Longevity, starting from traveling and telling stories

Chapter 175: Empty City Strategy, Secret Passage to Chencang
Li Shun stood at the foot of Jinya Mountain, looking up at the steep cliff, his heart filled with high morale. I must train an elite army!

In his hand he held a stout tree stump with straw ropes wrapped around it in circles.

Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "Brothers, today we are going to practice vertical climbing!"

The soldiers nodded one after another, their eyes filled with eagerness to challenge.

Li Shun fixed the tree stump vertically on the ground, then climbed up the stump, demonstrating it himself.

"Brothers, this is how climbing works. It's not difficult." Li Shun continued, "From now on, everyone secure the wooden stakes in your hands and begin training."

Following Li Shun's order, the soldiers began to fix the wooden stakes in an orderly manner, and then climbed up like Li Shun.

Li Shun nodded with satisfaction. Although these soldiers were a little unfamiliar at the beginning, their progress was very significant after several rounds of training.

As long as they are given some more time, they will definitely become masters of climbing.

at the same time.

The road construction work that Tian Huazhi is in charge of is in full swing.

The soldiers worked hard, sweating profusely, shoveling soil, moving stones, and paving the road, their movements quick and orderly.

Tian Huazhi stood aside, holding a map in his hand, and from time to time he directed the soldiers to adjust their route.

He looked at the road that was gradually taking shape in front of him, his heart filled with excitement. Once this road was completed, it would be the day of the decisive battle, and he would definitely kill Tuoba Hong to avenge Wu Lie.

however.

The atmosphere in the Beiliang military camp was completely different.

Tuoba Hong sat in the main seat with a gloomy face, and the wine glass in his hand made a rattling sound as he squeezed it.

He had just suffered a defeat and was filled with anger and resentment.

"...Tian Huazhi, how dare you play tricks on me!" Tuoba Hong said gritting his teeth.

The deputy general next to him said cautiously: "General, what should we do next?"

Tuoba Hong stood up suddenly, a fierce look flashing in his eyes. He slammed the wine glass in his hand and said, "What should we do? Of course, we should regroup and attack again! This time, I will definitely avenge my previous humiliation!"

The deputy general nodded quickly: "Yes, General! We will definitely go through fire and water!"

Three days later.

Tian Huazhi and Ye Beixuan were discussing countermeasures in the military tent.

Tian Huazhi pointed at Jinya Mountain on the map, his brow furrowed. "General Ye, Tuoba Hong has suffered a defeat and will certainly not give up. The spies report that they are already gathering their troops."

"The roads we're waiting for haven't been repaired yet. It's not appropriate to engage in large-scale fighting right now. If a direct battle breaks out, I'm afraid it will affect General Ye's grand plan."

Ye Beixuan smiled slightly, a sly look flashing in his eyes: "General Tian, don't worry. I already have a plan."

Tian Huazhi looked at him doubtfully: "Oh? What countermeasures does General Ye have?"

Ye Beixuan said mysteriously, "How about I tell you a story?"

Tian Hua was taken aback for a moment, then said, "I'd like to hear more about it."

Ye Beixuan began to speak loudly, and the air flowed slowly along with his voice.

"It is said that Zhuge Kongming single-handedly defeated Sima Zhongda's 150,000-man army." (From "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Chapter 95: Ma Su refuses advice and loses Jieting; Wu Hou defeats Zhongda with his zither.)
His eyes suddenly became bright and a sharp light flashed in them, as if Zhuge Kongming was already on top of the empty city, overlooking Sima Zhongda's thousands of troops below.

At this moment, Tian Huazhi actually felt as if he was there himself. Zhuge Kongming's courage was truly admirable.

"Zhuge Kongming sat alone on the city wall, stroking the strings of his zither with an indifferent expression, as if the 100,000 enemy troops below the city were nothing but chickens and dogs..." Ye Beixuan's voice rose and fell, sometimes like a trickle, sometimes like a huge wave crashing against the shore. Every word seemed to carry a picture, striking Tian Huazhi's heart directly.

He held a sword in his hand, and a strong wind blew past, bringing a bit of solemnity and coldness, outlining the situation on the battlefield.

Tian Huazhi stood aside, and as Ye Beixuan spoke, his expression gradually became solemn.

He held the cup tightly in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on Ye Beixuan, as if he was afraid of missing any details.

