The towering Hengshan Mountain stretches along the northern border of Dai County. The Inner Great Wall winds on the top of the mountain, like a jade belt with beads, connecting Yanmen Mountain, Mantou Mountain, and Caoduo Mountain. It leans on the Yanbei Plateau in the north and anchors the earth in the south.
, the majestic Yanmen Ancient Fortress is built on the steep Yanmen Ridge.
Yanmen Mountain was called Gouzhu Mountain in ancient times. The peaks here are tall and straight, and the terrain is dangerous. Since the Yanmen Pass was built, it has become more and more like "one man can guard the pass, and ten thousand people cannot open it."
"The key to the lock, the root reaches three passes, and the throat reaches the whole Jin". It is said that every spring, south geese fly north, holding reed leaves in their mouths, fly to Yanmen and hover for a long time, until the leaves fall before they can pass. Therefore, there is a saying "Those who live in Yanmen Mountain, the wild geese fly
out of the way".
Yanmen Pass has a circumference of two miles and a height of two feet. It has a stone base and a brick body, with battlements as teeth. It has three openings, namely the east gate, the west gate and the small north gate. A tower is built on the east gate, called the Yan Tower, and a stone plaque is embedded in the front of the door.
Book "Natural Danger".
The small north gate does not have an attic, but the masonry structure is particularly strong. The stone plaque on the door is engraved with the three characters "Yanmen Pass". The bricks on both sides of the door are inlaid with regular script inspection couplets "Three passes rush to the unparalleled ground, and Marushui respects one pass."
." Outside the east gate is built the "Jingbian Temple" on the north side to commemorate the military strategist Zhao General Li Shou during the Warring States Period. Outside the west gate is the Guandi Temple on the right side. There are garrison barracks to the north of Guancheng and a military training ground to the southeast.
The entire Guancheng building is majestic and majestic, with tigers and dragons sitting on top of each other.
The so-called "Eight Hundred Miles Company Camp", the garrison barracks at Yanmen Pass are not that vast, but there are Baili Company Camps. As an important checkpoint on the front line of the Great Wall, the choke point between Dachu and Beihu, there are heavy troops here
To guard it, there were tens of thousands of standing troops.
On the northern line of the Great Wall, there are six generals with the word "dragon". Although the chief general of Yanmen Pass is nominally the governor of the pass, children also know that the actual chief general of the pass is Ouyang Dexiu, the general of Long Meng.
General Long Meng's prestige in the army is second only to General Tianwei and Longyi General Liu Zizheng. He is skilled in military law, brave in combat, and has the martial arts of a five-level warrior, which gives him high majesty in the hearts of soldiers.
The governor of the town is just a person who is occasionally used to take the blame. As a civil servant, he usually only handles the daily life of the border officers. It is more appropriate to say that he is the logistics minister. Without the order of Longmeng General Ouyang Dexiu, he cannot move anyone.
One soldier.
Or, he could only occasionally write some memorials in the dark night and send his trusted followers to Kyoto, so that His Majesty the Emperor would not forget that there was such an official at the border.
The convoy slowly moved towards the camp in the north. Xue Poye could see flags fluttering in the camp from a distance, whistling in the cold wind. Most of the flags had the word "Chu" written brightly on them.
"Sir, that is where our Da Chu Yanmen garrison is stationed." A Yulin guard knew that Xue Poye was not very clear about the border affairs, so he explained respectfully: "There should be a large area behind the garrison camp.
The land will not be harvested in this winter, but in the spring and autumn, the border officers will set aside part of it to cultivate on the spot to replenish food and grass. This is also a rule established by the old general many years ago, just to save some burden on the court.
Share the worries of His Majesty the Emperor."
Xue Poye nodded and said: "One look at the solemn and solemn formation over there, and you will know that the old general has a good command of the army. It is worthy of being the great stone at the border of our country of Chu."
Seeing Hu people passing by on the official road from time to time, they seemed to be some small caravans, all going to the territory of Dachu, and they couldn't help but sigh: "Although Beihu and Dachu are feuding, this private business is still very good.
.”
Yu Linwei shook his head and said: "I don't know, sir, speaking of it, it is not easy for these Beihu people. They can enter the pass, but they encounter many dangers along the way. There are large forces in the Hanshui Ancient Ferry and the Qilin Mountains."
Once the bandits are encountered by them, disaster is imminent. Even if these Beihu merchants enter the pass, the road behind them will not be easy."
"Is it difficult to leave?" Xue Poye asked curiously, "How can I say this?"
