Qi Liang's army was mighty like a long dragon, and the seventy strong men of Dai Mansion formed an independent army, but they followed Qi Liang not far away. They were all allowed to follow the army, and Qi Liang was also up to them, but the guards did not allow them to approach as close as ten meters to Qi Liang.

After walking west for five days, the army began to enter Xiangxi after crossing the Snow Peak Mountain. Xiangxi is located in the northwest of Hunan, is the "northwest gateway" of Hunan, bordering Hubei, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, known as the place of "Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, Guizhou throat", the geographical location is quite important, the Qing court has a Wuzhai Division in Ganziying (now Fenghuang County), and the deputy general of the town association.

Xiangxi is the place where the Tujia and Miao people live for generations, the mountains are high and steep, the river valleys are deep, the typical plateau terrain, and the mountains are above 800 meters above sea level.

The army was wandering through the mountains and forests, and it had rained heavily last night, and the air in the woods was fresh, and the crisp sound of birds could be heard everywhere, but the road was a little muddy, and the guards were worried that the road was slippery and made Qi Liang dismount.

Walking in this pristine mountain forest, you can see beautiful scenery everywhere, and now it is the spring season, colorful flowers, and a startled rabbit will emerge if you are not careful. If it's a beautiful spring outing, this scene will be wonderful! Qi Liang looked at the endless line in front and back, the soldiers were very tired, he also rubbed his sore waist, found a stone and sat down.

The soldiers passed in front of him one by one, and Xiao Liuzi handed Qi Liang a cowhide water bag, and Qi Liang raised his head and poured it into it, and the corners of his mouth were full of water droplets. At this moment, I heard a horse fight, and then an exclamation, a passing war horse stumbled, and the person on the horse was falling to the position where Qi Liang was sitting, Qi Liang's eyes were quick, and he reached out to pick up the water bag in his hand before he could throw it away.

The tremendous momentum caused both of them to fall to the ground and roll down the hill, causing everyone to scream.

Luckily, it's not a cliff, just an overgrown slope. "Are you alright?" Qi Liang held the man's shoulder, and the man turned his back to Qi Liang and made a violent movement to break free of Qi Liang.

Qi Liang said "yo ho", his temper is quite big! At this time, there were already six or seven people coming down above, and Liu Shengming asked in a panic: "Shizi!" Are you okay? Then he shouted at the sergeant: "How? Don't you want to die? If you hurt the world, you can't afford to pay for a hundred heads! ”

The people who came down were also the three people from Dai Mansion, and Dai Xin did not scold the person who was sitting on the ground when he helped him up, but asked softly: "Are you hurt?" Then he let the two of them go up with him.

"Shizi! Are you okay? Dai Xin bowed to Qi Liang apologetically, "Thank you for the rescue hand of the prince!" Just now a subordinate fell and injured you, the minion is here to make amends to you! With that, he knelt down and kowtowed heavily.

Qi Liang pulled him up, not blaming him at all, just asking, "Why don't you let him get off the horse?" Don't know if the road is slippery? ”

"The minion will teach him a lesson!" Dai Xin bent down to carry Qi Liang on his back.

Qi Liang pushed him away and said, "I'm fine, I can get on it myself!" ”

This little episode alarmed Hu Guozhu in the front army and Lu Huixiang in the rear army, both of whom came to care and inquire, and scolded Liu Shengming, Dai Xin and others. In fact, there are many wrestlings and stumbles along the way, but it is special just that it happened to the son.

After walking in the mountains and forests for an afternoon before getting out of the mountains, it was getting dark, and the forest looked particularly gloomy, Qi Liang asked worriedly: "General Hu!" Where are we camping tonight? ”

Hu Guozhu said calmly: "Yu Shizi! There is a valley five miles ahead, and the inside is wide and flat, which is suitable for our army to camp! ”

Five miles? Qi Liang frowned, it would take at least half an hour to walk this kind of mountain road for five miles, and it was already dark at that time, but Hu Guozhu was arranging all the way, and he couldn't say anything.

Qi Liang thought about his thoughts alone, and touched his arm from time to time, he didn't feel anything at the beginning of the fall, but after a while, he felt pain in his hands and feet, and at least five injuries were there, and he only knew how it hurt after camping and taking off his clothes.

Hu Guozhu noticed Qi Liang's small movements, and asked worriedly, "Is the prince okay?" ”

Qi Liang shook his head and suddenly said, "General Hu!" Tomorrow we will divide our forces! ”

Hu Guozhu asked in surprise: "Why?" I don't know what new tricks this multi-faceted son has made, but he is really looking forward to it.

Qi Liang said: "Our army has not seen any Qing troops all the way west, and I think the Qing army will either shrink to a few strongholds, or retreat to the Hubei border!" Glancing at it, he asked, "According to the general's wishes, what should it be?" ”

Hu Guozhu didn't think about it and said: "It should be a few strongholds, so what?" ”

Qi Liang looked at the sunset in the west, and said wisely: "In order to save time, we should divide our troops to take those strongholds!" ”

Hu Guozhu shook his head: "Shizi! Why waste time to take all the strongholds, open up the Xiangxi Passage, our army only needs to take Yongshun Mansion! ”

Qi Liang stopped and asked, "What is the strategic purpose of this expedition to my forward battalion?" Is it just to open up the Xiangxi road? Glancing at it, he said, "I think it should be to ensure the safety and permanent unblocking of the Xiangxi Passage, right?" If you want to be permanently unblocked, you must eliminate all the Qing troops in Xiangxi to prevent future troubles! ”

Hu Guozhu pondered for a moment and nodded: "The prince is reasonable!" Then he asked, "How does the prince want to divide his troops?" ”

Qi Liang glanced at it and said lazily: "What does General Hu think?" ”

Hu Guozhu pondered for a while, and immediately said: "All the way to the west, take the first line of the Phoenix Direct Hall-Yongsui Direct Hall; All the way to the northwest, take the line of Qianzhou directly under the Department - Baojing County - Yongshun Mansion. ”

Qi Liang nodded, he admired Hu Guozhu a lot, as long as he was given a little information, he would immediately conceive a perfect implementation plan, he was really a very good staff officer.

