"The whole army will pull out the camp and march north!"

With the order of Ko Yi, 10,000 Northern Expeditionary Army, plus more than 2,000 people requisitioned, marched northward. There were no heavyweights in Yecheng to see them off, only the people who were working in the fields stopped their hoes and pointed, which was destined to be a team that would not attract attention.

Hao Zhao led 2,000 people to serve as the vanguard, responsible for sweeping the roads, opening roads and filling bridges in the mountains. It was followed by Wang Shuang's 1,200 cavalry, and then to the back was the Chinese army personally commanded by Liyi, Tian Feng and Yuan Mai, totaling more than 5,000 people, followed by the rear of the team is the 100,000 stone grain and grass escorted by Zhang Wu, the partial general of Liyi.

Koji Yi rode a high-headed horse, without saying a word, and his face was sullen; Tian Feng, who was beside him, had the same face. Before leaving, the two of them entered Yecheng together to ask to see Yuan Shao, one to resign, and the other to ease the relationship. Who knew that Yuan Shao was closed and disappeared, which disappointed the two of them and panicked in their hearts. I wonder what the end of this trip will be?

Although Xian Yufu, Yan Rou, and Liu He's pinching strategy made Gongsun Chan lose two-thirds of Youzhou's land, Gongsun Chan's strength was still strong. It is said that he hoarded three million stone of grain and grass in Yijing, enough to support his army for ten years. In addition, Gongsun Chan deployed 70,000 troops in Daijun, Fanyang, and Yijing, forming an impregnable defensive line.

Yijing is the base camp of Gongsun Zhan, in order to carry out a protracted war with Yuan Shao, Gongsun Chan gathered 30,000 elite troops here, and built more than a dozen trenches around Yijing, there are many earthen platforms in the trenches, all five or six zhang high, and watchtowers are set up on them. Crossbowmen are hidden in it, and can be extremely lethal to incoming troops.

Daijun is an important border town to the west of Yijing, and if it is lost, a few tribes in the west can drive straight in, so Gongsun Chan sent the most powerful general Tian Yu to lead 20,000 troops to defend it. For more than a year, Tian Yu has carefully arranged several lines of defense in the high willow deep ditch and high base of the Daijun Administration, and it is by no means easy to break through.

Yuan Mai was surrounded by his own personal soldiers, caught in the army, and his face was leisurely. He had already probed the bottom line from Yuan Shao's mouth, it didn't matter whether he could take Daijun or not, it was just to attract Gongsun Zhan's focus to the Western Front. Therefore, I don't care about whether I can take Daijun or not.

Besides, tiger poison does not eat children, even if Old Man Yuan wants to deal with Koji Yi, he will never be involved. The most important task of this Northern Expedition is to recruit talents and strengthen its own strength, and it would be even better if it could find a foothold.

"Buy Childe!" Among the people watching the army on the side of the post road, someone suddenly shouted to Yuan Mai.

Yuan Mai turned his head to see that it was Zhen Yao and the Zhen Mi brothers and sisters who were dressed as little maids, as well as his personal servant "Zhu Ling" Zhu Xiaoqi, and it was Xiao Qi who was not big and had a small voice who greeted him.

immediately urged the horse to come out of the queue, and said to the brother and sister: "Brother Yao and Ah Mi came to see me off, I am really ashamed." I will go here for half a year at most, and I will return triumphantly, and you will wait for my good news at home! ”

Zhen Yao's face was a little solemn, so that Yuan Mai couldn't guess what the reason was. I saw Zhen Yao say politely at first, and then turned to the topic: "I have already placed Zhao Qi's family in Wu'an County, and assigned them two maidservants and two servants. Delicious food and drink served to them, but they were not allowed to leave. You can rest assured. ”

"I'm tired of Brother Yao, when I create a foundation in the future, I will definitely repay Brother Yao several times." Yuan Mai hugged his wrist and promised a blank check.

Zhen Yao swept around vigilantly, and whispered to Yuan Mai: "There are many people, please move to talk to me quietly!" ”

Yuan Mai understood and knew that this was the reason why his face was solemn, so he rode his horse and followed Zhen Yao to a willow tree on the edge of the post road, and asked quietly, "Brother Yao called me, what's the important matter?" ”

"Ahem...... Zhen Yao first coughed a few times pretending to make sure that no one was paying attention to this side, and then said in a low voice: "I received a message from the flying pigeons in the Yanmen area last night, and Yuan Xi was ambushed on the way to take over the military power......"

