mtl008 Chapter 203 Father is Sick
Chapter 203 Father is Sick
Zhuang Chengbi stepped forward and said, "General Yi, I think the enemy is not trying to fight this time, but must have other plans. You must not be careless.
Fan Yong, who was full of anger, came back and threw the long sword in his hand aside. He angrily scolded Zong Yanli for going too far and shouted that Yi Tiangan should send troops to chase him and beat him.
Although Yi Tiangan was also angry, he had not yet lost his mind, and Zhuang Chengbi beside him was still persuading him. Yi Tiangan could only comfort Fan Yongzheng with a few words, and repeatedly assured him that he would be allowed to go to the battle next time, and he would fight to his heart's content!
"General——!" Just when Zhuang Chengbi was still wondering why Zong Yanli set up such a battle situation today, he suddenly heard a report from a spy outside the tent.
"The enemy's retreat route actually went to Yimen Road, as if they were trying to cut off our army's food supply!" the spy said hurriedly.
"What!?" Yi Tiangan frowned, and immediately stood up and asked, "How many enemy troops are there?"
"The enemy army has returned to the camp for cover, but they have sent a group of people to cut off the food supply." If they hadn't been keeping an eye on it all the time, they really wouldn't have discovered it!
"Really?" Yi Tiangan's face changed slightly. Could it be that Zong Yanli's challenge today was just to deceive others and cut off his food supply?
Yi Tiangan immediately stood up and said, "Keep an eye on the enemy's movements and report back at any time!"
The soldier below responded and turned to leave. Yi Tiangan then looked at Zhuang Chengbi and said, "Sir, you are really a genius! The enemy really has other intentions."
Zhuang Chengbi felt that this was as it should be, but also felt that something seemed to be wrong. He frowned and pondered, "If the enemy intended to come for the food supply, they would not be so careless as to ask us to investigate. It seems that they did it on purpose..."
Zhuang Chengbi pursed his lips and said, "General Yi, why don't you send someone to investigate? What if this is just a show of force by the enemy?"
Yi Tiangan believed it and immediately sent scouts to investigate. In the end, he was absolutely sure that the enemy had turned to attack the grain route, and the leader was Lei Jiliang. When this news came out, Fan Yongzheng could not sit still, so he asked for orders to arrest Lei Jiliang.
"General, you have already been exhausted from fighting today. I think it is not appropriate for you to go again." Zhuang Chengbi looked at Fan Yongzheng who was angry and hurriedly stopped him.
"Why can't I fight!" Fan Yongzheng didn't listen. He felt that Zhuang Chengbi was looking down on him and became even more unhappy.
Yi Tiangan knew his brother's temperament very well, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Sir, don't underestimate my brother. Not to mention going to capture someone, even fighting two more rounds is no problem.
Zhuang Chengbi shook his head and said, "It's not that I look down on them, but the enemy is extremely cunning. If we act so rashly, it might be a trick. If General Fan wants to go, he should just repel the enemy and never pursue them. Otherwise..."
"If the enemy army uses the strategy of luring the enemy, the general will be in real danger." Zhuang Chengbi advised again and again, and Fan Yongzheng agreed readily.
Zhuang Chengbi shook his head and sighed as he returned to his tent. Seeing him like this, Yu Jinghui couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so sad?"
Zhuang Chengbi looked at Yu Jinghui hesitantly, and after a long pause he mentioned that the enemy had turned to attack the grain route and Fan Yong was sending troops to repel the enemy.
Yu Jinghui didn't think anything was wrong, and then he saw Zhuang Chengbi sigh again and said, "Fan Yongzheng is too brave and not strategic enough. He was provoked by the enemy during the daytime fight and never vented his anger. Now he asks to go and capture the enemy."
"I'm worried that he is impatient and won't listen to my advice, and then be provoked by the enemy and mistakenly chase the enemy into a killing array..." Zhuang Chengbi said with a frown.
"The enemy's main force has not made any moves. We can see that the number of cooking stoves in the camp has not decreased. The scouts have not seen any traces of the enemy, so it doesn't seem like there are any ambushes." Although Yu Jinghui felt that Zhuang Chengbi might be worrying too much, he still said calmly: "Since you have already given your advice, it is none of your business how to act."
Zhuang Chengbi sighed silently. Yu Jinghui didn't think that the current situation was unfavorable to the Northern Army. The number of the two armies was not much different. They were defending the city of Zhongzong Yanli and could not easily break into the city. Moreover, Yi Tiangan had many capable fighters under his command.
From the outside, it seems that they are "equally matched", but Zhuang Chengbi sees things much more deeply.
The Northern Army is short of food and grass. Although it has the support of the Northern Kingdom, it has never won a big victory against Zong Yanli since it went south. Will the Northern Kingdom continue to provide support?
