It’s already the end of the first lunar month, but the land in North County is still frozen, and the mountains and fields are covered with snow, like a blanket of silver.
Huchi (today's Hutuo River) showed no signs of thawing. The two armies faced each other across the river, one in Henan and the other on the bank.
Xi Kangsheng, wrapped in a cloak made of camel hair, stood on the watchtower for less than a moment when he was shivering from the cold.
It was so cold that he couldn't stand it. Xi Kangsheng cursed and led his guards down to the watchtower.
In mid-December, the imperial court issued an order for the emperor to lead the expedition in person. The emperor's chariot had arrived in the east of the river, and he wanted to fight to the death with the Li thieves. Yuan Yao, the general in charge of the northern expedition, was ordered to send troops from the six towns and rush south for reinforcements.
Yuan Yao did not dare to neglect, so he sent out 150,000 troops, divided into three groups, with Xi Kangsheng, Xing Luan and Yuan Heng as the generals on the left, right and front, and marched to the east of the river.
According to the original plan, the left road started from Shuozhou, entered Sisi and merged the two states, and passed through Yanmen, Dingxiang, Taiyuan and other counties.
The middle road and the right road started from Rouxuan Town, then went all the way along the Taihang Mountains, and the other road went through Dingzhou and Xiangzhou. Finally, the three armies met at Shangdang.
Afterwards, depending on the court's decision, he may either go directly to Huazhou or go to Hedong County to temporarily stay on standby.
It's not that Yuan Yao was good at making opinions and had to take detours, but that this was the instruction in the imperial edict. It was also because the storm was coming, people's hearts were floating, and various counties started to take action one after another, which had the potential to start a prairie fire.
Therefore, the imperial court wanted to knock on the mountain to frighten the tiger, and sent troops to frighten the local area.
The idea is good, but the reality is cruel.
As soon as he passed Yanmen County (belonging to Sizhou), Xi Kangsheng was blocked to the north of Huchi Lake, unable to move even half a step. The obstacle was Pei Anzhi, the governor of Xiurong County.
Sizhou is not very big, with only three counties, namely Yanmen, Xiurong, and Xingxing. Its population is not as large as that of Fenzhou.
But there is only a small Xiurong County with a population of tens of thousands, but it is like a huge mountain, firmly blocking Xi Kangsheng?
It's like seeing a ghost. It's just a group of rebels. Not only do they have small stone cannons (weighted ones), but they also have kerosene bombs and rockets?
Will it be possible that in a little while, even the thousand-pound artillery can be pulled to the front of the formation?
If you want to say that it has nothing to do with Li Chengzhi, Xi Kangsheng dares to change his surname to Li.
The treacherous little thief finally gained the upper hand...
Cursing secretly, his heart becoming more and more gloomy, Xi Kangchang let out a long sigh:
"Send the order to withdraw the troops and return to the county first!"
"ah?"
The people on the left and right were very surprised, "If the supervisor asks about it, how should I explain it?"
"I'll tell you, if you have the ability, let Yuan Tai'an switch with Grandpa..."
It's fine if you don't mention it, but you will get angry whenever you mention Xi Kangsheng.
I don't know where the news leaked out, claiming that Da Xi was not his son, but actually the youngest son of Xi Kangsheng. He was now taking orders under Li Chengzhi and was highly regarded. He was already the commander-in-chief of the navy.
The rumors spread quickly and spread not only to Luoyang, but also to six towns.
I don't know how the emperor gave his advice. Yuan Yao never asked Xi Kangsheng face to face, but there was suspicion in everything.
Just like this, Xing Luan and Yuan Heng did not have any supervisors in their army, but Xi Kangsheng was accompanied by a supervisor, Yuan Yao's younger brother Yuan Ding.
The intention is self-evident.
"That's fine!"
Xi Kangsheng exhaled fiercely, and the white mist disappeared in an instant like a long practice, "You go immediately and invite the supervisor to watch the battle!"
The general's heart suddenly trembled: Is Mr. Xi going to... attack by force?
But after thinking about it, he felt relieved: That's right. Yuan Ding was not allowed to see it with his own eyes. He thought that Duke Xi was afraid of fighting and was more likely to suspect that he had made peace with the rebels.
"I will go and deliver the order..."
General Zuo clasped his fists and bowed, and immediately rushed to the camp on horseback. In just two moments, he took Yuan Ding to the front of the formation.
Yuan Ding is the youngest son of Tuoba Zixiong, but he is the legitimate son, so he has inherited the title. He is nearly twenty years younger than his concubine brother Yuan Yao, and is now in his early twenties. With his handsome features, red lips and white teeth, he does not look like a soldier in the military at all.
people.
