Chapter 336, Battle of Jizhou (Part )
In the south of Jizhou, Cao Cao divided 20,000 troops and assigned them to Cao Ren to guard Wei County of Weijun, while he took 30,000 troops to guard Ganling County of Qinghe State and Pingyuan County of Pingyuan Jun.

Bohai County was difficult to defend, so Cao Cao simply gave up.

The pressure on the front battlefield is mainly on Cao Ren. The 50,000 troops from Chang'an and the 50,000 troops from Jingzhou will both attack Weijun.

Cao Cao did not ask Cao Ren to hold on for half a year; one or two months would be enough. He would then look for an opportunity in the east to defeat the 50,000 troops heading north from Xuzhou.

It’s not that Cao Cao overestimated his own capabilities, but that he had no other choice.

If we only defend without attacking, we will only end up in defeat. With 30,000 against 50,000, there is still a glimmer of hope.

According to Cao Cao's understanding, the main leaders of Xuzhou's march north were not powerful people.

Gan Ning, the captain of the Third Battalion, was a pirate in the Yangtze River.

Taishi Ci, the deputy general of the Huaihe River Navy, was a brave man.

Zang Ba, deputy general of the standing army, was a bandit from Mount Tai.

Others, such as Shang Sheng, Han Yan and others, are little-known figures without any reputation.

Chen Deng, Mi Zhu and Mi Fang are capable, but Cao Cao does not believe that Jin Mao dares to trust them completely.

Therefore, Cao Cao was very confident about how to deal with this force.

The only concern was the commander of the Xuzhou army, Xi Zhicai.

Cao Cao was well aware of Xi Zhicai's name and knew that he was Jin Mao's right-hand man. Putting aside other things, his ability in transporting grain and fodder alone was top-notch.

However, fighting a war is not just about logistics. When there is not a big gap in logistics between the two sides, military strategy comes in handy.

In this regard, Cao Cao felt that he was the best in the world and was not afraid of anyone. Even if Jin Mao came, with equal military strength, Cao Cao was confident of winning.

Therefore, unlike Weijun's turtle shell, Cao Cao actively looked for opportunities for a decisive battle.

...

Xuzhou camp.

Xi Zhicai is only 35 years old, but he has some white hair on his temples, which shows the hard work he has done over the years.

Fortunately, every year the miracle doctors at the medical school conduct a comprehensive examination of every official at the school level and above.

Xi Zhicai had many minor illnesses, but no serious ones, so he would not die of illness as happened in history.

"Everyone, the movements of Cao's army are becoming more and more obvious."

Xi Zhicai looked at the generals in the tent and said, "We are using a small number to defeat a strong force, but we are taking the initiative to attack. We are being underestimated."

Gan Ning was a man of hot temper, and could not hide his true feelings. He immediately stepped out of the line, clasped his fists, and said, "Sir, please let me go to fight. I only need my own troops to crush Cao's army!"

With 6,000 main forces in the third battalion and 4,000 combat soldiers, Gan Ning had the confidence to say this.

But if he spoke so directly, he would immediately offend the other generals present.

With Taishi Ci out of the way and Zhou Tai not around, he became the actual commander of the Huaihe River navy.

Although half of the navy was withdrawn to Bohai, who was Taishi Ci? He was a fierce man in history who could fight Sun Ce in a one-on-one fight without losing. How could he tolerate being looked down upon?

"Sir, I only need 5,000 naval forces to wipe out Cao's army!"

After saying this, Taishi Ci looked at Gan Ning provocatively, which ignited the latter's anger and they almost had a big fight in the tent.

Gan Ning said: "I only need a thousand men!"

Taishi Ci continued to stimulate: "I'll give you five hundred!"

Gan Ning was completely furious: "A hundred cavalry! I only want a hundred cavalry!"

Taishi Ci sneered and said, "There is no joking in the army."

Gan Ning's neck turned red and he gritted his teeth and said, "I am willing to sign a military order. If this fails, you can chop off my head."

