The night was falling, and the snow wind was blowing vigorously in the city.

Looking out from the head of Shanyang County, Shuozhou's administrative office, several fires rose from far and near, illuminating faintly red.

Shanyang County is the seat of Shuozhou set up by the Great Liao, and there is a small section here in the Liao period - the town of the Mayi Army Jiedu. The mountains are surrounded by Xijing Datong Mansion, and Shuozhou is just outside the mountains, located in the southwest of Xijing Datong Mansion.

The Jurchen Western Expeditionary Army was located in the mountains, and the only passage for the army had to pass through Yingzhou. Normally, as long as there is no threat in the southern Song Dynasty, Shuozhou is like Mount Tai. Not to mention that the winter has not passed, the frost and cold grass wither, it is by no means suitable for the action of the army, who would have thought that in such a terrain, such a bad weather, suddenly came a warning signal, the Jurchen iron horse, through the rolling mountains, stepped on the snow, and swept through the territory of Shuozhou!

Under the chaos of the war for many years, Shanyang County, the seat of Shuozhou governance, has long been ruined. The rammed-earth walls were littered with crumbling gaps. Whether it is the people in the city or the four townships attached to it, there is not one in ten hukou. Only the people remained, and most of them were attached to the dock wall fortress to earn their lives.

The rise of the Fuliao army in Yunnei, although the four dock walls are under the orders of the princess of Shu, it is also good to listen to it, and it is not good to move.

The Fuliao army also only sent about a few hundred into the town of Shanyang County, so as to supervise and urge the Wubi Fort in Shuozhou to collect the displaced people and transfer them to the Song Dynasty.

On weekdays, the fort of the four dock walls does not deal with the Fuliao army in Shanyang County, and everyone basically does not know each other, at most they should have a little grain and grass. However, after the Jurchen Iron Cavalry suddenly came out of the mountains west of the Datong Basin and swept through Shuozhou, they asked for help here.

For these dock fortresses that have survived in troubled times, whoever is powerful has always been attached to whom. If they want to say that they have any loyalty to the princess of Liaojin Shu, it is really impossible to talk about it.

The Fuliao army now suddenly rose, controlling Yingzhou in the north and penetrating deep into the east of the Great Song River in the south. These dock fortresses naturally took the banner of the princess of Shu Kingdom, and even selected some strong ones to listen to the orders of the Liao army, and they were trained to attack the Song Realm.

If the Jurchen army and horses really break through the Fuliao army, coming from the north, these dock fortresses will be easier to stand and will not blink their eyes.

However, this time the Jurchen military horses were too ruthless, and the whirlwind along the way broke through the dock wall fortress, searched for its grain and grass, slaughtered its old and weak, and carried the heavy load to transfer military grain and grass to earn their lives in the snow.

To the west of Shuozhou, it has been submerged by the iron hooves of the Jurchen army. Along the way, the Wubi forts no longer had the courage to resist and fled eastward. Those with a big life can still struggle out of the ice and snow, and those who are not hard enough will freeze in the snow, all the way over, and the corpses will look at each other!

In Shanyang County, there is a town guard of the Fuliao Army, which is almost the farthest stronghold of the Fuliao Army to the west. In the past few days, I don't know how many refugees have flocked here, hoping that the Fuliao army can shelter them a little.

It turned out that Shanyang County was deserted and dilapidated, and in addition to the hundreds of Liao troops stationed there, it was rare to see a single person. Inside the ruined walls, huts were erected on all sides, and fires were lit. The refugees sat towards the fire with a sluggish expression, waiting for the color to brighten, hoping that the qi would be a little warmer, looking forward to finding more food tomorrow, and hoping that this dilapidated Shanyang County would be able to block the soldiers of the murderous Jurchen military horses.

More of them don't even have this kind of luxury, it's just numb and struggling. Death today or death tomorrow, in this troubled world, it seems that there is no difference.