"Your Majesty, I don't know. In order to spy on the local Beihu, I, Da Chu, have a limit on the number of Hu people who can enter the pass. No more than fifteen people can enter the pass at a time. If there are more than fifteen people, they are not allowed to enter the pass.
.And when they enter the customs, they will sign the customs documents. Every time they pass through a prefecture, county, or county in Dachu, they have to go to the local government office to sign the document. As long as they get a seal, they can continue to the next prefecture or county.
.If there is no seal before, and when the government checks the document and there is no seal, he will be arrested as a spy." Yu Linwei said calmly: "That's why my subordinates said, they
Even if you enter the customs, it is difficult to leave. There will be people from the government watching you all the way."
Xue Poye seemed to understand something and nodded slowly.
Only then did he understand why Beihu's leather horses were so expensive in Dachu. The price of a Hu horse from Beihu to Dachu increased dozens of times, while the price of Dachu's stuff went to Beihu.
Hu is also extremely expensive and extravagant. The root cause is the steepness of the road and the numerous difficulties and obstacles along the way.
If this trade route is solved, then the amount of trade between the two sides will definitely skyrocket, and the people of the two countries will understand it better, thereby resolving some hatred.
But all of this is so futile.
These Beihu people seemed to be very tired, driving a small convoy, and the goods were only furs and wild ginseng, plus some horses.
Speaking of which, Dachu is very open to Beihu's trading of horses to the mainland. No matter how many horses are transported to Yanmen Pass, they can almost enter the pass after being interrogated and searched by Xiangjia. However, these horses will naturally be sent to various places along the way.
The government strictly monitors movements.
Xue Poye's motorcade gradually approached the garrison camp, and one could even hear the roars of soldiers practicing.
"Sir, do you see?" You Shaoqing, who was following the Golden Lion, his eyes lit up and he pointed forward and said, "Someone is coming to greet us."
Without You Shaoqing's advice, Xue Poye also saw a team coming towards him. Although they were soldiers from the North Town Army of the Border Guards in armor, what they held in their hands was not the cold steel spears, but the cold steel spears in their hands.
It was a flower drum and suona, playing and playing, just like a procession to welcome a bride. In front of everyone, an official dressed as a civil servant came to greet him with a smile. He bowed his hands from a distance and said loudly amidst the sound of the suona: "Xiaguan Yanmen Town Governor"
Xu Decai is waiting for Mr. Xue to come to Yanmen Pass. Mr. Xue has been delivering food for thousands of miles. It has been a hard journey, a hard journey!"
Xue Poye saw that Xu Decai, the governor of Yanmen, was extremely thin and had long cheeks. He didn't have the aura of a soldier on the battlefield. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. He didn't know that it was Xu Decai's frail appearance that made the officers and soldiers look down on him.
It was because the officers and soldiers looked down upon him that he became so melancholy day and night.
Such people are really not suitable to stay at the border.
He turned over and dismounted, raised his hands and came forward with a smile on his face: "It turns out that I am the envoy of Xu Zhen. I am disrespectful. The border officers are guarding the border and protecting our people. They are all warriors. I am just sending some military rations. Let's talk about it."
If it’s not hard work, it’s out of the question.” As he spoke, he waved his hands, looking very humble.
Xu Decai's official position was lower than that of Xue Poye, so he stood aside humbly and said respectfully: "Your Excellency, please invite me. We have already set up a reception banquet for you."
Xue Poye waved his hand and said: "No hurry, no rush." Pointing to the convoy behind him, he said: "Master Xu, I have arrived safely with provisions and military pay, but I can't say I have finished my errand until I hand over the goods, haha..."
In this case, if Mr. Xu has no objection, please ask Mr. Xu to dispatch grain officials and bank officials to hand over these things first and register them in the register. After Mr. Xu signs and stamps them, how about you and I having a few more drinks?"
Xu Decai praised: "Master Xue attaches great importance to important matters, which is really admirable. I will send someone to arrange the receipt of food, grass and military pay, and then arrange the food and accommodation for everyone. Everything depends on Master Xue's wishes."
Xue Poye and his convoy headed straight for the camp.
Although the imperial court allocated a sum of money and transported it to the border, it did not really solve the problem for hundreds of thousands of border officers. Many soldiers have not received their military pay until now, and they are already full of complaints in private.
Today I saw hundreds of grain carts and silver carts coming to the end, and everyone was happy and excited. The resentment that was originally suppressed in their hearts was swept away at this time.
