"I sent you to accompany Wang Zhen. When Wang Fan was in Lanzhou, he got to know the princess. After that, he sent you to guard Shuozhou, attack Xishanhu, Bishui, and attack Taiyuan thousands of miles away. The princess gave him great support.
Help, secretly fall in love, give birth to a little prince, and temporarily foster Xiao Shuai's knees..."
Xiao Yanhan took Xiao Bai with her to the south, and the matter was no small matter.
During this extremely long and extremely dangerous journey, anything could happen. Zhang Xiongshan was not sure that he and Xu Guanshan could reach Dali safely. Next, not only Sun Yanguan would be responsible for commanding the outpost troops, but Zhang Xiongshan would also
Several generals, commanders, and two deacons of the mule and horse team came over to tell them these secrets that should never be leaked, ensuring that no matter what kind of accident happened on the way, priority would be given to protecting the princess Xiao Yanhan and the little prince Xiao Bai.
Safety.
Since Sun Yanguan can be one of the most powerful generals in the Dongjing Alliance, it is natural that there will be many stories about the rise of Chushan. There are even rumors in the world that Xu Huai has some obscure involvement with the remnants of the Khitan.
It's just that Sun Yanguan never thought that Xu Huai not only had such a past with Xiao Linshi's sister Xiao Yanhan, but also gave birth to an heir, who was fostered by Xiao Linshi at this time????????????????
In front of the knees.
Of course, after understanding the secrets here, it becomes clearer why these secrets cannot be leaked out - the imperial court itself is suspicious of Jingxiang and is also wary of the remnants of the Khitan as "not of my kind". If this happened
If it leaks out, what's the point?
In the next ten days, everyone was planning to go south.
Xiao Xun was Xiao Qian's general during the Battle of Ruying. At that time, Xiao Qian was besieged south of the Ying River and refused to surrender. Xiao Xun was unwilling to die together. With the lobbying of Zhang Xiongshan and others, he assassinated Xiao Qian and then faked his death and escaped.
——After Xiao Qian's death, a total of nearly three thousand Khitan soldiers, including Xiao Xun's direct subordinates, surrendered, and were later sent to Qinzhou by Xu Huai in the name of trading war horses.
Xiao Xun will never find a way out from the Chihu people. This time he will lead more than 2,000 subordinates and family members to go south first. In addition, Wu Sanrongqi and seven other small tribes are willing to go south first.
.
After merging with Zhufengtang's mules and horses, the number of soldiers heading south totaled more than 8,000. Among them, there were about 3,500 Jianrui who could fully protect and fight as the main force, and more than 5,000 who were under close protection and care.
Women and children walk together.
In addition to more than 15,000 horses, they also carried 5,000 camels.
Half of the hundreds of craftsmen Zhang Xiongshan brought this time will follow the advance troops on the road.
No matter how much hesitation and fierce opposition there is, or whether it is to prepare for possible changes in the future, Xiao Yanhan led Xiao Xun and Wu Sanrong to go south first, and the core purpose is to use all means to fight for a piece of territory on the banks of the Shanghai River.
.
Only in this way will the remaining Khitan troops remaining in Taoyuan have more voices supporting the move south.
In addition to looking for guides who were familiar with the route from the existing prisoners, Zhang Xiongshan sent several dead soldiers to cross Minshan Mountain and Qionglai Mountain back to Biyang to report the news that Xiao Yanhan and the little prince were heading south first...
…………
…………
Like the bloody sunset about to fall from the top of the mountain, thousands of armored soldiers rushed into Shangluo City like a tide.
The defenders on the city wall were trembling with fear after being killed. They put down their swords and shields and cried out for their lives. However, the siege soldiers ruthlessly stabbed their sharp and cold spears into their chests, drawing out puffs of blood.
Under the setting sun, the sky surges and splashes. The mountains and plains are full of shouts of "Massage the city! Massacre the city! Massacre the city!", but the sound of the Danjiang River flowing is so feeble...
Jiang Ping and several scouts hid in the mountain col outside the city. From a high position, he watched the Japanese soldiers rush into Shangluo City. He felt very uncomfortable. At this time, hundreds of defenders fought their way out from the south city gate and headed for the beach on the right bank of the Danjiang River. Breakout.
