Fengwei County, Chengnan Daying, Zhao Xun came to inspect the training effect of nearly a month.

It is still in the school field that has been inspected many times, and it is still the same position, and the autumn wind is blowing gently, bringing a trace of coolness. Zhao Xun stood straight on the podium on the school grounds, and on either side were the three captains and the nine captains.

Under the stage, there are more than 10,000 soldiers. Looking at the rows of soldiers in helmets and armor standing upright, Zhao Xun's heart couldn't help but move slightly, this is his own capital. The armor of these soldiers still shimmered in the dim sunlight, and it was so dazzling.

Zhao Xun gestured slightly, Lu Yu nodded in response, and took a few steps forward. Looking at the soldiers lined up in a neat formation, Lu Yu shouted: "Ready! ”

"Wow!" With a bang, everyone stood straight!

Lu Yu shouted again: "Raise your gun!" ”

"Kill!" Thousands of people shouted in unison, and thousands of spears and thousands of long knives flashed in unison, appearing in front of the soldiers. The scene was quite spectacular, with a hint of awe-inspiring murderous aura.

"The first battalion of the second capital is out of the ranks, marching forward in line, preparing for the killing drill!" Lu Yu roared.

"Knock Knock"

The drums sounded, and the soldiers who heard the order hurriedly lined up in a long line, they held their spears tightly in their hands, and a battalion of five sentinels, totaling more than a thousand people, came out of the queue, circled half an arc, appeared at the far left, and prepared to move to the right.

After more than 20 days of training and countless lessons from leather whips, the soldiers have formed a conditioned reflex to the sound of drums and passwords, because they know that if they make a mistake, they will be whipped, and if one person makes a mistake, it means that all the men and horses will be punished.

"Raise your gun!"

"Bang" A long spear like a forest was raised, this is a real gun forest.

"Forward!" The military order was issued, a team of thousands of people, spears like a forest, neatly aligned, although I don't know what the real combat power is, just this scene, it feels like a mountain as heavy! Like a mountain toppling down......

…………

"It's not bad, it's nothing for the old pawn and the descendant, it basically meets our requirements. But those new pawns still lack the test of iron and blood, and more importantly, they account for more than half. Zhao Xun said slowly.

Lu Yu smiled: "General, it's already good." I think that at the beginning, when the Shanyang Army started, it was not all new soldiers, and now we have an army of 25,000 people, and in this small place, we are already a giant. ”

Zhang Yongxue smiled bitterly and said, "Do you still have the heart to laugh? You don't even think about how much the 25,000 people consume every day. In the afternoon like this, we will have to drink the northwest wind. ”

"General, Ge Xin and the others are here again!" Tang Li reported in a deep voice. Hearing this, Zhao Xun couldn't help frowning. Since Xu Jie and Situ Wen asked him for help seven days ago, he ignored it, and this Ge Xin began to keep looking for the Fengwei County military camp, wanting the Shanyang Army to send troops to the south.

General Zhao Xun was not very interested, and Lu Yu said with a smile: "General, why should we worry, now that the 25,000 army is short of food and grass materials, let them prepare for us before sending troops." ”

Zhao Xun was stunned and said with a smile: "Yes, this idea is good!" Let's go, go and meet this Ge Xin, the official is a good official, but unfortunately there is no good place to show it! What a pity! ”

Zhang Yongxue said with a smile: "The general also takes a fancy to this Ge Xin?" Since you like it, pull it over. This Ge Xin is indeed very good, he is a good official, and he treats the people well, and now the people in the three counties praise him very much. It's not bad to bring us to our side, but our Shanyang Army is lacking this kind of civilian talent. ”

Zhao Xun said with a smile: "These literati are not easy to win over, besides, we are not hostile to Xu Jie, and Ge Xin's boss Xu Jie is not dead, the important thing is that Xu Jie is good to him, as a cronie, we are trying to win over, it's difficult!" Forget it, let's go and see what this southern consolation envoy Ge Xin wants to say. ”

In the east of the city, not far from the county government, a luxurious mansion is the residence of the general of the Shanyang Army. This is the home of a large family in Fengwei County in the past, but now, it has become the general's mansion of the Shanyang Army.

