The surprise attack force led by Xiao Shili and Du Chongwei was all the new and old ships of Liaojin that could sail long distances collected by Han Deshu, carrying 28,000 soldiers and three months' rations, and set off from Liaojin and headed west—this surprise attack dispatched all the ships and sailors who could go to sea in Liaojin, and the guides were a group of pirates who had attached themselves to the Liao State.

The journey of the fleet was thrilling and undangerous - the so-called surprise was not that there was any danger, in fact, the whole process was calm, but going to sea was already a great adventure for the Khitans, even if there was no big wind and waves all the way, but the normal sea turbulence also made all the Hu people on the ship vomit and the body was weak and weak, almost as if they were sick. In fact, it was only a few days, but as soon as the thousands of Hu people stepped ashore, it was as if they had escaped death and crawled back from hell.

Although Han Deshu claimed to have received the news that Tianjin was empty, the prestige of the Tiance Tang Army shocked the universe and the sea and land, and the group of pirates who were the guides did not dare to really go to Tianjin after all, and led the fleet around the mouth of the Luan River and docked at the mouth of the Luan River.

The location of the Lu River is basically located between Tianjin and Tangshan in the later generations, and its estuary was originally a barren place, thanks to the tyranny of the Khitan relocation, many Yan Ji people fled here in that turmoil, surrounding a small fishing village to live. After the Tiance regime ruled this area, the maritime trade developed rapidly, and some people did not return to their hometowns to stay, and over time they gathered into a market of two or three thousand people, which was called Lu Town.

It is very convenient to go south to Tianjin, Luanzhou in the east, and Youzhou in the northwest, but it is also a place where the lights are dark, and all kinds of underworld forces, wealthy smuggling and pirate remnants have dens here. Illegal trade and smuggling took place here, pirates from the Bohai Sea who had not yet been exterminated sought supplies, and the wealthy clans of Hebei also sent stewards to conduct some shady business here—and these wealthy clans of Hebei also served as the umbrella of this black port.

Tianjin's maritime trade has been formalized, but under the cover of various forces. However, the town has not been brought into formal management for a long time, and even in the archives of the imperial court, this misshapen and prosperous seaside town is still a fishing village - as the saying goes, the mountains are high and the sea is far away, and the local tyrants are in charge.

Du Chongwei was familiar with the geography of Yan and Zhao, and as soon as he came ashore, he immediately commanded two or three thousand soldiers who were not affected by the wind and waves to surround the town, and the various forces in the town relied on black and white collusion and private tricks. Where would they dare to resist the siege of the army head-on? Overnight, the entire town changed hands. Following Du Chongwei's blockade of traffic and inventory, the town was the most important land supply point for smugglers and pirates in the Bohai Sea, and all kinds of supplies were very complete and abundant, which made Du Chongwei a little surprised.

Under the construction of the pirate leader, in addition to collecting food, he did not confiscate the property of all the forces in the town, but gathered all the leaders of the forces overnight, killed two disobedient Liwei, and followed Huairou. Whether it's the pirate leader of the Bohai Sea. The stewards of the Hebei Hao clan faction here have almost no idea of resistance, and several of them are very cooperative and willing to lead the way for the new master.

After Du Chongwei finished this qiē, Xiao Shili was relieved - this is also thanks to the short time at sea, so his spirit recovered quite quickly, and Xiao Shili immediately regained the leading power as soon as he recovered his action, and summoned the generals to listen to Du Chongwei's statement. Then discuss the next steps.

At this time, there were three roads in front of them: first, go straight to Youzhou. Surprise attack on Yanjing, the head of the Tang Dynasty; second, to go south to Tianjin and plunder the hinterland of Hebei and Shandong; Third, they marched east to Luanzhou and attacked Li Yancong, who was stationed there, to open the door for the eastward advance of the Khitan army.

