To the west of Bingzhou, on the vast plains, a huge army of tens of thousands is now marching north.

In this team, Han and Qiang are mixed, there are Han people with spears in hand, and there are Qiang people with cool knives, just like their leading commanders, with the blood of Han and Qiang people flowing in their bones at the same time.

The Xianbei people went south, and Ma Teng, who was guarding Xiliang, received an order from Lu Bu, and he immediately led the army in the direction of Gaoque.

Now, the Xianbei people have crossed the Han border and gone all the way south to the outside of Yanmen Pass.

The battle plan formulated by Lu Bu was to let Ma Teng go north, pass through Gaoque and detour behind the Xianbei people, and attack Han Lie who was guarding Yanmen Pass, so that the Xianbei people would be completely wiped out in the territory of Bingzhou this time!

In order to live up to Lu Bu's expectations, Ma Teng fully mobilized 50,000 Xiliang Spirits, and when they resisted and annexed the state, it was the time when the Xianbei people's road came to an end.

Looking up, a blue sky is washed like blue, and white clouds are floating.

Ma Teng, who was wearing turtle scales and ancient armor, sat on a great horse in the Western Regions, and when he raised his eyes, he could not see the edge in front of him, and there was green grass everywhere.

Although the scenery was good, Ma Teng did not stop to stop and watch, he looked into the distance and asked in a low voice: "How long is it?" ”

Liang Xingyu, the captain beside him, said: "General Huiyu, we have already left Weiwu County, and according to the current marching speed, we will be able to reach Gaoque in ten days." ”

"Ten days left?"

Ma Teng frowned, he was already rushing at full speed along the way, and he didn't know if the defenders of the state could withstand it. If the Yanmen Pass is lost, then their plan to unite with Han Lie to encircle and suppress the Xianbei people will become difficult.

Thinking of this, Ma Teng suddenly ordered to speed up the march again!

"Brother Shoucheng, listen to me."

Han Sui, who was walking with him, stopped Ma Teng, and when he saw Ma Teng's side gaze, he said seriously: "Let's start from Xiliang, a long and rapid journey for many days, most of the soldiers are physically and mentally tired, if you speed up the pace of marching, I am afraid that the sons and daughters who are walking behind will not be able to bear it!" ”

The lieutenants under his command also echoed the voice.

So, Ma Teng looked back at the soldiers behind him, as Han Sui said, most of the soldiers were in a state of extreme fatigue.

In this state, if you force the army again, it is estimated that it will only make the soldiers complain and resentful.

Since the soldiers were extremely tired, he threw away the idea of continuing to march in a hurry, and ordered down one by one: "Pass my general's order, camp in the open space ahead, bury the pot and make food, and rest for a night, and wait until tomorrow morning, and then set off." ”

"The general is wise!"

The generals shouted in unison.

At sunset, smoke curls from the makeshift camp that has been erected.

Ma Teng was in the tent to read the book of war, at this time a soldier came to report, saying that there was a man who claimed to be the general's deceased and asked to see him.

Old friend?

Ma Teng muttered in a low voice, and for a moment he couldn't remember any other friends he had here, so he ordered the soldier: "Take him in." ”

Within a few moments, a man in his early twenties was brought into the tent.

Ma Teng looked this person up and down, but he didn't have the slightest impression of this person in his mind, and his face sank and he asked: "Who are you, and why do you call yourself the old man of this general?" ”

The man saw that Ma Teng was angry, but he was not stunned, he bowed his hand and reported to his home: "Xiaguan Zheng Zhi, meet General Zhengxi." ”

The man had a humble attitude, and he claimed to be a subordinate official, obviously a person in the officialdom, but even so, Ma Teng still didn't have a good face for him: "You haven't answered the question General Ben just now!" ”

At this time, Zheng Zhi took out an edict from his arms without hurry, and read it on the spot: "Ma Teng, the general of Zhengxi, receives the order." ”

Ma Teng was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect that this ordinary-looking man would be an envoy of the Son of Heaven.

