The official road that should have been flat and wide is dilapidated and dilapidated, potholes, overgrown with weeds on both sides, white human bones can be seen in the grass from time to time, occasionally a few crows startled, the sound of strange barking makes people's hearts seep, skinny wild dogs poke their heads out from behind the rocks, their eyes flashed green, their dirt-stained mouths flowed thick slime, their fangs were snow-white, and then they were startled away by the suddenly approaching horses' hooves, barking, and disappearing behind the ruins that could hardly be seen with their tails behind the ruined walls that could hardly see the appearance of Bunsen, and whining like crying, Acid that penetrates deep into the bone marrow.

Zhang Xutuo reined in his horse, his almost white beard and hair obviously increased a lot of wrinkles, making him look even more haggard and old, his sunken eye sockets and bloodshot eyes showed exhaustion, and then looked at the Qi County soldiers who were marching in line on the official road, Zhang Xutuo's eyes flashed some indescribable things, there was pity, love, distress, and more guilt and confusion.

The marching soldiers of Qi County were also as tired as Zhang Xutuo, many of them were so thin that their cheekbones were bulging, many of them had scruffy beards and unkempt heads, and many of them still had new or old scars on their faces, their swords and guns were as bright as ever, but their armor and banners were slightly old, and most of the few war horses were significantly emaciated, as tired and tired as their masters. As the procession marched, there was almost no superfluous sound in the procession, only the sound of heavy footsteps and the clattering of horses' hooves, which exuded an unsettling taste.

"Soldiers, I'm sorry, the old man knows that you are tired and knows that you want to rest, but the old man can't help it." Zhang Xutuo muttered in his mouth and said in a low voice: "The Wagang thieves have broken through the Jindi Pass, six county towns in the eleven counties of Xingyang have fallen, and the whole county is in an emergency, His Majesty appointed me as the general guard of Xingyang, and recapture the fallen land within a time limit, the old man has no choice but to continue to work hard for you." ”

Luo Shixin and Qin Qiong led the army to follow, and when they saw Zhang Xutuo standing on the side of the road in a daze, they hurriedly came up and asked Zhang Xutuo if he had any instructions? Zhang Xutuo shook his head and asked rhetorically, "Shixin, how is your injury?" ”

"Don't worry, Dashuai, it's been fine for a long time." Luo Shixin patted the left abdomen that was injured before, and said with a smile: "A little skin injury, the marshal doesn't have to worry about the general." ”

Zhang Xutuo nodded and stopped talking, but Qin Qiong asked again: "Marshal, just now Deputy Marshal Jia persuaded you to use the tactics of encircling Wei to save Zhao to deal with the Wagang thieves, and pretending to besiege Wagang Village to lure the thieves back to the division for a decisive battle, why did you insist on refusing to accept it?" ”

"Because His Majesty wants us to recapture the fallen city and ensure the safety of Xingyang County and Tiger Prison Pass, I can't take any chances." Zhang Xutuo replied: "The Wagang thief village is strong and abnormal, and we are not sure of taking the thief village by attacking it head-on, if the Wagang thief sees through our intentions, insists on refusing to return to the army to save the lair, and takes the opportunity to storm Guancheng and Tiger Prison Pass, as long as one of the two unfortunately falls, then we will not be able to explain to His Majesty." ”

Qin Qiong was silent, and only after a while did he say: "It's nothing to go to Xingyang to break the thieves, I'm afraid that the Wagang thieves still refuse to fight us head-on, and take us around in circles, then the brothers are too tired." ”

Zhang Xutuo didn't speak anymore, he could only clamp the war horse between his legs, and said: "Let's go, let's talk about it when we get to Xingyang, I hope Your Majesty will bless you, this time we can find the main force of Wagang for a decisive battle, and solve the biggest bandits in the twelve counties, and the twelve counties will definitely be able to win a period of peace." ”

The number of about 13,000 people of the Sui army of Qi County from Pingyin troops, it took more than six days, and finally entered the territory of Xingyang on the eighth day of October in the twelfth year of the Great Sui, and came to the vicinity of the famous Yanjindu, the southern county town of Suzao has long been occupied by the Wagang army, although Zhang Xutuo brought this army from Qi County Although they are all elite soldiers who have experienced a hundred battles, they are all exhausted at this moment, and they are sleepy and tired, and there is no extra strength to take advantage of the situation to recover Suozao City. As a last resort, Zhang Xutuo could only let the soldiers cut down wood for the village, while letting the army rest and recover, and at the same time sending scouts to reconnoiter the situation of sour jujubes.