On the city walls, clusters of torches were lit by hunting. The soldiers of the Fuliao army shrank on the city wall. Most of these hundreds of military horses were newly recruited in the Yunnei Prefectures, and they were not fully armoured, had incomplete equipment, and had not been trained much. At this time, he was patrolling the city wall at night, looking at the fire burning in the distance, and his face was pale when he entered, and he didn't know whether he was scared or afraid.

A stout man wearing a mink hat, completely armoured, looks like a military general. Now he also stared at the fire in the distance, but there was no fear on his face, and after looking at it for a while, he spat out a mouthful of ice mounds and scolded: "The Jurchen Tartar who can't be killed!" ”

This stout military man is Tian Qiong, who was born in the mink hat guard.

Originally, he followed Zhen Liuchen deep into the Song Realm, and he took the trouble lightly with one impact. With Han Shizhong rushing to Taiyuan, after shaking the situation in Hedong. There is no need for the Fu Liao army to make much noise in the Song Dynasty, and many of them will be transferred from Zhen Liuchen's men and go to various places in Yunnei Prefectures to stabilize the territory they have obtained.

The number one enemy in Xiao Yan's mind has always been the Jurchen. To operate Danzhou and Yunnei Prefectures is to increase the depth of defense against the Jurchen decisive battle in the future, so as not to let the Jurchen military horses enter the Song Realm at once.

Moreover, these places do not have such a complicated situation and so many intertwined forces in the Song Realm. Xiao Yan can do something in these places, expand the army, accumulate military resources, and operate bases. Since he had taken Shuoying Wuwei Prefectures in the name of the Liao Army, Xiao Yan never thought about letting go.

These generals who were born in the Shenwu Changsheng Army or Mink Hat are none other than Gu Qian, and there are not many of them in the Fuliao Army. One has to be a few envoys, and Tian Qiong has been transferred back and forth like this, and in the wind and snow, it is really hard work.

Originally, he was withdrawn from Zhen Liuchen's command and suppressed Shanyang in order to select a group of horses to expand the army and take advantage of the winter to practice. When the strength grows, after the beginning of spring, maybe this Shuozhou will be firmly in the hands of the Fuliao Army and Xiao Yan standing behind the Fuliao Army. Who knew that a few days after Tian Qiong's hard work to arrive here in Shanyang County, the Jurchen military horses suddenly killed in front of him!

Tian Qiong's side, naturally, the thirteen who were born as small herdsmen were indispensable. These days have been hard, but Thirteen is a little stronger, dressed in armor, and has a bit of a heroic temperament. In the army, they are also optimistic about this nameless boy.

Good temper, smile when you see it. Anything on his body is willing to share with the military robes. What's more important is that every time you come to battle, you must take the lead, and you will obey any order with a smile, and never cry bitterly. Equestrian skills are good, and fighting is also coming, every day in the army is growing rapidly, and the experience of the battle is even much richer than that of many Shenwu Changsheng troops. Entering the capital regards it as a new horse in the army, as long as the life is big, the future is unlimited.

He followed closely behind Tian Qiong, in addition to the long horse sword he wore at his waist, he also carried a bow on his back, and four sacks full of white feather swords were obliquely inserted in his waist bag, plus a body of armor, I am afraid that it will not weigh sixty or seventy pounds. Thirteen acted as usual, and asked Tian Qiong with a probe in his head: "Grandpa, can you keep it here?" ”

Tian Qiong glanced back at him: "Isn't it good to save some energy?" Clothed with a lot of things, before he went into battle, he lost his strength. I don't have a heart! ”

Thirteen smiled and said, "Grandpa, I can't use my endless strength, I might as well ............ I have seen the Jurchen Tartars, they come and go quickly, they can endure hardships, they can sleep on horses while marching, and they can touch the city without saying it. When the time comes, we will look for the blade and delay the fight. ”

Tian Qiong shook his head and spat again: "The Jurchen Tartars are not livestock!" Today it has rolled forty miles and broken seven fortresses. Within four years, they marched in the snow and fought for two hundred miles. Ice and snow, pounced again overnight, Bianliang Xiaoniang threw stones and killed them, they can't come tonight! ”

Thirteen nodded: "If you can't come tonight, Ming Yao has to come............ Grandpa, can you keep it? ”

Tian Qiong glanced around, looking at the refugees in the city full of pits and valleys, and at the fires burning around. So many people are crowded in the small Shanyang County, and many of them can't enter the city, so they can only live in the silhouette, and it seems that they can be safer if they are closer to the city wall. There are so many refugees that the troops cannot be mobilized in the city.

