Everyone's gaze also turned over, and Tian Feng did not keep them in suspense, but looked at the map and continued to speak!
"Although Cloud Middle Commandery and Dingxiang Commandery are closely connected, there is a world of difference between these two commanderies."
"If Dingxiang is considered one commandery, Cloud Middle Commandery probably doesn't even count as half a commandery. After all, Cloud Middle Commandery only has three or four counties and a population of about thirty to forty thousand."
"In contrast, Dingxiang Commandery has at least a hundred thousand people and seven or eight counties. Its prosperity naturally cannot be compared with Cloud Middle Commandery."
"Therefore, when the Xianbei move south, Dingxiang Commandery will be the first to bear the brunt. As long as this place is occupied, the money, food, and population plundered will be enough to get through this winter, and even last for two or three years."
Everyone nodded upon hearing this. Tian Feng's analysis was indeed very reasonable.
Liu Jin nodded slightly, finding it somewhat similar to what he had in mind.
Seeing that everyone understood the current situation, a serious voice continued!
"What Tian Feng said is very clear. Especially the Xianbei cavalry outside Yanmen Pass, they should only be a supporting force."
"Their purpose is to block this pass, to prevent us from sending troops from here, cutting off the Xianbei cavalry's retreat, and causing heavy losses."
"Therefore, our focus must be on Dingxiang Commandery. On this battlefield, we must repel these Xianbei soldiers."
"Even if we can't, we must stabilize the situation and never let these Xianbei bastards completely ravage Dingxiang Commandery."
Everyone nodded at the words, their eyes revealing fierce glints.
They harbored a natural hatred for these foreign tribes, wishing they could kill them all.
Liu Jin looked at the several people in front of him and ordered loudly!
"Pass on my order: consolidate the three armies and follow me to Dingxiang Commandery."
After saying this, he looked at Jian Yong and Li Li, and a serious voice came!
"Bo De, you stay behind to guard Yanmen Commandery, maintain order here, and appease the common people, so as not to cause any unrest."
"Xianhe, from now on, you are to recruit three thousand laborers to transport grain and fodder to Dingxiang Commandery, ensuring the continuous supply of provisions for my army."
Jian Yong and Li Li, upon hearing this, immediately bowed and said loudly!
"We respectfully obey the Marquis's command."
Liu Jin nodded, without any further words, and immediately took Tian Feng and Min Chun directly from the Prefect's Mansion.
Escorted by his personal guards, he arrived at the military camp outside the city.
Soon, the military order was conveyed, and the booming sound of war horns continuously echoed.
The generals began to assemble their respective forces, and the entire training ground was arranged into several square formations, with a solemn military bearing.
The soldiers held their sharp blades, standing tall and straight, with resolute faces, displaying a majestic and awe-inspiring demeanor.
Standing at the very front were several great generals: Zhang Yang, Hao Zhao, Zhao Yun, Wu Xing, and others.
On the temporarily erected high platform, Liu Jin, clad in a long robe with a sharp blade at his waist, looked down at the five thousand soldiers below.
He ordered loudly!
"The Xianbei have come to raid our borders, burning, killing, looting, and slaughtering the common people. Sons of Han, follow me on this expedition to eliminate these scoundrels!"
"Protect the territory of the Han and safeguard the peace of the common people!"
Upon hearing this, the soldiers on the training ground all raised their sharp blades and shouted loudly!
"Protect the territory of the Han and safeguard the peace of the common people!"
Liu Jin waved his hand, directly ordering the entire army to set off immediately.
He then mounted his horse, accompanied by Tian Feng and Min Chun.
Escorted by his personal guards, Liu Jin led these five thousand soldiers out of the military camp and advanced towards the northwest.
Dingxiang Commandery, Gaoliu City!
A large number of Xianbei cavalry were penetrating from the north. The villages they passed were looted, and the common people were slaughtered.
Only some young people were tied up by these Xianbei soldiers and used as slaves.
If they dared to resist, these brutal Xianbei soldiers would directly kill them.
On the city wall, many soldiers felt their hearts chill as they watched the scene outside the city.
Zhang Fei, clad in armor and wielding his eighteen-foot serpent spear, watched the beasts plundering the common people outside the city, and anger welled up in his heart.
The veins on his hands bulged, wishing he could sally forth from the city right now and slaughter all these beasts.
But thinking of the tens of thousands of common people still inside the city, if he were to sally forth like this and be defeated, the city would surely be breached and massacred.
He could only swallow his anger, slamming his fist against the city wall with a clang, and cursed angrily!
"This is truly infuriating old Zhang!"
"To only watch these beasts brazenly plunder outside the city and slaughter the common people!"
A middle-aged man standing beside him, wearing a bronze seal and black ribbon at his waist, was clearly a county magistrate of the thousand-stone rank.
Seeing Zhang Fei's volatile appearance, he quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice!
"Oh dear!"
"General Zhang, don't be angry. There are many Xianbei cavalry outside the city, at least ten thousand of them."
"While there are only two thousand soldiers inside the city. The disparity in forces is too great, so General Zhang, you must guard the city well and never sally forth to fight them in the open."
Zhang Fei, upon hearing this, furrowed his brows in anger and let out a cold snort!
"Go away, go away!"
"How could old Zhang not know that we are outnumbered and foolishly sally forth to fight them head-on?"
The middle-aged county magistrate pouted upon hearing this, but he didn't say much more, instead standing by and nodding obsequiously.
He knew that this Zhang Fei was no ordinary person.
His official position was already not low, and he held significant military power. In this remote, small area, he could be considered a local tyrant.
Moreover, he had support from behind; he was the sworn brother of Liu Jin, the Defender General of the Xiongnu, whose reputation had recently spread far and wide.
Give him ten guts, and he wouldn't dare offend this Zhang Fei, otherwise, in this borderland, he wouldn't even know how he died.
Zhang Fei glanced at the situation outside the city, and after a moment of calm, he looked at the middle-aged county magistrate beside him and asked!
"Old Wei, has the message been sent out?"
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Wei immediately bowed and said in a low voice!
"General Zhang, the message has already been sent out. Lord Liu will soon know the news, and he will surely send a large army to rescue us."
Zhang Fei frowned upon hearing this and said sternly!
"What do you mean 'rescue us'? He will lead us to defeat these damned bastards and kill them all!"
Magistrate Wei, hearing this, quickly nodded and said!
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"General Zhang is right."
Zhang Fei waved his hand, and his voice continued!
"You should still properly appease the common people in the city, so they do not become panicked, lest the city fall into chaos and give these Xianbei an opportunity."
"Leave the city defense to me; I will never let these Xianbei advance a single inch."
Magistrate Wei, hearing this, clasped his hands and bowed, then left the city wall to begin appeasing the common people in the city.
Zhang Fei led his personal guards and began patrolling the entire city wall, maintaining strict vigilance to prevent the ten thousand Xianbei cavalry outside the city from breaching it.
