Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 370 I'm afraid you'll know?

West of Luoyang, key locations leading to Guanzhong, such as Xin'an and Yiyang, were not under the control of the Erzhu clan.

After Erzhu Rong's death, Erzhu Shilong also lost the will to fight Li Shuang for these cities.

After all, Shaanxi was not under the control of the Erzhu clan, so there was no point in him fighting for these cities.

However, Erzhu Shilong was not unprepared. He built Cijian City east of Xin'an and Jiuqu City east of Yiyang as gateways to Luoyang to deal with possible attacks.

Cijian City, as its name suggests, is situated by the mountains and faces the stream. Built in a strategic location, it has three gates: east, south, and west. Although the city is small, it is strong enough to defend itself.

Under the cover of darkness, soldiers patrolled Cijian City with torches in hand, always on guard.

The deputy commander of Cijian City stood on the city wall, his face showing some worry, waiting for the return of the garrison commander who had gone out to scout the enemy's situation.

The soldiers stationed in this city are all from the north. Given the importance of this place, Erzhu Shilong is not comfortable letting the imperial guards from Luoyang guard it.

The northerners had a high level of military skill, especially those who followed Erzhu Rong, who were all selected military elites.

The so-called elite military force was different from the undisciplined imperial guards in Luoyang. When facing the enemy and taking risks, the officers and soldiers personally led their men into battle.

A day earlier, the garrison commander of Cijian City noticed something was amiss and personally led his soldiers into the mountains to investigate.

Li Shuang has gathered a large army in Chang'an and will soon march on Luoyang.

With war seemingly imminent, these soldiers, loyal to Luoyang, whose families were all there, dared not slacken their vigilance for even a day. This unusual situation aroused suspicion among the city's garrison.

A deep bugle call rang out over Cijian City in the night, alerting the soldiers in the city.

Cijian City prepared ample supplies of fish oil, firewood, and other flammable materials, illuminating the area around the city even at night to prevent enemy attacks.

The deputy general of Cijian City was initially delighted to see the dozen or so riders returning, but soon he realized something was amiss.

Following these dozen or so riders were several other cavalrymen, especially the leader, whose warhorse was exceptionally powerful, its size alone making it a size larger than the others' horses.

The leader, relying on his horse's strength, charged forward with a long spear, knocking his men off their horses one by one.

The soldiers in the city were about to open the city gates when they heard the thunder of horses' hooves. Looking into the distance, they could not tell how many troops were approaching in the dark night.

Seeing that the city gates remained closed for a long time, the dozen or so returning riders understood. Instead of complaining about their comrades in the city refusing to help, they turned back and engaged the three riders in a fierce battle.

However, the result far exceeded the expectations of the soldiers in the city. These dozen or so riders had the advantage in numbers and were fighting desperately, but they were powerless to fight back against the three riders in the melee.

It could even be described as a one-sided massacre.

The soldiers in the city watched with bloodshot eyes as these dozen or so riders were killed, but there was nothing they could do.

As the battle ended, the thunderous sound of hooves grew closer and closer. Thousands of cavalrymen slowly emerged from the darkness into the light. The leader stood with his spear in hand and roared in the night, his voice like thunder.

"I am Gao Ang, a general under the King of Qin. Surrender now and I will spare your lives!"

After Gao Ang finished speaking, the guards of Cijian City were brought forward, bound and gagged.

He had come to persuade them to surrender, but as he approached the city, he mustered all his strength and roared.

"Brothers, defend the city well, don't let these Han barbarians laugh at us."

Gao Ang sneered and sliced ​​off his head with his long spear.

Blood splattered, and the ferocious face of this Northern general was forever frozen at the moment of his death.

……

Luoyang.

Gao Ang led 8,000 infantry and cavalry out of Xin'an and besieged Cijian City.

The news quickly reached Luoyang, causing a huge stir.

The moment has finally arrived.

Erzhu Shilong was a little nervous, but when facing the crowd, he still showed a calm and composed demeanor.

Who will go to aid Cijian City?

The strength of a city is not solely determined by its defenses. Many fortified cities have never been conquered from the outside.

Cijian City is the western gateway to Luoyang. If it is lost, the Guanzhong army will have no way to advance.

We have to save them!

In the crowd, Erzhu Zhao wanted to step forward, but was pulled back by Erzhu Yanbo beside him.

Erzhu Shilong's gaze swept over the group of generals of different surnames who belonged to the Erzhu clan, and finally settled on Husichun.

"Duke of Chengyang, what do you think?"

All the sons of the Erzhu clan were granted the title of king, and these generals from other clans were also granted the title of duke.

Husichun didn't want to go, but facing the gazes of the Erzhu clan members, he still cupped his hands and said:
"Whatever Your Majesty commands, Husi Chun will obey without hesitation!"

"In that case, I will give you 30,000 troops. Go and reinforce them immediately!"

"The last general takes command!"

