Daliang, Youzhou.

A war horse gallops on a narrow mountain road despite the danger. The soldier on horseback was dressed in a camouflage suit unique to Zhou Shaoyu, and the two ears of wheat on his shoulders indicated that this was an experienced second-class scout.

However, he is not in a good state at the moment, even if the whole person pounces on the back of the war horse, he is still staggering and is in danger of fainting and falling off the horse at any time. Two arrows were inserted into his body on his back, but he didn't dare to pull them out, and pulling out arrows without permission in the wilderness was basically equivalent to looking for death, even if they would have some first-aid medicine according to the standard equipment of their scouts.

A scout team of five people, two of whom have been confirmed to have been killed, have been completely separated to travel from different roads in order to get the information safely, so as not to be caught in the net.

He took out the water bag with difficulty and took a sip, he didn't dare to stop, the Turkic scouts behind him were still pursuing, and he might not be able to catch up at any time. He was not confident that he would be able to pass on the latest news back, because he could clearly feel that his body was getting weaker and weaker, and even hallucinated, as if he saw his wife waiting at home.

Li Xiaoqi can know from this name that he is ranked seventh. It's a pity that as a native of Bingzhou, his family died a few years ago. He also relied on his youth and strong body bones, so he came from the famine.

Even so, it was basically hopeless. It's just that I never thought that Zhou Shaoyu, who is famous for his benevolence and righteousness, would come to a place like Bingzhou. No, he is now the king of Jin.

Li Xiaoqi joined the army, he was well fed and warmly dressed, his salary was not deducted, and he had the opportunity to learn to read and write, or this was a necessary requirement for the scout team. Any soldier who wants to be promoted must pass the corresponding written examination.

There is no better day than this, Li Xiaoqi thinks so.

Every time you go out with the army and return to the state, you will find that each time there is a change. From the simple pursuit of food and clothing, to now gradually having surplus food for every family, and even allowing children to go to school for free, Li Xiaoqi will think that this will only be a prosperous era that will exist in eternity.

I still remember that the year before last, the army carried out large-scale blind date activities, Li Xiaoqi was lucky to know his current wife, and invited Zhou Zaixing to be the guarantor to participate in the wedding banquet, and then there were babies left, they were a pair of twins, both with handles, and the excited Li Xiaoqi didn't sleep all night.

If it was in the past, orphans and widows would inevitably be worried when they were left at home, for fear of being bullied, but now Li Xiaoqi is not panicked at all, and now the policy of merging the state cannot be better, at least Li Xiaoqi thinks that it has been topped up, not to mention that military families are more preferential.

is because Li Xiaoqi is not afraid of death, at least he has a future in the Li family, and he believes that they will grow up smoothly, and even be able to read and write and become an official that the Li family has not dared to think of for generations. It's just that, if he can live, it's still good to live, and he still wants to see with his own eyes what level the loyal King of Jin, whom they revere, will develop Bingzhou to.

Thinking in a daze, the war horse didn't know when it had completely run away, foaming at the mouth and dying on the side of the road, Li Xiaoqi staggered and ran as hard as he could, and the arrows on his back continued to pull with the movement, until finally he was completely numb and didn't feel any more.

It's close! In front of it is the border of Bingzhou, Li Xiuning's army is stationed here to defend, the red flag, the golden red bird, there is no more eye-catching banner than this. Patrol scouts outside the camp have appeared and are approaching.

"Urgent military intelligence! The Turks raised 80,000 troops, and the troops were sent to merge the state, and they will arrive soon! Quick, quick report with the general ......"

Li Xiaoqi fainted, and the information was quickly delivered, but unfortunately, Li Xiuning has not returned for the time being, and the current person in charge of this army is Qiu Mingyuan, who is known for his good defense.

However, no matter how good it is, it can't be guarded, and now the army is basically in Taiyuan, and the army of 15,000 people stationed at the border of Bingzhou is only 15,000 people, and in the face of the Turkic army of 80,000 who suddenly sent troops, no matter how you think about it, it can't be defended.

Qiu Mingyuan was a little incomprehensible, now that it was a cold winter, it was really not a good time to fight, and it was precisely because of this that Zhou Shaoyu would secretly go to Tanzhou with peace of mind, never thinking that people would really send troops.

However, Li Xiuning has not been there, and Qiu Mingyuan did not dare to mess around, on the one hand, he ordered the scattered troops to gather and only guard the main road, and on the other hand, he urgently asked for help from the rear and waited for instructions. At the same time, it was ordered to increase the alert index and further expand the fortifications of the camp.

