Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The afterglow cast a bright red glow, and the clouds in the west spread out like a red mattress.

The dejected figure walked across the green grass field, staggered to the ground, and then lay down in a big letter shape. The person lying on his back revealed Yan Qing's tired face.

The shouting sounds all around were dragging on, and in the dim light, a few crows were crowing in the distance, and footsteps could be heard coming from where he came from.

Yan Qing sat up reluctantly. Under the setting sun, he first saw a few unfamiliar faces. He turned his eyes and looked at the figures further behind him. Then he thought for a moment and stood up with force.

The man over there was riding on a horse, sitting high and seeing far, and he also noticed his rather conspicuous figure. After hesitating for a moment, he rode over.

"Brother Xiaoyi, I never thought I would meet you here."

The man on the warhorse was over thirty years old, with a fair round face, three-toothed, thin black beard, broad shoulders and a round waist. He was wearing a standard armor of the Song army. The iron spear he held upside down in his hand had strands of gold threads wrapped around it, forming a long golden tip at the tip of the spear.

The iron-rod spear with golden threads is Xu Ning's family heirloom.

"It's Coach Xu." Yan Qing raised his hand and arched his chest, breathing slightly: "I wonder if you have seen the deputy vanguard?"

The Golden Spearman on the horse jumped off his horse, put the bloodstained golden spear on the victory hook, and thought for a moment: "It was so chaotic before, it seemed like I saw the deputy vanguard leading people to break through in other directions."

"This..." Yan Qing looked anxious.

Xu Ning smiled and consoled him, "Don't worry, brother Xiao Yi. The deputy vanguard is very skilled in martial arts. I saw that the three leaders, Sun Li, Mu Hong, and Mu Chun, followed him out of the battlefield. The four of them will help each other. As long as we don't encounter a large group of Liao soldiers, there will be no problem."

Yan Qing thought for a moment, then nodded: "Xiao Yi Meng wasted time, thank you Coach Xu." He stamped his feet tiredly, looked at the earth slope behind him, and pointed: "Why don't we go over there to rest, so we can continue on our way back later."

Xu Ning naturally agreed, and immediately led the horse and followed Yan Qing over there.

"...I didn't expect that this Northern Expedition would be dispersed by the Liao army." Xu Ning's fair round face had a slightly mocking expression: "I thought I could earn some merit in the Northern Expedition to make my wife's life better, but I didn't expect that I would almost die on the battlefield."

Yan Qing looked back and saw the defeated soldiers of the Song army appearing in his sight one after another. Groups of three or five and individuals staggering were illuminated by the setting sun. Although it was impossible to see what they looked like clearly, the feeling of frustration was almost visible to the naked eye.

After a while, the young man known as the prodigal sighed, "It's good to be alive. I saw three people under Lei's command, Ye Conglong, Zhang Yinggao, and Jing Chenbao, die in battle. I also saw Du Qian and Wang Lun die while fleeing. In comparison, Coach Xu and Xiao Yi are still alive, which is much more fortunate."

Xu Ning was silent for a while, then he laughed, "Xiao Yi is right. I am lucky to be alive. At least I have a chance to go back and see my wife and children."

Yan Qing walked up the dirt slope with great effort, sat down, and looked at the figures below, some walking, some resting, and exhaled: "I don't know how the others are doing. If too many are killed, it won't be a good thing for Song Xianfeng."

Xu Ning sat down with him, and when he heard this, he glanced in the direction of Baigou River, with a gloating look on his face: "I followed him all the way, and we dispersed when we were ambushed. I saw the Liao cavalry rushing through the troops of Jie Zhen and Jie Bao, and I don't know what happened to these two brothers.

Later, they encountered the Liao army on the flank. Geng Wen, Xue Zan, and Liu Tang died in battle one after another. When they broke through the siege, Duan Wu and Shi Jun also fell off their horses. They are most likely in danger. Even if the Song vanguard returns intact, I am afraid that he will not be in good condition later. "

His words made Yan Qing's expression change slightly. Xu Ning entered the den of thieves at the same time as them, and it seemed that he was deceived. However, he was usually seen as Tang Long's cousin, and he looked very friendly. He smiled and treated everyone with respect. People thought he was an optimistic person, but they didn't expect that he had so much resentment in his heart.

I just don't know who this resentment is directed at.

Yan Qing was silent for a moment as his thoughts raced through his mind. He then began to persuade them, "After all, we are all on the same side now. No one can escape. If Song Xianfeng falls, it may not be a good thing for everyone in the army."

Xu Ning turned his head to look at him, somewhat disapprovingly, and looked back at where the defeated soldiers came from, pointing forward with his chin: "If it were normal times, it would be fine, but now it's like this, I'm afraid that everyone in the army will be in trouble." After a pause, he said: "Do you think Xin Xingzong can survive this defeat?"

……Won't.

