In the Langyu Beidi camp, the atmosphere in the central military tent was so solemn that it seemed as if water might drip out.
Cao Jun and Liu Pan's armor was in disarray, their bodies were covered in blood and dust, and they stood in front of Tuoba Xiong in a disheveled state.
Their troops were intercepted and killed by Xi Sheng on their retreat. Less than 30,000 of the 50,000 troops escaped back to the camp, and they lost almost all the siege equipment and a large amount of food.
"General Tuoba!"
Cao Jun suppressed his anger, but his voice still trembled. "Just now, when Zhao Muyun's ambush troops were fully deployed and engaged our army, why didn't you lead the main force to attack?"
"If you had launched a full-scale attack, joining forces with me from within and without, you might have been able to turn the tide! Why did you only send a mere 3,000 cavalry to patrol the perimeter, while we were attacked from three sides?"
Liu Pan added with a sullen expression, "Yes, General Tuoba, you and I both fought for the Great Di. If you were to watch someone die without helping, wouldn't that chill the hearts of us surrendered soldiers?"
Tuoba Xiong sat upright in the main seat, his face calm. He even drank a sip of milk slowly. Then he looked up at the two of them and said calmly:
"Generals, please be patient. How cunning is Zhao Muyun? If he set an ambush, why would he only deploy troops in Luoyan Valley?"
"I held my troops in place because I was worried he might have a backup plan. If I had committed my entire army, and another force had stormed out of Jinyang City, or Xi Sheng had set up another ambush at Eagle's Beak Cliff, our entire army would have been in danger of being annihilated in an instant."
"By then, not only will we be unable to save the two of you, we might not even be able to defend this Wolf Valley camp."
He paused, and his tone changed to one of condescending "comfort":
"Though we lost some troops in this battle, we finally figured out Zhao Muyun's true intentions."
"Although his city's defenders and ambush troops are strong, their numbers are ultimately limited."
"He was able to achieve a lucky victory today only because of cunning tactics and the advantages of the terrain. The 20,000 reinforcements sent by Han Shumi are on the way and will arrive soon."
"Tomorrow, I will reorganize my troops and leave 3,000 men to monitor Eagle's Beak Cliff. The rest of the main force will march out in full force, vowing to crush Jinyang in one fell swoop!"
"I hope the two generals will not be discouraged by this temporary defeat. We will still need your help tomorrow."
Cao Jun and Liu Pan became even more angry after hearing these high-sounding words.
They understood that Tuoba Xiong was clearly using Zhao Muyun to weaken the power of these local tyrants in Hebei and Yanyun!
Han Yanshou tried to appease them on the surface, but deep down he was wary of their local roots and influence, fearing that they would become too powerful to be eliminated.
In today's battle, Tuoba Xiong must have had Han Yanshou's secret instructions to deliberately let them be cannon fodder and consume their strength!
They cannot speak these hurtful words out loud, otherwise they will be killed immediately.
The two could only force out a smile that was uglier than crying, and said with a bow:
"The general was very prudent, and it was we who were rash. Tomorrow will be the decisive battle, and we will do our utmost to redeem ourselves from our crimes!"
"That's great!"
Tuoba Xiong nodded with satisfaction, "You two should return to camp and comfort the soldiers, recuperate and gather your strength. We will prepare food at dawn tomorrow and march out at noon!"
The two of them left the tent and returned to their own camp. After dismissing their attendants, Cao Jun finally couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and growled:
"This is too much! Tuoba Xiong, and Han Yanshou behind him, don't even consider us as their own!"
Liu Pan sighed, his expression sinister: "I am at the mercy of others. Now that we have lost many soldiers and generals, it is even more difficult to fight against them. If we fight again tomorrow, I am afraid..."
He didn't say the rest of the words, but both of them knew that they would still be put in the most dangerous position tomorrow.
"Let's wait and see what he plans tomorrow. If he lets us die as vanguards again..."
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Cao Jun's eyes, and he didn't say anything else.
......
at the same time!
Although the city of Jinyang was filled with the joy of victory, the decision-makers in the general's mansion remained sober.
Zhao Muyun, Yinji, Mr. Zhou, Li Mao, Xiao Cheyun and others are summarizing today's battle.
"Although we dealt a heavy blow to the Cao-Liu coalition today, Tuoba Xiong's main force was intact and remains a major threat to our army."
Zhao Muyun said in a deep voice, "What do you all think of Tuoba Xiong's decision to hold his troops in place today and only send a small group of cavalry to support him?"
Li Mao snorted, "In my opinion, this Hu chief is a coward! He was frightened when he saw my ambush!"
Xi Sheng was calmer. "Perhaps he's being cautious, worried our army might be setting up an ambush. But it's also possible... he has ulterior motives."
Mr. Zhou twirled his beard and pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke:
"Your Highness, General Zhao, I know a thing or two about Cao Jun and Liu Pan."
"When the Northern Di Left Route Army marched south, they gathered their troops in their homeland and bravely resisted. They are not spineless by nature."
"But later, the imperial court signed a humiliating treaty, ceding Hebei and Yanyun, putting these righteous troops who persisted in resisting in danger. They ignored everything and became disheartened."
"The court didn't care about their lives, and Han Yanshou promised them high positions and generous salaries, so they surrendered out of necessity."
"Looking at Tuoba Xiong's actions today, it's clear that he's using our army's strength to weaken his enemies. Han Yanshou has always used and guarded against the Han ethnic groups within his territory."
Yin Ji's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Sir, what you're saying is... Cao, Liu, Tuoba Xiong, and even Han Yanshou from the Northern Di tribe aren't united? Can we contact them secretly and win them over?"
Zhao Muyun nodded, then shook his head. "Your Highness is right. This is indeed possible. However, now is not the time."
He walked to the map and pointed in the direction of Langyu. "Cao and Liu were recently defeated today. Although they still harbor resentment, they are not yet in despair. They still harbor fear and illusions about Tuoba Xiong and the Northern Di."
"If we go to them now to ask them to surrender, they may not agree. They may even tie the envoy up and send him to Tuoba Xiong as a token of their loyalty."
"What does Master mean?" Yin Ji asked.
"Wait!" Zhao Muyun's eyes were sharp. "Wait until they come to attack the city tomorrow. For Han Yanshou's overall situation in Yanyun, and to further deplete their forces, Tuoba Xiong will definitely send them as the vanguard tomorrow."
"We'll beat them hard again right here at the foot of Jinyang City!"
"Let them shed more blood, lose more soldiers, let their resentment towards Tuoba Xiong reach its peak, and let them fully understand their status as chess pieces in the Beidi camp that can be sacrificed at any time!"
He looked around at everyone and said in a firm tone, "Therefore, tomorrow will be another fierce battle! Everyone must be extremely alert, rely on the strong city, and inflict heavy damage on the enemy!"
"General Li Mao, the city defense is your responsibility. Use the Divine Machine Cannon with caution and deliver the fatal blow at the critical moment. General Xi Sheng, we must not let our guard down at Eagle's Beak Cliff. Beware of Tuoba Xiong pretending to build a plank road and secretly attacking Chencang!"
"I obey your command!" Li Mao and Xi Sheng clasped their fists and accepted the order, their fighting spirit high.
Mr. Zhou nodded slightly, agreeing with Zhao Muyun's judgment.
Yinji also took a deep breath, realizing that this game had just entered the most critical stranglehold stage of the middle game.
The next morning's sunrise was destined to be dyed red again by the blood and fire under the city of Jinyang.
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