Royal Road

Liu Gongchuan is very powerful. Although riding on a horse does not require much physical effort, his breathing is heavy, like a bellows next to a forge, blazing flames from inside to outside. The wind poured into the throat along the nose and mouth, and blocked the sound channel. He could only ride the horse desperately, and led his men toward the deep mountain road.

Three hundred steps, five hundred steps, one thousand steps...

"Stop! Dismount the horse and lie in wait!" Liu Gong grabbed the horse's rein severely and stopped at a pass. It is wide on the outside and narrow on the inside. It is trumpet-shaped, and there are mountain covers on both sides. It is a good place for ambushes.

"One team takes the bow, the other holds the crossbow, and the others lie in ambush on both sides, listen to my orders!" Liu Gong jumped off his horse and took out the longbow. Others don't need to give more orders. Those who are good at bows will take the bows, and those with weak physical strength or injured arms will switch to hand crossbows and lie in ambush in the bushes beside the ridge.

How long can four hundred people block the enemy army? How much can you survive? The general entrusted him with the task of setting up ambush and stayed behind to cut off himself. If he can't finish the ambush, how can he face to meet the general? !

Leaning against a tree, Liu Gong blinked fiercely and squeezed out the dampness that was in the way. At this moment, the slowness of time is unbearable. Everyone forgets tiredness and holds their breath.

Soon, there was a rush of horseshoes in the mountain road. At the forefront is a Wusun horse, whose body is no longer visible, the gray is dust, and the brown is blood. He was carrying on his back, and the one behind him was bloodied, like an evil spirit. More than a hundred people rushed through the pass without stopping for a while. Behind, there was a more messy sound of horseshoes, thunderous, shaking the valley.

Liu Gongman pulled the bowstring, but did not immediately let go. When the four or five hundred fierce and violent forwards rushed out of the narrow path, they shouted.

"Let's release the arrow!"

The sound is the same string, and the arrow flows like rain. Hundreds of arrows are densely packed, attacking the enemy! In the narrow path, many enemies fell down. At this moment, the enemy troops who rushed out of the pass were shocked. Just as they were about to bow their bows to fight back, the soldiers ambushing on both sides also rushed out. Suddenly, the sound of killing and screaming was endless.

With a click, Yi Yan folded the arrow shaft that pierced the armor, turned the horse's head again, and rushed back. This time, instead of taking the knife and holding the gun, he took out the strong bow and suddenly pulled it to the full. The blood flowed down the arrow buried in the flesh, but his hand did not tremble at all. Hearing only a sharp cry, among the enemy army, a screaming captain slammed down his horse. Then came the second, the third... Following his movements, the archer who was lying on the side also began to nod his head with his bow and crossbow.

Without the general commanding in the center, the enemy line became more and more chaotic. Many people wanted to retreat, but the narrow passage was mostly blocked by human corpses and horses. When you are cowardly, you die faster. The more than a thousand rear troops stranded on the mountain road were also bluffed by the offensive, and they hesitated to step forward.

With the enemy dead in front of him seven or eighty-eight, Yi Yan retracted his bow and said loudly: "Withdraw!"

It would take a lot of time to cross the mountain road and pursue it again. This is the best time for them to get rid of the enemy.

An opportunity for life in exchange.

Following the order, more than 900 people once again stepped on horsebacks, headed south, and fled to wherever they came.

※

There is also a soldier and horse, also fleeing.

In just two days, Duan Ji's Lujuan's mouth was scorched, and his heart was anxious and angry. He couldn't take care of Wang Chang's thoughts. The previous battle at Leping really knocked out his last arrogance.

And the state army is too strong!

This is not about defending the city or taking a sneak attack. It is an upright army confrontation. The methods that I have seen before have not been compromised by this, but they have been countless times stronger! As long as the thought of the crossbow formations like migratory locusts and the sharp peaks like dense forests made him feel fear. Such pawns are really not even afraid of cavalry!

It couldn't be attacked, and it couldn't be defeated. On the contrary, because the opponent's division was Qingqi, a lot of troops were lost. How can Duan Ji and Lu's family still risk staying in Bingzhou? The fastest way to return is to go north to Yanmen. However, this detour, even if they were all cavalry, would take a few more days to return to Youzhou.

There is no food and grass, and there is a way to escape from chasing soldiers. Which is the battle Xianbei Iron Cavalry should fight? !

But what can Duan Ji Lujuan have? Once Wang Jun died, Youzhou was afraid that it would be chaotic. In the chaos, any force is valuable. If Wang Yu inherited Wang Jun's family business, the relationship between the Duan family and the Wang family may continue for some time. If it were Wang Zhou's yellow-mouthed kid, things would be difficult to tell.

It's all because Wang Jun is too greedy. If you don't move Bingzhou, maybe it won't be so troublesome.

