(2-in-1)

That night, Wang Yuan and others, who were camping in the north of Huazhou, got a long-awaited good news, and a few days ago, Yan Zhenqing sent someone to Beihai County Shou Helan Jinming, asking him to send someone to answer the letter of crossing the river. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 info Helan Jinming sent his subordinates to join the army, Cai Hu crossed the river with more than a dozen soldiers to the north, and successfully delivered Helan Jinming's handwritten letter to Yan Zhenqing.

Helan Jin told Yan Zhenqing in the letter that he was very happy to hear the news that Yan Zhenqing had broken through to the south, and he had prepared more than 200 ferries to obey orders at any time. Once Yan Zhenqing arrived at the Baima ferry of the Yellow River, he would personally lead 2,000 soldiers and horses from Beihai County to meet the crossing of the river.

This news made everyone extremely excited, the road to the south is extremely difficult, and crossing the river is the biggest problem, if you don't get answered, even if you reach the crossing of the Yellow River, you can only look at the river and sigh. It was the Yellow River, not a small ditch, and there was no way to reach the south bank except by ferry. Now that this biggest problem has been solved, a big stone in everyone's hearts has fallen to the ground, and the depressed mood has been much relaxed.

However, Wang Yuan didn't seem too happy, because he knew that even if there was a ferry to answer, if the 20,000 soldiers and horses at his disposal were not solved, crossing the river would be just empty talk. After solving the problem of ferry, the next thing to solve is the problem of following the 20,000 enemy army. He couldn't rejoice until the matter was resolved. Therefore, when Yan Zhenqing asked Wang Yuan whether to immediately reply to Helan Jinming and discuss the time to cross the river, Wang Yuan fell into silence instead.

"Is Wang Xiangguo worried that the enemy army will attack and disturb him when crossing the river?" Yan Zhenqing didn't know what Wang Yuan was worried about, so he asked in a deep voice.

Wang Yuan nodded and said: "It is this matter, it is good news to be able to contact Helan Jinming, but how to cross the river without being disturbed is a difficult problem. ”

Yan Zhenqing frowned and said, "Helan Jinming has two thousand soldiers and horses in his hands who can cross the river to help. It's a pity that there are not many troops, and as far as I know, the soldiers and horses of Beihai County are mainly regimental training, and they have recruited a lot of new recruits for the anti-rebel army, which may not be able to be used. ”

Wang Yuan said: "I have also considered this problem, even if these two thousand people help us to resist the enemy, it is indeed useless. When crossing the river, the thieves will not sit idly by, and the white horse crossing is flat and undefendable, and it is impossible to resist their onslaught. They followed all the way in order to fight me to the death at the White Horse Ferry. Hard fighting is never the way to go. ”

Yan Zhenqing frowned and pondered for a long time, he didn't have any good way. There is really no terrain to rely on at the Hakuba Ferry, and once you engage head-on, your side has a chance of winning.

"Yan Taishou, I heard that this Huazhou was the place where the Wagang Army started at the end of the Sui Dynasty, and the world-famous Wagang Army was raised in Huazhou, I don't know if it is or not." Wang Yuan suddenly asked.

Yan Zhenqing didn't understand why Wang Yuan was suddenly interested in asking about this, this was not the time to explore the secluded and investigate the ancient sites. But he nodded and replied, "That's true." South Baima County, Huazhou is the place where the Wagang army gathered. Why did the marshal ask about this? ”

Wang Yuandao: "I'm thinking, since the Wagang army gathers here, then the world-famous Wagang Village must be here." I wonder where this stockade was built? ”

Yan Zhenqing pondered: "When Xia Guan was in the capital, he had nothing to do, but he also read some past historical books. At that time, the military village of the Wagang Army, Wagang Village, was indeed on the bank of the Yellow River. According to miscellaneous historical records, the banks of the Yellow River were flooded with disasters, so the sand and soil piled up on the banks. In addition, the reeds are thick, the water is numerous, and the terrain is very remote and complex, so at that time, the Wagang army was surrounded by more than 20 miles of land as the Wagang army military village. People say that Wagangzhai is on Wagang Mountain, but it is actually a fallacy, just some flooded mountains and sandbars. ”

