But the two Tatar leader who was slapped by Yang Zhen looked at the last batch of the large group of Manchu soldiers coming from the direction of Shagangzi, rode a horse onto the bridge, first heaved a sigh of relief, and then hurriedly

He called again and sent out manpower to return the horses and horses that had just been moved back to their positions.

When these things were done, the two Tatars thought that all the Manchu soldiers should have crossed the bridge long ago. Unexpectedly, when he turned around, he saw that the last group of knights on the bridge had not left, but had all turned around.

Ma Tou has already drawn his bow and arrows, aiming at himself and his men.

The leader of the two Tatars was suddenly stunned. The suspicion that had been slapped by Yang Zhen immediately arose again. He pressed the handle of the knife with his hand, nervous and angry, and shouted in a trembling voice:

"Dare to ask - gentlemen! What does this mean?! You - who are you on earth?!"

The last group left in the group was naturally Zhong Lingxian. He had already received orders from Lu Pinqi to kill this group of people first and then go to Xihekou to deliver the order.

At this time, when he heard the question from the leader of the two Tatars guarding the bridge, he did not answer at all, and without even giving a command, he shot an arrow without any warning.

There was just a whooshing sound, and one of the two Tatar Tianzhu soldiers screamed and fell on the horse, clutching his chest. The gong he was holding to warn at night fell to the ground instantly.

There was a clanking sound.

When the leader of the two Tatars saw this, he already knew that something was wrong. He quickly drew out his sword and swung it while rushing to grab the gong that fell to the ground.

But now that the matter was over, Zhong Lingxian and his dozen or so selected knights had already prepared their bows and arrows, so how could they give him such an opportunity at this time?

After Zhong Ling fired the first arrow, everyone else was inspired by their crossbows in an instant, and shot down the two Tatars who were blocked by the horse they had just returned to.

Immediately afterwards, Zhong Lingxian led more than a dozen of his horsemen to take out long spears, stabbed the two Tatars who had fallen to the ground and groaned but were still alive. Seeing that everyone was dead, he turned the horse's head and crossed the bridge.

The river goes west.

Yang Zhen, who was walking in front, naturally had no way of knowing what happened behind the Qinghe Bridge, but he knew very well that if such matters were left to Lu Pinqi's subordinates who were good at riding and shooting, well-trained forwards, there would be no accidents.

.

And even if there is an accident, such as a little movement or something, it can be rectified in time.

The same number of well-prepared cavalrymen face the same number of unprepared infantrymen. Even if an accident occurs due to carelessness, it must be within a manageable range.

Qinghe Bridge is more than three miles away from Gaizhou City Gate, so even if there is a little movement, it doesn't matter.

Of course, Yang Zhen led everyone across the Qinghe Bridge and had already walked a certain distance, but he still did not hear any movement behind him. He knew in his heart that it was Zhong Lingxian and the others who had handled the matter smoothly.

At that moment, Yang Zhen rode forward a few steps and walked abreast with Qiu Zhenhai and Ma Keqing. Seeing that the city gate was not far ahead and the lights on the city tower were already visible, Yang Zhen then said to Ma Keqing:

"Ma Liu! We'll see what happens to you later! Don't be nervous! Just follow what we planned before! If there is an accident, I will be responsible for it!"

When Ma Keqing heard what Yang Zhen said, he took a deep breath, looked at Yang Zhen, gritted his teeth, nodded heavily, and said: "I know this, I know it! I know it!"

Compared with other people under Yang Zhen's command, Ma Keqing has no other abilities. He is not good at bow and horse, and has mediocre firearms. Apart from being able to listen and speak the truth of some Manchu Tatars, he really has no other talents.

At this time, it was finally time to use his strengths. If something went wrong at a critical moment, no matter what Yang Zhen said, he would not be able to forgive himself.

"Brother Keqing! Don't be nervous, I, Qiu Zhenhai, am here with you! Although Qiu can't speak those dirty Tatars' truthful words, he can still understand some of them!

"Besides, if you don't know how to deal with it then, don't be afraid! Isn't the Commander-in-Chief right next to you? When the time comes, you will convey your intention and we will help you deal with it together!"

Qiu Zhenhai was sandwiched between Ma Keqing and Yang Zhen. He was dressed in Tatar Jia Lazhangjing's armor with white flags all over him.

While several people were talking, they had already arrived not far from the south gate of Gaizhou City.

At this time, I saw a group of Tatars standing out from the lights at the top of the city. One of them in the middle held a torch and suddenly said something to the three of them.

