Tens of thousands of people are crammed into the river valley, and the camp can be stretched for miles.

Richard did not withdraw all of them, but let the infantry move to the southern camp and evacuate the place first with food and grass. The northern camp arranged for cavalry to take over, and dismounted and walked back and forth.

The black light is blind, even if the Ming scouts wear binoculars and lie on the top of the mountain to observe, it is impossible to see the movement clearly.

Moreover, Richard led his cavalry to stay in the camp and made all kinds of deceptive means. For example, straw men are erected all over the barracks, and straw men are also made to wear light armor.

Well, that's it.

As the sun rose, and in the morning light, a group of scout soldiers came to change shifts.

The scout crouched on the hill last night rubbed his sleepy eyes one last time to observe.

Put down the binoculars, rub your eyes, and pick up the binoculars to look at them.

"Straw Man?"

"The enemy wants to run!"

Richard had planned to retreat in two nights, the first night the infantry left with food and grass, and the second night he himself evacuated by night with the cavalry. Even, he wanted to lead the cavalry, run to call the battle in broad daylight, and make it look like he was going to fight a decisive battle.

However, he never dreamed that the straw man could confuse the naked eye, but it would be exposed under the telescope.

It wasn't until Yang Zhi approached with the army out of the city that Brother Richard knew that he had been seen through.

As for what went wrong, Richard couldn't figure it out when he broke his head.

"Withdraw!"

Three thousand iron harriers, thousands of Xixia light horses, each with one person and two horses, followed Brother Richard to abandon the camp and leave.

These Western Xia light cavalry were almost all tribal cavalry. The weapons and armor are all ancestral, some are excellent, some are inferior, and it purely depends on whether the soldier's family is rich or poor.

After evacuating the camp, he traveled nearly ten miles south and came to the second open and flat place in the entire river valley (the most open river valley was in the later Yongdeng County).

Richard ordered all the cavalry to stop and sent 2,000 light cavalry back to lure the enemy.

As long as the Ming army dares to chase the feint defeated cavalry and kill, he will eat as much as he comes. If the whole army hurriedly pursues, it will inevitably lead to chaos in the military formation, and he will be able to completely annihilate the Ming army in the valley.

Li Yanxian led the cavalry through the enemy's empty camp first, and was about to chase out, when a herald came on horseback: "General Li, don't take the enemy lightly, don't chase the enemy too deep!" ”

"Got it!"

Li Yanxian couldn't cry or laugh, he won two big victories in a row, and the main general was so cautious, he was also convinced.

Now the morale of the whole army is like a rainbow, and even the cavalry under Li Yanxian is clamoring to annihilate the enemy in the south, and he does not pay attention to tens of thousands of Western Xia soldiers at all.

Pursuing two miles forward, the cavalry of both sides met.

After firing a few arrows at each other, Li Yanxian led his troops to rush and kill, and the Western Xia light cavalry was immediately defeated and fled.

Li Yanxian led the troops in pursuit, and after killing dozens of horsemen, he blew the trumpet and ordered it to stop.

Some cavalry officers were unwilling to give up, and chased another mile, and only when they heard the trumpet sound getting more and more urgent, did they reluctantly lead their troops back.

One counts as one, and all the cavalry complains that the main general is too cowardly.

Richard waited left and right in the open valley, and finally waited for the light cavalry that feinted to lure the enemy, and found that he had lost hundreds of cavalry, but failed to lure the Ming army.

In a fit of rage, Brother Richard personally led the Iron Harrier to kill him.

Li Yanxian received the news from the scout, and said to the general with a smile: "The enemy really had an ambush, and when he saw that we didn't hit the plan, he killed him again." Now that our army is in a good situation, what the enemy wants to do, we don't go with him, so we will withdraw with me and join the main force! ”

The cavalry of the Ming army immediately retreated, not entangled with Richard at all.

Richard pursued all the way until he saw the main force of the Ming army in the distance, and then retreated angrily with the cavalry.

Yang Zhi led the army to advance slowly, compressing the space little by little.

The river valley is so long, it is blocked at both ends, and sooner or later Brother Richard will be blocked.

