Chapter 138 Chapter Comprehensive Opposition
When order in the city was gradually restored, the Huayin East Gate was opened.

It’s a pity that this time, no soldiers or civilians dared to leave.

They are all watching at home.

There was no crowd gathered inside or outside the East Gate, so the group of people who came with razors and scissors could only wait.

These old soldiers did not dare to break down the gate to search for the group of people who had their heads shaved when they fled Guanzhong and passed through Tongguan.

Therefore, after order was restored in the city, the officials who had their heads shaved first were responsible for this task.

They began to go from street to street, taking the army to check for fleeing soldiers from house to house, and re-register the population.

During this investigation, we started to screen people who had their heads shaved.

Black Bear stood on the city wall and continued to look down. This screening was not particularly strict. It was intended to recruit young and strong people and let them work.

If we kill too many people, how can we still work?

But if you don't kill, the punishment of shaving your head is a joke.

Only by ruthlessly shaving and killing in the early stages can the people under the rule be allowed to stay in the local area safely and avoid wandering around, causing harm to others and themselves.

More than thirty people were arrested during the screening and beheaded in public.

Seeing that the screening in the city was basically completed, Black Bear decided to leave.

Gan Ning was more than capable of completing the rest of the task.

However, the black bear did not return directly after leaving the city. Instead, it led Lu Bu eastward along the Chidao and headed straight for Shanjin, where Linghu Shao, the new governor of Hongnong, was.

The scouts from Hebei did not dare to stop them and retreated one after another.

When Black Bear arrived, the four gates of Shan County were closed and an army was stationed in Shanjin.

Linghu Shao stood on the top of the city wall and stared blankly at Black Bear and Taishi Wengong outside the city. He had to admit that the two of them had surrounded Shan County.

The morale of the defending troops was horrified, and the local county soldiers and militiamen were even more depressed.

Linghu Shao saw the black bear approaching on horseback. When they were about thirty steps apart, the "Tai Shi Wen Gong" dismounted, took a short spear from the harness, wrapped a piece of silk book around it, and threw it towards the gate tower where Linghu Shao was.

"Master Fu, be careful!"

A guard pulled Linghu Shao, and just as Linghu Shao squatted down, he heard a cracking sound from a nearby pillar. Turning his head, he saw that the short spear had been nailed there, with the blade more than half a foot sunk.

Another personal soldier took out the silk book and presented it to Linghu Shao.

There were only a few words on the silk book: Come down to the city and talk.

Linghu Shao turned to look at his gatekeeper: "Go out of the city and ask him why he came."

"Here."

Mendu was from Hebei and turned around and went down the city wall.

The city gate opened a crack and the gatekeeper trotted over quickly.

When he got closer, he bowed and said, "I am a thief in your entourage. I wonder why you want to invite me to your entourage?"

"I want to ask him to write a letter to Yuan Shang, telling him not to waste any more time. I can defeat Huayin in one battle, and I can also defeat this city in one battle. Please persuade him not to hesitate any longer. I am not interested in his head."

"Yes!"

The thief Cao bowed and accepted the offer. As he turned to leave, he asked, "Excuse me, General, how is Liu Kai, the commander of Huayin?"

"He has died in the battle. The rest of his troops retreated to the gatehouse and were all destroyed after the fire. Once the fire is out, I will send someone to collect his remains and bury him."

Black Bear thought for a while and took out the copper seal of the commander that he had seized from Liu Kai from his harness and threw it to the other party.

The man looked at the bronze seal and immediately walked quickly into the city.

Huayin defender Liu Kai and two or three hundred Hebei soldiers fought very tenaciously. It may also be that the battle was too intense and both sides had a high killing efficiency.

The temperature was so high that the defenders were dominated by anger. Before they had time to feel fear or waver, more than half of them were killed and had to retreat into the city walls to defend.

Black Bear didn't have to wait long before Linghu Shao led several knights out of the city.

After he approached, he first carefully observed Lu Bu, whose white robe was covered in blood and whose cape was mostly burned, then looked at the black bear and bowed: "General Qu, how are you?"

Linghu Shao was a warehouse official in the general's office. He personally led people to deliver some equipment and materials to Shen Pei Manor.

We have only met each other a few times.

Black Bear raised his hand and took off his mask, then said to Linghu Shao, "I heard that you intend to occupy Chang'an and support the nephew of Emperor Huan as the emperor?"

"General Qu, this is a rumor in Guanzhong. There is no such rumor in Yecheng."

