In the middle of the night, there was a drizzle in Zaoyang County. Yang Zhaofeng jumped up from the bed, and rushed to the barracks in his dirty clothes, at this time, the soldiers had already come out of the barracks, sleepy-eyed and scattered. The officers shouted and hurried to prepare the queue.

"How's it going in the city?" While Yang Zhaofeng was assisted by two soldiers to wrap his heavy armor, he asked an officer named Zhao Chenglin who had led the horse for him on the side.

"I have investigated many times, and the people have said that the incorruptible sentinel led the troops into trouble, burned people's houses, and looted property." Zhao Chenglin is twenty-five or sixteen years old, of medium stature, with a square face, a little sharpness between his eyebrows, and replied in a suppressed voice. He originally followed Xue Feixian to surrender to the Zhao camp in Hanzhong, and after Xue Feixian was ambushed, he returned to Han Gon and served as the commander of the horse army. Because he is an old general of Xue Feixian, although he is brave and good at fighting, he has not been reused for a long time. It wasn't until a military banquet that he inadvertently revealed his place of origin, and was learned by someone who knew that he was Zhao Dangshi's township party, and his career improved. And because he was meticulous in his work, he could chat with Yang Zhaofeng, and this time the soldiers and horses of the Feijie battalion were stationed in Zaoyang, and Yang Zhaofeng deliberately took him with him as a deputy.

Yang Zhaofeng tugged at the hem of his armor vigorously, straightened it out, and was full of suspicions: "I have known Lao Lian for a long time, and I know best how he is a person." In peacetime, the army has repeatedly reaffirmed his orders, and he has followed them carefully, how could he suddenly change his sex? "Although Lian Buxin is bold and righteous, he is much more cautious than Meng Aocao, Cui Shuqiang and others. Before and after the soldiers and horses entered Zaoyang County, Yang Zhaofeng did not notice any abnormal behavior of his people, and it was the time of the night when the people were quiet, but he suddenly led the troops to burn and kill, and it was difficult to understand the motive when he thought about it.

"The army has been reorganized, please join the army!" Several officers stepped forward to talk to Zhao Chenglin for a while, and Zhao Chenglin turned around and said.

At this time, Yang Zhaofeng was also fully dressed, stepped on horseback, and looked towards the west of the city with a whip, only to see that in the darkness in the distance, countless red and yellow lights appeared, illuminating half of the sky. The sound was scattered in the wind, and it was difficult to hear clearly, but it was conceivable that there must have been a disturbance of soldiers there.

"Go to the west of the city first and find the sentry officer!" Yang Zhaofeng clamped the horse's belly, and Zhao Chenglin also flew on the horse. As soon as the military horn sounded, the horses' hooves in the east camp turned over, and more than 50 horsemen left the camp one after another.

The roads in Zaoyang County are not wide, and there are many twists and turns, even though Yang Zhaofeng is anxious, the speed of travel is still limited. The closer we got to the west, the louder the noise became, the brighter the fire, and the slightest heat in the air.

"Fifty steps ahead is the county school, I am afraid that there are a lot of students living in the building, pass the order, all the military horses are careful and slow, do not be noisy and disturbed." Yang Zhaofeng turned sideways and commanded Zhao Chenglin. Zhao Ying is thirsty for talent, Zhao Dangshi has always been a corporal of courtesy and virtuous, Yang Zhaofeng has studied private school, and has a natural good impression of scholars, even at a critical juncture, he does not want to make Zhao Ying leave a bad impression of fierceness and arrogance among scholars because of his own negligence.

Zhao Chenglin received the order, patted the horse and went to the county school to control the situation first, but after a while, he came back with a horse and said: "Join the army, the county school has entered the officers and soldiers." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, a man not far away trotted to the front, and said to Yang Zhaofeng: "General Yang." ”

Yang Zhaofeng looked at it fixedly, recognized it as Sun Tuanlian, who had been photographed not long ago, and also jumped off the horse to return the salute, and asked, "How is the situation in the west of the city?" I heard that there was a soldier in the county school? ”

Sun Tuanlian said first: "The students in the county school have all returned to their hometowns to save their relatives during this time, and there are only a few old men left in the hall. The county regiment trained the township bravery, so they were temporarily placed in to live in it to make it less troublesome. ”

Yang Zhaofeng nodded and said, "I see, then the west of the city ......"

