approval, these nobles from various countries who moved to Wancheng should not leave Wancheng at will, in order to avoid trouble.

Now that Guan Yu wants to invite the Chu nobles to Guangling, it is difficult to do it with just one handwritten book. Even if some people are interested, they will doubt Guan Yu's intentions. So Jingxiang plans to go to Wancheng in person. While persuading Deng Sheng, he also wants to persuade the ministers in the court to make the matter progress smoothly.

Guan Yu thought about it and felt that Jing Xiang was very considerate, so he said, "The military advisor is thinking, because the general is careless, so he works hard for the military advisor."

Soon, Guan Yu wrote a handwritten copy, handed it to a messenger, and ordered him to rush to Chenliu as quickly as possible, handed it to Yue Fei, and handed it to Jingxiang, and said to Jingxiang: "Military advisor, at this time, the success or failure of Guan Yu's army in Guangling County, please ask the military advisor for everything. I will wait for the military advisor's good news in Guangling."

Jing Xiang nodded and said, "Don't worry, General, your subordinates will not disappoint the general. You will definitely convince the king and the court to bring the nobles of Chu to Guangling. However, before leaving, your subordinates will also instruct the general that the enemy is strong and we are weak. The general only needs to guard against the Zhao army and not fight hard, so as not to ruin the good situation in Guangling."

Jing Xiang knew Guan Yu's character and was worried that after he left, Guan Yu would fight with Zhao Jun head-on because of a momentary aura. If this was the case, then even if he really brought the Chu nobles to Wancheng, it would be useless.

Guan Yu also understood this truth, so he nodded and said, "Don't worry, military advisor, I understand. If I don't wait for the military advisor to return in one day, I will stay in the position for one day, and I will never let the Zhao army take advantage of the slightest advantage."

Seeing that Guan Yu agreed to him, Jing Xiang felt relieved and said, "It's so good, it's not too early, and it's time for me to set off, so I'll say goodbye first!"

"Military advisor moves slowly!"

After Jing Xiang left, Deng's army entered a defensive situation. Zhang Jie thought it was Guan Yu's trick, so he launched several tentative attacks and found that Deng's army was really just defense and had no abnormal movements. Although Zhang Jie felt very strange, without understanding Deng's army's intentions, Zhang Jie did not dare to act rashly, so he had to hold his troops and continue to confront Deng's army, seeking good opportunities.
Chapter completed!