My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

Huaibei, the Qin army camp of San'a.

Inside the command tent, news arrived that Murong Yan had been defeated and captured, and that Xiao Heng had led his army to harass Sikou.

Peng Chao and Ju Nan summoned all the deputy generals and several trusted advisors.

"Five thousand naval troops? Murong Yan was defeated? And he even died for his country?!"

They could hardly finish reading the military report from Pengcheng, their faces filled with disbelief.

Although Murong Yan's forces were not the core of the Xianbei elite, they still numbered over ten thousand. How could they have suffered such a complete defeat, even losing their commander?

Peng Chao's face had turned ashen. He suppressed his anger and handed Ju Nan the routine military intelligence document from Shao Bao, the garrison commander of Huaiyin and the governor of Luozhou.

Shao Bao was a cautious man, and his writing was plain and simple. However, one sentence mentioned that "small groups of Jin scouts were frequently seen moving along the lower reaches of the Shu River, which is suspected to be an enemy spying on us." At this moment, combined with Murong Xu's urgent report, it made Ju Nan feel very alarmed.

"Sikou must not be lost!"

He slammed his fist on the heavy table.

"Murong Xu may be exaggerating or trying to shirk responsibility, but the Jin army has a capable force on its flank and rear. The threat lies not in the size of their forces, but in their position and mobility!"

Peng Chao nodded in agreement and looked at the generals inside the tent.

What do you all think?

The people inside the tent looked at each other, but no one responded.

Peng Chao stood up, looked at the map behind him, pondered for a moment, and then gave the order.

"Immediately dispatch 5,000 infantry and cavalry to reinforce Sikou!"

"Send an order to Shao Bao of Huaiyin! Instruct him to closely monitor the areas along the Shu and Si rivers. If a detachment of the Jin army arrives, it is imperative to stop them north of the Huai River. If possible, annihilate them! If not, they must be held firmly in place and absolutely not allowed to threaten the Sikou waterway. If Sikou falls, he will answer to me with his head!"

"Each battalion should strengthen its defenses, send out more scouts, and be on high alert to prevent the Jin army from launching a counterattack. We should wait until the threat to our flanks and rear is eliminated before making any further advances!"

The generals inside the tent looked solemn and none of them spoke in a deep voice.

"Now that troops have been redeployed to reinforce, I'm afraid..."

"We can't worry about that now!"

Peng Chao ignored Ju Nan's words.

"If we lose Sikou, our army will have no supplies. General Ju, you should go and make preparations!"

After hearing the unpleasant sounds, he could only sigh, clasp his hands in greeting, and leave, but he was already tired of Peng Chao's stubbornness.

That night, the Qin army of 5,000 broke camp and marched north.

When the scout general presented the situation to Xie Xuan, neither side could make any progress in the days-long standoff. Now, the other side suddenly mobilized troops, which gave all the generals in the tent a boost of spirits.

Xie Xuan stood before the map of Huaibei.

"Peng Chao did not hesitate to weaken his frontal offensive and hastily retreat northward. What he feared was not the loss of Pengcheng. Pengcheng was fortified, and our main force was here. How could we possibly fly over it?"

He turned to look at the generals under his command and asked a question.

"Please feel free to speak your mind!"

At this moment, Sun Wuzhong muttered something that even he found hard to believe.

"Could it be the East China Sea...?"

Zhuge Kan, who was standing to the side, frowned.

"You mean Xiao...Sanlang?"

Their conversation piqued the interest of everyone else.

This also reminded Xie Xuan of Lu Ming, the scout who had been injured before, and there were some details he hadn't yet inquired about.

He then gave the order in a deep voice.

"Summon Lu Ming immediately!"

Lu Ming was quickly brought in and hurriedly bowed upon entering the tent.

Xie Xuan got straight to the point.

"What is the current strength of Prefect Xiao's troops, and what are their movements?"

Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat. Before leaving, Xiao Heng instructed him not to reveal his troop deployment to anyone except Xie Xuan.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, before I left Qu County, Lord Xiao had already integrated the surrendered soldiers with his own troops, eliminating the weak and retaining the strong. In addition to newly recruited soldiers, he had about seven thousand combat troops. After repairs and captures, he also had fifty warships of various sizes, and four warships. Due to the capture of Murong Yan's troops and the recovery of the county granaries, his provisions and military equipment were sufficient for the short term. As for his specific plans, Your Excellency did intend to go south, and said that he would wait for an opportunity to act in support of the main army!"