When Ye Beixuan talked about how Zhuge Liang intimidated the enemy with a piece of piano music, Tian Huazhi's eyebrows suddenly raised, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes.

His lips were slightly opened. He was able to face an army of hundreds of thousands alone. Zhuge Kongming was indeed Mr. Sleeping Dragon. I'm afraid only General Ye could be compared with him.

"Sima Yi stood at the foot of the city, and when he heard the melodious music of the piano, he felt like he was struck by lightning. For a moment, he didn't dare to act rashly..." Ye Beixuan's voice suddenly paused, and Tian Huazhi even held his breath.

The cup in his hand almost fell to the ground, as if he was Zhuge Kongming who was facing an army of hundreds of thousands alone.

Ye Beixuan smiled slightly, his voice dissipating like the breeze: "This is the Empty City Strategy. Zhuge Kongming single-handedly repelled 100,000 enemies!"

Tian Huazhi finally woke up from his dream and stood up suddenly, his eyes full of admiration and shock. He murmured, "Mr. Zhuge, it's really amazing..."

After a pause, he continued, "Does General Ye also want us to follow his example?"

If this is true, then I would also like to be Zhuge Liang and face Tuoba Hong's 300,000 troops alone, so that I can be famous throughout the ages.

Ye Beixuan nodded: "That's right. Tuoba Hong just suffered a defeat and must be feeling anxious."

"If they attack, and we act defenseless, he'll think it's a trick."

"And our army will seize the opportunity to cross Cangshan Ridge and directly attack Tuoba Hong's back. Then he will be unable to escape even if he has wings."

Tian Huazhi pondered for a moment, then smiled: "Great idea! General Ye is truly a genius."

Ye Beixuan smiled, a hint of confidence flashing in his eyes. "However, the key to this strategy lies in the details. We must convince Tuoba Hong that there is an ambush in the city. Then it will all depend on you, General Tian. But just in case, you can order the road construction soldiers to return to defend the city urgently."

Tian Huazhi nodded: "General Ye, don't worry, I will definitely fulfill my mission."

Ye Beixuan added: "Also, the flags and drums in the city must be adjusted, and the city gates must be wide open."

"And you, General Tian, are alone at the door drinking and eating meat."

Tian Huazhi smiled and said, "Okay, let's do it! I promise to complete the task."

the other side.

Tuoba Hong stood in the Beiliang army tent, staring at the Jinya Mountain on the map with sharp eyes.

His finger slowly moved across the map, finally stopping at a certain location.

A sneer appeared on his lips. Tian Huazhi's main force was building a road and could not rush to provide assistance in a short period of time.

If we don't seize the opportunity to attack now, when will we?
He slammed the table and shouted in a thunderous voice, "Pass the order down! All troops assemble and march out immediately! Target: the Great Zhou camp!"

The deputy generals received the order and took action quickly.

The Beiliang army poured out of the camp like a tide, their iron hooves trampling the ground and raising dust.

Tuoba Hong was riding on his warhorse. This time, he was determined to defeat Ye Beixuan in one fell swoop and wash away the shame of the previous times.

However, when he led his army to Ye Beixuan's military camp, the scene before him made his heart tighten.

In the military camp, the gates were wide open, leaving no defense at all.

Tian Huazhi was sitting at a simple wooden table, holding a wine glass in his hand and a plate of barbecue in front of him.

He was calm and composed, as if he didn't care about the upcoming battle.

Seeing Tuoba Hong's army approaching, he didn't even stand up, but just raised his head slightly with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth.

Tuoba Hong's brows furrowed instantly, alarm bells blaring in his heart: "Something's wrong! Why is Tian Huazhi here? Isn't he repairing the road? Could it be... he's fallen for a trap?"

He quickly scanned the surroundings and found that apart from Tian Huazhi and several attendants, there seemed to be dust flying inside the camp, horses neighing, and soldiers carrying steaming horse manure from time to time.

The flags in the distance swayed gently in the wind, and the sound of drums was intermittent. The entire military camp looked extremely strange.

Tuoba Hong's heartbeat quickened, countless thoughts flashing through his mind: "Ye Liuxiang has always been cunning and scheming, and Tian Huazhi is so calm, there must be something fishy going on! Could it be that they've already set an ambush, waiting for me to fall into their trap?"

"General, I think they're just bluffing." The deputy general looked at Tian Huazhi with hatred and said, "Let me lead a group of troops as the vanguard, and I will definitely take his head and present it to you, General."

