Liang Benji's conditions were a bit harsh, Dong Jixian couldn't do this, and returned to the Zhou army camp overnight to see Guo Rong to explain the reason, but Guo Rong was very happy, and agreed after a little groaning.

"It is also a good thing that we can really use the advantages of official positions and pastureland and salt fields to avoid war, so as not to frustrate the edge of our army." Wang Pu said very approvingly.

"Who can be sent to the Huimeng, if it is solemn and solemn, according to the custom of the Qiang people, the sacrifice of three animals will be held, it will be too troublesome and time-consuming, and the current situation does not allow it, Liang Benji should be able to understand." Guo Rong thought about it, frowned and said.

Zhe Congruan and Shi Yi are very old, they are important ministers and marshals, and they are both envoys and deputy envoys of the camp, and if something happens, the consequences will be very serious. Guo Rong didn't dare to take this risk, thinking about it, it was best to go to Xiang Xun, he had profound qualifications, and his official position was that of the provincial envoy of the internal guest, which was only lower than the rank of the marshal, but he was also a high-ranking official in the court, and the weight should be enough.

"Let's train it! He's the most suitable! Wang Pu thought of it and nominated it directly.

"It's impossible to formally form an alliance, so let's write the covenant by myself!" In order to show solemnity, Guo Rong personally drafted the alliance book, stamped with the big seal of the Jin King Junling, and asked Xiang Xun to take it. Dong Jixian had no choice but to go on another night trip with Xiang Xun to meet with Liang Benji in the Qiang army camp and hand over the letter of alliance.

Liang Benji didn't expect Guo Rong to swear in person, and immediately felt Guo Rong's sincerity, immediately bit his finger, dripping blood for an alliance, and agreed with Xiang Xun to let go of the defense of the northern hillside early tomorrow morning and lead the Zhou army up the mountain.

As for Dang Jinfu, Liang Benji was also unwilling to betray him, and planned to wait for Zhou Jun to go up the mountain and let him go by himself. As for the request to the training institute to let Liang Benji lead his troops to help in the war and go north to attack Huining, Liang Benji refused. However, he provided food and grass support, as well as a guide to the march, but he agreed.

This is just an additional condition of the detailed rules, and it has nothing to do with the overall situation if he disagrees, Xiang Xun resigned and returned to the camp overnight, and made it clear to Guo Rong. Guo Rong was overjoyed, and discussed with Wang Puxiao, summoned Zhi Congruan, Shi Yi, Liu Congzhi and others, and asked Xiang Xun to explain the conditions of Liang Benji, and after a little discussion, he prepared to lead 3,000 troops to Xiang Xun to climb the mountain first in the early morning.

At dawn, the moon is about to set, and the night is even darker. Xiang Xun led the department, and under the personal response of Liang Guiben, he successfully went up the mountain to take over the defensive position on the mountain. In the dark night, there were many figures passing by, trampling on the grass and trees, and all kinds of muffled herald sounds. This movement was a bit big, and it soon alarmed the secret sentry sent by Dang Jinfu.

Dang Jinfu received the secret whistle report and couldn't help but be shocked. The Zhou army had already gone up the mountain to take over the defense, and it was too late to say anything at this time, and he could no longer sleep peacefully, so he gathered two thousand horsemen from his headquarters before dawn, quietly left his separate camp, and returned to Huining in the north, so as to urge Tuoba Bogu to prepare early.

After dawn, Guo Rong led the main force through the pass, personally met with Liang Benji, Liang Guiben father and son, and greeted a few polite words, Guo Rong asked straight to the point: "Before the lonely army set off, I heard that your Liang Qiang Department traded with the Shu army in Qinzhou, and exchanged cattle, sheep and horses for a large number of grain and grass armor, but is there such a thing?" ”

"His Royal Highness King Jin Mingjian! The total number of people in my Liang clan is only in the early 40,000s, and the young and strong are only five or six thousand, how can there be so many cattle and sheep in exchange for a large number of soldiers, this is the Tuoba Bogu faction in the north, passing through the pasture of our clan, His Royal Highness misunderstood! Liang Benji explained.

