The sky is as blue as a wash, and in the vast desert, a cavalry team of nearly a hundred people is galloping eastward. After more than two years of practice, Li Shan has been able to adapt to this kind of marching speed.
Occasionally looking to both sides, he saw almost no human habitation, only abandoned fields and ruined villages. Li Shan thought in his heart, no wonder the Turks had to take advantage of Mayi to attack Daizhou. Shuozhou did not have the resources to supply hundreds of thousands of people. Even hundreds of thousands of Turkic troops.
In other words, if the Tang army could firmly hold the Mayi point, they could advance the front line to Shuozhou, and Hedong Road would not be constantly under threat from the Turkic army's horseshoe scimitar.
He Lou Xingshu, who was fighting in the front line, shouted in the sharp voice of a young man. Du Xiao on the side reminded Li Shan, "Li Langjun, rest for a while before rushing on. We can reach Mayi today."
Now there is no need for anyone else to lead the horse. Li Shan pulled the reins rhythmically, slowed down the horse, turned over and dismounted, patted his stiff legs, "The Duke of Jiangxia must have gone to Mayi, right? "
Du Xiao took off the water bag and handed it over, "I guess I went to Mayi."
An hour ago, Li Shan and his party passed by the camp where Li Gaoqian's army was stationed, but Du Xiao went to inquire and found that Li Gaoqian was not in the camp... But a great victory was certain.
Du Xiao whispered: "There seems to be a rift between Duke Liu and Duke Jiangxia."
Li Shan said nothing and only drank a few sips of water. He thought that the situation in the Shuo Dynasty and the two states was really complicated. Liu Shirang had made great achievements this time. It was said that this man was extremely arrogant and domineering, and even dared to offend Li Shenfu, the king of Xiangyi. .
But Li Gaoqian was an important figure in his plan. A large number of caravans left Yanmen, so it was impossible not to make friends with this person... but he had to go to Mayi with Liu Shirang's personal letter.
Throwing the water bag to Du Xiao, Li Shan turned around and looked around. There were no abandoned fields on both sides of the road, but a bare area with not much vegetation. Looking around, where the sky and the earth merged, all he could see was yellow. It's not quite the Gobi, but it's still a desert.
Something seemed to be burning in the distance, and the long column of smoke extended into the sky. Li Shan blurted out, "The sun sets on the long river, and the sun sets on the long river."
He Lou Xingshu's eyes lit up as he walked in, "Does Lang Jun have the entire poem?"
The corner of Li Shan's mouth moved, "Only two lines of incomplete poetry."
He Lou Xingshu was very sorry, "My husband will get the whole story someday, and I will have a quick look at it."
Li Shan had a headache and secretly cursed himself for being a bitch. Didn't he make up his mind long ago that he would never use his poetic talents to deceive the world and steal his reputation in Dai County? !
In Chang'an, I could still deceive myself by saying that I was framed by Li Dewu, but no one is forcing me now!
After thinking about it, Li Shan felt that it might be because he was framed by Li Dewu, so he became a conditioned reflex... Well, it was still Li Dewu's fault!
Over there, He Lou Xingshu was joking with Wang Junhao and Zhou Erlang. Obviously, this man had regarded himself as Li Shan's personal guard, and he kept saying "Lang Jun" instead of "Mingfu".
Li Shan suddenly frowned and reminded himself again that next time even if he wants to appear in front of others, he must be careful and don't make a joke!
The desert is solitary and the smoke is straight, the sun is setting over the long river.
It seems to be a poem by Wang Bo?
You must remember next time, never use the poems of the Four Heroes of the Early Tang Dynasty... Actually, Li Shan remembered it wrong. This is a poem by Wang Wei.
Various thoughts flashed through his mind, and Li Shan focused on business again, looking at Mayi, which was not far away but could not be seen yet.
In Chang'an, in Hedong, and then to Dai County, Li Shan was always inquiring about Ma Yi. He knew very well that what he could do in Dai County would ultimately need Ma Yi to support him.
Since leaving Yanmen yesterday, Li Shan immediately noticed the difference between Shuozhou and Daizhou. The difference was very obvious.
This is the most unique land, where the farming civilization that has lasted for thousands of years has fiercely collided with the nomadic civilization that is now in its prime.
