Chapter 28

Liu Kun's troops soon left the plain and entered the hilly area between the Taihang and Taiyue mountains, where the mountains were high, the forests were dense, and the roads were rugged and difficult to travel. The troops moved north along the narrow river valley of the Zuo Zhang River, sometimes directly stepping on the dry riverbed of winter. Along the way, the troops continued to recruit soldiers and provisions.

Although most of the villages that were once densely populated had been destroyed, there were still many refugees hiding in the mountains and ravines. As Liu Kun's army advanced north, more and more refugees came out of the mountains, gathering and joining the army. Their numbers far exceeded those recruited in Shangdang a few days earlier.

Three months ago, Lu Yao had followed this route, fighting and retreating, with his troops dwindling until they were finally defeated. Who would have thought that retracing this path, the army would grow like a snowball, with the total number of people approaching eight thousand.

These附属的民众 severely affected the speed of the army's advance. In recent days, the army could only move 20 to 30 li per day. At this rate, they might not reach Jinyang until spring, making them a target for the Xiongnu.

Indeed, as the army advanced, the small tribes of the Hu people scattered throughout Shangdang also began to move. These small tribes were vassals of the Xiongnu, each typically consisting of 10 to 20 households. A "household" was the basic unit of the Hu people, roughly equivalent to two or three tents and a family of about 20 people. During wartime, each household could provide about five cavalrymen.

After the Xiongnu army gathered in Hedong, these mixed Hu tribes remained in Shangdang to forage. One of these tribes was previously annihilated by Liu Kun's personal guards at Changping Pavilion. The warriors of the mixed Hu tribes, in groups of dozens to hundreds, gradually approached Liu Kun's army, relying on the complex terrain of Bingzhou to repeatedly approach with small cavalry units, conducting probing attacks and harassment.

In response, the cavalry commander under Liu Kun, Ding Miao, divided his cavalry into multiple small teams to conduct large-scale searches and attacks within a 100-li radius of Liu Kun's main force.

Within a few days, dozens, and even more, cavalry teams engaged in battles, merging and splitting, with the sounds of combat frequently heard. Ding Miao's cavalry suffered considerable casualties, but the losses of the Hu people were even greater.

This situation continued for five days, and Liu Kun had to order the army to stop in Yangyi County. This was to allow the refugees to recover their strength and to use this opportunity to reorganize the refugee groups, selecting able-bodied men to join the army to prepare for the battle against the Xiongnu.

Yangyi County was small, so the army set up camp 30 li southeast of the county at Jicheng. Jicheng was a fortress where the Jin army had once stationed, with a circumference of more than six li and a flat, open terrain. Liu Kun set up his golden leather tent in the central open area. As a wealthy and high-ranking official, though he did not deliberately indulge in luxury, his tent was still far superior to those of ordinary officials. Incense burners were placed on either side of the tent, and the floor was covered with fine fur carpets. Outside the tent, armored soldiers with halberds lined up on both sides, extending to the gate, presenting a grand and imposing scene. The other military commanders each set up their own tents, and then, relying on the old fortifications of Jicheng, they erected wooden fences and set up camps with supply wagons.

On the first day, the camps were set up, and scouts were sent out to cooperate with Ding Miao's elite cavalry to drive the mixed Hu tribes away.

The next day, the commanders selected able-bodied men to join the army to fill the ranks. Although the senior general Linghu Sheng was in charge of the distribution, he could not entrust such an important task to others. As soon as it was light, over a dozen generals who had the authority to command troops rushed to the entrance of the refugee camp, each setting up their own recruitment flags.

Recruiting soldiers was a major task, but also a detailed and tedious one, requiring a complete process. After the flags were in place, Linghu Sheng ascended the platform and beat the drum, dispatching officers to gather the willing able-bodied men from the refugees in the central open area of the camp.

The refugee camp was on the north side of Jicheng, and it was already noisy and chaotic. Now it was even more chaotic, resembling a bustling market in a large city. Linghu Sheng repeatedly ordered the refugees to maintain order, and even had some troublemakers beaten with sticks to restore some semblance of order.

Subsequently, the commanders entered the camp to select soldiers, with each commander allowed to pick 200 men within three drum beats. Those selected were to gather behind the flag of their assigned commander. Therefore, each commander displayed their bright military flags and fine armor, and their accompanying soldiers were also tall and imposing, to demonstrate the might and grandeur of their forces to the refugees.

Lu Yao was somewhat embarrassed because he was a nominal general with only two subordinates, Xue Tong and He Yun. His flag was the only one, standing alone in the cold wind, which made his military presence seem diminished.

Just as he was at a loss, he heard the drumbeat from the platform and had He Yun hold the flag while he and Xue Tong went into the refugee camp.

Among the thousands of people, not all were civilians; there were also some remnants of the Bingzhou army. Lu Yao and Xue Tong, both experienced Bingzhou army officers, naturally had some connections. They quickly found several old acquaintances.

