Xiaoqi

Gusts of autumn wind whizzed by, and the drizzle wrapped in ox hair swayed with the wind, fluttering and falling down.

Tap, tap, tap!

To the north of the Shuofengkou Fortress, on the grassland hundreds of miles away, five thousand war cavalry escorted more than forty carriages slowly moving forward, all the way to the north.

In front of the team, four people and four riders marched side by side.Wearing bamboo hats and battle armor, they rode their horses against the autumn rain, looking relaxed, not in a hurry, and talking in low voices from time to time.Apparently they were the Han army delivering the luggage for the soldiers in front, because the grassland [-] miles north of Shuofengkou is now under the control of the Han army, so this line of luggage troop traveled leisurely and confidently, without worrying at all. The luggage was robbed by the barbarians.

This is the third day after the Battle of Blue Wolf Valley.

Late at night on the day of the battle, the new wind picked up suddenly, and the weather changed suddenly. It began to rain heavily from the second half of the night.Then it rained heavily for two consecutive days, until the evening of the second day, the rain eased a little and turned into drizzle.

The sudden heavy rain forced the well-prepared military team at Shuofengkou Camp to postpone their departure for two days until the rain eased off.

The rain in autumn and spring in the north seems to be very spiritual. Whenever a certain creature falls, it will always rain to see the dead soul off.There is no distinction between races, good or bad, and no discrimination. The continuous drizzle is like the tears of farewell falling down obliquely. The affection is deep and continuous.

Therefore, many people think that the sky has eyes, the way of heaven is fair, and they are sympathetic to the common people.

Perhaps in the eyes of the Han people, the barbarian army invaded the country every year, burning, killing, and looting, doing all kinds of evil; but in the eyes of the foreign people, looting is also a way of survival, just like wolves on the grassland, the weak prey on the strong.The ability to rob and plunder is also a skill, there is no distinction between good and evil.This is the law of survival in the grassland, plunder is instinct, and the strong are respected.

In the Battle of Qinglang Valley, the 11 barbarians who controlled the strings were almost wiped out, nearly [-] prairie warriors died in the valley, more than [-] barbarians were captured, and less than [-] barbarians fled for their lives in haste. Wan Han's war cavalry chased and killed them along the way.On the night of the battle, the Han army led by Zhang Liao and Xu Chu with [-] war cavalry chased and killed them for hundreds of miles in one go.It didn't stop until it rained heavily.During the pursuit, the Han army took advantage of the opportunity to attack the barbarian army's rear camp, which caught the more than [-] barbarian troops staying in the camp by surprise.Each fled in panic.

After the war, only 11 of the 8000 barbarian troops in Qinglang Valley escaped with their lives.Among the remaining [-] troops, they were either captured.Either be beheaded and buried in the valley, few survived.Most of the [-] barbarian infantry left behind in the barbarian camp became prisoners of war, and all the food and supplies fell into the hands of the Han army. Afterwards, the barbarian camp became the Han army's camp, and the soldiers pointed directly at the court of the Huns.

The fluttering autumn rain washes the grassland and sweeps away the bright red blood.Submerge the footprints of killing, and wash away the stagnant bloody hostility that is as substantial as it is.

This heavy rain is just to both sides of the war.The victorious Han army needed time to digest the results of the battle and rest its troops; the defeated barbarian army needed this time to lick their wounds and soothe their souls.Think about the future direction and where to go.

It has been two months since the barbarian army invaded Beidi County, and the previous overwhelming victory has become a memory. After the fiasco of Chiyang City, the barbarian army was almost wiped out in the battle of Qinglang Valley.After two months, the barbarian army won more than lost, but the only two disastrous defeats ruined the 10,000+ string-controlling men of the entire barbarian tribe in northern Saibei.

