Outside the military camp, there was a tall flagpole, about five feet high. The flag had been removed, leaving only a bare wooden pillar. At this time, there was a person standing on the top of the wooden pillar, the golden rooster du li, who was only as thick as his wrist. The top of the flagpole was performing various difficult movements, sometimes turning over, standing upright with one hand, and sometimes hanging the curtain on a golden hook, and sometimes hanging upside down on the wooden pole, which attracted waves of admiration from the soldiers.
Su Lie, who was in charge of the patrol, came on horseback. When he saw this, he couldn't help being furious. He drew his bow and arrows and shouted: "Snitch on top, if you don't come down, I will nail you to the stake!"
The man on the top of the flagpole chuckled, and jumped down from the top of the five-foot-high flagpole. He opened his arms and swooped down like a flying swallow. When his palm just touched the ground, he bounced lightly with his palm. Pushing himself on the ground, he stood upright and walked backwards for a dozen steps. Then he jumped up and received cheers and applause.
At this time, Yang Yuanqing also arrived in front of the gate. He saw the scene just now and thought to himself, 'Could it be that the man from Chang'an is also hiding in Dunhuang County?'
Yang Yuanqing heard from Niu Niu that she had an elder brother who was the first person in the Shen family to learn martial arts. His name was Shen Guang, who was extremely skilled in light arts. He also lived in Chang'an and served under Yang Liang. He was removed from the list after Yang Liang's defeat. Then he disappeared. Could it be him?
The young man did a slight somersault and jumped in front of Yang Yuanqing. He saluted with a smile and said, "Young man Shen Guang has come to join the army. I beg General Yang to accept him!"
Yang Yuanqing looked at him. He was about 16 years old, with a baby face, not very tall, but with broad shoulders, which made him look particularly powerful.
"Are you the Flesh Fairy?" Yang Yuanqing said with a smile. This was Shen Guang's nickname.
This young man is Shen Guang, Shen Qiuniang's nephew. He came to Chang'an with his father when he was a child. Because he is extremely agile and forthright, he is very famous in Chang'an and earns the nickname "Flying Flesh". He was spotted by Han King Yang Liang and was taken under his account. After Yang Liang's defeat, Shen Guang was implicated. In order to avoid capture, he hid in his uncle's house in Dunhuang for four years.
Shen Guang didn't know the relationship between Yang Yuanqing and the Shen family. He traveled to the Western Regions a few months ago and just came back last night. He missed recruiting soldiers. Shen Guang wanted to join the army and make great achievements. Seeing that the Sui army was about to leave, he couldn't bear it anymore. , came and surrendered to the army.
He knelt down on one knee, cupped his fists and said, "That boy is Shen Guang!"
Yang Yuanqing nodded, "Although you once served as an officer under the King of Han, but here you have to start as a pawn. Are you willing?"
Shen Guang was secretly shocked, how could Yang Yuanqing know that he had done it under the King of Han, but at this time he could not escape, so he had to lower his head and said: "I am willing to start as a small soldier."
Yang Yuanqing waved to Su Lie, who stepped forward and saluted, "See you, general!"
Su Lie was appointed as a scout captain by Yang Yuanqing. He had three hundred people under his command. Yang Yuanqing pointed at Shen Guang and smiled at him: "This man is yours, take care of him!"
Su Lie didn't like Shen Guang's ostentation, but he had no choice but to nod and say: "I obey my orders!"
"alright!"
Yang Yuanqing turned around and ordered: "The army has been packed up and set off immediately!"
A quarter of an hour later, 3,000 Dunhuang troops and 2,000 Zhangye troops, a total of 5,000 Sui troops, were fully equipped and headed north in a mighty manner.
.........
Yiwu State, which is today's Hami region, has been the bridgehead for the Central Plains to enter the Western Regions since ancient times. As early as the Han Dynasty, Yiwu City was built here and troops were stationed there. During the Western Jin Dynasty, the imperial court set up Yiwu County here to make the Yiwu region It was officially included in the county establishment of the Central Plains imperial court. When the Central Plains was in chaos in the Northern Dynasties, Yiwu County gradually lost its connection with the imperial court and was occupied by the Tiele people, who established the Yiwu State.
