The Most Romantic of the Three Kingdoms

That night, Zuo Xu led his troops out of the valley.

There were two knights in ambush in the distance outside the valley. Seeing that they took advantage of the darkness to leave the valley and head towards Handan in the southeast, they immediately took a trail and went southeast with horses.

The two knights led two horses, and the horses did not stop. After galloping for more than an hour, they first crossed a river and then reached the foot of a mountain. This mountain is called Zishan. According to ancient legends, there was a purple gas in the past, and it was connected to this mountain, hence the name. Because there is the tomb of Zhao She, the king of Mafu during the Warring States Period, on the mountain, it is also called Mafu Mountain.

This mountain is 30 miles northwest of Handan County, covering a wide area with a radius of 40 to 50 miles. It is the closest mountain to Handan. Its main peak is more than 100 feet high, and it is also the highest mountain near Handan. Its mountains are also towering, and the ridges are restored. Standing on the main peak, you can view it from north to south, with a group of snails piled up in the north, and the hills and hills in the south stretch for dozens of miles. Four or five miles north of the mountain, there is a river several feet wide that twists and turns.

It not only occupies the shape of mountains and rivers, but also faces the official roads of the north and south. Zuoxubu came out of the valley of the Black Mountains in the northwest. There were many people and horses. In order to facilitate the march, they could not take the small road, but the main road. If you want to go to Handan, you must pass the foot of the mountain.

The two knights galloped down the mountain, instead of going to the main peak, they went straight to the Qiugang area to the south of the main peak. The hills and hills are hills and earth hills. Compared with the mountains and peaks in the north, the terrain here is relatively gentle, covered by hills and mounds, which is a good place for Tibetan soldiers. The two knights rushed into the hills, and after walking not far, they went around a hill several zhang high, turned a corner, and suddenly they saw a large sand and stone clearing in front of them. In the darkness of the night, there were more than a thousand soldiers in armour with spears and swords sitting on the ground.

From the ranks of the soldiers, seven or eight people came out. These seven or eight people wore heavy armor and red cloaks. The first one was not tall, short and thin, with a black scarf covering his face, but it was Xu Zhong, and behind him was a man dressed as a scholar, it was Xun You , followed by Dian Wei, Jiang Qin, Liu Deng, Chen Dao, Shi Juxian, Li Xiang and others.

Xu Zhong, Xun You and others walked through the soldiers and met the two knights. The two knights traveled for dozens of miles, and someone handed them water, but the two of them didn't pick it up. They rushed to Xu Zhong and said in a low voice, "Zuo Xu has led his team out of the valley!"

"When did you come out of the valley?"

"Less than two hours ago."

"how many people?"

"It's so far apart that I can't see clearly, but the line seems to be quite long."

Xu Zhong is a man who doesn't talk much. He asked about the enemy's situation in two sentences.

Shi Juxian took the map with him, took it out immediately, and spread it on the ground.

Tonight's moonlight is good, the brilliance is like water, sprinkled on the ground, Xu Zhong didn't light a torch, first asked Xun You to squat down, then he also squatted to the side of the picture, under the moonlight, leaned in to take a closer look. Jiang Qin, Liu Deng, Chen Dao, Shi Juxian, Li Xiang and others also crouched down and formed a group.

On the map is drawn the topography of the mountains and rivers of Zhao State. Jiang Qin found Mafu Mountain and the black mountain valley where Zuo Xu was hiding. He rowed southeast along the valley and stopped at a position to the northwest between Mafu Mountain and the valley. Sixty miles away, the Zuoxu Department is mainly infantry, and the march is slow at night, and they have reached here at most in less than two hours."

Xun You nodded and said, "When they arrive outside Mafu Mountain, it will be noon tomorrow at the earliest. I'll have enough time to set up the ambush!"

Liu Deng's face was full of joy, and he said: "If Xunjun expected, this Zuo Xu really led his troops out of the valley!"

Jiang Qin said with a smile, "According to the assassins of the two thieves, there are less than 1,600 people in the Zuoxu group. Our group is waiting for work, and we are setting up an ambush and raiding. It's not difficult to destroy them!"

