Wei Ni

Who knew it would be painful to go to the side court? Even if I die, I can still smell the fragrance of the chivalrous bones.

Xia Houhui, who had always aspired to join the army, had deep respect for the soldiers guarding the border.

Incidentally, he also had a good impression of Baima Yicong, who accompanied Tian Yu on many frontier expeditions in white.

Although, today's Baima Yicong is engaged in the expedition to obtain spoils of war, and its predecessor is also a cavalry under Gongsun Zan. It is the product of ambition during the separatist period of the late Han Dynasty, and is not a folk righteous man determined to resist Hu Wuwei.

But decades ago, when Yuan Shao, the Fourth Prince and the Three Dukes, ruled Jizhou and Gongsun Zan dominated Youzhou, Zhao Yun, a native of Changshan in Jizhou, did not care about his hometown or his reputation, so he resolutely led the men from his hometown to go north to Youzhou to seek refuge. In the case of Gongsun Zan instead of Yuan Shao, we can see the people's affirmation of Gongsun Zan's attack on Hu.

Based solely on the fact that he defeated Hu, Baima Yicong can be regarded as a good beginning and a good end.

However, after all, they have been in decline among the people for too many years, and there are not many traces of their march left, replaced by the spirit of the rangers and the reckless banditry.

However, Xia Houhui, who came galloping all night, did not care about his fatigue and sleepiness in the middle of the night, so he immediately summoned three cavalry generals, Youzhou Cavalry, Eastern Xianbei Rangers attached to Wei State, and White Horse Yi Cong to discuss the matter.

Among them, the general rates of Youzhou Cavalry and Eastern Xianbei Rangers are pretty good.

One of them is in the military, and the other is that the entire tribe depends on the Wei State for survival. Therefore, although they are somewhat dissatisfied with being summoned in the middle of the night, they still respectfully answer Xiahou Hui's questions.

Besides, Xia Houhui didn't ask them many questions.

I just want to know the discipline, armor rate and morale of their cavalry, so that I can roughly deduce the combat strength and determine the responsibilities that these two cavalry can bear in a sneak attack.

But it was different for Xia Houhui, who had been acting as a scout and discovered Gongsun Yi, the leader of the White Horse Yi Cong in Mobei riding in Macheng.

He asked a lot of questions and asked very detailed questions.

For example, what is the distribution of the Xianbei tribes around Macheng, and the approximate range of these tribes when they are grazing today.

In order to make sure that when he leads his cavalry to sneak attack, he will not be noticed by the herdsmen along the way. After all, thousands of cavalry passing through are two different things from the scattered white horse Yi Cong scouts wandering around.

In order to think about rushing into the formation during a sneak attack, he asked the Mobei Cavalry entrenched in Macheng how they set up camp, whether it was an inner and outer method or a triangle shape.Also, for example, when does the smoke rise from the morning and evening meals in Macheng? Will the security around the Mobei cavalry be relaxed during meals? Will there be bonfires for wrestling, singing, dancing and playing after sunset? In order to supply those in Mobei Where are the cattle and sheep that ride for food are kept, and where are these Mobei horses placed at night.

The most detailed question was about the mountains and terrain on the Macheng side.

They even asked me repeatedly about trivial matters such as how high the surrounding sand dunes were, whether the Yangtze River was swollen, whether there were many gravels on the ground, and whether there were rabbit and mouse holes.

This method of repeated questioning, no matter how big or small, inevitably makes the person being questioned feel distrustful. It can even be said that Xia Houhui is deliberately making things difficult.

But in fact, Xia Houhui really didn't have this intention.

He himself was vaguely aware that such questions would make Gongsun Yi feel jealous.

But he did it anyway.

After all, it has always been life and death on the battlefield.

Often an oversight in a detail may cause the war to develop in an unpredictable direction.

This time we go for a sneak attack. There is a huge gap between us and the enemy. If we are not careful, we will become a sheep in a tiger's mouth.

In the face of the lives of four thousand cavalrymen, Xia Houhui did not dare to be careless, nor did he care about Gongsun Yi's feelings. He only wanted to clarify all the details and take into account all hidden dangers as much as possible.

Therefore, Gongsun Yi, who had been accustomed to acting as he pleased after living in the mountains for a long time, finally failed to restrain his temper. He simply ignored Tian Yu's instructions and provoked Xia Houhui with his unruly words.

Yes, Tian Yu came to Bingzhou from Youzhou to help in the war, not only because Tian Yu wanted Gongsun Yi and other Baima Yicong to get some war dividends, but also because he felt that he was getting old and would not have many opportunities to take care of this sweet relationship in the future. , then he remembered the words in Gongsun Ji's last letter, and planned to find a career for the white horse followers.

