The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 311 Veteran’s Teachings
On the third day of December, Murong Yanchao led his army to Liu Zipo.

Liu Chengyou and dozens of civil and military officials were in charge of the Chinese army, and veteran general Hou Yi was responsible for the dispatch of marching troops and horses and other matters.

On the fourth day of December, the former general of the Ye army, He Fujin, sent a force to stop the attack. Murong Yanchao personally led his troops to fight. The two sides fought in the countryside, and the Ye army was defeated and returned.

Some generals of the imperial army suggested to take advantage of the victory to pursue. Murong Yanchao was worried that the enemy would be deceitful, so he ordered that no troops should be sent in pursuit.

Unexpectedly, in the afternoon, another Ye army came to intercept. Murong Yanchao sent the imperial army to fight, and again won a great victory, annihilating thousands of enemy troops.

The news was sent back to the imperial tent of the Chinese army, Liu Chengyou was very happy, and ordered a reward, and sent Nie Wenjin and Hou Zan as representatives to Murong Yanchao's army to reward the soldiers of the three armies.

In the next few days, the Ye army sent soldiers and horses to intercept them repeatedly. The soldiers and horses of the two sides fought several times.

Li Ye, Guo Yunming and others all expressed their opinions, saying that the Ye army was vulnerable and that the imperial army's morale was so high that they should march to Liu Zipo as soon as possible to fight the Ye army decisively. Liu Chengyou believed this deeply and issued three orders in a row, urging Murong Yanchao to speed up. Marching speed.

Liuzipo's terrain is dangerous, with rolling hills.

It was the middle of winter and the weather was severely cold. Although there was no snow, a thin layer of frost could still be seen on the bare brown rocky slopes.

Liuzipo is generally divided into northern slope and southern slope, with a long and narrow valley in the middle. During the spring and summer flood seasons, streams occasionally flow through.

The two veteran generals He Fujin and Yao Yuanfu marched quickly and advanced into Liuzipo early. They divided their troops to station on the north slope and the south slope, and set up camps in a defensive formation.

In the North Slope Camp, in the central military tent, Zhu Xiu, who had withdrawn his troops early and returned, was playing chess with He Fujin, while Yao Yuanfu was watching the game.

"Three horses into four, general!" He Fujin pushed his red horse straight to the side of Zhu Xiuhei's head. He only needed to step on the slanting sun again to win the game.

Hei Shuai was blocked by chess pieces on three sides, making it difficult to move, and he was about to be trapped in the city.

He Fujin stroked his beard and smiled. He couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement at the corner of his mouth. There was a hint of expectation in his eyes, and he looked at Zhu Xiu meaningfully.

Yao Yuanfu, who was watching the battle, also stared at Zhu Xiu with a smile.

Zhu Xiu sat opposite He Fujin, shook his feather fan lightly, picked up the tea cup and took a sip with a calm expression, spit out the broken tea powder in his mouth, without thinking, pushed the black cart from his hidden corner, and ate the red one directly. A Solitary Horse In The River.

He Fujin's hand that twisted his beard shook, and pulled off a white beard. The pain made his face tremble, and he glared at Zhu Xiu with resentment.

"Today's young people don't know what it means to respect the old and love the young. They have to kill everyone before they stop. They are really ruthless~"

Yao Yefu sighed and sympathized with his old friend.

The last red horse was eaten, and He Fujin's side completely lost its fighting power and could only wait for Zhu Xiu's army to siege the city.

Zhu Xiu smiled tentatively and said, "How about letting General He take this step again?"

As he spoke, he made a gesture to put the red horse back to its original position.

He Fujin waved his hand angrily: "That's all, it's not a gentleman's job to regret repeatedly, the old man just admits it!"

Zhu Xiu smiled and casually placed the red horse chess piece on one side of the table.

He Fujin took a look and saw that his chess pieces were piled high into a pile, and he couldn't help but sigh in melancholy.

After losing the last horse, He Fujin's side was no longer able to support the situation, and Zhu Xiu ruthlessly rounded up and killed the veteran.

"General He, I will accept this!" Zhu Xiu smiled and cupped his hands, then spread his palms.

He Fujin's face trembled, and he said with a straight face: "Where did I get the five hundred dollars from me? Write it down first, and we will calculate it later when we return to Kaifeng."

Yao Yefu reminded in a worried voice: "My sister-in-law knows, I'm afraid she will need a rolling pin to serve her."

He Fujin's face turned red, he slapped the table with no confidence and said angrily: "I am the head of the family, I can still afford to lose this little money!"

Yao Yuanfu glanced at him with a slight disdain. They had been friends for decades, and no one knew each other's details.

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "I heard that General He has an old house in Yulin Lane that has been vacant for many years. How about selling it to a junior? The general doesn't have to pay the five hundred guan, and the junior will pay another [-] guan to the old general. "

He Fujin stroked his beard and said doubtfully: "I do have an old house in Yulin Lane. It occupies a quite large area. However, the house is in disrepair and the furnishings are dilapidated. It is usually unoccupied. I have the housekeeper clean it every now and then. Even I have three You haven't been back for more than a year, how would you know?"