Yan Qing responded in his heart but didn't say anything, but he seemed to understand why Xu Ning was like this. He was tricked into a den of thieves and recruited as a thief. It seemed that he, like his master, also wanted to earn merit on the battlefield with his ability. Now that everything has fallen through, he must be feeling mixed emotions and has lost some of his previous sense of proportion.

It soon became dark. These defeated soldiers of the Northern Expedition did not dare to light a bonfire in the field. They just rested dejectedly. Those who carried dry food with them hid aside and ate quietly, but those who were discovered were surrounded by a group of people, beaten, kicked and robbed.

Yan Qing and Xu Ning watched from the slope without trying to stop them. Their weapons and horses made the defeated soldiers unwilling to approach them casually, so the two of them were temporarily safe.

Yan Qing was a meticulous person, so he naturally brought some dry food with him. Xu Ning's warhorse also carried food and drinks. The two of them simply filled their stomachs and did not dare to sleep soundly. One of them stayed awake while the other rested, and they took turns like this for the whole night.

When it was almost dawn the next day, the two men hurriedly took their weapons and left from the slope together. Xu Ning was kind this time and let Yan Qing ride with him. The two ran all the way back to Song territory. When they learned that the army had retreated to Xiongzhou, they hurriedly ran from Baoding military territory to Xiongzhou to join them.

It was getting dark. The two men rode their war horses all the way from afar to the military camp. A bonfire had already been lit in the huge camp. Some people were standing quietly inside with their heads down. There were patrolling soldiers passing by, but they didn't look as mighty and majestic as before.

After a simple identity verification, the two men ran to the vanguard camp. The people in this camp were even fewer, and there was no longer the feeling of being numerous and powerful as before. Yan Qing even heard someone scream "Ah!", followed by a short scream.

"It's a frightened soldier." Xu Ning saw Yan Qing was looking over there and even began to swerve, so he grabbed him and said, "This is what a defeated army does. We are afraid that some soldiers will scream in the night and cause fear in others, so we have to deal with them."

Yan Qing was stunned and looked at Xu Ning with some confusion.

The Golden Spearman smiled and said, "Although Xu is only a teacher of the Golden Spear Class, he also has family traditions. These are all recorded in the family's military books, so I know them."

The light from the bonfire illuminated the faces of the two men and cast their shadows on the military tent next to them. Soon they reached the big tent and saw Song Jiang's somewhat short figure standing at the door under the firelight.

The two were startled. Song Jiang had already run over. He ran up to them with a look of joy on his face and took their hands. "You two brothers have returned safely. It is really God's blessing. Come in quickly and eat something hot first."

Yan Qing nodded and glanced at Xu Ning for a moment. He saw the golden spearman's lips move, and finally he sighed and smiled, "Thank you, vanguard." The words rang in his ears, and the two of them followed the figure in front of them in.

There were not many people sitting in the big tent. Yan Qing saw Lu Junyi sitting on the right side and hurried over: "Is the deputy vanguard okay? He really wants to kill me."

Lu Junyi's full-moon face was also full of excitement: "Xiao Yi is fine, this is God's blessing on me, come, sit down!"

He pulled Yan Qing to sit beside him and poured him more wine. Yan Qing stretched out his hand to stop him and said "I dare not." However, he was not as stubborn as Lu Junyi. He just watched him fill the wine and then took it up and drank it.

Song Jiang looked at the people at the top and saw Xu Ning sitting down too. He then walked over to the first seat and took a sip of the wine bowl. He murmured for a moment: "My fellow brothers, those who can come back are finally back. It's a blessing in disguise." Yan Qing's eyes flickered and he took a look. Among the eighteen leading troops, it was known that Liu Tang was killed. Now, Li Bao and Lei Heng were missing. Seeing that Li Zhen and Zhu Tong looked sad, he realized that he was afraid that these two had not been able to come back.

Sure enough, Song Jiang stood up, holding up his wine glass: "In this battle, many brothers sacrificed their lives for the country. Jie Bao and Lei Heng were killed by the enemy, and Liu Tang was killed by the Liao people's sneak attack. Although soldiers like me are eager to die on the battlefield, the pain of losing a loved one cannot be erased by a simple sentence."

The wine bowl tilted: "This bowl of wine is for the deceased brothers. May their heroic spirits not be far away and be with us tonight."

Lu Junyi, Wu Song, Zhu Tong and others in the tent stood up and followed Song Jiang to pour the wine on the ground.

Song Jiang stopped pouring wine and motioned everyone to sit down. He said calmly, "Everyone, the army was defeated. General Xin's troops suffered eight out of ten casualties. Now there are less than 20,000 people left..."

He looked a little hesitant, sighed, and said with some self-mockery: "Perhaps this is the last time that Song Jiang will drink and dine with you all. One day, maybe an official document will arrive and Song Jiang's head will be sent to you."

The faces of the generals in the tent were somewhat gloomy. Wu Song, Mu Hong and others had known Song Jiang for a long time and naturally had feelings for him. When they heard that he would suffer, they were naturally worried about him.

