Chapter 14: Heavy losses, running behind enemy lines
Good news, they attacked the enemy camp at night, successfully completed the mission and escaped.
Bad news, they seemed to have no idea where they were running to and got lost.
"Forget it, wait until dawn, we can identify the direction after dawn." Sheng Huaian comforted himself.
Everyone just lay on the grass, letting the wind from the north blow.
They were too tired, crossing mountains and ridges in the dark, coming to the outside of the pass, and lying in the dark.
They almost didn't have a good rest, attacking the enemy camp, fighting with the enemy, rushing, setting fire everywhere, and then running away for twenty miles.
If everyone was not a martial artist with good strength, they would have been trapped in the enemy camp and died.
Twenty miles away, you can faintly see the fire in the direction of the Huns' camp.
I don't know how long I lay there, and the sky in the east gradually revealed a touch of white.
As time passed, the fire in the Huns' camp was gradually extinguished.
That night, the soldiers on the city wall looked at the fire in the Huns' camp happily, hoping to burn more.
"Who attacked the right camp? Really awesome, hahaha, burned so many enemy camps."
"The left and the back are not so good, and they didn't burn many enemy camps."
"I don't know how many Xiongnu enemy troops were killed tonight."
"Anyway, the losses should be quite large. General Po Lu led the cavalry to attack the enemy camp, and he must have killed a lot of enemies."
General Yang Ye of Pingbei was very happy to learn that the attack on the camp was successful. After such a commotion, the Xiongnu should not have the energy to continue attacking during the day.
"Haha, this fire is so big, far beyond our expectations." General Po Nu Sun Hao laughed.
"Yes, I want to lead the army to rush into the enemy camp and kill them." Another deputy general said.
"The results will not be small, but I don't know how many of the seven camps that attacked the camp can come back alive." Another deputy general said.
Everyone was silent again. Attacking the camp is just exchanging lives for the losses of the enemy.
The sky gradually brightened, and there was smoke rising to the sky above the Xiongnu army camp.
Looking at the burned camp, the Xiongnu soldiers were all dusty and dejected.
After a night of commotion, the Xiongnu army was exhausted.
Zuo Xian Wang looked at the devastated camp and the miserable soldiers, his face darkened.
You can imagine how angry he was at this moment.
He had planned to break through Anning Pass today, but after such a commotion, what could he use to knock on the pass?
Let these soldiers who had lost all their momentum? !
The Xiongnu generals dared not breathe, and they were afraid that Zuo Xian Wang's anger would fall on them.
After the sky was bright, the sun rose!
"Have the losses been counted?" Zuo Xian Wang said.
His tone was flat, without any emotion.
But the Xiongnu generals in the tent were terrified.
They were familiar with Zuo Xian Wang and knew that this was the rhythm of killing.
"Replying to the king, more than 18,000 people were killed last night, and more than 9,000 were injured." A general said cautiously.
The casualties were close to 30,000, which was already very tragic.
"What else?"
"And... and last night two-thirds of the food and grass were burned, more than 30,000 sheep ran away, and more than 7,000 war horses ran away." The general gritted his teeth and said it all out.
"Waste, all waste!" Zuo Xianwang finally couldn't help but roared.
More than 30,000 sheep, one-third ran away, and the sheep brought as food, originally more than 90,000, now one-third ran away.
War horses are the most important mounts for cavalry units. More than 7,000 horses ran away, which means that more than 7,000 cavalry will lose their combat effectiveness.
And the food supplies were burned by two-thirds. What will the army eat next?
And the soldiers, the casualties reached 20,000 to 30,000, that is more than 20,000 brave warriors, who died in a night raid like this.
Including the soldiers who died in the past half month, less than half of the 100,000 soldiers he brought with him.
That was nearly 30,000 Xiongnu warriors. The loss last night was so great that Zuo Xian Wang's heart was bleeding.
"Who was on duty last night? Drag him and chop him off." Zuo Xian Wang roared, furious.
The generals in the big tent trembled under Zuo Xian Wang's anger.
The loss in one night was so great, how could Zuo Xian Wang not be angry.
If he reported it back, he would definitely be ridiculed and mocked by the guy You Xian Wang.
He couldn't explain to the Great Chanyu.
"Waste, all waste, attack the city, attack the city for me, if you can't take Anning Pass, you will all die." Zuo Xian Wang roared angrily.
"Absolutely not, my king, now we are tired and our people are unstable, we can't attack the city." Zuo Guli Wang quickly persuaded.
Zuo Guli Wang was the right-hand man of Zuo Xian Wang, and also his father-in-law. When he spoke, Zuo Xian Wang had to suppress his anger.
Now there were not even 50,000 troops, and it was even more difficult to break through the pass in one blow.
The troops were already exhausted, and launching an attack at this moment was tantamount to sending themselves to death.
The commander-in-chief on duty last night was beheaded by Zuo Xian Wang as a sacrifice.
Inside Anning Pass, watching the Seventh Battalion returning one after another, General Yang Ye of Pingbei was silent.
Excluding the cavalry that rushed to the camp from behind, the Seventh Battalion had 2,000 people on the way out, but less than 500 people returned.
Tu Bingwei died in the battle, Li Bingwei was seriously injured, and Wu Xiaowei was also covered with scars.
Most of the soldiers who came back were injured. It can be imagined how tragic the attack on the camp last night was.
"Soldiers, on behalf of the people of Wei and Anning City, I thank you for your efforts and sacrifices." Yang Ye bowed deeply to the returning remnants of the army.
The returning remnants of the Seventh Battalion looked at Yang Ye, and there was not much expression on their faces at this moment.
After a night of fighting and fleeing, they were too tired.
"At the same time, each soldier who participated in the attack on the camp will be awarded a great merit and ten taels of silver." Yang Ye continued to speak.
"Thank you, General!"
The soldiers who returned from the Seventh Battalion spoke only after hearing about the reward. At this moment, nothing but money could stir up waves in their hearts.
"Go down and have a good rest. Wine and meat are prepared for you. Everyone eat and drink well, then take a hot bath and have a good sleep." Yang Ye said loudly.
If you want the soldiers below to work hard, the treatment they deserve is naturally indispensable.
Hearing that there is food, drink, and hot baths, the soldiers' eyes light up and cheer up.
"By the way, who launched the attack from the enemy's right camp last night?" Yang Ye asked.
Li Bingwei, who was lying on a stretcher, raised his hand and said, "General, it was us."
"Not bad, not bad, you are all great, go treat your wounds first, have a good rest, and then report to me how you attacked the enemy camp." Yang Ye said with a satisfied smile.
"Yes, General!" Li Bingwei was very happy.
If he hadn't been seriously injured, he would have wanted to report to Yang Ye about the attack process last night.
With the military merit of attacking the camp last night, as long as his cultivation level is improved, he will be a lieutenant.
...
After dawn, the sun rose, and Sheng Huaian and his men found the right direction.
"We are rushing to the territory of the Xiongnu in the grassland outside the pass." Looking at the surrounding grasslands and yellow sand, Tang Yunshan said.
Sheng Huaian heard it, good guy, this is running behind the enemy.
"In that direction is An Ning Pass, is there anyone familiar with the way?" Sheng Huaian asked.
"Captain, I know the way." A soldier said.
"Okay, you lead the way, we go back." Sheng Huaian nodded.
The group headed towards Anning Pass.
After walking five or six miles, the team stopped.
"Stop, there is something ahead."
"What's wrong?" Sheng Huaian asked.
"Captain, there are Hun cavalry ahead, chasing a group of people, it seems to be our Anning garrison." The soldier leading the way said.