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Xu Zhen led her troops to the ferry, where the river was almost entirely covered with sheepskin rafts. The air was filled with the sounds of people shouting names, creating a chaotic scene. The disorganized county soldiers were trying to maintain order at the ferry, but they still managed to block it completely.
Seeing that Xu Zhenbu's team had come to a halt, many Rogue began to scatter. The sharp-eyed county soldiers quickly ran to report to their superiors, and soon a group emerged from among the Rogue.
The leader appeared to be in his thirties, dressed in dirty leather armor, with a hand resting on his broadsword as he approached quickly. Duan Zan moved ahead of Xu Zhen and asked first, "Who are you? Why is this place in such chaos? You are obstructing the Soldier's march against the enemy and delaying military matters!"
The man who looked like the leader had a pained expression and clasped his hands together, saying, "County Official is Zhang Zhao, the constable of Shandan County. Due to the siege of Ganzhou, the Barbarians are causing chaos in the surrounding areas, and we have no choice but to escort the county residents southward..."
"What did you say! Ganzhou is under siege? Then why aren't you quickly dispersing the people and letting us cross the river!" Anger rose in Duan Zan, who immediately shouted.
Zhang Zhao's face darkened, but he gritted his teeth and bowed his head, trembling as he spoke, "Generals, our county town is falling apart, our homes destroyed by war. Now thousands of people are without food to sustain themselves. After moving south, there will be no hope for survival. The county magistrate and deputy magistrate are loyal to their country and are still holding the line. We, the people of Shandan, risk our lives to plead for your help. We hope you will rescue Shandan, as your kindness would be like giving us new life!"
Zhang Zhao's voice was loud and clear, and many county soldiers around him had tears in their eyes. Among the Rogue, there were many families still trapped in the sea of war. Seeing their constable pleading for help, elders from the village knelt on the ground in front of Xu Zhenbu's team, crying out loudly. Many Rogue carrying their families also knelt down and begged. Hundreds of people at the ferry cried out together in despair, creating a heart-wrenching scene that even Gao He Shu could not bear.
However, Duan Zan understood that the overall situation was paramount. He was unaware of the specifics regarding Shandan County, including the strength and numbers of the enemy forces. Moreover, military orders could not be disregarded; it was absolutely impossible to defy military commands for such a small county.
"The military situation is urgent; we cannot afford any delays! Quickly clear the ferry so we can cross!" Having participated in military analysis before, Duan Zan knew well about the stakes involved and would not linger any longer. He regretted having delayed Xu Zhen's march along the way.
Ganzhou, like Liangzhou, was a crucial stronghold in the northwest. It was protected by the Black River, backed by Gan Junshan, with vast areas of Salt Pans to the north. The Snowy Mountain provided abundant timber suitable for arrows. After the army of the Tuguhun entered Ganzhou, supplies could be rapidly replenished, allowing them to use the mountains as a natural defense against enemies while advancing north into the grasslands of northern Liangzhou. They could avoid direct confrontation with large numbers of Tang Soldier while striking from behind to defeat Liangzhou.
The Barbarians were known for their strategy of waging war to sustain war. If both regions were captured and removed from contention, it would open up gateways for chaos everywhere. Not only would it shake both court and common folk alike, but civilians would also suffer from warfare. It would then become exceedingly difficult to conduct any cleanup operations afterward.
Yet Zhang Zhao gritted his teeth and stood in front of Duan Zan's horse head, drawing his broadsword from his waist and offering it with both hands as a sign that he was willing to die if necessary. He knelt down heavily and pleaded earnestly, "Please save us, General!"
Upon hearing this plea, this iron-willed man could not help but shed tears; it was truly moving!
Many soldiers bore injuries, likely having retreated from the front lines as wounded men, eager to dedicate their last ounce of strength to their hometown. Upon seeing the county magistrate kneel and plead for help, they all fell to their knees, crying out in unison, their voices mingling with the biting cold river wind that stung their eyes.
Li Wushuang and Li Mingda, being women with compassionate hearts, were filled with indignation at Duan Zan's stone-cold demeanor, even Zhou Cang muttered a curse under his breath.
The new recruits had always looked up to Duan Zan as their leader, with Hou Polu and Zhang Shenzhi mediating among them. The morale of the troops was no longer directed towards Xu Zhen, Colonel Murong Xiao; instead, they harbored resentment towards Xu Zhenxin and were obedient to Duan Zan.
However, having left their hometowns to enlist not long ago, they saw reflections of their own families in these rogues. Their hearts softened at that moment, wishing that Duan Zan could stay behind to rescue Shandan.
Yet they knew that Duan Zan was not a novice in the military; he had been Colonel Murong Xiao for a long time and had participated in several small-scale battles. He would not easily relent. Thus, those who hoped to stay and fight turned their gazes towards Xu Zhen.
Xu Zhen was not a soft-hearted person. He did not consider himself a great hero capable of saving the masses from peril, but he could not bear to watch these rogues starve or freeze to death. The true heroes were those who held the line in Shandan County through hardship; Xu Zhen could not allow them to perish!
He and Zhang Jiunian had analyzed the situation early on. What Duan Zan could think of, Xu Zhen naturally understood as well. However, he was more aware that arriving in Ganzhou at this moment would serve little purpose. Would they lead these eight hundred inexperienced soldiers to ambush tens of thousands of troops from the Tuguhun?
Or would they sprout wings and descend from the sky into Ganzhou City to assist Li Jing in defending the city?
