Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 372 Empty

Since Liu Yi entered Yuzhang, he must have gained the support of the pro-Jin forces.

In other words, He Wuji was abandoned by them.

He took the initiative to follow Liu Daogui on the northern expedition, which actually violated the taboo of this group. Now he is caught between two forces, and his return this time is likely to be fraught with danger.

Liu Daogui wanted to offer advice, but couldn't find the words. Everyone has their own path to walk, and He Wuji had clearly considered the pros and cons and chosen his own destiny.

"Don't worry, Brother He."

"Farewell!" He Wuji turned and left.

For some reason, Liu Daogui felt that his back view was somewhat desolate.

Three days later, the army assembled.

Sure enough, as long as they had a common enemy, the surrendered troops of the Northern Prefecture, the Western Prefecture, and the Southern Yan united in their hatred of the enemy.

Banners blotted out the sky, and warhorses were as numerous as clouds, covering the earth.

After destroying the Southern Yan, the army was at its peak, and the morale of the soldiers reached its zenith.

"Send troops!" Liu Daogui gave the order, and the command flag was waved.

The army surged forth with immense momentum.

Eight thousand elite cavalrymen led the way, followed by more than twenty thousand elite troops, raising clouds of dust.

Cavalry and infantry give people a different feeling, as if they have been freed from some kind of restraint. Territory is no longer a limitation. The wider the world is, the more excited they feel.

Upon reaching Licheng, the infantry boarded boats, sailed along the Ji River into the Yellow River, and headed straight for Fangtou, cutting off Changsun Song's retreat.

Eight thousand elite cavalry, led by Fu Hongzhi, Mao Xiuzhi, Shen Tianzi, Meng Longfu, and Duan Hong, crossed the Yellow River and swept across the counties of Hebei from east to west.

Before Liu Daogui's warships even reached Puyang, news of a victory arrived from Hebei: Shen Tianzi, Meng Longfu, and Duan Hong led the charge with 3,000 elite cavalry, defeating Da Xijin's 9,000 infantry and cavalry, and killing more than 2,000 in battle.

Eliminate the threat north of Qingzhou.

After reading the battle report, Liu Daogui couldn't help but marvel at the ferocity of this group.

Previously, the Jin army had no horses and relied solely on their two legs to fight bloody battles against the Hu people. Now, these Han men have warhorses and are even more invincible.

Cavalry was not a natural talent of the nomadic peoples.

With warhorses, the resources of the Central Plains, and the bravery of Han men, they were even more superior to the Hu people.

During the Warring States period, King Wuling of Zhao adopted the Hu-style clothing and cavalry archery, and within a few years, he decisively defeated the Xiongnu, expanded south of the Gobi Desert, and established the Dai Commandery.

Huo Qubing of the Han Dynasty, with only 800 elite cavalry, dared to venture deep into the northern desert, beheading the grandfather of the Xiongnu Chanyu and capturing the Chanyu's uncle. Later, he led 10,000 cavalry to directly attack the Qilian Mountains, fought across the five kingdoms of Hexi, and defeated the Xiongnu Hunye King and Xiutu King's tribes, thus expanding the four commanderies of Hexi.

Compared to the Hu people's cavalry, which numbered in the hundreds of thousands, the Han men's cavalry were the true cavalry.

The cavalry of the Hu people were mostly herdsmen.

However, the State of Wei has already reformed its system, changing from nomadic to agricultural, and its cavalry will become stronger and stronger in the future.

"Report! Changsun Song has abandoned the attack on Liyang and retreated to Fangtou!" The scouts arrived with news just as they were replenishing their supplies and weapons in Puyang.

"He certainly escaped quickly!" Liu Daogui said, somewhat annoyed.

Shen Tianzi and Duan Hong fought too fiercely, directly alarming Changsun Song and indirectly disrupting Liu Daogui's plans.

Fangtou is connected to Yecheng in the north and Henan and Luoyang in the west. It faces Huatai and Puyang across the river and has become the key point of this battle.

Changsun Song retreated to Fangtou, realizing the key to this battle.

How many soldiers does he have?

"Nearly fifty thousand!"

"Send orders to Fu Hongzhi and Shen Tianzi: do not send reinforcements to Fangtou. Instead, charge into Yecheng and Zhongshan and wreak havoc on Hebei. Liu Zhong and Li Damu, lead the navy up the Yellow River and head straight for Xiaopingjin and Mengjin to blockade the Yellow River!"

Liu Daogui adjusted his strategy in a timely manner.

Changsun Song's 50,000 troops defending Fangtou are making the battle extremely difficult.

Moreover, Changsun Song was also a veteran general of Wei. He joined the army at the age of thirteen and had experienced countless battles. His retreat to Fangtou demonstrates his military strategy.

