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

Chapter 37 The Correct Way to Use Water Attack

The second route first travels south along the Yangtze River (the Yangtze turns south at Jiangling) for a short distance, then turns into a small river called Xiashui at the two water inlets of Zhongxiakou and Yuzhangkou.

Then it flows downstream along the Xia River, passing through Huarong County and the vicinity of Jianli County in later times.

Finally, at a waterway called Dukou, it flows into the Han River.

The advantage of this route is that it can save at least half of the water travel.

Moreover, only the last short stretch of the road falls within enemy territory.

It's much safer than the first one.

However, judging from the name "Xia Shui" (Summer Water), it is a seasonal river.

It is indeed possible to navigate during the spring and summer high-water season.

However, once the dry season of autumn and winter arrives, there is a risk of the water flowing out at any time.

In fact, Mi Fang and others had previously encountered difficulties transporting grain.

This is very likely related to the seasonal interruption of the summer water flow after the start of autumn.

As for the third route, it is the Yangshui-Zhaxi waterway right in front of us.

Compared to the Xia River, which is supported by the Yangtze River, the Yangshui-Zhaxi waterway is essentially a temporary drainage channel without even a stable source.

The water source comes from rainwater accumulated in the surrounding area during the rainy season.

It might suddenly change course or even disappear one day.

Therefore, although traveling from here to the Han River saves a significant amount of water distance compared to the Xia River route.

However, it is not suitable as a stable grain route.

But then again.

If we disregard long-term transportation issues and only consider it as a temporary route for military marches, then going this way is perfectly acceptable.

Especially now that we've entered the dry season in the Jianghan River basin, the water area has decreased significantly.

Where there was no road before, there is now one for the time being.

It's just that the mud is a bit difficult to travel, but there are ways to overcome it.

This is not something Miwei has assumed.

There are precedents for this.

For example, after Liu Bei's defeat at Changban, he fled to Hanjin to save his life.

For example, after Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, he took the route through Huarong to return north.

Both of them marched through this area, which would later be known as the "wetland," during the autumn and winter seasons.

Even Lu Xun, who was standing right in front of him, dared to head north to repair the pontoon bridge because the water was shallow at this time of year.

and so.

Lu Xun was definitely there to stop Guan Yu.

However, the specific methods to counter this attack remain to be discussed.

Apart from Mi Wei himself, no one in the city knew that this "Lieutenant General Lu Xun" was an even more formidable opponent than Lü Meng.

It's hard to find someone to discuss things with.

After a day of fruitless surveillance, Liao Hua did not send any further intelligence.

Miwei couldn't hold on any longer and had to go downstairs to rest.

However, he was startled awake at dawn the next day.

I was genuinely shocked.

I heard Zhan Sifu shouting hoarsely early this morning:
"Something bad happened!"

"The enemy has breached the northern riverbank!"

"Please, my lord, rise quickly and take charge of the overall situation!"

what!
Did Lu Xun breach the dike of the Yangshui River?
He wants to flood Jiangling?

Mi Wei rose in a panic, and with Zhan Sifu's help, he donned his armor, mounted his horse, and galloped wildly north of the city.

I can't imagine how miserable I was along the way.

However, as the cold wind of the winter morning blew, he quickly calmed down.

Then I felt that something was amiss.

First of all, flooding is not a new siege tactic.

Putting aside other things, wasn't Jinan City in the north destroyed by Wu Zixu and Sun Tzu, the military strategist?

Meanwhile, Yingcheng, which is slightly closer in history, escaped the calamity of the late Spring and Autumn period.

However, at the end of the Warring States period, it and its secondary capital, Yancheng, encountered the god of war, Bai Qi.

The latter was also flooded, which led to a collapse in morale in Yingcheng, which was easily captured by Bai Qi.

Therefore, the strategy of flooding the city in this era is not some unimaginable divine tactic.

In fact, Miwei spent the whole day yesterday keeping watch and actually considered this possibility.