Xu Zhong stared at the map and did not speak. His face was covered with a black scarf, and only one pair of eyes were exposed. Others couldn't see his expression, and they didn't know what he was thinking. Among the people present, Jiang Qin and Xu Zhong had the most unmatched friendship. When they were in Xixiang, they became brothers. Jiang Qin smiled and asked, "Ah Zhong, what are you thinking? Why don't you speak?"

"I'm thinking about Xun Jun's explanation."

...

But it turned out that the news that Zuo Xu's subordinate scouts had heard of "Xun Zhen was assassinated to death" was false, and it was Xun Zhen's plan to lure the enemy out of the mountains. On the evening of the Double Ninth Festival, Xun Zhen thought of this strategy at the beginning of his assassination. He later interrogated the assassin in public on the street, and kicked the assassin in a "rage". Even in the end, he covered the "wound" and stared blankly at the crowd in the distance, which was intentional, so that the news of his assassination could be spread as soon as possible.

In fact, his injuries were not serious at all.

Since he did all this on purpose, he naturally paid great attention when the assassin grabbed the sword and stabbed him. He only scratched his left waist with the sword, and the skin injury was not serious at all. It was also because the injury was not serious, so he immediately covered the wound with his hand. One was to fear that the county people in the distance would see the flaw, and the other was to squeeze blood from the wound. The injury is minor and the bleeding is small, so the seriousness of the bleeding is not obvious. He fell to the ground, waited for Xu Zhong, Dian Wei and others to come over and gave a quick and soft command: "Say I'm seriously injured, surround me, carry me into the overturned carriage on the street, and take me back. Lieutenant's Mansion."

Xu Zhong and others obeyed the order, straightened the carriage, carried him into it, and drove him to the lieutenant's mansion by horse.

When you arrive at the lieutenant's mansion and enter the house, you don't need to install any more. Xun Zhen untied the front of his clothes, and while Xu Zhong bandaged his wound, he laughed and said to Xun You, Xi Zhicai, etc. who followed him into the house: "Zhengchou how to attack the thief, the thief will come to the door on his own initiative!"

Xun You and Xi Zhicai are both talented people. They guessed Xun Zhen's purpose when they knew that Xun Zhen was pretending to be seriously injured.

Xun Zhen said, "Severe injuries are not enough to lure a thief."

"So, are you going to cheat to death?"

"Exactly! Gongda, you should leave the house immediately and send more people to seek medical treatment. It is best to invite all the famous doctors in the county. After you come, keep them in the house and not be allowed to go out for two hours. Dispatch them back home. Before dispatching them, tell them and let them tell the county people that I am seriously injured.  …, you have to remember to warn them: This is a military order. "

Xun You promised.

Xi Zhicai added a sentence and said, "We must guard against the remaining members of the medical staff who have yellow turbans, Gongda. When letting them go, it's best to send a few people to 'send' them away."

Xun Zhen nodded and said, "Yes, choose some capable personal soldiers to 'send' them, and keep sending them to their homes. After they are delivered, these personal soldiers don't have to rush back and stay at their homes for two days."

Xun You replied with a smile, "Okay" and asked, "Would you like to inform the Prime Minister?"

"Of course you must notify. Not only the prime minister, but also the battalion outside the county, tell them to immediately send troops into the city, search the county and outside the county, and ask Liu Deng and Jiang Qin to come to see me in the mansion... Yulang, this The task is given to you."

Xun You and Xin Ai took orders to go out.

Xun Zhen said to Chen Dao again: "Uncle Zhi, these people who are stabbing on the street today must be the rest of the Yellow Turbans who fled into Zhao State, I will give you two hours, no matter what means you use, you must torture them to find out who they are. People's subordinates? How many people are there? Where are they hiding?

Chen Da answered the order and also went out.

When Chen Dao went out, Xun Zhen ordered Xu Zhong, Dian Wei, Yuan Zhongqing, and Zuo Bohou to stand outside the door. Without his order, no one was allowed to come in. He asked Xi Zhicai, Xuan Kang, and Li Bo to take their seats. Discuss in secret.

