"The Xianbei ran away?" Jiang Wei pointed the sword in his right hand at the ground, took a half step forward and stared into Liu Bao's eyes: "Speak clearly, who ran away and how did they run?"
Liu Bao didn't care about etiquette. He leaned his hands on his knees, trying to steady his trembling legs. His voice was trembling, "General Jiang, my camp heard a few horse neighs during the night patrol. We approached the Xianbei camp gate to ask the night watchman, but no one answered after shouting for a long time. We approached and found out that the Xianbei camp was empty."
Jiang Wei asked again: "Has this matter been made public?"
Liu Bao quickly explained: "The person on night patrol is from my headquarters. I am the only one who knows about it. No one else knows about it."
Jiang Wei smiled, as if he didn't care, and reached out to help Liu Bao straighten his collar: "The commander of the left wing is also an official of the court, why are you so disrespectful and panicking?"
Liu Bao opened his eyes wide and looked at Jiang Wei in surprise: "But that Xianbei Kebineng..."
Jiang Wei said: "The Xianbei Chanyu received the general's order, and the commander of the left army was unaware of it, so don't make it public."
"Hou Tong," Jiang Wei signaled to Qu Jun Hou standing beside him, "Quickly lead 20 riders to take the commander of the left corps back to his camp, and be quiet. Don't lose your manners. Do you understand?"
Liu Bao calmed himself down, his Adam's apple rolled involuntarily, and he nodded quickly: "I understand. General Jiang, I will go back now, goodbye."
"Well, this is the journey home for the Left General, so don't lose your safety." As Liu Baofang turned around, Jiang Wei's voice came from behind.
Liu Bao felt a chill in his neck. Today's events were indeed a bit strange. Where did Ke Bineng go? When did Man Chong issue the military order? Liu Bao had no idea. He had to mount his horse and walk forward accompanied by the knights of the central army.
It only took Liu Bao half an incense stick of time from the time he arrived to the time he left.
Watching Hou Tong, Liu Bao and others gradually walking away, Jiang Wei no longer hesitated, and trotted to Man Chong's tent. He lowered his voice to wake Man Chong who was sleeping, and told him about the escape of Kebi Neng's troops.
Man Chong, with his hair loose and wearing a red brocade robe, sat beside the couch. Hearing this, he looked up at Jiang Wei and said calmly:
"He is just a Xianbei thief. If he runs away, it's no big deal."
Jiang Wei's calmness in front of Liu Bao was just a disguise, not wanting the Xiongnu to see through his true thoughts. But in front of Man Chong, the panic of this young general was revealed without any disguise.
Jiang Wei's voice became more anxious when he heard this: "But these are two thousand Xianbei light cavalry. The army should do something now. How can we let him get away so easily? If Kebi can cause chaos in the counties along the way, how will we explain to the court?"
Man Chong glanced at Jiang Wei and pointed to the kettle on the stove. Jiang Wei understood and poured a cup of hot water for Man Chong. Man Chong sipped it and said slowly, "What's your plan, Bo Yue?"
Jiang Wei swallowed unconsciously: "Since Kebi was able to escape at night, we should send cavalry to chase him and capture him!"
"General, please order me to lead the troops to pursue Kebineng. I will bring Kebineng's head to your tent!"
"Does Bo Yue want to pursue him at night?" Man Chong shook his head. "We can pursue Ke Bineng, but Bo Yue's troops are on duty for half the night, so how can they have the energy to pursue him?"
Jiang Wei pursed his lips and bowed directly: "General, I whipped Ke Bineng yesterday evening. After three o'clock in the morning, two thousand Xianbei light cavalry defected at night. I cannot escape the blame. I hope the general will allow me to atone for my crime!"
It must be said that this was the first time since Jiang Wei took office that he felt that he had made a big mistake. If the news of driving away a Xianbei Chanyu with twenty lashes spread, how would he be able to continue his career as an official?
Man Chong looked at the frightened expression of the young general in front of him and found it amusing for a moment. He stood up, helped Jiang Wei up, patted the couch beside him, and motioned Jiang Wei to sit down.
Of course, this was also due to the fact that Jiang Wei was highly regarded by the emperor. Otherwise, how could an ordinary general sit on the same bed with the former general of Wei?
Man Chong smiled and shook his head: "Bo Yue is already a 2,000-stone official at such a young age. Your Majesty values you, but your qualifications to be a general or an official are a little shallow. I will give you a few words of advice now."
Jiang Wei stood up upon hearing this and bowed: "I respectfully listen to your instructions, General!"
"Sit down, sit down." Man Chong asked, "Does Bo Yue think that Ke Bi's death has something to do with you?"
Jiang Wei nodded.
Man Chong said: "Kebi was able to escape at night because he was ambitious and uncontrollable. He was not a loyal person to the Wei Dynasty. If he doesn't leave tonight, he will leave tomorrow. If he doesn't leave in Quanzhou, he will leave in Yecheng."
"How does it have anything to do with you?" Man Chong squinted at Jiang Wei and said, "You really think you are so arrogant. Do you think you whipped a Xianbei Chanyu away?"
"I... your subordinate..." Jiang Wei was a little speechless for a moment, wanting to say something, but finally lowered his head and said: "Your subordinate does not know."
