Fenghou

Chapter 1364
Juyongguan is actually a gorge passing through the Yanshan Mountains. It consists of two passes, the north and the south. The north pass is the main pass. The gorge is more than [-] miles long. There are few villages, and the people mainly make a living by hunting and collecting herbs.

There is a market town in the flat and open valley, where there are inns, restaurants, brothels and other places, where caravans will stay, eat, and find women. This has always been the only way for grassland caravans to enter Yanshan Mansion. The town is noisy day and night, the lights are constant, and the business is quite prosperous. In addition, there is no threat of war here, and the pass management is relatively loose.

The south gate is mainly a tax customs, and a tax card has been set up. Merchants must pay taxes here to enter and exit the gate.

At noon that day, a camel caravan composed of more than a dozen Khitan merchants came to the pass. Before the gate closed, there were many pedestrians entering the pass. Most of them were nearby farmers who carried burdens and passed the pass with a few pennies.

"Where did you come from?" A guard guarding the gate was also a Khitan, and a little boss stepped forward and asked.

The leading Khitan merchant stepped forward and saluted, "We are coming from Linhuang Mansion!"

Both parties are Khitan people, both speak Khitan dialect, and the communication is very smooth.

"Not bad! There are still camels, what kind of goods?"

"Medicine and wine!"

Linhuang Mansion mainly produces medicinal materials and high-quality sheep wine, which can indeed be sold at a good price in Yanshan Mansion.

The little boss patted the big bucket, swallowed and said, "Can you give me a little bit?"

The Khitan merchant brought a big leather bag and handed it to him, "There are twenty catties of wine in it, enough for the military master to drink."

"Thank you!"

It's easy to talk after taking the benefits, and there is no need to check, the little boss said: "According to the customs clearance rules, each person is [-] yuan, and the goods and livestock are [-] yuan per head. How about this! I don't bother to count, just pay the usual money and you will be fine." Passed."

The businessman paid the consistent money, and the little boss looked again, seeing that he was not carrying a long weapon, he waved his hand, "Let's pass!"

The camel team filed in, entered Juyongguan, and continued to move forward. The town was ten miles ahead.

After walking about seven or eight miles, the camel team left the official road and turned into an uninhabited valley. At this time, the lid of the large wooden barrel containing wine was lifted, and countless soldiers of the Western Army came out from inside, one person was hidden in each barrel. .

There were a total of [-] soldiers of the Western Army, carrying crossbows and sabers, but no long weapons. These [-] soldiers were the most elite scout army, led by the newly promoted scout commander Zhou Honglie.

The dozen or so Khitans were actually merchants from Datong, and they were also the subjects of King Yong. Of course, they would cooperate with the Western Army. The soldiers filled the wooden barrels with water again, and the caravan continued on its way south.

Two hundred soldiers rushed into a large forest and hid.

Although there are 3000 defenders at Juyongguan, the pass itself can only accommodate about 300 people. Other soldiers are stationed in the barracks, which is in the open south of the town, more than a dozen miles away from the northern pass.

At the same time, Liu Qiong's [-] vanguard troops appeared forty miles northwest of Juyong Pass, waiting patiently for dark. They agreed to start at four o'clock. As long as they captured the most dangerous Beiguan City, Nanguan City would not be a problem. .

The night was getting darker. In the woods, the soldiers were resting against the trees, recharging their batteries, waiting for the fourth watch. Around the third watch, the soldiers woke up and began to prepare. These scouts were the most elite soldiers. One can block ten with one.

Although the main general Zhou Honglie is average in martial arts, he is calm, quick-witted, bold and cautious, and has strong commanding power. He is an excellent scout general.

At this time, two scouts rushed back and reported to Zhou Honglie: "The other party has changed guards, and there are about [-] soldiers. The replaced soldiers have already returned to the camp. New soldiers have entered Guancheng, but there are not many people in the city. , the humble jobs are probably in the Wengcheng."

