Chapter 53 Chapter Four Books from Two Places

In addition, Nanyang prefect Zhenfu and captain Liang Qiuci gathered together to defeat the Han army in Xiaochang'an, so the flying horse reported to Chang'an for credit.Wang Mang was overjoyed, he rewarded generously, and issued an imperial edict: "The rebels will not be tolerated, Qing and others will do their best!" Little Chang'an gathered for a battle, and Cen Peng made great contributions. Taking advantage of Zhen Fu and Liang Qiuci's good mood, Cen Peng asked to release his mother, wife and children who were imprisoned in Wancheng Prison.But Zhen Fu asked coldly: "Has Jiyang ever been recovered?" Cen Peng bowed his head and replied: "No." Zhen Fu said: "Jiyang was lost because of the king. Not too late." Although Zhen Fu's answer was mean and ungrateful, it cannot be said that it was unreasonable, and Cen Peng had nothing to say, so he could only accept it silently.

Zhenfu and Liangqiuci recruited another 50,000 soldiers, plus the original strength, a total of 100,000 troops, intending to crush the Han army in one fell swoop.Cen Pengjin remonstrated: "Although there are many soldiers in our army today, most of them are new recruits. They don't learn orders and have not been practiced. They are really not good enough. Liu Yan called new soldiers to the river. When the soldiers arrive, the general Yan Youyan must also They chased after them. In my opinion, I should wait for General Yan to lead his troops to come, and then our army will come out and attack front and back, and the Han army will be defeated."

Zhen Fu had other ideas, and said: "The soldiers from the river just came to give us gifts. How can we return Yan You and let him take advantage? The emperor sent Yan You to Jingzhou to suppress the bandits. The officials in Jingzhou are incompetent. How can we be ashamed and courageous? Since the Xiajiang soldiers came to our door, let's come to him to be the first to be strong. In addition to destroying the Han army, we also wiped out the Xiajiang soldiers by the way. I earned face there, proving that Jingzhou has capable people, and it also made Yan Youkong very happy, chasing Jiang Bing from Nanjun to Nanyang, but made wedding clothes for us for nothing." Speaking of excitement, Zhen Fu got up, Xiang Nan cupped his hands towards Kong Kong, and said with a joking smile: "General Yan, I'm sorry, thank you very much."

Cen Peng said bluntly: "It is a taboo for military strategists to fight for merit in battle. The prefect and general Yan are both important ministers of the country. They should work together for the safety of the country. How can they rush forward because of selfishness?" Zhen Fu said angrily, "Why doesn't this old man care about his family and the country? This old man is all about making meritorious deeds for the country, what's wrong?" Cen Peng secretly sighed, Zhen Fu's move is clearly harming the country and harming the country in the name of patriotism.As a subordinate, Cen Peng did not dare to disobey the will of the chief too much, so he took a step back and remonstrated: "Building meritorious service for the country does not necessarily have to go to war. Now that the Han army has just joined forces, each department has its own thoughts. It is better to take the opportunity to fight. , Send a letter to invite surrender, buy Liu Yan's head with a generous reward, and pardon the crimes of the refugees with a clear law, then it will not cost a single soldier, the Han army collapses, and Liu Yan bestows the head, isn't it also kind?"

Zhen Fu snorted coldly, "Surrender?" Throwing the imperial edict on the ground, he said angrily, "Isn't you illiterate? The emperor's imperial edict clearly states that you should try your best, but you are always discouraged here. If it weren't for the old man's love of talents, you would have been punished by military law." , stop talking!" Cen Peng refused to shut up, and tried to persuade: "It's winter, it's freezing, and marching is difficult. In a few days, it will be New Year's Eve, and the festive season is approaching. The soldiers are tired of fighting, so it is better to take this opportunity to rest. If you must fight, It’s better to wait until the next spring is warm, and then fight again.”

Zhen Fu couldn't bear it anymore, and angrily scolded: "There are so many excuses! Isn't it cold and cold on the side of the Han army? After the defeat of the Han army, is the fighting spirit higher than that of our army? I have made up my mind, and the benefit is to fight quickly. If you are brave enough to chase the poor, you should not be known as the overlord." Therefore, Zhenfu and Liangqiuci left all their supplies in Lanxiang, led 100,000 elite soldiers, and carried food for ten days, and crossed the Huangchun River in the south. Retire, never return.The army is facing Bishui and set up camp.

