Can I get to the other side?.

Chapter 222 Zhang Yan: Who is born to be a bandit? Waiting for Your Majesty to recruit us!
Ji County, north city wall.

Gongsun Xu stood alone on the city wall, looking at the deep night outside the city. He stood there in silence for a long time, his expression looking extremely heavy.

Since the failure in the last decisive battle with Yuan Shao, he led the remaining troops back to Ji County.

Without Yicheng, Youzhou no longer had any strategic cities to defend, and the remaining troops in his hands could not resist Yuan Shao, so news of defeat on the front line continued to come back during this period of time, and the situation had become extremely bad.

"Father, what should I do?"

Gongsun Xu muttered to himself, but the only response he got was the whistling night wind, which made him feel a strong sense of helplessness.

His father Gongsun Zan died, but he was unable to handle the overall situation with his ability. The burden of the entire Youzhou was on his shoulders, making him feel suffocated.

"Why are you staying here alone?"

At this moment, Gongsun Xu suddenly felt someone patting his shoulder, and at the same time a familiar voice was heard.

Turning around, it was Gongsun Fan.

Gongsun Xu was surprised and asked, "Second Uncle? Why are you here? You are still injured and you should stay in bed and recuperate."

During the battle that day, Gongsun Fan was hit by several arrows. Although he was not fatal, the injuries were quite serious. He is still recuperating and cannot move easily.

Gongsun Fan raised the two jars of wine in his hands and said with a smile, "I am dying of suffocation lying in bed all day, come and drink with my uncle."

After saying that, he threw a jar of wine over.

Gongsun Xu had no choice but to accept it.

So the uncle and nephew sat on the city wall, enjoying the night breeze, drinking and chatting.

After a few sips of wine, Gongsun Xu's depressed mood improved a little. Facing his closest uncle, he was finally able to express his true feelings.

"Uncle, I really don't know what to do."

"Yuan Shao is too powerful. With the remaining troops we have, it is impossible for us to defeat him. I am afraid that he will attack Ji County soon."

"I don't know if I can handle it."

Gongsun Xu said with a very lonely look.

He didn't dare say these words to anyone else, for fear of disrupting the morale of the army, but Gongsun Fan was his second uncle and an elder he respected, so he dared to confide in him.

Gongsun Fan took a sip of wine and said nonchalantly, "There's nothing to worry about. At worst, we can just give up Youzhou and return to our hometown in Liaodong."

"Although Youzhou is the foundation laid by your father with great effort, the land is dead and the people are alive. As the saying goes, if you keep the land but lose the people, both the land and the people will be lost; if you keep the people but lose the land, both the land and the people will be saved."

"The only way to get revenge is to survive."

Although Gongsun Fan's tone sounded calm, deep hatred was hidden beneath this calm appearance.

Yuan Shao killed Gongsun Zan, how could he not be angry? But the current gap in strength was there, and it was obviously impossible to confront Yuan Shao head-on.

Gongsun Xu's eyes flashed with reluctance, and he gritted his teeth and said, "If Zhang Yan is willing to help us, we may be able to fight Yuan Shao!"

Zhang Yan's Black Mountain Army had as many as 100,000 or even hundreds of thousands of troops.

This army, which has survived since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, is no longer the mob it was fifteen years ago, and its combat effectiveness should not be underestimated by anyone!
It’s a pity that the people he sent to ask Zhang Yan for help have not returned yet. He doesn’t know whether they had an accident on the way or Zhang Yan was unwilling to help.

Gongsun Fan took a sip of wine and said nothing.

In fact, he knew in his heart that even with Zhang Yan's help, it would be extremely difficult to defeat Yuan Shao, because many of the hundreds of thousands of Black Mountain troops Zhang Yan claimed to have were elderly, weak, women and children.

After all, they were transformed from the Yellow Turban bandits, and were essentially a group of bandits composed of refugees and civilians. Although they were no longer the mob they once were, they did not have much real combat power, and their weapons and equipment were certainly not as strong as those of Yuan Shao's regular army.

However, if we can get help from the Montenegrin Army, the current situation can be greatly improved, or at least some pressure can be relieved.

Just when Gongsun Fan was about to speak to comfort Gongsun Xu, his ears suddenly moved, and he immediately shouted to the outside of the city: "Who is it?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several grappling hooks were thrown up from outside the city wall and stuck tightly between the parapets.

Before Gongsun Xu and Gongsun Fan could react, they felt a flash before their eyes and three masked figures in black climbed over the city wall and landed on the ground.

At this time, the defenders on the city wall had been attracted by Gongsun Fan's shout, and many soldiers surrounded the three men.

"Who are you!"

Gongsun Xu protected Gongsun Fan behind him, staring coldly at the three masked men in front of him, his hand already on the knife at his waist.

