Hucheng County is located about thirty miles west of Hangu Pass. There is an official road here leading to Guozhou, which makes its commercial status more important. Therefore, Hucheng County has become the second commercial intersection after Shaanxi County, restaurants,
Service industries such as teahouses and inns and warehousing industries are relatively developed.
In addition, there are many medicine shops and fur shops in Hucheng County, which is also a major feature of it. A large number of medicinal materials and furs from Guozhou are collected and distributed here every year.
There is a large medicine shop near the east gate of the county seat called Baohe Hall. It is considered the largest medicine shop in Shaanzhou. It has famous doctors and is engaged in the wholesale purchase of medicinal materials. In addition, it has a good reputation, so there are a number of medicine collectors all year round.
People deliver medicine to pharmacies.
Hucheng County has just experienced a siege and is still under martial law. There is no one on the streets and all the shops are closed.
Hu Yanlei led a dozen soldiers to the door of Baohetang store. After knocking for a while, the door opened. When a medicine boy saw all the soldiers outside, he screamed in fright, turned around and ran away. For a moment, the shopkeeper was trembling with fear.
He came out and saluted and said, "What do you have to say, military masters?"
"Don't be afraid, I'm not here to rob your shop, I'm just asking you for some information."
"I see, General, please come in quickly!"
Hu Yanlei entered the medicine shop, took a sip of hot tea, and explained his purpose to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper smiled and said: "You can't go up to the top of Hanguguan Pass from the Xiaohan Road. You have to go up from Guolue County. The road is very difficult."
"I also know that the road is difficult, but we want to go up and have a look. I hope the shopkeeper can introduce a guide."
"Of course there is a guide. I know several herb collectors who are familiar with the mountain roads. There is an herb collector in the county. I will take the general there."
"Then I'll trouble the shopkeeper."
.........
The medicine collector introduced by the shopkeeper was named Song, and everyone called him Song Qilang. He was in his thirties, relatively thin, and looked very flexible. He made a living by collecting medicines. He was a little afraid of the revenge of the puppet Qi army, so he did not dare to
He agreed, but when Hu Yanlei placed one ingot of silver weighing twelve pounds in front of him, his eyes lit up and he agreed without hesitation.
Just kidding, ten taels of silver can be exchanged for fifty guan. It took him two years of collecting medicine to earn it. With these ten taels of silver, he can support his son in studying.
Hu Yanlei brought Song Qilang to Chen Qing's tent. Song Qilang spread a map on the table and said to Chen Qing: "This is the map of Hangu Pass left by my father. He is also a herb collector. You can see it clearly on the map."
Here, there are three ways to go up the mountain."
Chen Qing lowered his head and looked carefully at this somewhat old hand-drawn map. At first glance, he knew it was the map of Hangu Pass. The drawing was very realistic. There were three thin paths drawn on it, two of which were relatively close and one was far away.
"Is the top of Hangu Pass flat?" Chen Qing asked again.
Song Qilang shook his head and said: "The top is uneven, with rugged rocks, undulating ravines, and many trees growing there, but in general, it is flat in some places."
"I mean, can you throw stones from the top of the mountain into Hangu Pass?"
The eyes of all the generals nearby lit up, yes! Attacking from the top of the mountain is a good way. Everyone looked at the herb gatherer expectantly.
Song Qilang thought for a while and said: "You can throw stones from the top of the mountain, but you must find some people who are strong enough to throw them far, otherwise they will be blocked by the trees halfway up the mountain."
"Can the livestock go up the mountain?" Chen Qing asked again.
"It is impossible for livestock to go up the mountain. If the prince wants to transport heavy objects up the mountain, he can only use people to carry them on his back, and he can only take this road!"
Song Qilang pointed to the farthest road on the map, "Only this road can transport heavy objects up the mountain. The other two roads cannot. I am familiar with all three roads and I am willing to lead the way for the army."
"How long does it take to get to the top of the mountain?"
"At least two days!"
Chen Qing nodded, thought for a moment and smiled at Niu Gao: "This time we need General Niu to take action. Pick a thousand strong soldiers, bring more dry food and water, and then carry fifty small trebuchets up the mountain, kerosene, kerosene
, poison gas, these three weapons are enough!"
Niu Gao was overjoyed and immediately bowed and said: "I have been looking forward to this day for a long time!"
