The Helan Mountains span more than 300 miles, from north to south, with mountains upon mountains, from rapid to slow, from high to low, like a group of horses galloping all the way south.
Along the foothills of Helan Mountain, there are densely populated canyons with large and small gaps, connecting the east and west for dozens of miles. In order to protect Lingzhou and the Yellow River Loop, the government set up more than a dozen checkpoints and forts at the gaps in Helan Mountain, many of which were strong and dangerous. An important stronghold and support in the east and west areas of Lanshan.
More than two hundred miles northwest of Lingzhou, there is another huge valley called the Luobao Grand Canyon. Although the terrain is rugged and dangerous, it is an important way to connect the east and west of Helan Mountain.
However, in a remote valley no more than Wuzhong Mountain, which is far from the Luobao Grand Canyon, there is a sneaky team stationed there.
In the late autumn of the Helan Mountains, the forests are all dyed with withered yellow. The deep and winding paths are full of dead branches and grass. There is a slight smell of decay in the air. The further you go along the original mountain paths, the vaster the wilderness. The air got thicker and thicker, until deep in the depths, after crossing a mountain pass, it suddenly became clear.
A flat valley is located in it, in the shape of a gourd. It occupies a small area, but is extremely hidden. Even in the autumn when the vegetation is sparse, the mountain walls spread out like wings, combined with the thick fog, make this nameless valley deep. Deeply hidden.
There are obvious traces of human activities everywhere in the valley. On the flat ground, a fence divides it into two sections. According to the mountainous terrain, there are two rows of more than a dozen wooden houses and huts. At the same time, on the mountain wall, there are several In the natural cave, there is a faint light of fire coming from inside, and there are simple earthen steps leading to the depths of the cave outside.
Obviously, this is a camp. The old buildings bear the traces of time. Although the wooden huts and huts are simple, everything seems orderly. This is the "Mingsha Bandit" that the northwest government and Wude Division are trying their best to track down.
The weather is cold in late autumn, but what is even cooler is the atmosphere in the valley, which is a bit cold and depressing. There were only a few sentries outside, and they looked careless. The cool breeze blew through the valley, making them shiver, and they kept doing activities to drive away the cold.
However, no matter what, it is quite surprising that such a relatively complete lair of bandits exists in the Helan Mountains, almost under the eyes of the army.
There is a cave in the cave, which is large enough to hide troops and store food. Except for a few tunnels with traces of artificial chiseling, the rest are naturally formed. Compared with the outdoor valley, it is warmer.
A row of pine lanterns were sparsely inserted between the walls, illuminating the narrow corridor. It was dark and unclear. The depths of the cave were even deeper and darker, as if there were some secrets hidden.
After exploring along the way and walking around a few times, you can find a huge space. Although it is empty, there are many things and it looks very complete. There are tables and chairs, like a conference hall, with guards and a fire burning around it. There are several tiger flags on the wall, and there are dozens of swords, guns, swords and axes placed on two rows of weapon racks.
At this time, the cave hall seemed in a mess. Hundreds of people broke through the guards and gathered together, making a lot of noise. The leader was a burly man with an appearance that was different from that of the Han people.
However, he speaks Chinese very fluently, but his accent inevitably has some peculiar smell. He is wearing a woolen jacket and a felt hat. He has very thick hair, a beard, and thick facial lines, exuding a fierce aura. That is the aura that has been formed after walking on the tip of a knife for many years and being tempered by life and death.
This man's name is Gan Cheng, and he is a descendant of the Uighurs in Ganzhou. His father was originally a Uighur noble. When the king's army conquered Hexi, he destroyed the country and destroyed his family. Later, he took in some Uighurs and Tubo people, organized armed forces, and was active in the vast majority of the country. In the northwest region, they fought against the imperial court and made a living by looting, and then gradually became horse bandits.
In the eleventh year of Kaibao's reign, during a bandit suppression operation organized by the Hexi government army, Gan Cheng's father was arrested by the government troops and taken to Lingzhou. He ended up with a very miserable end.
Gan Cheng was only in his twenties at the time. The hatred between his country and his family aroused his desire for revenge. He took in some of his father's old troops and continued to be active in the desert of Hexi. He looted everywhere and opposed the government. He continued to grow and became the most powerful. , with more than 500 troops under his command.
