In January 270, under Sun Hao's repeated strict urging. Dongwu Jiaozhou assassin Shi Xue Yu sent troops with illness.

His father was Xue Cong, a famous minister of Eastern Wu and a great Confucian in the world. In that year, the Central Plains was in turmoil, and many families went south or north to avoid the chaos. This Xue Cong was relatively far away: he ran directly to Jiaozhou. This laid the foundation of the Xue family in Jiaozhou. Since the founding of the Eastern Wu Dynasty, the Xue family has been deeply involved in Jiaozhou. The influence in Jiaozhou is actually no less than that of the Bujia in Jingzhou in the past.

Jiaozhou in Soochow, because the country's families always wanted to turn the free people here into the country's homesteaders or serfs on their own estates. As a result, the so-called rebellions in this area have always occurred one after another. Because of this, although the strength of the Jiaozhou Corps is generally only 20,000, the combat effectiveness of 20,000 people is actually quite good.

This time, in addition to the 20,000 people of the Jiaozhou Corps, there were also 20,000 Yangzhou soldiers sent by Zhong Hui, and their leading generals were Wu Yan, who was newly promoted by Sun Hao, Zhong Yong, Zhong Hui's nephew, and Sun Hao's specially sent Sun Qian and Shen Ying's 5,000 trouble-relieving army. The total strength of the whole army is 45,000 men.

"Shiying, how many people are there in the south of this Shu thief? Why do we march along Yuanshui instead of Qiqi County? ”

"Well, it is said that there are 100,000 troops in the south of the Shu thieves, haha, lie to you. According to our intelligence, the Shu thieves had 5,000 people in Nanzhong before, and after taking Yongliang, they sent 10,000 Wudang Fei troops back to garrison. So it was 15,000 people. As for why you want to go to Yuanshui instead of Qiqi, of course, it is that the main forces of the enemy army are all gathered in Qiqi County, haha, lie to you. Not to mention the ups and downs of the mountains over there in Qiqi County, the Yong family and the Zhu family, who used to be with me in the past, were wiped out by the Meng family. Only by walking along Yuanshui can we save the loss of military rations. ”

"Seying, why did you make the same mistake again. This official has been with you for many years, and he knows that you always talk like this, but Ji He just came from Jianye and you talk to people like this. Very rude! ”

"It's okay, it's okay, Xue Yuanjun doesn't have to care. Se-young's way of speaking is very interesting. ”

The so-called Shiying is the expression of Tao Huang, the first general of the Jiaozhou Corps. His father Tao Ji also served as the Jiaozhou assassin of Eastern Wu, so the Tao family is also a very powerful family in Jiaozhou. As far as Tao Huang is concerned, he has martial arts and military strategy, and he also has the ability to govern the people. On the historical plane, after the fall of Eastern Wu, Tao Huang Shijin guarded Jiaozhou for a long time. The Tao family was the emperor of Jiaozhou during the Western Jin Dynasty.

For Xue Jue, the commander of this army, he really didn't want to send troops to Nanzhong at this time: his body was really sick. But the emperor repeatedly urged, and he could only do his best - not to personally lead the troops, and to hand over the troops to Tao Huang. When the battle is won, Tao Huang will be on the throne! Now the Xue family still relies on Xue Jue's power to barely suppress the Tao family, which is the first family in Jiaozhou, but what if Tao Huang is allowed to take the throne? Therefore, for the sake of his family's prosperity in Jiaozhou, Xue Jue is really fighting for his life.

As for defeat? How is that possible? As a neighbor of Nanzhong, Xue Jue knew very well that Nanzhong now only had 15,000 soldiers, and since the rest of the Shu Dynasty was greatly pinned down by the armies of his own side and the Jin State, it was basically impossible for Nanzhong to have any reinforcements. Although the Wudang Flying Army is good at mountain combat, the combat effectiveness of the Jiaozhou soldiers under his command is really not weak at all. Therefore, the option of defeat, Xue Jue never considered.

Then drag the sick body and force it. As long as this battle is won, even if the old man dies of illness, at least the Xue family's status in Jiaozhou is preserved.

On New Year's Day in 270, Wu's army met in Jiaozhi County. After that, taking advantage of the convenience of Yuanshui, he quickly went north. By January 15, they had reached the junction of Cochin County and Ji Han Xinggu County (now Lao Cai, Vietnam).

"Qi Xue envoy, the scout in front is coming. Shu thief Xinggu County is close to our two counties of Xisui and Jincheng, and there are no defenders. Our scouts went as far as twenty miles northwest of Jincheng, and found no trace of the enemy. ”

"Oh? Have all the people in the two counties also moved away? ”

"If you return to the envoy, there are about seven or eight hundred people in each of the two counties. They are all old, weak, sick and disabled. After being questioned by the scouts, it was said that the Shu thief defenders here had evacuated half a month ago. Before leaving, he also destroyed the city wall and moved most of the people. These people who stayed behind were all reluctant to leave their homeland, and the Shu thieves were not too reluctant. ”

"Humph! Of course, the old, weak, sick and disabled do not need to be overly forced. It's not a pity to lose it at all. This Wang Kongshuo is also a ruthless person. Order, scouts go out to investigate near Bengu County of the enemy army! I don't believe it, the tin ore there has just been produced, and Wang Kongshuo is willing to throw it away. ”

"No!"

The scout received the order and left in a hurry, Xue Jue thought about it, and still invited Sun Qian and the others to discuss.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the strategy of the Shu thief should be very clear. Due to the lack of troops, it is the idea of retreating in great strides, lengthening our supply lines, and dispersing the superior forces of our army. How to deal with it, can you teach me? ”

Sun Qian, Wu Yan, Zhong Yong, Shen Ying and others nodded lightly after listening to Xue Jue's analysis, and then stopped saying a word: We are a guest army, whether it is the current Yangzhou army or the troublesome army. The biggest question is not the fight, but how to deal with the mosquitoes that are still in January and the weather that is always humid and sultry! Fortunately, this is still January, and if you enter the army in July or August and you don't see the enemy, your soldiers will have to lie down first due to malaria and other diseases.

