Shuhan

The night was as dark as ink, and the place where the Wei army was stationed was shrouded in haze.

The sky was originally dotted with stars, but now it is covered with thick clouds, like a thick piece of black velvet, tightly wrapping the entire sky.

Quietly, the drizzle fell like silk threads, decorating the military camp like an ink painting.

The raindrops hit the tent, making a subtle and continuous sound, as if gently telling the story of the night in your ears.

The outer wall of the tent gradually became wet, and water droplets slid down the fabric and dripped onto the ground, forming small puddles.

Inside the tent, humid air filled the air, making people feel stuffy and depressing.

The soldiers' clothes and bedding were all wet and sticky to their bodies, and even their breathing seemed to become heavy.

The road became even more muddy.

The originally solid ground became soft and slippery under the rain, and walking on it felt like fighting against mud with every step.

The footsteps of the Wei army soldiers became heavy and slow, mud splashed everywhere, and their soles of shoes and trouser legs were covered with thick mud, as if they were wearing heavy armor.

Every time I walk, it seems like I am fighting a battle with this muddy land.

What made the soldiers even more upset was that the military camp became extremely inconvenient after the rain.

Making a fire became one of the most troublesome things.

Rain and humidity made the wood damp and difficult to ignite.

The soldiers tried their best, but they could only watch the wet firewood emitting wisps of green smoke in the fire, but they were still unable to ignite a blazing flame.

No fire means cold and darkness, and it also means being unable to cook food.

It would be strange if the soldiers’ morale was good if they couldn’t even eat well.

If this situation continues, I'm afraid there will be deserters in the military camp.

The lights in the central army's main tent flickered in the night, casting shadows of several people.

Sima Yi looked calm and composed, but his brows were furrowed inadvertently.

The sudden rain that fell for several days disrupted his military deployment.

The safest thing to do is to wait until the rain stops.

However, what if it doesn’t stop?
The rainy season in Liaodong is usually in July and August, which the locals call "up and down seven". Now is June, which is not the rainy season.

But
The rainy season came a month earlier, which has happened before.

What should we do if we wait for the rain to stop but it not only does not stop but gets heavier?

By then, how could he defeat Liao in a hundred days?

If the siege of Liaodong cannot be realized within a year, do I really have to pay with my own life?
Sima Yi's life is precious, and he doesn't want to die in such a cowardly way.

A sudden rain made Sima Yi, who was originally confident of victory, a little irritated.

"General."

Youzhou Governor Wang Xiong, Xianbei Protector General Qian Zhao and Zhang Liao stood side by side, preparing to report military intelligence to Sima Yi, the commander of the central army.

Outside the tent, the summer rain was pouring down, hitting the ground, creating a depressing and tense atmosphere.

Wang Xiong was a burly man with a serious expression. He was the first to advise Sima Yi: "General, the summer rain is heavy and the roads are muddy. It is very inconvenient to march and fight. We should postpone the expedition and make plans after the rain stops."

Wang Xiong was born into the Wang family of Langya. He was recommended by the prefect of Anding of Wei State and was appreciated by Cao Pi to serve as the governor of Youzhou.

If history had developed as it had, it would only take a few years for the Xianbei to approach the Han border in the south, resist Ding Ling in the north, repel Fuyu in the east, and attack Wusun in the west, and to occupy all the former Xiongnu territory, which was more than 12,000 miles from east to west and more than 7,000 miles from north to south, and covered a vast area of ​​mountains, rivers, swamps, and salt ponds.

By then, the Xianbei's sphere of influence was comparable to that of the Xiongnu at its peak.

Of course, their military strength was far inferior to that of the Huns at their peak.

One of the most powerful tribal leaders, Kebi Neng, had more than 100,000 cavalrymen. He once joined forces with other tribal leaders to refuse to trade horses with the State of Wei.

At one point, he led 30,000 elite cavalry to besiege Wuhuan Captain Tian Yu in "Baicheng" for seven days. He left in anger only after Wei's prefect Yan Zhi rescued him. This incident is known in history as the "Siege of Baicheng."

When Wang Xiong was the governor of Youzhou and commander of the Wuhuan army, he treated the people with kindness and trust.

Ke Bineng was willing to surrender, and took the initiative to extend an olive branch to Wang Xiong and offer famous horses to Youzhou as a gesture of goodwill.

According to the Six Strategies: One cavalryman is equal to eight infantrymen, and eight infantrymen are equal to one cavalryman; ten cavalrymen can defeat a hundred men, and a hundred cavalrymen can drive away a thousand men. This is the general number.

This means that in the era of cold weapons, one ancient cavalryman could resist eight infantrymen; a thousand cavalrymen could resist ten thousand infantrymen; and Kebi's hundreds of thousands of cavalrymen were enough to be equivalent to a million infantrymen.

In the first year of Qinglong, Kebi Neng joined forces with another tribal leader, Budugen, to rebel against Bingzhou. Although the latter's military strength is unknown, the total number of the two was close to 200,000 cavalry, which is equivalent to at least 1.5 million infantry (a bit exaggerated).

