On the fifth day of the march, the speed was already a little inferior, and many soldiers lacked training all year round, and did not have the rigor of the regular army, and their bodies could not support it after walking for a few days. Before the front line, there were already many wounded and sick people in the army. So much so that at the end of the day, the march was only more than forty miles, and when it came to the station, Han Jian also got a report from the horse scouting in front, saying that the five hundred cavalry led by Han Zhao was less than twenty miles away from the camp, and they could come over in about an hour.

There has been no major action on the front line in the past few days, and the Xiwang Mansion is basically waiting for the Eastern Wangjun to take the initiative to attack, and after Su Tingxia's troops looted the place, the Dongwang Army basically did not move, which made the battle situation stalemate.

Soon after the evening meeting, Han Zhao's men and horses had already rushed to the camp to converge, and Han Jian also saw Han Zhao's who he hadn't seen for two months. At this time, Han Zhao's family looked more mature and stable, and when she saw Han Jian, she also had a very strict look on her face. Han Jian personally welcomed her to the big tent of the Chinese army, but did not leave anyone else, but spoke alone with Han Zhao.

"The second sister has passed on your affairs in detail, this time Jian'er, you led the troops alone, you and your Sanniang both think that you are too reckless, if you leave Luoyang, if there is chaos, I am afraid it will be difficult to deal with." Han Zhao came up and said in a tone as if he had learned a lesson.

Han Jian smiled and said, "Isn't there still Erniang and her old man?" ”

Han Zhao's Bai Han Jian glanced at him and said: "Don't you know that your second mother and Your Majesty have always had a gap, if they have a conflict, who will you help?" ”

Han Jian didn't answer, it was like asking her who she would help if her mother and her mother had a conflict, but she still answered the question in front of another old lady, saying that it was not right to help anyone.

However, Han Zhaoshi didn't want him to answer, and when Han Zhaoshi said the general situation on the front line, Han Jian also knew that the biggest problem on the front line now was that the soldiers were disheartened. In addition, there is no big war to be big, and there is also a sense of slackness in the army, and many officers and soldiers want to return as soon as possible, instead of worrying about the front line.

"It's not the way to put it off now." Han Zhao said, "Either continue to attack in one go, but now the soldiers and horses of the Western Capital are strictly forbidden." We want to make progress in a few moments, and I am afraid it will not be easy. Now that Su Tingxia's men and horses have such a big thing, it is better to withdraw the troops, solve the problem first, and then try to solve the problem of the western capital after the soldiers and horses regroup in the coming year. ”

Han Jian said: "I understand what Jiuniang means. However, the main problem now is that the Xianbei people do not know when they will make a comeback, and if the Guanzhong issue is not resolved for a long time, it will only make the north continue to be unstable. Su Tingxia has already written to the imperial court, admitting that he is not strict with his subordinates. I am going to take advantage of this battle to completely gather his soldiers and horses. The battle in Guanzhong must also be completed this summer. ”

Han Zhaoshi shook his head slightly and said, "I'm afraid it won't be as easy as you think." ”

Han Jian also knew that it was not easy, Su Tingxia's Chinese army had 60,000 or 70,000 horses, plus more than 100,000 men and horses from the side branches, this army was almost twice as large as the sum of the rest of the Dongwang Mansion. At present, the number of people and horses in the Eastern Wang's army is only sixty or seventy thousand, except for Su Tingxia's department. And Su Tingxia has more than 100,000 people. If Su Tingxia's people can't be completely subdued, problems will arise. If Su Tingxia took the opportunity to use soldiers and horses to suppress Luoyang and wait for the opportunity to rebel, I am afraid that the court and the Eastern Wangfu would not be able to cope with it for a while.

After settling the soldiers and horses brought by Han Zhao's clan first, Han Jian sorted out some of the battle reports he had just received and prepared to go back to the camp to rest.

Fa has been waiting in the tent for a long time. Waiting for Han Jian to come over, Fa Yi handed over a few letters to Han Jian. It turned out to be written by Gu Xin'er and others, although he had not been on the expedition for a few days, but the wife at home was worried about his safety, and everyone wrote letters of greetings and blessings. As the only woman who can join the army, Fa Yi naturally shoulders the responsibility of communicating with her sisters at home.

"It's okay to believe you back and forth, but don't go into too much detail, so as not to leak the military aircraft." Han Jian took off his armor and said.

Fa Yi nodded slightly, as a detailed work that had helped Yang Rui investigate and obtain intelligence for a long time, Fa Yi still knew more about the rules in the army, and she herself could grasp the measurement of the reply, and would not list the details of the army.