Yang Zhen couldn't understand a word he said. At this time, he approached the city gate and saw that the south gate of Gaizhou City had been closed. He was frightened and confused when he heard Ma Keqing whisper:

"Sir! The Tatars in the city are asking us who we are, who we are, where we come from, and what we are doing here. Do we have any night marching tokens?!"

"Ma Liu, you should answer as promised!"

Ma Keqing immediately rode forward and took a few steps forward, then spoke a string of Jurchen words towards the city. After speaking for a while, he took out a piece of something from his arms, walked forward some distance, and exerted all his energy.

Throw it up the city.

Yang Zhen had already discussed with Qiu Zhenhai and Ma Keqing about possible questions and answers. At this time, Ma Keqing spoke and acted fluently, very naturally.

What Yang Zhen wanted him to say first was that he was a subordinate of Xiongyue City's garrison Niulu Zhangjing with a white flag. He was ordered to escort a group of things to Gaizhou City on business. At the same time, he was asked to show the Tatars guarding the city gate Niulu Zhangjing's waist with a white flag.

Card.

It's just that Yang Zhen's original plan was much simpler. He didn't expect that Gaizhou City had already closed its gates ahead of time before it reached the fifth quarter of Xu.

Because as far as he knew, during the Ming Dynasty and after the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, the curfew orders implemented in county towns, prefectural towns, provincial towns, and city defenses outside the capital were the same.

In the evening, at the fifth quarter of Xu, that is, at three o'clock in the morning, the watchmen on duty at the Bell and Drum Towers beat the evening drums. When the evening drums sound, the gatekeepers close the city gates, and then prohibit internal and external traffic. The ceremony begins.

Enforce curfew.

In the morning, at the fifth quarter of the Yin hour, that is, at three o'clock, the watchmen on duty at the Bell and Drum Towers would ring the morning bell, and the gatekeepers on night duty would open the city gates and resume internal and external traffic.

The morning bells and evening drums are the orders to open and close the city gates.

And the fifth hour of Xu, converted into the time unit of later generations, is about a little over eight o'clock in the evening. In winter, it is already dark at eight o'clock in the evening, but in summer, it is not dark yet at eight o'clock in the evening.

At this time, it is the turn of spring and summer on the Liaodong Peninsula. Although it is already dark, the time should not have reached the fifth quarter of Xu in any case!

Yang Zhen was anxiously calculating in his heart, and suddenly he thought, had the Tatar Gushan Beizi Boluo made some temporary moves after he came to Gaizhou City? If so, this Gushan Beizi really came here specially.

You are causing trouble for yourself.

Yang Zhen was just thinking when he heard the leader of the group of Tatar guards on the city in front say something loudly again.

At this time, after Ma Keqing threw out the Tatar Niulu Zhangjing's waist card, he had already retreated. After listening to the words of the Tatar leader on the top of the city, he quickly whispered:

"Sir! The Tatars in the city refused to let us go, saying that we were late. They said that Boluo Beizi had ordered that from now on the city gates would be closed at the first watch and opened at the fifth watch. Now they have been ordered to close the city gates. Without Boluo Beizi's order, no one can

It can’t be opened, so we have to wait until tomorrow morning for the door to open at five o’clock! They told us to camp outside the city to rest! What should we do?!”

Yang Zhen felt anxious after hearing what Ma Keqing relayed. He looked westward while riding on his horse. Against the backdrop of the city lights, the Qingsha River to the west was completely dark and he couldn't see anything clearly.

Why did Yang Zhen choose to come just after nightfall but before the city gates were closed due to the curfew?

It's because the other main players have no way to hide their identities in broad daylight.

He really wanted to wait until tomorrow morning at five o'clock in the morning, when the city gate opens, and then swagger into Gaizhou City. In this way, the people standing behind him could also take the opportunity to rest outside the city for a while.

However, he could not do this at all. Once the fleet and main force led by Yuan Jin and Hu Changhai arrived, they would not be able to hide their identities after dawn or even after the fog cleared.

They wouldn't even wait until dawn before they would be exposed.

Now the two Tatar Tianzhu soldiers guarding the Qinghe Bridge have been killed by his own order. When Shagangzi sends out a defense team, their deeds will be exposed immediately.

Thinking of this, Yang Zhen gritted his teeth and whispered to Ma Keqing: "In this case, then you tell him that we have an urgent military situation and must go to the city immediately to report to Mr. Bo Luobei! If it is too late, it will be too late!

"If his inquiry becomes urgent, just say that thousands of pirate gangs in Fuzhou Bay came ashore early this morning and attacked Xu Guanbao and Xiong Yuecheng.
Chapter completed!