Chapter 259: Falling into a trap and becoming two different people

Qu Chongyu couldn't help but frowned: "That's not right! When making fire and cooking, you need to stay away from the grain carts. There will be people everywhere in the field. How can you protect yourself if a thief attacks? Why take such a risk today?"

Pei Xingjian glanced at him with a smile, "How can there be any risk? Today's camp is still in the plains, and the prince is sitting here. Even if there is no protection, it is still very safe."

Qu Chongyu's mind changed, and his face suddenly darkened: In the wilderness, with enemies coming from all directions, it is not easy to defend the grain truck, but it is not too difficult to escape with your heart and soul to protect you. The way Su Nanjin looked at him before leaving was almost like looking at a corpse, so... He gritted his teeth bitterly, looked up at Pei Xingjian's smiling face, and couldn't help but sneer, "We don't have to keep our promises. Too modest!”

Pei Xingjian smiled and nodded without hesitation, "If we follow Su Ziyu's idea, Xingjian's head is naturally not as valuable as Yulang's. But in the eyes of Su Dadu, it's probably still worth a try. In the past two days, we should Eat well, sleep well, and be energetic, so that you can live up to the good wishes of their father and son. "

In the next two days, the defense of the grain truck was looser than usual, but everything was calm. Zhang Huaiji had recovered a little from Fenghan, and every day he mustered up his energy and mounted his horse to command the hundreds of soldiers and four soldiers left behind by Su Nanjin. Pei Xingjian didn't pay attention to Baixi Prefecture. He just sent his scouts more frequently, but the news he got back didn't show anything unusual.

By the afternoon of the third day, sporadic rocky hills finally appeared on both sides of the road, gradually becoming one. Pei Xingjian looked up at the winding road ahead into the mountains, and waved his hand to stop the convoy, "We will camp outside the mountains today and prepare more dry food. After entering the mountains tomorrow, no more fires are allowed!"

There was nothing to say all night, and in the early morning of the next day, the convoy slowly walked into the hills. Many people frowned. The hills in this large area were not high, but were rugged and dark red. The mountains and rocks are almost barren of vegetation, and they look sinister. Sometimes the area between the two mountains is extremely spacious, with gently undulating plains covered with withered grass, and sometimes it is very narrow, allowing only a few large vehicles to pass side by side. Although the road in the mountains is not very rugged, it cannot be compared with the vast wilderness. The speed of the motorcade obviously slowed down, and it had already set off before dawn. When the sun passed the zenith, the fourth hill was only visible in the distance.

Qu Chongyu looked at the increasingly narrow road in front of the valley, and his face couldn't help but become a little solemn, "Have you decided where to stay today? If there is such a gentle and wide valley ahead, I think it's better to rest here tonight. !”

Pei Xingjian shook his head: "No need, tonight's camp will be a few miles further, and the flat land between mountains is wider."

Qu Chongyu couldn't help but look at him in surprise, "When did you walk through this road?"

Pei Xingjian's tone was indifferent, "Two months ago, in the days before and after Su Ziyu came to Xizhou, Bai San, Ah Cheng, and I ran the seven hundred miles of official roads and almost exhausted two horses. Again. Thirty miles ahead, beyond the hills, there is a small rocky beach, which is also close to the military town, so I did not go any further. , it is most suitable to seal both ends and catch them all in one go.”

Qu Chongyu raised his eyebrows, "In that case, aren't we surrendering ourselves to arrest today? Keep your promise, you must not be too careless. I heard that more than half a month ago, Su Daduhu sent the three most powerful people around him to marry him. Soldiers are sent out to exterminate the horse thieves, who knows if there are any other variables? "

Pei Xingjian laughed, "Three regiments of soldiers? It's just 600 cavalry. Why should Yulang be afraid?"

Qu Chongyu sneered, "I'm not afraid, but you have to let these people hold on for a while. Don't wait until the reinforcements arrive, we have already made a new ghost!"

Pei Xingjian nodded, "Then I have to brace myself up and guard it all night!"

