On the fourth day of December in the fifteenth year of Chongzhen.

On this day, Li Zicheng captured Xiangyang.

It is the cold winter of Layue, in Shandong.

The snow fell like hemp, and a team of cavalry rushed from the direction of Yizhou like a whirlwind, they trekked against the wind in the wilderness, marching with difficulty, and the four fields were silent, only the sound of snow falling and rustling was heard.

Heaven and earth are sluggish, the earth is pure white, a line against the wind and snow, difficult to step on the ice from the Donglu River, look at a continuous mountain range in front, it is close to Yi County, Wenfeng Mountain in the direction of Teng County, the mountain has "Ji Wenzi Tomb", "Ji Wenzi Temple" and other ruins, according to legend, Ji Wenzi, the minister of Lu State, is buried here.

When they reached the bottom of the mountain, a group of more than a dozen people stopped, all of them were rough looking and skilled horsemen, all wearing cloaks and behaving fiercely.

The first one, nearly forty years old, with a weathery face, sharp eyes, wore a white felt hat, and hung down, and the burly body was draped in thick cotton armor, the armor was old but quite scraped, nailed with copper nails, and it must be an iron-inlaid cotton armor with nail pieces inside.

He rode on a silver-colored horse, wearing a double-pronged horse, pinned a cooked brass mace, and a large 10,000-strong enemy hung on the belt, although it was cold, he was still stable on the horse.

Beside him was a lean man, about his age, not tall, his face was full of furrows and wrinkles, and he also wore a winter felt cloak and dark armor, in addition to double inserts, he also carried an iron hammer, and his face and hands were smeared with thick mutton fat, and he was as calm as in the wind and snow.

The cold wind was like a knife, the eyebrows, eyes, lips and beards of the two were covered with frost and snow, and the felt hats and cloaks on their bodies were full of snow, watching the war horse under the crotch restless, constantly snorting, the lean man said: "Master Qiu, the brothers have driven a hundred miles in the wind and snow, and they are all tired, so let's rest." ”

The Qiu Ye looked back, and saw that all the riders behind him were tired, and many of them couldn't grasp the reins steadily, but they just tried their best to hug the horses, obviously freezing enough in the cold weather.

He said: "Okay, just rest, but the front is almost to Yi County, you may encounter Tartars, everyone be careful." ”

Everyone jumped off their horses, and the sound of armor leaves rubbing against each other made it clear that the cloaks were covered with iron-inlaid cotton armor for fighting.

They took shelter from the wind in a wooded area, arranged their saddles, took out the flask from the coat, and poured it into their mouths with a grunt, which was not high in soju at this time, but also injected warmth into their bodies.

A group of people are the sentry of Yizhou City, who does not collect Qiu Wutai, Shi Shunyin, Qiao Zhenxiu, Kong Shigao, Feng Yusheng and others, and went out to investigate the enemy situation under the order of Gao Mingheng, the former governor of Henan, and the Yizhou garrison.

However, the two of them are not only the family members under the command of Gao Mingheng, but also participated in the camp of Jizhen, Liao Town, Shanxi Town and other towns, and have been serving as night guards, which are quite meritorious. In the eighth year of Chongzhen, the two went south with Cao Wenzhao's department to suppress Kou, and after Cao Wenzhao was killed, the two traveled to various parts of the Central Plains, and later entered the command of Gao Mingheng as a family member. After the fall of Kaifeng, Gao Mingheng returned to his hometown due to illness, and the two were originally from Yizhou, Shandong, and also had the idea of returning to their hometown, so they followed Gao Mingheng back to their hometown.

Because the Qing soldiers entered the Kou and also hit Yanzhou, the Yizhou Zhizhou garrison and others were worried, so they discussed with Gao Mingheng who told the old man, and sent out the elite who did not collect the elite at night and went out to investigate.

That night is not collected in the nine sides of the most, although after the Jiajing year, Jiangnan and the hinterland are also set up, but Yizhou does not have a full-time night does not collect, only to the family Ding horse team part-time, Yizhou Zhizhou garrison and other people, but also want to ask Gao Mingheng for assistance.

Therefore, Qiu Wutai and Shi Shunyin were ordered to go out of the sentry, they have rich experience in sentry sentry, and have a lot of dealings with the Tartars, and the two have been in the same camp, more than ten years of birth and death, with them in the lead, all the sentry riders have nothing to say.