In the battle of Chiyang City, 15 soldiers and horses of the barbarian army lost more than 14 troops, and tens of thousands of horses and horses scattered and fled without missing.In the battle of Qinglang Valley, the barbarian army regrouped on the basis of the remaining soldiers and horses, and assembled a total of [-] troops. The result was a crushing defeat and the entire army was wiped out.After these two battles, at least [-] barbarian troops died in battle, and the remaining tens of thousands of barbarian troops were captured, and the remaining troops fled sporadically, either fled back to the tribe, or hid, lingering on their last days.

Therefore, the Battle of Qinglang Valley completely destroyed the strongest fighting force of the barbarian tribes on the Hetao Grassland, severely injured their vitality, and fell into a desperate situation of collapse.The Qiang tribe in the north had only 3000 to [-] soldiers and horses. After the fiasco, the tribe's combat power was completely lost, and they were already powerless to resist, and their extinction was imminent.The [-] most powerful warriors of the southern Huns royal court all died in battle, the old Hun king was killed, Yu Fuluo and his son escaped with serious injuries, and there were only [-] to [-] string control men left in the tribe. Fear, just wait for the Han army to send troops, and it will be destroyed overnight.Western Xianbei, which is entrenched in Yanmen and Wuyuan, dispatched more than [-] troops twice. After the war, less than [-] people escaped.As for the remaining sporadic tribes, they are just a group of people who took advantage of the fire to loot. If the robbery failed this time, they were punished instead. There is no big wave.

Faced with such a great situation, the Han army marched on the grassland without fear, marching slowly and unhurriedly, accompanied by the breeze and drizzle, and it was indescribably relaxed and freehand.

"Husband, I really underestimated Zhou Yu before I became a concubine. I didn't expect him to be so capable. It's incredible to destroy 10,000+ barbarian troops in World War I!" This was the first time Li Li heard Dian Wuxia admit his mistake, and He even said it frankly in front of Ma Yunluo and Li Zhi, which was really unexpected.

Thinking of this, Li Li smiled knowingly, shook his head and said: "It's over, you don't have to worry about it. The war didn't go well a few days ago, not only you were worried, but I was also worried, worried that the failure of the Northern Expedition would affect the overall situation. Below me, Presumably, there are not a few generals in the army who question Gongjin’s ability to lead the army, and many generals even jointly request to change generals. This is a reasonable thing. Everyone is thinking about our army’s war. I understand. Now that the battle situation has been decided, the 10,000+ barbarian army has been wiped out, and the next step is a great opportunity for our army to fully recover the lost land in Hetao!"

"Well, what my husband said is very true." Ma Yunluo nodded happily, and then said: "My sister and I were worried that Zhou Yu's qualifications were too young and he didn't have enough experience in commanding troops. It wasn't that we didn't trust him, nor did we doubt his loyalty to my husband. After all He has just entered the army, and he has never heard of him leading an army to battle before. He served as the chief general for the first time and commanded tens of thousands of troops to fight. It is unavoidable for people to feel at ease. Therefore, we suggest that my husband go to battle in person. So as not to delay the war and lose soldiers and generals.

Now it seems that my sister and I are indeed worrying too much.My husband has been fighting for many years and has been on the battlefield. He never entrusted the war to others before, and always led the troops in person.Even the generals stationed at Sili, such as Teng Xiao and Xu Rong, only defended the border and did not take the initiative to attack.This time the husband is the first to set a precedent by dispatching Zhou Yu as the chief general to preside over the battle ahead, which is indeed a bit unexpected.Facts have proved that my husband has traveled all over the country, read countless people, and knows people well. It is indeed a wise move to use Zhou Yu to lead the army this time! "

"Hehehe!" Li Li smiled brightly, and said happily: "Now our army is strong and strong, with as many as 40 soldiers and horses at full strength, occupying the land of the three states. Both the soldiers and the territory are very different from the past. Therefore, It is imperative to use a large number of generals who are capable and responsible. Zhou Yu’s victory this time is a good start. There will be more generals in the future. Be calm, don't rush or be impatient, plan before moving, defeat the enemy and win."

