Chapter 325: The Lucky One Who Hopes Her Husband Will Become a Successful One

Since Guo Ziyi, the Guo family has been guarding the north for the Tang Dynasty, and the family heritage is more powerful than that of the Zhe family.

After the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the country was in chaos. Separatist regimes in the northern Yellow River basin succeeded each other one after another, namely Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Han, Later Jin, and Later Zhou, known as the Five Dynasties. During this period, the Khitan took advantage of the chaos to rise and annexed the Tiande Army where the Guo family was located. The Guo family then surrendered and became vassals of the Liao.

The Liao Kingdom had a vast territory, and the people in the border states and counties were fierce and difficult to control, so the Guo family inherited the title of Jiedushi of the Tiande Army. Later, the Jin Kingdom destroyed the Liao Kingdom and used Liao generals to persuade Guo Qizhong to surrender, so he led his troops to surrender.

Because Guo Qizhong was a descendant of Guo Ziyi, he was treated well by Jin Taizu Wanyan Aggu. Later, under the order of Wuqimai, he led the Han army that had surrendered the foreign soldiers and followed the western Jin army south to attack the Song Dynasty. During the period of marching south, he made many contributions, and all the marshals had a good impression of him.

Zhe Keqiu explained patiently, but the audience had different thoughts in their minds.

People like Yang Zhi and Lu Junyi, who came from good families, lamented that although dynasties kept changing, the Guo family was able to pass down from generation to generation. People like Liu Tang and Shi Qian, who were born in the lower classes, despised the "degeneration" of the Guo family. Only Yang Chang had a completely different opinion.

After all, he came from the new era and had historical experience spanning thousands of years. He knew clearly that although the aristocratic families were purged at the end of the Tang Dynasty, as long as there were classes in the human world and limited resources were in the hands of a few people, the "aristocratic families" would exist in other forms.

In ancient times, there were many military families and academic families. Even in Yang Chang's original world, in addition to the secret inheritance of traditional military families and academic families, there are also emerging sports families, music families, and celebrity families, all of which have formed a "monopoly" in their respective fields.

Human nature is selfish. Who wouldn't want to pass on their unique skills and resources to their descendants? But as the number of descendants increases and their quality varies, it's natural that a few bad guys will come out and bring shame to the family.

Of course, the Tang Dynasty had long since perished, and the choice made by the descendants of the Guo family could not be considered a disgrace to their ancestors. They surrendered to the Liao Kingdom and the Jin Kingdom in order to allow the family to continue.

Zhe Keqiu used to be a general of the Song Dynasty, and Yang Changlian was able to convince him through coaxing and deception, but Guo Qizhong had never been a minister of the Song Dynasty, so it would be extremely difficult to persuade him to surrender directly.

At this time, you can only take your chances. If you can persuade him to surrender, you can use him like Zhe Keqiu. If not, it depends on his own luck. After all, swords have no eyes on the battlefield.

Yang Chang made a plan on the spot, preparing to lead his troops to bypass Yanmen County and head straight to Yanmen Pass with great fanfare, which was equivalent to cutting off Guo Qizhong's retreat.

If he attacked under pressure, Yang Chang would ambush and defeat him. If he withstood the pressure and waited and watched, he would directly take down Yanmen Pass first, but would send Shi Qian to infiltrate Yanmen County to serve as an internal support for the subsequent capture of the city.

After deploying the tactics, Yang Chang led the generals to organize the army and prepare to march towards Yanmen.

As soon as I walked out of the lobby, I saw a familiar face running in from outside the mansion. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be little Yuchi Sun Xin.

Shouldn't he be in Yangqu? Why did he come to Gang County? Did something serious happen in the rear?

As for the two attack points in the rear, Zezhou is guarded by Lin Chong and others, and the Pingding Army has the "magician" Zhao Fujin to back them up. There shouldn't be any problems. Is there something wrong with Fengyue Pass?

Zhe Keqiu and Yan Xie also issued an order, requesting Talan to send reinforcements to the Pingding Army to break the impasse. Could it be that this guy had already discovered Xiao Longnu, so he did not go to reinforce the Pingding Army, but went south to Luzhou on his own initiative?

It just so happened that half of the garrison in Luzhou were withdrawn, and Sun Li was in charge of the defense of Fengyue Pass.