Before the discussion, Xuan Kang patted his chest, let out a long breath, and said, "Mr. Xun, you scared me to death!" Xun Zhen laughed.

The content of the discussion between the four is naturally: what can be gained from this assassination.

As Xun Zhen said, the assassins who assassinated him must have been sent by the rest of the Yellow Turbans. From this, the first thing that can be gained is: a victory. The rest of the Yellow Turbans sent people to assassinate him. After stabbing him to death, they would probably attack the city. If they attacked the city, they could attack him halfway. Of course, it's also possible that they won't come to attack the city, that's okay, if they don't come to attack, Xun Zhen will attack. Xun Zhen was the enemy of the Yellow Turbans. He was stabbed to death. After the Yellow Turban soldiers heard the news, no matter how calm they were, they would be very happy. When they were happy, they would relax, and when they relaxed, they could take advantage. All in all, whether or not the Yellow Turbans come to attack the city, this is an opportunity to defeat the enemy and win.

In addition, there is another advantage: you can take the opportunity to take the city defense of Handan into your own hands, and at the same time have the opportunity to control the soldiers of the county, and at the same time, you can intervene in the security of the county.

Handan's city defense and public security are now divided into two departments, one is the county soldier, and the other is the Handan county lieutenant. The county soldiers were in charge of guarding the gates and walls of the city, and the Handan county magistrate was in charge of public security in the county. None of the assassins who murdered Xun Zhen were from the county. There were ten or twenty people. How did so many people sneak into the county? After sneaking in, how did he escape the inspection by the county magistrates? How did they buy that pub? No matter whether it is a county soldier or a Handan county lieutenant, no one can escape the responsibility.

Confucius said: "If the name is not correct, the words will not go well, and if the words are not correct, things will not be accomplished." When Xun Zhen first took office, although the lieutenant was in charge of the military position and prepared for thieves, if there was no good reason, it was not good to meddle in and take power without any reason. Previously, the county was guarded by the county soldiers. He couldn't transfer his own troops to take over for no reason. Of course he had this power, but if he did, the people under him would not be convinced. The existing county soldiers in the state of Zhao are mixed, and many of them are tyrants, children of gentry families, or slaves as officers. Without sufficient reason, he is not good at reorganizing and integrating. Handan is the seat of the county government, and it is also a normal county. Of course, the public security in the county is in charge of the left and right county magistrates of Handan County. All kinds of problems and troubles are now solved. With an excuse for being assassinated, whether he controls the city defense, integrates the county soldiers, or intervenes in the county's public security, he is justified.

When Zhao Prime Minister Liu Heng arrived in a hurry, Xun Zhen, Xun You, Li Bo, and Xuan Kang had already made a preliminary list of actions.

Xun Zhen was the hero of the eradication of the Yellow Turbans, the favorite general of Huangfu Song, and the national lieutenant of Bi Erqianshi. He was assassinated on the streets of Handan, which was a shocking event. Xun You personally went to inform Liu Heng that Liu Heng was reading the scriptures at the time, when he heard that Xun Zhen was assassinated, the script slip slipped from his hand and hit him on his lap without realizing it. He jumped up, urging the mansion to prepare a car, and drove to the lieutenant's mansion. Who would have guessed that when he entered the house, he saw Xun Zhen jumping up to greet him.

He turned to Xun You who accompanied him in stunned: "Gongda?"

Xun You smiled and said, "It's not that I deceived Xiangjun, this is actually the lieutenant's plan."

Liu Heng looked at Xun Zhen and asked, "What's the plan?"

Xun Zhen invited Liu Heng to take a seat. Liu Heng came in a hurry, and he was not dressed properly. He found out after he knelt down and sat in the seat. Xun Zhen took the bronze mirror and presented it to him. Facing the bronze mirror, he adjusted his clothes and complained to Xun Zhen, "It's not good to joke about something, it's a joke about being assassinated!"

"The assassination was no joke."

"what?"

"Zhen Fangcai was indeed assassinated on the street, but the injuries were not serious."

"Who is so daring and dares to assassinate the lieutenant of the country on the street!"