"What do you know? If you go forward, you will never come back." Tuoba Hong waved his hand fiercely and said in a low and urgent voice: "All troops, listen to my order, retreat thirty miles immediately! Quick!"

The deputy generals were stunned, obviously not expecting Tuoba Hong to suddenly order a retreat.

But military orders were as heavy as a mountain, so they did not dare to hesitate for a moment and immediately passed the order down.

The Beiliang army retreated like a tide, the sounds of horses' hooves and footsteps mixed together, appearing extremely chaotic.

Tuoba Hong rode on his horse with a gloomy face and a heart full of vigilance.

He looked back at Ye Beixuan's military camp and saw Tian Huazhi still sitting there, as if he didn't care about their retreat at all. He even raised his glass and gestured to him from a distance.

"Damn it!" Tuoba Hong gritted his teeth, and he would definitely avenge today's shame someday.

He originally thought that Tian Huazhi's main force was building roads and could not quickly support Ye Beixuan, but he did not expect that all this was a trick.

"Tian Huazhi, you are indeed cunning!" Tuoba Hong murmured in a low voice, with a fierce flash in his eyes: "I was careless this time, but next time, I will never give you another chance!"

At the same time, a mysterious army passed along Cangshan Ridge. They rolled, crawled, and fell as they passed through with difficulty.

Ye Beixuan stood on the high ground behind the military camp, looking at the smoke and dust of the retreating Beiliang army from afar, with a faint smile on his lips.

He turned his head to look at Cangshanling and nodded. Li Shun could be used.

He quickly came to Tian Huazhi's side and said, "General Tian single-handedly frightened off Tuoba Hong's 300,000-man army. This battle will make General Tian's name immortal."

Tian Huazhi put down his wine glass, stood up hastily, and said with a smile, "No, no, everything is thanks to General Ye's strategy. I just took advantage of it."

Ye Beixuan's eyes were deep and his tone was calm: "Although Tuoba Hong is brave and impatient, he is not stupid. He will definitely react within three days. Then it will be a tough battle."

"Three days later, General Tian, you will lead a group of men to conduct a feint attack on the flanks while I engage Tuoba Hong head-on. Once Li Shun attacks from the rear, you will launch a general attack."

"By then, Tuoba Hong will be attacked from all sides, including front and back. He will be attacked from all three sides and will not be able to escape."

Tian Huazhi nodded: "I will obey the military order."

Ye Beixuan smiled slightly and looked into the distance: "Next, it's my turn?"

Two days later.

Tuoba Hong's reaction was even faster than Ye Beixuan had anticipated. Just two days later, the Beiliang army regrouped and marched towards the Great Zhou camp in a mighty force.

Tuoba Hong rode on his warhorse with a gloomy face. He clenched the long sword in his hand, with only one thought in his mind - to wash away the previous shame. Not only did he suffer a defeat, but he was also fooled several times.

"All troops, listen up. We will not return until we break the enemy camp today!" Tuoba Hong's voice resounded through the battlefield like thunder. The Beiliang soldiers responded in unison, their morale high.

Ye Beixuan stood on the high wall of the military camp, looking at the formation of the Beiliang army from afar, with a slight smile on his lips.

He turned to the generals around him and said, "Brothers, Tuoba Hong is getting anxious. We only need to hold out for one day, and reinforcements will arrive. Follow me out of the city to fight!"

The soldiers responded in unison, their eyes filled with determination. They knew this battle was a matter of life and death, and they could not afford to slack off.

The battle began quickly.

The Northern Liang army surged towards the Great Zhou camp like a tide, with arrows raining down, swords flashing, weapons clashing, and screams ringing out. It seemed as if every flash of light and every charge was writing about the cruelty of war.

Ye Beixuan personally commanded the soldiers to fight desperately. The two sides fought back and forth in an extremely fierce battle.

The battle entered a white-hot stage. The Beiliang army was defeated step by step under Ye Beixuan's clever layout. However, the situation on the battlefield changed rapidly and no one could predict what would happen next.

At this moment, a strange sound of wind suddenly came from a corner of the battlefield.

Four figures appeared on the battlefield like ghosts. They were the Li Huan quadruplets.

The four of them had similar faces and figures, as if they were one and the same.

Ye Beixuan saw the four people from afar, and a gloomy look flashed in his eyes. These four guys were really difficult to deal with.

