"The emperor passed away, the young emperor was young, and after the chaos in the Southern and Northern Palaces, the people in the court and at home were in panic. I was invited by Grand Master Yuan Wei to go south to Luoyang..."
"I am willing to die for the general!"
More than ten thousand soldiers echoed in unison.
After handing over the jurisdiction of Xiliang County soldiers to Huangfu Song, Dong Zhuo only had the Feixiong Army under his command, and most of these people were Hu people and Han people transformed into Hu people, with tough temperament and loyalty.
Because of this, Dong Zhuo is now full of confidence: Even if Luoyang is surrounded by dragons and tigers, not to mention that he can suppress the emperor, it is not a problem to escape intact.
And Yuan Wei's promise to Dong Min made Dong Zhuo put away his worries——
Scholars symbolize great righteousness, especially now that the young master is in doubt, eunuchs are involved in politics, and Yuan Wei, who is the imperial tutor, invites him to come to the capital to kill thieves. In terms of etiquette and law, it is beyond reproach.
"Ziqing, if you hadn't shown me the way, I probably wouldn't have known who to turn to."
Dong Zhuo slapped Duke with a big slap, feeling increasingly satisfied with his son-in-law.
His original plan was to wait for the emperor's death and lead troops directly to Beijing in the name of killing the eunuchs, taking it one step at a time.
Duke suggested that it would be better to form an alliance with the Yuan family in Runan.
First of all, the opponent has a certain amount of troops in Luoyang, and the two troops combined can directly determine the situation. Secondly, Yuan's reputation is the highest in the world, with countless scholars standing behind him.
For border general Dong Zhuo, this kind of political support was far more important than the former.
"My son-in-law dare not take credit. This is God's favor for my father-in-law." Duke looked proud and said with a smile: "Yuan Shao's party worked hard and took great risks, and finally slaughtered all the eunuchs in the palace..."
At this point, Li Ru, who was the chief counselor of the Xiliang Army, took over the conversation: "The best thing is that the two brothers He Jin and He Miao died successively. Without their relatives and the support of the scholar group, we have no choice but to go to Luoyang." It’s different from reaching out to pick peaches.”
The snipe and the clam fight, and the fishermen gain.
This time, Dong Zhuo really felt that destiny was in his hands. This trip should go smoothly, as long as he led the Flying Bear Army on the way.
When he arrived at Luoyang, he quickly gathered the garrison of the capital, and finally followed Yihuo's example, proclaiming Dong Hou as emperor and directing the affairs of the court in the name of his uncle.
It can be said that God and the rebels are to blame. Dong Zhuo never dared to imagine the current situation in the court. If his brother Dong Min hadn't seen it with his own eyes and said it personally, he would even think that there was fraud.
"Father-in-law, hurry up and get on your way. I heard from Taifu that Ding Yuan, the governor of Bingzhou, was ordered by the Queen Mother and is also among the diligent kings!"
"Ding Jianyang? He's just a governor, and he happens to be under the jurisdiction of my state pastor."
Having said that, Dong Zhuo was indeed very vigilant. He drew out the sword from his waist and shouted to the sky, "The army is marching!"
"We must arrive at Anyi within an hour, cross the Yellow River in Shenshi, and camp at Mianchi!"
"promise!"
Ding Yuan is stationed in Hanoi, not far from here. If the other party reaches the capital first, gathers troops and horses, and then defends the pass, things will be in trouble.
We must set off before the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry and demolish the bridges and ferries along the way!
Thinking of this, Dong Zhuo couldn't help but clamp the horse's belly tightly, and then, the roar of the dragon echoed through the wilderness.
On the side, Duke was riding a sweaty horse and glanced at his side enviously:
Lu Bu is among men, and Red Rabbit is among horses.
As a horse, it can leave a strong mark in history, and the Neighing Wind Red Rabbit horse is indeed an extraordinary sight.
