On the official road in the north of Zhuozhou City, Xiao Sida and Yelv Shi led hundreds of Liao cavalry to flee in panic. They did not even dare to stop for lunch because they were worried that the Zhou cavalry would pursue them.
Already dozens of miles away from the city, the rolling hills on the south bank of the Sanggan River are already in sight, and the arrow towers on the hillside between the mountain passes leading to the ferry of the Sanggan River canyon are also clearly distinguishable. As the Sanggan River flows for hundreds of miles,
This section of the ferry is the gentlest and most fertile. It is not only the only place within a hundred miles that can cross the river on a large scale, but also a transportation hub connecting several border state capitals such as Xijin Prefecture and Zhuozhou. Most of the
Soldiers and horses need to be transported south through here to supply soldiers and horses to the border cities. Therefore, not only are arrow towers, watchtowers and other defense facilities built on the cliffs on both sides of the ferry, but also small sections are specially placed at both ends of the ferry.
Soldiers and horses are specially used to guard the boats crossing the river and control the ferry. In order to facilitate the north-south passage of the ferry, dozens of large and small boats are on standby at the ferry all year round to prepare for the movement of personnel and materials at any time.
About to arrive at the ferry, Xiao Sida and Yelv Shi both breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that the other party's pursuers would not be able to catch up with them. Once they boarded the boat and crossed the Sanggan River, even if the other party pursued them, they could only look at the river.
Xingtan. Of course, the premise is that all the ships are sailed to the north coast or simply burned.
As the ferry approached, everyone slowed down their pace. Xiao Sida looked at the sun and saw a figure moving on the arrow tower on the cliff covered in fresh green. Xiao Sida knew that it must be the hundreds of soldiers guarding the ferry.
Team of people.
Everyone rode their horses slowly to approach the cliff mouth. Here was a gentle downhill slope leading to the Sanggan River below the canyon. Below was a flat ground with temporary warehouses for storing supplies and guards.
The houses where soldiers, horses and boatmen live. It is actually like a small village. According to the rules of the guard, there will usually be wooden and horse blocks at the cliff entrance, and there will be personnel to guard it. No one is allowed to enter the dock.
But something was strange today. There were no horses at the entrance of the cliff, and there weren't even any people in the fortifications on both sides.
"These bastards must be lazy, I will punish them severely." Xiao Sida, who had just experienced a disastrous defeat, was already in a very bad mood. Thinking that he was working hard in Zhuozhou City, but the defenders here were neglecting their duties and living their lives, he felt in his heart
It's naturally very unbalanced.
"General Xiao, something... something is wrong. There seems to be traces of fighting here. Look, there are a lot of arrows stuck in the tree trunks next to it. There are also blood stains on the ground. Also, why are the vegetation next to it so scattered?
"It looks like it was broken by someone, but it wasn't cut down by a sword, but it was broken into large pieces. What's going on?" Someone from the cavalry beside him reminded me in a low voice.
Xiao Sida frowned and looked at these traces, feeling a little puzzled. There were indeed some strange things on the ground and around them, and they seemed to have been deliberately cleaned up, which was indeed a bit suspicious. He ordered everyone to stop moving forward, and a group of people stopped at the edge of the cliff and listened.
In my ears, in addition to the sound of the rushing water of the Sanggan River not far below, I could hear the chirping of birds and animals in the mountain forest and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.
"Perhaps there is no need to be suspicious. There is nothing unusual along the way. If there are soldiers and horses from the Zhou Dynasty coming here, how come there is no movement?"
Yelvshi's face was pale. He was depressed and depressed. He thought that Zhuozhou could survive for a while, so he chose to stay in Zhuozhou and participate in the defense of the city. But he did not expect that Zhuozhou was lost in only half a day, so he was extremely worried. He
Knowing the seriousness of the problem, in the entire Liao Dynasty, I am afraid that only he and his father would be so worried. Because it was related to the safety of his Yelv family, the country and the country. He had already thought about it, and he had to rush immediately
He went to Zhongjing to meet his father and explain the situation here. He did not want to have any delay. He thought it was completely unnecessary for Xiao Sida and others to be suspicious.
"What the prince said makes sense. There are indeed no traces of troops arriving along the way. Maybe I am being paranoid. Let's go!" Xiao Sida nodded and said. He also felt that he was being suspicious. This place is eighty miles away from Zhuozhou and should be safe.
Where. If the Zhou army arrives, there will be traces on the road, and this place will not be so peaceful at all.
The cavalry rode forward and crossed the cliff for more than a hundred steps, and their eyes suddenly opened up. Under the slope below, a surging river lay in front of them. The river was surging, rushing eastward. Where the river was open, the water flow slowed down slightly, and the water flowed slowly up.
