The current situation in Liaodong is extremely tense. Although the Tang Army has not yet launched the Northern Expedition to Liaodong, the Tang Army's garrison in the Western Liaoning Corridor has put tremendous pressure on the Khitans.
In order to obtain war resources and strategic space, the Khitan teamed up with Silla and Heishui Mohe to launch an attack on the Bohai Kingdom.
The Bohai Navy was unable to fight against the three coalition forces and lost three times in three battles. Fuyu, Zhengjie and Changling in the west were captured by the Khitan, Nanhai and Yalu in the south were captured by Silla, and Huaiyuan, Tieli and Chang in the north were captured.
Anyuanfu was captured by Heishui Mohe.
The Bohai Kingdom had lost more than half of its territory. In extreme panic, King Da Qinmao sent an envoy to ask for help from Japan and the Tang Dynasty.
This afternoon, on an official road south of Xiande Mansion of Bohai State, an ox cart was hurriedly driving.
Sitting in the oxcart was a family of five, a middle-aged couple and their three children. The man from the Central Plains was Gao Hongyuan, who was the governor of Longyuan Prefecture. After the Japanese army landed in Longyuan Prefecture, they burned, killed and looted in Longyuan Prefecture.
Gao Hongyuan's father was also killed by the Japanese army. He, his wife and their three children escaped from the city under the desperate protection of their men.
Gao Hongyuan is a Han Chinese, and his ancestor is a branch of the Bohai Gao family in Yingzhou. He did not dare to go to Beijing and fled directly to his hometown in Yingzhou with his family.
In addition to the family of five, there was also an old servant who drove the bullock cart, and several of his men went to resist the pursuers, but they did not come back and probably died at the hands of the pursuers.
At this time, a caravan appeared in front, a middle-aged businessman, with five or six guys and a dozen donkeys, which were loaded with goods. Judging from their direction, they were heading towards Longyuan Mansion.
Gao Hongyuan couldn't bear it and shouted quickly: "Stop!"
The bullock cart stopped slowly, and his wife was startled, "Husband, what are you going to do?"
"I'll go say hello to them, otherwise they will be killed by the Japanese army."
Gao Hongyuan jumped out of the bullock cart, waved and shouted: "Wait a minute!"
The caravan came over, and the leading merchant looked at Gao Hongyuan and said in surprise: "Brother, are you Han?"
"Exactly, you are also Han Chinese!"
The appearance of Gao Hongyuan and the others do not look like Donghu people.
The leading merchant nodded and said with a smile: "We are coming from Yingzhou to do some small business in Longyuan Mansion!"
Gao Hongyuan waved his hand quickly, "You can't go, you can't go. The Japanese army burned, killed and looted in Longyuan Mansion. They were extremely cruel and killed countless people. If you go, you will definitely be killed and raped."
The businessman smiled and said, "Could it be that my brother escaped from Longyuan Mansion?"
Gao Hongyuan's youngest son shouted: "My father is the governor of Longyuan Prefecture."
The businessman hurriedly clasped his fists and said, "It turns out to be the governor. I'm disrespectful! I'm disrespectful!"
Gao Hongyuan smiled bitterly and said: "I have abandoned my official position and fled. I am no longer the governor."
At this time, a waiter suddenly said: "Manager, just ask him directly. We don't need to take risks to Longyuan Mansion."
Gao Hongyuan was shocked, why do you call him the manager?
The middle-aged businessman then took out a silver medal and said with a smile: "To be honest, brother, we are scouts of the Tang Army. I, Jia Yun, have been ordered to go to Longyuan Mansion to find out information. I wonder if the governor is willing to provide us with information?"
Gao Hongyuan was stunned. How could he meet Tang Jun here?
He said after a while: "Of course I am willing, but why are you here? Has the Tang army already captured Yingzhou?"
"The Tang army has not yet made its Northern Expedition, and Yingzhou is still occupied by the Khitan army. The investigation there is very strict, so we came here through another route."
At this time, Gao Hongyuan's wife said: "Husband, ask them if they can go to Pingzhou?"
Gao Hongyuan quickly clasped his fists and said, "My wife is from Pingzhou. I wonder if you can take us to Pingzhou?"
Gao Hongyuan also had doubts. After all, the Khitans were at war with Bohai State and Yingzhou was occupied by the Khitans. It was not safe for them to go to Yingzhou.
Jia Yun smiled slightly and said: "Brother, can you prove that you are the governor of Longyuan Mansion?"
Gao Hongyuan nodded and took out his governor's official seal, as well as his tooth wand and silver fish from the oxcart. He was a fourth-rank official of the Bohai State.
Jia Yun was overjoyed. He really couldn't find anything after wearing iron shoes. It took no effort to get here. He quickly said: "It's not safe here. There will be Khitan sentries. Let's go to the woods to rest for a while before leaving at night."
