Chapter 179: Sharpening the Knife (Part 1)

The mist at dawn had not yet dissipated. Zhang Huan and his group came to the banks of Liusha River. It was not the Tubo people who came to attack, but the Dangxiang people attacked Liusha River camp at night. The beacon fire on the bank of the Yellow River was lit and spread to Huixi Fort, and then to Wuwei through the beacon tower in Wushaoling.

The weather was hot and the corpses could not be left for a long time. All the corpses had been burned to ashes and were prepared to be brought back to Wuwei in a pot. The corpses of the Dangxiang people were buried deep on the spot, and the camps had been rebuilt, with only a few burnt wooden stakes showing the tragic tragedy that had happened.

Zhang Huanzheng listened to the report of the soldiers with a gloomy expression, "One thousand garrisons killed 115 people and injured 370 people. Liu An, the warehouse affairs in Huixi County who was responsible for managing gold digging, was killed for protecting gold and 64 kilograms of gold sand were stolen. Xin Lang, the military envoy of Liusha River, was seriously injured, and the Dangxiang people also left behind more than 500 bodies."

"How is the casualties of the workers who have been rushing gold?" Zhang Huan asked coldly again.

"Three thousand gold diggers were killed more than 200 people, more than 1,000 people were abducted, most of them were women, and the others escaped."

Zhang Huan let out a long breath, focusing his attention on the Tubo people, but he did not expect to be stabbed in the back by the Dangxiang people. This was the first major loss he had since he started running Hexi. It was not how much he lost, but that he did not have enough precautions in advance. These damn bandits still kept saying that they wanted to form an alliance with him.

Zhang Huan walked into the military camp and saw soldiers lying on stretchers everywhere. More than a dozen military doctors were busy treating their wounds. Some returning workers were carrying the soldiers' stretchers onto their carriages and preparing to transport them to Huixi Fortress for healing.

He looked around but did not see Xin Lang. He couldn't help but ask: "Where is General Xin Lang, where are others?"

"Governor, I'm here." Xin Lang's soft voice came from a carriage next to him.

Zhang Huan hurried forward and saw that most of Xin Lang's face was bandaged, only a pair of eyes were exposed, and his body was covered with scars.

"It was my subordinates who were negligent and implicated my brothers. Please punish the governor!" Xin Lang said in a trembling voice: "Mr. Du once arranged a wandering post on He Nanshan, but his subordinates were removed."

Zhang Huan was silent for a while, he gently patted Xin Lang's hand and comforted him, "It's a blessing that you didn't die. Just recover from the injury. After the injury is healed, start with the right one!"

"Thank you Governor!"

Zhang Huan nodded, personally carried Xin Lang onto the carriage with a personal soldier, and then turned to the marching Sima Luo Guangzheng: "All the dead need to be given heavy pensions, and the wounded must be healed well. If you really can't fight again, each person will add ten acres of land and three hundred stale coins to the military field, and order each county to register and register."

"Governor, what should we do if those abducted workers?" Liang Hao, the military officer of the Wuwei County Bureau, was worried. Most of the abducted women were Qiang people. Once their families started to make trouble, they might cause riots among the Qiang people.

"You go back and comfort their families and tell them that I will save the abducted people and give them compensation and allow them to wait with peace of mind."

Liang Hao got the order and hurried back to Wuwei with a few followers. Zhang Huan explained some funerals and ordered him to return to Huixi Fort. When he saw everyone was stunned, he smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, Dangxiang people do not lack women. What they lack is food and money. They will come to me on their own initiative."

Although the Dangxiang people were a cancer, they could tell from the fact that they only attacked the gold mines that these Dangxiang people were at most a thief, and what they really worried about was the Tubo people, but the Tubo people were a group of robbers who killed people and prevented fire. At noon that day, hundreds of cavalry surrounded Zhang Huan and rushed towards Huixi Fortress like lightning.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhang Huan arrived at Huixi Fort, Li Hengqiu told him nervously that the scout had discovered that the Tuyuhun Army had a large-scale assembly in the Hehuang area, and the target was most likely Huixi Fort.

Seeing that there was a worry in his eyes, Zhang Huan couldn't help but pat his shoulder and smiled, "Where did you have the courage to cut off the head of the Uighurs and swallow the blood? If you are afraid, then I will transfer Helou Wuji to defend the city."

Li Hengqiu scratched his head embarrassedly and cursed himself with a smile: "His grandma, isn't I really inferior to that little brat?"

"That's right. In fact, you are never afraid of fighting alone, but the burden on you is a bit heavy, right?"

