The mountain is Longshan, and the river is Jinghe.

The Jinghe River Valley in late spring is already full of verdant land, and there are still late blooming mountain flowers on the mountain.

The Longshan Mountains lie across the northwest of Guanzhong, and Xiaoguan stands at the Longshan Pass under the danger, guarding the passage from the direction of Jinghe River to Guanzhong.

Xiaoguan is one of the four barriers in Guanzhong.

"Is this Xiao Guan?"

Many soldiers have come to Xiaoguan for the first time, including Li Chao, and it is also the first time he has come to the northwest gateway of Guanzhong.

This has also been the outpost for the invasion of the northern nomadic tribes.

During the reign of Emperor Wen of Han, 100,000 cavalry passed through Xiaoguan and raided northern counties, and Guanzhong was in great shock.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the national strength was strengthened. Emperor Wu of Han went out of Xiaoguan twice, inspecting the northwest border, shining the troops on the frontier, and intimidating the Xiongnu. In the Sui Dynasty, the Sui Yangdianguang even went out to visit Hexi and Zhangye.

"The lonely smoke in the desert is straight, the sun sets in the long river, and the cavalry in Xiaoguan is protected by Yanran!"

From Lingzhou to the south to the county city, from Guyuan to Yansui, it is more than 400 miles apart, and the only one county is surrounded by four directions. It is the gateway of Yinxia and the key of Binning.

The Tang Xiaoguan is still at the former site of Xiaoguan in the Qin and Han Dynasties.

Qin Qiong, the governor of the Guan Nei Road, is now personally guarding the pass and is responsible for repairing and strengthening Xiao Pass.

Guancheng is located in a dangerous area from Sanguankou to Wating Gorge. Although it is not a cliff, it is also steep and majestic. Wating on this defensive area is located on the edge of the eastern foot of Longshan Mountain and has also become an important barrier for Xiaoguan. The peaks are surrounded by arches, and the river valleys are dangerous and difficult to defend.

The Jing River exits the three gates of Danzheng Gorge in the south, which is also a defense system naturally formed by Xiao Pass from south to north.

As the northwest gateway of Guanzhong and one of the four gates, Xiaoguan has a very special geographical location.

If you go out to the southeast, you can drive directly to a large fertile soil of the Central Plains, cross the Yellow River to the north and reach the vast grasslands, and to the west, you can lead to Hexi and the Western Regions and other vast distances.

During the Qin, Han, Sui and Tang Dynasties, counties and counties were established around Xiaoguan and cities were built.

However, although Xiaoguan is dangerous, the Lingzhou where Xiaoguan is out of Xiaoguan, the Liang Dynasty is controlled by Yanzhou, which is equivalent to the sphere of influence of the Turks.

This makes Xiaoguan a lonely pass.

No matter how dangerous the Guancheng is, if there is no in-depth defense system, it can still be held on.

During the Wude period, even during the Zhenguan period, the Turks came whenever they wanted.

Facing the overwhelming and overwhelming cavalry, what can you do if you have a dangerous pass?

The Grand Governor of the Inner Road, the General of the Left Wu Guard, the Shangzhu Kingdom, and the Duke of Qi Qin Qiong personally came to the Guanxia to greet him.

"You guys came sooner than I expected, and they arrived a few days earlier."

Qin Qiong's face was pretty rosy, and it seemed that Xiao Guan's food was pretty good.

Li Chao was in a good mood, and Xiao Guan’s grain reserves seemed reliable.

"It's all for the blessing of the chief executive." Cheng Yaojin said that the chief executive was always a bit sarcastic when he said the chief executive. "Sanlang has been operating in Longyou for less than a year, but the cattle, horse, mule, donkey, camels, etc. that entered our Tang Dynasty from Longyou, were no less than hundreds of thousands of them. Not only was the source of the imperial court guaranteed, but the price of horses and mules also dropped sharply. Many soldiers bought a group of six packs as stipulated, and many people even brought their own horses to ride. This made our march much faster."

Niu Jinda also said on the side, "No, and the chief executive had also made a great move before. He auctioned Yuanji's land, exchanged only for grain, and then had to let those people transport the food to Xiaoguan first. This trick is great. This time we didn't bring the civilian transportation team, just transport the food on our way. Without the burden, there is no need to worry about food and grass. This march is really fast."

