Chapter 131 Gao Huan's Determination (4k)
The wind was blowing hard and the dust was rising.
Gao Huan and others were covered in dust. Human power plays such a small role in the face of nature.
Gao Huan found that after he had staked everything, he was finally saved by a strong wind that was common in the north.
As the dust rose, Heba Yun seized the opportunity and led his troops out of the flying dust and rushed towards the Rouran camp.
The elite combat power of Wuchuan quickly defeated the Rouran army in front of them, and such a rapid defeat also caused the avalanche that Gao Huan had expected to occur.
The fleeing Rouran people began to spread rumors, and the smoke and dust they raised made it difficult for the other Rouran troops besieging the city to see the real situation. One part of the Rouran people was quickly defeated, which made the other Rouran people feel fear.
The main forces of the Six Garrisons arrived in Wuchuan, reinforcements from Pingcheng arrived, and even rumors spread that the Northern Wei army had arrived in Wuchuan, and then the Rouran army began to retreat.
When a part of the Rouran army began to retreat, it triggered a chain reaction, and the Rouran people who surrounded Wuchuan Town also began to retreat.
At this time, the coalition's problems were magnified. When the situation was favorable, the coalition could still unite, but when the situation was unfavorable, they had to preserve their own strength and run faster than anyone else.
When the eighteen princes fought against Dong Zhuo, even with Yuan Shao as their leader, they were still defeated by Dong Zhuo and could not enter Luoyang.
Now the Rouran coalition cannot even choose a leader like Yuan Shao. Even if there are a few who do not want to retreat, they can only order their troops to retreat when they see that everyone else has run away.
Once a cavalry unit begins to retreat, it is equivalent to an aircraft carrier that has released all its planes. It will completely lose its attack power and become a sitting duck on the battlefield.
Heba Yun immediately ordered his men to start chasing the Rouran people. Gao Huan and Hou Jing also untied the brooms behind their horses and joined the pursuing army.
On this day, Heba Yun rushed for hundreds of miles, chasing the enemy to the north!
The more than 10,000 Rouran troops who besieged Wuchuan City were defeated by Heba Yun's 1,000 men. By sunset, Heba Yun finally returned to Wuchuan City after escorting nearly 1,000 prisoners.
At the foot of Wuchuan City, the person guarding the city was Yuwen Gong, the military commander of Wuchuan Town. When he saw Heba Yun's face, he immediately ordered the drawbridge to be lowered to welcome Heba Yun into the city.
As heroes of this battle, Gao Huan, Hou Jing and Sima Ziru followed Heba Yun into the city and enjoyed the cheers of the soldiers and civilians in Wuchuan Town.
After Heba Yun entered the city, he set up a banquet. When the banquet was over, Hou Jing blushed and grabbed Gao Huan's arm and said, "Brother He Liuhun, you will be my brother from now on! I will follow you!"
Sima Ziru also looked at Gao Huan. Heba Yun had already given Gao Huan credit for the first achievement and was going to recommend him to the garrison commander Yang Jun when he returned. This gamble really paid off huge dividends!
But Gao Huan's face was not happy. After having Hou Jing taken a rest, Gao Huan said to Sima Ziru:
"Zi Ru, I don't want to gamble my life like today again."
"why?"
"God is on my side today, but what about next time? If God helps the enemy, and a gust of wind blows away the smoke and dust, our heads will be hanging on the Rouran camp."
Sima Ziru was also frightened.
Gao Huan clenched his fists and said, "We must climb up!"
"Only by climbing up can we avoid being treated as bargaining chips that can be discarded at any time like today!"
"Only if you climb higher can you be like Lieutenant General Heba today and gamble your own future with other people's lives!"
Sima Ziru looked at Gao Huan. It seemed as if He Liuhun, the drunkard and cockfighter before going to Luoyang, had died overnight. Now only Gao Huan, who was bent on climbing up, was left.
Sima Ziru sighed, not knowing whether this change was good or bad.
-
In the tent of General Li Chong, Yu Jin excitedly walked into Li Chong's tent and said:
"General! Captain Su has won a great victory!"
Li Chong took the report of victory, looked at the military exploits recorded by Su Ze, and asked someone to bring the heads. He was familiar with the affairs of the northern border and quickly recognized that these were indeed the same as Su Ze said, all of them were the direct soldiers of the Rouran king's tent.
"According to the commendations reported by Su Ze, all of them will be stamped with the general's seal to confirm!"
After reading the battle report and seeing the confessions of the Rouran people from Su Ze's interrogation, Li Chong gradually calmed down and looked at Yu Jin beside him.
Li Chong really likes Yu Jin.
It is not good for disciples to be too smart. Li Chong has no confidence that he can teach young people as brilliant as Erzhu Rong and Su Ze.
On the contrary, Yu Jin is a very good disciple.
