Chapter 1015: Success in the East and Success in the West (VIII)

Shang Kexi walked in front of the wounded soldiers, feeling deep in his heart. Retreating was actually not easy compared to defending the city, especially when he still had thousands of wounded soldiers.

When he walked to the deepest point, he saw Qian Kezhuang, who was so injured that he could no longer crawl. He was lying there, panting for air. In his only eye, he could no longer see the glory of the past, and looked a little dim. Light.

"Old Qian, are you holding up?" He sat cross-legged next to Qian Kezhuang.

"Hehe, I can't die yet, but I'm afraid I won't be able to survive for long!" Qian Kezhuang smiled with difficulty, "I killed more than a dozen Qin soldiers, and I gave my unborn baby a little more support. Industry."

Shang Kexi looked away with some sadness.

"What's the matter, Commander Shang, what's the matter with you?" Qian Kezhuang asked.

"Commander Helan issued a retreat order, ordering us to abandon Shannan County and retreat to Jishi City." Shang Kexi lowered his voice.

"What?" Qian Kezhuang shouted suddenly, "Shannan County is our home. We have countless fertile fields and our villages here. How can we give up?"

"The Qin people forced Zhao to open Shanggu County. Li Xin's army of 100,000 came out from Shanggu and suddenly attacked Dai County. Dai County is now gone. Commander Helan's Dongye army of tens of thousands cannot advance or retreat. If they do not retreat, they will There is a possibility of being surrounded by the Qin army." Shang Kexi explained: "The current plan is to abandon Shannan County and Dai County first, in order to fight back later."

"How could the Zhao people do this?" Qian Kezhuang asked in shock: "They had just been killed by the Qin people by tens of thousands of soldiers in one breath. Before their blood was dry, did they surrender to the Qin people?"

"Zhao Qi himself is not a guy with backbone." Shang Kexi spat, "The defeat in Guanzhong Great Plains killed his soul, and the generals from Zhao State died. Death, demotion, demotion, those who are now in power are those of Zhao Qi, one hundred thousand elites have died, Zhao has lost its energy and spirit, the Qin people probably used Daijun as bait!"

"The Zhao people don't even think about it. If we are defeated by the Qin people, how can we be as good as them? I'm afraid the Qin people will deal with them when they turn back!" Qian Kezhuang said.

"The so-called short-sightedness is nothing more than that, or they are hoping that we and the Qin people will both lose in a fight, so that they can take advantage!" Shang Ke said with a smile.

"It's not their turn to pick up the bargains! Damn it!" Qian Kezhuang spat, but it affected the wound and throbbed in pain. "Commander Shang, the army is about to retreat. The seriously injured soldiers here will probably be brought with them. Not leaving."

He looked at Shang Kexi and said straightforwardly.

Shang Kexi lowered his head. Slightly injured soldiers could still be tied to their horses and retreat with the army, but seriously injured soldiers could not be taken away anyway. Even if they were tied to their horses, how could they withstand the bumps of the horses? They would still lose their lives. .

Qian Kezhuang also fell silent. After a while, he raised his head and smiled, "Commander Shang, it's nothing. When I was in the Liaoning Guard, I never thought that I could come back alive. Over the years, I have married Wife, you have an unborn son, that’s enough. You can leave, we will leave the final defense of Shannan County to us."

Shang Ke turned away happily and tried his best to hold back his tears.

"Okay, Commander Shang, don't act like a child. You say how many of us died in this battle. It doesn't matter how many more of us there are. If you really pity me, go back and find my wife, Doduo." Just take care of them."

"After we leave, you will surrender to the Qin army, or you may still survive." Shang Kexi said in a low voice.

"How is it possible? Commander Shang, you underestimate us too much." Qian Kezhuang laughed and said, "We don't want to be like those Zhao soldiers who were slaughtered like chickens. Even if we die, I still want to Let's take a bite of their meat. Commander Shang, this Shannan county cannot be left to the Qin army. Over the years, we have managed it too firmly. If we keep it, won't we have to fight again when we fight back in the future? It takes more effort and more lives. Even if we leave, we will have to burn him to ashes with a fire. I ask you one thing. Before you leave, you can pile up all the flammable things. A big fire at that time can not only burn Shannan County to ashes, but also block the enemy and help you retreat further."

Shang Kexi nodded silently.

The north gate of Shannan County slid open silently in the dark night. Although the soldiers covered in blood were exhausted, they still lined up neatly and silently bowed to the city they had guarded for nearly half a month, and then Turn around and disappear into the darkness.

Qian Kezhuang half-supported his body, looking through the half-broken window above the city tower at the retreating team below the city. He waved his hands vigorously, but the tears in his eyes kept coming. The robe fell down, and around him were piles of firewood, and a torch was burning on top of his head.

At this time, in different places in Shannan County, hundreds of seriously injured soldiers were almost doing the same thing. They watched their robes fade away affectionately.

