Chapter 288 Using yourself as bait
The 30,000 Jin soldiers were defeated in Jiexiu. When the Pingbei cavalry gave up the pursuit, the defeated troops gathered in Pingyao at the same time. In the end, Puluhu only gathered more than 10,000 exhausted cavalry.

The people of Pingyao were relocated and left deserted for more than a year. At this time, the area around the county was covered with tall wild grass, and the war horses could replenish their energy at will. However, most of the two-day rations carried by the Jin army soldiers were lost in the fierce battle.

Faced with the crisis of food shortage, Puluhu accepted the suggestion of Deputy Governor Heifeng and killed hundreds of injured horses to satisfy his hunger.

At night, the Jin army stayed in Pingyao. Heifeng saw that Puluhu was eating horse meat and it tasted like chewing wax. He immediately comforted him: "Prince, this is not the time to be sad. There is nothing in this deserted city. We must confirm the evacuation direction as soon as possible. If Yang Chang pursues us relentlessly, I am afraid that more soldiers will be lost."

"Humph, we are all cavalry, Yang Chang wants to chase"

Puluhu was halfway through his words when he saw the roasted horse meat in his hand. He suddenly realized something was wrong. He thought that if he killed hundreds of horses tonight, hundreds of people would lose their legs. If they were chased, they would surely die. So he changed the subject and asked, "What suggestions do you have?"

"Marshal Wushi divided the troops in Taiyuan into four parts. The closest camp of the Pucha Shijianu tribe is in Pantuo. I think we should move closer to it."

"Puchashi's slaves only have a little over 20,000 soldiers, and most of them are infantry. Even with our 10,000 cavalry, do you think we can stop Yang Chang? Don't forget that we were defeated head-on in Jiexiu this morning."

"This"

Heifeng was speechless after being asked by Puluhu.

In the battle in the morning, not only did his soldiers lose their morale, but even he himself, as the deputy governor, lost confidence.

He had never fought against Yang Chang before. He only knew that famous generals such as Basuli, Yin Shuke and Lou Shi had been defeated by him one after another. He also heard that Yang Chang liked to use tricks, but he did not expect that even in a fair fight, the Jin army still ended up in a miserable defeat.

As he lowered his head in deep thought, he heard Puluhu speak again.

"If Yang Chang is determined to pursue and lead the pursuers to Pucha Shi Jianu, it will affect the plan to attack Weisheng. At this time, Yang Chang appeared in Fenzhou and brought such a powerful army. They should be the most elite group under his command. Therefore, Luzhou, Weisheng, Liaozhou and Zezhou will definitely have problems."

"What the eldest prince meant."

"Since I have met this living devil, I cannot leave with humiliation. So, you send someone to Wenshui to deliver the message overnight, and then find a way to lure Yang Chang to Wenshui to delay time for the other attack points."

"You want to use yourself as bait?"

Hei Feng was surprised when he heard this, and quickly reminded him: "This is too risky. Besides, if Yang Chang doesn't pursue us anymore, it seems meaningless to return to Wenshui. Why not..."

"I am the eldest son of His Majesty. For the benefit of the Great Jin Kingdom, the risk is worth it. I have made up my mind. If Yang Chang does not continue to pursue me, I will try to lure him away. You are also an old hunter, so you don't need to teach me this, right?"

"Uh"

Seeing Puluhu's strong words, Heifeng waved his hand and responded: "No need, I will definitely get it done."

He originally wanted to seize the military power of the Western Route Army through war, but he was unlucky and ran into his strongest opponent Yang Chang, and was defeated two times in two days. At this time, Puluhu used himself as bait and actually had no other choice.

Whether he fled directly or sought refuge with the slaves of Puchashi, he could neither explain to Erlido nor to Wuqimai in the capital.

Saili and Wanyan Pucha were killed in battle one after another. If Puluhu fails to make outstanding contributions, the two forces may turn to Nianhan, which will affect the stability of Wuqimai's imperial power.

Heifeng was originally a general under Loushi. After Loushi was killed in battle, he was incorporated into the army of Wushi by Nianhan. This time, as Wanyan Pucha's deputy general, he was both a backup plan left by Wushi for the Western Route Army and an eye arranged there.

