Shuhan

It was the middle of winter, and the cold wind was like a knife, cutting every inch of exposed skin.

The land of Bingzhou was extremely cold, with heavy snow falling, covering the entire world in silver. Thousands of miles of snow drifted, making it look like a fairyland, yet concealing a murderous intent.

In this land covered with ice and snow, counties and prefectures in Bingzhou are busy preparing for a battle of life and death.

Liang Xi, the governor of Bingzhou, wearing heavy armor, stood on the top of Meng County, staring at the vast expanse of white in the distance.

There was determination in his eyes, mixed with a hint of barely perceptible worry.

Under his mobilization, the counties and prefectures reluctantly mobilized 30,000 troops to come to support Taiyuan. Although these 30,000 troops were not many, they were the greatest force that Bingzhou could currently provide.

Liang Xi knew very well that it was not that they were unwilling to recruit more troops.

Bingzhou is vast and sparsely populated, and there are many ethnic minorities, making it difficult to govern.

When the State of Wei was strong, it was not a problem to recruit soldiers from other ethnic groups. Those chieftains were intimidated by the power of the State of Wei and dared not disobey.

But now, Wei's national strength was declining, and when those chieftains heard that they were going to attack the Han Dynasty, they all made excuses and were unwilling to send too many soldiers. They were only willing to donate some money and food to show their loyalty.

Although Liang Xi was angry, he could do nothing about it.

Forced conscription will only provoke civil unrest, which will then be counterproductive.

What made Liang Xi even more worried was that the Tufa tribe on the grassland colluded with the Han Dynasty and posed a constant threat to the security of Bingzhou.

He had to leave some men behind to guard against the cavalry from the grassland moving south.

After all this, the number of soldiers he could lead was only 30,000.

Although his number was small, Liang Xi was still determined to fight.

This battle concerns the survival of Bingzhou, the dignity of Wei State, and his personal wealth.

Fortunately, Youzhou agreed to come to support.

In total, the two armies had about 70,000 to 80,000 people.

Although it may not be enough to defeat the Han army, it should be more than enough to protect oneself.

Liang Xi felt a little relieved, but the worry between his brows had not completely disappeared.

On the battlefield, things change rapidly and any unexpected situation may change the situation.

However, just as they entered Taiyuan County and had not yet gained a foothold, they received urgent news from Youzhou.

Gongsun Yuan rebelled against Wei! This news was like a bolt from the blue, causing Liang Xi's face to change drastically.

Gongsun Yuan actually betrayed the State of Wei at this time!

Moreover, he also allied with the Tufa tribe. At this moment, Jiang Wei was leading 20,000 elite cavalry and heading towards Taiyuan!

Liang Xi's heart sank, these 20,000 elite cavalry were definitely not ordinary people.

The Tufa tribe was famous on the grassland, and its cavalry was so powerful that even the Wei State was afraid of it.

Now, they have joined forces with Gongsun Yuan and are unstoppable.

Liang Xi did not dare to march in the field again. In such weather and terrain, fighting in the field would only put him in a passive position.

He made a quick decision and assigned 10,000 soldiers to garrison Guangwu and Yuanping respectively.

Both places are strategically located, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and can be used as forward positions to block the enemy.

The 20,000 troops under his command were stationed in Meng County, which was the throat of Taiyuan County and the only way for Youzhou to go south.

The three cities are not far from each other and can support each other to form a solid line of defense.

Liang Xi stood on the top of Meng County, looking at the white snow in the distance, and prayed silently in his heart: I hope the reinforcements from Luoyang can arrive as soon as possible!

At this time, Liang Xi's face became more resolute, but there was a hint of fatigue in his eyes.

He must do everything he can to defend these three cities and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

The soldiers were busy in the snow; some were reinforcing the city walls, some were carrying supplies, and some were patrolling and standing guard.

Liang Xi paced back and forth on the top of the city wall, looking down from time to time.

He felt sad when he saw the soldiers' purple faces and trembling hands.

These soldiers are all from Bingzhou. In order to defend their homeland, they came here despite the severe cold and the risk of their lives.

He must do his best to protect them.

As night fell, the cold wind on the snow became more biting.

Liang Xi stood on the top of the city wall, gazing into the distance.

