In the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the weather is freezing. It is the coldest time of the year. In the past, at this time, large-scale trade and long-distance travel had long been cut off. Everyone would stay in towns and villages to prepare for the New Year, even in Tokyo.

There will be exceptions.

But this year is different. Total war has changed everything. From east to west, from south to north, the atmosphere of war has covered everything.

As for Queshu Valley, which connects the Taiyuan Basin and Linfen Basin, the situation changed further in the middle of the twelfth lunar month. More than forty days ago, there were constant wars in Queshu Valley, with troops coming and going to take over.

Before, this is of course understandable, because the Song and Jin Dynasties were basically engaged in a long and boring offensive battle in Queshu Valley; and starting from the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month, as the entire Queshu Valley was opened up, not only did the place not calm down,

Instead, it suddenly became busy.

Far more than the thousands of people who came and went during the previous battle, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians poured into the valley.

Queshu Valley was formed because of Fenshui, and Fenshui also divided Queshu Valley into two. A large number of combat troops quickly advanced along the east bank of the wider Fenshui, and the frozen Fenshui itself was incompatible with the frozen river bed.

It unexpectedly became a natural marching path for the baggage troops... The peasants and livestock all wore non-slip straw shoes, and the wheels of the vehicles were also wrapped in tough hay. Some vehicles and their burdens were simply dragged directly on the ice.

Under such circumstances, the troop movement speed was astonishing.

However, what really ensured the speed of the advance of Fenshui and the east bank of Fenshui was actually the slightly narrow west bank of Fenshui in the valley, as well as the mountain cols and gentle slopes... In the west bank of Fenshui, as early as during the previous advance battle, the Zhao Guan family had

He personally issued an order to let Jiedushi's troops expand their presence. Every time they advance a mile, a comprehensive military station must be built on the west bank.

The military station was also designed by the Zhao Guan family personally, with specific requirements down to the allocation of every personnel.

First of all, there must be enough cooking personnel and charcoal reserves in the military depot to ensure uninterrupted hot water and help the troops cook and melt dry food at any time.

Secondly, there must be at least three military jinshi in the military station, one is responsible for managing the daily operations of the military station, one is responsible for mediating disputes and supervising military discipline, and the last one is responsible for delivering military orders that may be issued at any time.

Third, there should be several additional warm rooms in the military depot to provide a place for the injured caused by emergencies to rest and treat their injuries.

Finally, all imperial edicts, military orders, and officers' comings and goings, no matter how big or small, must be sent from the west side of the Fen River, and are not allowed to go to the east side, which will hinder the advance.

In addition to the military depot, there are seven or eight mountain valleys and gentle slopes in the Queshu Valley, where complete camps have been built. This is a larger military depot. In addition to the basic functions of a small military depot, it also has large-scale accommodation of the wounded and repair of vehicles.

, stocking materials and livestock, and acting as a defense point on the spot.

Besides, although these things were very convenient when advancing the battle before, everyone felt that Zhao Guan's family had gone too far... It was acceptable for several camps, and it was a very good thing.

It is nothing new to transport baggage on the river, and everyone moves forward in an orderly manner... The city of Tokyo has long been told to keep to the right.

But it would be too much of a waste of manpower and material resources to build a military station like this every mile we advance.

There are even rumors that the Zhao family deliberately found work for Ma Kuo, a high-ranking but low-ranking official, in order to prevent Mr. Ma from losing his position.

But now, when the imperial edict was suddenly issued, requiring the entire army to advance into Taiyuan at high speed, and the entire army, including soldiers and civilians, totaling hundreds of thousands, plus countless baggage, had to pass through the Queshu Valley, which was dozens of miles long, the officers and ministers at the front were only

Although I hated that this kind of military station could not be built every three hundred steps, I finally realized it.

The Zhao Guan family had definitely planned it for a long time. He was just waiting for the moment when Queshu Valley was opened, and then suddenly changed from slow to urgent, from small to large. He mobilized all his troops to attack Taiyuan City, so that the Jin Kingdom defenders in the Taiyuan Basin and the troops in the direction of Hebei

The main force of the Jin Kingdom was all caught off guard.

So, let alone Taiyuan City, the strongest city in the world, how effective this sudden attack is, but no matter what, everyone can feel the determination of the Zhao Guan family.

In fact, the reason why the troops advanced so quickly and in such an orderly manner was largely due to the fact that the imperial commander at Zhao Guan's house was right behind them.

