The sky was gloomy, Chu Huan really felt the bad weather in the northwest at this time, he had not encountered such weather when he was sent to Xiliang, even in Shuoquan, Yuezhou, although he had already felt that the climate and environment in the northwest could not be compared with Guannai, but he still didn't expect that the real bad weather in the northwest was even more powerful than he imagined.

The sky and the earth are gray, the wind and sand are dancing in the air, but the weather is extremely hot, and the fine sand hits people's faces in the wind, like a sharp knife tearing, and the pain is terrible.

The soldiers are wearing battle robes, and the hot weather makes their bodies flow with slimy sweat, although the royal guards in the army are known as the most elite troops in Daqin, but at this time these royal guards are really a little unable to hold on, in this environment, personal martial arts are far less than the body's adaptation, but those ordinary Northwest soldiers, but they can adapt to such weather, watching many soldiers who came from the pass to move forward with difficulty, the Northwest soldiers suddenly rose in their hearts with a happy sense of superiority.

Chu Huan received a secret letter from Xuanyuan Shengcai, and already knew that Xiao Huanzhang of Beishan was actually on the border between Beishan and Xiguan, Chen soldiers were nearly 10,000, according to the military system of the empire, the Governor's Praetorian Guard under the jurisdiction of the local governor could not exceed 5,000 people, in addition to the 5,000 Praetorian Guards directly under the central government, in an extraordinary time, the governor could also mobilize the local state army.

Beishan has three prefectures under its jurisdiction, and the military system also stipulates that the maximum establishment of the local state army cannot exceed 2,000 people, and even if the three state armies under its jurisdiction are added, the maximum number of troops that Xiao Huanzhang can mobilize cannot exceed 11,000 people.

Moreover, under normal circumstances, the transfer of local state troops also needs to ask the imperial court for orders, and the approval of the military department is required before it can be transferred.

Today's three northwest provinces, of course, belong to the extraordinary time, Xiguan is of course a group of bandits, and the situation in Beishan is actually very complicated, a large number of refugees in Xiguan are difficult to flow to Beishan, in fact, it has also brought huge trouble to Beishan, although the government also took out part of the food relief victims, but the number of victims is huge, there are more monks and less porridge, and the bureaucrats and gentry in Beishan cannot really do their best to appease these Xiguan refugees, many refugees have no food to eat, and they starve to death in batches.

For a person, in this world, the real horror thing is actually hunger, and only when you really feel the threat of hunger can you know the horror of hunger.

Throughout the ages, as long as the common people can eat enough, even if they endure great pain, they can bear it, and the only thing they can't bear is that they and their families die of hunger.

Hunger will make people have no scruples, many people, is under the fear of hunger, take risks, gather into a coward, compared with the northwest three roads, the food of Xiguan Road is stretched, and there are groups of bandits, Beishan is a group of gentry, a lot of grain, is the people of Beishan, and has not suffered the trampling of Xiliang people, so the bandits who rob houses in Beishan are also in groups.

This situation is also very grim, Xiao Huanzhang has to play to the imperial court the predicament encountered in Beishan, compared with tens of thousands of bandits in Beishan, the officers and soldiers of Beishan are weak, under Xiao Huanzhang's continuous performance, plus the imperial court did once think of using Xiao Huanzhang to balance Zhu Lingyue, so Beishan's soldiers and horses, not a few, in a short period of time, Xiao Huanzhang's Praetorian Guard expanded to nearly 10,000 people, and the state soldiers and horses, also increased the number of troops.

Chu Huan had just received Xuanyuan Shengcai's superstition, and he was also taken aback, shocked and angry, and almost prepared to return to meet the Beishan army.

Fortunately, he is not a person who is easily impulsive in difficult situations, not to mention that he still has Pei Ji by his side.