He is the governor of Bingzhou and the general of these soldiers. He must lead them through this difficult time.

Further north is the border between Dai County and Yanmen County.

The autumn wind was bleak, yellow sand filled the sky, and a group of cavalry leaped out like a dragon, coming out from Dai County and heading straight into the distance.

These were the 20,000 elite cavalrymen of the Tufa tribe led by Jiang Wei. They were dressed in miscellaneous armor and carried longbows. The sound of their horses' hooves was so loud that the earth seemed to tremble.

Jiang Wei was dressed in silver armor and had a hair crown on his head. His brows revealed an indomitable heroic spirit. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he was always aware of everything around him.

These 20,000 elite cavalrymen are all the elite members of the Tufa tribe. Each of them has three or even four horses, and they take turns riding to ensure that their speed does not decrease.

With horses' hooves flying and dust rising, they were like an unstoppable torrent, rushing for thousands of miles, and wherever they passed, everyone fled.

However, after a long journey, the war horses gradually showed signs of fatigue due to lack of fodder, and their originally strong bodies began to lose weight, but the will of the soldiers was as indestructible as a rock.

Although the cities along the way were not captured one by one, under the threat of Jiang Wei's army, the Wei army in the city did not dare to make any rash moves.

They closed the city gates and only dared to peek at this ferocious army from the city walls.

In order to avoid being sieged, some cities even offered food and fodder on their own initiative in exchange for temporary peace.

Jiang Wei just sneered at this. These Wei troops were just afraid of their military strength and would definitely counterattack if they got the chance.

When the army entered the border of Yanmen County, a piece of bad news hung over everyone's heart like a dark cloud.

According to reports from spies, the governor of Bingzhou has gathered the forces of all counties and prefectures in Bingzhou to form an army of one hundred thousand soldiers, and is marching towards Taiyuan in a mighty manner.

This news made Jiang Wei frown. If he confronted this army of 100,000 head-on at this time, his chances of winning would not be great.

Therefore, he decided to avoid the attack temporarily, first capture the city of Gang as a stronghold, and then rest.

The city of Gang County was not big, but in front of Jiang Wei's elite cavalry, it was like paper and was easily breached.

After entering the city, Jiang Wei immediately ordered the soldiers to rest and at the same time sent out cavalry to spy on the enemy's situation.

These rangers are all carefully selected men. They are agile and sharp-eyed. Like cheetahs, they shuttle across Bingzhou, looking for all useful information.

At the same time, there were also spies from the secret military department operating in Bingzhou.

They either disguised themselves as merchants or villagers, lurking in the major counties and collecting all the information about the Wei army's movements.

These spies worked together with the cavalry to deliver a steady stream of intelligence back to Jiang Wei.

Ten days later, in Jiang Wei's tent, the candlelight flickered. He held a map in his hand, his brows furrowed, his eyes flickering.

After some investigation over this period of time, he has gained a general understanding of the situation in Bingzhou.

Although the 100,000-strong army was powerful, it was actually scattered, and the defenses between counties were not tight.

Now, they are heading south to Taiyuan with all their strength, and the rest of the counties in Bingzhou seem extremely empty.

A feeling of pride welled up in Jiang Wei's heart. This was the best time to capture the five counties close to the grassland: Shuofang, Yunzhong, Dingxiang, Yanmen and Wuyuan.

He looked up into the distance, as if he could already see the cities of the five counties waving to him.

However, the Han army in Taiyuan made him feel a little conflicted.

Once they attack these five counties, the Han army in Taiyuan will be isolated and helpless.

But after weighing the pros and cons, he decided to let them suffer first, and then rescue them after the situation was settled.

Thinking of this, Jiang Wei immediately sent a messenger with his handwritten letter to rush to the camps of Tufa Shoutian and Kebi Neng.

In the letter, he elaborated on the current situation and his battle plan.

He requested Tufa Shoutian and Kebi Neng to lead a large army south to Bingzhou and join forces with him to recover the lost land.

After the messenger left, Jiang Wei stood in front of the tent, full of anticipation. This battle would be an important turning point in his life.

If he wins, Bingzhou will return to the embrace of the Han Dynasty; if he loses, his name, Jiang Wei, may be forever engraved on this land and become a topic of conversation for future generations.

