Since the return of Taigu City in vain, the Liao army that entered the city has retreated to the north like a low tide.

As Han Gang led the Song army north to Taiyuan, the Liao army also completely withdrew to the north of Sanjiaokou, that is, from Shiling Pass south to the valley road in the Taiyuan Basin. Only devastated land remained.

Han Gang handed over the task of cleaning up the mess to Wang. Kerschen. He is an envoy of control, not a propaganda envoy, he has no right to manage the people, and he has no energy to meddle now.

But when Han Gang rode a horse and walked on the official road outside Taiyuan City, looking at the villages near and far where only rubble remained, and the wheat fields that had been eaten and trampled by the horses, and only a piece of loess remained, he couldn't help but sigh repeatedly, "The fields in the east of the river." ’

When he left Hedong before, there were two years of savings in Taiyuan Mansion. But after this military disaster, it was indispensable to ask for relief from the imperial court. It's just that Hebei and Shaanxi are fighting wars this year, and they also need the help of the imperial court, and the money and grain that Yuanfeng has accumulated over the past few years are estimated to be consumed.

"What are you going to eat this year and next year?"

Seeing a burned village on the side of the road, and the people who were rummaging through the ruins of the village, Han Gang couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

"Privy?" Liu Guangyu came over, he heard it, but he didn't hear it clearly.

"It's nothing, it's nothing!" Han Gang shook his head and put away the feeling in his heart, revenge is the most important thing right now, with the imperial court, people will not starve to death. He looked at the general judgment of Taiyuan Mansion, and he was also the eighth place in Xining's six-year Jinshi Branch, "Yuan Zhang, you and I are old friends in the same year." It is said that it is commensurate with the words, and you are scolding me when you call me an official. ”

A fat face of Liuguangyu smiled, and his eyes narrowed slightly, "Guangyu accompanied the army, it was on the orders of Wang Mingfu, it was a business matter, and I didn't dare to mess up the dignity and humility with personal friendship." ”

Since Han Gang led the army to the north, it is indispensable to have a large army pass through the boundaries of Taiyuan Prefecture next, and a large amount of money, grain and ordnance will pass through Taiyuan, and it is not easy to do a good job of backup. So Wang. Kechen stayed in Taiyuan to clean up the mess, but let Liuguangyu, who had some friendships, go with Han Gang, hoping that this friendship in the same year would make Han Gang's requirements for Taiyuan Mansion not too harsh. And Liu Guangyu also sees it as a good opportunity to further get closer to Han Gang.

Han Gang shook his head, disapproving against Liu Guangyu's words, "You and I are both courtiers, and we are comparable to the master, although there is a difference between high and low positions, there is not much difference between dignity and inferiority. ”

Liu Guangyu smiled and patted Han Gang a few words, but he didn't take his words seriously.

For Liuguangyu, who is full of words, Han Gang no longer cares. Looking back, Huang Sheng was silently following behind. Further back are Tian Zhen, Chen Feng and other staff. Basically, they are ranked according to their official positions. Turning back, looking at the same year when he was full of fat, Han Gang sighed to himself again, it's really still fate.

Huang Shang, who left a great name in history in the future, even though he had a lot of military achievements, his official position at this time was still much lower than that of Liuguangyu. Taiyuan Mansion is a sub-government, which is higher than Wangzhou and Shangzhou in terms of rank, and if Huang Shang goes to the place, he can barely be a magistrate of the lower county.

Regardless of his own exception, Liuguangyu Zhongjin Shi was promoted to a general judgment after only seven years, and from the perspective of the speed of advancement, it was also amazingly fast.

At this time, the vast majority of Jinshi in Xining for six years have not yet completed the five cuts, and they are still floating in the sea of selection, and only a dozen people have been promoted to the Beijing Dynasty officials. In addition to Han Gang, Yiliu Guangyu has the highest official quality, and the next level is Lian Hengfu, who entered the Zhongshu as a prosecutor in just two years, and Lang Yuzhong is far inferior to the two of them.

However, once you know the background of Lu Dao Liuguangyu, then you won't be surprised. There are people behind them who naturally rise fast. One Han Wei, one Han Jiang, and the Lingshou Han family have entered the two mansions one after another, and it is not surprising that Liuguangyu, as the nephew of the two, has risen rapidly. As for Lian Hengfu, who is now also a general judge in Huainan, who was a student of Wang Anshi and had a good relationship with Wang Yan, there is no need to say who is behind it.

Han Gang and the others went straight forward. A sound of hooves came from behind, and Liuguangyu turned around, but it was Zhi Keda, who was recruited by Han Gang to make the system, caught up from behind.

Han Gang also saw Zhe Keda: "How is Zhang Zhifu doing?" ”

After leaving Taigu County, Han Gang led the light troops first, and the main force was still under the command of Zhang Qi. Zhe Keda entered the Han Gang curtain and was sent to contact in the play. With his eye for a general, the situation of the army can be seen at a glance whether it is available or not.

Since Hangang was stationed in Taigu, there have been many righteous and brave votes. Especially after repelling the Liao army and starting to move north, more people came. In the past ten days, more than 3,000 township soldiers have gathered under the command of Han Gang, and after some careful selection, more than 1,100 strong and brave Hedong men have been left.

Although some people said that there might be a spy inside, Han Gang did not dismiss him back to his hometown, but organized them into three commands according to the township branch, combined into one army, and included them in the sequence of Hedong Township soldiers and archers. Naturally, it was returned to Zhang Kai and let him lead the north.

