On the west bank of the White River, the temporary residence of the general manager of the Anxi Army was filled with the smell of alcohol and medicinal herbs. Under the bright lights, civilian officials trotted in and out, each with a tireless body like clockwork.

The generals, on the other hand, gathered around a huge table with red eyes, pointing at the simple map made of broken rice. (Note: The ancient primitive sand table has been adopted in the Sui and Tang dynasties.) ）

"The general manager, 200,000 catties of butter fried noodles and 50,000 catties of jerky have been transported into the camp!" Lu Mingyuan, who joined the army in Sicang, hurriedly came to the handsome case, and reported to the Niu Shi Award with a breath, "In addition, 2,000 catties of Jinchuang medicine, 100,000 arrows, and 20,000 guns, which will be delivered tomorrow." ”

"Chief, the brothers of all departments have completed the inspection of the horses, and so far no injuries have been found. In addition, Wang Duwei sent a messenger to deliver the news that the horse material sent from Luntai to Qiuzi had also been shipped, and it would arrive in three days. Another soldier stepped forward with a hot head, his voice hoarse and excited.

"Chief, there are still two thousand catties of gunpowder (alcohol) left, just enough to fill twenty dragon cars. There are still 3,000 catties in the follow-up, and the Luntai side has been notified not to transport it to Qiuzi, but to transport it directly to the camp for handover. ”

"Chief, the tent has been erected, and the tin stove has been installed. Frostbitten brethren will be transferred to the warm tent within an hour......"

It is never easy for an army to go on a campaign. Especially in the winter steppes, the biggest enemy is not necessarily the tribal warriors who wield horses and swords, but the cold weather and the never-ending wind.

As a result, the importance of baggage supplies had to be raised to the point of equaling, and sometimes even surpassing, operations. After all, with the current strength of the Anxi Tang Army, it was already difficult to find an opponent on the grassland who could wipe out their entire army with a single battle. And God wants to annihilate them all, but he only needs to come for a few days in a row.

"Well, everyone's worked hard!" Niu Shi Award nodded at everyone with satisfaction, and then, in a dumb voice, he ordered, "The military rations and arrows are enough, inform the side of Qiuzi City not to continue transporting them." But the tent and the tin stove made Chang Shuxin work harder and organize craftsmen to build it as soon as possible. At the very least, the brothers will have a warm place to stay after they are injured. In addition, try to see if the fire oil can be poured into the dragon car and used as gunpowder (alcohol). That thing, I remember that there are still twenty or thirty thousand catties in Qiuzi City, and it has not been used up. Now that Suo Ge has withdrawn from the army, there is no need to leave so much fierce fire oil in the city......"

Halfway through his words, he suddenly felt a little out of breath. Lowered his head, coughed quietly, and beads of sweat poured out of his sallow face in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, the pro-soldier next to him hurriedly stepped forward to help him beat his back. Niu Shiyu pushed away the soldiers, propped his hands on the handsome case, tried to stand up straight, and continued to command, "If it can be used, let the fire dragon car use fierce fire oil in the future." The gunpowder saved was also used to disinfect the wounds of the brothers. cough, cough, cough, cough......"

"Yes!"

"Don't worry, the chief manager, I will send someone to inform General Chang!"

"Boss, rest assured. I'll wait for someone to try it out! ”

……

All the participating soldiers agreed repeatedly, and their eyes were full of worry when they looked at Niu Shi Award.

The old general was already over seventy years old, and for a month and a half in a row, he had been nailed to the city wall almost every day, fighting side by side with his brothers, and his physical strength had been exhausted to the limit. However, after discovering and confirming that Suo Ge had really withdrawn from the army, the old general did not take a break to recover his strength, but immediately led the soldiers out of Qiuzi City.

"It's okay for the old man, don't look at the old man with this kind of gaze!" Keenly aware of everyone's worries, Niu Shixue frowned and waved his hand gently. "At the age of the old man, if he can be wrapped in horse leather and returned, it is actually an honor."

Everyone bowed their heads and bowed their hands, silently dispersing to be busy. No one had the courage to speak out and advise the Niu Shi Award to return to Qiuzi City to recuperate.

General Niu Lao told the truth, as a military general, he was uninjured in the battle all his life, and he did not die from the internal power struggle, and he was too old to move before the horse leather shroud, which is indeed a kind of luck. And the reason why the old general was in a hurry to hunt down and kill Suo Ge was not only to take this person's head and comfort the souls of the innocent dead in the sky. At the same time, it is also to repay Zhang Qian's life-saving grace.

