Chapter 285 – Wind and Snow Iron Cavalry Goes Down to Jiangnan (VII)

Northern Liang iron horsemen broke into the hinterland of Jiangnan Road, there are tens of thousands of Lianghuai Border Army’s previous experience, the cavalry in the name of pacifying the chaos all the way unimpeded, coupled with the cavalry to the places they pass through the autumn without offense, barely considered to be to give the court of Zhao room a step.

If according to today’s Liyang map, is located in the north of the Guangling River Jiangnan Road, in fact, the name does not live up to its name, but in the early Spring and Autumn period, has always been the territory south of the Guangling, as a miasma of barbarians, when the occupation of most of the territory south of the Guangling River of the old Southern Tang, in addition to the Gu Dazu under the leadership of the army has played a few stirring battles to the then general Gu Jiantang led by the army of Liyang caused a lot of trouble, and then the imperial court The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Households joined forces to count the loss of troops, found an extremely funny and ridiculous conclusion, died of disease Liyang soldiers and horses, even with the number of casualties on the battlefield roughly equal to the rumor is that the old emperor of the Liyang tripod after the world, the monarch of the South Tang surrendered to the capital said, people and the West Chu, the location of the South Tang in you, the only timing in my Liyang, the world said that timing is not as good as the location of the location of the location of the location of the human and, therefore, in my opinion, this statement when the I don’t think this is true.

After leaving the sun in the hands of the late emperor Zhao Dun and state into the road, which set up the Jiangnan Road, not without the civil ministers raised objections, suggesting that the Jiangbei Road is more appropriate, but the civil and military achievements have been hailed as the best monarchs in the Zhao Dun, laughingly dismissed the reason for the extremely rich a kind of wild history of the legend, Zhao Dun in the court took a book of the then Hanlin courtyard newly compiled into a large collection of poems, laughed at the number of literati since ancient times to The first time I saw this book, I had to shift my eyes to look at the book, but I didn’t want to see it. Had to divert attention to see a “ancient Jiangnan is today’s Jiangbei” note, and “North” word rhyme too hard, not too much of a scene.

In the fertile land of thousands of miles to raise a flourishing literary style of the Jiangnan Road, this iron armor clanking battle horse robust Northern Liang cavalry, appear particularly abrupt. Hong Shuwen this group of young Northern Liang barbarians born and raised in the Northwest, especially not used to the soil, said the ground here are soft, not crisp, horse hooves on the head are not a sound, let alone in the Guanwai Desert, the kind of dusty horse whips, the post road on both sides of the official road is the grass grows warbler willows spit out the green of the charming scenery, so that Hong Shuwen and others do not have the slightest feeling of how to enjoy the eyes, only feel the chest holds a mouthful of Suffocation, hands and feet are not open. Compared to these young martial artists who are used to the northwestern sand and snow, Yuan Zuozong and a group of young people who have experienced the spring and autumn battles of the Great Snow Dragon Rider iron horsemen, they have to be a lot of peace of mind.

This iron cavalry day and night march, in youzhou hezhou jizhou territory does not intentionally pursue speed, but south to the central plains of the time to become extremely rapid advancement, but the northern Liang border army set up the tedious rules are still unchanged, want to set up an invincible cavalry army, healthy pawns, iron armor, big horse, food, military law, the battlefield, indispensable. Over the past twenty years, the Northern Liang border cavalry’s whetstone has never been only the Northern Mang army, such as Liangzhou crossbowmen’s opponents, the vast majority of them are Dong Zhuo’s crows under the banner of the raven’s fence, such as brave enemies, which allows the Northern Liang border army to form an interesting illusion, that is, to a large extent, overestimates the world’s soldiers and horses of the overall strength, which is exactly the opposite of what is called the so-called elite soldiers and horses in the central plains of the Liyang and especially, for example, Yang Shenxing’s Thistle foot soldiers on the For example, Yang Shenxing’s Jizhou foot soldiers always look down on Yan Wenluan’s foot soldiers, Guangling King Zhao Yi’s cavalry firmly believe that they can fight with Beiliang’s iron horsemen, and Jing’an Road’s Qingzhou army never took Beiliang’s iron horsemen seriously, and there was once a general in charge of the army who let it slip out that what is an iron horseman or not an iron horseman is an iron horseman if you have a few pounds of iron hanging on your body? Besides, in the poor place of Beiliang, the ratio of soldiers wearing armor can reach half?

Then when this big snow dragon cavalry army appear unobstructed in the vision of the Central Plains, the dynasty and the wild, closed door closed city closed camp closed, of course, by the way, there is shut up.

