Ah Gui pointed at the erected spikes and laughed, "If these caltrops are scattered on the ground, the enemy cavalry will all lie down when they come after us, and we won't have to do anything. Why is the general saying that this is not a good idea?"
Ma Chao said: "This thing is useful to the enemy, and it is also useful to us. If Han Sui and his men use it to deal with us, what should we do?"
“Hiss—” Ah Gui’s face changed drastically, and he waved his hands hurriedly, saying, “Military Advisor Xu, it’s better not to use this thing. Find another way to repel the enemy.”
Xu Shu smiled and said, "You are worrying too much. We also have cavalry in our army. Since we have taken out this thing, we naturally have a way to deal with it. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a disaster for ourselves?"
Ma Chao had been leading cavalry for a long time, and he could not help but be very curious: "If this thing is scattered in the grass, the horses will pass by and it will be impossible to defend against it. How to deal with it?"
Xu Shu smiled and said, "The reform of our cavalry cannot be explained in a few words. When General Ma arrives in Hanzhong, he will see the latest equipment of our cavalry and he will know it at a glance! If General Ma can get this elite force, he will be even more powerful and invincible."
"Can the cavalry be stronger?" Ma Chao was puzzled and curious. He thought for a long time but could not figure it out. He nodded and said, "As long as we can break through the siege this time, I, Ma Chao, am willing to follow General Liu's orders, avenge the humiliation, restore the Han Dynasty, and carry forward the achievements of my ancestors."
Ah Gui said anxiously, "Military Advisor Xu, please say a few good words to General Liu. We have long wanted to submit to the imperial court, but we are oppressed by corrupt officials and have no other choice."
Xu Shu nodded and said, "Don't worry, my lord. My lord has the ambition to conquer the world and sweep across the wilderness. Not only the Di and Ba people, but also the Qiang, Xiongnu, and Xianbei people will be recruited to enhance the power of the Han Dynasty and promote Chinese civilization."
"That's great!" Agui rubbed his hands and smiled, "When the cavalry is equipped, don't forget our Di tribe."
Xu Shu stroked his beard and smiled, "Of course. We are all descendants of Yan and Huang, the descendants of China. We should be united in facing the outside world and expanding our territory, rather than killing each other."
Ma Chao was stunned when he heard this. He widened his eyes and asked, "General Liu, do you have such courage?"
Xu Shu nodded and said, "The general's ambition is far greater than that of the Qin Emperor and Han Wudi, and will also surpass that of Emperor Shizu. In the future, General Ma will achieve great success and will naturally surpass General Fubo."
Ma Chao's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward and asked, "Sergeant, please explain in detail."
Xu Shu shook his head and said, "This is a long story and it won't be accomplished in a day. Now that we are facing a powerful enemy, it is more important to prepare for war."
"That's true!" Ma Chao felt regretful. He became more curious about Liu Qi and looked forward to this meeting.
Ah Gui seemed to understand what he heard, and he smiled while holding the caltrops, "The Han people are the best at making weapons. If we have this thing to deal with the cavalry, we will definitely give them a hard time."
Xu Shu smiled and said, "But this item cannot be used frequently. It can only work occasionally to intimidate the enemy. We still need the brave warriors under your command to fight hard to repel the enemy."
Ah Gui laughed and said, "Don't worry, Military Advisor. Although we are on the edge of Longxi, we are well-known for General Liu's name. The Qiang people in Longxi County also often bully us. It's time for us to be proud of ourselves."
Xu Shu looked at several wooden tools and nodded, saying, "If there is a shortage of iron tools and blacksmiths, use this kind of wood to carve them. The harder the wood, the better. As long as it can pierce a horse's hoof, it can be used."
Ma Le took the order and left. Xu Shu then ordered Ma Chao and A Gui to intensify the training. Although the Di warriors had excellent riding skills, their formation was disorganized and their orders were inconsistent, which was a big taboo in the army.
Two days later, Shi A came to report that according to the scouts, Han Sui brought 30,000 Huangzhong Qiang soldiers and personally crossed the Tao River to hunt down Ma Chao.
