Li Yaonan was very upset: "Give orders to all the soldiers who died to be given a great merit, and their families can go to the government to receive the monthly salary for martyrs every month."
"This is true." Lord Yang was overjoyed. The martyrs of the Jin Dynasty could be commended by the government just like the chastity arches, and they would also receive silver every month, which was enough to ensure that their families would have no worries about food and clothing.
"I will write a letter to the court." Li Yaonan's eyes were firm. He had to do something for the sacrificed soldiers no matter what. They fought desperately against the enemy in Nanquan. They were much better than the escaped governor and the late governor. He was not afraid that the court would not agree.
"I'll tell them right away." Lord Yang was overjoyed and couldn't wait to share the good news with his subordinates to boost their morale.
Li Yaonan did not stop Lord Yang, but began to think silently about how to carry out the night attack tonight.
After dinner, it was already very late. There was no light in the dark sky. Zhang Xiaozhou, Liu Qiang, Zhou Dawei and thirteen other people came to Lord Li's door at night to ask for a meeting, and demanded that they must be taken with them on this night attack.
Li Yaonan quickly recognized that these people were the soldiers who stood next to him when he was talking on the city wall.
"Master Li, please take us with you."
"Master Li, I would like to ask you to be my teacher and teach me the art of war."
"Lord Li, I want to kill all the enemy troops without leaving a single piece of armor."
"My brother and Li are already dead."
Thirteen pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly, with hatred burning in their eyes. Li Yaonan was silent for a moment. Liu Qiang's younger brother had talked to him on the city wall in the afternoon, but in just a few hours, the young life was gone.
"Okay!" Li Yaonan looked at them calmly without thinking for too long: "You don't need to become my disciple. During the days I'm in Nanquan, I'll allow you to stay with me. How much you can learn depends on your ability. Go and rest now. After midnight, I'll lead my men to attack the enemy camp at night."
The thirteen people were surprised and happy. They didn't expect that Lord Li would actually agree to teach them.
"Thank you, sir."
"Okay, you guys go down. There's not much time left to rest. You need to get enough rest to kill the enemy." Li Yaonan said lightly. He felt a little bit proud of the talent. Before, on the city wall, Zhang Xiaozhou learned from one example and immediately understood the purpose of tung oil and wine. He thought he could train him a little. It wouldn't be troublesome anyway, so why not do him a favor.
After the thirteen men left, Li Yaonan was not idle. He realized during the march and battle how frustrating it was to have no regular army, no real generals, and no one to give advice. He made a detailed plan for a night attack, considered it over and over again, and called the magistrate of Nanquan County to discuss it together.
When Lord Yang saw the plan, he was astonished and so excited that he could hardly control himself. All he could say was "good", as if victory was just around the corner.
The corners of Li Yaonan's lips twitched, and he instantly realized his mistake. He shouldn't have asked a scholar about fighting. Lord Yang might be a good official, but his ability was really not that good. When the enemy attacked, he couldn't even pacify the people, and he had to ask Sun Ruisi to take action. He shouldn't have counted on him too much. However, Lord Yang also had his merits. At least his dedication to the country and the people was worthy of praise.
Ignoring Lord Yang's praise, Li Yaonan thought for a moment and directly asked someone to summon the captain of the guards. More than thirty people gathered together to discuss and they could always come up with foolproof decisions. He had never been an arrogant person.
Lord Yang had a very good temper and did not have any dissatisfaction in his heart. He was originally a civil servant and was not ashamed of not knowing how to march and fight. He was nothing but happy about Lord Li's prudence.
"Lord Li."
"Lord Yang."
When everyone arrived, they saluted them first. Zhang Xiaozhou and Liu Qiang were among them. Only then did Li Yaonan realize that they were actually the captains of the guards.
"Sit down." Pointing to a chair in the room, Li Yaonan unfolded the written plan and let them take a look at it first.
One of them touched his head and said with embarrassment: "Master Li, I can't read."
"I can't read either."
"And I..."
Li Yaonan remained silent. County Magistrate Yang laughed dryly and explained, "They are all farm boys. How can they read and write?"
"Let me take a look." Captain Yan frowned and thought deeply. After reading it carefully, he told his subordinates the plan. Dozens of people talked at once. Li Yaonan waited quietly. After they finished, Captain Yan asked, "Is there any way to deal with the enemy spies? Otherwise, the plan cannot be implemented."
