On the morning of the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month, a group of field soldiers pushed a cart outside Jiangling City. The cart was full of various items woven from reeds - mostly mats, baskets, and straw sandals, a total of four or five items.

Car editing goods.

In fact, there was originally only one family in this military camp who knew this craft, but since Han Erlang arrived, many things have changed. Han Erlang teamed up with several brothers who believed in him, and together they collected money and gave it to that man, asking him to teach him.

, so the craftsmanship spread immediately, and during the slack season, relying on the inexhaustible reed poles in the high chicken pond behind him, a small industry was quickly formed.

In a sense, these kinds of things can be regarded as necessities of life. In addition, the business here in Jiangling is developed, so they can be sold almost immediately. And because the market here is prosperous, many times it is bartered.

, he directly exchanged the New Year items that he originally wanted to buy, and the soldiers in the field were naturally excited.

So, everyone discussed and decided to go drinking together. Chief Huang who took the lead went to see Han Erlang.

Unexpectedly, Han Erlang, who had been in a trance today, suddenly said: "Let's go back quickly, something may happen!"

Everyone was suddenly surprised and immediately packed up. Only Chief Huang was a little confused and frowned and asked: "What can happen in this situation? Could Han Erlang have made a mistake?"

"I'm afraid that troops will be sent out in a few days." Han Erlang said sincerely. "There are too many officers going to the livestock camp to inspect and inspect. We just went to the big iron house. We could only change the inventory, and everyone was repairing weapons... Let's take the four avenues.

Three years later, as the New Year is approaching, there are many officers hanging whale stickers on the road, but it is rare to see them entering the store to drink and party. Instead, they all look serious and walk in a hurry, let alone leave the military camp and go home... I just asked the store owner

He said, in fact, there were many such gatherings yesterday, but today there are suddenly fewer."

Chief Huang was convinced after hearing half of it, and immediately took the initiative to gather it.

The group of people scrambled to load the new year's goods and pushed the cart away together. When they walked on the road, they also noticed that there were too many patrols on the road, so they became even more frightened and even drove all night to cross the road.

Chang He arrived at his residence late at night.

After taking a short rest, early the next morning, Chief Huang received an order from his superiors to check the positions. He was not allowed to leave without any reason. However, there was no doubt about it. Instead, he asked several of his companions and subordinates to check the positions, and at the same time he came to look for the talents in the village.

Han Erlang was there to discuss and inquire.

"The purpose of sending troops at the end of the year is to carry out a surprise attack." Han Erlang analyzed carefully. "The surprise attack requires the troops to be fast. It may not necessarily require our field soldiers to go to the front line immediately. It is most likely to be support and logistics... which is the work of civilians, but if

If the war is delayed, it will be uncertain."

Huang Tun breathed a long sigh of relief, but sighed: "Han Erlang, please don't laugh at me. Although I have experienced the chaos in the past two years, this is the first time for such a war... I always feel that the war will be the same in the future."

It was different before. We ordinary people in this place are no different from grains of wheat in a stone mill, so we are very scared... When the war really starts, I will ask you to help me be the backbone."

"We are all from the same village, so I will definitely try my best." Han Erlang nodded, with a natural expression, but shook his head. "However, like you, I am not willing to fight... The year is not good, so we still have to fight. , and the current situation is that once there is a war, it will be a big war, and the food gap will be even greater... Why can't we wait another year? This method is simply incomparable to other places. If the situation changes in one or two years, I just swallowed it."

"That's not necessarily the case." Chief Huang had another opinion. "The food is like this. We can barely get through it here, but it certainly can't be done in other places. And in Hebei, there is nothing like the Zhangshui River, Hutuo River, etc." We can't stop people, and the counties in the northwest have been in chaos. Therefore, other places in Hebei must be short of food first, and then people from other places must flee, and we will be short of food together... So, It’s better to fight it down first and see if there is any way to rectify and manage it.”

Han Erlang thought for a while and nodded: "It's the village chief who thought more deeply."

The two were talking in the Tuen Gong House. Suddenly, someone broke in from outside, but it was Wang Laowu who was serious. As soon as he entered the house, he reported a situation: "Second Brother Han, Tuen Chief Huang, there are so few people." The eldest son of Mr. Wang Xian’s family is missing.”

Chief Huang was rich in experience and Han Erlang was far-sighted. The two of them knew it just by looking at each other. Han Erlang must have made a judgment yesterday. After returning, someone spread the word about it and spread it to Wang Xianjun's house, so he took the opportunity to run away.

You must know that although Mr. Wangxian is well-educated, and so is his eldest son, which makes their family's farm work very easy, it still cannot prevent Mr. Wangxian and his eldest son from becoming more and more depressed, because they are under the rule of Wei. How can the king of a county be as careful as he is now to spend every year?