Wang Yuan's eyes lit up and said: "According to what you said, is there indeed a Wagangzhai?" ”

Yan Zhenqing said: "It's true, the Sui Dynasty of the Tang Dynasty has only been established for more than 100 years, and the age is not very far away, so there will not be too much fallacy." Wang Xiangguo asked this, did he want to use the Wagang Army military village as a basis to resist the enemy's attack? ”

Wang Yuan laughed and said: "Yan Taishou is really smart, just guess." That's exactly what I thought, since the Wagang army could use this military village to resist the Sui Dynasty army back then, it should also be of use to me at this moment. If this Wagangzhai is really on the bank of the Yellow River, wouldn't it be protected just when we cross the river? ”

Yan Zhenqing smacked his lips and groaned for a long time, shook his head and said, "Xiangguo's idea is good, but this time I am afraid it will not be possible." ”

Wang Yuan was stunned and said, "Why is that?" ”

Yan Zhenqing said: "Xiangguo can know that after the establishment of my Tang Dynasty, the wall of Wagang Village has been ordered to be destroyed by the imperial court. Isn't there such a place as a place for thieves and thieves to gather? And more than 100 years have passed, a hundred years later, this tile gang village is afraid that it has been abandoned and useless, where can it still be used to resist thieves? What's more, Wagangzhai is located in the downstream of Baima Ferry, twenty miles west of Baima Ferry, and Baima Ferry is far away, so how to ensure a safe crossing of the river? Xiangguo's mind is good, but this time it wasn't for the lower officials to pour cold water on you, I'm afraid it won't work. ”

Wang Yuan thought for a while and said, "Is it possible that only the White Horse Ferry can cross the river?" ”

Yan Zhenqing said: "There are only two places to cross the river east of Luoyang, one is Tongguan Fenglingdu, and the other is Huazhou Baimadu. The reason why there are only these two crossings is because only these two sections of the river are wide and gentle enough to cross the river. The rest of the rapids are dangerous. The mighty river is beyond human control, and it is no joke that many people have died in the treacherous rapids. ”

Wang Yuan nodded slightly, he knew that this year could not be compared with future generations. Rivers and mountains are natural barriers, which are difficult to shake by manpower. In particular, wide rivers like the Yellow River and the Yangtze River are insurmountable moats. Moreover, the level of technology and construction at this time was not high, and only some small boats could be built, and the ability to resist the rapids was very small. When you get to the water, you can basically just leave it to fate. Therefore, finding a river with a gentle flow and an open surface is the best way to avoid risks. Therefore, some places where the water is gentle and convenient for ferries to sail have become famous ferries, and their role is irreplaceable.

"What Yan Taishou said is very true, but I still think that it is time to take a look at the situation before making a decision. The ferry is dead, but the man is alive. If we can defend against the attacks of thieves and cross the river at the same time, wouldn't the problem at hand be solved? It's always right to take a look. Wang Yuan said.

Yan Zhenqing smiled and said: "Since Wang Xiangguo insists, it doesn't hurt to take a look." But Helan Jinming is still waiting for us to reply. ”

Wang Yuan said with a smile: "Please ask that Cai to join the army for a day, and we will take him to see the situation early tomorrow morning." A decision could be made at that time, and he could go back to Helan Jinming immediately. ”

Yan Zhenqing had no choice but to agree.

Nothing was said all night. In the early morning of the next day, Wang Yuan and the others got up early in the morning and left the brigade to gallop south in the early morning dew. The Huazhou Governance Office is in Baima County, less than 30 miles away from Baima Ferry. Originally, there were a small number of rebel garrisons in this county, but because of its proximity to the banks of the Yellow River, it was seriously disturbed by the Tang army of the county on the south bank, so after being attacked several times, it abandoned the garrison here, and only retained a small number of troops symbolically occupied, with less than 100 people. The people of many prefectures and counties near the banks of the Yellow River have smuggled across the river to the Datang Prefecture on the south bank when the thieves attacked, or fled in large numbers, so in fact, there was no life here.

The more than 100 remaining rebel soldiers had already fled when they learned that a large number of people and horses in Pingyuan City were heading south, and the county seat of Baima was only an empty city. Like the county seat of Qi County that I passed through before, the ruins and broken walls are full of desolation, like a ghost town.