"Seven thousand soldiers?"

Xie Xuan himself couldn't believe it and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice before turning around to look at the map of Huaibei behind him.

The men under the tent were also buzzing with discussion. They all knew that the army had recently been hearing rumors that Xiao Heng had defeated a Qin army of ten thousand with only three thousand men and captured Murong Yan. How could this army have seven thousand men? The most surprised and excited was Sun Wuzhong, who almost lost his footing as Xiao Heng's recommender. The others could only look on with envy.

"It's the north! Xiao Heng has made a move, and he's struck at Peng Chao's vital point! His military might must be aimed here! Only if this place is threatened could Peng Chao be so panicked that he'd be willing to withdraw troops from the front lines!"

Upon hearing this, the generals in the tent all had different expressions and looked in the direction Xie Xuan was pointing.

But at this moment, Liu Laozhi was somewhat disdainful.

"Sikou is the throat of the barbarian's grain supply route, and its defenses must be strict. Even if Xiao Sanlang really goes there..."

His unspoken words clearly indicated that he felt the move was too risky, even somewhat reckless.

Xie Xuan did not offer a direct evaluation, but instead summoned Lu Ming, who had been accompanying the army for liaison.

He Qian couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"They are surrendered soldiers, how can we possibly capture this strategically important location!"

A slight commotion arose in the tent, with some doubts about Xiao Heng's audacity to attack Sikou.

Xie Xuan took in everyone's reactions and raised his hand to stop the discussion.

"Seven thousand troops are enough to threaten Sikou. Now that Peng Chao has mobilized troops, we cannot let him succeed, regardless of whether it's a feint or not. This may be a good opportunity to break the deadlock. How can we sit idly by?"

Without further hesitation, he turned to face his generals and began issuing a series of orders.

"He Qian and Zhuge Kan, listen to my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I order you two to lead three thousand elite naval troops, immediately break camp, and sail upstream! Pursue Peng Chao's five thousand infantry and cavalry who have been transferred north with great fanfare!"

"They are traveling light and quickly, and will inevitably take the land route near the water. Your navy has the speed advantage. If you can catch up, don't engage them in a direct confrontation; head straight for Sikou!"

"Upon reaching the Sikou waters, if you see Xiao Heng's banners or discover that they are attacking Sikou, you must immediately lead your troops ashore and fully cooperate with Xiao Heng to seize the Sikou docks and seize Huaiyin City when the opportunity arises! After capturing the city, defend it, strengthen the fortifications, and do not abandon it easily!"

"Understood, sir!"

A glint flashed in He Qian and Zhuge Kan's eyes as they felt a great sense of responsibility. This was no longer a simple pursuit or feint, but a crucial mission to penetrate deep behind enemy lines and seize strategic points.

"Liu Laozhi, Sun Wuzhong, heed my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"I hereby order you two to select 10,000 infantry and archers, with Sun Wuzhong as the vanguard and Liu Laozhi as the commander of the rear guard, to follow closely behind He Qian's navy and advance swiftly along the riverbank! Peng Chao will discover our navy's westward advance and will surely know our intention is at Sikou. How could he sit idly by? He will definitely send other troops out of camp to intercept us. Your task is to defeat this enemy and ensure the safety of He Qian's rear!"

"promise!"

Liu Laozhi and Sun Wuzhong clasped their hands in greeting and accepted the order. This was a tough battle, just what they wanted.

"Gao Heng and all the generals remaining in their respective camps!"

Xie Xuan gave his final instructions.

"With Peng Chao tied down, his frontal offensive will surely falter. You need not request orders; pursue with all your might!"

"I will obey your orders!"

After everyone left, the tent returned to silence, leaving only Xie Xuan and Lu Ming, who was left alone standing with his hands at his sides.

The guards had already withdrawn as ordered, and the curtains fell. Xie Xuan did not immediately return to his seat, but instead slowly walked to the desk on the side, where the document brought by Lu Ming lay quietly.