If it weren't for Zhang Qian, who traveled thousands of miles and contacted Zhou Yiyi and A Shi Na Zhongjie to march into Sanhekou and threaten Suo Ge's flank, everyone really didn't dare to guarantee whether they would be able to defend to the end. And if it weren't for Zhang Qian's sudden copying of Suo Ge's back road a few days ago, and taking the Tuqi Shi people's grain and grass to store the heavy Gumo City, Suo Ge would not have retreated in a hurry.

The Turgish were originally subordinate to the Turks, and in all respects, they were heavily influenced by the Turks. Therefore, the battle can be won and cannot be defeated. This time, Suo Ge failed to capture Qiuzi as he wished, and had to retreat, which was definitely a heavy blow to his prestige and influence. In a short period of time, it was difficult for this person to gather so many soldiers and horses to attack the city of the Tang Dynasty.

And if Suo Ge does not recapture Gumo City in time, or if he can't win a few battles in time, those tribes who follow Suo Ge will also abandon him one after another. Therefore, Suoge, who was evacuated from Qiuzi, is now in the most dangerous and warlike state. As soon as he sees a target that can be attacked, he will attack at any cost to save his prestige and face.

It was precisely because of this that Zhou Yiyi and A Shi Nazhong did not hesitate to lead their troops to evacuate Sanhekou. so as not to be bitten hard by Suo Ge before he died. However, Zhang Qian lacked experience in dealing with tribal chiefs, so he might not choose to withdraw decisively. Therefore, he will definitely become the first choice for Suo Ge's backbite in the future!

Therefore, the Anxi army must catch up as soon as possible and bite Suo Ge's tail, so that he can't go all out to chase and kill Zhang Qian. Otherwise, Qiuzi City would be stable, the Western Regions would be fine, but Zhang Qian would have died in the hands of Suo Ge. In that case, General Niu will feel guilty for the rest of his life.

"Good news, Grand Governor, General Sun has sent back good news from Kupiro City! The advance of our army broke through the city of Kupila. Annihilate the thieves in the city! A pro-soldier trotted in, holding a bamboo tube in the air with both hands.

All around, cheers rang out like thunder. The generals who had been blocked by Suo Ge in Qiuzi City for a month and a half were all dancing with excitement.

"Where is the messenger, bring it in for the old man!" Niu Shi Award's face was still as calm as before. Raise your hand to take the bamboo tube, and command at the same time.

"Yes!" The soldier agreed to retreat, and in a short time he brought in a messenger covered in dust. The latter is a school captain and one of the old subordinates of the Niu Shi Award, and he knows that his handsome man does not like to be bragged about. Therefore, after saluting, he subdued the forward troops of the Anxi Army to the city of Kupila, and reported it truthfully without water.

In the city of Kupila, there were only more than 2,000 Turkishes left, and they were not descendants of Sugar. Combat effectiveness and will to fight are not very strong. Out of caution, General Sun Liangzuo, who was at the vanguard of the Anzai army, first cleared the enemy stragglers around Kupila, and then launched a tentative attack on the city. As a result, the brothers erected a ladder on the east side, and the enemy opened the gate from the west side and fled en masse. Fortunately, Sun Liangzuo was well prepared, and secretly arranged an ambush in the west of the city, so that the enemy army could be stopped head-on, but all of them were annihilated in the White Camel Mountain five miles west of the city.

"Escaped? Abandoned the city and fled without waiting for our army to climb to the top of the city first? Could it be that what happened to Suoge over there? Or did Zhou Yiyi turn around and kill him again? The Niu Shi Award has experienced a hundred battles, and immediately found out from the messenger's report that the situation was wrong, and asked in a deep voice with a frown.

"Nope!" The messenger didn't think about it, so he shook his head vigorously, "Before our army could reach the top of the city, the enemy ran away. General Zhou didn't turn around and kill again. General Sun interrogated the prisoners overnight and got a piece of news, but it has not been verified, and his subordinates don't know if it's true or not? ”

"What's the news?" The more he listened to it, the more strange he felt, and he frowned and ordered, "You tell me, it doesn't matter if it's true or not!" ”

"Yes!" The messenger's face immediately showed an excited expression, arched his hand, and replied extremely loudly, "Chief Administrator, according to the confession of the captive, two days ago, Zhang Qian's fire burned Gumo. In the future, the grain and grass that will not be transported away will be burned cleanly! ”

"What?" Niu Shi Award couldn't believe his ears, and his arm on the low table trembled slightly.

"What are you talking about, is this true?" The generals who were gathering in front of the "sand table" were also overjoyed one by one. Scrambled to the messenger's side, and asked, "Is it really burning, when did it happen?" ”

"He didn't burn it in the morning, he didn't burn it in the evening, why didn't he burn it until Suo Ge was about to arrive?"

