Wang Zhongsi quickly discussed a few words with Li Guangbi, and decided that Li Guangbi would lead 3,000 cavalry to the rescue, and Guo Ziyi Mao recommended himself and was willing to go with Li Guangbi. Wang Zhongsi originally wanted Wang Yuan to stay in the city, but Wang Yuan was so anxious that he would wait for news about how he would stay here and insist on going together.

Wang Zhonghei also hoped that Wang Yuan would go with him, but he still had a trace of suspicion in his heart, and privately explained that Li Guangbi wanted to keep an eye on Wang Yuan. If Wang Yuan goes with him, Li Guangbi can observe his actions at any time and judge whether there is a change, so as to make a timely response.

When Li Guangbi dispatched troops, Wang Zhongsi accompanied Wang Yuan and Gongsun Lan to have a simple dinner, and arranged for the two to take a hot bath and change into clean clothes at Wang Yuan's request. Accompanied Wang Yuan to chat about the affairs of the capital for a while. Wang Yuan didn't have the heart to say this, and he didn't have a match to deal with Wang Zhonghe.

To say that Shuo Fangjiedu's soldiers and horses were indeed extremely efficient under the command of Wang Zhonghe, and in more than an hour, the three thousand cavalry had already organized their materials and prepared food. At the second watch, the cavalry of the brigade drove out of the north gate and marched to the northeast on the official road under the light of the crescent moon.

……

Five days ago, Liu Dehai, Liu Jun, and more than 300 other remnants of the army rested overnight in the same place after Wang Yuan and Gongsun Lan left, and the next morning they marched northwest along the edge of the mountains according to the planned route. The heavy snow overnight made it difficult for them to walk, and the trek was more difficult than they expected. After traveling north for half a day, it is even more deserted, with undulating hills, ravines, and soldiers and horses falling into the snow caves from time to time. On the night of the first day, more than 20 soldiers suffered frostbite from falling into the icy water under the snow, and two horses also froze to death in the icy water because they could not be rescued from falling into the stream.

On the first day it was only twenty-five miles, and on the second day it was even worse, and by night it was only twenty miles. By the evening of the third day, the exhausted soldiers were so distraught that no one believed that the decision was correct, that they would return alive. A feeling of extreme frustration and pessimism hung over the entire team. Moreover, because of the severe cold and fatigue, the soldiers needed a lot of calories and ate a lot, and they could have eaten five days of food, but by the third day they were almost exhausted.

Even Liu Dehai was a little skeptical about whether Wang Yuan's decision was correct, because along the way, there was no sign of the approaching pursuers, and whether it was wise to insist on going outside the Boulder Pass made Liu Dehai very puzzled.

In the evening of the same day, the team camped in a mountain col to rest, and after eating the ration of dry food, the 300 people gathered around the fire to keep warm. No one spoke, everyone remained silent, sitting by the fire in a daze, their eyes full of confusion. There was a deathly silence all around.

Liu Dehai sat around a fire with Liu Xunzhi, Liu Jun, Qingyuner, Ziyun'er and others, and Liu Dehai decided to discuss the current situation with everyone. Because he himself felt lost.

"Young boy, Mr. Liu, two girls. Our situation is already very critical, according to the current pace of marching, there are still nearly 100 miles from the Boulder Pass, at least five or six days to walk, we have not yet reached there, we will all freeze to death and starve to death. ”

"What? Are you cowardly? Can't stand such a little bitterness? You are still clamoring all day long to come to the border town to fight, I see that you are very pustuated. Liu Jun sneered.

"What did the young boy say?" Liu Dehai said: "I, Liu Dehai, will have pus? I mean, it's not possible to get to the boulder pass like this, it's too difficult to walk. The brothers are already exhausted and struggling to die, but they are about to run out of food, how can they get there? ”

Liu Jun said: "Then what should I do according to your meaning?" ”

Liu Dehai said: "There are two roads, the first is for us to leave the mountains and go to the wasteland to march north, so that the speed will be at least doubled, and we can reach the Boulder Pass in two or three days." The second way is that we don't go to Boulder Pass. I asked a few veterans just now, and they said that if we go directly into the mountains and go west, we can pass through these mountains in two days and reach the market town of the people, then we can be restocked. ”

Liu Jun got up suddenly, pointed at Liu Dehai's nose and shouted, "So you want to disobey?" Before leaving, the teacher repeatedly told you to rush to the boulder pass, and the route must be hidden, and now you want to disobey the order? ”

