PS: There is no magic plan for the defeated army

Volume II, Chapter 44

The scout came back to report that Helian Bobo's words counted, and that he had indeed withdrawn his army, and that he had retreated sixty miles north, and that there was no sign of stopping at present.

But how far Liu Yizhen has gone, there is no news at all now. None of the scouts in that direction returned. Zhu Lingshi is now in a contradiction: on the one hand, he hopes that Liu Yizhen will run faster and reach safety early; On the other hand, he selfishly hoped that he would go slower, so that he still had hope of catching up with him, and the two armies would meet and have a greater chance of getting out of danger.

He actually didn't believe that Helian Bobo would only need Chang'an and not annihilate the Jin army. In the battle of Chishui last year, the Jin army almost wiped out Helian Bobo's department, this revenge is not avenged, and the Huns are not happy to take Chang'an, not to mention that Helian Bobo himself is not a person who spits on himself.

But since Bo Bo put on the appearance of keeping promises, giving a gap of one day and one night and a gap of a hundred miles, he might as well use it.

When he marched into Guanzhong last year, he had firmly remembered the terrain around Chang'an, and knew that north of Chang'an City, forty miles east along the Wei River, there was a small tributary from the north in the middle, and there was a large hill about ten miles upstream of this water, and dense forests were born between the ups and downs, and even in winter, the big trees and shrubs there were enough to hide an army. His plan was to leave the city and go east, and after leaving Chang'an, he would divide a partial division, with many banners, and more golden drums, disguise the main force, and gallop east. The main force went into the dense forest to hide, and after the Xiongnu army entered Chang'an, it sneaked out of the dense forest at night, forced the march overnight, at least out of a hundred miles, and then lurked in the mountains around the pass to rest. Use another night to jump out of the level. At that time, the main force of the Xiongnu was concentrated around Chang'an, and there should not be too many troops for distant locations. There would be no major obstacles to the southward movement of the army.

Chen Song, Guo Xu, and Hu Luzheng listened to him and said nothing. The plan is bold. It is also a coincidence that it has indeed made the most of the gap provided by Helian Bobo, and has also borrowed the geographical advantages of Guanzhong to the extreme, but with such a high-intensity march, it is inevitable that someone will fall behind, and hundreds of them will fall behind, and then they will be captured, and then they will be exposed.

But now there are fewer cavalry and more infantry in Chang'an City, so if they swarm to the east. The cavalry is fast, the infantry is slow, either the cavalry escapes and the infantry is trapped, or the infantry drags the cavalry's horses' hooves, and it is always difficult to quickly take advantage of the gap to jump out of the pass.

They didn't have a better plan than Zhu Lingshi, so they could only acquiesce. Zhu Lingshi saw that they didn't speak, and was a little anxious:

"Fang Jin's defense of the city is definitely a dead end, according to my method, although there are also risks. But at least there is a glimmer of life, the military situation is urgent, everyone make a decision quickly! ”

Chen Song knew that there was only so much to do, so he got up angrily:

"One qiē listen to the general's dispatch. Please give the general the order! ”

Guo Xu and Hu Luzheng also got up and asked for their lives.

Zhu Lingshi said that the faster the advance division to the east, the better, and the bigger and bigger the momentum, the better, so the horses and vehicles are all given to you. The car carried some infantry. The two of you also followed this road, and there was a car to sit on. You can avoid the pain of hiking. The main force is mainly hidden, and only when it is hidden can it be done well. It is not advisable to bring horses, so except for generals, all of them should travel lightly. Arrive at the hidden place tonight, don't move during the day tomorrow, walk for another night the day after tomorrow, and you can cross the green mud tomorrow every day. If we don't come to rendezvous after three days, then something has happened to us, and then the three of you must not try to return to the army to rescue, immediately pull out the camp and go to Luoyang, and leave us alone.

