Outside the canyon of the first line of sky.

Zhao Lanjiang looked at the surging river under his feet and was shocked. Not far away, Liang Yuanzhi, the chief soldier, had a pale face and a complicated expression, and he didn't know what was going on in his heart.

The flood came so quickly that almost everyone expected it.

If it weren't for Zhao Lanjiang to force him to order a retreat with a cross-cutting knife on Liang Yuanzhi's neck, I am afraid that the 50,000 Western Army would have been annihilated and drowned in this flood. Rao is like this, in the process of retreating, there are still nearly 600 soldiers behind the cushion who were swallowed up by the flood, and their life and death are uncertain.

Time was in a hurry, and 50,000 soldiers and horses did not have time to withdraw for thirty miles, so the soldiers divided into two roads and climbed the Shuangfeng Mountain to avoid danger.

Shuangfeng Mountain, located in the first line of the sky canyon outside five miles, about 100 zhang high, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, it was originally the place where the Western Army established the watchtower, because the shape is like a steamed bun, it is jokingly called the steamed bun mountain by those soldiers.

Liang Yuanzhi said dejectedly, "The Governor of Dadu ordered me to defend the first line of heaven no matter what, and now that the first line of heaven is lost, I will become a sinner of the Ming Dynasty." ”

Zhao Lanjiang said, "You are on the order of the Tiger Festival to transfer troops, and you have saved the lives of nearly 50,000 soldiers, what is the crime?"

"The imperial court doesn't think so, those imperial historians don't think so, they only choose to see the result they want to see, that is, Liang retreated without a fight, giving up a glimmer of heaven, Liang is not sorry to die, I am afraid that it will harm the governor. ”

Zhao Lanjiang glanced at him obliquely, "I didn't expect you to be quite loyal." ”

Liang Yuanzhi said, "I was originally born in Longxi, because I killed the son of a rich gentleman by mistake, fled to the western Xinjiang, and joined the army in desperation.

Zhao Lanjiang didn't know much about Liang Yuanzhi, but the look on his face didn't seem to be fake. He asked, "I heard rumors that there is an official price record in the upper steward of the Yuwen Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, from the fourth grade to the bottom, different ranks, and different prefectures have marked the price, regardless of talent, as long as you have money, you can buy 'official', but is there such a thing?"

Seeing that he didn't answer, Zhao Lanjiang didn't deny it, obviously acquiescing in this matter. He didn't bother too much and asked, "Mr. Liang, what should I do next?"

Liang Yuanzhi said, "Wait for the flood to recede, and recapture the first line of sky." ”

The flood forced the expeditionary army to retreat, but it also stopped the march route of the Western Chu army. However, when the mountains and rivers remain, the sediment is all piled up outside the city wall, and when the flood waters recedes, it will be difficult to repair it for a while.

These are still minor problems, the real problem is that the army retreated in a hurry, each person only brought two days' rations, and most of the grain and grass had been submerged in the stuffed rice barn. The nearest West Erwei is also thirty miles away, and if you want to support, you have to wait for the water to recede, which is not the work of three or five days.

At this time, a messenger came to report, "Lord Yu Zongbing, ten miles north of Shuangfeng Mountain, I found that the soldiers and horses of Western Chu are gathering here. ”

Liang Yuanzhi asked, "How many?"

"The specifics are unclear, but according to the scouts, there are at least 20,000 people. ”

Someone else came to report, "Lord Commander, five miles south of Shuangfeng Mountain, I found about 50,000 soldiers and horses in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, 3,000 cavalry, and 3,000 crossbowmen." ”

At the time of evacuation, in order to facilitate the evacuation, the four battalions of the wind forest volcano were separated, in addition to the scouts of the Fengzi battalion, the crossbowmen of the Huozi battalion and the Shanzi battalion were all on the north mountain and the south peak of Shuangfeng Mountain, there were only more than 20,000 infantry, and the Shuangfeng soldiers and horses were too single, if they really fought, I am afraid they would not have an advantage.

Liang Yuanzhi gave several orders one after another, and sent more than a dozen scouts to ask for help from the other guards.

