When he saw that Xindeng City, where fierce battles had taken place in the previous two Eastern Expeditions, was deserted, Yu Shuwen fell into great anger and fear at the same time.

This famous general and veteran of the Wei Dynasty knew very well that the opponent adopted the most targeted and possibly the most correct response strategy.

During this Eastern Expedition, people's hearts were shattered as soon as they started. The heartbreak led to the massive flight of the Central Army, and the large-scale flight of the Central Army, especially the civilians, caused the main supply line to shrink rapidly in a way that was visible to the naked eye.

This caused everyone, from the saint at the top to the ordinary people, to fundamentally lose confidence.

Specifically reflected in the front line, most soldiers were afraid to move forward, and at the same time, the troops crossing Luolongtan generally lacked food reserves.

At this time, for the Dongyi people, standing firm and clearing the country is the most correct choice and response... However, facing the opponent's most correct response, Yu Shuwen seems to have no extra way out.

"General Yu should withdraw his troops at this time, right?!"

In the open space in front of the military camp, Sima Huada read the military report and looked at his own father with some fear. "Why are you still chasing him? Do you want us to fulfill our oath and go together? Is he crazy?"

Sima Changying did not wear a helmet, but just sat on the horse with his hands tied, looking at the endless flat land around him... In front of him, some fields have begun to appear. This is a characteristic of the disappearance of saline-alkali tidal flats and the emergence of normal land, and the land is not bad.

Fertile, but at the moment there are only some green seedlings on these fertile lands, which can be used to feed horses at most, and cannot be used as military rations... Of course, if ears grow, Sima Changying has no doubt that the governor will personally order them to be burned.

After watching for a long time, Sima Xianggong went to look at his eldest son: "Is A Zheng gone?"

"I left early in the morning." Sima Huada was caught off guard, but he replied immediately. "According to your instructions, I didn't say any unnecessary words to him, and I didn't let him move around the army much, so I just drove him away... In fact, in the past

Azheng's cleverness may have noticed something, but I used my loyalty to the emperor to prevaricate it."

"That's good." Sima Changying nodded and asked, "Tell me, why did Yu Shuwen withdraw his troops?"

Upon hearing his father's question, Sima Huada immediately stopped talking and just looked introspective.

"Let me ask you, why did he withdraw his troops?" Sima Changying had no choice but to put down her hands and put her hands on her knees. "I'm not scolding you, I'm asking you seriously."

"He... has a strong wall and a clear field in front of him. He has limited military rations, and the people are divided. Among the Eighth Route Army, the only one willing to go forward with him is Zhao Guang, who is of low origin and doesn't care about anything... plus his self-reliance on cultivation.

And generals are not something worth mentioning in front of the Governor of Dongyi, right? If we chase forward, as long as we are out of touch behind, I am afraid that we will not have to hold on to the wall and clear the country, and the Governor will lead his army to meet him. "

"Then what?" Sima Changying couldn't ask further.

"Then...then nine times out of ten it will be a defeat?" Sima Huada finally showed his hands. "In addition, the morale of the army is so ridiculous, I am afraid that the whole army will be annihilated again."

"But so what if the army is defeated?" Sima Changying suddenly asked. "So what if the whole army is wiped out? He is a grand master, and there are 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers blocking him... Can't I escape?"

Sima Huada was startled for a moment, as if he had realized something, but he immediately shook his head: "But if the army is defeated, won't the saint want his life? Do you want to be a fugitive? Not to mention whether you can escape, just escape.

"Although the world is vast, Yu Shuwen is from Guanlong and has been serving as a general for generations, so where can he go? Doesn't he care about his family?"

"If he retreats without a fight, do you think the saint will kill him?" Sima Changying asked coldly.

At the turn of spring and summer, the weather was warm, and Sima Huada felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and then he realized: "So, for him, there is only one way forward, because there is still a chance to win..."

Sima Huada's voice gradually dropped midway through, because he vaguely realized something... something that was hard to say... For example, if Yu Shuwen, as the leader of the generals, would die if he retreated without fighting, then

Where is this biological father in front of me?

This seems to coincide with some unlucky words that day.