Hiss. That's right.
At this moment, he finally understood what it meant to be out of reach.

If it weren't for Zhao Fujin's magical speed, it would take Yang Chang several days to reach Fengyue Pass even if he rode the Jade Lion of Zhaoye day and night. But once he left the front line of Daizhou, taking Yanmen would be a pipe dream.

Yang Chang was so absorbed in his thoughts that he only reacted when Sun Xin came forward to greet him.

"General."

"Something happened at Fengyue Pass?"

"Hmm?" Sun Xin was stunned, and quickly shook his head and said, "Brother didn't send anyone to ask for help, I think Fengyue Pass is fine, I came here to pacify the army."

"Pingding Army? Talai has sent more troops? Sun An can't hold on?" Although Yang Chang asked three questions in a row, he was not as nervous as before.

Zhe Keqiu, who was standing aside, looked at Sun Xin with his arms folded and thought to himself, what did I say before? Talai will be ordered to reinforce the Pingding Army, but you are confident that there is no problem. Why are you questioning yourself now?
Facts have proved that my prediction was correct. There are many people like Zhe who have read many history books and won a few battles, and became complacent and mistakenly believed that they are invincible in the world. You, Yang Chang, are not the first and you will not be the last.

Zhe Keqiu had just regained his confidence when he was stunned by Sun Xin's answer.

"Talai did send reinforcements to Pingding, but with Her Royal Highness the Princess in charge there, Steward Sun should be able to hold on."

"Then you come here."

"It was the Madam who sent me to ask for instructions. She wanted to bring her guards to Pingding Army to help."

"What did you say? Why is she causing trouble?"

This time, not only Zhe Keqiu didn't understand, but even Yang Chang's head was full of question marks, thinking, what is Hu Sanniang trying to do? Aren't you not good at killing?

After being interrupted by Yang Chang, Sun Xin nodded and continued to explain: "In fact, Talan sent more troops to pacify the rebellion. The third lady planned to launch a surprise counterattack with the help of the princess. She specially invited the first lady to fight side by side. The first lady couldn't make up her mind, so she sent me to ask for instructions."

"She said to counterattack, so we have to counterattack? Didn't I tell her to hold on before I left? This is ridiculous!"

"Uh, Manager Sun thinks it's feasible."

"is it?"

Yang Chang put his hands on his hips and thought, the unhappiness on his face slowly easing.

He originally blamed Qiu Qiongying for being nosy, but suddenly he remembered that after the battle of Fengyue Pass, Hu Sanniang was curious about Zhao Fujin's magic and said that she would let her see it next time she had the chance.

It's really a drama between three women. Why rush to broaden your horizons? On the battlefield, swords are blind. Do you dare to do it without me? Is it safe?
"If she goes to quell the war, who will take care of Huang'er?"

"Prince Consort Wu and the Princess."

"Well, let her go if she wants to."

Seeing that Hu Sanniang had found a way to retreat, although Yang Chang didn't want to, he couldn't stop her. After he finished speaking, he called on all the generals to go ahead, and he wanted to keep Sun Xin to give him a few words.

Zhe Keqiu was confused. He pulled Yang Zhi aside as soon as he left the mansion and asked curiously, "Who is the princess? And isn't she in Pingding? How can she be in Yangqu with Prince Consort Wu?"

"Haha, have you confused yourself?"

Yang Zhi's mouth was full of joy, and then he pointed to the courtyard wall and explained in a low voice: "We have two princesses here. One is the second wife of General Yang, the famous Princess Maode, and the other is her sister Princess Xunde."

"What? Second Madam?"

Zhe Keqiu was shocked when he heard this. His incredible and exaggerated expression seemed to be saying, can a princess be a concubine?
Yang Zhi nodded and said, "This is the extraordinary thing about Yang Taiwei. I heard that the emperor wanted to recruit him as his consort a long time ago, but the Taiwei insisted on not divorcing his original wife, so the matter was delayed for several years and was done in secret. Now the three wives are all equal wives, regardless of their status."

"hiss"

Zhe Keqiu swallowed hard, and after a while he nodded and praised, "Captain Yang, you are a real man."

"Haha, you won't suffer any loss if you follow the Grand Marshal. Do you know who Prince Consort Wu is?"

"Who?"

