Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 465: Practice more food
The county seat of Yuci County is located next to Dongwoshui, a tributary of Fenshui River.

Because writing was a privilege only for the upper class before the Tang Dynasty, Dongwoshui is also a transliteration, with various names. It is also called "Tongguoshui" and "Guoshui" in folk culture.

The Dongwo River is tens of meters wide near Yuci County, but not very deep. During the non-flood season, people and horses can wade through the water.

It was only noon at this moment. Beside the Dongwo River, the infantry under Cai Xide had already formed a battle formation, waiting for Fang Chongyong and his more than 10,000 elite soldiers to come out of Taiyuan City.

According to their marching speed, they should have come into contact with Cai Xide's troops in half an hour at most. However, an hour had passed and the enemy was still slacking off, running slower than a turtle.

"General Cai, the enemy has raised a square flag, but they are arrayed five miles away and marching slowly.

Judging from the size, not counting the cavalry, there should be around 10,000 people."

Sun Xiaozhe came galloping over on his horse, panting and saluted to Cai Xide with his fists clasped.

This reconnaissance trip was a life-and-death experience. There were dozens of scouts accompanying them, but only four or five returned. The rest were strangled to death by the enemy scouts and could not get too close.

Sun Xiaozhe also had to admit that Fang Chongyong might not be very capable, but the elite troops under his command were indeed good at fighting.

"Go and rest."

Cai Xide, who was riding on a horse, waved his hand gently, signaling Sun Xiaozhe to step down.

"General Cai, let's let those civilians charge now? I see that the enemy army is well-organized. If we don't use a clever strategy, I'm afraid we won't be able to gain any advantage."

Sun Xiaozhe clasped his fists and asked for instructions.

Cai Xide didn't know how to answer this question.

Because the idiot's train of thought is never on the same channel as his. If he explains the strategy seriously to Sun Xiaozhe, the other party may laugh at Cai Xide for not knowing how to fight a war because he does not understand it.

"Now is not the time."

Cai Xide said calmly, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking. He didn't want to explain more to Sun Xiaozhe.

"General Cai, this matter cannot be delayed. Those civilians are a burden to us and will interfere with our military operations!"

Sun Xiaozhe was so anxious that he didn't care about hierarchy when speaking.

What he said hit the nail on the head, but Cai Xide knew the same thing.

There are tens of thousands of people in Yuci County. If they really start to riot, it will also have an impact on the Hebei rebels themselves.

"General Sun, if you are anxious, you can lead our troops to fight. I will never stop you."

Cai Xide frowned slightly and said that Sun Xiaozhe was Shi Siming's "adopted son" and sending him here was actually an old trick to add sand.

It was as if Shi Siming also had Huangfu Weiming’s loyal confidants around him.

"If we go into battle alone with such a small number of men, wouldn't that be suicide?"

Sun Xiaozhe became furious when he heard this and couldn't help but retort.

"Then just wait."

Cai Xide waved his hand, and two of his personal soldiers stood in front of Sun Xiaozhe, signaling him to step down, otherwise he would be brought to justice for "interfering with the commander-in-chief's command."

"Bah! What kind of behavior is that!"

Sun Xiaozhe walked away and quietly spat on the ground where no one was around.

Looking at his departing back, Cai Xide couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

There are so many idiots in the world, it’s impossible to kill them all!
He is clearly a wimp, but he thinks he is very capable; he clearly cannot even understand the outcome of the battle, but he still acts like a loser and gives orders blindly.

Cai Xide understood Sun Xiaozhe's thoughts, because he himself had also been trained step by step from the grassroots level in the border town, and he had also been in the same stage as Sun Xiaozhe. No one is born to fight.

According to Sun Xiaozhe's idea, Fang Chongyong, this "fool", should have led his troops out of Taiyuan, rushing all the way here without caring about the consequences, and then had his own people send a wave of civilians to disrupt the formation, and finally suffered a great defeat.

Perhaps the cavalry on their side can chase the defeated soldiers all the way, perform the "rolling pearl curtain" tactic under the city of Taiyuan, and break through the city of Taiyuan in one fell swoop!

This idea is not bad, but it is just like someone imagining that tigers will consciously eat grass instead of meat and will work in the fields.

This is all one-sided fantasy, a dead-end routine of treating the enemy as a fool.

Fang Chongyong will indeed lead his troops out of the city, but the next steps may not necessarily go as he has imagined.

For example, now, Fang Chongyong has already judged Cai Xide’s strategic intentions, so he is not in a hurry to seek a decisive battle.

Sun Xiaozhe imagined that Fang Chongyong was going to charge, but the other party just didn't, so this godson of Shi Siming became so anxious that he wanted to take the initiative to charge into the battle.

Cai Xide already knew that Fang Chongyong would not be so reckless, so he was not in a hurry at all and had already prepared the backup plan.

The sound of the flowing water in the vortex kept ringing in his ears. After waiting for another half an hour, the soldiers under Fang Chongyong still had not come into contact with Cai Xide's men and were still slacking off over there!

"Let a thousand people pass."

