In Chengzhou City.

Wang Shao was sitting in a hut next to the city gate, drinking wine. Besides the wine, there were also a sheep's head, a plate of sheep's liver, and a sheep's hoof on the table.

Generally speaking, people who were demoted were given half a salary, but Wang Shao's treatment could not be such a good one.

But not only could he afford to eat, but he also supported more than a hundred confidants, dozens of wives and children, and dozens of servants at home.

Although he had no worries about food and clothing, and local officials were polite to him, the depression and melancholy in his heart had nowhere to go.

As the sun sets, bells ring in the distance, and businessmen come from afar.

Wang Shao raised his head and glanced at the caravan, letting the smoke kicked up by the horse's hooves on the roadside billow, and he drank another glass of wine.

Wang Shao's eyes were solemn, he looked far to the northwest and continued to drink.

After a while, a group of cavalry galloped towards the city gate. The soldiers at the city gate stopped them. The cavalryman yelled and cursed: "I have an urgent message. How dare you stop me?"

The soldier said: "No galloping is allowed at the city gate..."

"Who made the rules? I have to whip him!" the cavalryman on horseback cursed.

"I decided." Wang Shao smashed the wine glass, walked from the Zhailu to the city gate, and scolded with a sharp look in his eyes, "Do you want to whip me?"

Seeing Wang Shao's extraordinary momentum, the other party hesitated for a moment and did not dare to answer.

Wang Shao said: "When I first commanded the army, I could kill not only dozens but hundreds of people like you!"

After Wang Shao finished speaking, the people on the left and right laughed.

"This old man is so dizzy, do you still think he is a business manager?"

"What are you dreaming about!"

When Wang Shao heard the words "Jinglue Xianggong", his face showed a gloomy look, and then he smiled wryly at himself.

But the leading cavalryman seemed to have remembered something and asked, "Could it be that you are the deputy general manager of the king?"

Seeing that Wang Shao neither admitted nor denied, the other party's expression changed and everyone jumped off their horses to see him and said: "The villain has eyes but does not recognize the superior."

Wang Shao was very silent and waved his hands and said: "Although Wang is now demoted to the city gate official, the rules cannot be changed. What message are you going to deliver here?"

The other party said with a respectful expression: "I wish the prince to know that Mr. Zhang Jinglue sent troops from Hezhou City yesterday and went straight to Tabaicheng!"

Wang Shao was shocked when he heard this and grabbed the other person and said, "Is this serious?"

The other party was frightened by Wang Shao's fierce look and said: "How dare you lie to the prince with how many lives you have?"

Wang Shao was startled when he heard the words, and his expression turned into contemplation. Then he seemed to remember something and put down the cavalryman. He quickly ran into the hut and drew something on the ground with a straw stick.

Everyone looked at each other in shock when they saw this scene, and then boldly followed Wang Shao inside to see what the other person was painting.

But there was a large plate of sand on the ground, with cities, rivers, mountains, and roads marked on it. Wang Shao was already squatting in front of the sand map, holding his head in his hands, looking thoughtful, and murmuring something.

Discourse on how to march and use troops.

"Prince?"

"Prince?"

The other party asked, but saw that Wang Shao didn't notice at all, completely immersed in the sand picture in front of him.

Seeing this scene, everyone felt that this man was pitiful.

Everyone looked at each other and silently exited the hut and mounted their horses together.

The leader smiled to his left and right: "I am an extraordinary person, that's all."

The crowd burst into laughter, then rode off with their horses and whips raised.

At this moment, Wang Shao was still squatting in front of Shatu and kept mumbling to himself for a long time. No one else could hear what he said clearly.

Only a few words that were repeated repeatedly could be heard clearly.

'I also thought he would miss his old relationship."

"I, Wang Shao, have no hope of rebirth in this life."

…

Under Tabai City, Mu Zheng and Gui Zhang were sitting together in a tent.

Inside the tent, each of their followers was holding a sharp knife, looking at each other with a bit of vigilance and unkindness in their eyes.

Guizhang took his time and said: "I heard that there was a Han named Ban Chao. When he was on an envoy to other countries, he united with the other king to attack the Huns. Unexpectedly, the Huns' envoy also arrived at this moment. The king of this country was tossing between the Han and the Huns.

."

"What do you think this Ban Chao did? He actually led thirty-seven of his men to kill more than a hundred Huns envoys. Finally, he said to the king, you see, the Huns envoys are all dead, so you have no choice but to follow our Han emperor.

"

Mu Zheng looked livid after hearing this, and then said: "Zhiyuan is not an ordinary messenger."

