After seeing off Guo Meng, Third Minister Zuo breathed a long sigh of relief, took out the secret decree given to him by the emperor and read it again and again.

There are only eight words in the secret decree: "Behead first and report later, do it for the sake of convenience!"

However, five hundred miles west of Yumen Pass, Zuo Sanxiang did not kill any of his soldiers. Even when Guo Meng scolded him in front of the entire army, he did not take action.

"With sharp weapons in mind, murderous intentions arise!" Zuo Sanxiang recited this sentence silently in his heart. He knew clearly that he had been unsuccessful for most of his life. He entered the Jin Palace by chance. The emperor's sudden promotion of him was not due to his talent.

Knowing how to fight is just to cultivate new people and disrupt the Wang family's influence in the military.

But of the five thousand men he brought, three thousand were selected from the Fengxiang Army, one thousand were soldiers of the Yongzhou Prefecture, and the remaining one thousand were recruited by himself with the emperor's permission.

This means that more than half of the team of 5,000 people are originally Wang Fu's subordinates, and the captains and captains are also promoted by Wang Fu or are his brothers, nephews, and grandsons.

Fortunately, Zuo Sanxiang is good at martial arts and has won several battles. He has repaid everyone and no one has spoken against him so far.

But there is still nearly a thousand miles to reach Gaochang, which will take at least forty days, but their food and grass can only last for a month.

Liu Jingchuan, the grain and grass officer, was personally selected by Zuo Sanxiang. Liu Jingchuan was a beggar in his early years. He knew most of the leftovers, wild vegetables and tree barks in the world that were edible.

The Third Prime Minister Zuo called Liu Jingchuan and several other cronies to supplement the military rations by digging wild vegetables.

Liu Jingchuan shook his head, "Digging wild vegetables is just a drop in the bucket. With an army of five thousand, there are not so many wild vegetables for us to dig. I told you that we can only reduce the supply from now on and speed up the march!"

"Wouldn't this mean that everyone would know that we are short of food? Absolutely not!" Zu Nayan, the commander of Chaoyong Battalion, was the first to object.

"Let me tell you, why not divide half of the troops and go back to Yumen Pass to stay, and save the food and grass for the other half to escort the Prince of Gaochang back to succeed to the throne!" Ma Hua, the commander of Yangwei Camp, proposed a compromise.

Third Prime Minister Zuo looked at the three people, "What you said makes sense. However, the reason why the five thousand people are marching to Gaochang is not because of a puppet prince! Today I have told the truth to the three brothers.

We were going to fight a big war in the past! So, as Lao Liu said, reduce the supply and speed up the pace, and then dig wild vegetables and hunt along the way. If you can make up for it, we can make up for it! Of course, if there are some horse thieves or rebel camps, we can capture them

Their food!"

Liu Jingchuan hesitated to speak. Ma Hua looked at Liu Jingchuan and said, "You grain officer, be careful with your head!"

Zuo Sanxiang's eyes flickered: "Don't worry, Lao Liu, I am not Cao Mengde, and I will not lend your head to reassure the army! Ma Hua, since you are so worried about Lao Liu's head, you can take 300 people to the front before dawn tomorrow."

Exploring the road, we need to find out if there is anyone else’s camp!”

Zunayan couldn't help but asked, "Brother Zuo, our hands have already been stained with the blood of many people. If we continue like this, if trouble occurs in the future, we won't be able to keep our heads off, and it will be bad for our family."

!”

"Do you know what it means to be kind and not to lead the army? If you pity others, you will have to starve with your men. When the time comes, you will either be killed by your men because of the rebellion or starve to death on the road! It's now, the best thing is to survive.

What’s important is that military exploits are piled up with bones. If you are soft-hearted, you can go back to Luoyang and sleep with your wife in your arms! I don’t blame you!"

Zunayan gritted his teeth and said, "Come on, killing one is killing, and robbing once is robbing. You've already done it, so let's keep doing it!"

On the second day, MCA led 300 people and indeed discovered several camps of "horse thieves", beheaded hundreds of people and intercepted thousands of cattle and sheep.

