In the winter month, the snow in Henan is falling, and the river surfaces of the Yi and Luo rivers are frozen, as if the whole world is frozen, and everything has slowed down.

Yanshi County, which was in the rebels' sphere of influence, was very silent until a group of rebel horses' hooves stepped across the ice street and headed straight for the county office.

"Prime Minister Gao is here, and the county officials are coming to greet him!"

The reason why it is called "Prime Minister" is because the founding ceremony of the Great Yan Dynasty is in full swing, and the edict of Ren Gaoshang has been written, and everyone is in a mood of impatience.

Soon, two men dressed in Dayan official robes rushed out and saluted the first person.

"Lu Longjun's school, acting as a teacher, Zhu Xicai, has seen Prime Minister Gao."

Zhu Xicai has a great figure and has the momentum of a martial artist, but his martial arts are actually average, just beautiful. He was the general of the rebel general Li Huaixian, and because of his ability to climb the relationship, he was willing to spend money, and sought the official position of the Gyeonggi County Commander at the beginning of the founding of Dayan.

Behind Zhu Xicai was a thin middle-aged man, his demeanor was timid, although he was wearing an official robe, he seemed to be an entourage, he stepped in front of the nobleman, bent down deeply, and said, "Yanshi County Lieutenant Zhao Chongyi, meet the prime minister." ”

Gao Shang didn't look at the two of them, walked inside, sat down in the flower hall, and asked, "Have you captured Shouyang Mountain?" ”

The reason why he agreed to appoint Zhu Xicai as the commander of Yanshi County was that he was a military general, with more than 1,000 troops under his command, and he could preside over the offensive against Shouyang Mountain in his absence.

Two months ago, he learned that Xue Bai led his troops to Yongqiu, so he personally led his troops eastward, intending to annihilate Xue Bai in a battle, but he did not expect that when he arrived, Xue Bai would lead more than 10,000 Tang troops to attack Chenliu.

As a result, in the past two months, Gao Shang has rectified more than 40,000 troops of the rebel army, and has fought more than 100 battles with the Tang army between Chenliu and Yongqiu, attacking and defending each other.

What shocked him was that Xue Bai was actually proficient in the art of war, the tactics were used freely, the strategy was endlessly changing, and the more he fought, the stronger he became, perhaps because the initial leader was not skilled, and he was unfamiliar with the soldiers, as the war progressed, the military discipline of the Tang army became stricter, the morale became more and more high, and the command became smoother, defensive warfare, ambush warfare, night raid warfare, counterattack warfare, and pursuit warfare, which made the rebels clumsy to deal with, and even, Chenliu County was almost captured by the Tang army.

But gradually, Gao Shang also heard from some captives that Xue Bai was not in the Tang army.

In this regard, he did not believe that, first, Xue Bai's banner stood high opposite, and second, the military talent and military talent displayed by the generals of the Tang Army were by no means something that unknown people could do.

Gao Shang gritted his teeth countless times, almost crushing his teeth, vowing to defeat Xue Bai. But An Lushan's edict summoned him back, and Dayan will soon establish a country, and he, the father, must be there. He had no choice but to take a look at the big banner with the word "Xue" on the head of Yongqiu City at the end and rushed to Luoyang.

Passing by Yanshi, it is inevitable to care about Shouyang Mountain, which has not been attacked for a long time.

Faced with the noble question, Zhu Xicai couldn't answer, so he had to turn his head and glance at Zhao Chongyi behind him.

"Back to Prime Minister." Zhao Chongyi replied respectfully: "The thief is based on Shouyang Mountain and holds on to it with firearms. Our army originally suffered heavy casualties every time it attacked the mountain, and the county order was repeatedly defeated and battled, so we finally thought of a way, trained the dead soldiers, and prepared to make a detour to climb the northern cliff and surprise attack Luhun Mountain Villa. ”

Zhu Xicai nodded again and again and said, "Prime Minister, that's exactly the case." ”

Shouyang Mountain is not a lonely mountain, but the highest peak of the Pishan Mountain Range in the east, between the mountains, and the Yellow River in the north, which is not easy to attack.

