The third prince, Yang Yuanpu, took a boat to patrol along the Danjiang River, and the Zhou Shusu Department and the third capital of the Longque Army stationed in the west of Xiangzhou City naturally followed suit, marching west along the south bank of the Han River, and no one felt that there was anything abnormal about this.

Yang Qin and Feng Xuan came from Xuzhou this time and brought two newly-built fast sailing ships.

Although the requirements for shipbuilding are extremely strict, fortunately, there is a ready-made storage of shipbuilding timber in Xuzhou, and Ji Xiyao can use it for the construction of new ships when he buys it, and there is no need to start the preparation of the shipyard from the storage of wood.

These two newly-built fast sailing boats are still experimental new boats, compared with the traditional wide-nosed flat-bottomed bow, with a new pointed bottom long fusiform hull, full cargo draft can be more than a foot deep, although not like a flat-bottomed boat can dock at any time in the shallows, but when sailing at high speed against the wind, the ability to resist sideways is extremely strong.

At the same time, in addition to the large increase in the volume of the cabin under the water, the new ship type also reduces the cabin on the water as much as possible, so that the stability of the hull sinks significantly.

This also greatly improves the righting ability and anti-capsizing ability of the new ship, which are the prerequisites for fast sailing ships to sail quickly in open rivers.

Cloth sails replace bulky sails, and sails can be made taller and larger, with three masts supporting the windswept sail twice as much as a traditional rigid sail.

The traditional sailing ship from Xiangzhou City to Canglang City, one hundred and sixty or seventy miles of waterway, sailing against the current, hurrying and hurrying, to say the least, it also takes a day and a night.

And Han Qian accompanied Yang Qin, Shen Yang and others to board the ship at the wharf in the north of Xiangzhou City, at this time the north wind howled, blowing through the wilderness on the north bank, irrigating the river, blowing the sails rattling, by the snow after the clear stars and moon westward at full speed, when the sky was bright, he had already seen the Canglang City lying in the Hanshui, the Danjiang River, and the southwest foot of Heilong Mountain under the morning light.

The new ship is only slightly slower than a fast horse galloping at full speed, and it is nearly twice as fast as a traditional sailing ship.

The disadvantage of the fact that the culet cannot dock in the shallows is simply negligible for the transportation of bulk materials.

If it weren't for Shen Yang's suspicion that Han Qian was standing with Zhang Ping and Chai Jian again, and instigating the three princes to tour the west with other plans, he would have wanted to study and study the mysteries of the two newly built ships in Xuzhou first, and they could travel so fast against the current?

These two ships had already arrived in Xiangzhou years ago, and they had not attracted attention before, and these two ships were traveling in formation with other transport ships and sailing ships, and did not give full play to their speed advantage.

And Han Qian returned to Xiangcheng this time, and he had to see Chai Jian first on the way, and he also returned by horse and Yao Xishui; Separated from Yang Qin, who was connected by water.

In addition to the Canglang Tucheng of more than 100 steps, located between Canglang City and the Danjiang River and the Han River, there are three fence camps - in addition to the Xuzhou camp dominated by the scouts of Zuosi, the prisoner soldiers and the slave soldiers, the mercenary cottage soldiers led by Zhou Yi are also stationed in the Jiangtan camp in the northwest corner of Canglang City, and there are more than 700 cottage people who are hurrying to build the city and dig trenches.

The ship docked at the dock, and Han Qian accompanied the three princes Yang Yuanpu, Shen Yang, Zhang Ping, Chai Jian and others to land.

Everyone walked into Canglang City, and as soon as Han Qian summoned Tian Cheng, Zhou Yi and others to see the third prince Yang Yuanpu, he heard an angry and depraved scolding from the first earthen house on the left in the city:

"You dog minions and of the Linjiang Marquis Mansion, you have no king's law, you turn black and white upside down, you spew blood, you don't have any evidence, and you actually defile our and other enemies. If you have a kind today, kill us and destroy our mouths, or we will go to Jinling to sue the emperor......"