Pei Ji knew that the Beishan Army was on the border of Chen Bing, and after Chu Huan was ready to return to the division to meet the attack, he immediately vetoed Chu Huan's idea, and he concluded that although the Beishan Army was on the border with Chen Bing, it would never dare to really set foot in the territory of Xiguan, at least before the battle of Hezhou was decided again, Xiao Huanzhang would never dare to advance closer to the territory of Xiguan.

Under Pei Ji's analysis, Chu Huan quickly understood Xiao Huanzhang's true intentions.

There is no doubt that Xiao Huanzhang is also uncertain about the results of the Hezhou warriors, and for Xiao Huanzhang, no matter whether Chu Huan wins or loses, Beishan must make corresponding measures.

Once Chu Huan wins, of course Xiao Huanzhang will no longer have the intention of plotting Xiguan, but once Chu Huan is defeated, the Beishan army may not stay honestly, Xiao Huanzhang is of course also afraid that after Chu Huan's defeat, Zhu Lingyue will take advantage of the situation to sit big, Zhu Lingyue regards Xiao Huanzhang as a thorn in the flesh, and Xiao Huanzhang also regards Zhu Lingyue as a big trouble, before Xiguan was taken advantage by Zhu Lingyue, almost controlling the entire Xiguan, Xiao Huanzhang can only be his grandson Taoguang to raise obscurity, but if another change occurs in Xiguan, Xiao Huanzhang of course cannot turn a blind eye.

After Chu Huan's defeat, Zhu Lingyue will certainly take advantage of the situation to expand to Xiguan, and Xiao Huanzhang will naturally take the opportunity to take advantage of some benefits.

Pei Ji asserted that if the battle of Hezhou was won, Xiao Huanzhang would definitely not leave the country, but once he lost, Xiao Huanzhang was very likely to cross the border to Jiazhou.

Chu Huan has a bottom in his heart, he has already taken Hezhou, although the news cannot spread quickly, but Xiao Huanzhang will definitely not act rashly until he gets the exact news.

What's more, Xuanyuan Shengcai guarded Shuoquan, Chu Huan held the six battalions of the Pingxi Army, although he brought out three battalions of soldiers and horses this time, he still left three battalions of troops in Jiayue Erzhou, not to mention that the general of the unified army was Xuanyuan Shengcai, even if Xiao Huanzhang crossed the border, Chu Huan believed that Xuanyuan Shengcai would also resist the Beishan Army.

The wind and sand did not abate, Hezhou stayed in Han Ying, assisted by Huang Yutan, and left a thousand soldiers and horses, and the surrender of the Xunzi battalion was handed over to Han Ying for reorganization, Chu Huan dealt with the affairs of Hezhou in the shortest possible time, led the army, and immediately marched to Jinzhou.

Chu Huan knew very well that the Jinzhou side must not know anything about the war in Hezhou, this kind of windy and sandy weather, even if it is a carrier pigeon, it cannot transmit information, so Jinzhou must be an information blockage.

Before attacking Hezhou, Chu Huan had already sent Wolf Wazi and Qiu Ruxue to lead the men and horses to block all the main roads from Jinzhou to Hezhou, and several groups of spies sent from Jinzhou also became prisoners.

Golden State became deaf and blind.

With the cover of wind and sand, the army has stepped into the ground of Jinzhou, but the speed of the whole army is getting slower and slower, even the local sergeants in the northwest are difficult to support the rapid march in this weather.

"Don't say it's wind and sand, even if a knife falls from the sky, you have to hold on and move forward." Chu Huan passed down the military order, and for the march of Jinzhou, the sooner the better.

The whole army was helpless, and according to the map display, when it was only two days away from Lanyi City in Jinzhou, Chu Huan finally gave the order to let the whole army rest on the spot.

The terrain of the Wolf's Tooth Valley is dangerous, except for the steep and tortuous road in the valley, there is indeed no other road to go, Zhang Shuyan has deployed thousands of soldiers and horses in the Wolf's Tooth Valley, this army of soldiers and horses is stationed on both sides of the Wolf's Tooth Valley, for the Wolf's Tooth Valley, thousands of soldiers and horses are already the largest troop deployment, and they can completely deal with any emergency.

