novelAbuy Chapter 1442 Hunting
Chapter 1442 Hunting
Chapter 1442 Hunting
In December of the twelfth year of Yanxi, the north wind howled, whipping up snowflakes that filled the sky.
The Shili Pavilion in the northern suburbs of Luoyang was covered in snow, and the icicles hanging from the eaves looked like inverted swords and halberds.
Feng Yong'an sat in the pavilion, stretched out his hands, and placed them on the brazier to warm them.
His gaze, however, was fixed on the end of the official road, where the Luo River lay still and frozen.
His eyes glanced at the Luo River out of the corner of his eye, and for some unknown reason, a strange smile suddenly appeared on his lips.
"My lord, they have arrived!"
The guard suddenly spoke up, interrupting Grand Marshal Feng's thoughts.
Looking up, I saw a warhorse, its crimson flames shattering the snow, its familiar figure dazzling in the snow's light.
"drive!"
The horse was incredibly fast, and in just a few breaths it was right in front of us.
He wore a black iron saber at his waist and a cold star-shooting bow on his saddle.
The red silk ribbon on the hilt of the horse-slaying sword danced wildly like blood as the horse moved.
The snow dust behind the horse resembled a white dragon soaring into the sky, as if startled and scattered feathers.
"Uu——"
General Guan reined in his horse and stood still, the snow kicked up by the horse's hooves splashing onto the pavilion pillars.
Seeing Grand Marshal Feng hurrying out of the pavilion to greet him, General Guan's chapped lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
But as she rolled off the saddle, she quickly pursed her lips, subtly suppressing the curve of her lips.
He strode into the pavilion, loosened the sash of his cloak, and his crimson battle robe surged like waves of blood.
Grand Marshal Feng stood before him, naturally accepting the cloak and asking with a smile:
"coming?"
General Guan's bright eyes were brimming with tears, and he gave a soft "hmm".
But then he subconsciously turned his head slightly, as if to remind Grand Marshal Feng to be mindful of the occasion.
Grand Marshal Feng ignored it, placed the cloak beside the brazier, and then handed over a bowl of ginger water:
"Here, I put your favorite brown sugar in it."
At this moment, Zhao Guang also strode in from outside, shouting:
"Brother, you are so biased! Why did you only give it to General Guan, but not to me?"
The warm atmosphere was abruptly shattered. Feng Da Sima took a deep breath and silently comforted himself:
This is my most loyal subordinate, someone I personally trained and mentored...
Then, forcibly suppressing the urge to punch someone, he gestured in one direction with an annoyance: "Don't worry, everyone has some. It's over there, take it yourself!"
Ignoring his elder brother's expression, Zhao Guang bypassed the two of them, scooped up a large bowl, and gulped it down. Feeling the chill dissipate and finally alive again, he smacked his lips and asked:
"Huh? Why isn't there any sugar?"
Grand Marshal Feng glared at him angrily: "What? Your hand was chopped off in Ye City? Can't you put it back on yourself?"
Zhao Guang mumbled something under his breath, something like "my brother doesn't love me," but his hands kept moving. He scooped up another large bowlful, then took a big spoonful from the sugar jar and poured it in, gulping it down.
After drinking ginger soup and resting for a while, the troops brought by General Guan were arranged to camp outside Luoyang City, while the remaining guards escorted the group towards Luoyang City.
The group rode slowly, and only then did Grand Marshal Feng inquire about the situation in Hebei:
"How has your appointment as Governor of Ji Province gone, brother?"
The elder brother that Grand Marshal Feng mentioned refers to Guan Xing.
Guan Suo was the most prominent member of the Guan family in the military.
In the eyes of outsiders, no matter how hard Guan Xing tries, he will never have a chance to surpass Guan Yihu, the top direct subordinate of Feng Da Sima.
Therefore, shifting from military to civil service and governing a region was a brilliant move.
From then on, the Guan family could be said to have achieved success in both civil and military affairs.
They will definitely go further than those who only serve as military leaders.
Guan Xing spent the last few years gaining experience in local areas, and now he has taken over Jizhou after the war. As long as he can achieve outstanding results, he will be able to firmly establish himself in the imperial court in the future.
