Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Facing the voices urging people to evacuate, Li Ji slowly raised his hand to stop them, and then continued.

"I cannot retreat. I am afraid I cannot retreat now."

"Why?" Sun Ce asked.

Even though the situation was so critical, Li Ji still spoke calmly as usual.

"If the Xianbei were targeting me from the beginning, they would have sent their best troops to ambush us on the road to Hulao Pass. If we withdraw now, we will be walking into a trap."

Suddenly, everyone's expression changed slightly, and they realized that they had to be on guard.

The geographical location of Luoyang, Hulao Pass and Mengjin is somewhat like a somewhat flat triangle.

The Xianbei army had already appeared in Mengjin, and all of them were highly mobile cavalry, so it was entirely possible to set up an ambush among them early on.

"Then the Prime Minister is going west?"

"No, no, no. There are also Qiang people and Southern Xiongnu rebelling in the west. Judging from the time, they may have occupied Hangu Pass. Going west is a dead end."

"Perhaps we should look for other ways to escape from Guanzhong..."

A group of civil and military officials started discussing, trying to find a solution to the problem.

Until Li Ji slammed the table with his folding fan, stopping the somewhat messy discussion, and spoke.

"Furthermore, Sili has more than 3 million people, Liangzhou has more than 500,000, and Bingzhou has more than 700,000. At present, the Xianbei, Qiang, and Southern Xiongnu are in turmoil and are heading straight for Luoyang. They have no time to plunder the local area and harm the people."

"But if I abandon Luoyang and evacuate Guanzhong, who can defend Luoyang?"

"Once Luoyang is lost, they can seize Hulao Pass. The Hu people will imitate the Bingzhou Xianbei War in the sixth year of Xiping and split the region. Sili, Liangzhou, and Bingzhou may become the hunting grounds of these foreign races, and the more than four million people in the three states will be their prey."

These seemingly plain words reached the ears of everyone present, shocking many of them so much that they broke out in cold sweats.

The sixth year of Xiping was only twenty years ago. At that time, the Xianbei repeatedly invaded the border. Emperor Lingdi mobilized heavy troops and sent them out in three directions. As a result, almost the entire army was wiped out, and only less than 10% of the Han army escaped.

Since that battle, Bingzhou lost nearly half of its land and is still controlled by the Xianbei.

But now, if we lose Luoyang and allow foreign races to control Guanzhong, it will be extremely difficult to take it back.

Moreover, Li Ji was well aware that in the face of a great war, military morale was particularly important.

Before the war broke out, Li Ji was the first to evacuate Luoyang. How could the defenders in the city have any desire to fight?
Not to mention that the Luoyang garrison is now complex, with three factions: the Xiliang Army, the Hanzhong Army and the Han Army. Even if Sun Ce is responsible for the defense of Luoyang, it will certainly not be possible for him to suppress various factions like Li Ji did.

Li Ji was stationed in Luoyang, and there was still some hope of holding on;

Once Li Ji retreats, Luoyang may not be able to hold out for long.

Immediately, Li Ji slowly stood up, glanced at everyone, and spoke in a serious tone.

"If you only care about the country's life and death, how can you avoid it because of misfortunes and blessings?"

"The country is in crisis. As the prime minister, I have the responsibility to defend the country and kill the enemy. I cannot withdraw, I cannot withdraw, and I will not be allowed to withdraw."

"Whoever talks about withdrawal again will be treated like this!"

The next moment, Li Ji drew out the Qingguang sword from his waist, chopped the table in front of him into two pieces on the spot, and then handed the Qingguang sword to Xu Chu beside him and said.

"Zhongkang, from now on, you will hold this sword and patrol everywhere as a tiger guard. If you hear of anyone disturbing the morale of the army or threatening to surrender, you can kill them first and then report to the emperor."

"Here!"

Xu Chu stepped forward, took the Qinggang sword, and responded loudly.

At this moment, everyone present felt a chill in their hearts.

In the eyes of everyone, the prime minister is generous and kind, and he also remembers old friendships.

But Xu Chu, the fool, chopped down with the Prime Minister's Qingguang sword in his hand, and he absolutely chopped down without a sound, without any hesitation. Li Ji paused for a moment and added.

"If Luoyang is captured, I will be captured by the Hu people. Zhongkang, please chop off my head immediately and don't let me fall into the hands of the Hu people."

When these words were spoken, not only Xu Chu was stunned, but everyone present was also stunned.

"Prime Minister, this... this is not okay."

Xu Chu was so frightened that he immediately knelt down, stammering.

After the other civil and military officials realized what was happening, they were so excited that their eyes filled with tears, and they all stood up to try to persuade him.

"I have made up my mind, don't argue anymore!"

Li Ji flicked his sleeves to stop everyone's persuasion, and at the same time he had already realized something in his heart.

Luoyang must be defended...

Whether it is to buy time for the Northern Expedition Army to turn around, or to mobilize troops to support Liu Bei, Luoyang must never be abandoned.

Li Ji could not allow the three states to fall into the hands of the Hu people.

At the same time, Li Ji was also very clear that he could not fall into the hands of the Hu people, otherwise his fate would be no better than that of the emperor who called at his door.

Moreover, given Liu Bei's character of valuing friendship more than the country, Li Ji was really afraid that he would be threatened by the Hu people, and Liu Bei would be so cruel as to agree to some conditions such as ceding states and counties.

Once the Hu people are really allowed to split the Han territory and dominate one side, wouldn't it be like the Han Dynasty repeating the hatred of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun?

At this moment, everyone present felt Li Ji's determination to live and die with Luoyang, and also understood the prime minister's determination to fight the Hu people to the death.

"Fight to the death!"

As Sun Ce was the first to shout angrily, the other civil and military officials also followed suit and shouted loudly.

"Fight to the death!"

"Fight to the death!!!"

The Prime Minister sets an example by not fearing death, so how could his civil and military officials have the slightest thought of retreating?
For a moment, even Zhou Yu, who usually looked the most elegant and handsome, roared with a ferocious look and a flushed face.

……

The Hu people came a little faster than Li Ji had imagined, as if they were afraid that Li Ji would escape.

However, in the early morning of the next day, a group of Xianbei cavalry appeared outside the city of Luoyang, and the Hu people who rushed to Luoyang were like locusts, overwhelming.

densely packed.

After another day, Luoyang seemed to be surrounded by Hu people.

The tents of the Hu people were also set up outside the city of Luoyang without haste, showing their arrogance and complacency.

Perhaps it is inevitable that these barbarians are proud of this...

For hundreds of years since the Qin and Han Dynasties, even the Huns, once the overlord of the grasslands, could not reach Luoyang.

The Qiang people continued to rebel, invading the three prefectures, and also failed to reach Luoyang.

Furthermore, because the Xianbei went on the expedition, they brought a large number of cattle and sheep with them as military rations, so within a day of the Hu people's arrival, the stench of cattle and sheep feces had already drifted onto the city walls.

At this moment, Li Ji was personally patrolling the city wall, checking the preparations for defending the city. At the same time, he was also taking in the actions of the Hu people outside the city and smelling the stench that should not be smelled in Luoyang.

Li Ji looked at her calmly for a moment, but spoke with a colder tone.

"The pollution of the Han territory must be cleansed with blood." (End of this chapter)