"This junior has some business in Kaifeng, and my subordinates often go to Yulin Lane and several surrounding markets, so I heard about it," Zhu Xiudao said.

He Fujin didn't think much about it, he shook his head and said: "The old house is passed down from the ancestors, and I don't want to sell it yet, even if I do, it won't be worth fifteen hundred guan at the current land price."

Zhu Xiu thought for a while and said with a smile: "Yulin Lane is close to the Bianhe River. To the north is the Begging City and to the south is Qingxuan City. It is not far from Temple Street. The younger generation wants to buy some properties and do some small business there. Since the old general doesn't If you are willing to sell your ancestral property, the younger generation naturally dare not force it, but it is always a waste to leave the house unused. It is better to rent it to the younger generation, repair it and slightly transform it, and use it as a business place. The old general will only raise the annual rent, and I will never bargain. "

"This." He Fujin was a little hesitant. The old house had been idle for many years. No one had lived in it for a long time, and it would not be good if it lost its popularity.

His family has another mansion, so they don't have to worry about having a place to live, but they can't spend a lot of money to repair the old house, so they can only leave it vacant.

Renting it to Zhu Xiu for business can also renovate the house and add some popularity to the old house. It is a sure profit.

"Oh~ Why are you hesitant? Zhu Xiaozi said, just rent it to him. They will forgive you the five hundred dollars you lost playing chess, and they will also pay you a large amount of rent."

Yao Yuanfu was on the side to help him wink at He Fujin.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said nothing, acquiescing to Yao Yuanfu's words.

He Fujin's face was slightly red, but he was a little embarrassed. He smiled bitterly and said: "Forget it, just rent it to Zhu Shaolang. You can pay the rent every year."

"Thank you, General He! Please rest assured, General He, the younger generation will handle it properly and will never destroy the original landscape facilities of the old house." Zhu Xiu was overjoyed and thanked him with a salute.

He Fujin had high qualifications and prestige in the army, and was nominally a general under Guo Wei, but Zhu Xiu knew that in private Guo Wei often addressed He Fujin as his brother.

He Fujin is the representative of the veteran faction under Guo Wei, and Zhu Xiu is a newcomer to Guo Wei's power group. He must have a good relationship with the veteran faction and the young and strong faction represented by Shi Yanchao and Wang Yanchao.

When Ma Qing collected information on Kaifeng before, the information about Guo Wei's subordinates was specially collected and sent to Jingzhou. Based on the historical records he had read before, Zhu Xiu knew that He Fujin would be an important figure under Guo Wei's command in the future.

Whether in Kaifeng or in a feudal town, the words of the veteran faction are still quite weighty.

He Fujin's family has a large family, but no one in the family seems to be good at running the business. It is difficult to maintain the family expenses with salary rewards alone, and their life is not rich.

Yulin Lane is a prime location in the inner city. Zhu Xiu buys property and does business there. Firstly, it can occupy a convenient location. Secondly, it can also bring him closer to He Fujin. He can legitimately subsidize the He family a large sum of money every year. .

With interests intertwined, it would be easier for him to move around. "Come on, come on, it's my turn to play against you!" Yao Yuanfu was eager to rearrange the chessboard.

Zhu Xiu said hurriedly: "It's getting late. Let's study the battle situation first and then play chess tomorrow."

Yao Yuanfu said: "What is there to study? Our army has repeatedly retreated. When Murong Yanchao arrived at Nanpo, we sent people to fight. After a big defeat, we retreated logically. Let Nanpo be handed over to them. ?”

Zhu Xiu was speechless, with a wry smile on his face.

He Fujin and Yao Yuanfu sent their generals and troops to stop the imperial army. They were defeated several times and lost many troops and generals. More than a thousand soldiers were killed in the battle alone. This led to the imperial army marching all the way to Liu Zipo.

This kind of fraudulent defeat was staged entirely with human life.

When the defeated army fled back, Zhu Xiu went to see it. The camp was full of wounded soldiers. One can imagine how tragic the battle between the two armies was.

In order to lure the imperial army to Liu Zipo, the Ye army paid a heavy price.

Zhu Xiu sighed hesitantly: "What this junior means is that it is best to reduce the casualties of our army as much as possible. Even if we want to lure you into an urn, we can't do it with human lives."

He Fujin and Yao Yuanfu looked at each other and laughed.

"It turns out that Zhu Shaolang was moved by compassion, and he couldn't see the soldiers dead or injured!" He Fujin stroked his beard and shook his head.

"Haha~ I asked you why you are so worried all day long. It turns out you are worried about this!" Yao Yuanfu laughed.

Zhu Xiu sighed: "They are all sons of my Han family and soldiers of the Ye Army. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I really don't want to sacrifice too many unnecessary lives."

He Fujin shook his head and said in a deep voice: "The troops sent to lure Murong Yanchao were all the garrisons of Chanzhou and Huazhou and some newly recruited local sergeants. Some of them were killed or injured, and they had no effect on the elite combat power of the Ye army."

