Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 289 Plunder

Money and silk were transported back to the ship by the cartload.

There were also a large number of livestock in the city, including more than 400 excellent warhorses that were captured, all of which were put on the ship.

Although the granary burned down, Wang Zhongde managed to salvage more than 7,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain by putting out the fire, which was quite a success.

Our side suffered 871 dead and countless wounded.

Killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of their own, the Yan army was not good at defending cities, but they fought fiercely without fear of death.

A siege battle with only eight hundred casualties is already considered a great victory.

Liu Daogui thought the city was deserted, but he was surprised to find that there were still more than 3,000 prisoners, most of whom were Xianbei people, all young men and women, who stared at Liu Daogui with hatred on their faces.

"What are you waiting for? Bring me the knife, let me have some fun too." Liu Zun's injuries had not healed, but his bloodlust remained undiminished.

"Stop!" Liu Daogui waved his hand to stop him.

Liu Zun exclaimed, "These people can't be kept here. If you spare them, they'll rebel sooner or later."

"I don't care if they rebel or not. As long as they can work, that's fine. Issue the order: below the slave households, create even lower-class households, whose descendants will never be able to rise again. All the grain they grow and the livestock they raise will belong to the military government. In the future, when we conquer cities and territories, we will drive them to the front lines!"

Judging from their eyes, these people are not afraid of death at all.

People these days are like this. Killing them would only give them a quick death, so it's better to keep them alive and let them be slaves forever.

Although the slave households under the military government were called "slaves," their lives were not too bad.

Those who can form a volunteer army, follow the main force into battle, get a taste of the spoils, and achieve some military merit can immediately turn their lives around.

Therefore, the slave households were always very enthusiastic when they went to war.

Adding a category of "lowly households" can enhance the sense of superiority among these people.

Nowadays, the northern lands are full of Hu people. There are always some who are stubborn and unyielding. Killing them all would not only damage our reputation, but also force other Hu people to fight to the death and refuse to surrender.

Setting up a low-level user account can solve this problem perfectly.

The land under Liu Daogui's rule was vast and sparsely populated, which was a time of manpower shortage. The more lowly households there were, the less pressure the military and civilian households would face, allowing them to focus on military affairs in the future.

That's just how things are in this era.

Back then, the Jie Zhao regime cruelly enslaved and exploited the Chinese people to support the Hu people, seized their wives and daughters, filled the palace with 100,000 men, had a thousand hunting chariots, and raised wild animals for thousands of miles...

With nowhere else to turn, the people hanged themselves from trees. When the envoy from Cheng Han entered Ye, he was greatly shocked by what he saw along the way, as if he had entered a ghostly realm.

Liu Daogui wanted to launch a northern expedition, and he relied on the refugees from the north. Naturally, he needed to elevate their status in order to gain their support.

"Why go through all that trouble..." Liu Zun scratched the back of his head, put away his ring-pommel sword, and said no more.

Just after capturing Licheng, reinforcements from Le'an and Pingyuan arrived, numbering 20,000 infantry and cavalry, led by Mu Yuba, the Minister of Works of Southern Yan, and Feng Fu, the Left Minister of Works.

Liu Daogui sharpened his knife, waiting for them to come to their deaths.

However, after venting their anger in Licheng, the soldiers' murderous aura dissipated considerably, and they lost their previous vigor.

The soldiers set out for Yuzhou in April, and it has been half a year now, so they are showing signs of fatigue.

Seeing Liu Daogui's readiness for battle, Mu Yuba and Feng Fu were the first to back down. One army was stationed in Gaotang, and the other in Taixian, downstream of the Ji River, and they remained stationed.

They also conscripted tens of thousands of able-bodied men to build deep trenches and high walls.

In this situation, a war is naturally unlikely.

During the Battle of Licheng, Liu Daogui witnessed the tenacity of the Yan army. If every city were to put up such a stubborn resistance as Licheng, the more than 10,000 men that Liu Daogui brought would simply not be enough.

Where is Murong De now?

Meng Gan said, "We have already captured Donghai County and are now attacking Xiapi!"

"So many fortified cities in the East Sea, how could they have fallen so quickly?" The Sima family's devastation was beyond Liu Daogui's imagination.