Ma Dai gritted his teeth and said, "The old villain will not rest until he kills us all."
Ma Chao was furious and said, "Han Sui, the old villain, I will tear him into pieces!"
Ah Gui said worriedly, "Han Sui is coming in person, plus the Qiang people and Liangzhou Cao's army, there are no less than 100,000 troops. I'm afraid we can't stop them with 8,000 people. It's better to retreat to the Nanshan Mountains and go to Hanzhong along the Bailong River."
Xu Shu said, "This road is dangerous and impassable. Even if we reach Hanzhong, at least half of our troops will be killed. Your Majesty will also lose his territory and his family will be left without anyone to take care of them. Rather than this, it is better to fight to the death."
Ah Gui had no way out at this time, so he nodded and said, "Everything depends on you, sir and the two generals."
Xu Shu smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone. Han Sui came to chase the enemy himself, which shows that he is very afraid of you and doesn't want to let the tiger go back to the mountain. Although the enemy army is strong, it is a motley crowd. If they encounter setbacks one after another, they will panic and flee."
Ma Chao stood up, clenched his fist and said, "Don't worry, my king. If we are defeated, I, Ma Chao, am willing to retreat to that grassland and swear to protect the safety of your people even if I die."
Xu Shu comforted them, saying, "Quality is more important than quantity. General Ma can defeat 10,000 enemies, which is enough to defeat a 100,000-man army. I expect General Liu to enter Wudu. If he knows that Han Sui's troops have entered Longxi, he will also send troops to help. Then we can attack from both sides and the enemy army will collapse!"
Ah Gui took a deep breath, clasped his fists and said, "With General Shenwei Tian here, we will definitely succeed!"
Xu Shu said, "Your Majesty, please issue an order that from the day of the battle, all the merits of the soldiers will be recorded according to their military merits, and when they meet General Liu, they can all be rewarded according to their merits."
"Yes, sir!" Agui was overjoyed. This meant that Xu Shu had agreed to let them surrender to Liu Qi. He immediately gained confidence and ran to pass on the order.
While we were preparing, Shi A came to report: "A cavalry of 3,000 men has approached the Xieling Grassland. Judging from their attire, they should be Qiang people. They are following the path we took. Among them there must be experts who are good at tracking."
Ma Le nodded and said, "The Qiang people often put their horses in the deep mountains for grazing and leave them there for half a month without taking care of them. If they are chased by wolves, they can follow the hoof prints and manure to find the horses. They must have come here based on this."
Xu Shu asked: "How far is the enemy army?"
Shi A replied, "They have crossed the rocky beach and are only a hundred miles away from their previous resting place. I'm afraid our camp will be discovered soon."
"After half a month of preparation, it's time to meet the enemy!" Xu Shu stood up and ordered, "General Ma, guard the camp. General Ma Dai and I will go to meet the enemy."
Ma Chao asked anxiously, "The enemy is coming, why do you want me to stay in the camp?"
Xu Shu laughed and said, "They are only three thousand Qiang soldiers. Why use a butcher knife to kill a chicken? I have my own countermeasures this time. Mengqi and the king can act according to my plan."
Ma Dai received the order to go and check the troops. Xu Shu handed the map to Ma Chao and asked him to deploy the troops according to the markings on it.
Xu Shu brought only a thousand cavalrymen to the previous resting place and divided the men and horses into two teams. Ma Dai galloped back and forth in batches in the front, pretending to be a patrolling soldier.
The rear team was commanded by Shi A, who placed wooden stakes and fences along a lake and carried stones to build simple defensive facilities to prevent the enemy from surrounding them from all over the mountains.
While the arrangements were being made, the enemy army appeared in sight. When they saw the patrolling cavalry in the distance, they cheered. The scouts in front immediately took the bull horns from behind and blew them loudly towards the sky.
Woo woo woo—
The sound of the horn made of yak horn is low and long. Although it is not as loud as a war drum, it can be heard from far away in this vast grassland, with a unique desolate, gloomy and rough atmosphere.