The fifty-fifth chapter of the king's ambition (thirteen)
Zhangjiabao is located in the middle of the Xiaoling River Basin and controls thirteen villages under its jurisdiction. [Absolute power...] Although the names of the villages are different, most of the villages are dominated by the surname Zhang.
Being able to become relatives. Precisely because of the same blood relationship, Zhangjiabao has always been the most united force in this land. The children of the Zhang family usually farm and hunt, but in the event of a crisis, they will naturally gather together and work together to move forward.
, to protect their homeland and surname.
Regarding Li Chengzhong's recent recapture of Liucheng, the Zhang family treated it with caution. Unlike other villages in the Xiaoling River Basin, Mrs. Zhang had a far-sighted vision and was more concerned about the external situation. From Li Chengzhong's visit to Bailang Mountain
Since the beginning of gathering the common people to fight against the Khitans, he has been silently paying attention to the actions of Lu Longjun, a rising upstart. However, the source of the news is not clear enough. Old Mrs. Zhang does not know very clearly about Li Chengzhong's deeds, but it is far higher.
than peers.
Old Mrs. Zhang did not object to being re-incorporated under the rule of the imperial court. Because he was a Han, he even had a glimmer of hope for the imperial court to regain Liucheng. However, his years of experience had allowed him to develop a calm and sophisticated heart. He wanted to
Pay more attention to the governance strategies of this upstart Lulong, and the most important thing - how long can the imperial court stay in Yingzhou? If the imperial court's move to send troops outside the pass is just a flash in the pan, or the young general surnamed Li can't stand it
If the Khitans come back, the Zhang family's easy move to defect to the imperial court will definitely cause huge disasters for the entire clan. Instead of doing this, it is better to continue farming silently around the Xiaoling River, no matter how stormy it is outside, just want peace and quiet for your own family.
.
The Dingkou census of the Xiaoling River Basin conducted by the Ying Governor Shi's Mansion also alarmed Old Madam Zhang. However, unlike the three Zheng brothers in Yangshan Village, Old Madam Zhang immediately identified these fake businessmen as those from Liucheng.
From his experience, it is unlikely that such detailed inspections of Dingkou and fields were done by barbarians who only care about the growth of cattle and sheep and only plunder and plunder. The greater possibility is that,
General Li of Liucheng has already extended his tentacles to this land that has been neglected for more than ten years, because this is an act that is only carried out by the Han government.
Later, the Ping'an Office of the Yingzhou Army's Yuhou Division did not hide the further inquiries into the villages from Mrs. Zhang. Because the people in these villages were all descendants of the Zhang family, every move made by the Ping'an Office was quickly reported to Zhangjiabao. Mr. Zhang
Taigong tolerated everything about the other party with great patience. He was waiting for the other party's next move. At least from the news obtained so far, the Three-One Farm Policy implemented by General Li in Liucheng sounded pretty good. If
If it can really be implemented, it is still acceptable to exchange part of the food and production for the safety of the Zhang family's children and for the Han people to reorganize and manage this land. Zhang's husband and grandpa have already faced the long-term armed confrontation with Yangshan Village.
Deeply fed up, Zhangjiabao did not refuse to return to the imperial rule if General Li could really bring peace to the Xiaoling River Basin.
Of course, Grandpa Zhang did not fully accept the imperial government's policies. For example, he was somewhat dissatisfied with the policy of relocating refugees from Liucheng. He did not object to General Li's relocation of refugees to Yingzhou, but the fields controlled by the Zhang family in the Xiaoling River Basin
He is unwilling to hand it over. Those uncultivated acres are the backup guarantee for the survival of the next generation of the Zhang family. Why should they be given to refugees from other places to cultivate? If the day comes to return to the rule of the imperial court, Mr. Zhang must deal with this issue
Talk to General Lee.
Because Old Mrs. Zhang had a clearer vision and correct thinking from the beginning, when the news came that there was a problem in Liujiatun and Shidan Village under the jurisdiction of Yangshanzhai, everyone in Zhangjiabao realized that General Li had begun to
took action. However, soon after, confusing information came that the people occupying Liujiatun and Shidan Village were Khitans, so Zhangjiabao was still affected to some extent and felt very strange about this situation. In order to completely understand the matter
Zhang Shiyuan was sent out by Mrs. Zhang to visit the territory controlled by Yangshan Village.
Zhang Shiyuan was only twenty years old and was the grandson of Grandpa Zhang. Since he was thirteen years old, he had traveled extensively with the Zhang family, and his experience was extraordinary. When Grandpa Zhang arranged for him to go out, in addition to telling him to pay attention to his own safety, he also specially
I had a serious and detailed conversation with him about the situation in Liucheng, and the meaning revealed in the words was very clear. Old Mrs. Zhang doubted the origin of these Khitan people, and he felt that the matter was not that simple. In this regard, Zhang Shiyuan’s ideas were different from those of his own old Mrs. Zhang.
Coincidentally.
Zhang Shiyuan changed into a hunter's attire, carried a hunting bow on his back, picked up a rake, and set out on the road without letting a single servant accompany him. After all, the place he was going to was controlled by the three brothers of the Zheng family, his mortal enemies. If there were too many people, it would arouse suspicion.
Moreover, his skills are very good. He once captured a nest of wild boars alone in the mountains. His foot strength is also very good. When he runs in the mountains, few people can catch up with him, and he does not use too much in terms of personal safety.
worry.
