When Lu Fei led the Tang army north to Cangzhou, he saw the villages that had been destroyed along the way, and not a single soldier of the Liao army had long been gone. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Walking to the post road outside Cangzhou City, the soldiers along the way all turned their heads to look at the roadside, the atmosphere was very bleak, and there was no trace of pedestrians for several miles.

The closer you get to Cangzhou City, the more terrifying the scene becomes.

"......," Cao Bin's voice said in a deep voice.

The scene on both sides was terrifying, a small pyramid-like pile, which was made of a person's head! Looking at the style of the bun, they are all Han people, there are soldiers and people, men and women, old and young, all the faces are piled up, and the smell of rancid smell is permeated in the air, which is a very shocking and terrifying scene.

Lu Fei's face was pale, his left hand was clenched on the hilt of the sword, and a wave of humiliation and anger surged above his head! The meaning of this kind of thing is very obvious, it is showing off its strength and prestige to the Tang Dynasty, and it is laughing at the failure of the Tang Army!

The horses moved slowly, Lu Fei looked at the tens of thousands of heads expressionlessly, he didn't speak for a long time, and as he walked and watched, he could hear many soldiers crying behind him.

"The Khitans slaughtered the city?" Lu Fei asked faintly, as if he was asking himself.

No one dared to answer the emperor's words, even if the Liao army did not slaughter the city, the living people were all plundered, and the Liao army passed everywhere, and the chickens and dogs were difficult to find.

The weak will be trampled on! Cangzhou was defeated, Lu Fei felt that it was useless to be annoyed and angry, so he coldly ordered: "Send someone to burn the head and bury it, in order to prevent the outbreak of the plague after decay." ”

Cao Bin hugged his fists and said, "The minister will arrange it immediately." ”

The gate of Cangzhou City was opened, and the burned houses inside were not counted, and there were ruins everywhere. There was no army to defend the city, and there were no people in the streets. When I first entered Cangzhou, this deserted and dilapidated scene, coupled with classical architecture, made people feel as if they had entered a ghost town!

Lu Fei led his troops from the north-south central axis road to the city, and came to the military yamen in Cangzhou, where he and the civil and military ministers' guards rode straight into the yamen gate, because the door was open.

Lu Fei's temples and muscles popped up, but his face gradually retracted.

A group of guards entered the messy lobby first, searched around and cleaned up, and Lu Fei led the Minister of Civil and Military Affairs into the upper and lower seats.

Cao Bin said: "The Liao army has only more than 10,000 horsemen at most, and it has now retreated to Zhuozhou. Yelu Xiuge and Zheng Yuanqing have no intention of confronting our main cavalry, and at present, we can only expel the Liao army and cannot catch them. ”

"And that's to be expected." Lu Fei calmed down a lot.

Cao Bin said: "Your Majesty, the ministers are foolish to see that if they can immediately cross the river to occupy Qigou Pass, form a situation of outflanking Zhuozhou, and then send a large army to advance step by step, the Liao army should soon abandon Zhuozhou and flee north." The time is short, and it may be that they have not had time to transport all the people and money and food they plundered in Zhuozhou, and they can still recover some of them. ”

Lu Fei nodded, there is very little chance to fight with the Liao army in a short hand, if you can beat them, you will fight, and if you can't fight, you will withdraw, anyway, the whole cavalry, the Han army will never be able to catch up.

So Cao Keming was the striker, and the first division approached Zhuozhou City.

Tie Hammer was invited to be a striker several times, but was rejected by Lu Fei, and he was a little displeased; Because he always plays as a striker, but this time Lu Fei didn't use him, saying that the iron hammer is easy to rush impulsively, and this time the use of troops cannot tolerate failure.

Sure enough, the strength of the Youzhou Army of the Liao State was not enough to meet the main cavalry of the Tang Army, and it did not defend Zhuozhou at all. Cao Keming had just marched more than halfway before he had to report to the Liao army and abandon the city again.

The Liao army ran very actively and quickly, and the horses on the grassland had excellent endurance and could not catch up at all.

Cao Keming marched into the city of Zhuozhou according to the will, and within two days, Lu Fei led the main force to the city of Zhuozhou, and more than 50,000 cavalry set up camps on all sides, and the battle was very huge, and the emperor's honor guard Luan drove to the city.

In addition to a small number of cavalry temporarily stationed in Cangzhou, more than 50,000 cavalry of the Lu Fei Army and more than 100,000 war horses were stationed in Zhuozhou; Then he took over the county seat of Deyang in the east without bloodshed, Zhuozhou has fallen, and there is nothing to defend in a small city like Deyang. Then the Tang army swaggered to build a waterway and grain along the river near the Cao Canal.

