Chapter 194 Night Attack on a Strong Man (6k)

Pharmacist Guo came to greet them with several riders. His every move was humble and polite, and Yang Changdu felt that he was sincere.

As a surrendered general of the Liao Dynasty and a speculator with a large number of troops under his command, Guo Yaoshi possessed keen political insight.

The soldiers under his command were rampant in Yan territory. As the commander-in-chief, how could he not know about this?
Huizong showed him favor in the beginning and appointed him Grand Marshal and brought him into the court later. It was obvious that he wanted to take away his military power, so he found all kinds of excuses not to go.

Tong Guan established the Fourth Army in Hebei, but his true purpose could not be deceived by the wise.

The reason why Pharmacist Guo was so humble was related to this incident.

As the saying goes, a duck knows first when the river water warms in spring. He was laying the groundwork for the subsequent "counterattack".

After a series of events in Yanjing, the weak fighting power displayed by the Song army did not win the respect of the surrendered general, and his example influenced the people around him.

Pharmacist Guo prepared a program to help Tong Guan have a clear understanding.

At present, in the entire Song Dynasty, only his ever-victorious army is the most capable, and only he can be trusted.

Guo Yaoshi only brought a few followers with him. He did not take the initiative to ask about the people around Tong Guan, and Tong Guan would not lower himself to introduce himself. Even Ma Kuo, whom he knew, only nodded slightly.

As for Yang Chang in white horse and military uniform, Pharmacist Guo just glanced at him.

Tong Guan's new bodyguard? Want to show off his power to me?
Humph, dressed in fancy clothes, but filled with straw.

Bluffing me?

Pharmacist Guo did not take Yang Changxin seriously, and immediately asked Tong Guan for advice, "It is spring in Hebei now, and it is inconvenient for the Grand Master to enjoy the scenery while sitting in a carriage. Why not change horses and go forward?"

"Alright."

Tong Guan knew Pharmacist Guo and knew that the other party intended to test him, so he naturally would not refuse the invitation.

If he didn't even dare to ride a horse, how could he, as the commander-in-chief of the northern part of the Song Dynasty, convince the Ever-Victorious Army? How could he even use the four armies to check and balance each other?

Although Tong Guan was a eunuch, he did not look feminine at all. He had a thick short beard under his chin. He was over seventy years old at this time, but he could still ride a horse following Guo Yaoshi.

Just based on this point, Pharmacist Guo dare not underestimate it.

Yang Chang, Ma Kuo and other cavalrymen followed the two Taiweis and went ahead, while the infantrymen in the rear drove the carriages loaded with imperial wine and slowly followed, ready to reward the troops.

After riding for about half an hour, we saw a barren wasteland in front of us. In this flat plain with no undulating terrain, there was not a single field of crops to be seen, and there were not even any wild flowers in season.

Tong Guan and Guo Yaoshi stopped in front. Lu Zhishen led his horse to Yang Chang's side and murmured curiously: "Apart from grass, there are only mounds of earth. What kind of scenery is this?"

"Don't complain, just follow along"

Lu Zhishen's voice was powerful, and Yang Chang stretched out his hand to stop him from saying anything more, but the voice had already spread to the front, expressing the doubts in Tong Guan's heart.

Upon hearing this, Pharmacist Guo did not get angry but smiled faintly and waved to the follower holding the flag beside him.

The cavalryman rode up to the small hill in front of him, raised the flag high and waved it left and right to issue orders.

Then, countless spots of light suddenly flashed in the entire semicircle in front.

Everyone is familiar with that light spot.

The armor worn by Yang Chang also reflected the dazzling sunlight at this time, but his light was limited, while Pharmacist Guo had recruited an army.

The soldiers running all over the mountains seemed to be moving with the sun.

In an instant, golden light shone brightly.

Tong Guan was stunned at the time, and sighed in his heart that it had to be the Ever-Victorious Army. They gave people a murderous aura even before they got close, and he had to rely on them to defend against the Jin Kingdom.

