Fuzhou, also known as Fugu County in later generations, is located on the bank of the Yellow River, backed by northern Shaanxi, facing the desert, and is the intersection of the Loess Plateau and the Mongolian Plateau.
The complex mountains and rivers have created Fuzhou's rugged and unique terrain. Although it looks flat at first glance, it is very far to walk. It is said to be a plateau, but in fact it is a mountainous area.
Not only do you have to go up and down hills to travel, in many places only certain mountain passes are accessible.
But there is also an advantage, that is, Fuzhou has since become a natural barrier to prevent the grassland peoples from going south.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Khitan tried to go south from here several times but could not break through. Xixia also hoped to annex the two prefectures of Linfu and threaten Jinyang, but they were blocked by Fugu Zhejia.
Of course, the advantages of geography alone are not enough. The hardships caused by geography must also be added.
The two prefectures of Linfu have many mountains and little flat land, making life difficult. But precisely because of the difficulty of living, people have a tough temperament and can endure hardships.
In addition, the two prefectures of Linfu face a desert, so the people have the custom of riding horses, so there are more cavalry. Because there are many mountains and forests, the people's customs are strong and tough, and they are good at traveling in the mountains.
Historically, the Zhe family and the Yang family of the two prefectures of Lin Prefecture were able to resist the Dangxiang in the west and resist the Khitan in the north because of the hard-working people of the two prefectures of Lin Prefecture who could not only mount a horse to ride and shoot, but also dismount to crawl into the mountains and forests.
When Luo Yuer arrived at Fuzhou City with thirty elite cavalry, escorted by Fuzhou mountain people, the entire Fuzhou City was at its most tense moment.
The four gates of the city were closed tightly, and there were more than ten soldiers checking all the way. It was almost half an hour after Luo Yu'er explained her intention, and then the soldiers on the city opened the city gate and let Luo Yu'er into the city.
In the cave of the city gate, Luo Yu'er was greeted by a military general who was about the same age as him, around 20 years old, tall and with a heroic temperament.
"Are you the special envoy of His Royal Highness the King of Han in Hexi? I am Zhe De Ke (yi three times), this is the Mabu Capital School in the Yong'an military office. My father is waiting for the special envoy in the office."
"It turns out it's Zhe Yanei in person." Luo Yu'er bowed her hand politely.
"I am the commander under the command of the King of Han in Hexi. I have come here to pay a visit to Commander Zhejie on the orders of the King of Han!"
The two exchanged some pleasantries, and Luo Yu'er asked a little strangely: "It's almost winter now, and it's the season to stock up for the winter. The four gates of Fucheng are closed. Is there any inconvenience?"
Luo Yu'er actually didn't say anything in her heart. Isn't this to prevent us from returning to the rebel army?
This is still three hundred miles away. As for being so cautious?
Zhe Deku has always been smart. This is Yang Wudi's father-in-law and the father of Taijun Zhe (She). He immediately saw that Luo Yu'er had some misunderstandings and quickly raised his hands and said with a sad face.
"This matter is all caused by the imperial court ceding the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and Khitan. Our prefecture is also being ceded. Yelv Deguang has already ordered that all the people in the prefecture be moved to Liaodong to replenish the area. Therefore,
People are panicked.”
Luo Yu'er was stunned for a moment, and then an angry light appeared in his eyes. A person like him, who was born in the rebel army, can best understand the helplessness and anger of being betrayed by the imperial court.
"Fuzhou is backed by mountains, facing a desert, and surrounded by rivers. There are dangers from mountains and rivers. It was cut off from Khitan overnight, and what will happen to future generations!"
Seeing Luo Yu'er's fists clenched, Zhe De's anger didn't seem like hypocrisy, and he immediately felt that this person was someone he could make friends with.
"Commander Luo is right. We have lost the Lin Prefecture and the Northwest Ping Domain. Why doesn't the imperial court understand?"
Luo Yu'er sneered twice, "If there was a wise master in the court, why would our rebel army have been trapped in Hexi for hundreds of years and had to save ourselves?"
The two of them cursed the imperial court and walked towards the Yong'an Army Jiedushi Office.
