hiss!
Upon hearing this, the Turkic generals on the Shuobei city tower all gasped in shock, exchanging bewildered glances.
Even Timur, who experienced three major ups and downs in his life and twice ascended to the throne of the Great Khan of the Turks, boasted that he would remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him and would not be frightened by a tiger running behind him.
Upon hearing this news, he lost his usual calm and composed demeanor, as steady as an old dog.
On that old face with its high cheekbones and deep wrinkles, the muscles at the corners of his sunken mouth twitched involuntarily a few times, and two fierce glints shot from his cloudy eyes.
Seeing this, the Turkic general Arslen stepped forward first, grabbed the collar of the kneeling Turkic messenger, and roared fiercely, "What did you say?"
"The vanguard commander Huo Boguiren has been killed in battle, and the entire vanguard army of 30,000 has been wiped out. Who sent this news back, and has it been verified?"
"The vanguard army has only been at Panlong Pass for three hours. Even if you drove 30,000 lambs to Panlong Pass to be slaughtered by the Han people, you probably wouldn't be able to finish them in that short time!"
"Furthermore, which Han army fought against the vanguard at the Panlong Pass natural barrier? Was it the Yunhui Army that marched south to Longcheng, or the Longcheng Polu Army that marched north? And who was in command, Liang Erhu or Chen Huai'an?"
Faced with General Arslen's rapid-fire questions, the Turkic messenger was completely bewildered and didn't know where to begin.
Because the Turkic cavalryman who had just escaped from the perilous Panlong Pass was still carrying two arrows in his back, and he had already died just as he rode back to the city of Shuobei.
He clung to his last breath, just to bring back news of his commander's death and the annihilation of his army to Shuobei City.
Once the mission is accomplished, the last breath of life is released.
Looking at the messenger in front of him who wouldn't utter a sound even after being hit three times, Ars shoved him to the ground in annoyance and shouted, "Scout again, report again!"
"Those Han bastards are always treacherous and cunning, full of tricks. This might just be a rumor they deliberately spread to undermine the morale of our Turkic Empire's army!"
"Until this matter is thoroughly investigated, no one is allowed to spread it among the troops. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
"Understood!"
The messenger looked aggrieved and hurriedly left.
At this moment, Arslen turned to face Great Khan Timur and a group of Turkic generals and tribal chiefs, and said nonchalantly, "Great Khan, please calm down!"
"As you have said, the news that the vanguard army of 30,000 has marched out of Panlong Pass has not yet been verified. We must not let this unfounded rumor affect the grand plan of the Turkic Empire's army to march south and sweep across the Central Plains."
"Um!"
Timur nodded, giving Arslan an approving look, thinking to himself that this brute was fairly clear-headed when he wasn't drinking.
Then, his old face regained its usual calm and composed expression, and he said indifferently, "General Arslan is absolutely right!"
"The current internal strife in the northwest of the Great Xin Dynasty presents a golden opportunity for our Turkic Empire's army to march south and establish its dominance. We must not let some unfounded rumors affect our southward advance."
Then, Timur changed the subject, declaring with an air of dominance, "All generals, heed my command!"
brush!
On the city tower, more than ten Turkic generals and tribal leaders stood tall, awaiting the Great Khan's decree.
Timur said: "Immediately assemble the army and prepare for war according to the original plan to march south."
Everything that could be packed up and taken away from Shuobei City—grain, gold, silver, jewelry, women—was packed up and sent by special personnel back to their hometown in the northern desert.
The twenty-eight counties and prefectures under the jurisdiction of Shuobei should also hurry up and send people to confiscate all the materials that can be taken away;
In short, to sum it up in one sentence: wherever the Turkic army went, they plucked feathers from geese and left skins on beasts!
"Go and prepare yourselves!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
After he finished speaking, the Turkic generals on the north city tower all took their orders and left.
Timur spoke again, saying, "Arslan, you stay here!"
Upon hearing this, Arslen, who was about to leave, immediately turned around and returned to Timur's side.
At this moment, only the Turkic Khan Timur and General Arslen remained atop the vast Shuobei city tower.
Timur cut to the chase: "Arslan, what's your opinion on this matter?"
ah?
Ars was taken aback at first, but then he realized what the Khan was referring to and hurriedly said:
"Great Khan, General Huobo Guiren is one of the Twelve Protectors of the Turkic Empire under your command. His 30,000-strong vanguard army is the elite of our Turkic Empire. From the northern frontier to the natural barrier of Panlong Pass, the cavalry can make a round trip in no more than two hours."
"In other words, the Han army that fought fiercely with the vanguard of the Turkic Empire in the Panlong Pass area wiped out my 30,000-strong vanguard army in just one hour."
At this point, Arslen looked at Timur with a solemn expression and continued, word by word, "Great Khan, the fighting strength of this Han army is extraordinary."
"If I'm not mistaken, this Han army should be the remnants of the Po Lu Army who came north from Longcheng, and the commander of the troops is naturally that dog traitor, Prince Chen Huai'an of Jin!"
As one of Timur's twelve bodyguards, Arslen's analysis was incisive and hit the nail on the head.
Although Arslan did not learn any further information from the messenger.
However, the fact that no news has yet been received from Huobo Guiren, the commander of the Turkic vanguard, speaks volumes.
After hearing Arslen's reply, Timur hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "Yes, on this matter, you and I agree."
