Qu Tutong stepped forward and pointed to the map and said: "Tumen Pass is Luo Shixin's army, but Shanggu County also has Xu Shiji's army, both places are actually the same, I considered taking the Flying Fox because Luo Yi's army would come to respond, but Luo Yi is now concentrating on attacking Lushui Warehouse, and there is no response to the Flying Fox, if you don't consider the response, Tumen Pass is easier to break through than the Flying Fox, at least we don't suffer a loss in the terrain, and the logistics and food can also be transported through the mule and horse team." ”

Li Shuliang pondered and said: "The key is to act, not just discuss on paper, it is already late October, since we want to fight, we will decide as soon as possible." ”

Li Shuliang and Qu Tutong looked at Li Jiancheng at the same time, Li Jiancheng is the boss, and the decision to fight or not lies with him, after pondering for a long time, Li Jiancheng finally nodded slowly and said: "If you don't try, you can't explain to your father, then go to Jingcheng, if you find that the situation is not good, immediately withdraw the army back to the state, and never love war." ”

Both of them agreed, and the three of them immediately divided the labor, Qu Tutong led 10,000 troops as the vanguard, responsible for breaking through Tumen Pass, Li Shuliang led 30,000 troops as the main force, attacked Youzhou, and Luo Yi's army, Li Jiancheng led 30,000 troops to support the rear army, after the three of them discussed properly, Qu Tutong led 10,000 elite soldiers overnight and set off to kill the West Ancient Pass east of Taiyuan.

Jing Cheng is the fifth of the eight Taihang mountains, and it is also the most important strategic position to cross the Taihang Mountain Pass, more than 200 miles long, because it is high on all sides and low in the middle, it is like a well, so it is called Jing Cheng, because the strategic position is very important, so there are troops at both ends of the east and west.

There are 3,000 Tang troops guarding the west, the entrance is called the West Ancient Pass, the east is guarded by the Sui army, the exit is called the Tumen Pass, the terrain at both ends is very dangerous, although the Jingcheng Pass Road is in the Taihang Mountain winding and circling. But the road is not difficult to walk, the emperors of all dynasties have repaired it, although there are dozens of miles of sheep intestine paths, cars can not be square, riding can not be parallel, but the ground is very flat. Paved with stone slabs, the road was used for mules and horses, and there were also post stations and inns, which was the most important trade route in peacetime.

The only condition Qu Tutong put forward when he surrendered to Li Yuan was not to fight with the Sui army, and Li Yuan readily agreed, and finally appointed him as the secretary of the military department, so that he could become a high-ranking civilian official and no longer fight on the battlefield. But he never imagined that Li Yuan had sent him to join the state just a few months later.

Although Li Yuan repeatedly explained to himself that the Qingzhou Army was not the Sui Army, and Zhang Xuan's wolf ambition would replace him sooner or later, Qu Tutong also admitted this, but in any case, Zhang Xuan was still the Sui Army, and he did not change his banner. Still holding the Red Flag of the Great Sui, the fact that the Qingzhou Army is the Sui Army cannot be denied. Therefore, Qu Tutong was more or less uncomfortable with Li Yuan's backsliding, and he obviously promised something, but in the end he couldn't do it.

Dissatisfied is dissatisfied, as a soldier, Qu Tutong still did his best, he led 10,000 elite soldiers to gallop all the way on the mountain road. It only took him two days to cross the Jingcheng and reach Tumen Pass, so Qu Tutong had his soldiers carry six days of dry rations with him, and a lieutenant led hundreds of healthy mules loaded with dry food to follow. If something happens and the food runs out, they can also be replenished and returned to the state.

Two days later, Qu Tutong's 10,000-strong army arrived at Tumen Pass, where they stopped about five miles away.

Tumen Pass is located on the Jingcheng Mountain, there is an abrupt mountain peak on both sides, so that the entrance is like a gate, so it is called Tumen Pass, although this area is on the mountain, but the terrain is relatively flat, both the attacker and the defender are on a plane, compared to the west of the west that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, it is much easier to attack here.

However, the Sui army still built a section of the city wall between the two peaks, made of bluestone, the wall is one foot eight feet high, and Luo Shixin led 6,000 soldiers to guard this one-mile-long stone wall.