It was this city wall, low and dilapidated, with no garrisons and no garrisons, and no equipment to defend the city.

It's the hundreds of military horses in the city, and when they first arrived, they couldn't even recognize their subordinates. Looking at their frightened and self-supporting appearance, I was afraid that as soon as I saw the Jurchen banner appear in front of me, they would immediately collapse.

No matter how you look at it, this small town that I have never even heard of a name before can't hold it anyway. When the Jurchen military horses pounce, it will only be a one-sided massacre!

Thirteen looked at Tian Qiong's gritted teeth and remained silent, and asked cautiously: "Grandpa, why don't we go." This side is on the ground, we are always more familiar than the Jurchen Tartars, and this is still snowing, so we will leave. What are you doing here? ”

Tian Qiong glared at him and lowered his voice: "You are now a Divine Martial Victorious Army!" How can a man in the army act without an order? During this time, the military intelligence has already reported to the king and the general, how we act, we have to wait for the king's order! If you're afraid of death, you won't be able to do it, so if you're afraid of death, you'll leave! ”

Thirteen was so frightened that he didn't dare to say more, but just touched his head and muttered: "Grandpa is not afraid, what am I afraid of............?"

Tian Qiong didn't speak anymore, just stared at the firelight in the distance.

In fact, since he was sent to the westernmost part of the country, he had the power to execute on the spot. If you really want to lead the army to avoid the Jurchen soldiers, it's nothing.

However, he was born in a mink hat and has always been trained as a general who can lead thousands of military horses in the future. The situation in the army is well understood.

Now the Shenwu Changsheng Army, together with the Fuliao Army, can be said to be scattered. The Shenwu Changsheng army in the east of the river is located in two places, and they do not echo each other. The Fuliao army reached Yingzhou in the north and Daizhou in the Song Dynasty in the south. It's not a battle-ready arrangement.

In such a cold winter, Yingzhou Kongdao was stuck, and Guo Rong personally sat down. Everyone thought that there was enough time to sort out this situation, and when it was time to use troops in the spring, they would almost be able to form a neat defense line against the north.

Moreover, it is said that Zong Han, the commander of the Jurchen Western Route Army, has already returned to Beijing, and the Jurchen military horses will naturally not move lightly.

Who would have thought that the Jurchen military horses would be in this cold and unrestrained air, crossing the dangerous mountain range, striking from the side, and hitting the soft underbelly of the Fuliao army. It is even more like the wind, and it has the potential to sweep the Shuowuwei states in one fell swoop. Once they are allowed to progress smoothly, the Fuliao army and the Shenwu Changsheng army will be cut off from the middle, and the Jurchen army and horses will be broken individually!

If you don't lead the army to the east, even if you put on a show in Shanyang County. For an army backed by a city wall, it is always good to delay the Jurchen military horses for a little time, even if it is a day and a half.

Those brothers in the rear will have more time to react, and they can gather strength to beat these Jurchen Tartars out! Perhaps, Xiao Xianmo, who is now in Bianliang, knows that these sons and daughters he brought out are in danger, and he will come in person just like when he was in Yandi, lead the whole army, rescue everyone from the crisis, and fight a decisive battle with the Jurchen Tartars in the states of Yunnei!

Tian Qiong was born in the Northland, and his whole family was not among the Jurchen soldiers. Shenwu Changshengjun is the new home given to him by Xiao Xianmo, and at this moment, he can't leave.