The State of Jin relied on the Northern Army, but the State of Jin was already at the end of its strength and could no longer offer any benefits.
If the Northern Army were to withdraw one day, the State of Jin...
It is the danger of national destruction!
Zhuang Chengbi was pondering over a strategy to break the impasse, perhaps he had some plans in mind, but it was impossible for him to accomplish it alone. Many soldiers in the Northern Army did not have much respect and trust for him, and it was only because of his recent helpful words that Yi Tiangan treated him with a smile.
However, Yi Tiangan obviously trusted his leadership ability more, and he treated Zhuang Chengbi as someone who he could use whenever he wanted.
"Something big has happened! Something big has happened--!" Zhuang Chengbi had just returned to his couch when he heard loud shouting coming from outside.
"General Fan... was ambushed and killed by the enemy." The spy came back with a bloody face, crying, holding Fan Yongzheng's helmet in his hand. He wiped his face and said, "The enemy's original intention was not to cut off the food supply, but to set an ambush early!"
"Since we knew it was an ambush, why did we chase them?" Yi Tiangan felt heartbroken as he looked at the bloodstained armor and couldn't help but shouted angrily.
The spy stammered and lowered his head, saying, "General Fan had already driven the enemy away, but when they were retreating, they were so vulnerable that they fled without a single blow."
"The general thought that Lei Jiliang came here on his own to cut off the food supply route and wanted to win the credit. In addition, he was still furious after being humiliated in Bai Ri Dou, so General Fan asked us to chase him."
"We can see clothes, armor and supplies all over the ground along the way..." The spy looked a little embarrassed. He glanced at Yi Tiangan and said, "General, you know that the army is short of supplies now. The soldiers dismounted and scrambled for them when they saw them."
How could I still remember Zhuang Chengbi’s instructions?
When they chased all the way out of the middle road of Yimen, they saw flames rising from the mountain, and large rocks and firewood kept rolling down, blocking the mountain road ahead.
When he was about to retreat, he saw the enemy troops that had been ambushing behind him suddenly rush out...
The spy tried desperately to drag General Fan out, but Fan Yongzheng was accidentally crushed by the falling rocks. In the end, he only pulled off Fan Yongzheng's helmet and ran back in panic to report the news. When the reinforcements arrived, Lei Jiliang had already fled with his troops.
Fan Yongzheng and all his soldiers were ambushed and killed on the road to Yimen. No one survived!
"How hateful! How hateful!" Yi Tiangan gnashed his teeth in anger. Zhuang Chengbi's face turned pale when he heard the news. He just closed his eyes and shook his head without saying a word.
Originally, Fan Yongzheng still remembered Zhuang Chengbi's words and had no intention of pursuing the matter further.
However, the enemy army left behind their armor and baggage when they retreated. Now the Northern Army lacked these things the most. Fan Yongzheng could not stop the soldiers, and saw them dismounting and looting. The northern soldiers were good at robbing and plundering.
After all, there are no rules that do not distinguish between you and me in the Northern Army. You do not need to hand in the weapons and armor you have looted on the battlefield. These are your spoils of war!
In this kind of atmosphere, if they are lured by the enemy, wouldn't they take the bait?
"General, you have a good idea!" Lei Jiliang returned to the camp after annihilating all the enemy troops. With a look of joy on his face, he bowed to Zong Yanli and said, "If you hadn't reminded me to abandon the baggage and other things, I'm afraid it would have been difficult to lure the enemy into taking the bait!"
"The Northern Army has lost such a great general, so their morale must be low." Zong Yanli narrowed her eyes. After all, she had fought against Yi Tiangan before, so she had some understanding of the Northern Army's soldiers and generals.
And looking at the current situation, the Northern Army must be short of military supplies, so Lei Jiliang was secretly reminded that this strategy could be implemented.
Zong Yanli did not plan to wait and attacked the city again the next day.
This offensive was horrific, but it only stopped at the city gate and could not advance any further.
The weather suddenly changed, the wind and snow intensified, making it difficult to launch a forceful attack, so the two sides temporarily ceased fighting.
The tent was whistling in the wind, and the cool breeze coming in through the gaps made people shrink their necks involuntarily. The soldiers patrolling outside also took turns on duty much faster.
Zong Yanli was sitting in the tent wrapped in a fur coat, flipping through a military book in one hand. Gao Feilin's voice came from outside, and it seemed to be mixed with wind and snow, saying, "General! General Zong Yan seems to be ill. Please come over!"
"What?" Zong Yanli raised his head, his heartbeat seemed to skip a beat. He hurriedly got up, put on his armor, and walked in the wind and snow to Zong Yanhongjing's tent.
"Cough cough cough..."
