A group of people walked along the city entrance road to the northern wall of the new city. Among them was the Northern Liang Administrator, Li Gongde. This was the leader of the civil officials in Lingzhou who lived like a prince. In the past, he was known as the number one official in the Northern Liang Path. After becoming the new city's governor, he did almost everything by himself. As a result, he lost close to ten kilograms. Although he was tired, he was full of energy like a withered tree in spring. His spirit was not inferior to the young people. In the past six months, Li Gongde had hardly worn his official robes. It was not that the Administrator did not care about the style of a border official at all, but that this miser was really distressed about the money spent on changing his official robes. Later, he simply showed up in civilian clothes. It was said that he had changed more than a dozen pairs of boots, and they gradually changed from flashy to cheap and good boots that were as sturdy as possible.
Today, Li Gongde wore the official uniform of Grade 2 embroidered with a golden pheasant's patch. He and Yuan Zuozong, the Commander of Beiliang's Cavalry Army, who had the highest rank among the generals, walked on the left and right sides of the young feudal lord. Besides these two important officials of Beiliang who led the civil and military officials, there was a huge lineup. Except for Chu Lushan, the Governor of Beiliang, who had to keep an eye on the border movement north of Hutou City, and Yan Wenluan and Chen Yunchui, the two old generals of infantry, who didn't show up because of the many things waiting to be done at Calabash City, the other two deputy generals of cavalry, He Zhonghu and Zhou Kang, the deputy general of infantry, Gu Dazzu, Tian Peifang, the Governor of Liangzhou Province, Shi Fu, the new Governor of Liangzhou Province, Hu Kui, the Governor of Youzhou Province, and Huangfu Qiu, the Governor of Long Xiang Army, Li Mofan, the Long Xiang Army's representative, Chen Xiliang and Kou Jianghuai, the Liuzhou Cavalry Army's general, Yu Luandao, the Youzhou Army's chief general, Hong Xinjia, and the real power general, Cao Xiaojiao, who had won the nickname of "Quick Knife" in the Battle of Calabash City, led 4,000 cavalrymen to join hands with Yu Luandao and completely blocked the retreat route of Yang Yuanzan's personal army. What's more, it was Cao Xiaojiao, the Governor of Beimang.
At the top of the city wall, there was a veritable horse-riding path. The northern outer battlements had been completed, and the inner parapet wall was also about to be completed. The next step was to build the gate tower on the northern city gate. Hsu Fengnian stood at a battlements and looked towards the north. From here to the Liuya Fuling Defense Line in Huaiyang Pass, it was a flat terrain that was convenient for cavalry to gallop. He Zhonghu's Left Cavalry Army and Zhou Kang's Right Cavalry Army were stationed there. In the original plan of Xu Xiao and Li Yishan, once Beimang captured Hutou City, the two main cavalry forces outside Beiliang Pass would suffer the heaviest losses. However, due to the heavy casualties in the two battlefields of the first battle between Liang Mang and Qingcang City in Liuzhou Province and Hulukou in Youzhou Province, Beimang could not gain a firm foothold. As a result, the two cavalry forces of over 70,000 didn't suffer any casualties for the first time. This was also the real reason why Beiliang was confident in the second battle between Beiliang and Beimang.
Hsu Fengnian was multitasking. While listening to Li Gongde's detailed description of the progress of the new city, Hsu Fengnian was thinking about the next deployment of the cavalry. Back then, in order to defend Liuzhou and gain strategic depth for Beiliang, Xu Xiao expanded the Long Xiang Army from ten thousand to thirty thousand without affecting the military strength of the army as much as possible. It was impossible for the border cavalry to have an extra twenty thousand people out of thin air. Naturally, he would transfer the elites from the left and right cavalry, which would inevitably weaken the military strength of the border cavalry. However, the problem was that the thirty thousand Long Xiang Army was almost wiped out outside Qingcang City. Of course, Liuzhou could not be abandoned. In fact, it would become even more important in the future when Youzhou would be free of war. What could he do? The martial arts grandmaster Hsu Fengnian could use his will as a sword, but a land immortal was not a true immortal who could scatter beans and turn them into soldiers. He could only continue to ask for people from He Zhonghu and Zhou Kang. Not only did the Long Xiang Army need people, Kou Jianghuai, the general of Liuzhou who had made a great contribution, also wanted to form his own troops. Yu Luandao's Youzhou cavalry needed to be replenished no matter what. As a result, not to mention Zhou Kang, who had a fiery temper, even He Zhonghu, who was extremely easy to talk to and was willing to consider the big picture, privately found him, the King of Beiliang. What he meant was that the left cavalry could be given people, but he only hoped that the left cavalry would not be broken. Cao Wei asking for two thousand people was fine, but Kou Jianghuai and Li Mofan, the two big shots of Liuzhou army, were really asking for an exorbitant price. One wanted eight thousand, the other wanted fifteen thousand! And it had to be elite old soldiers! At that time, He Zhonghu bitterly smiled and mocked himself to Hsu Fengnian. Even if all of his old bones were torn apart, it would not be enough to satisfy the two generals. As for Zhou Kang, who was also the deputy commander of the cavalry, he was even more stubborn. He did not even want to meet Kou Jianghuai and Li Mofan. He directly said that he only wanted his life, and that the right cavalry should not even think about taking a single soldier away!