Linghu Shao quickly explained: "This should be the excuse of the old villain Zhong Yao. He also knows that our lord is wise. At this time of transition, how could he betray the court?"

"I also don't think it's something he and Shen Pei did. If they said they were going to establish a new emperor in Luoyang, I still believe it."

Black Bear laughed as he spoke, and Linghu Shao also thought it made sense, so he started laughing too.

Chang'an is too far away from Yecheng, so Luoyang is very suitable.

The scholars and people of the world have very distant memories of Chang'an, the Western Capital, and lack respect for it; but it is different with Luoyang. If the nephew of Emperor Huan is really placed on the throne, at least the people of Hebei will be convinced.

The laughter stopped, and Black Bear said, "Hongnong can be given to you, Hedong can also be given to Cui Yan, and Yuan Tan can also be his Sili Xiaowei. But west of Tongguan, I have the final say from now on."

"Master Qu, this is not something I can agree to."

"I know. You will tell Yuan Shang what I said. I will give him three years. During these three years, I will wipe out the generals in Guanzhong. When Guanlong is stable, I am willing to form a formal alliance with him, attack Luoyang together, and establish a new emperor."

"I will not see Yuan Tan. If he dares to come to Tongguan, I will make him die in Tongguan."

"General Qu, words are not enough, is it possible to give a scroll of letters to the foreign minister?"

"Ah."

Black Bear tossed a stack of silk books that he had prepared to Linghu Shao. "I would rather be a long-term rival to Yuan Shang than to Cao Cao. Tell him to live well and not die at the hands of Cao Cao. If you want to discuss the alliance in detail, please send a trusted minister like Ju Hu to see me. If he doesn't come, I will wait for an opportunity to sneak into Yecheng and have a detailed discussion with your master in person."

Especially the Hedong Salt Lake, this issue needs to be negotiated as soon as possible.

Linghu Shao held the heavy silk book in his hand and smiled awkwardly: "Why didn't the general send an envoy to invite me earlier? If the foreign ministers heard about it, how could they not come?" "If I didn't conquer Huayin, would you be so easy to talk to? I waited for you for ten days, but you didn't send anyone to see me; you are like this, and so is Yuan Tan. But Cui Yan sent someone to inquire, which shows that he really wants to do something."

After saying this, Black Bear put on his mask again, ignored Linghu Shao, kicked his horse and turned away.

Lu Bu stayed there for a few breaths holding his halberd. After the black bear rode out of the shooting range of the crossbows on the top of the city wall, Lu Bu drove his horse away and followed closely.

Only after Lu Bu walked away did Linghu Shao take a deep breath.

I just felt that the brocade bag in my hand was extremely heavy. This thing was very tricky. I wanted to look at it but I didn't dare to.

Judging from what was said just now, it seems that the other party has established a communication channel with Cui Yan.

But there's no need to deceive yourself with this.

Linghu Shao thought about it and turned back to the city.

The next morning, the Lantian camp was shrouded in golden sunlight.

On the Bailuyuan Plateau, Ma Teng, who had just come out from Shanglinyuan for hunting, reined in his horse and calmly looked down at the Lantian camp, where smoke from cooking fires was dense.

The turbulent Bashui River of the previous two days has calmed down a lot, but the Lantian Camp is still a huge construction site.

Ma Teng's sons rode up to him one after another, and the father and sons observed together.

The result of the Battle of Huayin was already out. It was delivered to Ma Teng last night, and Ma Teng immediately became restless.

Although Huayin did not have a moat, it was previously the seat of Zhong Yao's Inspector of the Imperial Guards. At least the city walls were regularly maintained and supplies for defending the city were stockpiled.

But even so, they were still broken through head-on by the Tiger Tooth Army.

Instead of attacking from all sides, they chose the south gate; this meant that the elite defenders were concentrated and were breached by the Tiger Tooth Army.

If the enemy attacks Huaili, can the soldiers left behind hold them out for a day?
It's probably difficult.

Since stationing in Huaili, Ma Teng's new and old troops did not concentrate in the county, but dispersed to open up land.

Therefore, the city's daily defense force was not strong, and he was also vigilant against the generals in Weibei. Weinan was actually Ma Teng's private territory.

But the Tiger Tooth Army came too fast, advanced and expanded too quickly, and almost killed Zhong Yao with a random punch.

So far, there has been no conflict between Ma Teng and the Tiger Tooth Army.