"If it burns, it's great. How many cities and tribes did Suo Ge loot before he could find this bit of grain and grass. Burn it clean and starve those bastards! ”

……

"My general is sending scouts to confirm!" The messenger was asked to sweat on his forehead, and hurriedly bowed his hand, "I don't dare to take it seriously until I confirm it." But it is true that the Turgish people of Kubila fled on their own initiative. Kubiluo is a little far away from Gumo Prefecture, and there is a city of Asiyan in the middle, and my general is afraid of delaying things, so he will send him back first to win the victory, and at the same time bring the rumors to the chief governor. ”

"Well burned, well burned. It is to burn it in front of Suoge, so that those tribes who follow Suoge know what to do next!! The knuckles of the Niu Shi Award turned white, but his face became extremely ruddy.

Judging from the fact that the Turks had abandoned the city and fled, he believed the rumors to be true. And if you don't burn it sooner or later, you have to wait until Suo Ge immediately kills Gumo City, and burn it to this person, which is indeed in line with Zhang Qian's style of acting.

With Zhang Qian all the way from Chang'an to Puchanghai, Niu Shi Award has somewhat understood some of the former's temperament. Although this son always has compassion for the weak, he will not bow to the strong easily. Whenever he is threatened, he will fight back more fiercely and decisively. Since Suo Ge rebelled, he slaughtered several Tang cities in a row, and his arrogance was extremely arrogant. What he did, I'm afraid it hit Zhang Qian's scales!

"Report, General Sun has sent a second urgent report from Kubiro City!" Another pro-soldier rushed to the door of the Chinese army's tent with a bamboo tube and shouted loudly.

Before the Ox Master could react, four other soldiers, holding a tired messenger, had already appeared in his sight. The latter didn't care about the faux pas, and opened his throat and reported loudly, "Boss, it's burned, Gumo City was burned to the ground by the marching chief." There is a shortage of food in the Suog army, and the tribes on both sides of the Sihun River are being washed in blood! (Note: Sihun River, an important tributary of the Chihe River.) Flows through the city of Gumo)

"Burn well, burn well!" Niu Shi Award raised his hand and slapped the table table excitedly. "In this way, if Suo Ge does not perish, there is simply no heavenly reason!"

The weight of the food carried by the Turgish people has already been consumed under the city of Qiuzi. Losing the hope of supplying Gumo City will be a very heavy blow to the morale of the army.

And the tribes along the bloody Sihun coast, although they can let Suo Ge get some supplies and solve the urgent need. However, the grain that can be obtained by looting a hundred Hu tribes is not as much as the looting of a Tang city. What's more, all tribes are accustomed to living on water and grass, and they don't know how to build houses at all. When they found that Suo Ge's army was red-eyed, they would definitely take the initiative to pull up their tents and hide, and they would not stop where they were at all and wait for this person to continue to loot.

In addition, those tribes who follow Suo Ge will not always follow him as robbers. I found that the general trend has gone, and I will soon find a way out. The more ruthlessly Suo Ge ransacked the tribes on both sides of the Sihun River, the thinner his foundation became.

"The Grand Governor of Qiqi, General Sun requested, to continue the attack on Axiyan City. Restrain Suo Ge and prevent him from concentrating on robbery. At the same time, he forced the Turgish tribes who followed Suog to make a decision as soon as possible. The messenger gasped for a moment, then raised his head again and shouted for instructions.

"Good!" Niu Shiyu waved his hand vigorously, and then grabbed an arrow and handed it to his own personal lieutenant, "Niu Sheng, the messenger is too tired, you go to give an order to General Sun for the old man." Tell him that the old man allowed him to act cheaply. But it is only allowed to attack and disturb, and when encountering a large number of enemy troops, he immediately moves closer to the old man, and he is not allowed to fight with others. ”

"Yes" Niu Sheng, the captain of the pro-military school, agreed, took the order and left.

"What about Zhang Changshi, do you have any news about him?!" Holding back the dizziness caused by the excitement, Niu Shili once again looked at the messenger who was slumped on the ground, and asked in a deep voice.

"No, no!" The messenger thought for a moment and shook his head slightly. "General Sun has been sending scouts to try to contact the marching chief, but he has not been able to contact him. And according to the confession of the captured Turgish scout, Suo Ge has also been looking for him. However, there is no trace of him! ”

"Huh?" Niu Shi Award groaned in a low voice, and his brows furrowed again.