"Ge Xin, the southern comforter of the Yanzhou Mansion Army, has seen General Li and all of you!" In the hall, as soon as Zhao Xun appeared, Ge Xin took four entourages to salute.

Zhao Xunxuan raised his right hand and said with a smile: "Master Ge doesn't need to be polite, please take a seat, you and I are handling various affairs in these three counties together, and we can be regarded as alternative colleagues." As for my temper, Master Ge should also be very clear. It's not that I don't want to make a move, but you can also see that the new pawn can't make it, and you can't fight lightly. Forget it, don't talk about this, I don't know what happened to Lord Ge to find me today? It can't be because of the war again! As he spoke, Zhao Xun looked embarrassed.

Ge Xin smiled bitterly: "Ge is really here for this matter this time. This is Captain Li Wenjun, an officer from the Eastern Front. As for the purpose of my visit, let him make a start. ”

A burly, thirty-year-old entourage saluted Zhao and said, "The battle on the Eastern Front was very unsmooth, I don't know if it was because the Wuwei Army was defeated too badly on the Western Front, and the army was all pressed to the Eastern Front." In Xiaohuang and Junyi, the Wuwei army gathered a total of nearly 30,000 troops, and the two places attacked together, and our army defended very hard. Two days ago, the two counties and five cities were lost, and the Wuwei army paid nearly 10,000 dead and wounded, and our army also paid 15,000 casualties. At present, our army still has nearly 30,000 people retreating to the three counties of Fengqiu, Pingqiu and Changyuan, which are already the last areas of Luzhou Prefecture. ”

Hearing this, Zhao Xun and the generals looked at each other, and in just a few days, the Yanzhou Mansion army was defeated in successive battles like this? Xiaohuang and Junyi counties are still big counties, two counties and five cities, and now they are so quietly lost. In this way, not only the Yanzhou army suffered heavy losses, but even the Xuzhou army had to worry about its flank being threatened. The loss of Luzhou Mansion is not only the loss of most of the territory of the prefecture, but also the loss of financial resources. It also makes Jiyin Mansion and Songzhou Mansion likely to be threatened.

"How could this be? How did this happen? Zhao Xun muttered to himself.

Looking at the shocked expression on Zhao Xun's face, Lu Yu and the others couldn't help but laugh secretly. They firmly believe that they must be very happy to solve the problem at this moment, and they wish that Xu Jie's end would be like this.

Ge Xin continued: "General, the situation is very critical now, and the Governor of my family and Lord Situ have gone to Luzhou Mansion to supervise the battle, hoping to suppress the Wuwei Army back. Therefore, we hurriedly asked us to come to seek the general's help, which is a letter of belief written by the governor of my family and Lord Situ. As he spoke, he took the letter from his attendant and lowered it.

Zhao Xun sneered in his heart, it would be strange if this Xu Jie was not in a hurry now. After being cut off by himself, the Yanzhou Mansion army only had the land of the three prefectures in hand, Jiyin Mansion, Songzhou Mansion, and Luzhou Mansion. Now, there is another problem in the Luzhou Prefecture, and the other two prefectures are threatened, and if this continues, there will be no need for the Yanzhou Mansion Army to save it. As for him Xu Jie, it's nothing. Except, of course, for the title of an empty Duke of Yanzhou County. Perhaps, when Xu Jie's time comes, he won't even have a title, so it's a matter of whether his life can be saved.

Zhao Xun took the letter and looked at it, the content was nothing else, it was nothing more than a sincere request for help from Zhao Xun, and even a vague apology. It seems that Xu Jie is really in a hurry. Even Situ Wen also spoke in the voice of Xu Jie, hoping that Zhao Xun would move south to put pressure on the Wuwei army on the western front and force the Wuwei army to slow down the attack or withdraw the army.

Closing the letter, Zhao Xun was silent in thought, and Ge Xin and the entourage behind him looked anxious. General Zhao Xun did not reply, Ge Xin sighed secretly, sighing that Xu Jie did not get along well with this Shanyang Army in the past, so that it fell to the current point. He even lamented that the gap between the Yanzhou army and the Shanyang army was so big that the dignified Yanzhou governors all asked for help from this military area that was in the Yanzhou army. However, the form shì is stronger than a person, what else can he say?