I saw that its whole body was as red as charcoal, without any stray hairs. It was one foot long from head to tail and eight feet high from hoof to neck. It screamed and roared, as if it was flying into the sea.
"If Lu Bu can be kidnapped, what will happen to the world?"
With a whisper, Duke couldn't help but tighten his grip on the reins, and as he watched, he felt extremely excited: After being trapped in Xiliang for a year, he could finally see the princes of the world.
However, Dong Zhuo and his party did not know that their marching route was exactly what Xun Yu had expected.
Thousands of miles away, Hangu Pass.
The towering twin peaks beside the river have been a battlefield in Han Valley since ancient times.
This place borders the plateau to the west, Juejian to the east, the Qinling Mountains to the south, and the Yellow River to the north. If someone wants to reach Luoyang from the north as quickly as possible, then Hangu Pass is an obstacle that cannot be bypassed.
Millions of corpses were lying on the ground, bleeding and floating in the oars.
This was said by Jia Yi, a great scholar of the former Han Dynasty, describing the Warring States Period, when the Qin Dynasty, with the power of one country, blocked the attacks of the five Shandong kingdoms and severely damaged its vitality.
Of course, there were too many major and minor battles taking place at Hangu Pass that Lu Li could not count.
At this moment, he stood alone at the top of the city, looking to the north, not knowing what he was thinking.
In Hangu Pass in early spring, the feeling of coolness is still very obvious.
Under the battlements, more than a thousand guards were warming up around a bonfire, with firewood crackling, and occasionally a small group of soldiers walked by in formation.
Because this is a restricted military area, the surrounding area is very quiet, as quiet as a country night.
Therefore, Lu Li couldn't help but sigh. This calmness would not last long. Dong Zhuo's Xiliang Army would cross the Yellow River and reach Guanxia at the latest in the evening.
As for Ding Gong.
Lu Li had a strong premonition that he might not be able to count on it, so he asked Xun Yu to make a prediction:
no.
Otherwise, banditry will be detrimental to a gentleman's integrity.
Heaven and earth are not in harmony, no, a gentleman should use frugality to overcome difficulties, but cannot use glory and wealth.
"The barrier between heaven and earth cannot communicate with each other, and the throat of all things is choked and the cauldron cannot be unblocked. This is not a hexagram. A gentleman observes this hexagram. Therefore, when the country's political affairs are blocked, he should think about living in seclusion and not being an official, advocating frugality to avoid disasters, and not to avoid disasters by advocating frugality. Proud of profit and wealth."
This is Xun Yu's explanation of the hexagrams. It is obviously a sign of great misfortune.
It's a pity that neither Lu Li nor Zhao Yun are cowards, so how could they not hide?
Without any hesitation, he entered the palace directly to show his power. After receiving the decree from the Queen Mother, he immediately rushed to Hangu Pass to seize power.
First, he killed the disloyal guard guarding the pass and frightened the eight hundred guards. Then he spread the decree throughout the entire army, promising huge profits and expressing great righteousness, and finally stabilized morale.
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Yun led another secret edict to Mianchi and Xin'an counties——
For fear of leaking the news, Yuan's party was on guard. Only a few people including Lu Zhi and the Queen Mother knew about their departure from the capital, and they did not bring any armored soldiers.
Therefore, Zhao Yun needed to go to these two counties to recruit soldiers. In order to ensure that no accidents occurred and too much time was wasted during the process, he specially asked Mingong to write an official document——
This king is from the central part of Henan, and is in charge of supervising the county.
His official documents cooperated with the Queen Mother's decree and could easily recruit soldiers and obtain military rations.
"The war is coming, it always is."
Somehow, Lu Li thought of the scene when he suppressed Bai Bo and Yellow Turban last year.
Just then, Xun Yu climbed up to the gate tower and heard Lu Li muttering to himself. He smiled and said, "I would like to hear the details."
"This time last year..."
While Lu Li was recounting the past, Zhao Yun had already received food and ordnance from the county government and loaded the carts. The local guards also accepted the order, left the barracks, and gathered at the city gate.