Therefore, after receiving Puluhu's order, Heifeng not only sent his personal soldiers to Wenshui to pass on the order, but also reported the news to Wushi, Pucha Shijianu and Yelu Yudu respectively, encouraging them to attack more vigorously on the east and central fronts.

That night, the Jin army ran out of food and killed horses to satisfy their hunger, but the Pingbei army in Xiaoyi ate the Jin army's rations.

The fighting was fierce during the day. After the soldiers had eaten and drunk their fill, they leaned against the street to rest.

Nianhan's forced relocation of the people of Fenzhou did not mean that Fenzhou was uninhabited. The brave people from the nearby counties and prefectures saw that it was a pity to leave the fertile land idle, so they moved to the land to cultivate crops. At that time, there were only about 30 households living in Xiaoyi City.

These people came from the upper reaches of Shengshui River, and were villagers in Baibi Village, Xizhou. However, when they heard that tens of thousands of troops had come to the city, they were so scared that they closed their doors and dared not go out on the streets. It was not until the next day that Han Tao posted a notice to reassure the people that they knew that Guangming Tianzun had arrived. By then, Yang Chang had already led the cavalry away. This is a story for another time. (Shengshui River flows from west to east through Xiaoyi and is one of the tributaries of Fenshui River.)
Yang Chang was determined to recapture Fenzhou this time. Seeing that there were civilians in the city, he ordered that no one should be disturbed, and even the abandoned houses were not allowed to be entered.

At first, many people from Fenzhou moved to Pingbei Army. If they wanted to return to their homeland after Fenzhou was recovered, they could inherit and use it in Xiaoyi. However, as the leader of the three armies, they could not simply rest on the streets.

Even if there are no tents set up, the location of the central army must be determined, otherwise the command will be confused.

That night, Yang Chang's central army was set up in the Xiaoyi County Government Office, and he issued the tasks for the next day during dinner. That is, the infantry would stay behind to wait for Ruan Xiaoer and Ruan Xiaowu, and sort out the spoils such as war horses, armor, and weapons. The cavalry would set out for Pingyao at yin time.

According to the intelligence gathered by the Night Owl Army, Puluhu led the remnants to retreat to Pingyao for the night. Yang Chang believed that his cavalry was sufficient and there was no need to let the infantry run away. The infantry should save their energy to attack Yangqu.

So as soon as dinner was over, all the cavalry officers went to rest early, and the infantry officers also said goodbye and left the county government office because they were in a hurry to fight. The only exception was Liu Tang.

Liu Tang was thinking about the promise Yang Chang made in the morning. When he heard about tomorrow's arrangements during dinner, he wanted to say something but hesitated. However, when he saw Yang Chang's wink, he dared not speak. He mistakenly thought that the situation had changed and left with the crowd.

But he walked out of the county government office with a heavy heart, and stopped to look back at the flickering fire in the hall, thinking that Yang Chang always kept his promises, maybe I can learn from him tonight, and then I can take it to the battlefield for training tomorrow?

Thinking of this, Liu Tang quickly turned back and saw that Yang Chang was still sitting in the same position.

"elder brother."

"Come to me to learn horse riding?"

"Hey, you opened your mouth this morning. Is it convenient tonight?"

"Of course, I'm waiting for you."

Hearing what Yang Chang said, Liu Tang was delighted and asked, "Brother, you have a good talent for riding, so you must have some special tricks, right? I will learn from you for one night, and can I go to Pingyao with you tomorrow?"

"can."

"I just know it, no. You mean it's okay?"

Liu Tang was in a daze when he heard the word "no". When he realized it, his expression became even more exaggerated. He said rapidly, "The soldiers are already resting. Where are you going to teach them, brother? Outside the city? I'll go get the horse right away."

"Don't worry."

Yang Chang waved his hand to interrupt Liu Tang, showing his palm and slowly turning it over, and said seriously: "I followed Tong Guan to Yanjing before, and I met a master who taught me a wonderful method. I have been practicing morning and night for the past two years. I have just comprehended the method and can directly instill knowledge with magic power, so it is easy to teach me riding skills."

