As the sun sets, the two riders walk slowly on a flat sandy ground commonly known as Longyaner, and then go south for thirty miles, which is the first male city of the North Liang Border Pass, Hutou City.
There are 30,000 elite soldiers, 3,000 iron cavalry, 6,000 light cavalry, and more than 20,000 foot soldiers inside and outside the city.
Even the people in the city who are not included in the military register, as long as they are young and prime, can put on their armor and fight in a hurry.
Behind Hutou City is the Huaiyang Pass with the new Beiliang Capital Protectorate, and there are two willow buds and iron poria two major customs cities on the first line of Huaiyang Pass, with more than 10,000 soldiers, and the Hutou City with the absolute superiority of the infantry army, the two military towns of Liuya and Tie Poria are almost all cavalry with fast horses and light armor, obviously contrary to the "defending city" Hutou City, which is mainly used to block the southward movement of the Beimang army, these two border cities with inferior scale, more take on the task of taking the initiative.
After the first front of both offense and defense, it is the second front with the three passes of Jinyuan Qinghe Chongzuka as the fulcrum, the two cities of Xuanshen and Shenwu as the north of Liangzhou as the two wings, followed by the big snow dragoon army stationed on the border of Liangzhou all the year round, and the army of Chen Yunchui and He Zhonghu, the two deputy commanders of the infantry cavalry.
Coupled with the Wubao watchtowers with interlaced teeth, there is no doubt that the border north of Liangzhou is the most difficult battlefield in the entire Beiliang, generally speaking, Beimang is the most unlikely to attack the northern line of Liangzhou, which is guarded by heavy troops like a rock, and if the northern barbarians really want to open their mouths to eat here, I am afraid it is not just as simple as falling teeth and swallowing blood.
Compared with the northern line of Liangzhou, which is the largest horse fast knife crown in the north of Liang, Youzhou is dominated by foot soldiers, so the commander of the infantry army Yan Wenluan is also there, whether it is the terrain north of Youzhou or the distribution of the garrison, it is determined that Youzhou is the offensive and defensive battle of northern nomadism and Central Plains farming in the typical sense, one side attacks the city and the other defends the city, unlike the north of Liangzhou, which relies on the Xu family iron cavalry, and dares to pose with the Beimang cavalry on horseback.
Originally, the Dragon Elephant Iron Cavalry was stationed in the middle of the two states of Liangyou, and could support both sides at any time, and even took the initiative to wander around looking for fighters, but there was no fixed situation, but with the establishment of the fourth state of Liuzhou, 30,000 dragon elephant troops were stationed in it, and the close connection between the two states of Youliang was virtually cut into a crack.
The largest city in the northwest of the Liyang Dynasty is not the state city of Liangling and Yousanzhou in Beiliang, but this Hutou City that suddenly stands out and looks at Beimang There are still some passes on the border of Youzhou, such as Baomaguan, which are used for business travelers to enter and exit Liangmang, but north of Liangzhou, there is none It is destined to be only a hundred battles in the yellow sand, and the caravan camel bell will never be heard.
Although there were only two horses, one of them dragged an embarrassed woman with her hands tied.
She was covered in dust, her lips were chapped, and the delicate embroidered shoes on her feet, which were like Jiangnan's graceful girls, were also in tatters, revealing bloody toes.
She was crumbling, but she was still struggling to hold on.
When she could look up and see the legendary Hutou City, which was the most popular place to put the heads of the Beimang captives on the head of the city, she paused because of this inopportune pause, and then was dragged to the ground by the war horse, the knight did not turn her head, she struggled to get up, otherwise she would be dragged to Hutou City like this, but she was so exhausted that she couldn't stand up, she could only turn over, and there was a burning and stinging pain from her back that slid on the gravel, and this pain was not in how much pain it produced in an instant, but in the endless, Bit by bit.