Although the former Sui Dynasty had the embarrassing situation of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty being besieged by Yanmen, for most of the period, Shuozhou and Yunzhou belonged to the Central Plains. Although the Turks were powerful, there were many famous generals in the former Sui Dynasty who were not afraid of the Hu people and often had great generals. He led his army across the grasslands of Mobei.
But since Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang and then went south to Jiangdu, Shuozhou and Yunzhou gradually lost control, and then the world was in chaos. Guo Zihe, Liu Wuzhou, Song Jingang, and Yuan Junzhang all raised armies. Because they were attached to the Turks, the west of Yanmen , all belong to Turkic territory.
We cannot expect Liu Wuzhou and Yuan Junzhang to govern the place well, and Shuozhou is sparsely populated and is even larger than Daizhou, but Daizhou has five counties under its jurisdiction, while Shuozhou has only two counties. Yu Chigong's Shanyang County, the second is Mayi.
Li Shan didn't know much about Mayi, and the information Ling Jing got was just old things, some of which Li Shan knew in his previous life.
For example, the first general of the Qin Dynasty, Meng Kuo, drove the Xiongnu to the north outside Yanmen, and besieged the city to raise horses, which gave it the name Mayi. Later, during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the "Mayi Conspiracy" unveiled the Western Han Dynasty's Northern Expedition against the Huns.
In the former Sui Dynasty, Liu Wu and Zhou relied on Mayi and relied on the Turks. Their army moved eastward. Li Yuanji abandoned the city and fled. Pei Ji only escaped with his body. Almost the entire Hedong Road was captured. Li Yuan panicked and said: "The thieves are so powerful that it is difficult to fight against them." When fighting for the front, it is better to abandon the east of the river and guard the west of the country."
If Li Shimin hadn't turned the tide in the Battle of Baibi, Liu Wuzhou would have probably invaded Guannai Road and overthrew the Li Tang Dynasty, which had only been founded two years ago.
After deciding to go north to take up his post, Li Shan was always thinking about one thing. In history, in the first year of Zhenguan, the Turkic army marched across the Weishui River. Did it come from Hedong Road?
According to the terrain, there are only two directions: Lingzhou and Daizhou. If it is the latter, then Mayi will definitely be lost in the future.
What can I do?
Li Shan has been thinking that if he is aboriginal, he may not be able to do anything, but if he is a time traveler, he may be able to do something.
After resting for a quarter of an hour, the group set off again and finally arrived in Mayi more than half an hour later.
This is a city that is not too big, but not too small either. Soldiers with weapons can be seen everywhere. Li Shan turned over and dismounted, his sole slipped and he fell.
He looked down and saw a small puddle on the ground, but instead of water, it was filled with purple-black, semi-coagulated blood.
Du Xiao had inquired about Li Gaoqian's camp before. Yuan Junzhang violently attacked Mayi for four days, but failed. Then he turned to attack Li Gaoqian, but was suddenly defeated by Mayi's cavalry.
Mayi was under fierce attack for four days. It seemed that the battle was quite fierce. Li Shan looked back at the guards, most of whom had not been on the battlefield, thinking that this time he wanted to see if there was any talent among these people.
"May I ask if the acting county magistrate, Mr. Li Langjun of Guantao County, will do it in person?"
There were four or five people coming from the front. The leader was wearing soft armor and saluted respectfully.
Du Xiao, who was beside him, whispered: "This person is the leader of the personal guards of Jiangxia County."
Li Shan sighed. Before he entered the city, Li Gaoqian sent someone... It seemed that he really didn't get along with Liu Shirang.
But Li Gaoqian couldn't get around it.
A moment later, in the huge camp, Li Shan looked at the flabby middle-aged general in front of him and said with a smile: "The Duke leads the army out of Yanmen, defends like a rock, attacks like a thunderbolt, chases the Turks from the north, and will surely win the war in the middle of the court." praise."
Li Gaoqian looked at this famous young man with great interest, "I have heard about Li Huairen for a long time, but it doesn't hurt to sit down."
Li Shan judged immediately that even without the help of the East Palace, Li Gaoqian would not become an obstacle to the caravan leaving Yanmen.
Because, as a leading general, Li Gaoqian already has a small belly!
