Things are unpredictable, and both Yang Anxuan and Liu Yu believed that Qin would not send troops to rescue Yan. However, when Yao Xing heard Sun Xuan's jealous report, the depression that had been accumulated in his heart during this period found an outlet, and turned into anger and burst out with angry curses.
Yin Wei and others tried to persuade him, but Yao Xing was still furious and ordered to send General Yao Qiang of the Guard to lead an army of 10,000 people. He accompanied Nanyan Shangshu to order Han Fan to go to Tongguan, and joined Dongping Gong Yao Shao to march eastward to rescue Nanyan.
After calming down for a while, Yao Xing felt that the embarrassing situation of Qin State was all caused by Helian Bobo, so he immediately decided to go on a personal expedition to eliminate Helian Bobo, a serious trouble in his heart, and regain the land west of Hexi.
Yao Xing decided to lead 20,000 troops north to Ercheng, and then wait here for soldiers and horses from all over the country to gather before attacking together.
Kuai En, the prefect of Hongnong, received the report from the secret guards and quickly ordered all the cities to defend the city and move the people outside the city into the city to prepare for defense. Fortunately, the wheat harvest had been completed and the farming season would not be missed.
Lu Zongzhi, the governor of Sizhou, was in a panic after receiving Kuai En's urgent document. Yang Anyuan took away 3,000 soldiers and horses from Luoyang, and the Sizhou navy was also sent far away. Even the garrison troops had more than 10,000 soldiers who went to Yanzhou. There were only 20,000 soldiers and horses left in Sizhou. Luoyang was still the focus of defense, and it was really impossible to mobilize troops. Ma aids Hongnong County.
Urgent documents were sent to Xiangyang City. Wang Zhene was very anxious when he saw the Qin army gathering at Tongguan and showing signs of attacking Hongnong. At this time, there were not many soldiers and horses in Yongzhou. Wang Zhen urged and mobilized 5,000 soldiers and horses, 4,000 to Hongnong, and 1,000 to Shangluo. Wang Zhene sent a letter to Yang Siping, the governor of Liangzhou, asking him to make a gesture of going north to attack Qin and contain the Qin army from the side.
Helian Bobo learned about Yao Xing's personal expedition and led 15,000 light cavalry to attack first. On the city tower, Yao Xing saw Daxia soldiers and horses galloping back and forth outside the city, shooting arrows at the top of the city from time to time, fierce and fierce, like a pack of evil wolves.
Seeing the Qingqi of Daxia showing off their power outside the city, Yao Xing felt timid and wanted to let General Yao Wenzong of the Left guard the city. He took the Qingqi and left at night to meet up with Yao Xiang who was escorting the grain and grass to temporarily avoid risks.
Shangshu's right servant shot Wei Hua and admonished him: "Your Majesty is marching in person. If you leave, I'm afraid the army will be frightened and collapse without a fight. Moreover, the Daxia army is all light cavalry. When I learn that Your Majesty has left, I will certainly go after him. I'm afraid that Your Majesty will be attacked." Unexpected."
Yao Xing was in chaos at this time, and the scene of Chai Bi's defeat kept swirling in his mind, fearing that Helian Bobo would catch him. General Yao Wenzong of the left took the initiative to ask for a battle, while Yao Xing watched the battle at the top of the city.
After two days of fighting, Helianbobo pretended to retreat. Yao Xing's confidence greatly increased and he ordered Anbei General Yao Yusheng to lead the pursuit. After chasing to Shizigou, Daxia's ambush troops cut off the retreat and surrounded five thousand Qin troops. Seeing that there was no way to escape, Yao Yusheng had no choice but to surrender.
Helian Bobo returned to attack Ercheng again. Yao Xing lost courage and led his army to break out of the encirclement south. Left general Yao Wenzong led 6,000 soldiers and horses to break off the rear, desperately resisted Helianbobo's attack, and covered Yao Xing's retreat.
General Yao Zhang, the general of Zhenxi, arrived with reinforcements. Seeing the overwhelming force of the Qin army, Helian Bobo retreated voluntarily and did not occupy the second city. The Qin army reoccupied the second city.
Helianbobo took advantage of the fact that the Qin army had no time to pay attention to him, and looted all the way to the west. Chiqibao, Huangshigu, and Woluo City were successively attacked by the Daxia army, and more than 40,000 people were taken captive.
Returning to Chang'an City in fear, Yao Xing had long forgotten the idea of pacifying Daxia. After receiving an urgent document from the west, Yao Xing had no troops to send, so he had to order various places to defend the city and not go to war.