The Beimang cavalry who was ordered to act couldn't help but turn his head and glance at such a woman sitting high on the clouds who fell off the altar like this, only to be dragged forward by him and the mount like a dog.
He turned his head to look at the rider in front of him, and he didn't know why this man didn't kill him, and he didn't know why he didn't kill her.
In the distance, the dust was everywhere, and a majestic cavalry of hundreds of people shook the land.
His heart contracted violently, this was the first time he had seen this kind of large number of Northern Liang cavalry in his life, and he also quickly showed that the Northern Liang cavalry was different from the Liuzi army cavalry in the past, the latter was in battle to kill the enemy, undoubtedly very brave and cruel, after he joined the army, he was the same, otherwise he would not have become one of the general Liu Jue's personal guard cavalry.
But the feeling given to him by these Beiliang cavalry in front of him is even more terrifying, and the previous battle with the standard crossbowmen is not obvious, but he feels that those prestigious Beiliang crossbowmen are indeed amazing, but when there are three hundred people, it gives people a very strange feeling, like these three or four hundred horsemen are integrated, and their horses and whips are full of a kind of forbearance and restraint that will make all Beimang warriors feel extremely awkward.
The garrisons of Tiger Head City in front of them, even the undulations of their bodies following the horse's back every time, are the same.
He had only heard that the two large tent heavy cavalry, fed with countless gold and silver, could truly go hand in hand when they were completely spreading out the formation and charging in a single line.
The four hundred horsemen turned over and dismounted almost at the same time, knelt down on one knee for a middle-aged knight, bowed his head and hugged his fists, and said: "The last general, Liu Jinu, see the prince" After that, the four hundred horsemen said in unison: "See the prince" Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "Get up, this time General Liu is tired of going out of the city to greet him." ” The young captive behind Xu Fengnian, who could still ride a horse and wear armor, was stunned for a moment, and his brain couldn't turn around, but he saw that General Liu, who was exactly the same as the cavalry behind him, seemed to be a cripple when he got up Then he knew who this mediocre-looking lame general was, the first border general under the commanders of Beiliang, and Liu Cripple, the defender of Hutou City He didn't know what Liu Jinu was, but almost every Liuzi sergeant had heard of this legendary Liu lame man in the desert.
This person is different from many Beiliang fierce generals who are more infamous in Beimang the greater their side skills, Liu Cripple is in the mouth of the scholars of the Northern Mang and Southern Dynasties, which are all recognized as good generals in the world, and the military law is strict, but the soldiers are regarded as parents and children outside the battlefield, two sons and two daughters, the son has been killed in the border pass, and the youngest son was only sixteen years old when he died.
Both daughters were married to his subordinates, and both were widows.
Liu Lame never showed mercy to the enemy, but never killed innocent indiscriminately, in a retaliatory long-distance raid fourteen years ago, deep into the hinterland of Gusai Prefecture, all the way to break 10,000, that leg was pierced by a captive woman with a dagger, but Liu Lame still did not kill her, leaving only a sentence that I don't know whether it is true or false but widely circulated on the grassland, "Whether it is our Bei Liang or your Bei Mang, only when the man dies, will it be your woman's turn." ” Liu Jinu accompanied Xu Fengnian to the majestic Tiger Head City, where most of his life's efforts have been, looking at the tall city wall, the eyes of this brilliant military general were extremely warm.
The four hundred elite horsemen behind them slowly turned their horses' heads to return, and they couldn't help but glance at the strange two people, the young man on horseback was dressed as a northern barbarian, and carried a lot of weapons, and then dragged a mink woman who could only walk pitifully.
After entering the city, Xu Fengnian took a bath and changed his clothes, and Liu Jinu and several Hutou City captains stood respectfully under the steps of the outer courtyard.
Xu Fengnian patrolled the border as the king of Xinliang last time, stopped at Huaiyang Pass, and did not come here, it is said that the captains at that moment were quite slanderous and complaining, saying that this prince looked down on them Hutou City, and regarded the generals of Hutou City as the cubs raised by the mother of Beiliang.