In fact, it is not only the Turks who have changed, but also the south.

Sun Shouren, who had been standing still and living a small life with peace of mind, began to expand the army unusually. But in ancient times, because of low productivity, every year in winter, there will be a lot of displaced people, and the most common way to open a warehouse to help the people, many rich households will also give porridge, but basically just gruel, do not starve to death, if you do not do it, do not enter the city directly, do not say, go will be driven away, as long as you do not die in your own jurisdiction.

And what Sun Shouren is recruiting now is these displaced people, and when there is no way to choose, supplemented by military salary treatment to comfort his family, it is not difficult to recruit an army.

This is also due to the fact that Jingzhou is close to Tanzhou, and many people subconsciously run to Tanzhou instead of moving in Jingzhou locally, otherwise Sun Shouren's expansion will be even more.

In just a few days after leaving, so many changes suddenly happened, which was quite unexpected, and when Zhou Shaoyu and they returned, they saw this, and it was easy to say anything else, but at this time, the Turkic army of 80,000 was already very close to the border of the state, and there was no time to rescue.

"Who is the leader of the Turkic army?" Li Xiuning is not flustered, calmly sitting in the big tent commandery, Qin Liangyu, who has been studying with Li Xiuning since he came to Daliang, is very clear, no matter whether Li Xiuning has the bottom in his heart or not, but as the commander of an army, he must not show a panicked performance, otherwise it will seriously affect the morale of the army.

On the contrary, Li Xiuning, who has a strong record, is not flustered, which has a great effect on stabilizing the morale of the army.

"It is the personal expedition of the Turkic Khan Ashina Huqin." Qiu Mingyuan replied that as the Turkic army got closer and closer, a lot of information had been found very clearly.

"Is there a division of troops?"

"No, the 80,000 army is extremely close, presumably preparing to gather all the way to break it."

Li Xiuning shook his head slightly, turned his head and asked Qin Liangyu, "What do you think?" ”

Qin Liangyu was also unambiguous, and said: "I thought that Ashina Huqin wanted to be cunning, the more he put it on the surface, the more likely it was to be a disguise, yes, the Turks are very likely to divide their troops, after all, to enter the state, it is not just this way to go." ”

"Yes, if you are the manager, how do you deal with it?" Li Xiuning asked.

"This ......" Qin Liangyu is still young in the end, and he is a little embarrassed for a while because he has too much experience.

In the end, fifteen thousand to eighty thousand, although there will be support from the Taiyuan side, but it is obviously impossible to be timely.

"Let's think about it again, don't rush." Li Xiuning didn't urge, turned around and asked Qiu Mingyuan again. "How do you think you should fight the enemy?"

"The last general thinks that when we hold on for the time being, we strive to delay the Turkic footsteps and buy time for reinforcements in the rear, not to support here, but to have more time to lay out and hold on." Qiu Mingyuan replied.

"Do you mean, wait long enough to retreat and hold the city?"

"It is precisely this intention, now is a cold winter, it is not conducive to the army, we will hold the city, the Turks will not be able to attack, and we will eventually retreat."

It is indeed a method, the Turks into the annexation of the state, which means the elongation of the supply line, and the current annexation of the state, although the development is getting better and better, but the actual concentration in a few cities, most of the others are still deserted. The biggest advantage of the Turks is to loot all the way, but if they don't have to rob, coupled with the cold winter, they either choose to attack or retreat.

But attacking the city in the cold winter, if it is not necessary, it is generally not such a choice, not to mention that the army of the annexed state is not weak.

Although the method is good, Li Xiuning is not ready to use it. Qiu Mingyuan is a person who has more than enough defense, but not enough attack, so he has the intention to give more guidance, so that he can lead an army by himself, but unfortunately he has followed her for so long, and the change is not big, and it seems that he has basically been finalized. It's good that at least one good defender is behind, and it is more comfortable to go out to attack yourself.

Ashina Huqin is a cunning person, but he is a little cautious and suspicious inside. Although it is cold-blooded and cruel enough, there are still many problems.

If it is really changed to a rough man to attack, Li Xiuning can't say that he will really have a headache, after all, the comparison of forces is here, but Ashina Huqin personally conquest, it is not that Li Xiuning looks down on him, but the more smart but suspicious people are, it is easier for Li Xiuning to deal with.

