turmoil

Hu merchants in the Western Regions have all suffered from the Beile people. They are a nation born for war. They grew up on horseback. Children may not be able to walk, but they must not know how to ride a horse.

However, Hu merchants in the Western Regions did not believe that the Beile people would drive straight in, because there were not only people from the Central Plains in the Qidal exchange market, but also caravans from various countries in the Western Regions.The Beile cavalry attacked Qidal, which meant that the countries in the Western Regions were forced to their own opposition.

No one believed that the Beile people would make such a stupid mistake, just like no one believed that the coyote would be stupid to attack a group of bison that was not easy to mess with.

Hu merchants in the Western Regions only thought that Boss He opened his mouth loudly, and that pulling out a layer of wool was not counted, and he had to temporarily increase the size, and they all jumped to protest.The scene was chaotic, and under the intimidation of Dingbianhou, He Ling stepped forward: "Everyone be quiet, listen to me!"

However, Hu merchants in the Western Regions were making a lot of noise, and no one heard Boss He's voice.Impatient, Yang Fan pulled out his horsewhip and whipped it across the air. The sharp whistling sound interrupted the quarrel below: "Be quiet, anyone who makes any more noise will be dragged out by this lord!"

There was a brief moment of silence below, and Dingbianhou stood high on the stage, staring coldly at the Hu merchants: "Beile's army is approaching in no time, and you are still making noise... Is it too long to die!"

Hu merchants in Kuci couldn't believe it: "How is it possible? We didn't provoke the Beile people, how could they send troops to Qidal for no reason? Could it be you... You recruited the Beile cavalry!"

I have to admit that this is true to a certain extent.

Yang Fan raised his eyebrows and was about to speak, but Zhang Jingche stopped him with a folding fan.Chief Zhang snapped his fingers, followed by the sound of orderly footsteps, and boxes were carried up and lined up in front of Hu Shang.

Immediately afterwards, the box was opened, and the din on the scene suddenly quieted down. The box was full of brilliance, and it was filled with the best silk and porcelain. One of the boxes was especially expensive, and it contained thumb-sized pearls. The size of a pigeon's egg, the color is even more rare pure gold, even the smallest one is worth a caravan's income for a year.

Hu Shang's eyes were straightened, and only Zhang Jingche said calmly: "Beile's army is coming in a blink of an eye. Those who don't believe in evil can leave now. If you are willing to keep your helpers, these merchants will be your reward for your hard work. Look at it Let's do it."

Hu Shang: "..."

Zhang Jingche probably felt that the bargaining chip was not enough, and added lightly: "Everyone may have heard that I am the leader of the Western Regions Chamber of Commerce... What is left today will get half of the business route bonus every year in the future! I will do what I say. , everyone can weigh it for themselves."

After saying this, not only the Hu merchants present were shocked, but even the Marquis of Dingbian changed his face.He turned his head to look at Zhang Jingche, his lips moved, and finally swallowed the phrase "prodigal daughter-in-law" with difficulty.

There is a saying that "money can make ghosts turn the millstone", Mr. Zhang promised to make great profits, and the Hu merchants present were immediately moved.Of course, it’s not that no one wants to get something for nothing, but the Hou’s family will stand aside, with their swords in their hands and fierce eyes. Wronged and confessed.

He Lingxuan set up a mutual market in Qidal, so he was naturally not unprepared. He dug trenches on the east and north sides, and no matter how elite a horse was, it was impossible to jump over it.Both sides of the trench are covered with barbed wire, and the bottom is filled with pool water. A thick wooden fence is erected inside the trench, which is as high as two people. It is shaped like a movable city wall, firmly choking the howling wind.

Under the temptation of unimaginable dividends, all Hu merchants held up their horsewhip, pointed their men around, hurried and hurried, and finally rushed to reinforce the sieve-like fortifications of Zidal before the Beile cavalry arrived.

There is a tower in the northeast of the oasis, which is also the commanding height of Qidal.While everyone else was working furiously, Zhang Jingche climbed up the tower silently, holding up his clairvoyance made of copper, looking into the distance.

Yang Fan supervised the work for a while, then climbed up the tower, snatched Zhang Jingche's clairvoyance from behind, and took a closer look: "This thing is much more useful than the ones in the army... Do you have many craftsmen on hand? How about giving some to Northwest Camp?"

Zhang Jingche didn't turn his head back: "It's ok, but it's not for nothing. What does Hou Ye plan to exchange?"

"Your Lord Hou has no money, so all that money is used to fill the hole in the Northwest Camp." Relying on his half head height, Yang Fan put his chin on Zhang Jingche's shoulder and whispered against his earlobe, "You Take a look for yourself, take what you like, and take it away.”

Zhang Jingche turned his head, with a smile in the corner of his eyes, revealing an evil beauty: "I want Yang Yuanzhou...Will Master Hou give it too?"

