Deputy Changjian Zhang didn’t know how Luo Shu came to talk to Taoist Rengao. Anyway, in the next two days, he had been comforting the Taoist who was a little scared. He repeatedly emphasized that he and Xiong Bonan had an old relationship, for the sake of the Purple Faced King.
Go up, I will definitely not let Taoist Gao get into trouble because of today's incident... As long as the other party honestly contributes manpower and material resources, there is no need for him to accompany him.
Moreover, he actually tried to protect this person from additional blackmail by Luo Shu's army, and even publicly acted as an imperial envoy to support Huairong County and refused entry to Luo Shu's army.
To put it bluntly, Zhang Xing doesn't know if Taoist Gao is a bastard who secretly steals men and steals women from prostitution. He doesn't think the remnant of Dong Qi is a good thing, but as he told Qin Bao, things will change from time to time.
Also...when the Emperor of Wei completely lost his composure in the face of the arrow that might kill him, Zhang Xing no longer doubted anything.
He firmly believed that with the saint's unbalanced mentality and this incident, the situation may have reached a point of sudden change. A few steps further along the strong wind, there would be a crossroads.
At this time, it would be ridiculous to forcefully separate ourselves from the enemy. Instead of doing so, it is better to just focus on the present and do what he thinks is moral and reasonable... He didn't even bother to ask Qin Bao if Luo Shu was really a master of the Eighteen Riders and Four Meridians...
...that would be weird!
On October 27, twelve days had passed since the saint rode into the clouds and the Wu clan landed. Qin Bao and Luo Xin led two teams of 300 Youzhou cavalry to set off first to clear the way.
On October 28, after learning that the banner of Li Cheng, the general manager of Youzhou, had appeared in the mountain pass east of Huairong, and that it was only two days away, Luo Shu, the seventh lieutenant general of the general manager of Youzhou, immediately ordered Luo Shu, the former general, to
Tens of thousands of Huairong soldiers and civilians who were scheduled to set out the day after tomorrow sent troops to the west in advance... For a time, many flags had no time to be made properly and could only be sewn from single-color cloth pieces. The civilians who pretended to be soldiers were even more hasty and could only carry a dozen or so flags per person.
They traveled with just enough food every day, but a small number of people could not even equip themselves with weapons, so they simply carried wooden sticks and hatchets.
Zhang Xing did not wait for the General Manager of Youzhou, but accompanied Luo Shu's army. At the current situation, he still believed in Li Ding's judgment and analysis. As soon as the army arrived, the Wu people would inevitably retreat, and they would not follow the army of the General Manager of Youzhou.
Meaningless.
In this way, with the assistance of the local powerful and local officials in Huairong, nearly ten thousand civilians participated, and the troops marched forward with great fanfare, stretching for more than ten miles.
In the first three days, there were no disturbances. The Wu people at most held the pass of the basin and could not send anyone to the mountain passage. What's more, there were 300 cavalry led by Qin Bao and Luo Xin in front as the vanguard.
The information exchange between the two sides continued and became more and more frequent, because starting from the third day, the three hundred cavalry as the vanguard had arrived at the basin pass... It took Zhang Xing and Qin Bao two days to arrive here from Yunnei City, but that time
It was to penetrate enemy-occupied areas. In fact, if the cavalry made a desperate advance, it would start in the morning and arrive at Unnai Castle in the evening.
After hesitating for a day, after confirming that the siege was still going on, Luo Shu, who followed to the edge of the basin, finally made up his mind and issued military orders to his son and nephew, preparing for an upright military adventure and political speculation.
After receiving the military order, the three hundred cavalrymen no longer hesitated. Early the next morning, the first day of November, Qin and Luo led the team to set off and launched a sudden advance towards Yunnei City.
"Let's wait for a day." On the hillside, Luo Shu looked to the west. After watching his nephew's elite vanguard disappear from sight, he turned back to look at Zhang Xing. "Send the troops tomorrow morning."
Zhang Xing stood behind him with his sword in hand, and immediately nodded: "Uncle Shi is the commander-in-chief, and I am not familiar with military affairs. Uncle Shi has the final say in everything."