Yu Jin had read military books and had his own understanding of military tactics, but he lacked practical experience, so Li Chong kept him by his side. Since leaving Yanmen Pass and entering Hengzhou, Li Chong had handed over the task of marching the army to him.
Yu Jin was in a panic on the first day, but he made very few mistakes on the second day. By the fifth day, Yu Jin was able to handle daily marching affairs in an orderly manner.
Li Chong wanted to train Yu Jin, so he asked carefully:
"Si Jing, tell me, why did the Rouran people appear in Hengzhou?"
Yu Jin actually started thinking since he received the battle report from Su Ze. He said the answer he had thought of:
"General, I have only humble opinion."
"But it doesn't matter."
Yu Jin said as he organized his thoughts: "The first possibility is that these Rouran people intend to ambush our army, but I think this possibility is not high."
Li Chong asked, "Why?"
"Because it is not in the interests of the Rouran people. Attacking the army in Hengzhou, regardless of whether we can win or not, even if we win, the Rouran people will have to pass through Pingcheng, cross the Baidao, and pass through the Six Towns to transport the spoils back to the grassland. The loss will be too great."
Li Chong nodded with satisfaction. The fact that Yu Jin could think this way showed that he was able to move beyond the simple tactical perspective and think from a strategic perspective.
"The second possibility is that these Rouran people are planning to attack Pingcheng after our army enters the Six Towns."
Li Chong's eyes lit up and he asked, "Why Pingcheng?"
Yu Jin said: "In Hengzhou, the only hub for the flow of money and grain is Pingcheng. The general has repeatedly written to the court, saying that Pingcheng's defense is lax and no governor has been appointed for a long time, and requested the court to revamp Pingcheng's border defense, but the court has not taken it seriously."
Li Chong laughed and said, "Si Jing has also read my memorial?"
Yu Jin nodded and said, "When preparing for the Northern Expedition, I read all the official documents related to the northern border in the Taiwei Mansion, and saw the general's letter. After crossing Yanmen Pass, I felt that the general's letter was insightful and hit the nail on the head."
Li Chong sighed and said, "But the court ignored my letter."
"Go on, what will happen to us if we attack Pingcheng?"
Yu Jin deduced: "If we attack Pingcheng, even if the Rourans fail to capture Pingcheng, as long as our food supply is cut off, the army led by the general will be in danger." "The six towns have been plagued by war for a long time, and the military rations they have are limited. Pingcheng is the only hub for transporting money and food. If the food supply is cut off, our army will collapse."
Li Chong asked: "Based on what Si Jing thinks, what should our army do?"
Yu Jin said: "We should march into Pingcheng, and then use Pingcheng as the center to sweep Hengzhou and eliminate the hidden Rouran troops. At the very least, we must send enough troops to guard the many passes in Pingcheng and Hengzhou to ensure the smooth flow of food."
Li Chong said with satisfaction: "Si Jing, you will surely become a pillar of the country in the future!"
But soon Li Chong shook his head and said, "None of the methods you mentioned will work."
Yu Jin looked confused. Li Chong had clearly praised him, but was unwilling to adopt his suggestion?
Li Chong said, "This was sent by a secret envoy from Luoyang by the King of Jiangyang. Not long after we left Jinyang, Gao Chuo, the governor of Bingzhou, wrote to the court, impeaching me for my arrogance. He also wrote to the Queen Mother, saying that I had a rebellious heart."
"what?"
"Our army needs to rely on Bingzhou for transportation. Once we enter Pingcheng and stop moving forward, Gao Chuo will definitely cut off the food supply and impeach me."
Yu Jin looked at Li Chong. He knew that the court was dirty, but he didn't expect it to be so dirty? These were tens of thousands of elite officials in the court!
These people are playing factional fighting, and they can even use the army heading to the northern border as a bargaining chip?
They really can.
Yu Jin quickly lost his temper. Brother Su was right. He was too naive. He always thought about problems from a military perspective but did not consider political factors.
When Li Chong saw Yu Jin's face, he felt a little bit reluctant. He was also young once. At that time, he studied military tactics day and night like Yu Jin, and suffered a lot because he only cared about military affairs.
"Why, you can't understand?"
Yu Jin shook his head and said, "Brother Su has also told me these truths, but they are not as shocking as what the general said."
"Suze?"
Li Chong was surprised. He didn't expect Su Ze to have such knowledge.
Li Chong sighed and said, "Si Jing, there are two kinds of people in this world. One kind is born like the sun, shining forever. People like Su Ze and Er Zhu Rong are both like this."
"Some people are like crops in the field. They need to be watered and weeded in order to grow taller. You and I are such people."
Yu Jin listened to Li Chong's words, but he did not feel any dissatisfaction, because he knew that Li Chong was telling the truth.
Su Ze's family background is not as good as his own, but he was able to rise rapidly and obtain a genuine official position in the court that many children from noble families could not get. He has a good understanding of the court affairs and is good at training and leading troops. He is able to recruit so many talented people under his command.
