Beketov added: "You can't go directly to the mountains and river valleys in the north!"
When it was time to escape, Zinoviev ignored the aristocratic pretensions and humbly asked the two Cossack leaders for advice: "Where should we go?"
"Go east!"
Stepanov and Beketov answered in unison.
And to the east is the direction from which the Datong Army came.
On the east and west sides of Yaksa, the riverside is full of reed-covered tidal flats. Since it has not yet reached autumn, it is difficult to burn them all with a fire, which is very conducive to the sneaking of the defenders in the city.
On its east side, the terrain is particularly complex.
Heilongjiang encountered a sharp bend here, and the water flow slowed down greatly, alluvializing large sandbars and tidal flats. There is also a small river flowing into the northeast, forming large and small ponds and rivers between the tidal flats and sandbanks. In some places, even
It is also a swamp area.
If the water recedes after rising, there will be no shortage of food at all, and a large number of fish will remain on the tidal flats, creating a scene like "beating roe deer with a stick and scooping up fish with a gourd".
The Datong army only had more than a thousand people, so it was impossible to surround the castle.
After nightfall, you must return to camp to guard against enemy sneak attacks, which will expose a huge gap for a breakout.
midnight.
The west gate of the castle was opened, and a group of Daur slaves were all gagged and expelled by the Cossacks.
The slaves were surprised and happy, and rushed westward in the dark. After running for a full mile and getting into the reed marsh, someone tore off the rag in his mouth and shouted excitedly: "The Rakshasa ghost has escaped, Rakshasa ghost has escaped, Rakshasa ghost has escaped."
The ghost has escaped!"
In fact, as soon as there was any movement in the castle, the sentry hidden in the reeds on the beach had already rowed to Jiangxinzhou to report the news.
At this time, he heard the shouts of the Daur slaves again. Wang Fuchen laughed and said: "If you shout to the east and attack the west, you will really want to escape to the east."
With Khabarov as a guide and advisor to the Datong Army, how could they not guess what the enemy is thinking?
They were all Cossack leaders, and they even planned the breakout route exactly the same.
But to the east of the castle, five or six Cossacks and Siberian hunters were carrying a small boat, heading straight for the dense reeds. When they encountered a pond or river, they put the boat down, rowed for a while, and then went ashore to continue carrying it.
The boat goes away.
"Didn't the Khitans come after them?" Zinoviev looked back from time to time to check.
Stepanov said: "When we get here, we are not afraid of pursuers. There is a lake in front of us. After crossing the lake, we can walk a short distance to the north and reach the river."
It can be said that it is a lake or a pond. Anyway, the area is not big or small. They are all formed by the sedimentation of the Heilongjiang River. From Yaksa, go downstream and extend to the point where the Heilongjiang River changes its direction to the south. There are similar ponds.
There are dozens of them, big and small.
With such a complex terrain and reeds everywhere, it was impossible for the Datong Army to send troops to pursue them. Firstly, it was difficult to find the enemy, secondly, it was easy to be shot coldly, and thirdly, it was possible to stray into the swamp.
There is no need to pursue, just block the key exits!
It is impossible for these Rakshasa ghosts to hide in the reed swamps all the time. They can either choose to continue eastward and head to the lower reaches of Heilongjiang River regardless of the consequences, grabbing whatever they can, and there is almost no possibility of returning to Nerchinsk. Or they can leave the reed swamps and head north.
, there are two river valleys there. If you go into the valley and play by your side, you might be able to go upstream and go back to Nerchinsk.
After leaving the reed marsh, the Cossacks carried the boat and ran north, but they still didn't hear the pursuers.
Finally, they saw a small river flowing from the mountains to the north, then turned sharply and flowed parallel to the Heilongjiang River.
They didn't bring any larger boats with them. The small boats they brought with them could only carry a dozen people each. Moreover, all the extra parts were dismantled, and they could run very fast when they lifted them up. They could also row them away quickly even if they were thrown into the river.
This was the core method of the Cossacks. With such convenient ships, they wreaked havoc from the Don River Basin to Heilongjiang.
As we headed north along the river, when we were about to enter the valley, it was almost dawn.
Beketov looked at the entrance of the dark valley, frowned and said: "Something's wrong, why didn't the Khitans come after them? Even if they didn't come after them, there should be some movement."
Stepanov asked: "You mean, there are enemies in the valley ahead?"
"It's very possible." Beketov nodded.
Zinoviev was a little unbelieving: "Can the Khitans know divination? How could they have set up an ambush in front of us?"
Beketov said: "I have been exploring Siberia for almost ten years, and I have an intuition about danger. There must be an ambush in the valley ahead!"
Stepanov said: "Go ashore immediately and go west along the foot of the mountain. There is a river valley over there."
"Then let's go ashore." Zinoviev actually agreed. This noble man seemed to be starting to become smarter.
There is really an ambush in the valley!
There were a total of 200 Datong troops and more than 300 indigenous soldiers. Khabarov, the leader of the Cossacks, was too familiar with the Yaksa area and knew the Cossack tactics very well, so he counted his former colleagues to death.
Downstream of the river, there are also some Datong troops who are rowing over.
As long as the Rakshasa ghost dares to enter the river valley, it will be attacked from both sides. If it wants to escape, it can only fly up the mountains.
A group of Datong troops came from Heilongjiang and kept on their way after entering the creek. After daybreak, they finally reunited with the friendly troops in the river valley.
"The enemy didn't come?"