Luo Shu also nodded, but half-smiled: "That's not what my nephew said when our troops were not allowed to enter the city a few days ago."
"There is also a distinction between long-term and sudden fame when it comes to fame." Zhang Xing earnestly advised. "Uncle Shi is a man of martial prowess, easy-going temperament, and has a strong foundation in Youzhou. Sooner or later, he will rise to great heights, and Huai
Rong is a place where the remnants of the Eastern Qi Dynasty and powerful forces are so powerful, and the location is so crucial, leaving a good impression on the people may have surprisingly good results."
After Luo Shu listened carefully, he wanted to complain that he could never wait for this possibility in his whole life, but he also seemed to feel that there was still some truth in it, and he also felt that the other party seemed to be hinting at something that was not suitable for further discussion.
He could only nod his head, and laughed dryly.
Zhang Xing, on the other hand, was still curious and did not regard himself as an outsider at all: "Uncle Shi, I am particularly curious about something... Logically speaking, as a master of condensation, can you fly over at this time to help them?
People, send them to the city and come back?"
"Theoretically speaking, it's possible." Luo Shu relaxed after hearing these words, and said casually on the hillside. "But let me ask you, what if the master of condensing pills from the Wu clan discovered me outside?
, what should I do if they immediately try to surround and kill me? No matter how high the practitioner is, I don’t understand if it reaches the level of a great master, but a master like Niu Du Gong is also subject to the army of the witch clan? I condensed the pill,
True Qi is limited. Once the True Qi is exhausted, there will only be an ordinary man among the thousands. Or to put it another way, when they found out that I was there, they immediately sent experts to come here to check the truth. Without me in charge, our trees would not be able to bloom.
Is the plan broken?"
Zhang Xing looked slightly stunned.
"Actually, the war is not as exaggerated as my nephew thought." Luo Shu further twisted his beard and said with a smile. "But generally speaking, a well-trained army combined with well-organized practitioners is far greater than the sum of the two.
Therefore, if there is no emergency, we still have to work steadily, including logistics, and we must also pay attention to the use of a practitioner and a military station. This introduces the geographical advantage. Ordinary condensation pills want to break through the city wall, but also need to use the whole body's true energy, so there is Zhenqi.
The variables of the Dragon Immortal's geography and celestial phenomena... Of course, there is no absolute answer to the matter. When forced to a dead end, they concentrated practitioners to attack the army, causing chaos, and then defeated the many with less. This is also seen in the annals of history... Thousands
Years of history, everything is there.”
Zhang Xing nodded even more - it's good to pay attention to objective laws and unexpectedness, but I'm afraid he won't pay attention to it.
"What?" Luo Shu smiled half-heartedly. "My good nephew wants to join the army?"
"It's hard to say." Zhang Xing clasped his hands and responded sincerely. "I offended Emperor Uncle Cao. He openly said that he would not allow me to follow Zhu Shou's path. Then, in all likelihood, I would transfer to another... place on the official path.
The central headquarters, temple, and military must all consider it."
"Yes." Luo Shu nodded, said no more, and was about to return to the military camp down the slope, but suddenly stopped and just looked to his side.
Zhang Xing followed the other person's gaze and saw that between the mountains to the east, there was a light like a sword, which seemed to be piercing the mountains. He also stopped for a moment to stand with the other person.
But after waiting for a while, probably because the mountains to the east were too thick and the sun never appeared, Luo Shu didn't think much and went down the mountain calmly.
Zhang Xing also slowly followed behind, preparing to walk down.
But at this moment, the sun jumped high, finally got rid of the cover of the mountains, and hung completely in the air, overlooking all living things from a high position.
Zhang Xing was still on the slope and wanted to call out to Luo Shu who had already walked down the hillside, but in the end he did not say a word, and the other party did not look back after all. The two of them just stepped on the frost flowers on the withered grass back to the military camp.
Back in the camp, Luo Shu and Zhang Xing began to deal with the trouble - not military, but internal wrangling. The Youzhou General Manager's army behind them was only two days away. Li Cheng kept sending messages to Luo Shu and the imperial envoys to stop.
