On 25 April, Li Jing led the soldiers and horses of the 5th Battalion of the Zhongxiang of the Zhendong Army to be transported by sea from the Nutao Battalion to the east sea of Qingzhou. The army did not enter the Yellow River, but entered Jishui, one of the four major rivers of the Tang Dynasty. When Jihe was in the Tang Dynasty, it was called the Four Evils together with the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Huaishui River. It means a great river, a great river with its own source and eventually an independent outlet to the sea. Jishui originates from the Taihang Wangwu in the east of the river, and then passes through the bottom of the Yellow River, enters the Central Plains Henan, all the way to the east, and the Yellow River is almost parallel to the most Lu, passing through Shandong, and flowing into the sea from Qingzhou after the most Lu.

The Zhendong Army entered Jishui in a flat-bottomed sand boat, went upstream, and set off from Shamen Town, and it took only three days to reach the city of Bochang in the northwest corner of Qingzhou. It is only less than three hundred miles away from Qingzhou Yacheng at this time.

Bochang City is a large county in Qingzhou, with a population of more than 20,000 households. The county order Fang Deshan is an old county order that is more than half a hundred years old and has some gray hair. He is a well-educated person, full of economy, and his articles are brilliant. It's a pity that fate is not good, and I have taken the imperial examination no less than ten times in a row, and I have participated in it every year, but I have failed every year. After the worst, he couldn't help but be disheartened, so he went to the shogunate of the festival marshal in Ziqing Town and became a staff official. This is also a choice for most of the scribes in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, who first made a name for themselves in the shogunate before they could smoothly enter the imperial court.

Fang Deshan has been in the shogunate of Ziqing Town for more than ten years, and has slowly accumulated to become a pusher. Until the last marshal Yu Xuan was in office, Yu Xuan appreciated his literary brilliance, and recommended him as the commander of Bochang County, who had been in office for two years, and he had done a very good job here, and he was honest and honest, and he had done a lot of practical things. There is a lot of prestige in the area. He sat in the same way on this day. However, there was an urgent report from the county inspectors. It is said that there is a large army that has driven to the camp not far from the outside of the city, the flags are like the sea, and the soldiers and horses are innumerable.

At this time, the news had already spread like the wind, and many people nearby were panicked and hid up the mountain with food children on their backs, and there was also a panic in Bochang City. Although it looks like that, that army is an official army, and the soldiers are well-armed and not bandits. But this bull head, the crossing of soldiers and horses is not much different from the infestation of bandits. Wherever you go, you have to pay a tribute, if not, those generals indulge their soldiers, it is even more terrible than banditry.

Fang Deshan hurriedly ordered the four cities to be closed, and sent a group of patrolmen to investigate carefully to see what the banner was. Soon the spies came back and reported that the soldiers and horses were camping, and that the soldiers and horses were bound in the camp and did not dare to get too close. I only saw the three-character banner of the Zhendong Army, and there was also a big banner with the character of Li.

"What about the general's flag?"

"It seems to be written. Jiedu Charge Ya Jie Du Pioneer Guerrilla General Cavalry Du Lieutenant Chong Da Xie Yan Soldiers and Horses Envoy Jia Zhen Suppression Envoy and Zhendong Army Envoy Li! "The patrol head is a literate man, but he almost didn't catch his breath when he read out the official name on the long banner in one breath.

Fang Deshan thought about it carefully, Da Xie Yan's soldiers and horses, could it be that he was talking about Li Jing, the protégé that Engong accepted when he was in Dengzhou? However, when did Li Jing become the envoy of the Great Xie Yan, and he also added the envoy of suppression, and he was actually the envoy of the Zhendong Army that he had never heard of. He brought so many people here, it shouldn't be a rebellion. After thinking about it, since he is the protégé of his father-in-law, he should lead the troops to arrive, and he should bring someone to send some wine and food to comfort the soldiers and horses.