None of these strategies were feasible. It would be better to clear out the barbarian chaos surrounding Ganzhou, eliminating all threats while also saving these innocent civilians!
As for military orders, for someone like Xu Zhen, rules were rigid but people were alive. Living beings should not be stifled by regulations. With war already underway, whether Ganzhou could be defended was uncertain. If it could be saved, he would share in the credit; if it fell, he would likely perish beneath the barbarians' curved blades before any military punishment could be enacted.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, Xu Zhen slowly dismounted and helped Zhang Zhao up. He looked him straight in the eye and asked calmly, "Are you aware of the situation in Shandan County? How many enemy troops are there? What types of soldiers? How much supplies and manpower remain within the county?"
Zhang Zhao was momentarily taken aback. Initially, when Duan Zan had come to inquire, he assumed that Duan Zan was the general of this unit due to his commanding presence; he had not considered that this young master was actually the one in charge!
Zhang Zhao was not an ignorant person. Having served as a county officer for many years, he was skilled in archery and horsemanship, and he loved to study military texts. Aware that the questions posed by Xu Zhen were crucial, he quickly composed himself and replied, "If the General has any questions, Zhang will answer without reservation!"
Just as Xu Zhen was about to summon Zhang Jiunian to gather military intelligence, she turned around to see Duan Zan glaring at her with anger, unyielding as he stared directly at her. " Xu Zhen, do you know what you are doing? Disobeying military orders is a capital offense!"
Duan Zan pressed the blade of his sword down, his threat evident in his tone. However, Xu Zhen merely scoffed dismissively and said, "Duan Zan, do you really want to fight me? Have you asked the Brothers behind you whether they would rather follow you to Ganzhou to die or come with me to Shandan to save lives?"
"You!"
Duan Zan's face turned pale with rage, but he was left speechless because he couldn't even convince himself!
Xu Zhen's words seemed to awaken those who were lost in thought. The Soldiers began to realize that Shandan was just a county town that was still holding out, indicating that the enemy's strength was not particularly elite. Meanwhile, their side had a thousand troops equipped with standard Tang military gear. Although they were new recruits, they had Xu Zhen's two hundred elite soldiers leading them. If they could build momentum and act accordingly, even new soldiers could carve out a bloody path!
At this point, Xu Zhen decided to take action. She drew her long knife from her waist and called out loudly to the troops behind her, "Anyone willing to assist me in reinforcing Shandan, step forward!"
Over two hundred soldiers led by Zhou Cang and Gao He Shu immediately separated from the ranks and stood on either side of Xu Zhen. Their formation was orderly and solemn, with a palpable aura of killing intent that was truly impressive!
The eight hundred new recruits wanted to step forward as well, but their preconceived notions about Xu Zhen ran too deep. Moreover, low-ranking officers controlled by Hou Polu and Zhang Shenzhi were among them. The brigade commander Captain and even the fire chief were subordinates of the two men; naturally, these new recruits lacked the courage to defy military regulations alongside Xu Zhen.
Xu Zhen shook her head and sighed, comforting herself internally. Perhaps it was better without these new recruits; at least they wouldn't drag down her own Brothers.
Duan Zan did not want any of these new recruits to step forward fearlessly and take the lead either. He immediately addressed Xu Zhen: "In that case, Xu Zhen, Colonel Murong Xiao, take care of yourself. Although you are also trying to save lives, disobeying military regulations is an undeniable fact. I will report this truthfully!"
Xu Zhen snorted coldly and did not respond directly. After a moment of thought, she said tactfully, "You can take these people to Ganzhou, but leave behind any excess food and supplies. If you drag them along like this, whether you can even reach Ganzhou is still questionable."
Duan Zan was well aware of the "excess food" that Xu Zhen mentioned. This was something he and Hou Polu had encouraged the soldiers to bring along to deal with Xu Zhen. Considering the situation, they needed to reach Ganzhou quickly and could only travel light.
Duan Zan did not speak, but his gaze indicated his stance. Hou Polu, feeling helpless, ordered the new recruits to leave all excess food and supplies behind.
Xu Zhen called over Zhang Jiunian to understand the specific situation in Shandan County and handed over the military supplies to the officials there for distribution to the rogue soldiers. Meanwhile, Duan Zan and Hou Polu took eight hundred new recruits to disperse the rogue soldiers and began crossing the river.
Although Xu Zhen's main force consisted of only about two hundred people, each one was an elite warrior. By providing military supplies to assist the rogue soldiers, the officials and civilians of Shandan were filled with joy and gratitude, continuously praising Xu Zhenzhi's name.
In truth, Duan Zan felt some regret because he knew that once they reached Ganzhou, there would be little he could do. To reach the rear of Ganzhou, they had to pass through Zhangye, but Shandan was on the verge of being breached, and he could not guarantee that Zhangye would hold out.
If Zhangye fell, Ganzhou would become an isolated city. At that point, even if Duan Zan's army circled around from behind, they would not be able to enter Ganzhou City!
With this in mind, Duan Zan shouted an order: "Advance at full speed!"
He had served as Colonel Murong Xiao for a long time and had once commanded five thousand elite cavalry. He possessed exceptional military talent; if it weren't for his family's prolonged decline, he wouldn't want to rely on Hou Junji. With war imminent, having to show off in front of someone like Xu Zhen was indeed a complicated matter that left him in a difficult position.
However, as a Tang person, internal strife was one thing; resisting external enemies was another. Without Xu Zhen around, he could focus solely on leading the eight hundred new recruits along the Shandan River towards Ganzhou without worrying about various schemes and plots.
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