Chapter 3317 A Small Discovery Under Wenxi City

Chapter 3316 Small Discovery Under Wenxi City

Under Wenxi City, Zhang Xiu drove away Cao Jun.

Defeat, not annihilation.

Zhang Xiu also wanted to annihilate, but with all his strength exhausted, he did not choose to pursue the enemy with his remaining courage, but began to clean up the mess under Wenxi City.

In the cold weapon war era, the cruelty and primitiveness of war required more precise control of military tactics and force management. It is an extremely difficult task to annihilate the enemy's troops, that is, to completely eliminate the opponent's combat effectiveness. This not only requires precise strategic deployment, but also involves a direct comparison of the enemy's and our military strength.

To achieve this strategic goal, under normal circumstances, the attacker needs to have at least the same number of troops as the enemy. This means that if the enemy has a certain number of soldiers, then you need at least the same number or even more soldiers to ensure that you can create pressure in the battle and ultimately win. The reason is that the battles in the cold weapon era often rely on direct confrontation between soldiers, and the combat effectiveness of each soldier is real, and it is impossible to achieve power multiplication through high-tech weapons like in modern warfare.

If you can exceed the number of the enemy, it means that you can form a local advantage at certain key battle points, and increase the possibility of annihilating the enemy by means of encirclement, flank attack or concentrated superior forces to break through the enemy's weak defense line. However, even if the troops exceed the enemy, there are many uncertain factors, such as terrain, weather, military morale, commander's ability, etc., which may affect the final battle situation.

And there is another key issue, that is, if you want to annihilate the enemy, it means that the battle may last longer. Because of the lack of effective long-range killing weapons and fast communication means, every battle requires soldiers to fight at close range, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. The enemy may resist fiercely when facing a desperate situation, which will also increase the losses of the attacker.

So for most of the sons of the nobles who are in the rear and have never been on the battlefield, the word "annihilate" can undoubtedly touch their G-spots and stimulate them, but in actual wars, specific analysis of specific situations is still required.

Although in theory Zhang Xiu has the possibility of annihilating the enemy, in the specific implementation process, it cannot be denied that this is a process full of variables, requiring a high degree of strategic arrangement, strict tactical execution and constant adjustment and response. In many cases, even if the enemy is successfully annihilated, the enemy will often pay a huge price, which is also an unavoidable cruel reality in the war of the cold weapon era.

Cao's army retreated, leaving behind a slightly dilapidated camp and a field of corpses.

There were still some food and grass in the dilapidated camp, and Zhang Xiu asked the people in Wenxi City to move them, and also to meet Pei Xi who was guarding the city.

Although Zhang Xiu had no good feelings for Pei Xi, and there was no sense of comradeship, even at the beginning of the battle, the entire Yuncheng Basin area in Hedong was cruelly divided into a combat zone by Fei Qian, but most of the time in the world, heroes are judged by success or failure. Now that Wenxi can stand under Pei Xi's defense, it deserves Zhang Xiu's respect.

The sun gradually set in the west, casting long and short shadows on the figures above and below Wenxi City.

Those who can still move are alive.

Outside the camp left by Cao Jun, there were many cavalrymen with bloodstained clothes and armor sitting.

The doctors accompanying the army were busy turning around, bandaging one and sewing the wound of another.

After asking about the situation in the city, Zhang Xiu realized that the situation in Wenxi City was not optimistic. But he didn't have any better solutions. Most of the remaining supplies in Cao Jun's camp were distributed to Wenxi, and Pei Xi couldn't ask for more supplies and help.

Zhang Xiu looked at the soldiers who were receiving treatment outside the camp for a while, and suddenly said to Pei Xi: "The wounded warriors in the city can also be sent to the military camp for treatment."

Pei Xi bowed, "Thank you, General."

The two were silent for a moment.

Yes, these are all that are left...

Armor, swords and guns are everywhere in the wild. Although some are damaged, many can still be used, and Wenxi City doesn't need these things.