Liu Dehai said helplessly: "Young boy, I just made a judgment based on the current situation, isn't this discussing with you?" Of course, I dare not disobey the envoy's order, but our current situation is critical. The life and death of the young son, Mr. Liu, the two girls and more than 300 brothers fell on my shoulders, and I was under a lot of pressure. If we go like this, we will definitely not be able to reach the Boulder Pass. Moreover, there are no ghosts in this mountainside wasteland, and there are no soldiers and horses to pursue us, so why bother to take the difficult road? I just want everyone to get out of danger safely, if the young man says that I disobey the military order, you will cut me with a sword, and I will never disagree. ”

Before Liu Jun could speak, Liu Xun coughed and said, "Little boy, don't be excited, sit down." Loud shouting will cause the soldiers to panic and be confused. ”

Liu Jun turned his head and looked around, and found that many soldiers around him were looking this way in a daze, it seemed that his voice was too loud just now and made the soldiers feel uneasy, so he sat down busily.

Liu Xun said directly to Liu Dehai: "General Liu, your worries can be understood, the current situation is indeed critical. However, the old man had to remind the general. The route drawn up by the envoy was deliberate, not arbitrary. After the Battle of Yanghe, Yan Zhuang and An Qingxu watched us go west, how could they not send troops to surround us? Just because we didn't see the enemy doesn't mean they didn't search for us. The old man thinks that it is precisely because we have chosen this path that they are looking for us everywhere like headless flies. If we follow the general's proposal, we will be exposing ourselves to the net. I don't know if General Liu thinks what the old man said is reasonable? ”

Liu Dehai frowned and thought for a moment, then nodded: "It is undeniable that what Mr. said is reasonable. But how can the current dilemma be solved? Not to mention anything else, food shortages are an urgent problem, and we can't walk through the boulder pass without food. Moreover, the speed of the march is so slow, the slower it is, the more dangerous it is, what to do? ”

Liu Xun said straightly: "If we want to speed up, we must give up some material equipment and move forward lightly. I suggest ditching some heavy items such as tent supplies and taking only what is necessary, lightening the load to speed things up. As for the shortage of food, we can only kill horses to satisfy our hunger. Although it is unbearable to do this, this is the only way to do it at this time. Three hundred men, killing ten horses a day, should be enough to eat. We still have more than 70 horses, which can guarantee that we will not go hungry for more than ten days. ”

Liu Jun clapped his hands and said: "This is a good idea, horse meat can be eaten, doesn't this solve the ration problem?" ”

Liu Dehai glanced at Liu Jun dissatisfiedly and said: "Young boy, killing horses and eating meat is the most despicable, cavalry is like brothers to horses, eating horses is equivalent to eating brother's meat, do you understand?" Besides, do you think horse meat is delicious? Horse meat is boiled and smells so foul that everyone who eats it will vomit, do you think it's delicious? ”

Liu Jun was stunned and said, "Is there still this truth? ”

Liu Dehai sighed and said: "That's it, although I am reluctant, it seems that it can only be like this." ”

Liu Xun smiled and said, "Don't be reluctant, you have to do what you have to do." Didn't you see the envoy by the Yanghe River ordering the killing of all the horses that crossed the river in fear? Do you think the envoy likes to kill horses? That's something you have to do. In other words, although horse meat stinks, it is also meat, and it can always feed our stomachs so that we have the strength to walk, and that is enough. ”

Liu Dehai nodded and said, "That's right." In this case, we don't have to worry about not being able to reach the Boulder Pass. But I've always been worried about them. If we can't bring reinforcements, even if we reach Boulder Pass, we will be dead. ”

"I believe Jiro." Qingyun'er, who had been sitting on the side and was speechless, spoke quietly, her voice calm and firm.

"I believe it too." Ziyun'er said.

"I also believe in the teacher." Liu Jun said.

"I believe that Erlang will definitely bring reinforcements to save us." Liu Xun straightened.

Liu Dehai was stunned and said: "Okay, everyone believes it, then I believe it too." ”

Early in the morning of the fourth day, the soldiers were awakened by the mournful sound of the horses, and they were surprised to see three horses lying on the ground by the campfire in the center of the camp, blood spurting from their necks. Liu Dehai stood next to him, his eyes were red, and the sharp-eyed soldier recognized that one of the horses that fell to the ground was Liu Dehai's mount, a tall brown horse with long hair and long legs.

"General Liu, what's going on?" The soldiers asked in surprise.

"Don't fucking talk nonsense, peel the skin, disembowel, cut the meat and put it in the pot. Everyone was well fed and warm, ready to go. Liu Dehai waved his hand and scolded and walked aside.