On the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the imperial edict was sent to all ministries overnight.

On the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, Wang De, Li Qiong and other elite troops stationed in Queshu Valley and outside Yangliang Nanguan set off one after another... At the same time, the imperial chariot of the Zhao Guan family did not hesitate to come from Xiangling in the rear.

Activated, under the escort of Gozen Banzhi, he left behind the Japanese samurai who had just arrived and headed directly to the north.

In the afternoon, Long Huang arrived at Hongdong County, which was a full fifty miles away from Xiangling. He then marched for more than ten miles without stopping until dark, and then settled in a vacant Song army camp south of Zhaocheng.

Stay down.

It was precisely under the coercion of this speed and determination of the advance that no one, including Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, Wang De, and Li Qiong, dared to say a word. The 50,000 to 60,000 elite soldiers in front advanced in an orderly manner, grabbing one after another.

There is no clue, which is really surprising.

At noon on the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Yujia, who continued to maintain an astonishing speed, also entered Queshu Valley.

In the afternoon, the sky began to darken and light snow fell.

In the evening, in the light snow, Long Huang arrived at the foot of Lingshi City, but once again passed through the city and did not enter. Instead, he continued to march until the sky became too dark, and the imperial driver stopped at a camp in a mountain col on the west side of the valley.

and pause for a moment.

As soon as the imperial driver stopped, the Ban Zhi below were naturally happy to rest. In any case, no matter how orderly, this kind of march is very difficult, but because Zhao Guan's family is also in the march, this kind of complaint cannot be vented.

Just come out.

However, while the sergeants went to get hot water to soak their feet and make a meal, the ministers who accompanied them were busy again. A large number of memorials and information were sent to the imperial court. Zhao Guanjia did not have time to say anything more and took a cup of hot tea.

Then the treatment began.

"Give Wang De a gold medal and tell him not to underestimate the enemy and advance rashly. He must wait until the friendly forces take over Jiexiu's siege position before going north to besiege Qi County." Zhao Jiu was speechless when he opened the first memorial, even a little angry. "Where did the snow come from?

Caizhou at night?! Who did he hear this allusion? Do you really think that Yelu Mawu and Wanyan are useless, and you can't pull out the tiger's teeth and eat him?! Isn't it just that after waiting for a while in Jiexiu, to see Han Shizhong, Li Qiong ran away from him again?

Have you gone ahead? Follow the previous military orders!"

Fan Zongyin, the chief bachelor next to him, did not dare to neglect, and immediately took a pen and ink and started drafting the edict.

Zhao Jiu had already opened the second memorial, but was impatient again: "Give me the gold medal again and tell Han Shizhong that Qixian County is not from the imperial camp Zuojun. His mission is to communicate with Wang De first in Pingyao and then in Taigu.

Let’s go forward! It can’t be slow, it can’t be too fast, and it can’t be chaotic!”

Mei Yue, a direct bachelor, also quickly took out pen and ink to draft the edict.

But Fan Mei and Fan Mei had not yet written a few words. Zhao Guanjia threw a third document into the case, and then pointed at Wang Yan: "Wang Qing, please go there quickly and go to the forty miles ahead."

Find Li Yanxian at the mouth of the Fen River where the Sheng River enters and tell him clearly for me... The west bank of the Fen River, the line between Xiaoyi, Baibi, Guozha, Wenshui, Jiaocheng and Qingyuan, is Wanyan Salihe

The defense area I gave him was not to let him capture it, but to let him monitor it to ensure that Sa Lihe's troops could not cross the Fen River to harass us. Li Shifu would soon arrive from the rear with his cavalry to monitor Hexi for him.

, Wu Jie will also cross the Yellow River and come in from Shizhou and Lanzhou to take over the war in Hexi... Let him stabilize his mentality, don't waste his troops, and don't be greedy for merit. The main task now is to unite the army to Taiyuan City quickly and steadily!

Don’t be in a hurry to come back after the matter is done. Take the opportunity to inspect Pingyao, Qixian County, and Taigu, and then wait for me in Taigu!”

Wang Yan, the commander-in-chief of the imperial camp who had been stationed with Lu Yihao in Linfen City before, did not dare to neglect. He responded and, regardless of the darkness, he led a few personal guards and rode out of the camp.