"It should be Ben Shule, don't worry about Dazong!" Seeing this, the surrounding generals hurriedly comforted him, "Zhang Changshi is a smart person, since he can burn Gumo ruthlessly, he will definitely not give Suo Ge another chance to bite himself." ”

"From Gumo City, whether to the west or south, there are riverbanks that can be used as roads. As long as he doesn't take the initiative to stop, Suoge's people will definitely not be able to catch up with him! ”

"Next, there is no need to fight, Suo Ge is also dying. Zhang Changshi is a scholar of heaven and man, and he can distinguish between the important and the important. At this moment, they either retreated to Shule along the Chihe River, or retreated to Khotan along the Jade River. No matter which way he goes, he can get his own people along the way! ”

……

Knowing that the words of the generals are all out of good intentions. The Niu Shi Award turned a deaf ear to these words. took a big step, three steps and two steps to the map, frowning and silent.

As a descendant of the founding veteran Niu Jinda, even if he is far away in the Western Regions, he can see much more things than the generals under his command. I have long noticed a trace of unusual flavor from Zhang Qian's "crazy" move of only "borrowing" 3,000 soldiers and horses from Shule to Gumo.

Because the connection with Guo Yuanzhen was severed, and Zhang Qian sent people to send letters to risk death several times, all of which were mainly to report the battle situation, and did not mention the specific "borrowing troops" process, Niu Shiqi couldn't guess the details of the negotiations between Zhang Qian and Guo Yuanzhen, however, he instinctively guessed that even if these 3,000 soldiers and horses, Guo Yuanzhen was probably "borrowed" reluctantly!

In this way, after Zhang Qian's fire burned Gumo, it was impossible to turn around and go west. He didn't believe that Guo Yuanzhen would send troops to meet him, and he didn't bother to let Guo Yuanzhen send troops to respond. And to the south, along the jade to Khotan, to cross the Tulun moraine. Unless he found a guide who was familiar with the desert to lead the way, a sandstorm could bury him and his 3,000 brothers alive.

I won't go to the west, I can't go to the south, and if I go east, I may meet Suo Ge head-on! In that case, there are only two ways left for Zhang Qian, either find a place to hide near Gumo, or wave his army north!

"Herald!" Suddenly shuddered, Niu Shi Award slapped his hand on the map, and commanded loudly, "One hour to prepare, another hour to pull out the camp, the whole army to Kubiro City!" ”

"Boss!" The generals were caught off guard, and their eyes were all wide-eyed.

With the current situation, the main force of the Anxi Army did not get too close to Suo Ge, and it was the wisest choice to wait for the latter to rebel and leave. And the whole army is stationed in Kupila, but we must always be on guard against Suo Ge rushing over and fighting with everyone before the destruction!

"Stationed in Kupila, pick up General Sun!" Niu Shi Award glanced at everyone and continued to add slowly, "Everyone's lives were saved by Zhang Changshi." Before it is determined that Zhang Changshi is out of danger, the old man can't sit back and watch Suo Ge do whatever he wants! ”

……………………

"Order, the scouts to the three directions of Big Rock City, Sanhekou and Jixun Pavilion, to increase the search efforts. After getting the news from Young Eunuch Zhang, report it immediately! At the same time, the chief manager of the Jinshan Army, Guo Yuanzhen, faced Yutu and commanded loudly.

"Yes!" Xun Yingda, the secretary in charge, agreed, went down to refine and assign tasks. The rest of the civilian staff looked at each other and bowed their heads in silence.

The chief steward was distraught. A few days ago, he learned that his son Zhang Qian led 3,000 brothers to take Gumo City, and his heart was in turmoil. And this afternoon, after learning that Zhang Qian's fire burned Gumo City, he was even more chaotic.

If you change any of the soldiers and get along with Guo Yuanzhen, I am afraid that you will not be able to calm down. The situation is changing too quickly and too complicated. It's dizzyingly fast, and it's overwhelmingly complex.

When they set off from Shule, everyone heard the news that Zhang Qian had successfully taken Gumo City. By the time he arrived at Lonely Rock Mountain, the news had already turned into Zhang Qianhuo burning Gumo, and he was nowhere to be found with his brothers.

Seeing with his own eyes that the grain and grass that he had finally accumulated was burned, Suo Ge would definitely go crazy and look for Zhang Qian to take revenge. And in order to ensure the speed of the march of the brothers under his command, Zhang Qian will definitely not carry much supply with the army. The two armies, which did not have much food, were playing hide and seek along the Sihun River, and without thinking about it, everyone knew how dangerous the situation was.

