With the command of "Your Excellency has an order to speed up the march" was conveyed back and forth, all the soldiers and brave people who were originally in a sluggish and depressed spirit and followed the team tried to cheer up their spirits, leading camels and horses to exert their strength. The officers of the front team already knew that this was the camp tonight, and they did not ask for help, so they led the food team to the village. When they got closer, everyone could see clearly, except for a few border soldiers who stood in front of the road, there was no one else in the village; The traces of axe and machete chopping on the wooden pillars and earthen walls of the walled gate are like new, and more than a dozen houses have also been burned to the ground, and the ruins and broken walls are actually a village ruins that have long been abandoned.

Several border soldiers guided the camel carriages into the village one by one, Qian Laosan strode over with a waist knife, saluted with a flat chest and said: "The camp has been cleared, please go in and rest." ”

Shang Cheng asked on horseback, "Have you sent out the guard post?" ”

"All sent out. At the behest of the Lord, double the number of men was sent to the north and east. The soldiers personally selected by his subordinates rode good horses. I told them to spread as far as they could and come back before dark. ”

Shang Cheng nodded with satisfaction. He dismounted, threw the reins and whip to You Shishi, stretched his arms and chest, and moved his body, which had been tired on horseback for a day, and then curled up and took two more steps, and then said, "The night sentry will also double the number of men." Let the soldiers be vigilant, and the closer they get to the battalion, the more vigilant they must be. Can this village accommodate our people? ”

"I can stay. Although the house was burning, it was still able to block the night breeze, and the cool breeze of the night was not a fucking thing, and it was drilling into the cracks of the bones. Qian Laosan followed and said, "Don't worry, my lord, the affairs of the night sentry have been arranged, they are all double posts, and there are other people from the northeast." "I don't need you to tell me what to do now." I have been following you for more than half a year, running from Yandong to Yanxi, walking back and forth for thousands of miles, can I still have a heart? ”

Shang Cheng smiled and did not speak. Bao Kan in the back pretended to be surprised and quipped, "Yo! I can't see it, now that Qian Whistle's ability is growing, I have forgotten one by one, who didn't eat mutton at noon the day before yesterday and got into trouble? "The day before yesterday, the noon food team stopped fighting, Qian Laosan and a few soldiers ran out to catch a lone antelope, but Shang Cheng was reprimanded, the antelope was ordered to throw away, and he himself was kicked twice by Shang Cheng.

Qian Laosan was a person who was used to being scolded by Shang Cheng, and he only regarded Bao Kan's ridicule as a mosquito, and he didn't take it to heart, and the smile on his slender face was still there, and he continued: "...... I have already sent people to contact the small military village in front, and they already know that we will camp here tonight, and have made an appointment to contact the police at night. ”

Shang Cheng smiled and listened to Qian Laosan's words, nodded approvingly: "You did a good job." "When the situation of the enemy and us is uncertain, no smoke during the day and no fire at night, this is a death order he gave to the army from the first day of carrying food and grass supplies for the army, if nothing else, just to prevent the enemy from sneak attack. In order to carry out his order, the soldiers and soldiers in the grain team also got together to study a set of stove methods for lighting fires to boil water and cooking during the day, and there was no smoke when cooking. Shang Cheng saw that the method of digging the flue stone stove was simple and convenient, and it was very practical, so he asked people to write this method into a detailed official document, and also accompanied by sketches, and submitted it to Mogan Dazhai together with the list of personnel who participated in the "development". Before setting off from Moganzhai this time, the camp also specially sent a master book to reward everyone. According to the master book, this method will not only be promoted in the army, but will also be reported to the military department......

Qian Laosan was praised by Shang Cheng, turned around and spat at Bao Kan with a look on his face, and scolded: "Suffer from sissy plague!" Can't you just keep your mouth shut and leave some saliva to moisten your throat? ”

Bao Kan glanced at him with his eyelids, and was about to retort when he heard the sound of horses' hooves behind the group, and a horse galloped towards the edge of the group. Immediately, the knight didn't hold the reins until Shang Cheng was in front of him, and everyone was drenched in sweat. The spy did not dismount, holding the reins in one hand and waving the whip in the other hand and pointing to the east, gasping and hurriedly saying, "Tell your lordship, there is someone behind!" ”

"Panic what!" Shang Cheng furrowed his brows and scolded, but there was a sigh in his heart...... When he crossed the river, he felt that something was wrong, and when he looked at the simple military map drawn by the guide, he was even more uneasy. The large battalion of the Left Route Army advanced to the northwest for dozens of miles, and the three large battalions were arranged in a zigzag shape, obviously putting on a posture of fighting a big battle; But the army was reined in, but no camp was set up to protect the grain road, and no new military outposts were set up to maintain contact and vigilance behind the front line.