Cen Peng turned pale with shock, good Zhen Fu, you just said that you can't sell yourself as a king, but you slapped yourself in the blink of an eye, imitating Xiang Yu's failure.Is it necessary to play so badly?Obviously it is our absolute advantage, but he insists on making himself look like a mourning soldier.What is not masochism?So he bit the bullet and remonstrated: "Prudence is the most important thing when using troops. If you go straight forward today, if you fall, will you retreat? Antuo will retreat? The bridge must not be burned, and it must be left as a retreat. Advance and retreat have evidence, which is a safe strategy."

Zhen Fu was proud of himself for using such a clever trick, how could he let Cen Peng feel disappointed, and replied angrily: "Xiang Yu rescued Zhao. After crossing, the ship sank and broke the steamer. He took three days of rations. He will die and never return. Therefore, Qin can be defeated. This is what the law of war says. Put it to death and then live, how can you reserve a way out? If you leave a way out, the soldiers will not die and fight." After finishing speaking, the meaning was still unfinished, and he showed off: "Tell you, I This is not enough. "Six Secret Teachings Must Come Out" says: "First burn my luggage, and burn my food." I keep the luggage and food and don't burn it. If Jiang Taigong has a spirit in heaven, I'm afraid he will laugh at me for keeping it. "

Putting them to death and then reviving them can sometimes achieve miraculous results. The soldiers are in a desperate situation, they will survive if they fight bravely, and they will die if they are not brave.This mentality can be well explained by a dialogue in the American drama "Band of Brothers". The background of the story is a group of American paratroopers parachuted in Normandy, surrounded by the German army, it can be said that they are in a dead end.Private Bryce was too timid to hide in the trenches to meet the enemy, while Platoon Leader Harry single-handedly took out a German machine gun.Bryce asked the platoon leader Harry, who replied, "Do you know why you dare not fight? It's not because you're afraid, but because you think there's hope, that you might make it back alive. In fact, your only hope is to accept the fact that you are dead, to fight like a soldier, without mercy, without pity, without conscience. Victory depends on this."

The soft ones are afraid of the hard ones, the hard ones are afraid of the violent ones, the horizontal ones are afraid of the deadly ones, and the deadly ones are afraid of the deadly ones.When the soldiers know that they are dead before going to the battlefield, the combat power aroused in such a mental state is usually indeed irresistible. However, soldiers are impermanent. On the battlefield, you can use the same move to defeat all enemies at certain times, or some enemies at all times, but you cannot use the same move to defeat all enemies at all times.With the changes of time, place, characters and events, blindly sticking to the rules and copying the ancients' military tactics mechanically, the result can only be a tiger instead of a dog.