The Huya Army only attacked and governed the counties of Jingzhao Yin; it did not offend the Huaili area under the jurisdiction of Shanglinyuan and Youfufeng.

But even so, since the other side defeated Xinfeng in the first battle and Huayin in the second battle, the two sides could no longer coexist on the fertile and vast land of Weinan.

Ma Teng narrowed his eyes and watched, feeling reluctant to completely confront the other party.

But there is no way. Put yourself in the other person's shoes and think about it. If you have the other person's ability to attack, how could you allow another self to run around?
It’s because Huaili County is close to Chang’an City. The enemy sent troops from Duling and Lantian and arrived the same day!

And it would take three days to complete the full mobilization!
With a hasty mobilization, only half of the troops could be assembled in one day.

Therefore, the enemy might attack and severely injure him at any time; unless he gave up Huaili, where the crops were ripe, and continued to migrate westward to station in Meixian area.

But is there any room for retreat?
As long as they take the initiative to retreat, the cohesion of the troops will immediately break down.

Two-thirds of the Guanzhong troops were already familiar with the cultivated and mature Huaili. They were reluctant to give up their land and were unwilling to follow him.

They came to me just for a chance to farm and eat.

Instead of admiring his own power and virtue, and leading the entire family to actively work for him.

If you evacuate voluntarily, two-thirds of your troops will be tied to the land and break away from you.

The remaining old Liangzhou troops, seeing that they had lost their troops in Guanzhong, took the initiative to show weakness to the Huya Army... Doesn't it mean that they are old and can no longer fight?
Having lost its deterrent power, the old Liangzhou forces were not far from collapse.

The treatment of General Zhengbei, Grand Minister of the Imperial Court, and Acting Imperial Envoy were meaningless in the eyes of the people of Liangzhou.

So he really cannot retreat. Once he retreats, the current number one force in Guanzhong will collapse!

If he didn't retreat, that Tiger Fang General would be keeping an eye on him, and he might be swallowed up by the other side at any time.

Being strong in field battles is not the real strength; being strong in attacking tough battles is the real strength!
Ma Teng had made up his mind. After observing for a while, he turned his horse around and returned to Huaili without saying a word, ready to fight with all his might for the survival war that was about to break out!
Xinfeng, on the north bank of the Wei River, was the abandoned camp of Ma Chao.

Yesterday afternoon, Wei Ji led 3,000 infantrymen to move in. After breakfast at dawn today, they began to cross the river one after another.

While they were crossing the river, a transport team also sailed into the Bashui River, advancing upstream to transport military supplies to Lantian.

At noon that day, Zhong Yao led more than 3,000 cavalrymen into the empty camp left by Wei Ji.

Only after getting closer to the Xinfeng and Qingzhou troops did Zhong Yao feel some sense of security.

This sense of security was not enough. He wanted to cross the river to the south bank of the Wei River. Only in this way could he avoid being attacked by the allied forces.

The main farming area in Guanzhong is in Weibei, and the main irrigation canals are also in Weibei.

Therefore, the various garrison commanders in Guanzhong also gathered on the north bank and generally stationed along the irrigation canals.

In some counties, there were even two generals, each with three to four thousand households under their command.

There is only one person in Weinan, Ma Teng.

Previously, the structure of Guanzhong was simple. Ma Teng was stationed in Huaili, occupying the eastern part of Youfufeng, close to the city of Chang'an; other garrison commanders occupied various excellent farming areas on the north bank of the Weishui River, as well as the western part of Youfufeng, namely Meixian and Chencang areas.

The Jingzhao Yin belonged to Zhong Yao, but the black bear came out from Wuguan Road and specifically targeted the Jingzhao Yin's jurisdiction.

By now, Zhong Yao has become a mere figurehead.

The elite infantry and cavalry carefully selected under his command began to become alienated from him.

These officials, who were proud and arrogant and generally came from good families, would rather follow a strong man than wander around Guanzhong with Zhong Yao and suffer all kinds of bad tempers.

Zhong Yao, who did not want his army to disintegrate or be attacked by the generals from Weibei, could only quickly lead his army to move to Weinan.

This is not only safe, but also gives the army hope and prevents mutiny.

As he expected, when the army approached Xinfeng and Qingzhou, the unrest quickly subsided.

Therefore, the next thing is very simple. He, who represents the imperial court as the Palace Attendant and the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards, will command the Tiger Tooth Army to put down the rebellion!
(End of this chapter)