In the third year of Qinglong (235), when Kebi Neng rebelled, Wang Xiong sent the swordsman Han Long to eliminate Kebi Neng.

From then on, the Xianbei tribes were separated and invaded each other. The strong fled far away, and the weak submitted, and the borders were peaceful.

He is not as famous in history books as his grandsons, Wang Rong of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, and Wang Yan who was crushed to death by Shi Le against the wall, but he also made some achievements.

Wang Xiong was well-known for his talent, however, Qian Zhao was very arrogant and did not take Wang Xiong seriously at all.

At this moment, he retorted: "The governor is wrong. The summer rains have continued, and the enemy army must have expected that we would not fight. Now is a good opportunity to surprise them and attack them when they are unprepared. If our army can seize the opportunity, we will surely achieve victory."

His voice was sonorous and powerful, revealing an indomitable fighting spirit.

He wanted to achieve something great, so how could he back down just because it rained a little?
The opportunity to achieve success was right in front of him, and he would definitely not miss it this time.

As a famous general, Zhang Liao also expressed his opinion at this moment.

He clasped his hands together and said in a deep voice, "What you two said makes sense. However, when marching and fighting, the right time, right place, and right people are all essential. Although it has been raining continuously, our army's morale is still there, and it is time to show our bravery. However, we must also be careful and avoid unnecessary losses due to reckless advances."

Whether to fight or not, Zhang Liao certainly prefers to fight.

The rain has a debuff on them, and this is even more so for the Liaodong Army.

Especially since the Liaodong Army had more cavalry and the roads were muddy, the cavalry had no speed and were even less effective than the infantry.

This summer it has been raining continuously, and since everyone is affected, it is equivalent to no one being affected.

It deserves a beating, and it must be fought!

Zhang Liao's words revealed a sense of steadiness and wisdom that made people convinced.

Sima Yi listened quietly to the opinions of the three people, his eyes deep and sharp, as if he could see into people's hearts.

Call ~
Sima Yi stroked his beard gently and spoke slowly: "What the three generals said makes sense. However, things in war change rapidly and we need to respond flexibly. Although the summer rain is heavy, it is also a godsend. The enemy army will definitely relax their vigilance, and our army can take the opportunity to attack and catch them off guard."

He paused and continued, "However, we must also be fully prepared. Wang Xiong, you need to organize people to repair the road as soon as possible to ensure that the food and supplies can be transported smoothly. Captain Qian Zhao, you need to closely monitor the enemy's movements and attack immediately if you find an opportunity."

You have to fight when you deserve it!
You have to fight even if it rains.

"It's long overdue."

Qian Zhao's face, which was originally a little worried, also showed a smile.

"According to the news from the school, Gongsun Yuan has transferred the troops from Shoushan to the south of Liaosui. There are only more than 10,000 Liaodong troops in Xiangping City, and there are no defenses everywhere. I intend to let Niu Jin and Hu Zun launch an attack in the north to attract the Liaodong troops. Then, I will ask you to lead your troops to go around and annihilate Bei Yan's troops. General Wenyuan will lead the cavalry to Shoushan overnight to wait for the Liaodong troops to flee."

After these days of testing, Sima Yi had almost figured out the details of Liaodong Army's defender Bei Yan.

This man might be brave, but when it comes to using his brain, he is no match for Sima Yi, let alone Zhang Liao and Qian Zhao.

"The last general takes command!"

"The last general takes command!"

Zhang Liao called the two men and they immediately accepted the order.

Youzhou Governor Wang Xiong opened his mouth but didn't say a word in the end.

Marching and fighting cannot always be safe and sound, sometimes you have to take some risks. I hope this war will really go so smoothly!
The next day.

early morning.

The sky over the Liaohe River was dark and heavy, as if tightly wrapped in lead-gray clouds.

The drizzle was like silk, falling non-stop on the Liaohe River, making the water hazy and mysterious. The mist separated the river bank and the center of the river into a hazy world.

The view could not penetrate the thick rain curtain, and people's sight could only reach ten meters away.

At the sentry post on the river bank, the soldiers of the Liaodong Army were wearing wet armor. The water droplets dripping from the edges of their hats mixed with the drizzle, making the sound of the dripping water very annoying.

They were leaning against each other, holding their ring-handled swords, and chatting at the sentry post.

Due to the bad weather, the Liaodong Army generally believed that it was impossible for the Wei Army to attack on such a rainy day, so the scouts' faces revealed a rare look of ease.

"In this horrible weather, the Wei army will definitely not come." A soldier said as he wiped the rain off his face with his sleeve. His movements showed a hint of impatience, but also a hint of relief.

People will die in war.

They eat military rations and only seek peace. They don't ask for promotion or wealth at all.

The Wei army has been harassing us from time to time in the past few days, and many people have died.

They were all worried about being the next to be killed by the Wei army.

"That's right. Who would want to march and fight in such weather?" another soldier said, with a smile in his tone, as if such weather had become their umbrella of protection.

The conversation between the two was relaxed and natural. From time to time, they looked toward the river, where the mist seemed endless, obscuring their vision and any potential crises.

