This time the Qiang people rebelled, it is hard to say which big tribes were involved, but if the small tribes participated in the rebellion, it was really because they could no longer survive.
Large tribes may still have some surplus food, and they can leave the old, weak, women and children on the grassland, and the strong men can go south to plunder. But for small tribes, they really have to drag their families and families south, and only one can survive.
Therefore, if the front is defeated, the old and weak women and children in the rear will definitely suffer, and when it comes to their ability to escape, they will definitely not be able to outrun those in their prime.
So he let Zhuge Liang personally lead the army. Zhang Xi had always been strict in running the army, and the Northern Army of the Han Dynasty had always been well treated. It was not uncommon to attack these old and weak women and children, so they were allowed to run along the road all the way outside the west county city.
But the problem is that these Qiang and Hu women and children ran too slowly. When they reached Xi County according to the way they remembered, the Qiang and Hu coalition forces had already collapsed for the second time.
And these women and children obviously couldn't keep up with the speed of the retreating troops. After retreating all the way, the dry food they carried with them had been almost consumed.
As for the cattle and sheep, they had long been plundered by the army. These women and children did not have the ability to keep an eye on the cattle and sheep. When they arrived in Xi County, they were basically no different from fleeing beggars.
If this happens, it will be difficult for Zhang Xi to handle it.
Although these Qiang people were old, weak, women and children, they participated in the plundering southward, and none of them were innocent people.
Yes, because they could no longer survive, they had no choice but to go south to plunder and survive.
But the question is, do the Han people who were robbed by them deserve to be robbed? ! Can they survive in this troubled world? !
Therefore, Zhang Xi really didn't have much sympathy for these Qiang women and children.
Really, Zhang Xi is not the Holy Mother. He knows very well who started this war. Don't make excuses for the innocence of women and children.
Therefore, when 1,800 Qiang women and children gathered outside the west county city, Zhang Xi directly ordered the entire army to be on alert. Anyone who dared to approach the city wall would be killed without mercy.
But as time went by, three days later, nearly 10,000 Qiang women and children gathered outside Xi County City. At this time, the snow outside Xi County City was already one foot thick.
Really, this difference in quantity immediately made Zhang Xi a little confused.
When there were hundreds or thousands of people, Zhang Xi was not too touched. He felt that even if they starved to death and froze to death, these Qiang people deserved it.
But when nearly ten thousand people were starving and freezing in the snow, it would be unreasonable for Zhang Xi's conscience to watch them freeze to death in the snow.
Not to mention, the Qiang women and children outside the city have asked Zhang Xi to surrender more than once, even as slaves, as long as they are given a chance to live. Zhang Xi is really a little soft-hearted.
At this time, Zhang Xi really hesitated. He didn't know what he should do.
Help these Qiang people. Zhang Xi is not a good person in his heart. They were all vicious during the robbery. Now he wants to surrender to himself with a few nice words. How can it be such a good thing?
But if you don't help, Zhang Xi's conscience will feel a little guilty. Nearly ten thousand people, it's not a cold number, it's a black mass right in front of you, living, moving people.
There are nearly 10,000 old, weak, women and children. Even if Zhang Xi wanted to save them, he wouldn't be able to last long.
Zhang Xi's combat mission this time was to lead five thousand soldiers to attack Xi County and cut off the Qiang people's retreat.
Therefore, Zhang Xi's troops set out with only about fifteen days' worth of military rations. After entering Xi County, the food reserves in Xi County had long been plundered by the Qiang people.
Pound also led his troops out for guerrilla warfare, and he did not bring much rations. The only person who brought rations and supplies was Ma Dai's three thousand reinforcements.
But the problem is that the grain and grass supplies that Ma Dai brought were prepared by Zhuge Liang based on the calculation of the current military strength of Xi County. It is enough for Xi County to hold on for a month. There is no excess.
If the city gates were opened to rescue nearly 10,000 Qiang women and children, Zhangxi's headquarters' military rations might only be enough to sustain them for about ten days.
If a large group of Qiang soldiers suddenly attacks the city at this time, there is not enough food for the family, and there are nearly 10,000 Qiang women and children in the city, etc., then there will be real trouble.
For this reason, Pang De has repeatedly advised Zhang Xi in the past few days not to accept these Qiang women and children into the city, otherwise there will be serious consequences.
Zhang Xi knew that Pang De's advice was right, but after another day of hesitation and another day and night of snow outside the city, Zhang Xi finally could not bear the torture of his conscience and ordered the city gates to be opened to contain these people. Qiang women and children.
Yes, Zhang Xi knew that he was a fool, but watching more than 10,000 people freeze to death in front of his eyes, Zhang Xi really couldn't be so cold-blooded.
However, it is not that there is no preparation at all.
Zhang Xi ordered that these old and weak prisoners must be searched and inspected when entering the city, and all assets confiscated. At the same time, these people were circled in a fixed area, and no activities were allowed except during meal time. If found, they would be killed without mercy.
To put it simply, a temporary cell was built and kept under guard.