The atmosphere in the tent was a bit weird, and Zang Ba and other newcomers who had just joined were all silent.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Xi Zhicai stood up and said, "Both generals are brave and good at fighting. Today's fight is not a fight of will, but a display of each other's strategy and courage. General Gan is willing to defeat the enemy with a hundred cavalry, which is commendable; General Taishi's proposal of five hundred elite soldiers is also prudent. However, what our army needs now is not individual bravery, but teamwork and sophisticated strategies."

"Why don't you two put aside your dispute for now and work together? Perhaps, by combining the strengths of the two generals, we can formulate a more comprehensive plan that can not only show General Gan's bravery and fearlessness, but also show General Taishi's steadiness and depth. After all, on the battlefield, things change rapidly, and only by unity can we defeat the enemy."

After saying this, Xi Zhicai glanced at everyone gently.

Gan Ning's anger subsided. It was true that he had a hot temper, but he was not stupid. To offend Xi Zhicai was equivalent to offending Jin Mao, so he could only prepare for the consequences.

Strictly speaking, Taishi Ci is Yu Fan's man. As both of them are old men who rose early in the Jinmao era, Yu Fan and Xi Zhicai have always had a good relationship. As a result, Taishi Ci and Xi Zhicai are also relatively close and will never refute each other in person.

"Please give us your instructions, sir." Everyone bowed together in tacit understanding.

Xi Zhicai nodded with satisfaction and began to arrange combat tasks.

"On the front battlefield, Cao's army doesn't have many generals to worry about. Apart from Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, and Cao Hong, only Le Jin and Yu Jin need to be watched out for. As for other generals like Li Dian, don't let them go if you meet them on the battlefield."

Then, Xi Zhicai got back to the topic.

"Since Captain Gan and Commander Taishi are both willing to fight, we will split our forces into two groups. Captain Gan will lead the infantry and cavalry to attract Cao's troops to cross the river head-on. Commander Taishi will lead the navy to intercept Cao's troops when they are halfway across the river, blocking their way back."

Xi Zhicai began to call out his generals: "The rest of you, follow me and take command of the central army to destroy Cao's army!"

"Yes!" The generals took the order and left.

In November, the surface of the Yellow River began to freeze, making it difficult for ships to sail. However, this did not pose a problem for the Huaihe River Navy, as icebreakers with iron bottoms appeared.

Gan Ning's entire army of 10,000 people crossed the river smoothly.

In Pingyuan County, Xiahou Dun was the main general, Yu Jin was the deputy general on the left, and opposite him were generals such as Li Dian.

"Report! Ten thousand Southern troops have crossed the river and are heading towards Pingyuan County!"

Upon hearing the news, Xiahou Dun did not show any fear on his face, but instead looked very excited.

"Ten thousand people!"

"This is a gift of military merit to me!"

Xiahou Dun laughed and asked, "Who is the coming general?"

The scout said, "The word Gan is embroidered on the flag."

"Gan Ning is great!" Xiahou Dun laughed and asked, "Who among you is willing to join me in the battle?"

There were 10,000 elite soldiers in Pingyuan County, and Xiahou Dun did not think he could not defeat the 10,000-man main force of the Southern Army. Yu Jin carefully reminded him, "General, do not forget the Lord's instructions. Report any disturbance to the Lord first."

Xiahou Dun waved his hand and said, "It's just 10,000 people. If they don't dare to fight now, there's no need to fight the next battle!"

Yu Jin wanted to persuade him again, but he saw Xiahou Dun was already wearing armor and mounted on a horse, with a strong momentum and a desire and confidence in his eyes. He knew Xiahou Dun's temper very well, and once he was aroused, it would be difficult to stop him. So Yu Jin quickly adjusted his thinking and made arrangements: "In this case, General, please go ahead. I will immediately write a letter and report it to the lord as fast as possible, and order the rear army to prepare for support in case of any accidents."

Xiahou Dun nodded in agreement, waved his spear, and shouted loudly: "My men, follow me to charge into battle and let the Southern Army see how powerful we are!" After that, he led the vanguard troops and rushed out of the camp like a black lightning, heading straight for Gan Ning's army.

