Chapter 464: You and I are all citizens of the desert! We should not fight against each other!
Shanyu was the supreme leader of the Xiongnu, starting from Touman.
At this time, Touman's status in the Xiongnu land was similar to that of the Zhou emperor in the Central Plains.
In name, Touman could manage all the Xiongnu tribes, but in actual control, except for the Luandi tribe under his command which obeyed Touman's orders at any time, other Xiongnu tribes were autonomous.
Of course, the Zhou emperor that Touman mentioned was the first emperor of the Zhou Dynasty, King Wu of Zhou, not the cowardly emperor of the Warring States Period.
At the command of Touman, who possesses absolute military power, the leaders of all major tribes must come to the royal court for a meeting and obey Touman's command.
As for those small and medium-sized tribes, Touman had no time to take care of them. Touman's attention was always focused on the large tribes that could send out 20,000 warriors to fight.
Touman had thought about these small and medium-sized tribes, but when his people went to the tribes they had already controlled for the second time, they either couldn't find anyone or discovered that they had been replaced by another tribe, and they had to communicate again.
After trying for dozens of times, Touman gave up.
I can’t control it. There’s no way to control it.
The Huns grazed cattle and sheep, following water and grass, and had no fixed place to live.
The living environment of small and medium-sized tribes is poor. It is common for them to attack and annex each other for survival, and the pace of renewal is too fast.
If these two problems are not solved, even if you sit on the position of Chanyu, you will not be able to control the countless small and medium-sized tribes.
The Taotie army marched all the way from Gaoque City to the desert, under the banner of the army of Prince Maodun. The small and medium-sized tribes along the way that could not enter the depths of the desert delivered food and grass to the Taotie army, which was beyond Touman's expectation, but reasonable for him not to know.
As the Khan of the Xiongnu, he had no idea of the needs of the numerous small and medium-sized tribes, let alone how evil the hearts of the people in the Central Plains were.
Fighting is not just about charging on horseback between Hun tribes...
"The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, the next best is to attack his alliances, the next best is to attack his troops, and the worst is to attack his cities. Jiao'er has mastered the essence of Sun Tzu's Art of War, so it's no wonder that the arrogant Li Mu is willing to be his retainer."
In the Taotie army that had been besieged for two days, the lieutenant general Meng Wu, holding a telescope, and under the protection of his personal guards, observed the Xiongnu army formation that had been holding out for two days in the distance.
Seeing that although the Huns' formation was neat, they did not dare to take a step forward to narrow the encirclement, it was exactly the same as what a certain guy said. I couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of my heart.
As a disciple of the butcher Bai Qi, he learned to focus on field warfare and supplemented by siege warfare, which is the last two tactics of attacking soldiers and cities in "The Art of War".
Before this war, Meng Wu's understanding of the "destroying strategies" in Sun Tzu's Art of War was: in the Battle of Changping, Qin used sowing spies to force Zhao to exchange Zhao Kuo for Lian Po. His understanding of "destroying diplomacy" was: Prime Minister Zhang Yi used the Qin-Qi alliance to break the five-nation alliance.
Meng Wu believed that whether it was to attack the enemy's plans or to attack their alliances, these were things that happened outside the battlefield and were done by scholars.
Meng Wu's family was from the Meng family, the best general family in Qin State. He studied under Bai Qi, who was ranked among the top three generals in ancient and modern times. He never thought that one day he would see his commander-in-chief use the tactics of attacking the enemy's plans and diplomacy.
"People's thoughts are affected by the environment. Before I came, Shanyu was the leader of the Xiongnu, and it was he who provided the environment of this desert. After I came, the news the Xiongnu heard was the news I wanted them to hear. The scenes they saw were the scenes I wanted them to see. So how the Xiongnu think and what they do depends on me."
When the young man said this, Meng Wu didn't believe it. He thought it was bragging and exaggeration.
But when the Huns, with eyes full of reverence and hope, continued to send cattle and sheep, the Taotie army, who should have hated them to the core, treated them like they were worshipping the sacred mountain, Mount Langjuxu.
Only then did Meng Wu realize that the boy was not only not exaggerating, but was rather modest.
This is not changing people's minds, this is clearly brainwashing!
"Humph, there are so many things you don't know. Chang'an and Wu'an are only one letter different, just one letter different."
Beside Meng Wu, the veteran general Wang Xi’s gray beard curled upwards.
Meng Wu laughed in his heart.
It is true that Jiao'er's experience in fighting was eye-opening, but he can never be compared with Wu'an Jun.
As a descendant of orthodox military strategists, although Meng Wu agreed with Ying Chengjiao's tactics, deep in his heart he still regarded Bai Qi, the butcher who killed half of the casualties during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, as the greatest military strategist.
Although he thought so in his heart, he did not say it out loud as he had protected Wang Xi in his early years.
What's the point of arguing about this? Old people, just coax them to come.