When Pharmacist Guo saw Tong Guan's expression change, he thought to himself that his goal had been achieved, so he pointed to the soldiers in front and explained:
"When the generals learned that the Grand Master was coming to visit the troops, they all rushed to Yi County to welcome him. However, a large-scale mobilization might cause panic among the people, so I randomly transferred an army. Their combat effectiveness is relatively weak, and they don't have any defense mission at this time."

"Weak? Commander Guo is really modest."

"You are so unmodest. Allow me to leave for a while. They are running without any rules. They might even alarm the Grand Tutor. We have to form a battle formation in advance and wait for inspection."

"Haha, go ahead."

Tong Guan cursed in his heart at this time, I know that the Ever-Victorious Army is very good at fighting, there is no need to show off in front of me.

As soon as Pharmacist Guo took his leave and rode away, Tong Guan instantly frowned and looked serious.

At this time, a war horse neighed in his ears. He turned his head and saw Yang Chang following him. Tong Guan said to him, "The men and horses of Hebei are so majestic!"

"In my opinion, it's just like a clay chicken or a clay dog!"

Yang Chang was stunned when he heard it, and then he blurted out a pretentious line, which shocked Guo Yaoshi's followers.

If someone else said this, Tong Guan would definitely rebuke him, but Yang Chang had real skills, so he smiled and responded: "Yang Observation, don't be careless."

"hehe."

Yang Chang laughed out loud, thinking, isn't this the reason why you come here and I come here?
In order to defeat Shi Jin, I will definitely help you pretend to the end, so I asked Lu Zhishen: "Master, I can beat at least a thousand of these people, how many can you deal with?"

"I dare not boast about one thousand, but if it is one or two hundred, it is still easy."

"You see, my king, this army consists of 5,000 men. The two of us alone can kill more than a thousand of them. We only need to deploy a few more soldiers and horses to easily win."

"If it were you, I would naturally believe it."

When Guo Yaoshi's followers saw Tong Guan nod his head, they thought to themselves that one or two of you dared to say it, and the other one actually dared to believe it. There is no such powerful person in this world.

With Yang Chang's help, Tong Guan felt more relaxed. He was not afraid at all during the inspection and kept smiling from beginning to end.

Of course, Yang Chang and Lu Zhishen followed closely behind, giving Tong Guan an infinite sense of security.

Pharmacist Guo was greatly surprised and had no idea where Tong Guan's confidence came from. It was not until he was resting on the way north to Yanjing that he suddenly realized the truth after listening to the explanation from his entourage.

From the jurisdiction of Yi County to Yanjing, a fast horse could reach the destination in one day, but Tong Guan was carrying imperial wine and other gifts for the troops, so it took three days to travel slowly, and he had to stop overnight in Fanyang and Liangxiang.

In addition to the garrison guarding the pass, the main camp of the Ever-Victorious Army was located in Liangxiang County.

According to the itinerary of the Xuanfu Division, Tong Guan would first go to Liangxiang to comfort the troops, then inspect Gubei Pass, Songting Pass, Juyong Pass, etc., and then meet with Yanshan officials such as Wang Anzhong, then go south to Hejian Prefecture and Daming Prefecture, and finally return to Tokyo to meet the emperor and express gratitude.

On the first night, the two armies rested in Fan Yang.

Since Pharmacist Guo had already welcomed Tong Guan, Fanyang County had no right to make any arrangements beyond that.

As Wang Anzhong's deputy, Guo Yaoshi was only in charge of military affairs in Yanshan Prefecture and would not interfere in the internal affairs of the counties under his jurisdiction. Therefore, he did not invite Tong Guan into the city for a banquet, but stayed in the military camp outside the city to receive him.

It was a simple meal in the army, and the food and wine were not as sumptuous as in Zhending, but Tong Guan didn't care at all because he was waiting to see the main event.

Tong Guan and Guo Yao sat in the main seats at the same time. On their left were the commander and officers of today's victorious army. On their right were the colleagues from the Xuanfu Division, with Ma Kuo at the head, Yang Chang next, and the rest were three military officers.

In addition, as Yang Chang's follower, Lu Zhishen was allowed to sit behind him as an exception.

After everyone was seated, but before the food and drinks were served.