Zhao Lanjiang stood beside him, without saying a word, and when he finished giving the order, he said, "If I am the commander of Western Chu or Northern Zhou, I will not attack at this stall, but cut off the supply between the twin peaks, encircle the point to send reinforcements, dig a trench, and when the grain and grass on the mountain are exhausted, I will naturally go down the mountain and fight, and when the time comes, I will wait for work and annihilate in one fell swoop." ”

Liang Yuanzhi's face was heavy and he said, "Reinforcements won't come." ”

"Why?"

Liang Yuanzhi said, "For hundreds of years, there have only been two roads connecting the two countries in the Hengduan Mountains, Hulukou and Yilintian, but folklore has it that there is a hidden path in the vast mountains that can lead to the two countries." Over the years, the Western Army has sent countless scouts, but they have never found this road, and now so many enemy soldiers and horses have quietly bypassed Hengduan Mountain, and it seems that they have found this road one step ahead of us. ”

He also analyzed, "This time, the 100,000 troops of Western Chu and 100,000 troops of Northern Zhou are less than one-third here, and the rest of the soldiers and horses must be waiting for an opportunity to move, and the western army of the Ming Dynasty is in danger. ”

Zhao Lanjiang saw that his eyes were full of sadness, and tried to suggest: "Maybe, there is still a glimmer of life." Liang Yuanzhi asked, "Why do you say this?"

Zhao Lanjiang said, "Hidden Yang City." ”

Speaking of Yinyang City, Liang Yuanzhi looked angry, "Li Xiancheng is a two-faced and treacherous person, he assassinated the Governor of Yuwen on the front foot, do you expect him to come to support us? Hmph, if the situation is not critical, Lao Tzu will be the first to kill him." ”

Zhao Lanjiang said, "Twenty years ago, Li Xiancheng was already in the Elephant Realm, and General Liang could move him?"

Liang Yuanzhi was speechless.

However, Zhao Lanjiang said, "I didn't expect Li Xiancheng to support us, now that he has defected to the Ming Dynasty and betrayed his promise, I am afraid that the people in Yinyang City are not aligned, if they can take advantage of the chaos to capture Yinyang City and conquer the western army to defend Yinyang, they may be able to have a glimmer of life." ”

Liang Yuanzhi said, "Even if you take Yinyang, what about 50,000 soldiers and horses, grain and grass?"

Zhao Lanjiang smiled, "Naturally, I borrowed it from City Lord Li." ”

Since last winter, Li Xiancheng has hoarded goods, robbed or robbed, and hoarded a large amount of grain and grass in Yinyang City, nearly one million quintals, if he can capture Yinyang City, the dilemma of grain and grass can naturally be solved.

There are 5,000 white horses in Yinyang City, and their duty is to guard the city, these people are Li Qiuyi's old department back then, and the relationship with Li Xiancheng is not good, and now while Li Xiancheng's foothold is not stable, it is the best time to attack the city.

Liang Yuanzhi said, "This place is a hundred miles away from Yinyang, and it is a hundred miles of tidal flats, if the troops are withdrawn to attack Yinyang, the Western Chu and Northern Zhou armies will chase and fight, but they will suffer from the enemy on their backs, and I am afraid that the whole army will be destroyed." ”

Zhao Lanjiang said, "You are the chief soldier, you are better at transferring troops to fight, you are better than me, since the Governor of Yuwen trusts you, you can't let him down, right?"

Liang Yuanzhi sighed, "I'm not afraid of the Western Chu Army, but the commander of the Northern Zhou Dynasty is very likely to be a Tuoba Niuren!"

Who are the Tuoba cattle people?

Known as the god of war of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the soldiers never play cards according to common sense, they complement each other, and they are good at blitzkrieg, harassment warfare, over the years, even Xue Huai, the king of Dingbei, has been beaten by him without temper, either abandon the city, or refuse to fight, if Yuwen Tianlu is in charge, there is still the courage to fight, Liang Yuanzhi is only a three-grade general soldier, how dare to confront the Tuoba cattle head-on?

