Start practicing archery

Chapter 143: A deadly situation, split into two groups

"Shhhhh-"

At the command, arrows rained down.

The people in Baigou County were totally unprepared. After several rounds of arrow rain, most of them were killed, except for the bone-training warriors.

"My lord! It's unfair, my lord!"

Hu Wen hurriedly explained: "The walls of Baigou County are thin, and we are few in number, so we can't defend it at all."

"Fuck your motherfucker!"

Wang Zhi glared at him: "Tens of thousands of people in the city are mobilized, and we can't defend it?!"

"Untouchables, will untouchables help us defend?"

"I'm too lazy to reason with you, you don't deserve to listen!"

"kill--"

After the rain of arrows ended, the army charged.

There was only one internal refining warrior in Baigou County, who was killed by Feng Yong and Zhao Kang together. None of the others were left alive.

The soldiers from Liangzhou achieved zero deaths, with only a few suffering minor injuries.

No matter how bad the reserve battalion is, it is still inferior to the eight major battalions.

Compared with the garrison soldiers in other prefectures, they were all fully armed elites, not to mention the martial arts disciples of a small county and a small number of patrol troops, who were simply vulnerable.

"If we keep these people, they will betray the country sooner or later!"

As Zhao Kang spoke, he slashed the corpse two more times.

"Sanshi, it's done!"

Wang Zhi chased after them: "What a bunch of cowards!"

"Okay, brother, pass on my order, and the entire army will give chase!"

Chen Sanshi wanted to see whether the Book of Miraculous Weapons was really that effective.

"Senior brother..."

Wang Zhi smiled self-deprecatingly.

Zhao Kang and Feng Yong have both practiced internal organs, and he is still practicing bones to perfection. How can he deserve the title of senior brother?

"set off!"

After a short rest, the 1,500 cavalrymen quickly gathered at the South Gate and rushed to the next battlefield at full speed.

Chen Sanshi was about to ride away on his horse when he heard light footsteps behind him.

He looked back.

I saw it was the little girl from before.

She stopped crying and just came over cautiously, holding onto Chihiro's tail with her bloody little hands, her big watery eyes turned red as she just stared at the general on horseback.

"Have you thought this through?"

Chen Sanshi took out some dry food from his bag and threw it over: "Girl, find a place to hide, and wait for me to come back to pick you up after the battle. If you are still alive by then, it means that you and I are destined to be together."

The little girl took the dry food, pursed her lips and said nothing, but obediently let go of the white swan horse's tail.

"I hope you and I are destined to be together."

"drive!"

Chen Sanshi quickly disappeared.

There's nothing wrong with having another child in the mansion, and he doesn't need to take care of it. Siqin Mohua will take care of it, and it can also keep the unborn child company, but it's really inconvenient now.

The outcome of this battle is still unknown. Taking care of a child is indeed a burden, and the sword is merciless and may even harm her.

As for whether she can survive this hell on earth, it all depends on her own fate.

The white swan horse runs so fast that it seems to be flying in the air without even touching the ground.

[Skill: Horse Riding (Minor Achievement)]

[Progress: (0/2000)]

[Effect: Travel 3,000 miles a day, follow the lead]

Follow the Horse's Lead: All the war horses under his command will obey Bai Hu Ma's orders without being startled or afraid, and will cooperate in a measured manner until their death.

This term, originally meant to describe subordinates obeying the orders of their superiors, can unexpectedly also be used to describe "horse".

"?"

Chen Sanshi looked down at Ma Zong and said, "You want to be a general too?!"

Chihiro even paused and nodded.

"You are a goblin!"

Chen Sanshi thought to himself that no wonder the beast wanted to eat Linghe ointment every day. This beast definitely had its own thoughts, and was constantly "evolving" over time.

He asked, "Can you command our cavalry?"

Chihiro nodded again.

"Yeah."

Chen Sanshi knew that the combat effectiveness of his soldiers would be improved again.

In the past, military formations required cavalry to control the war horses to coordinate.

But now, under Qianxun's command, the war horses can actively cooperate, and the effects shown by the two are incomparable.

And not frightened.

This means that even if something unexpected happens, the war horses will not scatter.

Even when resting at night, there is no need to tie up the horses or watch over them. Everything can be left to Chihiro. What a great general among horses, and a female general at that.

The cavalry pursued all the way south.

On the way, we also encountered a small number of fleeing refugees.

An hour and a half later.

They finally caught up with the rebels, the Red Eyebrow Army!
These people were all wearing armor, holding standard weapons in their hands, with red scarves wrapped around their heads and their eyebrows painted red, hence the name Red Eyebrow Army. They were walking in front, pushing several carts in the middle, with looted gold, silver and treasures, and even beautiful young women, who seemed to have not been touched yet, just tied up with ropes, and no one knew who they were going to be presented to.

