The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 58 Neither Self-centeredness First, Nor Self-centeredness Later

Today's battle is, of course, against Pan Zhang's troops.

But ultimately, it's all about crossing the river.

Regardless of whether there are enemies on the other side, a pontoon bridge must be built first.

Liao Hua had only recently followed Guan Yu in his campaign along the banks of the Han River, so he was already quite familiar with the terrain.

The main force used bows and crossbows to maintain order, while the auxiliary troops used boats and timbers to build bridges.

If we were to say how it differs from the Northern Expedition...

That means Cao Cao's army had many horses, and their main defensive position was on the shore.

Sun Jun has many boats, so we need to keep a close eye on the river.

But Liao Hua was not afraid of Pan Zhang's ship.

Not just because they had won a match against their opponent earlier.

To be honest, after that battle, I saw that Pan Zhang was able to properly gather the defeated troops and quickly gain a foothold on the other side of the river.

Liao Hua, on the contrary, thought more highly of his opponent and deliberately prepared for battle for a few more days to test his strength and weaknesses.

And now, at this very moment...

Both sides are clear about their troop strength and what their open and hidden strategies are.

Liao Hua had 5,000 regular soldiers, a large number of auxiliary troops, and no fewer than 10,000 able-bodied men.

Pan Zhang suffered a defeat, not counting Ma Zhong's other troops and Sun Huan's later reinforcements.

The camp had only three thousand soldiers capable of fighting; the rest were either wounded or weakened.

They know each other so well, they know each other to this extent.

What else could Liao Hua possibly fear?

So when the enemy's "Brutal" warships attempted to attack the pontoon bridge that was almost half-built...

Liao Hua also decisively ordered the soldiers on the shore and on the water to retaliate.

Bow against bow, crossbow against crossbow.

A small boat faces a red horse, an exposed oar faces a sudden burst of speed.

(These are all warship names)

If there are any other intricacies involved...

That leaves only one essential principle of military strategy, passed down for thousands of years and enduring through the ages:

The many bully the few.

Disregarding martial ethics?

This is martial virtue!
Boom...

A thunderclap boomed across the sky, deafeningly loud.

However, at this moment, on the river and on the riverbank, the drums beat incessantly and the sounds of battle rose everywhere, with life and death hanging by a thread.

But nobody cared about the weather anymore.

At midday, the auxiliary soldiers successfully laid the pontoon bridge to the other side.

The soldiers providing cover had already waded ashore through the shallow water and engaged the enemy in battle.

As more and more Liao Hua soldiers successfully established themselves on the shore, they then formed ranks and pressed forward.

Pan Zhang's troops finally lost their footing and were gradually pushed away from the riverbank.

This freed up more space for Liao Hua's soldiers to form ranks after they landed.

After three quarters of an hour, Pan Zhang's flank finally showed signs of collapse.

Liao Hua and his entourage, who were already halfway across the river, saw this and spurred their horses onward.

He then leaped onto the other side of the river and personally led his own infantry in a fierce charge towards that flank.

The effect is immediate.

The routed soldiers became a rout, and the rout became a complete defeat.

The news spread from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, until the entire frontal army suffered a complete defeat.

Even the valiant Pan Zhang had to abandon his plan to rally the routed troops and led his personal guards to desperately ride away from the battlefield.

They didn't even dare to go to their own camp.

A major battle to cross the river is drawing to a close.

But at this moment.

The long-awaited storm finally arrived, bringing with it a long-planned downpour.

It's really windy and rainy, and there might even be some snow mixed in.

Just moments before, Liao Hua was on horseback, his bow drawn to its fullest extent, his arrow flying like a shooting star.

The next moment, the dense raindrops and the gusts of wind carrying the rain mercilessly blew away the arrow he had shot.

And he was by no means an isolated case on the battlefield.

Of course, we can't say that God is biased because of this.

They only bully one side, without inflicting the same debuffs on the other side.

In fact, when Liao Hua was almost blown off his horse by a gust of wind, some fearless soldiers from Pan Zhang's troops actually tried to launch a sneak attack.

As a result, he slipped and fell first, and was swarmed by Liao Hua's personal guards, who hacked him to death.

However, there is ultimately a matter of proportion involved.

Liao Huabing had more troops and was the one pressing his advantage.

Naturally, they would then have to endure more obstacles from the great forces of heaven and earth.

Pan Zhang had fewer troops and was on the losing side.

A counterattack was utterly futile.

But since the overall situation has already been lost, whether or not to retaliate is irrelevant.

It's better to find somewhere to shelter from the wind and rain. And at this point, is there any place more suitable for shelter than one's own campsite?
It should be noted that Pan Zhang had previously used a weak force to block Liao Hua, while also having to guard the river. He had put a lot of effort into this.