During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Central Plains imperial court began to gradually resume control over the Western Regions. However, due to pressure from Rouran, its power eventually only reached Yumen Pass and was unable to expand further westward.
This time the Sui Dynasty sent troops to Yiwu not only to cut off the connection between the Western Turks and Tuyuhun, but also to restore the central government's control over the Western Regions since the Han Dynasty. This was an extremely important step in history.
With the foundation laid by the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty could continue to expand the Western Regions, making the Western Regions legally belong to the Central Plains, and finally formed today's territory.
In early June of the fourth year of Daye, it was the summer season. A Sui army of 5,000 men was stationed in the endless Gobi Desert. The Gobi Desert was like a burning fire. An egg placed on the ground would be cooked in a matter of seconds.
Soldiers continued to fall down due to heatstroke. In just three days, more than 200 people had died due to the extreme heat.
Although the Sui army marched day and night, it was difficult to withstand the scorching heat when stationed in the camp. Water had become the source of life at this time. There was a small river next to the camp where they were stationed. In midsummer, the river did not dry up and there was still a trickle.
The Sui army dug a ditch here to divert the river water into the camp. The melted water from the cold snowy mountains became the Sui army's best weapon for cooling down the heat.
Yang Yuanqing inherited his grandfather Yang Su's army leadership style and was meticulous in setting up camp and marching. Although he was surrounded by hundreds of miles of Gobi Desert, barbed spears and thorns were everywhere, observation towers were erected and sentries were sent out.
The flag is clear, the five armies are in order, the horses and people are clear, everything is arranged in an orderly manner, even if it is only for one night, every detail must be done.
In the large tent of the Chinese army, Yang Yuanqing was having a meeting with the officers. There were five commanders in total, Wang Wei, the general, and Li Yannian, the chief historian. Li Yannian was born in the Li family in Hexi. Unlike Li Yuan's ancestor who pretended to be the Li family in Hexi, he was the real one.
He is a descendant of the Li family, less than thirty years old, who was originally the captain of Dunhuang County, and also has Xue Wanshu, the marching commander. Xue Wanshu is the eldest son of Xue Shixiong and a talented general with strong martial arts.
In addition, Scout Colonel Su Lie, as the chief officer of Du Li Battalion, also attended the meeting.
In the middle of the big tent, there was a map of the Yiwu Kingdom. Standing next to it was a middle-aged man named Xiao Yuansong. He was the leader of the Xiao family caravan. This time he led the Xiao family caravan to pass with the Sui army. Xiao Yuansong
Yuansong is also the guide of the Sui army. He has been traveling between Dunhuang and Yiwu since he was twenty years old. It has been fifteen years now and he knows the topography of Yiwu well. Tianshi is a big river that dries up due to summer. It is more than a hundred miles further.
The Liugu River also originates from Zheluoman Mountain, but its water volume is larger than ours. Therefore, there is a town downstream of the Liugu River, called Rouyuan Town, with more than 300 households. It is an important hub for business travel.
At the resting place, there are still 500 Yiwu troops garrisoned in the town, and there is a beacon tower left by the Han Dynasty, which is still used by the Yiwu army. The distance from Rouyuan Town to Yiwu City is two hundred miles, and it is all Gobi.
In the desert, there are ten beacon towers built in the middle, each with five soldiers, and there are water wells in the beacon towers..."
Xiao Yuansong introduced the situation of the Yiwu Kingdom in a slow tone. The officers in the camp listened attentively, but Yang Yuanqing was a little preoccupied. He was thinking about the situation of Qimin's Khan. The two sides had made an appointment six months ago.
The two armies met at the Tanman River at the beginning of the month, but so far there has been no movement from the Turks. It seems that they have broken their promise.
After Xiao Yuansong finished his introduction, Yang Yuanqing stood up and said to everyone: "Perhaps the Turks encountered something on the way, and they may have been delayed, but we have no time. The Holy Spirit requested to hear the good news before the Ghost Festival.
