Gou Xiong was defeated and fled, pursued by Gao Yancao, he defeated the general, such as a bird with a frightened bow, although Gao Yancao led a small number of Dingxi knights, only more than ten horses, he did not dare to fight, leaving Began Changsheng and thirty horses after the break, he took the rest of his own soldiers, and continued to run east. escaped for more than ten miles and met Ji He and Qu Yuanguang. The two of them were neatly dressed, completely different from the dirty, sweaty Gou Xiong and others, at a glance, it was clear that the two of them must have left the army a long time ago, and they didn't know when they were already here, that is, no wonder Gou Xiong looked for Ji He and asked the time, and he couldn't find him. Gou Xiong is a shameless person, because this defeat was caused by his disobedience to Ji He's opinions, so he has no shame to investigate his sin of "slipping away from the battle". The two met all the way, and then ran for their lives.

Until the border of Heyin County, it was the morning of the next day, and he still didn't see Began Changsheng catching up, Gou Xiong knew that he must be more than lucky. Don't do Changsheng is his favorite general, the defeat and the love of the general is very likely to die, Gou Xiong is extremely depressed, but he is afraid that Zhang Shao will send chasing soldiers again, frustration can only be put away for the time being, he and Ji He and others from the fire has been extinguished, into a ruins of Heyin County through the road, follow the way to come, through Huze, to Manbai, with the troops left behind in Manbai, and then to Shanan, and then with the troops left behind in Shanan, wait here for two days, and then recovered hundreds of soldiers and soldiers who fled back from the battlefield in Shuofang County, a total of less than 2,000 soldiers and horses.

Less than 2,000 people? Don't say that most of them are weak? is a strong soldier, and there is no hope of "recovering Shuofang County".

Did Gou Xiong follow Ji He's advice? Conceded defeat in this battle? It was decided to withdraw and merge with the state first.

So, from the ferry port to the east of Shanan County? Crossing the Yellow River and entering the state boundaries? Turning southeast? After Yanmen County, retreat to Xinxing County,—— these two counties have been defeated by Gou Xiong, and there are Gou Xiong's troops stationed in the county? But there are not many garrisons in the two counties? Gou Xiong drew 500 people from each of them, a total of 1,000 people, and the army was slightly strengthened. After resting in Xinxing County for two days, Gou Xiong received a report on this day, saying that Yang Man, the Taishou of Shangjun, led his headquarters to leave Xihe County? I marched to Taiyuan County, and I will arrive at Jinyang in about two or three days.

Is Jinyang the county governor of Taiyuan County? The county is also a state of merger.

Gou Xiong was furious and said, "Yang Man has been in Xihe for half a month? Don't move for a long time, don't go to Taiyuan early? Don't go to Taiyuan at night! Just when I was defeated? And he moved? Lead the troops to Taiyuan! Damn, this Lao Qiang is clearly going to take credit for conquering Jinyang with Lao Tzu! ”

Xihe County and Xinxing County are both bordered by Taiyuan County, Xinxing County is in the north of Taiyuan County, and Xihe County is in the west of Taiyuan County.

Shuofang County was defeated, and thousands of elite Pu Qin were lost, and the merits and demerits were offset, and the credit for laying down Yanmen and other counties before no longer need to be mentioned, if the credit for laying down Jinyang was taken by Yang Man, then this time the battle against Xianbei Wei State, Pu Badger Sun, Pu Luogu and other Pu Qin generals have reported various good news, and they have great achievements, but only he is strong, and it will really be nothing.

I can endure other things, but I can't bear this one.

Gou Xiong once again made a decision, and gave an order: "Go south to Jinyang immediately!" ”

Ji He frowned and said: "General, our army is weak, and there are only 3,000 soldiers. Jinyang, and the state of the state is also governed, although the state has been conquered by the general and Yang Taishou, and Jinyang still has Murong Xianbei's three thousand foot riders. With 3,000 soldiers who could not bear the fierce battle, even if the troops were sent to Jinyang, I am afraid that they would not be able to defeat this city, and they would not be able to snatch this merit from Yang Taishou's hands. ”

Gou Xiong said angrily: "What do you want me to snatch from him? If the king hadn't ordered me to recover Shuofang County, I would have fucking defeated Jinyang a long time ago! It's obviously Yang Man, an old horseman, who is snatching credit from me! Lao Tzu went to Jinyang, just to get back what should have belonged to Lao Tzu! ”

"But General, we don't have enough soldiers and horses."