By the next day, the soldiers and horses were still marching very slowly, but it was only more than 100 miles away from the front line, and Han Jian was ready to finish this section of the road in one go, so he simply chose not to rest halfway, and completed more than 100 miles at a time.

However, until midnight the next day, there were still more than 30 miles away from the headquarters of the Chinese army, and the army was already complaining. Han Jian knew very well that it was most dangerous when it was about dozens of miles away from the Chinese army camp tent on the front line, at this time, the soldiers and horses were equivalent to being separated in two places, and it was night, if they were stationed and encountered a sneak attack by the enemy, it was easy to lose the drama and cause irreparable defeat.

The soldiers and horses could not even rest, and they had to continue the march. In order to prevent a sneak attack on the way to the march, Han Jian also specially ordered several cavalry to explore the road everywhere, there are several fairly spacious official roads east of Tongguan Pass in Guanzhong, which is almost the core area of the prosperity of the Central Plains, and the road is usually equivalent to giving the enemy a way to sneak attack, and Han Jian also has to be guarded.

Fortunately, the soldiers and horses in Guanzhong were not killed, and by the time it was almost dawn, the soldiers and horses had already joined the Chinese army on the front line, and Han Jian did not bring many soldiers and horses to come, after the two counties met, the soldiers could rest, and Han Jian directly wanted to raise the account and take over all the things on the front line.

As the nominal coach on the front line, Yang Xi also got up very early to welcome Han Jian into the camp. It has not been a few days since the talent went out to fight, but he was already haggard, Han Jian could feel that Yang Xi's torture these days was originally a small flower in a greenhouse, and he was imprisoned by the Southern Dynasties as a livestock for two years, and now he was suddenly asked to lead the troops to the battle, and the whole person had not yet come out of the shadow of being imprisoned, and it was already good to see the soldiers and horses not scared and trembling with their legs.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, Han Jian summoned the main generals in the soldiers and horses, and also conveyed his arrangements.

In the name of patrolling, Han Jian divided the soldiers and horses originally stationed in one place into three, leaving more than 10,000 people and horses in the Chinese army, and the remaining two roads with less than 10,000 men and horses each, and approached in the direction of Tongguan in three ways. Han Jian also sent an order to Su Tingxia's army at the moment, and asked Su Tingxia to advance to Tongguan together. It is equivalent to mobilizing all the men and horses, using Tongguan as a breakthrough point, preparing to launch a strong attack on Tongguan.

But there are still many people in the army who can find that Han Jian's drunkard does not mean to drink. Tongguan is now tightly guarded, and it is difficult to open a breakthrough from Tongguan in Guanzhong. Judging from the current number of men and horses of the Dongwang army, including the siege baggage, as well as the morale of the army, it is almost difficult to take Tongguan. Although Han Jian's order seemed too radical to some people, after all, Han Jian was the king of the east and the supreme commander of the whole army, and it was understandable that Han Jian was going to the front line to put on a posture of strong attack. Han Jian also conveyed a signal to the whole army that this battle was imperative.

After the meeting of the Great Tent was over, the soldiers went back to prepare, and by noon the three men and horses would march separately. But it was Han Cui's and Han Zhao's who stayed, and they hadn't seen each other for more than two months, Han Cui's came over and patted Han Jian on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "You kid put on this, you really look like a general who dispatches thousands of troops." ”

Han Jian smiled, Han Cui's had always been strict with him on the outside. But in fact, he loves him very much, and he has helped Han Songshi when he taught him since he was a child, and after so many years, he also treats Han Cuishi as a half mother.

Sitting down, Han Jian said his plan, and he also made it very clear that he wanted to attack Tongguan. Han Cuishi said: "I don't understand your kid's dim heart, are you going to wait for the surnamed Su to bring people over and send someone to receive his people?" ”

Han Jian smiled: "Sanniang is almost the roundworm in my stomach." ”

Han Cuishi smiled proudly, thinking that she had expected everything. But in fact, what Han Jian thought was not as simple as Han Cuishi said. At present, the biggest problem of Su Tingxia's department is that there is no major war to fight, so there is nowhere to loot. And once the officers and men in the army can't even solve the problem of food and clothing, they will inevitably rebel. Now although Su Tingxia's control of the army is a little out of order, he can roughly command the three armies, and Han Jian can't convey a signal to Su Tingxia that he wants to cut power, which will only force Su Tingxia to take risks. What Han Jian has to do now is to completely solve the problem in Guanzhong first, and to win Su Tingxia's persuasion. can only wait for the end of the war, the bird will hide the rabbit and the dead dog, if he does it to Su Tingxia when the Guanzhong issue is still unresolved, he will only mess up his own position first.