That's right, neither abandoned equipment nor corpses are what the warring parties want.

War, which has been a shadow of human civilization since ancient times, often produces things that run counter to the essential needs of human survival. In the smoke of war, the weapons, ruins and sufferings that are created are not necessary to maintain people's lives. However, human history has always repeatedly used war as an extreme way to compete for resources, power or ideas, so in this process, more things that originally did not need to exist have been produced.

Including but not limited to destroyed towns, broken families, lost lives, physical and mental trauma, and those cold weapons and equipment.

None of these things are really needed by humans to survive.

On the contrary, these things often represent pain, sadness and a turbulent living environment.

Humans have chosen to use war to resolve disputes and compete for so-called "benefits" again and again. Behind this contradictory behavior are complex desires, fears, the pursuit of power and the desire for resources.

When Fei Qian finally took a different path from Shandong, the absolute political irreconcilability naturally led to the inevitable outbreak of the war between Fei Qian and Cao Cao.

In the course of the war, whether it was the people in Wenxi, the civilians in Hedong, or the soldiers under Zhang Xiu and Lu Zhao, they were all consumables in the war.

Pei Xi did not blame or abuse Zhang Xiu for not coming to the rescue earlier, and Zhang Xiu did not express why he did not reward Wen Xi with wine or cows after rescuing him.

Pei Xi secretly looked at Zhang Xiu. He originally thought that Zhang Xiu would look domineering and domineering after winning, pretending to be a savior who was pleased to hear the news.

But Zhang Xiu didn't. Instead, he first asked about the situation in Wenxi City, and then asked people to deliver supplies to the city, and then said that he could treat the wounded soldiers in the city...

This made Pei Xi's heart beat again and again.

It's not that Pei Xi has a tendency to bend, but that Pei Xi found that Zhang Xiu was not simple, and had gradually moved away from being a pure brave warrior and moving towards a commander-in-chief.

Although there are not many, and the methods are very immature, they are two different concepts after all.

If Zhang Xiu is like this, what about the other generals under Qiusi?

If these generals can mount their horses to kill the enemy and dismount their horses to govern the people, how much room for survival will they, the gentry, gentry, and natives have?

"When will the general leave?" ” After a moment of silence, Pei Xi suddenly asked.

Zhang Xiu was a little surprised, "How did Wen Xing know that someone was leaving?" 』

Pei Xi looked back at Wenxi City with a wry smile.

Looking around, apart from numerous battle scars, all that was left were various burned siege equipment and rotten corpses mixed in the mounds of soil.

The blood and bones were exposed, attracting groups of scavenging birds and beasts.

These scavenging birds and beasts do not avoid people at all, staring at the remaining people with blood-red eyes, as if silently asking or scolding, "When will you die?" Why aren't you dead yet? 』

Cao's army came, cut down the trees and burned the forest.

Most of the water sources around Wenxi are also polluted.

Herbivorous animals either ran away or died.

The remaining scavengers are still partying in the doomsday.

Zhang Xiu nodded, "Wen Xing's guess is good." Here... I will repair for about two days and then return to Emei Ridge. 』

"What's more..." Zhang Xiu raised his head slightly and pointed at the remaining Hedong civilians who were as numb as walking corpses with his chin, "It's not appropriate for these people... to stay here..."

The water was polluted, and when the carrion rotted into bones, it gradually recovered.

The city wall was dug down and collapsed. Once the earth was pounded and the bricks were re-paved, the damage would no longer be visible.

But what about human life?

How many people died inside the city and how many died outside the city?

It was only at this moment that Zhang Xiu suddenly realized.

He used to think that Fei Qian's letter to him was for him to learn Zhao Yun's tactical skills, but now he has more indescribable insights, those insights hidden in the darkness of the strokes under the bright letters. .

Zhao Yun also took away a lot of people from Youzhou...

Everything is yin and yang that complement each other.

