Delong

Chapter 166 Floating Horse Walk (13)

There is a little omission in Wang Daiji's news.

That is, as of the second day, that is, the first day of April, there was actually only one right guard general Zhao Guang leading his troops across Luolongtan in front of the eighth army, and the other seven main forces were all in the shallows of the center line of Luolongtan. Stop in front of you.

Zhao Guang was born in a poor family, but he was promoted many times because of his cultivation, and if it was said that he was rewarded for being a Zhonglang before, then he jumped directly to the general of the guard and entered the class of real power and power, which is undoubtedly the personal favor of a saint Beloved... In fact, it is said that after Yun Nei came back, the emperor valued this handsome man from a poor family very much. He would take him with him almost every time he had a banquet, and every time he would reward him with royal horses, weapons, maids of honor, gold and silver. The Golden Pillar Ceremony at the end of the year was also when he and Sima Zheng commanded the cavalry to maintain order. With a strong mentality of repaying the grace, he ignored the intrigues of the various armies, people's hearts and logistics, and directly led the troops through Luolong first. Beach, it is not difficult to understand.

As for the others, of course they are not to be blamed... because these famous generals and generals all know what it means once this shoal is passed.

The most basic risk is the war itself, and wars will be fought after crossing this beach.

How do you say that?

Since Emperor Qing, for eight thousand years, mountains and seas have moved, but war remains unchanged.

At the beginning, the chaotic tribal fights; then the small-scale duel-style warriors singled out by practitioners plus looting and follow-up of the occupation troops; then the tribe disappeared and the country was established, and the practitioners who automatically obtained the status of middle and low-level nobles, or the nobles themselves naturally It is easier to obtain achievements in practice, and then lead the era of vehicle warfare into an organized unit; and a larger-scale cavalry formation that is more in line with the efficiency of true energy output... Finally, it is more and more inevitable to attack the opponent's war potential Massacring cities, burning grain, bursting dikes, destroying mountains, burning forests, and adding so-called strategies that mainly shake human nature.

And no matter which method is used, it has never changed the ultimate nature of war-violent confrontation, and the loser usually has to pay the price of death.

For now, there are two immediate risks.

First of all, Luolongtan is not just a shoal in front of you. It is Luolongtan in a narrow sense. In a broad sense, it winds hundreds of miles from north to south and is the boundary line between Dongyi Island (Qishan Island) and the east border. Because of the sea water, it is impossible to cultivate forty to fifty miles on both sides, and with the mountains and tidal flats, a no-man's land that may actually be one or two hundred miles wide is formed. The supply itself is a huge problem.

Secondly, everyone knows that if the battle is not harmonious, when they retreat, this place may have become a shallow sea that does not look fatal, but can actually bury the entire army.

"Sima Xianggong."

General Xue Changxiong of Zuo Weiwei walked over, frowning in full armor. "According to your instructions, the bones that I encountered on the beach piled up by the Dongyi people have been buried... Many obvious marks have also been put away."

Sima Changying looked at the desert-like shoal in front of him, nodded his head slightly, but couldn't help but sighed for a moment: "Have you heard of it? These are just a few bones of Liwei. I don't know how many millions of young people died a few times ago." In fact, all of them were swept by the tide to the tidal flats in the east, and piled up like a mountain. The fish, turtles, shrimps and crabs were so fat and fat, but even the Dongyi people themselves did not dare to go fishing. Poor countless heroes, they are all others Father, wife, son..."

Behind Sima Changying were a few generals who gathered hastily. Their troops were not here because they needed to disperse the march. However, without delaying these people, they flew over quickly and found the highest leader of the generals, Sima Xianggong, to discuss the way forward.

You know, the saint is more than a hundred miles behind, and he has stopped. I don't know if he is worried about the danger ahead, or because he knows that the generals on the front line have not crossed the beach and are brewing thunder.

However, no one expected that Sima Xianggong and General Xue would talk about this when they came up, and the generals could not help being silent for a while.

Of course, after a while, Xue Changxiong had no choice but to shake his head and answer: "Why is Mr. Sima still talking about these things? It will only frustrate the morale of the army. Just talk about this battle. The sage gave us such troops, equipment, and supplies. And let our family do things in the front, really can't think of where there is a possibility of failure?"