………… It's just a pity that Thirteeno Ah ............ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ there was a sudden commotion on the city wall of Shanyang, and the refugees outside the city also jumped up from the fire, and the sound of running and crying suddenly sounded, and then it caused a commotion in the crowded refugee group in the city. The fire was chaotic for the running kicks, and the sparks were splashing everywhere. The cries and exclamations went from low to high, and then swept through the city.

"The Jurchen army is coming!"

Tian Qiong and Thirteen hurried to the source of the commotion, east of the Shanyang City Wall.

I saw a team of firelight in the distance, rising and falling in the snowy night, towards Shanyang County. Those newly recruited soldiers of the Fuliao Army walked around on the city wall, and some of them were completely panicked, shouting at the top of their voices: "The Jurchen army is here!" ”

Tian Qiong had already pulled out the two-handed long sword at his waist as he ran, and a sword flew through the air, and the head of the most panicked soldier rushed up, splashing blood on the head of the city.

Tian Qiong shouted: "Death to the rebels!" ”

The leaders of the army who were born in the Shenwu Victorious Army also began to press violently, and the soldiers of the Fuliao Army were driven by them, and they did not dare to run around anymore, and they all stood trembling at the head of the city.

Although there are no weapons to defend the city such as bed crossbows in the Fuliao army, there is still no shortage of bows and arrows. At this time, the bows were rounded to the east. The arrows gleamed in the firelight, and the bowstrings creaked and creaked.

Tian Qiong pressed his sword and shouted at the head of the city: "It's freezing cold, and it's night, do you want to die by chaos?" Leaning against the city wall, there is still a way to survive! ”

Shanyang County is small, and the radius is not more than a mile. Tian Qiong drank loudly, and the whole city heard it. The powerful people who led the refugees to flee also began to suppress their subordinates.

Such a cold night, such a night, self-chaos is a dead word. Even the Jurchen military horses are unlikely to attack in a large group, at most the sentinels will be confused. Relying on the city wall, the Jurchen military horses will be driven back at night, and wait until dawn to find a way to survive.

The refugees cried and wanted to pour into Shanyang County from the clumsy part of the city wall, but a burst of feathered arrows rushed over. No one can be soft-hearted at this time.

The refugees outside the city saw that they could not enter the city, so they had to scream and scatter at night, and the farther away from Shanyang County, the better. As for whether they can survive this cold night, no one thinks about it.

The Jurchen army crossed the desperate place, swept 200 miles in four days in the wind and snow, broke through dozens of fortress walls, and killed countless people. From the very beginning, it has made the states of Yunnei bold!

In an instant, the distant firelight was already approaching, and the thirteen eyes were fast, pointing to the firelight and shouting: "It's my own house!" ”

I don't know who was startled by the thirteen shouts, and the arrow was released with a whoosh. Under the firelight, a soldier with white frost on his armor and spear knocked the arrow away: "Tian Da, just like this? ”

Tian Qiong and a group of generals shouted loudly for the soldiers to put down their bows and arrows, and they greeted them first. I saw that under the shining torches, it was my own military horse.

A line of dozens of enters, all of them are mink hats or Shenwu Changsheng Army. Surrounded by a tightly wrapped man, it was Wang Gui.

Wang Gui sits in the middle of the Wuzhou area, and the dispatch support should be on the north and south sides. After Tian Qiong learned about the Jurchen military situation, he immediately reported back to him first. Unexpectedly, after two days and one night at most, Wang Gui rushed here!

Charging and snowing along the way, almost sleepless, Wang Gui's eyebrows were white, and his body was almost frozen hard. He fell to the ground with a thud of struggle.

A few hands and feet helped him up, Tian Qiong only said: "The king and the general, why do you have to work so hard? ”

Wang Gui has not led the army for a long time, and has always been in charge of local affairs or logistics matters. The seniority is considered old among the new army of the Shenwu Ever-Victorious Army, but it has no prestige. Tian Qiong's return to the military situation is also to follow the law in the army, and he does not expect him to make any decisions. Even talking to himself, he was ready to defend here to buy time for the rear to contingency.