In the evening, the scouts brought a report of the sour jujube expedition, and the Wagang army really did not have the courage to fight with the powerful Zhang Xutuo, so they chose to close the city and defend it, and all the residents outside the city were transferred into the city, so the Qi County scouts could not detect the situation in the city and the specific number of troops of the Wagang army, but they only found out that the person stationed in the sour jujube city was Zhai Rang's brother Zhai Hong, but they still didn't know where the main force of Wagang led by Zhai Rang personally went. Hearing this report, the deputy Jia Wuben immediately mentioned yì to Zhang Xutuo again, and said: "Dashuai, a rare opportunity to besiege the city and send reinforcements!" Tomorrow, we will first surround Suozao City, force Zhai Rang to return to the army to rescue, and wait for a decisive battle with him. ”

"It's a good idea, but what about the grain and grass?" Zhang Xutuo asked tiredly, and said: "There are only three days of grain and grass with the army, and there is no food and grass supply land around, if the main force of the Wagang thieves does not return to the army for a decisive battle within three days, then what should we do?" ”

Jia Wuben obediently closed his mouth, but he regretted that Emperor Yang of Sui was forced by his will, otherwise, with his back to Dongjun to surround Wagang Village, the Sui army of Qi County would have enough grain and grass to persist until he forced the main force of the Wagang army to return to the lair. Zhang Xutuo said again: "Tomorrow, we will continue to march westward, take the original Wunan to cross the Tongji Canal, first go to Guancheng to meet His Royal Highness King Xun, ensure the safety of Guancheng and replenish grain and grass, and then look for the main force of the Wagang thieves for a decisive battle." Sujube City will ignore it for the time being, but you must be careful to patrol tonight and beware of the night attack of Wagang thieves. ”

The exhausted Qi generals sang a promise and unconditionally obeyed Zhang Xutuo's orders, but what no one expected was that Zhang Xutuo had already decided not to recover the irrelevant Sour Jujube City for the time being, and Zhai Rang's baby brother Zhai Hong could have been lying in the city with peace of mind to engage in women. However, because he saw that Zhang Xutuo's troops seemed to have a plan to attack the city, Zhai Hong, who was afraid of Zhang Xutuo to the bones, abandoned the city overnight and fled to the east with the stolen money and food beauties at night, and sent someone to tell his younger brother Zhai Rang without blushing, saying that he was going to protect the retreat path of the Wagang army, so as not to cut off the retreat of the Wagang army.

Zhai Hongbai, who escaped overnight, gave a credit to the soldiers of Qi County, Qin Qiong led the cavalry to pursue overnight, killed Zhai Hong's palace team, and recaptured some money, grain, cattle and sheep, and returned to Zhang Xutuo without a single soldier in Sour Zaocheng, Zhang Xutuo was somewhat happy after hearing the news, and immediately appointed a temporary county order in the honor of Xingyang Tongshou, so that the new county order organized the people to defend the city, beware of the Wagang army to go and return, and then led the Sui army of Qi County to continue westward, crossed the Tongji Canal the next day, and arrived at Guancheng in the afternoon of the third day. frightened off the Wagang Army's partial division that was wandering around, and also saw Yang Qing, the king of Xun, who was hiding in the city every day and trembling during this time.

