A few fast horses rushed into Liyang City at a gallop, and rushed straight to the gate of the Shuai Mansion and stopped just now.

Yang Yang hurriedly dismounted and shouted to the officer in the Shuai Mansion who came out to greet him, "Where is Lord Yuwen?" I have something important to meet with you next. ”

The flag officer of the Chinese army recognized this person as a personal entourage of the lord, and knew that the matter was important, so he hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Your Excellency is discussing matters in the Shuai's Mansion, please follow the subordinate officials into the mansion." ”

Yang Yang did not delay, threw the reins of the horse in his hand to his companions, and hurriedly followed the Chinese officer into the marshal's mansion.

Stepping into the Fuzhong War Hall, I saw that the first seat was Yu Wenhua, and the surrounding circles were full of leading generals. Yang Yang didn't have any polite words, hurried to Yu Wenhua and his body, and bowed his hand and said: "My lord, my master asked me to bring a message." ”

Yu Wenhua and himself recognized Yang Yang, and when he suddenly entered, he knew that the lord's latest instructions had arrived, so he had already stood up to greet him, and arched his hand: "Yang Yang, what does the lord command, tell me quickly." ”

"The master has an order: General Lu Xingxing immediately divided half of the big boats up the river and went to the dock of Pinglu County to carry the army of Li Jing of Luzhou to cross the river, and Lord Yuwen Jizhou took the remaining ships to immediately cross the river to attack Puyang City and destroy the forces of Tangbi in Jinan."

"Good! Finally, the order to cross the river and attack was obtained. General Lu Xingxing immediately allocated 1,000 large ships to carry 3,000 white horses from the battalion and the naval division of the headquarters to Pinglu Wharf, and there must be no mistake. ”

"The last will obey." Lu Xingxing got up and shouted, then turned around and led the deputy general out of the marshal's mansion.

"The two generals Wu Yunzhao and Wu Tianxi obeyed the order."

"The end will be."

"Order the two of you to immediately lead the men and horses of the headquarters to board the ship and cross to the south, and immediately go to Puyang City after going ashore, and wait for the arrival of the army, and it is not too late to attack the city."

"Yes." The two generals responded in unison, and then the two brothers turned around hand in hand.

"Mr. Ling Jing, after my Jizhou army poured out, this Liyang City will be defended by you with 10,000 men and horses from the original Liyang garrison, and I hope to be careful."

"Don't worry, my lord, it doesn't hurt to have a subordinate here." Ling Jing got up and arched his hand, he had no pressure in his heart, he knew that there was no rebel force north of the Yellow River at all, so Tang Bi would look at the river and sigh because he wanted to sneak attack Liyang. In fact, this is also the reason why Yu Wenhua and the civil officials guard Liyang City.

In this way, under the attention of Jinan on the other side of the river, Liyang Wharf has been very lively. First, 1,000 large ships sailed up the river and left the dock. Then another large army boarded the remaining big ships and rushed towards their south bank, and the eyes of the officers and soldiers patrolling the river in Jinan were all covered with large ships carrying the Jin army rushing towards their side.

"Quickly retreat, withdraw to Puyang City to report the news, the Jin army of Jizhou has crossed the river to attack." One of the leading officers turned his horse's head and shouted loudly to the dozens of soldiers who accompanied him.

The south bank is a plain, and there is no danger to defend. The Jinan army would not defend against the army of Liyang Nandu in this open place. Tang Bi had already placed the first line of defense in Puyang City, 80 miles away, which was a large city in the Central Plains, with high walls and thick walls, and had been operated by Tang Bi for many years, and the defensive troops had reached as many as 80,000, and under normal circumstances, this big city should be able to defend against at least 200,000 enemy attacks.

Wu Tianxi led the soldiers of the Jin army of Hejian Province, with Su Lie as the vanguard, to take the lead in landing on the south bank, and then led 30,000 cavalry to attack and advance to the south. Wu Tianxi led most of the Jin army in Hejian and then landed on the shore to follow up.