Zhang Huan smiled and walked up to the city wall. Huixi Fortress had been completely repaired. The ten-meter-high wall was polished extremely smoothly. Huge thunder cannons were installed on nearly 100 turrets. The huge rocks shot up can reach a thousand steps, and the bed crossbow with higher accuracy can also reach three hundred steps. The second is more than two thousand crossbow holes. Three weapons with long, medium and short ranges form a three-dimensional defense net. Others include rolling wood stones, turbulent oil balls, etc., which will make the West Fortress an indestructible castle.

"I will leave three thousand people for you, can you do it?"

Li Hengqiu was slightly stunned. There were three thousand defenders in Huixi Fort. This time, Zhang Huan brought another five thousand reinforcements, and then there were eight thousand people. Why were there only three thousand people? He looked at Zhang Huan in confusion, and Zhang Huan didn't say it out loud. He smiled and asked again: "Tell me, is it okay for three thousand people?"

Li Hengqiu's heart was filled with blood. He smiled proudly and said, "If the Tuyuhun army captures Huixi Fort within 30,000 people, then I, Li Hengqiu, will give you the head to apologize. If there are more than 30,000 people, you must send reinforcements."

"Okay! Let's use 30,000 enemy troops as the boundary." Zhang Huan narrowed his eyes and slapped Li Hengqiu hard, "If there are more than 30,000 people, you will burn the beacon again."

At this time, a low trumpet sound rang out from the distance, and the trumpet sound came from the north. Zhang Huan walked to the north wall and saw a group of cavalry and several carriages coming hundreds of steps away, carrying white flags, and their clothes were of uneven colors.

"Governor!" A personal soldier ran up the steps from the city and panted, "The envoy of the Dangxiang people has arrived, and he asked to see you."

Li Hengqiu suddenly realized that the governor wanted to take away five thousand people. ． ． ． ． ．

Seeing that he guessed, Zhang Huan smiled slightly and said, "It's not polite to come but not come!"

"Bring the messenger of the Dangxiang people in."

． ． ． ． ． ．

The envoy of the Dangxiang people was Tuoba Wanli, the eldest son of Tuoba Xi. This time, Tuoba Qianli succeeded in the attack on Liushahe. Tuoba Qianli had become the focus of attention. His limelight and momentum among the Dangxiang people were unmatched at this time, especially because he used the excuse of defending the attack of the Tang army and refused to return the soldiers of other nobles. This made Tuoba Wanli feel a huge crisis in the throne. In order to restore his reputation, Tuoba Wanli volunteered to negotiate with Zhang Huan.

Tuoba Wanli is about thirty years old and looks very different from his younger brother Tuoba Qianli. He has a pale face and swollen eyelids. He looks like an overly drunk person. With his short figure, he is looked down upon by the leading Tang army when he goes all the way to the city.

Tuoba Wanli praised the majestic walls of Huixi Fort and the dense and spectacular buildings in the city. He was soon taken to a huge circular building in the center of the city. This is the office of Huixi Fort. The county magistrate and the general yamen are back to back, and the family occupied half. However, the newly established Huixi County magistrate was not Wang County Magistrate of Shenwu County last time, but a young Jinshi named Luo Youjun and a native of Chenliu County. He passed the Jinshi last year, but failed to pass the selection of officials from the Ministry of Personnel because of his ugly appearance. He lived in the Imperial College and managed some documents and albums. Seeing that he was quite talented, Han Yu recommended him to Zhang Huan. Although Luo County Magistrate was ugly, he was very capable. He led dozens of yamen runners to properly resettle 2,000 military households. Various affairs were divided into priorities and arranged in an orderly manner. Even Li Hengqiu, who had always been arrogant and picky, praised him.

At this time, Zhang Huanzheng and Luo County Magistrate discussed the issue of Jianjun Town in Liusha River. Liusha River belongs to the jurisdiction of Huixi County. Since hiring people to mine gold mines cannot last long, especially this time, the Dangxiang people attacked, which made control of the Liusha River area imminent. Luo County Magistrate suggested establishing a military town to move the entire family of gold mining workers to the south bank of Liusha River to form a population gathering area, and then 2,000 troops were stationed, so that Hexi could completely control the Liusha River Basin.

Zhang Huan attached great importance to his suggestions and ordered him to write a complete report to submit it to him. At this time, a personal soldier came in to report, "The envoy of the Dangxiang people has been brought here and is waiting outside the door."

"Please come in." Zhang Huan ordered. Seeing that County Magistrate Luo wanted to avoid it, he grabbed him and smiled: "Today's negotiations are related to Liusha River, please listen."

Soon, Tuoba Wanli was brought in. He had been in Chang'an for several years. He could speak fluent Chang'an dialect and knew the etiquette of the Han people very well. When he saw a young officer sitting in the middle, he guessed that this person might be Zhang Huan, the governor of Liangzhou. He immediately stepped forward and gave a deep salute, "Tuoba Wanli, a native of Dangxiang, met with Governor Zhang."