The Yuncheng Basin in Hedong can never go back now, and it will never go back.

In the past, the Yuncheng Basin was dominated by the Hedong gentry family, which could be called Guyin or Guyang. Anyone else entering this area would be excluded.

General Hussar was also ostracized back then. Even though he took some actions later, he still did not change the overall environment of the Yuncheng Basin.

Now that Lone Yin or Lone Yang has been greatly invaded, there is the possibility of rebalancing Yin and Yang.

Therefore, Zhang Xiu must take away these remaining people from Hedong and bring them back after the war subsides.

Pei Xi also understood this, so he asked.

Zhang Xiu glanced at Pei Xi, pondered for a moment, and said, "Wen Xing, you can also go with a certain person." 』

Pei Xi frowned slightly and said, "The general's kindness is appreciated." 』

"Ha," Zhang Xiu added, "I mean to take the people in the city with us...Cao Jun may still come." 』

"Go together? ” Pei Xi was stunned.

Zhang Xiu nodded, "With the situation in front of us, we can't deal with it in a year and a half. Why don't we just give up now? Otherwise, if Cao Jun comes again, wouldn't it be an advantage to Cao Cao's thieves?" 』

"Cao Jun is coming again?" "The wrinkles on Pei Xi's brow were as deep as a knife, "How did the general know? 』

Zhang Xiu said: "A certain person intercepted and killed Cao's army's grain transport team and found that the grain and grass utensils transported were slightly too much... No matter how you calculate it, it is wrong, so there is probably Cao's army coming later..."

This is not a simple slogan.

The importance of logistics support in war preparation is crucial to the success of any military operation.

If Zhang Xiu was just an ordinary general, then maybe he was just satisfied with destroying the enemy's grain transport team, burning how many grain and grass supplies, and killing how many Cao Jun soldiers, just like that Li Er, thinking about what he could gain No matter how many achievements you make, you rarely think about why.

On the chessboard of war, every move is related to the outcome of the entire battle.

First of all, Cao Cao is not a fool, and Cao's army does not have so much food and grass that there is no place to use it.

Food and grass are the lifeline of the army and the source of motivation for soldiers to fight.

In the age of cold weapons, the victory of a war often depended on the army's lasting combat effectiveness, and the basis of all this was an adequate supply of food and grass. If food and grass are not available, morale will be low and combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced. Therefore, the storage and transportation of grain and grass have become key factors in determining the outcome of the war.

If we only focus on Wenxi, the road recruitment camp, it is true that Cao's army does not have much food and grass here, but is the Cao army here really short of food and grass, or is it "worth" for Cao's army to transport so much food and grass?

If Zhang Xiu had not tried to observe the details of the battlefield from a higher perspective, he might have taken this question over.

Food and grass first means that before the war breaks out, careful planning and layout are needed.

This includes familiarity with the battlefield terrain, assessment of the strength of both sides, and prediction of the course of the war.

If we infer the opposite, it is easy to draw a conclusion that Cao's army attaches great importance to Wenxi and specially sent a large amount of food and grass, which means that Cao's army will make more moves here in Wenxi...

So this time, Zhang Xiu not only wants to bring back these remaining seeds, but also his own little discovery.

These Hedong civilians who were left behind by the destruction of Cao's army survived in blood and iron. Even if they did not change their inexplicable feelings for the masters of Hedong, they would still have deep hatred for Cao's army. This hatred will be passed down for at least two or three generations, and then it may slowly die out in the peaceful years.

These people who are full of hatred for Cao's army are undoubtedly useful to the lord's cause.

Similarly, the people of Wenxi who survived the attack of Cao's army are also worthy of Zhang Xiu's wooing and help.

But the premise is that the people of Wenxi, including Pei Xi, must leave this place and go to Linfen.

"Some... this matter is of great importance, and I have to consider it..."

