Inside the Chu army camp.
All the Chu army generals looked at Xiang Yan with uneasy faces. The arrogant faces that had insulted Bai Yan outside the Fuli Great Wall no longer existed, and were replaced by gloomy faces.
"How long will the army have enough food and grass to hold on?"
Xiang Yan asked.
"General, no more than three days!"
Lieutenant Liangcaosu of the Chu army heard Xiang Yan's inquiry and stepped forward, cupping his hands and saying.
When the other Chu generals heard this, they all looked confused. The army's food and grass were about to be exhausted. Bai Yan, the Qin general in Fuli Fortress, led the Qin army to hide in the fortress.
If this continues, without fighting the Qin army, the Chu army will be completely defeated due to lack of food.
"General, do you want to continue to send the flag back to Shouchun and ask the king for more food and grass?"
Ximei, the general of Chu, looked at Xiang Yan with his brows furrowed and stepped forward, cupping his hands and saying.
for a long time.
In the silence, Xiang Yan finally spoke.
"If the king could collect grain and grass, why would the Chu army be facing food shortage!"
Xiang Yan shook her head.
Looking at the map, Xiang Yan felt such a desperate situation for the first time in decades. This feeling of being helpless made Xiang Yan panic, but she was unwilling to do anything about it.
Xiang Yan never thought from the beginning to the end that Chu and Qin were at war, and he didn't support Wang Jian until Wang Jian arrived.
"General! General Xiang Liang and Lord Xi have arrived at the camp!"
A Chu soldier came to the camp and reported to Xiang Yan.
Hearing the arrival of Xiang Liang and Ji Gu, other Chu generals in the camp all looked happy, hoping that Xiang Liang and Ji Gu would bring good news.
But after a while.
When they saw Xiang Liang and Ji Gu hurried and furious, all the Chu generals in the camp seemed to have a premonition of something, and looked worried.
"Father!"
"Ku Gu, meet the general!"
Xiang Liang and Ji Gu came to the camp and greeted Xiang Yan quickly.
Xiang Yan first glanced at Xiang Liang. When he saw the wounds on Xiang Liang's face, he thought of what was happening in Chu State now and didn't know why. Then he looked at Xiang Gu aside, with some emotion in Xiang Yan's eyes.
"Have you obtained soldiers, horses, food and grass?"
Although Xiang Yan had already guessed something when she saw the wound on Xiang Liang's face, she still had to ask what she should ask.
"Father, Xiang Liang only acquired 3,000 soldiers and 3,000 grains and grass!"
When Xiang Liang heard his father Xiang Yan's words, his eyes showed a guilty look, and he answered bravely with his hands raised.
Hearing this, Xiang Yan looked at Xiang Liang angrily.
"You haven't got any soldiers, armor, or food, so why are you here? You know, the Chu army's camp is now lacking food, grass, and soldiers!"
Xiang Yan scolded, rarely venting her anger on Xiang Liang.
Xiang Liang had an aggrieved look on his face and was about to give an answer when Kogu, who was on the side, stepped forward in advance.
"General! General Xiang Liang heard about the Battle of Putun and was worried about the general, so he took the lead in leading troops to the Chu army's camp. Food, grass, soldiers and horses are still being recruited. They will be sent to the camp in a while! "
Ji Gu said to Xiang Yan.
Xiang Liang on the side suddenly looked at Xianggu in surprise, soldiers, horses, food and grass? Where are the soldiers, horses and food and grass? Why would Kogu conceal the military information? This is a crime worthy of death.
However, Xiang Liang soon noticed the surprised looks of other Chu generals in the camp, and instantly understood why Kogu concealed military information.
Turning his head to look at his father, Xiang Yan, Xiang Liang suddenly felt a sense of shame when he saw his father's old face looking at him with his eyes. Often, when he was anxious, he would neglect a lot and do some careless things.
"That's good!"
Xiang Yan looked at the other Chu generals who were excited, looked at Xiao Gu, and nodded happily.
As for other Chu generals, only they themselves know whether they believe it or not after hearing what Xiang Gu and Xiang Liang said.
Two hours later.
As the important matters of the discussion became clear, one by one the Chu generals left the camp. Xiang Liang was left behind by Xiang Yan, and with him was Ji Gu.
"Immediately go back and take your people with you from Shouchun, Juchao and Zhaoguan, cross Jiujiang, and go to Jiangdong, which is the farthest place from the Qin State. There are countless gentry from the Chu State in nearby cities, especially the Xiang family. Your reputation will be taken care of in Jiangdong in the future, so you don’t have to worry about Qin’s arrest!”
