Li Zhang

After Li Zhang and Zhang Yu separated, they rushed to Rongjiazhuang to meet Zhiqing. He wanted to take her into the mountains, but Rong Xie sincerely invited her to be a village soldier instructor.Seeing that it was Zhiqing's proposal, Li Zhang could not refuse with excuses, so he stayed.

There are 200 rural soldiers in Rongjiazhuang, all of whom are young and strong from nearby villages. They have been practicing martial arts in Rongjiazhuang since they followed Rong Xie to fight against the Xianbei in the first year of Jianping. It is a team that can gather and play at any time.Rongjiazhuang paid them salaries in the form of farm laborers, so that they could be content with training and maintain the best condition for battle like soldiers.

Li Zhang followed Rong Xie to the ancestral hall, turned out the corner gate, and saw a huge courtyard. Many people were practicing their arms, waist and legs. , and even hand-to-hand wrestling.The entire courtyard was in full swing, which reminded Li Zhang of the original guard camp of the palace.

"Master Rong has trained soldiers like this, and he is no less than the court's regular army!"

Li Zhang turned his head slightly to look at Rong Xie as he spoke.Rong Xie's expression was very calm: "After the ancestors of the Rong family moved here, they had learned too many lessons from the northern barbarians, and they had no choice but to have such ancestral training of self-defense. The people in the nearby villages also followed the ancestors of the Rong family to settle down here. , as time goes by, the Rong family also has the responsibility to advance and retreat with them."

"My lord is the general of the Dingbei Army. Why didn't Young Master Rong take these rural soldiers to join the army? That way you can still make meritorious deeds. Wouldn't it be more accomplished than this unrecognizable rural soldier?"

Rong Xie smiled wryly and said, "Brother Li really thinks that Rong Xie is willing to do this? Rong Xie has joined the army with his father, participated in the battle to capture Yunzhong and Jiuyuan, and made military achievements! Just because his father was implicated in the matter of General Wang, Disappointed, he sent Rong Xie home to take care of his mother. Rong Xie saw that the northern barbarians were pressing every step of the way. I have done my best for my family and country, but it is still not tolerated by the court. My Rong family can't get rid of the suspicion of General Wang's party, and it is impossible to be reused by the court. Rong Xie has long since died of the desire to make contributions, but he wants to protect his family. It's just folks."

Li Zhang Moran, although he still couldn't agree with Rong Huan's actions in the original matter, he also knew that the fetters of personal connections are not easy to break.Thinking that the Rong family and the Wang family are deeply involved, even Rong Xie's efforts cannot be recognized.

Li Zhang didn't say any more, because the learning of formations all originated from Liu Muyan, and he had been abandoned by Mu Yan, so he felt that he couldn't teach the nine formations at will, so he apologized to Rong Xie: "I just learned it. These formations are superficial, and I dare not be a teacher, and marching formations are even more beyond my ability. Zhiqing doesn't understand the key points, thinking that she can use some simple formations to face the enemy head-on, but she wants to Let Young Master Rong down."

Rong Xie stared at Li Zhang closely, didn't accept his words, just shook his head in disappointment and said: "Brother Li still can't trust Rong Xie."

Li Zhangyou was waiting to defend himself, but Rong Xie preempted him and continued: "Brother Li defeated the barbarians in Shanqian Village. It is really impressive. With a disadvantage of a dozen people, he wiped out more than two hundred enemy bandits. Among the legends, but only Wei Guogong has such a proud record. Rong Xie dare not spy on brother Li's unique knowledge, but only asks brother Li to give a little advice for the sake of the people. If he can be the leader of the village soldiers, he will be the leader of the neighbors fortunate!"

Rong Xie bowed deeply to his knees, and Li Zhang hastily returned the salute: "Master Rong is too flattering! The battle of Shanqian Village was only because I knew the terrain well, and the barbarian first felt contemptuous and then panicked, so we took it. The first opportunity. It’s not that I have any extraordinary abilities, let alone be on the same level as Wei Guogong! If Young Master Rong really thinks that I have some incompetence, I will come to you when I need it in the future!”

