“Especially since this is my first time commanding on the frontier, if I don’t perform well enough, or if I’m too incompetent and get defeated and forced to retreat by these Xianbei,”
“Once the news reaches the imperial court, even if I don’t die, I’ll probably be charged with the crime of poor military discipline. It’s highly likely that my former glory will vanish, and I’ll no longer be the Young General praised by everyone.”
“So, I simply cannot afford to lose; I must approach this with full spirit.”
Tian Feng nodded upon hearing this, naturally understanding Liu Jin’s thoughts.
This battle, no matter what, could not be lost. If they were defeated, all the prestige and reputation accumulated before would completely disappear.
His Lord’s ideals and ambitions would probably be delayed for several years, or even collapse completely, making it impossible to rise again.
Tian Feng’s face was firm as he reassured him from the side!
“Marquis, there’s no need to worry too much. As long as we proceed steadily, following the strategies we previously agreed upon, and no major problems arise, this Xianbei army will not be able to defeat us.”
“By the end, we will be able to drive this Xianbei army back to the grasslands and resolve this danger.”
“Perhaps, with good luck, we might even annihilate this army here, elevating our Lord’s reputation to a higher level, making it resound throughout the entire Bing Province.”
After hearing this, Liu Jin smiled and nodded, a look of longing in his deep eyes.
Currently, his most important task was to increase his foundation and accumulate prestige. As long as his strength grew, when the imperial court initiated the Governor system, becoming a Governor of Bing Province would not be an issue.
By then, he would command the Nine Commanderies and tens of thousands of soldiers, and he might just be able to achieve his ideals and restore the Han Dynasty.
So, the two walked through the night, chatting idly from time to time, appearing quite relaxed and at ease.
They talked until the middle of the night before bidding farewell and returning to their camps to sleep.
Three days later.
In the main tent of the Xianbei camp.
Chief Ke Bineng sat at the head, while the leaders of the other tribes were seated on either side, all with respectful, even somewhat fearful, expressions.
They hadn’t forgotten that a few days ago, Ke Bineng had publicly executed a tribal leader and even absorbed his followers.
No one wanted to follow in that man’s footsteps, so no matter how much they disliked it, they had to show respect.
In the center of the large tent, a scout was bowing and reporting!
“Reporting, Chief, according to the information we’ve gathered these past few days, the commander of this army is the recently renowned Liu Jin.”
“A few months ago, he was appointed Defender General of the Xiongnu by the imperial court and served as the Prefect of Yanmen, stationed here.”
Some of the leaders sitting on the sides looked confused upon hearing this; they had never heard of this Liu Jin, let alone him being called renowned.
However, being appointed Defender General of the Xiongnu and Prefect of Yanmen by the imperial court meant his status was not low for them, even slightly high.
Chief Ke Bineng, at the head, frowned upon hearing this, a hint of apprehension in his eyes.
He was not like the other leaders, who only had some reputation in their small patch of grassland.
He aimed to unify the entire Xianbei, so he had many channels for news from the Han Dynasty, and even some scouts specifically investigating major events within the Han Dynasty.
He had heard a thing or two about Liu Jin’s reputation. He had gained merits during the suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, was subsequently enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed a general, and his name once resounded throughout the Han Dynasty, earning him the title of Young General.
He never expected him to be appointed Prefect of Yanmen by the imperial court. It seemed his southward expedition this time was a bit hasty, and he hadn’t gathered this information.
However, he didn’t take it too seriously. He heard this young man wasn’t even twenty years old, just a boy who hadn’t even fully matured; how could he take him seriously?
He just got lucky, killing some refugees and common people. If he were to truly encounter his Xianbei cavalry, he would probably wet his pants in fear.
After a moment of silence, Ke Bineng burst into hearty laughter!
“Everyone, there’s no need to worry. This army is merely Liu Jin, the Prefect of Yanmen, sent to reinforce this location; it’s not the imperial army arriving.”
“Moreover, after these past few days of investigation, this army doesn’t have thousands of soldiers as rumored; at most, it’s about five thousand men.”
“We still hold an absolute advantage, and we can even easily eliminate this army.”
Many leaders nodded upon hearing this. They were no longer as panicked as they were a few days ago when they heard the Han Army was coming; instead, they became quite relaxed.
Terunhe’s eyes darted around, his face full of flattery, as he quickly stood up and loudly declared!
“Chief, this army is just a disorganized rabble. Your subordinate is willing to serve as vanguard, leading three thousand cavalry to trample their camps, completely eliminate them, and intimidate the Han Army soldiers within the city.”
“They will probably even surrender by opening the city gates, and we can then sweep through the entire Dingxiang Commandery.”
Many leaders, hearing this and seeing his fawning manner, curled their lips. This Terunhe was truly a sycophant.
Just a few days ago, he was the first to suggest retreating, but today, he was actively volunteering to fight.
However, the others were not to be outdone and stood up one after another, eager to engage in a major battle with this Han Army.
Ke Bineng heard the many voices and looked at Terunhe, feeling very satisfied.
After returning to the grasslands, he would have to take special care of the Terun tribe.
He stroked his beard and laughed heartily!
“Good, good, good.”
“I am very pleased with what Terunhe has said.”
At this point, Ke Bineng paused slightly, frowned, and his voice continued!
“However, attacking the enemy’s camp is somewhat inappropriate. Their camp has been built very sturdily these past few days, and there are many chevaux de frise placed outside, which can restrict our cavalry’s charge.”
“Moreover, with the Han Army stationed inside the city, if we attack the enemy’s camp, the Han Army in the city will definitely sally out to encircle and attack us from both sides, which would be disadvantageous to our army.”
“Even if we could break through, our army would probably suffer heavy losses. Even if we could plunder the entire Dingxiang Commandery and return to the grasslands, it would be difficult to recover our strength in a short time, making us vulnerable to other tribes.”
“Therefore, we must both eliminate the Han Army and preserve our own strength to gather provisions, return to the grasslands, and expand our power.”
Everyone nodded upon hearing this. Chief Ke Bineng’s words made some sense; too many losses would not do.
After a moment of thought, Terunhe continued to inquire!
“Chief, if that’s the case, how should we deal with this Han Army? We can’t possibly stay here indefinitely, engaging in a war of attrition with them.”
“We are in the territory of the Han Dynasty, and there is always a sense of unease. For a short time it’s fine, but the longer we stay, the more restless the soldiers will become, and even we will find it difficult to restrain them.”
“So, we must think about how to defeat the enemy, defeat the Han Army early, and occupy Gaoliu. Only then can our soldiers be at ease.”