My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Heng had been asleep for less than two hours when he was awakened by Han Yong's rough voice.

"Officer! Officer! Something terrible has happened!"

Xiao Heng sat up abruptly, his head spinning from lack of sleep. He pressed his forehead and asked in a deep voice.

"What's the matter?"

"Chaos has broken out outside! The wealthy families in the city, along with many ordinary people, fled with their families before dawn! We couldn't stop them!"

Xiao Heng instantly woke up, all sleepiness gone.

I quickly got dressed and went outside. I saw many people on the street, and every household was packing up their things.

Xiao Heng smiled wryly. Yesterday, he had only notified the powerful families who were willing to evacuate with the army to prepare, without specifying the source of the danger.

However, these powerful clans, who had been entrenched in the area for many years, were clearly unwilling to leave with the army.

"Fine!"

Xiao Heng turned and left, returning to the camp.

In chaotic times, it is instinctive to seek profit and avoid harm. In order to win over the people, Fu Qin maintained relatively strict military discipline and indeed rarely massacred civilians.

These wealthy and powerful families had a much higher chance of survival if they fled on their own.

But for Xiao Heng, their escape meant annihilation!

Such a commotion could not possibly have escaped the notice of Murong De's scouts.

The news of the Northern Army's activities within Lanling City will soon be exposed!

"We might have been exposed!"

Xiao Heng said to Han Yong with a solemn expression.

"Murong De's army may arrive sooner than we expect! We can't wait until the day after tomorrow!"

"Assemble immediately! We must depart in one hour!"

"Those prisoners..."

Han Yong hesitated.

"The general was taken away, the others..."

Xiao Heng made a gesture, and Han Yong clasped his hands in greeting and left.

"promise!"

An hour passed quickly, and none of the scouts sent out returned.

Xiao Heng knew he couldn't wait any longer. He used the simulation once and didn't find any problems, but he was still worried. Even if Sun Wuzhong was not good enough, he was still leading the elite troops of the Northern Army.

He ordered Han Yong to select over a thousand able-bodied men from among the laborers and auxiliary soldiers, arm them all, and dismiss the rest on the spot.

He then led the hastily assembled 2,000 men out of the city and hurried eastward along the official road.

Less than two hours after they left, dust billowed up on the official road behind them, and the sound of horses' hooves rolled in.

Xiao Heng's heart tightened; it had come too quickly. He immediately gave the order.

"All troops, listen to my command! Abandon the official road and immediately proceed to the reed wetland on the south side!"

Upon receiving the order, the group was somewhat flustered, but under the reprimands and urging of Han Yong and others, they quickly turned off the official road.

This type of terrain is common in the south, and it was only early spring. More than two thousand people quickly entered the muddy wetlands and hid in the reeds.

The scouts also reported the situation at the rear.

"Commander! There are about five hundred cavalrymen, their armor gleaming, unlike ordinary scouts!"

Xiao Heng knew that these were no ordinary cavalry.

I first conducted a simple simulation by immersing my mind in my sea of ​​consciousness.

[Start Historical Simulation]

[Simulation attempts consumed: 1]

Cold words surfaced in his mind:

You ordered your troops to hastily deploy on the dry, hard ground at the edge of the reeds, using wagons and shields as walls, with spears pointing forward. You loudly proclaimed that the muddy terrain would make it difficult for enemy cavalry to penetrate!

Five hundred Qin cavalry arrived and quickly deployed. They did not immediately step into the mud, but instead circled and galloped a hundred paces away. At the commander's order, a dense rain of arrows soared into the air, tracing high arcs, passing over the front shields, and landing in the center of the formation.

The arrows were heavy, their penetrating power far exceeding that of light cavalry bows. The auxiliary troops' rudimentary leather armor and even cloth clothing offered no protection; the screams of those struck instantly shattered the tense silence. The first volley of arrows caused dozens of casualties, and panic spread like wildfire.

[You and Han Yong shouted sternly, and the supervising officers drew their swords, barely managing to suppress the rout. But the Qin army's arrows rained down relentlessly, and everyone in the ranks was in danger, only concerned with ducking for cover, and the formation began to crumble.]