So, he immediately got up from his position, came to the man, bowed down and hugged his fists, and said, "Minister, listen to the holy oracle!" ”

"Ma Teng, the general of Zhengxi, Fufeng Maoling, has a virtuous and loyal character, and is loyal and patriotic. At present, the general is marching against the rebels in the east, and Guanzhong is in turmoil, so he immediately led the Xiliang Righteous Army into King Qin, in order to comfort my heart, and admire this! ”

After Zheng Zhi finished reciting, he closed the holy decree and handed it to Ma Teng.

After Ma Teng listened, he didn't straighten up for a long time.

"General Ma, take the order!"

Seeing that Ma Teng seemed to be unwilling, Zheng Zhi urged: "Could it be that General Ma wants to resist the decree?" ”

Hearing this, Ma Teng took the holy decree with both hands, and at the same time showed a particularly complicated expression on his face.

After finishing his errand, Zheng Zhi said goodbye and left.

Ma Teng originally wanted him to rest for one night before leaving, after all, it was not early. Zheng Zhi politely refused, saying that he was in a hurry to go back to his majesty, so he would not delay here.

Before leaving, Zheng Zhi pulled Ma Teng aside and said flatteringly: "General Ma, Your Majesty is more important than you, and this is also your chance." If you can enter the main pass, if you want to be added to the official and knighted in the future, maybe you can also be crowned the king and worship the prime minister. When the time comes, the lower officials will have to rely on General Ma, you will have to carry you a lot......"

Ma Teng was stunned when he heard this, and an indescribable emotion grew in his heart.

After dinner, Ma Teng picked up the unfinished military book in the afternoon and prepared to continue reading, but found that he couldn't calm down.

Add officials to the knighthood, and worship the king.

In particular, Zheng Zhi's parting words appeared in his mind from time to time, which made Ma Teng particularly irritable.

On one side is the former benefactor, and on the other side is the king of the Han Dynasty.

How to choose, Ma Teng couldn't make up his mind for a while.

If you don't go to reinforce and merge the state, it is very likely that the state will fall into the hands of the Xianbei people, and when the war will sweep all over the country, it will inevitably be devastated. What's more, he has already received the holy decree, if he does not lead the army to King Qinzhong in Guanzhong, it will be a capital crime to resist the decree.

After thinking about it for a long time, he couldn't come up with a definite answer, so Ma Teng had to send someone to invite Han Sui to discuss.

In private, the two have a good relationship, and they are also called brothers on weekdays.

"It's so late, what's the matter with Brother Shoucheng calling his younger brother?" Han Sui, who had taken off his military armor, was about to go to bed, but when he heard that Ma Teng was looking for him, he changed his clothes again and came to meet Ma Teng's big tent.

Han Sui was not an outsider, so Ma Teng told him what was troubled in his heart and wanted to hear his opinion.

After listening to this, Han Sui also fell into a short silence, and after a while, he spoke: "Brother Shoucheng, Your Majesty and the Great General are in your heart, which is more important?" ”

"Naturally, it's a great general."

Ma Teng gave the answer without hesitation, if it weren't for the help of the general back then, I'm afraid he would still continue to sell firewood in Chang'an City.

"But as a Hanchen, if I don't want to serve the country and be loyal to the king, wouldn't I be no different from a traitor......" Ma Teng hesitated, which was also the crux of the matter.

"According to Brother Yu's opinion, Brother Shoucheng can temporarily divide 10,000 soldiers and horses out, and your second son, Ma Xiu, will continue to gallop to aid and annex the state. Brother Shoucheng, you will lead the army into the king of Zhongqin, so that you will not be worthy of the general, nor will you live up to your majesty's expectations. Han Sui gave a plausible plan.

"This ......"

Ma Teng was still a little hesitant, although Han Sui's method was good, if he really did it, it would probably chill the general.

Seeing that Ma Teng still couldn't make up his mind, Han Sui narrowed his eyes and hit the nail on the head: "Isn't Brother Shoucheng not wanting to become the next general?" ”