Wu Gong said: "In my opinion, the adults can send an official document to the Yamen of Guangzhou Zhizhou, explaining all these things, and asking them to prepare to prevent the Manichaeans from attacking Guangzhou."

Qi Fang also said: "This is very good, there are five or six thousand officers and soldiers in the garrison of Guangzhou and Benzhou, and the city wall is strong, if you prepare in advance, you should be able to hold it, and you can hold on until we send troops to rescue us."

Yang Yan said: "I'm afraid that as soon as the Manichaean army arrives, the garrison in Guangzhou will not dare to meet the battle, abandon the city and flee, and then it will be too late for us to send troops." Therefore, I think it is better to send some people to Guangzhou. ”

Fan Chengda listened and nodded, he also knew that most of the local troops in the Great Song Dynasty were unemployed vagrants and ruffians. It's okay to bomb the ground usually, but once a war really starts, I'm afraid that everyone is really just trying to escape, and who is willing to fight to the death. Some time ago, this was the case in Pennzhou, Xiangzhou, Xunzhou, Tengzhou, Wuzhou, Fengzhou and other places.

Therefore, Fan Chengda opened the killing ring, and beheaded Liu Ming'an, the governor of Tengzhou, who took the lead in escaping, and Li Yi, the regimental training envoy, and 12 subordinates together, and then dismissed Zhu Gong, the regimental training envoy of Xiangzhou, and Liu Yong, the commander of the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Horses, and 18 other officials. This can be regarded as avoiding the strong shock and deterring the local army in Guangxi. However, when Renxiu County fought fiercely with the Manichaean army, he still did not dare to use the local army too much, and it was still dominated by the forbidden army of the infantry division. Therefore, it is hoped that the local army in Guangzhou will resist the Manichaean army, but I am afraid that it is difficult to hope.

However, Fan Chengda was also a little embarrassed, Guangzhou was not under his jurisdiction, and it was not a big deal to go to an official document, but it was not appropriate to send troops to Guangzhou rashly. Yang Yan also knew that this was the truth, and Wu Gong and Qi Fang had no better way, and all of a sudden the four of them came down silently.

At this moment, an errand officer came up from the hall, took an official note, and said, "Lord Fan, just now Chen Yuantao, the governor of Guangzhou, sent an urgent official document, please take a look at it." As he spoke, he handed over the document with both hands.

Fan Chengda was stunned, hurriedly took the official document, opened it and saw that it was sent to him by Chen Yuantao, the governor of Guangzhou, saying that he had learned that the Manichaean army was preparing to attack Guangzhou, and asked Fan Chengda to send an army to rescue Guangzhou.

With this official document, the problem of being unknown just now was immediately solved. Fan Chengda handed the official document to Wu Gong, Qi Fang, and Yang Yan to circulate it, and then said: "If this is the case, then immediately send troops to rescue Guangzhou." He turned his head and looked at the three of them again, and said, "I think this time I should ask Zihao to work hard, and you will lead the army to Guangzhou." ”

Yang Yan finished reading the official document and said: "Lord Fan, this official document was sent from Guangzhou three days ago, even if we send troops tomorrow, it will take six or seven days for the army to arrive in Guangzhou, and this time it will be more than ten days late, during this time, can Guangzhou still be saved?"

Fan Chengda was stunned, and also knew that what Yang Yan said made sense, and said, "Then what should I do?" Aren't you going to rescue Guangzhou?"

Wu Gong said: "Guangzhou naturally must go, I don't think it's better to do this, let Zihao lead a team of cavalry to Guangzhou as soon as possible to help Guangzhou defend the city." Then the army arrived. This is the fastest, and as for whether it is in time, it will have to be left to fate. ”

Fan Chengda listened, nodded and said, "That's it." He said to Yang Yan again: "Zihao, I only have to work hard for you, and I will leave first overnight today." ”

Yang Yan came out of the yamen of the envoy and immediately rushed back to the pavilion to pack up and prepare to leave for Guangzhou. He was cleaning up in the room, and a messenger came in and said, "My lord, Dong Zhizhai is here, I have something to do with you." ”

Yang Yan was slightly stunned, Dong Yuan had been idle since he came to Jingjiang Mansion with him. And B hasn't been idle since these days.,So I rarely see him.。 Now that he had come to him, there must be something going on, so he said to the messenger, "All right, I'll go and ask him." ”

Yang Yan put down the things in his hand and came to the door of the pavilion, only to see Dong Yuan waiting at the door with the two of them. It was Ling Xiang and Huang Mingxia. Yang Yan was surprised and delighted, and hurriedly greeted him and said, "Brother Ling, Miss Huang, why did you come to Jingjiang Mansion." ”

Ling Xiang smiled bitterly: "It's hard to put into words, after you left, Manichaeism occupied the entire Yongzhou region, and we couldn't stand in our hometown, so we had to come to Jingjiang Mansion to find you." ”

It turned out that after Yang Yan left Yongzhou, the Manichaean army immediately launched an attack on Youjiang Dao, Temo Dao and Ziqi and other northern areas of Yongzhou. Due to the loss of Hengshan, there is no danger to defend in the northern part of Yongzhou, and the five families of the Su clan have different feelings, like a plate of scattered sand, and they cannot resist the attack of Manichaeism. As a result, Ji Chengda and Nong Qingquan surrendered, and Zhou Wanpeng and Wei Huang led their family disciples to fight to the death, and finally fought to the death. Only the Huang family, because they had been prepared, immediately led the disciples of the He clan to leave Yongzhou and come to Jingjiang Mansion before the Manichaean attack.