Deep in the night, in the Jiangnan Road Wucai County, a scenic spot called the double luan pool near, a large group of cavalry stopped on the ground to rest for three hours, the northern Liang Rangers scouts are still to a Wu into the system to spread the net out around the ten miles back, in the reconnaissance before the tour, every Rangers captain will receive a map of the terrain from the hands of the head of the standard, the drawing of the extremely precise and rigorous, not only marked out the name of the mountains and rivers and passes, and in many cases even the size of village outposts are recorded. The size of the village outposts are recorded, it is obvious that this is definitely not a temporary search of the map, more likely to borrow from the local government military side, then it can only be the Northern Liang has long been recorded in the border army confidential files of things, look at those maps paper old and new, the earliest is only three years ago or so, what does this mean? Means that the northwestern overlooking the central plains has been twenty years of the northern Liang border army, never to the central plains really do not care! This kind of not obvious in words and desktop trace, let the whole cavalry from the scouts to the main force, from the captain to the general, from top to bottom, all appear a kind of hidden suppressing hot, such as snow in the fireplace.

The army is silent and solemn, but a line of people in this windy and snowy night slowly walk, quietly leave the station, riding to the Jiangnan famous attractions double luan pond that the reputation of the thousand years of ancient temples Cold Mountain Temple, it is Xu Fengyen Yuan Zuozong Xu Yanbing three people and two locals, a person is whisking the water room inserted in the Jiangnan Road spying leader, even Xu Fengyen also only know this person alias Song Shanshui. Nearly sixty years old, hemp clothes and straw shoes, roughly look like an old farmer who works in the fields all year round, but this person is the founder of the water room of the old man, was Chu Lushan relied on as a beloved. The other age and the spy equivalent, surnamed Zhang Longjing, but the attitude and the former diametrically opposed, full of rich and noble gas, is a deservedly rich, black and white in Wu Cai County, nicknamed Zhang Shoufu, implying that its hands in the Jiangnan Road Wu Cai County, and a dynasty of the prime minister is no different, Zhang’s family is not considered to be Wu Cai County of outsiders, but the real emergence of the two decades ago, before it was considered only a county within the squire’s family, in the hands of Zhang Longjing began to Flying high, after the rich and generous, do not forget to feed the hometown, generously funded nearly a hundred poor students, of which more than a dozen people are now not low official rank of the real power, the most outstanding two are the official to the Ministry of households Langzhong and a state special driver.

In order to take care of many years have not ridden Zhang Longjing, a line of people walking fast, which makes the Zhang chief minister is very apprehensive, he had arranged the beloved escort by car, but the young king of the clan temporary intention to go to the Cold Mountain Temple to enjoy the scenery, noble such as the northern Liang cavalry commander Yuan Zuozong is also horseback riding, Zhang Longjing which dares to be the only one who ride to go, that year, from a Xujiajia army of valor of a strong lieutenant shifted to the Wucai county Immersed in the officialdom for more than twenty years, a lot of sand field angles have been worn off, not to mention the distance from the year incense has been separated by a generation, Zhang Longjing even more dare not in the reputation of the new Liang King in front of the etiquette of the loss of.

This leak identity, for the old master Xu’s Northern Liang Cavalry funding grain and grass, grandchildren full of Zhang Longjing is not without concern, pulling one hair moves the whole body, in fact, inside and outside the family in all aspects, have started the ripples of wind and waves, not to mention that the near, that is to say that those Zhang family in the early years of the snow to send charcoal to lend a helping hand to the cold commoner children, now made in the body of the official in the green scarlet, I think the next will be a letter of severance to the Zhang family mansion, not to mention that! After that, the most want to Zhang family is this set of characters, familiar with the human condition of Zhang Longjing think of this, more or less some bitter. But to say regret, absolutely can not talk about, Zhang Longjing is clearer than anyone, Zhang family can have today’s position, whether it is the official position or jianghu position, at the moment around this never appeared in front of their own old spies Song Shanshui, the old man hiding in the deep shadows behind the scenes, great credit.

Zhang Longjing two legs on both sides of a hot stinging pain, a time some trance, as the old word battalion cavalry origin, think back to follow the generals north and south campaign, and even be able to doze off on a bumpy horseback without falling off the horse, not to mention the incomparable skill of horseback killing, do not think that twenty years later, that is, horseback riding travel is so difficult, it turns out that they are really old ah.

