Three thousand miles in exile

The matter of conscription was successfully resolved, and Liu Zhan returned to Jinyang to report to the general.

The [-] recruits from Daizhou recruited by Liu Zhan were also incorporated into Giyangguan. As for the [-] recruits from Cenzhou, Liu Zhan was naturally included under Liu Zhan's command because Liu Zhan was a captain of Cenzhou.

Zhou Chan's attitude towards Liu Zhan was still lukewarm, and when Liu Zhan reported below, he sat at the head and drank tea, agreeing from time to time.

It stands to reason that Liu Zhan should be rewarded for completing the conscription, but Zhou Chan didn't mention any rewards, Liu Zhan knew that Zhou Chan was struggling at this time.

Liu Zhan is easy to use and worry-free, but knowing too much inside information is like a double-edged sword. Zhou Chan has an unreliable intuition towards Liu Zhan from the beginning to the end.

At this time, Liu Zhan suddenly changed the topic. "General, this subordinate also met Mr. Pei during this trip, so we brought him back along the way."

Zhou Chan paused before realizing who it was. "Oh, you said Gongli."

During the time when Pei Gongli was away, the counselors around Zhou Chan had changed, and Pei's side was full of scandals, so naturally he didn't dare to join Zhou Chan at this time.

Zhou Chan also received the Pei family's secret news, which was an eye-opener. As for Pei's people, he was a little bit more displeased, but Pei Gongli did not make any mistakes in doing things by his side, so Zhou Chan nodded without thinking too much.

Pei Gongli still stays with Zhou Chan.

Just as Liu Zhan stepped out of the General's Mansion, a horse team came running towards him.

"The decree has arrived!"

After many competitions, Emperor Xuan finally dismissed Yan Qirong and ordered his younger brother Yan Qixiu to be the new governor of Jinyang.

Prince Rui couldn't enjoy himself for a while, the eunuch who came to announce the decree passed the latest news from the palace to the two of them.

Prince Rui's temporary residence.

Eunuch He choked his voice while drinking tea while talking about the affairs of the palace.

"Your Majesty also misses Prince Rui, and he will mention it from time to time in private, but Prince Rui is far away in the northern border and can't be near to serve him for a long time. After all, there will be some trouble."

"No, the Fourth Prince took advantage of the situation and came in. He has been favored recently. His Majesty even bluntly said that the Fourth Prince is a child prodigy."

The fourth prince was only 12 years old, and he was born to Emperor Xuan and a court lady. He was not valued by Emperor Xuan because of his low birth.

But since the third prince died young, the second prince was demoted to build the imperial mausoleum, and the eldest prince was far away in northern Xinjiang to oversee the army, Xuanzong had only this son by his side.

After a long time, he will naturally take care of it, and even the Dai family of the fourth prince's biological mother has also been rewarded and appointed as an official.

"Not only that, but the Chen family and the Lu family have close contacts with the fourth prince. These four princes have always been dull, so why do they suddenly know how to please Sacred Heart? There must be some expert advice. Prince Rui and the General have to guard against it."

Prince Rui's face was gloomy, if the fourth prince had the support of the Chen family and the Lu family, if the fourth prince really won the Sacred Heart and was suddenly appointed the crown prince, his hard work in northern Xinjiang would be in vain.

Prince Rui paced back and forth anxiously. "No, I have to go back to Beijing. No one can guess what the emperor is thinking. If he really likes the fourth brother, he will defy all opinions and become the prince, just like the third brother did back then."

"Prince Rui!" Zhou Chan interrupted him in a deep voice, the death of the third prince is a taboo, how can it be mentioned in front of outsiders.

Prince Rui realized that he had made a slip of the tongue and hastily stopped talking.

Eunuch He covered his lips and smiled. "Prince Rui don't need to panic, Da Chu is still counting on Prince Rui to regain the lost ground, the Sa family thinks that His Majesty will not set up someone else as the crown prince at this juncture to hide you."

