Chapter 449

Inside the Western Liang army camp in Lantian, Tufa Yan held a wine bag with his one arm and took a hard gulp of wine, trying to drive away the bone-chilling cold and the irritability in his heart.

Although there was a fire basin in the tent, the cold air still penetrated from all directions.

"Damn it, this ghost weather!"

He cursed and kicked the fire basin, sparks splashing everywhere. "That group of barbarians in Beijiang, aren't they afraid of the cold?"

"General, the scout reported that that bitch Zhang Honghong... her wounds seem to be almost healed."

A trusted general whispered, "There has been quite a bit of movement in her camp recently, many new recruits have been supplemented, and the war horses have also increased a lot..."

Tufa Yan's one eye glared: "What are you afraid of! A defeated general! Last time I let her save her life, this time I will surely make her never return!"

Although he said so, he felt inexplicably empty in his heart.

He had seen Zhang Honghong's fierceness with his own eyes.

Not to mention that Luo Feng was sitting in Chang'an, watching like a tiger.

"Let the scouts go further! Keep an eye on Zhang Honghong! Also, prepare more arrows and reinforce the camp fences! If this snow gets any heavier..."

Tufa Yan looked at the snow that was getting thicker outside the tent, and a shadow cast over his heart.

The Qianghu cavalry really couldn't run fast in the snow.

The charcoal fire in the Western Liang Royal Palace in Luoyang was burning brightly, but it couldn't calm Wei Wenlie's irritable heart.

He paced restlessly, and on the table was the secret report just sent by Si Wushuang.

"Pressure on Tongguan increased? Murong Ke requested reinforcements? No movement in the Wuguan direction? Zhang Honghong's unit in Lantian is reorganizing?"

Wei Wenlie slammed the secret report on the table. "Nonsense! All nonsense! What exactly does Jiang Jinshi want to do? Where is his main force?!"

Si Wushuang stood with his hands down, his brow furrowed: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Han Xiao's momentum in Tongguan is great, but it looks more like a feint to contain us.

Bai Ting's unit... since the last Eagle Beak Pass, their whereabouts have been a mystery, and the heavy snow in the Qinling Mountains has blocked the mountains, making it difficult for our scouts to go deep.

What I am most worried about... is Lantian. Luo Feng is sitting in Chang'an, Zhang Honghong has added troops and horses, and Tufa Yan has just been defeated..."

"Enough!"

Wei Wenlie interrupted him roughly. "Tufa Yan! It's Tufa Yan again! If you hadn't let that idiot Helian Bobo go to his death last time, how could Zhang Honghong have escaped, and we even lost Wuguan?!"

Si Wushuang's face changed slightly, and he lowered his head: "It was my miscalculation. It's just that the top priority is to judge the main attack direction of Beijiang.

I suggest withdrawing ten thousand elite troops from the Luoyang garrison to secretly reinforce the Lantian direction, in case..."

"No!"

Wei Wenlie refused decisively. "Luoyang is the foundation! If we withdraw troops, what if Jiang Jinshi crosses the Chencang secretly and raids Luoyang? Murong Ke's pressure on the Tongguan side is even greater! Reinforce Tongguan!"

"Your Majesty!"

Si Wushuang urged anxiously, "Tongguan is a natural danger, and General Murong still has tens of thousands of elite troops, enough to hold firm! If Lantian is broken, the gateway to Chang'an will be wide open, and Tongguan will become a lonely city! By then..."

"A lonely city?"

Wei Wenlie sneered. "With Tongguan here, Jiang Jinshi won't even think about stepping into Guanzhong! Do as I say! Transfer troops, reinforce Tongguan!"

Si Wushuang looked at Wei Wenlie's stubborn and anxious face, and sighed in his heart.

He knew that Wei Wenlie didn't trust anyone now, and suspicion and internal friction were eroding Western Liang's last defensive power.

He opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he could only reply: "... I obey the decree."

Ten days later, outside Tongguan.

The cold wind eased a little, and Han Xiao stood on the high slope, looking at the dense defenders and newly added flags on the Tongguan city wall in the distance, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Murong Ke really got reinforcements."

He turned to the Vice General and said, "Order the first and second battalions to retreat ten miles and set up camp to rest. The third and fourth battalions go up and continue to beat the drums! Make the momentum even greater!"