What's more, Tuoba Niuren himself is also a master of the Tongxiang Realm, and he is also a top ten master in the rivers and lakes of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Zhao Lanjiang said with a smile, "It's just a Tuoba cow, and it's about to be the beginning of autumn." ”

"What does it matter?"

"It's windy in autumn and it's easy to brag about it. ”

He held the traverse knife in his hand, gathered his strength, and suddenly shouted, "Tuoba bragging, tonight, do you dare to fight with Zhao Lanjiang in Shuangfeng Mountain?"

The sound travels for miles, and the echo is endless.

"If you don't dare, go back to Northern Zhou, don't be embarrassed here!"

Zhao Lanjiang said it three times in a row.

On the Shuangfeng Mountain, the Western Army gave up a glimmer of heaven because of the flood, and the morale was very low.

Liang Yuanzhi exclaimed, "You want to challenge the Tuoba Cowman?"

Zhao Lanjiang shook his head and said, "No, I'm bragging." Please send me three hundred soldiers and horses, and after dark, I will go to Yinyang City overnight to find Li Xiancheng to borrow troops. ”

"Do you think he'll borrow it?"

Zhao Lanjiang said, "Using the word 'borrow' is just to be polite to him, whether to borrow or not, I'm afraid he can't help it, if he really doesn't borrow, then he has to rob it." ”

......

Northern Zhou camp tent.

Tuoba Niuren has a short body, a bald head, and a general's belly, looking like a ball of meat, but no one in the camp dares to underestimate him.

He fought more than 30 battles with the Ming Dynasty, never tasted defeat, and even captured the northern city, picked off Xue Huai's marshal helmet, in the Northern Zhou army, he was a god-like existence.

Moreover, he also has an identity, that is, the Northern Zhou royal family.

People who dare to call the god of war are not necessarily gods.

But if you dare to call a cow man, it must be a cow man.

Tuoba cattle people are not close to women, do not like money, and only have one hobby, that is, eating. The more he is in battle, the more he can eat, so his combat meetings are generally full of food.

At this moment, more than ten people gathered in the camp, in addition to the senior generals of the Northern Zhou military, there were also three people from the rivers and lakes of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, these three people were the main Feng Chitose and Lang Dazui of the Yin and Yang Two Banners where Zhang Tianshi of the Northern Zhou Dynasty sit, and Chun Yuying, the Jade Rakshasa Chun Yuying.

When Tuoba Niu was eating, everyone didn't dare to open their mouths to disturb, and even Zhao Lanjiang provoked just now, but they all chose to be silent.

After eating two legs of mutton, Tuoba Niuren wiped his hands on his body, and then asked, "Who is this Zhao Lanjiang?"

Feng Chitose said, "Marshal Tuoba, this person ......"

Tuoba Cowman interrupted, "Don't call me Marshal, either call me God of War or call me Oxman!"

The rest of the generals have long been accustomed to the style of this marshal and don't care, but Feng Chitose is full of muttering in his heart, this time to attack the Ming army, he was ordered by the Heavenly Master Dao, came to help, in the rivers and lakes, their status is respected, who expected to come to the army, no one in the whole army takes them seriously, which makes them feel a big gap in their hearts.

Feng Chitose changed his words and said, "The god of war of the cattle man, Zhao Lanjiang is ......"

Tuoba Niu said again, "Forget it, you still call me marshal." ”

Chitose Kaze: "......"

Tuoba Niuren grabbed a toothpick and picked his teeth, looked at Feng Chitose and said, "Why don't you continue?"

"My subordinates don't know what to say. ”

Tuoba Niuren said disdainfully, "Heavenly Master Dao is in vain to call the Great Zhou State Religion, how can I send you a group of wastes over?" Zida, you can talk about this Zhao Lanjiang." ”

A staff general in charge of collecting intelligence came out and said, "Zhao Lanjiang, the deputy guerrilla of the Fengzi Battalion of the former Western Army, commanded the scout troops, once captured the former prince Xiang of Western Chu, known as the wolf of Hengduan Mountain, left the Western Army four years ago, mixed the rivers and lakes of the Central Plains, and made friends with Xiao Jinyan, the younger brother of Li Chuntie of Dengwen Academy, and Li Chengcheng, the third young master of the Li family in Jinling, and it is said that he got the inheritance of the golden knife Li Qiuyi. ”

Tuoba Niuren smiled, "General Ma Shen is right, come, add chicken legs!"

