Chapter 268. True fisherman’s geography (1)
Pabalma of Yeo Nam’s army arrived the day after Hwabu left Sopaeseong with his soldiers.
When Pabalma heard from Liu Bei, who remained in the castle, that the defeated army had already left to attack Paengseong, Pabalma lamented and hurriedly turned around and went to inform the princess.
Upon hearing from Pabalma, who had returned, that the defeated army had already left to attack Paengseong, Princess Yeju Jasa had no choice but to turn the retreat route from Sopaeseong to Paengseong.
“Heh, if you knew that you would be defeated and retreat to Sopaeseong, you shouldn’t have used Paengseong as bait.”
The princess thought that the reason why Hwabu rushed to attack Paengseong was because she believed in Gyoji’s promise to give him the position of governor.
At the time, it was a trick that killed two birds with one stone, but when I was in a position to be chased by wolves, it became a bad idea that caused a futile step.
If it is in the middle of a melee, the justification for handing over the command to the fire department will be weakened.
When the princess’s soldiers turned their retreat from Sopaeseong to Paengseong, Habiseong’s army, which was chasing them, naturally noticed.
“It looks like the Sopa Castle is empty.”
At Jindeung’s words, Dokyeom nodded.
“Did you notice that we took out Paengseong’s forces and focused them on Harvey?”
“Even though we said that we only had defensive troops left in Paengseong, if we had known that, we would have joined forces with the defeated army from the beginning to occupy Sopae Fortress and go straight to Paengseong. They didn’t notice it, but the defeated army that occupied Sopaeseong went to attack Paengseong first, so they must have turned to Paengseong.”
“hmm! That makes more sense. Then, we should send Pabalma to Paengseong and then go to Paengseong quickly.”
“You don’t have to go fast. Since the direction they are fleeing from is Paengseong anyway, it will be enough to keep chasing the troops in the rear like now.”
After Jindeung’s words ended, Dokyeom looked at the battlefield with a happy expression.
At first, it was difficult to open all the gates of Harvey Castle and break the momentum of the enemies, but after five days of chasing the enemy, he was picking up the troops behind the enemy like picking up fallen money.
“If things go on like this, it won’t end at the point of kicking out Yeju-gun, but we can continue to push and swallow Yeju.”
“You mean this? If Ye Zhu falls into our hands, we will no longer have to fear North Cao Cao.”
“Hahaha… Jojo, the eunuch’s grandson! At all times, you have to pull out the roots and throw them away… Keuuuug…..”
Do-gyeom, who had been laughing heartily, suddenly frowned and grabbed his stomach.
“Are you sick to your stomach again?”
“Come on, sing a poem. Come on!”
“yes. Hello! Call the city right now.”
“yes.”
When Do-gyeom could no longer ride and fell on the back of the horse, Jin-deung ordered his men to dismount him and put him on the carriage.
After a while, a doctor arrived, and it was only after the acupuncture that Do-gyeom’s distorted complexion straightened.
“Damn me. Hasn’t the person who went to pick up Hwa-ta come yet?”
“Because it’s a battlefield all over… it doesn’t seem like the courier’s activities are suspicious.”
When the leader of the protest made a constricted excuse, Do-gyeom’s face showed little anger.
“No matter how much it is a battlefield, it has already been two months. And you didn’t send it only once, did you?”
When the first sender had not been heard from for a long time, the leader of the demonstration selected two more people with excellent martial arts and sent them to Chohyeon with Do-gyeom’s approval. But so far there has been no news from them.
“I will bring you soon. Please wait a little longer.”
“little bit more? Do you intend to bring me back after I die?”
“Could that be? We have sent capable men, and they will come soon.”
“If the men you sent don’t bring Hwa-ta back by the end of this war, someone more capable than you will take your place.”
“I will send the best of my subordinates to bring Hwa-ta without fail.”
When the leader of the demonstration shouted an urgent voice, DK turned his head away with an annoyed expression.