After entering the station, Xue Poye saw that the barracks were layered on top of each other and in order. They were heavily guarded everywhere, with bright armor and bright and cold spears and swords emitting a cold light. Although it was a bitter cold place on the border, Beizhen
The morale of the army is quite good. Just looking at the tall and straight backs of the Beizhen Army officers, you can tell that the general guarding the gate here is a general who can command the troops well.
The munitions depot at Yanmen Pass is in the southwest corner of the station. The convoy passed the station in an orderly manner. Under the watchful eyes of the Beizhen Army, it slowly drove to the munitions depot. Over there, Xu Decai had arranged for the grain officer and silver clerk to conduct a handover ceremony.
Xue Poye asked his subordinate Yu Linwei to assist in the handover procedures, and then followed Xu Decai to the small barracks next to him for tea.
Naturally, there is no good tea in the border area. Although Xu Decai is the governor of Yanmen Town, his treatment is not necessarily very good. It is just ordinary tea, and he can only drink a few sips.
"Mr.
Xue Poyeqing knew that Xu Decai had no soldiers or power here, and was only a nominal governor. I am afraid that his real power was not as good as that of the partial generals or even the captains, and he had to beware of taking the blame at all times.
It's really bitter.
Da Chu has always valued culture over military affairs, but here at the border fortress, the top leader, Old General Ren, looked down upon the literati at all. Therefore, when the civilian officials came to the border, they could only have the fate of doing odd jobs.
Xue Poye smiled slightly and asked casually: "By the way, I heard that General Long Meng is guarding Yanmen Pass. Isn't he here?"
Xu Decai said hurriedly: "It's a coincidence. In addition to your visit to Yanmen Pass today, General Tianwei suddenly came to inspect today, and General Ouyang went to greet the old general." He paused and looked outside.
, said: "It's time to come back."
Xue Poye was startled, frowned and asked: "Is the old general coming here?" Although he had never seen the general, he had heard about the general's reputation in Kyoto and knew that this was a discipline.
The strict general's prestige among the Beizhen Army and even the Dachu Army is unparalleled. To put it bluntly, his prestige in the hearts of the soldiers may even exceed that of His Majesty the Emperor, and His Majesty the Emperor himself,
He also has great respect for the general. When talking on weekdays, he always refers to him as "general" instead of calling him by his name.
The general started out as an ordinary soldier, went through hundreds of battles, and climbed to the highest peak of military power step by step, which is a great miracle. He loved his soldiers as much as his son, and he was loyal to the court, which won him great favor.
people's love.
It’s just that Xue Poye was a little afraid of this general who had never been masked before. It was something that had never happened before. No matter how powerful and awesome the opponent was, Xue Poye had never experienced it before.
Fear, even in front of the current emperor, Xue Poye cannot be said to be afraid, but when he hears the three words "general", it is like a kind of magic power, which makes people feel a faint sense of respect.
With fear.
"Yes." Speaking of the old general, Xu Decai, a civilian who was rejected by the army, was still full of respect: "The old general is over sixty, but he still handles military affairs every day. Whenever he has free time, he has to patrol various border checkpoints. It's really
It can be said that we have dedicated our lives to death. If we want to serve our country and defend our family, we only need to learn one-tenth of the skills of the old generals, and we will be worthy of heaven and earth."
Xue Poye smiled faintly, drank tea from a cup, and said nothing.
The handover of hundreds of large vehicles requires careful counting. In addition to the military rations, the money also needs to be weighed. Although there are many people, these things are not accessible to everyone, so when the sky becomes completely dark, the handover task is also difficult.
We are only halfway through, and the remaining half is still in the car.
In desperation, we could not stop the handover, so we had to light torches and count all night. Xu Decai, the driver, laborer, bodyguard, and bodyguard of the convoy arranged for meals to be sent to the military depot for dinner. Although the food was not good, everyone
The guys hadn't had any good food for a while, and they were hungry, so they ate and drank without fuss.
Xu Decai invited Xue Poye to have a small meal alone, but it was not a delicacy. It was just a few prey brought by the soldiers, nothing more than rabbits and deer. Xue Poye brought a small stone with him, which was considered a big meal.
full.
Xue Poye left the barracks and saw that the handover procedures were still in progress, so he had to return to the camp, find a place to sit down, close his eyes and rest, but Xu Decai went over to urge him to speed up.
Squinting his eyes, he saw that Xiao Shitou had fallen asleep on the table, and Xue Poye couldn't help but yawn.
