Changyuan County is the northeastern county in Hongnong County, close to Henan County where Luoyang is located. The strategic location of Changyuan County is very important, just located at the throat from Hongnong to Luoyang. When the Tang army attacked Luoyang, Changyuan County was arranged by the Tang army to become the largest grain and grass logistics site.

Li Shimin attached great importance to the safety of food and grass logistics. He ordered Shi Dana to lead 10,000 troops to station in Changyuan County. The Tang army's material camp is located three miles east of Changyuan County. It is a barrier-type camp covering an area of ​​hundreds of acres. Half of the 10,000 troops are stationed in the county and half in the camp.

Changyuan County is a central county with a population of more than 3,000 households. The county magistrate’s surname is Jiang, a native of Luoyang, and the county magistrate is Zhang Hongbang, a native of Hongnong County. He is the inner responder introduced by the Yang family to Xu Shiji.

Zhang Hongbang was about forty years old and was from a poor family since childhood. However, he was smart and studious. He was attracted by the Yang family twenty-five years ago, so he asked him to study in Yangxue and deliberately trained him.

With the Yang family as the backstage, Zhang Hongbang gradually embarked on the official career, serving as Gongcao and the county magistrate. In the first year of Daye, he was recommended by Yang Su as the chief of Hongnong County and later became the Shaoqing of the Sinong Temple.

In the ninth year of Daye, implicated by Yang Xuangan's rebellion, he was demoted to the magistrate of Changyuan County. After Wang Shichong ascended the throne, he asked him to go to Luoyang to serve as the Minister of the Siong Temple, but he refused to go to the hospital.

In the morning, Zhang Hongbang was handling official duties in the county yamen. The war in Luoyang these days was tense, and he was also very busy. At this time, a yamen runner came in to report, "County magistrate, the young master is here!"

Zhang Hongbang has a son and a daughter, and his daughter is already married. His son Zhang An is now studying in Yang Xue, which is the pearl in his hand. When he heard that his son was coming, he laughed and said, "Let him come in!"

After a moment, his son Zhang An walked into his father's official room with a follower. Zhang An stepped forward and bowed, "Hello, Father!"

Zhang Hongbang stroked his beard and nodded and asked, "How come you have time to come here for your father?"

"Report to my father, it was the head of the family who asked the child to come."

It was the head of the Yang family who asked his son to come. Zhang Hongbang was slightly stunned. He glanced at the entourage and saw that he was tall, strong, and had strong arms. He didn't look like a villager. He asked his son, "What is this person?"

Zhang An stepped forward and said a few words to his father. Then Zhang Hongbang realized that it was Sui army coming. He got up and walked towards the inner room. "You guys come with me!"

In the inner room, the follower stepped forward and bowed, "After he is the personal soldiers under General Xu's tent, he will send a letter to the Chief Zhang County Master."

After saying that, the entourage took out the letter and submitted it to Zhang Hongbang. Zhang Hongbang knew that Xu Shiji was the youngest general under Yang Yuanqing's tent. He was only two or three years older than his son and was young and promising. He led a large army to Changyuan County, naturally for the Tang army's food and supplies.

He opened the letter and read it, pondered for a while and asked, "I wonder where General Xu is now?"

"Our army is now Wangyougang more than twenty miles away."

The twenty miles away was not far. Zhang Hongbang said, "Let's do it! I'll go see you General Xu."

.........

Several people rushed all the way. Half an hour later, Zhang Hongbang rushed to the temporary camp of the Sui army. Xu Shiji personally welcomed the tent. He knew that Zhang Hongbang was also a high-ranking official in the court, so he was very polite to him.

The two walked into the big tent and sat down. Xu Shiji ordered his side to serve tea, and then said apologetically: "I didn't expect to bother you to come here in person. Shiji is ashamed!"

