Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 363 Retreat
Winter passes and spring comes, and everything revives.

Having endured a long winter, the morale of the Yan army on the other side was noticeably low. The number of times the cavalry went out was reduced, and the warhorses looked weak and unable to run fast.

Heavy snow blocked the mountains, and the Yan army's food supplies had long been running out, relying entirely on livestock and corpses to survive.

It must be said that Murong Chao had some skill; under such circumstances, the army did not collapse.

However, it had reached the point of exhaustion.

On the other hand, with ample supplies, the soldiers in their own camp maintained high morale. Throughout the winter, they were well-fed, warmly clothed, and had meat every day. Many of them even gained weight.

As the weather warms up, the opportunity for the decisive battle is drawing ever closer.

"Tuoba Gui has gathered 200,000 infantry and cavalry in Pingcheng?"

Liu Daogui was also taken aback when he received the news.

Two hundred thousand troops must be there to destroy a country. As for which country to destroy, it goes without saying. A mere Qingzhou would certainly not require two hundred thousand troops.

The land allocation system implemented by the Wei state in recent years has been extremely effective. Tuoba Gui killed a number of meritorious officials and powerful chieftains, which actually strengthened the imperial power.

There have been almost no large-scale rebellions in the State of Wei in recent years.

Liu Zun said, "We have an alliance with Tuoba Gui, but we would never stab someone in the back."

Liu Daogui countered, "Back then, both Murong Chui and Yao Xing had alliances with him. Did you ever see him show any mercy?"

It's better to hope that the cat won't steal fish than to place your hopes on a written agreement.

After expending so much effort and finally exhausting the Southern Yan, the State of Wei came to interfere.

Of course, Wei couldn't possibly remain silent in this kind of national war.

Even Yao Xing gathered tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry in Chang'an, claiming to have an army of 100,000.

Hu Fan said, "The morale of the Yan army has been low, and I am willing to be the vanguard."

“We can’t delay any longer. Order Wang Yuande to return to defend Puyang, Xiao Chengzhi’s troops to defend Huatai, and the armies from Pengcheng and Xiapi to rush to Rongqiu to join forces. Three days later, we will have a decisive battle with the Yan army.” Liu Daogui made up his mind.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a scout outside the tent reported loudly, "Reporting to the general, the Yan army has retreated."

"what?"

The generals in the tent were taken aback.

Liu Daogui went out of the tent to observe, and sure enough, the Yan army opposite was retreating, abandoning even their main camp, and their troops were slowly heading north.

However, they retreated without disorder, maintaining two cavalry units to cover the rear.

Murong Chao had acted too arrogantly before, and everyone thought that with his personality, he would never retreat. Unexpectedly, he retreated so suddenly, abandoning many weapons and flags in the camp.

"This humble general is willing to pursue the enemy!"

Liu Zun and He Wuji simultaneously cupped their hands in greeting.

Hu Fan said, "Could this be a trap to lure the enemy? Our army only has 20,000 men, while the enemy has 50,000."

"With my 20,000 elite troops, do you think I'm afraid of his 50,000 rabble? Back then, Commander Liu's 20,000 Northern Army troops were able to storm into Hebei!" He Wuji said passionately.

Liu Laozhi did indeed invade Hebei and defeated Murong Chui twice, but he was defeated in the pursuit of the enemy.

Liu Daogui looked around and saw that although the Yan army had retreated, the two cavalry units were in good order, and Murong Chao's central army was also calm and composed.

Apart from these elite troops, the rest of the Yan army was in disarray, fearing they would fall behind.

"No rush, let's follow behind him and devour them one bite at a time!" Liu Daogui could tell that Murong Chao was really retreating, but he had also taken many precautions.

"We obey!" The generals bowed.

Several war drums sounded, and the soldiers gradually assembled.

Liu Zun and He Wuji, one on the left and one on the right, attacked the rear of the Yan army.

Following behind were the three divisions of Hu Fan, Mao Xiuzhi, and Fu Hongzhi, while Liu Daogui led the remaining ten thousand elite troops, escorting more than a thousand wooden carts.