After Zhao Jiu ordered the three things, he couldn't help but feel helpless. Even though Li Qiong did not submit a letter to propose any additional plans, he still asked someone to draft an order, emphasizing the importance of blocking the Taihang Mountains on one side and blocking the passage between Shangdang and Hebei.

In this way, Yu Yunwen had no choice but to spread his pen and join the queue of drafting the decree.

Soon, the three of them finished drafting the decree and presented it to the emperor. After the official Zhao family nodded, Shao Chengzhang, one of the guards, took out the seal. After adding the big seal, Liu Yan took out the gold medal representing the highest military order, and then summoned

The members of the Red Heart Team left in a team of ten in a hurry.

However, once the decree was issued, although Zhao Guan's family was so restless that they didn't even bother to drink tea, they didn't show any signs of it on their faces. They just sat motionless in the camp, as if they were waiting for someone.

The answer to the mystery was quickly revealed. After a while, when the sky was completely dark, dozens of horsemen carrying torches walked through the passage on the west side of the Fen River, directly to the camp where Long Hu was located. However, it was this time that he was not called up.

The imperial cavalry in the north were all under the command of Quduan.

As soon as they entered the camp, they were introduced by Yang Yizhong, passed through many banzhi, and went straight to the stronghold under the dragon's banner. Then they bowed down in the brightly lit stronghold and saluted and said hello: "The commander of the imperial camp and cavalry troops are all here."

Qu Duan met the official family..."

"I've been waiting for you for a long time." Zhao Jiu responded coldly, not letting the other party get up at all. "What do you have to say that you have to tell me in person?"

Qu Duan didn't listen well, so he immediately raised his head and wanted to speak.

But before he could say anything more, Zhao Guanjia, who was sitting there, spoke coldly again and kept asking: "Do you think that since I allow you to come to see me in person and then explain it in person, I am complying with your wishes?"

Qu Duan's heart felt cold, and he became more and more panicked. All the rhetoric he had thought about before had flown to Xiliao, and he could only do it.

In fact, it was not just Quduan, the atmosphere in the camp also dropped to the same temperature as the outdoor temperature... Besides, no one thought that under the Zhao Guan family's vigorous and resolute actions this time, some people would definitely be killed, but when the time came, it would still be...

Unable to avoid fear.

This is the emperor who has been in power for nearly ten years and has military power.

"Tell me, what do you want to say?" Zhao Jiu finally became impatient.

"Chen..." Qu Duan was extremely helpless, but he could only speak carefully and tell the truth. "I originally thought that the battle in Taiyuan was of great importance, and the imperial cavalry might be able to participate in the battle."

"Cavalry attacking the city?" Zhao Jiu responded coldly. "Didn't I bring the Poxi Army with me? But the Poxi Army can't attack the city, right? They can only pull out the stronghold."

"I'm not talking about attacking the city. In the battle of Taiyuan, we also have to guard against the Jin army's garrison troops coming out of the city to attack our army's logistics. If the imperial cavalry arrives, I will sweep the surrounding cities for the officials. Then the officials can rest assured and attack calmly.

The city is here." Qu Duan's voice became smaller and smaller as he spoke.

"But didn't I ask Li Shifu to lead the 10,000 Dangxiang Qingqi of the imperial cavalry to do this?" As soon as the other party finished speaking, Zhao Jiu continued to ask, and he didn't stop for a moment. "Li Shifu and his troops are not the imperial cavalry.

Are you affiliated with the army? Isn't Qingqi better at doing this?"

Qu Duan did not dare to say anything more.

"Isn't it to keep you in the south to prevent the Jin army from jumping over the wall and trying to get behind me?" Zhao Jiu kept asking. "Qu Qing, why on earth do you have to personally lead your direct subordinates to the north..."

Qu Duan still remained silent.

"Speak!" Zhao Jiu finally became completely impatient.

Qu Duan couldn't hold on anymore, and finally raised his head and told the truth: "The officials... I'm not trying to grab credit, I think that the battle in Taiyuan is no small matter. Once something goes wrong, it will turn into a decisive battle, and the officials are beside me.

King Han Jun is arrogant and arrogant, Li Yanxian can defend but not attack, and Ma Kuo can only build walls and fortifications..."

"You can only speak arrogant words!" Zhao Jiu interrupted the other party directly. "So, I have notified Wu Jie and asked him to cross the river quickly and come from Shizhou and Lanzhou to take charge of the Chinese Army for me... Understand

Yet?"
To be continued...