Gongsun Ji, who brought Baima Yi back to Youzhou from outside the Great Wall, died of illness six or seven years ago.

Tian Yu was still in Youzhou at that time, so he took the time to pay his condolences, and was also forwarded Gongsun Ji's suicide note by his family.

It's like a suicide note describing one's life.

In his letter, Gongsun Ji did not write any words of encouragement or warning to his descendants. Instead, he briefly elaborated on what happened when he fled to Bingzhou with Gongsun Xu in his early years and what happened after he returned to his hometown in Youzhou.

There are only a few words about the past of his exile in Bingzhou, only about Gongsun Xu's death.

At that time, Baima Yicong turned against the Xiongnu Tu tribe and was attacked. Gongsun Xu was seriously injured. When he was dying, he grabbed Gongsun Ji's hand and gave two words of instructions.

One said: "Take them back to Sangzi."

They here refer to the loyal Baima Yicong who followed Gongsun Xu to flee and merge with the state.

Another said: "Return to your hometown for me."

Yes, it is to take his place, not to take his bones to his roots.

Gongsun Xu wanted his younger brother Gongsun Ji to return to his hometown alive one day and fulfill his filial piety as a son of man.

The reason is that after Gongsun Zan was ambushed by Yuan Shao and retreated to Yijing, he knew that the situation was over and there was no way to save it. In order to prevent his family from being humiliated, he hanged all his sisters, wives and others before setting fire to himself.

It can be said that after Gongsun Xu died, Gongsun Zan's branch completely stopped eating blood.

That's why he told his younger brother Gongsun Ji that if he had a chance in the future, he would build a tomb for Gongsun Zan and other family members in Sangzi so that his soul could rest in peace when he returned to his hometown.

Gongsun Ji did both of these two instructions.

And did a little more.

He had four sons, all born outside the Great Wall.

The eldest son died in the bitter cold, the second son died in battle during the years when he moved around to become a bandit, and the third son was weak since he was a child and found it difficult to serve in the army. Only the youngest son Gongsun Yi was strong, skilled in bow and horse, and could use the white horse again. Yiyi obeys the leadership of the leader.

Therefore, in the year of Gongsun Yi's crown ceremony, he adopted his son to Gongsun Xu.

Let Gongsun Zan's branch have blood to eat.

Naturally, he also had high hopes for Gongsun Yi, hoping that he could continue the legacy of Baima Yicong in the future.

This is also what Gongsun Ji described in his suicide note.

After experiencing the glory of his family's dominance in Youzhou, the hardship of being a thief and bandit for twenty years, and the loneliness of being alone in the world, Gongsun Ji gained a clear understanding of the world.

He knew that now that the Three Kingdoms are at the same level, if Baima Yicong wants to be passed down, he must become a soldier of Wei.

Otherwise, after Tian Yu's death and Xianbei's border troubles ceased to be raging, the government would definitely be suspicious of Baima's righteousness and even raise a butcher's knife for the sake of peace and stability in the counties.

After all, Gongsun Zan was one of the heroes of the separatist regime before.

And they have also turned into bandits once.

The most important thing is that in the eyes of the temple and the governors of the prefectures and counties, Baima Yicong, who was not registered as a military member of the Wei State, committed a serious crime that cannot be tolerated.

This crime is not due to Baima's righteousness disturbing the place and bringing disaster to the countryside, but because they have the strength.

In any case, under the tacit agreement established by the custom, the Gongsun family of the Liaoxi Lingzhi now no longer has enough reputation as a lintel to make the government turn a blind eye to their private military power.

Therefore, Gongsun Ji told Tian Yu in his suicide note that he had adopted his young son Gongsun Yi to Gongsun Xux. This meant that he wanted to pass on Baima Yi from generation to generation, and he also hoped that Tian Yu could lend a helping hand so that Gongsun Yi could have a good life. The opportunity to find an official position gave Gongsun, the Liaoxi Lingzhi, the status of protecting private military forces.

Tian Yu did not refuse this kind of push.

But something happened.

Just when he was preparing to incorporate Baima Yicong into the military, he was forced to leave Youzhou by Wang Xiong, the governor of Youzhou.Now that he has returned to Bianjun again, although his authority lies in Bingzhou, Tian Yu also thought of a way out for Baima Yicong.

He knew that Emperor Cao Rui would definitely raise troops to conquer Liaodong in the future.

In fact, if Xia Houhui hadn't mentioned Qianzhao's legacy, Cao Rui would have already put the crusade against Liaodong on the agenda.