Zhe Congyuan was born in 891 AD, the second year of Dashun, Zhaozong of the Tang Dynasty. He is already forty-eight years old this year. He is a tall man with elegant appearance and gentle treatment. He does not appear to be a military commander with military power at all.
He is still called Zhe Congyuan. Historically, after Liu Zhiyuan entered Tokyo and established the Later Han Dynasty, Zhe Congyuan changed his name to Zhe Congruan to avoid Liu Zhiyuan's taboo.
"After hearing about King Han's loyalty for a long time, five generations of people have not forgotten their homeland for two hundred years, and finally returned home in the eighteen states. Sincerity is a model for the world. If the situation is not tense now, I must go to Xiazhou to meet the King of Han."
Zhe Congyuan is a smart man. No matter who bullies whom between the Guiyi Army and the Dingnan Army, it has nothing to do with Zhe Congyuan, as long as they don't come to take advantage of his prefecture.
Moreover, Zhe Congyuan also felt that Zhang Zhao would not be foolish enough to come and attract Fuzhou's attention.
Because the Yong'an Army in the Second Prefecture of Lin Prefecture is different from the Dingnan Army of Yinxia Yousui.
Their Zhe family has lived in Yunzhou (Datong) for a long time. Zhe Congyuan's grandfather, Zhe Zongben, followed King Li Keyong of Jin Dynasty.
Therefore, the Zhe family was not a semi-independent vassal town like the Dingnan Army Li family, but belonged to Daibei Wuxun's circle, and could only be regarded as scraps.
But just this kind of leftover material ensures that they will not become Zhang Zhao's target at least for now.
When the Guiyi Army defeated the rebellious army, Shi Jingtang and Daibei Wuxun would regard it as dog eating dog, but if they attacked the Yong'an Army in Fuzhou, it would be almost like a rebellion.
The King of Han made such a big fuss, finally returned to the country with eighteen states, and finally reintegrated into the Central Plains. If he was not regarded as a Tubo slave, he would naturally not want to destroy his reputation for returning to the country loyally.
Hearing that Zhe Congyuan praised Zhang Zhao so much and had a very pleasant chat with Zhe Deku just now, Luo Yu'er immediately looked at Zhe Congyuan in a different light and he cupped his hand.
"When the servant came to Fuzhou, the King of Han also told the servant that Commander Zhejie had guarded the country's borders for decades and was a role model for us warriors. He ordered me to treat Commander Zhejie with respect when I saw him."
"Hahaha!" Even though he was troubled with everything and faced the threat from the Khitan, Zhe Congyuan still laughed heartily.
"His Royal Highness the King of Han is really ridiculous. Guarding the border for the country is my duty as a soldier and my family!
It’s a pity that the Khitan is now powerful and is besieging Yunzhou, and the imperial court has ordered us not to support it. I have been guarding the border for decades, and today I am going to see Yunzhou fall. Alas!”
A long sigh, full of sadness and helplessness.
Luo Yu'er's eyes widened suddenly. He also knew why Fuzhou felt like facing a formidable enemy. It turned out that the Khitan people had arrived.
"Is Yunzhong still in the hands of China? Which general is guarding it?"
"The people who protect Yunzhou are Sha Yanxun, the governor of the Datong Army, and Wu Luan, the judge of Datong!" Zhe Congyuan raised his hands to the sky and said with emotion.
"After the imperial court ceded the sixteen states of Yanyun, Yelu Deguang, the leader of the Khitan Kingdom, sent people to take over Yunzhou many times, but they were all rejected by Commander Sha Yanxun.
This time, he directly led an army of 50,000 people to arrive in person, deceiving Commander Shajie into meeting him out of the city, and then imprisoned him.
After that, the Khitan leader personally led a large army to attack the city. It has been five days now. I wonder what is happening in Yunzhou now?"
"Our ancestors won this place through bloody battles and protected our clan for thousands of years. Today, with the cession, all the Ping vassal in the north will be lost. I wonder what will be done to resist the Khitan's move south in the future?"
Luo Yu'er was born in the Guiyi Army, and his family had been generals of the Guiyi Army for several generations. Luo Tongda, the current governor of Suzhou, was his grandfather.
Following Zhang Zhao all the way to Anxi, Hezhong and Tianzhu these years, I have long been infected by Zhang Zhao’s national justice.