On this matter, in all of Beiliang, there were only three people who could speak. Chu Lushan of the Governor-General Manor, Xu Weixiong of Wutongin, and Hsu Fengnian. As for the others, even the old general Yan Wenluan of the Spring and Autumn Period, as the commander of the infantry, would definitely not get involved in the military affairs of the cavalry, especially such a sensitive large-scale change. As the founder of the world situation theory, although Great Ancestor Gu was in the infantry, it was good that he did not have a deep foundation. He could give some advice. However, in the turmoil of "whether to fight or to defend" after the fall of Hutou City, he became hostile with the pro-war faction of the entire border army. He even had a falling out with Zhou Kang. They were only short of fighting. Yuan Zuozong, whether it was the identity of the Xu family or the position and prestige in the Beiliang army, was one of the few people who could speak. Unfortunately, Yuan Zuozong kept silent about this matter. On the surface, it was because he was busy organizing the 10,000 Snow Dragon Cavalry and the two heavy cavalry. However, Hsu Fengnian knew that Yuan Zuozong was worried about Chu Lushan who remained silent after the war. Even if Xu Weixiong wanted to speak, Hsu Fengnian did not want her to speak.
Beiliang was not the same as Liyang. There was no pleasure in deciding the life and death of others. It was just a burden.
As long as there was a man in the Xu family, it would not be Xu Weixiong's turn to carry the burden.
Hsu Fengnian looked into the distance. In Jianghu, he had experienced many life and death battles. Many of them could be said to have escaped death. However, after the battle, he rarely had any lingering fear. As for the battle with Tuoba Bodhisattva, he even felt that it was not enough. As for the battle with Qi Jiajie and the Imperial Astronomer of Great peace City, it was like turning over an old account. However, in this battle with Liang Mang, for the first time, Hsu Fengnian truly felt as if he had survived a calamity. This was because Huang Man'er had almost died outside Qingcang City. If not for Deputy General Wang Lingbao, Huang Man'er really would have died. This time, as soon as Huang Man'er heard that his older brother was coming to the new city, he led the cavalry under his command back to Liuzhou that very night. Most likely, he was afraid that Hsu Fengnian would scold him, or perhaps he felt some unknown guilt. Huang Man'er did not dare to return to Qingliang Mountain in Liangzhou. His second sister, Xu Weixiong, was there. For Xu Longxiang, the weight of his second sister's angry words was greater than the weight of Tuoba Bodhisattva's all-out attack.
The sun set in the west, and the sun set on the long river.
The border was no longer filled with smoke.
However, half a year later, or perhaps even less, smoke would rise from all sides.
In Beiliang's next battle, even if there would not be a large scale battle, compared to before, Lingzhou's Western Shu, which was further south, would have an additional unpredictable King of Shu, Chen Zhibao.
As long as Beimang still treated the western front as a breakthrough point, then Beiliang's dangerous situation would not be alleviated at all.
They could only continue to exchange lives for lives. It all depended on whether Beiliang could exchange one life for many lives, how many lives could they exchange for Beimang barbarians.
Hsu Fengnian gently exhaled. Without turning around, he said in a low voice, "Zhou Kang!"
Jin Partridge took a step forward and cupped his fists. "This general is here!"
Hsu Fengnian calmly said, "Including the two thousand cavalry of Great Sui Camp, transfer eight thousand men from the Right Cavalry to Yu Luandao's Youzhou Cavalry."
The old general Zhou Kang did not speak. Hsu Fengnian did not force this deputy commander to express his opinion. At that moment, the atmosphere on the city wall was heavy.
Zhou Kang finally gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, sir!"
Hsu Fengnian turned around and said to Yu Luandao, "Transfer all the Youzhou Border Cavalry to Liangzhou Pass and be in charge of defending the Kouer Pasture. You have half a year at most."
Yu Luandao said in a low voice, "Yes, sir!"
Next, Hsu Fengnian quickly gave out military orders. "He Zhonghu, other than the two thousand cavalry given to Cao Wei, the ten thousand cavalry of Tiebei Camp will be given to the Long Xiang Army of Liuzhou."
"Yuan Zuozong will no longer lead the Ji Bei Camp and will be given to General Kou of Liuzhou."
"Shi Fu, you are allowed to transfer five thousand cavalry and ten thousand infantry from Beiliang to the north to defend the Horseback Slope."
"Hong Yu will be promoted to the main general of the Rouge Army."
"Cao Xiaojiao will be the deputy general of Youzhou."
"Youzhou General Huangfu Xiu will be in charge of the Helan Mountain on the east."
"Chen Xiliang has been promoted to Flow State and is in charge of recruiting six thousand strong youths from Flow State to join the army. Three thousand will stay in Azure Sky City and three thousand will enter Ling State. These six thousand youths and their families can obtain the Northern Liang Army."
… …
Voices of acknowledgment gradually sounded from the top of the city wall.
Finally, Hsu Fengnian turned around and looked at the faces. The old He Zhonghu Zhou Kang, the young Yuan Zuozong Shi Fu, and the young Yu Luandao Cao Xiaojiao.
The three generations of generals of Beiliang.
Hsu Fengnian said slowly, "Everyone, in the next three years, even if you die in battle, you must die before the new city is built."
On the city wall, there were no heroic words or impassioned speeches.
There was silence.
Everyone just cupped their fists at the same time.
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