After sending off the state and county officials, Li Yi returned to Xingyuan and convened all the strategists to discuss.

Li Yi said: "Now the situation we are facing in northern Xinjiang is very serious, and the relationship with Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan is very bad, and in the future we may face a joint attack by the three of them." In order to get out of this sinister situation, I plan to form an alliance with Yuan Shu. ”

Li Yi looked at everyone and asked: "And now the Luoyang area has withered because of frequent wars, and it is like chicken ribs for our northern Xinjiang, and it is a pity to abandon it." Do you think we should give up and help Yuan Shu gain a foothold in Luoyang? ”

Everyone thought for a long time, and Xu Maogong took the lead in speaking: "Help Yuan Shu occupy Luoyang first, although it can make Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu brothers attack each other for a longer time, and it can give us more time to stabilize Jizhou." But we must take into account a possibility, that is, Yuan Shao shook hands with Yuan Shu when his strength was not good. After all, they are half-brothers, and it is normal for brothers to quarrel and fight, and it is good to say yes. ”

"In this way, the strength of Yuan Valve's strength is combined, and it can not only compete with Dong Zhuo, but also against our northern Xinjiang. So we can only help Yuan Shu a little, keep the strength of the two of them at an equal level, and then use Luoyang as a bait to let their brothers kill each other. This method is still the safest, and it is not easy to change. ”

Li Yi said worriedly: "If Yuan Shu can't defeat Liu Biao and take Jingzhou in the short term, even if we give Yuzhou to him now, it will be difficult for him to confront Yuan Shao." We are at war with the enemy on our backs, why is he? ”

Liu Bowen shook his head and said, "Lord, this risk cannot be taken. If their brothers join forces, the northern frontier will face a siege by four hostile forces. Jizhou has not stood firm, and we must not give up in Luoyang. ”

Li Yi sighed and said, "If we can join forces with Yuan Shu and transfer all our troops to Jizhou, we will have a lot of certainty of capturing Jizhou." There are not enough troops, there are not enough troops. ”

Although there are more than 200,000 regular troops in northern Xinjiang today, as well as hundreds of thousands of county soldiers and tuntian soldiers, but now the territory of northern Xinjiang is too big, the territory of the original Han Dynasty, now northern Xinjiang occupies the entire Youzhou and Bingzhou, and the other Sili and Jizhou also occupy almost half, which can be said to account for one-third. Coupled with the vast area of the newly conquered Liaodong and the northern steppes, the large number of newly conquered aliens, and the displaced people and prisoners of war who migrated to the north, all of which required a large number of troops to defend them. Therefore, don't look at the total number of troops in northern Xinjiang now, even more than one million, but it is still overstretched to really start a war.

Guo Jia said: "If Dong Zhuo only contains the attack, we don't need to send heavy troops in the east of the river. ”

Li Yi smiled bitterly: "Dong Fatzi is not a fuel-efficient lamp." He's also a seasoned veteran of the battlefield, so how could he not see that now is the best opportunity for him? ”

A few of the strategists smiled wryly.

Li Yi's fears soon became a reality. At the beginning of October in the second year of the first peace of the Han Dynasty (191 AD), Li Zhong, who was stationed in Hongnong County, reported urgently, Niu Fu, Li Dao, Guo Yan, Zhang Ji, Zhang Xiu, Fan Chou and other generals of the Xiliang Army dispatched together and led 60,000 troops out of Tongguan. The Northern Xinjiang Army could not resist it, and had retreated a hundred miles and asked for additional troops to support.

………………

In late autumn, the trees are withered and yellow, full of gloom, and there is a hint of coolness in the gentle breeze.

Li Yi patted the slightly restless white dragon horse, stroked its snow-white mane a few times, and looked up at the sky.

The blue sky is wide and deep, and under the flowing white clouds, a line of geese is flapping their wings and flying south. Li Yi's tired heart suddenly trembled. The wild geese have come home, where is my home?

Although it has been eleven years since I came to this Eastern Han Dynasty, and even I have relatives and careers in this world, when I dream back at midnight, I still can't help but recall things from another time and space. That's where my dreams really come in.

But Li Yi knows that he may not be able to go back in this life, and he is destined to live in this world.

The group walked quietly on the gallop road, and the atmosphere was heavy.

In the distance, a few ragged peasants were busy in the fields, looking up indifferently at the army galloping down the road, and then going on with their business.

Li Yi looked at them intently.

Zhu Jun next to him said: "Dong Zhuo's destruction of Kanto is too terrible. There are almost no people in Hongnong County, and even if there are people, they hide in the mountains and dare not come out. Although the situation in Henan Yin is slightly better, it is far worse than the more than one million people in the past. Now the 20 counties in Yin, Henan Province together have a population of more than 200,000, which is very good. ”

Li Yi retracted his gaze, turned his head and asked, "Kanto hasn't fought for half a year, and no one has come back in the past half a year?" ”

Although it has been nearly a year since he occupied Henan Yin, Li Yi really doesn't know much about the situation here, especially since he returned to Northern Xinjiang last year.

Zhu Jun shook his head and said bitterly: "Of the 1.23 million people in Kanto, hundreds of thousands of people have died in the past two years because of the war, some of them were conscripted as civilian husbands and died on the battlefield, some of them starved to death and froze to death, and some of them were eaten as military rations. Those who survived either fled north to Hedong or south to Yangzhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, and Jingzhou. What a misery. ”

"The general said that there was no war in Kwantung, but if you look at Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou, where are you not fighting? The people have no way to live, they can only flee, and they will not return. Although their hometown is good, their hometown is full of smoke and ruins everywhere, what are they doing when they come back? Sent to death? ”

Li Yi was speechless.

