Liaoxi County, Qinzhi, 3,300 miles northeast of Luoyang, has five cities, Yangle, Haiyang, Lingzhi, Feiru, and Linyu, with 34,150 households and 241,77 residents.
One hundred and ten.
Xiangguan is located between Liaoxi County and Youbeiping County. It is only a day's journey from Lingzhi City. It is a border fortress in the North. After the snow stops, caravans will appear and go back and forth.
In the spring of March in the North, although the snow has stopped, the temperature has not changed much.
The Han Dynasty implemented the Guanzhuan system, and many strategic places on land and water were set up to collect taxes.
Groups of caravans were heading from western Liaoning to Jizhou, passing through Xiangguan, and gathered at the city gate to wait for inspection of the talisman.
A five-inch long wooden or silk talisman letter must have an official seal. No talisman letter is required for entry and exit. Whether it is a private person or a caravan, they will be severely punished.
In the distance, a fast horse with several flags on its back was riding along the galloping road, carrying a trail of smoke and dust.
Soldiers standing far away on the watchtower of the rammed earth city wall rang the bronze bell hanging on the watchtower.
Dang~dangdang...
When the bell first rang, there was some commotion among the caravans queuing up in front of the city gate. After listening carefully to the rhythm of one long and two short bells, experienced caravans immediately understood that they were messengers delivering military reports from the army.
The caravan immediately drove their cattle and horses to clear the way to the tower.
Blocking the way of the messenger and being killed on the spot is a minor offense. If it delays the military situation, it will easily destroy the whole family.
Under the attention of many people, a fierce knight galloped over and ran towards the captain's mansion unimpeded.
"Report——"
The messenger turned over and dismounted in front of the Colonel's Mansion, and immediately the guards of the Colonel's Mansion came to hold his mount for him.
"Report! An urgent report has arrived from Army Sima Wang Yan." Taking off the bamboo tube slung across his chest, the messenger raised it with one hand above his head, shouted all the way, and ran into the lobby of the captain's mansion.
All the officials, big and small, who were coming to and from Xiaowei's Mansion stopped and gave way to the messenger, but they were a little nervous in their hearts.
The news that Gongsun Zan, the governor of Youzhou, was defeated and self-immolated has spread throughout the north, and the storm is brewing. Everyone knows that Gongsun Zan recommended Gongsun Zan for the post of captain. Yesterday, Gongsun Zan's orphan arrived at Xiangguan.
I don’t know what news Gongsunda’s general Wang Yan sent this time, and what changes will it cause?
The thoughtful ones have already exchanged glances in private, planning to walk around more with their colleagues.
Gongsun Da was not wearing any armor, only dark clothes, a crown and a sword, and he was discussing affairs with Zuo Ping in the mansion.
The safe arrival of Gongsun Yan and Gongsun Cheng made him and Zuo Ping breathe a long sigh of relief. No matter what twists and turns happened along the way, as long as the Gongsun siblings were safe, it was the best news.
Zuo Ping came to Xiaowei Mansion from Guanyi to discuss with Gongsunda about leaving the customs.
Aduna is still wandering around, so it is better to send Gongsun and his brother to Lingzhi as soon as possible.
At this time, the two of them were sitting opposite each other and drinking tea with relaxed expressions, when they heard the clatter of horse hooves outside the house.
"Report - there is an urgent report from Army Commander Ma Wangyan."
Gongsunda and Zuo Ping's expressions changed at the same time. Could it be that something unexpected happened on the way to the reception?
Gongsunda stood up quickly.
The messenger ran quickly into the hall. The general who was guarding Gongsunda stepped forward quickly, took the bamboo tube offered by the messenger's hands, and turned around to offer it to Gongsunda.
Gongsunda took it with a dark face. After checking that the sealing wax was intact, he opened the bamboo tube and took out a volume of silk book.
When he unfolded it and took a look, the expression on his face changed several times in an instant. First he was angry, then surprised, and finally he was filled with admiration and admiration.
