In Xinhe County, the officers and soldiers came here exhausted after a few days of rapid marching.

They found that the Yellow Turban Army, like last time, was only besieging the city but not attacking it, shouting loudly every day, capturing the messengers and scouts of the officers and soldiers.

The officers and soldiers arrived in Xindu, and before they could rest, they heard that the Yellow Turban Army was besieging Xinhe County.

Up to now, the officers and men have first rushed from Linping to Xindu, and then from Xindu to Xinhe. The long and rapid march had drained all the physical strength of the officers and men.

In addition, the officers and soldiers have not won a battle for a long time, and they have not captured the spoils of war. Therefore, during this period, the salaries of the officers and men were not settled.

For a time, the officers and soldiers were full of complaints.

In the cold winter, the march is not an easy thing to do, and even more so with such a high-intensity and long march as theirs.

If it weren't for Huangfu Song's high prestige in the army, there might have been a mutiny.

Huangfu Song patrolled the camp, and everywhere he went, the grumbling officers and soldiers immediately closed their mouths.

However, Huangfu Song still felt a deep sense of helplessness. He knew that if this continued, Mo said that if he defeated the Yellow Turban Army, the team he led would also be dragged down.

A partial general saw the frowning Huangfu Song, gritted his teeth, and said: "General, the thief army is now all cavalry, and the mobility is very strong. If we keep chasing after us like this, I'm afraid we'll only get tired of running for our lives. ”

"There are still 3,000 cavalry in our army, so it is better to abandon the foot soldiers first and only lead the 3,000 elite cavalry to chase the thieves. In this way, the thief's speed advantage has been lost. With the elite of our cavalry, it will definitely be easy to destroy the thieves and 3,000 pseudo-cavalry. ”

When Huangfu Song heard this, he was silent for a long time before he replied quietly: "I have already thought about what you said. However, the commander of the thieves once had the art of war taught by the Duke of Qiao, and the Duke of the Bridge praised him. ”

"Looking at its use of soldiers, it is like a wild imagination, and it cannot be speculated. If we only meet the enemy with 3,000 cavalry, the generals will not have the slightest advantage. ”

"But there are mistakes, it's too late to regret it!"

The general said with some disbelief: "Why does the general grow the ambition of others and destroy his own prestige? The general is compared to a thief, just like a phoenix is compared to a chicken. ”

"How can Chen Thief be on a par with a general? With the talent of a general to command the army, even if he only has 3,000 cavalry, why be afraid of thieves? ”

"If you don't do this, and you go after the thieves with all your might, and the soldiers are too tired to fight for their lives, in the long run, the people will surely be resentful. Please think again, general! ”

When Huangfu Song heard this, he didn't speak, but sighed secretly in his heart.

Suddenly, a scout came to report, saying that the Yellow Turban Army had entered the territory of Julu County again and besieged Xiaotao, the capital of Julu County.

Huangfu Song pondered for a long time, entered the big tent, and wrote a letter to Luoyang.

The letter wrote: Although the Yellow Turban Thieves only had 3,000 cavalry, they were a big problem for the Han family. I have two strategies, I can destroy the thief, and I ask Your Majesty to choose.

The first strategy was to send 3,000 cavalry from other places again to join up with the 3,000 cavalry under the last general's account. With 6,000 elite cavalry of the Han family, it will be no problem to exterminate the 3,000 rabble of thieves.

Second, His Majesty can send an order to the counties of Jizhou to move the local powerful and wealthy into various cities, and the walls are clear. The thief army must not replenish its grain and grass, and within half a month, it will definitely be self-defeating.

After writing the letter, Huangfu Song asked people to expedite 800 miles and send it to Luoyang in the starry night. He himself ordered the three armies and wanted to go to Julu County to rescue the pottery.

But he didn't want to, after his military order was passed down, the soldiers who had always obeyed him had objections.

Everyone said, "How can we march again when we are exhausted from the battle?" Please also have mercy on the general and be sympathetic to us. ”

Even many partial generals and lieutenants also said: "Every time the thieves besiege the city, they only besiege it. I might as well rest for a while, and when the soldiers are finished recuperating, it is not too late to go to the pottery. ”

Huangfu Song listened to everyone's words, but was speechless.

Although he is the main general, these soldiers are all dispatched from various places in the Han Dynasty. In the past, Huangfu Song won consecutive battles, and he was sympathetic to the soldiers, so he was loved by the soldiers.

But now, the officers and soldiers are rushing back and forth, and they are being tossed and complained. If Huangfu Song forcibly ordered everyone to attack the pottery again, I am afraid that it would cause the soldiers to mutiny.

Just when Huangfu Song was hesitating, a soldier walked to the front and said loudly: "General, it's not that we don't want to march again, but we really don't have the strength. ”

After speaking, the man took off his straw sandals, raised his right foot and said, "General, please look, we have been running continuously, and blisters have already been worn out on our feet. Every time I walk, it's a terrible pain. ”

Then, he raised his hands again and said, "If it is cold today, most of my hands have frostbite, which are red, swollen and itchy. If this continues, we really won't be able to support it. ”

"Yes, please be considerate of me!"

The soldiers showed the frostbite on their hands one after another, and when Huangfu Song saw this, his eyes were red.

Finally, he said in a hoarse voice, "In this case, let's rest here first." ”

After saying this, Huangfu Song seemed to have exhausted all the strength of his body.

