At the same time that Liu Qi led the army to conquer Wangxian County, the Xiliang Iron Cavalry led by Ma Chao was also exalting its prestige in Beidi County.

Beidi is one of the 36 counties of Qinzhi, it is a county in the easternmost part of the Liangzhou Thorn History Department, south of Anding, Zuo Fengyi, west of Wuwei, east of Shangjun of Bingzhou, north of the desert, the inhabitants here are mainly Qiang people, the number of Han people is small, only 18,000 Han people live, the county was originally in Yiqu, and later moved to Fuping at the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and then later, because of the Qiang chaos and moved to Niyang, hundreds of miles apart.

This time, Liu Qi ordered Ma Chao to lead the army into the north, on the one hand, in order to raid Qi County in the north, and Huang Zhong's army to attack the quail stationed by Zhang Bao before and after, and then occupy the entire Xinping County in one fell swoop, and then encroach on Zuo Fengyi, posing a threat to Chang'an, and the other purpose is also to teach the Qiang tribes in the north and lay the foundation for recovering the hundreds of miles of vast land occupied by the Qiang people since the Han Dynasty.

It is precisely for this reason that Liu Qi deployed Yao Naxuan's 20,000 Qiang soldiers to the Ma Chao camp, mainly to use Yao Naxuan's Qiang identity to win the attachment of other Qiang people.

Due to the weakness of hundreds of years, Xue Feng, the current Taishou of the Northland, is just a weak official who is attached to the threat of force from the Qiang, not only has to endure the extortion of the Qiang, but also suffers all kinds of personality insults.

No, just the day before, Lei Ye, the leader of the Qiang people, heard that a concubine in his house was good-looking, and he had to ask Lord Taishou to reward him with the concubine, Xue Feng was reluctant, but he knew that if he didn't agree, he was afraid that he would attract the iron horsemen of the Qiang tribe that day, so he had to give the concubine to Lei Ye with pain and sorrow. As a result, news came early this morning that the concubine had hanged herself last night because she couldn't bear the torture of Lei Ye.

Just when Xue Feng couldn't help himself with grief, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves outside the city, he thought that Lei Ye had led the army to retaliate, and he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

In a state of panic. Suddenly, I heard a report from my own soldiers: "Lord Qiyu, it is the army of the Han Dynasty that has come down from the city, and now we are saved." ”

Xue Feng couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief after hearing this, but then said with a wry smile: "What is saved?" It's not that you don't know that Duke Qin has always implemented a policy of restraint against the Qiang people, as long as they don't come to invade the territory, Duke Qin has no choice but to turn a blind eye, even if the army comes, it is impossible to make enemies with them. ”

But the pro-soldier shook his head and said, "I'm afraid this time is different." ”

"Oh? What's the difference? Xue Feng couldn't help but be stunned. Hurriedly asked.

But I heard the pro-soldier say: "Because according to the generals under the city, they are the army led by Ma Chao, the Liangzhou Thorn Shi under the command of the Duke of Chu, this army is strong and strong, and it seems that there are tens of thousands of people. ”

Xue Feng smiled bitterly and said, "Do you say that this official still has a choice?" The defense of Niyang City is not as strong as that of the mainland, and it is said that there are tens of thousands of troops. Even an army of 20,000 can easily break through the city defenses, making us prisoners. How can this official be successful if he doesn't go? It's just who is Duke Chu? When will a new upstart emerge in the Xiliang area? ”

But seeing that the pro-soldier sighed, he said slowly: "My lord, this Duke of Chu is also a relative of the Han family, and if you want to talk about it with Duke Qin, you are all after King Jing of Zhongshan, but Duke Chu is more courageous than Duke Qin. He is the son of Liu Biao, the general of the old Zhennan, although he is more than 20 years younger than the Duke of Qin, but he joined the army when he was a teenager, and at the beginning he defeated the mighty Wei Duke Cao Cao with his not very powerful sergeants, and later led the army to quell the rebellion in the four counties of Jingnan. After going down the river, persuaded Yuzhang to surrender, skillfully took the Lujiang River, and then pacified the entire Yangzhou region, and then later, and put Jiaozhou, Yizhou, Xuzhou into the bag, two years ago it was pacified Liangzhou, now the Duke of Chu, sitting on the land of six states, under the command of tens of millions of people, millions of troops, than Cao Gong is a lot stronger. ”

"What? Is there such a strange person? Xue Feng was suddenly surprised when he heard this, thought about it, and hurriedly asked, "How do you know this?" ”

But I heard the pro-soldier say: "Don't hide it, my cousin is serving under the command of Duke Chu, he was originally a small soldier in Anding City, but because of his bravery, he has been promoted to a military commander, about the news of Duke Chu, the last general is to listen to what his cousin said, in fact, I don't need my cousin, please think about it, just from the point of view that Ma Chao, who can make the mighty Xiliang happy, this Duke of Chu is definitely a great character." ”

"You're right, in that case, let's go and see Spurs, and if he promises to help me expel the Qiang, what if I surrender the city? Hehe, what kind of bird is too guarded, the official can be regarded as having done enough, it seems that the rank is not low, but it is not as happy as what a pavilion chief is doing. ”

After Xue Feng finished speaking, he dressed up neatly, and under the guidance of his own soldiers, he went to the head of the city, and said, "I don't know where the people are in the city?" Why did adults raise troops without permission? ”