The result of talking with Yang Qing made Zhang Xutuo very helpless, as a relative of Xingyang's Taishou Emperor, Yang Qing didn't even find out where the main force of the Wagang Army was, and only said that Xingyang was full of Wagang thieves, and there were homeless people who killed officials and rebelled everywhere, and there were thieves everywhere, and there were thieves everywhere, and the Xingyang officials and troops were defeated in successive battles, and they were not thieves' opponents at all, and the intelligence support that could be provided to Zhang Xutuo did not exist at all. Zhang Xutuo and Jia Wuben had no choice but to start from scratch with their own hands, and at the same time sent elites to grab their tongues and ask for confessions, interrogating the main force of the Wagang army.

After arranging the reconnaissance work, Zhang Xutuo took the time to ask about the situation of the Tiger Prison Pass, and after learning that the county where the Tiger Prison Pass is located is still safe and sound, Zhang Xutuo put his mind at ease and said with a smile: "As long as the water is fine, if the Wagang thieves break the Tiger Prison Pass and enter Henan County, the old man will have no face to see Chen Yingliang's little ghost." ”

"Dashuai, do you still need to feel guilty about him?" Jia Wuben next to him was not happy when he heard it, and said: "Queen Yanmen Qin, he hid in the eastern capital to eat and drink spicy, leaving us to suffer in the twelve counties of Henan, and this time he didn't bring troops to help us, he was sorry for us, not that we were sorry for him." ”

"Don't be so small-bellied." Zhang Xutuo smiled and said: "Leaving him in Luoyang, is the meaning of His Majesty, he can't decide by himself, now he is staying in the Eastern Capital, shouldering a heavy responsibility, every move is related to the security of the national capital, without His Majesty's will, how dare he act rashly?" ”

"Then he can at least send an army to do us a favor." Jia Wuben was a little unconvinced, and then Jia Wuben said again: "Dashuai, why don't we ask him for help, ask him to send a support army to help us, he was in the elite of the old department in Qian Peng, and now most of them are in the Eastern Capital, although those guys are not interesting enough in terms of playing money, they can be reliable in terms of fighting, let him send thousands of elites over, and he can share a lot of pressure for us." ”

Zhang Xutuo was a little tempted for a while, and couldn't help but remember that when he and Chen Yingliang met for the last time, Chen Yingliang once took the initiative to say that he could ask him for help at any time if he needed it, and he would definitely try his best to help to the end. But after thinking about it carefully, Zhang Xutuo still shook his head and said: "Forget it, the Wagang thief is a frequent defeat under us, we can deal with it, and we don't need to ask him for help." Jia Wuben persuaded a few more words, but Zhang Xutuo still didn't listen, and Jia Wuben had to give up.

In the next few days, in addition to seizing the time to rest and recuperate, the main work of the Sui army of Qi County was to reopen the contact with the cities of Xingyang, and at the same time reconnoiter the main force of the Wagang army, Jia Wuben, Qin Qiong, He Yanyu and Mulan and other generals appropriately led the army to attack, won four battles and won four times, and defeated the Wagang army's partial division four times, which dealt a heavy blow to the rampant arrogance of the Wagang army in Xingyang, and also forced the Wagang army to move northward, indirectly exposing their main force. So that Zhang Xutuo and Jia Wu could have basically determined that the main force of the Wagang Army was in the area of Xingze, which was close to Jindi Pass.

It was also a coincidence that the fourth battle launched by the Sui army of Qi County after arriving in Guancheng was Jia Wu's ability to go to Xingyang County to expel the Wagang division that was active there, and this Wagang division happened to be led by Shan Xiongxin, Shan Xiongxin also met with the former insulting sister enemy on the battlefield, but Shan Xiongxin was in a hurry to lead the army to retreat and failed to fight with Mulan again, so Shan Xiongxin could only grit his teeth after getting rid of the Sui army's pursuit, "Stinky boy, I didn't expect you to come too, wait and see, this time see how I avenge Yingying!" ”

When Jia Wuben led the army back to the camp in Guancheng, it was already noon on October 16, and after meeting with Zhang Xutuo, Jia Wuben first truthfully reported the battle and the direction of Shan Xiongxin's retreat, and then said to Zhang Xutuo: "Dashuai, it can be determined that the main force of the Wagang thieves is in Xingze, which is the only Xingyang county town that has not been in contact with us, and it is also the only area that our fine work cannot infiltrate. ”

