You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 71 Retreating to Advance
"Commander, your health..."

Chen Shao looked at Han Shizhong and said irritably, "What do you want to do?"

"If the commander leads us out of Hengshan, even if we do not achieve any further merits on the pursuit, the merit of the commander's feat of single-handedly resisting 100,000 Western Xia troops will not be lost."

The Western Xia army only sent about 40,000 to 50,000 people this time, but they claimed to have sent 100,000.

Han Shizhong used to say, "The enemy has 30,000 Xia thieves on the other side," which was to boost the morale of his side.

Now that they've driven the people away, they naturally have to exaggerate their achievements.

He was even annoyed that Richard from Western Xia was too petty. What's wrong with saying 150,000 or 180,000? Does anyone want to count your troops?
Chen Shao had already thought it through. He shook his head and said, "People say that heroes should not 'cherish their lives when doing great things.' In my opinion, the greater the things one is going to do, the more one should cherish one's life. I am seriously ill now, so I should focus on recuperating."

Han Shizhong shook his head in distress, his voice finally lowering, his expression filled with deep emotion: "The Commander is right... I'm not an ungrateful person, I just really want to make something of myself! This time, following the Commander, I held off Brother Richard, and I don't know how many great achievements await me ahead..."

He looked earnestly at Chen Shao: "Commander Chen, listen to Han Wu's heartfelt words. No matter where you go, leave a place for me, Han Wu! I'll fight tooth and nail for you! I'll bring you a few good battalions! The Northwest is in such a state, it's a place where men can make their mark. I've wasted half my life, I don't want to miss this opportunity!"

Chen Shao laughed and said, "Look at what you're saying, as if our efforts would be wasted if we didn't lead the troops to chase after them."

The image of that twisted eunuch's old face flashed in his mind. He had already demonstrated his ability and will by guarding this place alone for seven days.

It doesn't matter how many merits you make next; what matters is demonstrating your loyalty.

Otherwise, even if you lead three thousand men into Xingqing Prefecture and personally cut off Emperor Xia's head, they can still quietly erase your achievements.

Moreover, to be honest, the main forces of the Shaanxi armies have already chased after them, and our few thousand men can't make much of a splash or gain much credit.

Instead of dragging his ailing body to pursue them, he should focus on cultivating relationships and letting Tong Guan know who his own people are.

Let him feel at ease and support himself.

Han Shizhong, that reckless fellow, now knows to come here to express his loyalty. He is truly bold and meticulous. How could I fall behind?

Chen Shao held Han Shizhong's hand and said, "Han Wu, I consider you a brother for life. To be honest, today's move was a strategic retreat."

Seeing his appearance, Han Shizhong knew that he was not holding back because of illness, and Han Shizhong was immediately relieved.

He was always arrogant when it came to warfare, believing he could command thousands of troops and that he was a talented person who was not given the opportunity to shine.

He was also self-aware when it came to being an official, and felt that he should learn from Chen Shao.

He may seem impulsive, but he is actually meticulous and knows how to calm down and think things through.

This is actually very rare.

The difference between a fierce general and a famous general often lies here.

Over the next few days, Chen Shao and Han Shizhong focused on repairing the fortress.

Chen Shao, in particular, whose illness gradually improved, was busy asking people to buy seeds for spring planting.

He also asked someone to pass a message to Liu Guanglie, telling him to start currying favor with Tong Guan and not to worry about money.

This time, Tong Guan will not skimp on the reward. Money is just an external thing; it only becomes money when it is spent, and it is just scrap metal if it is left in your hands.

Whenever soldiers of the Western Army set out from this place to pursue the enemy, the people inside the fortress would silently watch them from the roadside.

Even the Western Army soldiers, known for their poor discipline and wild nature, could only bow their heads and pass by.

I feel guilty!
Early that day, a guard from the Victory Army came to report that Tong Guan had arrived.

He personally led his troops to pursue Richard, saying he wanted to avenge Xihe Army and Liu Fa.

Chen Shao had already changed into dry clothes, wearing a Song Dynasty military coat and a helmet, and he really looked like a military general.

But his sling arm, the arrow wounds on his face, and his limping gait all revealed how he risked his life to defend Hengshan, force back the Xia bandits, and give everyone the opportunity to pursue them.

Before Tong Guanren even arrived, the Shengjie Army's personal guards were already standing on both sides of the road.

These victorious soldiers were weaker in charging than the seasoned elite troops of the Western Army, but they were all tall men carefully selected by Tong Guan to serve as his personal guard.

Clad in heavy armor, he stood with his hand on his sword, exuding an imposing aura.

Han Shizhong watched Chen Shao standing there, arm in arm with several captains of Tong Guan's personal guard, chatting and laughing, and felt a little envious.

The commander is successful everywhere he goes. I was such an idiot before, always arguing with my superiors. No wonder I was suppressed.

Yang Keshi had already led his troops in pursuit. Now, Yang Sanqi was leading the guards to protect Tong Guan. He said with a smile, "Brother Shao, you really did well this time. Now, rest well and get back to your health. We'll go to Youyan with Commander Xuan together. Being ennobled and appointed as generals is just around the corner!"

He wasn't just talking; he genuinely thought so. In the eyes of those around Tong Guan, the Liao Dynasty was already a rotten piece of wood.

It seems that anyone could kick the Liao Dynasty and overturn it.

The Jurchen Tartars, with such a small population, no armor, and no provisions, could easily defeat the Liao Dynasty. Why can't we?
Moreover, the recapture of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun is an immense achievement. It would be easy for Commander Xuan to be granted the title of King, and for everyone else to be granted the title of Marquis.

Chen Shao smiled faintly to himself. Although he was exhausted after defeating Richard, his mind was churning like a mighty river, never ceasing.

The next step is to position myself between the two heartlands of Western Xia, east and west. Although I will have to bear the pressure from both sides of Western Xia, this is the only way to develop my own power by relying on the national strength of the Song Dynasty.

Where can you find a warlord like this nowadays?

Only in the Northwest, only in this place that has been fought for a hundred years without stopping, and we still have to develop it ourselves.

Of course, there's also a big bonus during this period.

That was to march south and quell Fang La's rebellion.

Although Fang La caused great trouble and drove the Jiangnan garrison to flee at the mere sight of him, he still had no chance of winning against these veteran soldiers from the Northwest.

They swept through Jiangnan, plundering countless riches and killing countless officials and gentry.

The fat and grease have been completely scraped away from the marrow of the southeast!
This is all money!
Historically, it was Liu Yanqing who went to suppress Fang La, and his men plundered the area, returning home laden with spoils.

After Liu Yanqing's death, the reason why Liu Guangshi was able to quickly gather tens of thousands of troops and become the largest military leader in the early Southern Song Dynasty was because he had money.

(End of this chapter)