"Oh...... 40,000 people and 6,000 soldiers? What is the geometry of the Tuoba Bogu clan and the Qiang people of the Dang clan? Is there any movement in Lanzhou? Guo Rong was a little surprised and silently calculated, the Qiang people could almost draw one young man out of six people to fight.

"There are more than 70,000 members of the Tuoba Bogu Division, and the number of the Dang clan is only 40,000 or 50,000, which is on par with our department. I have long heard that Tuoba Bogu sent people to Lanzhou for help, but I don't know if Lanzhou's Bailanqiang has sent troops, and we don't know if the road is too far. ”

"Which one is Bai Lanqiang? Is it a lot younger? "There are many Qiang tribes, and each tribe has its own clan name, Guo Rong was confused.

"Bai Lanqiang is a branch of Bao Hanqiang! It can also produce seven or eight thousand young people! Liang Benji explained.

"That's it! No matter how many troops he has, when he arrives in Huining, he will always show his face. Without further ado, the army will continue to set out, and the patriarch can lead his troops to follow. ”

Guo Rong promised a little benefit, more than 20,000 troops successfully cleared the customs, Liang Benji led the way with joy, and the westward journey to the Qiang people's grazing land by the Zuli River was three days later, and Liang Benji rewarded the army for two days to rest.

At the same time, the first batch of grain and grass baggage teams from Yuanzhou also arrived, Shi Deyuan deployed the defense of Shimen Pass, and Yang Tingzhang was stationed in Xiaoguan.

On October 21, the camp was again pulled out and went north along the east bank of the Zuli River, and there were many rocks on both sides of the river valley, and sometimes there was no road to pass, and the army had to make a detour, and the army walked very slowly. On the way, he received a follow-up report from the Northern Route Army, which was jointly signed by Feng Jiye and Zhang Yue, and the date was the tenth day of October.

Guo Rong dismounted on the side of the road, read the content of the text in one breath, and couldn't help but be furious: "This Li Yiyin's unsubmissive heart is clearly revealed, but Li Yanei is under the guise of a soldier of the Yeci clan, and he can't say anything, and the court has to help him cover it up." ”

"Exactly! Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, the foundation of the eight departments of Xia Sui's party has become more and more stable, and its strength has become stronger and stronger. Although Wang Pu is a civil official, he can also ride a horse, and reminded on the side.

"It's a pity! The strength of the Northern Route Army is still too small, and it has not been able to completely annihilate the young and strong soldiers of the Li clan and the Yeci clan, otherwise it will be really happy, and Li Yiyin's position in the eight divisions of Xia Sui will be shaken, and then things will be much easier to do. After reading the military report, Guo Rong handed it to Wang Pu.

"But there are no ifs!" Wang Pu replied with a wry smile, read the military report quickly, and couldn't help frowning: "Li Guangrui has seven thousand horsemen left, and on the way, he said that he would take the opportunity to annex the Yeci clan, even if he didn't swallow it forcibly, the Yeci clan would become a vassal of the Li clan when he arrived in Youzhou." ”

"That's for sure, the entire northwest is a big game of chess, Xia Sui Li clan, Hexi Tubo relics, Qingtang Zaqiang, this is just the beginning, one day, Gu Yao will lead the army to sweep them one by one!" Guo Rong waved his clenched fist and said with some spirit.

The long serpentine army marched along the mountain road of the river valley, and it was not easy to discuss the military halfway along the way. Guo Rong chatted with Wang Pu for a few times, and then asked him to send the general report to Zhe Congruan and Shi Yi. The army continued to march non-stop, and because of the bad road conditions, it took eight days to reach Huining, and set up a large camp in the dilapidated county town fifteen miles southeast.

Huining County, called Liangchuan County during the Sui Dynasty, was renamed Huining in the second year of Tang Wude, as the state of Huizhou. The city is located on the east bank of the Yellow River, on the field north of the confluence of Zuli Water and the Yellow River, just surrounded by water on the west and south sides, and only the east and north sides can attack the city.

At this time, the city defense was already heavily guarded, and about two or three hundred cavalry teams of Qiang cavalry roamed around the outskirts of the city. This situation made Guo Rong feel the deep hostility of Tuoba Bogu. Before the army set out, according to Liang Benji, Tuoba Bogu had recently been in close contact with Baohanqiang in the west, and he was afraid that there would be changes. (To be continued.) )