Jingzhou, Ma Tou, Qingpingyuan.
The west wind is blowing, blowing the flags of the two armies arrayed on the plain. They are two quiet armies. The soldiers are well-armed and their armor shines in the sun. Their faces and eyes are full of strong fighting spirit. The sun is scorching and the heat wave is rolling. But These soldiers who have experienced hundreds of battles, regardless of dry lips and cracked mouths, just stood upright with weapons in hand, looking directly at the powerful enemy with the same strict lineup on the opposite side. Many of them had red eyes and licked their lips unconsciously. The lips, even those war horses, were digging their heads into the dust on the ground, a desire to fight and an uncontrollable desire to kill was clearly evident.
In the Beifu military formation, all covered in crimson armor, under the command of the Central Military Commander, He Wuji stands on horseback with a horizontal halberd. Under the banner, this is a small hill more than ten meters high. Standing here, you can see the situation on the opposite side at a glance. Undoubtedly, there is no cover on the entire large plain with a radius of more than ten miles, and there are not even many weeds. The military formations on both sides can be seen clearly. The Beifu army of about 10,000 is facing off against 15,000. The black-armored Jingzhou soldiers and horses on the left and right were almost exactly the same in formation, with heavy infantry in front, archers among them, garrisons in the rear between the vanguards, and a handful of more than a thousand cavalry. On both sides, two rivers flowed from both sides of the plain, preventing the cavalry from detouring from the flanks. It seemed that there was no trickery in this battle, only a head-on fight.
He Wuji smiled slightly: "It seems that Huan Zhen is quite capable of cleaning up the remnants. In just ten days, he was able to raise an army of more than 10,000 people, and the morale seems to be pretty good. Dao regulations, it seems, This battle is going to take some effort for us.”
Liu Daogui's expression was serious: "This is a quiet army, well-trained, and as motionless as a mountain. It seems that they are not inferior to our Beifu elites. They are familiar with the terrain, fight locally, and have no retreat. Wuji, I don't recommend being here." It’s better to retreat temporarily than fight them decisively.”
He Wuji's expression changed slightly, and he turned to smile: "The die-hard rebels from all over Jingzhou are gathered here this time. This is the so-called good opportunity to complete their efforts in one battle. As long as all these rebels are eliminated in this battle, Then Jingzhou will be completely pacified, and the last remnants of the Huan family will not be able to make trouble. This is obviously a great opportunity, how can we let it go?"
Liu Daogui said in a deep voice: "Wuji, we rushed too fast and too hard. We rushed all the way here. Although the soldiers fought many victorious battles, they were also very tired. On the other side, they were waiting for work, even waiting for us here. , this battle is very dangerous in terms of military tactics and must not be fought. Please allow me to lead my troops to cut off the rear, cover the army and retreat slowly, and wait until we meet Xile's army before we fight again."
He Wuji sneered and said: "The art of war, if we talk about the art of war, then we in Jingkou should not raise troops. There have been times when we only relied on a few hundred or more than a thousand people to challenge an army with hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Even in Jiankang, there were A powerful enemy with an army of more than 100,000 people? Daogui, your elder brother has always been unyielding, and you are also very brave like your elder brother. You personally charge into battle in every battle. Why are you afraid of the enemy this time? "
Liu Daogui sighed: "We were obviously lured here by the enemy. They allowed us to win easily in the previous battles. Now we abandon our baggage and rush here all the way. We don't even have the conditions to set up camp. If the war goes against us, there will be no one in the rear. There is a danger of the entire army being annihilated. Our army is the vanguard of this Western Expedition and the strength of the entire army. If the 10,000 veterans are damaged, the battle situation in Jingzhou is in danger of turning around. Wuji, at this time Don’t act on impulse, you must make a calm judgment.”
He Wuji gritted his teeth: "When the slaves asked us to go out, we had less than 10,000 soldiers, but they wanted us to pursue them fiercely and not give the enemy a chance to breathe. The Huan family has been operating in Jingzhou for many years and has many old troops. If it weren't for our previous If we win with momentum and pursue them all the way, then if we reorganize their army and even divide our troops to harass our rear, then the war will not be settled in a few months. If it drags on for too long and kills too many, the feud will only become more and more serious. Shen, even if you want to govern it, it will be difficult in the future. Therefore, the pacification of Jingzhou cannot be delayed, and it must be done quickly. This is also the reason why we can defeat Huan Xuan. Dao rules, you are familiar with the art of war, how come you don’t even understand this truth? Woolen cloth?"
Liu Daogui shook his head: "But this time is different. Huan Xuan scared us out of our wits and made us unable to advance or retreat, but Huan Zhen was obviously prepared. I have always been surprised before that he could take Jiangling. There may only be a few dozen people around him. Now it seems that he has hidden his strength for a long time. The so-called defeated army was just scattered and hidden according to his orders. What we are facing today is what he has always led. The main force, coupled with the Huan family's buddies in various places, this army has a very strong combat effectiveness, and it is a mourning army. Our army has come from a long way, its sharpness has been damaged, and it is lured into the enemy's main force. It is a critical situation. , don’t act recklessly.”
He Wuji laughed: "Didn't your elder brother face the same situation when we were at Luoluo Bridge? It is impossible for our troops to withdraw at this time. Retreating in front of the enemy and losing half of it is considered a good thing. The only thing All we can do is rely on this momentum and the confidence of our Beifu army to launch a frontal attack and defeat the enemy in front of us. Although Huan Zhen's men have not fought against us, the rumors that our Beifu army is invincible have long been spread over the past six months. We are already famous all over the world, as long as we show our previous momentum, concentrate our forces, and charge directly towards Huan Zhen, we will definitely win!"
Liu Daogui sighed: "Wuji, since you have decided to fight, I can't say much. I will lead my three thousand troops to cover your flanks. If the situation goes bad, I will counterattack the enemy's formation. You must not be reluctant to fight. I must You must retreat in time, even if you can't win, don't lose everything."
He Wuji smiled and patted Liu Daogui on the shoulder: "Daogui, it's great to have you by my side."
When he said this, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and from the west wind came Huan Zhen's rude cry from the opposite side: "He Wuji, don't you want to take my head and hang it on the top of Jiangling City? I, Huan Zhen, am right here. , come if you feel like it.”
A look of anger flashed in He Wuji's eyes, he waved his halberd and said sternly: "Beifu Erlang, annihilate the Huan family in Jingzhou and end the century-old struggle in Jingyang. Today, beat the drums and charge!"
Hundreds of war drums sounded at the same time. The Beifu military formation, which was originally motionless as a mountain, suddenly surged forward like a tide. Accompanied by the sound of the drums, there were raindrops of arrows, coming against the wind, covering the sun almost instantly. of light.
An evil smile flashed across Huan Zhen's face, and he lowered his composure: "Finally we've waited for you, sound the drum, counterattack!"