Liu Daogui marched into Liyang and controlled both banks of the Yellow River. Shen Tianzi, Meng Longfu, Duan Hong and their group remained fierce, and with overwhelming force, they successively defeated the three armies of Wei generals An Tong and Shusun Jian, and within a few days, they were at the gates of Zhongshan City.

Liu Zhong of the western route successfully launched a surprise attack on Xiaopingjin, but Mengjin was heavily defended and could not be captured.

Tuoba Gui immediately became alert and retreated to Heyin City, guarding the upper reaches of the Yellow River.

However, the crisis in the Central Plains has also been resolved.

Feng Kai advised, “After the Wei state implemented the land allocation system, its foundation was solid. Tuoba Gui, Changsun Song, and Changsun Fei are all skilled warriors. The time for a decisive battle with Wei has not yet come. Now that Tuoba Gui has retreated to Heyin, he can retreat to Hedong at any time. Even if you take Henei, it will be in vain.”

Liu Daogui's plan was sound, but the Wei rulers and ministers were no ordinary people either.

Changsun Song was the first to see through Liu Daogui's strategy and retreated to Fangtou.

Tuoba Gui retreated to Heyin, also unwilling to engage in a decisive battle.

Liu Daogui's carefully planned strike landed on empty air, but this is the norm on the battlefield. Success depends on man, but fate is in the hands of heaven. "So be it. The soldiers have been fighting for a long time. Since we cannot defeat Tuoba Gui, we will fight again another day."

Hebei is different from Henan, and the State of Wei is not the Southern Yan.

Its core territory is in Dai County and Mobei. Taking Ye City would be meaningless, as it would require more effort to defend it. Liu Daogui was not prepared for a decisive battle.

Now that Tuoba Gui had retreated, Liu Daogui did not want to be drawn into another prolonged stalemate...

In the south, in Guangzhou.

On the port, masts stood like a forest, and armored soldiers were as numerous as clouds, densely packed, their fighting spirit soaring.

After such a long period of preparation, the conditions for sending troops north are ripe.

At this moment, Lu Xun and Xu Daofu had just received news of the destruction of Southern Yan, but this did not affect their determination.

"Our army will enter the Gan River from the Ling Canal, head straight for Yuzhang, then head north to Xunyang, and follow the river down to Jiankang. Liu Daogui will be caught off guard!" Xu Daofu only had Jiankang in his eyes.

This was their long-cherished wish.

Lu Xun sighed, "I didn't expect Liu Daogui to break through Guanggu and destroy Southern Yan in such a short time. I thought Murong Chao could hold out for a year."

After Liu Daogui destroyed the Southern Yan, his next target would inevitably be Guangzhou.

Compared to the various formidable passes and strategic cities along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Guangzhou, with its dense network of waterways, was obviously easier to attack.

In other words, this is the last chance for the Celestial Masters sect.

Xu Daofu said, "Murong Chao is cruel by nature and unpopular. Liu Daogui is most skilled at bewitching people. He can strike first and then be controlled by others. Success or failure depends on this one move. Master, you must not hesitate for a moment. Only by capturing Jiankang and taking the emperor hostage can you control the overall situation and then defend against Liu Daogui across the river."

The Jin dynasty had a navy, and the Celestial Masters sect's navy was no less formidable.

"Liu Yu is still in Jiankang..." Lu Xun still felt lingering fear about Liu Yu.

"Yunxiu's secret report already stated that Liu Yu is terminally ill and unable to fight. Moreover, the elite troops under his command, such as Meng Longfu and Shen Tianzi, have gone north. The Northern Army in Jiankang has less than three thousand elite troops, and the rest are just a rabble. Furthermore, the people in Jiankang have already agreed that as long as Liu Yu and his brother Liu Daogui are eliminated, everything will be negotiable."

The aristocratic families of Jiangzuo had intricate connections with the Celestial Masters sect.

After the Celestial Masters sect occupied Guangzhou, they repeatedly presented tributes to the Jin dynasty, nominally submitting to its rule.

Therefore, in the eyes of both sides, Liu Yu and Liu Daogui became common enemies. In order to deal with him, the people in Jiankang City did not hesitate to drink poison to quench their thirst, and relied on the power of the Celestial Masters.

Lu Xun said, "It's just a scheme to drive wolves into tigers; high-ranking families are not to be trusted."

A cold glint flashed in Xu Daofu's eyes. "As long as we capture Jiankang and eliminate Liu Yu, why should we care whether they are trustworthy or not when we are at war?"

The Celestial Masters sect had killed many noble families in the three Wu and eight counties, and Xu Daofu had never believed their promises.

Once Jiankang is captured and the emperor is taken hostage, the overall situation will be settled.

"Then send troops out immediately and seize Jiankang!" Lu Xun slammed his hand on the railing.

"The Master has given the order: Raise an army!"

"Raise an army—"

The messengers waved various colored flags, and the war drums sounded in response.

White sails billowed, billowing in the south wind, slowly heading north...

(End of this chapter)