Qu Chongyu couldn't help but feel a little angry when he saw that even though he was telling the truth, his expression was still calm and calm. After just thinking about it for a long time, his expression changed slightly, he turned the horse's head, summoned a few attendants, and gave him some detailed instructions.

The convoy walked for nearly half an hour, and indeed there was a wide valley several miles long in front of it, backed by a not very high but rocky and steep hill, with large tracts of withered grass as high as half a person. , there is a small forest at the foot of the mountain. If it were spring or summer, it would be a place with abundant water and grass, but at this time, only dead grass and cold branches are left. Pei Xingjian stopped the convoy and ordered the carriages to line up tightly in two rows of semicircular barriers at the foot of the mountain, more than ten steps apart. At the same time, he asked the guards and coachmen to clear away the withered grass and saplings inside and outside the camp and pile them up. They arrived at a place several feet away from the grain truck and were busy for another hour or two. It wasn't until the sun set in the west that everything was properly cleaned up.

Just as everyone was about to sit down and rest, Pei Xingjian's second order was passed down. All the horses were led into the temporary fence between the inner circle of carriages and the foot of the mountain. Extra manpower was assigned to guard them. Tents for a hundred Tang troops were also placed. In the inner camp, the Xizhou tribe and nearly 300 guards rested in the open space between the two grain trucks. Tonight, the horses were not unsaddled, the men were not disarmed, and the light and dark sentry posts were arranged three times as usual.

The whole camp suddenly became busy again. Let alone others, those Xizhou soldiers usually stayed with the Tang army. When they suddenly heard such an order, they couldn't help but murmur: Why did Pei Changshi arrange this today?

The one hundred Tang troops left behind by Su Nanjin were led by Luzheng Suiguan. Hearing such an order, he couldn't help but be stunned. After thinking for a while, he finally found Zhang Huaiji and said, "Zhang joins the army. Mr. Su ordered us to stay. It is to serve as a backbone for these healthy soldiers and to protect them when they join the army. However, Chang Shi’s current arrangement seems a bit inappropriate. "

Zhang Huaiji had been riding for a day and was resting against the carriage. He frowned and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll go talk to Chang Shi." After saying that, he walked to the other side of the camp and finally found a group of carriage drivers. He found Pei Xingjian in the middle, pushed aside the crowd, hugged his hands and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work, Chang Shi."

Pei Xingjian nodded to him, turned around and told Acheng who was beside him, "I have something to discuss with Join the Army. You can go find the leaders of each team and ask them to place strong and bold grooms in the outer circle as I just said." Let’s rest in the carriage and return to our carriages tomorrow.”

The two of them walked out of the crowd. Zhang Huaiji was just thinking about how to speak when Pei Xingjian got straight to the point, "Are you here to ask why all the troops left behind by Mr. Su are placed in the inner camp today?"

Zhang Huaiji nodded hurriedly and said with a smile, "Exactly, these soldiers led by Xiaguan are used to listening to their orders. If there is no one to command them, they will be nothing more than a pile of scattered sand. I just asked Xiaguan if these soldiers are willing to be outside the camp." Station, can Chang Shi reschedule it?”

Pei Xingjian glanced at him indifferently and said, "Zhang Canjun is not an outsider. Pei might as well tell him bluntly that tonight and tomorrow morning, there will be a large group of horse thieves attacking. If Pei guessed correctly, Mr. Su probably told him before he left. , if there is an attack by horse thieves, the soldiers will protect you and break out safely. Therefore, these soldiers must not stay in the outer camp tonight, and if Pei bothers joining the army, how about joining the army and keeping vigil with Pei? "

Zhang Huaiji couldn't help being shocked and said hurriedly, "Chang Shi Mo Kai..." He raised his head and met Pei Xingjian's eyes, and the word "joke" could no longer be uttered. There was no expression on Pei Xingjian's face, and his eyes were calm, but Zhang Huaiji suddenly felt as if a huge stone was pressing on his heart, and he couldn't say anything. There were only a few chaotic thoughts left in his mind: How could he? Do you know what Young Master Su said before he left? What would he do with himself... It was obviously a bitterly cold winter, but a layer of sweat broke out on his back.

