Chapter 360 Volume C: Sincerity
The cavalry quickly formed their formation, with more than a dozen cavalry in front chasing after one. The smoke and dust in the sky showed that the chase had been going on for a while.
After seeing the formation of Feng Ziying's side, the opponent's dozen cavalry quickly turned in an arc, trying to avoid such an encirclement. However, because they were too close and too fast, several riders still fell into the encirclement. A burst of swords and guns After arguing, several horses fell off their horses, while the other dozen or so horses roared away without paying any attention, and even our own archers had no time to use them.
“It’s the horse thief from Hala Wusu.” After taking a glance, Feng Zuo had a gloomy expression.
Even the Tatars could not do such inhumane behavior. They abandoned their companions and fled without hesitation. It was purely because of their mutual benefit. Once there was danger, they would separate.
Halawusu is the other name of the Black Water River (Dusitu River) on the grassland.
There are a lot of horse thieves active in this area. They include officers and soldiers who have escaped from the Han Dynasty, there are also desperate bandits who kill people and steal goods inside the border wall, and there are also some herdsmen who have committed crimes on the grassland and are fleeing from the pursuit of the noble chief. Slaves, in short, there are all kinds of people, mixed together, and it becomes like this.
These people have no credibility at all. Today they can defect to the border troops, and tomorrow they can defect to the Tatar tribes. They dare to rush to kill caravans that they can eat, and occasionally they can work hard to spy for the border troops and the Tatars. Intelligence or interception of sentries chasing both sides, or even eating from both sides at the same time.
"Master Zuo, what should we do?" The entire team has returned to their positions. Except for one person whose waist was injured but not seriously, everyone else is fine.
"Hurry and go west quickly, then turn north." Feng Zuo has already realized the danger. These horse thieves escaped without hesitation. They must have a purpose. In the past, they would have stayed around for a while, but today it is obvious that they Come with a purpose.
"What's wrong, Uncle Zuo?" Feng Ziying's adrenaline suddenly surged at the moment of the enemy attack, and an unprecedented impulse surged in her chest. She watched the horse galloping wildly, the blades intersecting, and life and death were separated in just one or two rounds, screaming, Roaring, roaring, and then the clattering of gold and iron and the clattering of horse hooves, the passionate scene was imprinted in Feng Ziying's mind like lightning and flint.
“Let’s go, these horse thieves were probably ordered to patrol. Maybe Su Nangtaiji has issued a blockade order, and they are targeting us...” Feng Zuo’s face didn’t look good.
Feng Ziying was taken aback, but she quickly reacted, "Are you saying that our whereabouts have been leaked?"
Feng Zuo smiled bitterly: "Master, this Yulin Town is so big and there are so many people. Everything we can think of can be thought of by others, and there are people who are always paying attention to our movements, so we can only grab time. Although Su Nang is powerful, But he won’t openly fall out with Shitu just yet, as long as we enter Shitu’s territory, Su Nang will have no choice but to give up.”
But two hours later, the thunderous sound of horse hooves from behind had already caught up with them. Feng Ziying could not tell how many there were. At first glance, he estimated that there were about seventy or eighty horses.
At this time, Feng Zuo no longer had the anxiety he had before, but was replaced by a calmness that was almost indifferent.
"Hu Li Ke, you take the young master and Mr. Zhang to the west. We will meet at the agreed place in three hours. The others will follow me." Without giving Feng Ziying any chance to speak, the entire cavalry quickly divided into three groups to cover the least likely ones. The three conspicuous knights quickly ran towards the west.
Feng Ziying couldn't remember how long she had been running before the strong horse began to slow down, and the crotch of her legs began to burn, but she had not felt anything before.
Originally there were four or five cavalry who had been following him, circling and supporting him. Finally, they launched a counterattack when the chasing cavalry approached, and only the silent man named Hu Li Ke was left to lead him and Zhang Jin all the way. .
"Master, Master Zhang, go this way." Hu Lik found the path easily in the vast night. Feng Ziying and Zhang Jin were both surprised by the other party's ability, but there was no extra time at this time. Ask from your mind.
Three hours later, Feng Ziying finally saw the people who came to join them.
There were only seventeen riders left, and five of them never followed.
Feng Zuo didn't ask any more questions. It was obvious that Ye Bushou and Sharp Whistle both had specific rules. This sense of oppression made Feng Ziying indescribably uncomfortable.
"Brother Keng, this is the battlefield. Every year if we don't collect at night, more than ten people will not be able to come back, and four or five people will be damaged on the whistle. This is under normal circumstances where there are not many wars. When the war is going on, one day It’s perfectly normal not to accept the loss of 30 to 50 people on New Year’s Eve.”
seemed to sense Feng Ziying's depressed mood, but Feng Zuo seemed very indifferent, "If the earthen jar is not broken far from the well mouth, the general will inevitably die on the battlefield, not to mention the soldiers below?"
Seeing that everyone set off in high spirits in the morning, but five people disappeared forever in the evening, Feng Ziying felt the cruelty coming from the battlefield for the first time.
Feng Ziying didn’t say anything else. Everything she said seemed redundant. Could it be that she wasn’t mentally prepared for this yet?
Fortunately, after experiencing this slightly thrilling twists and turns, things seemed to calm down in the next two days. In the next two days, Feng Ziying also got a general idea from the words of these soldiers.