, waiting for him to meet up.
But to put it bluntly, why would Zhang Xing care about Li Cheng?
You, the general manager of Youzhou, can't take care of Fulongwei... If you want to take care of Fulongwei, you should go beyond Cao Huangshu and Niu Dugong.
As for Luo Shu, what is the saying? Before the dispatch of troops, General Manager Li could no longer control him, General Luo. Otherwise, why would they have met in Huairong?
"wrong."
At noon, Luo Shu suddenly realized a problem. "If we send out troops tomorrow, wouldn't it be just one day earlier than Li Cheng... In that case, how can we show our presence?"
Zhang Xing was startled for a moment, then counted on his fingers, and felt a little enlightened: "Indeed, we were confused by Qin Er and others' dispatch of troops... Qin Er and others sent troops at this time to move forward in a surprise attack, sparing no effort in terms of horse power and manpower, and they can arrive in the evening
At the foot of Yunnei City, we are marching out of the mountains with great fanfare, pretending to be a large army, which is completely different. It should not be postponed because they send troops. On the contrary, sending troops at this time can respond to their assault."
"Deploy immediately!" Luo Shu stood up without hesitation. "After dispatching, I led the main force of 1,500 cavalry to advance forward, acting as a facade to attract the enemy. I gave my nephew 200 men, and the commander led the civilians to the south.
Cross the Sanggan River, and then set up camps and outposts along the narrow mountain road on the south side."
This was the original plan, so Zhang Xing naturally had nothing to say.
On the first day of November, sixteen days after the Saint was besieged Yunnei City, in the afternoon, reinforcements from the Youzhou General Administration formally appeared on the edge of the basin where Yunnei City is located.
Fifteen hundred cavalry began to encounter large-scale encounters on the north bank of the Sanggan River and destroyed the Wu clan's outposts in an orderly manner. In conjunction with the previous advance of 300 cavalry, it immediately had a huge ripple effect. Countless Wu clan cavalry
He began to flee behind him, while Zhang Xing led the civilians to do the most boring work - building pontoons, crossing the river, and setting up camps along the mountain passes.
Nearly ten thousand people were divided into groups according to their proximity and origin as early as the Huairong period. One hundred to two hundred people were divided into groups, and a group of people were put down every half a mile to set up a small camp. They were asked to dig trenches and erect forts.
Setting up tents, cutting down wood, and preparing campfires...these were all explained to us by the leaders of each group again and again on the way here, so it seemed to go relatively smoothly.
However, time was too hasty, and when half of the people were there, the sky was already dark and a bit cold. Zhang Xing also realized that it was impossible to build a joint camp that stretched for dozens of miles by temporarily dispatching troops at noon, so he simply
Abandon the original plan, turn back directly, and replenish manpower back to the military base that has been laid down.
This led to inevitable chaos, disputes and arguments, including fights.
But Zhang Xingwei really had no choice. This was the inevitable result of hasty military operations. He could only ride on horseback and bring the cavalry given by Luo Shu to mediate one by one within a dozen miles and suppress the brawlers. .
As night fell, dozens of huge, faintly connected bonfires were finally lit on the foothills of Sangqian River. The powerful disciples and the village and clan groups also gave up their disputes. They also needed fires and hot food.
At this point, Zhang Xing, who was extremely exhausted, had nothing more to do. He could only return to the camp he had reserved, sit high at the foot of the mountain behind him, look at the basin in the northwest, and wait passively.
You can only wait passively.
Theoretically, the Wu people should not be able to get through, because they have no time to organize a large force, and the small force will be blocked by the Sanggan River, and there are Luo Shu's elite cavalry on the other side of the river, who will take the initiative to fight. But if they come, Zhang Xing had no choice but to let these civilians abandon their bonfires and camps and retreat into the mountains as planned.
So, after all, I have one or two worries.