The strategy of the surprise attack on Yanjing was proposed by a young Khitan general, Yelu Huge. Yelu Hugo was also a member of the Khitan royal family, and although he was young, he was quite prestigious among the young people of the Khitan tribe, and this time he was sent to make a surprise attack because of his opposition to Yelu Lihu.

He believes that it is not only a surprise attack, but the most important thing is to grab time. Now there are tens of thousands of horses, and before the Tang people have time to take precautions, they will be taken by surprise and hit Youzhou City in one go! If you are lucky, it is very possible to break through the enemy's capital or even capture the ministers of the Tang Dynasty, and even turn Guo Fen and Shizi into prisoners, at that time, the world will shake, and all potential enemies who are dissatisfied with Tiance will respond in groups, and Tiance Datang may fall apart because of this! The soldiers and horses of Liaodong entered again, the Mobei tribes echoed, and the Mengshu cameras in the south of the Yangtze River moved, smashing the whole world into a mess of porridge! At that time, even if Zhang Mai rushed back from the Western Regions, it would be useless.

His idea couldn't be bolder! But Xiao Shili and Du Chongwei were a little dumbfounded when they heard it.

Du Chongwei couldn't help but say: "We only have 28,000 people, and half of them don't have much strength yet, so let's go to fight Yanjing?" ”

Jeruhhuge said: "People have no strength because they have just come from the sea, but as soon as we set foot on land, our spirit will be restored by four or five points, and then we do not need to rest and recuperate, and we can recover our strength on the march." ”

Du Chongwei said again: "Youzhou is the capital of Tiance, how can there be no heavy troops there!" ”

"There may or may not be heavy troops, but even if there are heavy troops, what if there are heavy troops!" Jeruhugo said: "If we are taken by surprise, there is a great possibility that we will attack and kill us. It's a surprise attack, but the important thing is a strange word! ”

Du Chongwei said: "Okay, even if you make the right bet, you really let you attack, but what about the Tang Army's next counterattack?" Around Yanjing, there are soldiers and horses for hundreds of miles from east to west, north and south, once the army in the three directions of Yunzhong, Dingliao and Yedu heard the news and rushed to King Qin, at that time, we became the turtle in the urn! Even if Youzhou can be captured, it can't be defended. ”

"What to do in the occupation of Youzhou! What to do in Youzhou! Yelu Xiuge said: "My Khitan soldiers and horses, come and go like the wind, and when I arrive in Youzhou, I will plunder!" Set! ruined Youzhou, killed the ministers of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Mai's wife and children, if he could be captured, he would be captured, and if he could not be captured, he would be killed, kill him for revenge, kill him for a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, and kill him for a great chaos in the world! We've all been left here by Yelu Lihu, do you still want to go back? The front is death, and the future is also death, since they are all one death, it is better to fight a fish to die and break the net! Maybe there will be another life then! ”

But his idea did not get the support of Xiao Shili and Du Chongwei, not only Du Chongwei tried his best to oppose it, but even Xiao Shili felt that it was too risky.

Du Chongwei himself advocated going south to Tianjin and plundering the hinterland of Hebei and Shandong, and he was a person from the Central Plains, who knew very well that the Central Plains was false and real, and the foundation was also there. Plundering Tianjin can get a lot of materials, flowing through Hebei can gather some old departments, and going south to Shandong may be able to occupy a piece of land, if you can get the echo of Southern Qi, you may be able to divide one side with Li Shouzhen - if the Khitan, Liu Zhiyuan and others raise troops to attack Tang, there will be a big chaos in the world. At that time, there may be a chance to be king in troubled times!

And Xiao Zhili's proposition is the most important, he wants to attack Luanzhou. For a long time, Xiao Zhili was the general of Yuguan, so he knew Luanzhou to the west of Yuguan very well.

Luanzhou is not a strong city, and Li Yancong, who guards there, is only a mere general, and the reason why he has been safe and sound in the past few years is mainly because the prestige of the Tiance Tang Army makes the Khitan soldiers and horses dare not go out of Yuguan lightly, but if you launch a surprise attack now, and the soldiers and horses of Yuguan are flanked from east to west, there is a great chance of taking Luanzhou - even if you can't beat it, as long as the soldiers and horses of Yuguan come out to respond. It is possible to bypass Luanzhou and return to Liaodong - Yuguan is his former garrison, as long as he goes to Yuguan, it is possible to regain military power.

