PS: First of all, thank you for "getting it", this is your second monthly ticket this month. Grateful! Secondly, I'm a little busy today, and I'm afraid I won't be able to update the 5,000 words at night. So give these 3,000 words first, and make up the rest tomorrow!

Finally, thank you all for your support! Thank you!

Time passed little by little, and at three o'clock, the front division finally received good news, it had broken through the five flank camps of the Donating Legion, and the baggage camps of the Yueshi people were already within the range of attack. For this reason, Yigong, who had not slept all night, was excited.

But what he didn't know was that in Yanqi City, a big battle was also quietly coming.

Yanqi, an ancient country on the oasis of the Western Regions during the pre-Qin period. It coexists with Cheshi, Cai Xiang, Guishan and other countries in the Western Regions. In fact, when Zhang Jian went to the Western Regions, there were hundreds of countries in the vast land west of Yumen Pass to the east of the Green Mountains, and Yanqi was only one of many small countries. Its "territory" is to extend from the Yanqi Basin at the southern end of Dihua City to the valley of the Tarim River, and finally borders the "Cheshi Country", presenting an arc-shaped territory with a full moon and a half.

After the rise of the Holy Ancestor, he destroyed the Qi and left the Qi City. There is also a Yanqi in the Yanqi Basin in the south of Dihua City, commonly known as the West Yanqi, and the southeast of the East Cheshi is called the East Yanqi.

Yingqi's First Suzhou Army was stationed in Dongyan Qicheng.

It is said to be a city, but it is actually a small town built on a hill. Because Xinzhou has no walls, the walls that were originally built along the ridge line have been demolished, and the houses are scattered on the ridge, and from a distance, those houses look like a wall lying across the ridge.

Yanqi City runs from east to west, six miles long, north and south are mountainsides, and the living area is very limited. However, because there is a stream running through the north and south sides of Yanqi City, the surrounding area is full of green trees and lush vegetation. It is also the best transit point for business travelers from the Western Regions to Xinzhou. After the general westbound merchant travelers came out of Dihua City, they would pass through Wusu, Luntai, and Shanshan, and then divert in Shanshan City, and some of them continued to go south to Moshan into Ganzhou, and then go to Dunhuang to enter Guanzhong. The other part will start from Shanshan to Yanqi, then go to Yulin and enter Duxinzhou. The part of the business traveler that goes to Moshan will also be diverted in Moshan, some people will go directly to the customs to do business, and some people will go directly to Yumen Pass and go to Tufanzhou......

In a word. Originally, it was a very prosperous trade route. During the 500 years of the Han Empire, all that flowed on this trade route was gold.

With the golden trade road, the people of Dongyan Qicheng are still very rich. There are 16,900 households in the city, and more than 50,000 people live here. The most important wealthy families in Dongyan Qicheng live by the rivers on the north and south sides, and there is a lot of traffic on weekdays. It also formed a very large market town.

It's a pity that after the big moon state reversed. The slump here quickly fell. All the caravans were cut off by the fighting. The market town that used to pass through dozens of caravans in one day is now good if one comes in ten days. Even if they came, they were some homeless people. Occasionally, there are adventurers who are not afraid of death and are ready to make war money, and they themselves are poor people who will do this, and consumption is very tight.

After the end of the First Battle of the Tarim Valley. The Yueshi people came to Yanqi, but after killing the Yanqi County Commander, the county lieutenant, and the county Cheng (Yanqi is only a county-level unit, not a county), and levied a batch of grain and grass baggage, they never came again. After all, there are less than 300 miles of Limo Mountain here. If the Yue clan stationed troops here, it would be easy to be the first to be attacked by the Han army.

However, after the death of the county commander, the county lieutenant, and the county cheng, Yanqi finally regained his calm. There is less income on weekdays, but the safety of life is still guaranteed, and compared to the miserable situation of eating in Dayue Prefecture now, Niu Li feels very content.

Niu Li is a native of Yanqi, is the head of the northern township of Yanqi, he has a family, named Lu Zeng, is the head of the southern township. The southern township and the northern township are the two townships under Yanqi County, and it is precisely because of these two township chiefs that Yanqi has not become chaotic. Of course, the lieutenant and chief of Yanqi City also contributed a lot.

This is the benefit of the political system of the Han Empire. Although the "Big Three" of the county town are all dead, and the imperial court has not sent a new leadership team, Yanqicheng will not be chaotic, because there are still township heads, li chiefs, security chiefs and village chiefs at all levels. As long as these people are still there, the place will not be chaotic.

In fact, the chief of the security department is equivalent to the head of the police station in the modern village, and is responsible for managing public security incidents such as petty theft on weekdays.

In fact, secretly, Niu Li is very satisfied with the current state of life. It's already the middle of September, and in previous years, this was the time to pay the autumn grain, and the city would send people to the township to collect this year's taxes. But after the rebellion of the Yueshi people, Yanqi has not paid taxes for two seasons, and the warehouse of Niu Li's family is full of grain, finance and taxes, etc., looking at them, Niu Li feels sincerely satisfied, and even thinks, if the imperial court never comes to collect taxes again, how good it would be?

Of course, he himself knew that this idea was unrealistic. Even if the Han court doesn't come to collect it, the Yue's people will come to ask for it. Unless he is the emperor himself...... When this thought came to mind, Niu Li himself was startled, and the cotton boy in his hand also scattered.

