This is the mountainous area south of Muzhou. When Haotian's army arrived, it caused a panic. Haotian could even see some people who were working throwing away their tools and running away. Such a situation
, making Xin Jiao and others around him feel sad.
Stopping the team, Haotian personally led Xuanji Xin Jiao and others into the mountainous area. After finally explaining their purpose of coming, the expressions of the people softened, but there was still some wariness on their faces. What followed was another burst of
After a long time of panic, an old man who looked like an official walked out of the crowd.
"A certain Haotian, now appointed as the prefect of Hetao, was ordered by our emperor to regain the northwest. I wonder who you are?" Haotian said with his hands raised. However, Xian Lianchen Qiumu and others around him were obviously not used to the situation here.
Regarding the environment, except for Xin Jiao who had been following Haotian closely, the rest of the people were leaning slightly back, carefully paying attention to the stolen goods on the ground, and covering their noses with handkerchiefs to resist the strange smell coming from nowhere.
Only Xin Jiao and Xin followed Haotian step by step, and the three of them looked as usual.
"I, Xia Houming, was originally the magistrate of Muzhou. The foreign tribes invaded the year before last and the imperial army was defeated. I had no choice but to lead the people under my rule to flee towards the southern mountains. Counting on my fingers, it has been two years now.
." The old man said sentimentally.
"Xia Houming? Your Excellency is still alive?" Xuanji was surprised: "Hebei Fifth Road fell, and all the officials above the prefect level in the imperial court withdrew to the Holy Capital of Tiandu. Only Your Excellency was nowhere to be found. I didn't expect that Your Excellency was still in the same place.
By adhering to your duties, you truly deserve to be a pillar of the country."
Xia Houming shook his head in shame: "Sir, you praised me. As an official of the imperial court, I am trusted by the people, but I can't help the people's well-being. I feel ashamed."
Haotian hurriedly said: "Why do you need to blame yourself, sir? Since the fall of the Sixteenth Province of Youyun, the empire has lost more than 20 state capitals, but it is unheard of that anyone died in battle. And although my lord is in danger, he still
We will never abandon the people under our rule. We have such a pillar in our country, so why worry about the lack of prosperity in our country?"
The shame on Xia Houming's face faded slightly, but he still shook his head and said: "I am not a pillar of the country. I am already half buried in the earth. As long as the people under my rule can have enough food and clothing."
, I will die with no regrets."
Haotian and others were moved for a moment. From Xia Houming's demeanor and the expressions of the people around him, they naturally understood that Xia Houming was absolutely speaking from the bottom of his heart. Looking at Xia Houming's white hair on his temples and the deep wrinkles on his face, everyone
A feeling of respect suddenly surged in his heart. After taking a deep breath, Haotian said: "Master Xiahou, you are hiding here, don't the Rouran Cavalry know your existence?"
"They knew it from the beginning, but the Rouran soldiers stationed here are not as vicious as other barbarians outside the Great Wall. As long as we can pay the food and grass on time, they will not deliberately make things difficult for us. Besides, our place is shabby and dilapidated.
The environment is also bad, and it is located in a mountainous area, so they are not willing to come easily. If there is really difficulty, the female general will be lenient." Xia Houming said honestly.
"Female general?" Haotian and others suddenly became curious.
"Well, although she always wears a mask, no matter what she says or does, she exudes a unique aura of a woman. According to those Rouran soldiers, she seems to be a princess."
Haotian's heart moved: "Could it be Princess Yinling?" Xuanji and others around him also had the same expression. It is not impossible. Princess Yinling is the sister of Princess Rouran, and she happens to be stationed on Anxi Road. If it is true.
If it's her, then Princess Rouran is pretty good. However, Xia Houming doesn't know much, so there's no way to confirm Haotian's thoughts.
After another chat, Haotian then asked: "Lord Xiahou, someone sees that the land here is barren and hundreds of thousands of people live here. I wonder if the people can avoid hunger and cold?"
Xia Houming smiled bitterly: "To be honest, if the year is good, the food in and out of the mountains will barely be enough for the people. But this year there is a severe drought, and the melting water of snow and ice has also been greatly reduced. This place is already very barren, and we
The current surplus grain is simply not enough to survive this cold winter, let alone when the grain matures next season."
Haotian hesitated for a moment, then called Chen Han over: "How much food do we still have with the army?"
