Chapter 450: Besieging Wei to Save Zhao
Chapter 450: Besieging Wei to Save Zhao (Part )
Wang Cheng actually fell asleep on the swaying carriage.
He dreamed that it was raining heavily outside in spring.
The sound of raindrops falling on the awning made him feel particularly peaceful.
There seemed to be a south wind blowing, blowing heavy rain towards the car curtains, but it was blocked by the tarpaulin covering the outside.
"Ding!" Amid the sound of wind and rain, there was a crisp sound of copper and iron clashing.
There are also faint human voices, which are not very clear.
Wang Cheng, who was half asleep and half awake, was a little dissatisfied and turned over.
"Boom boom boom..." A dull drum sound rang out.
It seemed to be the sound made by a very small waist drum that could be hung on a person, but it was still not very clear amid the sound of wind and rain.
The sound of footsteps was very orderly, and from time to time there was the jingling of jewelry.
Hmm? That's not the jingling of jewelry, it's the sound of instruments colliding!
After all, he had stayed in Jingzhou for a few years. Wang Cheng suddenly woke up, opened the car curtain with a "whoosh" and looked out.
In the wind and rain, countless soldiers passed by the carriage, and occasionally someone looked at Wang Cheng with cold eyes.
Wang Cheng stepped out again and looked forward.
The post road meanders eastward and disappears in the dense rain and fog.
At the end of the rain and fog, teams of soldiers and carriages appeared out of thin air and headed west.
Wang Cheng looked back again.
The long dragon-like queue disappeared at the bend of the post road.
I heard the crisp "ding" sound again, and hundreds of people stopped and stood solemnly in the rain.
The officers held their scabbards and chopped and hit, aligning the soldiers' ranks.
The drums sounded again, and hundreds of people began to march in silence.
Wang Cheng listened carefully and there seemed to be drum sounds on the other side of the mountain. My goodness, the marching line was so long, there must be tens of thousands of people, right?
He was fully awake, and seeing this situation, he immediately ordered the coachmen and guards to move to the side of the road and not block the advance of the army.
There were endless locust trees planted on the roadside, and many people were squatting or standing under the trees, apparently they were all travelers.
Wang Cheng was not interested in chatting with them, but instead curled up in the carriage, ready to take another nap.
The travelers were whispering to each other.
"The Silver Spear Army from Chenjun may be heading to Luoyang."
"Why go to Luoyang? Could it be..."
"Not really, not really. Maybe the emperor has summoned him, but I don't know if Mr. Chen is here."
"With such a big scene, Mr. Chen must be here."
"Then why didn't I see the Red Knight?"
"Are you stupid? Lord Chen must be sitting in a carriage, with his personal guards around him. If he rides a horse, what if someone ambushes him on the roadside?"
The travelers' conversation was not loud, but it kept Wang Cheng awake as he had something on his mind.
He sat up straight, opened the carriage curtain, and looked at the post road where soldiers were passing.
The sounds of gongs and drums, commands, footsteps and the collision of instruments combined together were surprisingly harmonious.
Damn it!
He used to hate the sounds of the military camp because they meant anxiety, fear, terror and failure. But now he felt much more relaxed, without any tension at all.
Perhaps, the commander of this army has won every battle, which naturally gives people a sense of security.
But why did Shao Xun bring a large army to Luoyang? I haven't heard my brother mention it.
He frowned and thought hard, but couldn't figure it out.
However, as he is the commander-in-chief of the military affairs of Si and Yu states, there is nothing wrong with mobilizing troops near Luoyang, although it may cause a certain degree of unrest.
"Why bother with all that!" Wang Cheng lowered the car curtain and lay down straight.
He was going to Xuzhou and would share the positions of governor and commander-in-chief with Xun Zu.
Everything in Luoyang has nothing to do with him anymore, so he can do whatever he wants.
As long as Shao Xun did not risk the world's disapproval by deposing and enthroning the emperor, he would let him do whatever he wanted, and he did not care.
******
The south wind brings the evening, and the peaceful countryside.
When it was about to get dark, the large group of people arrived at the northern edge of Guangchengze.
After the long journey, everyone was a little tired.
However, after seeing the dense smoke from cooking fires, I felt an indescribable sense of calm.
Under the dim light, houses are everywhere on the mountains.
The houses on the mountain are better. They are built against the mountain terrain and use a large number of bricks, stones and huge woods. The materials are very solid and the decorations are very exquisite. At first glance, it is obvious that they are the villas of dignitaries.
Most of the houses at the foot of the mountain are adobe houses and thatched houses. The better ones are just wooden houses. The places are not big and it is obvious that they are the residences of ordinary people.
"Why did you bring so many mules?" In the twilight, a strong man in armor, about forty years old, came down the mountain road and asked loudly.
There were two or three hundred people following him, apparently divided into several teams.
One group of people were wearing iron armor, holding spears and axes, and formed a battle formation.
The rest of the people were scattered in the wet woods on both sides of the mountain path, drawing their bows and arrows, preparing for battle.
"Mingzhi, it's me." Someone shouted from the bottom of the mountain.
"I know it's you. Stop at the foot of the mountain. Someone will bring you food soon." replied the armored strong man.
"If I forget about it, there are still Mr. Chen's disciples." The visitor said again.
The armored sturdy man was silent for a moment, and said, "You wait." After that, he turned around and went straight into the house.
Princess Xiangcheng Sima Xiuwei stood by the railing, looking at the lake gradually shrouded in night.
The lake is named "Princess Pond". After several years of construction, it can irrigate two thousand hectares of fertile farmland. It is a very important water conservancy project in Guangchengze.
The properties in Wuyang were either sold or given to Shao Xun, leaving only two or three shops and taverns.
