To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 441 Does the Immortal Master really understand warfare?

Zhang Fan walked to the map and pointed to the central plains. "General Meng is stationed at the Jiuyuan camp with 100,000 heavily armored soldiers! And he's relying on the camp for defense! If the Xiongnu are coming to attack or break out, why only send 50,000 men?"

"Fifty thousand light cavalry to attack one hundred thousand heavy infantry? This isn't war, it's suicide!"

Zhang Fan took a deep breath: "The Xiongnu have just suffered a loss and are now short of supplies. They need to seize resources, not attack the 100,000-strong garrison in the central route! They won't gain anything!"

"Could there be a trick?" Mo Feng's smile faded.

Zhang Fan pondered for a moment, a suspicion arising in his heart, but he also feared that the Xiongnu general had made a foolish mistake and missed the opportunity to encircle them.

"so!"

Zhang Fan ordered, "First, send 10,000 cavalry out of Gaoque Pass to probe and encircle the central plains to the east! Remember, only probe the outer perimeter; do not engage in a deadly battle, and do not venture too deep! If the situation is not good, immediately retreat to Gaoque!"

"Yes, sir!" A general accepted the order and went out of his tent to gather troops.

The sound of horses' hooves came from outside the camp, and ten thousand Qin cavalrymen marched out of the pass.

Silence returned to the command tent.

Zhang Fan paced back and forth in front of the brazier, his unease growing stronger.

He went to the map and looked at the Qin army's deployment.

The central route has 100,000 troops, the eastern route has 50,000, and the western route, originally with 50,000 troops at Gaoque Pass, has 10,000 sent out. With the addition of 10,000 stationed at the water source, there are 30,000 troops left to guard the pass...

suddenly!

Zhang Fan recalled the military tactics he had used in previous military exercises!

Encircle the enemy stronghold and strike to capture reinforcements!

Or it could be a feint, a diversionary tactic to lure the enemy away from their prey!

"Oh no!"

Zhang Fan was startled, turned around, and his expression changed drastically.

"Scouts have discovered that the Xiongnu have amassed an army of over 200,000! Even if 50,000 appear in the central route, where are the remaining 150,000?!"

Zhang Fan said urgently, "These 50,000 men are not the main force! They are bait! They are deliberately exposed in the middle to attract Meng Tian's attention, in order to draw away the troops from Gaoque Pass and Yunzhong County!"

"Their real target isn't Jiuyuan in the central region, but Gaoque Pass on our western side!"

Upon hearing this analysis, Fusu and several of his deputies turned pale.

"Does the teacher mean... that the main force of the Xiongnu is heading towards Gaoque Pass?" Fusu asked.

"Hurry! It's too late!"

Zhang Fan shouted to the guards outside the tent, "Sound the horn! Send fast horses out of the pass and bring back those ten thousand men!"

After issuing the order, Fusu and the generals were filled with doubt.

"Master, changing orders frequently is a cardinal sin in military strategy! If we retreat, won't the encirclement in the middle be breached?" a lieutenant asked.

"If we don't retreat now, Gaoque Pass will be in danger!"

Zhang Fan was extremely anxious. While putting on the Bright Light Armor, he explained:

"Gaoque Pass is the passage from the northern desert into the Hetao Plain! If we capture it, the Xiongnu can advance into Guanzhong or retreat to cut off their western supply lines!"

Touman Chanyu intends to take advantage of our unstable foothold and launch a direct attack on Gaoque Pass with an army of 150,000!

Zhang Fan fastened his armor and drew his military dagger.

"Pass on the order!"

Zhang Fan stepped out of the command tent and shouted to the Qin soldiers assembled outside, "All troops, go on high alert! Heavy infantry, onto the city walls! Crossbowmen, onto the arrow towers!"

"The remaining 20,000 soldiers will follow me out of the pass! We must get the defensive fortifications outside the pass ready before the Xiongnu arrive!"

Inside Gaoque Pass, the sound of battle horns rang out!