The commanders of the Fengxiang Army had fought against bandits before, but this was the first time they had looted and killed so brazenly.

Second-rate.

Wang Xiaoming, the commander of Xiangqi Camp, questioned Zuo Sanxiang, "General Zhengxi, you are killing a good man and taking credit for your merits, which will harm your moral character! On the way forward, I would rather lead the soldiers in my camp to starve to death than do this."

It’s over!”

The other commanders also gathered around, "General Zhengxi, it's not that my subordinates want to offend you. There are rules in fighting. How are we any different from bandits?"

"Yes, if the other party is holding a scimitar and carrying a big bow, I will not be vague in my hands, but they are just ordinary herders. If the court finds out what we are doing, we will all be blamed!"

The Third Prime Minister Zuo unhurriedly took out the secret decree and unfolded it for them, "Take a good look! You have been in the interior for too long and don't know anything about the Western Regions. These people are herdsmen when they dismount, and they are cavalry who are harassing the border! No killing today.

They, they will rob us tomorrow! I don’t need to teach you people who have led troops for decades about the principle of striking first to gain the upper hand! As for the court, if they can send others, why send us?

The national strength of Daliang can only support a legion of five thousand people to go to Gaochang, I think you also know that!"

"General Zhengxi, do you mean that this time we are not just going to show off, but are actually going to play for real?" Wang Xiaokuang, the commander of Xiangrui Battalion, was shocked. He had not fought a big battle in the Fengxiang army for more than ten years, and he did not expect to follow a man.

The newly promoted general goes to risk his life.

"General Zhengxi, our Fengxiang army is good at farming but has no experience in fighting big battles. Aren't you asking your brothers to die?"

"General Zhengxi, the imperial decree only allows us to escort Prince Gaochang to the throne, not to fight. You'd better not scare everyone!"

Zuo Sanxiang smiled slyly, "Hehehehe, you commanders are joking, the Fengxiang Army is our elite force, how can we be afraid of fighting a big battle? Although we don't have much experience, when we get all the way to Gaochang, this tiger and wolf army will also

That’s it! Let me tell you one more secret. The camp where we captured the cattle and sheep today is the camp of the Loulan Kingdom among the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Region. Although the Loulan Kingdom is gone, their people are still there.

The challenger from the Han Dynasty must be very powerful. We must be careful along the way, this Loulan man will definitely avenge himself!"

The generals shouted that they had been deceived, "General Zhengxi, you are too shameless, you!"

Some stamped their feet, some shook their heads, and some scolded their mothers. It was impossible to go back. If they did not complete the mission of escorting the prince of Gaochang, they would have to engage in military law when they returned.

For the next thousand miles, I have to beware of attacks from Loulan people every day. Is this still a human life?

Zuo Sanxiang smiled happily and shouted to a few soldiers ten meters away, "How is the roasted lamb? Liu Liangguan said that adding some alfalfa will make it more flavorful! Have you added it all?"

The commanders and captains who were furious and scolding just now immediately surrounded dozens of roasted sheep. "It smells so delicious! Don't grab it! Don't grab it!"

"That leg of lamb is mine! It's mine!"

"I want the hind legs! The hind legs!"

"Don't grab it, everyone has a share, wait for me!"

Zuo Sanxiang walked slowly over and looked at the commanders and captains who were fighting for the mutton. "Does the mutton smell good? Is it delicious?"

Wang Xiaoming picked up a leg of lamb and was tearing it apart, "The meat is too tight, not roasted properly, and the taste is average!"

“It’s not as good as the carved lamb legs in Luoyang City, but the ones you have here are pretty good!”

"It's a pity that there is no wine. It would be much better if there was wine. There is not enough salt. If I were not hungry, I would not be able to eat this meat!"

Zuo Sanxiang picked up a bone with some mutton on it, patted the sand on it, put the bone into the cauldron, washed it and ate it himself.

Everyone else looked at him like a monster, and then they all handed the mutton they were holding tightly to Zuo Sanxiang.

"General Zhengxi, how can you eat what we throw away? If this spreads out, we will..."

