Recently, the situation in Lelang, a border county bordering the Jin State under the administration of the Liangshan Andong Metropolitan Protectorate, has become more and more severe.

Although the Goryeo Peninsula is known for its mountainous nature, most of the plains are located on the west coast of the peninsula from north to south. The important cities of Pyongyang, Kaegyong, Wanggyeong, Jeonju, Gwangju, and Naju were all located on these small plains divided by hills and low mountains.

Nearly half of the territory of Lelang County in Liangshan, which was restored and re-established by Wang Lun, belongs to this mixture of plains and hills (the other half is a variety of mountain ranges that rise higher the further east. Xuansu County to the east of Lelang is tightly wrapped by lofty mountains).

In peacetime, it is a cornucopia for developing agriculture and accumulating national strength, but in wartime, it provides the greatest convenience for foreign enemies to advance for a long time. After all, although low mountains and hills can divide the plains, it would be undoubtedly self-deception to rely on them as natural hazards.

It was under this circumstance that the foreign invaders who were introduced by the Great Wei Guogou invaded the peninsula for hundreds of miles, encroaching on the newly reestablished Lelang County to the point that only the four counties were left in pieces. Moreover, the Jurchen soldiers had already arrived in Sticky Chan County (formerly Goryeo Anju), and they were only 18 or 90 miles away from Cao County (formerly Pyongyang, Goryeo), Lelangshou County, and they could reach the city in two days.

At this time, on the pontoon bridge built in the Caoxian section of the lower reaches of the Datong River, an endless stream of fleeing people were rushing south in horror. Officials of the county town led the defenders on the edge of the pontoon bridge and carried out the work of relocating refugees and screening spies. Refugees who are confirmed to be innocent will be used by the government in the form of cash-for-work and sent to Cao County to repair the city.

Looking at the panicked escape scene by the riverside, Wang Huan, the head of the Ten Sections, shook his head at his partner and sighed:

"Calm! Seeing that the war is like this, my old face, I'm afraid there is no place to hang it, and sooner or later I will be laughed to death by those old guys! ”

As the first person responsible for defending the land of Lelang County, there is also suffering at this time. But in the face of the elder's self-deprecation, he still showed considerable grace:

"The old general should want to drive some! The younger generation and Kai are now both a loss. If the reinforcements of the Duhu Mansion don't come, I, the Taishou, will become the first sinner to lose my territory since the establishment of Liangshan! Qiu Yi smiled bitterly, "In the words of our Jingdong people, I'm almost naked!" ”

Wang Huan laughed when he was said by Qiu Xi, but this smile was a wry smile: "You said that we are all a loss, since you are all naked, I, a martial artist who is responsible for defending the land, must not judge myself to thank the world?" ”

When Qiu Wei heard this, he didn't answer again. just looked at Wang Huan and smiled bitterly. At this time, Li Ming, the capital supervisor who accompanied the two out to inspect, said: "The two prime ministers, we have to fight if the Metropolitan Protectorate sends reinforcements, even if we don't send reinforcements, we have to fight the same!" Now that the foreign invaders are coming, we should fight to the death, there is nothing to say! If you lose the danger of the Daedong River, there will be Pingchuan wilderness to the south, and there will be no danger to defend in Seoul at that time, and the world will definitely shake! ”

Li Ming's words are true. Cao County is the gateway to Seoul, and if Cao County is lost, the Seoul government will inevitably open its door.

It's just that at this time, Wang Huan and Qiu Yi haven't spoken, and Ma Wanli, who has withdrawn from the front line, answered: "Where did we not resist to the death? The 40,000 border troops lost more than 10,000. It's all about defending the city! Can we say we didn't do our best? ”

Li Ming was left by Wang Huan's side, and he didn't command from the front like the other three capital eunuchs, and it was not easy to say anything at this time, but he said: "The city is guarded like this." If you fight another field battle, wouldn't it be a food delivery to the Jurchen barbarians? I think these Goryeo native soldiers are also carefully selected, not ordinary people who have put down their hoes for two days! What's more, there are three of you as gatekeepers. How did you achieve such a record? ”

"I thought the same as you at the beginning, I felt that Shi Wengong took the Fan Luo Army to chop melons and vegetables all the way, the quality of these soldiers should be good, but it was not like that when the war started! Thinking about it later, I kind of understood, firstly, Shi Wengong picked all the good seedlings, and secondly, he took the Koreans to fight the Koreans, and the situation was completely different. If we simply compare with him, it would be too much to take for granted! Ma Wanli's resistance this time was not so great, but he calmly talked about the matter:

"In all fairness, the Jurchens are really fierce in war! I have seen with my own eyes in the city, and occasionally those who are cowardly and retreat halfway, their own cavalry will be crushed behind. Tsk, that method is so fucking ruthless! Again, it's also strange, these wild people who came out of the mountains are not stupid at all, they will actually use siege equipment, a battle is defeated, the defenders of the city are worse than the siege of the city, the previous time almost even the Jurchen was captured, how do you say this battle is fought? ”

It's okay not to mention Duan Pengju, but when Duan Pengju was mentioned, I saw that his face was as red as fire, and he jumped straight out and said: "Old Xianggong, give me 5,000 Han soldiers, and the last general will tell the Jurchen barbarians not to be more sticky (county) than one step!" ”

Seeing this, Ma Wanli knew that he was speechless, and inadvertently stepped on Duan Pengju's sore foot, and couldn't help lowering his head in embarrassment. To tell the truth, he also lost the city, if you really want to talk about it, everyone is a difficult brother, don't talk about the eldest brother.