Twenty thousand Qin soldiers, led by Zhang Fan, left the pass and set up defenses.

Just then, a sound came from the depths of the canyon ahead.

It started with the sound of horns!

Immediately afterwards, the sounds of clashing weapons and the neighing of warhorses rang out.

The sound pierced through the wind and snow, reaching the pass.

"kill!!"

Shouts of battle echoed through the valley.

Zhang Fan stopped and looked up ahead.

The messenger sent out to deliver the order had only been gone a short while and could not possibly catch up with those ten thousand cavalrymen.

This only proves!

Firefight has broken out ahead!

This means that the 10,000 Qin soldiers had already clashed with the Xiongnu.

The Xiongnu's true target was indeed Gaoque Pass.

Zhao Ben, the garrison commander of Gaoque, changed his expression upon hearing the sounds of fighting.

He walked up to Zhang Fan, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Immortal Master! A battle has broken out ahead! Those are ten thousand of our own brothers! This humble general requests permission to lead twenty thousand soldiers to their aid!"

Zhao Ben pointed to the canyon passage ahead: "As long as we bring our brothers into the valley and use the mountains on both sides for cover, the Xiongnu cavalry won't be able to deploy their formation! We can rescue them!"

Prince Fusu, standing to the side, gripped his sword hilt tightly. He listened to the screams carried on the wind, his heart filled with anxiety.

"Teacher, General Zhao is right! Our soldiers are in danger ahead, we cannot stand idly by," Fusu pleaded.

The Qin soldiers around them drew their weapons.

Listening to the sounds of battle in the wind and snow, their eyes reddened. As soon as Zhang Fan gave the order, they would rush into the canyon.

However, Zhang Fan raised his right hand.

"All troops halt!" Zhang Fan's voice rang out.

Everyone was stunned.

Zhang Fan's face was tense as he gave the order: "Everyone, retreat immediately! Retreat back inside the pass! Light the beacon fires!"

"Of the ten thousand soldiers at the front, withdraw as many as you can! Leave five thousand men at the pass to provide support; the rest, go up to the city walls and prepare to defend the city!"

The order was given, and those around were shocked.

Zhao Ben's eyes widened, and he stepped forward: "Immortal Master! What do you mean by this? Ten thousand brothers are fighting just a few miles away, and we're going to retreat?"

"Master, that's ten thousand lives!"

A lieutenant knelt on the ground, shouting, "We have 20,000 men! We can rush over and save them!"

Fusu looked at Zhang Fan: "Teacher..."

Looking at everyone's reactions, Zhang Fan felt incredibly conflicted, knowing that his every move would determine everyone's life or death.

Besides!

Those were ten thousand living lives.

He knew what abandoning support meant!

But on the battlefield, a wrong decision can cost many more lives.

The appearance of the Xiongnu army at this time indicates that the enemy was well prepared.

If we lead these 20,000 men out of the pass to provide support, and encounter enemy troops in open terrain, we will not only fail to rescue the 10,000 men, but we will also lose the other 20,000.

With 20,000 men dead, the military strength at Gaoque Pass will be depleted.

If Gaoque Pass falls, the Qin Dynasty's western supply route will be cut off.

Zhang Fan took out the military tally and held it high.

"This is a military order! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

Zhang Fan's tone left no room for negotiation: "Retreat inside the pass!"

Zhao Ben gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. He looked at the military tally, sighed, and turned to wave to his soldiers:

"Follow orders! Retreat!"

The 20,000 Qin soldiers, filled with resentment, retreated back into Gaoque Pass.

The city gate was closed halfway, leaving a gap and five thousand soldiers to meet them.

The beacon fire was lit on the watchtower, and thick black smoke rose into the sky.

The soldiers climbed the city wall and looked out over the distant canyon.

Although the wind and snow obscured visibility, the sounds of weapons clashing could still be heard.

On the city wall.

The atmosphere was somber!

"Does the Immortal Master even understand warfare? Those are our brothers, are we just going to watch them die?" an old soldier said in a low voice, gripping his spear.