"Che Xuan Formation!"

"Horse Archer!"

"Fire arrows!"

"charge!"

"..."

The Red Eyebrow Army was marching in front, when suddenly they heard the deafening sound of horse hooves behind them, followed by a sky full of arrows like a torrential rain.

"Enemy attack!"

"Formation!"

More than 700 Red Eyebrow soldiers reacted quickly after more than 100 of them died. They picked up iron round shields, formed a battle formation and engaged in close combat with the cavalry. Their battle formation was indeed well-trained. Not only was there no chaos in this sudden situation, but they were also able to fully display their skills.

"Damn officers and soldiers!"

"Kill the court's lackeys!"

"Brothers, kill, kill——"

"..."

"Kill the rebels!"

Bai Tingzhi took the lead and rushed to the front.

The two groups fought each other.

"gas!"

Chen Sanshi did not rush into the arena, but reined in his horse and observed from the side.

If you fall into it directly, you won't be able to see the situation more clearly.

This is what is meant by "those involved are confused, while those who are not involved can see clearly".

Judging by the [Qi-Observation Technique], most of these 700 Red Eyebrow soldiers were soldiers in battle, a small number were training bones, and only two were training internal organs. None of them were at the level of Transformation Strength or above.

But the combat effectiveness they displayed in the battle formation was not much worse than that of the soldiers in the reserve camp.

On the one hand, it’s because the formation is indeed strange.

It seemed that every step was echoing with heaven and earth, with the help of the power of heaven and earth. Even Chen Sanshi could not see through it completely the first time he encountered it. He needed to spend time to study it.

In addition, and most importantly.

Chen Sanshi's eyes were deep.

He saw a different aura above the Red Eyebrow Army’s formation.

From the appearance, this energy is very similar to the transparent energy in the body of a martial artist, but they are completely different. He can feel it, and it cannot be used to practice magic. It can only be used to temporarily enhance the combat effectiveness of the army.

"Is this the true function of the Book of Strange Soldiers?"

Chen Sanshi suddenly realized.

With the blessing of this energy, coupled with the strange and exquisite battle formations, the army was invincible after it was launched, and it advanced all the way until it achieved the result it has today.

But "Qi" is not infinite.

And there are also differences in strength and weakness.

The mysterious power possessed by the small group of rebels in front of them could naturally not compare with the main force of the Red Eyebrow Army.

With the blessing of Qi, the infantry formation is almost the same as that of the reserve battalion.

but……

They are cavalry!
This is a huge natural advantage.

Chen Sanshi's eyes were as sharp as torches, and he quickly locked onto the source of the "mysterious energy".

A general who had achieved a small success in refining the internal organs was at the core of the battle formation. Wisps of "qi" surged out from his head, spreading out like mist and blessing the rest of the people.

After he found his target, he didn't waste any more time.

In fact, from the beginning of the battle to now, it has only been a few breaths.

"Shhhhh-"

Three arrows were shot out in an instant.

The Red Eyebrow Army's leader Lian Zang blocked two arrows with his sword, and the third arrow pierced his arm.

At the same time, Chen Sanshi rushed over. Any Red Eyebrow Army that dared to stop him would not survive even a blink of an eye. With the power of the Five Tigers Soul-Breaking Spear, it pierced through the iron shield and then penetrated the shoulder of the Red Eyebrow leader.

He deliberately left one person alive for questioning, and after ensuring that he was seriously injured and unable to escape, he continued to massacre the rest of the Red Eyebrow Army.

A skirmish lasted about two cups of tea.

All seven hundred Red Eyebrow troops were annihilated.

Among Chen Sanshi's men, four were killed and seven were injured, while more than a dozen of Bai Tingzhi's men were killed.

No matter how powerful the enemy's formation is, the quality of the soldiers is ultimately low and their numbers are limited.

Moreover, the brothers under Chen Sanshi's command are also blessed with various items. If the Red Eyebrow Army was not blessed with "Xuan Qi", the battle loss ratio would only be lower, and it would not be impossible to achieve zero casualties.

On the battlefield, only the leader of the Red Eyebrow Army was still struggling.

Bai Tingzhi rushed forward and dragged him back.

"You are a bunch of dogs in the imperial court!"

The Red Eyebrows leader cursed with a ferocious look on his face: "Those who only know how to bully us civilians should go to hell, go to hell!"

"silly dog!"

Zhu Tong cursed and rushed forward, swinging the hammer until the guy's arm was smashed into pulp.