Huang Mingxia said hatefully: "I heard that since the Manichaeans occupied Yongzhou, they immediately launched a large-scale killing of our Su tribesmen, killing more than 30,000 people in total. Even the old, weak, women and children did not let go, even the Ji family and the Nong family who surrendered to them were also killed a lot, and now the soldiers who came to Jingjiang Mansion with us hate them very much, as long as the adults give the order to fight the Manichaeism, we will definitely fight them to the death. ”

This result was not unexpected by Yang Yan, but he just sighed and said: "I knew today, why bother in the beginning." Fortunately, you are all fine, which is also a blessing in misfortune. ”

Dong Yuan said: "Lord Yang, the head of the Huang family also brought nearly a thousand soldiers of the Huang family, and now they are all stationed outside the city, please tell Fan Zhizhi and find a way to settle them." ”

Yang Yan nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go to Master Fan and ask him to make arrangements." But I'm going to leave for Guangzhou in the afternoon, I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany them, Dong Zhizhai, you can receive them for me. ”

Ling Xiang said: "Go to Guangzhou? Could it be that the Manichaeans are going to attack Guangzhou again? ”

Yang Yan nodded, and briefly explained the recent experience of guarding Renxiu County. When Ling Xiang heard this, he immediately said, "Brother Yang, let's go to Guangzhou with you, just to deal with Manichaeism, we will definitely go all out." ”

Huang Mingxia also said: "Yes, our Huang family does not share the enmity of Dai Tian, and the war with Manichaeism must be counted as our Huang family, and although we have lost our hometown in Yongzhou, our Huang family has a certain amount of power in the whole Guangnan, even in Guangzhou, there are also business houses and guilds of the Huang family, I think we will be able to help." ”

Yang Yan thought about it for a while and felt that it was right, now is the time to employ people, although the power of the Gu clan is not as good as before, but after all, it is also a nation that has lasted for hundreds of years in Guangnan, and it has a certain influence. And even with Ling Xiang's swordsmanship, he will definitely be useful when he arrives in Guangzhou. So he said: "That's good, but don't go too many people this time, you go back first and prepare immediately, and choose some people with higher martial arts." I'm going to go to Fan Zhizhi right now and arrange your accommodation. ”

Fan Chengda listened to Yang Yan's report, and there was no objection, now that there were some troops in Jingjiang Mansion that were insufficient, leaving them might come in handy when necessary, so he immediately ordered that the disciples of the Yu clan and the Song army from Hengshan should live together, and be managed by Dong Yuan.

By the time Yang Yan returned to the pavilion again, it was already noon. It just so happened that Gu Zhengyang also came to the pavilion station, and was waiting for him to come back for lunch with Tie Chenglin and Gu Xueping. During the banquet, Yang Yan told them that he was going to leave for Guangzhou in the afternoon.

When Gu Xueping heard this, she immediately shouted: "Brother Yan, I also want to go to Guangzhou with you." ”

Yang Yan smiled: "You want to go with you too?" Do you think you're going to Guangzhou to play, this is going to war! Either you will wait for me in Jingjiang Mansion, or you will go back to Lin'an first, as I said before. ”

Gu Xueping pursed her mouth again and said, "Why don't I go to Lin'an?" I don't stay here, I must go to Guangzhou with you. If you don't take me, I'll ask my grandfather to take me, and if my grandfather doesn't take me there, then I'll go with Cheng Lin and myself. ”

Tie Chenglin also said: "Senior Brother Yang, you can take us there, maybe we can help somewhat." ”

Yang Yan smiled bitterly, these two children couldn't get rid of them. In fact, Yi Chenglin and Gu Xueping are both taught by famous teachers, and their martial arts are very clever, and they are also outstanding in the Song army in the entire Jingjiang Mansion. It's just that Yang Yan knows the danger on the battlefield, and it's better to stay in Jingjiang Mansion, because there is Renxiu County in front of him, and he won't be directly attacked. And Guangzhou is different, will directly face the Manichaean army, both of them are children, Gu Zhengyang entrusted the two of them to himself, if he is injured, wouldn't he be sorry Gu Zhengyang. Therefore, Yang Yan looked at Gu Zhengyang, hoping that he could say a few words for himself and persuade them.

Nazhigu Zhengyang said: "Yan'er, you can take them there, the two of them are not too young, let them go through the experience." ”

When Yang Yan heard this, he had no choice but to smile bitterly and nodded, Gu Zhengyang said so, he naturally had nothing to say. I had to say: "Then you can follow me to Guangzhou, but you must be clear first, you are setting off with the army, and you must listen to my orders along the way." His face straightened and he said, "If you don't listen to my orders, I'm not welcome." ”