The 100,000 troops that withdrew from Jizhou were actually more than 100,000. In ancient times, campaigns were often exaggerated. For example, after Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao, he led his army to seize Jiangdong. The army was called one million. If you publicized it, how powerful it would be! For example, in the Sui Dynasty
When Emperor Yang Guang conquered Goryeo, he had an army of 1.2 million people, which was said to be two million, and his morale was like a rainbow. But these two examples are very unlucky. Cao Cao was burned by a fire in Chibi and almost escaped alone.
, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty abandoned hundreds of thousands of corpses in Goryeo and returned in embarrassment.
But the Ding'an Army is different. This time, the troops going south are actually 150,000, and they are called 100,000. In order to deceive others, the army moves out. From a distance, there is actually no big difference between 150,000 and 100,000. Look at the flag?
Wouldn't it be enough to fight less? There are two purposes for doing this. First, it is not to let Zhu Sanqi in Jizhou City know that although the 250,000 troops besieging Jizhou still have the advantage, if too many troops are deployed, it will
Let the defenders in the city resist more fiercely. Second, the Han army cannot be known, so that the Han army can be caught off guard.
There is another reason that cannot be explained. Pei Zhan is really among the army returning south. His flag is still planted outside Jizhou City, but he is already two hundred miles away. At this time, the army returning south has passed Ming.
Weizhou was less than 200 miles away from Weizhou. After traveling for a day, Pei Zhan ordered his army to rest on the spot. An army of 150,000 troops camped on the side of an unknown hill.
Pei Zhan was resting in the big tent, knowing that he did not have many people in the army returning south. Except for the general Qu Sheng, there were only a few close generals. In order to hide from others, Pei Zhan even left his own barracks behind.
They arrived outside Jizhou City. The one who stayed in Jizhou to continue commanding the siege was military Pang Zhun. Although Pei Zhan disliked this man very much, he also knew that this man was very good at using troops. Although he lacked some sharpness, he was very good at using troops.
He must be cautious and prudent. Even if he cannot capture Jizhou, he will not lose all his 200,000 troops.
Pang Zhun tried his best to dissuade Pei Zhan from going south in person that day, because Pang Zhun knew that the Han army was waiting for the Ding'an army to return south. Liu Ling, the king of Han, was best at ambushes and field battles. No one had ever won against the enemy head-on.
Pass Liu Ling. Even if the Han army did not ambush, Liu Ling was good at fighting and the Zhou army who had traveled a long way back would definitely not be the opponent of the Han army who was waiting for work. Although he did not know the content of the letter Liu Ling wrote to Pei Zhan,
But he also vaguely guessed that it was because of Liu Ling's letter that Pei Zhan decided to lead his army back south in person.
Pei Zhan was very conceited. In his opinion, no matter how powerful Liu Ling was, he was just his whetstone. Pang Zhun was afraid that Pei Zhan would get carried away and fight the Han army prematurely, and he would not concentrate all his troops to crush the top of the mountain.
However, Pei Zhan did not listen to Pang Zhun's dissuasion and defeated Liu Ling's 100,000 Han army with an army of 400,000. Even if he won, what would there be to brag about?
Pang Zhun had no choice but to accept Pei Zhan's appointment. However, although Pang Zhun was a military advisor, his status in the Ding'an Army was not respected. The generals of the Ding'an Army always only obeyed the orders of Pei Zhan.
It is still unclear whether a scholar can command those high-minded generals. Although Pei Zhan left his sword to Pang Zhun and his personal barracks to him, Pang Zhun still felt a little worried.
They have no confidence at all. If they want to establish their prestige, they must lead their team to win several battles. Only when their abilities are recognized by others will they gain the support of those rough and arrogant men. However, the Chengde army was besieged in Jizhou City. In addition to capturing Jizhou, they also
What battles are there to fight?
Pei Zhan ignored Pang Zhun's difficulties and just said coldly to Pang Zhun: "I will give you the army of 250,000 people. It is your business to fight the battle. If you win, I will make you the Great Zhou."
Prime Minister, if you lose, I will kill all nine of your clans."
The nameless hill is not tall and steep, and there is no dangerous place where the Zhou army camped. But Pei Zhan didn't have any worries in his heart. He had already recaptured the state capital south of Jizhou. The Ding'an army moved northward, like a plow
The ground was plowed again. All the teams that resisted the Ding'an Army were cleared away by him. As for the grass bandits who occupied the mountains and became kings, who dared to attack an army of hundreds of thousands?
The Han army was still far away in Huazhou, which was six to seven hundred miles away. Even if the Han army had wings, it would not be able to fly here. So Pei Zhan rested peacefully in the tent, thinking that he had deceived so many people this time.
, and even deceived Zhu Sanqi and Liu Ling, he felt a little proud in his heart. Pei Zhan had the same hobby as Yeluji, the king of Daliao Nanmian Palace in Youzhou, which was drinking wine from the Western Regions.
wine.
He likes the mellow and sweet aroma of wine, and the slightly bitter aftertaste in the aftertaste. At that time, the wine production technology was limited and could not completely eliminate the astringency in the wine. But even so, except for the powerful in the Central Plains,
Very few people can drink this kind of wine. The party members of Xixia control Heishui City, and the trade routes are controlled by the party members. The communication between the countries in the Western Regions and the Central Plains is almost cut off. This kind of wine is hard to find.