Just south of Deyang County is the confluence of several rivers such as the Yellow River and Zhangshui, and Lu Fei ordered the Zhuangding who arrived in Hebei one after another to build a wharf and granary in this place together with the soldiers of the forbidden army. The walls were then built to form a new city.

The Yellow River was in the north of the river, and countless materials were transported north. But there was not a single battle between the two sides.

Soon, the follow-up soldiers and horses of the Tang army came one after another, and the infantry and cavalry of the Tang army in Hebei reached more than 100,000.

Yelu Xiuge, the commander of the Liao army in Youzhou, refused to fight, and the Liao court immediately increased his troops, because the gap between the Liao army in Youzhou and the Tang army was too far.

In the main hall of the Great Liao Imperial Palace on the hill, the light is dim, and the fire in the copper basin shines with orange and yellow light. At this time, the weather in Shangjing was already a little cold, the doors and windows were closed, and everyone seemed to be staying in a cave.

The little emperor Xiao Yanyan licked and ate with her thumb and index finger a little mare's milk wine, and the young and beautiful Empress Dowager Xiao didn't say a word but looked at her son quietly.

The atmosphere was very strange, because the situation was so complicated that no one could say anything easily.

Not long ago, the Liao Emperor and the nobles heard that Yelu Xiuge had won a complete victory, and took the Tang people's heads to set up a 'Rentou Mountain' to show off their martial arts, and they were very happy, and rewarded Yelu Xiuge, who was first named "Pingnan Gong", and for a time became a hero on the grassland.

But now it has attracted a large-scale "invasion" of the Tang army, which is also something that Empress Dowager Xiao is very unwilling to see. The Liao State is also reluctant to engage in large-scale wars today.

Finally, someone began to scold indignantly: "The people of the Tang Kingdom are more brazen than the previous 'southerners', they are not ashamed of their repeated defeats, and they still have the face to come over to make trouble!" ”

"Yelu Hugo failed to let the main force of the Tang army suffer losses, they were not beaten to the sore spot, so they did not know awe. The main force of the Tang Army should be killed again, this is an effective way to make them obey! ”

"Yes, yes. This time, we have to find the right opportunity to destroy the main force of the forbidden army of the Tang Army......"

Xiao Yanyan had a hard beard and a green face, with a fierce face, as if to say: You say that these are a fart! He spoke: "What do the Tang people want to do this time?" ”

A nobleman said: "I still want to take Youzhou." ”

Xiao Yanyan said coldly: "The front line of the Yellow River reported that the Tang army only wandered near the Yellow River, and did not approach Youzhou. Did the Tang people change their methods, or did they not plan to attack Da Liao? ”

There was a lot of discussion among the people, and most of them believed that the former was that the Tang army had changed its strategy of raiding Youzhou...... Because the Khitan people have been in contact with the Han people for many years, they still have a good understanding of the affairs in the Central Plains, and the Han army has to go out on a large scale, and it is not easy to mobilize and consume a lot, and it is unlikely that it will spend a lot of effort just to make a show of attacking.

Xiao Yanyan asked: "The Tang army has occupied Zhuozhou and built two more cities, what is special about these places?" ”

Yelu put his hand on his chest and bowed, "Empress Dowager, it should be because of leaning on the river."

The Great Liao Army went on an expedition, usually no more than two months, and the grain was carried with the army, and then the grain was taken nearby; The southerners are different, they usually rely on a large number of people, pay attention to decisive battles, have a large number of men and horses, need a lot of grain, a lot of baggage, and slow movement of men and horses, and have to be stationed for defense for a long time when it is unfavorable, so they rely on grain transportation roads.

The land grain route requires a large number of people, and the consumption is huge; There is a lot of grain transported by waterway, and there is no worry about the water source, so relying on the waterway is the best route for the southerners. ”

Xiao Yanyan asked about the rivers near and south of Zhuozhou and Xincheng, but no one could explain clearly, most of them could give a general explanation, and the language was unknown. Many of the nobles present had never been to Youzhou at all, and those who had been to Youzhou did not know much about the southern terrain.

Yelu couldn't help but speak: "Xiao Gong, the privy deputy envoy of the Northern Court, has been guarding Youzhou for many years, and he knows the details. ”

"Where is Xiao Daling?" Xiao Yanyan asked.

Everyone looked around, and Xiao Daling didn't come today.

Empress Dowager Xiao raised her eyebrows, a little displeased, and shouted: "Go and find Xiao Daling!" ”

After waiting for a long time, Xiao Daling was hurriedly taken into the main hall. Xiao Daling bowed and said: "The minister is late, please forgive the Great Khan." ”

"Humph!" Empress Dowager Xiao suddenly stood up.

