Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 111 Inadvertently Becoming the Object of Imitation

In the distance are silent undulating hills, and nearby are fertile fields where bean sprouts are sown and sprouted.

Liu Bei led more than a thousand cavalrymen and marched south along the river.

In addition to considering how to defeat the enemy, the commander-in-chief also has to plan the marching route to ensure that the troops can obtain supplies along the way, and drinking water is the key point.

Horses are less resistant to thirst than riders while running, so cavalry marching along the river can better solve the problem of horses drinking water.

The counties had been suffering from drought for several months and there was a shortage of food, but a lot of straw and fodder had been harvested, enough to mobilize a large number of horses for the expedition. Liu Bei gathered and mobilized a total of 3,480 war horses, military horses, and pack horses as highly mobile cavalry.

One person and three horses were used, with one horse carrying the person and two horses carrying supplies, including armor, bows and arrows, food, sickles, and medicine.

Under normal circumstances, the military horses are used for the journey first. When the military horses are about to get tired, they are switched to war horses for a trot. The items being carried are transferred to the other two horses, and they are replaced in turn except for the pack horses.

Of course, sometimes both men and horses would stop to rest, and rushing on without regard for physical strength was extremely dangerous during the march.

With Yuan Shao in Jizhou cutting off the horse trade in the north, Liu Bei was able to gradually expand the size of his cavalry, thanks to the contributions of Gongsun Du, the Xianbei people, and the Xiongnu in Hanoi.

In particular, the Huns presented Liu Bei with 800 horses in the Battle of Huanshui River, and even the Left Grand Commandant Luan Dibao was invited by Guan Yu to stay as a guest.

The Xiongnu had been burning, killing and looting in the heart of Sili for a long time, and now they suffered their first setback.

On the way to Dongjun, Liu Bei received news from the front that Yuan Shao of Jizhou had mobilized tens of thousands of troops. On the one hand, he was threatening to march towards Pingyuan, and on the other hand, he was preparing to station troops in Weixian and Yuancheng in person.

"Yuan Benchu's family is wealthy. He can mobilize tens of thousands of soldiers many times a year. I heard that there are many cavalry troops heading south. I really envy them."

After reading the document, Liu Bei handed it to Xun You and Guo Jia beside him, then stood up and felt deeply moved.

The nine counties of Jizhou were indeed rich. The wealthy and powerful families occupied many fertile fields and could produce so much grain. If possible, he would rather exchange Qingzhou for Yuan Shao.

After many wars, Qingzhou is far from recovering to its former size. Only by completely controlling the thirteen counties in Qing and Yan states can he catch up with Yuan Shao in terms of wealth. By the way, I forgot that Yuan Benchu ​​also occupied part of Bingzhou.

Liu Bei thought about it and shook his head.

He didn't want Yuan Shao to attack Youzhou, and the other side didn't want him to take Yanzhou. He even ignored Gongsun Zan and only used soldiers from the counties and states to guard the city, and transferred all the cavalry to Yecheng.

Who is the best hero in the world? Apart from Cao Mengde, only Yuan Benchu ​​is left...

Liu Bei looked towards Yecheng and chuckled, "Benchu, are you anxious?"

Xun You and Guo Jia, who were accompanying the army, finished reading the documents and pondered for a moment.

Xun You was the first to pay his respects and said, "My lord, the situation has changed. Yuan Shao is personally leading his army to station in Wei County. He must want to recapture Yin'an and Fanyang. These two cities are like daggers to our army and cannot be easily abandoned. My lord, please go to Fanyang City in person to confront Yuan Benchu."

"Gongda, this strategy is too cautious and will be disadvantageous to our army."

Guo Jia objected, then sorted out his thoughts and said, "The most important thing now is to capture Jiyin and Chenliu. Yuan Shao came with great fanfare because he wanted our army to be unable to capture Yanzhou. If you send your envoy to Fanyang and only send troops to attack Jiyin, I'm afraid it will play into Yuan's hands."

