In the eyes of the imperial court, this is Lu Boqi's method of controlling the size of the system, and in the eyes of Wang Anshi, who is well aware of the relationship between Liu Cheng and Lu Boqi, this is clearly Liu Cheng's attraction to himself. This extremely shrewd person also saw the amazing potential from Liu Cheng's body, and quickly responded to Liu Cheng's woo with his own actions and joined the expedition.

"It's all ready, Lord Zhentai!" Wang Anshi owed his body: "There are a total of 2,300 people in the infantry camp of the adults, and there are 500 people selected by the villain from the thousands of households under his jurisdiction, each of whom has a pack horse, a mule, armor, baggage, firearms, and medicine are ready to stop, just on the bank of the river!" ”

"Good!" Liu Cheng nodded with satisfaction: "You accompany me to the river bank for a walk!" “

Wang Anshi was obviously a little surprised by Liu Cheng's order, but he still bowed his head respectfully: "Yes, my lord!" “

The wind sighed among the reeds on the riverbank, bringing bursts of the unique fragrance of this riverside plant, tugging at the cloak behind Liu Cheng's back. The uplifted Helan Mountain towers high in the west, like a huge shadow, obscuring the starlight. Liu Cheng stopped, not far in front of him, dotted bonfires filled the flat river beach, too many for Liu Cheng to calculate, hundreds of fires formed a swaying ribbon of light, accompanied by the flowing Yellow River, like two parallel rivers, seeing all this, Liu Cheng's throat couldn't help but dry. Over the next few days, his army could move north along the narrow plain between Helan Mountain, which held off the wind and sand blowing from the Tengger Desert in the northwest while protecting the flanks of the army, and the Yellow River, which provided abundant drinking water and supplies to transport supplies, a better route for a marching army. However, when the three passes are passed, the terrain will rise sharply, the Yellow River will also turn to the east, and the army will be in front of the army from the fertile Hetao Plain to the dry Mongolian Plateau, and finally to the arid Gobi Desert.

"Your Excellency, are you worried about the expedition?" Wang Anshi's voice came from behind him, Liu Cheng nodded, sighed and said: "Drunk and lying on the battlefield, don't laugh, the ancients fought a few people back, this time they crossed the Hanhai Sea to the north, and I don't know how many of the soldiers who went with me this time can come back and drink the water of the Yellow River!" “

"Your Excellency!" Wang Anshi said in a low voice: "The villain heard that his father said that he had to plan carefully before sending out the troops, and he had no hesitation after sending out the troops. Your Excellency is the lord of an army, if you are uncertain, won't the soldiers be even more shaken by the hearts of the people? “

"What An Shi said is very true, I think too much!" Liu Cheng laughed: "By the way, what do you think is the chance of winning this time?" ”

"My lord, the last general thinks that if you slow down and fight quickly, even if you don't win, you won't be defeated?"

"Slow and fast? How do you say this? “

"Your Excellency!" Seeing that Liu Cheng was willing to listen to his advice, Wang Anshi couldn't help but lift his spirits, and hurriedly whispered: "The so-called slow advance is to build a military station and dig a well, so that there is a foundation for advance and retreat; A quick battle is to stop without a fight, and a war is to break its head, capture the captive, and compete for complete success. Although there are many people in the north, it is difficult to defeat our firearms and armor, and what our army fears is nothing more than avoiding them without fighting and eliminating time! “

"Well, what Anshi said is very true!" Liu Cheng gently patted the other party's shoulder: "This expedition across the Hanhai Sea, if it comes to fruition, you and I will be the prince of all generations, and we will leave a name in history, we must work together to create a great cause!" “

"Yes, sir!"

In the early morning of the next day, the army pulled out the camp and continued to advance northward, along the way there were constantly people and horses merging in, basically the left and right wings of the Mongols, some of them were originally Liu Cheng's generals, and they were awarded the troops because of their merits (called Neizasak by the Mongols); Some were divided after being defeated (the Mongols were called Waizasak), and Liu Cheng divided them into two wings, led by Totobuhua and Gesang respectively, and traveled along the Yellow River for more than ten days. Along the way, the green decreased, and the yellow sand gradually increased, and later I only saw that there was still green on the west bank of the Yellow River for more than ten miles, and there was already a piece of yellow sand in the distance, and there was no human habit.

"Mr. Ahmat, that's Hanhai over there, right?" Liu Cheng pointed to the yellow color in the west and asked Ahmai on the side, this usually pampered businessman also changed into a bare sheepskin jacket at this time, rode on a horse, and personally served as the guide of Liu Cheng's Chinese army.

