Chapter 229 They Want to Wear Me Out
A strong wind came from the north.

The howling cold wind was mixed with snowflakes.

Looking around, the hazy sky exudes a breathtaking beauty.

But this unique beauty contains a sense of desolation that can never be dispelled.

"Woo~wu~wu~"

The sound of the wind roaring like a wild beast kept echoing in my ears.

Strong winds blew up the falling snow.

A scene that suggests winter is coming.

But what is strange is that the person standing on the ground, apart from the sounds heard in his ears, cannot feel any wind or snow on his body.

Looking up, the falling snowflakes seemed to be blocked by an invisible shield.

The strong wind and the white snow were all blocked in the sky.

A huge snow-white dome was formed, suspended above everyone's head.

This is definitely a shocking sight.

But the strange thing was that no one on the ground, whether they were business travelers or country folk, showed any surprise or even curiosity.

Everyone's expression was exactly the same.

Gloomy, solemn, and even with a hint of murderous intent.

And their eyes were all fixed on the same direction.

It was a mansion covering a very large area.

In the center of the mansion, there actually stands an entire towering mountain.

Built around the mountain, it has a sense of being the king of the mountain.

This unique style is definitely not common.

The most famous of them is naturally Xu Xiao’s Beiliang Palace.

Yes, this place is the core area of ​​Beiliang, Liangzhou City.

The mountain in front of us is Qingliang Mountain in the Beiliang Palace.

Ever since Gao Changsheng arrived in Beimang with his powerful might, the original situation of the surrounding countries has been disrupted.

Beimang and Liyang, the two old rivals, joined together for the first time in history.

Beiliang was also caught in a period of turmoil.

First, he lost Youzhou, and Gao Changsheng took away a piece of his flesh.

Immediately afterwards, they joined forces with the Mongols and the attack on Gao Changsheng was completely exposed.

It can be said that they have completely stood on the opposite side of this military god of the Sui Dynasty who has suffocated everyone.

Everyone who knew about this also understood that with Gao Changsheng's temper, he would definitely not let Beiliang go.

If the incident at Yumen Pass had not suddenly occurred in the Sui Dynasty and King Kaoshan had not died in battle, Gao Changsheng's cavalry would have already entered the territory of Beiliang.

What ordinary people can see clearly, certainly cannot be failed to be understood by Xu Xiao who has fought on the battlefield all his life.

In fact, ever since the news came back from the Ming Dynasty, Xu Xiao had already ordered the entire army to prepare for war.

All the brave generals guarding various places were gathered together, all the weapons and equipment in stock were distributed, and one by one, the elite troops entered the checkpoints.

The main forces of Liangzhou and the other two states are also slowly moving towards Youzhou.

As the saying goes, strike first to gain strength, strike later and suffer disaster.

Xu Xiao naturally understood this principle, although he had always tried his best to avoid Beiliang from interfering in the battlefield.

But it was inevitable. Xu Xiao would not hesitate.

Xu Xiao's military orders had already been issued to all the Beiliang armies.

Once Gao Changsheng and Temujin started fighting, the war became tense.

The Northern Liang army would immediately attack and take Youzhou first. If the opportunity is good, they would also covet the two Liao states and the Longyaojuzi states in the north.

Then wait for the situation to change.

If Gao Changsheng was defeated, they naturally would not have to face the crisis and could occupy these territories with peace of mind.

If Gao Changsheng won, he would not be able to attack them immediately after the bloody battle with Temujin.

Beiliang can use the conquered territory to discuss cooperation with Beimang, Liyang, Mongolia and other countries.

It is even possible to directly hand over the areas outside Youzhou to a few countries to form a protective barrier to protect Beiliang.

But Xu Xiao didn't expect it, or rather, no one in the world expected it.

The decisive battle between Gao Changsheng and Temujin will unfold in that situation.

And Temujin would be defeated so quickly.

When the news came back, it was like the sky falling for the people of several countries.

The troops from Beimang heading south, the troops from Liyang heading north, and the troops from Beiliang preparing to march east were all urgently stopped.

No one dared to face Gao Changsheng, who defeated Temujin with overwhelming force.

Even though he knew that Gao Changsheng would most likely attack him if he had time.

But whether it was Beimang Liyang or Beiliang, they all made a common choice.

After all, once he takes action, he will face Gao Changsheng first, and if he retreats temporarily, there will be a period of relaxation. There is no need to hesitate about what to choose.

Especially Xu Xiao, as one of the four famous generals of the Spring and Autumn Period and the military god of Liyang, he knows better than anyone else how terrifying the word "Tongtian" is.

A high and powerful being is enough to scare anyone.

From that moment on, Xu Xiao could no longer sit still.

The armor that had been put aside was finally taken off.

The butcher who made Li Yang uneasy and the whole Beimang country fear him, actually put on his armor again in such an environment.