"General Li, you also saw the situation first, I don't know ......" Ge Xin really couldn't help it, so he had to say Cui Cao, if it goes on like this, I'm afraid that when it gets dark, a few people will also sit here stupidly.

Zhao Xun smiled faintly and said with a bitter face: "Presumably, Lord Ge has also been dealing with local government affairs in the three counties recently, so he should have some understanding of the garrisons in each county." ”

Ge Xin nodded slightly, his face became even more bitter, Zhao Xun said this, he knew what the other party wanted to say.

Sure enough, seeing Ge Xin nodding, Zhao Xun continued: "Since that's the case, I'll just say it." In Master Ge's opinion, can the army in each county fight against the Wuwei Army now? ”

Ge Xin frowned, and said, "This ......" Then he opened his mouth and said nothing.

Zhao inquired: "Presumably, Lord Ge also knows very well that the previous battle with the Wuwei army in Fengwei County caused heavy losses to the old soldiers of our Shanyang army, and only when he had to do so, he wantonly recruited troops here to prevent the Wuwei army in the south from going north, and the general intended to intercept the enemy army outside the Songzhou Mansion." Now it seems that my purpose has been achieved. In front of the Wuwei Army, there were 25,000 soldiers in Fengwei County, in fact, they were slightly stronger than ordinary people. What does Master Ge think? Do you think our current army dares to march south? I'm afraid that the other party only needs 10,000 people, and we will be defeated and returned, and the land of the three counties we occupy now will be lost, and even, let the Wuwei army see our reality and kill all the way to the north. ”

After a slight pause, Zhao Xun's face became more worried, and he continued: "Xu Dudu can't hold on, if the western front collapses like the eastern front, then the entire land of Yanzhou will fall into the hands of the Wuwei army." Could it be that Governor Xu and Lord Situ want to see our Shanyang army defend the Yanzhou Mansion and all the southern parts fall? ”

Ge Xin said in a deep voice: "However, if the general does not move, the Wuwei Army will continue to increase its forces on the Eastern Front, and when the time comes, if the Eastern Front is lost, won't the result be the same?" The general only needs to move steadily, without engaging the enemy in an all-out battle, and slowly pressing south, which will definitely relieve the pressure on the eastern front. ”

Zhao Xun sneered: "Having said that, but, Lord Ge, what if this Martial Guard Army launches a frontal assault on my Shanyang Army?" Lost across the board? At that time, it will not only be a problem on the eastern front, but also on the eastern and western fronts. Now that our Shanyang army is stable here, it has made the Wuwei army dare not move northward excessively. If this place is lost, the Wuwei Army will be unscrupulous, because there is no one in the land of Yanzhou who can resist it. ”

"Besides, Lord Ge should know very well that Xu Dudu and Lord Situ and I had a word in advance that day, and each fought one side and did not interfere with each other. Now, our Shanyang Army has recovered the counties of Songzhou Prefecture occupied by the Wuwei Army, and has also defeated the counterattack of the Wuwei Army. And the Eastern Front is the problem of your Yanzhou Army, and it has nothing to do with us. ”

"But ......" Hearing Zhao Xun say this, Ge Xin immediately became anxious and prepared to refute. However, Zhao Xun didn't give him a chance to speak at all, "Lord Ge, this route was chosen by your Xu Dudu, and it has nothing to do with us. Our army has newly entered the reorganization, and the soldiers have not yet recovered their original combat strength, and the grain and grass materials needed by the army need to be transported from the rear, which is not something that can be done in a short time and a half. Even if General Ben has the heart to dispatch, he doesn't care whether the army can win or not, but the money and food needed for the army to send troops are still in the land of Yanzhou Prefecture. So, it's not possible in the short term. Go back and reply to your Lord Dudu, the Yanzhou Mansion Army shouldn't be so useless. By the way, the eastern front is going east, that is Xuzhou's territory, will the Xuzhou army also allow the Wuwei army to occupy the entire territory of Yanzhou? Your Lord Governor is not stupid, and Lord Situ is not stupid, they should be prepared. So, you don't need to rush. ”

Ge Xin's face changed constantly, and after a while, he hesitated: "General, can't you really let the army move?" As long as the Shanyang Army moves slightly, the Wuwei Army will not turn a blind eye......"

