Chapter 89: A Battle to Decide (Part 1) Update
Deputy General Qin finally got the answer he wanted and quickly agreed, "Great General, you are wise!"
"What's the point of a mere Qiang clan and Yao Can? They always flee at the first sign of our Great Zhou army. Why should we take such a small grasshopper from a barbaric land seriously? Chi Mu, on the other hand, is different. He's a ferocious beast lying in wait in Yanjing, coiled around him!"
Liu Ziyan hit the table hard.
"good."
As long as Chi Mu and his soldiers are still there, as long as Chi Zhan of the Chi family is still there, they stand firmly behind Crown Prince Liu Ziling, and even his father does not dare to easily deprive him of his position as crown prince.
The prince's fangs must be pulled out before he has a chance to take his place.
He asked, "Where are Chi Mu's troops now?"
Deputy General Qin's eyes were evasive, but he had to reply truthfully, "The latest military report says that General Chi's troops, using the Qiang and Xianbei guides, have tracked down the possible hiding places of the two tribes. With the guides' guidance, they plan to lead their troops across the Ruoergai Swamp and into the Hei'er Mountains to the north of the swamp, encircling and annihilating the Qiang and Xianbei."
Liu Ziyan's eyes widened, and he immediately said, "So, he really could possibly destroy these two?!"
"If the news is true, it is indeed possible."
Liu Ziyan hissed softly and instantly wanted to call him a waste again.
If he had really listened to Chi Mu, wouldn't he have been able to lead his troops and return victoriously by now?!
However, at that time, even he himself could not really believe that Chi Mu, a member of the Prince's Party, would sincerely make plans for him, let alone the two deputy generals.
After a moment of frustration, Liu Ziyan said, "Well, let's let him achieve this achievement! However, when we return to the capital tomorrow, he will be a missing dead man, so he won't be eligible for any reward!"
Deputy General Qin was also delighted. If this was the case, then when he returned this time, he might be able to compete with Qin Feng.
He immediately flattered the emperor and said, "Great General, your opinion is excellent!"
·
On the grassland a few miles outside the Ruoergai Swamp.
Chi Mu led the Central Army and the First Guard, deploying their troops here. A few days ago, he unexpectedly captured a guide who had escaped from the Qiang tribe. The guide claimed to know the route to lead the army across the swamp and into the Hei'er Forest where Yao Can was hiding.
He immediately formed a small team to escort the guide and, under his guidance, verified the truth of what he said.
This team came back to report that they had indeed successfully passed through the Sull Swamp, which stretched for more than ten miles, and arrived at the outskirts of Hell Forest without making any noise!
This greatly encouraged the soldiers of the Zhou Dynasty, who had fought against the Western Rong for three consecutive years without success!
Miao Tailin couldn't help but ask, "General, we've finally caught that bastard Yao Can! Should we lead the army through the swamp and pull him out?"
Chi Mu didn't say anything for a moment.
Lieutenant General Chi Mu, who was leading the reconnaissance team, said, "We encountered Yao Can's outposts on the outskirts of Hei'er Forest. If we continue to approach Hei'er Forest, it will be difficult to avoid detection. From what my subordinates have discovered, there are tens of thousands of soldiers from the eight tribes stationed in Hei'er Forest. This must be where Yao Can hid after uniting with the Xianbei."
"However, if our army crosses the swamp to fight, we will face Yao Can's main force, and they will surely put up a fierce resistance. This battle will be difficult. Should we first request troops and armaments support from the general?"
Miao Tailin denied it, "Since this swamp is a vital defensive network for Yao Can's troops, it's impossible for them to remain unaware of our movements. The general and his men are still at the central camp at the pass. With this back and forth, there's no guarantee Yao Can won't escape again! By then, it will be difficult to find an opportunity to encircle and annihilate him like we did today!"
The deputy general still seemed worried: "But..."
Miao Tailin couldn't help but let out a long sigh: "Of course I understand your concerns."
The situation in Yanjing has reached a white-hot stage.
Whether their general could achieve military success against the Western Rong was not the primary concern. In fact, if Chi Mu really led his army to conquer the Qiang and Xianbei tribes, it would reduce the strength of Chi Mu's troops in the process, which would be even worse.
Thinking of these messy things, Miao Tailin's initial excitement was greatly reduced.
Finally, he said firmly: "The general has a heavy responsibility, and I will obey your orders!"
If the general wants to fight, Miao Tailin will lead his troops across the swamp and vow to kill Yao Can, the villain and leader of the eight evil tribes, so that the Great Zhou Dynasty can put a successful end to the Northwest Expedition and bring peace to the whole of the Great Zhou.