"Four masters." Ye Beixuan shouted loudly, and four monks suddenly jumped out of the army.

They were wearing robes, holding Zen sticks, and had solemn expressions. They were the four great monks - those who quit smoking, those who detoxified, those who quit gambling, and those who quit sex.

"Amitabha, four donors, why do you help the evildoer?" The monk who quit smoking put his hands together.

Li Huan sneered: "Monks don't chant in the temple, but come to the battlefield to kill people. How ironic!"

The monk who quit smoking smiled slightly and said with a sly look on his face, "The battlefield is a Shura field. We are only here to save sentient beings and liberate the four donors."

Before he finished speaking, the four great monks attacked at the same time, swinging their Zen staffs and creating gusts of wind.

Li Huan's quadruplets were not willing to be outdone. They drew their swords together, and the sword light was as fast as lightning, heading straight for the four monks.

The two sides immediately engaged in a battle, with sword lights and Zen staffs intertwined, and energy overflowing. The surrounding soldiers retreated and dared not approach.

The swordsmanship of Li Huan's quadruplets was superb. The four of them combined into one and forced the four flower monks to retreat again and again.

At this moment, the monk who quit smoking suddenly shouted: "The four elements are empty, all things return to one!"

The four great monks jumped up at the same time, their staffs drew a strange arc in the air, and then slammed heavily to the ground.

In an instant, a powerful energy burst out, and the Li Huan quadruplets were shocked and retreated repeatedly, with a trace of blood flowing from the corner of their mouth.

"Oh no, it's this formation again!" The quadruplets' faces changed.

However, it was too late.

The four monks' formation was complete, and the four of them were like one body. When they waved their Zen sticks, they brought up gusts of wind, forcing the Li Huan quadruplets to retreat step by step.

In the end, the quadruplets were knocked back by the final blow of the Four Great Void Formation. The four of them were then separated and fell heavily to the ground, unable to get up again.

Li Huan raised his head with difficulty, looked at the sky, and a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Master Demon, we... have... tried our best..."

Before they finished speaking, the four of them closed their eyes at the same time and died.

at the same time.

The troops led by Tian Huazhi launched a feint attack from the flank as planned.

They were not in a hurry to penetrate deep into the enemy camp, but instead continued to harass Beiliang's flanks, forcing Tuoba Hong to divide his troops to deal with it.

Although Tuoba Hong was aware of Tian Huazhi's intention, due to the huge pressure on the front battlefield, he had to withdraw some troops to deal with the threat from the flank.

The battle lasted for a whole day. Although the Northern Liang army attacked fiercely, it was still unable to break through the defense line of the Great Zhou.

Although Ye Beixuan's soldiers were exhausted, they still held their positions and refused to give an inch.

Just as Tuoba Hong was about to launch his final assault, a deafening roar of killing erupted from the rear. Amidst the rising dust, Li Shun's surprise attack, like a sharp sword, pierced the backs of the Northern Liang army.

Tuoba Hong was horrified and hurriedly ordered the rear troops to meet the enemy, but it was too late.

Li Shun's troops were like a tiger descending from the mountain, instantly disrupting the rear formation of Beiliang.

Tuoba Hong's army was attacked from both sides and was in great chaos.

Upon seeing this, Tian Huazhi immediately ordered the entire army to attack directly on the flank of Beiliang.

The Great Zhou army was like a pair of sharp scissors, cutting the Northern Liang army into three parts, making it impossible for the front and rear to take care of each other.

The battlefield was in chaos, and the Beiliang soldiers were defeated one after another under the pincer attack.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Tuoba Hong was filled with grief and anger.

He brandished his long sword, trying to organize the remaining soldiers to fight back, but it was too late.

In the end, the 300,000-strong Northern Liang army was almost wiped out, with corpses strewn across the battlefield and blood flowing like a river.

Tuoba Hong stood in the center of the battlefield, looking at the fallen soldiers around him, his eyes full of despair and regret.

Ye Beixuan rode his horse up to Tuoba Hong with an indifferent look.

Tuoba Hong raised his head and stared at Ye Beixuan intently, his voice hoarse and sad: "Ye Liuxiang, I am defeated today, but I am defeated wholeheartedly. I only ask one thing of you - if one day you can conquer Beiliang, please spare those innocent people."

Ye Beixuan was slightly startled, then said calmly, "If Beiliang were to submit to the Great Zhou, and its people were willing to submit, then they would be the subjects of the Great Zhou."