Li Zhang spoke very earnestly, Rong Xie laughed after hearing this, and leaned forward to support Li Zhang's clasped arms, and Li Zhang's raised cheek was within walking distance.The too close distance made Li Zhang suddenly feel uncomfortable, and he couldn't help breaking away and avoiding it.

But Rong Xie leaned over again, stared into Li Zhang's eyes, and said, "Brother Li still refuses to show his true colors. Is there any special reason?"

Li Zhang was startled suddenly, and opened his eyes unconsciously.Rong Xie got closer again, and raised his hand to touch Li Zhang's face, but Li Zhang dodged away.

"Master Rong, what is the meaning of this?!"

Seeing that Li Zhang's tone was filled with anger, Rong Xie straightened his face, and the frivolous feeling that made Li Zhang unhappy before receded instantly, and solemnly confessed to Li Zhang: "Rong Xie also learned some superficial things. Face-changing kung fu, although brother Li's mask is exquisite, unfortunately, Rong Xie has seen it before, so he can see it. Rong Xie once heard senior brother Ouyang give a speech nine times, and he was yearning for the battle of Emei, but he hated not being able to personally Seeing Brother Li's demeanor, I'm a little anxious, I hope Brother Li will forgive me!"

Li Zhang looked at Rong Xie quietly, Rong Xie always maintained a posture of bowing and saluting, looking very sincere.Li Zhang lowered his eyes, remained silent for a while, and raised his hand to take off his mask.

"It's not because I concealed it on purpose. It's really a last resort. Master Rong doesn't have to do this."

Rong Xie straightened up, looked at Li Zhang's gentle but obviously alienated expression, and smiled wryly: "I saw Brother Li's disguise that day and sent someone to investigate on purpose. Brother Li should be blamed. Brother Li's past is not Rong Xie's. I can say it, but I just think that since brother Li has such abilities, he shouldn't be buried in the mountains, not to mention that it is now a time of precariousness, so I made my own claim. If brother Li really doesn't want to teach the Nine Fans, Rong Xie will never Dare to force."

Li Zhang looked at Rong Xie very quietly all the time, and said to him calmly at this time: "Master Rong knows the details, and he must also know that the Nine Fanzhen was passed down by Commander Mu. Seeing that Li Zhang was abandoned by the teacher, I am ashamed of myself, and I dare not make any more mistakes. Besides, the responsibilities of Young Master Rong's soldiers are different from those of the palace guards, and the Nine Formation is not suitable for large-scale battles. According to Li Zhang, the quality of these soldiers is no longer sufficient. It is uncommon for a sergeant to be comparable. When facing the enemy, as long as he can predict the enemy first and attack the enemy unprepared, he will surely receive miraculous results. Therefore, what Young Master Rong really needs now is not the Jiufan formation, but an efficient and judgmental team. With them, these [-] township soldiers will be an elite army, an elite army that can decide life and death on the battlefield!"

Rong Xie's eyes became brighter the more he listened, and before Li Zhang finished speaking, his eyes were already scorching hot as if sparks could burst out.He stepped in front of Li Zhang, grabbed his hand, and pleaded again: "I am sure I am not mistaken! Stay here, brother Li! If you don't bring troops, you are really reckless!"

Li Zhang was stunned for a moment, and he couldn't say that he was untouched, but there was always an inexplicable sense of resistance.He didn't understand the origin of this feeling for a moment, and he was used to trusting his intuition to keep him rejecting Rong Xie.

So he resolutely pulled out his hand, lowered his eyebrows and shook his head, and said: "I was just saying it casually. I was just a guard, so I don't know how to lead soldiers. Young Master Rong's family has a long history, and the soldiers he leads are not to be underestimated." , and it will be known to the world in the future.”

Rong Xie frowned and stared at Li Zhang, and suddenly asked: "Brother Li is worried about...the emperor?"

