Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 109 Pursuing the Exiles and Defeating Han Sui with a Series of Stratagems (Seeking updates and monthly votes)
Liu used the most calm tone to deliver the most intimidating words: "If you rebel against me, I will exterminate your entire clan." This statement terrified Ma Teng.

Ma Teng had no doubt that Liu Bei possessed such strength.

From Ma Chao, Ma Teng learned that Liu Bei's three sworn brothers were all incredibly brave and capable of defeating ten thousand men. In a life-or-death battle, they could kill Ma Chao in a single round.

Last night, news also came from Han Sui's camp that, despite being prepared, Han Sui suffered many casualties, including the deaths of generals Zhang Heng and Cheng Yi, and thousands of defeated soldiers who had not returned.

Just now, Liu Bei also said that he had already divided his troops and set up camps behind Han Sui.

This was what terrified Ma Teng the most, because Ma Teng had not detected Liu Bei's troops appearing behind Han Sui at all!
Overnight, Han Sui found himself in a perilous situation, attacked from both sides. How could Ma Teng not be alarmed!
After a long silence, Ma Teng asked again, "Does Governor Liu know that many powerful families in the Three Auxiliary Regions will respond to our attack on Chencang with Han Sui? Aren't you worried that Han Sui and I will hold our camp and wait for chaos to break out in your rear?"

Liu Bei shook his head and sneered: "General Huangfu Song is in Chang'an. Does the general really think that that rabble can break through the defenses of Chang'an?"

Ma Teng's expression changed.

Huangfu Song's prestige was built up by the number of enemies he killed!

In the first battle at the beginning of the year, Han Sui, Ma Teng and others were defeated by Huangfu Song, with more than 10,000 people killed or wounded.

Just imagining a group of powerful figures from the Three Auxiliary Regions leading their private armies to attack Chang'an, only to discover that Huangfu Song had suddenly appeared in Chang'an, Ma Teng could guess how desperate these powerful figures must have felt.

"Didn't you strip Huangfu Song of his military power? How could he still be willing to defend Chang'an for you?" Ma Teng's voice trembled slightly, feeling increasingly unable to understand the situation in Yongzhou.

Liu Bei snorted lightly: "I seized Huangfu Song's military power in order to take control of the military and political affairs of Yongzhou. This does not mean that I will become enemies with Huangfu Song. However, I do intend to use Huangfu Song to incite the powerful bandits in the Three Auxiliary Regions to rebel."

"A left general who has been stripped of his military power, under the persuasion of a group of powerful bandits, decides to raise an army to attack the eunuchs who are causing chaos in the Three Auxiliary Regions. What a good script and a good story. Unfortunately, they underestimated Huangfu Song's concern for his own reputation and also underestimated my plans for the situation in Yongzhou."

“If the powerful bandits don’t rebel, how can I confiscate their land, houses, money, and grain? How can I re-register the slaves they forcibly seized? How can I ensure that the soldiers of the eight battalions of the Yongzhou army receive their rewards of land, houses, money, and grain?”

Ma Teng was terrified: "Isn't Liu Yongzhou afraid of infamy for acting like this?"

"Infamy? As long as I can set things right and bring peace to the people, future generations will judge my merits and demerits." Liu Bei's expression turned slightly solemn: "Do you know what the biggest difference is between me and you? You only dare to coerce famous scholars into your actions, making them ashamed to be associated with you; while I will protect famous scholars behind me, making them willingly praise me."

"Enough of this small talk. General, you don't need to tell me your choice now. I value results more than process. Whether you choose to be my friend or my enemy, please think carefully!"

Watching Liu Bei's retreating figure, Ma Teng suddenly had a strange feeling, as if he was not seeing a person, but a mountain more majestic and imposing than Mount Tai.

Liu Yongzhou is invincible!

Back at the camp, Ma Chao rushed over and asked, "Father, you talked with Liu Yongzhou for a long time, what did you talk about?"

Ma Teng sighed deeply, unsure of where to begin.

"Has any news come from Han Sui's camp?" Ma Teng asked instead of answering.

