Feicheng County is not far from Licheng County, about two hundred miles, mainly plains and hilly terrain, Zhang Xutuo has been appointed as the ambassador of the twelve counties of Henan Province, responsible for crusading against the bandits of the twelve counties, and at the same time, the twelve counties will supply the military rations of Zhang Xutuo's army.

But in fact, the situation is much more complicated, first, there are too many bandits, more than a dozen bandits large and small have hundreds of thousands of people, distributed all over Henan and Hebei, while Zhang Xutuo's Flying Eagle Army has only 20,000 people, and it is simply impossible to deal with it.

Secondly, the local government did not cooperate with Zhang Xutuo to suppress the bandits, and many of the officials have become duplicitous, in order to protect themselves, they are nominally the magistrates of the Great Sui, but in fact they have secretly surrendered to the bandits.

Especially in the spring of this year, after the encirclement and suppression of Zhang Jincheng by the four counties of Henan suffered a fiasco, the last bit of confidence in the local government was completely destroyed, and it was also the beginning of the rebellion between the counties of Henan and Zhang Xutuo.

Without the support of the local government, Zhang Xutuo's army fell into extreme passivity, due to the lack of military rations, Zhang Xutuo had to abandon the offensive originally scheduled to be launched this autumn, and the only local government they could control at present was Qi County, this is because Zhang Xutuo itself is the general guard of Qi County.

At this time, Zhang Xutuo personally led 5,000 troops on the way to Feicheng County, and he had already received a distress letter from Luo Shixin, who was besieged by thousands of Xu Yuanlang's troops near Feicheng and was in danger.

Of course, Zhang Xutuo also knew that Zhang Jin's army was waiting in the north, once his main force left Licheng, Zhang Jincheng would inevitably take advantage of the situation and wash Licheng County in blood, almost all of the families of the Flying Eagle Army were in Licheng County, once Licheng fell, his Flying Eagle Army would also collapse.

Zhang Xutuo knew that Licheng could not afford to be lost, and he ordered the deputy general Pei Renji to strictly guard Licheng. He personally led 5,000 troops to Feicheng to rescue Luo Shixin.

Five thousand Flying Eagle soldiers marched rapidly along the official road, flanked by endless wilderness, and the sky and earth were bleak by the autumn rain, when a cavalry galloped in from afar. shouted: "Dashuai! ”

"What's the matter?" Zhang Xutuo restrained the war horse.

"There is an army on the other side of the road, saying that it is sent by General Zhang Xuan, and there is something important to see the marshal."

Zhang Xutuo was overjoyed, he had already received the news that Zhang Xuan was coming to the Flying Eagle Army, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly, he hurriedly said: "Hurry up and invite them to come up!" ”

Moment. His own soldiers arrived with dozens of cavalry, and the person at the head was Wei Yunqi, Wei Yunqi smiled and said: "Zhang Dashuai, I haven't seen you for many years!" ”

Zhang Xutuo recognized Wei Yunqi, "You are Wei Yushi?" ”

Wei Yunqi smiled bitterly. "I haven't been a royal historian for almost ten years, and I'm now a member of General Jang Xuan's staff, sorting out documents for him."

In fact, Zhang Xutuo also knew that Wei Yunqi had been deposed for many years, and he sighed slightly, "Brother Wei is only a county official, and it is really regrettable that the court is so bent, but General Zhang is a very person, and Mr. will have a future with him." ”

Wei Yunqi didn't have time to greet Zhang Xutuo. He hurriedly said: "This time Xu Yuanlang ambushed Luo Shixin fraudulently, please stop the army immediately." ”

Zhang Xutuo frowned, "How does Brother Wei know?" ”

"We're coming from Feicheng. General Zhang was leading his army to spy on the enemy in Feicheng, and he asked me to inform the marshal. ”

When Zhang Xutuo heard that Zhang Xuan was in Feicheng, his heart that was hanging in the air was immediately relieved, and he immediately shouted: "The whole army stops advancing!" ”

The soldiers sat in the wilderness to rest, and some soldiers set up a simple tent, and Zhang Xutuo asked Wei Yunqi to enter the account to discuss the military situation. Another military blanket was spread on the ground.