"Not bad!" Ahmat replied: "This is the Hanhai, you Han people also call it 'Gobi', from here to the north for more than 200 miles, there is floating sand, no water grass, until the Lianglang Mountain. “

"Lianglang Mountain? Why is it named? ”

"The villain doesn't know, there is a stone pillar on the mountain wall, the title is 'Erlang Mountain', and there is no payment, I don't know who set it up, some people say that it is the wolf dwelling Xu Mountain."

"Wolf Juxu Mountain?" Liu Cheng was stunned when he heard this, as a traverser, he naturally knew the origin of the idiom "Feng Wolf Juxu", he thought for a while and asked: "Sir, in the Gobi Desert for more than two hundred miles, people can live on water bladders and military rations, and what about war horses and livestock?" “

"Don't worry, sir!" Ahmat said with a smile: "This Gobi Desert is said to have no aquatic plants, but in the low-lying area, there is still water in the ground, as long as you dig a few feet of ground, there will be water out, but the water is bitter, you can only drink horses, people drink it is not good." And it's summer, and there are stinky weeds on the Gobi Desert that can be fed to horses. Although this Hanhai is difficult to cross, as long as the adults follow me one thing, there will be no problem! “

"Oh, what's the matter?"

"No matter up or down in the army, you must dismount and walk!" Ahmat said in a low voice: "Otherwise, in two or three days at most, the horses will have to die three or four times!" ”

"What's so hard about that!" Liu Cheng said with a smile, he turned his head to Hao Shaoqi behind him and ordered: "Pass the order, the army will go up to the town, down to the soldiers and servants, and you will not be allowed to get on the horse unless you encounter the enemy, so as to raise horsepower!" ”

"Yes, sir!"

Liu Cheng's order was quickly passed on, that night, the army spent the last night by the Yellow River, the next morning turned to the northwest, to the Hanhai, along the way everyone dug springs and drank, with horse manure as firewood, set up post stations along the way, walked more than ten days before crossing the Hanhai, the hardships experienced along the way needless to say, in the middle of August, only arrived at the Wengjin River, and Chechen Taiji Division.

Onkin River.

"Brother-in-law, you are really a trustworthy person!" Chechen Taiji picked up a bird gun, and despite the anti-rust grease applied to it, he reached out and stroked the smooth metal surface, and gestured twice, happy to close his mouth.

"A total of 1,000 sticks, plus 100 sticks as a giveaway!" Liu Cheng smiled and patted the wooden boxes on the side, and to his right were dozens of wooden boxes stacked up.

"Good, good!" Chechen Taiji smiled and waved his hand, and shouted to his subordinates behind him: "You guys, quickly count your things and move them to the back camp!" After finishing speaking, he enthusiastically grabbed Liu Cheng's arm and said with a smile: "Brother-in-law, you have worked hard all the way across the Hanhai, come and go to my tent, mare's milk wine, lamb meat, and dancing girls are ready, let's have a good time!" ”

"Wait!" Liu Cheng resolutely pushed away the other party's arm: "Chechen Taiji, let's finish our business first and then be happy, where is Gunbu (Tushetu Khan) now?" Did you ever know that you and I were going to attack him? ”

"Brother-in-law, you're an anxious son!" Chechen Taiji was a little disappointed: "Gunbu should be in Zhaomoduo, where the water and grass are abundant, the climate is cool, and his sweat tent spends the summer there every year. My men have been here for almost a month, and he should know that I'm coming, but this is a three-way zone, and he may not know that you and I are coming to attack him! ”

"Zhao Modo?"

"Not bad!" Chechen Taiji pointed to the north: "Zhao Moduo is our Mongolian language, in your Han Chinese language means "big forest", there is still more than a month away from here, there are mountains to the north, the cold wind blowing from the north is sheltered, under the mountain is a flat river, the forest is luxuriant, the river flows in the middle, there are small hills to defend, there are high ground on the east and west sides to defend, every year Nagunbu will stay there until autumn before going south for the winter!" ”

"Then there will be no delay!" Liu Cheng nodded: "I'll take a three-day truce here, and then we'll go out together to learn Zhao Moduo, okay?" ”

"Okay, anyway, since his father went to Tibet to practice Buddhism, this Gunbu has been immersed in wine all day long, learning the Heavenly Demon Dance with those lamas, and practicing Huanxi Zen, but he has forgotten our Mongolian duty, which happens to be based on its place and has its people!" Chechen Taiji grinned with a grin: "Brother-in-law, let's talk in advance, after defeating Tushetu Khan, you and I will divide his subordinates in half-"

