Chapter 371 Yuan Wei is stunned, who is behind the scenes?
Long County.
Han Sui, Ma Teng Military Camp.
Chinese army tent.
At this moment, Han Sui frowned, clasped his hands behind his back, and was pacing back and forth.
Now Nanyang and Chang'an have realized the importance of Bingzhou, and the two sides are about to fight.
Once the winner is decided, the whereabouts of Han Sui and Ma Teng will also be clear.
But......
What about before the two sides decide the winner?
Han Sui and Ma Teng still did not dare to act rashly.
"Brother Wenyue."
Ma Teng waved his hand, frowned and said, "Can you stop wandering around? My eyes are almost blinded by you. Aren't we pretty good at the moment? Just wait for them to decide the winner."
"Shucheng!"
Han Sui turned around, looked up at Ma Teng, sighed, and said solemnly: "If only it were really that simple, Nanyang Hanting is not that easy to deal with."
"Once there is any difficulty in the Han court in Chang'an, they will definitely reach out to the two of us. When an imperial edict is issued, will you send troops or resist the edict?"
"this......"
When Ma Teng heard this, his voice became deeper.
He is naturally aware of his current embarrassing situation and wants to finally take sides, but it is not that easy.
After all, the strength of Chang'an and Nanyang is obvious to all, but it is not easy to see who will win.
And this unprecedented battle is almost equivalent to a battle that determines the fate of both sides.
Han Sui and Ma Teng did not dare to make a bet easily, but the direction of the situation may not allow them to hesitate.
"Shucheng."
Han Sui walked up to him and said softly: "I mean, if, if Emperor Chang'an comes with an edict, have you ever thought about how we should deal with it?"
"Are you really going to lead your troops into battle and fight against His Majesty the Nanyang Emperor's troops?"
Han Sui's soul-level rhetorical question was like a cold sword, stabbing Ma Teng's heart hard.
In fact, both Han Sui and Ma Teng were very optimistic about Nanyang Hanting's quick response. Deep down in their hearts, they still preferred Nanyang Hanting.
But......
They happened to be behind Chang'an Hanting, and they did not dare to place bets at will and leave their fate to any party at will, because if they failed, they would really lose everything.
"Yuan Wei is now in charge of Chang'an."
Han Sui frowned and calmly analyzed the current situation: "Since he recorded the Shang Shu Shi, he has quickly recruited Dong Zhuo's troops and activated generals such as Huangfu Song and Fu Qian."
"Fu Qian is a bit young, so I don't care for the moment, but Huangfu Song is a well-known general, and his troops are pointed directly at Nanyang, which is bound to be Yuan Wei's killer move."
"Today's Han Court in Chang'an is definitely not the Han Court in Dong Zhuo's time. It is not an exaggeration to call it a powerful military force. Moreover, there are many big families in it, and it can quickly raise an armed force in the local area."
"at this point."
Having said this, Han Sui turned to glance at Ma Teng: "The information sent back from Hedong direction shows that Wang Yun has won over the Hedong Wei family and the major wealthy families in Hedong in the name of the imperial court."
"The current strength of the army is at least 30,000 to 40,000. If they take advantage of the situation and enter Bingzhou and win over the major aristocratic families as the Wang family of Bingzhou, they can also have tens of thousands of troops in a short period of time."
"On the other hand, it's not the case in Nanyang. His Majesty the Emperor suppresses big families and supports small noble families, poor families, and treats the scholars from border counties equally."
"Although it is absolutely beneficial to us, the more this happens, the less likely the wealthy families who really control the resources will support Nanyang. It will be difficult for Nanyang Hanting to quickly recruit troops."
call-
Han Sui let out a long breath, but he was still hesitant in his heart: "Both sides have their own advantages, and from the current point of view, Chang'an must be at an advantage and Nanyang is at a disadvantage."
"That's right."
Ma Teng nodded affirmatively: "So let's wait and wait until the situation becomes a little clearer before we make a decision. We must at least fight once in Hedong."
Han Sui smiled and shook his head helplessly: "Brother Shoucheng, Yuan Wei will not wait until that time. I won't wait long before he sends someone to Long County to win over me again."