"Murong De marched south and launched a fierce attack on Tan County. The defending troops, who had not fought in battle for many years, resisted for three days before being overrun... Murong De massacred the people there, shocking the entire prefecture. The three counties of Zhuqi, Xiangben, and Licheng surrendered voluntarily, offering up grain, fodder, cattle, and sheep. Murong De bypassed the city without attacking the area..."

The East China Sea, along with the entire Huaibei region, fell into the clutches of foreign invaders for over eighty years after the migration of the elites to the south.

After the Battle of Fei River, Xie Xuan launched a northern expedition, and the Donghai region, along with the Huai River region, was finally brought back to China.

The people under his rule had little sense of belonging to the Jin dynasty. When Fu Jian came, they sided with him; when Murong De came, they sided with him.

Liu Daogui was speechless for a moment, as Murong De's advance was even faster than his own.

The Sima family and other aristocratic clans only cared about the area south of the Yangtze River, and the defenses north of the Huai River were as flimsy as paper.

Meng Gan said, "Commander Liu and General Sun will lead 4,000 men to reinforce Xiapi 15 days ago. Commander, there is no need to worry."

Xiapi is bordered by the Sishui, Yishui and Wushui rivers to the south. Since the Han Dynasty, it has been an important town in Huaibei. Murong De's cavalry will be greatly restricted, while Liu Zhong's navy can play an unexpected role.

Liu Zhong has been in charge of a region for many years and is now capable of handling things independently. Sun Wuzhong is also a veteran general. Although he was once defeated by Sun En, Xiapi is an important town.

Murong De has no siege equipment, so as long as Xiapi does not surrender voluntarily, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Issue the order: Mao Dezhu, Wang Zhongde, and Xiao Chengzhi shall each lead two thousand troops to attack and plunder various places. Money, silk, women, and children are to be taken by the troops!" In order to boost morale, Liu Daogui no longer held back. If Murong De did not return, then they would burn and kill all the way.

Upon hearing the military order, the soldiers' morale soared and their fatigue vanished.

Seeing their jubilant expressions, Liu Daogui couldn't help but smile wryly. These traditional methods were still the best at stimulating the soldiers' fighting spirit.

However, when dealing with the Hu people, there's no need to show them any mercy.

With the capture of Licheng, the gateway to Qingzhou was wide open.

Mu Yuba and Feng Fu could hold a corner, but not the whole territory. Judging from their performance, the so-called 20,000 infantry and cavalry were probably just a motley crew.

Murong De had at most 30,000 elite troops. He took 30,000 infantry and cavalry with him when he marched south, and he also had to defend against the Tuoba in the north, so his troops within Qingzhou would not be many. Liu Daogui was certain that Murong De's forces were weak.

However, he didn't have enough troops at his disposal; sending out six thousand men was just a drop in the ocean.

Fortunately, Mao Dezhu, Wang Zhongde, and Xiao Chengzhi were all talented generals. They cooperated with each other and defeated the Yan army reinforcements one after another. Mao Dezhu, with his two thousand cavalry, defeated Mu Yuba's six thousand infantry and cavalry and killed Mu Yufang, the general of the Yan state.

The battle was fierce and exhilarating, with Mu Yuba and Feng Fu remaining holed up and refusing to engage.

Mao Dezhu marched straight in, burning and killing his way to Bochang, and together with Xiao Chengzhi, they broke through the poorly defended Changguo City.

They abducted more than 2,000 people and sent them back to Licheng.

Wang Zhongde also defeated Murong He, the general of the Yan state, in Le'an County, killing two hundred armored soldiers and more than four hundred cavalrymen.

This battle was extremely significant. Murong He was the Prince of Luyang of Yan and one of the veterans of Murong Chui's uprising. His defeat meant that Yan lost its ability to fight in open battle.

Qingzhou was thoroughly infiltrated, like a sieve, and Mao Dezhu, Wang Zhongde, and Xiao Chengzhi moved in as if they were in an empty place.

The Southern Yan and Murong Chui's Later Yan had many similarities. The Later Yan was entirely supported by Murong Chui, while the Southern Yan was entirely supported by Murong De; otherwise, it would have been wiped out by Tuoba Gui long ago.

Murong De's biggest mistake was personally leading 30,000 infantry and cavalry south.

Without him, Qingzhou was practically a disorganized mess.