Yao Xing felt that Chang'an was not safe, so he ordered the guard general Yao Jie who was heading to Tongguan to return to the defense. The war clouds hanging over Hongnong dissipated.
At Tongguan, Han Fan saw Yao Qiang leading the Qin soldiers back to Chang'an City. He looked up to the sky and sighed: "This is the day when the Yan Dynasty will be destroyed."
…………
Yang Anxuan returned to Xintai City, and Xu Jing took office as the prefect of Taishan and took charge of Fenggaocheng. Jin and Yan were at war, but the trade routes were still intact. Yang Anxuan ordered him to strictly inspect the checkpoints and not let the Yan envoys go.
Xu Jing was favored by Yang Anxuan and appointed him as the prefect of Mount Tai, which was something he had never dreamed of doing. Looking back on my experiences back then, I felt like I was in a dream. I owe everything I have achieved today to my Lord.
Xu Jing carried out Yang Anxuan's instructions to the letter. Checkpoints were set up in Fenggao, Mou County, Laiwu and other places. In line with the mentality of "I would rather check for mistakes than let them go", he searched the merchants traveling eastbound. carefulness.
When Han Fan persuaded the Qin State to send troops to rescue him, he ordered Zhang Gang and others to return home first to report the news, and let Guanggu City stand firm and wait for help.
There are many routes back to Guanggu from Chang'an. Zhang Gang and others disguised themselves as merchants and divided them into several routes. They took the Yellow River waterway all the way back to Guanggu City from Jinan and Le'an County in the north. He himself planned to cross the border from Taishan County. Heading to Changjun to Guanggu City, this route is the shortest and fastest.
Han Fan gave Zhang Gang the edict of Qin and asked him to take it back to Guanggu City. Zhang Gang sewed the edict into his belt and arrived at Laiwu City without any danger.
As long as you pass Laiwu and enter the Yimeng Mountains, go north to Changjun and be supported by someone, and you will soon be able to return to Guanggu City. Zhang Gang subconsciously touched the belt around his waist and glanced at the long queue of caravans. They should be able to enter the city before noon.
Zhang Gang dressed up as a traveling scholar. The land of Qilu was home to saints and the literary style was flourishing. Scholars traveling to study were very common. There were several people in the team dressed up, and Zhang Gang was chatting with them in a casual manner.
There were no flaws in the preparation. Zhang Gang spent one or two gold to buy it. The appearance recorded on it was the same as his. Zhang Gang handed the crossing point to the soldiers guarding the city and waited calmly for clearance.
The captain who led the team stared at Zhang Gang and looked him up and down, making Zhang Gang nervous and wondering what went wrong. The captain stepped forward, raised his hands and saluted, "I have met Zhang Shangshu."
Zhang Gang was in a state of panic, but calmly returned the greeting: "General, you have recognized the wrong person. The servant's surname is Sun, Zhihe, not Zhang."
The captain smiled and said, "I wasn't sure yet, but Zhang Shangshu will be able to confirm it once he speaks. My sons, please invite Zhang Shangshu to the county government office."
Zhang Gang knew that it would be difficult to escape, so he followed the soldiers to the county government office and asked the famous captain: "I don't know the general. How can the general say that I am Zhang Shangshu?"
The school captain smiled and said: "Zhang Shangshu, a noble man, often forgets things. Three years ago, Zhang Shangshu came to Laiwu City for a visit, and he was foolish enough to lead a guard."
Zhang Gang let out a long sigh. Man's calculation is not as good as God's calculation. He didn't expect that three years ago, he came to Laiwu to soak in the warm pool and visit Xiangshan Mountain, and now he has become a loophole. One drink and one peck, the cause and effect are predetermined.
In Xintai City, Yang Anxuan learned that Zhang Gang had been captured and quickly ordered the school captain Zhou Ninghaosheng to escort him.
Before conquering Yan, Yang Anxuan had already let the secret guards know about the officials of Nanyan, such as the Murong clan, the Han brothers, Gongsun Wulou, etc. Yang Anxuan didn't take it too seriously. Only Zhang Gang mattered to Yang Anxuan.
Yang Anxuan set up the Ordnance Department under Baizhang Mountain and asked Yin Huaqing to take charge of it. He gathered skilled craftsmen to study ordnance here, but the progress was not satisfactory. Most of the craftsmen were illiterate, lacked creativity, and mostly just followed the old ways. Yang Anxuan was very dissatisfied.
At that time, most of the literate people were scholars. How could scholars be willing to work in a lowly profession? Although Yang Anxuan secretly changed this situation, the long-standing disadvantages could not be eliminated in a short time. Yang Anxuan secretly lamented, when can we find skilled craftsmen like Lu Ban, Zhuge Liang, and Ma Jun.