"And if we still don't listen to the instructions, I'm afraid Yuan Wei won't allow our power to exist, and he will definitely find a way to do something to us."
A war between the two sides is imminent. From a human nature like Yuan Wei's, he will never allow such a big hidden danger to exist. He will definitely try his best to eliminate himself.
quiet!
Quiet!
Deadly quiet!
Inside the tent, Han Sui and Ma Teng were indifferent for a while.
In the midst of this endless sorrow, a long announcement sounded outside the tent:
"Report—!"
Han Sui and Ma Teng felt a little nervous and looked up hurriedly.
However, he saw that his own soldiers hurriedly opened the curtain and came in. He bowed and handed over his hands: "General, the imperial minister ordered Yuan Ji to come."
Han Sui frowned: "Damn it! This day has indeed come, Shoucheng, what should we do?"
Ma Teng also frowned: "What can we do? Let's first listen to what he has to say."
"That's all it can do."
Han Sui sighed helplessly, waved his hand and said, "Let him come in."
The soldier raised his hands and said, "Here."
Immediately.
Bow and leave.
Not long after, Yuan Ji came to the military tent.
Ma Teng and Han Sui hurriedly greeted each other: "The last general, Han Sui (Ma Teng), respectfully welcomes Yuan Shangshu."
Yuan Ji smiled and helped the two men up: "Two generals, please get up quickly."
Han Sui stood up and asked tentatively: "I wonder what Yuan Shangshu is here for?"
Yuan Ji took out the edict and handed it to Han Sui: "Since General Han asked, Yuan will speak frankly. Now the imperial court is encountering some difficulties in Shaanxi County."
"There is a strong general named Zhang Fei under Liu Bei. He killed three powerful generals in our court one after another. I have to trouble the two generals to take action. This is your majesty's edict."
hiss-!
Han Sui and Ma Teng were shocked and gasped.
This is really...
Even if you drink cold water, your teeth will be clenched, and you will fart and hit your heels, as if you are possessed by a god of decay. If you don’t want something to come, it will come again!
Yuan Ji saw that the two of them were silent for a long time without expressing their opinions, so he deliberately said coldly: "Why, the two generals are unwilling to contribute to the court?"
Han Sui quickly bowed his head and said, "How dare you? How dare you?"
Yuan Ji felt unhappy, but remained calm and did not get angry: "To be honest, Wang Situ has now recruited Bai Bo and Yellow Turbans, and the powerful families in Hedong have raised their troops, with the total strength reaching 50,000 or 60,000."
"Zhang Liao led his troops into Zhiguanxing. Although the total force was 10,000, the imperial court had already set up pockets outside Zhiguanxing. As long as they dare to come out, they will be sure to kill all of them."
"actually......"
At that moment, Yuan Ji assumed the position of a superior and looked at the two of them: "The imperial court does not need you to intervene at all. After all, as long as Shaanxi County can be defended, it will not affect the war situation in Hedong."
"However, considering that this is the first battle of the imperial court's retreat to Chang'an, the momentum must be guaranteed, so the Grand Tutor ordered me to come and order the two generals to lead the troops to fight."
"You'd better think carefully about whether you want to accept the decree or resist it. If Hedong is stabilized, let alone Bingzhou, then Guanzhong, Bingzhou, Jizhou, and Youzhou will be connected into one, and the general trend will be achieved."
Han Sui hurriedly handed over his hand: "What does Yuan Shangshu mean by this? How dare we resist the decree? I was just thinking about how to mobilize troops and horses, and I have no intention of shirk."
Ma Teng nodded in agreement: "That's right! Now the war horses are grazing. If you want to transfer them back, I'm afraid it will take two or three days. I'm afraid it will waste time, so I'm thinking about how to mobilize them."
Yuan Ji said softly: "That's very good. Since it's like this..."
"Report—!"
Before Yuan Ji finished speaking, another announcement sounded outside the tent.
Everyone turned to look.
But I saw a soldier hurriedly enter the account, leaned over and said with his hands in his hands: "General, something bad has happened. Information has been sent back from Jincheng County that there are signs of invasion by the Xiqiang, and we are currently rectifying our troops."
"What?"
