Chapter 6 Journey

The two regiment captains and brigade commanders who were waiting to launch the attack all looked at Xue Chongxun alone, waiting for him to come up with a solution.

Now that the attack is blocked, the large number of enemy troops behind us will arrive in two minutes. It is a dilemma. What can I do?

Prince, make a decision!The situation was urgent, and a general couldn't help but urge.

Xue Chongxun clenched his fists tightly, his heartstrings tensed and almost broke.

If you continue to beat the stone castle city, not only will you have a slim hope of winning it, but you will soon encounter a situation where you can't fly with your wings. If you give up, where will you go?

It is not impossible to defeat the Tang army's Modao Formation, but how can hundreds of infantry fight against thousands to twenty thousand cavalry fight?

You can't win or run away.

But there was once someone who said that when you clench your fists, you can't hold anything; when you let go of your mind, you can have the whole world.

Such an indecisive mood made Xue Chongxun very uncomfortable. He gradually let go of his fists and looked back at the generals and said: The only way to survive is to try to escape...

Everyone was silent.

Xue Chongxun looked back at the road in the east covered with clear moonlight. It took about an hour to attack Shibao City. Jincheng and the others should go far away. They have enough horses and should be able to escape from danger.

Thinking of this, he was not desperate, but instead felt a little relieved.

At this time, the captain of the Third Regiment said: The scouts have been collected, and we still have more than ten horses!The prince rode his horse and left first, and we are here to fight to the death with the Tubo pursuers!

After hearing this, Xue Chongxun looked at the general with complex emotions.

On the one hand, he was indeed tempted and tempted to live. At this moment, as long as he endured the shameless moment, he could get the rest of his life; but on the other hand, he was shrouded in a strong sense of guilt, which was indescribable and stronger than killing a few innocent people.

Although several people ran alone and encountered Tubo scattered soldiers and brave men, it was always an opportunity.

The general said: The Ministry of War has a list of us. After the prince arrives in Beijing, remember to seek pensions for his brothers' wives and children.

At this moment, the sound of a child reading sounded in his ears: Fish, what I want, bear's paw, it's what I want, and it's not possible to have both. I'm leaving the fish and taking the bear's paw.

Life is what I want, and righteousness is what I want. Both cannot be obtained, and those who sacrifice life to achieve righteousness...

When I heard the sound of reading, I abandoned it without any psychological pressure...

And should he be like this at this moment?

He paused and said coldly: The two regiments attacking the city retreated.For horses, for wounded soldiers who can ride horses, one person and two horses, how many runs first and count them.

Maybe it was because the situation changed; or maybe it was because he changed himself?

The prince... all the generals looked at Xue Chongxun in confusion.In their opinion, there is a difference between superiority and inferiority, and the lives of people with status are even more important.But in fact, life is equal.

Xue Chongxun said decisively: That’s how you decide!Pass an order to retreat immediately.

After Mingjin withdrawing his troops, the Tang army left one or two hundred corpses on the hillside, without any valuable progress.

After the assembly, Xue Chongxun discussed with the generals: You can no longer walk to the bottom of the valley to the east. In the past, there was a plain. There was no way out for cavalry to go to the open land.The terrain that the scouts explored a few days ago was mountainous pine forests to the south, with branches and leaves lush in April and May, so they could be hidden.Let's set out now and head south!

The troops then set out and lined up south.The troops in Shibao City suffered heavy casualties in the daytime blocking battle yesterday, and now they are even more empty. They are afraid of the plan to lure the tiger out of the mountain, so they did not go out of the city to pursue them.

After crossing a low mountain range, the mountains were very deep, full of rolling mountains and pine forests. The Tang army got into the forest and continued to march south.

This terrain is inconvenient for cavalry to march, and there is no danger of being caught up immediately.

The pine trees are larch, and the leaves are as thin as needles. When they pass through the forest, the leaves swept on their faces, making the skin hurt.

Xue Chongxun said: There is a small river called Riyue Creek near the marching map. Send people to spread left and right to find this small river, otherwise we will be done without water!

When they retreated from Chiling in a hurry, they lost all their equipment and supplies. Now they had no tools and food. They ran for a day and a midnight. Now everyone is hungry and thirsty, and they can only endure their gurgling stomachs.

Xue Chongxun ordered the armor to be taken off and thrown away to reduce the burden.

After walking for a while, everyone simply threw away all the long weapons, with only horizontal swords and bows and crossbows.Hundreds of people were already throwing their arms and in a mess.

At this moment, the scout came to report: Found Riyuexi!

The soldiers were overjoyed and immediately asked the soldiers to lead the way and moved a section of the road north. Sure enough, they saw a winding river among the mountains.

People ran towards the river happily, forgetting the troubles of the bad situation.

The soldier came up with a kettle and took a sip. Xue Chongxun looked around and said, "Let's go straight in the direction of this river, go south first. When the river turns east, we will go east and cross the mountains and return home."

An old general said with a worried expression: The Tubo people may also think that we will find water sources. If they follow the river to search, they can easily find our traces.

