Hengdao Sixteen Kingdoms

Chapter 495 Chase

Judging from the battlefield situation, Huan Wen should have already intended to retreat.

They retreated in an orderly manner, leaving some men and horses behind.

One hundred thousand Jin troops and civilians including Queen Cang retreated, and the battlefield was extremely chaotic. Wooden carts, grain, grass, and ordnance were blocked in the road, which slowed down Liang Jun's pursuit.

Li Yue led the Black Cloud Knights and had just arrived. Most of Huan Wen's troops had already retreated to Shishui. The warships were lined up on the water to meet the retreating Jin army.

There are five large boats alone, like evil beasts lurking on the river.

All kinds of sterns, fighting ships, and boats were waiting around.

The northerners were good at riding, while the southerners were good at boating. The forces located in the east of the Yangtze River all vigorously developed their navy.

Huan Wen came here to advance both by land and water, while the naval forces remained in the rear.

Gao Yun swept across the river bank from west to east, and Li Yue plunged straight down from the northeast, cutting off the retreat of the defeated army.

Tens of thousands of crossbows were fired from the Jin army's warships, and the arrows were densely raining, turning the more than 200 Black Cloud Knights who rushed forward into hedgehogs.

The other cavalrymen did not dare to charge. They looked at the giant beast in the water in the grass beside the Lema River in a daze.

At this time, the defeated army had no way to retreat, looking southward at the river and crying.

"Huan Gong, save me!"

"Why did Duke Huan abandon us?"

There were all kinds of cries, but no one dared to move in the face of the black cloud knight's armor and long spear.

In the end, they had to put down their weapons and kneel on the ground. Those who did not want to surrender, some drew their swords and killed themselves, and some raised their spears and attacked the Black Cloud Army, only to be torn apart by random blades.

A flag with the word "Huan" was raised on a large ship. Several soldiers gathered around one person at the bow of the ship, looking at the battlefield with dull eyes.

When Li Yue saw this popularity, he thought it was Huan Wen. He was a little far away and couldn't see clearly. He led his own horse and rode to the place where he was shot. "I am waiting for you in Yecheng. Where is the great Sima going?"

A burst of crossbow arrows were fired from the building ship, and they landed feebly a few steps in front of Li Yuema.

Occasionally, a few weak ones flew in and were blocked by the guards' shields.

The man didn't speak. Hearing the cries for help on the battlefield, he turned and returned to the cabin.

The fleet slowly moved southward in a mighty way.

Li Yue looked back at the battlefield. There was only sporadic and weak resistance left. It was only a matter of time before he was annihilated. "Send the order. The infantry will clean the battlefield. The cavalry will follow me south to pursue Huan Wen!"

People are not fish, they always have to come ashore.

In this battle, the main force on Jiangdong's eastern front was defeated, and all that was left was to pursue death and pursue the north to expand the fruits of victory.

As long as Huan Wen did not retreat into the Yangtze River, there would still be a chance!
North of the Yangtze River, no army could resist the advance of the Black Cloud Knights.

Since Yiguan's journey to the south, the Jin Dynasty has set up a large number of overseas Chinese counties and counties in the north of the Yangtze River to accommodate the northerners who went south. Now, the northern country has been cleared of all the dust, and it is Li Yue's turn to "welcome" them back home!
Only these people really want the Northern Expedition. Without these people, Jiangdong will completely become a separatist force like Soochow and lose the motivation for the Northern Expedition!

The Northern Expedition by those people from Jiangdong would not be successful in 100 years.

People live in a warm water town, why should they go to the north to be knifed and frozen?
"Drive! Drive!"

The cavalry scolded their horses and flew southward like a flock of geese.

More and more cavalrymen caught up from the rear.

Although Jiangdong's navy was spectacular, it was not traveling very fast and was easily overtaken by the cavalry.

"Your Majesty, Chaohu is twenty miles to the southwest, and Chao County is thirty miles to the southeast!" A scout came to report.

Chaohu Lake is the base camp of Jiangdong Navy. To the south are Dongguan and Ruxu fortresses, and to the east are Jiashi and Shiting.

Jia Shi and Shi Pavilion are bounded by the Dabie Mountains to the north, the river to the south, and Chaohu Lake to the northwest. They are shaped like a pocket. Once you enter, it is difficult to get out.

