Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3316: A Small Discovery Under Wenxi City

Under the city of Wenxi, Zhang Xiu drove away Cao's army.

To defeat, not to annihilate.

Zhang Xiu also wanted to wipe out the enemy completely, but as his manpower and horses were exhausted, he did not choose to use the remaining courage to pursue the enemy, but instead began to clean up the aftermath under the city of Wenxi.

In the cold weapon war era, the cruelty and primitiveness of war required more precise control of military tactics and force management. To completely destroy the enemy, that is, to completely eliminate the opponent's combat effectiveness, is an extremely difficult task, which not only requires precise strategic deployment, but also involves a direct comparison of the enemy's and our military strength.

To achieve this strategic goal, the attacker usually needs to have at least the same number of soldiers as the enemy. This means that if the enemy has a certain number of soldiers, you need at least the same number or even more soldiers to ensure that you can create pressure in the battle and ultimately win. The reason is that battles in the cold weapon era often rely on direct confrontation between soldiers, and the combat effectiveness of each soldier is real, and it is impossible to multiply the power through high-tech weapons like in modern warfare.

If you can outnumber the enemy, it means you can gain a local advantage at certain key battle points, and increase the possibility of annihilating the enemy by means of encirclement, flank attack, or concentrating superior forces to break through the enemy's weak defense line. However, even if you outnumber the enemy, there are still many uncertain factors, such as terrain, weather, military morale, commander's ability, etc., which may affect the final outcome of the battle.

And there is another key point, that is, if you want to completely annihilate the enemy, it means that the battle may last longer. Due to the lack of effective long-range killing weapons and fast communication means, every battle requires soldiers to fight in close range, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. When the enemy is facing a desperate situation, it may put up a fierce resistance, which will also increase the losses of the attacker.

Therefore, for most of the sons of the aristocrats who are in the rear and have never been to the battlefield, the word "total annihilation" can undoubtedly stimulate their G-spots. However, in actual war, specific analysis of specific situations is still required.

Although in theory Zhang Xiu had the possibility of annihilating the enemy, in the actual implementation process, it cannot be denied that this was a process full of variables, requiring a high degree of strategic planning, strict tactical execution and constant adjustment and response. In many cases, even if the enemy was successfully annihilated, the enemy would often pay a huge price, which was also an unavoidable cruel reality in the war of the cold weapon era.

Cao's army retreated, leaving behind a slightly dilapidated camp and a field of corpses.

There were still some food and grass left in the ruined camp, so Zhang Xiu asked people in Wenxi City to move them, and also to meet Pei Xi who was guarding the city.

Although Zhang Xiu had no good feelings towards Pei Xi, nor did they have any friendship as colleagues, and even at the beginning of the battle, Fei Qian cruelly designated the entire Yuncheng Basin area in Hedong as a combat zone, most of the time in the world, heroes are judged by their success or failure. Now that Wenxi can stand its ground under Pei Xi's defense, it deserves more respect from Zhang Xiu.

The sun gradually set, casting long and short shadows on the people in and outside Wenxi City.

As long as you can still move, you are alive.

Outside the camp left by Cao's army, there were many cavalrymen with their clothes and armor stained with blood.

The army doctor was busy running around, bandaging one person and stitching up another's wound.

After asking about the situation in the city, Zhang Xiu realized that the situation in Wenxi was not optimistic. But he didn't have any better solution. Most of the remaining supplies in Cao's camp were distributed to Wenxi, and Pei Xi could not ask for more supplies and help.

Zhang Xiu looked at the soldiers who were receiving treatment outside the camp for a while, and suddenly said to Pei Xi: "The wounded warriors in the city can also be sent to the military camp for treatment."

Pei Xi bowed and said, "Thank you, General."

The two were silent for a moment.

Yes, that's all that's left...

Weapons, armor, swords and guns were scattered everywhere on the field. Although some were damaged, many were still usable, and there was no need for these things in Wenxi City.