After a short pause, Li Li said thoughtfully: "After years of strife brewing in all the states in the world, the princes of the towns have risen one after another, recruiting troops and buying horses, and wantonly increasing their strength. Although there are many princes in the world today, the truly powerful princes have gradually emerged. , the world has entered a period of fierce annexation. The Great Han Dynasty is so big that it is absolutely impossible to accommodate so many princes to stand side by side. Now some powerful princes are getting stronger and stronger, and they are bound to annex the surrounding weaker princes. This is a situation that does not advance In the era of retreat, it is useless to blindly defend. Only by constantly advancing can we survive. Therefore, our Xiliang Army's two years of stability have come to an end, and then we must send out a large number of troops to attack the city, expand the territory, and strengthen our strength.

Fortunately, the problem of food and grass that has been plaguing our army has been solved. At least for half a year, we don't have to worry about the shortage of food and grass. If we plan properly and allocate it reasonably, it can supply our army for a year.After the northern border is pacified, our army will no longer have to worry about the future, and we can completely let go of our hands and feet, send troops to the Central Plains, and compete with the princes of the Central Plains towns! "

After Dian Wuxia heard the words, her eyebrows frowned slightly, and she said suspiciously: "It is imperative to send troops to the Central Plains. It's just that my husband said that our army has no worries. I think otherwise. Even after the northern border is pacified, there is no need to worry about the Western Regions for the time being, but we There are still hidden dangers behind the army."

"My sister is talking about Zhang Lu in Hanzhong?" Ma Yunluo is worthy of being a general who has lived in Liangzhou for a long time.

Dian Wuxia nodded in response, and said affirmatively: "Exactly. Hanzhong is located in the hinterland of Liangzhou, and guarding the throat from Liangzhou to Yizhou is really a serious problem for our army. If Zhang Lu is not eliminated, I will always send heavy troops to Xiliang Garrison, this will hold back part of our army and make it impossible for us to concentrate our superior forces to attack the Central Plains."

Li Li nodded lightly, and said in a deep voice: "I am determined to win the land of Hanzhong. But at present, Zhang Lu has stationed heavy troops to guard against it. The tight defense makes our army have no chance to take advantage of it, so he is allowed to remain until now. Or, sending troops to Hanzhong must be well-known, so that the people of the world can be convinced, so now is not the best time to attack Hanzhong. What's more, the world does not turn according to our thinking, and some things cannot be avoided. Right now The situation in the Central Plains is strange, as early as when the Fuluo barbarian army invaded the territory, an unprecedented war was brewing. Therefore, if we want to capture Hanzhong, we must first deal heavy damage to the princes of the Central Plains, so that our army can turn to destroy Zhang Lu."

After speaking, Li Li looked up at the sky, then waved his hand and ordered: "Quicken up, make sure to arrive at the camp before dark, and reward the whole army!"

Chapter 592

Autumn rainy night, cool and refreshing.

Han army camp.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, the three-day-late banquet to reward the army has lasted for an hour. The soldiers of the army opened their bellies to eat large pieces of meat and drink in large bowls, which is really very pleasant.

The soldiers stationed at the camp at night were [-] county soldiers who just arrived at the front line yesterday, and the soldiers in charge of guarding the Chinese army were the [-] iron cavalry brought by Li Li this time.

In the past, the soldiers on the front line from Zhou Yu down, all the soldiers of the army rested tonight, had a big feast and drank to their heart's content.

When all the generals in the tent were drinking, the coach Li Li quietly left the table, and then Zhou Yu, Lu Su, Fazheng, Dian Wei, Zhang Liao and others also quietly got up and moved to the back tent to discuss matters.

In the back tent, Dian Wuxia and Ma Yunluo had already changed back into women's clothes, cooked tea in advance, poured a cup of hot tea with lingering fragrance for everyone sitting, and then the two women retreated behind the curtain, whispering.

"The general is terrified, how dare I bother you two ladies and gentlemen to serve tea?" Zhou Yu sat beside Li Li and said in a reverent and respectful voice.

