Tibet

An hour later, another team of three hundred camels slowly walked towards Raofeng Pass. The two hundred people leading the camels were all heavy armored infantrymen of the Tang Army, wearing Sogdian robes.

A mile away, thousands of Hezhong Army soldiers, led by Pei Xiu and An Taixuan, surrounded the military camp.

Of course, Guancheng cannot accommodate two thousand soldiers. In fact, there are only two hundred soldiers. They are defending the east, so there is a military camp one mile away from Guancheng, and 1,800 soldiers are stationed in the military camp.

However, the general Liu Jing lives in Guancheng, and the conditions in Guancheng are much better than those in Daying.

Li Ye divided his troops into two groups. He and two hundred heavy armored infantry captured Guancheng, while Pei Xiu and An Taixuan were responsible for surrounding the military camp.

Not long after, 300 camels came to Guanxia, ​​and Kang Wenda shouted: "Colonel Zhang, I'm back again, please open the city gate!"

The captain looked over and said with a smile: "If there are more than three hundred camels, you will have to pay extra!"

"Follow the rules, no problem!"

The captain waved his hand and said, "Open the city gate!"

The gate of Guancheng slowly opened, and hundreds of camels swarmed in. At this time, a soldier suddenly discovered that there were two carriages among the camels, stuck at the gate. He shouted: "The carriages are not allowed to enter, retreat." back!"

As soon as he finished speaking, an arrow shot 'Whoosh! ’ The ground shot hit the soldier on the left shoulder. The soldier yelled and fell on his back.

The two hundred heavy armored infantry below had torn off their outer robes, and the leader of the two-meter-tall Modao Army was none other than Black Spear Xu Zongran.

They lined up and rushed into the city from both sides of the cart.

Pei Xiu and An Taixuan led five thousand Hezhong Army soldiers to also surround the camp.

"Dang! Dang! Dang!" The alarm sounded on the city.

Liu Jing was awakened from his sleep and quickly shouted: "What happened?"

A soldier outside said: "It seems that there are enemy troops attacking the city?"

"enemy?"

Liu Jing was confused for a while. Where did the enemy troops come from?

He didn't have time to think too much, so he put on his armor and ran out with a big knife.

As soon as I rushed out of the gate, a wolf-fang arrow ‘Whoosh! ’ Shot him in the neck, Liu Jing screamed, stumbled to the ground, and shot another arrow, hitting the back of his neck, nailing him to the ground. Liu Jing’s legs twitched for a moment, and he died.

There was a chaos in Guancheng, and the soldiers were panicked. Li Ye stood on the sentry tower and shouted loudly: "Brothers, don't panic. I am Li Ye, King of Lu of the Tang Dynasty and the governor of Anxi. I led the army to cross the border. Please don't Resist, and I promise not to hurt anyone.”

Li Ye shouted three times in a row, and the defenders finally calmed down from the panic and stopped resisting.

Li Ye shouted again: "Please put down your weapons and gather outside Guancheng. We are the Anxi Army of the Tang Dynasty and will not harm you. Please put down your weapons to avoid accidental injury!"

At this time, Lieutenant Zhang, who was on duty, shouted: "Listen to the Jiedushi's order, put down your weapons, and follow me to assemble outside."

The soldiers put down their weapons one after another and followed Colonel Zhang outside the city. Li Ye nodded. This Colonel is a smart man and knows how to cooperate with him at critical moments. He can be used.

Li Ye walked down the city wall, and soon, a soldier came to Colonel Zhang. The Colonel knelt down on one knee and saluted, "This humble post, Zhang Nian, meets the general!"

"Your accent sounds like you're from Jingzhao?"

"Exactly! I am from Xianyang County with a humble job."

Li Dai nodded, "You go and comfort the brothers. There is an injured brother who will bandage his wounds. I will give him fifty gold coins as comfort money. Then you come to me at the military camp!"

Li Ye turned around and asked his soldiers to bring fifty gold coins to the captain. This was a heavy sum of money to establish trust. If the injured received fifty gold coins, then other soldiers would feel at ease.

Li Ye also rewarded Zhang Nian with fifty gold coins in recognition of his timely command of the soldiers to put down their weapons.

"Thank you for your kindness, General!" Captain Zhang Nian took the gold coins and hurried away.

Li Ye then rode to the military camp. The military camp was not large and was surrounded from all sides by five thousand Hezhong troops. There was some commotion in the military camp, but there was no sign of a breakout.