Li Zhang looked up at Rong Xie, and asked back, "Why is Young Master Rong so attached to Li Zhang?"

Rong Xie and Li Zhang looked at each other for a long time, finally smiled and said: "Rong Xie is eager to make a difference, and I personally think that brother Li should be similar to me, so I don't want to see brother Li trapped in the past, and I would rather be silent."

Li Zhang shook his head: "I don't have the ambitions of Young Master Rong." He suddenly thought of something, and stared at Rong Xie sharply: "What is the ambition of Young Master Rong?"

Rong Xie's smile became more cheerful: "Brother Li is suspicious of what? Rong Xie's ambition is to seek real peace for this country."

Li Zhang frowned slightly, seeing that he didn't answer.

Rong Xie suppressed his smile and sighed in a low voice: "Brother Li probably doesn't know the meaning of Zhang Yuan's loss this time. In the past when the barbarians came to attack Caogu, they all attacked from the weak points of the pass defense. The location is uncertain and the number of people is not large. The officers and soldiers were invincible. This time, they broke through the barrier and entered in a concentrated manner. It must have moved other thoughts. The emperor has not yet arranged for the southern army to go north, and flirted with Xianbei. Rong Xie worried that the emperor would cede Shanggu to Xianbei for the sake of temporary stability. , if this is the case, it will be a disaster for the people of Shanggu!"

Li Zhang categorically denied it without even thinking about it: "No! He... the emperor would never act like this!"

Rong Xie was taken aback, and looked at Li Zhang playfully: "Oh? Why is Brother Li so sure?"

Li Zhang met Rong Xie's eyes without changing his face, and said lightly: "I have been by his side for many years, and I know that he will be willful and mischievous, but he will not easily admit defeat and bow his head. He doesn't even think about such things as cede territory and seek peace." Will think about it."

Rong Xie laughed in surprise, and passed the topic: "It seems that brother Li understands the emperor, but Rong Xie is too worried. However, although brother Li is so sure, Rong Xie finally dare not be too careless. I still want to ask Brother Li for advice on the matter of soldiers, especially for the post of scout, it really needs Brother Li's advice."

Li Zhang knew that he couldn't refuse, so he didn't insist anymore, he just emphasized: "I also heard my cousin say something about the scout, and I felt that it was special and important, and I had some ideas of my own, which were just ideas on paper. It’s okay to discuss with everyone, but it’s really unworthy to ask for advice.”

Seeing that Li Zhang agreed, Rong Xie was overjoyed, and Li Zhang nodded on his own, and immediately went with Li Zhang to select ten smart and capable township soldiers as candidates for scouting.Those people were originally the leaders of the village soldiers, and they were proud of being selected by the young master, but they all showed suspicion and disdain when they heard that they wanted to learn from Li Zhang.Li Zhang didn't say much, he just asked them to run around several Zhuangzi the next day before returning, and sent them away.Then, he asked Rong Xie to find an interpreter who was familiar with the Rouran and Xianbei languages, and taught everyone the Manzi language every night.

Rong Xie followed suit one by one, Li Zhang was worried that Zhang Yu would not find him, so he sent someone to Shanqian Village to inform Aunt Zhao, and then went to see Zhiqing wearily.

Zhiqing suddenly saw Li Zhang taking off his mask, and suddenly became uneasy, regretting his troublesomeness, and twisted the hem of his clothes sullenly.

Seeing this, Li Zhang shook his head secretly, and persuaded her softly: "My sister knows that I will not sit idly by, so how can I blame you. Since Young Master Rong already knows who I am, there is no need to continue wearing it. I am already familiar with the terrain, and it is always feasible to hide in the mountains in case of emergency."

Zhiqing didn't say any more after hearing the words, but in her heart, like Li Zhang, she had a vague bad feeling for Rong Xie.