Pei Xi did not refuse on the spot. He said goodbye to Zhang Xiu and returned to Wenxi City in a trance.

That's right, Zhang Xiu had no intention of entering the city at all, which also proved from a certain perspective that Zhang Xiu would not stay here for long.

At dusk, everything in Wenxi City seemed to be stained with a layer of blood.

Everything in ruins was shaking in front of Pei Xi's eyes.

Although the haze of death has temporarily dissipated, the unique decay of death still lingers over this city.

The extent of the destruction of Wenxi is extremely shocking.

It can be said that if Zhang Xiu had come a step later, Wenxi would have been lost.

War, death.

Pei Xi originally thought that he had a very good understanding of war, and even when he talked about military tactics with others, he had never lost in a debate. When Dong Zhuo was in chaos in Heluo and Li Guo was in chaos in Chang'an, Pei Xi also thought that it was already enough chaos and misery. As a result, at the moment, all this in Wenxi made Pei Xi know what the chaotic world really means!

Troubled times, chaotic times!

The word "turbulent times" was often mentioned during the Zhongping period, and it became a kind of emotion representing the children of the gentry who were worried about the country and the people.

In the study, in the literary gathering, in the restaurant, and in the outing, they expressed their feelings about the chaotic times, imagining what kind of chaos and tragedy it was, and then lamented, as if they had seen the chaotic times. However, this kind of emotion mostly comes from reverie and dissatisfaction with reality, rather than real experience.

And now, in front of Pei Xi, it is the real scene of "turbulent times"!

Those tragic scenes that once existed only in books suddenly became the reality before our eyes.

The city was destroyed, the village was burned, the people were displaced, and hunger and death followed them everywhere. The streets were no longer bustling markets, but the tears and blood of refugees. The ditches were no longer clear water, but rotten blood plasma and bones. In the sky, there were no longer peaceful pigeons, but crows and vultures eating carrion.

Such scenes were unimaginable and unbearable for the literati who could only sigh about the troubled times in books before. How could their pens and ink depict such a tragic situation? How could their poems express such grief? How could their spirits accept such a shock?

In the troubled times, all the emotions turned into powerless shouts.

When watching the people around him fall in the flames of war, listening to the children crying in hunger, smelling the burnt smell of burning flesh and blood, the death grinning in the air, and the devil dancing in the smoke, the "turbulent times" that Pei Xi had previously thought of were as ridiculous as children thinking that adults play every day and don't need to study.

And when the danger passed, this mental shock did not dissipate. On the contrary, it was like a sequelae, deeply imprinted in the depths of Pei Xi's soul. Pei Xi began to reflect on why there was such a chaotic world? Why did human nature become so ugly in war? Why was Hedong so fragile?

Pei Xi walked slowly and watched.

The smell of corpses filled the air inside and outside Wenxi City, but now there was no one to bury these dead souls.

Because they had to eat first.

The remaining people in Wenxi City, as well as the soldiers who survived the defense of the city, now found broken copper pots and earthenware pots in the city and were busy cooking. It seems that only by eating voraciously can one distinguish oneself from the scavenging birds and beasts outside the city.

In the face of brutal hunger and fatigue, the human sense of smell is a younger brother.

Pei Xi saw a soldier guarding the city. After getting the food, he took a few bites and fell asleep, regardless of where he was, whether on the street or beside the rubble.

Pei Xi pointed.

The guard understood and went forward to wake up the soldier.

In any case, he had to eat first and then sleep, otherwise he might not wake up in such extreme fatigue.

Pei Xi looked at the soldier and suddenly had some insights.

Yes, without something new to eat, they will eventually fall asleep. These people in Yuncheng, Hedong, have stayed at the bottom of the well for too long, and even forgot that the world has changed...

"Send the order. Prepare to abandon the city."

After the guards came back, Pei Xi said slowly.

It is not easy to make such a decision, especially to leave your homeland and hometown.

"Tell everyone... Only when you are alive can you have hope..."