Three Kingdoms

Critical information is scarce everywhere. The same is true for Cui Jun from Taiyuan. He was in urgent need of information, but he never heard back.

Cui Jun was so worried that his hair turned a lot of white.

An unstable mind is the root of worry.

The closer it is to the middle position, the more it swings.

Even a stupid person can't think of anything, so most of the time they just don't think about it.

If you are dedicated to the great cause of the Hussars, you don't need to think too much, you just need to figure out how to fight.

But now Cui Jun is unsettled and has a lot to think about, weighing the pros and cons, determining the pros and cons...

There are not many soldiers in Taiyuan, and it is unlikely that there will be many.

The messengers who sent people to Yinshan and Pingyang for help all came back, and they all brought back bad news. Neither Yinshan nor Pingyang sent reinforcements because Cao's army had not even reached Taiyuan!

That's true, and the reason is valid, but if we really wait for Cao's army to arrive before sending reinforcements, will it be too late?

Cui Jun is anxious because he is worried about gains and losses, and the root cause of his worries about gains and losses is Cui's assets in Taiyuan.

This is an asset that Cui managed to acquire with great difficulty.

Cui is the ruler of Taiyuan County and a dealer in many related industries in Taiyuan.

The Cui family is not only an association, but also a referee and an athlete. All the Cui family's industries are directly managed by the local government of Taiyuan County. They are directly assigned, directly led, and directly under the industry. From top to bottom, it is a one-stop service, until it is no longer possible. No matter how "straight" it is...

And these "straightness" on the surface and "curvature" behind the scenes are not enough for outsiders to understand.

Cui Hou was fined once for stealing and selling, and was expelled from the business district of Sanfu in Guanzhong and retreated to the Taiyuan area. However, because of this, Cui's industry was too concentrated in Taiyuan County.

If Cao Jun really besieged Jinyang, he would have saved Jinyang City, but what about the surrounding areas?

Wouldn't the manor, the workshop, the farmland and the tenant farmers on the farmland that had been taken over with great difficulty all be surrendered to Cao Jun? How much will this cost?

Cui Hou calculates every day, and every time he calculates, he gets chills.

In Taiyuan County, starting from the Second Emperor Huan Ling, the border defense military equipment has not been repaired, let alone strengthened. After Cui arrived in Taiyuan, she did not focus on military affairs, because these would cost a lot of money. , and the construction period is several years, even ten or twenty years, with huge investment and little output, so it is not within the scope of Cui and others' consideration.

Now, I regret it.

If more military fortresses and offensive and defensive equipment had been repaired...

But what's the use of regret?

It is war, it is peace.

That's right, not surrendering, but calling it "harmony" has become Cui's biggest headache at the moment.

War has its advantages. After all, military merit is the most important thing under the cavalry. If they really fight Cao Jun with all their strength and completely defeat Cao Jun, they can even take advantage of Cao Jun's defeat to march into Jizhou and seize the counties...

It’s beautiful when you think about it.

But where did the soldiers come from? Who is the commander in chief? Neither Cui Jun nor Cui Hou felt that they had the ability to fight thousands of miles away and kill thousands of troops. If they let others go, wouldn't they be giving others a dowry?

Besides, Jizhou is a county with a large population, and Taiyuan only has a few people. Without the support of soldiers from Yinshan and Pingyang, how can we fight? Even if they defeated Cao Jun's attack on Taiyuan as much as possible, who would pay the final loss? Rather than doing this, it is better to negotiate a "peace" with Cao Jun and preserve one's own strength.

But in this case, it is almost equivalent to "rebellion". After all, the Hussar is the real power holder. Without the authorization of the Hussar, he discussed with Cao Jun privately...

But whether it is a war or a peace, one thing is the same, which is to strengthen the defense of Jinyang first.

Jinyang City is the county seat of Taiyuan County and the core of the Cui family. It must not be lost under any circumstances. Once captured by Cao's army, it would be unthinkable. Therefore, after the Cui family learned about Cao's advance, they recruited brave warriors at all costs and prepared to build an unconquerable city in Jinyang.

On the city wall of Jinyang City, civilians coming and going are carrying bricks and stones, strengthening the city wall, battlements, turrets and the like; craftsmen are adding catapults, crossbows, and adjusting various defensive equipment; during this period of time The strong men who were urgently recruited were also practicing on and off the city wall every day...

