Chen Yu got off the horse and looked at the burning houses in the village, the people who were crying next to him, and the corpses on the ground, and couldn't say a word. It's been three days since I chased Xiao Hujian, crossed the Hutuo River from Wuji County, and entered Gucheng County, but I still haven't caught up. These Khitans were very cunning, and they kept walking far away from the city, and when there was any movement, they fled.

After crossing the Lu River and entering Wuji County, Xiao Hujian continued to loot the villages on the road. Burning, killing, looting, and doing all kinds of evil. The grain and grass in the army were all stolen from the village, and the people they met were really unlucky.

Due to the rapid movement and the erratic route, even the news did not have time to reach the locality. Chen Yu and Li Zhuang, each with more than 1,000 cavalry, were tightly bitten behind Xiao Hujian. Although Xiao Hujian couldn't run, the two couldn't catch up either.

The commander sent Zhou Zhiying over and said to Chen Yu: "General, the grain and grass in the village have been robbed by the Khitans, what should we do?" ”

Chen Yudao: "Didn't you send someone to the county seat to inform you, how can you know that the county hasn't sent grain over?" ”

Zhou Zhiying said: "This place is relatively remote, and the people in the county are afraid that they will not be able to find it." Why don't you send someone to the county town to bring grain and grass? ”

Chen Yu looked at the sky, the sun was already in the west, if he went to the county seat to ask for grain and grass, he would definitely not be able to come back today. After thinking about it, he said, "Forget it, we just follow the route of the Khitans." Send someone to the county seat, and let him bring grain and grass to the front to rendezvous. ”

Zhou Zhiying hesitated for a moment and said, "But the Khitan people are uncertain, how do they know where to meet?" General, I didn't eat any rice in the army today, and I didn't eat, but I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to stand it. Besides, our horses also need to eat some fine food. ”

Chen Yu only felt upset and didn't speak for a while. The journey came too fast, and it was not easy to resupply without informing the place. Following the Khitans, most of the places I went to were robbed by the Khitans, and I couldn't requisition them on the spot.

After thinking about it again and again, Chen Yu said: "Find a few guides from the village and ask what other villages are nearby." And they sent two hundred men out to the village to collect some grain and grass. How much is levied, remember to write it down to them, and the government will calculate the money later. ”

Zhou Zhiying promised, and just about to leave, he stopped and said: "General, the receipt we wrote, it is not good whether the magistrate will count the money." I've heard before that some magistrates don't pay money at all because they don't know. Unless ordered by the court, they should not know. ”

Chen Yu waved his hand and said: "Send someone to the county to inform you, if you don't redeem the money, I will report to the court!" At this time, the magistrate did not try his best to cooperate with us, was he waiting for the place to be robbed by the Khitans? ”

Zhou Zhiying said yes and walked quickly.

Chen Yu looked at a child lying on the body of a man and a woman not far away, and he didn't know how to cry, but he just looked at the house next to him that was on fire in fear, and felt a sour heart. Along the way, I have seen too many villages that have been destroyed by the Khitans, and they have become numb. For the Khitans, entering the Song Realm to burn, kill and loot is a daily homework, and they are born to do it. Slaughtered all the way, they did not have any psychological burden. Even in the past, once the Song army was not strict in military discipline, this kind of thing often happened. The current Song army has strict discipline and strong support, so it has been completely eradicated.

At this moment, Tan Qi walked over quickly, and said with his crossed hands: "General, just now General Li Zhuang sent someone over, saying that the Khitans turned east and headed towards Julu County in Shenzhou. He has already led people to chase after him, and let us go south to intercept and prevent the Khitans from continuing south. ”

Chen Yu said: "Got it." Tell the sergeant to rest in this village for half an hour, and set up camp in the next village today! ”

Xiao Hu turned over and got on the horse, and Ah Hu came over and said, "General, we are running around like headless flies, how is the situation?" ”

Xiao Hu looked at the slanting sun on the horizon and said, "What's the hurry, the army in the north has not attacked south, so we can only avoid the pursuit of the Song army." In a few days, the army will move south, and we will join the army. ”

Ah Wu muttered: "Looking at the battle a few days ago, even if the army goes south, it may not be able to defeat the Song army." ”