This is indeed the truth. Although Emperor Xuan is stubborn, he is not stupid.

Eunuch He said again. "However, it's time for Prince Rui to make military exploits again. The Sacred Heart is unpredictable. Only great military exploits can shock the court. There are many good generals under Prince Rui's command. To make meritorious service is not easy."

Eunuch He is turning a corner to remind Prince Rui that he can't spend all his time in the gentle town, and Prince Rui is a bit frustrated, he really hasn't been to the frontline to oversee the army for too long.

What Prince Rui didn't notice was that when he glanced away, Eunuch He and Zhou Chan exchanged a knowing look.

These words were instructed by Zhou Chan to speak to Prince Rui through Eunuch He, not so much that Prince Rui needed military exploits, but that it was the Zhou family who needed military exploits more.

Recently, the Chen family and the Lu family have repeatedly sang against the Zhou family in court, and even Emperor Xuan's attitude has become alienated.

Another reason is that Prince Rui has been obsessed with womanizing in the past year, and he has become more and more unscrupulous in the northern border without the concubine's supervision.

Several beauties in Prince Rui's backyard were pregnant one after another, Zhou Chan heard the news and hurriedly asked the imperial physician to prescribe Bizitang to deliver.

For a few months, all the young ones were destroyed, and only one Cao Meiren was too old to have an abortion, so she stayed.

Because of this matter, Prince Rui even lost his temper with Zhou Chan.

Prince Rui wanted to keep these children, but Zhou Chan thought that these beauties were prostitutes, how could they conceive royal heirs because of their humble backgrounds.

If Prince Rui returned to the capital with a few concubines and concubine daughters, this would definitely become the laughing stock of the capital.

Princess Rui is Zhou Chan's daughter, she married Prince Rui for three years and had a daughter, and the princess just turned two years old.

The women of the aristocratic family naturally have a way of controlling the backyard. Before the birth of Xiao Shizi, there was no mention of women in the backyard of Prince Rui's Mansion, and even a bird could not conceive a single egg. Now Prince Rui's Mansion only has a single offspring of Xiaojunzhu.

This time Prince Rui got a few beauties in Northern Xinjiang, and it can be said that leaving Princess Rui's control has achieved a lot. Zhou Chan originally wanted to remove the child in Cao Meiren's belly, but it was Prince Rui's protection in every possible way that allowed him to stay.

This incident gave Zhou Chan a wake-up call, he could no longer let Prince Rui fool around in the mansion, so he teamed up with Eunuch He to give Prince Rui a blow in the face, hoping to make Prince Rui obedient.

A few days later Liu Zhan received the military order, [-] soldiers under his command followed Prince Rui to go to Yangguan, and [-] cavalry accompanied him.

Prince Rui mobilized a total of [-] soldiers under his command, and the remaining [-] soldiers and horses were stationed in Jinyang City, firstly to frighten the Yan family and secondly to leave a way out for support.

Seeing Prince Rui again, Liu Zhan felt that Prince Rui seemed to have changed, his whole person exudes a gloomy aura, like a fuse that can be lit anytime and anywhere can explode at any time.

Prince Rui's temper was even more unpredictable.

To Yangguan Zhongjun Yamen, as soon as Prince Rui came, he immediately summoned all the generals to discuss the regulations for dispatching troops.

Xu Muyuan, who had always insisted on retreating, looked unhappy, and Yuan Yue, Xu Muyuan's deputy, took the initiative to speak out.

"The iron cavalry of the Yan army is invincible in the plains, and there is almost no way to compete with it. At present, for our army, stick to Yangguan to wait for work. It is the best strategy to wear down the Yan army in the repeated sieges of the Yan army."

The generals in the Central Accounts Conference discussed their strategies but it was all right, and for a while the generals all spoke in agreement with Xu Muyuan's strategy of sticking to it.

"Our army's cavalry has only [-] cavalry at full strength. If we face the Yan army's iron cavalry head-on, I am afraid that they will be exhausted in a single battle."