Li Li shook his head slightly, and said with a smile: "Rewarding the whole army outside the account is rewarding Gongjin and the generals at this moment. It's just that the battle is not over yet, so your military achievements will be recorded in the credit book for the time being, and will be rewarded together after regaining the lost ground. As for Wuxia and Yunluo served tea in person, this is my punishment to them, and I asked them to apologize to Gongjin in person."

"Uh, where did you start talking about this?" Zhou Yu asked in bewilderment when he heard the sound.

Li Li said frankly with a smile on his face: "Gong Jin didn't know something. Before this, many generals in the army didn't know what was going on, and they jointly asked for orders, asking me to change generals and lead the army in person. Among them were the two of them. Worried that Gongjin's seniority is too young to command the whole army. So I can't sleep at night. Now Gongjin wins the flag, destroys the main force of the barbarian army in one fell swoop, and becomes famous in the first battle. For this reason, the two of them feel deeply guilty and cook tea to Gongjin and everyone I apologize. I wonder if Gongjin can forgive me?"

"Oh, that's how it is." Zhou Yu suddenly responded, then got up and bowed to the two daughters Dian Wuxia and Ma Yunluo behind the curtain, respectfully said: "Thank you two ladies for giving me tea, Zhou Yu is ashamed."

"You don't need to be polite, general, please get up quickly." The two daughters Dian Wuxia and Ma Yunluo opened the curtain and bowed to salute.Then Dian Wuxia said with a smile: "It was true that the concubines and sisters didn't know Gongjin's talent before, so they had some concerns. Now the facts have proved that Gongjin is qualified to be the commander-in-chief, lead an army, and relieve her husband's worries. The previous rudeness, Please, general, be more generous."

"Ma'am, you are serious. The general is afraid. This matter is also reasonable, and the two ladies don't need to worry about it." Zhou Yu said respectfully.

Dian Wuxia nodded slightly.Said softly: "Gong Jin is generous. Please take a seat and serve tea." Bending again to salute, the two daughters Dian Wuxia and Ma Yunluo stepped back behind the scenes without saying a word.

This episode was not intentionally arranged by Li Li, but sisters Dian Wuxia and Ma Yunluo insisted on it.The two daughters are both straight-minded people, and they are very kind-hearted, and they know that they are wrong and blame Zhou Yu.I have to apologize in person.Otherwise, this matter cannot be hidden from others, and Zhou Yu will definitely know about it in the future, and it will be too late to explain it by then.Therefore, it is undoubtedly wise for them to take the initiative to apologize.It is more reassuring to be open and honest without saying anything.But since ancient times, the masters and ministers are different, they don't need to make a serious apology, it is very rare to make a pot of tea to apologize, and it is enough to express apology.If they formally apologized, Zhou Yu would really not be able to bear it, and he would really be terrified.

After taking his seat, Zhou Yu respectfully said to Li Li: "It is true that the final general is too young and has limited experience. I am grateful to the lord for giving me a heavy responsibility. This time, I am lucky to win this time, thanks to the efforts of all the officers and men who sacrificed their lives. Therefore, the final general dare not be greedy." Gong, please also ask the lord to learn from it!"

"Hehehe!" Li Lixin smiled, waved his hands and said: "Everyone has made meritorious service in this campaign, and the soldiers who died in the battle have made great contributions. After the war, the officials of the counties and counties will properly compensate them. Therefore, Gong Jin does not need to be too modest, he has made great contributions. It must be rewarded, this matter will be recorded in detail by Zijing, and the reward will be awarded after the war."

"My lord is wise, the last general will take the place of the soldiers who went to the expedition to thank the lord!" Zhou Yu and all the generals in the tent knelt down and bowed.

Li Li smiled and raised his hand, motioning for everyone to get up, and then raised a cup to invite everyone to drink together.

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Li said with a smile: "This battle of the Blue Wolf Valley is an unprecedented victory for our army. It is gratifying to congratulate. All the troops from Gongjin and below will have their salaries increased for one year, and other rewards will be arranged by the General's Palace. But I I'm a little curious, how did the army achieve success in one battle after one defeat after another?"

