Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 286 She

Only five days after the letter was sent, Yao Shuode withdrew his troops, retreating from Xiangcheng County to Hongnong.

When they left, they took more than 7,000 households with them.

However, he did not cede the city to Liu Daogui, but instead gave it to Xin Gongjing, claiming it was to be presented to Huan Xuan.

The Qin army has gained a fresh force on the Hedong battlefield, and can now attack the Wei army from both the southwest and southwest.

Liu Daogui thought the situation would change, but Yao Xing still dared not fight and ordered Yao Shuode to guard Hongnong.

After more than a month of hardship, the firewood and supplies ran out, and the Qin army was heavily besieged. Yao Ping led more than a hundred of his men to drown themselves in the river, and 40,000 Qin soldiers, along with generals Di Bozhi, Tang Xiaofang, and Yao Liangguo, were captured.

The Wei army won a great victory, and Tuoba Gui's power was overwhelming. He continued to attack Puban.

Liu Daogui continued to watch the spectacle, thinking that if Puban were to fall to the Wei army, Guanzhong would be indefensible.

In the Battle of Chaibi, the Qin army lost 40,000 elite troops, as well as important generals such as Yao Ping and Di Bozhi. This was equivalent to Cao Wei losing Xiahou Yuan and Liu Bei losing Guan Yu.

The Qin state suffered a devastating blow. Meanwhile, the Wei state suffered negligible losses and even captured 40,000 elite troops…

However, this time Tuoba Gui did not massacre them, but instead moved them back to Pingcheng.

Wei's army launched a fierce attack on Puban. Yao Xing, fearing the strength of Tuoba Gui, retreated his main force to Hexi, leaving the veteran general Yao Xu to guard Puban.

"It cannot be blamed on Yao Xing's cowardice. Tuoba Gui is favored by the heavens and has almost no defeats since he raised his army. He defeated Murong Bao at Canhebei, outlived Murong Chui, and conquered Hebei. Yao Xing has the qualities of a wise ruler, but lacks military strategy and is no match for him. If he retreats, he can still protect Guanzhong. If he loses the decisive battle, Fu Jian will serve as a warning."

Gao Xun's insights are quite unique.

The current Yao Xing is quite similar to Fu Jian of that time. He reveres Buddhism, cares about agriculture, sympathizes with the widowed and orphaned, comforts the people, and widely spreads benevolence and righteousness.

To piece together a fragmented Guanzhong region.

The Guanzhong Plain of today is not the Guanzhong Plain of the Han Dynasty. It is now inhabited by various ethnic groups, including the Xiongnu, Di, Qiang, Xianbei, and other mixed Hu peoples, making it a complex and diverse region.

This is also why Yao Xing is hesitant to fully utilize his abilities.

Tuoba Gui raised an army at Niuchuan, and his troops were all Xianbei. He defeated the Yan state, but the majority of the population in Hebei was also Xianbei.

The internal structure is relatively stable.

Even if he was defeated, as long as his base in southern Mongolia remained, Tuoba Gui could rebuild his forces based on his personal prestige.

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

Yao Xing was simply not capable of waging a decisive battle. All his plans were conservative and steady, attempting to wage a war of attrition against the Wei Kingdom. However, he did not expect that Tuoba Gui would risk everything from the very beginning and personally come up to fight to the death...

Encountering such an opponent is indeed a major headache.

Liu Daogui said, "A defeat is a defeat. There are no excuses. Forty thousand elite troops are trapped, and he has tens of thousands of troops at his disposal. What can he say? What good is it to temporarily hold Guanzhong? Tuoba Gui will attack sooner or later."

No amount of objective reasons can cover up Yao Xing's various mistakes.

If Yao Xing dares not provide assistance this time, what will the soldiers on the front lines think if the same thing happens again?
Once a monarch is on the table, there is no turning back.

Yao Xing's relinquishment not only meant the position of hegemon, but also the fate of the Qin state.

Gao Xun nodded, "That's true. War is a matter of great importance to the state, a matter of life and death, a path to survival or destruction. The Qin state suffered a crushing defeat, and the Yao family's prestige of more than a decade was lost in a single day."

"Governor, a letter has arrived from Liu, the registrar of Pengcheng." Shen Qingzhi entered, holding a letter.