It goes without saying that it was due to the legacy of their parents, or because they had a good brother-in-law or a good younger brother—although that is true.
But at least he can stand up straight when he goes to court and say that he can also make a living with his talent.
When General Guan heard the Grand Marshal's question, a slight smile appeared on his lips:
“When my brother arrived in Hebei, he seemed quite capable of accomplishing great things.”
Grand Marshal Feng nodded: "That's good."
Like Zhang Bao, it's impossible for Guan Xing not to feel a sense of loss over the years.
Especially compared to Zhang Bao, who at least could lead troops, Guan Xing was forced to turn to guarding a region.
Both of them were extremely eager to prove themselves, even to the point of being impatient.
The powerful families and clans of Ji Province were first plundered by the Hu people sent out by Sima Yi, and then ravaged by Shi Bao and Zhao Guang under the pretext of quelling the rebellion.
The number of laborers captured was no less than tens of thousands.
As for the powerful and influential families that are to be relocated to Tongyi or even Jiuyuan, there are countless others, and it is still unknown whether the registration process is even halfway complete.
It is no exaggeration to say that the entire Ji Province was filled with lamentations.
At this moment, Guan Nei Xiong made a dazzling appearance, which was the last straw for those powerful families who were already on their last breath.
As long as the governor of Ji Province believes that a certain county or area has been quelled, military control can be lifted and the area can be handed over to local government for governance.
In this situation, it's no longer a question of whether the local bullies will cooperate, but rather how much it will take to get Governor Guan to speak.
Why did the Lu family of Zhuojun refuse to let the powerful families of Hebei even enter their gates when they pleaded for their lives?
Because Feng Guiwang's third wave of bone-sucking and marrow-draining is waiting here.
Of course, paving the way for his brother-in-law was just a convenient and perfectly reasonable thing to do.
Given the relationship between Grand Marshal Feng and General Guan, how could the military commanders left behind in Hebei possibly refuse to give face to the new governor?
With the support of the Xinghan Society and powerful clans in Bingzhou, Hedong, Henan, and other places, the military, political, and economic spheres were all in smooth sailing.
As long as your butt isn't crooked, even a dog can achieve something.
Of course, completely quelling the rebellions in various parts of Hebei cannot be accomplished overnight; patience is required, as this is a delicate task.
"From now on, I'll leave the affairs of Jizhou to my elder brother. With your abilities, I'm sure you won't disappoint."
Grand Marshal Feng let his horse roam freely, gazing at the towering walls of Luoyang not far away, and said casually:
"You must be tired from the journey, so please rest for a few more days. In a few days, come with me to Xuxian County."
Upon hearing the words "Xu County," Zhao Guang, who was following behind, immediately perked up. He spurred his horse forward a few steps and asked:
"Brother, aren't we going back to Chang'an? Are you planning to take Xuchang?"
Grand Marshal Feng glanced at Zhao Guang:
“If you really wanted to go back to Chang’an, why would I have sent you here? Instead of wasting time on this, I would have let you go directly from Hebei.”
Jiang Wan ultimately did not survive the twelfth year of the Yanxi era and passed away last month.
Fatty Liu personally escorted Jiang Wan to Luoyang, and last month he personally escorted Jiang Wan's coffin back to Chang'an. For an emperor to go to such lengths is truly remarkable in terms of loyalty and affection.
Grand Marshal Feng did not return with them because he had more important things to do.
In the last moments before Jiang Wan's death, those who stayed by his bedside were Fatty Liu, Grand Marshal Feng, and General Jiang Wei, who guarded the south.
His sons, on the other hand, stood guard outside the door.
Based on this alone, no one dared to criticize the relationship between Grand Marshal Feng and Jiang Wan.
Zhao Guang pulled the sheepskin gloves tighter around his wrists and chuckled:
"Does my brother mean we should send troops to Xuchang?"
"We will definitely bring some men with us then, but not troops."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Zhao Guang asked, looking puzzled.
"Don't worry about it. Just follow orders when the time comes. I can't explain it to you in a short time."
Zhao Guang was even more puzzled: "What do you mean by this, brother?"