Niu Gao failed to participate in several battles, but he was frustrated. Although he was asked to take the route of attacking Hangu Pass this time, he was satisfied.
........
The large trebuchets could not be transported, so they could only transport the parts and assemble them on the spot. For two days in a row, the Song army was busy assembling siege weapons. Even the soldiers on the top of the city were aware of it. They all had solemn expressions, a kind of war was coming.
The tension before.
At the same time, Niu Gao led a thousand soldiers to start going up the mountain. Each of the thousand soldiers was strong and strong, and each of them carried a weight of seventy or eighty kilograms. A small trebuchet weighed four hundred kilograms, but it could
It was dismantled into five parts and carried up the mountain by five soldiers.
Hundreds of soldiers were carrying a large rattan basket filled with various projectiles, gunpowder barrels, kerosene balls, poisonous smoke balls, ropes, etc.
The remaining several hundred soldiers carried dry food and water hyacinth on their backs. One water hyacinth per person was enough. There was a spring on the top of the mountain, so there was no shortage of drinking water.
In the afternoon, everyone began to climb Longtouya. Longtouya is a cliff named after it looks like a dragon head. This is the biggest obstacle on the way up the mountain. It requires climbing a two-foot-high cliff, so livestock cannot be walked.
Even the heavy objects they carried had to be hoisted up with ropes, so that the soldiers could climb up along the rope ladder.
Two hours later, all the soldiers went up the hill. They carried their luggage and walked into a pine forest. It was getting late, so Niu Gao ordered them to rest on the spot.
Niu Gao carried a small trebuchet on his back alone, which made everyone stunned. However, Niu Gao was praised by the county king as the strongest man in the Western Army, so he must be extremely powerful.
Song Qilang gave a thumbs up and praised: "General Niu is so strong!"
Niu Gao asked him to sit down and handed him the wine bottle, "Take a sip of wine to warm yourself up."
Song Qilang took two sips of wine and praised it profusely, "This wine is strong and enjoyable!"
"This is specially used for our scouts to keep out the cold. I'll give you a gourd later!"
"Thank you, General!"
Niu Gao asked again: "Are the buildings in the valley mainly made of stone or wood?"
"They are all! They are mostly made of wood. They have been built for decades and are very old. The soldiers use large tents and are distributed along the rocks. Wooden fences are also built on both sides of the road. There is an official road in the middle, and merchants and merchants use it.
pedestrian."
"How wide is the canyon?" Niu Gao pondered for a moment and asked again.
"The widest point is one mile, and the narrowest point is only a few dozen steps. If you use a trebuchet, I don't think it will be a big problem."
After a pause, Song Qilang whispered again: "General Niu, I also want to join the Song Army. Do you think it's okay?"
"You?" Niu Gao looked at his thin figure.
Song Qilang said a little embarrassedly: "Although I am a little thinner, I am very agile. No one can climb mountains and trees better than me. I also know medicine. What herbs in the mountains can cure injuries and stop bleeding, and what medicine can cure headaches and brain fever.
I know how to stop diarrhea, and I am very familiar with the ancient Xiaohan Road. If I want to build beacons or something in the future, I can find the best location."
Niu Gao was a little tempted. There were not many people who knew herbal medicine. This was a rare talent, but was the other party bragging? He then asked with a smile: "Is there a path to the back of Hangu Pass?"
Song Qilang pointed to the east and said with a smile: "There is a Zhushui road not far from our place. From there you can go to the east of Lingbao County. It's just that you have to use a raft to walk a section of the waterway, which is not convenient."
Niu Gao nodded happily and continued to ask with a smile: "Why did you think of joining the Song Army?"
Song Qilang sighed and said: "My grandfather was a herb collector and was killed in a tiger's mouth when he was forty years old. My father was also a herb collector and fell into the Baizhang Mountain Stream ten years ago. I followed my father to collect herbs when I was ten years old and have been collecting herbs for twenty years.
, My son is seven years old this year, and I want him to study. I heard that joining the Song Army will give you land in Hanzhong and tax exemption. This can change my son's destiny. I have always dreamed of joining the Song Army!"
Niu Gao patted him on the shoulder, "You will follow me from now on. Go and rest early. We will get up and set off in the middle of the night!"