Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 359 The Widow Has Admired You For A Long Time
Five days later, the Xiao cavalry army drove nearly a thousand miles and approached Pengcheng, the capital of Huainan.

Although the marching speed of the Xiao cavalry army was not as fast as the notorious Mongolian cavalry in later generations, it was still quite fast. When the wild horses fled for their lives, the remnants of the Chu army set a record of driving more than 300 miles a day and night, but that was on the premise of fleeing for their lives. And it was at the expense of abandoning the fallen soldiers. More importantly, this speed could not last at all.

Looking at the towering and majestic city outline not far away, the eyes of a few cavalry officers turned red instantly. These cavalry officers were all veterans who escaped from Yemayuan following Xiangzhuang. Give them good memories, there are even their clansmen there, but now, Pengcheng is the capital of Huainan Kingdom.

Seeing that the sky was getting dark, Xiang Zhuang gently reined in the black horse, and slowly raised his right hand.

In an instant, dozens of cavalry sent orders to gallop in all directions of the marching column: "Your Majesty has ordered that the whole army stop advancing and camp on the spot!"

The cavalrymen of the Chu State who were advancing furiously reined in their horses one after another, then got off their horses, and unloaded huge canvas bags from the backs of their mules and horses. In addition to a longbow, a horn bow, and four hundred arrows for each person, there are also four sheepskin bags of liquor and a tent.

These equipments alone weigh almost two hundred catties (Qin Jin), so special mules and horses are needed to carry them.

In fact, during this expedition, Xiangzhuang allocated three horses for each cavalryman of the Xiaocavalry Army. But this does not mean that the Xiaocai army has no supplies. It is necessary to know that some combat materials are difficult to get supplies from Qidi, so they must bring enough.

About four or five hundred Xiao cavalrymen were quickly divided into a dozen teams and spread out in all directions. They were scout cavalry, and they shouldered the heavy responsibility of vigilance.

The sky finally got dark, and piles of bonfires were quickly lit under the night sky. The unscrupulous laughter of the soldiers of the Chu Army resounded in the firelight. The soldiers set up the tents, unsaddled the horses, and let the The war horses were grazing on the river beach, and he himself sat down by the fire, and the whole river beach fell into an uproar in an instant.

Xiang Zhuang also sat down on the grass, took the wheat cake that Jin Xiang handed over, and tore off a bite, then chewed with cold water, Ying Zhen was setting up a tent not far away with a sad face, He also groaned, but Xiang Zhuang turned a deaf ear to it, and refused to allow the accompanying female soldiers to help.

The Chu army has extremely strict military discipline. When not fighting, the higher the title, the higher the status, and the richer and superior life they can enjoy. But when they are away from the army, the Chu army is equal from the commander to the soldier Didn't Xiang Zhuang unload the saddle and build the tent with his own hands just now?Isn't what you're eating now also wheatbread?Aren't they also drinking cold water?
There are four sheepskin bags of liquor in the canvas bag, but it is for the horses, not for the soldiers.

The horses of the cavalry of the Chu Army belong to the improved Mongolian horses. They are adaptable and can eat grass on the spot at ordinary times. However, after a long-distance march or before a high-intensity charge, the horses must be fed with rations, otherwise the horses will lose weight. , and the fine grains of war horses are actually the coarse grains of human beings, and the effect will be better if they can be mixed with white wine.

The reason why Xiang Zhuang eats dry food and drinks cold water with ordinary soldiers is not just to win people's hearts, but has a deeper reason. situation in order to formulate more correct and targeted combat plans.

After eating half a piece of wheat cake, Bai Lixian came to Xiang Zhuang out of breath.

Perhaps Bailixian was the only one among the 40 soldiers of the Chu army who had special privileges. This was also specially ordered by Xiang Zhuang, because Bailixian was already in his [-]s, and his body was far inferior to that of Bailimao, who was given the privilege by For a general like Yuan, Xiang Zhuang was afraid that he would be exhausted during the long march, so he made a special case for him.

However, Bai Lixian couldn't stand it even though his own soldiers took care of him in every possible way.

"Zi Liang, sit here." Xiang Zhuangsu signaled Bai Lixian to sit beside him, and said, "Are you okay?"

"It's okay, I can hold on." Bai Lixian sat down next to Xiang Zhuang, stretched his legs comfortably, and smiled wryly while rubbing his inner thighs, "Oh, I haven't ridden a horse for several years , almost won’t ride anymore.”

"It's the same for widows." Xiang Zhuang smiled wryly and shook his head. This person is like this. It's easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but it's difficult to go from extravagant to frugal again. In the past, when fleeing with thousands of remnants, no matter how hard it was, how tired he was I didn't feel anything, but after more than ten years of pampering and pampering, marching on horseback has become a chore.

When the monarch and his ministers were chatting, Hu Yan suddenly stepped forward to report: "Your Majesty, the Minister of Huainan Kuai Che is here to visit."

"Oh, Kuai Che? Come on, hurry up!" After saying this, Xiang Zhuang suddenly stood up again, calling Hu Yanzhengde who was about to leave, and said, "Wait, I'd better go to meet you in person, son. Liang, you go with the widow."

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In the faint light of the fire, Kuai Che was looking at the soldiers of the Chu army who were shouting and making noise on the river beach with a complicated expression.

