It was August 15th, evening.
The setting sun hangs over the high mountains, reflecting the ancient temple in the forest into a golden red, just like the Buddha's light descending from the sky and illuminating the earth.
Logically speaking, people who see such a scene should be thankful that their good luck is coming.
But at this moment, no matter the people on the top of the mountain or at the bottom of the mountain, there seems to be a sense of death, depressing and heavy.
Wang Zhong led the imperial cavalry out of the camp as usual. Before leaving, he also checked the movements of the general Wu Yeqi. After ensuring that the other party was not suspicious, he began to walk towards the mountain road to the east.
The patrol team, which originally consisted of more than 20 riders, began to gradually increase in size as Wang Zhong moved forward...
Fifty, over a hundred, two hundred, five hundred...
By the time Wang Zhong reached the mountainside, eight hundred fine cavalry appeared on both sides of the mountain road, all hiding in the dense forest.
If you look at it from the camp at the foot of the mountain, you can't tell that there are so many people hiding on the mountain road.
Wang Zhong asked the follower beside him: "Over there in the camp, if something happens...be sure to stabilize that person first. I will ask for forgiveness when the matter is completed."
When the attendant heard the word "please forgive me", he hesitated for a moment, then quickly raised his hand and beat it on the breastplate.
"The general will definitely live up to the general's trust!"
"I also warn my brothers who prefer to stay in the camp not to conflict with that person. We will discuss all matters after I return to the camp!"
"Got the order!"
After the follower shouted, he immediately turned his horse and ran towards the foot of the mountain.
After Wang Zhong watched his most capable subordinate walk away, he looked around and took in all his cronies over the years.
He said in a deep voice: "This violation of military orders is not only useless, but even punishable. However, Wang does not want to see the former emperor die with hatred. Today, I ask you all to follow me and give them a happy life!"
The eight hundred elite cavalry around him all raised their spears high in response to Wang Zhong's thoughts.
The soldiers of Yanyang could only be defeated on the battlefield. They should not suffer such humiliation and finally die without fighting!
Wang Zhong turned his head to look at the Jialan Temple on the top of the mountain. He drew out his sword with his left hand and immediately rode up to his side. He fixed his palm and the handle of the sword with a cloth roll.
Although it has been almost a month since Zhou Biao's arm was severed, swinging the knife with his left arm is still not smooth.
Wang Zhong pointed his long sword at Jialan Temple and shouted softly: "Soldiers, charge with me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the one-armed general took the lead in charging forward on his horse.
The eight hundred fine knights behind him also moved accordingly. Under the pull of the reins, the war horses moved forward inexorably.
Countless neighing sounds suddenly echoed through the mountainside, frightening the birds and beasts in the forest to scatter. Every living creature stayed on the east side and fled to other places.
Such a big movement will certainly attract the attention of the people on the top of the mountain and those at the bottom of the mountain...
The Wu Yeqi general who stayed in the camp at the foot of the mountain slowly walked out of his tent. He looked at the Dongdu cavalry that was charging and killing on the mountainside, with a strange smile on his face.
At the same time, there were no fewer than five people around him, and they began to secretly pay attention to his subsequent movements.
The Wu Yeqi general returned to the camp very wisely, as if he had no intention of intervening in Wang Zhong's conspiracy.
In the Jialan Temple on the top of the mountain, Guan Xiao and others had already detected Wang Zhong's movements when he left the camp to gather his troops.
Under his arrangement, Zhou Biao and Zheng Kuan had transferred their manpower away from the temple early. At this moment, only Guan Xiao was in the temple to supervise the battle, together with the two hundred soldiers who were preparing for the first battle.
In just half a stick of incense, Wang Zhong and his troops had already rushed past the main entrance of Jialan Temple.
Looking at the soldiers who had set up a military formation at the entrance to the main hall, he raised his long sword and signaled the cavalry behind to stop and wait.
Guan Xiao stood on the steps of the main hall and happened to look at Wang Zhong.
He said aloud: "General Wang has not seen me for many years, and he killed my brother as soon as we met. Is he trying to give Guan a certain greeting gift?"
Wang Zhong shouted: "Can't military intelligence spies be killed?"
Guan Xiaoyan said: "Okay... No need to say more, just come and fight!"
Wang Zhong groaned, swung the long sword forward in his hand, and hundreds of cavalry rushed forward beside him!
If we say that on the previous mountain road, it was difficult for the cavalry to rush into formation because of the obstruction of trees.
At this moment, the vast Jialan Temple has become their best military training ground.
The iron hoofs of the war horses trampled the floor tiles into pieces and rushed straight towards the Hebei Dao soldiers who were waiting in formation.
Guan Xiao shouted: "The right guard goes forward, the main guard retreats!"
After hearing the news, the defending army formation changed its formation, and began to gradually change its formation according to the marching route of the Dongdu Cavalry Army.
As the clash of weapons sounded, the battle between the two armies was about to begin!
At first, under Guan Xiao's command, the soldiers resisted the cavalry charge with some success.
But after the Dongdu cavalry charged into the formation again and again, the Hebei Province soldiers, who were already at a numerical disadvantage, began to show signs of collapse.
Wang Zhong always pays attention to Guan Xiao's instructions, because he knows that Zhou Biao, Zheng Kuan and others must be hidden in the dark by Guan Xiao at this moment. If he attacks rashly, he will definitely suffer backlash from him if he is not careful!
...
At the same time that the war at Jialan Temple broke out, Zheng Kuan and others, who were hiding in the southwest of the mountainside, discovered a team with strange movements.
And Zheng Kuan could conclude that this group of people deliberately exposed their bodies to them.
