The main force of the Qin army led by Li Jing chose to withdraw before the battle. It was naturally very difficult to withdraw safely. After all, the 80,000 Northern Han coalition troops were not far away from the Qin army, and there was absolutely no way Wang Mang would let the Qin army escape.
Return to Beihai.
In this way, Li Jing led an army of 55,000 to escape, while Wang Mang led an army of 80,000 to pursue them at full speed, and the distance between the two sides became closer and closer.
"How far is our army from Qin's army now?" Wang Mang asked to his left and right.
"Reporting to your right minister, we are less than ten miles away. As long as we pass through the valley in front, we can catch up quickly."
As early as the pursuit, Wang Mang discovered that the escape route chosen by Li Jing was not the conventional route back to Beihai.
The Qin army did not take the short and flat road, but chose to take the farther and rugged mountain road.
This choice may have advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage is that it is convenient to set up an ambush to cut off the rear, and you can also use the terrain to fight to the death.
The disadvantage is that once caught up, you can't run away even if you want to.
Wang Mang felt that Li Jing would take this route because he was ready to fight stubbornly, so he naturally became more excited and led the entire army in pursuit for more than 20 miles, and finally found traces of the Qin army.
Wang Mang opened the map, looked at the terrain, and then ordered: "Instruct the entire army not to take any rest, speed up, and continue marching. Also, pay attention to prevent the Qin army from setting up an ambush."
"promise."
Half an hour later, when Wang Mang led his army to the valley, he found a huge wooden sign standing in front of the valley, with black ink written on it: No ambush here, Li Jing is here to stay.
Seeing this, the generals of the Qi army couldn't help but look at each other, and Wang Mang frowned even more.
Wang Mang observed the terrain, and to be honest, it was not suitable for setting up an ambush. If there was no such sign, he would definitely not think that Li Jing would set up an ambush here.
Now there is this sign that Li Jing deliberately left, and it also says there is no ambush, but Wang Mang feels that Li Jing has bad intentions. Looking at the valley again, he finds that there is a faint murderous intention in it.
Wang Mang placed the wooden sign on the ground, frowned and asked, "Everyone, what do you think? Could this be Li Jing deliberately defrauding us?"
Did he set up an ambush, but pretended that there was no ambush, so as to lure our army into an ambush?
Or is there no ambush in the first place, and Li Jing is making a mystery to delay time?"
"This place is not suitable for setting up an ambush. Even if Li Jing sets up an ambush, it won't have much effect. It seems that Li Jing is playing tricks to delay our army's advance." Chen Qingzhi said directly.
Zhou Yafu said: "No, Li Jing never does anything meaningless. Since he has set up such a brand, whether it is true or false, it proves that he is using a trick, so we should be more cautious."
Wang Mang nodded. This time he agreed with Zhou Yafu's point of view, so he said: "In that case, let's investigate first, and it's not too late to advance."
Soon, after some investigation by the soldiers, they found that the wooden sign left by Li Jing was correct, and no trace of an ambush was found in the valley.
Wang Mang looked embarrassed at first, and then sneered: "He even used such a little trick. It seems that Li Jing is really at his wits end."
"Lord, we have been delayed a lot of time, we must hurry up as soon as possible." Chen Qingzhi added.
Wang Mang nodded and ordered: "Send the order to the entire army to set off immediately."
"promise."
The Northern Han Allied Army continued to march, and half a day later, they arrived at a dangerous place suitable for setting up an ambush, and the only way to get there was through the road between the two mountains.
When Wang Mang saw the terrain, he was immediately frightened. He quickly ordered the army to stop, and asked the people around him: "The terrain here is too dangerous. If our army rushes in, what if Li Jing sets up an ambush here?"
It would be terrible if all the rocks were thrown at us."
As soon as Wang Mang finished speaking, a soldier suddenly stood up carrying a wooden sign and reported: "Please report to your right minister, who discovered this on the way forward."
Wang Mang and others looked at the Wanmu sign and saw it said: There is no ambush here, Li Jing is here to stay.
Wang Mang suddenly sneered and said: "It's such a trick again, Li Jing's intention is already very obvious, it's fake and real, so that we can't figure it out and delay time.
But for such a superficial strategy, our army cannot ignore it. After all, if it is false even once, our army will definitely pay a heavy price.
Send the order and start investigating this place immediately."
"promise."
Two hours later, after some investigation by the soldiers, they found that the wooden sign left by Li Jing was still correct, and there was still no trace of the ambush behind the mountain or on the mountain.
Wang Mang's face became a little unnatural, and he said coldly: "Li Jing is so clever. He delayed our army for so long with just two wooden signs, but so what? He will definitely be overtaken by our army before reaching Beihai.
.
Pass the order and continue marching."
"promise."
After the Northern Han Dynasty Allied Army passed through two mountains safely, they followed the footsteps of the Qin Army and marched for more than ten miles. This time they caught up with a lush forest and found a wooden sign for the third time, but this time there was a wooden sign on it.
He also wrote: There is an ambush here, and Li Jing remains here.
"Fuck..."
Wang Mang couldn't help but cursed. He drew his sword and slashed at the wooden sign, forcibly cutting it into firewood.
The generals looked at each other in shock when they saw this. They all understood why Wang Mang was angry. To be honest, they were really aggrieved. They had been targeted by Li Jing's scheming, and Wang Mang had already restrained himself. I'm afraid they would have been even more angry.
Although Li Jing's wooden plaque said there was an ambush, there were no birds hovering over the forest. The birds all returned to the forest. This was a call for an ambush.
But based on this, it cannot be concluded that there is no ambush. After all, as long as the number of ambush in the forest is not large, it can be hidden from the birds.
"We can't go on like this."
Soon, Wang Mang calmed down and said: "This forest stretches for more than ten miles. If we really explore it step by step, I'm afraid it won't take more than one day. By then, Li Jing will have already retreated to Beihai."
"Are you just going into the forest like this?"
Zhou Yafu said that he was cautious by nature and would not take such a risk even if he knew it was a trick.
Wang Mang pondered for a while and then said: "No, we can't just enter the forest like this. If Li Jing sets fire to the forest, our army will be destroyed."
"What should we do?"
A glint flashed in Wang Mang's eyes and he said: "Send out a group of troops to explore the way.
General Shajuanlian, please lead five thousand soldiers and go explore the road."
A trace of anger flashed in Shajuan Liang's eyes, but he also knew that only his army was suitable for this task. Who made his 30,000 Zhao army recruits, most suitable to be cannon fodder.
Shajuanhuan led 5,000 Zhao troops to explore the road first. The army was as thick as a forest, and Li Jing, who was hiding there, knew it.
"It really failed." Li Jing sighed, his eyes full of disappointment.