Harue Kagetsu - Chapter 156

Around Yanmen Pass, there are undulating mountains, thousands of mountains and valleys, the north is outside the fortress, the south is in the middle of the pass, the beacon towers are remote, and the passes are connected.

After the Xiongnu, Liu Jianjian, occupied Yanmen. It is because of this reliance that he is very ambitious. In the past, he planned to attack Chang’an in the south, occupying Guanzhong, but the plan failed, and he changed his goal to the east. Battle, each has a winner.

The two countries that were originally at war with each other are now finally united by marriage because of a common enemy.

Liu Jian, a Xiongnu who had been the emperor of Xiliang for several years, was not only not stupid, but very shrewd.

The place he occupied is not only outside Yanmen, but also part of Bingzhou, knowing that Li Mu will sooner or later target himself. Now that Murong is not as good as the heavens for others, he made a big somersault in Li Mu’s hands, and he gave up the Central Plains in Luoyang, and took the initiative to come to the door to show his marriage. He can not only hold the beauty, but also combine the forces of both sides to eradicate Li Mu, so as to avoid future troubles. How could he miss such an opportunity?

Back then, when he proposed to Murong Zhe, he was disgusted by her, making him a laughing stock. Now that Murong’s request is good, Murong Zhe has also fallen into Li Mu’s hands. Only by relying on himself can he come back. What about the pen and ink? Can you describe the pride in his heart?

For Murong, the previous loss in Luoyang was like losing a big gamble.

That battle not only made him lose all the people in the Central Plains, but also greatly reduced his prestige in the country of Yan, and also suffered a great blow in terms of strength.

Except for the front army responsible for sending the hostages, the large army of Yan State and the corresponding logistical provisions are still on the way and have not been able to arrive.

At this time, Liu Jian received the news that Li Mu suddenly sent troops north, suspected of coming towards Yanmen, obviously aimed at himself, and hurriedly summoned his subordinates. After deliberation, a countermeasure was decided. While he sent someone to deliver a letter to Li Mu, saying that he wanted to exchange Murong Zhe with the eldest princess and his son, he assembled the army and waited in full force, just waiting for the Beiyan army to arrive. When the two sides converged, they vowed to destroy Li Mu outside the Yanmen.

…

Li Mu and his army set out from Chang’an, went north to Yongzhou, entered Bingzhou, and went straight to Yanmen.

In the late autumn in the north, the closer you are to the frontier, the more wind and sand fill the air, and the grass is declining.

This northbound official road connecting Chang’an, Yongzhou and Bingzhou was opened in the early years of Dayu’s founding, and there are dozens of counties and counties along the way. In the early years, it used to be densely populated and the market was crowded. Now, after the repeated trampling, massacre and looting of the iron hoofs of the Hu people, this road northward, the army saw along the way, sparsely populated and deserted villages everywhere. Aside from the occasional passers-by who were dragging their families along and escaping together, even the wild dogs were so emaciated that they fell to the side of the road. Lifeless and desolate, it is shocking.

It wasn’t until half a month later, gradually approaching Yanmen, that there were more figures of refugees on the road.

In the early two years, Liu Jian, in order to stabilize the territory of Xiliang, forced many people who had no time to escape with their families to move to Yanmen County to enrich the population, build a city for themselves, and act as slaves. There were thousands of people at that time. In addition to the Han people, there are also civilians of the Di, Jie, Xianbei and other ethnic groups. In the past two years, the dead died and the flees, and now there are only a thousand people left.

Although the war has not yet come, as the Xiongnu cavalry gathers at Yanmen, the more than a thousand servants who are like birds of a bow have already smelled the breath of war. Even if he doesn’t escape, he will be conscripted as a slave soldier. There is only one dead end waiting for him. Since half a month ago, these people have fled from Fangzhen, where they live temporarily. Many people died naturally under the swords of the Xiongnu soldiers, but some of them escaped by chance and went to Chang’an together. When they met this army going north, they learned that it was Li Mu’s Yingtian Army. Roadside help.

Li Mu ordered military doctors to treat the injured and sick fleeing people, and to give directions to the rest of the people on the way to Chang’an, regardless of Hu and Han. On this day, it opened to a pass called Shikou.

It is only a few hundred miles away from Yanmen. Fangzhen, designated by Liu Jian to exchange the hostages, is located in the middle of Shikou and Yanmen Pass.

After a long and urgent journey, the soldiers were short of sight, so Li Mu ordered the army to temporarily stop.

Fangzhen used to be a trading point on this ancient road. Merchants from east, west, north and south gathered here to trade and exchange goods. There was a lot of traffic and people came and went. Later, due to the war, it became desolate. In the past two years, it became a temporary settlement for those who were forcibly moved here as slaves. Day after day, the wind and sand attacked, and now the city walls collapsed and the surrounding area was buried.

