After the system ran, I took off with my family

Chapter 359: Night Talk in the Tent

"It's absolutely true. After hearing what Miss Lin said, I became suspicious. After returning to the base, I immediately interrogated Meng Ping strictly, and he finally revealed the truth.

According to Meng Ping, they have already sent a group of people there, all of whom are merchants passing through on their way to Yangcheng."

Captain Li's face was serious. He didn't expect that a bandit leader he brought back casually could give him such a big "surprise".

A tall and burly man with a beard sitting on the right raised questions in a booming voice.

"Then how did they deliver people to the Turks right under the noses of our Zhenbei Army?"

Captain Li bowed and said, "Deputy General Zhong, according to Meng Ping, those Turkic barbarians came from the northwest of the Tiger Roaring Mountains. Broken Turtle Ridge and the Tiger Roaring Mountains are connected end to end. Meng Ping and his men only need to lead their troops from the junction of Broken Turtle Ridge and Tiger Roaring Mountains, and the Turkic barbarians will take over."

The Zhenbei Army was stationed in the north for decades, during which time they had been building defensive fortifications.

Not only was a city wall built in the largest valley on the north side of the Huxiao Mountains and Yangcheng Pass established, but towering city walls were also built in the other two valleys and east and west border posts were established.

In addition, the vast mountain range that acted like a natural barrier made it impossible for the Turkic barbarians' cavalry to break through.

But if they abandoned their horses and came over on foot, as long as there were not many of them and the noise was small, it would be difficult to detect them.

Just like the villages of Lijiatun, Zhaojiazhuang and Dayangcun.

Just because they are located at the foot of the lower eastern mountain range of the Tiger Roaring Mountains, they have suffered from the invasions of small groups of Turkic warriors who have sneaked in from the eastern mountains.

The incidents of scattered Turkic warriors sneaking in from the other side of the mountains happened repeatedly, and the Zhenbei Army had tried every possible means but to no avail.

Therefore, after Captain Li finished speaking, the tent fell into silence.

After a long time, Deputy General Zhong spoke again, breaking the silence in the tent.

"What do these barbarians want to do? What's the point of arresting those merchants for no reason? Does Meng Ping know the reason?"

Faced with Lieutenant General Zhong's three consecutive questions, Captain Li could only shake his head.

"I have already punished him. He really doesn't know what use those Turkic barbarians have for these merchants."

Now everyone in the tent fell into deep thought.

The man sitting opposite Vice General Zhong suddenly frowned, stood up, and respectfully bowed to the man in front of him, saying, "General, I have a guess."

"General Luo, tell me about it."

General Tang, the commander of the Zhenbei Army, raised his chin slightly, motioning him to continue.

General Luo bowed and told his guess.

"General, last year, a blizzard hit the grasslands, causing heavy losses to the Turkic tribes and their livestock. The Turkic barbarians, with no food to eat, frequently crossed mountains and ridges to raid villages and steal food, but all they got was nothing more than a grain of rice and a bundle of firewood.

Now that autumn has arrived, I'm worried that their food and fodder will run out, and they'll become desperate. We should launch a large-scale attack before the heavy snow arrives, and those captured merchants will serve as the Turkic barbarians' best human shields during the battle."

General Luo's words shocked everyone present.

Recalling the numerous provocations and inquiries from the Turkic barbarians in recent days, they felt more and more that General Luo's suspicions were correct. They all said, "General, I think what General Luo said makes sense. If that's the case, we should have taken precautions early on."

General Tang looked solemn. He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in the tent.

After a moment, he slowly turned and looked at everyone present. His gaze was sharp as a torch, and he ordered, "Deputy General Zhong, starting tomorrow, dispatch 500 elite cavalrymen daily to patrol the areas of Lijiatun, Zhaojiazhuang, and Dayang Village in rotation. Be sure to prevent scattered Turkic warriors from attacking the villages and stealing food."

"Yes." Deputy General Zhong's expression became serious and he bowed to accept the order.

"Captain Liu, Captain Yan, tomorrow you will each lead 500 elite soldiers and secretly rush to the east and west border posts. Be sure to conduct a thorough and detailed investigation of the mountains surrounding the two posts."

Captain Liu and Captain Yan exchanged a glance, then bowed and said in unison, "Yes, we obey your orders."

After issuing two military orders in succession, General Tang looked down at the map of the north on the table.

After a long while, he stood up and said in a grave tone, "Those merchants who fell into the hands of the enemy, no matter what, are ultimately the people of our Great Zhou.

Moreover, when the two armies engage in battle, they may become a hindrance to our offensive.

General Gao, I order you to immediately dispatch elite scouts to secretly investigate the location of the Turkic garrison and the whereabouts of the captured merchants.

After we find out the truth, we can discuss a rescue plan."

"Yes."

"in addition....."

General Tang pointed to a location on the map and said without a doubt, "The bandits in Duanguiling are extremely daring and have colluded with foreign enemies. They must not be allowed to stay."

"Captain Li."

"I'm here." Captain Li bowed.

"Tomorrow, you will select five hundred elite soldiers and personally go to Duanguiling to suppress the bandits. If there is resistance, no one should be spared."

"However, you can go and try tonight to see if you can persuade Meng Ping to lead you. In a word, life or death depends entirely on his decision."

"Yes, General." Captain Li accepted the order respectfully.

After a series of military orders were issued, General Tang's expression eased slightly.

Remembering the news from the capital, he once again solemnly emphasized, "The last snowstorm on the grasslands has already displeased His Majesty. Everyone, no further mishaps must occur in the North. Otherwise, even at the cost of your lives, it will be difficult to appease His Majesty's wrath."

Everyone present looked solemn, "I understand."

It was late at night and the people in the tent were preparing to leave.

Just as he was about to leave, Lieutenant General Zhong approached Captain Li and asked curiously, "Captain Li, is the Miss Lin you just mentioned really that powerful? She killed nearly a hundred bandits by herself? Could she have been lying?"

Everyone present was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. This martial arts madman really had a different focus.

However, his interruption did ease the tense atmosphere in the tent a lot.

"Oh? This general is also a little curious. Is there really such a woman who is as brave as a man?"

The man at the top placed the teacup steadily on the table and looked up at Captain Li.

"this....."

Captain Li scratched his head, his tone uncertain: "I didn't see Miss Lin make her move myself, but my brothers and I carefully examined the wounds on the bandits' bodies. They were all killed by a single sword, and it was the same person who killed her. Miss Lin's weapon happened to be a long sword.

In addition, I have asked Meng Ping and the two merchants surnamed Zhao and Liu, and they all insisted that it was Miss Lin who killed those bandits, and it took less than a cup of tea."

"Hiss..... He killed nearly a hundred bandits in less than a cup of tea. Isn't that too strong?"

Deputy General Zhong's eyes widened, he exclaimed in surprise, and was somewhat skeptical.

"Captain Li, how old is Miss Lin?"

"Miss Lin looks no more than a young girl." Captain Li answered in detail.