"Your name is Tuoba Wanli?" Zhang Huan suddenly thought of the Dangxiang businessman Tuoba Qianli, and smiled and said, "Who is Tuoba Qianli you?"

"He is my second brother."

Tuoba Wanli didn't know how Zhang Huan knew his second brother, and thought that Zhang Huan had found the general who had attacked Liushahe this time, so he quickly exonerated himself and said: "This Liushahe incident was my second brother's unauthorized act. I once urged my father to stop him, but unfortunately he couldn't listen to his father's words at all."

Tuoba Wanli's unnecessary explanation made Zhang Huan realize that the person who led his troops to attack Liushahe was actually the Dangxiang merchant, and the Dangxiang second prince who always wanted to form an alliance with him.

Zhang Huan suddenly had a strange idea, afraid that there would be internal strife within the Dangxiang people. He smiled and asked quietly: "Why did the eldest prince come today."

"It's very simple. My father expressed deep regret for the unpleasant incident. He specially ordered me to apologize to the governor and planned to release all the kidnapped people."

"Plan?" Zhang Huan sneered. The implication was that there was a condition for putting people back. It was indeed here to negotiate. Zhang Huan closed his eyes slightly and said nothing.

When Tuoba Wanli saw that Zhang Huan did not express his opinion, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, but he had to say that, and he said with a stern voice: "Governor Zhang, the survival of our Xidang Xiang people has encountered a great crisis, but we have no intention of being an enemy of Hexi. My father asked me to bring you a message. If Governor Zhang is willing to let us dig gold on the north bank of Liusha River, then we will immediately release the abducted person."

Speaking of this, Tuoba Wanli clapped his hands gently and walked in from outside the door of ten girls with graceful figures and beautiful appearances. Tuoba Wanli saw that Zhang Huan's eyes had narrowed slightly and looked at the ten girls in a daze. He was proud of his heart and smiled, "This is just a little apology from my father. They are all virgins. I hope Governor Zhang can like it."

Zhang Huan raised his eyebrows lightly, stood up and circled around the ten girls, nodding and praised: "Good woman! I like it very much."

The county magistrate Luo next to him was very anxious. How could Liusha River allow Dangxiang people to enter? This governor Zhang is good at everything, but he is a little bit lustful. Could it be that he can't even see the other party's beauty trick?

He wanted to dissuade him, but he didn't dare to talk too much in front of the foreign envoy, so he had to hold his anxiety in his heart. At this time, Zhang Huan returned to his seat and smiled at Tuoba Wanli and said, "For the sake of these ten women, I can agree to your father's request and allow you to hunt for gold on the north bank of Liusha River."

He was overjoyed when he saw the other party, and waved his hand again and said, "But I have a condition."

Tuoba Wanli's heart was already overwhelmed by joy. He said without thinking: "Governor Zhang, please tell me!"

Zhang Huan smiled faintly, "I want Tuoba Qianli to go to Wuwei in person to apologize to me. If your father agrees to this condition, I will not only allow you to collect gold on the north bank of Liusha River, but also send troops to help you regain Yinchuan County."

"This..." Tuoba Wanli was a little embarrassed. His father might not be able to touch his second brother. He hesitated for a moment and begged: "Governor, can you give in? I will definitely send ten more women here."

"Okay! I'll let you take another step, Tuoba Qianli will not use Wuwei County. As long as he goes to the Liusha River to sacrifice to the dead, it will be fine, but he is not allowed to bring troops again, otherwise I will regard you as declaring war on me!"

Tuoba Wanli was helpless. The other party's condition was not too excessive. He had to agree for the sake of Jinsha. After he left, County Magistrate Luo immediately stepped forward and gave a deep remark and said, "Governor, how could you agree to let them come to the north bank to collect gold? Isn't this equivalent to letting Dangxiang people enter Hexi?"

Zhang Huan glanced at him and smiled, but did not ask him questions and answers. Instead, he gave a few words to a personal soldier. The personal soldier went out immediately. After a moment, Li Hengqiu strode over. When he saw that there were ten beautiful girls in the room, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned and looked at Zhang Huan.

Zhang Huan pointed to the ten pitiful girls and said to him: "These ten women will be used as a prize for this defensive battle. They will tell the brothers that each of them will get one of them if they kill the most enemies or perform the bravest ones."

Li Hengqiu grinned, "Do I count it?"

"You don't count." Zhang Huan punched him and said with a smile: "If you perform well, I will give you the princess of the Tang Dynasty to you as a concubine in the future!"
Chapter completed!