Ma Chao nodded, somewhat gloating: "I just sent someone to investigate, and I heard that Han Sui sent Yang Qiu as an envoy, but he was almost shot and killed, and is currently cursing in his camp. Now, Father is chatting casually with Liu Yongzhou in light clothing, I'm afraid Han Sui will be so angry he'll vomit blood."

Looking at his eldest son, who showed absolutely no concern, Ma Teng asked with emotion, "If Liu Yongzhou were to ultimately lose, and my son and I were also affected, what would you choose?"

Without hesitation, Ma Chao replied, "A true man is born between heaven and earth; if he cannot achieve great deeds, what difference is there between him and a walking corpse? If he is defeated, death is all that remains; what is there to fear?"

Ma Teng stared blankly at the spirited Ma Chao, and couldn't help but recall the past.

Previously, his family was poor and had no property, so Ma Teng could only support himself by cutting down trees and selling firewood.

Later, the state and county recruited warriors to quell the rebellion, and Ma Teng was conscripted into the army. He was promoted by chance through his bravery in fighting the enemy. At that time, Ma Teng was full of vigor and was quite confident in making achievements.

Unexpectedly, Geng Bi, the governor of Liangzhou, and Fu Xie, the prefect of Hanyang, were killed one after another. To protect his wife and children, Ma Teng dared not sacrifice himself for righteousness and chose to join the rebel army.

Perhaps because there were too many acts of betrayal among the rebels, the longer Ma Teng joined the rebels, the more afraid he became of death and the more confused he felt, losing the spirit he had in his early years.

Now, looking at his eldest son, who was only thirteen years old but quite spirited, Ma Teng's lost spirit returned at this moment.

“My son is such a hero, how could I be afraid of death?” Ma Teng laughed heartily, his eyes becoming exceptionally firm: “If we succeed, my son and I will rise to great heights; if we fail, my son and I will die together on the battlefield.”

Ma Chao has admired Ma Teng since childhood. In the past two years, Ma Teng has been overthinking things, which has made Ma Chao feel confused and uncomfortable.

Hearing Ma Teng's bold words again today, Ma Chao's heart was filled with excitement: "Your son is willing to fight alongside Father on the battlefield, without hesitation!"

A fierce glint flashed in Ma Teng's eyes, and he said, "I will give you a hundred cavalrymen and have Pang De assist you. You must quickly take the back road back to Ji County, help Yan Gong kill Han Sui's confidants, and take command of the Ji County troops. After that, keep the city gates tightly closed, and do not allow anyone to enter the city until I return!"

"Father, rest assured, I will not fail in my mission!" Ma Chao was also afraid that Han Sui would resort to desperate measures, so he and Pang De led a hundred cavalrymen out of the camp quietly.

Meanwhile, at Han Sui's camp.

Hou Xuan rushed in to report: "General, a terrible thing has happened. Ma Teng and Liu Bei met casually in front of the two armies, chatting happily. It must be because Ma Teng saw that you were defeated last night and wanted to join forces with Liu Bei to attack us. Now we are surrounded by enemies on three sides. I urge you to make a decision quickly!"

Han Sui stood up in shock: "That scoundrel Ma Teng, doesn't he want the lives of his family in Ji County anymore?"

Li Kan realized what was happening and exclaimed, "Liu Bei has now divided his troops and set up camp behind our main camp. It will be difficult for our army to retreat back to Ji County along the Wei River. If Ma Teng comes to our aid from the south, our army will have no choice but to flee north to Anding County. How will we ever be able to return to Ji County?"

"Damn it! Yan Zhong is still in Ji County!" Han Sui's eyes darkened.

Originally, Yan Zhong was supposed to come to Chencang with Han Sui. Not long after leaving the city, Yan Zhong fell off his horse. Although he was not injured, it frightened Han Sui greatly. He was afraid that if Yan Zhong continued to accompany the army, he might accidentally die. Han Sui had no choice but to leave Yan Zhong in Ji County and have his trusted confidants keep a close watch on him.

"Li Kan, lead a hundred cavalry back to Ji County first, to prevent any unrest in Ji County. As long as Yan Zhong and Ji County are in our hands, it's just a matter of taking a longer route back to Ji County. Once you're back, arrest all of Ma Teng's family members. I want Ma Teng to kneel before me and die!" Han Sui's eyes were filled with rage.