If the general said he had to wait, he had no complaints.
It’s the time and the situation.
By preserving themselves now, they are preserving the status of the crown prince, and ensuring that the Great Zhou will have a wise ruler to rule the country for decades to come.
Chi Mu frowned slightly and was also immersed in thought.
This time he led his troops out of Beijing, what was his real mission? Only he knew it best.
Capturing Yao Can was definitely not the achievement he should have strived for in this expedition.
However, not trying your best does not mean that you will hesitate when a great opportunity comes, or even watch it slip away.
He asked, "How much food and fodder are left with the army?"
Miao Tailin said, "A new batch of supplies arrived yesterday from the Central Army's Pass Camp. According to the plan, another batch of supplies will arrive in five days. By then, it should be enough to sustain our 100,000-man army for more than half a month."
Chi Mu nodded: "That's enough."
Then, he glanced at the two lieutenants, "Yao Can is a man of evil intentions, vindictive, cruel, and ungrateful. As long as he's around, we'll be a disaster for the eight Rongdi tribes and our Great Zhou. Stay with the army and baggage where we are, leaving one guard to guard, while the rest of the troops will cross the lake in batches. We'll eliminate the threat of Yao Can in one fell swoop!"
After all, Miao Tailin has followed Chi Mu for many years, so he is not surprised at all that Chi Mu finally made such a decision.
The two lieutenants stood up solemnly: "Yes!"
Over the next few days, the army carried only the necessary supplies. The first vanguard crossed the swamp at the fastest speed and attacked a garrison set up by the Qiang and Xianbei tribes at night.
After establishing the garrison point, tens of thousands of troops quickly followed and, after resisting several waves of Yao Can's attacks, successfully blocked Yao Can and others from exiting the Heil Forest and several entrances through the swamp, trapping them in a jar.
Chi Mu ordered a short rest overnight, and at dawn the next day, the army launched a general attack on Hell Forest.
In the Hell Forest, Yao Can hesitated and was trapped by the angry beast.
"Well, I never thought that my Qiang clan would end up like this! Is Yao Can really going to fall into such a desperate situation? Heaven wants to destroy my Qiang clan, Heaven wants to destroy me, Yao Can!"
This is what he would do if he could be content with after years of being domineering.
Xianbei Wanghan was also in danger of being destroyed along with Yao Can. He had always been a close follower of Yao Can. He rubbed his hands and said, "Ask for peace. We have no other choice."
"Taking the initiative to seek peace might give us a chance to survive."
Yao Can looked up at him.
The Xianbei King Khan felt a little guilty. "Although we have no bargaining chips if we ask for peace now, we still have tens of thousands of soldiers. Surrendering without a fight can at least save Chi Mu a major battle and save him a lot of manpower! We can use this to exchange our lives, which should be acceptable! Even if we do go to Yanjing and get detained, it will be better than being defeated and besieged and dying here."
The Xianbei King Khan certainly had selfish motives. After all, the emperor of the Zhou Dynasty had always been clamoring for Yao Can's head and for Yao Can to enter the capital.
He, the Xianbei King Khan, was just a foil. If it weren't for the fact that he was fooled by Yao Can and tied to him at the beginning of the war,
Maybe today, his Xianbei clan would not be in such a miserable state.
Just like the Di tribe, which was originally the most inconspicuous, they severed ties with Yao Can early on and became the most stable.
He had tried to ask for peace many times before, but Yao Can refused to agree. Now, if you disagree, you will die!
The Emperor of the Great Zhou hates you the most, but my Xianbei tribe still has a chance to preserve some strength!
After a moment, Yao Can turned his gaze away: "You are right."
When the Xianbei King Khan heard this, he was immediately delighted. This was good, he didn't have to risk his life.
On the outskirts of Hell Forest, with less than three hours left before the planned full-scale attack, Chi Mu's 100,000-strong army.
Chi Mu woke up from a short sleep. As soon as he opened his eyes, he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
He clutched the wooden bed board tightly with one hand, cold sweat soaked all his clothes, and his stomach was in unbearable burning pain.
"Someone come!"
Chi Mu shouted, and his personal guards outside the tent lifted the curtain and came in.
But when Chi Mu saw the shape of his personal soldiers clearly, his eyes suddenly narrowed!
The personal guards were obviously in worse condition than Chi Mu, and they stumbled in: "General, General, what's wrong with you?"
Chi Mu struggled to get up from the bed and asked in a hoarse voice: "How many people are in trouble?"
"Your subordinate, your subordinate still doesn't know..."
Soon, panicked and chaotic footsteps could be heard outside the tent. Miao Tailin and several others, also weak and frail, rushed in one after another: "General, something terrible has happened! Overnight, most of my soldiers have suffered from abdominal cramps and are bedridden..."
