[Chapter 25 Yan Qi Zhan, Zhong Yong's Courage (middle)]

The 1st Regiment of Suzhou arrived in Dongyan Qicheng on September 14. Yingqi entered Yanqi City from Nanfang Township, and as soon as he arrived, he issued martial law and declared Yanqi under military control.

The so-called military control means that everything here is subject to the arrangements of the highest military commander, including the political and public security issues of the people's livelihood.

In peaceful areas, such military control will be resisted to the greatest extent. But in Yanqi, it all seems so normal.

After the control began, Yingqi did not place the front division to the north, but built fortifications along the ridge of Yanqi City - Xinzhou has no walls, how can you defend the fortifications of Yanqi? The houses built along the ridge were the best foundations for the fortifications. In order to facilitate the construction of fortifications, Ingchi even ordered the relocation of tens of thousands of people. Ditches were dug between houses and filled in horse traps and thistles to be used as trenches and camps.

This project was resented by the Yanqi people, and many officers of the Suzhou Regiment were also quite resistant. After all, there are no enemy troops here in Yanqi, three hundred miles away from Moshan and three hundred and sixty miles away from Shanshan, which is not too far away, not to mention that there are straight roads to connect them, and it only takes a day and a half for reinforcements to arrive - of course, not including the time to gather generals.

But no matter how many objections there were, Ying Qi still gave this order with a cold face, and said: "If there is a disobedient, military law will be involved!" ”

If you are pressed by military law, you will not be convinced and dare not speak out again.

Ying Qi always remembered that when he left the ancient city of Uman, the staff officer named Du Wei relayed the words to him: "Yingdian Shuai, I hope you can remember that no matter what Luntai City looks like, Yanqi City will never be lost." ”

At that time, Yingqi was also quite curious, because there was no information that Yanqi would pose any threat. But Du Wei told him: "The marshal does not like to take risks with soldiers. What's more, a hundred miles north of Yanqi is Kelan Mountain, which is the intersection of Jinshan and Tianshan, and it is the only place to enter Dayue Prefecture from Beihai Prefecture and Duxin Prefecture. ”

Yingqi suddenly realized, and kept these words firmly in his heart.

Some people may ask, since Kelan Mountain is so important, why not garrison Kelan Mountain?

Quite simply, although Mount Kolan is extremely important. It is the meeting point of the three states of Dayue, Duxin and Beihai, but here is the Gobi, and there is no water source. If the army were to be staked here, the amount of water needed per day would be staggering. Even the trade route does not go from here, but from Yanqi to the east. Pass through Yulin and then enter Duxinzhou.

That is, once an enemy crosses the Jinshan and Tianshan Mountains. Wanted to attack the flank of the Western Frontier Front. Nayanqi was the place that had to be conquered, because there was plenty of water, and the people seemed to be quite wealthy, enough to support the conquest of the army.

When Dayue, Duxin, and Beihai Prefecture were all territories of the Han Empire, and the situation was stable, the importance of Yanqi City was only highlighted in commerce. But today's Yanqi has unconsciously become a place that cannot be ignored.

In order to maintain secrecy and prudence, Yingqi took his time step by step, first building the southern township as the rear, and then moving the Yanqi people to the southern township. The next step is to sort out the northern township.

The southern township is only fifteen miles away from Yanqi City on the ridge and is connected by a straight road, while the northern township is a full thirty miles away from Yanqi City and there is no straight road. In fact, there is no straight road from the northern countryside to Kelan Mountain, only a dirt road that has been trampled by man. However, there is no rain all year round, so there is no need to worry about muddy and unwalkable here.

After walking through the northern township, the further north you go, the more desolate it becomes, and after walking out of fifty miles, the color between heaven and earth will change abruptly, from a lush and verdant scenery to a desolate Gobi scene with rocks and gravel paving, and only a puff of weeds swaying in the wind.

