One kick to the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 63 The Great Victory
After Sun Jian led [-] cavalry to attack the East Gate, the resisting Xiliang army collapsed.The broken soldiers like a tide poured in all directions, and Sun Jian's army also scattered in all directions, chasing and killing the broken soldiers.

Hua Xiong withdrew from Xingyang City without even meeting Sun Jianjun.The city has been broken and the situation is irreversible. If you don't leave now, when will you wait?

In his haste, he did not forget to go back to the government office, and brought with him the gold and silver that he had looted after entering Xingyang.As for Qin Yi, he had forgotten about it. He never thought of Qin Yi sleeping in the government office tonight.

Once the east gate was broken, the defeated troops fled in all directions, and the Xiliang army at the other gates also followed the general trend and escaped from Xingyang City.

The defeat of the army is like a mountain, which is what is said.

Ordinarily, Hua Xiong had more than 1 soldiers in Xingyang, but Sun Jian's army only attacked the camp tonight with 7000 people. If Xiliang's army did not collapse, but resolutely fought street fighting with Sun Jian's army, even if Xingyang City could not be defended in the end, It will also consume a lot of Sun Jian's army's strength.

But this is only in theory.In fact, the battle of defending the city is often broken at one point, which will lead to the collapse of the whole situation.

Soldiers in this era have no ideals and beliefs at all. They serve as soldiers to make a living, and they are forced to fight.Their will to fight changes with changes in the battlefield situation.When fighting against the wind, everyone is scrambling to be the first to be the first, and they are extremely brave; but once the situation is defeated, they often collapse at once, and they are also scrambling to escape.

The same is true for city defense.A strong city is the psychological shield that the defenders rely on most. As long as the city is not broken, their will to fight will not collapse.But once the city is broken, even if it is only a little bit broken, the psychological shield of the defenders will be shattered immediately, and the will to fight will be gone.

Therefore, Clausewitz proposed in "On War" that the spiritual strength of soldiers is an important factor in determining the victory or defeat of a war, that is, belief and will to fight.

Sun Jian won a complete victory tonight, except for the [-] soldiers led by Sun Ce who captured the city gate with heavy casualties, the loss of the main force was minimal.

But again, the casualties of the Xiliang army were not large.Because there was no large-scale battle at all.Nearly ten thousand Xiliang soldiers withdrew from Xingyang City and followed Hua Xiong to Hulao Pass.

………………

"Hahahaha... so happy! so happy!" Sun Jian walked towards the government office lobby, his face filled with the joy of victory. "I really didn't expect that Qin Sima's plan actually succeeded!"

"My lord, I still find it incredible at this moment. How did you win this battle?" Han Dang, who was following Sun Jian, said jokingly.

Cheng Pu and Sun Ce also followed into the lobby.Huang Gai and Zu Mao were busy arranging the defense of the city, but they were not here.

Sun Jian sat on the main seat, and stretched out his hand to signal Sun Ce, Han Dang, and Cheng Pu to take their seats.

"This battle is due to Qin Sima sneaking into Xingyang and opening the city gate, so that our army can easily break through the city." After finishing speaking, Sun Jian suddenly looked at Sun Ce: "Cer, where is Qin Sima?"

Sun Ce shook his head: "I haven't seen Qin Sima since I entered the city."

"Then... have you ever seen Qin Sima?" Sun Jian's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition suddenly arose.

Han Dang and Zu Mao also shook their heads and said, "I haven't seen Qin Sima yet."

Sun Ce frowned, and said to himself, "Qin Sima took the door by himself. Thinking about it, it's extremely dangerous. It can't be..."

Sun Jian glared at Sun Ce: "Ce Er, speak carefully!"

At this moment, a soldier entered the hall and reported to Sun Jian: "My lord, Qin Sima is here."

Everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief.Sun Jian hurriedly said, "Quickly send Qin Sima in."

"promise!"

The soldier went out, and Qin Yi walked into the lobby immediately.

Sun Jian stood up excitedly and faced Qin Yi: "Is Tianyu still okay?"

Qin Yi was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head, opened his arms and looked up and down at his body, raised his head and said, "Everyone, if you don't find that Qin is missing something, then Qin should be fine. "

"Hahahaha..." Several people in the hall were amused by Qin Yi.

Sun Jian stepped forward, took Qin Yi's arm, and led him to the next seat.

"Tianyu, tell me quickly, how did you open the city gate?" Sun Jian asked impatiently after pushing Qin Yi on the seat.

Qin Yi said: "I just lit a fire to distract the soldiers at the city gate, and then opened the city gate."

"It's so simple?" Sun Jian blinked a few times and asked in disbelief.

"Yes, it's that simple!" Qin Yi nodded with certainty.

Of course, things are not as simple as he said.Not to mention the effort he expended to open the city gate, even if he was able to come to the government office, he also went through many adventures.