"Wu Song, the hero who killed the tiger on Jingyang Ridge, is also the sworn brother of General Yang. We both became bandits in Erlong Mountain. He was born into a poor family with his parents having died early."

After Yang Zhi finished speaking, his face was full of envy. He thought that if he had known that he would end up under Yang Chang's command, he should have stayed with Lu Zhishen and Wu Song.

Zhe Keqiu looked as if he had suddenly realized something, but inwardly he sighed that this man was so annoying, and thought that Wu Song's brotherhood was totally worth it.

After coming to his senses, he pulled Yang Zhi aside and asked, "By the way, why do you say that if the princess is in charge of the Pingding Army, Sun An will definitely be able to hold on?"

"This is a very mysterious matter. Let's not stand in front of the government office and talk about it. It's not too late to talk about it while walking on the road, so as to avoid the general coming out and seeing it." "Yeah."

Zhe Keqiu nodded and hurriedly left with Yang Zhi. However, Yang Chang had something to do at the moment and would not come out so soon.

The three ladies got along so well that they even fought side by side, but Hu Sanniang's martial arts skills were relatively low, and Yang Chang was worried that it would be unsafe for her to go to pacify the rebellion.

The [Sword Perfection] talisman prepared by Yang Chang was still lying quietly in his arms, so now he had to settle for the next best thing and "strengthen" Sun Xin who came from afar to deliver the letter.

A few months ago, the war ended. Yang Chang took the opportunity of Wu Song's wedding to give some of his brothers an initiation to improve their martial arts. He took into account that Shi Qian, the commander of the Night Owl Army, was taught riding skills, and the Sparrow Army, which was also an intelligence agency, could not be partial to one over the other. So, despite the shortage of resources, he still left a riding talisman for Gu Dasao.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Gu wanted her husband to be successful, so she begged Yang Chang to give Sun Xin the opportunity to improve his riding skills, otherwise it would not be Little Wei Chi who delivered the letter this time.

Yang Chang gained a lot in these battles. He peeled off three talismans just from the [Perfection of Spear and Stick], while Sun Xin followed Sun Li to learn how to use the whip and spear. He had brute force but no skills, so he became the lucky one after Liu Tang.

In just a moment, Yang Chang was in the back hall of the yamen, performing a 'initiation' on Sun Xin.

After the operation, Sun Xin shook his hands and instantly felt that he was terrifyingly strong. His eyes turned from awe to admiration for Yang Chang. He immediately bowed his head and thanked him, saying, "General, you have given me a new life. My brother and I will never be able to repay you."

"The Sparrow Army will obey Madam's orders. You and your sister-in-law will go together to pacify the enemy. You can take care of each other."

"I will obey your orders!"

"You have come a long way and must have worked hard. You can rest here for a night and return to Yangqu tomorrow. I have to lead my army north and cannot accompany you."

Before Yang Chang finished his polite words, Sun Xin patted his chest to show his loyalty and said loudly: "I am not tired at all. I will set off to report right away."

"Well, that's fine." Yang Chang smiled bitterly, and then said, "By the way, remember to tell my wife that you should not fight lightly without confidence, and remember not to chase after a desperate enemy. Don't panic when you encounter difficulties. Once I have dealt with the affairs of Daizhou, I will rush over to help you."

"Got it. Take care, General. I'm leaving now." Sun Xin clasped his fists and saluted solemnly.

Yang Chang stared at the back in a daze, with the mentality of an old father who wants his daughter to go solo when she grows up. He comforted himself to learn to let go, and then strode out of the door.

August 24, Yanmen County.

At the time of Sipai, Guo Qizhong, wearing armor, stood on the city wall, ready for battle. However, he heard information from the scouts that Yang Chang's army suddenly turned north and did not seem to be coming to attack the county town.

"What did you say? Yang Chang went north? How is that possible?"

“That’s the situation.”

"Explore again!"

"Yes."

Deputy General Li Baisheng sent the scouts away, clasped his fists and advised Guo Qizhong: "Yanmen Pass is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and the troops there are several times more than us. As long as Commander Yang has a good brain, he will not attack Yanmen directly."

"What Lieutenant General Li meant."

"Yang Chang is still 20 miles away from us. I guess he is just bluffing us, hoping we will let down our guard and then launch a surprise attack at night. I heard that Xiurong and Dingxiang were lost in the same way."

