Liu Xiang led 2,000 crossbowmen from the Shesheng Battalion and 8,000 infantry from the Infantry Battalion. Under the banner of the Black Mountain Army, they marched at double speed along the eastern footpath of Taihang Mountain and rushed directly into Hanoi County, which had already left Jizhou and entered Si.
Under the jurisdiction of the school.
On September 14th, 10,000 troops arrived at Heishan in the west of Tangyin County. This is where the Heishan Army was named, and it belongs to the Taihang Mountains.
At the southern foot of Heishan Mountain, westward along the Qishui River is Taihang Xing, one of the Eight Taihang Trails, which is a river valley passage running from southwest to northeast. Further west is Zhiguan Trail, which is a passage running from southeast to northwest.
These two passages form a "V" shape, connecting Hanoi County to Shangdang County in Bingzhou.
The mountains along Taihangxing are the old nests of Sui Gu and others. After passing Luchang Mountain to the south, you will leave the Taihang Mountains and reach the north bank of the Yellow River.
The army camped at the southern foot of Heishan Mountain and at the east exit of Taihang County. The location here is very delicate. To the northeast is Wei County of Jizhou, to the east is Dong County of Yanzhou, to the west you can enter Shangdang County of Bingzhou, and to the southwest you can enter the hinterland of Hanoi.
Threaten Luoyang, less than a hundred miles southeast can cross the Yellow River and enter Chenliu County of Yanzhou.
Of course Liu Xiang stopped here not to attack those areas. Sui Gu's main force was out looting. If they couldn't get food for the winter during the autumn harvest, they would starve to death in the mountains. Therefore, the Montenegrin Army just showed that it stopped going south and began to borrow money from everywhere.
With the food in sight, Sui Gu and others couldn't wait to set off.
They can't afford to wait, and they don't dare to wait. They must take risks.
The Anping Army accelerated their advance to create a time lag. In order to cut off their route back to their home base, they either had to storm the well-located fortified camp, or they had to go deep into the hinterland of Hanoi and go home via Zhiguan Pass.
But this road goes over Luoyang's head.
Do you think the Han army will let them pass?
The Black Mountain Army is moving south along the white path, one by one, clearing out the dens of thieves in the valleys where there are no troops. To deal with these bandits, there is really no need to use too complicated plots and tricks. They will seize the autumn harvest season. They are short of food and must go out to rob.
The weak point of the attack, as soon as it retreats and advances, fighter planes appear.
Is this a conspiracy?
Probably, maybe, maybe.
Liu Xiang stood in the camp that was still being reinforced, and he pretended to be very confident that he was not far from a famous general.
The soldiers of the infantry battalion camped on the road, with mountains to the north and river banks to the south. They dug trenches and built walls. For seven or eight days, Sui Gu did not come back, and the bandits in the mountains did not dare to invade. Yuan Huan's brothers Yuan Ba and Yuan Min came
, and brought a thousand soldiers.
These are all acquaintances. When they were in Linfen, they were driven back to their hometown because they lacked training and could not keep up with the actions of the Northern Army.
This time they were originally going to Youzhou to defect to Yuan Huan, but they bumped into the Black Mountain Army in Zhao State. Fortunately, Zhang Liao, who was leading the team, knew them, otherwise they would have been too much.
A few days ago, Zhang Liao, who led the Montenegrin Army to come to support, sent a letter to report that Yuan Min was determined to come to the front to serve in the battle. His brother Yuan Ba did not stop him. For Yuan Huan's sake, he could not expel him by force, so he asked Liu Xiang.
mean.
Just come, there's something for them to do.
Chen Liu is less than a hundred miles away from here, and Jiwu County in the territory is close to Chen County in Yuzhou, which is Dian Wei's hometown. This man of Renxia, who came from a humble background, only needs to be recommended by a fellow villager, and it is not difficult to recruit him.
.
Although the Yuan family of Chen County and him belong to two separate states, they are too close to each other. They are only a few dozen miles away, and they can be regarded as fellow townsmen. It is more than enough to serve as an introduction. However, there were too many things before, and Dian Wei almost died.
Forgot.
On September 22nd, 10,000 Black Mountain troops arrived, and food supplies were also in place. Two thousand troops were stationed on the mountain to prevent people from sneaking across from the trail. The opposite bank of the river was surrounded by cliffs. The 20,000 troops had completely blocked Taihangxing. Liu
Xiang doesn't know how to lose.
After making arrangements for defense, he met with Yuan Ba and Yuan Min at the Chinese army's tent.