Pei Xiu and An Taixuan came forward to see the ceremony.

"Is there no general coming out?" Li Ye asked.

"Not yet. I don't dare to act rashly despite my humble position."

At this time, Captain Zhang Nian also hurried over. Li Ye asked him: "Who is the commander in chief in the military camp?"

"General Liu Jing, he is General Ying Yang. He has been dealt with by the general. There are two generals in the military camp, one named Li Fu and the other named Huang Yongzhen. Both of them have been whipped by Liu Jing. They are by no means confidants. , they should be waiting for news or orders from Liu Jing."

"Do they have a backstage?"

Zhang Nian shook his head, "They are all from Hanzhong and have no background."

Li Ye nodded and said, "Go and convince them to come to see me. Once the job is done, I will promote you to the rank of general!"

Zhang Nian was overjoyed, "I humble my duty and obey the order!"

He hurriedly walked towards the military camp, raised his hand and shouted: "Don't shoot the arrow, I am Zhang Nian!"

No arrows were fired in the military camp. He slowly walked into the military camp and gradually disappeared.

About a quarter of an hour later, Zhang Nian came out with two generals. They were the generals Li Fu and Huang Yongzhen. They were waiting for news about the general Liu Jing, so there was no movement.

When they learned that the other party was the Anxi Tang Army, and that its leader was the famous Li Ye, although they killed Liu Jing, they gave an injured soldier fifty gold coins as comfort money.

They got rid of their doubts and followed Zhang Nian to see Li Ye.

The two of them knelt down on one knee and clasped their fists in salute, "Li Fu, a humble official, and Huang Yongzhen, a humble official, meet the general!"

Li Ye nodded, "There is no need to be polite, two generals, please get up!"

The two stood up, and Li Ye said slowly: "I want to control Raofeng Pass to facilitate the passage of my men, so I had to kill Liu Jing, but it has nothing to do with you. If you are willing, you can join the team I formed in Xiangyang." Jianghan Army, the rebels who fought against Anlushan, I will promote you to General Ying Yanglang. If you are not willing, I will give each of you three hundred gold coins and you can go home on your own."

The two looked at each other and bowed together, "I am willing to serve the general!"

None of them have any backstage background, they are all children of ordinary families, so they were bullied by Liu Jing. With the appreciation of the famous general Li Ye, of course they are willing to follow him.

Li Ye was overjoyed and rewarded each of them with a hundred gold coins, and said: "Go and ask the soldiers to put down their weapons and go out to assemble. I will give them a choice. Those who are willing to follow me will become my subordinates from now on, and those who are not willing to follow me will become my subordinates." , I will make arrangements for them to return home."

The two ran back, and Zhang Nian also went to bring two hundred of his men.

Not long after, two thousand soldiers gathered in the open space.

Li Ye urged his horse forward and shouted loudly to the two thousand soldiers: "Brothers, I am Li Ye, King of Lu in the Tang Dynasty and the governor of Anxi. I have been ordered by the emperor to guard Xiangyang. Now Anlu Mountain has rebelled, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers have rebelled. The army is heading towards the Central Plains. Xiangyang is not only the gate of Jianghan, but also the gate of Hanzhong.

As long as Xiangyang is defended, the rebels will not dare to enter Hanzhong or go to Shangzhou, so I give you a choice. Brothers who are willing to go to Xiangyang to defend their homeland and country with me. I will not treat you badly. Brothers who want to go home, I will Not forced either. "

The soldiers quickly made their choice. Except for more than a hundred people who chose to go home, the other soldiers were willing to follow Li Ye. Li Ye rewarded each soldier with ten gold coins, and the soldiers who returned home gave five gold coins as transportation.

Li Ye left 500 soldiers from Hezhong and 500 soldiers from Hanzhong to guard Raofeng Pass, and promoted Zhang Nian to the rank of General, responsible for guarding Raofeng Pass. He also promised that the caravan would not receive another penny after passing the pass, otherwise it would be military regulations. Ask and chop.

The reason why Li Ye sent a thousand troops to garrison Raofeng Pass was actually to prepare him for the next step of controlling Hanzhong. Raofeng Pass was the throat of Hanzhong. If he controlled Raofeng Pass, Hanzhong would be in the palm of his hand.

General Li Ye finished arranging the army and rested for a day. Li Ye then led the three armies and the camel army to continue eastward towards Xiangyang.