"Of course it's people's hearts."

Sima Changying turned around to look at each other, her gray beard and hair fluttering in the sea breeze. "We people are here, there is no need to hide some things, and I am not afraid... The Eastern Expedition has been defeated three times in a row, and hundreds of thousands of people died each time, especially in the Central Plains, Hebei, Eastern In these three old places of the Eastern Qi Dynasty, each time they have to lose millions of homes, and in these three places, no matter how many household registrations, but who has relatives, friends and neighbors who did not know each other because of the Eastern Expedition? It was because of the Second Conquest of Dongyi and the Rebellion of Yang Shen just the year before... Then I dare to ask why they are not afraid and why they don’t flee? More than 90 people walked along the big river in the country for more than a month, and only 60 are left , and walked for more than 100 miles, the number of people who escaped is countless, have you ever seen such a thing?"

"It's true that the army in the middle route is distracted, but warriors like us just follow orders. What's the use of telling us this kind of reasoning? On the contrary, you, Sima Xianggong, are both veteran generals and Nanya Xianggong. Why don't you speak up and remonstrate with each other?" Xue Changxiong was silent for a moment, and asked back while holding his knife. "Isn't that what the late emperor promoted you for?"

"After Ma Liushou and Wei Shangshu, I dare not speak anymore." Sima Changying made no secret of her sadness and helplessness. "I only want to protect the family... I am not afraid of death, I am afraid that the Sima family will die."

Xue Changxiong hesitated to speak, so he could only slander: "After all, it is the righteousness of the monarch and ministers. Since you have received the emperor's favor, why do you talk about other things?"

Then, I probably also thought it was absurd, so I stopped talking.

Sima Changying seemed a little disappointed, so he could only nod his head: "If it wasn't for the emperor's grace, how could my father, son, and grandson come here together?"

"What's the use of talking nonsense at this time?" At this moment, General Yu Shuwen of You Yiwei, who was slightly higher than Xue Changxiong in status, second only to or even about equal to Sima Changying's status, stepped forward, wearing armor. Zhenzhen, as if impatient. "The matter has come to this, if you want me to say, we are all generals, the only thing we should worry about is whether we will return in vain..."

"General Yu means...?" Sima Changying was not angry at all when he saw Yu Shuwen's appearance, and was even a little relieved.

"Everyone has been traveling all the way, but they don't know the big truth. Don't they have eyes yet? The current situation is that more and more civilians are fleeing, and they are fleeing faster, and the sergeants are also fleeing. Once they cross the beach, the supplies behind them are basically gone. We can't count on it, so our army is indeed collapsing on its own..."

Yu Shuwen's tone was a little dejected at first, but his tone soon changed.

"But after all, our numbers and equipment are far superior to the opponent's. Therefore, there is only one strategy. Win a few battles and occupy a few cities before the army collapses... Once the battle is won, the morale will be improved, and the morale of the army will be stable. Don’t worry, once a few cities are captured, the supply can be stabilized, and maybe the water supplies from the north and the south can be continued! Moreover, Dengzhou Daying said very clearly that the situation of the Dongyi people is also very bad. It's not sure who will collapse first!"

Most of the generals nodded.

Sima Changying also nodded slightly.

"But if this is the case, there will be another explanation for Sima Xianggong's theory of people's hearts." Yu Shuwenfu sneered again. "But this human heart does not refer to the human heart below, but the human heart above... If you are afraid, you are afraid. You know that there is only this way ahead, but some people are greedy for life and afraid of death, and they just want to dawdle, which makes 12 Wan Jingrui couldn't concentrate, and sold out his loyal and brave general in vain."

"General Yu, do you want us to make an oath to go forward with all our strength?" Sima Changying asked seriously.

Yu Shuwen shook his head in response: "Actually, the best way is to give me all the masters in the army. I will lead the whole army as a master and rush forward. It will be the real dragon, so what?" Can you be my knife?"

The generals originally looked at each other in blank dismay, but now they all shook their heads when they heard the words.

