The wind and snow were still there on Hongchi Ridge, and Jia Yanchang braved the biting wind and snow to climb this majestic mountain ridge again.
Behind him were a thousand elites led by Ma Shacai, including his nephew Wang Zongxin and the three most resentful generals under his command.
Among them, Zhang Zhao brought less than 200 elite soldiers from Hanhai Town back from Anxi, and the remaining more than 800 cavalry were composed of six warriors.
Almost all of these thousand men were cavalry, and the elite heavy infantry was composed of the Yucheng Town infantry given to Zhang Zhao by Li Shengtian, commanded by the battalion commander Er Zhujing.
Of course, Zhang Zhao would not wait for the outcome of Su Lunjia's discussion before preparing to attack various ministries in Lanzhou.
If that were the case, Zhang Sikong would give the impression that he relied on Su Lunjia to pacify Lanzhou. How could he establish his authority?
Therefore, Zhang Zhao did not expect the Su Lunjia to play much role at all. They were simply a cover. The real killing move was Zhang Zhao's own fifteen hundred elite soldiers commanded by Ma Shacai.
At the foot of Hongchi Ridge, we headed straight against the current to Lanzhou, but now it is the dry season, the river water volume is not large, and many river sections are even frozen.
After Ma Shacai led 1,500 people down from Hongchi Ridge, only more than 1,200 people were left.
Most of them are stragglers. Soldiers are very fast. It is enough to leave a general to organize these soldiers. It is impossible for the large army to wait for them.
At the same time, more than 20 people died and were injured. Crossing Hongchi Ridge in winter is definitely not a good choice. This is the result of someone like Jia Yanchang, who has experienced crossing Hongchi Ridge more than a dozen times, leading the way.
Before reaching the foot of the mountain, Jia Yanchang pointed downstream and said: "About fifty miles down the river, there is a small city where the seat of Jincheng County is. It was built in the Han Dynasty and is stuck in the most critical position.
However, when I passed by here three months ago, Jincheng County was already in dilapidated condition, with only a few small tribes nomadic and farming here. "
Nishui is the Zhuanglang River in Gansu Province in later generations, and Jincheng is roughly where Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City is located.
Ma Shacai took out the map and looked at it carefully. This map was a copy left by Zhang Yichao after he returned the territory of the eleven states in Hexi to the Tang Dynasty. It was considered quite reliable.
"I would like to ask Jia Dutou, has the river section where Jincheng County is located ever frozen? Is it really 200 miles from Jincheng County to Lanzhou? How is the road condition?"
Jia Yanchang glanced at Ma Shacai without any trace. This man was the battalion commander of Hanhai Town of the Guiyi Army. It was said that he was just a horse thief in the past.
He looks like a cruel and easy-to-kill warrior, but he is actually proficient in arranging troops, can read, and can even understand maps.
This is all the result of Zhang Si’s teachings! Not only was he good at fighting, he was also good at training his generals.
The Guiyi Army has had this ability for decades, that is, the Taibao Gong back then. It seems that the rumors in the past that the Taibao Gong appeared and taught the Dharma are not necessarily lies.
"It was indeed frozen before March. The river channel five miles north of the county seat in Jincheng County is the shortest and should be passable.
If you take the main road from Jincheng County to Lanzhou, it's still more than two hundred miles away, but if you take the small road east of Jincheng County, it's only about 180 miles.
The road was quite muddy, but now that the ice and snow had not melted, it was easier to walk. From then on, we could quickly march on the trail to the foot of Lanzhou City in five days. "
Ma Shacai nodded and summoned Er Zhujing, Wang Tongtong, Cui Huxin, Du Yunchixin and other officers over. He pointed at the locations of Jincheng County and Lanzhou on the map.
"Half a month ago, Li Cunhui deliberately let Su Lunlu go back to Lanzhou. I believe that all the ministries in Lanzhou, especially the Wang family, must have known about it.