He picked up the document, which was extremely concise and almost hastily written, and then looked at Lu Ming.

"Prefect Xiao's letter only mentions the recapture of Qu County, the gathering of his troops, and the preparation of his army for battle; he is remarkably concise. But what you just said—that his army already has seven thousand soldiers, with sufficient ships, provisions, and weapons—is this scale accurate?"

Lu Ming dared not delay and hurriedly reported back.

"Prefect Xiao has stated beforehand that a truthful report can only be made if the Commander-in-Chief personally intervenes!"

Xie Xuan nodded after hearing this, and from the matter of Murong Yan being temporarily detained, he understood that Xiao Heng had some concerns.

"Is there anything else you haven't said?"

Lu Ming did not answer directly, but instead asked a question in return.

"What does the Commander-in-Chief want to ask?"

These words annoyed Xie Xuan, but he still asked calmly.

"Where did the provisions and supplies come from to support such a large military operation?"

"Reporting to the Commander!"

Lu Ming bowed, speaking in as calm and detailed a tone as possible.

"When I left Qu County, Lord Xiao had indeed completed the reorganization. In the battle of Yuzhou Island, we received the surrender of Han auxiliary soldiers from Murong Yan's forces. After selection, we found about 3,500 capable soldiers. After recapturing Qu County, we incorporated the Han soldiers who remained in the city and some Hu soldiers who were willing to surrender, which brought us nearly 2,000 more. In total, we had about 5,500 soldiers. However, this only includes those who have been incorporated into the ranks, issued weapons, and participated in training."

He paused briefly, and seeing that Xie Xuan was listening attentively, he continued.

"In addition, there are still a large number of young men on the island and in Qu County who have been demobilized or were originally laborers or militiamen, about four thousand people. Lord Xiao organized them into the Tunfu Camp, specializing in construction, transportation, land reclamation, salt production and other tasks. They were also given simple commands and could help defend the city in times of crisis. If such people are also included in the mobilizable force, the total number is close to ten thousand."

"Nearly ten thousand!"

Xie Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly; this number was even larger than he had anticipated.

With nearly ten thousand followers in a short period of time, Xiao Heng's expansion speed was astonishing.

"Supplies and weaponry!"

Xie Xuan pressed for an answer.

"The provisions left by Murong Yan and the granaries of Qu County may provide temporary relief, but supporting nearly ten thousand people is by no means a long-term solution. What are Prefect Xiao's plans? Could it be that he is truly relying on the salt fields in the East China Sea, or is there another channel?"

He stared at Lu Ming, clearly not believing that Xiao Heng could maintain his position solely through the spoils of war.

Lu Ming knew the most crucial part was coming. He remembered Xiao Heng's instructions: if Magistrate Xie asked about the grain supplies, he could directly mention the Cui family, and there was no need to say anything else.

"Lord Xiao once said that the supply of provisions was indeed a major problem. Fortunately, the Xu family of Donghai and the Cui family of Qingzhou in the north provided assistance, supplying grain, cloth, and even a small amount of iron. The Cui family's help was indispensable in enabling Lord Xiao to quickly reorganize the troops this time."

"The Cui family of Qingzhou?"

Xie Xuan raised an eyebrow suddenly. This answer was both unexpected and reasonable.

The Xu family of Donghai was to be expected, but Xie Xuan had to be wary of the Cui family of Qingzhou.

A brief silence fell inside the tent.

Xie Xuan saw Cui's involvement as a new variable. What did Cui want? What was the relationship between Xiao Heng and Cui?

A moment later, Xie Xuan looked up at Lu Ming.

"You may go and rest now. What we said today should not be told to others for the time being."

Xie Xuan waved his hand.

"Yes, I'll take my leave."

Lu Ming breathed a sigh of relief, bowed, and left the main tent.

Inside the tent, Xie Xuan stood alone before the map, his gaze once again fixed on the north, which represented Xiao Heng's area of ​​activity, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"With nearly ten thousand soldiers and the assistance of the Cui family, they excel at launching surprise attacks!"

Xie Xuan muttered to himself.

"Xiao Sanlang, did you have this all along, or... are you a trendsetter with a hidden background?"

......