Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 262 Deploying Troops (Part Two)

Sun Cheng is skilled at leading troops, has rich combat experience, and can make decisions at crucial moments.

Tao Feng had served in the Beiping Army for many years and fought against the Xiongnu barbarians, so he was familiar with the terrain of Liaoxi Commandery.

No one objected to having the two of them act as scouts.

Pei Qinghe ordered in a deep voice: "You two remember, the mission of this trip is to find out where the Xiongnu barbarians are located and how many troops they have, as well as the situation of the Liaoxi army. Do not act rashly. There are only two hundred of you, so don't act impulsively."

Sun Chengtao and Feng bowed and accepted the order.

Pei Qinghe added, "When in doubt, the two of you should discuss it. If you disagree, you should listen to Chief Sun."

Tao Feng, knowing his own limitations, readily agreed.

Entrusted with an important task, Sun Cheng showed no fear or panic. He looked up and met the eyes of his general, saying, "I will certainly live up to your expectations, General."

Pei Qinghe's trust and high regard for Sun Cheng were obvious to everyone. Besides Pei Yun, Pei Yan, and Mao Hongling, Sun Cheng was the most trusted outsider. Gu Lian and Feng Chang were initially unhappy, but over the years, Sun Cheng's repeated merits had forced them to accept his superiority.

The discussion went on until midnight, after which everyone dispersed.

Pei Yun asked Pei Qinghe softly, "How confident are you in this battle?"

Pei Qinghe, confident and composed in public, boosted the morale of his elite troops, reassuring the Guangning and Pingyang armies. But when Pei Yun asked him this, Pei Qinghe finally dropped his guard, letting out a soft sigh: "At most fifty percent."

"Li Gouze of the Liaoxi Army is greedy and shameless, but he is quite capable of leading and training troops. The Liaoxi Army has nearly 30,000 elite soldiers. Against the Xiongnu barbarians, they were completely defeated in just a few days."

"The Liaoxi army suffered a great defeat, and the people of Liaoxi Prefecture were completely devastated."

"I am not confident in this battle, but I cannot afford not to come."

"If I have the ambition to conquer the land, then I must shoulder the heavy responsibility of defending the territory and protecting the people. If I were to cower in fear and avoid battle, guarding my own little patch of land and ignoring the people of Liaoxi County, what difference would there be between me and General Zhang and the Emperor, who are hiding in Bohai County?"

If you want to wear the crown, you must first bear its weight.

To conquer the world, one must possess the true demeanor of a king.

Pei Yun looked at Pei Qinghe, whose gaze was resolute, and was speechless for a moment. After a long while, she finally spoke, breaking the silence: "Alright, let's fight this time. If we win, the entire Youzhou will belong to the Pei family army. If we lose, at least we will have done our best. We can escape into the Yanshan Mountains and hide for a few years. As long as the Pei family army's banner stands, we can recruit soldiers and make a comeback."

Pei Qinghe laughed: "My parents gave me life, but Pei Yun truly understands me."

Pei Yun laughed too: "At a time like this, you're still being cheeky."

"Since we're already here, we must fight to the death." Pei Qinghe laughed. "For the next few days, we'll slow down our march, covering forty li each day. Once Sun Cheng and Tao Feng have gathered sufficient intelligence on the enemy, we'll resume our rapid march."

Pei Yun nodded.

I heard snoring in my ear.

Pei Qinghe turned her head and chuckled. Pei Yan had already fallen asleep sometime earlier.

"We're both preoccupied with our own thoughts, but Pei Yan is perfectly fine; she just fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow." Pei Yun said, both amused and exasperated.

Pei Qinghe pulled over the blankets and covered Pei Yan with them, saying, "This is fine too. It's so late, let's go to sleep early."

During the march, tents were limited, with ten people crammed into each tent. Pei Qinghe's tent also had to accommodate three people.

Pei Qinghe closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

At dawn the next day, everyone packed up their tents and ate a hot breakfast. More than 20,000 people set off in a grand procession towards Liaoxi County. Birds and beasts were frightened away, and bandits and thieves dared not show their faces at all.

After marching for three days, they finally reached the border of Liaoxi Commandery.

Instead of receiving news from Sun Chengtaofeng, an unexpected piece of good news arrived.

"The Fanyang army has also sent troops?" Pei Qinghe was somewhat surprised, raising an eyebrow: "Where are they?"

"The commander is Lü Feng, the eldest son of General Lü, with a total of three thousand elite troops. However, they have very few cavalry, mostly infantry, and their marching speed is not fast. It will take at least two days for them to catch up with us," Zhai Sanlang, who delivered the message, beamed.

No wonder Zhai Sanlang was so happy. Even the rough and boorish Pei Yan grinned: "The Fanyang army was a coward last year and refused to send troops. This year they've actually sent them."

Pei Qinghe smiled slightly.

Last year and this year are of course different.

Last year, the Xiongnu barbarians were considered by many to be invincible and ruthless. She led the Pei family army to defeat the Xiongnu barbarians and even publicly killed the Xiongnu general Wuyan, completely shattering the myth of the Xiongnu barbarians' invincibility.

This year, when the Xiongnu barbarians entered the pass, they didn't go to Beiping Commandery or Yan Commandery, but instead specifically came to Liaoxi Commandery. It's clear that the Xiongnu barbarians didn't want a direct confrontation and wanted to pick on the weaker party.

General Lü was no fool; after weighing the pros and cons, he made his decision at the crucial moment. These three thousand elite soldiers were General Lü's pledge of allegiance.

"Pei Yun!" Pei Qinghe turned and instructed, "Go and welcome the Fanyang army. We will rest here and wait for them to arrive."

Pei Yun loudly accepted the order and led a battalion of men away on horseback.

Pei Qinghe ordered the entire army to halt and rest.

After marching for nearly half a month, more than 20,000 men and horses were exhausted and tired. When the news spread that they had set up camp on the spot, everyone was overjoyed.

Pei Qinghe then called Shi Yan over: "Another three thousand soldiers from Fanyang have arrived. Do they have enough rations?"

The Fanyang army must have brought their own rations. However, no one can say for sure how long the war will last. Sufficient rations must be prepared.

Shi Yan took out a small gold abacus and tapped away for a moment: "When we set off, all the stored grain was brought with us. With an additional three thousand people, it will be enough to feed us for half a year."

This is based on the worst-case scenario. In fact, the Xiongnu barbarians never lasted more than half a year in a single battle.

Pei Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Shi Yan's reddened eyes with a pang of heartache: "You've had a hard time these past few days."

Shi Yan chuckled softly, "To be able to accompany you in the army is a dream I've cherished day and night. Providing and managing provisions for the army is something I can do with joy. I don't feel it's hard work at all."

In front of others, the two could not be too intimate, so they just looked at each other and smiled silently.

While the army rested, the kitchen was bustling with activity, with dozens of stoves lit to cook military rations. Due to a shortage of manpower, male and female soldiers who knew how to cook were transferred to help. The stoves burned for two days straight, and the aroma of the cooked rations wafted for miles.

Lü Feng led three thousand Fanyang soldiers, drawn by the aroma of military rations.

On the day General Lü led his troops to attack Pei Family Village, Lü Feng did not accompany him. This was the first time Lü Feng had met Pei Qinghe.

Lü Feng made the same mistake that many people make: he mistook the burly and imposing Pei Yan for General Pei.

When Pei Yun bowed to Pei Qinghe, Lü Fengcai realized what was happening and was suddenly startled.

(End of this chapter)