In July of the third year of Jianping, a dispute broke out between the Kolubi tribe of Xianbei and the Buyixi tribe, and they fought in Jining.Su Qingyang is waiting in battle in Bingzhou, and the Rouran army is also stationed at the border of Jiuyuan and Yunzhong.

Sima Yi asked Jin Bai to report to him the summary news sent back from the dark guards of northern Xinjiang every day. He was quite satisfied with the self-disruption of the two Xianbei tribes, and smiled to Jin Bai: "Qian Jun is really good at handling things, and he can persuade Xianbei Shan Yu offered the king's stick! Kolubi and Buyixi probably won't let it go until there is a result."

Jin Bai said with a smile: "Isn't it because the emperor promised him the benefits of free customs clearance and military support! The emperor really intends to transfer the Dingnan army to Youzhou? Master Zhou may complain again."

Sima Yi waved his hand indifferently: "Now the northern border is the focus. Let Shen Yaochen pay close attention to the south so that his officials can live in peace with the Yi people in various places without causing trouble, and there is no need for Pingdu to stay there all the time. The army dispatched Although it costs food and grass, it is not difficult to raise funds all the way during the non-war period. Youzhou has always had the tradition of farming, which is just for Pingdu to learn from."

"I'm afraid that the soldiers in the south won't be able to adapt to the climate in the north, and the morale of the army will be loose at that time, and it will be a big loss for a small loss!"

Sima Yi pondered, nodded in agreement and said: "What you said is also reasonable. Later, I asked Zhou Mao to prepare more cotton-padded clothes and charcoal fires, and send them to Pingdu in autumn. Zhou Mao is a thoughtful person with tight hands and a fierce mouth. The Empress Dowager actually has such an elder brother...By the way, there is still no news of Li Zhang from the hidden guards?"

Jin Bai hesitated for a moment, looked at Sima Yi and said: "After Zhang Yuan fell, Zhang Yu led more than ten people to kill more than [-] Xianbei people near Shanqian Village. According to the local Orion, an expert came from Helping each other, turning stones into soldiers and throwing soil into the formation, it is very miraculous. I suspect that that person is Li Zhang."

Sima Yi stood up: "Why don't you ask Zhang Yu for confirmation?"

Jin Bai shook his head and said, "Zhang Yu only said that the man was Orion who appeared suddenly, and then disappeared suddenly by himself afterwards, and did not admit that it was Li Zhang."

Sima Yi's face became gloomy, he gritted his teeth secretly, and said bitterly: "What a Zhang Yu, even he dares to play with Gu! Is it true that if you are far away, you can't control it!"

Jin Bai persuaded disapprovingly: "He and Li Zhang are brothers and sisters. Since Li Zhang refuses to show up, he will naturally cover up for him. At the beginning, the emperor only said that he knew that Li Zhang had news, but now he knows, should he let go? gone?"

Sima Yi suddenly felt suffocated, wanted to get angry, and was uncomfortable being stared at by Jin Bai, but he really wanted to let go, but he was unwilling to let it go, and immediately argued: "The only thing I want is his exact news! How can you be sure that he is Li Zhang?"

Jin Bai stared at Sima Yi's rascal appearance, gritted his teeth and asked him: "What will happen if the emperor has the exact news about him? Do you want to send another secret guard to follow?"

Sima Yi blinked and laughed: "Gu finally heard a good suggestion from you!"

Jin Bai's eyes were red with anger: "The emperor! The emperor promised Jin Bai to let Li Zhang go! No joke!"

Sima Yi's face sank, he slapped the dossier in his hand on the table, looked at Jin Bai and said, "If I say let him go, I will allow him to stay outside. But for a person like him who is familiar with the secret guards and military formations, Gu and How can we let him ignore it?"

Jin Bai opened his eyes wide: "Is the emperor suspicious of Li Zhang?"

"No." Sima Yi shifted his gaze to Long Yuan hanging on the wall, and continued to say coldly, "But Gu can't trust people who may appear around him."

After Sima Yi finished speaking, he glanced coldly at Jin Bai, who froze immediately.