Shen Jin from Yanmen and Mayi was a long-time colleague of Lu Yao. He could shoot a strong bow and ride and shoot with both hands, and was known for his bravery in the Bingzhou army. He led a formidable cavalry unit under the command of the cavalry commander Chen Yong. After Chen Yong's defeat and death, Shen Jin managed to break through the encirclement and escape into the mountains with over 20 cavalrymen. He only recently heard of the army and came to join. Shen Jin and his cavalrymen were all tall and strong, and well-equipped, so they were immediately targeted by many of Liu Kun's subordinates. However, since Shen Jin and Lu Yao were old acquaintances, he directly became Lu Yao's cavalry commander, leaving the other commanders with no chance.

Shen Jin also recommended his brother-in-arms, Deng Gang, whom he met while hiding in the mountains. Deng Gang was a local from Jinyang, about 40 years old. He had spent most of his life in the military, joining at the age of 18 as a conscript. He had served under four Bingzhou governors and was well-versed in military affairs, making him a seasoned veteran. Perhaps because he had seen too much of life and death, his words were humble, and his demeanor was steady and reliable.

While talking with Deng Gang, a commotion broke out in the camp. A man was arguing with others. The man was extremely imposing, over nine feet tall, with a narrow waist and long arms, disheveled hair, and a high nose and deep-set eyes, suggesting some Hu ancestry. His opponents were from a local powerful clan, and with a dozen mouths, they quickly provoked the man to a rage. Just as they were gloating, the man suddenly attacked, knocking down all of them like rolling gourds with a single punch.

Lu Yao shouted in approval, and Xue Tong roared and rushed over, embracing the man and laughing heartily.

It turned out that the man was Xue Tong's fellow townsman, named Gao Xiang. He was a personal guard captain under the Bingzhou general Jishi Jiang Jun Nie Xuan, known for his martial skills, which were the best in the army. Nie Xuan regarded him as a sharp blade. Gao Xiang was also somewhat arrogant and had a bad temper.

In the battle where the Bingzhou army was defeated, Gao Xiang charged through the enemy lines several times, dampening the Hu's morale, but ultimately could not reverse the tide of defeat. He escaped into the mountains alone. However, his luck was not good, and he got lost in the deep forest, wandering for over a month before finally emerging, looking like a wild man, having lost his weapons and armor.

Although Gao Xiang and Lu Yao were not close, they had met before. With the added connection of being Xue Tong's fellow townsman, Gao Xiang naturally joined Lu Yao's command.

After a brief walk around the camp, Lu Yao returned to his recruitment flag with Shen Jin and Gao Xiang, only to find that dozens of men had gathered in front of the small flag.

He Yun was guarding the flag and chatting with the men. Suddenly, he saw Lu Yao approaching and exclaimed, "Look, it's the general!"

The crowd parted, and a ragged youth stepped forward. The youth was tall and lean, moving swiftly and powerfully, about 15 or 16 years old, younger than He Yun, with a square face and large ears, and a dignified appearance. His exposed arms were muscular, and his hands were calloused, clearly a seasoned warrior.

Lu Yao hurried forward, about to greet him, but the youth looked him up and down and suddenly asked loudly, "Are you Lu Yao? The land army commander of the Bingzhou army?"

Such a direct address was extremely impolite, but Lu Yao did not mind. From the title "land army commander," he knew the youth must be a remnant of the Bingzhou army, which made him feel a sense of kinship. Lu Yao smiled and said, "I am Lu Yao. Who are you, young man?"

Before he could finish, the youth bowed and said, "Land army commander, I am Chu Kun from Nangjun, and I have come with my brothers to join you!"

"Yes, yes! We have all come to join you!" The many soldiers behind the youth also bowed and shouted.

"Do not be so formal, stand up! Let's talk while standing!" Lu Yao quickly helped them up.

Lu Yao did not recognize any of these soldiers, but they knew his name and expressed their determination to follow him. They said that when they served in the army, they had heard of a land army commander who was kind to his subordinates, rarely scolded or beat them, and did not care about his own comfort, sharing any rewards with his soldiers.

Lu Yao was completely surprised to find that he had such a reputation among the Bingzhou army soldiers. These actions were natural for him and not done to gain fame, but in the eyes of the soldiers, he was a rare and good superior.

This situation left Lu Yao at a loss for words. In the eyes of high-ranking officials and generals, Bingzhou was a powerful province, a source of elite troops and a strategic location for power and wealth. But for the soldiers fighting to the death in Bingzhou, even a commander who did not withhold rations was a rare find, and not being beaten or scolded was a luxury.

He repeatedly comforted the soldiers and prepared to personally lead them to rest.

This recruitment trip was highly successful, and Lu Yao was very satisfied. Shen Jin and Gao Xiang were both former brave warriors of the Bingzhou army, with the strength to fight a hundred men. Deng Gang's experience and Chu Kun's youthful vigor were also highly appreciated. Not to mention the experienced veterans who had fought in many battles, far superior to ordinary able-bodied men. With 200 such veterans, if properly commanded, they could match a thousand ordinary soldiers. If there were enough recruits, they could easily train ten times as many troops with these veterans as the core!

Just as he was preparing to register the names of the soldiers and compile a roster, someone nearby sneered, "An unknown nobody suddenly elevated to a high position, indeed behaves recklessly, daring to gather friends and make a commotion in the place where the generals are selecting soldiers!"