It was almost the Qingming Festival, and it had been raining for days. The rain in the capital had washed the ground and the ground clean, and everywhere was lush with life.
It had been more than a month since Da Wei's soldiers left the capital.
Jiuchuan was an endless desert.
"Lady He," the young deputy general walked into the tent and said to the female official who was drawing on the ground, "I have already instructed them to reduce the number of camps."
He Yan smiled, "Thank you."
The deputy general looked at the woman in front of him and felt a little emotional. When the Fuyue Army that followed General Feihong found out that the leader was a young woman, they were unwilling. They could not be blamed for being picky. After following General Feihong of Da Wei, they could not help but compare themselves to other generals. He Yan, as a woman, daring to go on the battlefield was admirable. However, in reality, she had never led an army on her own before, and they did not know how skilled she was. Even though she had won the battle against Jiyang in the Rundu, she had the Right Army's commander-in-chief with her.
Now, she was alone.
Fighting a war was different from a simple martial arts competition. Emperor Zhaokang did this because he was the Right Army's commander-in-chief. However, within the Fuyue Army, they were not truly convinced.
In this month, they had only arrived near Jiuchuan. Jiuchuan was originally a city in the desert, and it was now occupied by Uto. When He Yan arrived at Jiuchuan, she was not in a hurry to attack. Instead, she set up camp near Jiuchuan. For the next few days, the soldiers had already started to complain.
However, the deputy general knew that things were not as they seemed.
He had been in the Fuyue Army before, and although he did not have close contact with General Feihong, he knew that General Feihong dared to take risks. The woman in front of him had not shown her valiant side, but she was more rational and calm.
The location of the camp was chosen just right. This location could be used to attack and defend. If there was any movement, it would be easier for them to adjust and retreat. The Deputy General was puzzled. He had heard that this was He Yan's first time in Jiuchuan, but he seemed to be very familiar with the terrain and had a lot of experience in surviving in the desert.
Of course, he had no idea that He Yan was General Feihong in the past, and that General Feihong had first joined the Fuyue Army to fight against the Western Qiang people in Mo County. Mo County was not far from Jiuchuan and the terrain was similar.
"Sir." The deputy general's gaze fell on the long scroll in front of He Yan. "Are you drawing a map?"
"These Uto troops are abundant, and they have been plotting for a long time. Although the Fuyue Army trains every day, they haven't been on the battlefield for several years. In addition, they suffered heavy losses in the battle of Hua Yuan, so their troops are inferior to their opponents. I can't rashly attack and disregard the lives of these soldiers. Before this, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. "
Every day, she asked Shi Tou, Wang Ba, and the others to scout around Jiuchuan City from afar. They didn't have to go too close, and after they were familiar with the terrain, she would go deeper. After a few days, she finally drew a complete map. With this map, the Fuyue Army, which was originally inferior to the Uto in terms of numbers, would be able to unleash their full potential.
However … He Yan sighed in her heart. She knew that the Uto had rested for many years and would definitely have abundant military equipment. However, when she arrived in Jiuchuan, she realized that the Uto's troops were much stronger than she had imagined. If it was only Jiuchuan, it would be fine. If the other three places were also like this, this battle for the Da Wei would be really difficult.
For so many years, Emperor Wen Xuan valued the civil and despised the military. The Da Wei's troops had stagnated, and the Uto had gained the upper hand. It seemed that the Hua Yuan, Rundu, and even Jiyang were all just a pretense. The Uto didn't show their true military strength. Their goal was to make them lower their guard.
That made sense. If it wasn't for that, how could these four cities have fallen so quickly?
"Milord, you have to take care of your health." The deputy general thought for a while and reminded her, "Milord, you haven't slept much these few days …"
"It's fine. I know what to do," He Yan continued without raising her head.
Seeing her like this, the deputy general didn't say anything else. He bowed and left.
After he left, someone called from outside, "Milord He."
He Yan: "Come in."
Jiang Jiao and Shi Tou came in.
Like the other soldiers, they called He Yan "Milord He". After all, He Yan hadn't been made a general yet. But in private, they still liked to call He Yan "Brother He".
The two of them were careful and steady in their work. In the current Fuyue Army, He Rufei had single-handedly wiped out the elites. There weren't many people who could be trusted. He Yan left some important matters to Shi Tou and the others.
She raised her head and looked at the two people who were approaching her. She asked, "Did you find any movements from the Uto?"
Jiang Jiao replied, "There was a group of Uto that went out of the city last night to scout, but they didn't come close to our tent. They only looked around and left. We followed Brother He's instructions and didn't chase after them. But in the past two days, there hasn't been any movement. "He asked," Brother He, do we continue to wait? "
"Wait," He Yan said in a low voice, "We won't take the initiative to attack the city. We'll let them chase after us."