Xue Chongxun said: It’s okay, this place is full of mountains and ridges. Tubo has not deployed many troops. What we are guarding against is the Lang family in the rear. As long as we step up the march, we can avoid being chased.

After he said that, he pondered, the water source was solved, how to solve the problem of food and grass?

There are some small animals in this forest, but they have to march, so they naturally don’t have much time to hunt, so they cannot meet the food and grass problems of hundreds of people.

He thought about it alone for a long time and suddenly murmured: Such a large area cannot be completely deserted...

Yes, the way Xue Chongxun thought of was to use war to support the war and plunder the civilians in the war zone's self-sufficient.Sometimes he has conscience and shame, but it is obvious that he is not a bad person who does nothing bad.

Everyone walked for another day and night, and they were so hungry that they were close to their backs. Xue Chongxun himself was so hungry that his eyes were dazzled.But there is no way out, and at this time, the scout discovered a village in time.

They deserve their luck.Xue Chongxun said to the generals: Let’s go and collect some military rations.After hearing this, the hungry people saw hope again.

The army climbed up a hillside and looked down at the village below. There was someone washing clothes beside Sun and Moon Creek. Suddenly, a group of people wearing ragged clothes and holding weapons. They thought they were thieves, and they ran in panic.

Xue Chongxun looked quietly for a moment and said: The top and bottom pants, the hat seemed to be a Xianbei hat. This is a village of Tuyuhun people.

Because there was something to eat soon, everyone was in a better mood, and some people did not forget to agree: The prince is very knowledgeable!

Surrounded!

With a command, a team was rushing down the mountain with their troops, laying troops on all sides of the village to shoot bows and arrows.

In case of precaution, Xue Chongxun let the main force occupy the high ground and did not go down the mountain, but only lined up on it.

Then I took a team of people down the mountain to see the situation.

Most of the buildings in the village are made of grass-roots, with only about twenty or thirty households. In this border area, it is considered a big village.Soon some hunters came out with bows and arrows, hid behind the fence and looked out.

Xue Chongxun shouted: Is anyone who can speak Chinese?To prevent bleeding, come out and talk!

After a long time, an old man with a beard and a round hat walked out with two young men. The old man shouted: Don’t shoot arrows, I’ll talk.

In history, the Xianbei people had close contacts with the Han people and had serious sinicization, and many people could speak Chinese.

Besides, in the Eastern world in the eighth century, the Han Dynasty was the center. Chinese was equivalent to the common language. Just like today's English, some people would always tinker with you wherever you go.

The old man and the other three walked carefully to Xue Chongxun's side. Looking back, they saw the clothes and weapons they were wearing in the army, and they had guessed that they were Tang people, and they just spoke pure Chinese.

When the heavenly soldiers arrived at the small border, we were flattered. I wonder what we could do to serve your army?

Xue Chongxun said: Our military rations were exhausted. If we wanted to collect some food and grass, my father-in-law would help to raise the funds. Our army would not be in trouble.

The old man said: When the heavenly soldiers arrived, we should use cattle and sheep to work hard on the army, but we don’t know how much military ration is needed?

There are twenty or thirty families here, and each household charges 100 kilograms of food and grass.

The old man's face changed drastically and he hurriedly said: General, please see, our poor village, all industries are in decline, and he is really short of money...

Xue Chongxun's expression turned cold: Whether it is cured meat or grain, a family doesn't even have 100 kilograms of grain stored?Don’t be too long-winded. Will such a barbaric clan bargain with you?

The old man said: The border people are in a difficult situation and can barely be half hungry and half full. Please be aware of it.

Xue Chongxun pointed at a fat man impatiently and said: Look, my brother is so hungry that his face is yellow and his muscles are so weak that you don’t give the food.

The old man glanced at the fat man speechlessly, and said with a ugly face: Two or three thousand kilograms of grain...what will happen if you can't hand over it?

Xue Chongxun raised the horizontal scabbard in his hand and said fiercely: We are hungry and we still have weapons in our hands. Do you think you are waiting to starve to death or what?Think about what will happen.

The old man said in surprise: What if I let me go back and discuss with the villagers before giving a reply?

Xue Chongxun glanced at the sun in the sky and said: I will give you a reply in one stick of incense. There will be no result after one stick of incense. Let’s do it ourselves!

Artificial knife, I am fish.

In fact, there was nothing to discuss, so the villagers soon accepted it and moved a lot of cured meat, corn, pine nuts and other food from home.

Tang Jun, who was so hungry, immediately distributed food and barbecue and had a lot of food to eat and drink.

After a meal, everyone was energetic and recruited two of their mules, including food, hatchets, arrows and other things, which was equivalent to forcing them to loot, and then they were ready to leave with satisfaction.

But at this time, a captain said: The Tuyuhun people in Longyou have long become vassals of Tubo. If they are left to live, when the Tubo soldiers arrive, they will explain our whereabouts clearly.Not as good as...

Xue Chongxun thought for a moment and said: It’s useless to slaughter the village. The Tubo people came to see, who did it?Anyway, I can't hide it, so why bother to ruin the reputation of our Tang army?Forget it, set off!