These rangers were also elite among the Tatars, with three horses per person, so the pursuit speed was very fast. In order to get rid of them, Feng Zuo and the others had to divide into three groups and adopt a situation of dogfighting and harassment to delay the opponent. In terms of combat power, this side was far superior to the other side, but the huge difference in numbers still caused losses.
******
"They left?" Some dark yellow eyes were staring at something in the darkness like a beast. The slightly dim oil lamps in the big tent and the braziers piled in the center gave the whole tent a heavy and flickering light. Feeling, "Where are you going?"
“Taiji, several people have left separately, but the one who is said to be the son of General Feng has not left, but he is very active. It is said that he has contacts with nobles from several other departments.”
“Then do you think I will see you or not?” The voice was hesitant but unwilling.
"Taiji, I think it's better to meet. Not to mention that Taiji has always had a relationship with the Feng family, but we always need to maintain trade relations with the Han Dynasty, and there is also some interest in the Uluts." Kneeling at the door The man swallowed his saliva and said slowly: "The tea bricks they brought are very good, and Duer Taiji, the fifth-level commander, also wants to meet him."
Wulu Du'er Taiji is Bu Shitu's great-uncle, the leader of the Ulut in the Tumote tribe, and an important ally of Bu Shitu. Without the support of Wulu Du'er, Bu Shitu would never be able to survive. Unable to fight against Su Sang.
Bu Shitu's face looks much older than his actual age, with small eyes, a broad flat nose, and a wide mouth, but his eyes are particularly bright.
This is true for everyone on the grassland. After staying in the West Sea for so many years, his face has the unique black and red color of the West Sea Plateau, but that face completely follows the mold of his father Chao Tu Taiji. , is very similar to his grandfather, Zalik. With this face, Shitu has won the support of many people in the Tumut tribe.
Of course, this is all secondary. Bu Shitu knew that many people actually supported him because they were afraid that Sanniangzi had controlled the power and wealth of the tribe for so many years, especially monopolizing trade with the Great Zhou Dynasty, and controlling the richest Bansheng area. This makes it difficult for many people to balance their minds.
Now that my grandfather has finally passed away, we have to discuss the truth about who will be Tumut Khan and who will take over the throne of Shunyi King.
“You said some of them left, where did they go?” Bu Shitu was unwilling to be so passive.
Of course he understood the purpose of Zhou's envoy. Su Nang's army put a lot of pressure on Zhou from the Huangfu River to the Hongliu River. It is said that they even broke through several forts and broke into the border wall to steal a lot of goods. nice one.
This made Bu Shitu both envious and jealous, but also a little hopeful.
Bu Shitu knew that his strength did not allow him to be as willful as Xiang Nang. He not only wanted Da Zhou to give him the title of King of Shunyi, but also forced Da Zhou to give him greater benefits, such as opening a border trade market. More mutual trading points will give more merchants the qualifications for mutual trading.
But it’s not without its benefits that Su Nang is making such a big fuss. At least he can have more weight with Dazhou.
"I'm not sure. The people they brought were very powerful. They were one person and two horses. Once they went out, they couldn't find anyone. The people they sent to follow disappeared after a while. They should be Ye Bu from the border army in Yulin. receive,…"
The report from below made Bu Shitu very unhappy, "A bunch of idiots, they can't handle this! You know how to ask for tea and salt all day long. You can't even figure out the bottom line of other people's conditions. How can you ask for them?" thing?"
The man kneeling at the door quickly lowered his head, feeling a little ashamed. It was indeed a bit embarrassing to lose someone on the grassland and on his own territory.
“Have they gone to contact the Han people in the south?” Bu Shitu suddenly felt a chill in his heart, as if he thought of something.
"Can't you? I'm afraid those Han people will not deal with the Zhou Dynasty. Their leaders were beheaded by the Zhou Dynasty..." The man kneeling at the door raised his head in surprise, "I have never heard of this in so many years. They have connections with Han Dynasty,..."
"Just because we didn't find it doesn't mean there is no contact with them. Moreover, after so many years, the Zhou court may not be able to remember this group of people, but General Feng may not be able to remember them. By the way, you said that the leader was General Feng's son?"
Bu Shitu was a little suspicious. He knew the situation of the Feng family very well and was the real person in charge of Datong.
When he was a child, he followed his father to Datong. It was really a great city in the world. Its prosperity and wealth still appeared in his dreams from time to time. The Feng family was the most powerful family in Datong. In their understanding, the Feng family was the most powerful family in Datong. Just like Anda Khan's position in the Tumote branch, except for Chahar, in Datong, and maybe except for the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Feng family should be the most effective.
But the person in charge of the Feng family whom his father took him to meet died in the war with the Chahar people more than ten years ago. Later, his younger brother took over. Later, the younger brother also died of illness, and this is the current one. General Feng succeeded his brother, but it is not clear why the Zhou Dynasty court drove General Feng out of Datong and drove him to Hetao.
But the reason is probably similar to the struggle for power on the grassland, and Shitu Rabbit can probably guess it.
The first two generals of the Feng family have no heirs, and only the current general Feng has a legitimate son. The tribes in the grassland are also aware of this situation. After all, this general Feng controls the most elite frontier army of the Zhou Dynasty in Hetao, and He also has unparalleled influence in Datong.
So Bu Shitu doesn't believe that General Feng dares to send his only legitimate son to the grassland. Isn't he afraid of accidents?
(End of this chapter)