At this time, Luo Shixin had already learned the information that 10,000 Tang troops had appeared, and he immediately used the flying eagle to send a message to Jixian County, informing the commander Zhang Xuan who was sitting in Jixian County, and it was three days after the Sui army captured Jixian County, and the information about the destruction of Luo Yi's entire army had not yet reached Taiyuan.

Two Tang scouts climbed the vines from the side to climb the left peak, they were condescending, they could clearly see the situation of the Sui army in the low wall, they observed for a while, and one of the scouts followed the Teng vine down the cliff and ran back to the army station.

10,000 Tang troops were stationed in a vacant land of dozens of acres, with cliffs on one side and a wide valley on the other side.

A soldier stepped forward to report, "General Qiyu, the scout has obtained the information of the Tang Army." ”

"Let him in!"

After a while, the scout hurriedly walked up to the lobby and knelt down on one knee to report: "General Qiyu, I climbed up to the left peak and saw the deployment of the Sui army within the low wall. ”

"Speak!"

"They were about six or seven thousand men, with hundreds of tents, five hundred paces away from the low wall, which was defended by three thousand soldiers, and the rest of the army was prepared behind."

"How equipped are they?" Sang Xianhe, the deputy general next to him, asked.

"The equipment is fairly well-equipped, wearing bright light armor, and the soldiers are equipped with round shields and spears, and each of them is equipped with horned crossbows."

The range of the crossbow is about 200 paces, and the range of damage is 150 steps, but their armor is thick, and to shoot through their armor it must be at least 80 paces, but if you want to shoot through the shield, you must be within 30 paces.

Sang Xianhe said with a smile: "The low wall is only one foot and eight feet high, and you can climb it with an ordinary ladder. ”

Qu Tutong paced back and forth in the lobby, and after a long time, he said to Sang Xianhe in a deep voice: "Don't you think Mingtong is a little unreasonable? If the Sui army built a wall to the west of the post station, then the passage we came over was only two zhang wide, one side was a cliff, and the other side was an abyss. I don't believe that Roesson can't even think of that. ”

Qu Tutong's analysis, Sang Xianhe also felt a little strange, it was indeed unreasonable, he asked: "What does the general think the other party means?" ”

Qu Tutong said slowly: "I suspect that Zhang Xuan is waiting for us to enter Hebei, if my expectations are correct, it will be extremely easy to attack Tumen Pass." ”

"But anyway, since we're here, let's take Tumen Pass first, and then discuss with Li Changshi to see if we want to enter Hebei?"

"Mingtong has a point, and if you come, you will be safe."

Qu Tutong immediately ordered: "Order the three armies, prepare to attack Tumen Pass!" ”

．．．．．．

Luo Shixin was standing on the Tumen Pass at this time, looking at the red and white battle flags of the Tang Army near the post station in the distance, he also got the exact information, about 10,000 Tang troops were preparing to attack the Tumen Pass, and the name on the flag was the word 'Qu Tu', which must be the veteran Qu Tutong.

Although Luo Shixin is a rising rookie, he is eager to challenge the famous veterans, especially Qu Tutong, a world-famous general, but Luo Shixin has received an order from the boss, and this battle is not allowed to be defeated, which makes Luo Shixin's confidence depressed, and he can't even hold the Tumen Pass.

Zhao Suinian, the deputy general beside him, said in a low voice: "I really don't understand, Luo Yi has been defeated, Youzhou has changed hands, why the Tang army is still not giving up, and still desperately attacking Hebei, do they think they can capture Hebei with tens of thousands of horses?" ”

Luo Shixin sneered and said: "This must be because the news of Luo Yi's defeat has not yet reached Taiyuan, and they still think that they can enter Youzhou, and the marshal is waiting for them to enter Hebei." ”

At this time, a soldier rushed over and presented a letter, "General, the latest order of the marshal!" ”

Luo Shixin hurriedly took the letter and opened it and read it, the letter asked him to give up Tumen Pass and retreat to Zhao County, and he must defend Luancheng County without losing it.

Luo Shixin immediately said to Zhao Suinian: "Quickly go and pass my order, the army is ready to evacuate!" ”

At this moment, there was a rumbling war drum from the direction of the post station, and Luo Shixin was stunned, this was the war drum of the Tang army's attack. (To be continued.) )