The Beiliang Palace, which had been quiet for a long time, saw Xu Xiao’s general tent again.

At the same time, teams of envoys claiming to be from Beiliang also quickly left Liangzhou and headed in different directions.

But neither Xu Xiao, nor Li Yishan, including the Beiliang generals who were extremely excited to see Xu Xiao wearing armor, had expected this.

The first battle that Xu Xiao faced after returning to the tent was not Gao Changsheng, and the first enemy that Beiliang encountered was not Gao Changsheng, and he came so quickly.

"How's the situation ahead?"

The Beiliang Palace is no longer filled with the laughter and joy it once had.

All that came into view were teams of murderous armored knights.

The huge Beiliang Palace has completely turned into a general's tent.

"The Mongols have already deployed their forces outside Jubei City and are now launching fierce attacks day and night." A cold voice sounded.

In the big tent, the person sitting in the main seat was naturally Xu Xiao, and on his left was Li Yishan.

Surrounding them were Xu Xiao's adopted sons.

It was Chen Zhibao who spoke first.

"Father, the Mongol army came suddenly and broke through Hutou City to enter the pass. If they break through Jubei City, our Liangzhou will be defenseless." Yuan Zuozong on the other side said anxiously:
"Our army should send troops north as soon as possible to stabilize the situation in Jubei City first, and then drive the Yuan army back."

"That's right. Kublai Khan, who fled in panic in front of Gao Changsheng, dares to come to Beiliang to seek benefits. I suggest that we directly send out the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry." Another voice sounded.

Xu Xiao did not respond when he heard this, but turned to look at Li Yishan.

But if you look closely, you can see that Xu Xiao's lips are obviously pale at this time.

"Has Yan Wenyuan sent a letter asking for help?"

The Beiliang generals, including Xu Xiao, were headed by his six adopted sons.

Among them, Chu Lushan was crippled by Gao Changsheng at the border of Youzhou and there has been no news of him since then.

As for what happened to the disabled Chu Lushan, no one knows, but it is unlikely that the ending would be good.

The other five people were all in the tent at this time.

Of course, although Xu Xiao’s adopted sons play an important role in the army, the Beiliang Army is not limited to these few factions.

Among them, Yan Wenyuan is the most important one.

He is the commander of all the infantry of Beiliang.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Yan Wenyuan's infantry were always considered comparable to Ye Baikui's halberd soldiers of Western Chu.

They were not Beiliang's infantry, nor were they Xu Xiao's infantry, but Yan Wenyuan's infantry.

This alone is enough to show Yan Wenyuan's strength.

It's just that Yan Wenyuan doesn't fight or compete, nor does he form cliques, so in the eyes of outsiders, he has always been unknown.

"No news." Li Yishan said.

"The situation has not yet deteriorated to that extent. There is no rush."

"You guys step back first, I'll think about it."

"Godfather." Several urgent calls were heard all around.

"Back off." Xu Xiao waved his hand slowly. "Your Highness, what they said makes sense."

Li Yishan spoke softly.

"As the saying goes, if you defend too long, you will lose. No matter how powerful Yan Wenyuan's infantry is, if they continue to withstand such a high-intensity siege, there is no guarantee that there will be no problems."

"Especially after Hutou City was breached, our army's defense has changed from a point to a line. Even though there are several passes such as Jubei City, the risk has begun to increase exponentially."

"Even if you want to defend, you must attack for a while first."

"Cough, cough..."

Xu Xiao coughed lightly.

"Yishan, don't you find anything suspicious?"

"The Yuan army came in a mighty force, breaking through our Hutou City with the force of thunder, and almost in an instant they were at the gates of the city."

“But now, after attacking for several days and nights, it seems that it has not brought any pressure to Yan Wenyuan.”

Xu Xiao spoke softly.

Li Yishan was stunned for a moment: "If Hutou City is not taken, our army can defend along the mountain range and command the enemy from a high position."

"After taking over Hutou City, the advantage went to the Mongols. It is normal for them to slow down their attack."

"Also, I think Kublai Khan is probably waiting for Mongke's army."

Hearing this, Xu Xiao shook his head slightly.

"Maybe there was this reason before, but it's not anymore. Mongke has arrived."

"what?"

Li Yishan's face changed drastically.

Kublai Khan and Mongke are completely different.

One was just a prince, but the other was the supreme ruler of the Mongols. Especially after Temujin captured Xiangfan, Mongke's status in the Mongols was rising at an alarming rate.

With the arrival of this person, there is no doubt that Liu represents the real main force of the Mongols.

In other words, the number and quality of the Yuan army outside Jubei City and north of Liangzhou are likely to be far beyond their imagination.

"Your Highness." Li Yishan was a little anxious.

If what Xu Xiao said is true, they don't have much time to respond.

"Yishan, don't worry, cough, cough..."

