After Hu Yanzhuo completed the deployment, he led 3,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry (3,000 infantry were transferred to block the intersection) to march to the Erlong Mountain Heights.

But he didn't expect that there was not a single enemy soldier on the periphery of Erlong Mountain. Hu Yanzhuo led the generals to immediately convene a military meeting.

"In the opinion of his subordinates, the thieves' abandonment is not a fear of fighting and fleeing, but a planned retreat, and the subordinates think that the thieves are shrinking their forces and trying to fight the trapped beasts."

Hu Yanzhuo looked over and saw that it was the pioneer Han Tao who spoke.

Hu Yanzhuo thought that Han Tao's words were very reasonable, he nodded slightly, and asked, "General Han, in your opinion, how should our army use troops now?" ”

Han Tao said: "My subordinates think that the thieves have become caged birds at this time, turtles in the urn, as long as our army is cautious and cautious, not to be ambushed by the thieves, the army is directly approaching its thief village, don't say fighting, it is a long siege and long-term siege, when the thieves have exhausted their grain and grass, it will be like a ripe melon and fruit, and it can land naturally." ”

Peng Qi pondered for a moment and asked: "There are still more than 30 miles away from the military village to Erlong Mountain, and the roads are treacherous, the trees are lush, and the thief army is cunning and abnormal, how can we prevent the thief army from ambushing our army?" ”

Han Tao replied: "Our army can send an army in front of the main force, and the main force will follow behind, if the thief army ambushes our front army, our main force will just go to flank the attack." ”

Hu Yanzhuo thought for a long time and said, "Then use troops according to General Han Tao's strategy." ”

Han Tao listened and said: "Please leave one person in the military village to guard the army village in case thieves from other places come to rescue Erlong Mountain." ”

"General Han's words are very reasonable, then Hu Yanyu and Zhao Fu will lead two thousand infantry to garrison here."

"Subordinates obey!"

Peng Qi led 300 cavalry and 1,000 infantry as the vanguard. Hu Yanzhuo led the army behind, following from a distance, ready to counterattack the ambush of Erlong Mountain at any time.

When Peng Qi's soldiers and horses came to a narrow road, he saw that the grass and trees on both sides of the road were lush and abundant, so he said to his soldiers: "Beware of ambush!" ”

Before the words fell, only a gong was heard, and Peng Qi saw a general appear in front of him, sitting down on a white horse, carrying a big knife, and blocking the middle of the road.

Peng Qi sneered in his heart and said secretly: "People say that thieves are scheming, but I think it's just that!" He shouted: "Shieldmen, beware, thieves and archers!" ”

At this moment, a gong was heard, and arrows rushed on both sides of the road. The officers and soldiers had been prepared for a long time, so there were not many casualties. Peng Qi danced his spear, swept away the rain of arrows, and slapped his horse and shot to kill.

At this time, the Erlongshan military horses in ambush had already rushed out and were mixed up with the official army.

Liu Tang of Erlongshan suddenly saw a brigade of officers and soldiers coming from behind, and the handsome flags of the officers and soldiers were embroidered with the word "Huyan". He said to one of the heralds, "Mingjin collects the troops." As soon as the smoke slipped, all the men and horses of Erlongshan who ambushed the officers and soldiers withdrew to the dense woods, and after a while, there was no one in Erlongshan.

Seeing that the forest was deep, the officers and soldiers did not dare to pursue and continued to advance along the main road.

The official army approached the Erlong Mountain Pass all the way, and Hu Yanzhuo did not shout, and ordered the camp first.

That night, Hu Yanzhuo expected that the men and horses of Erlongshan would definitely take advantage of his camp to build a new village, and come to rob the village in the middle of the night, he ordered Han Tao and himself to lead the army to ambush on the left, Zhu Biao and Peng Qi to ambush on the right, only when the Erlongshan army and horses came to rob the village, the four generals attacked from both sides, and strived to eliminate the military horses of Erlongshan.

In the evening, I heard Erlong Mountain closed, the gongs sounded in unison, and the drums shook the sky. Hu Yanzhuo saw the fire and human figures in his camp from a distance, and he knew that the men and horses of Erlong Mountain had already entered the camp, and at the same time fell into the trap he had set.