"I ask you."

Chen Sanshi grabbed his collar and asked, "Who are you and what position do you hold in the Red Eyebrow Army?"

It is impossible to find out the answer directly from asking about the Heavenly Book.

It’s not a question of whether this person is willing to tell or not, but his status is no higher than that of a thousand-man commander at most, so it’s impossible for him to know such a high-level secret.

"I'm a bandit from Meishan!"

The leader of the Red Eyebrows gnashed his teeth and said, "Now, it is the captain of the Red Eyebrow Army who has received the blessing of King Liang's heavenly book and has come to kill you dog officials!"

"The blessing of the heavenly book..."

Chen Sanshi asked, "Have you seen the Book of Heaven?"

"The Heavenly Book was given to King Liang by an immortal. How can it be the turn of mortals like us to see it?"

The leader of the Red Eyebrows said with disdain: "King Liang was chosen by the immortals. He will overthrow the country sooner or later. You lackeys of the court, just wait for death..."

"Keng!"

Chen Sanshi chopped off his head with a sword and didn't say anything more.

"Go back to Baigou County!"

After suppressing the rebellion, everyone returned to Baigou County to rest.

Chen Sanshi never saw the little girl again. He didn't know where she hid or whether she had been killed by some survivors in the city.

He spread out the map.

Study the current situation again.

After passing through Jianmen Canyon.

An army of 40,000 was like entering a huge pocket.

It’s just that in this pocket, the east, west and north are all our own people, only the south at the bottom of the pocket is full of enemy rebels.

Chen Sanshi began to push back.

He is thinking.

In this situation, what should the Western Qi State do to maximize its benefits?

They have been dragging it on until now.

Assume they are sure to win.

So what kind of changes within Minnesota will allow them to win?

Abandon logic and treat it as pure speculation.

Chen Sanshi thought of himself as the emperor of Xiqi. How could he take Mingzhou? Looking at the location of the Great Wall, a terrible idea gradually emerged in his mind. If Dong An, the general of Mingzhou, surrendered to the enemy, wouldn't it be possible? !

Looking up, he and Xu Wencai met eyes.

"Sir, I figured it out!"

With tacit understanding.

They both knew they were thinking the same thing without even having to say it out loud.

If that's the case.

Then the situation will turn from encircling and suppressing the rebels to being encircled and suppressed by the rebels!
As long as the Jianmen Gorge is sealed off, it will be like a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth, with no escape!
"broken!"

Xu Wencai began to pace in place: "If that's true, the Red Eyebrows have 30,000, Mingzhou has 80,000, and maybe some of the Western Qi's troops will be added. That's a total of more than 100,000 troops. It would be easy for them to defeat our 40,000!"

In this possibility.

Chen Sanshi tried to find the logic from it again.

He said, "Lao Xu, do you still remember this Dong An's information?"

"Remember, be obsessed with the art of war."

Xu Wencai pointed at the city of Dong An's headquarters with his feather fan: "Many years ago, he participated in the selection of vanguards together with General Fang, but he ranked second that year, so he didn't even want the quota for inner disciples, and directly participated in the military examination again, and became the martial arts champion the following year. Later, Your Majesty promoted him all the way, and he gradually reached his current position. The governor of Mingzhou is also the general, in charge of the military and political power of the state."

"It can be seen that this person would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. He may be envious of Brother Fang in his heart. If he is narrow-minded, he will bear a grudge, but it is not enough. He does not have enough reason to rebel."

Chen Sanshi tapped the map with his fingers and analyzed: "He failed in the selection of the vanguard and refused to participate in the imperial examination as an inner disciple, which is basically equivalent to cutting off all ties with the Eight Major Camps. Your Majesty is too fond of such a person to wait for a long time, so he will naturally be given more importance and trained to limit the loyal forces of the Supervisory Commander's Office.

“So, with so many favors from His Majesty, and his status being so high, it is not impossible for him to break through to the Martial Saint realm in a few years and be granted a title of nobility. There is absolutely no reason for him to commit treason.

“But he…

"Still a soldier idiot!"

"My lord is right!"

Xu Wencai was enlightened: "General Fang mentioned to me that this man once competed with him to see who could restore the Nine Palaces and Eight Diagrams Formation first, but he was one step slower in the end. It is said that he got so angry that something went wrong during his martial arts training and he fell seriously ill.

"If we follow this line of thought, everything will make sense!

“There is a kind of people who only want to win and don’t care about anything else, fame, wealth, they don’t care, as long as they can win, they are willing to pay anything.