But he quickly rejected it.

Why? Because the city walls of today are mostly rammed earth walls, which are thick and resistant to impact.

It is unrealistic to try to destroy it all at once with a flood.

It can only be slowly soaked and fermented until it softens and decomposes.

For a large and fortified city like Jiangling.

This "slowly" process could take several months.

Even if Guan Yu is slow, he can't possibly take two months to get back, right?

Secondly, simply digging up the riverbank is far from enough to achieve the goal of loosening and rotting the rammed earth wall.

It often requires building dams to block water, and at the same time constructing ditches to divert water to the area under the city walls.

This ensures that the earthen wall remains submerged in water for an extended period.

That's how the "Zixu River" next to Ji Nan City came to be.

So no matter how you look at it.

At this point, it would be pointless for Lu Xun to breach the dike of the Yangshui River.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Mi Wei deliberately slowed down his horse.

He ascended the watchtower with an air of composure, at least appearing to be.

He quickly figured out what was going on.

It turns out that what Lu Xun dug up was not water at all.

Instead, it's the southern bank of the Zhaxi River further north.

Because it was a temporary earthen embankment, and it was formed by the accumulation of messy rainwater from upstream during the rainy season.

Therefore, the Zhaxi River embankment is not sturdy and is easily breached.

Once the southern dike of the Zhaxi River is breached, the already uneven open area between it and the Yangshui River will naturally become a vast swamp.

The city of Ying, where Liao Hua was stationed, was completely submerged and turned into an isolated island.

Although Jinan City, where Guan Ping is located, has not yet been affected because it is situated upstream.

However, without the support of the infantry next door, they could no longer launch a full-scale southward maneuver operation as before.

It can be said that although Lu Xun breached the dike overnight, he could not break through Jiangling City in the short term.

However, it almost destroyed the strategic defense system between Jiangling and the two northern cities.

And this is not even the most serious problem.

As the Zhaxi River continued to overflow southward, it then spread downstream.

Soon, all the roads leading from the northern suburbs of Gangneung to the Han River were flooded.

In addition, Lu Xun's detachment had already secured the key route.

This means that the return of Guan Yu's main force will be delayed!
Yes, it only extends, not blocks.

In autumn and winter, the water level is low, and the floodwaters will eventually recede.

Lu Xun's small force of only a few thousand men was certainly no match for Guan Yu's main force.

But if Guan Yu's return is postponed for another ten days or half a month.

Can Jiangling City still be defended?
This is precisely where Lu Xun truly made his move.

Delaying Guan Yu buys Lü Meng and even Sun Quan's main force the opportunity to capture Jiangling!
All I can say is that my memories of my past life didn't deceive me.

Lu Xun is still the same Lu Xun.

His strategic vision and tactical execution are both among the best of contemporary generals.

That afternoon, Lü Meng's army rose again.

Instead of resorting to fancy entrapment tactics, they launched a direct assault on the three garrisons in the southern suburbs.

This time, there was no chance of getting away with it.

The already demoralized garrisons of Jiangjin, Mamu, and Lingxi were captured in a single battle.

Jiangling has completely lost all its strategic strongholds in the southern suburbs and can no longer delay the enemy's large-scale landing on the north bank.

The only good news was that, with the desperate cover of his troops, Guan Xing finally managed to break through the encirclement and return to Jiangling City.

But that was only enough to spare his life.

He was seriously injured and fell into a coma as soon as he returned to the city.

"So, will General Guan be able to return on time?"

That evening, Mi Wei dragged Pan Jun up the building together.

He's already realized that if you don't actively push this old man forward, he'll just keep shrinking back and hiding.

Even more cunning than Mi Fang.

Pan Jun observed for a moment with a somber expression, then analyzed in a low voice:

"There is no stable water source upstream of the Zhaxi River. Once this flood peak has passed and the water has been drained, the roads downstream will gradually become clear."

"However, even if the water is drained, it does not mean that the army can pass immediately."

(End of this chapter)