The night is heavy and cold, the burning campfire can not withstand the cold in the mountain. Except for the soldiers in charge of the guard, most of the stragglers had already fallen asleep next to the fire, and the only sound in the silent valley besides the crackling sound of burning firewood was the soldiers' sleepy voices from time to time.

Ma Yue sat against an ancient tree, bright deep black eyes looking up at the sky full of stars, sleepless.

Last night's battle with Yuan Yin's cavalry in Luyang was a hasty affair, and the resilience and tenacity of the Han army was beyond Ma Yue's imagination. Even in the case of a sudden attack, the Han army was still able to hold the line of defense in the face of danger, and then quickly launched a counter-attack, almost extinguishing the 500 stragglers that Ma Yue had brought out of the city in one fell swoop.

Luckily, Ma Yue was prepared for this, and each straggler carried with him a few small packets of lime powder, which played an unimaginable power at the critical moment and finally helped the 800 stragglers to win this battle of great significance! And only at a very small cost.

The battle of Luyang was of great significance! Not only did they gain more than a thousand horses out of thin air, but also turned the 800 stragglers into a clean cavalry army. Of course, Ma Yue did not naively think that with war horses, the 800 stragglers would immediately become an elite cavalry army. It's not that simple, it's not easy to train a qualified cavalryman, the current 800 stragglers are at best a group of infantry on horseback.

But even so, these horses are still very significant for the 800 pirates, at least, the 800 pirates will roam much faster and the Han army will be more defensible.

However, what is more important than getting a large number of horses is that after this battle, the 800 pirates have completely crossed the hurdle of the Han army, such an elite cavalry army was defeated under the 800 pirates, if you look at the whole Han Empire, who can compete with them? Now, the 800 stragglers have fully deserved the title of "Division of Tigers and Wolves".

When they have a territory in the future, they will train this division of tigers and wolves severely, then they will be an iron-blooded division that can never be defeated and can never be broken.

Up to today, the wolf plan can be said to be a complete success! This group of farmers, who used to only know how to carry hoes and grind the ground, now finally had a qualitative change, and now they, with sharp claws and teeth, strong will, ruthless and cold, had completely transformed from sheep being eaten to vicious wolves eating sheep.

Now, there is no power that can stop them from surviving in this chaotic world. From today onwards, the goal of the eight hundred bandits will no longer be simply to live, but to live better! It seems to be time to find a piece of land, but where is the land of the Eight Hundred Rangers?

It is never possible to stand on the Central Plains.

Ma Yue would never be so arrogant that he could occupy a large city with only 800 men and claim the heart of the Han Empire.

Besides the Central Plains, where should the eight hundred stragglers go?

There was a sudden commotion outside the valley, and several pairs of cold crows were startled and flew to the empty mountain in the distance with their wings fluttering. Ma Yue abruptly looked up, only to see the pagoda-like figure of Guan Hai coming at a fast pace, followed by the frosty-faced Pei Yuan Shao behind Guan Hai.

......

The atmosphere in the council hall of Pheasant County was dull, almost all the strategists and military generals under Yuan Shu were present, even Huang Zhong and Wei He were also urgently summoned to participate in the proceedings, all of them frowning and with heavy expressions. The scouts had just reported that the 800 stragglers had bypassed Wancheng and fled south to the area of Jing Mountain, where they had merged with the stragglers' suspected soldiers trapped in Jing Mountain.

"Things are very difficult!" Kuai Yue pondered for a long time and sighed, "The 800 stragglers are brave and brave, they come and go like the wind, now they have the help of war horses, they are like a tiger with wings, they can't be defended against!"

Jin Shang agreed in a rare way, "Yes, if we send less troops, we are afraid of being unpredictable, if we send more troops, the food and provisions needed will be huge, and the march will be slow, how can we catch up with the eight hundred stragglers? It is difficult."

Li Yan said, "What is more difficult is that the eight hundred stragglers are completely different from the ancient bandits, neither defending the city nor occupying the mountain as the king, plundering, moving like the wind, it is completely difficult to guess their next march direction, purpose, so our army can not judge their intentions, and there is no way to make the corresponding arrangements, alas ~ ~"

Sun Jian, who had just recovered from his injuries, grunted and said through gritted teeth, "In that case, is our army only waiting for death?"

Sun Jian's expression is hideous, a linen bandage wrapped diagonally around his head, his left eye completely covered, the right eye exposed but still shining brightly, the killing machine flowing. The previous battle in Pheasant County, Sun Jian almost died under Ma Yue's sword, but fortunately his fierce general Huang Gai arrived in time, an arrow shot Ma Yue back, to pick up a life, by the army with the doctor's efforts to rescue, finally saved the right eye, but unfortunately a left eye is forever blind.

