Dian Wei didn't understand Liu Xiang's nonsense, and Zhao Yun didn't understand either.
He knew the meaning of the Analects quoted by His Majesty. He later said that the enemy would die at night, and he could probably guess that he was going to leave the camp to annihilate this enemy force.
But when the two paragraphs were put together, he became a little confused.
How could we not be clear about military orders? So he asked: "Your Majesty, I am stupid, can you make it clear?"
Shi A, Zhao Jing and Zhao Yun were equally confused and pricked up their ears, wanting to hear the emperor's true intention.
Dian Wei also looked over. In fact, he didn't even understand the meaning of the Analects of Confucius. Literacy was popularized in the army, and all generals and schools had to read. He and Cui Yi were the only two people in the Anping army who had trouble learning!
Liu Xiang just thought of some of the ridicule of the Analects of Confucius in later generations, so he brought it out casually. Seeing a few people's interest, he broke out in bad taste and explained:
"If you hear the truth in the morning, you can die at night. It means that if you know the way to your house in the morning, you can die in the evening. If the sentry discovers the enemy in the morning, then the enemy can declare defeat in the evening. Confucius
It is said that it is in harmony with military strategy and is the most rational thing!"
Zhao Yun was stunned, could the Analects of Confucius still be explained in this way? If those great scholars knew that the emperor interpreted the Analects like this, they would be killed in the main hall of Weiyang Palace, right?
Just as he was about to open his mouth to remonstrate, Dian Wei's words came out full of surprise: "Sage Kong is so brave? If you hear the Tao in the morning, you will die in the evening! It really lifts your spirits, it is really happy!"
Liu Xiang was very happy to be fooled. He held back his smile and said in a straight and straight tone: "The Analects of Confucius is profound and profound, and contains the most profound principles. You must read it carefully. If you can understand the true meaning of Confucius,
, he will become a famous general and will be used for a lifetime."
"The Analects of Confucius also contains the art of war?" Dian Wei felt that if the emperor hadn't said it, he wouldn't have believed it. Even if the emperor had said it, he would have only believed it one point.
Liu Xiang laughed and said: "Think about it. Kong Sheng was nine feet six inches tall. He was able to conquer the country. He was brave enough to outsmart the emperor. He was able to sneak up on cunning rabbits. He was proficient in the six arts, especially archery and chariot driving. Such a thing.
A character, if you read his words and deeds, you will be inspired."
Seeing that Dian Wei was still doubtful, he continued to lie: "I will teach you one more thing. Confucius said: If a violent tiger flows into the river and dies without regrets, I will not accept it. It means that you can only kill the tiger with your bare hands and swim across it empty-handed.
Dahe, but refuse to repent, I will not look down upon those who challenge me.
You have to read the Analects of Confucius carefully to understand its meaning. Well, you have to understand the rest by yourself."
"Oh." Dian Wei felt that today he got to know Confucius again. The Analects of Confucius must be learned carefully by his son. He just forgot about it. He is not a material for reading.
Zhao Yun felt that he had to dissuade him. Your Majesty's misinterpretation of the classics would make those Confucian scholars criticize him verbally and in writing.
"His Majesty……"
"Okay, okay." Liu Xiang waved his hand to interrupt Zhao Yun: "I know what you want to say. I'm just kidding, don't take it seriously."
"Your Majesty is talking about the Tianxian. There are some things that you cannot say."
"I understand." Liu Xiang shook his head helplessly. Since he ascended the throne, Zhao Yun has moved closer and closer to the old scholar, and quickly changed the topic:
"The enemy came from the northwest. The sentinels reported that their troops were in disarray and their banditry was hard to conceal. They must be bandits who came down from the mountain. Their flags were displayed, but I don't know whose troops they belong to? Zilong, do you think it was an ambush halfway?
Is it better to wait for them to get close and then make a surprise attack when they set up camp?"
"Your Majesty, our army is not familiar with the terrain. It is not a good idea to ambush halfway. How about waiting for work and setting up camp while the cavalry makes a surprise attack? We can win a battle!"
This proposal coincides with Liu Xiang's.
"Fifty miles away, the enemy will definitely not be able to enter the city today. We are really not sure how far they can travel in a day. We will send more scouts to investigate carefully. We will also send more light cavalry around Shu County to continue to block the view of the city, intercept and kill messengers, and block
connection."