That’s right, neither the abandoned equipment nor the corpses are what the warring parties want.

War, a shadow that has accompanied human civilization since ancient times, often produces things that run counter to the essential needs of human survival. In the smoke of war, the weapons, ruins and suffering created are not necessary to maintain people's lives. However, in human history, wars have always been used repeatedly in extreme ways to compete for resources, power or ideas, and in this process, more things that originally did not need to exist have been produced.

Including but not limited to destroyed towns, broken families, lost lives, physical and mental trauma, and those cold weapons and equipment.

None of these things are actually necessary for human survival.

On the contrary, these things often represent pain, sadness, and a turbulent living environment.

However, humans have time and again chosen to use war to resolve disputes and to fight for so-called "interests." Behind this contradictory behavior is a complex interweaving of desires, fears, pursuit of power, and desire for resources.

When Fei Qian finally took a different path from Shandong, the absolute political irreconcilability naturally led to the inevitable outbreak of war between Fei Qian and Cao Cao.

During the war, whether it was the people of Wenxi, the civilians of Hedong, or the soldiers under Zhang Xiu and Lu Zhao, they were all consumables of war.

Pei Xi did not blame or scold Zhang Xiu for not coming to rescue Wenxi earlier, and Zhang Xiu did not ask why he did not reward Wenxi with cattle and wine after rescuing him.

Pei Xi secretly looked at Zhang Xiu. He originally thought that Zhang Xiu would be arrogant after winning and act like a savior of Wenxi and shout orders.

But Zhang Xiu did not do that. Instead, he first asked about the situation in Wenxi City, then had supplies delivered to the city, and then said that he could treat the wounded in the city...

This made Pei Xi's heart beat faster and faster.

It’s not that Pei Xi has a tendency to become a crooked person, but Pei Xi discovered that Zhang Xiu was not a simple person. He had gradually moved away from being a purely brave warrior and was moving towards becoming a commander.

Although there are not many and the means are very immature, they are two different concepts after all.

  If this is the case with Zhang Xiu, what about the other generals under the command of the Cavalry?

If these generals were able to kill the enemy on horseback and govern the people on foot, then how much living space would these aristocratic gentry and native peoples have left?

"When will the general leave?" Pei Xi suddenly asked after a moment's silence.

Zhang Xiu was somewhat surprised, "How did Wenxing know that I was leaving?"

Pei Xi looked back at the city of Wenxi and smiled bitterly.

Near Wenxi, apart from numerous battle scars, all that remained were various burnt siege equipment and rotten corpses mixed in the piles of earth.

The blood and bones were exposed, attracting groups of scavenger birds and beasts.

These scavenging birds and beasts did not avoid people at all. They stared at the remaining survivors with their bloodshot eyes, as if silently asking or scolding, "When will you die? Why haven't you died yet?"

Cao's army arrived, cut down the trees and burned the forest.

Most of the water sources around Wenxi have also been polluted.

Herbivorous animals either ran away or died.

The remaining scavengers are still partying at the end of the world.

Zhang Xiu nodded, "Wen Xing's guess is correct. I will probably rest here for two days and then return to Emei Mountain."

"What's more..." Zhang Xiu raised his head slightly and pointed with his chin at the remaining Hedong civilians who were numb like zombies, "It's not appropriate for these people to stay here..."

The water was polluted, and once the rotten flesh had rotted into bones, things would gradually recover.

The city wall collapsed due to digging, but once it was re-rammed with earth and re-bricked, the damage was no longer visible.

But what about human life?

  How many people died inside the city, and how many people died outside the city?

It was not until this moment that Zhang Xiu suddenly realized.

He previously thought that the letters Fei Qian wrote to him were for him to learn Zhao Yun's tactical skills, but now he had a few more unspeakable insights, those insights hidden beneath the surface of the letters, between the dark strokes.

Zhao Yun also took away many people in Youzhou...

