October is the beginning of winter, and the weather in the south feels colder than in the north. The damp and cold feeling makes Chen Mo, who is used to the northern climate, a little uncomfortable.

From the time it was speculated that Liu Bei might enter Sichuan to the gathering of troops from all walks of life to go south, it only took three months in total, which can be regarded as extremely fast.

"Your Majesty, the general is incompetent and has lost the spirit of the three armies." In the camp established in Xinye, Zhang Liao saluted Chen Mo with a look of shame on his face.

"Wenyuan doesn't have to be like this. Victory and defeat are commonplace for military strategists. I've seen it before. Zhuge Liang made a sudden move. Although his plan wasn't very sophisticated, it was interconnected. Ordinary soldiers could easily take advantage of it if they didn't check it. , it has nothing to do with you, get up quickly." Chen Mo helped Zhang Liao up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Liao bowed again and knelt down before Chen Mo.

"What's the situation now?" Chen Mo asked.

"The Xiangfan defense line built by the Jingzhou Army is quite difficult. The opponent has many ballistas on the other side of the Han River. The last general once sent people to try to cross the river, but they were all repelled by the opponent with cannons and rocks. Your Majesty, the opponent's ballistae has a very long range and can Attack our army across the river. If we want to attack Xiangyang now, it will be difficult to cross the river, let alone attack the city." Zhang Liao told Chen Mo the latest information. Even Zhang Liao, who has experienced hundreds of battles, is helpless against Xiangyang's defense. : "In my humble opinion, Xiangyang and Fan are one. Now that it is difficult to cross the Han River, it is better to focus on Fancheng. As long as Fancheng is conquered, Xiangyang will be isolated. Our army can besiege Xiangyang and then slowly plan for it."

Chen Mo nodded. Before he came, he had someone make a sand table based on the terrain near Xiangfan. Chen Mo's judgment was similar to Zhang Liao's. Take Fancheng first and then go to Xiangyang, then Jingzhou can be captured.

"I heard that reinforcements from Jiangdong have arrived?" Chen Mo asked with a frown.

"Yes, the number of troops and horses from Jiangdong this time has not yet been determined. The opponent is stationed in Liqiu, not far from Fancheng, and can support it at any time. Xiangyang and Liqiu can support Fancheng at any time. Our army has not arrived before, so the thieves The army is so large that the general will not dare to challenge him easily." Zhang Liao nodded, Fancheng seemed to be a flaw, but in fact it was also not good.

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "Let me take a look at Xiangyang's defense first."

Zhang Liao nodded. At that moment, Chen Mo ordered Xu Huang to be responsible for arranging the army, and he took Ma Chao, Pang De, Zhang He and others to leave Xinye with Zhang Liao and go to Deng County to observe the enemy's situation.

Deng County is located to the north of the Han River. Across the Han River, you can see the mountains on the opposite side. Chen Mo and others, led by Zhang Liao, arrived outside Deng County. When they wanted to get closer, they were stopped by Zhang Liao.

"Your Majesty, don't go any further. There are many ballistas on the other side. Once you get closer and are noticed by the enemy, there will be ballistas coming at you immediately. The range of the ballistas is extremely long, and they can still hurt people with their crossbow stones from two hundred paces away. "Zhang Liao stopped Chen Mo and advised him.

"If you don't look, how can you know the enemy's situation?" Dian Wei frowned.

"Everyone, please follow me!" Zhang Liao led everyone to the north for several miles, and saw an arrow tower outside the river bank, which was three feet high and was built quite solidly.

"This is the watchtower set up by the last general. The river here is quite wide and the enemy's ballistae can't reach it. The last general once wanted to set up a ferry here and use boats to cross the river. However, under the river, I don't know when it was blocked. After driving many hidden stakes, the ship was trapped in the middle of the river halfway across the river. Many of the officers and men on board were shot and killed by the enemy, so the general set up a watchtower here to observe the enemy's situation." Zhang Liao asked for silence while waiting. The man went up to the arrow tower to watch and explained.

It was said to be an arrow tower, but when we got closer, we discovered that the arrow tower looked like a small city, with a height of three feet and a length and width of two feet. When people entered it, they did not feel crowded at all. When they climbed to the top of the arrow tower, there was another one as wide as

The watchtower is about two feet tall and can be raised another ten feet. People on top can have a very far field of vision.

Looking across the river, from such a far distance, one can vaguely see many forts and stone platforms built on the other side, but it is not very clear.

"Your Majesty, how many people must he put to defend such a long defense line? Is there anyone left in Xiangyang City?" Dian Wei asked with a frown as he looked at the river bank in the distance.

"Of course there are." Chen Mo looked at the other side, then looked into the distance and said: "It seems like there are many places, but in fact there are only a few places suitable for landing. As long as these places are guarded, at most two or three thousand people can land."

If we have enough people, we can leave one more army to assist the four sides, using the beacon fire as a signal! Unfortunately, the defense is too tight. I would like to see how he deploys defenses in the rear."

These stone platforms and forts on the river bank should be only the outermost line of defense. There must be other defenses further back, but unfortunately they cannot be seen here.

"The king is right. The last general once sent people fifty miles west to cross the river, hoping to penetrate deep into the rear from there. However, after sending hundreds of people, only two came back. There is a rocky hill over there. I don't know how big it is.

Once inside, it will be difficult to find the direction." Zhang Liao frowned.

"Is there such a thing?" Chen Mo was a little surprised when he heard this.

"Exactly, there are no people around Xiangyang, and it seems difficult to get through." Zhang Liao nodded affirmatively.

"Go back." Chen Mo got off the watchtower and said.