Regardless of what he thought of when he attacked Bingzhou, Duan Ji and Lu Jun secretly pushed all the sins on Wang Jun's head. For Wang Chang, the supervisor, he became more and more negligent. Most of the Youzhou soldiers in Wang Chang's hands were lost, and now they all rely on the Duan Clan's Xianbei for their fleeing. How dare you talk nonsense? It is rare for the two to reach an agreement on the commanding force. I don't care about anything else, I just want to escape from Bingzhou.

I don't know if there are too few cavalry in Binzhou, or the other party's intention to stick to it is more important. Although the gates were closed everywhere along the way, there were not many chasing soldiers. When the army finally jumped out of the border of Bingzhou and entered Youzhou, Duan Ji and Lujuan were relieved. As long as you return to Youzhou, it will be much easier, and you will always be able to collect food and grass. As for the guilt of the big defeat, Wang Chang stood in front of him, so what else is he afraid of? Just to quickly discuss with his father, this time they Duan Xianbei, how to act...

The expeditionary army, from the commander to the pawns, all loosened their tense heartstrings and began to consolidate their troops to receive food. A soldier and horse appeared silently on their flanks.

"That group of dogs finally arrived?" Tuoba Yulu spit out the stalk of grass in his mouth, stretched his waist, "How many soldiers and horses are there?"

"It's less than 50,000. Moreover, there is a shortage of food and grass, and I am receiving food everywhere." The scout quickly said.

Paying grain is a more elegant way of saying that, but it is to force the counties to open warehouses and prepare grain for them. But they came to the wrong place. After several months of expansion, the Tuoba Tribe has controlled three of the four counties of the prefecture, and can regain the whole territory with only a short distance. The biggest obstacle is Duan's Xianbei. Now this group of tired soldiers slammed into their hands, even if they were not entrusted by Liang Shijun, they would still fight.

What's more, Liang Shijun is really generous. Early on, it was pointed out that Youzhou would be in great chaos, whether it was the site or the property, let them take it. In this battle, how can we also expand some territory and occupy Guangning County, which is next to Dai County, right? Going further north, you will find the sites of the Duan, Yuwen, and Murong clan. If these tribes can be annexed, how strong should the Tuoba clan be?

It was a wise move for my uncle to form an alliance with the Liang Shijun!

"While they are short of food, let's fight." Tuoba Yulv's lips showed a wolf-like smile.

A tired soldier, why is it true?

※

"Uncle, Wang Jun is dead, Jicheng is in chaos, and even Duan Xianbei has lost tens of thousands of soldiers. I am afraid that Youzhou will have no peace." After taking off his filial piety, Zu Ti knelt in front of the hall and said to his uncle who was the patriarch.

The patriarch of the Zu clan frowned: "Are you really going to cast that Liang Cishi?"

"Not only to vote, but also to bring some things." Zu Ti smiled slightly, "Now that others are too busy to take care of themselves, isn't it a good time to cede the city? What if we send some private soldiers to help Liang Shijun take down Zhongshan County?"

The ancestors lived in Fanyang Guopi County, close to Zhongshan County, Jizhou. Now that Binzhou has won Changshan County, the next step must be to swallow the remaining counties in Jizhou. The Zu clan’s private soldiers are not too many, but they are very familiar with the surrounding situation and have a close relationship with the Zhongshan Liu clan. If you tell the opponent to send troops together, you will definitely be able to win Zhongshan faster.

Such an opportunity is really rare.

"But in this way, how does the ancestor live in Youzhou..." The patriarch's face became more worried. How to say they are also a big family of Youzhou, if they really go to Bingzhou governor, how to deal with the family business?

"Where to settle down is not the key." Zu Ti's expression became serious. "If the chaos is happening today, it is no longer the situation in the Taikang period. Just in Youzhou, how many gentry fled to Jiangdong and wanted to avoid it. War? Even if the ancestors do not move south, staying in Youzhou is not a long-term solution. Once Wang Pengzu dies, Liang Zixi can take advantage of Bingzhou and Jizhou, and half of Sizhou will fall into his hands. The King of East China Sea just died suddenly, Luoyang said If it's not good, there will be more chaos. Instead of sticking to a corner, it is better to find another way out!"

Zu Ti is the most outstanding person in Zu's generation, and what he said is also very popular. The patriarch couldn't help twisting his long beard and pondering for a moment, and finally nodded: "Since the young man sees this way, it's up to you."

These words made Zuti breathe a sigh of relief, and said a few more words with the patriarch before he withdrew from the hall. At the end of July, the weather in Youzhou began to cool down, but in his heart, it was burning like a fire.

