Chapter 37: This end of the journey

Guo Shidao and Yang Dingguo looked at each other. Over the years, they relied on their own, farmed and pastored, and occasionally attacked. After the victory, they brought back some spoils, but they were not aimed at looting. As for Zhang Mai, who shouted nakedly: "Let's go and grab it!" That was something that never happened.

"What Special Envoy Zhang said just now is in line with the art of war, but..." Yang Dingguo said: "It's just a living by plundering, which is quite contrary to the teachings of sages. If we want to do this, wouldn't it be the same as the barbarians?"

Zhang Mai frowned. This old guy had been in the Western Regions for so long, but he still had such an idea of ​​not being able to transform himself into ancient times: "How can we be the same as the barbarians? We did this not because of animal nature, but just to treat others with the same way! Besides, it is not a period of peace. Thanks to these barbarians, our cities have been destroyed and our homes are gone! Since they are unwilling to live in peace with us, then what kind of benevolence, righteousness and morality should be told to them! So from now on, it is a period of war. Since it is a period of war, we should follow the rules of war! I remember that there is a sentence in Sun Tzu's Art of War: Eating one stone of grain from the enemy is better than producing twenty stones of grain by oneself."

Although he did not recite the original text, Guo Luo had already responded: "The special envoy said it well! One bell of food for the enemy, twenty bells of me! In fact, we should have been like this long ago. We were too polite before!"

Several veterans were still a little hesitant, but Yang Yi started to start, and the younger generation shouted: "Major Protector, Special Envoy Zhang is right! Why can the Hu people rob us of ours, so we can't rob them of them?"

"Yes, this Western Region was originally from our Tang Dynasty. They took advantage of the war in our country to steal this country. Why can't we snatch it back?"

"That's right! When the four towns fell, they robbed us and killed us! Anxi, Beiting has more than 100,000 troops, plus merchants, farmers, craftsmen and family members, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, but there are only a few thousand people left! Now we snatch things back, and we just get back what originally belonged to us."

"That's it! What kind of benevolence, righteousness and morality are you talking about when dealing with these barbarians!"

"Yes! What are the fears of blockades? As long as we are led by a special envoy, we will definitely be able to break through the blockade and fight back to Chang'an!"

In the midst of the crowd, the veterans were not good at saying anything, not to mention that they had no better idea now.

Seeing so many people supporting him, seeing Guo Luo, Yang Yi and others ready to go out and rob him immediately, Zhang Mai smiled and said, "If this is the case, then this combat policy will be decided."

"The envoy had a good idea just now. Specifically, how should he do it?" Yang Dingbang said this, not knowing whether he was preparing to support Zhang Mai or asking him questions. After all, strategy is always easy to think of when he hits his head, but how to implement it is always ten times more difficult than imagined.

"How to do it depends on the situation. But one thing is that we cannot stay here and rush out. Even if we are not sure, we have to go out. Only when we go out can we have contact with all kinds of people, including enemies and friends, will we encounter various emergencies. Don't be afraid of emergencies. Those are not bad things, but good things - because there must be a chance to win in it!

"In the early days, light cavalry could first launch a tentative attack, and at the same time, try to use the Tang people behind the enemy to establish an intelligence network, know yourself and your enemy, so that you can win every battle."

Zhang Mai didn't care what he said was not specific at all, but at this time he was full of passion, so he ignored it and just kept talking:

"As soon as we get reliable news, we choose the enemy's weakness and launch an attack. At this time, we become eagles and fly away immediately if we miss one blow. At the same time, the rear strengthens defense. The defense method is not to build a strong city - we don't have the time and material resources, but to become cunning rabbits, dig a few more holes to hide, and don't consider farming and sheeping. Anyway, we don't have a large population, so we should be able to replenish food through robbery. Run and fight, and eliminate the enemy's advantage."

Guo Luo seemed to have become very irrational, nodded and responded: "Yes, this is called the attacker moving above the nine heavens, and the defendering being hiding below the nine earths!"

Zhang Mai nodded and thanked his response and continued, "When we gain the upper hand, we will become locusts, sweep over and bite the enemy's bones! While fighting, we will find a way back to Chang'an! In the end, if we can win the war and establish a regime, it will not be too late to practice benevolence, righteousness and morality in the internal world."

Young generals such as Guo Luo, Yang Yi were all excited, and even some middle-aged generals nodded secretly. They had much more information in their hearts than Zhang Mai and had enough experience in fighting. Every time Zhang Mai talked about an idea, they immediately transformed into specific tactical arrangements such as how to march, how to avoid, and even how to contact information behind enemy lines.

Even An Liu said, "Don't consider farming or shepherd's den? Then you only need to drink enough water and no irrigation. Such places, north of Talas and west of Rehi, I can find at least dozens of them for you!"

The scorched earth of Edan suddenly became lively again. The generals said and said to each other, and each of them explained their strengths and their plans. Zhang Mai's words were like opening a gap in a certain direction on a mountaintop Honghu. When the generals of Anxi were inspired, especially the young generals, their intelligence and talents immediately poured out like water.