Zhao Xun looked at Ge Xin and said in a deep voice: "Lord Ge, you know the situation of my Shanyang Army best. Although we are here to recruit soldiers and trade with the Xiaoguo Army, but in the end, for what? Isn't it for this victory? I know that some people say that I have soldiers and horses that do not move, and deliberately transfer young and strong people from the military jurisdiction of Yanzhou Prefecture as an army. However, it has only been less than a month since my Shanyang Army took over the Yanzhou Mansion, and you don't provide us with grain and grass materials, so if I don't stabilize the Yanzhou Mansion, do you want us to drink the northwest wind to fight? How was it before? My Shanyang Army and Wuwei Army, that time was not a hard battle, that time was not a heavy loss? But he still relied on his strong will to beat the Wuwei Army back. ”

"What about your Yanzhou government army? More than 60,000 people, what is the situation now? took the money and grain given by King Yong, and used the money and grain taxes paid by the people in Yanzhou, what was the result? But it does not guarantee the safety of the people. Lord Ge, to put it mildly, if this continues, your family's Governor will only be unable to suppress the existing territory of the Yanzhou Prefecture Army, let alone recover the territory occupied by the Wuwei Army in the south and the territory occupied by the Shanyang Army and the Tang Army in the north. ”

After listening to Zhao Xun's words, Ge Xin's face was embarrassed and bitter. Zhao Xun said that the first half was the problem of the Shanyang Army, and as far as his observation and understanding were concerned, what Li Feng said was not false. Later, it is about the current situation of Xu Jie, and Ge Xin is very clear about this, what this Shanyang Army general said is right. If he continues to be defeated like this, I am afraid that without anyone else's action, Xu Jie will not be able to command the Yanzhou Mansion Army, and he will not have the power of the former Yanzhou Governor. At the same time, he also knew very well that the current situation of the Shanyang Army was really not a good time to dispatch, and it was not the Shanyang Army that could help the Yanzhou Mansion Army the most now, but the Xuzhou Army in the east, which was closest to the Yanzhou Mansion Army.

Zhao Xun ignored Ge Xin who was pondering, and instead said to Ge Xin's four followers: "I don't think you are any of Lord Ge's entourage. Come to think of it, it's either Xu Dudu's person or Lord Situ's person. I don't want to know your purpose, and I don't want to know how long you've been here, but now you should know very well about the situation of my Shanyang Army. A month ago, the army and land had suffered heavy losses, and now they are still recovering in numbers, but their combat strength is far from the same. It's already good to be able to defend the Songzhou Mansion, and you won't think that with the current ability in my hands, you can fight back against the Wuwei Army. ”

"Secondly, in order to deal with the counterattack of the armed guards, our army has expanded, and you have not provided our army with logistics supplies, so don't say that our army is not capable now, even if it does, it may not be able to fight. Also, go back and tell your lords that if they can't hold the Luzhou Mansion and cause the Wuwei Army to appear behind our army on the Eastern Front, then don't blame General Ben for withdrawing. After all, I have no plans to be surrounded by enemy forces. ”

Ge Xin's four entourages left under Zhao Xun's refusal and didn't say much, perhaps, they had already expected Zhao Xun's result. Or, when they came, they didn't really expect the Shanyang Army to dispatch at all, but to investigate the situation of the Shanyang Army and test the thoughts of the Shanyang Army's commander. After all, now the Yanzhou Mansion Army is in a bitter battle, while the Shanyang Army is expanding its army and preparing for war, which is enough to make Xu Jie and Situ Wen a little uncomfortable.

"General, don't move this time? Didn't you say that after you were going to let Xu Jie provide us with money and food, we would move? After the person asking for help left, Guan Lin said puzzled. To say that among the five capitals of the vanguard army of the Shanyang Army, the first capital is only afraid of the highest combat power, and there is no other, among which Zhao Xun arranged the most soldiers. You must know that when Zhao Xun decided to inspect the situation in Yanzhou, among the 5,000 soldiers in the guard battalion, 3,000 people entered Yanzhou around the time. Nowadays, among the first cavalry capital, among the 5,000 people, there are 1,000 soldiers who are soldiers of the personal guard battalion, plus the old soldiers and the descendants, they are all veterans, and naturally they are not comparable to other infantry troops. The most important thing is that when the cavalry is training, they often target the mountain bandits and thieves in a radius of more than 100 miles, and the new soldiers among them have all killed people and seen blood.