Twenty thousand cavalry troops poured into Huainan like locusts. Although they did not burn, kill or loot, such a large battle could not fail to alarm Huainan's monarchs and officials, and Huainan's monarchs and officials could not be worried. Seeing the Chu cavalry approaching Pengcheng , but it was too late to see the envoys of Chu State come to inform the Chu army's intentions, Yingbo finally couldn't sit still.

What do the Chu cavalry want to do?What does Xiang Zhuang want to do?
At the moment of crisis, Yingbo finally left the harem spring garden, and also stayed away from the inseparable wine beauty. While strictly ordering the imperial army to strengthen the defense of Pengcheng, he asked Fei Zhu to call the soldiers from all counties, and Kuai Che urgently came to the Xiaocai army Let's explore Xiang Zhuang's tone first.

From the group of Chu army soldiers in front of him, Kuai Che really felt a strong oppressive force, yes, it is oppressive force, they sat or stood, or laughed out loud, or buried their heads in eating, or condensed His brows were contemplative, but they all revealed a palpitating aura. There is no doubt that this is a group of bloodthirsty warriors eager for war!

Kuai Che couldn't imagine what kind of momentum it would be when these guys put on their battle armor, stepped on their horses, and then charged forward screaming with their ring swords out.But Kuai Che knew that it was this cavalry army that almost defeated Han Xin's central army in the last Huainan battle. If Xiang Zhuang had personally led the army at that time, Han Xin might have been captured by him.

Naturally, a question arose in Kuai Che's mind, if one day Chu State and Huainan State turned against each other, would the Huainan Army be able to stop such a fierce cavalry?Under the dark night sky, Kuai Che silently shook his head, the answer was obviously no, even the most elite Huainan Forbidden Army was vulnerable to this cavalry!
Reminiscent of the description of the Chu land by the junior official who came back from his envoy to Chu, Kuai Che couldn't help but feel lost.

The ancients said that if a king wants to make a difference, he must not only get the right time, but also get his fortune. As everyone knows, it is even more difficult for a counselor to make a difference. In addition to getting the right time and his fortune, I want to win the hero!What good fortune tricks people, he Kuaiche first served Han Xin, followed by Peng Yue, and then Yingbu, but he was repeatedly defeated by the British leader.

A burst of chaotic and hasty footsteps suddenly came from behind. When Kuai Che looked back, he saw a young man in a plain cloth robe striding towards him surrounded by a large group of people. Although Kuai Che didn't I recognize this young man, but just looking at this battle, I know that it is undoubtedly Xiangzhuang, King of Chu.

At that moment Kuai Che stepped forward and gave a deep bow, saying: "Fan Yang Kuai Che, see Your Majesty."

Bai Lixian, who was following behind Xiang Zhuang, just smiled slightly, knowing the subtleties is an essential quality for every counselor. From Kuai Che's self-reported line of "Fan Yang Kuai Che", Bai Lixian understood a level of paradox. Meaning, it seems that Kuai Che is not doing well in Huainan, which is good news, haha.

Xiang Zhuang took two steps forward to support Kuai Che, and said with a smile, "Mr. Kuai Che, I have admired you for a long time, ha ha!"

"I'm ashamed." Kuai Che took advantage of the situation, stood up, bowed in the direction of Pengcheng, and then said, "Your Majesty, I'm here by my king's order. I would like to ask where your army wants to go? Do you need our country to provide food and grass for your army?"

Xiang Zhuang turned around and put his hands down, and said with a smile: "Sir, this is not a place to talk, how about doing business with the widow?"

Kuai Che had nothing to do, and said calmly: "Since the king has ordered, how dare I refuse to obey?"

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Pengcheng, the palace.

Huainan Wang Yingbu, Zhu Jian, Fei Zhu and other civil and military ministers waited until midnight, but Kuai Che never returned.

Ying Bu couldn't help being a little anxious, looked around the crowd and asked: "My dear friends, do you think the Prime Minister has been imprisoned by Xiang Zhuang'er?"

All the ministers looked at each other, it was really possible.

The Chu army's inroads into Huainan this time were suspicious. If Xiang Zhuang really came for the Huainan country, then Kuai Che's going here would be tantamount to throwing himself into a trap. How could Xiang Zhuang let him come back?

When Yingbu and other ministers were suspicious, Wei Liji, the pro-military academy, suddenly stepped inside and reported, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is back."

"Oh, the Prime Minister is back?" Ying Bu said anxiously, "Hurry up, invite the Prime Minister to come to the study."

When Kuai Che entered the study room, Ying Bo, Zhu Jian, Fei Zhu and the others clearly smelled the strong smell of alcohol from him. Ying Bo immediately frowned and said in a deep voice, "Master Guo, have you been drinking?" At this moment, Yingbo was quite unhappy. He was worried at home, but Kuai Che was drinking and having fun with Xiang Zhuang in the Chu army barracks?
Kuai Che said without hesitation: "Yes, the king of Chu invited me, but I dare not resign."

"Don't you dare to resign?" Zhu Jian said sadly, "I'm afraid I don't want to resign? Kuai Che, do you see that Huainan's national strength is weak and our military strength is weak, so you want to hug King Chu's thigh?"

"Zhu Jian!" Kuai Che said angrily, "Don't slander the truth with all your lies!"

Zhu Jian was about to turn his lips back, but was stopped by Yingbo. At that moment, Yingbo asked Kuaiche again: "Minister Guo, since you and Xiang Zhuang have had a drink, you must have had a good conversation. The Chu army is here in Pengcheng. What exactly is the intention?"

(End of this chapter)