Therefore, Pan Zhang didn't need to put on any performance of beheading deserters.

The defeated soldiers spontaneously fled towards their own camp like wolves and pigs.

During this period, crowding, pushing, trampling, and injuries are inevitable.

But at least they managed to "bring in" a considerable number of people.

On the other hand, Liao Hua's side was at a loss because the war had come to an abrupt end.

Should we continue the attack?

Should we call it a day?

The attack is sluggish, the striker is weak, how can we advance? How can we attack?
If we withdraw our troops, the enemy will be annihilated. Are we willing to accept this?

"Ming Jin!"

Liao Hua gave the order almost without hesitation.

Beside him, a lieutenant held up a bleeding arm, pointing forward at the enemy camp and roaring menacingly:

"Registration Officer Liao, the attack on the camp is just around the corner!"

"Are you only concerned with what's in front of you, but not what's behind you?" Perhaps the wind was too strong, for Liao Hua also responded in a hoarse voice.

"Such heavy rain is not limited to one place or one time; the river will rise in an instant!"

"Previously, the pontoon bridges were all hastily built in order to expedite the crossing."

"If the camp cannot be built successfully and the pontoon bridge is washed away by the flood, how will we stand on this helpless riverbank?"

"Aren't you afraid of total annihilation?!"

The subordinate general was stunned by Liao Hua's outburst.

As an officer who rose through the ranks, he might not have known the principle of "first make yourself invincible, then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable."

But what serious consequences would it lead to a large army having nowhere to stand and losing its way out?

He was still very clear about it.

The lesson of Yu Jin is still fresh in our minds!

Even said.

Earlier, if it weren't for Mi Wei's selfless act in Jiangling, protecting the large city in the rear, it would have been impossible.

They might have already become Sun Quan's prisoners!

After all.

Pan Zhang was not their ultimate target in this battle.

Linyuan and Hanshou are the real ones.

Tens of thousands of troops ventured deep into barren lands, and if reinforcements failed to arrive, they would be unable to utilize river transport.

They would collapse on their own without even needing an enemy to attack.

So, after the commander-in-chief gave the order and the assistant commander remained silent, the order soldier finally struck the gong.

The subsequent incidents, such as soldiers slipping and falling into the water, and warhorses panicking and charging, need not be mentioned further.

After finally managing to retreat back to the shore.

As expected, the water level had already risen high.

The bridge they built in a morning, a bridge that cost countless lives, was instantly reduced to pieces.

But at this point, when everyone was exhausted, they couldn't help but feel fortunate that they had retreated in time.

Only the commander Liao Hua, after letting out a roar from the opposite bank, kept a straight face.

The orders were given solemnly and the arrangements were made strictly, without any hint of malice.

During this time, he also sent people downstream to inform Mi Wei and others to withdraw their troops as soon as possible and then move towards Zuotang to prevent any unforeseen events.

The coordination was skillful and orderly.

In this respect alone, it is in no way inferior to Pan Zhang's earlier ability to gather the defeated soldiers on the other side of the river.

Once everything was in order, Liao Hua returned to his room and dismissed everyone around him.

Looking at my wet, disheveled hair and listening to the relentless sound of the wind and rain, I finally couldn't help but sigh to the heavens:
"Neither putting myself first nor putting myself last."

"Today is the day!"

"But at that time!"

"Oh, vast heavens, how cruel you are to humankind!"

……

"So, it seems that Chief Clerk Liao did not suffer a defeat, but rather an unsuccessful attempt to break through the enemy's camp. Moreover, because he withdrew his troops quickly and properly, he still maintained an absolute numerical advantage over Pan Zhang?"

Looking at Zhan Sifu, who had risked his life to deliver the message, Mi Wei's emotions fluctuated.

And so it goes, back when the torrential rain was pouring down.

He then ordered most of the arrows and crossbows to be wrapped in raincoats, oilcloths, and other similar materials.

Continue to fight the enemy using only a bow and shield.

As the wind and rain intensified, the arrows became completely useless, so they simply dried the bow and wrapped it up tightly.

Only those who have been in charge of logistics know how delicate these treasures are.

And how time-consuming and laborious it would be to build it.

Later, as the water level rose higher and higher, he even considered pulling the boat he was standing on back to shore.

The only problem was that military orders were absolute, and he wasn't sure what the situation was with Liao Hua's troops upstream.

Therefore, they dare not easily change their formation.

Later, when Xi Hong struck the gong on the shore...

However, an unexpected problem arose, which was still being addressed.

The water flow from the mouth of the canal suddenly increased, and the boat could not row in for a while!
(End of this chapter)