Chapter 7: The Grass (2)

Two days later, Baita Temple in the northeast of Ding County.

"In this way, there are at least two thousand soldiers in the Lijia Village?" Xiao Bala, the leader of the Khitan Army (commander of the capital), frowned, and the blue veins appeared on the back of his hand.

He didn't believe it, and didn't believe a word. The two guys under the tent who claimed to have fought to the death and escaped from death, except for a few frostbites, were not found at all. So the biggest possibility of that battle was that the two guys underestimated the enemy and were ambushed by the other party first. Then they were scared and abandoned their troops and fled directly!

However, Xiao Bala was unable to make his judgment public and ordered people to push out the two cowards lying under the tent to behead them to behead them according to the military law.

Although these two cowards are not good at fighting, their bloodlines of the Han family in Youzhou flows in their bodies. Although Han Kuangsi, the Privy Councilor of the Southern Court, was a Han Chinese, but he was the adopted son of Empress Shulu, and he has been in contact with the current Emperor of the Liao Dynasty since he was a child. Recently, he has made great contributions in the political battle of expelling the general Yelu Liuge. He offended the Han family, not to mention that his small military commander would be unable to bear it, even if the general Xiao Wulie was not good enough, he would have to go to Zuzhou to count sheep! (Note 1)

So even though he knew that the two cowards were lying, Xiao Bala still had to pretend to be confused. He also had to help fill the lies between the two of them, so as not to have an eye-opener around him suddenly jumped out and revealed the truth, which made him in a dilemma.

Fortunately, although the two defeated generals were timid, they were full of energy. They heard the intention of protecting him in their words, and immediately kowtowed and responded loudly one after another: "Mr. General. General Mo seemed to have seen the banner of another team at that time. The general who led the army seemed to have a duplicate surname. Hu, Huyan...? The army leader forgives his crime. It was already dark at that time, and General Mo could not see it clearly!"

"It's Huyan, it's definitely Huyan! The general can guarantee his life, and the Huyan Congdog thief sent someone to participate in this battle!"

"Yeah—" The military general Xiao Bala stroked his beard with his hands and let out a long and low moan from his mouth.

It's so energetic, worthy of being Han Zhigu's grandson, and his cleverness is definitely not inferior to his grandfather. If you involve Hu Yancong's power in Taihang Mountain, this defeat is understandable. According to the secret reports collected by the Great Liao Kingdom, Hu Yancong had just accepted the invitation from the Great Han Kingdom. In order to show something in front of the new master, it was normal to venture to the east side of Taihang Mountain to fight a battle!

"I heard that the bandit Hu Yancong had visited Dingzhou before he was recruited! Now there are several fortresses on the banks of the Xishui River that are unwilling to pay food and fodder to our army. The people inside are said to have come down from Taihang Mountain in autumn, and they have been constantly communicating with Lijia Village!" Fearing that the news provided by their family was not sensational enough, the commander Han Dexin wiped Huang Shui'er under his ear and continued to replenish carefully.

"Yes, yes! After Mo Zhang was originally planning to take down Lijiazhai, he spread the villages. However, he unexpectedly, they were so sinister that they colluded with each other and caught Mo off guard!!" Although Yelu Chiquan's face was so cold that he was covered in rotten sores, his mouth was still as bright as before. He added loudly in a hoarse voice according to the pre-confrontation with his brothers.

"Damn it!" The young Khitan general Yelu Hongshi punched the corridor column, shaking the beams and the soil fell.

"If you don't take this revenge, what's the face of us? Let's go back to the camp to pay the order!" Sun Dingbo, the commander of the Yan army, also waved his arms and shouted loudly.

An angry roar suddenly sounded in the temporarily requisitioned Buddhist temple. Almost all the Khitan and Yan generals all stared at each other and raised their eyebrows, saying that they would not give up until they avenge.

Among them, not all of them believed in the accusations of Han Dexin's brothers. However, like Xiao Bula, the leader of the army, they had no intention of pursuing the truth of the matter.