"Chen Huai'an, this greenhorn, was able to annihilate Wu Qingyun's 100,000-strong army in the Battle of Longcheng. He must have some extraordinary abilities."
"However, what I did not expect was that Chen Huai'an's cavalry was so capable. In just one hour, they sent my 30,000 Turkic soldiers to their deaths. We have to be on our guard!"
With that, Timur waved his hand and said, "Arslen, I will draft a decree for you right away."
"Then, take five carts of gold and silver and set off immediately to the Shenfeng Ridge area to find Liang Erhu, the commander of the Shuobei Yunhui Army. Just hand over my Khan's edict and the five carts of gold and silver to him!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
......
The northern part of the territory, Shenfeng Ridge.
As the Yunhui army marched south from Shuobei City, the 80,000 Yunhui soldiers whose homeland had been stolen by the Turkic barbarians were left homeless and forced to wander across the vast Loess Plateau.
Heading south, they were blocked by the troops from Longcheng who were on a northern expedition;
Heading north, the Turkic cavalry, on their southern expedition, raided our home.
For a moment, Liang Erhu, the commander of the vanguard of the Yunhui Army, was like an ant on a hot pan—running around in a panic.
Overnight, he was consumed by lust, his cheeks swelled up so badly that he could barely speak.
Every day, the amount of food and fodder needed to feed 80,000 soldiers and their horses was astronomical, an unbearable burden for the Shuobei Yunhui Army, which had lost its logistical support.
"Report—"
"Reporting to the General, urgent military intelligence!"
"The scouts from the vanguard report that the troops from Longcheng heading north are engaged in a fierce battle with a portion of the Turkic cavalry at the Panlong Pass, a natural fortress. In less than an hour, the vanguard of the Turkic cavalry has been completely wiped out, with approximately 20,000 to 30,000 dead or wounded!"
Teng!
Upon hearing this news, Liang Erhu, who was sitting in the central command tent, immediately stood up.
Ignoring the pain and swollen gums that made it hard for him to speak, he asked urgently, "Is the information reliable?"
The messenger reported, "Reporting to the general, this was witnessed by the scouts of the vanguard. The troops from Longcheng heading north are setting up camp at Panlong Pass and cleaning up the battlefield."
hiss!
Liang Erhu gasped, and instantly even the swelling and pain in his cheeks subsided.
Chen Huai'an's Longcheng troops have reached the strategic Panlong Pass, which means that General Wu Qingyun has failed to lead the 100,000 Yunhui troops stationed in Yunzhou City to Jinyang as previously agreed.
Otherwise, Chen Huai'an would not have been able to lead his troops straight in and threaten Shuobei.
Liang Erhu's heart skipped a beat, realizing that he was completely doomed and that he and his 80,000 Yunhui Army had become an isolated force.
Once their provisions run out, they'll be left to die on the yellow earth of northern Shuobei.
Thinking of this, Liang Erhu suddenly felt as if all his strength had been drained, and he slumped back into the chair behind him.
"Report—"
"Reporting to the General, the Imperial Guard has captured several Turkic spies and seized five cartloads of supplies!"
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Liang Erhu jumped up from his chair again and hurriedly ordered, "Pass down the order to bring the man up!"
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, Arsleng, dressed as an ordinary herdsman from the northern grasslands, carrying a handwritten edict and generous gifts from the Turkic Khan Timur, who had come to pay his respects to Liang Erhu, was bound hand and foot by several Yunhui Army soldiers and escorted into the central military tent.
Liang Erhu recognized him at a glance; this man was Arsleng, one of the twelve bodyguards under the Great Khan Temur of the Turks and the vanguard commander of the Imperial Guard.
At this moment, Arslan, who was still bound, also spoke up: "General Liang, it's been many years, how have you been!"
"So it's you, Arsleng. You barbarian dog, you've got some nerve coming to my camp! Are you looking for death?"
The moment Liang Erhu saw Arsleng, it instantly brought back painful memories of his home being robbed.
Immediately, he drew his ring-pommel sword from its sheath and rushed towards Arslen, placing the gleaming, incredibly sharp blade against Arslen's neck.
Facing the cold blade, Arslan showed no fear.
He even smiled and said to Liang Erhu, "General Liang, there is a saying that when two armies are at war, the messenger should not be killed. I'm afraid your actions are not in accordance with your dignity!"
"Besides, doesn't the general want to know why I've come?"
Liang Erhu stared intently at Arsleng, but finally reluctantly withdrew the ring-pommel sword from Arsleng's neck and roared irritably:
"Speak your mind!"
Arslen shrugged, indicating that he was still bound hand and foot.
Liang Erhu waved his hand impatiently and ordered, "Untie him!"
A moment later, Arslen, freed from his restraints, stretched his limbs and, as if by magic, handed the Great Khan Timur's edict to Liang Erhu.
"General Liang, this is a personal letter from our Khan to you. Please take a look!"
"Furthermore, on the five carriages outside the main tent is a small gift that our Khan has specially prepared for the General. Please accept it with a smile!"
Liang Erhu took the letter with some skepticism and quickly skimmed through it.
Gradually, the furrowed brows relaxed without anyone noticing.
That evening.
The 80,000 Shuobei Yunhui troops, who were temporarily stationed in the Shenfengling area, quietly returned to Shuobei City and joined forces with the Turkic barbarians who were slaughtering and ravaging the people in the city.
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