Riding on the horse, Fang Renxu kept instructing in Fang Zhong's ear: "...... After a while, after the northern township, you will take people to the north by yourself, and come back when you get off the sentry post in Kelan Mountain, and you will come back and forth for a hundred miles, and you may not see you until tomorrow, and if you encounter danger, you will take a red pill...... Although I haven't heard of horse bandits or anything like that here before, but now that Otsuki Prefecture is completely chaotic, you have to guard against it! ”

Fang Zhong said impatiently: "Alas, I know. You've said it several times, and you're even more nagging than my brother. Why don't you just set up a few sentry posts alone! It's very simple, didn't you say that there are four or five beacon piers there, and I can just take people up and station? ”

Fang Renxu saw that he didn't care, and said hurriedly: "Master Hou and Brother Teng Yu have entrusted me to take care of you, no matter how verbose you are, you have to listen...... It's really hard to say whether there are four or five beacon piers, after all, the files of the military department have not been updated for many years, and no one has ever set foot on it for nearly thirty years, who knows if there is wolf dung and straw in the beacon piers, and when they enter the northern township, they will bring enough ...... to the people."

Just when Fang Zhong was eager to cover his ears when he heard this, he suddenly vaguely heard a burst of imposing shouts from in front of him: "The Great Han is mighty!" ”

"Huh? What's ahead? Is there a war? Fang Zhong was overjoyed, and immediately stood up and looked, and saw that there was actually a not too strict phalanx at the entrance of the village in front of him, and a group of ordinary people who were similar to homeless people were roaring at them with chaotic "weapons".

"Aha, I didn't expect there to be traitors here!" Fang Zhong whistled excitedly, and was about to wave his troops to crush him - in his opinion, these phalanxes composed of ordinary people are really not worth mentioning, you must know that what he brought out this time was the most elite cavalry brigade of the First Legion of Suzhou, with a total of 5,600 people, one person and two horses, and tens of thousands of war horses! But this is also almost all the cavalry of the First Legion of Suzhou!

Compared with the impulsive Fang Zhong, Fang Renxu was much calmer, he grabbed Fang Zhong, who was bent on "counterinsurgency", and said: "Wait, they are shouting 'Great Han Might', this is not the slogan of the rebels." ”

Fang Zhong pouted: "Then they are still in front of Wang Shi, what are they not traitors?" "Fang Zhong doesn't admit that they are rebels, they don't even have armor and weapons, can they be considered "army"?

Fang Renxu was not a reckless person, and immediately ordered to stop, and when he turned around, he found that his team had not raised the flag because he came out in a hurry.

Thinking of this, Fang Renxu understood a little, and pushed Fang Zhong, who was quite depressed because there was no battle to fight, and said: "Forget it, you take a unit to bypass the northern township and go north first, don't delay the time." Let's collect straw and the like on the road. I'm going to talk to these villagers, I think it's a misunderstanding. ”

In fact, Fang Zhong also understood now, but he didn't say anything, and with a whistle, a cavalry was diverted out of the ranks, and followed Fang Zhong straight around the phalanx in front of him, whistling towards the north.

……

Half an hour later, Niu Li rubbed his hands together in embarrassment and nervousness, standing in front of the young ensign, not knowing what to say.

When the other party played the Great Han Panlong Emperor Flag. Niu Li, they realized that they had made a mistake. At that moment, many villagers cheered excitedly - after all, after such a long time, they finally saw their own army, and this excitement was still there. What's more, there are more than 5,000 cavalry. More than 10,000 war horses are like a torrent, and the Han army is abundant. Doesn't that mean they're more protective?

As for the array. Everyone automatically ignored it. Jokes, you don't fly flags, what's the matter with us?

In this cavalry, Fang Renxu was actually not a brigade commander, but only temporarily joined the cavalry brigade as a staff officer of the palace marshal and served as the operational staff officer of this cavalry. The real brigade commander is called Baochuan. The word mountains and rivers. Quite an atmospheric name, the person is also atmospheric, the body is almost nine feet, and the waist is round. At first glance, it is a type of fierce general who charges into battle.

This Baochuan is a native of Dunhuang County, Suzhou, and it seems that he still has some kinship with Dunhuang County Shoubaozhong. Of course, all this is not the most important reason why he can become the commander of the cavalry brigade, but he once served as a second lieutenant platoon commander in the Hussar Heavy Cavalry Regiment, and later due to negligence, he was transferred to the Suzhou Second Class Regiment. It's under Ingki.