Pharmacist Guo pointed to the people on the right and asked Tong Guan with a smile: "The king's entourage has changed this time. Except for Ma Lianfang, who is an old acquaintance, it seems that I have never seen the others. Especially the young general beside Ma Lianfang, he looks really energetic. Could he be the descendant of a general?"

"No."

Tong Guan thought to himself that you really can't keep your cool. He was secretly happy but smiled as he introduced: "Yang Chang is of humble origins, but he is an outstanding martial artist. He is currently the governor of Qinzhou. Come and meet General Guo."

"You are polite, Commander!"

Yang Chang stood straight as a pine tree, and responded with a fist clasped in a neither humble nor arrogant manner.

Pharmacist Guo frowned and nodded, then asked meaningfully, "Could it be Yang Chang, the one known as the Bright Heavenly Lord? He followed Song Jiang to Liangshan?"

"Exactly."

"The Liangshan army failed to defeat Fang La and was transferred to Zhending Prefecture to guard the border last year. I have heard of Song Jiang and Lu Junyi. As for Yang Guancha, your nickname is very famous."

"Oh"

Yang Chang replied calmly, then sat down steadily.

Pharmacist Guo used ignoring words to provoke Yang Chang, hoping to make him angry and lose his composure, and then take advantage of the situation to suppress his arrogance and regain his face. However, Yang Chang did not respond at all.

The punch hit the cotton, which surprised Pharmacist Guo.

You are so young, but you are so arrogant. But you have such good self-control? Are you pretending in front of me?

If one plan fails, try another one.

After two rounds of wine, Pharmacist Guo winked at his generals, and a square-faced burly man on the left suddenly stood up.

He was seen holding a wine jar in one hand and a bowl in the other, staggering in front of Yang Chang and shouting condescendingly: "Glorious Lord, I have heard of your great name for a long time. Let's drink a few bowls and get to know each other."

"Who are you?"

Yang Chang held the cucumber in his hand and dipped it in the sauce, not taking the visitor seriously at all.

Pharmacist Guo's words of provocation had no effect, so Yang Chang used them on his subordinates without any change.

The square-faced general was not as calm as him, and responded coldly after hearing it: "I am Gao Xiaochou, a general under the command of General Guo."

"Joker? What rank?"

"Huh? What?"

"What's your official rank?"

Yang Chang still kept his head down and ate, looking very busy.

Gao Xiaochou was stunned by the question and immediately looked at Pharmacist Guo for confirmation.

"Ninth grade?"

"Ninth rank, deputy lieutenant of benevolence and courage."

After getting the affirmation from Pharmacist Guo, Gao Xiaochou, who was confused by the question, instantly felt confident.

Perhaps realizing that he was in a superior position and would be easily ignored by Yang Chang, Gao Xiaochou sat down cross-legged again and said proudly, "Did you hear that? I am a ninth-rank official."

"You are only ninth rank, and you want to drink with me? Drink two jars of wine first!"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not qualified!"

"Shu Zi, An Gan!"

As soon as Yang Chang said the contemptuous words, Gao Xiaochou couldn't control himself and started to smash the wine jar.

Seeing that Yang Chang was as steady as a rock and had the upper hand in his words, Pharmacist Guo immediately slammed the table and shouted angrily: "Gao Clown! Stop being rude, do you still have any rules? Drink when I tell you to, the Inspector General is a fifth-rank official, get out of here!"

"Oh"

Gao the clown retreated dejectedly with the altar.

Seeing that his men were incompetent, Pharmacist Guo smiled at Tong Guan and apologized, "Don't blame me, Your Majesty. These roughnecks in the army don't know how to respect others. Yang Guan and I will have a drink."

"Well, you young people should be more intimate."

Tong Guan was delighted. Since Pharmacist Guo couldn't control himself, he was naturally happy to add fuel to the fire.

Pharmacist Guo then raised his wine bowl and said to Yang Chang meaningfully, "Observer Yang, the clown Gao was rude and he has already punished himself with a drink. Shall we have a drink?"

"Respectfully, Commander."

Yang Chang raised his bowl and nodded, and was about to drink it first as a sign of respect, when he was suddenly stopped by Pharmacist Guo.