The young feudal king’s words interrupted this Chief Minister Zhang’s godly traveling, “Zhang Longjing, when my Northern Liang cavalry army returns on the original route, will there be any twists and turns in the matter of the Zhang family following us to move into Northern Liang? If there are any difficulties, you can bring them up now, it is better to save for a rainy day than to have your hands full when the time comes. Also, I ugly words in the front, even if the Northern Liang cavalry went to the battlefield of Guangling Road, but as long as they remain in the Central Plains, generally speaking, no one will dare to move your Zhang family, but if not migrate into the cool, the whole family will be a grim situation on all sides of the enemy, don’t hope that the old friends will be remembering the old feelings, when the court does not speak out, the local government and the local garrison will be moved by the human heart, so if there are young children in your family, you had better follow us to the next day, if you have any luck, you’ll be better off with a good friend. So if there are any young children in your family who are lucky, you’d better explain the reason to them, and if you can’t, you have to fight to understand, after all, a moment of family disharmony is better than a broken family in the future. Of course, as with the previous sixteen families, I can guarantee that the Zhang family to the territory of Beiliang, not dare to say that the days more comfortable than in the original place, but certainly not worse than where to go, the family descendants whether from the military, Beiliang will open the door to facilitate, I have already played with Chu Lushan and Song Dongming greetings, the officialdom and the military will be squeezed out of the more than fifty positions for you to apportion down a family at least can be divided into hands three or so, the lowest official status is also a good idea, and the most important thing is that you will be able to get the best of the best. Around, the lowest official body is also the actual power from the fifth rank.”

Speaking here, Xu Fengnian laughed to himself, “From the fifth rank, even if it is even a little bit higher, in fact, it is indeed a bit shabby for you county prestige clans, so I can also privately promise you that if it is not a local garrison like Lingzhou, but the Guanwai border army, the official rank can be one level higher, if it is not the Liangzhou officialdom, but it is the Liushu Yamen, it can be one level higher additionally. The second big battle of Liangmang is around the corner, the tradeoffs and pros and cons here, you guys can see for yourselves.”

Zhang Longjing was about to speak, Xu Fengyen suddenly turned his head and looked at this old pawn who had not forgotten the Xu family for twenty years with a smile, and spoke first: “Together with your Wucai County Zhang family, my Northern Liang Cavalry traveled all the way, the entire seventeen families, all of whom went to the front of the curtain without hesitating to risk their heads to be killed, I, Xu Fengyen, am very thankful to you all, and I will try my best to beat Northern Mang, and let you all be free of any worries. ”

Zhang Longjing was silent, his complex expression.

The Zhang family has been playing right and left for many years in Wucai County and even in the entire state road, this time, he, the head of the family, is bent on having his own way, the next violent backlash inside and outside the family will definitely not be less, but in the final analysis, the Zhang family already has no way out in Liyang, it is no longer a question of whether to live a nourishing life or not, but rather, if you want to live, you can only retreat to the territory of Beilang in accordance with the steps. Zhang Longjing recently often ask themselves, Zhang family children in a completely new place to start another door, even if the young feudal lord and the Northern Liang officialdom is willing to open the back door, let the family young generation to take a shortcut, but go smoothly or not, go far or near, are not good to say ah.

The old spy Song Shanshui is also silent, compared to after all, just living in a corner of Zhang Longjing, he has to know more secret insider, in fact, the Northern Liang iron horsemen left the vassal jurisdiction, along the way by the whisking water room to foster the family is not seventeen, but twenty-four, the four families of the river state and artichoke state did not hesitate to stand up to the imperial court to break completely, but then go south, there began to be repeated generation, such as the two families in the northern part of the southern province of the river. One of them, due to the death of the former head of the Xu family pawn for many years, this time chose to play deaf and dumb, after that family is through the government secretly contact Zhao hook, trying to use this to draw a line with the north of Liang, and the latter’s old head is still alive, which the reason how, whether it is greedy for riches and wealth or to take into account the future of their children and grandchildren, is not known. After a succession of six families have made similar choices, Song Shanshui believe that the more far away from the Northern Liang Road, such treachery to save the family will only be more and more, but let Song Shanshui strange place is all over the whisking water room are not moving, originally the old spy thought it was the future to clean up this bunch of white-eyed wolves, but this night with the side of the new king of Liang see with their own eyes and ears after hearing the hard-hearted old spy suddenly eat some inaccurate, intuition tells himself that it should be from now on, and the new King of the new King of the new Liang see with their own eyes and ears after hearing the old spy suddenly some of them. Intuition tells himself, should be from now on well water does not offend river water more likely.

Song Shanshui, a scout from the bottom of his heart, is a bit sorry for the Northern Liang feel aggrieved. But to the northern Liang, especially the young man, the old spy in fact there is no disappointment, for the current in the Liyang as the thunder of the young king, Song Shanshui was born a few points should be so familiar with the feeling.