Gao Shang didn't beat it down himself, and he didn't plan to embarrass Zhu Xicai too much. After a few more words, they asked them to arrange food and lodging for him, rest for the night and then set off for Luoyang.

He didn't live in the inn in Yanshi City, because it had been set on fire, and he didn't like fire so much that he felt unsafe. Zhao Chongyi settled him in the county government, and there was no stove in the house, only a few more bedding.

After settling down, Zhao Chongyi was about to leave, when Gao Shang suddenly called out.

"Zhao Liu."

"Yes." Zhao Chongyi stopped, his nose opened slightly, he took two deep breaths silently, turned around, and asked cautiously: "Prime Minister, do you arrange a few beautiful maids to warm up your body?" ”

"No, sit down." Gao Shang said: "You are now a county lieutenant, how can you still behave like a cheap official?" ”

Zhao Chongyi carefully sat down opposite Gao Shang, because the room was dark, he subconsciously wanted to light a candle, but he stopped because Gao Shang was afraid of fire. He didn't need to look at Gao Shang's ugly face, which was burned to the bottom of his face, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"The villain is afraid, the lower officials are afraid, and everyone else is following the king of Dongping County...... The Yuan Cong hero who followed His Majesty, but the lower official was a small official, and he was reused just because he was attached, and the lower official always felt that he was unworthy. ”

"Fear of what? The reason why we rebelled was to shout 'The king will be Xiangning, there is a kind of thing?' 'I was young and poor, not only poor, but lowly to the soil, my aunt was old, and I had to beg for food in order to feed me. Zhao Liu, your family has been a member for generations, and in terms of background, you are much better than me. And I only have one more ambition than you, I once said, 'It is better to die than to bite the grass roots to live', and now it has finally been done! ”

In the darkness, the noble eyes were glowing slightly, and they seemed a little excited.

"Your Majesty was originally just a Hu man who grazed outside the fortress, but now he is the Ninth Five. Dayan is such a brand-new court that does not ask about its background and allows lowly people to wait for the prime minister! Stand up straight and don't have to grovel before me. ”

Zhao Chongyi straightened his waist obediently.

Gao Shang smiled slightly with satisfaction and said, "I know, it was Xue Bai who promoted you from the concierge to the county magistrate Cao." ”

"Prime Minister, the name of the lower official is ...... you gave it"

"You don't have to explain." The noble tone was firm, "Don't use suspicious people, don't doubt people." If I dare to use you, I believe that your heart will be on my side. People like Xue Bai don't understand, he just thinks that you are a great kindness and virtue if you are promoted from a miscellaneous servant to a county official, but I promote you to an official, which is a world of difference. We are the people all the way, and only by doing things for me can you trample others under your feet. ”

"Yes, the prime minister is rebuilt with the next official."

Every time Gao Shang came to Yanshi, he would think of the time when he had entered a scholar from a pariah, and his emotions came up, so he chatted a little more, and after expressing his chest, he was happy and said, "You have to have confidence in Dayan, go down." ”

"Well, I hope that Enxiang will rest early, don't work too hard for state affairs, the lower officials will definitely assist the county order to capture Shouyang Mountain."

Zhao Chongyi received some teaching, but he became more and more reverent and humble, and put the noble shoes on the ground like a servant before retiring.

Gao Shang was satisfied with his attitude and nodded.

~~

Before dawn, smoke rose in the backyard of the county government, and Zhao Chongyi specially instructed the kitchen to cook the noble favorite stewed noodle soup.

Outside the window, there was a lot of snow, and a bowl of warm sour soup was quite pleasant.

After Gao Shang eat, he was not in a hurry to rush to Luoyang immediately, but ordered: "Go to Shouyang Mountain to have a look." ”

He was very familiar with this part of the road, and rode his horse to the north for more than an hour, looking up to see the towering mountains in the wind and snow, and the camp of soldiers and horses surrounding the mountain was at the foot of the mountain, but there was still some distance from the mountain road.

"Be careful, the thieves have set up boulder cannons on the mountain, and sometimes they can hit this place."

