In the face of this battle that took place in Gulang County, the entire Ganning area collectively lost its voice. The damaged Ning Navy actually defeated the Gansu New Army in a war and collapsed. It's simply unthinkable. Spies from various forces gathered around Gulang to find out what happened that night. But all I got was the words of the common people. The new army in Gansu, the military discipline was too poor, and when they entered the city, they set fire to the city, and a whole third of the buildings in Gulang County were destroyed in the fire. There are also many elderly people and children who died in the fire. The new army even slaughtered the common people after the fire, and had the posture of slaughtering the city. The local people rose up in revolt. In the end, with the assistance of the Ning Navy, the Gansu New Army was driven out of Gulang.

Of course, the common people's claims are certainly not believed by various forces. Among them, the most angry was of course Zhang Guangjian, the overseer of Gansu who suffered heavy losses. Although he did not know what the combat effectiveness of the new army was, he still believed in discipline, after all, this was what he had always strictly requires. Therefore, for the fire after the new army entered the city, he believed that it was definitely not from the hands of the new army. And the only one who has the motivation and ability to do so is the Ning Navy who has withdrawn. Clear-sighted people know that the New Army is being blamed and carrying the black pot. But none of the forces from all sides came forward to say anything. The success of the king and the defeat of the king, coupled with the fact that Gulang County is too remote for the Ganning region. Zhang Guangjian collapsed here, and the forces of all parties were just watching the excitement.

Tianshui County, on the edge of a deserted mountain.

A pair of soldiers walked out of the forest in embarrassment.

"Pipe tape! Let's enter Tianshui County, can we go on the road! This mountain forest is really not for everyone. Niu Ben wiped the sweat from his forehead and said. The march of a large army in the mountains and forests was a disaster, and because the Ning navy attacked very suddenly, and the troops were attacked and retreated by the common people, the unprepared new army quickly collapsed. Now there are only 1,500 people still with Daniel Zhang. The remaining 3,000 people were either killed by the Ma family's army, or scattered and fled into the mountains and forests. Daniel Zhang did not stay to collect the rout, but rushed into the mountains and forests with these people around him. Although the road in the mountains and forests is difficult, it is the best place to organize cavalry. Having entered the forest, their infantry has the upper hand. In addition, the troops were newly defeated, and there was no sharp spirit to attack. Now Daniel Zhang no longer wants to make meritorious service, he just wants to return to Lanzhou alive with these 1,500 people under him. As for revenge, he didn't even dare to think about it. The troops marched all the way, and most of the wounded were left behind. Whether he can come out of the mountains and forests alive, Daniel Zhang has no heart to think about it, coupled with the limited food stocks of the troops, if it is not for the mountains and forests to get something to make up for it, I am afraid that the troops will not be able to support such a long mountain range. The Gansu New Army was not the Red Army of later generations, it had the will to take the 25,000-mile Long March, and although they were called the New Army, the system was still the same as that of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. It is already a miracle that the mountain troops, which have walked for more than a day, did not collapse.

"If you want to die, Lao Tzu won't stop you! Damn, you don't know whose territory Tianshui is! This is the territory of the Western Army, and Ma Anliang, an old immortal, will watch us return to Lanzhou safely. Stop dreaming! As long as we leak our whereabouts in Tianshui, then the result can only be wiped out by the Western Army. If you're lucky, you can be captured alive, and if you're unlucky, you'll eat peanuts and go to Hades. Lao Tzu still has a wife and daughter in Lanzhou, and he must not die here! Daniel Zhang said with a grin.

"But the soldiers, the soldiers are already very tired, they were fine in the mountains and forests, and if the soldiers don't follow us, they are likely to die. But now that we're out of the mountains, I'm afraid our team will collapse! "In the past few days, the new army has shown signs of instability because of the food problem. Now that they finally got out of the mountains and forests alive, and then let them reflexively enter, and continue to endure the feeling that life is worse than death, Niu Ben believes that the possibility of the collapse of the army is extremely great.

Daniel Zhang gritted his teeth. If he didn't have this large army, he could easily enter Tianshui County with a few cronies, and then he could quietly avoid the eyes and ears of all parties and return to Lanzhou. But Daniel Zhang also knew that if there were no these troops, then even if he could go back alive, I was afraid that Zhang Guangjian would kill him. Therefore, for the sake of his own life, Daniel Zhang also has to bring back the 1,500 people under him, at least the responsibility for this will be smaller. But a target as big as 1,500 people will definitely be discovered once they enter the official road. Daniel Zhang did not have the confidence to bring such a large force back to Lanzhou under the nose of Ma Anliang's Western Army. But if they don't enter the official road, they will have no food, and they will not be able to get in touch with Lanzhou through the radio.