Chen, Guo, and Hu Lu understood as soon as they heard that Zhu Lingshi had already decided that the advance division had a better chance of surviving, so he sent them all away. But they have been in the army for so many years, and they have never left the precedent of the Lord to escape their lives, and they will never obey orders this time. Chen Song said that the general could take Guo Xu and Hu Luzheng to the east first, and I would take the infantry to the northern line.

Zhu Lingshi said that you don't have to fight. On my side, as long as I restrain well, I can be unaware. Under the iron hooves of the Huns, it was difficult for the infantry to resist, let alone the infantry who had just left the fortified city. If the commander is not with them, I am afraid that the military spirit will be shaken in fear.

Chen Song said: In this way, I have to act with the general. If it weren't for the infantry brothers who fought desperately into the Hun camp, my Chen Song's head would have been on my neck a long time ago. Even if it's to repay the favor, I'm going to be with them.

Seeing that Guo Xu was going to fight, he took the lead:

"Brother, my wife and children, please leave it to you!"

After speaking, he took off his helmet and untied his turban, Huo Ran pulled out his sword, cut off a strand of hair and threw it on the case:

"Chen Song has made up his mind, you don't need to say more!"

In this case, everyone stopped arguing, and made an appointment to gather at the school field of the Assassin's Mansion after an hour, and each went separately to make preparations.

When Guo Xu arrived home, he found that Xiao Qiao was already sorting out the package, obviously expecting that the retreat would be sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to be so hasty. She hadn't recovered from Qingyu's death, and there was a hint of sadness on her face.

Xiao Nishi slept soundly, pouting his little mouth, like petals about to bloom on the edge of a flower bone. Guo Xu thought that the child was about to leave home in his sleep, mixed in an army with an unpredictable fate, and passed through the chaotic pass, he might cry hunger and cold, and he might be slaughtered, and his heart couldn't help but jerk. Thinking of the first time I met Xiaoqiao, I prayed that she would not be displaced again, and would not encounter all kinds of disasters again, but it was only more than a year of hard work, and the words were still in my ears, and the tribulation fell on my head again!

The two hurriedly packed up the fine softness, dry food and jerky, hurried to boil a pot of water, put hot water into seven or eight water bladders, put cotton jackets and cotton pants for Xiaoxidu, stuffed his body into a sheepskin sleeve, and fixed it in Xiaoqiao's arms with a large baggage. When Guo Xu came, he specially found a military carriage, which was used to transport wounded soldiers, spacious inside, and covered with cowhide outside, which could not only keep warm, but also prevent arrows. Since Chen Song went north, he had to take care of the two women, and he didn't want them to be divided into two cars.

He carefully locked the door, put his arm around Xiaoqiao's shoulders, and stood under the plum tree in the courtyard. In two months, the plum blossoms will bloom, but unfortunately he will not be able to smell them again.

As she walked through the courtyard, she sobbed lowly. Her first home was destroyed in Jiangdong, and her second home was destroyed in Guanzhong, as if fate would not let her live in peace. Even if she is now a wife and a mother.

Guo Xu locked the courtyard door and helped the little girl and the girl into a carriage covered with cowhide. Get up and go to Chen Song's house.

Chen Song was in a hurry to go home, and hurried through the market on horseback. When he turned a corner, suddenly a man came out of the side of the road and was almost hit by a horse. But the man, apparently prepared, dodged away and shouted:

"General Chen, wait a minute!"

Chen Song stopped his horse and took a closer look, it was the fourth.

The fourth child is still so dark and swarthy. His hands crossed into his sleeves, his neck hunched to hide from the wind, and he looked shorter than himself.

Even in such a situation, seeing the fourth child also made Chen Song feel very good:

"Fourth brother. What are you cat doing here? ”

The fourth said you get off the horse first.

Chen Song got off the horse, and the fourth child waved his head and motioned to follow him. Chen Song wanted to say that I was short on time and had to go home immediately, but after thinking about it, since the fourth child was waiting for him on the road he had to pass, there must be something important.

