Chen Cheng retreated on horseback. He first fought with Zhao Yun and others, and then encountered the cavalry unit led by Li Kan. He asked the soldiers to ring the gong, and the golden sound was repeated repeatedly, calling back all the soldiers and horses who were struggling to kill them.
.
While gathering their troops and horses, they retreated slowly along the way. On the way back, they killed more than ten lone Huns cavalry, and rescued hundreds of Qiang herdsmen and Han people who had been kidnapped by the Huns.
They also collected more than 400 war horses abandoned by the Huns. The rescued herdsmen and people were mostly young and strong, both men and women, and were tied together with ropes.
After they were rescued, many people couldn't help crying loudly when they thought of their family members who died tragically. After crying for a while, they came forward to express their gratitude to Chen Cheng and others. Many people wanted to join the army on the spot. Chen Cheng asked; "
Can you all ride a horse?"
After receiving an affirmative answer, Chen Cheng incorporated them all into the auxiliary troops. The elite ones were of course the best, and he would not refuse such militiamen who wanted to join the army at short notice.
When they retreated to Li's Wubao, Li Qiang led his men to kneel on both sides of the road and served him wine. He took the wine glass from Bu Qu, handed it to Chen Cheng's horse, and said respectfully: "Thank you, general, for your rescue.
I can’t wait to shed tears of gratitude.”
Chen Cheng took the wine glass and said, "I'll drink the wine, but you should keep the cattle for yourself. After the Huns are defeated, you still have to plow the land."
Li Qiang said: "General, Wu Fort is already filled with people and livestock. Moreover, these two cows are old."
"If that's the case, then I would be disrespectful."
Chen Cheng drank the wine in one gulp and asked someone to take the cattle away, and then said to Li Qiang: "Although we have repelled this group of Huns, for the Huns' army, this loss is not harmful at all.
After we leave, you still have to guard the city carefully to avoid being attacked by the Huns."
Li Qiang was so shocked that he dropped his wine glass and did not bother to pick it up. He walked forward on his knees and begged: "Are you going to abandon the thousands of people in the fort and ignore them?"
Chen Cheng said: "How can we say that we are abandoning you? You just need to guard Wu Fort with peace of mind. We will do the fighting against the Huns."
Li Qiang said anxiously: "We can provide the general with five thousand dan of military rations, as long as the general can be stationed nearby."
His expression was urgent, full of fear and worry. He was a stout man. Not long ago, he single-handedly broke out of the Huns' encirclement to ask for help. Now he was kneeling on the ground, confused and helpless. When Chen Cheng saw it, he sighed.
, dismounted and helped him up, saying: "I know you have your difficulties, but we also have our difficulties. If you are worried that Uburg cannot be defended, then select some teenagers and children to come out and follow me to the back.
.”
Li Qiang repeatedly begged, but Chen Cheng hardened his heart. Li Qiang had no choice but to call out his second son, and arranged some troops to escort him to the south. When the army returned, because it brought some common people with it, it
Slower. The soldiers were very happy because they had won a hearty victory. While bragging about their bravery in the battle, they rode horses towards the camp.
The villages along the way heard about their victory, and many people sent food and wine. Although the North was often invaded by the Huns, people were a rare resource here. Local management was not as sophisticated as in the Central Plains.
Without the layers of exploitation by officials, just in terms of living standards, it is better than that of the poor people in the Central Plains.
When he returned to the camp, there were dozens of cattle and sheep and thousands of stones of food. Although it was already night, Chen Cheng still arranged for people to slaughter the cattle and sheep, and then buried the pots to make rice, so that every soldier who went out to fight had a full meal.
After a pause, they were allowed to return to their tents.
While the soldiers were eating around the campfire outside, Chen Cheng was exchanging cups with Cheng Yi and Yang Qiu.
Cheng Yi had fair skin and a straight nose, which made him look a little exotic. He raised his wine glass and said, "Today Juluhou's victory has given us a good start. Please drink this glass to the full."
Chen Cheng smiled and drank a drink, and Cheng Yi added: "The camp has been fortified. We can pile up the wounded and the food and grass here, and then the army will go north to look for the Huns for a decisive battle. This drink, I wish we can work together."
Work together to defeat the enemy!"
Neither Chen Cheng nor Yang Qiu could object to these words, so they drank another drink.
Cheng Yi filled the wine glass again and said: "This glass..."
Chen Cheng quickly interrupted him and said with a dry smile: "It's better not to drink anymore. This is already the third cup."
Cheng Yi smiled and said: "Three cups are nothing? After drinking this cup, there are still three more cups."
"............"
Chen Cheng said helplessly: "General Cheng, please tell me if you have anything to say, and don't drink any more wine. We will send troops tomorrow."
Cheng Yi put down his wine glass and said with a smile: "Then let me tell you straight. I received news this afternoon that Cheng Yin and Zhang Heng sent troops to Jincheng and fought a battle with Ma Teng and Han Sui. There was no winner."
Chen Cheng was puzzled and asked: "Does this have anything to do with us?"
Cheng Yi sighed and said: "After Cheng Yin and Zhang Heng sent out troops, Zhangye County was empty. Song Jian of Jiuquan County raised troops to the east and invaded Zhangye territory."
Before Chen Cheng could say anything, there was a "pop" sound beside him. He turned around and saw that the wine glass in Yang Qiu's hand had knocked over to the ground. Yang Qiu opened his mouth wide and didn't even notice that his body was wet with wine. He was surprised.
Authentic: "Isn't Song Jian in the same group as Cheng Yin, Zhang Heng and the others?"
Cheng Yi laughed heartily. He leaned forward and backward in laughter. After a while, he said: "Han Sui and Bian Zhang are sworn brothers. I didn't see him softening his heart when he killed him."