"I never point my knife at my own people."

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Hong looked up to the sky and let out a long roar, his laughter filled with endless sadness and relief.

He raised the sword in his hand and cut his neck without hesitation. Blood gushed out, staining his armor red.

Tuoba Hong, the great war god of Northern Liang, has passed away.

Ye Beixuan looked at Tuoba Hong's fallen body, was silent for a moment, and then ordered: "Come here, display Tuoba Hong's head for three days to commemorate General Wu Lie. After three days, sew up his head and bury him with honor."

The soldiers carried Tuoba Hong's body and left.

Ye Beixuan turned and looked into the distance. This was just the beginning.

Three days later.

Tuoba Hong's body was buried at the foot of Jinya Mountain.

Tian Huazhi stood in front of the tomb and said softly: "Tuoba Hong, although you are an enemy, you still remember the people before you die. You are a man."

"rest in peace!"

The wind blew across the hills, as if responding to his words.

Inside the tent, Ye Beixuan was studying tactics and preparing to attack Beiyu Pass. If he could capture this pass, he would have a sharp knife stuck in their chest at any time.

Tian Huazhi entered the tent and said with a bow, "General Ye, Tuoba Hong has been buried."

"Yes." Ye Beixuan said calmly: "General Tian, come with me to study this Beiyu Pass."

Beiliang Imperial Palace.

The atmosphere in the Beiliang Palace was extremely serious.

The news that Tuoba Hong was killed in battle and the 300,000-strong Northern Liang army was completely wiped out was like a thunderclap, exploding throughout the entire Northern Liang.

In the court, ministers were whispering and discussing.

Zhang Shanhe, the former Heavenly Master in the court, is now a Jindan-stage cultivator in the Chonghua Palace Immortal Mansion. He frowned at the moment. The four demon brothers could fight against Jindan when they combined their strength, but they still died in Da Zhou. It can be seen that Da Zhou also invited powerful cultivators this time.

He felt extremely regretful. He should have tried his best to stop the cultivators from interfering in the war. Now the situation was out of control, and the major immortal palaces were even launching a siege on the demonic cultivators in Beiliang.

And his own immortal palace, Chonghua Palace, was isolated by all the other immortal palaces.

Now Chonghua Palace has announced that if its disciples help Beiliang on their own, they can only represent themselves, not Chonghua Palace.

at this time.

Prime Minister Huang Jinshui stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the situation is extremely unfavorable to us. If our army is defeated, the Great Zhou will win a great victory."

"I believe that we should now negotiate peace and become a vassal of the Great Zhou, allowing us to rest and recuperate for a while. There is still a long way to go."

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest was furious. He retorted angrily, "Negotiation? Our army of 300,000 men was completely annihilated, 300,000 men and women died in a foreign land, and we are still asked to cede territory and pay compensation? This is not peace negotiation, this is clearly an act of national destruction!"

The Emperor of Beiliang sat on the dragon throne with an extremely gloomy face. Three hundred thousand, that's not thirty thousand, nor three thousand, but a full three hundred thousand. This has undoubtedly shaken the foundation of Beiliang.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "Issue the imperial decree: Confer the title of Great General for Protecting the Nation on Tuoba Hong, and grant the entire Tuoba family the title of Loyal and Martyr."

After the announcement, the Northern Liang Emperor paused, took a deep breath, and said in a calm yet dignified tone, "I have lost three hundred thousand soldiers in battle. Now is the time to recruit more men. Who is willing to lead the charge and fight against the Great Zhou?"

The court suddenly became quiet, and everyone looked at each other, with a sense of evasion in their eyes.

The emperor glanced at the crowd, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes. They were all incompetent people.

The old Taoist gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to help you with your worries and lead the troops into battle."

Huang Jinshui quickly said, "Master, it's not a good idea to go on a war right now. We need to come up with a foolproof plan."

The old Taoist priest glared at Huang Jinshui and said, "Prime Minister, you are wrong! As men of Beiliang, how can we retreat? If we surrender without a fight, how can we face our ancestors?"

The Northern Liang Emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Tianshi's loyalty is commendable! I..."

Before he finished speaking, a figure with an afterimage flashed to the center of the hall in an instant.

"Lan Cangqing from the Heavenly Demon Sect is willing to help His Majesty Beiliang go on the expedition with the army."

(End of this chapter)