And the only son of the chief manager followed Zhang Qian. If Zhang Qian was besieged by Suo Ge's men and horses, Guo Hong would definitely not be able to escape. If Zhang Qian was desperate to lead this team to escape to the side of Lonely Rock Mountain, what was waiting for the Jinshan army next would be a fierce battle that had never been encountered before.

"Chief, there is a road of soldiers and horses approaching this side." At the door of the Chinese military tent, a scout rushed in, gasping and reporting to Guo Yuanzhen.

"Who's on duty tonight? Immediately lead the troops out to intercept! Guo Yuanzhen shuddered and instantly regained his usual composure, "Beat the drum and gather the generals, prepare for the situation!" ”

"Yes!" The scout agreed loudly, and then quickly added, "It's Captain Li who is on duty tonight, and he didn't have time to ask for instructions just now, he has already ordered troops out of the camp." ”

"Knock knock ......" The drum of the general was immediately beaten, which shook people's scalps and made the cold hairs in the backbone stand upside down.

The generals of the Jinshan Army who were above the fifth rank all left the affairs at hand and rushed towards the Chinese military tent. Other generals, lieutenants, brigade leaders and other low-level officers quickly organized their ranks and were ready to be dispatched at any time. Just when everyone was busy with their feet not touching the ground, the gate of the barracks was forcefully opened, followed by Guo Hong, a major general who had disappeared for many days, accompanied by Li Su, the captain on duty, galloped in.

Ignoring the rules of not riding horses in the barracks, the two of them rushed to the door of the Chinese military tent in a whirlwind, and then they both jumped off their mounts. Immediately, with Li Su's support, Guo Hong, who was already so tired that he was about to fall apart, stumbled into the door and ran a few steps, and reported loudly: "Father, I, I'm back." I, I'm back with the Trolls and Spares! ”

"Hong'er, it's you ......" Guo Yuanzhen was surprised and delighted, and tears almost rolled out of his eyes. Hurriedly stepped forward and held his son's arm with both hands, "Why are you back?" What about Zhang Qian? What about the brothers he borrowed? ”

"The wounded and sick brethren came back with me. The Ba Xi Department offended Suo Ge and did not dare to wait for death in the Jitur Pavilion, so they also came with me, and they asked you to draw a grassland next to Shule City for them to live in! Guo Hong gasped like bellows, and the words he said were coherent, "I, Zhang Qian and I needed their help to defraud Gumo City at that time, so I agreed to them for you." Please don't blame me for making my own decisions! ”

"No blame, no blame! It's good that you can come back, and I don't blame anyone for being a father! Guo Yuanzhen couldn't hold back after all, and raised his hand to quietly wipe his tears.

A quarter of an hour ago, he was still doubting that he would never see his son again. Now, his son was standing alive in front of him, tired and exhausted, but not the slightest wound on his body! This, how not to make him cry with excitement? As for the request of the Bashi Ministry, it was not worth mentioning at all to him. There is a lot of open space next to Shule City, and if you draw a piece of it, it will be enough to pull out the Xibu to cultivate and recuperate.

"Father, I didn't expect you to come to Lonely Rock Mountain in person!" To be alive to meet his father, Guo Hong was also very excited. However, he forced himself to calm down and gently bowed his hand to his father, "Now that you are here, can you lead the brothers to continue to advance eastward?" You don't have to go too far to sit in the Confessor's Hall. It was small, but big enough for 20,000 troops! ”

"Stationed in the Hall of the Confessor? Why? Did Zhang Qian ask you to propose it to your father? Where is he? Why don't you come to join your father? Guo Yuanzhen was stunned, and a trace of vigilance suddenly surged in his heart. Frowning, a series of questioning words blurted out.

"Restrain Suo Ge, so that he has no time to be distracted!" Changing his previous submissiveness to his father, Guo Hong put away his smile and responded with a straight face, "You are too worried, it is not Zhang Yongzhao's request, I expect you to do this." He himself left Gumo six days ago. It was actually me and Basild who stayed behind to set fire to the city! ”

"What, you were the one who set the fire in Gumo City?!" Even more surprised than seeing his son return alive before, Guo Yuanzhen raised his hands and grabbed Guo Hong's left and right shoulders, looking up and down while shaking.

He was not mistaken, the other party was indeed his son Guo Hong. It's just that compared with before leaving, there is a little less arrogance on his body, but a little more solemnity and calmness.

"It's me!" Guo Hong gently pushed away his father's hand and continued to tell each other, "Zhang Yongzhao left the day after he took Gumo. He had craftsmen do a lot of sledding overnight! Count the time, he should have arrived in the frozen city by this time! ”