"Of course, we are the defenders, but when did it become stipulated that the defense can only rely on the defense?" Li Xiuning obviously has a plan in mind. "Although I don't know why Ashina Huqin suddenly came to attack me and annex the state, don't forget that it is a cold winter at this moment, and even the Turks will not be used to marching and fighting at this time. Division? I expected that Ashina Huqin would have this plan, but I made him dare not divide his troops! ”

On that day, the Turkic army was only three days away from Li Xiuning's camp, and if it was a rapid march, the time would be shorter, but at such a time of crisis, Li Xiuning's military orders were unpredictable.

There were less than 15,000 troops in total, of which 7,000 were led by Qiu Mingyuan, who first went north and then west, putting on a posture of going around the rear of the Turks. Qin Liangyu is the same, leading 7,000 to the south, and then going west, and it also seems to be outflanked. But in the end, they all went deep into the mountains and forests without a trace.

And Li Xiuning calmly led a thousand to sit in the empty camp, just waiting for Ashina Huqin to attack.

This kind of seemingly death-defying behavior is not the same thing in Ashinahuqin's eyes.

It is true that from the perspective of Li Xiuning's side, the follow-up reinforcements are too late at all, and for the time being, Li Xiuning, the only son of the army, can only rely on Li Xiuning's only son to face the Turkic attack. But from Ashina's perspective, this is not the case at all.

A few days ago, he escaped a scout from the state side, and Ashina Huqin knew about it, in other words, Li Xiuning's side had already known the news of the Turkic attack and responded in advance. The number of troops on the state side is not only 15,000, but the degree of good fighting is not low. Not to mention the Turkic side, since the start of the Ashina Falcon, it has basically not taken any big advantage, and Ashina Huqin is ready for a big war.

The result? Li Xiuning's side showed a posture of gathering and gathering to defend (why was he Qiu Mingyuan in command at the beginning), and suddenly divided the troops after the incident, one from the north and the south, and then marched west, making it clear that he was preparing to go around the rear.

Then the problem arises, two forces of 7,000 troops, even if they are gathered together, are only 14,000, and even if they attack from behind, they will never pose much threat to the 80,000 Turkic army.

But that's what people do! Why!?

Even the spies sent thought that the local camp was indeed only a thousand, but Ashina Huqin would not believe it. God knows how many more people are in ambush behind. Otherwise, it is too unreasonable to guard 80,000 with 1,000, and it is almost the same as looking for death at all, not to mention that the coach Li Xiuning is sitting in the tent, that is a strange woman who can fight well, and it is impossible to be too cautious.

Ashina Huqin even believed that Li Xiuning had a perfect strategy and was absolutely sure that he would be able to defeat their army of 80,000, and the two armies that were around the rear were not used to flank the front and back, but to intercept and snipe after the defeat of the 80,000 army.

Because judging from the current collected situation, Li Xiuning rarely fights battles with too much sacrifice, and basically wins more with less every time, and he is full of wisdom and cannot be prevented.

As for the division of troops, Ashina Huqin did have this plan, but he didn't believe that Li Xiuning couldn't see it, since the other party was even sure that he would eat 80,000 Turkic troops, let alone divide the troops.

So the cautious and suspicious Ashina Huqin set up camp at a distance of 100 miles, wanting to see the specific situation.

In fact, Ashina Huqin didn't want to come to merge the state, but he was also suffocated.

Rao changed his strategy after invading Daliang and did not carry out too many massacres, but after several battles, Youzhou was still a little miserable. And before that, Youzhou was at war, and it was relatively remote, so it was not rich, and in real terms, what the Turks plundered was not very rich.

Of course, there is still a lot of gold and silver, but this thing cannot be eaten, and if it cannot be spent, it is no different from scrap iron and stones.

The original trade route was completely cut off because of Gao Yuyao's blockade, and even if a few of them took great risks to enter Youzhou to trade, the price had increased several times, and the materials were still very few. It wasn't until a big caravan came not long ago that a lot of materials were finally traded, but it also spoke, if you still want to continue trading, and the price is lower, it's simple, just go and attack the state once, and you don't need to have a big record, just fight.

Ashina Huqin can also see that the inside of this Liang is complicated, he can occupy Youzhou without worry, he can only take the opportunity to enter the escalation of the civil strife situation in Daliang, as for sending troops to attack and merge with the state, it is naturally best to lay some results, and it doesn't matter if you can't beat it, just deal with it.

In that case, why take such risks?

"Let Norci take his five thousand men and immediately test the camp." Ashina suddenly gave the order, and he couldn't come out of the camp with peace of mind, who wants to run away blindly in this cold day.

It's also no way, even if it's true that the people under his command are afraid of him, but in a high position, many things are not just how they want to do. The Turkic young men have already suffered too many casualties, and if they can't even meet the supplies, I'm afraid that the tribes below will really have to rebel.