They rested in the woods, sorted out their equipment, and did not collect the horse team at night, they all had side cards, and wore double inserts, the bow pot was a Kaiyuan bow, and the quiver was a heavy arrow, or a squeezed quiver. The arrows are stuffed inside, and no matter how much the horse jolts, the arrows will not fall.

However, only Qiu Wutai and Shi Shunyin used a one-stone strong bow, and the rest of Qiao Zhenxiu, Kong Shigao and others all used a seven-force bow or an eight-force bow.

At the same time, Qiao Zhenxiu also inserted a handcuff into his waist, looking at the firing structure of the handcuff, it was the kind of flint-haired self-generated handcuff. Although the steel plate is weak, it can't catch fire when it is always hit, but it doesn't use the fire rope, and it shoots when you lift the gun, and the convenience is incomparable to the fire rope handcuff.

And among the group, only Qiu Wutai and Shi Shunyin used melee combat heavy soldiers with copper maces and hammers, and the rest of the Yizhou garrison commanded them, and the melee weapons were waist knives. This kind of waist knife is also a commonly used Yanling knife in the Ming army, the blade is thin and sharp, light and flexible, stabbing and cutting are appropriate, and customized in one catty and ten taels.

This knife is very effective against unarmored targets, but against the Tartar sentinel to capture the living army, Qiu Wutai and the two always have a worry in their hearts, it is too light, this kind of knife cannot break through the heavy armor protection of the Tartar.

Even the seven-eight-force Kaiyuan bow they used, Qiu Wutai felt that it was insufficient, and the eight-force bow could shoot through the iron-inlaid cotton armor within a distance of fifteen steps, slightly hurting the flesh. But the Tartar sentry vest is at least two layers of armor, thirty or forty catties of iron-inlaid cotton armor on the outside, and one or twenty catties of iron short armor on the inside, and fifteen steps through one layer and one layer more.

If you encounter small bosses such as Da Zhuang, Pashiku, and Divide Pashiku, there is a layer of chain mail and triple armor in the innermost, and the damage of bows and arrows is even weaker.

However, the training in the use of weapons is a matter of many years, and if they are used to it, they will change it rashly, and their combat effectiveness will be reduced, so they have no choice but to act at the opportunity.

"Roll the donkey bear, this ghost weather, my horses are tired, and I carry dozens of pounds of armor, and I am dead."

Qiao Zhenxiu poured wine on the side, while scolding and scolding the saddle, he, like Kong Shigao, is the most important family member in Yizhou, and they are also stout men, wearing iron-inlaid cotton armor, a gray woolen cloak, and a thick scarf.

This is a kind of strong man who often wears a turban, wraps it from the head, covers the ears, and ties it in front of the shoulder, which is a combination of turban and shoulder scarf, which is usually seen in the south and has been spread to the north in recent decades.

At this time, he was choked by the cold, his nose was red, his hands and feet were stiff, and he didn't seem to feel the existence of his upper and lower hands and feet. The entire head of the towel was covered with thick snow, and even the eyelashes were white.

He stomped his feet hard, and his words were not good, and his words also resonated with all the family members, and a young man said: "Yes, Master Qiu, why do you want to wear armor?" Shouldn't this whistle be light and flexible? ”

Qiu Wutai looked at the young man, and saw that his clear water and snot were frozen out, and there were large white flowers. Although his face was covered with grease, he was still pulled open by the cold wind. The whole person was trembling, and his hands were even more bruised and swollen, and he was desperately rubbing his hands at this time.

He said: "Brother Feng, the Tartars are not ordinary bandits, they all have heavy armor, and the arrows are also sharp, if you don't wear armor when you go out, I am afraid that if you meet them, I am afraid that you will ......."

He looked at everyone, seeing that everyone was frozen, and he was a little worried in his heart, he had been in the border town for a long time, of course he knew that the Tartars were fierce and ferocious, and this trip was out of the whistle, and the group was afraid that there would be more than one bad luck.

However, Gao Junmen is very important, and he has the grace of knowing him, and it is related to the safety of Yizhou Township's father and elders, and his own life is also picked up, so it is up to heaven to live and die.

