Chapter 207: Secretly Following
The King of Qin led two thousand elite Moyun Cavalry soldiers to participate in the Northern Expedition, leaving one thousand elite Moyun Cavalry soldiers in the military camp outside the capital. But no one knew that the one thousand Moyun Cavalry soldiers left in the capital were not an integer, and four hundred soldiers were now in Shu.
The scene of the 100,000-strong army was magnificent, with flags flying, and the horses and men like dragons, and the momentum was magnificent.
A large flag with black and gold edges and gold characters fluttered in the wind, and the "Qin" character embroidered with gold thread looked like a golden spear and iron hook, like a flying dragon in the sky. King Zhao Defang of Qin walked in front as the vanguard of the army under the protection of the two thousand Moyun Cavalry soldiers.
The army set out from outside the city. Although there were no countless people in the capital city lining up to see them off and looking forward to their departure, there were still some people nearby standing quietly on the roadside. Their eyes were filled with expectation, respect, blessings, prayers, reluctance and worry.
The people Luo Li brought to the northern battlefield included Hong Gu and Si Yu, as well as six backbones led by Yang Yanqi who had received her military theory training, and Pang Ying and Mulan'er were also among them. Gao Ruoying did not compete with Yanqi to go. The left-wing army had the father and son of the Yang family participating in the war, and Yanqi had the opportunity to meet his father and brother on the battlefield.
In addition to these eight people, half of the twenty female soldiers trained by Siyu were brought with them as military doctors to treat the wounded on the battlefield.
Luo Li was reluctant to ride the Night-Shining Jade Lion horse, but the warhorse that Hong Gu personally picked for her was also a majestic white horse. The group set out at dawn and quickly traveled a day, stopping at an inn in Qijia Town, which they had already spotted two hundred miles away. This was the only way for the army to pass.
It was thought that the King of Qin, as the deputy commander of the army, would travel with the central army. With the marching speed of the army, it would be good to reach Qijia Town tomorrow morning. Pang Ying and Mulan'er, who were in charge of gathering information, hurried into Luo Li's room and saluted with their fists: "Captain, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin will lead his troops to arrive soon."
Luo Li had just washed off the dust from the journey and was lazily leaning on the bed, enjoying the jade-like leg massage. Hearing this, he sat up straight and got up from the bed. "So soon? Let's go and have a look!"
The setting sun was setting in the west, leaving only a trace of afterglow on the earth. A thunderous sound of horse hooves came from afar, and dust flew in the distance on the wide official road.
Not long after a scout team of twelve people passed by, a black ink-armored iron army appeared in sight, like a thunderous cloud rolling in, and a golden figure was particularly conspicuous and eye-catching in the ink-armored cloud. The afterglow of the setting sun hit the golden armor, shining brightly and dazzlingly!
Luo Li, who was standing on the earth slope, curled her lips in disdain, "Zhao Defang is really ostentatious. Isn't such a dazzling golden helmet and golden armor just the target of thousands of arrows?"
Hong Gu said silently, "When the prince left at midnight, he was wearing black ink armor."
Luo Li was stunned!
Zhao Defang, the Prince of Qin, was wearing a golden helmet and golden armor, with an upright posture, riding on a precious horse with dark clouds and snow, like a dragon wearing golden scales, surrounded by the team.
Yun Yi circled his horse and ran back to report, "Prince, the person on the high slope in front of the left seems to be the princess."
The King of Qin slowed down his horse, looked at the high slope in front of the left, and his heart trembled!
: "You guys keep going forward, set up camp thirty miles ahead, I'll go take a look."
The Ghost Hand Poison Doctor, still dressed in cloth, raised his eyebrows and said, "What did I say? If my master is obedient, the sun will rise from the west."
The army continued to move forward, and the King of Qin used his Qinggong to leap up, and the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor, who was also disobedient, followed closely behind.
: "Li'er, didn't I tell you to wait in the capital? Why didn't you obey?" The King of Qin's tone was filled with a hint of blame, and his eyes were full of helplessness.
