The old commander who led them out of the city to fight was Shan Ling's uncle.
It was said that the 3,000 cavalrymen of Yeluohe were greedy for merit and rushed out of the city to fight, which led to the city being breached and the whole town being massacred.
"Isn't that so?"
Shan Xiong seemed to see the doubt on Xia He's face, and spoke quietly,
"In fact, my uncle was not greedy for merit and was reckless. Instead, the barbarians captured thousands of people from several surrounding villages and used them to force him to leave the city to fight..."
"As for the destruction of the city, it was because of a traitor. It was our own people who opened the city gates and welcomed the barbarians in..."
But no one cared at all. In the end, the blame still fell on the soldiers of Xuanwu Camp. Shan Ling's uncle was also escorted back to Beijing and beheaded at the Wumen Gate.
"Another damn traitor!"
Xia He didn't doubt it. After all, didn't someone try to open the city gate this time?
He admired these veterans even more. He walked forward and bowed deeply to the two veterans:
"Two seniors, we are very grateful for your timely arrival today, otherwise we would be in great danger. Junior Xia He, thank you for saving my life!"
The old soldier waved his hand and said with a smile:
"Young man, you're welcome! For us old folks, being able to contribute to Daqin again is a dream come true."
"You are so capable at such a young age. You must work hard in the future and don't let the deputy commander down!"
Xia He nodded solemnly: "I will definitely live up to your trust!"
…
Although the barbarians were temporarily repelled, everyone knew that this was just the calm before the storm.
The barbarians marched south this time with a total of 60,000 troops, and the ones that raided the Great Wall were only their vanguard troops, which numbered about 20,000 soldiers.
As the granary was burned down by Xia He, the barbarians were unable to capture it after a long siege and had to retreat temporarily.
However, they will never give up.
Next, the Barbarians' vanguard troops will join the main force in the rear. Even if the casualties in this battle are taken into account, the Barbarians still have at least 40,000 troops. The situation is still grim and not optimistic.
However, the temporary retreat of the barbarians also gave the defenders a chance to catch their breath.
"If we wait for the barbarians to regroup and attack the city again, the defenders will be under greater pressure. Instead of passively defending, it is better to take the initiative to attack."
"Senior Sister Shan," Xia He turned and said to Shan Ling,
"With these three thousand Yeluohe cavalry, we are now capable of long-distance raids. If we can catch the barbarians off guard before their main force arrives, we may be able to turn the tide of the battle."
After hearing Xia He's proposal, Shan Ling's eyes flashed with approval.
She nodded and said in a deep voice:
"Your idea is good. The barbarians suffered a crushing defeat in the first battle and their morale is low. This is a good time for us to attack."
Several veteran soldiers from Yeluohe standing nearby also nodded in agreement.
One of the veterans with scars all over his face patted his chest and said:
"General Xia is right! We old guys are best at long-distance raids! Back then, we followed the old commander and fought our way back and forth on the grassland! This time, we should let the barbarians have a taste of our power!"
Upon seeing this, Shan Xiong immediately stepped forward and volunteered:
"Sister, let me be the commander in chief this time!"
Shan Ling glanced at him and shook his head:
"You are too impatient and easily impulsive. This operation is of great importance and cannot afford any mistakes. You should go with Junior Brother and take care of each other."
After Shan Xiong heard this, he curled his lips in dissatisfaction:
"Sister, you underestimate me too much! After all, I am from one of the Four Great Camps, and my ability to lead troops in battle is no worse than Xia He's! This time I must compete with him to see who is better at leading troops!"
Xia He smiled and patted Shan Xiong on the shoulder:
"Brother Shan, this operation is not about who is stronger. As long as we can kill the barbarians, why bother to compare who is stronger?"
Shan Xiong snorted. Although he disagreed, he knew in his heart that Xia He was right, so he didn't argue anymore.
At night, bonfires were lit inside the Great Wall and the soldiers sat around them, enjoying the rare tranquility.
Xia He specially took out the freshly brewed Tiger Soul Spirit Wine and had someone roast spirit fish meat, and ate and drank with the old soldiers from Yeluo River.
The aroma of wine and meat filled the air, and soon everyone became one.
A white-haired veteran picked up the wine bowl, took a big sip, and then said with emotion:
"General Xia, your wine is really strong! It's stronger than the strong liquor we drank on the grasslands!"
Xia He raised his glass with a smile: "As long as you like it, senior! This wine is brewed with tiger bones and magical herbs. It can not only drive away the cold, but also strengthen the body. Come, let's drink together!"
Everyone raised their glasses and the atmosphere was lively.
An old soldier with a frosted face sighed and said, "Back then, we followed the old commander and roamed the grasslands. The name of the Qin Iron Cavalry was known throughout the world! Unfortunately, later... Well, let's not talk about it."
Another veteran patted his shoulder and consoled him, "Brother, don't be sad. Although we have been stripped of our military status, being able to serve the Qin again this time is also a wish come true."
Xia He could see that these veterans were extremely loyal to Daqin.
"The old emperor is simply not a human being!"
After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere became more and more heated. Shan Xiong's face flushed with alcohol, and he staggered over to Xia He, patted him on the shoulder, and said drunkenly:
"Xia He, we have to fight today! Let's use guns and have a good fight!"
His voice was loud and provocative, which immediately attracted the attention of the people around him.
When the veterans around the campfire heard this, they immediately became interested and started to make a noise:
"A competition! A competition!"
"General Xia, don't be scared, fight him!"
For a moment, the tent was bustling with activity. The drunken men were all ready to fight, as if this competition was more exciting than drinking.
Xia He originally didn't want to fight in such an occasion, but seeing that Shan Xiong was determined to fight and the people around him were so enthusiastic, he no longer refused.
He stood up, patted his robe, and said with a smile:
"Okay, since Senior Brother Shan is interested, I will fight with you for a few moves. But we have to stop at a certain point and don't hurt the relationship."
Shan Xiong laughed and waved his hand:
"Don't worry! I, Shan Xiong, am not the kind of person who can't stand losing! But if you lose, I have to be the commander this time!"
"What if Senior Brother Shan loses?"
"Then I will call you Senior Brother from now on!"
"Isn't this... bad?"
Shan Xiong slammed the table and said, "What's wrong with that? Are you afraid?"
"All right then."
Soon, someone found two spears and handed them to the two men.
Shan Xiong took the spear, weighed it, and grinned:
"Xia He, I won't show mercy. Let me see if your shooting talent is as good as my sister said!"
Xia He smiled slightly, gripped his spear tightly, and stood still:
"Brother Shan, please."
The two men started their stances, and the noise around them gradually died down. Everyone held their breath, staring intently at the two men in the field.
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