Chapter 3323 Entering Baishui
The battlefield in Liaodong was fierce and endless, but the Youtun Guards got a rare and precious rest time.
In the Battle of Alagou, the two cavalry units of the Turks and Dashi were almost completely wiped out. While they achieved great success, the Youtun Guards themselves also suffered some casualties. Especially since the Chang'an Western Expedition, there was a fierce battle in Tuyuhun, and now there is an ambush and a battle between two elite cavalry, which places a heavy physical load on the soldiers.
Once the body is overloaded, various injuries will come one after another, resulting in non-wartime attrition, which will in turn have a huge impact on the morale of the army.
Fortunately, after the fierce battle at Alagou, in order to deter the caravans and troops controlled by the Guanlong clan near Jiaohe City, and also to deal with the Uighurs who were migrating inland, the Youtun Guards stationed themselves in Baishui Town, which had been hit by a cannibal war. Have a good rest.
At the same time, news of the great victory in Alagou had spread throughout Yumen and beyond, and to the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. The entire Western Region was under the unstoppable military power of the Youtun Guards.
The name of Youtunwei rumbled across the Western Region like thunder in winter.
……
Whitewater Town.
Under the heavy snow, the dangerous passes of Xiongguan Pass looked like dormant beasts. They lost their former majesty and domineering power and became a bit more quiet and peaceful under the cover of ice and snow.
Only the banners of the Tang Dynasty at the top of the city were ringing.
The Youtun Guards stationed in Baishui Town and searched every corner, including wells, granaries, etc., for fear that the cannibals might poison them when they set off for Alagou... …
After searching inside and outside to confirm that it was safe, the entire army entered the town.
It is said to be a "town" but it is actually a checkpoint built on a dangerous pass. The nearby terrain is complex and surrounded by mountains on three sides. The open west side is the boundary between the northern and southern borders and the throat of the eastern and western Tianshan Mountains. To the north, one can reach Luntai City, an important town in the Western Region. To the west, you can go to Gongyue City, which has an extremely important strategic position.
The pass is like iron, covered with white snow, surrounded by green ridges, and the terrain is steep.
Fang Jun entered the town and saw the damaged armor and weapons left by the cannibal, his face was gloomy. Such a dangerous pass is an important place to guard the entire Xizhou, but it was given to the Great Eater by the Guanlongmen clan. They even transferred all the defenders in the town away, without any concern that if the Great Eater rode eastward, The threat of reaching Yumen Pass is so powerful that it makes people faint and makes people gnash their teeth and hate it.
Baishui Town is a dangerous pass at Xiongguan Pass. There is a White Tiger Festival Hall in the town to praise the military.
The White Tiger Festival Hall has been cleaned up. Fang Jun moved in here and began to reorganize the army and sort out the baggage. At the same time, he sent a letter to the Ministry of War to order the urgent allocation of ordnance and baggage, especially gunpowder, lead bullets, and thunder, which needed to be replenished in time.
Originally, the Youtun Guards only went out to control Hexi to resist Tuyuhun, so they carried limited ordnance. They never thought that they would march westward immediately after the victory in Hexi. Although they won a complete victory in the Alagou battle, the ordnance was extremely damaged and was no longer enough for use. ……
By evening, the snow had still not stopped.
After disposing of most of the backlog of official documents, Fang Jun finally had his hands free. He washed himself under the service of his own soldiers, changed into a set of clothes, and had dinner in a building on the side of the festival hall.
Baishui Town is located in the western border, and the transportation of materials is inconvenient. In addition, it was previously occupied by big cannibals, so there is not much food, and dishes are even scarcer. The kitchen can only roast a piece of mutton carried by the general, steam a bowl of rice, and For Fang Jun to eat.
Fortunately, although Fang Jun was born into a wealthy family, he was not a pampered playboy at heart. A piece of meat and a bowl of rice were delicious.
Only when the meal was half finished, some soldiers came in to greet them, saying that they were the Great Protector of Anxi and the Prince of Hejian County asking for an audience...
Fang Jun quickly put down his bowls and chopsticks, put on a cloak, and went out in person to the west gate of Zhenguan to welcome Li Xiaogong, who was tired of travel, into the town.
……
"The conditions are difficult and the food is simple. The county king takes great care of us."
Another piece of meat was roasted, and Fang Jun invited Li Xiaogong to the house next to the festival hall to have a meal together.
The two of them sat down separately. Li Xiaogong, who looked haggard, looked at the simple food and praised: "Erlang was born in a wealthy family with a fortune of millions, but he was able to enjoy the food when the clock ticks. When he needed to endure hardships, he was still willing to endure hardships and simplicity. Just this." His character is something that few people from aristocratic families can match.”
