Han officials

Chapter 114 A tiger son has no dog father

Compared with the short-sighted officials of Liaodong County, the officials of the Marquis' Mansion were obviously much more rational.

After Wei Zhe made the decision, everyone quickly started brainstorming.

Xi Zhicai frowned and spoke first, "Although the enemy is coming from three directions, they have different priorities. The current situation in Xigaima is the most critical, followed by Shangyintai, and then Gaoxiancheng."

Gaoxian County in the Han Dynasty was actually the location of Tieling City in Liaodong in later generations. The terrain was high in the east and low in the west. The east was low mountains and hills, and the west was the Liaohe Plain, which was flat.

Although the Liaodong Xianbei were formidable, 3,000 cavalrymen were insufficient to capture the city. However, if Suli's troops were allowed to plunder and kidnap Han people in Xuanchu, the consequences would be unpredictable.

But even so, the Liaodong Xianbei route is the least dangerous.

When Guo Yuan on the opposite side heard Xi Zhicai say this, he immediately had an idea.

"I've heard that Yan Ziang, the Chief Clerk of Liaodong, is well versed in Xianbei affairs. Your Excellency could order the Grand Historian Commander to attack the Hu people, using him as a guide. He should be able to save Gao Xian from danger."

As soon as these words were spoken, Sun Shao, standing beside him, immediately echoed them, saying, "That's quite true. The Eastern Xianbei have been in turmoil for a long time, fighting each other endlessly. Although Suli, Mijia, and Queji all claim to be the lords of the Eastern Xianbei, they are all empty names. Your Majesty, perhaps you could order Yan Rou to instigate Mijia and Queji to attack their own tribe. This way, Suli will retreat."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhe couldn't help but nod slightly.

Others might get lost and miss their deadline, but with Yan Rou, the living map of the grassland, things are different.

Moreover, the vassal states of Liaodong could bypass Liaoze when they went out of the border to attack the Hu. It seemed like they were going in a circle, but in fact it could greatly reduce the time on the road.

With this thought in mind, Wei Zhe decisively wrote a letter and then ordered his personal soldiers to deliver the message immediately.

However, differences arose among the people on the issue of fighting the Buyeo and Goguryeo peoples.

Shi Yi said seriously, "The Goguryeo people are clearly well prepared, and they have an army of 20,000. If we rescue Shang Yintai first, Xigaima City will surely fall. If the Goguryeo people then lead the Han people in the city to Shang Yintai, and attack from both sides together with the Buyeo people, our army will be in danger of being completely annihilated."

However, Sun Shao disagreed with his view and immediately retorted, "It was precisely because the Goguryeo army came prepared and outnumbered that we should have rescued Yintai first. Ziyu, have you ever considered what would happen if the Goguryeo army switched from offense to defense?"

Without waiting for Shi Yi's reply, Sun Shao said gravely, "If our army fails to achieve a quick victory, even if Xigaima survives, it will only be temporary. If our army is held back by the Goguryeo, and the Buyeo break the city and move south to attack the Goguryeo from both sides, our army will be doomed."

I have to say that Sun Shao’s considerations were indeed thorough.

After all, Buyeo's infantry and cavalry had no more than 10,000 people, so it was indeed easier to defeat them than the Goguryeo army.

However, what Shi Yi said was not without reason.

It is precisely because the invading Goguryeo army is the strongest that we should rescue Xigeima first, otherwise it will be too late.

Wei Zhe had a headache for a moment.

He finally understood why Yuan Shao had so many counselors, but still always chose the wrong answer.

It turns out that in this case all the answers make sense, the only difference is which one is the optimal solution.

So after thinking it over again and again, Wei Zhe finally made a decision.

He said with a resolute expression, "Order the Chigu and Qita tribes to rush to Shangyintai and wait for orders. When my army arrives, we will destroy Fuyu together."

Yes, between Xigema and Shangyintai, Wei Zhe finally chose the latter.

It’s not that he doesn’t trust Shi Yi, but Wei Zhe knows Gao Nanwu, the old fox, better than Shi Yi.

Gao Nanwu planned this situation so carefully, I'm afraid he might have left some tricks up his sleeve.

If the 20,000 Goguryeo troops under the city of Xigaima stayed in the camp and refused to leave, Wei Zhe would be in trouble.

Turn around and rescue Shang Yintai? The Han army would become exhausted and at a loss as to where to go.

A violent attack? That would just fulfill the Goguryeo people's wish, but in the end they might not even be able to protect themselves.

Even though the Goguryeo army suffered a minor defeat on the battlefield at that time, they had already won strategically.

Wei Zhe even felt that this was Gao Nanwu's hidden killer move, and the others were just a cover-up.

Xi Zhicai also agreed with this, but he had some other ideas.

"While Shangyintai must be rescued, Xigaima doesn't necessarily need to be ignored." Xi Zhicai walked over to the Liaodong map hanging on the wall and pointed to Goguryeo's location. "We can have the Lelang camps stationed across the Pei River, creating a large-scale raid on Goguryeo to distract their attention. Also, have Wei Muhua lead a fleet to attack Guonei City, perhaps delaying Goguryeo's offensive."

After all, the powerful people from the five invading Goguryeo tribes are all in Guonei City, so they should have some concerns.

Of course, the most important thing is that the city of Segema can hold on.

After all, all transfers take time, and it depends on whether the city of Sigaima can hold on.

Thinking of this, Wei Zhe no longer hesitated and acted according to this plan.

Seeing that Wei Zhe said this, Guo Yuan and others naturally stopped talking nonsense.