Gao Hongyuan went back to discuss with his wife. The couple both believed that since they were Han Chinese, it would be safer to go to the Tang Dynasty. They had two daughters, one fifteen and one thirteen years old, who would be easily violated by the Khitan army.
Gao Hongyuan quickly clasped his fists and said, "Then I'll bother Mr. Lao Jia!"
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Jia Yun was overjoyed and immediately led everyone away from the official road and went to a pine forest not far away to take shelter temporarily.
Sure enough, not long after entering the pine forest, a group of more than 20 Khitan sentinels galloped past the official road on horseback, scaring Gao Hongyuan into a cold sweat.
Jia Yun whispered: "This place is very close to Changling Mansion. There are three thousand Khitan troops stationed in Changling Mansion. They will attack Xiande Mansion next, so they will definitely send out sentries to check the garrison and other conditions."
Gao Hongyuan said with lingering fear: "Thankfully I met Manager Jia, otherwise I would have encountered the Khitan cavalry a little later. These Khitan people are very cruel and have no military discipline. My wife and daughter will definitely not be able to escape the clutches of the devil. It is God's will!"
Jia Yun smiled and said: "We are the Guan Long Army, not the ordinary Tang Army. Please don't worry, Governor Gao!"
Jia Yun turned around and ordered his men to distribute dry food and water to Gao Hongyuan's family.
Gao Hongyuan thanked him again and again, but he asked confusedly: "When we go to Pingzhou, do we still have to pass through Yingzhou?"
Jia Yun shook his head, "The Western Liaoning Corridor has been blocked by the Khitans. We can't go back by land. We actually came by water."
"Ah! Do you have a boat?"
Jia Yun smiled slightly and said, "When we get to Liaohe, Governor Gao will see it!"
Hope ignited in Gao Hongyuan's heart. Although it was still far away from Liaohe River, at least he didn't have to go to Yingzhou.
As night fell, Jia Yun's men found a local farmer. They used an ox cart and a dozen donkeys as reward. The farmer called his son, and the father and son took everyone on an abandoned official road.
The road is very hidden and completely covered with weeds. If you are not familiar with it, you will not be able to find it. The ox cart and goods have been left at the farmer's house. Gao Hongyuan, his wife and children rode donkeys, and the team headed west.
As expected, this path was secretive, and they did not meet any Khitan people along the way. They even saw the brightly lit camp of the Khitan army from a distance, but they still passed by the north of the Khitan camp without any danger.
The team walked for two full days, and a large and wide river suddenly appeared in front of everyone. This was the Liaohe River.
Jia Yun had more than a dozen donkeys given to the father and son. The father and son thanked him profusely and led the donkeys away.
After everyone rested for about an hour, two of their men found the reception ship and guided the ship to their resting place.
The Tang army's ship was a three-thousand-stone chariot ship with rotating paddles, traveling quickly in the middle of the spacious Liao River. Even if it was discovered by the Khitan people, there was nothing they could do.
There were more than thirty soldiers on the ship, all holding craftsmen, standing vigilantly on both sides of the ship.
Gao Hongyuan's wife, son, and two daughters were all placed in the cabin, and the old servants were also with the boatmen. Everyone had fled for more than ten days and had long been frightened. It was not until this moment that they found a sense of security.
In the cabin, Gao Hongyuan slowly told Jia Yun about the situation of the Japanese army. Longyuan Mansion is the mouth of the Tumen River and the seaport of the Bohai Sea.
The Japanese army chose Longyuan Mansion to land, and their intention was very obvious, to control the seaports and ships of the Bohai Sea Country.
"They had about 30,000 troops. They were under the guise of supporting Bohai. They pretended to have strict military discipline at first. But when they used the excuse that soldiers were sick and wanted to be sent to the city for treatment, they deceived the gates of Gyeongju City and revealed their brutal nature.
After it was exposed, 30,000 troops entered the city, raped, burned and killed, and the entire city of Gyeongju turned into hell. I had dozens of subordinates who tried their best to protect me, my wife and my children from escaping from the city. They are probably dead too."
"Why doesn't Gao Jishi go to Beijing?" Jia Yun asked in confusion.
Gao Hongyuan sighed, "The imperial court of Bohai State believes that the Japanese army came to rescue. If I tell them that the Japanese army burned, killed and looted, they will never believe it. Instead, they will execute me for the crime of misleading the public."
"Is it that serious?"
Gao Hongyuan sighed, "There are Japanese envoys in Beijing. They will never allow me to ruin their plans. I am originally from Yang Chengqing's faction. Of course, those ministers who are hostile to him will not let go of this opportunity to kill me."
Jia Yun nodded and said: "We have a strong logistics base on Juehua Island. My ship is currently returning to Juehua Island. Your family will temporarily live in the temple on the island. I will ensure your safety and life when our army goes north.
, I’m afraid there are still many things to trouble Gao Jishi.”
Gao Hongyuan nodded silently. He also hoped that he could play a role so that his wife and children would be safe.