Xiao Hu said: "What do you know! There must be a reason why the army has not moved south. The Song army can defeat us, all by artillery. If we don't have artillery, how can we fight the Song army? The Holy Superior must be preparing to bring cannons these days. ”

Ah Wu nodded, and suddenly realized. The Khitan also had artillery, but it was not as powerful as the Song army, and it was not as easy to maneuver as the Song army, so it was even more clumsy. Although it is stupid, artillery is artillery after all, and when the two armies really face each other, they can fire shells the same. The Song army could use artillery to break through Quyang, and the Khitan army could use artillery to break through the Song army's city. Baozhou, Xiongzhou, the Song army built many new cities, the walls are clear, there is no artillery, can not capture the new cities built by the Song army, the Khitan army has no way to go deep. Now it makes sense to wait.

Looking back at the burning village and looking up at the slanting sun on the horizon, Xiao Hu said sharply: "Order the whole army, move forward immediately!" ”

After speaking, shake the reins of the horse, and go first. The whole army behind them got on their horses together, followed behind Xiao Hujian, and roared away.

After walking for more than three miles, I came to the bottom of a small hill. Xiao Hujian stopped the horses, looked around, and said, "It's quiet here, I'll camp here tonight." Send out scouts, and within five miles, there will be a Song army to report immediately! ”

The soldiers on one side shouted a promise and turned to go.

When he arrived at the bottom of the hillside, he chose a big leeward tree, and Xiao Hujian sat down. Ordered two men who had been arrested from the village to be brought over for interrogation.

Ah Wei came over and said, "General, I grabbed a few big fat sheep in the village just now, cooked them for a while, and gave the general wine." ”

Xiao Hu said, "I cooked it for the brothers." And I took two legs of mutton, and made a fire here, and roasted them on the fire, and ate them. And wine, bring me two more jugs. It's been a hard time these days, and when I get to the deep state, I'll have a good rest tonight. ”

Ah Wu agreed, turned around and went.

Xiao Huzhen looked at the two Song people in front of him and said sharply, "What kind of place is this?" How far is it from the Deep State? ”

The two Song people looked at Xiao Hujian, their eyes widened, and they didn't say a word.

Xiao Hujian sneered: "You two cheap billets, don't talk without punishment!" Come on, cut off the fat guy's ears! Grandpa was tired from walking, so he just brought it to drink! ”

The pro-soldiers on one side promised. took out the wrist-untying knife, went to the fat Song man, reached out and cut off one of his ears. The Song man screamed and rolled on the ground in pain.

Xiao Hu said: "If you don't say it, I will cut off your ears, gouge out your eyes, and stomp off your hands and feet!" Then put the two of you on the fire and roast them and eat them! I heard that people's hearts are sober, keep the hearts of the two of you to make a sobering soup! ”

Xiao Hujian didn't scare the two of them with these words, but really knew how to do them. During the Five Dynasties, the world was in turmoil, and eating human flesh was commonplace. Until the Song Dynasty, there were still some generals in the army who had the habit of eating human flesh. Xiao Hujian is not a good person, and cannibalism is nothing to him. As for the mistreatment of prisoners, it is even more common. If you don't do this, how can you achieve today's position in the army?

The pain in his body was unbearable, and he was intimidated by Xiao Hujian's brother, and the fat man on the ground said, "Okay, good, I said it." This is the place of Shenzhou Drum County, and it is still twenty miles away from the county seat. Fifty miles to the east, there is the city of Shenzhou. ”

Xiao Huzhen nodded: "Sure enough, it's already in the deep state." It's a pity that I don't have many soldiers and horses, and there are pursuers behind me, otherwise I would have to capture the Deep State. Hmph, the Song army in this area is defenseless, I bring my own people, what can they do to me? ”

After speaking, he ordered his own soldiers around him to kill the two Song people and throw them aside. I robbed several villages in a row, and there was enough food and grass in the army, so I didn't need to take the meat of these two people.

After a while, the soldiers lit a fire in front of them, took two legs of mutton, and roasted them on the fire. The wine that had just been snatched from the village, I picked two good jars and put them next to Xiao Hujian.

Xiao Hu saw that someone poured wine into the bowl and drank it in one gulp. scolded: "This village wine is so tasteless!" ”

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