As soon as these words came out, all the people present except Lu Su and Fazheng who smiled knowingly, all listened attentively, expecting Zhou Yu to explain the reason.In fact, the reason why Li Li asked this question was to express the doubts in the hearts of the outstanding generals, otherwise they would not know how to win after winning.

Zhou Yu said with a smile on his face: "As we all know, the barbarians in the grassland live as nomads, live in no fixed place, and have no permanent defense city. Therefore, if you want to pacify the Hetao, completely wipe out the barbarian army, and regain the lost land, you must kill them all. Otherwise, they will make a comeback in the future and harass and plunder the border again. Since then, our army has faced a big problem, that is, it will take a long time to wipe out the barbarian tribes one by one, and it will not be accomplished overnight. Because since the founding of the Han Dynasty, at least It has been fighting with the barbarians in northern Xinjiang for hundreds of years.

In the meantime, our Han army expelled the Northern Huns and fled to the Western Regions, and then fought and fought with the Southern Huns for more than a hundred years, but they still failed to completely conquer them.Therefore, our army's Northern Expedition will inevitably repeat the same mistakes. Even if we can quickly defeat the barbarian army, it will be difficult to completely occupy this grassland, and it is very likely that we will lose it later. "

After a short break, Zhou Yu took a sip of tea and continued: "In view of this, the last general came up with a strategy to show the enemy his weakness and lure the enemy to go deeper. Lost to the barbarian army. But every defeat of our army is not a disastrous defeat, but a defeat without chaos, let alone let the barbarian army win easily. There are not a few. Only in this way can the barbarian army see the hope of victory, so that instead of disbanding the coalition army, they will mobilize the troops of their respective tribes to fight on the front line, trying to concentrate their superior forces to defeat our army in one fell swoop, and then attack again Entering Liangzhou, looting wantonly.

Things are exactly as I expected.The barbarian army defeated our army many times, but they were all small victories. While defeating our army, their own casualties were not small.This gave the leaders of the barbarian army an illusion that they could not completely defeat our army with their current strength.Only by mobilizing troops again can we defeat our army and drive our army out of the grassland.Therefore, when our army was defeated by the barbarian army in three consecutive battles, the leaders of the barbarian army mobilized the left-behind soldiers and horses of the tribes behind to come for reinforcements, and finally gathered 10,000+ barbarian troops again.

In this way, the troops of the various tribes in the grassland were empty.At that time, I wanted to divide our army of more than [-] troops into four teams of [-] people to sneak attack the tribes behind the barbarians, and give them a plan to draw their salaries from the bottom of the pot, so as to cut off the barbarian army's retreat.Then slowly annihilate it.

Unexpectedly, just as I was about to divide my troops to attack, Yu Fuluo sent me a letter of war, wanting to fight our army in Qinglang Valley.Although the Qinglang Valley is a grassland occupied by Tu various tribes, our army fought with the barbarians three times in the valley.He knows the terrain within a hundred miles around the valley like the back of his hand.There is no shelter and no barriers around the valley, which is conducive to the barbarian cavalry's charge and pursuit.The Blue Wolf Valley is the only low-lying valley on this grassland.If it is a decisive battle in the valley.Once the two sides fight together, it is difficult to escape.Yu Fuluo set the location of the decisive battle at Qinglang Valley, clearly intending to gather and annihilate our army and annihilate our army in one fell swoop. "

Speaking of this, Zhou Yu looked up at Li Li, and said abruptly: "Just when I was at a loss and was about to refuse a decisive battle with the barbarians, my lord brought a batch of grain and grass from Shuofengkou Daying. There was not much grain in it, but there were more than 2000 heads The fat cattle captured from the barbarian army camp. At that time, I had an idea and thought about it. The fat cattle can be used! Because there are hundreds of cattle in our army camp that have not yet been slaughtered, plus the ones sent from the rear There are as many as [-] fat cows. It would be a pity if they were not properly utilized.