Wu Yunzhao's Liyang Army, originally most of his old subordinate Baima Yicong elite cavalry, this time because Wu Yunzhao is a brother, it is not good to compete with the strong brother Wu Tianxi to grab the merit, so he let him get on the ship first, and then his own headquarters people and horses boarded the ship to the south, and received the last to board the Yu Wenhua and most of the Jizhou Jin army.

In the continuous round-trip of thousands of large ships, the 350,000 troops of Yuwen and Jizhou, together with war horses and food, were not all transported until the sun turned west the next day.

"General Yunzhao, in addition to your existing 50,000 horses in the headquarters, this official is allocating 100,000 infantry troops to you, and will rush to Puyang early tomorrow morning to join General Tianxi to besiege Puyang City, waiting for the arrival of the army. Remember to adopt the strategy of encircling three and missing one, and vacate the east gate to force the Puyang defenders to abandon the city and flee east. ”

"Yes, sir." Wu Yun replied.

"General Sima Chao ordered to go down and camp on the south bank tonight, and escort grain, grass and ordnance to Puyang tomorrow afternoon." After Sima Chao behind him listened to the order, he agreed and immediately went to pass the order.

Yu Wenhua and Wu Yunzhao took nearly 100 generals to slowly climb a small hill and looked at the setting sun. I saw that the sky and water were mixed into one color, and the red clouds at the far end were inlaid with gold edges. Under the sunset, the Yellow River is sparkling and the scene is beautiful.

"General Yunzhao, guess what the lord is doing at this moment?" Yu Wenhua smiled and turned his head to ask Wu Yunzhao.

"If the last general's words are right, the lord should be watching you and me from the top of the mountain at this time." Wu Yunzhao followed Yu Wenhua's eyes and looked into the distance, which was the direction of Wagang Mountain, and said leisurely.

"Huh! Those who know me, Wu Yunzhao also! After listening to Wu Yunzhao's words, Yu Wenhua couldn't help laughing, causing all the generals behind him to laugh heartily.

Wagang Mountain is towering, halfway up the mountainside wrapped in a thin circle of clouds, the Yellow River in the distance is like a silver ribbon spread on the ground, winding east in the clouds and mist. Instead, a golden sunset was reflected in the sky, and the afterglow shone on the clouds and mist, and the scene was myriad. He was not the only one who accompanied Yang Er to watch this strange scene, Wang Dai, Chuchen and Zhong Jian were all looking at the railing at this time, looking at the afterglow of the west in amazement.

"It's so delicate! If everything goes well, Lord Yuwen's army should all cross south at this time. Yang Er said to himself, and then turned his gaze to the northeast from looking west, although there was a rising cloud and mist on that side, but the place that was covered by the cloud and mist was the direction of Liyang City.

"Husband, look, there are a few mountain eagles flying out of the clouds and mist, as if they are going to chase the sunset."

"It's just a few mountain eagles, I guess they are preying on the young eagles in the mountain cliff eagle's nest! My ancestor once fed a mountain eagle in the view of dead leaves. Zhong Jian said casually.

"Now is the season when wild animals such as mountain eagles are born, and it is also the time when the wild are at their most fierce. Most of the grains in the fields are also spoiled by wild animals in the mountains at this time. Izumi added.

"Well---" Looking at the black mountain eagles shuttling in the clouds and mist, Yang Er seemed to feel something, and turned his head to ask Zhong Jian with a slight groan: "Brother Wei, I heard that the herdsmen in the grassland desert have domesticated a kind of grassland eagle called "Haidongqing", which looks after the cattle and sheep for the herdsmen in the sky, and can also detect the whereabouts of the enemy army in the air during wartime. In addition to mountain eagles, there is also a bird called "pigeons" that can also transmit information back and forth for humans, which is very convenient and fast. Have you ever heard of this bird? ”

"The husband laughed, this pigeon was originally an ordinary bird, what is so strange." Wang Dai took over and said.

"Has anyone ever domesticated a pigeon to tell the news?" Yang Er only knew that carrier pigeons could be domesticated and could quickly deliver messages, but he had no concept of time when carrier pigeons appeared in the world in his mind, so he had to try to ask.

"Brother, there are also pigeons in this world, but they are all used for food. How can a pigeon report the news? Zhong Jian said puzzled, and Izuchen was also shaking his head.