Guizhang said: "So what? I killed Jing Sili and made enemies of Song Dynasty, but how did I make enemies of Song Dynasty? Not because of what Mu Zheng said. Now you want to negotiate with Song Dynasty

, do you want to ask me what I mean?"

Mu Zheng said angrily: "I, Mu Zheng, have never thought about negotiating with Song He. I only receive Zhiyuan out of respect."

Guizhang laughed and said: "Admiration? A dead monk is more worthy of admiration than a living monk. Well, let's not talk about this. I think the Song army will send troops in these few days."

Mu Zheng thought to himself, nonsense, if you kill Zhiyuan, the Song army will definitely raise troops to fight.

When the two sides were arguing, a rider suddenly came to report.

"The Song army in Hezhou City has moved! They are coming to Tabaicheng!"

"What?"

Gui Zhang and Mu Zheng were all shocked.

Guizhang said happily: "It's been three months, and the Song army finally sent troops!"

"How many soldiers are there in Song Dynasty?"

The scout said breathlessly: "There are many scouts from the Song Army, but we also saw many Song Army flags in the south and north of the city!"

"Trash!" Guizhang yelled angrily, "Try again!"

Mu Zheng lowered his eyes. He knew that once Zhiyuan died, he could only rely on Guizhang. However, most of his subordinates respected Zhiyuan. Because Guizhang killed the other party, the two sides had already formed a deadly feud. But now the Song army attacked

We can only discuss it again.

Mu Zheng said: "It's useless for me to argue with you about Guizhang. If you don't doubt me, let's just establish a grammar and fight the Han people together!"

Grammar is an oath.

The Tubo people take the most important oath of alliance.

When Mu Zheng said this, most of Guizhang's suspicions were immediately eliminated.

…

Along the criss-crossing streams and sparse and vast grassy beaches, the soldiers and horses of the Song army marched along the dirt road. The herds of yaks they encountered were frightened and dispersed. After the herdsmen restrained the yaks, they saw that the Song army was in strict discipline and passed through without any offense.

After Zhang Yue swore an oath to sacrifice the flag in Hezhou City, he led the Song army's main force of 15,000 people out of Hezhou City and headed straight from Yanjing Valley to Tabaicheng to find the enemy for a decisive battle.

These are elite soldiers transferred from the Northwest Five Routes, and there are also 30,000 to 50,000 civilians escorting grain and grass to Hezhou and Tabaicheng.

Zhang Yue drove his horses to a small hill. It was very difficult to call it a hill. From Hezhou City to Tabaicheng, it was a grassland with very small fluctuations.

Zhang Yue stationed his horse on a hill and watched the army march from a distance.

Marching on foot over a distance of dozens of miles is a great test of the quality of the troops. Scenes like the Huang Wei Corps in the movie Armageddon are already classics.

The cavalry is fast, the infantry is slow, and the baggage troops are even slower. How to coordinate is all an article. It is not something someone like Zhang Yue can know.

In the Song army, only veteran generals like Zhang Shouyue could make appropriate arrangements.

Cai Jing on the side couldn't help but sigh: "Our army is so powerful and magnificent, it is really spectacular!"

Xu Xi smiled and said: "All the elite soldiers of the five northwest routes are here. The Liao and Xia Kingdoms can be defeated, not to mention the mere Wood Zheng and Guizhang!"

When Zhang Yue saw this, he drove his horse down the hill. Hundreds of cavalrymen were resting aside. When they saw Zhang Yue's commander in chief, they all stood up.

When Zhang Yue saw the number, it turned out to be hundreds of proton troops led by You Shixiong. Seeing the strict discipline of the proton army, Zhang Yue nodded.

When You Shixiong saw Zhang Yue arriving, he stepped forward to pay homage and said, "See you, Commander-in-Chief."

Zhang Yue asked You Shixiong, "Uncle Jing is a martial artist?"

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, Xiaguan is a martial artist. He was a disciple of Hengqu when he was young."

Zhang Yue said: "You and Chu Dao (Wang Hou) are both scholars and it is not easy for you to join the army. I will rely on you in this battle."

You Shixiong said: "The commander-in-chief will dispatch you at any time."

Zhang Yue nodded and was about to move forward when You Shixiong said: "Commander Qi, there will be Qiang scouts ambushing us nearby. You must not get too far away from the army."

Xu Xi said at the side: "There is a vast plain here, how can the Qiang people ambush?"

You Shixiong said: "This place looks like a flat plain, but there are many meadows hidden. The Qiang people know the terrain very well. If they hide in them to ambush our generals, they will be unable to prevent them."

Zhang Yue nodded and said, "I understand, I will just listen to you."
To be continued...