When he started his career, he served as the minister of Sanqi, and later as the doctor of admonishment. He only started to contact the military when he was the governor of six towns in the north of Yuanyao. It has only been two years since he started.
Therefore, he only knew a little about the battle. He was very surprised when Xi Kangsheng invited him to watch the battle.
"Xi Gong is a famous general in the world and is powerful in the world, but the lower officials are only familiar with military strategy, how dare they say anything? Therefore, if Xi Gong has a decision, he will give the order..."
It's because you don't understand that Grandpa asked you to come and see me. Otherwise, if I retreat and you falsely accuse me of being afraid of fighting, where will Grandpa be able to reason?
Xi Kang gritted his teeth and smiled sinisterly: "Zi An's words are wrong. Since the governor has appointed you as the supervisor of the army, there is certainly merit. And it is your duty to observe the formation before the battle. You must not shirk it..."
As he spoke, he waved his hand: "Come in!"
"Dong...dong...dong...dong..."
The war drums were like thunder, resounding throughout the fields, and Yuan Ding was agitated. After a moment to regain his composure, he saw thousands of soldiers rushing down the river bank like ants, rushing towards the other side.
In such a cold weather, soldiers dare not stretch out their frozen hands, so they can only hold their guns under their armpits. Archers, on the other hand, can only free up a section of their sleeves and hold it in the palm of their hands, and then shrink their arms to pull the string and guide the bow.
Yuan Ding suddenly frowned.
No matter how much he doesn't understand, he also knows that this is not how battles are fought. How can he kill the enemy if he can't even hold the gun firmly or pull the string?
Did Xi Kangsheng want his soldiers to die?
Just as I was feeling suspicious, I heard another drum sound, which was clearly coming from the enemy's formation.
Looking up again, it seemed like hundreds of fireballs fell from the sky and hit the river.
The formation of the suppressing army was extremely dense, and every hit was accurate. The oil tank immediately shattered and burned into a large piece.
When some soldiers saw that their bodies were on fire, they lay down and rolled around. But it was no use. The oil stained with snow water only made it burn faster.
From a distance, the soldiers looked like rats on fire, scurrying around and igniting their companions in the blink of an eye. In a short time, nearly half of the soldiers who rushed down the river bank were burned into burning objects.
The shrill screams were like steel needles, piercing into Yuan Ding's ears.
Looking further into the distance, the rebels' stone cannons continued to fire, and oil cans were thrown into the river one after another. Yuan Ding's heart suddenly shrank.
“Mr.
"Okay, just follow the supervisor's instructions and give me the gold!"
As soon as the golden bell rang out, the soldiers seemed to be amnesty, and they ran back faster than when they charged.
After a slight tilt, all the remaining soldiers returned to the formation. The flames in the river gradually dimmed, and the screams were no longer sharp, but they still continued.
Many soldiers were so burned that they could not stand up and could only crawl back bit by bit. On the bank, the snow in the river had also been burned a lot, suddenly revealing dead bodies that were burned beyond recognition but had long since frozen hard.
Yuan Ding felt his mouth was dry and his tongue was trembling: "This has been... the past few days?"
"right!"
"Where did Xiurong County get its kerosene?"
"The supervisor should ask Pei Anzhi, not me... The supervisor also knows that since arriving at Yanmen twenty years ago, the front camp has been attacked five times, and tens of thousands of soldiers have been lost in front of the formation. However,
The pond is like a natural chasm, preventing me from advancing even half a step. I am not afraid of the supervisors’ jokes. Xi is already at his wits’ end and has nothing to do, so he invites the supervisors to come here to discuss things!”
Xi Kangsheng's expression did not change at all, and his tone was extremely stiff, as if he was talking about an unrelated matter, "If the supervisory army says to advance, then tomorrow I will personally supervise the formation and order all the troops to come out. It will be nothing more than death in battle."
Here, I will die for my country. If I retreat, please ask the supervisor to report to the governor as soon as possible and see how the governor makes a decision..."
The emperor has already marched in person, how could he possibly retreat?
But looking at the battle situation here, even if the army is exhausted, even if it crosses the Hu River, how many survivors are left?
Yuan Ding gritted his teeth: "Can we go around it?"
"Good question from the Supervisor, please bring me the picture!"
With a loud shout, the confidant hurriedly brought the map. Xi Kangsheng poked at the map with his finger as thick as a drumstick, "May I ask the supervisor where to go around?"
Yuan Ding took a closer look and his heart shrank into a ball.