However, is Jiang Wei someone who would easily give up?
He clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming with determination.

With the help of Tufa Shoutian and Kebi Neng, and the bravery of his 20,000 elite cavalry, they will surely recapture Bingzhou in one fell swoop and let the flag of the Han Dynasty fly high over this land again!

. . .

Thousands of miles away in the east.

The situation in Qingzhou was changing rapidly. Cao Zhen led the Wei army like a tiger descending from the mountain, unstoppable, and recaptured Beihai County and Donglai County in one fell swoop.

These two counties were once important strongholds of the Han State, but now they have fallen into the hands of the Wei State. The change in the situation is shocking.

The moment Cao Zhen stepped into Beihai County, he did not start a massacre to vent his hatred as everyone expected.

On the contrary, there was an indescribable calmness and composure on his face, and his eyes revealed a deep light, as if he could see into people's hearts.

He ordered that except for a few ringleaders who were loyal to the Han Dynasty and were sentenced to death, the rest of the people, regardless of whether they had served the Han Dynasty or not, would be pardoned.

This move undoubtedly caused a huge sensation in Beihai County and Donglai County. People came out of their homes and looked at the Wei general with surprise and gratitude in their eyes.

Cao Zhen, dressed in iron armor and standing tall, stood on the city wall of Beihai County, looking at the bustling crowd below, but his heart was peaceful.

Killing cannot really solve the problem. Only leniency can bring real peace to these two counties.

Under Cao Zhen's governance, Beihai County and Donglai County quickly regained their former prosperity.

There are shops lining both sides of the street, and pedestrians are bustling around, creating a bustling scene.

However, Cao Zhen did not take it lightly. He knew very well that the Han Kingdom would never give up and would definitely look for an opportunity to counterattack.

He immediately decided to organize a navy to deal with possible maritime threats.

The formation of the navy progressed rapidly. Cao Zhen personally selected 10,000 elite soldiers to garrison on the coastline of Beihai County and Donglai County.

These soldiers were all strong and sturdy, with great martial arts skills and determination in their eyes.

Their mission is to protect this land and not give the Han fleet any chance to take advantage.

Zhao Yun, Wen Pin and others on the sea saw that the situation in Beihai and Donglai counties was hopeless, and they couldn't help but feel anxious.

The Han fleet they led drifted on the sea for many days, consuming more and more food and grass, and their morale gradually declined.

Looking at the coastline of Wei State in the distance, Zhao Yun frowned, with a complex look in his eyes.

The Beihai and Donglai clans, who had been able to contact them, also took the initiative to cut off contact with them, and a few of them informed them of the situation in Qingzhou in full.

Zhao Yun knew in his heart that it was now impossible to do anything.

Continuing to insist would only put the fleet in more danger.

"Wen Pin, what do you think we should do?" Zhao Yun asked in a deep voice, with a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Wen Pin was silent for a moment after hearing this, and then slowly said, "General Zhao Yun, I think we should head north to Liaodong County. I have received news from the east of Youzhou that Gongsun Yuan rebelled against Wei, and Yang Zuo, who was in charge of guarding Youzhou, was not loyal. If we head north now, we may have an opportunity to seize Youzhou."

When Zhao Yun heard this, a bright light flashed in his eyes.

Once Youzhou can be recovered, Wei's northern defense line will be completely broken.

By then, Bingzhou and Youzhou would fall into the hands of the Han State, and the Wei State would only be left with six states, namely Qingzhou, Jizhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Sili and Xuzhou. Moreover, it would be surrounded by the Han State, and without the supply of war horses, it would be not far from defeat.

Thinking of this, Zhao Yun felt a surge of pride in his heart.

He turned to look at the fleet behind him and shouted loudly: "Go north to Youzhou and restore the Han Dynasty!"

Led by Zhao Yun, the fleet turned around and headed towards Northern Liaodong County.

The sea was rough and the fleet was struggling to move forward in the wind and waves.

However, the soldiers' faces were filled with determination. They knew that their mission was to recover lost territory and expand the territory for the Han Kingdom.

after all
In the Han army, military merit can really confer titles on one’s wife and children.

For this, what's the harm in risking one's life?
At the front of the fleet, Zhao Yun stood on the bow, letting the sea breeze blow his long hair.

