Along the Chaobai River in the south of Huairou County.
More than 400,000 cattle, sheep and horses are densely packed all over the wilderness, eating green grass leisurely.
Xiao Dagan grabbed his long, curved braid in distress, looked at the map in front of him, and pulled down hard.
In just ten days, Xiao Daqian already felt bald.
Although he was already bald.
The Khitan people have the custom of shaving the entire head, leaving a ring around the edges.
He kept looking back and forth on the map, his brows knitted into a straight line.
The map in front of him was different from the terrain map of the battle. It was a map recording the surrounding pastures.
Xiao Daqian's official position is that of the cattle chief. As you can tell by his name, he is responsible for the management of livestock.
The first problem the Khitan army faced was not a lack of food, but that the more than 400,000 cattle, sheep, and horses that accompanied the army were about to run out of food.
Under Xiao Siwen's governance, although the military affairs of Youdu Mansion were in a mess, administrative affairs were flourishing.
In particular, he implemented the decree that exempted farmers from rent and taxes for ten years when developing agricultural land. As a result, fertile fields were everywhere around Youdu Prefecture, and there were only a few decent pastures.
The daily fodder required by more than 400,000 cattle, sheep and horses is staggering. If there is a lack of food, there will be no milk, regardless of whether they die or not.
This would have a devastating impact on Khitan's logistics.
Many people think that people in the grasslands eat meat every day and are happy with it. They think that leading troops to fight and bringing hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep is just for eating meat.
This is totally wrong.
Grassland people are extremely rare on cattle, sheep and horses, and will not easily kill them for food.
Cattle and sheep are only slaughtered when they die of old age, when entertaining distinguished guests, or when there are major festivals.
Especially when marching and fighting, the army is more taboo about slaughtering cattle and sheep.
Otherwise, let alone more than 400,000 head, even one million cattle and sheep would not be enough to feed the army of 100,000 in March and May.
The main purpose of bringing cattle and sheep is to obtain cow's milk, goat's milk and mare's milk anytime and anywhere, which are the best food for grassland people.
A bowl of dry food and a large bowl of cow and goat milk are more filling than anything else. As long as there is grass, they are inexhaustible.
More than 400,000 cattle and sheep were the Khitan army's largest source of food.
Once cattle and sheep are weaned, it means that a large amount of food must be consumed to fill the gap.
A grain transportation line of more than a thousand miles cannot be solved easily.
“Where is the safe pasture?”
In order to feed the more than 400,000 ancestors in his hands, Xiao Daqian tried every means.
At this moment, Xiao Daqian suddenly heard a deafening cry of killing.
He walked out of the tent with a blank look on his face, and the scene in front of him made his face turn pale and feel chilled.
The Central Plains cavalry appeared out of nowhere and massacred the soldiers protecting the herd.
Accompanied by thunderous roars, the Central Plains cavalry galloped like lightning, their horses as fast as dragons. They were like tigers entering a flock of sheep, killing everyone they saw, like evil ghosts from hell.
Xiao Daqian's mind went blank.
It wasn't until his confidants pulled him onto his horse that Xiao Daqian realized what he was doing and said loudly: "Quick, quick, go to the military camp and ask for help. I'll go find someone in the herd for support!"
Yelujing mobilized ten thousand people to protect the herds.
There are a lot of people, but because of the fate of coming thousands of miles away.
They rushed in with a hundred thousand leather warriors, but they did not bring the shepherd women with them.
The work of collecting cow's milk, goat's milk, mare's milk and grazing are also undertaken by these ten thousand people.
Gu Zhi
Therefore, there are still more than 6,000 people in the herd that can be called upon.
Xiao Dagan didn't care much and rushed towards the herd.
Han Lingkun chopped down the Khitan soldiers in front of him, waved his sword, and laughed: "Follow me to kill all these thieves and take all the cattle, sheep and horses back to Youzhou. Haha..."
Looking at the cattle, sheep and horses all over the field, Han Lingkun's eyes sparkled with wonder, and he shouted one more time: "Brother Luo, you are a true god and man!"
They all thought that Luo Youdu's purpose was to use the grain transport team to lure the Khitan soldiers into battle. They all thought that Luo Youdu's way to break the situation was to fight the Khitan head-on with real swords and spears on the banks of the Sanggan River.
It's not just Zhou who thinks this way, even the Khitans also have the same idea.
But no one thought that Luo Youdu didn't care about the grain transport team at all.
The grain transport team was a real bait, luring the Khitan to fight in order to rob the grain, and luring the Khitan to fight in order to aid Yelvwansi.
His real purpose was to use a false shot to attack the Khitan herds that were far away from the Khitan military camp in order to eat grass.
Exchange your own food team for the other party's herd.
Han Lingkun still remembered his expression when he heard that Luo Youdu suddenly changed his mind and asked him to change his tactics. After crossing the river, he went north from the west along the Xiangshan Mountains to attack the Khitan herds.
Although Luo Youdu said that it was a temporary idea and a sudden tactic.
But Han Lingkun had a vague feeling that this was Luo Youdu's original intention, and that his brother's original goal was the Khitan herd.
But he couldn't understand many of them.
I don’t understand why Luo Youdu gave him an empty tip bag and why he wanted to deceive even his own people.
But he believed that Luo Youdu didn't tell him clearly because it was for his own good and he didn't care about it.
At this moment, Han Lingkun had no other thoughts except shouting "God man".
"Commander Ma, there are still enemies in the herd."
Han Lingkun was reminded and looked towards the herd. Indeed, a group of soldiers and horses was gradually gathering deep in the herd.
Han Lingkun raised his sword high, thought for a while and said: "Zhu Xin, you lead three thousand cavalry with branches tied to their tails, pretending to attack the Khitan military camp. Others, come with me and kill them! Crush these sons of bitches.
…”
As soon as Han Lingkun finished speaking, he had already charged towards the more than a thousand troops that the Khitan had just assembled.
Generals in this era often take the honor of leading the army.
Han Lingkun is a dignified commander and the second-ranking figure in the Guards and Military Division. He is also unwilling to lag behind on the battlefield and takes the lead.
He was like a bolt of lightning, wedged bravely into the enemy group.
The broadsword slashed left and right, just like cutting a melon and cutting vegetables, cutting down the soldiers beside him to the ground.
Xiao Dagan's army, which was organized in an emergency, was defeated by Han Lingkun and his troops in one encounter.
Xiao Daqian was so frightened that he turned around and ran away.
Han Lingkun was not in a hurry to pursue him, but reined in his horse and shouted: "Those who surrender will not be killed!"
He does not speak Khitan, but Luo Youdu specially arranged for him several personal guards who can speak Khitan this time.
At this moment, they also shouted in Khitan dialect: "Those who surrender will not be killed!"
Originally, these soldiers were doing milking work. They wore no armor and only had a scimitar at their waist. They were no match for the well-equipped Zhou Forbidden Army.
Seeing Han Lingkun shouting so loudly, everyone knelt on the ground.
Han Lingkun said again: "Put down your weapons and drive all the livestock to Youzhou. After the event is completed, if you want to stay, I will divide your cattle and sheep; if you want to return to Khitan, I will let you go back. I, a hero of the Central Plains, keep my word."
!”
There are more than 400,000 cattle and sheep. The Central Plains people who have no herding experience cannot control them at all. Recruiting soldiers is inevitable.
After Han Lingkun finished speaking, Xiao Daqian gathered another group of people in the distance.
Without Xiao Dagan, these herdsmen would have fled long ago.
Han Lingkun repeated the above thing again, recruiting herdsmen to drive cattle and sheep to Youzhou.