To the west of Xiurong is Fenzhou, and the governor Du Zuyue started his rebellion a few days later than Pei Anzhi. His military strength was greater than that of Xiurong, and the enemy general Li Fengchen had heavily deployed his troops at Lishi Town in Fenzhou, so it was decisive
You cannot go around to the west.
To the east is the Taihang Mountains, which cannot be bypassed at all. We can only return to Shuozhou first, retreat to Rouxuan Town, and then enter Dingzhou from Hengzhou, which is to follow the road taken by the former army Yuan Heng southward.
But I have to return to Rouxuan. What is the difference between retreating from the army?
And this coming and going will take at least a month, and I'm afraid the day lilies will get cold...
"I definitely don't dare to be expert. I need to report it to the Commander-in-Chief and ask him to make a decision!"
"good!"
Xi Kangsheng followed the good example and said, "How dare I ask the supervisor, will our army attack or defend these days?"
Attack a bird feather?
In just two moments, nearly half of the soldiers of the two battalions were killed, but they didn't even get a glimpse of what the rebels looked like. What's the difference between dying and dying?
"It is up to Mr. Xi to decide whether to attack or defend. I dare not comment on it. But in view of the decision, it is better to be still than to move. Why not wait for everyone to supervise before making a decision!"
"Then just follow the supervisor's orders!"
Xi Kangsheng shouted loudly, "Instruct the front camp to return to the county town (Yanmen) first!"
After receiving the order, not long after, thundering cheers came from the military camp.
Yuan Ding felt increasingly sad, and he knew very well that retreating was inevitable, and he couldn't blame Xi Kangsheng.
If we really dare to press the entire army, mutiny on the spot is not impossible...
The front army retreated camp by camp and saw that the rebels were not crossing the river to pursue them. Xi Kangsheng left his affairs to his assistant general and returned to the camp with Yuan Ding first.
Xi Kangsheng suggested that it would be best if Yuan Ding went there in person to convince Yuan Yao more.
Yuan Ding was a little hesitant.
The two of them were riding side by side and were discussing, when suddenly a general came running and said there was an urgent military situation.
The general whispered a few words in his ear, and Xi Kangsheng's face suddenly changed. In just an instant, his black and red face turned white and blue.
Yuan Ding was horrified: A veteran like this would not change color even if a mountain collapsed in front of his eyes. To be able to look like this, something big must have happened...
He hurriedly came over and asked, "What happened?"
Xi Kangsheng's eyes trembled slightly: "Xing Luan and Yuan Heng were defeated one after another, and only more than a thousand cavalry escaped..."
Yuan Ding exclaimed and almost fell off his horse: "How is that possible?"
"Why are you panicking?"
Xi Kangsheng scolded in a cold voice, "Go back to the county town first!"
…
It was mid-afternoon, the sun was very bright, and the snow under Qiangwan had been melted a lot. It was black and yellow, like a white dog suffering from leprosy.
Yuan Heng sat behind the case with one arm hanging, his head drooped, like an eggplant that had been beaten by frost.
Xing Luan was half leaning against the beam, as if he was asleep.
Yuan Ding couldn't care less about Yidu. He ran into the hall first and asked urgently: "Third brother, are you injured?"
Yuan Hengcai seemed to be waking up from a dream, and subconsciously raised his head. But his eyes were empty and lifeless. He stared at Yuan Ding for a long time before he saw the light: "Fourth brother?"
There was another noise outside the hall, and then Xi Kangsheng stepped into the hall door with great strides. Yuan Heng finally reacted and stood up to greet him: "Mr. Xi!"
“No need to be polite!”
Xi Kangsheng waved his sleeves and looked directly at Xing Luan: "Why was there such a disastrous defeat?"
Yuan Heng was also Yuan Yao's brother. He served successively as Taichang Qing and Zhongshu Supervisor. He was not transferred to lead the army until Yuan Yao's Northern Expedition.
In terms of military strategy, he was stronger than Yuan Ding, but his strength was limited. Therefore, when he suffered a great defeat, Xi Kangsheng could still think clearly.
But Xing Luan is a famous general with the same name as him. He has fought in the north and south for decades, and is famous all over the world, but he can be defeated so outrageously?
A total of 100,000 troops, and more than a thousand cavalry escaped...
Xing Luan slowly opened his eyes and showed a sad smile:
"One month ago, I sent out troops in a panic (one of the six towns, east of Rouxuan), passed through Yanzhou and passed through Youzhou, and there was no danger for more than ten days. But before reaching Fanyang County (belonging to Youzhou),
When he was about to enter Yingzhou, he suddenly heard that Hejian, Zhangwu, Gaoyang and other counties (all belonging to Yingzhou) had rebelled one after another in response to Wei Rongxu, the governor of the Bohai Sea.
