When the soldiers and horses of Zhao Ying entered the territory of Yuzhou, the sunset had gradually disappeared into the western mountains. Feijie's left and right battalions of 2,000 horse troops set off from Xinye County, day and night to travel nearly 200 miles, Han Gon and Ma Guangchun successively asked to choose a place to rest temporarily, Zhao Dangshi did not agree, until this time the sky tends to be dark, it is really sleepy and tired, he ordered to find a dense woods, and the garrison took a breath.

Dismounted and tied to the leash, Zhao Dangshi took off the water bladder from the saddle and drank two sips, and by the way, poured the remaining water on his face, feeling hearty, Han Gon came over and asked, "Lord, are you determined to save Yuzhou?" ”

Zhao Dangshi withdrew a piece of linen cloth and wiped his face and said, "It's all here, why are you still saying this?" ”

Han Gon sighed and said, "This is not in a hurry, I don't have time to talk about it in detail." Then the words sank, "In another thirty miles is Yuzhou City, as long as our army gets there, it will be torn ...... face with the breaking army, and the lord is " As an officer at the veteran level of Zhao Ying, he is one of the few people in the whole army who knows the secret agreement between Zhao Dangshi and Li Zicheng.

Zhao Dangshi threw the sackcloth onto the saddle and said, "How else? Really watched Yuzhou defeat the Chuang army? Then he said, "When I get to the outside of the city, I will go to the king and say, if he is not willing to give this face, am I really afraid that the army will not succeed?" ”

"......"

"This is the same reason as our army's destruction of the Hui and Ge 2nd battalions. Although he did not directly invade northern Chu when he returned to the camp, he caused a disturbance to the trade routes and greatly affected the development of our army, and he must not be connived up. The army fought Nanyang Mansion, and it didn't seem to have invaded northern Chu, but the fire at the city gate affected the pond fish, if Nanyang fell, and the barrier in northern Chu was lost, what kind of impact would it bring to our army King Chuang would not know, but he still fought, why? ”

Han Gon shook his head and said, "Please make it clear." ”

Zhao Dangshi said with an indifferent expression: "King Chuang is testing me and demonstrating to me. He also said, "The army swept Henan, the officers and troops from all walks of life were repeatedly defeated, and the thieves from all provinces bowed down to him, only I, Zhao Ying, have not yet expressed ......."

"What does it mean?"

Zhao Dangshi replied: "There are no two days in the sky, and there are no two tigers in the mountains." King Chuang is not ready to fight with our army, but he also needs our army to show 'sincerity'...... In other words, he wants to see with his own eyes that my military uniform is soft. ”

"What does the lord mean is that King Chuang wants to take advantage of this capture of Nanyang Mansion and suppress my Zhao Ying?"

Zhao Dangshi nodded and said: "When Laojun met the iron top, the army was certainly ready to go, after all, the size was still small, and the future was uncertain. Our army already has a scale, and it is not inappropriate to call him a brother, but now the speed of development of the camp is probably unimaginable even for King Chuang himself. With such a Mount Tai momentum, do you say that King Chuang and the eagle dog next to King Chuang will allow him to have an equal role by the couch? After a brief pause, Song Songyi continued to speak, "Although those who offend me Zhao Ying will be punished from a distance, this sentence is not to make us listen to it pleasantly, but it must be deeply remembered by outsiders." Today he advances an inch, and I retreat an inch; Tomorrow he goes in one foot, and I have to go back one foot. In the long run, how can there be an end? You were also present when Mr. Gu talked about "The Theory of the Six Kingdoms", weren't you impressed by one of the sentences at that time, how do you say it? ”

Han Gon said without thinking: "There is such a trend, and it is robbed by the prestige of the Qin people, the sun is cut and the moon is cut, and it tends to die, and those who are for the country have no way to be robbed by the prestige......"

Zhao Dangshi continued: "Yes, 'those who serve the country have no way to be robbed by prestige'." Since the army has the heart to override me, it is better to extinguish this sign early than to compromise and retreat step by step until it can't bear the outbreak of that day. Said and smiled, "Don't worry, although the army is powerful, it has not been able to deal with the mess in Henan, in this case, with the wisdom of the king of Chuang, he will not rashly make enemies and completely tear the face of our army." ”

Han Gon said thoughtfully: "In this way, as long as we can arrive in time, there is still a great chance of securing Yuzhou City." ”

Zhao Dangshi's face was grim, and he said with a little worry: "The chance is not big, you have to try it to know." I'm scared right now...... I'm afraid that Yuzhou City won't be able to hold up the moment we show up......"

