Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 302 Persuasion

"The Jin bandits number only eight thousand, while I have twenty thousand people!"

He Lanyue, the governor of Zhongshan in the State of Wei, was furious.

When the Northern Army entered the territory, the various tribes scattered and no army went to intercept them, which allowed Liu Zun's troops to break into Zhongshan territory.

Zhongshan was the capital of the Later Yan Dynasty and one of the four major towns in Hebei, alongside Ye, Ji, and Xiangguo.

"Is it the Northern Army or the Liu family of Pengcheng..." General Chi Nu's voice trailed off.

This Northern Army came with fierce momentum, as if a god of death had descended upon the world. All who went to resist were severely wounded and killed. Their heads were cut off and piled up on the road to form a mound of heads.

They burned, killed, and looted along the way, striking fear into the hearts of all tribes.

Although they did not attack the city, they severely damaged the various tribes that had migrated from the grasslands.

When Tuoba Gui implemented the land allocation system based on population, he restricted each tribe to their land. As the system was newly established, the people were not at peace. When Liu Zun came to attack, they had no power to resist.

"So what if it's the Northern Army? So what if it's the Liu family of Pengcheng? Since they've entered our territory, we must annihilate them, or we'll have no face to see His Majesty!"

Helan Yue was a cousin of Helan, the mother of Tuoba Gui. When the state of Dai was destroyed by Fu Jian, Helan took in Tuoba Gui and his mother and raised Tuoba Gui to adulthood. The Helan tribe was also one of the core tribes of the state of Wei.

When the Jin army entered the territory, he felt it was his duty to intervene.

They immediately mustered 7,000 cavalry and went out of the city to meet the enemy.

He also ordered the Lai, Yuchi, and Heba clans in the surrounding area to come and help in the battle.

These surnames belonged to powerful Xianbei clans, who were responsible for defending their territories. Each clan sent out more than a thousand members, forming an army of ten thousand men.

They went south to meet the Jin army.

Unexpectedly, just as the army had assembled, the Jin army took the initiative to attack.

The two armies faced each other, with cavalry on the north side and infantry on the south side.

The Jin army was panting heavily, their formation loose. Helan Yue glanced at them and couldn't help but burst into laughter: "When in the world has an infantry unit ever taken the initiative to fight cavalry? Our army is well-rested and waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. The Jin bandits have come from afar and are exhausted. They are bound to be defeated!"

The surrounding Hu people burst into laughter.

However, just as they were laughing, something astonishing happened: the Jin army actually charged forward in formation.

When infantry encounter cavalry, they can only form ranks and defend themselves, resorting to counterattacks.

But this group did the opposite; upon meeting, they charged forward like madmen.

The leading general was burly and strong, carrying a large axe, his armor stained dark red with blood.

The hundreds of armored soldiers following behind him were all as strong as bears.

Everyone was hysterically shouting "Kill the Hu!", their eyes were bloodshot, and an overwhelming killing intent was palpable.

This scene suddenly made Helan Yue, a veteran of many battles, feel a chill run down his spine. His warhorse neighed and slowly retreated.

The surrounding generals and soldiers all looked fearful.

"Useless, all of you are useless! Warriors of the Helan tribe, follow me to kill the bandits!" At this moment, Helan Yue knew that she had no choice but to go herself.

The Helan cavalry moved slowly, and before they could even get going, a hail of arrows came flying at them.

After all, they were herdsmen recruited temporarily. They had few pieces of leather armor, let alone iron armor. Each of them carried a bow, a knife, or a spear, and that was their "cavalry"...

After two volleys of arrows, four or five hundred men fell on the spot.

The Jin army's crossbows were fast and accurate, and they were equipped with many repeating crossbows. Even from more than a hundred paces away, the arrows flew like locusts, darting into the midst of the cavalry.

Whether it hits a man or a warhorse, it will immediately lose its fighting ability.

The surrounding tribes were all terrified. They had already lost their courage due to the Jin army's preemptive strike, and were now overwhelmed by the crossbow bolts, leaving them even more helpless.

Although Helan Yue shouted loudly, trying to direct the various units to encircle the enemy.

But at that time, nobody listened to him.