"For a soldier fanatic, what could be more tempting than the Book of Strange Weapons? The divine things are the biggest variable!

"If the Red Eyebrow Army's commander Liang Jinian uses the treasures in his hand as an exchange, and the Western Qi Kingdom makes promises, such as a title of nobility or fiefdom, it is entirely possible to pull him over."

"real or fake?"

Bai Tingzhi was standing on the side, and he and Zhao Kang and others were all confused when they heard it.

"grown ups!"

Xu Wencai cupped his hands and asked, "What should we do next?"

"I'll write down my thoughts and present them to General Zhao and his men, but they may not be able to listen to them. After all, it's just a guess. There's no substantial evidence, and this guess is a bit too... absurd."

Chen Sanshi and the old scholar made a completely forced guess that the Western Qi State would win and our army would lose.

Even they themselves are not sure whether this situation will really happen.

Write good letters.

He blew the whistle, called the Saker Falcon, and sent the information to the front line.

Then, everyone rested for one night in Baigou County.

At dawn the next day, Yu Song sent a messenger to take them to a gathering place two hundred miles outside Yangchun Prefecture, where they set up camp and began to maintain the transportation of food and fodder.

War is not something that happens overnight, especially one as large as that involving an entire state.

In a blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

After filling his stomach, Chen Sanshi found a deserted place to practice shooting. After arriving in Mingzhou, his proficiency was not delayed at all due to his thorough preparation.

In the blood-blasting state, he continuously generated strength through the blood of dragon elephants, consumed it, and generated it again, repeating this cycle day after day, constantly tempering the strength and purity of his strength.

He could feel that as time went by, the strength had a force that wanted to burst out of his body, but every time the strength would dissipate before leaving his skin. He could only grit his teeth and persevere, continuing the boring repetition.

at last.

Just before Chen Sanshi became exhausted, a force flowed out from his arm, passed through the gun barrel to the person being shot, and burst out with unprecedented power.

Breakthrough external strength!

[Kung Fu: Zhenguo Dragon Spear. Transformation of Strength (Mastery)]

【Progress: 0/1000】

[Effect: ..., accumulate strength]

Based on the original entries, new effects have been added.

[Store Strength: Accumulate strength and burst it out at once]

After mastering the Hua Jin realm skills, it is the "external strength" of the middle stage of Hua Jin. In the whole realm, it is considered as a transition, paving the way for the "strength and power to hold the weapon" of minor success.

The main function is to make the force leave the body.

To put it simply, it means hitting objects through the air.

Chen Sanshi thrust his spear into the ground and punched out. Although his fist did not touch the tree trunk, he still easily broke a bowl-sized tree in half in front of him.

For a warrior at this level, the effect of picking up weapons is actually average.

Because their external force cannot be sustained, just like a bow and arrow, they can only shoot out one by one, and they are very weak. But if they can accumulate force, it will be completely different.

Chen Sanshi clenched his fist and could feel the strength slowly accumulating in his arms. Soon it would far exceed the strength that one should have at the external strength level. As long as he had enough time to accumulate strength, he could create unexpected effects in a single attack.

"The spiritual sand is used up."

His magic was not lost either, and he accumulated enough sword energy to cast another spell.

[Magic: Sword Qi Technique (Introduction)]

【Progress: 35/500】

It's just that the progress in proficiency is pitiful.

The spiritual sand was also completely consumed, turning into a pile of dull, ordinary sand and gravel.

When we return, we must get the incense burner from Ciyu Temple.

Before Chen Sanshi set out, not only the temple master and the abbot were thrown into prison, but the entire Lingwu Mountain was sealed off. Before the investigation was completed, all Taoists were not allowed to leave the mountain gate. The incense burner was naturally well protected and there was no need to worry about it being lost.

Whether and when we can go back are the issues we should consider now.

The information he passed on to Zhao Wuji and others received a response.

The content is simple and they will pay attention.

At this point, the front line had already set up camp and began to confront the main force of the Red Eyebrow Army. It was too late to return by the same route.

The transportation of grain and fodder in Yangchun Prefecture was relatively smooth.

"I hope I'm overthinking it." Chen Sanshi said to himself as he watched the setting sun.

Another ten days passed.

"Five days later!"

Back in the camp, Yu Song issued a new order: "The entire reserve battalion will march to Yingzui Mountain to join the main battlefield and participate in the decisive battle!"

"Do we even have to go to the reserve camp?"

Xie Sishu asked, "Commander Yu, what's the situation ahead?"

"Three wins and one loss, 8,000 Red Eyebrow rebels were wiped out, and our army suffered 3,000 casualties."