Those who died in the battlefield of the previous robes and soldiers and not to mention, to all the living people, the great general Xu Snapdragon has never treated the slightest bit? Why has he ever been so calculating? So many years, the northern Liang territory will be planted in the family as many as hair, for the evil side of the dude has been less, until the death of the general, did not move these moths these families, just try to build the northern Liang border army this E guard gateway of the elite, time and time again on the border patrol, behind the back of the especially Lingzhou’s pandemonium, more or less blind to the suspicion of the final from beginning to end have kept that promise of the early years, “I Xu Snap his years, not to say, to all living people, how has he ever treated a little bit less? “I Xu Snapdragon, when I get rich and famous, I will keep my old brothers under my hand to enjoy the happiness together with me!”

Is it true that if Liangmang didn’t fight, the new Liang King Xu Fengnian wouldn’t have made a big fuss over the officialdom in Lingzhou?

Originally, the old spy was curious about this matter, but now he could not ask.

As for whether the Northern Liang Iron Cavalry has the next southward journey to the Central Plains, whether the New Liang King has the idea of sitting in the dragon chair. The old spy somehow suddenly couldn’t even think about it.

In the ensuing casual conversation between the New Liang King and Commander Yuan, the two old men learned that not only is the Jizhou army heading south to intercept, but 20,000 of Shu’s finest have also left Shu in pursuit of the east, and it seems that the side of the Jing’an Road, which is located in the hinterland of the Central Plains, is also ready to make a move.

Once the war broke out, the real backbone responsible for intercepting the Northern Liang iron cavalry, Minister of the Ministry of War Xu Gong, would surely carefully pick a place that was not favorable for the cavalry to carry out their formations.

In Zhang Longjing’s eyes, the Liyang court was inviting the king into a jar.

Zhang Longjing had to be worried because he had, after all, been away from the Xu family’s iron cavalry for twenty years or so.

He hadn’t even seen Liangzhou Tiger Head City, Youzhou Hulukou, or Liuzhou Qingcang City.

The old spy took the unprecedented initiative to open up and chat with Zhang Longjing, who was riding alongside him, and asked in a suppressed voice, “Scared?”

Zhang Longjing, who had his heart revealed, did not get annoyed, but just sighed, “Not afraid, just worried, worried that the tiger will fall into the sun.”

The old spy snickered, “A tiger falling into the sun is being bullied by a dog? A tiger whistling in the Central Plains, there is a fart of a dog barking?!”

Zhang Longjing was resentful.

Suddenly came from the front of the young feudal king’s warm and mellow voice, “Old Song, I accept the horse’s ass, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to get promoted in the whisking room, that is Chu Lushan’s turf, and his words are more useful than mine.”

The old spy who was used to not showing his joy and anger hemmed and hawed.

Zhang Longjing turned his head and glared at the old bastard who had pitted himself, “Surname Song, never in this life will I be able to treat you to a drink!”

The unassuming old spy gently replied, “I’m staying here for the rest of my life, so even if you, Mr. Zhang, wanted to invite me, you wouldn’t be able to.”

Zhang Longjing asked curiously, “Why don’t you go back?”

The old spy tugged at the corner of his mouth, “I’m getting old, so if I stay in the Central Plains and rely on the experience I’ve accumulated, I might still be of some use. Going to the battlefields outside of Guanwai, I can’t afford to lose this old face for fear of giving the Northern Liang Border Army’s juniors a low opinion of our Xu family’s old pawns.”

Zhang Longjing was speechless and could only sigh.

Suddenly, the old spy yelled at the top of his voice, “Your Majesty, allow me to kiss your ass one more time?”

The young feudal king in front of him turned his head and smiled, “But there’s no harm in saying it, but there’s still no reward for talking about it.”

The old man slightly straightened his back, has not used his real name for twenty years of spies, reported the three words that he had almost forgotten, said, “If I, Song Hetian, can be twenty years younger, I will follow the king to kill the barbarians! Just like when I followed the great general, every time I rushed to the battlefield, I only had one thought, when I died in battle, I was surrounded by robes, and I had living brothers to help me live, so it’s not a loss to die!”

Xu Fengnian continued to ride forward.

But Yuan Zuozong slowly slowed down, took off his belt saber, threw it over and laughed, “Old Song, the king has already sent out quite a few new Liang knives on this trip, and I didn’t bring any on this trip, so let’s just say I’m sending it to you on the king’s behalf.”

The old spy caught the cool knife that killed 300,000 Northern Mang barbarians outside the Northern Liang Pass and smiled brightly, “Commander Yuan, I don’t want the knife, a spy who can’t see the light of day, can’t use it, and it’s not appropriate to keep it.”

Zhang Longjing was confused and wondered, “Then what are you holding so tightly?”

Only to see the old spy carefully hanging that war sword on the side of his waist.

The old pawn wore a new sword.

Only to hear the old man said in a deep voice: “Let me, the old pawn, hang and wear the cool sword for ten miles or not!”