"Sun Yingyuan and Zhou Yuji are both good generals, and with them guarding them, Yuzhou City will not be unable to defend it for a day." Han Gon pretended to smile lightly, "In the past, his subordinates didn't collect money at night in Liaodong, and the names of Huang Degong and Zhou Yuji have not been heard of. ”

"Well, I hope I'm overthinking." Zhao Dangshi was relieved, "If you make friends with a strong man, if you are too weak than him, it will be difficult to cooperate." Isn't it the same among ordinary people? ”

Han Gon grinned and said, "That's not true, there are still a lot of friends under my subordinates who often come and go. ”

Zhao Dangshi smiled bitterly and said: "It's just the joy of wine and meat, even if it's really like-minded, but if it involves interests and important matters, do you think they have the ability to help you, and you will consider them first?" He shook his head and said, "What's more, King Chuang and I are not true friends and will never be true friends." He valued me and admired me a few years ago, and in the end he had to pay for it. If I can't bring him the profit he wants, it will only be a matter of thought for him to go from hand in hand to eye to eye again. ”

"Then this time ......"

"This time, I insisted on leading the troops to aid Yuzhou, not to save Yuzhou, nor to defeat the Chuang army to cause the two sides to break up, but to let the king of Chuang see that I, Zhao Dangshi and Zhao Ying, cooperate with others and never bend the knee."

Han Gon stood solemnly and said, "My subordinates understand! ”

The sky was gray and dark, night was approaching, Zhao Dangshi leaned against the tree and sat for a while, and Ma Guangchun, who was in charge of the periphery detective vigilance, hurriedly came and said, "Lord, there is a soldier and horse from outside Wuli...... No, it's two ......."

Zhao Dangshi asked first: "From the north?" ”

"Yes, there are few people and no flags. There are many people in one team, and according to the scouts' observations, it is the banner of Cao Ying. The group with few people was being chased by Cao Ying, and they fought and retreated...... Or officers and soldiers. Ma Guangchun responded.

Han Gon's face turned heavy: "If this is the case, Yuzhou City is only afraid that there will be less luck." ”

Zhao Dangshi remained silent, Ma Guangchun and Han Gon glanced at each other, and said loudly: "These two soldiers and horses will soon pass through this forest, how to deal with it, please publicize it!" ”

"Since it's Cao Ying, it's just a fight, this is the face that King Chuang let out, and if you don't take it for nothing, you won't take it."

Zhao Dangshi was completely convinced that Li Zicheng's thoughts were completely consistent with his guesses. The master has made a move, thinking through three steps and one step. The news of Zhao Ying's soldiers and horses stationed in Xinye County must have been detected by Li Zicheng, who was widely eyelined, and Zhao Dangshi's move was only afraid that he also knew in his heart, the reason why he captured Yuzhou City so quickly was to not give Zhao Dangshi a chance to come out, and he was not sure whether Zhao Dangshi was already on the way to help, and he wanted to pursue the fleeing officers and soldiers, so he could use Cao Ying as a knife to avoid a direct fight with Zhao Ying.

It was not enough to straighten out this point, and Zhao Dangshi also saw King Chuang's attitude towards Cao Ying-Cao Ying had become an outcast. The maintenance of the Hui and Cao Ers' battalions was insignificant compared to the vital interests of both the Chuang and Zhao sides.

"Are you only willing to take a small Yuzhou City?" Zhao Dangshi said to Li Zicheng in his heart, "It's a pity that you underestimated my determination." Nanyang Mansion, I'm Zhao Dangshi Baoding! ”

No matter how powerful Li Zicheng is, he can't be so powerful that he won't give Zhao Ying a chance to react after capturing Yuzhou City, and then take Nanyang Mansion in an instant. Unwilling to turn against Zhao Ying, when Zhao Dangshi came out, the military operation to break into the camp could only come to an abrupt end in Yuzhou City.

"Xingshi mobilized the crowd just to give me a dismount, King Chuang is really arrogant!" Zhao Dangshi sneered secretly. More fierce than the iron horse Jingo is the duel between the hearts and minds, Zhao Dangshi believes that even if he fails to catch up with the rescue of Yuzhou, the military operation of the invading army will be stranded. One yard for another, the first encounter, can be described as a draw.