The two armies faced each other, the dust was flying, the drums were beating, and the sound was deafening. Xiahou Dun was the first to lead the charge, his spear skills were sharp, and he was invincible. Although the Southern Army soldiers were brave, they were like chickens and dogs in front of him and retreated one after another. Seeing this, Gan Ning couldn't help but secretly admire Xiahou Dun's bravery, and then he personally took up his sword and started a thrilling duel with Xiahou Dun.

The two fought back and forth, with swords flashing and sabers flying, and the battle was inextricable. The shouts of the surrounding soldiers and the collision of weapons intertwined together, forming a magnificent battlefield picture. However, although Xiahou Dun was brave, he gradually realized that the Southern Army was not as simple as it seemed. Its military appearance was strict and its tactics were varied. It was obviously an elite army that had been carefully trained.

When the two sides were fighting fiercely, Xiahou Dun suddenly heard the sound of a horn from behind. It turned out that Yu Jin had sent reinforcements to support him as planned. He was delighted, knowing that the opportunity for battle had come, so he shouted loudly and used his spear skills more fiercely, trying to defeat Gan Ning in one fell swoop. Seeing this, Gan Ning was not to be outdone, and the two of them engaged in a fierce battle again. It was not until the sky gradually darkened that both sides temporarily stopped and called off their troops.

After returning to the camp, Xiahou Dun was slightly injured, but his face was filled with a satisfied smile. He knew that today's battle, although not a complete victory, also demonstrated the strength and courage of Cao's army.

the other side.

Gan Ning camped by a tributary of the Yellow River. His face turned red when he thought about having failed Xi Zhicai's plan to lure the enemy deep into their territory.

He boasted so much before, but now he has elite troops under his command, but he is fighting back and forth with Cao's army. It's really embarrassing!
The more Gan Ning thought about it, the angrier he became. He decided to go all out and led a hundred cavalrymen to launch a night attack.

Alcohol was prohibited in the army, so we prepared 200 kilograms of Ganning mutton and treated 100 soldiers to a good meal.

"I intend to rob the camp tonight. My lord forbids alcohol, so I can only ask you to fill your stomachs and work hard to move forward."

Everyone stood up after hearing this, and the leader bowed and said, "Captain, just charge forward. Anyone who dares to frown will not be allowed to stay in the Third Battalion from now on!"

These are all veterans who have fought in hundreds of battles. If there were only a hundred cavalrymen in the camp, Gan Ning would have wanted to lead ten thousand cavalrymen to attack Cao's army. With such brave warriors, why should he worry about Xiahou Dun?
"Okay!" Gan Ning called his deputy general and told him to take charge of the matters. If he died, he died, but these people could not die.

At about the second watch, Gan Ning took out 100 white goose feathers and inserted them on his helmet as a signal. All the men put on their armor and mounted their horses. They rushed to the Cao army camp, pulled out the deer horns, shouted loudly, rushed into the camp, and went straight to the center of the army to kill Xiahou Dun.

The troops in Cao's army camped with baggage carts, donkey carts and box carts, surrounding the area like an iron barrel, and no air raid could break in. Gan Ning led a hundred cavalrymen, charging left and right, and heading elsewhere.

Cao's soldiers were panicked and didn't know how many enemy soldiers there were, so they lost their composure.

Gan Ning's hundred cavalrymen galloped around in the camp, killing anyone they saw and setting fire to any tents they came across.

The Cao army camps were clamoring, lighting fires like stars, shouting loudly, and they were leaderless. The situation did not deteriorate further until generals such as Xiahou Dun stepped forward to maintain stability.

Gan Ning fought his way into the camp from the south gate and out from the east gate, and no one dared to stop him.

Halfway through the journey, Gan Ning met a reinforcement group led by his deputy general, so he decided to go all out and attack the camp again.

This time Xiahou Dun was well prepared and shot arrows in an attempt to stop Gan Ning.