"Farewell, brothers!" Qian Kezhuang reached out and pulled out the torch on the wall above his head, and took a longing look at the quiet Shannan County in the dark night.

"My* Qin people!" He cursed loudly, stretched out his hand, and lit the firewood next to him.

With a roar, a raging fire suddenly broke out inside the city tower, and tongues of fire shot out from the door of the city tower. In an instant, the entire city tower was ignited. As the city tower caught fire, hundreds of fire heads were burned at the same time in Shannan County. It was ignited, and the fire spread throughout the city in a very short period of time.

"General, there's a fire in Shannan County!" A Qin general rushed into Wang Xiao's tent, and Wang Xiao had obviously just received the news. He was putting on armor on his body and walking out. When he walked out of the camp, he saw that Shannan County had turned into a sea of ​​fire.

"Shang Kexi is about to run away!" Wang Xiao looked extremely ugly. He had been fighting in Shannan County for more than half a month and had lost more than 10,000 soldiers, but he had not yet succeeded in blocking He Lanxiong's troops. Ma was obviously delusional. In the past two days, he had been thinking about how to face King Qin Wulie's questioning, but he did not expect that Shang Kexi, who had been resisting desperately, would actually run away.

"Attack the city immediately, occupy the county town, and send troops and horses to catch up with them. No one can let them escape!" Wang Xiao said harshly.

It is true that there is not a single soldier defending Shannan County, but the fire that permeates the entire county is stronger than any defense. The Qin army cannot get close at all. If you get closer, the scorching heat will make your hair curl up. , even breathing is a little difficult, the entire city has been turned into a sea of ​​​​fire, how can we even talk about attacking the city?

The helpless Qin people waited until daybreak and the heat subsided. Then Wang Xiao sent Wang Jian with five thousand cavalry through Shannan County and pursued Shang Kexi in the direction of retreat. Since they could no longer be blocked, If He Lanxiong's army was defeated, it would be gratifying to win. The achievement of annihilating all 30,000 Shannan County soldiers could barely be considered a success.

The five thousand Shannan County soldiers staggered across the vast wilderness. Fortunately, they did not feel relaxed at all. Although they had traveled all night, for them, who were all infantry, a night of rapid march was nothing more. They had only walked fifty miles, and this was the speed they were after abandoning all their baggage. On the green grassland, the traces of their march were so eye-catching. With an army with a large number of cavalry, it would not take long to catch up. them.

The scouts behind him kept catching up with him, reporting to him how close the pursuers were to them. The Qin army's five thousand cavalry, led by Wang Jian, were getting closer and closer to them.

"There's still ten miles to go!" Shang Kexi listened to the last scout who had withdrawn, and looked up at the exhausted team. He knew that it wouldn't take long for the enemy to catch up. And in the wilderness, When infantry and cavalry fight in the field, the outcome is uncertain. Instead of being chased like sheep while fleeing, it is better to find a favorable terrain and fight to the death with the enemy.

"Go to that beam, form a formation, and prepare to kill the enemy!" Shang Kexi looked at the beam covered with poplar trees in front of him and ordered loudly.

As soon as they climbed onto the beam, the poplar trees fell to the ground in an instant. In a very short time, they were built into a simple fence and countless horses, and were scattered on the slope. .Just after finishing all this, the flag of the Qin army appeared in his field of vision.

"Come on, come on, if you want to eat me, I also want to take a bite of your flesh!" Shang Ke hummed happily, looking around, but there was still another expectation in his heart. Since Commander He Lanxiong ordered him to retreat, Is there no manpower arranged to take over for him? Or maybe this place will become the dream of the Qin people in a short time. Thinking of the powerful Huns cavalry under He Lanxiong's command, Shang Kexi is full of expectations.

"Come up and kill them all!" Wang Jian raised the iron gun in his hand high and shouted sternly. Shannan County left their father and son with a strong sense of frustration. If they don't drive this army out, I'm afraid that they will be in trouble in the future. It will leave a shadow in my heart.

More than ten miles away from the battlefield, He Lanxiong sat silently on the ground. Scouts kept coming from a distance and rushed to him, reporting to him the location of the Qin Army's cavalry. The infantry brigade led by Yan Haibo had withdrawn. But he stayed with more than 10,000 cavalry, firstly to respond to the evacuation of Shang Keke's troops, and secondly, to leave a permanent mark on the Qin people on this prairie.

Whether Li Xin or Wang Xiao, when you arrive on the grassland, you will find that the war on the grassland is by no means what they imagined. And he, the Huns who grew up on the grassland and fought on the grassland for many years, They know how to defeat their opponents best. When they reach the prairie, they still have Jishi City, Dayan City, Hetao and many other support areas, while the Qin people need to transport grain and grass over long distances. One will wax and wane, and the outcome of the war will be was quickly reversed.

"Commander, Wang Jian has launched an attack on Commander Shang's troops. Commander Shang is fighting in formation. There is no danger yet."

"Command the entire army to attack!" He Lanxiong stood up. (To be continued)