Fang Jun laughed and said: "I really want to eat delicacies from all over the world, but this Baishui Town is really hard and the supplies are extremely scarce. Even if you don't like to eat, you can't starve, right? It's just that the conditions are difficult, so treat the county prince slowly. ”
Li Xiaogong took off his cloak and handed it to the soldiers serving on the side. He rolled up his sleeves, picked up a piece of meat with chopsticks, and chewed it while saying: "There is still meat to eat, so it is already very good. The Western Regions are better than Not in Guanzhong, there is not even a trace of green in the cold winter. It is something that you can't even dream of eating vegetables. After waiting for a while, Erlang will understand. "
A county prince and a duke, no one has a bowl of rice or a piece of meat, and their mouths are full of oil and sweetness.
After the meal, the soldier took away the tableware, boiled a pot of boiling water and made a pot of tea, placed it on the table between the two of them, then left and closed the door.
The two of them sat on their knees on the floor. Fang Jun cleaned the tea set and poured a cup of tea for Li Xiaogong.
Li Xiaogong picked up the tea cup and took a sip, then exhaled a long breath and said with emotion: "It's always impossible to refuse. I think back then, when I commanded the army, I first invaded Shu and then moved to the south of the Yangtze River. For several months, I couldn't take off my clothes and armor, and I couldn't sleep well at night." How can I not be tired even if I go to bed? Now I am just rushing back from Gongyue City. It is only a few hundred miles away, and I feel that every bone in my body feels... My head hurts... Time is not forgiving. It is better to be young. Erlang led his soldiers in a bloody battle in the valley, defeated the Tuyuhun cavalry, and then went to the Western Regions non-stop, and defeated countless enemies in a battle with Alagou, which can be regarded as traveling thousands of miles. I forget about food and sleep, but I feel energetic after just one meal, which is really enviable.”
Fang Jun also took a sip of tea, but laughed and said: "Why is the prince so humble? I have always heard that the prince has sex with his daughters every night, and he often spends the night with three daughters... The dragon and the tiger are fierce, which really makes us The shame and admiration in my heart are really not enough for outsiders. ”
"Haha!"
Li Xiaogong laughed.
Men, no matter whether they are meritorious relatives or peddlers, they will always feel happy and proud when they are praised for their unfailing glory...
After chatting for a while, Fang Jun poured another cup of tea for Li Xiaogong, and then asked: "Why did the prince return to Jiaohe so suddenly? He should have informed me in advance and made preparations to send someone to greet him. That’s right, it would be dangerous if there are still Turks or remnants of the cannibals hiding near Baishui Town.”
Li Xiaogong waved his hand and said proudly: "When I was conquering the world, your kid was still nursing. Why did you need to send someone to escort you? Of course, this is not because I am frivolous, but because I can't sit still in Gongyue City. ”
He put down his teacup and said with emotion: "In the battle of Alagou, Erlang planned the strategy and wiped out all the Turks and Arab cavalry, clearing the path behind the Anxi Army in one fell swoop. It was really satisfying! It's just that you made too much noise in Jiaohe City. I'm afraid that the imperial court is already in a state of uproar and turmoil. Awesome. The Western Region is the foundation of Guanlong, and it is also the source of its wealth and life. If it is cut off with a knife like this, how can those people let it go? If I don't return to Jiaohe to take charge, there is no way that the Longmen clan will continue to do so tomorrow. Collude with the Turks and invade the army!”
Fang Jun looked calm and sipped the tea lightly.
He didn't say anything, but the meaning was very obvious: Can you suppress those gatekeepers just by sitting in Jiaohe? If so, why did they avoid Gongyue City before, causing all Jiaohe City to fall into the hands of Guanlong, which triggered the Battle of Alagou?
Li Xiaogong had been with Fang Jun for a long time and naturally knew him very well. When he saw Fang Jun's expression, he knew what he was thinking. He immediately glared and said, "Who are you looking down on? If I were in charge of Jiaohe City, those bastards from Guanlong where Do you dare to act rashly? If they don't act rashly, the Western Region is still full of dangers. How can you make them jump out and completely clear the way for the Anxi Army?"
Fang Jun was shocked and said: "It turns out that the prince was forced to flee to Gongyue City, so he deliberately lured the snake out of the cave? Oops! So, if I had known this, I should have stood still in Gaochang City and allowed those thieves to jump up and down... I am stupid and almost bad. A major event for the county king!”
Li Xiaogong blushed and gritted his teeth in anger.
Naturally, he had the idea of "leading the snake out of its hole" and "stopping the grass and frightening the snake", but how could he have imagined that those people in Guanlong were so bold as to introduce the Turks and cannibals into Gaochang with the intention of killing Fang Jun?
If Fang Jun had not taken the initiative to attack, he might have been attacked by the Turks and the cannibal cavalry by now. Even if he did not die, he would have abandoned his armor and fled in panic... (End of this chapter)