Chapter 265: Quick Slap in the Face

When Yang Chang first came to Jincheng, he stayed in an unfamiliar environment and was not worried about his own safety. It was not because the guards outside the house were capable, but because this guy was too strong.

The fourth level of Qi Refining strengthens the five senses, which is equivalent to a radar that scans anytime and anywhere, leaving no chance for the bad guys to get close. Although there is no significant change from the fourth to the fifth level of Qi Refining, the full Dantian contains power, and you will not feel tired even if you don't rest for several days.

Of course, everything was quiet at night and his three wives were not at home, so what else could he do if he didn't sleep?
In midsummer, the days are long and the nights are short. Yang Chang took a quick nap and then heard birds singing outside the house.

Its daybreak?
He opened his eyes and sat up, feeling like he had just fallen asleep, but he didn't feel sleepy at all.

After changing clothes, he opened the door and the guard greeted him.

"Captain, are you awake?"

"Ah."

"I will go and tell someone to come and help you wash up. Do you have any dietary restrictions for breakfast?"

"Don't bother, let Gao Shiyou come to see me."

"Yes."

The guards did not dare to delay and immediately sent someone to call Gao Shiyou and take Yang Chang to the front hall.

Not long after, Gao Shiyou came to see Yang Chang with dark circles under his eyes and a tired face.

"General, you woke up so early, why don't you sleep a little longer?"

"Isn't it morning? I've almost slept enough. I want to go to Tianjing Pass and take a look. If the terrain there is dangerous enough, it will be much easier to deal with Nianhan."

"OK."

Gao Shiyou paused, then added, "I'll go and make arrangements right away. Will I go there after breakfast?"

"The military situation is urgent. Let's not be greedy and bring some dry food to eat on the road."

"Yes."

Seeing that Yang Chang was serious, Gao Shiyou shook his dizzy head and respectfully left the front hall of the provincial government.

He had been in Gaoping with Gushe for many days. He finally got home last night, but was tossed around by the long-lost wife at home. He was woken up before he had slept for two hours. Although he felt dizzy and had a sore back, he could not go against Yang Chang's request.

As he walked out, Gao Shiyou felt confused.

General Yang pursued the enemy for two consecutive days and rushed to Jincheng overnight after the fierce fighting. He only slept for a short time last night, so why did he look so energetic?
Is this the difference between people?
How could he know that although Yang Chang was in the mortal world, he was indeed a powerful cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refining. Even if he had not learned any spells, his spirit and energy could easily crush ordinary people.

Yang Chang was in a hurry to inspect Tianjing Pass. On the one hand, it was to deal with the threat from Nianhan, and on the other hand, he wanted to see what magical talent his newly maxed-out [Master of Riding] would awaken.

According to the awakening experience of [Farmer Grandmaster], it is triggered after participating in farming activities, so [Riding Grandmaster] is triggered by riding a horse?
Yang Chang had been fighting for several days in a row, and the Zhaoye Jade Lion had also been tired. If its riding skills had not been upgraded to the maximum level, it should have rested in Jincheng, but the Grandmaster's talent was about to awaken, and this thousand-mile horse could not be allowed to rest.

Based on his gaming experience, this guy realized that synthesizing props, equipment, and skills all require a good starting point, so he didn't dare to pick a horse casually.

He rode on the Jade Lion of Zhaoye from the provincial government office all the way to outside the city, and his sea of ​​consciousness did not trigger any prompts. This really confused him.

Is empiricism wrong?

But if you want to trigger the riding talent, what else can you rely on but riding?
Is it because I'm riding the wrong way?

On the way to Tianjing Pass, Yang Chang rode the Zhaoye Jade Lion and performed many difficult moves, but still failed to awaken his talent successfully. Gao Shiyou and his followers saw him showing off his riding skills in front of them, and their admiration for him increased by another point.

Everyone came to Tianjing Pass. Gao Shiyou saw that Yang Chang had a solemn expression on his face, so he quickly explained: "Don't be surprised, Commander. Although this place is important, it is the inner pass of the Song Dynasty after all. There was no garrison at the beginning of the founding of the country, and no one was sent to repair it in time. After more than a hundred years of wind and sun, it is not easy to have the current appearance."