Zhang Xutuo sat down and sighed slightly: "After the autumn harvest, there are 1,000 stone official grain in Feicheng County. The county government promised to organize the people to send official grain to Qi County before the 10th, but the deadline had passed. Feicheng County has never moved, so I asked Shixin to urge the military rations, but I didn't expect to be surrounded by Xu Yuanlang, and now it seems that this is a trap from beginning to end. ”

Wei Yunqi felt incredible, "The county government actually set up a trap for the general?" ”

Zhang Xutuo sighed and said: "Now the situation is chaotic, all kinds of relationships are complicated, although I know that the county government has set me up, I can't blame them, sometimes they are also to protect the people, sometimes they are also coerced, many counties that are unwilling to give in to the bandits have been slaughtered, this kind of thing has seen too much, and the heart is calm." ”

Wei Yunqi nodded silently, and said to Zhang Xutuo: "This time Xu Yuanlang has good intentions and lays a trap to deal with the marshal, I believe he should be pouring troops, in this way, his Lujun nest will be empty, why doesn't the marshal take the plan and send the army to take Xu Yuanlang's lair first, and then take advantage of his hasty withdrawal to attack and attack, the enemy army will inevitably be defeated, what does the marshal think?" ”

Zhang Xutuo pondered for a moment, nodded and said, "It's indeed a good strategy, I'm afraid Shixin won't be able to support it for so long." ”

Wei Yunqi smiled slightly, "Please rest assured, our people have already gone up the mountain, and there is no problem for General Luo to support it for five or six days, and as long as the bandits attack the mountain, General Zhang will immediately send troops to rescue him." ”

"If that's the case, I'm relieved!"

Zhang Xutuo also laughed, in fact, he also hoped that Wei Yunqi would say the last word for Zhang Xuan, so he was also a staff member! I don't even have this bit of influence, be a fart staff!

Zhang Xutuo immediately wrote an order and handed it to a messenger along with the arrow, "You immediately go back to Licheng and tell General Pei that he will send Qin Qiong to lead 5,000 troops to Duanxu Yuanlang's lair in Lujun." ”

"Obey!" The soldier received the order and galloped away on horseback.

Zhang Xutuo immediately ordered: "Pass my order, and the whole army will be transferred to the north woods and camped. ”

The thief commander Xu Yuanlang is a native of Lu County, about thirty years old, with a tiger's back and a burly body, he was born as a lieutenant in the military academy and participated in the first Goguryeo War.

Because of his humble background and no rise in the army, after the end of the Goguryeo War, he led dozens of people to flee back to Lu County, and then pulled the flag to rebel, in just two years he gathered more than 20,000 troops, and proclaimed himself the king of Lu.

In fact, many bandit leaders were born in the Sui army, such as Zuo Xiaoyou in Donglai County, whose background was exactly the same as Xu Yuanlang.

Xu Yuanlang was not only strong in martial arts, but also cunning and deceitful, and this time he took advantage of the weakness of the Sui army's urgent need for military rations to set up a series of schemes in an attempt to annihilate the main force of the Sui army. Unexpectedly, Zhang Xuan led the arrival of Feicheng and saw through his plan.

Xu Yuanlang is currently leading an army of 20,000 to hide in Bailonggang, which is east of Feicheng County, which is a hill that stretches for more than 20 miles, with high mountains and dense forests. At the foot of the mountain is the wide official road, which is the only way to Feicheng County, and it is also an ideal place to ambush the Sui army.

The sky was gradually getting to dusk, and the drizzle that had been falling for several days had finally stopped, and a brilliant sunset appeared in the western sky, but Xu Yuanlang's mood became more and more anxious. Three full days passed, and no reinforcements were seen.

The 20,000 troops were ready as early as when Luo Shixin led the army into the city to urge food, ambushed on Bailonggang, and sent 4,000 weakly equipped troops to besiege Luo Shixin's 200 soldiers, and forced Luo Shixin up the mountain as he wished.