"The pastures are yours!" Liu Cheng said: "Don't worry, across the Hanhai, what is the use of me asking for pasture?" The water and grass on the Hetao side are much more abundant than yours, and what I lack on my side is people. In addition, I only have two conditions: first, I have the right to choose a place with abundant water and grass to build a city, and use it as a trading station to trade with the Mobei tribes; Second, you must ally with me! ”

"That's nature!" Chechen Taiji said with a smile: "This trade is a matter of mutual benefit, but you can't have the final say in the affairs of this city; As for the second one, if you don't say it, I will also mention it, you and I are in-laws, and the water helps the fish and the fish help the water, which is a matter of mutual benefit, if I don't ally with you, do I have an alliance with the Khalkha slaves? ”

"Then according to the covenant I signed with Gushi Khan, I will give one person, you will give one, and the merchants will choose one person, and the three of them will take turns to take charge of small matters, and the three of them will discuss and decide on major matters together, what do you think?"

"Good! So be it! Chechen Taiji once again grabbed Liu Cheng's arm: "Brother-in-law, now that the matter is discussed, we can go to my tent and have a good time!" “

Compared to the outside of the tent, the temperature inside is surprisingly high, and it can almost be said to be very hot. The four corners are separated by charcoal-burning baskets, emitting a dim red light, and the ground is covered with a thick layer of sheepskin as a carpet, Liu Cheng sits cross-legged on the ground, and on one side is Chechen Taiji; Among them, a dozen or so coolly dressed slave girls were dancing to the sound of the musician's lute; The pheasants, rabbits, and fat sheep were roasting on the fire pit, and the smell of meat, sweat, the smell of leather, the smell of smell, and the sour smell of mare's milk wine were mixed together, forming a strange smell that Liu Cheng would never forget.

When Liu Cheng and Chechen Taiji walked into the tent, everyone in the tent stood or knelt to pay their respects to their host and honored guests. Only one of the fellows by the fire pit did not move, and continued to nibble on the roast chicken with relish, the hot fat flowing through his chin and into his beard, and he laughed nonchalantly, he was not tall, but very burly, he did not shave off the hair at the top of his head and braided it on both sides, as most Mongols do, but simply shaved it all, leaving only a thick beard, and a leather shirt sewn with iron scales, and several heavy gold armbands with runes carved on his two thick arms.

"Chechen Taiji, this chicken is well grilled, you can also have a piece!" When the bald man saw Chechen Taiji, he happily raised the iron hammer in his hand and shouted to Chechen Taiji. Chechen Taiji explained to Liu Cheng with some embarrassment: "This is my answer, Borza." Turning his head, he shouted to the bald man: "Borza, don't salute Liu Zhentai yet!" “

Borza looked at Liu Cheng, stood up, walked in front of Liu Cheng with an iron drill, and Hao Shaoqi stepped forward vigilantly to block it. Bolza didn't care about raising the iron chisel in his hand, pointed to the chicken on it and said, "Han general, this chicken is good, do you want a piece?" “

"Thank you, I'm hungry!" Liu Cheng took the iron chisel and took a bite, the chicken coated with salt and honey was grilled just right, crispy and tender, Liu Cheng took off the wrench of the archery to facilitate eating, he was indeed a little hungry, tore off the chicken, and sucked the remaining pieces of meat on the bones. Borza looked at Liu Cheng's appearance and couldn't help but smile and said, "Let's sit down by the fire and eat and drink at the same time!" ”

Liu Cheng nodded, and sat down with Chechen Taiji by the fire, while Bolza cut the roasted meat into the plate and poured fermented mare's milk into their cups, a drink that the Mongols were like Han tea. Liu Cheng took a sip, only feeling a little sour at first, but then it was quite smooth, and he couldn't help but take a few more sips. Seeing it in his eyes, Bolza slapped his palms and smiled: "Although you are a Han official, you are also refreshing." ”

"An A's don't know, this Lord Liu's wife is Min Min Beji, but my brother-in-law!" Chechen Taiji on the side said with a smile: "This time he came across the Hanhai Sea to attack Tushetu Khan with us!" “

"Oh?" Borza looked at Liu Cheng: "It's a strange thing for a dog and a wolf to join forces to deal with another wolf?" General Ming, let me ask you a question, why did you attack Tushetu Khan? They didn't threaten your Ming Kingdom at all, so you shouldn't be playing some tricks by doing this, right? (To be continued.) )