There was a glimmer of admiration in Li Yaonan's eyes, and he vaguely understood in his heart that if it were not for Captain Yan, Lord Yang might not be able to hold the city gate.
"Nanquan is weak, the enemy won't think we have enough strength to launch a surprise attack, they will definitely relax their guard. I know a secret passage leading out of the city, you see..." Li Yaonan unfolded the Nanquan map: "From here to here, the troops will be divided into two groups. The former will attract the enemy's attention, and the latter will set fire to the granary. As long as the enemy has no food, Nanquan can hold out until the reinforcements arrive."
Captain Yan was very calm, not being blurred by the pancake in front of him: "There is another possibility. The enemy is completely enraged by us. Without food, they will burn their boats and cross the river."
"I have considered this. When the enemy attacks, they will definitely run as fast as they can. Our army can dig a trench in front of the city gate, insert sharpened bamboo poles underneath, and cover it with mud. With this wave of impact, the enemy's morale will decline and eventually be exhausted. It will definitely not be a problem to defend the city gate."
The team leaders could not hide their excitement after hearing this. Lord Yang was beaming with joy. After several days of torment, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He said that Lord Li's strategy was very good and there was no flaw to be found.
Captain Yan's eyes darkened, and a bloodthirsty light flashed across them: "How about this, dig trenches at night, and launch a surprise attack during the day. When the enemy is attacking the city, most of them will not be in the camp, so our chances of winning will be greater."
Li Yaonan pondered for a moment and felt that it was feasible, so he revised the plan. Not only would he attack at night, but he would also kill the enemy completely during the day. If there was a fire in the enemy's rear, they would certainly not continue to attack the city. This would ensure that Nanquan would be safe for at least two days.
Captain Yan was slightly stunned after reading the plan, and then he laughed out loud. Lord Li was ruthless and even more ruthless than him. This was a very good plan. The enemy could never have expected that they had just launched a sneak attack at night, and they dared to come again in the daytime.
Now that the plan had been made, everyone did not waste any time and immediately gathered people. Sun Ruisi led the people to dig trenches, Li Yaonan disrupted the enemy's line of sight, and Captain Yan led the people to burn the granary.
Everything went on in an orderly manner. Li Yaonan had people bring a lot of livestock and firecrackers, and assigned twenty crossbows to Captain Yan. He stared at the thousand soldiers under his command, and his mood unconsciously became heavy: "Safety comes first."
Captain Yan was moved, but still had some disapproval in his heart, which eventually turned into a sigh: "Don't worry, Lord Li, I will complete the task." They were already grateful that Lord Li came to Nanquan to rescue them in the time of crisis. Even if this trip meant risking their lives, he would be willing to do so as long as he could save the city.
Li Yaonan knew that Captain Yan didn't trust him. After all, he only brought more than 30 people with him. Disrupting the enemy's sight was nothing but a pipe dream. He smiled and said, "The fireworks are a signal. Sir Yan, rest assured. I won't do anything I'm not sure of."
Captain Yan did not respond. Lord Li was a scholar. Although he was good at military tactics, he had never experienced the cruelty of war. He thought that Lord Li would bring a large number of troops to disrupt the enemy's vision, but he was surprised that there were only thirty soldiers. He said worriedly, "Please take care of yourself, sir. If anything happens to you, I'm afraid the morale of the army will be unstable." Lord Li's arrival brought hope to Nanquan. If an accident happened this time, Nanquan would really be in chaos.
Li Yaonan nodded: "Don't worry, when the battle is over, I will treat you to a drink. Remember not to fight tonight, and return to the secret passage immediately after success."
Captain Yan's expression was stern: "I obey your orders."
After explaining everything, Sun Ruisi took the lead and walked ahead. He was the one who had been in charge of the secret passage matters.
Perhaps even God was helping them. The night was very dark tonight, so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of you. It was the best time to sneak.
After leaving the secret passage, Li Yaonan quickly split into three groups with everyone. The animals he was driving were too noisy, and if they were not careful, their whereabouts would be exposed.
Captain Yan could not hide his worry on his face, but when he saw that Lord Li's advisor was confident and not worried about his master at all, he felt a little relieved. He just hoped that Lord Li's plan was really effective. To be honest, he did not think that a few beasts could cause unrest among the enemy troops. However, Lord Li insisted, so he had no choice but to compromise.
Animals are most likely to expose themselves, but at the same time, they are also the best barriers.
