There was a lot of noise on the bridge over the Erlang River. The little boy was a mile downstream looking at the people passing by. This camp head came from Huangmei. The boy didn't see the flag, so he didn't know which master it was for the time being.
Yesterday evening, Cao Cao came from the direction of Chenhan Mountain and was stationed at the pass. This morning, Cao Cao led the old battalion first and went to Fengjiapu to participate in the siege. His servants and family members followed him. There were teams passing through Erlang Town throughout the day.
I heard from Liu Chang's family that there are still several battalions behind them. In short, the scale of this joint venture is very large. As long as the officers and soldiers in Fengjiapu are defeated, there will be no obstacles around Anqing. Everyone is looking forward to resting here and looting the still wealthy ones.
Anqing hinterland.
Several shouts of joy came from the river, and the little kid quickly looked back. There were people everywhere by the river, pulling all kinds of fishing nets. Some of them had just set up the nets, and there were two fish hanging on them. Take a closer look.
, it is his servants, one of them is Wang Dashan who just took in. It seems that what he said about catching fish is true.
The little boy suddenly became excited. He also walked along the Yangtze River several times. There were rivers and lakes everywhere. The area north of the Yangtze River was rich in aquatic products. This year, the team was extremely short of food. Whenever they camped by the water, everyone hoped to get something from the water.
Meat is obtained, but it is often the case that there are more people than fish in the river, there are nets everywhere, and in the end most people return empty-handed.
In this group of rogue bandits, each one has to rely on itself to protect its own power. When the city was broken, supplies were very abundant, and the master might distribute some. But now, each family leader is short of supplies, and the two locusts have their own people to support.
As a young team leader, Xiao Wazi never had many servants. He had seven servants when he was in Henan, and four more during his travels to Huguang. But when he returned to Huangmei and stayed for a while, three of them starved to death.
, and in Susong, Wang Dashan and his wife were taken in. Currently, there are still ten.
There is only a little food left. The little boy himself can only eat one meal a day recently, and the family is only one meal every three days. If he wants to maintain the scale of the family, he must obtain more supplies.
The area of Susong is very dilapidated, and food production has almost stagnated. Everyone is waiting to kill the army and plunder the food-producing areas in the hinterland of Anqing. But as far as the current situation is concerned, these two fish may be able to
The two men support themselves.
It was very rare to be able to catch two fish today. Before the excitement of the little kid was over, the river suddenly became chaotic. Other slaves around him gathered around and threw Wang Dashan and others to the river. What followed was a chaotic scramble.
, the little boy screamed in horror when he saw Wang Dashan, desperately trying to snatch one of the fish back, but the other guys went crazy under the stimulation of the fish catch, and countless hands fought for it. Wang Dashan was instantly submerged in the crowd, and for a moment
Later, two slaves rushed out of the crowd, holding the fish firmly in their hands. The crowd chased the two men again, and Wang Dashan climbed up in the shallow water in a panic, coughing up water.
The little boy took two steps forward and slowly put his hand on the handle of the knife, preparing to take back the food that his family had salvaged. Suddenly a voice next to him said, "Little boy, we are the parents of the family.
You all need to save face, so don’t go and compete with the people below."
The little boy turned around and saw that he was a member of the team under Er Locust. He didn't know his name, he only knew that his surname was Xu. He was a deserter from Henan. He came not long ago, but because of his good riding skills, he quickly
After entering the old camp, Liu Wenxiu was in charge.
"The Eighth Master said that if you want to support a person, you must take care of his food and clothing. Naturally, he cannot be bullied by others."
The little boy looked at the management team indifferently, "Today someone robbed the fish we raised, and tomorrow someone will come to seize the stored grain. How can I have the dignity to be the head of the family?"
Guan Dui Xu chuckled and said, "My family has been unable to support me and someone has taken away my belongings. It would not be shameful for the elders to snatch them back. This breaks the rules. The other elders have to take them back themselves even if they have no choice."
It would be even worse if the relationship between the elders and the family was damaged because of the fish."