Cui Jun put his hands behind his back and patrolled along the city wall.

Behind him was the Cui family's military academy, the Cui family's petty officials, and the Cui family's bodyguards, with dozens of people shouting in front of them and behind them.

"Your Majesty, will Cao Jun really come to attack Jinyang this time?" This...this weather..." Cui Military Academy asked in a low voice.

After all, it is already deep winter, and the mountain roads are inevitably covered with ice and snow.

Wouldn't Cao's army have to brave the snow and cold to attack?

Cui Jun also felt that Cao Jun would not come so soon, but he could not say that.

"Don't take it lightly!" ” Cui Jun glanced over and said, “It is indeed difficult to march in the cold weather, but things can happen just in case! Must be on guard! What's more, this is a good opportunity for us to prepare for war. How could we wait for Cao's army to reach the city before we know that there is a shortage of ordnance for city defense! 』

"Yes Yes Yes……"

A group of military school officials responded one after another.

Cui Jun said that there is no use in improvising. Everyone knows this truth, but the military affairs before Taiyuan...

Well, the leader is right anyway.

Cui Jun took square steps in front, and the military school officials followed silently.

Ragged peasants shivered in the cold wind, carrying sand and mud.

"How are these people eating and drinking?" Cui Jun glanced at it and asked the clerk on the side, "Don't make any deductions..."

The clerk hurriedly bent down and said, "Don't worry, there's enough for you... Each person can eat one pancake and one pancake every day, which is quite a lot for four pancakes..."

Cui Jun nodded and continued to move forward.

The clerk glanced at Cui Jun slightly, then followed Cui Jun with a smile on his face. Did the clerk lie? No, I just didn’t say everything. Enough is sufficient, but the quality is different. Pancakes are pancakes, but sizes are different.

Anyway, those unscrupulous people don't know how much they originally dialed. If the fingers are loosened, wouldn't they be theirs?

The clerk is very happy.

"The main force of Cao's army is especially in Tongguan, and there are partial troops in Taiyuan. Cui Jun said to the military academy in a deep voice, "This partial army should not be underestimated... Therefore, you must be more prepared to guard against Cao's army's sneak attack, and you must not slack off!" There must be no shortage of military pay, money and food! 』

The military academy bowed and saluted again, "Let you rest assured!" There will definitely be no shortage of food and salary! It must be paid in full! 』

Cui Jun nodded and continued to move forward.

The military academy glanced at Cui Jun, then with a smile on his face, he half bent over to lead.

Did the military academy withhold food and salary?

No.

It's just a slow onset.

I sent some of them first and wrote notes on the rest.

You can also get money from the note, but it will take some time.

If you are in urgent need of money, there are shops in the military camps that specialize in buying banknotes, usually at a 50% discount, and some with good connections can recycle them at a 40% discount...

Not giving out enough food and wages in one go is only for the sake of the poor.

We must promote frugality and avoid extravagance and waste. If we give so much food and salary to the poor at once, what will the poor do if they spend it randomly? Doesn’t it go against the leader’s good intentions? Now, the food and salary are allotted in full anyway. As for those poor devils who sell the food and salary slips at low prices, who can be blamed?

The military academy generals were naturally very happy.

Cui Jun nodded and said again: "If Cao's army arrives, you must fight bravely. If you can protect Jinyang, you will all have made a great contribution!" I will certainly not hesitate to reward you! Anyone who slacks off and is disadvantageous in the battle will also be severely punished! But did you hear everything clearly? 』

Doesn't Cui Jun know the behavior of his junior military officers?

knew.

But what can Cui Jun do?

These are all members of the Cui family, and they are related to each other. Besides, everyone has to eat. As long as these people can do things, Cui Jun will turn a blind eye. After all, only Cui's people can be trusted. If you don't trust Cui's own people, who can you trust?

Is it difficult to trust those untouchables and poor people?

Will those untouchables and poor ghosts be of the same mind as me?

so……

"Everyone! "Taiyuan is in crisis now," Cui Jun's voice was steady, powerful, and sonorous, "We all share the same sentiment, and we should work together to overcome the difficulties together!" 』

"Please follow your envoy's instructions!" ” A group of people responded quickly. Not only did their voices cooperate with each other tacitly, but they also had the same amount of bending.

