After arriving at Yanmen Pass for a short rest, Mu Yu and several other personal guards who had been waiting there came to join Yang Hao, and the group left the pass and headed northeast.
At this time, there was another imperial civilization outside the Great Wall. If the Huns, Xianbei, and Turks were all demoted to barbarians by the Central Plains, they had neither a standardized national system nor a complete organizational structure, nor a mature ideological system.
The organizational structure was just a tribal alliance, but when the Khitan was founded, the situation had changed.
After the unification of the eight tribes of Khitan, Jier brought the Xi, Shiwei, Uugu, Uighur, Jurchen and other tribes and Bohai countries under his rule, abolished the tribal system, and established an imperial system learned from the Central Plains, with a prime minister, three provinces and six ministries.
Taiwan's bureaucracy and administrative units such as states, counties, and counties established a national system similar to the Han and Tang empires, vigorously recruited Han people, encouraged farming and industry and commerce, introduced Han civilization, and built Confucius temples...
One country, two systems, with the Han people in Youyun Sixteen States as subjects, not as slaves. This kind of imperial civilization is what allowed powerful empires such as the Khitan, Xixia, and Jurchen to surpass the nomadic tribes of the previous generation and become the strongest opponents of the Han nation in the future.
The key factor. While the Central Plains was still in constant war, the Khitan country was gradually maturing, so that the northern grasslands, the Western Regions, the Arab world and even Europe felt the civilizational influence of the Khitan Empire. Many Western peoples mistakenly believed that the Khitan Empire was a legend.
The Chinese Empire in.
However, after all, Chinese civilization has thousands of years of foundation. Although it has experienced a long period of chaos and war, it immediately regained its strong vitality after its unification. The Song State came from behind and now has the ability to compete with the Khitan, and has great potential
The trend of transcendence began to gradually regain the Central Plains' due position in the eyes of the world.
Yang Hao traveled all the way and found that the people here mainly engaged in farming and grazing as a supplement. They were roughly the same as the border residents in the Song Dynasty. If you get closer and talk, you will find that they also wear Han clothes and speak Chinese, just like those in the Central Plains.
.Before Shi Jingtang handed this place over to the Khitans, it was originally Han territory. Most of the people living here today are still Han people. You can hardly see any difference between them and the Han people in the pass.
It's just that more than fifty years of separation and Khitan rule artificially established a barrier between each other. Under the banner of the Song Dynasty, Yang Hao couldn't see the picture left to future generations in some Song Dynasty propaganda materials: the northern Han people were excited
They shed tears and cheered to pay tribute to the envoys of the motherland whom they had been waiting for day and night. Their eyes were alert and indifferent, even with a hint of hostility. When you see them, you will understand that the barrier between them is not only the heavy soldiers and the
The barrier of pass exists in their hearts.
More than fifty years ago, when the various princes in the Central Plains were killing each other with the people of the world as their prey, the people of the sixteen states of Youyun were already ruled by the Khitan. Since then, the Central Plains has gone through many dynasties before it became what it is today.
The Song State has no sense of belonging or intimacy with the Song State and the people of the Sixteenth Prefecture of Youyun. The Song State is a completely unfamiliar country to them in their memory.
There are nine fortresses in the world, led by Yanmen. It is close to the mountains and dangerous, and stands high on Gouzhu Mountain. On the east and west wings, there are undulating mountains. The Great Wall on the ridge is winding. If you go east through Pingxing Pass, Zijin Pass, and Daoma Pass, you can reach Youyan directly;
If they set off directly from Bianliang, it would be faster to go straight out of Juyong Pass, pass Shimen Pass, and go to Khanzhou to Jiming Mountain. However, they set off from Luoyang, and the people sent by Yang Hao in advance were waiting outside Yanmen Pass, so
Yang Hao made an excuse to go to Yanmen Pass to understand the situation and get more useful information, and then go to Beijing from there, so he chose another road, but the same destination was reached by different routes, and he still had to go to Guihua Prefecture.
After leaving the customs, they had already made contact with the Khitan garrison. The Khitan garrison sent a team of 500 people to escort them on the road and quickly reported the matter to Nanyuan and Shangjing.
This garrison belongs to the Nanyuan and belongs to the Wuzhou Township Army. Eighty percent of the soldiers in the army are Han Chinese. The garrison commander sent to escort is also Han Chinese, named Feng Biwu. There is no problem in language communication with them.
Along the way, Yang Hao and Feng Biwu often talked with each other and learned all kinds of information. They learned that since the civil strife in Beijing, the prime minister of the Khitan South Academy had strictly restricted his troops not to conflict with the Song people. This time the Song people's border village was invaded, and they were also
I was so surprised that I didn’t know which group of people violated the ban.
Yang Hao also learned that after his tribe's hometown was attacked by Nanyuan officers and soldiers, King Qing had abandoned Shangjing City, which had been unable to be conquered for a long time, and moved to the Jurchen territory. However, this was just a feint, and King Qin's troops pounced on him.