The thirty soldiers were shocked to see Lord Li blend into the night easily. They thought they could not be as perfect as Lord Li. Captain Yan asked them to take care of Lord Li and knock him out and take him back when necessary. But now it seems that their efforts were in vain, because Lord Li is very skilled.
The group drove the animals forward, borrowing their bodies to hide themselves in the darkness.
The enemy sentries were soon attracted by the movement here. Two people came to check it out for the first time. No one would have thought that Nanquan would dare to fight back. Although they were puzzled to see the beast, they were more surprised, and they could add some rations.
Li Yaonan easily captured the people and changed their clothes.
With the first success, everyone was delighted. The second time they encountered five people again, it went without saying that it was thirty against five, so it was naturally our victory. Everything was carried out quietly and without arousing any suspicion.
Li Yaonan led six people who changed into enemy clothes. They no longer hid themselves and appeared in the forest in a swagger. Although he did not understand the Qiang language, his soldiers knew it, and they openly covered the rest of the people.
Zhang Xiaozhou was terrified, both at Lord Li's boldness and at his own excitement. His blood seemed to be boiling with excitement. He had never thought that war could be won by using such a method. The minds of scholars were indeed flexible, which made him more determined to become his disciple.
"Hey, which team are you from? What is this?" A team of sentries spotted them and the leader came over.
Everyone was nervous, but they remained calm. Wang Erniu stood up and asked in a Qiang accent, "Which team are you from? Go away. We brothers got this beast with great difficulty. We are going to have a snack. Don't look at it. I won't give it to you even if you look at it. Damn it, you are so indifferent."
The man looked arrogant and said proudly, "I am Caron, a cavalryman under General Muwa. Anyone who sees something gets a share. Don't be so absolute."
Wang Erniu sneered: "I am still under General Si Yan's command. I believe what you say." General Si Yan was the main general who attacked Nanquan. Wang Erniu's statement was always correct, whether people believed it or not. Pointing to the enemy soldiers behind Kalon, Wang Erniu continued: "Show me the badges. I want theirs."
Kalon waved his hand, called the soldiers over, and said ostentatiously: "Let them see what I can do, or they will accuse me of bullying others by taking advantage of my power."
Li Yaonan's eyes darkened and they gestured to each other. As soon as they approached, the person hiding in the shadows jumped up and slashed with the knife without mercy. After a few muffled groans, only a few corpses were left.
After taking the token, stripping off their clothes, and dragging their bodies into the bushes, Li Yaonan found himself very calm, without any reluctance, and laughed softly. War can indeed change a person, and he became accustomed to killing without realizing it. However, he did not regret it. Others did not die, but they died. What right did the invaders have to get mercy? Li Yaonan would always remember the tragic scene on the Nanquan city wall.
As they approached the enemy camp, Li Yaonan stopped moving forward and glanced at everyone with a slightly hesitant expression.
Zhang Xiaozhou soon noticed the strange behavior of the master, and volunteered: "Master, if you have any instructions, let me do it."
Li Yaonan thought for a while and decided to give them the right to choose. He said bluntly: "There are two options now. One is to light firecrackers to drive away the animals and attract the enemy's attention. The second is to sneak into the enemy camp and loosen the ropes of the horse pen. When the firecrackers go off, the horses will be frightened and will surely run rampant. Captain Yan can take the opportunity to attack the camp."
Everyone was delighted to hear this. Zhang Sheng said excitedly, "I'll go, I'll go. If the stable gets messed up, the enemy will be so angry that they will die."
"Haha, horses are not like animals. The Qiang people will definitely not be willing to kill them. I choose the second option."
“I choose the second one too.”
"Let me go."
Seeing them fighting for the position, Li Yaonan was relieved. He shook his head and said with a smile, "This trip is extremely dangerous. First, you need to be smart and second, you must know the Qiang language. Otherwise, you will be exposed."
"I'll go, Lord Li. What do you think of me?" Wang Erniu looked smug. He felt that he had performed very well just now and even the cavalry was intimidated.
"I will go too. I can speak Qiang language, too."
"Go, you are still young, and there is an old mother to support at home. I will go. If I can accomplish something great, my life will be worth it. Anyway, I am alone."
"No, you are the only child left in your family. If something happens to you, how can we face our ancestors? I'd better go. My wife is pregnant now, and the Liu family is also a descendant. The child will be happy to know that his father is a hero."
Li Yaonan interrupted their argument and said with a smile: "Alright, stop arguing. Too many people will only get in the way. Although it is dangerous, if it is done properly, your life will not be in danger." He turned to look at Wang Erniu and said: "Go ahead, just loosen the rope, there is no need to open the stable. Safety is the top priority, go quickly and come back quickly."
