Chapter 70: Zhang Chuan attacks Lu

In March of the eighth year of Qianyuan, Zhao army generals Zhang Chuan, Zheng Tuo and Chen Kai led 50,000 troops to attack Lu County, and the troops were approaching Zuo County. When the Chu army generals Yu Zilong and Zhao Wen heard the news, they led 30,000 troops to move south from Qufu.

Zuo County was low and dilapidated and could not be defended. Yu Zilong and Zhao Wen then stationed their troops outside the city to confront the Zhao army. The two sides fought several times, but the winner was not decided.

In the Zhao army camp, Zhang Chuan, Zheng Tuo and Chen Kai were discussing strategies to defeat the enemy in front of the map.

Zhang Chuan carefully analyzed the current situation and said: "Yu Zilong and Zhao Wen have 30,000 soldiers and horses in front of us. If we forcefully defeat him, our army will definitely suffer a lot. Only with the current plan, we can only find another way and mobilize the 30,000 soldiers and horses in Yu Zilong's hands."

"Then general, how should we do it?" Zheng Tuo asked.

Zhang Chuan Dao: "Look, this is Qufu, located north of Zuo County. Qufu is the capital of Lu. The remnants of Lu are the most serious. After the Chu State destroyed Lu, due to the urgent situation, most of the supplies were not withdrawn from Qufu. Therefore, Qufu now stores more than 80% of the Chu army's supplies in Lu County. As long as our army divides a group of troops to go north and attack Qufu, once Qufu is threatened, Yu Zilong will definitely send troops to rescue north."

"But the general, the city of Qufu is high and deep, and there are 10,000 elite Chu troops stationed. Even if our army goes north, it will be difficult to conquer." Chen Kai is not optimistic about the plan to attack Qufu. After all, as the former capital of Lu, Qufu's city scale ranks among the top in the entire Central Plains. It is completely unrealistic to win Qufu in a short period of time.

Zhang Chuan smiled and said, "Of course I know that it is impossible to conquer Qufu by just a side division. But what we have to do is not to attack Qufu, but to pretend to attack. Most of the food and grass of the Chu army in Zuo County are sent from Qufu. Regardless of whether our army can conquer Qufu or not, the food route of Yu Zilong's troops will be threatened. In this way, even if Yu Zilong knows that our army's purpose is to disperse the troops in his hands, he can only follow the path we imagined, which is necessary to rescue the enemy."

"A clever plan!" Zheng Tuo and Chen Kai praised. It has to be said that Zhang Chuan's move was a pure open plan. Even if Yu Zilong knew that the Zhao army would not attack Qufu, he could not conquer Qufu at all. However, in order to protect the food route, he had to send troops north. In this way, the number of Chu troops in Zuo County would be greatly reduced.

"Zheng Tuo obeys the order and orders you to lead 10,000 troops north to Qufu, pretend to attack Qufu, and at the same time find the food route of the Chu army and cut it off. Once the Chu army divides its troops north, you should look for an opportunity to eliminate the Chu army's partial division." Zhang Chuan ordered.

"Yes! I will do my best." Zheng Tuo responded.

In April of the eighth year of Qianyuan, the Zhao and Chu army were in a stalemate outside Zuo County for nearly a month. The Zhao army suddenly divided its troops north to attack Qufu, and received support and help from the remnants of Lu in Qufu, completely isolated Qufu City and cut off the Chu army's food route.

When Yu Zilong learned about it, he was shocked. The food and grass in Zuo County were transported from Qufu. Now that Qufu is threatened, the food route has been cut off, and his 30,000 army will soon face the crisis of food shortage. Yu Zilong also knew that Zhang Chuan was tempting him to divide his troops, but Yu Zilong had to jump into this pit and ordered Zhao Wen to lead a 10,000 army north to reinforce Qufu, and at the same time sent people to Peicheng for help.

In April of the eighth year of Qianyuan, Zheng Tuo's troops fought fiercely with Zhao Wen outside Qufu City. The remnants of Lu took the opportunity to attack the Chu army's Qufu defenders, making them unable to support Zhao Wen. In the end, the Zhao army defeated the Chu army's formation with the advantage of cavalry. Zhao Wen was killed in a fierce battle, and 10,000 Chu troops were wiped out.