Everything in the world is the result of the interaction between yin and yang.

We can never go back to the Yuncheng Basin in Hedong.

In the past, the Yuncheng Basin was dominated by the Hedong gentry, which could be called the solitary yin or the solitary yang. Anyone else who entered this area would be excluded.

The General of Cavalry was also excluded in those days. Even though he took some actions later, he still did not change the overall environment of the Yuncheng Basin.

Now that the solitary yin or solitary yang has been greatly weakened, it is possible to rebalance the yin and yang. Therefore, Zhang Xiu must take away the remaining people in Hedong and bring them back after the war subsides.

Pei Xi also understood this, so he asked.

Zhang Xiu glanced at Pei Xi, pondered for a moment, and said, "Wenxing, you can also go with me."

Pei Xi frowned slightly, "I appreciate your kindness, General."

"Ha," Zhang Xiu added, "I mean to take the people in the city with us... Cao's army may come again."

"Let's go together?" Pei Xi was stunned.

Zhang Xiu nodded, "Given the current situation, it will take at least a year or two to clean up. It is better to just abandon it. Otherwise, if Cao's army comes again, won't it be an easy opportunity for Cao thieves?"

"The Cao army is coming again?" Pei Xi's brows were furrowed as deeply as if cut by a knife. "How did the general know?"

Zhang Xiu said: "I intercepted Cao's grain transport team and found that they were transporting a little too much grain and supplies... No matter how I calculated it, it was wrong, so there must be more Cao troops coming behind..."

The food and fodder must be sent before the troops move forward. This is not just a simple slogan.

The importance of logistics in war preparation is crucial to the success of any military operation.

If Zhang Xiu was just an ordinary general, then perhaps he would only be satisfied with destroying the enemy's grain transport team, burning as much food and supplies as possible, and killing as many Cao soldiers as possible. Just like Li Er, he was calculating how much merit he could gain, and rarely thought about why.

On the chessboard of war, every move determines the outcome of the entire battle.

First of all, Cao Cao was not a fool, and his army did not have so much food and supplies that they had nowhere to use them.

Food and fodder are the lifeline of the army and the source of motivation for soldiers to fight.

In the era of cold weapons, victory in war often depends on the army's sustained combat effectiveness, and the basis of all this is sufficient food and grass supply. If food and grass are insufficient, morale will be low and combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced. Therefore, the storage and transportation of food and grass have become the key factors in determining the outcome of a war.

If we only focus on the Wenxi recruitment camp, it is true that Cao's army does not have much food and grass here, but does Cao's army here really lack food and grass? Or in other words, is it "worth" for Cao's army to specially transport so much food and grass?

If Zhang Xiu had not tried to observe the details of the battlefield from a higher perspective, he might have passed by this problem.

Providing food and supplies first means that careful planning and layout are needed before the war breaks out.

This includes familiarity with the battlefield terrain, assessment of the strength of both sides, and prediction of the course of the war.

If we infer the opposite, it is easy to come to a conclusion that Cao's army attaches great importance to Wenxi and has sent a large amount of food and grass, which means that Cao's army will make more moves in Wenxi...

So this time, Zhang Xiu not only wanted to bring back the remaining seeds, but also wanted to bring back his own little discovery.

These Hedong civilians who were ravaged by Cao's army survived in blood and iron. Even if they did not change their inexplicable feelings for the Hedong masters, they would still have deep hatred for Cao's army. This hatred would be passed on for at least two or three generations, and then it might slowly die out in the peaceful years.

These people, who are full of hatred for Cao's army, are undoubtedly useful to their lord's cause.

Similarly, the people of Wenxi who survived the attack of Cao's army were also worthy of Zhang Xiu's efforts to win them over and help them.

But the prerequisite is that the people of Wenxi, including Pei Xi, must leave this place and go to Linfen.

"This matter is of great importance. I need to consider it..."

