If general is also a profession, Gao Kan is undoubtedly very professional.
Any tiny detail in the marching formation could make him keenly aware of something amiss.
A man like Gao Kan was born for the battlefield. He was like a hound wandering in the mountains and forests, able to smell the scent of prey from ordinary signs of movement.
The refugee's words made Gao Kan immediately alert.
There are many seemingly insignificant clues, but if you connect them together, you can infer a very terrifying result.
On the one hand, the clues are: the northern tribes plundered Hengshan City and harassed the south...
Another clue is: Li Ji stayed in the Tang army's camp outside Wugu City to recuperate from his injuries. There were only 5,000 troops stationed there, and Qi Biheli led the main force to have already marched to Humili City.
When these clues were connected in series, Gao Kan's face couldn't help but become more and more ugly.
The tribes quickly went down to check on the refugees and got the results quickly.
The northern tribe had about 20,000 soldiers and horses, all of whom were cavalry. After plundering Hengshan City, they headed south, towards...Wugu City!
Gao Kan felt a chill running down his back, as if someone had stabbed him in the back.
"You bastard, how dare you bully me, the Tang Dynasty!" Gao Kan yelled angrily.
The news was confirmed, and Gao Kan was anxious.
"Send the order, divert the route to Wugu City, the whole army marches urgently, marches urgently! Don't stop for a moment, hurry up!" Gao Kan roared.
The officers and soldiers were not sure why they were supposed to head toward the city of Humiliation, but suddenly changed their route and ordered a hasty march. It must be a military emergency.
Gao Kan's anger and anxiety quickly infected the entire army, and the soldiers' expressions became solemn, and they began to trot forward without saying a word.
"Send out scouts and Pegasus to rush to the direction of Wugu City to detect the enemy's and our military situation!"
"Send someone to send a message to General Qibi. The northern Mohe and other tribes intend to raid our Wugu City camp. Please ask the general to send reinforcements quickly to help Ying Gong and Li Qinzai!"
A series of military orders were issued, and the air became inexplicably tense.
Gao Kan was so angry that his beard and hair stood out, and he rode forward quickly.
…………
Five miles outside Wugu City.
The scouts came to report that the enemy troops had finished arranging their troops and horses, and the army gathered and began to rush towards the battlefield.
The explosive charges only frightened the enemy general for a moment, but not for long.
Li Qinzai and the enemy generals knew very well that this was a decisive battle to the death, and the confrontation would not last long just because of the appearance of explosive packets.
Li Qinzai must defend this important road from north to south, and the enemy general must break through it, even if his teeth are broken, he must tear open the Tang army's defense line.
This is an inevitable conflict. No matter how terrifying the explosive package is, it cannot compare to the enemy general's established strategy.
In this raid on the Tang Army, the northern tribes also placed heavy bets. The bets were the lives of men, women, and children in each tribe.
After stabbing the Tang army in the back, if Goguryeo reversed the tide of the war and the Tang army's eastern expedition failed again, Goguryeo and the northern tribes could maintain peace for decades.
If Goguryeo is destroyed, then the tribes in the north will be unlucky. They dare to stab the Tang army in the back. After Goguryeo is destroyed, the Tang Dynasty will not let go of the northern tribes no matter what. Just like when Li Jing swept through the Turks, the northern tribes will be destroyed. The tribe will suffer the same fate.
In the aftermath of the Tang Dynasty, the settlement of accounts will inevitably be done to the northern tribes.
This battle is a decisive battle involving three aspects of life and death. It involves both superiority and inferiority, as well as life and death.
The last scout came to report that the enemy troops had moved out again, but Li Qinzai had no trouble.
What is supposed to come will eventually come.
"Liu Renyuan, pass the order, line up in formation, and prepare for battle." Li Qinzai ordered calmly.
Liu Renyuan pulled out his sword and roared: "The whole army is arrayed and ready for war!"
The soldiers quickly gathered together, found their positions in the array, and silently loaded the three-eyed gun.
Li Qinzai's face was expressionless, and there was no emotion in his heart.
More than 2,000 people versus 10,000 people, there is no chance of winning, it can be said to be a fatal situation, unless reinforcements fall from the sky at this moment.
While waiting for the enemy to arrive, Li Qinzai squatted on the ground and silently worked on math problems.
Not surprising, this question must be done.
Assuming that Bu Qu escorts the injured Li Ji, considering the mountainous terrain of Goguryeo and the fact that Li Ji is injured and it is difficult to travel, Li Ji and Bu Qu will march at a constant speed of about three miles an hour.
So, about five hours had passed from the time Li Qinzai led his troops to fight the enemy until now. In other words, Li Ji had traveled less than twenty miles.
If Li Qinzai failed to hold on and let the enemy pass, with the speed of the enemy's cavalry, he might catch up with Li Ji within two hours. At that time, it would be an irreparable shame and humiliation.
Throwing the branch in his hand to the ground, Li Qinzai sighed: "We have to hold on for at least five hours...otherwise the old man will definitely not be willing to be captured and take the initiative to wipe his neck."
"You're so old, it's such a cruel way to die. If you die on a woman's belly, I'd say you deserved it. Wiping your neck would be too tragic."
How to hold on for five hours? Li Qinzai didn't answer. He didn't even have the confidence to block the enemy's next attack.
The rumble of horse hooves could be heard, and even before the enemy troops were seen, the strong murderous aura and bloody smell in the air could be smelled.
The more than two thousand soldiers looked solemn and silently clenched the three-eyed guns in their hands.
In the distance ahead, we can see enemy flags fluttering and human figures, densely packed like moving ants.
Li Qinzai squinted and stared ahead, and suddenly said loudly: "Where is Pei Zhengqing?"
Pei Zhengqing, who had been waiting for a long time, stood up, cupped his fists and said, "The general is here!"
The only Mo Dao general in Pei Zhengqing's army had 500 Mo Dao soldiers under his command. In the previous fierce hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, Li Qinzai could not bear to let the Mo Dao battalion take the field, and only ordered Pei Zhengqing to lead his troops to guard the rear.
At this moment, it is a critical moment of life and death, and it is time for Mo Daoying to take the stage.
The establishment of Modao Camp was just an accident by Li Qinzai. When he was reading history books in his previous life, he had an inexplicable awe and fascination for Modao Camp in the Tang Dynasty, so he decided to build one himself.
One is to protect oneself and the lives of the soldiers at the most critical moment of the war. The other is to fulfill a sentiment from the past life.
I didn't expect that it would actually come in handy today, it was God's will.
"Pei Zhengqing, you lead the Modao Battalion to still guard the rear. If the soldiers in front are defeated... your Modao Battalion will be the last line of defense."
Li Qinzai stared at his face and said secretly: "How long can you... guard, just do your best. We have done our best. We are worthy of the emperor, worthy of the Tang Dynasty, and worthy of the heaven and earth."
A fierce look flashed in Pei Zhengqing's eyes, and he gritted his teeth and said: "The last general and the five hundred or so soldiers of Mo Dao Camp will fight to the death until the last soldier is killed!"
"Unless we win, no one leaves the battlefield alive!"
Li Qinzai smiled. It was quite tragic. He fought for his life on the battlefield and was wrapped in horse leather. This is what a real man should do.
In the military formation, the long horns were blown, and the sobs were as low as weeping.
The enemy's vanguard has appeared in sight, and they are stationed at a distance to confront each other.