"Wait a minute."

"Hmm?" "I am a Grand Commandant, a few levels higher than the Inspector General. General Yang is so particular about hierarchy, shouldn't he drink two jars first?"

"I can't drink it, this is the only one."

Yang Chang raised his head and drank it all in one gulp, then bowed and sat down calmly.

Pharmacist Guo was stunned. He had never seen such an arrogant Song person. He seemed even more arrogant than Guangyang King Tong Guan. What the hell gives you the right?
"Yang observes this."

"Your Majesty, I really don't mean to offend General Guo. You know best that I can't drink much. I'm afraid that I will make mistakes after drinking."

"hehe."

Seeing Pharmacist Guo being humiliated, Tong Guan could not hide his joy and immediately testified for Yang Chang: "Yang Chang is indeed a weak drinker, and Ma Lianfang also knows that. General Guo, please bear with me."

"But he."

"Yang Guancha is only in his twenties, but he has already achieved such a position. That's because His Majesty values ​​him highly. Forget it."

After listening to Tong Guan's explanation and supplement in a low voice, Pharmacist Guo frowned and had to give up. He thought to himself why did this guy feel like a hedgehog? He wanted to eat him but didn't know where to start.

Pharmacist Guo had already admitted defeat, but his subordinate Gao Xiaochou had already drunk a whole jar of liquor, and not only did he feel dizzy, his belly was also bloated.

Seeing that no one was looking for trouble with Yang Chang, he frowned and muttered to himself: "What's going on? Did I drink for nothing just now?"

He thought his voice was not loud, but after drinking he could not control the volume and most people could hear it clearly.

It was inevitable that Pharmacist Guo looked unhappy. He had frequently and enthusiastically urged others to drink at first, but later on he hardly said a word.

Although the food in the military camp was simple, it was the most enjoyable meal Tong Guan had had since he set out from Zhending.

After the banquet, it was already dark.

The Xuanfu Division and the Ever-Victorious Army set up camp at the same time, and agreed that the two armies would set out early the next morning, intending to reach Liangxiang Dazhai in one day.

When Pharmacist Guo escorted Tong Guan out of the central army, Gao Xiaochou leaned forward with his belly sticking out, mumbling, "Captain, Commander Yang was so arrogant just now, how could you bear it?"

"Nonsense, Tong Guan was just beside me, how could I not bear it?"

"Even if I teach him a lesson in person, what can Tong Guan do?"

"At such a young age, Chief Yang has already become a fifth-rank inspector. He must be highly regarded by the emperor. What do you think?"

"So that's it? Hiccup."

Gao Xiaochou burped at the end of his words. Pharmacist Guo turned his head and said in a cold voice, "We cannot allow people who are crazier than me to exist along the way of Yanshan Prefecture. You take two hundred brothers with you to sneak into this man's tent and attack him. Didn't he claim that he can defeat a thousand people alone? Our two hundred people are considered as a guarantee. Humph, you are also a fifth-rank inspector. Come and fight with me!"

"belch"

Gao the Clown burped again in shock, swallowed his saliva and replied: "Two hundred brothers, even if each of us only hit him with one punch, I'm afraid he won't be able to withstand it. This man is highly valued by His Majesty, and if he is accidentally beaten to death..."

"Humph, whoever brings it is responsible for it."

Pharmacist Guo's eyes flashed with sternness, and he added coldly: "Just go ahead and fight, I have my own tricks to deal with it. Hebei is not peaceful, there are plenty of excuses."

"Yes, I will obey your orders, hiccup."

"Sober up before you go, or you'll end up losing more than you gain!"

"I was in a hurry to drink just now. I'm going to pick someone right away."

Seeing Pharmacist Guo's look of disgust, Gao Xiaochou realized that he had lost his composure, and quickly clasped his fists and left with a smile on his face.

After returning to their own military camp, they began to select brothers who would "fight underground boxing" and had two hundred of them change into plain clothes and cover their faces with cloth.

By midnight, it was pitch dark.

On the first day of April, the new moon has no shadow.

Gao the Clown personally led the team in disguise and came to Yang Changsu's tent in the dark.