Sure enough, in a leeward secluded alleyway, the fourth cloaked asked:

"When are you leaving?"

Chen Song was taken aback. But immediately regain fù composure;

"Who said we're leaving?"

Lao Siyi pouted:

"It's all this time, and you're still coming with me. With this shape in front of you, the blind can see that you southerners are about to be defeated. Honestly, you guys are too bastards. Just go, he actually robbed the people's things, and caused trouble! But I know you guys wouldn't do anything like that. Last time, Wang Xiuning died and didn't confess to me. I know all of that. You're leaving now, I can't help you with anything else. You take this little thing. Do not use it as a last resort. ”

As he spoke, he reached into the placket, took out a small cloth bag, and sent it to Chen Song with his body temperature. Without waiting for Chen Song to ask, he patted him on the shoulder;

"You and I are fateful, you are a good man, I like it. Say goodbye today, maybe never see you again, cherish it all the way! ”

After speaking, he arched his hand, bowed his head and waist, and walked out of the alleyway in a blink of an eye and disappeared.

Chen Song stood stunned. After a long time, I carefully opened the cloth bag and found that it was a dozen or so balls the size of the Lantern Festival, the color was green, the smell was indistinguishable, and each grain was heavy.

Scales fall from one's eyes:

Don't be hungry!

There is a small strip in the cloth bag, and on it is a small block of fly's head:

"Don't hunger pills, don't chew them, swallow them with warm water, you can take one pill a day, and if you take more pills, you will hurt your body and kill you."

Put it away carefully and get home as soon as possible. Xue Mei'er had something to tell Chen Song, but as soon as she saw his expression, she swallowed her words back. She was not surprised to learn that she was going to leave Chang'an immediately, but she was a little reluctant. The couple tossed for a while, packed their simple luggage, and Guo Xu and his wife also arrived. Xue Mei'er tidied up the bed, lit an incense stick in the house, drew a few eyebrows in the mirror, and picked up Xiao Chang'an and walked out of the house. She held back her tears and silently followed Chen Song out of the door, and the little maid was sobbing behind her.

Two families, one car and two horses, walked through Chang'an in the night to the school. The movements of the army had attracted the attention of the people, and at this moment the streets were full of people watching the excitement, and two officers were seen walking by on horseback escorting a car, some were silent, some were spitting, and some were cursing from a distance.

After everyone gathered in the school field, Zhu Lingshi boarded the school reading platform, looked at the cold faces under the torches, remembered the scene when he entered Chang'an to celebrate here, and had mixed feelings, almost didn't want to say anything. But the more times like this, the more the coach has to speak, and the more he says, he can save a number of lives:

"Brothers, today we are leaving Chang'an! We're going home! Brothers, you didn't lose the battle, you just let the Huns learn the power of the Beifu soldiers! Give up Chang'an, this is the fault of our generals, not your incompetence! This expedition is unusual, and our situation is very dangerous! However, brothers, if you understand what I am saying today and carry out the order without any deviation, you will still be able to get out of danger, jump out of Guanzhong, and return to Jiangdong! For the sake of your survival, the officers leading the troops will strictly enforce the military law, and would rather let one person die than let the three armies die. In order to keep it secret, the tasks of each army will be issued after they leave the city! Let's go! ”

The cavalry led, the infantry followed, and the three armies marched to the east gate of Chang'an City in the sonorous armor of soldiers.

When I first left the school grounds, the roadside was still empty, but as I walked, more and more people came out of the roadside. They watched silently, then some began to talk, then some began to shout, then some stopped, then some quarreled with each other, but many more began to curse the army loudly, and out of nowhere, a small stone flew and hit the helmet of a soldier. A lieutenant jerked out his saber and gestured at the crowd, and the common people stepped back with a scream. Soon the order came from the head of the team, and the people were not allowed to fight back! When the roadside spectators heard this order, some of them stopped and shut up, but some of them were even more daring, and they flew towards the Jin army not only with stones, but also with eggs, rotten vegetable leaves, and lit cloth balls. The soldiers endured the humiliation, knowing that the common people were venting their anger at being plundered, and that they were to blame. The most important thing for them now is to get out of here quickly, not to get entangled with angry civilians.