Cui Jun exhaled slowly.

After this inspection, everything seemed to be fine, but for some reason, he felt a little panicked...

…

…

Among the Fukou Mountain Road.

In the darkness of night, a little bit of bonfire light spread along the east-west direction, covering a distance of four or five miles.

Every campfire is a tent.

Xiahou Dun was stationed here.

Because of the limitations of the mountain roads, every four to five hundred soldiers and horses formed a small camp, and then stretched along the mountain roads to form a huge camp, lying like a long snake in the mountains. In such a camp, it is naturally impossible to erect fences, dig trenches and set up a heavily guarded camp. The only way is to use the collected earth, wood and stones to set up a temporary deer camp, and then set up some horse barriers and traps around the camp. sentry.

The soldiers nailed the baggage to the wooden planks to protect them from the wind, then set up simple camps one by one, lit bonfires to keep warm, and sent out their cavalry to provide strict warning.

Such small camps cover each other and are connected to each other. In order to prevent the hussars from sneak attacks, each wave of four to five hundred scouts rotates in three shifts. One is to be on guard, and the other is to prevent any news from being leaked.

Of course, such a large-scale guarding also brought fatigue to the soldiers. Every time the soldiers returned from rotation, they were shaken when they entered the camp. Many of them just ate and drank randomly before falling asleep.

Marching in winter undoubtedly made the soldiers quite tired.

Xiahou Dun's Chinese army camp was located in a position where the front and back could echo among these small camps.

In a corner of the Chinese army's tent, Xiahou's loyal guard was lying in his clothes, lying on a straw mat covered with fur, snoring loudly. The eyes of some other guards on duty were also red, trying to hold on to sleepiness.

Beside these dozens of exhausted guards who were sitting or sleeping, Xiahou Dun was sitting on the side of the bonfire, his body still upright and wearing his core armor, holding his knees and meditating silently.

The guards all saw that the general was in a bad mood and guessed some of the reasons, but they were not easy to console.

Cao's army made slow progress, and Hu Pass could not be conquered for a long time. The weather was getting colder and colder, the consumption was getting higher and higher, and many soldiers suffered frostbite. All these problems were placed on Xiahou Dun's shoulders, and they all required Xiahou Dun to make decisions and make arrangements. .

A guard gently put the cold food aside and put it back on the bonfire to heat it.

Generally speaking, food in the army cannot be very elaborate. Even for Xiahou Dun, it is nothing more than the food of ordinary soldiers, plus some pickled vegetables and minced meat. Just like this bowl, it is divided. On the basis of the unknown paste, two strips of dried meat were added. Now it has been heated repeatedly and mixed into a ball, bubbling on the campfire.

The guards exchanged glances with each other, and then someone was selected among the glances. A copper bowl was placed with a cloth and sent to Xiahou Dun's side. "Please... eat some..."

Xiahou Dun nodded.

He was very upset and didn't have much appetite.

At the beginning of the war, Xiahou Dun really felt that this attack was an excellent opportunity. Even if his own army could not break through the barrier in one fell swoop, it could interrupt Fei Qian's development momentum and bring Fei Qian back to the same level, or maybe It's on a lower level, but...

As the war progressed, Xiahou Dun was full of confidence, but he was poured a basin of ice water on his head.

Except for Shexian County, which was relatively smooth, the rest of the things slowly changed.

The infantry led by Xiahou Dun were naturally among the elite of Cao's army, but they had no experience in marching on mountain roads and did not have a deep understanding of the Taihang Mountains. Especially after winter, the severe cold in the mountains was far beyond Xiahou Dun's understanding. Know.

Now in the mountain road, we are in a dilemma.

"Report!" "A soldier braved the cold wind and came outside the tent, "Bian Hujun is coming! 』

"Pass it in!" Xiahou Dun said immediately.

Not long after, an exhausted and equally embarrassed messenger rushed in front of Xiahou Dun, wounded Bian Bing, and then insisted on heading south. However, halfway through, he reported to Xiahou Dun the news that he was seriously ill and could not move forward.

"..." Xiahou Dun remained silent for a long time.

This is not good news.

