Chapter 216: Strike

The next morning, most of the seriously wounded had stabilized their injuries, and after dawn they set out on the road west with some cakes in their pockets. Chen Cheng arranged for the retreat of Han Sui and Li Xiangru's soldiers and horses, and at the same time released the remaining more than 200 Han prisoners of war in the camp.

He gave the prisoners some horses with wounded backs or lame legs, and asked the lightly wounded to return to the Han camp with the more seriously injured ones, and also sent out the unused wooden boxes. Yesterday, he originally wanted to use Wang Dang's head to deter the Han army, but as soon as he appeared in front of the two armies, the enemy had already withdrawn his troops, but he was a villain in vain.

But if he had to go back to the previous point in time, he would still make the same choice. As the commander of the army, if he has to think about the lives of thousands of soldiers under his command, how can he care too much about his reputation?

On the road leading to Liangzhou, the sound of hooves was thundering, and the people in the camp of the Xiliang Army neighed on their horses, which had already alarmed the Han army sentries on the mountain beams. Immediately, the news was transmitted to Ding Yuan and Huangfu Song. At the same time, the released Han prisoners of war also supported each other back to their camps.

"It seems that the Xiliang army is really going to retreat," Ding Yuan hesitated again, "Why don't you let Feng Xian lead the troops to pursue?" ”

Huangfu Song shook his head and said, "Even if you fight again, you will only be left with a few thousand enemy troops at most." According to the confession of the captured prisoners of war, Chen Cheng brought 4,000 soldiers and horses this time, and the generals under his command, Lu Fang and Xu Rong, did not arrive, even if all these people were lost, it was nothing. Since the Xiliang people have released all the soldiers of our army, let's let them go this time. ”

"Report!"

The soldiers stepped forward and presented a wooden box, "This is what the enemy general brought back to our soldiers, saying that it was for General Zuo." ”

Ding Yuan was a little unhappy in his heart, but he laughed and said, "Could it be that you want to send some gold and silver in order to retire the army safely?" It's just that why did you only give it to General Zuo, but didn't send me some? ”

Huangfu Song felt a bad feeling in his heart, he lifted the wooden box a little, and then his face suddenly became miserable. Ding Yuan saw that Huangfu Song's face changed sharply, and he also sighed in his heart, and asked, "What's wrong?" What's inside? ”

“........ It's the head of the king's general! Huangfu Song's face was miserable, he put the wooden box on the desk in front of him, and said in a low voice: "I thought that even if Wang Dang was defeated, with his wisdom and bravery, he would be able to bring back most of the soldiers and horses, but I didn't expect that the last time I said goodbye, it would be an eternal separation between heaven and man." ”

Wang Dang was once transferred to Ding Yuan's command and attacked Hanyang with Lu Bu and others, because Ding Yuan knew his ability. At this time, he couldn't help but change color and said: "General Wang actually died in battle?" When did the Xiliang Army become so capable of fighting? ”

Huangfu Song sighed: "The hound must eventually die on the mountain, and the general will inevitably die in battle." We are leading troops to fight, killing countless parents and brothers, and doing a great job of heaven and harmony, should there be this retribution? ”

Ding Yuan was shocked, but Wang Dang was not his subordinate, he had already sobered up at this time, and said disapprovingly when he heard the words: "Victory and defeat are commonplace, how can there be immortals in war?" ”

Huangfu Song calmed down and said to Ding Yuan: "Wang Dang has been following me for more than ten years, although there is a difference between the top and the bottom, in fact, he is like father and son, and he is out of shape. ”

Ding Yuan asked, "Then should we attack while the Xiliang thieves are retreating?" ”

Huangfu Song re-energized his spirits and said, "You can go forward and wait and see first, if the enemy is in a tight formation, you can not send troops." ”

So the two of them each took thousands of cavalry and went to the outside of the Xiliang army camp to watch the enemy's situation. But I saw that although the enemy troops on the opposite side were retreating, they did not panic. The soldiers were in good order, and the banners and drums were as strict as ever. On the rampart, the armor soldier stood still. In the large camp, there are still thousands of soldiers and horses waiting for them.

When Ding Yuan saw it, he could only give up the idea of taking the opportunity to attack, and turned his head to Huangfu Song and said: "I didn't expect the thief's military discipline to be so strict, which is very different from the Han Sui Department that I fought against last year!" ”

In the camp, Zhao Si looked at the neatly packed materials on the ground, and said a little unwillingly: "Lord, do you really want to leave these things to the officers and soldiers?" Tell me that it's better to burn it down! ”

The Xiliang army was very poor as a whole, but Chen Chengjun took on half of the supplies, and grain, dried meat, pickles, cloth, salt and other supplies were piled up in the camp. When I was transporting before, I was afraid that it would not be enough, but now I want to retreat, but I can't take so many things with me for a while.

Chen Cheng placed the written letter on top of the belongings and pressed it with a piece of gravel. He clapped his hands and said: "The whole division of the Han army is coming, it is bound to win, but it has lost many soldiers and horses without size, even if we are a little scared, but it is estimated that the top and bottom are unwilling." We can't take these things with us, so it's better to keep them than to burn them. Leave them some goods and food and cloth, and dispel the resentment of their hearts. ”

Zhao Si said unconvinced: "If they dare to attack again, we will beat them back!" ”

Chen Cheng smiled and said, "You, you're still too young, you think things too simply, and sometimes you're a little naïve. ”

“............”