The three of them had their own ideas, and in the end, Brother Yelu Hugh was still soft-spoken, but Xiao Zhili couldn't ignore Du Chongwei's opinions, and then the surprise attack on Luanzhou was not too fast, and many of Du Chongwei's foot soldiers might slow down the speed of their own troops, so it was decided to divide the troops into two ways - Xiao Zhili attacked Luanzhou east with Hu cavalry. Du Chongwei went south to Tianjin with Han soldiers.

After a little rectification, the two sides divided their troops into the north and south. Before leaving, Jelu Hugo grabbed the head of the horse in Xiao Shi's jurisdiction and said, "Commander Xiao! Are you really going to attack Luanzhou? ”

Xiao Shili said: "Now that you are going to send troops, what are you still talking about!" ”

Yelu Hugo said: "Li Hu threw us into the sea, of course, this is to send us to death, but since the sea has not swallowed us, it means that God has not abandoned us!" And it also brings us to such a great place where we can attack from all sides! Such a great opportunity is not to be taken advantage of. This is the blessing of heaven and the protection from calamity! There won't be a second chance like this! ”

Xiao Zhili said: "Just because there will be no second opportunity like this, we must hurry up to attack Luanzhou and open a door for our army to advance westward." ”

"Even if you really attack Luanzhou, what can you do!" Yelu Hugo said: "Luanzhou is not Yuguan, not Jiancheng!" It's not that we couldn't beat Luanzhou before. It was not fought at all, because even if Luanzhou was defeated, once we fought head-on, our military strength would still not be able to defeat Tiance! Luanzhou was laid, the door was opened, but the best opportunity was also lost - then the Tang people also reacted, once they were prepared, made up their minds, used heavy generals, and marched into the army in four combinations, and fought head-on on this Yanji Plain, can we win? Although Yang Yi is ill, he is in Dingliao, and it is only half a month for him to go back and forth, as long as others arrive in Youzhou, the battle of Yan Ji is the reappearance of the battle of Linhuang! Coupled with the change of offensive and defensive momentum, what are our chances of winning? At that time, it was just a trip back to Liaodong! What can it do! ”

When Xiao Shili heard this, he was quite moved, but he still said: "I also know this, but the surprise attack on Yanjing ...... It's so adventurous! Or attack Luanzhou as the top! At least you can go in and out. ”

Yelu Hugo said: "If this is the case, please give me three hundred horses, I am willing to give up this life to attack Youzhou, thinking that it is the echo of the commander of you." ”

Xiao Zhili exclaimed: "Three hundred cavalry attacking Tang Jing? Are you crazy? ”

Yelu Hugo said: "Three hundred cavalry is not enough to occupy the fortified city!" But as long as our cavalry sacrifices their lives and loots like fire, they can still make the Tang Kingdom shake! Commanding you to give me 300 cavalry, the loss of your combat power is not large, but the whole Tang Kingdom is eager to put out the fire, and the Yuguan side will have more time to act. ”

Xiao Shili looked at Yelu Huge in a daze, as if moved by his spirit, and said angrily: "Who said that my Khitan has fallen into decline!" There are wonders like you! I believe that my Khitan still has one day to rise again! Go! You go pick the people! Whoever will go with you, take it! ”

"If you can't go to Yanjing with the whole army, it's useless to bring too many people." Yelu Huge said: "I only bring 300 horsemen, 300 Khitan brothers who are willing to die with me!" ”

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Guan Haoran looked at the wind and waves on the dock, and said to his younger brother Guan Laosan: "This weather is good, and it's a good season to go to sea again, but the smell of this sea breeze, I don't smell it right." ”