Yu Song said in a deep voice: "The morale of this group of rebels is very high. Relying on the heavenly book bestowed by the gods, they are able to survive the defeat. In addition, in the past two months, they have recruited another 10,000 people from the sects and mountains in various places, as well as the new soldiers they have trained.

"Even now, they still have more than 30,000 people.

“But, that’s all!
“General Dong will leave his deputy general Wu You to guard the Great Wall, and personally lead 30,000 men to join the battle. They will soon arrive at Jinquan Prefecture, and by then we can attack from both sides and annihilate half of the enemy within half a month. Within two months, we can pacify the entire territory!

"Then we can go back to Liangzhou!"

Another ten thousand people were recruited.

That’s scary, how long has it been?

By this calculation, almost half of the sect disciples and martial artists in Mingzhou have joined the Red Eyebrow Army.

This is the charm of "myths and legends".

"The treasure bestowed by the immortals" is a divine book of special weapons used in wars. Its value is no less than "a gift from heaven", and it is genuine and endorsed by immortals.

Just based on this point, more people will come to join us.

If it weren't for the "Book of Heaven", this rebellion would never have been a big deal.

in other words.

No matter how bad the situation gets, the key point lies in Liang Jinian in Meishan. As long as Meishan Prefecture is captured and the rebels lose the "faith" in their hearts to persist, all problems will be solved and the enemy can be defeated without fighting.

of course.

The prerequisite is to win the next decisive battle.

His position is still too low and there is limited what he can do.

"Wang Li."

Chen Sanshi asked, "Is there any news from Jianmen Gorge?"

"almost."

Wang Li replied: "In a few days, Zhao Kang and the others should be able to come back."

"Okay, let's go."

Chen Sanshi sent people back to Jianmen Gorge a few days ago to inquire about the situation.

If his speculation came true, then a large number of troops from the western border would definitely go around the rear and set up camp near the Jianmen Gorge to block their retreat.

……

Meishan Prefecture City.

The prefect's residence.

"Holding the power of killing in the universe, I will kill the evil and retain the righteous to resolve the people's worries.

"The divine book and the mysterious soldiers are bestowed by the gods, and the poems are recited before the Lord.

"The dragon hiding in Meishan fears to shock the heavens, so he takes a break and leaps into the abyss.

"Wait for the wind and clouds to gather together, soar to the sky and establish the country!"

"What a poem, what a poem!"

In the hall.

A scholar picked up a pen and wrote a poem on the snow-white wall, which attracted applause from many generals.

The scholar himself was not excited.

He slowly put down his pen and glanced at the generals: "What is the situation north of Wushui?"

"Reply to the Marshal."

A general clasped his fists and said, "The commander-in-chief has a brilliant plan. After Master Jia Wu and his men were defeated several times, they successfully lured the enemy deep into our territory. The Liangzhou army has already crossed the Yingzui Mountain area and has also brought up the reserve battalion at the rear, preparing for a decisive battle outside Jinquan Mansion."

"Where's Dong An?"

Liang Jinian asked.

“Already in place!”

Xiang Tian replied: "The 50,000 troops led by General Dong have already arrived at Jinquan Prefecture. We will retreat for a while and then pretend to join forces with them. They will never dream that the reinforcements are here to kill them!

"If this plan succeeds, the 40,000 Liangzhou troops will be annihilated!"

"What about Jianmen Gorge?"

Liang Jinian held a ruler in his hand and pointed at the terrain on the sand table: "Jianmen Gorge must be stopped, no one is allowed to escape, and Yangchun Prefecture must also be prepared."

"The Marshal is cautious in his use of troops. I really admire him."

Everyone started to flatter him again.

Liang Jinian waved his sleeves and said, "Alright, hurry up and make the arrangements. Don't miss the opportunity to fight. Our lives and fortunes depend on this battle!"

"Marshal, you...you haven't given me the power of the Heavenly Book yet!"

Xiang Tian, ​​the leader of a sect in the Mysterious Elephant Realm, knelt on one knee in front of the scholar and said, "Please give me some advice, Marshal!"

As soon as he knelt, others immediately followed suit.

Liang Jinian frowned slightly: "This battle will be 80,000 vs 40,000, or a surprise attack. Does this also require my help?"

"Commander!"

Xiang Tian clasped his fists and said, "Our Red Eyebrow Army has had a very hard time in the past month, sleeping in the open air every day. Only with the blessing of your magic can the morale of our brothers be high."

"The law should not be spread lightly, and it should not be abused!"

Liang Jinian threw down the ruler and said, "Pass on my order, and say that it is written in the Book of Heaven that this battle must be won. As long as we win this battle, I will choose a small city and reward the brothers with three days of massacre!"