Xiang Yan looked at Xiang Gu, then looked at Xiang Liang and said.
Hearing this, Xiang Liang's expression changed, and he looked at his father in surprise. Even Xiang Gu was shocked when he heard Xiang Yan's words, and looked at each other with Xiang Liang.
"Why did the general say this?"
"Yes! Father, tens of thousands of the Xiang clan's elite troops in the army, including Shenxi's divisions, are all here. Why is my father letting my son lead his clan members away now?"
Xiang Liang was confused, and Xiang Liang was even more confused. Looking at his father, Xiang Liang doubted his own ears. The words he just said could actually come out of his father's mouth.
How could his father tell him to leave with his clan members? How can this be!
Even though many nobles from the Chu State have fled, there are still elites from the Xiang family and Shenxi's troops among the Chu army. Even if Bai Yan and Wang Ben join forces and their father is leading the Chu army, how can the Chu army be defeated? There is fear!
Inside the tent.
Xiang Yan looked at Xiang Liang and Xiao Gu and shook her head. Her old face was full of complexity.
"The Chu army has been defeated!"
When Xiang Yan said these words, it was as if the essence had been removed from his eyes, and a hint of twilight appeared in his whole person.
Under the confused gazes of Xiang Liang and Ji Gu, Xiang Yan opened her mouth and told Xiang Liang to go to the wooden frame and take down a roll of bamboo slips.
Xiang Liang did not dare to disobey his father's words, so he walked to the wooden frame, took down the bamboo slips, and opened the bamboo slips in his father's eyes.
Ji Gu looked at Xiang Yan with some surprise. He didn't know why Xiang Yan suddenly asked Xiang Liang to look at the bamboo slips. But just when he was confused, he turned around and found that Xiang Liang had a shocked face and looked at the bamboo slips with eyes full of disbelief. A look of confidence.
"Father, how is this possible!"
Xiang Liang read the contents in the bamboo slips and slowly raised his head to look at his father.
"Bai Yan, you are already prepared to attack Chu!"
Xiang Yan looked at Xiang Liang's appearance, shook her head and sighed. These are all the information collected by people in recent days, and the final statistics are recorded.
"Bai Yan's understanding of Chu is no better than that of our Chu people!"
Xiang Yan recalled her first thought when she saw the bamboo slips. She was like Xiang Liang. She couldn't believe why a Qin general knew so much about the Chu State. Not only had he stocked up on grains in recent years, but he had also secretly stocked up on grains and grass before. , are also known to Bai Yan.
Behind this incident, Xiang Yan's mind was not only full of doubts, but also filled with chills! Xiang Yan didn't know how many Chu generals Bai Yan was secretly instigating behind his detailed knowledge of Chu's situation.
Xiang Yan felt a chill go down her spine when she thought about it.
"Now that Bai Yan is sticking to Fuli Fortress, he already knows that if the Qin army avoids fighting and keeps dragging on, the Chu army will collapse without a fight, and the Chu country will perish without a fight. Therefore, if the Xiang family is not defeated earlier, People left..."
Xiang Yan talked and stopped talking.
Xiang Liang and Ji Gu both understood what Xiang Yan meant. Xiang Yan was worried that if the Xiang family didn't leave Chu earlier, neither Bai Yan nor Qin would let the Xiang family leave in the future.
"Remember! Take your tribe with you and go to Jiangdong! Don't go to Qi!"
Xiang Yan turned her head and looked at Xiang Liang with serious eyes on her wrinkled old face.
"The Qi State has always been prosperous and wealthy, but Qin's desire to annex the world cannot be stopped by Qi. Qi is not the place where the Xiang family takes shelter. If they want to gain a foothold in future generations, thrive, and wait for an opportunity to restore Chu, the Xiang family can only rely on the children of Jiangdong! "
Xiang Yan instructed.
Xiang Yan's every word at this time seemed to be explaining the funeral arrangements, which made Xiang Liang completely panic. Looking at this father who supported the Xiang family and the Chu country, Xiang Liang felt fear for the first time. .
With the thoughts in his mind, Xiang Liang's eyes instantly turned red when he thought about not having his father, and he shook his head instinctively.
"What do you mean, father!"
Xiang Liang had something to say, but he didn't know how to say it. He could only look at his father, Xiang Yan, in confusion.
"I am the chief general of the Chu army and the general of the Chu state! I will not leave the Chu army. If I live, I will live in good health. If I die, I will live up to the name of the Xiang family! Generations of the Xiang family have been generals of Chu. Even if I die, , we cannot abandon Chu and ruin the reputation of the Xiang family! The Xiang family will be handed over to your hands!"