In the first battle of the Tarim River Valley, the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Town of Yingqi's rear division was the first to break through, with a total of 7,600 people, less than 2,000 of whom broke through completely, and most of them were wounded. When breaking through the third blockade of the Yue people, Yingqi was pierced through his belly armor by a crossbow arrow and almost died on the battlefield, but it was Baochuan who carried him out of the pile of dead people. Because of this, the Western Xinjiang Front Army was reorganized, and after Ying Qi became the palace commander, he recommended Baochuan as the commander of the cavalry brigade, after all, he had the experience of serving in the first-class cavalry regiment.

After explaining the situation, the Han army set up a headquarters in the township guard field in the northern township, and the rest of the horses built fortifications in the northern township according to the previous plan. And the Niu Li in front of him is the head of the township, and it is impossible without his cooperation.

Fang Renxu carefully explained the current situation to Niu Li, and suggested that he mobilize the people of the northern township to retreat south, and it was best to live in the southern township for a while. But this suggestion did not make Niu Li agree.

"Second Lieutenant Fang, it's not that I don't cooperate, but everyone has so many pots and jars at home, and it will be a matter of time and a half to move." Niu Li said with a bitter face. In fact, he was reluctant to give up the goods in the warehouse.

Fang Renxu was also helpless: "Township Chief Niu, you can watch it, anyway, don't affect our normal fortification construction." But then again, if this place really becomes a battlefield, we will naturally fight to the death, and if there are casualties, you don't go to the military headquarters to sue us. ”

"That's, that's, how can it!" Niu Li smiled, rubbed his hands together for a long time before saying: "That, Second Lieutenant Fang, do you think this will work, I will go and talk to the villagers, try to send the women, children, old and weak to the southern township first, and the young and strong people in our township will stay, and we can also go to the battlefield if necessary, and we will never be cowardly!" ”

There is no doubt about that. Judging by their courage to line up at the entrance of the village, the people here are by no means cowardly.

After Fang Renxu agreed with Baochuan, he also said: "Yes." I'll write you a note, and your people will be received when they go to the southern township......"

"Then no," Niu Li patted his chest, "We have lived here for generations, which family has few relatives in Nanfang Township?" Although the Double Ninth Festival has just passed, this is not the winter moon and it is coming, so it is time to visit relatives...... As long as Second Lieutenant Fang agrees with us to stay. ”

Being able to look at your own stuff is better than anything else. This is Niu Li's heart.

So those villagers who were also reluctant to have their own altars and pots at home, under the persuasion of Niu Li, set up ox carts or donkey carts one after another, buried some grain deeply, and helped the old lady and daughter-in-law to march to the southern township. Of course, every family will leave one or two stick guys, ostensibly to help the Han army defend, but in fact, they are looking at their own belongings.

On 16 September, the evacuation of Beibu Township was preliminarily completed, and after counting, there were still more than 1,600 young men in the township, all of whom were over 22 years old and under 40 years old—why were they over 22 years old? Most of the men after the age of 18 were drafted into the army last year, while those who reached the age of 18 were all expelled on the grounds that they had no military training.

The whole northern township became a huge barracks, and the villagers were organized. It was divided into 10 companies, each with an elderly person as the company commander, who was responsible for moving earth and transporting logistical supplies. It was also very busy for a while.

In the evening of that day, Bao Chuan and Fang Renxu inspected the trench excavation between the two houses in the north, which was the front line, so the digging was relatively deep. The earth and rocks are also very strong.

"Yes, this trench is very well repaired, even if the enemy has cavalry, don't try to jump over it easily." Fang Renxu nodded and smiled with satisfaction.

Niu Li, who was following along, puffed out his chest and smiled ruddyly: "That's." I was in the army at the beginning, but I was the company commander of the baggage company! ”

Fang Renxu turned his head and said with a smile: "Uncle Niu also served as the commander of the baggage company?" No wonder this fortification has been repaired so quickly in the past two days, I wonder if Uncle Niu will build a bed crossbow? After getting acquainted with it in the past two days, Fang Renxu also began to call Niu Li an uncle.

