"Come on, brothers, you will never get home if you don't get drunk today." Zuo Aoran raised his glass and said to the generals.
A night of carnival brought the joy of victory to a climax. In the Battle of Hulu Valley, Zuo Aoran's army consolidated and surrendered its troops. The total strength reached nearly 100,000. After streamlining the army and horses, it was 50,000. The vanguard battalion was increased to 30,000.
, still led by Zuo Aoran himself.
The remaining 80,000 people were divided into three armies: 30,000 Qiang cavalry, 30,000 Qiang infantry, and 40,000 Wolf Warriors. The Qiang cavalry commander Bian Zhang, deputy commander Cheliji, and vanguard general Ali Tuoyin guarded the Wuwei area.
Infantry commander Beigong Boyu, deputy commander Ke Wu, and vanguard general Ye Wenlang guard the front line of Jincheng. War Wolf Army coach Li Wenhou, deputy commander Ali Tuojin, and vanguard general Ali Tuotong guard the northern area.
Zuo Aoran took Beigong Boyu and Bian Zhang's hands and said, "I'll leave it to you two to guard the matter in Xiliang."
Beigong Boyu and Bian Zhang raised their hands at the same time and said: "The last general, I will defend Xiliang with my life."
…
Linjing, the government office of Anding Prefecture.
Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong was discussing matters with his generals Hu Zhen, Zhao Cen, Zhang Ji, Fan Chou, etc. Suddenly, a small school rushed into the house to report: "Two generals, scouting horses to report that Ma Teng's rebels were divided into seven groups early this morning, with four in each group."
, five hundred riders, came out of Pengyang to plunder everywhere."
"Oh?" Xu Rong said excitedly: "So the rebels have run out of food and fodder!"
General Hu Zhen said: "The military advisor said before leaving that if the rebels leave Pengyang and plunder everywhere, they will run out of food and grass. We can open the bag of tips and act according to the plan, and the rebels will be defeated~~ General, now
It’s time to open the bag of tips left by the strategist and see what kind of clever strategies the strategist left behind to defeat the enemy.”
"Okay!" Xu Rong agreed, took out a brocade pouch from his breastplate and opened it solemnly. He also took out a silk book from the brocade pouch, read it in a hurry, stroked his beard and said with a smile, "So that's it, it's really a clever idea!
Fan Chou obeys the order."
General Fan Chou stepped forward and said quickly: "The last general is here."
Xu Rongdao: "Lead 2,000 infantry to escort the grain carts. The carts can be loaded with stones and withered grass, and wrapped in linen. After dark, leave Linjing and walk along the Jingshui River. If you see the rebels coming to pursue you, don't fight them. Just go ahead.
We were defeated and retreated to the Gole River Beach. After we retreated to the Gole River Beach, we immediately raised fire as a signal."
Fan Chou said: "The last general will take orders."
Xu Rong said again: "Zhao Cen, Zhang Ji listen to the order."
Generals Zhao Cen and Zhang Ji stepped forward side by side and said loudly: "The last general is here."
Xu Rongdao: "Each led 3,000 infantry troops to ambush deep in the dense forests on both sides of the Gole River beach. When they saw the fire on the river beach, they sent their troops and followers to cover up the enemy and killed the grain-stealing rebels in one fell swoop."
Zhao Cen and Zhang Ji responded loudly: "The last general will take orders."
Xu Rong said again: "Hu Zhen listens to the order."
Hu Zhen took a step forward and said quickly: "The end is here."
Xu Rongdao: "Lead an army of five thousand to stay in Linjing. Unless I, the general, arrive in person, we must not open the city gate without permission!"
Hu Zhen said: "The last general will take orders."
Xu Rong finally said: "The rest of the generals."
All the generals took a step forward, stood in front of Xu Rong and said loudly: "Here."
Xu Rong said: "You can each lead your own troops and follow our general to take advantage of the opportunity to attack Pengyang."
The generals responded loudly: "As ordered."
…
Northland, military tent in Zuo Aoran's camp.
Tian Feng hurried into Zuo Aoran's tent and said quickly: "My lord, there is an urgent report from Liangzhou."