Gao Shang stationed on the horse, observed for a while, and found that he had been away for two months, and the offensive on Shouyang Mountain had not advanced. Instead, many troops were withdrawn and blocked instead.

Zhu Xicai felt the noble displeasure, and stepped forward and said, "Prime Minister, after all, this is a nest of thieves. Although there are many soldiers and horses in the Great Yan Kingdom, now is not the time to suppress the bandits. I have blocked the main road down the mountain, and cut them off of food and grass, so that sooner or later they will be trapped to death. ”

"Such a big mountain forest, you trapped them to death?"

Zhu Xicai didn't dare to answer, thinking that this nest of thieves didn't do anything except defend Shouyang Mountain, and Gao Weifu was too fussful.

In fact, Shouyang Mountain has not been captured, precisely because it is not a strategic location, and Xue Bai's private soldiers have never come down from the mountain since the rebels arrived. Only terrible traps and tight defenses stand in the way into the mountains, and if you don't provoke it, you will be fine.

Gao Shang squinted, glanced at the stretching mountains, and suddenly said, "You say, how about arson to burn it to the ground?" ”

"This is Bishan!" Zhu Xicai exclaimed.

Although Shouyang Mountain is in the east, it also belongs to the Bishan Mountain Range, and there are many emperors buried in the Pishan Mountain, only Zhu Xicai has heard of the eight Zhou kings of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty since he took office, there are five emperors of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the two Wei Emperors of the Three Kingdoms and the queen of Wu and Shu, etc.

"The mountains and forests are all connected, don't set fire, once it burns to the emperor's mausoleum......"

"I don't care about any emperor." Gao Shang sneered: "I'm a pariah, and since I've rebelled, why should I be afraid of a few dead emperors?" ”

This is arrogant, but Zhu Xicai doesn't think so, he doesn't think that the rebellion has anything to do with burning the mountain, anyway, he can't do it.

Fortunately, Gao Shang only spoke, and did not set fire to it today, but took out a letter from his sleeve and asked in public which soldier dared to be a messenger, and soon a soldier with good conversation came out of the ranks.

"The main general guarding the mountain must be Fan Gao, tell him that he is a letter from the old man, Dayan will soon establish a country, and I will give him a chance to be the founder of the country one last time."

"Whoa!"

The messenger answered, and immediately ran into the path of the mountain, and soon disappeared into the woods...... Gao Shang waited until late afternoon, and never saw him come down again.

The wind blows and the snow falls, and the world is lonely.

"Prime Minister, are you leaving?"

"Let's go." Gao Shang still has to rush to Luoyang, and he has to set off.

At this moment, a group of fast horses came galloping from the west, and the two teams met head-on, shouting from a distance on the opposite side: "Gao Shang can be here?!" ”

Gao Shang saw that An Lushan's will had arrived, so he turned over and dismounted, greeted him, and responded: "The minister is here." ”

Although An Lushan has not yet been proclaimed emperor, there is no shortage of eunuchs around him, some of them are the original ones in the Ziwei Palace in Luoyang, and the other part is just entered the palace to serve. Although the eunuch who came to deliver the decree today is old, his voice is very sharp, he should have been castrated before the voice change, and he belonged to the Luoyang Palace City.

However, it is such a cheap slave who has been reused just because of his attachment, and he dares to put up a stand in front of the noble Yuan Cong hero.

"Your Majesty has a decree and a will, and you will receive it noblely."

"The minister takes the order."

Gao Shang forked his hand and answered, waited for a while, and saw that the old eunuch was holding Huang Aya high with one hand, and never spoke, only stared at him, and was stunned for a while to understand, so he had to kneel on the ground and said again: "The minister accepts the order." ”

"You shit!" The old eunuch suddenly pinched his hand and pointed at it, imitating An Lushan's angry tone, and scolded: "You and Yan Zhuang spoke well at the beginning, but now it's not what you and others are talking about, and you dare to be prime minister?" Get lost! Hugh will see you again. ”

Gao Shang was stunned at first, and then he realized that this was a rumor, and he hurriedly made a panicked look.