In the narrow place downstream, you can see the rolling white waves and the roar of the waves.
Dozens of houses on the shore are located on the edge of the cliff. A wide passage leads directly to the river. The embankment is like two arms reaching into the river, surrounding several calm deep-water docks. It is about five or six hundred paces wide and houses more than a dozen large ships.
Moored in the pier, there are dozens of small boats floating on the water not far from the shore.
"Your Highness, I'm afraid we won't be able to find enough boatmen to sail the ships to the north bank. These ships will either be scuttled or burned down, so as not to help the Zhou soldiers and horses cross the river. What do you think, Your Highness?" Xiao Sida said solemnly.
asked.
Yelvshi nodded and said: "It's all burned. If they can salvage and repair the sunken ship here, it will be easier for them. It's best to find a boatman to sail to the north coast. These will be useful to us in the future."
Xiao Sida nodded and said: "That's right, let's act on camera. First go find the garrison here and ask him to summon the boatmen. Huh? Why can't you see anyone here? It shouldn't be."
Xiao Sida frowned and looked at the cluster of houses on the pier below. Logically speaking, it should be very busy here. The guards and horses have to patrol, and the boatmen have to repair the ship. It's not too early or too late, and they can't be eating or sleeping.
, how come there is no one around.
"Look, maybe they are all lazy. How can Daliao be revitalized and strong? They are all a bunch of selfish people. They are really hateful." Yelvshi was also angry.
As soon as he finished speaking, someone suddenly shouted: "No, what's floating on the water? It seems like a dozen corpses."
Everyone looked in the direction of the soldier's finger, and sure enough, in the shallow water on the river bank shaded by shrubs on the side of the inconspicuous pier, more than a dozen corpses were rippling with the waves. Those must be corpses, and they were not far away.
It was only a few hundred steps away. Moreover, the black light armor worn by the corpse was very obvious, and the goggles on the armor shone with the undulations of the sun under the sunlight.
"Something's wrong! I'm afraid something is really wrong." Xiao Sida was horrified. Suddenly, her sense of danger became extremely sensitive. Combined with some of the previous doubts and traces, she instantly felt a huge danger.
"Retreat, retreat outside the cliff mouth quickly, there may be changes." Xiao Sida shouted sternly, he pulled out the scimitar with a canglang sound in his hand, held it, turned his horse and turned back.
Everyone became nervous and quickly turned their horses' heads. Yelvshi frowned and was about to say a few words of contrary opinion. Suddenly, he heard the sound of horse hooves "ding, ding, ding". It was thin and clear. The next moment, at the edge of the cliff behind,
Several horses slowly ran out from nowhere and stopped in the middle of the road about seventy or eighty paces away.
They were four war horses, two men and two women. The two women were beautiful, wearing armor, and they were charming and heroic. Next to them was a man who was burly and tough with a dignified appearance. The three people were surrounded by a man riding a tall horse with five flowers.
A young man. The man has a handsome face, a well-fitted figure, a calm demeanor, and a smile on his face.
The armors worn by the four people were all Liao-style light armor. At first glance, they thought they were soldiers and horses of the Liao Kingdom. Xiao Sida and others thought they were soldiers and horses defeated from Zhuozhou, so they shouted loudly: "Where are you?"
How is the war in Zhuozhou going, under the command of a general?"
The sturdy man on horseback laughed and said: "Look at what this general asked about the battle in Zhuozhou. He ran away first, but he came to ask how the battle in Zhuozhou was? Isn't this nonsense?"
The handsome young man and the two women beside him both laughed. The young man said: "He is hoping for some miracle. People are like this sometimes. They know that the outcome of the matter is irreversible, but they still hope for a miracle.
Happened. But how can there be so many miracles in the world? If you sow cause, you will get fruit. How can you reap melons if you sow beans?"
"What your husband said is absolutely true." The two women looked at the young man with admiration and admiration, impressed by his insightful analysis.
Only then did Xiao Sida and others realize that the four people in front of them were probably not soldiers of the Liao Dynasty, so they shouted sharply: "Who are you?"
The young man on the five-flowered horse glanced at him, cupped his hands and said, "If I guess correctly, this general should be General Xiao Sida Xiao, deputy envoy of the Southern Privy Council of the Liao Kingdom, who is stationed in Zhuozhou."
Xiao Sida instinctively wanted to deny it, but in front of so many subordinates and Yelvshi, he couldn't do it. So he shouted coldly: "I will not change my name or surname. It is Xiao Si, deputy envoy of the Southern Privy Council of Liaoning Province."