Mingzhou was poor, and so were the Red Eyebrows. All their supplies were either supplied by the Western Qi State or looted from nearby cities. On normal days, they had nothing to reward their subordinates with, and only the massacre in the city could arouse their most primitive desires.

"As ordered!"

Xiang Tian and others took the order and left.

The hall became empty.

Liang Jinian sat on the armchair, feeling the immortality in his body, his face looked grim: "How could this happen..."

"Husband."

A woman came over with a food box in her hand. She placed the bowls and chopsticks on the table skillfully and said, "Come and have something to eat."

"no appetite."

Liang Jinian closed his eyes and said, "My lady, please eat it yourself."

"My husband hasn't eaten for almost a day."

Gao Peiwen pulled the man and said, "Come on, just eat with me."

"Okay, then eat something."

Liang Jinian then stood up.

"Sigh, what's going on?"

While serving soup to the scholar, Gao Peiwen asked, "Is it that thing..."

"Ah."

Liang Jinian nodded and said, "It's almost used up. Every time we won a battle before, it would surge, but recently... it should be because of the stalemate. After the next battle is over, we will definitely be able to forge a truly invincible army."

He is a real scholar who is powerless.

Since he joined the Meishan stronghold, he was able to be respected as a leader by a group of extremely vicious guys, all thanks to the magic items in his hands. If he didn't have the magic items, he would be the first to die.

On the contrary, as long as you keep things firmly in your hands, these people will be obedient.

"Husband, forget it."

Gao Peiwen said worriedly, "Why should we just run away and fight each other all day long?"

"A woman's view!"

Liang Jinian said angrily: "It has come to this, do you think there is still a chance to get out? And when this war is over, the Western Qi Kingdom will make me the King of Mingzhou and give me a lot of fiefdoms! By then, I will be able to recruit soldiers and build up my strength!

"As long as I have enough time and some magical items, I may be able to fight for this kingdom!
"At first, I just wanted to pass the imperial examination, but now, I want to kill all the imperial examinations in the world!

"I'm going to tell them to never look up at me again!"

……

Eagle's Beak Mountain.

"Only two days left!"

"It's coming soon!"

"We are the left wing of the reserve battalion. We are the last to arrive. Be alert and don't lose face!"

"..."

There's news from the front.

The Red Eyebrow Army suffered another defeat.

Now, the Liangzhou troops have chased to the banks of the Wushui River.

Chen Sanshi looked at the location on the map and felt terrified.

In this way, it is basically equivalent to leaving everything to Jinquan Prefecture. The development of the situation is more and more consistent with his speculation. The Red Eyebrow Army does not seem to be retreating, but rather luring the enemy deep into the territory.

It's not that the soldiers of Liangzhou are stupid, it's just that he and Xu Wencai are the only smart ones. It's just that apart from them, no one would think that the governor of Mingzhou would surrender to the enemy. He is a frontier official of a state of the imperial court. On the surface, he has everything he needs and he may even have the chance to be granted a title of nobility in the future. He has nothing better to do than to risk his life and property and surrender to the enemy.

No, there is one person who might be able to relate to it.

Fourth senior brother!
He and his master left Liangzhou a long time ago, saying they were going to the capital, and he hadn't heard any news from the capital. However, the expansion of the camp began to proceed in an orderly manner before they set out.

The suppression of the rebellion in Mingzhou was not planned by the Eight Battalions, but was remotely controlled by the Ministry of War in the capital.

Lu Ji, Hou Bao, Zhao Wuji and others were only responsible for execution.

But so much time has passed.

Master and Fourth Brother should have known about this as well, and it’s even possible that they have already made amends.

But the distance is too long and the communication delay is too great.

"Mr. Chen Qian, you are really not anxious at all."

"They actually stayed until the end to escort the food and fodder. Aren't they afraid that the food will be cold by the time they arrive?"

"Let's go first!"

"..."

Lu Shuhua, Xie Sishu and others found it unreasonable. If they had not seen this man kill Wen Qiushi in front of everyone, they would have thought that this guy was cowardly and afraid.

Watching them gradually go away, Chen Sanshi still did not speed up at all. In addition, he was responsible for escorting food and fodder, so he would arrive at his destination three to five days later than the others.

"Zhao Kang hasn't come back yet?"

Another two days passed and he was about to send someone to urge them when he saw the dust rising from the rear.

Zhao Kang came back covered in blood, and only the last two of the ten riders were left.

Xu Wencai stamped his feet fiercely: "It's broken!"

"..."

Chen Sanshi's heart finally settled down.