The night is getting thicker, and from where Zhang Xing is, the existence of Yunnei City can be vaguely seen... It is unclear what lights are there, but it is obvious that the hundreds of thousands of people inside and outside the city and the corresponding bonfires are enough to emit a powerful atmosphere. A blur of light indicates the direction and presence in the dark night.
It is conceivable that those on the other side of Yunnei City, especially the masters of cultivation, should also be able to see a little bit of blurry light here and realize something.
Thinking of this, Zhang Xing just woke up and calculated the time. If everything went well, Qin Bao and Luo Xin should have led the team in by now, but he had been busy and had forgotten.
However, it is still the same sentence. No one knows what is going on. The truth is the truth. Logically speaking, there is no problem. But on the battlefield, who can guarantee anything?
Just as he was thinking about it, the team general sent by Luo Shu suddenly walked up the slope and said with a sorry smile: "Zhang Changjian, there is something I want to ask you to take a look at."
Zhang Xing was surprised for a moment and immediately stood up: "Why, someone was fighting again? Why didn't I hear it?"
"No." The team general didn't seem to know how to describe it. "It's not about our camp, it's about the mountain side... There is a camp where the mountain behind is relatively thin. Someone went to relieve himself and saw something... Zhang Chang It’s best to come and take a look.”
Zhang Xing had nothing to say, so he could only go down the mountain, mount his horse, and walk four or five miles along the camp fire. Then he came to the camp, climbed the mountain and looked towards the southwest direction pointed by the team general.
At one glance, Zhang Xing burst into laughter.
Without him, directly south of the Yunnei Basin and southwest of where Zhang Xing was, a line of fuzzy light could be vaguely seen, laying out along the mountain.
Obviously, there are smart people in Taiyuan.
Zhang Xing could even imagine how speechless Dulan Khan and his Wu Clan leaders were at this moment - it had already been seventeen or eighteen days, and if they didn't leave in two days, the families in the western part of the Northern Wilderness would probably have to leave the sea of suffering. The lid is on, and this time is stuck. You guys come out one by one, telling half truths and half lies. What on earth are we supposed to do?
To fight or not to fight?
Believe it or not?
Dare to bet?
What if you win the bet, and what if you lose the bet?
He's incompetent in fighting, and he's just a disgusting person.
"Is it Taiyuan's friendly forces?" the team general asked.
"I see how charming Qingshan is, so Qingshan should see me the same way." Zhang Xing responded jokingly. "Can he still be from the Wu tribe?"
Although the team general didn't understand the first half of the sentence, he understood the second half clearly. He nodded immediately: "Then I will send someone to tell my general!"
"Let's talk." Zhang Xing relaxed completely. "I'm going to sleep. If there's a war or other news, call me. Anyway, if the sky falls, there will be someone taller."
The team will immediately respond, turn around and leave.
That night, Zhang Xing slept particularly soundly.
The next day, Zhang Xing wanted to stay in bed, but he was rewarded early in the morning. He said that General Luo had set off earlier and advanced towards Yunnei City. He left a message before leaving, asking Zhang Changjian to lead the civilians across the river and follow him to lay out the plan for Yunnei.
military depot.
Of course Zhang Xing knew that it was the reinforcements from the direction of Taiyuan that had stimulated him. He was afraid that he would not get any credit, but he did not bother to care about it. He just crossed the river honestly, went to bluff, lay out the camp, build a military station, and work as logistics for Luo Shu.
The sweeping manager.
By noon, when things were in full swing, I received another message from Li Cheng, the general manager of Youzhou behind me, asking "Luo Shu" to expand the camp. The vanguard of the general manager's army would arrive tonight.
Zhang Xing had no intention of interfering with Li Cheng and Luo Shu. He just replied honestly and told the other party that General Luo had been leaving for half a day, and he might be able to reach Yunnei City tonight. Do whatever you want.
In the evening, Zhang Xing stopped setting up the camp and military station, and only stayed there to warm up and have a meal. However, he met an unexpected person, which confirmed Zhang Xing's suspicion.
"Third brother!" Qin Bao, who had already hung up his black ribbon, turned red and hurriedly came to tell him as soon as he fired his thunder leopard. "In the evening, my uncle arrived at a place twenty miles outside the city and had a small battle with the Wu tribe.