At the end of the day, Wang Yuan, Yan Zhenqing and others rode horses to the vicinity of Baimadu. Behind the two tall mounds, the roar of flowing water soup was already heard. After everyone rode over the mound, their eyes suddenly opened up. The ferry port on the north bank of the Yellow River is flat for miles, like a school field for soldiers. There are many artificial earthen platforms on the flat ground, and there are pillars standing on them, and there are broken flags fluttering in the wind on the flagpoles. Obviously, this is the place where the soldiers and horses temporarily assembled when crossing the river, and these tall earthen platforms are the lookouts, or the places where the generals stand and direct the river crossing. Although the ground is smooth with soil and rock, it is full of ruts and clutter. These are the traces of soldiers and horses, Gudu has experienced many soldiers and horses crossing the river from here for hundreds of years, so it has left many distinct traces.

After half a pillar of incense, Wang Yuan and others were already stationed on the bank of the Yellow River, and the vast torrent in front of them was flowing towards the east, and the water was surging and gurgling. Although the surface of the river seems to be calm, you can see that the water is full of whirlpools, undercurrents and undercurrents, and the momentum is really impressive.

Wang Yuan slowly rode his horse along the bluestone wharf on the shore for dozens of steps, and found that the river here almost overflowed to a few feet on the shore, and the water splashed on the shore, accumulating yellow foam and churning, making a mocking sound.

"A few days ago, the torrential rain poured down, and the river water swelled a lot." Cai Hu, the secretary of Beihai County and joined the army, reported with Wang Yuanma that he knew the water level of the Yellow River, because he had been an official in Beihai County for more than two years, and he could be regarded as half of the people on the banks of the Yellow River.

"That's how you crossed the river in such boats? Are the boats that will be used to cross the river all these small boats? Wang Yuan asked, pointing to a small boat on the shore.

"Marshal Qiyu Wang, most of them are this kind of small boats. Although the ship is a little smaller, it has been a lot of effort for Taishou to gather more than 200 ships. When the rebels attacked, they burned all the ships on the north bank, and all the ships in Beihai County were requisitioned, and only then did they get more than 200 small boats. Although it is small, it is no problem to cross the Hakuba crossing. Helan Taishou invited a local fisherman in Beihai County to take the helm, and there should be no problem with this. ”

Wang Yuan frowned and looked around, and said to Yan Zhenqing and the others in a deep voice: "Look at the terrain here, there is no danger to defend here. Once our people are concentrated in the area of the ferry, there will be no way back. Think about it, more than 30,000 people gathered here, and the thieves attacked, what would it be like? ”

Everyone didn't dare to think about what kind of situation it would be if they were dumplings, but they relied on weak troops to fight hard with the other party. The enemy only needs to encircle on all sides to drive the people into the water. And the surrounding dirt hills could not be used as defensive terrain at all.

"Where is Wagangzhai?" Wang Yuan put his hand on the pergola and looked east.

"Fifteen miles to the east." Cai Hu replied.

"Without further ado, let's go over there and take a look." Wang Yuan patted his horse and left, and everyone followed him and galloped eastward, and traveled more than ten miles east in less than half an hour. However, the topography along the coast began to change, and the terrain became rugged, with sandy hills and wet low-lying areas. There are also dense reeds growing in the depressions. Everyone walked around on the high and low, dry and wet ground, and finally in a slightly higher terrain, they could see that the terrain ahead was obviously undulating, hazy and green, very much like a continuous hill.

"This is the former site of Wagangzhai, marshal, please see, there is where the gate and wall are located." Cai Hu pointed his finger forward.

The crowd looked in the direction pointed by his finger, but saw a large field of reeds and water in the early shadow, a wall of earth covered with green vines, which was difficult to distinguish at all, flickered in front of it, one end leading to the bank of the Yellow River, and the other end to the north among the green shrubs and reeds. The two pillars in the middle meet and stand on the ground about a few zhang wide, covered with green vines. If it weren't for Cai Hu's guidance, I would have thought it was just two dead trees.

Everyone slowly rode their horses closer, although the road under their feet was overgrown with vines and weeds, but the horse's hooves could still occasionally hear the crisp sound of clattering, obviously there was no sand under the weeds, this road led to the walled gate, obviously the main road for the Wagang army soldiers and horses to enter and exit, and the road must have been paved with gravel bricks and other things.