Guan Laosan said: "Is there going to be a storm?" So many ships and sailors went south to the Wa Kingdom before, but don't let anything happen. ”

"I don't think so, I asked the old sailors who could watch the wind and the sky, and they all said that the weather was good. It's just that I always feel that something is wrong, and my heart sometimes beats hard. Don't let anything happen. Guan Haoran said, a little gloomy: "I hope it's not that something happens to Old Man Yang." ”

Guan Haoran is the brother-in-law of Dazhijie, because of his activity in Tianjin, he was appointed by Yang Dingguo to correct the imperial history of Tianjin, and even the name Haoran was taken by Yang Dingguo. So for Guan Haoran, Yang Dingguo really has the grace of knowing things, and he is attracted by Yang Dingguo's temperament, although they have not been with each other for a long time, Guan Haoran has regarded Yang Dingguo as his father, this time the news of Yang Dingguo's illness and retirement came, Guan Haoran only hated not to go north to serve the decoction, and he has always been very worried.

However, he thought: "What kind of identity is Yang Guolao!" When he is sick, he will naturally not lack someone to take care of him, and the most important thing for me now is to do a good job of the things that the old man has explained. This is the greatest reward for his kindness and trust in the old man! ”

Cheer up and go to the ports, docks, and markets. Guan Haoran already has a considerable foundation in the people, and since he was appointed to correct the imperial history, he has indeed used the power in his hands to do things for the low-level people in Tianjin, so his reputation has risen to a higher level than before.

However, the gentry in Hebei looked down on him, thinking that this dumpling who had just barely learned to write his name was just a "pro-people" benchmark deliberately set by Yang Dingguo, and did not take him seriously. Some time ago, after the news about Yang Yi's "three disadvantages of national defense" reached Tianjin, there was also a discussion here. Guan Haoran is naturally on Yang Yi's side - it's not just because of Yang Dingguo. In fact, Guan Haoran also felt that Yang Yi's words made sense.

However, public opinion in Tianjin was still controlled by the gentry, and when the imperial historians of the Correction and Appraisal Station met to discuss. The representatives of the gentry quoted scriptures and classics and talked eloquently, and Guan Haoran refuted them with red faces and red ears, and he couldn't speak! He obviously thinks what Yang Yi said makes sense, but he can't say it to others! He was extremely ashamed of this, but he was helpless.

"These scholars just rely on knowing a few words!" Guan Haoran said to his younger brother: "What the elder said is right, when it comes to doing things. These people may not be better than us. Let's grit our teeth, quickly recognize and learn words, and when we make up for this shortcoming, one day, we will definitely be able to make sense! We can't talk about the Confucian Pentateuch. But the marshal's historiography is easy to understand, let's read through that and argue with them! ”

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Tianjin's market is still calm and prosperous. Yang Yi said that the Khitan may invade the east in the near future and war may break out, this speculation has spread throughout most of the Central Plains with the discussion of the "three disadvantages of national defense", even the three-year-old children in Tianjin can also say two sentences, but no one takes it seriously!

Don't look at the knowledgeable old men on the correction platform, do they all say that General Yang is wrong this time?

General Yingyang, naturally, is very powerful, but after all, it is too far away, and when people have questions, they will always habitually ask the last person around them. Whether it is knowledge or government decrees, it is always filtered by local intellectuals and then takes root among the people, which is one of the reasons why all trends of thought will inevitably change their flavor once they come down.

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However, today, things seem to have become different, snakes have snake roads, rats have rat roads, although Guan Haoran can't get into the gentry circle, but as a well-founded correction of the imperial history, the laborers are of course his natural supporters, some businessmen feel that those gentry and imperial history will not really speak for themselves, and they are also moving closer to Guan Haoran, these are his eyes and ears. So now Guan Haoran has become more acute than before.

He noticed that there seemed to be an unusual movement in the merchant clan.