Zuo Aoran, who was warming himself by the fire pit, suddenly stood up and said in a solemn voice: "Speak quickly."
Tian Feng said: "Half a month ago (fifteen days later than Dong Zhuo knew the news), a sudden rebellion broke out in Liangzhou. After Fubo's general Ma Yuan, Ma Teng raised his troops to rebel because his wife and child were killed, and led his army to break through Long.
County, killed Geng Bi and a group of officials, big and small, and defeated the officers and soldiers of Geng Bi's general Zhao Ang. When he was leading his army to pursue them, Dong Zhuo's army suddenly came and defeated Ma Teng's army."
Zuo Aoran asked anxiously: "How is the situation in Liangzhou now?"
Tian Feng said: "According to the news sent back from me, Ma Teng's army has retreated to Anding County, and Dong Zhuo's army has controlled the four counties of Tianshui, Wudu, Anding, and Hanyang. Moreover, I am worried that this Liangzhou rebellion was probably planned by Dong Zhuo.
, if this is really the case, Ma Tengjun's situation will be very bad, and the entire Liangzhou is likely to fall into the hands of Dong Zhuo, so that all the success of quelling the chaos will be in the hands of Dong Zhuo."
"Damn it!" Zuo Aoran said harshly: "Dong Zhuo really knows how to choose his time!"
Tian Feng said in a condensed voice: "My lord, Feng thought that if no external force intervened, Dong Zhuo would be able to control Liangzhou in less than two months! He would take all the credit for suppressing the rebellion!"
"Two months? Two months!" Zuo Aoran said in a deep voice: "But our army has just begun to recuperate. Now that the army is short of food and grass, it will be difficult to mobilize the army to go on an expedition! Besides, Liangzhou is the territory of the Han Dynasty after all.
Most of the residents in Liangzhou are Han people, so grabbing food is absolutely out of the question."
"Liangzhou must not fall into the hands of Dong Zhuo. After all, the Lord is the imperial official who has decreed the land of Pingxi and is the vanguard of the front line to clear up chaos in the front line of the official seal!" Tian Feng said anxiously: "Moreover, the terrain of Liangzhou is dangerous and the people's customs are fierce. What is worrying is that
There are still hundreds of thousands of high-quality military horses in the Shandan Military Horse Farm. Once these military horses fall into the hands of Dong Zhuo, Dong Zhuo will be able to recruit fierce and good knights from the Qiang and Hu tribes living in Liangzhou to form an army.
An unparalleled Liangzhou legion! In this way, Dong Zhuo's strength will be unimaginable. This man has always had a disobedient heart, and may even sweep through Guanzhong with his troops, including the three auxiliaries, and the direction of the troops.
No one can challenge him!" Zuo Aoran's expression changed again and again, and he remained silent for a long time.
Tian Feng said again: "My lord, now we should try every means to create obstacles for Dong Zhuo to pacify Liangzhou, especially support Ma Teng's rebels. As long as Ma Teng's rebels can persist until Beigong Boyu collects all the food and grass, my lord can personally
He led a large army to quell the rebellion of Ma Teng and Han Sui, thus pacifying Liangzhou! In this way, it is still unclear who will finally get the credit for quelling the rebellion in Liangzhou."
Zuo Aoran suddenly raised his head, stared at Zuo Aoran with a burning gaze, and asked: "Yuan Hao, in your opinion, can Ma Teng persist until Beigong Boyu has collected all the food and grass?"
"This..." Tian Feng was choked when he heard this, and then sighed after a while: "I'm afraid it's very difficult."
"That's it!" Zuo Aoran said in a deep voice: "Yuan Hao, quickly summon all the generals to come to the big tent to discuss matters."
"Feng takes the order." Tian Feng cupped his hands at Zuo Aoran and left after taking the order.
…
pengyang
Half a month ago, Ma Teng led 5,000 rebels and fled Anping. The army besieged Linjing for several days to no avail, so they had to attack and occupy Pengyang, a large city to the north of Linjing.
By the end of the day, Ma Teng's army had run out of food and fodder. With no choice but to send troops out of the city to plunder everywhere.
After dark, various rebels who went out to rob the city returned one after another, but their gains were extremely limited.