Unexpectedly, Wang Gui reacted so quickly, and immediately rushed to the front line!

Wang Gui took a breath and moved his legs and feet: "The Jurchen military horse is suddenly so big, thousands of systems are the most important, and the relationship is obvious to the overall situation, although I am not talented, how can I not come?" Needless to say, go up to the city wall and have a look! ”

Dozens of generals hugged Wang Gui straight up to the city wall, looking at the flickering fires in the west. Wang Gui looked at it for a long time before asking, "How many Jurchen military horses are there?" ”

Tian Qiong said in a deep voice: "I tried my best to inquire and ask about the escape." The Jurchen army came here, the main army was no less than three or four thousand, and the number of auxiliary troops was the same, and the Jurchen Tartars broke through the fortress along the way, and recruited strong and strong auxiliary troops, and the momentum was even stronger. Now I'm afraid there are 10,000 incomes, and horses are twice as ............."

The armor soldiers who came with Wang Gui changed color in unison.

Many of them have dealt with Jurchen military horses, and more than 1,000 Jurchen military horses were in Yandi that day, Xiao Yan personally went into battle, led the whole army, and it took a lot of effort to break it, and Yinshu Ke also escaped. His own losses are by no means inferior to those of the Jurchen Tartars.

Now there are more than 3,000 regular troops, and such a big enemy is definitely not something that the rabble of the Fuliao army can resist!

Not to mention this kind of bad luck, the Jurchen entered the desperate place and suddenly came, followed by a sweeping trend. This kind of toughness and tenacity is really a first-class strong army at the bottom!

"Who will the Lord be?" Wang Gui asked again.

Tian Qiong shook his head: "I don't know yet, I have to fight to understand." ”

Wang Gui glanced at the countless refugees who were staring at the movement on the city wall with their faces in the city, and frowned, "What's going on?" So many escapes? ”

Wang Gui also knew very well the virtues of the lord of the dock wall fortress in the states of Yunnei. In Wuzhou, he also had to deal with their class. The Jurchen army is so strong, these people can naturally descend, why did they all flee to Shanyang County?

Tian Qiong replied in a deep voice: "The Jurchen Tartars have never surrendered to rebel, and the lord of the butcher wall fortress along the way, the old and weak are all killed, and the strong are the husbands to transfer grain and grass and military materials............ Straight lady thief, ruthless! ”

Wang Gui glanced left and right: "What do you think?" ”

The generals next to him have many skilled soldiers, and they answered at the moment: "The Jurchen Tartars crossed the desperate place and went deep alone." This place is barren, and it cannot afford to recruit rebels, so it is necessary to concentrate all the grain and grass in their own hands. Eli fought for a long time, that's why he acted like this! ”

Wang Gui nodded and said to Tian Qiong: "In this case, lead the army to retreat east and join the brigade." There is no need to stay here. ”

Tian Qiong was stunned, but he didn't expect Wang Gui, who was always good at entering, to make such a decisive decision. The wind also rushed in, and after learning about the first-hand military situation, he immediately made a decision!

Wang Gui has also been delayed in the north for more than a year, and the wind and frost in the north have also honed him.

Tian Qiong hesitated and said: "Don't you defend here to contain the Jurchen Tartar soldiers, so as to facilitate the assembly of the army?" ”

Wang Gui glanced at Tian Qiong: "Yingzhou is stuck in the north, and there is the main force of the Shenwu Changsheng Army in the south, so what if Shuowuwei Zhuzhou is thrown to the Jurchen Tartars?" The accumulation here is enough for more than 10,000 troops and tens of thousands of war horses, and will they eat until the beginning of spring? Every bit of strength is accumulated, and when Xiao Xianmo leads us to break the Jurchen Tartars! ”

Tian Qiong's thoughts were all in vain. I had this plan before, but it was also because I had any confidence in Wang Guishi, who was sitting in Shuowuwei Prefecture, and I was afraid that if he didn't deal with it properly, it would be a big deal if the Jurchen Tartars drove straight in. Now that Wang Gui is so decisive and appropriately punished, what else is there to say?

