Delong

Chapter 181 The Knight's Walk (11)

The dense sound of horseshoes brought panic to the fugitives, because they would also combine the encounter with Guo Jingke just now, guessing that this wave is likely to be Cheng Dalang's cavalry, and Cheng Dalang's armored cavalry. The bandit army from Qinghe brought extraordinary psychological pressure.

This is not the same as facing his former colleague, the horse dealer.

Ever since, even Zhang Jincheng's soldiers began to flee in the dark... At this time, it is really easy to escape, just join the deserters who pass by.

"Big leader."

Among the sparks and ashes, the leader of the soldiers was dry, but he still looked at his leader. "Can you ride a horse now?"

Zhang Jincheng, who had half a dark face, nodded in embarrassment... His physical memory and a period of adaptation allowed him to operate the horse by himself.

"But don't ride a horse now." The leader of the guards said seriously. "Get off your horse and follow the deserter who just brushed past behind you. As long as you can return to Gaotang, you'll have to do it all over again... We're too confused to lose."

Zhang Jincheng realized something. In fact, after waking up from the previous sleep, he had a feeling of gradually waking up.

This kind of sobriety does not mean that the leader of the Qinghe bandit army gradually got rid of his miscalculation of this battle at this time, and gradually gained a correct judgment on the battlefield... Until now he still firmly believes that this battle was fought by Cao Shancheng Handwriting... that's another deeper level of sobriety.He gradually realized that he shouldn't have taken that kind of strange car before, and shouldn't have pulled the army down to 5 to [-] people by coveting territory and manpower, and he shouldn't have killed people casually.

Riding in that kind of car makes me forget all the horsepower I am most proud of;
Coveting territory and manpower, wantonly expanding the army, so that he completely lost his real control over the army. When fighting a war, he doesn't know how to win, and he doesn't know how to lose when he loses;
And wanton killing is the reason why many old brothers and many real heroes are alienated from him.

It's like suddenly waking up from a dream, returning to the state before the rebellion, and looking at the performance afterwards, no matter how you look at it, you feel something is wrong.

However, it seemed a bit late to wake up, but it didn't seem too late.

"Big leader, hurry up!" The leader of the personal soldiers immediately got off his horse and helped the opponent down. "There aren't many officers and soldiers, otherwise we wouldn't set fire to them, so we won't be able to capture all the prisoners. Our core soldiers are all from Qinghe, your hometown. As long as they escape, they will definitely return to Qinghe. As long as the big boss returns to Gao Tang, with the city and the weapons and goods gathered before, we can definitely gather another two or three thousand soldiers, isn't this better than the situation two months ago?"

Zhang Jincheng was supported by the other party to get off the horse with all his strength, nodded on the hot field, and wanted to escape according to the other party's arrangement.

However, before he left, he couldn't help turning his head to look, and said earnestly: "Jia San, although you are from the Northland, when you return to Gaotang, I will definitely let you be the second leader!"

The leader of the soldiers surnamed Jia was not polite, he just nodded and got on the opponent's horse, then ordered the Chinese army to regroup and took the initiative to meet the horse's hooves.

There are two moons above the head, and there are countless fire lights around. After a while, when the two soldiers and horses, who were actually in a hurry, met each other, they realized what the other party was.

It was indeed Cheng Dalang and his cavalry who came, and Cheng Dalang was a well-known tycoon in Dengzhou, Jeju, and Bohai in the lower reaches of the river. He was recognized as having cultivation, skills, and vision; Jia Yue, a hero of the northern wilderness, wandered from the northern wilderness and wandered in Hebei. After two or three years, because he had no conflict of interest with the locals, he easily exchanged all his abilities for a position as a confidant with Zhang Jincheng.

Frankly speaking, at this time, Cheng Dalang felt guilty.

Because in order to succeed in the battle and ensure the advancement of the infantry in the middle, and also to show his loyalty, he gave all his armored cavalry to Mr. Zhang, which resulted in only a few hundred Qingqi cavalry behind him. The well-known Jia Lao San from the Northern Wilderness came to meet him with soldiers two or three times his size.

It seems that it is necessary to show real kung fu and strike hard.

"Jia Yue!"

Cheng Dalang leaped out, brandishing the long lance, and Duanjiang's true energy rose along the long lance for a full half zhang, which was truly astonishing. "I heard your name a long time ago, and I know that you are a hero from the northern wilderness. How can you be a boy with a thief who slaughtered the city? I think we had a chance encounter two years ago. I promise you to fight one-on-one. If you can support me twenty What's wrong with letting you take people away after the round?"

That Jia Yue stopped for a while, showing helplessness and exhaustion on his face, then turned over and got off the horse, dropped his weapon under the horse, and half-kneeled with his head raised to salute: "Cheng Dalang, I know your cultivation level, and I also know that your skills are inferior to others. , knowing that you have won a complete victory in this battle, so you are willing to surrender, but you must guarantee the safety of these soldiers under me."

