Yesterday at noon, the vanguard of the Xiao family army, led by Xiao Jihuai himself, arrived at Yuzhou City. After meeting with Xu Mu, he led the army to Yuguan without stopping, with the intention of regaining Zhenbeiguan, which Jiang Shuo had lost.
Hearing this, He Qizhou couldn't help but ask: "How many people did Xiao Jihuai bring?"
Xu Mu said: "Jinan mobilized a total of 20,000 infantry troops. The vanguard he led was 5,000 people, including 500 cavalry. The following 15,000 people were still two days away from here. Knowing that the Northern Zhou army retreated
After receiving the news, they will probably stop and wait for news from the Privy Council, and most of them will not go north again."
"Well, what does Xiao Jihuai mean by running to Yuguan again in a hurry?"
"I heard that he wanted to recapture Zhenbeiguan. Since fighter planes were rare, I sent someone to write to the Privy Council while taking action myself." Xu Mu replied.
"Hmph! He's smart. If the Zhou army couldn't capture Yuguan, they wouldn't be able to stay in that pile of loess for long. I guess they would have retreated far away. Now the two sides can't do business. Maybe even their Zhennanguan Pass will be closed this time.
No need, Jiang Shuo lost the city, he went to capture it, it seems that he deserves the credit!" He Qizhou said angrily.
"Someone has to do this. I said, you are not stupid, why do you think of 'die together'?" Xu Muxing's eyes widened and he said angrily.
He Qizhou smiled naively and said, "Who would really want to die? I think if it were you at that time, you wouldn't leave your friends behind and run away alone, right?"
"Humph!" Xu Muxue still looked angry, but she thought in her heart, if He Qizhou was not such a person, how could she still like him?
…
"Your Highness, let's go quickly. It will take twenty days at least to say nothing on the way back to Zhongjing." On top of the Zhennanguan sentry tower, Wu Shi persuaded Helian Changying, who was staring at the south. Not far away, a raging fire was burning in the Zhenbeiguan city.
During the fire, all the checkpoints and beacons were destroyed along the way back. In this battle, only a hundred or so of the five hundred armored elites were left. The Huotang also lost nearly a hundred people, and nearly three thousand cavalry were killed. Since then,
The Yuguan advance strategy was a complete failure.
"Okay, then let's have a good fight with them on the grassland in the spring!" Helian Changying gritted his teeth and said. Helian Qingfeng gave them the task of several emperor heirs, and she was the first to fail, which made her always want to
For her, becoming the second Helian Mingyue was really a heavy blow.
"Why don't you ambush their pursuers here? Although there will be tens of thousands of people, they are all infantry and should not be difficult to deal with." Shen Tinggu said at the side.
"The terrain here is not very conducive to horse fighting. Besides, they will not be so stupid. They will send a small army to explore the road first. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, if you cannot take Yuguan, you must rush back to Zhongjing as soon as possible. This time
Jiang Cong is going to fight to the death!" Wushi, who was Helian Changying's ally, advised.
"I know that I will order all the Nanguan Passes of this town to be destroyed. Alas, if Zhang Zheng's people had come one day, no, half a day later, we would have taken Yuguan! It was all Sikong Lang's fault, and I
Not only was he defeated and killed, but he also asked them to send a message by beacon fire! Go back and let Shuitang investigate again." Although he retreated decisively, Helian Changying was still extremely unwilling to accept it.
Wu Shi nodded and said: "The problem may still lie with Guo Wen. There should be more than just the Eight Meridians master in the Lotus Gang's caravan. Judging from the way he was well prepared when escaping, most of them have already learned about the Salt Gang's plan.
, and leaked the news to Nan Qi, we still have to find a way to catch him as soon as possible! Let's go quickly, otherwise the food and grass may not be able to support us out of this loess hilly land. I also want to return to Tongwan City as soon as possible
, now that the commander-in-chief of Ganzhou has been replaced by Zhang Zhiren, he will definitely send people to harass Tongwan City!"
