The battlefield in Liaodong was fierce and endless, but the Youtun Guards rarely got precious time to rest and recuperate.
In the battle of Alagou, the Turks were almost completely annihilated and two cavalry units were killed. Although the battle was impressive, the Youtun Guards themselves also suffered some casualties. Especially since the Chang'an Western Expedition, the fierce battle in Tuyuhun was first fought, and now there are ambushes.
The battle between two elite cavalry forces was extremely taxing on the soldiers' bodies.
Once the body is overloaded, various injuries will come one after another, resulting in non-wartime attrition, which will have a huge impact on the morale of the army.
Fortunately, after the fierce battle at Alagou, in order to deter the caravans and troops controlled by the Guanlong clan near Jiaohe City, and also to deal with the Uighurs who were migrating inland, the Youtun Guards stationed themselves in Baishui Town, which had been hit by a cannibal war.
Have a good rest.
At the same time, news of the great victory at Alagou had spread throughout Yumen and beyond, north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, and the entire Western Region. They were all under the unstoppable military might of the Youtun Guards.
The name of Youtunwei rumbled across the Western Region like thunder in winter.
…
Baishui Town.
Under the heavy snow, the dangerous passes of Xiongguan Pass are like dormant beasts. They have lost their former majestic and domineering appearance. Under the cover of ice and snow, there is a bit of tranquility and tranquility.
Only the banners of the Tang Dynasty at the top of the city were ringing.
The Youtun Guards stationed in Baishui Town and searched every corner, including wells, granaries, etc., for fear that the cannibals might poison them when they set off for Alagou...
…
After searching inside and outside to confirm that it was safe, the entire army entered the town.
It is said to be a "town" but it is actually a checkpoint built on a dangerous pass. The nearby terrain is complex and surrounded by mountains on three sides. The west side is open, which is the boundary between the north and the south. It is the throat of the east and west Tianshan Mountains. To the north, you can reach Luntai City, an important town in the Western Region.
To the west, you can go to Gongyue City, which has an extremely important strategic position.
The pass is like iron, completely covered with white snow, surrounded by green ridges, and the terrain is steep.
When Fang Jun entered the town, he saw the damaged armor and weapons left by the big cannibals, and his face was as gloomy as water. Such a dangerous pass, which is an important place to guard the entire Xizhou, was handed over to the big cannibals by the Guanlongmen clan, and even
All the original garrison troops in the town were transferred away, without any concern that if the cannibals rode eastward, they would be able to directly reach the Yumen Pass. Their power would make people faint and make people hate them with gnashing of teeth.
Baishui Town is a dangerous pass in Xiongguan Pass. There is a White Tiger Festival Hall in the town to praise the military.
The White Tiger Festival Hall has been cleaned up. Fang Jun moved in here and began to reorganize the army and sort out the baggage. At the same time, he sent a letter to the Ministry of War to order the urgent allocation of ordnance and baggage, especially gunpowder, lead bullets, and thunder, which needed to be replenished in time.
Originally, the Youtun Guards only went out to control Hexi to resist Tuyuhun, so they carried limited ordnance. They never expected to march westward immediately after the victory in Hexi. Although they won a complete victory in the Alagou battle, the ordnance was extremely worn out and was no longer enough for use.
…
In the evening, the snow had not stopped.
After disposing of most of the backlog of official documents, Fang Jun finally had his hands free. Under the service of his own soldiers, Fang Jun washed himself, changed into a set of clothes, and had dinner in a room on the side of the festival hall.
Baishui Town is located in the western border, and the transportation of materials is inconvenient. In addition, it was previously occupied by big cannibals, so there is not much food, and dishes are even scarcer. The kitchen can only roast a piece of mutton carried by the general, steam a bowl of rice, and
Provide food to Fang Jun.
Fortunately, although Fang Jun was born into a wealthy family, he was not a pampered playboy at heart. A piece of meat and a bowl of rice were delicious.
However, when the meal was half finished, some soldiers came in and announced that they were the Protector of Anxi and the King of Hejian County asking to see him...
Fang Jun quickly put down his bowls and chopsticks, put on a cloak, and went out in person to the west gate of Zhenguan to welcome the dusty Li Xiaogong into the town.
…
"The conditions are difficult and the food is simple. The prince will take great care of us."
Another piece of meat was roasted, and Fang Jun invited Li Xiaogong to the house next to the festival hall to have a meal together.
The two of them sat down separately. Li Xiaogong, who looked haggard, looked at the simple food and praised: "Erlang was born into a wealthy family with a fortune of millions, but he was able to enjoy the food when the clock ticks. When he needed to endure hardships, he was still willing to endure hardships and simplicity. Just this."
His character is something that few people from aristocratic families can match."
Fang Jun laughed and said: "I really want to eat delicacies from the mountains and seas, and I don't get tired of eating them. But this Baishui Town is really hard and the supplies are extremely scarce. Even if you don't like to eat, you can't starve, right? It's just that the conditions are difficult, so treat the county prince slowly.