In this way, six hundred well-trained county soldiers escorted grain trucks and ordnance trucks and hurried towards Hangu Pass.
Mianchi was only fifteen miles away from Hangu Pass. It took about two moments for people to push and pull horses to enter the pass smoothly.
As the unfamiliar army moved in, the originally peaceful guards all changed their colors. They put down the dice in unison and stopped shouting and drinking pheasants.
"Is there really someone who wants to break through?"
"Nonsense, the Queen Mother's decree has been issued, how can it be false!"
Seeing this, Lu Li shook his head and slowly walked down the building. He did not speak, and Xun Yu, who followed slightly behind, was also silent.
There was no fierce expression on his face. Lu Li felt that his mentality was very stable: whenever big things happen, he must calm down first.
After a year of experience, he is no longer Wu Xia Amon. He must have worries about the war, but he doesn't take it too seriously -
No matter how strong the Xiliang Army is, so what?
Come and come, there has to be a chance.
Furthermore, this battle is not all about disadvantages.
The right time, the right place, the right people.
Let’s not talk about the first one for now. Among the latter two, those who occupied Hangu Pass in advance undoubtedly have the advantage of location. As for Renhe, let’s give it a 50-50 split.
The Han Dynasty defenders were waiting for work, and the flying bear army was as powerful as a rainbow.
Looking at it this way, the disadvantage is not too obvious, but there is another worry hidden in Lu Li's heart. He has never dared to think about it: whether Lu Bu, the flying general among the three heroes of Bingzhou, will decide to join Dong Zhuo's command due to historical inertia.
After all, we have been in contact for a long time, maybe something unknown happened.
"Wu Meng will arrive at Zhang Yang at the latest in the evening."
"The Xiahou brothers and the Cao brothers are far away in Qiao County, Peiguo. They will probably come to join forces tomorrow morning."
At this moment, Lu Li was silently thinking about how much support he could provide.
First of all, there will definitely be no more soldiers. Jian Shuo and Lu Zhi need to ensure that Luoyang does not cause trouble. Secondly, the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry trip will not go smoothly, and Dong Zhuo will definitely find a way to cause trouble.
The current worst-case scenario is that with the help of myself, Zhao Yun, and the upcoming Zhang Yang, we can integrate more than a thousand guards to hold off the Flying Bear Army all night.
By then, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Chun and other powerful generals should have arrived, and so should Ding Gong. As long as an internal and external pincer attack is formed, all problems will be solved.
"Captain, there are still two hundred rolling logs and sixty huge rocks weighing 10,000 kilograms in the arsenal. Do you want someone to go out of the city to collect some gold juice?"
As soon as they got off the gate and arrived at the battlements, a school captain wearing fish scale armor knelt in front of Lu Li.
He is about thirty years old, with a tall figure and high cheekbones, giving him a mean look. However, the most eye-catching thing is the beautiful beard, which is extremely neatly repaired and glistens in the sun. It is obvious at a glance that it has taken great care of it.
"Zhang Jing?" Lu Li was a little confused.
Hearing this, Captain Zhang hurriedly smiled and said, "Sir, you have a good memory."
"This golden juice... doesn't matter if you don't collect it, I'm afraid it's too late." Lu Li ordered: "Let's take someone to push the crossbow up the tower, and then ask the craftsmen to check the catapult."
"promise!"
Seeing the man's leaving figure, Xun Yu shook his head. There was no need to worry that this guy would rebel at a critical moment. He was a standard eunuch——
Zhang Rang's nephew.
As the saying goes, a person can ascend to heaven with chickens and dogs. As the head of the Ten Constant Attendants, how could Zhang Rang forget his own people when he has become rich? You must know that for eunuchs who have no fertility, family love is especially rare. Therefore, as long as the people of the clan do not have Paralysis, no illness, and ambition, Zhang Rang arranged official positions for them all.