Qin Qiong laughed, "The grains have been shipped. I have personally checked them. They are all good grains, and there is no old grain and old rice mixed with sand. In addition to rice and wheat, there are also a lot of dried meat, pickles, salt and oil, etc., all of them are stored in the warehouse and sealed. Just wait for you to receive them."

Entering Guancheng.

Li Chao looked at the pass all the way, not as majestic as he imagined. No wonder he couldn't stop the Turks later.

"Sanlang, Liang Shidu is not weak. There are tens of thousands of people and Turkic people as their backers. It is probably not easy for you to bring 20,000 people out of seclusion." Qin Qiong looked at Li Chao, and even when he was in Xiaoguan, he heard the rumors that Li Chao was demoted, and the rumors that Li Xiuning forced his wife to divorce him.

However, looking at Li Chao's appearance now, he did not look demoted.

"The so-called tens of thousands of people and horses in Liang are just false names. Sweeping men in the territory into soldiers, such tens of thousands of people and horses are just a mob. The real reliance of the Liang army is just the Turks and the Jihu people."

The Jihu people, also known as the Huns, have always lived on both sides of the Yellow River in Yan, Sui, Hedong, Shizhou, Lanzhou, and Cizhou, which have lived in the mountains and valleys. For hundreds of years, although they have been suppressed by various dynasties, they have always lived tenaciously like Xiaoqiang.

They even established their own Jihu regime, but they were soon destroyed.

These people are purely some mountain bandits, cruel and greedy. They have a lot of contact with the Han people and know how to farm and raise silkworms, textiles, etc.

However, many of their customs still maintain the barbarian tradition, such as being more open. Women usually have good looks before getting married, and even their custom is that the more they like before getting married, the better. However, in the custom, they no longer allow random things after getting married. If they dare to have *** or something, they will also be punished.

In addition, they are used to the marriage system of inheritance. Like the grassland people, when their father and brother die, their wife is inherited by their son and their younger brother.

These people have always been rebellious and unwilling to discipline. They are basically lawless people who come out to rob or something at any time.

When Liang Shi was the emperor in Shuofang, he recruited many Jihu tribes, who were his mercenaries. They brought them with them every time they fought, and after robbing, they distributed their money, grain and population and gave them rewards.

These Jihu people were the most brutal and fierce, and instead became the most powerful army under the Liang Shidu. The second was the Turks, but the army under the Liang Shidu itself had very average combat effectiveness.

In recent years, the Li family has not had the idea of ​​destroying Liang Shidu and annexing his territory. However, many times have been fought, both big and small. Although it is generally claimed that there are more victory than defeat, Liang Shidu's strength is actually a bit stronger and stronger as it fights.

Seeing that Li Chao was leading 20,000 people, Qin Qiong was confident that he would destroy Liang Shidu, and felt it was very dangerous.

Li Chao was not blindly confident, nor did he think he was invincible if he thought he had a hat of a war god on his head.

He has thought about it seriously. He has collected a lot of information about Liang Shidu. He also collected detailed information about Liang Shidu and analyzed it carefully.

The Liang army has a number of troops, population, and Turkic foreign aid.

There are a few concubines, and which one do you like the most. How long does Master Liang last at a time? What he likes to eat? Li Chao knows these things.

Knowing one's own knowledge and an enemy will never be defeated. This is not just a joke.

The more detailed the information, the more you can understand the enemy.

The more you understand, the more you can discover the flaws and weaknesses.

Through analysis, Li Chao found that Master Liang was not as strong as he thought.

He relied mainly on the support of the Turks, but mainly on the Jihu people in the battle. However, this year, there was also an internal strife within the Liang Shidu.

The general of Jihu, Liu Nuniu, has always been fierce and brave, and the Jihu soldiers under him are also very fierce.

Perhaps because he has made many achievements and his subordinates are strong, Liu Nuniu is a little arrogant and arrogant, and simply put it as a character like Luo Yi.