Therefore, the biggest reason why he asked Baima Yi to come from Youzhou not far away from Bingzhou to help in the battle was because the soldiers who conquered Kebineng in the temple were all from the Luoyang Central Army——

As long as Baima Yicong performed well in this battle and allowed the generals of the Luoyang Central Army to see his strength, he would then mention Baima Yicong's good fighting skills to Emperor Cao Rui in the battle report, claiming that when the temple conquers Liaodong in the future, But by recruiting them as soldiers in order to make the war smoother, Gongsun Ji's dying request can be fulfilled naturally.

A soldier who is good at fighting~
Can it be beneficial to the war~
How could Emperor Cao Rui be stingy with low-ranking military positions such as Zhonglang General and Colonel Lieutenant?

Not to mention that there are precedents for conferring official positions.

Just like before, when Gongsun Ji accepted the recruitment and led his troops back to Youzhou and Liaoxi, didn't the temple give him the false position of Jianyi Zhonglang General to show his favor?

Of course, things have to be done step by step.

The temple's expedition to Liaodong is still far away. The most urgent task now is to let Baima Yicong demonstrate his strength and let the generals of the Luoyang Central Army see it, so that when Emperor Cao Rui asks, they can also provide evidence.

For this reason, when Tian Yu recruited Sun Yi to join the state, he also specifically warned everyone to restrain their tempers and restrain the Baima Yi Cong, and not to conflict with the Luoyang Central Army.

Gongsun Yi readily agreed and agreed with determination.

He had been promoted by Gongsun Jier since he was a child, and he had just been crowned a few years ago. He had the eagerness of young people to make achievements, and he also had the hope that Baima Yicong could regain his glory.

But sometimes, age and experience are often linked to impulse.

During Xia Houhui's detailed and repeated questioning, he felt that this equally young nobleman from Luoyang distrusted and despised him and Baima Yicong!

You must know that since Tian Yu became the captain of Wuhuan, no matter whether he faced Suli five times or went out to attack Kebineng, Baima Yi followed him, and every time he acted as a pre-battle scout without hesitation, and he never failed. Blame.

Baima Yi never dared to say that he knew everything about Ma City, which he had attacked, but he dared to guarantee with his life that he would never be negligent in spying on military intelligence!
Gongsun Yi could claim that if the White Horse Yi Cong could not detect the military situation outside the Great Wall, it would be even less possible for the Youzhou Cavalry subordinate to Beizhong Lang General and the Eastern Xianbei Rangers attached to the Wei State to detect.

And this self-confidence is really not pride, but a fact that all Youzhou soldiers who have participated in the war outside the fortress believe.

In other words, in terms of spying on military intelligence, Baima Yicong cannot be questioned.

However, the young hero from Luoyang was not only filled with distrust both inside and outside his words, but he also went beyond the limits. He repeatedly asked about some details, hoping to find out Bai Ma Yi's omissions in spying on military intelligence.

Can An be like this? !
How can you, a person who has never even set foot in Juyong Pass, doubt Baima Yicong, who has been struggling to survive outside the pass for more than ten years? !

With this dissatisfaction, Gongsun Yi finally acted angrily among Xia Houhui's various questions, interrupted the conversation between the two, and said angrily, "General, what doubts do you have! He's from Xianbei Hu in Mobei" Although there are many captives, they have few armors, poor fighting weapons, and are not familiar with the terrain of southern Mongolia. The general can march long distances and defeat them in one battle! Although we, the white horse Yi Cong, live among the people, we have always followed them for more than ten years. Taishou Tian went out of the fortress without any mistakes, and killed and captured countless thieves! If the general does not believe the military information we have obtained through spying, we will ask ourselves to be the vanguard and clear the way for the army. Wait until we are safe and break through the enemy's formation. After that, the general will drive his troops in again!"

Such words seemed to be vouching for the lives of his three hundred cavalrymen, but in fact they were implicitly accusing Xiahou Hui of having no courage and being timid in the face of battle. He clearly just drove his troops away, so he could get the credit easily, but he repeatedly questioned and hesitated to move forward. .

Of course Xia Houhui also heard it.

Normally, he would have ignored it.

But tonight was obviously different.

He came here with a bad temper, and he was still tired after riding for half a night. How could he stand Gongsun Yi's ridicule?

Qin Lang suppressed him because of the private instruction of Emperor Cao Rui!
He had to endure it even if he didn't admit it, but Gongsun Yi was a figure in that area, how could he be allowed to mock himself as the chief officer!
Besides, military intelligence planning should be thoughtful in every detail. He had never set foot outside the Great Wall, so what was wrong with asking more detailed questions out of caution?

And he was even more dismissive of Gongsun Yi's request for orders with the white horse as the forerunner.

Is it possible to bet on the success or failure of the war by taking the lives of three hundred white-horse followers?