People who are better than ordinary people will make people jealous, but geniuses who are far superior to ordinary people will only make people in awe.
Li Chong sighed again: "If during the Battle of Zhongli, our Wei could have had generals like Su Ze and Erzhu Rong to fight against Wei Rui, then perhaps the world would have been unified."
Yu Jin quickly asked: "General, what should we do now?"
Li Chong took out his own strategy and said, "The key lies in the Six Garrisons! As long as we put down the Rouran invasion in the Six Garrisons as soon as possible, we will also cut off the Rouran's retreat. Then it will depend on whose troops are more elite."
Li Chong took out his general's order and said, "Take my order and go to Su Ze's camp. Tell him what I just said and let his cavalry camp act as they see fit and search for traces of the Rouran people along the way."
"I shouldn't have kept you in custody. From today on, you will report to Su Ze's camp. Only if you follow him can you gain military merit. Only when you return to the court will I have a chance to recommend you for merit."
Yu Jin looked at Li Chong with gratitude, and saw Li Chong took out a scroll of bamboo slips: "This is my lifelong experience in leading troops. I, Li Chong, have led troops for a lifetime, but I can't summarize the great principles of the ancient sages. These are some practical methods of marching, deploying troops, and setting up camps. They are just right for you to study."
"General!"
"Still call me General?"
"My dear teacher, please accept my respect!"
"Go quickly. Also, tell Su Ze that I will keep an eye on the King of the Worms."
After Yu Jin left, Li Chong whispered, "If Erzhu Rong and Su Ze had been born twenty years earlier, the world might have been unified. Did God send down these two people now because he thinks the world is not chaotic enough?"
Li Chong thought of Yu Jin again, muttering: "This disciple today may be able to ensure the prosperity of our Li family for decades. When I return this time, should I find a granddaughter to marry him?"
Li Chong thought of his sons Li Shizhe and Li Shengui again. The eldest son was domineering, arrogant and licentious, while the second son was good for nothing except inheriting his good looks. Li Chong decided to choose one of his concubine's daughters of marriageable age to marry Yu Jin.
Thinking that he would have to fight at this age, Li Chong shouted outside the tent, "Bring some wine!"
-
At a private banquet in Luoyang, at the residence of King Jiangyang Yuan Yi, sitting next to Yuan Yi was Liu Teng, the most powerful eunuch in the palace. The guest of the banquet was a middle-aged man who looked similar to Li Chong, and it was Li Chong's eldest son Li Shizhe.
Li Shizhe became famous at a young age and had many military achievements in battles in the south, but most of these achievements were made when he was under his father's command, and were actually very exaggerated.
As his father Li Chong gradually grew older in recent years, Li Shizhe has been staying in the post of Shaoqing of Honglu for three years and still has no chance of promotion.
His father was finally appointed by the court to lead the Northern Expedition, and Li Shizhe also took the opportunity to hook up with Yuan Yi, Prince of Jiangyang. Now he is bribing Yuan Yi and the Grand Chamberlain Liu Teng, seeking to be sent to other places as a governor.
In the promotion process of important officials of the Northern Wei Dynasty, being appointed as the governor of a large province was an important step. Only after taking this step and being transferred back to Luoyang could one serve as an important official of a higher level.
Yuan Shen, who now serves as Palace Attendant, and Li Daoyuan, who serves as the Prefect of Luoyang, have both served as Governors of large provinces.
In addition, being appointed as a governor of a large province can also be a convenient way to make money. If there is no one in the court, one cannot be an official. In the Northern Wei Dynasty, there is another rule: one cannot be an official if he has no money in his pocket.
The cost of making friends or bribing in Luoyang is extremely high. Only by serving as a governor of a large state and making enough money can one have the capital for advancement when returning to Luoyang in the future.
After Li Shizhe hooked up with King Jiangyang Yuan Yi, he attended King Jiangyang's banquets every now and then, but today he was the only one invited, which still surprised Li Shizhe.
Yuan Yi suddenly said, "The Jizhou governor has sent news that the Eastern Expedition Commander Yuan Yao has defeated the Mahayana sect and killed the demon leader Faqing. The King of Qinghe has reported the victory to the Queen Mother. The head of the demon Faqing has been sent to Luoyang by express horse as a birthday gift for the Queen Mother's birthday."
Yuan Yi added: "I strongly recommended your grandfather to go north, but Gao Chuo, the governor of Bingzhou, kept attacking your grandfather. There were also many objections in the court that the northern expedition consumed too much money and grain. Even the queen mother asked about the northern expedition many times."
"Shizhe, you also know military knowledge, can you teach me how to win quickly?"
Because I am going to travel during the May Day holiday, I should start saving some manuscripts for it now.
Starting from today, 6k will be updated every day, and the remaining 2k will be saved.
Don't worry, all the debts will be kept and will be repaid daily after the May Day holiday.
This chapter is still in 4k, and 2k will be updated in the evening.
(End of this chapter)