Zhang Xutuo nodded and said: "The old man also judged this, the fighter plane is rare, pass the order, prepare for the battle today, and tomorrow I will go to Xingze and go to the main force of the Wagang thieves for a decisive battle." ”

Jia Wuben agreed, and immediately led the generals of Qi County to go down to arrange the troops, but at this moment, there was a herald outside the tent suddenly came to report, saying that there was a person who claimed to be the shogunate secretary of Chen Yingliang left behind in the Eastern Capital, and came to meet Zhang Xutuo on the order of Chen Yingliang, and Zhang Xutuo, who missed Chen Fuliang, was overjoyed when he heard it, and hurriedly ordered to summon him, and when the herald brought Chen Yingliang's messenger into the tent, Zhang Xutuo was immediately happy when he saw the person, and it turned out that the so-called secretary messenger sent by Chen Yingliang was a boy who was only sixteen or seventeen years old. Zhang Xutuo couldn't help laughing loudly and said: "It's really people in groups, things in kind, Chen Xiaozi is young, even if he is young, the bookstore under the account is even younger than him, little guy, is he seventeen years old this year?" ”

"The big man is handsome, and the villain is seventeen years old." The envoy replied respectfully, and then saluted Zhang Xutuo and said: "The villain Wang Xuance, on the order of Chen Liushou, came to meet the marshal, the marshal Jin An. ”

Zhang Xutuo smiled and waved his hand, first asked Wang Xuance to sit down, and then asked, "Why did Chen Xiaozi send you?" What about Yuan Tiangang, Wei Zheng and Qian Xiangmin? ”

"Marshal, Mr. Xuancheng, they are all entangled in official business, and they really can't come." Wang Xuance replied truthfully: "Lord Qian, he heard that the thieves in Xingyang were chaotic and strict, and the thieves were rampant, crying and shouting that they didn't dare to come. This is our letter from Chen Liushou to Dashuai, please take a look at it. ”

"It's good to have such courage at a young age." Zhang Xutuo praised Wang Xuance, and while receiving the letter forwarded by his own soldiers, he asked casually: "Did you meet the thieves on the road?" ”

"I encountered it three times, and two times were far away, the villain avoided it early, and once he was almost caught by the thieves, but fortunately, the villain escaped in time." Wang Xuance replied.

Seeing that Wang Xuance looked as usual and had no timidity, Zhang Xutuo secretly praised a sentence worthy of Chen Fuliang's book, and then opened the letter to read, Chen Fuliang's familiar awkward words suddenly jumped into Zhang Xutuo's eyes, so that Zhang Xutuo couldn't help but have a cordial feeling, but after taking a closer look at the content of Chen Yingliang's letter, Zhang Xutuo suddenly laughed again, and scolded with a smile: "Stinky boy, it really hasn't changed, and he came to teach the old man how to fight again." ”

It turned out that in addition to saying a lot of nonsense about missing Zhang Xutuo in the letter, the main content of Chen Yingliang was to persuade Zhang Xutuo to be cautious in the use of troops, and to be careful of the military tactics of Wagang, especially to be careful of the Wagang army taking advantage of the pride of the Qi County army from defeat, to deceive and lure the enemy and lure the Qi County army into a dangerous trap.

After Chen Yingliang's guidance beforehand, and hearing Zhang Xutuo's disdainful tone, Wang Xuance hurriedly said: "Dashuai, Chen Liushou also asked the juniors to remind you, Yang Xuangan is in the Wagang thief army at the moment, and has been reused by Zhai Rang, this Li Mi is the only one who has deceived Chen Liushou on the battlefield, cunning and treacherous, almost no one in the world can match, Dashuai, you play against him, please be careful and careful." If there is a need, you can also send an envoy to Chen Liushou for help at any time, and Chen Liushou will definitely do his best. ”

"Go back and sue him, thank him for his kindness, of course the old man will be cautious, and there is no need for reinforcements for the time being." Zhang Xutuo smiled disapprerovingly, and said: "You have worked hard from afar, you don't have to rush to leave, let's stay for one night first, and the old man will give you the reply to Chen Liushou at night." ”