Half an hour later, Wei Zhe, dressed in tight clothes, was seen rushing away with four thousand county soldiers.

……

At the same time, in Goguryeo County, Xuanchu County.

In the prefect's mansion, Xuanxu Prefect Bian Yi felt like he was screwed.

It was clearly Wei Zhe who caused the trouble, so why was he the one who suffered the consequences?

He was seen pacing back and forth in the backyard, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

"How is it? Is there any news from Xiangping?" Liao Bo, the chief clerk who had just entered, couldn't help but shook his head with a wry smile when he heard this.

You should know that after receiving the news of the invasion of Goguryeo, Buyeo and Xianbei, the prefectural office had already sent out three waves of envoys to ask for help. This shows how anxious Xuanchu Prefect Bian Yi was.

However, seeing his panic, Liao Bo immediately comforted him, "Don't worry, Lord. Marquis Buye's father is still in Xuanshao County, and most of his relatives and friends are in Houcheng County. Given this bond, Marquis Buye will definitely not ignore it."

After hearing this, Xuanchu prefect Bian Yi finally felt a little relieved.

However, he had just sat down for a while when he immediately ordered: "Quick, order people to keep an eye on Houcheng County and report any movement at any time."

Among the six counties of Xuanchu, Goguryeo County and Houcheng County are the closest, only about twenty miles apart.

If there is any movement in Houcheng, it cannot be concealed from Goguryeo County.

Obviously, Bian Yi was afraid that the people from the Wei family in Houcheng would sneak away.

Of course, he naturally did not have the courage to drag the Wei family members to death with him.

However, if the Wei family really wanted to leave, he would have to prepare a way out in advance.

After hearing what the prefect said, Liao Bo immediately felt that it made some sense and ordered someone to make arrangements.

To be honest, let alone Prefect Xuanchu, even Liao Bo was afraid at this moment.

You should know that the biggest crisis Xuanzhao County has experienced since this dynasty was in the first year of Yongkang (167 AD).

At that time, Fuyu King Wei Choutai led over 20,000 men to attack Xuantu Commandery, but was defeated by Gongsun Yu, then Xuantu Governor, who beheaded over a thousand of them. Fuyu King Wei Choutai then surrendered again and requested to be annexed by Liaodong Commandery.

It has been nearly thirty years since Fuyu State and Xuanchu County had lived in peace.

I don’t know what price Goguryeo paid this time to make the old guy, Buyeo King Wei Choutai, tempted to invade the Han Dynasty again.

God knows how panicked the people in Xuanqiu County are right now!
After all, this time there are enemies on not just one route, but on three sides, and they are all powerful enemies!

It can be said that the entire Xuanqu County, from the Xuanqu prefect to the common people, were looking forward to Wei Zhe.

It was precisely because of this understanding that when someone suggested that Wei Zhe's father, Wei Xuan, go to Liaodong County for temporary refuge in the Wei Clan's Fortress in Houcheng County, Wei Xuan shook his head without hesitation and said, "I'm not going anywhere!"

Hearing this, a plump elder dressed in gorgeous clothes wanted to persuade him again.

But Wei Xuan didn't give him a chance to speak, and immediately said in a stern voice: "Even if I die today, I will die in Houcheng!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the elder's face froze and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

After all, if Wei Xuan died in Houcheng, then even if they fled to Liaodong County, they would probably not have a good ending.

But soon the elder no longer had this concern.

Because Wei Xuan didn't give him any chance to leave at all.

Wei Xuan immediately ordered his trusted servant, "Pass on my order. From today on, no one from the Wei family is allowed to leave Wei's Cottage."

The elder panicked upon hearing this: "Master, you can't..."

However, before he could finish, Wei Xuan continued with a cold look in his eyes: "Anyone who violates this will be expelled from the family tree."

As soon as these words were spoken, the elder of the clan could not help but gasp for air and even fainted from excitement.

There was no way out. Wei Xuan's attitude clearly showed that he was planning to perish together with his enemies.

After all, even if all the Wei bloodline in Xuanchu were dead, there was still Wei Zhe in Liaodong County.

In Wei Xuan's opinion, all the Wei men in Xuanchu are not as important as Wei Zhe alone.

As long as he is there, there is hope for the Wei family's future. As for everyone else, they can be sacrificed...including himself.

Wei Xuan thought so and actually did so. He immediately ordered his family soldiers to guard all the exits of the fort.

After all, if your attitude is not firm enough, it means you have no attitude at all.

Even if only one branch of the Houcheng Wei family has left, the situation will change if the news gets out.

Perhaps as the news spread, it became known that Wei Xuan had fled to Liaodong County with important members of the Wei family.

Rumors are more ferocious than tigers. Even Mencius was helpless against it, let alone Wei Xuan.

So he could only take the most decisive attitude to fundamentally cut off the source of the rumors.

Even though this might come at a very painful price, he was willing to take a gamble.

Facts have proved that Wei Xuan's approach was indeed very wise.

At this special time, he is almost the safety vane of Xuanshou County.

So when the news of Wei's Wu spread, the originally restless Houcheng County soon calmed down.

The same was true for the other five counties of Xuanchu. Although they were still frightened, they finally regained their composure.

It can be said that Wei Xuan completely stabilized the hearts of the people in the six counties of Xuanchu by his own efforts, and bought precious time for Wei Zhe.

However, Wei Zhe, who was speeding along the official road at the moment, knew nothing about this and continued to rush towards Xuanshou County...

(End of this chapter)