Wei Li was once an army commander in the Yueqi camp. He followed Chen Cheng in the Battle of Luoyang and made some military exploits. But as a member of the Wei family, when the outcome was decided, he could not take the risk of his family being branded as a rebel.
, so like many others, he chose to stay in Luoyang.
Although the Yueqi Battalion once defeated He Jin in a very embarrassed manner and made him furious, it also showed strong combat effectiveness. After the war, He Jin collected the remaining soldiers and horses of the Yueqi Battalion and transferred some officers and soldiers
Went in and rebuilt the Northern Army's Yueqi Battalion. The Northern Army's fifth battalion defeated Sun Jian's troops in the two battles of Yangcheng and Yangzhai last year, and the Yueqi Battalion also participated.
Although the Northern Army was powerful, its numbers were too small. It could decisively defeat Yuan Shu's army in the field battle. However, when the Kwantung princes made up their minds to hold on, even the Northern Army was helpless against the strong city. He Jin's command
The army advanced along Yingshui and Rushui, and was soon blocked by several fortified cities.
The imperial army besieged the city for more than 30 days and organized several strong attacks, but the defenders were beaten back. It turned out that after Yuan Shu returned to Runan, he surrendered several nearby Yellow Turban troops and gained more than 100,000 soldiers. These people were placed under Yuan Shu's control
They occupied the two important positions of Zhaoling and Xihua, and with difficulty withstood the attack of He Jin's troops.
During this period, the Northern Army Infantry Battalion and the Shesheng Battalion also participated in the siege, killing many Yellow Turban remnants, but their own casualties were also considerable. In addition, Yuan Shu's main force was assembled in Shangcai and Xiangcheng, and might join the battlefield at any time, so why advance?
Unable to devote all the troops to siege the city, the siege lasted for more than thirty days. Disease broke out among the troops, so they had no choice but to withdraw.
After failing to attack Runan, He Jin turned around and attacked Yuan Shao's group, regaining Chenggao and Xingyang successively. However, the vigor of the army was exhausted, and he finally stopped at Fengqiu and could no longer move forward. In this way, He Jin
The hundreds of thousands of troops who advanced were distributed along a thousand-mile defense line from east to west.
He Jin Group still has the most powerful troops in the world, but it is surrounded by enemies from all sides. It still looks strong, but it is trapped in a situation where it is surrounded by enemies on all sides. In order to fight against the Guandong princes, he deployed Huangfu Song and Ding several times in a row.
The soldiers and horses under his original command were recruited from Guanzhong and Henan. The number of soldiers and horses on the front line increased, but the war became more difficult.
This situation lasted until autumn, when He Jinjun finally couldn't hold on any longer. Two consecutive years of war had exhausted the vitality of the imperial court. Although Henan, Yingchuan, Hongnong and other places had not yet reached the point where all ten rooms and nine rooms were empty.
The situation was similar, but it was not far behind. A large number of people fled into the mountains and forests, and many people in the army joined the ranks of rebels and bandits with weapons.
Especially those people who were forcibly recruited. On the one hand, they had to starve to fight the Kwantung Allied Forces. On the other hand, they were worried about their wives, children, and children at home. As long as they had the opportunity, they would take advantage of the night to escape without a trace. Here we are.
Later, a whole group of soldiers even took the opportunity to escape when they went out to collect food and grass, including infantry and cavalry from the Northern Army.
It was under such circumstances that He Jin finally admitted that he no longer had the ability to extinguish the rebellion in the world. Looking around, there were rebels in all directions. The Xiliang Army, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu... Although
A lot of territory was recovered, but those places became the source of rebellion.
Because of the excessive expropriation, people from all over the country rose up one after another, occupied county towns and passes, and attacked the imperial troops transporting grain and grass everywhere. When they were hungry, even rabbits would bite people. The remnants of the Yellow Turban Army who had been dispersed began to settle down again.
After the original officers and soldiers joined, the imperial court became more powerful. This made the imperial court not only unable to obtain manpower and food after occupying many cities, but also had to invest more troops in countering the rebellion.
In order to break this strategic deadlock, He Jin changed his previous strategy, put aside his status, and began to recruit all kinds of soldiers and horses in the name of the emperor. He not only sent envoys to confer Chen Cheng as the shepherd of Liangzhou, but also sent envoys to Dong Zhuo, Bai Bojun, Heishan Army, etc.
The Qingzhou Army, the Qingzhou Army, the Taishan Army and other places sent envoys.
Some princes and powerful factions are just like Chen Cheng. They accept rewards from the court, but it is absolutely impossible to just ask them to do things. Like Chen Cheng, it is not bad for those who accepted the emperor's edict and promised to send troops. Dong Zhuo
, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu and others simply did not accept the edict. They no longer recognized the legitimacy of the imperial court.
He Jin sent Wei Li to Xiliang because he had other plans besides delivering the emperor's edict. After the official meeting, the two continued to talk at Chen Cheng's home. This time, the atmosphere between the two was tense.
Not as serious as before
Wei Li said: "The general heard that when the envoy attacked Chencang, he used a thunderbolt chariot that could throw stones, so he sent me here specifically to ask the envoy how to make a thunderbolt chariot."
During the Battle of Chencang, the Xiliang Army's catapults were so powerful that they almost collapsed the solid city wall. After the war, the Han Army also made imitations, but the imitation catapults were far inferior in terms of power and range.
He Jinjun had used it during the siege of Zhaoling, but the effect was very unsatisfactory.
Chen Cheng said heartily: I had people dismantle the key parts and set fire to the catapult, just because I didn’t want this weapon to fall into the hands of the enemy. Now, although I have been given the title of Liangzhou Mu, I
Will he hand over the secret of the weapon because of this? This is absolutely impossible!