A servant handed a chicken leg to the general surnamed Ma, and after the general Ma took the thanks, he actually gnawed it in public, and the rest of the generals were full of envy, and they could be appreciated by the marshal, and what a great honor it was, and only the triumphant general had this honor before.

The general added, "Half a year ago, in Fuling, I fought with the king of the golden gong, Feng Chitose, and cut off the golden gong of Feng Chitose with one sword. ”

Feng Chitose listened to this man talk about the fight between the two, his face was flushed, and he was ashamed.

Tuoba Niuren glanced at Feng Chitose, and said to the horse, "Zida, even you have investigated this, you are really capable, come, add a chicken leg!"

Ma Shen took three or two bites and ate the chicken leg.

Tuoba Niu asked, "This kid surnamed Zhao, scolding and fighting across the mountain, naming and saying that he wants to challenge me, do you think I should fight?"

Ma Sam shook his head.

"Are you saying that I shouldn't fight? Lao Tzu is also the god of war, and he was scolded by a junior to fight, and he shrunk in the camp tent as a turtle, wouldn't he become that Xue Huai?"

General Ma shook his head again.

"You mean, General Ma, I need your advice!"

General Ma said, "Marshal, I don't dare to say. ”

"Why?"

"I can't eat it. ”

Tuoba Niuren nodded, walked out of the tent, and said loudly, "Junior, surnamed Zhao, wash your neck, and wait for Lao Tzu to cut it down for you at night!"

One of his subordinates exclaimed, "Marshal, your status is noble, you must not risk your life and fight against that nobody, our army of 100,000 still needs you to be in charge!"

General Ma Shen explained with a smile, "General Lexa, you have been following the marshal for a relatively short time, if he really wants to fight, he will definitely not say it, and once he says it, it will naturally not fight." ”

Lexa was originally the defender of the Northern Zhou Dynasty in Hengduan Mountain, this time the Northern Zhou and Western Chu joined forces, and the Northern Zhou royal family temporarily dispatched Tuoba Niuren from the Northern Line to sit in the town, and he had to obediently hand over the command.

Tuoba Niuren laughed, "I still understand me, come, add chicken legs!"

Poof!

Ma Shen fell to the ground on his back, foaming at the mouth, and pretended to be dead.

Tuoba Cowman said to himself, "He is the wolf of Hengduan Mountain, I am a Tuoba Cowman, the wolf eats the cow, I have committed a taboo, I want to fight with me, and there is no door!"

When he saw Feng Chitose, he was angry in his heart, the imperial court sent him to attack the Ming army, but he sent a few juniors of the Heavenly Master Dao to get in the way, he didn't dare to offend Zhang Tianshi, but he was not so polite to Feng Chitose.

"Feng Chitose, Zhao Lanjiang is on Shuangfeng Mountain, such a good opportunity, don't you want to seek revenge on him?"

Feng Chitose clenched his fists, and his eyes showed hatred, "May Marshal Dai fight!"

Tuoba Bullman shook his finger, "No, no, no, you are not fighting for me, but for yourself! By the way, your golden gong is broken, do you have any blades? If not, I'll give you one." ”

Whispering a few words to a subordinate, after a while, the man carried an iron pot over, and Tuoba Niuren took it, and the hard iron pot was like a noodle in his hand, and he kneaded it, and finally kneaded it into a round shield.

Tuoba Niu said, "This pot is made of Edman alloy, it is extremely hard, Mr. Feng, I wish you a successful opening tonight, please take the pot!"

Chitose said, "I will definitely succeed!"

Tuoba Niuren waved his hand, "Go, go, success or failure, it's a good thing!"