This journey was really tiring. Although there were no bandits robberies, I was always careful and guarded against bandits and robbers every day. It was only when I arrived at Yanmen Pass today that my tense heart relaxed a little.
After coming down, this relaxation made me feel much more tired, and before I knew it, I fell asleep in a daze.
Yanmen Ancient Fortress, the cold wind is blowing and whining, just like countless innocent souls telling something between heaven and earth.
The wind here is very windy and sandy. It is difficult for a newcomer to adapt. After only a short sleep, Xue Poye felt a little cold all over his body. He was worried that the little stone would be frozen. When he opened his eyes, he looked for a blanket for the little stone.
Cover.
But as soon as he sat up, he felt something strange. There seemed to be an electric eye looking at him next to him. He was startled and turned around, only to see a person sitting on a big chair not far away.
An elder with a fluttering white beard.
The elder was probably in his sixties, with a tall build, a Chinese-character face, thick eyebrows, and a high nose bridge. He had the unique resolute temperament of a soldier, and he was actually wearing a golden battle armor from head to toe, looking like a god.
.
Beside the table is a golden armor. On the top of the armor is the crown of a mighty tiger, which looks very imposing.
Under his thick eyebrows, the elder's sharp eyes stared coldly at Xue Poye, just like a father looking at his son who had made a mistake with a reproachful look, stern and cold.
"General... General?" Xue Poye suddenly thought of a person in his mind and shouted.
The elder said coldly: "You knew I was coming, how dare you sleep here? Your subordinates are all outside carrying food, grass, and military pay. Why do you hide here and sleep alone?" His voice was old and powerful.
He was full of energy, but extremely stern, and looked very angry. In his eyes, Xue Poye's official position was no longer important. It didn't matter whether you were the Viscount of Da Chu, whether you were the deputy chief guard of the Yulin Camp, or whether you were the deputy general guard of the Yulin Camp.
Minister of Hubu, when we get to the border, my general is the boss, and everyone else... can only be under my control.
This is the arrogance of soldiers.
The elder stood up, his armor rattling. He looked at Xue Poye coldly, then suddenly looked at Xiao Shitou, frowned, then went to the side to get a blanket, walked to Xiao Shitou, and said kindly
When you put the blanket on Xiaoshi's body, it's like a kind grandfather covering his beloved grandson with a quilt, warm and harmonious.
These two sides of sternness and kindness were actually revealed in a moment, right under Xue Poye's eyes. Xue Poye's eyes widened and he looked at this legendary figure, not knowing what to do.
But he soon woke up, stood up immediately, tidied up some of his scattered clothes, walked forward quickly, knelt down on the ground, and said respectfully: "Xue Poye, please see the general!"
The general said calmly: "Xue Poye, I have heard of your name, and I also know that you raised this batch of food, grass and army salary from Jiangnan. But you must not think that this is your credit. As the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs,
You should always ensure the supply of food, fodder and military pay for our Beizhen Army. This is your duty. If you do it well, you will be worthy of your own royal rations. If you do not do it well, you will be a sinner of the country. As the Minister of Household Affairs, you will also
It’s not worthy to do it.”
Although the general reprimanded him harshly, Xue Poye felt that it was precisely because of his straightforward and just personality that the general was respected by the people of Chu. He bowed deeply and said humbly: "What the general said is that if the lower officials do
If I am not a good emperor and I am not worthy of the hat on my head, I will resign on my own initiative and will never hold back the imperial court."
The general's brows slightly relaxed, he looked at Xue Poye for a few times, raised his hand and said, "Get up." After Xue Poye stood up, he said: "Shilang Xue, don't think the border is difficult. Only hardship can temper a true warrior.
, Those officials like Yanbaer in the court have not experienced the bitter cold at the border and do not know the hardships of the Beizhen Army. If you can see the customs here, you can be considered a lucky official."
"The general led the Beizhen Army, defying the hardships and bitter cold, and guarded the border for decades like a rock, protecting our country and the people. I admire you greatly in my heart." Xue Poye said sincerely: "The border officers and soldiers are the Great Wall of flesh and blood.
Only by consolidating our borders can our great Chu be prosperous. Speaking of which, the achievements of the Beizhen Army are unparalleled by anyone in our great Chu state."
He did not exaggerate the generals, but praised the Beizhen Army. This is a way to understand people's hearts.
Exaggerating the generals is still suspected of flattery, but praising the Beizhen Army, which involves hundreds of thousands of soldiers, can only be said to be heartfelt admiration, but it has nothing to do with flattery.dd