The sound of Zong Yanhongjing coughing faintly could be heard from the tent. Zong Yanli's heart unconsciously rose a little, and he stepped forward and asked for a meeting.
Zong Yanhongjing called Zong Yanli in. The tent was warm. When Zong Yanli entered, he saw his father lying on the couch with medicine residue and bowl beside him. He looked like he had been taking the medicine for a long time, but his face was still frighteningly pale.
"Father?" Zong Yanli lowered his voice and walked forward carefully.
"Ali is here..." Zong Yanhongjing's tone contained a hint of fatigue, and he looked at Zong Yanli with a hint of relaxation and pride in his eyes.
"What's wrong with father?" Zong Yanli turned to look at Feng Pei. He saw his father was fine a few days ago.
"It's nothing serious, just some old injuries." Zong Yanhongjing waved his hand to stop Feng Peiyan from speaking, and instead waved Zong Yanli to come closer. He stared at her for a long time and said, "I called you here today because I want Wang Ming to come to your tent."
"I, as a father, have been feeling powerless these days. Perhaps I need to recuperate for some time."
"Oh, this winter is so hard to bear."
"You don't need to worry. Wang Ming has been with me for many years. He will definitely share your worries as if he were your father."
Zong Yanhongjing couldn't help coughing twice as he spoke, and said helplessly: "Father is really old."
Zong Yanli felt a little uneasy and frightened, and was worried when he saw his father's increasing number of white hair.
Then she responded softly, and after Zong Yanhongjing had gone to bed, she hurriedly called Feng Pei to ask what was going on. She had no idea that her father was sick.
Feng Pei also had a lot of hardship to say, he just hunched over and said, "The general has had an old illness for a long time, but I didn't want you to be distracted because you were concerned about the war situation, so I kept it a secret until now. Unfortunately, this winter was cold and windy, and the old illness couldn't be suppressed, so..."
"The general is wholeheartedly concerned about you." Feng Pei's tone was very sad. How could a general not get hurt when in a war?
Being a general is even harder, as you have to hold on and not fall down even when you are covered in wounds.
Those pains will never disappear and will never heal. Instead, they will plant hidden dangers one after another in your body.
As Zong Yanhongjing grew older, the hidden dangers in his body gradually emerged. If you ask what the cause of the disease is, Feng Pei really can't tell you...
Zong Yanli clenched his fists, his eyes darkened, and after a long pause he asked, "Is there any medicine that can cure my father's illness?"
"General, don't worry." Feng Pei said quickly, "I have already sent someone to get the medicine, and they will be back soon."
"The general's illness this time is due to the climate. He just needs to stop overworking and avoid being attacked by cold wind, and he will feel better in the spring." Feng Pei said with a smile. It was for this reason that Feng Pei persuaded Zong Yanhongjing to tell Zong Yanli to hand over the military affairs and recuperate for the time being!
"That's good." Zong Yanli breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
Zong Yanli began to arrange military affairs. Originally, he wanted to let Long Feiguang take over, but later he thought that Long Feiguang was better at leading the army, so he simply took over himself and let Long Feiguang take over his position.
The changes in the army did not have any impact on the camps of the soldiers under his command, because Zong Yanli and Zong Yanhongjing were father and son.
The personal soldiers under Zong Yanhongjing's command feel closer to Zong Yanli than to Zong Yanhongjing. How could they refuse to listen to you and try to intimidate you?
After Zong Yanli took over the affairs of the account, he became very busy. He often met with his old friends Yang Liqun and Peng Deqing, and they were all filled with sighs. In the blink of an eye, they all became veterans, and Zong Yanli took his father's place.
"Young Master, the person who will take over Qi Zhubu is here." Wang Ming moved to Zong Yanli's side, but still called her Young Master so affectionately.
"Please come in." Zong Yanli raised his head from the military affairs and rubbed his sore eyes with his hand.
"I am Zhao Mingcai, your humble servant, and I am here to see you, General." The man who came in looked a little thin. He lifted his robe, knelt down and bowed.
Zong Yanli nodded slightly. This man, like Feng Pei, was a servant of the Zong Yan family. His father must have gone through some trouble to select him. He had the ability to be a housekeeper and had some martial arts skills, so he could join the army.
After she looked at Zhao Mingcai's hometown and family members and confirmed that there was no problem, she gave him a military order and let him take office.
"Ask General Gong to help." Zong Yanli was worried that this person would have difficulty moving around since he had just arrived, so he asked Gong Yushu to look after him.
"You two, old and young, are always trying to order my old bones around!" Gong Yushu snorted and chuckled twice, bowed to Zong Yanli as if complaining, then turned around and left.
"Thank you, Uncle Gong." Zong Yanli laughed in a hoarse voice.
Gong Yushu waved his hand behind her without looking back, and walked away with a smile in his eyes.