Now I heard that Yunzhou was going to fall and Fuzhou was going to be ceded. I was so agitated that I couldn't bear it anymore.
"Shuai Zhejie has always been loyal, but can he defend this Fuzhou? Without Yunzhou, there are already loopholes in the frontier defense. If Fuzhou is gone, where else can we defend it?"
Father and son Zhe Congyuan and Zhe Deyi looked at each other. Since Shi Jingtang ceded Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, some of them have scolded him, some of them have copied his example secretly, and some of them have pretended to do it.
But none of them were as sincere as Luo Yu'er is today. She was really heartbroken about the fall of Yunzhou and worried about the defense of the northern territory.
This kind of heartfelt emotion cannot be faked. Luo Yu'er is just a commander in the Guiyi Army, but he is already so loyal. He must have been influenced by King Zhang Han.
It can be seen that the Guiyi Army returned to the country in the Eighteen Prefectures, but it was really Guiyi!
"The general is a loyal man! In front of a loyal man, there is no need to hide anything. Even if I die and my family is destroyed, I will never give up my prefecture to the Khitans!"
Zhe Congyuan really told no lies. The rumor that the Khitans wanted to move the people from Lin Prefecture to Liaodong was spread by Zhe Congyuan, in order to arouse the resistance of the people in the two states.
Luo Yu'er heard this and bowed deeply to Zhe Congyuan, "Before I came here, King Han didn't know that there were still people in Yunzhou who were defending, and he didn't know that Commander Zhejie was so loyal. Otherwise, he would have to send some equipment. Commander Jie, wait a moment.
Please leave for a moment."
Before Zhe Congyuan came to help Luo Yu'er, Luo Yu'er got up first, and then walked straight out of the house with some rudeness, making Zhe Congyuan and Zhe Deku look at each other.
But not long after, Luo Yu'er and a few Gui Yijun walked in carrying something like clothes and armor. Luo Yu'er bowed again and said in a trembling voice.
"Although I have brought a hundred fine cavalry, the horses, armor, and weapons were all given by the King of Han. As a minister, I cannot touch them without permission.
But now we have one set of Hexi cloth-covered iron armor, three sets of iron-clad armor, and three sets of Persian chain mail, all of which are our private property. Although they may not necessarily play a big role, they can be considered as our own.
Wangjieshuai puts the world first and defends the two prefectures of Linfu, the last place of victory."
Zhe Congyuan had guessed a lot, but he didn't expect that Luo Yu'er was going to do this. Looking at several Guiyi Army soldiers holding armors, the head of the Zhe family, who was nearly fifty years old, looked up to the sky and roared, with something in his eyes.
Tears are shining.
He and his son Zhe Deku both walked over and bowed solemnly to Luo Yu'er and others.
"Since the imperial court ceded the prefecture, there has been no support for soldiers or food. A certain class has been holding on for several years and could not wait for reinforcements from the imperial court. However, they did not expect that it was Commander Luo and other righteous men who still remembered that the two prefectures of Lin Prefecture were holding on.
I have accepted this armor shamelessly from afar. Please rest assured, Commander Luo, and please report back to His Highness the King of Han. I would rather die than become a Khitan slave!"
Immediately afterwards, Zhe said to Luo Yu'er from a distance: "A certain family and the Li family of the Dingnan Army belong to the same party, but they are not close. Their Tuoba tribe has always wanted to annex our Zheju tribe, and there have always been many fights.
Five years ago, after the Dingnan Army ignored the imperial order and moved to the town, a certain person secretly conquered Xiang Luo Li, Gui Ren and other tribes in the northwest of Xiazhou.
This time, let Quanzi go to Xiazhou with the commander, and he can help to some extent."
Luo Yu'er also quickly thanked him. If the Zhe family came forward to recruit some party tribes for the Guiyi army, it would also reduce the pressure to attack Xiazhou.
Finally, Zhe Congyuan took Zhe Deku's hand and said, "Personally select fifty elites who are proficient in Chinese and bring them to the King of Han's tent to learn from them.
It is almost midwinter now, and the Khitans will not come at this time. If I can help the King of Han, I will do my best."
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
I will make up one update today, 10,000 words will be updated, and there will be another update at six o'clock. Those who are on leave still owe one update in total.
This chapter has been completed!