Therefore, resentment is indispensable, and there are sufficient motives for fleeing or informing others.

"I'm afraid that the Wang family's eldest man has been away for a long time, and he has two cultivation levels... It would be fine if he just took the opportunity to escape. I'm afraid he went to inform the news." Huang Tuanzhang immediately became frustrated and uneasy. ."Will this be traced to us?"

"It's nothing." Han Erlang remained calm. "Even if I can see it, others can also see it. The message has been passed on a long time ago... The village chief just followed the rules and reported it to the king. Just go to the county magistrate's house, and then depending on what the superiors want, you can search if you ask, and if you don't, you won't."

"Can……"

"Even if there are people who have escaped, how can you easily meet the manager? How can the manager believe that what you are telling the truth is true? How can the manager believe that you are not a spy but a real escapee? How can the news be true and not deliberately leaked to the other side? Yours?" Han Erlang explained briefly. "It's of no use... I guess he just couldn't bear the hardship and took the opportunity to escape."

Only then did Chief Huang feel at ease.

Just as Han Erlang, who has rich military experience, predicted, Gang's self-righteous confidentiality work is simply a sieve. Even the shopkeepers on the roadside can detect that something is going to happen. Han Erlang knows at a glance that he has to send troops, let alone other places?

However, just as Han Erlang said, most of the information stopped in the rural markets and reached grassroots officials at most, and did not reach the level of entering the palace at all.

At the very least, Hejian and Xindu, which are generally regarded as the destination of the operation, did not exist for a short time, and Xue Changxiong knew nothing about it.

"Where did Qin Erlang get the news?" On the evening of the 23rd, in the Bowang Mountain Camp on the southeast side of Neihuang City, Qu Tuda asked seriously while looking at the people in front of him who were rushing from Linhe.

"A few businessmen." Qin Bao answered seriously. "Those who come to Ji County to sell straw mats hope to collect some old rice from the military camp here."

"The straw mat dealer came to report military information..." Qu Tuda was a little confused.

"They didn't complain. I asked around and asked... The gang suddenly tightened control of the military camp in the past few days. The troops were strictly restrained. There was no way to run away when counting the logistics ordnance." Qin Bao explained calmly. "I just said there was a possibility of an attack.

."

Qu Tuda was silent for a while and nodded: "It stands to reason that if the army attacks Hejian, more people will attack Hejian, especially Luo Shu from Youzhou... Luo Shu seems to have some quarrels with the army, so it is normal to attack Hejian together...

"

Qin Bao's expression did not change and he did not shy away from his relationship with Luo Shu.

"However, Zhongcheng went to Guanxi and should have arrived at Tongguan by now. It is normal for Jiang Ling to get the news and come to raid us." Qu Tuda continued. "We must be on strict guard."

"How to guard against it?" Qin Bao asked.

"Send additional scouts, check the numbers, gather troops in four cities, one mountain and one warehouse (Neihuang, Chanyuan, Linhe, Liyang, Bowangshan, Liyangcang), and do not make redundant dispatches." Qu Tuda said seriously.

"Zhongcheng went to Tongguan, where are our reinforcements?" Qin Bao continued to ask.

Qutuda responded silently.

Qin Bao had no choice but to declare seriously: "General, we only have 20,000 people, and there are five or six thousand soldiers from Ji County who bear my name. They are equivalent to new soldiers. They are distributed in four cities and one warehouse. If there are no reinforcements, wouldn't it be necessary?"

Defeated by each one? Even with our previous design, didn’t we also hope that the defense would be layered and be able to hold up until reinforcements arrived?”

"If they really come, Yecheng may be able to call for support, and the soldiers from Wei County can also come. There are also four to five thousand soldiers from Ji County near the county government." Qu Tuda said seriously. "I will send the letter now.

Let them prepare."

Qin Bao looked a little helpless, took a few steps forward with his knife, and asked in a low voice: "General Qu Tu, at this moment, the strength of the gang is here. Two masters don't know whether they are true or false. Even if they are folded, there will be one, let alone

Speaking of military strength, if the army comes now, there can be more than ten or twenty battalions at any time. It is not an exaggeration to even use the ice of the river to mobilize Jiyinxingtai to come with forty or fifty battalions... There is no great master

As a deterrent, what is the use of the two lines of reinforcements you mentioned? The soldiers of the county...Ji County, the soldiers of Wei County? When this person is in panic, is he the opponent of the army's field soldiers? If they are defeated under the city, it will only shake the army's morale."

Kutuda sighed on the spot: "The current situation is like this, what can you and I do? Just perform our duties faithfully."

Qin Bao was silent for a long time: "If it comes to fulfilling one's duty, does the general still remember what I told him last time?"