After heading towards the Jurchen direction, they had abandoned the old and the weak, quickly crossed to the west, and fled towards this side.
Although this area is under the jurisdiction of the Nanyuan, because it is vast and sparsely populated, the area for activities is wider, and it is not the activity area of the main Khitan forces. The Nanyuan cannot mobilize enough people to block their way, so they are like
Like every prairie tribe that failed in the struggle for power in history, they tried to cross the prairie and fight their way to the northwest where the Khitan had less control, and establish their own territory there. At this moment, the prime minister of the Southern Academy was sending out detective horses to investigate their westward migration.
route and try our best to stop this rebel army.
Yang Hao was secretly happy after hearing this. Khitan and Song stood together, just like a man in ragged clothes with a sinister face and a handsome young man in dark clothes and jade belt. When it comes to aggression and threats, they are obviously more aggressive than anyone else.
The people are strong. If King Qing's troops can successfully break through the encirclement and establish a political power in the northwest that can resist Shangjing, they can restrain the entire Khitan army from being able to go south. Then, both for the Han people in the Central Plains and for his future in the northwest
His survival will obviously be more advantageous, and he is already looking forward to King Qing's success.
On this day, while still walking on Xijing Road, the road ahead gradually reached a desolate place with few people. Feng Biwu pointed with his riding whip to a vast white area beside the road and said: "Master Yang, look, this is the kind of grass our horses outside the pass like to eat."
The pasture grass is called chicken grass. The roots of chicken grass are large and plump, which is the most delicious for the horses. My war horses outside the pass are fat and strong. Thanks to this grass, the horses will be full after eating ten books at a time."
When Yang Hao heard the sound, he looked and saw that the grass was very similar to the reeds in the pass. He would not have thought that this unassuming weed was the main food for the northern war horses. The northern peoples have rich pastures suitable for large-scale grazing. The grass that grows on this grassland
The nomadic tribes had strong mobility and could move south to invade the Central Plains at any time. Once they encountered a counterattack, they could retreat to the desert grasslands, making it difficult for the Han people to penetrate deeply. When the Han troops weakened slightly, they could return to the world, and they could advance and retreat freely.
Their Mongolian horse breeds are much inferior to Arabian and Nordic horse breeds, but they are easy to breed and raise, so it is easy to build a large cavalry team. Once the Han nation loses its reliable source of horses, it cannot
If you form a stronger cavalry regiment to compete with it, it will be difficult to win in frontal combat with infantry alone. Even if you win, it will be difficult to pursue and expand the results. You can only wait for them to gather and counterattack again until they are exhausted and defeated.
It is difficult to become a general without knowing how to fight, and it is difficult to become a master of the Central Plains without focusing on farming. And if he wants to control the northwest, he must also pay attention to animal husbandry. Yang Hao was about to ask shamelessly to learn more about this aspect, when suddenly there was a sharp whistling sound in the air.
As it passed by, Feng Biwu was startled, but he already picked up his horse and galloped forward.
Feng Biwu rushed up a short slope in front, looked into the distance for a moment, and shouted: "Stop where you are, defend, and protect the Song envoy."
The five hundred Khitan cavalry immediately dispersed and protected a thousand Song troops in the middle. Seeing that these Khitan soldiers were only 500 in number, the Song army protected them in the middle like women and children. They also had horses on their crotches.
How could a heroic man with a gun in his hand be willing to be looked down upon like this? The commander of the army, Zhang Tongzhou, immediately stepped forward and said to Yang Hao: "Sir, do they want to protect us with only 500 people? They are hostile, but they are not allowed to do so."
Wouldn't it be too arrogant for us to use force?"
Yang Hao smiled and said: "Commander Zhang, please be patient. This is their duty. We are the envoys of the imperial court. The situation is unclear now, so naturally there is no need to use swords or guns?"
He glanced at Zhang Tongzhou and said with a smile: "Just put up another defense in the inner circle for safety."
"Yes!" Zhang Tongzhou received the order and immediately gave the order loudly. The Song army took urgent action. These well-trained soldiers quickly formed a circular formation, moved forward and backward, and moved neatly. For a while, there were many swords and guns, bows and crossbows were strung up, and the army was in order.
Especially better than the five hundred Khitan soldiers, these were the elite of the forbidden army. Although there were only a thousand people, a thousand people were as one, so their power was naturally extraordinary. This small retaliation immediately attracted the attention of those Khitan soldiers.
"What happened?"
Feng Biwu shouted loudly to the scouts who were galloping back.
"Master Feng, we have spotted a group of men and horses ahead, at least a thousand people, galloping towards here. My subordinates fired arrows as a warning. Their momentum has not slowed down, but their speed has become faster. It seems they have evil intentions."
"What's the signal for the coming person?"
"There are so many different flags, it's hard to guess where they came from."
Feng Biwu couldn't help frowning after hearing this. At this time, the sound of hooves in front was like thunder, and a cavalry was rushing towards him. Feng Biwu shouted: "Warning, if you don't stop, tell me who you are, and I will serve you with bows and arrows!"