He took a deep breath and asked, "How many are there?" From which direction? How many soldiers are there? ”

"To the southeast, in the direction of the Alegu River, is where we just crossed the river. About six or seven hundred people, already crossed the river! ”

Shang Cheng gritted his teeth and stared at the big meadow to the east, his burning gaze as if he wanted to chisel through the meadow. In an instant, countless thoughts turned through his mind, and several crises were imagined. The enemy has crossed the river, that is, he is still four miles away; This was a blink of an hour for the Turquoise cavalry. The enemy is four times his own, and the enemy is absolutely undesirable, and there are only two roads in front of him, one by one, either to defend or to walk. Guard, this ruin will definitely not be able to hold on to the wind leakage on all sides; Let's go, what should I do with the brave people? Besides, the food convoy had just left them and arrived, so was the enemy trying to cut off his own way? Could it be a front and rear outflanking attack? Before thinking about it, there was already cold sweat on his forehead.

The people on the left heard the words of the spies and knew that they were about to encounter the enemy, Bao Kan Qian, Lao San and a group of border soldiers had already put on their armor, leggings, guns, and knives and were ready to fight, and the villagers and villagers shouted loudly and drove the camels and horses into the village, and the people in front of the gate of the village shouted that the horses neighed and the dust and smoke were rolling, and there was chaos. Shang Chengtie roared with a blue face: "What's the mess?!" The grain team entered the village in turn, and everyone restrained the camels, horses, and livestock from making a noise! Baokan, you immediately go to the front military village and let them receive rescue! Qian Laosan, arrange defense! He turned over and got on the horse, took the reins and let the noisy horse turn around in a circle, and continued to order with a solemn expression and a stern tone, "Sun Zhongshan! Where is Sun Zhongshan? Let him bring the soldiers! The horse whip designated Qian Laosan, "I'll go and check in the back!" I'm not here, you're in full command! ”

"Yes! I understand! ”

Xiao Shi suddenly pointed to the big meadow to the east and shouted, "Sun Whistle! Sun Whistle is back! ”

Shang Cheng raised his eyes and looked over, and there were indeed a few horses on the edge of the meadow, all of them galloping on horses, but the sky was dim and hazy, and he couldn't see who was coming. In the blink of an eye, the cavalry had already rushed closer, and before a hundred and ten paces, Sun Zhongshan had already shouted: "My lord, there is no enemy behind!" ”

Shang Cheng knew that Sun Zhongshan had always been cautious in doing things, and when he heard him say that it was not a sudden soldier who followed him, he already believed six or seven points in his heart.

Sun Zhongshan had already seen that the front of the village was already out of the sheath, and the bow was full of murderous aura, and before he could salute Shang Cheng, he hurriedly said: "The back is not the enemy, it is a battalion of the mighty army from the right!" ”

"Huh?"

"The subordinates have already contacted them, they have all the military flags and orders, and the officials have also checked the customs defense, and they are indeed the team that has just been transferred from the Liyuan battalion in Shangjing." Sun Zhongshan looked at Shang Cheng's expression and still seemed to be a little unconvinced, and added, "Their battalion captain is Master Wen!" ”

"Which Bun-sama?"

"It's Lord Wen Muwen of the Camp Commander."

Hearing that the captain of the first battalion behind him was Wen Mu, the last doubt in Shang Cheng's heart was also dispelled. Although he and Wen Mu didn't meet much, the conversation between the two was extremely speculative, and he especially admired Wen Mu's pure military style. He knows the man; He knew that others might betray Da Zhao and take refuge in Tu Jici, but Wen Mu would not have a deep hatred like a sea of blood between Wen Zhaoyuan and the Tu Tu people, and if he wanted Wen Mu to cheat himself for the Tu Tu people, unless the sun came out from the west!

Since it was not a ranger of the Turbids, there was naturally no need to make such a sabre-rattling, and in a moment the village was restored to calm, and the soldiers who were not on duty seized the time to rest, and the villagers hurriedly unloaded their cars to serve the cattle while it was still dark, and the camels, horses, and livestock gathered in piles, quietly enjoying their "night meal", and from time to time there were a few satisfied snorts. Bao Kan took the two of them to find a place for Shang Cheng to rest. Shang Cheng didn't scold the soldier who hurried back to report the news, and the guy blushed and blamed himself without saying a word.

Shang Cheng asked Qian Laosan to divide his soldiers into three groups and keep vigil in shifts to strengthen the vigil; Let Sun Zhongshan lead people to regather the grain team and put it together, so as to make room for the right mighty army to rest and rest; He himself entered the stockade with a small stone and two guards.

Bao Kan is already looking for a place in the village. Although the house has lost its doors and windows, and most of the roof has burned down, the stone walls on all sides are still neat, and the two large stone slabs with a roof in the corner are also firmly placed on the two walls, which is a good place to shelter from the wind and rain. He was afraid that the night would be cold, and the mud and stone walls would be damp and cold, so he asked people to bring several bundles of hay for the camels and horses, but they did not break them up, but threw them on the ground one by one to use them as seats, and asked people to bring several sacks of grain to cushion them by the wall as backrests. When Shang Cheng came over, he was instructing a few people to be busy.

Now Shang Cheng is sitting in this stone house, chewing on mutton jerky, while slightly closing his eyebrows and thinking about his thoughts. Sun Zhongshan and Bao Kan were also nibbling on dried meat and eating dry food. There are still a few bunches of grass in the house, which is a resting place for the other two officers, but Qian Laosan and Zhao Shishi are still looking for sentry posts outside to inspect the grain team, and it is estimated that they will not be able to come over for a while.