That night, he went to his brother-in-law's house for dinner as promised, and brought up the matter, saying, "There may be some problems in the north. ”

Dazhi said: "What's the problem? ”

Guan Haoran said: "A steward of the Li family in Raoyang suddenly returned to Tianjin, and some people saw that he was a little wolf when he entered the market. ”

"Raoyang Li family?"

"It's the Raoyang Li family except for Li Nuan, Li Shen and Li Fang."

"Ah, it's the Sanli family!"

Raoyang Li family, this is now a famous and hot wealthy family in Hebei! Li Nuan was in power in the center, and the people became deputy prime ministers; Li Shen is a big official in the local area; Li Fang has already become a big celebrity in front of the Son of Heaven at a young age - such a family, its local prosperity can be imagined! From Hebei to Tianjin, the people mentioned the "Three Li Family", it was this Raoyang Li family!

"But it's not my family." Guan Haoran said: "The descendants of the Sanli family are still very restrained and self-respecting, but his relatives. Relying on their momentum, the business is also quite large, but the legitimate business here in Tianjin is not enough, and even the black and white mixed gray silver in Luzhen has to be earned, but it is inevitable that there is no product. Hmph, this cancer in the town. Sooner or later I'm going to poke it out and wash away the filth there! ”

Dazhijie was a little surprised: "Don't mess around! If the town can exist in this land, there must be someone on it! You see that even the Sanli House has a steward there, so you know how deep the water is here! ”

Regarding the matter of Luzhen, the high-level officials in Yanjing may not know, but Guan Haoran and Dazhijie, who have been at the grassroots level for a long time, know in their hearts that they just can't touch it.

"This kind of dirty thing, San Li may not know." Guan Haoran said: "I heard the elder mention Sanli, although he didn't like some of Sanli's actions. But he still appreciates the integrity of Lee's administration. Since the elder said that, then San Li should be a gentleman, and he must have been deceived by his family and relatives. What is this called? Well, the fox is fake! ”

Da Zhijie said: "Even if this is the case, but if the real thing is poked out, can San Li ignore his relatives?" Li is not necessarily reversing black and white, but the people above only need to turn their fingers on the side. Then it's all a mess down there! It's better not to mess around. Don't forget that now Yang Guolao is sick, and now Feng Dao is in charge of the correction platform. There's no one over you. ”

"What if the old man falls ill! The correction desk is still there! The laws and regulations of this country are still there! Guan Haoran smiled: "Brother-in-law, you are good at everything, but you are too careful!" Speaking of which, when you go to sea in business, your courage is something I admire, how can you become so timid when it comes to officialdom. ”

Da Zhijie said: "It's better to be careful, it's better to be careful." ”

The Great Wisdom Festival seems to have remembered something again. said: "The steward of the Li family suddenly came back from Lu Town, did he say anything?" ”

"I don't know. At least to the outside, the Li family didn't say anything. ”

But that night, Guan Haoran received two more messages, saying that a few more people seemed to have returned from Lu Town. But when they returned, the people of those families immediately closed the door and did not communicate with the outside world.

Guan Haoran took things to heart, but he couldn't guess what was going on.

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He was one of the most well-informed people in Tianjin, and not everyone could be as sensitive as him, so the next day the Fang market in Tianjin was as usual. But at noon, Guan Haoran received a few more news, but it was the few families that had moved yesterday, together with their relatives, suddenly there were women and children out of the city, which attracted Guan Haoran's attention again, he sent someone to inquire, and the people who came back said that those women and children seemed to have gone back to their hometowns - most of these wealthy families in Tianjin are not locals, they are gentry and come to Tianjin to do business, although they have become big businessmen, but they still own land in their hometown, they are landlords, and they are also gentry.

Kwan Haoran realized that things might not be going to work! However, no matter how much he visited, there was no result, although with his current status, Tianjin's government affairs department and military town can pass on the news, but there is no evidence, and he cannot just rely on chasing wind and shadows to alarm the local military and government.

He thought about it, since the matter was all related to Lu Town, he sent two clever young men to Lu Town for a trip, and thought that I was correcting the imperial history, since I couldn't hear it by knocking on the side, it was better to just go straight in! At that moment, he sent people and invited the relevant families to drink.