Sixiali suddenly quieted down, and everyone was worried, don't look at her as a woman, but she is also a woman, and she is often more radical than men.

Before the onset of winter, there was a light rain on the Jinzhou side. The rain was dripping, but the ground was wet, and when people and horses stepped on it, it was all muddy.

On the main road, groups of people rushed to the construction site of Jinzhou City, all of them were men, carrying hats or straw hats, carrying hoes and other tools, and carrying packages.

Gao Xiaoqing rode to the people and asked them to ask what these people were doing here.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "We have brought our own rations and come to repair the city!" The general left us alone. ”

"The imperial court has not forgotten Hebei, and it has marched north twice a year. The villagers are looking forward to the arrival of Master Wang, how can they not exert their strength......"

Gao Xiaoqing was greatly moved when he heard this, stepped forward, jumped off the horse and hugged his fists and bowed: "Yandi righteous people are well aware of righteousness, please accept the general's worship!" He said loudly, "The general is Gao Xiaoqing in Shu, and the soldiers are all Shu people, and when they heard that the people of Hebei were deeply harmed by the Liao people, they dared not to expel the Hu people from the conquest?" I'm waiting for ...... from thousands of miles away."

At this moment, a military general stepped forward, bowed his head and whispered in Gao Xiaoqing's ear: "The emperor has come to Jinzhou to inspect." ”

Gao Xiaoqing immediately turned his head and asked, "Where are you?" ”

The military general said: "It's almost there." ”

Gao Xiaoqing immediately beckoned Hou Mao, the general of the department, to come over and said, "You come to appease the people who took the initiative to come, but you have to register when you enter the camp." These people usually do not come alone, but are in the same group of villagers, asking their fellow villagers to confirm their identities. ”

Hou Mao hugged his fists and said: "The last general understands." ”

Gao Xiaoqing immediately led people to greet the emperor.

…… Lu Fei met Gao Xiaoqing's men and horses on the post road, and a group of people dismounted one after another, bent down and hugged their fists and saluted: "Welcome to the emperor!" ”

"No courtesy." Lu Feidao.

Gao Xiaoqing said quietly: "It's raining and it's cold, and the last general will ask the emperor to rest the dragon's body." ”

Lu Fei nodded and coped. He rode on a horse in armor and had no cover on his head. Although the rain was very light, it soaked through the armor and clothes for a long time, and the helmet and plate armor were covered with water droplets, and the water droplets condensed under the brim of the hat dripped down on the face from time to time, which was very cool.

Lu Fei's face was not very good, and he didn't say much, so he only said, "Take me to see the fortifications that built the city." ”

His timbre is very low, but his words are thicker, and he sounds steady.

"Whoa." Gao Xiaoqing clenched his fists in agreement, turned around and got on the horse.

The group slowly rode towards a construction site on the riverbank, and the black horse under Lu Fei's seat shook his head and threw the water droplets into the air. The ground was muddy, and the horses seemed to be dissatisfied.

Gao Xiaoqing pointed to the people in front of him and explained the reason for their origins.

Lu Fei praised after hearing this, and said, "You also have to beware of spies getting involved." ”

Gao Xiaoqing said: "The last general has been on guard. ”

A group of people circled the city, the perimeter of the built city wall was not long, many people were carrying soil in the rain, and some people carried wooden rafts on the earthen wall and shouted to exert force.

Then the people came to a hillside with higher terrain. An official of the Ministry of Works dismounted and came to Lu Pegasus and presented a set of drawings: "The emperor saw that the city wall is very small, this is a temporary fortification, and it is all subject to the arrangements of the military government. ”

Lu Fei took the picture and looked at the construction site in front of him.

In fact, it is not a city wall that is being built now, but an earthen wall, and then a moat, which is only a temporary fortification. Because winter was approaching, it was more difficult and there was not enough time to build the walls...... The Liao army may take the initiative to attack in winter, and the current preparations are for winter defense; There was a place to stand and hoard grain, grass and soldiers.

When they have gained a firm foothold, they will rebuild the fortifications again. An administrative structure has been set up, and sooner or later the city of Jinju will be built.