Chen Han made some calculations and then said: "At first, we considered a long-distance march, so we specially prepared 150,000 people for a twenty-day march. Some of them were left for General Chun Sword Reward, and some were taken away by the commander. Now,
The rest can still sustain the needs for fifteen days. However, Mr. Chu has already prepared food in Hetao. If necessary, it can be delivered here in eight days at most."
Haotian closed his eyes slightly: "Let's do this. Let the troops behind who have already transported food speed up and leave two-thirds for the villagers. Now the three-community coalition is like a lost dog. It only carries five days of military food, which will also help the marching speed.
Speed up. In addition, let Lord Chu collect as much food and winter supplies as possible, transport them to Muzhou as soon as possible, and hand them over to Lord Xiahou for distribution."
"But," Chen Han couldn't help but retorted. However, Haotian obviously didn't give him any chance and waved his hand decisively: "There is no but, just execute the order. Nothing can compare with the survival of half a million fellow villagers.
More important."
Turning his head, Haotian said to Xiahou Ming on the side: "Master Xiahou, now the Hulu on Anxi Road have basically been eliminated. You can lead the people back home. I don't carry much food this time.
This is the only thing that can be left. But please rest assured, sir, I have ordered people to prepare supplies and food for the winter. I believe it will take at least half a month to arrive in Muzhou. I hope that your Excellency can send someone to take charge of it. We are both from China.
Pulse, I, Haotian, will never sit back and watch the villagers suffer from hunger and cold."
At this moment, Zhan Shutang hurried over on horseback, his face full of anger. When he saw Haotian and others, the horse had not stopped yet, and he had already jumped off the horse.
Haotian was shocked and asked quickly: "What happened?"
Wiping away his sweat, Zhan Shutang gasped and said: "My lord, the spies just reported that the coalition forces of the three tribes used a small force to attract our attention. The large army moved south at full speed and intercepted our luck in Xiazhou.
The food team. Due to being outnumbered, after a hard battle, all six thousand soldiers escorting the food were killed, and all the supplies were burned. Now the enemy has turned their horses and ran towards the east."
"What?" Haotian was dizzy at that time. Fortunately, Xin Jiao next to him held him up, so Haotian didn't fall down.
Luo Xiang's face was particularly ugly when Xuanji and Luo Xiang hurried over. The Hetao army marched westward. As a precaution, Haotian specially increased the number of troops transporting supplies to 6,000 people. He and the army also always maintained a distance of fifty miles.
distance, and deployed reconnaissance cavalry widely. Unexpectedly, the logistics supplies were still handed over to the three tribes coalition forces. Considering that the logistics supplies were just behind the army, Haotian himself did not carry too many supplies. And
Here, it will take at least two days for the army to go west to Jiayuguan or east to return to Hetao. It only has a little food with it. What should we do?
At this time, Chen Han was still ignorant of current affairs and asked: "My lord, the army has no food and grass now, what should we do?"
Haotian's face was distorted, and Xin Jiao and others around him were worried. After a long time, Haotian squeezed out two words from between his teeth: "Kill the horse!"
"Lord!" Xin Ji and Xuanji both exclaimed. In the war years, food and war horses were the two most valuable treasures, and war horses in Hetao were already scarce. If not for the strong support of the Bloody Plateau, they would not be able to maintain their current situation at all.
This number of cavalry. But to slaughter the war horses now is undoubtedly to kill the goose to obtain the egg.
Haotian waved his hand: "This is the only option. We still have about 50,000 war horses. We only need one-third of them to support our food consumption for the past two days. Well, please pass on this order to your order.
Li Xiao, who is stationed in Huangzhou, will immediately transport the food from Huangzhou over first." After sighing, Haotian then continued: "Military advisor, Xin Ke, I also know that you are reluctant to part with it, but in fact, how can I be willing to part with it? These are terrible things.
They are all the most sophisticated war horses cultivated on the Bloody Plateau! But is there any better way now? The war horses are gone, and it will only take two or three years to make up for them, but our soldiers are gone? Should we just let them go?
Are these brave soldiers starving like this?"
Xuanji and others obviously understood that this was indeed the best choice, but they still couldn't bear the thought of these excellent war horses being slaughtered for food. Even Luo Xiang, who had always been scheming, sighed. No one thought that
, the coalition forces of the three tribes were actually able to pull off such a move. It really put Haotian's army through a lot of trouble.
