Ride on a horse and look at the scenery around you. The field where the crops had been harvested seemed empty, the grass had withered and yellowed, and the occasional hare on the roadside suddenly jumped up and ran into the depths of the grass. Meng Xue took a deep breath. It was supposed to be a good autumn, but war was ushered in.

The two platoons behind followed behind Meng Xuexuan and did not speak. As the commander of the battalion, Meng Xuexue had to take his entourage with him when he returned to his hometown.

According to the Privy Council, Zhang Qi's department guarded the north of Nanyishui, and the south belonged to Liu Ji. Meng Xuexue's army was stationed on the shore of Nanyi Water, and it had just arrived here. Since entering the military academy, Meng Xuexue has always been the best learner, and he has been promoted to the commander of the Hebei Forbidden Army.

School is like this, the same textbook, the same requirements, there are always some people who can learn faster. Later schools required an average level, and in general, they studied at the same time and took exams at the same time. In fact, if skipping a grade is allowed, a large number of people can shorten the time, and the grades will not drop significantly. Under normal circumstances, the Hejian Military Academy lasts three years, but more than 300 people have completed it in the first year of this year.

Look at the city not far from Xiongzhou, suddenly a few fast horses rushed in front. Seeing that it was Meng Xuexue, the knight on the horse arched his hand: "Where is the general?" Zhizhou Junzhi, from today onwards, the walls are clear, and the officials and people are not allowed to move around! ”

Meng Xuexue crossed his hands: "Meng Dang of the Liujiabao garrison not far away." I don't know how to clear the wilderness? ”

The knight knew that Meng Xuezhi was relaxed, and said: "The Khitan in the north has begun to assassinate the people as soldiers, and many people under the rule of Zhuozhou have fled south, and the Khitan has taken people everywhere. Zhizhou ordered that all the people within ten miles south of the Juma River move into the city of Xiongzhou. Whenever the Khitan people cross the river, the army must be properly contained. If the Khitan army dares to cross the river, they will all be killed! ”

Meng Xuezhu nodded, understanding what had happened. It seems that autumn has arrived, and the Khitan army is about to go south and begin to assassinate the people as soldiers under their rule. Remembering that he escaped from the Juma River last year because of the hard work of repairing the city, it is not uncommon for people to flee south.

has already torn his face with the Khitan, the Song Dynasty is no longer taboo, as long as the people escape the Juma River, they will all be taken in. There are all the barren fields nearby, which are enough to settle. The Khitans did not dare to cross the Juma River, so they sent soldiers on the other side of the river to strictly investigate the fleeing people.

The knights were ordered to go out of the city to give orders, talk to Meng Xuexue for a few words, and then urge the horses to go.

Meng Xue said: "The people of Khitan Assassination Prefecture are soldiers, and it seems that they are about to go south. Let's hurry back to the barracks and wait for the military order. ”

After speaking, he urged his horse and led two platoons of soldiers to the ferry not far away.

In Xiongzhou City, Ma Huaide and Zhang Qi sat opposite each other, discussing the situation on the front line recently.

Ma Huaide said: "The Khitans on the other side began to stab the people as soldiers, and they were especially powerful within twenty or thirty miles of the Juma River. Almost all of them are young and strong. It seems that last year, some people fled south, and the Khitans crossed the river and lost 10,000 soldiers, which was extremely angry. ”

Zhang Qi said: "Yes, the wind has become tighter and tighter in recent days. Almost every day, the Khitan people tried to cross the river, but most of them were captured by the Khitans. More than 100 people have escaped from the river and have been resettled. ”

Ma Huaide said: "Don't talk about this, we don't care about the Khitan matter now." In the past, most of the Khitan soldiers began to gather troops and horses in the summer, and then recruited the people of Zhuozhou County, and in the end, they would point troops in Zhuozhou. A little soldier in Zhuozhou shows that the Khitans are coming soon. ”

Zhang Qi said: "I'm afraid they won't come!" Now along the Hebei Road, 250,000 soldiers and horses have gathered, dozens of cities have been built, and they have been waiting for the Khitans to come for a long time! In the last month, a lot of artillery has been brought in, and artillery has been installed along the border cities to see how they attack the city! ”