When I approached the two symbolic gates, I found that there was a ditch two zhang wide between the road and the gate. Of course, this is not a natural river, but a moat dug artificially around the gate of the wall. Seeing such a wide moat, Wang Yuan was not only amazed. It was just a group of rebels who rebelled, but there are all kinds of signs that they built this Dazhai like a city. It is completely different from the cottage of the mountain kings in Wang Yuan's imagination, it is completely a soldier with a strict organization.

The guards quickly moved and soon built a simple bridge with the dead wood around them, and everyone was able to cross the moat and really come to the walled gate. Only then did everyone realize how wide this gate was. The distance between the two decaying wooden pillars is as far as four zhang, that is to say, a gate of Wagang Village was two zhang wide, and it was such a majestic gate. Beneath the decaying wooden pillars, you can see the traces of the mortar of the silt and sewage on the bluestone buried in the ground. After hollowing out the dirt inside, the mortar was as thick as a sea bowl, more than a foot deep, which shows the thickness and huge size of the Dazhai Zhai Gate back then.

Look at the wall near the left of the walled gate, you will find that the wall near the left side of the walled gate is made of huge bluestone, although it collapsed, but look at its thickness, it is up to zhangxu. That shows that the wall of this tile gang village can actually be regarded as a wall that can be used to defend the enemy.

"Sure enough, it's a ruined wall." Wang Yuan patted Qingshi and sighed.

Yan Zhenqing also sighed lightly: "Yes, back then, Li Mizhai let the pole rise here, and how many heroes gathered here. I, the founding general of the Tang Dynasty, Li Ji, Qin Shubao, Cheng Biting, Jin, Wang Bodang and others are all from the Wagang Army. ”

Wang Yuan said: "Get on the horse, go further, there seems to be a world in this village." ”

Everyone got on the horse and walked along the overgrown avenue in the village, and the scene on the left and right had no trace of the appearance of Wagang Dazhai in the past. The undulating slopes are full of lush green trees, and the reeds in the low-lying areas are impermeable. It's been their paradise for a long time.

Along the main road to the east, there was a mossy stone staircase on the slope of a slightly higher earthen hill in front of them, and the people dismounted and climbed the steps, and saw a ruined wall in the trees on the top of the slope. A plaque sits between the rubble and rots. Wang Yuan bent down and stretched out his hand to turn over the plaque, but saw that although the plaque was dilapidated and rotten, the three vermilion lacquer characters were still vaguely arguable, and it was written: Juyi Hall. Needless to say, this is where the heroes gathered back then.

Wang Yuan and the others climbed up the ruins and looked around, this is the highest point, and they can have a clear view of the surrounding scenery. But to the south is the roaring and roaring river of Tangtang, and in other directions are undulating sandy slopes and low-lying reed fields. A hundred years later, this base camp of the Wagang Army, which once terrified the court of the Sui Dynasty, has now become a place where birds, beasts and trees breed, without the pattern and majesty of the day.

"Xiangguo, what Xia Guan said is right, it's useless here. I know that Xiang Guo must be thinking that he can defend here and cover the people to cross the river, but Xiang Guo can look at the Yellow River here, where the river is narrow and turbulent, and it is impossible to cross the river at all. The shore is full of reed depressions, and it is difficult to even walk to the shore. Yan Zhenqing frowned.

Wang Yuan looked at the Yellow River hundreds of steps away to the south, and indeed the water flow here was very turbulent, and he could hear the roar of the flowing water from so far away, and he could also see the huge whirlpool and white whirlpool on the water. Cloudy foam. Dozens of steps from the south side of this hill to the riverbank, there is a dense reed. It really doesn't look like a place to cross a river.

"Cai joins the army, do you think you can cross the river here?" Wang Yuan pointed to the flowing water of the Yellow River and asked Cai Hu beside him.

"Here? What kind of joke is the marshal making? It can't be done, it can't be done. Cai Hu's head shook like a rattle.

"Pay attention to your words, do you have time to joke with you? If it is done, it will be done, and if it is not done, it will not be successful, and it is good to be honest. Tan Ping shouted in a deep voice.