"I can spare it."

Yang Chang nodded slightly. He and Wu Song had served as grassroots archers before, so he knew the reasons for the disrepair very well.

Unlike paving roads and building bridges, this kind of idle pass has no political achievement if it is not used. In the Song Dynasty, these projects usually recruited local laborers, who brought their own tools and rations and worked for the government for free. If any problems occurred, they had to compensate for the losses, but they could pay to do the work instead.

This kind of work is thankless and if you are not careful you will have to pay for it, so people are used to paying money. After a few times it becomes a convention and becomes a local invisible tax, a means for local officials to make money.

Yang Chang climbed up the city wall, took a detailed inspection, then turned around and looked at Gao Shiyou.

"Prepare for war, prepare for war. What kind of war is this? It's not your fault. Tianjing Pass has been in disrepair for a long time. It looks a bit shabby, but the foundation is well preserved. We should send people to repair it before the Jin army arrives."

"Yes Yes Yes"

Gao Shiyou nodded vigorously, then asked again with a fist clasped: "I heard Commander Shi say that the people under your rule do not have to perform corvée labor, and that these things are done by the army?"

"That's right. The people have to farm and pay taxes, so how can they spare the energy to do corvée labor? The army is supported by the people, and they don't fight all the time. Isn't it right to do these things?"

"Should, should, but Zezhou is now."

"I know."

Yang Chang knew what he wanted to say, so he interrupted and added: "The battle in Zezhou is imminent. We don't need soldiers to do these things. We can recruit some civilians nearby, but the government will be responsible for their food and drink, etc. That's it."

"Ok?"

When Gao Shiyou saw Yang Chang suddenly stop, he followed his gaze to look behind the pass, and saw a black dot moving in the distance, as if someone was riding a horse approaching Tianjing Pass.

Yang Chang had the ability of farsightedness. When he saw Shi Qian riding a horse towards him, he forcibly ended the topic.

Shi Qian was ordered to stay in Gaoping, so why did he suddenly come to Tianjing Pass? Was there something urgent in Gaoping?

Most of the Zezhou garrison remained in Gaoping. Could it be that Gao Shiyou's absence led to a mutiny? Or perhaps the Jin army's war horses had been traveling for days and fell ill in large numbers after seizing the spoils?
The greater the responsibility, the more you think.

Yang Chang frowned and was stunned for a moment, then led everyone down the city wall, waiting for Shi Qian to reveal the answer.

Soon, Shi Qian came galloping over.

He pulled the horse to a sudden stop, then leaped forward in one go, with an enviable elegance.

"Is something wrong?"

"General, urgent military information!"

Shi Qian clenched his fists and reported in a serious tone, "Mr. Lu fought with the Jin army the day before yesterday. Because the enemy was too numerous, he had to retreat to Lingchuan. Instructor Lin guessed that Nianhan had arrived, so he led his troops to support him along the northern route in the morning. Master Lu also set out to take the southern route, and asked me to report this to the Grand Commandant."

"Nianhan went to Lingchuan? He actually went to Baixing!"

Yang Chang showed a rare expression of surprise, and then he heard Gao Shiyou muttering in his ear: "No wonder there is no movement in Taihang Xing."

There was no one in Taihang Xing, which meant that nearly 100,000 Jin troops all crossed Baixing, while Lu Junyi and Yan Qing had only 5,000 people. The gap in numbers between the two sides was a bit large. Even if Lin Chong brought several thousand people to support, it would probably be like the gourd baby saving his grandfather.

Yesterday I was still sighing that I was the child of destiny, but I didn’t expect to be slapped in the face so soon.

Shi Qian looked up and saw Yang Chang's expression was frozen. He couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "General, Gaoping still has more than 10,000 soldiers and horses. Should we rush over there immediately?"

"The two sides have a huge disparity in military strength. If Nianhan directly surrounds Lingchuan and attacks the reinforcements, it will be very disadvantageous to us." Yang Chang did not comment, frowned and talked to himself, then looked at Shi Qian and ordered: "The Gaoping troops should not move yet, I will go and check the situation first."