"Then I'll be fast."

After Liu Tang finished speaking, he swallowed hard and couldn't help but jump up.

Yang Chang added in a deep voice: "This method consumes cultivation, and not everyone can use it. It also requires certain qualifications, so you must keep it secret!"

"Don't worry, brother. I'm always very tight-lipped. Oh, and here's my qualification."

"If you don't have the qualifications, would I take the initiative to bring it up?"

"Great!"

Liu Tang waved his fists wildly, unable to suppress his joy. He shook his arms twice and asked again: "Then when?"

"Take two steps forward and get closer to me."

"well."

Yang Chang watched Liu Tang approach, took out a [Riding Skill Talisman] from his arms, and tapped it on the center of his brow on Liu Tang's broad purple face, while silently chanting a spell: Mountains are unpredictable, and great fruits cannot be eaten. A gentleman gets a carriage, while a villain loses his hut.

The moment Liu Tang stepped forward, he was still worried whether the magic would work. After all, this method was unheard of. He was afraid that Yang Chang would be deceived and he would be happy. Could the master he met in Yanjing be Luo Zhenren from Erxian Mountain?
Mr. Yiqing doesn't have this ability, so why would his master pass it on to the general?

Watching Yang Chang's lips trembling as he performed the ritual, Liu Tang was so nervous that his heart seemed to hang in mid-air. But soon he felt a warmth between his brows, and a large amount of knowledge about riding skills flooded into his mind.

Is this actually true?

The horsemanship Liu Tang received was not from the horsemanship expert he originally wanted to give, but from the horsemanship expert trained by Wanyan Pucha.

The head was brought by Liu Tang anyway, so Yang Chang thought it was inappropriate to give it to someone of a lower rank. He left it to Wu Song anyway as a [Master of Riding], and [Expert of Riding] was not rare.

Learning to ride a horse is actually not difficult. As long as you are not timid, you can learn it. Liu Tang and Wu Song can also ride a horse, but if you want to gallop freely, you have to practice for a long time, and the most difficult thing is to fight on horseback.

The techniques and forces required for horse fighting and foot fighting are different, and one must coordinate with the mount, which requires accumulating experience through battles or having someone teach one the moves. Wu Song and Liu Tang have already made a name for themselves in foot fighting. If they were to practice horse fighting from scratch like newcomers, they would both feel embarrassed, and they also have no time to practice due to their busy military duties.

At this time, after being "initiated" by Yang Chang, Liu Tang was ecstatic and shouted: "Brother, I think I have succeeded."

"Don't move yet."

"Oh"

The excited Liu Tang froze again, and Yang Chang took out another red talisman from his arms. The special effect was a defensive attribute talisman with the effect of [Tenacity]. Of course, no matter what color the talisman was, it was completely invisible to outsiders.

Based on Liu Tang's [unprepossessing appearance], Yang Chang thinks it is appropriate to equip him with a defensive attribute to fight in the front row. Although he cannot be almost invulnerable like Li Kui, with 30% physical damage reduction, he will not be fatal.

"Okay, you can go test the horse before going to bed, but if you can't get up at Yinshi, you don't have to go to Pingyao."

"Brother, you have been so kind to me in bestowing the Dharma. I cannot repay you even if I sacrifice my life. I will definitely kill more enemies in the future."

Although Liu Tang had not tried the horse yet, he could feel that he had mastered the riding skills and his body had made some clever changes. He couldn't explain why but it felt good. When he clasped his fists to express his gratitude, he noticed beads of sweat on Yang Chang's forehead. He immediately thought that passing on the Dharma would consume his cultivation, so he prostrated himself.

"Go."

"Yes"

Seeing Liu Tang turn around and leave, Yang Chang raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, thinking that his excuse had come true. It turned out that chanting the spell really consumed the energy in Dantian, and the consumption was much more fierce than that of [Eye of Insight].

The Dantian at the fifth level of Qi Refining is like a small lake. The [Eye of Insight] can be used at will, but the "transmission of power" to Liu Tang just now consumed one-tenth of it.