Already."
Li Xiaogong took off his cloak and handed it to the soldiers serving on the side. He rolled up his sleeves, picked up a piece of meat with chopsticks, and chewed it while saying: "There is still meat to eat, so it is already very good. The Western Regions are better than
Not in Guanzhong, not even a trace of green can be seen in the cold winter months. Taking a bite of vegetables is something that you can't even dream of. If you wait a little longer, Erlang will understand."
A county prince or a prince, no one has a bowl of rice or a piece of meat, and his mouth is filled with oil and it is very sweet.
After eating, the soldier took away the tableware, boiled a pot of boiling water and made a pot of tea, placed them on the table between the two of them, then left and closed the door.
The two of them sat on their knees on the floor. Fang Jun cleaned the tea set and poured a cup of tea for Li Xiaogong.
Li Xiaogong picked up the tea cup and took a sip, then exhaled a long breath and said with emotion: "It's always impossible to refuse. I think back then, when I commanded the army, I first invaded Shu and then moved to the south of the Yangtze River. For several months, I didn't take off my clothes and armor, and it was hard to sleep at night."
Even if I go to bed, there is no need to be tired. Now I am just rushing back from Gongyue City. It is only a few hundred miles away, and I feel that every bone in my body hurts... Time is not forgiving. It is better to be young. Erlang leads his soldiers in a bloody battle
He fought a great battle to pull out grains, defeated the Tuyuhun cavalry, and then went on a non-stop expedition to the Western Regions. He also fought a battle with Alagou and wiped out countless enemies. It can be considered that he traveled thousands of miles and forgot to eat and sleep, but he was very energetic after just one meal. It is really enviable."
Fang Jun also took a sip of tea, but laughed and said: "Why is the prince so humble? I have always heard that the prince has sex with his daughters every night, and he often spends the night with three daughters... The dragon and the tiger are fierce, which really makes us
The shame and admiration in my heart are really not enough for outsiders!"
"Ha ha!"
Li Xiaogong laughed.
Men, no matter whether they are meritorious relatives or peddlers, they will always feel happy and complacent when they are praised for their outstanding performance...
After chatting for a while, Fang Jun poured another cup of tea for Li Xiaogong, and then asked: "Why did the prince return to Jiaohe so suddenly? He should have informed me in advance and made preparations for me to send someone to greet him.
That’s right, it would be dangerous if there are still Turks or remnants of the cannibals hiding near Baishui Town.”
Li Xiaogong waved his hand and said proudly: "When I conquered the world, your kid was still nursing, so why did you need to send someone to escort you? Of course, it's not because I am frivolous, but because I can't sit still in Gongyue City.
It’s over!”
He put down his tea cup and said with emotion: "In the battle of Alagou, Erlang planned the strategy and wiped out all the Turks and Arab cavalry, clearing the path behind the Anxi Army in one fell swoop. It was really satisfying! It's just that you made too much noise in Jiaohe City.
I'm afraid that the imperial court is already boiling and turbulent. The Western Region is the foundation of Guanlong, and it is also the source of its wealth and lifeline. If it is cut off by you like this, how can those people let it go? If I don't return quickly,
If we sit in Jiaohe, there is no way that tomorrow the Longmen clan will continue to collude with the Turks and send troops to invade!"
Fang Jun looked calm and sipped the tea lightly.
He didn't say anything, but the meaning was very obvious: Can you suppress those Guanlong clan officials just by sitting in Jiaohe? If so, why did you avoid going to Gongyue City before, causing all Jiaohe City to fall into the hands of Guanlong, which triggered the
Battle of Alagou?
Li Xiaogong had been with Fang Jun for a long time and naturally knew him very well. When he saw Fang Jun's expression, he knew what he was thinking. He immediately glared and said: "Who are you looking down on? If I were in charge of Jiaohe City, those bastards from Guanlong
Who dares to act rashly? If they don't act rashly, the Western Region is still full of dangers. How can you make them jump out and be beaten by you, completely clearing the way for the Anxi Army?"
Fang Jun was shocked and said: "It turns out that the prince was forced to flee to Gongyue City, so he deliberately lured the snake out of the hole? Oops! So, if I had known this, I should have stood still in Gaochang City and allowed those thieves to jump up and down... I am stupid and almost bad.
It’s a major event for the county king!”
Li Xiaogong's face turned red and she gritted her teeth in anger.
Naturally, he had the idea of "leading the snake out of its hole" and "stopping the grass and frightening the snake", but how could he have imagined that those people in Guanlong were so bold as to introduce the Turks and cannibals into Gaochang together with the intention of killing Fang Jun?
If Fang Jun had not taken the initiative to attack, he might have been attacked by the Turks and the cannibal cavalry by now. Even if he did not die, he would have abandoned his armor and fled in embarrassment...