Seeing the fear in Hou Xuan and the others, Han Sui shouted again, "Our army has not yet been defeated, why panic? Don't forget, our attack on Chencang was precisely to provide Lu Fang and the others with an opportunity to seize Chang'an. Can't you hold the main camp for even a few days? As long as Lu Fang and the others succeed, humph, Liu Bei's death day will be here! At that time, the entire Yongliang region will be in my hands, and I can even declare myself king!"

After promising Hou Xuan and the others a rosy picture, Han Sui then ordered them to reinforce their camps.

Han Sui did not believe that Liu Bei's small force could break through his main camp!

"Liu Bei, I'm waiting for you to attack!"

Han Sui was filled with anger but had nowhere to vent it, so he could only curse and grumble.

Meanwhile, back in his camp, Liu Bei summoned Jia Xu alone to discuss the battle plan for the night.

To establish authority, the battle against Han Sui should not last too long; it is best to win in one decisive battle, so as to instill fear in the rebels.

"Can any strategy be used?" Jia Xu did not immediately offer a plan, but instead asked about the rules first.

Liu Bei's lips twitched, slightly helpless: "Wenhe, it's not like we just met yesterday. Just offer your advice as I usually do."

Without hesitation, Jia Xu said, "Then let's add a strategy to wear down the enemy. Although it won't be as effective, it will be enough to maintain the morale of Han Sui's army."

"The strategy of exhausting the troops..." Liu Bei thought carefully for a while and came up with a specific plan.

Afterwards, Liu Bei summoned Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and others to assign specific military tasks for exhausting the enemy and attacking the camp that night. He also ordered all the generals and soldiers to have a good meal and rest, so as to conserve their energy and wait for nightfall.

In an era when night blindness was widespread, fighting in the dark was a test for both sides. However, Liu Bei had given special training to the Xiyuan soldiers to address night blindness, and now the Yongzhou soldiers have two thousand Xiyuan soldiers as their backbone, with some serving as squad leaders or deputy squad leaders, all of whom are veterans of the Xiyuan army.

The meticulous management down to the smallest detail is one of the core reasons why this Yongzhou army was able to quickly build up its combat effectiveness.

At night.

Military commander Zhou Cang led a drum and gong troupe to secretly lie in ambush outside Han Sui's camp.

Zhou Cang whispered, "Be alert, everyone. If the bandits chase after us, don't hesitate, run! If you're too slow and get caught or killed, you won't get any credit. Listen to my orders!"

As the drums sounded, Han Sui's troops quickly assembled.

Han Sui, fully armed and ready, laughed arrogantly: "I knew that scoundrel Liu Bei would lead his troops in a night attack. Liu Bei certainly didn't expect that I was on high alert tonight! Liu Bei's efforts are in vain!"

however.

Just as Han Sui thought he had figured out Liu Bei's plan, the drums outside the camp suddenly turned into gongs.

"The retreat has been sounded?"

Han Sui frowned and ordered Hou Xuan to lead his men to investigate.

Before long, Hou Xuan returned: "General, there's no one outside the camp. Perhaps they saw the heavy security inside and gave up."

"We must not be careless! Withdraw half of the guards and observe the situation." Han Sui did not let his guard down because of this. Last night, he had failed to guard against Guan Yu's ambush due to carelessness, resulting in heavy losses.

After waiting for half an hour, Han Sui, who had been resting with his eyes closed, was once again startled awake by the sound of drums. A fierce glint flashed in Han Sui's eyes, and he laughed again: "I knew that scoundrel Liu Bei would come back. Liu Bei certainly didn't expect that I hadn't fallen for his trick! Liu Bei's efforts have been in vain!"

however.

Just as Han Sui was confidently believing that Liu Bei's first attack was a feint and the second was the main attack, and had redeployed his troops, the drums outside the camp turned into gongs once again.

"Sound the retreat again?" Han Sui was immediately annoyed.

If you're going to fight, then fight; if you're not going to fight, then go back to sleep. Isn't it tiring to keep going on like this?