At the critical moment, a group of auxiliary soldiers on the flank, who had taken the most arrows, finally collapsed. With a shout, they fled desperately into the reeds behind them. Their escape triggered a chain reaction, and the entire flank began to falter. Han Yong led his personal guards to quell the unrest, creating a gap in the center of the formation.

The Qin commander astutely seized this fleeting opportunity. A sharp horn sounded, and approximately two hundred cavalrymen dismounted, wielding powerful crossbows and long weapons. Under the cover of arrows from the remaining cavalry, they waded into the mud in skirmish lines, launching a swift infantry assault on the wavering flank! The mud slowed their pace, but it could not halt their desperate advance.

Beset by internal and external troubles, the battle formation completely collapsed. The routed soldiers scattered like headless flies, disrupting the main force. You tried to regroup the central army, but a stray arrow, seemingly from nowhere, struck you squarely in the shoulder; the excruciating pain and loss of balance caused you to fall to the ground. In the chaos, you saw several Qin soldiers break through the ranks, charging straight towards where you had fallen… The last thing you saw was a mud-covered ring-pommel blade slashing down towards you.

[Simulation Ended]

Survival time: Less than an hour

[Historical Participation: Medium (Battle of Pengcheng)]

[Historical Points Gained: 10]

[Evaluation: The terrain failed to act as a barrier, instead becoming a prison. The hastily armed rabble could not withstand the organized long-range attacks and decisive assaults of a regular army. Morale crumbled under the hail of arrows, and internal strife led to your collapse. You died in the chaos, not in a desperate situation.]

Xiao Heng suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the reed marshland, his gaze now completely different.

"They're definitely not easy to deal with!"

Just as Xiao Heng was preparing to use deep simulation to resolve the crisis.

The young general beside him looked at the approaching dust and smoke behind them, then at the muddy wetlands, and this time he took the initiative to speak.

"These are Imperial Guards! Release me, and I promise they won't pursue us again!"

Xiao Heng was overjoyed upon hearing this, knowing that he was saved this time.

He scoffed at the young man and pointed to the surrounding muddy swamp.

"The Imperial Guards? The Heavenly King's personal guard? Fine, let them come in and see! Besides, you're asking me to release you now, just empty words. Why should I believe you? Just because your father is Deng Qiang?"

Deng Jing was so speechless that his face turned pale. He opened his mouth, but could only turn his head away angrily.

Xiao Heng didn't intend to really push him too far. He waved his hand, ordering the surrounding soldiers to retreat a hundred paces, leaving only two people at a distance with crossbows on guard.

He found a slightly dry embankment to sit on, patted the spot next to him, and gestured for Deng Jing to sit down as well.

Deng Jing snorted coldly and stood there with his neck stiff.

Xiao Heng didn't press the matter and spoke on his own.

"Name?"

Deng Jing frowned, finding this person inexplicable.

"Deng Jing!"

"Haha, I knew it!"

This laugh confused Deng Jing, who had no idea what the other person was up to.

Xiao Heng abruptly changed the subject, completely ignoring the military situation.

Do you think Fu Jian could unify the country?

Deng Jing was taken aback, completely unprepared for the other party to suddenly ask such a question.

But before he could answer, Xiao Heng continued talking to himself.

"Your Heavenly King is too ambitious and eager for glory, what a pity!"

"Xiangyang has been sieged for almost a year, and Pengcheng has been besieged for another six months. It's like cutting flesh with a dull knife, wasting the nation's strength. I guess Peng Chao has probably fallen into the trap and is rushing back to reinforce Liucheng. The siege of Pengcheng may have already been lifted!"

Deng Jing didn't believe this at all and couldn't help but rebuke him.

"Pengcheng is completely besieged; Dai Lu has no way to escape!"

Seeing that he didn't believe him, Xiao Heng didn't argue and started to evaluate Fu Jian again.

"King Fu was sincere in his dealings with people and wanted to unify the six kingdoms into one family. His heart was admirable. It's a pity that he forgot Wang Jinglue's (Wang Meng's) dying words."