……

After Yao Gu took Zhenwu City (Ancient Bone Dragon City), in order to prevent the people who were deceived into farming to escape, he personally led his troops to sit and guard there.

A small border city, can not accommodate too many troops, it is too consuming grain and grass, Zhenwu City's grain road is far longer than Dingxi Fort (and the Southern Military Division).

As a result, Yao Pingzhong led more than 10,000 troops back and stationed in the nearest Huangzhou City (Ledu District, Haidong City).

When Richard led his army to Xiguanbao, the cultivator immediately issued a military order, asking Yao Pingzhong to quickly lead his troops.

Now, Yao Pingzhong has led 10,000 troops and hurried to the outside of the Karochuan Valley.

"Yanaka is Brother Richard?" Yao Pingzhong asked.

Seed Master Dao nodded and said: "When the enemy army attacked Jingyu Pass, he was caught some live mouths, and after some torture and interrogation, there is no doubt that the main general of Western Xia is indeed Brother Richard. The enemy claims to have an army of 200,000, but there are certainly not that many, but there should be tens of thousands, and now they are all blocked in the river valley. ”

"Brother Richard is the king of Western Xia and Jin, and he holds military power, whether he is captured alive or killed, it is a great achievement!" Yao Pingzhong said excitedly.

He was known for his bravery in the northwest, and at a young age, all he could think about was how to make meritorious contributions.

"The terrain here is narrow, our army camp is strong, and there is a river barrier, and it is difficult for Brother Richard to break through. You have to guard against him from fleeing over the mountains and mountains from the Kushui River on the east side! ”

The Kushui River is the saltwater river of later generations, flowing parallel to the lower reaches of the Karo River.

The distance between the two river valleys in a straight line is less than four miles at the shortest point and sixteen miles at the longest point. But the two river valleys are separated by mountains, which are less than four miles away, and the actual walk is very long, and all the way has to go over the mountains.

Even if Richard successfully withdrew from the Kushui River Valley, he would have to abandon his baggage, and he would have to climb mountains and mountains to reach the vicinity of Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport in later generations.

The seed master said: "Liu Xi and Liu Qi brothers have been sent by me to intercept the Kushui River. But they have too few troops, so you can lead your troops across the river to join them. ”

"Can't I stay here and stop it?" Yao Pingzhong was disappointed.

The seed master said: "The north and south are blocked, and there is no way to advance or retreat, and Brother Richard is likely to abandon his baggage and escape from the Kushui River over the mountains and mountains." If you bring an army with you, you may be able to capture him alive. ”

This piece of cake made Yao Pingzhong very happy, and he made a newly learned Ming military salute with his cross arm: "I will definitely arrest Brother Richard!" ”

Now it is no longer a two-sided attack, but a three-sided interception.

……

When the Karo River is about to flow into the Yellow River, it first flows along the eastern cliff, then to the southwest, and then along the western cliff into the Yellow River.

At the bend of the river, two flat lands opposite each other across the river are alluvial.

On the flat ground to the north were the 10,000 troops left behind by Richard.

On the flat land to the south, it was the Ming army led by the seed master.

Both sides camped across the river, digging trenches every day, and the excavated earth was used to build a rampart.

Richard personally led the cavalry, covering the retreat of the infantry all the way, and successfully brought the heavy grain and grass to the valley mouth. Then immediately let the army set up camp, and the camp was seven or eight miles long.

He rode to the mouth of the valley and observed the camp on the other side of the river.

At first glance, he almost fell into despair, it was good that there was no river to block it, relying on his own large number of troops, he could attack the past regardless of casualties.

But the river is in the middle, and it is impossible to break through it in a short time, and the Yang Zhi army behind will not leave him enough time.

This is not the Karo River in the middle and upper reaches, and you can pass it directly during the dry season. There are several tributaries along the way, and by the mouth of the valley there is a great increase in water, and it is far from the dry season.