The Great General of Youweiwei Han Yingong sneered even more: "Yu Gong, even if we trust you, we dare not do this... because if you follow your strategy, it's not just a real dragon, even if Fulongwei sacrificed the Fulong Seal, it's not the same. Your opponent...if your subordinate hides a Dongyi spy and calls out to Qingjun, it will be really interesting, Yujia is more than a hundred miles behind, if you really risk your life to attack, it will only be one night."

Yu Shuwen also laughed dryly: "Of course I know this is against the rules, but who can guarantee that you will keep pace with me after crossing the beach, or follow me?"

Hearing this, Sima Changying didn't hesitate anymore, but regardless of his age and official position, he took off his helmet and put it on the ground, then knelt down on one knee in the shoal wind at the end of spring, took out the dagger again, and easily cut his palm …The blood oozed out, was blown by the sea breeze, and directly wiped half of the palm of the hand … But Mr. Sima didn’t care at all, he just wiped it on his face, and then swore to the sky in the shallows:

"Three splendors and four emperors are above, Sima Changying has been honored by the great Wei State's kindness and righteousness. As for the general and the prime minister, he dare not pay his life and death to repay the country. Tomorrow, the troops will be dispatched to Luolongtan, and the entire army will be charged with sixty days of rations. Half a year ago, there was no retreat, you fought against the enemy, and climbed first when you met the city! If you disobey, you will be destroyed by heaven and earth! All descendants below me will not be buried in the ancestral tombs in Guanzhong!"

Below Yu Shuwen, everyone is shocked.

And Yu Shuwen himself immediately knelt down on one knee and followed suit to make an oath.

Next, it was supposed to be Xue Changxiong, but General Xue had no choice but to surrender and apologize immediately: "Sima Xianggong, General Yu, I really can't swear like you... I am in the far north, and the first thing I should do is to meet the north. Lu Dajun."

"I know." Sima Changying picked up his helmet and got up, the blood on his face had been dried by the wind. "I didn't ask you to swear, it's just that I want to do it alone."

"Sima Gong." Right Weiwei General Han Yingong cupped his hands in confrontation. "Actually, I think it's too tiring for the entire army to cross the beach with [-] days of food. I'm afraid it will make the army's morale loose faster... You must know that it's not just the people in the Kanto who lose their hearts, but also the Kanxi troops... But Since you and General Yu both insist on this, if we refuse to do so, it will appear that we are not loyal enough... Let’s leave it at that! I won’t swear, but I will definitely deal with it like yours!”

Sima Changying nodded immediately: "The three brothers of General Han are all generals, why don't I believe it?"

Now, the rest of them, under the leadership of Zuo Xiao Cavalry General Bai Hengyuan, also stepped forward to make a statement, and jointly agreed to send troops tomorrow morning... As for Zhao Guang, there is really no need to do anything extra.

However, all the generals dispersed either triumphantly or helplessly, but Zuo Tunwei General Sima Huada stayed behind... No one cared about this, as father and son soldiers should speak their own words when they go into battle.

Sure enough, the crowd dispersed for a full quarter of an hour, before Sima Huada approached the empty beach carefully, and asked with difficulty:
"Son, my father doesn't want to be the leader, so he lured Yu Shuwen to be the leader? Also, in this battle, does the father want to win or lose? As for making that kind of poisonous oath? Father's strategy I don't quite understand..."

Obviously, after going through that night and all the incidents that followed, Sima Huada had gradually realized the deep meaning of some of his father's actions, and then came to his own understanding - his father wanted to take revenge on the saint!
However, when his son asked a question, Sima Changying stood in front of the beach with his helmet in his arms and said nothing, as if looking westward, and then let his gray hair remain disheveled in the wind.

"What is father looking at?" Sima Huada was inexplicably nervous.

"I'm looking at people's hearts." Sima Changying remained expressionless.

"Father will be hopeful?!" Sima Huada was stunned for a moment. "Is it looking at the Qi in the father's barracks in the west, or is it the imperial driver who is more than a hundred miles away?"

And this finally caused Sima Changying to lower her head and sighed: "After I die, you must not implicate Ah Zheng!"

Only then did Sima Huada realize that he was being stupid again.