And Zhang Jing was a scoundrel with no skills, so he directly became the deputy lieutenant guarding the gate for 500 shi. He usually only had to do one thing: causing trouble for the former captain guarding the gate and making him unhappy.
However, as Lu Li was ordered to take over the post of captain and brought Zhang Rang's handwritten letter, Zhang Jing immediately changed into a different person: appeasing the soldiers, taking inventory of the arsenal...
After all, if one gains something, both will prosper, and if one loses, both will suffer.
"Brother, six hundred well-trained county soldiers are here." Zhao Yun reported with his hands in hand.
"Are there any cavalry?"
"have."
Perhaps due to his talent, Zhao Yun is best at leading cavalry, and there are only a hundred cavalry in Hangu Pass. The number is too small to play a big role. Therefore, Lu Li is concerned about whether there are cavalry among the recruited soldiers.
"Both Mianchi and Xin'an counties have official horses, and they have raised a total of 300 cavalry and 300 infantry."
"How's the condition?"
Zhao Yun thought for a moment and said, "It's acceptable."
After hearing what he said, Lu Li instantly understood the subtext: It can be used, but don't have too much hope.
"General, a warrior who calls himself Zhang Yang is asking for an audience."
"Please!"
Not wanting to say anything else, Lu Li and Zhao Yun went down side by side to greet him.
This man was also from the Bingzhou Army. Later, because the late emperor recruited heroes from all over the world to serve as Jian Shuo's generals, he was sent to Luoyang by Ding Gong, but Jian Shuo asked him to temporarily serve as the Army Sima. Fortunately, Zhang Liao made a concession before leaving, giving Lu Li more Add a trump card.
"General Lu, General Zhao, we have long admired our names, but today we can see their true appearance." Zhang Yang said, cupping his fists.
Lu Li hurriedly returned the gift and said with a smile: "When the general became famous in Bingzhou, Meng Ming was just a commoner, so he shouldn't be praised. Please!"
"Please!" Zhao Yun said slightly politely.
Before entering the capital, Zhang Yang served as Wumeng in Bingzhou. If he could take Wumeng as his official title, he was certainly not a mediocre general. In addition, Ding Gong and Zhang Liao talked about him from time to time, so he would definitely be entrusted with important tasks.
Lu Li took a closer look and found that Zhang Yang looked exactly like his name. His facial features were very individual and flamboyant, his complexion was better than that of ordinary martial artists, his skin was dark with a red sheen, and his eyes were particularly bright.
In this way, the four of them climbed onto the tower together, talking about how to defend the city while looking to the north.
In the evening, the earth shook.
More than a thousand heavy cavalry, neatly dressed and marching in formation, appeared in sight.
The guards at Hangu Pass, who had been prepared for a long time, all put their armor on and pressed their swords, silently staring ahead. In their eyes, the cavalry in front of them was terrifying. As they walked, a formidable aura hit their faces.
"We are ordered by Marquis Dong and invited by Grand Tutor Yuan Wei to come to the capital to serve the King!"
"Open the city gate quickly!"
The young general who led the team rode alone to the front of the pass. When he saw that there was no response after shouting several times, he immediately became vigilant.
Unfortunately it's still too late.
Zhang Yang bent his bow and nocked an arrow, narrowed his eyes: "Go!"
An arrow left the string without any suspense, and the young general fell to the ground.
"The general is mighty!"
"The general is mighty!"
The silent Hangu Pass suddenly erupted into bursts of shouts, and Zhang Yang tried his best, which boosted morale.
When the news came back to the Xiliang Army tent, the civil and military officials were silent for a long time.
Dong Zhuo cursed loudly: "Eunuchs are indeed not good people, but I didn't expect that scholars who are full of benevolence, righteousness and morality are more mean than them. What is the purpose of going back on their word?"
After scolding for a while, Dong Zhuo took a long breath, looked around, and fixed his eyes on the faces of his three sons-in-law.
