Chapter 386

The fourth route was led by Zhao Yun with 100,000 troops, accompanied by generals Zhang Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci, Gao Lan, Pang De, Guanqiu Sun Jian, Guan Hai, Ding Yuan Xi, and others, setting out from Yanmen to attack Changshan Commandery and Zhongshan State in Jizhou, and subsequently attack the territory of Youzhou!

In an instant,

the entire Great Han seemed to be in motion!

Guan Yu, as the vanguard, was the first to cross the Yellow River from Baima and advance on Liyang City!

Cao Cao proactively abandoned Liyang City, which was relatively far from Ye City, to contract his defensive line.

Guan Yu directly captured Liyang City!

Zhuge Zhang Liang also successfully captured Dangyin, advancing like a hot knife through butter, occupying Anyang County south of Ye City. Contrary to the Cao Army's expectations, he did not continue to advance but stopped to build defensive lines, organize laborers, and begin digging the canal!

Liu Bei led his troops in a deep drive, arriving at Changle County southeast of Ye City, and sent troops to occupy Fanyang, Wei County, and other places, basically controlling the southern part of Ye City.

At the same time, Liu Bei also began sending laborers to dig the canal between the Zhang River and the White Ditch!

When the news reached Ye City,

everyone was shocked.

Xun Yu was filled with worry.

"My lord, Liu Bei is trying to completely solve the problem of grain transport in preparation for a long-term siege!"

Cheng Yu frowned.

"Although our army knows this, Zhuge Zhang Liang is guarding the southwest and Liu Bei is stationed in the southeast; we simply cannot break through their defensive lines to sabotage the digging of the canal."

Cao Cao coughed a few more times; his energy was not what it used to be.

"No matter what Liu Bei does, he still has to take Ye City; otherwise, all that effort is just making a wedding dress for me."

Just then,

"King of Wei, an urgent report from Zhong Yao in Changshan Commandery!"

"Read it!"

"Zhao Yun has led troops to break through over ten cities in Changshan Commandery and is besieging Zhending City!"

Zhao Yun's prestige in Changshan Commandery was extremely high; apart from Zhending City, which was guarded by Zhong Yao, the other cities surrendered at the mere sight of his banner!

Not long after,

an urgent report also arrived from Xia Xia Houyuan's side.

Lu Xun occupied Qinghe Commandery, and Huang Zhong occupied Le'an Commandery. The two joined forces, and Xia Xia Houyuan, unable to withstand them in Pingyuan State, retreated to Nanpi City in Bohai Commandery!

At the same time, people in various parts of Hebei who still harbored loyalty to the Ding Yuan family rose up in rebellion, and the entire Cao Wei was plunged into a precarious situation...

Cao Cao sent Wen Chou, Cao Xiu, and others to attempt to sabotage the canal digging, but they were defeated by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

Wen Chou was even ambushed and killed by Guan Yu!

Cao Cao stopped wasting military strength and retreated to Ye City to hold his ground.

Liu Bei and Zhuge Zhang Liang joined forces and set up camp near Ye City, stretching for over twenty miles, occasionally attacking the city to keep the soldiers inside in a state of constant tension.

Resources from Guanzhong, the Central Plains, Jingzhou, Yizhou, and Jiangdong were continuously poured into this area.

Liu Bei was determined to besiege the Cao Army until they surrendered.

Hua Tuo led a group of excellent physicians to be responsible for the soldiers' health, and Liu Bei established strict hygiene regulations to prevent epidemics; everything was done to serve the long-term siege.

Half a year later,

the Qi River and the Huan River were diverted into the White Ditch, greatly increasing the water volume. Liu Bei's military grain was transported directly from the Central Plains via the waterway to the Ye City area, and the soldiers' confidence greatly increased!

Good news came from the north.

Zhang Zhang Liao broke through Zhongshan State and the Hejian territory, leading his troops into Bohai Commandery!

Cao Hong in Youzhou, seeing this, led 30,000 troops from Youzhou to strike into Hejian, intending to sneak attack Zhang Zhang Liao's rear.

However, he was blocked for over a month by the small city of Gaoyang, which was guarded by Huo Jun with only three thousand men!

By the time Cao Hong wanted to retreat, Youzhou had already collectively surrendered under the persuasion of Zhao Yun and Ding Yuan Xi!

Cao Hong was furious; he had scraped together quite a bit of wealth in Youzhou and could not bear to abandon it.

This fellow was notoriously stingy. When Cao Pi became the heir and asked to borrow a hundred bolts of silk for urgent use, Cao Hong directly refused and even mocked Cao Pi.

Because of this, Cao Hong was marked by Cao Pi.

He hurriedly led his troops back to attack Youzhou!

But he was defeated in one fell swoop by Tian Yu, who had rushed over from Liaodong, in coordination with the Youzhou volunteer army!

Cao Hong died miserably in the chaotic battle.

The entire Youzhou was pacified!

Qingzhou was also completely taken by Lu Xun. Xia Xia Houyuan was trapped in Nanpi City, looking west every day, hoping for good news, but it was all just a fantasy.

Several more months passed.

With Nanpi City short of food, no reinforcements from the outside, and internal and external troubles,

Xia Xia Houyuan planned to break out and flee!

Unfortunately, a net had long been cast outside the city.

Huang Zhong rushed out from an ambush, attacking from a high position, and in the midst of the chaotic battle, beheaded Xia Xia Houyuan!

Liu Bei issued an order from the Ye City camp,

appointing Zhang Zhang Liao as the Inspector of Youzhou and Huang Zhong to garrison Pingyuan State and other places,

and dispatching civil officials to promote local gentry to effectively govern Hebei!

Two months later, Zhong Yao could no longer hold out; with grain and fodder exhausted and soldiers full of grievances, he had no choice but to open the city and surrender.

Zhao Yun successfully captured Changshan Commandery, marched south to take Xiangguo and Handan, and surrounded Ye City from the north!

Thus, in the entire Hebei region, Cao Cao was left with only the isolated city of Ye City!