"Where are people's hearts so hopeful?" Sima Changying took a few steps westward slowly with his helmet in his arms. "Everything in the world depends on cultivation, background, intelligence, temperament, talent, and luck... But the biggest thing depends on people's hearts, because in the final analysis, things are done by people, and grand masters are also subject to The way of a monarch and a minister; Ah Zheng's talent is also shared with you as a father, so that he is often worried..."

Sima Huada hesitated to speak.

"Do you know that the things you just asked are stupid?" Sima Changying turned around and asked again.

"I know, things like hope..." Sima Huada hurriedly responded.

"No, it's the first few questions." Sima Changying replied quietly. "Those words of mine are the truth, and this situation was also promoted by Yu Shuwen himself... I am truly sad for those bones, and I sincerely feel that the court's four Eastern Expeditions have wasted the people's power in the old land of Eastern Qi. Crusades are wrong, and the strictness of the late emperor is also wrong..."

Sima Huada was a little flustered.

"However, that doesn't mean I don't use strategy." Sima Changying calmly explained in the wind. "A good strategy is never to calculate this or that, but to follow the general trend and do things along the way, and to tighten and loosen at key points... The sage broke the pot for his own face. , Against the hearts of the world, was it me who pushed it? I just agreed afterwards. Was it me who pushed the forceful dispatch of troops now? It was also Yu Shuwen who held his breath and was eager to make contributions, but instead I was pushed away by him Yes, it's just to make the army tighter... However, to have such a good strategy, you need to work hard. The most important thing is to put yourself in the most critical position, so that you can tighten up at the most critical time .”

Sima Huada repeatedly nodded.

And the next moment, his own father said something that made him feel like a thunderbolt: "If I escape this battle by chance, I will not live long. My ambition and my resentment will also dissipate... Next It is up to you to do things... Remember, if the saint is torn up with Uncle Cao when he goes back to the east, you must master Fulongwei and Fulongyin; City or Jiangdu, you must master the accompanying Jinwu Guards...you were a saint's personal bodyguard when you were young, and you know how to make him happy."

Sima Huada opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly a gust of wind blew, dazzled his eyes, so that tears flowed out.

"Go back, send troops tomorrow!" Sima Changying suddenly restrained himself, put on his helmet, and strode towards the headquarters barracks faintly visible to the west. "The family's private plan has been done, and the next step is to pay for it with one's life."

Sima Huada could only stand there in a daze.

In the afternoon of the same day, except General Zhao Guang, who had already crossed the beach, and General Xue Changxiong, the General of Zuo Weiwei who had already crossed the beach, the other six armies ordered together that the whole army would carry [-] days' worth of food and force them to cross Luolong Beach in batches tomorrow.

Anyone who abandons food without authorization will be killed without mercy.

That night, some fugitives tried to escape, but they were caught by the pro-army who had been prepared for a long time, and they were killed on the spot to show the public.

Trembling with trepidation, all the armies crossed Luolongtan in batches and time-sharing the next day, and officially entered Dongyi territory. That is to say, a new phenomenon began to appear in various roads that night:
It must be known that the food for the [-]th day is a bit too heavy, and there are armor, tents, flints and other things. Together, the average per capita is over two stones. , It also made everyone complain unbearably.

But the military order is strict, and it is no man's land, so it is difficult to escape.

So, when we camped at the beach that night, some people threw food on purpose, and some even buried half of their food in a cesspit to save effort.

The generals of the armies are not fools, they immediately noticed this situation, but at this time, they had almost reached the end of Luolongtan no-man's land, and the leaders, General Yu and General Zhao, had even successfully robbed the land. Some Dongyi villages, and noticed the despair of the Dongyi people for the Great Wei's Eastern Expedition.

And when these generals with their own ulterior motives contacted each other urgently to remind them that the military rations were being lost at an unimaginable speed, a heavy news came suddenly, causing the frontline generals who were still trying to struggle to fall into silence immediately.

According to the will of the saint, Li Ziqi, the governor of Dongyi, surrendered alone in white clothes, and entered Yu Shuwen's barracks directly.

Yu Shuwen immediately dispatched a master of condensing alchemy to report back.

At this time, the saint who stopped suddenly was still more than a hundred miles away from Luolongtan, and after getting the news, even the saint didn't know how to deal with it.

PS: Good night.

(End of this chapter)