After bowing and seeing each other, there was no need to say anything more. Liu Xiang asked curiously: "I haven't found that the two of you are keen on military affairs before. Why do you have to come to the battle this time? Wouldn't it be better to go to Youzhou to receive blessings?"
Yuan Ba was a little embarrassed. He felt that this time he accompanied his younger brother to play rogue, which was a bit willful. Fortunately, Liu Zhenbei was magnanimous and didn't care about it. He quickly handed over and apologized, but he didn't know how to defend himself.
When Yuan Min saw that his brother was silent, he stood up and replied: "The general previously disliked me for not being good at training. After I returned home, I practiced every day and felt that I had made progress, so I came here specifically for the general to review."
Liu Xiang chuckled and said: "We had to attack the Xianbei royal court before. The battle situation was complicated and the military situation was urgent. We had to streamline our troops. It's not that I dislike your family. If I was disrespectful, I apologize here. Don't blame me."
The two of them did not expect that Liu Xiang would be so courteous to a corporal, and they were both heartbroken. Although they were from the Yuan family, they were concubines of a branch and their status was not high.
"The general has betrayed us. My brother is ashamed. The general has moved to fight in the north and south. He has elite soldiers and strong generals under his command. Naturally, he has strict requirements. We understand in our hearts that my younger brother is young and behaves recklessly. I hope the general will not blame him." Yuan Ba quickly stood up and apologized.
, they did not dare to accept Liu Xiang’s apology.
Yuan Min also apologized with a stern smile. He was indeed a little unreasonable and was quite embarrassed.
"We are all one family, why should we be so separated? Xian Kunzhong, please sit down and talk." Liu Xiang said with a smile: "I heard that Chen Liuji had a bear-stricken man in our county, named Dian Wei, Xian Kunzhong
Have you ever heard of this person?"
"I heard that he was venting his anger on his friends. He killed people in the street and went into the house to eradicate the root cause. Later, he went rampant in the market. Hundreds of people did not dare to get close. He was really vicious." Yuan Min is also a martial arts practitioner and is very interested in this matter.
After all, Yuan Ba was older and more sophisticated: "Dian Wei is really a man who wants to be a knight. Whether it is out of righteous anger or for money, no one can tell. Now a murderer is on the run and his whereabouts are unknown. The general wants to recruit this person? This person is Xiangyi Liu
If you complain, you will be protected by the Liu family. I am willing to make a trip for the general. With the reputation of the general, I will definitely come when called."
Liu Xiang nodded: "Such a strong man should join the army. It is the right way to win fame on the battlefield. It is a pity to waste time in the countryside. Dalang will come for me and recruit Dian Wei into the army."
He paused for a moment and then said: "In everything, a teacher must have a reputation. I appoint Dalang as my envoy, and he will conquer Dianwei on my behalf and join the army as a military officer."
"The last official obeys the order." Yuan Ba received the order and arrow talisman and set off immediately to Chenliu without any delay.
Liu Xiang waited for more than ten days. All the thieves' nests near Baijing and Taihangjing were wiped out by the Black Mountain Army, and more than 30,000 people were captured. Sui Gu, Yu Du, Bai Rao and others had retreated from Dongjun, but no attack was launched.
, instead he hid in Cangyan Valley in Luchang Mountain in the south.
How cowardly!
They add up to more than 70,000 people, so why are they so timid?
It was not a dangerous place, it was just a mountain valley in the remnants of the Taihang Mountains. The mountains were not high and the valleys were not deep, and there were no dangerous entrances. There were no fortifications built in advance. The only advantage was that there was no fear of being attacked.
This choice is no different from chronic death. Anyway, Liu Xiang would never choose this. If he failed to attack the camp, he could turn around and run away. He would hide in a valley that was not too steep and could not escape. What was the purpose?
Fighting with your back against a mountain, do you want to waste your time?
Don't worry, let alone the 4,000 crossbowmen of the Shesheng Battalion and the 8,000 regular soldiers of the Infantry Battalion, even the weapons of the Montenegrin Army are much stronger than them.
Weapons made entirely of iron, and shuttles equipped with a large number of spear throwers to assist in throwing, they fought against the bandits, who were mostly equipped with wooden guns and wooden shields. The number of soldiers was 30,000 more, and the enemy retreated to a valley where they could not escape.
Such good things are rare.
"Order Zhou Cang, Zhang He, and Taishi Ci to join forces with 80,000 troops to go south to Chaoge and besiege Cangyan Valley in Luchang Mountain. Order Zhang Liao to lead 10,000 troops to defend the camp."
Liu Xiang looked at the mighty army marching south and sighed: "Someone has chosen a cemetery for themselves, so let them go."