Perhaps considering that Yang Chang and Lu Zhishen were very powerful, or perhaps guessing that Guo Yaoshi would take revenge at night, Tong Guan deliberately did not let the guards patrol on a large scale.

"Leave someone outside to guard, and the rest of you follow me in batches. I won't be able to relieve the hatred in my heart unless I beat him to a pulp."

"Yes."

"Also, turn on the light first, don't make the mistake, go in!"

Fifty or sixty strong men were the first to lift the curtain and walk in.

When I blew on the fire, I saw a big fat face filling the entire tent.

"This is."

"Hehe, how dare you come here!"

Lu Zhishen spread out his five fingers and hit the man holding the fire in the face. The man's face was swollen, he vomited blood, and two of his teeth fell out.

"Be prepared, brothers, and stand shoulder to shoulder!"

"Hit him!"

When the victorious soldiers rushed forward, the fire starter suddenly slipped out of his hands and fell to the ground, and was quickly stepped on and extinguished in the chaos.

Lu Zhishen used his hands and feet together, and one punch could knock down several people. He could identify the attackers by sound and without restraint, and beat them until they screamed in pain.

Yang Chang has night vision, so he won't be hurt.

Although his punches and kicks were only at a proficient level, he was now a genuine black boxer, accurately and swiftly knocking down the intruding "prey".

There were howlings all around his ears. Gao Xiaochou didn't know if he had lit the fire or not. He was so anxious that he yelled in the darkness: "Where's the light? Someone hold the light and take a look. Grandpa can't see it."

Before this guy could finish his words, Yang Changmeng kicked him in the abdomen. The strong impact made his internal organs churn and he vomited out the wine he had drunk earlier.

Yang Changfu punched Gao Xiaochou in the face, and he immediately saw stars and fell down staggeringly.

The scene was extremely chaotic. Yang Chang knocked down the main culprit and then went to deal with others. Gao Xiaochou was trampled back and forth by his own people, so that he later vomited foul language and had feces and urine coming out of his buttocks.

In just a short while, two hundred men of the Ever-Victorious Army were beaten so hard that they screamed in pain and fell to the ground one after another.

The people who were watching outside the tent heard the loud noise inside the tent and initially thought that the enemy was being beaten. Gradually, he realized that something was not right. The smart ones ran away early, while the stupid ones were beaten.

Yaoshi Guo was in charge of the central army and had not slept, and Tong Guan was also half asleep and half awake.

In the silent night, screams were heard from the tent. It should have been easy to be discovered, but both sides were slow to react.

When the Ever-Victorious Army and Tong Guan's guards arrived, Yang Chang's side had just finished the battle.

Torches illuminated the camp, and people were lying on the ground inside and outside the tents.

They were either huddled together groaning in pain, or had been beaten unconscious.

When Pharmacist Guo saw Ma Kuo coming, he immediately went over to greet him and pointed at the ground, "These bandits are so bold that they actually ran into the military camp to cause trouble. Is Yang Guancha not hurt?"

"How can a mere rat hurt me?"

Yang Chang crossed his fists and the firelight illuminated his aloof expression.

This fellow knew that it was Master Guo who sent the troops, but he stared at them and asked deliberately, "The Ever-Victorious Army is full of brave men, how dare the bandits come to rob our camp?"

"The route to Yanshan is too long, and the bandits have never been completely wiped out. Fortunately, Yang Guancha is an outstanding martial artist. If I am unfortunately injured by the bandits, I will not be able to explain to the king."

Pharmacist Guo felt guilty and didn't want to face it directly, and when he finished speaking, he actually looked at Ma Kuo.

Ma Kuo shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying, "These thieves are unlucky. There are so many camps to go to, but they chose to come to Yang's account room. He and Master Lu both have supernatural powers. If they don't die, they will lose half their lives."

"Really? You really asked for it."

"Master Lu and I didn't use too much force when we attacked. I think some people have unfortunately been beaten to death. Ma Lianfang interrogated a few people with minor injuries and said that we couldn't follow the clues to find the culprit."