Da. Who are you? How do you know me?"
Lin Jue nodded and said with a smile: "That's good. As long as it's General Xiao himself, I guessed it right. As for me... I can't change my name but not my surname. Under Lin Jue, I'm just an unknown person in Dazhou.
, General Xiao must not know me."
"Lin Jue?" Xiao Sida obviously didn't recognize him. He frowned and searched for information in his mind, but couldn't find any information about this person named Lin Jue.
"What? Are you Lin Jue?" Yelv Shi shouted in surprise.
Others didn't know Lin Jue, but Yelvshi knew it. One of Yelvshi's responsibilities was to investigate the affairs of the Zhou Dynasty, infiltrate into the Zhou Dynasty and the public to find out the information, and report it to his father as a basis for decision-making. This Lin Jue once served in
How could he not know that the Great Zhou court was very important and active? People like Xiao Sida were just leading generals. They could not care about the officials and various trends in the Great Zhou court, but Yelvshi would definitely care.
Moreover, Yelvshi was solely responsible for funding the Qingjiao rebellion and was annihilated by this person named Lin Jue. Yelvshi paid special attention to this Lin Jue. This person has been listed by Yelvshi as one of the most powerful people in the Zhou Dynasty.
He was on the list of those who must be wined over or eradicated, and ranked at the top. However, the news later learned was that Lin Jue and his father-in-law Liang Wang Guo Bing returned from the capital and raised troops to rebel. This was good news for the Liao Kingdom. Only then did Yelvshi
I haven't heard any news about Lin Jue for a long time. What is Lin Jue doing at the Beisanggan River Ferry in Zhuozhou?
The person who came was indeed Lin Jue. He was accompanied by two girls, Bai Bing and Gao Muqing, and the commander of the Guards Battalion, Sun Dayong. As for the reason why Lin Jue came all the way from Funiu Mountain to the Liao Kingdom, it was actually very simple. Because of the war.
Of course, Lin Jue was not willing to sit in the well at Funiu Mountain and watch the sky. He wanted to come and observe the war. Yes, Lin Jue's original intention was really to 'observe'. Lin Jue knew that this war would be a war between countries.
In an all-out battle, both sides will spare no effort at a certain level, and all secret weapons will be brought out. Lin Jue hopes that by sneaking into the Liao battlefield, he can observe the true strength of both sides and various surprising new arms and weapons.
This is not only beneficial to himself, but also to the Luoyan Army. Because Lin Jue knows in his heart that the opponent of the Luoyan Army in the future should most likely be them.
Lin Jue's goal this time was actually to go to the north of Dading Mansion in Zhongjing. What he wanted to see was the battle between the Liao and Jurchens and collect their intelligence. Lin Jue knew too much about the details and capital of the Zhou soldiers and horses.
, there was no need to investigate. However, in mid-March, when Lin Jue and others sneaked into the Zhuozhou area from Datong Prefecture in the west, it happened that 80,000 cavalry of the Great Zhou Dynasty arrived at the gate of Zhuozhou City. Of course, Lin Jue refused to leave, so he took everyone with him.
Hidden in the vicinity to observe the development of the war. When the Zhou cavalry attacked Zhuozhou that night, Lin Jue and others were watching the battle on a hilly hill to the west. The disastrous defeat of the Zhou cavalry made Lin Jue realize one thing.
People have been prepared for a long time, and Guo Xu's wishful thinking was seen through before it even started. The soldiers and horses of the Zhou Dynasty and the soldiers and horses of the Liao Kingdom will enter into a fight from the beginning. This is not a good thing for the soldiers and horses of the Zhou Dynasty.
.
That night, the troops of the Zhou Dynasty were defeated and retreated without even attacking the city. Lin Jue was deeply aware of the weakness of the troops of the Zhou Dynasty and the poor quality of the generals. The news he had received before was that the 300,000-strong army this time
The soldiers and horses of Zhou Dynasty were all carefully selected elites, but as can be seen from the siege battle that night, these elites were probably nothing more than that.
The most important thing is that after the plan was exposed early, the miscalculation of the Zhou Dynasty's surprise attack plan and the Liao people's long-prepared intention would make the Northern Expedition of the Zhou court troops extremely difficult. Lin Jue thought about it again and again, and decided
He stayed and waited for an opportunity to help the Zhou soldiers and horses. He believed that Zhuozhou could be captured eventually, because the Liao people would most likely not abandon the defense of Xijin Prefecture and reinforce Zhuozhou, so Zhuozhou would definitely be lost. However, after crossing the Sanggan River,
Entering the hinterland of the Liao people, the 300,000 Zhou soldiers and horses actually had no way out. Backed by the Sanggan River, the army penetrated deep into the hinterland of the Liao army. If anything went wrong, they would be plunged into irreversible disaster. So Lin Jue felt that he had to
Provide some help to the Zhou soldiers and horses, or you can spy on some information and provide it to the leader Yang Jun.