Zhao Si was a little stunned, he was young, but he was not younger than his father-in-law, how could it be simple, why was it naïve?

After Yang Qiu's retreat, Li Kan and the remaining 700 people in the trapped camp also crossed the Liuchuan River and embarked on the road back to the west. Chen Cheng looked at the place where he had fought again, then turned over and said in a loud voice: "Now it's our turn!" ”

The Western Liang army retreated in an orderly manner, on the one hand, because of the proper arrangement, and on the other hand, because Chen Cheng himself stayed at the end. After he personally breaks it, the soldiers will feel at ease and will not have the fear of being abandoned. Why is it more difficult to retreat and avoid the attack? It's because when attacking, you can count on the allies behind to come forward to support, but when you retreat, you are more worried about being alone.

As Chen Cheng left with the guards and the flying bear hussars, the camp suddenly fell silent. Except for the occasional neighing of a few old horses, all that remained was the sound of the wind blowing through the camp. The Han scouts approached the camp cautiously, and after some reconnaissance, climbed the camp wall, waving their flags and shouting loudly outside.

"The thieves have all withdrawn!"

The news spread quickly, and the soldiers of the Han army were relieved to see their own flags planted in the enemy's camp. In the past, the Xiliang army was a powerful field battle, and thousands of cavalry charged on the plain, and the ground shook and the mountains were unstoppable. But siege and defense have always been the weakness of the Xiliang army, barbarism can bring courage, but not wisdom, there are not enough siege equipment, the Xiliang army in the face of a strong city, is not at all helpless.

But now the Han army has understood a fact, that is: the Xiliang army is completely different from before.

Fortunately, the enemy finally retreated, and there was no longer a need to fight with the enemy around the camp for blood. Huangfu Song clearly felt the low morale, but there was no more way to do it. The army quickly entered the camp left behind by the Xiliang people, and soon, a soldier came to report, "General, I found packed copper coins and cloth in the enemy's camp, and several warehouses were full of grain!" ”

Huangfu Song was a little surprised, this was another surprise to him. The people of Xiliang have always been poor, and every time they invade, they will plunder the people, how can there be any property left? He pondered for a moment, then decided to go inside and see what was going on.

When he arrived at the occupied camp on horseback, he saw all kinds of supplies that had been sorted and organized. The soldier came over with a letter and said, "General, this is left by the enemy. ”

In this era, the writing carriers were still mainly bamboo slips and wood chips, and although paper was also used all over the world, it was not something that ordinary people could afford. Huangfu Song took the letter and was about to watch it, but he glanced at Ding Yuan, who was not good-looking on the side, so he handed the letter over and said, "Please General Ding take a look at it first." ”

Ding Yuan's face was a little pale, he opened the letter and looked at it, only to see that it was written from left to right: "Liangzhou Hussar General Julu Hou Chen Cheng respectfully told Huangfu Song, Ding Yuan's two generals: Sun Tzu said: Where the law of military is used, the whole country is the first, and the country is second; The whole army is the first, and the broken army is second, so a hundred battles are won, and the good ones who are not good are also. Although I broke through Chen Cang today, I killed and injured no less than 10,000 soldiers of the Han army, which is not a joy. After Dong Zhuo's regents and others, the victory was not martial, and it was to raise troops to return west, wait for the two generals to defeat Dong Zhuo, pacify the Kwantung princes, and then meet again to meet and hunt. The book is not exhaustive, and I will bow again. ”

"Humph!" After reading it, Ding Yuan handed the letter to Huangfu Song and sneered: "General Zuo also came to take a look, Chen Thief is really a big mouth!" ”

Huangfu Song took the letter and looked at it, Chen Cheng wrote very respectfully on the surface, but the words revealed diametrically opposite meanings. His brows moved, and then he said to Ding Yuan: "Xiliang is barren, last year it has exhausted the grain reserves in Hanyang Longxi, and this year the thieves came to attack, and they spent countless money and grain, where is the ability to fight again?" Within a year or two, they did not have the strength to go eastward again. The thieves were angry in their hearts, and when they withdrew their troops, it was normal to say something insincere. ”

Ding Yuan turned his anger into joy at this time, and he said with a smile: "General Zuo is right, Chen Thief raised 100,000 people to attack but couldn't win, so he could only flee back in embarrassment, and now he can take advantage of his tongue." There are people in Chang'an City: Chen Thief is clever and natural, and he is born with disorderly morality, and when he sees it today, it is so! ”

So the two returned to Chang'an with the army first, leaving the people to help Duan Xuan rebuild Chencang City. In the previous battle, the catapults of the Xiliang army were amazingly powerful, which left too deep an impression on the officers and soldiers, so when Duan Xuan was raising and thickening the city wall, he built more than a dozen camps on the mountains outside Chengcang. Prepare that one day the Xiliang army will attack again, and you can use those camps to resist one day.

Huangfu Song and Ding Yuan led their troops back to Chang'an, repaired for five days, and then quickly marched east along Weishui, and arrived at Huayin in only three days. At this time, Dong Zhuo had already sent troops to surround Hongnong, and personally led troops to attack Mianchi. The Kwantung coalition forces have also captured Zhongmu and stationed on the front line of Chenggao and Xingyang.

Although He Jin has many soldiers and horses in his hands, he is surrounded by enemies on all sides, and he is stumbling on the left and right, as if he is about to be overturned. If Huangfu Song and Ding Yuan's army don't come again, I'm afraid that He Jin even has the heart to eat people, although he already has the heart of cannibalism now.