A general said with a grimace: "General, all the people near Pengyang have fled. There is not even a ghost in many villages. There is no way to get food!"
A general suggested: "General, if it doesn't work, just kill the horse?"
"Nonsense!" Ma Teng said angrily: "Even if you starve to death, you must not kill the horse! If you kill the war horse, how can you fight against the army? It's simply nonsense!"
The general muttered: "But we can't let our brothers go hungry and fight with the army, right?"
Ma Teng took a breath and said in a deep voice: "Don't be anxious, let me, the general, think of a solution. There will definitely be a solution."
"Report~~" Ma Teng had just finished speaking, when suddenly a soldier rushed into the hall, fell down in front of Ma Teng, and said anxiously: "General, good...good...good news."
Ma Teng asked anxiously: "What's the good news?"
The soldier gasped: "I just reported back from the scouting horse. A group of grain trucks drove out from Linjing City and were heading south along the Jingshui River."
"Oh!?" Ma Teng's expression perked up and he asked urgently: "How many carriages are there?"
The soldier said: "At least five hundred vehicles!"
"How many troops are escorting us?" Ma Teng asked again.
The soldier replied: "At least two thousand elite soldiers."
"Two thousand elite soldiers!?" Ma Teng's brows frowned for a moment. After the recent confrontation, Ma Teng's rebels had already experienced the power of Dong Zhuo's elite infantry. This infantry was composed of Qiang and Hu people, each with strong physical strength.
Strong, wearing heavy wooden armor and holding a spear several feet long, he was not afraid of the charge of the Xiliang cavalry at all.
Pang De said solemnly: "General, could this be a trick by the army?"
The soldier shook his head and said: "The scouting horse reported that the grain cart's ruts were very deep, and it didn't look like an empty cart."
Ma Teng's expression was deep. This group of food and grass may be a trick of the army, maybe not, but Ma Teng has no choice. Even if there is only a little chance, he must go all out! Because the food and grass in Pengyang City has been exhausted, if he doesn't want to
Otherwise, the brothers will really starve.
Ma Teng took a breath and said solemnly: "Pang De obeys the order."
Pang De straightened his body and said quickly: "The end is here."
Ma Teng said: "Lead a thousand troops and stay in Pengyang."
Pang De said: "The last general takes orders."
Ma Teng said again: "The rest of the generals, each lead his own troops and horses to follow my general to rob the grain at night! My general does not believe it. Four thousand Liangzhou cavalry cannot defeat two thousand official infantry."
Each Qiang, General Hu responded loudly: "As you command!"
Along the official road south of Linjing, Fan Chou, Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong's subordinate, was leading two thousand infantrymen and escorting five hundred grain trucks to the south at night. They lit torches and wound into a long dragon, stretching from end to end.
For several miles, Fan Chou, wearing iron armor and holding a long sword in his hand, walked at the front of the grain team, escorted by dozens of cavalry soldiers.
"Ge da da~~"
"Huh?" As he was moving forward at a leisurely pace, the sound of horse hooves suddenly sounded from behind. Fan Chong groaned and turned his head, only to see a horse riding like flying along the official road under the flickering firelight.
The road rushes from the north.
"General~~The rebels have left Pengyang!" the scout said.
"Really? The rebels really fell into the trap!" Fan Chong said in a condensed voice: "How many troops did the rebels come?"
"There are four thousand riders!" the scout replied.
"Four thousand cavalry!?" Fan Chou said solemnly: "So Ma Teng is going all-in, okay, then let the rebels have no chance of coming back, come on!"
"Here!" Several cavalry soldiers suddenly came to Fan Chou.
Fan Chou said: "Send my military order and the whole army will speed up the march and rush to the Gole River beach immediately."
"Gole River Beach!?" A soldier said doubtfully: "Gole River Beach is a swamp that is difficult for people and horses to travel. If the grain truck gets stuck in it, I'm afraid it won't be able to get out. General, this..."
Fan Chou said: "Why are you asking so many questions? Go quickly!"
The soldier froze for a moment and responded: "I obey, little man."
Fan Chou's military order was quickly conveyed, and the originally slow-moving grain team quickly sped up and rushed towards the Gole River beach.