Seeing that Xu Shiji was young, he was calm and wise, and had the style of a Confucian general. He secretly admired him in his heart, so he stroked his beard and smiled: "General Xu, don't be polite. Now is an extraordinary period. When everything is putting the overall situation first, Zhang is a Sui minister, so he naturally cares about the Sui Dynasty. I will do my best to help the Sui army. I don't know what I can do for the general?"

.........

Due to the excessive storage of materials in the camp, there was no more than 10,000 soldiers. The Tang army divided the troops into two groups, half of which were stationed in the camp, and the other half of which were stationed in the county town. Shi Danai, the chief general of the Tang army, had accommodation in the Daying and the county town, but he lived in the county town most of the time.

Shi Dana was a Western Turkic nobleman, whose full name was Asuna Dana. In the fifth year of Daye, the Western Turkic Khan was defeated by the Kakui Khan. Chuluo Khan took the remaining troops to the Sui Dynasty for refuge. Shi Dana also came with him, with three thousand tribal troops under his command.

When Li Yuan raised an army in Taiyuan, Shi Danai surrendered to the Tang army, and his tribe also became a Turkic army in the Tang army.

Shi Dana was quite trusted by Li Shimin, and this time he even ordered him to be the main logistics general and take charge of the 10,000 army. Shi Dana did not dare to be careless and guarded the camp to do his best.

At night, Shi Danai sat alone in the room to drink. Drinking was his biggest hobby. If it weren't for wartime, he could drink five or six pounds at a time, but now he dared not drink too much, so he accidentally drank a few glasses.

This is also the reason why he is unwilling to live in the camp. Drinking is strictly prohibited in the camp, and living in the county is a little freer.

At this moment, a report from a personal soldier came from outside the door, "General, County Magistrate Zhang has an urgent matter to ask for a meeting!"

"Yeah! Let him in."

After a moment, the county magistrate Zhang Hongbang hurried in and bowed and said, "General Shi, the subordinate official has reported important matters."

"What's the matter?"

"General, I have a family member who has just come from my hometown today. He said he found a Sui cavalry on the west side of the county town."

"Sui Army?"

Shi Danai was shocked and asked hurriedly: "Where are there, how many Sui troops are there?"

"Twenty miles northwest of the county town, there are about two or three thousand people."

Shi Danai had no intention of drinking and became nervous. The Sui army actually appeared in Changyuan County. It was obviously coming for them, but there were not many people, which made him feel a little relieved. He pondered for a while and asked, "When did he discover the Sui army?"

"The family had just arrived and discovered the Sui army, it should have been in the evening."

Shi Danai felt anxious. If this was the case, the Sui army should have arrived. At this moment, a burst of rapid running sounds came from outside the door, and some soldiers reported in panic: "Report to General, about 3,000 Sui army attacked the Daying. In the northwest corner of the Daying, the Sui army used rockets, which was very critical."

Shi Danai stood up and shouted sternly: "The army is gathered immediately and go out of the city to rescue the camp!"

Zhang Hongbang nodded without saying a word, and an undetectable sneer flashed in his eyes.

.........

At the beginning of the city gate, Shi Dana took the lead and led 5,000 Tang troops to rush to the camp five miles away. There were only 3,000 cavalry on the other side, which coincided with the information of County Chief Zhang. It was obvious that the Sui army was coming to attack the camp.

This is actually a psychological hint. Zhang Hongbang first told him that there were two or three thousand people, and then the camp found that there were three thousand Sui troops to attack. Under this double hint, it was easy to think that the Sui army had only three thousand people, which made Shi Dana lose his vigilance.

In the dark night, five thousand Tang troops rushed all the way, and the road was very familiar. They could arrive in a quarter of an hour within a distance of five miles.

After three miles of marching, there was a small river several meters wide in front of me. There was a wooden bridge on the river. In the distance, you could vaguely see the dark walls of the camp.

The team slowed down and began to cross the bridge one after another. The team crossed the bridge less than halfway. At this moment, a clapper sounded, and suddenly thousands of arrows were fired dozens of steps away from the opposite side. The arrows were like storm and storms, shooting towards the Tang army crossing the river.

.........
Chapter completed!