Of course, if one is powerful, it will inevitably attract the attention of the government. Especially after Zhao Wang Liu Fang took control of the northwest, he stepped up the attack on the Hexi bandits. Gan Cheng was the key target of the campaign. Although he was lucky enough to escape, he suffered heavy casualties and lost more than half of his men. In recent years, they have experienced ups and downs, and they have gradually become a real horse bandit. As for the ambition of "resisting the Han Dynasty and restoring the country" inherited from his father, it has completely become a mirage.
Inside the cave, dozens of people of all colors surrounded Gan Cheng. Gan Cheng, wielding a scimitar, shouted loudly at a middle-aged scribe on the stone steps: "Call out the man named Lu! He wants to be punished." Let us all confess that we are all heroes from Hexi, licking blood on the tip of our swords, and we would rather deal with the officers and soldiers than hide in the gutter like snakes, insects, rats, and ants!"
As soon as Gan Cheng finished speaking, there was a chorus of agreement and constant booing.
The middle-aged scribe on the stage is thin, with a dark complexion, three strands of beard, and a cattail leaf fan in his hand. He looks like a dog-headed strategist.
He is a shrewd person, but now faced with such a situation, looking at the thieves who are about to explode, he can't help but feel a lot of pressure.
Especially Gan Cheng, this is a character who kills without blinking an eye, and is even less reasonable. The cattail leaf fan can't fan the cold sweat on his forehead. The scribe can only try his best to comfort him: "Chief Gan, brothers, please be patient, my leader is out of the mountain." I’ll do some work and come back on a day, and I’ll definitely give you an explanation then!”
"Again, are you talking like this? Are we really being deceived into treating us like three-year-olds? That guy surnamed Lu can go out to the mountains and live freely, so why should we stay in the mountains and suffer!" Gan Cheng immediately complained: "We are trapped here. , it has been almost half a year, and being able to endure it till now has already given him Lu Nan face.
We agreed at the beginning that we would act jointly, just cooperate, and temporarily obey his orders. We are not his subordinates, let alone want to annex us.
Now, don't give me those perfunctory words. Either let the man named Lu come out and give an explanation, or open the warehouse and divide the treasures and grains. I'll go out soon! "
After hearing what he said, the scribe's face suddenly changed. He knew that these bandits had extremely poor discipline and their patience was almost worn out. They really dared to engage in internal strife.
Facing Gan Cheng's fierce gaze, he hurriedly advised: "Chief Gan, you must not rush out of the mountain rashly. The situation in the entire northwest is tense right now. The officers and soldiers attacked from all directions and wiped out heroes from all walks of life. The heroes in the desert next door suffered heavy casualties.
The affairs of the Black Khan Mission have also been noticed by the government, and they are intensifying their search. It is too dangerous outside, and my leader is out to investigate the situation for you! "
"Envoy, that's your business calling the bandits, what does it have to do with me?" Hearing this, Gan Cheng sneered twice.
"What Chief Gan said is too outrageous. Now we are all in the same boat. We should work together to tide over the difficulties. Please be patient and wait until this news passes..."
"Don't keep nagging!" After hearing the scribe's tireless consolation, Gan Cheng not only did not calm down, but became more and more reluctant, saying arrogantly: "Take us to the warehouse immediately, otherwise don't blame me for being rude and not remembering the old relationship! "
These words immediately aroused a resonance, and several big and small leaders present also said the same thing. They are horse bandits who come and go like the wind galloping across the desert. How can they stay in these ravines for so long? The reason why they can restrain themselves for so long is because they know that they have committed a crime. A large eucalyptus was detected and had to be avoided.
However, half a year has passed, and it is inevitable that we will be slacking off and taking chances. Being isolated from the world, we are naturally suspicious of news from the outside world.
In fact, the "Mingsha Bandits" hiding in this valley are not a single band, but are composed of several bands of fierce bandits. They have a common characteristic. They are mostly barbarians, and their crimes are outrageous. The Han court had strong hatred.
They were organized by Lu Nan, the leader of the Mingsha Bandits, and together they committed the robbery and murder of the Black Khan Mission that shocked the northwest.