Zhao Kang's subsequent report was almost exactly what he had guessed.

"My lord, something big has happened!
"In Jianmen Gorge, there are 30,000 ambushes coming from nowhere. In the west, we have discovered a large number of troops from Western Qi entering the country. We don't know exactly how many people there are. Our 40,000 troops were immediately surrounded from the front and back!
"What's going on, sir? Has the Great Wall of the Western Border been breached? Are the people under Dong An, the general of Mingzhou, just idlers?"

"..."

Having been mentally prepared, Chen Sanshi closed his eyes, thought for a short time, and quickly made a decision: "Throw away all the food and supplies, set up an ambush in the valley ahead, and prepare to support our defeated army!"

"Yes!"

Everyone looked at each other, not understanding what was happening, but still did as they were told.

The next day at dusk.

The soldiers guarding the valley first saw dust all over the sky, and then...

The Liangzhou troops suffered a crushing defeat!

After seeing the ambush in the valley, they were almost frightened and fled for the second time. It was not until they realized that they were their own people that they slowly stabilized their position.

"You...you guessed it a long time ago?!"

The armor on Sha Wenlong's body was completely rotten, and Cao Fan next to him was also injured.

He didn't say much, but just gave the order: "The entire army retreats 200 miles, rests in Longyang County 200 miles away, and then, make the next plan!"

The defeated army continued to retreat.

It was not until he met Yu Song and others who had returned in disappointment that he figured out what had happened before.

"Collaborate with the enemy, collaborate with the enemy!!!"

Yu Song's eyes were bloodshot: "During the decisive battle at Wushui River, the Red Eyebrow Army, which had been retreating, suddenly launched a counterattack, and Dong An led 50,000 troops to attack from Jinquan Prefecture in the rear!
"Fortunately... Fortunately, General Zhao listened to your advice and took precautions against Dong An and his men, and did not join forces with them. Otherwise, I'm afraid the entire army would have been wiped out!"

"Mr. Chen Qian, how did you know that?!"

Xie Sishu's face was filled with fear: "No wonder you have been unwilling to move forward. You have already guessed that Dong An would betray you. How could you guess that? Do you have any information?!"

Lu Shuhua also looked at him in disbelief, but did not say anything.

Bai Tingzhi shouted in a hoarse voice: "Let General Chen be the commander-in-chief sooner, why are there so many bullshit? They are idiots. What bullshit Sha Wenlong, Yuan Dai, and Zhao Wuji are all idiots!"

Chen Sanshi was in no mood to discuss this. He hurriedly asked, "General Yu, what's the situation?"

"The Tianlang Battalion lost 3,000 soldiers and horses, and the commander Yuan Dai and the lieutenant commanders of the front, back, right and three divisions were all killed in the battle!

"Of the 20,000 elite soldiers in Liangzhou, only the last 7,000 are left. 4,000 of them escaped with us, and the other 3,000, including General Zhao, were dispersed. No one knows where they went.

“The reserve battalion also suffered heavy losses.

"In total, more than half of the 40,000-man army was lost!"

Lost more than half!

"Quick, get out of here!"

"Your ambush is too small to stop us. There are 50,000 soldiers chasing us. Go!"

"Let's go to Longyang County first!"

"Now that Yuan Dai is dead and General Zhao is missing, Sha Wenlong is the supreme commander!"

"Come on!"

"If we are caught up, no one will be able to escape!"

"..."

"withdraw--"

The entire army retreated quickly.

Along the way, countless food and supplies were abandoned.

Three days later.

Everyone gathered in Longyang County to discuss what to do next.

After such a great defeat, the morale of the entire military camp was extremely low.

What’s even more terrifying is that after obtaining complete intelligence, everyone found that they were not just going to be defeated, but completely annihilated!
After the Jianmen Gorge was sealed, 60,000 troops from the Western Qi State rushed all the way from the west, and in the south there were 80,000 troops from the Red Eyebrow Army and Mingzhou rebels, totaling 140,000 troops!

The entire Minnesota has become a big sealed pocket.

They want it all, suffocated in their pockets.

No one can escape!

Mingzhou is their burial place!

"Reinforcements, we have reinforcements!"

late at night.

A Saker Falcon flew back.

Bring the latest information.

Ten days ago, Liangzhou mobilized 50,000 troops from Youzhou and Daozhou, plus 30,000 from the neighboring Yanzhou, including Rong Yanqiu's Suzaku Camp and the second senior brother's White Tiger Camp.

Fengzhou was empty and could only mobilize less than 10,000 men, but 80,000 of the emperor's personal guards had already rushed in from the distant capital, ready to cross the wilderness and join the battle from the southernmost part of Mingzhou.

