The next afternoon.
A large army appeared in the opposite direction on the grassland, forming a long queue.
Most of the army was infantry, and at the same time, there were cavalry teams following around.
"Shi Zheng, our tiger-character flag army is here." The guard ran into the signing room from outside and told Zhang Hong in Qian Ya's room about the arrival of the army.
Zhang Hong, who was studying the map with Zhang Sancha, straightened up and said to Zhang Sancha: "The army is finally here, we can go to work."
"Let's go together to greet Chen Shizheng and Jia Shizheng." Zhang Sancha greeted Zhang Hong.
Zhang Hong nodded and followed Zhang Sancha outside.
Neither of them mentioned Liu Heng, the proprietor of the Tiger Flag, and as long as they did not ensure Liu Heng's safe arrival at Xinping Fort, they would not tell anyone about the proprietor coming to Xinping Fort with the army.
The horses have already been arranged outside the gate of the general's mansion.
The two people left the general's mansion, each mounted their own horses, took a group of cavalry as escort, and went straight out of Xinping Fort.
As soon as they left the city gate, dust and smoke filled the distance, and a large group of cavalry approached Xinping Fort.
"They are our cavalry." Zhang Hong put down the monocular telescope in his hand and said to Zhang Hong next to him.
The cavalrymen of the Tiger Flag are wearing iron helmets and armor, which makes them very easy to recognize.
Although the cavalry of the Ming Dynasty and Beilu may also wear iron helmets and iron clips, these forces have far less cavalry with iron helmets and iron armor than the cavalry of the Tiger Flag. ,
The cuirassiers and cataphracts of the Tiger Banner are all wearing iron helmets and armor, and the armor on their bodies is also plate armor that is rare in other forces.
Soon, a large group of cavalry from a distance appeared under Xinpingbao City.
The leader of the cavalry took off his iron helmet and urged his horse towards Zhang Hong.
"It's Ma Shizheng." This time, before Zhang Hong could speak, Zhang Sancha called out the person's name in advance.
Ma Yunjiu rode up to Zhang Hong, Zhang Sancha and others, pulled the reins, and said with a smile: "You two, don't wait here, go ahead and greet them!"
"Thank you." Zhang Hong reacted very quickly and knew what Ma Yunjiu meant. He immediately clasped his fists in thanks and then urged his horse to rush towards the tiger-character flag army approaching in the distance.
Zhang Sancha also followed on horseback.
The two men rode horses for more than two miles and finally came to the front of the army.
It's a pity that the two of them did not see the person they wanted to see, but Chen Xunping, the first combat corps division commander.
"Chen Shizheng."
"Chen Shizheng."
Zhang Hong and Zhang Sancha greeted Chen Xunping one after another.
Chen Xunping responded with a smile: "The person you two most want to see right now is definitely not me. Maybe you are still scolding me why this guy named Chen is here."
"Absolutely not." Zhang Hong waved his hand quickly.
Even if he was told what he meant, he would never admit it.
Chen Xunping said with a smile: "Okay, I know what you two want to see most is not me. Just walk along the line and you can see the person you want to see."
As he spoke, he reached out and pointed in the direction behind the team.
Zhang Hong understood what he meant, clasped his fists and said, "Master Chen, let's meet again later. Brother Sancha and I will go over first."
"Go quickly!" Chen Xunping nodded with a smile.
Zhang Hong and Zhang Sancha walked forward on horseback along the team.
After walking for more than a mile, Zhang Hong, who was walking in front, suddenly pulled the reins, turned over and jumped off the horse.
And his action startled Zhang Sancha who was following him.
However, when Zhang Sancha saw the man in front of him, he hurriedly jumped off the horse and followed him quickly.
"My subordinate Zhang Hong has met the proprietor."
"My subordinate Zhang Sancha has met the proprietor."
Zhang Hong and Zhang Sanchi stood at attention with their legs crossed and gave a military salute to Liu Heng.
"You did a great job in Xinpingbao and gave the Tiger Character Banner an excellent start." Liu Heng praised Zhang Hong.
Zhang Hong said humbly: "It's all the soldiers who dare to use their lives, but the subordinates dare not take credit."
"There is no need to be modest. You were able to defeat the two frontier armies of Xuanda, leaving the imperial court with no troops to use in Datong. This battle was fought better than I expected." Liu Heng praised without hesitation.
Zhang Hong said modestly: "I didn't expect that the imperial troops and horses were so useless. Tens of thousands of troops were defeated in one battle. Even the bandits and bandits who occupied the mountain as kings were outnumbered."
"If the Ming army dares to fight to the death, Liaodong will not fall into the hands of slave thieves." Liu Heng said with emotion.
He knows slaves and thieves better than anyone in the world.
From the perspective of the world today, no matter how you look at it, slave thieves with a sparse population are unlikely to pose a great threat to the Ming Dynasty.
In fact, scabies, a disease that was once a disease, has become an unstoppable disease. It even took over the Central Plains twenty years later and ruled the land of China for more than 200 years.
It is this small group of people who, while promoting the fact that the Manchus and Han people are one family, carry out ignorant rule over the Han people. They have repeatedly implemented inhumane literary inquisition on Han culture and suppressed any culture and ideas that enlighten the people's wisdom.
Zhang Sancha, who was standing next to him, said: "It must have been a very hard journey for the proprietor. Why not go back to Xinping Fort and take a rest first."
"Okay, let's go to Xinping Fort first." Liu Heng nodded and agreed to go to Xinping Fort.
Liu Heng took the lead and walked in front.
Zhang Hong and Zhang Sancha were a little behind, following closely behind.
As soon as they left, Liu Heng's guards also broke away from the team and left with them.
The border forts near Xinping Fort have been captured by the Tiger Banner army. The gates of Xinping Fort are usually opened, and they are never closed even at night.
There is a large army stationed not far outside the city gate, and there is no worry that the imperial troops will attack Xinping Fort at night.
Zhang Hong lit a stove in the signing room where he worked in the General's Mansion, and the room was very warm.
"Proprietor, you drink water." Zhang Sancha brewed tea in a tea vat and brought it to Liu Heng while it was steaming.
Liu Heng took it and placed it on the corner of the table.
"What's the situation in this settlement city now?" Liu Heng pointed at the settlement city marked on the map on the table with his finger.
Zhang Hong, who was standing at the table, glanced at the settlement city on the map and said: "The information received by my subordinates is that there were originally 402 officers and soldiers in the settlement city, one guard, and there were also some mules and horses in the city. , however, in order to encircle and suppress our Tiger Flag, Yang Guozhu transferred 200 officers and soldiers and some mules and horses from the settlement city. It is estimated that there are still about 200 troops in the city. Counting the temporarily requisitioned civilians, the number of troops defending the city will not exceed 500. .”
"What's going on in Gaoshan City?" Liu Heng's finger slid away from the settlement city and landed on the location of Gaoshan City not far away.
Zhang Hong said: "The defense of Gaoshan City is stronger than that of Settlement City. There are more than 800 defenders in the city, and one garrison commander each. Although Yang Guozhu also transferred some of the troops, there are still four to five hundred troops left. .”
"If you were to attack these two cities, how many troops would you need?" Liu Heng looked at Zhang Hong.
