Chapter 454: All Main Attacks
Judging from the results, sneaking across Yinping was a brilliant move, but it was also a helpless move by Deng Ai because Jiange was indeed impregnable.
In reality, the chances of success of such a smuggling operation were extremely slim. The reason why it was successful was largely due to the many shortcomings of Shu Han itself.
At that time, Shu Han was already showing signs of decline. There was a shortage of capable ministers and generals in the court, and eunuchs were abusing their power. Jiang Wei was far away at the border, and there was a lack of a knowledgeable backbone.
Any strategist who was a little bit capable could have guessed the most likely strategy the enemy would adopt if they failed to break through the defense of Jiange. After all, the importance of defending Yinping Road was clearly understood by Zhuge Liang in the early years.
It’s a pity that no matter how solid the defense line is, or how ingenious the strategic layout is, it still depends on specific people to implement it.
On the other hand, the current Yizhou is much stronger than the Shu Han of the past. It is unlikely that they can easily replicate Deng Ai's feat of sneaking across Yinping.
"Sneaking across Yinping was one of the ideas proposed by Your Majesty after taking over Xiliang." Guo Jia said slowly.
"At first, we all thought this idea was a bit too naive and risky, even a bit too much for granted."
"But with a deeper understanding of Yizhou's terrain and after repeated consideration, I have to admit that this is indeed one of the best options among many."
Guo Jia stood up, walked to the map, and moved his finger slowly on the map: "Although there are some hidden paths in Mi Cang Road, there is even a path to the east of Mi Cang Road that can barely be used by the army."
"However, after weighing all factors, Yinping is still the best choice. The most important reason is that Fucheng, the exit of Yinping Road, is closest to Chengdu and is located between Chengdu and Jiange."
Jiange is not only the most important and last line of defense of Jinniu Road, but also connected to Micang Road. It is almost the only way for the army to pass.
Zhang He heard this and his brows knitted into the shape of a "川" character, his worry evident in his words: "But the Yinping Road is extremely steep and rugged, and it is difficult to travel. It is simply not enough to accommodate a large army."
"Even if we are lucky enough to get through, we will only have 30,000 soldiers, nearly 10,000 of whom are engineers responsible for engineering work."
"If the enemy troops left behind in Fucheng are strong and we cannot capture them in a short period of time, the reinforcements from Chengdu will surely arrive quickly. By then, I'm afraid we will..."
Zhang He did not continue speaking, but both of them were well aware of the potential danger.
Guo Jia nodded slightly, as if he had expected Zhang He to have such concerns. "So, we carefully formulated a plan for Pang De to go south to Jinniu Road and attack Jiange at the same time."
"Initially, our idea was to join forces with Zhang Lu and put on a good show. We would lay siege to Nanzheng and attract Liu Fan and Liu Bei to send a large number of troops to rescue it. In this way, the defenses around Chengdu would be empty, and we could take the opportunity to sneak across Yinping at the same time."
"However, this plan may cause problems in Hanzhong. After all, Liu Fan and his men have also vaguely sensed Zhang Lu's attitude. Moreover, it is difficult to hide from them how we cross the Qinling Mountains and surround Nanzheng."
"If we want to refine this plan, it will take too long, and changes may occur if we are late. Hanzhong is extremely important to us and we must not lose it. Therefore, we only have the choice now, to take two approaches at the same time..."
As Guo Jia unraveled the entire plan and broke it down piece by piece, Zhang He's originally furrowed brows gradually relaxed and a look of sudden enlightenment appeared in his eyes.
The seemingly simple sneaking across Yinping Road actually hides such intricate calculations and planning, and each link is closely linked and interlocked. The most critical part is the adequate preparation in the early stage and the accurate grasp of the timing.
At this moment, he finally understood why it was Guo Jia who came with him. After all, when it comes to calculating people's hearts and taking risks, Guo Jia is definitely the best among Tian Ze's counselors.
"Speed is of the essence in war. We must reach Fucheng within 15 days, and we must ensure that our troops maintain a certain level of combat effectiveness. We must set out on time tomorrow!" Guo Jia's voice was firm and full of unquestionable majesty. "Understood!" Zhang He nodded vigorously.
Thinking about the precious supplies carried by the army, Zhang He was full of confidence.
The next morning, before dawn, Zhang He led an army of 30,000 and quietly set foot on the Yinping Trail in silence.
As soon as they stepped into the Yinping Trail, everyone felt the difficulty coming upon them.
On both sides of the path were towering cliffs. The sky above was blocked to a narrow gap. The sunlight struggled to penetrate the gap, casting a few faint rays of light.
The ground was rugged and overgrown with weeds, and there was no road at all. In many places, huge rocks blocked the way, so roads had to be dug out.
Some places even require climbing to get across.
Fortunately, Zhang He's army had undergone targeted training and had the added talent of Zhang He. In addition, the engineering troops and the corresponding tools and materials were very sufficient, and they could build bridges across water and ladders across mountains.
In order to allow the soldiers to have a good rest, all kinds of simple tents, insect and snake repellent potions, etc. were prepared, and a large amount of dried meat, high-calorie sugar, etc. were also carried.
The Yinping Road, which was nearly 700 miles long, was difficult for even a few thousand people to pass, let alone tens of thousands of people. However, it was completely conquered by Zhang He's army.
With only dozens of casualties, morale still high, and a small amount of supplies remaining, it took only twelve days to cross the river and arrived in the vicinity of Fucheng three days earlier than expected.
The hardships along the way made Zhang He feel extremely sad, but they also gradually dispelled the uneasiness in his heart.
The Yinping Road is so difficult to travel on that Liu Fan would certainly not have guessed that they would take this road, let alone guess that they had completed this road so early.
At the same time, Pang De had led the siege troops in a fierce battle for five days under Jiange, paying a heavy price.
In Tian Ze's plan, smuggling across Yinping was indeed a crucial link, but it was not the only one.
The battle in Yizhou was destined to come at a huge cost. Tian Ze was even prepared to use up half of his 200,000 troops.
As long as Chengdu can be captured, Tian Ze can accept any casualties.
Therefore, there was no so-called feint attack on Jiange. When Pang De led his army to attack Jiange, it was not a bluff, but a real project with all his strength.
This time, there was no such thing as feint attack or assist, it was all main attack!
It's just that their positions are different.
When Zhang He just arrived at the city of Fucheng, the letter for help from Jiange had already arrived in Chengdu.
(End of this chapter)