"I'll go to the front line of the Phoenix Directly Affiliated Hall - Yongsui Direct Hall!" Qi Liang simply ropeway.

Hu Guozhu categorically vetoed: "Let the lowly post go to the front line of the Phoenix Direct Office - Yongsui Direct Department!" ”

Both of them know that this route is dangerous, the Qing army is many, the Qing court has a Wuzhai Division in the pole camp (now in Fenghuang County), there is a deputy general of the town association, stationed in the green camp 3,000, the most headache is still the ethnic minorities, they are not divided between soldiers and people, it can be said that all the people are soldiers.

Qi Liang stared at Hu Guozhu for a long time, and did not argue: "The general has six thousand troops and two Chong Guanning iron cavalry!" ”

Hu Guozhu said: "Four thousand troops are enough!" He was worried about Qi Liang's safety, and wanted to let Qi Liang bring more soldiers as much as possible!

Qi Liang cut off and said: "The general will take six thousand troops and two Chong Guanning iron cavalry, otherwise I will go to the front line of the Phoenix Direct Hall-Yongsui Direct Hall!" ”

Hu Guozhu took a step back and said: "You can lead 6,000 troops with a humble position, but the cavalry on the first line of the high mountain road and steep road in the direct hall of the Phoenix Directly Affiliated Hall - Yongsui Direct Office can't use it, and the Erchong Guanning Iron Cavalry still follows the prince." ”

Qi Liang thought about it sideways, and said in a tone that was not allowed to be denied: "Take a rush to Guan Ning Iron Cavalry, and there can be no more objections!" ”

Hu Guozhu knew that the prince cared about him, and said with gratitude: "The slave obeys the order!" ”

On the second day, Qi Liang and Hu Guozhu divided their troops in Tanjiawan, and Hu Guozhu arched his hand and said: "Take care of the prince!" ”

Qi Liang also bowed his hand: "General Hu should also be more careful, Xiao Wang is waiting for you in Yongshun Mansion!" ”

Soon after Hu Guozhu left, Qi Liang summoned Lu Huixiang and ordered: "Lu Zuoling!" Ru led the second Chong Guanning Iron Cavalry and a thousand troops to go up the Youshui, bypassing the Qianzhou Directly Subordinate Department, and directly attacking Baojing County! I'll lead the headquarters to slow down and cover up for you! ”

According to the original route, it is necessary to first capture the Qianzhou direct department and then the Baojing County Government, Lu Huixiang thought carefully for a moment and knew the subtlety, surprise, attack it unprepared, no one would have thought that the front of Qianzhou was not down, and the back of Baojing actually suffered first! His eyes were shining, his blood was boiling, he was as excited as a drunken shrimp, and he said loudly: "The slave obeys the order!" ”

Qi Liang glanced at it and asked uneasily, "Do you know how to do it?" ”

Lu Huixiang said: "Like the last surprise attack on Tongshan City, hurry up and enter the city in disguise!" ”

Qi Liang shook his head: "Entering the city in disguise or entering the city in disguise, but it's not a quick whip!" You need to travel day and night, and the people you meet on the road are forcibly taken away regardless of the result, and you are not allowed to return if you don't capture Baojing City! "This is to ensure the concealment of the troops.

Lu Huixiang nodded admiringly: "Understood!" ”

After Lu Huixiang led his troops away, Qi Liang summoned Liu Shengming again, pulled him to a hidden place, and said softly: "Shengming!" Do you know the Yellow Creek in the northwest that is 100 miles away from Tanjiawan? ”

Liu Shengming saw Qi Liang's serious expression, and he didn't know what was wrong? Said cautiously: "Yes! ”

Qi Liang asked again: "Do you know that there is a Xiangjiazhuang in Huangxi?" ”

Liu Shengming shook his head, and Qi Liang immediately said, "I'll let you take all the guards to take down this Xiangjiazhuang!" ”

Liu Shengming worried: "The minions are gone, who will protect the safety of the son?" ”

Qi Liang glared and said, "Aren't there still three thousand troops?" Can't they protect me? You just do what you do! ”

Liu Shengming no longer hesitated, nor did he ask the reason, and blindly obeyed: "The slave will go!" ”

Qi Liang stopped him and asked, "Do you know what you're going to do?" ”

Liu Shengming asked suspiciously: "Didn't the prince let us go to Xiangjiazhuang?" ”

Qi Liang said: "Laying down Xiangjiazhuang is secondary, and grabbing the gold to Xiangjiazhuang is the main thing, do you understand?" Qi Liang had already heard that there was a gold mine in Chenzhou, and that Xiangjiazhuang was a local tyrant, and the largest and best gold mine in Chenzhou was opened by his family.

Grab gold? Liu Shengming's eyes shone brighter than gold, and he said happily: "The slave understands!" ”

Qi Liangbai glanced at him and said, "You don't understand!" Liu Shengming is no better than Chen Zhengcheng, he had to make it clear in detail: "The black-clothed masked sneak attack, no matter whether it is successful or not, it will be retreated with one blow, this matter must not be publicized, I will wait for you in the triangle flat by the Yuan River, and report it secretly when I come back!" ”

Transferring Hu Guozhu and Lu Huixiang away, this is Qi Liang's real purpose.