Xu Xiao smiled gently.

But even though the corners of his mouth were raised, there was not a trace of smile in his eyes.

"Yishan, it's the same question again. Now that I'm telling you that Mengge has arrived and the battle situation in Jubei City, don't you find it strange?"

"You mean, the Yuan army did this on purpose?" Li Yishan frowned.

Xu Xiao didn't look back, but slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky.

Li Yishan also looked up and could clearly see the snow-white dome through the gaps in the tent.

That was a military formation, and the only person in Beiliang who could gather the strength of all the troops in Beiliang to set up such a large formation was Xu Xiao.

"Buzz~buzz~buzz~"

A barely visible vibration continuously emanated from the dome.

Li Yishan finally discovered something was wrong.

At the beginning, when Xu Xiao set up the battle formation, he and all the Beiliang generals thought that this was Xu Xiao's way of boosting morale.

When the army is in formation and the large banner is raised, all the Northern Liang troops will know at the first moment that their prince is about to put on armor and go into battle again.

A Beiliang army with Xu Xiao and a Beiliang army without Xu Xiao are definitely two completely different armies.

However, it has been three or four days since the formation was set up, especially since Xu Xiao just rejected the proposal to send troops north immediately.

Under such circumstances, Xu Xiao has not yet withdrawn his troops, which is obviously extremely abnormal.

After all, setting up a large formation, especially such a huge formation that encompasses the entire army, is also a huge drain on the commander-in-chief.

"Cough, cough..."

Xu Xiao coughed lightly:
"From the moment the battle of Jubei City began, the Mongol formation has been pressing down on our army."

"You only set up a large formation but didn't attack the city with all your strength. Brother Meng is waiting for me to make the first move."

Xu Xiao sighed softly.

Li Yishan's hole shrank.

He understood what Xu Xiao meant.

Everyone in the world knows that the biggest and strongest threats to Beiliang are two people, Xu Xiao and the Great Snow Dragon Rider.

It is obvious that the reason why the Yuan army maintained this rhythm was to wait for the appearance of Xu Xiao and the Great Snow Dragon Riders. In other words, they were most likely ready to deal with Xu Xiao's forces.

"What if our army never attacks?"

Only then did Li Yishan understand why Xu Xiao rejected the suggestions of several people.

"Then keep going, just enough to wear me out to death."

Xu Xiao shook his head.

With his old body, if he continues to maintain this confrontation, he will definitely be the first to fall.

"If I withdraw the main battle formation, the Mongolian army will instantly land at Jubei City and march straight in."

Li Yishan was silent.

Faced with this almost unsolvable situation, he could only remain silent.

It’s not that their wisdom is not as good as that of the Mongols.

This is the gap in overall strength. Compared with the Mongols, Beiliang is just a local force and has no advantage no matter from which perspective.

"So how do we do it..."

Li Yishan was also at a loss.

Xu Xiao didn't show any anxiety on his face:
"Any response from Li Yang?"

"Zhang Julu sent a message saying that he would try his best to provide us with some food and weapons, but he cannot send troops to support us, and Zhao Dun will not agree to it either."

"As expected."

Xu Xiao nodded, with no surprise or disappointment on his face.

"What about Daming?"

Xu Xiao turned his head and looked straight at Li Yishan.

"The Ming Dynasty responded and also mobilized some troops."

"The Iron-hearted Divine Marquis Zhu Wusi is in the army, but he is not the commander-in-chief."

"and……"

Having said that, Li Yishan fell into hesitation.

"what happened?"

"The Ming army's advance was not fast, and was even a little slow."

"Hahaha."

Hearing this, Xu Xiao was not angry, but laughed out loud.

"There are no fools in the world. How can the Ming Dynasty sacrifice their soldiers in vain to help us Beiliang?"

"Don't mention that the Ming Emperor will not agree. Even the Iron-hearted Divine Marquis has other ideas."

"This king has already anticipated this. All that matters is that they send out their troops."

"Your Highness already has a plan?" Li Yishan's eyes lit up.

"If it's not a plan, isn't it just about getting benefits? Just give it to them." Xu Xiao said decisively.

"what?"

"You can only gain if you give up something. When the chance of survival comes, the more you hesitate, the more you will lose."

Xu Xiao stood up slowly:

"Yishan, you go there in person. I will have the Yan soldiers escort you."

"It's better for him to stay with you. Just let Chen Zhibao go with me."

"Okay, take a team of light cavalry with you." Xu Xiao hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"When you go, first meet the commander of the Ming Dynasty and tell him my conditions. Then secretly meet Zhu Wusi and tell him..."

"After you finish this, return immediately. Fengnian, Weixiong and others may also be in the army. Take them with you."

"Remember, be quick, cough, cough..."

Li Yishan's expression changed, and he obviously realized something.

(End of this chapter)