Upon hearing the name "Wang Jinglue," Deng Jingdu was somewhat incredulous. How could the person in front of him know so much?

"Murong Chui, Murong Hong, Murong Chong... and Yao Chang, who knelt down the fastest and smiled the sweetest!"

Xiao Heng counted on his fingers, one by one, and with each one he counted, Deng Jing's expression grew more and more unpleasant.

"These are all major threats. Keeping them around is not benevolent; it's digging our own graves."

"What...what nonsense are you spouting!"

Deng Jing wanted to refute, but found that what the other party was talking about were all the hidden matters in the court today.

After Wang Meng's death, Fu Jian continued to appoint his son Wang Yong as prime minister, but the status of Han people in the court seemed to have lost its backbone.

"What exactly do you want?"

Deng Jing stared at Xiao Heng with some confusion; he really couldn't see through this man.

Xiao Heng simply smiled without answering, stood up, and brushed the grass clippings off his robe.

He looked at Deng Jing, his eyes regaining their previous calm.

"Alright, enough of this small talk. Now, let's talk about how to keep your Imperial Guards from causing us trouble."

Deng Jing remained silent for a moment.

"What do you want?"

"Simple. Tell them that Young Master Deng is safe with me. If they go any further or make any rash moves, they'll be collecting his corpse. If they want him, they should stay obediently on the main road. Only send a small number of men to follow him from a distance. Once I reach a safe area, I will release him."

Xiao Heng paused, then added a sentence.

"You can choose not to cooperate, but are you betting they'd care about your life, or are you betting I can lead you out of here?"

Deng Jing closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, he was resolute.

"...Okay, I'll cooperate!"

Xiao Heng then selected a messenger who was eloquent.

Deng Jing repeated the request to the messenger in person.

"Tell them this is a military order, and also a matter of self-preservation; do not act rashly!"

The messenger went off with trepidation.

Returning about 15 minutes later, they brought back the reply from the other general, agreeing to the request, but ensuring Deng Jing's safety was paramount.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng seized the opportunity to increase the stakes.

"Young Master Deng's steed is weary; please present three fine horses as a token of our sincerity. Furthermore, our army has suffered heavy losses of armor; please replenish twenty sets of armor!"

Soon after, the messenger returned with three warhorses, but his request for armor was sternly rejected.

"All equipment of the Imperial Guards is registered; not a single piece of armor may be given to the enemy!"

Deng Jing whispered to Xiao Heng.

"All weapons are inscribed; they cannot bear the guilt of losing them!"

Xiao Heng knew when to stop; his original intention was simply to get a horse.

Once the agreement was reached, the main force of the 500 Imperial Guards retreated a distance, splitting into only 20 riders who stayed far behind the rest of the column.

The pressure eased slightly, but Xiao Heng dared not be careless.

Under his strict orders, the troops sped eastward, choosing dangerous places to camp at night and doubling the number of sentries.

The twenty riders followed closely, always staying within sight.

After traveling at such a rapid pace for more than two days, the outline of Tan County came into view on the afternoon of the third day.

This place is now close to the heart of Donghai Commandery, which is controlled by the Jin army.

As agreed, Xiao Heng ordered Deng Jing's release.

He had been tormented by Xiao Heng's words these past two days, and even predicted that the Qin Dynasty would be destroyed in less than ten years.

Upon seeing the arrival of the waiting party, Xiao Heng, mounted on his horse, cupped his hands in the gentle breeze, his smile clear.

"Lanling Xiao Heng thanks General Deng for his generosity!"

Deng Jing was speechless, wishing he could kill Xiao Heng, but now he could only utter harsh words.

"Xiao Heng... I've got it!"

After saying this, he turned his horse around and, with twenty Imperial Guards, spurred his horse northward.

Han Yong moved closer to Xiao Heng, gazing at the smoke and dust.

"Supervisor, you really released him? This was a big fish!"

Xiao Heng's gaze remained fixed on the north as he spoke slowly.

"Holding onto them is like holding a hot potato; it will attract endless pursuit from the Imperial Guards. How can we, with so few men, fight against elite cavalry!"

"..."