Han Sui was stunned for a moment: "The Xiqiang are invading?"
The soldier nodded and said with absolute certainty: "Yes, that's exactly what it is."
"Damn it!"
Ma Teng frowned and chewed: "It's time to send out troops now, but the Xiqiang are invading. What can we do?"
Han Sui was smart and immediately understood that this was a good opportunity to denounce the situation: "The Western Qiang came to invade this matter. They must have noticed that my big man was in the midst of civil strife, and wanted to take the opportunity to invade the territory, burn, kill and loot."
"Yuan Shangshu!"
Han Sui hurriedly held up his hands: "Look at this..."
Ma Teng also asked tentatively: "If there is a loss in Liangzhou, I'm afraid Chang'an will be in danger."
During this period, although Yuan Ji and others focused their attention on Hedong and Bingzhou, it did not mean that they did not pay attention to Liangzhou and other places.
All this time, they had not received any news that the Xiqiang intended to invade. Why did such untimely and unexpected information appear at this time?
Apparently!
This is the other party's excuse.
However, Yuan Ji did not expose it directly. Instead, he secretly expressed his anger and said, "If the Xiqiang invades, it will indeed be a fatal problem."
"How about this? You send Ma Chao and Yan Xing to Shaanxi County to fight the enemy, and you personally lead the troops to prevent the Western Qiang from entering and ensure the safety of Chang'an's rear."
"how?"
Since the other party does not want to place a bet, Yuan Ji will not force them either, otherwise it is unknown whether he can leave alive, and he does not want to involve himself in it.
"As it should be."
Han Sui and Ma Teng were relieved and exhaled.
Ma Teng even patted his chest and assured: "Don't worry, Yuan Shangshu, generals Ma Chao and Yan Xing will rush to Shaanxi County soon. They will be there early tomorrow morning and will not delay the important event."
Yuan Ji nodded: "Very good. In that case, Yuan will take his leave."
Han Sui and Ma Teng personally sent Yuan Ji out of the camp and watched him leave.
Just as Ma Teng was about to turn around and return to the camp, Han Sui asked in advance: "Brother Shoucheng, do you feel that the news of the Xiqiang invasion is rather strange? It seems to be silent and there is no sign at all."
"Um."
Ma Teng nodded. He also had the same doubts: "It's really weird. Maybe someone is secretly helping us and spreading the news in advance."
"You mean..."
Han Sui turned to glance at Ma Teng: "People from the direction of Nanyang?"
Ma Teng smiled faintly: "Although they didn't show up, I think they must be there."
Han Sui sighed: "Yes, they don't want us to join the war, but who made the move and the timing was so clever, neither too early nor too late."
Ma Teng waved his hand, not caring who the other party was: "It doesn't matter who he is, as long as you know that he is backed by Nanyang and that he belongs to His Majesty the Emperor of Nanyang."
Han Sui said softly: "That's true."
Ma Teng: "Let's go back to camp."
Let us say that Yuan Ji left Long County and rode straight to Chang'an.
He was also puzzled by the news.
After returning to Chang'an, he informed the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei about the incident.
Yuan Wei pinched a strand of goatee under his chin: "We have also received the news of the Xiqiang invasion. It is definitely not Ma Teng or Han Sui who did it intentionally, but someone else."
"oh?"
Yuan Ji frowned, wondering: "Our people have been keeping an eye on Ma Teng and Han Sui. It is true that they have no possibility of spreading rumors, but besides them, is it possible that there are..."
hiss-!
At this point, Yuan Ji suddenly realized something: "What does uncle mean, could it be Nanyang's assassination?"
Yuan Kun nodded humbly: "Is it possible that there will be others?"
Yuan Ji deeply agreed: "Yes, it is indeed possible, but if they are the ones, how can they predict accurately in advance without making a move? Wouldn't this be too much of a coincidence?"
"I'm thinking about this too."
Yuan Wei paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back.
He couldn't believe it.
I just had the idea of asking Han Sui and Ma Teng to send troops, and the other party was able to accurately spread rumors. Is this a coincidence? Or a coincidence? Or a coincidence?