Cheng Dalang was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed, and wanted to get off his horse to help him, but just as he was about to get off his horse, he remembered something and hesitated: "Jia Sanlang, did you participate in the matter of Tu Qingquan?"

"No! I'm from the Northern Wilderness, and I have no interests. From the very beginning, I have been doing military affairs beside Zhang Jincheng, and only killed the leaders who violated his military orders for him!" Jia Yue almost blurted out, but as soon as he finished speaking, he said Startled for a moment, then asked back immediately. "What kind of people are you who dethroned the Dragon Gang and are cleaning up the door for the rebels?"

Cheng Dalang smiled, neither admitting nor denying, but stepped forward to help each other up first: "Since that's the case, we will be close brothers from now on, come with me, and I will take you to meet your true lover in the Northland." Hero... However, if there are any of these soldiers who slaughter the city, I'm afraid that fellow countryman of yours will have the means...how about it, can you come with me?"

"I knew that day that Zhang Jincheng was going to be ruined by Qingquan's affairs!" Jia Yue was first in a daze, then shook his head. "However, I have done my best, so why don't I surrender?"

Cheng Dalang became more and more overjoyed.

Besides, this tycoon in the eastern border has been personally conducting reconnaissance for several days. How could he not know that Zhang Jincheng's people, not to mention the periphery, are actually two or three thousand well-equipped soldiers in the core force, which are usually divided into three groups, and none of them are Qinghe children? It's just a deserter with military experience, plus a hero with a cultivation base on the Hebei Road.Considering Zhang Xing's political commitment, Li Shuijun's attitude, plus the experience of this battle and the future situation, even if Cheng Dalang is allowed to take charge of Putai, it is impossible to retain too many troops.

Under such circumstances, the most important and most natural way to expand strength is to incorporate a few thousand core troops.

In fact, Cheng Dalang received this army, turned around, and heard that Zhang Xing had also surrendered another army from the Qinghe King's Second Division, and he was even more convinced that this battle, no matter how chaotic, was already Complete victory.

Only Zhang Jincheng left.

But it seems that there is no way to do it. The [-] people collapsed overnight, and Zhang Jincheng was lost in it. Where can I find it?Even at dawn, when the armies began to clean up the battlefield on a large scale and collect prisoners, some soldiers who surrendered informed the relevant matters, and it was hard to say that Jia Yue was wrong at that time.

Because it is too in line with feudal values!
It is a classic feudal moral model, okay?
Not to mention, this Mr. Jia seems to have a strange relationship with Mr. Zhang.

"Aren't you Zhang Xingyi?" Jia Yue finally couldn't hold back, and opened his mouth to the young man surrounded by a group of generals. Although the other party's face was covered with black dust that he hadn't had time to wipe off like himself, Chaoyang Under the early ascension, but still can recognize it. "How did you become Mr. Zhang?"

"You recognize me?"

Zhang Xing naturally remembered the materials he read in Jing'an Terrace, so he didn't panic... In fact, he was still sitting there eating roasted ears of wheat calmly.

delicious.

"Don't you recognize me?" Jia Yue was speechless, but as a descendant, he didn't dare to move forward under the gaze of a group of people. "We came to Hebei from the North by boat together... You went to join the army, and I went to the rivers and lakes... After the Second Conquest of Dongyi was defeated, I heard people say that the fifth army was wiped out, and there was no one left alive. I thought you were dead...how did you become Mr. Zhang?"

"When I met the real dragon during the second expedition to Dongyi, my mind was so frightened that I fainted, and I don't remember many things." Zhang Xing was also grandiose. "As for why I call myself Zhang San, it's mainly because I don't want to be under this Li Silang in my life... I want to overwhelm him no matter what, so I call myself Zhang San!"

As he said, Zhang Xing sucked the ears of wheat while pointing out whether there were any black-faced people in the audience, but at this moment Li Ding couldn't help the black-faced... The latter was very sure that the other party seemed to be Zhang San before he saw him , and he has always known that this guy comes with his mouth open.

But at this time, the people around seemed to agree, as if they had heard some secrets, and I was afraid that this statement would spread in the future...the kind that couldn't refute the rumor.

"Where am I from?"

After Zhang Xing explained, he continued to ask out of curiosity. "East or west of the Northland, which town of Qiweiqi was born? Who else is there in the family?"

In fact, until just now, everyone below Li Ding was a little surprised, but they didn't have much extra reaction, because Jia Yue's words were right with Zhang Xing's consistent self-narration - he came from a poor family in the north and even came from a farming family, and he came to Hebei. Wanderings, the second expedition to Dongyi escaped, and then returned to the west with the corpse on their backs, and they hang out in the eastern capital until today.