Zhang Gang was mentioned in the intelligence of the secret guards. This person was promoted by Murong De for building the Taiji Sect. He was awarded the title of Material Officer General and Shang Ling, and was responsible for the manufacturing of wood ordnance.
Zhang Gang made many inventions and improved the siege and defense equipment such as carts, chariots, rams, crossbows, flying towers, wooden curtains and hanging ladders for transporting grain, and he was quite famous in the army.
When Murong Chao succeeded to the throne, Zhang Gang refined the chariot he rode in, which pleased Murong Chao and conferred him the title of Shangshu Lang. This made Zhang Gang quite satisfied, and he finally broke away from the craftsman.
Zhang Gang did not like the craftsmanship, but Yang Anxuan had admired him for a long time, so he said to Zhang Feng: "You go to greet Zhang Shangshulang on behalf of Yu."
Zhang Feng knew that Yang Anxuan liked "exotic and obscene skills". He came from a humble background and had an affinity for farmers and workers. After Yin Huizhen came to Baizhang Mountain, Yang Anxuan often visited him. Zhang Feng would go to the Ordnance Department's workshop when he had nothing to do. Wandering around, I saw a lot of new things.
Zhang Gang was a little confused by Yang Anxuan's courtesy. He naturally knew that this powerful official of the Jin State passed through Yan and Si from Guanggu to Chang'an, which was more prosperous than Nanyan. After learning about the various benevolent policies implemented by Yang Anxuan from the mouths of merchants and ordinary people, Zhang Gang had a vague feeling that Yang Anxuan's intentions were not trivial.
The prisoner became a guest. After greetings, Yang Anxuan made it clear that he wanted Zhang Gang to go to Xiangyang to work as a Yongzhou laborer. Zhang Gang smiled bitterly, it seemed that Governor Yang was interested in his manufacturing talent.
He was really unwilling to accept that he was a fifth-grade minister, but became a sixth-grade Gong Cao. Yang Anxuan saw Zhang Gang's reluctance and smiled: "Wen Qi doesn't need to answer in a hurry. Let's rest for two days before talking."
Yang Anxuan winked at Zhang Feng. Zhang Feng understood, stood up and said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, I will arrange a place for you. I don't dare to drink alcohol on this road. Let's have a good drink today."
From Zhang Feng's mouth, I learned that there are only six Cao Cao in Yongzhou, namely, Li Cao is in charge of officials, Temple Cao is in charge of rituals, Household Cao is in charge of finance, Punishment Cao is in charge of law, Bing Cao is in charge of army, Gong Cao is in charge of construction, ordnance engineering and other matters.
Zhang Feng said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, these six Cao Cao are not the master's confidants. The original Gong Cao is Yin Huaqing of the Xinye Yin family, who is the younger brother of the Minister of the Chao Temple."
Zhang Gang pondered while holding the wine glass. In this way, these six Cao Cao are equivalent to the six ministries of the imperial court, and they are indeed of high authority. Although Nan Yan was called a country, its territory was far inferior to that under Yang Anxuan's rule. Yang Anxuan had given him a lower official rank than the government officials, but he did not mean to treat himself poorly.
Zhang Feng pretended to be drunk and whispered into Zhang Gang's ear: "If my lord can bring peace to the world, where will Mr. Zhang be?"
Zhang Gang's eyes lit up, he raised his glass and said with a smile: "Thank you, General Zhang, for the tip. I don't know what to do."
The next day, Zhang Gang asked to see Yang Anxuan. He took off his belt and took out the edict from Emperor Qin Yao Xing. He bowed and presented it to Yang Anxuan and said: "President Yang, this is the letter of credence from Emperor Qin to Emperor Yan. I am willing to submit to Governor Yang."
Yang Anxuan took the edict and put it on the table beside him. He held Zhang Gang's arm and said with a smile: "The Qin State has no time to protect itself. Even if it sends troops, it is just an egg against a stone. This time, Wen Qi will be far better than him in attacking Yan." I am extremely happy to have obtained the land of four counties."
Although he didn't know whether it was true or not, Zhang Gang was still very moved by Yang Anxuan's gesture and said: "I am willing to ride for my lord."
Yang Anxuan ordered people to serve wine and pick up the wind for Zhang Gang. When they talked about ordnance during the dinner, Zhang Gang unexpectedly found that Yang Anxuan spoke eloquently, and some things even exceeded his imagination. Seeing that Yang Anxuan was very interested in making ordnance, Zhang Gang felt that he would have a happy life in Xiangyang in the future.
Some people died, but not completely...