"General, go back as soon as possible and keep the northern frontier. Keeping the northern Xinjiang and the 20 or 30 million Li people in the northern Xinjiang will also keep the hope of the prosperity of Sheji and the backbone of the revitalization of the Han Dynasty. Zhu Jun said earnestly, "Quanzhou is also the foundation of my Han Dynasty, and the ancestors of the Han Dynasty will definitely bless my Han Dynasty to prosper again." ”

Li Yi barely squeezed out a wry smile, and arched his hand and said, "Gongwei, don't send it, go back." The affairs of Luoyang will be entrusted to you. ”

"I'll give you another ride." Zhu Jun waved his hand and said, "Please ask the general to present the eldest princess on your behalf." Due to Dong Zhuo's dispatch of troops to Tongguan, the Kwantung region was in crisis, so the matter of relocation was temporarily abandoned. ”

"The matter of the eldest princess and the court's relocation, it will definitely not work this year, only wait for next year." Li Yi sighed, "If the situation in northern Xinjiang improves next year, and Gongwei also rebuilds the northern and southern armies, then the security of the Kwantung region can basically be guaranteed." ”

Zhu Jun nodded preoccupially and did not speak.

………………

In early October, Kansai (Kansai refers to Hangu Pass, the so-called Kansai refers to the area west of Hangu Pass and east of Tongguan, and the Han Dynasty was basically the scope of Hongnong County. And Kanto is the area east of Hanya Pass. As for Guanzhong, this pass refers to the four passes of Tongguan, Wuguan, Xiaoguan and Dasanguan that defend Chang'an from four directions, and the area between the four passes is Guanzhong, including Chang'an, Jingzhaoyin, Fufeng County and Fengyi County. Hongnong City, the camp of the general was captured.

After receiving Li Zhong's urgent report, Yue Fei led his troops to hurriedly leave Hangu Pass, rushed to Hongnong City, and set up a triple defense in the area of Taolin and Candle Water to block the attack of the Xiliang army.

Niu Fu's attack speed is not fast, steady and steady, step by step. After Li Zhong retreated to the peach forest, he relied on the peach forest to launch a counterattack.

When Li Yi arrived at Hongnong City, the battle ahead was fierce.

Yue Fei said: "Niu Fu relied on the advantage of being outnumbered to repel Li Zhong's counterattack, and now he is attacking Taolinsai. ”

Li Yi pointed to Hanguguan on the map and said: "I really can't stop it, so I will transfer Yide who is stationed in Hanguguan and Hansheng who is stationed in Luoyang City." Before the heavy snow comes, we must ensure the connection between Northern Xinjiang, Luoyang, Jing and Henan Prefectures, so as to ensure that the grain we buy from various places can be smoothly delivered to Northern Xinjiang. ”

"There is no need to mobilize more troops to Kansai for the time being." Yue Fei pointed to the Candlewater River on the map, "Li Yi is stationed on both sides of the Candlewater River with four thousand soldiers and horses. If we defend here, the losses of the Xiliang army crossing the river will inevitably be heavy. ”

"Judging from Dong Zhuo's intention to send troops to Guanxi, his purpose should be to cut off the connection between Northern Xinjiang and Guandong, so as to prevent the eldest princess and the imperial court from moving south to Luoyang." Yue Fei looked at Li Yi and said with a slight smile, "The Luoyang deliberations have dragged on for too long, Dong Zhuo must have known the news that the eldest princess and the imperial court were about to move south." He may have thought that with the prestige of the eldest princess and the imperial court, he would be able to unite the soldiers and horses of various states and counties to fight King Dong Qin together, so that he would have a hard time next year, so he had this attack. ”

Yue Fei twisted his short beard and said slowly: "In my opinion, the purpose of his attack this time has been achieved. Due to the pressure of the Western Liang Army, Kansai and Kanto fell into a crisis, and the time for the eldest princess and the imperial court to move south was bound to be delayed. By the end of November and the beginning of December, the Yellow River froze and the two places were cut off, and the time for the eldest princess and the imperial court to move south would be delayed until the end of February next year, that is, when the Yellow River turned into a Lingkai River. Lord, look, should Dong Zhuo's next attack be in early March next year? ”

"Pengju, I understand what you mean." Li Yi spread out the map and frowned, "What's the use of you urging me?" Take Jizhou before March next year, the time is too tight, and we don't have so many troops. And once we attack, we will have to deal with Yuan Shao and Gongsun Chan at the same time. ”

"According to our estimates, Gongsun Chan has 30,000 troops. After Yuan Shao took Jizhou, there were at least 50,000 troops, and if the armies of Liu Dai, Wang Kuang, Cao Cao and Zhang Yang and other prefectures and counties went north one after another, then we would have to face off with an army of 150,000 to 200,000. And what about us? At present, we can only call on the three armies of Yaoshi, Tiande and Junyi in the direction of Jizhou, that is, 22,000 people. Zilong and Changgong's iron cavalry, we can only call one army at most, and the border counties cannot be garrisoned without iron cavalry. Even if we gather half of the men and horses from Yun Chang's men, we will only have 50,000 men. There is a three- to four-fold gap between the strength of the two sides, and there is really no way to fight hard, so we can only look for the right time. (To be continued.) )