"Lure the enemy?" Jiang Jiao was startled. "But if they really take the initiative to attack us, won't we be at a disadvantage? After all, the Uto have more soldiers than we do. "
"Don't worry," He Yan smiled. "Those Uto are cunning and suspicious. They definitely won't let all of their soldiers leave the city. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to camp here for so many days and still be safe and sound. They sent scouts out at night to scout the situation. It's nothing more than trying to find out more about us. "
He Yan stood up and walked to the wooden tray in the tent. There were many small hills piled up with sand. Next to the hills were marks made with grains of rice. She picked up a branch and pointed at it for the two people to see. "Moreover, the place where we're camping is a gorge. The Uto are afraid that we'll set up an ambush on the road behind us. Of course, they won't dare to act rashly."
"Previously, I fought with the Uto in Jiyang and Rundu. If Maka and Huyat's people sent word back to the Uto, the Uto leader of Jiuchuan should have heard of my name. But he can't be sure if I can really lead troops. He looks down on me, but because of what happened in Rundu and Jiyang, he doesn't dare to look down on me. Guess what he'll do? "
"Do what?" Jiang Jiao didn't understand.
"He'll find a way to prove that I'm not capable. After he finds evidence, he'll look down on me with reason." He Yan smiled. "Although I don't quite understand why the Uto's generals are always like this, since they want to see a woman who only has a name but doesn't actually know how to lead troops, then I'll show them what they want to see."
"So," Shi Tou, who had been silent all this time, suddenly brightened up. "Those military camps …"
"If we camp here for a few days and don't make any moves, the Uto will suspect that we're up to something, so they'll send troops out to investigate at night. If I were the Uto, I'd definitely think that it must be because the other side's leader is a woman. My subordinates aren't convinced, and they're afraid of the Uto soldiers in Jiuchuan, so many of them deserted. That's why they underestimated the enemy. "
"When they let down their guard and lead their troops deeper in, then we can set up an ambush."
Jiang Jiao was excited at first, but then he thought of something and said hesitantly, "But Brother He, didn't you say that the Uto is cunning and suspicious, so they definitely won't send all their troops out of the city …"
"Yes," He Yan looked at him. "So the troops they've sent out should only be a portion. What we need to annihilate is also only this portion. If they really dare to attack with all their troops, we'll be at a disadvantage. "
"Haven't you thought of wiping them out in one fell swoop?" Shi Tou was a little confused.
He Yan patted his shoulder. "You haven't been to a real battlefield, so you don't know that a real war can't be ended overnight. The Uto are much better than us in terms of troops, so we shouldn't use our weakness to attack their strength. I never planned to fight them head-on. Luring them deep in and wiping out a portion of the enemy's troops will be enough to damage the morale of the Uto. After that, we'll slowly plan our next move. "
"If you want to win a war, you must be patient and calm. Only then can you walk to the end." He Yan smiled. "This is just the beginning."
Jiang Jiao and Stone looked at the armored woman in front of them. In the past, when they were in the Liang Province Guards, they already knew that her skills were exceptional and her wisdom was unparalleled. However, now that she stood here, leading an army, unhurriedly spreading out a net, only then did they slowly and truly understand her abilities.
"Brother He," Jiang Jiao joked. "You've only participated in the Battle of Jiyang once more than us. Why do you seem so familiar with it?"
"That's not the same." The woman's lips curled up. "I was born to fight."
A gust of wind blew from outside, causing yellow sand to fly everywhere in the desert. As the banners fluttered in the wind, the atmosphere became even more desolate.
Shi Tou muttered, "Ji County isn't far from here. I wonder how Generals Yan is doing?"
"Ji County …" He Yan's gaze became heavy.
He heard that the plague there had already spread.
Piles of corpses were piled up in the fields outside the city and beside the river.
A group of soldiers was digging a very deep hole. Looking inside, one could see corpses wrapped in white cloth. They were already emitting a rotten smell. At first glance, it looked like hell on earth.
There was a hut made of straw, and the ground was covered with coarse cloth. Dozens of people were lying flat on the ground. These people were dying, and their bodies showed signs of festering. A young man was brewing medicine at the side, stirring the herbs in the giant vat with a large metal ladle.
His body was not very strong, and it was already very strenuous for him to stir the medicinal herbs in this huge vat. Not long after, beads of sweat had already seeped out of his forehead. However, from the beginning to the end, he did not have any intention of slacking off. His snow-white robes had long been soaked in mud and blood. His hand, which had always held a folding fan, was now either holding silver needles to treat illnesses or a bowl of life-saving medicine.
The plague in Ji County was more serious than expected.