Time passed by as the scouts came and went, and soon it was noon. The defenders of Shu County were cautiously preparing to attack the city, not daring to go out. The enemy troops in the northwest only traveled ten miles in half a day.
Liu Xiang judged that they could travel thirty miles at most, and they still had twenty miles left and needed to meet them.
"Send the order, after a good meal, the entire Yulin Left Prison, Yulin Right Prison's two thousand light cavalry, Shesheng Battalion's two thousand crossbowmen, and Jinwu Guard's two thousand soldiers will go out with me to fight. Zhao Yun will lead the rest of the troops to guard the camp."
Eight thousand men on foot and cavalry went out to fight, which was enough strength. In fact, he felt that only four thousand cavalry were needed to defeat the enemy. The four thousand infantry who followed him were to capture prisoners.
Cooking meals at noon and leaving camp at noon, the eight thousand troops marched northwestward in a leisurely manner, covering ten miles in an hour, as if they were on a field trip.
In the evening, we were still eleven or twelve miles away from the enemy. In order to prevent the scouts on the opposite side from discovering us, we stopped moving forward.
It is difficult for an army lacking fast horses to send out scouts ten miles away. Like Liu Xiang, when he is marching, he sends light cavalry out for thirty miles. This is because there are many cavalry, and hundreds of them are often wandering outside.
Many times, the scouts he sent out were more than the entire cavalry of others, which was not a normal number.
The infantry team in the Han Dynasty could be considered highly vigilant if the scouts were on the alert for ten miles. Most of them only went out for five or eight miles. If the distance was further away, there would be delays in delivering messages, and the scouts would fall behind and fail to find the camp.
The enemy general opposite was named Chen Lan. The information was obtained through torture and capture. Liu Xiang had heard of this man. He was Yuan Shu's general and he didn't seem to have any outstanding abilities.
According to the prisoner's confession, they were several groups of bandits who merged together and chose Chen Lan as their leader to go to Shu County.
As for what he was going to do, I don't know what he was doing.
"Whatever they do, they are dead anyway." Sun Ce clasped his fists and begged for orders: "Your Majesty, our troops are willing to be the vanguard, charge directly into the central army, and kill the enemy chiefs."
There were 20,000 to 30,000 enemies, and their quality was really poor. They had no formation when they marched, and no formation when they gathered. He felt that he only needed to lead his men to rush over, and victory was inevitable.
If you don’t seize the vanguard position at this time, the credit will belong to others.
Liu Xiang used a telescope to observe the situation on the opposite side and felt a toothache.
I miscalculated.
We originally thought that while the enemy was cutting down trees and setting up a stronghold, our cavalry would make a surprise attack and catch them off guard. Unfortunately, the enemy had no intention of setting up a stronghold at all.
The first team in the east and the first team in the west each found a place leeward and built some shacks to serve as camps.
It was so scattered that it spread for three to five miles along the woods at the foot of the mountain.
It is not difficult to defeat them, but it is difficult to annihilate them all. Moreover, it is very difficult for the cavalry to pursue them at the edge of the woods.
Liu Xiang thought for a long time, but finally gave up and defeated the enemy first. The bandits who escaped could only occupy Lujiang River and then order people to suppress the bandits.
"The enemy is scattered, so our army does not need to charge in a hurry. We can just trot closer and then speed up. Sun Ce, I will give you a thousand light cavalry. You can cut the enemy from the edge of the woods on the southern line, rush to the back of the formation, and then turn around and charge in.
Dian Wei, do the same with you, take a thousand armored cavalry and a thousand light cavalry, cut into the enemy's rear from the northern front, and try to trap the people in the middle.
Infantry will follow and surround them later. Those who escape into the woods do not need to be pursued."
Seeing the two lines of cavalry rushing towards the enemy's camp like pliers, Liu Xiang suddenly felt a little unmotivated.
He really wanted to lead the cavalry and mess up the rear of the Huai River defense line, instead of bullying a group of bandits here.
Does the matter of suppressing bandits require the emperor himself to go out in person? In Youzhou and Jizhou, just mobilize a few militia groups to get it done.