"......" Shen Yang looked over, there were several rooms with iron windows, presumably temporarily used as prison cells, and there were soldiers guarding outside, and asked Han Qian suspiciously, "Who is being held there?" ”

"The Yingzhou fleet passed through this place yesterday when transporting military supplies and grain and grass to Xichuan, when the Wankou waterway in the north of the Iron Crocodile Ridge was blocked by the Liang army, and I advised them to stay in Canglang City for a day or two to stop talking, but they did not listen to the dissuasion, and insisted on going north. I suspect that they are suspected of being enemies, and at this very moment, for the sake of prudence, I can only forcibly detain them for verification," Han Qian explained with a smile, "Now it seems that they may have really misunderstood, so I will release them......

Han Qian motioned for Xi Chang to go over and release them, and after a while, Xi Chang brought over several Yingzhou officials who had been detained yesterday.

Although they were not punished, these people were tossed and turned around last night, not only starving them for a day, but also deliberately controlling not to let them sleep, it was before Han Qian and them entered the city that the wooden beads in their mouths were taken down, so that they had a chance to scold them to attract the attention of Shen Yang and others.

These people were brought to the Three Princes and Shen Yang, and they no longer dared to scold with foul words, and at the same time, they were extremely tired at this time, so they could only cheer up and emphasize that Han Qian and they were arrogant yesterday and wanted the Three Princes to uphold justice.

Han Qian didn't pay for it vigorously, these people were also full of bitterness, and secretly felt that they were just a small charge officer in Yingzhou, could it be that they could really take the lackeys of the Linjiang Hou Mansion? At the moment, I just want to leave this place as soon as possible, go to Xichuan, and meet with the state general Xia Zhen.

"You are so tired, if you don't want to rest in Canglang for two days before leaving, then go with us - Your Highness also happens to want to go to Xichuan to inspect the defense, and we can also prevent any accidents with this batch of grain and grass!" Han Qian said.

These people looked at Han Qian and the third prince Yang Yuanpu quite hesitantly, they were naturally not qualified to refuse the third prince Linjiang Marquis Mansion to go to Xichuan.

"I think it's better to accompany His Highness to Xichuan and Jingzikou first, and then go back to Canglang, Mr. Shen Yang, what do you think?" Han Qian asked Shen Yangdao.

"Okay." Shen Yang was very suspicious of Han Qian's intentions, but he didn't feel any doubts at this time, and nodded in agreement.

Since it is to inspect the western front, the key points of heavy defense such as Jingzikou and Xichuan naturally have to be seen, and Shen Yang is also worried that the situation will change at any time, first look at Jingzikou and Xichuan, where the retreat is easy to be cut off, and then turn around and inspect the defense of Iron Crocodile Ridge and Canglang City, even if the war is urgent, he can first escort the three princes to Xiangzhou City.

The Yingzhou fleet was anchored in the river port, and the grain and military supplies were not unloaded.

However, in addition to the Yingzhou fleet, Han Qian also added more than 50 scouts from Zuo Si to the Xuzhou fleet, and escorted the Three Princes, Shen Yang and others to Xichuan for inspection together with the guard battalion.

…………

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Thirty or forty ships were mixed, and the speed of the fleet's northward march was slow, and they stopped at the Iron Crocodile Ridge for half a day to meet Li Zhihe and Guo Liang, and the waterway of more than 90 miles was not until midnight when they passed through the Xichuan River and arrived at Xichuan City.

The outpost fortifications built by the Liang army were only more than 20 miles away from Xichuan, but the Liang army had not yet forced them outside Xichuan City; Xichuan City is quite calm here.

Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen received a notice before night, saying that the three princes would arrive in Xichuan with the fleet of supplies of grain and grass to inspect, and they waited in the city with the city generals until midnight before the three princes came.

Li Zhihe controlled the generals in the left front, at the beginning Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen each guarded Xichuan and Neixiang, because the river leading to Neixiang City was narrow and shallow, it was difficult to pass through the big ships, and the materials that were transported to the two cities for a long time were unloaded in Xichuan, and then transported to the inner countryside more than 30 miles away by the old gallop road.