Then, the imperial silk was handed to him, and he took it with both hands, and when he unfolded it, he saw that it was really a will to scold him.

"Thou shalt be perfect with me, and thou shalt be fearless. Now the four sides are here, only Zheng and Bianshu still exist, to the west to the pass, one step is not passed, Hebei is gone, where is everything? ! You don't even need to see me! ”

An Lushan has always been short-tempered and willful, and in the past, he only felt that the prince was really temperamental, and he was persuaded when he encountered something. Now that the throne is about to be enthroned, it is very inappropriate to still lose your temper like this.

Gao Shang's eyebrows were raised, he stood up, rolled the scroll in his hand at random, and asked, "Dare to ask the envoy, who drafted the unintentional words of the saint into a will?" Do you want to shake the morale of the army and divide the minister?! ”

The old eunuch was not afraid of him, took two steps forward, and asked in a low but serious voice: "Do you know how angry Your Majesty is?" ”

Gao Shang's heart trembled, and he could feel An Lushan's terrible anger.

The current situation facing the rebels is indeed very serious......

~~

Dusk, Yanshi County.

Gao Shang, who was originally going to Luoyang, returned to the county seat.

That night, Zhu Xicai put two pots of wine, recruited Zhao Chongyi to drink a few glasses together, and then asked, "Have you seen today's events?" ”

"This ...... I have never seen a clear distinction. ”

"Our saint is sometimes a little short-tempered."

"The county must not speak falsely, if others hear it, it will be a reprimand for the great sin of taking advantage of public opinion."

"I don't care about 'reprimanding public opinion', and we don't play this game." Zhu Xicai said: "What I'm afraid of is that the current situation is really not very good." Hebei was lost, Tongguan could not be attacked, and the Tang army was pressing forward step by step in the east. ”

Zhao Chongyi said: "This is all temporary, and the county does not need to worry." ”

"I'm worried."

Zhu Xicai sighed with emotion, poured Zhao Chongyi a few glasses of wine, and when he was a little drunk, Fang said: "Xue Bai, the commander of the Tang Army in the east, has an old relationship with you, right?" ”

Zhao Chongyi was picking up vegetables, so frightened that his chopsticks fell to the ground, and hurriedly said, "What does the county zun mean?" Prime Minister Gao gave me an official body, this is a great favor. ”

"An official must have a life to be a man." Zhu Xicai whispered: "I mean, if the situation changes...... Count me in? ”

Zhao Chongyi shook his head and said, "What the county zun said, I just didn't hear it tonight." Drunk and couldn't hear clearly. ”

With that, he didn't dare to drink any more, and staggered out.

After returning to the residence, Zhao Chongyi opened the window and peeked back, but no one was staring, so he quietly went out and went to the courtyard where Gao Shang lived again, whispering, asking to see Gao Shang overnight.

"What?"

Gao Shang didn't seem to be asleep, and got up from the couch, his voice still very clear.

"Enxiang, Zhu County's order seems to be shaken." Zhao Chongyi bowed forward and carefully told what happened tonight.

"Short-sighted." Gao Shang lightly commented on Zhu Xicai.

"Yes."

"What about you? Unshaken? ”

"To tell you the truth, I don't want to lose this official body." Zhao Chongyi said, "I came from a humble background, unlike Xue Bai, who has nepotism to cling to. The county lieutenant is a starting official for him, but the lower official is a glorious ancestor. The lower officials would rather die than live as a lowly official again. ”

"Smart, Xue Bai has been wanted by the faint king, look at it, the Tang army in the east will soon be defeated."

Gao Shang had already thought about it before he left for Luoyang this time, and he slowed down his oppression of Yongqiu County a little, which was also an opportunity for the Tang army to fight.

I didn't expect Zhao Liu to be able to understand these situations.

"Go ahead."

"The lower official retired, please rest in peace."

When Zhao Chongyi retreated, Gao Shang did not rest, but invited his henchmen to whisper a few words, and after a while, Zhu Xicai arrived.

"I've seen the prime minister."

"Zhao Liu has been here." Gao Shang said, "He has withstood my test." ”

Zhu Xicai said: "Yes, Xiaguan has not found out that he has any contact with Shouyang Mountain. ”

"It seems that it will not be possible to use him to conquer Shouyang Mountain."