As a result, he had a conflict with Liang Shidu's younger brother Liang Luoren. Liang Luoren is not Liang Shidu's younger brother, but his cousin. But this cousin is also a general under Liang Shidu and a powerful figure.

After Liang Luoren and Liu Nuimi had a falling out, they kept framed Liu Nuimi with his elder brother Liang Shidu. However, Liang Shidu really believed it later and took the opportunity to invite Liu Nuimi to drink, and then let the swordsman kill Jihu.

Although Master Liang received a lot of money to reward the leaders of the Jihu tribe afterwards, the generals and schoolmen of Jihu were still worried and did not believe Master Liang so much.

This is like Li Mi killed Zhai Rang back then. Even if he wins people's hearts afterwards, there will be irreconcilable cracks inside.

The Jihu people and the generals under Liang Shidu, Xin Liaoer, Li Zhengbao and Feng Duan also had a bad relationship with the Jihu people.

However, the Turkic foreign aids from Liang Shidu usually earn the most trophys and always look arrogant. The Jihu people and the old brothers from Liang Shidu also hate the Turks.

The Liang army relied on the three troops who became emperors, but there were many contradictions.

"How many days will Saburo take a break here?"

"No, I don't plan to rest, have a meal here, and then leave the pass and head north!"

Qin Qiong was stunned.

Li Chao was not joking. After receiving a condolence from Qin Qiong at Xiaoguan that day, he left the pass and headed north in the afternoon.

"Ignore the scattered subordinates of Liang Shidu along the way, we drove straight to Lingzhou city!"

Lingwu, also known as Lingzhou.

It is known as the Jiangnan in the Frontier. Emperor Hui of the Western Han Dynasty first established Lingzhou County and established Lingwu County. It has always been the highest institutional capital of the Ningxia Plain and is the center of the entire Xitau Plain.

The land here is flat and fertile, with arable land, tens of millions of acres of pasture, and developed irrigation water conservancy facilities, so it is a granary for the wall.

The Liang army attacked us for a while and then captured the Xitau Plain. After occupying this place, they moved their Daliang Kingdom to this place.

The capital of Liang State, Lingwu.

"Tang Army is here again!"

After receiving the military newspaper, the Liang army did not look panic. It was really strange that the Tang Dynasty did not send troops ten or eight times in recent years.

However, every time they make small fuss, they basically come to grab something. The Tang army withdrew after robbing, and then the Liang army retaliated against the south, and withdrew even after robbing.

Both sides have been in the normal state in recent years.

"Who did the Tang army send here this time?"

"Li Chao and Li Wenyuan brought 20,000 troops out of Xiaoguan and headed straight for Lingwu."

"Li Wenyuan? That Li Wenyuan, who is known as the God of War?"

"Yes, that person, who beat Tuyuhun people in Longyou, had no temper. I heard that during the Xuanwu Gate Incident in the Tang Dynasty, this person was still the mastermind and was named the first hero of the Xuanwu Gate by Li Shimin. Now he is Duke Zhao, Jingzhao Yin, the Grand Governor of the Jingji, the Minister of War, Pingzhangshi, the General of the Zuo Yiwei, etc.."

"What is Pingzhangshi?"

"It is said that Li Shimin invented it. If he has added this title, even if he is not the prime minister, he can enter the Central Political Affairs Hall to discuss matters with the prime minister. He is considered half of the prime minister."

Master Liang sneered after hearing this.

"That Li Chao had never heard of his name two years ago. It is said that he was a young monk in the past, right? Li Shimin is really amazing. He promoted Li Chao, who was just a young monk two years ago, to the prime minister at once. How old is he? He is in his early twenties? After fighting a few battles with the Tuyuhun people, he really thought he was a military god. He dared to drive straight to the capital of Daliang with 20,000 people. It is so courageous."

"By the way, did Qin Qiong come together?" Liang Shi didn't take Li Chao at all, but he cared about Qin Qiong more. Liang Shi was also a general of Yingyang Lang in the late Sui Dynasty. He was once considered a comrade-in-arms in the same dynasty and met while fighting Goguryeo in Liaodong. He was deeply impressed by Qin Shubao and admired him very much.

"Qin Shubao is still guarding Xiaoguan and has not come."
Chapter completed!