Lu Fei looked back and said: "The earthen wall fortifications must be built quickly, and General Gao will definitely send more scouts to inspect the surroundings." You are the farthest away from Zhuozhou here, and if Yelu Xiuge comes to attack him, most of them will choose Jinzhou as the target. ”

Gao Xiaoqing and the others hurriedly bowed and said: "The ministers must obey the holy decree. ”

Lu Feiyao pointed to the distance in the drizzle, and said: "When the main city fortifications are built, the township army will reinforce Jinzhou and build a fortress around the city in the northeast, with staggered two-layer deployment, as an early warning and peripheral offensive and defensive fulcrum; The main force of the Jiannan Army sits in the center to defend the granary. There is also the rear forbidden army with elite cavalry as support, which can protect the safety of Jinzhou. ”

Everyone echoed it, saying that the emperor was strategizing.

"Drive!" Lu Fei kicked the horse's belly lightly and rushed down the hillside, and everyone followed one after another when they saw this.

Lu Fei entered the fortification area to inspect it, and he looked very carefully, even asking about toilets and drains. There are also food, winter clothes, shelter for sergeants and people, and so on. He went to a straw shed kitchen, picked up a piece of wheat cake from a bamboo basket, tore a piece and tasted it.

Gao Xiaoqing hurriedly found a wooden bench and invited Lu Fei to sit down, so the emperor was in a grass hut, holding a wheat cake in one hand and a branch in the other, and painted on the mud floor while telling the tactics designed by the military government.

Lu Fei was thinking about everything in his mind, he was tired and tired for a few days but he didn't feel sleepy, and his spirit was always in a state of tension and excitement. He was a little worried, worried that something would go wrong; I look forward to it, every time I have a fight, I can make the whole layout take a step forward! So he seemed a little impatient, hoping to see the upcoming results soon.

He took a long breath and came back to his senses, his surroundings were calm and quiet, and time was still passing slowly bit by bit, calmly, which was destined to be a long process.

...

The brilliance of the morning sun casts a layer of light on Bianjing, and the gentle sunlight penetrates the mist of early winter and sprinkles on the scenery of all things. The brass bell on the pagoda swayed from side to side during the strike, and its golden color shimmered with a metallic sheen.

On the streets by the Bianshui River, in addition to the residents of the city, sergeants are common these days. After the township army rested and recuperated, they were successively summoned to Bianjing to assemble, and they were going north to the Hebei front line in the near future.

…… It's a pity that everyone didn't find Shi Jiang Si Kuang when they went back, so they found Dutou. Dutou is also a hot-blooded young man, so he went to the kiln with everyone.

Si Kuang went to Xuemei's house, and he couldn't tell why he often wanted to go to Xuemei's house. Xuemei heard that he was going to the Northern Expedition to the Khitan, but in the evening, he made a big table of good food and wine to entertain him, and he was very enthusiastic today.

Xuemei sat opposite, looked Si Kuang up and down, picked up the delicate small wine cup, and said: "This cup of Jing Si Shi will be a good man, and the big husband is just recovering the lost land for the shame of the country!" ”

Si Kuang puffed up his chest when he heard this, and accepted a glass of wine in a big way.

Unexpectedly, Xuemei couldn't help but say after drinking: "Although Shilang is a little tanned, he still looks handsome, with fine skin and tender meat, the Khitan people are all beasts and devils, people like you ......"

Si Kuang was a little unhappy when he heard this: "Isn't it how a big husband can look good?" That is usually fierce and strong, but he bullies the soft and is afraid of the hard, and he is so frightened that he trembles when he goes into battle, and he has not seen it before! Hum! ”

Xuemei listened and said: "Shi Lang kills a few more Khitans, I hate the Khitans the most!" ”

Si Kuang pretended to be bold and said: "I drank the wine of the Xuemei lady, and I killed more enemies to repay you!" ”

Xuemei smiled: "Shilang seems to be speaking differently this time." ”

Si Kuang said: "I didn't think it before, but now I feel it deeply, I didn't survive the battle of nine deaths, didn't I survive it......"

His hands rubbed against the rough leather bracers, and he turned to look at the room, where the draperies of Aya Luo hung low, the carved windows closed, and the red candles glittered in a hazy light. The rich furnishings, the unclear light, are full of soft atmosphere, and the gentle country is nothing more than that.

Si Kuang used to be very angry with Xuemei, but now he doesn't hold a grudge against her at all, the entanglement between men and women seems to be like this, he can't hate, but he can't get into his heart, he is entangled, and he can't make it clear.

Si Kuang drank cup after cup, because the glass was too small, so he picked up the flask and poured a big sip.

"Don't look unhappy, it's not good to live happily before the expedition, the north is a bitter cold place." Xuemei persuaded softly, and beckoned the maid to come over with the pipa, "I'll sing you a song and drink it slowly." I'll be with Shirou all night tonight. ”

Si Kuang squinted his drunken eyes, looked at Xuemei's beautiful eyes and red lips, and gradually became a little addicted.