As the saying goes, like a father, like a son, like a king, like his ministers.Like Wang Mang, Zhen Fu is obsessed with showmanship and acting. If he wins in a mediocre way, how can he reflect his extraordinary acting skills?Cen Peng knew that it would be useless to remonstrate, so he had to leave the camp sadly. A wave of sadness came to his heart, and he just wanted to find a place where no one was around and run away. Standing in the cold wind of a winter night, Cen Peng's heart was colder than the cold wind. He knew that Liu Yan was bound to lose, but Zhen Fu's stupid trick gave Liu Yan a chance.After Liu Yan's disastrous defeat, he was supposed to be desperate for help, and the reinforcements he had just called down to the river increased his strength greatly, but he still dared not attack the officers and soldiers, because he couldn't find any weak spots in the officers and soldiers, and he had no chance of winning.Although Liu Yan knew that the situation would become more unfavorable for him every day it was delayed, but he could only wait helplessly, waiting for the officers and soldiers to show their flaws, or waiting for himself to be dragged to death.Therefore, as long as the officers and soldiers stand still, it is the greatest initiative.When Yan You's army arrived and attacked back and forth, the Han army was completely useless.However, Zhen Fu was eager to show off his skills and insisted on putting him to death to survive, so there was a flaw.Now it depends on whether Liu Yan has enough wisdom to seize the flaw and turn the tide of the battle. Seeing that Zhen Fu was unshakable, Cen Peng simply did it himself and secretly built the bridge as a way out.As soon as the bridge was repaired, someone reported to Zhen Fu.Zhen Fu came in person, spitting and yelling at Cenpeng: "I lead one hundred thousand elite soldiers, while the Han army has less than ten thousand. If I lose such a battle, do you think I still have the face to cross this bridge?" Defeat and retreat back to Wancheng?" After speaking, he gave an order, and the newly built bridge was burned. Cen Peng spoke boldly, and said vigorously: "Since the bridge has been burned, my subordinates have nothing to say, but anyway, it is not appropriate to leave the baggage in Lanxiang without heavy soldiers guarding it. Please send five thousand troops to the prefect. Lanxiang, strengthen your defenses." Seeing that Cen Peng still dared to criticize his command, Zhen Fu was furious, and shouted: "Cen Peng has no military discipline, and he violated the law. : "Before the battle, kill the general yourself first, it will be bad luck for the army." Then Zhen Fu calmed down, ordered Cen Peng to be imprisoned, and said: "Let me save your life for a few days, and let you see with your own eyes how the old man defeats the enemy! " After the deployment of Zhenfu's army, the camp stretched for several miles, facing the Han army across the river.It was the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and in two days it would be New Year's Eve. After a cat catches a mouse, it often doesn't enjoy it right away. It always has to tease it enough before it is willing to eat it officially.Zhen Fu also has the same habit. Before launching an attack, he still doesn't forget to tease his opponent.Zhen Fu and Liu Liang used to be a Lang Guan in Chang'an back then, and they had a good personal relationship, but when performing on the battlefield, the enemy is undoubtedly the best audience.Zhen Fu then transferred a letter to Liu Liang, whose writing was very frivolous, saying: "Zhen has led a hundred thousand soldiers, and he is ordered to hunt down the thieves. At sunrise tomorrow, the two roads will go out together, and they will cross the Bi River, and discuss the army with the king. Please give me your advice." Liu Liang scolded angrily after receiving the book, "Zhen Fu, Zhen Fu, you are too arrogant. You dare to publicize the time of attack and tactics in advance, and you clearly don't take our Han army seriously."After Liu Liang finished cursing, he started to panic again. The disparity in strength between the two sides is such that Zhen Fu is indeed qualified to be arrogant.Liu Liang met Liu Yan with a book and asked: "Tomorrow when the sun rises, the enemy will come to fight in a large scale. How do you plan to come out?" After reading the book, Liu Yan put it aside and went out of the tent.Liu Liang followed and questioned.Liu Yan pointed to the sky and said: "It's a rare snow scene, why don't uncle enjoy it with me?" Liu Liang looked up, and it really snowed.But there are snowflakes, as big as a pillow mat, dancing wildly in the sky under the howling north wind, and the vast sky and earth are all the same color and white.Liu Liangchi looked at it for a moment, then suddenly came to his senses, and said angrily, "What time is it, do you still have the heart to appreciate the snow? Where is this snow? It's clear that the heavens are weeping for us." Liu Yan said with an unpredictable smile: "Uncle's words are wrong. This snow is a gift from heaven, how can we not reward it!" Liu Liang became more and more angry, catastrophe is imminent, you still want to imitate Xie An, the later generation, pretending to be a celebrity, and was about to scold, but Liu Yan leaned over and whispered in his ear: "Just so and so, so and so, Although there are many officers and soldiers, there is nothing they can do.” Liu Liang was overjoyed when he heard the words, so he wrote back a letter to Zhen Fu, expressing his humble resignation and generous gift, saying: "Liang's wife and children all died in the battle in Little Chang'an. After suffering such a tragic change, Liang felt disgusted with the world early. He only thought of his children and family members. Since he started the army, he lived in the wind, slept in the open, hungry and cold all day long, and suffered all kinds of hardships without any joy. It's really pitiful. Liang is in the heart I can't bear it, dare to ask the prefect to delay the battle for a day, but I hope that after the New Year's Eve, the children and family members will light firecrackers and enjoy singing and dancing. I can block the car, but I am willing to accept the appointment of the prefect, go round the battlefield, and never give up. I know that the prefect is benevolent, so I will accept it." When Zhen Fu received the book, he was very happy and showed the book to all the generals.If the officers, soldiers and soldiers originally had the intention of dying, after reading Liu Liang's book, they suddenly felt that they underestimated the enemy, and suddenly felt that it was impossible for them to die in battle.Once he felt that he could not die in battle, he naturally refused to fight to the death. Soon another spy came to report that the Han army had dismantled all the bamboo rafts moored on the bank of Bishui, cut up the bamboo, tied it into bundles, and transported it back to the camp.When Zhenfu heard the news, he was very proud. The Han army destroyed the bamboo rafts, which obviously gave up the attack. They only wanted to destroy the rafts to get bamboo and burn them on New Year's Eve. Zhen Fu decided to be merciful, let the Han army have a good year, let them live one more day, it is equivalent to let them live one more year, what a merit!Zhen Fu then wrote a reply to Liu Liang, but his writing was still frivolous, saying: "You can spend New Year's Eve with peace of mind. On New Year's Day, Zhen will lead an army of 100,000 to pay you New Year's greetings."