Zhang Xuan was not optimistic about Du Fuwei's army. Although the Jianghuai army was famous for its good fighting and bravery, such as Wang Shichong's 20,000 Huainan Army. Du Fuwei also had a relatively good warlike army, but he was basically disabled by himself. Although the army is large now, it is actually no different from the various army of the Wagang Army. It has only been pieced together in a hurry in the past year. Whether it is training, equipment, or combat experience, it is far inferior to the Sui army soldiers who have experienced many battles.

If Zhang Xuan was on the plain, he was completely sure to defeat the enemy in a battle, it seemed that Du Fuwei knew this. He refused to defend the city and waited for change. But for Zhang Xuan, he was unwilling to die at the city of Hefei. The so-called warriors have no great achievements. To defeat the enemy with minimal losses has become the first rule of the Sui army to fight.

The Sui army had sufficient experience in siege. The Sui army had attacked Liyangcang, which had a water environment very similar to that of Hefei City. They knew how to capture this seemingly tall and sturdy city, but with fatal loopholes.

However, although Zhang Xuan despised this army with only military advantages, he attached great importance to tactical importance. On the one hand, he actively prepared for war. Zhang Xuan ordered the Sui army to build a section of the city wall exactly the same as Hefei City on the north bank of Chaohu Lake, and concentrate 20,000 troops for night battle training. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan sent people to send a letter to Du Fuwei and urged Du Fuwei to surrender to the Northern Sui Dynasty.

The Sui army was actively preparing for war, and Du Fuwei did not sit idly by. In the past few days, the wind direction in the Jianghuai area began to turn to northwest wind, which was extremely unfavorable to the Sui army's warship sailing. It was against the wind and against the current. The Sui army's logistics transportation was about to be interrupted, which gave Du Fuwei a glimmer of hope. Du Fuwei also began to prepare for war. The craftsmen in the city kept making catapults and stone cannons day and night, and some of the damaged city walls were replaced, and tens of thousands of soldiers were gathered to train to defend the city to fight.

At the same time, Du Fuwei sent several soldiers to Chang'an in several ways to ask for help from the Chang'an court. If the Tang army could launch an Eastern Expedition, it might be the hope that Du Fuwei would survive.

Early in the morning, Du Fuwei led dozens of generals to patrol the city defense and prepare for war. He walked to the battlements and pointed to the moat outside and said to everyone: "Although the moat is very wide and can prevent the enemy from siegeing the city with siege weapons, there are also big problems, that is, the enemy's warships can be entered, and the warships are like a nest car, which is conducive to climbing the city. Fortunately, the water is not wide and cannot be used to drive into a large ship of more than 2,000 stones. The threat to the city by warships below 2,000 stones is much smaller. At this time, we only have one way to defend the city, and then train."

Everyone nodded, and Du Fuwei said again: "The key is to deal with warships. If the warship has sails, we can shoot with rockets. If the warship does not have sails, I think the most effective weapon is the catapult and stone cannons. Hundreds of stone cannons and trenchers are launched at the same time. No matter how strong the ship is, it will be broken. Of course, you can also use rockets. Ten thousand arrows are fired at the same time and ten thousand rockets are shot at the warships. They will also ignite the big ship. In short, there are many ways. I hope everyone can brainstorm and let us hold on to the city."

Speaking of this, Du Fuwei turned around and said to a literati: "Zuo Changshi, tell me what you think."

Zuo Changshi was named Zuo Youxian, and he was a strategist. Du Fuwei was named Queen of Huai by Emperor Tai, so he appointed Zuo Youxian as Chief of Huai Palace to handle various documents and miscellaneous matters for him, and occasionally he would give advice on Du Fuwei.

Zuo Youxian stepped forward and bowed and said, "Reporting to your highness, the opinions of Beizhi are similar to those of Your Highness, but Beizhi is more concerned about food issues. At present, we can maintain food for a month and a half, but we must consider the follow-up plan. Beizhi recommends collecting all the food in the Hefei market first. It is estimated that we can get 50,000 or 60,000 stones of grain, and it can last for another month. If we spend a long time with the enemy, we must implement grain ratios."

Du Fuwei thought for a while and said, "It is okay to collect food from the market, but it is not allowed to seize the food of civilians in the city."

"I understand that I will not disturb the people for the time being."

Du Fuwei nodded and said to Wang Xiongdan, the general next to him: "Take some soldiers to help the Chief of State collect food."

"Abide by the order!"

At this moment, a soldier hurried forward and bowed to salute, "Report to Your Highness, a scholar from Sui Camp has arrived and sent a letter to Your Highness, saying that it was a handwritten letter from their commander to Your Highness."

"Where is the letter?"

The soldier rushed away and brought a young civil servant to the letter for a moment. It was Lu Han. Lu Han bowed and bowed and handed a letter to Du Fuwei, "This is my master's handwritten letter to His Highness Huai King."