"Actually... whether it's going forward or going forward, you can give it a try." Sima Changying didn't seem to notice his son's strangeness, and just explained calmly. "Going forward, I'm betting that Li Ziqi's strong Qingye can't hold on.

, being bitten by him speeding up the march is also a bet that the Eighth Route Army will be united and can move forward together; later, it is a bet that the saint is in a good mood, a bet that the law will not blame the crowd, and even more a bet on the tricks played by one's own court.

We can’t coax that saint and try our best to survive... Didn’t we survive the two horse troughs before?"

"Then..." Sima Huada came back to his senses and responded at a loss. "What is this battle about? There were rumors before that the saint was deliberately killing the old people of Dong Qi, but I feel that he was also deliberately killing us.

Guan Longjiangmen?"

"You ask me, who am I asking? I only know that normal people should stop their troops when they see hundreds of thousands of people fleeing on the road." Sima Changying remained calm. "The civilians fled like that, and they still have to send troops forcibly. It is originally a force.

We set out to recruit people to make a fortune...and if we were really being honest, not to mention Yun Nei, we shouldn’t have been asked to go there if we were dreaming about it that night.”

"Then...then father, how should we win?" Sima Huada responded carefully.

"It's very simple. I'm going forward, but you don't move... After three days, don't worry about what happens in front, immediately leave camp and return to the west." Sima Changying put on a helmet on the horse. "When you go back... you have to take the lead in crying.

, Yu Shuwen ignored the lack of food and fodder, ignored the enemy's stronghold and cleared the country, and just because he was personally humiliated by Li Ziqi, he insisted on going his own way and ignored the overall situation... This battle is his fault! "

"I understand!" Sima Huada nodded immediately. "I understand this!"

Sima Changying glanced at her son and immediately stood up, but staggered again.

Seeing this, Sima Huada immediately stepped forward to support the other party, but couldn't help but paused, and then responded carefully: "Father... How about I run away for you? I am young after all, but it is still easy to run away.

of."

Sima Changying fixedly looked at his hopeless eldest son. He was silent for a long time, and then he spoke under the noon sun: "Can you go... What is my identity? What is your identity? I am the only one who went.

No matter how hard you try, the saint will not express his anger; only if I go, Yu Shuwen can have nothing to say and continue to march forward; only if I go, and I am forced by Yu Shuwen, can you and others

Let's blame this guy for everything."

Sima Huada nodded vaguely in understanding.

Sima Changying wanted to say something more, but found it boring, so he simply mounted his horse and issued a military order, asking his troops to rush to the front line to catch up with Yu Shuwen's department.

When the military order was issued, a commotion immediately arose... After Sima and his son passed Luolongtan, they joined forces and moved forward. At this time, one group went forward and the other stayed behind. How could Sima Changying's subordinates be able to calm down?

Especially when the situation is now, with rumors flying all over the sky, those who bury food are burying food, and those who are afraid of war, why are only half of the people allowed to move forward?

However, Sima Changying has been in the army for decades, served as a general and became a prime minister, and has been in the family for generations. How come there is no dignity in the army?

After giving the order, family generals, private soldiers, and old troops naturally organized themselves to carry out punishments. Hundreds of people were killed. No one dared to speak out, so they had to set off in a hurry. Then there was a long journey of eighty miles day and night, and then finally

In the afternoon of the second day, we arrived at a hillside twenty miles behind Xindeng City, and caught up with Yu Shu's literary department here.

Then, the latter immediately gave an extremely bad intelligence feedback.

"The sentries came to report, and I went to see it myself... Longshan City in front was also empty, and all the wells were sealed, and all the city defenses were destroyed... They even abandoned such a strong city." Yu Shuwen's tone seemed a little bit.

Numb. "I never thought that I would fall into this situation one day... Sima Xianggong, have you ever thought about it?"

"Before last year, I had never thought about it." Sima Changying said sincerely with an expressionless face. "But after experiencing an incident in front of the imperial court, I have thought about every desperate situation."

Yu Shuwen nodded and did not ask too many details, but returned to the war itself: "Should we pursue it now or not?"

Sima Changying calmly replied: "General Yu has been marching forward ever since he sent out troops. I have always just followed him."

