It turned out that after the news that Gao Shun recruited homeless people and bandits, pardoned them for their past crimes, and provided grain and grass, everyone who received the news came to vote.

For these people who came to defect, Gao Shun naturally did not refuse to come. And he kept his promise to provide them with food.

However, he said that a big bandit boss near Wuguan was forced to take people to Li Li because he had no food in the village, but he suddenly got a report from the scouts, saying that the officers and soldiers would recruit the bandits and collect the displaced people.

The big boss originally wanted to return to the imperial court in the future, and was unwilling to go to Li Li. When he heard the news, he was immediately overjoyed, and wanted to lead the people in the village to join the officers and soldiers.

But he didn't want to, Gao Shun had already sent someone to inquire about the deeds of the big boss, and knew that this person was loyal. So Gao Shun sent someone to take the lead in going up the mountain, and made a plan with the big boss to let him deceive Li Li.

When Gao Shun led the trapped camp to attack the city, it attracted the attention of all the Western Liang troops. The big boss who mixed into the city quietly withdrew from the battlefield and went to besiege a camp surrounded by a small number of Xiliang troops.

Because of his fear, the rest of the bandit leaders in the city turned against him, so he forced them to surrender their families, and then gathered them in this camp as hostages.

The big boss led the troops to raid, and there were not many defenders in the hostage camp at all. Since this was in the city, those small number of Xiliang defenders did not expect that the enemy would come.

Caught off guard, the camp where the hostages were held was breached.

After the big boss led people to break through the camp and rescue the hostages, he immediately made people shout everywhere to inform the defenders on the city wall.

The defenders had long been dissatisfied with Li Li's detention of their families. Coupled with the iron-clad soldiers of the trapped camp, they kept shooting arrows into the city, so that they had no desire to fight for a long time.

If it weren't for the Xiliang army, forced to rush to the front of the city wall with weapons, I'm afraid they wouldn't dare to step forward at all. Now their family members have been rescued, and they have faintly become hostages in the hands of the big boss.

In addition, they also know that the troops who rebelled on the battlefield a few days ago have not only been pardoned, but also fed every day.

Therefore, the bandit defenders, who had no worries, turned against each other and attacked the Xiliang army on the city wall.

In this way, under the cooperation of the inside and the outside, Wuguan was broken by Gao Shun, and even Li Li, the guard of Wuguan, was beheaded by Gao Shun.

There are two flowers, one on each branch.

However, it was said that Xu Huang received Chen Xu's military order, took 3,000 steps to ride, and rushed to Jiguan under the stars.

Located in the easternmost part of Hedong County, Keiguan is a rare danger in the world. Fifty miles west of Keiguan, there is a very famous pavilion called Shao Ting.

The eastern part of Hedong County is lined with mountains, and many places are vast and sparsely populated. If the people go far away, they will walk in the east of Hedong County, and it is rare to see a village for a long time.

Therefore, the government built two post stations in the east of Hedong County, namely Huqiu Pavilion and Shao Pavilion.

These two pavilions are within the steep mountain road. Among them, Huqiu Pavilion is closer to Dongyuan, and Shaoting is closer to Keiguan.

On the mountain road, a group of men and horses galloped forward, and the first general was Xu Huang, who was followed by Guan Hai and Han Xian.

Han Xian was formerly a general of the Baibo Army, wandering in Hedong County, and he was also very familiar with the terrain of Hedong County.

Although Xu Huang was only a partial general under Yang Feng before. But Han Xian is now under Xu Huang, and he is not the slightest dissatisfied.

Because he is self-aware, he knows that Xu Huang's talent is far superior to him.

Therefore, all the way down, he did not disobey Xu Huang's general order in the slightest.

Seeing that the army was getting closer and closer to Shao Ting, Han Xian couldn't help but remind: "General Xu, Shao Ting is the only way for the army to enter Keiguan in the east. ”

"If the thieves set up an ambush here, I'm afraid our army will be in danger!"

When Xu Huang heard this, he deliberately slowed down the speed of the war horse.

He looked into the distance and said slowly: "What General Han said is very good, but not long ago, I sent scouts to Shaoting to investigate. Whether there is an ambush or not, it will be known in a little while. ”

Xu Huang is a native of Hedong County, and he also served as the leader of the Baibo Army before. His familiarity with Hedong County is no worse than that of Han Xian.

When Han Xian heard Xu Huang's words, he immediately stopped talking.

Three thousand steps rode under Xu Huang's control, and slowly drove forward. It didn't take long to see a small group of scouts riding their horses running from the front.

"Slow down!"

Xu Huang raised the big axe in his hand and shouted.

The little leader of the scout came to Xu Huang and said, "General, we have already reconnoitred the vicinity of Shao Pavilion in detail, but we have not seen any ambush soldiers hidden inside. ”

A smile appeared on Xu Huang's face, and he shouted: "The whole army is in a hurry!" ”

It didn't take long for Xu Huang to come to Shaoting with three thousand steps.

Xu Huang asked the army to stop on the mountain road to rest, but he himself personally led a hundred men and horses to a valley not far away.

This valley is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and it is a good place to go down. And as long as people are allowed to set up a village in Shaoting, they can completely block the road for the Jiguan defenders to move west.

After Xu Huang finished inspecting, he was immediately overjoyed, and he took people back to the village here.