The little boy stared at him and said, "It turns out that the person who snatched the fish was Xu Guan's servant. Elder Liu made it clear that what you get from outside depends on your ability. Stealing and robbery are strictly prohibited in our post. I am not the one who breaks the rules."
.”
At this time, the fight at the river ended. The two men saved the fish under the cover of several accomplices. Seeing that they had no chance to take advantage of it, the others went to cast their nets. Only Wang Dashan was still crying on the shore.
Captain Xu put away his smile and said, "It's my brother-in-law. If you want to blame, it's your family's brother-in-law who can't compete with you. If you want to rob me with a knife, I can't ignore you."
"Then don't ask for help. Our two elders will meet Zhenzhang directly."
The little boy turned around and faced Team Xu.
Captain Xu stared at the little boy fiercely for a moment, then suddenly let out a sigh, turned around and took out a buckler wrapped in cowhide on his horse, and pulled out his sword with one hand.
Xiaowazi also took his own shield. His round shield was smaller than the opponent's, but also lighter in weight. After tying it on his hand, he slowly approached. Neither of them was in a hurry to attack. Xiaowazi had been through many years of life and death, and escaped from Chuzhou last year.
After that, on the way to Henan, he was killed twice for food and people, so he had rich experience.
At this time, the two locusts were not around. Someone from the surrounding management team saw them and came over to persuade them, keeping a distance between them.
Liu Wenxiu didn't like private fights inside the post, so the two of them didn't give in. However, the little boy lost the fish after all and kept cursing. At this time, the great good-looking Wang Ai Ai came ashore, his skinny body trembling all the time.
There was mud and water above and below, and I was still wiping away tears.
The little boy looked at Wang Dashan with disgust on his face, and after a while his eyes revealed a fierce look and said, "The eighth master said that raising people must be useful. If you can't even keep a fish, kill them all."
Wang Dashan did not dare to raise his head, and knelt on the ground with a pop, "The little man can dig lotus roots. Now they are all rotten. In a few months, when they grow out, the little man can dig many more. The little man can also float. If Chitose wants to know how to do it, the little man will take care of him."
You can definitely do it if you travel to Chitose a few times.”
The little boy turned his eyes a few times and recalled the situation at Puzikou. Although Liu Wenxiu, the general of our post, was from the north, he had good water skills. He was blocked by Anqing soldiers and horses at Menghu Bridge that day. He was not seen at that time.
I later learned that I swam there. If I could float, I wouldn’t have had to escape death on that bridge.
At present, the north is full of erosion, and more and more battalions are heading north of the Yangtze River. Even if they are heading towards Sichuan, there are many rivers. Learning to swim can greatly increase the chance of saving one's life.
Although he planned to keep Wang Dashan for the time being, the little boy was still angry and kicked him hard. Wang Dashan did not dare to get up and lay on the ground whimpering.
"unlucky."
After scolding the little boy, he was about to get on his horse. There was a rapid sound of horse hooves on the road to the south. Two horsemen in red quickly came to the front. The horses were covered with sweat. The first one saw a team of guards nearby and immediately asked, "Can you see?"
Where is Chang Liu’s home?”
The little kid didn't answer him, and several other team members shook their heads. Team Xu raised his chin and asked, "Why are you so anxious?"
"A group of officers and soldiers came by boat and landed on the big lake in the south."
"How many troops and horses?"
"I'm afraid there may be hundreds of them. The lake is full of boats."
The little kid stopped and looked up at the team on horseback, "On horseback or on foot?"
"There aren't many who ride horses, they all walk."
When everyone heard that they were infantry, they all breathed a sigh of relief. In their understanding, infantry meant that they were not servants. They had limited combat power and were slow, so it was not difficult to deal with them.
"Where did you see these dog officers and soldiers going?"
The horse soldier didn't want the guards to ask more questions, so he said impatiently, "I don't have time to look. If anyone sees Chang Liu's house, it's important to report to him."
At this time, more guards gathered around and inquired about each other's news. The scene was chaotic. When the cavalry soldier asked questions, they began to answer all kinds of questions. Some said Liu Wenxiu was in the camp, some said he was at the pass, and some said
Some people who crossed the bridge to meet Xinyingtou in Huangmei said they were going to some shop in the east.