“Don’t send your subordinates, go and bring them yourself.”
“yes? Oh, I see.”
The leader of the demonstration was surprised for a moment, but after realizing that Do-gyeom’s words were not a simple joke, he bowed his head and stepped back.
* * *
Upon receiving the letter sent by the fire department, Taesu Sun of Yeongcheon-gun read that Princess Yeju Jajasa was retreating to Paengseong, stopped the attack of Park Yangseong and turned his forces to Paengseong.
When Yeongcheon-gun’s forces suddenly retreated and headed toward Paengseong, Park Yang-seong’s governor, unless he was an idiot, was not happy that the attack was over. He immediately led his troops out of the city gate and pursued Yeongcheon-gun.
When troops suddenly rushed from three directions, Paengseong caused an uproar.
Governor Paengseong was a thief, Do-gyeom’s younger brother, and he was sitting in the governor’s seat purely with the help of his older brother, and he was not good at warfare or well-learned.
“My brother took away all the troops and threw them away, so there are only 50,000 troops. What should I do?”
“Currently, we have no choice but to hold on to Mercury and wait for our company-sama in Harvey to quickly lead troops and come to help.”
“There are over 200,000 enemies in all three directions, but with just 50,000 troops, can you hold out until Habiseong’s troops come?”
“If we mobilize the people and focus on Mercury, we will be able to withstand it.”
“Mobilize the people? Do you still have young people to mobilize?”
“There are only women and the elderly, but the situation is urgent, so we have to mobilize them at least.”
“That’s right. Then release the soldiers and gather all the people to help Suseong.”
“I take orders.”
When the meeting was over and the soldiers and generals disappeared, the thief called his henchmen.
“Did you call? Tae-soo.”
“Now the enemy is coming from three sides, so this castle may fall.”
“Tell me what to do.”
“Gather your direct family and property and prepare for the eventuality.”
“All right. However, there are riches that I cannot touch, so the governor must move them himself.”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“Then I accept your order.”
When the henchman disappeared, the thief cleared his chest, as if he felt at least a little relieved.
“If we mobilize the people, we will be able to hold out until my brother comes. This is just in case, just in case.”
* * *
The fireman’s defeated army, which departed from Sopaeseong, was as relaxed as a scholar riding an old donkey going to a neighboring village to drink.
At mealtime, they stopped marching, lit a fire, and ate. Before half past sunset, they pitched a tent and prepared to sleep.
As I moved like that, I couldn’t reach Paengseong, which was supposed to arrive in 5 days, even on the 6th day.
Today, while I was having breakfast with my disciples leisurely, Eulji approached and opened his mouth.
“Tae-soo. It is said that the Yeoman Army led by Gongju Saja passed through Monghyeon yesterday.”
“is it so? Then you must have reached Paengseong by now.”
“I should arrive tomorrow at the latest, but I probably won’t be in a position to be chased.”
“It must be because he is running away. Where is Yeongcheon-gun?”
“Yeongcheon-gun said that it passed through Jou-hyeon two days ago, so I think we will arrive tomorrow evening or around the sand.”
Just because you’ve reached Paengseong, you won’t attack the castle right away. Usually, it was necessary to spend a day or two reconnaissance after arranging the camp, so the start of the war would take place in three or four days at the earliest.
“Then we must return to Sopaeseong now.”
“Isn’t it too soon? If you’re not careful, you can take issue with it from the other side. Wouldn’t it be better to go back after taking a raid on Harvey Castle once or twice?”
“You don’t have to be perfect. Regardless of whether we go or not, they will fight.”
“It is.”
“General.”
When the fireman called out loudly, Yeopo stopped eating and came running.
“Your fireman Taesu.”
“The southern allies passed through Monghyeon yesterday while the northern allies passed Jouhyeon the day before, so prepare to return to Sopaeseong after the soldiers have breakfast.”
“All right.”
Yeo-po already knew what the fireman was thinking, so he expected it to be like this even without a special explanation.