The road Zhang Shiyuan chose was on the mountainside beside the river valley. In addition to the consideration of concealing his body, he could also observe the situation of the river valley from time to time at this height. Facts have proved that his choice was correct. He saw a large group of villagers setting off from Yangshan Village.
, these villagers arrived at Yuerpu and stopped there. But Zhang Shiyuan did not stop. He had eaten well and slept warmly since he was a child, was strong, could see at night, and was familiar with the road, so he took advantage of it.
Continue walking in the dark.
By dawn, he had arrived at Hulukou, and further ahead was Hulutan Beach outside Shidan Village. So he found a big tree and climbed up, and tied himself firmly between the branches of the tree with the rope he carried.
He fell asleep quickly. No matter how physically fit he was, he couldn't stand climbing in the dark all night on the mountain road. He was really sleepy.
He slept until daylight, but Zhang Shiyuan always remained alert even in his sleep. This was a habit he had practiced in the mountains for many years. Therefore, Zhang Shiyuan was soon awakened by a movement.
This is a "whispering" sound, like the movement of hares jumping from a distance. But the difference is that the movement of this sound is continuous and in pieces, like a large group of hares constantly approaching.
There was a surge coming from here. Then the sound got louder and louder. Zhang Shiyuan changed his previous judgment. Could it be a wild boar? But where did so many wild boars come from in the mountains?
Zhang Shiyuan changed his hiding place among the trees and hid behind a clump of branches and leaves, hiding his figure and peeking through the gaps in the leaves. The thing that caused the commotion finally revealed its true appearance, a few soldiers wearing leather armor.
First to appear in Zhang Shiyuan's field of vision, they were hunched over, holding long wooden guns, and wearing leather helmets. They carefully passed under the tree where they were hiding, and then walked along a passage down the mountain.
After a while, the sound finally became clear. It was the sound of countless people's footsteps stepping on fallen leaves and soil. Soldiers in large groups, wearing helmets and armor, and holding various weapons, emerged from the dense forest, emerging in an endless stream.
Come out, pass under his feet, and follow the path leading down the mountain.
Zhang Shiyuan held his breath and remained motionless, as if his blood had solidified. He had never seen such a well-equipped army, nor had he seen such a solemn march. All the soldiers did not say a word, except for the sound of breathing and footsteps.
, he didn't even hear a person cough.
It was long after these soldiers had left that Zhang Shiyuan's stiff body slowly relaxed. He took a deep breath, calmed his racing heart, and wiped away the sweat that was about to drip to the tip of his nose. Only then did he realize that,
My back felt chilly, and I was already covered in sweat.
After standing among the trees for a long time, not knowing what he was thinking, Zhang Shiyuan finally calmed down. He tried to look in the direction where the soldiers were going down, until he saw the open river valley, and then he saw Ding Shun, the leader of Yangshan Village.
He chased a group of people who had abandoned their helmets and armor along the river. Judging from their buns and clothes, these people looked like barbarians. According to Zhang Shiyuan's guess, they were probably the Khitans who occupied Liujiatun and Shidan Village.
Zhang Shiyuan saw from a high place that these barbarians were running towards the curve of Hulukou, and on the other side of the curve were hundreds of soldiers arranging their troops. At that moment, he knew that his old lady
What was expected happened. Although the Khitans who occupied Liujiatun and Shidan Village were serious Khitans, they were with those soldiers! They were luring the enemy!
What happened next confirmed Zhang Shiyuan's idea. The five or six hundred villagers of Yangshan Village were blocked by the soldiers in formation. The two sides faced off for a moment, and the villagers of Yangshan Village rushed towards the military formation, shouting for kill.
The sound boiled the entire river valley.
Densely packed arrows soared into the sky, forest-like spears pierced rhythmically, and rows of strict queues advanced like walls. Compared with these, the villagers of Yangshan Village were like a group of children, standing there
They collapsed in front of the military formation, then turned around and fled.
Then, Zhang Shiyuan saw a large group of soldiers rushing out from the foot of the mountain on his side. These soldiers were the army that just passed by him. They blocked the back road of Yangshan Village's retreating villagers and blocked the valley.
Block it tightly...
The news brought back by Zhang Shiyuan shocked Zhangjiabao. Grandpa Zhang summoned the prominent members of the Zhang clan to discuss countermeasures.
Zhang Shiyuan recounted what he saw and heard in front of all his uncles. In return, everyone asked questions. One of the uncles asked the most carefully, asking about some details and key points.
Such as weapons, armor, military discipline, etc. Zhang Shiyuan also answered them all, and then his uncle asked a final question: "How long have the villagers of Yangshan Village been fighting head-on with General Li's Yingzhou Army?"
Zhang Shiyuan thought for a while, raised a bowl of herbal tea on the table next to him, poured it into his stomach, wiped his mouth, and said: "Those village soldiers have been injured a lot under the arrow rain from the military formation, but they are still
They were so brave, they rushed forward without any care, and then, in just one sip of tea, almost everyone in the first two rows fell to the ground, so... they turned around and ran away..."
The use of the word "a sip of tea" instead of "a cup of tea", coupled with Zhang Shiyuan's extremely vivid live demonstration, immediately silenced the Zhang clan. For the first time in a long time, Grandpa Zhang's old voice sounded.
: "Everyone, General Li has taken action against Xiaolinghe. Where will our Zhang family go? Tell us." To be continued. (..), your support is my biggest motivation.)