He looked at the distant horizon, feeling an indescribable sense of ambition and passion in his heart.

The war is far from over and there is still a long way to go, but he believes that as long as everyone works together, they will be able to defeat the powerful Wei State and restore the glory of the Han State.

Not long after pacifying Qingzhou, Cao Zhen was busy rectifying military discipline and appeasing the people, when commendations from Luoyang came like a shadow.

This letter from Luoyang was not only a recognition of his military talent, but also a foreshadowing of his next mission.

Before he could even get warm in his hand, a new military order came like an arrow in the cold wind, piercing Cao Zhen's heart - Gongsun Yuan of Youzhou had rebelled against Wei, and Dai County was in danger. The emperor ordered him to march north immediately to quell the rebellion.

Cao Zhen stood in the meeting hall of Qingzhou Prefecture, looking at the heavy snow outside the window with a frown.

The army had just experienced a fierce battle and had not even had a month's rest. Now they had to march north again in the dead of winter. This was undoubtedly a great test of the soldiers' will and physical strength.

If we force our way north, there might be a mutiny in the army.

However, military orders are as heavy as a mountain and cannot be disobeyed.

After pondering for a moment, Cao Zhen decided to adopt the strategy of dividing the troops.

He selected 10,000 elite soldiers and led them personally to march northward. The remaining 30,000 soldiers stayed in Qingzhou to rest for half a month and then march north again after their strength was restored.

As for the soldiers recruited from Xuzhou, they were left to guard the Qingxu coast to prevent the Han navy from taking the opportunity to land.

Marching in the snow is extremely difficult.

Cao Zhen was wearing heavy armor, holding a spear, and walking at the front of the team.

Snowflakes fell heavily, soon covering their figures.

The cold wind was like a knife, cutting people's faces painfully, but Cao Zhen seemed to be unaware of it. His eyes were firm and deep, as if they could penetrate the wind and snow and see the battlefield in the distance.

After marching for a month, Cao Zhen finally arrived in Zhuo County.

The weather here is colder than in Qingzhou, but Cao Zhen has no time to care about it.

He immediately summoned his generals to discuss military intelligence. As more intelligence came in, his expression became increasingly ugly.

Bingzhou was in danger and Youzhou was in ruins. After the Han army led by Zhao Yun was defeated in Qingzhou, they did not return to Yangzhou. Instead, they went north to Liaodong and joined Gongsun Yuan.

This meant that they not only had to face Gongsun Yuan's rebels, but also had to deal with the threat from the Han army.

The difficulty of pacifying Youzhou suddenly increased.

However, Cao Zhen was not afraid at all.

Wars are never won by brute force.

In Qingzhou, he has deeply realized the importance of the power of the gentry.

So, while he was preparing his army for war and waiting for the arrival of follow-up soldiers, he was also spreading news in Youzhou to win the support of the Youzhou gentry.

Cao Zhen personally visited several great aristocratic families in Youzhou. Their mansions were majestic and magnificent, forming a sharp contrast with the ice and snow outside.

Cao Zhen, dressed in iron armor, stepped into the gate of the mansion. His steps were steady and powerful, and every step revealed unquestionable majesty.

When the nobles saw Cao Zhen, they all stood up to greet him, with awe and curiosity in their eyes.

"General Cao, what brings you here?" asked an elderly nobleman. His voice was low and powerful, revealing an aura that should not be underestimated.

Cao Zhen smiled and said, "I came here to quell Gongsun Yuan's rebellion and to seek your support. I know that the stability of Youzhou depends on your efforts, and your prosperity and wealth also depend on the stability of Youzhou. Now, Gongsun Yuan is rebelling, the Han army is invading, and Youzhou is in danger. I hope you can help the Wei Dynasty to quell Youzhou."

Upon hearing this, the nobles nodded in agreement.

What Cao Zhen said was true. If Youzhou fell into the hands of others, their status and wealth would be gone.

As a result, they expressed their willingness to support Cao Zhen and provided him with food, troops, intelligence and other support.

With the support of the gentry, Cao Zhen felt more confident.

He began to plan his tactics in preparation for the coming battle.

Cao Zhen knew that this battle would be extremely difficult, but he also had the confidence to defeat the enemy.

The right time, right place and right people. At least, people are on his side. (End of this chapter)