The reason why Gao Shang used Zhao Liu's porter was not because of his humble background from the beginning, and there were many humble people in the world, and he couldn't pity it. He just thought that Zhao Liu might be a secret stake left by Shouyang Mountain in Yanshi County, so he planned and promoted him to the county lieutenant.

"That's it, just harvest a loyal dog."

"Yes."

"And you." Gao Shang glanced at Zhu Xicai lightly and said, "Don't worry, although the Tang Army is numerous, it is only a rabble." Although the saint annoys me for a while, he will be reused to me in less than three days, after his anger has subsided. ”

"Xiaguan has always been very relieved."

~~

Gao Shang is very determined, at most three days, An Lushan will inevitably send someone to summon him back to Luoyang.

Because this kind of thing has happened too many times in the past, An Lushan has always been a little childish, and his anger comes and goes quickly. He should stay in Yanshi County and try to conquer Shouyang Mountain.

But on this day, before he left the city, a cavalry rushed back from outside the city, and said, "There is a troop of soldiers and horses from the south." ”

"What's going on?"

"It was discovered by the sentry who was martyred by Wu Ling, saying that he encountered signs of army marching in the area of Wan'an Mountain, and I don't know which way it was."

"When?"

"Two days ago."

Noble thinking may have the possibility that the Tang army wants to attack Luoyang.

In this regard, he had to face it carefully, so he recruited his own personal army commander and said: "You take someone back to Luoyang to remind the saint to guard against a sneak attack by the Tang army." If you can't see the saint, you must report it to the solemnity. ”

"Whoa!"

"One more thing." Gao Shang took two steps, leaned over, lowered his voice, and said, "Let Yan Zhuang check if there are any Tang Ting's fine works around the sage." Who is the author of the edict that asks me? Start with this matter. ”

"Whoa!"

After the order, I could already see the southern sky, and a black line appeared in the heavy snow like a tide, and the noble and calm said, "You don't have to pay attention to it, go quickly." ”

Sending off his own soldiers, he stood on the edge of the battlements and looked at the soldiers and horses coming from afar, guessing which Tang army it was, Nanyang was too guarding Lu Jiong? Yingchuan is too guarded to come to Yao? Xiangyang is too guarded by Wei Zhongxi?

No matter who it was, his luck was not very good, and he happened to meet him noble in Yanshi County......

~~

At the same time, Luoyang.

The Ming Hall is still standing tall and can be seen from afar at the Luoyang City Gate.

Tian Qianzhen came back from the Tongguan battlefield to report the military situation, and when he entered the city, he first wanted to see Gao Shang, and then he would meet An Lushan together, so he heard that Gao Shang and Yan Zhuang were reprimanded, so he had to hurry to Ziwei Palace to ask for a meeting.

He grew up under the watchful eye of An Lushan in the Fan Yang Army since he was a child, and he was strong in martial arts and brave in battle, which was quite liked by An Lushan, and he successfully entered the palace.

"Hao is here."

An Lushan was trying on his dragon robe, but his eyes were worried, and as soon as they met, he couldn't wait to ask, "Can Tongguan still be captured?" ”

"Yes!" Tian Qianzhen said: "According to reliable military information, Ge Shuhan is seriously ill, and the military will be handed over to Tian Liangqiu, and the Tang Army's military orders are inconsistent, and we will win." ”

"Really? You're not comforting me? ”

In fact, how can it be said accurately about the war, Tian Qian is really comforting An Lushan, but he can know An Lushan's intentions.

"Really. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, since ancient times, emperors have won and lost before becoming a big thing, how can they succeed in one fell swoop? Although there are many Tang soldiers and horses on all sides, they are all newly recruited rabble, and they are far from being as elite as Fan Yang like us. Even if it doesn't work out, tens of thousands of people will be collected, and they can run rampant in the world, tearing the ground, who is afraid of it?! ”

Tian Qian is really a young man, and his words are full of sharpness, which makes An Lushan laugh a lot.