After the Uto took over Ji County, they massacred civilians and abducted women. A large number of corpses were casually thrown into the river. It was also spring, and the plague soon broke out. The Uto directly chased out all the Da Wei civilians who were still alive, leaving them to fend for themselves. When Lin Shuanghe and Yan He arrived at Ji County, the fields outside the city were filled with corpses.
Lin Shuanghe thought that as a doctor, he was used to seeing death. However, when he first arrived, he could not help but be shocked by the tragedy.
Yan He's troops were used to deal with the Uto. There were not many military doctors here. He was the grandson of Lin Shuanghe. Originally, everyone advised him not to personally come into contact with these sick people. If he was infected by the plague … However, Lin Shuanghe did not listen to these kind advice. If he was afraid of death, he would not have chosen to come here in the first place.
The dead civilians could not be buried on the spot. They could only be cremated. After turning into white bones, they were buried in a deep pit. This was already the best method. Even so, they could still hear the cries of their family members who were still alive every day.
He scooped the medicinal soup into a broken bowl and left it to dry. When it was slightly cooler, he brought it to the straw shed and fed it to the patients.
He was originally a very particular young master. He always had some vanity. Even when he treated female patients in Shuo City, he would smile brightly when he saw cute and well-dressed women. But now, the patients here had a strange smell on them. They were dirty and hideous, but he did not dislike them at all.
The patient that Lin Shuanghe helped up was a woman. She should still be very young. Her appearance was average, even a little too plump. Lin Shuanghe scooped up a spoonful of medicinal soup and brought it to her lips. She carefully drank it. Looking at the gentle and handsome young master in front of her, she blushed slightly. Even the pain in her body seemed to lessen.
"Doctor Lin, I can do it myself." She said in a small voice.
"That won't do." Lin Shuanghe said sternly: "How can I let a beautiful lady drink the medicine herself? I am a gentleman who has tender feelings for the fairer sex. "
The patients in the straw shed heard this and smiled kindly.
This Doctor Lin was good-looking and had a good temperament. He was different from the stern and fierce general. He was always smiling. He was also in the mood to joke with everyone. He talked about everything under the sky. Even though they might not be able to see the next morning, even though it was such a tense and sad moment, his attitude never changed. Therefore, with him around, the atmosphere was much more relaxed. It was as if nothing was different from before. It was as if when they woke up, Ji County would still be the same Ji County and everything would be solved.
After feeding all the medicine in the straw shed to the patients, Lin Shuanghe told them to rest well. Only then did he pick up all the bowls.
He rinsed the bowl of medicine with boiling water before stopping. He rubbed his shoulders and finally had the chance to examine himself. However, when he looked at the stains on his body, he stared blankly for a while before giving up.
It was because the white robes he brought were all cut into cloth to bandage the wounds of the patients. Now, this was the last piece of clothing. There were no other white robes to replace it.
Lin Shuanghe walked to the other side.
The soldiers that Yan He brought had fought with the Uto a few times. There were victories and defeats. The terrain outside Ji County City was complicated. The Uto were in the city and it was easy to defend. The battle was at a stalemate. Fortunately, Yan He himself was not affected by this matter. He seemed to be in good spirits and his morale was high. Moreover, the plague was now slightly under control. The panic did not continue to spread. Even though this battle would not be easy to win for the time being, things were moving in a good direction.
In last night's surprise attack, Great Wei had won a small victory. There were many new wounded soldiers and some soldiers who died in battle. The soldiers who died in battle were buried on the spot. Lin Shuanghe let the other military doctors treat the wounded soldiers first. He himself took over the most dangerous plague patients.
At this moment, he saw a few lightly injured soldiers sitting and talking by the river in front of the tent. Yan He was sitting on the ground, drinking water from his mouth without any care for his image.
Lin Shuanghe dragged his tired feet and walked over. He spread his hands in front of Yan He.
Yan He was confused. He slapped his hand away. "What are you doing?"
"Generals Yan," Lin Shuanghe licked his lips. "I was busy treating the patients until now. You didn't even leave me a bowl of wild vegetable soup. I'm starving to death. You should at least give me something to eat. "
Yan He rolled his eyes at him. He took out a dry biscuit and threw it to him. "Eat, eat. You won't choke to death."
If it was any other day, Lin Shuanghe would definitely argue with him. Today, he was really weak and hungry. He sat down and took a big bite of the biscuit.
The biscuit was dry. When he swallowed it, it hurt his throat. The taste was not considered delicious. Lin Shuanghe really choked. Yan He looked at him with disdain. He passed the water bottle in his hand to him. "Are you reincarnated from a hungry ghost?"
Lin Shuanghe quickly took the water bottle and took a big gulp. After he swallowed the biscuit in his mouth, he said, "Big Brother, I haven't eaten for the whole day. Being a prisoner is more than that. Not only do you not have any sympathy for me, you even scolded me. Are you human? "
Yan He looked at the disheveled appearance of the person opposite him. He subconsciously wanted to say a few harsh words. However, when he saw his stained clothes, he swallowed the mocking words that were about to come out of his mouth.
