The Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty: The Competition in the Central Plains

At this moment, at the end of the team transporting grain and grass, a group of soldiers started fighting. Several soldiers on horseback got off their horses and struggled with several soldiers on foot. One said:"You are riding a horse, and you are enjoying yourself. We walked on our own feet and walked for dozens of miles. We can't even switch to riding a horse. We are really stingy and stingy!" There was a soldier on horseback. Said:"It's okay to change it, it's no big deal."

The other said:"No! We are on horseback and we have to look around for the enemy. If the enemy comes to grab food, we must first open our bows and shoot arrows. Our responsibility is not small.!"

There were several soldiers on foot, no matter what, trying to get on horseback, and the scene was very chaotic. When Taobao saw it, he shouted:"Brothers, charge!"

When the soldiers fighting for the horses saw so many enemies, some rode their horses to chase the team in front, and some ran away after them. Only two carriages containing grain were left. Tao Bao and Chen Chuan came to the carriage and ordered the soldiers to open the sacks on the carriage. Several soldiers carried down several sacks and opened them. Inside the sacks were snow-white rice. Taobao said:"For Zu Ti's soldiers to have such good rice, it must have been transported from the south of the Yangtze River. As for us, we are already tired of eating steamed buns and millet."

"General, should you catch up with the carriage in front and take back all the rice on the carriage? Chen Chuan asked. Tao Bao looked at it and saw that the carriage transporting grain had long disappeared. Tao Bao ordered:"Take these two carriages of rice back first, so that the brothers can enjoy it!""

Tao Bao and Chen Chuan returned to the camp and reported to Shi Hu first. Tao Bao said:"We have spent more than ten days on food and grass in Pengpi, and Zu Ti actually has such good rice to eat. It can be seen that Zu Ti received the support of Jiangnan, otherwise where would the rice come from?"

"Let's go see what kind of rice it is."Shi Hu said, and led several generals outside the tent. A soldier opened the sack, and Shi Hu saw the crystal clear rice! It was really mouth-watering! Shi Hu said:"Tonight the soldiers will eat rice. meal!"

In each camp, rice has been prepared for the evening. It is the first time for many northern soldiers to see and eat such good rice. Some soldiers are saying to themselves:"We only have small rice all day long. Millet rice and steamed buns would be great. Sometimes I still eat multigrain steamed buns mixed with wheat bran. But Zu Ti’s soldiers actually had such good rice to eat!"

The soldiers led by Shi Hu were talking a lot. This emotion began to spread in Shi Hu's camp, but the soldiers talked in private and did not dare to let the generals know.

Shi Hu was discussing with the generals in the big tent. Military situation. Taobao said:"General, our food and grass can't last for a few days. It's better to have a battle with Han Qian and decide the outcome."

"General, our supplies of food and fodder have already set off from Xiangguo, and we will arrive at Pengpi in three days!"A detective horse came in to report. When Shi Hu heard this, he was happy. He waved his hand and the detective horse went down. Shi Hu said:"It's really not an option to continue to waste like this. Today the generals are stepping up their efforts to train their troops. Tomorrow the troops will be divided into three groups to attack Han Qian in Pengpi Dongtai!"

The next day, Shi Hu personally led Taobao, Duan Qin, Chen Chuan and other generals, and divided his troops into three groups to attack Pengpi Dongtai. Han Qian, Zu Huan and other generals had already seen Shi Hu's soldiers coming like a tide.. Two people came down from the city wall, and Han Qian ordered:"Generals, please open the three camp gates to the west and prepare to fight with Shi Hu's soldiers!"

Shi Hu's three-pronged army was led by Taobao, Duan Qin, and Chen Chuan. From the three camp gates in Dongtai, the first people to rush out were soldiers holding shields, followed by archers. Behind the archers, there was a group of soldiers. There were crossbow vehicles equipped with crossbows. They were about a mile away from Dongtai. Shi Hu ordered:"Generals, lead your soldiers and charge over!""

Han Qian and Feng Tie went up to the city gate of Pengpi Dongtai and watched the three armies commanded by Zu Huan, Zu Yue and Zu Gai fighting against Shi Hu's three armies. Han Qian held the order flag in his hand, and Feng Tie stood aside. Shi Hu's three armies began to shoot arrows, and Han Qian also shouted:"Shoot arrows!"

In a matter of seconds, all the archers of the three armies squatted down and were protected by the shield-bearer holding a shield in front. The shield-bearer stepped aside, and the archers started shooting arrows again, and so on. As a result of the two sides shooting at each other, Shi Hu's three-way army suffered many casualties, while Han Qian's three-way army suffered few casualties. Han Qian's three-way army continued to pursue, and the ballistae behind them followed up. The soldiers led by Zu Huan rushed to the front. Looking behind The crossbow cart came up, and Zu Huan shouted:"Get down!", both the shield bearers and the archers fell to the ground.

The carriage pulling the crossbow quickly turned its horse's head, and the soldiers on the crossbow quickly took aim and fired the crossbow arrows. The strong bows and hard crossbows fired crossbow arrows, killing Shi Hu's cavalry. They were shot down one after another. Some of the shields in the opponent's shield hands were also pierced by crossbow arrows. Seeing Chen Chuan approaching, Zu Huan quietly said to a soldier on the crossbow:"Aim at the man on the horse!"

Sooner than later, Chen Chuan was hit by a crossbow arrow and fell off his horse. His soldiers were in a hurry. Tao Bao was also shot in the right arm by a crossbow arrow and could not raise his sword. Duan Qin's horse was shot. He also fell off his horse. Han Qian's crossbow stopped advancing and stood on standby. The cavalry behind rushed out from the three camp gates. Immediately after, shield bearers and infantrymen holding spears and swords rushed out. When Shi Hu saw that several generals were injured and it would be dangerous if he continued to fight, he shouted:"Generals, retreat quickly! Let’s talk about it back to the base camp!"

Shi Hu led his generals and soldiers to flee back to the west platform camp and closed the camp gate tightly. Han Qian stood on the east platform gate and watched the victorious army return to their respective camps. Han Qian and Feng Tie came down from the city gate , came to the big tent, Zu Huan, Zu Yue, and Zu Gai also came to the big tent. Han Qian sat down on it, and then said:"Generals, today's victory is hard-won. But we cannot relax. Shi Hu's new defeat will inevitably weaken the morale of the army. Lord Zuti has sent a detective horse to deliver the news. The team transporting grain and grass from Xiangguo will arrive at Pengpi tomorrow. Once Shihu has sustainable food and grass, we will have to fight a protracted and fierce battle!"