"Guandao, it's better for me to lead people to loot a few villages, so that there will be enough food. As long as we have enough food and the soldiers are well fed and drunk, even if they are allowed to go into the mountains and forests again, the soldiers will be much more stable. Niu Ben suggested. He was originally a bandit, but he was unlucky, and the new army broke through the cottage, and he himself took advantage of the situation to surrender to Zhang Guangjian with his brothers. With the ability to drill camps, Niu Ben's status in the Western Army has been rising, and he is now a target deputy pipe band. In terms of the modern military system, it is a deputy regiment commander. This is already considered a high position in the small number of new troops.

"This ......" Daniel Zhang embarrassed. He is different from Niu Ben, who was born as a mountain thief, but Daniel Zhang is Zhang Guangjian's retainer, and he himself has been Zhang Guangjian's personal companion for many years, otherwise Zhang Guangjian would not be so relieved to hand over the 5,000-strong jīng rui of the new army to him to command. And Zhang Guangjian is an authentic science class, Daniel Zhang is also unconsciously influenced by him, and naturally does not have the kind of bandit spirit of a mountain thief. Therefore, when he heard about such a thing as plundering the common people, he was at a loss in his heart, after all, the damage to the reputation caused by the army's plundering of the common people was too great. And Zhang Guangjian usually attaches great importance to his reputation, if the news of the new army looting the village spreads, it will be a heavy blow to Zhang Guangjian, after all, Zhang Guangjian has not been without achievements in the Ganning area over the years, at least a good reputation has accumulated a lot.

"Of course, pipe belt, this matter will be left to my old cow. I took my own soldiers with me. I believe that to deal with a mountain village, it is enough to need 100 people. We dressed up as bandits. It will not ruin the reputation of the new army. Niu Bei said excitedly. To be honest, although he now has some status in the New Army, he has never forgotten the scenery when he was a bandit in his heart. Therefore, this time there was such a good opportunity to renew his old business, of course, he was secretly happy.

After thinking about the current situation, Daniel Zhang still nodded. However, for the sake of the reputation of the new army, Daniel Zhang said: "Old cow! This matter must not leak our news, and if we can not kill people or not kill people, we only need food, not anything else. ”

"Don't worry, pipe belt, Lao Niu will definitely do this good job for you." Seeing that Daniel Zhang agreed, Niu Ben quickly nodded. A bandit is not a horse bandit. In the northwest region, most of the horse bandits have big families, large businesses, need a lot of materials, and feed a large number of people, and the northwest is relatively difficult, so for the sake of food, it is easy for horse bandits to slaughter villages in remote areas. But bandits are different. The number of bandits is small, and they are based on the mountains. Survive by kidnapping tickets and blackmailing. Because of the special environment in the Ganning area, most of the local horse bandits are inextricably linked with the Ganning horses, and it can even be said that the horse bandits are also subordinates of the Ma family, but their affiliation with each other is not clear. The bandits are different, most of the bandits are idle or ruffians in the nearby villages, occupying the mountains as kings, kidnapping tickets for extortion, and causing trouble in the township. For this kind of person, Ma Jiajun is also resolutely exterminated.

Niu Ben led a hundred men and quietly separated from the large army, and they did not ride horses. Because there were not many war horses in the new army. Almost all the war horse resources in the Ganning area are in the hands of Ma Jiajun. Even if the Ganning region borders the Mongolian steppe, it is difficult for the Gansu New Army, which is surrounded by Zhuma regiments, to obtain excellent war horses through the defense area of Zhuma, and the accumulation of these years has only allowed the New Army to equip a cavalry regiment of 1,000 people. The rest of the inferior horses could only be used to transport baggage.

Aiyima is a remote Muslim village in Tianshui County. Despite its remote location, Aiima is the largest village within a radius of ten miles, with a combined population of 500 people. And it is all made up of Muslims, which may be rare elsewhere, but it is not unusual in this Ganning region. After all, the Ganning area is inhabited by the Hui people. Moreover, Tianshui is the territory of the Western Army, and the Western Army, as the oldest Hui armed group, will certainly do everything possible to maintain the Hui people. Therefore, in Tianshui, as long as you look at the proportion of Han people and Hui people in the village, you can know the wealth of this village. As the largest village within a radius of ten miles, Aiyima Village is also a complete Muslim village, and its wealth is self-evident.

"Boss, which big household in the village should we choose to start?" On the side of the cow's back, a thin man leaned over and said. He is the younger brother of Niu Ben when he was a bandit, although he is lazy and slippery, but he has a lively brain and is very good at seeing things. Therefore, Niu Ben took him with him. He is also considered to be close to him.

"You donkey, look at your little bit of interest! Thanks to your usual jīng and monkey-like appearance, how can your brain not turn today. Are we still the only dozen people and a few bandits with broken guns? We were followed by a hundred brothers, a new spear. How can you still make a small fuss like the original! You take a few people to seal the other exit of the village, and Lao Tzu seals this side. With the guns in our hands, it is not difficult to shoot the whole village. "There is another point that Niu Ben didn't say, he didn't just let his subordinates eat enough like he used to, but there were fifteen hundred mouths behind him. How is it possible to get enough food for a small fight.

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