Yuan Mai was happy in his heart, and secretly admired Zhen Yao's spy system, and said excitedly: "Are you dead?" ”

Zhen Yao shook his head: "Not dead!" It was Yuan Xi's subordinate Zhang Nan who was shot. ”

Yuan Mai's heart couldn't help sinking, and said secretly, it's too bad, this Sun Han is really more than enough to lose, this time he didn't kill Yuan Xi, if the matter is revealed, I'm afraid there will be no place for me on the Yuan family's territory!

Seeing Yuan Mai's face change suddenly, coupled with Yuan Mai's swear that night that he would definitely marry Zhen Mi, and let him send wine and poison, Zhen Yao guessed that Yuan Mai did it.

whispered: "According to my speculation, Yuan Xi is not sure who the murderer is at present, after all, there are often forces such as the Huns, Xianbei, and Black Mountain thieves around Yanmen. But paper can't contain fire after all. You must beware of Yuan Xi stabbing you in the back, and you must destroy the evidence against you at all costs. Remember, the best way to keep a secret is the dead! ”

Yuan Mai nodded knowingly: "Thank you Brother Yao for your advice, I already have a sense of proportion in my heart." When I am not there, there is a stir in Yecheng, so you must inform me as soon as possible. ”

said goodbye to Zhen Yao, and exchanged a few words with Zhen Mi, Zhen Mi waved her hand with tears in her eyes: "Saibei is bitterly cold, take care!" The slave is waiting for you in Yecheng. If the son does not return, the slave will not marry. ”

Yuan Mai nodded, and said confidently: "Ah Mi, don't worry, it won't be long before I will definitely give you a beautiful wedding gift." He said to Zhu Xiaoqi again: "When I am away, I will make a few more trips to Zhen's house and help me take care of Miss." ”

"Well, don't worry, Childe, I will definitely move around more. I will definitely write down every word in the letter about the big and small things in the governor's mansion, so that you know everything that is happening at home. Zhu Ling patted his chest and reassured.

"Farewell!" Yuan Mai waved his hand, and his horse caught up with the team, heading towards the north.

The troops walked for a day, advanced eighty miles, left the boundary of Wei County, and entered the territory of Xiangguo. In the evening, Koji Yi ordered to set up camp and bury the pot on the spot to make rice.

After dinner, Yuan Mai convened a military meeting with the three generals under his command and listened to several people report on what happened along the way. It's all trivial, and there is nothing worthy of Yuan Mai's attention, and after listening to it, he ordered the three of them to go back and rest.

As soon as Hao Zhao and the other three left, a cronie of Koji Yi arrived, and Shi Li said: "General Koji invited the overseer to his tent to discuss important matters. ”

Yuan Mai sighed in his heart, he didn't go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing, and Lu Yi sent someone to recruit him in the middle of the night, and it was for the assassination of Yuan Xi, pinching his fingers, Sun Han should also come back!

Yuan Mai immediately put down the military book in his hand, followed his soldiers to the handsome tent of Liyi, and asked, "What is the matter with General Shutong looking for me?" ”

Koji Yi personally walked outside the tent to check it, and made sure that there were no eyes and ears, so he was relieved. Turning his head back to sit in front of the handsome case, he knelt down, and called: "Sun Han, come out!" ”

A man walked out from behind the tent, it was Sun Han, and when he saw Yuan Mai, the chief worshipped: "Sun Han, the guilty general, meet the son, the villain...... was incompetent and failed to shoot Yuan Xi, so he took the path into the Yin Pavilion camp and mistakenly shot Zhang Nan to death. I don't know what to do, but please call the shots! ”

Yuan Maixin said, you are fucking incompetent enough, and it is wrong to kill someone. But now it is time to reassure him, not to turn his face. With a smile on his face, he said: "General Sun, get up, where did you start with this, wasn't it the Black Mountain thief who ambushed my second brother?" What does it have to do with you? ”