"Okay, stop resting, destroy Zhennanguan, and return to Zhongjing!" Helian has always been a decisive person.
…
"Your Majesty! I'm so happy, so happy!"
"Taicheng, this is not like your usual appearance. Tell me, what's the matter?" Jiang Cong closed the memorial page and lay on the dragon couch with his eyes closed. He had been to court several times in the past few days, and the Privy Council had more information, and he already had some energy.
Not good.
"Zhang Zhiren reports that Northern Zhou general Li Yuan withdrew his troops from Jiayuguan three days ago!"
"What kind of good news is this? It was expected. I still want them to attack for a longer time." Jiang Cong said.
"Your Majesty, the Yuzhou General Soldier reported that on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Princess of North Tuesday led the Heavenly Dragon Sect protector Wu Shi and the leader of the Fire Hall of Qinglong Temple to invade the Beiguan of Yuzhou Town. They broke through the barrier on the 16th and arrived at Yuguan on the 18th...
…”
"What?!" Jiang Cong suddenly opened his eyes and sat up.
"Your Majesty, listen to what I have to say." Tang Taicheng said.
"Speak quickly!" Veins were already popping up on Jiang Cong's forehead, because he knew very well that this period was when Yuzhou was most empty, and it was also what he was most worried about.
"Zhang Qi's letter was a confession. He said that on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, he received a message from Xu Mu, who came second in the martial arts exam. Because he knew that the situation was critical, he disobeyed military orders without authorization and ordered the army to return to Yuzhou. He urgently ordered two thousand elite troops to go to Yuguan first.
, arrived in the early morning of the 20th, and the rest of the infantry marched quickly to reach Yuguan before the 22nd. Since the Northern Zhou Dynasty could not capture the city in one go, and knew that the defenders had returned, they all evacuated at noon on the 20th!"
"Okay! Okay! Zhang Wei did a good job! I'm going to prepare a reward! By the way, that girl Muxue is still alive? That's great! Is there any news about He Qizhou?" Jiang Cong was overjoyed!
"Yes! That's what I'm saying. The emergency report from Liu Xizhou, the prefect of Yuzhou, mentioned that it was He Qizhou and Xu Mu who left the Altai Mountains, transferred to the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and returned with the Salt Gang caravan. They were the first to discover the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
A trick, a letter to Jiang Shuo." Tang Taicheng said, because Xu Muxue always used the name Xu Mu, so people in the capital were used to calling her Xu Mu.
"Who said this? Why don't I know so much news?"
"Isn't it a coincidence that the four memorials arrived at almost the same time, and the Privy Council had them delivered just after they were opened."
"Liu Xizhou, the youngest son of Liu Jin'an, who was the top foreign official in Beijing last year? What did you say? Whose report is there?"
"Exactly!" Tang Taicheng said: "Thanks to Liu Xizhou this time! Liu Zhifu said that the Northern Zhou Dynasty was well prepared and sent 500 armored troops, 200 Huotang elites and 20,000 cavalry from Zhongjing, including Wushi and
The leader of the Fire Hall took action personally!"
"It seems that the third child is still more powerful. Putting his own son there, Jiang Shuo must have many experts around him, right? How did he stop him?" Jiang Cong asked.
"He Jing, who was in the first realm of Yongquan, and a dozen or so soldiers of the fifth and sixth lineages, were at Zhenbeiguan. The people from the Northern Zhou Salt Gang and the Qinglong Temple were originally planning to attack in a sneak attack. Fortunately, people from the Salt Gang came with them.
Among them were He Qizhou, Xu Mu and an eight-line soldier sent to the Northern Zhou Dynasty by the Ganzhou Army. They exposed the Northern Zhou conspiracy in time, and worked together to kill He Lianjue, the master of the Jintang Hall of Qinglong Temple, and the deputy hall of the Shuitang Hall who had sneaked into the city.