"Mobilize the whole army, get on the horse, wait for the forest and wait for the military order!"

It was only five miles away, and it was only when the sky was cloudy and the sunset was only a few light thorns emerging from the top of the mountain that there were signs of people coming. At first, I only vaguely heard the sound of swords and soldiers intersecting, and then after waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour, even the last red glow on the horizon completely disappeared, and through the dense woods, it could be seen that the two soldiers and horses were moving while fighting. The noise is deaf, and the outline of the people and horses is much clearer.

The large number of soldiers and horses was divided into three groups, and one of the teams watching from the periphery was lit up one after another, and the lights were bright, illuminating their "Cao" military flag that was unfurled with the evening wind.

Zhao Dangshi nodded, and the Zhao Ying horse army, which had been eager to try early, instantly came out of the forest to kill the Cao Ying horse army who was concentrating on pursuing Ze.

In the black and blue twilight, the hooves and roars of the horses brought up by the Zhao Ying horse army were like dragons roaring and tiger roaring, which stunned the two soldiers and horses on the opposite side. Han Gon personally led his troops to rush at the Cao Ying horse army who were watching, and the angry wind was chaotic in mid-air, and the Cao Ying array was also shattered in an instant. The tired brave guards and brave horse soldiers reacted, and when they saw this, they were all overjoyed, and one by one they were like being reborn from the ashes, raising twelve points of fighting spirit and courage, and converging with Zhao Ying's horse army to turn around and kill back.

Cao Ying's soldiers and horses were difficult to distinguish the enemy's situation in the dark, and their hearts and galls were broken, and they disintegrated in a short time, and they collapsed and scattered. Zhao Dangshi turned his horse to watch, a single horse of the Tibetan Han jumped out of the darkness, covered in blood like a life-seeking Yama, it was terrifying, the guards were about to step forward to stop the attack, Zhao Dangshi raised his hand and shouted: "Slow!" ”

Seeing that the big man gasped, he threw the head he was holding on the ground and said, "I don't know which department your army belongs to?" For the grace of saving his life, Zhou Yuji is grateful! ”

Zhao Dangshi arched his hand and said: "Zhao Dangshi of Yunxiang Town, I have seen Lord Zhou." ”

When Zhou Yuji heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he said with a lonely expression: "You are late, Yuzhou City has fallen." ”

Zhao Dangshi said with a calm face: "Zhao can't help, I'm ashamed." I don't know where Master Sun is? ”

"Dead."

As he was talking, Han Gon came galloping, and he also carried a bloodstained head in his hand: "The thief canal king Kehuai has been awarded the head, he was one of the people who harmed Lao Lian in Zaoyang City, and he suffered a thousand knives, but he lived for a few more years!" After that, he threw the head to the ground with hatred, and it happened that the bones rolled to the side of the one thrown by Zhou Yuji and touched them together.

"Lord Zhou beheaded Zhu Yangmin." Ma Guangchun knew the general Cao Ying, and recognized, "Luo Rucai's profitable generals are now only Li Rugui. ”

"It's useless to chase and kill these people, the thieves have captured Yuzhou, the Nanyang portal has been opened, we have to go back to protect Nanyang Mansion City!" Zhou Yuji's face was tired, but his voice was very high, "I have killed many brothers here, but there are three hundred or so left, and one is ten." Zhao Shuai has a long reputation for being good at fighting, but he can quickly gather the army, you and I will go to Fucheng to defend the city with the fierce marshal, and wait for Liu Gonggong to arrive, and it is not a problem to repel the thieves! "I was so anxious and stupid that I couldn't care about being tired.

"That's exactly what I mean." Zhao Dangshi nodded yes, and immediately ordered, "Take back the soldiers and horses that were chased out, Yuzhou is not guaranteed, our army will return to Fucheng first!" ”

Zhou Yuji listened, bowed his hand to Zhao Dangshi, and turned his horse. Although it was already night, the two departments did not stop and went straight south. Halfway through, Ma Guangchun suddenly screamed badly, turned over and dismounted.

Zhao Dangshi saw him squatting on the ground and carefully looking at the soil and stones, and took a few steps forward, and asked suspiciously: "Old horse, what's wrong?" ”

Ma Guangchun looked at it for a moment, got up awe-inspiringly, and his body was like a cage of ice: "This large piece of soil has been turned up, and the bottom is still wet...... It seems that a large army of horses is passing through here before us. ”