Chi Mu's heart felt like it had sunk into an icy cave.
He forced himself to stand up. "Inventory and gather all soldiers who can still move. Change the formation, switch from offense to defense. Miao Tailin, have the military doctor quickly identify the cause and prepare herbs for treatment!"
Miao Tailin had difficulty standing, but he also knew that the situation was urgent and desperate. He suppressed his pain and said, "Yes! I'll do it right away!"
Before daybreak, a small team of negotiators sent by Yao Can arrived at the outskirts of Hell Forest trembling with fear.
They looked around, but unexpectedly saw that the lights in the Great Zhou Dynasty military tent outside the Hell Forest were already on.
In the camp, shouts were heard constantly, and the sounds of people running back and forth between the tents were endless.
The Qiang representatives quickly realized that something was wrong.
This hurried and panicked state does not seem like an orderly and organized attack at all.
"What happened in the Great Zhou Dynasty army?"
This team of people was quite smart. When they saw the situation had changed, they immediately sent people back to report.
At the same time, he stopped temporarily and no longer entered the Zhou camp without permission, observing the situation on the opposite side.
Until the daybreak, the camp seemed to remain in this state. From a distance, the Qiang representatives could also smell the strong smell of medicine and the faint smell of blood emanating from the Great Zhou military camp.
It happened that the person who went to deliver the letter to Yao Can also came back and told them to stay where they were for the time being.
A moment later, Yao Can personally arrived with a team of his trusted aides. Yao Can observed the situation for a while and was immediately overjoyed!
"God help me! I, Yao Can, and my Qiang clan should not be wiped out today!"
He turned around excitedly and said to his confidant, "Send a few of our Qiang warriors to the outskirts of the enemy camp to investigate closely. We must find out the current state of the Zhou army's casualties and how much fighting power they have left!"
"Also, tell that coward, the Xianbei King Khan, to gather his Xianbei soldiers and our own Qiang soldiers. It's time for our Qiang people to rise up and wipe out the enemy forces of the Great Zhou in one fell swoop!"
·
On the central military road of Yucheng, Liu Ziye was leading his troops.
The Great Zhou and the Eight Tribes had been at war for three consecutive years. Even though Xiguan had been carefully maintained by her Xiguan Marquisate, it had been isolated from the war as much as possible.
But such continuous wars are still a major event that affects countless people.
In addition, there were countless conscripts and stragglers coming out of the battlefield, who were naturally inclined to discuss war.
Liu Ziye, who was rushing to the border of Xiguan County, and Jin Jie, who had been running back and forth with him between various training grounds and arsenals during this period, were sitting in a Guangnan morning tea shop, the latest trend in Xiguan County, which was newly opened by people from other counties, and eating breakfast.
The people in Xiguan are free-spirited. When people gather together, they can talk and chat about anything.
Especially this kind of morning tea or tea shed or tea shop has become a public place for exchanging information and discussing current affairs.
"My brothers went to the three border towns a few days ago and told me when they came back that our Great Zhou garrison has begun to move out and is trying to end this battle before winter comes."
"So, this is another battle with no beginning or end?"
"It's been three years, year after year. With an army of millions, how much food and wages have been consumed? How much supplies have been wasted? Haven't those high-ranking officials in Yanjing, the capital of our Great Zhou Dynasty, ever done the math?"
"Our Xiguan is now in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with people from all over the country. Ask them to speak. In our Great Zhou Dynasty, which has thousands of miles of land, is there any safe place other than Xiguan County?"
“…”
Liu Ziye overheard people talking and casually asked Jin Jie, "What's the news from our private soldiers?"
Jin Jie ate faster than she did, and by now he had finished everything. He replied, "The news we, the people of Xiguan, have heard is correct. The army is indeed preparing to break camp and return."
"only."
Jin Jie frowned slightly as he spoke. "According to our investigation, some of our Great Zhou's military is still trapped deep within the grasslands. This force is led by Chi Mu, and it's said that he has found the exact location where Yao Can is hiding."
Liu Ziye finished her portion of steamed rice flour and took a tissue to clean her mouth.
Hearing this, he was a little surprised: "If that's the case, why did the headquarters of the Yansai Mountain Camp withdraw its troops before Chi Mu returned?"
She frowned slightly, and after asking this question, she quickly thought of something.
When Liu Ziye raised his head, he met Jin Jie's expression, which was also somewhat angry and worried.
It was obvious that the two of them were thinking of the same situation at this time.
She stood up and said, "It seems that after three years of raising and training our troops, our first deployment will be for General Chi again!"
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