After everyone had left, Erzhu Zhao stepped forward and asked, puzzled:
"If we entrust all 30,000 elite troops to Husichun and he fails to defeat Gao Feng, wouldn't that only damage morale?"

Erzhu Zhao thought Erzhu Shilong would let him go, but to his surprise, Erzhu Shilong just smiled.

"These people appear obedient, but who knows what they're really thinking? How can we be at ease without letting them get their hands dirty?"

In terms of leading troops and charging into battle, Erzhu Zhao was far superior to Zhu Shilong, but when it came to cunning and scheming, Erzhu Zhao was much less capable.

“Gao Gao’s troops number only eight thousand. Even if he captures Cijian City, what good will it do? What I’m worried about is Erzhu Zhongyuan’s side.”

After the Erzhu clan lost Jinyang, a number of forces in Hebei rebelled, and the battle line was pushed to the banks of the Yellow River.

Erzhu Shilong sent Erzhu Zhongyuan north to attack Ye City, intending to strike first.

This was both to intimidate the various forces in Hebei and prevent them from interfering, and to protect Hanoi and safeguard Luoyang to the north.

"There are less than 10,000 soldiers in Jinyang, and there is no sign of them heading south. Most of the elite troops in Hedong have been transferred to Hongnong. I have ordered all generals to guard the ferry crossings along the Yellow River. As long as the battle is stalemated at Xin'an, we will have victory in our grasp."

The Erzhu clan commanded 180,000 troops, but they were on the defensive.

Erzhu Shilong's plan was to wear down Li Shuang's army on the long supply lines, which would be considered a victory.

This is the dumbest, yet most effective, way to win.

Guanzhong is impoverished. Once the military supplies run out, it will be difficult to raise troops again for several years. At that time, the Erzhu clan will be able to take the strategic initiative and retake Taiyuan and Hebei.

Thus, for Erzhu, the game was now won.

Just then, an urgent report arrived.

"Your Majesty, the pontoon bridge over the river has been burned!"

Erzhu Shilong's expression changed drastically. The Yellow River pontoon bridge had been burned, greatly increasing the difficulty of traveling from Luoyang to the other side.

More importantly, how was the pontoon bridge burned down?
"Where are the troops from?"

"Hou Jing led a naval force upstream, seized the sandbar south of Beizhong City, burned the pontoon bridge, and is now building a camp on the south bank!"

Erzhu Shilong's expression changed drastically, and he said to Erzhu Zhao:

"Tumo, quickly lead your troops; we must not let Hou Jing gain a foothold on the south bank."
-
Fangtou (枋头).

This important ferry crossing on the north bank of the Yellow River was first established by Cao Cao.

After Yuan Shao's death, Cao Cao, in order to attack Ye City, specially built a weir at the confluence of the Qi River and the Baigou River, diverting the Qi River into the Baigou River, which had insufficient water volume, thus ensuring the smooth flow of the canal.

People thereafter called this place Fangtou!
Over the centuries, as Ye City rose in status, the importance of this important ferry crossing on the north bank of the Yellow River also rose rapidly.

When Huan Wen, the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, launched his third Northern Expedition, he was blocked by Murong Chui, a famous general of the Former Yan Dynasty, at Fangtou. In the end, due to insufficient food supplies, he had to retreat south, suffering heavy losses.

Now, Gao Huan is leading his troops to defend Fangtou against Erzhu Zhongyuan's advance.

Gao Huan's assembled troops numbered just over 20,000. Even Erzhu Zhongyuan's detachment far outnumbered his own forces.

However, Erzhu Zhongyuan did not gain any advantage in his attack, and the battle reached a stalemate. "How is it?"

Gao Huan discovered that Erzhu Zhongyuan's army was not in the same spirit as before, and the morale of the troops was low.

This didn't develop gradually; it suddenly became like this.

The astute Gao Huan noticed the anomaly and immediately sent people to investigate.

Wei Jing returned and bowed, saying:

"He Liuhun, news from Erzhu Zhongyuan's army: Erzhu Zhongyuan's supply lines have been disrupted."

"how so?"

"It is said that Hou Jing led his army down the river from Shancheng, occupied the sandbar south of Beizhongcheng, burned the pontoon bridge, and set up camp on the south bank."

Gao Huan frowned upon hearing this.

"Didn't Erzhu Shilong send a large army to seize it?"

Wei Jing nodded and said:

"Erzhu Zhao went, but Hou Jing's location for setting up camp was particularly cunning. It was surrounded by water on three sides and had already dug traps for horses. Erzhu Zhao led his troops to charge several times, but failed to take it."

Gao Huan was even more puzzled upon hearing this.

"The Erzhu clan has a large and powerful force, so why didn't they attack from other places?"

"They went. Erzhu gathered his troops, wanting to retake Shazhou and cut off Hou Jing's retreat. But their small boats were no match for Hou Jing's navy, which taught them a lesson and wiped them out. After that, Erzhu's troops never dared to cause trouble on the water again."