Yang Fan tentatively rubbed against his ear, seeing that Zhang Jingche didn't show any resistance, he rubbed that small piece of skin bright red: "Want me? Yes, I don't have much in my body, it's only about 100 catties, you see Which one is on?"

Zhang Jingche turned around, stretched out his finger and poked Dingbianhou's chest: "I'm very greedy, I don't have enough money, I have to collect everything from head to toe, and hide it so tightly that no one will see it."

Yang Fan lowered his voice, stretched out his fingers and rubbed his red earballs: "You want to buy me? That's not easy. I'm worth a lot. How much money does Chief Zhang want to buy?"

Zhang Jingche patted his downward claws, and picked Yang Fan's chin with a folding fan: "Marquis Dingbian has a high status, and the price really shouldn't be too low. Unfortunately, all my net worth is exchanged for food. I really have nothing. Embarrassed..."

Yang Fan snorted with his nose, unable to tell whether it was grievance or dissatisfaction: "Empty hands? That's not what Zhang Kueishou said just now... One mouthful is half of the Silk Road Chamber of Commerce's bonus, what a great deal!"

Zhang Jingche's eyes fluttered, Wan Qianxihui's ups and downs between his gazes: "Half a bonus makes the Hou Ye jealous? How about this, I will take out a [-]% bonus as a betrothal gift, and Yang Hou is willing to commit himself to marry?"

Yang Fan: "..."

Although Zhang Jingche had already expressed his attitude either explicitly or implicitly, all the hidden distractions couldn't match the throbbing of his heart at this moment.

Dingbianhou's chest seemed to be burning with a ball of fire, sweeping across his body in a mighty way. He stared deeply at Zhang Jingche, with desire and longing rolling in his eyes.

Zhang Jingche turned the folding fan and tapped Yang Fan's shoulder lightly: "How about it, Lord Hou, are you willing to come into my house?"

Yang Fan turned his head away, and used an almost contemptuous attitude to cover up his mixed feelings: "[-]% bonus for business routes in the Western Regions, this betrothal gift is quite generous... Chief Zhang, don't you feel distressed?"

Zhang Jingche slightly raised his eyebrows: "Of course it's not worth it to be someone else, but Dingbian Hou... The [-]% bonus is still light, but unfortunately I really don't have spare money in my hand, so I owe it first."

Yang Fan lowered his head and gently pressed his forehead against him.

In fact, he wanted to make more actions and express his heart, but unfortunately the timing was not right, because Hou Dingbian felt a faint vibration, which was heavy like thunder and full of rhythm.

That was the harbinger of the approaching Beile cavalry.

Yang Fan took a deep breath, kissed Zhang Jingche quickly on the forehead, and hurried away.

When the sunset was about to end, a huge shadow appeared at the end of the dunes, like a thick cloud falling on the hood, moving towards Zidal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Everyone heard the rumbling thunder, the horseshoes stepped on the ground in an orderly manner, and the undulating sand dunes trembled under the iron hooves.Yang Fan made a gesture, countless bows and crossbows pierced through the small holes in the fence, revealing sinister clues, the arrows reflected the last twilight, flowed through the blood groove, and disappeared in the depths of the shadows.

Zhang Jingche didn't listen to Yang Fan and Ding Ru'an's persuasion, and hid in a safe corner. Instead, he stood at the front line and watched the Beile cavalry in the distance with his clairvoyant eyes.He heard the sound of soft footsteps, but he didn't turn his head, until He Ling's hesitant voice came from behind him: "You know better than me the strength of the Beile cavalry... If there is no reinforcements, just rely on this little manpower to support us." Not long."

Zhang Jingche stood on the spot, dressed in white, motionless as a mountain: "Then you should be prepared to fight to the death."

He Ling was a little anxious: "Isn't this death in vain? Since you and Marquis Dingbian dared to risk your life, you didn't prepare for it? You..."

He wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Zhang Jingche. The man turned his head and looked at him calmly: "If you don't have a backup, are you planning to give the hinterland of the thousands of miles of Central Plains behind you to be trampled by the Beile people?"

He Ling couldn't help but choked up.

The Beile cavalry was getting closer, Yang Fan gave an order, and the crossbow arrows whizzed out like the wind.When the first row of cavalry was overturned by the rain of arrows, the ones following behind rushed forward relentlessly...

Then he was blocked by a bunch of barbed wire.

The war horse couldn't stop, and lost its position among the thorn bushes. The rear row collided with the front row, and another group of people turned their backs.The scene in front of them was a bit funny, and the Western Region soldiers behind the fence couldn't help laughing, but soon, they heard Dingbianhou's cold voice: "Laugh after you survive this war."

Everyone stopped laughing, and realized belatedly amidst the sound of the night wind—this is not a simple fight, this is a war.

Where there is war, there will be bloodshed and death.

The second round of crossbow arrows was fired, taking away the lives of countless Beile cavalrymen. Such a high-density charge was like queuing up to deliver food under the arrows.But more people broke through the blockade of crossbow arrows, scrambling and falling into the trench, choked to death by the submerged ditch water.