Niu Li said proudly: "Yes." However, the bed crossbow is too troublesome to build, and it also requires parts such as brackets, hook chains, and half-hangs...... I can't make that. All of them are provided by the Ministry of War. Niu Li hurriedly explained again. Those can't make it, and break the king's law! ”

Fang Renxu expressed understanding. After all, the bed crossbow is a large siege weapon, and it is strictly forbidden among the people.

However, there are really a lot of talents among these villagers, some have done heavy work, some have served as cavalry, and a few are actually retired veterans from the first-class legions such as the trap guard or the martyr guard. It's a pity that he is too old to be added to the army, so he can only do some guiding work.

"Old cow. Do any of you here join the rebels? Bao Chuan, who had not spoken much, suddenly asked. Baochuan is Chinese New Year's Eve today, so it's not too much to call him an old cow.

Speaking of this, Niu Li's face turned red, and he said in a whisper: "This, this, the old Zhu family in the East Village, the Si Dali family, and the Nan family in the West Village, the Hou family all have a guy who went to Dihua to be a soldier, and there is no news so far, I don't know if he is dead or alive!" However, their family is a good citizen, and they are good people of our Han. ”

Bao Chuan nodded and said no more. Fang Renxu kept it in mind, thinking about calling a few people to call out these people separately and transfer them back to the southern township.

This is also one of the important reasons why the Han army did not dare to mobilize the people to participate in the war on a large scale in Dayue Prefecture. There is no way, the rebellion in Dayue Prefecture was in 1002 of the Han Dynasty, before the uprising, the conscription in the spring and autumn seasons of Dayue Prefecture was carried out as usual, and many people in Dayue Prefecture had an inextricable relationship with the rebels. Yanqi City is far away, but the number of people who are conscripted every year is also quite large, and preliminary statistics show that there are at least 800 to 1,000 people in Yanqi City among the rebels.

The rise of the Yue Clan's rebels in a short period of time is not unrelated, after all, a rebellion by one family is equivalent to one family being implicated, plus the seven aunts and eight aunts who are married, that is, several families are tied to the chariot. The empire's rebellion was punished by the nine clans, forcing these people to rebel together.

In fact, in the emperor's edict, only a few leaders of the rebellion will be punished with the major crime of "Zhu Jiu", and the others only ask the first offender, and do not know the attitude of not guilty. But the people didn't know, under the instigation of the Yue's people, they followed the rebels.

……

"When the sun goes down, it should be done." Fang Renxu let out a sigh of relief, looked to the north and said.

Bao Chuan also looked at the north, nodded and said, "Well, I hope the judgment of the palace marshal is correct, otherwise it will be easy for the squire to be impeached if he moves the people so much." If those security chiefs and lieutenant chiefs go to the state capital to make trouble, the palace marshal will also be responsible. ”

Fang Renxu smiled: "Be careful in everything, if you can save a life, it's better than losing a small life." ”

"Hmm." Bao Chuan stopped talking.

Fang Renxu suddenly said again: "I don't know what happened to Yong Di. ”

Bao Chuan said: "Fang Zhong, this little overlord, hehe, there should be news soon." ”

This is the first time that Baochuan has a smile. Fang Renxu also laughed.

Fang Renxu knew that when he took Fang Zhong around looking for someone to challenge his fame, this Bao Chuan followed-he was one of Yingqi's henchmen, so Fang Zhong didn't challenge him-although it was not clear who could fight this strong man who was nearly nine feet tall compared to Fang Zhong, the little overlord, but it was true that Bao Chuan liked Fang Zhong very much. When he has nothing to do, he will also instruct Fang Zhong on a few martial arts skills. All in private, of course. In other words, in private, the two of them actually fought each other, but the result was something that even Fang Renxu didn't know.

Just when both of them were thinking about Fang Zhong, they were suddenly in the afterglow of the setting sun. A rider suddenly appeared on the horizon.

"Haha, as soon as he talked about this kid, he sent someone to report it." Fang Renxu said with a smile.