According to the usual rules of Xiying, the sentry horses reported directly to the sentry generals, who then reported to the eight kings. However, today in the joint camp of Erlang Town, there were people everywhere on both sides of the river, and even the pass to the north of the town was covered with camps.
Because the main force was in front of the post road and there was no warning signal around Erlang Town, although Liu Wenxiu set up camp, he was not on any alert, and he was not even in the camp.
In the past two days, Liu Wenxiu had been constantly contacting the leaders of the follow-up camps, and he also had to deliver supplies to the old camp of Xiying in Fengjiapu. The organizational work was very heavy, and no one knew where he was at this time.
"I took some old businessmen's plates and went to the pass."
The little boy stood up and said to the cavalry soldier, "The second chief's family is going with me. Please tell me clearly when you leave that you go to the pass to look for him."
The cavalry soldier got the news and hurried north. After everyone watched him go, they started talking on the spot. Most of them were guessing who the officers and soldiers were. Some of them guessed that it was the Anqing garrison camp, which came by boat from Puzikou.
It is difficult to agree on the identity of the officers and soldiers, but the guesses about the purpose are relatively consistent, which is to rescue the officers and soldiers from Fengjiapu.
Xiaowazi did not participate in the discussion of these people. Liu Wenxiu's post is considered a part of Zhang Xianzhong's old camp, but it is not the core unit. After the Chuzhou War, some new people were added. Xiaowazi is the only one here who has seen the landing scene of the garrison camp with his own eyes.
He was deeply impressed by the huge and dense fleet on the river. Now there were officers and soldiers landing on the ground in Anqing by boat. The little kid guessed that it was the Anqing garrison.
From the landing of these officers and soldiers, to the bloody battle at Menghu Bridge, and then to the battle at Qingliu River, he had seen these Jiangnan soldiers and horses all the way, and knew that their combat power exceeded that of common army infantry, and their number could not be only a few hundred.
, if it were really them, it would be quite a problem.
The little boy knew nothing about the road terrain in Susong. Just now the cavalry soldier said that the officers and soldiers were going to the county town. The little boy felt that he might really go to rescue the surrounded officers and soldiers, but he felt that he might not be able to save them. There were so many battalions.
Since we are laying siege, and there is no Mr. Lu, it is best to kill the garrison as well.
Thinking of this, I felt a little eager. After the war in Chuzhou, the little boy heard that the general of the Anqing garrison camp was Zaoli from Tongcheng. He was promoted to the garrison for his merits in guarding Tongcheng. The person who killed his brother must be in this camp. The little boy touched
He touched the handle of the knife, hoping to rush to the siege and kill this group of officers and soldiers with his own hands.
The other guards did not have this personal grudge, and the atmosphere was relatively relaxed. The officers and soldiers, together with the infantry, were still more than thirty miles away. Everyone was not in a hurry to return to the camp and waited until the two locusts came to call.
The little boy was thinking about his own concerns and still did not participate in the discussion. He asked Wang Dashan to go fishing again, and he sat outside the patrol team. After only a few moments, another cavalry soldier came from the south. They were also coming from the direction of Dahu.
It was said that the officers and soldiers had indeed gone to the county seat, and there were also a few sentry horses.
After hearing that there was a sentinel horse on the other side, the atmosphere became a little tense, and two cautious guards asked Siyang to go ashore and return to the camp to prepare weapons.
After that, more horsemen and soldiers returned on the road one after another. The news about the officers and soldiers became more and more detailed. The number of soldiers had increased from several hundred to three thousand. Everyone began to greet Si Yang back to the camp. Some of the guards even asked Si Yang to saddle up their horses.
.
As more and more horsemen and soldiers returned, the number of officers and soldiers gradually became chaotic, ranging from two thousand to ten thousand. News spread around the southern camp, but for the huge crowd around Erlang Town, the arrival of officers and soldiers was still unknown.
No news at all.
