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

Chapter 416 Sending 3 Women and Children to the Zhang Family!

"Click click click!"

The crossbowmen in the right flank quickly raised their heavy crossbows and aimed at the empty space ahead.

Looking at the elite army below, which obeyed orders without question, Zhang Fan felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.

Just half an hour ago, an urgent imperial edict from Xianyang Palace arrived at the front-line camp.

When the First Emperor heard of the great victory at the front, he was overjoyed.

Zhang Fan made outstanding contributions in the first battle by presenting a sled, snowboard, and a map of Yinshan. As a result, the First Emperor directly appointed him as the "Left General" of the Great Qin Dynasty and granted him the title of Grand Master.

At the same time, Wang Li was appointed Right General for beheading 50,000 eagle archers.

The entire army was shaken by the issuance of this imperial edict.

Without the slightest hesitation, Meng Tian immediately allocated 50,000 elite troops from his army and placed them under Zhang Fan's direct command.

For him, suddenly having the power of life and death over 50,000 people and being able to personally command the most elite ancient army to practice formations was simply the ultimate romance for a man!

Zhang Fan was completely immersed in the joy of commanding thousands of troops, his adolescent chuunibyou (delusional) tendencies were on full display.

He didn't feel the weight of the dozens of kilograms of iron armor on his body at all; on the contrary, he felt like he had inexhaustible energy and was having a great time.

"Change formation! Long snake formation!"

Zhang Fan drew his long sword from his waist, pointed it straight at the sky, and loudly issued military orders.

rear.

Fusu was wrapped in a thick fox fur cloak, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his face pale from the cold.

He strode up to the command platform, looking at Zhang Fan who was still gesticulating wildly and directing the army, his face full of helplessness.

"Teacher! How about we... go back to the tents and rest?"

Fusu walked to Zhang Fan's side, smiling wryly as he advised, "You've been mustering troops for an hour! The soldiers have just won a battle and need rest. Please don't make them suffer!"

Zhang Fan turned his head, looked at Fusu who was shivering from the cold, laughed, and sheathed his longsword.

"Young master, you don't understand! This is called understanding the military situation and taking control of the troops!"

Zhang Fan patted the iron armor on his chest, making a clanging sound, "His Majesty has appointed me as Left General, in command of 50,000 troops!"

"If I don't personally come down and assess the capabilities of these 50,000 troops, how will I be able to command them on the battlefield?"

Fusu sighed helplessly. He could tell that his teacher wasn't testing him at all; he just thought it was fun.

"Teacher, as the art of war says, a general's strength lies not in bravery but in strategy. You are a master strategist, so you can leave the rough work of arranging formations to the captains and officers below you."

As Fusu spoke, he brushed the snowflakes off Zhang Fan's shoulder.

"Besides, the scouts at the front just sent back news that Commander Meng is waiting for you to come to the central command tent for a meeting. Your strategy of driving away the old and weak has been in effect for two days, but now the situation has changed."

Upon hearing the words "the situation has changed," Zhang Fan's smile vanished instantly.

He adjusted his helmet, his gaze sharpening.

"Has the situation changed? Has Touman Shanyu made a move?" Zhang Fan asked in a deep voice.

Fusu nodded, his expression becoming more serious.

"According to reports from the cavalry at the front, the Xiongnu old and weak groups, who were originally migrating north, have suddenly slowed down. Touman Chanyu neither opened the camp gates to receive them nor ordered them to be shot."

"On the contrary, the Xiongnu royal court dispatched a light cavalry force of about three thousand men. They flew the banner of the Chanyu and kept moving around this group of old, weak, women and children."

Fusu frowned and continued, "This cavalry force does not engage in direct combat with the escorting cavalry of our army. Instead, they keep firing arrows from a distance, shouting, and making charging gestures!"

In order to maintain our formation, our cavalry was forced to halt and defend multiple times.

"Because of this constant harassment, the team that used to be able to travel 20 miles a day can now not even travel 10 miles a day!"

This was already the second day, and the rations they had been given were about to run out.

After listening to Fusu's report, Zhang Fan's eyes narrowed slightly.

He stood on the reviewing stand, looking north, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Neither accept them nor kill them. Instead, send cavalry to feign a rescue, but in reality, to buy time..."

Zhang Fan rubbed his gloved fingers. "It seems Touman Chanyu has a master advisor by his side. He's planning to use the heavy snow and bitter cold to freeze or starve these 30,000 people to death on the way!"

In this way, the food crisis would be resolved, and the blame for killing their own people could be entirely placed on the Qin Dynasty.

After hearing Zhang Fan's analysis, Fu Su was immediately shocked.

"How could they be so vicious? Teacher, what should we do now? If we let them freeze to death on the way, Touman Chanyu will not only escape unscathed, but it will also incite the Xiongnu tribes to harbor deep hatred for Qin!"

Zhang Fan turned around and strode down from the command platform. "Let's go to the central command tent!"

"Trying to outmaneuver me? Touman Chanyu wants to use someone else to do his dirty work, so I'll just go with the flow and throw a huge scapegoat at him!"

"Isn't he trying to stall for time? Order the rangers responsible for driving him away to stop the escort immediately!"

Fusu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly followed: "Stop the escort? What about the elderly and infirm?"

Zhang Fan sneered.

"Give them all the remaining rations! Then, our army will retreat twenty li! We'll leave those thirty thousand old and weak, along with the snow and wind, entirely to Touman Chanyu who came to 'rescue' them!"

"I'd like to see what excuse Touman Chanyu will have to stop these 30,000 beggars from flooding into his royal court after the Qin army withdraws!"

……

Inside the central command tent, Meng Tian was overjoyed after hearing Zhang Fan's plan.

He immediately went to the desk, wrote down the military order, and ordered the messenger to send it to the northern front line as soon as possible.

The military order was quickly relayed!

The Qin cavalry at the front received the order and did not hesitate.

They turned their horses around and retreated twenty miles.

Once the Qin army left, only over 30,000 elderly, weak, women, and children of the Xiongnu remained on the open field, along with the distant snow and the 3,000 light Xiongnu cavalry that had come to harass them.

The Xiongnu light cavalry commander, who was flying the banner of the Chanyu, was instantly dumbfounded.

His original task was to follow the Qin army and harass them, slowing down their march.

At this moment, the Qin army suddenly retreated, leaving no battle formation behind, and directly dumped these 30,000 men on him.

Before Qian Chang could react, the situation ahead had already spiraled out of control.

More than 30,000 hungry and cold Xiongnu elderly, women and children saw the wolf-head banner of the Chanyu and recognized it as their own army.

These people displayed an extremely strong will to survive in dire circumstances.

"Help us!"

"The Xiongnu chieftain has sent people to rescue us!"

Cries and screams came from the crowd.

Tens of thousands of people, with their families in tow, trudged through the snow, desperately rushing towards the three thousand light cavalry.

These three thousand light cavalry were already lightly equipped to maintain mobility, and had very little food on their horses, so they couldn't possibly save so many people.

But the starving old, weak, women and children didn't care about that; they rushed to the front lines and pounced on the warhorses.