All of them thought that we would wait until Su Lunjia surrendered and the ice and snow melted before attacking.
Then let's give them a big surprise. I mean, we don't occupy Jincheng County, we cross the river from Jincheng County to the north, and then take a small road straight to the bottom of Lanzhou City.
In ancient times, Li Su went to Caizhou on a snowy night. Today, I will cross the Hongchi Ridge with you and rush to Lanzhou on a snowy night. The battle will be decided in one battle! "
"I agree with Commander Ma. In the battle of Lanzhou, we must not fight. If we fight, we must strike with thunder. We will display the might of our rebel army and frighten the people of Lanzhou and other states. This is also the king's order!"
The one who agreed was Er Zhujing. He still called Zhang Zhao the Great King. His ancestor was the former Grand Protector of Guo Xin, the last Protector of Anxi. He later lived in Khotan to serve the Khotan royal family.
Although the Erzhu family was born in Qihu, the Huns, after hundreds of years of integration, they have become no different from the Han people.
Zhang Zhao promoted a certain degree of military democracy in the army and mobilized the initiative of middle and low-level officers and soldiers, which still had some effects.
At least in the military, mid-level officers still have a certain say when making major decisions.
Among these 1,500 people, apart from Ma Shacai, who had the title of Commander Gui Yilang, Er Zhujing, the Commander, had the highest official position. When they both agreed, the matter was basically settled.
Wang Tongtong immediately stepped forward to ask for orders, "Commander Ma, Commander Erzhu, the three hundred cavalry under a certain command can be the vanguard to cover the advance of the army!"
"Okay! Let's take your department as the vanguard!" As someone who came from Shandu together, Ma Shacai certainly knew that although Wang Tongtong had some problems with his life style, he was still trustworthy in the military.
Moreover, he once fought alongside Zhang Zhao and was snatched back from the brink of death by Zhang Zhao twice.
Those who are ordered by the Savior are great heroes, and those who are saved by the Lord are also a kind of closeness, aren't they?
"Three masters, if I give three of them one person and two horses, they will have to go to the city to contact the Majestic Temple, and it will be the work of the three of them!"
After agreeing to Wang Tongtong's request, Ma Shacai ordered the three monks around him holding swords and guns.
This is a monk from Liangzhou Great Buddha Temple. Since Zhang Zhao is the Yinlun Dharma King of Buddhism, he will not let go of the elite monks in the temple.
These guys can be said to be the special forces of this era. They have a religious identity as a cover, which makes it easy for them to travel around and investigate. They are all good at maneuvering in street fights and group fights.
With both tradition and year-round training, fighting in formation may not be possible, but in small group encounters and urban street fighting, they are stronger than ordinary soldiers.
"Namo Chakravartin King Bodhisattva!" The leading monk announced the Buddha's name and waved a stick-like thing in his hand.
"Commander Ma, don't worry. We have King Chakravartin giving us three divine fire thunders. I believe that the chief Dinghui of the Majestic Temple will understand the meaning of the Buddha.
There are two hundred monks and soldiers who are all trained in spears and clubs to help. At that time, we only obeyed the command and made three fire thunders, and fought out from the majestic temple, captured Yongning Gate and led the army into the city! "
Cui Huxin wiped the cold sweat from his head. He unconsciously moved a little farther away from the wooden stick in the monk's hand.
That thing was filled with divine fire thunder, and with just one blast, several strong men could be blown into bloody holes.
Master Dinghui of the Majestic Temple can certainly understand the 'Buddhist principles' contained in this. If he didn't understand, he would probably go to see the Buddha directly.
damn it! What kind of world is this? Even these great monks came to steal the food of the warriors, and they all came to take advantage of it!
Yongning Gate is the west gate of Lanzhou and is also the main direction of Ma Shacai's attack on Lanzhou.
The Lanzhou city wall also collapsed to varying degrees due to force repairs by various ministries. Yongning Gate was the most seriously damaged area.