"I've got a plan."

Gou Xiong led these 3,000 soldiers, pulled out the camp on the same day, and went south to Taiyuan County.

The Wei general of Taiyuan County was named Han Motu. Han is not the surname of the Xianbei tribes, this human race is from the Great Khan Department of the Xiongnu, and it is a descendant of Shan Yu of the Southern Xiongnu. Although he is not a Xianbei person, he is quite good at fighting and loyal, and he is very trusted by Murong Wei and Murong Yan's father and son, so he was able to guard the important county of Taiyuan. Faced with the severe situation of the semi-fall of Bingzhou Tai and the attack of Puqin's soldiers and horses on the two roads of Gou Xiong and Yang Man, Han Mo suddenly decisively adopted the strategy of shrinking his troops and concentrating all the soldiers and horses of the whole county in Jinyang to hold on to the back.

Because of Han Motu's strategy of stubbornly waiting for reinforcements, Yang Man, or Gou Xiong, after leading his troops into Taiyuan County, they did not encounter any resistance. First, Yang Man smoothly led his troops to the outside of Jinyang City, and soon after, two days later, Gou Xiong hurriedly led his troops to arrive.

Yang Man's camp has been built, and Yang Man went out of the camp to meet Gou Xiong.

The two met outside Yang Ying's gate.

Gou Xiong jumped off the horse and opened his mouth to say: "Old Yang, I'm guilty!" ”

Yang Mannian is forty years old, white and fat, rich physique, no armor, his head is wrapped in a white curtain, wearing a Tang crane, holding a feather fan, stepping on clogs, and even having the demeanor of an elegant general, just looking at the appearance, no one can see that he is actually not a Tang person, but a Qiang person.

Yang Man said: "Why did the general say this? ”

"The king ordered me to recover Shuofang County, but I was careless for a while, but I was defeated in Shuofang County. I have sent someone to the king's camp, and I think it will be as short as seven or eight days, or as long as ten days, and the king's punishment for me will come! ”

Yang Man shook his fan and said: "Victory and defeat are commonplace, the king is wise, he will definitely not blame the general too much, and the general's status is noble, and the king will not punish the general too heavily for the sake of the queen's face." General, but rest assured. ”

Gou Xiong said: "The king has always been strict in rewards and punishments, I was defeated this time, and I lost my soldiers and generals, and I didn't want to die in the battle, and I knew that I was guilty." Old Yang, don't comfort me. As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to wipe his eyes, and he looked like he was about to shed tears.

Yang Man said in surprise: "General, what's wrong with you?" It's just a small defeat left and right, and I'll fight back in the future! Why grieve? He didn't say a word in his heart, he thought, "It's not that you Gou Xiong haven't lost battles, don't talk about it, only the battles of Qinzhou, haven't you lost several times?" I don't see you grieving! Shuo Fang didn't win, how could he behave like this? ”

Gou Xiong rubbed his eyes vigorously, rubbed his eye circles red, and said, "My grief is not for Shuofang's defeat. ”

"What's that for?"

"It's for the death of eternal prosperity! Lao Yang, I first lost Gao, then lost Changsheng, Gao and my fellow townspeople, we knew each other when I was bare-assed, Changsheng Yongguan Sanjun, is my love, he is now both lost. Lao Yang, Shuo Fang is really my old Gou's sad place!

Yang Manxin said: "I see! If Gou Xiong and others break an arm, they are sad about it, but it is understandable. ”

He said, "It's a pity that the general and the lieutenant died! But the matter has come to this point, it cannot be reversed, and it is useless for the general to grieve no matter how much he grieves, so please ask the general to mourn. Although the current Shuo Fang cannot be recovered for the time being, and when the King of Heaven defeats Yecheng, the main force of my Great Qin has drawn out his hand, and I will win the army and attack the lone army, how difficult is it to win! At that time, the general can take revenge on the general and the lieutenant. ”

"It's easy to say, but if Zhang Mu dies in battle, can you be so casual?"