"I remember, but it's a bit difficult... The Ministry of War called back." Qu Tuda said seriously. "It's a court rule. Since you have already entered the palace, you can't be treated like this..."

"But I am a captain and a local official." Qin Bao sneered.

"I know..." Qu Tuda looked a little embarrassed. "But actually you are serving in the military."

"Speaking of this." Qin Bao continued with a smile. "I have never understood it. Since I was transferred to Hebei, I have been fighting under the general. The general has been promoted from a general to a general, and I can't even be promoted to a general.

What? If my merits are not enough, what does it matter if Li Twelve Lang is transferred to Yecheng Palace Ambassador, and Lu Daobin is separated from each other? Everyone is getting promoted, and I can’t do it alone? If it is given to a general, and I am in the palace, I have nothing to say.

Tell me?"

Qu Tuda stood up, walked forward, and put his hand on the other person's shoulder: "Qin Erlang, you are brave and courageous, and you have always been determined. You will make your own future in the future, so I will never use my authority to suppress you easily.

But this matter obviously involves the imperial court's employment habits, and also involves the dispute between Zhongcheng and Duan Shangshu..."

"Don't you mean that I am not from Guanlong and have nothing to do with Duan Shangshu, so you are deliberately blocking me?" Qin Bao suddenly laughed. "It is clearly stated in "The Theory of Guo Wei"... This is why the Great Wei Dynasty died.

of."

Qu Tuda's expression changed slightly, but he sighed immediately, but still pressed his hand on the other party's shoulder: "Qin Erlang, I won't hide it from you. The approval given by Duan Shangshu is that if your mother and your first wife are not in Dongdu,

, I am afraid that you have already surrendered to Zhang Xing before the battle, so it is impossible to send your family to Liyang."

Qin Bao still laughed: "Everyone in the world thought that I wanted to vote for Brother Zhang, as if I owed him something. However, I am used to being arrogant. I have always felt that as long as I do my job, I can't do anything wrong to anyone.

I can live anywhere, so why do I have to be half-hearted? Not to mention my mother and my wife? However, if Cao Zhongcheng had no doubts about his employment before, now that Zhongcheng has left Dongdu, I don’t know if he can come back. Dongdu treats me like this,

What should I do? General Qutu, if I really defected to the gang this time, would it be Duan Shangshu who recognized the people first, or was I forced to rebel by him? And after I surrendered, when I met those imperial officials who surrendered first, were they

Are they aware of the situation, or am I in trouble?"

Qu Tuda's hand was on the opponent's shoulder. Hearing this, his heart was extremely complicated. He knew the opponent's grievances well, but was speechless. And the opponent was jokingly discussing surrendering to the enemy in front of his immediate superior, which was also

The bottom line had been reached, but he did not dare to make any unnecessary moves.

Without him, he can do both things.

The former was because he couldn't reach it, and the latter was because he knew full well that if they really turned against each other and fought hand-to-hand, with Qin Bao's strength, even if one of them formed an elixir and the other condensed an elixir, they wouldn't be able to tell who would die.

Of course, there is one thing that he is even more powerless to do, and has already discussed it, and that is the possible military situation caused by Qin Bao's warning.

I don’t know if it was because everything was helpless, but it was easy to look away. Anyway, General Qu Tu suddenly felt relieved. He took back his hand on the opponent’s shoulder, paced back with his hands behind his back, sat down again, and spoke:

"Now that things have come to an end, everyone is at peace with their destiny... Qin Erlang, I still say what I said, sooner or later your martial arts and integrity will lead to your own future, so I won't say ridiculous words to you here... I just hope you can do it this time

If you can stay safe and fulfill your duties, even if you really want to surrender, don't surrender on the spot. If the gang really comes, I just ask you to fight seriously on the battlefield. If you are really defeated, use your ability and Longju to go back alone.

, after taking the family papers and calmly turning around to defect, wouldn’t it look clean? At that time, you can vote for whomever you want, whether you vote for Zhang Xing or Li Ding, it doesn’t matter.”

Qin Bao nodded and left.

At this time, Qu Tuda couldn't bear it anymore and continued to ask: "After the last time in Liaocheng, Zhang Xing didn't recruit you again? No letters or messages?"

Qin Bao shook his head seriously, then lowered his head and turned around to go out.

Facts have proved that the army's concealment-raid plan still worked extremely well, because even if many people were aware of the situation, they could not effectively pass it on to the corresponding senior officials. Xue Changxiong's Hejian Camp and several counties did not know about it at all.

It wasn't until the military battalions suddenly activated that they realized it; and even though Qin Bao in the west had noticed the situation early, and even though Qu Tuda hurriedly ordered to strengthen the layout and request reinforcements, he still couldn't do it despite being separated by Wuyang County.
To be continued...