Niu Li's mother-in-law walked over with her thick legs, snatched the cotton wool in his hand, and opened and closed her two fat lips up and down: "You were killed by the sky, do you have such a picker?" If it weren't for Lao Litou's removal machine being moved away by those Yue Clan rebels, would the old lady need you to get it?! Clumsy, get out of the way! ”

Niu Li sneered, rubbing his big hands full of calluses, but he didn't dare to return the favor. I didn't dare to tell my mother-in-law the thoughts that flashed in my mind just now - if I did, my mother-in-law would definitely not be to him, maybe she would go to Nanfang Township to report to her brother, Lu Zeng, the only college student in Yanqi County, as soon as possible.

The emperor of the Han Empire is surnamed Liu, and he can only be surnamed Liu! This is the common understanding of all the people of the Great Han. To be precise, it should be the common understanding of Han students from all over the world. And these students are precisely the pillars of the power of public opinion in various places - they don't care who the head of the Han cabinet is, but if the emperor living in the palace is not surnamed Liu, it is estimated that they will feel unreliable in their hearts......

At this moment, a cloud of dust rolled up on the dirt road in the northern township, and it seemed that a large group of people and horses were rolling in from the direction of Yanqi County.

Niu Li's mother-in-law was taken aback, stuffed the cotton wool ball in her hand into her arms, hurriedly hid behind her man, and said in a trembling voice: "Be in charge." What's going on? The Yueshi are here again? ”

The last time the Yueshi people came to collect grain, it was also like this.

Niu Li was also afraid of death, but in front of his mother-in-law, he still stood straight, grabbed a few villagers who wanted to flee in all directions, and shouted: "Hurry up and inform the strong men of each family, take the guys from the family and even gather at the entrance of the village." ”

His mother-in-law said nervously: "Master, what do you want to do?" Fighting with the Yue's people? ”

Niu Li's nervous legs were shaking, but thinking about the mountains of taxes piled up in the warehouse, he gritted his teeth and said, "We didn't have much last time they came, so we gave it." If they take us away again this time, will we not be able to survive this winter? The people take food as the sky, if we can't live, don't we fight with them? ”

His mother-in-law was still shaking her thick legs, and her nervous mouth trembled: "But." But they're traitors, or else. Or don't go to the city to report the news. Let the guards send someone! ”

"If the guard is useful, will the Yue clan people come here to harm us? Don't worry about it, you quickly take the child and the soft, hide in the house and don't come out. Niu Li was ruthless, took a firewood knife from the house and went straight to the entrance of the village.

When he arrived, more than 400 young men from the township had also arrived. There are kitchen knives and flat shoulders in their hands, these young men are soldiers who have just retired not long ago, although the weapons are not suitable, but the momentum is there.

As for the long-retired veterans. The wife and children are used to hot kang heads, and they have long been gone. If it weren't for his duty and the stimulation of those taxes at home, Niu Li, who was over forty years old, would have wanted to hide in the house and not come out.

"Township Chief Niu, my father said that he would greet someone else, although he is old, but the hoe is still moving!"

"Uncle Niu, I have a lot of family, my father and brother are hiding behind my mother's back, and I'll come later!"

"Uncle Niu, my sister-in-law's stomach is revealed, my brother won't come, I'm the only one in this family, my father said, 100 catties here, nothing to say."

……

The last time the Yue's people came, there was nothing in the village, and the Yue's people didn't rob it, so there were only a dozen people who came, collected some grain and left. But this time, judging from the dust, it was a brigade of at least a thousand people, and it was difficult to say how much rations each family would have left if it rushed into the northern township.

In order to survive, I have no choice but to fight.

Some people may ask, why didn't you fight last time?

It's still the same sentence, last time people were polite, there was no need. Although these villagers said that there were Han soldiers who had retired from the army and returned home, it was precisely because they had been soldiers that they knew the difference between stragglers and well-trained troops. Besides, the war is the business of the county guard, and the county has not called on everyone to get up and fight, will they hit the knife edge themselves? People are desperate for their lives!

But this time it's different, it's obviously menacing, not to mention, the family has just beaten down the grain, if it is robbed by the Yue's people, they will have to go hungry this winter. If you can't say it, you just have to fight it.

More than 400 men and women formed a queue in less than a quarter of an hour amid the shouts and cheers of several veterans who had served as platoon commanders in the army. This speed is a lot worse than when they were in the army, but they have finally retired from the army, and it is good to be able to do this.

"Folks, don't say more, if the Yue's people talk well, it's nothing for each of us to get together some grain, if there is nothing to say, just do it with them to the end! If the Great Han Guard can't protect us, we can defend ourselves! Niu Li stood on the grinding plate at the entrance of the village, waving the firewood knife in his hand and shouted.

At the moment when he saw the neatness of the team, Niu Li really had the illusion of being in a trance, as if he had returned to the original barracks, and became a general, he could command thousands of troops and horses!

"it to the end!"

In fact, not only Niu Li felt this way, but more than 400 people were also fiercely enthusiastic in their hearts after the team was neatly organized.

Niu Li turned his head to look at the dirt road, the dust was approaching, and the galloping cavalry in the front row was already faintly visible, but there was no intention of slowing down.

Niu Li thought to himself, I'm afraid I'm going to really fight this time, shouldn't I say something more? The original commander was the slogan of the charge? Oh yes.

Niu Li suddenly thought of it, raised the firewood knife, and shouted: "The great man is mighty!" ”

"The Great Han is mighty!" More than 400 men also roared in unison at the same time. As soon as this slogan sounded, everyone felt that the blood vessels in their bodies seemed to rush suddenly...... (To be continued......)