"Husband, you say that pigeons can send messages? When the concubine usually played on the street in Laizhou, she had seen the Dongying and Silla people carry cages with pigeons from time to time, so they are used to report news? ”

"Huh! It seems that some people have been using pigeons to convey information for a long time, but we have not yet used them in the big countries of the Central Plains. After the war was over, Brother Wei asked the MI to domesticate pigeons for reporting. It's much faster than using a horse to send a message. The Dongying people who crossed the sea to trade in our Central Plains were to use carrier pigeons to transmit news to the countries of Dongying Island, or to convey the military information of our Central Plains. ”

"Ahh I see! The concubine still thinks that outsiders like to play with pigeons? Hehe! After listening to Yang Er's explanation, Wang Dai and the others suddenly realized.

For three consecutive days, Wang Shichong's Central Plains rebels did not storm Tongguan, but continued to pile up dirt bags on the ramp in front of the pass. The originally steep slope has now completely changed, with a gentle slope 100 meters long and tens of meters wide replacing the original trail. This makes Tongguan no longer occupy an absolute geographical advantage. Looking at everything that had changed in front of him, the Tongguan guards were also anxious.

"Lord Wang, the ramp in front of the pass is now basically leveled by the rebels with soil, and our army's rolling stone and sassaga have lost their effect." Master Shang said to Yang Lin, who still had a calm face.

"Huh! What are you panicking about? Even if the rolling stones and sasswoods are useless, the rebels will not be able to use the men and horses rushing up, and at most 3 or 5 thousand people will attack each time, which is to send them to death. It looks like there's going to be a big battle tomorrow, so you'll have to get ready. Yang Lin said.

In the big tent of the rebels outside the Guan, it is now showing a relaxed state. The kings are all talking about the heavenly avenue paved with the strength of all families, and from time to time there are anti-kings who are still praising Xu Maogong's good plans.

"Brothers, now that the ramp in front of the pass has been flattened, we should work hard to break through the pass tomorrow. The day before yesterday, the military division had sent the men and horses of Talu County back to Hanguguan Gorge Road to guard the back road for our army and ensure the safety of our grain road. This time he took turns to rush the pass, and he was all the way there, I don't know which king is willing to lead the army to attack first? Wang Shichong asked.

"Alliance leader, according to this father, tomorrow's first battle will be handed over to you Luoyang elite! These more than ten soldiers and horses are the most numerous and the most sophisticated under the alliance leader, please don't delay it. Duvowe suggested.

"That's right! What Du Gong said was reasonable, and asked the king of Luoyang to try to attack Tongguan. The kings listened to Duvowe's proposal and hurriedly agreed.

"Hmmm! Anyway, tomorrow my Luoyang army will attack the city first, and the king will personally supervise the battle. If it is not good, how about asking the Jinan army to continue the attack? Wang Shichong looked at Tang Jindao, the commander of the Jinan Army, whose strength was second only to himself.

"Good! It was our Jinan Army who served as an assist. Tang Jin saw that Wang Shichong nodded himself, and he responded unequivocally.

Seeing that the kings were united on the surface, but they were actually hiding their strength, Xu Maogong couldn't help shaking his head in his heart. It has been 3 days since the people of Lu Guo turned around and went to Hanguguan under the leadership of Shan Xiongxin and others, and I don't know what the current situation of Hanguguan is? In the past two days, Xu Maogong has been worried about this matter in his heart.

Let's talk about Shan Xiongxin's way. Due to the urgency of the military situation, it was a matter of life and death for more than 500,000 anti-Wang troops, at Qin Qiong's suggestion, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yanjin and other only 10,000 cavalry led by Qin Qiong and others went to Hangu Pass first, and Shan Xiongxin and Wang Bodang followed with infantry.

After 3 days of rapid marching, Qin Qiong and others finally saw the gorge on the west side of Hangu Pass, and 30 miles into the gorge was the ancient Hangu Pass. Qin Qiong, for the sake of safety, beckoned the generals to stop their horses.

"Second Brother Qin, there is the Hangu Pass Gorge ahead, why did you stop suddenly?" Cheng Yanjin came to Qin Qiongma and asked.