"Yes, the replenishment of horses in our army is too slow. After applying for horses a year ago, the Ministry of War only sent [-] horses. The cavalry for plain combat is the key. If we take all [-] cavalry, we will be very passive in the future."

"In the past, the Yan family had a horse farm to raise horses. The horses raised in northern Xinjiang are more suitable for the climate in northern Xinjiang. They are stronger and more cold-resistant than the horses sent from the western regions. This Yan family was originally an army that raised horses in northern Xinjiang for the previous dynasty. .”

"The Great Chu recruited the Yan clan to value the cavalry and horses of the Yan clan. How could the Yan clan not be as good as the previous generation, and they directly defeated the Cangxia Plain."

From the invasion of the Yan army to the south until the loss of the Cangxia Plain, the Yan family lost the pastures for raising horses. The horses in the northern border were naturally cut off. Even the Yan family could not gather [-] horses.

The topic got far away on the issue of horses, and Liu Zhan sat at the end thinking.

At this moment, Prince Rui suddenly raged and slapped the horsewhip at the table table, there was a loud bang and the voices of discussion immediately stopped.

"Is it because the imperial court didn't allocate enough horses and you stopped fighting?" Prince Rui was furious and kicked over the table.

"Send troops to this king immediately, how to fight, where to fight first, get a charter today!"

"Whoever doesn't want to send troops, whoever doesn't want to fight, go back to the Central Plains for me, you are not the only ones who can lead troops in Great Chu!"

"If you can't get the land of the next city, you can take back the land of a county for this king. Lufeng County, Hecang County, which is adjacent to Qiyang Pass, you can pick any one, and get it for this king now!"

For a while, all the generals in the Chinese Army Yamen were silent.

Xu Muyuan's face was livid, he first looked at Zhou Chan, seeing his attitude of staying out of the matter, he still didn't understand something.

These two uncles and nephews want to use the lives of soldiers to fill in the military merits. If they succeed, the credit is theirs, and if they lose, the responsibility belongs to the generals. What a Zhou Chan!

If Prince Rui was not here, Xu Muyuan would not be afraid of Zhou Chan at all.

He had to obey Prince Rui's order, a prince most likely to inherit the throne, Xu Muyuan would never offend Prince Rui.

It's just that this Prince Rui is so stupid, Xu Muyuan was indignant.

He is a prince who stays in the Jinyang Warden well. As long as he can hold the Yangguan Pass, it will be a great achievement to apply to return to the capital after three years. Why bother with himself like this.

In the end, the generals agreed to capture Hecang County ten days later, and the specific marching rules have to be discussed again.

When Liu Zhan returned to the barracks, Cao Zhuang and the others immediately surrounded him. "Boss, are we going to send troops?"

"No need for now, Prince Rui ordered Zhang Taining and Ouyang Jie a total of [-] troops." Liu Zhan sat down and took a sip of tea.

He thought of the faces of Zhang Taining and Zhao Wuguang and sneered.

The northern army camp was also divided into factions, with Xu Muyuan as the head and Zhou Chan as the head. Both Zhang Taining and Ouyang Jie were close to Xu Muyuan, and they also agreed with the strategy of sticking to it.

In addition, Liu Zhan didn't know what had happened to Prince Rui during this period that caused his temperament to change drastically. In the past, Prince Rui would never lose face like this directly as a general.

If Liu Zhan could let Song Fenglin's dead men investigate in Jinyang City, now that he has come to Yangguan, he will no longer be able to freely communicate with foreign countries.

"Da Zhuang, follow me to guard the south gate tomorrow." Liu Zhan said.

Because Zhang Taining and Ouyang Jie were going to attack Hecang County, Liu Zhan took the place of guarding the southern city gate, and there were two north and south gates for Yangguan, which were originally guarded by Zhang Taining and Ouyang Jie respectively.

Ten days later, the [-] troops set out for battle, and Prince Rui came to the city gate to see them off.