As soon as he spoke, Sun Tuanlian leaned closer and said, "General Yang, can you take a step to speak." ”

Yang Zhaofeng saw that he seemed to have something on his mind, so he walked with him to the locust tree outside the county school gate and said, "Sun Tuanlian has something to say?" ”

Sun Tuanlian's face was heavy, and he said, "The chaos in the west of the city, presumably General Yang also knows about it." It is rumored that General Lian broke out, and the troops plundered ......" the words changed, "The west of the city can't go now, and there is a side gate near the north gate that is not conspicuous. ”

Yang Zhaofeng was full of suspicion and said, "Since it is related to General Lian, how can I sit idly by?" Then he asked, "Sun Tuanlian, you are in charge of the garrison in the city, and you should know what happened." He had actually guessed a few clues in his heart, the cause of tonight's chaos may not be what everyone said about burning, killing, looting, otherwise he and Lian Buxin are comrades, why did Sun Tuanlian see that he was not afraid to respond? Thinking of this, he made up his mind to ask something from Sun Tuanlian's mouth.

As soon as the reason was investigated, Sun Tuanlian immediately became expectant Ai Ai. He looked cramped and said, "The matter is ...... Is...... and rumors...... 1. General ......"

Yang Zhaofeng saw his hesitant appearance, and expected that he was tired of a lot of cats, and said: "It is impossible for me to leave General Lian and go alone, I understand Sun Tuanlian's kindness, but in the west of the city, I must go!" "Anyway, I simply came to a radical method, and I bowed my hands to Sun Tuanlian, and pretended to leave.

"Wait!" After only two steps, Sun Tuanlian behind him shouted, "The west of the city is already a dead end, and the general is here to die!" ”

Yang Zhaofeng's heart was shocked, and he turned his head and said, "Why do you say this?" ”

Sun Tuanlian stepped forward quickly and sighed: "General Lian is framed by someone." Now it is not General Lian who is in turmoil in the west of the city, but ...... It's ......"

"What the hell?" Even if he has a good temper like Yang Zhaofeng, he can't help but be anxious at this juncture, and his tone is a lot heavier.

Hearing the shouts of killing one after another, the chaos spread completely to the city, and the sky-high fire light illuminated Sun Tuanlian's nervous expression, he bit his dry lips and lowered his head in thought. Yang Zhaofeng saw that he was hesitant and undecided, and he didn't want to spend any more time, so he said decisively: "There are unspeakable hidden, so don't say it." Leave! ”

Sun Tuanlian was forced by him before he made up his mind, coughed and said, "There are thieves in the west of the city." ”

As soon as he heard this, Yang Zhaofeng's heart thumped, and he forced himself to calm down: "What thief? He was not surprised by the result. But even though he was mentally prepared, when the speculation came true, he was still shocked.

In the middle of the night, Sun Tuanlian's expression was also obscure, and he shook his head and said: "I only know that it is a thief from the south, which is the specific banner, I ...... I really don't know. Xun Ji explained, "Although I led the regiment to practice defending the city gate, today the news was transmitted in the yamen, and the defense of the west city gate was temporarily replaced by the yazhong archers." Not long after the handover, the west of the city was in chaos. ”

Yang Zhaofeng said clearly: "Someone broke up with you, cooperated with the thief, took in the thief, and spread rumors to frame General Lian for committing murder, yes or no?" ”

"Exactly." Sun Tuanlian said with a bitter face, "According to a few regimental training village warriors who are guarding in the west of the city, the west gate of the city has been opened, and there are thieves and soldiers pouring in from outside. I think about it, it can't be the work of General Lian, who has already settled in the city. ”

Yang Zhaofeng said: "In this way, there are thieves in the yamen? ”

Sun Tuan Lian said in his heart: "Not bad." "When the pre-dusk order came, I guessed that the night might not be peaceful. General Yang and General Lian are both good people and good generals, and they will be framed by traitors this time. ”

Yang Zhaofeng said suspiciously: "The regimental training is different from the county errand and archers, and there are more important rules for defending the city. Do you wish him ......?"

Sun Tuanlian gritted his teeth and said: "I wish you a high level of morality, and you will not do such a thing that insults your ancestors, you must be at the mercy of others behind your back." ”

Yang Zhaofeng said in his heart: "The matter has come to this point, and you can make a conclusion in vain, the most important thing in front of you is to meet with Lao Lian and withdraw from the land of right and wrong." He said, "No matter what the cause is, I have to go to my battalion first." Thank you Sun Tuanlian for reminding you that if you survive this catastrophe, you will be rewarded in the future. "Let's go.