Richard called a meeting of the generals and said: "It is not easy to storm here, and there are pursuers in the rear. I personally led the Iron Harrier and the Foot Walker, crossed the mountains to the Kushui River, and went around to the rear to attack the enemy camp! The exit of the Kushui River Valley is only a few miles away from the enemy camp, and the attack from both sides is bound to be a complete victory! ”

The generals were shocked when they heard this, some suspected that Richard wanted to run, and some believed that Richard could really succeed in the attack.

As for running away or running, Richard himself didn't know.

Depending on the situation, if you can, you can run, and if you can't, you can run away.

Moreover, you don't have to run north along the Kushui River, the road is too long and difficult to walk. You can go south along the Kushui River, out of the river valley on the north bank of the Yellow River, between Jingyuguan and Xiguanbao.

Brother Richard climbed the mountain on the east side of his camp, a distance of about four miles in a straight line, and he could cross the Kushui River Valley.

It's just that the mountains stretch, and there may be dozens of miles of mountain roads to walk.

Some of the steeper mountains can be climbed over by gritting their teeth, but horses have to walk around the mountains.

Richard had to take his horse with him, because he didn't have enough dry food with him, and he had to kill the horse for meat at the critical moment, otherwise he would starve to death in the narrow river valley when he fled.

The Iron Harrier gave out the horses for the footsteps, and the armor was all carried by the horses, and more than 8,000 people marched along the mountain.

For several days, I haven't gone out, and I have eaten less and less dry food.

Due to the lack of a local guide, Richard knew how to get there, but the undulating mountain road was still confusing. In many cases, there is no mountain road at all, and they are forced to go over the mountain, and this guy has already shown signs of getting lost.

Occasionally, if you go across, you have to adjust the direction through the sun and stars.

And the armies of Yao Pingzhong, Liu Xi, and Liu Qi combined were 13,000 people. They stationed their main forces in the Kushui River Valley, sent small forces to climb the hills on the west side, and lit wolf smoke alarms as soon as they found the enemy.

On the sixth day, smoke suddenly rose from the hill ahead.

These wolf smoke are actually not very qualified, and they can't be transmitted over too long distances.

But it's a big deal!

The wolf smoke rose one after another, and in the blink of an eye, more than a dozen hills were smoking.

Even in places where Richard could not see with the naked eye, there were dozens of mountains, and thick smoke rose one after another.

There were two people guarding each hill, and the hay was found nearby, and after it was lit, it was slightly wet with water, and the beggar's version of wolf smoke was made.

Brother Richard looked at the smoking hills in front of him, and he had no idea how many people the Ming army had come.

In fact, there are hundreds of guards around him, 3,000 iron harriers, and 5,000 foot soldiers, all of whom are first-class elite soldiers in Western Xia.

Although there are Liu Xi, Liu Qi, Yao Pingzhong, Wu Jue, and Wu Lan on the opposite side, the soldiers are all from the Western Army of the Great Song Dynasty.

If the two sides really fight, maybe Richard can still win.

But Richard was frightened by the smoke rising from all directions, and immediately led his troops into the ravine and fled frantically to the northwest. After nightfall, he shook off his pursuers and continued to run.

After that, people were sleepy and tired, and they walked completely day and night, and they were able to find their bearings by the North Star.

Yao Pingzhong led his troops to pursue for several days, and the dry food was almost exhausted, but he completely lost the enemy's trace, and he was so angry that he scolded.

He just didn't get a big deal, but Richard was made miserable.

Richard was forced to continue to wander in the mountains, and the dry food was quickly exhausted, and he kept killing horses to satisfy his hunger. He didn't dare to make a fire to expose his tracks, so he could only chew horse meat raw and quench his thirst by drinking horse blood.

Since there were still too long escape routes to make the march with sufficient physical strength, a horse was killed, and the armor on the horse's back was discarded.

It is estimated that by the time they escaped, more than half of these Western Xia elite soldiers would have lost their armor.

And if you eat flesh and blood for a long time, I don't know how many people will get sick in their stomachs.

As for the Karochuan Valley, there are more than 50,000 Western Xia soldiers, and Brother Richard can't care about it. He could only break through with the elite in embarrassment, and even the Poxi army was discarded.

(End of chapter)