Just keeping filial piety for the past two months, the world has changed. Who would have thought that what Liang Zixi said that day was not a lie? The battle of Youhe came to an end before he was out of the mountain. He never showed his strength, nor did he make any contribution. This move was actually a missed opportunity to show his talents. When Liang Zixi really becomes a character like Wang Jun and Sima Yue, can he still have the courtesy of that day?

Therefore, in the battle of Zhongshan County, he is bound to help. Zu Ti was quite confident in his own vision. At least he is much smarter than his old friend Liu Kun who has joined Sima Yue.

On that day, he retired to Caolu in the name of keeping filial piety. Now is the time to return to this turbid world.

With a proud smile, Zu Ti stepped up and walked towards the tribe barracks.

※

With a long horse hiss, the horse's hooves softened, and the knight on his back was thrown out.

"General!" Several soldiers exclaimed, and someone rushed up.

However, before waiting for someone to help, Yi Yan struggled to prop up his figure and slowly stood up. This time, the fall was really not light. His eyes were dizzy, his feet were unstable, and even his helmet fell to the ground. But his gray-blue eyes were motionless, staring at the exhausted horse beside his feet.

The color is no longer visible, and the horse hips and horses are covered with knife wounds and arrows, and now even the hind legs are folded at weird angles. I don't know if I encountered a sharp object when I fell, with thick blood stains, dripping to the ground along the dirty mane.

That is his day after day. The lord gave him his first Wusun horse. His love horse.

The horse was convulsing, struggling violently, wailing constantly, but did not get up from the ground. Yi Yan's knees softened and he knelt down in the pool of blood. Seeing the master, he quieted down day by day, no longer struggling, just panting heavily, rubbing Yiyan's knees with his dirty head.

"General, it won't work... there are chasing soldiers behind..." Liu Gong limped over and said in a low voice.

They were both cavalry and knew what love horses meant to knights. This horse is the only mount the general has used since he joined the army. Brave and alert, but also extremely human. In Tiger Wolf Camp, who is not envious?

But now, it doesn't work anymore. Travelling for more than ten days, several times charged into battle, and escaped from the dead. General Yi suffered as many injuries as he suffered. Until now, the slip is in this place where it is impossible to slip. No reason, just exhausted energy and fell to the side of the road.

No one can save such an injury. They do not have this time.

Yi Yan didn't answer him. Just stretched out his hand and touched the bridge of the nose of the day. This is its favorite place to be touched, and it will come to rub people from time to time to ask for some comfort. But today, the horse did not sway his head and tail, but tiredly pushed the palm of his master with the tip of his nose.

The breath it squirts, even has blood stains. Under the knee, the stain expanded a bit. The horse began to tremble, the texture twitched, the mane trembled, and even the severed limbs trembled. As if unable to bear the intense and long-lasting pain. Only this time, it didn't neigh, but looked at its owner with eyesight.

Yi Yan's stable, reliable, indestructible hands trembled. Reaching out into his arms, he pulled out a short dagger. This dagger was also given by the lord, just like chasing the sun.

As if sensing the owner's intention, Wu Sunma blinked and closed his eyes docilely.

The dagger pierced the horse's chest and abdomen and sank. There is no painful struggle, it is like a deep sleep, relaxing the body.

"General..." Liu Gong's voice choked again. How many chases have they escaped these days? More than a horse, the brothers who died in battle don't know how much.

Today, only people in their early seventies are still able to keep up. And they are still more than two hundred miles away from Qinghe.

"Bypass the Bohai Sea and enter Sizhou from Pingyuan Country." Yi Yan slowly stood up. His eyes were dry and his voice was cold.

He didn't plan to go to Qinghe. Liu Gongyilin: "But Qinghe is in the way?"

"Go directly to Fukouxing." Yi Yan didn't answer the question. The people he killed did not cause a small misfortune. Who can guarantee that Ding Shao, the county generals who come this way, will not act by chance?

He wants to go back to Binzhou and go to the party. He wants to return to the lord's side. This time, nothing can stop him!

The road ahead is so long, but looking at the pair of heterochromatic pupils, Liu Gong's heart suddenly rises with eagerness. He is also a native of the state. What can prevent him from returning to his hometown? !

"General, ride my horse!" Several soldiers next to him spoke together. Yi Yan took a deep breath, chose a barely reasonable one, and wanted to turn on his horse. He didn't know if it was injured or fell too hard. After climbing twice, he barely climbed onto the horse's back. However, after sitting firmly, the back was straight like a javelin again.

Yi Yan raised the volume and yelled: "Follow me back to Bingzhou! Back to the party!"

And state! Go to the party! The morale that had gone silent was boosted again.

All the remnants squeezed their horse reins, and responded loudly, "Go back to the state! Go back to the party!"

Back to their hometown!

The hooves sounded again, and the smoke and dust rolled away.