General Guan tightened the reins, and the tall Western Region steed pushed past Zhao Guang, caught up with Grand Marshal Feng, and casually said:
"Because it would be too much trouble to explain to you, your older brother is too lazy to say it."
"drive!"
They whipped up a blizzard and sped towards Luoyang City.
Zhao Guang was left alone with a mouthful of snow foam.
-
The river thaws in the seventh nine-day period, and swallows arrive in the eighth nine-day period.
In Xuchang, which was already in the first month of the lunar calendar, no swallows had returned; only messengers were rushing about like shooting stars.
"Report!"
"Reporting to the general, there is an urgent military situation in Luoyang!"
Guanqiu Jian, the commander of Xuchang, suddenly stood up and rushed over, taking three steps at a time, and pushed open the door:
"News from Luoyang?!"
"Exactly..."
"What about people?"
"outside."
Guanqiu Jian bypassed the messenger and strode outside like a gust of wind.
Upon hearing the military intelligence from the Luoyang direction directly from the messenger, Guanqiu Jian, though somewhat prepared, still paled and immediately turned to give orders:
"Send word: summon everyone to the military council immediately! Anyone who delays will be executed!"
Feng Ze led his army toward Xuchang, a move that struck the ears of all the Wei generals in Xuchang like a thunderclap.
"General, is this news reliable?"
After realizing what had happened, some people's first reaction was to hope that it was fake news.
"Several thousand elite Han cavalrymen emerged from Hulao Pass, carrying large banners bearing the character 'Feng', and headed towards Xuchang."
Guanqiu Jian's face was gloomy. "Besides that traitor Feng, I can't think of anyone else who would send troops at this time, or who would dare to send troops at this time."
Last winter, when Feng Ze launched his campaign beyond the Great Wall during the coldest time of the year, everyone thought it was just a bluff.
Who knew that when the Han army broke through the pass from the northern grasslands, the hundreds of thousands of troops in Hebei were defeated without a fight.
The two prefectures of You and Ji fell into the hands of the traitor Feng so easily.
Upon hearing that Feng Ze was leading thousands of elite cavalry toward Xuchang, the scene immediately became agitated, with some people even standing up.
"What?"
Guanqiu Jian frowned upon seeing his generals' behavior and lightly rebuked them:
"You're already behaving like this just because you hear the bandits are coming? If the bandits were really at the city gates, would you all lose all your courage?"
"General," someone asked, forcing a smile, "what do we do now?"
"What can we do? A skilled attacker does not rely on weapons, and a skilled defender does not rely on city walls. They simply follow the enemy's lead and decide the course of the battle. What else can we do?"
It is absolutely impossible to defend a city.
As everyone now knows, the Han army possessed siege weapons far superior to the trebuchets used by Emperor Wu.
No matter how thick the city walls of Xuchang were, they couldn't withstand the relentless attacks from the enemy day and night.
Fortunately, since abandoning Nanyang and deploying his main forces to defend Xuchang, Guanqiu Jian had already set up fortified villages and dug trenches around the city.
It can both stop the Han army's cavalry from charging and minimize the damage from the Han army's stone cannons.
As for facing the layered attacks of the Han infantry... that was the best-case scenario that could be imagined.
At least it's better than the Grand Tutor being forced to abandon the entire Hebei region because a single cavalry unit bypassed the pass.
"We've been preparing for this day for so long, haven't we?"
Seeing that everyone was still somewhat hesitant, Guanqiu Jian slammed his fist on the table and stood up:
"As the saying goes, the right time is not as important as the right place, and the right place is not as important as the right people."
"The chill of winter has not yet dissipated, which is not conducive to advancing. The timing is in our favor."
"We are at ease and waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. We will cross the city walls and defend the moat. The terrain is also in our favor."
“Feng’s army has been fighting for more than a year. His troops are exhausted and his losses are enormous. Therefore, a quick battle is the best option. We only need to hold out for a few months, and Feng will naturally retreat. This is what we mean by ‘the people are on our side.’”
"With favorable timing, location, and popular support, what do you have to worry about?"