Cai Xide instructed the messenger and gave up the fantasy in his mind that "what if the other party is an idiot."

"Order!"

The messenger took the order and left. Soon, the army formation separated into two sides. A thousand old, weak, women and children, supporting each other, walked towards the west in the direction of the Tang army.

After a while, they broke contact with Cai Xide's troops.

"Now that I have made my move, how will you respond, Your Excellency?"

Cai Xide was riding on a horse with a smile on his face. He held the whip tightly in his right hand, and the fighting spirit in his heart was burning.

Yes, that’s the feeling, that’s what makes it interesting!

If Fang Chongyong really led his troops to charge into battle as Sun Xiaozhe expected, he would look down on this famous general who swept across the Western Regions.

Cai Xide had become numb from beating the Khitans in the border town, just like Fang Chongyong in his previous life when those e-sports players beat the mentally retarded AI machines. They were almost sick of beating them!

He just wants to fight with the masters!
If you always play against noobs, you will never improve.

It is obvious that in Cai Xide's view, Fang Chongyong is a master.

……

"General, the enemy army has released a thousand old, weak, women and children."

He Changqi rode his horse forward, and the other party saluted with a fist.

"Tell those in the Heavenly Army who have family members in Yuci County to march forward and line up to prepare to meet the enemy!"

Fang Zhongyong gave the order calmly with an emotionless tone, which made He Changqi feel a chill down his spine.

He knew very well in his heart that this group of people would definitely be in danger of death today!
"Marshal Jie, many people will die like this..."

He Changqi stepped forward and spoke in a low voice.

"Have you ever seen a war where no one died?
Not to mention fighting, even in daily martial arts performances, people have died in accidents.”

Fang Chongyong asked rhetorically.

He Changqi was speechless. He just felt that Fang Chongyong really proved the saying "a kind man cannot command an army".

Shuai Ji is really cruel!

According to He Changqi's idea, there is actually a "better" way, or one that would result in fewer casualties. If the army were to meet the enemy steadily, it might not be impossible for them to hold out.

Now let some of the heavenly soldiers line up and come forward to meet their own families.

He seems to be "following the will of the army", but in fact he has a heart of stone.

These people were all baits thrown out by Fang Zhongyong to lure out Cai Xide's backhand. If Cai Xide did not make a backhand move, he would have to watch the people of Yuci County being rescued by their relatives.

Or watch his men fight to the death with the Heavenly Soldiers, exchanging their lives for theirs. If there is a back-up plan, Fang Zhongyong has more back-ups, so everyone will rely on their own abilities on the battlefield.

"Order!"

He Changqi took the order and left. Soon, two or three thousand soldiers from the Heavenly Army lined up and came to the front of the formation, forming the vanguard of the army.

At this time, the two armies were less than two miles apart, and the opposing flags could already be seen.

"Blow the horn! Charge ahead!"

Fang Zhongyong gave orders to Feng Changqing beside him.

"Order!"

Feng Changqing raised the red command flag, and the messenger beside him raised the team flag representing the army's number and began to wave it.

Suddenly, drums sounded loudly in the army!

The vanguard of the Tang army, mainly infantry, lined up and marched forward in big strides.

When the Hebei rebels saw that Fang Chongyong had sent out the vanguard to charge, they immediately separated a path in the formation. Sun Xiaozhe personally led his men and drove the people of Yuci County towards the Tang army soldiers who were marching in formation.

At the rear of the Tang army, Fang Chongyong ordered the drums to be beaten again, and the soldiers of the Tianbing army in the front began to use the "staggered layer" method, gradually changing from a tight formation to a loose formation.

As a result, many people easily passed through the gaps in the "human wall".

At this moment, the hearts of the two main generals, Fang Chongyong and Cai Xide, were in their throats.

Because the deciding factor in the battle is about to come.

However, as the two armies got closer and closer, Fang Chongyong never gave the order to send other troops to support the Tianbing Army.

The vanguard team gradually distanced themselves from the main force, and between the two, people from Yuci County could be seen running around frantically.

"Fang Guozhong, you are really cruel."

Cai Xide, who was riding on a horse, sighed and said, "He already knew that it would be difficult to achieve a complete victory today, and he also understood Fang Zhongyong's strategic intentions."

Cai Xide fought a political battle, using the support of the military and the people as a threat; Fang Chongyong also fought a political battle, just to win the support of the military and the people.

Don't care about casualties at all.

"Pass the order down, Zhang Xiaozhong's troops charge!"

Cai Xide instructed the messenger.

"Order!"

Zhang Xiaozhong was a fierce general under Cai Xide. He was a young man in his twenties, armed with weapons and extremely brave. Zhang Xiaozhong's ancestors were the chieftains of the Yishihuo tribe of the Khitan, and his father submitted to the Tang Dynasty during the Kaiyuan period.

He is Cai Xide's confidant and close friend.

Soon, the fierce general Zhang Xiaozhong led an elite army of 3,000 men, changed their formation from the central army to the front army, marched along the Dongwo River, and followed the people of Yuci County.

