Liu Cong's defeated troops quickly returned to Pingyang.
On the flat river valley, two completely different styles of painting appeared.
A kind of fortress built of masonry, earth and wood, standing high on the plain.
Around Wubao, there are thousands of hectares of fertile farmland.
The other type is villages or settlements, most of which have recently migrated and exist in the form of clans and tribes, each under the leadership of the Liu family, Huyan family and other Xiongnu noble surnames.
Liu Cong had his own tribe: the former Xi Ke tribe of the Xiongnu.
After returning to the tribe, all the lords (tribe leaders), marshals, and clan leaders came to pay homage: "Your Highness."
Liu Cong looked ashamed.
Among the thousands of cavalry who went on the expedition, many came from several tribes under his control, the so-called Xiongnu headquarters.
Apparently someone failed to come back this time, which made it difficult for him to face the big and small heads.
"Everyone..." Liu Cong opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
"Your Highness." Youbu stepped forward and said: "Prairie men died in the army. They were born to fight. Your Highness does not need to blame himself."
Everyone said yes.
Liu Cong felt better, smiled a little, and entered an earthen city surrounded by his boss, marshal, and clan leaders.
Some girls offered milk, cheese, mutton, green rice (millet), Dongqiang wine and other traditional foods - Dongqiang (also known as Dongqiang, the historian has not been able to verify what kind of plant it is), which is green and black in color.
It looks like fluffy grass but is actually like sunflower seeds. When ripe in October, it can be made into white wine.
Liu Cong asked the senior officials to sit in a circle, as is the custom in the prairie.
He actually doesn't like these foods very much.
He had long been accustomed to the lifestyle of the Jin people and had no interest in these so-called traditions. However, in order to get close to the tribal leaders, he acted well and ate happily.
After Liu Cong took action, the leaders also started eating, including meat, rice and milk.
"I heard that ten thousand people were recruited from various tribes?" After half-full of food, Liu Cong took a sip of wine and asked.
"One child from two families is not a big fortune." Youbu said.
"We have too many people."
"If you can grab something, it won't be a loss."
"In the past, the Han people provided money and food for us to fight in the war. Now the Jin people can't provide this money, so they can't help themselves?"
As soon as this was said, everyone laughed.
Liu Cong also laughed.
"The story of Qi Han provided that Yu Fei of Nandan was supplied with more than 190 million yuan."
To put it simply, the Eastern Han Dynasty court spent "more than 190 million" worth of food and supplies to Nan Danyu every year to support this group of Huns mercenaries.
A hundred years after the Three Kingdoms, the Huns were still mercenaries, fighting for Cao Wei.
The same was true in the early and middle periods of the Western Jin Dynasty.
That's why a military commander just now said that the Huns were "heavy soldiers to death". It was not nonsense. They were professional mercenaries.
It's just that after moving south to the Han Dynasty, they were indeed a bit useless and were not as ferocious as the newly emerged Xianbei people on the grasslands.
"The people of Jin are fighting each other, and the elite soldiers and generals are almost beaten, but there are still a few powerful troops left." Liu Cong waved his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and then said: "Shao Xun, the Duke of Luyang County, has quite a lot of silver spear troops.
The rules are very difficult to deal with, so be careful when you encounter them. Shi Le once mentioned that he was good at using car formations, so maybe you can think of a way."
"Your Highness said so, so I will be careful."
"Maybe we can use the wolf hunting method to deal with it."
"Yes. Delay, siege, road digging, arson, smoke, all at the same time. If his car array can travel more than ten miles a day, it will be good."
"I would like to meet him and see how good he is."
Liu Cong felt very relieved after hearing this.
They have never met Shao Xun, but their momentum is quite strong. This is not a bad thing, fighting depends on morale.
If you are afraid of Shao thieves, you will shrink back in battle, which is not beautiful.
"Will your Highness lead us when we go on an expedition next month?" Youbu asked.
"Next month? Has it been decided yet?"
"It's almost done. Cheese, dried meat, and grain have all been collected, so it's probably going to be done soon."
"If you don't get anything in this battle, you'll be at a loss."
Everyone was talking and talking.
When the Xiongnu went to war, the biggest problem was raising food.
Bingzhou also suffered from drought this year. Although it was not as serious as Henan, it was still affected and it was difficult to raise food.
Shi Le contributed a little, and the tribes in Hexi, where the disaster was less serious, also sent some grain, and cattle and sheep came over, but it was not enough, so they had to go south to grab it.
"I will still be the vanguard in the attack on Luoyang." Liu Cong nodded and said, "There will be many tribesmen coming from Hexi and from the north. You must have a good relationship with them and don't want to get into trouble. When fighting, be of the same mind.
Work together.”
"As ordered." Everyone responded in unison.
After finishing the banquet, Liu Cong left Tucheng and walked around the tribe's headquarters.
Someone is sharpening a knife.
Someone is adjusting the riding bow and walking bow.
Someone is washing the horses.
Someone is preparing the rope for capturing the prisoners.
Someone led a group of teenagers, imparted some experience to them, and taught them how to fight.
The above are men.
Women are preparing winter fodder for livestock.
Others were milking cows, drying cheese, and preparing dry food.
Some people are even killing sheep. On the one hand, it is traditional to slaughter livestock in late autumn for winter fodder, and on the other hand, it is also to prepare dried meat for the army.
Cheese and dried meat are very hungry, do not take up space, are light in weight, and are essential items for cavalry traveling long distances.
Liu Cong was quite emotional after seeing it.
Why did such a good soldier suffer such a big loss at Yuan Yan and Shao Xun?
He has been reflecting on it these past two days.
Shao Xun is a man of great strategy in fighting wars.
