Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 459 Facing the Battle (Part 4)

General Lu and General Ge were both anxious.

"General Pei Yun didn't say that before!" General Lu said with a dark face, "We originally agreed that if we really couldn't win, we would retreat and avoid the enemy."

Pei Yun remained expressionless: "I don't remember saying any of this."

General Lu: "..."

General Ge's face was also very grim: "The Emperor is leading a large army, and we should not waste our troops here. We should retreat and join forces with the main army before launching a joint attack to defeat the Imperial Guards. General Pei Yun, don't be so stubborn!"

Blood trickled down her forehead again, but Pei Yun continued wiping it with gauze, replying calmly, "All I know is that if we back down, the Imperial Guard will continue north, trampling the crops, burning, killing, and looting. How innocent are the people? We recruit and train soldiers every day, and our food and supplies are all paid for by the people's taxes. At a time like this, if we don't fight for the people, what kind of army are we?"

General Ge was at a loss for words and sat in his chair without saying a word.

General Lu, having caught his breath, sighed and said, "So be it! General Pei Yun is determined to fight to the death, and we, the Puyang army, are no cowards either. At worst, this old body of mine will perish here."

Could General Ge admit that he was a coward, afraid of fighting and risking his life? Gritting his teeth, he said, "Please explain to General Pei Yun how to proceed next."

Pei Yun had the upper hand, and seeing that the two generals' attitudes had softened, she naturally didn't put on airs and quietly explained her plan.

At this point, the disparity in troop strength between the two sides was too great; a direct confrontation would certainly be unsuccessful. Their next task was to continuously harass and wage small-scale guerrilla warfare. If the Imperial Guard launched a large-scale attack, they would retreat back to Mo City. If the Imperial Guard continued their northward advance with a large camp, they would attack their supply and logistics convoys. In short, they would relentlessly pursue the Imperial Guard.

After setting various strategies, several more days of bloodshed ensued.

Guerrilla warfare sounds easy, but in practice, it can easily escalate into a major battle if not handled carefully. Fortunately, the Puyang and Changshan armies have been working hard to reorganize their camps and enforce discipline in recent years. In the past, such battlefield losses would have been enough to cause their troops to collapse in morale and scatter in all directions.

The Bohai Navy, as the main force, fought the fiercest and suffered the most casualties. Yet, not a single soldier deserted. This military discipline and cohesion are truly admirable.

General Lu couldn't help but privately ask Pei Yun for advice. Pei Yun didn't hold back and said with a smile, "When recruiting new soldiers, the Bohai Navy gives priority to those who have parents, brothers, and sisters. After entering the military camp, they receive their monthly pay on time. They are well-fed, well-clothed, learn martial arts, read and write, and can recite military regulations fluently. Every three months, they will also have a few days off to go home in good spirits."

“In recent years, many soldiers in the Bohai Navy have gotten married. Many girls are willing to marry them.”

“Before we came, I told them that this was a national war. If we lost, the Imperial Guard would occupy our land and plunder the people and their food. Behind them are their own fields, families, and wives and daughters.”

"How could they possibly retreat? How could they dare to desert?"

General Lu was greatly shocked upon hearing this, his gaze complex: "I have been training according to the training manual issued by the Emperor for several years, and I feel that the Puyang Army has made considerable progress. Compared with General Pei Yun today, I am truly ashamed."

No wonder Emperor Zhaoyuan values ​​Pei Yun so highly, even publicly stating that if he were to suffer a defeat on the battlefield, Pei Yun would succeed him. General Pei Yun is indeed capable!
With fewer than 20,000 troops, the allied forces managed to halt the Northern Expedition of the Imperial Guards. Although the Imperial Guards were dominating the enemy, General Situ showed no joy in gaining the upper hand.

If he has tens of thousands of dollars against twenty thousand, and still can't win, then he might as well give up his reputation.

The fierce fighting had been ongoing for days, reaching the point of "rivers of blood." But from a strategic perspective, the real losers were the Imperial Guards. They were effectively blocked between Wei Commandery and Guangping Commandery, unable to move.

Pei Yun's prowess was so formidable that he had to reassess the Pei family army's strength and Pei Qinghe herself.

However, no amount of anger or rage could change anything. The battle was raging when suddenly the ground trembled, and a large cavalry force galloped towards them. A black banner bearing the character "Pei" fluttered in the wind.

Pei's army has finally arrived!
The Allied forces, battered and nearly collapsing, suddenly became invigorated and shouted for battle.

On the contrary, the Imperial Guard was stunned by the timely arrival of the Pei family army and almost immediately showed signs of defeat.

Pei Qinghe, mounted on horseback, her face as cold as water, coldly ordered: "Pei Yan! Yang Huai! You two lead the cavalry battalion and teach the Imperial Guards a lesson!"

Pei Yan and Yang Huai led their troops together, riding side by side. Behind them, their personal guards carried flags, one bearing the character "Pei" and the other the character "Yang".

Among the Pei family army, there were only a handful of military officers qualified to carry flags. Pei Yan could lead five thousand men, and Yang Huai could also lead five thousand. The two of them led ten thousand cavalrymen, charging into the battlefield with overwhelming force. Like two fierce tigers, they swiftly devoured their prey.

The Imperial Guard immediately showed signs of defeat.

General Situ, who was observing and directing the battle from the rear, looked grim and ordered the retreat.

Pei Qinghe did not order a pursuit, and also sounded the retreat.

At this moment, the sun was blazing.

"Our three allied forces are stationed together in Mo City." Pei Yun breathed a long sigh of relief and showed his first smile in many days: "The Emperor has arrived in time with his army. Please come with me to Mo City."

Pei Qinghe nodded and said in a low voice, "The infantry and auxiliary troops are all in the rear. I will lead a 10,000-strong cavalry battalion to come and provide support first. Before Situ Xi can figure out our strength, we should quickly retreat back to Mo City."

The seemingly formidable reinforcements were actually just ten thousand cavalrymen who had arrived earlier. It was merely a bluff against Situ Xi. If Situ Xi were bold enough to send out his entire army, the exhausted Pei family army, having traveled a long distance, might very well suffer a defeat.

Fortunately, Situ Xi was intimidated and withdrew his troops first.

Pei Yun understood and smiled in agreement.

Pei Qinghe rode ahead, with Pei Yun and Mao Hongling on either side, followed closely by Pei Yan and Yang Huai, and General Lu and General Ge also quickly rode to follow.

An hour and a half later, the army entered Mo City.

Mo City is a large city, originally with a population of seventy to eighty thousand. In recent years, with the continuous influx of people fleeing from the south, Mo City, with its advantageous location, has attracted many of these refugees. Now, its permanent population is nearly one hundred thousand.

The allied army, stationed in Mocheng, did not plunder civilian homes but instead erected military tents in open areas. Furthermore, the allied forces maintained strict discipline, forbidding soldiers from harassing civilians. If a civilian's home was looted, they could go to the government office and beat the drum to file a complaint. Any soldier identified as a culprit was immediately subjected to harsh military law.

For the past two weeks, the atmosphere in Mo City has been somewhat tense, but it's been passable.

Today, the city gates were wide open, and countless cavalrymen stormed in, immediately causing gasps of surprise.

(End of this chapter)