"Hooray, hooray, long live the general!"

Hearing the news that they were going to rest and recuperate, all the officers and men shouted excitedly, even those lieutenant generals.

Only Huangfu Song was alone, looking worriedly in the direction of the pottery.

Two days later, in the Luoyang Imperial Palace, Emperor Ling of Han took Huangfu Song's letter and roared loudly: "There are nearly 30,000 elite Han elites under Huangfu Song's account, and they can't deal with 3,000 Yellow Turban thieves. ”

"What else do you say about increasing troops, and letting the counties and counties of Jizhou clear the wilderness, I think Huangfu Song is old and confused."

Emperor Han Ling's face turned red. In the past, Huangfu Song faced the Yellow Turban Army, which was several times his size, and he was also like a bamboo.

But now, there are only 3,000 yellow turban thieves left in the territory of Julu, but he is tied up and led by the thief. How did he not get angry when he heard the news?

Zhang Rang stood behind Emperor Han Ling, and immediately added fuel and vinegar and said: "What Your Majesty said is exactly that there are 3,000 cavalry under Huangfu Song's tent, but he does not dare to fight a decisive battle with the thieves. Every day, he led 25,000 officers and soldiers to exhaust his life, and he didn't know how much food he had spent on the country, but he still didn't achieve an inch. ”

"In the opinion of the old slave, it is better to remove Huangfu Song from his post and investigate it, and choose another good general to go to quell the rebellion."

Emperor Han Ling glanced at Zhang Rang, and suddenly said: "I heard that the leader of the Yellow Turban thieves was originally the leader of the Puyang Righteous Army, and he was framed by you and others before he was forced to be a thief, but is there such a thing?" ”

When Zhang Rang heard this, he was drenched in cold sweat, he quickly knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty Mingjian, this matter is really not about the old slave. ”

Emperor Han Ling snorted coldly, closed his eyes and stopped talking.

Although he is ridiculous and seems to be mediocre, those who underestimate him will pay the price.

It can allow eunuchs, relatives, and clans to form a three-legged balance in the court, and can increase revenue for this empty treasury with the hands of the ten permanent servants. This emperor still has his merits.

He knew very well in his heart that Huangfu Song was a generation of famous generals, and if even he felt that it was tricky, and it would be even more difficult to win if someone else went to quell the rebellion.

When his country was threatened, Emperor Han Ling was very clear-headed.

"Ahem, ahem!" Emperor Han Ling coughed violently a few times, and Zhang Rang hurriedly came to his back and gently patted Emperor Ling's back.

After a while, the Spirit Emperor's coughing stopped. But his heart was full of worry: "My health is getting worse and worse, and I must put down the rebellion as soon as possible." ”

Thinking of this, Emperor Han Ling felt a little melancholy in his heart.

As a great man, he seems to have infinite scenery, but only after sitting in this position does he know the hardships.

Those officials who say they are loyal to the Han Dynasty are desperately seeking personal interests for their families.

The empire is getting weaker and weaker, but the damned big families are getting stronger and stronger. The money and food of the empire are concentrated in the hands of these maggots.

Thinking of this, Emperor Han Ling's face was a little hideous, and he secretly roared in his heart: "I just want to be a faint king, so I don't need a reason to kill people!" ”

In Xinhe City, after receiving the holy decree of the Son of Heaven, Huangfu Song's face was complicated. In fact, when he was in the book, he had already expected this result. But when the decree came, he was still a little lost in his heart.

Emperor Han Ling did not take his two suggestions, but only urged him to quickly put down the rebellion.

The requisition of cavalry again, the amount of money and food consumed is definitely not a small amount, and the big man has really been weakened to an unimaginable extent by now.

As for ordering Jizhou County to clear the wilderness, it is even more impossible. Not to mention that this is a bit of a fuss, if it is really done in this way, the whole Han will not know how much less taxes will be paid next year.

Those damn Haoqiang and the clan, they can find an opportunity to intercept the money and food that originally belonged to the Han Dynasty.

Huangfu Song took the holy decree, sighed, and said softly: "That's it, that's it, now I can only send 3,000 cavalry to fight to the death with the Yellow Turban Thief." ”

"I hope they don't run away again, big man, I really can't afford to drag it anymore."

In the city of Yaotao, the officials of Julu County did not have a trace of nervousness in their hearts when they looked at the Yellow Turban Army who only shouted loudly every day, but did not attack the city.

Long before the Yellow Turban Army came, the county had already received the news that the Yellow Turban thieves were besieging the city just to attract Huangfu Song to come, so that the officers and soldiers would be exhausted.

The officials in the county all thought that the Yellow Turban Army had only 3,000 cavalry, and the cavalry was not good at attacking cities. In order to avoid unnecessary casualties, they will definitely not take the initiative to attack the city.

In this way, the besieged Liao Tao defenders are also becoming more and more slack.

On this night, the sky was extremely dark, and the guards of the city were drowsy.

Suddenly, the fire in the city rose into the sky, and the city gate was actually opened, and the Yellow Turban Army took the torches and killed them.

Suddenly, this change occurred, and there was chaos in the city. Under the charge of the cavalry, the soldiers of the county scattered and fled. And those powerful private soldiers also fled outside the city with their masters.

In this way, the pottery was easily broken by the Yellow Turban Army.