After the battle, the Wu people immediately broke out of camp."
Zhang Xing nodded, not paying attention, and continued grilling his dried meat.
"Third brother, let's go to Yunnei overnight!" Qin Bao's face turned red and he couldn't help urging. "If you go in at night, you can still get some credit."
"The civilians are very tired, there is no need." Zhang Xing sat there, extremely calm. "And they were temporarily recruited by Huairong. If I leave them, they will be in chaos."
Qin Bao had nothing to say, hesitated for a moment, and could only sit forward: "Then I will wait here with the third brother, and we will set off tomorrow."
Zhang Xing nodded and continued to grill.
However, Zhang Xing was willing to wait, but the others couldn't wait at all. But a moment later, the Youzhou General Manager Li Cheng's eldest son Li Li, who learned the news from behind, abandoned the camp they had just occupied and led the troops.
Headed towards Yunnei overnight.
Thousands of cavalry marched all night, roaring past the military station without stopping, like thunder in winter.
Not only that, but other soldiers and horses continued to gallop past the military station and camp, and the sound of horse hooves continued all night long.
Early on the next morning, Zhang Xing continued to march and began to collect the wounded along the way - those cavalry often marched during the day and continued marching after receiving news at night. Exhaustion and galloping at night resulted in a large number of non-combat attrition.
At the same time, more troops began to appear in the field of vision, all of them were like wolves and tigers, flying straight towards Yunnei City, leaving behind more non-combat casualties.
Finally, another day passed, and on this afternoon, Zhang Xing laid out his military base to the abandoned camp of the Wu clan outside Yunnei City. When he was hesitating where to rest and whether to avoid some embarrassing scenes, he finally saw it again.
An acquaintance.
Fenyang Palace envoy Wang Daiji, his hair disheveled and his clothes covered with dirty putty, led two to three thousand troops and pushed hundreds of carts along the road. The carts were filled with neat grain, cloth, armor, and weapons, and then he cried and howled.
, without even looking at Zhang Xing, he held a spear in front of Zhang Xing and ran barefoot into Yunnei City.
Those who knew naturally knew that they were here to rescue him, while those who didn’t knew thought they were here for a funeral!
"Third brother, it's better to go there." After watching Wang Daiji disappear, Qin Bao sincerely suggested. "If you don't expect to compete with these people, at least go to Duke Niu and pay the order... You can't lose your credit in vain."
Zhang Xing hesitated again and again, and finally decided to enter the city... Admittedly, he didn't expect any credit, but he didn't want to appear too different from ordinary people in front of Duke Niu.
The city had been besieged for nearly twenty days. Even though it was early winter, the city was already stinking to the sky, and all the houses had been demolished. There were only bonfires everywhere. When Zhang was walking halfway, he found that the county government had already been besieged.
No matter what, I couldn't squeeze in, so I had to stand outside and watch the fun.
While I was watching, another familiar person suddenly appeared.
"Zhang Sanlang!" A dusty general galloped from the west, then dismounted and held Zhang Xing's hand. "Is there a way for me to get in? I'll give you two more golden awls!"
Zhang Xing was startled for a moment, and it took him a long time to recognize the other party. He was stunned for a moment: "General Chen is here too? Aren't you next to the poisonous desert four hundred miles away? And across the Luliang Mountains and the river?"
"I heard that the saint was surrounded, and my whole body was burning!" This man, Chen Ling, loudly announced on the road. "So what about four hundred miles? So what about the mountains and rivers? Can they stop my loyalty to the army?
?I only brought twenty riders with me, and they galloped here directly!"
Zhang Xing nodded, and finally couldn't hold back his complaints and continued to ask: "But why is it such a coincidence that all the loyal ministers have different origins and different military strengths, but they all arrived this afternoon?"
Chen Ling was embarrassed for a moment.
PS: Thank you to the new alliance leaders Mr. C_Q_Y_ and Mr. Cao Ya. I would like to express my sincere greetings and thank you very much.