Early in the morning, Du Ya, Kojiqiu, Beigong Yue and others went out of the city, crossed the river to the east bank, and waited for the arrival of the Xin Er Division.

The weak water flows from east to west, through Jiankang and Jiuquan, turns to the north, passes through the desert, and is divided into two at a place about 100 miles south of Juyanze, forming a "Ya" shape, and turning from one river to two rivers.

The two rivers, one to the northwest and the other to the southeast, eventually converge into Juyanze.

Xihai County is located between these two divergent rivers, relatively close to the East River.

The south is the weak water flow, the east and west are adjacent to the river, the south is Juyanze, surrounded by water, this county can be called a sentence "easy to defend and difficult to attack".

It is precisely because of such an excellent geographical environment that Xihai County can be firmly nailed here with a county, more than 10,000 people, and 3,000 soldiers and horses, serving as a bridgehead to resist the southern raid of the nomads in Mobei.

It was almost noon, in the early autumn and under the light sun, first the sight of dust flying, and then, seeing the red, black, yellow, blue and other colors of military flags, and in a short time, thousands of pace, cavalry sergeants, and people transporting heavy baggage jumped into the eyes of the waiting people.

Duya said, "The Governor and the Emperor have arrived. Generals, protectors, let's catch up, shall we? ”

Beigong served in the army in the southeast of Longdi in the early years, and the southeast of Longdong has always been guarded by the Koji family, and the more Beigong is regarded as the old general of Koji Shuo. He respects Koji Qiu very much, and after Du Ya takes the lead in driving the ox cart and leading the county officials to lead the way, although his official position is higher than Kojiqiu, he still asks Koji Qiu to go first.

Koji Qiu was not proud of his background, grabbed his arm, and said with a smile: "What is the general polite to me?" Let's go, let's go together. ”

The two rode horses, and took Lan Baozhang, Qi Dali, Ballian Fan, Zhang Gui, Yuan Guang and Song Gai, the captain of the school, the captain Bing Bo, the cavalry generals Qu Nanhu and Qu Nan Jianri's father and son, and the middle and senior monarchs in the Beigong Yue army followed Du Yache and went forward.

Xin Er got the report of the sentry cavalry, and knew that Du Ya and others greeted him, and he didn't take it big at all, nor did he bring too many riders, and took the initiative to gallop out of the Chinese army to meet everyone.

After greeting Du Ya, Xin Er glanced at Beigong Yue, saw him hanging his left arm, and asked, "Is the general injured?" ”

Beigong Yue's left arm was wrapped in a bandage and hung around his neck.

He replied, "When I caught that 'lord' of the northern captive, the last general accidentally twisted his shoulder. A little injury, no feet. ”

Beigong Yue is thirty-four years old Chinese New Year's Eve, more than seven feet long, with a strong physique, although he is a Rong person, he does not have braided hair, like a Tang person, he wears a bun and wraps a black scarf, when answering Xin Yu's question, his voice is loud, Tang dialect is fluent and authentic, and he does not speak Longdi dialect, but official dialect.

Xin Er knew that Lord Rouran must have been captured by Beigong Yue immediately, and after about a hard fight, Beigong Yue's muscles were tired, so between side turns, he twisted the muscles in his shoulders. Knowing that he was fine, he was relieved. Lord Rouran said that Rouran had more than 20,000 horsemen to invade this time, and it would be a vicious battle, and Beigong Yue was the first fierce general in the three counties, and it was indispensable in the battle in Japan.

Duya and Xin Er met and talked to Dan.

Yan Dan was angry when he saw Xin Er, he didn't want to live with him, he was not in the Chinese army, he rushed over from behind.

Yan Dan was not willing to talk to Xin Er too much, and Xin Er talked to him.

After meeting Beigong Yue, Koji Qiu, etc., Xin Yi smiled and said to Fan Dan: "Fan Fu Jun, you haven't met with Koji Protector yet, have you?" Come, come, please come here, and I'll introduce you. ”

Yan Dan said angrily: "Without the introduction of Lao Dujun, I have known the Koji Protector for a long time. ”

Pan and Koji are equally famous, and they are both first-class valve clans, and most of the children in the clan know each other.