He was eagerly expecting Liu Wenxiu to come back as soon as possible so that he could rush to join the siege of the officers and soldiers. At this time, another horse soldier came from the south. Everyone quickly stopped him. The horse soldier slowed down and shouted, "The officers and soldiers have arrived in Susong County. There are artillery."
,several cannons.”
At this time, the little boy was sure that he was coming to the Anqing garrison. He was anxious and nervous. The first two cavalry soldiers had passed by for a long time. He neither heard the sound of the bugle nor anyone came to deliver the order. Obviously, he did not find Liu Wenxiu, nor did he
Found Baohunqi, Gao Zhaoze was dead.
Feeling more and more anxious, the little kid couldn't help but pull the collar to make his neck more comfortable. When he twisted his head, his eyes suddenly stopped on Erlang Bridge not far away. The scene of Tiger Bridge emerged again. The little kid stayed where he was.
Suddenly remembering Gao Zhao who had been dragged into the water a few days ago, Liu Wenxiu was furious about this. He immediately chopped off Gao Zhao's guards, and all the bosses came out one after another. Finally, Gao Zhao's body was found downstream on the opposite bank, showing signs of being interrogated.
Gao Zhao died. This news spread throughout the camp. There were various rumors. The most common ones were about the water monster. Everyone did not dare to go deep into the water for the past two days. If there was no real shortage of food, they would not even go nearby.
Eating by the river.
After the two locusts came back, they calmed down and guessed that they were spies from the officers and soldiers. But even so, no one thought that the officers and soldiers would attack here, because the camp heads had blocked the post road ahead, and the officers and soldiers were surrounded.
there.
Now the garrison camp suddenly appears. Could it be that the people who captured Gao Zhao are the night guards of the garrison camp? They did not capture Gao Zhao randomly, but were trying to find out the reality of Erlang Town. This bridge may be their favorite target.
, the little boy's forehead was numb. He looked at the Erlang Bridge in front and murmured, "They are coming here." Erlang Town was densely covered with camps from east to west along the post road. In order to besiege the officers and soldiers in front, the camp heads
After taking away the old camp, the horse soldiers and the most capable infantry, the remaining people in the camp were family members living together. The crowd was dense and chaotic. The little kid didn't understand the theory, but years of experience would naturally let him understand that once here,
Being attacked will definitely cause a huge disaster.
I haven't seen the men and horses gathered in the camp yet. Only some nearby stewards are gathering their own management teams. However, in the camps of other camp heads in the distance, everything is as usual. Many hungry slaves are lying in the fields randomly, and the horses are still eating.
The whole town of Erlang was still almost unguarded, and the newly returned horse soldiers had already seen the officers and soldiers arriving at the county seat when they left. When he returned here, the officers and soldiers were naturally on their way.
The distance was not far away, and cold sweat broke out on the little kid's back, and he was soaked without realizing it.
"They're going to hit here!"
The little boy shouted, and the other guards looked at him in astonishment, wondering what he meant.
"Go to Chang Liu's house, the officers and soldiers are coming to this town!"
The little kid waved his hand violently, and regardless of whether they understood it or not, he quickly jumped on his horse and ran towards the pass, waving his riding whip to hit anyone who blocked the way. He even hit the guard team in the way, and even attracted two people to ride behind.
Chase.
He didn't care much and ran for two miles along the river bank after passing through Erlang Town. After crossing the hillside on the right, a wide plain appeared in front of him. The road from Guangji passed through mountains and passed through Chenhan Mountain along the Sanxi River to reach the place known as
It is the plain of the pass, and finally merges into the post road at Erlang Town, where the Sanxi River also merges into the Erlang River.
The little kid stared blankly at the pass. The vast plains covering ten miles and five miles were full of camps. From a distance, there were only scattered shacks with tens of thousands of people mixed in. It was even more chaotic than when he came yesterday.
It should be that Cao Cao has more servants and family members. In this case, looking for Liu Wenxiu is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"We're on the way to pick up the camp leader."
The little boy wiped his sweat, whipped his horsewhip wildly at the people on the road, put his legs on the horse's body and accelerated, galloping north along the road.