One of the outstanding characteristics is that he thinks a lot, not thinking about winning, but thinking about losing first.
Before attacking a certain place, the first thing to think about is to secure food routes, and the second thing to consider is the retreat in case of defeat.
What an old-fashioned general!
He is only in his twenties, how can he fight like an old man in his fifties or sixties? He has no youthful spirit, no heroic passion!
But this kind of person really has few flaws, which gives him a headache.
He likes the kind of generals who make great efforts and make great efforts. They are brave and diligent, but also have many flaws. The two sides fight back and forth, and there are dangers everywhere, but they all have a chance to win.
In such chaotic battles, he can often take advantage of the cavalry, seize fleeting opportunities, and defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.
If Wang Kuang had not entered Changping last year and blocked the river in Hanoi, it would not have been easy to defeat the 30,000-strong army.
But Wang Kuang dared to march northward, and was finally surrounded by his cavalry and defeated in one fell swoop.
This time when he went south to Luoyang, he didn't want to meet Shao Thief. The way that guy fought was simply disgusting.
However, you will eventually encounter it in the future.
Some people have mentioned my problems before, but I don't like to hear them. Now I have to slowly correct them.
Raising an army out of anger, being impatient and aggressive, being too competitive, etc. are not the qualities that a general should have. Nor are they the qualities that a king should have if he still wants to get that big position.
As the sun set, Liu Cong, who had been standing in the wild for a long time, woke up, sighed, and walked towards Tucheng.
After suffering the loss, he seems to have matured a lot, even though he is already in his thirties.
The "Shao Thief" in Liu Cong's words was like the "godfather" of the Jin Dynasty's military circles, cultivating generals from all walks of life in batches.
Wang Mi, Shi Le, Liu Cong...
Next, I don’t know which “victim” it is.
****
Fan Long returned to Pingyang City before Liu Cong, and the first thing he did was to report to the city.
After Liu Yuan heard this, he didn't say anything. He had other things to worry about now.
"Your Majesty seems to be worried about something?" Fan Long asked.
Liu Yuan looked at a map on the desk and asked casually: "When will Xuan Ming be here?"
"Just these few days." Fan Long couldn't say clearly, so he could only answer truthfully.
Liu Yuan nodded. In fact, he didn't care much about this matter.
Fan Long quietly took a look at the map.
The Han Dynasty has developed to this day and is already quite powerful.
Most of the six counties in Bingzhou were captured by the imperial court. Liu Kun was almost surrounded. Even if he could contact Luoyang, he could only go in the direction of Xiangyuan, and the messenger was still at risk of being captured.
Pingyang and Hedong counties in Sizhou also acquired it.
In Fengyi County in Guanzhong, there were tribes that were dependent on the imperial court.
In the vast land of Hexi, Empress Shan's natal family and four Xianbei tribes led by Lu Zhuyan came to surrender.
In the prosperous Hebei Province, there was territory that Shi Le conquered.
This is a large country that spans the four prefectures of Yong, Ji, Si, and parts of the Hexi grassland.
"Food!" Liu Yuan patted the table and sighed.
The food issue has always been the crux.
He summoned more than 10,000 Di people from Feng Yi, and recruited more than 10,000 people from the four Xianbei tribes, Xinxing, and Yanmen counties, more than 10,000 Xianbei cavalry from the Bai tribe, more than 10,000 cavalry from Daibei Zahu Hu, plus 20,000 cavalry from the Xiongnu headquarters.
Tens of thousands of infantry troops, Pingyang, and Hedong also have Dingzhuang from Zhuwubao and Wang Mi's tribe...
The gathering of so many soldiers and horses would consume a huge amount of money.
"Let's set off in October at the latest." Liu Yuan stood up, not looking at Fan Long, but at the sudden autumn rain outside, and said, "Fan Qing, which direction do you think the troops should advance from?"
"I think it would be better to leave Zhiguan and enter Hanoi." Fan Long suggested.
"Did Shao Xun just defeat Xuan Ming because of Yuan Yan?" Liu Yuan raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile.
"No." Fan Long shook his head and said, "Hanoi is rich, which is convenient for raising food and contacting King Ping Jin."
"Shi Le has opened up the situation now." Liu Yuan said with a smile: "This time we attack Luoyang, what should Shi Le do with us?"
"Perhaps we can order King Ping Jin to go south to Yuzhou." Fan Long said: "The guardians of Yecheng, Jijun and Dunqiu are the same as Liu Kun of Jinyang. They only protect the city and are vulnerable. King Ping Jin goes south.
, they were unable to stop them. Once the stone soldiers entered Yuzhou, Wang Kan, Wang Shiwen and others would be unable to assist Luoyang."
Liu Yuan nodded slightly.
This strategy is actually good, and can also take advantage of the situation to cut off a grain transportation channel in Luoyang.
"But I don't know how the emperor and ministers of Luoyang responded." Liu Yuan turned back and said.
"Maybe they thought His Majesty would not attack Luoyang." Fan Long said with a smile.
Liu Yuan laughed: "We have summoned so many people, how can we do without a fight? Please go and urge Xuan Ming and ask him to come see me as soon as possible."
"I obey." Fan Long resigned and left.
When leaving the city, I met the great Sikong Huyanyi.
He frowned and was so worried that even Fan Long didn't pay attention and went straight into the city.
Fan Long felt worried in his heart.
Huyanyi has been reorganizing the infantry recently and is worried about food every day. Moreover, he heard that the infantrymen who were recruited are in a bad mood. They are very dissatisfied with Huyanyi for not distributing sufficient army rations, and there are also many people who shout for beatings and killings.
Fan Long always felt that there was a black air above his head, as if there was a bloody disaster.
He shook his head, got rid of the idea, and left quickly.
Chapter completed!