Faced with being surrounded by so many soldiers, the three masked men showed no sign of panic. The leader took off his mask, revealing a middle-aged man with a scar on his left cheek and unshaven beard. He smiled at Gongsun Xu and said, "Long time no see, Major General."

Seeing this middle-aged man, Gongsun Xu was immediately shocked and couldn't help but exclaimed: "Zhang Yan!"

The person in front of me is none other than myself.

It was the leader of the Black Mountain Army—Zhang Yan!
Zhang Yan laughed and said, "If the mountain doesn't come to see me, I will come to see the mountain. I received a message from the major general saying that he needs help, so of course I have to come in person."

"I hope it's not too late."

When Gongsun Xu heard that Zhang Yan came to help, he was overjoyed and said excitedly: "Not too late, not too late! General Zhang has come just in time!"

Zhang Yan was recruited during the reign of Emperor Ling and was granted the title of General of the Central Army for Suppressing Rebellions. He was an official position and there was nothing wrong with calling him general.

Gongsun Xu waved his hand to order the soldiers around him to lay down their weapons, then walked forward to exchange a few words with Zhang Yan. He glanced at the grappling hook still hanging on the city wall and exclaimed:

"I've long heard that General Zhang is an excellent martial artist, as light as a swallow, and is known as the Flying Swallow. Seeing him today is indeed true to his reputation. It really opened my eyes."

"By the way, what are the names of these two heroes?"

Gongsun Xu turned his gaze to the two people behind Zhang Yan.

The city wall of Ji County was a full five meters high, yet Zhang Yan and his men were able to easily climb over it with just a few grappling hooks. How could he not be surprised?
"Sun Qing."

"Wang Dang!"

The two people behind him also bowed to Gongsun Xu.

Gongsun Xu nodded as a greeting, and then he, Gongsun Fan, and Zhang Yan and the other two went to the general's mansion.

After everyone sat down, Zhang Yan said to Gongsun Xu with a heavy face: "We have lived in the mountains for a long time, and we are very slow to learn about the news outside. It was only recently that we learned that the governor of Youzhou was unfortunately killed by the thief Yuan."

"It is so sad and lamentable that a generation of heroes has fallen like this."

When talking about Gongsun Zan's death, Gongsun Xu could not help but show grief and said in tears: "The thief Yuan was rampant and killed my father. My father is dead, but I cannot avenge him. This is a great shame!"

“Every time I think about this, I feel heartbroken!”

Gongsun Xu beat his chest and stamped his feet, tears streaming down his face, but he quickly adjusted his mood, suppressed his sadness, and looked up at Zhang Yan.

"Youzhou is now exhausted. The Yuan thieves have captured three large counties, Fanyang, Shanggu, and Daijun. The next step will definitely be to attack Yuyang County, and I will find it difficult to resist."

"Before my father met his death, he told me that the general was a rare hero and asked me to seek his help and unite with him to fight against the Yuan thief."

"As long as the general is willing to send troops to help, after repelling Yuan Shao, I will report to the emperor and reward the general generously."

Gongsun Xu went straight to the point and stated his purpose.

Now he can only rely on Zhang Yan's troops.

He couldn't defend Yuyang County by himself. Zhang Yan smiled and said, "To be honest, General, I came here for this very reason. My troops are ready now."

"Oh? Where? How many soldiers are there?"

Gongsun Xu was overjoyed and asked impatiently.

Zhang Yan said: "My troops are scattered throughout the Taihang Mountains. But please rest assured, General, as long as I give the order, we can go out at any time."

Gongsun Fan frowned and said, "What's the point of hiding in Taihang Mountain? We should deploy them in major cities to prevent Yuan Shao's attack."

"This is what the general doesn't know."

Zhang Yan shook his head and said, "My Black Mountain Army is not good at defending cities, otherwise we wouldn't have occupied even one city so far. Besides, there is no strategic point to defend in Yuyang County."

"Now that winter is approaching, Yuan Shao will certainly launch an offensive. My plan is to attack Yuyang County while his army is ahead. I will lead the Black Mountain Army to plunder his food supply and cut off his logistics."

"At the same time, we can also take advantage of his absence to sneak attack the cities he has already captured and continue to harass them."

"As long as we can hold off until winter comes, Yuan Shao will surely withdraw his troops. By then, the young general will have a chance to catch his breath and gather his forces to fight the enemy again."

Zhang Yan told her plans and intentions.

Gongsun Xu felt somewhat dissatisfied when he heard that Zhang Yan had no intention of confronting Yuan Shao directly but was only harassing him from the rear.

However, Zhang Yan was not his subordinate after all. If he forced the Black Mountain Army to help defend the city, it would be a bit too much.

Therefore, Gongsun Xu could only say: "Then I'll have to trouble General Zhang... But if Ji County is in danger, I still hope that General Zhang can send troops to rescue it."

"That's natural!"

Zhang Yan agreed immediately, and said righteously: "It is our duty to fight against Yuan thieves and protect Youzhou!"