The fact that the Khitan soldiers in one battalion, plus the Youzhou soldiers in another battalion were completely wiped out by the other party is enough. As for the specific reasons for the defeat of Yelu Chiquan and Han Dexin, it is not important whether it is negligent or outnumbered!

"Dongdong, dongdong, dongdong..." A series of clear knocks sounded from the altar where the incense and candles were originally placed, instantly interrupting the noise of the crowd.

The military commander (commander of the capital) Xiao Bala held a horse whip upside down, and while beating, he ordered in a deep voice: "Come on, take the map!"

"Yes!" Several guys dressed as staff agreed loudly and threw a large roll of sheepskin into the center of the Buddhist temple. There was a huge black dot between the mountains, rivers and rivers that were scalded with iron.

All around, there was a silence. The generals and Zuoqi closed their mouths, surrounded them in front of the map, and their eyebrows were lightly locked.

Lijiazhai must be taken down. Whether there are two hundred or two thousand people hidden inside, the final result will be the same. But how to fight, who will lead the army to fight, how many brothers will be led by the leader, and the details like this must be carefully considered. After all, the other party has the ability to wipe out the first battalion of Khitan Army and the first battalion of Youzhou Army, so everyone can no longer take it lightly.

In other words, even if the previous battle was in the past, Lijia Village had the advantage of the time and place, even if the two defeated generals Yelu Chiquan and Han Dexin were timid and useless, the results of this battle have proved that it is impossible to destroy Lijia Village by only sending two battalions of troops. If there are more troops, it will involve the issue of whether the supply can be provided. And we must ensure a quick battle to avoid delaying too long and the war will accelerate in the direction that the courts of Liao and Han countries do not want to see!

"Han Dexin, come forward and say again, where are you and how did you get ambushed?" Looking around, probably the atmosphere had almost been brewing, Xiao Bala gave a deep command.

"As for order!" Han Dexin quickly walked to the map, picked up a wooden stick that had been peeled in advance, and slowly guided him, "After crossing the Fengshui River, he walked into Sandaoliang, Gaojiaji, and Yinmatun, and was about to take down Taojiazhuang from here first, and then occupy the ridge behind Lijiazhai, and condescending to him..."

After all, after the general, he received some true teachings from the elders of the Han family. After a few words, he presented his original marching route to his immediate superiors and colleagues.

"Why don't you go to the east side? The road on the east side is obviously flatter than the northwest side?" Someone immediately asked in a low voice next to the map.

"Before he went, Han had received a report from the local area. Lijiazhai had set up ambush in the valley on the east side of the village at least twice, and both times wiped out the invading enemies." Han Dexin had no "polite" words to say to the general and schoolmate who was on par with him. Without thinking, she gave a tough answer.

"Yeah!" The other party was choked and felt quite uncomfortable, but could no longer question his choice. After a few breaths, he asked with a little anger, "Since that's the case, why do you have to fight against the Lijia Village? From Fengshui to Lijia Village, you can clearly attack Qibashi with seven or eight forts!"

"If it's just for some food, grass, copper coins, of course it will be easy to beat! Who doesn't know that soft persimmons are delicious? But when the troops were sent, the general had clearly said that they would destroy the morale of the Han people everywhere and prevent them from rebelling!" Without waiting for Han Dexin to respond, Yelu Chiquan rushed forward and shouted fiercely at the questioner.

After losing the battle, he still has the face of being so arrogant?! Now, the two brothers were a little angry. The generals and assistants around him raised their eyebrows and mocked them all: "Then Xiao General Yelu, has he destroyed the morale of others as he wished?"

"Well, you can only get a seed after eating hard persimmons. The problem is, you have to have a considerable tooth!"

"Haha, I do know how to make some money and food. But compared to losing all my troops and supplies, but running away with a shameless face, is it still more stable, right?"