Soon, the two armies engaged in battle. The Tianbing Army, which was in disarray, suffered a great loss at the beginning and was divided and surrounded by Zhang Xiaozhong, fighting on their own.

However, because there was an "isolation zone", Zhang Xiaozhong was very cautious and did not take advantage of the chaos to attack the Tang army's rear formation. Instead, he divided his troops to encircle and kill the Tang army that had been surrounded.

Fang Chongyong simply ordered Duan Xiushi to organize hundreds of soldiers to "divert" the civilians, take the "green channel", wade directly across the river to the other side of Dongwo River, and break away from the battlefield.

As for the two or three thousand Heavenly Army soldiers in the front army, he had no intention of rescuing them and strictly ordered all units not to go into battle.

After Zhang Xiaozhong killed and dispersed the vanguard soldiers of the Heavenly Soldiers Army, he carefully rearranged his troops and moved closer to his main camp. This was also what Cai Xide had instructed, that without new orders, he should not fight recklessly and waste his energy.

"Become invincible first, and then wait for the enemy to be defeated. Fang Guozhong, you are worthy of being the famous general who swept across the Western Regions."

Looking at the battle situation ahead that seemed like a win but was actually a loss, Cai Xide couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment.

Fishing for Nima fish is as delicate as a loach!
Cai Xide blamed himself for his wild imagination. When playing against a master, one should not be lucky and think that the opponent is a fool.

"Pass the order down, call back the troops, and do not pursue..."

As soon as Cai Xide finished speaking, he saw Sun Xiaozhe leading a cavalry rushing into the battlefield, chasing and hacking the civilians who fled to the Tang army's line and the defeated Tianbing army soldiers.

For a while, anyone who had not yet come into contact with the main camp of the Tang army, whether they were civilians or fleeing soldiers, were ruthlessly hacked to death by Sun Xiaozhe and his cavalry.

Just like chopping melons and vegetables.

"Aaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Help!"

"Don't kill me, don't kill me!"

Screams and cries were heard one after another on the battlefield.

The officers under Fang Chongyong were all filled with righteous indignation and requested to go into battle, but they were strictly ordered not to act rashly.

Fang Chongyong was also very disappointed. After failing to catch fish, he could only sit and watch the big fish eat the bait.

Whatever you do at this time will be wrong.

The commanders of both sides were very cautious, but Sun Xiaozhe's cavalry of more than 1,000 people were so powerful that they could run rampant on the battlefield, chasing and killing civilians and deserters effortlessly. Only when they got close to the Tang army's formation, they were shot by arrows like locusts and could not raise their heads, leaving behind several corpses and fleeing in panic.

Ding ding ding ding ding ding!
The messenger beside Cai Xide beat the gong desperately, ordering the troops to retreat.

Sun Xiaozhe was killing people vigorously on the battlefield, chopping them down until he was tired of it!

When he heard the sound of the horn, he suddenly wanted to stab Cai Xide with a knife.

However, it was not convenient to issue orders when the cavalry was on the move. Since Cai Xide had already sounded the horn, even if Sun Xiaozhe wanted to fight, his men would turn their horses around and return to their camp when they heard the horn.

When Sun Xiaozhe returned to the camp triumphantly and rode forward to ask Cai Xide for credit, the other party slapped him in the face.

"I have reminded you many times that the cavalry must not move without my order. Why didn't you obey my orders?"

Cai Xide pointed at Sun Xiaozhe, who had fallen to the ground and was stunned by the slap, and asked loudly.

"Mr. Cai! Are you blind?
Didn't you see that I just killed the enemy so hard that they cried for their parents? You are blind, but the whole army is not blind!
Count how many men and horses I have lost and how many heads I have captured!

It’s fine if I don’t ask you for any credit, but do you want to punish me?
You are such a coward, and you don't allow others to fight. Bah! "

Sun Xiaozhe walked away cursing, and no one stopped him.

When Cai Xide saw that many people around him were looking at Sun Xiaozhe with sympathy, he knew that his intentions would never be understood by those uneducated soldiers.

An expression of disappointment suddenly appeared.

"General Cai, the enemy has also withdrawn their troops. The front team has become the rear team and is heading towards Taiyuan City. We don't have any burdens in our hands, so let's quickly return to Shouyang County.

This battle ends like this.

"Regarding General Sun's matter, our army only won a small victory today, so we shouldn't make a big deal out of it."

The tall and strong Zhang Xiaozhong stepped out to smooth things over.

He was Cai Xide's confidant, and what he said was the truth. No matter how dull or exciting this battle was, it was all in the past.

Sun Xiaozhe was indeed reckless, but he was Shi Siming's adopted son, and he did gain a lot in this battle. It would be better to just reprimand him and give him a light punishment.

What else can we do?
"Withdraw the troops and station them in Shouyang County."

Cai Xide waved his hands exhaustedly, feeling even more tired than fighting in person. Only he knew how tough the opponent was, and his subordinates had not yet realized how terrifying Fang Chongyong was.

This kind of "self-aware" loneliness made Cai Xide a little depressed.

(End of this chapter)