Chapter 290: Withdraw Troops
“The General has three wounds. One on the arm, two on the back.”
“The wound on the back is the most severe, the wound is too long, it needs to be sutured.”
“There is also some numbing herbal medicine, feed it to the General. It will hurt less when suturing the wound.”
Warm and bitter herbal medicine was poured into the mouth.
Consciousness soon fell into a coma.
Boundless dimness, as if chaos at the beginning. Pei Qinghe only felt herself like a wisp of light smoke, drifting in the world, drifting farther and farther.
Qinghe.
A familiar voice was calling her.
Qinghe, Qinghe.
She responded, following the voice drifted over. In the dim world, a faint light seemed to appear. She laboriously blinked her eyes, opened them.
A familiar handsome face appeared above.
Eyes that had not slept for who knows how long were full of bloodshot, short stubble on the chin. Seeing her open her eyes and wake up, joy burst in his eyes.
“Qinghe, you’ve finally woken up.”
Pei Qinghe hummed, her own voice almost inaudible: “How did you come?”
Shi Yan wiped his eyes with his sleeve, responded in a low voice: “Pei Yun sent a fast horse to Tuhe County, I immediately rode a fast horse over.”
“You’ve been in a coma for two days and two nights, always feverish. You’ve finally woken up.”
“I’ll go tell everyone this good news right now.”
Shi Yan got up and walked out quickly, soon several figures rushed in. Pei Yan with arm in sling and gauze on forehead moved fastest, rushed to the bed: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, you’ve finally woken up. Your injury wasn’t originally severe, but treatment was untimely, too much blood loss. After suturing the wound, you’ve been feverish. How are you now? Does your head still hurt?”
Pei Xuan was supported by Pei Feng, limping over: “You’ve been unconscious for so long, you scared us all.”
Pei Feng full of concern: “I’ve been guarding you all along. As soon as Steward Shi arrived, he drove us to rest. Cousin Sister Qinghe, how do you feel now?”
Pei Yun and Pei Zhi had no time to speak, eyes fixed tightly on Pei Qinghe.
Pei Qinghe didn’t need a mirror to know her face was pale, weak, and powerless at this moment. In front of her closest kin, she didn’t need to act strong, lowly spat out a few words: “Hungry, thirsty, tired.”
Everyone was amused.
Pei Yun smiled: “Shi Yan went to the kitchen, he’ll be back soon. Wait a moment.”
Just as the words fell, Shi Yan came carrying hot porridge. He sat by the bed, patiently fed spoon by spoon, Pei Qinghe drank a bowl of porridge, gained some strength, opened her mouth to ask Pei Yun: “What movement from the Xiongnu barbarians?”
Pei Yun responded: “They withdrew troops two days ago.”
Paused then lowly said: “They took a large amount of money and grain, also took quite a few strong young common people. Their speed actually wasn’t fast. But we had too many dead and wounded, those still able to fight couldn’t muster three thousand. And no warhorses. If the Xiongnu barbarians went all out and fought us to the death, I’m afraid we’d suffer a major defeat.”
“At that time you were unconscious with high fever, after discussing with General Yang, General Li, and the others, we decided to abandon pursuit. Let the Xiongnu barbarians withdraw.”
This was also a decision made out of helplessness.
The Xiongnu barbarians hadn’t truly been defeated, still had several thousand elite cavalry able to fight. A cornered dog jumps the wall, if the Xiongnu barbarians fought desperately, it would be corpses strewn everywhere again.
In fact, even considering whether to pursue the Xiongnu barbarians was unprecedented. In the past, being able to hold on without fleeing and fight the Xiongnu barbarians a few battles were already elite soldiers. Hiding in the city walls was the norm.
Pei Qinghe hummed: “If it were me, I’d make the same decision.”
Pei Yun lowly said: “The battlefield has been cleared, the Xiongnu barbarians’ corpses were burned. Our people were buried.”
“Battle damage has also been tallied. Our Pei Family Army now has just over five thousand three hundred left. Fifteen leaders died in battle.”
At this point, Pei Yun’s eyes reddened, voice choked.
Water light flashed in Pei Qinghe’s eyes.
Thirteen thousand elite soldiers when coming, over half lost, cavalry almost entirely wiped out. This battle, the Pei Family Army paid too high a price.
“Guangning Army battle damage nearly half.” Pei Yan took over: “Pingyang Army’s cavalry has about six hundred left. Fanyang Army dead and fled, together about three tenths.”
Fanyang Army had lowest combat power, fewest times out to battle, lowest battle damage.
Even the Beiping Army that came from afar to rescue had more battle deaths than Fanyang Army.
“How about Liaoxi Army?” Pei Qinghe mustered spirit to ask.
Pei Yun answered: “Liaoxi Army originally had thirty thousand, great defeat with countless fleeing, many dead and wounded defending the city, now just over four thousand left.”
It could also be said, this great battle let several rapidly expanded Youzhou armies return to the past overnight.
Of course, the Xiongnu barbarians didn’t get off easy either. Of thirty thousand elite cavalry, at least half were forever left behind.
Pei Qinghe was silent for a long time, then softly said: “Everyone rest and recover from injuries, once healed, we’ll regroup, recruit soldiers and buy horses, battle the Xiongnu barbarians again.”
A few short sentences made everyone’s blood boil.
Shi Yan had been silent, only gripped Pei Qinghe’s hand tightly.
The tough and strong hand now weak and powerless, palm full of cold sweat.
Pei Yun called everyone to leave, let Pei Qinghe rest and recover peacefully. Pei Yan wouldn’t go, was glared at by Pei Yun, dragged out of the military tent.
“Sleep a bit more.” Shi Yan softly whispered: “I’ll keep guarding you.”
Pei Qinghe lightly hummed, closed her eyes, sank into deep sleep again.
After waking, change medicine and bandage, drink medicine eat food, then sleep again.
Shi Yan always guarded by the bed, changing medicine, wiping, serving food, all done personally, never delegating to others.
By the fifth day, Pei Qinghe could sit up from the bed, had strength for idle talk. Yang Hu, Li Chi, Lu Feng and others came together.
“A few days ago, we jointly wrote a memorial to the Imperial Court, requesting merit for the General.” The military generals expressed loyalty, no beating around the bush, straight to the point.
Pei Qinghe’s face still somewhat pale, eyes already had sharp spirit, hearing this smiled: “The Emperor has already enfeoffed me Second-rank General of Martial Might. If requesting merit again, I’d be same rank as General Zhang, also become First-rank Great General. With General Zhang’s character and heart, he’d surely obstruct it.”
Li Chi sneered: “Our Pei Family Army greatly defeated the Xiongnu barbarians, fame resounding, shaking Youzhou. In the common people’s hearts, only General Pei is recognized, who knows what thing General Zhang is!”
Everyone looked at Li Chi together.
Who are you!
Does General Pei want to take you in? And you call yourself Pei Family Army!
Li Chi faced everyone’s disdainful gazes calmly, loudly continued: “General, Liaoxi Army has pulled their flags, from now on all are Pei Family Army people. Once General’s injury is healed, why not go to the barracks to see. Their hearts all toward the General.”
Shameless!
Shameless!
Everyone’s gazes became even more disdainful.