When he drinks, he uses a jade cup. He is very particular and tasteful. After all, he is the high-ranking King of Zhou and the current ruler of the Zhou Dynasty.
When the wine passes through the jade cup, it shows a strange and gorgeous amber color, which is very beautiful. Especially when you gently turn the jade cup, the way the juice floats on the wall of the jade cup is really fascinating.
However, even though he was the most wealthy person in the Great Zhou Dynasty, he had to save on drinking this wine. The Dangxiang people had never had a good impression of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and it was difficult for goods from the Western Regions to enter the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
For businessmen who make huge profits regardless of life and death, let alone drink it, it is difficult to see this kind of wine. Since the war between Daliao and Daxia, the party members have blocked the Silk Road even more tightly. Now Pei Zhan’s inventory is running low, and he will not be able to drink it anymore.
It would be difficult to drink such fine wine, unless he sent troops westward to open up the Silk Road.
"Qu Sheng, if you were Liu Ling, where would you set an ambush?"
Leaning on the chair, Pei Zhan squinted his eyes and asked Qu Sheng.
This time going south, Qu Sheng was the nominal commander-in-chief of the three armies. It can be said that this was the first time that he could command so many troops. However, this first time made Qu Sheng feel bitter. Just because of these three words in the name,
Not only is he a fake commander-in-chief, but he also has the heavy responsibility of protecting Pei Zhan's safety. Once His Highness the King of Zhou makes any mistakes, even if he loses his head ten times, it won't be enough to compensate him.
After listening to Pei Zhan's question, Qu Sheng looked at the map carefully and said: "The general thinks that there are no dangerous places along the way south. If Liu Ling and his men set up an ambush, they will still choose the bank of the Daqing River. When our army crosses the river,
, attacking halfway across the river is the most successful."
Pei Zhan nodded and asked several other confidant generals. They all thought that what Qu Sheng said was reasonable. Pei Zhan laughed and said, "You guys are all city defenders and lack sharpness! It's true to attack halfway across the river.
It’s safe, but our army’s last stand is already in danger. As long as the soldiers use their lives, the Han army may win. Moreover, if our army takes precautions and slowly crosses the river, the Han army may not be able to find an opportunity.”
He put down the exquisite jade cup, stood up and walked to the edge of the map and said: "On the way south, there seems to be no dangerous place where the Han army would not be able to set up an ambush. But think about it, our army has returned from thousands of miles, and the soldiers are tired and lack of food and fodder."
It won't be too sufficient, so why should the Han army take advantage of the danger and ambush? They only need to wait along the way, waiting for work, and when our army arrives and takes advantage of the fatigue from the distance, we will attack head-on. Our army will still be defeated."
Qu Sheng and others bowed and said, "Your Highness is still thoughtful."
Pei Zhan cursed: "Shit! You know how to flatter me, so tell me, if the Han army really attacks head-on like this, how will I deal with it?"
Everyone was silent, unable to think of a good solution for a while.
Pei Zhan snorted coldly and said: "They are all trash!"
He waved his hands impatiently and said: "Get out of here. If anyone has figured out a countermeasure, come see me! If someone's strategy coincides with mine, I will make him a Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!"
The generals retreated in disbelief, and began to think carefully in their hearts.
Far away from the Zhou army's camp, on the hill, several figures suddenly appeared among the trees. They carefully reached the top of the mountain, lay down in the grass, and carefully observed the situation of the Zhou army. The leader was an older man.
The girl is only eighteen or nineteen years old, but the vicissitudes in her eyes show that she is definitely not a young woman.
"Secretary, there is no commander of Pei Zhan in the Zhou army's camp!"
A spy said softly.
The girl was Si Quan'er, who had been promoted to the deputy head of the Third Office of the Supervisory Yuan. In the Third Office, her status was second only to Chen Ziyu. She said softly: "If Pei Zhan wants to deceive others, he will naturally not make a big fuss. In the yard
What did I teach you when I trained you?"
She paused and said: "When observing things, don't focus too much on the surface. Those things on the surface are deliberately created by the enemy for you to see. What you want to see are the details! No matter how solid the plan is, no matter how careful it is,
There will always be flaws in your cover. It depends on whether your eyes are careful enough and your heart is delicate enough!"
The spy's face turned red and he stopped talking.
Si Quan'er glared at the spy and said, "Before coming, I asked you to check Pei Zhan's hobbies in detail. Have you forgotten?"
The spy replied: "I haven't forgotten when I got back to the stall. Pei Zhan is conceited and headstrong, but he has few hobbies. He is a martial arts fanatic, and his skills are not as good as those of Xie Jun, the governor of the Yongxing Army. He likes to drink.
, and he only likes to drink fine grape wine from the Western Regions. He is not good at womanizing, and has only one main wife and no concubines. He likes hunting, so he has a mastiff and a bald eagle!"
Si Quan'er rolled her eyes at him and said, "Isn't this the end of the matter? Just keep a close eye on me here. I don't believe it. If a human can hide, how can a dog or an eagle hide?
As long as you see the eagle flying, it proves that Pei Zhan is in this Zhou army!"
She bit her lip: "As long as he is in the army, His Highness the King of Han will definitely kill him!" (To be continued)