At this point, all four counties in Yingzhou have rebelled, and it is no longer possible for me to go from Yingzhou to Xiangzhou and then to Hedong on the right. I made a decisive decision and entered Zhongshan County in Dingzhou from Wuyang (belonging to Youzhou) to join forces with Yuanxianzi (Yuanheng).
In one place, he wanted to follow the Central Route Army southward and report to Rouxuan quickly. Governor Yuan also thought this was the best idea...
However, after joining forces and just about to set off, a vanguard came to report and called him Julu. When Changshan was exploring the road, he saw a large convoy from the two counties heading west, which seemed to be forage...
To the west of Taiyuan is Lishi. The enemy general Li Feng has tens of thousands of troops here. To the north of Taiyuan is Xiurong. The prefect Pei Anzhi has rebelled long ago. Therefore, I concluded that the grain and grass must have been transported to these two places, and the giant deer
The relationship between the Wei family and the bandit chief (Li Chengzhi) is too deep, so I suspect that Zhongshan, Julu, and even Taiyuan have all become bandits. Otherwise, food and grass cannot flow unimpeded...
A certain person even suspected that the reason why these counties did not raise the flag of rebellion must be to paralyze the imperial court. What's more, they have laid a dragnet to lure us into the trap. A certain person used this to advise the county men that it is better to postpone the march and send more troops.
After careful investigation... However, the man from Yuan County misunderstood that I was afraid of fighting... and when he and I were arguing, he actually produced the order written by Governor Yuan?"
Xing Luan paused, then shook his head, with an expression of indescribable sarcasm, "Luan thought that the court and the governor were jealous of Duke Xi, so they sent Yuan Ding as the supervisor of the army. But he didn't expect that he was also on guard against Xing? That warrant?
Zhong said that when the crisis comes, Yuan Heng can seize my military seal and make a decision with one word..."
"Hehehe..."
Xi Kangsheng was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but sneered, "What happens next?"
"After that, a certain man was banned from serving in the Chinese army by a man from Yuan County. Then the army set off and marched to Changshan Mountain. However, he didn't expect to be ambushed by a bandit general as soon as he entered Zhending: I don't know when Li Feng sneaked into Dingzhou, and Zhen set up a trap.
The dragnet and the earth's net...cannons roared for a while, and the arrows were like rain. In just one day, there were 20,000 casualties...
However, misfortunes never come singly. The governor of Dingzhou, Xue Huaiji (his uncle), suddenly rebelled and attacked our rear army. Julu and Changshan counties responded at the same time, attacking our abdomen and waist. In this way, it can be said that there is a fierce tiger in front and an evil behind.
Among wolves, there are even more poisonous pythons...
Holding on until the fourth day, the Yuanxian man knew that he was defeated, so he ordered all the troops to break out. However, it was like a mountain collapsing and the embankment collapsed, and it was out of control. The whole army was defeated... The Yuanxian man was indeed kind and righteous, and he unexpectedly showed up in times of crisis.
Didn't you leave me behind? Thousands of personal guards rushed to fight to the death, and finally escaped and survived with their lives..."
One hundred thousand troops, one hundred thousand troops, just gone?
I don't know if he was too stimulated, but Yuan Heng still looked like a dead fish, didn't speak, and just lowered his head.
Xi Kangsheng gritted his teeth for a long time before he finally managed to hold back his breath and said in despair: "When I think about it now, I realize why Pei Anzhi tried so hard to stop me north of the Hu River? He also wanted to be like Mr. Xing, forcing him to
I changed my course and went south from Dingzhou. Only in this way can I catch them all in one fell swoop..."
Yuan Ding was suddenly startled, and thin cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Why didn't he think so when he was by the river?
If Xi Kangsheng had not been calm and would rather retreat than change his route, he might have followed in the footsteps of Xing Luan and his third brother...
"It must be so!"
Xing Luan sighed sadly, "Now that everything from Bohai in the east to Bogulu in the west is full of rebellion, where can we march to help Your Majesty?"
rush to the rescue?
There were more than 200,000 soldiers and horses in the six towns, and more than half of the generals were lost in just a month. You can guess with your toes how low the morale of the remaining 890,000 soldiers will be after hearing the news of the defeat.
Regardless of the rest, how did the court's grain and grass get to Beizhen?
As the saying goes, if the rebels come to counterattack the six towns, they are not sure whether they can resist them. How can they come to "rush to help"?
"It's no use talking more!"
Xi Kangsheng said categorically, "This news must be reported to Governor Yuan as soon as possible and ask him to make a decision..."