After a brief conversation, Han Jian was ready to rest. At this time, Fa also appeared in front of Han Cui and Han Zhao in the costume of a guard. Han Cuishi was also quite surprised to see Fa Ye, but naturally got up to greet her, although according to the seniority, Fa Ye is now her daughter-in-law, and she is considered a junior, but she has always been Fa Ye's cronies and messengers of Yang Rui, plus Fa Ye has the past of Master Han Jian, and she has a lot of respect for Fa Ye in her heart.

"Why are you ......" Han Cuishi glanced at Han Jian and said puzzled, "You didn't say anything in the letter from your second mother." ”

Han Jian said with a smile: "Erniang also made a temporary decision, let Yi'er stay by my side to take care of it, and when there is something, someone will discuss it." ”

Han Cuishi took a sip and scolded with a smile: "You kid is also selfish, right?" I hope that like last time, I will add an heir to the Dongwang Mansion when I go back. ”

She couldn't help but bow her head when she said a word, after all, she was thin-skinned and couldn't afford such an obvious teasing.

It was less than half a day before the whole army converged, and by noon, the soldiers and horses were about to be dispatched again, and the soldiers and horses of the Chinese army had already rested for many days, and the officers and men were a little sloppy, and they suddenly had to march again, which was obviously unbearable for some of the officers and men. However, this march was a three-way march at the same time, and it was in an offensive posture, and the speed of the march was not very fast, only about 20 miles a day, and the protection of the flanks was also significantly increased, so as not to wait for Tongguan and be harassed by the men and horses in the Guanzhong first.

As the main force of the Chinese army, Han Jian also incorporated all the thousands of soldiers and horses he brought before, and the Chinese army's marching speed was very slow, and it was pressed behind. Han Jian also understood that the men and horses who came with him had just marched for a few days, and the soldiers were still very tired, and they needed to march non-stop, and if they continued to hurry, there would be more complaints in the army.

After two days, the whole army was less than 30 miles away from Tongguan, and the soldiers and horses were stationed again, and the troops were still divided into three camps. At the same time, Su Tingxia's soldiers and horses were also recruited, and the main force of 20,000 cavalry sent by Su Tingxia had arrived on the north bank of the Yellow River, only forty miles away from the Chinese army camp under Han Jian's department.

After the Bohai War, Su Tingxia's soldiers and horses not only had a breakthrough in quantity, but also the quality was very high. Now there are 20,000 cavalry in the forward soldiers and horses sent at one time, and they are elite soldiers. Strong is strong, but the main problem is that the elite soldiers can't be raised, the Dongwang Mansion has already taken out the old bottom to raise soldiers, if it weren't for Su Tingxia bringing back the resources plundered from the Bohai Sea this time, I'm afraid that the hundreds of thousands of troops under his command would not be part of the rebellion, but a human rebellion.

Stationed there, Han Jian also had a clear understanding of the situation of the Tongguan garrison.

Tongguan is currently guarding who is not known, the West Wangfu on the one hand deliberately concealed from the outside world, before the sent over a few West Wangfu generals, but in the end who is in charge of whom, did not tell the public, even the Tongguan guards do not know who is their own commander. Although this trick seems to be clever, Han Jian feels that this is a bit too child's play, if the military order cannot be effectively issued after the battle begins, then there will be chaos within the defenders. But perhaps it was the Xiwang Mansion that considered that Han Jian personally led the troops and horses to the expedition this time, and the meaning of breaking the cauldron was obvious, and the identity of the coach was kept secret, and some targeted arrangements were made to prevent Han Jian from analyzing the character of the coach.

The Tongguan garrison had more than 50,000 horses, even more than the soldiers and horses in the Dongwang Mansion under the Guanxia. Coupled with the soldiers and civilians guarding the city in Tongguan, the entire Tongguan looks impregnable. Not only Tongguan is stable, even several cities around Tongguan, have also formed a posture of assisting defense, if Tongguan is in an emergency, Xiwangfu can send about 60,000 to 100,000 reinforcements to rescue Tongguan at the same time, and I am afraid that the Dongwang army will not be able to take Tongguan by sending 300,000 soldiers and horses. And now the three-way men and horses that Han Jian relies on are only more than 30,000 soldiers and horses in total, and there are very few siege baggage, even if they enter Tongguan, they may not be able to defend it.

In the current situation, since the attack cannot be delayed for a long time, the defenders in Tongguan are waiting for work, and all the situation is almost taken into account, and the grain and grass of the defenders of Xiwangfu are obviously more sufficient, if this battle drags on for more than half a month, then the Dongwang army will have to withdraw because of the problem of grain and grass. If you want to break through Tongguan with 30,000 soldiers and horses and 100,000 soldiers and horses within half a month, it is impossible for anyone to think about it. (To be continued......)