The Tiger Flag convoy was walking on the grassland and was not harassed by horse bandits for two days in a row. However, the frequency of horse bandits appearing around the convoy became more and more frequent. Sometimes, more than a dozen horse bandits appeared openly just a mile away from the convoy. .
As the number of horse bandit spies increased, the sentry riders of the cavalry team became more and more busy. They not only had to expel and hunt the horse bandit spies, but also tried to capture the horse bandit spies who appeared around the convoy.
Ma Yunjiu came to Zhao Yutu with an ugly expression and said: "The sentry cavalry just captured a few horse bandits. The results of the interrogation are not good. Our convoy is being targeted by four groups of horse bandits."
"How come there are so many horse bandits targeting our convoy at the same time!" Zhao Yutu frowned.
"The four groups of horse bandits add up to more than 700 people." Ma Yunjiu said in a deep voice, "The four leaders of the horse bandits are Tu La, Jumping in the Nest, Rolling on the Grass, and Night Harrier. The horse bandits who were scared away by our cavalry before are Night Harrier and his men.”
Zhao Yutu frowned and said, "So these groups of horse bandits were all brought by the Night Harrier to deal with us?"
"Not only that." Ma Yunjiu said, "These horse bandits have been targeting us for some time. According to the accounts of the captured horse bandits, the horse bandits will attack us within a day or two."
"It's a blessing, not a curse. It's a curse that cannot be avoided." Zhao Yutu said, "Your cavalry team has been more alert these days. Now that we know that the horse bandits will attack the convoy, we must not let the horse bandits take advantage of our loopholes."
"Understood." Ma Yunjiu tugged on the reins and urged the horse to leave.
The cavalry still needs him to command.
Zhao Yutu, who was sitting on the cart, said to a gunman on the side: "Go and find Captain Zhang."
Not long after, Zhang Hong ran over from behind the convoy.
"Mr. Zhao, look for me!"
Zhao Yutu said to him: "The cavalry team has just confirmed that the horse bandits will come to rob our convoy. You can tell us to go down and get the warrior brigade ready. By the way, go and inform Zheng Chao that I have loaded the Tiger Crouching Cannon. Go and prepare." "
Zhang Hong did not dare to delay, so he conveyed the order, and then personally ran to the cart where Zheng Chao and the gunner were riding to convey Zhao Yutu's order.
Soon, the entire convoy was on alert. Although the gunman had not lit the match, he had already loaded it with gunpowder and lead.
More than a hundred spearmen put on half plate armor, wore iron helmets on their heads, and carried an extra twenty kilograms of weight on their bodies.
The speed of the convoy gradually slowed down to match the speed of the spearmen.
The fire gunners also wore cotton armor and had water bottles on their waists. They took a sip from time to time to replenish the water consumed in the body.
Fortunately, Tiger Flag's training has been strict and they have not treated these soldiers badly. Otherwise, in such hot weather, it would be difficult not to wear armor or even travel safely.
After a quarter of an hour, the team stopped to rest.
Except for the patrol team, the rest of the soldiers in the soldier group are allowed to rest where they are, drink some water, and eat something to replenish their strength. The soldiers can also take off their armor, but they must be placed beside them and within reach.
At three o'clock in the morning, after escaping from the hottest sun, the team continued on the road until they set up camp at the next water source.
The temperature in the grassland is much lower at night than during the day, so you won’t feel too hot even if you wear cotton armor.
At the end of the day, the convoy was very calm, there were no horse bandits attacking, and the number of horse bandit spies appearing around the convoy was also much smaller.
Zhao Yutu knew that this was just a short period of peace. Since the horse bandits had set their sights on their tiger-character flag, they would never give up easily.
There were more than 700 horse bandits, but the Tiger Flag team that came to the grassland totaled only more than 400 and less than 500 people, of which there were only more than 120 riders on the horse team.
This battle was not easy for Tiger Flag, especially when the opponents were all cavalry.
Zhao Yutu sat by the campfire, drinking bacon soup and holding a meat bun in his hand.