Zuo Sanxiang did not accept the meat they handed over. Instead, he used a copper hammer to break open the bones and ate the marrow inside.

"Everyone, don't waste it just because we have meat to eat today. Maybe in a few days there won't be so many cattle and sheep for us to eat! I have no other abilities. The only thing I have more than others is eating dozens more

I had a hard time, picking up leftovers from other people’s houses since I was a child. By the way, there is also Liu Jingchuan, the grain and grass officer, who was even harder than me and was born a beggar!”

Everyone followed Zuo Sanxiang's gaze and saw Liu Jingchuan leading a team of people to pick up bones from the ground everywhere.

"Don't you know, Mr. Liu picked up these bones in case we can't eat meat for a few days and use these bones to make soup! We can eat whatever we want in the mainland, but now we are thousands of miles away from Luoyang.

I have to be prepared to endure hardship. Of course, I don’t want everyone to drink bone soup to satisfy their hunger. Since I have become the general of the Western Conquest, I naturally have to worry about everyone’s food and clothing! The commander of the horse I sent reported back:

There will be a walled city five hundred miles ahead, and there will be enough food and wine there, so we will just have to eat and drink!"

Ma Hua's heart skipped a beat. This General Zhengxi lied because he really didn't make a draft. If we go another five hundred miles and there is no such so-called walled city, how will it end then?

Wang Xiaokuang put down the half-eaten leg of lamb and said, "General Zhengxi, we understand. From now on, we will fight wherever you point us. We won't talk any more! If there really is a walled city, I have to take a bath and boil three pots of wine to eat."

A feast of dragons and phoenixes!”

"Stop dreaming. Where can the snakes and chickens come from in this desert to make you a dragon and phoenix feast?"

Zuo Sanxiang smiled and waved his hand, "No, no, no, everyone has to be careful in this desert. There are also venomous snakes. They hide in the sand and sometimes by the water. So every time we go to fetch water, we brothers will use spears."

You have to poke around on the ground, and you have to poke into the water! By the way, from tonight, fires must be set up outside each camp, whether it is cow dung, horse dung, or bones and rotten wood, try to light them all!"

Wang Xiaoming looked at Zuo Sanxiang and said, "General Zhengxi, you seem to know everything. Where did you learn from him?"

"Everyone will not believe me when I say that I am self-taught. I met my master when I was eighteen years old. At that time, I was still herding cattle and farming. This master was being hunted. In desperation, I threw a knife

He picked up a hoe and beat the two men who were chasing him to death, and then became his apprentice. He called himself Old Man Mingyue."

"Wait a minute, the person who can teach you martial arts is being hunted, and you are just farming and killing people with a hoe. This doesn't make sense." Wang Xiaozhun, the commander of Xiangfeng Camp, was thoughtful and immediately heard the flaw.

"Haha, I was young and ignorant at that time, but later I found out that it was Old Man Mingyue who deliberately set up a trap to trick me into killing someone and then forcing me to flee! This old guy is so bad."

Everyone snickered secretly and just wanted to say that no wonder you are so sinister. It turned out to be the master who taught you.

By the time I finished telling the story of Old Man Mingyue, it was already dusk, and the sunset in the desert was particularly magnificent.

Zuo Sanxiang looked around and said, "Be careful tonight. The Loulan people will definitely rob the camp tonight. Everyone has to dig long trenches and big pits outside the camp. In addition, we must beware of wolves!"

That night, the Loulan people did not show up, but the wolves did come and dragged away dozens of soldiers.

On the second day, everyone complained to each other that they couldn't even deal with the wolves.

"Brother Ming, you are too cowardly. You just watched several brothers being dragged away!"

"Don't be sarcastic, the wolves rushed in like crazy, they even put out the fire!"

"This wolf really didn't want his life. He shot one to death and then charged after him. Fortunately, we killed hundreds of wolves last night."

Zuo Sanxiang came over with people, "Don't be careless. As long as there is one wolf in the pack, they will take revenge. But it's okay. Some of the meat was eaten along the way. The wolf meat is very unpalatable and the wolf heart is poisonous. But
Chapter completed!