As for people like Lei Yingchun, Lu Junyi and Xu Ning, they had gathered in this tent for various reasons, hoping to make a name for themselves in the north. Now, after hearing the news, the uncertainty about the future in their hearts made them feel a little at a loss.

In the silence, someone stroked his beard and thought for a moment, then said, "Pioneer, I don't think things will be that bad."

Song Jiang looked over in confusion, and Li Kui suddenly stood up and stared at him with wide eyes: "Military Advisor, what bad idea have you come up with again? Tell me quickly."

Wu Yong's expression was awkward, and he glared at Black Whirlwind fiercely: "What do you mean by a bad idea..."

"tractor!"

Song Jiang was also a little embarrassed. He called out and pointed at him, "Sit down and eat your meat. I didn't tell you to be quiet."

Li Kui's neck shrank, and he sat down with his huge body. He picked up a piece of meat and put it into his mouth, muttering vaguely: "Eat, eat, eat, you don't let me speak... you're not wrong."

Song Jiang was too lazy to pay attention to him and looked at Wu Yong: "What do you mean, military advisor?"

Wu Yong also knew Li Kui's temper, so he turned a deaf ear to him and talked to Song Jiang on his own: "Vanguard, we have made many contributions since the Northern Expedition, and we are the only one in the Eastern Route Army. Although we have been defeated now, the court will certainly not be willing to retreat."

Seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on him, this wise man had a serious expression but his eyes lit up. He reached out for the wine bowl and took a sip.

"Hey, military advisor, please tell me quickly."

Li Kui was listening and couldn't wait for him to stop, so he urged him. Song Jiang glanced at him sideways, but didn't scold him. He also looked at Wu Yong.

Slightly——

Putting the wine bowl gently on the table, Wu Yong looked around at everyone and continued, "Even if the imperial court wants to march north again, it will definitely not abandon us who are capable of fighting and dispose of the vanguard.

Besides, to put it bluntly, we have no foundation in the court and can be disposed of at any time. If I were a noble in the court, I would deal with us after I had used us. I would not abandon you and me so easily at this time."

Everyone looked at each other. Wu Song frowned with a look of disgust: "Military Advisor, how could you know that the officials in the court would think this way? Those scholars are the best at stabbing people in the back. No matter whether you are still useful or not, once you block their financial and official careers, kicking you away is the least of their worries. The cruel ones would like to suck your marrow out of your bones."

Xu Ning glanced at Wu Song sideways, did not agree, but just closed his eyes and nodded slightly.

Wu Yong smiled and said, "Brother Wu Song also said that we cannot block their path to wealth and officialdom, but what is the role of us now?"

He turned around to see Song Jiang's bright eyes and slammed the table: "We are the knife, the tool that can help Shangguan to make further progress in his official career. If he wants to abandon us, the court must stop mentioning the Northland incident."

Then he stroked his beard and said, "Everyone, wait and see if what I say is true or not."

The generals in the tent were silent, and then they finished eating and drinking and left early.

……

Inside the central army camp, someone yelled "Ah!" and kicked over a table. With a bang, pens, ink, paper, inkstone, military flags, tokens and other items scattered everywhere.

Dong Yun walked in, and a wolf-hair brush just rolled to his feet. He looked up and asked: "Why is the general angry?"

With his shoulders and chest heaving, Tong Guan suddenly turned around to look at him, then looked down at the ground, kicked the inkstone aside, walked to the chair, turned around and sat down, propping up his thighs: "What else, it's still that old man Zhong Shidao!"

Snapped--

He slapped his thigh hard and said, "The Liao people sent an envoy to persuade us to give up the attack and form an alliance with them to fight Qi. That old man, Master Zhong, took advantage of his seniority and actually told me to do what I wanted to do. Did he really think that we couldn't fight without him?"

He clenched his fist in the air and shook it, then put it down dejectedly: "It's a pity that the army has been defeated. What else can I say?"

"So that's what happened." Dong Yun stepped in and bowed beside Tong Guan. "Boss, Zhong Shidao is Zhong Shidao. It doesn't matter what he thinks. The key is what the emperor thinks."

Tong Guan's chest movement slowed down, he stroked his short beard, and rolled his eyes: "The emperor must want to take back Yanyun." He stood up from his seat again: "Forget it, since this old guy doesn't obey orders, it's better to replace him as soon as possible, so as to avoid this person causing discord among the generals in the army."

Dong Yun bowed and said, "Grandmaster, you are wise."

Tong Guan sneered: "It's just right to find someone to take the blame for the defeat this time. Zhong Shidao's Western Route Army retreated first, affecting the army's strategy, so he should bear this responsibility."

Soon, several riders left the military camp and headed for Bianliang, with a reply letter from the court.

Order Zhong Shidao to retire as General of the Right Guard, effective immediately. (End of this chapter)