After Spring and Autumn

Chapter 10 Dilemma
When we returned to the camp, it was already daylight. Although we hadn’t slept all night, no one was tired. We just wished we could brag about our achievements to others sooner. Everyone even thought about the topic, so they called it: Eighty Riders Burning Wu Camp.

Hearing the soldier's report, Dou Xin hurried out of the tent, grabbed Meng Di's hand that was about to salute, and asked eagerly, "How is the situation?"

"It is indeed an empty camp."

"It burned down, but there was no sign of the army." Li Yan added.

"Ah!" Dou Xin staggered, "So Ying is in danger!"

Without further ado, he prepared his horse and rushed to the camp of the Chinese army.

Yingdu was indeed in chaos.

As soon as the dozen or so chariots led by Zhong Jian crossed the Han River, they were hit head-on by the general of the Wu army, Fu Gai.Fortunately, as the Chu capital's garrison troops, their fighting power was quite good, and after rushing from left to right, most of them were killed back.

A rapid bell rang in the city of Yingdu, the four cities were closed urgently, and the soldiers lined up to the city wall.As auxiliary cities, Ji Nancheng and Maicheng also quickly entered a state of combat readiness.

Zixi rushed into the palace to meet King Zhao. At this time, Xiong Zhen was no longer the high-spirited look he used to be, and was walking around in the palace.Seeing Zixi coming in, he asked in a panic, "Brother, Wu Guo is calling, what should we do?"

"Don't worry, my lord. The capital city of Ying is high and the water is deep, and Ji Nancheng and Maicheng are the horns of each other. Even if Wu Jun comes, he may not be able to ask for it."

Xiong Zhen felt a little relieved when he heard the words.

Zixi continued: "I met General Zhong Jian at the gate of the city just now, and learned that the Wu army is only a few thousand men, without Wu Wang Helu, and I think it is just a vanguard. I will arrange the city defense now, and I will be able to persist." Go to Ling Yin to return to the teacher for rescue."

"Yes, yes, we must call Nangwa back quickly." Xiong Zhen's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly issued an order to urge Nangwa to return to his teacher.

At this moment, a woman dressed in court came in from outside the hall, she swayed her train slightly, and saluted Xiong Zhen and Zi Xi.

"Baby, why are you here?"

"Your Majesty, Brother Wang, is there an enemy coming?"

"Pi'er, these matters will be resolved by the widow and your brother."

"Your Majesty, let my son follow Master Zhu to learn the art of witch dance since childhood, and I would like to share my worries for you."

It was Xiong Zhen's younger sister, Ji Mi, who came to me.

Witchcraft is prevalent in Chu. Mi's surname is Xiong, and she is a descendant of the ancient great witch Zhu Rong.Since the founding of the state of Chu, the king of Chu has always been the head of the group of witches, and successively set up two sacrificial positions, Mo Ao and Ling Yin, to exercise the power of the country.It can be said that almost all of the court of Chu State was composed of wizards, and they had to communicate with ghosts and gods and ask questions from heaven and earth on major and minor matters.

In recent years, the royal family has become less interested in witchcraft, and when dealing with state affairs, they no longer conduct divination and sacrifices in advance.

As a result, some great witches separated to form the Wumen by themselves, and their relationship with the royal family was very subtle.The witch sect has gradually developed branches such as witch dance and witch doctor from the technique of divination.

As a direct descendant of Zhu Rong, I have a pure blood and a gifted intelligence. I have been accepted as a disciple by the great witch Zhu Mo since I was a child, and taught me the art of witch dance.

Xiong Zhen loved this younger sister very much, and was even more relieved when he heard the words, and said gently: "Okay, Ping'er has such a heart, you are worthy of being a descendant of my surname, if there is a war, you must ask Ping'er's witch dance skills to help out. "

When Dou Xin rushed to the camp of the Chinese army, Zuo Sima Shen Yinxu was presiding over divination and sacrifices.

According to the regulations of the state of Chu, Sima drafted the orders for marching and retreating, and burned the tortoise to predict the battle.

Ling Yin Nangwa never believed in divination, but at this moment he was in a dilemma, so he had to let Shen Yinxu try it.