Zhang Mu's position in Yang Man's army, and other types of Began Changsheng's status in Gou Xiong's army, is Yang Man's fierce general, since the previous attack on Qinzhou, Yang Man's adopted son Yang Funu was beheaded by Wang Shuwang, and now Yang Man's account is the most brave Zhang Mu.

Zhang Mu followed Yang Man to greet Gou Xiong, and when he heard Gou Xiong's words that were almost cursing him in person, he rolled his eyes and looked at Gou Xiongxia, his face was unhappy, but his position was humble, even if he was unhappy, he could only swallow his anger.

Yang Man said: "The general attaches great importance to love and righteousness, and the subordinate officials admire him." However, for the sake of the general's noble body, the officials are foolish, and the mourning should not be excessive. I have prepared a banquet in my tent, and I invite the general into my camp to drink and sing and dance, or I can slightly dispel the general's sorrow. ”

Gou Xiong shook his head and said, "Where do I have the heart to drink and watch dance!" ”

"So what should I do?"

Gou Xiong put down his hand rubbing his eyes and asked, "Old Yang, are you sincerely thinking about my noble body?" ”

"The body of the general's daughter, the country's dependence, what the subordinate officials say, and what they say from the bottom of their hearts."

"Then this thing is easy to do, it depends on whether you are willing or not."

"The general just asks, the subordinate has nothing to do."

Gou Xiong said: "Most of our soldiers were lost in this battle of Shuofang, Lao Yang, your soldiers are strong and strong, give me some!" ”

Yang Man was dumbfounded and said, "This ......"

"I know you're not sincere in your consideration for my precious body." Gou Xiong squinted at Yang Man and said, "Old Yang, don't you think that the king will punish me heavily this time, and that I am about to fall out of favor with the king and lose power in the court, so you are duplicitous, right?" ”

Yang Man said: "How can this be! ”

"Then you can divide some troops and horses with me! I don't want more, I don't want any of your descendants, just go to the county soldiers! ”

Yang Manjia is the Qiang chief of Nan'an County, and his descendants are the soldiers of his own tribe and the Qiang people from Nan'an County, and the "Shangjun soldiers" are the Tang and Hu soldiers from Shangjun in his army. These two groups of soldiers each accounted for forty percent and sixty percent of his total army.

In other words, Gou Xiong said it well, he doesn't want Yang Man's "main lineage", it seems that he only needs miscellaneous troops, but in fact, what he wants is more than half of Yang Man's soldiers and horses. Yang Man's entire army was almost 10,000 people, and the six achievements were 6,000 foot cavalry.

How could Yang Man be willing? But when he heard the threatening tone in Gou Xiong's last sentence, he couldn't help but say: "When Yao Guo attacked Hedong and Pingyang County, he had correspondence with me. Yao Guobing was defeated and died, and although the king did not punish me, it is difficult to guarantee that he will not be deeply suspicious of me. Gou Xiong is the elder brother of Gou Hou, and the king is also a trustworthy person, if I don't agree to his request for soldiers, in case he goes behind his back, my life will be worried! ”

Thinking of this, he was forced to say, "If the general can reduce his grief a little because of this, the lower officer will be glad!" ”

Gou Xiong was overjoyed and said, "Lao Yang, a word is a certainty!" ”

"It's a deal."

"When will it be given to me?"

Yang Manru ate Coptis chinensis, pretended to be happy, and replied, "You can do it at any time." ”

Gou Xiong immediately said to the left and right generals: "Come with me to the banquet in the Yang Taishou camp, and tomorrow I will assign these Shangjun soldiers to you." ”

The generals rejoiced and agreed.

Gou Xiong looked at Ji He with a smile on the corner of his mouth, he didn't have words, but Ji He understood what he meant, he was telling himself that this was his clever plan to make up for the disadvantage of the lack of soldiers and horses, and snatch the credit for conquering Jinyang from Yang Man.

Yang Man accompanied Gou Xiong into the camp, and when he arrived at the general tent, he respectfully asked Gou Xiong, Ji He and others to enter first.