The young man Feng Yusheng seems to understand whether he understands or not, he was born in a horse household, because of his superb riding skills and good archery, he was guarded by Yizhou, and he has been staying in Yizhou for many years.

He was a little nervous and excited, because of his name, he was teased and laughed at since he was a child, but he firmly believed that he would make a career and meet a nobleman.

Because his name is Feng Yusheng, and his parents gave him it!

Thinking about his parents who died of illness, thinking about the vision of honoring his ancestors and comforting the second elder, he couldn't help but touch the axe on his waist, and his tentacles were cold.

……

After resting for a while, a group of eighteen people got on the horse again, after all, it was the most elite force in Yizhou City, and after a little rest, they recovered their vitality, and everyone got on their horses steadily, holding the reins.

The two of them were in a column, naturally keeping a distance of one horse, the sound of hooves was mixed, and the horseshoe stepped on the snow, along the Xilu River, towards the direction of Yixian.

The snow rested for a while, not far from Budai Mountain at this time, a large mountain range unfolded in the north of the Xilu River, wrapped in silver, Qiu Wutai was about to command everyone to cross the Xilu River, suddenly Shi Shunyin's eyes were condensed, his hand was raised, and there was a sound of horse roaring, and everyone stopped the horse's hooves.

He whispered, "Master Qiu, do you see it?" ”

Qiu Wutai sneered: "See, it's either the Tartar Zhenghong Banner, or the Sentinel with the Red Flag." ”

He could see very clearly that there was a red dot a few miles ahead, which was crossing the Xilu River and running towards Budai Mountain, which was not far from the river.

No more than the Ming army, the Tartar sentry has always swaggered, without concealment, let alone changing the armor, what flag is the color of the banner armor, arrogant and accustomed, it may also be the self-confidence brought by decades of invincibility in the wild.

Look at the red armor riding the Tartar, it is indeed either a red flag or a sentry with a red flag.

Everyone quietly dismounted, and Qiao Zhenxiu said excitedly: "There is only one Tartar, we quietly followed and arrested him as a living mouth." ”

Kong Shigao said: "There is a dragon king temple on the side of Budai Mountain, this tartar may be a lonely tartar who went there to take shelter from the wind and snow, and it is easy to deal with!" ”

All the families behind him were all moved, and looking at the look of anticipation from everyone, Qiu Wutai also felt that it was an opportunity. If it was the same number of people, the eighteen people in his line would only have to flee for their lives, but only one Tartar, it would be much easier to deal with.

He said, "The tartar is going up the mountain from the south, and we are going to go from the east." However, you have to be cautious, the Tartar may be alone, or there may be their accomplices in the Dragon King Temple on the mountain. ”

They turned their horses' heads and ran to the east side of Budai Mountain, which was gentle in the southeast and steep in the northwest, and the Dragon King Temple was built on the mountain, and the mountain was full of pines and cypresses, and the trees were tall.

When the riders came to the foot of the mountain, Qiu Wutai carefully arranged for the three family members to lead the horses behind, and put on the horses to chew, and the rest took off their side cards from the saddle. Then everyone bent their bows and arrows, spread out the oblique fan, and quietly touched it, and he and Shi Shunyin walked in the front.

They took out their Kaiyuan bows from the bow pot, and pulled out heavy arrows from the quiver and put them on, all of which were birch arrows, and wolf teeth and arrows made of fine iron.

Qiu Wutai and Shi Shunyin put the side card on their left arm, sorted out their cooked copper mace and hammer, and also took out their Kaiyuan strong bow, and each drew a wolf tooth arrow to mount it.

Over there, Qiao Zhenxiu even took out his self-generated handcuff and looked at it, his steel strength was insufficient, and it didn't ring from time to time, I hope it would work this time.

They crept up the hill, and the arrows unfurled, and the mountains were covered with snow, and the pines and cypresses were covered with snow, and there was silence all around, except for the rustle of people stepping on the snow.

Soon, everyone was not far from the Dragon King Temple, and through the gap in the trees, they could see a corner of the eaves of the ruined temple over there.

The chill hits, and the surroundings are still quiet, with only occasional birdsong, especially the call of big, a high-pitched voice of "chirping", and a low sound of "chirping".