No matter how he analyzed it, the conclusions Yuan Wei came to were all due to coincidence. The other party must have predicted in advance and spread rumors of the Xiqiang invasion in advance, and it just happened to coincide with his own strategy.
But the problem came again.
If the other party spread the rumors in advance, why didn't they get the news in advance, but just got the news today? It's almost impossible for someone to be able to leave no trace like this.
After all, Chang'an Hanting also had its own assassins in Liangzhou, and there were a lot of them. If rumors had been spread in advance, they should have been aware of such crucial news.
But if the rumors hadn't been spread in advance...
Yuan Wei simply couldn't imagine such a thing.
After all, from the time he received the news to sending Yuan Ji into Long County, it only took one night at best. Even if they worked hard, they would not be able to deliver the news to Liangzhou so quickly.
Not only that, the battle report in Shaanxi County is top secret. Even in the court, not many people know about it. How did the other party get this information and make predictions in advance?
"uncle!"
Yuan Ji seemed to have realized something: "Do you think there will be a traitor in Chang'an Hanting?"
Yuan Wei nodded: "I'm afraid there is, and the official position is not low."
silence.
There was a long silence.
After Yuan Wei thought for a moment, he turned back to his superiors and wrote some names on the silk: "Shiji, these people need to be watched, and the people who were recruited into the dynasty some time ago will also be watched."
.”
Yuan Ji took the silk cloth and frowned: "But uncle, there are too many people to keep an eye on, and we don't have enough manpower. We can't bring back the assassins from the front line, right?"
"Come in batches."
Yuan Wei made a decisive decision and said sternly: "After ensuring that there are no major problems, we will evacuate the people, starting with officials at the level of Jiuqing."
Yuan Ji nodded: "Here."
And on the other side.
Xun You's Mansion.
With a smile on his face, Gao Feng hurried straight to the study and bowed his hands from a distance: "Gongda, the big thing is done, the big thing is done. Han Sui and Ma Teng only sent Ma Chao and Yan Xing, but they didn't even have half of their troops.
"
Xun You, on the other hand, was very depressed, with no trace of joy on his face: "Shiju, don't be happy too early. This matter came more fiercely and was done more urgently. Although Ma Teng and Han Sui were relieved of their siege, it also left us in a passive position."
.”
"If my guess is correct, Yuan Wei must have suspected us. In the recent period, we must remain silent. Unless there is a last resort, we must not take action again."
"Yuan Wei, this old fox..."
Xun You frowned and said angrily: "It's not that easy to deal with. We have to stabilize and gain a firm foothold before we can do big things for the court."
"good."
Gao Feng bowed and cupped his hands: "No problem, I will listen to you."
Xun You said softly: "Of course, we have to keep silent in the direction of Chang'an, but that doesn't mean that nothing can be done. Are there any people in Ma Teng and Han Sui's army who might infiltrate our ranks?"
Gao Feng shook his head and said softly: "It is relatively difficult, especially for the generals above the middle level. They have been fixed for a long time and our people cannot get in."
"It didn't work before, but now..."
Xun You handed the letter to Gao Feng and solemnly reminded: "Han Sui and Ma Teng have proven that they do not want to make casual bets. This is an opportunity for us."
"Immediately send a message to Liangzhou Feige, asking them to take advantage of this opportunity and strive to send troops to join the two-person army, paving the way for future recruitment and surrender."
Gao Feng took the letter with both hands, leaned over and handed it over: "Don't worry, Gongda, just leave it to me."
Xun You waved his hand: "In that case, let's go."
Gao Feng bowed his head: "Here."
*****
Zhiguanxing.
The situation is dangerous, and it has been a place where troops have entered and exited since ancient times.
Zhi is the end of the axle.
The passage at Zhi Pass is only a dangerous pass at Zhi Pass.
In such a passage, the advantage of geographical location is maximized. Even the most elite soldiers and horses will not be able to produce strong combat power, and they will be severely defeated by the bandits.
now.
Zhang Liao's army stopped where it was.
They only traveled about three miles, not even five miles.
Zhang Liao was sitting on his horse, holding a monocular and looking towards the exit not far away. In the long jungle, there were faint traces of flags scattered all over.
"Wenyuan, how are you?"
Guan Yu, who came on horseback, asked tentatively.