He also understood why some temple monks were so fanatical. That was because Zhang Zhao's status as the Holy King of the Rotation was explained by the monks from Tianzhu, and he could inspire a diamond and a small amount of military weapons to protect the Dharma King.
The Yan'en Temple currently under construction in Dunhuang and the Angry-Eye Vajra Protector Hall under construction in Dayun Temple in Liangzhou are all Jialan belonging to the Wheel-turning Holy King.
Zhang Zhao even made a special sidekick. The Vajras and Dianbingbao belonging to the Holy King of Chaos can be carved into life-size statues according to the original images of virtuous monks and put into temples for sacrifice.
As for who is virtuous, that is not decided by Zhang Zhao, so some monks who are willing to let themselves into the temple to offer sacrifices are very fanatical and willing to fight for Zhang Zhao.
Their Buddhist teachings were not very intensive to begin with, but now that they are tempted by the shortcut of being able to fight and enjoy wealth while alive, and to enter the temple and become a Vajra after death, of course they are willing to go out and do something.
"Master, wait a minute!" Seeing that the three great monks were about to leave with the divine fire thunder, Jia Yanchang immediately called them. After the three great monks stopped, Jia Yanchang turned to Ma Shacai and said.
"According to my estimate, Master Long Bian, a monk from the capital of Hexi Province, has probably arrived in Lanzhou. He came from Luoyang, the eastern capital, to invite the Jade Girl Treasure for Sikong, and he has nearly a hundred followers under his command.
Commander Ma, it is better to recruit thirty more elites to accompany the three masters. Don't enter Lanzhou City first. When Master Long Bian is found, they can then follow the team into the Majestic Temple. They will definitely make it more difficult for the people of Lanzhou to defend themselves! "
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Ma Shacai's eyes lit up. With the protection of Hexi Dusheng Tonglongbian, if more than a hundred people could enter the majestic temple, things would be easier to handle.
"Wen Chongle, recruit thirty of our elite from under your command, follow the three masters to find Master Long Bian, and enter Lanzhou City together."
Compared with Cui Huxin, Du Lunchixin and others who are well-known in the Liugu tribe, it is easier for Wen Chongle, who comes from a small family, to hide his identity because no one knows him.
Wen Chongle was refreshed. In Zhang Zhao's case, only by fighting in battles can one achieve meritorious service and get rewards. Yue Saonu, a friend and friend, also immediately looked at Wen Chongle, his eyes full of desire.
"Yes! The thirty men under General Yue Saonu's command come from Guzang Nanshan. They are skilled in hand-to-hand combat and will definitely be able to fulfill the important task of commanding and envoys!"
. . . .
Jia Yanchang's estimate was correct. After the three great monks traveled a distance to the south of Lanzhou City, they only waited for two days. Sure enough, they happened to meet the Hexi capital monks Tong Longbian and Yelu Beinian who came from Luoyang, the eastern capital. The nine-year-old girl Yelu Abli.
Among them, in addition to the more than sixty guards of the Suzhou Long family brought by Long Bian himself, there was also a group of fifty Khitan warriors.
The leader's Han name was Mu Shunyi, and the Khitan name was Mu Ge. He was originally a personal guard of King Yelubei of Dongdan.
After Yelvbei crossed the sea and came to the Later Tang Dynasty, the hundreds of warriors who followed him were all given Han names by Emperor Mingzong of the Tang Dynasty and became Yelubei's personal guards, called Khitan Zhi.
In fact, Yelvbei was slightly tricked by Zhang Zhao. Historically, Li Congke sent people to kill Yelvbei, but the Khitans resisted bravely and almost allowed Yelvbei to escape.
In this time and space, in order to save face, Yelu Bei ordered Yelu Abri to take away more than 50 people from the Khitan, which had only more than 200 people. As a result, they died in embarrassment in the mansion due to lack of guards.
Although they both died, the latter method of death was really aggrieved, but Mu Shunyi and others were spared the end of being hacked to death with random knives.