As soon as Sun Jian's army entered the city, the Xiliang army broke up and fled in all directions.Qin Yi tried hard to dodge, passing the rout soldiers several times.Fortunately, there was no danger, and Sun Jianjun quickly drove the rout out of the city and took control of the city.Only then did Qin Yi come to the government office.

………………

Let's not talk about how Sun Jianjun celebrated the victory, let's talk about Hua Xiong later.

After escaping from Xingyang, Hua Xiong led thousands of soldiers following him all the way west to Hulao.

By daybreak, they had escaped for more than 30 miles.Hua Xiong then stopped to rest.

Another two or three thousand routs followed one after another. Hua Xiong finally gathered more than 7000 people and continued to retreat westward.

Before noon they encountered an army.

This army came from the west, about ten thousand people, it was the troops of Hu Zhen and Lu Bu.

After receiving Dong Zhuo's order, these two men assembled their troops and marched eastward from Luoyang. After two days, they arrived at Hulao Pass.Rest at Hulao Pass for one night, and continue eastward the next day, but not long after leaving Hulao Pass, they encountered Hua Xiong who was retreating.

Hua Xiong used to be Hu Zhen's subordinate, seeing that it was Hu Zhen's army, he hurriedly went up to meet him, and reported the truth about the defeat of Xingyang last night.

"Good, Hua Xiong! There was a defeat in Liang County before, and it's only been a few days since you lost Xingyang again. Are you guilty?"

When Hu Zhen heard that Xingyang had been lost, he immediately became angry and yelled at Hua Xiong.

Hua Xiong said: "Da Duhu, the defeat of Liang County and the loss of Xingyang, the subordinates are guilty, but the subordinates are not the leading generals, so they should not be fully responsible!"

Hu Zhen laughed angrily: "You mean to ask a certain family to hold Xu Rong accountable for having lost his head?"

Hua Xiong was silent for a moment and continued to argue: "Xu Rong is dead, so naturally we cannot hold him responsible. But Hua is indeed not the leading general, and the entire responsibility should not be placed on Hua."

"You..." Hu Zhen was so angry that his beard trembled under his jaw.

Lu Bu on the side interjected and said, "General Protector, Xingyang has been lost at this moment. Even if Hua Xiong is to be held accountable, it must be reported to the Prime Minister. The most urgent task is for me to take back Xingyang City as soon as possible while Sun Jian's foothold is not stable."

When Hua Xiong heard Lv Bu's words, he gave Lv Bu a grateful look, and immediately said to Hu Zhen, "General Protector, Hua is willing to take the blame and do meritorious service, and take the lead!"

Hu Zhen smiled coldly: "You two put it lightly, our army came here to defend the city, and did not bring siege equipment at all. How to take back Xingyang?"

When Lu Bu and Hua Xiong heard this, they were also silent.

Hu Zhen said again: "Since Xingyang is lost, let's retreat to the tiger prison."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and said loudly: "Here's an order, the whole army will return to Hulao Pass and wait for the order from the prime minister."

Lv Bu hastily persuaded Hu Zhen: "The capital can't protect you..."

Hu Zhen turned his head and stared at Lu Bu with cold eyes: "Why, you, Lu Fengxian, dare to disobey the military order?"

"I don't dare to disobey the military order, but if it's a disorderly order, the certain family doesn't dare to agree!" Lu Bu confronted.

The two of them were originally at odds, but now they are united in one army, but Hu Zhen is the leader and Lu Bu is the assistant. Lu Bu has 1 dissatisfaction in his heart.

Hu Zhen stared at Lu Bu with murderous intent in his eyes.Lu Bu was not afraid, and looked at Hu Zhen with a bit of contempt.

"Hmph!" Hu Zhen snorted coldly, turned his head to face the army, and said loudly: "Listen up, this time the troops are dispatched, the Prime Minister worships someone as the protector of the general, who is in charge of the entire army and has the power to seize life and death. Commander, a certain family will kill a Qing Ribbon sacrificial flag first!"

Green Ribbon, the official seal wrapped in a green scarf, is a symbol of official rank.Among the officers and soldiers present, only Lv Bu's official seal was Qingshou. It was unnecessary to even guess who Hu Zhen was threatening with his words.

"Humph, Lv Mou just obeys the orders of the Protector of the Great, but what the Protector of the Great has done today, Lv will definitely report to the Prime Minister after he returns to Luoyang!"

Lu Bu left these words, turned his horse and galloped back, at the same time shouting at the Bingzhou Army led by himself: "Didn't you hear the order from the Chief Guard? Go back to Hulao Pass!"

Hu Zhen stared at Lu Bu's back, trembling with anger.

(Author's note: Hu Zhen threatened Lu Bu to kill Qingshou to maintain military discipline, which is recorded in the history books when he was guarding Hulao Pass. This book transfers this plot and puts it here.)
(End of this chapter)