Du Fuwei took the letter and saw it read, "Zhang Xuan, the Regent of Sui, to His Highness, King Huai!"

Du Fuwei smiled at everyone and said, "This is actually a letter from Zhang Xuan to me. What will happen if you say it will be?"

"Your Highness, it's better not to read this kind of trust!" everyone shouted.

Fu Gongyou next to him whispered: "Your Highness, please go back to the royal palace and take a closer look!"

“No need!”

Du Fuwei opened the letter, read it briefly, and sneered, "Zhang Xuan is advising me to surrender, and promise me the position of Grand Marshal, and be granted the title of Duke of Huai, Humph! He thought very well, thinking that I was a three-year-old child, and I gave in to him if I gave me some sweetness."

Everyone laughed together, and some said indignantly: "Emperor Tai still confers His Highness the title of King Huai, but Zhang Xuan doesn't even give him a prince, so he has no sincerity at all."

"Not bad! If he is sincere, he should retreat first. While actively preparing for war, he advised me to surrender. There is no sincerity in it. It would be better if he doesn't read this kind of trust!"

After saying that, he tore the letter to pieces and threw it down the city. Lu Han suddenly straightened his waist and stared at Du Fuwei fiercely and said, "My commander treats him with courtesy, but you are so rude. Is this the act of King Huai? What's the difference between it and bandits and thieves?"

Du Fuwei was furious and drew his sword and pressed it on Lu Han's neck, "You kid are tired of living, how dare you insult me. It seems that you don't want this head anymore, kneel down for me!"

Lu Han stretched his neck and said, "If you want to cut it, cut it. Let me, Lu Han, kneel down, you, the head of the Jianghuai thief, dream!"

Du Fuwei suddenly had murderous intent in his heart and slashed at the other party's neck with a fierce sword. At this time, Fu Gongyou grabbed his arm and whispered: "Your Highness, the two countries are fighting each other and we will not be ridiculed by the people of the world."

Several generals were originally drawing their swords to kill the Sui army envoy. When they heard Fu Gongyou's words, everyone quietly took the sword. You must know that Fu Gongyou is the second largest figure in the Jianghuai Army. Everyone respected and afraid of him. Du Fuwei had to give Fu Gongyou this face. He took the sword with hatred, "If it weren't for the sake of the elder brother, I would have killed this bastard today!"

Du Fuwei turned around and rushed away angrily. Looking at Du Fuwei's back as he was leaving, Fu Gongyou couldn't help but sigh secretly. In fact, they could have made the Sui army talked about and retained the Jianghuai army, and said that even if the negotiations broke down, it would have delayed time. However, Du Fuwei actually tore up Zhang Xuan's handwritten letter. The matter was already done, so there was no room for relief. It was still too young and energetic, and he wanted to save face and kill people.

Fu Gongyou was in a bad mood and didn't want to say anything more, so he ordered the soldiers to send Lu Han out of the city, and he himself returned to the official room.

The Feishui River is close to both sides of the riverbed of Chaohu Lake, and tens of thousands of Sui soldiers are digging and digging the silt. The silt that the Feishui River has rushed from the upstream for thousands of years is finally blocked near the entrance of the lake. From the entrance of the lake, the riverbed is covered with thick silt, which makes the river channel suddenly narrow. This is also the main reason why the Feishui cannot enter the warships of more than 3,000 stones. However, once the five-mile riverbed is cleared, the 3,000 stone ship can enter the Feishui River and the troops are approaching the city of Hefei.

Only after careful observation can we find these details. Du Fuwei only knew that the water could not enter the warship of more than 3,000 stones, but he did not know why it could not enter. But what determines success or failure was the problem of these details.

Ten thousand soldiers were carrying baskets filled with mud and ran on both sides of the river. The soldiers kept digging out a large number of human bones from the mud. These human bones were all Former Qin soldiers who died in the Feishui River during the Battle of Feishui. Hundreds of thousands of Fu Jian's soldiers were buried at the bottom of the river. They were constantly washed by the river water for more than two hundred years. Some were washed into Chaohu Lake, but many bones were piled up at the entrance of the lake.

Zhang Xuan stood on the shore and watched the soldiers busy. The third day of digging out the silt has entered, and the project has been completed by 60% of it. In another two days, the work will be completed.

At this time, a personal soldier pointed to the north and said, "Master General, Lu Zheng is here."

Zhang Xuan turned around and saw more than a dozen cavalry running towards him. The leader was the army who was sending a letter to Du Fuwei and joined the army. Lu Han was full of anger. Zhang Xuan knew Du Fuwei's attitude. Needless to say, Du Fuwei not only rejected him harshly, but also humiliated Lu Han.
Chapter completed!