Zhao Wen's death in battle was a heavy blow to Yu Zilong. He knew that if this continued, it would be a matter of time before his troops failed. The food route was cut off by the Zhao army, and the Fan County in the south was also occupied by Zhao's general Sima Chong, and there was no hope of going south to Peicheng.

In May of the eighth year of Qianyuan, the Chu army was about to be exhausted, and Yu Zilong was forced to retreat east to Chengxiangcheng. Relying on the support of Bian County, the Zhao army took the opportunity to occupy Zuo County.

After conquering Zuo County, Zhang Chuan moved his troops north, joined forces with Zheng Tuo's troops, and attacked Qufu for half a month. With the help of the remnants of Lu, he captured Qufu in one fell swoop, and the Chu army fled east in a panic.

In June of the eighth year of Qianyuan, Zhang Chuan led a large army to the foot of the city of Weixiang. At this time, only Weixiangcheng was left in Lu County. Bian County was still in the hands of the Chu army, and the rest of the places were captured by the Zhao army and the remnants of the Lu State.

At the head of the city of Weixiang, Yu Zilong stared at the Chu army under the city, his eyes were red and blood-covered. The Zhao army had occupied most of the Lu County. If the city of Weixiang could not be defended, then the entire Lu County would not be protected.

"General, the army's food and grass are insufficient. The military chief sent someone to ask if the supply needs to be reduced." The deputy general came to Yu Zilong and asked.

"The army has insufficient food and grass? Where is the food from Bian County? Haven't it been transported here yet?" After the fall of Qufu, the food and grass from Yu Zilong's troops were always supplied by Bian County, which allowed the food in the army to be maintained.

"General, Bian County reported that there was not much food left in Bian County, and several grain transport teams sent to Huangxiangcheng were attacked by the remnants of Lu, and the food and grass were greatly damaged." The deputy general said with a very ugly expression.

"Damn it!" Yu Zilong gritted his teeth and said, the remnants of Lu were really in dispersed. If they hadn't interfered with it, Zhao Wen would not have been defeated and Qufu would not have been lost.

"Let the quarantine officer save food and grass, and let me talk about the rest when I think of a solution." Yu Zilong said helplessly.

In late June of the eighth year of Qianyuan, the Zhao army attacked Bian County, and Bian County fell. When Yu Zilong heard the news, he hurriedly evacuated Xixiangcheng and was pursued by the Zhao army. Both sides fought fiercely at the junction of Lu County and Taishan County. The Chu army was defeated. Yu Zilong fought to the death and fought a bloody road, leading thousands of remaining troops to retreat to Nanwuyang, and the Zhao army occupied the entire Lu County.

The news of the defeat of Lu County reached Peicheng. Everyone was shocked. The war reports from Lu County were also sent by Yu Zilong's letter of help. Lu County had been lost, and Taishan County could not have any more mistakes. So Han Qing ordered the Chu General Longchuan, General Long Ao, and Cao Jian to lead 30,000 Chu troops from Donghai County to Nanwuyang from Donghai County. The Chu army in Peicheng was temporarily commanded by the Chu army general Zhang Di, and ordered Yu Zilong to integrate his troops and defend Nanwuyang at all costs. He must support the Longchuan army to help.

In Nanwuyang, the Zhao army besieged for nearly a month. Yu Zilong led thousands of Chu troops to fight to the death, with heavy casualties, and the city was destroyed in a daze.

In late July of the eighth year of Qianyuan, the Zhao army captured the gate of Nanwuyang. Yu Zilong led the Chu army to engage in fierce street fighting with the Zhao army. At the same time, the 30,000 Chu troops led by Longchuan arrived in Nanwuyang and raided the Zhao army. The Zhao army was caught off guard. Under the attacks between the inside and outside of the Chu army, the Zhao army was defeated. Zhang Chuan saw that the Chu army reinforcements had arrived, and his mission to capture Lu County had been completed, so he stopped entangling with the Chu army in Nanwuyang and retreated back to Xixiangcheng. The battle of Lu County was defeated by the Chu army, and the Zhao army occupied the entire territory of Lu County.
Chapter completed!