"It is said that Yang Chang is extremely powerful. He was straightforward with the Grand Marshal. Would he waste his time on us? But you are right. We should keep the same attitude in the face of change."

Guo Qizhong returned to the county government office without taking off his armor. When it became dark outside the window in the afternoon, the fifth group of scouts returned to the government office to report on the situation. They said that Yang Chang went all the way north without stopping, and the army was now approaching Yanmen Mountain.

Does Yang Chang really want to skip the county town and directly attack the mountain pass?
This man has won every battle and obviously doesn't take me seriously. However, there are many passes on the Great Wall, and Yanmen Pass is the most dangerous. Is he so confident?
He is Yang Chang. He has defeated all the marshals including Nianhan, Wuliebu, Erliduo, Talai, Wushi and Xieye. If he dares to attack Yanmen Pass directly, he must have something to rely on.

If Yanmen Pass is lost first, won’t we be trapped in a jar?

Just as Guo Qizhong was struggling with his mind and body, his deputy general Li Baisheng rushed in and shouted, "Governor Guo, we just got the latest intelligence that Yang Chang has arrived at the foot of Yanmen Mountain!"

"I already know that this person did not come as we expected. It is less than an hour before dark. It is more than 40 miles from Yanmen Mountain to the county town. The march at night is very slow. He should not come to us. He will probably rest at the foot of the mountain and go up the mountain to seize the pass tomorrow."

"Yanmen Pass is extremely strategic. Wait until they are exhausted, then we will follow the Marshal's plan and attack them from behind."

"That's Yang Chang, who has won every battle against Jin. Aren't you sure he will go directly?"

Li Baisheng was stunned when he heard this. Although his name was also Baisheng, he did not dare to be arrogant in front of Yang Chang.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Guo Qizhong immediately asked, "I asked you to check Commander Yang's supply line. Do you have any clues now?"

"Yes, yes. Commander Yang is used to water transportation just like when he fought in Taiyuan. Just now, the scouts in the south of the city sent news that there is a ship going upstream in the lower reaches of the Hutuo River. It should be his grain transport ship."

"How many are there?"

"There are only a dozen ships at the moment. I guess the follow-up troops haven't arrived yet, and Commander Yang also brought some food with him. We will transport it by land when needed."

Guo Qizhong nodded and stroked his beard, muttering, "We can't help at Yanmen Pass, but we can help harass the supply line. You take 500 people out of the city immediately and find a way to destroy these ships."

"Didn't you say you wouldn't attack?" Li Baisheng looked surprised.

"This time, that time."

Guo Qizhong said seriously: "Yang Chang's main force is in Yanmen Mountain, at least fifty or sixty miles away from Hutuo River. Even if he knew that the fleet was attacked, what could he do?"

"That makes sense." Li Baisheng nodded in agreement: "I will do my best. I will harass if I can, and retreat if there is an ambush."

"That's what I mean. Quickly mobilize the troops to leave the city. It will be dark any later."

"Yes."

Li Baisheng received the order to leave the city.

When it was getting dark, he led 500 cavalrymen to the Hutuo River and launched a surprise attack on the fleet that had docked.

Ruan Xiaoqi responded to the battle in a panic, and ultimately lost four ships as the cost, and led the defeated soldiers to seize the ships and escape from the battlefield.

Li Baisheng completed the task and rode under the cover of night humming a little tune, but he didn't know that more than twenty Night Owl masters had mixed into his team returning to the city.

On the twenty-fifth of August, the sky was about to brighten.

Shi Qian led the Night Owl Army to open the north gate of Yanmen County and welcome Yang Zhi into the city. This was the second time the two had cooperated after taking Dingxiang, and they had cooperated very well.

Deputy General Li Baisheng was killed by Shi Qian in the melee, and the acting governor Guo Qizhong was defeated by Yang Zhi and captured alive, but would rather die than surrender.

In the afternoon, he was taken to the Yanmen camp. When Guo Qizhong saw Yang Chang, he still refused to surrender. Zhe Keqiu stepped forward and whispered to him, "This man's family is all in the capital. It's not that he can't surrender, but he dares not to surrender."

"Oh?"

Yang Chang looked at Guo Qizhong, then looked at Zhe Keqiu, and finally said with a smile: "I think he dares, and will help me take Yanmen Pass."

"Ok?"

(End of this chapter)