The captain who led the 3,000 heavy cavalry openly threatened that he had the ability to let the Huaiyang Pass gang of soft guys garrison play martial arts with him once, and he was not willing to bully the Huaiyang cavalry is light cavalry, so it was a big deal to let them borrow two or three thousand more soldiers, and still kill those guys without three rounds of charging to make those guys lose their armor.
Xu Fengnian saw one of the strong men who pretended to be calm but was obviously a little restrained and cowering, and beckoned to these Tiger Head City pillar generals to sit down and talk, Liu Jinu's qualifications and exploits were there, he and the old Liang King could speak calmly, facing Xu Fengnian, the new lord of Beiliang, of course, he was not at a loss, he sat calmly on the stone bench, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the horse tribulus terrestris who had scolded the most fiercely after drinking before, and at this time he was like a shy little girl who didn't dare to see her lover, and sat at the end with a stone bench, shrinking her head.
Xu Fengnian tilted his head, as if he was looking for someone, and asked with a deliberate smile: "General Liu, I don't know if the captain who threatens to beat me even if he can't beat me with his fists and feet, but he can drink my Captain Ma, is not present."
Liu Jinu held back laughter and didn't speak.
Several lieutenants present who were as rough as the wind and sand couldn't help laughing out loud at once, and their laughter was full of straightforwardness and kindness.
No matter how feminine a man is, he will probably be hardened by the scorching sun here year after year.
No matter how narrow-minded a man is, he will probably be stretched out by the high sky and the height of the sky here day after day.
The thistle straightened his waist, bared his head high behind the robe, broke the jar and said: "Lord Qiyu, you are in a humble position, if your old man is really angry, you will be humiliated and eat a whip, there is no other word."
Even when you are whipped, can you find a place that your lowly subordinates can't see, otherwise you will be laughed at by those guys in the future. ” Xu Fengnian obviously didn't mean to worry about this man, and asked, "General Liu, everyone can drink."
Liu Jinu nodded and joked with a smile: "Of course you can drink it, this gang of people fights like that, and everyone at the wine table is the first king of heaven."
However, Ma Tribulus and Chu Hanqing both have to be on duty to patrol the night, and as long as the others are not drunk, it doesn't matter. ” Xu Fengnian snorted, "Then let's drink a little until we go, what we owe last time can only be made up for in the future." ” Liu Jinu turned his head and shouted: "Tribulus terrestris, go with Chu Hanqing to pick up two jars of wine in person, and then go to patrol the night." ” Relieved, Tribulus trotted out of the yard with another lieutenant, and soon brought two jars of green ant wine.
The weak-hearted tribulus terrestris didn't dare to stay longer, so he wanted to slip away quickly, and the elegant Hutou City captain Chu Hanqing hesitated, looked at Xu Fengnian, and asked: "Lord, you can't drink tonight, and I don't know when and where you can drink next time, can you use an empty bowl to pay tribute to the prince."
Xu Fengnian nodded.
Chu Hanqing raised the empty wine bowl, while Xu Fengnian stood up and drank the green ant wine in the bowl.
Ma Liwu asked worriedly: "Lord Wang, if you don't want to be humble, I will respect you again."
Xu Fengnian drank another bowl with a smile.
Xu Fengnian sat back on the stone bench, looked at the border generals and colonels with sincere smiles on their faces, and asked, "General Liu, is there anything else you need in Hutou City, just ask." ” Liu Jinu held the bowl in one hand, rested on the lame leg with the other, shook his head with a smile and said, "No." ” Xu Fengnian didn't say anything, and drank silently with these Beiliang veterans who were all in their forties.
At the end, Liu Jinu only said one sentence, "Since the prince is sitting here, then there is a sentence that I thought I couldn't say, I can say it, more than 40,000 people in Hutou City, today they should have drunk the prince's send-off wine, although they have no regrets." ” “”: