Delong

Chapter 151: A Journey Through the Sea of ​​Bitterness (18)

Zhang Fu Changjian didn't know how Luo Shu talked with Taoist Ren Gao, anyway, for the next two days, he kept appeasing the trembling Taoist priest, and repeatedly emphasized that he had an old relationship with Xiong Bonan, for the sake of King Zimian In fact, Taoist Gao will definitely not let this incident cause a lot of trouble... As long as the other party contributes manpower and material resources honestly, it is fine, and he does not need to accompany him.

Moreover, he was actually trying to protect this person from additional extortion by Luo Shu's army, and even publicly served as an imperial envoy for Huairong County, refusing Luo Shu's army to enter.

To put it bluntly, Zhang Xing didn't know if Taoist Gao was a bastard who secretly steals men and prostitutes, and he didn't think the remnants of the Eastern Qi Dynasty were any good things, but just like what he said to Qin Bao, there will be changes from time to time. Also... When the Great Wei Emperor completely lost his composure in the face of the arrow that might kill him, Zhang Xing no longer doubted anything.

He firmly believes that with the mental imbalance of this saint and the incident, the situation is likely to reach a point of sudden change, and a few steps forward along the wind will be a crossroads.

At this time, it would be ridiculous to forcibly divide the enemy and me. Instead of doing this, it is better to just focus on the moment and do what he thinks is morally reasonable... He didn't even bother to ask Qin Bao if Luo Shu really had a master of eighteen knights and four veins... ...it would be strange!

On the twenty-seventh day of the [-]th month, twelve days had passed since the sage rode into the cloud, and the Wu Clan landed. Qin Bao and Luo Xin led two teams of [-] Youzhou iron cavalry to set off first to clear the way.

On October [-]th, after learning that the banner of Li Cheng, the governor of Youzhou, appeared in the mountain pass in the east of Huairong, and only two days away, Luo Shu, the seventh general of the Youzhou governor's office, immediately ordered that the original Tens of thousands of Huairong soldiers and civilians who were scheduled to set off the day after tomorrow sent troops to the west ahead of time... For a while, many flags were too late to be made properly and could only be sewn with monochrome cloth pieces. Traveling with daily available food, a small number of people can't even properly use weapons, so they simply march with wooden sticks and hatchets.

Zhang Xing did not wait for the general manager of Youzhou, but accompanied Luo Shu's army. At this moment, he still believed in Li Ding's judgment and analysis. Meaningless.

In this way, with the assistance of Huairong's local tyrants and the local government, nearly ten thousand civilians participated in it, and the troops marched forward with great fanfare, stretching for more than ten miles.

In the first three days, there was no disturbance, and the Wu people were at most holding the pass of the basin, and it was impossible to scatter anyone into the mountain passage, not to mention there were [-] cavalry led by Qin Bao and Luo Xin as the vanguard.

The information between the two sides is constantly being transmitted, and it is becoming more and more frequent, because from the third day onwards, the three hundred cavalry who are the avant-garde have arrived at the pass of the basin... It took Zhang Xing and Qin Bao two days to arrive here from Yunnei City, but that It was interspersed in the enemy-occupied area. In fact, if the cavalry rushed desperately, they would set off in the morning and reach the city of Yunnei in the evening.

After hesitating for a day, after confirming that the siege was still going on, Luo Shu, who had followed up to the edge of the basin, finally made up his mind and issued military orders to his son and nephew, preparing for an honest military adventure and political speculation.

The three hundred riders received the military order and did not hesitate any longer. Early the next morning, that is, the first day of November, Qin and Luo led the team and set off towards Yunnei City.

"Let's wait for a day." On the hillside, Luo Shu looked to the west, saw his nephew's vanguard disappear from sight, and turned to look at Zhang Xing. "Send troops tomorrow morning."

Standing behind Zhang Xingfu's sword, he nodded immediately: "Uncle Shi is the chief general, and I don't know anything about military affairs. Uncle Shi has the final say."

Luo Shu also nodded, but he smiled again: "A few days ago when my troops were not allowed to enter the city, that's not what my nephew said."

"The two characters of merit and fame should also pay attention to the difference between long-term and sudden." Zhang Xing persuaded seriously. "Uncle Shi is a hero, with an easy-going temperament. He also has a strong foundation in Youzhou. A good impression might have surprisingly good results."

After Luo Shu listened carefully, for a while, he wanted to complain that he would never wait for such a possibility in his life, and he seemed to feel that there was some truth to it, and he also felt that the other party seemed to be implying something that should not be discussed further. So he had no choice but to nod, and Nianxu gave a dry laugh.

Zhang Xing, on the other hand, was still curious and did not regard himself as an outsider at all: "Uncle Shi, I am particularly curious about one thing... In principle, as a master of condensing alchemy, can you fly over to help the two of them at this time?" People, send them into the city and come back?"

"Theoretically speaking, it's possible." Luo Shu relaxed after hearing such words, and said casually on the hillside. "But let me ask you, what if the condensed alchemy masters of the Wu Clan found me outside and tried to surround and kill me immediately? No matter how high the practitioner's cultivation base is, I don't understand how high he is as a great master, but like Niu Du Isn’t a grand master like the Duke also subject to the army of the Wu clan? I am a condensed pill, and my true energy is limited. Once the true energy is exhausted, I will be an ordinary person among the ten thousand troops. Or on the other hand, when they find out that I have gone, they will immediately Send the corresponding masters here to check the truth, without me in charge, will our strategy of blooming on the tree be broken?"

Zhang Xing was a little stunned.

"Actually, the war is not as exaggerated as my nephew thought." Luo Shu further twisted his beard and smiled. "It's just that generally speaking, a well-trained army combined with well-organized practitioners is far greater than the sum of the two separately, so if it's not in case, it is still necessary to fight steadily, including logistics. Using it, this introduces the advantage of location again. Ordinary Ningdan wants to break through the city wall, but it also needs to use the whole body of true energy, so there are variables in the geography and celestial phenomena of the real dragon and god...Of course, there is no absolute statement about things. On the road to a dead end, concentrated cultivators raided the army, causing chaos, and then using the few to win the many, which is also frequently seen in the annals of history...thousands of years of history, there are everything."

Zhang Xing even nodded his head and couldn't help it—it's good to pay attention to objective laws and surprises, but I'm afraid I don't pay attention to them.

"What?" Luo Shu smiled. "Nephew wants to join the army?"

"It's hard to say." Zhang Xinglong responded sincerely. "I offended Uncle Cao. He publicly rejected me, forbidding me to follow Zhu Shou's path. Nine times out of ten, I will transfer to other official paths...the local government, the central government temple, and the army must all be considered."

"That's right." Luo Shu nodded, said no more, and was about to return to the barracks under the slope, but suddenly stopped, just looking at his side.

Zhang Xing followed the other party's eyes to look, and sure enough, he saw the glow like a sword between the mountains to the east, as if piercing through the mountains, reflecting it, he also stopped for a while, and stood with the other party for a while.

But after waiting for a while, probably because the mountains to the east were too thick, the sun never appeared, so Luo Shu didn't think about it anymore, and went down the mountain calmly.

Zhang Xing also followed slowly, preparing to go down.

But at this time, the sun seemed to jump high, and finally got rid of the cover of the mountains, hanging in the air, condescending, overlooking all living beings.

Zhang Xingshang was still on the slope, and wanted to call out to Luo Shu who had already walked down the slope, but he didn't say anything, and the other party didn't turn back after all, the two just returned to the barracks one after the other, stepping on the frost on the withered grass.

Back in the camp, Luo Shu and Zhang Xing began to deal with troubles—not military, but internal disputes. The army of the governor of Youzhou behind him was only two days away. Li Cheng kept sending envoys to ask Luo Shu to stop , and wait for him to join.

But to put it bluntly, how could Zhang Xing care about Li Cheng?
You, the general manager of Youzhou, can't manage Fu Longwei at all... If you want to control Fu Longwei, you have to go beyond Cao Huangshu and Niu Dugong.

As for Luo Shu, how do you say something?Before the dispatch of troops this time, General Manager Li couldn't control him anymore, General Luo, otherwise why would they meet in Huairong?

"wrong."

At noon, Luo Shu suddenly realized a problem. "If troops are sent out tomorrow, wouldn't it be one day earlier than Li Cheng... In that case, how can we show us?"

Zhang Xing was slightly taken aback, and after counting his fingers, he was also a little stunned: "Indeed, we were confused by the fact that Qin Er and the others sent troops...Qin Er and the others sent troops at this time to advance by surprise. Under Yunnei City, and we are going out with great fanfare, pretending to be a large army going out of the mountains, it's not the same thing at all, it shouldn't be postponed because they send troops, on the contrary, sending troops at this time can respond to their assault."

"Move immediately!" Luo Shu stood up without hesitation. "After dispatching, I led 200 main cavalry in the middle to advance forward, acting as a facade, attracting the enemy, and giving [-] people to my nephew. Large-scale deployment of camp outposts."

As originally planned, Zhang Xing naturally had nothing to say.

On the first day of November, it had been [-] days since the sage was besieged in Yunnei City. In the afternoon, the reinforcements from Youzhou Governor's Mansion formally appeared on the edge of the basin where Yunnei City was located.

[-] cavalry began to encounter and destroy the outposts of the Wu clan in a large area on the north bank of the Sanggan River. Cooperating with the advance of the previous [-] cavalry, it immediately had a huge ripple effect. Countless Wu cavalry He began to flee behind him, while Zhang Xing led the peasants to do the most boring work-building pontoon bridges, crossing rivers, and setting up camps along mountain passes.

Nearly ten thousand people were grouped according to closeness and origin as early as in Huairong. Every 200 to [-] people formed a group, and a group of people was placed every half a mile to set up a small camp. Camping tents, cutting wood at the same time, preparing bonfires... These were also called the leaders of each group over and over again on the way here, so it seemed to be relatively smooth.

However, the time was too short, and when half of the people were there, the sky was already dark and a bit cold. Zhang Xing also realized that it was impossible to set up a joint camp that stretched for dozens of miles today by sending troops temporarily at noon, so he simply Abandon the original plan, turn back directly, and replenish the manpower to the station that has been put down.

This led to the inevitable confusion, arguments and wrangling, even fighting.

But Zhang Xing really had no choice. This was the inevitable result of hasty military actions. He could only mediate one by one with the cavalry given by Luo Shu on horseback within a range of more than a dozen miles, and suppressed the brawlers. .

Busy until the night came completely, on the foothills of Sanggan River, dozens of huge bonfires were finally lit, and those powerful children and clan gangs in the village also gave up their disputes. They also needed to warm up and eat.

So far, Zhang Xing, who was extremely exhausted, had nothing else to do. He could only go back to the camp he reserved, sit on the high foot of the mountain behind him, look at the basin in the northwest, and wait passively.

Can only wait passively.

Theoretically, the Wu people should not be able to get through, because they have no time to organize a large force, and the small force is blocked by the Sanggan River, and there are Luoshu's elite cavalry on the other side of the river, who will take the initiative to meet and fight.But if it came, Zhang Xing had no choice but to let these peasants throw down the bonfire and camp and retreat into the mountains according to the predetermined plan.

So, after all, there is one or two points to worry about.

The night was getting thicker, and from Zhang Xing's position, the existence of Yunnei City could be vaguely seen... I couldn't see any lights, but it was obvious that the tens of thousands of people inside and outside the city and the corresponding bonfires were enough to emit a wave of light. A vague light, showing the direction and showing the sense of presence in the dark night.

It is conceivable that Yunnei City, especially the masters of cultivation, should also be able to see a little bit of blurred light here and realize something.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xing just came to his senses, counting the time, if it goes well, Qin Bao and Luo Xin should have already led the team in by this time, and he has been busy all the time, so he has already forgotten.

However, it is still the same sentence, no one knows what is going on, the truth is the truth, from a logical point of view, there is no problem, but on the battlefield, who can guarantee anything?

Just as he was thinking about it, the team general sent by Luo Shu came up the hill suddenly, and said with a smile: "Zhang Changjian, I have something to ask you, old man, to take a look."

Zhang Xing was surprised for a moment, and immediately got up: "What, someone is fighting again? Why didn't I hear it?"

"No." The team general didn't seem to know how to describe it. "It's not about our camp, it's about the mountain... There is a camp behind the mountain that is relatively thin. Someone went to relieve it and saw something... Zhang Changjian had better come and see."

Zhang Xing had nothing to say, so he could only go down the mountain, mount his horse, and walk four or five miles along the campfire, then came to the camp, climbed up the mountain and looked to the southwest direction pointed by the team general.

At a glance, Zhang Xing laughed.

Without him, in the south of the Yunnei Basin and the southwest of Zhang Xing's location, a line of fuzzy light can be vaguely seen, laying along the mountain.

Obviously, there are also smart people in Taiyuan.

Zhang Xing can even imagine the speechlessness of Dulan Khan and his Wu clan leaders at this time—it has been seventeen or eight days, and if they don’t leave after two days, the families in the western part of the Northern Wilderness are likely to be out of the sea of ​​bitterness. The lid is on the pot, stuck at this time, you come out one by one, half-truth, half-false, what should we do?
Is it to fight or not to fight?

Believe it or not?

Dare you bet?
What if you win the bet, and what if you lose the bet?

He is incapable of fighting, and he is a set of disgusting people.

"A friend from Taiyuan?" the team general asked.

"I see how charming Qingshan is, and Qingshan should be like this when he sees me." Zhang Xing joked. "Could it still be a member of the Wu clan?"

Although the team general couldn't understand the first half of the sentence, the second half was clear, so he nodded immediately: "Then I'll send someone to tell my general!"

"Let's talk." Zhang Xing completely relaxed. "I'm going to sleep, call me again if there is a war or other movement, anyway, there is a tall one when the sky is falling."

The team will immediately respond, turn and leave.

That night, Zhang Xing slept very soundly.

The next day, Zhang Xing wanted to stay in bed, but he was rewarded early in the morning, saying that General Luo had set off earlier and pushed towards Yunnei City. military depot.

Of course Zhang Xing knew that this was stimulated by reinforcements from Taiyuan, and he was afraid that he would not get credit for it, but he didn't bother to care about it. He just crossed the river honestly, went to bluff, set up camps, set up military stations, and served as logistics for Luo Shu. Sweep the master.

At noon, when the heat was in full swing, Fu received a message from Li Cheng, the governor of Youzhou behind him, asking "Luo Shu" to expand the camp.

Zhang Xing didn't mean to get involved with Li Cheng and Luo Shu, but just replied honestly, telling the other party that General Luo had already left for half a day, and maybe he could arrive at Yunnei City tonight, what do you like.

But at night, Zhang Xing stopped laying out the barracks and military depots, and only had a meal by the fire, but he saw an unexpected person, which also verified Zhang Xing's conjecture.

"Third brother!" Qin Bao, who had already hung up his black ribbon, turned red, and rushed to complain as soon as he touched his Hu Leibao. "In the evening, my uncle arrived at a place twenty miles outside the city and had a small battle with the Wu tribe. The Wu tribe immediately broke out after the battle."

Zhang Xing nodded, not paying attention, and continued to roast his jerky.

"Third brother, let's go to Yunnei overnight!" Qin Bao blushed and couldn't help urging. "Go in at night, and you can get some credit."

"The civilian husband is very tired, there is no need." Zhang Xing sat there, extremely calm. "And they were recruited by Huai Rong temporarily. If I leave them behind, they will be in chaos."

Qin Bao had nothing to say, hesitated for a moment, and could only sit down: "Then I will wait here with my third brother, and we will start tomorrow."

Zhang Xing nodded and continued to barbecue.

However, Zhang Xing was willing to wait, but the others couldn't wait any longer. Only a moment later, Li Li, the eldest son of Li Cheng, the general manager of Youzhou who learned the news, left the camp he had just occupied and led his troops. Headed into the cloud overnight.

Thousands of cavalry marched overnight, roaring past the military station without stopping, like a winter thunder.

Not only that, but next, other soldiers and horses galloped past the military depot and the camp, and the sound of horseshoes continued throughout the night.

In the early morning of the second day, Zhang Xing continued to march, and began to gather the wounded along the way—the cavalry usually marched during the day and continued to march after getting the news at night. Exhaustion and galloping at night led to a large number of non-combat attrition.

At the same time, more troops began to appear in the field of vision, all of them flew straight to Yunnei City like wolves and tigers, and dropped more non-combat casualties at the same time.

In the end, after another day, Zhang Xing laid out the military station in the abandoned camp of the Wu tribe outside Yunnei City in the afternoon, and when he was hesitating where to rest and whether he wanted to avoid some embarrassing scenes, he finally saw him again. an acquaintance.

Fenyang Palace sent Wang Daiji with disheveled hair and clothes covered in dirty putty. He led two or three thousand soldiers and pushed hundreds of carts along the main road. The carts were full of neat grain, cloth, armor, and weapons. Without even looking at Zhang Xing, holding a spear in front of Zhang Xing, he ran barefoot into Yunnei City.

Those who know know that they are here for rescue, but those who don't know think they are here for a funeral!
"Third Brother, let's go." Qin Bao sincerely suggested after watching Wang Daiji disappear. "Don't expect to be compared with these people, at least find Dugong Niu to pay the order... You can't lose credit for nothing."

Zhang Xing hesitated again and again, and finally decided to enter the city... It is true that he does not expect credit, but it is not good to appear too different from ordinary people in front of Niu Dugong.

The siege lasted nearly [-] days. Even though it was early winter, the city was already smelly, and all the houses were demolished, and there were only bonfires everywhere. Halfway through Zhang Zhang's walk, he found that the county mansion had already been surrounded. No matter what, I couldn't squeeze in, so I had to stand outside and watch the fun.

While watching, another acquaintance suddenly appeared.

"Zhang Sanlang!" A dusty general came galloping from the west, then got off his horse and took Zhang Xing's hand. "Is there a way to let me in? I'll give you two more gold cones!"

Zhang Xing was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to recognize the other party. He was stunned for a moment: "General Chen is here too? Aren't you next to the poisonous desert four hundred miles away? Luliang Mountain and Dahe are also separated?"

"I heard that the sage was besieged, and I will be burned!" This person, that is, Chen Ling, announced loudly on the road. "So what about four hundred miles? What about mountains and rivers? Can it stop my loyalty to the army? I only brought twenty riders, and I flew here directly!"

Zhang Xing nodded, finally couldn't hold back his complaints, and continued to ask: "But why is it such a coincidence that all loyal ministers come from different sources and have different military strengths, but they all arrived this afternoon?"

Chen Ling was embarrassed for a while.

PS: Thank you to the new alliance leaders C_Q_Y_ and Cao Ya. Sincerely, I am very grateful.

(End of this chapter)