Liu Daogui immediately ordered the dispatch of Liu Guangzhi and Tan Daoji's armies to Licheng, and at the same time ordered the four Zhechong Prefectures in Yanbei to recruit 20,000 prefectural soldiers, volunteer soldiers, and able-bodied men.

Murong De was determined to attack Xiapi, and Liu Daogui was also preparing to take Guanggu. Even if he exchanged Xiapi for Guanggu, Liu Daogui would not lose out.

Without Guanggu, Murong De is like a stray dog.

He has no foothold in the East China Sea and Langya region.

Liu Daogui was serious, and Murong De in Xiapi hastily retreated north.

Liu Zun cursed, "Murong De is a real coward! He knows he can't take Xiapi, but he still insists on doing it!"

"During his southern campaign, the three counties of Dongguan, Langya, and Donghai offered almost no resistance. He won too easily and naturally wanted to try to annex Xiapi."

Liu Daogui gazed at the map.

Although Murong De withdrew, he left Murong Zhen and eight thousand Murong cavalry to guard Donghai and Langya. From then on, Lanling would never have a peaceful life.

Gao Xun laughed and said, "We have repelled the Yan army without a scratch, and even gained a lot."

Liu Daogui shook his head, "Murong De also gained a lot by taking over Dongguan, Langya and Donghai counties. He will come back again in the future."

If Murong De abandons the three commanderies, it indicates that his strategic focus is on the north.

However, if he holds onto the three commanderies, the strategic focus of the Yan state will inevitably shift to the south.

This is not a good thing.

Tuoba Gui, who had won the Battle of Chaibi in the north, was at the height of his power, and Murong De dared not provoke him. Meanwhile, the weakness of the south made him craving more.

Although I knew that a battle with Nan Yan was inevitable, I shouldn't have run into them so soon.

Southern Yan was a powerful state with a strong army, occupying the fertile land of Qingzhou, and it was not so easy to deal with.

"Bring it on! Murong the Second is already sixty-five or sixty-six. How many more years can he live? We can wear him down. Once he's dead, given the Murong family's character, they'll definitely start killing each other!"

Liu Zun spouts nonsense, yet he always manages to say something astonishing.

Liu Daogui laughed heartily, "You're right."

The Yangtze River's waves push the previous waves forward, and a new generation replaces the old.

After several years of development in the Huai and Si regions, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious.

Murong De returned quickly, and his cavalry took the lead in stationing themselves at Muling Pass, awaiting the arrival of the rest of his troops.

This man was very steady in his military strategy. He did not rush to attack, but instead fortified his position, cleared the fields, and deployed his troops to gradually reduce the space for Mao Dezhu, Wang Zhongde, and Xiao Chengzhi to operate.

As soon as he returned, the morale of the Yan army changed immediately.

Mao Dezhu, Wang Zhongde, and Xiao Chengzhi's three divisions achieved no further victories than before.

Xiao Chengzhi was also defeated by Murong Fa, with more than 300 of his men killed in battle.

"That's enough, let's retreat." Seeing that there was no hope of capturing Qingzhou, Liu Daogui had no choice but to retreat, but he could not give up on Licheng, the gateway to the city.

After much deliberation, Liu Daogui left Mao Dezhu to guard the area, while Xiao Chengzhi led two thousand men to guard Lu County in Jibei Commandery.

He then ordered Liu Guangzhi of Taishan Commandery to move his troops to Chi County.

Relying on Mount Tai and the Ji River, a defense zone shaped like the Chinese character "品" (pin) was formed.

If Licheng is attacked, troops from Lu County and Chi County can quickly provide support.

Holding Licheng is like holding half of Murong De's lifeline. This city is fortified by mountains and rivers, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. If the Yan army marches south from Muling Pass in the future, Liu Daogui can follow suit and use a large force to intimidate Guanggu.

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, after General Jianwu captured Xinye, he advanced swiftly and defeated Qin general Yang Fosong, beheaded the traitor Peng Quan, and recovered Shunyang County!"

The scouts brought the latest battle report from the south.

A tiger is a tiger no matter where it is placed; it is simply unstoppable.

Since his elder brother Liu Yu joined the army, he has never been defeated, no matter how dire the situation.

However, with this, Huan Xuan's claim to the title of King of Chu was virtually guaranteed...

(End of this chapter)