"Brother Jin, this gorge is narrow, if there are ambushes on the rocks on both sides, our army will enter the road without risk." Qin Qiong observed the situation at the mouth of the gorge and said to Cheng Biting Jin and the others.

"Is it really as Xu Laodao said, Yang Guang's men and horses will come to cut off my back road? The second brother asked Lao Cheng to go into the valley to see if he knew the truth. ”

"Hmmm! The brother took 500 people into the valley to explore, so as not to ambush our army. ”

"Okay! Lao Cheng will go back when he goes. Cheng Yanjin said that he raised the big axe in his hand, and rushed straight to the mouth of Hangu Pass with 500 cavalry from his headquarters.

The light in the gorge is dark, and the cliffs on both sides are towering, straight up and down. Only ten horses could walk in parallel in the passage at the bottom of the valley, and the sound of horses' hooves echoed in the quiet gorge, startling the birds in the valley to scurry and chirp.

Cheng Yanjin and other 500 cavalry have gone deeper into the gorge for more than 10 miles, and the silence ahead is terrifying. Cheng Yanjin relied on the intuition he had cultivated in the green forest for a long time, but he only felt that the more he went inside, the more wrong it was, so he simply stopped in a spacious place.

"Brothers, 10 miles further is the Hangu Pass we saw when we came, Lao Cheng always felt a little chill down his spine, it is better to send a brother over to take a look, lest he be ambushed in this narrow place and it will be too late to turn around and escape."

"The general will wait here first, and let Xiao Qian go to investigate." A guard colonel said.

"Good! If you see that there are no enemy troops at Hangu Pass, you will return immediately. ”

"Yes." The colonel received the order and rushed forward. Cheng Yanjin and the others all dismounted, and waited for the return in this spacious place.

Less than a moment later, just when Cheng Yanjin was lying on a stone slab to rest, a rapid sound of horses' hooves woke up the sleepy and ignorant Cheng Yanjin, and when he opened his eyes to look in the direction of the sound of horses' hooves, he saw that the little colonel who had gone to explore the road before ran back in a panic, and came straight to the front of Biting Jin, rolled the saddle and dismounted and shouted loudly: "General, the big thing is not good." Then there is already a large group of Jin cavalry in front of the --- and that pass, waiting for me to fight! The small one didn't dare to look closely, only saw a big banner with the word "Jin" written on it, and as for the banner of the leading general of the Jin army, the small one didn't see it clearly and hurriedly fled back. ”

"Huh?" Cheng Yanjin was shocked when he heard the report, and then asked: "How many soldiers and horses are estimated to be in the Jin Army?" Are they all Ma Jun? ”

"Report to the general, the Jin army in front of the pass is all cavalry on white horses, not to mention 10,000 people."

"Humph! Come on, go back and report the situation to Second Brother Qin. Just 10,000 cavalry want to stop my army? Bring a certain axe, and you will meet the enemy when you go with me. "Cheng Yanjin was in a strong fighting spirit at this time, so he had to rush to fight with the general of the Jin army first.

Anyway, who is blocking the passage in front of Hangu Pass?

It was Luo Shixin, the general who opened the way in front of the horse of Shao Paulcheng and Yang Er, who was accompanied by 3,000 elite cavalry of the White Horse Battalion riding white horses, and the cavalry of the White Horse Battalion was neatly arranged after the cavalry of the 30,000 Luzhou Battalion.

Why did Luo Cheng and Luo Shixin appear here?

It turned out that two days ago, Li Jing's 100,000 Luzhou troops crossed the Yellow River on a big boat that arrived in Pinglu on Lu Xingxing, and because they still had to wait for the army's logistics to cross the river, Li Jing's Chinese army had to wait for at least one day in Shaanxi County before the whole army could rush to Hangu Pass. Luo Cheng was anxious, so he asked for an order to take the 3,000 White Horse Battalion of the headquarters as the front team to set off first, so as to seize the pass as soon as possible and wait for the arrival of the rear army. Li Jing immediately assigned three Ma Junxiao generals to lead 30,000 Luzhou cavalry to go with him to seize the pass first.