The county seat of Hecang County is to the east of Yangbeiao, and you can see Hecang County standing on the plain when you cross the hilly area of ​​Yangbeiao.

Yangbei Col is suitable for ambushes and cannot be passed directly, so Xu Muyuan's strategy is to go around from the south of Yangbei Col.

The north wind blows and the land is vast. Liu Zhan stands on the city wall and overlooks this barren land. Due to years of wars, the former fertile fields are overgrown with weeds, but the weeds that have been watered by blood grow especially luxuriantly.

In the afternoon of this day, billowing smoke rose from the sky, which was in the direction of Hecang County. Soon, scouts came to report that the Chu army and the Yan army were fighting outside Hecang County. The current situation of the battle is unknown.

For the whole day, there was a low pressure in Yangguan. Group after group of scouts came back to report the situation of the battle. Without exception, the response was that the battle situation was close and evenly matched.

After a sleepless night, Liu Zhanping left and right were thinking about the map in the attic above the South City Gate.

The [-] soldiers sent by the Chu army were not too many, and if they fought with the main force of the Yan army, there should be a battle report requesting reinforcements at this time.

Since the Yan army captured the Cangxia Plain last year, they have spent great efforts to rebuild the four counties on the Cangxia Plain. It is impossible for them not to care about Hecang County, and they must have other plans this time.

Liu Zhan moved his fingers on the map, and he had a bold guess!

"Tell Cao Zhuang to come here!" Liu Zhan said loudly.

The guard outside the door immediately ran down the attic with fists in their hands.

"Boss!" Cao Zhuang quickly ran over out of breath.

"Prepare immediately! Call all the soldiers under your command to enter the southern city wall to check whether the garrison supplies such as kerosene and catapults are in place, and all the archers are stationed on the city wall immediately!"

Liu Zhan looked cold and resolute. "There may be a fierce battle for Yangguan!"

"Obey!" Cao Zhuang took the order loudly.

At this time, the sky was bright and all the staff at the south gate were mobilized, and Liu Zhan rushed to the Zhongjun Yamen without stopping.

"This subordinate has something important to report to the general!"

The guards outside the yamen stopped him. "What's the matter? The general hasn't gotten up yet."

Liu Zhan's face was expressionless, but his heart was full of anger. How could Zhou Chan be able to sleep in the midst of the battle in Hecang County?

"The military situation is urgent, please let me know." Liu Zhan insisted.

The guard was a little embarrassed but didn't dare to delay, he went into the yamen to pass the news.

The sky gradually turned pale, and Liu Zhan looked at the cloudy sky, feeling more and more uneasy.

If the goal of the Yan army is really to Yangguan, one night is enough time for the Yan army to surround the Yangguan.

The guard who went in to report the letter did not come out for a long time, just when Liu Zhan couldn't wait and planned to force his way in.

"Report--! The Yan army is coming--!" The scouts rode on the long street, shouting loudly while running.

"Report--! The army of Yan army is coming--! It is only five miles away from Giyang Pass--! Report--!"

Liu Zhan walked back with a dark face, his heart was full of anger, and it was pointless to find Zhou Chan at this time.

Standing on the top of the city gate and overlooking as far as the eye can see, the soldiers of the Yan army almost occupied the entire wasteland from south to north.

The general urgently ordered martial law throughout the city, and the drums in the Yangguan Pass were loudly beating, and the entire Yangguan Pass boiled like a colony of ants in a frying pan.

Zhongjun Yamen.

For the first time, Zhou Chan showed a look of panic. "Hurry up and escort Prince Rui out of Yangguan Pass!"

He never thought that the military situation was wrong, and the Yan army's combat power in the Cangxia Plain exceeded 15!

The Yan army not only restrained the Chu army in Hecang County, but also attacked Giyang Pass at the same time, and Prince Rui was in the Qiyang Pass, so throwing it to Yangguan is a small matter, in case Prince Rui is captured!Zhou Chan didn't dare to think about it.