The only problem is the name, but that's not a problem. It's more common for country people to change their names when they go to the city.

Didn't the governor who built the Tongtian Pagoda change his name as soon as he became prosperous?
But if you ask me this way, it will inevitably seem weird... Can people really forget these things?Even if you were injured, you can't remember it for a while, it's been two or three years, and you still can't remember?

Only at this moment, the Third Master Zhang seemed to have succeeded in exchanging his fame for his strength, and everyone recognized his status as a superior, no matter how weird he was, he could only keep it in his heart.

Li Ding may not need to hide, but he has a lot of thoughts about Zhang Xing, which is not bad.

This is really a pain for Jia Yue, this person became more cautious when he heard the words: "You really don't remember?"

"If I remember." Zhang Xing frowned. "You still have to stand there?"

Only then did Jia Yue suppress his surprise, but he still felt a little weird, so he could only respond in a low voice: "You were actually born in Guanhai Town, your father is from Hebei, and your mother is from Guanhai, but they both died young. It's your uncle." Raising you up, he is a mid-level protector of the Tieshan Guard in the Seven Guards of the Devil, so your youth is actually hanging out with the Tieshan Guard in Guanhai Town... We actually all went to the Tieshan Guard Practice, and then listen to the boat found on Taocheng from Guanhai Town..."

Zhang Xing thought about the distribution map of the seven towns and seven guards in Xiabeidi, and he knew it well... It can only be said that it is not unexpected, and there is no hidden information. The middle-level guardians are not high-end people under the special system of the demon guards. , it’s just more convenient to practice.The only thing worth noting is that the Seven Guardians of the Northland Demon Slayer itself is a remnant of the system of the Black Emperor period. It has evolved into a special system that integrates religion, military, politics, tribes, and gangs. Such a background, naturally It was inevitable that he would think about Hei Di Ye.

"Your uncle is called Huang Ping, and you have an aunt, a cousin, and a cousin... Your uncle had a message before, saying that if he sees you again, he will definitely cripple you!" Jia Yue continued. "I just thought you were dead, and I didn't dare to reply..."

Zhang Xing nodded, ignored it, and asked seriously, "In that case, Brother Jia, have you ever participated in the Qingquan massacre?"

Jia Yue remembered Cheng Dalang's attitude before, and shook his head for no reason.

"The gang I sorted out the soldiers who participated in it. I want the officers to be killed every five days, and the soldiers to be killed every eleventh, so as to set the record straight." Zhang Xing calmly ordered, but glanced at the others. "Do you disagree?"

From Li Ding onwards, everyone was silent.

"Well, the three leaders, Niu, Zhou, and Guo, are going to help." Zhang Xing nodded, his expression unchanged. "After killing the people, take another two hundred, and give them to Commander Niu Da, including the cavalry that surrendered before, and bring them back to Puyang. After checking the ordnance, send the three ones to Jiyin."

Niu Da was overjoyed, Guo Jingke was relieved, and so was Xiao Zhou.

After Zhang Xing finished speaking, he wiped his mouth, but turned his head to look at Cheng Zhili, who was standing silently: "Cheng Dalang, don't be idle, use your local connections, and now talk to Fangxian Wei and Cheng Xiaowei. Together, let’s deal with this matter officially for Fourth Master Li! We must also make preparations in terms of Jiang Hudao, and make an enlightenment for Zhi Shilang and others!"

Cheng Zhili nodded again and again: "I know, the officials will take care of the officials of Zhengyin, and they will take care of them. They will also give some of their heads and seizures. I insist that this is because I helped Li Shuijun's army and the county soldiers of Bohai, Dengzhou, and Jeju to defeat them." If you commit thieves and bandits, on the road, you must use the name of the Dragon Gang, and make it clear that it is Zhang Sanye who is here to clean up the rebels!"

"We must also establish the system on your side." Zhang Xing did not shy away from it at all. "If you have done what you promised me, then you must do what I promised you... Once Li Silang left, you took over the Putai military power here as the leader of the Dragon Clan, but after all, this army is Li Silang built it all by himself, so Lieutenant Fangxian and Lieutenant Cheng Xiao will also join the group, and it is inevitable that they will be your deputy as the leader...do you have a word?"

"I can only be grateful to you two!" Cheng Dalang swears directly to the sky without hesitation. "I am more willing to follow Mr. Zhang into the Dragon Gang, cut off the violent Wei, and stabilize the world!"

Zhang Xing nodded. Cheng Dalang is a smart man. After fulfilling his political promises, he will make up all kinds of things by himself without talking too much, so he only looked at Cheng Mingqi, and Li Ding also looked away from Cheng Dalang to glance at Fang Yanshi. .