Pei Xi did not refuse on the spot. He said goodbye to Zhang Xiu and returned to Wenxi City in a daze.

That’s right, Zhang Xiu had no intention of entering the city at all, which proved from a certain perspective that Zhang Xiu would not stay here for long.

At dusk, everything in Wenxi City seemed to be stained with blood.

Everything in ruins was shaking before Pei Xi's eyes.

Although the shadow of death has temporarily dissipated, the unique smell of decay of death still lingers over this city.

The extent of the destruction in Wenxi was extremely shocking.

It can be said that if Zhang Xiu had arrived a step later, Wenxi would have been lost.

War, death.

  Pei Xi originally thought that he had a good understanding of war. He had never lost a debate with others about the art of war. When Dong Zhuo was in chaos in Heluo and Li and Guo were in chaos in Chang'an, Pei Xi thought that was enough chaos and misery. But now, everything in Wenxi made Pei Xi know what chaos really meant!

Troublesome times, troubled times!

The term "turbulent times" was often mentioned during the Zhongping period, and became a way of expressing the concerns of the children of the gentry about the country and the people.

In their study, at literary gatherings, in restaurants, and on outings, they expressed their feelings about the troubled times, imagining how chaotic and tragic it was, and then lamented, as if they had already seen the troubled times. However, this kind of feeling mostly came from reverie and dissatisfaction with reality, rather than real experience.

And now, in front of Pei Xi, is the real scene of "troubled times"!

Those tragic scenes that once existed only in books suddenly became reality before our eyes.

The city was destroyed, the village was burned, the people were displaced, and hunger and death followed them everywhere. The streets were no longer filled with bustling markets, but with the tears and blood of refugees. The ditches were no longer filled with clear water, but with rancid blood and bones. The sky was no longer filled with peaceful doves, but with carrion-eating crows and vultures.

  Such a scene was difficult to imagine and bear for the literati who could only express their feelings about the troubled times in books. How could their writings describe such a tragic situation? How could their poems express such grief? How could their spirits withstand such a shock?

In troubled times, all emotions turned into powerless cries.

When he saw the people around him falling in the flames of war, heard the children crying in hunger, smelled the burnt smell of burning flesh, saw the Grim Reaper grinning in the sky, and the devil dancing in the smoke, what Pei Xi had previously thought of as the "turbulent times" was as ridiculous as a child thinking that adults play every day and don't need to study.

  When the danger passed, the mental shock did not dissipate. On the contrary, it was like a sequelae, deeply imprinted in Pei Xi's soul. Pei Xi began to reflect on why there was such a chaotic world? Why did human nature become so ugly in war? Why was Hedong so fragile?

Pei Xi walked slowly and looked.

The stench of corpses fills the air inside and outside Wenxi City, but there is no one to bury these dead souls.

Because you have to eat first.

The remaining civilians in Wenxi City, as well as the soldiers who had survived the defense of the city, now found broken copper pots and earthenware jars in the city and were busy cooking. It seemed that only by eating voraciously could they distinguish themselves from the scavenging birds and beasts outside the city.

In the face of brutal hunger and fatigue, human sense of smell is just a little brother.

Pei Xi saw a soldier guarding the city, who, after getting the food, took only a few bites before falling into a deep sleep, regardless of where he was, whether on the street or beside the rubble.

Pei Xi pointed.

The guard understood and went forward to wake up the soldier.

No matter what, you have to eat before going to bed, otherwise you might not wake up due to extreme fatigue.

Pei Xi looked at the soldier and suddenly had some insights.

Yes, without something new to eat, sooner or later you will fall asleep and never wake up. These people in Yuncheng, Hedong, have stayed at the bottom of the well for too long, and even forgot that the world has changed...

"Order. Prepare to abandon the city."

After the guards came back, Pei Xi spoke slowly.

It is not easy to make such a decision, especially to leave your hometown and your homeland.

"Tell everyone... As long as you are alive, there is hope..."