After passing Xiangcheng, there were no rebels stationed for nearly three hundred miles. This area is extremely barren, and much of the land has turned into desert. There is a stretch of more than fifty miles where not a single plant can be seen. Desertified land is not common on Shandong Road. One-third of Shannan Road is desert.
Three years ago when I was going to Chang'an, I passed by this place and it was not so desolate. In just three years, the desert has swallowed up all the official roads. Fortunately, the width of the desert from north to south is not very large. You don't have to worry about getting lost if you find a certain direction and go straight ahead.
After a journey of nearly three hundred miles, we only encountered three villages along the way. However, because of its desolation, this place did not suffer any military disasters. People in the Central Plains often say that you can eat by relying on mountains and water, but there is nothing to eat if you are close to the desert. Even in areas that have not been desertified, crops cannot be grown in dry and hard soil.
Fang Jie has observed that the people in several villages actually moved here to take refuge later. They would rather starve to death than be involved in military disasters. This shows that in the minds of the people, the pain of natural disasters is easier to accept than military disasters.
After crossing the desert, Fang Jie asked the team to stop and rest. He asked his soldiers to unfold the map, squatted on the ground, pointed and said: "This map was developed by the Ministry of War of the Sui Dynasty. Although we later revised and marked it ourselves, it has never been It¡¯s not clear further east. We can only rely on scouts, and maps are of little use.¡±
Zhuo Buyi nodded: "Further ahead is the area heavily guarded by the rebels, and it is getting closer and closer to Xiangcheng. Rebels are rare on this road, and it has something to do with Li Yuanshan transferring all the troops from the rear. Let's go again If you go east, be cautious in every move and try not to expose your whereabouts.¡±
Fang Jie pointed to a location on the map and said: "About three hundred miles away from Xiangcheng, there is a mountain called Xingcang that can be hidden. I plan to take my troops there and then set up camp. I will send scouts to Xiangcheng to find out the news. Our military strength is not enough to affect the situation of the war, and I am not overestimated. We have only one goal. If nothing happens as I expected, I would rather take the people back the same way. "
Wanyan Zhongde said: "But before that, we have to worry about the problem of food and grass."
He looked back at the shriveled food bags hanging on the cavalry's horses: "We currently have enough food and grass to last for two days at most. If we can't find supplies again, we're afraid we'll starve to death on the way back even if we turn around now." ¡±
Fang Jie said: "I have been thinking about this matter for the past two days."
He sat down cross-legged on the ground and said: "From the information collected by the people in Feiyupao in the past two days, there must be rebel camps within a hundred miles. The outposts are too small to meet our food and grass needs. It is best to I can move a relatively large team, but once I do, I have to change my previous thoughts.¡±
"Once we take action against the rebels, it will definitely arouse Li Yuanshan's idea in this area. So it will be difficult to hide his whereabouts If you are not careful, you may not be able to reach Xing Cangshan."
Wanyan Zhongde hummed: "So we still have to be cautious, but don't worry too much. Li Yuanshan's cavalry are all in Xiangcheng, and Kuoketai Menglie's wolf cavalry is also there. We can find them within a few hundred miles." There are no enemies who can catch up with us, so it¡¯s not difficult to just fight and leave.¡±
Fang Jie smiled: "This is exactly the second plan I thought of. If we can't hide it, we won't hide it at all."
While he was talking, the dusty Chen Xiaoru came back with a team of flying fish robes. Looking at his chapped lips, you can tell that he has been suffering a lot these days. Fang Jie took off the water bag and threw it to him. Chen Xiaoru took it and drank half of the bag in one breath: "General, we have found out clearly. Ninety miles ahead is Sui County. Although it is not a big county, there are quite a lot of troops stationed there. , and my subordinate also found out a secret."
"explain!"
Fang Jie said a little anxiously.
"My subordinates led people to observe in Sui County for a day. We didn't pay much attention at first, but later we discovered that the rebels stationed in Sui County were different from those we had seen before. When we were lurking, we happened to see the rebels leaving the city for training, so There are almost 10,000 rebels stationed in a small county, and they are the elite of the rebels! My subordinates looked carefully and found that the equipment of these rebels is far stronger than what we have encountered before. Not only do they have uniform leather armor and uniforms. The queues are also very neat when traveling, and they are obviously well-trained. ¡±
"The elite under Li Yuanshan?"
Fang Jie frowned: "This place is at least five hundred miles away from Xiangcheng. How can there be Li Yuanshan's elite deployment in this place? At this time, Li Yuanshan's elite is not in Xiangcheng but behind Xiangcheng?"
Zhuo Buyi pondered for a while and said: "If the information Chen Xiaoru got is correct, then there is a lot of doubt. We just came from Fengcheng, and just Fengcheng Li Yuanshan transferredAt least 25,000 rebels were mobilized, and many rebels from various counties in the rear were mobilized. With so many troops and troops mobilized to the front, why did the elite rebels still stay behind Xiangcheng? "
"I'm going to Suixian County to have a look."
Fang Jie stood up and patted the dust on his body: "The team will rest here and arrange the rangers. If any rebel scouts find us, we will kill them. If they are not found, we will let them go. Your Highness, you will take charge. I Take Feiyupao with you, and you will definitely be back before noon tomorrow at the latest. Since there are 10,000 elite rebels in Sui County, there will be no shortage of food and grass!"
"Juexiao, be careful"
Wanyan Zhongde warned: "After all, they are not just a mob."
Fang Jie nodded: "Just wait for my news."
After saying that, he got on his horse and rushed out with a hundred of his followers.