Xiang Yan looked at Xiang Liang with red eyes, full of determination.
"Three days, within three days, we must return to Shouchun and leave with our tribe! In three days, I will lead the Chu army and retreat to Shouchun City to defend!"
When Xiang Yan said this, she looked at Kogu aside, with a rare serious expression, raised her hands, and took the initiative to salute Kogu.
This means asking Kogu to take the trouble!
Only then did Jigu understand why Xiang Yan asked him to stay, so he quickly returned the gift, looked at Xiang Yan seriously, and then looked at Xiang Liang aside.
"Father……"
Xiang Liang shook his head, knelt on the ground, and wanted to say something else, but Xiang Yan looked at Xiang Liang with a serious face, and told Xiang Liang not to be indecisive at this time, otherwise the Xiang family's disaster would be unavoidable.
In the Chu army's camp, under Xiang Yan's order, Xiang Liang and Ji Gu, who had just arrived, hurriedly left the Chu army's camp in carriages again.
But what no one among the Chu army knew was that that night.
Fu Lisai.
While Bai Yan was sleeping soundly, he suddenly heard the voice of a soldier coming from outside the camp, saying that someone was asking to see him.
Feeling the biting cold and hearing someone begging to see him, Bai Yan stood up, put on his shoes, threw on some random clothes, and asked the soldiers to bring the person in.
Looking at the man who followed the soldiers into the camp, Bai Yan recognized at a glance that this man was his uncle's confidant.
"General!"
When the man saw Bai Yan, he bowed his hands in salute, then took out a piece of cloth from his arms and handed it to Bai Yan.
Bai Yan took the cloth, opened it and saw the contents inside. He was surprised and couldn't help laughing. Unexpectedly, his uncle was worried that Xiang Yan would be difficult to deal with, so he took the risk to send him the news.
Three days later, Xiang Yan will lead the Chu army and return to Shouchun!
The Chu army had less than five days of food and fodder...
"Go down and rest!"
Bai Yan asked the soldiers to take the man down to rest. After watching the man bow his hands and salute, he followed the soldiers and left.
Bai Yan looked at the layout. Although Xiang Yan planned to evacuate in three days, which exceeded previous expectations, for Bai Yan, there was still no deviation from the previous preparations.
However, his uncle's adventure was not without effect. It at least made Bai Yan sure that his previous guess was correct. Seeing the imminent demise of Chu, Xiang Yan, who knew that there was no hope of resisting Qin, would instinctively expose his weaknesses.
Xiang!
Perhaps under other circumstances, the Xiang family may not completely influence Xiang Yan. However, when people are desperate, they will need a spiritual sustenance, either a name or a person, and Xiang Yan is no exception. Looking at the hope of Chu State, Xiang Yan In his eyes, the Xiang family is the hope of Chu State in the future.
"Xiang Yan, what would you do if you learned that some noble clans united to destroy the Xiang clan and defect to Qin?"
Bai Yan sighed softly.
Before his uncle sent the letter, Bai Yan had already contacted the nobles in Chu and asked them to send a false message to Xiang Yan, telling Xiang Yan that the nobles in Chu had united to get rid of the Xiang family. , defected to Qin.
In Bai Yan's eyes, since he was not sure when Xiang Yan would leave, he would find a way to force Xiang Yan to leave.
Thinking of the noble clans of Chu State, regardless of the demise of Chu State, they left Chu State one after another with their clansmen and wealth!
Thinking about Xiang Yan's previous action of leading the troops to give up the attack on Wang Ben and return to defend the Chu army's camp, waiting for reinforcements and food from Chu.
Xiang Yan, do you still dare to believe the behavior of those Chu nobles?
Inside the tent.
Bai Yan put away the map, walked to the map step by step, and looked at the location of Jiangdong on the map of Chu State.
"No wonder in later generations, the Xiang family relied on Jiangdong and was able to quickly gather an elite group of disciples. Why do they say that after passing Jiangdong, the Xiang family has the capital to make a comeback!"
Bai Yan looked at Jiangdong.
It faces the sea to the east, Baiyue to the south, and the natural dangers of Jiujiang to the west and north. It is as far away from Xianyang of the Qin State as possible. Bai Yan has a hunch that this area will definitely become a serious trouble for the Qin State in the future.
"Koto!"
Bai Yan muttered to himself, then looked at the sky and did not choose to continue resting.
An hour later.
After hearing the soldiers' report, Bai Yan slowly put on his clothes and armor, put on his Zhan Lu, and left the camp in the night.