At that moment, some officials and staff in Bochang City, as well as some famous patriarchs and leaders of Chengbai, gathered together 3,000 yuan, as well as ten pigs, hundreds of sheep, 300 grains, and dozens of carts of wine to go out of the city and send them to the military camp.

Li Jing was in the camp, and when he heard that Zhao Jiang reported that there were Bochang city magistrates and city officials outside the camp, and some patriarchs and leaders came to comfort the army, he smiled and got up to meet him.

Fang Deshan saw a young general leading a large number of officers out of the camp, and several groups of soldiers behind him were even taller, so he couldn't help but swallow his throat and whispered forward to explain his intentions. The most reluctant looked at Li Jing and said: "Lao Yu was originally the former commander of Yu Gong's staff, and two years ago, he was recommended by Yu Gong for this county and county order. Dare to ask, is the general General Li Jing, a protégé of Yu Gong? ”

"I am Li Jing, but I didn't expect that Fang Mingfu was an old teacher, and it would be rude not to take the initiative to visit."

After seeing each other again, the two of them were much more cordial, and the other Bochang people couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when they saw that the county commander and this young general with a large army under his command could still have a relationship. Fang Deshan said: "I am lonely and unheard of in Bochang, and I didn't even know that Brother Ji Yu of Lu Dao had actually become the Great Xie Yan Soldier and Horse Envoy and the Zhendong Military Envoy, and he had such a majestic soldier under him. ”

Li Jing chuckled: "Da Xie Yan's soldiers and horses have just been promoted, and I came here with the army this time, also because Song Jieshuai and Wang Ya will transfer my troops to Ziqi Erzhou to Pinghong Balang and banditry, so I am specially added as a suppression envoy." Because of the large number of soldiers and horses, our department was able to obtain the military number of the Zhendong Army. ”

As he was talking, another guard came from outside to report, saying that there was another team outside the camp, escorting a lot of wine, meat, cattle and sheep, saying that they were here to reward the labor army.

Li Jing and Fang Deshan were a little surprised, this place is at the top of the northwest tip of Qingzhou, in addition to Bochang, there is only Qiancheng County dozens of miles to the south, or Gaoyuan County in Zizhou. "Who's coming?"

"The person who came said to be the Marquis of Yu under the command of General Qingzhou Wang, surnamed Li, said that he was ordered by General Wang Ya to wait here for my department to go to Ziqi to suppress bandits, and reward us with the labor army."

Hearing that it was Wang Jingwu's subordinates, Li Jing couldn't help frowning slightly. He turned his head to look at Fang Deshan: "Brother Fang, have you found these people in the past few days?" ”

Fang Deshan shook his head: "I haven't heard of these people in the past few days, but today a caravan came from Bochang City before, and spent a lot of money to purchase a large amount of wine, meat, cattle and sheep, it seems that they bought it." ”

Li Jing was a little suspicious in his heart, since he was a labor army, why was he not above board, but he used to borrow the identity of a businessman when he bought things before. Another key thing is that the rumor he released before said that he would take a boat from the Yellow River to Zizhou to suppress bandits, but now the other party has actually found it directly, it seems that things are not so simple. Li Jing said: "Please! ”

While saying to Li Liang, Guo Chengan and others: "Everyone will be careful for a while, I feel that things are not very simple." ”

After a short time, Zhao Jiang led people to lead the group of people into the camp, starting with a man in his thirties dressed as a green-robed officer, followed by a very young colonel, followed by about a hundred soldiers, and more than 200 people carrying cattle and wine.