No matter how many grievances he had with Guo Xu, Yang Jun and others, between the Zhou Dynasty and the Liao people, Lin Jue would obviously choose to help the former. Internal disputes and personal grievances are one thing, but righteousness and justice are another. Lin Jue
We absolutely do not want to see the Zhou army defeated here, as it will lead to disastrous consequences.
Because of the above considerations, Lin Jue and others stayed near Zhuozhou. When Yang Jun led the army to Zhuozhou and launched an attack posture, Lin Jue knew that Zhuozhou would definitely be captured. But Lin Jue discovered that,
Yang Jun did not bypass Zhuozhou to control the Sanggan River ferry while attacking the city. This was a big worry. If the opponent jumped over the wall in a hurry, destroyed the ferry, and destroyed the ships, then Yang Jun's army would be blocked south of the Sanggan River.
.If Lin Jue leads the army, after his intention is exposed, Lin Jue will never cross the Hebei again, because the opponent will definitely open a net and wait. But Yang Jun obviously will not give up here. In this case, instead of wasting time, let Liao
If you don't have time to arrange your troops and horses, it's better to cross the river quickly and attack Xijin Mansion, at least to make the preparation time of the Liao people not too leisurely.
Therefore, Lin Jue immediately decided to take control of the ferry. In the early morning of this morning, when the Battle of Zhuozhou started, Lin Jue led more than a hundred accompanying guards to launch a surprise attack on the ferry. The guard battalion quickly fought and was completely defeated.
Without giving the opponent any chance to fight back, they annihilated all the more than 400 Liao people guarding the southern ferry. Under the powerful attack of firearms, although the opponent had a numerical advantage, they were the opponents of the Guards Battalion. It only took less than
Within an hour, the entire ferry was under control. Except for those who were killed, all the people were restrained in several warehouses and tied up for guarding. This is why Xiao Sida and others did not see any living people at the ferry.
However, due to the complex terrain, some Liao soldiers chose to escape immediately. They tried to board a boat and fled, but were shot dead by Sun Dayong and others on the boat. Many Liao soldiers desperately jumped into the river to try to escape. Sun Dayong and others
It was impossible to jump into the river to chase them, so we had to let them go. But some Liao soldiers obviously didn't realize that they didn't know how to swim, and they died after jumping into the water. Some corpses drifted downstream with the current. Others were killed because of
Due to the effect of the underwater undercurrent, not only did they not go downstream, but they were photographed back to the shallows on the shore. Sun Dayong and the others were a little negligent and did not realize this. These were the corpses that Xiao Sida and the others discovered.
After taking control of the ferry, Lin Jue sent people to inquire about Zhuozhou. Soon he learned that hundreds of riders had escaped from Zhuozhou and headed straight for the ferry. Lin Jue ordered everyone to hide and wait for the arrival of this group of people. Lin Jue ordered everyone to hide and wait for the arrival of this group of people.
At first, Jue thought they were just some deserters, and the ferry was a very suitable place for an ambush. It didn't take much effort to eliminate one wave after another. It wasn't until Lin Jue appeared and saw the costumes of Xiao Sida and others that he realized
Met the big guy.
Yelvshi's surprised question made Lin Jue notice him. Only then did he realize that Yelvshi was wearing a brocade robe and a purple gold crown. He was not dressed like an ordinary follower. Not only did he wonder: Is there something bigger? Could it be?
Any surprises?
"Oh? Brother, do you know me? Have we met?" Lin Jue asked with a smile.
Yelvshi said coldly: "We have never met, but I have admired your name for a long time, Lin Jue. You were the third envoy of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Now you have caused great chaos in the Great Zhou Dynasty. You have turned away from the imperial court. In the
Is this Lin Jue who raised the flag to rebel in Funiu Mountain? Your name is like thunder. I have heard people say that Lin Jue is a young man with good looks and demeanor. I still don’t want to believe it. I didn’t expect it to be so."
Lin Jue laughed loudly and said: "Brother, I'm sorry, but I'm not as good as you said. The person you mentioned is me. This brother is handsome, dressed in luxurious clothes, and has an elegant demeanor. I dare you to ask me what your surname is."
Name?"
Yelvshi said solemnly: "I don't dare, I, Yelvshi..."
"Don't tell them..." Xiao Sida hurriedly stopped her, but she was a step too slow, and Yelvshi still said his name.