Looking at the silent crowd, Xue Jue pointed at Tao Huang: "Shiying, can you tell me?" ”

"Hey, hey! It seems that the enemy army has heard of the prestige of our Great Wu Wang Division, and has completely abandoned Xinggu County. Haha, lie to you, all the officials, if the last general is not bad, the enemy will definitely be waiting for Bengu County. ”

"Well, if the Shu thief really regards Bengu as a decisive battle, the official will be relieved. The left and right entrances and multiplies are only more than 60 miles away from Bengu. In this way, the official means that Yong'an Hou (Sun Qian), Shi Ze (Wu Yan), and Ji He (Zhong Yong) are invited to lead 20,000 Yangzhou troops to garrison Xisui and Jincheng counties respectively. While allowing the soldiers to recuperate and adapt to the climate here, they also guard the food routes of our army. This official and Shiying, Zigui (Jiaozhou general Xiu Ze, Xiujia is also a Jiaozhou family), Ziguang (Shen Ying) led 25,000 troops north to Bengu County to fight the Shu thieves. ”

Hearing such an arrangement, Sun Qian and the others were very unhappy: What? Lao Tzu came all the way from Jianye, and you refused to even give us a little bit of military exploits?

But there's no way. On the one hand, Sun Hao is extremely strong, ruthless to the family, and even more ruthless to his clan relatives. Sun Qian, the imperial brother, is not like those princes of the Jin State who dare to blow up in front of local officials. On the other hand, among the 20,000 Yangzhou soldiers, there are really many people who are sick because of their physical discomfort and what mosquito bites cause, and they really need to find a place to rest.

Therefore, no matter how dissatisfied they were, Sun Qian and the others still had to bow their heads and admit that they were right.

"Good, thank you Yong'an Hou Gaoyi. In this way, the whole army advanced to Xisui and Jincheng counties to rest for a while, and then the Jiaozhou army and the Jiefu army continued to advance to Bengu County. ”

……

On the other side, Bengu County.

"You mean, then Xue Jue divided his troops? And actually sent heavy troops to defend Xisui and Jincheng counties? ”

"Exactly. The scouts of the lower officials and the local people have confirmed the matter. ”

"Hiss~~ This Xue Daoheng is not an idiot. It's Ben who underestimated the enemy. ”

"Governor, now is not the time to praise the enemy. The 25,000 people of the enemy army will reach the city of Bengu County at the day after tomorrow at most, please send the last general to the vanguard and kill the enemy's sharp spirit first! ”

"Hehehe, Xuantong is not in a hurry." To appease the high-spirited Li Liu, Wang Ji stood up, and after walking around the hall a few times with his hands behind his back, he turned around suddenly: "Everyone, what this governor means is to fight with Naxue Daoheng in Bengu County first, and then our army will be defeated and retreat, and abandon Bengu County. ”

"Huh? Governor, Da Sima strictly ordered not to give up Bengu County! ”

"It's okay, Da Sima also said that he will not be subject to the orders of the monarch outside. Since the Governor is in charge of Nanzhong, of course, he has full control over the war situation in this place. ”

"This, Du Du, do you want to ask Da Sima for instructions?"

"Hehe, bow, you know it's impossible. Chang'an Nanzhong, thousands of miles apart, if everything has to be reported to Da Sima for instructions, this battle does not need to be fought. Don't say much about this matter, first follow the orders of the Governor, and if anything happens, it is the responsibility of the Governor alone. ”

Ma Yi, Li Mu, Li Liu and others looked at each other for a while, and then bowed their heads helplessly.

On January 20, Xue Jue's Jiaozhou Corps arrived at the city of Bengu County, and Ji Han's Nanzhong Corps quickly retreated after a brief contact with it, losing Bengu County to the Wu army.

"Hey! This Wang Kongshuo is really ruthless enough. Even Bengu dared to deliberately throw it to this official. ”

"What does Xue Envoy mean is that the enemy army is deliberately defeated?"

"Hehehe, Ziguang, in today's battle, the Annoying Army fought very well. Sure enough, it is worthy of being the strongest army in my Great Wu. ”

"I don't dare to praise you, but please ask you to solve our doubts."

"Hehe, I don't dare to solve my doubts. Ziguang, in today's battle, how is the combat power of the South Central Army? ”

"Very strong! The combat strength of individual soldiers is equal to that of the Jiaozhou army, and they are especially victorious in cooperation with each other. ”

"Yes, yes. Therefore, although the number of our army is 10,000 more than that of the other side, if it is really a desperate battle, even if our army wins, it can only be a miserable victory. How could it be possible to win so easily. Well, if this official is not bad, this time the two sides will fight each other, and the capital will not exceed five hundred levels, right? ”

"I didn't get a specific report, but I think it's not much worse. So, this is a deception of the enemy army? ”

"Yes, yes. This Wang Kong Shuo still felt that Bengu was too close to the mainland of our Great Wu, and did not completely lengthen the grain route of our army, and did not completely disperse the superior forces of our army. So, he retreated in great strides. ”

"I see, so how should our army respond? Chase down? ”

"Hehehe, such a clumsy scheme, how could I be fooled. If you don't leave, you can't go, come on, post a notice and let those natives from Nanzhong come to Bengu County. They were hired by the Governor to mine tin ore. We just want to tell the self-righteous Wang Kongshuo that this official is not leaving here! ”