After Zheng Hui arrived in Xichuan, he forcibly captured two stockades at the southern foot of Funiu Mountain in the north, and captured six or seven hundred people to repair the walled wharf.

"The last generals Zheng Hui and Huangzhou Sibing joined the army, and the last generals Xia Zhen and Yingzhou, see Linjiang Hou ......"

Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen were both armor-piercing generals, standing in front of the simple dock to welcome the third prince Yang Yuanpu and others off the ship.

At this time, dozens of torches also showed the faces of Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen.

Zheng Hui was quite resolute in Xichuan, and the nearby cottages did not obey the orders and did not hesitate to send troops to suppress them, but at the age of about forty, his appearance was quite elegant, and his eyes when he looked at the three princes were also calm and calm.

In fact, the Zheng family in the early years in Huangzhou is the family of poetry and books, several generations of ancestors in the previous dynasty are all civil ministers, until the end of the previous dynasty, Jingxiang area wars are frequent, Huang Zheng for self-preservation, only to encourage the children to abandon literature and martial arts, but like Zheng Hui and others since childhood still read poetry and books, in Jianghuai are quite famous.

In comparison, Xia Zhen, who is younger, is much more unruly in his eyes.

In fact, in addition to the great difference in the personalities of Zheng Hui and Xia Zhen, the two have different demeanors at this time, which is also closely related to the length and extent of Jinling's control over Huangzhou and Yingzhou.

Although Huangzhou also belongs to the land of Jingxiang in a large area, it is very close to the heart of the Great Chu, and Tianyou will be attached to the Great Chu in three years, and in order to show respect, the Zheng family has resigned from the post of Assassin Shi and Sima two years ago, and asked Jinling to appoint officials.

And Jinling was the heart of the Zheng family, and insisted on appointing Zheng Hui to take charge of the state camp, otherwise the Zheng family would have resigned from the post of commander to join the army.

And Yingzhou was blessed by Tianyou for nine years, and it was only after Tanzhou that it was attached to Dachu, and it was only four years since then. Yingzhou joined the army from the state assassin history, Changshi, Sima and Liucao, and almost all of them were the children of local clans such as the Xia family.

When it came to the end, Yang Yuanpu couldn't help but hesitate, and subconsciously looked at Han Qian.

Shen Yang caught the third prince's eyes full of hesitation, he didn't know what he was doing with Han Qian, and then looked at Chai Jian, Li Chong, and Zhang Ping who followed ashore from behind, and there was no abnormality.

Han Qian held the saber at his waist with his hand, as if this was his habitual action as a military general, and took a step closer towards Xia Zhen.

Seeing Han Qian's resolute attitude, Yang Yuanpu gritted his teeth and stared at Xia Zhen, and asked sharply: "Xia Zhen, you fled without a fight, abandoned the inner countryside city without permission, and the crime should be beheaded, I ordered Han Qian to behead you today, are you convinced?" ”

Yang Yuanpu suddenly spoke up, and he held Xia Zhen accountable for the crime of abandoning the city and killed Xia Zhen on the spot, everyone was stupid there, but Han Qian had already raised his knife at this time, and a sword light was like the moon and slashed at the unsuspecting Xia Zhen.

"Cheap seed, you dare to sneak attack!" Xia Zhen roared angrily, his head tilted to the side in a hurry, and before he had time to pull the knife, he raised his foot and kicked at Han Qian's chest, feeling a pain in his shoulder, and saw Han Qian's extremely sharp straight spine knife, the three-inch-wide blade had broken through the leather armor he had hastily worn, and the whole thing was slashed into his shoulder blade.

Han Qian was almost kicked by Xia Zhen, but he held the handle of the knife tightly with his right hand, and the blade slashed into Xia Zhen's shoulder blade, unable to pull it out for a while, but it also made his body stable, and he was not kicked to the ground by Xia Zhen, and his left hand immediately pulled out the dagger on his right waist and stabbed towards Xia Zhen's face......