Zhang Mu grabbed the corner of his clothes, pulled him aside, and said angrily: "Ming Gong! Xiao Cavalry forcibly seized the Ming Gong Series, and most of the Ming Gong Songs were taken away at once, which is really hateful! It's too much! Why did the general agree to him? And Ming Gong, the Shangjun soldiers gave Xiao Cai, this Jinyang City, how can Ming Gong still fight? Didn't this great achievement also be given to him in vain? ”

Zhang Mu is Yang Man's confidant, Yang Man didn't hide it from him, called him Xiaozi, and said bitterly: "Pig, you know about Yao Guo's correspondence with me. The reason why the king did not punish me is because the eastern part of the county is adjacent to the state, and I have been pasting this county for a long time, and I have won the hearts and minds of the people, and the king is worried that killing me will cause chaos, causing Murong Xianbei to take the opportunity to invade the county. Now the king is triumphant all the way, eight or nine out of ten Ye County will be defeated by the king, Ye County is down, Murong Clan's Wei land is half of the king's gains, and Shangjun will have no foreign enemies, pig, do you say that the king will be afraid of chaos in Shangjun at that time? My life is in danger! Today, if I disobey General Gou's request for troops and offend him, once he slanders the king again, the king will definitely kill me! I had no choice but to allow it. ”

Zhang Mu was angry and said: "The general of the defeated army, and the face of the Ming Gong to ask for soldiers!" It's too deceitful! ”

Yang Man swallowed the bitter water and said: "Don't say it again, follow me into the account, serve a few glasses of wine to General Gou, and hope that when Wang Guo investigates and punishes me in the future, he can say two good words for me!" ”

Yang Man took advantage of Gou Xiong's defeat to fight Jinyang, not purely to fight for merit, but for a greater reason, it was because he was worried that Pu Mao would settle accounts after the autumn, so he desperately wanted to get a great merit, and to use the power to be regarded as "meritorious service", hoping to save his life, but he did not expect that Gou Xiong not only followed one after another, but as soon as they met, he was going to leave most of his soldiers and horses, but as he said to Gou Xiong, "The matter has come to this", he has no other way, no matter how much bitterness he has, he swallows it himself, and he has to force a smile and accompany Gou Xiong.

Yang Man and Zhang Mu entered the tent.

When I raised my eyes, I saw that Gou Xiong was already sitting on the main seat.

Yang Man held down the irrepressible anger of Zhang Mu and willingly sat down with Gou Xiong's hand.

Gou Xiong patted the table and said, "Lao Yang, where is your alcohol, your singing and dancing?" ”

Yang Manfu replied with a smile: "The general waits, and the wine, singing and dancing will be there soon." ”

The camp prostitutes dressed in translucent Luo yarn, holding fine wine and delicacies, and fish into the account, were dedicated to Gou Xiong, Yang Man, Ji He, Qu Yuanguang, Zhang Mu and others. The musicians are listed, the kabuki are in place, the singers are showing their throats, and the dancers are dancing.

There are Rong women, Xianbei women, and Tang women, regardless of race, they sing the ballads of the Rong people, and the accompaniment is used to make the traditional musical instruments of the Rong people, such as the flute, pipa, and horn.

First, a toast song was sung, and everyone in the tent toasted Gou Xiong with the singing; Then, the singers sang in chorus, or solo, or one party pretended to be a man, sang to each other, singing the melodious and graceful love songs of the Rong people.

Ji He was used to hearing Rong songs during the banquet, but there are hundreds of folk songs of the Rong people, and the girls sang at this time, he mostly listened to it for the first time, and listened carefully, although the lyrics were different from those he had heard before, the style of the lyrics was no different, and they were all hot and bold.

The song is Rong language, translated into Tang dialect, and the song being sung is to the effect of: "Sister seventeen comes to brother eighteen, brother is bee sister is flower." The bee flutters the heart of the flower to pick the honey, and the sister is the peony that often blooms."

After singing one song, it was another one.

Gou Xiong had no interest in singing and dancing, and his eyes widened, and he picked out three beautiful ones from the kabuki and summoned them to sit beside him, drinking and eating meat while putting his hands up and down.

When the wine was half-drunk, he came in high spirits, and beckoned Yang Man to come closer, to compare it with him to see who was stronger.

Yang Man had read a lot of Tang classics, and he couldn't do such a rude thing, and when he was embarrassed, a military official came in from outside the tent.

"Report to the general, the holy decree has arrived!"