He then took the opportunity to excuse his nobility and solemnity.

"Mr. Gao and Mr. Yan are both heroes who have followed His Majesty for many years, if you don't see them, let the generals know, and people's hearts are shaken, then it is really dangerous."

"Ah Hao also knows that my temper comes up, and I can't stop anything."

The reason why An Lushan issued an edict to scold the noble and solemn was because he heard the news that all kinds of wars were not going well, and he thought that these two people persuaded him to rebel, but as a result, his eldest son An Qingzong was beheaded by Li Longji, and the situation was not going well, so he hated to kill the two to vent his anger.

Although he was terrible when he was angry, he lost his anger and returned to his cute appearance, holding his stomach and saying sadly: "Now that I have scolded and scolded, what should I do?" ”

"Your Majesty, why don't you set up a banquet and invite them back?"

"Okay."

An Lushan stroked the dragon robe on his body, thinking that he had to use his capable ministers to help him become the emperor, so he said: "Then Yi Ahao, I will set up a banquet to entertain them and sing to them in person." ”

……

As Gao Shang expected, even within two days, An Lushan had already lost his anger and wanted to continue to reuse him.

On the same day, a decree was sent from Luoyang to Yanshi.

~~

Yanshi County.

With noble orders one after another, the defenders of the city are methodically dealing with the rushing enemy army.

Collect the suspension bridge, close the city pass, light the beacon fire, beat the drum, chaotic and orderly.

"Quick! Smash the ice out of the water! ”

Noble strode to the trebuchet and shouted at the soldiers, who filled the stones and squeaked.

Suddenly, someone raised his hand and pointed to the heavy snow outside the city, and said, "Prime Minister, look! ”

The sound of horses' hooves was getting closer and closer, and the Tang army finally ran to the south bank of Luoshui.

After that, a half-rolled banner was unfurled by Shuofeng.

Gao Shang squinted, and his pupils showed disbelief.

"Xue?"

Although there are countless generals surnamed Xue in the world, he has a premonition in his heart that he is afraid that it will be Xue Bai. But if it was Xue Bai who came, who was the one who had been fighting with him for two months between Chen Liu and Yongqiu?

He rolled his eyes slightly, and saw another flag, with the words "Changshan Taishou" written on it.

With a hunch, he muttered, "How is it possible? Impossible...... It's good. ”

After only a moment of shock, Gao Shang had calmed down, and thought to himself that it was just time to compete with Xue Bai and avenge the burning of his body back then.

He had been waiting for this day, for a long time.

Under the city, there were armored generals who came out of the ranks, rode their horses to the edge of Luoshui, did not step on the ice, but looked up at Yanshi County...... Although it was far away, Gao Shang knew that Xue Bai was here.

He burst out laughing and shouted.

"Xue Bai! Just in time, you are destined to die at my hands! ”

The shouting was so loud that it shook the snow off the battlements, and Noble couldn't hear the boots behind him step on the snow.

Until someone called out to him.

"Eun-sang."

Gao Shang turned around and saw that it was Zhao Chongyi who came, followed by a team of people.

He said: "Zhao Liu, put on armor for me......

"Poof."

The dagger has pierced into the noble chest without mercy.

He froze, frozen, as if frozen by the cold of winter.

In the distance, Zhu Xicai was standing there, eagerly taking off the official robe of the Great Yan Dynasty in the heavy snow.

"For ...... What? Gao Shang muttered, "I gave you a name......

"You said that you came from a humble background, and you want to take me to trample others under your feet."

At this moment, Zhao Chongyi actually pulled out the dagger and stabbed it again.

"But, you've trampled me underfoot, so get out of the way."

Gao Shang only felt very trance, he didn't hear what Zhao Chongyi was saying, and he heard the squeaky gate open again, presumably Xue Bai would soon enter the city.

His opponent is Xue Bai, not Zhao Liu in front of him. Zhao Liu, a handyman, a porter, is just a nobody.

Gao Shang tried hard to turn his head and look at Xue Bai again, the one who was really worthy of being his enemy.

"Poof."

Another puddle of blood fell on the white snow......

(End of chapter)