"There is an ambush."
Zhang Liao frowned and thought deeply: "And the number of troops is at least three to four thousand. Once we approach the exit, we will enter their ambush circle."
"Damn it!"
Guan Yu was worried about his son in Hedong. His eyes widened with anger and he was furious: "If this continues, our internal operations in the direction of Hedong will be exposed!"
"Wenyuan!"
Guan Yu immediately said: "Otherwise, I will take the lead and go over by force. The three to five thousand men will not be able to control Guan. You can just follow up with your troops."
"No!"
Zhang Liao denied without hesitation: "Yun Chang, I know you are worried about your son, but even if you want to force your way through, you will inevitably lose troops and generals, which is not worth the gain."
"Besides, once we start fighting here, the surrounding soldiers and horses will definitely respond. If we can't kill them this morning, responding to them will really kill them."
"The only solution now is that we can only wait for the trapped camp to arrive. They are all equipped with aluminum alloy equipment and are invulnerable. Each of them is equipped with a double arc shield. Even rolling stones and falling trees cannot damage them at all."
"We can only take action when the trapped camp arrives. Otherwise, we must not act rashly. If the battle in Hedong is defeated, it will inevitably affect the overall situation. We must not be impulsive."
Guan Yu took a deep breath and tried to keep calm: "The trapped camp is far away in Nanyang. Even if we march every day, it will be impossible to come here in less than ten days."
"If we stay here in Zhiguanxing for too long, we will be exposed easily. If the Guan family in Hedong shows any flaws during this period, I'm afraid the entire army will be wiped out."
How could Zhang Liao not know the danger: "Yun Chang, don't worry, I believe in Gao Shun!"
Guan Yu exhaled: "But we must also be prepared for a strong attack."
Zhang Liao pondered for a moment and finally nodded: "Don't worry, I understand."
"Report—!"
At this moment, a long announcement sounded from behind.
Zhang Liao and Guan Yu turned to look.
But see...
Counselor Chen Gong galloped over, dismounted, and handed over the letter: "Wen Yuan, Yun Chang, and Gao Shun's troops have passed Mengjin Ferry, and the advanced equipment has entered Zhiguanxing. They will arrive in two days at most.
"
"good!"
Zhang Liao was overjoyed in his heart and could not hide his excitement: "I knew that Shixun would never delay the military situation. They carry heavy loads across the country every day in order to shorten the march time. This time it finally came in handy."
"Yun Chang!"
Zhang Liao turned his head and glanced at Guan Yu: "Don't worry, as soon as Shixun comes, we will immediately launch a strong attack, break out of Zhiguanxing, join forces with the Hedong Guan family, and defeat the bandits."
"good."
Guan Yu nodded solemnly: "You have waited for so long, and you are still afraid of just two days? Wenyuan can rest assured that Guan will be able to endure it."
Zhang Liao was very satisfied with this answer: "Okay! In that case, let's discuss how to break through the enemy's formation."
Everyone gathered together, and Zhang Liao took out the detailed map of Zhiguanxing from his arms, unfolded it, and laid it flat on the ground: "Although we don't know how the other side set up their formation at the moment."
"but......"
Zhang Liao pointed to the map and said solemnly: "Judging from the terrain, they will definitely gather a large number of soldiers and horses near Jiangxian County, and here, here, and here, they will form a pin-shaped formation. From three directions, they will attack
Let's launch a siege."
"If our army wants to successfully break through, we must concentrate our strength and make a breakthrough. My idea is this. I, Yun Chang, and Zichuan will lead the elite cavalry and attack head-on."
"Divide the remaining people into two groups, led by Uncle Zhi and Gongtai, to resist attacks from the left and right. After the trapped camp comes out, they will be divided into two groups and join the battle."
"In this way, no matter where the Hedong Guan family is, we can all respond to it, so that they will not become a lone army, but will be surrounded and killed by bandits. I wonder what you think?"
Guan Yu nodded: "Yes! Wenyuan's plan is very comprehensive, and Guan agrees."
Chen Gong hummed: "That's very good."
Zhang Liao put away the map: "Since everyone agrees, let's go back to camp and prepare the arrangements."