"Are the people from the Coyote Tribe harassing Fengbian Village again?" Tie Yunshan frowned, leaned forward on his rhinoceros horse, and asked in a deep voice.
"Yes, several brothers who were sent out this morning sent news that some people from Fengbian Village have now fled to the interior..." the small flag officer replied quickly.
“How many people are there this time?”
“There are more than a thousand this time!”
"Which part of the Coyote Tribe are they from?"
"Looking at the flags, they look like people from the Tuli Tribe of the Coyote Tribe!"
Tie Yunshan didn't say anything, but looked at Yan Liqiang, because at this time, Yan Liqiang was the highest commander.
"What's going on? How come there are still Han people settling outside Baishi Pass?" Yan Liqiang asked with some confusion, because in Yan Liqiang's impression, the area outside Baishi Pass seemed to be the territory of the Shatu people, and he had never heard of any Han people settling outside Baishi Pass.
“Sir, the people living in Fengbian Village are our Han people. When the Gulang Grassland was still ruled by the previous Qiyun Protectorate, many Han people moved to the outside of the Great Wall. But later, the seven Shatu tribes came to the Gulang Grassland, and the former Qiyun Protectorate got into trouble again. Those people suddenly lost their shelter, and most of them had to return to the inside of the Great Wall or flee to Qiyun Mountain and Yulong Mountain to avoid disaster. But there are still some Han people who did not leave completely, but settled outside Baishi Pass, with their backs against Baishi Pass, and built a village to protect themselves. Fengbian Village is one of them!” Tieyunshan explained to Yan Liqiang.
"Oh, you mean there are other Han villages?"
A trace of sadness flashed across Tie Yunshan's face. "There were five villages a few years ago, but... after Ye Tiancheng took charge of Pingxi County, the seven Shatu tribes became more aggressive, constantly harassing, expelling, burning and killing the Han people who settled outside the pass. Those Han people who settled outside the pass could not live outside the pass, so they had to flee back. Now there is only one Fengbian Village outside the pass!"
"The Shatu people harassed and expelled the camps of our Han people outside the pass, burning, killing and looting. As the commander of Baishi Pass, you saw the people of our Han Empire suffering outside the pass. What did you do and how did you respond?" Yan Liqiang looked at Tieyunshan with a sharp gaze and asked directly.
Tie Yunshan remained silent, with an awkward look on his face. Instead, the officer next to him took the initiative to speak.
"Master Supervisor, you have misunderstood my master. When Ye Tian became the prefect of Pingxi County, he issued a strict order. Under the Huai'en Order, without his permission, the garrison in Baishi Pass was not allowed to leave the pass and step onto the Gulang grassland. Those who clashed with the seven tribes of Shatu and provoked border conflicts without permission would be executed. At that time, there were military supervisors and Ye Tiancheng's spies in Baishi Pass, so my master could not openly disobey the order. There were several times when my master saw that the Han people outside the pass were pitiful and had no choice but to risk being beheaded. After deceiving Ye Tiancheng's spies and military supervisors, he ordered us to take off our military uniforms, put on civilian clothes, and go out of the pass to rescue our Han people, so that our Han people would not be harmed by the seven tribes of Shatu. What I said is true. Many people in the army inside the pass went out of the pass to rescue the people outside the pass under your order. They also fought with the people of the seven tribes of Shatu, and their bodies are covered with scars. If you don't believe me, you can go to the sergeants in Guanzhong to ask. If I lied, please chop off my head!"
Yan Liqiang looked at the man who was speaking. He was wearing a suit of fish-scale armor, had narrow eyes, and was in his forties. Although he was an officer, he had a gentle temperament and did not seem to have a high rank in the army. He spoke to him eloquently and logically, and was courageous and well-spoken. "Who are you and what position do you hold in Baishi Pass?"
"My name is Xiao Yuman, I am the recorder of Baishi Pass and my rank is Feiyang Captain!"
"How far is Fengbian Village from Baishi Pass?" Yan Liqiang continued to ask.
"Fengbian Village is in Fengbian Valley, Qiyun Mountain, thirty miles west of Baishi Pass!"
"How many troops are there in the Tuli tribe under the Coyote?"
"The Tuli tribe has 7,000 tents and tens of thousands of soldiers and horses. Among the Tulang tribes, the Tuli tribe is considered a medium-sized force!"
Yan Liqiang nodded and stopped asking questions. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Tie Yunshan, "Do you dare to fight with me on Gulang Grassland today?"
Hearing Yan Liqiang's words, Tie Yunshan's eyebrows suddenly raised, his eyes sparkled, his hair and beard moved without wind, he nodded heavily, and said only one word, "Dare!"
"Uncle Qian, Wenbin, you guys wait for me at Baishi Pass first!" Yan Liqiang, Qian Su and Lu Wenbin said something, then stopped talking nonsense, shook the reins, and said, "Go!" Wuyun Gaixue let out a long neigh, and its four hooves flew, rushing straight towards Baishi Pass.
Tie Yunfei glanced at the cavalry around him and roared, "Today we will follow the governor to the outside of the pass and crush the Tuli tribe!" After that, Tie Yunfei shook the reins and rushed out with Yan Liqiang.
The other cavalrymen on horseback had already been filled with righteous indignation when they heard the news from Fengbian Village. Now, seeing Yan Liqiang so resolute and decisive, charging ahead on horseback, their blood was already boiling and their chests were swollen. They roared, shook the reins, and followed Yan Liqiang and Tie Yunfei to rush towards Baishishan Pass.
As a man, if you don't even have this bit of bloodiness and courage, then why be a soldier
In everyone's eyes, the black body of Wuyun Gaixue who was rushing in the front was like a ball of black flame burning in the sun, which instantly ignited the blood in everyone's heart.
In order to welcome Yan Liqiang's arrival, the gate of Baishi Pass was completely opened.
Yan Liqiang led more than a thousand cavalrymen and rushed directly under the open gate like a gust of wind without stopping for a moment.
A captain holding an iron spear, who was guarding outside Baishi Pass and checking the Shatu caravan entering the pass, stood by the gate, staring in amazement at Yan Liqiang and his men rushing in. He had a thousand questions in his mind: Wasn't Lord Tie going to the camp to inspect the pass today when he went to meet the Inspector? Why was he rushing here? Was he going to leave the pass
This thought was still circling in his head when Yan Liqiang passed by him like a whirlwind. The officer felt his hand lighten. The iron spear he had just held had left his hand and was taken away by Yan Liqiang. Only Yan Liqiang's words were still echoing in his ears, "I will lend you the iron spear today..."
…
In the barracks of Baishi Pass, there were two battalion commanders guarding the pass waiting for Yan Liqiang's arrival. However, what they waited for was not Yan Liqiang and Tie Yunshan, but an order from Tie Yunshan to his personal soldiers, ordering them to close the gate immediately and let the battalion commander Xu Yuanfeng guard Baishi Pass.
After asking the guard what Yan Liqiang and Tie Yunshan were doing, Wang Naiwu suddenly jumped up, called out to his guards and rushed out, "Damn it, how can I be left out of this kind of thing? Lao Xu, I'll leave this to you..."
…
Less than two or three miles after Yan Liqiang and his men rushed out of Baishi Pass, Wang Naiwu rushed out from the pass with more than a hundred cavalrymen and caught up with Yan Liqiang and his team.
…
ps: I recommend Xiaolang’s new book “Adventure Notes”, everyone is welcome to collect and subscribe!
(End of this chapter)