"Understood, sir." Wang Erniu was very proud. He packed up his things, checked to make sure there was nothing missing, and quickly sneaked into the night.
Li Yaonan pointed at the rest of the people, asking some to stay behind to look after the animals, some to walk around pretending to be on patrol, and he himself sat on a tree, looking out from high above at what was happening in the distance.
The waiting time was always so hard to endure. As time passed, the number of enemy patrols gradually decreased, and everyone's eyes became sleepy. Li Yaonan knew very well that after the fourth watch, it was the time to relax the most.
The soldiers talked in low voices and yawned from time to time to resist their sleepiness. Lord Li's risky tactic this time was simply brilliant. Could this be what the military books said, that the most dangerous place is the safest place? If Si Yan knew that they had swum around the enemy army all night in broad daylight, I wonder how angry he would be.
The soldiers started to think about whether they could use the same trick again, but Li Yaonan quickly dashed their hopes. The reason why tonight went smoothly was because it was unexpected. The Qiang tribe's previous victories had made them complacent, and they would not be so easy next time.
When the second cockcrowed, everyone began to get anxious. If Wang Erniu couldn't get back before dawn, Captain Yan's plan to attack the granary would probably be shelved.
Li Yaonan was just thankful that it was winter and the nights were long. If it were summer, it would be almost dawn in half an hour.
"Someone is coming."
There was a rustling sound coming from the front, and everyone quickly perked up and stared intently at the place not far away.
Wang Erniu's figure finally appeared in front of everyone. He had a big smile on his face, unable to hide his good mood. It was obvious that the mission had been accomplished.
"How is it? How is it? Is it going well?" Zhang Sheng was the first to step forward and asked impatiently.
Wang Erniu grinned, looking smug: "That's right, you don't even look at who is coming, the Qiang tribe is still discussing, and they are going to take us down in one fell swoop tomorrow."
"Haha, then let's give him a big gift tonight."
Li Yaonan said sternly, "Okay, stop gossiping. Have you memorized the escape route?"
Everyone nodded. They were originally Nanquan guards and were very familiar with the area. They could run with their eyes closed.
Zhang Xiaozhou asked worriedly: "Sir, you..."
Li Yaonan laughed: "If we follow you, we won't get lost. Come to work, tie the firecrackers to the beast's tail, aim at the enemy camp, light it and run quickly. We must make the beast rush into the enemy's camp. It's pitch black at night and archery is hard to hit accurately. As long as we can alarm the stable, we will win."
Wang Erniu smiled slyly: "Don't worry, sir. The rope of the stable will definitely break if touched. I threw the bolt away long ago."
The group acted quickly. As the sound of firecrackers rang out, Li Yaonan lit the signal and beautiful fireworks instantly bloomed in the dark sky. The enemy camp was startled and immediately became noisy. They quickly gathered their men and chased after the place where the fireworks were set off.
The sound of firecrackers was particularly loud at night. The beasts were frightened and started running around. The Qiang army soon fell into chaos.
"Oh no! The horses have run away."
"Damn it, who didn't tie the horse stable properly?"
"My Lord, you are not seeing this. Shuanzi is missing."
"Oh no! An enemy has sneaked in."
"Chase me."
Seeing that there were more and more pursuers behind them, and the scattered torches were chasing them in the direction of their escape, Li Yaonan simply made up his mind and risked his life. After finding a place to hide, he came out again, each holding a torch. He believed that even if the Qiang generals suspected that the enemy had infiltrated, the news would definitely not spread so quickly, and this was their chance.
Wang Erniu acted as the captain for once, shouting at the top of his voice: "Chase them!"
The people chasing behind took a look at them, then turned around and searched elsewhere.
Everyone wiped the cold sweat off their foreheads and ran and crawled as fast as they could.
Not long after, the enemy camp was lit up with fire, and many enemy soldiers hastily retreated. Wang Erniu threw the torch in his hand and laughed heartily: "Success, success, look, did you see it, Captain Yan succeeded."
"Shut up and run away. Are you afraid that no one will find you?" Li Yaonan shouted angrily, and everyone fell silent. The torches were no longer useful at this time, so they just threw them on the ground and ran away while setting up a confusing formation to make sure the enemy would not find any clues.
The author has something to say: Thank you, I will continue to work hard. o(n_n)o
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