It stands to reason that with his current status as a drinker, those merchant families have to entertain, who knows that none of those families came.

In the evening, the news of the wrong way suddenly spread in the room, as if something had happened in the north!

Northern? What could that be? Yanjing?

Although no one could say what was going on, a kind of restlessness crept in.

Guan Haoran felt that his eyebrows jumped violently for no reason! I can't figure out what happened. I didn't go to sleep until the third watch, when suddenly there was a knock on the door, and as soon as I opened the door, a bloodstained young man rolled in, and when he entered the door, he said, "Oh no! Guan Boss! Gu is dead! Khitan! Khitan! ”

Guan Haoran exclaimed: "What did you say! ”

The young man said, "Xiao Gu is dead! On our way to the town, we bumped into the soldiers and horses, and I ran back from hiding! Xiao Gu is dead! The young man whimpered: "I listened to two sentences in a panic, it seems to be Khitan, but it is Tang Yan......"

Khitan ...... ......

Thinking of Yang Yi's previous prophecy, Guan Haoran jumped up and shouted, "Could it be ...... Khitan Qi attacked the town? This...... That's a big deal! ”

At this moment, a vigilant horn sounded outside! This is the vigilance when an invasion is approaching!

Guan Haoran listened attentively, it was a voice from the Haihe River Wharf!

"Enemy invasion! Night attack, night attack! ”

Suddenly thinking of something again, Guan Haoran suddenly shouted: "Damn it!" Damn it! ”

"What......" cried the young man, "big brother...... I...... I was afraid of death, so I left Xiao Gu ...... I'm damn ......."

"Not about you!"

Guan Haoran was full of anger - he suddenly thought that since there was an enemy attack, whether it was really a Khitan or a gathering of pirates, something must have happened in the direction of Lu Town!

And from yesterday to now, those families who have run back from Lu Town, but they are still covering up the truth for some reason! So much so that the enemy approached the Haihe River and was discovered! Otherwise, Tianjin Military Town should have been on guard since yesterday, and he should have gotten the news as a corrector of the imperial history, if there was a half-day buffer, he would not be caught off guard by a night attack like now!

"These damn things! has a home but no country, only cares about himself...... Damn, shit! ”

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Tianjin is a new city, without any old foundations, and because it has expanded too quickly, the city has no walls, but has set up some fences and other blockades on the periphery, a number of guards and horses on several traffic arteries, and some defenses against pirates and thieves.

This is also a city that has never experienced war, although there are pirates in the Bohai Sea, but shocked by the might of the Tiance Tang army, which pirate who is not long-sighted dares to come to Tianjin with a garrison to offend? It is also because of the prestige of the Tang Army, the city has been enjoying a rare peace in this era since its birth.

But this sudden surprise attack caught many people off guard

"What is it, what is it? Pirate? Or a bandit? ”

At this time, I don't know who called out: "Khitan!" It's Khitan! The Khitans have hit the other side of the Haihe River! ”

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Tianjin's markets are basically located south of the Haihe River, along the coast of the river - although the future trend is that the city may straddle both sides of the Haihe River, but at this stage the north bank of the Haihe River is only a suburb of Tianjin.

Tiance Tang Army military talent is the world's top in the world, when the city site was selected for the first time has taken into account the occurrence of various situations, the location of the Tianjin military town control the sea choke river, although suffered from the north of the night attack, but after the emergency mechanism is activated, it can temporarily ensure the safety of Tianjin on the south bank of the Haihe River.

But before the enemy had crossed the river, the market itself began to be chaotic.

Because Tianjin is a commercial city, the clan power is also relatively lacking, no clan elders come forward, and many of the original official and civil correction of the imperial history are either at a loss, or simply huddle at home, Tianjin citizens who have never experienced these events, for a time the group of dragons are leaderless, and there is inevitably chaos in the absence of organization.

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—————————— (To be continued......)