The last time Chuzhou was massacred by Luke Dehun, there were less than a thousand people left in a complete prefecture, basically without a single land and no one was deserted. Only some Han people who were forbidden from the northern circle were unwilling to flee here to settle down as slaves. This time Jiergalang invaded the south, and the people of Chuzhou were all soldiers. Under the leadership of Chuzhou civil officials, they fled to the mountains to play guerrilla warfare with the Qing soldiers.

Of course, they only dared to attack some small groups of Qing soldiers, and even so, they were often counterattacked. After all, farmers could not beat these veterans by picking up hoes.

Fortunately, the people of Chuzhou fought alone for not long. After three days of repair, the Northern Expedition Army continued to move forward. No one expected that this southern invasion led by Zheng Zhilong and initiated by the Qing Dynasty, which eventually evolved into the Northern Expedition, which was mainly attacked by Hou Xuanyan and defended by the Qing soldiers.

Jiergalang thought about it again and again, but decided to give up Chuzhou. There was no danger here. The city was destroyed and disrepaired, and there was no need to guard the city.

The Qing Dynasty retreated to Qingliu Pass and leaned against Fengyang to block the Northern Expedition Army, which was heading for the fierce and rebellious Northern Expedition Army. On the mountains of Chuzhou, the officials who hid were happy and led everyone down the mountain to join the Northern Expedition Army.

Qingliu Pass is located at a critical point. Looking south at the Yangtze River and controlling the Jianghuai River in the north, it is a must-pass place for entering and leaving Jinling (Nanjing). It is known as the "Key of Jinling". The terrain here is dangerous, with cliffs and high mountains and deep valleys. It is really like "a man should be a pass and tens of thousands of men cannot open" when setting up a pass here. Jiergalang captured tens of thousands of young and strong Han people from Fengyang Prefecture, forcing them to repair the pass, add roadblocks, and prepare for rolling stones. The whole Fengyang was full of chaos, and there were Qing soldiers catching people and the families of the captured masters crying.

"The gate of Qingliu Pass is a steep staircase of hundreds of steps. Each section of these stone slabs requires an adult to take a big step to complete. It takes a long charge to go up, and it is very physically exhausting. If you want to pass the level, you can only climb up the stairs with your teeth. However, once there is a defender on it, the rolling stone arrows of the wood and the rolling stones are fired at once, even the most powerful army is difficult to pass." Jiang Jianxun talked happily in the tent of the main general, and he knew the terrain of this area.

Hou Xuanyan pointed to Qingliu Pass on the sand table. Sure enough, there were mountains nearby, only one road in Huashan. There were mountains surrounding Chuzhou, and it was indeed...

"Is there any way to minimize casualties and break through the barrier?"

A group of military generals of the Northern Expedition Army in the big tent and civil servants in Chuzhou who escaped the disaster began to discuss the strategy of breaking the pass.

They went back and forth, just to surrender and attack, all of which were unreliable inferior strategies. Hou Xuanyan frowned and said nothing. Zhu Dadian observed his expression and saw that he had signs of being angry and cursed, so he hurriedly asked, "The Duke of the State has made many wisdom and tricks, but what are the good strategies?"

Hou Xuanyan snorted coldly. This guy is really cunning, so he kicked the ball back. Hou Xuanyan couldn't come up with an idea and was upset. He was about to scold these people and vent his anger, but he was blocked by Zhu Dadian and said, "Go out and have a look. I'll have any ideas here."

Everyone followed him out of the tent, looked up at the front of the gate, and the soldiers on their side were building to prevent them from rushing down and raiding their camp.

In midsummer, the mountains are lush with grass and forests covering the sky and sun. They are full of big trees such as locust trees, pine trees, cypress trees and other trees. The branches and leaves of these trees are lush. From a distance, the entire Qingliu Pass is green, and the Qing soldiers inside cannot be seen at all.

"Others are enjoying the coolness on the mountain, but we are being exposed to the sun below. Sooner or later, like his mother Xiahou Yuan, you can't come up with any idea. The Qing soldiers staged a performance of Jier Harang's angrily beheading Hou Xuan. You just wait to collect my body."

Everyone looked at each other and was silent, and no one dared to touch this lintel.

Hou Xuanyan could finally realize that Huang Taiji Nurhaci and others sighed when facing Shanhaiguan. A Qingliu Pass was blocking his eyes. It was really a man who could not open the pass. The majestic pass made people desperate.

At night, a bonfire was lit in the tent, and the soldiers gathered together to make a fire and cook.

Hou Xuanyan and a group of big-headed soldiers sat on the ground, holding a broken bowl in their hands, and drinking white porridge sucked.

The bright moon hangs high like a white jade disc, shining brightly. Hou Xuanyan looked at the bright moon and sighed: "I have a group of wives and concubines, surrounded by maids, and the meat is not delicate, and the meat is not fine and not eaten. I actually want to drink porridge with you. It is really hard to swallow." After saying that, he raised the broken bowl of steak and sipped it all, and licked the bowl. Years of war made Hou Xuanyan realize that marching is a very physically consuming job. If there is no sufficient military ration and cannot control such a huge army, no wonder the ancients always like to cut off food.

A soldier smiled and said, "Master, if you think drinking porridge is light, the villain will go to the foot of the mountain to catch some small beasts. The roasted spore meat is the best delicious in the world." The soldier is dark and thin, and he is obviously a child from a poor family. He probably has never eaten anything good.

Hou Xuanyan curled his lips and cursed: "Do you dare? I have already ordered that no one is allowed to leave the camp without authorization. Don't look at the Qing soldiers above, I don't know how many braided soldiers are hiding under the tree. You kid are disgusting your life. If you dare... huh? No, why is it so fragrant?"

Hou Xuanyan stood up, and the soldier next to the fire followed him, slowly moving along the fragrance, and came to the back of the tent.

A burly man, with his butt raised up his millstone, was lying on the ground and igniting a barbecue. There was a skewer of meat next to him that had been half eaten.

"Hu Bawan!" Hou Xuanyan swallowed and scolded sternly: "What are you doing here sneakily?"

"Yao, Grandmaster, why are you all coming here suddenly?"

Hou Xuanyan laughed and scolded: "Where did you do these wild game? You must have gone out of the camp without authorization against the military order. I confiscated it first. You will be sentenced to your crimes again and again tomorrow. Hurry up, take it to the front, everyone will have a tooth sacrifice, and the birds fade out of their mouths."

Although the soldiers were afraid of Hu Bawan, with Hou Xuanyan's support, they rushed forward to take his firewood and the washed and worn wild game to the front.

Hou Xuanyan looked at the fire-making soldiers and struggled to light the fire. He couldn't help but say, "The ground is full of dead branches. Why are you making so many fresh branches? There are also a few pine branches with leaves. It's so stupid."

Hu Bawan didn't say anything angry, and the black and thin soldier smiled and said, "Master, you are wrongly accusing Brother Hu. Look, the greener the branches of the pine tree, the more powerful the fire will be after it is burned, and it will be burned for a long time. Once the dead branches are burned, they will turn into ashes, but this thing can cook the rabbit."

After listening to it, Hou Xuanyan felt as if he was enlightened. He suddenly stood up and tiptoed to pat Hu Bawan's unshaven cheeks, and laughed: "Haha, what's the best thing about roasting rabbits? I'll take you to roast wild boars tomorrow."
Chapter completed!