"General, we have been feigning attacks for many days, the soldiers..." The Vice General hesitated.

"Feigning attacks?"

Han Xiao was not joking at all. "Who said it was a feint? Tell the brothers to conserve their energy! The general attack is about to begin! Tell them to sharpen their blades, pull their bows full, and listen to my orders at any time!"

The Vice General's spirit was lifted: "This subordinate understands!"

As time passed day by day, Wei Wenlie in Luoyang also began to get anxious, the weather getting colder and colder, but the Ming Army in Beijiang became more and more active.

"Pressure on Tongguan increased? Murong Ke requested reinforcements? Reinforcements again!"

Wei Wenlie grabbed a military report and threw it on the ground hard. "Han Xiao! Han Xiao! How many troops does he have? Beating gongs and drums outside the pass every day, isn't he tired?!

What is Murong Ke doing! Defending Tongguan with tens of thousands of elite troops, and asking me for people every day!"

Si Wushuang stood below with his hands down, his brow furrowed.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the anxiety in his heart: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Han Xiao's momentum in Tongguan is great, but it looks more like a feint to contain us. What I am worried about is..."

"What are you worried about?"

Wei Wenlie turned around, his eyes staring fixedly at Si Wushuang. "Worried about Lantian? Worried about that idiot Tufa Yan? Or worried that Jiang Jinshi has grown wings and flown over the Qinling Mountains to attack my Luoyang?!"

"Your Majesty!"

Si Wushuang's voice rose a few points, carrying gravity. "The Qinling Mountains are dangerous, but not impassable! Bai Ting's unit has had mysterious whereabouts since Eagle Beak Pass!

Such a blizzard and bitter cold is the perfect cover for crossing the Qinling Mountains! Our army cannot endure the bitter cold, which is a fatal weakness!

Jiang Jinshi will never let go of this opportunity! His real target is likely the camp at Lantian or Wuguan, or even... going straight into the hinterland of Luoyang!"

He stepped forward anxiously, pointing to the flying snow outside the window: "Your Majesty, please look! This snow! This wind! When has there ever been such bitter cold in previous years? The right time is no longer with our Western Liang!

If Bai Ting really leads elite troops to cross the Qinling Mountains and cuts off the grain route here, Wuguan and Lantian will be in danger! Once this happens, Tongguan will become a lonely city! By then..."

"Enough!"

Wei Wenlie waved his hand impatiently to interrupt. "Bai Ting again! Qinling again!

Si Wushuang! Have you been scared out of your wits by Jiang Jinshi?!

At this time, the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, is Bai Ting a god? Can he bring tens of thousands of people and fly over?

Murong Ke's side is the real pressure! If Tongguan is lost, the gateway to Luoyang will be wide open!"

He waved his hand irritably: "Reinforce! Reinforce Tongguan! Withdraw ten thousand elite troops from the Luoyang garrison and set off for Tongguan immediately! I want to see what tricks Han Xiao can play!"

Si Wushuang's heart sank, and the thing he was most worried about still happened.

Wei Wenlie had been completely deceived by the feint at Tongguan and turned a blind eye to the real fatal threat.

He opened his mouth and wanted to make a final effort: "Your Majesty! The Luoyang garrison cannot be easily moved! The Lantian direction..."

"Lantian has Tufa Yan!"

Wei Wenlie roared. "He still has troops in his hands! I support him, not to let him eat for free! This matter is decided, don't discuss it again!"

Si Wushuang still refused to give up; although reinforcements were hopeless, cold-weather protection... perhaps he could still fight for it!

He suppressed the disappointment and anxiety in his heart, his voice returning to the calmness of weekdays: "Your Majesty is right. The soldiers on the front line, especially Tufa Yan's unit in Lantian, are mostly Qianghu cavalry, who fear the bitter cold the most.

The top priority is to urgently allocate cold-weather supplies.

I request to supervise this matter immediately, mobilize all fur coats, cotton clothes, and charcoal in the warehouse, and rush them to the front lines of Lantian, Tongguan, and Wuguan! At least... let the soldiers not freeze to death and be able to hold their blades!"

Wei Wenlie did not look back, just waved his hand exhaustedly: "Approved, go and do it! I... am tired."