Gao Huan paced back and forth in the room, with Wei Jing following behind. Once they started talking, they couldn't stop.

"He Liuhun, you have no idea. After Hou Jing gained a foothold, he led his fast boats to raid the ferry crossings of the Erzhu clan along the Yellow River. He was as arrogant as could be, and he even fought with Hebasheng."

Gao Huan chuckled after hearing this.

"When did this kid become so reckless?!"

After Gao Huan finished laughing, his expression turned serious.

"This is a golden opportunity to defeat the enemy! If we can defeat Erzhu Zhongyuan, our army can seize Hulao Pass."

After listening, Wei Jing asked with a hint of doubt:

What are you going to Hulao Pass for?

“Brother-in-law, haven’t you realized yet? Da Ye Shuang wants to block the army of the Er Zhu clan in Luoyang. The Er Zhu clan has been defeated. If we want to advance further, we must make great contributions.”

After listening, Wei Jing nodded and said:
"But we only have 20,000 men, and we still have troops left to guard Ye City. If we want to occupy Hulao Pass, I'm afraid we don't have enough troops."

Gao Huan smiled and said:
“That’s right. Our troops alone are not enough, but with the help of the Zheng family of Xingyang, things will be different.”

The Zheng family of Xingyang?

Wei Jing found it strange that Gao Huan had become involved with the Zheng family of Xingyang, one of the four major families in Guandong.

Suddenly, Wei Jing had a flash of inspiration and blurted it out.

"That big truck, right?"

Gao Huan's expression changed, and he quickly covered Wei Jing's mouth.

"Keep your voice down, you bastard."

Wei Jing nodded, and Gao Huan then let go.

“I know this is top secret military intelligence, and you don’t want too many people to know.”

"What top-secret military information? I'm just afraid you'll blab it out and my sister will find out."

Wei Jing waved his hand and smiled.

"Lou Jin, you still don't trust her? She's very tight-lipped!"

"..."

Yes, he's only slightly better than you.

Once someone knows about a piece of gossip, it's as if the whole of Ye City knows it.

Gao Huan composed himself and gave the instructions:

"In short, this matter must not be leaked. Anyone who violates this rule will be subject to military law!"

Upon hearing Gao Huan mention the words "military law," Wei Jing's expression also turned serious.

"promise!"

……

Changan.

At the city gate, thousands of young soldiers led their horses, bidding farewell to their families.

Su Chuo waited at the door.

As the de facto second-in-command of Chang'an, Li Shuang has been busy with military and political affairs every day since he decided to launch an eastern expedition against Luoyang.

He came not only because this cavalry was transporting a large amount of supplies to the front lines, but also because the general leading this cavalry was special.

Changsun Zhi!
This head of the Changsun family, a veteran figure who had been active on the battlefield since the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, had remained silent since arriving in Chang'an.

Often, people forget he exists.

However, after Li Shuang issued the order to launch an eastern expedition to Luoyang, Changsun Zhi could no longer sit still.

It's like a gambler who has been silent for many years suddenly encountering an earth-shattering gamble and betting all his chips.

Upon hearing the military order, the young soldiers, who had been saying goodbye to their families, mounted their horses and formed ranks.

Because they were in Guanzhong, most of these cavalrymen were not carrying weapons or armor, but they quickly assembled after Changsun Zhi gave the order, demonstrating their impressive military skills.

Although Changsun Zhi was old, he was still full of energy. Wearing leather armor and riding a horse, he was still very imposing.

"Minister Su!"

Facing Changsun Zhi, Su Chuo was very polite and greeted him.

"Lord Changsun!"

Changsun Zhi smiled, looked at the group of people around Su Chuo, and asked:
"People in Chang'an all say I am old and not good at fighting. What do you think now?"

"Lord Changsun possesses courage that rivals that of Lian Po!"

Su Chuo's praise delighted Changsun Zhi. Everyone knew that Su Chuo was Li Shuang's confidant.

While Li Shuang led his troops in the field, Su Chuo stayed in Chang'an to oversee logistics.

After laughing, Changsun Zhi bowed and took his leave, then rode his horse to the front of the cavalry formation.

"My lords, we are to join forces with the King. This battle is a golden opportunity to make our mark. If any of you are cowardly and afraid to fight, step forward now. If you are cowardly on the battlefield, you will be punished according to military law!"

Not a single one of the thousands of cavalrymen dared to object; instead, a low growl erupted from them.

Like a newborn tiger, its sharpness is unstoppable!

Changsun Zhi looked at it and burst into laughter.

"set off!"

Banners obscured the sun, and cavalrymen raced ahead.

Looking at this scene, Su Chuo couldn't help but sigh.

The elders of Guanzhong eagerly awaited the arrival of thousands of chariots and horses as they pursued the northern Mangshan Mountains!
……

(End of this chapter)