After a while, the generals who heard Yeo Bu’s order asked questions or made puzzled faces as if they didn’t understand.
Lü Bu just told them everything was part of the operation and had them carry out their orders.
After a while, when they heard from their superiors that they were not going to fight, the faces of the soldiers suddenly brightened. The important thing for the soldiers was not to die, not to fight and win.
The princess, unaware that the fireman had sent the soldiers to Sopaeseong, set up a barracks with Paengseong in close proximity and confronted the troops of Habiseong who were pursuing her.
Seeing that there were no defeated troops around Paengseong, the princess thought they had come early and waited while blocking Do-gyeom’s attack.
However, Do-gyeom thought that the Yeo-nam army and the defeated army had already been combined, so unlike before, he could not attack and only responded passively to the level of Gan-bo.
“Hmm~. Is something a little strange?”
When Dokyeom tilted his head, Jindeung looked at the battlefield with sharp eyes and nodded.
“It looks strange to me. If you are combined with the defeated army, there is no reason to be so passive. It is clear that the defeated army has not yet arrived.”
“Isn’t Sopa Castle closer than we are?”
“It’s about a day’s ride closer.”
“yes. But why haven’t you arrived yet?”
“We don’t know the circumstances, but if the defeated army hasn’t arrived yet, as we see, wouldn’t it be worth fighting for once again?”
“yes. Shall we launch an all-out assault?”
“If we send Pabalma to Paengseong for a pincer attack, we can achieve even greater results.”
“You mean to hit back and forth. good night. Send Pabalma to Paengseong immediately.”
“yes.”
Pabalma, which contained DK’s orders, took a long detour and entered Paengseong to convey DK’s orders.
* * *
As the gates of Paengseong were opened, tens of thousands of troops poured out, and even the enemy forces who had come up from Habiseong attacked all at once.
“When the hell will the defeated army come?”
“I sent a messenger to find out, so you’ll find out where you’ve come soon.”
“It looks like most of the soldiers will die if we continue like this… I guess I’ll have to retreat. Tell them to turn their soldiers in the direction the defeated army will come.”
“I can’t figure out the direction because I don’t know if the defeated army will come over the mountain or come to the river by boat.”
“So you’re saying we’re going to keep fighting like this?”
“How about retreating to the north when the soldiers of Yeongcheon-gun led by Tae-soo Joo come?”
“North? Is that a single road?”
“Not really, but it is because if we retreat north, the enemy will no longer be able to pursue us.”
“what are you talking about? If you go north, why can’t you chase after me?”
“I don’t know where the defeated army is coming, but it will arrive in a day or so at the latest.”
“so?”
“If they follow us to the north, the defeated army could occupy Paengseong Fortress, where there is only a minimal number of defenders. So even if you chase it, you won’t be able to chase it very far.”
At Heo Jeong’s words, the princess nodded her head.
“Hmm~. I heard it makes sense. Then retreat north.”
“yes. Riders and drummers, give the signal and send the men back to the north.”
When the order was given and the signal was given, the generals retreated to the north.
After about two o’clock after retreating like that, the Xu Zhou army did not really attack anymore, as Heo Jeong expected.
Princess Yeju Jasa built a youngchae in the middle of an unknown mountain about 20 li north of Paengseong and inspected the damage.
It was a large army of over 100,000 when attacking Harvey Castle, but now only over 50,000 soldiers remain.
There were many soldiers who died, but there were also many who escaped from Byungjin to live.
When the rough inspection was over, the princess shed tears without realizing it.
‘Did so many die? They don’t have the face to look at the defeated army or the Yeongcheon army.’
No matter how much he himself was Yejusa, it was difficult to give orders to other monarchs as long as his soldiers were cut in half due to defeat.
“It is said that the advance party of Yeongcheon-gun arrived shortly before the main attack.”
At that time, a group of horsemen entered the territory and soon got off their horses and ran to the princess and took a military rite.
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