The Jin army had already reached them, and hundreds of large axes came crashing down, blood splattering everywhere.

Call——

The agonizing cries of warhorses echoed throughout the battlefield.

These hundreds of Jin soldiers, like iron beasts that knew no pain, no fatigue, and no fear of death, slashed wildly forward, and men and horses were shattered under their great axes.

"Drive out the barbarians and recover our land!"

With a loud roar, the burly Jin general charged straight at Helan Yue.

The armored vehicles roared as they ran.

"Shoot this scoundrel to death!" Helan Yue reined in his horse, no longer daring to charge forward.

His personal guards drew their bows and fired over a hundred arrows at the Jin general at the same time, but the arrows were either deflected by his armor or embedded in the armor plates.

"Your grandfather Liu Zun is here! The bandit chieftain, prepare to die! Hahaha—"

With over a dozen arrows stuck in his body, he looked like a hedgehog, yet he resembled a mad tiger.

Helan Yue's face twitched uncontrollably, partly from being intimidated by the man's imposing manner and partly from surging anger. She raised her long sword, pointed it at the Jin general, and roared, "Kill!"

Despite his loud shouts, he didn't rush forward; instead, he ordered his men to fight to the death...

"Hahaha--"

Spurts of blood shot into the sky, and the frenzied laughter of the Jin army echoed across the battlefield, mingling with the mournful cries of warhorses and the screams of the Hu people...

South of Ye City, the Jin army camp.

With each wave of looting, the number of prisoners, provisions, and livestock sent back to the camp increased dramatically. The camp was nearly overflowing, forcing Liu Daogui to call upon Cao Ji's merchant ships to transport them back to Puyang, ship by ship.

The soldiers continued their looting without feeling tired; in fact, they were increasingly enthusiastic and energetic.

Liu Zun's victories were growing ever greater. His 8,000 men had even managed to form a 1,000-strong cavalry force that marched from Julu County all the way to Zhongshan. In stark contrast to Shen Qingzhi's composure and calmness, he charged headlong into anyone he encountered, with the motto "it's either you or me."

In the Battle of Xinle, they directly repelled 10,000 infantry and cavalry under the command of Wei General Helan Yue.

They killed over two thousand men and captured over twelve hundred.

However, Liu Zun himself suffered heavy casualties, with more than 900 soldiers buried in Zhongshan.

This fellow is still blocking the city of Zhongshan, preparing to attack.

Liu Daogui quickly ordered him to return, as continuing the fight would result in too great losses.

The Wei Kingdom had a population of nearly ten million, while the Hu barbarians numbered at least seven or eight million. Even if ten were exchanged for one, Liu Daogui couldn't afford to do so.

On the contrary, Shen Qingzhi of the eastern route did not fight a single battle, but quietly brought back more than 4,000 households of Jin people, obtained 17,000 shi of grain and 3,000 pigs and sheep.

Wang Zhongde, the general of the western route, is also a fierce general. With the assistance of local powerful Jin people, he has successively captured Ji County, Gong County, Linlu, Huojia, and Xiuwu. He is currently attacking Yewang County, an important town in Hanoi.

Cao Ji's face was flushed with pride. "The barbarians are nothing but this. My Northern Army has less than 10,000 troops, and even with only 8,000, we are invincible!"

Since the Battle of Fei River, the Northern Army has frequently defeated larger forces with smaller ones. Sometimes, five thousand men would rout a Qin army of fifty thousand Di, and other times, eight thousand elite troops would cross the river and launch a fierce attack on hundreds of thousands of Qin soldiers.

Liu Laozhi led 20,000 troops all the way to Ye City, and twice defeated Murong Chui's army of 200,000...

Not to mention the other victories, big and small.

Liu Yu, with a force of over a thousand men, defeated Sun En's army of 100,000 at Suanshan.

The Northern Army's combat strength was unparalleled in the world.

Although Liu Daogui was excited, he kept his mouth shut and said, "Don't be too happy yet. Ji Province's military strength is weak. We just happened to take advantage of the situation."

It wasn't that the Wei army was weak, but rather that its main force was absent.