Under the flame, the tortoise shell with holes slowly extended into complex and mysterious patterns. Shen Yinxu watched intently, and his face changed.

"How?" Nangwa asked with a big belly, squinting at everyone.Now the court of Chu State has an ambiguous attitude towards the art of divination. Among all the ministers of the past dynasties, he may be the only one who knows how to divination, but it is more popular among the people.

"Big fierce."

"Again."

"It's still a big culprit."

"Again!"

"No, Lord Ling Yin, the way of divination is to divination first and then divination. After three times, you can't divination again, otherwise you will anger the ghosts and gods, and there may be a catastrophe!"

"Hum..." Although I don't really believe in divination, the theory of ghosts and gods has already penetrated into the hearts of every Chu people, and Nangwa dare not offend easily.

"Retreat immediately!" Nang Wa stood up, seeing Dou Xin waiting beside him, he didn't bother to say anything, and left with a flick of his sleeves.

"Master Shen"

Shen Yinxu raised his hand to stop Douxin, and slowly turned the scorched tortoise shell in his hand, his eyes flickered, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

After a while, he raised his head and said, "According to Master Yin's order, the army will return to the division immediately, and Master Dou will lead two hundred troops to move to Fangcheng to prevent the enemy from attacking."

North bank of the Han River.

The vanguard led by Fubi is burning, killing and looting everywhere, and the army has been arriving for a long time. With the thousands of troops under his command, even with his pride, he dare not cross the Han River to attack Yingdu easily.

A few days ago, a chariot team that came from the capital of Ying happened to encounter it. In desperation, they launched an attack without waiting for the whole army to be completed.It's a pity that this team is very elite, they managed to break out of the siege, found a shoal, waded and escaped.

Thinking of this incident, Fugai hated him so much that he beheaded all the captured soldiers.If the army does not arrive again, I don't know whether to advance or retreat with these thousands of people here.

At this time, Wu's army was still rushing on the rugged mountain road. Although they had dispatched secret agents to cooperate in advance and had scouts to find out the way, they still underestimated the difficulty of marching.In particular, I didn't expect that even in winter, the mountains are still rainy and foggy, making it slippery and difficult to walk.

"Come on!"

The wheels of a chariot got stuck in the cracks in the rocks, and no matter how hard the servants and soldiers tried, they remained motionless.

Wu Zixu raised his whip to cover his head and face, and whipped him. Even the general who came to persuade him was whipped a few times.

Sun Wu shook his head and sighed at the side. Seeing the hope of revenge, he was blocked on the mountain road. Wu Zixu's temper became more and more irritable, and many soldiers were killed or injured in the past few days.

At this time, a soldier came to report, and the king of Wu called a military meeting.

He Lu didn't bring his own chariot, he took an ordinary army chariot with four horses instead.There is a huge wooden plate on the car, with mountains and rivers made of mud on it.

This is a good thing Shen Gong Wuchen brought from Jin State, and passed it along with the Chariot Law to Wu State.

In order to make this dish, Helu dispatched countless scouts, and it took several years to complete it. This is also the reason why he dared to detour and sneak attack this time.

The generals stood quietly by the side, not daring to disturb He Lu's meditation.

After a long time, He Lu asked, "Fugai has led the vanguard to Hanshui, but the army is still swarming in the mountains, with a distance of hundreds of miles. What good strategy can the generals have?"

"Great King" Wu Zixu took a step forward, "I have ordered you to speed up, and anyone who slows down will be beheaded."

Everyone is silent, it has been raining day after day, this mountain road does not mean that it will get up quickly.Whether it is a chariot or a supply of food and grass, the most fearful thing is this winding path, which is slippery and steep.If they all beheaded, who will beat Yingdu?

He Lu also frowned, and asked, "Where are the Tang and Cai armies now?"

A general came forward and reported: "There are more than a hundred miles behind you."

He Lu fell into deep thought again, and finally said after a long time: "Fugai came to report that he has fought with the defenders of Yingdu on the north bank of the Han River. I think the Chu army will get the news soon."

When the generals heard the words, they immediately talked about it. If the army of Chu State were allowed to return to Yingdu earlier, then not only would the sneak attack fail, but they would also be in a desperate situation.

"Then the generals think it's better to move on, or go back the same way?"

(End of this chapter)