When Han Xian heard this, he immediately stopped: "General, the purpose of our coming this time is to seize Kei Pass, not to defend the thief army from advancing westward." ”

"The general has set up camp here, and our army is still fifty miles away from Keiguan. As a result, it took a long time to march to attack the city every day. ”

"According to the general's opinion, we can go down to the village thirty miles from here. In this way, it will not be too far away from Keiguan. ”

Xu Huang nodded and said, "What General Han said is good, but I have my own plans in my heart, and the general just needs to wait and see." ”

However, it was said that Li Wei's nephew Hu Feng was shocked when he learned that Xu Huang had led the army to attack Jiguan, and summoned his staff to discuss the matter.

"Xu Huang led three thousand cavalry to attack Keiguan, but how is it good?"

The staff said: "Don't worry, my lord, although there are only 1,500 defenders in the city, Kei Pass is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Although Xu Huang was brave, he didn't want to conquer Keiguan. ”

Hu Feng shook his head and said, "I'm not afraid of Xu Huang's 3,000-step cavalry, it's just that there is a shortage of food in the city now, and our army can't support it for long." ”

"Now Hedong County to the west of Keiguan and Hanoi County to the east are all obtained by Chen Wenzhao. Although I occupy Keiguan, it is just a lonely city. ”

"Since ancient times, it has been difficult to defend a lonely city. Moreover, there is a shortage of food in the city, if Chen Wenzhao insists on capturing Jiguan, it is only a matter of time before the city is broken. ”

The staff's heart moved, and he said tentatively: "In this case, when the imperial court sends people to recruit peace, why doesn't the lord surrender the city?" ”

With a wry smile, Hu Feng said, "Do you think I'm not willing to surrender?" It's just that my uncle made a lot of enemies in the court in the past, and with my relationship with my uncle, how could the Son of Heaven and the Manchu Dynasty be able to tolerate me? ”

"If it were so, I would not be afraid. After all, the power of the DPRK and China is now in the hands of Chen Wenzhao. ”

"However, in the battle of Baibo Valley, I am the deputy general of Hu Zhen. After Hu Zhen died in battle, the flood of Baibo Valley, the burning of the state army and the credit were all occupied by me. Even Zhou Cang, the general of the state, was captured alive by me. ”

"This enmity is not shared, I don't believe at all, Xu Huang and Zhou Cang can tolerate me."

When the staff heard this, it suddenly dawned on them.

It stands to reason that Li Dao and Guo Yan were defeated, and all the land in Guanzhong was obtained by Chen Xu. Even if Hu Feng is in Jiguan, it is also a lonely city that is difficult to defend.

His best choice should be to surrender the city. However, Hu Feng rejected the Son of Heaven's recruitment, not because he was unwilling, but because he couldn't.

If he accepted Zhao'an, it would be nothing if he was excluded and never hired, but he was afraid that the Manchu Dynasty Minister, Xu Huang, and Zhou Cang would hold a grudge and secretly retaliate.

If that's the case, even if Hu Feng can survive for a while, he will definitely be killed in the future.

While the two were discussing, they suddenly heard a report from the scout: "Lord, Xu Huang's army has reached Shaoting, fifty miles away, and the enemy army is encamped there. ”

"Xu Huang didn't come to attack the city, but blocked the only road to the west in Jiguan, did he want to exhaust the grain and grass in Jiguan City?"

Hearing Hu Feng's words, the staff smiled and said, "If Xu Gongming really has such an idea, I'm afraid he will be disappointed." ”

Hu Feng hurriedly asked, "What did Mr. say?" ”

The staff said with a smile: "Then Xu Huang thinks that if he blocks the way for us to go west, he can trap us in the city, this kind of thinking is really naïve. ”

Hu Feng frowned and said, "Sir, don't you want me to send troops to the east to plunder Hanoi County?" ”

The staff shook their heads and said, "No, the county towns of Hanoi east of Keiguan are all heavily guarded. Now there are only 1,500 men and horses in Jiguan, and if they want to forcibly attack the county seat, they may not be able to catch it. ”

Hu Feng asked puzzledly: "In this case, it is difficult to loot and eat in the east, and the road is blocked by Xu Huang in the west." In a few days, when the food in the city is exhausted, will we not be trapped here? ”

The staff laughed twice and said, "Who said that the roads of the West are blocked? ”

Hu Feng was shocked and asked: "Mo Fei went west into Hedong County, except for the road of Shaoting, there are other passages. ”

The staff smiled mysteriously and said, "Yes! ”

It turned out that this staff member was only a local hunter before, but by chance, he had read some poetry books, was able to read and write, and was well-known in the local area.

After Hu Feng came to Keiguan, he was eager to seek talents.

He also knew that it was a little unrealistic for him to find other scholars as staff members. So after hearing about the fame of this hunter, Hu Feng invited him over and treated him very well.

Since this staff member is a local hunter, he naturally knows all kinds of hidden paths in the mountains.

The staff member said, "I know of a hidden path that can go directly around Shao Ting. ”

"Xu Huang thought that if he occupied Shao Ting, it would be impossible for us to go west, and I would definitely slack off in my heart. If our army is taken by surprise and attacks Xu Huang's army's grain transport team, it will definitely be able to seize the enemy's grain and grass to relieve the danger of Jiguan. ”

When Hu Feng heard this, he was immediately overjoyed.