"General, should we still go and investigate?" Hou Xuan asked cautiously, noticing Han Sui's strange expression.

Han Sui gritted his teeth: "Investigate again!"

However, the result was the same as last time: the candidate did not see anyone.

"General, could it be that Liu Bei did this on purpose? He didn't intend to attack the camp tonight. If we are all exhausted tonight, it will be difficult to defend the camp tomorrow," Hou Xuan guessed.

Han Sui, feeling humiliated after making two consecutive wrong judgments, coldly snorted, "It's absolutely impossible that this was intentional! Liu Bei will definitely try to attack again. Be careful! There must be no mistakes!"

Left with no other choice, the candidate had to obey orders.

Sure enough, half an hour later, the sound of drums rang out again outside the camp.

Han Sui laughed triumphantly: "I knew that scoundrel Liu Bei would come again! Liu Bei certainly didn't expect that I was still awake! Liu Bei's efforts are in vain! After Liu Bei sounds the retreat this time, we can finally go to sleep."

Hou Xuan asked doubtfully, "Why does the general make this judgment? What if Liu Bei comes a fourth time?"

Han Sui laughed loudly: "Absolutely impossible! Military strategy says, 'Strike while the iron is hot, but the momentum will wane on the second attack and be exhausted on the third.' Liu Bei didn't have a chance to attack three times, so how could he possibly launch a fourth? Even if the generals aren't tired, how could the soldiers not be?"

The candidates bowed in submission.

A moment later, the sound of the gong rang out again.

"The general's predictions were indeed divinely accurate!"

Hearing the admiring voices of his generals, Han Sui secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If I make another wrong judgment, I'll lose face big time tonight.

"Go back and rest. Liu Bei made a mistake tonight, and he will surely come back in a rage tomorrow!" Han Sui instructed everyone before removing his armor and returning to his tent to rest. After tossing and turning for most of the night, Han Sui was also exhausted.

Just when Han Sui thought Liu Bei would not attack again, Guan Yu and others, who were resting and recuperating in the camp, were already ready to set off.

Liu Bei leaned against the table, his gaze stern: "Send orders to all camps: tonight, victory is the only option, defeat is not an option."

According to Zhou Cang's report, the strategy of exhausting the troops had already caused Han Sui's army to move three times.

As the art of war dictates, one should strike with full force at the first drumbeat, but the momentum wanes at the second and is exhausted at the third.

Han Sui's army, having moved three times, had lost most of its strength and morale, even though it was still on guard.

In contrast, Liu Bei's troops in Yongzhou were at the peak of their offensive.

As the order was issued.

Apart from Huangfu Jianshou's right battalion, which was responsible for guarding the grain supplies, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhang Yang, and Dian Wei, along with four other battalions, launched a fierce attack on Han Sui's camp.

Having learned that Liu Bei had already dispatched troops, Ma Teng also personally led his troops to attack the south side of Han Sui's camp.

west.

A scout rode up and reported: "General, Ma Teng has already sent troops to attack Han Sui!"

“A wise choice.” Zhang Liao sneered: “Quickly send an order to Commander Xu to turn around and attack Han Sui’s camp.”

Liu Bei's words, "If you rebel against me, I will exterminate your entire clan," were not empty threats. If Ma Teng had chosen to help Han Sui, Zhang Liao and Xu Huang would have directly attacked Ma Teng's camp tonight, and Guan Yu and others who were attacking Han Sui's camp would have turned their attention to attacking Ma Teng.

At that time, Han Sui would be afraid of falling into an ambush again and would not dare to leave the camp easily.

One link leads to another; this is Liu Bei's elaborate scheme.

With the three armies launching a fierce attack, the exhausted Han Sui army was unable to withstand the onslaught and quickly broke through the three gates of the camp, heading straight for Han Sui's central army.

"Liu Bei, you treacherous dog, I swear I will never forgive you!"

Seeing the camp in complete chaos, Han Sui dared not linger and could only lead several thousand men in a panic towards Anding County.

Upon receiving the news, Liu Bei sneered and adjusted his tactics: "Order Colonel Zhao Yun to pursue Han Sui immediately. Do not spare him, dead or alive!"

(End of this chapter)