Pan Dan not only knows Koji, but also knows Song Gai, the long history of Koji. The three have met. Koji Qiu smiled: "The last time I met the prince of the palace, it was in the royal capital. I haven't listened to Fu Jun's subtle talk for a long time, and I feel that I am becoming more and more vulgar. ”

Yan Dan glanced at Xin Er and said, "Governor Xin's reputation has been far and wide in recent months, and I often hear of Governor's name in Jiuquan. I am ashamed of myself compared to the governor. Girl, you are close to the Governor, you can ask the Governor for more advice. ”

"Girl" is the small word of koji ball.

Folk superstition, thinking that children are heavy and easy to be exposed to ghosts, leading to danger, there is a move to give boys female names, with the intention of spreading mysteries and confusing ghosts, so that they can not find the object of confusion. Kojiqiu's two older brothers died young, and his parents wanted him to grow up safely, so they gave him this nickname.

Xin Er said with a smile: "People have rulers short, and they also have inches long, and when it comes to metaphysics, I am not as good as the king of Fanfu." ”

When Du Ya heard this, he was stunned for a moment, and said in his heart: "'Foot short', 'inch long'? Is the governor praising the old man or damaging the old man? Are you talking about the old Xuantan kung fu, it's just 'inch long'? ”

The last time Xin Er came to Xihai to inspect the military, Du Ya felt that Xin Er was different from when he first met.

When I first met, Xin Er gave him the impression that there were no edges and corners, and there was no romantic state, silent, very ordinary person.

The last time we met, through Xin Er's opinions on some city defense measures, he felt Xin Er's decisiveness and saw thoroughness; This time we met, only from the appearance of Xin Er's words and deeds when talking to Koji Qiu, Pan Dan, etc., it was a step further than last time.

Du Ya thought unconsciously: "I met with the Governor three times, and the Governor was different three times. Zhuangzi Yun Qiji '- day and thousands of miles'. A person who travels thousands of miles in a day, is the governor a prince? "Slightly put away the contempt when I first saw Xiner.

Noticing the discord between Pan Dan and Xin Er, he couldn't help but think worriedly, "The governor summoned me and Lao Fan to meet in Jiankang, but Lao Fan didn't give the governor face, and the tired governor and I waited for him for half a day in vain; When the governor attacked Lu Shuihu, I heard that he was rewarded, and he also lost face. Rouran's southern invasion is big this time, and if our generals are not in harmony? Alas, it's worrying. ”

Duya asked Xiner, Fan Dan and others to cross the river into the county.

Xin Er smiled generously at Pan Dan: "There are not many ferries, and the river bridge is not wide, so it cannot be crossed at one time." Fan Fujun, along the way, you are taking care of the baggage in the back, you have worked a lot, please cross the river first. ”

Yan Dan was furious, and said in his heart: "Lao Tzu is too lazy to see your face in the back!" How did I become 'taking care of the baggage'? Do you treat me like a slut? Thinking of the advice that Cao Tianyu gave him on the road, he thought, "It is difficult to make a special contribution if you stay in the city and guard." If you want to make meritorious contributions, you still have to rely on field battles. Holding back his anger at the moment, he said, "Don't rush into the city. ”

"Oh?"

"Lower Official, may I ask the Governor, this time the Imperial Capture, I don't know what tactics the Governor intends to use?"

Xin Er looked Pan Dan up and down, and said in his heart: "Come and ask me again?" ”

But when it was time to collect Hu, it was Pan Dan who asked Xin Er first. After Xin Er truthfully explained his policy, Fan Dan praised it in person, but behind his back, he did not implement his policy at all, but used the same method as Huang Rongzhi's proposal.