Zhe Ke frowned slightly: "Everything else is fine, but the newly formed archers are still messed up, and they can barely keep up." ”

Han Gang said: "Recruits, and Xiangyong, all of them, don't worry, just fight a few battles." ”

"It's already good." Liu Guangyu said with a smile: "If it weren't for the winter training of the armor protection method in the past few years, and the privy selection, the situation would have been worse." ”

"Whether this time can give the Liao thief an unforgettable lesson, we also have to see what step Hedong Xiangyong can do." Han Gang said, raising his eyes and looking ahead, "It's almost Sanjiaokou in front, right?" ”

Ignoring his image, he stood up on the stirrup, and glanced at him from a distance, "There are three more miles." ”

"Oh, it's fast." Hangang Road.

After resting from Taiyuan City, the Song army continued to march north, and the marching speed was not slow, sweeping the surrounding area with cavalry and reconnoitring the enemy, while the main infantry advanced at a normal marching speed, which was a little slower than rushing from Taigu to Taiyuan before.

In terms of horsemanship, the cavalry of the Song army was naturally far inferior, but in terms of the condition of the war horses, it was far superior to the Liao army. Xiao 13 did not send cavalry to harass Han Gang, but they were all wiped out by the rangers of the Song army with more physical strength on the periphery.

Only one day after leaving Taiyuan City, Han Gang and his army had already arrived at Sanjiaokou, a key traffic point in the north of Taiyuan City.

Sanjiaokou Pass is the entrance of Taiyuan to Dingxiang Yanmen Road, and the entrance hall aisle of Shilingguan gateway from the north is very important. However, Han Gang's forward occupied this key pass very smoothly, and was not hindered by the Liao army at all.

"Liao thieves shouldn't abandon the three crossings." Liuguangyu looked around, "The ditch mesh cloth here is densely woven by rain, and the terrain is dangerous." Emperor Taizong once served as King Pan Zheng and deployed at the three crossings of the east of the river, and stationed troops at the three crossings. It is a battleground for soldiers, how can it be abandoned? ”

Pan Mei, a famous general at the beginning of the country, served the purpose of Tai, and stationed troops at Sanjiaokou to beware of the Liao army. Whether it is Liuguangyu, Zhe Keda, or Han Gang and his staff who were under the door when he served in Hedong, there are not many people who know about this matter.

"This place is too close to Taiyuan City." Huang Shang, who had been silent all the way, said, "If it is to attack Taiyuan City and garrison troops here, then there is nothing to say." But guarding this place in order to defend the Shiling Pass Road is self-defeating. ”

Liuguangyu looked back, not far to the south, is where Taiyuan City is located. Under the clear blue sky, it is particularly conspicuous.

As soon as Huang Shang's voice fell, Tian Zhen said: "Because it is too close, in the "Wujing General Essentials", it is directly said that Emperor Taizong abolished Jinyang City and 'moved to the state to govern the three exchanges', but in fact, it is Yangqu County at all. ”

"The first to move is to the east." Huang Shang corrected, "'Taking Yuci as the merger state', it's just that the geographical location of Yuci County is too poor, which is not conducive to business travel, so it was moved to Yangqu County in February of the seventh year of Taiping Xingguo three years later. ”

Liu Guangyu blinked his eyes and laughed, "It is worthy of being the right-hand man of the privy curtain, and he is proficient in geography and history." Idly praised Huang Shang and Tian Yu, he turned his head and asked Han Gang again: "If the privy commander is a thief, how should he guard it?" ”

"Whether it is defending the city or guarding the pass, it is impossible to retreat directly to the city wall. In the case that the defenders still have a certain strength, they will rely on the city defense pass and send troops forward to defend. Han Gang said disapprehantly.

It was Han Gang who guarded Taigu, and he also put the main force on the periphery, which forced the Liao army to lose its foothold in Taigu. If they are all piled up in the city, Xiao 13 can easily solve the threat of reinforcements from the north as long as he sends troops to seal the city gate.

"With Shiling and Chitang Erguan as the pivot, with Baijingzhai as the link, the entire valley road is used as the central axis. At the third intersection, some people will be put to monitor the movement. Han Gang paused for a moment and added, "If the Liao people have infantry in their hands, they must be guarded like this." ”

Liu Guangyu was stunned for a moment: "...... And what about the cavalry? ”

Han Gang didn't answer, but he glanced at Zhe Ke.

Zhi Ke said: "Normally, they should not be withdrawn from Taiyuan, and the field battle on the plain is where they come in." In a narrow valley, the offensive and defensive battles are bound to be hard-hitting, and the cavalry is difficult to ride their horses, and they will be pressed and beaten by the foot soldiers. He smiled, "The mountains east of Hedong are not as strong as Shaanxi, Shaanxi has thousands of ravines and roads, so the iron harriers of the party can often go forward to ambush." But that's not the case with the mountains. ”

"It's just ......," Han Gang pursed his lips and sneered, "Xiao Shisan has to withdraw if he doesn't want to." ”

After a temporary break at Sanjiaokou, Han Gang sent cavalry deep into the valley to investigate the movements of the Liao army, and sent Zhe Keda to inspect the road in the valley.

When Han Gang was in Taiyuan, because the road from Sanjiaokou to Shilingguan was in disrepair, which was not conducive to transportation, and Daizhou in the north was also facing the threat of the Liao army at that time, he transferred a large number of manpower and money to repair the road.

The road was built for a short time, and the quality of the road was still reasonable. If it is those official roads that have been in disrepair for a long time, on a spring day when the ice and snow melt, a heavier carriage will drive through, and two ditches will come out, and some roads will even have big pits that can sink people into. And the road repaired by Han Gang, even though thousands of troops and horses have just come and gone from here recently, still maintains a very good road condition.

"The wagons carrying the munitions should be fine." After sending someone to inspect the road, Zhe Keda came back and said to Han Gang.

However, Han Gang didn't have time to pay attention, and the scout sent to investigate also returned, and also brought back an acquaintance.

It's Han Shin.