He muttered: "The key is Yingzhou ............"

Wang Gui nodded: "That's right, the real military strength of the Jurchens will be passed to the princess of Shu as much as possible———— and the Liao army will be invincible!" The princess of Shu must not come south to help, and defend Yingzhou, waiting for the army to come from the south! Must do your best! ”

Wang Gui rushed here desperately, in order to grasp the most real Jurchen military situation, he was really afraid that Guo Rong would lead the army south to help when he learned that the Jurchen Tatars were attacking. If the Jurchen Tartars came less, Guo Rong might be able to fight a battle to drive the Jurchen army and horses back when he went south. Now these Jurchen Tartars are so strong that they are forced to cross the dangerous place in winter!

Yingzhou must be defended to the death, so these thousands of Jurchen strong troops will turn back after most of the horses and mules starved to death, and I don't know if there will be half left. Otherwise, it can only be crushed by the army after the main force of the Shenwu Changsheng Army in the south comes up!

He looked back and wanted to choose the right way to get the message over as soon as possible. The thirteen beside Tian Qiong suddenly spoke: "I'll go!" I am familiar with the road, and I can also endure hardship. Immediately three years and three nights will not come down and endure it, don't go to Yingzhou for five days, I will not be able to die for four days! ”

Among the generals, many of them knew Thirteen, and they all laughed at the moment: "Thirteen is just right!" This kid will be a general in the future! ”

Tian Qiong muttered again: "The escape here is ............"

Wang Gui shook his head: "Burn the city, we can't control these enters............ Wait for Xiao Xianmo to lead the army to come and slaughter these Jurchen Tartars! ”

Saying that, he was just like Tian Qiong just now, and spat fiercely: "The Jurchen Tartar who can't be killed!" ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ fires rose again in the night. The dilapidated county seat of Shanyang was drowned in firelight.

A group of military horses of the Fuliao Army drove east from Shanyang County. But whoever has a horse is in the army.

The refugees who stayed in Shanyang County, after distributing the food abandoned in the army, left here calmly. Some of them followed the footsteps of the Fuliao army, and some of them walked in a daze, and even they didn't know where the safe place was, so that they could survive.

In the ranks of the marching army, Thirteen packed up the two healthy horses given to him, tied the horse's belly belt, filled it with a thousand grains, packed up the blades and bows, and was very busy.

Tian Qiong was beside him, a silent helper.

After being busy for a while, Thirteen took a breath and stopped, turning his head to look at the fire burning in Shanyang County. The still childish face is clearly illuminated.

“………… It would be nice if there were no Jurchen Tartars............ Wouldn't it be nice if there weren't so many fights............ Grandpa, are you really well fed and sleeping soundly in Bianliang, you don't need to carry a blade with you, and you are ready to fight at any time? ”

Tian Qiong nodded.

Thirteen asked again: "What kind of Xiao Xianmo, can he really defeat the Jurchen Tartars?" ”

Tian Qiong smiled: "Xiao Xianmo has never disappointed us. ”

Thirteen grinned: "Grandpa said yes, that's it............ Grandpa, I'm going. Wait for Xiao Xianmo to come, I will fight with him! ”

Tian Qiong rubbed his head: "Wait for Xiao Xianmo to come, first ask him to give you a name, thirteen or thirteen, it's too ugly." ”

Thirteen smirked: "I think it's good now............"

As he spoke, he crossed his hands and saluted Tian Qiong, turned over and got on his horse, whistled, and did not look back. The hooves of the two healthy horses whirred the snow and dust, and they flew away.

Tian Qiong looked at the back of the thirteen and shouted in his heart.

Xiao Xianmo, you are in Bianliang, don't forget about us who brought out the fighters! But don't forget, you said you were going to lead us to kill the Jurchen Tartars!

(To be continued)