Luo Li giggled, "Who did you agree with? I never promised you!"
Ghost Hand Poison Doctor was excited, "Master, I guessed it a long time ago. You might suddenly appear from somewhere on the march."
Luo Li glared at the old disciple who couldn't speak and ignored him. He looked at King Qin calmly and asked, "Now that we are here, do you plan to let us go with the army or go our separate ways?" "
Of course we go together. Master, what if you go alone and encounter danger?" Ghost Hand interrupted impatiently.
The princess was determined to follow him to the battlefield. The King of Qin felt warm in his heart and had to suppress his worries and distress. "Let's go together. I won't let you leave my side when we are on the battlefield."
The eight shadow guards hiding in the dark appeared. Mo Yan stepped forward to plead guilty. The King of Qin waved his hand and let them retreat without scolding them. If the princess wanted to go somewhere, how could the shadow guards stop her?
So, there were 19 more female warriors in the 2,000 Moyun Cavalry elite team.
Halfway through, they joined an army that was ordered to participate in the Northern Expedition, and the speed of the Moyun Cavalry at the forefront of the army also slowed down. The King of Qin was no longer in a hurry to hurry. He set up camp early every day and kept a day's distance from the army behind.
Yanmen Pass is a key pass and fortress of the Great Wall. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. It is the throat that the northern nomadic people must pass through if they want to invade the Central Plains of China from the west. Therefore, Yanmen Pass was built to be durable and steep.
"One Yanmen Pass is half of the history of China." "The iron Yanmen Pass, the flowing dynasty". The war gave birth to many popular frontier poems.
Because of the narrow terrain, there were only more than 7,000 soldiers guarding Yanmen Pass. The generals were the father and son of the Yang family who led the army to defeat 100,000 Liao troops, captured Li Chonghai, the commander of the Liao army, and killed Xiao Duoluo, the commander of the Liao army.
It was also because of this brilliant battle record that the emperor awarded the meritorious official Yang Ye the title of Yunzhong Observation Envoy, and at the same time remotely led Daizhou and Zhengzhou governors. The young hero Yang Yanzhao was summoned back to the capital to be rewarded.
Also because of this glorious battle that would be remembered for thousands of years, Pan Mei, who led 50,000 troops stationed in Taiyuan at the time, did not send troops to assist Yanmen Pass after receiving Yang Ye's request for help. He was reprimanded by the emperor. As the top boss, Pan Mei's jealousy and hatred for his subordinate Yang Ye also reached its peak.
The location chosen for the Northern Expedition Army to go abroad and conquer Liao State was Yanmen Pass, the front line of the battle where the two countries fought repeatedly.
The King of Qin waited in Daizhou until he joined the Central Army, and Pan Mei set up the headquarters of the Western Route Army of the Northern Expedition here.
The emperor still had the old habit of remotely controlling the frontline operations. Every two or three days, an imperial edict would be sent from the capital to the two armies, sometimes going as far as the deployment details in the battle. Perhaps the emperor still considered himself a military genius, a victorious king destined by heaven? Or perhaps, he was obsessed with surpassing Emperor Taizu in military strategy.
The commander-in-chief went up to the tent and summoned the generals to discuss matters. The generals were discussing military affairs in front of the imperial chart, and a messenger brought the emperor's secret edict. After reading the secret edict from the capital, Pan Mei's face straightened!
He picked up a command arrow and said, "West Route Army Deputy Commander Zhao Defang, listen to my order! The emperor has ordered you to lead 30,000 vanguard troops to Yanmen Pass to join up with the Yang family father and son. Within three days, you must leave Yanmen Pass and march to Shuozhou!"
Although he was a prince, the commander of the Western Route Army of the Northern Expedition was Pan Mei, and even the military supervisor Wang Quan could control him. Qin Wang Zhao Defang bowed and accepted the order, took the command arrow, turned around and left the marshal's tent, and called up 30,000 soldiers, plus his 2,000 Moyun cavalry elite soldiers, and rushed to Yanmen Pass.