The clouds were overcast, and it looked like it was about to rain and snow. It should be noon, but the cold air is forcing people to move.

Zhe Keda stood on the hillside, looking down at a construction site below, and the gloom in his expression was as thick as the lead cloud in the sky.

The freshly burned ground was black, and the vegetation had been cleared. In a gray and black land, more than 2,000 people were busy building camps with axes, hammers, shovels and saws of various tools. Although manpower was far from sufficient, it was sufficient to set up camp in a few key strongholds.

The shouting trumpets were accompanied by heavy hammers, struck the wooden stakes the thickness of the bowl into the ground. A fence two miles long that has been built to the high slopes on either side of the road is taking shape.

However, Zhe Keda still felt that it was too slow, this camp would not be completed until tomorrow, and it would take seven days to complete the defense system. It is not a temporary marching battalion, and it must have the most basic defense capability, and time and labor cannot be saved. Moreover, in order to resist the siege of the army, a large number of additions, reconstructions, and even reconstructions will be carried out in the future.

Thirty miles to the north, it is where the Wuqing army of Dongshengzhou of Liao State is located. The Liao army moved south from the Heqing army in Dongshengzhou, and as long as it took an hour, it could kill the former army camp on the side of the Liufa River. The iron cavalry of the Liao people may appear at any time, and the current progress is too slow. To resist the army of the Liao, it is not possible to solve the problem with wooden barracks.

In the distance, yellow smoke rose from the distance, and more than thirty horsemen galloped from the north, rushed to the camp fence, and were stopped by the guards on the periphery, but they were immediately let go, and then ran towards the slope.

From a distance, he recognized the leading cavalryman riding a chestnut horse, it was his father's brother, the sixteenth ranked Zhi Keren, who strode forward to greet him: "Uncle Sixteen." ”

The horse went up the hillside, and right next to Zhe Keda, Zhe Keren jumped off the horse. The members of the big family, the age has nothing to do with the generation, and his age is only one year older than Zhe Ke, because his face is slightly round, and he has no beard, he looks younger than Zhe Ke.

Looking back at the construction site below, Zhi Keren frowned and shook his head: "It seems that this camp will not be completed until tomorrow." Big brother, how long will it take to camp alone? ”

"It should be done before dark." Zhe Ke replied and asked, "What about the other side of the road?" What's the trouble? ”

Zhi Keren didn't care whether it was dirty or not, so he sat down on a bluestone on the side of the road: "It's just digging a pit." I dug 350,000 yuan in the morning, and I took care of the mountains and slopes that could run horses for two miles. There are also three ditches. It's enough to block the Liao. ”

"Thirty or fifty thousand, digging the trap so fast?!"

"It's enough to be able to break the horse's feet, and it's not that the whole horse is trapped, and the pit comes out when you go down with a shovel...... Sit! Zhi Keren patted the stone beside him and motioned for Zhi Keda to sit down, "Speaking of which, the iron shovel of the ordnance supervisor is really easy to use, only five hundred have been issued, which is really rare, they are all good iron that can make weapons, and steel flowers can be seen at the edge of the blade, and they are willing to ......."

Zhe Keda first dusted the dust on the stone, and Fang Yiyan sat down, "Now there is no shortage of iron in the imperial court, it is said that there are 10,000,000 catties a year, and there is more pig iron in Xuzhou alone than in the whole country before." I didn't look at how generous the court is now, when it comes to fighting, the iron armor and horse chopping sabers are all sent down. ”

Zhi Keren said: "If it weren't for Han Longtu, the latest batch wouldn't have arrived." ”

Zhe Ke Da Lu laughed, "If the imperial court strictly orders it, will Han Longtu do this?" ”

Zhi Keren laughed twice, "Don't talk about this." If you look at the land here, it's really good land, just now I saw people digging pits in front of me, and the soil dug out is really plastered, which is much stronger than the land in Fuzhou. ”

Zhe Ke Da Yan smiled: "So this is a horse breeding land." Many of the horses that come to the house are grazed here. It was the Wang family before. Now it's time for us to fold. ”

"The imperial court is the land of the imperial court."

"Hmm." Zhe Keda stood up, "When the reinforcements from the south arrive, it's just right to put the horses here." ”

Zhi Keren sneered: "Don't expect the horse army in Taiyuan." In the summer and autumn, they were all pulled out to patrol and fight, and this winter there were not only many deaths. And food and grass are still a problem. ”

The situation of the Hedong cavalry is not good, and it is very important to know the road without listening to the news from the rear. I have been riding on horseback since I was a child and am familiar with the nature of horses, how can I not understand where the limits of war horses are.

Zhe Keda also got up, "It's good in winter." In winter, the river can freeze the bottom of the river, and it is convenient to transport grain by sled car after a snowfall. ”

"Let's wait for the pawns. When the horse army moves, the foot soldiers will follow. After the Ma army arrived, all the reinforcements would be able to come within half a month at most. When the time comes, it will be much easier on our side. Zhi Kexing stretched his waist, "I am also relieved to know the progress of your side." Go to the front first, and you'll be back before nightfall. ”

"Sixteenth uncle, please be careful, the Liao people may come over at any time."