Looking at the men and horses in front, Feng Biwu turned to Yang Hao and said: "Master Yang, don't worry, the incoming troops have scattered flags and disorderly formation. They look fierce, but it is difficult for them to coordinate and take care of each other. They will not be an army or a powerful tribe."
If our clan soldiers really have malicious intentions, I will definitely make this rabble never come back!"
Seeing that the enemy was only in the front, he gave a loud order, and the Khitan soldiers changed their formation again, leaving two hundred men to protect the flanks of the Song army. The other three hundred men had already galloped forward, forming a sharp arrow formation. The knights on horseback picked them off one after another.
The bow is nocked and the arrow clusters are raised, ready for battle.
The warning arrow was fired, and the people rushing in front did not stop at all. Instead, they shouted and started to fight. Feng Biwu's face changed slightly. Looking at the team with teeth and claws, he gritted his teeth and smiled ferociously: "They are horse thieves. They are so good."
Be brave and shoot the arrow!"
A row of sharp arrows were shot out, and the horse thieves running wildly became confused. Some quickly took out their leather shields to cover themselves, some came to hide in stirrups, and some were hit by arrows and fell off their horses. Then they fired back with countless sharp arrows.
The soldiers of the Song Army immediately raised their shields to protect themselves. Yang Hao took the leather shield from the guard and looked at the enemy in front.
Although the enemy came in large numbers, they were just horse thieves. Although they were brave enough to deal with ordinary tribesmen and merchants, a regular army like Feng Biwu might not take them seriously. Seeing that the enemy was coming quickly, he only shot three sharp arrows before the opponent would rush to the horse.
In front of him, Feng Biwu immediately shouted: "Come up and call him a son of a bitch for not having eyes, and kill them all!"
Three hundred Khitan warriors immediately shouted and rushed forward. When the two sides were less than a hundred steps closer, they slapped the horse's buttocks with the back of their swords, suddenly accelerated their speed, pedaled with their feet, and their buttocks were half off the saddle. The horse was as fast as an arrow.
The steel sword was sharp, and looking at the momentum, if they were to hit him in the head, they would probably split the man and the horse in half.
The two sides collided with each other, blood and broken bones and flesh spurted into the air. The Khitan soldiers were like sharp knives, highlighting the team of horse thieves. The cavalry had to charge quickly to show their power. Even if they entered the enemy's formation, they would not stop and move forward.
If they hold back the reins and fight on the spot, they will not be as powerful as infantry. Both sides are well aware of this. Feng Biwu led his men to wave the steel knife and split the horse thieves apart, like a branch off a string.
Rushing forward like arrows, they wanted to rush through the horse thieves team, turn around and rush back again. The horse thieves team that was torn in half did not stop for a moment, passing them by, weapons clashing all the way.
He threw himself at the Khitan soldiers and Yang Hao's troops who were waiting on the spot.
Seeing them rushing forward, the two hundred Khitan soldiers were like challenged wolf dogs, roaring and rushing forward. At this moment, a burst of horns sounded, whining straight into the sky, and another team came out from the rear.
, there were at least a thousand people, all coming with their teeth and claws, and shouting.
If you cannot give full play to the advantages of your own cavalry and allow the enemy to rush in front of you, you will have no choice but to be slaughtered. When Zhang Tongzhou saw this, he immediately ordered the rear troops to be on guard, preparing to wait for the enemy soldiers to rush to a stone's throw away, just like the Khitan
The soldiers launched a counterattack. When Yang Hao saw it, he suddenly felt something was wrong.
Why are the horse thieves attacking me for profit? If they mistakenly thought they were a caravan, they should know by now that they are not soft persimmons to be pinched. Why are they still so desperate? Especially when this team of horse thieves actually divided their troops into two groups and lured them first.
The Khitan soldiers who launched the attack and then raided their own headquarters were obviously well prepared. Even their whereabouts and number of people had been found out. I'm afraid they were not just horse thieves.
At this moment, countless sharp arrows suddenly shot out from the reed-like lush grass, shooting down many people of the Song army who were holding their breath and waiting for the enemy in the rear. Then a group of men and horses suddenly came out and killed one person in front of him.
Carrying a sharp three-pronged steel fork, he is tall and tall, and wears a black eyepatch on one eye, but he is a one-eyed dragon.
He waved the steel fork and roared loudly from a distance: "Kill Yang Hao, the envoy of Song Dynasty, kill! Kill! Kill!"
"As expected, you are here for me! Grandma, if someone else is an envoy, it's a matter of merit. Why is it that the missions I take always involve fighting and killing?"
Yang Hao sighed, Huo Di pulled out his sharp sword and shouted: "All the troops, kill!" After saying that, he led his troops and rushed out first. He was not rushing towards the rear, nor the flanks, but the front and the front.
That group of horse thieves fighting with the Khitan soldiers.