However, hundreds of prisoners of war soon came from the east dock of Shangluo City to kill them, intending to intercept and annihilate the breakout defenders under the city walls.
From Shangluo City to the southeast to Shangluo City, it is the most open valley area in the upper reaches of the Danjiang River deep in the East Qinling Mountains.
The section of the Danjiang River between the two cities is about ninety miles long. The valleys along the coast are wide, the hills are shallow, and the terrain is flat. The main stream of the Danjiang River is winding and winding, forming a series of open bays and valleys. The villages along the coast are adjacent to each other. This is Shangzhou. In addition to the most fertile Sichuan plateau land, most of the areas in Shangzhou are the deep gorges and dangerous ridges of the East Qinling Mountains.
Shangluo's old name was Wu, and Wei Yang founded a town here. It was renamed Shang, also known as Shangyu. People then called this section of the Danjiang river valley, which stretches for more than 90 miles and is about ten miles deep from left to right, also called Shangyuyuan; The 800-mile ancient road that starts from Lantian in Weinan, ends in Neixiang in Nanyang, crosses the East Qinling Mountains, and connects Qin and Chu is called the Shangyu Ancient Road.
After the capture of Lantian, tens of thousands of Shaanxi enemy troops divided into two groups, heading all the way to Luonan in the upper reaches of the Luoshui River, and all the way directly to Shangluo City in the northwest section of the river valley.
Due to the terrain characteristics of Shang Yuyuan, Jiang Ping found it difficult to imagine that the more than a thousand defenders who had fought their way out of the city would be able to break away from the entanglement of the captive cavalry and successfully fight their way out of the siege. He could not bear to watch the tragedy of the massacre, so he led several scouts to the dense forest behind the mountain. Retreat inside.
The sky soon became dark, and the soldiers were burning, killing, looting, and setting fires everywhere in Shangluo City. Under the dark night, Shangluo City was engulfed in a sea of fire, which was so dazzling to the eyes.
Jiang Ping and others, wearing the stars and the moon, hurried through dangerous trails and arrived at Shangluo County at noon the next day.
The relatively open Shangyu River Valley ends abruptly at Fengguan Mountain to the east of Shangluo City.
The Danjiang River bypasses the foot of the west mountain of Fengguan Mountain and continues to flow through the mountains in the southeast direction. However, along the following sections of the flow are steep canyons that are difficult for flying apes to cross, instead of open shallow hills and river valleys.
In this section of the Danjiang River, there is not only no land route along the coast for people and horses to pass, but the river is also densely covered with rocks, making it difficult for boats to pass. However, it passes through the city from Shangluo, and a post road extends eastward among the mountains. Inside and outside is the illustrious Wuguan Pass.
The ancient Shang-Yu Road in the pre-Qin period extended eastward from Wuguan to Neixiang County in the west of Nanyang. It was all traveled by land. However, in the previous dynasty, the vassal towns were separated, and places such as Hehuai and Hehuai were not under the control of the imperial court that made Guanzhong the capital at that time. The canal road was interrupted. In order to more effectively transport the wealth from the southeast into Guanzhong, the previous dynasty opened a remote channel from Danjiang to the Jingzishai area, and then opened a post road from Jingzizhai to Wuguan.
Therefore, the old Qin-Chu road between the East Qinling Mountains and the part east of Wuguan actually became two lines after the former dynasty.
The most dangerous and narrow part of the entire ancient Shang-Yu Road is the section from Shangluo County to Wuguan.
When Jiang Ping led his people into Shangluo City from the south gate, they saw the city in chaos. There were refugees and deserters everywhere. When he was about to walk towards the county government office, he saw Liu Wugong and Chen Songze approaching from another lane. Said: "The envoy has come to Shangluo, and he is at the gate tower of the west city!"
"After the fall of Shangluo, the city was massacred. Do you know about it?" Jiang Ping asked. "I know! Gu Cong broke out of the siege and just entered Shangluo through the west city gate!" Chen Songze said.