It was the deadline set by him, but it would take a month at the fastest to report the news from here to the capital, and it is already the fifth day of June. In fact, we only have ten days left. Within ten days, we must capture Yiwu Country.
Can’t wait for the Turks.”
Li Yannian, the chief historian, had been a general in Dunhuang for a long time and knew the Yiwu army well. He stood up and said: "Yiwu country is a country established by the Wusun people, but there are also a large number of Tiele people living in Yiwu country, especially the Tiele people.
They are people from the Chuyue tribe. They are scattered throughout the Yiwu Kingdom and have a very good relationship with the Western Turks. If we capture Yiwu City, the Turks will definitely know about it soon. So I feel that our strong enemy is not the Yiwu Kingdom but the Western Turks.
Western Turks, General Yang, we don’t have enough troops and may not be able to withstand the Western Turks’ counterattack. We have to prepare for a rainy day. It’s best to get in touch with the Qibi people and get reinforcements from them.”
Wang Wei also advocated using Qibi as reinforcements. He also smiled and said: "I agree with Li Changshi's idea. We cannot take too many risks. If Qibi is willing to send troops to help us, our subsequent worries will be much less. General,
It’s doable!”
Yang Yuanqing was still silent and did not agree to everyone's suggestions. After a long time, he slowly said: "Although it is completely feasible from a military point of view, it may not be a good thing from the overall situation of the court. Everyone, it is easy to ask the gods but difficult to send them away.
, once the power of the Qibi people expands northward, it will not be so easy for us to establish Yiwu County. This is why the Holy Emperor asked Qimin Khan to join forces for joint operations, instead of letting the Qibi people join forces for joint operations."
Everyone was silent. Although Yang Yuanqing was right, it was indeed a bit difficult for the five thousand troops to withstand the counterattack of the Western Turks. At this time, Yang Yuanqing smiled and said: "We have at least five thousand troops. Don't tie our hands and put the Yiwu country into danger."
Take it down and talk about it later!”
........
Rouyuan Town is a small town born from an oasis. It has a population of more than 300 households, but a garrison of 500 people. It is the gateway to Yiwu City. Chuyue people pass the news through the beacon tower built in the Han Dynasty.
Report, so to capture Rouyuan Town, you must first kill the Beacon Tower.
On a hill about 20 miles west of Rouyuan Town, there is the first beacon tower. It is made of huge rocks, three feet high and divided into three floors. The horses are raised below, people live in the middle, and the beacon tower is on the top.
There are five Yiwu soldiers inside the beacon tower.
It has been nearly a hundred years since the founding of Yiwu during the Northern Wei Dynasty. There has never been any war here. For these beacons, preventing wild wolves in the wilderness has become their main priority.
At night, there is not a cloud in the sky, and a full moon sails in the endless sea, casting a cold light alone. The beacon tower is bathed in this silvery moonlight, and it is unusually quiet.
At this time, dozens of black figures quickly approached the beacon tower. Most of them were hiding behind dozens of large rocks within a hundred steps. Only one extremely agile figure quickly approached the beacon tower. His body was close to the beacon tower.
On the stone wall of the platform, he suddenly threw a coil of rope upwards, and the rope was accurately placed on the crenellation of the female wall on the top of the third floor. Like a nimble ape, he climbed up quickly by grabbing the rope, not far away.
Here, Su Lie looked at the black shadow with complicated eyes. He didn't like this person, but he had to admire his superb Qinggong.
After a moment, the black shadow climbed onto the top of the beacon tower, threw the pot that lit the beacon fire and all the firewood and wolf dung down the beacon tower, and waved his hand to this side. Su Lie was overjoyed and shouted in a low voice: "Come on!"
Dozens of people rushed towards the beacon tower together...
An hour later, when the news that both beacon towers had been captured reached Yang Yuanqing's ears, Yang Yuanqing also issued an order to attack: "Surround Rouyuan Town, annihilate all enemy troops, and no one is allowed to escape."
Five thousand Sui army cavalry formed a fan shape and surrounded the town of Rouyuan two miles away with overwhelming force. The sound of horse hooves was like thunder, and they rushed into the town of Rouyuan in an instant.