Cao Ji laughed and said, "Recently, the saying has been circulating on both sides of the river: 'The Northern Army is invincible if it has less than ten thousand men, but if it has ten thousand, it is unstoppable!' The morale of the soldiers and civilians is high, and the commander-in-chief's name has spread throughout the land!"

Liu Daogui led an army of 40,000 to the north, blocking the city of Ye, all in order to boost the morale of the Jin people who were on their way to the north and to give them a chance to vent their anger.

It now appears that the objective has been achieved.

The State of Wei doesn't seem to care much about the southern counties of Ji Province.

A month and a half has passed, and no large army has come to defend or contain them. Yu Yue and Da Xi Jin in the east have ignored the 30,000 to 40,000 troops under their command.

Changsun Fei of Xuchang also remained inactive.

However, judging by the time, their supplies should be about the same.

Tuoba Gui's army in Pingcheng is growing larger and larger, and it seems he is about to get serious and may march south at any time.

"Governor, a letter from Registrar Liu." A military officer delivered Liu Muzhi's letter.

After reading it, Liu Daogui couldn't help but frown.

They were actually trying to persuade the soldiers to withdraw.

"The governor's army is at the gates of Ye City, greatly boosting the morale of the northern people. However, the barbarians are plundering our territory. Tuoba Gui is gathering troops in Pingcheng, waiting for the cold weather to launch his attack. At that time, the Yellow River, Qi River, and Qing River will be frozen, leaving no natural defenses. We will be surrounded on all sides. Going too far is as bad as going too far. It would be better to retreat and regroup in Henan..."

Besides the news of the frozen river, the letter also mentioned winter clothing and logistical support.

This sudden invasion of Hebei was carried out without prior communication with Liu Muzhi, resulting in insufficient preparations at the rear.

These days, poverty is everywhere, and winter clothes are extremely expensive. Ordinary families often pass down the same piece of clothing for three generations.

In winter, the Northern Army's fighting strength declined, while the Xianbei people, accustomed to the harsh cold, became stronger. Tuoba Gui had a large number of cavalry, and could cross the Flying Fox Pass and invade Jizhou in a few days. Once they got their hands on you, it would be difficult to retreat.

As Liu Daogui stepped out of the main tent, a gust of cold wind swept over him, bringing a chill to his face.

Autumn had arrived before they knew it, and the water in the basins had frozen over with a thin layer of ice. Many soldiers were still wearing only light clothing over their armor. They could hold on for now, but if they waited another month or two, the heavy snow would come and the Yellow River would freeze over, and even the navy would be unable to retreat.

"Report! Tuoba Gui has personally led 100,000 infantry and cavalry out of Pingcheng and is heading straight for Shangdang!" Meng Ganzhi hurriedly reported at this moment.

"One hundred thousand infantry and cavalry?" Liu Daogui felt a chill run down his spine.

Meng Gan said, "Among them, there are at least 30,000 cavalry."

Tuoba Gui now commands a large and powerful army, capable of commanding 100,000 troops at a time.

"Retreat!" Liu Daogui said decisively.

Shen Qingzhi said, "Fangtou and Liyang..."

"If we save the people but lose the land, we can save both; if we save the land but lose the people, we will lose both. Preserving our strength is the best course of action. Tuoba Gui is currently at the height of his power and has the advantage of favorable timing. It is not advisable to confront him head-on!"

Liu Daogui took a deep breath.

The current situation is equivalent to a military government with a population of several hundred thousand resisting a northern overlord with a population of nearly ten million.

The strength is too unequal. A true man can bend and stretch; there's no need to fight to the death.

An expert's skill is immediately apparent. Tuoba Gui headed straight for Shangdang, occupying a strategic location and looking down upon Henan, Luoyang, Yecheng, and Fangtou from a high vantage point.

The cavalry charged forward and arrived in the blink of an eye.

With just this one move, Liu Daogui knew that this battle was hopeless.

Tuoba Gui destroyed the Later Yan in just a few years, which was not only due to favorable timing but also to his strategic planning. His literary and military talents were unparalleled in the northern country at that time.

A ruler who dares to make the decision to promote Sinicization and distribute land according to population size is a great ruler, far surpassing Murong Chui of yesteryear.

(End of this chapter)