The lieutenant entered in fear. "It's too late, the Yan army is besieging the city!"

Prince Rui's face was pale.

Xu Muyuan rushed in furiously. "Prince Rui, we have less than 6 guards in the whole pass, but more than 10 Yan troops. We are in urgent need of Yang Pass! The last general begs to immediately order the guards of Jinyang City to come to support!"

Prince Rui only felt his legs go weak.

Xu Muyuan said: "Let the dead soldiers break out with your seal!"

Zhou Suidao: "It's too late, how can a hundred thousand soldiers break through the siege!"

"Then try it too!" Xu Muyuan roared angrily.

It is useless to say more at this time.

"General, you cannot escape the blame!" Xu Muyuan glared at Zhou Chan angrily and left with a flick of his sleeve.

South City Gate.

Archers lined up neatly at the top of the city, Wei Chenggui and other military officers kept urging the soldiers to carry more stones and oil drums to the city wall, while the Yan army three miles away from the south gate was pressing on.

The [-] soldiers under Liu Zhan have all been arranged to go up the city wall, and there are also Giyangguan defenders who have come to support them one after another.

There are a total of [-] defenders at the south gate, and the battle is about to start. According to his rank, Liu Zhan is only a sixth-rank Zhonglang general, and he is not qualified to preside over such an important battle.

Xu Muyuan had already taken people to the North City Gate, but Liu Zhan still did not see Zhou Chan sending generals to take over the South City Gate, and even Zhou Chan himself did not show up.

At this moment, Liu Zhan has no intention to speculate on Zhou Chan's purpose.

He was wearing an armor with a long knife on his waist and a bow and arrow in his hand. He concentrated on watching the Yan army who was getting closer and closer.

The densely populated Yan army is like a plague of locusts in the dry land. Can the ant nest full of holes in Yangguan be able to hold it?

At the moment when the tense atmosphere was about to freeze, Yan Jun's striker moved.

Soldiers carrying shields and ladders flocked towards Giyang Pass like a tide, and there were also a large number of catapults and siege piles in the tide.

Liu Zhan raised his long knife and shouted. "This battle must be won!"

All the men shouted in response. "Must win—!!"

Liu Zhan dropped the knife. "shoot--!"

A dense rain of arrows shot up into the sky for a while, but in the blink of an eye, countless people of the Yan army who were densely covered in the wilderness had fallen to the ground. When the predecessors fell, the descendants immediately made up for it. The soldiers of the Yan army moved forward firmly against the rain of arrows. rush.

Hit—a huge boulder flew from the air and hit the city wall, creating a hole, and the affected soldiers would lose half their lives.

"Don't panic! Counterattack with the catapult!" Liu Zhan hissed. "The catapult is aimed at the equipment of the Yan army! Hit in the direction with more equipment!"

The catapults on the south gate also started to move, boulders flew overhead, some hit the crowd, and some hit the equipment of the Yan army.

Soon the Yan Bing vanguard approached the city wall, and the first wave of Yan Bing set up a ladder and began to climb.

Liu Zhan grabbed the people around him. "At noon, you take people to reinforce the city gate, and hurry up and urge the hot metal burners to pour the city gate to death for me!"

At Huang Wushi, he was ordered to run away.

Liu Zhan turned around. "Burn fire oil!"

The soldiers lit a pot of fire oil and poured it from the ladder, and there were endless screams for a while.

Siege is a process of consuming and being consumed, it depends on who is more wearable.

The Chu army took 20 lives to win Yangguan. At this time, the roles were reversed, and the Yan army sent 6 troops to seize Yangguan.The Chu army used 10 men to consume [-] Yan troops. Liu Zhan felt that the battle could be won only if all the generals were dedicated to defending.

But the cruel reality hit the face too quickly.

"My lord! The general didn't let the gate of the city be poured to death, all the molten iron was overturned!" Huang Wushi hurriedly replied, panting. "The general and all [-] cavalry are gathered in the school grounds, my lord, do they want to open the city gate to fight?"