He laughed twice and said, "Where did you hear this from?"
Wei Li said: "It was said by the two generals Huangfu Song, the left general, and Ding Yuan, the general who conquered the west."
"Okay, since it's what they said, then I admit that there is indeed such a weapon." Chen Cheng ignored the joy on Wei Li's face, spread his hands and said, "But I can't give it to He.
Enter."
"Why?" Wei Li asked anxiously: "The general has already said that he has forgotten the past, so why should you continue to go against the imperial court?"
When Chen Cheng was in Luoyang, he was an Army Sima. Two years later, all his colleagues in the army had been promoted to higher positions, and he was still an Army Sima. But Wei Li did not dare to complain. Who asked him to stand before
Were they in the wrong team? It was a good thing that He Jin didn't clean them out.
During this mission, Wei Li considered himself to be a great turning point in his life. He Jin had promised him beforehand that as long as he could successfully complete the mission and bring back the secret of the Pili Chariot, he would appoint him as the captain of the Yue Cavalry School.
Therefore, although Wei Li knew that this task was not easy to complete, he still tried his best to persuade Chen Cheng.
Chen Cheng smiled and said: "It's not that I am against the imperial court, but that the whole world is against the imperial court!"
Wei Li's voice suddenly became louder, "Those are all rebellious officials and traitors!"
The tooth soldiers on the side looked over together and put their hands on the handle of the knife. Chen Cheng waved his hand and said, "It's okay."
He felt a little emotional in his heart and said to Wei Li: "Wei Sima, now the imperial court is going against the grain and the building is about to collapse. Why not jump out of the fire pit in Luoyang as soon as possible? Although Liangzhou is remote, there are tens of thousands of cavalry, which is enough to ensure the safety of this place. You
If you come to Liangzhou..."
Wei Li shouted flatly: "Shut up! I am the queen of the Wei family, how can I associate with the traitors?"
The smile on Chen Cheng's face suddenly froze. He snorted and said, "It turns out that the court still regards us as rebellious."
"No...that's not what I meant!"
Chen Cheng sneered and said: "But you are right, we Xiliang people are indeed rebellious. It is not a matter of a year or two for the people of Liangzhou to disobey Wang Hua. Just take the title of Liangzhou Mu and want me to take over the military state."
Hand over the sharp weapon? He Jin is too naive!"
Wei Li's face twitched and his voice lowered, "In fact, the imperial court has been imitating catapults, and it has been very effective. There are far more skilled craftsmen in Sanfu and Zhongyuan than in Liangzhou. Xiliang can make thunderbolt chariots.
The imperial court will definitely be able to make it. It only takes a little more time, and it will be a great success. The general is now giving the imperial court the manufacturing method of the Thunderbolt Chariot. It is a favor and a free thing, so why not do it?"
Chen Cheng smiled and said: "So that's it."
The atmosphere between the two was very tense just now, and now it seems to have eased a bit, but they both know that the little affection they had before is gone. Wei Li feels very uncomfortable in his heart. Two years ago, he had already
He was a military commander in the Yueqi camp. At that time, Lu Fang was just a cavalry captain, Yan Zhong was just a frustrated scholar wandering around the capital, and Xu Rong was just a small village commander.
But two years later, while he was still standing still, Yan Zhong had soared to the sky and became the second most powerful person in Liangzhou. Chen Cheng almost obeyed his words. Among the two former colleagues, Lu Fang became the prefect of Hanyang.
Xu Rong was in charge of Manbai, but actually commanded all the soldiers and civilians of Wuyuan County and Shang County, leaving him far behind.
Although he is a rebel from Xiliang, he is still the governor of a county and the general of Zhendong!
On the way from Fufeng to Yinchuan, he passed through Hanyang. Lu Fang was very enthusiastic towards him, and his words were full of the feelings of old comrades. But the more enthusiastic Lu Fang was towards him, the less he felt in his heart. At that time, he was in Yueqi camp.
At that time, both of them were middle- and lower-level officers who were not very successful, and promotion was basically out of their reach.
However, the two people's different choices have resulted in a huge gap in status between the two parties. Wei Li clenched his fists tightly, hating secretly in his heart: It was just a difference in thought!
When Chen Cheng wanted to recruit him, on the one hand he was unhappy, on the other hand he was holding his breath, that's why he had such a big reaction. Wei Li secretly thought: As long as I can bring back the manufacturing method of the Thunderbolt Car, I will
Even the Imperial Yue Cavalry Captain, how could he be compared to the Hanyang Prefect of the rebels?
However, no matter how he persuaded or begged, Chen Cheng always pushed back and forth, with a kind attitude, but he would never agree to the matter. Wei Li tried to persuade him several times in a row, but still didn't get the answer he wanted, and he couldn't help but get angry.
Said: "General, don't you care about the feelings of old friends?"
Chen Cheng raised his eyebrows, and the expression on his face seemed to be one of surprise and contempt, "Public is public, private is private, how can they be confused? If the angel is short of money, I still have some savings, so I can donate ten thousand dollars.
For use on the road."
Wei Li said bitterly: "Am I the one who is short of this ten thousand yuan?"
Ten thousand dollars sounds like a lot, but if you think about it, it's only ten dollars.
Chen Cheng said regretfully: "Then I can't help you. By the way, I have other things to deal with today, so I won't let you eat. When you go back to Luoyang someday, I will have someone prepare dry food and travel expenses for you."
He turned to the tooth soldier beside him and said, "Send the angel to the inn to rest."
Two tooth soldiers walked up expressionlessly, stopped in front of Wei Li, and said: "Please!"
"Okay, you Chen Wenzheng!" Wei Li yelled a little rudely, and said loudly: "You will definitely regret it in the future if you treat me like this today!"