Now her family business is mainly concentrated in Guangchengze and Runan.
The house in Guangchengze is surrounded by mountains and water, and the scenery is pleasant. She likes it very much.
There are farmlands and orchards at the foot of the village, which are self-sustaining; grazing on the mountains provides meat and milk, and all basic needs are met.
From then on, the mother and daughter lived here and depended on each other.
She didn't care about the Shao family's wealth, nor did she want to take advantage of it. She would leave her daughter with endless wealth for two lifetimes.
Besides, she didn't believe that man would ignore his daughter.
Cheng Ming hurried to the terrace and reported the visitor from Runan.
After Sima Xiuyi heard this, he only asked, "Has Lord Chen arrived?"
"No."
"Let's find a place in the village at the foot of the mountain for them to stay. After all, they are Mr. Chen's soldiers."
"As ordered."
After the housekeeper Cheng Ming left, Sima Xiuwei looked at the towering mountains in the distance, lost in thought.
Mr. Chen asked her to borrow a thousand mules, which was actually not a small matter. It almost took out most of the money from her donkey business in Runan. Ordinary aristocratic estates could not afford so many large livestock.
But she didn't care much.
Her greatest treasure now is her nearly two-month-old daughter, who is chubby and adorable.
She is already 40 years old this year. This is her first child and most likely her last child. He is the support of her life and the continuation of her bloodline.
From now on, raising children is the most important thing, and managing the household business is secondary.
Except for the property related to that person, she planned to entrust the rest to the descendants of the royal family branches who were dependent on her and the retainers of the princess's mansion for management.
As for what the related industries are, it is obvious: Longpi Ranch - there are not many horses on this ranch, mainly donkeys and mules.
After all, it is prepared for men's war.
"We have to fight another war." Sima Xiuwei sighed lightly.
She had a vague feeling that this time it might be quite dangerous because even the new recruits from Runan, who had only been formed for half a year, were transferred here.
Is the situation so critical?
Can't the Imperial Guards help?
Sima Xiuwei frowned, looked down at his abdomen which had not yet fully recovered, and wondered when he could go to the palace to meet the emperor.
******
In the Nanyang Prince's Palace east of Luoyang City, servants began cleaning a day in advance.
By the afternoon of that day, dozens of riders arrived and took over the mansion.
After nightfall, the attendant Lu Zhi arrived quietly and stayed there, preparing to meet Mr. Chen the next day.
After a simple dinner, Lu Zhi read the letter Shao Xun sent him again. The letter talked about his ideas about Hebei. The main idea was: Besiege Wei to save Zhao.
This relieved him.
If a large force moves north, it may be able to defeat Shi Le, but it is unlikely that they will be able to occupy Hebei.
Even if he occupied it temporarily, Shi Le could retreat to Bingzhou and ask Liu Han for support. By then, the situation would become increasingly complicated and he might suffer a great loss.
After feeling relieved, he sat down at his desk and started writing again.
On April 27, nearly 10,000 troops arrived at the east of Luoyang City and camped outside Dongyang Gate and Jianchun Gate, shocking the capital.
"Zidao." Shao Xun came over with a big laugh, took Lu Zhi's hand, and asked with concern, "How are you these days?"
"It's very leisurely. There's not much to do in the court." Lu Zhi said, "It's better to be a lieutenant of the Sili Army."
Shao Xun glanced at him and realized that Lu Zhi was not joking, so he immediately advised: "Zi Dao, please take some responsibility for me, so that there will be no villains in the court who will ruin my great cause. How is the emperor doing recently?"
Lu Zhi thought for a moment and said, "I am much more obedient than before, but it seems that I am too obedient."
"Oh? Do you know why?" Shao Xun asked.
"I don't know." Lu Zhi said, "I asked the people around the emperor and empress, but I got nothing."
Shao Xun hummed.
When Lu Zhi said "inquire", he was just doing his best. In fact, it is impossible to bribe everyone around the emperor and empress.
"Let's not talk about this." Shao Xun said, "What do you think of the strategy of besieging Wei to save Zhao?"
"Going deep into Yecheng in the wilderness is really a risky move." Lu Zhi said, "It is better to find a way to recapture Ji and Dunqiu counties."
Shao Xun did not comment.
Ji County and Dunqiu were abandoned one after another in the past few years because the Xiongnu cavalry was too superior and isolated strongholds deep inland were difficult to defend. After being repeatedly harassed and destroyed by the cavalry, there was not enough food, so they had to retreat south with the army and civilians, using the Yellow River as a shield.
Should they now recapture these two lost territories? Then they would inevitably be besieged by the Xiongnu.
They may attack your city by force, or they may learn from Shi Le's method and destroy your crops, leaving you without food.
Why were the three cities in Heyang able to hold out? Because one of the three cities was located on an island in the middle of the river, one was located on the south bank of the river, and one was located on the north bank of the river, so the enemy could not cut off their logistics.
Ji County and Dongqiu are far away from the river bank, and their logistical supply lines can be easily cut off, which is different from the three cities of Heyang.
"The strategy of besieging Wei to save Zhao has been decided, and it will not be changed." Shao Xun said: "No matter what, we must attract Shi Le's main force to give Wang Jun a chance to catch his breath. This matter is best handled by the court. How do we contact Liu Kun and Wang Jun now?"
“If we can’t get in touch with him, the courier will be easily arrested,” Lu Zhi said.
Shao Xun sighed regretfully and said, "Then my family will fight together. We must stop Shi Le no matter what."
"How do you play?" Lu Zhi asked.
"There is only one way for infantry to fight cavalry." Shao Xun pointed to the north and said, "Build a city."
(End of this chapter)