The meat stuffing is a dozen yellow sheep and hares sent by the cavalry team during the day, which are chopped into stuffing by the cooking team and made into bowl-sized meat buns.
Each soldier was given two meat buns, he could drink the broth as he pleased, and he brought a lot of bacon with him in the convoy.
As the highest-ranking member of the team, Zhao Yutu was only given two meat buns, which was not enough and he could only drink broth.
The broth is made from bacon and has an ordinary taste, while the meaty steamed buns fill your mouth with oil when you take one bite. When paired with garlic, it's delicious.
There is a special cooking team in the motorcade, which also belongs to the soldier sequence. Each brigade is equipped with a cooking team, which is responsible for the food and drinking water of the soldiers.
Zhao Yutu sat by the camp, eating meat buns and taking a sip of broth from time to time.
"Mr. Zhao." Chen Wen came to Zhao Yutu and shouted respectfully.
Zhao Yutu raised his head and saw that it was Chen Wen, with food in his mouth, and said, "Come, sit down, do you want some broth?"
He picked up the big teapot in his hand and gestured towards Chen Wen.
Chen Wen waved his hand and said politely: "Thank you, Mr. Zhao, for your kindness. I have already eaten."
Seeing that he didn't want it, Zhao Yutu picked up the big teapot and took a sip himself. After swallowing it, he asked, "Brother Chen, what's the matter so late?"
As the guides of the motorcade, the two brothers Chen Wen and Chen Wu stayed overnight here. Later, Chen Wu joined the Tiger Flag Horse Team and lived there. Chen Wen was the only one staying overnight in the team.
"It is indeed because of some things that I came to disturb Mr. Zhao." Chen Wen rubbed his two rough hands nervously.
Before Chen Wen could ask, Zhao Yutu smiled and said, "You want to talk about what happened during the day, right?"
Chen Wen nodded.
"Even if I don't tell you, I believe you will know it soon." Zhao Yutu said, "During the day, the cavalry team captured several spies sent by the horse bandits. It is already certain that the horse bandits will attack the convoy in the next two days."
After a pause, he continued: "There are four groups of horse bandits targeting the convoy, and there are almost more than 700 horse bandits."
"Ah!" Chen Wen was shocked.
He did not expect that so many horse bandits would target the tiger-character flag convoy. There were only more than 400 people in the tiger-character flag convoy, of which the horse team had more than a hundred cavalry. Facing so many horse bandits, it would be one-sided. of massacre.
Zhao Yutu added: "If Brother Chen wants to leave, I won't stop him. Just leave. After all, Brother Chen is just the guide we invited. There is no need to face the horse bandits with us."
The convoy was already on its way back to Xinpingbao, and the guide was of little use. For Chen Wen, it was best if he could be recruited. If he couldn't be recruited, it didn't matter to him. He didn't care whether he left or stayed.
"Then I won't disturb Mr. Zhao. I think I'd better leave." Chen Wen bowed and bowed.
When he heard that the convoy was being targeted by more than 700 horse bandits, he had already decided to leave overnight.
With his strength, he had every chance of escaping back to Xinping Fort. If he waited until the horse bandits appeared, it would be too late to escape by then.
However, because Chen Wu was still in the cavalry, he did not rush back to Xinpingbao. Instead, he rode towards the cavalry camp, wanting to take Chen Wu with him.
Not long after Chen Wen left the camp here of the convoy, Zhang Hong came to Zhao Yutu and said, "Mr. Zhao is really sure. This guy went to the cavalry, and it seems that he wants to take Chen Wu away with him."
"Chen Wu is different from him." Zhao Yutu put down the big teapot in his hand and said, "Chen Wu has joined the cavalry. He can't just come and leave when he wants."
Zhang Hong asked: "Should I send someone to tell Captain Ma?"
"No need." Zhao Yutu said, "The military regulations are very clear. Ma Yunjiu should understand how to deal with deserters."
"I hope Chen Wu won't make a mistake." Zhang Hong sighed.