"As expected of Brother Bogui's elite." Under Zuo Ping's doubtful and urging eyes, Gongsunda sighed and handed over the silk book in his hand, "Uncle Zuo, look."
While Zuo Ping was carefully reading the contents of the silk book, Gongsunda sat back on the bench and was filled with emotions.
What the messenger sent was the complete report of the battle in Yangqiuli.
A head of 877, 70 prisoners, 760 horses, 630 swords, and other equipment and supplies...
And it was actually only the more than 280 white horse Yicon cavalry who had defeated the encirclement not long ago and achieved such beautiful results.
After breaking out of the encirclement and trekking through the snowfield for more than half a month, they were able to achieve such a result.
Gongsunda took a deep breath as if he had a toothache, then he lifted up the tea soup on the table and drank it in one gulp.
A few short sentences in the battle report, a night attack on the camp, suspicious soldiers, an ambush on a long slope and a frontal defeat.
But Gongsunda also came from a military background, so why couldn't he imagine what the situation was like at that time?
He was happy and greedy about this.
Ruyi Aduna, the guy who caused him trouble, was completely defeated, and he coveted such an elite cavalry.
Unlike Gongsunda who was obviously very happy, Zuo Ping's heart was much more complicated. He read the silk book several times and finally couldn't help but ask: "Do you know what happened to Aduna?"
After delivering the bamboo tube, the messenger did not leave. He stood in the hall waiting for questioning. When Zuo Ping asked, he immediately raised his hands and replied: "The enemy leader Aduna was hit by an arrow and fled, and his whereabouts are unknown."
Upon hearing that Aduna's whereabouts were unknown, Gongsunda and Zuo Ping showed a hint of relief on their faces at the same time.
Gongsunda didn't know what it was like. Although he kept saying harsh words, it would not be a good thing if Aduna died. But after confirming that Aduna was not dead, he felt regretful in his heart and clicked his tongue.
Gongsunda's performance did not escape Zuo Ping's eyes, and he gave Gongsunda a warning glance: "If Aduna dies, I'm afraid Maodun will go crazy and war will start again in the border areas."
Zuo Ping's words caused a trace of sarcasm to appear on Gongsunda's dark face: "Uncle Zuo is joking, in which year did Wuhuan not go south to the border with the Kou? If Aduna is going to be crazy, it's not his turn to be crazy." There are others who are crazy.
others.
"Ada." Zuo Ping interrupted Gongsunda's words loudly, his eyes passed over the people in the hall, and then he picked up the battle report and read it again.
After a long time, he let out a long sigh.
"There are so many talents under Bo Gui's command!" Zuo Ping sighed. Such a young and brave general, proficient in military tactics and strategy, will surely become a great leader in time, but he only holds the position of captain.
As long as one comes from a slightly higher background, even if one has great talent, he will never be reused.
With a slightly humble status and a chivalrous spirit, even a loser can be given a heavy responsibility.
It was this employment policy that led to Gongsun Zan's downfall.
However, Zuo Ping did not say what he was thinking. Gongsunda next to him was recommended by Gongsun Zan. If he said it directly, he would inevitably be suspected of criticizing Sang and Huai.
Moreover, even though Gongsun Zan was a concubine, he was not someone he could comment on at will.
I didn't realize the other meaning behind Zuo Ping's emotion. As a simple warrior, Gongsun Da had always been protected by Gongsun Zan's reputation. He was not stupid, but he was still a lot less thoughtful than generals like Zuo Ping.
What he was interested in at this time was how this battle was planned and fought!
Immediately, he ordered someone to fetch the map and called his generals to deduce the battle situation in the hall.
Zuo Ping was not as interested as he was. He frowned and thought more. It would have been better if the Gongsun Yan siblings were weaker. But with his subordinates so strong, he was afraid that many of the previous arrangements made by the family master would not go as planned.
Besides, we had already sent someone to ask for help before. Now that the danger is over, it would be better to send someone to report quickly again.
Zuo Ping was thinking in his mind, so he went back to the posthouse as an excuse, wrote a new letter, and ordered people to hurry up and send it to Lingzhi.