Zhao Xun said in a deep voice: "The original plan was to let Xu Jie and Situ Wen, the most important thing Situ Wen provide us with some money and food, and then we will send out the army." After all, actual combat is the real way to produce elite soldiers, not training. However, among the entourage who accompanied Ge Xin this time, I saw that these people did not have the same nervous look on their faces as Ge Xin. I just remembered that now I am in a hurry, not only Xu Jie, but also Li Chi in the east. Therefore, we don't need to make a move, the Xuzhou army should have already made a move. This Situ Wen is not a good thing. If we send troops today, he will definitely think that our 25,000 troops already have the previous combat strength, and maybe they will play some tricks. ”

"However, general, to be honest, 25,000 people are stationed here, and there are indeed a lot of materials needed, and our capture cannot withstand consumption, so I am afraid that it will be transported from Yanzhou Mansion in the future. But this transportation road is within the jurisdiction of the Yanzhou Prefecture Army, if they do anything against us, it will be ......," Zhang Yongxue said with a little worry.

Lu Yu also nodded and said: "General, this is true, we can't be unguarded, we can't help but prepare early." At the very least, in the winter season, we must not cut off the soldiers' food, grass and heating because of logistical problems. If Xu Jie really makes some tricks in Jiyin Mansion, in the winter, our situation will really go wrong......"

Zhao Xun smiled faintly and said, "You say, how about we use the three counties of Fengwei County, Changli County and Fan County as the place where our army is stationed, and also as the place where our army is supplied with logistics?" ”

"Huh? General, if you do this, won't you turn your face with Xu Jie? Turn your face at this moment, although the Yanzhou government army is helpless against us now, but if we let the Wuwei army go north, we won't be able to take advantage in the end......" Zhang Yongxue was stunned and said puzzled.

Zhao Xun said in a deep voice: "You also said just now, the number of our army is expanding, and the consumption of the army is increasing day by day, especially when winter is coming, when the time comes, if the road is closed by heavy snow, and the grain and grass materials are transported from Yanzhou Mansion and Shanyang Mansion, logistics supply is a big problem, in order to prevent our army from being cut off in the winter, because of the later period, so the three counties are temporarily requisitioned and transferred as a place for logistics supply, and the taxes and some materials in the three counties are temporarily used by the Shanyang Army. Of course, if there is a problem with the Yanzhou government army, then provide us with food, grass and winter clothing. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here forever. ”

Lu Yu's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile: "General, do you want to use the withdrawal of troops to force him to agree?" ”

Zhao Xun said slowly: "He, he has no choice. Although the Xuzhou army relieved the siege for him this time, regardless of whether he could repel the Wuwei army or not, the decline of the Yanzhou army was already an established fact. We are on the Western Front, if we withdraw, can he Xu Jie and Situ Wen still divide their troops to defend it? Now counting the local garrison, the Yanzhou government army is only more than 55,000 people, and it can't even block one side, can it still resist the all-dangerous attack of the Wuwei army? Now, they need us, very much, so now we ask, they must agree. ”

"And we are indeed a big force in the middle of the land of Yanzhou. We have a total of 20,000 soldiers and horses in Yanzhou Mansion and Shanyang Prefecture, and we have 45,000 people here. It was enough to make Xu Jie and Situ Wen uneasy, and let the Wuwei army in the south face up to the force. We don't need to be so cautious, the land we occupy is not stripped from the territory of Xu Jie, but from the place occupied by the Wuwei Army. Besides, we are temporarily occupying it, so that the army can guard the border line here for his Yanzhou army and Situ Wen. Come to think of it, he shouldn't have anything to say! ”

Lu Yu shook his head and smiled: "I'm just afraid that Xu Jie will be angry to death, but if we do this, they really have no choice, at least, there is no way in the short term." As for the future, will they be able to catch up with us? Naturally, no. ”

Zhang Yongxue said: "General, if the Wuwei Army is repulsed this time, why don't we buy the officers in the Yanzhou Mansion Army and encourage the people, Xu Jie's rule over the land of the Three Mansions is really too bad, and it should be ruled by a general!" ”