In a battle between the enemy and ourselves with nearly 20 troops, the lives of 300 people are just a bunch of numbers, how can they be used as bargaining chips?

Finally, he was disgusted with Gongsun Yi's vague boast of his previous achievements in the fortress.

You know, what followed him this time was the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, who had become the emperor's personal army, and the expanded Hussar Battalion with the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry as the backbone!

How could he tolerate Gongsun Yi, who is now the most elite cavalry in the Wei State and represents the majesty of the emperor in a sense, boasting in front of him about the good fighting skills of the white horse Yi Cong!

Personal honor and disgrace are minor matters, but the Luoyang Chinese Army cannot be underestimated by others.

Various factors came together, and after Xia Houhui heard this, he immediately stood up and angrily said, "In the early years, you and the white horses followed thousands of riders, which made the Wuhuan Hulu fearful and ran around telling each other, 'You must avoid the white horses.' The good reputation spreads to the county. However, you must not forget that the patient who killed Tadun in the White Wolf Mountain Formation and defeated Wuhuan in the North was our Luoyang Central Army Tiger and Leopard Cavalry!"

After reprimanding him, he immediately dismissed the military meeting without waiting for Gongsun Yi to speak.

At dawn the next day, the tiger and leopard cavalry and the cavalrymen from the Hussar camp arrived. Xiahou Hui selected more than a hundred scouts from the Youzhou cavalry, and then as the commander-in-chief, he sent the Youzhou cavalry and the eastern Xianbei army that had surrendered to Wei. Both the cavalry and the white horse Yi Cong were sent to Beiping, Daijun, directly excluding them from the surprise attack on Macheng.

"Yi was reckless, offended General Xiahou, and betrayed the prefect's good intentions."

After entering the military tent, Gongsun Yi, who had just turned things around, bowed to Tian Yu and confessed, "General Xiahou abandoned my three cavalry and led two thousand cavalry to Macheng. I don't know what the war will be like. If we win, Yes, that's easy to say; but if the battle goes unfavorably, I'm afraid the enemy will hold a grudge, and it will be my reckless behavior that will implicate the prefect."

After Tian Yu heard this, he was speechless for a while.

The look that fell on Gongsun Yi, who was still bowing and saluting, was helpless and melancholy.

Helpless, he hated Gongsun Yi and refused to fight.

He had repeatedly warned Gongsun Yi to restrain his temper, but in the end he still had a conflict with Luoyang Lieutenant General.

Melancholy, on the other hand, reflects the impermanence of things in the world.

Because he knew that Xia Houhui was not a narrow-minded person.

A large part of the reason why they are so angry with each other this time is that Qin Lang has been angry too much, so Gongsun Yi is unlucky and is regarded as the unlucky ghost who vented his anger.

"It's done now, so don't dwell on it anymore."

After a while, Tian Yu, who quietly sighed in his heart, said in a gentle tone of relief, "You can't just go to Macheng. You can also build achievements here. Just wait until you are ready to serve. As for Xiahou Zhiquan, he led two thousand cavalry. Will he fail if he attacks Macheng alone?"

At this point, he paused for a moment, "There is no need to worry. Although he is younger than you, his strategy and decisiveness in battle are far better than those of his generation. The important ministers in the temple did not hesitate to praise him, and the emperor also valued him highly. Well, I came all the way. , you are also tired, please go down and rest first."

"only."

Gongsun Yi responded respectfully.

After Yiyan walked out of the military tent, he followed the guards outside the tent on their way to rest, still savoring Tian Yu's words in his heart.

He was very familiar with Tian Yu's character, and he could tell that Tian Yu's high opinion of Xia Houhui was not a polite or comforting comment, but came from the bottom of his heart.

Therefore, he felt faintly regretful at this time.

After offending the talented ancestors who were favored by the emperor, it meant that Tian Yu's future expedition to Liaodong for them would probably be difficult to accomplish.

It's very simple.

Since Xia Houhui was favored by the emperor Cao Rui, all he needed to say was "Although he is good at fighting, he has no military discipline and is unruly and will do more harm than good" to make the emperor abandon Baima Yiyi.

Ugh.
If this is the case, I am afraid that I will betray my father’s wishes when he died!
When they arrived at the military tent where they were resting, after checking the arrangement of Baima Yicong's cavalry, Gongsun Yi, who was lying casually on the couch, was not sleepy. He was also thinking about whether to find an opportunity to try to let Xia Houhui general I ignored this provocation
Well, he also understands the ways of the world.

Just like when his father, Gongsun Ji, was still alive, he would always find a reason to give part of the spoils Baima Yicong gained from his expeditions to the Liaoxi prefect and border guards for any reason. (End of chapter)