…… A few days later, a column of infantry from the gate of the outer city of Bianjing was pulled out of the city one after another. Many people watched on the side of the road, and it was very lively early in the morning.

Goodbye, a bustling city full of singing and dancing. Si Kuang turned his head, in front of him was the endless post road, as well as the long dragon of Jin Ge Iron Horse, and the long road was far away from the beacon fire and wolf smoke.

……

In late October, the south bank of the Yellow River traveled. Lu Fei got the news thousands of miles away here.

Most of the more than 50,000 horsemen of the forbidden army have retreated to Bazhou, because a large number of horsemen need food on the north bank of the Yellow River, and now they have to save the grain that is transported to the front line.

Bazhou became the base camp of the former military government. The location of this place is very good, relying on the Yellow River, in the middle section, not far from the west line of Zhuozhou and the east line of Jinzhou; And it is the local fortress town of Datang, which has been in operation for many years, and the city is very strong.

Lu Fei unfolded a small note, glanced at it, and said to the civil and military officials sitting at the head of the house: "The army of the Liao State is going south. ”

Everyone immediately discussed, as if to say: The emperor said that there will be news coming from Shangjing soon, and sure enough!

Lu Fei ignored everyone's discussions, and directly ordered: "Immediately issue an order, let the main force of the front division of the palace except for the tiger infantry and the guard Ma Bu Division all go north, and station in the three states of Xiong, Ba, and Yi, and wait for dispatch." ”

Cao Bin bowed and said, "The minister obeys the order." ”

Lu Fei said: "Do everything possible to speed up the transportation of grain, and ensure the grain and grass reserves of the cities on the front line in Zhuozhou." As soon as the Liao army goes south, there will be a threat to the grain route. ”

Prime Minister Lu Duan said: "The minister obeys the order." ”

Lu Fei gave two military orders very quickly, and his expression eased slightly. He looked back and said: "The winter war is inevitable, our Tang army will deploy about 300,000 on the front line of the Yellow River, and it is estimated that the Liao army should have more than 100,000 cavalry and servant soldiers to participate in the battle. This battle is related to the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty, and all the princes will go all out! ”

Everyone looked stunned and clenched their fists one after another.

Lu Fei said in a deep voice: "According to the strategy of the Privy Council, in this year's winter battle, in order to protect the integrity of the Zhuozhou front, we must not rush it!" ”

At this time, there was a rumbling drum in the distance outside the lobby, as if urging the prelude to the big battle, and Lu Fei's heart tightened inexplicably. He took a deep breath and waited quietly for this long, difficult period to pass.

Everything will pass...... Thinking about the bloody battle of Sanchuankou back then, I didn't still carry my head and suffered during that time, and now I look back and it's just a relatively deep memory.

...

The front line is not what it seems, it is bitter and boring.

There were about 200 men in Si Kuang's capital and another nearby city, stationed in a fortress north of Jinzhou, which was called "Wind Fort".

They came in clean and neat clothes, and at first they were engaged in coolies to repair various fortifications, and of course they did not wear armor, and the uniforms on their bodies soon became dirty and torn. Every day of work, everyone almost forgets whether they are here to fight or to work as a coolie.

In the winter months, the first snow has just fallen here in Jinzhou, and the weather is very cold. He wore sackcloth gloves on his hair, but Si Kuang couldn't resist the cold wind, his hands and face were cracked, and the wind blew a little painful.

The days are short and the nights are long, and everyone finishes work early. Those who are on duty at night are even harder, but fortunately, Si Kuang should not be the duty officer tonight.

A soldier muttered, "Even in the middle of nowhere, we don't work even in the winter when it snows." Good thing to eat here......"

In the middle of the camp were a dozen or so low houses, low and sturdy, with rammed walls below and thick planks of felt on top. Not far away, there was a mound of earth tower, on which stood two men wrapped in back fur roasting a fire.

It seems that living in this kind of house is much better than a tent, but thirty or so people sleep in one room! There was too much work to build fortified houses.

Si Kuang finished eating with his thirty men, and everyone shrank into low houses. Most people go straight to the kang, and it is warm...... This kang is the first time I have seen it, and it is said that it was specially designed by the emperor to be sympathetic to the soldiers. The charcoal burned underneath the house, and the whole earthen kang was hot.

Some people wipe their bodies behind the curtain, no matter how much work they do, taking a bath is a very troublesome thing, there are too many people and the place is too small, so they just boil some water and wipe it with a cloth towel.

The house was dimly lit, and there was a complex smell mixed with the smell of feet, sweat, and fart.

At this moment, someone whispered: "What do you say *** tastes like......?"