"I 've never been . If it weren't for Uncle Wang and Lord Wu'an's sincere teaching, I wouldn't have become a general. I'm a mediocre person, far inferior to Chang'an and Wu'an. If I could see through their strategies, I would have become a general long ago. Uncle Wang, do you know where Jiao'er has gone? The army only has one day's worth of food and grass left. The people can still hold on, but the horses can't."
"Don't worry, someone will come to bring us food and grass."
Meng Wu smiled bitterly.
"Our army is currently surrounded by the Xiongnu army. The Xiongnu will not risk their lives to send us food and fodder."
Although he didn't know how that young man could make those Xiongnu send food and grass to the Taotie army, he had learned some scholarly principles after being silent in the court for so many years.
The world is bustling with people seeking profit.
Meng Wu did not think that his good nephew could provide greater benefits than the lives of the Huns themselves.
"If the general says yes, then yes."
Wang Zhi was extremely confident.
In his life, he only recognized two generals, Wu'an and Chang'an. The two generals had completely different fighting styles, two extremes.
Wu'an Jun was a man who crushed his enemies with his upright army, and when the enemy lost, they lost with conviction. Chang'an Jun was a man who only took unconventional approaches and did not follow the right path, and when the enemy lost, he did not even know that he had already lost.
But neither of them had ever disappointed him, neither Wu'an nor Chang'an.
On the third day of the siege of the Taotie army, flocks of sheep came from all directions. These flocks of sheep were food and fodder transported by various large tribes.
The Taotie army needs to eat, and so does the Xiongnu army.
The 170,000 Xiongnu soldiers consumed much more food and horse fodder than the Taotie army.
The Huns never had food carts when they went into battle. They drove the sheep that they normally wouldn't eat into battle, and sheep meat and sheep milk were their best supplies.
"Isn't this coming?"
After receiving the report from the soldiers, Wang Qi talked to himself and immediately gave orders to summon all the generals.
In a short while, all four generals gathered, two men and two women.
Wusu, the former lieutenant general who led the vanguard army.
Liu Bang, the left general who led the left army.
Meng Wu, the right general who led the right army.
Yan was the rear general who led the rear army.
The central army was led by Wang Xi himself.
Currently there is only one general who does not need protection from the central army, and that is Ying Chengjiao.
Wang Xi first looked at his nephew Meng Wu, who knew everyone in the field.
"We will break out from the right army today. Meng Wu, you will be the vanguard and lead the charge. You must fight your way out."
Meng Wu responded in a deep voice:
"promise!"
"Wusu, Yan, you two stay beside me. The front and rear armies will follow the center army and charge with the right army."
The two girls, who were very self-aware, agreed crisply.
This was exactly what they wanted. If they were allowed to stay in their own army, they wouldn't know how to command.
"Liu Bang, your left army will guard the rear. Don't let the Xiongnu dogs get to our butts. Is that okay?"
Liu Bang was serious today. He looked very handsome without any ruffian look. He did not reply immediately after hearing this. Instead, he thought for a moment and clasped his fists and said:
"Deputy General Wang, Bang will also stay with you."
When the wind is favorable, the rear guard troops can just pick up kills without any danger.
But when the wind is against us, we have the heavy responsibility of reorganizing the army.
Most of the military defeats were like a landslide, and the fate of the rear guard troops was mostly to be crushed.
Wang Zhi had always disliked Liu Bang. This careless look really didn't seem like a soldier, so he immediately said in a bad tone:
"Do you think our army will be defeated?"
As long as Liu Bang dared to say yes, he would immediately dismiss Liu Bang's general on the charge of shaking the military morale.
If it weren't for the fact that Ying Chengjiao directly appointed him, he would have killed Liu Bang directly under this pretext.
Liu Bang shook his head.
"Bang has never thought about it, but I have never commanded 10,000 people in battle. To be precise, this is the first time that Bang has actually commanded a corps in battle."
Wang Qi stared into Liu Bang's eyes, trying to see Liu Bang's true thoughts through his pupils.
After looking for a while, he only saw calmness, as if what the lieutenant general said was from the bottom of his heart.
"Most of your left army are veterans brought by the general from Yanmen. Is it okay for you to lead the rear guard?"
"No!"
Liu Bang spoke decisively, lowered his head and avoided Wang Xi's sight.
I took the initiative to hand over the power, but he was not happy. It seems that he took away the command of Wusu and Yan just for victory...
"Tonight, eat all the remaining food and grass. Make sure both the men and horses are well fed. At 3:30 pm, the right army will attack. This battle must succeed, failure is not allowed. If you fail, you will die!"
Wang Xi issued the final order.
The quality of the soldiers, weapons and equipment, and fighting will of the Taotie army all crushed the Xiongnu army in all aspects. If they were still defeated, he would have no face to see Chang'an and could only see Wu'an.