"Then us"

Seeing Shi Qian's eyes full of expectation, Yang Chang thought that the Zezhou garrison had a hard time defending the city, and sending them to support Lingchuan might have a counterproductive effect. He then said seriously: "You go back to Gaoping and wait for my orders later."

"Yes."

"General, the renovation of Tianjing Pass." "Put it on hold for now!"

Yang Chang hurriedly left a few words, mounted his Night Jade Lion and was about to leave, but before leaving, he called Shi Qian to his side and whispered to him, "Jincheng is strong and defensible. The Jin army has come from afar and will not have siege equipment. In addition, without Gaoping's food and grass supplies, Nianhan may not be able to last long in Zezhou. If they really have to evacuate, I will send someone to notify you."

"Yes, I understand, little brother."

Shi Qian bowed and sent Yang off. Gao Shiyou then approached carefully and asked curiously, "Commander Shi, what did Commandant Yang say?"

"He wants us to defend Gaoping and Jincheng and prevent the Jin army from taking root in Zezhou."

"I heard that the general is very cautious in battle. He is not afraid of the 100,000 Jin troops now, and he won't let us lead the army to Lingchuan together. Could it be that Weisheng's reinforcements are coming soon? That's why he is so fearless?"

Gao Shiyou twirled his beard and nodded slightly, staring at the receding figure with his 'wise' eyes.

"Hmm? Maybe."

Shi Qian was stunned when he heard this. He thought to himself that it would take time to recruit and train new soldiers. How could it be possible that they had arrived so soon after only a few days? However, Gao Shiyou's idea was good. At least he would not abandon the city and run away. So he smiled and responded without saying anything.

Yang Chang brought dozens of followers and hurried for half a day to the southeast of Gaoping. From afar, he saw a large group of people enjoying the cool air under a willow forest outside Lijia Village beside the official road. Leading them was the Flower Monk Lu Zhishen.

When I got closer, I saw that they had been upgraded to new weapons.

Of Lu Zhishen's original 5,000 infantrymen, 1,000 had now been equipped with war horses. Needless to say, it was known where the horses came from.

"Master, you have been waiting for a long time, right? Gaoping has 6,000 war horses, why don't you replace them all?"

"Brother was worried about the loss of Lingchuan, so he took most of the horses away. In the end, he was able to leave a thousand horses for me. The other soldiers didn't know how to ride. The sun is scorching now. Should we continue on our journey?"

"I will lead the way in front, and you will follow slowly with the rear troops. You should stop to rest when necessary, and save your energy for fighting. Don't forget that we ambushed the Jin army a few days ago and defeated their exhausted army."

After a brief greeting under the willow tree, Yang Chang said goodbye to Lu Zhishen and headed east along the official road. He guessed that Nianhan must be short of food after the long journey, so he would definitely attack Gaoping.

The northern line that Shi Qian just reported is the route that Lu Zhishen took to attack Gaoping. It is a parabola that ends in the north of Lingchuan. The southern line is the official road from Gaoping and Jincheng to the south of Lingchuan.

Lin Chong chose to take the northern route because he was worried that the Jin army might bypass Lingchuan and attack Luzhou, which had a poor defense. By then, it would be like a wolf among a flock of sheep, and the losses would be immeasurable.

The entire southern route is wide and straight, which is very suitable for the passage of Nianhan's main force and is the best marching route for capturing Gaoping.

Yang Chang has the advantage of vision. If he really finds that Nianhan's main force is taking this route, he can notify Shi Qian to evacuate in advance. He and Lu Zhishen can then contain the enemy from the side. Even if they cannot win, they must retreat safely.

Even though Zhaoye Jade Lion is a good horse, it is not as skilled as Yang Chang and cannot run endlessly under the scorching sun.

As the saying goes, the masts, oars, and sails will all be reduced to ashes. No matter how anxious you are, you cannot let a good horse run to death. When Yang Chang felt that his mount was tired, he would stop and let it drink water and rest.

On the eve of dusk, there was still more than half a day's journey to the south of Lingchuan. Lu Zhishen's rear army had not arrived yet. Yang Changfang was eating grass by the Jade Lion Creek at night, while he sat by the road watching the east, preparing to move forward further at night.

