Zhao Jun's strange actions were reported to the upper level, and Bai Qi immediately realized that Zhao Jun had completely run out of food. He ordered the whole army that those who went out to harass should preserve their strength as a principle, and if they were ambushed by the Zhao army, they could retreat; in addition, when they went out to harass, the soldiers should not carry food with them, but should give it all to the battalion officer and take it back after completing the task. If the camp official fails to keep the grain well and suffers losses, the official will be exempted from his title, and the lost grain will be made up by the county lieutenant.
However, the Qin army was still hunted almost crazily and at any cost, even if in order to kill one Qin army, the Zhao army had to kill more than a dozen soldiers. The peeping soldiers of the Qin army saw a horrific scene: the corpses that were dragged back to the Zhao army camp were cut into pieces and disintegrated, and were thrown into the cauldron and cooked directly...
Bai Qi was furious and ordered a full-scale attack on Zhao Jun the next day.
The Beidi Army, Nanjun Army and Wang Lu's troops were divided into three groups to attack the camp area. The Guanzhong Army mainly attacked Danzhu Ridge, and the Shangjun Army mainly attacked Zhao Kuo's tent. These troops had experienced hundreds of battles, and were supplemented by a large number of Hanoi soldiers, equipment, and arrows, and their strength was restored. Due to geographical limitations, each army could only send five thousand men to attack in battalion units.
The battalion that led the assault advanced cautiously under cover of arrows. Zhao Jun did not fight back, but there were screams from the position.
The forward battalion successfully broke into the camp fence, but encountered a horrifying scene. The hungry Zhao soldiers almost regarded them as food. Regardless of all tactical principles, they swarmed forward. The injured ones held on to the weapons pierced into their bodies, while those who fell on the ground could hug their feet. Being able to hug your waist is a completely life-threatening style of play. In just an instant, all the dozens of people who rushed in were slaughtered, although the price paid by Zhao Jun was much heavier. Seeing this scene, the Qin army who followed behind did not dare to continue charging in. They only shot arrows in from the outside. But this group of people actually rushed out of the camp. Although they were covered in blood, they still held their feet, waist and weapons desperately, grabbing with their hands and biting with their teeth... They exchanged their lives for lives in an instant, killing dozens more people. Others, as if seeing the devil, their livers and gallbladders were split, and they fled back screaming.
Similar situations reappeared in an almost repetitive manner in various positions. Zhao Jun's nearby military camps quickly gathered here, regardless of the ongoing battle, and immediately set fire to cook. Those Qin soldiers who had not yet expired let out bursts of screams. The Qin troops here looked at each other with fear.
I reluctantly rushed up to another camp, but did not dare to enter the camp fence. When the Zhao army saw that the Qin army did not enter the camp, they actually rushed out and rushed over like crazy. The Qin soldiers were so frightened that they turned around and ran away. Those who ran slowly were caught by Zhao Jun.
The Nanjun soldiers used bamboo halberds with long and nimble handles, but their lethality was far worse than spears and halberds with wooden handles. In this life-for-life style of fighting, they suffered particularly heavy losses. A large number of bamboo poles were broken, and the sharpened spearheads on the front of the bamboo poles did not penetrate deeply into the human body, but instead aroused the ferocity in the human body, causing them to fight back even more crazily. In just two battles, the Nanjun army was stunned and frightened. Seeing that all the soldiers in his army were frightened, Bai Qi had no choice but to prepare a tight formation and prepare more bows and arrows to prevent Zhao Jun from going crazy and rushing over and disrupting the formation, which would become a joke.
Fortunately, after the Zhao people killed the Qin people, they only robbed the bodies and cooked them, and had no interest in mustering up the courage to fight the Qin people.
After waiting for a short time, Zhao Jun's camp was full of smoke and the aroma of meat. Qin Jun smelled it and knew that his comrades were cooking, and some people actually vomited.
It was really beyond the generals' expectations that a good attack was turned into this. After waiting for a while, all the generals felt that they could not make progress, so they each withdrew their troops and returned to their camps.
When the Qin army suffered such a disaster, the soldiers spread rumors that the Zhao army was possessed by evil spirits who could not be killed but had to eat human flesh for nourishment. It's like having a nose and eyes. Bai Qi was amused when he heard this, and cursed: "You are possessed by a bullshit evil spirit, and you will be starved for three to five days, so be it!"
It is an indisputable fact that this situation increased the casualties of the Qin army and brought trouble to the battle. Zhao's army has more than 400,000 troops, while Qin's army has only more than 100,000. If four of Zhao's troops were exchanged for one, the Qin army would be wiped out. Bai Qi asked all the army and county lieutenants to come to the camp to gather and discuss.
Sima Jin said: "The king has ordered that if Zhao attacks Qin, he will lose Zhao, and if Qin attacks Zhao, he will lose Qin. Today's battle is just like what the king said. I hope everyone will strengthen the wall and defend it. The Zhao army has no food and will be in chaos soon. Take advantage of it. If you attack them when they are in chaos, you will definitely be victorious."
Bai Qi and others could not think of any better way, so they had to decide that starting from today, the entire army would turn to the defensive. In addition to patrolling, even harassing operations would be stopped to avoid sending food to Zhao Jun.
However, one day after the Qin army launched its attack, another autumn rain came, with howling winds and covering the sky and sun. The long-term outdoor life destroyed the soldiers' bodies, and a large number of soldiers fell ill. Many people gradually progress from aversion to cold and fever to wheezing and loss of life.
Bad weather and a sudden onset of fever forcibly interrupted the fighting operations of both sides. There was an uneasy silence on the battlefield.