Forget it. To be honest, Lin Shuanghe's trip this time was really out of his expectations. Originally, Yan He thought that even though Lin Shuanghe had been to the Liang Province Guard before, the Liang Province Guard did not fight a war. In any case, he lived in the guard station and did not have to suffer the hardships of the world. When he really arrived at Ji County, this pampered and spoiled young master would definitely cry to the heavens. He did not expect that from the beginning until now, Lin Shuanghe had not uttered a single word.
Even though he did not draw his sword and soak in blood with those Uto at the very front, taking care of those injured soldiers and comforting the civilians who were frightened by the plague was not an easy task.
Moreover, it was very dangerous.
Yan He snorted and did not reply.
Lin Shuanghe took a few more bites of the biscuit and drank some water. The food and drink filled his stomach a little. He did not feel as uncomfortable and became spirited again. He looked at Yan Nanguang and said, "Yan Nanguang, I can be considered to have suffered greatly here. When we return to Shuo capital, you must truthfully report my contributions here to the Emperor. In any case, I was given an official position. When have I ever suffered so much in my life? What kind of biscuit is, if it was me in the past, even my family's dog would not eat it. "
This person began to speak nonsense after coming back to life. Yan He laughed coldly, "No one here is forcing you to eat it. Furthermore, I have not seen you suffer much. What time is it now, yet you still have the mood to joke around with women. Lin Shuanghe, you really can't change your habit of womanizing wherever you go. "
"Don't speak as if you are full of righteousness," Lin Shuanghe scolded him, "You have a wife and a child, but I am still single. How do I know which girl is destined to be with me? Naturally, I have to try. You have already hung yourself to death on a tree, yet you are jealous of others picking flowers and smelling grass. Are you crazy? "
When Yan He heard this, he was about to retort when a soldier passing by said in surprise, "Generals Yan, you have a child?"
Yan He glared at Lin Shuanghe. Lin Shuanghe coughed softly. Xia Chengxiu's pregnancy had not been announced to the public yet. However, now that someone had heard it, there was no reason for him to deny it. Yan He said, "He is not born yet. He is in my wife's womb."
The soldier looked to be in his thirties. His face was dark and he had a simple and honest appearance. Hearing this, he also sat down and scratched his head. "That's good. When the general returns from this battle, you'll be able to see the child. Just like me in the past. "
"You?" Yan He asked, "You have a child?"
"Nonsense," Lin Shuanghe could not help but say, "Do you think you are the only one in the world who can be a father?"
The man scratched his head and smiled, "Yes, there are two. The older one is three years old, and the younger one is just one month old. When I returned this time, I wanted to accompany my wife for a few more days, but I didn't expect the Uto to come … I told my wife that when I return after the war and get my salary, I will make a silver necklace for my younger son. As for my older daughter, when I left, she cried so much that my heart was broken … "
Yan He had never been an approachable person. Because of his noble background and arrogant temperament, even when he interacted with his subordinates, he would always be a little arrogant. Today, because this man was also his "father", it was rare for him to say a few more words.
He asked, "Do you have a deep relationship with your daughter? You have been living in the military camp, and you don't go home often, right? How can she still be close to you? "
Lin Shuanghe was puzzled, "Are you seeking the experience of your predecessors for the trouble you may encounter in the future?"
Yan He scolded him, "Shut up." Then, he looked at the man in front of him, "Tell me quickly."
"This … I don't know either." The man was a little confused, "It's true that I don't go home often, but every time I go home, I remember to bring her favorite malt candy, buy her beautiful cloth, and ask my wife to make new clothes for her. Generals Yan, you don't have to worry. People say that daughters are all biological fathers. If your wife gives birth to a daughter, she will definitely be very close to you, Generals Yan. "
Yan He was elated by his words, but then, his expression became serious, "What if it's a son?"
"Isn't that better?" The man said, "The general can bring the young master with him. Father and son don't have to be separated on the battlefield."
Yan He suddenly understood and looked at the person in front of him, "I didn't expect you to be so smart as a father."
Lin Shuanghe was speechless when he heard this.
After the man was praised by his superior, he laughed foolishly for a while. Suddenly, he became silent again. After a while, he sighed and said, "When my daughter left, she kept hugging my leg. I know that she was afraid that I would die on the battlefield. If, "he looked at the sky far away," I can go back alive, I will definitely buy her her favorite candy cake. "
Yan He was stunned for a while. After a while, he also looked into the distance.
The sky was dyed red by the setting sun. The setting sun was like blood, and the field was gentle and silent.
"Don't worry," he said, "She will definitely eat the candy cake you bought."
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