General Bei Le is also experienced, and while reining in the horse in time, he immediately changed his combat policy.Soon, the densely packed crossbow arrows broke through the wind, and the arrows were burning with flames, and they were nailed to the fence one after another.

He Ling secretly exclaimed that these giant trees were drenched with water and their weight increased. Although this action caused the soldiers of the Western Regions to wailing, it showed the foresight of Marquis Dingbian at this moment.

After three rounds of blocking, the charge speed of the Beile cavalry slowed down significantly, but they became more and more steady.The brave Beile people stopped in front of the trench and showed the crossbows on their backs. Just as the miscellaneous soldiers in the Western Regions were preparing buckets and sand to extinguish the rockets, those crossbows were nailed into the wooden wall with great force. The wall trembled slightly.

What's more terrible is that the end of the crossbow arrow is actually tied with an iron chain.Hearing the Beile people yelling in unison, the iron chain was suddenly tightened, and the hastily erected "barrier" couldn't bear the strength, and it was crumbling under the drag.

The miscellaneous soldiers of the Western Regions finally knew what the Beile people were planning, and they wanted to tear down the fence with their bare hands.This is their last barrier. No one wants to expose their flesh and blood to the butcher's knife of Beile's cavalry. All the people stand up against the "barrier" with their hands and feet, gritting their teeth to compete with Beile's cavalry.

The energy erupted by people in desperation is astonishing. The Hu merchants in the Western Regions quickly restrained the Beile offensive for a short time. However, the stalemate did not last long. More and more Beile cavalry crossed the trench and swung their knives On a temporary barrier built of rough wood.

There was a continuous sound of "bang bang", the sawdust of the fence flew, and the powerful impact hit through the wood, knocking the Hu Bing from the Western Regions at the other end into the air.

Zhang Jingche estimated the Beile cavalry's attack, turned his head and made a gesture, Ding Ru'an understood, and went away with oil on his feet.

It was not the first time that He Ling dealt with the Beile people, but it was the first time he faced the unstoppable charge of the Beile cavalry directly.Facing the crushing power of absolute power, he was terrified and took two steps back without a trace.

Zhang Jingche seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, and said coldly: "If you quit now, the He family in Baoji will be charged with several crimes of forgetting their ancestors. You can figure it out yourself!"

For a moment, He Ling had the urge to strangle the leader of the trade route in front of him. If he didn't know the consequences of doing so, he might have done it: "You are crazy! Beile cavalry is rampant on the grassland, and the serious army is no match for them , How long can these barbarians last?"

"It lasts for a while." Zhang Jingche looked down at his palm with an indifferent expression. "I also want to see whether it is the butcher's knife of the Beile people or the spine of the Central Plains people."

While speaking, the fence was already crumbling, and Hu Bing of the Western Regions couldn't bear it, and gradually began to retreat.Just when the barrier was on the verge of collapsing, Ding Ru'an hurried back, before he had time to catch his breath, he first whispered something in Yang Fan's ear.

Marquis Dingbian's gaze was like a torch, and he made a resolute gesture. The next moment, the guards blew the horn to retreat. It landed with a bang on impact.

The giant tree fell apart, and the sand and soil filled the air.

The Beile cavalry in the dark night was blocked from sight, and their movements were slow for a moment. When the smoke and dust gradually dispersed, the violent noise exploded unexpectedly.

Hu Bing from the Western Regions was stunned for a moment, then came back to his senses, and shouted hoarsely in Fanbang dialect with different accents: "The firecracker...it's the firecracker!"

The last wisp of smoke and dust was blown away by the night wind, and the cold gun barrel revealed its true appearance in the night. The first row of guards half-kneeled on the ground, and the muzzle of the gun was still emitting green smoke.

General Bei Le was taken aback, but he was not afraid. He had fought against the Central Plains army and had experienced the power of the Central Plains firecrackers.These copper pipes are indeed powerful, but they have a fatal weakness, that is, they can only stand in place and fire the guns, and the firecrackers cannot be fired continuously, and the bullets must be changed after one blow.

General Beile didn't know about the advent of renju guns, but this is harmless, because renju guns are too complicated to be mass-produced.The row of firecrackers in front of me was indeed not a contingent of blunderbusses, but they could emit a second round of roar after a short pause.

General Beile's eyes widened in shock. He saw a very strange scene. There were three rows of personal guards blocking the Beile cavalry. The first row squatted on the ground, the second row passed in the middle, and the last row was responsible for reloading.Three rows of personal guards formed a simple assembly line, handing the loaded firecrackers to the front row.

There was a wave of explosions, and the Beile cavalry fell to the ground one after another, their eyes wide open before they died.

General Bei Le couldn't help being furious, and quickly pulled out the saber from his waist: "Charge from the two wings, and chop these Central Plains people into mud!"