In the second year of Taihe (228), Cao Xiu, the commander-in-chief of the Wei Dynasty, was lured to Shiting by Zhou Li's plan of false surrender. He was besieged by Lu Xun, Zhu Huan, and Quan Cong's [-] troops, and was defeated. Cao Xiu broke through to Jia Shi, and then The retreat was blocked by Sun Quan. Fortunately, Jia Kui prepared the road and fought hard to rescue Cao Xiu, which saved the entire army from being destroyed.

It was also the defeat of Shiting that accelerated Sima Yi's rise, and the generals of the Cao Wei clan died young one by one.Unable to go southwest, Li Yue could only go east of Chaohu Lake.

Looking back at the soldiers, after a day of fighting, the people were still in a state of excitement, but the horses were exhausted. "Capture Chaoxian County and rest!"

The horses' hooves roared as they galloped southward.

At this time, Chao County was completely defenseless and had not yet received news of the defeat of the Jin army in the north.

At the sight of the overwhelming cavalry rushing towards them, the defenders and people in the city dispersed.

Li Yue led his cavalry into the city smoothly and immediately rushed to the treasury in the city to take out grain and salt to feed the horses.

Slaughter the livestock in the city and reward the soldiers with injured horses.

After a night's rest, the cavalry from the rear came one after another.

The next day, the scouts sent Gao Yun to report that in this battle, including Meng Kai's [-] dead men, [-] were killed and [-] were captured. There were countless livestock, carts, tents, and supplies of food and grass. Generals Zhang Hao and Lu Guang had already led the way. The soldiers came from behind.

The casualties of the Black Cloud Army were not small, with more than [-] killed and nearly [-] seriously injured. Minor injuries were not included in the statistics.

Huan Wen refused to defend the base and defended it. With the favorable location, the casualties would definitely be huge.

If Huan Wen decided to fight to the death, even if Liang Jun won, his vitality would definitely be severely damaged.

Li Yue sighed in his heart, but quickly adjusted his mentality. Sacrifice was inevitable and worthwhile. These casualties were still within the tolerable range.

The next step is to collect the results.

"Where is Huan Wen's navy now?" Li Yue asked.

"We have arrived at Dongguan." A scout reported back.

Built by Zhuge Ke in the Eastern Wu Dynasty, the Eastern Pass controls Chaohu Lake in the north and the Yangtze River in the south, making it the strategic link between the north and the south.

Li Yue's cavalry needed to rest, but Huan Wen's men and horses could rest directly on the ship.

Ruxu water flows out of Chaohu Lake and flows into the Yangtze River from north to south.

Under Dongguan, there is Ruxucheng guarding the water outlet. This is the last chance to intercept Huan Wen's navy. If the Jin army's warships are captured, they will have something to cross the river.

"The whole army assembles and marches to Ruxu City!" Li Yue mentioned Changshan with high spirits.

"Kill!" Hundreds of thorns around him stabbed into the sky.

The blue sky, the last beauty of the spring in May, and the gentle breeze show the gentleness of Jiangnan, which is very different from the rough Hebei.

No wonder the kings and ministers of the Jin Dynasty wanted to settle down after they moved eastward. Since ancient times, Wenwen Township has been the tomb of heroes.

The cavalry gathered and marched south again, heading straight for Ruxukou.

Along the way, the forts, villages, and cities all fled.

At this time, the news of Huan Wen's defeat should have reached Jiangbei. There were crying people on both sides of the road, sitting paralyzed on the ground, looking at the black cavalry running towards them in horror.

But the Black Cloud Army jumped over and did not kill them.

As long as they don't block the main road, there is no threat, and the people's fear turns into confusion again.

After a day of rapid march, thousands of horses were exhausted and finally arrived at Ruxukou.

The endless falling trees rustled under the trees, and the endless Yangtze River rolled in.

At this time, the Yangtze River was far wider than in later generations. The remaining light of the setting sun shone on the river, making it look golden and like a god.

The water mist is long and the smoke is vast, winding eastward and endless.

There are so many beautiful mountains and rivers, attracting countless heroes to bow down!
Ruxu City is located at the intersection of the triangle where Ruxu River meets the Yangtze River. The water village is in the east and the city is in the west, sandwiching the Ruxu River. At this time, Huan Wen's naval forces were still in the upstream boundary of Xianxi.

Li Yue waved his long spear and pointed at the water village, and thousands of horses galloped behind him, rushing away...

(End of this chapter)