Narrowing his eyes, Haotian took a deep breath and said to Xia Houming beside him: "Sir, please rest assured that although our army is short of military rations, we will never harass the people. I will definitely keep my words, for up to half a month."
, my supplies from the Hetao will be able to be transported to Muzhou, and I hope you can distribute them well by then."
Xia Houming's face suddenly changed. He looked at the old men around him and seemed to have made up his mind. He bit his lips, raised his head suddenly and said, "Master Marquis, please hold off on killing the horse. Master Marquis cares about the people, I am."
I admire you very much. If the Marquis doesn't dislike it, we still have some grains in stock here. But these are all coarse grains, and I'm afraid you won't be able to eat them, Marquis."
Haotian and others were all shocked. Looking at Xiahou's smiling face and the sincere smiles of the ragged people behind him, everyone's eyes became wet. Xin Jiao and Xian Lianchen were left standing on the spot.
Cried.
"We are all of the same lineage as China, and the Marquis cannot bear for us to freeze and starve. How can we bear to see the Marquis and the soldiers without food?" Xia Houming still said with a smile.
Wiping away his tears, Haotian nodded heavily, then jumped on his horse and shouted to the soldiers around him: "Brothers, have you seen it! Do you know why we are fighting? Why are we fighting?"
Pick up weapons and go to the battlefield? Let me tell you, this is not only because of the hatred of the country and the family, not only the hope of marrying a wife and having a son, but more importantly, we also shoulder the hopes of countless fathers and fellow villagers.
Their dream! We also want to create a stable and happy home for them!"
On that day, although they ate the roughest food, whether it was Haotian, who was the noble prince, Zhang Yuewan, Xian Lianchen, the proud son of heaven, or Xin Jiaoqiumu, the delicate one, they all tasted particularly delicious.
After all, Memphis and Hengshi Hassan are famous generals who have been in the prairie for decades. Although they were badly bitten by Haotian, their counterattack was also clean and tidy. Not only did they kill six thousand soldiers who were escorting the food, they let out a bad breath.
, and a fire burned all Haotian's logistics supplies, causing Haotian's army to lose the ability to attack long distances. After a successful attack, the three-community coalition did not stop, but immediately went north. But no one expected
Unfortunately, although they got rid of the entanglement of Haotian's army, there was still a hungry wolf following behind them, and that person was Feng Jing.
Although Fengjing spared Princess Yinling in the Battle of Muzhou, Fengjing was not prepared to let go of the cavalry outside the Great Wall. After replenishing supplies at Xuesha, Fengjing led his 16,000 cavalry and set off.
Both the enemy and us were pure light cavalry, and Fengjing was originally unable to catch up with the coalition of the three tribes. However, after Princess Yinling joined Hengshi and Hassan, she went south to attack Haotian's logistics troops, and then
Turning the road and heading north. This gave Feng Jing a chance to catch up. Sixteen thousand cavalry, like hungry wolves, followed the three tribes coalition fiercely, and from time to time they bit each other's bodies.
Next piece of meat.
In this way, the two cavalrymen chased and escaped until they reached Taizhou. At this time, night fell again, and the exhausted two teams unanimously chose to set up camp. The camps of both sides were only four miles apart, and the scout cavalry of both sides also
Be on full alert.
Standing alone at the gate of the camp, Feng Jing's heart was still full of melancholy. He was still thinking about the Silver Bell Princess named Daisy. Feng Jing was not a person who had never seen the market before, but Daisy
The unique temperament of Er's body attracted him deeply. So much so that he resolutely blocked the bloody killing move and used himself as a shield to block Yao Qiang's fatal spear. Perhaps, this is fate.
Well, Fengjing thought in his heart.
At this moment, a war horse suddenly ran out of the camp of the three tribes' coalition forces. The knight on the war horse had long hair, and it was Princess Yin Ling. As if she felt something in her heart, Feng Jing rode on her without hesitation.
The war horse ran towards Princess Silver Ling.
"Are you waiting for me?" Feng Jing took the lead and said as he stepped forward.
Yin Ling nodded and said, "Yes. But I didn't expect you would really come out."
Feng Jing was silent for a while, and then he said after a long time: "I missed you for a long time after you left that day."