"The emperor appointed you as the governor of Yanzhou. Although Yuan Shao recognized Liu Dai's position as governor, it was still not as righteous as the imperial court. Therefore, the army was shocked when it left Yanzhou." "Your Excellency is popular at the time. When you wave your flags and beat the drums, the people of Jiyin will be easily moved. No one else can compare to you. We only need to use thunder and lightning to kill a few stubborn nobles, and Jiyin and Chenliu can be pacified immediately."

Guo Jia bowed and said, "You are leading the army quickly with your prestige. Many elders and nobles are watching from afar. Liu Dai is far away in Shanyang County, but you are raising a large banner and a red flag under the city, right before our eyes. In this critical moment, it is a matter of life and death. Who would not be shaken?"

Xun You couldn't help but nod his head. Taking Jiyin was also a good strategy. As long as they could withstand Yuan Shao's fierce attack, it would not be too late to capture the two counties and then turn around to deal with Yuan Benchu.

Can Guan Yu, the governor of Dongjun, stop Yuan Shao from leading his army to attack?
Yin'an, Fanyang, Weixian and Dunqiu counties are strategic locations that are fought over by military strategists. They are key places used to prevent Jizhou from getting involved in Dongjun. Once Yuan's army breaks through, they can drink from the Yellow River and eye Dongjun, Jiyin and Chenliu. It would be several times more difficult to take Yanzhou at that time than it is now.

"Guo Fengxiao is still too risky!" Xun You said inwardly.

Seeing that the envoy seemed to be interested, Xun You said carefully: "Envoy, although Fengxiao's plan will bring great benefits, it is also dangerous. Yuan Benchu ​​is not comparable to Qu Yi. As the general of Jizhou, he will lead the battle. The soldiers will definitely risk their lives to attack the city. If the reinforcements cannot be made in time, the consequences will be disastrous. We must be careful."

Xun You somewhat agreed with Guo Jia's words, but also pointed out the risks involved.

Liu Bei said solemnly: "War is a place of life and death, a matter of survival and destruction. Gongda is cautious and careful from beginning to end, and has the talent of Liu Hou. Fengxiao has extraordinary insight and can see whether Liu Dai is in favor of the people, and he also has the views of Chen Ping."

"But Zhang Liang and Chen Ping alone are not enough. We also need a general like Cao Shen who can attack and defend in order to accomplish great things. My brother Yunchang has fought with me for many years and is capable of defending the key points. I would like to ask Gongda to assist him on my side."

Let Xun You cooperate with Guan Yu to lead the Liangdu Camp and auxiliary soldiers to guard several cities in the north, and let Xun Yu lead Zhao Zhen and Han Mu to guard Pingyuan County.

Liu Bei, Guo Jia, Zhao Yun, and Taishi Ci led the Huben Cavalry and the Hengqiang Camp stationed in Puyang. After joining forces, they took Lihu County, then attacked Juyang, Chengyang, Chengshi, and then marched into Dingtao.

After making the decision, the cavalry rested and continued south to Puyang.

"Hoo ho ho..."

The cavalry continued to advance in a mighty force, with the sound of horse hooves and red flags fluttering in the wind, attracting the attention of many Dongjun people.

Many people were talking about it.

A young man from an official family got off the carriage, pointed at the flag and said to his companions proudly: "A real man should ride on thousands of troops and make achievements to be promoted to a general. Only then will his life be worthwhile. If I can be like Liu Shijun, my life will be enough."

His companion also said with envy: "If I want to marry a wife, I should marry the daughter of Yin family. If I want to be an official, I should become the governor of Qingzhou. If I can accomplish one of them, I will have no regrets in my life."

"Never mind, I'm going to join the army under General Liu. A real man cannot be a minor official like my father, who has to work hard at writing for a long time. He should have far-reaching strategies to be awarded a title of nobility." The young man couldn't help but sigh and clasp his hands together.

"Don't be impulsive. Ban Dingyuan is not that easy to deal with. You just married your new bride and haven't even got married yet. Why rush?" Upon hearing this, his companions hurriedly grabbed the young man.

Everyone is just watching from the sidelines, why are you still so excited?

Watching the cavalry going further and further away, the young man could only sigh. His elders at home would not let him join the army, but would only arrange for him to be a clerk and an official.

Looking at the flag that was almost disappeared in the distance, it seemed as if his dream was also disappearing.

(End of this chapter)