Yu Shuwen nodded again, but seemed to be retorting: "The military rations are already very dangerous. When crossing the beach, the soldiers took the opportunity to bury the grains."

"So should we pursue him or not?" It was Sima Changying's turn to ask impatiently.

"If you chase, you may still have a chance of survival, and you may end up with a hard-fought escape, or even a crime that is not a war. If you don't chase, you will only become the laughing stock of the world!" Yu Shuwen thought for a moment, gritted his teeth and responded. "How not?

Chase?!"

Sima Changying wanted to nod, but for some reason, he couldn't help but laugh.

"We are grasshoppers on a rope, what's so funny?" Yu Shuwen frowned and scolded.

"Actually, I knew you would think so before I came here, but it's still a little strange..." Sima Changying smiled. "Isn't it true that people like General Yu only consider their own merits and don't need to consider other people's?"

"Who else are you considering at this time?" Yu Shuwen immediately sneered. "Considering you people? Aren't we all the same? Is it just me with three heads and six arms? Let me tell you, if it weren't for Your Majesty

There is obviously mutual involvement, those few who are timid and fearful should have killed Ji Qi long ago, and then let you and I take over the military power...Li Ziqi could have been trapped at that time."

"That's not what I meant..." Sima Changying sighed and tried to say more, but finally gave up.

In this way, in the evening, Yu Shuwen's department took the lead in arriving at Longshan City.

On the second day, Yu Shuwen's troops left Longshan City and continued eastward. After gathering Zhao Guang's troops who came to join them later, Sima Changying also led his troops into Longshan... That night, there was a commotion. The soldiers of Sima and Zhao were too

They were tired and refused to set up camp again. They ignored military orders and entered Longshan City to rest.

But this time, Sima Changying did not pursue it too much.

However, the shortage of water in the city caused the order in the army to become even more chaotic. On the second day, after a long struggle, the troops were finally lined up... Many sergeants took the opportunity to hide in the ruins of the city and were unwilling to come out.

Zhao Guang still wanted to look for him, but Sima Changying just ignored him because the outposts coming from the front and back were clear. Although Yu Shuwen in front had conquered several small villages, he still did not encounter the main force of the Dongyi people, and he still could not

A decent supply of supplies was obtained, but at the same time, the armies at the rear were nowhere to be seen.

As for the number of troops and provisions at this time, Sima Changying was used to seeing troops and had already made an estimate - the two troops that originally had 30,000 soldiers in theory would be good at 20,000 at this time, and the provisions they brought

, and only seven or eight days.

This is mid-April.

In other words, just over ten days after crossing Luolongtan, the main force at the front of the Central Route Army fell into a state of disconnection, insufficient supplies, disorganized troops, and exhausted soldiers.

The troops continued to move forward for another day. On this day, there were already many sporadic battles with Yu Shuwen's tribe in front. There were also more and more Dongyi sentry cavalry and practicing special cavalry in the surrounding area. Sima Changying was impressed by his many years of military career.

They were keenly aware that the Dongyi people were about to counterattack... because they had noticed the embarrassment and weakness of this army, and they had to take action immediately before they could withdraw to deal with the Southern Route Army coming from the sea.

Sure enough, the battle emerged faster than expected.

In other words, the elite central army of the Wei Dynasty, which had lost military morale, was more vulnerable than imagined.

One afternoon later, the third day that Sima Changying had agreed with his son had just passed. His headquarters and Zhao Guangbu were marching hard in the fields from the burned-out village. Just now, there was only constant traffic on the road ahead.

The sentries and many sergeants who had fallen behind to rest for no reason suddenly turned into a large defeated army...

Facts have proved that nothing beats demoralization and war weariness.

After Sima Changying asked, he found out that most of Yu Shuwen's troops in the front did not have time to fight the Dongyi people, but the sentry cavalry detected that the main force of the Dongyi army appeared further ahead. The Dongyi people seemed to be launching a large-scale counterattack, and then took advantage of Yu Shuwen's

When Shuwen personally led his elite soldiers forward to verify the military situation, the Guanxi garrison troops who were thousands of miles away from home immediately collapsed on the wilderness and fled backwards, as if they had received a long-awaited signal.
To be continued...