Now it seems that it is impossible to cross the river and take Xiangyang directly. Zhang Liao's strategy of going to Fancheng first can be tried, but before that, Chen Mo still needs to make some preparations.

"Lord, when will we send out troops?" Ma Chao couldn't help but ask after returning to Xinye.

"There's no rush, let's make some preparations first in case Zhuge Liang cuts off my retreat." Chen Mo knelt down and asked someone to prepare the sand table. He looked at Ma Chao and said, "Go and call Ma Jun."

"Here!" Ma Chao nodded in agreement, excused himself and left.

After a while, Ma Jun was brought by Ma Chao.

"See you, Your Majesty." Ma Jun bowed and said.

"Excuse me." Chen Mo waved his hand and said, "There is something you need to do."

"Please give me your orders, Your Majesty." Ma Jun quickly bowed and said.

Chen Mo looked at the sand table in front of him, pointed to a few places and said: "Zhuge Liang's defense of Xiangyang took a long time, but I don't have so much time to defend against him. In these places, you do your best to build a few forts, a total of nineteen

Each place can accommodate a hundred people. How many days will it take to complete the project?"

Ma Jun looked at the sand table, thought for a moment and then said: "Your Majesty, I need to go and investigate to know."

"Yes." Chen Mo nodded: "Go directly with the craftsmen. Every time you survey a place and make drawings, let the craftsmen start work. The required manpower and material resources will be provided, and the work must be completed in the shortest time at all costs."

Xiangfan's defense fortifications were obviously not built in one day, and Chen Mo didn't have that much time to manage the defense fortifications here. The nineteen points he pointed out were nineteen nodes, which were not dangerous, but they could block all possible attacks from all directions.

Counting them all in, the hundred-man Wubao left a force of men and horses to rush to the four directions to support him. With the rear being stable, Chen Mo could attack Xiangfan with peace of mind.

"Here!" Ma Jun agreed, and after receiving Chen Mo's military order, he said goodbye and left. He took a few apprentices and summoned a large number of craftsmen to begin surveying the terrain.

Chen Mo began to send a large number of scouts to spy on the situation in the area from Jiang Xia to Fancheng.

"Lord, most of the cities in Jiangxia are empty. It's not difficult to get them, but it seems to be of no use." Three days later, Zhang Liao came to return his orders and bowed.

Chen Mo looked at the map of Jiangxia and was silent. After a moment, he shook his head and said with a smile: "Jiangdong is forcing us to fight them in Xiangfan. At this time, they have taken advantage of all the geographical advantages."

The time, place, and people are conducive. If we count now, Chen Mo has a strong army and can barely win a personal peace. Other than that, the others do not have an advantage.

Zhang Liao nodded. Naturally, the Sun-Liu coalition that occupied Xiangfan had an advantage in terms of location. In the past few days, it was obvious that the northern soldiers were not used to it after arriving here. Many of them even showed signs of listlessness and poor appetite.

The climate in Xiangfan is very different from that in the Central Plains and the north. Given the favorable weather and geographical location, the Ming army really could not take advantage.

"Let's find a place to establish a stronghold first. No matter what, this battle will still be fought!" Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Here!" Zhang Liao bowed and accepted the order and retreated.

January has passed like this again, and in November, the weather in the south is even colder, and the feeling of dampness and coldness is uncomfortable.

Chen Mo ordered people to bring carbon stones from the north for the army lieutenants to keep warm, but there was no other good way to think of.

Ma Jun has also surveyed the terrain, and construction of nineteen forts has begun. Chen Mo does not seem to be in a hurry to fight, and has been dealing with some trivial matters in the army during this time.

Chen Mo is not in a hurry here, but in Xiangyang, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are a little anxious.

"Kong Ming, what do you think Chen Mo is doing? He brought so many people and horses here, but he didn't fight them. How much food and grass are consumed every day? What do you think he thinks?" Zhang Fei found Zhuge Liang. He had been a little irritable recently and went south from Chen Mo.

After that, a ban on alcohol was issued in the army, and Zhang Fei had not drank for two months.

"He's waiting!" Zhuge Liang looked at the account book and sighed.

"What are you waiting for?" Zhang Fei frowned.

"Wait until spring comes!" When Zhuge Liang said this, his face looked a little ugly. Chen Mo clearly knew that the situation was not good for him, and did not blindly rely on the pressure of more troops to come up. A calm and unhurried enemy,

This is what makes Zhuge Liang most uncomfortable.

Chen Mo occupies the Central Plains. He can afford it and can choose to start the war in the spring. However, Jingzhou is such a big place. Once he chooses to start the war in the spring, it will inevitably affect the spring plowing. If the consumption continues like this, even the consumption will kill Jingzhou!

Moreover, after spring comes, the gap in weather and time will be smaller. When the war starts, it will be most beneficial to Chen Mo. He can clearly see his biggest advantage and make good use of it.

An enemy who is calm and rational and not blindly arrogant is not easy to deal with!

Zhuge Liang had a headache. Xiangfan's defense was impregnable, but Xiangfan's foundation was not as strong as Chen Mo. If he had to fight hard, even if Jiangdong could help him survive one year, what about the second year? You know, Jingzhou still needs to supply Liu Bei.

Expedition to Xichuan.

"What should we do?" Zhang Fei frowned.

"I should go to Liqiu and see Governor Zhou. We need to discuss a strategy on this matter!" Zhuge Liang stood up, looked out the door and shouted: "Prepare the ship!"

"I'll go with you!" Zhang Fei quickly followed.

Zhuge Liang looked at Zhang Fei, nodded after a moment of silence, and the two of them walked out of the city together.
Chapter completed!