Lord Sikong Lang, once again fought tooth and nail to repel Wushi’s personal attack on the city!"
"Okay, it seems that we were really tricked by that bastard Jiang Shuo... Hahaha, okay! Okay! Keep talking!" Jiang Cong stroked his beard and laughed.
"When the Northern Zhou Dynasty saw the smoke blazing at Zhenbeiguan, they knew that the plan to seize the gate was exposed, so they began to attack. At this time, the Yuzhou Army had been marching west for three days. Obviously, they calculated the time well. It was also at this time that the strong attack on Jiayuguan was stopped.
Come down..." Tang Taicheng said.
"You don't need to talk about it. Let's continue talking about Liu Xizhou's secrets."
"Yes! Jiang Shuo sent Xu Mu's flying horse to chase Zhang Wei back. He held the Zhenbei Pass for a day, and before being surrounded by the Huotang people, he abandoned the pass and led his troops to retreat. Two days later, they arrived at Yuguan, but there were many obstacles along the way.
After a day of chasing troops, he and the Yuguan garrison and the young men brought from Yuzhou defended Yuguan for a day and two nights. Finally, they waited for Zhang Wei's reinforcements! Seeing that the Zhou army could not attack for a long time, because they had no food and grass, they were worried that our army would gather together, so they retreated.
Got it!"
"What about the fourth letter?" Jiang Cong asked with a smile.
"The fourth letter was sent by Xiao Jihuai. It was also a plea for punishment and a petition for war. He said that he was willing to lead 5,000 southern Hebei troops to take back Zhenbeiguan! The letter was sent at the same time as Yuzhou and Liu Xizhou. The letter stated that because
Fighter opportunities are rare, and we will march ahead without waiting for the Privy Council's approval!"
"No matter what, you have to get more experience, hahahahaha! Helian Qingfeng, Helian Qingfeng, you have lost more than just soldiers, horses, food and fodder with all this trouble!" Jiang Cong laughed again.
Tang Taicheng hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the Northern Zhou Dynasty planned a strong attack this winter to no avail, and morale has been severely damaged. In the spring, our army will be able to clear Yunei and recapture Zhenyuan Pass!"
"Well said! By the way, what did the Wuchangsi and the Privy Council do this time? The Northern Zhou army marched straight in the middle, why is there no news at all?" Although Jiang Cong is old, he is not confused at all.
"According to Liu Xizhou's statement, among the companies that traded privately with the Northern Zhou Dynasty were members of the Intelligence Department of the Wucha Division, and their true identities were spies from the Qinglong Temple Shuitang. Therefore, even though the spies lurking in the Northern Zhou Dynasty had clearly informed us that what they were passing on was
False information, but the Northern Zhou Dynasty also knew about this when sending the information, so he used a trick to pretend to attack Jiayuguan, forcing us to mobilize the 30,000 Yuzhou defenders. The two spies from the Intelligence Department were also exposed by He Qizhou, Liu Clan
Zhou and Jiang Shuo jointly want to commend He Qizhou, the number one scholar in martial arts."
"Shi Lan is really getting more and more disappointing! Let Shi Lan write down the details later, and also ask him to step up the investigation of the spies of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. If anything goes wrong, let him be careful." Jiang Cong shook his head and said, but he just heard too much.
The news no longer carries the heavy responsibility.
"good."
Jiang Cong said again: "By the way, you ask the Privy Council, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Rites to verify the situation and draw up a reward plan. I will reward you heavily for the battle in Yuzhou. By the way, Han Chong will also reward you!"
"Your Majesty is wise, and you will be rewarded for your merits, and what the people want! The war is coming, and everyone in our army will strive to be the first and be invincible!"
"Come on, come on, you're so old now, you should stop flattering me!"
"Yes, yes, your majesty is a wise and wise king who will go down in history. Naturally, he doesn't like those flattery words!"
"It's good to know, eh? You old cunning guy is still here! It's getting late, you should go back and have a rest."