Hu Yanzhuo was secretly happy in his heart, and immediately stepped on the war horse, clenched his double whips, and roared: "Sons, the day of meritorious service to kill thieves has come, follow me to kill thieves!" He jumped out first.

The night was dark, and it was difficult to argue with five fingers, Hu Yanzhuo saw a military horse coming towards him, he didn't speak, and danced a steel whip to meet him. At that moment, the two armies fought in the dark. Kill until dawn. Only then did Hu Yanzhuo and Peng Qi know that it was their own family and horses who killed each other all night.

It turned out that there were only 100 people in Erlongshan who broke into the official army camp last night, and each of them was holding two straw men in their hands, and each straw man had a torch on his head, which made the officers and soldiers mistakenly think that the people and horses of Erlongshan came to rob the village. When the officers and soldiers came to attack, the men and horses of Erlongshan immediately extinguished the torches, and then when the officers and soldiers killed each other, they all withdrew to close the gates.

Hu Yanzhuo and other generals knew that they had been hit, and they were all very angry, and hurriedly joined forces to prepare to attack Erlong Mountain. Zhu Biao said: "Our army fought all night, the sergeant is very tired, do you want to withdraw to the camp first, take a short rest, and then attack Erlong Mountain?" ”

Hu Yanzhuo thought about it, and it had to be like this.

When the official army was about to retreat, they suddenly saw the gate of Erlong Mountain open, and Chao Gai led Gongsun Sheng, He Tao, and Li Yun to lead the military horses to kill. The officers and soldiers were tired all night, how could they resist the rush of the Erlongshan men and horses who had recuperated and recharged.

However, the officers and soldiers relied on the strength of the crowd and fought with the military horses of Erlongshan in front of Erlongshan. When the killing was in the afternoon, suddenly a drum sounded in front of Erlong Mountain, and people reported that Yanyu led a thousand troops and horses to help in the battle. Chao Gai hurriedly closed the gate and Mingjin collected his troops and returned to the mountain.

Hu Yanzhuo collected the army and returned to the camp, sighing: "Our army fell for the tricks of the thieves this time and lost a thousand people!" When Hu Yanzhuo said this, he changed his words and said, "I don't know what other plans the generals have to exterminate the thieves?" ”

The generals look at me, and I look at you, and I can't come up with any clever plan for a while.

After pondering for a moment, Hu Yanzhuo said again: "Sun Tzuyan: Ten rules surround it." However, I wanted to use 10,000 troops and horses to encircle and annihilate 3,000 thieves, but I also committed a taboo. Speaking of this, Hu Yanzhuo thought for a while, and then said: "It is impossible for the Murong Prefect to add soldiers and horses to me, and Qingzhou now only has a thousand military horses to guard the city, I don't know if you know, now our army can still go there to invite military horses to help in the war?" Zhu Biao and Hu Yanzhuo were grasshoppers on the same rope at this time, and took the initiative to say: "Your subordinates can go to Dongping Mansion and Dongchang Mansion to help the soldiers and horses in the war." ”

"Okay, you send someone to take my official document to two places, and be sure to ask the speed army and horses to help in the war."

"Yes!"

Peng Qi thought for a moment and said: "My subordinates heard that there are many young people in Qingzhou and Jeju Zhuangyuan, and my subordinates are willing to send Zhuang to the countryside to help in the war." ”

Hu Yanzhuo is a serious military general, and he has always looked down on Xiang Yong, in his eyes, Xiang Yong can only catch a few thieves, if he wants to march and fight, Xiang Yong will naturally not succeed.

Hu Yanzhuo paused and said, "Forget it, let's leave these villagers to defend against some little thieves." ”

In the next half a month, Hu Yanzhuo held the camp tightly and could not fight.

At this time, there was no movement in Erlong Mountain, Chao Gai neither ordered to attack the camp of the official army, nor did he go to the front of the official camp to scold and challenge, in addition to standing guard every day is to drill soldiers and horses. （）