Yang Qiu said bitterly: "What does Song Jian want to do?"
Chen Cheng looked at Yang Qiu, then at Cheng Yi, and found it very interesting. Cheng Yi sighed again and said helplessly: "What else can we do? Let's rob while Cheng Yin and the others transfer all their troops to Jincheng.
Once there, he will come out to grab the territory."
Yang Qiu said angrily: "Is this the time to grab territory? Han Sui is attacking Jincheng, and the Huns are also going south. Song Jian doesn't want to participate in the melee between Han Sui, Ma Teng, and the others, so he can come and help us deal with the Huns."
"
Cheng Yi said: "Okay, don't be angry. We have all done similar things."
He smiled bitterly and said to Chen Cheng, "Let Marquis Julu see the joke."
Chen Cheng smiled and said: "Where, where."
Cheng Yi sighed: "I'm not a good person, and I've done a lot of bad things. But for so many years, we Liangzhou people have either been fighting with the imperial court or fighting among ourselves. For so many years, we have been killing, killing, and killing.
I’m getting a lot of kills, but what’s the benefit? It’s time to change my way of life.”
Chen Cheng thought to himself: There are still benefits, at least you can all be kings and hegemons behind closed doors, right?
Cheng Yi said: "I want to elect Marquis Julu as the shepherd of Liangzhou after the Huns are defeated this time. Yang Qiu, you can join me."
Hearing this, Yang Qiu was stunned for a moment, and then said angrily: "Why should you elect him as the shepherd of Liangzhou? He is not even from Liangzhou!"
Cheng Yi spread his hands and said: "Just because Marquis Julu is not from Liangzhou, I said that I would recommend him as the shepherd of Liangzhou. You have also seen these days that Marquis Julu is fair in dealing with things, and he is willing to admit the powerful people in Lingzhou.
Naturally, we will not deprive us of our territory and population."
He smiled at Chen Cheng and said leisurely: "I only came up with the idea after learning about Lingzhou. Marquis Julu has a high reputation, and today he proved that he can lead troops to fight, so I think you are the Liangzhou Mu."
The best candidate.”
Chen Cheng smiled and said: "I am a person who escaped from Luoyang, and I just want to find a place to settle down. Now I only want to work on the fields, not to learn and reach the princes. How can I be a shepherd in Liangzhou? It's not me being humble.
, General Cheng should hire another Gao Ming."
Cheng Yi shook his head and said: "Who else can I choose? Han Sui or Ma Teng? Or Song Jian?"
He turned to Yang Qiu and said, "Are you willing to recommend Song Jian to be the shepherd of Liangzhou?"
Yang Qiu snorted and said: "I'm not stupid, how can I push him to the top? If he becomes Liangzhou Shepherd, I'm afraid none of us will survive."
Cheng Yi smiled and said: "Isn't this the end? No matter who is chosen to be the shepherd of Liangzhou, everyone else has to worry about their own lives. To be honest, I just like Juluhou. You are not a native of Liangzhou.
We don’t have much territory and we don’t have many reliable troops, so I want to recommend you.”
Chen Cheng smiled and said: "It turns out that there is such a benefit to being weak, but aren't you afraid that after I become the shepherd of Liangzhou, I will settle the score and eliminate you one by one?"
Cheng Yi laughed and said: "Even if there is such a day, it will be many years later. It always takes time to cultivate your power, right? At least we can live a peaceful life for a few years, and we don't have to worry about watching before going to bed every night.
Until tomorrow's sun. How many years have passed between Beigong Boyu, Li Wenhou, Bian Zhang and Guoguo? Every time I think of their endings, I can't help but feel chills on my back. No matter what the prince is like
People are better than Han Sui who unified Liangzhou!"
Yang Qiu and Cheng Yi had fought a war and had deep prejudices against each other. At this time, they rarely agreed with Cheng Yi and said: "Hey, I would rather let Song Jian or Ma Teng unify all the ministries in Liangzhou than anything else."
I would like to see Han Sui have the possibility to annex the entire Xiliang."
Chen Cheng said in surprise: "Han Wenyue has many Qiang and Hu leaders under his command, and there are also some Han generals. I can't think of not even leaving a position for you, right?"
"Hehe," Yang Qiu sneered and said, "If Han Sui is reliable, a sow can climb a tree! When dealing with Han Sui, even if you sleep, you have to keep one eye open."
Chen Cheng couldn't help but lamented that Han Sui was such a failure as a person that he made everyone in Liangzhou feel in danger. Then he secretly warned himself that he couldn't ruin his reputation... even if he wanted to
You have to find a good reason to do it.
Cheng Yi said loudly: "Now Han Sui is trying his best to seize Jincheng, and Song Jian has invaded Zhangye again. Cheng Yin and Zhang Heng must withdraw their troops and go back to defend. How can Ma Teng defeat Han Sui, an old fox?
If Han Wenyue captures Jincheng, his next step will be to either attack Anding or capture the North. Yang Qiu, let me ask you, if Han Sui joins forces with the three counties to attack, can you stop it?"
Yang Qiu was silent.
Cheng Yi added: "Even if Ma Teng and I help each other, can we defeat Han Sui?"
Yang Qiu hesitated for a moment and said, "Can't we still ask Song Jian, Cheng Yin and others to send troops to rescue us?"
Cheng Yi said disdainfully: "These people only know how to fight for land and money, how can they have any foresight? Even if they bring troops here, aren't you afraid that they will take the opportunity to seize the land and population? But if Juluhou can serve as the shepherd of Liangzhou, Han
So even if you want to use troops against us, you have to think carefully first."
Chen Cheng: Ouch, why is this way of speaking so familiar? There is nothing wrong with the previous arguments, but how did you come to this conclusion?
