bookcurios Chapter 300: Meritorious Service
Chapter 300: Meritorious Service
Fat Tiger did not give Su Dingshan a chance to breathe. He waved his arm and led the three thousand elite soldiers who were already ready to go, and rushed towards Lushan like a storm.
The night is like thick ink, and it is difficult to distinguish between friend and foe on the battlefield, but the soldiers' keen intuition is like a bright light in the dark night, leading them forward courageously.
In the chaotic night and fierce confrontation, Fat Tiger and his soldiers brandished their weapons vigorously and roared angrily, venting their inner pride and indignation.
"You cowards, I'm going to beat the crap out of you today!"
"I'm here. Anyone who's not afraid of death, just come over and experience the power of my blade!"
The initial bravery caused the Hun soldiers to retreat step by step. However, as time went on, even these iron-blooded tough guys gradually overdrew their physical strength, and their heavy breathing was particularly clear in the silent night.
"Brothers, work harder! We must kill him without a single piece of armor left!"
Seeing this, Fat Tiger encouraged everyone's morale with a hoarse but powerful voice. He approached the enemy with a nimble figure, and his eyes flashed with an unwavering light.
Under the leadership of Fat Tiger, every soldier seemed to be injected with endless motivation, vowing to dye the dark night into the bright red of victory.
When the Xiongnu cavalry saw the reinforcements coming, they turned their horses around in panic and fled towards the base camp like a tide, leaving behind only a mess and chaos.
Jia Yixiao's eyes were sharp, and he recognized the reinforcements rushing over as Fat Tiger. Seeing that he was eager to try and pursue the victory, he quickly stopped him:
"Don't pursue the desperate enemy. Don't let our brothers make unnecessary sacrifices. Take the wounded and we will go up the mountain immediately!"
Fat Tiger looked very silly and was about to show off his skills, but after hearing what Jia Yixiao said, he had to suppress his passion and nodded.
"Hurry, check if there are any injured brothers. Time is running out and we must go up the mountain as soon as possible!" Jia Yixiao's words were filled with unquestionable determination.
Upon hearing this, everyone put away their weapons and began to carefully search the battlefield for their injured companions in the light of the flickering torches in the night.
In this battle, Jia Yixiao did not gain much advantage, and his 10,000 elite soldiers suffered heavy losses, but he was not discouraged at all, because he knew very well that the real battle had just begun.
The people who had fled to the mountains earlier did not go far. When they saw the wounded soldiers lying on the ground, they came forward and bandaged their wounds with their rough but warm hands. Scenes of warmth quietly unfolded in the night.
"This place is fraught with danger. We cannot stay here for long. We must move quickly according to our original plan."
Jia Yixiao looked around and saw the devastation everywhere. He felt heavy in his heart and knew that the top priority at the moment was to evacuate this troubled place.
"Understood. We will follow your lead and evacuate."
Although Fat Tiger has been promoted to a lieutenant general, he always remains humble and loyal in front of Jia Yixiao, as if he is still the younger brother who followed behind his big brother.
He knew very well that Jia Yixiao was superior in wisdom and decisiveness.
As night fell, the army struggled forward in the hazy darkness, and every step seemed to be a struggle against deep fatigue.
After marching for about twenty miles, the footsteps of the team gradually became heavier, until finally, even the most determined soldiers felt as if their legs were filled with lead and could hardly move.
Fortunately, along the way, the simple people enthusiastically extended a helping hand. They either supported each other or carried simple stretchers, using their warmth and strength to create a sky full of hope for the tired soldiers.
However, the hardships of the long journey were far beyond imagination. Even the selfless assistance from the people could not completely resist the feeling of exhaustion that seeped deep into their bones.
In the end, the army had no choice but to stop on this land gently covered by moonlight.
The night is still gentle, but it also carries an irresistible tranquility.
When the dusk of the second day quietly enveloped the sky like a slowly falling tapestry, the two armies finally met face to face at the intersection of fate.
Jigawa's troops suffered heavy losses in this sudden storm, with their numbers reduced to 20,000. There were also many wounded and disabled soldiers in the team, whose eyes showed both deep fatigue and an unyielding spirit.
Cao Youde sat at the desk, holding the battle report sent by Su Dingshan on a fast horse. The cruel battle situation revealed between the lines did not make him feel gloomy, but instead he felt a trace of imperceptible relief in his heart.
Although nearly 10,000 brave men remained on the battlefield forever, the casualty ratio reached an astonishing one to three. In the battle against such a fierce enemy as the Huns, this was undoubtedly a hard-won victory, enough to boost morale.
He hurried into the government office of Han Jiacai, the county magistrate, and reported the latest developments with a serious expression, then offered his own opinion:
"Your Excellency, I boldly suggest that 20,000 elite troops be immediately dispatched. The primary mission is to retrieve the soldiers under General Su Dingshan. Once this mission is completed, this force will remain under General Su's command to continue the previous battle."
County Magistrate Han Jiacai gently stroked the gray beard on his chin, his eyes deep, as if weighing the pros and cons.
After a moment, he made a resolute decision:
"As you said, secretly dispatch 20,000 troops. We must keep a low profile and bring General Su's wounded soldiers back safely. We must not let the enemy see our strength and expose our forces outside."
Upon hearing this, Cao Youde nodded inwardly, agreeing with the county governor's decision. In these precarious times, caution is indeed necessary, preventing the enemy from gaining full knowledge of our position, so as to achieve a surprise attack and victory.
……
Mayi and Daijun, two border areas, have recently been frequently harassed by foreign tribes. The county governors of the two places were extremely anxious and submitted urgent documents requesting help to the prefect Wang Danwang.
"There are also Huns active in Shizhou. I think we can only withdraw troops from Jinzhou." Wang Danwang put down the documents in his hand, looked at the people in the hall and said.
"Jinzhou and Daijun are over a thousand miles apart. It would take over a month for them to arrive. Jinyang doesn't have many soldiers right now. Lu Zhi only has about 30,000 to 50,000 men at his disposal. I suggest you ask General Du to go and wait for the Jinzhou army to arrive."
As a Tongzhi, Li Ke also needs to speak up occasionally, otherwise he will become the most inconspicuous piece on the chessboard of power, silently and without a trace.
Du Ziqing, the garrison general of Jinyang City, has 200,000 soldiers under his command, who are stationed in various places outside the city. They are like a Great Wall of Steel, guarding the peace of this land.
"General Du's personal expedition to reinforce is perfectly acceptable, but Jinyang also needs a strong backing. General Lu Zhi's 50,000 elite troops are the city's shield, more than enough to protect Jinyang."
Therefore, I intend to leave behind a sufficient number of troops just in case. With this confidence, even if there are sudden changes, we can still deal with them calmly. Furthermore, we still have the government troops at hand, and they are also a force that cannot be ignored."
Wang Danwang spoke slowly, and every word revealed the calmness that came from careful consideration.
Li Ke was well aware of Wang Danwang's worries and did not stop him from keeping the army.
Wang Danwang pondered for a moment and thought to himself: Leaving behind 50,000 elite soldiers should be enough, plus the 20,000 new soldiers recruited temporarily, it should be more than enough to deal with emergencies.
Having made up his mind, he decisively ordered: "Quickly ask General Du Ziqing to come see me."
Upon hearing the voice, the yamen runners waiting for orders outside the door responded hurriedly and respectfully, then strode towards the military camp with steady steps.