Finally, a fire ignited behind him, and it was the Thorn Mansion that was ignited by a fire. The fire soon became like a fierce beast, and the minions of the flames stretched out to the sky, illuminating most of Chang'an City. Immediately afterwards, the guards came to report to Zhu Lingshi that the Chang'an ruffians had entered the palace with murder weapons and began to grab things there. The guards officers, who were neither willing to cheapen the scum nor leave the palace to the Huns, had already set fire there.

Zhu Lingshi looked up to the sky and sighed:

What is the difference between us and bandits!

When it was still a mile from the east gate, the market was completely blocked by the common people. Someone piled some wooden door panels on the street, lit a fire, and then held a wooden stick and kitchen knife on the opposite side of the fire, and demanded that the Jin army hand over the murderer who killed people in the plunder. The forward soldiers of the Jin army used their long lances to pick up the incendiary objects, intending to drive over, but the common people were densely blocked on the road and refused to get out of the way, and the middle-aged man who took the lead opened his eyes and said that if he didn't hand over the murderer, he wouldn't want to go out of the city, unless you stepped on our corpses! .

Zhu Lingshi's forehead was bruised, knowing that he was about to be unable to bear it. As soon as he loosens, his restless soldiers will go on a killing spree, and this can only cause anger and resentment. Just as he was about to open his mouth to shout, a group of people rushed out of the alley, carrying an old man with a door panel, and when he came to see it, Zhu Lingshi felt familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was for a while. The old man was carried all the way to the fire, his pure white hair red from the firelight, and a large scar on his forehead. He asked him to lift him up, and he shouted at the man who stood in his way, his voice trembling with excitement:

"Folks, listen to my advice and don't embarrass them. If you continue to make trouble like this, you will die. They are at fault, but they also lost Chang'an, God is fair! If you stop like this, they can't go, as soon as the Huns come, Chang'an is the battlefield, and we ordinary people will suffer a big loss! Folks, listen to my old man's advice and disperse! ”

Zhu Lingshi remembered that this was Li Fang, Wang Zhen's benefactor, who had spared no effort to raise food for the Jin army. Guo Xu, who was following Zhu Lingshi, looked at the scar on Li Fang's forehead, remembered the scene where he crashed into Wang Zhen's evil tombstone, and then listened to his words, he was sad and guilty, and lowered his head deeply, lest he be recognized by Li Fang.

The crowd froze for a moment, then silently dispersed. The hustle and bustle around has gradually subsided.

With a great sense of shame and guilt, the Jin soldiers made their way through the silent crowd, through the east gate of Chang'an, and rushed out of the city.

Guo Xu looked back a moment before going out, and saw the firelight rising into the air, red for a long time, as if they came with victory and stamped a proud handprint on the annals of history, but it was not pressed, the blood overflowed, and finally it was a mess.

Farewell, Chang'an!

Maybe it's goodbye, Chang'an!

Chen Song rode past him and patted him lightly on the shoulder.

They came all the way to this city, first fighting Xianbei, then the Qiang, and then the Xiongnu.

They went all the way in glory, from victory to victory, and then suddenly from victory to rout.

They went all the way with the great generals, and then they kept losing the great generals.

They and the brothers of life and death all the way, first lost the vegetable worm, then lost the mung bean, and then lost the madman, and then they don't know who they will lose.

Tonight the clouds are heavy, the stars do not shine, and the army is not allowed to raise fire.

They are an army of darkness that is running towards the boundless darkness. (To be continued......)