At the end of August, the Western Expedition Army reserved 100,000 troops to station in Beiliang, with Shi Tao and Liu Tong temporarily responsible for guarding them. The remaining 300,000 troops returned eastward, preparing to enter the Pass through Fengming Pass.
As expected, the returning army was stopped outside the pass. The defenders on the wall were at war with each other and looked hostile.
"Lu Zhifen, what do you mean? We were fighting against the barbarians on the front line, and now we have returned in triumph. You didn't open the door to welcome us, but you blocked us outside. What's your intention?"
Jiang Yuntian pointed at the guard on the wall and shouted loudly.
Lu Defining said: "General Jiang, please don't misunderstand me. I just don't let the army enter the pass, but I don't let you enter the pass. If the general trusts me, let the army retreat ten miles first. If you ride into the pass alone, I will go out in person." Welcome!"
Jiang Yuntian pointed at the 300,000 troops behind him and angrily shouted: "Are you saying that these Paoze brothers who have followed me through life and death can't even return home?"
Lu Zhiyi said: "General, I did not mean this. It is just that Lord Ma has explained that the domestic politics are in chaos and the Western Expedition army has too many people. It is best to stay in Beiliang to maintain the results and order. After the situation in the court is stabilized, His Majesty the Emperor will decide We will summon all the generals back to Beijing to discuss their merits and rewards!
"Emperor? Which emperor?"
"Of course he is the orthodox emperor, Liang Xuanzong and Zhao Sui——"
"Fuck you!" Jiang Yuntian's anger finally burst out, and he immediately yelled:
"Now in the Tianyuan period, in the whole world, only Emperor Jing, Zhao Heng, is the emperor of Liang Dynasty. Zhao Sui is the king who has wronged the country. How can he be called orthodox with his virtue?"
He then pointed angrily at the defenders on the wall and shouted loudly: "Brothers on the wall, listen up. The swords in your hands are used to protect your home and country, not against your flesh and blood brothers. Now, Ma Wei, the governor of Xiliang, has He is suspected of seeking power and usurping the throne. If you help him guard the gate, you are helping the thief to commit evil!
If you don't want to be a traitor, quickly put down your weapons and open Fengming Pass. If not, when my army breaks through, your heads will fall to the ground! "
Fengming Pass can only have 50,000 defenders at most, while the 300,000 troops outside the pass are gearing up, and all of them are elite soldiers and generals who have just returned from the battlefield!
The soldiers guarding the city, you look at me, I look at you, they are obviously shaken by Jiang Yuntian's words.
"Don't listen to this person's slander. Mr. Ma returned to Chang'an to maintain the orthodoxy of Daliang. These people in front of him are the real rebels! Even if he has an army of 300,000, what if he has an army of 300,000? Our Fengmingguan city has thick walls and artillery support. We will definitely be able to keep them out!”
Lu Zhiding said and waved his hand: "Push up!"
The city defenders pushed more than ten artillery pieces onto the city wall, and the muzzles of the guns reached the army below the city.
"Jiang Yuntian, I've always heard that you are brave and invincible, but I don't know what to do with artillery?" With the support of artillery, Lu Zhiyi's attitude became a bit more domineering.
"General! Strategist! We are willing to take the lead in the charge!"
Yang Jinbao and Chen Hong came forward to ask for their orders, "These artillery pieces were stolen from us by Ma Wei. Let us atone for our sins today!"
Song Che waved his hand slightly, "You know the power of artillery better than anyone else. These dozen or so cannons, coupled with the closed doors and high walls, will cause considerable losses to our army. Using bloodshed and sacrifice to attack the enemy will only result in more losses than gains."
"Military advisor, we are by no means greedy for life and afraid of death. We just want to avenge our past shame and vent the bad breath in our hearts!" Yang Jinbao and Chen Hong repeatedly requested to go to war.
Song Che shook his head, pointed at the wall and said, "Just take a look -"
Seeing Ma Guocheng next to Lu Zhining, he suddenly pulled out his sword and shouted, "The thief will die!" Then, the sword pierced Lu Zhining's chest, kicked him down the wall, and then raised the bloody sword. , shouted to the defenders:
"Brothers! The Western Expedition army wiped out the Hunu in just half a year. How brave were they? These Paoze brothers who have brought glory to the country want to go home, but we are blocking them outside. What's the point of this?
Now that the thief Lu Zhining has been killed by me, I will have the final say on Fengming Pass. Open the door quickly and welcome the heroes of the Patriotic War home! "
"good!"
"good!"
"good!"
True temperament will never be destroyed!
The soldiers guarding the gate responded to the call and opened and closed the gate to welcome the army.
The purpose of Lu Zhining's rejection of the Western Expedition army was to buy Ma Wei time so that he could gain more benefits in the Central Plains.
Now that there are 100,000 border guards in Beiliang, there is no need to send more troops to garrison at Fengming Pass and other passes. Song Che transferred 30,000 troops from the 50,000 defenders at Fengming Pass and reorganized them into the team, and then marched towards Xiliang City.
According to the intelligence provided by Ma Wei and Pang Wei, Ma Wei did not station troops in Xiliang City, but instead stored his troops in Lanzhou Mansion and Fengxiang Mansion.
Mawei has been recruiting strong men to join the army along the way. In just two months, the number of troops has increased to 300,000. Among them, there are about 150,000 miscellaneous soldiers and Xiang troops, stationed in Lanzhou and Fengxiang respectively. The purpose is to contain the West The army returned to attack Chang'an.