Cai Hu hurriedly confessed, Wang Yuan smiled and said: "Cai joined the army, the reason why you can't cross the river shouldn't be because the water here is too fast." I've seen more vicious currents than this, and there are people who can still navigate the boat with ease. Didn't your captains say they were all experienced fishermen? ”

Cai Hu hurriedly said: "Marshal Rongyu, you also saw that our ferries are all very small boats, and it is impossible to cross the river at all on such a river. The kind of situation you mentioned is not uncommon, many fishermen will also fish in the turbulent places in order to make a living, and the more turbulent the water, the fatter the fish. But now, I'm afraid this won't happen. ”

Wang Yuan said: "It's not impossible to listen to you, but because the ship is too small. So what if it's a big ship? Is it possible to cross the river? ”

Cai Hu thought for a long time and said: "Marshal, you don't dare to talk nonsense, and you don't have no experience in such things, so you don't dare to answer indiscriminately." Whether or not you can cross it here depends on what experienced fishermen say. ”

Wang Yuan nodded and said, "What I said is that listening to insiders is the best way." We are all laymen, and when we look at the rushing river, we say we can't cross the river, but that's just a matter of course. Now, then, you shall at once rush back to Beihai, report to your family, Helan Jinming Taishou, tell him what I mean, and ask him to consult the fishermen and the princes. I only want to know one thing, and that is if there are any shoals or reefs in this section of the river that would prevent the river from being crossed. As for the rapids, don't worry about that. Cai joins the army, you also know the situation here, Baima crossing the river will be attacked by the enemy, I just want to open up a place to cross the river here, so as to ensure that nothing goes wrong. This matter is urgent, and I hope you will make another trip to the river tonight to inform us of the results. ”

Cai Hu said repeatedly: "Obey the order, I will go back to report it, and I will definitely send back the news tonight." ”

Cai Hu respectfully saluted and said goodbye, turned around and hurried to Baimadu with his subordinates.

After Cai Hu left, Yan Zhenqing, who had been listening to the conversation between the two, had time to ask at this time: "Wang Xiangguo, do you really plan to cross the river here?" Even if you can cross the river, how can you defend it? This stockade is so dilapidated, how can it be used? ”

Wang Yuan said with a smile: "Yan Taishou, this is a good place to defend against the enemy, don't you think so?" Look here, the terrain is uneven, the woods are lush and overgrown, some are sandbar slopes, some are low-lying reeds, isn't this an excellent place to fight? Wouldn't it be a great place for the enemy to disperse when they arrived here, despite their large numbers? The woods and reeds here can hide everywhere, and thousands of soldiers and horses can hide here without showing a trace, isn't this the best place to ambush? ”

Yan Zhenqing followed the movement of Wang Yuan's fingers and looked around, and suddenly raised his forehead and suddenly said, "Oh, yes, why didn't I see that this place is suitable for ambushing soldiers and horses?" The road here is divided by Ludang and woods, and although there are many thieves, they have to be dispersed into small groups of soldiers and horses. If you can ambush the archers in the ludang and kill them by surprise, you will definitely frustrate the thieves. ”

Wang Yuan laughed and said, "That's right. The terrain forced them to divide into small forces, which greatly weakened their superiority in strength, and they would be killed when the time came. ”

Yan Zhenqing nodded again and again, but suddenly said with a sad face: "Can you cross the river here at a critical time?" Even if this could be an ambush, if the thieves found out that we were just trapped here and unable to cross the river, they would probably not attack easily. As they did along the way, they're afraid they'll just be out and we're going to be stuck here, and we'll not be able to hold out for a few days, and we'll run out of food. ”

Wang Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, it depends on whether Cai Hu can bring us good news." In any case, it is not possible to cross the river from the White Horse Ferry, at least it is a place to resist, and it is better for the people to stay here than in the open land of the ferry. Tan Ping, you immediately gallop back to join the brigade of soldiers and horses, and lead the brigade of men and horses with Zhao Qing to come here directly, and don't go to the White Horse Ferry. We must all be here by the early hours of tomorrow morning at the latest. Tonight you shall not camp or go on your way all night, and you shall not make any mistake. ”

Tan Ping bowed his hand and said yes, and galloped away with a few cavalry guards.