Yao Yuanfu sneered and said: "Li Hongyi of Chanzhou and Song Yanwo of Huazhou were not of the same mind as Ye Du and Guo Gong. They surrendered either because they had no choice but to understand the current affairs and made a wise choice. They recruited soldiers and horses from the two states to lead the battle and kill the two states. Strength, lest the war goes wrong and the two states have a conflicting heart.

When the children of the two states form a bloody feud with the imperial guards, even if Li Hongyi and Song Yanwo have second thoughts, their generals will not follow them to the imperial court. "

Zhu Xiu was stunned and lowered his head in silence.

He really hadn't considered this aspect.

He Fujin said indifferently: "In this way, the recruits can be tempered with the flames of war. After several battles, those soldiers who survived will transform into qualified soldiers. They can kill many with one stroke. Why not do it."

Yao Yuanfu patted Zhu Xiu on the shoulder: "Ci does not control soldiers, you have to learn more."

Zhu Xiu sighed inwardly and cupped his hands: "Thank you two old generals for your teachings."

~~~
The forbidden army marched in the imperial tent.

Liu Chengyou once again received a military report from Murong Yanchao, saying that the enemy army was defeated at the southern slope of Liu Zipo, several enemy generals were killed, and thousands of enemy soldiers fled and were captured.

"Haha~ General Murong is indeed a famous general who has fought in hundreds of battles. Since entering the army, he has pushed forward unimpeded and defeated the rebels several times!"

Liu Chengyou laughed loudly while holding the military newspaper, and there was a burst of praise in the imperial tent.

Hou Yi and Jiao Jixun looked at each other and smiled.

Li Ye complimented loudly: "The official family is prosperous and the soldiers are serving the three armies. We will definitely defeat the Yedu rebels and capture the traitor Guo Wei in one go! The rebels were defeated on the south slope of Liu Zipo and retreated to the camp on the slope. Why not take advantage of the victory to pursue and capture the traitor Guo Wei in one fell swoop? Seize the high ground, occupy strategic terrain, and confront the rebels on the northern slope?"

Liu Chengyou smiled and said: "My uncle's words are in line with my wishes!"

Guo Yunming and Hou Zan stood up and said eagerly: "I request the order to go to war and lead the army to seize the Nanpo camp!"

The two glared at each other, blaming each other for competing with themselves for credit.

Liu Chengyou looked at the two of them and hesitated before agreeing immediately.

After all, it was a march and a battle, not a child's play. Whether Guo Yunming and Houzan could do it or not, Liu Chengyou was worried.

"What do the two old generals think?" Liu Chengyou asked.

Hou Yi saluted and said, "Sushi Guo and General Houzan are worthy of praise for sharing your worries. I beg your Majesty to agree."

Guo Yunming and Houzan looked surprised. They never expected that old man Hou Yi, who had always been against them, would stand by them this time.

Liu Chengyou asked suspiciously, "Tell me about Duke Lu's thoughts."

Hou Yi said carelessly: "Judging from several battles, Ye's army is just a piece of loose sand and vulnerable to a single attack. And with the new defeat on the south slope, wouldn't it be a good opportunity for the king's division to capture the camp on the south slope in one fell swoop? As long as the south slope is captured Camp, our army will have a safe place to station in Liuzipo, where we can confront the rebels on the northern slope for a long time, and then look for good opportunities to defeat the enemy."

Liu Chengyou nodded and looked at Jiao Jixun: "What do you think, General Jiao?"

Jiao Jixun said: "I am reporting this to the officials, and I also agree with the words of the Duke of Lu. Now that the Guo bandit army has not arrived at Liu Zipo, we can seize the opportunity and attack the camp on the south slope. This will make it difficult for the rebels on the north slope to support themselves. Our court The army is stationed on the southern slope, with Kaifeng City at its back, and a military supply depot is established on the outskirts of Qili to transport military supplies and equipment, so that it can calmly deal with the rebels.

As time goes by, the rebels will have difficulty supplying and will inevitably be in disarray. At that time, it will be a good opportunity to defeat the enemy on a large scale. "

"After listening to the words of the two Qing families, I feel much more at ease."

Liu Chengyou smiled and said: "In that case, I will order Houzan to lead the Longwu Army to seize the camp."

Houzan responded energetically: "I invite the officials to sit in the imperial tent and wait for good news!"

Houzan glanced at Guo Yunming triumphantly, bowed and strode out of the imperial tent, ordered his troops and horses and rushed to the front army to join Murong Yanchao.

Guo Yunming was greatly disappointed and sullen in annoyance.

From their point of view, Murong Yanchao made great achievements in defeating the enemy by beating the generals repeatedly, and the rebels came to their door one after another, and Murong Yanchao took up all the opportunities to make meritorious deeds, and they were jealous from the rear.

Capturing the Nanpo Camp was an even greater feat and could not be given to Murong Yanchao at any cost.

Liu Chengyou comforted Guo Yunming and said: "After we capture the camp, you accompany me up the south slope. I want to see what the Yedu rebels are like."

Guo Yunming hurriedly cupped his hands and said: "I obey your order!"

(End of this chapter)