When Li Ming saw Duan Peng's invitation to fight, he was also eager to try. Song Jun, the glorious tradition of a hundred years is left to defend the city, who doesn't have two brushes in their hands?

Facing the request of his subordinates to fight, Wang Huan shook his head, "The Qingchuan River has been lost, Hulu has all landed on the shore, and there is no danger to defend in Sticky Cicada County, so you can only add fuel if you go again." Now the Datongjiang front is quite long, and in the end it has to be maintained by the 10,000 Han army! Our top priority at this time is to prepare to resist the enemy north of the Datong River! ”

Duan Pengju, who was eager to wash away his shame, was still a little reluctant when he heard this, and at this time he looked at Qiu Wei urgently, hoping to get different orders from Taishou here. I saw that the hatred was silent for a moment, and then he said: "The land that can be defended must not be abandoned lightly, and the place that cannot be defended must not be brutalized." We don't have much money now, and we only have 20,000 troops left, and it is already a little difficult to hold the lower reaches of the Datong River. ”

Wang Huan was very pleased that Qiu Yi could be consistent with him in military views, he was afraid that this young Zhuang faction, who was said to be very arrogant, would be too assertive in everything, and would also interfere indiscriminately in the march and war. But after this period of contact, the two not only have the same views on the development of the war, but also the person who is not the same as the rumors, and he actually knows how to respect people. Wang Huanrong has been a horse for half his life, and he has partnered with countless civil officials and supervisors, but Qiu Yi is such a civil official as the best partner, he only feels that it is rare in his life.

As soon as he was in a good mood, Wang Huan explained two more sentences to his subordinates: "Wu Dujian is also an old man in the military, he just saw that the sticky cicada was in danger, and took the initiative to withdraw to Siwang County (formerly Shunzhou, Goryeo) to ensure the safety of our upstream." At this time, there are our two nails firmly rooted in the Datong River, and the Jurchens are possessed by wild beasts, and it takes a lot of effort to cross the river. Either they will meet us face to face, or they can only travel hundreds of miles east and borrow from Xuansu County. We don't care how the Jurchens choose, but if his eyes are only on our county, we will fight him to the death. As long as we gain precious time, the reinforcements of the Duhu Mansion can rush to the aid of Cao County! When the battle situation comes, it will no longer be up to these barbarians to have the final say! ”

Wang Huan was able to reach the high position of the Jiedu envoy step by step in the Great Song Dynasty, and his mind was still very clear in the face of the battle situation, and he knew that his task was to buy time for reinforcements, rather than always thinking about stealing the show by himself like several subordinates he was eager to perform.

You must know that stealing the show also requires strength. Although the menacing Jurchen made this veteran of the battlefield itch for a while, he knew his hole cards very well. Although Duan Pengju was full of confidence in the Han army in the county, he knew that these new armies formed by him were more than a star and a half worse than the Jin army, which had no power to fight back against the Khitans.

"So we're going to spend it here?"

Duan Pengju had obviously been persuaded by Wang Huan, but Li Ming was still a little unwilling: "The old minister gave me 3,000 Han troops, no, 3,000 Goryeo native soldiers, and the last general will go to meet these Hulu!" ”

Just because the other party is also a general with considerable qualifications, and at this time it is a battle, Wang Huan can't be as ruthless as reprimanding his former subordinates, he just smiled bitterly at this time, and said: "I'm also a veteran of the forbidden army, I'll go with you, can I succeed?" ”

When Wang Huan said this, Li Ming was suddenly defeated, so he had to stop and completely extinguish his thoughts. At this time, I heard Wang Huan say: "Three, let's take the Goryeo native soldiers to fight like this, there is no blame for the old man, and Qiu Taishou does not blame the old man, but I am under a lot of pressure, why do you talk about it?" I have won many battles in my life, and I have also fought many defeats, but I have always been worthy of the brothers around me. But this time, if Cao County loses it again, I can't stand the trust of the king leader, and I can't stand the support of Qiu Taishou. Just now, Taishou said everything bluntly, and he was one step away, and he became too shou! This is simply a great shame for the soldiers of my generation! ”

Ma Wanli and the other three couldn't help but blush, if the hatred became too bare-chested, then these soldiers would be the culprits, and it would be absolutely difficult to escape the blame. At that moment, everyone was about to confess, but Wang Huan stopped, and only listened to him: "Please do your best to help the old man defend the Datong River in this battle!" If you are lucky enough to be able to block the iron hooves of Hulu, please also take out the full copy in the future and bring it over, and train our border army to be strong and strong. Lest the Protectorate see the situation of the enemy and us, he will already forgive the defeat of my generation in his heart! ”

Oh, yes! The battle was like this, and there was not a word of blame from the above, and when I thought about it, it seemed that the above thought that it was normal for the battle to be like this. was treated as a fish belly troop by his own people, is this worth it? Everyone was immediately aroused by Wang Huan's words to be competitive in the bones of the soldiers, and they all took a stand and vowed to wash away the shame on their bodies. (To be continued.) )