Zhang Shuyan even gave a military order to the generals stationed in the Wolf's Tooth Valley, not to mention that it was a person, and not a single bird was allowed to fly in the Wolf's Tooth Valley.

At the mouth of the wolf's tooth valley, a checkpoint was set up, which was very simple, in such a place, it was true that it could not afford to build a strong fortification, and the checkpoint was guarded by more than 20 soldiers, and it was properly not known, once there was an enemy situation outside the checkpoint, the soldiers stationed at the checkpoint would send out a special arrow together at the first time.

As soon as the arrows sounded, the garrison of the entire Wolf's Tooth Valley would know that the enemy was coming, and they would immediately prepare for the battle.

When Hu Zongmao led an embarrassed army and horses to the mouth of the Wolf's Tooth Valley, more than 20 arrows rang out at the same time, and then, the entire Wolf's Tooth Valley from the entrance to the opposite exit, the continuous sound of arrows, the officers and soldiers stationed in the Wolf's Tooth Valley, armed with guns and knives, bows and arrows wound, ready for battle.

More than 20 soldiers at the checkpoint were already at the mouth of the valley, and their bows and arrows were aimed at the embarrassed army outside the valley.

"Who are you?" The captain guarding the checkpoint held a knife in his hand, and pointed forward with the blade, "One step closer, no mercy!" ”

Hu Zongmao rode on a horse, his armor was torn, his helmet had long been gone, his hair was coiled in a bun, but the bun was full of sand, the skin on his face had been cut by the wind and sand, and there were bloody mouths one by one, his lips were spilling blood because of dry cracking, and the soldiers and horses behind him were also exhausted, many people's armor was in tatters, and even some soldiers did not even have weapons in their hands, and the whole team was completely out of order and chaotic.

Seeing this scene, the defenders in the checkpoint looked at each other, as long as their eyes were not blind, anyone could see that the army in front of them looked like a defeated army.

"Let us go!" A cavalryman came up from Hu Zongmao's side, this cavalryman was obviously injured on the battlefield, his head was bandaged, and even one eye was covered by a bandage, he still had a knife in his hand, but the armor on his body was torn, "This is our General Hu, I want to see General Zhang Shuyan Zhang." ”

The defenders looked at each other, and the captain finally said loudly: "General Zhang has an order, the Wolf's Tooth Valley has been sealed, don't say it's a person, not even a bird can fly over, if anyone trespasses into the Wolf's Tooth Valley, there will be no mercy." ”

Hu Zongmao said angrily: "his grandmother, you guys quickly get out of the way for Lao Tzu, Lao Tzu wants to see Uncle Zhang's ......!" He urged his horse forward, and five or six horsemen immediately followed him, "If anyone dares to stop Lao Tzu, Lao Tzu will cut him with a knife." ”

"You are General Hu Zongmao Hu of Hezhou?" The lieutenant asked.

Jinhe and Erzhou raised troops at the same time, and the whole Xiguan knew about this, and of course the officers and soldiers stationed in Langya Valley also knew that the Hezhou Army could be regarded as their allies, and Hu Zongmao's name was not unfamiliar to the officers and soldiers.

Hu Zongmao looked very anxious and irritable, and shouted loudly: "Lao Tzu is Hu Zongmao, hurry up and dodge, the Chu army is behind, and it will be killed at any time......!" ”

The defenders are slightly discolored, for the battle of Hezhou, the officers and soldiers of Jinzhou usually inevitably discuss in private, they all say that the city of Hezhou is solid, Hu Zongmao is a good general, many people feel that Chu Huan attacked Hezhou this time, and finally returned with a feather, and the officers and soldiers of Jinzhou are also willing to see such a result, they know very well that once Hezhou falls, the Chu army will definitely turn its guns to fight Jinzhou, although the soldiers are fighting on the battlefield, but if they can really avoid fighting, Few ordinary soldiers were really willing to fight hard.