Xin Er didn't answer the rhetorical question, and said: "Since the prince of Fan Fu asked this question, I think he has a good plan?" Dare to hear about it. ”

"Defend the city first and defend the wilderness. In the humble opinion of the lower officials, the soldiers are divided into two parts, one is stationed in the city, and the other is stationed outside the river, and the horns echo, so that the advance can be attacked, and the retreat can be defended, which should be the best policy. ”

Pan Dan coincides with Xin Er this time.

Xin Er nodded and said, "What the prince said is very true. ”

Yan Dan said: "As the main general, the governor should be in the city; The lower officials dared to invite and led the headquarters to be stationed outside the river. ”

Xin Er pondered for a while and said, "I originally wanted to make Lan Bao's head stationed outside the river, but since the prince of the mansion invited himself, then the prince of the mansion should take on this important responsibility." "Explain to Pan Dan," outside the palace and the king, remember, don't fight. The first thing we want to keep is Xihai County. ”

Yan Dan said: "There is no need for the governor to advise, the lower officials know it. ”

It was decided that outside the Dantun River, of course, there was no need to cross the river.

After saying goodbye to Duya and Kojiqiu, he returned to the ministry and led his troops to find a place to station.

Xin Er and others led their troops to cross the river without mentioning.

To the north of Xihai County, beyond Juyanze, hundreds of miles away, in the tent of the marshal of Rouran Town in the west, there were three people talking at this time.

The three of them are all Hu people's hairstyles, dresses, and Donghu languages, but one of them has a blunt voice, and his pronunciation is often inaccurate, and although he is a scalp coat, compared to the rough demeanor of the other two, this person has a white face and an exposed demeanor.

This person's name is Gong Gao, not a Hu man, but a Tang man.

He was originally a native of Shuofang County in Puqin, an official in the Puqin Dynasty, broke the law, and because of his outlaw Rouran, he was thrown into the western town marshal of Rouran. The strategy of setting up a bait to ambush Beigong Yue was proposed by him, and he is now the first mastermind of the western Rouran town commander.

The name of the handsome town of Rouran in the west is Pi Tan, who is in his forties, with a yellow and black complexion and a thick beard.

Another person was reporting.

After listening attentively, Pi Tan laughed and said, "So, Tang Er has been tricked!" Gu smiled at Gong Gao and said, "Mr. is strategic, he is really like a god!" I've got a tiger's wings, sir. This time, he laid down Dunhuang and occupied the Western Regions Trade Road, Mr. Head Credit! ”

Gong Gao said modestly: "No matter how good the strategy is, it can only be used when you meet the master." A high outlaw sinner, fortunately blessed by the king, he did not become a dry bone in the wilderness, where do you dare to take this credit? ”

"Wen Shilan, I'll leave it to you over there. The soldiers and horses of the three counties of Tang'er all converged in Xihai County, and Dunhuang was alone. As long as you can contain Tang'er in the West Sea for half a month, I can take Dunhuang! ”

Xihai County is easy to defend and difficult to attack, but this time, Pi Tan didn't think about attacking Xihai at all.

What Beigong Yue tortured was actually fake news.

This is another Gong Gao plan.

Xihai County is surrounded by water, and although it is difficult to fight, once the enemy deploys troops and horses on the other side of the river, it will be difficult for the troops in the county to go out. Second, Dunhuang is located in the westernmost part of Longzhou, its east is an overseas Chinese county, called Tangchang County, Tangchang County is Jiuquan and Jiankang to the east, that is to say, if Dunhuang and Tangchang encounter foreign invasion, only Jiuquan and Jiankang can rush to support the fastest time, that is, the soldiers and horses under the supervision of Xin Er.

Based on these two reasons, Gong Gao then raised a plan for Pi Tan to "attack the west".

Tell the soldiers and horses of the Hu Department who came to the gathering, saying that this time it is the West Sea that they are going to fight, and when the wind is released, the Tang people are fooled, and the soldiers and horses of Jiuquan and Jiankang gather in the West Sea, and trap the soldiers and horses of the three counties with other departments, and then, Pi Tan personally led the main force to take the opportunity to raid Dunhuang.