Even when food was most difficult, Zhao Kuo was still able to maintain one meal of gruel every day. A bowl of gruel every day was not enough to supply energy for the day. Zhao Kuo's figure quickly lost weight. Now his eye sockets are sunken and his beard and hair are gray. The sudden cold wave hit the entire Zhao army. A large number of seriously injured people died, and the lightly injured people also showed signs of worsening conditions such as wound inflammation and high fever. Then the plague swept through the entire military camp, and almost all the soldiers fell ill, with fever, coughing, even wheezing, and general weakness.
Zhao Kuo did not escape either. He started having runny nose at noon. In the evening, I barely managed to make a tour of each camp, but started to feel feverish at night. Accompanied by the howling cold wind, Zhao Kuo huddled in the tent, shivering constantly, as if he was in a world of ice and snow. He gritted his teeth and remained determined not to make a sound.
The next day, the military drum sounded on time. Only a few retainers entered the tent and told Zhao Kuo that the other retainers were having a fever. One of the retainers realized that something was wrong. Zhao Kuo himself was shaking all over and his face turned red. When he touched his forehead, it was so hot that it burned his hands. He was also surprised and said: "The general also..."
Zhao Kuo stopped him and said, "Stand up!" The retainer pulled Zhao Kuo up from the ground. Zhao Kuo was swaying and unsteady on his feet, so his retainers hurriedly stepped forward to help him. Zhao Kuo said weakly: "Bring me a halberd!"
A retainer understood, ran out of the tent, took a relatively light halberd, and stood by the tent door. Zhao Kuo managed to tidy up his clothes with the help of his retainers, walked out, and stood at the door of the tent holding a halberd. Each army sent envoys to report on the situation of the army one after another. They all reported how many soldiers were sick at night, shivering and unable to go out. The retainers responded according to Zhao Kuo's previous instructions: "Gather those who can fight into a battalion. And recruit those who can cure this disease. We will reward you generously!" In fact, in the army now, there are no rewards, even a meal. All in trouble!
After ordering the troops, Zhao Kuo asked the retainers who could still move to rush to the armies approaching the enemy. He must supervise the armies and prepare several battalions capable of fighting.
The retainers sent out came back at noon and reported to Zhao Kuo that the camps close to the Qin army reported that the Qin army's camps were also coughing frequently, and presumably they were also attacked by the plague. It is estimated that there will be no fighting in the near future. Zhao Kuo burst into tears and said, "King Zhao is a virtuous man. This disease has been sent from heaven to help me succeed!"
The retainers thought that Zhao Kuo was still going to attack forcefully, so they dissuaded him by saying: "All those in the camp who are able to fight are exhausted. They have more than enough to defend, but not enough to attack."
Zhao Kuo said: "No, no!... God helps me succeed! God helps me succeed!"
When the retainers saw that Zhao Kuo was acting crazy, they were all surprised and said: "General, be careful!"
Zhao Kuo realized his gaffe and said sternly: "What I said is true. You will know later! You can withdraw while I rest. If it is urgent, please call me."
See the retainers withdraw. Zhao Kuo could no longer suppress it, covered his face and cried softly...
After a while, the retainers heard that there was no movement in the tent and quietly looked in through the crack in the door. When they saw Zhao Kuo lying on his side facing in, he seemed to be sleeping peacefully, so he left quietly without disturbing him.
One after another, people from each camp offered prescriptions. Some of the surrounding weeds, such as wild chrysanthemums, Imperata cognac roots, duckweeds, cockleburs, etc., were harvested by each camp. They made their own medicine and drank the soup, and most of them had some effect. .
There were some wild chrysanthemums near the camp, and the retainers also picked some. They cooked soup for the sick Zhao Kuo and his retainers, and everyone felt that their symptoms were relieved.
Zhao Kuo took his retainers and guards who were still able to move and went out again to inspect the camps. He specially visited those officers and soldiers who had suffered from the plague. Everyone advised him not to go because he might be infected with the epidemic. Zhao Kuo disagreed and said: "Since we are fighting, we have to live and die together, how can anyone survive alone? The righteousness is within the body, and evil cannot be interfered with." .How can I be afraid of epidemics and disasters?"
Twenty of the twenty-four thousand generals fell, and several of the older ones were already in a state of collapse. Zhao Kuo comforted them and told them that the Qin army had also been attacked by the plague and would not fight for a while, so that they could rest in peace and recover. Winter is coming soon, and King Zhao’s reinforcements are coming.
After a week of inspection, Zhao Kuo returned to the big tent. He had a splitting headache, fell to the ground, and fell into a deep sleep.
When the plague hit, Bai Qi did not let go. Bai Qi fell ill two days after the cold wave hit. Due to his old age, long-term battles left many hidden wounds, and he was usually suppressed by force. Once he fell ill, his symptoms were particularly severe, including high fever, body pain, and several comas. Bai Qi knew that the situation was not good, so while he was awake, he called Wang Lu and Sima Jin and asked them to take charge of the military affairs here. I might be useless! Wang Hao asked Bai Qi to return to Gaodu to recuperate, but Bai Qi refused and said he would die on a hill. Wang Hao did not dare to return to the camp, so he rested in Bai Qi's tent.
At this time, the five officers in charge of the Guanzhong Army, Wang Ling, Shangjun Lieutenant, and Beidi Lieutenant Li Bing, all fell ill. Wang He had no other countermeasures except ordering each battalion to strengthen their defense. Meng Ao, who joined the army in Beidi, did not fall ill, but only felt a little uncomfortable; Wang Hao himself also felt heavy after a busy day. He handed over the responsibility of the entire army to Sima Jin.
Sima Jin was originally in charge of swordsmen, and a large number of swordsmen were infected with the epidemic. He was already worried. Now it's better, almost all the generals are sick. The Qin army has almost become an empty camp. As long as the Zhao army can send out a force of even 5,000 men, the Qin army can be wiped out!