But he saw a young general in a brocade robe and silver armor arched his hand and said: "A certain is to help the wind Ma Mengqi, and now he is recommended by the Duke of Qin, he is the assassin of Liangzhou, the general of Xiaocai, and the marquis, so the eldest son of Ma Teng on the right, Xue Taishou must also listen to my father and son's name, right?" It's not a secret, today the generals are coming to the city, and they just want to persuade Lord Taishou to surrender to the Duke of Chu and return to my Liangzhou rule, I don't know what the adults want? ”

Xue Feng was solemn when he heard this, and bowed again: "It turned out that the spur Shi was here, it was really disrespectful and disrespectful, in fact, Lord Lingzun and the lower officials still have kindness, if it wasn't for Lord Lingzun's recommendation, the lower official would still be a sword and pen official, but the lower official is too guarded by the Duke of Qin, and the lower officials dare not contradict each other." What's more, although my Beidi Taishou looks very glorious, there are more than 10,000 people in this Niyang county under my rule, and I don't put it in the eyes of Spurs at all......"

Xue Feng didn't finish a sentence, and Ma Chao, who listened to it, shouted: "A certain good word persuades, but you don't know what is good or bad, do you really think that this city of yours will be placed in the eyes of a certain person?" As long as an order is given, it will not take half an hour to raze the city of yours to the ground, and then give you a stick of incense to think about it, whether it will fall or not? ”

It turned out that Xue Feng's words just now made Ma Chao misunderstood, thinking that he was refusing to surrender, and suddenly became furious, and pointed at Xue Feng on the head of the city, shouting angrily, and at the same time the spear was raised in the air, and he saw the knight on the horse bending his bow and arrows, preparing to attack the city.

For a while, I saw a murderous aura, a horse neighing, Xue Feng was just a civil official, where had he ever seen this kind of battle? I couldn't help but be pale and unstable.

Xue Feng forcibly stabilized his mind, and said with a smile: "Lord Assassin Shi misunderstood, the intention of the lower official is not to refuse to surrender, but to persuade Lord Assassin Shi not to offend the Qiang warriors because of my narrow place, Lord Assassin for this small city of more than 10,000 people and the Qiang people, it is really a little unworthy, sometimes, although the face of our Han is important, but it is wise to avoid war and protect yourself."

Ma Chao can be regarded as having gone through some experience now, how can he not see that Xue Feng said that he used the radical method? But he sneered: "Xue Taishou doesn't have to provoke me with such words, I only ask you, are you willing to surrender?" If you agree to surrender, the general will still appoint you as the Taishou of the Northland, and expel the Qiang people here, and become the real Taishou of the Northland, so that you can live with your eyebrows raised and upright; If you refuse, Ben will kill you first and break the city, and then chase the thunder field. ”

Xue Feng was immediately moved when he heard this, and said with tears in his eyes: "If Lord Thorn Shi is willing to expel Lei Ye and regain the lost land, Xia Guan is willing to lead the horse and fall and pedal, as a pawn in front of the adult horse, do you know how many years has Xia Guan been looking forward to this day?" ”

Excited, Xue Feng immediately ordered the city gate to be opened to welcome the Ma Chao army into the city, he actually knew that with such a strong force of the Ma Chao army, even if he didn't agree to deal with the Qiang people, he didn't have any strength to resist, so even in order to be able to protect the people in the city, he had no choice.

And when Xue Feng heard that the 20,000 strangely equipped team in the rear of Ma Chao's army turned out to be Qiang soldiers, his face suddenly turned pale, and his eyes looking at Ma Chao were no longer gratitude and reverence, but a kind of fear and despair: "I originally expected to rely on Ma Chao to expel the Qiang people and ensure the safety of the people of my county, but I didn't expect Ma Chao to collude with the Qiang soldiers, it seems that the people of my county will face a new disaster from now on."

Ma Chao saw that after he introduced Yao Naxuan to Xue Feng, Xue Feng's face changed dramatically, and he naturally knew what Xue Feng was thinking, so he couldn't help laughing, took Xue Feng's hand, and said with a smile: "Xue Taishou, don't get me wrong, Chief Yao is different from people like Lei Ye, this is our trusted ally and brother, we cooperate equally between the two sides, there will never be bullying, this time I will expel Lei Ye, the main thing is to rely on Chief Yao's cooperation." ”

Xue Feng came to his senses at this time, and hurriedly apologized to Yao Naxuan, and then sat down with a sneering face.

A few people chatted for a while, Xue Feng told Ma Chao about Lei Ye's robbery of his concubine and all the evil deeds in the past yesterday, at first he was afraid of Yao Naxuan, and what he said was a little vague, and then he saw Yao Naxuan's expression as usual, and asked himself to explain the details clearly, Fang knew that Yao Naxuan and Lei Ye were not all the way, and later even knew that Yao Naxuan's clan was a little contradictory to Lei Ye's tribe, and a stone in his heart finally landed, and then he exposed the evil deeds of Lei Ye and his tribe without any scruples. After that, he said slowly: "The concubine of the lower official unfortunately hanged herself, Lei Ye didn't like it in his heart, and he would definitely lead the army to loot, I don't know if Lord Shi has a strategy to break the enemy?" ”

Ma Chao then laughed and said: "Please rest assured, Lord Taishou, unless Lei Ye does not come this time, as long as he comes, he will suffer heavy losses, and he will never dare to peep into my Han territory again." (To be continued......)