Unexpectedly, Sun Tuanlian was immediately anxious, pulled Yang Zhaofeng's armour, and said earnestly: "The tiger's den in Longtan, west of the city, must not go." General Yang and listen to me, if you go to the north, you can go out of the city through the north gate, and no one dares to stop me along the way. Stay in the green mountains and don't be afraid of no firewood, and when the city is removed, let's act at the opportunity! ”

Yang Zhaofeng was stunned for a moment, and was wondering why Sun Tuanlian insisted on avoiding the north gate by himself. After thinking about it again, Fang understood his considerations, and dared to feel that Sun Tuanlian continued to persuade him not because of the ancient road, but because he was worried about the future. The thieves invaded, and the city would inevitably be washed, Sun Tuanlian saw that there were no thieves, and it was difficult to say that he could save the lives of his whole family, so he nominally saved Yang Zhaofeng's life, but thinking about it carefully, how could it not be a talisman to advance and retreat with the strong Zhao Ying horse army? Moreover, no matter how strong the thieves are, according to the current situation in Huguang, it is impossible to sit on the city and defend it to the death, and they will inevitably withdraw after three or four days at the long and one or two days at the shortest. If the imperial court settles accounts after the autumn, Sun Tuanlian, who already has the duty of guarding the city and has no substantive official status, may become the scapegoat of the top bag.

Thinking of this, the sound of killing in all directions was sudden. Sun Tuanlian was waiting for Yang Zhaofeng's response with eager eyes, and a person in the dark rushed over, directly pushed him aside, and said to Yang Zhaofeng: "Join the army!" News from the west of the city that a large number of soldiers and horses broke through the west gate and are pouring into the city, burning and arson along the road, saying that I Zhao Ying is the way of heaven! It was Zhao Chenglin who spoke, he gasped slightly, and added, "The brothers in the western camp have all been scattered, their lives and deaths are unknown, and they have almost no combat power to speak of. The incorruptible sentry officer fell from his horse in the chaos and disappeared! ”

"Missing?" Yang Zhaofeng said worriedly, just as he was talking, in the open space in front of the county school, dozens of horsemen from Zhao Ying, who were standing, suddenly became restless, but listening to the "Niang Xuan", countless flying arrows swept through the dark night and shot in the air, in the blink of an eye, the horses neighed, the knights and the war horses subconsciously dodged, crowded each other, and the already narrow open space suddenly became chaotic.

"Get on the horse!" The enemy soldiers have arrived, and Yang Zhaofeng raised his arms and shouted. Years of combat experience have guided Yang Zhaofeng to temporarily put aside all his doubts and concentrate on facing unexpected enemies.

"Join the army, the enemy is coming from the west and south!" In the noisy horse army, Zhao Chenglin shouted loudly.

Yang Zhaofeng was in his pocket, lying on the horse's back and raising his eyes, in the dark distance of the alley, a few cold lights flashed, and suddenly, more than ten silver-armored knights leaped out, among which a war horse was extremely majestic, jumping in place and looking excited. The knight on his back raised his sword in one hand and slipped a cloth bag in the other, laughing loudly.

Yang Zhaofeng asked, "What is he laughing at?" ”

Zhao Chenglin walked around the horse, his face was as dead as ashes, and he said astringently: "Lian...... The sentry has been killed in battle......"

This sentence seemed to be more than 100 Huang Zhong Da Lu in Yang Zhaofeng's brain, he only felt that the sky was spinning, sitting on horseback was like sitting on the top of a steep mountain: "Lao Lian ......" before the words came out, a little light flashed in the afterglow, his heart was tense, and he wanted to flash sideways, but his body was completely uncalled at the moment, clumsy and heavy.

"Save the Army!"

With Zhao Chenglin's voice in his ears, Yang Zhaofeng's thoughts also stopped abruptly.

Under the vast night sky, Zaoyang County is noisy and bright, as if it were day. The three of them stood on the top of a secluded hill outside the city, witnessing it all happening. Although they were two miles away, the light shining from the county town still illuminated the outlines of their faces clearly.

"Who's leading the way into the city?" The first to break the silence was a middle-aged man with a short stature, and he said with a gloomy face.

A burly man who accompanied him said, "Yang fool." continued, "When he goes in, Zhao Ying's people are afraid that they will all have to be broken." ”

Another man with a triangular face shook his head and said, "It's a pity that Zhao Ying's horse army." "Then he asked, "Lao Liu is not coming?" ”

The burly man said: "Lao Liu said it a long time ago, it's not rare to see it." If I had known that this was the result, the three of us shouldn't have come here in the middle of the night to watch the wind. ”

The triangular-faced man said: "As soon as Zaoyang is lost, the connection between Shuanggoukou and Chungling City will be broken. The small land of Chungling City will not be able to be kept sooner or later. I look at this Zhao Ying, it's more auspicious and less auspicious. Saying that, he smiled and said to the man with a short figure, "Lao He, the surname Zhao is unreliable, it seems that we have to change our way out as soon as possible." ”

The five-short-figure man was silent, quietly looked at Zaoyang County in the distance for a while, and said, "I'm tired." With that, he lowered his head and walked down the hill by himself.