"but……"

He then changed the subject and said somewhat embarrassedly: "I have a small request, I hope the Major General can agree to it."

coming.

Gongsun Xu and Gongsun Fan exchanged glances. They both knew that a bandit leader like Zhang Yan would never help them for no reason.

As expected, now they are starting to make demands.

But since he needed help right now, Gongsun Xu smiled and asked, "General Zhang, just be frank. If I can do it, I will not refuse."

"It's not a big deal."

Zhang Yan laughed and scratched his head, saying, "It's just that the food and grass in the mountains are not enough. I hope the major general can lend some food and grass. The major general can give it as he sees fit... I'm really a little embarrassed."

Gongsun Xu's mouth twitched.

Giving while watching is the most difficult thing to do. If you give too little, the other party will definitely be dissatisfied and may not work hard; if you give too much, he will not be able to deliver.

This Zhang Yan is really smart.

Suppressing his dissatisfaction, Gongsun Xu smiled and said, "Of course not. General Zhang sent troops to help, and it is only natural to provide food and fodder."

"I will have someone prepare it tomorrow, and General Zhang can send someone to take over in a few days."

Zhang Yan smiled and said, "Young General, you really have the heroic spirit of the governor of Youzhou. It is settled then. Please rest assured, Young General, I will definitely send troops."

"It's late today, the three of us won't bother you any more, goodbye!"

After Zhang Yan finished speaking, he took Sun Qing and Wang Dang and left the lobby.

After they left, Gongsun Xu's face darkened and he began to curse: "This Zhang Yan is really short-sighted! If he is willing to join me and join forces with me to repel Yuan Shao, how can I treat him unfairly?"

"The Yellow Turbans are indeed the Yellow Turbans. They only see the immediate benefits and are useless!"

He was very annoyed at Zhang Yan's timid and indifferent behavior, but he had something to ask of Zhang Yan.

Gongsun Fan sighed, "I just hope I can survive these three months until winter comes."

Gongsun Xu couldn't help but sigh.

too difficult.

……

After leaving Ji County, Zhang Yan, Sun Qing and Wang Dang rode their horses back to the Taihang Mountains under the cover of night.

Sun Qing glanced at Ji County behind him and couldn't help but ask Zhang Yan, "Boss, why should we help this kid Gongsun Xu?"

"Isn't it worth it for that little bit of food?"

"And even if Yuan Shao occupies Youzhou, what does it matter? We are hiding in the Taihang Mountains, and Yuan Shao can't do anything to us."

Sun Qing was not exaggerating when he said this. The Taihang Mountains were deep and dangerous. Even with a million troops, they would not be able to penetrate deep into them and wipe them out.

It doesn't matter to them who owns Youzhou.

"madness!"

While riding his horse, Zhang Yan turned his head and glared at Sun Qing, cursing, "Do you think I am after Gongsun Xu's food? I told you to read more books, but you didn't listen. You are really stupid!"

Sun Qing scratched his head, full of confusion.

If it’s not for Gongsun Xu’s food and supplies, then what is it for?
"The boss has his eyes on Yuan Shao's food supplies."

At this time, Wang Dang suddenly spoke up and said with a smile: "How much food and grass can that poor fellow Gongsun Xu give? Yuan Shao is truly rich!"

"We have the Taihang Mountains at our backs, so we can just focus on plundering Yuan Shao's supply lines. Since Gongsun Xu is in the front to attract Yuan Shao's army, we can plunder without restraint!"

"If we can't win, we can just run into the mountains. Can Yuan Shao catch up with us?"

Sun Qing then showed a look of sudden realization.

But Zhang Yan's expression remained indifferent after hearing this, and he said with a deep gaze: "This is just one of my goals. What I really hope is to accumulate merits and be recruited by the court."

"Now we are the only Yellow Turban army that is relatively powerful. We can't be Yellow Turbans forever. It has been fifteen years. I have to find a way out for my brothers in the mountains."

"Submission to the imperial court is the best choice."

"But it's been so long, and His Majesty still hasn't issued an edict to call for peace. Alas."

Zhang Yan has always been very clear-headed. He knows that the Black Mountain Army cannot stay in Taihang Mountains forever. He has always wanted to be recruited by the court again, and has been waiting for the emperor in Yecheng to extend an olive branch to him.

But after waiting for such a long time, there was still no movement from Yecheng, which made him very anxious, but he could not take the initiative to surrender.

The treatment for passively surrendering and actively joining the army is completely different.

"I hope that by fighting against Yuan Shao this time, the emperor will see the strength of our Black Mountain Army and issue an imperial decree to grant us peace."

"If so, I have found a way out for all my brothers. They don't have to hide in the mountains all day."

Zhang Yan sighed in his heart, then waved his whip and accelerated towards the Taihang Mountains. The three figures were gradually swallowed by the darkness.

(End of this chapter)