Jiang Ping, accompanied by Liu Wugong and Chen Songze, walked to the west gate tower and walked up the city wall from the climbing road. At first sight, they saw Gu Cong, who was covered in blood and his armor was in pieces.
"Gu Shaojun!" Jiang Pingping saluted.
Yesterday, Jiang Ping saw more than a thousand defenders fighting their way out of Shangluo City in the mountains outside Shangluo City, but they were entangled by hundreds of captives riding on the riverbank.
Jiang Ping guessed that Gu Cong should be among the defenders who fought their way out of the city, but he didn't expect that he would be lucky enough to break out of the siege in the end.
Among the many disciples of the Gu family, Gu Cong is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also a staunch warrior.
As the eldest son of Gu Jiqian, he led his troops to guard the border as early as when he was in Fuzhou. It was the first time for the Red Husbands to go south. It was also he who led more than a thousand elite troops to represent King Qin of the Gu family to rush to Bianliang. Later, he and Liu Yan and others killed him from Bianliang.
He came out of the siege and returned to serve under the emperor.
In the following years, Gu Cong led his troops to fight against the Japanese soldiers in Shaanxi, and he also became a marquis based on his military exploits.
This winter, there were many voices on Dongchuan Road giving up on Lantian and Shangzhou. It was also Gu Cong who insisted on leading his elite troops to defend Lantian, Shangluo and other cities. He was unwilling to give up Dongchuan.
Sichuan Road is the bridgehead for counterattack against Shaanxi.
Although under the fierce offensive of the Japanese soldiers, Gu Cong was ultimately unable to defend Lantian and Shangluo, and even abandoned his troops and armor, suffering heavy losses. In the end, he only led a small number of remnants to escape to Shangluo in embarrassment. But for such a character, Jiang Ping also
How could there be any slightest contempt or disrespect?
However, Gu Cong looked so indifferent towards Jiang Ping, Liu Wugong, Chen Songze and others.
Jiang Ping didn't take it seriously either. He looked at Xu Huai, who was standing in front of the wall with Wang Ju, Dong Cheng, Gu Jian, Zhou Jing and others. He was supporting the wall and looking at the long Danjiang River and saluted: "Your Majesty, Shangluo has been captured.
Luonan City was also surrounded by thousands of soldiers, and it either fell or surrendered in just a day or two!"
Xu Huai looked back at Jiang Ping and others and said, "I understand, thank you for your hard work!"
"Shangluo City is sandwiched between mountains and rivers. The post road connecting Wuguan in the east cannot be cut off by Yulu soldiers. Even so, does Chushan still have no intention of guarding Shangluo?" Gu Congqiang suppressed the resentment in his heart and asked in a low voice.
.
Of course Xu Huai could hear the resentment in Gu Cong's words, but how could Gu Cong accept everything calmly without resentment in his heart when thousands of his direct subordinates died in Lantian, Shangluo and other places?
However, seeing the corpses floating upstream from the upper reaches floating up and down in the Danjiang River, Xu Huai had no intention of defending himself.
"..."
Seeing that Gu Cong wanted to say something angrily, Gu Jian tugged on his shirt collar and said bitterly,
"His Majesty's new imperial decree just arrived in Jinzhou three days ago. Your Majesty still strictly ordered Dongchuan Road to garrison Shangluo, Shangluo and other cities, so as to use barbarian soldiers to peer into Jingxiang's heart from Shaanxi. The imperial edict only asked Jingxiang to provide food and troops to Shangzhou.
Machinery..."
Gu Cong was stunned for a moment, then punched the wall hard with a livid face and said nothing.
Gu Jian went to Biyang to ask for help, but was unwilling to accept it after being rejected by Xu Huai. Later, Gu Cong's father Gu Jiqian petitioned the imperial court in the name of Dongchuan Road Zhizhi Envoy to agree to Dongchuan Road handing over Shangzhou's defense to the Jingxiang Zhishi Department.
.
Gu Cong did not expect that the new imperial edict would be delivered at this time, but it would still prohibit Dongchuan Road from handing over Shangzhou's defense to Jingxiang, and even restrict Jingxiang to only provide food and weapons to Shangzhou. What else could he say at this time?