In the fortress, among countless torches, Yang Yan and other Qin generals all gathered together. When they saw Bai Yan arriving, they all bowed to Bai Yan and saluted.
"General, all soldiers have gathered! Wait for the general's orders at any time!"
Yang Yan said to Bai Yan.
Bai Yan glanced at Yang Yan and looked at the countless soldiers in the camp.
Bai Yan knew clearly that during this period, all the officers and soldiers of the Qin Army were holding back anger in their hearts. Now the prisoner camp, cavalry, and side cavalry have all left the fortress. This is the last batch of the Qin army. Waiting for this part of the Qin army After the soldiers left Fu Li Fortress, there were only more than a thousand Qin soldiers in the fortress.
With Xiang Yan's stability, he will definitely continue to send a part of the army to call for formation before withdrawing his troops.
Regardless of whether the Chu army noticed something was wrong, Bai Yan didn't care about Fu Li Fortress. Before, he was afraid of Xiang Yan, so he had to rely on Fu Li Fortress to defend and avoid fighting the Chu army. Now that the Chu army is short of food, although this fortress is easy to It was difficult to defend, but the Chu army had absolutely no intention of garrisoning.
"Set off!"
Bai Yan ordered, and then took the lead in walking towards the outside of the wall in the night.
…………………………
The dense forest of Whirlpool Mountain.
Close to the Wishui River, there are hills rising one after another for dozens of miles.
Under the cold wind, several birds flew from a distance. When they saw the familiar large forest on the hill, the birds flew away without hesitation. However, when they were about to land on a tree, Several birds were suddenly frightened and flew to other places in a hurry.
It turned out that just under the tree and behind the hills, there were all densely packed Qin Army soldiers. All the Qin Army soldiers were hiding behind the hills.
"General, will Xiang Yan really withdraw his troops today?"
Gui came to Bai Yan's side, feeling the cold, looking at the Chu army that had not seen any movement for a long time, and couldn't help asking worriedly.
When chatting with General Yang Yan and others just now, everyone said that the terrain was very similar to the rumored terrain where Sun Bin ambushed Pang Juan. At that time, Pang Juan was commanding the Wei army and was in a hurry, so he put all his clothes and armor on a wooden trailer. , when the Qi army attacked, the Wei soldiers had no time to react.
Then the Qi army attacked the Wei army by surprise. The Wei army suffered numerous casualties and fled, and the Qi army was victorious.
Gui didn't doubt Yang Yan's words, but there was no sign of the Chu army at the moment. Gui was a little worried about what to do if the Chu army didn't come.
"Will do!"
Bai Yan said softly.
Not long after Bai Yan finished speaking, he suddenly saw scouts and soldiers approaching in a hurry, reporting that the Chu army was appearing in the north at a very fast speed.
Hearing this, not to mention Bai Yan and Gui, even the other Qin generals around them all became concerned.
In the dense forest, under the orders, countless Qin army soldiers picked up the long swords and swords on the ground.
Xianyang, Qin State.
In the streets of Xianyang City, you can still see the posters of Wang Zhao and Qing Xian Ling. You can see the voices of scholars coming and going and chatting everywhere. There are discussions among scholars in some restaurants.
Suddenly, as the sound of the mighty cavalry came, all the people on the street were stunned. Whether it was the vendors on the roadside, some merchants, or the powerful, they all looked in the direction of the sound in confusion.
Iron cavalry?
And there are a lot of them?
But why did so many cavalry come to Xianyang together? How is this going? Could it be that something happened again?
There was confusion and confusion, but as the sound of approaching iron hooves came, countless people on the street stepped aside in a wise manner. Even the carriages of many nobles and officials also gave way.
Qin’s cavalry! It already represents a different status in Qin State, not to mention that so many cavalry arrived at the same time, everyone knew what was going on.
soon.
Seeing the densely packed Qin cavalry soldiers galloping through the street on war horses, numbering hundreds of them, the pedestrians on the street couldn't help but start talking.
"Why are there so many cavalry? And they are heading towards the palace!"
"Yes, it's so strange. Could it be that something happened? By the way, did you see what looks like a wooden box in the cloth bundle carried by a cavalryman?"
Countless people looked at the Iron Knight soldiers leaving, looked at each other and talked.
Many nobles and nobles in the carriage looked at each other in confusion after seeing this scene, wondering if something had happened.
In the Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng was in the study with a gloomy face. Accompanied by Han Yezhe, he looked at Wang Jian, General Teng and others, still worried about breaking the formation.
Suddenly, a eunuch hurried over.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
(End of chapter)