The chariot was equipped with heavy crossbows and iron teeth, and was pulled by donkeys, mules, oxen and horses to guard against cavalry attacks.

The ice and snow have not yet melted, and the water network north of the Huai River is frozen, creating a flat plain where cavalry can move freely. Without precautions, the entire army will be wiped out.

The Jin army fought against the Hu people for decades and figured out a way to counter cavalry.

After marching for half a day, the Yan army's formation became slightly scattered, and Liu Zun and He Wuji rushed forward, resulting in a chaotic battle in which seven or eight hundred men were killed.

The Yan cavalry came to their aid, but upon seeing the long spear formation of Hu Fan, Mao Xiuzhi, and Fu Hongzhi, they dared not attack. After firing a few shots, they headed north.

After a fierce battle, Liu Zun and He Wuji rested on the spot, and then Hu Fan, Mao Xiuzhi, and Fu Hongzhi from the Western Prefecture took over.

At this moment, Murong Chao's central army stopped, and Liu Daogui also stopped. The chariots were lined up in a row, the crossbows were nocked, and they faced north. The soldiers raised their spears, their faces full of excitement, waiting for the Yan cavalry to charge in for a decisive battle.

A cold wind swept across our faces, and the stench of blood filled the air.

The two armies stood facing each other at a distance of six or seven hundred paces, engaged in fierce fighting.

Although the Western Army was newly established, its soldiers were all elite veterans eager for battle. They went up with bloodshot eyes, holding large shields and charging into the Yan army's arrows.

Generals of the Western Army, including Hu Fan, Mao Xiuzhi, and Fu Hongzhi, fought fiercely at the forefront.

These men were not highly regarded under Huan Xuan, but now, facing the Hu people, they were all incredibly brave. One of them, clad in silver armor and a red robe, was struck by six or seven arrows, yet he still moved with incredible speed, wielding a spear and stabbing both horse and man to the ground.

"This man is Zhu Lin, son of Governor Zhu. Upon hearing of the general's northern expedition, he led his troops from Jiangxia to join the Western Army," Liu Huaijing reported from beside him.

"Zhu Xu?" Liu Daogui was surprised.

After Xie Xuan was dismissed by Sima Daozi, the north was entirely supported by Zhu Xu, who turned the tide several times, defending Luoyang and the Sima family's ancestral tombs. However, because Zhu Xu came from the Western Palace and had been a subordinate of Huan Wen, he was eventually suppressed by Sima Daozi. When he died, he was only posthumously awarded the titles of Left General and Attendant Gentleman of the Palace.

The Zhu family also declined.

Now that Zhu Lin has joined the Western Army, it's equivalent to joining Liu Daogui's forces. "He truly is a tiger cub from a military family; there are so many heroes in the Central Plains!"

Other generals such as Hu Fan and Fu Hongzhi were also fierce as tigers. After a fierce battle, more than 2,000 Yan soldiers were killed, and the rest of the troops retreated.

The empty space in the middle is exposed.

Hu Fan, Zhu Lin, and Fu Hongzhi stood with swords and spears in hand, shouting towards Murong Chao to the north: "You barbarians, come and meet your death!"

A murderous aura filled the air, and warhorses neighed in terror.

Murong Chao's central army remained motionless, forming a pincer movement with the two cavalry units on the left and right, but hesitated to attack.

Liu Daogui's chariot formation resembled a mobile fortress, with its iron teeth and long spears like a forest. The heavy crossbows on the chariots gleamed coldly; these crossbows did not fire arrows, but long spears, which, once hit, would shatter both men and horses.

The advantage of cavalry lies in surprise attacks; engaging these creatures head-on is almost suicidal.

After a standoff of about half an hour, Hu Fan ordered his soldiers to bring forward the wounded prisoners and behead them in front of the Yan army, in an attempt to provoke the Yan army into fighting. However, Murong Chao did not make a move.

The Hu people had a weaker sense of ethnic identity than the Jin people.

The Murong Xianbei were actually formed by the integration of various ethnic groups in Liaodong. Murong Hui worked diligently to govern the country, absorbed a large number of refugees from Hebei, and annexed the Yuwen, Goguryeo, Duan, and Khitan tribes, which led to their growth.

