Water Margin people

The Western Liao camp behind Xingxing Gorge.

Yelu Dashi was also very worried at this moment because many soldiers in his military camp had contracted the disease, and the number was increasing.

"Jiu'erhan, dozens of people have fallen ill again!"

Bilege reported to Yelu Dashi that over the past few days, more than 200 people had fallen ill in the military camp.

"Where's the doctor?"

Yelu Dashi asked.

"We are already treating it, but the doctor said there is a lack of medicinal materials. I don't know if it can be controlled!"

Bilege replied that the ability of doctors in the Western Regions was very mediocre, and they usually relied on guessing to treat minor illnesses, and now they were completely helpless.

"hateful!"

Yelu Dashi gritted his teeth and said, he knew very well that the soldiers must have been infected with the plague because of the stench of the corpses in Xingxing Gorge, and the plague was very terrible.

"Report, Great Khan, military reports have arrived from Xingxing Gorge."

A soldier ran into the tent and handed over a military report.

Yelu Dashi's face became even uglier when he saw this. The epidemic in Xingxing Gorge was even more serious, and more than a thousand of the ten thousand soldiers had been infected.

"This can't go on like this!"

Yelu Dashi said that if they continued like this, they would be defeated by the plague without the enemy having to do anything.

"Retreat, retreat to Hami!"

Yelu Dashi looked at everyone and said, Hami has sufficient supplies, an oasis, and a good climate, so we can rest well there.

"Jiu Erhan, what should we say?"

Ajisi looked at Yelu Dashi. They had already boasted so much and now they couldn't justify themselves when they went back. For nobles like them, face was very important.

"Just say the enemy has retreated, the army is running low on supplies, go back and rest!"

Yelu Dashi also knew what these people were thinking, so he helped them come up with an excuse.

The Western Liao army quickly gathered and headed towards Hami.

……

Yumen Pass.

Sun Lei led his army and headed towards Xingxing Gorge.

Yue Fei led a large army to welcome Sun Lei.

"Have the enemies all withdrawn?"

Sun Lei looked at Yue Fei and asked.

"We withdrew three days ago. According to intelligence, a serious plague broke out in the enemy camp!"

Yue Fei watched Sun Lei report and blocked his way. Lin Chong and Wang Jin did the same.

"Your Majesty is a supreme ruler. You really shouldn't take risks!"

Yue Fei looked at Sun Lei and said, their meaning was not to let Sun Lei go to the front line. The plague was not as bad as the enemy. No matter how many enemies there were or how powerful they were, they could kill them and protect the emperor's absolute safety. But the plague was different. It was invisible and their bravery and strategies were useless.

"It's just a plague! Didn't we bring Doctor An with us?"

Sun Lei said with a smile and pointed at An Daoquan beside him.

"I am terrified, but I also hope Your Majesty will not go!"

An Daoquan bowed quickly and said that although he was known as a miracle doctor, he was just a doctor after all. He was not a god and could not guarantee to cure everything.

"Did you guys collude in advance?"

Sun Lei saw that everyone had the same attitude and knew that they all had the same idea.

"I understand your concerns, but now that I'm here, there's no way I won't go to the front line! Let's go, at most we can go around it!"

Sun Lei looked at everyone and said that the best they could do was to bypass the battlefield in Xingxing Gorge.

The army took a detour for two days, avoiding the battlefield, and then marched for a few more days to reach Hami.

“It’s an oasis indeed!”

Sun Lei looked at the green mountains and clear waters of the river valley in front of him and said with a smile, "Hami is the best place within a thousand miles."

"Your Majesty, the scouts reported that Yelu Dashi has brought his men here!" Lin Chong reported to Sun Lei in a low voice.

"Come over? That's Yelu Dashi's style. If it were someone else, they would definitely choose to defend the city!"

Sun Lei said with a smile.

"The army will set up camp on the spot!"

Sun Lei gave orders to the army, since the enemy has arrived, there is no need to continue the journey.

"Your Majesty, shall we launch a surprise attack? I will go and kill the enemy!"

Li Kui looked at Sun Lei and said excitedly that the enemy did not have strong armor and his trap camp could easily kill the enemy.

"The enemy is mostly cavalry. If you charge head-on, what will you do if they try to get around you?"

Sun Lei looked at Li Kui and asked, how could heavy armored infantry charge into light cavalry?

"The enemy always has a large camp. If not, I will attack the enemy camp!"

Li Kui said nonchalantly that as long as he could kill the enemies, it would be fine. It was impossible for all the enemies to be riding horses.

"It's a good idea, but the enemy camps are all in the city. How can we attack the city? It's better to stay put!"

Sun Lei shook his head.

"Your Majesty, I want to learn how to ride a horse, too!"

Li Kui said in a muffled voice, which made everyone look over.

"You are heavy infantrymen. What kind of horse can carry you to charge? Even Hu Yanzhuo's linked horses won't work!"

Lu Fang said that Li Kui's soldiers were all tall and strong, and with heavy armor, it was impossible for the horses to carry them to charge.

"Why not just put on light armor?"

Li Kui spoke.

"Why do you suddenly think so?"

Sun Lei looked at Li Kui in surprise and asked.

"This Western Expedition is too far. We can't move in heavy armor. The enemy is all cavalry. The battles are either in the mountains or in the grasslands, deserts and Gobi. There is no positional warfare at all!"

Li Kui complained. He could already imagine what the future war would be like. They would only be regarded as the main force when attacking a stronghold or a city. The rest of the time they would be left behind as scraps. Li Kui did not want to become scraps in the Xianzhen Camp. They needed to charge to the front in every battle.

"You understand, but there is no perfect solution. You can't just put on light armor and ride on horses and start fighting. You need to get used to new tactics. But if you get used to new tactics, who will wear heavy armor to attack?"

Sun Lei smiled and said that Li Kui's idea was good, but each branch of the military had its own mission and it was impossible to cover everything.

Li Kui fell silent after hearing this. His brain was not yet able to analyze so many things.

"Your Majesty, Yelu Dashi's vanguard is already thirty miles away, with Yelu Dashi's flag!"

Yue Fei came over to report.

"You are really brave. You dare to come here with the vanguard?"

Sun Lei was a little surprised. After all, Yelu Dashi was the emperor of Qi now, and it would be more risky for him to lead the vanguard charge than for himself.

"Prepare a banquet for me and set it outside the barracks... three hundred steps away!"

Sun Lei gave orders to his personal soldiers.

"Your Majesty, are you going to see Yelu Dashi?"

Everyone was looking at Sun Lei.

"He brought the vanguard with him, obviously he had a purpose. Should I be afraid of him?"

Sun Lei said with a smile that if he hosted a banquet, Yelu Dashi had to give him face, otherwise he would be ignorant of the rules and etiquette. And if Yelu Dashi did not dare to come, it would mean he was timid and fearful.

"Don't you think it's risky to use such an overt scheme?"

Li Qingzhao looked at Sun Lei and said.

"What's the risk? You can come with me with your sword and protect me!"

Sun Lei took off the sword from his waist and handed it to Li Qingzhao with a smile.

"I... don't know martial arts, let Sanniang go!"

Li Qingzhao looked at the sword with some panic. She did not dare to take the sword lightly, as the responsibility was too great. (End of this chapter)