"It's supposed to be the remnants of the Yellow Turbans."

Liu Heng was also a smart person, so he suddenly woke up and said, "Gongda just said that it was the lieutenant's plan to deceive the serious injury? What did the lieutenant think?"

"It's not to deceive about serious injuries, but to deceive death." Xun Zhen told the whole plan of deceiving the enemy.

Liu Heng said happily: "Good strategy!" He put down the bronze mirror, sighed, and said, "The lieutenant first arrived, the lieutenant really doesn't know how I survived the past few months! In just a few months, the yellow turban hit Handan three or four times. Raid and harassed the border villages and villages outside the county more than ten times. Handan was shocked three times a day! The former lieutenant led the army and fought against the thieves. Unfortunately, he died in battle. When the most critical time, I was ready to die in the city. Fortunately, the Marquis of Huaili The use of troops is like a god, first to break the Guangzong, then break down the Quyang, and the Jizhou will be shaken, and Handan will be safe. , and said to my servants: 'I will not be afraid of thieves from now on'!... Alas, I heard the lieutenant's clever plan today, and I only hate that the lieutenant did not come a few months earlier. If the lieutenant had been there earlier, Handan would not have been in danger. "

Liu Heng is not tall, chubby, with a round face, a soft beard, and a kind face. He is not too old, in his forties.

Xun Zhen patiently listened to him, complaining about the past and happy now, and said with a smile: "Zhenzhi can be superficial, why would he dare to praise him?" He thought, "General Huangfu said that Liu Heng had held a military position and had done it before. Zhangye is the capital of the country, I guess he should know about soldiers, I have been in contact with him these days, but this person is a pure Confucian, loyal and faithful, and does not know about soldiers."

Liu Heng said: "The lieutenant's plan, I don't know what needs my cooperation?"

"You don't need anything else, just trouble Lao Xiangjun to do two things."

"What's the matter?"

"My tactic of cheating death requires secrecy to succeed. After a while, after I release the news that I have died of serious injuries, please leave my mansion with a sad face, and go to the palace to meet Zhao immediately after leaving the mansion. King, don’t let anyone know that I’m not dead except for King Zhao.”

"This is simple." Liu Heng stretched out a finger and said, "This is the first thing, what about the second thing?"

"The second thing is to ask Mr. Xiang to change the name of the Handan County lieutenant and the county soldiers, and have them cooperate with our troops to search the middle and outside of the county. In short, the bigger the noise, the better. The bigger the noise, the better the news. Faster, the better it will be for our troops who are fighting thieves to leave the camp quietly."

"Okay!" Liu Heng immediately wrote the letter, and he went out of the house and asked the accompanying servants to return to the mansion to get the seal. When the seal was delivered and stamped on the letter, he handed it over to the county soldiers and Handan County. As soon as the letter was sent out, Chen Dao came back.

Xun Zhen asked, "How?"

Chen Dao replied: "Fortunately, I didn't lose my life. The wine girl's mouth is tight, but the mouths of the remaining two assassins are not so tight."

Under Miki, why not ask for it? The dead man may not be afraid of death, but he may not survive the punishment. Chen Dao tortured the two slightly injured assassins and obtained the same confession. He said: "This generation was sent by Zhang Jiao's Qu Zuoxu. Zuoxu is the co-brother of Zhangba Zuobao. There are more than 1,500 soldiers in his army, dozens of cavalry, hiding in Handan. Ninety miles northwest of the Black Mountain Valley."

Xun Zhen was overjoyed and immediately called Xuan Kang to spread out the map. Liu Heng, Xun You, Xi Zhong, Xuan Kang, Li Bo and others surrounded the picture with him. Everyone checked the map carefully and set the Mafu Mountain as the ambush location.

Xi Zhicai said: "This mountain is close to the road, and Zuoxu must pass through. There are three advantages. First, the south is densely covered with hills, which is suitable for setting up an ambush. The ministry waits for work; three, there is a river in the north of the mountain, which can cut off the thief's retreat."

Liu Heng stroked his beard and asked, "If the left beard doesn't get out of the valley and fails to lure him out, what should I do?"