The green-robed petty officer commanded people to put away the things that rewarded the labor army, took a few steps forward, and bowed his hand to Li Jingyi: "Li Zhen, Marquis of Qingzhou Yanei, has been ordered by General Wang Ya to prepare some meager gifts, and is here to wait for Li Bing's envoy who went to Ziqi to suppress bandits!" Meet the General! ”

Li Jing had already noticed it, and at this time, he took this Li Zhen seriously, but he felt that he had an extraordinary bearing and spoke very politely and politely. And he is a civilian official, but he has the smell of a soldier. Look at the guard colonel behind him, he is young, but his bearing is even more extraordinary, especially those eyes, as soon as he entered, he looked at the situation in the camp from time to time, and the position of the guards. The hundred soldiers behind him were not simple, although they were only wearing some shabby battle robes, not even armor, but Li Jing brought so many soldiers, how could he not see at a glance that these people were elite veterans.

"You may be seated!" Li Jing was silent.

Li Zhen didn't sit down, but just offered a reward list. Li Jing only glanced at it and accepted the gift. "You are so kind, I will thank the king when I go back to future generations. A few people work hard, it is better to drink a cup of tea in the camp first. As he spoke, he summoned Zhao Jiang and led them over.

Waiting for the group to leave, Li Liang, a staff officer who had been standing behind Li Jing just now, immediately whispered in his ear: "Things are not quite right, I know that Yuhou Li Zhen just now." He is not the Marquis of Qingzhou Yanei, but should be the capital Jin Wuwei cavalry Cao Shen military. ”

"How do you know the way, maybe it's possible to admit a mistake." Li Jing also thought of a character at this time, but he couldn't believe it.

"It can't be wrong, he is my brother, how can he admit his mistake." Li Liang said seriously.

Li Liang, Li Zhen, Jin Wuwei, Li Baozhen, and Li Jing suddenly finally confirmed, no wonder he always felt a little strange when he first saw Li Liang, but now he understands everything. Li Liang is Li Zhen's younger brother, and he is a descendant of Li Baozhen, the famous general of the Xingtang Dynasty and the envoy of Luzhou Jiedu. And the reason why this Li Zhen has always made him feel like this is that Li Zhen is not a simple person, in the late Tang Dynasty and the fifth dynasty, Li Zhen was an important adviser under Zhu Wen of Later Liang. Li Zhen and Zhu Wen's other adviser, Jing Xiang, is known as the Houliang strategist. In the history of Jingxiang, he was once known as the first strategist of the late Tang Dynasty and the Later Liang, and Li Zhen was as famous as him, which shows that this person is by no means an idle person.

But Li Zhen is still in Jinwuwei, according to Li Liang, Li Zhen should now serve as the eight-rank petty official of Jinwuwei's cavalry Cao Shenjun. How could he suddenly appear here, pretending to be a little Yuhou under Wang Jingwu?

Stretched out his hand to summon Zhao Jiang, "You go and ask General Pei immediately, and ask him to immediately transfer the people from the guard camp to surround Li Zhen and the others, remember, don't be silent yet." ”

Turning his head to Li Liang and Guo Chengan, he said, "What do the two gentlemen think is this?" ”

Guo Cheng appeased Su and said: "The old man thinks that I am afraid that our false strategy of destroying the enemy has been discovered by Wang Jingwu." In fact, because we sent too many troops this time, if it weren't for Song Wei's insistence, it would have been best to bring more than 1,000 soldiers and horses here, so that we wouldn't be alarmed. But now that we are here with six or seven thousand soldiers and horses, anyone will be awakened, not to mention that the other party is still a figure like Wang Jingwu. ”

Li Liang also nodded: "I agree with Secretary Guo's meaning, the matter has been exposed." I estimate that Wang Jingwu must be in a hurry right now, and he is already going to make a move against Song Wei and them first. ”

"That's right." Guo Chengan said: "These people are likely to come to delay us." If my expectations are correct, Wang Jingwu's opponent's day is in this day or two. At that time, even if we rush to Qingzhou according to the plan, but if Song Jieshuai and them are defeated, we will have no meaning this time. ”

Li Jing shook his head: "We can't sit back and watch things develop like this, if Wang Jingwu wins, it won't do us any good." Let's figure out how to reverse the current situation! (To be continued......)