The killing of these barbarian rabble did not anger Murong Chao.

Murong Chao was not a person who cared about the people.

After observing for a while, seeing that the Jin army's chariot formation was imposing and impenetrable, he led his troops to continue northward.

The Yan army left, and the Jin army continued to follow behind.

After only one day of marching, six or seven hundred Yan soldiers fell behind, were captured by the Jin army, and beheaded on the spot, leaving none alive.

Marching in such weather was a huge test of the soldiers' morale and physical fitness, with more than a hundred soldiers from both the Northern Army and the Western Army falling behind.

He was promptly rescued by the supply troops who followed from behind.

As night fell, the weather turned freezing cold, and Liu Daogui had no choice but to order his soldiers to set up camp.

"Report! Murong Chao led his cavalry to retreat to Dongguan Army overnight, leaving Murong Zhen to defend Kaiyang." With each word Meng Ganzhi spoke, a puff of white vapor escaped his mouth.

The spring chill was biting, seemingly even colder than winter.

"In this freezing weather, are all the White Barbarians made of iron?" Liu Daogui exclaimed in amazement.

It was bearable during the day, but at night, even huddled inside the tent, one felt a bone-chilling cold.

Meng Gan said, "Murong Chao only cares about retreating north, he doesn't care about the lives of his soldiers."

"He's ruthless."

Liu Daogui's principle in using troops was to obtain the greatest benefit with the least casualties.

Soldiers are the lifeblood of China; every one who survives is a contribution to the Northern Army.

Liu Daogui's enemies are not only Murong Chao, but also more tenacious and powerful opponents. He cannot afford to lose his strength here.

As dawn broke, the army continued northward, and along the way lay countless frozen Yan soldiers, their faces and eyes deathly pale, staring in terror at the north.

Many people froze to death, but few warhorses did.

They were probably all taken away by the Yan army.

“There are over ten thousand Yan troops in Kaiyang City, and Murong Zhen is also an old general. Why don’t we attack Kaiyang first?” He Wuji suggested.

Liu Daogui refused: "Kaiyang is a fortified city. In this weather, it will be difficult to capture in less than two or three months. In two or three months, Murong Chao will retreat to Qingzhou and be able to regroup. We cannot let a defeated dog escape. Kaiyang will be left to Meng Longfu and Shen Tianzi."

Murong Chao's morale is low and his food supplies are insufficient; we cannot let him get away with this.

Liu Daogui continued to lead his troops northward.

The volunteer soldiers and local troops arrived one after another from Pengcheng and Xiapi, bringing with them provisions and winter clothing.

Jiankang provided unconditional support for this battle, and the standoff lasted for nearly four months without a single complaint from the court or any obstruction from behind.

If Xie Xuan had received such treatment back then, he would have recovered Hebei long ago.

Liu Yu not only purged the Sima clan and the Wang clan of Taiyuan, but also put a heavy hand on the Wang clan of Langya and the Xie clan of Chenjun, thus firmly grasping power in his hands.

Without his ruthless methods, Liu Daogui would not have had such an easy time.

Each Northern Expedition was not due to the Jin dynasty's flawed military strategy or the soldiers' lack of courage; rather, it was always due to problems with the supply of provisions from the rear or suppression of the Northern Army commanders.

The army continued northward, and the cities of Donghai, Langya, and Dongguan, except for Tanxian and Kaiyang which were heavily guarded, all surrendered without resistance.

These three prefectures were originally within the sphere of influence of the Northern Army.

Liu Daogui's relentless pursuit of Murong Chao made these cities realize the true situation.

"Report! Murong Chao has abandoned Dongguan and retreated to Muling Pass!" a scout rushed in to report.

"Running so fast?" Liu Daogui was annoyed.

Although the Yan army retreated all the way, its main force was not lost. Murong Chao's 20,000 elite cavalry never launched an attack from beginning to end, and thus gave up the three lucrative areas of Donghai, Langya and Dongguan.

He Wuji asked, "Could it be that Murong Chao intends to defend Muling Pass?"

(End of this chapter)