But most of the veterans kept silent, feeling that there were still many difficulties in the process of achieving what Zhang Mai said. However, they could not stop the enthusiasm of young people.

"These young people are really fantastic!" Guo Shidao thought: "But there is no other way now..."

Since the majority of the Protectors did not object, this time the military tent meeting finalized the direction of the East Return based on Zhang Mai's proposal and conveyed the order to try to return to the Central Plains. The entire army actually felt collective excitement.

Everyone knew what a dangerous journey this would be, but no one retreated!

Zhang Mai was originally worried about the old and weak in the Civil Affairs Department in the rear, but to his surprise, after hearing this decision, it was the old and weak who supported Donggui the most.

Needless to say, those newborn calves who are not afraid of tigers, Guo Bian and Yang Zhuo were so excited that they couldn't sit still when they heard that they were "going home". Even those old people didn't give up.

"I'm finally going back to Chang'an, and I'm finally going back to Chang'an..." Guo Fen's mother, Mrs. Guo, had foot disease. After hearing about this decision from Yang Qing, she grabbed her wife's hand and said, "It should have been like this long ago, it should have been like this long ago!"

"But, mother-in-law, your legs."

"Legs? Haha! It's okay! It's okay!" Mrs. Guo stood up from the felt that her son had laid for her and said, "I can still walk! I can also ride a horse. If I can't walk anywhere, you will leave me behind. Don't you worry about me! When the Uighurs attacked the city and the young men retreated into Xinghuo Village, were we old immortals ready to die with the city? If it weren't for the plan of burning the city by Special Envoy Zhang, our old bones would have turned into ashes. Anyway, staying here is waiting to die! Now this half of our life is picked up, and living an extra day will make a fortune!"

Zhang Mai was supported by Anxi and supported by young soldiers in the army. Even a few middle-aged generals, such as An Shoujing, also expressed their support for him, and immediately made a plan: Guo Shidao coordinated the overall situation; Yang Dingbang led the military headquarters to form a ranger, responsible for detecting, attacking, and robbing, and Zhang Mai was the supervisor of the army; Yang Dingguo was in charge of the civil service department, and while in charge of logistics, he trained young people and newly surrendered prisoners.

Now there are still several months of food in Xinghuo Village, and all of them have been transported out and ready to take action!

"Guerrilla! Movement! Migration! Avoid head-on combat! Eat the enemy, slowly strengthen yourself, and then counterattack!"

This is the strategic tone set at the Edan scorched earth party.

Although the future is still full of uncertainties, the Tang army has no way out!

Instead of retreating step by step and being boiled to death by the gradually boiling warm water, it is better to jump hard to get a chance!

Since we have determined to return to the east, fight guerrilla warfare and mobile warfare, the Anxi Tang army's vision has suddenly become much wider! If the high morale during the Broken Leaf Meeting was only inspired by Zhang Mai, then the young people in the Tang army believed that they would succeed at this time - Chang'an seemed to have sent a call in the east, the Buddha Kingdom of Khotan was waving cordially, and the flower world of Shule was also waiting for them.

After the scorched earth party, Zhang Mai summoned the senior Tang army to discuss specific strategies. Zhang Mai said: "After the battle last night, I and Captain An Shoujing and I interrogated the prisoners overnight. We found that the garrison of Edan were all tribes that were closer to Deputy Khan Satuk Bogra. It seems that Bogra Khan was the host of the attack on us. What is Arslan's attitude is still unknown. Unfortunately, Tugan died in the chaos, and general Holland fled again. He was unable to catch the senior officials to question him. I understand. But I heard Guo Luo say that it is only eight hundred miles away from Balasha. If the light cavalry is there, it will be a few days. Satuk Bogra's subsequent troops will be there in these days. Therefore, I cannot stay here for a long time. Therefore, I want to divide the troops into two groups. I will assist the captain Yang Dingbang to lead the Baotao Camp to continue to travel east. While collecting information, he can attract the Uighur tribes to attract their attention. At the same time, Guo Dadu Protector led the other three battalions to go back first to meet with the Civil Ministry."

Guo Shidao said: "I heard from Luoer that Bogra Khan has colluded with Huoxun. Huoxun people are better at survival and fighting among the wilderness and forests than the Uighurs. If they come from the southwest, it will be safer to the west."

"After the Protectorate and the Civil Affairs Department meet, they cannot stay, let alone go west or north - that's all for death!" Zhang Mai said: "After the arrival of the Third Battalion, Shoujing can arrange a suspicion for us to continue to go west and escape north. At the same time, the large army and the Civil Affairs Department crossed the Suiye River and went south into the desert."

All the generals were shocked: "Desert?"

Zhang Mai said: "We came from Talas to the south, didn't we? And Liu An told me that this road has been used in the past few decades. The steel materials we rely on for building the Modao and the good horse breeds, all came from this road, right?"
Chapter completed!