The setting sun took away the reflections of the trees, and dusk began to fall faster.

Before Yang Chang could wait for Lu Zhishen, several black spots suddenly appeared at the end of the road.

"King Cheng, bring the horses here and prepare for battle!"

"Yes!"

Subconsciously, he thought they were Jin cavalry, but soon he felt that the figure was familiar. It was not until the riders got closer that he discovered that it was actually the think tank Wen Huanzhang.

Yang Chang walked over quickly and waved excitedly: "Sir!"

"Really, Commander?"

Wen Huanzhang happily dismounted, and suddenly saw a large group of soldiers approaching from a distance. He stood still, wondering if they were his own people.

"Why are you here, sir?"

"We'll talk about this later. There seem to be troops and horses in the west."

"That's Master Lu."

As soon as Yang Chang finished speaking, Wen Huanzhang suddenly became excited, shook his hand and said, "Twenty miles ahead, the Jin army is gathering. They don't know that the Taiwei's troops are coming. With the Taiwei's extraordinary night combat ability, we should raid their camp and dampen their spirit!"

"Raiding the camp? How many Jin soldiers are there?"

"According to the refugees, they only started gathering yesterday afternoon, and now there are more than 10,000 people."

"Sir, stop for a moment."

Yang Chang interrupted Wen Huanzhang and changed the subject, anxiously asking, "Is there any news about Lingchuan?"

"Yes." Wen Huanzhang answered affirmatively: "Yesterday, the commander of Yan sent a message saying that they had repelled the enemy many times, but the number of Jin troops was too large, so they had to retreat to the county town. However, the Jin troops did not have siege equipment, so they should not be lost in a short time."

"really."

Yang Chang happily clapped his hands, clenched his fists and said in a deep voice: "Wang Bing relied on a few thousand people to hold Taiyuan for half a year. Now Nianhan is not well prepared and I am afraid that Lingchuan will not be easily captured. I originally planned to withdraw to Luzhou, but it seems that the situation is not that bad."

Wen Huanzhang nodded in agreement: "What the commander said is very true. As long as the Jin army cannot take Lingchuan, Generals Lu and Yan can attack them from behind at any time, and Nianhan will not dare to attack other places with all his strength. If you can repel the enemy in front tonight, and General Lin can control Lijialing tomorrow, the situation will be very favorable for us."

"In that case, let's do it!"

After Lu Zhishen arrived and joined them, the three of them exchanged ideas on robbing the camp, and Yang Chang set out again to scout.

In the second half of the night, snoring sounds were heard everywhere in the Jin camp.

Relying on visual suppression, Yang Chang eliminated the secret sentries around the camp in advance, and then he and Lu Zhishen suddenly attacked, killing the Jin army so badly that they cried for their parents.

However, due to the large number of Jin troops and their fleeing in the dark, the battle lasted until dawn.

Before they knew it, Yang Chang led his troops to a ridge, and a ray of sunlight shone through the gap in the ridge.

Wen Huanzhang followed and pointed at the gap and said, "I asked someone and found out that if we follow this path and walk twenty miles forward, we can reach the south of Lingchuan. We don't know the situation in the east of the mountain yet. The soldiers fought hard last night, so we can set up camp on the road to rest and set up defenses to cut off the Jin army's westward journey!"

"Oh? We're here already?"

Yang Chang nodded in agreement and immediately ordered his troops to set up camp on the road.

All the soldiers were exhausted, except Yang Chang who was still full of energy. He came to the bluestone at the entrance of the valley and sat down alone, personally guarding and watching for the army.

After about two hours, the temporary camp was about to be completed.

Yang Chang was about to return to the camp to rest when he suddenly noticed something wrong. He suddenly saw a crowd of people in the valley ahead, which had been blocked from view by the mountain.

The guy immediately took off his special dragon tendon bow and shot at the general with the golden ring on his ear in the front.

With a whoosh, the arrow flew out.

"Young Marshal!"

"Sheye Ma!"

Nianhan's son was suddenly shot by an arrow. The Jin army that had secretly approached the valley entrance suddenly screamed in the valley, scaring out a large number of bats.

(End of this chapter)