"No."
"Leave the valley, head west, pursue immediately!"
Yaksa is a strategic location with connections in all directions, but the Anton navy blocked the estuaries, and the terrain here became a dead end. You don't have to worry about the tidal flats, swamps, ponds, and reed marshes. Those who can really run away
Those roads.
The northern foothills are all forests.
Hundreds of Rakshasa ghosts marched in the woods at the foot of the mountain in small boats. After working hard for most of the night, they were already exhausted, so they stopped to rest and eat.
After swallowing a few mouthfuls of dry food, Stepanov said: "I'm afraid there are enemies in the valley to the west, so we can't go any further."
"Where should we go?" Zinoviev asked.
Beketov pointed to the north: "Go up the mountain."
Stepanov said: "After going up the mountain, find a place to go down the mountain in the north, cross the valley in the west, then continue marching up the mountain, find a river back to the Amur River (Heilongjiang), and then you can row back to Nibu
Chu."
Zinoviev had never fought such a battle before and felt that the Cossack leaders had gone crazy.
However, similar situations were often encountered by the Cossacks.
Before Khabarov, there were Cossacks who rowed to Heilongjiang to plunder. At that time, the number of troops was close to 200. They were also blocked in their retreat. They fled all the way over the mountains and ridges. When the food ran out, they ate people to survive. Not only did they eat the local indigenous people, but they even
The corpses of their companions. In the end, 50 people managed to escape, even taking precious furs with them, which immediately triggered the Cossacks' ambitions for Heilongjiang.
These are really a bunch of life-threatening lunatics!
At noon, Wang Fuchen had already occupied the castle.
There is a hot air balloon a few miles and five miles north of the castle. As long as the Cossack dares to show his head, he will be discovered immediately.
"What? No Rakshasa ghosts were found in the northeastern and northwest river valleys?" Wang Fuchen was a little surprised.
Khabarov sighed: "Oh, they went up the mountain."
Wang Fuchen asked: "Where do you think the enemy will go?"
Khabarov drew a simple map from memory: "The valley in the northeast can only go west. In any other direction, no matter how you cross the mountains, you will die. The valley in the northwest is very long, and it will bifurcate.
It is divided into two. The westernmost valley bifurcates, and it will bifurcate again as you continue to the north. There are several large flat areas in the mountains. If the Cossack bandits want to escape back, they should go to that flat area, and they can also replenish food."
That so-called flat land will form a city in a few hundred years, namely Skovorodino, Russia.
Although there are no cities yet, large tribes have developed. Two years ago, it was plundered by Khabarov, and there should still be some indigenous people there. Rakshasa ghosts can kill people and steal food when they get there.
Zhang Tingxun squatted in the ravine for a day and a night, and was covered in mosquito bites.
Unexpectedly, in the afternoon, I suddenly received an order to continue heading north along the river valley. Moreover, friendly troops came to reinforce, with a total of 500 Datong troops heading north.
In the mountains and forests, it is extremely difficult to cross mountains and ridges, but the Cossacks have not abandoned their boats yet.
On a slightly gentle hillside, several people carried the boat up. When encountering steep terrain, people climbed up first and used ropes to drag the boat up.
After walking for five full days, I finished all the food I brought with me.
Those Siberian hunters used bows and arrows to obtain wild animals along the way, but obviously they still didn't have enough to satisfy their hunger.
"ah!"
Someone fell down the hillside and rolled all the way down.
Beketov went over to check and said: "His leg was broken and he can no longer walk."
"I can still walk!" the Cossack who broke his leg shouted in horror.
A man next to him drew out a short knife and stabbed it into his chest.
The unlucky man's clothes were stripped off and his weapons were taken away. A few Cossacks disemboweled him very neatly, while the others turned a blind eye.
When the Cossacks left, all that was left was a pile of bones, water and blood on the ground.
Well, I didn’t even eat my head.
After continuing their march for one day, they discovered an indigenous village, raided and captured more than 30 people, and killed them all to eat meat.
A few days later, out of more than 800 Cossacks and Siberian hunters, only about 700 people were left when they came out of the mountains.
Even if the Datong Army doesn't come to intercept them, by the time these guys return to Nerchinsk, only half of them will be left.
Zinoviev was already in a trance. As a nobleman, he never thought that he could eat people. But he was so hungry that he stuffed food into his mouth. When his stomach was full, he started to be afraid again. He could even dream about it at night.
Dream about ghosts asking for life.
Madmen, these Cossacks are all madmen!
He no longer wanted to be the general manager of Heilongjiang, he just wanted to return to Nerchinsk as soon as possible, and then go to Moscow on the pretext of recovering from illness.
In this miserable place, anyone who loves it will come. Zinoviev vowed never to set foot in Siberia again.
"Master Manager, cross the valley ahead and continue to the north until the mountains are gentle. After climbing over a low mountain ridge, you can see a large piece of flat land. The villages there must have food." Stepanov said.
Zinoviev nodded quickly: "Before returning to Nerchinsk, I will leave everything to you."
What a steward, what a noble, identity has been forgotten, Zinoviev was afraid when he saw the Cossacks.
But when he reached the river valley, he could finally slow down.
Because some Cossacks actually carried fishing nets with them and were able to get some fish to satisfy their hunger, the noble Lord could not eat human flesh for the time being.
Two days later, hundreds of Rakshasa ghosts were already lurking outside the village.
Zhang Tingxun was in the village, almost impatient to wait.