"promise!"
The sun sets, the moon rises, and night falls. This is the third night that the Hun army has besieged the Qin army.
Touman repeatedly reminded the troops to be on guard against the Qin army's breakout and not to slack off in the slightest, or else they would be executed.
On the surface, the Hun soldiers were still on high alert, patrolling and watching as they had been in the previous two days.
But in fact, the mentality of the Hun soldiers had changed and they were tired.
Patrol is still patrol, watch is still watch, but no longer open eyes, not missing a single movement. Instead, from time to time, yawn, look forward to the change of guard, and take a casual glance.
They have been besieged for three days. This black-armored Qin army might blow up its camp and start killing each other at any moment. How can they have the energy and determination to break out?
Just pretend to do it, wait for this black-armored Qin army to become riotous and collapse without a fight, and then go up to finish them off and plunder the spoils.
The Hun patrol army changed guard for the fourth time, and this is the last batch tonight.
After three quarters of an hour, it was about to dawn. It was the last darkness before dawn, and the riot that the Hun soldiers had been waiting for came.
The sound of horse hooves thundered and shouts shook the sky; they could still hear it clearly from a long distance away.
The fourth group of Hun soldiers who had just woken up and were still sleepy became alert. The small leader went to report to the leaders who were sleeping soundly, and the remaining Hun soldiers looked towards the source of the sound.
They saw nothing.
The night was rolling in, and with the light from the campfires in the tents, I could only see a shadow after walking five steps, and nothing could be seen after walking ten steps.
They were about two or three hundred steps away from the black-armored Qin army in the distance, so naturally they could not see anything.
They were feeling the slightly cool night breeze, yet they felt very hot all over.
After three days of siege, I couldn't sleep well and had to eat only dry food. The days are finally coming to an end...
The little leader brought back the orders from above.
The vast majority of Hun soldiers remained on hold, and five thousand Hun soldiers went to investigate the situation.
The five thousand people who were selected to go on the exploration were overjoyed and laughed happily, while the Hun soldiers who were not selected began to curse with envy and jealousy.
Why didn't they get such a good thing? Was their leader too soundly asleep to go to the Chanyu to take the credit?
Most of the Hun soldiers in the encirclement were very dissatisfied, but a group of Hun soldiers in the circle looked up with some confusion.
The shouts and the sound of horse hooves became louder and louder, and seemed to be getting closer and closer to them.
These Qin dogs, are they killing each other here?
Or...
"Form a formation! Prevent these Qin dogs from breaking through!"
At first, there were only four centurions shouting orders, and a total of 4,000 Hun soldiers formed a battle array and waited.
As the shouts and the sound of horse hooves grew louder, a captain of ten thousand men stepped forward and gave orders. Ten thousand Huns formed a battle array and waited. He immediately reported the suspected Qin army's breakout.
Although they found it incredible that the black-armored Qin army, which had run out of ammunition and food, dared to break out, the shaking earth and the chaotic sound of horses' hooves could not deceive them.
You really dare to break through? Do you think we are not on guard? The spoils are delivered to our doorstep!
More than ten thousand Huns, ready for battle, sat on horseback and charged into the pitch-black night.
The only thing that can resist cavalry is cavalry, which can meet charge with charge.
Although their charge was a little late, it was enough to deal with the Qin army who were almost starving to death and most of them could not even hold their weapons.
Their people never came back, and all that came back were their screams, their desperate cries, and their pleas for mercy.
The Huns who heard the wailing felt their hearts tighten and they became frightened by the thick black darkness in front of them that made it impossible to see anything.
It seemed that there was an ancient ferocious beast hiding in there, and everyone who entered was eaten by the beast.
Could it be that this Qin army still possesses its original combat power? How is that possible...
The unknown darkness magnified the fear in their hearts. What on earth did those 10,000 Hun soldiers, who were barely able to make a splash, encounter? Was it the black-armored Qin army?
The night was surging violently, like fog and water, intangible yet tangible.
The black-armored Qin army, blending in with the night, broke into the campfire of the Huns' camp. Their bright black armor was stained with blood, and their faces under the helmets were full of spirit!
"Head my spear and halberd! I will be your comrade!"
"Kings, princes, generals, and ministers! Are they of a different species?"
"The Chanyu is unkind! Don't blame the prince for being unjust!"
“Anyone can climb Mount Langjuxu!”
"Put down your weapons! Those who surrender will not be killed!"
"You and I are all from the desert! We shouldn't fight against each other!"
“…”
The shouts resounded throughout the Hun camp, and they were all in the Hun language.
The Hun soldiers were beaten so badly that they had no power to fight back or defend themselves. The first Hun soldiers who saw the black armor being charged by the cavalry were all killed.
And those Hun soldiers behind them saw Huns like themselves in the black and red, armor and blood.
This black-armored army not only speaks the Hun language, but also has Huns themselves!