Fortunately, hunters are slow to reach full-level skills. If they had awakened [Mountain Peeling] two years earlier, they probably wouldn't have been able to use the skill talisman even if they had it. Even if they could have used it, their masts and oars would have been reduced to ashes.

In this case, one must be cautious when "transmitting skills" at this time. Perhaps when the realm is further improved, it will be as easy as the [Eye of Insight].

After using up two skills on Liu Tang, Yang Chang still had one command attribute symbol, three riding skill symbols, two gun and stick skill symbols, one hunter skill symbol, and one archery skill symbol left.

Han Tao, Xuan Zan, Shi Qian and the three Ruan brothers who joined the expedition were all Yang Chang's absolute die-hard fans. Even if each of them was given one more ticket, there would still be some left over. However, Yang Chang had not thought of a distribution plan at this time, and he planned to see how Liu Tang performed tomorrow.

The red-haired ghost, who had received the "initiation", left the county government office and found his team's campsite, and led out a "showy" white horse from the back.

That's right, Yang Chang asked him to pick a good horse, but he had no experience in horse selection, so he picked a white horse after much searching.

Han Tao was camping outdoors with his infantry at night. When he saw someone riding a horse passing by in the moonlight, he immediately rushed out from under the eaves at the side of the street.

"Which battalion of cavalry are you from? Why are you wandering around without resting?"

"Manager Han, it's me, Liu Tang!"

"Liu Tongzhi? Is it really you?"

Seeing Liu Tang dismount smoothly, Han Tao showed a puzzled expression. He looked him up and down in the moonlight and asked, "Are you practicing riding at night?"

"Well, I will go to Pingyao tomorrow. I have just given instructions to my soldiers. I'll have to trouble Chief Han to take care of it."

"No, are you serious? Did the commander agree?"

"Yes, otherwise why would I come to disturb you? Please."

Liu Tang clasped his fists and saluted, while Han Tao murmured with a bitter face, "Did you compete with Xuan Zan? But since the Grand Commandant has agreed, I should help you take charge of the infantry. However, we have to set out at 5:00 am tomorrow, so you should..."

"I'm going to practice riding outside the city."

"Sharpening your weapons before the battle? Although there is moonlight tonight, but..."

Before Han Tao could finish his words, he saw Liu Tang jump up and saddle himself to mount the horse. His graceful movements did not seem like those of a novice at all.

This guy, has he been practicing secretly before? Why does he seem to be better at riding than me?
Liu Tang was afraid of affecting others, so he pulled the reins and led his horse slowly out of the city. In the deserted wilderness, he sped up and galloped away.

At that moment, he seemed like a boy who had just learned how to ride a motorcycle, enjoying the spring breeze on the moonlit fields, or like a little boy who picked up a suitable stick on a country path and frequently swung the machete in his hand at the towering plant stems.

Play without getting tired, time passes by like flowing water.

In a blink of an eye, horses neighed in the city, and it was the agreed time.

Liu Tang waited directly at the east gate of Xiaoyi, and Xuan Zan was surprised when he passed by and saw him.

"General Liu, why are you here in the middle of the night?"

"Just like you, waiting to go to Pingyao to kill the enemy."

"The commander agrees?"

"Ah."

"It seems you have begged for mercy a lot. Don't be too brave when you first learn to ride a horse. Horses tend to get wild when the battle starts, and it takes experience to control them. You should learn from me first."

Xuan Zan was still trying to persuade him earnestly, completely unaware that Liu Tang's riding skills had surpassed his own. The cavalry then simply assembled outside the city and followed Yang Chang to Pingyao under the stars.

The sun rises in the east. Walk towards the sun and it will become brighter and brighter.

It was just daybreak and Yang Chang could already see Pingyao City from afar.

"Xuan Zan, order the entire army to dismount immediately and eat and rest on the spot."

"Yes."

"Liu Tang, Shi Qian, follow me to scout ahead."

"Yes!"

At the same time, on the second floor of Fenshui Hotel on West Street in Wenshui County, Shi Xiu anxiously knocked on the door.

"Brother, something big has happened!"

(End of this chapter)