In the third year of Tianyuan, on the seventh day of June, the Western Expedition army marched straight into Qinfeng Road and occupied Lanzhou Prefecture in less than a day.
The next day, in order to prevent the army from continuing southward, Ma Wei blew up the Weishui River levee, causing flooding to the west of Qinfeng and tens of thousands of civilian casualties...
"Oh my god, please stop!"
Outside Lanzhou City, the victims knelt and looked up to the sky, crying and howling. The wind was roaring and the rain was roaring, but it was a pity that God could not hear it.
Song Che stood on the wall of Lanzhou, letting the wind and rain hit him. Late autumn had not yet entered winter, but the cold had already penetrated into his bones.
"Boss, the carriage and horses are ready. Do you...really want to leave?" Nangong Yue walked up to the city wall holding an umbrella and informed.
Song Che hummed softly, turned around and walked down the city, "I have already left a message to Brother Jiang, there is no need to say any more goodbyes."
Nangong Yue followed behind silently and hesitated for a long time before saying: "How about...waiting for two more days? The rain is really too heavy. We have to walk a lot of mountain roads here. What if, what if..."
"If even one ten thousandth of a chance happens to us, we should really consider ourselves unlucky."
Song Che didn't waste much time, got into the carriage after getting off the city wall, and set off in the rain to Feng County in the south.
There is a Jialing River in Feng County, which is the most important tributary of the Yangtze River. It is raining heavily every day, and the rapid water in the river will speed up the boat trip. This is the main reason why he must travel during the rainy season.
The floods caused by the Wei River bursting its banks will take at least a month to recede. For Song Che, staying here for one more day is torture.
Everything east of Qin Feng is guarded by Xiliang troops. It is definitely not feasible to return to the south of the Yangtze River via the Chang'an Canal. The fastest route at the moment is to take the Yangtze River waterway.
Time flies, it’s the end of September.
After more than half a month of wind and rain, Song Che and others finally arrived safely in Feng County. Although the heavy rain was no longer pouring, the drizzle was still misty and continuous.
Song Che bought a passenger boat at the ferry and started heading south along the Jialing River.
In early October, the rain finally stopped, but the sky was still gray, especially on the mountainous Lizhou Road. The fog in the mountains and rivers was difficult to dissipate all day long.
The passenger ship was wandering in the canyon. The boatman at the helm stared at the fog ahead with his eyes wide open. He was very experienced and could avoid all dangers.
"Bashan Chushui is a desolate place... It's really a desolate place, so lost that one can't even see the way forward." Song Che sighed softly while standing on the bow of the boat.
The boatman spoke up and said, "Song official, you don't know this, right? I won't deny that Bachuan was a desolate place in the past, but now this place is no longer what it used to be."
"Oh? Why do you see it?"
"I heard that an upright official came here last year, and he came from the capital! As soon as he came here, he built bridges, paved roads and mended embankments. Anyway, he did all the good things that benefited the people. Those who bully our people He also caught all the bullies!"
When the boatman talked about this "great upright official", his expression was extremely respectful.
"Boss." Nangong Yue walked up to Song Che's ear and whispered softly: "Master Gao... moved here."
Gao Chen?
Song Che frowned slightly, he was an old friend whom no one had thought of for a long time.
Gao Chen is a loyal minister and a conservative. Now that Zhao Sui has been returned to Daliang, he should be happier than anyone else.
"Mr. Huang, when we arrive in Bazhou and stop for a while, I'm going to have a cup of tea with an old friend." Song Che said to the boatman.
The boatman smiled and replied: "Okay, okay, if you can remember your old friends in Bazhou, they must be good friends."
Good friends, indeed good friends.
suddenly,
A flute sound came from the mist, and the long and melodious tune echoed in the canyon. It was so ethereal that it was not tainted with the world.
"Murderous!"
Ning Yehong, Lin Yue and the female sword attendants rushed out with swords almost at the same time.
It is indeed surprising that such a beautiful song can be found in this deserted place, but, "Where does the murderous intention come from?"
Ning Yehong frowned, staring at the gradually clear outline of the ship in the fog, and said: "You are not from the Jiaofang Division, so of course you can't tell. She must be a master, and a top-notch one."
Song Che raised his eyebrows, "Can you all hear it?"
They replied in unison: "Because we are all from Jiaofangsi!"
At this time, the whispers suddenly stopped, and the ship in the mist also revealed its true identity. It is also a passenger ship, but it is much more luxurious than the one Song Che and the others are on. Standing on the bow are five veiled women in white, all of them graceful and graceful. The leading woman is holding a jade flute, her world-weary eyes are as cold as ice. , there is still a hint of murderous intent hidden inside.
"Are they also from the Jiaofang Division?" Song Che asked, pointing to the five women on the passenger boat opposite.
"Boss, stand back, these people are not good-"
Before Nangong Yue could finish her words, the five women in white suddenly jumped out of the passenger ship. They stepped lightly on the river water, drew their swords and rushed towards Song Che at the bow of the ship.
The female swordsmen drew their swords to face the enemy.
"Bang bang bang bang..."
The woman in white jumped onto the passenger ship and got into a melee with the female swordsmen. There were only five of them, but they did not lose at all against more than 20 people. On the contrary, they gradually gained the upper hand.
A group of women fighting is exciting, but no matter who is hurt, it will make people feel sad.
"Boom!"
There was a deafening explosion, water splashed hundreds of feet, and the fighting came to an abrupt end.
Song Che held the fire gourd high and shouted to the passenger ship opposite: "Master Gao, if you treat guests this way, I can only use bombs to retaliate against you."