All of this was made up for by Fang Qingyun and Sun Xiangzong immediately after they learned about the Ministry of War's deployment.

Even a long time ago, the fourth senior brother mentioned this matter to the court. The Book of Secret Weapons might very likely induce Dong An to rebel, but the court suspected that the Eight Battalions wanted to eliminate hostile forces and ignored it, leading to the current situation.

Moreover, the initiative of this matter is really in the hands of Western Qi and Liang Jinian. If Liang is unwilling to hand it over, he will destroy it even if he is defeated in the end. There is absolutely no such thing as Dong An going to take it personally.

In the end, the total number of the two sides was 170,000 for the Dasheng Dynasty and 140,000 for the Western Qi Kingdom.

This war turned from a war to suppress the Red Eyebrows rebellion into a battle for the fate of the nation overnight!
however.

Even if there are more reinforcements, the fastest batch will not arrive for more than a month.

With their current situation, they won't even live to that time.

How to survive has become the primary issue at hand.

Chen Sanshi looked at the map of Mingzhou, the Hongze River and the Wushui River, as well as the southernmost exit of the Great Wilderness, and barely found a glimmer of hope, but the prerequisite was that everyone listened to him!

"Go to Yangchun Prefecture!"

Inside the Chinese army's tent.

Cao Fan placed his hand on the location of Yangchun Prefecture: "Right now, the nearest city that we can defend is Yangchun Prefecture. The rebels are short of troops in the east, and we can take this city within three days! There may be food and grass inside. If we are lucky, we can hold on for a while!"

"no!"

Chen Sanshi immediately rejected the idea and said, "General Sha! We can't go to Yangchun Prefecture. I'm sure the food and grass that were transported out earlier were used to confuse us. There is absolutely no food and grass inside now! If we go in now, we will never get out again!"

"Oh?"

Sha Wenlong cast a glance over: "Then according to Master Chen's idea, where should we go?"

"Cross the river!"

Chen Sanshi said: "Cross the Hongze River to the east and attack the city on the other side of the river!"

Cao Fan retorted: "Master Chen, the cities on the east bank of the Hongze River are all small county towns. The walls are thin, short and in disrepair. They are simply impossible to defend. Once the enemy troops arrive at the city, there is only one way to go."

"Then don't defend!"

Chen Sanshi explained the tactics: "It's better than being trapped. Our goal is to keep making detours and then find an opportunity to go south, enter the wilderness, and escape!"

"absurd!"

Sha Wenlong said coldly: "Do you think that rebels are all fools? The time spent crossing the river from here and heading south is enough for the enemy to deploy heavy troops in front of the Great Wilderness. It is tantamount to walking into a trap!

"Your Highness is right. The only way for us to survive now is to quickly attack Yangchun Prefecture, and then hold on and wait for rescue!"

"General Sha!"

Chen Sanshi emphasized: "Please think carefully! We have suffered heavy losses in this battle. If we continue like this, our entire army will be wiped out!"

Sha Wenlong slammed his fist on the table and asked sternly, "If I don't listen to you, will my whole army be wiped out?"

"It's hard to tell!"

The matter is of great importance, and Chen Sanshi must persevere to the end no matter what.

"Asshole! Even if this general dies, there are still lieutenant generals in command. When will it be your turn as a captain?!"

Sha Wenlong was about to explode, but when he saw the look from Cao Fan next to him, he suddenly remembered something. He paused and said in a deep voice, "Are you sure you want to cross the river and attack those counties?"

"General Chen Qian, you did predict Dong An's rebellion, but..."

Yu Song then persuaded, "I also think that defending Yangchun is the only best strategy at the moment. You should just obey orders honestly."

Chen Sanshi said firmly: "I'm sure!"

"it is good!"

Sha Wenlong's attitude suddenly changed without warning: "Don't say that this general doesn't listen to advice. Since General Chen Qian insists, I will accept your strategy!

"Yu Song, listen to my orders!
"I order you to lead the 3,000 troops on the left side of the reserve camp, and follow what General Chen Qian said to cross the Hongze River to find a place to stay. If there are heavy casualties, you two will end yourselves!"

"I?"

Yu Song was a little confused: "General Sha, I never said I wanted to cross the river to the east. I also want to stay and defend Yangchun together."

"It's settled!"

Sha Wenlong ignored him and said, "All the other generals, follow me immediately and attack Yangchun Prefecture!"

From then on, the defeated army of Liangzhou was divided into two routes.

One group of 3,000 troops crossed the river to the east, while another group of 18,000 troops attacked Yangchun Prefecture.

(End of this chapter)