"Don't worry, I have a commander over there. If there are many Liao people, I will run back. If there are few people...... "Zhi Kexing smiled and raised his eyebrows, "then it would be disrespectful." ”

"Maybe the Liao people came over just to move their mouths and threaten a sentence or two, but they may not do it immediately."

Zhi Keren smacked his lips: "Whoever is impatient to talk to them, kill them, kill them back, didn't Han Longtu say it, if there is anything, he supports him." ”

Zhe Keda can be sure that Han Gang definitely didn't say this, but the general idea will not be wrong. In the letter sent by his seventh brother, Han Gang's attitude was also clearly stated. The question is whether Han Gang will keep his promise if there is really a big mess. For a Wenchen, he is not so confident.

As the next head of the family, Zhe Keda must think as a head of the family, not wait for the position at home to fall on his head, and must have the ability to lead the people to survive under the threat of the Liao State. The ability to lead is the first, but not the only one. Thinking and acting must earnestly bear the future of thousands of people and 100,000 people. It is necessary to resist the invasion of the Liao, even including the pressure from the city of Tokyo. If he didn't have that ability, at that time, unless the Son of Heaven issued an edict to name him, he would have no hope of inheriting the position of governor of Fuzhou.

From the teachings he received since childhood, it is impossible to put the safety of the family on a civil official who has nothing to do with it. He knew why his father wanted to take the initiative to recover the old Fengzhou, and he also knew why he wanted to join forces with Han Gang, but he didn't understand why he wanted to get so close to Han Gang. Han Gang is a little younger than himself, he is in a high position at a young age, and his personality and personality are bound to be radical. If he has any plans that need to be folded and the fold family charges, it is impossible to say whether it will bring any disastrous consequences to the fold family at that time.

But this idea is only in my heart, and it is not convenient to take it out and say it clearly, especially now that I have to use Han Gang's power, I can't say a word casually.

Zhe Keren got on his horse and left, going to the border to continue his mission. As long as the road is destroyed, the cavalry of the Liao people wants to kill the camp, but it is not so easy.

Under the obscuration of the clouds, the position of the sun could not be seen, but the sky did get darker a little. The camp below began to light torches, and Zhe Keda thought that it was almost time for Zhe Keren to return.

But it wasn't until it was completely dark that Zhi Keren's own soldiers rode back, and he was out of breath, "Big ...... Da Lang, the sixteenth general is out of ...... Something happened! ”

Zhe Ke grabbed the pro-soldier with his big hand and shouted, "What's wrong!?" ”

"The sixteenth general was ...... by Liao The Liao's stray arrows have been shot! ”

"What?!" Zhe Keda's expression was even more hideous, "Is there a big problem with Uncle Sixteen?" ”

"Hurt ...... Injure...... Hurt an ear! ”

………………

Two days later, Hangang got the exact news of the border clash that took place in Liufa River.

The horse traps and trenches dug in front of the camp in advance blocked the Liao scouts, and the destroyed roads made it impossible for the cavalry to gallop on horseback, but when the Liao people withdrew, they shot a stray arrow, which hit Zhe Keren's ear and cut off half of it. Then Zhe Keren immediately sent troops to the border, and although there were no casualties, he set fire to the two Liao patrol shops to vent his anger.

"Finally started?" Han Gang threw the emergency military information back on the table.

Border conflicts cannot be avoided. Since the alliance of the Yuanyuan, the borders of Hedong and Hebei have never stopped, and it is extremely common to burn one or two patrol shops or beacons, and Han Gang has been waiting for when this scene will start.

Although this opening is ridiculous. But that arrow should have been aimed at Zhe Keren, and it was by no means a simple stray arrow. It was just luck that he only hurt his ear, and if that arrow missed by a few inches, it would be a fatal event. As Zhe Keren, it is impossible to be the same as the civilians on the border, and he can easily settle the matter.

"Dragon Figure." Zhi Keshi came in with an official letter with heavy steps, "The Liao people moved to Fuzhou Prefecture in Dongsheng Prefecture to question the burning of their patrol shops by the officials and military criminals. ”

Han Gang took the Liao people's ultimatum and read it for a while, and another official letter was also sent, "Long Tu." Li Duzhi had already led his troops to set off yesterday. It is expected to arrive in Linzhou in four days. ”

"Looks like we can catch up." Han Gang said to Huang Shang, "Mian Zhong, help me draft the documents to Xiao Shisan, and ask them to hand over the prisoner who shot and injured Keren, otherwise, they will be given reasonable compensation in accordance with Liao Law." Otherwise, in the future, the Liao people will invade the border, and they will be punished without asking the reason. ”

"What should I do about Zhe Keren's burning of the Liao country's patrol shop?" Huang Shang asked in surprise.

Zhi Keshi immediately said: "This is the revenge that the Liao people will have only if they first invade the realm and hurt people!" ”

Han Gang also said: "As long as they give Zhi Keren's ears an explanation, Da Song will also be responsible for compensating for the loss of the patrol shop." ”

"Long Tu, this ultimatum has been sent over, and the Liao people will not give up." Huang Shang reminded in a deep voice, "Could it be that Long Tu wants to start a war with the Liao." ”

"I don't want to." Han Gang shook his head, "It's because I don't want to, I have to be ready for a big battle!" Let the Liao people understand that we are by no means the object of blackmail! ”