Or to put it another way, they discovered themselves first and then prepared to show up.
In order to ensure that Xiao's strategy was foolproof, Zheng Kuan did not hesitate and personally led the team to meet up with that team.
Walking into the dense forest where the opponent was, Zheng Kuancai saw the entire team and felt an inexplicable feeling of annoyance in his heart.
The half-hundred people in front of them were all lightly dressed, including men and women. If they weren't all wearing swords, it would be an exaggeration to say that they were here to enjoy the mountains and rivers.
Zheng Kuan said: "What are you here for? Ordinary people can't go around the foot of the mountain to patrol and reach here comfortably..."
A figure in a yellow shirt walked out among the crowd, and at a glance it was obvious that he was the leader of the team.
"I'm here just to help in the fight!"
Hearing Huang Shan's words, Zheng Kuan shouted: "I, a man from Hebei, don't need help from you bastards from the Central Plains! What's more, do you think I can trust you?"
As he spoke, he already held the bow string in his hand, ready to shoot the yellow shirt in front of him at any time.
At this moment, another person walked out of the crowd on the opposite side.
Judging from his tall and burly figure, his eyes indicate that he was born in the military.
"I think the young general is the son of Governor Zheng. I once met Governor Zheng from a distance in the past. The young general's eyebrows have a bit of the charm of Governor Zheng!"
Zheng Kuan looked over when he heard the sound and said, "Who are you?"
Qin Mo responded to Zheng Kuan with the Yanyang military salute. He said loudly: "Qin Mo, the former guard general of Jianmen Pass and the deputy captain of Xuanjie! I have met General Zheng!"
The deputy lieutenant and guard general of Jiannan?
Zheng Kuan was silent for a moment. He had no time to care about why Deputy Lieutenant Qin appeared here.
He looked at the yellow shirt who spoke first, and asked aloud: "How can you help in the battle?"
Ye Dangting responded: "I'm lucky enough to have read a few volumes of "The Essential Art of Heavenly Works". Yesterday I made some improvised works, which I can show to General Zheng..."
Who is this person? He actually knows the art of heavenly craftsmanship that Yanyang ordered people to collect and compile when he founded the country?
Before Zheng Kuan could calm down, he watched Ye Dangting raise his hand and wave, and dozens of ballistas appeared in the dense forest behind them.
Is this a wooden "fire cow"? !
This object is included among the siege equipment in "Tiangong Yashu". It is a great move to break through the enemy's formation when fighting under the city.
If used for defense, staying at the rear of the military formation can also resist the cavalry charge. Whenever the formation changes, the fire bull can step forward to block the cavalry, and then the gun guards can fill the gap and ambush.
Zheng Kuan had only been seen in the military camp. This time, in order to avoid the Yanyang defenders along the way, they could not bring these equipment with them.
But at this moment, these half a hundred people were able to bring this object to the mountainside in a majestic manner...
And he was not discovered by the Dongdu defenders at the foot of the mountain. Even at this moment, he deliberately exposed himself to let them notice.
Ye Dang heard this and said: "If General Zheng is relieved, he can use it and maybe increase his chances of winning..."
Zheng Kuan murmured: "Why do you want to help us?"
Ye Dangting responded: "No matter what your purpose is in going south, it can serve as a warning to the world. Yanyang should not fall into the hands of national thieves and criminals..."
After hearing this, Zheng Kuan clasped his fists and said, "Thank you for your help today. If we succeed in breaking through, we will definitely repay you with a spring of water!"
Ye Dangting did not respond aloud, but waved back to let the disciples of Yijian Villa get out of the way.
Zheng Kuan did not hesitate, he called twenty or thirty people and pushed the wooden "fire ox" to the hiding place.
Although they are now on the mountainside, the sounds of fighting on the top of the mountain can still be clearly heard...
Every time the shouts became more and more harsh, Zheng Kuan wanted to lead people forward to rescue him, but despite Xiao Jun's order, it was not the time for them to rush in and kill him.
He turned to look at the people in Yijian Villa and found that they had no intention of leaving.
Zheng Kuan had no choice but to pull the reins, and the horse approached Ye Dangting and others again.
"Why haven't you left? Or are you saying it's not the right time to escape?"
These fifty or so people sneaked up the mountain, carrying dozens of fire-oxen ballistae, so they must have some secret method of escaping from a distance.
What’s the point of not leaving now?
Ye Dang smiled at the young general and had no intention of answering aloud.
Qin Mo, who was beside him, didn't have the old liar's bad taste. He hugged Zheng Kuan's fists.
"I will assist General Zheng later, just worry about defending against the enemy, there is no need to worry about us!"
Zheng Kuan sighed and returned the gesture to Qin Mo.
"Deputy Lieutenant Qin is older and can be considered an elder... I accept my previous good intentions, but I still want to advise you to go down the mountain as soon as possible. We don't have a good chance of winning..."
Qin Mo smacked his lips and looked at Zheng Kuan with disgust.
"Just now, he looked decent, a bit like Governor Zheng... Why is he so nagging now, like a baby!"
Hearing this sarcasm, Zheng Kuan felt much better.
Ever since his father followed King Wu to the capital for a banquet, no one had ever scolded him.
After the news of the tragic death of the Six Kings spread back to Hebei, no one dared to say anything wrong about him, the son of the governor.
Even on his trip south, he was carefully protected by people sent by Guan Xiao and Zhou Biao, for fear that he would die on the way due to his impulsiveness.
Zheng Kuan breathed a long sigh of relief and said: "Zheng Kuanding will always remember the kindness of helping each other today!"