While making these preparations, Zhang Xi asked Pang De to use his Liangzhou reconnaissance cavalry to send a message to Ji County, and asked Zhuge Liang to use a sleigh to transport a batch of grain and grass supplies to him.
Otherwise, the food in Xi County is really not enough.
In this way, after making these preparations, Zhang Xi released more than 10,000 women and children outside the city into the city.
In the end, things did not develop in the worst direction. During the most important ten-day buffer period, Xi County did not encounter a large Qiang force to attack.
A big part of the reason here is that it has snowed for five or six days in a row, and the snow is almost two feet thick. Who can fight in this kind of weather?
Another thing is that the Qiang people are now in a state of chaos internally.
In the battle of Ji County, the attack was unfavorable, and with God not cooperating, it was impossible to capture Ji County due to a sudden heavy snowfall.
Therefore, the leaders of the five Qiang tribes adopted the second plan, intending to use the help of the Han people to weaken and annex small and medium-sized tribes.
But the leaders of the five Qiang tribes did not expect that they would be defeated so miserably.
The defeat in Ji County was justified, since they originally intended to use the sword to kill people, but the defeat in Xi County also left the five Qiang tribes a little shaken.
The failure to capture Xi County meant that the looted money, grain, cattle and sheep could not be transported by road. Although they bypassed Xi County and desperately fled back to Nan'an County, most of the looted items were lost.
In addition, in such weather, many tribesmen suffered frostbite and death from frostbite when they retreated from the small road around Xi County. After retreating to Nan'an County, they had to face criticism from some small and medium-sized tribes.
Few people who can become a tribal leader are simple fools.
In the battle in Ji County, the fight was inexplicable and the defeat was inexplicable. When attacking, it was the small Qiang and Hu tribes who attacked, and when they fled, it was the small Qiang and Hu tribes who were responsible for breaking up the rear. What kind of logic is this? !
Along the way, if there are Han people chasing troops and they are in a hurry to escape, maybe the matter will pass in a daze. When they return to the grassland with the five tribes of Qiang people, they will appear in order to survive the winter. No matter what the situation, everyone can only accept it.
But now, the Han pursuers failed to catch up because of the snow, and now the Qiang and Hu coalition forces were unable to return immediately because of the snow. They had to spend the winter in the Han city, so they should forget about it.
Everyone will understand that it is strange to lose this battle. After coming back and taking stock, it is easy to find that compared with those small and medium-sized tribes, the losses of the five Qiang tribes can be said to be negligible.
This kind of thing cannot be hidden from careful investigation.
After doing this, people's hearts are gone. How can we still lead the team? !
Some impatient leaders of small and medium-sized tribes jumped out immediately.
The Qiang people are not very good at speaking with their mouths, and are generally better at using the knives in their hands to speak. A small-scale internal strife just appeared.
Actually, this is quite easy to deal with. Even if the leader who jumped out to cause trouble at this time is not a fool, his brain is not very good. The leaders of the five Qiang tribes easily suppressed this internal strife.
But most people can see this clearly, and can imagine what fate awaits them after returning to the grassland. The leaders of the five Qiang tribes also know very well that the next internal strife will not be so easy. It's settled.
Another thing is that the leaders of the five tribes of the Qiang people are not always of the same mind. Sometimes they can unite, but when necessary, it is also a choice to put the responsibility on a certain family and stand up to "justice" on their own.
Anyway, it is impossible for the Han people to brave the heavy snow to attack them in a short period of time, so making some internal "adjustments" has become their top priority now.
The Qiang people were busy spending the winter in Nan'an County and fighting among themselves. Naturally, they had no time to care about the situation in Xi County, which they didn't care about at all.
But at this time, Zhang Xi didn't know these messy inside stories and was still guarding the west county city in fear.
The reconnaissance cavalry sent to Ji County has returned, bringing Zhuge Liang's letter.
In such a heavy snowstorm, even if the grain is transported by sleigh, it must be delivered in batches. Hebei County does not have the ability to provide military rations for 25,000 people for a month at one time.
Tianshui County has just experienced a war, and now the Qiang and Hu coalition forces have just retreated. Ji County must first contact the counties in Tianshui to inquire about military conditions and food supplies. It is impossible to use all the sleighs in one direction in West County.
Another thing is that the top priority of Tianshui County now is the winter problem of the people. The wood in the city will be given priority to the people for heating. There are only so many sleighs that can be modified. The number is not enough, and the use must be planned and used as a whole. Therefore, it can only be Transport military rations and supplies in batches.
Anyway, Zhang Xi calculated that according to the share of the sleigh allocated to him by Zhuge Liang, if he continued to transport food, he could barely survive. But there must be no accidents in the middle, otherwise, there is a real risk of running out of food.
But fortunately, the heavy snow is still falling, and the snow is getting deeper and deeper. With a high probability, the Qiang people are unlikely to invade Xi County again.
The only thing to pay attention to is the period when the snow melts in spring.
(End of chapter)
