Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 398 War (Part 1)

No one cared whether General Situ's rebuttal was brilliant or not.

Pei Qinghe had no time to care.

In April, bad news came from Youzhou. The Xiongnu barbarians, who had been quiet for more than a year, once again dispatched a large cavalry army to plunder.

Fortunately, Yang Hu, Li Chi, and Lü Feng had already led their troops back, and the Beiping army was well prepared, sending troops out as soon as the war broke out.

Given the intensity and speed of the battle at that time, by the time the news reached Pei Qinghe, countless battles had been fought and countless villages and people had suffered.

“The Xiongnu barbarians are coming in with great force.” Pei Qinghe said solemnly to Pei Yun, “I must lead the troops back immediately.”

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Pei Yun immediately said, "I will lead the troops and go with you."

Pei Qinghe said, "Bohai County has only been under our control for less than half a year, and the people are still not at peace. The Bohai Army we have gathered has only been training for two or three months. Without someone to guard it, I'm afraid chaos will break out."

"You stay."

Pei Yun said, "Leave me five thousand men, that will be enough to defend the city. Take the rest of the soldiers with you."

Fighting the Xiongnu barbarians isn't just talk; it's a real, bloody battle. Pei Qinghe didn't mince words with Pei Yun, nodding and saying, "I'll leave five military doctors for you, and take the rest with me. Gu Lian will come with me too."

Pei Qinghe issued a military order that the army should set off in two days.

As usual, the main force went first, while the logistics and supplies followed a little later.

On the day the army set off, some bold people from Bohai County peered out from the city gates.

"General Pei has left already?"

"Haven't you heard? The Xiongnu barbarians are here again! General Pei has led his troops to fight them."

"Thanks to General Pei, we have a peaceful life. Otherwise, after the Xiongnu barbarians plunder Youzhou, they might come after our Jizhou!"

Some of the more knowledgeable and influential people sighed even more: "Our General Pei is leading his troops to fight the Xiongnu barbarians to the death in order to protect the country and its people. That Grand General Situ is either hiding in Qin Prefecture or attacking Luoyang. A few days ago, an article even appeared, saying that it was unprecedented for a woman to become emperor, and that a hen crowing at dawn would cause chaos in the country. Bah!"

"How dare someone like him be compared to our General Pei? What makes him worthy?"

In Yan County, some people were also panicked because of the sudden outbreak of war in Youzhou.

Ultimately, the verbal sparring between King Qiao and General Situ was a civil war. The Xiongnu barbarians were the real external enemy. The people had been harassed by Xiongnu cavalry for over a century. The mere mention of the Xiongnu barbarians' arrival filled the people with fear and panic. Even the civil officials were uneasy.

"Your Excellency, General Pei is on his way back to Youzhou with his troops," said Minister Qin with concern. "With the support of the Beiping Army and the Liaoxi Army, I wonder if they can hold out."

The Xiongnu barbarians' attack this time was once again directed towards western Liaoning. Meng Liulang led the Beiping army to provide immediate support, while the Guangning and Fanyang armies, which were further away, also rushed to the scene upon receiving the news.

"Neither of us understands warfare," Prime Minister Pang said calmly. "However, we can do the math here. Before the Pei family army was established, Youzhou was garrisoned by four armies. Although they often suffered defeats, they managed to keep the Xiongnu barbarians at bay in Youzhou. They couldn't cause trouble elsewhere."

“In the past few years, General Pei has consolidated the garrison troops one by one. In my opinion, the Liaoxi Army and the Guangning Army are much stronger than before. In addition, there is the brave and capable General Meng. There will definitely be no problem in defending Liaoxi City.”

Whether or not we can win the battle depends on General Pei's abilities.

General Pei's military prowess is evident to all.

Minister Qin's frantic heart gradually calmed down: "Your Excellency is right. Then we will wait in Yan County." He paused, then sighed: "The Ministry of Rites has already chosen an auspicious day, originally planning to hold the enthronement ceremony in May. Unexpectedly, war has broken out. The enthronement will have to be postponed."

Prime Minister Pang laughed: "General Pei, in order to defend Youzhou, even disregarded his enthronement ceremony and directly led his troops to fight the Xiongnu barbarians. This is more powerful than any ten or a hundred articles we could write."

Minister Qin immediately understood and whispered, "Let's exaggerate this matter and spread it around."

Prime Minister Pang nodded: "If General Pei wants to fight, we won't stand idly by either. After the general defeats the Xiongnu barbarians, he will return victorious and ascend the throne, which will be in accordance with the will of Heaven!"

……

Over the next two weeks, news about the Liaoxi campaign kept coming in.

The Xiongnu barbarians mobilized a large cavalry army, but instead of attacking the heavily fortified Liaoxi City, they went to plunder and kill villages, fortresses, or county towns with low city gates.

This also shows that the Xiongnu barbarians were becoming increasingly cunning and ruthless. Since besieging a city was not easy, they used this to force the Liaoxi army to come out of the city to fight in the open, and then win in one battle.

Li Chi saw through the Xiongnu barbarians' intentions and remained in the city, refusing to come out.

The Beiping army that came to the rescue arrived just in time, and was mobilized when the Xiongnu barbarians were massacring the county town. A fierce battle ensued, with casualties on both sides, and the two sides barely managed to draw.

After the war, the Xiongnu barbarians gathered together and rode away on their warhorses.

Lacking warhorses and cavalry, the Beiping army could only watch helplessly. They had to clean up the mess, settle the wounded, and comfort the poor civilians who had survived the war.

This is also the most helpless aspect of fighting against the Xiongnu barbarians.

Unable to win in open battle, they could only defend the cities. However, not all cities in the north were garrisoned; there were many scattered villages and small towns. The Xiongnu barbarians rode around on horseback, killing and looting wherever they went. Often, by the time news arrived, the villages and small towns had already been slaughtered and burned to the ground.

Meng Liulang led his troops to Liaoxi City to meet with Li Chi first.

"General Li, the Xiongnu barbarians are burning, killing, looting, and ravaging everywhere," Meng Liulang asked directly upon meeting him, "Why have you been guarding the city and not sending troops?"

Li Chi looked helpless: "I have more than 8,000 men under my command, most of whom are infantry. How can they possibly defeat the Xiongnu barbarians if they go out of the city to fight in the open field? Sending them out of the city is just sending them to their deaths in vain."

Meng Liulang coldly replied, "Even if we can't win, we have to fight. Soldiers are paid by the army; they're selling their lives. Otherwise, why would they be fed and clothed and still receive a monthly salary?"

Li Chi was also provoked and glared back angrily: "General Meng makes it sound so easy. If I lead the troops out of the city, it will fall right into the Xiongnu barbarians' trap, and our army will be wiped out outside the city. Who will protect the tens of thousands of people in Liaoxi City?"

Meng Liulang sneered: "In the end, it all boils down to being afraid of war."

Li Chi sneered, "General Meng is known for his bravery, and seeing him today, it's clear he lives up to his reputation. He keeps talking about fighting. But you should know that fighting also requires strategy. The lives of ordinary people are precious, and these soldiers are also carefully raised with money and provisions; they are equally valuable!"

Neither of them could convince the other, and they parted on bad terms.

The next day, a battle report arrived in Liaoxi City, stating that a village had been plundered by Xiongnu barbarians.

Meng Liulang stood up and said, "General Li, continue to defend the city. I will lead the troops to fight the Xiongnu barbarians."

Li Chi replied expressionlessly, "Very well, I'll wait in the city for General Meng's report of his great victory over the Xiongnu barbarians."

(End of this chapter)