It seemed like a long time passed before Pei Xingjian finally said, "If you have time to join the army, come with me."

Zhang Huaiji was shaken, and he responded with a "yes" hurriedly, and followed Pei Xingjian to his own department. The Sui brigade immediately came up to him and saluted with a smile, "The official is about to talk to Chang Shi. We're talking about how we can stay outside so that we can take care of everyone."

Pei Xingjian looked at him with a smile, "Please forgive Pei's ignorance. Pei only knows that anyone who enters the military camp is prohibited by order, but he doesn't know that the soldiers who return to the Su Commandery can be bargained for. If the brigade feels that Pei is not worthy of dispatch, Your troops, please leave the camp on your own, Pei will not stop you."

Sui Lvzheng looked at Pei Xingjian in astonishment, almost unable to believe his ears. Pei Xingjian has been extremely polite to others these days, how could he speak so forcefully now? He was stunned for a while and then hurriedly said, "I don't dare!"

Pei Xingjian smiled and nodded, "Then please ask the brigade to take the soldiers to the inner camp to rest."

He turned around and faced the hundreds of troops and Tang troops, and said in a loud voice, "Everyone who is sleeping in the valley tonight must obey orders. Anyone who is arranged in the inner camp dares to come out even half a step, or anyone in the outer camp dares to enter." All camps are punished for escaping from battle—"

“Kill without mercy!”

His always gentle voice took on a sonorous tone, and everyone was stunned.

Pei Xingjian's eyes slowly passed over everyone's faces, and there was a kind of breathtaking pressure in his eyes. After a long time, he turned to look at Zhang Huaiji, "Join the army, please follow me!"

Seeing Zhang Huaiji follow Pei Xingjian away without saying a word, Suiguan's face couldn't help but become more and more ugly. He turned around and said sternly, "Enter the inner camp!"

The four team deputies hurriedly led people into the inner camp from the vacant space in the grain workshop, but the two team leaders came up and whispered, "Lv Zheng, this Pei Changshi today...could he have seen something?" ?”

Suiguan nodded gloomily, "Looking at his appearance, he may have become suspicious. I wonder where the news was leaked?" He pondered for a long time and then sneered, "It's just that since we are here today, he can't arrange it like this. It's a desperate struggle. Do we still need to be afraid of being accused of running away from the battlefield or being killed without mercy? Do we need to listen to the orders of a dead man? "

One of the team members sighed, "Exactly! But what should we do about Zhang joining the army? If something happens to him, I'm afraid we won't be able to explain it to the young master!"

Suiguan said coldly, "I'll explain how I want to explain it! Don't forget, we are the personal soldiers of the Great Protector, not the Young Master's personal soldiers. Now that the matter has come to this, we can't let Zhang join the army and ruin a major event!"

At the other end of the camp, Qu Chongyu chatted a few words in a low voice with his entourage who had returned from exploring the road. He looked up and saw Pei Xingjian and Zhang Huaiji walking over one after another. He laughed loudly and said, "It's a rare day today. Zhang Canjun is a rare visitor." , It’s just that Qu here only has a few biscuits heated in the stove and a jar of pickles, I hope you two don’t dislike it.”

Pei Xingjian was not polite, took the cake and started eating it. After finishing one, he turned around and saw Zhang Huaiji holding the cake in his hand, looking like he didn't know how to eat it. He couldn't help but laugh, "Zhang Canjun, take advantage of this." If nothing happens at the moment, you’d better eat more. We still don’t know if we can have breakfast tomorrow!”

Zhang Huaiji trembled his fingers and raised his head, "Chang Shi, is it really possible that horse thieves will attack?"

Pei Xingjian nodded, with a sarcastic smile on his face, "The most elite horse thief in the Tang Dynasty will come to this valley tonight!"

In a blink of an eye, there are more than 160 votes. I will try to add more votes today! Everyone, please come and take a look at it at 8pm.

p.s. The military system of the Tang army consisted of ten men for one fire, five men for one team, and one brigade for two teams, each consisting of one hundred men. One regiment consists of two brigades.

(End of this chapter)

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