Cheng Ming was the quickest to react, and immediately got up to salute: "Master Zhang and Fourth Master Li will never be held accountable for their praise. From now on, I don't care whether the officials or the people are right or wrong, and I only want to listen to you two."

Cheng Dalang smiled but didn't say anything, while Zhang Xing nodded in satisfaction.

Then, Fang Yanshi also chose to salute after meeting Li Ding's eyes: "Since Fang has received Li Shuijun's great favor, why not follow?"

Cheng Dalang smiled again, but remained silent.

And Zhang Xing didn't care about it, just nodded again, then stood up and looked around.

It turned out that at this time the sun was rising and the smoke was lingering. Although the fire had subsided, the smoke and dust still remained. In the surrounding wilderness, black, yellow, green and green colors intersected, and the sounds of people, horses and donkeys mixed together, which corresponded to the current dilapidated and chaotic situation.

However, Zhang Xing knew well that this was just the beginning, and no one could stop it. In the next few years, the turmoil in the Eastern Territory, Hebei, Central Plains, and Jianghuai would only increase. Guanlong, Jiangdong, Jingxiang, Bashu will also gradually loosen, and disaster will not be avoided.

So from a long-term perspective, the victory last night and the smooth succession of the army of Potai is nothing but a small test, the beginning of everything.

"Why did Zhang Jincheng run away?" After watching for a while, Zhang Xing suddenly lost his temper. "Caught it, the corpse is broken into thousands of pieces, who dares to underestimate the Dethrone Dragon Gang?!"

Li Ding didn't bother to pay attention, but everyone below Cheng Dalang chatted and then went about their own business.

Let's not talk about how to deal with the aftermath here at Douzigang, but only say that Zhang Jincheng escaped from birth, but he kept his eyes open. When he realized that the rout was heading for Dongguang in the morning, he made a decisive decision and took the initiative to choose In order to leave the team, he went to the southwest... Obviously, he was going to return to Gaotang quickly according to Jia Yue's reminder.

Not to mention, there was chaos along the road, routs everywhere, no one paid any attention to him, and after Zhang Jincheng regained his composure, he quickly snatched a horse, but the horse galloped on and on.

Then, as expected, after two days, he arrived at Gaotang City, his hometown, on this afternoon.

In the past few months, he used this as a base to fight Cao Shancheng, the county magistrate of his hometown... Even when he went to fetch food, grass and weapons in Putai, he was planning to play a big game. After trying to supplement the logistics, he defeated Cao Shancheng. Take Qi County, and then enter the northern part of Qinghe River.

"Open the door!"

When Zhang Jincheng came to the city, he saw that the city was quiet and the flag remained unchanged, so he finally felt relieved and called the door directly. "I'm back!"

The city guard poked his head out, wondering: "Why is the big boss here? This morning, a few bastards on horseback came, and they all said that the front was defeated and you were dead...I'm just talking nonsense!"

Nonsense, of course, but not total nonsense either!

Zhang Jincheng wanted to get angry at first, but after this defeat, he made up his mind and became calm, so he gritted his teeth and responded, "Defeat is a defeat, but I'm fine, and the soldiers and horses are just scattered... Quickly open the door! Get ready! Accommodate the defeated soldiers!"

The guard responded immediately, but then disappeared again.

After waiting for a long time, the door still didn't open, and Zhang Jincheng's patience almost disappeared... If he hadn't been fleeing for days, was too tired, and the weak water zhenqi he cultivated had no similar purpose, he was almost ready to climb the city.

However, the door finally opened, and Zhang Jincheng wanted to rush into it.

But at this time, the man didn't know what was going on, and suddenly his hair stood on his head, and he hesitated in front of the door for a while.

"Shoot the crossbow! Shoot both men and horses! If he escapes, send his best men on horses to chase after him!"

As if aware of the failure of the ambush, a series of straightforward orders suddenly came from the city gate tower above his head, and then a thin figure wearing a warrior crown and full armor flashed out.

Zhang Jincheng instinctively wanted to run away at first, but for some reason, when he heard this voice, he reined in his horse and saw this figure, but he felt relieved instead, and actually stopped where he was, and sat on the horse pointing at the city leader and laughing:

"Cao Shancheng! I knew it was you! If it wasn't you, who in Hebei could defeat me? Come on, come on, I'll give you this head, and let you be a magistrate!"

The people in the city didn't bother to pay attention at all, but after a while, crossbow arrows suddenly rained from the top of the city. First they shot down Zhang Jincheng's exhausted horses, and then concentrated on shooting people. Zhang Jincheng, who was also extremely exhausted, was shot into a honeycomb.

Throughout the whole process, not even the cavalry was dispatched.

PS: Good night everyone.

(End of this chapter)