However, Cao's army had just been charged for a while and had not yet stabilized its position. Now it had to face elite infantry. After just one encounter, the soldiers on the front battlefield were unable to resist and were killed and their weapons were abandoned.

Gan Ning's eyes were reflected in the firelight, as if there was a fire burning.

"kill!"

"Capture Xiahou Dun alive!"

The situation, which was originally unexplainable, was unexpectedly turned into a catastrophe by Gan Ning.

At least half of the 6,000 elite soldiers in the Third Battalion have experienced more than three major battles. Their command skills may be a little bit worse, but their grasp of battle opportunities is definitely no worse than Gan Ning, and they know exactly what to do.

As long as the remaining 5,000 people follow the pace of the veterans, there will be no suspense in this battle.

After a night of fierce fighting, Cao's army was defeated.

When the morning sun shone on the earth, Gan Ning searched the entire camp but could not find Xiahou Dun's body.

"Damn it!" Gan Ning cursed, "That dog runs so fast!"

This is the disadvantage of not having cavalry. Even though Gan Ning won a great victory, killing or wounding more than 2,000 Cao soldiers and capturing more than 5,000 in one battle, the main general still escaped.

Can't catch up.

The only consolation might be that they captured more than 200 usable war horses, which expanded the third battalion of cavalry to more than 300.

In the past, Gan Ning was extremely envious of the First, Second, and Fourth Battalions, because Yizhou had an intake of one thousand war horses every year, and if the three battalions divided them, they would have more every year than he had now.

However, now it is good. The Third Battalion also has war horses. According to military rules, whoever captures one will equip it on the spot.

Although there are many restrictions, there is also a great deal of freedom. Gan Ning is confident that after conquering Jizhou, the Third Battalion can form a cavalry battalion of 1,000 people.

After a day of rest, Taishi Ci, who had been waiting for a long time for the signal, came with his entourage to check the battle situation on the spot.

Upon learning that Gan Ning had won a great victory and seized more than 200 war horses, Taishi Ci's eyes turned red. He returned to the camp and frantically asked Xi Zhicai to fight.

Gan Ning led a hundred cavalrymen to raid the camp. Taishi Ci did not think that he could not do it, but he did not expect that the Cao army was so useless that they were defeated by a man like Gan Ning.

Xi Zhicai smiled bitterly. Cao's army had only 50,000 men in total, and now 10,000 of them had been killed. How could they dare to come out and fight again?

"Don't be anxious, Commander Taishi. There is still a battle to be fought."

Taishi Ci was not an ordinary person in Cao Cao's eyes. He had a certain understanding of the situation and said anxiously, "Sir, we are close to each other, so we can seize the initiative."

"When those bastards from Yizhou and Jingzhou arrive, we won't even have soup to drink!"

Generally speaking, the military strength of Xuzhou is indeed not as good as that of the other side. It was too presumptuous of Cao Cao to let Cao Ren's 20,000 men block the attack of 100,000 men.

"Be careful with your words!" Xi Zhicai looked at Taishi Ci accusingly and said, "My lord, is he still in Jingzhou?"

Although Jin Mao did not participate in the command of the Jingzhou army, if someone with ulterior motives heard of Taishi Ci's words, Jin Mao would be in big trouble.

However, the military commanders were all vulgar, and Jin Mao had been with this group of people for a long time, so he could understand that.

But for Xi Zhicai, it is better to be cautious. Who knows if Jin Mao is in a bad mood at that time, it is not surprising that he will do anything.

Taishi Ci also realized that he had said the wrong thing, so he clasped his fists as a token of thanks.

Xi Zhicai said helplessly to Taishi Ci: "This battle is not based on small gains and losses. We are united with the Yizhou and Jingzhou armies, just to take Jizhou!"

After saying that, Xi Zhicai looked at the generals and said, "Don't ever think like that again!"

Everyone agreed, knowing that this was a taboo in the military. Competition was fine, but if one wanted to split, that would be courting death!

Finally, Xi Zhicai promised Taishi Ci: "Next time there is a big battle, Ziyi will be the vanguard."

Only then did Taishi Ci give up.

(End of this chapter)