Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 458 Facing the Battle (Part 3)

Half an hour later, it got dark.

This ambush was quite fruitful. Over five hundred were killed, and more than two hundred were taken prisoner. Huo San was lucky; he had been stabbed three times but was still alive. He was bound hand and foot and dragged before Pei Yun like a dead pig.

Standing with Pei Yun were General Lu of the Puyang Army and General Ge of the Changshan Army.

"General Pei Yun's plan was indeed effective." General Lu praised with a smile: "Show the enemy weakness, and then show the enemy weakness again. Who would have thought that we were not two allied forces, but three armies?"

General Ge exclaimed repeatedly, "Indeed a brilliant plan! We've caught a big fish today. This Huo San is the most valiant general under General Situ. We've actually captured him alive!"

Huo San was unable to move, and he kept cursing and swearing.

Zhao Hehua, standing behind Pei Yun, coldly drew her knife and slammed it down with the hilt. Blood streamed from Huo San's mouth and nose; it was unclear how many teeth had been knocked out, but he was rendered speechless.

General Lu and General Ge exchanged a glance, each sighing inwardly.

What kind of world is this? Women are all so capable. Pei Qinghe goes without saying, and this Pei Yun is resourceful, calm, and decisive, showing the demeanor of a renowned general. Even the commander of her personal guards is this formidable.

"Spare Huo San's life, and when the Emperor arrives, behead him before the great battle to offer a sacrifice to the flag!" Pei Yun politely inquired of the two veteran generals, "What do you think, General Lu and General Ge?"

General Lu and General Ge had no objections.

Pei Yun continued, "The Emperor is leading a large army here, and judging by the distance, it will take about ten days. Our three allied forces currently have a total strength of less than 20,000. It is impossible for us to defeat the Imperial Guards, but we can at least hold them off for some time."

"Once we hold out until the main army arrives and joins us, we will have succeeded."

In his letter, Pei Qinghe told Pei Yun not to allow the Imperial Guards to enter Youzhou. Pei Yun, in turn, pushed the battle line further forward, determined not to let the Imperial Guards enter Jizhou.

Given the state of the Imperial Guards, wherever their army went, it was like a locust plague, causing immense suffering to the people. Pei Yun took the initiative to lead troops out of Bohai County precisely to try his best to stop the Imperial Guards' march.

General Lu hesitated, and said in a low voice, "General Pei Yun's idea is good, but we are far outnumbered by the Imperial Guard. If we want to hold off the Imperial Guard, we have to fight with our lives on the line."

It's normal for a military leader to be reluctant to part with the troops under his command.

Didn't you see General Ge nodding in agreement?
They can easily lure the enemy into a fight with two matches. But what if they risk everything and exhaust their resources? How will they survive in the future?

Pei Yun looked over and said, "We will send troops tomorrow. The Bohai Army will be the main force, and the Puyang Army and Changshan Army will each contribute one thousand men."

General Lu and General Ge reluctantly agreed. General Ge added a few words: "I didn't mean to discourage General Pei Yun. However, the Emperor's order is for us to do our best to hold off the Imperial Guard and prevent them from entering Youzhou. We still have Jizhou as a buffer in the rear. If we really can't defeat them and can't hold them off any longer, then we'll allow them to enter Jizhou."

Zhao Hehua pursed her lips, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes.

Pei Yun readily agreed: "Alright, if we really can't win, we'll retreat and avoid them."

After General Lu and General Ge left, Zhao Hehua couldn't help but snort: "They make it sound so easy. Jizhou has been at war for years and has finally had a few years of peace. This year is supposed to be a year of good weather and a bumper harvest. If the Imperial Guards were to enter Jizhou, I don't know what kind of mess they would make of it."

"They are all commanders of an army, yet their vision is so short-sighted."

Pei Yun's gaze turned slightly cold: "They're not short-sighted, they just still have the airs of warlords, only concerned with their own little territory. As long as there's no major trouble within their own sphere of influence, that's enough for them." Zhao Hehua, though angry, was also somewhat helpless: "What do we do now? They're unwilling to go all out, each sending a thousand soldiers. We brought eight thousand, so that's only ten thousand soldiers in total. The imperial guards alone have eighty thousand elite troops. If they're all as capable as the pursuers this year, it'll be really difficult to deal with them."

Pei Yun coldly said, "Even if they're difficult to deal with, we have to fight! We'll stay here and hold off the garrison! General Lu and General Ge may not want to risk their resources, but they have no choice. Let them send a thousand soldiers first, and when their forces are insufficient, they can send more!"

Zhao Hehua then realized: "So, the general was just trying to fool them when he said he was retreating?"

Pei Yun raised an eyebrow and laughed: "Let's coax them to stay first. Once the first battle is fought, there will be a second and a third. If a real war breaks out, they won't be able to retreat as they please."

……

The news of Huo San's capture during the pursuit enraged General Situ.

General Situ berated Huo San in his tent for disobeying orders, and all his trusted generals knew his temper. No one dared to utter a sound at that moment.

After General Situ had finished his tirade and calmed his anger, one of the officers spoke up: "General, this allied force is indeed cunning. They might come again tomorrow or later. We must prepare as soon as possible!"

General Situ composed himself and said, "Issue my military order: strengthen patrols and guard against a night raid on the enemy camp."

It can only be said that Situ Xi truly lived up to his reputation as an experienced and shrewd general. Sure enough, that very night, the allied forces launched a surprise attack and set fire to the camp. The imperial guards were well-prepared, and not only did the fire start, but the attacking allied forces also suffered a fierce counterattack, incurring heavy casualties.

The next day, the allied forces continued their attack.

General Situ was not blinded by anger. After observing the battle for a day, he made a new decision: "This allied army is quite powerful and full of fighting spirit. It is unlikely that we can make them retreat in defeat."

"We cannot break camp and march, lest we be ambushed and harassed along the way, causing morale to collapse and resulting in more harm than good."

"If they want to fight, we'll fight right here and slaughter them until their blood flows like a river!"

As he finished speaking, General Situ grinned maliciously, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

The generals under his command raised their arms and shouted in unison!

General Situ changed his mind and decided to first destroy this allied army, to teach all the armies in the north a lesson and a shock.

Over the next few days, both sides continued to send troops, engaging in constant large and small skirmishes. General Situ learned from the prisoners that the total strength of this allied army did not exceed 20,000. The real Pei family army was still on its way.

Without hesitation, General Situ immediately dispatched 30,000 elite troops from the central army to launch a massive attack on the allied forces.

Such a major battle is a true test of combat strength. The allied forces were indeed formidable, suffering heavy losses.

General Lu and General Ge were horrified by the casualty figures and insisted on retreating.

Pei Yun, who had been personally leading troops into battle for several days, wiped the blood from her face with gauze and said slowly, "You retreat, but I, Pei Yun, will not retreat. I will fight them to the death!"

(End of this chapter)