Zhou Honglie nodded, and called Li Hui, the lieutenant general, to discuss with several leaders. With the help of the faint moonlight, he simulated the city pass on a flat boulder.

"Everyone in Guancheng has seen that there is an inner city and an outer city, and the Wengcheng is in the middle. There is a corridor that leads to the inner city, and along the top of the city, you can go to the outer city. When I passed the city today, I saw several roofs in the Wengcheng. Tents, it is estimated that there are more tents at night, and the soldiers are sleeping in the tents, and a few soldiers are patrolling and standing guard on the top of the city. Although we do not have long weapons, we have kerosene. We can set fire to the tents tonight, and they will inevitably escape from the inner city gate. Entering the customs, our bows and crossbows will be able to play their role at this time, we will divide into two groups, I will lead 150 brothers to the city, and General Li will lead [-] brothers to intercept the fleeing soldiers."

Li Hui said with a smile: "Don't worry, Commander. Our brothers are all brave and good at fighting. There are less than 300 people in the area. It is a piece of cake for us."

At this time, a soldier came to report, "It's half an hour before the fourth watch!"

Zhou Honglie immediately ordered: "Let's go!"

Three hundred soldiers came out of the woods, walked out of the canyon mouth, and rushed along the official road to Guancheng several miles away.
The Guancheng is very quiet. It is far away from the battlefield, and the defense is relatively lax. Twenty large tents were set up in the Wengcheng, and most of the soldiers slept in the tents. Only a dozen soldiers patrolled the top of the city.

Two hundred soldiers rushed to the pass city, Zhou Honglie waved his hand, and the two hundred scout soldiers immediately divided into two groups, fifty soldiers followed Zhou Honglie to pass city, and the remaining 150 soldiers followed commander Li Hui to lie in ambush on both sides of the road.

It was very quiet on the top of the city, and there were almost no people on the top of the inner city, only two soldiers sat on the wall and took a nap, holding spears in their arms, and covering their faces with hats.

Zhou Honglie turned his head and winked, the two scouts pulled out their daggers, jumped onto the top of the city lightly, slowly approached along the dark part of the city wall, and suddenly rushed at each other with a speed that could not cover their ears. With a wave of the dagger, blood burst out He shot, cut the opponent's throat, and then pierced the heart with a knife.

"on!"

Zhou Honglie gave an order, and the soldiers rushed to the top of the city one by one. Zhou Honglie led [-] soldiers to the outer city wall, and the other [-] soldiers sprayed the kerosene in the leather bag into the urn.

After hearing a few screams, all ten soldiers on the outer city were killed, and the soldiers threw dozens of torches into the urn.

The big tent was immediately ignited, ignited by kerosene, and the fire spread extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, the entire Wengcheng was covered in a sea of ​​flames, the flames were blazing, and thick smoke was billowing.
I saw the soldiers below rushing out crying, someone opened the inner city gate, and the barefoot soldiers rushed outside, but what greeted them was a rain of crossbow arrows. Leather armor protection is almost fatal with one arrow.

The scouts of the Western Army wound up, released their arrows, and launched them all in one go. The powerful crossbow arrows kept shooting at the enemy army. The arrows were accurate. The enemy army rushed out of the city and fell down. The land was filled with fewer and fewer people, and finally the fire engulfed the entire Wengcheng, and no one escaped.

Liu Qiong and Tang Qian led an army of [-] troops just two miles away from the Guancheng. They could see the fire shining inside the Guancheng. Tang Qian whispered to Liu Qiong, "It seems that they set fire to the enemy's camp."

Liu Qiong nodded, the fire came from the Wengcheng, it should be burning the Wengcheng.

At this time, three torches appeared on the top of the city waving. This was the agreed signal. Liu Qiong gave an order, "The army will attack!"

Thirty thousand cavalrymen mobilized, set off billowing yellow dust, and charged towards Guancheng.
(End of this chapter)