Xun Zhen smiled and said, "If he doesn't get out, then our army will advance. I'll send troops out of the camp tonight, and I'll go to this mountain to ambush first, and wait until tomorrow, if Zuo Xu doesn't get out of the valley, I'll drive quickly and attack the valley!"

While they were talking, Liu Deng and Jiang Qin arrived. Xun Zhen summoned Xu Zhong and Dian Wei from outside the door, told them his plan together, and said to Xu Zhong: "In order to prevent the information from leaking, I cannot personally lead troops to set up an ambush. Junqing, you will command this battle. ."

Since the military campaign, apart from fighting alone for a period of time in Yingchuan at the beginning, Xun Zhen has always been under Huangfu Song's account, while Xu Zhong and others have been under his account, and rarely take charge of this alone. It can be said that it was Xu Zhong's first independent battle in command of the army. In order to ensure safety, Xun Zhen temporarily transferred Xun You into Xu Zhong's army as a military advisor, and in order to ensure Xun You's safety, he sent Dian Wei to Xun You and instructed him: "In this battle, you are not allowed to go into battle, protect Gongda well. It is a great achievement.”

After the instructions were completed, he said to Xu Zhong: "We cannot use the army soldiers for this battle, but only the parts that we brought. The plan that came to Zhao State from me is about 2,000 cavalry and can't all be sent out. You have six songs and two thousand people, is that enough?"

"There are only 1,500 thieves, and 1,200 people are enough to hit them."

"This battle is what I was waiting for at the beginning of the Zhao Kingdom, only to win, not to lose."

...

Xun Zhen's exhortation flashed through Xu Zhong's mind, and he said to Xun You, "Mr. Xun, the thieves have already left the valley, so let's start setting up an ambush."

Xu Zhong was Xun Zhen's old acquaintance in Xixiang, and Xun You had known him for a long time. Since Xun Zhen started the army, Xu Zhong has served as a minion, charged into the battle, and helped Xun Zhen to control the ministries. Hearing Xu Zhong asking politely~www.wuxiaspot.com~ he smiled and said, "Your Majesty is the general, You just obey orders."

Before coming, Xun Zhen had already made specific arrangements. According to Xun Zhen's arrangement, Xu Zhong divided 1,200 of his subordinates into four divisions.

A group of one hundred people, led by Liu Deng, went to ambush near the main peak of Mafu Mountain in the north. Four hundred people in each of the two groups were led by Jiang Qin and Chen Dao. Jiang Qin was in ambush in the hills to the west of the official road, and Chen Da was in ambush in the forest to the east of the official road. The remaining 300 people, led by Xu Zhong himself, ambushed in the south of the Jiang Qin Department.

The entire battle plan was as follows: After Zuo Xu led his troops across the river, Liu Deng let them go and waited for them to reach the ambush points of Jiang Qin and Chen Dao, and Jiang Qin and Chen Dao attacked them. If the left beard broke forward, Xu Zhong would stop them, and if they fled backwards, Liu Deng would stop them by the river.

According to this deployment plan, Jiang Qin, Chen Dao, Liu Deng and others took the lead, and each took their part to the predetermined ambush location. Xu Zhong also led three hundred people to the south for a while, stopping to rest and wait. Xun You and Dian Wei were in Xu Zhong's department.

Xu Zhong, Liu Deng, Jiang Qin, and Chen Dao were all well-known brave generals in Xun Zhen's army, and their subordinates were also the elites of Xun Zhen's army. Xun Zhen sent them all to set up an ambush, determined to win this battle.

Xu Zhong and other talents were different, and Xun Zhen also took great care in arranging the tasks given to them. "Don't chase after poor thieves", the soldiers who escaped and survived are likely to explode with strong combat power, so the brave Liu Deng was placed in the position of interception; among the generals, Jiang Qin had a scheming, Chen Da was prudent and careful, and he used the two of them. It is most suitable to be the main attack; Xu Zhong is the main general, suitable for blocking in front.

The generals led their troops to their respective positions, waiting for Zuo Xu to throw himself into the net.