Liu Zhan only felt his brain buzzing, and then he had a splitting headache.

Why open the city gates to fight, this clearly wants to take the opportunity to break out and escape!

Not to mention that Geiyang Pass was at a time of life and death, Zhou Chan wanted to take King Rui out of the siege but also had to look at the situation, outside the Yan army surrounded Geiyang Pass tightly, it would be safer to defend with all the generals than to take the risk of breaking through.

Liu Zhan didn't dare to delay and went to find Zhou Chan immediately. "Ask the general to allow his subordinates to pour the city gate, it's too dangerous to open the gate to fight!"

Zhou Chan's face was very ugly in military uniform. "What are you doing here without guarding the city gate? Do you want this general to punish you for leaving your post without authorization?"

Liu Zhan knelt on one knee and cupped his fists and said earnestly, "Give Yangguan can be held, I implore the general to think twice!"

Liu Zhan didn't say clearly that Zhou Chan wanted to break out and escape, but Zhou Chan still understood the meaning of Liu Zhan's words, and his face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Prince Rui at the side was already at a loss.

"This general has his own calculations, it's not your turn to say more!" Zhou Chan snorted coldly. "Go back immediately, or you will be dealt with by military law!"

Liu Zhan now fully understands that Zhou Chan is as timid as a mouse.

Don't look at him pretending to be decent, but in fact he is completely flustered now, and he can't even make a decision. Zhou Chan's mind is only on saving his life.

Yan soldiers attacked the city more and more fiercely, and more and more soldiers climbed up the city wall. Liu Zhan had to lead the soldiers back to the city wall to defend against the enemy. Zhou Chan could think about running away, but he couldn't take half a step back!

Senbai's blade was stained red with blood, more and more corpses were piled up on the city wall, and blood flowed along the cracks in the masonry.

A stray arrow hit Liu Zhan's armor, but he couldn't penetrate it because the armor was too hard. He pulled out the arrow that was stuck on the armor, and someone sneaked up behind him. The sharp blade cut across the armor and made a piercing sound. Liu Zhan stabbed the Yan soldier behind him kill.

The situation at the Nancheng Gate is getting more and more serious. It is roughly estimated that the number of Yan troops attacking the city has exceeded [-], and the defenders at Geiyang Pass are gradually losing. Not a moment's rest.

The sun was high in the sky, and the city wall of Giyangguan was stained red with blood, and it was a terrible crimson under the sun.

The Yan army is still continuously investing troops to attack the city, screaming, rushing and killing, and calling for help resounds through Yangguan.

Although Zhou Chan was appointed as a general, he had never led an army. His position as a general was the result of a family power game.

Being in the situation of life and death under siege, Zhou Chan deeply realized that the battlefield was changing rapidly, and he regretted why he came to the front line and why he took the initiative to provoke the Yan army.

"Report—! General! The east city wall is urgent!"

"Report—! General! The west city wall is urgent!"

"Report—! General! The North City Gate is urgent!"

"Report—! General! The South Gate is urgent!"

The whole building is in a hurry for Yangguan!

After a deadly battle in the afternoon, the time just entered Youshi, the loud noise of the south city gate slamming along with the sound of the city gate tearing stopped!

Liu Zhan's heart hangs like an ice cellar.

How can a city gate that has not been poured to death by molten iron survive the continuous impact? It is not easy to be able to persist until now.

As soon as the city gate was broken, there was the shout of Yan Jun excitedly, but in the blink of an eye, countless Yan Jun had poured into Yangguan.

The cavalry of the Chu army who had been waiting on the long street were ready to charge immediately, and the cavalry went out against the current outside the south gate.

There was chaos under the south gate!

Liu Zhan's eyes were scarlet. "Da Zhuang, gather our elite and block the city gate again while the cavalry rush out of the city!"

In any case, the Yan army cannot be allowed to enter the city in large numbers!