"I didn't know what it means to deliver goods to my door, but now I seem to understand a little. I just don't know what the relationship between the delivery person and the other party is, but it actually..."

"Okay, I'll say less. No one in the army bought a mute!" The army leader Xiao Bala heard that the more everyone said, he became more and more dissatisfied, and stood up. "We are all military generals, so don't learn the bad habits of the civil servants of the Han Dynasty. If they were defeated, the official will naturally report to the Southern Privy Council and the General of the Southern Privy Council, and the General and the Southern Privy Council envoy will punish them according to the law. But the important thing at the moment is not to accuse them of the mistakes in using troops, but how can we get back this tone!"

"Yes, I know that I am wrong, please punish the army!" The generals and the generals were shocked and bowed to apologize.

"Forget it, let's not be an example!" Xiao Bala glanced at everyone and waved his hands weakly.

If he really wants to punish according to the law, he should now push out the two guys Yelu Chiquan and Han Dexin and behead him and show them to the public. Report it to the new general Xiao Wulie and the Privy Council envoy Han Kuangsi, the result must be that the board must be raised high and gently fell down. The generals present probably have a clear mind. Therefore, since he is not even prosecuted for the crime of losing his troops and humiliating the country, what kind of face does he, as the military leader, have to care about the noise of everyone?

"On that day, the Mo Jiang came to almost this position..." Han Dexin observed his expression and continued to whisper before Xiao Bala reminded him. Both his expression and tone were much lower-key than before. "There were about fifteen or sixteen miles away from Taojiazhuang, and he was ambushed by the opponent's heavy troops. The Mo Jiang and General Yelu should have fought to the death and died, but when they thought about the ice and snow, it was difficult to convey the news in time, so they had to endure humiliation and live in order to make the enemy's blood debt one day!"

"His grandma's ability is all over his mouth, and it's justification for escaping even if he escapes!" The generals sneered with their eyes, disdaining Han Dexin's quibbling.

"If you can successfully occupy the back mountain of Lijiazhai, how many troops do you expect to have to break the village in one fell swoop?" Xiao Bala pretended not to see everyone's expression and continued to ask in a deep voice.

"The last general dare not!" Han Dexin suffered a loss and learned his lesson. He bowed very modestly, "The last general estimates that the soldiers and horses hidden in the Lijia Village should be no less than two thousand. If the old and weak people in the village can be called temporarily, they will have to be twice as many. Therefore, the last general dare not estimate how many troops our army will send, so that we will be sure to win!"

"Hmph!" "Coward!" "Coward!" "Coward!" After hearing this, the generals and Zuo immediately turned their lips higher, and they looked down on the Han brothers in their hearts.

Their troops were composed of five Khitan camps and five Youzhou camps. Among them, neither the Khitan camp nor the Youzhou camp was fully organized. After the two camps were lost by the two brothers Yelu Chiquan and Han Dexin, the total number of troops remaining was about 3,000. A small half of them were auxiliary soldiers and miscellaneous soldiers.

If the defenders of Lijiazhai are as high as 4,000 as Han Dexin said, there is no need to discuss it at all. Only when the entire army pounces on them can there be a possibility of revenge. Even if you win, you may not be so glorious. If you return by the weather and terrain, you will be all kidnapped into the gutter by the Han surname, and no one will be able to get a good harvest after returning home!

"The last general thinks that soldiers are more important than elites. If you want to flatten Lijia Village, the brothers from the three battalions are enough!" Just as everyone was hesitating, a loud voice suddenly came from the entrance of the Buddhist temple.

Everyone was surprised and turned their heads together. They just saw the proud face of the commander Ma Yanxu. (Note 2)

Note 1: Zuzhou, now Balin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia. In the early Liao Dynasty, there were constant disputes between the upper nobles, and most of the losers were sent to Zuzhou for house arrest. For example, Yelu Abaoji's queen Shuluping, Abaoji's son Yelu Lihu, and Dati Yin Yelu Liuge, were all under house arrest.
Chapter completed!