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The northwest is mountainous, and the further north you go, the more barren it becomes. Suixian County is the closest county to that small desert, and it looks particularly prosperous in comparison. There are many earthen cities in the northwest. I don¡¯t know what secret method was used to build them. The walls of the earthen cities are actually stronger than those made of blue bricks.
??Looking over, it is all earthy yellow.
This is the season of drought, and the northwest is already desolate, so it makes people think that there has never been green here.
Suixian County is located in the middle of a plain with a radius of 200 miles. Of course, this plain is also relative. At least there aren't any majestic mountains in sight. Because of this, when the wind blows, you can't see the road in front of you clearly. The sand is swept up into the sky by the wind, trying to smear the entire world with color.
Fang Jie and his men stopped more than ten miles away from Sui County and found a high slope to take shelter from the wind.
"With such a strong wind, you don't have to worry about the rebel scouts discovering you. Even if you walk face to face, you won't be able to see each other within twenty steps."
Chen Xiaoru spat out a mouthful of sand, feeling as if his lips were about to be cut open by the wind.
Fang Jie covered his mouth and nose with a black scarf, leaned on the slope to rest for a while and said: "Chen Xiaoru, you take everyone and wait here. I will take a few people to find a way to enter Suixian County. No matter whether the spies come or not. News, we will leave the city before dawn tomorrow morning. If you don¡¯t see us back after dawn, we will go up with fireworks. There is no terrain to refer to, and it is inevitable that we will not meet. "
Chen Xiaoru said quickly: "It's better for my subordinates to lead people into the city. The general will be here later."
"If I had wanted to wait for news, I wouldn't have come by myself."
Fang Jie tidied up the black scarf, looked back at Shen Qingshan and Mu Xiaoyao and asked, "How is it?"
The two women put on their hats and put down their gauze scarves. It was not easy for the sand to get in, but the wind made them uncomfortable. But after all, he is a cultivator and is much stronger than ordinary people.
"no problem."
The two men nodded at the same time.
"Yan Kuang, Nie Xiaoju, Daquan, plus the two of you, the six of us will enter the city."
After Fang Jie finished his instructions, he stopped riding and the six of them walked to Sui County and ran wildly in the wind. Fortunately, the six of them had good cultivation, and running with the wind, they were able to float two meters further than usual in one leap. After running for more than ten miles, the six people arrived outside Suixian County in less than half an hour.
Nie Xiaoju handed the rope on her shoulders to Big Dog. Big Dog tied one end of the rope around his waist, then took out a pair of steel claw gloves and put them on. He moved his arms twice and then climbed up the earth wall. The wind howled, blocking the sound of the steel claws clinging to the earth wall. This weather was perfect for sneaking in.
The city wall of Suixian County is two feet long. For fear of alerting the rebels on the wall, the big dog climbed for nearly ten minutes before reaching the top of the city wall, moving extremely slowly. He poked his head out of the battlement holes and took a look, and found that there was no sign of the defenders on the wall. The wind was so strong that the defenders had already ducked into the house to take shelter. After the big dog went up, he tied the rope and put it down. Fang Jie and the others quickly reached the top along the rope. Then he followed the same pattern and climbed along the city wall into the city.
When we arrived in the city, the wind seemed to be much lighter and the visibility was much better.
"General, where are you going?"
Nie Xiaoju asked, crouching.
"First explore the situation in the city and find a place to stay. Don't spread out. Wait until you find a place before splitting up to do things."
After giving instructions, Fang Jie rushed out first and ran forward close to the wall. No one was seen on the street, not even the patrolling soldiers. After all, this is still the rear of the rebels, and all four doors are closed, so it is expected that the defenses are not tight. When Fang Jie was walking through the alley, he checked into a house and quickly came out again.
"no one"
He frowned, and then asked everyone to disperse and find the yard to sneak in.Look. Not long after, everyone came back here.
"Most of the courtyards are empty and there are no people around."
"The courtyard where my subordinates entered is inhabited by rebel soldiers."
Nie Xiaoju lowered her voice and said: "There are not many people. It is estimated that the patrolling soldiers went into the yard to take shelter from the wind."
"Where are the people?"
The big dog was surprised and asked: "Is it possible that there are no common people in the entire county, and they are all soldiers?"
Fang Jie pointed to the yard next to him and said, "Go in first," and then jumped into the yard. Everyone entered the house, and it was confirmed that no one had lived in this place for at least a month. The room was filled with dust, the windows were not closed, and there was a finger's worth of sand on the worn wooden table.
"There are only rebels and no civilians in the city. Why do I feel that this is not a good sign?"
The big dog squatted down and spat on the sand in his mouth.
Fang Jie was silent for a moment and then said: "While the patrolling soldiers are lazy in the strong wind, go out separately and mark the outside of this yard, and come back before dark to gather together. First, check if there are other places in this city." There are no civilians living in that place. Secondly, it is best to find out where the rebels¡¯ grain and grass are stored. Thirdly, find out where the rebel generals live.¡±
After giving the instructions, Fang Jie said: "Two people work together, be careful and try not to kill anyone."
Everyone nodded. Fang Jie asked Nie Xiaoju to team up with Yan Kuang, him with Da Quan, and Shen Qingshan and Mu Xiaoyao. After resting for a while, they walked out of the yard and each chose a direction. They quickly disappeared from each other's sight.
As Fang Jie lowered his body and rushed forward, what he was thinking about was where the people in Sui County had gone. If this is just a barracks, then what is Li Yuanshan's purpose of leaving this team?