However, during this period of relaxation and casual chatting, unusual movements appeared on the river surface.

Small boats appeared quietly in the mist like ghosts.

They were carrying Wei soldiers wearing dark armor and were crossing the Liao River quickly.

The raindrops hit the bow and the soldiers' armor, making a slight sound, but this faint sound was completely covered by the sound of rain. The soldiers of the Wei army had stern faces and firm eyes. They wiped their weapons silently with their hands, and many of them checked whether they had brought all their weapons and equipment on the boats.

Arrows, ropes, wooden shield, short bow.
Only after they had checked everything out did they feel relieved.

To survive on the battlefield, you have to rely on these guys who are willing to sacrifice their lives.

The first group of people who crossed the river were all veterans and the elite of the Wei army.

Being the first to defeat the enemy is the most dangerous, but also the one that brings the greatest merit.

Hua Hua Hua~
The small boat shuttled back and forth in the river, making almost no sound under the cover of the rain.

The soldiers of the Liaodong Army were completely unaware of the abnormality on the river. They were still chatting and occasionally laughing, completely unaware that a sudden attack was about to come.

When the first boat gently touched the shore, the vanguard of the Wei army had quietly stepped onto the land of Liaodong. Like tigers out of their cages, they quickly and orderly gathered on the shore, ready to launch an attack without warning.

The soldiers of the vanguard who landed dispersed tacitly, and several agile fighters immediately approached the Liaodong Army's sentry post.

The Liaodong Army scouts who were still chatting, had not yet realized the approaching danger, and their necks were cut off by the elite Wei Army soldiers in an instant with lightning speed. Everything happened so fast that they didn't even have time to make any sound.

As subsequent boats continued to dock, more Wei army soldiers joined the team on shore.

Niu Jin observed the situation calmly and silently calculated the number of soldiers coming ashore.

When the number of people reached a thousand, he immediately made a decision and led this elite force of a thousand people, under the cover of night, towards the Liaodong Army's camp.

"set off!"

Deep in the Liaodong military camp, the big tent was brightly lit.

Bei Yan was sitting around the table with a group of military students, all with confident looks on their faces.

"Once we defeat this group of Wei troops, Liaoxi, Youbeiping, Yuyang and other places will be under our control."

Bei Yan's voice was sonorous and powerful, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

He ran his finger lightly across the map, outlining routes to be conquered.

"That's right, by then we can march south and take Yecheng directly, and the entire Youzhou will belong to us!" A military school student took over the conversation excitedly, his eyes flashing with greed and ambition.

Other military academies in the surrounding area also echoed this.

It seemed that the Wei army was really vulnerable.

"Come on~"

"Kill!"

"Run away!"

Bei Yan was discussing the future with the military students when suddenly panicked shouts and the sound of weapons clashing were heard outside the tent.

Bei Yan's expression suddenly changed. He stood up abruptly and waved his hand to signal the military students to remain calm.

However, when he walked out of the tent and saw flames at the entrance of the camp and the Wei army pouring in like a tide, all the calmness in his heart disappeared in an instant.

His eyes widened, his face turned pale as paper, and it seemed like even breathing was becoming difficult.

"Quick...quickly gather people and prepare for battle!" Bei Yan's voice trembled, but no one obeyed his orders.

The Liaodong troops in the camp were in chaos. Some fled in all directions, while others picked up weapons but were at a loss what to do.

Seeing this, Bei Yan became even more panicked. He looked around, trying to find his personal soldiers to organize a defense.

At this moment, the elite Wei army led by Niu Jin had broken through the defense line of the camp.

They were like a tiger descending from a mountain, unstoppable in their progress.

When Bei Yan saw this, he knew the situation was hopeless, so he turned around and tried to escape, but was locked onto by Niu Jin.

Niu Jin rode a war horse, holding a spear, and charged forward.

When he saw Bei Yan, a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth and he thrust out with his spear.

"Thief, die!"

Bei Yan only had time to let out a terrified scream before the spear pierced his heart. His body flew backwards and fell heavily on the muddy ground. Blood gushed out of his chest, staining the surrounding soil red.

"The general is down!"

"Run away!"

"Spare my life!"

After Bei Yan's death, the Liaodong army in the camp became even more panicked.

The soldiers of the Liaodong Army lost their backbone and could no longer organize effective resistance.

The Wei army took the opportunity to break into the camp and chase the fleeing Liaodong army everywhere.

In the rainy night, the shouts of the Wei army and the sounds of weapons clashing could be heard one after another.

The Liaodong army fled in all directions, desperate to escape this place of death.

However, on this rainy night, their fate was already sealed.

The elite Wei army led by Niu Jin was blood-thirsty in the rain. They slaughtered indiscriminately in the camp. The bodies of Liaodong soldiers were everywhere, and the blood dyed the entire camp red.

And on the other side.

Zhang Liao and his troops have arrived at Shou Mountain. Looking north from Shou Mountain, Xiangping City is already within sight.

The countdown to Gongsun Yuan's defeat is already underway. (End of this chapter)