"Thank you Dashuai, the villain is trying to see Dashuai's heroic demeanor." Wang Xuance, who was very ambitious, was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly thanked him, then took out a box from the package on his back, held it with both hands and said: "Dashuai, this is the person we Chen left behind to let the villain bring you to participate in the deer antler velvet and give you a tonic body, please be sure to accept it." Chen Liushou also said that he knew that you were an honest official and never accepted bribes, but these things were bought by him with his own money, and they were very clean, and there was no trace of the people's fat and people's ointment. ”

Zhang Xutuo was silent for a moment, and then said with a smile: "Since Chen Xiaozi has said it to this point, then the old man will make an exception and accept it, thank you." ”

Wang Xuance was overjoyed, and hurriedly presented the gift solemnly in front of Zhang Xutuo, Zhang Xutuo accepted it with a smile, and then Wang Xuance said: "Dashuai, Chen Liushou also asked the villain to bring a gift to General Mulanhua, I don't know if Dashuai can let the villain introduce General Hua to the villain and present the gift in person." ”

"Chen Xiaozi and Mulan, what is the relationship?" Zhang Xutuo was very curious, but he didn't want to ask too much, so he randomly arranged for a personal soldier to lead Wang Xuance to see Mulan, and then went to be busy with the matter of sending troops to Xingze the next day.

It is difficult to describe what Mulan's mood was when she saw Chen Yingliang's gift, although the iron rooster Chen Yingliang gave Mulan was only a small box of rock candy that was rare in this era, but chewing the sweet rock candy, the taste in Mulan's heart was still very complicated, and she asked Wang Xuance in a low voice: "I heard that you Chen Liushou have become married, is it true?" ”

Wang Xuance nodded in confirmation, but he was extremely puzzled in his heart, and said secretly: "Why is this sissy asking this?" Also, there are so many generals under the command of Zhang Xutuo, how could Chen Liushou just bring a gift to this sissy? Could it be that Chen Liushou still has a special habit in that area? ”

The rock candy suddenly became a little bitter, Mulan chewed it a few more times, and then said: "Go back and tell him, thank you for the grandfather candy he sent, I can't go to his wedding, please don't worry about it, if there is a fate, I will definitely make up the congratulatory gift." ”

Wang Xuance respectfully agreed, and then said goodbye and left, leaving Mulan in a daze, her heart shaking, but it was the shadow of the same person that flashed around.

…………

Mulan misses someone in the Sui military camp of Qi County, but what she definitely didn't even dream of is that at this moment, in Xingze City, which is controlled by the Wagang Army, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl is thinking about her, this girl is called Shan Yingying, because her brother Shan Xiong told her that Mulan also appeared on the Xingyang battlefield, which reminded Shan Yingying of many sweet and embarrassing pasts, and also remembered the beautiful and gentle and considerate 'Mulan'.

Out of her mind, Shan Yingying, who was helping Shan Xiongxin comb her hair, almost didn't pull off a strand of Shan Xiongxin's hair, so painful that Shan Xiongxin screamed, and hurriedly asked her sister if she was naughty again, Shan Yingying hurriedly apologized, and then asked: "Brother, are you really not mistaken?" That Mulan, also came to Yingze? ”

"Really wordy, how many times have you asked?" Shan Xiongxin said impatiently: "That puppet and I have fought alone so many times, and I know everything that turned to ashes, how can I be wrong?" Don't worry, I will never let him go this time, and I will definitely avenge you! Hurry up, I'm going to see the king and the prince of Pushan. ”

Shan Yingying agreed, quickly sped up her movements, and said hesitantly: "Brother, if you meet him on the battlefield again, if you have the opportunity, can you catch him back, don't ......, don't kill him." ”

"Don't kill him? Why? ”