Liu Muzhi stayed in Pengcheng, and unless something major happened, he would never send an urgent message.

Liu Daogui quickly opened it and found that Langya County was in dire need of help.

After a year of silence, Murong De struck again, dispatching his generals Murong Zhen and Murong Zhong with 20,000 infantry and cavalry as the vanguard, while he himself led 10,000 elite troops behind them. They crossed the Daxian Mountains and launched a surprise attack on Dongguan County, invading Langya County. Strictly speaking, Langya County was not Liu Daogui's territory.

After Sima Yuanxian was killed by Huan Xuan, Sima Dewen became the new Prince of Langya.

Langya Commandery was his fiefdom and had always been under the jurisdiction of Jiang Kai, the Prefect of Langya, so Jianwei Central Army was not stationed there.

Liu Daogui also placed his troops in the two prefectures of Jibei and Taishan, southeast of Mount Tai.

Murong De, however, played a trick of attacking the enemy's weak points. His 30,000 infantry and cavalry marched south from Muling Pass, advancing with unstoppable momentum.

If his appetite were limited to Dongguan and Langya, that would be one thing, but the key point is that Langya is right next to Lanling. Liu Daogui doesn't believe that his appetite is only limited to Dongguan and Langya.

If Murong Deru had a more ambitious plan, he could have ignored Lanling and continued south to conquer the sparsely defended Donghai County, then sail up the Si River, bypass Xiapi, and launch a surprise attack on Pengcheng.

He commands cavalry; there's nothing he can't do.

Donghai Commandery was once the fiefdom of Sima Yanzhang, the son of Sima Yuanxian, and Liu Daogui had no expectations for the defense of this commandery.

The last two words of Liu Muzhi's letter were "Return quickly".

"Murong De has chosen a good opportunity! If it had been two months later, we could have recovered Hongnong, and perhaps even followed the Wei army into Guanzhong to restore the imperial court!"

Gao Xun looked utterly disappointed.

Liu Daogui suddenly remembered something, "Murong De and Yao Xing are allies, and their relationship has always been good. He certainly won't sit idly by while we fight against Qin."

Even if they weren't allies, they would inevitably head south given such a great opportunity.

Gao Xun said, "That means Murong De came for us."

"They didn't send troops earlier, they didn't send troops later, but now they're suddenly heading south. Their intentions are far from small."

"The Governor-General can lead the elite troops back quickly, and I will guard Nanyang," Gao Xun volunteered.

Liu Daogui hesitated.

Nanyang was one of the thirty-six commanderies of the Qin Dynasty. It had always been a large commandery, and it was located above Xiangyang and Wuchang. Given Huan Xuan's temperament, he could tolerate the Hu people occupying this place, but he would never allow it to be held in Liu Daogui's hands.

"It's too late. Without Liu Muzhi, Langya is definitely doomed. Send the order to transport all slaves, cattle, sheep, and grain back to Pengcheng. We don't need Nanyang anymore!"

"Nanyang is the fertile land of the emperor, how can we just abandon it like that?"

Liu Daogui said decisively, "Nanyang is sandwiched between Qin and Xifu. We don't have the energy to manage this place. We'll lose it sooner or later, and we'll also break ties with Huan Xuan. Doesn't Huan Xuan want to usurp the throne? I'll send him there!"

Nanyang is a good place, but there are so many good places in the world, and this place is just too far away from me.

When strength is insufficient, certain strategic trade-offs must be made.

Gao Xun said, "Why give it to Huan Xuan? It should be given to the Prince of Langya instead, to exacerbate their internal strife."

“All the powerful clans support Huan Xuan. Sima Dewen is no match for him. I am sending Nanyang to Huan Xuan for two reasons: first, to ease tensions and temporarily avoid his sharp edge; second, to provoke his enemy. Usurping the throne is no small matter. Huan Xuan is impetuous and could face utter ruin if he is not careful!”

If Huan Xuan were to suddenly head north and threaten Pengcheng at this time, Liu Daogui would face even greater pressure.

A man can bend and stretch.

Nanyang Commandery was nothing to Liu Daogui.

There are many wonderful places in the northern lands.

It's not time to confront Huan Xuan yet...

(End of this chapter)