When Gao Huan met Gao Qiao in the enemy camp that day, he knew that even if he hadn’t rescued his aunt, mother and son, people must be near them now, which made him relieved a lot. But thinking that the other party was heavily guarded, my uncle was weak after all, and there was no good news so far, I felt a little uneasy in my heart, so I learned that Li Mu was going to spy Fangzhen, and immediately asked to go with him.

A few people galloped on horseback and arrived in half a day. When it was about to arrive, I dismounted and changed to walking. I saw the direction of Zhenkou from a distance. There were some long strips hanging high, swaying in the wind, and there was a faint smell of carrion floating in the wind. taste.

As I got closer, I could see clearly that there were hundreds of corpses hanging on the yellow clay walls and wooden stakes at the entrance of the town, and there were hundreds of corpses lying on the ground. There are males and females, old and young, and the youngest one looks only a few years old.

Judging from the ragged clothes left on the corpse, it should be the townspeople who were captured by the Xiongnu soldiers after failing to escape a few days ago.

The corpse was already rotten and swollen, with a terrifying face. A group of crows stopped nearby, pecking at the carrion. When they saw a few living people coming, they made a few strange screams, fluttered their wings and flew into the air, but kept hovering over the carrion. refused to leave.

The air is filled with a strong stench, and what you see is like **** on earth.

These entourages, all of whom followed Li Mu from birth to death, walked through the sea of ​​blood and the mountain of corpses, but in the face of such a scene, their expressions changed slightly.

Gao Huan was accustomed to killing on the battlefield, but in such a situation, he couldn’t breathe for a while, and his stomach turned upside down. People! They must have known that we would come here, and deliberately left these corpses in order to give us a show of power! When these Huns are caught, and they will not be smashed to pieces, it will not dispel the hatred in my heart!”

Li Mu looked around, walked through the corpses, walked into the deserted town, looked around, and finally climbed up the highest hill nearby, stood on the top, looked around, lost for a moment , then went out of the town, without saying a word, only took Gao Huan and his party on the way back.

In the evening, as they approached the garrison camp, a group of more than a dozen refugees walked along the road ahead. When they heard the sound of horse hooves behind them, they turned around and saw a few fast horses, and hurried to the side of the road.

When Li Mu passed the escapable group, he turned his head to look at the two people who were walking at the end of the line, and suddenly slowed down and stopped.

Seeing that he stopped, Gao Huan also followed his horse and followed his line of sight. He saw that the two were barefooted, picking up a pair of tattered belongings, and following the person in front bowed their heads. Their clothes were ragged, their skin was tanned and rough from the sun, and their expressions were sad, and they looked no different from the refugees they encountered on the road these days.

Gao Huan was a little puzzled.

Li Mu watched the two get closer and closer, and when he was in front of him, he ordered his entourage to stop him, and said coldly, “You are Ugan’s subordinates, right?”

He spoke the words of the Huns.

Ugan was the commander sent by Liu Jian, the emperor of Xiliang, to guard Yanmen. The official was the left general of Xiliang. He had two thousand cavalry commanders, many thousands of cavalry commanders and hundreds of cavalry commanders. He was Liu Jian’s capable general.

When Xiliang and Beiyan fought before, the invincible iron-clad cavalry that Murong Ti had raised was defeated by Ugan. This time, Liu Jian sent him as a starter and traded hostages with Li Mu, which shows his trust in him.

The two of them were stopped, their faces were blank and frightened, they immediately knelt down and kept kowtowing, one of them begged bitterly: “We are all Han people, and we were forced to do hard labor by the Huns in the past. I’m dead, and now I’m lucky to be able to escape, and I can’t understand the Xiongnu language, and I don’t know what the commander is talking about.”

Li Mu looked at Gao Huan on the side, and continued to say to him in Hun language: “Kill them!”

The appearance of most Huns is almost the same as that of the Han people. Their hair is tied up, their clothes are changed, and after they learn to speak Chinese, it is difficult to identify them among the Han people.

Gao Huan knew this. But I really couldn’t see the difference between these two people and the rest of the refugees, let alone why Li Mu thought they were spies of the Huns. But seeing his serious expression and resolute tone, although he was puzzled, it was like a subconscious reaction, he immediately turned over and dismounted, and pressed the sword with one hand.

Before taking out the sword, after all, there was still some hesitation, and he glanced at Li Mu again.

Li Mu’s eyes stared at the two men whose faces changed, and shouted, “What are you waiting for! Kill!”

Gao Huan was stunned and replied yes, no longer doubted, he stepped forward immediately.

Just as he drew his sword, the two of them looked at each other, suddenly dropped the burden, turned around and ran, with agile movements and lightning speed, but they couldn’t outrun the two sharp arrows shot from behind.

The arrow was sent by Li Mu.

One person was shot with an arrow in his heart, and the arrow pierced his chest, killing him on the spot.

The other person was the one who had just complained. Li Mu seemed to have deliberately left his life, and the arrow only shot through the socket of his knee. Only a scream was heard, the man fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and then got up again, dragged his injured leg and limped again, and was stopped by Gao Huan and a few companions.