Ma Huaide sighed: "Since the party negotiated peace, I have been reappointed as a magistrate for more than ten years. You have artillery in the army, but I have never seen it. Last year, there was a lively fight in Xiongzhou, but I was guarding the city. This year, the cannon was transported, and I have always been unsure about how to place Xiongzhou City. ”

Zhang Qi said: "It's okay, tomorrow I will call a few generals in the army to live with the soldiers who defend the city." Actually, it's not that difficult, you were the stone cannon you used to be, but it's just a lot better. ”

Ma Huaide nodded, and the two discussed artillery together. Ma Huaide was born in the army, and when he was on Shaanxi Road, he fought with the party and was promoted to military merit, and there is today. The current army is very different from the army in Ma Huaide's memory. Speaking of fighting in the army, many questions were asked to Zhang Qi. Zhang Qi took the trouble to explain them one by one.

After talking for a while, the two stopped and drank tea for a while.

Ma Huaide said: "Taiwei, in the past, it was difficult for the Khitans to resist, because they used cavalry and came and went without a trace. Now that guns are used in the army, and there is no shortage of horses in the imperial court, it shouldn't be like this anymore, right? In the past, when the Khitans went south, they often went hundreds of miles deeper, and they could not find their whereabouts. ”

Zhang Qi smiled: "Of course it's different from before. Every move of the Khitan people was in the eyes of the imperial court, and they were prepared early. Now don't say that it is hundreds of miles deep, as long as you cross the border for ten miles, there will inevitably be an army to meet you. ”

Ma Huaide sighed: "Xiongzhou is on the border, and the Khitans will come to attack the city when they go south." These days, I really can't rest assured. ”

Zhang Qi said: "Our soldiers have built twelve new cities in Xiongzhou, and there are 30,000 soldiers and horses stationed around Xiongzhou. It is not easy for the Khitans to attack Xiongzhou City, and those newly built cities are not so easy to break. ”

Ma Huaide said: "I heard that the Khitans also have artillery, so don't underestimate it." I heard that the artillery siege of the city is extremely difficult to defend. ”

Zhang Qi said: "Zhizhou, don't be suspicious, just relax." I have an army of 50,000 and am stationed in a city in Xiongzhou, and even if the Khitan comes with troops from all over the country, it will not be able to threaten Xiongzhou in a short time. An artillery siege is sharp, but if the defenders have artillery, it's completely different. Compared with this dynasty, the Khitan artillery is close to the battle, and the power is insufficient, and it is difficult to break through the city. ”

Ma Huaide nodded and did not speak for a while. The army in his memory is still the way it was when he fought against the party, and he fought hard with swords and guns. Now that the army knows nothing about how to fight, it is inevitable to worry.

More than 300,000 Khitan cavalry, in the era of cold weapons, is enough to destroy the country, and it cannot be underestimated. Of course, the current Song Dynasty has long been short of military horses, and there are many cavalry on the front line, and they are not very afraid of the Khitan cavalry. Just like Zhang Qi's army, there are more than 10,000 cavalry, which is enough to protect the safety of Xiongzhou. Moreover, Xiongzhou has a railway, and can be supported by the rest of the army at any time.

Zhang Qi was subordinate to Du Zhongxiao, and fought all the way to the Western Regions, all of which were invincible, and his spirit was not comparable to before. The 50,000 army belonging to it is considered the elite army of the Song Dynasty, and it has long been willing to compete with the Khitan. Seriously, if it was just defense, Zhang Qi would be enough to hold Xiongzhou. It's just that the purpose of the Song Dynasty is to take advantage of this war to completely annihilate the main Khitan force in Youzhou, which is more complicated.

Seeing that Ma Huaide was still worried, Zhang Qi said: "Zhizhou doesn't have to worry, my 50,000 troops are enough to keep Xiongzhou safe." To the north of Nanyishui and to the south of the Juma River, twelve cities were built, which were connected in a line. If the Khitans wanted to go south, they had to conquer these twelve cities. With my 30,000 troops behind the battle, where can the Khitans be so calm? Not to mention, there are 50,000 troops of Taiwei Liu in the back, as well as more than 20,000 soldiers and horses after the training of the Hebei Road Forbidden Army, even if hundreds of thousands of Khitan troops come, they can't take advantage! ”