Le Jin waited for Bian Bing's support at Huguan, but Bian Bing was ill and found it difficult to march.

After Xiahou Dun entered Taihang Mountain, he realized how difficult this mountain road was. Looking close, it was a pity that he couldn't walk in a straight line. If he went down in a circle and climbed up in a circle, he might only be able to climb one mountain in a day.

Small troops can still move quickly, but large troops can only follow the established roads. Otherwise, if there is a problem with the supply of water, they will be defeated without fighting.

"Who is in charge of the army now?" Xiahou Dun asked.

The soldiers reported, "It is the military lord Shi Jian." 』

Xiahou Dun nodded.

Shi Jian, Chen Liuren, was a warrior discovered by the Xiahou family who dared to fight. He was quite brave and could be regarded as a figure in the Xiahou family's pocket. Loyalty is of course no problem, but ability is slightly average.

"Order Shi Junhou to pretend to take charge of military affairs, and lead the troops to join General Le as soon as possible!" After arriving at Huguan, we will temporarily return to the command of General Le! Xiahou Dun made a decision, "In addition, send a doctor quickly to send Bian Hujun back to Zhongmou to treat his injuries!" 』

No matter what, Bian Bing must be rescued, otherwise...

Even though Xiahou Dun knew in his heart that even healthy people might not be able to walk smoothly on the Taihang Mountain Road, let alone the sick Bian Bing, he had to at least make an appearance and couldn't just say that he was hopeless and waiting to die. .

The soldiers got the order and went down.

Xiahou Dun pondered for a while and sighed.

The Bian family is even worse than the Xiahou family, and few can make a difference.

This is also the helplessness of the feudal dynasty. Family heritage is not something that can be said to exist. Mrs. Bian's entire family has a low background, otherwise Mrs. Bian would not have become a singer back then. Even though she is now Cao Cao's wife, the family's shortcomings cannot be fixed by patching up.

If you don't study and don't master certain knowledge, even if you sit in a high position, you won't be able to last long.

Bian has worked very hard, but it is a pity that if Bian Bingyi dies now...

In the battlefield, life and death are blind, and sometimes you are unlucky, but what can you do?

While Xiahou Dun was thinking, Military Marquis Gao Qian walked in and handed over his order to Xiahou Dun.

Gao Qian, like Shi Jian, was a reserve talent developed by the Xiahou family.

Of course, Xiahou Dun also wanted to use as many people as possible from the Xiahou family, but the population base of the Xiahou family was small, and the key point was that there were only a few who could really fight...

The Bian family was in the same embarrassment as the Xiahou family.

I wonder what happened to Xia Houyuan?

Xiahou Dun suddenly felt annoyed and frowned.

Gao Qian didn't know what was going on. When he saw Xiahou Dun's expression was not good, he asked with some anxiety: "General...what happened?" 』

Xiahou Dun suppressed his depressed mood, pondered for a moment, and decided to march to Taiyuan according to the original plan, so as to reduce the pressure on Cao Cao and Youbei. After all, in the mountains, Cao Jun's infantry did not have to worry about Piao. The threat of cavalry can bring out more combat power.

"Are you ready with warm clothes and portable food and supplies?" Xiahou Dun did not answer Gao Qian's question.

During these days, Xiahou Dun was not idle. He collected as much clothing and food as possible from the surrounding area in order to assemble a force that could march in the severe cold.

Gao Qian lowered his head, "General, this attack has destroyed two villages... However, these villages are relatively poor, with not much food, grass, clothing, etc..."

Gao Qian led his people along the mountain road to "replenish" military supplies around the military camp. Although there were some small cottages in the Taihang Mountains, they were vast and sparsely populated. Even if they broke the cottages, they would not gain much.

Xiahou Dun nodded.

Although it was expected, I still felt uncomfortable after hearing this result.

As the army moves forward, it consumes too much.

The more soldiers there are, the more food and grass they need, and the more supplies they need to keep out the cold. Although there are mules and horses for transport, it averages to every soldier...

Xiahou Dun thought for a long time and finally made a very risky decision.

He decided to divide his forces.

The frostbitten, weak, and tired soldiers were temporarily left here to wait for the weather to improve before moving forward, and about two thousand elite soldiers were selected, led by mules and horses, and headed straight for Jinyang, Taiyuan!