Everything was running according to his plan. But he didn't know which link went wrong, Zhang Xutuo's reinforcements should have arrived as soon as yesterday, but now it's almost dark, and there is no movement yet.

In a makeshift thatched house, Xu Yuanlang paced back and forth impatiently, scrutinizing every link.

Could it be that Zhang Xutuo doesn't care about Luo Shixin's life and death, this is his apprentice and his future successor. Maybe it's still his future son-in-law, no, it seems that Zhang Xutuo's two daughters are already married. The granddaughter will run away, grandson-in-law

Xu Yuanlang was upset, his thinking was a little out of the norm, he thought that Zhang Xutuo would definitely come to save Luo Shixin, he kept telling himself to be patient, but Xu Yuanlang still had a faint worry. Maybe Zhang Xutuo saw through himself.

"King!"

A pro-soldier rushed over and nervously reported: "There is news from Lu County. Zhang Xutuo's army appeared in Liangfu County. ”

"What!"

Xu Yuan stood up in a hurry, so shocked that his scalp was about to explode. Liangfu County is only a hundred miles away from his old nest Gongqiu County, and Zhang Xutuo's army actually went to attack his old nest.

Cold sweat wet his back, he knew that Zhang Xutuo had seen through his plan, and instead of coming to rescue Luo Shixin, he went to end his lair.

Xu Yuanlang was so anxious that he stomped his feet, turned around and ran towards the army station, he walked into the army quickly and shouted loudly: "Assemble immediately, the whole army retreats back to Lu County!"

The news of the Sui army's attack on the old nest of Lu County has already spread among Xu Yuanlang's army, and the army is panicked, their families and property are in Gongqiu County, once the Sui army enters Gongqiu County, don't you want them to die?

When fighting, some people may want to slip away, because it is to die, but rushing home to defend the property, everyone is brave, everyone is vying for the first, no whip to drive people, the soldiers run faster than anyone else, Xu Yuanlang is the first, and retreats to Lu County in a hurry.

The 20,000 troops stretched longer and longer, and by the time of the first watch, the 20,000 bandit troops stretched for nearly ten miles, marching mightily on the official road to the south, and the torches formed a long fire dragon.

At the same time, the 5,000 Flying Eagle Army led by Zhang Xutuo was already waiting quietly in a forest not far from the official road, he coldly looked at the flow of people who were rolling hundreds of steps away and running south, and waved his sword out, "Kill!" ”

"Boom! Boom! Boom! The drums in the woods sounded, and the five thousand soldiers of the Flying Eagle Army rushed out of the woods with a shout and killed the bandits on the official road.

The bandits were in chaos, the sudden killing of the Sui army caught them off guard, many people saw Zhang Xutuo, and they were even more frightened, shouts, screams, and exclamations were mixed together, and the morale of the 20,000 bandit army collapsed, they trampled on each other, and rushed to flee for their lives.

The 5,000 Flying Eagle Army pursued and killed Xu Yuanlang's army all over the field, bleeding like a river, countless people knelt and surrendered, and the vast field was full of fleeing soldiers.

Xu Yuanlang was even more frightened, he didn't know how many troops were killed in the dark, and he shouted an order: "Don't panic, gather troops for me!" ”

But at this time, his military spirit was already chaotic, and the soldiers were worried about their family's property and relatives, and they were terrified, no matter how Xu Yuanlang shouted, it had no effect.

"King, let's go! The army's morale is in turmoil, and it will be too late if you don't leave. The soldiers loudly urged the lord to flee for his life.

Xu Yuanlang saw that the wilderness was full of fleeing soldiers, and there were as many as 10,000 people running in the dark, but they just ran for their lives, throwing away their armor all the way, and only hated their father and mother for missing two feet, how could anyone listen to his call.

Xu Yuanlang thought of his careful plan, but in the end it ended up like this, it was better not to fight, he couldn't help but look up to the sky and sighed, "This is called stealing chickens, but losing all the old capital." ”

He didn't dare to go back to Gongqiu County, so he packed up thousands of remnants of the army and went south to Xuzhou to join Li Zitong. (To be continued)