Shan Xiongxin was stunned, and when he looked back at his sister, he saw that his sister's cute little face had already turned red to the base of his neck, and Shan Xiongxin suddenly realized that he would say with a smile: "Understood, okay, if you have a chance on the battlefield, I will try to capture him for you." That kid looks pretty good, and his martial arts are reluctant, if he is willing to surrender to our Wagang Volunteer Master, I can think about it, I can think about it. ”

Hearing her brother's evil smile, Shan Yingying threw down the comb, covered her hot little face and ran away, saying, "What about my brother, what nonsense?" I just, just want to repay him for not hurting me last time. ”

One last sentence to add, Wang Xuance was supposed to return to the Eastern Capital with Zhang Xutuo's reply to Chen Yingliang early the next morning, but because of a sudden accident, Zhang Xutuo forgot about the reply to Chen Yingliang, and because of this accident, Zhang Xutuo was in a trance, and for the first time he had an ominous premonition............ What is the mood of things, although the iron rooster Chen Yingliang gave Mulan is only a small box of rare rock candy in this era, but chewing the sweet rock candy, the taste in Mulan's heart is still very complicated, and she asked Wang Xuance in a low voice: "I heard that you Chen Liushou have already married, is it true?" ”

Wang Xuance nodded in confirmation, but he was extremely puzzled in his heart, and said secretly: "Why is this sissy asking this?" Also, there are so many generals under the command of Zhang Xutuo, how could Chen Liushou just bring a gift to this sissy? Could it be that Chen Liushou still has a special habit in that area? ”

The rock candy suddenly became a little bitter, Mulan chewed it a few more times, and then said: "Go back and tell him, thank you for the grandfather candy he sent, I can't go to his wedding, please don't worry about it, if there is a fate, I will definitely make up the congratulatory gift." ”

Wang Xuance respectfully agreed, and then said goodbye and left, leaving Mulan in a daze, her heart shaking, but it was the shadow of the same person that flashed around.

…………

Mulan misses someone in the Sui military camp of Qi County, but what she definitely didn't even dream of is that at this moment, in Xingze City, which is controlled by the Wagang Army, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl is thinking about her, this girl is called Shan Yingying, because her brother Shan Xiong told her that Mulan also appeared on the Xingyang battlefield, which reminded Shan Yingying of many sweet and embarrassing pasts, and also remembered the beautiful and gentle and considerate 'Mulan'.

Out of her mind, Shan Yingying, who was helping Shan Xiongxin comb her hair, almost didn't pull off a strand of Shan Xiongxin's hair, so painful that Shan Xiongxin screamed, and hurriedly asked her sister if she was naughty again, Shan Yingying hurriedly apologized, and then asked: "Brother, are you really not mistaken?" That Mulan, also came to Yingze? ”

"Really wordy, how many times have you asked?" Shan Xiongxin said impatiently: "That puppet and I have fought alone so many times, and I know everything that turned to ashes, how can I be wrong?" Don't worry, I will never let him go this time, and I will definitely avenge you! Hurry up, I'm going to see the king and the prince of Pushan. ”

Shan Yingying agreed, quickly sped up her movements, and said hesitantly: "Brother, if you meet him on the battlefield again, if you have the opportunity, can you catch him back, don't ......, don't kill him." ”

"Don't kill him? Why? ”

Shan Xiongxin was stunned, and when he looked back at his sister, he saw that his sister's cute little face had already turned red to the base of his neck, and Shan Xiongxin suddenly realized that he would say with a smile: "Understood, okay, if you have a chance on the battlefield, I will try to capture him for you." That kid looks pretty good, and his martial arts are reluctant, if he is willing to surrender to our Wagang Volunteer Master, I can think about it, I can think about it. ”

Hearing her brother's evil smile, Shan Yingying threw down the comb, covered her hot little face and ran away, saying, "What about my brother, what nonsense?" I just, just want to repay him for not hurting me last time. ”

One last sentence to add, Wang Xuance was supposed to return to the Eastern Capital with Zhang Xutuo's reply to Chen Yingliang early the next morning, but because of a sudden accident, Zhang Xutuo forgot about the reply to Chen Yingliang, and because of this accident, Zhang Xutuo was in a trance, and for the first time he had an ominous premonition............