xymnovel Chapter 113 Duel of Two Heroes
Chapter 113 Duel of Two Heroes
Chapter 113 Duel of Two Heroes
Deng Ai had tens of thousands of elite troops, and the terrain in this area was extremely complex.
Since there was no terrain suitable for tens of thousands of people to set up camp together, the generals and prefects of each region each chose their own valleys to set up camp.
It was still dark.
The cooks in each camp began to set up their pots and cook, and by the time the food was ready, it was almost dawn.
The soldiers got up and washed quickly under the officers' orders, then went to the kitchen to get their meals.
By the time they had eaten and drunk their fill, it was already dawn.
Tianshui Prefect Wang Gu ordered his army to break camp and leave, taking what they could carry and discarding what they didn't need.
For example, the timber from this camp can be felled on-site in the next location. This area is mountainous and rich in timber.
After gathering troops and supplies, Wang Qi had his warhorse brought over, mounted it, put on his lance, and laid out his bow and arrows. He then reined in his horse and shouted, "Pass down the order: anyone who retreats will be killed without mercy!"
"send troops."
"Yes!" the messenger replied loudly, and rode off to convey Wang Gu's orders.
Wang Gu rode his steed, leading over a hundred of his personal cavalrymen, and left the camp last, quickly joining up with the troops ahead.
None of the people who could serve as prefects in Yongliang were purely civil officials.
He once followed Guanqiu Jian in the campaign against Goguryeo, and later served as the governor of a prefecture in the northeast, fighting dozens of battles, large and small. After being transferred to the position of governor of Tianshui, he led elite troops to fight against Jiang Wei several times.
Wang Gu's elite troops marched straight towards Jiang Wei's camp.
On the main road.
The several thousand elite soldiers under Qian Hong, the governor of Longxi, formed a long line, with countless banners in front and behind.
The soldiers were all extremely strong, with resolute expressions, clad in armor and armed with weapons, exuding a murderous aura.
You can ride a horse or walk.
Under the banner bearing the character "牵" (qian), Qian Hong rides a fine horse, clad in heavy armor, with a lance slung over his shoulder, his gaze resolute.
He is fifty-five years old this year and is the son of Qian Zhao, the governor of Yanmen County.
According to his elder brother, Qian Zhao had a close relationship with Liu Bei, the Emperor Zhaolie of Shu, when he was young.
After becoming the governor of Longxi, he fought against Jiang Wei many times.
"According to the General's plan, the Shu Kingdom is destined to perish this time. And I am also involved..." Qian Hong felt a pang of unease.
It was complicated, but there was no intention of being merciful.
Each serves its own master; to be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to oneself.
The troops under Yang Xin, the governor of Jincheng County.
On the main road.
The banners of "Yang" and "Wei" were linked together, with a large amount of baggage and a very strong army.
In the middle of the line.
Under a particularly large banner bearing the character "Yang," Yang Xin, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, possessed a very imposing and robust appearance. Especially when he donned his fine armor, he resembled a miniature giant. He rode a black, pure-haired steed, following the procession forward.
His right hand gripped the black riding crop tightly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I wonder how much Jiang Wei's head is worth?"
After doing some calculations, he came to a conclusion.
inestimable.
If simply converted into military merit, obtaining Jiang Wei's head would be enough to be granted the title of Marquis with three or even five thousand households.
The rewards were countless.
In terms of reputation, simply cutting off Jiang Wei's head would make him a figure of immense power and influence in his time.
Their names will be remembered for generations to come.
"Jiang Wei is doomed, but countless generals will be vying for his head. They're all elite troops, so the chances of me getting Jiang Wei's head are slim. But even with such a low probability, it's still Jiang Wei's head. Let's fight tooth and nail for it!" Yang Xin grew increasingly excited, his blood boiling, his mouth dry. He couldn't help but lick his parched lips.
Hunt down Jiang Wei.
The three prefects of Wei, each leading their own troops, dispersed and headed straight for Jiang Wei's Tazhong.
Deng Ai's main force, along with the troops of other generals, acted as the main force, protecting a large amount of grain and supplies, and slowly moved forward along the main road, serving as a ballast.
According to Sima Zhao's arrangement.
According to Deng Ai's troop deployment.
Jiang Wei must have died in Tazhong.
but...
Tazhong.
Jiang Wei's army was scattered in all directions of the Tazhong Plain.
By this time, news of the Wei army's attack on Tazhong had spread far and wide. Although Jiang Wei was a very capable commander, the soldiers couldn't help but feel uneasy.
The morale of the troops wavered slightly.
In General Lu Qubing's military camp.
A group of soldiers on guard duty were whispering among themselves.
"I heard that the Wei army is very close to Tazhong. Wei general Zhuge Xu has occupied Yinping Bridge, cutting off our retreat route to Hanzhong."
"I also heard that a contingent of Wei troops is heading straight for Gansong, intending to cut off our western retreat route."
"If the roads between the east and west are cut off, won't we be like birds in a cage?"
At this moment, the camp's military commander led his men out and shouted sternly, "Listen up, soldiers! No talking about military matters. Anyone who violates this rule will be beheaded!"
As soon as the military commander appeared, the murmurs among the soldiers in Lu Qubing's camp abruptly ceased.
It's easy to silence soldiers, but difficult to silence them. The soldiers exchanged glances, their expressions filled with worry, fear, and unease.
The entire military camp was filled with a somber atmosphere.
It felt as if Mount Tai would collapse at any moment.
It wasn't just Lu Qubing's camp.
This was the case for most of the generals who followed Jiang Wei in cultivating land in Tazhong.
General Jiang Wei's main camp.
While the morale of other generals' troops was wavering to varying degrees, Jiang Wei's main camp remained unmoved.
One by one, the valiant soldiers, clad in armor and armed with bows and arrows, stood guard or patrolled. They rarely spoke, and even eye contact was minimal. They were orderly, refined, and formidable.
Vast as the ocean, heavy as a mountain peak.
Unshakeable.
Lai Zhong, who had joined the army, sensed something was wrong and was very worried about the situation. He hurriedly left his tent and went outside the main tent, intending to see Jiang Wei, but was stopped by Jiang Wei's personal guards.
"I joined the army, and now I can't even see the general?" Lai Zhong asked angrily.
Normally, he could enter Jiang Wei's tent directly. But now...
"Please forgive me, General, but I have received orders that the General will not see anyone." Jiang Wei's personal guard remained calm, showing neither anger nor fear, and spoke with neither servility nor arrogance.
"You!!!!" Lai Zhong roared in fury, pointing a finger at his personal guard, but he was helpless. He could only shout, "General, General!"
Not only Lai Zhong, but every official in Jiang Wei's general's office left their tents to see Jiang Wei and gathered together.
Someone shouted that they wanted to see Jiang Wei.
Some people wondered why Jiang Wei didn't see them.
Some people are extremely worried about the current situation.
"The General received the news long ago and sent someone to report to the court, but half a year has passed. The court has not sent anyone to guard Yinping Bridge. Now our way back is cut off. If we are not careful, we may suffer the same fate as Guan Yu when he was defeated at Maicheng."
"Yes, the general neither sees us nor mobilizes his troops. Why is that?"
The strategists and officials of the treasury spoke their own minds. Jiang Wei's personal guards and elite troops remained unmoved all around.
Who cares what General Guan is doing? They just need to follow orders.