"No need. Once we reach Guo's defense zone, how can we trouble Ma Lianfang? My people will take him away for interrogation, and I will give the king an explanation tomorrow morning."

"Ok."

Yang Chang didn't want to push the enemy into a corner, so he just let Pharmacist Guo take the "murderer" away.

The Ever-Victorious Army had good food and were strong, but tonight they were beaten by Yang Chang and Lu Zhishen with brute force, and in the end only about twenty people were killed on the spot.

Of course, this was also related to the fact that the two men fought quickly and Yang Chang deliberately controlled his strength. Usually, he would not hit the opponent with one punch and would not retaliate.

If the fight had really been fought like Lu Zhishen did with Zheng Tu, all two hundred people would have died here today. However, that would have completely enraged Guo Yaoshi, causing the situation to develop in an unpredictable direction.

The twenty or so people who died in the barracks, in addition to dropping weapon skills, also had murderous aura, and the murderous aura value was only 1 to 3 points, which further strengthened Yang Chang's determination to defeat the Jin soldiers.

Do you have to kill hundreds of Ever-Victorious Soldiers to defeat one Jin soldier? You are leveling up too slowly.

On the morning of April 1st, Pharmacist Guo found Tong Guan to report what happened last night.

He said that the thieves had confessed that it was the remnants of the traitor Gao Tuoshan who were causing the rebellion. At present, the thieves have been taken to Yi County and are being detained, tried and convicted together with the previous criminals.

Tong Guan knew the identity of the murderer, but like Yang Chang, he did not delve into it further. Instead, he took the initiative to change the subject. This is what is called quitting while you are ahead.

"There are so many rebels in Hebei? General Guo has the important task of defending the Yanshan border. If we are unable to deal with the rebels, I can ask Xin Xingzong to help. He is currently stationed in Dingzhou."

"Don't worry, my king. I have no problem dealing with thieves. What happened last night was just an accident. The rest are just petty thieves."

"Don't force it."

"How could the pharmacist wrong himself in front of his father?"

Pharmacist Guo smiled and said the embarrassing words again, and reminded: "Your Majesty, be careful on this trip. There is a pair of martial arts masters roaming around Hebei. They come and go without a trace and often kill people invisibly. Remember to be well protected and don't be targeted. Of course, Yang Guancha is very skilled in martial arts. With him by your side to protect you, I don't think it will be a big deal."

"A pair of martial arts masters?"

"Ah."

Seeing that Tong Guan was interested, Pharmacist Guo quickly started to explain: "They are a pair of male and female thieves. The male has the same surname as Yang Guancha, named Yang Guo, and the female's surname is Long."

"Yang Guo, Xiao Long Nu?"

This is my alias in Jizhou. You are using it to fool Tong Guan, right? Yang Changqing couldn't help but start a conversation, which surprised Pharmacist Guo.

"You've heard of them, too?"

"Ah, I heard people say this when I was traveling around the world."

"So, these two have been causing trouble for a long time? Do you know where their lair is?"

Pharmacist Guo wanted to get to the bottom of the unsolved case in Jizhou, so he curiously asked Yang Chang for advice, and Yang was happy to answer his questions.

"I heard people say a few years ago that they seemed to live in Zhongnan Mountain, the Tomb of the Living Dead."

"Zhongnan Mountain? Why are you here in Hebei?"

"The living live in the grave?"

When Tong Guan heard this, he was also interested and shook his head and sighed: "These people in the martial arts world are always weird."

"I do not know."

Yang Changxin said you guys go and look for them, even if it is really related to the world of The Return of the Condor Heroes, those two people have not been born yet.

Tong Guan and Guo Yaoshi did not dwell on it. They just used this topic to cover up what happened last night. After a brief discussion, they set off for Liangxiang.

Gao the Clown failed to beat someone and ended up getting beaten to the point of shitting and pissing. Although he is alive now, he has become incontinent. Pharmacist Guo suppressed his anger and chatted with Yang Chang, but he had already brewed a new plan in his mind.

I'll let you go wild for two more days. When you arrive at the Liangxiang camp at night, the Ever-Victorious Army will treat you well.

(End of this chapter)