Li Mu ordered his entourage to interrogate him.

Accompanied by bursts of screams, soon, the person who couldn’t stand Ling Chi’s pain confessed. Dao himself was indeed a subordinate of Ugan, and he was a thousand horse rider. Because he looked like a Han Chinese and could speak the language of a Han Chinese, he was sent to mix with the refugees. He originally wanted to investigate the details of Li Mu’s army, but he was caught before he arrived. He confessed again, saying that Liu Jian had told Ugan that when exchanging the hostages, he would replace it with a fake one to see if he could deceive Li Mu. Because that pair of Han mother and son is very useful, I really don’t want to put it back like this. I am a confidant of Ugan, so I know this secret.

Gao Huan was furious. Seeing that Li Mu didn’t open his mouth to stop him, he killed the Xiongnu spy with one sword and said, “Brother-in-law, be careful then, don’t be fooled!”

Li Mu frowned slightly, turned his head, glanced at the direction of the Fangzhen when he came, pondered for a moment, and said, “Liu Lang, do you have confidence in what father-in-law once said that he could rescue mother-in-law?”

Gao Huan was stunned, and immediately said, “Naturally!”

Li Mu nodded: “I also believe in my father-in-law.”

Gao Huan was with Li Mu for several years, went out to fight in the army, ate and slept together. From the beginning, he was a rash boy from a noble family, and gradually he became a lieutenant under Li Mu’s command today. increase. Immediately asked: “Brother-in-law, what does this mean?”

Li Mu did not answer, but instead asked him: “Do you know the purpose of this battle?”

Gao Huan immediately said: “Destroy Murongti and this Xiongnu Liang country! If they are told that they will not die, they will not dare in the future, and they will not be able to take the next step further south!”

Li Mudao: “What you said is right. My army has traveled here. The purpose of this battle is to annihilate the coalition forces of these two countries, not just defeat them. If you were the commander in chief, how would you use your troops?”

Gao Huan hesitated. Seeing Li Mu’s encouraging gaze, he gathered up his courage and said, “The Hu cavalry is extremely talented, especially in such an open area, and its power is even greater. It should not be underestimated. If you want to annihilate the opponent, you must When facing the enemy head-on, we must start to win. We can only win, not lose, so that our army’s morale can be greatly boosted and the enemy’s confidence will be destroyed. The second is to outflank and attack from the back and attack together before and after.

“Brother-in-law, am I right?”

After he finished speaking, he looked at Li Mu with anticipation in his eyes and a slight nervousness.

Li Mu smiled and nodded: “What you said is exactly what I think.”

Gao Huan’s face showed joy, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He heard him say again: “So this time, when exchanging hostages, you don’t have to expose the other party’s tricks.”

Gao Huan was stunned again. Li Mu motioned for him to approach and whispered to him, Gao Huan’s eyes gradually lit up.

“Ugan is a strong force, and it will definitely bring elite cavalry to the front line. We will have a plan. If we can wipe out this elite vanguard in one fell swoop, the chances of winning this battle will be a bit higher.”

“The last general is willing to take this task. You can make a military order. If it doesn’t work, I am willing to die!”

Gao Huan immediately knelt down on one knee and solemnly asked for his order.

Li Mu called him up, stared at the young and heroic face in front of him, and after a while, nodded: “I mean exactly that. You are the nephew of the eldest princess, and it’s logical to send you here, so that the other party can reassure him. Just in case, I will send another person to spy on my mother-in-law.”

This is the first time that Gao Huan has independently assumed command of such an important battle. He suppressed his excitement and excitement and nodded heavily.

The entourage had disposed of the bodies of the two and returned from the road. Gao Huan couldn’t help but be curious, and asked again, “Brother-in-law, those two people just now look like ordinary people, you just passed by, how do you know they are spies?”

Li Mudao: “Although there are also young and strong people in this way, they are not like these two people. They look ragged, but their muscles are bulging and strong, and the lower plate is more stable. Another point, let me be sure of their identities, It’s the legs of the two of them, both bent inward and walking in eight characters.”

Gao Huan suddenly realized, and blurted out: “Yes! The Huns began to ride horses when they were young, especially the cavalry. Throughout the year, more on horseback than on the ground. Years and months, many people’s legs and feet will become like this! If there is only one of the two just like this, it can still be considered a coincidence, both of them are like this, there must be a fraud!”

Li Mu said with a smile: “Yes. I was suspicious, so I asked you to kill them. I cheated a bit, and it really showed me. Today’s luck is not bad, I have gained something. Let’s go, I’ll go back to the camp, The summoner immediately agreed on a detailed strategy. The matter is fast, it should not be delayed. If it drags on for a long time, it will give Murongti and the Huns an opportunity to join forces. .”

Gao Huan admired his brother-in-law so much that he hurriedly grabbed Wu Qian from an entourage, and respectfully invited Li Mu to mount his horse.