However, then Bao Chuan's face changed: "No, he is running." Quick, send someone to meet you. ”

Fang Renxu's face also changed, after such a distance, he couldn't tell whether the cavalry rushing in the afterglow was galloping, but he couldn't hide the cavalry veteran Bao Chuan, and he instantly judged that this horse was galloping with all his strength without sparing horsepower. If there is no emergency, there is no need for this.

Everyone chuckled in their hearts: Could it be that the palace marshal guessed correctly?

Sure enough, it was a knight from Fang Zhong's department who came to report the news, and he jumped off his horse and didn't even answer the water bag handed by him. shouted in a dry voice: "Brigade Marshal, it's not good. There are tens of thousands of Yue's people in Kelan Mountain. The cavalry was not less than 10,000. The first striker is almost at the junction, and Fang Shuai is trying his best to maneuver, ordering me to hurry up and return the letter and prepare early! ”

Bao Chuan said with a cold face: "It's hard work." Can you know that the Yueshi Legion is it? ”

The knight shook his head: "I don't know, it's all the Bright Moon Floating Sea Flag, and the forward department is playing a hoop flag." There is no number. ”

"The number of troops may be determined?"

"No, but never less than thirty thousand, maybe fifty thousand! In order to find out the specific strength of the enemy's army, Marshal Fang had already sent two companies of men up. But to no avail. Seventeen of us died! The knight's face turned a little pale.

Not only him, but everyone turned a little pale. There are only more than 5,000 people in the northern township, and there are only about 7,000 villagers, how can they stop the 30,000 to 50,000 regular troops of the Yue clan? Not to mention that they are cavalry, not infantry! After these fortifications were built, they all had to be guarded by a former or middle division from Yanqi City.

Bao Chuan's face remained unchanged, and he continued to ask, "What is the speed of the enemy army?" Where does the enemy scout go farthest? How long can Fang Zhong delay? ”

The knight quickly replied: "The enemy's forward department is very fast, almost advancing at full speed, their scouts can't be scattered, and the Fang Marshal is blocking it very dead." As for the main force of the enemy, it is estimated that it will be about 30 miles, and it will reach the northern township by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Fang said that he would rush back at night. ”

Fang Renxu said: "That means we only have one night...... Brigade Marshal, report to the palace marshal quickly! ”

Bao Chuan just groaned for a moment, and immediately ordered: "Order, Fang Renxu return to the palace marshal, and strive to quickly transfer no less than one division of foot soldiers to come to the northern township to defend." ”

"Whoa."

"Order, the Zhongzi cavalry battalion will go ten miles to the east, and destroy all the woods over there for me, and the speed must be fast to prevent the enemy from logging and attacking the city."

"Whoa."

"Order, the filial piety cavalry battalion goes west, there seems to be a lake there, let me throw the dead animals that I got before, don't leave them a water source."

"Whoa."

"Order, the Renzi cavalry battalion will go out thirty miles forward to meet Fang Zhong's department."

"Whoa."

"Order, the Yizi cavalry battalion spreads out, acts as a scout, the reconnaissance coverage area must not be less than fifty miles, be sure to find out whether there are enemy troops around, if you are with local scouts, you can fight, you can stand, you can't stand and retreat."

"Whoa."

……

The entire war machine rumbled in motion at the sound of the order.

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PS: I originally wanted to finish the battle of Yanqi in one chapter, but later I found that I couldn't finish it at all. Moreover, the characters of Fang Zhong and Fang Renxu were also considered to be one of the protagonists later, so they had to spend more pen and ink. So they continued to separate. In addition, the chapter title continues to use "Chapter 25". For the time being, I have tentatively decided to write 100 chapters in one volume, but if I divide them into three chapters, I am afraid that I will not be able to count them later. Isn't that a bit of an obsessive-compulsive disorder?! Ha ha

Some friends said why don't you go back to the main line, well, in fact, this is also the main line, it doesn't have to be Shen Yun who is the main line, right? The protagonist of this story is the "Han Empire", right?!

Well, to be honest, I haven't figured out how Shen Yun is going to connect with the Western Frontier battlefield thousands of miles away. It is indeed a bit untenable to conform to basic common sense and pull them together.

It's okay, let me think again, think again...... (To be continued......)