"You don't know." Man Chong said, "Ke Bi Neng ran away. That was his own intention to cause chaos. What does it have to do with you? What does it have to do with Wei? Even if you really forced him to leave, so what? Can you force a loyal minister to leave?" Man Chong's words, which were similar to sophistry, can be summed up in one point. Ke Bi Neng's escape was entirely Ke Bi Neng's own responsibility. Jiang Wei certainly understood, so he asked again, "I hope the general will tell me what we should do now."
Man Chong stroked his beard and said, "Since Bo Yue wants to lead the troops, it is not impossible. You select a thousand men from your tribe, wear light armor, and bring equipment and supplies. I will also let Cao Changsi and Cao Zhaobo go with you."
Cao Changsi and Cao Zhaobo are Cao Zhao, the cavalry commander, and Cao Shuang, the archer commander. One of them is the son of Cao Xiu, and the other is the son of Cao Zhen. Although they each have only one thousand cavalrymen, their combat power is not weak at all.
Jiang Wei was overjoyed, and he stood up and bowed, "I obey your orders! General, please give me two quarters of an hour, and I will set off immediately!"
Man Chong smiled and said, "Kebi has nowhere to go. How far can he go at night? Wait an hour before leaving. Give your soldiers some time to prepare, and also give the two captains some time."
"Yes, I obey your command!" Jiang Wei took the token to dispatch troops from Man Chong with both hands, and then walked out of the tent in small steps.
Man Chong looked at Jiang Wei's departing back and couldn't help but chuckle. He blew out the light and then lay down on the couch again.
The court and the emperor would not blame Man Chong for this sudden incident, but rather it was an opportunity to make merit. Man Chong sent his majesty's confidant Jiang Boyue, and ordered Cao Zhao and Cao Shuang to lead the troops, so as to share the credit.
Man Chong and Man Boning, who are now over 60 years old, have served the Wei Dynasty for nearly 40 years and have personally handled countless serious political incidents. Ke Bi Neng fled, as Man Chong said, in essence, it was Ke Bi Neng's own ambition that was difficult to control.
How much can one expect of a Hu person?
Jiang Wei's panic just now can only be said to be too young. Victory and defeat are common in the military. He is only in his twenties, and he doesn't know how many things he will experience in the future. He should just take it easy.
After Jiang Wei left the camp, he sent someone to find his subordinates to report the incident, and then went to the camp of the Five Colonels to find Cao Zhao and Cao Shuang. The two generals were both under 30 years old, and they readily agreed to the proposal.
The Hu people fled, and the royal army pursued them. This military action was standard both in terms of theory and appearance, and even had a kind of retro and simple beauty, just like Cao Cao's dream of becoming the "Han Zhengxi General" when he was young.
Just after an hour, 3,000 light cavalrymen of the Central Army rode northwards in full gear at the first glimmer of daylight. Man Chong was still fast asleep in his tent.
……
There are many roads from Yecheng to Luoyang. If it is convenient for a large group of soldiers to march, the shortest way is to go from Yecheng through Anyang and Dangyin to Henei County, cross the entire Henei County to the southwest, cross the Yellow River at Mengjin and go to Luoyang.
In any case, Hanoi County is the only way to go.
At noon on the ninth day, when Cao Rui led his army through Xiuwu County in Henei Prefecture, Sima Yi, who was riding on the left, asked, "Is this Xiuwu County? Are there any specialties here?"
Sima Yi thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of Xiuwu County, it is no different from other counties in Henei Prefecture. I have thought of something. Your Majesty, do you know the Zhang family of Xiuwu?"
Cao Rui shook his head slightly: "Please speak, Sikong."
Sima Yi said: "The Xiuwu Zhang family is the descendant of Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu. Your Majesty, do you remember that there was a councilor named Zhang Can in Luozhong? He was from this place. Zhang Can's father Zhang Fan and his brothers Zhang Cheng and Zhang Zhao were known as the 'Three Zhangs', and they all served as officials in Emperor Wu's palace."
"Where are Zhang Cheng and Zhang Zhao?"
"They all died of illness during the Jian'an period," Sima Yi replied.
"Alas." Cao Rui looked at Xiuwu County not far away and sighed: "No matter how good the ancestors' legacy is, or how talented the people are, they will eventually turn into a handful of dirt. How can the descendants of Zhang Liang produce someone as wise as him?"
"Your Majesty, what you said makes sense." Sima Yi responded.
Since the march was at noon, they naturally would not enter Xiuwu County. After passing Xiuwu, when the army stopped to rest in the afternoon, Cao Rui asked Xiahou Xuan for a map. After looking at it for a while, he smiled and said, "It seems that I have realized something."
"I just remembered something." Cao Rui looked at everyone and smiled, "Since we are in Xiuwu, Shanyang County is also very close. Although Henei County and Henan Yin are close, I haven't been here very often."
"My lords, how about I take you to visit Duke Shanyang?"
The ministers looked at each other, wondering how the emperor came up with such a fantastic idea. However, for the emperor who had done many surprising things, it was reasonable for him to visit the Duke of Shanyang.
Liu Ye cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Shanyang has made the county a kingdom in Shanyang. When the late emperor received the throne, he made it clear that the Duke of Shanyang could report matters without calling himself a subject, and could receive imperial edicts without bowing. He could offer sacrifices to heaven and earth in the imperial carriage and clothing, and his official clothing would be the same as the Han system."
"I would like to be your Majesty's envoy and go to Shanyang County to announce the etiquette and laws to the Duke of Shanyang to prevent him from offending your Majesty with his words and actions." (End of this chapter)