"That is not so, although our army is passive, but still occupies an absolute advantage. Eight hundred stragglers' attacks are a headache, but if they can pose a threat to our army, they are overestimated." Kuai Yue thought about it and said to Yuan Shu, "General, Yue has three strategies to choose from."

Yuan Shu said, "Let's try it."

Kuai Yue said, "The lower strategy is to lure and destroy them, the middle strategy is to gather heavy troops to drive them away, the upper strategy is to deep ditch and high fortress, to implement the wall to clear the field, then the stragglers are difficult to supply and naturally avoid him."

Yuan Shu frowned and said, "Deep ditch and high fortress, wall and clear field can make the stragglers retreat, but it is protracted, fearing that the imperial court will not allow, the son of heaven blame, lure and annihilate is too risky, Ma Yue cunning as a fox may not fall for it, if the design is not appropriate and fear for the enemy to take advantage of, I want to assemble heavy troops to expel, I do not know what you think?"

The middle strategy of Kuai Yue can be said to coincide with Yuan Shu's original intention, 800 hundred stragglers in the front, poisoning, free and happy, he is chasing after, taking advantage of the situation to receive territory, planting cronies, can be said to take what they want, as for the people's suffering, the people's life and death, and what does it have to do with him Yuan Shu?

The first thing is that if you want to gather heavy troops to drive them away, you must first do two things well." Kuai Yue said: "If you want to gather heavy troops to drive them away, you must first do two things well.

Yuan Shu said, "What is it?"

Kuai Yue said: "First, in the pass, the key, dangerous mountain peak, riverside wilderness and other places to accumulate wood as a platform, more white grass, once found the movement of stray pirates, you can raise the fire as a horn, one to the nearby counties, township warning, the second can lead the army to chase and chase them. Second, after the army left the city, the counties are empty, must first recruit more volunteer soldiers, and diligent training, although not enough to kill the enemy, but can be used to defend the city."

Yuan Shu said, "Good! Yuan Huo can arrange manpower to build beacon towers as soon as possible, as for the recruitment of volunteer soldiers and training, you can edict all counties to do so immediately."

Kuai Yue said, "The army should not be gathered in one place, nor too scattered, the size of each road army to a thousand people is appropriate, do not seek to break the enemy, but to protect themselves, each road army must not be too far away from each other, so as not to take advantage of the gap for the 800 bandits to escape. Each road army can be the center of the bandits, fan-shaped spread out slowly and forward, and to share the sound, mutual solidarity, hear the traces of thieves and into, see the beacon fire and assistance, when the bandits attacked then hold, then the bandits tired of running, finally no rest, soon naturally avoid and he left."

Li Yan is not willing to lonely, added: "also need to tell the counties, not the general himself, any army is not allowed to enter the city without permission, only allowed to station outside the city, in order to avoid giving the enemy the opportunity to take advantage of."

"Good!" Yuan Shu hit the case and rose, said to Li Yan, "Li Yan listen to the order."

Li Yan took a step forward and said with his head held high, "Yes."

"Tell all counties immediately that no troops are allowed to enter the city without my personal presence, and all cities can take strict precautions to prevent all suspicious people from entering the city."

"Yes, sir!"

"Sun Jian, listen to the order."

"The last general is here."

"Bring a thousand soldiers and horses to the east of Jing Mountain, retreat when the bandits arrive, and advance when the beacon fire rises."

"Yes, sir!"

"Zhang Xun, listen to the order."

"The last general is here."

"Lead 1,000 troops, go out to the west of Tunjing Mountain, keep a distance from Sun Jian's troops, no mistakes."

"As ordered!"

"Yuan Yin, listen to the order."

"The last general is here."

"Also lead 1,000 troops, go north of Tunjing Mountain, keep a distance from Sun Jian's and Zhang Xun's forces, you should remember that you should redeem your merits, but if you make a mistake, both crimes will be punished together, and you will be beheaded without mercy."

"As ordered!"

"Huang Zhong, Wei He."

"The last general is here."

"Lead 1,000 soldiers of Nanyang each, go out to the south of Jing Mountain, no mistakes."

"Yes, sir."

"Ji Ling, Li Yan in front of the tent to listen to the transfer, the general since the command of the army of two thousand, in the middle of the response, the army of all roads at any time echo, mutual support, must not be reckless and adventurous, disobey the order ~ ~ ~ chop!"