Upon hearing this, the generals thought it over and realized that what the general said made sense. So they stood up and flattered him:
"The general is wise!"
With confidence, everything becomes easier.
Guanqiu Jian has thought about this day countless times, day and night.
Luoyang is less than 500 li from Xuchang, and elite cavalry can reach it in three days at most.
A normal march would take no more than eight or nine days.
Immediately follow the pre-prepared plan and have everyone ready to defend against the enemy.
Several days later, red flags were seen fluttering in the north, and crimson armor representing the Han people appeared sixty li outside Xuchang City.
At the same time, Feng Yong also sent a letter to Guanqiu Jian.
Guanqiu Jian, on edge, learned that it was indeed Feng Ze who had personally led a large army—although the scouts said there were only a few thousand cavalry, he knew that was merely the vanguard.
Moreover, even if there are only a few thousand elite cavalry, they are not something that the current garrison of Xuchang can handle.
The Great Wei is in dire need of horses, especially warhorses.
Especially after Sima Yi was stationed in Hebei, the Wei army in the south had not received any warhorses for many years.
Guanqiu Jian was originally stationed in Jingzhou, guarding Xiangyang, Nanyang, and other areas, so he didn't need many warhorses.
He can currently muster two or three hundred warhorses, which is already considered a sign of skillful leadership; most of them are still used for scouts.
When he saw the letter that Feng Yong had sent, he thought it was a challenge. He tried to open the envelope, but his fingers slipped and he almost tore the letter apart.
Suppressing a certain stirring in his heart, Guanqiu Jian took a deep breath before opening the envelope and taking out the letter.
These few small actions led those around him to believe that General Guanqiu had initially disdained to tear the letter apart, but had ultimately changed his mind and opened it for a look.
General Zhonggong's Respectful Respect:
The north wind whips through the armor, the iron cavalry marches out of Luoyang, gazing afar at the city gates of Xu County, and suddenly recalls the old hunting trip at Wuguan Pass. In the past, the general drew his bow and raised his flag east of the Dan River, while I halted my horse to observe the water west of the Dan River. We gazed at each other for months, but to no avail, and even now, thinking of it still fills me with regret.
This year, the snow in Xuxian County is thick, and I heard that the plum blossoms in Luyuan Garden are in full bloom (Luyuan Garden is the royal garden of the Wei Kingdom outside Xuchang City, which was a hunting ground for the royal family), and the deer herds are fatter than ever before.
I have brought ten jars of strong liquor from Hexi, aged in the second year of the Yanxi era, its aroma buried for ten years. Now I wish to meet with the General at the old Cao family garden, to hunt deer, roast meat, and discuss military strategy over warm wine.
The snow on the Bronze Sparrow Terrace is three feet deep, perfect for the use of the Han Dynasty's horseshoes; the ice river at the Deer Park is wide open, a good opportunity to test the newly built ice-breaking warships of Shu.
I have long admired your great name, General, and eagerly await our meeting. General, please remove all the crossbows from the city walls, and I will have my men dismount three miles away. Each of us will take ten personal guards, armed with curved swords and horn bows, and emulate the ancient hunting style of the Jian'an era.
If I were to obtain a blue rhinoceros, I would use its horn as a wine cup; if I were to capture a white fox, I would gladly skin it to make a cloak. After the hunt, I would lie drunk in the plum grove, listening to the shattering jade-like branches—wouldn't that be far better than the clash of swords?
The wine of Hexi can be warmed even when boiling snow; the meat of the deer park is fresh and can be roasted by gathering firewood.
Feng Yong, Grand Marshal of Han
January 15th, the thirteenth year of Yanxi
Sixty li north of Xuchang
After reading it, Guanqiu Jian crumpled the letter into a ball and looked northwards, his gaze flickering uncertainly.
Did Feng thief invite me to meet at the Deer Park?
With battle imminent between the two armies, what is he planning to do?
"General?"
Seeing that the general had finished reading the letter and was standing motionless on the city wall, the people around were somewhat worried.
Meanwhile, the officers were also curious, wondering what the man surnamed Feng had said to the general in the letter.
Could it be an attempt to persuade them to surrender?